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Reviews
Recovery Road (2016)
Very enjoyable despite some unconvincing sub-plots
Recovery Road follows Maddie Graham (Jessica Sula), a 17 year old party girl in California. Maddie is found to have alcohol on school premises one day after having got home from a party in the early morning, having blacked out and lost her car during the night. Her high school guidance councillor, Cynthia (Alexis Carra) informs Maddie and her mother, Charlotte (Sharon Leal) that she will have to go to rehab or be expelled from school. Maddie concedes and starts her new life in a live-in sober living house for adults, while still going to school during the day and trying to keep this a secret from her friends and boyfriend, Zach (Keither Powers).
The other residents at Summer Meadows rehab are diverse in theirs characters and their sobriety journeys. We soon find out that Maddie's ex-best friend with whom she used to do drugs, Rebecca (Lindsay Pearce) is also a resident and the two must learn to live with each other. Maddie is reluctant to fully dive into her recovery journey - still processing the whole situation - but becomes romantically interested in Wes (Sebastian De Souza) another of the residents, who has been told by Summer Meadows councillor, Craig (David Witts) that he cannot risk his sobriety with a relationship.
The series was very addictive (pun intended) and the storylines were all very intriguing. However, it did require a good amount of suspension of belief and here I will detail the qualms I had with the show. {spoilers} Maddie realised she was probably raped in the first episode and then nothing happens with this storyline which was so unbelievable. This is a life-altering event for anyone and it isn't really something you would think about once and then forget, unless Maddie is incredibly good at supressing things. She only mentions it again in passing to Wes in the final episode.
Speaking of Maddie and Wes, Maddie is a minor, she is 17, in high school, and Wes is a grown up adult man, and no one seems to bat an eyelid at this. Charlotte's "only" concern was that he used to be an addict. Craig's only concern was that it would jeopardise Wes's focus on his recovery. It beggars belief that no one would be questioning what Wes sees in a 17 year old child.
Maddie and Cynthia's dedication to their significant others also is questionable. Neither of them seem particularly phased that they are contemplating cheating on their partners. {/spoilers} It is also particularly strange that Maddie's boyfriend (as well as the rest of her friendship group) is not overly worried about her not being able to attend *any* social outings without giving any good reason as to why she can't come. And the fact that it takes them all *that* long to bother finding out what is going on with her is also questionable.
My other peeve is with Craig, the 25 year old councillor who is apparently the head care provider in the rehab is also pretty questionable. Unfortunately I also found some of Witts' acting to be quite flat at times compared to the other actors'. {spoilers} I also had a hard time believing that he would say to a patient, "Why would you intentionally hurt yourself." when it is discovered they are self-harming. As a trained professional, surely he would know the rationale behind self harm. {/spoilers}
Despite these main issues I took with the story, I thought the show was inspiring and quite moving. It really made me reflect on the importance of honesty and letting people in - especially those closest to you who you know will support you {spoilers} (which Maddie's friends did an atrocious job of demonstrating) {/spoilers}. It clear this show was axed abruptly as there were too many loose plot threads at the end of the first season to not have an ending for, which is unfortunate. But, overall, an enjoyable watching experience.
Great Escape (2015)
Beautiful work
It's so sad that this beautiful short seems to have been targeted by homophobes - with most of the ratings only being only 1 star. I though this was such a sensitive and delicate film that portrayed the struggle of an older queer woman, married to a man, but finds herself longing for a lost love from her adolescence. The first couple of minutes is almost completely silent apart from the clip of a bag, the placing of a ring on a bedside table, the winter wind outside.
When the woman leaves, the silence is no more, a hauntingly beautiful song comes on as she traipses through the snow. The cinematography of the winter trees and the falling snow is stunning; being in black and white just makes this film. When she crosses a half-frozen river, we see a flashback to when she and her lover were young and swimming in summer in the very same river. They look so very happy together, throwing their heads back laughing as one ventures to kiss the other on the cheek. As the song builds, we see another woman waiting in a car in the snow, she sees the other woman and they rush to embrace.
This short, in under six minutes, says a lot about society and how people are forced to stay in the closet. Even nowadays, you get people waiting their whole lives to come out, and even still, some never do.
Kunsten å tenke negativt (2006)
The most ableist film ever? Maybe
I did not know quite what to make of this film as I started to watch it. The opening scene of evidently able-bodied actors playing disabled characters should have been a red flag. It was clear from the beginning that this was a film satirising mindfulness, therapy sessions, and the like and I admit, this part of the film did get some chuckles out of me, but the rest...oh dear.
