The year is coming to an end and it's time to wrap thing up. I've skimmed through many Best Films of 2011 compilations, as I'm sure you have too, and seen many favorites as well as many unseen gems get highlighted. For example, I have yet to see The Artist, Shame, Hugo, The Skin I Live In, A Separation and many others.

Here's the best of what I have seen in 2011, which was a pretty fine film year, in my opinion:

Drive

Just to juice it up before Night Visions Maximum Halloween 3011, I went to see some hand-painted, film-inspired folk art from Ghana at Myymälä2. Fun as hell!

The Ghanavisions exhibit (12.–30.10.) is presented by Night Visions - Yön kuvat ry. and it features unique movie posters made to promote films for small-scale "theaters" in West Africa – think one man, a VHS player and a portable generator. Travelling theaters were popular from the 80s to mid-90s, I think. Before TV and internet, anayways.

The film posters are painted on flour sacks, and the images often bare very little resemblance to the original film, which makes them so hilarious. To maximize public interest and gather a good crowd, the artists often took the liberty of embelishing the gory elements and adding African mythology to the mix. Sometimes the artist might have seen the film before painting the poster, other times not, but certainly they had a strong vision of the key elements of the film...

Here's some info on the exhibit and pics I took at Myymälä2:

The exhibition posters are selected from a collection owned by Anna Hellsgård and Christian Gfeller, two gallerists and artists based in Berlin, Germany. “The fact that they are hand-painted, the roughness, naiveness and graphic qualities, as well as the wild fantasy caught our eyes. It is also very inspiring for our own creations”, Hellsgård, the owner of the Bongôut-gallery in Mitte, tells. The collection has been exhibited before only in Germany and France. (Myymälä2 website)

If you fancy a funny-looking Jet Li or an "evil ghost woman" on your wall, the pictures are for sale (around 400–800 euros a pop, some might have been 1,000 euros).

More on Ghana movie posters:

Bongout
Acid Cow (that Terminator is pretty awesome)
Ghana Movie Posters
Empire (compared with the original movie posters)

P.S. Night Visions Maximum Halloween 3011 takes place October 26th–30th at Maxim, Kluuvikatu 1, Helsinki. At last, I will see Hobo with a Shotgun!!!

(download)

Click here to download:

Bursting_guts_dog-faced_soldie.zip (7.95 MB)

The 24th Rakkautta & Anarkiaa film festival (HIFF) just ended yesterday – over 54,000 visitors, congrats! – but already there are more movie events to look forward to. For instance, the first ever Turkish film festival in Finland, Turkish Movie Days, kicks off on Thursday. Nice! Here's some info from the events website:

Over the last decade, Turkish filmmakers, not only in Turkey, but also those living in the rest of the world, have found new creative directions, making critically acclaimed films, and winning awards all over the world. Thanks to all these advancements, this year we are proud and happy to celebrate the first Turkish film festival ever held in Finland. Targeted for the enthusiasts of international cinema, the inaugural Turkish Movie Days will take place between 29 September - 1 October 2011 in Helsinki, thanks to the supportive collaboration of The Republic of Turkey Ministry of Tourism, Turkish Embassy in Helsinki and FIYAP (Film Producers' Professional Association).

The screenings are free and will take place at the SES (Finnish Film Foundation) auditorium Kino K-13 (Kanavakatu 12). The theater fits 150 people, so better get there in good time.

I'll definitely check some movies out, since I'm not very familiar with Turkish cinema. Off the bat, Hayde Bre and Hunting Season seem interesting, but I'll probably try to see others as well. Here are recaps and trailers for all five films. Storylines and descriptions from www.turkishmoviedays.fi.

Losers Club (Kaybedenler Kulübü, 2011)

Kaan and Mete, co-hosts of a mid 1990s radio show called Kaybedenler Kulübü (Losers' Club), struggle to deal with their daily lives after their show becomes an instant hit. Kaan meets Zeynep, the girl of his dreams, but their relationship comes under pressure as the show continues to stir controversy and attract fans from every segment of Istanbul society.

