Nick's Flick Picks: The 2012 Chicago Film Festival

<body text="#000000" bgcolor="#FFFFCC" link="#003399" vlink="#003399" leftmargin="35" rightmargin="35"> <table width=680><tr><td> <br> <TABLE cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0> <TR><TD width=480 valign=center><Font Face=Garamond Color="#003399" Size=+3><b>Chicago Film Festival 2012</b></Font><br> <b><Font Color="#660066">Main Competition Jury:</Font></b> Dani&#232le Cauchard, Patrice Ch&#233reau, Alice Krige, Joe Maggio, Amr Waked</TD> <TD align=right valign=center><img src=chifest12tab.jpg width=200 hspace=2></TD></TR></TABLE> <hr><center> <a href="#awards"><Font Face=Garamond Color="#003399"><b>Awards</b></Font></a> &#151 <a href="#vlog"><Font Face=Garamond Color="#003399"><b>Viewing Log</b></Font></a> &#151 <a href="#comps"><Font Face=Garamond><b>Competition Lineups</b></Font></a> </center><hr> <a name="awards"> <br> <TABLE cellpadding=3> <TR><TD width=230><Font Color="#003399"><b>Gold Hugo of the Festival:</b></Font></TD><TD width=450><a href=holymotr.html><b>Holy Motors</b></a>, France, dir. Leos Carax</TD></TR> <TR><TD width=230><Font Color="#003399"><b>Silver Hugo:</b></Font></TD><TD width=450><Font Color="#003399"><i>After Luc&#237a</i></Font>, Mexico, dir. Michel Franco</TD></TR> <TR><TD width=230><Font Color="#003399"><b>Special Mention:</b></Font></TD><TD width=450><a href=lerepent.html><i>The Repentant</i></a>, France/Algeria, Merzak Allouache</TD></TR> <TR><TD width=230><Font Color="#003399"><b>Best Actress:</b></Font></TD><TD width=450><Font Color="#003399"><i>The Last Sentence</i></Font>, Ulla Skoog</TD></TR> <TR><TD width=230><Font Color="#003399"><b>Best Actor:</b></Font></TD><TD width=450><a href=holymotr.html><i>Holy Motors</i></a>, Denis Lavant</TD></TR> <TR><TD width=230><Font Color="#003399"><b>Best Cinematography:</b></Font></TD><TD width=450><a href=holymotr.html><i>Holy Motors</i></a>, Yves Cape and Caroline Champetier</TD></TR> <TR><TD width=230><Font Size=-3> <br></Font><Font Color="#003399"><b>DocuFest Gold Hugo*:</b></Font></TD> <TD width=450><Font Size=-3> <br></Font><Font Color="#003399"><i>The Believers</i></Font>, USA, dirs. Clayton Brown and Monica Long Ross</TD></TR> <TR><TD width=230><Font Color="#003399" Size=-1><b>DocuFest Silver Hugo (Runner-Up)*:</b></Font></TD><TD width=450><Font Size=-1><Font Color="#003399"><i>Numbered</i></Font>, Israel, dirs. Dana Doran and Uriel Sinai</Font></TD></TR> <TR><TD width=230><Font Color="#003399"><Font Size=-3> <br></Font><b>New Directors Gold Hugo*:</b></Font></TD> <TD width=450><Font Size=-3> <br></Font><Font Color="#003399"><i>The Exam</i></Font>, Hungary, dir. Peter Bergendy</TD></TR> <TR><TD width=230><Font Color="#003399" Size=-1><b>New Directors Silver Hugo*:</b></Font></TD><TD width=450><Font Size=-1><Font Color="#003399"><i>Flowerbuds</i></Font>, Czech Republic, dir. Zdenek Jirasky</Font></TD></TR> <TR><TD width=230><Font Color="#003399"><Font Size=-3> <br></Font><b>After Dark Gold Hugo*:</b></Font></TD> <TD width=450><Font Size=-3> <br></Font><a href=antivirl.html><i>Antiviral</i></a>, Canada, dir. Brandon Cronenberg</TD></TR> <TR><TD width=230><Font Color="#003399" Size=-1><b>After Dark Silver Hugo*:</b></Font></TD><TD width=450><Font Size=-1><Font Color="#003399"><i>Sleep Tight</i></Font>, Spain, dir. Jaume Balaguer&#243</Font></TD></TR> <TR><TD width=230><Font Color="#003399"><b>Chicago Award:</b></Font></TD><TD width=450><Font Color="#003399"><i>Consuming Spirits</i></Font>, USA, dir. Chris Sullivan</TD></TR> <TR><TD width=230><Font Color="#003399"><b>Silver Hugo (Career Award):</b></Font></TD><TD width=450><Font Color="#003399">Joan Allen</Font></TD></TR> <TR><TD width=230><Font Color="#003399"><b>Audience Choice Award**:</b></Font></TD><TD width=450><Font Color="#003399"><i>Any Day Now</i></Font>, USA, dir. Travis Fine</TD></TR> <TR><TD colspan=2><Font Size=-3> <br></Font><Font Size=-1>* These awards are determined by separately constituted juries</Font></TD></TR> <TR><TD colspan=2><Font Size=-1>** Voted by the public, and announced later than the other awards</Font></TD></TR> </TABLE> <hr> <a name="vlog"> <br> <img src=chifest12bv.jpg align=right width=200><Font Face=Garamond Size=+1 Color="#660066"><b>Films I Saw at CIFF:</b></Font><br> <Font Size=-1>Leaving aside competition films I saw elsewhere, and usually later</Font><br> <Font Size=-1 Face=Garamond><b>Ranked in order of preference</b></Font><br> <Font Size=-2>  <br></Font> <Font Color="#003399"><b>My Golden Hugo</b></Font><br> <a href=belvista.html><i>The Bella Vista</i></a> <Font