Reviews

In this finely tuned work of cinematic art we meet Mr Badii, who is desperately searching for someone to assist him to commit suicide. He is willing to pay his assistant well. All his helper has to do is to is to fill the grave Mr Badii has already dug, once he is sure that Mr Badii has died. Mr Badii found it really difficult to find an assistant. After many unsuccessful efforts to convince a young Kurd soldier, an Armenian seminary and others to help him, he meets a taxidermist who needs money to take care of his sick child, who agrees to assist. The taxidermist, too, had previously attempted suicide.

We are taken on a dusty road through a bleak mining landscape which suits the ambiance of the film perfectly. The film picks up momentum slowly, but once it got going, I sat glued to my seat.

We never know why Mr Badii is driven to suicide, but that is not important. By leaving such detail out, the director and writer, Abbas Kiarostami, elevates the film above the level of just another sentimental drama about death, with a clear beginning, motive and ending. This film is much more, in fact. It is an incisive meditation on life and death, clearly elucidated by the taxidermist, and by the silent action and demeanour of Mr Badii. The ambiguous ending is perfectly tuned too. This is a fascinating film with a lot of food for thought. It is clear why this film was awarded one of cinema's highest awards, the 'Palme d'Or' in Cannes.

Cinematography, acting and directing are top-notch. 9/10.

Iván, a 14-year old boy lives with his uncle Jaime in Mexico. Both dream about moving to the US. They plan to illegally move there and are seriously saving money for the journey. They specialize in buying stolen cars, strip them and sell the spare parts. They realize that they will have to increase their income because their people smuggler wants to leave for the US in three weeks. The two expand their business by stripping parked cars of wheels, rims and mirrors. The boy starts to involve a young friend to help. Then his uncle's girlfriend mentions that she wants to move with them to the US too. The uncle tells his nephew that first he and his girl will move to the US and send money so that the boy can join them later. This is not what they agreed upon and Iván has a physical altercation with his uncle, after which the boy runs away. This was only the start of his problems...

Excellent cinematography,a great score (Schubert chamber music) and particularly a tight script with good acting make this film a winner. 8/10.

Mille Mois is a rewarding and atmospheric film that takes place in a small Moroccan village during Ramadan of 1981. We quickly learn that there is civil unrest and that the father of Mehdi, the young protagonist, is in jail because of his political activities. It is up to Mehdi's grandfather to try to keep the family together.

Difficult circumstances with a devastating drought and government land-use policies force peasants off the land. The barren and harsh landscape is well captured by the camera.

We see the village and its people through the eyes of young Mehdi and in the process meet a range of colourful characters, from corrupt politicians to devout Muslims.

Although the pace of the film is slow, it is rich in nuance and ultimately rewarding. Mention must be made of the great, natural performance of Fouad Labied, the young actor who played Mehdi, as well as the outstanding cinematography. 7.5/10.

A young woman, Mona (Romina Pinto), applies for a job as governess to look after and teach two kids who live in a rural part of Argentina. The kids' parents passed away a couple of years ago. The children live with their housekeeper in a manor belonging to their uncle (Julio Mendez). He runs a medical practice in the city and is too busy to look after his nephew and niece. Mona has studied psychology and worked a short while in a Kindergarten. This would be her first permanent position. Mona is over the moon when she hears that she got the job.

Mona is in for a surprise; the children are feral, running wild and are poorly educated. They could scarcely read. Àngel (Valentino Vinco) and his sister Ema (Malena Alonso) run around the property half-clothed, and that is really bothering Mona. Being nude in the open is unnatural, she believes. She is determined that it will have to change. It does not seem to bother the housekeeper, Clara (Cristina Maresca) though.

One evening Mona spots a man standing on the lawn, looking at the house. It resembles the man on the framed photograph, posing with Àngel, she saw earlier in the house. She asks the housekeeper about this man, and learns to her shock that it is a photograph of the gardener, who died a couple of years ago. The gardener and Àngel were apparently close. Mona, with her quasi-psychological background is convinced that the gardener must have molested Àngel at some stage, and that this is the reason why the lad is acting so strangely. Mona's 'do-gooder', hypocritical and know-all approach to 'help' the children gathers momentum as the film progresses. But Mona could never foresee how things would eventually turn out. (And neither could this reviewer, who was in for a few surprises too!)