The film tells the story of a man who is adapting to being a wheelchair user and a disability support group comes over to his house on the request of his partner. In this respect, it being set in one location with a small cast, and with a running time of just over an hour, it felt very much like a play. As it happens, it was adapted for the stage in the Czech Republic in 2010.
Quite possibly every negative stereotype about disabled people was played out during the course of the film: there is no possibility of fulfilling intimacy, disabled people want to kill themselves, and worst of all: creating a hierarchy of whose-disability-is-the-worst, and you-should-be-thankful-you-don't-have-this-disability, declaring they should be thankful they're not in such and such a character's shoes.
As another reviewer pointed out, the sexual violence towards the chairwoman of group makes for incredibly uncomfortable watching. She is an insufferable character (as are most of them), manipulative and controlling. It is obviously a slapstick, dark comedy complete with people falling out of windows, and crockery and punches being thrown about thrown left right and centre, but having sexual violence just seem like just another ingredient in this genre leaves a sour taste in the mouth, as does the butt of the joke always being disability and how miserable disabled people's lives must be.
The Art of Thinking Negatively could have been just about permissible had it come from a disabled writer/director, but as it stands, it feels like an incredibly insensitive and empty exploration of adjusting to a life with a disability.
Naissance des pieuvres (2007)
An exposé on the pressures of compulsory heterosexuality
This was the first lesbian movie I watched. Or at least the first attempt at watching one was a young adolescent (I never got through the whole film the first time). But giving it a second go some 10 years later was a really interesting surprise. I picked up on things I definitely wouldn't have then.
The biggest qualm I have with the film is that the main character Marie is so boring, or at least extremely reserved and doesn't speak much, and I thought this made her very hard to connect to. Unfortunately the longing doe-eyed gazes into the distance don't make up for a lack of characterisation. There are many examples of good coming of age dramas with quiet protagonists but this one just doesn't give much for the audience to grab on to. I felt like there was so much more opportunity to get to know Marie, and in that sense, the other two main characters, Anne and Floriane seemed more like the protagonists in a way.
Aside from that what I most enjoyed and relished was the complexities of female sexuality that were explored, especially compulsory heterosexuality (otherwise known as comp-het). I have never seen a film do this before in such a subtle yet powerful way. In my reading of the film, both Marie and Floriane are lesbian, but cannot act upon it or even admit this to themselves, Floriane especially. The film perfectly captures the pressures of young female sexuality and how it intersects with queerness. The girls all appear to believe and take for granted that heterosexual, penetrative sex is obligatory and a rite of passage (and who wouldn't, since this is what society makes young girls internalise). The way the girls use sex or the lack of it to shame each other is true to life and the games that are played.
It's very painful to have to watch Floriane grapple with her desires in a homophobic or at least hetero-normative society where she maybe cannot be true to herself; she doesn't want to sleep with guys yet feels like she has to do it like a clinical a chore. The scene where Marie "takes Floriane's virginity" really speaks to how much the notion of virginity is taken as a gospel truth and the lack of education for young people about sex and most fundamentally: pleasure. It was sad but understandable why she was so manipulative with not only the boys she showed interest in, but also Marie in public, while in private the two girls were able to be themselves. The scene where they are sitting on the steps looking over a lake was very poignant and Floriane telling Marie that she's very lucky not to have a story of unwanted sexual advances, women and non-binary people know this all too well.
I really loved Anne's character, her almost mad and compulsive drives to get a boy to like her felt true and sympathetic. I would have given the film a higher score, had it not been let down by the way Marie carried the the film. (Not related to the scoring, but I couldn't get out of my head how much Marie looked like Kalki Koechlin).
Transparent: Transparent Musicale Finale (2019)
Good lord, how awful.
I am a big musicals fan, but this was just painful to endure. The seriousness of the acting and storyline was completely zapped out whenever they broke into song. I was really getting into the emotion of something and then: showtune! I can't understand why this was a good idea. I would have been perfectly happy with a shorter, non-musical finale. I also thought it was so contrived how they interacted with all the other characters at the funeral. And, god, that last song was awful. To anyone who wants a good crossover between Jewish culture and musical theatre, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is 10x better. Don't waste your time with this.
Me Before You (2016)
Lots of better films out there with the same story line, don't bother.
