BACURAU - MIFF 2019

Set a few years from now, the residents of Bacurau, a small country town in Brazil, are mourning the death of their matriarch who passed away a few days prior. The self sufficient town is currently in a battle with the government who have shut the nearby dam to stop the residents from being able to use it. However knowing their vote is still important, the local official attempts to buy the votes of the people with gifts of food and books, without backing down and giving the people what they really want which is the re-opening of the dam. The collective group will not have it, and rally together to chase the official out of town. Soon after though, a number of strange occurrences are noticed as by chance they discover that their little town is no longer present on any maps, be it on the internet or in hard copy form. While odd, nobody expects anything too sinister in it, but when the water truck soon arrives with bullet holes in the tank, leaking the water they need to survive, some of the residents are convinced that something is going on, and the town of Bacurau is at the centre of it. When mobile phone signals suddenly die, it confirms their suspicions and they start to think they are being deliberately isolated from the rest of Brazil. By who and for what reason, they do not know, but they are almost certain that they are going to be under attack in any moment. However once again, the residents come together to fight back and protect their way of life and their little town. Things become more complicated though when one of the residents is certain they saw a UFO circling the town.

“Bacurau” is the third feature film from director Kleber Mendonca Filho, but this time he is also joined in the director's chair by Juliano Dornelles, who was the production designer on Filho's previous two features. It is another fantastic film, and I was gripped right from the opening moments of “Bacurau” right until its thrilling end. The film is superbly paced and just has an energy to it, which keeps the narrative moving at a good clip. The first half of the film is set up like a mystery, and we are in the dark as to exactly what is going on, just like the residents of Bacurau themselves. The whole set up to the film is wonderfully handled and very suspenseful; you know that something isn't right and are on the edge until you know what that is. When we do find out what is actually happening, thankfully, it doesn't disappoint and changes the tone and style of film for the second half as the residents prepare to defend themselves from this unknown threat (which I will not spoil).

The strongest element to “Bacurau” is that Filho and Dornelles have done a superb job of creating a sense of community amongst the people of the town. You totally buy into the fact that they have known and lived with these people for the majority of their lives, and while the don't all get along all the time, they would still give their lives to protect each other. The opening funeral scene is testament to that as we witness the whole town both devastated by the death of the old woman and respectful of the funeral traditions. One of the members does end up drinking too much and makes a scene, but the rest of the group are actually understanding of this momentary lapse of judgement. The town wants whats best for everyone, and again this is proven when the government official (ie. An outsider) attempts to ruffle some feathers and is instantly shut down. This is a tight knit group and you pity any one or thing that tries to upset them. Filho and Dornelles also make the brilliant decision to make the film an ensemble piece rather than having a main character front and centre with the rest of the group standing behind this person. Instead, they have created a believable group of characters that are very well defined but who also fit into the group. It all feels very real. Sure, there are characters that have been built up more and stand out, but this is only because this is also true of their place within the group. This is consistent from an acting standpoint too, as everyone gives a fantastic performance here and no one attempts to outshine anyone else. That said, I have to mention Udo Kier, who is given a much larger role than is usual these days, and who is just fantastic. He is an outsider of Bacurau and as such doesn't play by the same rules, and like the film itself, he is packed full of energy in his role. He comes across as though he is having a ball in the film too.

One aspect of the film that I really loved was that some of the characters are given certain traits or back stories, that if this were a Hollywood film would end up becoming a key component of the finale. You know the type of thing, a character is scared of heights, so you know at the end he or she will find themselves looking over a cliff having to overcome their fear to save the day. This sort of blatant and obvious foreshadowing is a pet peeve of mine because it suddenly makes the story so predictable, but that doesn't happen here. The things that we learn about these characters more often than not do not come further into play other than rounding out the characters more and giving them some depth, so they are not just cardboard cutouts that the audience cares little for. This extra depth gives us something more to hold onto and makes the stakes higher when the shit hits the fan.