This clever film, part psychological drama, part gothic thriller, presents comments on several important issues: Innocence can be destroyed by interfering hypocritical 'moralists' who do more harm than good. It also highlights the right to be natural and yourself, even to be a non-conformist, irrespective what others may think. There are also other elements in the film: the role of dolls and birds, and their use as allegory, the relationship between brother and sister, between Àngel and his friend, and the tragic history of the housekeeper's son.

The cinematography is top class, from the surreal under water scenes to the indoor shots, where a gothic atmosphere is created by ramshackled walls, broken windows and bats hanging from the rafters. The soundtrack has an ominous feel to it, and drags the viewer relentlessly along. Apart from an excellent script, the other outstanding element of the film is the acting. I found the acting superb, be it the gentle housekeeper with her secrets, the over-zealous Mona or the exuberant Àngel and Ema. 'La Tutora' is a complex, intelligent film with a lot of food for though, and in my view Iván Noel's best to date. This is a film that I will watch again. I score this film an excellent 9.5/10.

A young lad, Gestur (Steinþór Rafn Matthíasson), gets sent to live with relatives on an isolated peninsula off the coast of Iceland, while his mother, a concert pianist, is on tour. There the precocious boy falls in love with a woman nearly three times his age. The problem is that she is about to get married...

Close to the homestead is an ancient Viking burial mound, which, the boy is informed, contains a treasure and Viking weapons. Gestur is warned not to dig around the mound, as the spirits residing in the mound, would, when disturbed, cause the farmhouse to burn down. The boy becomes obsessed with the mound. The lad has a lively imagination, and convinces himself that he will need the ancient Viking weapons to kill the young man who is about to marry the girl Gestur is infatuated with.

It is not a great film; the narrative is rather thin. However, I did enjoy the Icelandic landscape and culture of the locals, and the actor who played Gestur did so convincingly. The quality of the copy of the film I viewed was unfortunately rather poor with lots of speckling. (I did not penalize the film for this.) 5.5/10.

A few Finnish children take part in a cinematography project where they have to make their own short film. They accidentally shoot a real crime scene, and that is where their adventures begin.

I found the characterization realistic. The acting by the largely unprofessional cast should be commended.

I score this suspenseful film a good 7/10.

Rasmus is a young boy in an orphanage in rural Sweden during the early years of the 20th century. Every time when potential foster-parents arrive, Rasmus is overlooked. Then one day he just has enough and decides to find his own foster-parents. He just walks out of the orphanage into the wide world. Along the way he meets a tramp, Oskar, who makes his living by playing his accordion at farmsteads and villages he visits in his travels, in return for a few coins or a plate of food. He joins the tramp and together they have many adventures, including crossing paths with a couple of burglars who are dressed as gentlemen. The latter have just robbed a business of a large sum of money during a hold-up. Things get problematic for the tramp and Rasmus when the 'gentlemen' spread word that the tramp and boy are behind the spate of recent burglaries in the vicinity. And almost everybody believed them and suspected the bum and his young accomplice to be the culprits.

It may sound as if this is a film rather thin on plot aimed at younger viewers. However, this movie is not as simple as it sounds and has many quality cinematic elements. The set is lavish and realistic, costumes great, but it is the cinematography in particular that impresses. Beautifully shot pastoral scenes in verdant summer landscapes, contrasted with atmospheric indoor footage. The casting is excellent too; both Allan Edwall (Oskar) and Erik Lindgren (Rasmus) play their roles with distinction. Erik Lindgren's facial expressions alone say more than words.

I score this well-crafted film a good 7/10.

Two teenagers are sledding down a steep snow-covered hill, when one of the boys crash-lands. Bystanders come to his aid. The two lads get invited to the apartment of their young adult rescuers. It all happens against the picturesque back-drop of a snow-covered townscape with revellers celebrating New Year. One gets the feeling that most of the people in the apartment are somewhat bored and just trying to kill time. However, it wouldn't remain quiet for long: The lads would be in for an interesting evening, where they would be introduced to the 'pleasures' of grown-ups: liquor, dope, and, it is hinted, even sexual adventures. And, as in real life, also learn about disappointments.

This film reminds me of the excellent Mexican film, 'Duck Season', where a few bored youngsters try to kill time, and in the process gain experience about real life.