Hayde Bre (2010)

Leading an ordinary life with his wife and friends in a small Macedonian village, Şaban Agha is stuck between country and city life after his life unexpectedly coincides with Saadet, a woman with three kids and a paralyzed husband. Upon her consistent requests to move to Istanbul, Şaban Agha moves there despite his reluctance. Adjusting to the rules and order of city life becomes impossible for him and he still considers himself a guest in Istanbul, not knowing that the home he longs for is already gone. Acknowledging that he cannot keep up with the city life, Şaban Agha waits for an opportunity to return to his homeland.

Fig Jam (Incir Receli, 2011)

On a night of despair after being turned down continuously for the scripts he writes, Metin ends up in a bar where he meets a girl named Duygu. After spending the night together, she walks out in the morning before he wakes up and leaves only a short note. The next time theymeet, Metin becomes curious about her secret and decides to follow her. What he finds out will be the beginning of an everlasting love.

Love Likes Coincidences (Ask Tesadüfleri Sever, 2011)

One September morning in 1977 in Ankara, a young man rushes his pregnant wife to the hospital for the impending birth. He crashes into another car, whose driver is another father-to-be. As a result of the accident, the woman in the car they hit gives birth prematurely, resulting in both babies being born on the same day at the same hospital. That accident becomes the first of many coincidences that will connect the fates of Özgür and Deniz, whose lives will continue to intersect throughout the rest of their childhood and teenage years in Ankara. Each time their paths intersect, their lives goes through a transformation.

Hunting Season (Av Mevismi, 2010)

A legend known as the "Hunter" in the homicide desk, Ferman (Sener Sen) and his partner in investigation "Madman" Idris (Cem Yilmaz) have a close relationship like a father and son. An anthropology graduate "Newbie" of the group, Hasan (Okan Yalabik) has just started working with these two. Investigating a young girl's murder leads to encounters with "Asit", a drug dealer, Battal Colakzade (Cetin Tekindor), one of the wealthiest men in Turkey, the girl's brothers Abbas, Vakkas and many more different characters.

Hope to see some good films. Görüşürüz! (=toodles)

Went to see Bollywood spectacle Robot at HIFF on Saturday. What an insane movie experience! The balcony was occupied by a vocal Hindi/Tamil (?) audience that kept cheering, whistling, hollering and clapping throughout the film in appropriate places (some of which made sense to me, while others would have clearly needed some understanding of Indian culture and Bollywood genre conventions). The live audio commentary combined with the craziness of the film made it a fantastically fun and different experience.

A Finnish movie goer crowd normally sits at the theater like it was church (I should maybe point out that Sunday service is no hoot here), so it was pretty refreshing to witness some cheerful commotion during a screening. That being said, outside of film festivals, I do like to watch my movies in piece and quiet. Loud munchers and yammering ass clowns receive a half-turn. Sometimes even a full-turn with an eye roll.

Robot (Endhiran, India 2010)

Directed by: S. Shankar
Screenplay by: S. Shankar
Starring: Rajinikanth, Aishwarya Rai, Danny Denzongpa

An human-android constructed by a scientist falls in love with the to-be bride of his creator. (IMDb)

Dr. Vaseegaran designs a human-like robot, Chitty, that is the most advanced of its kind (both roles played by Indian superstar and cultural icon Rajinikanth). It can fight, serve and solve any problem man tosses its way. And of course, it can boogie Bollywood style. It lacks, however, the finer tunings of human interaction and won't be approved for production without them. After a laborius training and tweeking session, Chitty is like a new robot. It is now in fact so evolved, that it can think and feel like a human, and these feelings are directed at Dr. Vaseegaran's stunning fiancée Sana (Aishwarya Rai). In the background, Vaseegaran's sinister mentor, Dr. Bohra (Danny Denzongpa), is building his own robot army, but needs Chitty's advanced neural schema to complete his work. 

What follows, is unbelievably corny but expensive-looking action sequences, spectacular and elaborate Bollywood dance numbers, a man-robot-woman love triangle and jokes so lame, that they're actually funny. I initially thought the plot wouldn't be able to carry all the flashy, CGI-heavy action , but I feared in vain. The story holds and delivers. The movie might be a bit predictable and simplistic, but it was the most fun I've had in movies in a long time. I literally grinned for the most part of the movie and gladly joined in on the applause at the end of the screening.

If you're up for a crazy three-hour Bollywood bash, there is a screening coming up next Sunday, September 25th, at 12:30 pm (Bio Rex). Enjoy! I sure as hell did.

