BOTH SIDES OF THE BLADE (Avec amour et acharnement)(France 2022) ***1/2
Directed by Claire Denis
BOTH SIDES OF THE BLADE (original English title: FIRE) follows a couple who have been together for 10 years and still very much in love.They go on holiday, are still pretty much into each other and show much affection and love.But there is trouble in paradise.Into the scene returns Jean’s old work colleague, Francois (Gregoire Colin) offering him a job that he clearly needs.Jean had been in prison for an undisclosed crime and has trouble getting work.But Francois is previously Sara's lover.
Nothing much happens during the first third of the film.It appears that director Denis is working beneath her abilities having tackled tricker subjects in the past with films like BEAU TRAVAIL and CHOCOLAT.But one has to be patient.What appears to be thematic melodrama turns out to be something quite different in the hands of French auteur Claire Denis, one of the most respected French directors living today.Denis is the no-nonsense type director as many journalists who have interviewed her in the past can attest.She is a difficult subject who says it as it is. BOTH SIDES OF THE BLADE is a sharp cutting look at the insides of a relationship, of how one can be torn cut open and torn apart.
Denis knows how to set up drama.The most moving segment is the one where a son rejects a father’s visit.Jean had cancelled an important meeting with Jean and drove 3 hours in heavy traffic to see his son Francois who is living with Jean’s mother.But Francois does not want to see him.Returning home, can cries and is comforted by Sara.This is one tremendously moving scene that will move one to tears. It also shows the strength of the couple's relationship in which sympathy is paramount.
It also helps that Denis’ film stars two of France’s finest actors - Juliette Binoche (Academy Award Winner for THE ENGLISH PATIENT) and Vincent Lindon.They also make the movie delivering superb performances.
BOTH SIDE OF THE BLADE opens at the TIFF Bell Lightbox, known to bring the best of world cinema to Toronto.BOTH SIDES OF THE BLADE is indeed one of the world’s best cinema.
The Lavazza Inclucity Film Festival is part of the ICFF (Italian Contemporary Film Festival). The venue is Toronto's Distillery District where one will watch the films under the stars while seated on large comfy sofas.
Capsule Reviews of Selected Films:
ACROSS THE RIVER AND INTO THE TREES (UK 2021) Directed by Paula Ortoz
(embargoed)
DRINKWATER (Canada 2021) ***
Directed by Stephen Campanelli
If there is any film that achieves the ‘honour’ of having the largest number of cliches,DRINKWATER is it.But director Campanelli tries so hard and his two performers are so good that one can forgive his errors.The film, to his credit does have some fresh ideas though predictability is his weak point.The protagonist of the film is an outsider in a remote British Columbian town.While his jobless father, Hank, makes money from insurance fraud schemes,Mike has to navigate the awkward teenage experience alone. To make matters worse, high school bully Luke Ryan and his father Wesley are a constant source of problems for the Drinkwaters.However, when Wallace, a young American girl, moves in next door Mike’s life is changed forever. Deciding to help Mike train for an upcoming cross-country race provides Wallace with the perfect opportunity to learn about life in remote British Columbia. Through their shared experiences of feeling like outsiders, Mike and Wallace discover what it really means to belong.
MARCEL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON (USA 2021) *** Directed by Dean Fleischer-Camp
The protagonist of this stop-motion animation is a shell that looks dis-proportionate as he has an eye on one side and a mouth on the other.The shell, supposedly a snail, has shoes on.Though classified as a ‘he’ in the film, Marcel, short for Marcello, as the audience learns later on in the film, is locked bya female, Jenny Slate.The result is that the shell sounds like a young male boy, a boy that is searching for his lost parents as a result of an adult couple quarrel.
Marcel is an adorable one-inch-tall shell who ekes out a colourful existence with his grandmother Connie and their pet lint, Alan.Once part of a sprawling community of shells, they now live alone as the sole survivors of a mysterious tragedy.But when a documentary filmmaker discovers them amongst the clutter of his Airbnb, the short film he posts online brings Marcel millions of passionate fans, as well as unprecedented dangers and new hope at finding his long-lost family.
