Hey folks, Harry here with another wonderful report on the Chicago Film Festival from Minority Reporter.... There's a film that seems to be a decent jewel in this mix... take a looksee...
Hi Harry,
This is Minority Reporter again with a new set of reviews. "The Carriers are Waiting" got a lot of buzz and the screening I went to was almost sold out. Hopefully, it will get a decent release and not just NY & LA.
Lovers (Dogma 5) (France) Grade: C
Dir: Jean-Marc Barr
English/ French/ Slavic
I always believed that Dogma 95, the filmmaking document that places a lot of restrictions on filmmakers who choose to embrace it is nothing more than a publicity stunt. The stunning use of Dogma principles in last year's "Celebration" probably got a lot of people thinking that there was something wonderful about the method. It is not the method, it is the talent using the method. And that becomes very apparent when you watch this mess of a movie by first-time filmmaker Jean-Marc Barr.
"Lovers" tells the story of an unlikely romance between a immigrant Yugoslav drifter Dragan (Sergei Trifunovic) and a bookstore Parisian Jeanne (Elodie Bouchez). As far as stories go, it is nothing exceptional. A standard issue script with some truly awful dialogue- if you want romantic mush, you are better off with "The Runaway Bride". Gritty realism that this movie aims for (after all, that is what Dogma is all about) and mushy dialogue don't go well together. And then there is the performance by the lead actor, which is dull and insipid.
What saves this movie is the wonderful Elodie Bouchez. I instantly fell in love with her after seeing "The dreamlife of Angels". If you haven't seen this gem when it did the arthouse circuit, rent it and watch as two of France's best actresses provide fireworks. Here, she is equally good, especially in one bravura showcase scene lasting about 5 minutes (the only scene where the use of handheld camera actually made sense). Her performance made the movie worthwhile.
Because of the publicity surrounding "Dogma 95", this movie may receive limited distribution. Watch it for Ms. Boulez's performance and forget the rest.
Afraid of Everything (US) Grade : B-
Dir: David Basker
What lies underneath a seemingly normal stable relationship and what happens when some outside force disturbs it? Many filmmakers have asked this question and in many different ways. "Afraid of Everything" does not tread any new ground thematically, but in its careful delineation of characters set in minimalist settings, it does have something to offer. This is an impressive debut by first time filmmaker David Baker.
The stable relationship here is between Anne (luminous Nathalie Richard, last seen in "Irma vep") and Donnie (the delicate Daniel Aukin, in an impressive debut). Anne was involved in an accident which cost her a leg a year ago and the couple have not had sex since. Into this scenario steps in Iris (peppy Sarah Adler), Anne's half-sister. Anne is conflicted with a desire for freedom and at the same time afraid of getting out of the apartment. How the various desires and sexual frustrations play out forms the backbone to the story.
What is impressive in a debut movie is how tightly the tone is controlled. Desires are always played out underneath the surface.
They are aware, yet sometimes pretend not to be. Iris, the wild-child is the only one who speaks her mind freely. The three performers who occupy almost all of the screen time (except for a skillfully played, yet predictable party game) do a great job of keeping us interested. Add to it a spare set design (the movie is set in a loft with a distant view of Manhattan) and beautiful Black & White cinematography, the movie also becomes visually interesting. This US movie will hopefully be picked up for distribution- it is a little different from standard indie fare.
The Carriers are Waiting (Belgium) Grade: A
Dir: Benoit Mariage
French with English subtitles
Belgium has been producing a small number of movies, but they offer a fresh perspective compared to the standard French fare. They are more rooted in the working class atmosphere and provide a startling glimpse into industrial towns and their culture. Benoit Mariage's brilliant debut film shot in breathtaking Black and White is set in a industrial town where an ambulance chasing newspaper reporter tries to provide for his family and prepare for the new millennium.
Roger (Benoit Poelvoorde) is a cantankerous father who bullies his son into becoming the World Champion in door opening (yes, that is right, DOOR OPENING) so that he can achieve his dream of owning a car. All the son has to do is open and close a specially made door more than 42,187 times in 24 hours. The other characters in this rich dramedy include his small majorette daughter, the long suffering wife, the door-opening coach (who has a thing for American methods) and a simpleton pigeon owner who is their neighbor. The father's character is similar to the one in "Shine", but is portrayed more sympathetically. he is a brute, alright, but he does love his children. There is a touching scene where he buys his daughter a balloon and the scene gently flows into rib-tickling comedy. Black and White seems to be the new rage at this year's film festival. After the movie, I asked the director why he chose B & W. He said that visually it made sense for this movie- when he wrote the script, the visuals were in B & W. The sense of depth perception is awesome, especially in the way the camera captures the images. It is good to see directors using newer and older techniques and mixing them up.
"The Carriers are Waiting" is playing in the competitive section and has been picked up by Samuel Goldwyn Films (the art house division of MGM, if I am not mistaken). Don't miss it if it comes to your town.
So long until the next report in which I will report on the bizzare new movie from Portugal's Manoel de Oliveira starring Marcello Mastroianni's wonderful daughter Chiara.
-Minority Reporter.
