MAMI 2015: Day 1

Here it is again! My favourite week of the year. Mumbai Film Festival time. I did not blog about the films I saw last year and I felt I was missing out on an integral aspect of watching an orgy of films in a given week of the year. The years before that, I meticulously recorded my thoughts about the films I saw and it was therapeutic. So let's give it a shot this year as well shall we?

Taxi

Two years ago at this very festival Jafar Panahi's 'Closed Curtains' impressed me immensely and introduced me to his quintessential technique of blurring the real with the fictional. Just like that movie Jafar Panahi is a character in this film as well. I can almost classify this film as "super-meta" but really it is much more than that. It's an ode to cinema and cinema lovers. One particular character steals the show when she (deliberately?) breaks the fourth wall and addresses the film goer him/herself. Yet this moment does not seem out of place but seems to effortlessly belong in the film. We're seeing events unfold from the point of view of a dashboard camera recording a day in the life of Panahi, who is play acting as a cab driver. It's also a rebellious film. On the one hand we're seeing the fabulous streets and infrastructure of Tehran while on the other hand through the conversations we learn the struggles and constraints of Irani society and especially the hassles faced by artists. Then there's that bit about Panahi's niece shooting a short film within the film. Like I said, super-meta. There's never a dull moment in Taxi. A ride well worth taking. This one exceeded my expectations.


He Named Me Malala

I went in expecting this to be your average TV documentary fare. To its credit this film is far superior than that. It is aesthetically shot with extremely well done animated sequences recounting Malala and her father's days in Swat Valley while he was establishing a school. Then there are some intimate family sequences of Malala with her brothers which serve well as comic relief and have an air of warmth and togetherness to them. Despite this a sense of repetitiveness seeps in after a while. For me the most interesting bits were the ones that told us about Malala and her father's efforts to spread awareness and education and challenging the Taliban before Malala was shot. But since all of that happened before the world's attention turned to Malala there's very limited footage of it and only a brief section of the movie deals with it. Nevertheless the true revelation of this documentary is how the filmmaker exposes Malala's father's role in her life. He truly comes across as the fearless hero responsible for the global success that Malala has turned out to be. At times there's also a self-congratulatory tone but the makers do a good job of not over doing it. It's a very well made film and I'd recommend it. Since Malala's still a teenager, if she continues on the trail of relief work and spreading education that she's on then we might see a more comprehensive documentary in say the next decade or so. 

Kothanodi

I can't give definitive thoughts about this film because I walked in 20 minutes late and left about 10 minutes before it ended. It'd be incorrect to classify this film as "horror" though. It's more in the supernatural space revolving around black magic and superstitious beliefs. The defining factor of this film according to me was the background score and sound design. It's an odd comparison given this is an Assamese film but watching these stories unfold made me feel very much like reading one of Blaft's Tamil Pulp Fiction anthologies, Despite the obnoxious premises, at no point does the film seem stupid or to be biting off more than it can chew and that is to its credit.

Aligarh

Aligarh has its moments, and a very earnest performance by Manoj Bajpai. Despite this I found it to be terribly average. It tries to be a lot of things and ends up being neither one. It takes too long to take off. Scenes between Bajpai and Rajkumar Rao have some spark but they're few and far in between. Especially the middle section dealing with court proceedings buries the story down among all that legalese. At one point it seems the film is going to be about politicization of the AU but even that idea is abandoned. Then at times the film seems to be pursuing the pathway of a procedural, but even there no clear picture comes out, The topic of the film is essential no doubt and it's a story that needs to be told but I only wish it was done with better characterization, vigour and vibrant story telling techniques.

MAMI 2013: The Final Day

Heli
Language: Spanish
Director: Amat Escalante

"Heli' was the most disturbing & depressing film I saw at the fest, but that in turn only reminded me of the power of cinema to sometimes make us sit through experiences that shake us up.

An innocent family gets embroiled in a drug trafficking case in the outskirts of Mexico. This results in the local paramilitary force picking them up from their house & what follows then is an extensive torture set piece both physical & cerebral. Instead of trapping the audience in a torture chambers & making it a 'torture porn' flick the film explores the aftermath of this horrific incident & how it changes the lives of the scarred individuals probably forever.

The harsh sun-parched rocky terrain of the region seem to be mirroring the turmoil of the characters.

This was the perennial film festival mindfuck for me.

Don Jon
Language: English
Director: Joseph Gordon Levitt

Well made, smart & funny but ultimately a predictable film. I felt there was a better movie in there somewhere.  Levitt shows a deft hand at handling the material he's working with & for the most part I kept hoping the film would go beyond where it was intended to but it was not to be. 

Johannson looks gorgeous but I felt was a strange choice for this role, Julianne Moore on the other hand is a treat. My favourite though were Tony Danza & Glenn Headley as Jon's parents. 

Despite it's cliche ridden ending I enjoyed watching it, was just expecting something more.

