As Robert stands in the middle of a street contemplating the text written on a coin, he is suddenly hit by a SUV and instantly killed. In the waiting room of the afterlife, Robert soon is told by a clerk that he’s destined for Hell. All the little bad things that Robert has done in life have added up and his “score” is not good enough for the likes of heaven. When the clerk’s Windows computer crashes, Robert makes a quick getaway, and returns back on earth. He then foils a robbery, visits his girlfriend, dances and drinks a smoothie with his dad. His score rises with each good deed – but the afterlife authorities are on hot pursuit. This is an extremely funny film with great production values. It has a very “Run Lola Run” style to it as Robert races around just to stay alive.

15-year-old Nils invites his 12-year-old girlfriend Livia to spend the holidays with him and his mother and father at their summer home. One day whilst sailing, Nils returns home without Livia, much to his families shock. Silvia returns home later that day, with Bill, a much older man who took her sailing. When the brazenly sensual Livia begins flirting with Bill, Miriam (Nils’ mother) feels it is her responsibility to stop the questionable relationship. But as she does so, it is she herself who falls for the shy and charmingly insecure Bill. Miriam forges ahead, seducing him, seeing him secretly. But it is Livia that Bill loves, not Miriam. And suddenly the vast horizons of her life vanish in a fog of jealousy and rejection – emotions that prove to be far less controllable than she thought. This is a beautifully shot German film, with a simple yet unpredictable and mesmerising screenplay. Once you start watching, you can’t look away.

2:37 was the opening night film at MIFF 2006…

Set in a South Australian High School, 2:37 opens with a scene of blood oozing out of a janitors closet. When the door is finally opened, although we don’t see it, you know that someone has died. The film then backtracks to show the events leading up to this death, following a day in the life of several troubled teenagers.

It focuses around a number of key characters, whose lives are all interconnected. Each one is dealing with major issues, such as homosexuality, anorexia, smoking dope, disability, romance, lack of family support, etc. Each character is introduced one by one, quickly establishing who they are and where they fit into the school hierarchy. After this, a black and white close-up scene is shown, allowing each character to express their feelings, as if they were in a counselling session. We see “what’s happening” in the first shots, but we really get to explore the characters inner thoughts and feelings, in the more intimate black-and-white moments.

In an almost cliché fashion, the film reveals, for example, that the school sporting hero (aka the “jock”) is really gay and is having a relationship with his openly homosexual classmate (who’s having a hard time dealing with his parents and his peers), whilst at the same time as going out with the schools blond beauty (aka the “cheer leader”), who predicably suffers from an eating disorder. As the time rolls on, we learn more about the characters, and the problems they are trying to deal with.

From a viewer’s point of view, we already know someone is dead – it’s just a matter of working out whom. For me, the story is very predictable. You know almost instantly what troubles/issues are going to be “allocated” to which characters. It’s such an almost formula driven movie, I always felt a minute or two ahead of the story (although you can never be a hundred percent sure – which keeps you interested). You think the director is going to throw in an unpredictable spin – but for me, my instinct was always right.

In the end, the character (that you supposably “least suspect”, although I had a fair idea quite early on) kills them self in a most horrific scene. This is not an easy or enjoyable movie to watch. It has some horrible scenes, and nothing good seems to happen to the main characters. Even in the end, there aren’t a whole lot of positives for the key living characters. It’s just horrible event after horrible event until it climaxes on a scene which made me look away, and my stomach churn. I felt as if I was being violated by watching the screen.

Although it’s extremely powerful, and expresses a strong view in regards teen suicide, it’s really an upsetting film to watch. It is filmed in a very flowing and floating style, making great use of steady-cam. But, one of the most fantastic aspects of this film is the way sound is used to elevate the scenes to a completely new level. The musical soundtrack is simple, yet effective, but the use of sound effects and surround sound is truly amazing. The voices and sounds of the school yard seem to travel around the theatre. In the scene were the person kills themselves, the soundtrack is just as horrendous and sickening as the images on the screen. It really makes you feel as if you’re trapped in the room with the person, because even if you do look away, you can’t escape the intense sounds. It really affects you in a severely overwhelming way.

After watching the film, you feel completely exhausted and emotionally drained. Although you now know who the dead person is, and that the other characters will live to see another day, that doesn’t make you feel any better. I’m finding it hard to work out if the film actually served a positive purpose or whether it just highlighted a whole lot of negative things that effect teenagers, and indeed all ages, worldwide. But, the only thing the director wanted for this film is for people to leave the theatre and talk about the film, the issues raised. The director has certainly achieved this aim – this is a film that must be discussed after viewing. But whether it should be viewed in the first place, well, I’m still undecided. Although I’m glad I saw it, I don’t think I’m going to sleep very well tonight. Definitely a powerful movie (with an ultra powerful soundtrack), however I almost felt as if I was being bullied into feeling predetermined feelings for the characters and their situations. It was kind of like following a train track of predicable emotions that just make you feel like crap. I guess in the end, it’s a life changing experience.