Time to briefly comment on the rest of the films I saw at Espoo Ciné. All worth seeing, but I found myself enjoying German vampire thriller Wir sind die Nacht the most: it was dark, visually impressive and well pieced together. Norwegian Ninja was ver enjoyable as well: fun and eccentric.

Norwegian Ninja (Kommandør Treholt & ninjatroppen, Norway 2010)

Norwegian Ninja reveals how Commander Arne Treholt disguised himself as a spy and how his secret squad of ninjas saved Norway during the Cold War. Insane action sequences and retro agent atmosphere give a special flavour to the long-expected film version of this incredible true story. (www.espoocine.fi)

Constructed around a real-life Norwegian politican with KGB connections, Arne Treholt, Thomas Cappelen Malling's zany action comedy stirs ninja mystique and Cold War mentality with a Northern context and makes the most of it. The sets are self-consciously small-budget – watercolor backgrounds, toy airplanes etc. – but it just adds to the quirkiness of the film and doesn't disturb the flow at all. The soundtrack is clever too. A fun watch!  

We Are the Night (Wir sind die Nacht, Germany 2010)

The Winner of the Special Jury Award at Sitges is an explosive feminist vampire horror flick, in which four bloodthirsty seductresses wreak havoc in the wild nightlife of Berlin. The fierce film, fuelled by blood and techno, is the coolest and most erotic European vampire fantasy in years. (www.espoocine.fi)

I wasn't actually planning to see this, but since there were still tickets available I thought I'd check it out after the screening of Norwegian Ninja. And I'm so glad I did! The film is well paced and the story unravels with ease. There are no explanations about the origins of the female vampire cult (aside from the comment that they got rid of the useless male vampires), but on the other hand, I didn't feel I needed any: its a fantasy thriller, in which the characters happen to be sizzlin' hot vampire babes. Characters are well written and played, and their development is done quite artfully. I felt that especially the main character Lena (Karoline Herfurth), who is new to the vampire scene, and self-destructive Charlotte (Jennifer Ulrich), who was turned into a vampire in the 1930's and misses her little daughter – now old and close to passing away – were constructed with care. Charlotte's quiet resentment towards her maker, head vampire Louise (Nina Hoss), is skillfully alluded to.

The film has a good balance between action, drama and comedy, and the special effects are surprisingly good-looking. I recommend this to anyone interested in dark fantasy tales and the vampire genre. 

My Little Princess (France 2011)

My Little Princess is based on Eva Ionesco’s own childhood. Violeta adores her mother and seeks attention from her. Her wishes are granted when the mother played by Isabelle Huppert takes an interest in photography and wants Violeta to pose for her. The fairytale-like story is softer than reality but still very disturbing. (www.espoocine.fi)

Three down, three to go. Although there are plenty of great movies at Espoo Ciné, I'm glad I opted for the smaller 6-ticket package instead of the 10-ticket one, since I've managed to catch a horrid flu. Trying not to sneeze in sustained fire mode and sound like an out-of-tune trombonist while blowing ones nose amidst a finely attuned film fest audience has been no small effort.

But the show must go on. This is what I've seen so far:

The Tree of Life (USA 2011)

The opening film, Terrence Malick's Palme d'Or winner The Tree of Life was impressive, in one word. I feared in advance that it would resemble The Fountain, but despite all the lengthy scenes portraying the origins of the universe and the non-linear narrative structure it didn't feel pretentious or pseudo-profound at all. Well, maybe a little, but not disturbingly so. (By the way, here's the two films reviewed against each other on Movie Smackdown - pretty amusing).

Visually, the film is stunning. I really enjoyed sitting in the dark theater, just taking it all in: the images, the score, the ideas and emotions. The story unfolds through multiple layers and constantly mirrors the balance between two opposing forces: survival of the fittest and mercy. And I guess also, in a larger sense, between science and faith, nature and religion. The Tree of Life is a cinematic poem that touches on big themes. I'd almost classify it as a piece of art rather than a traditional movie, experince wise. Definitely worth seeing on a big screen.

Stake Land (USA 2010)

Jim Mickle's vampire/zombie acopalypse survival quest Stake Land was an interesting watch. It contained several familiar genre elements - the hard-ass, "come with me if you wan't to live, boy" type mentor figure, the green but instinctive younger main character, the laborious journey to find a uninfected haven and the grim portrayal of primal instincts and survival mentality that overtake civilized society when disaster srtikes - but the film managed to produce some fresh insights as well. 

