Critical Week: I'll drink to that

In this full week between two short ones, I've been working to get ahead of things before taking a break starting next week. So I've been both attending screenings and watching films at home on links. And there were a couple of big ones along the way. Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick are back for the frothy comedy-thriller Another Simple Favour, this time set in gorgeous locations around Capri. Both silly and violent, it's also very entertaining. Florence Pugh and Sebastian Stan lead a ragtag ensemble in Thunderbolts*, a more character-based Marvel film than usual, with a terrific linear narrative that outs the effects nonsense into emotional context.

BEST OUT THIS WEEK:
Where Dragons Live • Thunderbolts*
Parthenope • Another Simple Favour
ALL REVIEWS >

Nicolas Cage gives one of his wonderfully bonkers performances in The Surfer as a guy who simply wants to return to surf the waves on the Australian beach where he grew up. Then things get outrageously messy. From Scotland, the 18th century samurai-Western mashup Tornado is set in the Highlands, slow and riveting, and superbly played by Koki, Tim Roth, Jack Lowden and more. From Italy, Paolo Sorrentino's Parthenope is yet another sumptuously gorgeous free-spirited epic odyssey, enjoyable and yet oddly out of reach. From Brazil, Karim Ainouz's bracingly colour-drenched dramatic thriller Motel Destino is bursting with passion and yearning. The Argentine drama Most People Die on Sundays has a much lighter tone than the title suggests, and it's a warm exploration of identity and connection. And the British doc Where Dragons Live is a fascinating look at a middle-class family sifting through its personal history.

This coming week, I'll have a few things to watch over the long weekend before heading off to visit my parents for a couple of weeks. Films include the musical drama Midnight in Phoenix, and there's also a stage production of Blood Wedding at the Omnibus in Clapham.

LFF: Tell your story

There are several reasons why film festivals become addictive to fans and critics. There's nothing like the feeling of seeing something amazing before you've ever heard anything about it. And the range of movies is much more diverse than what makes it out into general release, so a festival opens up places, cultures and even filmmaking styles you've never seen before. It's tricky with a programme like the 65th BFI London Film Festival, because it's impossible to see even a third of the films. So here are a few more that I managed to catch - including two of my very favourites so far...

Flee
dir-scr Jonas Poher Rasmussen; voices Rashid Aitouganov, Daniel Karimyar 21/Den ****.
Bracingly cinematic, this documentary traces an Afghan refugee's staggeringly involving story. Because much of his journey wasn't captured on film, and since he prefers to remain anonymous, his story is gorgeously animated by director Jonas Poher Rasmussen in a range of hand-drawn styles. But it's so detailed and skilfully put together that it's hugely involving on a range of levels, both in the bigger themes and the darker emotions... FULL REVIEW >

Benediction
dir-scr Terence Davies; with Jack Lowden, Peter Capaldi 21/UK *****
Master filmmaker Terence Davies takes a gorgeously poetic look at the life of poet Siegfried Sassoon, blending moments that are funny, sexy and wrenchingly emotional into a stunning collage of powerful moments. Grappling with the nature of time and mortality, the film is a swirl of punchy scenes and period newsreel footage that isn't afraid to tackle hard truths about humanity. It's an elegantly devastating work of art.

Shepherd
dir-scr Russell Owen; with Tom Hughes, Kate Dickie 21/UK **.
This British horror thriller is so atmospheric that it's almost overwhelming. The sound mix alone is ceaselessly jarring, with added unsettling imagery and a story that plays on some deep emotional issues. So it's more than a little frustrating that writer-director Russell Owen keeps the scary stuff on the surface, rather than mining the complex underlying themes. Still, it looks and sounds amazing, and features superbly evocative performances.

Money Has Four Legs 
dir Maung Sun; with Okkar (Dat Khe), Ko Thu 20/Mya ****
Not only is this a rare film out of Myanmar, it's also a knowing comedy about Myanmar's movie industry. With a low-key pace, it gently pokes fun at the absurdities of filmmaking in general, but also specific issues in nations with their own challenges. And the earthy, realistic approach takes the audience into the messy life of a young filmmaker battling obstacles to make his first real movie.

Full reviews of festival films will be published as possible and linked at Shadows' LFF HOMEPAGE 
For full information, visit BFI LONDON FILM FESTIVAL 

Raindance: Don't be shy

This hybrid edition of the Raindance Film Festival is coming into its final weekend, and I'm trying to catch up on things before it ends. This is the kind of festival that's always packed with undiscovered gems so, even as you discover great movies along the way, there's a nagging feeling that you've missed something amazing. I haven't seen any duds yet this year, so I'm doing well as I prowl through the programme. With only a couple of days left, I'll be selecting things carefully. Here are four more highlights, plus this week's non-festival roundup below...

Not to Be Unpleasant but We Need to Have a Serious Talk

dir Giorgos Georgopoulos; with Omiros Poulakis, Vangelis Mourikis 19/Gr ****

Laced with viciously black comedy, this Greek film is an inventive jolt to the system, telling a personal story with a touch of fantasy and a continual stream of offbeat imagery and jarring gags. It's a remarkably dark narrative, and the brittle humour adds to the complex emotional undercurrents. Filmmaker Giorgos Georgopoulos maintains this balance skilfully, pulling the audience into an unusual odyssey that repeatedly subverts expectations

Eastern

dir Piotr Adamski; with Maja Pankiewicz, Paulina Krzyzanska 19/Pol ***.