On My Way (Elle S'en Va)
Language: French
Director: Emmanuelle Bercott

For the first 15 minutes it seemed like this would be a woman-dealing-with-mid-life-crisis film like 'Gloria' but then it picked up & turned into a road movie-cum-family dramedy that follows the events occuring in the 48 odd hours in the life of Bettie, an ex-beauty queen of an era gone by where she makes amends with her daughter and connects with a grandson she never knew. Filled with humour & pathos this was a pleasant surprise. Sweet film












Brave Miss World
Language: Hebrew & English
Director: Cecilia Peck

A former Miss World Linor Abargil turns to activism & her Jewish heritage to overcome the trauma of rape in this documentary by Cecilia Peck. 

Dealing with a serious issue like rape & sexual harassment that occur the world over the film has to be commended for giving a voice & platform to previously silent victims to expose the horrors they have gone through & in some cases continue to go through. That said however there seemed to be a tad excess of self-praise & the sections dealing with Abargail's family life mirrored a reality show. Mixed feelings about this one. Serious issue but an obtuse portrayal.  








Amen
Language: English
Director: Costa Gavras

As a part of the Costa Gavras retrospective I chose to watch this 2002 flick on the big screen as I am fascinated by films based on Nazi Germany.

Based on real events & (partly) real characters 'Amen' plays out like a tense thriller about the lengths to which  two individuals, one a Nazi army officer & the other a Jesuit priest went in order to reach out to the Pope to let the world know about the atrocities being committed on the Jews.  Alas! to no avail.

This may not rank very high in the pantheon of WWII movies but is still riveting nonetheless.

MAMI 2013: Days 5 & 6

For Those In Peril
Language: English
Director: Paul Wright

No film festival is complete without that one 'weird' film. This was that weirdo for me. The film deals with the protagonist's loss of his brother in a boat accident which he himself survived. The entire movie is consciously haphazard. Scenes inter-lap & juxtapose into each other to give the audience a heady experience & there is no discernible 'narrative'. A lot of figuring out is left to do on the audience's part. What I could get from it was how the loss of someone close changes everything-your internal feelings as well as your external outlook to see things including relationships, how the line between insanity & sanity starts to blur due to the grief.

It's all very stylistically shot though, I especially appreciated the sound design. All the film's flashbacks are shown through grainy footage that mirrors those shot by a cell phone or handycam, which may (or may not) be a comment on how memories quite literally become 'grainy'.

Despite this I really found a lack of emotional connect & the ending's just bizzarre. I was really put off by it, but there's a niche audience out there for this kind of a film & that's cool with me.

Another House (L'autre Maison)
Language:- French
Director:- Mathieu Roy

I felt this was an uneven film but when it worked it worked quite well. It questions our treatment of those that brought us into this world after they have reached an age where they find difficult to sustain themselves. There's a note of melancholy throughout the film but it never transforms into garish melodrama, the heart strings are tugged gently.

Despite dealing with a despondent subject it ends rather optimistically (or as optimistically as a film involving Alzheimer's, old age homes & war can end). The last 5 minutes are a meditative experience.

The Great Beauty (La Grande Bellezza)
Language: Italian
Director: Paulo Sorrentino

Okay, time to bring out the superlatives: Exceptional, brilliant, dazzling, par-excellence, gorgeous take your pick, 'The Great Beauty' is all that & more.

IT. BLEW. MY. FUCKING. MIND.

What terrific writing! Some of the best dialogue I have heard/read in quite a long time. Razor sharp wit. Quoting lines from this is going to be my next obsession. A central character that deserves his own mantle piece in cinematic time capsule & so many themes explored that listing them out would take up the rest of this post. Every scene, every frame, every sentence has been incorporated for a reason with meticulous detailing. 

This crisis of existentialism flows like poetry & hits like an arrow. Hard to find a flaw here, even the music is so magnificently used where opera rubs it's shoulders with indie pop. This is powerful cinema, it almost energized me & I cannot wait to revisit it. This movie alone was worth coming to MAMI for. Easily one of the best.

A Touch Of Sin (Tian Zhu Ding)
Language: Mandarin
Director: Jia Zhangke

This is a very cool movie. 4 mildly interrelated stories where the protagonists encounter death in one way or another in their journey. Basically the subject matter explores whether violence is something that is inherently human or something that only swells up when we're pushed to the extreme? The violence depicted isn't very grotesque but the sheer boiling intensity built around it makes it very striking. 

I personally like the leitmotif of captured animals running across all the 4 stories. It's the 'every man''s tale of revenge & crime. Visually eye catching & emotionally turbulent.

The Scorsese & Tarantino type fans may also dig this one. 







Gloria
Language: Spanish
Director: Sebastian Lelio

58 year old divorcee having a mid life crisis. That sounds depressing but the film is not. On the contrary it's uplifting & at times funny with an outstanding performance by leading lady Paulina Garcia. If this was a Hollywood film there'd be Oscar buzz around her name. Unfortunately it isn't (she did win the Silver Bear at Berlin though). What's noticeable in 'Gloria' is how deftly the intimate moments of everyday life are captured. I loved the way music is incorporated, there's no soundtrack to the film, music only comes into play when someone turns on the radio, plays music in a party or inside a club. it is very cleverly incorporated into the screenplay. This is a compassionate film.









