Football As Never Before in Gordon and Parreno's Zidane, A 21st Century Portrait

ZIDANE, A 21ST CENTURY PORTRAIT / Zidane, un Portrait du 21e Siècle
(Douglas Gordon & Philippe Parreno, France/Iceland, 2006, 92 minutes)

"There has never been anything quite like Zidane."
--International Herald Tribune

Should you need a non-narrative break from SIFF '08, which ends this Sunday, the Northwest Film Forum presents an encore screening of Douglas Gordon and Philippe Parreno's highly-touted documentary Zidane, A 21st Century Portrait starting tonight and running through June 15.

When I spoke with Program Director Adam Sekuler before the original run, he enthused that the NWFF had already sold 250 advance tickets. Recently, I interviewed Sekuler via email about SIFF's Alternative Cinema section, which he and co-programmer Andy Spletzer compiled together. Sekuler emphasized that "the traditional narrative isn't the only way to make films."

He could have easily been talking about this "21st century portrait," in which 17 cameras track the every enigmatic move of former Real Madrid player--and champion head-butter--Zinedine Zidane during the course of a 2005 match against Villareal. NWFF publicist Ryan Davis proclaimed the first stand "a great success; every single screening was packed, and it's all thanks to our supporters who helped get the word out--and showed up themselves." 

So, if you missed it the first time around, you've got a second chance, and this one-of-a-kind film works best on the big screen. Though I didn't have time to write about Zidane in April, I did review the Chemikal Underground collection CHEM087CD+DVD, which features contributions from composers Mogwai. Like the band, Gordon hails from Glasgow; Parreno from Paris.

And since there isn't much I can say about Zidane that Visual Arts Editor Jen Graves didn't already cover in The Stranger, you can follow this link to read her Slog post--plus comments from a very excited peanut gallery.

Because I can't resist: John Otway's immortal "Headbutts."

Zidane, A 21st Century Portrait plays the Northwest Film Forum Fri-Sun, June 13-15, at 7 and 9:15pm. In Football as Never Before, the rare 1971 George Best doc that originally played with Zidane, German experimental director Hellmuth Costard trained eight cameras on the infamous Man United footballer. The NWFF is located at 1515 12th Ave. on Capitol Hill. For more information, please call 206-329-2629. Image from Rotten Tomatoes.

SIFF 2008: Scenic Romance Villa Jasmin

VILLA JASMIN

(Férid Boughedir, France, 2008, 87 minutes)

On the verge of becoming a parent himself, Serge returns to his childhood home to explore his Tunisian-Jewish roots in La Goulette - a town covered in the intoxicating scent of jasmine. The film moves through the '30s and '40s, delving into the impact of the Vichy regime following the defeat of France by Germany during WWII. This scenic romance is at its best when focusing on the story of his parents--Serge (Clément Sibony) and Odette (Elsa Mollien). We get to see the initial courtship of the couple and how their love grows, along with some hauntingly beautiful displays of affection.

Complex and emotionally moving, Director Ferid Boughedir delivers a film with a deeply layered story of relationships that will resonate with everyone.

You can buy tickets online here.

Villa Jasmin screens at the 34th Annual Seattle International Film Festival tonight - Wed, June 11, at 9pm at The Egyptian, and again on Sun, June 15, at 9:30pm at The Harvard Exit. 

SIFF 2008: The Great Buck Howard

THE GREAT BUCK HOWARD ***
(Sean McGinly, US, 2008, 87 minutes)

Mentalism is similar to stage magic, featuring some of the same basic
tools, principles, sleights and skills in its performance.
--Wikipedia entry

As Buck Howard (John Malkovich, most recently of Art School Confidential) explains in writer/director Sean McGinly's funny valentine to the talk-show mainstays of yesteryear, he's a mentalist, not a magician. Unlike Ed Norton's showman in The Illusionist (SIFF '06), the temperamental artiste doesn't do Harry Houdini-style tricks. Rather, he reads minds, finds hidden objects, and performs other feats that eschew props and comely assistants (McGinly based his character on The Amazing Kreskin, pictured below).

Now Howard attracts increasingly modest crowds. Enter law school dropout Troy (a likably low-key Colin Hanks), who takes a job as his road manager. Along with a sassy press agent (Emily Blunt) and two over-enthusiastic venue managers (Steve Zahn and Debra Monk), Troy works with Howard to pull off the ultimate stunt: hypnotizing several hundred people at once.

Produced by Tom Hanks's Playtone banner, The Great Buck Howard follows the rise, fall, and rise template of many Hanks productions (see Starter for Ten and his own That Thing You Do!), but McGinly handles a large cast with ease, the cameos--John Stewart, Conan O'Brien, George Takei, etc.--are a treat, and the unpredictable Malkovich gives his most nuanced performance since, well, Being John Malkovich.