Color="#ED0000">A</Font> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Uruguay/Germany, dir. Alicia Cano Menoni)</Font> - Minor, subtly self-subverting semi-doc does everything right, relaying fight between soccer team and travesti club </Font><br> <br> <a href=holymotr.html><i>Holy Motors</i></a> <Font Color="#ED0000">A</Font> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(France, dir. Leos Carax)</Font> - This shit is bananas, like Matthew Barney's lusty stab at <i>C&#233line and Julie Go Boating</i>. Melancholy undertow a surprise. </Font><br> <br> <a href=pardlove.html><i>Paradise: Love</i></a> <Font Color="#ED0000">A</Font> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Austria, dir. Ulrich Seidl)</Font> - Pitiless camera, yes, but surprisingly rich in empathy and thought. Women keep teaching men how to be better liars. </Font><br> <br> <a href=lksomnlv.html><i>Like Someone in Love</i></a> <Font Color="#ED0000">B+</Font> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Japan/France, dir. Abbas Kiarostami)</Font> - Which kind of love? Shamed, seductive, fatherly, hourly, angry, humbleeach elliptically reflects the others. </Font><br> <br> <a href=antivirl.html><i>Antiviral</i></a> <Font Color="#ED0000">B+</Font> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Canada, dir. Brandon Cronenberg)</Font> - Scenario smacks of Papa but aesthetic does not. Tensely mixed and lensed. Accrues layers, scares, and wit as it unfolds. </Font><br> <br> <a href=warwitch.html><i>War Witch</i></a> <Font Color="#ED0000">B+</Font> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Canada, dir. Kim Nguyen)</Font> - Harrowing if vaguely familiar child-soldier drama takes surprising turns into mythic imagery and complex introspection. </Font><br> <br> <a href=keplghts.html><i>Keep the Lights On</i></a> <Font Color="#ED0000">B</Font> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(USA, dir. Ira Sachs)</Font> - Intriguing if sometimes costly ellipses. Tender look at an impossible bond. Sachs excels again at light, milieu. </Font><br> <br> <a href=finalmem.html><i>The Final Member</i></a> <Font Color="#ED0000">B</Font> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Canada, dirs. Zach Math & Jonah Bekhor)</Font> - Penis-museum doc a curio in itself, unexpectedly poignant about mortality and funny about...phallo-national pride? </Font><br> <br> <a href=soadhosn.html><i>The Three Disappearances of Soad Hosni</i></a> <Font Color="#ED0000">B</Font> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Lebanon, dir. Rania Stephan)</Font> - Captivates as a smorgasbord of Egyptian film styles never represented in US media </Font><br> <br> <a href=mekonght.html><i>Mekong Hotel</i></a> <Font Color="#ED0000">B</Font> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Thailand, dir. Apichatpong Weerasethakul)</Font> - Clearly minor, but Joe has a lovely feel for laconic bonhomie, even in the face of disaster. Or of cannibal ghosts. </Font><br> <br> <a href=clip12.html><i>Clip</i></a> <Font Color="#ED0000">B</Font> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Serbia, dir. Maja Milo&#154)</Font> - Visuals no strong suit. Often lurid, but earns stripes and gasps as Apple-era youth study. Nikki Reed would blush, then clap. </Font><br> <br> <a href=reality.html><i>Reality</i></a> <Font Color="#ED0000">B</Font> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Italy, dir. Matteo Garrone)</Font> - Arena nails lead role; wayward speculation is an apt theme for today's Europe. Still, second hour is one long comet tail. </Font><br> <br> <a href=beyhills.html><i>Beyond the Hills</i></a> <Font Color="#ED0000">B</Font> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Romania, dir. Cristian Mungiu)</Font> - Diamantine visuals. Waves of tension. But shots, story beats over-repeat. Ideas run at a low ebb. </Font><br> <br> <a href=oncveron.html><i>Once Upon a Time Was I, Ver&#244nica</i></a> <Font Color="#ED0000">B</Font> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Brazil, dir. Marcelo Gomes)</Font> - A sexy movie and intriguing character study, even if it pushes fewer envelopes than it pretends </Font><br> <br> <a href=lerepent.html><i>The Repentant</i></a> <Font Color="#ED0000">B</Font> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Algeria/France, dir. Merzak Allouache)</Font> - Remorseful terrorist learns that good intentions don't open many paths in spare, slightly thin French-Algerian drama </Font><br> <br> <a href=outndark.html><i>Out in the Dark</i></a> <Font Color="#ED0000">C</Font> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Israel, dir. Michael