Ilo Ilo
Language: Chinese, English & Tagalong
Director: Anthony Cheng

"Ilo Ilo is a small Singaporean film with a big heart" described director Anthony Cheng. Those words couldn't have been truer. I love this film. Inspired by the director's real life it's about a 10 year old boy forming a bond with his Fillipino maid against the backdrop of the 1997 Asian financial crisis. Chen has amazing eye for detail for the time period & the film exposes how each of us in our own ways are flawed yet we have the tendency to go beyond them. This film is a fine example on how to keep it low budget yet create something compelling & lovable. There are just 4 major characters throughout & a majority of it is shot indoors. Yet there's absolutely no sense of monotony. The casting decisions are excellent almost as if these roles were created for these actors & vice versa. It's wonderful to see such an affectionate film coming from this part of the world. 






Bakrapur
Language: Hindi
Director: Janki Vishwanathan

A social satire set against the backdrop of rural India. This film instantly reminded me of  Marathi film 'Deool' I saw at MAMI 2 years ago about blind devotion that leads to discrimination & divide. As far as satires go the whole mountain-over-a-molehill subject has been dabbled with numerous times before still the director provides enough interesting material to stay engaged. The film falters at times though, the depiction of politicians is caricaturish & the ending's slightly abrupt. Despite it's flaws it's a film with honest intentions, I hope it gets a wide release.

The Little Mermaid 3D
Language: English
Director: Ron Clements & John Musker

I had a chance to watch the remastered 3D version of this Disney classic on the big screen & I took it. We had a Disney representative take a small class before the screening explaining briefly with the help of slides & videos how they transformed the feature to 3D. Very interesting.

The film's still as enchanting as ever although another perspective did arise as the last time I watched this was many years ago when I was 12 or 13. Isn't it sexist that Ariel wants to give up her royal lineage and become a human just because she's fallen for a prince who is and I quote "sooo handsooome!" & why does the lobster have to be Jamaican? Are there Jamaican lobsters? Thought for another day perhaps.

MAMI 2013: Day 4

Another very satisfying day. On the film watching front there was 1 film that failed to meet my expectations, one that exceeded them and one that was achingly good. I also spent one session watching & discussing short films by young Afghan filmmakers.

The Nun (La Religieuse)
Language: French
Director: Guillaume Nicloux

Set in late 17th century 'The Nun' is a period piece though it isn't an epic. It is an intimate account of a 17 year old girl Suzanne who's coerced into becoming a nun to atone for her mother's sins as she's an illegitimate child. What follows is a tale of corruption & discrimination under the roof that preaches that God created everyone equal.

I really liked the portrayal of the protagonist's fighting spirit. She's against the church though not against religion. against discrimination but not the institution itself. The treatment thankfully isn't loud or sensational like some other films revolving around similar subjects often incorporate.

That said the pacing is languid & quite frankly this is not something I haven't seen before. Watch it if you have an appetite for serious drama as there are hardly any laughs here. Strictly average.



Katiyabaaz (Powerless)
Language: Hindi & English
Director: Deepti Kakkar & Fahad Mustafa

Summary: In Kanpur, India, Loha Singh is the local robin-hood, stealing electricity so that homes and businesses could function normally in the face of day-long power-cuts. Meanwhile the first female chief of the electricity supply company has vowed to rid the town of illegal connections and increase supply. In a summer of crisis, sparks will fly

Fantastic documentary! Went in with low expectations but came out having watched one of the most delightful Indian documentary I've seen.

This film is a live wire (no pun intended), take all your inhibitions & preconceived notions about documentaries being boring like a history lesson & toss them in the bin. This film had me riveted throughout. Loha Singh is one of the most colourful personalities I've ever seen in any kind of cinema. Throw in a pastiche of North India & a vivacious soundtrack by Indian Ocean & Varun Grover & you have a complete package. Must must must watch hai yeh toh.

P.S:- In the first few minutes I felt the movie looked too 'polished' for a documentary but by the end it ended up as a boon that set it apart from the numerous other docus.

The Past (Le Passe)
Language: French (Some Persian)
Director: Asghar Farhadi

This again is one of those films that I'd love to do a longer post on sometime in the future simply because there is so much to say.

Shorter version-This is excellent cinema.

Director Asghar Frhadi  establishes his Mis en scene so absorbingly that it is hard not to get drawn in & stay with these characters.

This film's story is the aftermath of events that have set forth a chain of actions, hence the title.

Typical of Farhadi's style the film has lots of subtext, with elements such as the use of mirrors, rain & presence of children as observers. Each scene unfolds with astonishing attention to detail.

 Nothing makes me happier than a film that I can enjoy both on a plot/story level as well as on a subliminal level. Such gems are rare & Farhadi's Le Passe is one of them.


I spent the afternoon session watching a bunch of short films made by comtemporary Afghan directors on various topics. The pick of the lot was Mahbooba Ibrahimi's documentary 'Driving Test (Permis De Conduire)' about a young Afghan woman cab driver, it's a spunky slice of life piece despite it's serious connotations & 'A Time Called Oldness (Zamaane Banaam Peeri)' by Hamid Alizadeh about an old shopkeeper who loves to collect antique radios & TV sets. I had a chance to speak with Alizadeh, he told me that the young generation of Afghan filmmakers want to make films on subjects other than war, to show the world there's more to Afghanistan than what is perceived to be a ruined civilization.