The Great Buck Howard plays the Uptown on June 8 at 11am. An official release date has not yet been announced. The Amazing Kreskin credits Lee Falk's Mandrake the Magician for inspiring his life's work. According to Wikipedia, "[A] movie based on Mandrake with actor Jonathan Rhys Meyers is set to start filming in 2008." Images from Wikipedia and Genii Magazine.

SIFF 2008 Favorite: Anvil! The Story of Anvil

ANVIL! THE STORY OF ANVIL

(Sasha Gervasi, Canada, 2008, 81 minutes)

Anvil! The Story of Anvil screened at the 34th Seattle International Film Festival on Thursday, June 5 and plays again today - Friday, June 6, 4:30pm @ SIFF Cinema. You can buy tickets online here

Though you could bill this as "a real life Spinal Tap", it reminded me a lot of American Movie - but somehow even more genuine.

Childhood friends Steven "Lips" Kudlow and Robb Reiner have been together for 30 years of dedication, support, and most importantly, heavy metal. In the 1980s, Canadian band Anvil was at the top of their game. Playing with other more popular acts, they set the musical standards for hardcore rockin'. Short interviews with members of Metallica, Guns-N-Roses, Motorhead and more give credit to Anvil for heavily influencing the heavy metal genre.

But twelve albums later, Anvil's still living in obscurity. Now that Lips and Robb are in their 50s, its time for something to give. After a disappointing European tour that leaves them defeated and out of what little money they had, Anvil decides to give fame one last shot by putting all they've got into a 13th album called "This is Thirteen".

It's clear that their popularity problem lies in the music more than anything. Anvil seems to have gotten stuck in a rut - each album sounding more and the more same, ensuring nothing will stand out. To top it off, finding a decent label and competent management is more than a challenge. Still, they have their fans, and their fans are more than dedicated. Which makes sense, as I have never seen a nicer, more hard-working group of guys.

Lips's enthusiasm, optimism, and drive are so infectious and endearing that you'll find yourself smiling and rooting for him to succeed. Sure, this film is full of hilarious moments (Playing a guitar in bondage gear - with a dildo?? Seriously?), but it's also inspiring and just a great story about real people trying to do what they love - without anyone having to make anything up. How often does that happen?

Image of Anvil from Abramorama / Reason.  

SIFF 2008: Don't Judge a Taco by Its Price

More of my favorite quotes from SIFF '08. (Click here for part one.)



Getting old is evil. There's absolutely nothing good about it.
-- The Edge of Heaven / Auf der anderen Seite (Fatih Akin)

A highlight of SIFF '08. Akin was a worthy selection for one of the four Emerging Masters (his Head-On made my top 20 for 2005; in retrospect, I probably should
have rated it higher). No more SIFF screenings, but I'm sure Heaven will return.


Art School Confidential's lovely and talented Sophia Myles
I like creepy men.
-- Mister Foe (David Mackenzie)
[Myles says the above to Jamie Bell's peeping tom.]
Another worthy selection for Emerging Master, though I wish SIFF had prog-
rammed Mackenzie's underrated Asylum (Patrick McGrath) rather than his ov-
errated Young Adam (Alexander Trocchi). No more SIFF screenings, but it op-
ens in August (date and venue TBA). A big believer in the literary adaptation,
Mackenzie next tackles Martin Amis's controversial 1989 novel London Fields.
I don't want to live a flat, tasteless life.
- Up the Yangtze (Yung Chang)
Hey, who does? I enjoyed this Chinese-Canadian documentary quite a
bit, and wish I had also been able to make it to former Emerging Master
Jia Zhangke's Three Gorges film, Still Life (Sanxia haoren). No more SIFF
screenings of either, but Up the Yangtze opens at the Varsity on 6/27.
One of the uses of money is that it allows us not
to live with the consequences of our mistakes.
-- Savage Grace (Tom Kalin)
Unlike Amie, I appreciated Kalin's long-awaited follow-up to Swoon-"like" may
be too strong a word-but she's hardly alone. This hyper-cynical piece of work is
an audience-divider if ever there was one, and some reviews have been down-
right vitriolic. No more SIFF screenings, but it opens on 6/20 (venue TBA).
With birth and urine, there's no procrastination.
-- The Wrecking Crew (Denny Tedesco)
I dug this labor-of-love music doc about LA session players just as much
as Amie and Gillian (and everyone else with whom I've discussed it), i.e. a
whole lot. Twelve years in the making, it's currently seeking distribution.
Don't judge a taco by its price.
-- Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson (Alex Gibney)
I wrote, "Gibney's evenhanded depiction may disappoint true believers hoping for
a glorified puff piece, but [Hunter S.] Thompson's ability to speak truth to power
with wit and passion comes through loud and clear." No more SIFF screenings, but
it opens on 7/12 (venue TBA). Meanwhile, Gonzo narrator Johnny Depp, who star-
red in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, assumes the lead in Thompson's Rum Diary.
Actor Clark Gregg's directorial debut, Choke, is also full of some hilariously (and
expectedly) profane lines, most of which probably come straight from Chuck Pal-
ahniuk's novel, but I was unable to write any of 'em down, since I keep forget-
ting to replace my defective pen. In any case, I'd recommend it, especially if
you're a Sam Rockwell or Kelly Macdonald fan (Sherrybaby's Brad William Hen-
ke is also good value as Victor's soft-hearted buddy). Plays the Egyptian on
6/5 at 9:15pm and the Uptown on 6/7 at 4pm, and opens in September.

