Jamie passion and passionfruit!

Somewhat strange Franco-Tunisian film that more than anything seems to have been shot as a vehicle for veteran local Claudia Cardinale and to show off some of the lovely beaches.  Cardinale as Sara is recently widowed and her only son Malik returns from Paris to give her moral support. He is a sophisticated architect and being gay can face a tough time in this Muslim country and with mother who is in denial.  Malik played by the Indian looking Antonin Stahly promptly falls for house boy Bilal and the two prove to be great mutual support.  Mother throws a wobbly, there is a wedding to cover the reality but in the end they all live happily ever after.  Cardinale plays a bit mad and looks well past her best and the young males are suitably discreet but at least the actors try to work with material that is both confusing at times and rather clichéd. The violin music is very heavy-handed, the photography sloppy and the direction uneven.  The main value is to see a part of the world we know little of.

2 stars

What a compelling story told by Asghar Farhadi in this multi-award winner from Iran!  An everyday situation (that of hiring a maid to look after an elderly father) spirals into a nightmare for a couple who were going through a separation at the time and who find out a lot more about each other in this crisis.  The most telling feature of this movie is that although it takes place in Tehran today, with all the issues relating to religion, women’s right, the local justice system, the local economy and emigration taking a part in the movie, it is also a universal tale of morals. Each character has his or her interpretation of the truth and his or her limits and this even includes the 11 year-old daughter of the couple and the preschool daughter of the maid Raziel who is charging the husband Nader with hitting her and causing a miscarriage.

Because everyone is partially write and because the social mores and laws impede certain actions, the situation ends up being more complex and potentially more tragic simply by this requirement to live by the rules.  Directed in an even-handed, subtle and energetic way by Farhadi who in his choice of shots throughout the film speaks volumes about the folly of adults and of regimes that cause far more problems than solutions.  A gem to be seen again.

5 stars

Certainly an elegantly grey British film about spying made in such a way as to keep us searching for minute clues and trying to unpeel the layers of deception.  Not always easy to follow – read intelligent! – it also lacks pace in many parts but if you accept the challenge to keep attentive and watch every move, time passes quickly.  Gary Oldman stars as Smiley in a complete performance – discreet but at times compelling and is well supported by a host of top actors in supporting roles like John Hurt, Colin Firth, Toby Jones and Benedict Cumberbatch.  And yet, I was left wanting.  The music is very good (Alberto Iglesias), the photography sets the scene perfectly and there are no apparent false moves.  But Tomas Alfredson’s version, while much shorter than the TV series lacks panache and impetus.  Excellent sets and décor for the time.

4 stars

Predictable, uninspiring French comedy that doesn’t seem to know what it wants to be.  Fabrice Lucchini plays a Parisian stockbroker in the 1960’s who suddenly discovers the world of the Spanish maids in his building and is entranced by their spark and tenacity driven to France by the poverty of Franco’s Spain.  He ends up helping them a lot and moving up to live with him much to the askance of his bourgeois family and in the end falls in love with the family maid, Maria (Natalia Verbeke doing the shy passionate Spanish mare role that Penelope Cruz and others have done).  And that’s about it.  Not very fun, rather clichéd and bereft of much authenticity.  Carmen Maura scrubs down well for her role as the aunt and yet it is Sandrine Kiberlain as the stockbroker’s wife who gives the most interesting and measured performance.  Altogether not much chop.

2 stars

If you had a criticism of this film, it would be that it reeks depression and hopelessness and as such is not an easy film to watch.  That is clearly Kaye’s point and his intention in the way he shoots the film.  We are supposed to share this frustration and despair about how difficult life is today and how in some way we have failed our young and created a depressing education system.  Adrien Brody as Henry the substitute  teacher drifts through this movie collecting lost souls and dealing with his own demons trying to keep detached as much as possible and to help others find feelings in some cases.  The inability of people to manage their emotional states and the tactic of some to deliberately suppress them is at the heart of this movie. Brody is very effective and there is a talented task, especially Sami Gayle, James Caan and Lucy Liu in minor roles. Interestingly most critics seemed to dislike it while the audiences gave it awards in various festivals.  I think that while it is an in-your-face indictment of the US education system (and others), it is not an inauthentic as some suggest and the public responds to its basic message.  Moreover the photography and direction are good and there are touches of logic in the crazy mood swings we seem to witness in the film.  Thought-provoking in its grimness and one of the more interesting releases so far this year.

