London Film Festival 2013

Capsule reviews by 

Caine Bird / CB
Bianca Garner / BG
Sam Hall / SH

Including: 1, Drinking Buddies, Fields and Frames, Grand Piano, Heli, The Invisible Woman, Kill Your Darlings, The Kill Team, New World, So Much Water, A Time in Quchi, A Touch of Sin… 

1
Paul Crowder / USA / 2013

While most documentaries appear to preach the mantra that no matter how many mistakes are made, we are doomed to repeat them, 1 makes a good case to demonstrate that from time to time positive change does speed unexpectedly around the corner. 1 takes some of the major issues explored in Senna (2010) and Rush (2013) with a view to explore the bigger picture. The major issue explored here is how Formula 1 has combatted its reputation as a high fatality competition. From the age of Fangio, to Jim Clark, to Senna and beyond, Paul Crowder’s documentary exhibits not only the mechanical wonders which helped reduce the rate of crashes in the sport, but also the driving force behind why anyone would risk their lives for the opportunity to participate in such a noble and high-profile sport. It explores the tragedy that accompanies such incidents, but also the flair and wonder. The documentary does struggle to provide a consistent visual form and the change in footage from bygone eras can be jarring, yet the emotional journey carries the viewer to a comfortable place. It may not have the significance of a production such as Senna or the high production value of Rush, but the fact that Crowder managed to obtain interviews from such a number of racers and promoters does provide a great amount of weight behind this somewhat disjointed yet ultimately satisfying journey from tragedy to welfare / SH

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Drinking Buddies
Joe Swanberg / USA / 2013

Drinking Buddies is the latest instalment from the “Mumblecore” film movement, a sub-genre of America independent cinema heavily focused on its use of improvised dialogue and with low budget production values. Drinking Buddies follows Kate (Olivia Wilde) and Luke (Jake Johnson) who are co-workers at a Chicago Brewery. They seem perfect for each other but, alas, they are both already in relationships. Drinking Buddies has some strong performances especially from Olivia Wilde and Anna Kendrick who plays Luke’s girlfriend. The film offers a refreshing taking on the romantic comedy genre, portraying a realistic depiction of the complexity of relationships. This is the first time that Swanberg has used more established film actors in his films but still keeps true to the traits and characteristics of the Mumblecore movement. The use of well-known actors may help bring Mumblecore to a wider audience / BG

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Fields and Frames
Stephen Sutcliffe/Scott Stark/Sebastian Buerkner/ USA/ UK / 2013

Fields and Frames is three short experimental films which test the boundaries and restraints of the frame. The first, Outwork (directed by Stephen Sutcliffe), is a filmic collage which puts a new perspective on what a camera frame is. Inspired by sociologist Erving Goffman's work Frame Analysis, this short film asks the audience to consider what narratives are being told within the frame. The Realist (directed by Scott Stark) is a hypnotic collage consisting of images of shop mannequins accompanied by the haunting piece of music entitled Tunnel Funnel. The Chimera of M (directed by Sebastian Buerkner) uses 3-D animation to follow a man’s point-of-view, seeing a unique series of images. The film asks the audience to think carefully about what exactly they are seeing and to make up their own interpretation of the events occurring. These three films show how film should not be wrongly dismissed as just entertainment, pushing the boundaries of the audience’s attention span / BG

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Grand Piano
Eugenio Mira / Spain / 2013

Eagerly anticipated by the festival audience, Grand Piano boasts a small scale cast which crosses narrative tropes to call to mind the work of Hitchcock, with the premise of Joel Schumacher’s 2002 thriller Phone Booth. Elijah Wood stars as Tom Selznick, a humble pianist who is greatly aware of his superior talent yet reluctant to progress it further. After a disastrous concert in which he suffered from crippling stage fright, the former young prodigy stages an elaborate comeback gig. Instead, he finds himself trapped in a game of cat-and-mouse as he finds a message on his score: "Play one wrong note and you die." Tom is forced to play the concert of his life, for his life. Relative newcomer to directing Eugenio Mira has a past in composing music and the film benefits as a result, acting as an ideal accompaniment to the tension that drives the film forward and cleverly utilising Hitchcock’s concept of suspense over surprise. The real excitement however is provided by Wood’s creative efforts to outwit the man with a rifle aimed at his head, which unfortunately leads to an underwhelming finale. Therein lies the problem in this promising idea which falls short of greatness in being bookended by an expository opening and a fairly stale ending. Nevertheless, the moment Wood plays his first note during the central act, a spectacle seemingly absent from modern Hollywood cinema is reborn until the last key fades out / SH

