Critical Week: Yet another night in

Aside from a certain royal interview and the evolving lockdown situation, the biggest news this week was the most diverse list of Bafta Film Awards nominations in history, a remarkably varied collection of movies, filmmakers and performances that breaks from their tradition of trying to predict Oscar. Attention to British gems and filmmakers outside the system is particularly notable this year, even with some surprising omissions. BAFTA 2021 NOMINEES >

BEST OUT THIS WEEK:
The Human Voice
Judas and the Black Messiah
The Dissident • Verdict
ALL REVIEWS > 

As for movies this week, I caught up with two films recently out in US cinemas. Silk Road stars Jason Clarke and Nick Robinson (above with Alexandra Shipp) in a true story about the dark web that's fascinating but rather lacking in nuance. And Tom Holland and Daisy Ridley star in Doug Liman's conceptual sci-fi thriller Chaos Walking, a well-made Western-style adventure that fails to deepen its themes or characters.

Further afield, the prison drama Luz is an American independent film infused with Latin culture as it recounts an unusually introspective, tender romance between two inmates. From Germany, Undine is another seriously clever film by Christian Petzold starring Paula Beer and Franz Rogowski, this time a fantastical, whimsical, darkly moving romance. From Australia, Sequin in a Blue Room is an artful coming-of-age drama about a young man on a journey of self-discovery and connection.From Bosnia, Quo Vadis, Aida? is a flatly stunning, unmissable drama about the Srebrenica genocide told from a powerfully involving perspective. From the Philippines, Verdict is an absolutely riveting drama about a woman navigating a torturous legal system. And I decided to catch up with this documentary on the day it received its Bafta nomination...

My Octopus Teacher

dir-scr Pippa Ehrlich, James Reed

with Craig Foster, Tom Foster 

release US/UK 7.Sep.20

20/South Africa Netflix 1h25 *****

Beautifully shot and edited, this documentary recounts an involving story in a way that's enormously engaging as it traces the extraordinary connection between a man and an octopus over nearly a year. It's a riveting exploration of the nature of student and teacher, friend and foe, predator and prey. And as both of them transform their perceptions of each other, the film becomes both moving and inspirational.

Struggling with burn-out, and worried about his ability to be a good father to his teen son Tom, filmmaker Craig Foster turns to the ocean for inspiration, drawing on his childhood in the ocean near his home at the tip of South Africa. In an effort to feel amphibious and to eliminate barriers, he eschews a scuba tank or wetsuit and returns into the kelp forest every day. And he becomes fascinated by an octopus, building trust that leads to an unexpected back-and-forth relationship with her. Their ongoing adventures are simply awesome, revealing the inter-connections between living things.

Cinematographer Roger Horrocks gloriously captures how it feels to float through an underwater forest amid a wide range of creatures. This is augmented by Foster's own work behind the camera, revealing the extravagant diversity, balance and beauty under the sea. Meanwhile, the narrative is grabbing hold of us as we watch these two very different creatures begin to interact in unexpected ways. And the ultimate message is simple and provoctive: "She taught me to feel that I'm part of this place, not a visitor."

9.Mar.21

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Next week's films include the new four-hour cut of Zack Snyder's Justice League, Robin Wright's Land, the romantic comedy Me You Madness, the comedy drama Shoplifters of the World and the acclaimed Russian drama Dear Comrades. There will also be press screenings for the forthcoming edition of BFI Flare, with the festival itself kicking off virtually on Wednesday 17th March. Reports to come!

 

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Flare 3: Spill your guts

I always enjoy attending public screenings as part of the British Film Institute's annual Flare: London LGBTQ+ Film Festival, because audiences tend to be far more open and curious than those in most cinemas. Watching a movie in this atmosphere is an experience in itself, a collective series of sighs, gasps, laughter and tears. I saw two collections of short films over the weekend with public audiences, and all of them were terrific (more on those later). And I've enjoyed being able to chat with filmmakers about their work, including the directors of three of the films below. Here are some more highlights - a mainstream comedy (that's Nick Robison and Katherine Langford, above) and three docs...

Love, Simon
dir Greg Berlanti; with Nick Robinson, Katherine Langford 18/US ****
A fresh take on the teen rom-com, this film harks back to vintage John Hughes movies with its smart, self-aware characters and realistic situations that are both amusing and thoughtful. Based on Becky Albertalli's novel (cleverly titled Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda), the story also breaks ground by taking the central character's homosexuality in stride. So aside from being hugely engaging and very funny, it also carries a powerful kick.

A Deal With the Universe
dir-scr Jason Barker; with Jason Barker, Tracey 18/UK ***
Tracing some 15 years in the life of a couple, this autobiographical documentary is sometimes startlingly raw, as filmmaker (and former Flare programmer) Jason Barker and his partner Tracey chronicle their yearning to have a child, which led to extraordinary decisions along the way. Assembled as a collection of home movies and video diary entries, the film never embellishes the story. And the honesty speaks to several big issues.

Sidney & Friends
dir Tristan Aitchison; with Sidney, Guillit, Ben, Maria 18/UK ****
Shot over several years, this documentary explores a segment of Kenyan society that's virtually invisible, mainly because it wouldn't be safe for these people to come out in the open. Scottish filmmaker Tristan Aitchison gets sometimes startling access to this community, revealing the day-to-day issues in their lives. The film is beautifully assembled in an introspective way that draws the audience in and challenges our perceptions.

Conversations With Gay Elders
dir David Weissman; with Kerby Lauderdale, David Weissman 17/US ****
Part of a series, this doc is simply a conversation between two men. And it's utterly riveting. Honest and revelatory, it features filmmaker David Weissman (We Were Here) encouraging Kerby Lauderdale to recount his relatively normal story. It's a telling look at the thoughts and feelings of a man who grappled with his sexuality throughout his life. And what he has to say is vitally important in the wider conversation about the topic.

Critical Week: A question of trust

One of the more anticipated films screened to London press this week was Francois Ozon's Cannes entry L'Amant Double (The Double Lover), a slinky Hitchcockian thriller featuring lots of mirrored identities. It's a lot of fun. Also from France, Joachim Lafosse's After Love is a strikingly unsentimental drama about a a family going through a divorce, anchored by riveting performances from Berenice Bejo and Cedric Kahn.

More mainstream fare included Charlize Theron in the rather mindless action thriller Atomic Blonde, which is skilfully made but could have used either a more coherent plot, stronger characters or just a lot more silliness. Mark Strong and Jamie Bell anchor 6 Days, a forensic recreation of the Iranian embassy siege in London that's fascinating as it builds to a ripping final act, but never quite cracks the surface. Everything, Everything is a sappy teen romance that plays out pretty much as expected, but is elevated by actors Amandla Stenberg and Nick Robinson. And Goon: The Last of the Enforcers is a sequel to the surprise comedy hit starring Sean William Scott as hockey player in Canada. Despite a terrific supporting cast, this follow-up completely misses the mark.

Perhaps the biggest movie this week was Al Gore's follow-up An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power, which traces the decade since his Oscar-winning climate change documentary. It's very well put together, and lucidly highlights the issues, but the biggest surprise is that it has a lot of positive things to say about what people and nations are doing to show respect to the planet and give hope for future generations.

Among other things, this coming week's press screenings include Idris Elba in The Dark Tower, Scarlett Johansson in Rough Night, Sally Potter's festival hit The Party, the coming-of-age British road trip Moon Dogs, and this year's episode, Sharknado 5: Global Swarming.