MARIA (aka WATCH LIST)--Philippines--Splendid lead actress (Alessandra de Rossi) highlights this intense thriller about woman struggling to support her family after her husband is killed and she must become involved in corruption underground. GRADE-------------A
RAISE HELL: LIFE AND TIMES OF MOLLY IVINS--Political satirist and writer who skewered Texas political idiot conservatives. She has a biting sense of humor. GRADE---------A-
SOCRATES--Brazil---Short but concisely powerful drama of 15year old who wants to make his own way after his mother dies unexpectedly. Some annoying hand held camera work lessens the impact. GRADE---------------B+
GHOST FLEET--USA--Documentary of human rights organization that tries to stop the kidnapping of young men who are enslaved on deep sea fishing boats. Final 20 minutes are among the most moving of any film this year. GRADE--------B+
WIDOW OF SILENCE--India--Her husband has been missing for 7 years, yet the local government official persists in sabotaging the widow's request to have him declared dead so she can continue her life. She rides a taxi weekly with a talkative, poetic driver, and must deal with an ailing mother in law. The ending of this quiet, leisurely film has the the biggest corker (surprise) of
of any film so far this year. GRADE-------------B+
THE BIGAMIST--USA--Director and actress Ida Lupino's best film, about a man who struggles to keep two separate families together, in this beautifully restored drama, which also stars Joan Fontaine, Edmond O'Brien, and Edwin Gwinn. The biggest surprise is the courtroom scene that ends the film where the judge has the last, wisest word. GRADE------A-
STORM IN MY HEART--USA/Scotland--A two for one film! Director Mark Cousins (THE STORY OF FILM: ODYSSEY, EYES OF ORSON WELLS,etc) runs the complete films of SONG IN MY HEART with Susan Hayward and STORMY WEATHER with Lena Horne on the screen side by side, with the sound moving from one film to another to highlight the more interesting music or song or dialogue. Each film was produced by the same Hollywood studio, the actresses were born on the same day in Brooklyn, the films used the same technicians, all to highlight the different projections of the actresses career's. It doesn't always work, but I can testify that STORMY WEATHER gets more screen and sound time---scene for scene it had more entertainment value, and I was spellbound by the this audacious experiment. GRADE--------B+
IN FABRIC--United Kingdom--Here's the ultimate Guilty Pleasure in this lush production of a killer red dress--those that wear it ultimately die!!!!! Droll, sly humor and strong production values make this viewing a kinky pleasure. GRADE-----------B
MEETING GORBACHEV--United Kingdom/Germany--Werner Herzog is the interviewer and one of the directors in this interesting documentary that highlights the career of Gorbachev political
life, especially involving Perestroika and glasnost (openness.) GRADE---------B
MIDNIGHT FAMILY--Mexico--Documentary of family run EMT ambulance service in Mexico City, complete with corrupt cops and a skeptical public that needs the service but doesn't want to pay for it. Filmed in a vivid you are there manner, the film is engrossing. GRADE-------B
WHAT DOESN'T KILL US--Germany--Episodic drama balances a dozen characters and their relationship, some which surround a therapist and other family members. It is a smoothly made film but difficult to keep track of people and relationships. GRADE----B-
PIRANHAS--Italy--The gang members get younger in this violence filled familiar story about shakedown, toxic masculinity and murder. Lots of handheld camera work following characters from behind make watching this film an unpleasant experience. GRADE-------C+
THEM THAT FOLLOW--USA--It doesn't help that the two leading young men look so much alike that it took me 20 minutes to realize that the leading actress had two suitors. This modest drama of religious repression felt underwhelming and familiar. GRADE-----------C+
THE DAYS TO COME----Great Britain--Nine long months in the life of a fetus, from conception to birth is revealed from the parents POV in tedious fashion----Long arguments ensue about is she or isn't she pregnant, should we abort or not, when should family/friends be notified, what name should be used, plus the longest hospital explicit birth scene ever. CALL THE MIDWIFE on PBS does this all in one hour with 2 or more births in each episode, and throws in a lot of more entertaining drama to boot. GRADE-------C+
THE DIVE----Israel--I thought this was a comedy about college boys living in a messy frat house--but it's really about a dysfunctional family living in a kibbutz, dealing with the death of their father, and the having to go back to the military. All three young men (who actually do live in messy rooms) have issues with violence, and spend much of the film yelling at each other. An uneasy and unpleasant film to watch. GRADE---------C
GOOD GIRLS--Mexico--A rich woman slowly, slowly, slowly realizes that her husband is broke and nearly bankrupt as she goes out shopping nearly daily. The film has no style or point of view---is it a satire? or a melodrama? or tragedy. It seems to be nothing at all, and it is boring as well. GRADE---------C
A DOG NAMED MONEY--Ireland/United Kingdom---It works best as an extended music video--P.J Harvey travels the word to appropriate stylistic sounds and lyrics. For Harvey fans only.
GRADE---------C
GREENER GRASS--USA--Unfunny comedy looks bright and colorful but empty humor and lack of coherent plot spoil any satire elements. This might be the worst film I've ever seen at SIFF, but to be fair there were a couple women who giggled through this soulless affair. GRADE------F
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