International Film Festival 2023 (IFFR) Highlight Reviews
INTERVIEW WITH MARWAN HAMED OUT NOW!
I got the chance to interview the director of Kira & El Gin (2022), which was part of the IFFR 2023 programme. Find the full written interview through this link:
https://ibcomagazine.com/2023/an-important-anti-colonial-historical-epic-marwan-hamed-on-his-trailblazer-egyptian-film-kira-el-gin/
I got the chance to interview the director of Kira & El Gin (2022), which was part of the IFFR 2023 programme. Find the full written interview through this link:
https://ibcomagazine.com/2023/an-important-anti-colonial-historical-epic-marwan-hamed-on-his-trailblazer-egyptian-film-kira-el-gin/
25 January 2023
Munch
(Henrik M. Dahlsbakken, Norway, 2023)
My review: 2.4/5
Munch
(Henrik M. Dahlsbakken, Norway, 2023)
My review: 2.4/5
Munch - the opening film of IFFR - was a mixed bag for me. It’s a Norwegian film that follows the life of acclaimed painter Edvard Munch (painter of “The Scream”). It’s a little bit of an experimental post-modern biopic, it’s greatest strength and also weakness. It’s a novel type of biopic and I think that’s admirable.
A gripe I have a lot with a lot of biopics is that they attempt to summarise an entire life in a movie in a way that feels bloated, disconnected and horribly paced. I like that the film really strays away from that idea and chooses to focus on eras or stages without stuffing a lot into the film - I liked that a lot. Sadly though, the pace towards the middle/end felt excruciatingly slow - there was nothing happening and nothing to think about either. I think maybe having different short stories would have been better rather than just having just one thing happen to each era of Munch that doesn’t have much to say about the character as a whole.
The film uses different actors to portray Munch and display different stages of his life, switching between eras throughout. This is a really cool concept and elucidates the idea that the film was trying to put across - that of the multi-faceted nature of Munch. However, past the fact that he is played by different actors, it’s hard to understand what the film is trying to say about Munch in any era (at least in a subtle way). In different eras, the character feels discombobulated from other eras (some are more connected than others) and do not have a string attaching them other than the message that he was a non-conformist, self-destructive mad genius with random moments like the friendship moment that appear out of nowhere without being set up at the end.
It was hard to attach to Munch as a film character, the best era by far was that of Young Munch - it was the one I enjoyed most - and that was because it was the best paced and the best written - it was also well-acted. It really also contributes to this idea that Munch was not really a loner or anything so it was also the most congruent thematically with the only message I salvaged out of this film. Unfortunately, this idea of the tortured artist, or craziness = genius is really the one that is honed in on in some of the eras and I wasn’t a fan (more on that later).
It’s hard to say what the main themes are other than conformity vs non-conformity and isolation vs love. Isolation vs love was perhaps the strongest in the film and I like that the film really tries to pull the angle of Munch as a person who didn’t enjoy loneliness but was rather someone who loved. That was nice and there wasn’t enough of it. The theme of mad geniuses felt really shallow in the sense that it tries to justify Munch’s instability as a gateway to art (and therefore it’s fine..?) although the film also shows that Munch is almost intentionally self-destructive and yet doesn’t make a comment about it.
The different eras of the film had different tones - reaching from romance to almost psychological thriller - that’s not necessarily a bad thing and I actually feel like it’s a really cool concept and idea, but it almost feels like they are different movies (of varying quality) - and they really don’t say much about the artist. There is some amazing cinematography, stylistic choices, and sound design that I really admire, but nothing really threads the movie in one coherent line or delivers a solid theme or message.
There’s a specific manifestation of Munch that I hated (the modern day one) because it really showed how heavy-handed this film is. It’s nice to be meta and self-referential in a clever way.. However, the film has characters go on insanely long monologues about the state of art, art criticism and the purpose of art that feel entirely pretentious instead of portraying these elements in a subtle manner. Misplaced, and feel hilarious at times. It could’ve been interesting but I didn’t understand what it was trying to say.
Film tries to say a lot and ends up saying not much, with themes that counter argue each other and don’t really show a complex side of Munch, rather one that ends up portraying him as a stereotypical mad genius yet again.
A gripe I have a lot with a lot of biopics is that they attempt to summarise an entire life in a movie in a way that feels bloated, disconnected and horribly paced. I like that the film really strays away from that idea and chooses to focus on eras or stages without stuffing a lot into the film - I liked that a lot. Sadly though, the pace towards the middle/end felt excruciatingly slow - there was nothing happening and nothing to think about either. I think maybe having different short stories would have been better rather than just having just one thing happen to each era of Munch that doesn’t have much to say about the character as a whole.
The film uses different actors to portray Munch and display different stages of his life, switching between eras throughout. This is a really cool concept and elucidates the idea that the film was trying to put across - that of the multi-faceted nature of Munch. However, past the fact that he is played by different actors, it’s hard to understand what the film is trying to say about Munch in any era (at least in a subtle way). In different eras, the character feels discombobulated from other eras (some are more connected than others) and do not have a string attaching them other than the message that he was a non-conformist, self-destructive mad genius with random moments like the friendship moment that appear out of nowhere without being set up at the end.
It was hard to attach to Munch as a film character, the best era by far was that of Young Munch - it was the one I enjoyed most - and that was because it was the best paced and the best written - it was also well-acted. It really also contributes to this idea that Munch was not really a loner or anything so it was also the most congruent thematically with the only message I salvaged out of this film. Unfortunately, this idea of the tortured artist, or craziness = genius is really the one that is honed in on in some of the eras and I wasn’t a fan (more on that later).
It’s hard to say what the main themes are other than conformity vs non-conformity and isolation vs love. Isolation vs love was perhaps the strongest in the film and I like that the film really tries to pull the angle of Munch as a person who didn’t enjoy loneliness but was rather someone who loved. That was nice and there wasn’t enough of it. The theme of mad geniuses felt really shallow in the sense that it tries to justify Munch’s instability as a gateway to art (and therefore it’s fine..?) although the film also shows that Munch is almost intentionally self-destructive and yet doesn’t make a comment about it.