Speaking of that, when things do finally go bad, “Bacurau” becomes a very violent and bloody film, and Filho and Dornelles do not shy away from the graphic depictions of it. Very late in the film, there is an incredibly graphic shot gun blast to the face, which saw one young lady in the audience I was in immediately get up and leave the cinema. Also this is a world too where children are not immune to the effects of violence, so if you sensitive to this, be warned, as it is a little confronting at times. Without giving too much away, what I loved about the second half or finale of the film was that the roles of the hunter and the hunted are totally reversed, and that Bacurau is not the easy target it is thought to have been. That said, I do like the opening of the film a little more because the set up is so well put together and laid out, that when the pay off ends up coming around, it almost happens too quickly for my liking.

Kleber Mendonca Filho has once again teamed up with cinematographer Pedro Sotero, and like the two previous films they collaborated on “Bacurau” is a gorgeous looking film. Just by the nature of the story itself, the images within this film are much different then the previous films, but Sotero does a fantastic job of giving the surrounding desert landscapes an ominous feel, while expertly using split diopter camera tricks to help in the building of the suspense. Whilst music is used sparingly in the film, when it does kick in it gives the film a real John Carpenter feel to it, especially during a piece of electronic music that arrives about half way through the film.

I should mention that apparently “Bacurau” also works as political allegory attacking the current political climate of Brazil, however sadly I do not have any knowledge of the current situations taking place in Brazil, so cannot report how the film plays out on that level. Do not panic though if you are oblivious to the political subtext (like myself) as the film works wonderfully well as an entertaining thriller in its own right.

Overall, I was a big fan of Kleber Mendonca Filho and Juliano Dornelles's “Bacurau”. It is a superbly paced action thriller that has a strong sense of community at its core. It is well acted by everyone involved including Sonia Braga, Barbara Colen and of course, Udo Kier. Whilst it has an extended running time of 132 minutes, it is paced to perfection and just flies by. Split into two halves, the first half is full of mystery and intrigue whilst the second is full of blood and violence; put together it is one hell of an entertaining movie.

4 Stars.

IN FABRIC - MIFF 2019

While there are a number of my most anticipated films of 2019 playing at MIFF this year, by the time the festival actually came around, it was Peter Strickland's “In Fabric” that I was most looking forward to. Bolstered by the fact that Strickland was a guest at MIFF this year, “In Fabric” still stood out from the pack by being that “killer dress” film. Thanks to its typically bizarre trailer, my anticipation was high for the film, as it appeared to be bordering either side of high camp or genius, and I couldn't wait to find out which.

When a recently divorced mother, Sheila, finds out that her ex has moved on and is now happy with someone else, it forces her into action of her own to get back out there on the dating scene. This being the 70's though, Sheila chooses to go through the personals of the daily newspapers to find that special someone for her, and when she finally secures herself a date, she decides a new dress is in order to impress the lucky fellow. Lucky for her, the winter sales are in full effect, and when she arrives at a department store, she is greeted by a beautiful and mysterious saleswoman who convinces her to take a chance on a bright red dress. However soon after wearing the dress, it leaves a nasty rash on the chest of Sheila who, after some further odd happenings with the dress, begins to think that there might be something wrong with it. Upon some investigation, Sheila learns that the last person who wore the dress before her, died a horrible death, leaving her convinced that the dress may in fact be cursed.

From such a bonkers set-up, you would hope that Strickland would be brave enough to embrace this madness and follow through with it to the end, and I am happy to report that he does just that. This is such a wild and crazy film experience. Filled to the brim with excess and including such scenes, the like I guarantee that you have never seen before. In saying all of this, as mad and fun as it all is, “In Fabric” isn't perfect; in fact it is quite an uneven film that at times almost plods along before regaining its momentum.

Anyone who has seen his previous films, “Berberian Sound Studio” and “The Duke of Burgundy”, would know that Peter Strickland's greatest strength is his ability to create the most eye-catching images. Frame after frame, we are gifted unusual photographic compositions complete with his bold use of colours. His use of space, locations and props, as well as the way he positions his characters within these spaces is just beautiful and totally unlike the norm that we see in today's cinema. He also has an ability to give his images a textural strength; you can feel the woods, fabrics and metals, etc in his films. His visual style is second to none, and once again this is true with “In Fabric”, but it is also true that this style is often much stronger than his storytelling abilities. As beautiful as Strickland's films are, at times he struggles with pacing and getting across his narrative in an understandable fashion. Put simply, at times they can be confusing, and “In Fabric” is also guilty of this. Personally though, if a film has a strong visual sense, it can usually win me over and make me look past any flaws it may have (particularly if the film also embraces the weird).