MAMI 2013: Day 3

Back is beginning to sore, neck is beginning to sprain, eyes are beginning to redden & it's only day 3! But who cares when there's awesome cinema on display? Right then let's get on with it. 5 films seen. Took some chances which pleasantly paid off & I was more or less pleased with all of them.

Giraffada
Language: Arabic (Some Hebrew)
Director: Rani Massalha

The Israel-Palestine conflict has interested me for quite some time so I did not want to miss out an opportunity to catch cinema coming out from that troubled & tempestuous part of the world. The word 'Giraffada' is a portmanteau of the words 'Giraffe' & 'Intifada'.

This is an important film. It is lovely & heartfelt at the same time hard hitting & audacious.

Plot: Yacine is a veterinarian of the only remaining Palestinian zoo. His 10 year old son Ziad has a special bond with the 2 giraffes at the zoo, When the male giraffe is killed in an Israeli air raid, Ziad & his father set on a mission to steal a giraffe from an Israeli zoo & smuggle it back into Palestinian territories. The film is inspired by real life events.

The film portrays the terrible, hostile & stale conditions the Palestinian people have to live & face every single day, how they've been relegated to quite literally being prisoners in their own land. In one striking scene as a group of young boys are sitting & playing around when an Israeli military vehicle swoops in  & asks them to 'Go back home' they flailingly reply "We ARE home".

This bleakness of reality is countered by telling us the story from the perspective of the child. The green eyed Ahmad Bayatri gives an endearing performance as Ziad to whom the heart instantly reaches out. Ultimately that is what Giraffada's appeal is, it's a story with a lot of heart. Sadly thousands of Palestinian children like Ziad are losing the essence of their childhood every single day. At least 'Giraffada' gives us a tale where a brave father fights to keep his child's innocence alive. This is my favourite film at the fest till now. It made me feel thankful for the freedom I have in my country.

Beyond All Boundaries
Language: English, Hindi & Marathi
Director: Sushrut Jain

My first documentary of the fest, it was everything I expected it to be. The film follows 3 cricket fanatics who gave up everything to pursue their passion in the backdrop of the 2011 World Cup. This is real-life feel good cinema where the under dog finally triumphs. The central theme is how in a country divided by innumerable factors cricket miraculously unites us. Lighthearted, evocative, straightforward & most importantly enjoyable, BAB is a delight. It's a testimony to the Mark Twain quote "Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities, truth isn't".

Check out the trailer below.

Beyond All Boundaries - NEW TRAILER from Sushrut Jain on Vimeo.

60 Going On 12 (12 Ans D'Age)
Language: French
Director: Fredric Proust

Another feel good fare. 2 old friends in their post retirement stage want to relive their youth & do everything they couldn't in their younger days. It's a crowd pleaser with lots of funny moments all the while building up on a climax that centralizes the importance of family, friendship, love & the yin-yang relationship between youth & old age. There were instances when it reminded me of the similarly themed Basu Chatterjee gem 'Shaukeen'.

Some terrific acting all round, an easy to follow, brisk screenplay only elevates its status.

This was my 4th French film at the fest & yet my knowledge of the language starts with 'Oui' & ends with 'Merci'. Sigh.

Satyanweshi
Language: Bengali
Director Rituparno Ghosh

This played as part of a retrospective to pay tribute to the late Rituparno Ghosh. It was his last full length film

I love myself a good whodunnit where a detective solves a crime & that exactly what 'Satyanweshi' is. Though it takes it's own leisurely pace to unravel which I felt at certain brief instances was bordering on dull, the moody atmospherics, wonderful eery background score & an authentic recreation of the period it is set in create an absorbing mystery.












Bad Hair (Pelo Malo)
Language: Spanish
Director: Mariana Rondon

Tired & exhausted, my foremost objective while this screening was not to fall asleep & to it's credit it did engage me enough to not doze off.

It's a film about a 9 yr-old boy obsessed with his hair living with his thankless single mom who never fully appreciates him & would be a nominee for the 'worst mom ever' award if ever there was one

The scenes with the children are quite adorable (The little girl playing Junior's beauty queen aspirant neighbour is a hoot)..In turns funny & stoic I thought it was well made but felt something missing. Probably my sleep.

MAMI 2013: Day 2

On day 2 I witnessed the prestigious Palm d'Or winner from Cannes, an enticing Coehn Brothers flick. Michael Gondry's wildly imaginative feature & er...Sofia Vergara shooting bullets out of her bosom. 

Inside Llewyn Davis

Language: English

Director: Joel & Ethan Coehn

Any Coehn brothers feature is a must watch & this one is no different.

