I was back on assignment for Scenestr for the second and final weekend of the Brisbane International Film Festival 2021.
On Friday night the 29th of October I went to New Farm Cinemas to see the latest film from 75 year old Paul Schrader – The Card Counter.
Schrader has been on a revival run of late and this feature is part of that while continuing his “Man in a Room” stories. American Gigolo may remain his masterpiece, but I enjoyed partly how this film seemed a counterpoint to that. I also enjoyed the performances from the cast that includes some of the great actors that have come to stardom in the past year including Oscar Isaac, Tiffancy Haddish and Tye Sheridan.
You can read my review here https://scenestr.com.au/movies-and-tv/the-card-counter-film-review-brisbane-international-film-festival-2021-20211103
The next night I was back at New Farm Cinemas late at night in one of their cinemas at the back to watch Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn from Romanian filmmaker Radu Jude. Karen and I both had dinner at Ombra before I went to see the movie.
There was not a massive crowd in the cinema but there were some young people who occasionally cackled at what was unfolding on the screen. That felt right. Young people at a film festival watching something foreign and wild that provides a way of looking at things.
You can read my review here https://scenestr.com.au/movies-and-tv/bad-luck-banging-or-loony-porn-film-review-brisbane-international-film-festival-2021-20211108
On Sunday the 31st of October, 2021 I saw my last film at BIFF 2021. It was a screening of the documentary Ascension at Palace Cinemas on James Street, I have a soft spot for this cinema as I met my wife on the steps of it at BIFF 2008.
Ascension was slow and observant American documentary from Jessica Kingdon about modern China. You can read my review here https://scenestr.com.au/movies-and-tv/ascension-film-review-brisbane-international-film-festival-2021-20211109
That was it for another year at BIFF, I am very glad to have been on assignment to watch and review six films at BIFF. I am very glad that the Brisbane International Film Festival continued in the wake of COVID and remain a staple of my hometown showing 81 features and 22 short films during its eleven day run.
Produced by Eyeball Media Enterprises Scenestr is an online national magazine with local offices around Australia. Having started in 1993 they’ve excelled at moving into the digital realm but they remain at heart from the streets. They still publish magazines in print for Western Australia, South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland every month.
-Lloyd Marken
Back to the Drawing Board Productions 
I like Schrader’s films, and his writing collaborations with Scorsese. I enjoyed ‘Dog Eat Dog’, though the critics were not so kind about it. Oscar Isaac is a very interesting and talented actor, so I will be looking forward to seeing The Card Counter one day. Thanks for confirming my expectations in your review.
Best wishes, Pete.