Father Geek here with our lovely and persistent Pacific Islands reporter Ms Moon-Yun Choi and her look back at the HISF for 2003... and some great little flicks you may not have caught yet...

Moon Yun corresponding from Hawaii ... the Hawaii International Spring Festival that ran in Honolulu from April 11 - April 17, 2003 was "bookended" by a joyous opening night film, "Bend It Like Beckham" and a tragic, Korean film, "The Champion." Everything in between, at least the ones I saw, were to me... mediocre. I'll let the HIFF film selection committee share some of their reviews for some of this year's films.

There were a total of 16 films in this year's festival.

BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM

U.K., 2002, 112min. Director: Gurinder Chadha Producers: Deepak Nayar, Chadha Screenwriter: Chadha, Paul Mayeda Berges, Guljit Bindra Cinematographer: Jong Lin Editor: Justin Krish Cast: Parminder K. Nagra, Keira Knightley, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Anupam Kher Presentation Format: 35mm Print Source: Fox Searchlight Films

A smash hit in its native United Kingdom and just about everywhere else, award-winning filmmaker Gurinder Chadha's Bend It Like Beckham is an irresistible stadium pleaser that infuses a Billy Elliot-like coming-of-age story with charming British comedy, rousing soccer action and an infectious, Bollywood-like zest. All eighteen-year-old Jess Bhamra wants to do is play soccer with the lads at the local park and dream about her idol, the England and Manchester United star David Beckham. Her traditional Sikh parents will have none of it, of course, lest other families whisper about their daughter running about in shorts and baring her legs in front of men. With preparations under way for her sister Pinky's wedding, Jess is invited by an admiring soccer fanatic to try out for the Hounslow Harriers, an all-women s team. As Jess pursues her dream behind her parents back-and worse, falls in love with Joe, the Irish coach-she is forced to choose between family tradition and following her own heart.

As in her previous films-Bhaji On The Beach (HIFF '94) and What's Cooking? (2000) - director Chadha presents a rich portrait of cultural and generational conflicts, her vividly drawn characters celebrating the triumph of spirit while affirming the deep-seeded importance of familial bonds. This film should not be missed and from the looks of it, will be the next "big fat hit"!

--- Reviewed by Taro Goto ---

LA TRILOGIE: CAVALE (On The Run)

France/Belgium, 2002, 117min. Director: Lucas Belvaux Executive Producer: Diana Elbaun, Patrick Sobelman Producer: Patrick Sobelman Screenwriter: Lucas Belvaux Cinematographer: Pierre Milon Editor: Ludo Troch Principal Cast: Lucas Belvaux, Catherine Frot Presentation Format: 35mm Print Source: Magnolia Pictures

Lucas Belvaux's La Trilogie is a large, ambitious, and highly rewarding project, consisting of three feature films. Each is representative of a different genre and can be seen and enjoyed on its own, but has much deeper resonance and meaning when seen with the others. Belvaux himself is unsure of the order in which the films should be shown, since their time frames are not consecutive, but coincidental. Belvaux's films deal with the same events seen through the eyes of different people, creating disparate takes on the same incidents. Each film has its own tone, logic and direction, and the fact that they constantly cross-reference each other creates unique demands upon an audience. Memory and recollection are central to the trilogy. Worlds and lives collide with comic, sometimes tragic, consequences in Lucas Belvaux's subtle and beautiful study of the lives of six people in modern Grenoble, France. As the trilogy unfolds, the character's complexities are unveiled, revealing the human side of hate, the cruelty of love, and the comic face of death.

Belvaux proves himself a master of emotion both in front and behind the camera with Cavale, the tragic story of a man consumed with rage and his own past. Darker by far, the thriller crosses paths with the other films, but brings along its own depth, insights and discovery. Bruno (Belvaux), a terrorist and political zealot, escapes from jail after fifteen years and returns to the scenes of his past crimes to settle old scores and achieve the violent goal of his political ideals. Only to find that times have changed and the people he once thought he knew are no longer his allies.

Each film has a different man as its protagonist; each struggling to define and maintain a troubled relationship with a woman. The questions asked of each relationship, and therefore of each film, are very different. Daring, endlessly engaging and highly stimulating, La Trilogie is an elaborate puzzle that demands our unwavering attention.

