TIFF movie reviews

TIFF 2016 Movie Review: LONG EXCUSES (Japan 2016)

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Movie Reviews of films that will be playing at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) in 2016. Go to TIFF 2016 Movie Reviews and read reviews of films showing at the festival.

long_excuses_poster.jpgLONG EXCUSES (Japan 2016) **
Directed by Miwa Nishikawa

Starring: Sôsuke Ikematsu, Masahiro Motoki, Eri Fukatsu

Review by Gilbert Seah

Based on her own novel, Miwa Nishikawa’s (DREAMS FOR SALE) film begins with the death of wife Natsuko (Eri Fukatsu). Husband Sachio Kinugasa (Masahiro Motoki) was having sex with another woman at the same exact time of the wife’s drowning and is therefore consumed with guilt.

THE LONG EXCUSE traces the life of Sachio after the death and how he copes with it. While never being a father, he bonds with the children of Yoichi (Pistol Takehara), whose wife died with Miwa.

Running at over two hours, Nishikawa’s film is a ponderous watch especially watching both Sachio’s and Yoichi’s grief. Except for a few dramatic scenes (the dinner scene when Sachio explains why he does not have children), the film is quite bland. It does to help that Nishikawa’s female characters are all superior to the men.

Sachio is an emotional mess and Yoichi is a rather dumb, uneducated father while Sachio’s wife is patient and understanding and Yoichi’s new girlfriend is thoughtful and smart. Do we really need to spend two hours watching to men grief their wives’ death?

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1w5oUgQhMag

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TIFF 2016 Movie Review: WE ARE NEVER ALONE (Czech/France 2016) ***1/2

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Movie Reviews of films that will be playing at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) in 2016. Go to TIFF 2016 Movie Reviews and read reviews of films showing at the festival.

we_are_never_alone_poster.jpgWE ARE NEVER ALONE (Czech/France 2016) ***1/2
Directed by Petr Vaclav

Starring: Klaudia Dudová, Zdenek Godla, Miroslav Hanus

Review by Gilbert Seah

Director Vaclav says of his film, “No one is ever alone – we are always connected. We all live with others: some we dominate, some dominate us. The weaker submit to the stronger, the imitators to the originators, lovers to their beloved.

All this is true and revealed in his film WE ARE NEVER ALONE. In a small town in the Czech provinces, there exist these characters: a paranoid prison guard, his hypochondriac neighbour and his wife who holds a shocking secret, their hardened children, a lovesick nightclub manager, and a stripper who is a single mother. Like a domino effect, each person’s actions unknowingly trigger consequences for them all.

The trouble is that these are all very depressing people who are always shouting at each other and condemning themselves. Do we need to watch this? We don’t but Vaclav’s film (which moves from black and white to colour back to black and white for no apparent reason) is somehow quite absorbing and his film turns out quite a surprising watch. This is quite an achievement for the director.

WE ARE NEVER ALONE world premiered at the 2016 Berlinale, where it won the Tagesspiegel Readers’ Jury Award.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqOrol4jYls

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TIFF 2016 Movie Review: THE SALESMAN (Iran/France 2016) ***

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Movie Reviews of films that will be playing at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) in 2016. Go to TIFF 2016 Movie Reviews and read reviews of films showing at the festival.

the_salesman_poster.jpgTHE SALESMAN (Iran/France 2016) ***
Directed by Asghar Farhadi

Starring: Shahab Hosseini, Taraneh Alidoosti, Babak Karimi

Review by Gilbert Seah

Can Asghar Farhadi ever make a bad movie? His first UNE SEPARATION won the Oscar for Best Foreign film and his latest THE SALESMAN won the Best Screenplay and Best Actor prizes at Cannes this year.

The title comes from the Arthur Miller play DEATH OF A SALESMAN that the protagonist, a high-school teacher is putting up. His wife has just been assaulted in the shower by a stranger and the husband wants revenge. Obviously there is a parallel between the characters in the Miller play and the film.

Director Farhadi always injects a dose of suspense in his films, Hitchcock style no matter what the premise of the film is. Like a Hitchcock film, the climax reveals all, and is unexpected. But the prize performance belongs to Babak Karimi who plays the assaulter.