The different eras of the film had different tones - reaching from romance to almost psychological thriller - that’s not necessarily a bad thing and I actually feel like it’s a really cool concept and idea, but it almost feels like they are different movies (of varying quality) - and they really don’t say much about the artist. There is some amazing cinematography, stylistic choices, and sound design that I really admire, but nothing really threads the movie in one coherent line or delivers a solid theme or message.
There’s a specific manifestation of Munch that I hated (the modern day one) because it really showed how heavy-handed this film is. It’s nice to be meta and self-referential in a clever way.. However, the film has characters go on insanely long monologues about the state of art, art criticism and the purpose of art that feel entirely pretentious instead of portraying these elements in a subtle manner. Misplaced, and feel hilarious at times. It could’ve been interesting but I didn’t understand what it was trying to say.
Film tries to say a lot and ends up saying not much, with themes that counter argue each other and don’t really show a complex side of Munch, rather one that ends up portraying him as a stereotypical mad genius yet again.
26 January 2023
Almost Entirely A Slight Disaster
(Umut Subasi, Turkey, 2023)
My review: 3.2/5
Almost Entirely A Slight Disaster
(Umut Subasi, Turkey, 2023)
My review: 3.2/5
Almost Entirely A Slight Disaster is a great debut film from Umut Subasi about the existentialist dread of 4 millennials against the backdrop of modern-day Turkey. It was not an amazing movie by any means, but was incredible as a debut and had some pretty awesome moments. I watched the screening followed by the Q&A which included the director, the lead actress, and the producer.
The film creates a sense of feeling stuck in circumstance and alienated by others/the environment. Most of the shots are static shots, portraying a sense of that inability to move anywhere that our different characters feel. Many of the character shots are not too personal, and make the characters small in comparison to the rest of the environment. This idea of monotony in existing (despite possible financial collapse) is displayed by repeating motifs, shots, and the crying sequences as well as the “staring into the abyss” jump-cut scenes which are just great in portraying that sense of numbness and aimlessness a lot of young people feel in an overstimulating world.
I think the tragicomedy tone is great, although I just wish it was a tiny bit funnier - that is subjective for sure but in general it could have been more tragic and more funny. A lot of the film at the end was funny in a great comedy of errors type sequence where a lot is implied about the shallowness of performance in the modern age.
You feel for the characters’ complete inability to change their financial position despite them being educated, and ready to work/change their circumstances. That is certainly tragic and mirrors a lot of reality, it is an absurd situation in itself (but yet again I wish it went deeper to really become the absurdly funny film it is trying to be). Money mediates people’s lives and it’s never felt so suffocating for these characters. However, I felt we needed to see more of the characters' struggles, more than just hearing about it through dialogue (which was also not bad). I understood that the characters were meant to feel blank and empty, and that was also what I felt was presented to me.
Themes of the ideal self and performance are very present here. All the characters’ here are dissatisfied with themselves, or their state, and therefore create this idealised version of theirselves or their situation to create some sort of meaning and aim in their life - whether that is aligning your life with horoscopes or pretending that you are someone else. It implies this idea that we really put on performances, and that authenticity is needed but often set away.
A theme that was less explored but sort of present was the past and the present or “how things used to be”. There’s a longing for the past, but that is not as delved into as I would like to or it should’ve been. The film feels like it doesn’t flesh out some themes and used the spontaneous crying too often - but I guess it was supposed to showcase a sense of absurdity. Loved the opening scene’s use of it.
Lastly, the pace should have been just slightly faster, sometimes scenes seem to drag on a bit too long, but hey - for a first feature this is great!!
The film creates a sense of feeling stuck in circumstance and alienated by others/the environment. Most of the shots are static shots, portraying a sense of that inability to move anywhere that our different characters feel. Many of the character shots are not too personal, and make the characters small in comparison to the rest of the environment. This idea of monotony in existing (despite possible financial collapse) is displayed by repeating motifs, shots, and the crying sequences as well as the “staring into the abyss” jump-cut scenes which are just great in portraying that sense of numbness and aimlessness a lot of young people feel in an overstimulating world.
I think the tragicomedy tone is great, although I just wish it was a tiny bit funnier - that is subjective for sure but in general it could have been more tragic and more funny. A lot of the film at the end was funny in a great comedy of errors type sequence where a lot is implied about the shallowness of performance in the modern age.
You feel for the characters’ complete inability to change their financial position despite them being educated, and ready to work/change their circumstances. That is certainly tragic and mirrors a lot of reality, it is an absurd situation in itself (but yet again I wish it went deeper to really become the absurdly funny film it is trying to be). Money mediates people’s lives and it’s never felt so suffocating for these characters. However, I felt we needed to see more of the characters' struggles, more than just hearing about it through dialogue (which was also not bad). I understood that the characters were meant to feel blank and empty, and that was also what I felt was presented to me.
Themes of the ideal self and performance are very present here. All the characters’ here are dissatisfied with themselves, or their state, and therefore create this idealised version of theirselves or their situation to create some sort of meaning and aim in their life - whether that is aligning your life with horoscopes or pretending that you are someone else. It implies this idea that we really put on performances, and that authenticity is needed but often set away.
A theme that was less explored but sort of present was the past and the present or “how things used to be”. There’s a longing for the past, but that is not as delved into as I would like to or it should’ve been. The film feels like it doesn’t flesh out some themes and used the spontaneous crying too often - but I guess it was supposed to showcase a sense of absurdity. Loved the opening scene’s use of it.
Lastly, the pace should have been just slightly faster, sometimes scenes seem to drag on a bit too long, but hey - for a first feature this is great!!
- The director said that the act of crying was a big inspiration for the film - the starting point
- The actress who plays Ayse says its’ her first role and I think she did great!