It might be David Cronenberg but this didn’t wow me.  Nor did the way he handled its content which was something that interested me.  Basically, it traces the history of the first big fight in modern psychoanalysis between Freud and Jung showing their different theories and how this dispute impacted on the life of Jung who was at the time helping a patient, Sabine Spielrein, to recover and become a therapist herself.  Part of the cure there is the transference that leads to the bedding of the patient concerned.  Or as Freud would say, it all ends up in sex.  It is easy enough to follow for the non specialists but Christopher Hampton’s script is too heavy and wordy to make this easy viewing.  It is surely far better as a play on stage.  Thank goodness for Keira Knightley who seems at first to be overacting as Sabine and has a dodgy accent to match but in the end she breathes life into her scenes as does Vincent Cassel as Otto Gross.  Viggo Mortensen is very restrained as Freud and Michael Fassbender, equally correct in his performance of Jung, is also very dull.  Sadly, this side of the two men leaves us with the image of dullish academia however spicy the subject matter.  In all a strange movie with good music by Howard Shore. I felt someone like Cronenberg could have dealt with it even more imaginatively.

3 stars

Unusual film from Hong Kong with a number of features to like – the authenticity with which it treats issues like death, funerals, sexuality, nudity and family ties in the 21^st century in China. Scud, the director is apparently an avant-garde gay computer whiz turned film maker from there.  The story is somewhat autobiographical and while it perhaps takes too long to tell its story in some places, it is definitely different and shows us aspects of Asian life we don’t always see. The central love story is rather Latin in its treatment and is well acted by Sean Li and Osman Hung.

2 star plus

Another Greek film on corruption, this time a comedy.  Set on an island where the local priest, schoolteacher, mayor and chief of police all stand to inherit large sums of money following the death of a local identity if they allow their secrets to be revealed.  Trouble is, each one has secrets that will sink them and there starts the fun – how to get the money but also hush up the scandals. Overacted at times (Eleni Kastani) but in the spirit, this is a wry, amusing and not very original film that is nevertheless well produced and entertaining given its setting and the times we are going through now.

2 star plus

Poignant story of a woman in late 19^th century Dublin who dresses up and lives as a man in order to get by in life.  Working in a hotel, he is discovered by another cross dresser who encourages her to find find herself and make the life she wants rather than living timidly afraid of being caught out.  Trouble is Albert is all rather naïve about life and this leads to unforeseen obstacles.  Glenn Close is very good in the lead role but I would not say that she is that superb.  Janet McTeer as Mr Page, the painter, is almost more compelling as a character and Brendan Gleeson. Pauline Collins, Mia Wasilowska and others perform well in supporting roles. Rodrigo Garcia’s direction is sympathetic but neither it nor the acting lift the film nor give it the exploration of the psychological depth it needs.

3 stars

Turkish-Italian director Ferzan Oztepek returns with another tale of society adjusting to gay relationships or vice versa.  This one takes place in Lecce, Italy and involves a gay son who reluctantly has to take over the family’s pasta factory an is expected to be the heir and continue the family line.  Fair enough but the story is slim and rather unbelievable especially when Tommaso’s flamboyant friends from Rome visit.  Ozpetek clearly wants to sweeten the pill with a fairytale type of story, sumptuous photography and intrusive if attractive music by Pasquale Catalano. But it is not enough to really grab you and the rather unrealistic characters which are not so convincingly acted end up leaving one feel unaffected.

2 stars