The Science of Lauralogy

“I’d never gone to Tennessee, to sing my songs and chase my dreams / If it wasn’t for Texas.”

BAFICI is going well. Today was Day, what, 5 or something crazy like that. Tickets are incredibly difficult to come by, with many movies being completely sold out days in advance of any of their 3-5 different showings. This I have difficulty understanding, since it seems only 3 tickets offer entradas anticipadas; whereas, for the other 6 theatres, you have to wake up early, stand in a long, long line, only to get to the window and be told that the show you had waited so long, traveled so long for was indeed agotada (or sold out). A frustrating process indeed, but still, I’ve managed to buy tickets to most of the 16 films I wanted to see.

As such, to commemorate the just past half-way mark of this year’s festival, I’ll offer a rundown of this year’s (so far) highlights and low-points, of course, with a song to match the movie:

Déficit (dir: Gael García Bernal)

The first film I saw. Obviously sold out. I guess the female “star” of the movie is famous in Argentina, so she got a loud cheer after her first screen appearance. In Spanish (of course), but for some reasons, included French subtitles. While I could get most of the Spanish, when combined with subtitles (that I occasionally got), I know I missed some things, but over all, I doubt it would’ve mattered. Funny in parts, weird in others. Generally not a very good movie. A very disappointing directorial debut from one of the Mexico’s best actors.

Essentially, a glorified American teen movie (with some real weird twists…), nothing fits more than this song.

The Click – “Let’s Get Drunk” (feat. [of course] E-40)

Mister Lonely (dir: Harmony Korine)

Definitely a weird movie. Definitely sold out every single one of it’s showings. From the director of Gummo, which in itself was obviously a weird one, too, but also the unofficial director of that mess of an attempt at being way too artsy, Julien Donkey-Boy. Basic plot: A Michael Jackson impersonator meets a Marilyn Monroe impersonator who happens to live at a farm with Charlie Chaplin and Shirley Temple (who just happens to be Ms. Monroe’s daughter). Can’t say that I hated this movie, can’t say that I liked it, either. So I don’t know. Weird, but not JDB weird, just weird and could have been executed a bit better.

In honor of the unfortunate mess that was Julien Donkey-Boy, one of my favorite Dock Boggs songs (which just happened to be featured prominently in the OST).

Dock Boggs – “Sugar Baby”

Ballast (dir. Lance Hammer)

The first of the American movies to play. The director attended this showing and unfortunately had to deal with questions such as: “So, how’d you make this movie without being called a racist?” or “That was a sad movie. There were no smiles.” To which he replied, in order, “Do you think I’m racist?” and “Yeah, I guess it is a sad, smile-less movie.” Not a great movie, kind of bland, a little to experimental in parts. For about a quarter of the movie, I sat there wishing Mr. Hammer had just stopped trying to push the “what is art?” envelope and focused instead on more character development, or something. Just saying.

In honor of Hammer repping the Dirty:

Juelz Santana – “Do My Thing” (feat. Lil Wayne)

El sueño del perro (dir. Paulo Pécora)

Award for worst movie I’ve ever sat through goes to… this one! Worse than the fiasco known world-over as 2046, El sueño del perro essentially tore out all the pages from the “How to Make an Artsy Movie that No One Will Like” textbook. Thankfully, since Pécora had all those pages, no one else could quite follow the directions step-by-step. As such, while other movies flirted with overt visual imagery and oh-so-subtle (like a brick against the head) auditory clues and long-drawn out stretches of silence with no purpose other than making you fall asleep quite as much as this movie. I honestly fell asleep in the theatre (first time ever!) and when I woke up the same image was still on the screen.

Of course, the most fitting song to match this piece of shit is the Dr. Dog’s masterpiece “Wake Up” off their first album, Easy Beat.

Dr. Dog – “Wake Up”

Shine a Light (dir: SCORSESE!!)

Scorsese + the Rolling Stones. What more really needs to be said? More than just a concert film, not really a biopic, but more an interesting hybrid of the two as directed by one of the greatest directors to have ever stood behind a camera. A nice reminder amidst all the high art that you’re focus need not be some obscure event or some oppressed deal to be beautiful. The transitions between concert footage, historical footage, and build-up footage was pitch perfect. A whole lot of fun.

The Rolling Stones – “The Girl with the Far-Away Eyes”

Sooo much Balabanov (dir: Aleksei Balabanov)

Each year, BAFICI selects a few directors and then they do a retrospective. This year, most were fairly un-noteworthy selections; however, for whatever reason, Balabanov was chosen this time around. Meaning: The Castle, Of Freaks & Men, Brat, Brat 2, It Doesn’t Hurt, Dead Man’s Bluff…. et al. Obviously, many enjoyable classics and even some newer ones in there to show just why Balabanov is one of the best thing’s in Russia right now. Not to mention: Dmitri Dyuzhev! Not that I’m especially well-versed in Russian actors, but I’ve found him to be pretty solid over the years. Not to mention his hottie status (imagine Javier Bardem, but Russian, and not quite as talented). Clearly, Dead Man’s Bluff is pretty hard to top, but of course, his earlier work is not to be missed. And so I didn’t.

At one point in one of Dead Man’s Bluffs most memorable scenes, Dmitri Dyuzhev flips through a vinyl collection. He spots ELO. And so, to that Russian hottie, I dedicate this…

Electric Light Orchestra – “Fifth of Beethoven”

THE END.