🍿 MIFF number 18 and my final one was Misericordia (2024). ★★★½

A psychological study of repression and desire in a small rural town is what you think you're going to get. You do but the melodrama and sadness of the first half becomes philosophical and comedic through some unexpected plot twists in the second half. The glances, the unsaid thoughts, the desire of the characters, the catholic guilt over the top of it all. Some absurd dialogue that completely works and isn't out of place. Lovely camera work, with the use of day and night to help shift between the open and the secrets. You'll leave wondering if the main character is a manipulative psychopath or a hapless idiot bumbling through one mishap after another. You won't leave wondering about the priest's desire for him though.

🍿 MIFF number 17 was Some Rain Must Fall (2024). ★★

A rectangular image with a review of the movie Some Rain Must Fall (2024). The movie poster is on the left and the review on the right side. Across the bottom is a rating of Poor Okay Good Great with Okay selected. The review reads: The cinematography, lighting and visuals of this film are its strength, certainly not the plot or pacing. The first half moves slowly and you’re left to guess at how the characters have arrived where they are. There’s too much unsaid or not filled in until later and some sub plots which seem unnecessary, detracting from the overall story in fact. I can see what the director was attempting to do but I don’t think he has delivered.

🍿 MIFF number 16 was Devo (2024). ★★★★

A rectangular image with a review of the movie Devo (2024). The movie poster is on the left and the review on the right side. Across the bottom is a rating of Poor Okay Good Great with Good selected. The review reads: I love a good music documentary which not only showcases the music but also has a good behind the scenes look at the band, and this delivers. I wasn't overly familiar with how Devo was formed against the backdrop of the early 70s protest movements but the film goes into a good level of detail without overdoing it. It primarily covers the early years and into the height of their career, with some coverage of later years. Seems like everything they were protesting and commenting on is as relevant today as it was then. De-evolution indeed!

🍿 MIFF number 15 was the truly awful Dream Team (2024). Barely worth a ½ star.

A rectangular image with a review of the movie Dream Team (2024). The movie poster is on the left and the review on the right side. Across the bottom is a rating of Poor Okay Good Great with Poor selected. The review reads: Awful. I stopped counting the walkouts once I reached 25. The MIFF description of this was misleading and I have no idea how something this bad made it on to the program.

🍿 MIFF number 13 was Head South (2024) ★★½

A rectangular image with a review of the movie Head South (2024). The movie poster is on the left and the review on the right side. Across the bottom is a rating of Poor Okay Good Great with Okay selected. The review reads: At its core it's a usual teen trying to find his way and his group film. Throw in the parents breaking up and you have the standard coming of age story. The leads are great though, coupled with a good soundtrack and some awkward but funny moments and you have a decent enough outing. Has the same quirkiness as most films coming out of New Zealand

🛫 Time to fly. Melbourne -> Hobart.

🍿 MIFF number 12 was Crossing (2024) ★★

A rectangular image with a review of the movie Crossing (2024). The movie poster is on the left and the review on the right side. Across the bottom is a rating of Poor Okay Good Great with Okay selected. The review reads: A fairly straightforward plot with a Georgian woman searching for her trans niece in Istanbul. As the film progresses Istanbul is shown as a city where you can disappear but also a city where you can be accepted for who you are, no matter your story. The film isn’t here to show Istanbul as a tourist destination, it moves through the back streets and narrow lanes as the search progresses. Three stories interwoven, the aunt, her unexpected companion, and the trans lawyer; each compassionate in their own way, each searching for something. Although a vibrant look at life and a very compassionate portrayal of the reality of life for the Istanbul trans community this just didn’t quite gel with me.

🍷 When the apps call you out for visiting a lot of bars. I’m on holidays so 🤷🏻‍♂️

A screenshot of the Swarm app that says “Bar fly. That’s 10 different bars in the last month. Today, this sticker. Tomorrow… well… probably another bar. You thirsty little bar fly.”

🍿 MIFF number 11 was All Shall Be Well (2024) ★★★½

A rectangular image with a review of the movie All Shall Be Well (2024). The movie poster is on the left and the review on the right side. Across the bottom is a rating of Poor Okay Good Great with Good selected. The review reads: The simple living of life by the older lesbian couple, Pat and Angie, is done in a lovely understated way at the start but ends with the death of Pat early in the film. With only Pat’s name on the deed to their apartment and no will, Angie suddenly experiences the legal and cultural barriers to same sex unions in Hong Kong. With Pat’s family inheriting the apartment, I wanted to dislike them for pushing Angie out of her home but it’s wrapped up in the context of the complex cultural and family traditions at play in Asian families. The film balances the selfishness of Pat’s family against Angie’s community of other lesbian couples, who provide the much needed emotional support to her, in a quiet but telling way.

🎥 About to see my last two movies at the film festival. I think 18 was a good number spaced out across the 12 days. I’m reaching movie fatigue.