It’s amazing what $230 million dollars will buy you these days. How about 4 city blocks all yours for the weekend styled in the 1940’s including trams and cars. I didn’t get a chance to see it but Kevin (aka brewz) managed to take some great shots of the shoot this past weekend. One weekend we have 10,000 people watching Tsonga / Đoković in Fed Square, the next we have a Hollywood movie shoot. Only in Melbourne.

Flickr: More Photos from the Set

Technorati Tags: Melbourne, Australia, The Pacific, Flinders, Flinders Street

OK, nothing too exciting happens in Carlton North so when they transform parts of it into a film set, everyone gets excited. On the way to work, I took some pictures from the set of The Pacific.

They transformed Rathdowne Street to look like post WWII Melbourne. The guy with the white hat on is an actor playing a policeman.

The scene took place outside The Fruit Shed. Soldiers and women in 1940s attire were filmed picking out fruit. In the picture to the left, you can see Director Tim Van Patten.

An old style phone booth that was set up and on the right covering up a new style phone booth.

I managed to get a small video before my camera battery died. The set is open and they will let you walk through and tell you nicely when to get out of the shot. Definitely worth a look.

More Flickr Pictures
Youtube: Before the fruit scene

Technorati Tags: Carlton North, Carlton, The Pacific, Melbourne, Australia, Rathdowne Street

Free things are great. A couple of weeks ago, a freebie was posted on Ozbargain which offered free tickets to a screening of the film Forbidden Lies. I hadn’t heard of this film nor any of the circumstances surrounding the characters in the film but I thought, hey its free, and its near my house, I’ll go.

What I thought would be another artsy fartsy film actually turned out to be a fascinating documentary. Forbidden Lies is an Australian film which seeks out the truth behind Norma Khouri’s bestselling memoir, Forbidden Love. The book centres around an honour killing of a young woman in Jordan. The world loved Norma’s story and she made many appearances in the media. A year after the release, it was uncovered that Khouri was a fraud and that she had made up the whole story. The film gives Norma a chance to prove that the story was real. I would highly recommend seeing this film.

Metro Magazine is running another promotion for FREE TICKETS to a film called “The 11th Hour” starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Get you tickets while you can!

The 11th Hour
Village Cinemas-Jam Factory
October 10, 7PM
link [via Ozbargain]

Wikipedia: Forbidden Love

Technorati Tags: Melbourne, Australia, Forbidden Lies, Norma Khouri, Forbidden Love

Anyone planning on visiting the Australian Malaysian Film Festival, now that the Melbourne International Film Festival itself has officially ended? Its at the ACMI, which is conveniently next to Federation Square, and on August 18-19, showing 3 films, for fairly reasonable pricing (concession rates do apply, if you qualify).

I’m thinking of going, does anyone want to tag along? Tomorrow’s launch party looks most interesting, with food, music, the film, and well, maybe the welcome speeches ;)

Read about the films, and when they’re in Malay, be prepared to read the English subtitles (I know I will be).

I just got back from Alimentation Generale, a French doco about a general store in a tenement block in Paris. It was simply wonderful. Like The War Tapes (which is available here – thanks Chuck), it’s not showing again, but you must find a way to see it.

The same goes for Azur and Asmar, another French film, this time animation. The visuals start out quietly, but it is simply gorgeous animation – a blend of 2-d and computer. It’s playing again on Friday, the 10th at 1pm. Tickets are sold out, but it’d be worth your while to hit up the standby line if you’ve got the time.

Here’s a list of what’s still available (most sessions) and what’s sold out. Lucky for you, most people are just interested in watching David Lynch – Inland Empire’s been sold out since the festival began. Zzzzzzzzz.

Speaking of zzzzz, take a pass on After the Wedding. It’s contrived and pretentious, and uses an Indian orphanage as a conceit for telling what is almost entirely a Danish story. It’s more or less, “oh the orphans! I have to go sleep in a nice hotel room now and be angsty.” I would have left if I hadn’t been crammed in the middle of an aisle.

Now who’s angsty!

A couple days, a couple more movies.

I saw The War Tapes last night. The producers gave three American Army infantry video cameras and had them tape their time in Iraq. The result is a complex, funny, terrifying and sad portrait of the men and the misadventure that is the Iraq war.

