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onefineday36
Reviews
Try (2018)
...but why should I care?
The biggest issue of 'TRY' for me was the main character was unlikeable. Maybe I'm too spoilt with all the Hollywood flicks full of drop-dead-gorgeous, righteous hero types... but there are plenty of villain, anti-hero or even loser type characters in cinema history that are still memorable and relatable. Marcos in 'TRY' is not one of them.
If I really have to think hard and be his advocate, ok, I can come up with some reasons why he is the way he is. An unsuccessful actor, conscious of his slipping youth and once a big hopeful dream, by now knows too well but still doesn't want to admit the world is not welcoming and adoring him with open arms... So reconnecting to his childhood friend from his homeland, who might have seen him as a younger man who sparkled with big hopes and dreams, could be an uncomfortable ordeal.
But even considering all that, Marcos has no quality to redeem. He plays friendly (and makes up little lies if necessary) when he needs something from people, yet readily pushes them away the next. He is exhausted, depressed, moody, touchy and doesn't even try to make his situation better. We're not even given much of his backstory or his excuses in his own words (a couple of scenes where he would have talked his mind are actually made his line inaudible, so we would never know)...
For a director/writer/actor, a character in their work is their creation, what they have envisioned, crafted and brought to life. However a rotten situation or character, they can't help but feel some sort of affection to them.
But before putting their work to the world, they also need to view their work, cold-heartedly, from a random audience's point of view too. AN audience invested a small penny and 2 hours in his life to watch the film. All they want is something... be it a simple fun, a drop of tear, something to think about or some sort of provocation. If the film and its main character provides nothing to connect or relate to, why should an audience care? People like Marcos there might be a lot in our life, but why should I like to spend 2 hours of my life with him?
Guermantes (2021)
an Ode to the 'crazy theatre people'
Personally, as I myself had dipped my toe in the theatre, I enjoyed this film a lot.
The given time and set-up is particular - under the Covid lock-down and a production cancelled mid-rehearsal -, but the film is not much about the story or drama but the actors, the commune of Comedie Francaise.
The general society tend to view actors with somewhat dubious eyes. Unless you become rich and famous, an actor is often perceived as bit of a clown, bit crazy, untrustworthy (because they can just 'fake' it), a Bohemian vagabond who refuses to become a responsible grown-up of the society. Regardless, an actor has to view and live life differently. To be able to capture and express the essence of truth (whether it be of the drama or the character), an actor has to remain sensitive and sometimes brutally honest even about the uglier side of human nature. Unlike philosophers, psychiatrist or doctors, who arguably have deeper and more constructed knowledge of humans in their given area, an actor has to embody what they know and feel, because an actor's job is in action and expression not in ideas, words or visions.
For that reason, it is crucial for an actor to have the fellow troop as the comrades and the theatre as their world. The fellow actors become their family and lovers and the theatre (Beyond the marbled foyer, velvet covered auditorium and the glitzy stage, the dark dusty backstage, narrow passage ways and the dingy waiting room) their world. There have been some films about what happens behind theatre productions, but I don't think any of them captured this 'world of their own' aspect as richly as 'Guermantes' does. The level of intimacy and nonchalance they treat each other, carefreely taking up every corner of the theatre as their home, the incredibly physical nature of their interaction (most people would experience it only in sexual context), all the ups and downs during a rehearsal - the struggle to learn new lines, occasional nervous break down when the task is overwhelming, the sense of freedom when one finally gets to inhabit the character... Then there are also the reality - the pressure for the next role, the director feeling bit alienated in the world dominated by actors, and the real world outside their fragile universe they can't ignore in the form of failed relationship or new romance. It's all there seemingly as a bunch of snippets, but as a whole it forms the big picture of the life in theatre.
I just don't know how the general public with no regards to or experience in the theatre would view this film. Probably just heady bunch of gibberish about self-indulgent crazy theatre people. But I can't help myself but embrace this film with an affection as an ode to the theatre people... those crazy people, who can still light up a little magic, even, as in the last scene, when their little world -theatre- locks them out and they end up on park benches.