During Peter Strickland's brief introduction before the film, he stated that the scenes set at the department stores during their winter sales are told from a child's perspective. He was not referring to a child character within the film but rather these images came from the filtered memories of his own childhood. This information helps dramatically in decoding these scenes, as it is these that are the most mind boggling and bizarre within the film. From the cult-like salespeople who entrance consumers into entering their stores, to the overly poetic dialogue these salespeople sprout to procure a sale (“...the hesitation in your voice, soon to be an echo in the recesses of the spheres of retail”), to the creepy looking mannequins who may or may not come to life when the shop closes; you can imagine all of these fantasies coming from a young child being dragged along shopping with their mothers. Now whether all this helps make any sense in terms of the film itself, that is up to each individual viewer, but it helps knowing the genesis of these images.

One of the negative things I have read in relation to “In Fabric” is that the story of the dress starts to become repetitive. Not to spoil anything for anyone, but during the film we actually get to watch the dress as it goes through two owners. While I can understand why some people find the second story unnecessary or repetitive, for me, it actually added to the strength of the film and made me love it that much more, as it showed the dress actually had a regular and proven method to breaking down its victims. As the dress does the same things to each victim, it almost felt like the building of its own urban legend, if that makes any sense (it does in my mind).

Now it should be noted that due to the total insanity of both the story and images on display here, this is not a film for everyone (and I have heard both opinions in regards to the quality of “In Fabric” whilst waiting in queues at MIFF). Take note: this is a VERY bizarre film, and as I mentioned earlier, it contains scenes the like you have never witnessed before in a film. Just when you think you are totally desensitised to the point you cannot be shocked by anything in cinema ever again, along comes Peter Strickland to prove you wrong. The scene in question begins rather innocuously with a mannequin being undressed and cleaned by a couple of saleswomen, but the kink of the scene ratchets up quickly as soon this cleaning evolves into the mannequin being pleasured by these same women, all the while an older man watches and masturbates. Sure, I know what you are thinking “..that old scenario again?!? Its been done to death!” and I get you but I failed to mention that the mannequin had pubic hair and appeared to be menstruating as well. Yes my friends, “In Fabric” is that bizarre!!

That is when “In Fabric” is at its strongest though; when it embraces its WTF-ness and just goes for it, asking the audience to join them on the ride. If you do succumb to the film's weirdness, I am sure you will get a lot out of it. Things may not make sense all the time, but man is it fun. I loved all the odd and creepy mannequin images, including the scene where our main saleswoman (played wonderfully by Strickland regular Fatma Mohamed) removes her wig to reveal her bald head, making us question if she too is perhaps a living mannequin. However the film isn't just about the weirdness, as throughout its story, themes of sexual fantasy or perhaps more accurately, the repression of said fantasies, are layered very nicely into the narrative. This is a theme that appears to be a favourite of Strickland's and is one he has tackled before (particularly in “The Duke of Burgundy”), and he uses it nicely again here to round out his characters and give them extra depth, whilst never judging them.

Overall, while I found “In Fabric” to be uneven at times, I was totally won over by the sheer boldness of its weirdness. The beautiful 70's aesthetics that director Peter Strickland has created for this feature are stunning and are the highlight of this odd, sensual and very bizarre film (that I cannot wait to watch again).

3.5 Stars.

COME TO DADDY - MIFF 2019

After receiving a letter from his estranged father attempting to reconnect, a thirty-something year old man, Norval, heads out to an isolated seaside cabin, to what he expects will be open arms. However upon arrival, Norval is shocked when his father inundates him with belittling remarks, questioning his masculinity and constantly making fun of the guy he has grown into. All through this abuse Norval continually and unsuccessfully attempts to impress this man who abandoned him and his mother decades earlier, until tensions start to seriously arise that leads to one of the men snapping during a violent altercation.