28 January 2023
Kira & El Gin
(Marwan Hamed, Egypt, 2022)
My review: 3.5/5
Kira & El Gin
(Marwan Hamed, Egypt, 2022)
My review: 3.5/5
I watched this film directly after having an interview with Marwan Hamed and was very glad to experience this European premiere of the film as well as see it after learning about the director’s process regarding the film. The film itself is a very enjoyable epic about the British colonisation in Egypt and a group of the resistance who were adamantly fighting against British rule. This 3 hour film was engaging throughout, and I noticed it was (so far from the movies I attended) one of the only screenings without walkouts.
I really liked that the film didn’t abandon the characters and the relationships between those characters (at least the main 3/4). I thought the friendship between Keera and el Gin was a particular stand-out. The film makes time for those smaller character moments which I really appreciated, and really helped flesh out their motives, their background, and made the characters very easy to empathise with (despite their hero status they also had flaws which is really important in any hero’s journey). The film focuses on only a few characters from the resistance which I much preferred over a rushed and imbalanced background of every character. My only gripe is that I just wanted more of these moments. The romance in the film wasn’t my favourite thing, but I understand why it was there and what it served to do for the characters and for that I thought it was okay - I just thought it could have been executed better.
The pace could have been better and I noticed that towards the middle and the end it starts to falter a bit (in general), but as I mentioned it was never truly boring or anything (which is a feat for a 3 hour movie). The tone is consistent, although sometimes I felt the editing was a bit jarring and that a light-hearted scene would transition into a very serious scene and it didn’t feel right. The score was great actually, and I thought it fit well and added to the film’s sense of atmosphere incrementally. The set design (which was mostly completed created from scratch) looks very good and in general, visually speaking it was very decent.
The acting by the English-speaking actors is okay (and especially good for an Egyptian film). Although, I wish there was a bit more subtlety towards the British rather than just the character of Emily. Acting from Ahmed Ezz, Karim Abdel-Aziz and Hend Sabry is great (they are veteran actors in the Egyptian industry) and I think some of these roles could be considered career stand-out roles.
Perhaps the greatest strength and weakness of the film is that it’s very much a blockbuster audience-oriented film. There’s a lot of action and drama, and while I really enjoyed it I would have also really liked deeper thematic substance to the film and action sequences that didn’t extend a tad bit extra than they needed to - although as I mentioned the film does not pretend to be anything than it really is. It’s not necessarily a historical piece, rather just following certain events and stories from our main lead characters’ lives (based on a book which is also based on real life/characters). It is also very much adapted from and to a target audience that is particularly young.
The themes that I did see is obviously the theme of the burden of colonialism, and the balancing of duty with personal life - and I think those were the main things that also corresponded with the main character’s arcs as well. Although, as I mentioned, it would have been nicer to have more complex ideas and thematic moments (these were often introduced - like the indoctrination of Egyptian citizens to be made to correspond to British values - but didn’t feel elaborated on in an adequate fashion for my taste). There are also some small subplots and moments like the Spanish Flu that end up being incorporated but only at a very small level. In fact, I feel just the film does too much and some of these subplots do not feel thoroughly explored.
In conclusion, I enjoyed the film and I think it really displays that there are stories to be told, and those stories can be shown internationally and also be told in a very entertaining way. Great and unique watch, I enjoyed it a lot and for me when I enjoy a film that really matters in the large context of my reviews - if it made me feel something. This did. And for that, I find it succeeds.
I really liked that the film didn’t abandon the characters and the relationships between those characters (at least the main 3/4). I thought the friendship between Keera and el Gin was a particular stand-out. The film makes time for those smaller character moments which I really appreciated, and really helped flesh out their motives, their background, and made the characters very easy to empathise with (despite their hero status they also had flaws which is really important in any hero’s journey). The film focuses on only a few characters from the resistance which I much preferred over a rushed and imbalanced background of every character. My only gripe is that I just wanted more of these moments. The romance in the film wasn’t my favourite thing, but I understand why it was there and what it served to do for the characters and for that I thought it was okay - I just thought it could have been executed better.
The pace could have been better and I noticed that towards the middle and the end it starts to falter a bit (in general), but as I mentioned it was never truly boring or anything (which is a feat for a 3 hour movie). The tone is consistent, although sometimes I felt the editing was a bit jarring and that a light-hearted scene would transition into a very serious scene and it didn’t feel right. The score was great actually, and I thought it fit well and added to the film’s sense of atmosphere incrementally. The set design (which was mostly completed created from scratch) looks very good and in general, visually speaking it was very decent.
The acting by the English-speaking actors is okay (and especially good for an Egyptian film). Although, I wish there was a bit more subtlety towards the British rather than just the character of Emily. Acting from Ahmed Ezz, Karim Abdel-Aziz and Hend Sabry is great (they are veteran actors in the Egyptian industry) and I think some of these roles could be considered career stand-out roles.
Perhaps the greatest strength and weakness of the film is that it’s very much a blockbuster audience-oriented film. There’s a lot of action and drama, and while I really enjoyed it I would have also really liked deeper thematic substance to the film and action sequences that didn’t extend a tad bit extra than they needed to - although as I mentioned the film does not pretend to be anything than it really is. It’s not necessarily a historical piece, rather just following certain events and stories from our main lead characters’ lives (based on a book which is also based on real life/characters). It is also very much adapted from and to a target audience that is particularly young.
The themes that I did see is obviously the theme of the burden of colonialism, and the balancing of duty with personal life - and I think those were the main things that also corresponded with the main character’s arcs as well. Although, as I mentioned, it would have been nicer to have more complex ideas and thematic moments (these were often introduced - like the indoctrination of Egyptian citizens to be made to correspond to British values - but didn’t feel elaborated on in an adequate fashion for my taste). There are also some small subplots and moments like the Spanish Flu that end up being incorporated but only at a very small level. In fact, I feel just the film does too much and some of these subplots do not feel thoroughly explored.