Moral Rules (2022)
Interesting, but not entirely successful
'Spring Awakening' was a round breaking play at the beginning of 20th century, that honestly addressed the detrimental impact of the Victorian prudishness vs. The natural budding sexuality of teenagers. But how relevant is it today? We almost have the opposite issue - minors being exposed to sex too much without proper guidance.
'Moral Rules' is a modern adaptation of 'Spring Awakening', and the focus has shifted from the prudishness to exploitation. Melchior in 'Spring Awakening' was simply a boy who was too intelligent for his time, but in 'Moral Rules', he is an active abuser and manipulator (until he finds himself getting abused by the authority, that is). It is an interesting twist on the original, but not sure how it's going to be perceived by the audience.
Overall it's not entirely successful as a film. The lines are bit too wordy and too vague (or philosophical) to ring true to the modern sensibility, and actors being clearly all adults takes away the sense of the characters being teenagers. The saving grace is the acting. All 4 main actors. They keep the tricky balance between the theatricality of the play setting and more naturalistic flow of the film format (the actors who play the minor role of teachers are weaker, but not enough to take down the entire film).
It's an interesting watch, but it won't achieve the significant implication of the original play.
Disco Boy (2023)
More a mood piece than a drama
A local militia against the big oil corporations and corrupt authority; a migrant from Belarus seeking to become a french by serving in the infamous French foreign region. Just from the setting, the film could have turned out to be an intense drama - a criticism on imperialism and exploitation, or deep psychological drama of moral conflicts. But 'Disco Boy' uses such subject matters as the ground to create a (rather moody) mood piece than actually getting into the drama.
The film carefully veers around what could easily have been violent and shocking - the death of a friend, training process of the Foreign Region, a village burnt down... -, and chooses to only hint them through more artistic compositions and camera techniques (the fight scene between 2 protagonists entirely shown as the first person view through Alex's thermal scope vision being the most clear example).
The overall result is artistically impressive and hauntingly moody... but also vague and pretentious. The story of 2 men, who had to play tough and do things against their nature just to survive in the world, only to be ultimately consumed by the ruthless system... could have been more gripping and gritty. But they become more like characters in a fable or rather fantastical tale in this film. To me, it feels like they are further exploited, this time by the artistic ambition of the director.
The Judgment (2023)
Interesting material, weak execution
Child trauma, homophobic environment, religion that permeates into every aspect of life, and witchcraft and curse... The premise and the structure are relatively cliché for a horror/thriller, but with the exotic backdrop, that is modern Egypt and its local culture, it could have been a decent film... but it fails in its execution.
The success of this type of story hinges on if it convincingly establishes the development of the all consuming paranoia of the protagonist. But the elements that were supposed to build that tension were not really strong or convincing. From the very first scene, that was supposed to hint Mo's childhood trauma, was not, well, traumatizing enough. The sense of being chased and cursed, and recurring hallucinations were all not truly efficient - let's say I could understand them but didn't hit me in the heart. It was most obvious when Mo was stuck in the flat with the deranged guy; it was supposed to be the thrilling high point that keeps the audience on the edge of the chair... but I was like 'oh, Ok...Well, Mo will escape somehow anyway'.
The production was decent, and would have been enough if they were making a plain drama. But for a horror film, the lack of technical sophistication shows - from the sound design, lighting, make up, and the set design (for example, the doddle covered interior of the aforementioned scene looked much too contrived and unconvincing to induce the sense of abhor and panic). Zahdi's performance as Mo unfortunately fails to make it up either. He looks the part, but Mo's descend into paranoia and desperation doesn't get expressed beyond his squinted sharp eyes and bit of hard breathing throughout.
Ultimately I blame the director. Considering some of the masterpieces of horror were from a low budget B-class productions, I think he couldn't entirely blame technical weaknesses of the production or his leading man.
I find it a real pity. The topical and cultural aspect of the material would have made this really an interesting and relevant work... but when the main chop of horror fails to grip, the material alone cannot save it at the end of the day.
Sex (2024)
They do it better in Norway
Admittedly I don't know much about Norway nor I have watched many Norwegian films, and I know this one film couldn't be representative of the nation's social milieu... Yet, I must say the emotional intelligence and calmness this film portrayed was most impressive for me.