The idea of MARCEL in reality began as a short film about Marcel, an anthropomorphic seashell outfitted with a single googly eye and a pair of miniature shoes. It is a collaboration between director Dean Fleischer-Camp and writer/actress Jenny Slate.The film premiered theatrically at AFI FEST 2010, where it was awarded Best Animated Short and was an official selection of the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. It won the Grand Jury and Audience Awards at the New York International Children's Film Festival.
The plot of the full length feature follows the end of a marriage.Documentary filmmaker Dean moves into an Airbnb and discovers Marcel, a one-inch-tall talking shell living in the home with his grandmother, Nanna Connie and Alan, his pet ball of lint. Inspired by Marcel's whimsicality, resourcefulness, and fascination with the world, Dean begins filming Marcel's daily activities, most of which consist of gathering resources from the backyard in order to support himself and Connie, who tends to her garden and is beginning to show signs of dementia. Marcel and Connie bond over their mutual love of 60 Minutes and Lesley Stahl. Dean uploads his first video about Marcel to YouTube, where it quickly becomes a cultural phenomenon. Marcel is both flattered and overwhelmed with his newfound popularity, lamenting that his family is not around to celebrate it with him.
However, the expansion into a full length feature suffers a few problems.The film takes the already over-used mockumentary path and has a predictable ending of Marcel finding his family amidst the typical obstacles.A really fresh idea that is stretched a bit too long its a full length feature, the film still has its charm, mild humour and odd-like animation, thus garnishing it at the time of writing a 100% approval on Rotten Tomatoes.
REMEMBER ME: THE MAHALIA JACKSON STORY (USA 2020) *** Directed by Denise Dowse
Mahalia Jackson (October 26, 1911 – January 27, 1972) was an American gospel singer, widely considered one of the most influential vocalists of the 20th century.With a career spanning 40 years, Jackson was integral to the development and spread of gospel blues in black churches throughout the U.S.The film emphasizes key issues like racial segregation, coloured rights, the recording industry and religion as were pervasive in American society.She met considerable and unexpected success in a recording career, selling an estimated 22 million records and performing in front of integrated and secular audiences in concert halls around the world.Jackson’s iconic voice helped to spread the message of the civil rights movement. In a world full of mounting pressure in her career and the social-political landscape of America, Jackson will face challenges like no other and overcome them the only way she knows how: with her voice.An occasional moving film that feels like a doc, the film’s best parts are the music, singing and dancing with the best scene shot in the jazz night club that Mahalia enters for the very first time.
TONBI (FATHER AND SON) (Japan 2022) ***
Directed by Takahisa Zeze
The film running at over two hours, which concentrates on the life of a father Yasuo and then with the relationship with his son, among other relationships feels like a family epic. There is a lot of hurt, misunderstandings, skeletons in the closet as well as a lot of life lessons to be learnt. Yasuo grew up an orphan so he knows the importance of a loving family and wants to provide his son, Akira, with the best life possible. Happily married to the love of his life, working a steady job and raising a son are Yasuo’s greatest accomplishments. However, when a tragic accident changes everything and leaves Yasuo with a devastated son and a life turned upside down he must rise to the occasion and provide a stable life for Akira, as he always promised he would. Director Zeze’s film, to his credit, tries its best to stay away from sentimentality and melodrama, though not always successfully. There are a few really moving scenes like when Yasuo’s sister’s daughter comes into her restaurant to meet her mother for the first time. Little dialogue in this scene but otherwise overflowing in emotions.
LES PASSAGERS DE LA NUIT (Passengers of the Night ) (France 2021) ***12
Directed ny Mikhael Hers
The film begins withcelebration on the streets of Paris.The date May 10, 1981 flashes on the screen.To those unfamiliar with that, it is election might and the Parisiennes are celebrating a new air of hope and change.