Mayer)</Font> - Scene by scene, the Serious Drama you'd expect about a handsome Palestinian guy and a handsome Israeli guy in love. </Font><br> <br> <a href=hemel.html><i>Hemel</i></a> <Font Color="#ED0000">C</Font> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(The Netherlands, dir. Sacha Polak)</Font> - Lady-libido drama overconfident about thin ideas. Several sketchy provocations. With any luck, CIFF's dingiest-looking film. </Font><br> <br> <a href=westerld.html><i>Westerland</i></a> <Font Color="#ED0000">C</Font> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Germany, dir. Tim Staffel)</Font> - Opaque, third-rate <i>Keep the Lights On</i>, as sweet Turkish guy strives to "save" bratty dopehead. Grim stabs at allegory. </Font><br> <br> <a href=room237.html><i>Room 237</i></a> <Font Color="#ED0000">D+</Font> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(USA, dir. Rodney Ascher)</Font> - Director puts nothing on the lineno context, no point of viewin serving unstructured slaw of very selective "readings." </Font><br> <hr> <a name="comps"> <br> <Font Face=Garamond Size=+1 Color="#660066"><b>Films from the Main Competition:</b></Font><br> <Font Size=-1>More on these Competition titles available <a href="http://www.chicagofilmfestival.com/films_and_schedule/film_guide_category.php?show=main_competition" target="_new">here</a></b> (opens in a new window)</Font><br> <Font Size=-1 Face=Garamond><b>Listed alphabetically    Graded titles reviewed above</b></Font><br> <Font Size=-2>  <br></Font> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2368749/" target="_new"><i>After Luc&#237a</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Mexico, dir. Michel Franco)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2130125/" target="_new"><i>Bad Seeds</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(France/Luxembourg, dir. Safy Nebbou)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2258281/" target="_new"><i>Beyond the Hills</i></a> <Font Color="#ED0000">B</Font> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Romania, dir. Cristian Mungiu)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2276314/" target="_new"><i>Boys Are Us</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Switzerland, dir. Peter Luisi)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2139919/" target="_new"><i>Gimme the Loot</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(USA, dir. Adam Leon)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2076220/" target="_new"><i>Holy Motors</i></a> <Font Color="#ED0000">A</Font> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(France/Germany, dir. Leos Carax)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2283017/" target="_new"><i>The Land of Hope</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Japan/UK, dir. Sion Sono)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1590013/" target="_new"><i>The Last Sentence</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Sweden, dir. Jan Tro&#235ll)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1843287/" target="_new"><i>Like Someone in Love</i></a> <Font Color="#ED0000">B+</Font> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Japan/France, dir. Abbas Kiarostami)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1961192/" target="_new"><i>Marie Kr&#248yer</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Denmark, dir. Bille August)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2245049/" target="_new"><i>Modest Reception</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Iran, dir. Mani Haghighi)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1403214/" target="_new"><i>Paradise: Love</i></a> <Font Color="#ED0000">B+</Font> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Austria/Germany, dir. Ulrich Seidl)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2399515/" target="_new"><i>The Repentant</i></a> <Font Color="#ED0000">B</Font> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Algeria/France, dir. Merzak Allouache)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1850419/" target="_new"><i>Rhino Season</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Iran/Turkey, dir. Bahman Ghobadi)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1673697/" target="_new"><i>The Sapphires</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Australia, dir. Wayne Blair)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2084977/" target="_new"><i>The Scapegoat</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(UK, dir. Charles