In conclusion, I enjoyed the film and I think it really displays that there are stories to be told, and those stories can be shown internationally and also be told in a very entertaining way. Great and unique watch, I enjoyed it a lot and for me when I enjoy a film that really matters in the large context of my reviews - if it made me feel something. This did. And for that, I find it succeeds.
29 January 2023
La Empresa
(André Siegers, Germany, 2023)
My review: 3.0/5
La Empresa
(André Siegers, Germany, 2023)
My review: 3.0/5
La empresa is one of those films that I feel has an incredibly strong concept but doesn’t really sustain the attention of the audience. Im fact, the problem I have with this film is that it really varies in quality throughout - from excellent absurdity in a mixture of fact/fiction documentary filmmaking to an excruciatingly slow pace that feels unjustified; it delivers yet also falters at the same time. It follows a German film crew as they document the village and the border crossing between Mexico and the U.S which has become some sort of touristic hub for people across the world.
Tonally, the film is actually excellent. There’s a deadpan delivery of the absolutely unbelievable way that the experience of illegally crossing the border is almost considered to be an entertaining and amusing experience for foreigners (this actually a real thing that you can experience).The monochrome colour scheme also adds to this very serious delivery of absurd situations - it’s funny in a pretty horrible kind of way. The ‘actors’ and the German film crew also describe these situations in a very matter-of-fact way which adds to the whole tone (there’s a moment where they discuss the experience of the illegal border crossing simulation that is particularly well-done).
The themes in this film are incredibly strong and well-portrayed. The suffering of people and their issues are being commodified in a very crass way for foreign tourists; it’s a dehumanising experience the sheds light on the way that awareness doesn’t always mean action. There’s someone in a coyote costume in the simulation, with moments of being chased by the police and everything. It doesn’t sound real - yet it is.
The villagers never really have a chance to represent themselves, as it is not clear if the German filmmakers are staging a scene or just capturing reality - an excellent way of implying the way that the villagers’ cultures and lives have become more of a performance rather than reality (well, the lines between fact and fiction are blurred so often you cannot really tell). The people in the village are forced to comply with this performance of suffering and commodification of their lives because they need the income, it’s just a commentary on the way that media awareness may dehumanise people and just have them be only represented by their struggles and suffering. Additionally, there seems to be a lack of interest by the German film crew to actually immerse themselves in the village or learn more off-camera, as they lounge at the pool whenever they are free.
Unfortunately, towards the middle, the film really becomes excruciatingly slow in pace in a very unsavoury way. It is supposed to communicate that the German film crew in the film didn’t really have anything to show in the documentary, also implying this sense that the village is actually just a normal place with normal people whereby representations of the village do not show the same thing at all. However, this idea stays past the point of comfort as the film becomes a very boring watch (plenty of walkouts halfway through). The point could have been made, and then the film should sustain its’ pace, because it didn’t feel purposeful after a certain moment - seeing a one minute shot of trees is okay when done once but when done several times with no reason it feels redundant. This continues until the end, but the last scenes are pretty nice and wrap up the film nicely, concluding the film’s themes and message in a nicely-done way.
Tonally, the film is actually excellent. There’s a deadpan delivery of the absolutely unbelievable way that the experience of illegally crossing the border is almost considered to be an entertaining and amusing experience for foreigners (this actually a real thing that you can experience).The monochrome colour scheme also adds to this very serious delivery of absurd situations - it’s funny in a pretty horrible kind of way. The ‘actors’ and the German film crew also describe these situations in a very matter-of-fact way which adds to the whole tone (there’s a moment where they discuss the experience of the illegal border crossing simulation that is particularly well-done).
The themes in this film are incredibly strong and well-portrayed. The suffering of people and their issues are being commodified in a very crass way for foreign tourists; it’s a dehumanising experience the sheds light on the way that awareness doesn’t always mean action. There’s someone in a coyote costume in the simulation, with moments of being chased by the police and everything. It doesn’t sound real - yet it is.
The villagers never really have a chance to represent themselves, as it is not clear if the German filmmakers are staging a scene or just capturing reality - an excellent way of implying the way that the villagers’ cultures and lives have become more of a performance rather than reality (well, the lines between fact and fiction are blurred so often you cannot really tell). The people in the village are forced to comply with this performance of suffering and commodification of their lives because they need the income, it’s just a commentary on the way that media awareness may dehumanise people and just have them be only represented by their struggles and suffering. Additionally, there seems to be a lack of interest by the German film crew to actually immerse themselves in the village or learn more off-camera, as they lounge at the pool whenever they are free.
Unfortunately, towards the middle, the film really becomes excruciatingly slow in pace in a very unsavoury way. It is supposed to communicate that the German film crew in the film didn’t really have anything to show in the documentary, also implying this sense that the village is actually just a normal place with normal people whereby representations of the village do not show the same thing at all. However, this idea stays past the point of comfort as the film becomes a very boring watch (plenty of walkouts halfway through). The point could have been made, and then the film should sustain its’ pace, because it didn’t feel purposeful after a certain moment - seeing a one minute shot of trees is okay when done once but when done several times with no reason it feels redundant. This continues until the end, but the last scenes are pretty nice and wrap up the film nicely, concluding the film’s themes and message in a nicely-done way.
29 January 2023
Thiiird
(Karim Kassem, Lebanon, 2023)
My review: 3.6/5
Thiiird
(Karim Kassem, Lebanon, 2023)
My review: 3.6/5
Thiiird is one of the films in IFFR 2023 that’s also running for a competition and it was very much an emotional watch for me. It is not a particularly fast-paced film by any means, but there is purpose behind that, and it really allows you to revel in the post-Beirut explosion trauma that the country and the particular characters in this film experience. A beautiful and heartbreaking mosaic of moments that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Throughout the film, the theme of destruction is shown not by the act of violence itself but rather its’ consequences, which is what really matters in a societal context. We never see the explosion, we never see the fire that breaks out, only the aftermath. It’s actually a brilliant tool of not showing the act but implying the action, something this film does quite masterfully several times. It also contributes to the uneasy sense of fact and fiction that is central to this film.