Depending on where you're from or what you stand for, the subject matter of 'Sex' might be uncomfortable for you. 2 straight married guys in their 40s - one just had a spontaneous sex with a male client, and the other, a Christian no less, feels something unraveling in him with the recurring dreams about David Bowie looking at him 'as if he were a woman'. Imagine they talk about it with each other and with their wives. In almost any other countries, I could picture scenes of shocks, emotional outbursts, quarrels, accusations or denial - dramas in other words.
It's different in Norway, or at least in this film. People are willing to talk and willing to listen without attempt to defuse, contradict, argue, intimidate or emotionally manipulate. The 2 protagonists aren't even intellectuals. They are chimney sweepers (I imagine it's considered as professionals in their own right, nevertheless more manual labourers). But even when they interact with each other, there's no usual put up of blocky masculine display. In every interaction with each character, they all seem to calmly meet each other on the eye level without having to play the expected social role.
The overall presentation of the film adds to that quality. The film is almost entirely consisted with scenes of conversations and the cityscape shots in between. All the conversations are shot in long takes with just occasional shift of angles or zoom ins and outs, showing the conversation and expressions in real time. What is said itself also remains very realistic, with occasional fumble with words or backtracking of thoughts. With no flash cuts, scene changes or dynamic camera moves, the film gently encourages its audience to join in the conversation and listen, rather than get emotionally stimulated and react.
I'm not saying it's all perfect in Norway. There are emotional distress that words cannot fully express, there are moments of hypocrisy, broken communication, and ultimately the inability to fully understand each other. Nor you may not fully agree with the situation and the message of this work. But the mature attitude 'Sex' shows in human interactions was by itself touching and represents something we all should learn in this time of extreme polarity and instant stimulus everywhere.
The Goodbye (2018)
Shallow
Terminally ill! Death sentence at young tender age!
It's a tempting dramatic device - what more is pressing than a matter of life and death after all? But the whole attitude this film deals with the subject and situation is much too shallow.
First and foremost, it lacks good acting - from the lead to supporting roles, they are all inadequate to portray the depth of emotions of the grave situation. From the initial shock, the disbelief and mocking humour as the coping mechanism, the grief, the grudge, even the love that the film tries to nicely wrap things up with... are all just on the surface level.
Ultimately I blame the director. The whole attitude this film shows makes me suspect, the terminal illness situation was just a dramatic device and nothing more for him. When a director wants to tackle such a grave issue as untimely death, he should give it the deserving attention down to its details. Some teenager's diary style sentimental monologues, beautiful shots of gray beach and half baked portrayal of family love won't save the project otherwise.
África 815 (2014)
a Sentimental reminiscence
It's a very private little documentary, could be almost called a family film.
Children often disregard their parents' as a full dimensional individual, with their own needs, wants and desires. A daughter, the director, has a rare opportunity with her father, going through his private memoir, old photos and films.
It's in many ways a typical and unremarkable life story of a homosexual man of his generation (he could be considered bi because he married and produced children, but considering his true love objects were men, I think he would be more a homosexual). Little taste of freedom as a young solider in Africa (where I guess he developed a fixation for the 'exotic' men), compromising into a 'normal' straight life back in Spain, mid-life crisis that led him to pursuit a true love 'before it gets too late'. Desires, hopes and disappointments written in a very plain language is read by the daughter straight off the page.
It is a gently bitter story. But the father, who is an educated but not particularly emotionally sophisticated man, lacks clarity and self-retrospection to derive something more meaningful. The little fact that he complains about his young handsome African boys only used him without acknowledging a middle aged European pursuing them could be viewed as an exploitation is definitely a clear example.
Yet, the fact he's got a daughter who took interest in her father's life and made a film about it means at least his life was not all loss and disappointment. I just doubt the general audience may share the same level of intimacy and interest of the director towards her father and stay focused while her camera shows her father having a nap for a couple of minutes straight, for example.
I think it's still an interesting and worthy addition to the archive of collective memory of gay community ... when so many intimate and personal accounts of homosexuals of the past are lost or ignored.
It Is in Us All (2022)
in the perspective of Anglo-Irish dynamic
'It is in us all' is not a satisfying watch. It has all the look and self-importance to become a very serious art-house deep dive into a human psychology... or something -from the mysterious characters to sweeping wide shots of the landscapes to an extended scene that nearly amounts to body-horror. I sat there and waited something to happen, to go deeper, perhaps even dark. It didn't. It's all misty to the end.