Sturridge)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1846472/" target="_new"><i>Something in the Air</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(France, dir. Olivier Assayas)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2178935/" target="_new"><i>Tey</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Senegal, dir. Alain Somis)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1836202/" target="_new"><i>The Weekend</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Germany, dir. Nina Grosse)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2104908/" target="_new"><i>The World Is Funny</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Israel, dir. Shemi Zarhin)</Font><br> <br> <hr> <br> <Font Face=Garamond Color="#660066"><b>Films from the New Directors Competition:</b></Font><br> <Font Size=-1 Face=Garamond><b>Listed alphabetically    Graded titles reviewed above</b></Font><br> <Font Size=-2>  <br></Font> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2209102/" target="_new"><i>Agon</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Albania/France/Greece/Romania, dir. Robert Budina)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.chicagofilmfestival.com/films_and_schedule/movie.php?show=a_caretaker_s_tale" target="_new"><i>A Caretaker's Tale</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Denmark, dir. Katrine Wiedemann)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2387455/" target="_new"><i>The Cleaner</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Peru, dir. Adrian Saba)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1900908/" target="_new"><i>Clip</i></a> <Font Color="#ED0000">B</Font> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Serbia, dir. Maja Milos)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1756384/" target="_new"><i>The Exam</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Hungary, dir. P&#233ter Bergendy)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1741246/" target="_new"><i>Flowerbuds</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(The Czech Republic, dir. Zdenek Jirasky)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1975286/" target="_new"><i>The Land of Eb</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Marshall Islands/USA, dir. Andrew Williamson)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2405240/" target="_new"><i>Meeting Leila</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Iran, dir. Rabeh Agharezaei)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2318625/" target="_new"><i>Out in the Dark</i></a> <Font Color="#ED0000">C</Font> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Israel/Palestine, dir. Michael Mayer)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2369025/" target="_new"><i>La playa DC</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Colombia, dir. Juan Andr&#233s Arango Garcia)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1927068/" target="_new"><i>Shameless</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Poland, dir. Filip Marczewski)</Font><br> <br> <hr> <br> <Font Face=Garamond Color="#660066"><b>Films from Outrageous (Queer Program):</b></Font><br> <Font Size=-1 Face=Garamond><b>Listed alphabetically    Graded titles reviewed above</b></Font><br> <Font Size=-2>  <br></Font> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2066176/" target="_new"><i>Any Day Now</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(USA, dir. Travis Fine)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2219470/" target="_new"><i>The Bella Vista</i></a> <Font Color="#ED0000">A</Font> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Germany/Uruguay, dir. Alicia Cano Menoni)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2332865/" target="_new"><i>Everybody's Got Somebody ...Not Me</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Mexico, dir. Ra&#250l Fuentes)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2011953/" target="_new"><i>Keep the Lights On</i></a> <Font Color="#ED0000">B</Font> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(USA, dir. Ira Sachs)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2318625/" target="_new"><i>Out in the Dark</i></a> <Font Color="#ED0000">C</Font> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Israel/Palestine, dir. Michael Mayer)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2154739/" target="_new"><i>Westerland</i></a> <Font Color="#ED0000">C</Font> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Germany, dir. Tim