Three Colours Red:

Krzysztof Kieślowski
[trailer]













Written, produced, and directed by Polish filmmaker Krzysztof Kieślowski, Three Colours Red (of the Three Colours Trilogy) is one of the best films I have seen this year. The work is riddled with symbolism, imagery and motifs that develop key themes of isolation, dysfunctional families and the significance of love in determining the connections and relationships between characters throughout.

The film begins following the busy life of a model, dancer and student Valentine Dussaut as she goes about her life. The first connection is made between her and the films second protagonist retired judge, Joseph Kern when she accidentally runs over his dog. Their first encounter is abrupt and cold as the Kern makes it clear he does not wish to establish a relationship of any kind with Valentine. As the film progresses we see this change as she returns to keep him company and we learn of his habit of spying on other people's lives. He gradually falls in love with her and she learns the meaning of true friendship.

The placement of characters within frame intrigued me about this film. After reflecting on the film I noticed that Valentine and Kern are rarely, if ever, positioned on the same level. They are in constant juxtaposition, depending on the scenario, changing depending on who holds the most power. An example of this was in the theatre scene when the rain begins to poor and Kern is confessing his feelings. Valentine towers above him on the stage, clearly highlighting his vulnerability in the situation.
Another thing I loved about this film in particular was the colour. The red motif symbolised many different themes depending on how it was approached, many times I felt it was love, however it could also depict the inner fury and chaos of the characters.

Altogether a must see film, an exploration of human connection and the meaning of love. I now intend to watch the other two in the trilogy.

A Separation: Departure from sanity

Asghar Farhadi

[trailer]

A Seperation (2011), was an interesting cultural experience for me, definitely a film unlike any other I have seen recently. I attended the screening thinking that perhaps the language barrier would prevent me from understanding some of the emotional subtly in that is often lost in communication in films that deal with themes of separation and relationships. I was pleasantly surprised to walk out having witnessed a beautiful film that truly used the language of cinema to create a work that managed to involve me a very interesting way. At many times I found my head in conflict with my heart as I struggled to delegate my sympathies.

The film takes place in modern Iran and introduces us to a small middle-class family of three, a happily married couple Nader and Simin, and their bright eleven-year old daughter Termeh. Recently Nader's invalid father has come to live with them striking discord between the couple in regards to their plans to move abroad. Nader claims he cannot leave as his father, who is struggling from Alzheimer's disease, while Simin reminds him that they had planned to leave so that their daughter may have better opportunities in her life. The argument is not resolved and this eventuates in Simin leaving, while Nader, his father and Termeh remain. Nader hires a lower class cleaning lady, Razieh, to care for his father while he is at work however things go south when he returns home to him tied to a bed that he has fallen off. It is revealed that Razieh left him there to go out on an errand and this sparks a major dispute that sees Nader pushing her out of his house. It is at this point that her miscarriage reveals her badly hidden pregnancy and she points the finger of blame at the Nader. From here the film pits two families against one another as they struggle to resolve the issue, each turning to the legal system in an attempt to hide their inability to tell the truth.

What I found most interesting about this film was it's ability to present both the logical and emotional side of the dispute in a way that made me seriously question who I wanted to win. Even as information was revealed that incriminated Nader, my mind would flash back to sweet moments between him and his daughter where his care for her was obvious in the way he respected and gave her his time. I felt a deeper connection with him and thus sympathised with his predicament more than I did with Razieh's family so was largely relieved when it was revealed that she had lied about what caused the miscarriage. Though my heart barracked for Nader, my head wanted for Razieh to succeed, it was clear that the compensation money would have significantly improved her quality of life and given her daughter a better chance at life. When juxtaposed, the daughters of the two families clearly projected the socio-economic gap between the upper and lower class, another beautiful symbolic gesture by director Asghar Farhadi.

All in all a stunning film that was very unique in its portrayal of a dispute and it's messy resolution. The realist approach taken served to accentuate the emotional tug of war it played throughout, a technique that I thoroughly appreciated. A wonderful work and study of morality that seemed not only to test the characters, but the audience as well.

Tusk: The Walrus in the Room

Kevin Smith
[trailer]

When losing his leg was the protagonist's biggest concern..