The film follows characters that are played by actors with the same name (I believe so), and it combines these elements of fact and fiction in an effective way; blurring the lines between real and fake. There are moments throughout the film where you are not sure if something really occurred based on the camerawork’s implications, or if it was simply in the characters’ imagination. The main character is lonely, and his psyche is really at the centre of this film as the theme of trauma and hopelessness permeate throughout the film. The effects and the cause - what is more important? The film argues that it is the effects - and it even has an ending that very much is left to the viewers’ imagination (whether it is real or not - or whether the entire story is real or not).
There’s also a post-apocalyptic tone that is hammered in by the visuals of nature, ruination and the lack of resources in the area - mirrored very much by the real circumstances that Lebanon currently faces financially. Where materials, money, and nothing have value - the only thing that is left is just nature (or escape). There’s a sense of hopelessness, and a feeling of being stuck also encapsulated with the car that doesn’t work. The monochrome colour palette also adds to this. The open-ended finale of the film does not feel like it may be real and that may also add to this feeling of hopelessness. The tone is incredibly consistent.
The dialogue does not feel schlocky, and the Kiarostami-like conversations and character moments are incredibly emotional as we follow short stories and moments in the characters’ lives that reflect the current state in Beirut - and Lebanon. Although, I do wish the characters were more interconnected with Fouad (the main character). Other than that, I thought the character moments were done decently.
The last act falters in terms of pace for sure, but it becomes a sort of road trip whereby the motif of a door is repeatedly used for different situations - symbolising a sense of hope. Yes, the door does not have a house or a shelter, but it symbolises an inkling of hope (a new entrance) whereby a house is what we create of it and not actually the structure of a house. It’s a nice symbolic motif, and I liked that the third door was used for SPOILER: possible escape (this may also be imaginary, but yet the entire film could be imaginary).
Throughout the film, the theme of destruction is shown not by the act of violence itself but rather its’ consequences, which is what really matters in a societal context. We never see the explosion, we never see the fire that breaks out, only the aftermath. It’s actually a brilliant tool of not showing the act but implying the action, something this film does quite masterfully several times. It also contributes to the uneasy sense of fact and fiction that is central to this film.
The film follows characters that are played by actors with the same name (I believe so), and it combines these elements of fact and fiction in an effective way; blurring the lines between real and fake. There are moments throughout the film where you are not sure if something really occurred based on the camerawork’s implications, or if it was simply in the characters’ imagination. The main character is lonely, and his psyche is really at the centre of this film as the theme of trauma and hopelessness permeate throughout the film. The effects and the cause - what is more important? The film argues that it is the effects - and it even has an ending that very much is left to the viewers’ imagination (whether it is real or not - or whether the entire story is real or not).
There’s also a post-apocalyptic tone that is hammered in by the visuals of nature, ruination and the lack of resources in the area - mirrored very much by the real circumstances that Lebanon currently faces financially. Where materials, money, and nothing have value - the only thing that is left is just nature (or escape). There’s a sense of hopelessness, and a feeling of being stuck also encapsulated with the car that doesn’t work. The monochrome colour palette also adds to this. The open-ended finale of the film does not feel like it may be real and that may also add to this feeling of hopelessness. The tone is incredibly consistent.
The dialogue does not feel schlocky, and the Kiarostami-like conversations and character moments are incredibly emotional as we follow short stories and moments in the characters’ lives that reflect the current state in Beirut - and Lebanon. Although, I do wish the characters were more interconnected with Fouad (the main character). Other than that, I thought the character moments were done decently.
The last act falters in terms of pace for sure, but it becomes a sort of road trip whereby the motif of a door is repeatedly used for different situations - symbolising a sense of hope. Yes, the door does not have a house or a shelter, but it symbolises an inkling of hope (a new entrance) whereby a house is what we create of it and not actually the structure of a house. It’s a nice symbolic motif, and I liked that the third door was used for SPOILER: possible escape (this may also be imaginary, but yet the entire film could be imaginary).
31 January 2023
Untold Herstory
(Zero Chou, Taiwan, 2022)
My review: 3.3/5
Untold Herstory
(Zero Chou, Taiwan, 2022)
My review: 3.3/5
Untold Herstory succeeds as a film that highlights a period of time in Taiwanese history that people often do not talk about or really overlook in terms of wider history even though it is considered to be an incredibly dark period of time for the country that undoubtedly affects it to this day. This film portrays what ‘thought prisoners’ who were sent to Green Island went through during the White Terror’s period of martial law. It promises a more female perspective as well. The film itself is okay, although I think the subject matter is particularly important and the fact that it didn’t feel gratuitous felt already like a nice thing.
The film was filmed on location in the Green Island which feels somehow a little bit inappropriate as it carries a lot of traumatic implications undoubtedly for those who watch it (and those in the cast and crew). How far can realism go? How far can we recreate history when it is so bleak and people are still recovering from it? Otherwise, the tone and atmosphere throughout the film is consistent as a kind of air of constant gloom. The pace however does suffer a bit in the middle as the film doesn’t really feel like it has a momentum that leads anywhere - an impending rebellion doesn’t really feel like its’ on the way at any point; and when it slightly happens it feels like it wasn’t built up. In this way, also many scenes feel pointless or just redundant; not very complex in its’ depiction.
What I also mean by saying that it wasn’t complex is that it also wasn’t very thematically complex (at least as much as I would like it to be). They mention and refer to the idea that those in the island are made to feel less than a person, and to erase their name - but that isn’t really explored adequately. In fact, the film does not really explore the suffering the characters’ and real-life people go through in any interesting way (and it doesn’t feel like it represents their suffering enough actually; in a way it shies away of showing the brutality of the situation and this brutality doesn’t even have to do with physical violence at all). Something I do like about the film though is that it doesn’t dehumanise its’ victims, who do not feel just like receivers of suffering.
