Thursday, March 17, 2011

Our Predictions for First Film Fest and some other noises from us

Jeremy Sing: what's the one you remember most out of the 11?
Alvin Choo: I can't decide between 2. 'here i'll always be' and 'paranoia'. my favourites i think. You?


J: I thought you'd like the funny ones. Like Jan. I remember Jan most. Why do you remember the 2 psycho films most? Well, the former's not really that psycho i guess

A: Come to think of it, yeah Jan's probably the most memorable. but not in a favourable way to me. I really liked the conceptualization of both films, multi-faceted and least predictable i felt, of all the finalists
J: You find it too 'skit-ish'? I agree about Here, Ill always be. It's a very different film and its transition to a more poignant scene in the hospital was quite seamless. But just thought they could be more creative with the hallucinatory parts
A: Yeah Jan felt more like a Youtube video-of-the-day then a film competition entry
J: But it's so witty, don't you think? Especially the see Jan in heaven part. No?
A: Nope, i didn't take to it at all. but i get the feeling that films/vids of this nature, you either love it or loathe it. i think i'm the latter. You enjoyed the wit?
J: Yes and the clever use of the same actor but varying the behavior and the pacing and editing were very funky
A: he's the director too, apparently all of 13 years old.
J: Oh! What a prodigy
A: Maybe a kid with lots of guidance
J: Certainly not parental guidance !!! hahaha. if we have Singapore's Got Talent, he must be on it... Thailand's already got their video sensation, he could be the Singapore one.
A: Yeah, i think the reason I didn't take to it might have something to do with some of the humour leaving a bad taste. i.e. him making light fun of cancer, or maybe that's just me being prudish.
J: Yes you are being prudish!
A: But refreshing it certainly was, from the field of similarly themed films.
J: Similar themes certainly…many about madness…losing the mind
A: yeah, jaded-ness..
J: Yes that too
A: I felt i should be a country bumpkin after watching like 3 of them. So which was your fav of the lot?
J: Jan
A: Haha really
J: Maybe I am looking at how the films make the best of the 3 mins. But many other films come close. I like Hide and Seek, Here, I'll always be, Citylapse.

A: Here I'll always be' takes the cake for me. Leaves me impressed how the director could convey such a complex storyline in all of 3mins. But yeah, if there was a talking point of this competition, guess it'll have to be Jan.
J: Yeah... i like the bittersweetness of here. How did you find Hide and Seek?
A: Came across feeling over-dramatized.
J: I liked the premise and can be potentially very moving and cutting. But the delivery was not sharp enough. Too easy an ending too.
A: The opening scenes made it feel more like what it turned out to be. It felt a little downhill after that. The camerawork and music, almost makes you prepped for a psycho-thriller.
J: Don't you find City Lapse familiar?

A: Yup we last saw it...Panasonic film fest right?
J: No. It was the civic life 90 sec competition. There was one entry that had this diorama effect. Ddo you remember?
A: Yup i do. How do you think this director did?
J: I liked it, in fact this time round, he sharpened his diorama visuals even more, making familiar city-scapes look like toys
though unfortunately, I wished more craft was put into the narrative.
A: Yeah my thoughts exactly. perhaps the issue with leaning too much on technical brillance is that compromise on narrative/flow...i think i felt the same w that previous film. You think? (Previous meaning the civic life one)
J: Yes, the storytelling component moved only inch between that and this. So what else did you fancy?
A: I thought paranoia made great storytelling use of the 3mins too. Not easy considering the buildups needed of a psycho-drama genre. How did you find it?
J: The biggest things that caught me was the cinematography. The shots were nicely lit and framed and I bet the final product had been colour graded. Sorry, story wise, found it too predictable….like you could guess how it would end after the first 30 secs.
A: Probably true, but good execution nevertheless. Which else do you like?..,…besides the love-it-or-hate-it Jan.
J: Hahah…I liked the initial 1st minutes of Square One. It's the Stephanie Sun music video look….white washed colours, Saturated, emotive shots.... but.....