Dear Lord, please....This was not a good movie. I think either it should have focused on being a sad story about death or a love story. Because of this conflation of moods, the happy-go-lucky, over the top acting seemed so out of place. I feel as if this was not made for a British audience; like it was 'too British' and everyone seemed to be caricatures of themselves. The main lead actor thankfully did not over-act, but seemed to have no real depth, nor did I believe for one second the chemistry between the two leads or the relationship with her boyfriend for a matter of fact. It was just stale. I didn't hate it, but I didn't feel anything for anyone. If you want a film with essentially the same storyline, but just better overall, check out Rory O'Shea Was Here/Inside I'm Dancing, where a carer falls in love with her patient.
My Brother the Devil (2012)
Slightly undewhelming
It did take two sittings for me to get through this, the beginning felt like a lot of scene-setting, not all of which was compelling or necessary to the story line. Some of the acting felt a bit wooden. A lot of the side-characters were very forgettable. Mo's friendship with Aisha didn't really go anywhere. Wish that Rash and Sayyid's relationship, which was suddenly introduced out of *nowhere*, could have been explored more. And for god's sake, is it possible for people to actually say the word *bisexual*? Others have been saying that this is about a gay brother, when it is never said that he doesn't still love Vanessa. And the fact that their sex was not 100% consensual should have been addressed more. There were just a lot of stereotypes which were played into. A few plot holes such as what happened after Izzi's murder? No investigation? No living in constant fear that the police will rock up at your door? No CCTV that would have caught them? None of the characters seemed desperately sad that someone had died. Despite all these issues, I didn't dislike it. There were parts which were dramatic and tense. Also, why do films insist on being filmed in the dark, I know it's atmospheric, but god is it difficult to watch.
First Night Out (2016)
Could have been a bit better just by making one small change
First of all, I liked this short film. The acting was spot-on. In the first scene I really felt the angst and tension as the young friends walked out of the restaurant laughing; perhaps to themselves, perhaps about the main character, the uncertainty of it put me on edge and I could feel the main character felt this too; that sinking feeling of people laughing at you. I liked the attitude of the waitress. The act of asking a stranger to take a photo is a very innocent and almost vulnerable thing to do, and I liked the way it was portrayed in this film. I wasn't quite clear why the main character was in a rush and why the waitress emphasised to "take your time". But I had a light bulb moment when the title of the film came up after the scene cut to black. This was the main character's first night out presenting as a woman, an obviously nerve-wracking experience. The only qualm I have with this otherwise very nice short film is that the main actor is a man. Unfortunately, in this day and age, there is really no excuse for not hiring trans actresses for trans roles, and this could have had another layer of authenticity to it. So I am deducting one star for that, it could have been a good 7/10.
The Philadelphia Story (1940)
Disappointing
6 counts of unwanted sexual advancements/harassment/sexism/violence against women which is completely unacceptable. I can't help but think people watching this movie at the time must have laughed, thought it was acceptable and have perpetuated the behaviour they saw on screen, or perhaps this movie was just a reflection of what was already deemed to be acceptable in society. Either way, it's never appropriate, yet it is still prominent in movies nearly 80 years later.
The little sister Dinah was played well. Some lines I chuckled at, especially Hepburn's, but no belly laughs. A twist on the traditional love story, but still a pretty feeble plot line. After the first half I got very bored and was simply waiting for the film to end. Well, at least I've seen it now.
Dunkirk (2017)
Very good, but what is the relevance?
Really, in terms if cinematic viewing, this film is an 8/10 pushing a 9/10. Incredible levels of tension that I have rarely seen, really good music and visuals and fantastic acting. The only thing regarding the acting was that the actors mumbled a lot and it really frustrated me that I couldn't hear what they were saying (especially the pilots with their mouths covered). Although it didn't detract a huge amount from the whole story line; since the film was more of a "show" rather than "tell", it did however, take away some enjoyment.
However, what struck me the most, was how there was not one person of colour in the entire film. I realise that this is a historic drama and they wanted to portray it just as it was in history, which is fine, but these days I cannot see how directors can justify making a film that does not hire any actors of colour. If it doesn't, it begs the question what is the point of making the film, why are you not making an effort to hire POC? There are thousands of black and minority ethnic actors waiting to be hired (and women for that matter, of which I counted about 5 during the whole movie). Colour- blind casting is done constantly in theatre and is never an issue (as well as gender-blind casting), I think it's about time we transferred it to film, the human imagination is very capable of filling in the gaps where necessary.