Commenter Alan asks if anyone knows where to get the MIFF movies on DVD, etc. I’m not sure, but I’d highly recommend getting your hands on The War Tapes if at all possible; it’s not showing again at MIFF, unfortunately.

I also saw Lake of Fire, which which attempts to give both/all sides a voice in the abortion debate in America. It was good, though overly long. Despite his attempt to air anti-abortion viewpoints, the director is clearly in the other camp. I don’t know if I’d like it if it didn’t support my politics.

Lake of Fire screens again on Monday the 6th at 9:10pm at ACMI. Purchase tickets here.

I’ll be at After the Wedding tonight (7pm, Forum). It comes recommended, but it does play again on the 12th, so I’ll give you a better review afterwards.

Okay, so technically I only have one that I’ve actually seen, but my sweeping generalizations should be enough for all of you.

The one I’ve seen is The Bet Collector. It’s a film from the Philippines that follows a grandmother who works in the illegal (but everybody does it) numbers game. It’s engaging and an interesting look at Manila, if nothing else. Some might find it a bit slowly paced, but I really liked it.

Something I haven’t seen, but comes recommended is Zoo. I’m actually going to let you find out about this movie for yourself – possibly kids come to this site. It’s the baby of a guy who writes for The Stranger (a Seattle alt newspaper), and did quite well at Sundance and at the Seattle Film Festival. Its subject matter is… controversial.

I’ve also read good things about Lady Chatterley and the tickets for the Hamlet are selling quick. Kid’s movie Azur and Asmar is also selling fast (and has been compared to Spirited Away).

Have patience with the MIFF site – it’s running pretty slow and with a few bugs (waiting for these links to load so I can paste them in is quietly killing me).

Mini-passes (which get you into 10 night movies with a bonus 3 daytime screenings) are selling fast – the concession ones are already sold out. It’s a pretty good deal actually. I also recommend booking sessions you really want in advance.

I’ll update here once I’ve seen some other films. Anyone else have any recommendations?

It’s that time again.

The Melbourne International Film Festival opened today and runs until August 19th.

There are hundreds of films from heaps of different countries at bunches of different venues, so there’s something for everyone. I would recommend trying out some different narrative styles – maybe checking out some films from Latvia or Kurdistan (which isn’t technically a country, but whatever).

The main site has lots of useful info, but if you’re in a rush, the programme page has the offerings listed by category, date and country. You can also ring: (03) 9417 2011for info.

Apparently tickets sell out fast, so buy in advance (or go to some afternoon screenings if that’s an option – likely to be more tickets).

Melbourne International Film Festival [25 July to 19 August]

“Firefly” fanclub Can’t Stop The Serenity Melbourne is holding a sepcial event for all feminists and Joss Whedon fans: they are holding a special screening of the sci-fi movie Serenity at RMIT’s Kaleide Theatre, 360 Swanston Street, Melbourne.

Tickets cost $14 online, and will be $15 at the doors (which open at 6:30, Saturday the 23rd June – thats one week away). As well as the movie itself, they will be showing a Canadian fan-made parody of the Firefly TV series, called “Mosquito”, and you’ll get to see previews for a Melbourne-based fan project. Proceeds from the event will go towards the international feminist lobby group Equality Now, which campaigns on Womens Rights issues around the world (from discriminatory laws to stoning to FGM – and if you don’t know what that stands for, go to the website now…).

*Serenity Charity Screening website
*Joss Whedon blogging on the absolute need for feminist action

This Sunday, February 25th, at 6.45pm, the British Council of Australia in association with ACMI present “Antenna UK 04″, which is essentially a showcase of some the recent best music videos directed by poms.

It sounds kinda like an indie-fest: there will be videos of Death Cab For Cutie, Zero 7 & Badly Drawn Boy, among others. But it’ll be GREAT!

There’s also going to be a Q&A with Joji Koyama (animator & director) & Alex Maclean (creative director of Airside).

The best part is that it’s FREE, but you’ll need to rsvp to rsvp@britishcouncil.org.au.

Thanks to threethousand.com.au for the heads up!