A: So more an aesthetic appeal than anything else?
J: Yes, cos it kept repeating visual motifs and the grieving voice
A: Yup. I thought it interesting the almost-synonymous moods captured by all these films..
J: The layman will just call it emo. The film educated may label them contemplative. (pause) What did u think of Tabula Rasa?

A: I liked it. I looked up the meaning of that actually. Tabula rasa is the epistemological theory that individuals are born without built-in mental content and that their knowledge comes from experience and perception. -Wikipedia
J: What language is it?
A: Latin, I think. Bet you thought it was Malay?
J: Haha. Yes! Rasa as in Rasa Sayang.....
A: Haha don't worry I did too. How did you find it?
J: I like the film. It's 'inception' with a bit more heart. What did you think?
A: I liked it too, thought the open-to-interpretation ending served it well.
J: It's a thoughfully crafted film that does not overdo the visual 'effects', was afraid David would do a 'Steadfast' (his earlier action flick) on this one. The lighting and camera work also reflect a seasoned pair or eyes and hands
A: yup probably one of the more experienced directors in competition.
J: I noticed many films were visual plays more than narrative pieces.
A: Maybe it's the 3 minute restriction….to save themselves the editing dilemmas, you think?
J: But it echoes a comment a Malaysian filmmaker made some time ago, that Singapore films are very glossy pieces with high production values but rest on weak narratives or stories. I mean entries like Carnival of Animals, Square One, reminisce, city lapse are products of editing wizardry.
A: Yup that comment sums it up quite well. the stereotype, almost of arthouse/indie works in Singapore.
J: How did you find Carnival of Animals?

A: i liked the metaphors concept, thought it worked well...up to a point when it seemed to deviate a little. but overall, a 'like' for the visual narrative. You?
J: I prefer to 'comment' instead of 'like' haha.
A: So what's your comment?
J: I like the moment when the giraffe was trying to feed on the leaves and you can still see the human body frame moving, it was kinda transcendental in a way that it achieves its aim of making you see humans in a different, more primeval way. Vice versa, you discover animals have humanly characteristics too.
A: Felt it was narrowing down to women specifically. The tiger therefore was a nice touch.
J: Haha! Agree! (pause) How did you find My Little Brother?

A: I thought the narrative felt fragmented, like it was going in a number of directions and you as audience never really knew which to follow. One minute it's focusing i assume on childhood ambitions, the next starting a family...felt more like random thoughts than a congruent flow.
J: It was a visual statement having the teenagers play parents but he did not carry that forward to a deeper level, so it remained a gimmick, like his use of text (which was quite distracting while it was interesting). I kept guessing where the text would appear next!
A: I thought it was more the hopes and dreams an older sister had for her brother.. in his ambitions, family et al. yeah it somewhat turned out gimmicky.
J: Here’s something funny about 'Reminisce'…….it's the film I remember least.

A: Haha. And why?
J: From my reminiscence, it was like a prototypical wedding video.
A: Haha, except with darker themes i suppose. But i agree the aesthetic touches made it feel like that.
J: Moving on, we are down to our last film, The Last Job.

A: Haha, you're not done with puns are you?
J: I am done, this film is not that 'punny'. Lol.
A: In one word, ambitious. but I'm not sure whether to put it down to the acting or the script, it was a promising concept that fell rather flat for me.
J: Yes agree, good concept but 'make-shift' execution. I mean I would have preferred the victim to not have worn T-shirt and bermudas. Makes the action flick sleepy.
A: Haha. Like a pajama party roleplay!
J: By the way.... do you notice something missing in The Last Job? And sorry, this is my final pun
A: No what's it?
J: Make a guess la
A: Oh...blood?
J: Bingo.
A: Haha
J: No blood on the last job. No more puns I promise, we are done!

Our Favourite Top 3
Jeremy
1 - Jan
2 - Here, I'll always be
3 - Tabula Rasa
Alvin
1 - Here, I'll always be
2 - Tabula Rasa
3 - Paranoia

Our predicted winner
Here, I'll always be

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