Father Geek here with our third report in from the WorldFest film festival down in Houston, Texas. Its still running for another 7 days sooooo if you love film and are in the area you should drive on down and check it out... but if you can't, well, we have our reporters there to bring you the blow by blow from on the scene...
Hello Harry, or Father Geek. Whoever's catching these tonight. Swavill here with more WorldFest coverage. Sorry I didn't send anything from day 2 but life just seemed to get in the way yesterday. The only thing I had time for was to take my daughter to the screening of "The Wizard of Oz". Something I had never seen on the big screen before.It aired in the slot where Casablanca was supposed to be shown. Apparently their print of that film was destroyed in transport somehow, but we were informed that they have a new print coming. Unfortunately they have rescheduled it opposite "Easy Rider" and somehow the thought of missing Easy Rider with Dennis Hopper in attendance is just out of the question. Anyway it was fun sharing The Wizard of Oz with my daughter and made up for missing some of the other films. I see Nordling is covering the festival too, so you haven't really missed anything so far.
Ok on to day 3. The first film up was "The Greatest Adventure of My Life". A nice family film set duing the Civil War about a boy who runs off to join the Union Army and has all sorts of adventures. Including spending some time in the Confederate Army. The film begins as a retired General who's car breaks down begins telling a young boy about his life. Then it switches to being narrated by the films young star Cody Newton. Remember that name the kid is good. The film is entertaining and its only real problems were the battle scenes which used Civil War Buffs reenacting the battles. Unfortunately it looked a little too much like a reenactment. But maybe I'm being picky as I said I enjoyed the film.
Next up I opted for a Digital Animation film fom Spain titled "The Big Secret"(El Gran Secreto).The animation is quite good. The opening sequence flying over the countryside and the town was amazing. The characters were enjoyable and the plot was good. The problems with the film are the musical numbers and some of the dialog. I am assuming that the film was originally in spanish. The musical lyrics and some of the dialog didn't seem to translate well. But not a bad little film.
Now for something special "No Turning Back" a film produced by, directed by, and starring Jesus Nebot is the best film I have seen so far this year. I'll be seeing "As Far As My Feet Will Carry Me" tomorrow night so I'll let you know if I think Norrdling is right about it being the best at the festival so far, but its going to have to be awfully good to top this one. No Turning Back is about an illegal immigrant who while on his way to pick up his 6 year old daughter runs over and kills a young girl. Because he is illegal he flees the scene picks up his daughter and goes on the run. In a bizzar twist a journalist with a video camera figures out who he is and follows them offering to help in return for being able to videotape their story. Jesus Nebot plays Pablo Fernandez with a haunting tortured look in his eyes. Fernandez's wife was killed by a hurricane in Honduras and he and his daughter have endured incredible hardships to get to america. Just when things seem to be go! ing their way this happens and their life is torn apart again. This is a complex tale showing the desperation and the lengths someone will go to to protect their child. This film is a very human tragedy and was not meant as a political statement,but the political overtones are all over it. Illegal immigration is a hot political topic right now.Some may find it difficult to identify with an illegal alien who is also a hit and run driver,but Nebot plays the character with such a sense of sadness and remorse that it is impossible not to feel sympathy for him.Ideally film should evoke an emotional response from the audience. This film delivers in spades.Nebot also managed to get inspired performances from all of the actors including himself (something which it has been said is very hard to do).Directing, producing,and acting is a tall order but Nebot pulls it off flawlessly. The film has won several international awards and it would be a shame if it is not picked up by someone f! or U.S. distribution. I cannot recommend this film strongly enough.
For the last film of the night I chose a German film "Julietta". It must be feel sorry for the bad guys night.Julietta played by the luscious Lavinia Wilson (Who yes for you talkbackers you do get to see mostly naked)is a college student visiting her boyfriend in Berlin at a large outdoor festival. After giving her a hit of some type of drug they run off to have sex in a photo booth taking pictures as they go. Afterwards they become seperated in the crowd and Julietta passes out in a large fountain and nearly drowns. She is saved by a young ambulance driver who takes the unconscous girl to a secluded location and proceeds to rape her. Afterwards he is nice enough to stick around to see that she is all right. Unaware that she has been raped she wakes up and asks the guy what happened and he tells her he saved her. Anyway you can see where this is leading. The boyfriend and the rapist become friends.Julietta winds up pregnant.We are it seems supposed to feel for the rapist ! because he feels remorse and is basically a good person. He and Julietta start to fall for each other and he tells her his terible secret.It just gets messier from there. Better than your average episode of Days of Our Lives,But not a very good film.
SWAVILL LORD of CHAOS