But it is a different change in store for the film’s protagonist.For Elisabeth (Charlotte Gainsbourg), her marriage is coming to an end and she will now have to support herself and her two teenage children. As she tells her father, she now has to look for work.She (not too tech-savvy) is first hired and fired on the same day because she forgets to save a file after entering all the inventory data.Her daughter tells her that she should have remembered what she taught her - using autosave.There is a slight problem in timing of this scenario, as in 1984 there were little or no PC’s around.How could the daughter be familiar with computers and most data entry were done on main frames.The auto-save feature in 1984 was unlikely to be invented yet.But other props like the older looking television set look authentic for the year 1984.
At the time, radio talks shows were still popular.She finds work at a late-night radio show and encounters a troubled teenager (interviewed for the program PASSENGERS OF THE NIGHT, named Talulah whom she invites into her home. With them, Talulah experiences the warmth of a family for the first time.Although she suddenly disappears, her free spirit has a lasting influence. Elisabeth and her children grow in confidence and begin to mature.
Emmanuelle Baert who rose to fame after MANON DES SOURCES has an important supporting role as Vanda, Elisabeth’s chain smoking radio boss.Vanda shows strength and vulnerability, often controlled by her moods affected by forces beyond her control.Beart is a pleasure to watch, especially when she is delivering her performance demonstrating strong screen presence, especially stealing the club scene where she is seen still with a cigarette in her mouth while grooving on the dance floor.
Cinema plays a big part in the film’s narrative.The first instance he two teenage children learn about independence is when they go for an evening at the cinema.They’re taught and shown how to sneak into the theatre after not being allowed in, after being more than 5 minutes late.Talulah also tells them that he loves the cinema and it makes her forget who she is.
Director Hers moves his film at a casual pace, allowing his audienceto let the events of the story of the action and behaviours of the characters sink in.
Major classics stories include a stranger that comes into the lives of a family, then disappears while making a distinct impact.Among these are of course MARY POPPINS and the stranger in George Stevens’ classic SHANE.In this film, Talulah is the stranger who disappears right after having a sexual encounter with Elisabeth’s son.
PASSENGERS OF THE NIGHT is an easy flowing yet effective family drama in which a family hears and grows from a stranger in their lives.
ICFF Film Festival : Capsule Reviews of Selected films:
ENNIO (The Glance of Music) (Italy et al, 2021) **** Directed by Giuseppe Tornatore
In ENNIO, Giuseppe Tornatore directs a nostalgic documentary of his film music composer for his first and most famous film CINEMA PARADISO.Tornatore is the perfect director as his doc has the same feel, tone and atmosphere as his classic film. Both films pay tribute to the cinema.ENNIO also pays tribute to Ennio Morricone, one of the most, if not, most influential film composers of all time.Everyone recognizes his composition of his iconic tune for Sergio Leone’s classic spaghetti western, THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY.
The doc includes clips of his acceptance speech for his Honorary Oscar and the second, an unforgettable speech by Quentin Tarantino who received it on his behalf.The doc also includes the biography of Morricone from his humble beginnings from a poor Italian family to his early career as a trumpet player, following his father’s footsteps to his study at the Conservatory to his first job as film music composer.
UNA FEMMINA (Code of Silence) (Italy 2022) ***
Directed by Francesco Costabile
Director Francesco Costabile’s femminist drama about a young woman, Rosa trying t break free of mafia roots is a slow-paced yet absorbing little thriller/drama that befits from both its meticulous pacing and performance of Lina Siciliano as the lead character, Rosa.The film opens with Rosa as a young girl when she just lost her mother, the segment ending with a touching image of her grandmother hugging and comforting the child. Since then, Rosa has lived with her uncle and aunt in a remote town in Calabria. When her mother’s involvement with the mafia begins to catch up to her, Rosa is forced to face the consequences of her mother’s actions as she makes her own way in the world.Rosa must decide how far she is willing to go to break out of the mafia while being drawn into its immense power and pull.Rosa breaks the code of silence (the English title) to find out the truth of what is happening with her family in order to break free.This is a case of the men forcing their women to face the consequences of their actions, in this case the local mafia, and then the women that affect their families when they have to take responsibility.UNA FEMMINA shares the same theme as the recent A CHIARA also about a girl discovering and breaking rom her family’s mafia roots, but UNA FEMMINA is the better film.