 Set in 1961 it portrays a week in the life of struggling  out of work folk singer Llewyn Davis played wonderfully by Oscar Isaacs (eerily resembling 60's era Cat Stevens). Any creative person trying to make a living with his art will relate with Llewyn. It's a classic case of how when one decides to stick by his principles the whole world seems to be selling out. The dialogue is funny & sharp especially during the early parts of the film. Cinematography is great. From the cramped spaces that struggling singers are living in, to plush studios to estranged highways everything is captured fabulously. Another aspect that is noteworthy is the taut editing & how the director's employ it to portray the passage of time in varying degrees. Of course music plays an essential part in the film and by cleverly casting actors who're pretty much established singers in their own right the makers make every performance scene raw & heartfelt. A special mention to Carey Mulligan who is a scene stealer as Llewyn's acerbic mistress, she's every guy's worst nightmare. ILD may not be one of Coehn brothers' best but it's still very good. Watch.

Mood Indigo (L'Écume des jours)

Language: French

Director: Michel Gondry

No matter how many words I write I cannot do justice to the visual spectacle of this film. You just have to watch it to believe it.To give you a vague example, try & imagine your wildest, most bizarre dream portrayed on screen. now multiply it by 10, that would probably be the starting point of Gondry's imagination. On the plot level it is a simple story of love & loss between a man & a woman but the treatment is dazzling. I was spellbound. Watch it to see how a simple story can be elevated to a completely new level owing to wonderful use of visuals, set design, VFX, colour etc. It exemplifies how fantastic visual storytelling can get. Absolutely loved it.

Watch the trailer to get only a small glimpse.

Machete Kills
Language: English (some Spanish)
Director: Robert Rodriguez

What can I say? I am a Rodriguez fan & I could not resist it. I knew Indian censors wouldn't allow this to release anytime soon so I shamelessly jumped on to the bandwagon to catch it. Film festival prestigiousness be damned ;)

Pretty much the same deal as it's prequel only this time the body count has increased, so have the celebrity cameos with a tad bit more badassery. It was good to see a film that did not take itself seriously at all for a change at the fest. 











Blue Is The Warmest Colour (La Vie d'Adèle) 
Language: French
Director: Abdellatif Kechiche

Undoubtedly the film with the most amount of buzz at MAMI as it arrives after winning one of the most illustrious honour in cinema, the Palm d'Or at Cannes. 

I would love to do a detailed, longer post about the film perhaps sometime in the near future, for now though I'd just say the film is intense involving multiple layers dealing with themes of love, passion, sexuality, adolescence, youth & art. Aided by powerhouse performances by it's 2 leads. 

With a running time of 3 hours the film does test your patience but the pay off is well worth it. I didn't mind most of the films often long & elaborate scenes between the characters because the director creates an 'environment' such that I want to share head space with them. 

That said this might not be a film for everyone. The lovemaking scenes are very graphic & may seem a little drawn out. Also the film requires commitment and concentration on the viewer's part. 

The reason the acting for me is so praiseworthy is because (without giving much away) the lead character is a completely different person than she is at the beginning of the film, and throughout almost all of the film we see her through tight shots & close ups, & to bring about that change with facial expressions & body language gradually & convincingly is no mean feat. 

There's a lot more I had going through my head after watching this that is yet to be processed, but maybe I'll save it for that longer post. All in all though BITWC is bold, heartbreaking, heartwarming, disturbing, & moving & I believe any good piece of cinema is bound to make you journey through a range of emotions as you sit there in that chair. 

MAMI 2013: Day 1

It's Mumbai Film Festival time again & as I did the last time I attended I intend to blog about the films I see everyday to keep a neat document of my cinematic memories. Now since I run around all day to catch screenings & come home late it doesn't leave me much time to write an in depth frame-by-frame detailed post about the films. Hence these are just my basic thoughts about what I felt about these movies.

So without further ado let us begin.

Day 1

Closed Curtain (Pardé)

Language:- Persian

Director:- Jafar Panahi & Kambuzia Partovi

What starts out as a film seemingly about a man spending time alone at his beach house with his dog for peace of mind soon turns into a film about the invasion of privacy & the travails of living under exile with the arrival of new characters. And then mid-way through the film, director Jafar Panahi enters the movie as a character. He is playing himself. From this point on the difference between what's happening in 'reality' & what's occurring in the director's mind becomes paper thin. It fondles with this interesting idea of how a creation views it's creator. Though heavy with subtext & surrealism it is handled deftly. There are long stretches of scenes that required patience to watch especially as the film incorporates no music whatsoever. By the end the film leaves the audience to unravel the sequence of events that may or may not have taken place, the good thing though is each viewer may find his/her own conclusions.  

The Immigrant

Language: English 

Director: James Gray

Confession: I chose to watch 'The Immigrant' mainly because I have a big time crush on Marion Cotillard.

But with Joaquin Phoenix in the mix & a Palme d'Or nomination at Cannes I expected a first rate feature. Well, I was wrong.

'The Immigrant' is bland & boring. Apart from the splendid art deco & costumes which recreate the 1920's there's very little to keep you hooked here. Joaquin Phoenix overacts with aplomb as the oleaginous pimp, Marion Cotillard is not bad as the conflicted central character but her 'victim-of-circumstance' act borders on monotony. The only bright spot is Jeremy Renner who shines in his performance as a sprightly magician but unfortunately does not have enough screen time. Treatment wise there is a sense of lethargy all through. A plot like this sounds Oscar bait on paper but it just doesn't convert on screen.