Technically speaking, 'A Night Too Young' is an accomplished work with atmospheric cinematography and soundtrack. I found the acting of the mainly young cast also above average. The film runs for 65 minutes; it is just the right length to keep one's interest.

I score this engrossing little film a good 7/10.

I have seen quite a few films dealing with the interaction between wildlife and man in the natural environment, and then I am not talking about wildlife documentaries, which seem to get better and better as new photographic techniques are developed. The classic 'Born Free' of 1966, and another film with African background, 'Duma' of 2005 come to mind. And then there is the excellent 'Entrelobos' ('Among Wolves') of 2011. Last night I watched another film in this genre, 'Wie Brüder im Wind' ('Brothers of the Wind'), and found that it compares well with others in this genre.

High in the spectacular Hohe Tauern part of the Austrian Alps, we see how a pair of golden eagles rears two chicks on a narrow rocky ledge, and as is typical with large birds of prey, the stronger of the two chicks forces the weaker one from the nest. The chance that the weaker chick would survive is rather slim, but it is in luck. Fortunately it has not fallen to its death; vegetation cushioned its fall and the bird landed safely on the ground at the foot of the cliff below the nest. Furthermore, shortly thereafter a boy, Lukas, (Manuel Camacho) finds the young bird before predators could get hold of it, and decides to rear it.

Through the narrator, a forester called Danzer (Jean Reno), we get to know Lukas, who lives high in the mountains with his father (Tobias Moretti). Quite early on it becomes clear that the relationship between Lukas and his father is strained; the lad does not speak to his dad, and more often than not hides away in a derelict house, where he lives in his own world. A sympathetic Danzer decides to help the boy and gives advice on how to rear the young raptor.

Can you build a film on such a slim narrative with only three main human characters? Well, after watching the movie, it is clear that you can successfully do so. The main emphasis of the film is on the life of the golden eagle, who against the odds and setbacks survives and grows into adulthood. The growing up of the eagle becomes a metaphor of the coming of age of Lukas, who also has obstacles to overcome.

The strong point of this film is without doubt the astonishing cinematography. The wildlife photography, particularly the action shots and the lingering landscape footage are literally breathtaking. The soundtrack is great too. The actors all do a fine job. Special mention must be made of Manuel Camacho, who seems to have a knack for excelling in wildlife films. He was justly nominated for a Goya Award, and won the Spanish Actors Newcomer Award for his acting in 'Entrelobos'.

I score this lovely film a high 8/10.

Those of you who haven't seen this film, be warned; it is not the normal run-of-the-mill movie with clear narrative and conclusion. It is a challenging and demanding cinematic experience.

'The Tree of Life' may seem disjointed, with four main sections. More than half of the movie deals with the life of a 1950s Texan family: the rigid paternalistic dad whose ambitions to become a musician were frustrated early on; his fun-loving wife, and three kids. Then tragedy strikes with one child losing his life in an accident. This would have serious consequences for the cohesion of the family.

The remainder of the film is a visually lavish exploration of the cosmos and nature on both dazzling temporal and spatial scale. From prehistoric dinosaurs, otherworldly landscapes and bright yellow sunflower fields, to galaxies in all their magnificence. Bringing these two main themes - the life of the Texan family and the bigger picture cosmic perspective - together gets us to the question the film poses right at the start: Is life all about 'grace' or 'nature'?

The interpersonal dynamics of the Texan family form the backbone of the film, yet other unexpected elements of interaction are also evident. Just think of the dinosaur that could have killed the smaller animal that was lying on its side, but did not do so.

The question of 'grace' or 'nature' is visually underscored by the contrasting images of pristine forests and visuals of our man-made forests of glass, steel and concrete.

Viewers looking for a clear, prominent plot and suspense may be disappointed. The film does have a plot; it deals with the complex relationship of a father with his children and wife, and particularly the love-hate relationship between father and eldest son. But it is much more than that; in a sense it gives us perspective on how important - or rather unimportant - our lives on the 'tree of life' really are. The more adventurous viewers with open minds can just sit back and let this film with its stunning visuals and soundtrack wash over them.

Love it or hate it, the film offers lot of food for thought and source of many a discourse. Just look at the varied reaction on this website. I found 'The Tree of Life' an exhilarating cinematic experience and score this meditative and intelligent work of cinematic art an excellent 9/10.