--- Reviewed by Lisa Windsor ---

LA TRILOGIE: UN COUPLE EPATANT (An Amazing Couple)

France/Belgium, 2002, 100min. Director: Lucas Belvaux Executive Producer: Diana Elbaun, Patrick Sobelman Producer: Patrick Sobelman Screenwriter: Lucas Belvaux Cinematographer: Pierre Milon Editor: Valerie Loiseleux Principal Cast: Ornella Muti, Francois Morel Presentation Format: 35mm Print Source: Magnolia Pictures

In Un Couple Epatant, a romantic comedy, Alain a first class hypochondriac, is diagnosed with a minor health condition and immediately begins planning his funeral and last will. His loving wife, Cecile, the sensuous Ornella Muti, confused by his sudden suspicious behavior hires her friend's policeman husband to investigate. A hilarious sequence of misunderstandings and false assumptions ensues that showcases Belvaux's flawless sense of timing and orchestration.

--- Reviewed by Lisa Windsor ---

LA TRILOGIE: APRES LA VIE (After Life)

France/Belgium, 2002, 100 min Director: Lucas Belvaux Executive Producer: Diana Elbaun, Patrick Sobelman Producer: Patrick Sobelman Screenwriter: Lucas Belvaux Cinematographer: Pierre Milon Editor: Danielle Anezin Principal Cast: Dominique Blanc, Gilbert Mekli Presentation Format: 35mm Print Source: Magnolia Pictures

A powerful portrayal of love and its capacity to heal and destroy, this last film of the trilogy brings the characters full circle and shows them at their most vulnerable, compassionate and human. Brilliant performances by Dominique Blanc as Agnes, the morphine addicted wife, and Gilbert Mekli as Pasqual, her policeman husband, forever compromising his values to provide the morphine she craves. The pain of this couple is palpable as the seconds toll. Will Pasqual make the ultimate sacrifice for Agnes, or will his strength bring a final end to her suffering?

--- Reviewed by Lisa Windsor ---

THE EYE (Gin Gwai)

Hong Kong, 2002, 110min. Director: Oxide & Danny Pang Executive Producer: Peter Ho-Sun Chan Producers: Cheng Tan-Shui, Lawrence Chin, Wing Wai Screenwriters: Jo Jo Hui Yuet-Chun, The Pang Brothers Cinematographer: Decha Srimantra Editor: The Pang Brothers Cast: Angelica Lee, Ben Yuen, Candy Lo, Chutcha Rujihanon, Edmond Chen Presentation Format: 35mm Print Source: Palm Pictures

Mun has been blind since childhood, but medical science has finally given to regain her sight. A cornea transplant is all that is needed, and Mun is overjoyed. A new and exciting chapter in her life is about to start. Post-transplant and it seems the operation is a success. Her sight does return, but something strange commences. In the corners of her vision she keeps seeing dark shapes - figures no one else appears to see. Eventually, the horrifying truth dawns on her - these are the restless souls of the newly deceased, eternally wandering, transmitting horrific signals of grotesque and truly frightening deaths.

But, why is Mun the only one who can see them, and what can she do? The burden is slowly driving her to the edge of sanity. Can her skeptical, but also smitten psychologist help her solve her problem? The pair travels to Thailand to track down Mun's eye donor, where they hope is an end to her nightmare.

With their fingers on the filmic, pop-cultural pulse as any Tarantino or Wachowski brothers' team, the two Pang brothers (Bangkok Dangerous, HIFF 2001) deliver an atmospheric, effective and not to mention, stunningly beautiful supernatural thriller. The Eye was recently bought by Tom Cruise's production company for a U.S. remake. On a similar path that Japanese horror film The Ring experienced, Hollywood is focusing on Asia to rejuvenate the horror genre. The Eye is a prime candidate to scare the crap out of you.

