Here, in my order of preference, are the films I saw at the 1999 festival:

 

·          My Favourite: Show Me Love

Review for public consumption: A truly poignant and touching coming-of-age story about teenagers in a small town in Sweden, centred on two girls, one of whom is infatuated with the other. Perhaps the most honest and believable movie I've ever seen, it felt much like a cross between My So-Called Life and Degrassi. I highly recommend it, especially to Scott & Andrea.
Review for male consumption: Teenage Swedish lesbians. Need I say more?

 

·          Honourable Mention: Guinevere

A fantastic story about love and art and maturity, starring Sarah Polley and Stephen Rea. Very well-written and -directed, I found it quite inspirational. (And Christine, it's set in San Francisco!)

 

I also recommend:

·          Ghost Dog: Way of the Samurai – Forest Whitaker is a modern day self-styled samurai assassin for a mafia family in Jim Jarmusch's latest film. Loaded with wit and irony, and slathered with Jarmusch cool.

·          All the Rage – A black comedy about guns and interpersonal relations in our modern world, with a stellar cast and the feel of a play. Giovanni Ribisi and Gary Sinise were particularly good, and there were some scenes that were absolutely hilarious.

 

Also worth seeing:

·          Wonderland – A British slice-of-life drama following a few eventful days in the lives of an extended family in London. I found it somewhat depressing, in the way of many British films, but ultimately touching.

·          8 1/2 Women – Peter Greenaway's latest, (apparently an homage to Fellini's 8 1/2), but certainly not his best. Plenty of the magnificent picture-perfect shots you would expect of Greenaway, and good performances by most of the cast, but it had some particularly disturbing themes, and somehow the aesthetic and imagery didn't click for me. Unfortunately this was one of the few screenings I attended that didn't have a Q&A session afterward; I really could've used a roadmap for this one.

·          History Is Made At Night – Quirky Finnish comedy about spies in the wake of the Cold War, starring Bill Pullman, Irene Jacob, and Bruno Kirby. Funny and entertaining enough, and I really enjoyed seeing a movie set in Helsinki, but nothing very deep.

·          Goat On Fire & Smiling Fish – A decent little independent film about two brothers and their lives and loves.

 

Avoid:

·          Guts – A largely slow and dull Dutch drama about love, friendship, and film-making, with an ending I hated with a passion.

 

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