Watch 'The Immigrant' when it's playing on TV someday on a lazy afternoon & you have nothing better to do. Actually don't, take an afternoon nap instead.

Fandry
Language: Marathi
Director: Nagraj Manjule

Fandry is an amazing movie. You know you've seen good cinema when you've been entertained yet educated, laughed yet felt a lump in the throat, sensed devastation yet felt a sliver of hope trickling through.

Social evils are alive & thriving in our country no matter how much we try & put a blanket over them, & to a greater extent in our villages where more than 70% of our population still lives. 'Fandry' is the story of an adolescent boy called 'Jabya' belonging to a lower caste in a Maharashtrian village. A story of his lofty aspirations as well his crushing reality.

There have been numerous films about the horrors of the caste system but none quite like this one. There's never a dull moment here, Through the story of the boy we are more or less coming face to face with our hypocrisy and ignorance. This does not mean that the film is deeply depressing. The subplots about Jabya trying to woo a classmate (belonging to a higher caste) with the help of his friend & having a boyish obsession with catching a black sparrow (which is his means of fanciful escapism) provide enough occasions for hearty laughter. Really though the film addresses the core issue without being preachy & to say that that is commendable is putting it mildly.

The acting all around is top notch & a special mention to the wonderful soundtrack by Aloknanda Das Gupta. I had the privilege to hear the director speak post the screening where he said it's a personal film for him as most of the things are based from his real life experiences and it shows.

Picasso's Gang (La Banda Picasso)
Language: French
Director: Fernando Colomo

The comedy genre is seriously underrepresented in film fests in my opinion, more often they're not considered 'on par' with gritty hard hitting cinema & hence I made it a point to watch this light hearted comic caper.

It is shot excellently with a brisk & bouncy screenplay & fantastic performances by all the actors. If you're an art & literature connoisseur of the early 1900's there's even more for you to love here as you might be able to spot the references & "in" jokes better. The 'gang' here refers to a group of artists which went on to revolutionize the world with their art but before that they were but youngsters trying to make ends meet, sometimes by not very healthy means and how they get embroiled in a theft at the Louvre museum.

A heavy handed topic like early 19th century art is lovingly repainted with a comical brush and it's much fun while it lasts. Time well spent.

Mumbai film fest: Day 4

On day 4, I was only able to squeeze in time for 1 film. But that 1 film was an experience I shall not forget for a very, very long time.


The Artist

Language: Silent film with English intertitles
Year: 2011
Director: Michael Hazanavicius


'The Artist' was the first time that I watched a silent film in a movie theater. It was an experience to behold. It made me feel like I had traveled back in time to the golden silent-era of Hollywood.


The film depicts a time period from 1927 to 1931 & is shot in pristine black & white. In these times of high definition colours, microscopic clarity & surround sound there is something trustworthy about a black & white silent film that makes us instantly connect with it. Every frame is so lovingly decorated that you just can't stop your heart from fluttering with joy. Even the screen aspect ratio is the classic 1:1:33 format. 

The story is that of a dashing & rather arrogant superstar George Valentin (played by Jean Dujardin) of the pre-talkie era who is caught off guard by the arrival of sound in films. He dismisses it in the early stages ("If that's the future, then you can have it" is his snobbish reply to the producer). Obviously, he is proven wrong. Over the next few years, his roles dry up, he goes broke, ventures into directing but fails miserably, his wife leaves him & so do his palatial comforts.


Around the same time there's another star on the rise, the lovingly named Peppy Miller (Berinice Bolo) who was spotted by George & whom he had fallen in love with before her career went into an overdrive. She's known for a little beauty mark that Valentin penciled with love & care. 


So while Valentin goes down in the dumps & Peppy soars to the sky, would she remain loyal?


I guess you know the answer. Yes, it is the grand retelling of the quintessential 'fall of the artist' story, but the manner in which it is told makes all the difference in the world. One can see all the fondness & affection that Haznavicius has for the silent era burst out in tenderness & glory here.


Of course the acting is unparalleled. There are certain mannerisms which were so prominent in the actors of the silent era that are on full display here & leave you in magnificent awe. No wonder Dujardin won the best actor award at Cannes earlier this year (Not to mention even the adorable Jack Russell terrier in the film won the Palm dog award!)


In a silent film, the music are the words & Ludovic Bource does a terrific job of eliciting the desired emotions out of us.


'The Artist' is a film that is in a league of it's own. It's unfair to try & compare it with any other film that I've seen in the festival. It made me fall into a certain state of enchantment & reverie that no other film did. 


Somewhere along the way as technology advanced, the movies lost their soul. 'The Artist' resurrects that soul.

Mumbai film fest: Day 3

On day 3 I witnessed 3 drastically different films. A dystopian, ominous turkish flick, a visually soothing Russian film & a razor sharp political thriller directed by George Clooney.

