BIFF Update #2 - Homemade Craziness

Day 2 began with a bang in "Let the Bullets Fly" even though I didn't see the expected martial arts.  A very entertaining Chinese western set in the early 20s where a bandit, wannabe governor and gangster play a very dangerous game to find out who will rule over Goose Town.  The speed at which the dialogue flew (subtitled) and the amount of double- and triple-crossing going on meant that I really had to concentrate on the subtitles to keep up with what was happening.  And I must admit at times I was thinking "what just happened" while trying to keep with the next ploy.  But it was quite funny and entertaining and Chow Yun Fat put in a great turn as a deliciously sly gangster warlord.

The evening brought two home-made treasures which really put a smile on my face.  Codependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same, for me, did not quite live up to the awesomeness of it's title.  It was good and there were a lot of giggles but I'm just not sure what the point of it was - any larger meaning was lost on me.  However, it was a great example of what a person with an idea and some craptastic special effects can do and for that I applaud them.

Manborg really puts the "home" in homemade.  Imagine what would happen if you and a couple of your mates decided to make a movie about a half man-half cyborg in the future battling evil Nazi vampires to kill the leader who has literally brought hell to earth.  Shot on video, the effects were a great mix of drawing some electric rays over the action, stopmotion and turning the sound effects up really loud.  Think something more primitive than Tron crossed with 80s action/robot movies.  It was really really funny and corny.  I really loved this.  It has another screening so go check it out.

The evening for me was a celebration of a little bit of ingenuity and big ideas, placed onto a much bigger stage than the creators probably ever dreamed would be possible.  Sure, it was ridiculous and you could see the cracks, but boy I admire anyone who can make their own versions of what they see on the big screen, and make it funny, endearing entertainment.  Kudos to you guys!  And Fantastic Fest for giving them exposure and bringing it to Brisbane.