It is very difficult to articulate how disturbed I felt walking out of Tusk, except to say I will never look at a walrus the same way again. Director, Kevin Smith, takes obsession to a new level, one that I was most definitely not comfortable with, and accentuates the absurd storyline with an occasionally visually stunning colour palette. Tusk, in my opinion, was a monstrous survival of the fittest tale that vaguely speaks to the long-term scarring of childhood abuse and ungrateful nature of humankind. A film that takes the joke that little bit too far, it was an cinematic experience I will not easily forget.

Tusk (2014), is a difficult film to summarise without sounding like a complete loony. Simply speaking, it follows the journey of a podcast comic, Wallace Bryton, who travels to Canada following a big story. When it is revealed that his subject has committed suicide he decides to use his otherwise wasted trip talking to a man, known as Howard Howe, who promises a very interesting story. Wallace enjoys an intriguing chat with the elderly invalid before waking up the next morning to a horrible turn of events. from there the film deteriorates rapidly as the old mans insanity is revealed along with his walrus fetish. He proceeds on a mission to mutate his new victim into a human walrus as Wallace's friends race around the country with a nutty investigator trying to find him before it's too late.

Though there were times when my head involuntarily turned from a scene of unnecessary gore, they did give me the opportunity to observe the reaction of the audience. As a self-proclaimed comedy-horror, the film was designed to emit an unusual blend of laughter and terror from viewers and while I did witness the occasional upturned mouth it was out of an inability to react in any other way to the shocking scenario they were witnessing. I did not find this film comedic, save for the brief Johnny Depp appearances as a drunken investigator thrown in for production value and cheap laughs, however noted the nervous laughter as an interesting response that left me wondering whether this was in fact Smith's aim.

Moving onto the aesthetic of the film and I can appreciate a selection of more stomach-able scenes that featured a very appealing colour grade. Smith appeared to manipulate his use of colour in an attempt to provoke an emotional response from the audience. A prime example of this is in the scene where the protagonist, Wallace Bryton, is talking to his newfound interviewee Howard Howe in his living room. The colour palette is low key and warm, making the space inviting and lulling the audience into a false sense of comfort. I myself was drawn into this trap before being rudely thrust into the revolting progression that is the Tusk storyline, finding that I was completely unprepared for the gore onslaught and ridiculous suggestion that a man could in fact be turned into a functioning walrus.

Discussing further the use of colour grading,  we can see how an alternative grade has been used in scenes where Smith wishes to communicate a more romantic mood. High key tones have been applied to flashbacks with Wallace and his girlfriend, boldly contrasting his awful predicament with blissful moments of romance. Another clever technique designed to further alienate the audience from the ludicrousness of the story.






Evidence of Attendance:

Taxi Driver: The road to insanity

Martin Scorsese
[trailer]

"you talkin to me?"

Taxi Driver (1976), was perhaps one of the less abstract works I've seen to date. However, that by no means negates the brilliance that is this psychological action/drama, a piece that really explores the concept of the anti-hero and breaks away from the dominating traditional Hollywood genre to create a work that intimately studies themes of isolation, morality and inner turmoil. Scorsese, a pioneer New Hollywood Cinema director, has created a piece that manages to present the darker underbelly of urban New York through the eyes of a deeply disturbed vigilante, an approach that I found, albeit unconventional, immediately captivating.

The film is centred around the life of a discharged Vietnam vet Travis Bickle (played by Robert De Niro), a depressed insomniac who turns to taxi driving to pass the endless un-slept hours. As stated by Bickle himself, "you're only as healthy as you feel", and this is certainly proven true as we witness his physical and mental deterioration in a world where he is clearly the invisible man. The turning point comes with the introduction of the dazzling Betsy, a smart, independent business woman spotted by Bickle as she enters the campaign head quarters of a local politician. Her character appears to be the polar opposite to the down-trodden cabby and thus sparks within him an obsessive streak. He pursues her with vigour, even attempting to clean up his outward appearance, however ultimately becomes disenchanted when he realises "how much she's just like the others, cold and distant".  once again isolating himself from social interaction. It's at this point that the extent of his mental instability is revealed in the form of a mohawk sporting, khaki-wearing military enthusiast with an endless assortment of guns hidden via a series of hidden loaders. He sets off on a mission to rid the world of scum, most specifically the pimp "Sport" responsible for teenage prostitutes such as Iris (played by a young Jodie Foster). The film ends rather uncertainly, with a shoot out in a dilapidated house occupied by the hustler in which Bickle guns down the culprit and his associates in one last ditch effort of twisted heroism. Whether or not this happened, I believe, remains debatable as the entire scenario is narrated by Bickle himself and blatantly names him a hero despite the murder of several people.