Staffel)</Font><br> <br> <hr> <br> <Font Face=Garamond Color="#660066"><b>Films from Reel Women (Female Filmmakers Program):</b></Font><br> <Font Size=-1 Face=Garamond><b>Listed alphabetically    Graded titles reviewed above</b></Font><br> <Font Size=-2>  <br></Font> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2008693/" target="_new"><i>alaskaLand</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(USA, dir. Chinonye Chukwu)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.chicagofilmfestival.com/films_and_schedule/movie.php?show=art_of_conflict" target="_new"><i>The Art of Conflict</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(USA/Northern Ireland, dir. Valeri Vaughn)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2265577/" target="_new"><i>The Believers</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(USA, dirs. Clayton Brown & Monica Long Ross)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2219470/" target="_new"><i>The Bella Vista</i></a> <Font Color="#ED0000">A</Font> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Germany/Uruguay, dir. Alicia Cano Menoni)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2357003/" target="_new"><i>Bound by Flesh</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(USA, dir. Leslie Zemeckis)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.chicagofilmfestival.com/films_and_schedule/movie.php?show=a_caretaker_s_tale" target="_new"><i>A Caretaker's Tale</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Denmark, dir. Katrine Wiedemann)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2380247/" target="_new"><i>The Central Park Five</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(USA, dirs. Ken Burns, Sarah Burns, and David McMahon)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1900908/" target="_new"><i>Clip</i></a> <Font Color="#ED0000">B</Font> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Serbia, dir. Maja Milos)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2233961/" target="_new"><i>Coming of Age</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Austria, dirs. Sabine Hiebler & Gerhard Ertl)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1970077/" target="_new"><i>Dreams for Sale</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Japan, dir. Miwa Nishikawa)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2150478/" target="_new"><i>Empire Builder</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(USA, dir. Kris Swanberg)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1753899/" target="_new"><i>Hemel</i></a> <Font Color="#ED0000">C</Font> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(The Netherlands, dir. Sacha Polak)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2355144/" target="_new"><i>Kern</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Austria, dirs. Veronika Franz & Severin Fiala)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1981675/" target="_new"><i>Off-White Lies</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Israel, dir. Maya Kenig)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1986926/" target="_new"><i>Otelo Burning</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(South Africa, dir. Sara Blecher)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2062969/" target="_new"><i>Sister</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Switzerland, dir. Ursula Meier)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2007418/" target="_new"><i>The Three Disappearances of Soad Hosni</i></a> <Font Color="#ED0000">B</Font> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Lebanon, dir. Rania Stephan)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1836202/" target="_new"><i>The Weekend</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Germany, dir. Nina Grosse)</Font><br> <br> <hr> <br> <Font Face=Garamond Color="#660066"><b>More Films I'm Most Curious to See:</b></Font><br> <Font Size=-1>Full lineup of all festival films available <a href="http://www.chicagofilmfestival.com/films_and_schedule/" target="_new">here</a></b> (opens in a new window)</Font><br> <Font Size=-1 Face=Garamond><b>Listed alphabetically    Graded titles reviewed above</b></Font><br> <Font Size=-2>  <br></Font> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1935896/" target="_new"><i>The ABCs of Death</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Various, dirs. Miscellaneous)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2353807/" target="_new"><i>As Goes Janesville</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(USA, dir. Brad