Cleveland blogging

I have a few moments to catch my breath and post from the Cleveland International Film Festival, so I figured I'd post a couple photos and some initial impressions.

I'm not quite sure how I'm going to be posting updates up here. There's not really enough time between films to post reviews, and with my plan of trying to see seventeen films in three days, there's not much time for writing after the films. It's pretty much all cinema all the time, with bathroom breaks and meals squeezed in where possible.



I had no idea that St. Patrick's Day was such a big deal in Cleveland. Tower City Center was jammed shoulder to shoulder with the holiday celebrants. Apparently there was a major parade around here, which required me to park farther away than I preferred. At least a shuttle was provided. (The festival is taking place at Tower City Cinemas.)

I'm halfway through my slate of films for the day. Nothing notable so far. I started with RED MERCURY, a British thriller in the most sedate sense of the label. Three Pakistani terrorists in possession of a dirty bomb hold the occupants of a London restaurant hostage. Everyone involved is way too casual about what's happening. The Dutch drama GUERNSEY is put together well mostly via master shots, but it's too uneventful to amount to much. The British kids' film 5 CHILDREN AND IT is a poor man's THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE.



I've spotted Bob and Melissa Starker and should catch up with them at FOUR LANE HIGHWAY at 7:30. For now, I should provide grab something to eat and mosey on over to the theaters.