Cicada ★★★★★
Synopsis: A New York love story that toes the line between narrative and doc with two actors reliving parts of their own experiences.
Cicada was a beautifully made film of love and struggle, a film I would only ever need to watch once, but that one time was fantastic.
Ultraviolence ★★☆☆☆
Synopsis: Since 1969, there have been over 2000 deaths in police custody in the UK. It is a frightening statistic that Ken Fero approaches with seasoned conviction. Ultraviolence employs unflinching archival footage to document the tragic and undignified deaths that took place between 1995 and 2005.
As I mentioned in my week one round-up, this would make a very informative double bill with Mangrove... however... the presentation of the information is bad, so bad it's distracting. The voice-over, the captioning, there is little to nothing about the presentation that does this important subject the justice it deserves.
Bad Tales
Synopsis: A few families living out on a limb in the suburbs of Rome. Tensions here can explode at any time; ultimately it's the children who bring about the collapse.
There are very few films I don't take notes on, but this was one. Just like when I watched it, I can't really find anything to say about it, it wasn't a bad watch but for me there wasn't enough of a hook to the story.
If It Were Love
Synopsis: They are fifteen young dancers of various origins and horizons. They are touring Crowd, Gisèle Vienne's dance piece on the 90's rave scene. Following them from theatre to theatre, If It Were Love documents their work as well as their strange, intimate relationships. For the line becomes blurry. The stage seems to contaminate real life - unless the opposite is happening. From a dance documentary, the film thus grows into a troubling journey into our nights, our parties, our loves.
The stream on this cut out on me near the end and unfortunately that meant I wasn't able to pick it up again... I don't think I'm disappointed by that fact. I was finding it a boring experience, but it would not be fair to actually rate it without being able to finish it.
Another Round ★★★★☆
Synopsis: Four friends, all high school teachers, test a theory that they will improve their lives by maintaining a constant level of alcohol in their blood.
I thoroughly enjoyed watching this, amusing and devastating all in one film. Perhaps a little predictable given the storyline, but it was still a great watch for the acting.
Rose: A Love Story ★★★★☆
Synopsis: Gripped by a violent, terrifying illness, Rose lives in seclusion with her husband, but the arrival of a stranger shatters the fragile refuge they have built.
I loved this different take on the popular subject matter. Part of me wishes it had been a little longer so we could have had more story from after the ending... but that wouldn't have been the same type of film. Very well done.
One Man & His Shoes ★★★ ½ ☆
Synopsis: 'One Man and His Shoes' tells the story of the phenomenon of Air Jordan sneakers showing their social, cultural and racial significance and how ground-breaking marketing strategies created a multi-billion-dollar business.
This is a very well crafted documentary. Stylish, well-organised timeline of events, easy to follow and engaging.
A Common Crime ★★★☆☆
Synopsis: Cecilia is a sociology teacher. One night the son of her maid desperately knocks on the door of her house. She doesn't open. The next day, Kevin's body shows up murdered by the police. Cecilia begins to be haunted by the young man's ghost.
I felt quite engaged watching this and it had been high up my list of films to see, but I felt it was a little too safe.
After Love ★★★☆☆
Synopsis: Set in the port town of Dover, Mary Hussain suddenly finds herself a widow following the unexpected death of her husband. A day after the burial, she discovers he has a secret just twenty-one miles across the English Channel in Calais.
Nicely made with an uncomplicated story to follow. Personally I found it a little awkward to watch.
David Byrne's American Utopia
Synopsis: Spike Lee documents the former Talking Heads frontman's brilliant, timely 2019 Broadway show, based on his recent album and tour of the same name.
I'll be honest, while I enjoyed the music I can't say that I saw the point in putting this out as a "film". This musical experience would be much better as an in-person event. (You remember those from way back when?) Lots of people seem to love this, and that's great, but I got nothing from it visually other than some frustration.
The Human Voice ★★ ½ ☆☆
Synopsis: A woman watches time passing next to the suitcases of her ex-lover (who is supposed to come pick them up, but never arrives) and a restless dog who doesn't understand that his master has abandoned him. Two living beings facing abandonment.
Visually The Human Voice was stunning and its use of the space was interesting, but it is very theatrical (obviously, given its source material) and I didn't entirely like the way it incorporated that into what was presented.
Delia Derbyshire: The Myths & Legendary Tapes ★☆☆☆☆
Synopsis: A true pioneer in audio exploration and psycho-acoustics, Delia Derbyshire conceived one of the most familiar compositions in science fiction, the Doctor Who theme, while working in a BBC basement. Her soundscapes felt like they connected to another realm. Kicking off with the discovery of 267 tapes in an attic, along with a treasure trove of journals hidden in her childhood bedroom, this film tunes in to Derbyshire’s frequency; that of a life-long non-conformist, whose peals of laughter in an archive interview tickle with delight and eccentricity.
I'm not a fan of dramatised documentaries, but this lost its way more than any I've seen before. I had put this high up my LFF list to see and was massively disappointed, I didn't find either form, documentary or drama, engaging at all. Usually there is something to pick up and take away from a documentary and I'll go and do my own research, but sadly I was so put off by the bland delivery of actors and speakers that I wondered how this made it this far.
Possessor ★★★☆☆
Synopsis: Possessor follows an agent who works for a secretive organization that uses brain-implant technology to inhabit other people's bodies - ultimately driving them to commit assassinations for high-paying clients.
I enjoyed Possessor for the most part... I had intended to write a full review for this but when I came to put my words down I felt a little "blah" about it all. I liked the idea a lot but I felt it sacrificed some set-up in favour of getting to the action. And that action... wow... I'm not put off by blood, guts and gore, but even to me this felt unnecessary.
Lovers Rock
Synopsis: A single evening at a house party in 1980s West London sets the scene, developing intertwined relationships against a background of violence, romance and music.
The second offering during the LFF from Steve McQueen's Small Axe series after Mangrove. This felt a little more like a film and less like a BBC production, which was a definite improvement, but much like other films I've seen recently I really didn't see much story in it to warrant a feature. I didn't find myself particularly engaged in how it was presented even though the acting was good.
Somehow I still feel exhausted after LFF even though there were no early starts and commuting this year. It was great to see so many films and I have my fingers crossed that some of them don't get missed with the chaotic nature of new releases right now.
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