Le Diner Les Monstres/ The Monsters' Dinner

Language: English (Turkish actors)

Year: 2011

Director: Ramin Matin

The monsters' dinner is as dark, ominous & psychologically challenging a film as they come. In fact I would even slot it under 'horror' in my book even though there are no ghosts present. Well at least not the "physical" kind. Psychologically though, there are monsters galore.

It's hard to say whether you "like" or "dislike" a film like this. Because the only intent here is to make a profound impact on your mind. And it does that quite convincingly.

The film is set in a dystopian universe, a satiric reflection of our contemporary global society manifested in the near future, in which two seemingly ordinary couples sit down for a dinner party. The film cruelly and comically shows how our contemporary culture might transform into a world of extreme hedonism, violence and desensitization.

It's a world where evidently "normal' things that liberate us for example, painting, reading fiction, smoking or even tasting the sweetness of sugar are illegal, but ostensibly preposterous things like infidelity & "buying" children are the order of the day.

The entire film has just 4 characters, is shot entirely in 1 house, takes place more or less in real time & has lots & lots & lots of dialogue, as that's the only tool through which we derive the time, & environment the film is set in.

The film relies very heavily on creating the dark, mysterious feel, by generating a plush yet cryptic ambience. A special mention to the sound designer Oguz Kaynak, as the background "score" (I wonder if you can call it that because it sounds more a melange of sound effects & jarring music) had me very intrigued. The photography too is top notch. If you want to see how many different ways a character can be captured within limited confines of space watch this.

This film reminded me of Kubrick's 'A clockwork orange' which is set in a similar dystopian universe. There's a sequence in the film where the characters while having normal chit chatter are also slapping a small child with ferocious intensity just for fun. It makes you cringe in your seat.

All I can say is if any formal dinner you attend starts resembling the dinner in this film, run like hell & don't look back.

First time for everything

Language: Russian

Year: 2011

Director: Leonid Fomin

It's thanks to film festivals like MFF that I get to see a small Russian independent film like 'First time for everything'. It might never make it big in the commercial arena, might not even make enough waves to get a cult following, & might be very difficult to even dig out on the internet (WHAT?!).

It's a simple story of a little boy, Kolya, who accidently meets his father for the first time in his life. Father and son rediscover each other, overcoming inner misunderstandings as well as numerous obstacles in their life path.

The film is visual poetry. In complete contrast with 'A monsters' dinner', this film has very minimal dialogue. It's all about images & visuals & expressions & body language & things that are left unsaid.

The cinematography by DOP Alexey Korovin is breathtaking despite it being quite apparent that the film was made on a tight budget. Whether it's a forest, a lake, the warm & cozy interiors of a wooden house, the cold rain, the glowing sunlight, or even the plush confines of a flat, everything is picturised beautifully. The charming music by Andrey Zubetc adds effortlessly to the milieu.

It's a film that creates a halo around you & expects you to be "in the zone" to enjoy it thoroughly. I surely did.

The Ides of March

Language: English

Year: 2011

Director: George Clooney

The George Clooney directed 'The Ides of March' had the longest que. For an 8:15 p.m show people had started lining up outside the auditorium since 6 p.m, so I was doubtful whether I'll be able to get in, but luckily I did. And I'm glad that I did for 'The Ides of March' is one of the best films I've seen this year.

George Clooney, Ryan Gosling, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, Marisa Tomei, Evan Rachel Wood, Geoffery Wright.

Whoa!

Nothing. Just wanted to get the load of that exceptional star cast off my chest. With that amount of talent involved, a film can either soar to the skies or crush under the pressure of its excellence. Thankfully in this case, it's the former.

Now, politics is dirty. You know that & I know that. There's a whole lot of shady work done by political parties behind the scenes at the time of elections to make us, the general public, believe that their candidate is squeaky clean. But of course they're not. So the premise of Clooney's film & the revelations it makes might not be anything brand new, yet Clooney makes his points within the guise of a pulse-racing thriller. And what a move it is.

The central character is Stephen Myers (Ryan Gosling), who as a press secretary is required to more or less lie for a living. he works for Pennsylvania Gov. Mike Morris (Clooney) an idealistic liberal. Paul Zara (Hoffman) is his seasoned campaign manager. Also on Moriss' campaign is a young intern Molly (Wood) who Stephen gets cozy with. Sen. Pullman (Michael Mantell) is Morris' opponent & Paul Giamatti is Tom Duffy, Pullman's campaign manager. Marisa Tomei plays the inquisitive New York Times reporter Ida Horowicz.

Both Moriss & Pullman are in the race for President & the state of Ohio will decide the game.

Taking this premise Clooney who's aided on the screenplay by Grant Heslov & Beau Willimon sets up a tale of sex, deceit & doublecrossing.

To give away anything more would be a shame. All I can say is that the film throws twists & turns galore that are a treat to watch unfold.

I never realized when the 100 odd minutes raced away while watching the film & when that happens you can be rest assured the film has struck a chord. It's sure to get a wide release in India soon & when it does I recommend you go & watch it.

Mumbai film fest: Day 2

So on day 2 of MFF I saw a sweet-as-a-candy romantic drama, a marathi satirical dramedy & an insipid German film.

