Of the 16 full films that I saw at MAMI's MFF, 5 ranked ***1/2 or more, which is my criterion for finding a film really above the cut. Five more scored ***, which is not bad at all. They are not above the cut, but at the cut. Six were let downs, and I walked out of seven others, at various stages into the screen journey. To be fair, those seven have not been ranked at all, nor have I written their brief reviews. Adding them all, a tally of 16 complete viewings, and seven partial is a disappointing effort on my part, considering I am a hard-core film-buff. But a bout of ill-health and the long distances that had to be covered to reach the venues were contributing factors. It would be fair to say that the real hard-core film buff would have watched five films a day, the maximum at MFF, and the runners-up four a day. My target was always four, since five would be very optimistic. Sadly, I could only average 3/day. Here is a look at the sweet, salty and sour 16 that I saw.
Clouds of Sils Maria: Definitely one of the best films screened at the festival; this French-German-Swiss co-production, directed by Olivier Assayas, starring the magnificent Juliette (La) Binoche and Kristen Stewart (Binoche calls her a "great actress"), shot in the gorgeous locales of Switzerland, is the story of an aging cinema-theatre actress who is confronted with the very death of her first benefactor on the day she is invited to receive an award on his behalf, and a chance to revive her 20-25-year old hit play, written and directed by him, but now being directed by a younger director, and involving a role reversal that will have her playing the older woman opposite a freewheeling young starlet of Androidian films in the role she immortalised back then (Ramgopal Varma Ki Aag?). Rating: ****
Elephant Song: Strangely, the opening and closing of this film are weak but the the entire span in between is super-charged, from the commendable adaptation of a stage-play, to the performances of almost all its characters, photography and editing; part Sleuth part Zoo Story, if that is possible, set in a mental asylum. Rating: ***1/2
A Most Wanted Man: It's John Le Carre, it's Philip Seymour Hoffman playing a deglamourised German secret agent with an accent, it's Germany, it's a Chechen refugee, son of a Russian father and a Chechen mother, caught between German and American intelligence because he inherits a fortune, it's a long film with little action and little humour, but it's worth a watch. Rating: ***1/2
What's the Time in Your World?: A tragic love-story that reminds you of Japanese film Time Within Memory, which was adapted in parts by Indian director Gulzar in two of his films; past and present co-exist, but is there any future for the lost Iranian generation? Ode to small town life and case against migration. Rating: ***1/2
Nymphomaniac Part I: Lars von Trier's two part marathon, four countries producing, over 5 hours long and released in two-parts ( a 7 1/2 hour DVD in the offing, I gather), part three of his trilogy (Melancholia, Anti-Christ), partly funny, partly laced with black humour, partly tragic, partly philosophic, several scenes of graphic sex, several shots of male genitalia as in a montage, unfolds in Boccaccio's Decameron style, finds ways of carrying narrative forward even in a two-character, one-home, storyteller-analyser, woman-man recurring setting. Rating: **
Nymphomaniac Part II: Just a continuation of Part I, divided merely on account of unwieldy length, more star names, more of the same, but the novelty wears of, content includes discourse on Christianity, and (I said so!) reference to Decameron, actors seem comfortable in scenes that are purely pornographic or full of sadism, masochism, blood splattering; lesbianism comes in too, as a token, the exchange between the the two lead characters becomes more socio-religious. (Both parts shown at MFF with Italian sub-titles). Rating: ***
Chimbare: Disturbingly realistic take on human organ trade in Europe, all actors are in good touch, lead actress occasionally goes over the top, but in the context, it is acceptable; end is too gory and too dark, though realistic--reminding you that a film can only highlight, not stop, such beastly crimes. Rating:***
Snow: Cannot but be inspired by American plays of the early to mid 20th century, and must be based on a stage play in any case; stark, slice of life, Iranian in many ways but with a clear linear narrative, the second lead look like Indian actress Sonam Kapoor. Rating:***
Boyhood: Laudable for its path-breaking concept, smoothly executed, great performances by seniors, spontaneously though monotonously done by the growing children, conversation heavy, shows many shades of life in Texas during 2001-13. Rating: ***
Altman: Tribute to maverick director and founder of Lionsgate Films, Robert Altman, who made films like M*A*S*H, Gosford Park and Nashville, underwent a heart transplant, continued to work for many years after that, and died in 2006, aged 81; the film is a documentary made in traditional style, except for one unique narrative device, that works well. Rating: **1/2
Sunrise: Marathi film, Bengali director, Adil Hussain playing the protagonist, age old story of flesh trade, great sound effects and street visuals that are sadly and highly overdone, some fine night and rain shots, several realistic elements, apparently made on a shoe-string budget, had potential, leaves several loose ends, some pretentious intentions and familiar trappings are visible beneath its art cinema exterior. Rating: **1/2
Stratos: Can a film about a contract killer with a dozen killings be slow and dragging? It is Greek and called Stratos, it can be; amazing faces and impeccable casting, lead character hardly speaks, others repeat every line four times, organic unity in the end. Rating: **1/2
The Blue Room: Mathieu Amalric (The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, The Grand Budapest Hotel) at the megaphone lets down Mathieu Amalric, the actor; good to see a Georges Simenon (Belgian writer, creator of the iconic detective character Maigret) murder mystery novel adapted in 2014; there is very little, if any suspense, and the case turns out to be an open and shut affair; jealous lovers involved in murder is an idea as old as the hills, and Amalric does nothing to make it gripping, or, at least, interesting, besides some good cutting at the inquest/trial. Rating: **1/2
Fever: Complex, pretentious, ambiguous; has a few moments of interest; tons of conversation and debate, apparently the subject is 'crime, mass crimes, motives and following orders'; as the film meanders along, you keep hoping for some mooring and anchoring, hopelessly. I was shocked when it won a prize for the lead actor. There were at least 10 better performances to choose from. Rating: *1/2
The Night Is Still Young: Very interesting concept of fairy-tales replicating in real-life, but with unhappy endings; great camera-work, some inspired music, good performances, but just doesn't work; even 82 minutes seem long and repetitive in this France-SriLanka collaboration. Rating: *1/2
16.10.2014 | Siraj Syed's blog
Cat. : Fest. circuit