In fact, we need a change in the whole film industry, more representation for under-represented communities, more female directors, more female protagonists, less objectifying of women etc. etc.
Also, I thought it quite a strange time for this film to be released, why now? I would understand if it were the anniversary of the battle of Dunkirk, but no, nothing. A way in which this film resonated with me (having been in the Dunkirk area recently) and a way that the film could have had a more present day significance if had been done in a slightly different way, is that they could have drawn parallels with the refugee crisis which is still continuing right now. People waiting desperately to get to the UK, having crossed a sea in sinking, overcrowded boats, fleeing from violence.
Class (2016)
Nice try
I definitely liked this series despite the amount of negative things I have to say about it.
The whole story started very quickly and I felt that over the series, there wasn't enough building of tension to be fully engaging; it was just one thing after the next and I never felt like the characters acted like they were in grave danger. Some of the acting was difficult to believe, like there wasn't enough weight behind it; a disconnect between the character and the actor. I'm not sure if it was over- acted, or if the emotional scenes were just in the wrong places, or perhaps whether it was because of the script that it didn't seem like it didn't allowed the characters to develop and flourish. I didn't like the fact that there were characters introduced (such as April's dad) that didn't really add a lot to the plot. The only thing binding together the whole story line was the Shadow Kin, otherwise each episode felt very self contained.
And on the subject of the Shadow Kin. They were not scary or menacing enough. The fact that they make jokes completely takes away from any impact they could have had. The inclusion of the weeping angels at the end was surprising; there having been no reference to them at all. It seemed a bit pointless to have them at the end, when if they had have been included earlier on, that could have been really good. When April and Ram go to the Shadow Kin world, it's like it's the most casual thing. It needed more peril and just came across as very underwhelming.
The fact that they made Tanya 14 was just so unbelievable, the actor did not look 14 and the whole character was not one of a 14 year old. I couldn't stand April's mother, her story line didn't add much and she was so patronising to April and Ram. In fact, all of the parents didn't seem to care that their children's lives were in danger and there didn't seem to be much of an attempt to stop them. Ram's personality changed constantly; not liking the rest of them, then liking them, back and forth and his character seemed vague. There was too much focus on football, and again, did not add a lot.
In the first episode, my initial reaction was that the theme song seemed completely out of place, sounding very upbeat whereas the series definitely had a dark tone. (Also why wasn't the actor's name who plays Matteusz in the credits at the beginning like the others? he was just as much a part of the series). The detention episode was good in the way that we learn more about that characters (could have come earlier or even served as a first episode) but that they somehow correctly guessed everything about the rock and the fact that it made everyone argue being the main point of conflict was certainly not thought out well enough.
Apart from all these negatives, I think Charlie and Matteusz's relationship was very strong throughout and and just felt more real and believable unlike April and Ram's. The diversity of the characters and cast was good. The visual effects on the whole were good, the music fitted really well and the editing was good too. Miss Quill's character in general, and especially her snide and humorous remarks, were enjoyable. I liked April's song in the last episode, that was really lovely.
All the way through, I was comparing it to Torchwood whose series 1 was so,so much more hard hitting and engaging than Class. It really drew you in in the first episode, establishing characters fully and built on that really well. Class had a strange combination of really gory and adult scenes, yet quite some young-seeming ones all interspersed with sarcastic quips, some of which were enjoyable. It was like a combination of Doctor Who and all its spin-offs, but I'm still confused where to place it. I am giving it a generous 6. Class was a really good concept, but I think it just fell short.
Up the Women: The Romance (2015)
Brilliant, minus the canned laughter
After series one, what I thought was a rather poor excuse for a sitcom, I reluctantly decided to try again this year. The improvement was enormous! The jokes was laugh-out-loud-worthy; I especially enjoyed the cheese ones and although some of the characters were lacking in depth, in my opinion, it had very witty, and at the end, very emotional script-writing, albeit in metaphors and innuendos, which could have been replaced with straight-forward dialogue, but at times throughout, they did bring very humorous moments to the episode. The canned laughter is always slightly off-putting when something isn't actually funny and I did get a wee bit tired of listening to one character say: 'I don't get it...' too many times. However, saying all that, if you have a spare 20-odd minutes on your hands, give it a watch. I always say, to make sure something is actually funny (and you're not just laughing for the sake of it), assume it's going to be genuinely un-funny, and if you do laugh it will come as a nice surprise and you will realise it is really worthy of laughter; and this episode made me laugh, a lot. Looking forward to next week's!
