CineRobot

My dad used to work with this guy when he worked for the railroad who was missing part of his pinky finger. Both his hands would sometimes be riddled with scabs and scrapes when I'd see him while visiting my father at the depot. He was a noodler. Cuts, scrapes, missing digits and toes (he also had less toe than normal because of his hobby) are all part of what it means to be a noodler. What is noodling? It is the little known art of catching giant sized catfish with nothing but your bare hands and feet while submerging yourself in muddy creeks, rivers and lakes and letting the catfish clamp down on whatever it feels like chomping. It's part fishing, part swimming, part hunting, part wrestling and part crazy to the uninitiated.

Okie Noodling is a terrific slice of Americana documentary that flaunts its ruralness with pride. I'm an Okie, born and raised in the eastern part of the state. I've never noodled but have relatives who do and have dined on their catch willingly and with glee at the tastiness of the catfish fried up good and right. I like the fact that Okie Noodling was obviously made by Oklahomans who never condescend or wink smugly to the camera as sometimes happens with Americana based docs. Music by The Flaming Lips too.

I liked Secret ballot. It's similar to most Iranian films (even though it was written/directed by an Iranian/Canadian from Toronto) as it takes this wildly simplistic idea and then forms a story around it.

Secret Ballot is about a lot of things: the chaotic election process in Iran, the women/men relationships there, the isolation of rural areas and the role of women in Iranian society. That's four, you could probably find more if you wanted. A woman college age shows up at an outpost remote from cities and people and takes a sloth like soldier along looking for people willing to vote. It's harder to find voters than she thinks it might be as a lot of folks just don't want anything to do w/ the woman or casting a vote for the democracy that she touts ceaselessly. Secret Ballot has a good deal of sly, quiet moments and its this intelligent astuteness that I liked the most about it. I also enjoyed the harsh, remote terrain the film is set. The entire cast is full of non-pros who have never acted before and they do a fine job and are natural throughout. I especially liked the soldier who seems almost catatonic he's so slow talking. This is a very typical Iranian film: simple, slowish, extremely long and drawn out takes and full of non actors and real people. Plus it's a sly satire that has its own charms.

Madman Yugoslav director EMIR KUSTERICA (UNDERGROUND, BLACK CAT WHITE CAT) makes a documentary about touring w/ the band NO SMOKING ORCHESTRA throughout Europe. Emir actually plays guitar w/ the band, stogie firmly clamped between his teeth, hat perched on his head. This doesn't give a lot of insight on the band or the way they write their music as we see a lot of various concert footage and then brief interviews w/ the 10 or so who make up the band. NSO play this unhinged fusion of rock, jazz, gypsy and dirge funeral music w/ instruments such as guitars, tuba, violin, accordion and sax all swirling in and around each other. Some of the music I liked, some I didn't. Too much sax and too much bad vocals by the lead singer. NSO do have a tremendous amount of energy on stage and the audience seems to love them as they play to large, enthusiastic crowds. Lots and lots of super grainy super 8 which was neat. Worth seeing for doc, music or Kusterica fans (has a couple of funny scenes w/ Emir trying to wrestle shirtless w/ the beefier drummer who is I believe his son).