Deliberately provocative, this Polish thriller is set in a violent, inhumane corner of society that is governed by a set of bleak rules. It's impeccably shot and edited, with a powerful sense of dread from the beginning. Even if the minimalistic storytelling and enormous ensemble cast make it tricky to keep track of who's whom, the narrative grabs hold as it unfolds, taking some surprising turns along the way.

Nafi's Father
[Baamum Nafi]

dir-scr Mamadou Dia; with Alassane Sy, Saikou Lo 19/Sen ****

A sharply well-observed slice-of-life drama from rural Senegal, this film beautifully captures the impact of religion and local traditions on various generations. Filmmaker Mamadou Dia sets up a powerful clash between brothers that explores the corrupting influence of both faith and money at all levels of politics. While the pace is slow, the film is beautifully shot to capture fascinating details in the setting, the narrative and the characters.

Born to Be

dir Tania Cypriano; with Jess Ting, Mahogany Phillips 19/US ****

A straightforward observational documentary, this film follows a surgeon who has become an advocate for transgendered people. Dr Jess Ting is a remarkably compassionate man, brushing off criticism from others because he knows the impact he's having on people who are fighting to be themselves. Filmmaker Tania Cypriano's approach is refreshingly offhanded, allowing for natural wit even in the midst of some very serious discussions.

NB. My anchor page for Raindance is HERE and full reviews will appear in between these daily blog entries. They're on their way...

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C R I T I C A L   W E E K

BEST OUT THIS WEEK: 

Proxima • The Human Voice 

FULL REVIEWS > 

Away from Raindance, I caught up with the warmly engaging streetcat sequel A Christmas Gift From Bob, Eva Green in the terrific astronaut drama Proxima, Andrea Riseborough in the moody Egyptian drama Luxor, Jack Lowden in the freaky British horror Kindred (with added Fiona Shaw), and the artful, engaging Filipino drama 2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten.

In addition to wrapping up Raindance this weekend, other films to watch this next week include a new all-star version of A Christmas Carol, the Malin Akerman comedy Chick Fight, German romance No Hard Feelings, British drama Dirty God and the dance doc Bare.

LFF: Power to the people

The 64th BFI London Film Festival kicked off today with a flurry of sold-out screenings around the country for Steve McQueen's film Mangrove. I tried to get a cinema ticket, but they were gone within minutes, which meant I watched the film in an online virtual press screening, the way I'll see all of the festival's movies. Which kind of removes even the slightest sense of this being a festival. There's also no printed programme, no press credential, no parties. Basically it's a two week web-based movie glut. But these are some of the best films of the year, so it's worth the effort. Here are some highlights...

Mangrove
dir Steve McQueen; with Letitia Wright, Shaun Parkes 20/UK *****
This British drama recounts the first legal case that acknowledged racial bias in the London police force. With his fine artistic eye, Steve McQueen assembles this in period style, taking an everyday kitchen-sink approach that feels like a vintage soap opera, complete with flashes of sharp wit and dark emotion. This story is urgent and involving, moving at a quick pace as it follows engaging people through a jaw-dropping trial... FULL REVIEW >

Kajillionaire
dir-scr Miranda July; with Evan Rachel Wood, Gina Rodriguez 20/US ***.
Another absurdly offbeat comedy from Miranda July, this wilfully wacky movie centres on a family of dysfunctional crooks who pull one tiny hustle after another. The plot defiantly refuses to travel in expected directions. And amid the nuttiness, this becomes a remarkably sensitive coming-of-age for a 26-year-old who is only just beginning to understand who she might actually be. This is a bold, bonkers movie with a warm, beating heart... FULL REVIEW >

Honeymood
dir-scr Talya Lavie; Avigail Harari, Ran Danker 20/Isr ***.

Set over one long night, this Israeli romantic-comedy superbly navigates a range of earthy emotions as a couple faces the first hours of their marriage. It's an entertaining, surprising film, shifting from funny to thoughtful as it explores issues of relationships and interconnections from a variety of resonant angles. The plot meanders and is sometimes a bit too pointed, but it's both engaging and provocative.

NB. My anchor page for the LFF is HERE and reviews will appear in between these daily blog entries.

Critical Week: What's the point

London critics caught up with the next tentpole this week, namely Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (aka Salazar's Revenge), the fifth in the swashbuckling franchise starring Johnny Depp. While I enjoyed the previous four romps, this one felt overstuffed in every way (too many people, too many rambling plotlines, too many digital effects). I was happy when it finally ended.

Everything else was a bit smaller. Chris Evans is excellent in the sharply well-made drama Gifted, which manages to remain emotionally resonant without tipping into sentimentality. Tommy's Honour is a terrific story of the Scottish father and son who created the modern game of golf, nicely played by Peter Mullan and rising star Jack Lowden. Although the film is a bit uneven. The soapy Spanish comedy Wild Awakenings wins us over with its ridiculous tale of lust on a horse ranch. And the documentary Dying Laughing is a fascinating look at the life of a stand-up comic, as told by rather a lot of people who became very successful at it.

And finally, I revisited the early 1990s cult series Twin Peaks and rewatched the 1992 movie Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me before diving into the two-hour pilot episode for this 25-years-later sequel series. It's all rather bonkers, but sublimely so. And I look forward to the next 16 episodes.

Coming up this week is a very late press screening of Wonder Woman (buzz has been good but for some reason they are holding this one close to their chest), plus a number of films that will be screened at the forthcoming Sundance Film Festival London - watch this space. Meanwhile in France, the Cannes Film Festival winds up with its awards over the weekend. Expect controversy as usual.