Lichtenstein)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2177511/" target="_new"><i>Caesar Must Die</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Italy, dirs. Paolo & Vittorio Taviani)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1934234/" target="_new"><i>Diaz: Don't Clean Up This Blood</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Italy/Romania, dir. Daniele Vicari)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2097844/" target="_new"><i>Drought</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Mexico, dir. Everardo Gonz&#225lez)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2195896/" target="_new"><i>F*ckload of Scotchtape</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(USA, dir. Julian Grant)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2157194/" target="_new"><i>Hometown Boy</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Taiwan, dir. Yao Hung-I)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1779076/" target="_new"><i>The Jeffrey Dahmer Files</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(USA, dir. Chris James Thompson)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2332522/" target="_new"><i>Leviathan</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(USA, dirs. Lucien Castaing-Taylor & V&#233r&#233na Paravel)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2111478/" target="_new"><i>Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(USA, dir. Alex Gibney)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1876360/" target="_new"><i>Night Across the Street</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Chile/France, dir. Ra&#250l Ruiz)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1660302/" target="_new"><i>Our Children</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Belgium/Luxembourg, dir. Joahcim Lafosse)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1754367/" target="_new"><i>Post Tenebras Lux</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Mexico, dir. Carlos Reygadas)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2200908/" target="_new"><i>Rat Fever</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Brazil, dir. Cl&#225udio Assis)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1276419/" target="_new"><i>A Royal Affair</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Denmark, dir. Nikolaj Arcel)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2190397/" target="_new"><i>Sharqiya</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(Israel, dir. Ami Livne)</Font><br> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1956637/" target="_new"><i>StringCaesar</i></a> <Font Face="Arial Narrow">(UK, dir. Paul Schoolman)</Font><br> <br> <hr> <a name="special"> <Font Color="#660066"><b>Opening, Centerpiece, and Closing films</b></Font> are <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1389096/" target="_new"><i>Stand Up Guys</i></a> (USA, Stevens), <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1371111/" target="_new"><i>Cloud Atlas</i></a> (USA, Wachowski/Wachowski/Tykwer), and <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1907668/" target="_new"><i>Flight</i></a> (USA, Zemeckis), respectively<br> <br> <Font Color="#660066"><b>Special and Gala Presentations</b></Font> include <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2380247/" target="_new"><i>The Central Park Five</i></a> (USA, Burns/Burns/McMahon), <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1649419/" target="_new"><i>The Impossible</i></a> (Spain, Bayona), <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1230215/" target="_new"><i>Not Fade Away</i></a> (USA, Chase), <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1441951/" target="_new"><i>Quartet</i></a> (USA, Hoffman), <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1866249/" target="_new"><i>The Sessions</i></a> (USA, Lewin), and <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045658/" target="_new"><i>The Silver Linings Playbook</i></a> (USA, Russell) </td></tr></table> <hr> <Font Face=Garamond> <table cellpadding=12><tr> <td>Trackbacks:</b></td> <td><b><a href=chifest12.html target="_top">Permalink</a></b></td> <td><b><a href=chifest.html target="_top">Chicago Page</a></b></td> <td><b><a href=movies12.html target="_top">2012</a></b></td> <td><b><a href=movarchs.html target="_top">Home</a></b></td> <td><b><a href="http://blog.nicksflickpicks.com" target="_new">Blog</a></b></td> <td><b><a href=email.html target="_top">E-Mail</a></b></td> </tr></table> </Font> </center> </body>