ON MY WATCH (E noi come stronzi rimanemmo a guardare) (Italy 2021) **
Directed by Pierfrancesco Diliberto
When technology lets you down, let go of technology.The film’s protagonist unfortunately never lets go of technology even when fired for the algorithm that he wrote for the company - the same one that deemed hm redundant. Arturo’s life goes into a downward spiral, but Arturo is determined to keep himself afloat.He begins delivering food for FUUBER, a large service company that uses high tech.To hold off the loneliness, Arturo turns to the hologram Stella. The two become quickly close, but what Arturo is not prepared for is when his free trial with Stella runs out. Forced to work even harder, Arturo discovers that there is a way to find love and freedom, even when a technological giant knows everything about you... as long as we do not just stand and watch like morons.The film’s funniest segment is at the beginning with a musical rendering of a Nazi song and dance number but the humour the rest of the film never matches this.Many of the jokes centre of Arturo’s clumsiness, which are not really funny despite the promising premise of the movie and his romance with the hologram is tolerable at best
EL SILENZIO GRANDE (The Grand silence) (Italy 2021) *** Directed by Alessandro Gassman
If the surname of the director sounds familiar, Alessandro is the son of famous Italian actor and director Vitorrio Gassman.Alessandro follows the footsteps of his father as an actor and director.His latest film, THE GRAND SILENCE is based on the play of the same name written by Maurizio De Giovanni.This film is set in Villa Primic, once a luxurious home, now a creaky old mansion straight out of a ghost story.Reluctantly put up for sale by Mrs. Rose Primic and the two heirs to the Primic's dilapidated fortune, Massimiliano and Adele, the only member of the family who is not happy with the decision is Valerio, the family patriarch. As the story unfolds, Valerio discovers he may never have really known his loved ones and, perhaps, not even himself. Slowly he begins to realize that living is not the same thing as being alive. Journey through 1960s Naples and watch as themes of family, the difficulty of change and the passing of time unfold; through emotional conflicts, silences that explode into a cacophony of words, laughter and sorrow, this film sheds light on one difficult truth: sometimes people talk but not everyone truly listens.The film is a bit on the talky side and director Gassman could have modified the play a bit and added a bit more humour to spice up the incidents.The film feels pretentious and stretches out too long.
THE TREADMILL (Tapirulan) (Italy 2022) *
Directed by Claudia Gerini
Tapirulàn marks Claudia Gerini’s directorial debut. This is the first time Gerini is both acting in and directing a film and her confidence shows - but in fact too much that her character sounds smug, cocky and pretentious.Gerini plays a young woman, Emma who is always on her treadmill.Even when not running on it, she sits on top of it.Emma, tormented by her past, runs on her treadmill for hours to distract herself from the everyday reminders of her trauma.Shehad apparently attempted suicide,Ironically, Emma works in online counselling where she listens to other people's troubles, offers advice, and helps them process their problems and unresolved issues, with the hopes to improve their lives.The trouble is that she refuses to get off her treadmill when she is doing her online counselling, she then obviously getting complaints from her clients.When her sister unexpectedly shows up after 25 years, Emma is faced with a challenging request that she is afraid she cannot refuse.The film doesn’t improve.THE TREADMILL has a boring premise that runs out of steam.The audience can similarly complain that the filmmaker should get off her treadmill and make a proper movie.
LOST BULLET 3 (LAST BULLET (Bolle Perdue 3) (France 2025) *** Directed by Guillaume Pierret
LAST BULLET begins with a short recap of the films and incidents that lead to the final...