Lots of detective work done by the husband to discover the assaulter which should delight Hitchcock fans. But the film contains a few too many unrelated incidents that could have been left out- like the evacuation of the building at the film’s start.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VcfinMasfw

 

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TIFF 2016 Movie Review: IN THE BLOOD (I BLODET )(Denmark 2016) ***

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Movie Reviews of films that will be playing at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) in 2016. Go to TIFF 2016 Movie Reviews and read reviews of films showing at the festival.

i_blodet_poster.jpgIN THE BLOOD (I BLODET )(Denmark 2016) ***
Directed by Rasmus Heisterberg

Starring: Mads Reuther, Victoria Carmen Sonne, Esben Dalgaard Andersen

Review by Gilbert Seah

Danish writer (THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, A ROYAL AFFAIR) Rasmus Heisterberg’s directorial debut centres on a brilliant medical student and difficult human being, Simon (Kristoffer Bech). Simon’s goal is working on a study project in the Amazon with his best friend Knud (Elliott Crosset Hove), after passing the exams. Trouble is that Simon is quite unstable emotionally.

While he is straight, he has a strange jealousy of Knud, especially of his girlfriend, Mia (Lea Gregersen). Director Heisterberg captures the campus environment well and injects a superb trance soundtrack that can be heard whenever the boys go partying. And

the boys party hard. The film is unpredictable and though the film is not exceptional, the angst and problems of Simon are deeply felt. The film, a study on the compulsive behaviour of Simon and its consequences succeeds.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEm3uco4K3s

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TIFF 2016 Movie Review: BEAUTIES OF THE NIGHT (BELLAS DE NOCHE) (Mexico 2016)

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Movie Reviews of films that will be playing at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) in 2016. Go to TIFF 2016 Movie Reviews and read reviews of films showing at the festival.

beauties_of_the_night_poster.jpg
BEAUTIES OF THE NIGHT (BELLAS DE NOCHE) (Mexico 2016) **
Directed by María José Cuevas

Starring: Rossy Mendoza, Lyn May, Olga Breeskin

Review by Gilbert Seah

Director Cuevas’ documentary on Mexican showgirls (the women who found notoriety by showing a little skin in movies and on TV) follows a few of them, now past their prime, talking about their past glories and present lives. There is nothing special about this documentary in terms of message, research done on the subject or insight on the showbiz industry. It appears that director Cuevas is just as guilty of exploiting these poor girls to make his documentary.

The film is also at most times all over the place. For example, Seux talks about her life crumbling like the 1985 Mexican earthquake, and Cuevas provides a still of the earthquake. There is also a bit about Princess Yemel imprisoned for two years.

She talks about the horrible treatment there – enough to make any decent person feel uneasy. There are a few moments of interest – as the showgirls’ lives are not all dull (with the exception of the born-again Christianity portion) – Cuevas’ documentary is quite ordinary – like his showgirls, all of whom are nothing more than normal people given the chance of the limelight.

Trailer: https://vimeo.com/161997817

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TIFF 2016 Movie Review: JESUS (Chile/Germany/Greece 2016) ***

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Movie Reviews of films that will be playing at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) in 2016. Go to TIFF 2016 Movie Reviews and read reviews of films showing at the festival.

jesus_poster.jpgJESUS (Chile/Germany/Greece 2016) ***
Directed by Fernando Guzzoni

Starring: Sebastián Ayala, Nicolás Durán, Alejandro Goic

Review by Gilbert Seah

Jesus (Nicolás Durán) is a story of one troubled youth set in the Chilean capital of Satntiago as told from the point of view of the boy, Jesus himself. Things take a spiral downwards after Jesus’ group loses a boy bands contest. Jesus in not in school nor working, straining the relationship between him and his father (Alejandro Goic) who frequently works out of the city.

Guzzoni loves to shoot in the shadows as in the very violent scene where Jesus and friends beat up a gay youth in the park and the two argument segments where father and son are shown in silhouettes in the car. The beating up scene is really violent and almost unbearable to watch. But Guzzoni shows a redemptive side of Jesus as he feels guilt for the deed.

Jesus is also not shown as homophobic as he himself indulges with a same-sex act with his friend. But the film finally reveals that its main focus is the father and son relationship. Guzzoni’s film is not an easy watch but it is unpredictable and gets one in the guts.

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TIFF 2016 Movie Review: THE WEDDING RING (Niger/ Burkina Faso / France 2016)

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Movie Reviews of films that will be playing at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) in 2016. Go to TIFF 2016 Movie Reviews and read reviews of films showing at the festival.

THE WEDDING RING (Niger/ Burkina Faso / France 2016) **
Directed by Rahmatou Keïta

Starring: Aïchatou Lamine Fofana, Aïchatou Moussa, Magaajyia Silberfeld

Review by Gilbert Seah

The director’s second feature offers a female perspective on love, marriage and customs as seen by the Niger’s Zarma Songhay people. The people wear colourful robes and live in a fairly tale land (like the famous African film MOOLADE) of colours and customs where royalty and miracles can happen.

