Twists and turns

SLC

So… still trying to make up my mind on Joshua. Certainly there’s a huge creep factory and as well as a solid helping of “WTF was that?!”, but there’s also a lot to be said for the fact that the experience of watching the film is a lot like the world experienced by those in it…. i.e. you don’t really know what the hell is going on and you’re constantly trying to second guess what you’re being told by the frames on screen. Basically, Joshua is a story about a family who, after the birth of their second child, starts experiencing a lot of strange activities in their NYC apartment that seem to be attributed to their nine-year-old and uber creepy son. I actually came away from the screening feeling really unsure of what really happened… but listening to George Ratliff, the director, talk for 10-15 minutes following the film really helped firm things up and actually made me appreciate much more the craft in this film. I would love to go into more detail, but I’d be giving far too much away. So… I’m going to be vague and really just say that if you’re looking for something creepy and mind-fucking, this is worth checking out.

So... the rundown on films for the day:
Manda Bala – One of the best docs I’ve ever seen. Phenomenally good. Don’t show this to children…. Ever…
Fay Grim – Another great Hal Hartley film. Fun, quirky, political and ultimately a joy to watch.
Joshua – If you’d like a creepy mind-fuck, this will fit the bill nicely.