I was a little perplexed by the mood of the film: there are several funny bits - mostly guts & gore related, Zombieland style - but for the greater part it has a serious undertone. I think I would have liked it more, if it had leaned all the way towards the serious approach, as The Road does. I think the movie might have benefited from less ridiclous looking vampire zombies and the omission of the clichéd, Karate Kid style master-student training sessions. But that's just me, I prefer a darker dimension to my post-apocalyctic survival tales. 

The slightly misanthropic general theme - man (especially if he's a crazed Christian) is man's worst enemy despite anything else that is lurking out there - is one of the strengths of the movie, as is the casting of most of the characters. Especially Nick Damici as Mister, Connor Paolo as Martin and Michael Cerveris as Jebedia Loven are pretty ace. A good watch, but not as good as 28 Days Later, which I found to be perhaps the closest point of comparison. 

Sint (The Saint, Netherlands 2010)

Dick Maas' story of a blood-thursty Sinterklaas (local version of Santa Claus) and his entourage of black-faced Zwarte Piets coming to haunt Kopenhagen on Saint Nicholas' eve was a pretty fun watch. Lots of action, jokes and jump-off-your-seat scares.

I found the movie to be entertaining, but somewhat uneven. Hasty cuts, poor character development, bad acting and the overuse of something-horrid-is-about-to-happen-soon music were a bit of a turn-off for me. On the other hand, the effetcs are ok and the humorous, action-packed story works well. Sint is a fine folk tale horror comedy, but not as good as Troll Hunter (my review) or Rare Exports (my review).

Next up: Norwegian Ninja, The Kid with a Bike and My Little Princess.

I'm so excited, and I just can't hide it... There are two awesome film festivals ahead and I can't wait! First up is Espoo Ciné International Film Festival (19.–28.8.2011), which brings to the screen such films as Terrence Malick's The Tree of Life, Jean-Pierre Dardenne's Le gamin au vélo and Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris.

Later in September it's time for the 24th Helsinki International Film Festival Rakkautta & Anarkiaa (15.–25.9.2011). The program is yet to be announced, but at least new Italian cinema seems to be on the menu, which is great.

I've already bought a couple of tickets for Espoo Ciné, both for the opening night. The festival will kick off with The Tree of Life, which I've been waiting to see for a while - even though it has been compared to The Fountain. I just hate that movie. Hope Malick's flick is worthwhile.

My second ticket is for Stake Land, which is in the Trolls & Vampires category of the festival selection. Haven't seen director Jim Mickle's other feature-length film, zombie-mutant-rat-gore-fest Mulberry Street (2007), so don't quite know what to expect. Probably nothing spectacular, but as I'm into the genre, it's a must-see.

Haven't planned out the rest of the schedule yet, but there's certainly a bunch of interesting movies to be seen. Or what say you about this German documentary on aging playboy and disco king Rolf Eden:

Remember when television series had decent title sequences? Good times!

Before the 1990s TV shows almost always began with an intro with opening credits. Then the title sequence shrunk and shifted to follow the opening scene, and now many shows have omitted the title sequence entirely, with ony a stylized version of the title briefly appearing on screen and the opening credits rolling at the bottom of the first few scenes.

I guess starting with a so called cold open has proven to be a trump card in the competition for viewers with ever dwindeling attention spans, but I still appreciate a good title sequence. If it has a catchy tune, reveals something essential about the show and its central characters, and introduces the mood and/or setting in a clever way - I'm sold.

Here are my favorite title sequences in chronological order:

Ein Fall Für Zwei (1981- , 275 episodes and counting)

Jawohl! I don't remember who used to watch this when I was a kid, but this intro with its wicked synthesizer melody is forever etched into my mind.

Street Hawk (1985, 13 episodes)

My absolute favorite! This is simply awesome: explains the setting and characters, features way cool motorcycle action and most importantly - has the best theme tune of all time (by German electro group Tangerine Dream).

MacGyver (1985-1992, 139 episodes)

A classic. Doesn't require any explanations.

Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs (1987- 1988 or 1989, 52 episodes)

I'm not sure if this is something I watched when we were living in the U.S. or if they ever aired it here in Finland, but I do remember the music to this weird space western. So catchy!