But at least it made me think about one aspect, which the director may never have intended and I may have totally blown out of proportion, but... I find the dynamic of Anglo-Irish relationship featured in the film rather interesting.
For many British (especially English), Ireland remains something blurry back in their mind. A kind of a little brother figure, still feels like a forgotten part of their nation, somewhere they can always visit and impose themselves on but nowhere they particularly want to be anyway. This attitude you can picke up from Hamish's English father. For him, Ireland is just a backwater, and the difficult relationship of the past (represented by his failed marriage to Hamish's Irish mother) is just water under the bridge. In other word, it's just not worth putting much thought to.
On the other hand, the Irish response to the English visitor is a complex mixture of curiosity, fascination, and veiled suspicion. One moment very friendly, but just below the surface there's hostility that runs deep from their acrimonious past relationship.
Hamish, half Englsih half Irish, sits right between these 2 clashing dynamics, and eventually breaks down in the subtle but unbridgeable gap. He arrivs Ireland first as a totally unsympathetic stranger. Even the fatal car accident doesn't seem to stir him much, and he seems to take it as just something happened. Only when he realises the forgotten Irish root, he finally looks around. He's inexplicably attracted to it, yet he can't really understand it nor fully accept it.
This is just my unsubstantiated rant about the film. But it could be a way to see this rather vague film? The very fact that the director chose an English actor as her leading man for her feature debut, and thus making her own country 'the Other' in the dynamic is a telltale sign.
To kalokairi tis Karmen (2023)
an ordinary summer of an ordinary man
Demos looks like he walked straight out of an ancient Greek vase (definitely a big 'eye candy' element in selling the film), but inside he's an ordinary man like you and me. He's full of fibs and little hypocrisy, and loses his clarity as he often lets his cock think for his head. But he's not a bad guy. He just wants a piece of happiness for himself, that's all... like you and me.
Now, how can one turn such an ordinary summer of an ordinary guy into an entertaining film? Enters Nikitas, an aspiring director. But alas, he is not a genius who can magically turn this ordinary summer into a masterpiece either - he is full of his own little hang-ups and broken expectations too. The film uses their struggling of making a coherent script out of their life as the frame. It's an interesting self-mockery from the film maker's part.
But the end result is well put together and entertaining. There are lots of elements but it never lets itself get too serious. There are plenty of humour, handsome guys and sexy scenes to keep you entertained. Some moments came across as trying to be too clever (like the little moment of mock-musical), but overall it stays within its frame of the ordinary people trying to turn their ordinary story into a film. But as an ordinary guy full of little BS myself, there definitely was something to take from it.
Certainly worth a look.
Acts of Love (2021)
More a brain storm than an end product
The subject matter is fairly universal - the frustration of your beloved not loving you back in the way you want, and the existential loneliness it triggers. Most people would choose to drink, seek casual sex etc... Our director is an artist, and chooses to make a film.
There's definitely interesting bits beyond the titillating set up that involves real sex and sexual tension. All these different people come in, and as the project progresses, we see how different expectations, subtle manipulations, desires and different levels of hypocrisy clashe and dissipate. There's no surprise. We all see what we want to see, and at the end of it is miscommunication and broken connection - existential loneliness, in one word.
Many (including director's mother) seem to find it uncomfortable to see the director dares to turn this process into a work, but I think it's rather common for a young artist to display so much self-consciousness and ambition -the belief he could turn his life into an art-. My criticism lies in that he remains unclear what he wants and where he goes with this project. The only thing clear is his longing and obsession for his lover in Mexico City. When he is so preoccupied with him, it's no surprise that he fails to connect to any of the participants, to the project itself and ultimately to himself.
I hope Isidor reaches certain clarity with more experience, age and deeper contemplation. Then 'Acts of Love' would be viewed as a little remnant of his process, a brain storm of his art and life.
Jeudi, vendredi, samedi (2021)
Sweet, gentle and surprisingly touching love story
Cahn's previous short 'Herculanum' remains one of my most favourite gay themed shorts. There he demonstrated the unusual ability to capture subtle emotions and gentle connection. The more recent effort of Cahn's direction here proves that it wasn't just one off wonder.