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Heli
Amat Escalante / Mexico / 2013

Heli follows the tragic story of the title character, played by Armando Espitia, whose innocent lifestyle does not protect him or his family from the growing threat of drug cartels in modern day Mexico. Heli’s younger sister Estela (Andrea Vergara) sparks a secret forbidden romance with a much older 17-year-old trainee policeman (Juan Eduardo Palacios). What follows is Estela and her family being dragged into a cataclysmic set of events that mean their lives will never be the same. Set against a realist backdrop, Heli is a departure from most mainstream crime films, focusing not on the police solving the crime or the indulgent lives of the criminals themselves, but the terrible consequences the victims suffer. The moral fibre is less focused on preaching a karmic balance and instead highlights how indiscriminate life can be. The documentary style is clearly important in establishing this message as is the reserved acting, helping the audience to buy into the film's realist agenda. This combination of aloof performances directs viewers to detect each character's suffering in their eyes rather than their screams. Perhaps it is a result of this that what happens off screen is just as emotionally traumatising as what happens on screen. The implied horror of what has occurred is just as effective as the torture scenes we actually witness and the viewer is left with a great deal of empathy for those who have suffered, whether we witnessed the suffering or not. Awarded Best Director at Cannes, Amat Escalante certainly deserves the plaudits received for this production / SH

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The Invisible Woman
Ralph Fiennes / UK / 2013

This is Ralph Fiennes' second directorial feature, and he is also the historical drama's leading man. The Invisible Woman reveals the hidden love affair between one of Britain’s well-known and well-loved author’s, Charles Dickens (Ralph Fiennes), and a young actress Nelly Ternan (Felicity Jones). The film sheds light on the gender politics of the Victorian era, giving a unique insight into the male-dominated society. Felicity Jones projects the tortured soul of Nelly who is trying to forget the life and intimacy she shared with Dickens. With a strong script by Abi Morgan (The Iron Lady, Shame) based on the biographical book by Claire Tomalin, the film asks the audience to reconsider their admiration for the great author. An extremely moving period drama with a strong supporting cast, The Invisible Woman is a film which captures the trauma that occurs when living a life in secret / BG

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The Kill Team
 Dan Krauss / USA / 2013

Documentary filmmaker Dan Krauss follows in the footsteps Errol Morris’s Standard Operating Procedure (2008) by incorporating probing incidents of American soldiers abusing their position while simultaneously exposing faults with the US military system. Through various interviews of those who perpetrated criminal acts towards Afghan civilians, the documentary uncovers a company of combatants who were labelled "the kill team" by the media, turning routine survey missions into calculated acts of brutality just for the thrill of the kill. The story revolves around a member of this team who was bullied into participating and keeping silent, despite repeated attempts to bring the story into the open. Though the documentary neither explores alternate viewpoints, nor provides interviews with native Afghanis affected by the events, it does provide voluntary interviews from those who have openly pleaded guilty to their crimes. These are extremely eye-opening and deeply disturbing. Krauss delivers a focused effort of an acceptable level of quality, including key interviews and revealing footage, yet it would benefit from a more in-depth look into this clearly complex state of affairs with contributions from families of the victims in Afghanistan. Nevertheless, the story of the whistleblower later convicted for the crimes he tried to prevent offers a compelling counterpoint / SH

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Kill Your Darlings
 John Kroidas / USA / 2013

Stylish but confused, John Kroidas’ directorial debut unites an otherwise impressive cast with an innovative take on true events. Concerning the Beat Generation of a post-WW2 setting, a murder bonds together the brilliant minds of Allen Ginsberg (Daniel Radcliffe), Jack Kerouac (Jack Huston) and William Burroughs (Ben Foster). Allen, torn between his father’s surprising approval and his mother’s mental illness, enrols at New York’s Columbia University. Upon arrival, he acquaints an ambitious and enlightened poet, Lucien Carr (Dane DeHaan) and the two spiral through drug-induced comas informed by an aura of jazz and sex until a murder upsets the scene. Adopting the pen and a liberated fervour to a counter-cultural revolution, the clique challenges societal norms and their place in the grand scheme of things. The characters wax poetic over the grooves of the 60s scene. Ironically Allen’s silver spoonful’s of infinite wisdom cannot help articulate the script in this rather limp drama. Meanwhile, Allen’s taste for alternate sexualities confuses the plot and struggles to express itself. Putting Radcliffe’s grin-and-bear-it American accent aside, the tale finds its strength in the seemingly dangerous and twisting relationship between Lucien, the young rebel, and his obsessive guardian, David Kammerer (Michael C. Hall). Whilst the style playfully twists and turns with an energetic rhythm, the predictable and drab narrative does little to fascinate beyond a punchy presentation and pretentious words and style ultimately trumps substance / CB

