Quick festival roundup.

Michael Arnold in Midnight Eye:

Questions about the international presence of Japanese film used to be waved away with one magic word: Kurosawa. Today however, as ultraviolent gangsters and animated adolescent girls replace the samurai and geisha standards of yesteryear it feels like we're searching for a new Emperor to wear the crown. We've gone through the roll call once with no winner so far. Aoyama, Kawase, Kitano, Koreeda, Sabu, Tsukamoto, Miike, Miyazaki...

Next up in the rotation is Kiyoshi Kurosawa.

Which is why the North American premiere of Bright Future will be one of the most anticipated screenings in Toronto. Arnold reviews the film ("Maybe I should just put the Bright Future on hold until I'm ready to not understand what it means. Or maybe that is what it means."), Nicholas Rucka reviews Kurosawa's Séance (2000) and Tom Mes interviews the man himself.

Also in Midnight Eye: Jasper Sharp attends the 7th Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival: "In case you hadn't heard, the Koreans absolutely love the movies. Screenings are packed, audiences are vocally enthusiastic and there are new screens popping up all over the country all the time. On top of that, Korean cinema is currently the hottest thing in Asia."

Another continent, another festival. The Austin Chronicle previews the 16th Annual Austin Gay & Lesbian International Film Festival, which opens tonight with Girls Will Be Girls.

Even if you're not in Austin, the Chronicle tid-bitty coverage may have you taking notes on films to catch when they eventually make their way to your neighborhood, on screen or on DVD. But some events won't. Sarah Hepola on an evening with Frank DeCaro:

The Daily Show retired "Out at the Movies" this year, which means DeCaro missed out on this summer season of turkeys. "The Hulk really screamed for the 'Out at the Movies' treatment. Here's this green muscle man, and where does he head? He ends up in the Castro in San Francisco. And Gigli!" he exclaims. "We would have had to give it the good review."

Speaking of which, the fascination with the biggest flop in years simply will not let up. More on that in an upcoming batch of "Shorts."

Posted by dwhudson at August 21, 2003 6:13 AM