The following 12 films were screened this week May 11-14 for press. Any film rated A, A- or B+ is a must see. Rated B or B- are recommended.
A
CORN ISLAND--From Georgia comes a nearly wordless masterpiece of survival in the middle of a river. A farmer and his teen granddaughter sow corn on a temporary island formed in the middle of a river surrounded by political intrigue. A fascinating character study, suspense thriller, instructional document and human perseverance metaphor.
A-
CITY OF GOLD--US foodie documentary of Pulitzer Prize winning food critic Jonathan Gold, who talks about food in fascinating, clever ways, and emphasizes his love of Los Angeles by telling us about many different neighborhoods. There's nearly a dozen food docs at SIFF this year , and CITY OF GOLD and last weeks FOR GRACE are most likely the best.
B+
FRAME BY FRAME-- Brilliant Afghanistan documentary about four different photo journalists who have become greatly inferential in their country after the Taliban, which had banned photography during their regime, departed several years ago. There is still a great deal of danger in their work, and the film teems with tension and with danger as they attempt to expose what life is still like.
THE AUTOMATIC HATE-- A US shocker of a melodrama, this film generated the most discussion after the screening of any film in the last couple weeks. A young man discovers female cousins he never knew, and an uncle who was estranged from his father. The film teeters between drama and comedy, tension and eroticism, love and hate. I never knew where it was going next, but the plot progression feels organic and truthful, and several plot twists provoked gasps from the audience. I loved it.
MR. HOLMES--British drama headed by another incredibly insightful performance by Ian McKellen as an elderly Sherlock Holmes and a penetrating supporting turn by Laura Linney and Milo Parker as her son. The mystery, while not earth shattering, is clever and surprising, and the film, steeped in melancholic themes of loneliness and death is disturbing and profound. Bill Condon (MONSTERS AND GODS) skillfully directs.
THE BOSS, ANATOMY OF A CRIME--From Argentina, comes this fascinating, based on a true story drama about a simple butcher who is abused and exploited by his boss, to the point of murder. The story switches back and forth in time to fill in the details of the murder, and the efforts of an overworked lawyer to defend him. The ending is rather understated and raises a few questions, and you may never want to eat beef or chicken again in your life.
OUR SUMMER IN PROVENCE--France. Three Parisian siblings go with their grandmother to a remote village and meet their gruff grandfather (Jean Reno) for the first time. The film combines drama and comedy and travel log to VERY pleasing effect, in spite of the cliched plotting. The youngest child is deaf, and incredibly charming. He steals the film, along with the colorful characters who show up to visit grandpa. Very easy on the eyes, which may tear up a time or two by the end.
B
SNOW ON THE BLADES--From Japan, a leisurely story of an aging Samurai swordsman during a time when Japan is going through modern changes, rejecting revenge killings from past conflicts. Our hero has spent 13 years hunting down assailants from his past, and guilt infuses his every decision. A solid, thoughtful, beautifully realized story.
KING GEORGES--Another US food documentary about Georges Perrier, a French chef who owned the world famous restaurant Le Bec-Fin in Philadelphia, and his attempt to turn over the reins to young up and coming chef Nicholas Elmi, who during the filming was award winner of TV's TOP CHEF. According to this and other documentaries, running a restaurant is a stressful 20 hour a day job and destroys family life.
LISA, THE FOX FAIRY--From Hungary, comes this fanciful magical tale of a woman searching for love, but a Japanese ghost friend keeps killing off her suitors. In style, the film is similar to the films of Jean-Pierre Jeunett (AMALIE, DELICATESSEN, CITY OF LOST CHILDREN) with out the manic editing, with a little Wes Anderson (GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL) thrown in. This one is a matter of taste--it made me a little drowsy watching it, but I appreciated the humor and special effects.
C
THE GOLDEN HILL--From Nepal. We don't often get to see a film from Nepal, and the recent earthquakes there make for disturbing viewing. The film looks good, but there is very little plot (should our hero go back to finish his college training, or stay and work the farm for mom) and there are at least three scenes of the characters building small stacks of stones (cairns). When you can't engage in a dramatically inert film, you often fall asleep, as many did during the screening.
THE HALLOW--This Irish horror film starts off well, with good production values, but quickly degenerates into a "stay away from the zombies" thriller, although in this case the zombies are really mythical creatures from the forest who act just like......zombies. Not worth staying up until 2am for.
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