Restless

Language: English

Year: 2011

Director: Gus Van Sant

I was drawn to Gus Van Sant's Restless like a nail to a magnet.

16 year old Enoch (Henry Hopper) is a funeral crasher. Needless to say this implies that he is in some weird manner obsessed with the idea of death. At one such funeral he bumps into Annabelle (Mia Wasikowska). Sparks fly & the two of them get acquainted & crash some funerals together until Enoch comes to know that Annabelle herself is a cancer patient & has just 3 more months to live

The subject sounds grim & morose no doubt but it is handled with a deft hand by the director. At no point is Annabelle's condition used to extract sympathy out of you. Because death is so near her, Annabelle simply decides to ignore it & wants to live out & experience as much life & romance as she can in the time remaining. Instead of gloom what we get is efflorescence. Wasikowska is splendid as the Manic pixie dream girl Annabelle (This is her 2nd bright performance of the year after Cary Joji Fukunaga's British adaptation of Charlotte Bronte's 'Jane Eyre'). The cinematography by Harris Savides is noteworthy as it paints an ideal canvas of beauty & pain.

On the downside though the pace of the movie is pretty slow & can give a turtle a run for its money in the 2nd half. The role of Hiroshi, Enoch's english speaking Japanese ghost buddy who serves as his sub-conscious & voice of reason is never really convincing & one wonders if it was required at all.

Yet all of that aside I completely loved losing myself in this beautiful world of 'Restless'. It gave me a feeling akin to listening to a Pink Floyd album, or meeting an old friend, or a late evening by the sea. It made me realize why I fell in love with the movies in the first place.

I for one can't wait to watch it again & again.

Deool (The Temple)

Language: Marathi

Year; 2011

Director: Umesh Vinayak Kulkarni

Deool is 1 story finely divided into 3 acts. The first act will remind you of the stories of R.K.Narayan with its simple and unpretentious element of humour focused on ordinary villagers. The 2nd act sees the transformation of human psyche & behavior once wealth & social status are acquired & the 3rd is the introspective one which asks questions about the soul, religion & existence of God.

A farmer while searching for his cow finds her near a tree. Exhausted, he takes a nap under the tree & dreams of the 3 headed hindu lord datta. Unable to keep this to himself he tells the whole village. News spreads like wild fire & the tree site is considered holy.

This is the basic premise for the entire film. There's humour, politics, philosophy, & a mirror is held up against the hype & hooplah infested times that we live in today.

Just like 'Adieu Gary' which I blogged about yesterday even Deool beleives in creating a universe of characters unto itself. There are too many to name here but each makes a noteworthy contribution. But where Adieu Gary was small & intimate. Deool is grand & ambitious.

The acting is fantastic all around & why not, the cast boasts of the who's who of the Marathi film, television & stage industry, Nana Patekar, Dilip Prabhawallkar ( 'Gandhiji' from Lage Raho Munnbhai who seems to be in every Marathi film nowadays & also is ironically nicknamed "Anna" here!), Girish Kulkarni, Sonali Kulkarni, Kishor Kadam, Vaibhavi Deshpande just to name a few, and also a sprightly cameo by Naseeruddin Shah himself.

There aren't many faults to find here really. Everything from the script (Girish Kulkarni) to dialogue to background music to cinematography is splendid. Only aspect I didn't like was a glossy dance number which was completely out of place, & probably the length of the film could've been a bit shorter.

But these are just minute hindrances in what is a fabulous all round endeavor. It's an entertaining crowdpleaser that's also reflective & thoughtful. Leave the Ra-One's, Rascals & Bodyguards behind & watch this instead.

Uber uns das all (Above us only sky)

Language: German

Year: 2011

Director: Jan Schomburg

After watching 2 films that I was entirely engrossed in, I have to say Above us... turned out to be quite underwhelming.

Martha Sabel (Sandra Huller) is an English teacher who's in a happy relationship with Paul Sabel (Felix Knopp), a medical student. Paul gets a job in Marseille & they decide to move there. Paul leaves & Martha is supposed to join him a week later. But 2 days after his departure cops turn up at Martha's place to inform her that Paul has been found dead in his car. He committed suicide.

Sounds damn interesting doesn't it? Well, it's actually not.

Reading the synopsis above you would expect the film to follow a certain trajectory, which to be frank it does for most of the first half. But just as I was getting excited at the prospect of watching a neo-noir murder mystery the film takes a turn & sadly it's for the worse.

While probing Paul's mysterious death Martha comes across Alexander (Georg Friedrich) & falls for her as he reminds her of Paul. Hereonwards the movie focuses on whether Alexander will be able to take Paul's place in Martha's life or not.

The pace of the film is lethargic & the plot takes its own sweet (bitter?) time to unravel. Conflicts emerge & drop for no reason, & the story failed to keep me captivated. To give credit where it's due though Sandra Huller is fine as the troubled Martha. The subdued agitation & depression in her eyes is stark.

I'm not saying Above us... is a bad film, but I felt it could've been a better one. It ends up being a bore which is a pity. But then that's just my opinion.