One of the worst things about attending any film festival is that unfortunately, you will, at least once (although probably more often than not), be trapped in a jammed packed theatre and forced to witness some of the worst footage ever projected onto the big screen. It’s simply a matter of common courtesy not to walk out during a film, however, during the Melbourne Film Festival this year, I made the disastrous mistake of watching the Quay brother’s second feature length movie, The Piano Tuner of Earthquakes. In retrospect, I should have ignored etiquette, and just have made a run for it. I would say it’s a “cinematic abomination”, but that would be an understatement. The fact that it won several prizes in the Locarno International Film Festival, makes me seriously wonder if all the judges were all high on marijuana, seeing as it’s still legal to grow in Switzerland. All I can say is, lucky them! The only possible way of making sense of this film would be to watch it under the influence of some kind of weird and wonderful mind altering substance. Don’t get me wrong, I’m normally strongly against all forms of illicit drugs, but this film is making me seriously reconsider their use as a tool to make sense of other people’s sick and twisted ideas and interpretations.

The Piano Tuner of Earthquakes is a dark and perverse fairytale about an evil yet charismatic Dr Droz who gatecrashes the wedding of Malvina and Adolfo, killing then abducting the stunning opera singing bride, whisking her off to his weird and spooky island villa, far, far away. Although it’s hard to find a definitive reason as to why he snatched this women in the first place (apart from the fact he’s completely stark raving mad), one can only assume he needs her, or at least her remarkable voice, for one of his bizarre experiments.

When they arrive on the bloodcurdling island, the powerful and mysterious doctor somehow revives the women and starts planning the staging of a catastrophic opera, in which Malvina will star. Although I could be completely wrong, one can only assume that Dr Droz is attempting to destroy the world as we know it. Never the less, his plan will only succeed with the help of Felisberto (who is confusingly played by the same actor as Adolfo), a piano tuner, who is employed not to repair pianos, much to his surprise, but instead to tune seven of the doctors bizarre automatons; large mechanical machines that play music and contain small disturbing figures that move repeatedly (such as a man who cuts his leg while chopping down a tree, and bleeds continuously into a pond), much like a cuckoo clock. Whilst stuck on this peculiar island, busily working under the watchful eye of the vile doctor, the young piano tuner begins to fall for the mystifying Malvina, and with the help of the housekeeper, devises a plan to rescue her.

Admittedly, although the film has a very unique and quite amazing visual style, that’s the only remotely positive thing I got out of it. It’s more of a self-indulgent dreary piece of art than something that audiences anywhere will be able to connect with. The story is confusing and almost non-existent; the characters, bland and soulless; the dialog unintelligible and irrelevant. The film is so deeply stylised, that there really is no possible way one can identify with it. This is an unsettling and surreal film that serves no real purpose, and is completely inaccessible to those who are sober. Take my advice, and run the other way.

It truly is an amazingly uplifting sensation, when you leave a cinema knowing that you’ve just witnessed a cinematic masterpiece. It feels even better when the film has been produced by people from your own home country. Like Minds is a refreshingly new and unique Australian film (despite the fact that it is set in the UK), which is sure to make a huge impact in the box offices not only locally, but internationally as well.

Alex is an extremely intelligent and particularly smug seventeen-year-old private school student, attending an elite catholic boarding school, of which his father is headmaster; a fact that he uses to his advantage at every opportunity. When Alex is arrested and accused of murdering school peer Nigel, his influential father is quick to come to his defence. When the police department holding him captive soon come to the realisation that there is no concrete evidence to back their claims, they call upon the services of forensic psychologist Sally Rowe to determine whether or not Alex is in fact the merciless killer they assume he is. Sally’s investigations force her into a disturbing world of complex mind games, murder, mystery, and age old secret societies. In a series of flashbacks into Alex’s past, the terrifying relationship between Alex and Nigel is exposed. Several more dead bodies rise to the surface, establishing even more multifarious dimensions to an already dense mystery. As the film progresses, the relationship between Sally and Alex intensifies, and the battle for superior intellect begins. It may well be very disconcerting seeing a teenager comfortably match the aptitude of an experienced professional, but it is also truly transfixing watching these two unlikely people battle for control of each others psyche.

Although essentially a spine-chilling thriller, this movie pushes every boundary and explores the terrifying possibility that someone, who you would have preferred never to have met, can effectively invade your upmost private thoughts and feelings; breaking into and analysing your very soul. This film delves into the closeness between two curious and highly potential young men, who we discover are ultimately bound by mythology, history and blood via a series of incredible twists and turns.

This is a visually beautiful and absolutely captivating film, with some of the most haunting and powerful acting to ever hit Australian screens. Both Alex and Nigel are such immensely complex characters; both radiating so much intelligence and darkness. They are very calculated in their actions and behaviours which help’s enhance the already creepy atmosphere, further unnerving the audience.

It is so fantastic to see that the production team has gone to such great lengths to ensure that the film is of the highest of quality in all departments. From the sinister looking cinematography to the gloomy musical score, this film has achieved absolute perfection in all areas. It is the kind of film that drags you in and doesn’t spit you out until the screen turns black and the end titles roll. And even then you are left exhausted in your seat, contemplating and processing all the intricate sights and sound you just were exposed to. It is one thing to keep someone on the edge of their seat for 110 minutes; it’s something entirely different to be able to keep someone wondering for weeks after. But as you sit there reflecting, at least you can smile, knowing that your local film industry has done good once again.