Most gay themed film go for cute/sexy actors, titillating display of sexuality and high dramas. There's none of them here. The two leads, though cute in their own rights, look the part of simple factory workers - far far away from the serious intellectual or artistic types philosophizing endlessly, that French films seem to love to feature for some reason. It doesn't mean these 2 men don't have their own feelings, dignity and longings. And the film follows them with a gentle affection. Their shy but caring little gestures for each other are touching to witness even without a hot sex scene or high emotions.
Wouldn't you want a Romain or Ademar of your own in your life?
I should like to see Arthur Cahn never loses his quality and carry on making films for us.
Un prince (2023)
Funny one, this is
For the majority of the running time of the film, I thought it felt more like a mood-board. You know, the concept presentation that an interior or fashion designer uses to explain to the client the basic ideas of what they're going for. It's not a finished product, and the lack of details and coherence would be often compensated by the flowery words of the designer... This film felt just like that. What's seen on the screen was strangely 'naive' - from the static camera, wooden actors to abrupt cuts and story changes -, and kind of a pale sketch of more complex internal monologues of various characters (there are virtually no conversations other than the narrations).
But OK... it was still somewhat a sentimental and calm journey of a life that I didn't mind to, if half-heartedly, observe. 'Ah, that young man basically hooks up with every guy available around him. Good for him! I mean, sexual tension we all carry no matter how calm the surface may look...', I thought.
But it takes a very very weird turn, when the mysterious Kutta that everyone was talking about finally appears on screen and has sex with the protagonist (of course!)... but with 7 penises that wiggle around like an octopus' tentacles, I finally lost it and just laughed out loud. 'What the hack is going on? Is it suddenly turning into a SiFi?', I had to wonder. Well, the film ended with just a couple more bizarre scenes, so I didn't really find out why the sudden turn took take place. Kutta having been mentioned constantly throughout the film and him being called 'a prince', the film's title's sake, I can assume he was supposed to have certain significance... but frankly not sure if he was really 7 wiggling cocks worthy significant.
I won't call it a waste of time or worst thing ever etc, but I'm not sure what I watched and what this film was striving for.
Knochen und Namen (2023)
Scenes from a few Relationships
A gay couple, whose relationship reached the stage where every conversation ends up with a quarrel; a french director, who takes on an intimate project that turns out be very personal; a young girl, whose constant attempt to test the water and limit lands her in troubles.
This feature is more a collection of various intimate scenes rather than a one coherent plot. More of food for thoughts rather than a story with a satisfying end.
Interestingly the director takes the approach of gazing from a distance for these subtle and intimate scenes. Mostly austere and white washed interiors, very much flat, more painting/photo like compositions, and camera that never gets too close to the character even in the moment of high emotion... encourage the viewers to simply gaze and observe rather than emotionally involve.
Even the character of Boris played by the director himself has 'let it be, and let's get on' attitude in contrast to his partner, who seem to want to dig deeper into his own fear and insecurity or indeed the french director who seem to want to understand what happened to her own relationship through her new project.
The result is charming and interesting but bit ambiguous and vague. I suspect the director, Stumm himself didn't exactly know what he wanted to say in the end. A director who pushes his message too hard can be tiresome, but a director who simply hopes his audiences make their own conclusion can be also bit frustrating. I admired the power of observation and calm approach of Stumm, but I hope he commands a bit more direction for his next project.
Femme (2023)
Failed to grip me
A revenge drama is a tricky business. You don't want it to be a too much of exploitation trash, but you don't want it to be too safe either. 'Femme' falls closer to 'playing it too safe' team.
I found the biggest issue was that the key moments didn't ring true. The assault scene, for example, is the basis of the rest of the ensuing drama. I wouldn't have expected it to be the level of 'Irreversible'... but it definitely relied too much on camera works and editing than the rawness of the violence, thus making Jules' resulting trauma less gripping to the audience.
The following key moments of shift also failed to be convincing. How Jules re-encounters Preston, how that chance encounter leads to hook up, how that again leads to a proper steak date... all seem to just happen for the convenience of the plot. Also Preston's changes as a character, namely how he develops deeper feeling towards Jules and admits his submissive side... all come along without much development (after literally one scene after another of him using Jules like a sex toy, that is).
