Current mood:

excited

Great Movie -- "Mind The Gap"
I'm attending the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas, which premiered Mind the Gap on Friday evening. Of the films I've seen so far at the festival, it is by far the best, and in fact one of the best movies I've seen this year.

Director Schaeffer tells 5 stories, a father and his son in Vermont, a mother and daughter in North Carolina, a divorced father in Vermont, a lovely musician in Brooklyn, and an old man in New York City. Like Anderson's movie "Magnolia", each story starts alone, but spiral inward together for a beautiful gestault. Unlike "Magnolia" the film is more loving and heartwarming, and there are no frogs.

At the premier we got to ask the director Eric Schaeffer (who was also a cast member) questions, and he told how each of these stories in a way was his own. I don't want to give away any spoilers, but you can tell that these personal stories are what gave this film its emotional depth.

The film is definately a sleeper -- Harry Knowles of Ain't It Cool News says:

I knew NOTHING about this film. Didn't know who the director was, who was in it or what it was about - but this was the best film I saw of the day. Essentially - it was filling the gap between two films I did want to see - and oddly was titled MIND THE GAP - so I felt that I should listen to the fates - follow the happenstance and wow what a film. I love films that come out of nowhere to just warm you through and through.

This is truly a wonderful film.

The film doesn't have distribution yet, but it is quite possible that this film will make the Oscars -- I hope so.

I also enjoyed Love Me If You Dare (QT Trailer) a dark Amelie'esque french love story about two children, a boy and girl, who grow up playing a game of daring each other. Sort of "Truth or Dare" without the truth. As they grow up, their dares become more spectacular and twisted, and are in the way of the growing love between them.

I'm not sure that it will be the hit that "Amelie" was, but if you like dark comedy, this one is excellent.