Having trouble picking from the over 300 names in the Vancouver International Film Festival guide? It is a bit over whelming, and a bit like being let loose in the candy store with a thick wad of cash. The trouble is that many of the synopsis that you’re going to read were crafted to sell the movies… Often a write-up that says “Enjoyable film; a movie to take the kids to” might be more in context as “Not an enjoyable film; a movie to take the kids to if they won’t go to sleep unaided”.

Trevor has a couple tips on his blog that I’m summarizing in my own words below;

1. Comparing apples to apples. Watch the other festivals’ writeups; Tribeca, Venice, Toronto, are all leading up to Vancouver, and there are a number of films coming from there that may have already impressed or disappointed.

2. Keywords to flag. If the write-up has words like “metaphor” or makes reference to poetry, or a classical artwork, you might want to consider passing it by.

3. How big is your name? Having a big name star attached to a movie can help the production acquire distribution, but it doesn’t mean that it helps the script, story, or cinematography. Having a big name actor directing or writing isn’t a guarantee, either, so be careful on that front as well.

For my own additions;

4. National Prejudices. For my own addition to the “rules” I’d say that sometimes certain countries have certain trends that might come into play. Personally, I’ve enjoyed a lot of French films over the past couple years, but they often play to certain points; long narratives, lack of musical score, long scenes of static closeups with no dialogue. A number of the French films I’ve seen also don’t give you back story, so you’re plopped in the middle of the action, don’t know why you’re where you are, and they don’t explain it fully; Time of the Wolf, Sometimes They Come Back; you’re also not going to get an answer at the end, so don’t expect one.

5. Documentaries. These are really hard to screw up in my books, unless they don’t have a tightly defined thesis. If the movie’s web page or guide writeup says that this movie interviews 30 people, or that it’s a history of 6 centuries of life in slavery, or otherwise implies that it is all things to everyone, you’re in for trouble. Look for a film that looks at one person, or covers one location, or that deals with something you’re at least relatively aware of; you don’t have to be pro-George-Bush to enjoy a Doc that treats him well, or be a Christian to enjoy a movie on Gospel Music, but knowing a little about the subject will definitely help.