Young Simo's (Johannes Brotherus) older brother Ilkka (Jari Virman) is to start a prison sentence for a minor crime the following day. We share their 24 hours together before Ilkka leaves for prison. Their mother is more focused on her social life than spending this last evening with her sons. Yet she instructs Simo to keep his older brother company. While rain intermittently sifts over grey Helsinki, the two brothers go to the city center for some fun, a drink or two. Back at their apartment a bored Simo goes out and starts chatting with the gay photographer living across the street. He invites Simo in, shows him some Wilhelm Von Gloeden prints and asks to photograph Simo. This would have serious consequences…

This black-and-white film has a nihilistic, despairing mood like few others. This is a film of no hope: "If you're free of hope, you're free of everything", we are informed. Another movie sharing this ambiance is Lars Von Trier's unsettling 'Antichrist'. The theme of hopelessness is also explored in the excellent Macedonian film 'Mirage' (also known as 'Iluzija', 'Eat or be Eaten' or 'Seasons of Hope') by Svetozar Ristovski.

It becomes more than just hopelessness. In a disconcerting misanthropic vision the extinction of man is predicted, with scorpions and other lower order animals taking our place.

This sombre theme of hopelessness is captured effectively in monochrome visuals, where the contrast between light and dark is accentuated, with little grey in-between. Some of the scenes are presented as nightmarish visions, without any chance of escape. Whether you are trapped in a train carriage after the train derailed and plunged into a deep river, or whether you caused serious and irreversible harm to somebody, there is no escape. The nightmare becomes real.

I found the acting quite good. Although Simo is not a very talkative fellow, his body language and facial expressions in particular, say a lot. Simo, an introvert, is a true outsider. The more vocal Ilkka and their mother, and the photographer, give fine performances too. The soundtrack, mostly of classical nature, effectively adds to the gloomy ambiance of the film. This film's strengths however, are the excellent, unusual narrative, and especially the outstanding cinematography. Credit to cinematographer Peter Flinckenberg. Several of the scenes are surreal, such as the footage of the train in the river, with jellyfish swimming past; also the scenes when downy feathers drop from the sky or of Simo wiping the misted-up mirror clean. What attention to detail!

'Concrete Night' offers a lot of food for thought and is a film I will watch again. I score it a very good 8/10.

Young Louis and his family live in a nice neighbourhood in the picturesque village of Sidi Ifni on the Moroccan coast. His father suffers from severe depression, the impact of which is not fully appreciated by his mother or older brother. His father refuses to get help and withdraws totally into his office where he spends his days working, or more often brooding in silence. One day he shares a secret with Louis after swearing him to secrecy. This terrible secret would have a profound impact on Louis' once happy life. From now on the boy would shadow his father, with major ramifications for the boy.

The title refers to a French poem, as well as the role that Louis tries to play in his father's life.

This is in every respect a well-crafted film. The drama unfolding at home is handled with restraint and subtlety, the acting by Martin Nissen (Louis) and Olivier Gourmet (his father), in particular, is truly outstanding. Their body language and facial expressions say more than words could do. The cinematography is imaginative and reflects the troubled nature of the subject matter. Indeed, the camera-work is some of the best I had seen in quite some time. The soundtrack should be mentioned too, with haunting North African melodies adding to the melancholic ambiance of this outstanding film. 9/10.

Augusten Burroughs (Joseph Cross) comes from an unhappy family. His father (Alec Baldwin) loves his booze, his mother (Annette Bening) is a temperamental aspiring poet with psychological issues, most likely bipolar of nature. Augusten is much closer to his mom than his dad. His mother decides that the family should see a psychiatrist, Dr Finch, to solve their problems. The outcome is that his parents get divorced, mother starts living on her own and poor Augusten moves in with the Finch family, after being adopted by Dr Finch.

Augusten keeps a journal, giving us an indication how the lad tries to cope with this environment, and the people he meets and how they relate and react to each other. For most of the film it makes for engrossing viewing.

If you thought that Augusten's mother had issues, wait until you meet the Finch family: From their stoic mother Agnes (Jill Clayburgh), the nun-like eldest daughter, Hope (Gwyneth Paltrow), the younger rebellious daughter Natalie (Evan Rachel Wood) to the eccentric Dr Finch himself (Brian Cox), they are part of one unorthodox family. To call their household chaotic, would be an understatement. Enjoying the erratic behaviour of this odd family is part of the fun of watching this film. I am not going to add detail and spoil it for those who still have to watch this movie. Suffice to say, if you love the bizarre (including below-the-belt humour), you will most likely enjoy this film.

