SIFF Screenings May 12-13--BEST BETS----IDA, HALF A YELLOW SUN, TIME IN QUCHI

I'm trying to blog at least twice a week due to the heavy flow of films I'm seeing starting this week.
Films are listed in order of preference.

GRADE   B

IDA from Poland is a curious film about a young novice nun who is sent to live temporarily with her aunt prior to her taking her vows.  It is the early 1960's and she learns quickly that her aunt is a prostitute, and that her parents were Jewish.  She also learns the story behind her parent's death.  The black and white film  is solid and well made, with terrific characterizations from all the actors, and an odd cinematic style that seems superfluous but is striking at times.

A TIME IN QUCHI from Taiwan is a minor but touching slice of life film, as young Bao is sent to live with his grandfather in the mountains for the summer while his parents work out their divorce.  He spends his time going to summer school, playing basketball and making new friends. Not much happens in this leisurely, subtle film, but the kids are remarkable and the film lingers as a series of pleasant or sad or silly memories, all from a child's point of view.

GRADE B-

HALF A YELLOW SUN is based on a popular Nigerian novel, set in Nigeria during the 1960's just before and during the Civil War and featuring the tragic events that occurred in Biafra during that time.  The strong cast includes Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 YEARS A SLAVE) and Thandie Newton, and the production values are strong.  Unfortunately, the first hour prior to the war comes across as laughably melodramatic, with high society affairs, out of wedlock babies, over the top angry "Mamas", servants who see and say things they shouldn't, etc.  When suddenly the mood changes to the violent uncertainties of the  civil unrest, it's jarring, and the story line which covers about a dozen years starts to move in fast motion, with events, cities, characters and time flying by.  It is difficult to keep the factions and sometimes the character's politics straight, so the end result of this want-to-be epic is vaguely disappointing.  That said, the film is nothing if not EXOTIC, and the melodrama made me laugh a lot, and as the film hurtles to the ending, I felt modestly entertained and certainly never, ever bored.

DIOR AND I from France is a documentary about Raf Simon's first year as director of the haute couture collection of this iconic fashion company.  It's compelling at times, although if you are a TV's PROJECT RUNWAY fan among other shows, you've seen it all before.

GRADE C+

THE TRIP TO ITALY is a sequel of sorts to THE TRIP (2010) where actor/comedians Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon, in this case, drive around Italy instead of Great Britain, sampling great cuisine, joking about their careers, doing numerous actor and movie imitations, and then head home after a week.  The best thing about this film is the eye candy of location scenery and haute cuisine.   This time, the film felt very "scripted" as opposed to improvised, and the jokes were less funny and the imitations less than sparkling.  To be fair, some in the audience were obviously having a great time, but mostly I felt I'd seen it all before in THE TRIP, only better.

GRADE D

ANOTHER is a poor, uninspired man's rip off of THE OMEN/ROSEMARY'S BABY that is laughably cliched, and comes complete with blurry images, giggly camera moves, obvious music cues, over-the-top acting, and "acid trip" special effects--all of which grow wearisome very quickly.  I walked out after 25 minutes.