Together with Jules' frankly flimsy plan of 'revenge' (why would he bring Preston back to his place and let his friends meet him if he truly was serious about his revenge?), the overall result is that it made it hard to take the whole thing rather seriously. A revenge drama that keeps you at the edge of the seat, 'Femme' is not.
One of the weaknesses was also Stewart-Jarrett playing Jules. His switch between feminine-masculine persona was impressive, but his display of tension/fear/emotional struggle was pretty mono-toned. Say, his fear before the assault should have a different colour to his fear when he later faces Preston's thug friends, for example. But to my eyes, it all felt pretty generic 'fear'.
Mackay's display of explosive temper and the contrasting soft/weak side is great, but even his great acting cannot quite make up (already mentioned) lack of convincing development.
I want to see more risk taking and raw approach when the film maker took up such a controversial subject to start with.
Zhena Chaikovskogo (2022)
A grueling journey of obsession
I'm always excited to see a production of sumptuous costume drama. It's notoriously expensive and difficult to pull off, and in the time of cheap shortcuts everywhere, 'Tchaikovsky's Wife' stands out for its consistency and authenticity of its style and production design.
Drama-wise, as the title implies, it's almost all about Antonia, the wife's perspective... and her perspective is extremely simple - her obsession for Tchaikovsky. The 2 and a half hour run is all about her anxious and gradually more manic and bitter obsession, and you can imagine it wouldn't be a very happy and even somewhat exhausting journey.
Tchaikosky as a character largely serves as her object of obsession rather than a full multi-dimesional person. He is definitely portrayed as rather cruel and frivolous (and real Tchaikovsky indeed was when it came to his wife), but he's also not depicted as a simplistic evil - there are fleeting moment of his human depth as in the 2 photo session scenes. And I can understand why they avoided using Tchaikovsky's music much (apart from Antonia playing the melody of the famous letter aria from 'Onegin'). The beautiful and emotional music of Tchaikovsky, the representation of his genius, would have shifted the weight of the film from Antonia to Tchaikovsky.
Despite it being a grueling journey, it didn't feel boring thanks to the sumptuous production design and rather theatrical style. From the very first scene of the dead Tchaikovsky rising to taunt Antonia for daring to come to his funeral, one should understand this was not to be a conservative and realistic depiction of drama. Yet there definitely were some scenes that rather stood out like a sore thumb - Antonia presented with a bunch of muscular young men (or indeed more dramatic reprise of it at the end) or her lover masturbating himself in his blood stained death bed feel the director being overtly ambitious.
Overall I appreciated the film... though I'm not sure if I want to go through it the second time.
Canary (2018)
Doesn't quite get there
I appreciated that it tackled not an easy subject matter and in a quasi-musical format too. Frankly I don't have much idea about the history of South Africa, and I, again, appreciate that it gave me a chance to have a glimpse of a chapter of its recent history.
But I can't dismiss the feeling it always shies away before it cuts deep. Whether it's the musical moment, Johan's fantasy, romance, conflict and even Johan's inner struggle for which the later part of the film does dedicated lots of time, the film flips to the next scene before it truly hits the high point. It feels almost like the whole film is under the influenced of Johan himself, who tries not to stand out and keeps his head down. For it being a musical, wouldn't it have been more fitting if there was at least one scene where music and emotion burst and flourish, even if it had to remain in a fantastical context than in reality?
For the very similar subject matter, I should say 'Moffie' was more detailed and emotionally charging experience. And I'm glad I watched Moffie before Kanarie otherwise it would have been bit more difficult to understand the historical and societal background.
De noche los gatos son pardos (2022)
a Cinema of the Absurd
For the first part, I thought this was turning out to be a typical Euro art house gibberish... but when the police and inspector arrive the scene, it became clearer this is to fall in the line of the theatre of the Absurd.
There are too many different languages, and people can hardly communicate. Police, inspector and mayor all keep their respectable facade, but none of them know what's going on or what has to be done (their language resembles that of politicians closely, actually - pretending to know what they are talking about and yet always evade what really matters). Nobody does or care for their job... and soon the scenes from the weird film in the first part start to repeat in reality... even across the ocean in Mexico.
