By Akshay
I have listed 5 movies each from what I felt was worthwhile and disappointing,
From the recently concluded 16th Chennai International Film Festival(CIFF).
Buzzes
1) Woman at war (Iceland-2018)
With a message of worldwide relevance and a crowd-pleasing screenplay, the ‘Woman at war’ could aptly be called a ‘commercial entertainer’ by the standards of tue film festival. Some scenes like shutting down power of a whole city looked a bit outlandish, hence very familiar to Kollywood audience. And the suspension of disbelief was worked out successfully with the background music of the movie, one of the major positives of the film.
2) City Of God (Brazil-2002)
Rooted to the ‘anything goes’ nature of Rio de Janeiro (The city of God). This movie hits all the right notes required in a gangster film. The narrative style of the backstory of every character is a pure reflection of a first hand account. What saved this movie from being a regular gangster flick is the depiction of the impoverishment of the hoodlums. This depiction helps us in understanding of the psyche of every character, which at times arouse sympathy.
3) Smuggling Hendrix (Cyprus- 2018)
The treatment of this film’s screenplay is noteworthy. A Jammu and kashmir kind of a scenario prevails between Turkey and Cyprus of the Illegally occupied Turkish Cyprus(Northern Cyprus). And there is a slaphappy individual and his dog. The way these unrelated situation and people is really hilarious. The movie glorifies the happiness given by small things and shunts every law that comes in the way humanity and laws.
4) Shoplifters (Japan- 2018)
A moving tale of different people united by poverty either monetarily or emotionally. The strength of the movie is tapping into the idiosyncrasies of life in poverty. Even privacy becomes a luxury. But, that doesn't stop them natural and biological indulgences. These things break the stereotype of ‘Poor people do not have a life’, though being suggestive of the stereotype, this film endeavours its characters in breaking them almost successfully.
5) The Insult (Lebanon- 2017)
Exaggeration has been one of the cheap thrills of human race ever since it started talking. The selling point of this film’s screenplay is the escalation of a private problem to a national issue. Such exaggerations are familiar to us for we have been part of it in various walks of life. This movie displays the sensitivities of Palestinians and Lebanese and how a slightest of provocation colud let hell go loose. This film boldly attacks self-proclaimed patriots and activists who in the fight for rights foments animosity between the Lebanese and Palestinians.
Misses
1) Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the desert (Australia- 1994)
Juxtaposing as pro and anti-homosexuality for over 70% of its running time, this movie is unclear of the filmmaker’s stance. This 1994 movie adds up to the confusion with some abhorrently weird scenes, which is strange even for 2018 Indian audience. But, this movie bluntly and bravely showcases the harassment faced by LGBTQ community yet falls short of being a saving grace of this movie.
2) The wild pear tree (Turkey-2018)
With 3 long hours duration and long exhaustive conversation, this movie takes a toll on our patience. Without much of a conflict escalation or a dramatic turn around in the screenplay, this film perches onto the realm of realism. But, the choice of a disparate family with disparate perceptions as a plot didn't suffice. This was praised by the critics for the unadulterated realism of long conversations of daily human life showcased in the film. This however tests the focus of a general cinema lover making it a tiring watch.
3) The seen and the unseen (Indonesia- 2017)
Though this film has a single, undisturbed plot, it lacks in the precision in the journey
on the path laid by the plot. Had the execution made use of metaphor and symbolism sparingly, this movie would’ve been a great watch. With the screenplay buffeted to and fro from reality and metaphor, audience’s comprehension takes a beating. It is hard for the audience to look at such a good premise being wasted.
4) One step behind the seraphim (Romania- 2017)
The resolution kept forward by the film is ambiguous. Does the director want to show how corrupt is the Church as a warning or an apology for atheism? Of course, world cinema doesn't preach and is brutally honest with the reality. Yet, taking a real and a sensitive entity such as a religion, it would’ve been to the liking of the audience if it had a takeaway. Arrogance of righteousness is hated than moral deprivation by the people, the director has tapped into this psyche which would have fit in perfectly in any other precinct, but this.
5) Rojo (Argentina- 2018)
Rojo starts off as a quirky and a brainy movie. With such an intriguing death scene in the beginning like that of Sherlock Holmes novels, ir sets the expectations high. But as the film progresses, the screenplay sets its foot in too many places that gave audience a tough time figuring out what to expect as a turning point. When we painstakingly remember the initial murder, it finally comes back in the tad end of the film. With the hurriedness that the films ends, the climax looks contrived for the sake of finishing the film and not holistically so. Rojo, gave a promising start gradually loses steam making it a forgettable film.
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