The story revolves around Tiyaa (Magaajyia Silberfeld), a princess of sorts of aristocratic birth, whoshould have the world at her feet when she returns home to the Sultinate of Zinder after completing her degree abroad.

But Tiyaa is aimless and burdened by the pain of a lost love. In the absence of any better idea, she reluctantly seeks counsel from a zimma, a Zarma Songhay wise man who seeks answers to life’s mysteries in the elements.

The film traces her path as she turns her forlorn love back to happiness. This is a simple film with a simple plot and the enjoyment of the film comes from sitting back and enjoying the colourful tale unfold.

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TIFF 2016 Movie Review: HELLO DESTROYER (Canada 2016)

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Movie Reviews of films that will be playing at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) in 2016. Go to TIFF 2016 Movie Reviews and read reviews of films showing at the festival.

hello_destroyer_poster.jpgHELLO DESTROYER (Canada 2016) **
Directed by Kevan Funk

Starring: Sara Canning, Ian Tracey, Paul McGillion

Review by Gilbert Seah

Like 1970’s SCORE: A HOCKEY MUSICAL the Canadian feature that opened TIFF years back HELLO DESTROYER condemns the violence in the sport of hockey. Unfortunately, good intentions aside, both are terrible films.

The film centres on a new recruit for the minor league Prince George Warriors, Tyson Burr (Jared Abrahamson), a grinder whose primary task is digging the puck out of corners and protecting more skilled players. Tyson is painfully shy and inarticulate, the result of growing up with a dismissive and impatient father — and being raised in a world that places little value on emotional development.

When Tyson punches out an opponent resulting in severe injury, he is slowly ostracized by everyone. A lot of scenes in the film are shot in extreme close-up (like the fights and the shower scene) so that what is happening can hardly be seen. If only director Funk would pull back his camera more often to show the entire picture.

The film is hardly lit, so that the faces of all the characters in most of the scenes can hardly be seen except in the shadows. The dialogue is mostly pure ranting, if not gibberish and when articulate hardly reveal any points in the story.

The open ending of the film does not help either. Running at almost 2 hours, the film is almost a total mess except for Abrahamson’s performance given the film’s limitations.

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TIFF 2016 Movie Review: THE HAPPIEST DAY IN THE LIFE OF OLLI MAKI (Finland/Sweden/Germany 2016) ****

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Movie Reviews of films that will be playing at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) in 2016. Go to TIFF 2016 Movie Reviews and read reviews of films showing at the festival.

the_happiest_day_poster.jpgTHE HAPPIEST DAY IN THE LIFE OF OLLI MAKI (Finland/Sweden/Germany 2016) ****
Directed by Juho Kuosmanen

Stars: Eero Milonoff, Oona Airola, Deogracias Masomi

Review by Gilbert Seah

Finland’s most famous filmmaker, Aki Kaurismaki is well known for his dead-pan comedy. The tradition is carried on in Juho Kuosmanen’s debut feature which was also a top prize winner at this year’s Cannes festival in the Un Certain Regard section. The film is inspired by the true story of Finland’s most successful boxer, Olli Maki of the 1960s.

Shot in black and white with meticulous attention to period detail, the film centres on the prelude to Mäki’s historic fight in Helsinki with American Davey Moore, the bantamweight champion of the world.

While the U.S. makes films on boxing champions, it takes a country like Finland to make one on a loser.

The happiest day is the day Maki loses his match – in just 2 rounds. But this is a charming romantic comedy about what’s important in life. The most fun the couple has in the film is to skip flats stones across the water.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxBGb-YY5Vs

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TIFF 2016 Movie Review: I CALLED HIM MORGAN (Sweden/USA 2016) ***

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Movie Reviews of films that will be playing at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) in 2016. Go to TIFF 2016 Movie Reviews and read reviews of films showing at the festival.

i_called_him_morgan.jpgI CALLED HIM MORGAN (Sweden/USA 2016) ***
Directed by Kasper Collin

Review by Gilbert Seah

The person who calls Morgan, Morgan in the film title is Helen, Lee Morgan’s common-law wife who shot him at the New York jazz club Slug’s Saloon when Morgan was 33 years old.

The documentary traces all the events that lead up to this sad state of affairs. Helen was interviewed after her release from prison, just a month before she passed away,

The film succeeds on several levels – as a jazz history on talented trumpeter Lee Morgan – his fight against drugs; the crime of the shooting as well as Helen’s redemption serving the Christian church. Others interviewed, who put a perspective to the proceedings are drummer Albert Heath, saxophonist Billy Harper, and legendary saxophonist and composer Wayne Shorter.

An absorbing and fascinating documentary on how strange life can turn out to be – and how one can learn to control life or let bad things just happen.

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