Filmadelphia '10

Today is sadly the last day of the Philadelphia Film Festival, but luckily the Philadelphia Film Society plays movies all year round. I got to see three movies this year and wish I could have seen many more. The movies were being shown all over Philly, but the three I saw were at the Ritz 5 on 214 Walnut located right near Penn's Landing (where there are plenty of bars nearby where you can catch a drink before and or after a movie) and the Prince Music Theater.

What I saw:

The Man From Nowhere:

Where this unsuspecting mop top goes from this:

to this:

so he can fight drug lords and save her:

The movie was action packed and brilliantly acted by Won Bin who is subtly sexy as he perfectly portrays a special agent turned pawn shop owner who is stalked by a little girl (Kim Saeron) trying to hide from the all too scary world of her stripper/heroin addicted mother. All we need now is some stolen heroin, black market organ selling, funny but well dressed bad guys, and one kidnapping to reveal Bin's ex-identity and all of his amazing fighting moves. He fights his way to the head honchos attempting to rescue Saeron, and your heart will keep racing even after the movie is over. This is a must see.

El Hombre A Lado (The Man Next Door)

This guy builds a window:

The guy on the left gets pissed that someone has the audacity to invade his privacy:

Hilarity ensues including the window guy's finger boot skits:

This Argentine black comedy was such a joy to watch I was literally slapping my knee for most of the movie (I apologize to all sitting around me). I should preface this by saying that the movie is so Argentine that anyone who has spent at least a month in Argentina will enjoy being taken back to that crazy, twisted land in this epic battle between two neighbors. If you've never been it might not be as meaningful, but it will be funny anyway. The movie begins with a split screen shot showing both sides of a wall as a sledge hammer breaks a hole in it. Peace is shattered for the affluent, snobby family next door who live in a Le Corbusier house made almost entirely of glass. In typical Argentine fashion, the two neighbors dance around the issue using the most Argentine of hand gestures and slang. Any lover of Argentine culture, or anyone who digs an excellent black comedy will regret it when the credits roll on this one.

And last but not least:

127 Hours


This crazy adventurer goes off into the wild without telling anyone where he is going:

He falls and his hand literally gets stuck between a rock and a hard place down in here:

Do I smell an Oscar? James Franco depicts Aron Rolston and his true story about the time he was stuck in a canon for 127 hours. Rolston is the type of hiker who is all about speed, and beating guide book times with his head phones on. However, he is forced to a stand still when he fatally misjudges the stability of a rock as he jumps down into a canon. Franco's desperation is played so well you can practically smell it, and Danny Boyle's directing turns a movie about a guy who is alone on a canon into captivating film. I had to turn my head away at one of the more gory parts, and the music at the end was a little cheesy if you ask me, but this is one of the best performances of the year if not the past few. When it comes out in November I would recommend catching this one on the big screen so as to take in the beauty of the landscape, and the magnitude of Franco's performance.

Real life Aron Ralston still rocks out!