MQFF

Okay, so I am not in Melbourne to do my yearly binge of film festivalling this year but I thought I would give you all a heads up anyway. Program's out, web site's up (and looking pretty flashy this year) and the regular fare of mediocre American indie "bums on seats" fare is floating around. As always, in amongst all the muck are some films that look like they have potential.

While the new website is a whole lot better than anything they have put up in the last few years, they have been a bit lazy with their links so I have popped some in for you to go to the official film sites to check out the trailers (where available).

Let's start with the schlocky American stuff. Adam and Steve looks completely unremarkable except that it has Parker Posey in it and she alway bumps films into the "have to at least take a look" category. There's a thriller based on serial killers and gay vid chat called Open Cam and a full on horror slasher pic called Hellbent , which hasn't posted a trailer yet but I am sure Tristan will fly down to catch it. Finally, I would love to see eXposed, a doco about the making of one of my favourite porn films, Buckleroos (did I just say that out loud?).

Somehow they have managed to pull Reinas, a film I was sure was going to get a general release in Australia. The cast is like a who's who of "las chicas Almodóvar", Carmen Maura, Veronica Forque, Marissa Paredes. Looks like a lot of fun. Another Almodóvar-esque film, El Favor, looks at the hijinks surrounding two girls conning a guy into impregnating them. Fun, fun, fun!

And yes, Rick, there are some "curry" films even though you still think there are no gay men in India. My Brother Nikhil looks quite good and there is a sumptuous looking film called The Journey.

There is a fair dose of gritty, issues-based films this year. The first British DOGME film, Gypo, is showing (though from the trailer it doesn't seem to be adhering too strongly to the rules) and there is an Iranian film Unveiled that looks quite good. Good Boys a film from Israel looks at street hustling (again) and there is a Fillipino film, Masseur that follows the life of a masseur (surprise, surprise) giving massages (surprise, surprise) with benifits (SURPRISE, SURPRISE) intercut with the funeral of his father (oh, downer!).

There is lots of other good stuff; singing sex changees, German black and white lesbos from the birth of sonic cinema and a truly wild Japanese flick called Yaji And Kita: The Midnight Pilgrims which I am sure would be an absolute blast!

Go forth and sit in a cinema! Get back to me on the good, the bad and the ugly.