Is it interesting? A bit. Worth nearly 3 hours of your life? Probably not. But at least its gibberish is not entirely gibberish because it's meant to reflect the absurdity of the world, life and us.
Staccato (2016)
Why the bother with a period drama?
I know it's a huge challenge to produce a period-costume drama on a budget. Period drama costs more money. But if you can't make it right, why bother to begin with? It's not that I'm asking it to be ravishing; but at least it has to be stylistically coherent.
I'd guess the drama is supposed to be set sometime in Victorian era... but then, while the costumes for female characters are vaguely late Victorian, why do men's resemble more of early 19C (as in George IV ear)? Gentleman not wearing a jacket even in his own home or maids not wearing a head dress are weird too... but ok, maybe I could let such details pass...
In the dinner scene, I first wondered why they were having an afternoon tea in the dining room... Turned out they were having dinner... but why then is the tea served before dessert?
Then at the recital, men turn up finally more in Victorian black tie attire... but why does the pianist come on the stage wearing a top hat?
Apart from the production/costume designs, a lot more could have been wanted in the acting department too. All of them are lacking the stylistic understanding of playing a period character. Just putting up a cringe posh accent and bumping up the pretentious mannerism wouldn't do unless a parody of a period drama was the film's goal (it wasn't).
It could have been an OK film. But for its unprepared attempt to make it a period drama resulted in having too many flaws and distractions to just enjoy it.
Kelti (2021)
a portrait of ordinary people
'Celts' is an intimate ensemble play of a single day of ordinary people. The world is going mad around them. The war that just started would go much nastier and much longer. But they don't know it. Just like any ordinary people (you and me, basically), we are just looking to get through another day, full of little private frustrations, hang ups, and momentary smiles. There's no magical solution, no grand finale, and nothing really goes as planned, but we carry on so long we manage to find a small relief, a relic of love and a glimpse of hope.
What I commend the most about 'Celts' is the balance. It's so easy to opt for more melodrama, big catastrophe, or letting one character steal the show. But 'Celts' manages its own pace, always managing to pick up little moments of each character's own story (even from just a passing character like the passenger in the father's taxi). We never fully get to understand all the ins and outs of one character, but we sense these are real people with their own lives and their own stories. It's no mean feat to pull off.
Passages (2023)
Doesn't realise its potential
Not all films need to be message driven, but I think any director or writer makes a film because they have something to say. In that sense, I'm not sure what 'Passages' wanted to say.
There was an ample potential to make an interesting social cut in the age of more fluid sexuality. "don't pigeon-hall yourself", "follow your heart"", you could be anything and love anybody"... and so on all sound great, but how it actually works in reality, and how it could clash with the traditional idea of a committed relationship, gender roles, and responsibility of a parenthood. There still are remnants of such questions and reflections in 'Passages'. Problem is Tomas is too big a rotten character and consumes all the drama. He's self absorbed (resulting in being selfish even without a malicious intend), cowardly, dishonest with himself and others, emotionally needy yet wants to dominate the situation, and above all manipulative (oh, and his fashion sense is pretty atrocious, but that's just based on my taste). It makes in contrast his male and female partners innocent victims, leaving very little room for a balanced reflection on sexuality/relationship/gender role issues.
Maybe a social commentary was not the director's intention. Maybe a character study was the goal? But surprisingly we don't really get to see the depth of Tomas and even less of Martin and Agathe. Why is Tomas the way he is? What was Tomas's relationship with Martin like before the storm? What did Tomas really see in Agathe and the future with her?
All the sex scenes were fun to watch, but if a character study was the goal maybe the film could have used those minutes more towards... well, to show the character. 'A rotten character ruins the lives of others' is too obvious a conclusion for a character study or even just any old relationship drama.
Passages is an OK drama. Technically sufficient and actings are decent (though I think it failed to utilize all the potential of such interesting actors as Whishaw and Rogowski). But it left me wondering what it really was all for... or is it just me out of my depth?
Credence (2015)
Sentimental gibberish
I get it. These gays are not the same old self-absorbed sex-fiends. They are fathers, family men, just as loving and dedicated as any straight couple. But beyond the premise, this film doesn't have that much to offer.