Technically this is a fine film with great soundtrack, cinematography and set. I just loved that chaotic house with its unimaginable range of paraphernalia.

The character of Augusten is well-developed and three-dimensional. His mother is a more complex person, yet the effect of her bipolar condition is effectively portrayed. Although not playing a major role his confused, booze-loving dad is also well-presented. I found the acting by all accomplished, but special mention must be made of Annette Bening and Brian Cox who really excelled. Joseph Cross also acted well, and this brings me to my only serious bit of criticism, and that concerns the casting. Augusten is suppose to be fourteen and later fifteen according to the book and film, yet he is played by a clearly much older Cross, who was close to 20 when filming took place. A younger actor playing the protagonist would have generated more sympathy for the vulnerable lad; Cross comes through as a less vulnerable, rather independent young adult. The strong points of the film fortunately outweigh this negative aspect.

This is a coming-of-age film with a difference, and worth watching. 7/10.

Not many directors start their full-length future film careers with powerful films. The few examples I can think of include Jean-Luc Godard with his 'À bout de soufflé' ('Breathless'), Alejandro González Iñárritu's 'Amores Perros', Gus van Sant's 'Mala Noche', Larry Clark's 'Kids' and Xavier Dolan's 'I killed my mother' ('J'ai tué ma mère'). And now there is another one on my list: Andrew Steggall's 'Departure'.

Elliot (Alex Lawther) and his mother Beatrice (Juliet Stevenson) are vacating their holiday home in the south of France. As they are packing, a picture unfolds. Once happy times don't seem so happy anymore. Could the absent husband be part of the problem? It is not that simple. We gradually get to know the mother and her son. Beatrice's life is slowly crumbling away, while Elliot, on the other hand, seems to be living in his own world. Elliot meets a French lad, Clément (Phénix Brossard) a few years older than him and develops a crush on him. Both boys have issues to deal with, influencing their friendship. When Elliot's dad arrives, matters come to a point.

This film has several strong points: The cinematography by Brian Fawcett is outstanding, be it of the forest and river landscapes, or indoor scenes. I found the acting excellent; special mention must be made of the powerful performances of Juliet Stevenson and Alex Lawther. My only negative comment is that the editing could have been a tad tighter, particularly regarding the underwater footage that seems to be over-emphasized. This is only a minor issue and has no serious impact on this rewarding film. I am looking forward to Andrew Seggall's next film. I score 'Departure' an excellent 8/10.

Three years after the birth of Andris (Dávid Vermes), his mother Maria (Mária Varga) took him to get officially registered. It turned out that the official needed the particulars of his father. His mother did not know his detail, not even the man's name or address. She met Andris' father at a performance of the opera 'The Magic Flute' and spent the evening with him. She never saw him again. The official Orbán (Hušak František) assured her that it would not be a problem; he would just write down an imaginary name and address, which he did.

A few years later Andris's mother tragically loses her life in an accident. It seems as if the boy would be sent to an orphanage, as there is no trace of his dad or any other relative. Andris finds his registration document in his mother's drawer, with his father's (fake) name and address, which the poor lad assumes to be genuine. His quest to find his dad begins.

Andris has many adventures along the way; he meets helpful and also some eccentric people, including Orbán, the official who filled out his registration form, who, it appeared, was on a quest of his own. As if this is not enough, Andris enjoys some rather unusual surreal experiences too.

The script is original and well-presented by director Gazdag. It is full of unexpected and delightful twists and turns. It is by no means a simplistic film; it has elements of Mozart's enchanting 'The Magic Flute', giving this film greater depth. The black-and-white cinematography, a combination of hand-held and stationary camera footage, is excellent. Credit to cinematographer Elemér Ragalyi. I found the soundtrack, mostly classical music, adding to the ambiance of this Hungarian film. The protagonist, young Dávid Vermes, gives a great performance of Andris, who at times appears stoical, but underneath the façade is a very uncertain lad. The subtitles are adequate, although the white letters at times are not that clearly visible when seen against a light background. This minor criticism that does not detract from this little gem of a film. 'A Hungarian Fairy Tale' deserves to be seen more widely. 8.5/10.