The character development is what I found most satisfying about this film. Scorsese clearly kept a very realist perspective when approaching this process and created characters who were deeply flawed, though oftentimes not in an immediately obvious way. A good example of this is Betsy who, despite having a successful career and together outward appearance, turned out to be very lonely and emotionally distant. And then there is Iris, who's shattered innocence is strongly juxtaposed with her desire to remain fragments of her youth as evidenced in the scene where Travis takes her out to lunch and she wears brightly coloured novelty glasses and recklessly slaps exorbitant amounts of jam on her toast sandwich. Her refusal to accept the horror of her situation is so beautifully addressed in this simple scene, an excellent example of the way in which New Hollywood reveals the disturbing realities of the urban underworld.

All in all a very clever film with an interesting take on the progression of a mental breakdown. Shot and written with precision and a clear purpose, to expose a darker side of the human psyche and it's obsession with belonging and the god-complex. Definitely a film that left me pondering.

My Beautiful Laundrette

Stephen Frears

[trailer]

To please the powerful or the partner..

My Beautiful Laundrette, a British comedy/drama created in the midst of the Thatcher reign, is a film designed to push boundaries and one that has certainly done so effectively. The film weaves commentary on taboo topics, such as sexuality and race, into the story seamlessly.
The attention to detail made for a stunning aesthetic that beautifully complimented the mood and portrayal of wealth within the film. What was perhaps most interesting, was Frears's presentation of a less familiar London and the characters who inhabited it. A film that successfully communicates the struggle of relationships and the cultural divide, My Beautiful Laundrette is uniquely honest in its depiction of controversial themes.

The film introduces Omar, a young Pakistani with an alcoholic father living in poverty in London. In need of a job, Omar finds himself appealing to the better nature of his upper-class uncle Nassar who, out of obligation, gives him a job as a taxi cleaner in one of his many side businesses. Rising in the ranks, he is given the reigns to a dilapidated laundry and charged with bringing it back to life. However, when his white trash ex-lover Johnny walks back into his life, Omar must find a way to satisfy both his emotional and socioeconomical desires. It is a task that proves difficult as his business becomes a success and his uncle Nassar eyes him off as a potential husband for his daughter. Omar is forced to continue his re-kindled relationship behind the half-closed doors that is his close-knit Pakistani family, allaying rumours and feigning interest in the desperately disempowered daughter. As cracks begin to appear and corruption is revealed within both the business and personal lives of the big power holders, Omar becomes more and more involved, a mistake that ends in the attack of Johnny and the reveal of his true feelings.

What I appreciated most about this film, was Frears's ability to tell the story with a realist approach. The strained nature of Omar and Johnny's relationship was often addressed as the two men were placed in juxtaposition. Though from ethnic origins it was clear that Omar's chance at success was significantly greater given his family connections and business brains, a scenario that simultaneously drew attention to the cultural difference in the family-orientated Pakistani business world. In contrast to Omar's prospects was Johnny, a lower class, gay, white-European man who's unfortunate upbringing got him mixed up with a gang of punk neofascist "Paki-bashers". His chance at success was clearly minimal and served to portray a harsher reality of the social circumstances of Modern Britain. My Beautiful Laundrette studied Thatcher's Britain through a series of confronting contrasts, between social classes and economical status perpetuated by a keen awareness of cultural divides and further, the conflict of homosexuality in a tumultuous period of self-awareness and transparency. 


A thoroughly enjoyable film, with superb performances that both engaged and intrigued me throughout. Frears's masterful culmination of such powerful issues with beautiful visual aide makes this film a definite must-see.  

