The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared

• Released Internationally on 25/12/13
• Released in Malta by KRS on 17/09/14

Review (16/09/14)

3-word review: Silly and wonderful. 

With a title like that and a tagline like ‘You’re never too old for an adventure’, you’d be perfectly correct to assume that this is no ordinary film. It isn’t, and it’s great. Based on the successful novel and made in Sweden with some help and actors from other European nations, this little gem manages to be both a quirky little story as well as a polished film achievement with great acting, impressive make-up and big budget effects.

A colourful century

The 100 year-old man in question has lived an extremely interesting life, partly due to his love for explosives, but mostly due to the lesson his dying mum taught him about not thinking too much, but just doing things. There’s a standout Cold War montage with him as a double agent which is a glorious piece of cinema. In a Forrest Gump way his life intertwines with historic events and famous people over the course of the last century, and the flashbacks prove to be just as entertaining as the present day story. As the staff at his nursing home prepare to celebrate his birthday, he climbs out the window and sets in motion an incredible chain of events that take him across the globe. You’ll need to suspend belief on occasion, but never to the point of distraction or in an annoying way. It’s a comic caper, after all.

In the end

For me, this was one of the biggest surprises of the year so far, coming out of nowhere like a breath of fresh air among the other Hollywood fare. It’s far from perfect, and it borrows from other film and stories at points, but it manages to keep the pace for two hours of fun and humour. If you enjoyed the crazy flashbacks and odd characters of Amélie, you should love this.

Trailer:

Simshar

 

• Premiered in Malta on 27/04/14

Review (26/04/14)

3-word review: Tragic but beautiful.  

Back in the summer of 2008, a fire at sea left only one survivor, and plunged the Maltese fishing village of Marsaxlokk into stunned silence. The details emerged slowly as Simon Bugeja, rescued from the sea after days clinging to a makeshift raft, recovered from his burns and dehydration in intensive care. His son's body was never found. Possibly the only good thing to come from this incident is this beautiful and moving film adaptation, which combines the story of those touched by the incident with the concurrent drama of perilous irregular immigration from Africa to Europe, an issue that Malta was and still is struggling with every summer. First-time director Rebecca Cremona's labour of love is a gorgeous postcard from Malta, which manages to portray some of the magic of this tiny little island without detracting from the solemnity of the fatal Simshar incident.

The fine details
A conclusive report on the incident helped the story eventually leave the front pages, but a few questions did remain unanswered. The script here does not try to answer everything or assign blame, and there is only the slightest reference to possible major illegalities, with the focus merely being on struggling fishermen ignoring fishing restrictions in order to put food on their families' table. The initial scenes with the maritime inspector are a bit clunky, besides the intentional awkwardness, and threaten to get things off to a disjointed start, but thankfully the film flows much better once the Simshar leaves port and the drama gets more intense. 

In front of the camera
I was worried some of the acting might drag the film down to TV soap levels after seeing the final trailer for the film, but thankfully most of the actors rise to the occasion. Jimi Busuttil is particularly good as Simon's father and fellow crew member, and Laura Kpegli is excellent as the subtle voice of reason amongst an increasingly desperate group of rescued immigrants. Claire Agius provides the emotional core of the film as the wife of Simon (and the 'shar' in 'Simshar'), and young Adrian Farrugia makes a notable debut as her son Theo. Lofti Abdelli was brought in to play the main role of Simon, and although his acting capabilities are clear, the obvious non-Maltese accent is unfortunately very distracting and it took me a while to get used to him in the role. Hopefully international audiences won't have this problem. 

Behind the scenes
Any complaints about the acting can be swiftly forgotten by seeing the quality of the film up on the screen, which definitely sets a new standard for films made entirely in Malta. Cremona frames the picturesque fishing village wonderfully, including a clever reveal using linen on a Marsaxlokk roof. The inclusion of the village feast and the international football match manage not to look too forced, and add the necessary colour. A handful of shots, especially during the incident and at the film's ending, are absolutely stunning. The attention to detail is also impressive, my favourite touch being the 'Lost Cat' sign on the bar's noticeboard.

In the end
Ultimately, this is a film about family. The main protagonists have their family torn apart by an unfortunate but possibly avoidable tragedy, and elsewhere many thousands risk their lives in treacherously overcrowded boats so as to give their family a chance of a better life in Europe. One of the immigrants refuses medical help so as not to be separated from her brother, and the attending doctor manages to sympathise and stay on to help her. Because the importance of family is something we can all understand, and that's what makes this film's ending so powerful.

 


Trailer:

Rust and Bone

• Released Internationally on 17/05/12
• Released in Malta by KRS on 30/04/13
• French, with subtitles

Review (29/04/13)

3-word review: Visceral and beautiful.

Love is not always pretty. Some might argue that love is never pretty, but after many decades of romantic comedies full of good-looking, smartly-dressed people with toothpaste smiles, it’s not surprising that many of us roam around expecting knights on white horses or proposals during summer rainfall. Thankfully, every so often a love story comes along that manages to convey the ugly, compromising side of relationships, but which also manages to show how the resulting emotions are no less genuine or intense. I have been lucky enough to come across a few such films, but this is definitely one of the best I can remember.

Directed by French director Jacques Audiard, who received mountains of praise for his last film - 2010’s A Prophet - the film stars Oscar-winner Marion Cotillard (La Vie en rose, Inception) and relatively unknown Belgian actor Matthias Schoenaerts as the central roles. The two characters have very little in common, but both have been dealt a rough hand in very different circumstances. A chance chivalrous encounter leads to future meetings, but in the meantime both their lives have changed significantly. He is a single father who struggles to make ends meet and ends up using his brute strength to support his son. She is a killer whale trainer who suffers an accident at work that changes her outlook on life.

This is a very emotional film - I went from fear to tension to anger to sadness in quick succession, but the emotions and salient points are not spoon-fed to the audience. Audiard has the courage and skill to get his message across with very few words and with many missing pieces needing filling in. He is aided immensely by the powerful yet subtle performances from both main actors, as well as the unobtrusive visual effects where needed. The film has its graphic moments, but no amount of bloodied fists can compete with what’s going on inside. Very different and very impressive.

 

 

Trailer:

Pina

• First Released Internationally in 2011 
• Showing at St James Cavalier, Valletta, from the 3rd to the end of April, to commemorate International Dance Day (April 29th)
• Showing in 3D 

Review (03/04/13)

I approached this critically-acclaimed film in the knowledge that I know very little about the world of dance, and next to nothing about the “dance theatre” style for which the late Pina Bausch is mostly famous. This unconventional documentary by the celebrated German director Wim Wenders (Buena Vista Social Club, The Million Dollar Hotel) showcases her dance company’s major works, and looks back on her artistic work through the eyes of her dancers.

The format is fairly simple – there is no obvious narrative, but rather a fluid and sequenced trip through her four major works, recreated for the film. The film is punctuated by brief, intense and original interviews with her dancers, who come from all corners of the globe, and evidently miss her a great deal. There are also numerous brief dance sequences set in various gorgeous locations, making wonderful use of 3D and giving an all-round better picture of her style of dance. Pina herself appears in numerous older clips, but unfortunately she passed away when the film was still in its early stages.

There’s no denying that this is vivid, beautiful and very different cinema, but whether you actually enjoy it or not as a film experience will probably depend highly on your relationship with dance. And on whether you view Pina’s quotes as inspirational nuggets to cherish, or vague statements that could really mean anything. But ultimately, I’m quite sure that everyone leaving the cinema will have a very good sense of who Pina was, at least professionally, and what an indelible mark she has left. Which is a testament to Wim Wenders and his observant and thorough approach here.

 

Trailers:

http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/independent/pina/

 

St James Cavalier have recently installed new digital projectors and a larger screen. Upcoming highlights which will make use of this technology include showings of Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake, Jeff Wayne’s War of the Worlds and many more. For more info visit http://www.sjcav.org/.

District 9

• Released Internationally on 13/08/09
• Released in Malta by KRS on 09/09/09 (how appropriate)

In a nutshell

Blurring the line between immigrants and aliens, this original and gripping science-fiction film from South Africa puts extra-terrestrials in a whole new light.

Aliens

The film wastes no time in presenting the striking image of an enormous spacecraft hovering ominously over the Johannesburg skyline. The engaging mock-documentary style mixes in a few interviews with news footage to quickly explain how 28 years ago this massive mothership appeared in the sky, came to standstill, and then did nothing. After much debate, we humans decided to break in, and a million weak, malnourished and generally docile aliens were found inside. With the eyes of the world watching, the South African government did the noble thing and gave them asylum in a fenced district – District 9.

Illegal immigrants

The metaphor for illegal immigration is immediately apparent, also thanks to not-so-subtle imagery. The aliens are treated by Johannesburg residents as a drain on resources, a nuisance, and a potential source of crime and danger. The town is full of signs prohibiting their entrance, they are nicknamed ‘prawns’ due to their appearance, and as the years go by the government is pressured into somehow getting rid of them. A huge eviction campaign is started, with plans to shift the entire prawn population to a ‘tent city’ far from the city centre.

Wikus Van De Merwe

During the opening documentary-style scenes, we are given a quick tour of the operation headquarters by a geeky-looking type who seems eager to impress. Wikus (impressive newcomer Sharlto Copley) is put in charge of the evacuation, thanks to some good old favouritism, and we join him on the much-advertised first day of the project. The replies his fellow colleagues give during interviews give us a sense that something is going to go incredibly wrong, but we are initially in the dark as to the nature or scale of the problem.

The issues at stake

Besides the focus on tensions between locals and immigrants, the film also delves into the artillery issue, with large corporations putting lives at risk in the search for dominance in the weapons market. These dubious ethics and the overriding racial conflicts manage to lift this film high above similar outings in the genre. The middle section of the film relies less on the documentary style and progresses like a thoroughbred sci-fi action film, but the hand-held camera work and overall style maintain the sense of realism and urgency that makes this film so distinctive.

Who’s in it?

Young South African director and visual effects artists Neill Blomkamp made a short film in 2005 entitled ‘Alive in Joburg’ (available online here). This film is a development of that 6-minute film into a fuller story, and was made with support from Peter Jackson’s production company. There are no big names on show, nor are they missed. The two principal actors both contributed to the original short, and they do a fine job, as do all the cast and crew. The visual effects are effective without ever being overdone, and the sparse score is a fine finishing touch.

In the end

Whilst borrowing concepts from Aliens, Independence Day and even The Fly, this film stands out as wonderfully original film, and should also appeal to those not usually drawn towards sci-fi. One of the best films of the year, and hopefully the start of a fruitful and entertaining directing career.

Trailer:

http://www.apple.com/trailers/sony_pictures/district9/ (High-res Quicktime)

Inglourious Basterds

 

• Released Internationally on 19/08/09
• Released in Malta by KRS on 26/08/09

 

In a nutshell

Quentin Tarantino brings his unique brand of filmmaking to the enduringly popular subject of World War II.

Take a good story

When Tarantino announced he would be making a war film, I doubt anyone expected a run-of-the-mill telling of some particular aspect of the war. As 2008 showed, the tragic events of over half a century ago offer a rich basis for human drama, both factual (Defiance, Valkyrie) or imagined (Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, The Reader). Tarantino opted for the latter, and has allegedly had this alternative history brewing in his mind since before Kill Bill. The setting may be WW2, but the core of the film is a story of pure vengeance, though this time on a much grander scale than the intimate revenge of The Bride in Kill Bill.

Add a fancy title

The titular Basterds are a rogue squad of Jewish-Americans handpicked by Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) for a mission in Nazi-occupied France. The brief is simple - hunt down Nazis, take no prisoners, scalp them, and let word of their cruelty get out so as to terrorise the Reich all the way to the moustached top. Tarantino offered no official explanation for his misspelt title, apart from it being an artistic flourish, so one has to assume it's merely a play on the French pronunciation of this fearsome band's label.

Choose the finest ingredients

Brad Pitt's name and face are understandably plastered all over the promotional material for the film, but by no means is he the only star of this picture. His role as the heroic Raine, leader of the Basterds, provides most of the comedy in the film, and his thick Tennessee accent and black humour serve as a useful counterpoint to the barbaric and graphic nature of his crew's deeds. But there are two lesser-known names that make you sit up and take note. German actor Christoph Waltz is the smiling but ruthless Nazi Hans Landa, ‘the Jew hunter’, in a brilliant performance, not least because of his fluent use of English, French, German and Italian as needed. And French actress Mélanie Laurent gives us a true heroine to root and feel for as the resourceful Shosanna. Looking very much like a French Uma Thurman (Tarantino's frequent collaborator and alleged muse), she stands out as the most vivid and human character in the whole story, and I wouldn't be surprised to see her or Waltz be mentioned come award season. Diane Kruger (Troy) has a smaller but pivotal role as a prominent German actress with wavering allegiances, Mike Myers (Austin Powers, Shrek) has a brief cameo as a British general, and Eli Roth (director of Cabin Fever and Hostel) and B.J. Novak (TV’s The Office) are two of the infamous scalp-hunters.

Add garnish to taste

The director's trademark flourishes are all present here, making this very much a Tarantino tale set in WW2 rather than simply a war movie directed by Tarantino. The main titles are stylistically similar to those of Kill Bill, and the narrative is once again divided into clearly distinct chapters with grandiose storybook titles such as "Once Upon a Time... In Nazi-Occupied France". The storyline is mostly, but not entirely, chronological this time, but it is also punctuated with very brief and often hilarious flashbacks to emphasize certain memories. Plus there's loads of his deft little touches like couples of aggressors staring down at their victims (though not in car boots this time), copious film references, Sergio Leone-style close-ups during stand-offs (even when sitting down) and the good old Wilhelm scream. There's even a snippet of explanatory narration by Tarantino regular Samuel L. Jackson (Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown), and another brief uncredited role for Harvey Keitel (Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction), at the other end of a phone line. The graphic violence is also present, as expected, however it comes in a few very short, intense bursts.

Add a generous amount of Morricone

Music is always an integral part of Tarantino's films, and this is no exception. In his early films Tarantino gained a reputation for picking out classic songs which perfectly fit his scenes, and which younger generations could discover thanks to the resultant soundtracks. In Kill Bill and his recent Death Proof, he veered towards selections from classic film scores rather than pop songs, most prominently Ennio Morricone's spaghetti western scores. The maestro himself was apparently due to provide an original score for Basterds, but had to bow out due to his busy schedule. However many key sequences in the film are scored with selections from his enormous body of work, along with those of other composers and a few songs from various eras. Historical accuracy is secondary here - the music fits each scene like a glove and on numerous occasions adds tonnes of pathos or excitement to the proceedings. Much as I love his earlier music choices, I think these grandiose score cues fit his flamboyant type of filmmaking better, and I hope this trend continues.

Bring to the boil

The excitement is never lacking. It is an often used measure that a good film should provoke feelings in the viewer, whatever feelings those may be. By that yardstick Basterds is a triumph, as from the opening scene is drips with palpable tension and suspense, as even the most seemingly amicable and pleasant of conversations are wrought with the distinct feeling that any second things are going to combust and shots are going to ring out. Each chapter in this chronicle has its own taut climax, and the film benefits hugely from the overall air of unpredictability this alternative history provides. Last year, despite being entertaining, Valkyrie suffered from an inescapable feeling of inevitability, since it was based on fact. Here, anything can happen.

Allow to simmer

Tarantino presented a hurriedly-edited version of his latest fare at the Cannes festival last May, which garnered mixed reviews but heaps of worthy praise for Waltz’s performance. He then had a few more months to fine tune and re-edit the film, before releasing the finished product we see today. Thankfully, he didn’t sacrifice length, because each sequence is wonderful to watch, and the film’s two and a half hours soar past thanks to the chapters and their individual showdowns.

Serve fresh

This is a director still as fresh and enjoyable as he was when he burst onto the scene in the early 90s. A glorious romp of a movie, with heaps of style enhancing, rather than detracting from, the great storytelling and excellent acting.

 

 

Trailer:

http://www.apple.com/trailers/weinstein/inglouriousbasterds/ (High-res QuickTime)

 

4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days

• Released Internationally on 24/08/07
• Released in Malta by KRS on 29/10/08. Wide release on 11/03/09

(Romanian with English subtitles)

In a nutshell

Otilia and Gabriela are two university students who share a room in mid-80s communist Romania. Otilia offers to help the timid and clueless Gabriela arrange and go through with an illegal abortion, and the whole experience proves to be a complex and harrowing experience for both of them. Set and filmed in Bucharest, the film gained international attention after winning the Palme D’Or at the 2007 Cannes film festival.

Sad but true

Director and writer Cristian Mungiu based his screenplay on a true story, and he gives us a detailed look at the day that these two students promise to never talk about again. From the early morning preparations as they leave their dorm and set out for the hotel, through the meeting and dealing with the so-called ‘Mr. Bebe’, who carries out the clandestine terminations, we see through Otilia’s eyes the dread and frustration as the desperate day unfolds. The lengths she goes through for her hapless friend are amazing, but not a single event of the day rings untrue, as these very detailed and authentic characters live through their ordeal.

Not your average popcorn flick

The day is divided into sequences according to the changing locations, and each one is filmed with very long shots, creating a very unsettling sense of being there. If you like your films fast and furious, this might not be your cup of tea. The skills of the actors are all the more evident, as they take us through seemingly interminable scenes without missing a beat. It’s almost as if you’re watching a deranged reality-show, with real life unfolding at its normal pace as you stare on from your hidden camera.

Unsettling

As each lengthy scene progresses, the feeling of uneasiness builds. With the life of the girl at stake, both health-wise and legally, each moment of the day is fraught with importance. In possibly the best sequence, Otilia has to leave her friend for a while as she is obliged to attend a dinner party at her boyfriend’s house. She sits, silent, at the rowdy table as conversation flies around her, and we all know her mind is elsewhere. Faintly, in the background, the phone starts ringing, but the happy dinner guests are oblivious. It continues to ring, and she fears the worst. It’s simple, but eerily effective.

In the end

Films like this stand out because of how different they are. One might be forgiven for thinking that all films fall into certain cookie-cutter categories, as dictated by Hollywood. But we should remind ourselves that there’s a whole world of cinema out there, with certainly as much variety in quality as big-budget films themselves. Language barriers and accessibility are a problem, but thankfully once in a while something like a Palme D’Or can bring something like this to our screens. If you’re not in the mood for lighter fare, and if you want to see something very different, and very well-made, you can’t go wrong with this.

Trailer:

http://www.apple.com/trailers/independent/4months3weeks2days/ (High-res Quicktime)