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New World
Sin Segae / Park Hoonjung / South Korea / 2013

On the surface, New World appears to be South Korea’s answer to Infernal Affairs (2002). However this gangster film is unique in its own right. Police mole Ja Sung (Lee Jungjae) is being forced to stay in the crime syndicate "Gold Moon" by his handler (Choi Minsik) in order to assist in the power struggle for the syndicate’s new successor after their leader has been mysteriously killed. Just how far has Ja Sung immersed himself in the world of crime? Clearly influenced by its gangster predecessors, the film is a slick and visually stunning thriller, although its violence and brutal action may not be to everyone’s tastes. This is a film that is very much aware of the genre it belongs to and makes no attempt to hide away from its origins. Well shot with a complex plot that keeps you guessing, New World is a must see for those who are fans of the genre / BG

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So Much Water
Tanta agua / Ana Guevara/Leticia Jorge / Uruguay / 2013

So Much Water is the debut from directors Ana Guevara and Leticia Jorge. The Film won the Grand Jury prize at Miami Film Festival and has been a hit on the film festival circuit. The film follows divorced father Alberto (Nestor Guzzini) taking his bored children, teenager Lucia (Malu Chouza) and 10-year-old Fede (Joaquin Castiglioni) on holiday to a rundown resort. They encounter issues with the weather, boring day trips, each other’s company and the lack of a TV. The film starts off in the perspective of the frustrated father but the narrative soon switches to Lucia’s perspective, following her disastrous holiday romance. The film manages to capture the essence of family holidays where the feelings of boredom and tension are rampant. Strong performance from Guzzini and Chouza stand out. However it is the funny and exceptionally well-written script which really makes So Much Water the perfect accompaniment for any rainy day / BG

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A Time in Quchi
Shu jia zuo ye / Chang Tso–Chi / Taiwan / 2013

This often funny and moving film pays homage to the famous coming-of-age dramas captured by director Hou Hsia Hsien.  A Time in Quchi follows 10-year-old Bao (Yang Liang-yu) who, along with his bratty but hilarious little sister Seaweed (Lin Ya-ruo), is forced to live with their eccentric grandfather (Kuan Yun Loong) in the countryside. Bao is a fish out of water trying to readjust to his new surroundings and make new friends, while having to cope with his parents’ divorce and face up to the reality of life. The director dedicates the film to his own son and manages to successfully capture the beauty of this rural environment and the innocence of childhood.  A Time in Quchi is a visual delight and truly captures the universal transformation from child to adult that we all face and share together / BG

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A Touch of Sin
Jia Zhangke / China / 2013

Free from western conventions, Jia Zhangke’s feature doesn’t feel the need to pander to Hollywood in his examination of post-economic reform China. Bearing some similarity to Wong Kar Wai’s Chungking Express (1994), A Touch of Sin tells four tales of exploitation, corruption and the catastrophic consequences that follow. Each story jumps back and forth from a social realist aesthetic to a stylised gory fantasy. The director maintains an expression of Chinese culture throughout, from the local to national, yet all the while acknowledging the social impact of western culture on their lives. The film takes place across small village communities, utilising local spiritual customs and traditional small scale plays that parallel the plot and themes of the film itself. As the film moves to larger towns and cities the viewer witnesses the impact of the Chinese communist system, the accommodation it makes for western-style capitalism and the dark underbelly of corruption that springs from these two contradictory philosophies attempting to co-exist.  Zhangke is clearly no stranger to the use of symbolism, frequenting the use of animals as parallels to each of the film’s main protagonists. In one instance, a shot lingers on the image of a horse unflinching as its master flogs it repeatedly. A later scene depicts a female character thrashed over and over again with paper money, refusing to shy away from presenting a very clear message hammered into the viewer’s mind. Though the director allows little room to ponder on subtlety, A Touch of Sin provides a refreshing look at the world’s fastest growing economy. For once any social criticisms are made by someone who isn’t on the outside looking in / SH

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