British Film Review - American Honey

One of the films playing at the London Film Festival was American Honey, by Fish Tank director Andrea Arnold. The film is an interesting depiction of life in the Southern American states. It follows the life of Star, an 18 year old who joins a band of merry teenagers living in a state of constant motion as they move from suburb to suburb selling magazine subscriptions.

The premise doesn’t sound particularly interesting but the reality pays off well. The handheld shots in 4:3 aspect ratio mean that the audience feels very much like they are in the cramped minivan with the characters and they get to know them at the same rate as Star does, something which is rare in this era of fast-paced action films. The film is long, 2 hours and 43 minutes, but that time allows the audience to connect with the characters, even if at times the plot feels slow. There are outstanding performances from Sasha Lane and Shia LaBeouf, the former as a scared but defiant 18 year old and the latter as the seemly nice and caring man who recruits her. This film was the first time acting for Lane, and this gives her a rough edge which really works with the hyper realistic tone of the film. Lane's character, Star, is frustrating, she doesn't just play along to what those around her want. This allows her to be more complex than perhaps a typical female character would be, which is something that Arnold seems to excel at, as also shown by the character of Mia in Fish Tank.

Overall, the film is rare insight into the lives of working class people in America and I think an important insight, given the wide divisions opening up in global society.

 

Short Film Review - Curmudgeons

"Curmudgeons" is a short film directed by Danny DeVito which was featured at the London Film Festival. It tells the story of Ralph, a grumpy old man who lives by himself in an assisted living building and, despite the facade he presents, he is a very lonely character. All this changes, though, with the arrival of his visiting granddaughter and the special surprise she brings. In one of the first shots of the film, the corridor  inside the assisted living home is dark and bland but by the end light and plants fill the space, showing the growth and hope in the relationships between not only the two leads but also those around them. It's a film full of affectionate swearing and is a representation of the elderly that is not often shown, as complex people who aren't just grumpy or endearing. "Curmudgeons" is the final piece of work that actor David Margulies was in before he passed away away earlier this year and he and Danny DeVito play off each other in a delightfully funny and sweet way. 
Overall, I enjoyed the film. It was a rare glimpse into the lives of the people in society that get forgotten most and a sweet vignette that kept me smiling even after the credits had rolled. 

Curmudgeons from Jersey 2nd Avenue on Vimeo.

World Film Review- The Way He Looks

The Way He Looks is a 2014 Brazilian romantic drama, directed by Daniel Ribiero. The main character Leo, played by Ghilherme Lobo, is a blind teenager who finds himself falling in love with the new boy at the school, Gabriel. The film explores the themes of friendships and first love, all with the gorgeous backdrop of the Brazilian summer.

The film has a light feeling to it which is so uncommonly found in LGBT films, all too often these films end in tragedy but this was the exception. The teenage characters feel grounded, which is helped by the youth of the cast, something often missed in coming of age films, as they navigate growing up and the lows and highs of being teenagers. Pierre de Kerchove's cinematography is simple and understated but works well with the tone of the film, not big and bold but real.

My only issue with the film is that the main character isn't played by a blind actor, despite being blind. This highlights the issues with ableism in the film industry that aren't being addressed. But other than this, Lobo carries the film beautifully and whilst it isn't gripping all the way through, there are moments which stay with the audience, even after the credits roll. The bike riding scenes are the film in a nutshell, romantic and freeing.

 

The Screening

The next task after we had finished our films was to organise a screening at the BFI for friends and family. We first had a talk from Muffin Hix about how to organise screenings and then we delegated roles for everyone in the group.

We also discussed what kind of refreshments we would like to have so that the catering team to go on to order food.
Much of the organising for the screening was done through the private Facebook group, as each team kept everyone else updated on what was going on.

Finally, the day arrived and we showed the films, with a two question Q&A in between each one. The audience seemed to enjoy our film, they especially liked the drawings and the fact it had 3 shorter narratives.

Here's the finished film!