Henke and Rockwell watch Cherry Daiquiri do her thing
Images from The Guardian and OutNow! Image Gallery.

SIFF 2008 Favorite: Emmanuel Mouret's Lovable Shall We Kiss? with Virginie Ledoyen

SHALL WE KISS / Un baiser s'il vous plaît
(Emmanuel Mouret, France 2007, 96 minutes)

Only the French could craft a thoroughly hilarious romantic comedy about cheating. Director and writer Emmanuel Mouret walks us through a comedic story within a story about the complications of attraction, lust and love, and relationships in general.

A man and a woman meet by chance on the streets of Nantes and spend the evening talking, laughing, and getting along famously. At the end of the night, the woman declines the man's offer of "a kiss without consequences" - leading into a longer story explaining why it's never possible to indulge your desires without affecting someone else.

Judith and Nicolas are the best of friends, and completely platonic. She enjoys her settled, married life and her job - he struggles to find the perfect girl, but manages to be happy anyway until he suggests he might be lacking intimacy, and proposes that they might work out this problem together. Cue some of the most honest, heartbreaking and funny scenes I've ever seen about two people trying as hard as they can to not admit they might in love. I felt that both stories were perfectly written and casted - I loved the story of the strangers as much as I loved the main focus about Judith and Nicholas.

I highly recommend, and will definitely be buying this when it's released on DVD. As an additional note - there are two other things that I really loved about this film:

1) Most American films in this genre tend to make the current spouses or partners of the characters falling in love either totally unlikeable, or so completely wrong for the person that you don't care when the infidelity occurs (i.e. You've Got Mail). This film refused to do that, and even made the two outside characters lovable and sympathetic.

2) Hollywood has a tendency to sell us on "perfect beauty". In this film, all the women looked completely real. No layers of makeup to project a flawless face, no constant hair-styling to make us believe that even a romp in bed wouldn't disrupt our tresses, and yet the women still looked completely gorgeous. It was pretty inspiring (We can look like REAL people and still be beautiful?? Who knew?).

Shall We Kiss has already screened twice at the 2008 Seattle International Film Festival - but keep an eye out for it - I'm sure it will be picked up and released soon. Image from the IMDbIMDb (Virginie Ledoyen, Emmanuel Mouret, and Frédérique Bel).  

SIFF 2008: Independent Provocateurs Derek and Baghead

DEREK
(Isaac Julien, 2008, UK, 76 mins.) (***)

[jarman image]

It feels like the correct time to be reminded of an ancient tradition that has always
served civilization well, that of the independent, truth-telling poet provocateur.
-- Tilda Swinton to The New York Times

***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****

Produced by friend and muse Tilda Swinton, Derek offers an impressionistic
portrait of the late British iconoclast (Caravaggio, Jubilee). Seventy-six minutes
seems short, but Julien (Looking for Langston, Frantz Fanon: Black Skin, White Mask) packs a lot of material into that time, and the pace never feels rushed.

[caravaggio image]
Sean Bean in Caravaggio (1986)

A revealing, self-deprecating 1990 interview with Jarman provides most of the narrative (he died from AIDS complications four years later). Comments from
other actors and collaborators, like Ken Russell, for whom Jarman designed sets
in his early days, would've been nice, but the film presents Julien and Swinton's perspective (she wrote her commentary). Outside voices would surely provide
a fuller picture, but at the expense of the intimate mood they establish.

***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****
Derek plays the Harvard Exit on 6/5 at 7pm and 6/7 at 4:30pm. Click here for Gil-
lian's review. Zeitgeist releases a box set, Glitterbox - Derek Jarman X 4, on 6/24.

BAGHEAD (***)
(Mark & Jay Duplass, 2008, US, 84 mins.)

[mark and jay image]

In their indie sensation The Puffy Chair, Mark and Jay Duplass used the re-
trieval of a piece of furniture to explore the relationship between a close-knit
trio. Their studio follow-up represents something alternately fresh and familiar.
For four Los Angeles extras, a trip to the woods to collaborate on a screenplay be-
comes a chance to organize their personal and professional lives until the youngest (Greta Gerwig, Hannah Takes the Stairs) spots a man with a bag on his head skulking in the shadows. The concept may be slight and the execution rudimentary, but the makers of Baghead have devised a surprisingly poignant horror-comedy hybrid.

***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****
Baghead plays the Egyptian on 6/8 at 6:30pm and 6/9 at 4:30pm.
Directors in attendance. It opens at Seattle's Varsity on 8/8.

[baghead image]

Images from Yellow Melodies, Diva TV, and indieWIRE
(Baghead still from the Sundance Film Festival).