Bardo: False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths
dir Alejandro G Inarritu; with Daniel Giménez Cacho, Griselda Siciliani 22/Mex ***
If anything, this film makes it clear that nobody says "no" to Alejandro G Inarritu. It would be hard to imagine a more indulgent, rambling, throw-everything-at-the-screen kind of movie if you tried. But this also isn't a filmmaker you can easily dismiss, as each sequence is skilfully laced with moments of visual brilliance, thematic provocations and darkly emotional honesty. Channelling Fellini at his most flamboyant, Inarritu pours a lot of personal and artistic energy into this epic, although a leaner, earthier approach would have been more effective.
dir-scr Todd Field; with Cate Blanchett, Nina Hoss 22/US ****
Overstuffed as it is, this epic drama spends pretty much its entire extended running time poking the audience with various sticks. So watching the film is frequently exhilarating. There is so much to think about swirling through the dense dialog and drama that we begin to wonder what writer-director Todd Field is saying here, apart from the obvious commentary about how personal actions and public reactions can combine in a toxic brew in this social media age. And there’s no denying that Cate Blanchett delivers a jaw-dropping performance.
dir Abel Ferrara; with Shia LaBeouf, Cristina Chiriac 22/It ***
Shot in striking locations under the glaring sun, while also delving into the tortured visions of a pious man, this certainly isn't your usual biopic about a saint. But then it's directed and cowritten by Abel Ferrara, who always refuses to play by the rules. It looks amazing, and overflows with big themes and fascinating people, but the story gets a bit lost. Strongly textured naturalistic performances add some weight, but the subdued pace and anecdotal structure are tricky to engage with. And it's more intriguing for its depiction of a historical event.
dir-scr Nancy Buirski; with Jon Voight, Brenda Vaccaro 22/US ****
This fascinating documentary places the 1969 classic Midnight Cowboy into its social context, offering unexpected insight though a wide range of connections. Filmmaker Nancy Buirski weaves together a wonderful variety of film clips to paint a picture of a movie that managed to strike a nerve at just the right time, both in the Hollywood industry and the culture at large. It's also great to revisit the making of such an iconic film as told firsthand in the words of people who were in the cast and crew.
This fascinating documentary places the 1969 classic Midnight Cowboy into its social context, offering unexpected insight though a wide range of connections. Filmmaker Nancy Buirski weaves together a wonderful variety of film clips to paint a picture of a movie that managed to strike a nerve at just the right time, both in the Hollywood industry and the culture at large. It's also great to revisit the making of such an iconic film as told firsthand in the words of people who were in the cast and crew.
dir Roberta Torre; with Porpora Marcasciano, Nicole De Leo 22/It ***.
With a wonderfully cheeky tone, this meandering Italian documentary-drama is a joyful exploration of connections between a group of middle-aged Italian trans women. It's a warm, honest film that reflects a varied range of feelings and experiences. Beautifully shot and edited, the movie is assembled artistically by director-cowriter Roberta Torre, revealing a wonderfully matter-of-fact affection for these colourful people who refuse to be normal, so instead they are fabulous.
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