Unfortunately, the female perspective isn’t really explored in a meaningful way, as actually it seems that the island has a lot of suffering endured by both men and women there. The characters do not feel well-set up from the beginning, and it is only by very haphazard flashbacks that we get inklings of their past and what is waiting for them back home that we understand them and can really feel for them - I feel like the amount of flashbacks was just a bit too much.
Other than that, music was just okay, directing was just okay, everything was just okay and that is what I feel disappoints me the most because it could have been much more provocative and thought-provoking, but ends up concealing a lot of the horrific history that Taiwan is still suffering the repercussions of; acting as just a fact sheet rather than an exploration.
The film was filmed on location in the Green Island which feels somehow a little bit inappropriate as it carries a lot of traumatic implications undoubtedly for those who watch it (and those in the cast and crew). How far can realism go? How far can we recreate history when it is so bleak and people are still recovering from it? Otherwise, the tone and atmosphere throughout the film is consistent as a kind of air of constant gloom. The pace however does suffer a bit in the middle as the film doesn’t really feel like it has a momentum that leads anywhere - an impending rebellion doesn’t really feel like its’ on the way at any point; and when it slightly happens it feels like it wasn’t built up. In this way, also many scenes feel pointless or just redundant; not very complex in its’ depiction.
What I also mean by saying that it wasn’t complex is that it also wasn’t very thematically complex (at least as much as I would like it to be). They mention and refer to the idea that those in the island are made to feel less than a person, and to erase their name - but that isn’t really explored adequately. In fact, the film does not really explore the suffering the characters’ and real-life people go through in any interesting way (and it doesn’t feel like it represents their suffering enough actually; in a way it shies away of showing the brutality of the situation and this brutality doesn’t even have to do with physical violence at all). Something I do like about the film though is that it doesn’t dehumanise its’ victims, who do not feel just like receivers of suffering.
Unfortunately, the female perspective isn’t really explored in a meaningful way, as actually it seems that the island has a lot of suffering endured by both men and women there. The characters do not feel well-set up from the beginning, and it is only by very haphazard flashbacks that we get inklings of their past and what is waiting for them back home that we understand them and can really feel for them - I feel like the amount of flashbacks was just a bit too much.
Other than that, music was just okay, directing was just okay, everything was just okay and that is what I feel disappoints me the most because it could have been much more provocative and thought-provoking, but ends up concealing a lot of the horrific history that Taiwan is still suffering the repercussions of; acting as just a fact sheet rather than an exploration.
2 February 2023
The Store
(Ami-Ro Sköld, Sweden, 2022)
My review: 3.5/5
The Store
(Ami-Ro Sköld, Sweden, 2022)
My review: 3.5/5
The Store is a fierce criticism of capitalism and neo-liberalism in every way. A drama that centers around the employees in a convenience store and the way the system traps them, creating only the illusion of career advancement. It was largely enjoyable but meanders a bit and doesn’t dig as deep.
The characters’ complete inability to sustain their lives (and their families’ lives) is strongly established in an incredibly dystopian environment where stress and fear of being fired is a constant fear. In a way it feels like one of those post-COVID films that highlight the complete instability of working in hospitality/customer service. Everyone is a victim of the system that they cannot seem to escape. A system that doesn’t cater to women, and one where dehumanisation and bureaucratisation is rampant.
This work lifestyle is juxtaposed with those who are homeless - being represented as the better alternative paradoxically. However, this juxtaposition is strong for sure, but it’s not explored in a complex enough way. Homelessness is not always the better option and is often dangerous; it’s still being part of the system. There should’ve been more complexity there but I understand what they were going for.
Characters like Eleni and Aadin were fleshed out a bit, but not all characters in the store get the same treatment in terms of writing despite the film being a bit too long. There’s also a lot of character moments that feel very melodramatic and unnecessary. Overall though, I thought the dialogue and acting was okay.
Pace of the film is odd at the end, and some of the directing was kind of irritating (hand-held is fine in moderation and with intent). The stop-motion was an interesting addition, and its’ use in all the store/customer scenes maybe illustrates the dehumanisation of a shopping setting. However, it did sometimes feel jarring and its’ use didn’t feel justified by well-explored themes.
All in all, The Store is an interesting look into the lives of those who are often underrepresented - low/middle class employees - but the delivery is decent but not flawless.
The characters’ complete inability to sustain their lives (and their families’ lives) is strongly established in an incredibly dystopian environment where stress and fear of being fired is a constant fear. In a way it feels like one of those post-COVID films that highlight the complete instability of working in hospitality/customer service. Everyone is a victim of the system that they cannot seem to escape. A system that doesn’t cater to women, and one where dehumanisation and bureaucratisation is rampant.
This work lifestyle is juxtaposed with those who are homeless - being represented as the better alternative paradoxically. However, this juxtaposition is strong for sure, but it’s not explored in a complex enough way. Homelessness is not always the better option and is often dangerous; it’s still being part of the system. There should’ve been more complexity there but I understand what they were going for.
Characters like Eleni and Aadin were fleshed out a bit, but not all characters in the store get the same treatment in terms of writing despite the film being a bit too long. There’s also a lot of character moments that feel very melodramatic and unnecessary. Overall though, I thought the dialogue and acting was okay.
Pace of the film is odd at the end, and some of the directing was kind of irritating (hand-held is fine in moderation and with intent). The stop-motion was an interesting addition, and its’ use in all the store/customer scenes maybe illustrates the dehumanisation of a shopping setting. However, it did sometimes feel jarring and its’ use didn’t feel justified by well-explored themes.
All in all, The Store is an interesting look into the lives of those who are often underrepresented - low/middle class employees - but the delivery is decent but not flawless.
