BIFF Audience Voting

 

BIFF is already well behind us but I thought I’d quickly go through the final audience top 10 from the festival voting:

 

1.     Balibo – a worthy choice.

2.     Blessed – a very moving Australian film out next month – good choice.

3.     500 Days Of Summer – loved this movie and it’s out next month too – another good choice.

4.     Looking For Eric – I was only ho-hum about this one but it’s a crowd pleaser.

5.     The Strength Water

6.     Che

7.     Flowers Of The Sky

8.     Moon – I wasn’t that impressed by this one either.

9.     Dead Snow

10.  Black Dynamite

 

We’ll do it all again in November 2010.

 

A Funny Premiere

 

I’ve seen a lot of funny things in movie theatres.  I’m not just talking about what happens on the screen.  I have a new tale to add to the collection…

 

Last Wednesday night, I had the chance to attend the premiere of the new locally made film called Storage.  It screened at BIFF but I didn’t get a chance to catch it then due to a clash with 500 Days Of Summer.

 

At the screening I attended was the director (Michael Craft) and a number of the actors who appeared in the film – including the two leading stars – Damien Garvey and Matthew Scully.

 

Unfortunately for me, I was sitting two seats away from a drunken woman who talked through parts of the film (yelled is a better verb) and laughed at inappropriate places.  I’d seen her before the movie and she looked rather jovial.  I didn’t realise that she’d had a few too many drinks until we were in the theatre.

 

After spilling a glass of champagne on the floor about half way through the movie, she followed with one of the most stunning things I’ve seen.  70 minutes in, she threw up four times on the floor in front of her.  I was in shock more than anything.  I couldn’t take it anymore and walked out of the cinema, not seeing the end of the movie.  I think others in the vicinity were leaving also but yeah, I didn’t hang around.

 

Some of you will be repulsed by this and yes, that is why I walked out.  But I do try to see the funny side of any incident such as this.  The irony is that of the hundreds of films that I see each year, Storage is one that will stick in the memory banks for a long while.  It was a premiere to remember.

 

You can hear my thoughts on the incident by listening to a podcast of my 612 ABC radio show by clicking here - http://blogs.abc.net.au/queensland/2009/08/matthew-toomeys-movies-and-dvds.html?program=612_breakfast.

 

I could get into a debate on the merits of cinema etiquette and alcohol in movie theatres but I’ve done that before and I’m sure I’ll do it again at some other time.  Right now, I’d rather you just be amused / horrified by this story.

 

As for the film itself, Storage gets a thumbs up from me.  I only saw the first two-thirds but if the rest is anything to go by, it’s worth seeing.  Like Subdivision which opens this week, it’s nice to see a Brissy film showing in our cinemas.  It’s about a young guy who works for his uncle in one of those storage warehouses.  As you can imagine, there are pretty shady people who store stuff in these places for a good reason.  It’s a slick thriller/horror film and I think it looks great given the tiny budget on which it has been shot.  Damien Garvey and newcomer Matthew Scully (never heard of him before but a face to watch) were great.

 

I’ve seen plenty of movies that made me want to throw up… but not this one.  Check it out!