VIFF DAY 2 - a very good day.

I rate films I see as "excellent" (5 stars, or worth owning), "very good" (4 stars, worth recommending), "good" (3 stars, I wouldn't go out of my way to see it but I don't feel ripped off), "fair" (2 stars, some merit but somewhat regrettable), "poor" (1 star, to be avoided) and "terrible" (0 stars, worth walking out on). Yesterday I had one 4-star film (The Protector) and the other four were 3-stars.

Today I had a good start; breakfast at home and at the line-up by 9:40. I got all the tickets I wanted once again, but the first film "Psychohydrology" was a dud, my first 2-star this year. Film directors and photographers might have liked it but it was very dull--most of the film was rapid time elapsed on repeating loops every few seconds. It wasn't film making so much as digital masturbation. It turns the maker on and no one else. On top of that, the 27-minute Chinese film that was supposed to accompany it was canceled.

The next four films were another story, however, and they made today rather incredible. The 2nd film, "The Man Who Will Come", set in a rural village in northern Italy during WWII, was a true 5-star film. Last year I didn't even see one 5-star so I am off to a wonderful start. To make it even better the next three films were each 4-stars: "The Family Tree", a French film about a family crisis that erupts when the father fails to show up at his son's funeral (best acting so far); "Reverse", a Polish film about an ugly girl who falls for the wrong guy in 1952 under the Communist regime (it is definitely the best comedy so far); and "Of Love And Other Demons", set in 17th century Colombia and based on a Gabriel Garcia Marquez novel. With 5 of the first 10 films being 4 or 5-star, it is looking like a very good VIFF this year.

I met a lovely young man named Brian who is on crutches (sprained toes due to a skateboard accident). Definitely friendship material there. I am so tired though. It has been an emotional day.