--- Reviewed by Anderson Le ---

BOLLYWOOD/HOLLYWOOD

Canada, 2002, 35mm, 103 min. Director: Deepha Mehta Producer: David Hamilton Screenwriter: Deepha Mehta Cinematographer: Doug Koch Cast: Rahul Khanna, Lisa Ray, Moushumi Chatterjee, Dina Pathak, Kulbushan Kharbanda, Ranjit Chowdhry, Jessica Paré Presentation Format: 35mm Print Source: Magnolia Pictures

Bollywood/Hollywood is a wonderfully charming Indo-Canadian film that pays tribute to the fabulous genre of Bollywood cinema with a Hollywood twist. Indian millionaire Rahul's (Rahul Khanna) break with tradition is short lived when his non-Indian pop star fiancée (Jessica Paré) dies in a freak karmic accident. Before Rahul can mourn, he is dragged into fulfilling filial obligation as his mother (Moushumi Chatterjee) threatens to halt his younger sister's (Rishma Malik) wedding unless Rahul weds a nice Indian girl. To appease his family, Rahul decides to hire a gregarious woman named Sue (the stunning Lisa Ray) to be his new Indian fianc e; what ensues is an entertaining story Bollywood style: conflict, intrigue, melodrama, romance, subterfuge, tragedy, and of course, lots of singing and dancing. Despite the occasional bump, misunderstanding and tribulation, love prevails Bollywood style.

Accomplished writer/director Deepha Mehta (Sam and Me, Camilla, Fire, Earth) gives us a marvelous film. The story is delightful, the characters are rich and the acting is superb. Khanna is convincing as an apologetic and anxious son who is caught between the appeals/demands of East and West. Kharbanda, Chatterjee, Pathak, Chowdhry provide sincere and endearing familial portraits and Ray simply lights up the screen. Similar to the appeal of My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Bollywood/Hollywood is a heartfelt romantic comedy that highlights the strangeness of whom we call family, that which we call tradition and how the two make a delicious 'masala' - see this film.

--- Reviewed by Konrad Gar-Yeu Ng ---

LOVE FOR ALL SEASONS

Hong Kong, 2003, 96min. Director: Johnnie To, Wai Ka-Fai Action Director: Ma Yuk Sing Producer: Charles Heung Wa-Kung Screenwriters: Wai Ka-Fai, Au Kin Yee, Yip Tin Shing Editor: Law Wing-Cheong Cast: Sammi Cheng, Louis Koo, Lee Bing Bing, Lam Suet, Hon Kwan Ting Presentation Format: 35mm Print Source: Tai Seng

In the Hong Kong film industry, three films are made especially to usher in the Lunar New Year, bringing in good tidings, good luck, and most of all, great prosperity. These films are usually light, romantic comedies - nothing too heavy, because who wants to start off the New Year feeling depressed? Johnnie To, one of the most prolific directors working in Hong Kong (The Mission, Needing You, HIFF 2000, Love on a Diet, Wu Yen, HIFF 2001, Fulltime Killer, HIFF 2002) has been part of this New Year troika and churns out a film, usually with frequent starlet Sammi Cheng. Love For All Seasons is their latest New Year film, the Year of the Ram.

Louis Koo is Tiger, Hong Kong's most notorious playboy. His shenanigans have caused many a broken heart, as can be evidenced by the film's over-the-top opening sequence where numerous women-including the police negotiator, officer-in-charge and the fire chief-threaten to jump off the building due to his philandering. Yin and Yang gives Tiger a nice helping of bad karma, leaving him with some serious health issues, which have left him plugged up in the restroom and generally grouchy, to boot. He ends up seeking help from the Omei Clan, an all-female martial arts school located in Mainland China. There, he meets May (Sammi Cheng), the temporary headmistress of the school, who sets about curing him through wacky Eastern medicine techniques. She also spends a great deal scheming on ways to make Tiger's life miserable, comeuppance, if you will, for his philandering ways.

Unfortunately, Omei has its own share of problems. Their last headmistress returns after being driven mad due to rejection by a man. She resolves to kill all of Omei and then herself unless May can best her in a one-on-one duel. To do so, May needs to learn the "Broken Heart" stance, which can only be obtained if May actually experiences a broken heart herself. She travels to Hong Kong in search of Tiger, because he seems to be the only one that can help her. He resolves to do so because after all, May was his "savior." Still, she has rules: no kissing, hugging or sleeping together. You'd think genuine rejection would be impossible without the above, but Tiger views this as a true challenge for his refined lothario ways. And, as you'd expect from a fluffy Lunar New Year flick, love blossoms along the way.

--- Reviewed by Anderson Le ---