This is just the tip of the iceberg of Ant Timpson's brilliant and hilarious “Come To Daddy”; a film that defies genre definition. At times it is the blackest of black comedies whilst also dipping its toes into the pools of both thriller and horror, “Come To Daddy” always maintains its bizarre concoction of individuality as it deals with potent themes of toxic masculinity and father/son dynamics. There are so many twists and turns and surprising tonal shifts, that are all best kept secret for the maximum enjoyment of future audiences, but it is safe to say that you will find it very hard to guess where this film will just end up, after you begin the journey with Norval out to the cabin to meet his Dad. At times the film borders on the ridiculous, but does so knowingly and it is forever entertaining. Personally, I am a huge fan of films that can pull off large tonal shifts, the like seen in “Come To Daddy”, and to make it feel organic to the story and director Ant Timpson does a fantastic job of this. This is a massive achievement from a first time director, but you never feel like Timpson loses control of his film, and he does an excellent job of balancing when these shifts take place and continuing his story down the path of these new dimensions. Right from the opening of the film, you feel in safe hands and understand the tone of the film, when he juxtaposes two quotes about fatherhood before the film starts in earnest; the first a poignant thought from William Shakespeare, the second, a moronic one from Beyonce. It immediately lets the audience know, that yes, you are allowed to laugh during this film and boy do they laugh.

Elijah Wood is totally fantastic in the lead role of Norval. He portrays the guy as someone who is looking for love or at least be noticed by the man who abandoned him as a child. While he comes across as not a particularly strong willed guy, you can also sense that he has an underlying sense of anger to it all, and this may be the reason he become so heavily dependant on alcohol (a habit he has since cleaned up). This darker side to his character bares its head in the second, bloodier half of the film, and Wood is equally as fantastic as Norval explores the violence within him. Whatever you may think of Wood as an actor, you cannot deny that he has a fantastic eye for finding great and unusual projects to be a part of (either as an actor or a producer). He is such a good sport in “Come To Daddy” too because the costume, hair and make up departments have done him no favours here. Norval is saddled with the most ridiculous looking “Friar Tuck” hairstyle, coupled with an ungainly moustache that he may be using to divert peoples attention from his lack of masculinity. Added to all this is a dress sense that has to be seen to be believed, but Wood totally owns it. He commits to the look and blends it into his insecure and often meek character.

Wood is backed up beautifully in the acting stakes by an aggressive Stephen McHattie, who plays Norval's dad. The two have wonderful chemistry together as they constantly spar with one another in a rapid fire fashion, as they explore a relationship that appears doomed even before they attempt to reconnect. A highlight between the two is an escalating conversation about Elton John and the surprising friendships both men shared (independently from one another) with the singer. It is a scene that continues to build in intensity, and ends up being quite suspenseful, as the two men try to attain some form of superiority over the other, and it ends on a very amusing note. Later on in the film, both Martin Donovan and Michael Smiley arrive in roles that I will keep secret in regards to their importance of the plot, but I have to say that Smiley is completely off his rocker here. He plays his role of Jethro so flamboyantly and so over the top, that it borders on brilliance. He just goes for it here, and is unlike anything else I have seen him in prior. Donovan, as usual, plays it more straight but I really enjoyed his mischievous performance as he manipulates Norval into exploring his masculinity for his own gain.

Without giving away any spoilers, it should be noted that the film does descend into a quite bloody and violent thing, but again, due to the tone of the film, you may find yourself responding to the violence in a myriad of ways. While some of these moments come off as dangerous and brutal, other violent bits are so funny that you cannot help but laugh uncontrollably, and then chastise yourself later for doing so. While I have not mentioned the cinematography previous, it is in this second half too where Daniel Katz's cinematography comes to the forefront as his lighting design slightly alters, with shadows appearing deeper, darkness more pronounced, while the colour red also starts to achieve prominence in the film's overall look.

Overall, “Come To Daddy” is a hard film to talk about without betraying its many secrets and tonal shifts. Fear not, as I have barely scratched the surface in regards to the plot of this film or hinting as to where it all leads. Suffice to say though, the film is a definite crowd-pleaser (the MIFF crowd loved it!) and it is one of those films that is even greater when you see it in a packed cinema. At times it is extremely silly, but through all the twists and turns, blood and violence, director Ant Timpson does an amazing job of firstly, keeping the film all together, and secondly, telling a tale about a father and son finding each other again, and beginning their journey together towards healing.

3.5 Stars.