Fasten Your Seatbelt

Ha Jung-woo [trailer]

Fasten Your Seatbelt marked my first encounter with Korean film and after a thoroughly enjoyable experience, I will definitely be flying with them again. The film was a hybrid Comedy/thriller that took place almost entirely in the first class section of a Boeing 747 and somehow managed to keep me thoroughly engaged for almost two hours. 

The film features a small cast of absurd, quirky characters all stuck on a flight together and documents the inevitable comical interactions that occur when feathers get ruffled. Add to this scenario a thunderstorm that threatens their chances of landing safely and you have a film that manages to interweave both hilarity and terror so seamlessly into the scene that you don't realise you've gone from giggling to gasping until the danger has passed and you relax again into your seat. Starring a self-obsessed Korean film star escaping a front-page cheating scandal, the journalist who made up the story, a buddhist monk, the chairman of another airline, his feisty assistant and a random couple on their honeymoon and we are set up for a comical situation from take off.

What I thoroughly enjoyed about this film was it's use of colour in relation to mood. The film's aesthetic correlated perfectly with the tenor at any given point and is one of the more prevalent reasons it was able to switch between panic and peace so effortlessly. Despite working with a confined location, director Jung-woo  has managed to successfully manipulate his colour temperature, plunging us at a moments notice into either extreme comfort or extreme chaos.

Warmer tones for light-hearted scenes

Cooler tones for thriller scenes

All in all a film that demonstrates exactly how you can make a two hour plane trip confined to first class riveting. Hilarious, regardless of the language barrier, and full of beautiful light and frame manipulation that provides an engaging watch throughout.

Evidence of attendance:

Hope: though there is none for your tearducts

Lee Joon-ik [trailer]

The point at which the cinema collectively lost all composure

So I've just returned from a screening of Hope, a Korean drama directed by Lee Joon-ik, and I simply must rave about it. This was most definitely one of the best films I've seen this year, though it gave my heart strings a good workout!

Based on a true story, the film dealt with the heavy theme of child sexual assault and it's devastating impact following the rape and brutal assault of an 8-year-old girl (named Hope) on her way to school. The attack results in lifelong physical and emotional scarring that leaves the affected family scrambling to pick up the pieces of the life they had before the incident. The plot takes a devastating turn when a traumatised Hope refuses to see or communicate with her father, leading him to dress up as her favourite cartoon character so that he can be by her side through the difficult recovery. Simultaneously, the film addresses the rocky relationship of her parents, revealing Hope's mother's unnoticed pregnancy and highlighting the lack of communication between husband and wife. Progressively we see these relationships begin to repair as the family learns a new way of living, finding glimmers of hope and beauty amid the pain and tragedy of their journey.

Hope's  pacing, character development and aesthetic were just a few of the features that really made this film so beautiful to experience. We are carried through as though we were there, lingering on the stunningly symbolic moments between Hope and her father while simultaneously exploiting the art of suggestion to avoid holding our hand throughout. Hope's transformation following the attack has been handled with such grace that I found myself wondering how they managed to capture both vulnerability and selflessness so harmoniously. The cinematography and colour of the film aided the experience perfectly, with brightly coloured, clear shots reminding us of the youthful perspective that Hope partially retained. Additionally,  the use of opportune close ups never failed to draw us into the emotional encounters that inevitably littered a film of its nature. Perhaps one of Lee Joon-ik's most beautiful shots was from one of the darkest, yet sweetest moments in the film. We are positioned from the perspective of Hope's father when he attempts to approach her after the attack and see, from across the room, her sitting upright on a hospital bed with a white sheet over her head. The composition of this shot conveys stunningly, a sense of her isolation that coincides with the symbolism of the sheet as a veil representing both her innocence and shame. For this shot, he has tastefully subdued the favoured childlike colour scheme to reveal a blue/green clinical tone accented only by mechanical monitors and the small red toy Hope clings to. A visually stunning representation that compliments perfectly, the devastating conversation taking place between father and daughter in which the extent of the damage to their relationship is realised.

Overall, I cannot say enough about the brilliance of this film. It's aesthetic, taste and style really resonated with me and, despite watching from the perspective of an English-speaking western viewer, I felt very little was lost in translation due to the excellent visual communication. I would recommend this film to anybody with a love of beautiful filmmaking (so everybody!) although now warn you that it does come with an unavoidable waterworks hazard.

Evidence of attendance: