I was able to see one screening for the university section that featured multiple short films within it. I chose to see the university section because I wanted to support up and coming filmmakers, especially other students here at HPU. The highlight of the film festival for me personally was getting to see all the … [Read…]
I Used to be Normal: A Fangirl Story tells the same story across several different generations; about how an obsession with a band can shape identity and reflect preferences and problems in the lives of young women. The documentary starts strong, giving the viewer an up-close look at the obsessed fans of boybands across … [Read…]
Birds of Passage follows the rise and fall of a Columbian drug lord, interweaving a Godfather-style story with the culture and folklore of Columbia’s indigenous clans. To reveal any more plot details would ruin the sense of tension and mystery the film builds gradually across its runtime. This is a story across decades, epic in … [Read…]
In this blog I will review and wrap up my final experience as a Hawaii Pacific University student attending the Hawaii International Film Festival. It has been an honor to contribute so much of my time and effort to this event over the last three years at HPU, gaining experience with this internationally recognized area … [Read…]
At the 37th Hawaii International Film Festival I watched a total of three films, including, Glass Garden (2017), Downsizing (2017), and The Endless (2017). I decided to watch Glass Garden because it seemed like it had an interesting and unique narrative, and I was excited to see how Yun Ji-woon, the cinematographer, captured nature and … [Read…]
Directed by Justin Benson and Aaron Scott Moorhead, the science fiction thriller The Endless (2017) follows Justin and Aaron, brothers, as they return to a cult they escaped as children after receiving a mysterious video message from the camp. As they spend a few nights with the cult, Justin and Aaron start to find that … [Read…]
The science fiction comedy-drama film Downsizing, directed by Alexander Payne, is about a procedure humans can undergo to shrink their entire body and start life in a new community. The initial idea for the procedure was to help mankind reduce the amount of trash, waste, and energy used by regular sized humans, and in time … [Read…]
The South Korean mystery drama Glass Garden (2017), directed by Shin Su-won, follows Jae-yeon, a promising researcher with a disabled leg and the ability to communicate with nature. After Jae-yeon’s professor and colleague turn their backs on her and her research, she decides to retreat into a glass garden in the middle of the forest … [Read…]
The parking lot was jammed packed, bumper to bumper. The movie ticket lines outside of Dole Theater resembled those of theme parks and the DMV; they were huge! Extra security were guarding the gates and additional volunteers were needed to control the movie doors. This was over the excitement of the first ever film premiere … [Read…]
Did you ever stop to think about where your plastic goes after disposal? Let’s say that smoothie or iced coffee you had this morning. After one use, you’ve threw away a cup, lid/cap and plastic straw that may end up in the ocean. How about the poke bowl you had for lunch? Was your fish … [Read…]
Last weekend concluded the 36th annual Hawaii International Film Festival, and was it one for the books. From the local documentaries to the Asian Dramas, there were thousands of people that walked through the doors of the theatre to immerse in the films. This year at HIFF, I was fortunate enough to have seen three … [Read…]
Prison Dogs is a documentary that will make you fall in love from start to finish. The film is set in a rural New York prison in Fishkill, NY, where the inmates there are paired with a golden retriever or lab, for a program called “Puppies Behind Bars.” After a process of evaluation, the chosen … [Read…]