Over the last two or so weeks the 2009 Melbourne International Film Festival has hit town and lit up local theaters with a host of movies from all over the globe.
It hasn’t all been smooth sailing, however, with the controversial withdrawal of three Chinese films on account of the festival’s screening of “10 Conditions Of Love,” (about political activist Rebiya Kadeer, which presumably paints Chinese authorities’ reportedly poor treatment of Kadeer in a negative light); subsequent hacking of the ticketing site from China; and the withdrawal of Ken Loach’s “Looking For Eric”, in protest of the festival’s financial support from Israel through the Israeli-Australian film, “$9.99.” Nevertheless, the show must, and has, gone on to much success with seemingly more sold out sessions than ever, 154 all up. Here’s the pick of what we got to check out (but note, there’s much more to come):
Nicolas Winding Refn’s “Bronson”
Walking into this pretty much blind, color us shocked as we witnessed what unfolded on-screen. Winding Refn’s 92 minute film is nothing more than a plateful of glorious slices of Charles Bronson’s (Tom Hardy) life, providing strong evidence for his claim to fame of being Britain’s most violent, most expensive prisoner. A man who derives immense satisfaction and pleasure from delivering severe pain, “Bronson” shows how its title character — real name Michael Peterson — turned a 7-year sentence for a hold up, into an ongoing permanent jail time vacation, amounting now to over three decades behind bars. Narrative is pretty much thrown out the window and substituted for the raw malice and brutality of Bronson, which he displays at every turn of the corner. It is ridiculous, fascinating and breathtaking all together. Though probably not for everyone, or at least the faint of heart, the film is something more appreciated than loved. Comparisons with “A Clockwork Orange” and “Chopper” aren’t far off. [B+]
Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglourious Basterds”
Described by one critic as an “action film that barely has any action in it,” ‘Basterds’ is exactly that — preferring only flashes of epic gun battles and acts of gruesome violence to complement its narrative. The film is not at all the magnum opus it aspires to be, rather, this entertaining but uninspiring exercise in filmmaking seemingly serves as a box-ticking tribute to Tarantino’s cinematic loves, all squeezed into 153 minutes.
As discussed in an earlier Playlist review, the lack of an anchor for the audience meant the film lost much of its power and emotional draw. Intended or not, what that means for the picture is the antagonist — nicknamed the ‘Jew Hunter’, played by Christoph Waltz at his most vibrant and show-stealing best — becomes the most interesting, funny and popular character. By the time the narrative climaxed, we didn’t have anyone to care for — the only character who had our sympathy, the film’s protagonist Shoshanna Dreyfus (Melanie Laurent), is good but ultimately underwhelming. Great moments and scenes are still littered throughout the picture and Tarantino’s penmanship is exceptional as always. But, at the end of the day, after all the talk and all the hype, did the end justify the means? Probably not.
FYI, for those keeping score at home, the version shown at MIFF was the new cut that included, among other changes, a cut to Goebbels having sex with his translator and a pre-Louisiana bar scene with Michael Fassbender and a few of the Basterds. It’s suppose to be “much improved” which makes us wonder what was shown at Cannes. [C]
Kathryn Bigelow’s “The Hurt Locker”
Even with all the hype, Bigelow’s Iraqi war film definitely manages to live up to expectations. A thrilling, heart-in-your-mouth ride, the film follows a U.S. Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit stationed in Iraq. Hit by a recent tragedy, the team members must continue their work, now led by the bold and confident Sgt. William James (immaculately portrayed by Jeremy Renner). After entering the fray, James quickly displays his eccentric, unconventional mannerisms, diving headfirst into each nervy, life-or-death encounter. His hesitant counterparts, Sgt. Sanborn (Anthony Mackie) and Specialist Eldridge (Brian Geraghty), provide the film’s grounding, with Sanborn’s reluctant understanding of James and Eldridge’s youthful shyness and obedience. As the story unfolds, James’ exterior is slowly peeled away, thanks largely to his friendship with a young Iraqi boy named ‘Beckham’. Their relationship allows us insight into the psyche of this modern day gladiator, a man who calls the battlefield home. Without doubt, one of the best, if not the best film of the year thus far. [A]
Bong Joon-Ho’s “Mother”
A dark, gripping, neo-noir thriller that centers on motherhood and how far unconditional love can take you. Catalyzed by a hit-and-run accident on her mentally handicapped son (Won Bin), the story soon finds the titular mother (Kim Hye-ja) taking the law into her own hands, as she tries to prove her son’s innocence after he is unsympathetically charged with the murder of a young girl. The winding detective-story that unfolds is a riveting and suspenseful journey, with just the right amount of twists and turns. Hye-ja shines as the ‘every-man’ in an Alfred Hitchcock thriller, which “Mother” itself is comparable to. As many have noted though, the film does run a touch longer than it needs to and the absurd prologue sequence, and to a lesser extent the epilogue, was met with some ridiculing laughter. We enjoyed them, but it’s definitely the kind of thing the film’s English remake – of course, right? – wouldn’t dare to replicate. [B+]
Duncan Jones’ “Moon”
Not exactly the sci-fi classic many are proclaiming it to be but, as noted by an earlier Playlist review, “Moon” is an “excellent little addition to the modern sci-fi canon,” a strong debut from Jones and an exceptional performance from lead Sam Rockwell. Centering on a worker nearing the end of his tenure on the moon, we are thrown into a world of resource harvesting on barren land (which looks astounding for the film’s $5 million budget). The psychological toll on the worker, Sam Bell, begins to take affect and has him questioning reality. When a man of the exact physical appearance of Bell appears on site, things are turned upside down and what becomes of the story is a light but still somewhat profound exploration of what it means to be human. Homages paid to sci-fi predecessors are hit and miss and should inspire Jones for a more audacious, original effort on his already planned follow up “Mute” – though it’s already being labeled by Jones as a “Blade Runner” rip off. [B-]