Despite the not so short run time for a short and the grand apocalyptic setting, the plot is extremely simple. The moment John decides to let his little daughter go, there aren't much left to keep the tension going plot wise. The rest should have been the intense and complex emotional journey of the 2 fathers, and the film tries with constant flashback cuts of their once happy carefree family life... but it fails to achieve that heart wrenching emotional climax.
Several issues: the chemistry between the two fathers is lacking. They are all dedicated fathers, but what kind of relations have they had as lovers and then a couple? The film fails to capture them as individuals and a couple, and thus reduces the emotional complexities they would have gone through at the latter part of the film.
Actings didn't help either. Especially Alex Hammond as Scott is wooden, and didn't really have any emotional depth.
I appreciate the basic premise. But if the director and screen write truly wanted to capture the life of a same sex parenthood, they needed more research and observation of the real people and families. The grand Sci-fi set up cannot make up the lack of detailed and deep understanding of real life and relationship.
I Love You More (2023)
Pretty realistic depiction of teenage psychology
It seems almost any gay director make at least one coming-of-age drama. Problem is many of them are surprisingly unrelatable. Sometimes it's too tragedy ridden melodrama, sometimes it's too pink tinted image of what the director wished but never really had in reality.
'I love you more' is much calmer, gentler drama. Especially the psychology of the teenage character in his first love, with all his idealism, anxiety, moodiness and blind drive, is depicted fairly realistically. Now as a grown-up, I find him incredibly annoying, but I can't deny I definitely shared a lot of the characters when I was about his age.
It's not a perfect product. Ben's life and surrounding lacks the nitty gritty of real life, sceneries are all a bit too majestic every time, parents (especially mom) shows the patience of a saint... Overall everything is shimmering in a sort of golden light of late summer evening. I think it's the director looking back his childhood and his motherland with nostalgia... But at times I wished to see just a bit more rawness.
Nevertheless I still think 'I love you more' is a positive addition to the extensive list of gay coming of age films, if nothing else than for the relatable depiction of the teenage psychology.
Mates (2023)
It's complicated
It's clearly a low budget feature, and one sees it from get go. Camera works, edit and sound design all are less than sophisticated. I have seen quite a few cringe or even horrible low budget features before, so I kind of prepared myself for the worst case.
But in conclusion it was actually turned out a pleasant surprise. It's definitely not a product of high artistic ambition or a groundbreaking marvel. But the conversations capture the realistic flow of the young 'mates' who are not quite yet grown up men, and the actors do manage to pull it off enough. And the hidden tension and interaction behind the surface become quickly and surprisingly complicated.
Is Cornnor gay? Did he fancy Nate and that's why he agreed to go on hiking? Is Adam really serious about Cornnor? Why does he seem to flirt with just about anybody then? And what about Nate? Is he a closet case who was peer-pressured to play a big macho guy?
In the time where being Gay is OK and boundaries of sexuality is getting blurred, this little 4 men play captures the challenge and confusion of the younger generation who grew up in that environment. For me, Mark, who represents a straight man, was actually most interesting character. Belonging to the new generation, he does not display clear homophobia any more. He definitely can get along with gays... so long he is sure who is gay and who is straight. If he can't be sure whether his mates are gay or straight, how could he know how to treat them or, as he constantly does, reaffirm his own straight identity and territory?
Overall, it was definitely interesting and worth a watch. Give it a go without expecting too much, and go with its flow.
Curmudgeons (2016)
Let us love and live till we drop
Most developed world nations are invariably getting old in terms of demographic, but there are still very little representation of the elderly people in the culture... gay or straight.
Getting into the film, I actually even didn't know it was Danny DeVito and David Marguiles. They both look really so old and frankly decrepit that I had no idea and just thought 'Oh, whoever they are, they are pretty good!'. But as old and decrepit as their characters are, they still have a heart, longing and need. This sweet short film captures the love in the old age as well as the rough old NY mannerisms and the reality of the elderly whose personal sovereignty is taken away as soon as they lose the ability to take care of themselves. Imagine how many gay couples, no matter how long they've lived together, had to be separated because their relationship was not officially recognized.
But time's changed. Old and frail, but Ralphy and Jackie can be together now.