My TFF 2009 screenings...

Even though SPOUT was not in Telluride, I was and had a great time (as usual).  College football cut into a little viewing time, but I still managed to see 14 feature films and 5 short films.  Here's the rundown.

First up Friday at "The Backlot" was 14-18, the Noise and the Fury (2009).  This was an effective film on the horrors of war.  Next, also at the Backlot was Disco and Atomic War (2009).  Disco... was well done and a great show on the effects of mass media.  After the feed, we headed to the Sheridan Opera House for the tribute to Margarethe von Trotta and her new film, Vision (2009) - it was quite good.  Next, still at the Opera House was Gigante (2009).  It was not among my favorites from the weekend.

Saturday started off with the powerful and graphic A Prophet (2009).  Next up was one of Alexander Payne's selections for revival, The Breaking Point (1950).  Mr. Payne explained how he came to originally see the end of this classic and how he managed to work it into another screening opportunity where he saw the entire film for the first time.  Following the classic, we moved on to the well-made <!-- @page { size: 8.5in 11in; margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } -->Australian film, Samson & Delilah (2009).  I wrapped up Saturday at "The Chuck" and a screening of Todd Solondz's new film (which was a real hoot!) titled Life During Wartime (2009).

Sunday started with one of Werner Herzog's two new films, Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (2009).  This film was fun, not too serious, but not totally a joke either.  It was also fun because I sat next to Margarethe von Trotta and had the opportunity to talk about her film Vision and where it was filmed and the like.  Next up was An Education (2009).  this very well-made film had a serious story to tell and it told it well.   After learning a lesson in love, we moved off to the tribute to Viggo Mortensen and John Hillcoat's new film The Road (2009).  I really enjoyed this film.  It was dark and yet hopeful; very well-done.

Monday, after attending the Labor Day Picnic, we saw Veit Harlan: In the Shadow of Jud Süss (2009).  This doc was a bit difficult to follow, but it was an interesting look at how the descendants of Harlan deal with the truth about their ancestor.  Next we saw the very well-made film by Michael Hoffman, The Last Station (2009).  Can you say "Oscar Bait"?  The final feature of the weekend was Henri-Georges Clouzot's Inferno (2009).  This was a collection of clips and reenactments (based upon script notes) from the failed Inferno project from the early 1960's.  My impression of the film was that Clouzt was in over his head and did not know what film he was trying to make - and it seems that it almost killed him.

The short films I saw, all preceding features, were: Hulahoop Soundings (2008), The Kinda Sutra (2008), Photographs of Jesus (2008), Scoring (2008), and VEM (I Know) (2008).

It was another really good Labor Day Weekend!

Tom

Re:My TFF 2009 screenings...

Wow Tom, I'm jelous!  There's a lot of great stuff there that I'm looking forward to seeing.  Thanks for taking the time to write out your description of them.

You know, I've never been to a film festival.  I'm wondering, do you find that it can quickly become a bit of an overload.  I've tried to watch several movies in a day sometimes on a lazy weekend or something, and always find that it can be overwhelming, especially if the movies are good.  Sometimes they can almost get jumbled in my mind if any of the themes are remotely similar.  Maybe I just have concentration problems.