FAREWELL, THE CONCERT, PLACES IN THE HEART

Recently showcased at SIFF, the Cold War spy drama FAREWELL creates a moody, personal atmosphere of paranoia and suspense as it tells the true story of how two very different men helped bring about the fall of the Soviet Union in the early 1980's. A KGB spy passes crucial documents to a French engineer working in Moscow, and there's intrigue in that. But the real suspense builds as the film details the effects of spying on each respective family, and the tensions between spouses and child show the toll that the activity can have between loved ones. This is an intelligent simmering thriller. GRADE------ B+

Also from SIFF, the French/Russian fantasy/musical/comedy film THE CONCERT is a pleasure to watch. The preposterous plot has a janitor (and former conductor) for the Bolshoi orchestra intercepting an invite to preform in Paris, so he organizes a troop of black listed musicians (all of whom lost their jobs due to politics in Communist Russia) to travel to Paris pretending to be the real Bolshoi....well it's pretty silly stuff, but the film looks and sounds great, with many fine musical passages, especially the finale, which is a crowd pleaser, full of emotional grandeur. GRADE-------- B

Revisited PLACES IN THE HEART for the first time since it opened in 1984. This was written and directed by Robert Benton (BONNIE AND CLYDE) and won Oscars that year for the translucent performance by Sally Fields ("You like me, you really like me.") and the precious autobiographical script. There are some other great performances including a blind, perceptive John Malkovitch, the secret lovers played by Ed Harris and Amy Madigan, who married in real life after filming, and the proud and resourceful Danny Glover. I remembered very well the sad shocking opening scene, and the masterly final redemptive scene in the church which so movingly brings the film full circle. and it brings tears to my eyes just thinking about those moments. This is a very special film. GRADE--------- A-

One of seven or so films that Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor made together, THE V.I.P.'s (1963) is a disaster film without a disaster. A big and varied cast (including Louis Jordan, Maggie Smith, Rod Taylor, Orson Welles, and Margaret Rutherford) find themselves stranded at London's airport with all flights canceled due to fog. Each has a desperate reason to leave ASAP, and each has some personal trauma/adversity to overcome. I wish the film was juicier--instead it is glossy and turgidly watchable. Rutherford won a supporting Oscar for the film, and she is a delightful character, but her scenes are filmed and scored with such humor and whimsy that she appears to be in an entirely different film altogether. GRADE------C+

Final Weekend---SIFF REPORT Jun 11-Jun 13

GRADE-----A

THUNDER SOUL--USA--A funk jazz high school band from the mid 1970's is reunited 35 years later when many of the musicians haven't played in years to honor their 92 year old band leader and create some new sounds in this energetic and upbeat documentary that had the audience cheering.
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GRADE------A-

FAREWELL--France--Based on a fascinating true story, a French business man and a KGB colonel work together to smuggle out top-secret documents from Russia that will end the Cold War and hasten Russia's fall as a great super power in the 1980's, in an intense and absorbing thriller that uniquely shows the tension and strain this type of work has on their respective families.
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GRADE ----B+

PROTECTOR--Czech Republic--Journalist tries to protect his spoiled, headstrong Jewish wife from harm in Prague during Nazi occupation in this provocative suspense drama. The final scenes in a movie theatre reminded me of the ironic finale of INGLORIOUS BASTARDS, but without the fantasy and humor that Tarentino injects in that story.
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GRADE-----B

SAMSON AND DELILAH--Australia--Two impoverished Aboriginal teens escape from their small town when both are mistreated and struggle to make it in the big city. A very ethnocentric film with minimal dialogue and a slim plot, yet carries a powerful message.

LEAVING--France--Kristin Scott Thomas gives an incredibly intense performance as a desperate woman caught up in an affair of passion, turning her back on her family and husband and life. We've seen this tragedy played out before, but never quite this raw.

VENGEANCE--Hong Kong--An older chef, struggling with memory loss, hires a gang of criminals to seek revenge on the murder of his daughter's family. The film is photographed with elegant (and at times slow motion) skill--it creates a moody ambiance even when the bullets and blood are flying.

THE WEDDING CAKE--France--I enjoyed this trifle--an entertainingly typical "wedding" movie with the usual surprises, twists, laughs, tears, revelations......and limitations. A fun way to end SIFF for me.
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GRADE----C

DIAMOND 13--France--Watchable but unmemorable police thriller that seemed to have too many coincidences, plot holes, and murky twists. Seen it all before, and better.



COMING SOON---SIFF wrap-up report.

ALSO COMING SOON---Next weekend SIFF Cinema will host a BEST OF THE FEST weekend with many great films playing Fri, Sat and Sun. Check SIFF.net for schedule and titles, which include some of my personal favorites--THE HEDGEHOG, LEAVES OF GRASS, HIPSTERS, NOWHERE BOY, CELL 211, WASTE LAND, CASTAWAY ON THE MOON and THE CONCERT and four others, also very good films TBA.