2 February 2023
The Abandoned
(Tseng Ying-ting, Taiwan, 2022)
My review: 3.5/5
The Abandoned
(Tseng Ying-ting, Taiwan, 2022)
My review: 3.5/5
The Abandoned is a slick, well-made Taiwanese thriller that follows an investigation into a string of homicides against migrant workers in Taiwan. An engaging watch that sometimes feel convoluted and half-baked.
The best thing about this film is its’ ability to create a consistently macabre atmosphere/tone. It feels like its’ akin to a Fincher film, and it feels really well-shot, with some great directing moments (and awesome sound design). There’s a brooding main character with a jaded character - and often feels unreliable.
The story itself is pretty decent, and it was thrilling for sure. However, the way the plot unravels often feels contrived and nonsensical, especially towards the end. The subject matter however - despite being thematically complex - does not meaningfully explore the way that the murders against the Thai/Indonesian workers is approached even though there are multiple moments that showcase that there’s a power imbalance and discrimination there.
Main character has a good enough arc, and the investigation acts as a way to process her own past as the murderer in a way directly challenges her way of thinking as he represents obsession as an extreme form of admiration that becomes murderous and toxic. However, the other characters are pretty passable and supplemental. The villain wasn’t that compelling.
Very enjoyable thriller that slightly comments on illegal workers in Taiwan.
The best thing about this film is its’ ability to create a consistently macabre atmosphere/tone. It feels like its’ akin to a Fincher film, and it feels really well-shot, with some great directing moments (and awesome sound design). There’s a brooding main character with a jaded character - and often feels unreliable.
The story itself is pretty decent, and it was thrilling for sure. However, the way the plot unravels often feels contrived and nonsensical, especially towards the end. The subject matter however - despite being thematically complex - does not meaningfully explore the way that the murders against the Thai/Indonesian workers is approached even though there are multiple moments that showcase that there’s a power imbalance and discrimination there.
Main character has a good enough arc, and the investigation acts as a way to process her own past as the murderer in a way directly challenges her way of thinking as he represents obsession as an extreme form of admiration that becomes murderous and toxic. However, the other characters are pretty passable and supplemental. The villain wasn’t that compelling.
Very enjoyable thriller that slightly comments on illegal workers in Taiwan.
3 February 2023
The Whale
(Darren Aronofsky, United States, 2022)
My review: 3.0/5
The Whale
(Darren Aronofsky, United States, 2022)
My review: 3.0/5
The Whale is being raved about by many people across the world of the film. It’s a emotionally heavy film about the topic of obesity in modern-day America but often feels exploitative rather than complex.
Firstly, I want to make it clear that this is Fraser’s career role. His acting is incredible here and he does his best with a lacklustre script.
His character becomes exactly what the film is trying to warn against - an exploitative and insensitive representations of obesity and weight that often felt more triggering than insightful. Some of the shots mirrored this, and even the audience would laugh at these moments. The film also revels in insane melodrama and almost everyone in the story being horrible to The Whale despite him being close to death. The Whale’s suffering felt excessive, almost as if the film is trying to make you feel bad - bolstered by forcefully dramatic music. It’s just very… counterproductive - using the character as spectacle.
There’s stuff here that tries to explore self-hate and self but it never explores any themes it introduces in a meaningful way. Maybe the way obesity and the health system in America are approached are slightly insightful, but obesity as an American issue isn’t explored in a really thoughtful way.
Moments in the film made me feel sad, but it was out of pity, and a sense of identification with the character - but the feeling quickly disappears. Ultimately, there is not a lot to be said about this film that I haven’t already said.
Firstly, I want to make it clear that this is Fraser’s career role. His acting is incredible here and he does his best with a lacklustre script.
His character becomes exactly what the film is trying to warn against - an exploitative and insensitive representations of obesity and weight that often felt more triggering than insightful. Some of the shots mirrored this, and even the audience would laugh at these moments. The film also revels in insane melodrama and almost everyone in the story being horrible to The Whale despite him being close to death. The Whale’s suffering felt excessive, almost as if the film is trying to make you feel bad - bolstered by forcefully dramatic music. It’s just very… counterproductive - using the character as spectacle.
There’s stuff here that tries to explore self-hate and self but it never explores any themes it introduces in a meaningful way. Maybe the way obesity and the health system in America are approached are slightly insightful, but obesity as an American issue isn’t explored in a really thoughtful way.
Moments in the film made me feel sad, but it was out of pity, and a sense of identification with the character - but the feeling quickly disappears. Ultimately, there is not a lot to be said about this film that I haven’t already said.
4 February 2023
The Boys
(Chung Ji-young, South Korea, 2022)
My review: 3.4/5
The Boys
(Chung Ji-young, South Korea, 2022)
My review: 3.4/5
The Boys is a South-Korean crime thriller that mixes elements of procedural drama with elements of a drama in a courtroom (especially towards the final act). It’s an engaging story that follows the real-life story of a group of boys who were wrongly accused (framed) for murder and burglary. It was a fun watch, but borderlines on melodrama in several moments. Overall though, it has a nice balance of thriller, drama, and comedy.
The film switches between 2016 and 1999 - between the aftermath of the crime and 16 years later when the retrial occurs. I think the film does this well in a way that feels organic; the pace isn’t really that compromised and it doesn’t feel wonky. Although, some moments tonally speaking felt a bit imbalanced where there’s a comedic scene and then immediately a very dark, grim scene. However, these moments weren’t as distracting as it would be in a Marvel film for example and the stakes are still there. I did feel like the film was a bit too long, but not overtly so.
The character at the forefront of the film is decent. I really liked that we saw him at the height of his career, and then 16 years later being still affected by the consequences of his (rightful) transgressions against the police force. You really get a sense of his character as someone who does what his instinct tells him without fear of authority - that is very well-represented I think. When he is broken down, 16 years later his return to the case feels reasonable and well-understood. The characters surrounding the main character aren’t as well established or presented unfortunately. Although, the members of the police are dramatically shown as being very corrupt (there is reason to this), but their vilification felt cartoonish at times.
