reev0 Reviews

Earthquake Bird (2019)

It'll fill a couple of hours on Netflix...

[6/10 · 10 October 2019]

A solid but ultimately stolid mystery, super competent and quite engaging but with no flair and a lacklustre ending. Seen it all before, albeit in a different setting. #LFF

Monos (2019)

Compelling filmmaking

[9/10 · 5 October 2019]

Very impressive. A compelling story of midteen soldiers in Columbia guarding a US kidnap victim. It has an obvious debt to Lord of the Flies (compete with clunky reference) and Heart of Darkness, but manages to be its own thing. Beautiful cinematography in amazing landscapes, great sound design, brilliant performances by non-pro actors. I found the ending a little underwhelming, but what a journey

Beti and Amare (2014)

Visually striking, but uninvolving

[5/10 · 20 October 2014]

In 1930s Ethiopia, Beti is a teenage girl, at threat from the young men of the local militia and on guard from Italian soldiers. Then fate intervenes in the form of an alien visitor... or is that in her mind? Honestly, as the film jumps from colour to monochrome without discernible reason, and as two, or possibly three, interpretations of events conflate, it's hard to say what has happened - but nor was I particularly interested.

It's a visually striking film - really impressively so given the reported budget of USD13,000 and tiny crew - and Hiwot Asres gives a strong central performance. But it's underwritten and doesn't seem to amount to much. There's enough here to suggest that Siege the director may be worth keeping an eye on, but not enough to recommend this film.

A Hard Day (2014)

Entertaining but disposable caper

[7/10 · 17 October 2014]

A Hard Day is essentially a thriller played for laughs, with a mildly corrupt but likable central character having the sort of day where bad things happen in threes. I can already see the Hollywood remake, perhaps with Colin Farrell playing it for laughs.

None of this is meant as a criticism. The cinematography is fairly stylish with a few really fine moments, the pace is fairly brisk; Lee Seon-gyun does well to be sympathetic, capable and out of his depth all at once; and most importantly the film is funny enough, with one great scene involving a toy soldier that the rest of the picture can't quite live up to. Entertaining but disposable.

Phoenix (II) (2014)

Difficult premise, bravura execution

[9/10 · 17 October 2014]

This could have been a disaster. The premise (which I will not spoil, but is easy to find) takes some swallowing, but director Petzold and star Hess get you over the initial bump to set up a situation of great tension. The difficulty then becomes resolving that satisfactorily - and when I saw Nina Hess introduce this movie at the London Film Festival, she said that initially they weren't sure how to end it - but they pull off an absolutely bravura climax to the tale, an unforgettable scene, cinema at its finest.

Hess is brilliant in the central role, a really difficult part that she makes absolutely convincing. The other star here is the cinematography. There are other fine moments too - a really creepy scene early on full of women with bandaged faces - that help set the atmosphere. But the real thrill is to see a story told with such conviction and concluded with such panache.

A Second Chance (2014)

Powerful drama

[8/10 · 15 October 2014]

To say much about the plot of Suzanne Bier's film about parenthood would be to risk depriving it of its power - the less you know going in, the better. The film is a succession of well-timed punches to the gut, and the cast is good enough to make the characters' difficult choices understandable. Nikolaj Coaster-Waldau carries a lot of the weight of the film, but he's well-supported - May Andersen is impressive as Sanne in her first acting role, and Bier's previous collaborator Nikolaj Lie Kaas does well to avoid making his character a one-dimensional.

Not an easy watch by any means, and not an entertainment, but a very well-made and powerful social drama.

Decor (2014)

A love letter to Egyptian cinema

[6/10 · 14 October 2014]

An art director on a B-movie, unhappy with its low standards, finds herself imagining that she is the central character in the film, living a different life...

Not a wholly novel premise (although it does - eventually - end up somewhere unexpected), and at least 20 minutes too long. In its favour, the director's decision to shoot in unflashy monochrome gives it a pleasingly old-fashioned feel, and the cast is excellent - especially Horeya Farghaly, who is the focus of every scene. The burden of making the film feel believable falls on her, and she bears it well.

The film is also a bit of a love letter to the golden age of Egyptian cinema, with numerous old films playing in the background. I am entirely ignorant of Egyptian cinema, but I imagine anyone with an interest in it would find plenty to enjoy in this.

The ending contains quite a neat trick, particularly if you're watching at a festival, as I did...

Grand Piano (2013)

Great premise, uninspired result

[5/10 · 16 October 2013]

A film that has clearly started with a high concept - like Speed but playing a piano rather than driving a bus - and the plot has been fitted round that. Having started from that fairly ludicrous premise, you might hope that the film would either embrace it and not take itself seriously, or find clever twists to add. Unfortunately it does neither. It's short enough to avoid being boring, and competently shot and acted, but really has very little to offer.

It's hard to think of the target audience for this - a run of the mill thriller based around classical music? - and I am mystified by its inclusion at the London Film Festival.

The Double (2013)

An offbeat but polished minor gem

[8/10 · 15 October 2013]

Ayoade's second film is a confident follow-up to the promising Submarine. Jesse Eisenberg's office worker lacks confidence at work and with women. His double does not have that problem.

Ayoade draws plenty of mannered comedy from the protagonist's embarrassment, and tremendous atmosphere from a meticulously shot and lit film. It reminded me of an early Coen Brothers film, or perhaps Jeunet & Caro. If the ending doesn't quite deliver on its promise, it's no great disappointment either. Eisenberg is excellent as both his trademark weed and his double, and the supporting cast are generally excellent. Recommended. (Seen at the London Film Festival.)

The Zero Theorem (2013)

A satisfying companion piece to Brazil

[9/10 · 14 October 2013]

Christoph Waltz plays a troubled man in an oppressive, apparently pointless job in his corporate cubicle. As you'd expect from Gilliam, he explores this not with a bleak gray background, but a garish cartoony near-future world full of madness and humour. I suspect this choice won't be for everyone, as the first hour of the film is slightly over-the-top, particularly David Thewliss's David Brent-like supervisor - though it's always entertaining. But by anchoring the film on Waltz, who is able to show a mannered but more serious side than his Tarantino roles, Gilliam gains unexpected levels of gravitas as he explores themes of isolation in a connected world, constant surveillance and feelings of doom. This can be filed next to Brazil in tone, and is highly recommended for Gilliam fans as his most successful film for many years.

Silver Linings Playbook (2012)

Disappointing and irritating

[2/10 · 18 November 2012]

Critical reaction and user reviews seem to be hugely positive. Let me offer up one dissenting voice. I thought this was virtually unwatchable and would have walked out if I had been seeing it alone. The theme of the film is that most of its characters are mentally ill, or at least damaged, to one extent or another. Unfortunately, this manifests in the form of characters angrily shouting at each other. This extends to about 75% of scenes in the film, at far too great a length, without any wit or craft. None of the major characters is remotely likable. This would be fine if the film was a serious depiction of mental illness. It sits very uncomfortably with a contrived, implausible romcom plot, largely free of originality or surprises. But sadly the romcom element does not extend to more than the occasional funny moment. Jennifer Lawrence is fairly good and the other performances are OK, but the film has nothing else to recommend it. By far the worst film I've seen for over a year.