Five Dances (2013)
I could watch the dancing forever
Being a dancer myself, I loved the fact that the film was centred around that theme, without needing to build a deep plot line. It told a story within itself. At times, it conveyed the characters' emotions possibly more than words could, it just fit, especially the piece nearer the end between Chip and Theo. I found it beautiful and emotional.
I also really empathised for Cynthia when she's crying in her bathroom and we can hear her husband's voice in the background.
I'm not sure what Chip's mum added to the storyline, perhaps it could have been replaced with more of a story line between the two men.
The music was evocative at times, some I didn't like completely, I liked it when we just heard the dancers' breath and even when it was silent.
Overall, it was a really enjoyable film, really emotional and it was brilliant when Chip started to connect with everyone else.
Órói (2010)
Gritty and emotional, but somehow falls flat.
I felt this film was well done in the fact that none of the story-lines were over-complicated, but there were a lot of them and thus didn't make it quite as powerful if there had just been a singular one. However, the acting was accomplished; I especially was captivated by the Grandmother's emotional performance, it was heart-rendering when she was given the necklace and also *spoiler* at the funeral; the shot when she was talking to Gabriel, was really beautiful.
Adding to this, the moments where certain characters just hugged each other was particularly moving, especially when no words were needed to convey their emotions. The final scene was both humorous, tense and relatively satisfying for a film ending.
I have to say that I didn't connect with Gabriel's character to a large extent, but I loved the way that he was very at ease with his friends and that they could all be at ease with each other.
The music was quite good too and I was happy when I heard the song 'Love Love Love' by 'Of Monsters and Men', when Gabriel is on the bus at one point, I felt the lyrics reflected the Grandmother's feelings.
The film felt very long for the right film length , and the beginning felt almost like another film, or it didn't quite fit with the rest of the film.
Overall, I liked the film, it somehow didn't reach my expectations, it was gritty and emotional, and again like many coming of age films; portrayed teenagers' awkwardness, possibly too much. But never the less, I enjoyed it.
Noordzee, Texas (2011)
Amazing Cinematography
*Spoilers* This film was a random find for me, and I'm so glad that I watched it. It has a very adolescent feel to it, but it is quite a mature film in other parts. The acting was confident and realistic. The shots of the beach and dunes, the rain and sky with the actors' voices panning over really made the film for me. It was a lovely blending of nature and people too. All of the contrasting colours in these shots were perfect. This film reminds me of 'Glue' with the awkward silences and the nervousness of teenagers, also a coming-of-age film which I would highly recommend. I loved the fact that Pim could walk into the house of his neighbours and be like one of the family; it was even more emotional when he was crying when his mother left and also when his 'surrogate' mother got ill and died, I felt the symbolism of all the teenagers' white shirts was very powerful and her gesture with the boys' hands made it a beautiful scene. Overall, a lovely indie film, if a bit long.
In Love with Barbara (2008)
Sweet Film
This was a really lovely film. Frankly, I was a bit bored at the beginning and it took a while to get started, but then I was genuinely taken in with the story line, the parts that I understood that is-some of it was a little unclear. The characters were played wonderfully; by Anne Reid, Tom Burke and Elliot Cowan (or Christopher Naylor-not sure which one completely). There were some quite funny bits actually-the drunk husband and also some bits pulled hard at those heart stings. The flash backs added another depth to the film and were very intriguing, my favourite bits actually. The excerpts of voiced over stories had some lovely true meanings that can be taken away after watching. I would certainly recommend this as one to watch just for a bit of fun.
De laatste zomer (2007)
Good coming of age film
I really enjoyed this film, it had a very indie feel, which for me, is good. I felt it to be very similar to the Argentinian film 'Glue' in the way that it was about boys coming of age and expressing their feelings. This isn't bad at all because I liked Glue a lot too. It's quite male orientated (and why wouldn't it be-it's about 4 teen boys) the activities they do together seem quite juvenile contrasting to the way they act with and perceive girls. The 4 boys all have different personalities, which makes it more interesting, they all joke about what the others think especially the more hippy one, Raol, yet he is the one who gets a girl first! One of the ones who usually teases the others ends up getting a surprise. Despite the swearing, it's really quite an innocent film about love and lust and you can't help relating to/feeling for Rik, the shy, emotional one. When all the others kiss the girl he likes, he just sits there looking awkward and uncomfortable, but it turns out alright for him in the end (luckily)!