There is a certain tragedy when it comes to the victims of the wrongful imprisonment of the boys in the film, and that is shown to be a truly horrible happening where the livelihoods of young kids were taken away due to corruption. However, many elements of the film felt incredibly melodramatic, especially with the slow-motion and excessive music - this often felt a little bit exploitative especially when its’ repeated several times. The last scenes had this effect the worst.
Otherwise, this is a decent film with a compelling narrative, and where a film like The Whale seems to centre the film on melodrama and exploitation, this film balances it out with other positive elements.
The film switches between 2016 and 1999 - between the aftermath of the crime and 16 years later when the retrial occurs. I think the film does this well in a way that feels organic; the pace isn’t really that compromised and it doesn’t feel wonky. Although, some moments tonally speaking felt a bit imbalanced where there’s a comedic scene and then immediately a very dark, grim scene. However, these moments weren’t as distracting as it would be in a Marvel film for example and the stakes are still there. I did feel like the film was a bit too long, but not overtly so.
The character at the forefront of the film is decent. I really liked that we saw him at the height of his career, and then 16 years later being still affected by the consequences of his (rightful) transgressions against the police force. You really get a sense of his character as someone who does what his instinct tells him without fear of authority - that is very well-represented I think. When he is broken down, 16 years later his return to the case feels reasonable and well-understood. The characters surrounding the main character aren’t as well established or presented unfortunately. Although, the members of the police are dramatically shown as being very corrupt (there is reason to this), but their vilification felt cartoonish at times.
There is a certain tragedy when it comes to the victims of the wrongful imprisonment of the boys in the film, and that is shown to be a truly horrible happening where the livelihoods of young kids were taken away due to corruption. However, many elements of the film felt incredibly melodramatic, especially with the slow-motion and excessive music - this often felt a little bit exploitative especially when its’ repeated several times. The last scenes had this effect the worst.
Otherwise, this is a decent film with a compelling narrative, and where a film like The Whale seems to centre the film on melodrama and exploitation, this film balances it out with other positive elements.
4 February 2023
Funny Pages
(Owen Kline, United States, 2022)
My review: 3.9/5
Funny Pages
(Owen Kline, United States, 2022)
My review: 3.9/5
Funny Faces is a certainly funny film. I’ve expressed my hesitation with a lot of A24 films because they don’t really feel authentic to my taste. However, this film feels like a dark comedy/coming of age that addresses a certain theme/issue that feels particularly unique. As as film it was fun, had the elements of a coming-of-age film, whilst also maintaining a unique tone and persona.
The main character is kind of a horrible person, but his unlikability is not obnoxious like in films such as The Colour Wheel, but feels rather well-backed by his background and his adolescence. His need of being recognised, independent, and seen as part of the comic artist community feels well-represented, well-written, and darkly comedic in the context of the story. The film is a bit of a full circle for his character and you aren’t sure at the end if he’s back to square one or if he’s learned something from his experience (or grown which is usual for a coming-of-age). In all perspectives, it shows this feeling of being stuck as an artist who doesn’t really have the drive or talent (especially a middle class artist).
Tone is really good. There’s this greasy, sweaty, and gross atmosphere akin to a more adult Diary of a Wimpy Kid- because indeed adolescence and that era is often perceived as gross (which it can be). It also has to do a lot with nerd culture which I think is comedically well-portrayed. The ragtag cast of characters also present this, whereby they seem to be very nerdy and artsy, but asocial in every other way (it’s a kind of play on the stereotype in a funny darkly funny way). In a way, this feeling of being stuck as a middle class kid is very much portrayed - however some of this is due to the main character’s poor financial decisions as well.
The dialogue is pretty funny most of the time, and its’ pretty decently paced. Some directing moments were irritating with close-ups that felt a little too annoying. On a technical level, there’s not much wrong with it (sound design is a bit wonky here and there though).
Much is to be said that the only minority character in the film is made into a punchline and I don’t think that’s nice at all - really unnecessary and introduces this sense of white privilege. As a film, it succeeds as a teen coming-of-age and therefore gets away with a naïve worldview (which we see from the perspective of the main character) and feels entertaining to watch, with some cleverly absurdist and darkly comedic slice-of-life moments.
The main character is kind of a horrible person, but his unlikability is not obnoxious like in films such as The Colour Wheel, but feels rather well-backed by his background and his adolescence. His need of being recognised, independent, and seen as part of the comic artist community feels well-represented, well-written, and darkly comedic in the context of the story. The film is a bit of a full circle for his character and you aren’t sure at the end if he’s back to square one or if he’s learned something from his experience (or grown which is usual for a coming-of-age). In all perspectives, it shows this feeling of being stuck as an artist who doesn’t really have the drive or talent (especially a middle class artist).
Tone is really good. There’s this greasy, sweaty, and gross atmosphere akin to a more adult Diary of a Wimpy Kid- because indeed adolescence and that era is often perceived as gross (which it can be). It also has to do a lot with nerd culture which I think is comedically well-portrayed. The ragtag cast of characters also present this, whereby they seem to be very nerdy and artsy, but asocial in every other way (it’s a kind of play on the stereotype in a funny darkly funny way). In a way, this feeling of being stuck as a middle class kid is very much portrayed - however some of this is due to the main character’s poor financial decisions as well.
The dialogue is pretty funny most of the time, and its’ pretty decently paced. Some directing moments were irritating with close-ups that felt a little too annoying. On a technical level, there’s not much wrong with it (sound design is a bit wonky here and there though).
Much is to be said that the only minority character in the film is made into a punchline and I don’t think that’s nice at all - really unnecessary and introduces this sense of white privilege. As a film, it succeeds as a teen coming-of-age and therefore gets away with a naïve worldview (which we see from the perspective of the main character) and feels entertaining to watch, with some cleverly absurdist and darkly comedic slice-of-life moments.