Typically during the autumn season, most of the year’s greatest films begin queuing for release, cramming our theatres and making it difficult to catch them all. This week once again two films deservedly share our pick for film of the week.
First of them is “The Master” ★★★★½, Paul Thomas Anderson’s follow-up to “There Will Be Blood” which during the recent Venice film festival scooped the gongs for best director and actor (shared by both its leads) but controversially lost best picture, due to the festival’s rules not to reward the same film with all major prizes, to Korean author Kim Ki-Duk ‘s not so well received ‘Pieta’.
“The Master” is another portentous recreation of American history, loosely based in the origins of L Ron Hubbard’s Scientology, a subject that was always going to generate an extra amount of public interest , told through the relationship of two opposite characters: a drunk ex-sailor – superb physical performance by Joaquin Phoenix- irreparably traumatized after World War II , drifting from job to job until he meets the leader of a new philosophy – Hoffman, who also nails his role’s inner debate between charismatic grandeur and doubtful hoax – claiming to relieve all mental afflictions, who rapidly welcomes him as a perfect case to put teachings into practice. Technically impressive; shot to be projected in 70mm; boasting fantastic cinematography and a disturbing score composed by Radiohead’s Johnny Greenwood, repeating his collaboration on musical duties. Anderson raises many questions about the opposite, yet mutually feeding natures of master and disciple; religion versus cult and the way psychology and self-help theories have helped shaping our lives, but leaves most of them unanswered, which if doesn’t help The Master on its ambition to be the best movie of the year, certainly makes it one of the most thought-provoking.
Our second film of the week is another festival circuit favourite, recently won the best film award at the LFF, making his director Jacques Audiard the first on winning the accolade twice in the short story of the event’s competition – his former masterpiece ‘A Prophet’ granted him the first victory. ‘Rust & Bone’ ★★★★ freely adapts Canadian writer Craig Davidson’s short stories and allows Audiard to keep on exploring the marginal worlds of modern society, this time through the brutal love story of a security guard, father of a five year old kid, trying to get out of a rough patch in life by reviving his career as a fighter, with the whale trainer in a sea world resort who loses both legs in a work accident shortly after they met. The sleazy underworld of illegal combats juxtaposes with the depressing one of hospitals and coping with disability, adding a dose of terrible realism to the couple’s against the odds loving bond, brought to life by Marion Cotillard and Matthias Schoenarts’ deeply affecting performances.
Other interesting new releases this week are the British classic ‘It always rains on Sunday”, heralding BFI’s “Ealing: Light & Dark” season dedicated to the history of the much loved British film studio and life-affirming documentary “Call Me Kuchu”, raising awareness against Uganda’s draconian laws prosecuting gay people and paying tribute to the tragic, yet inspiring life of the country’s first openly gay activist, David Kato.
Check our Top 20 recommended films here.
| 1-THE MASTER ★★★★½ Paul Thomas Anderson (NEW) Another portentous recreation of American history, loosely based in the origins of L Ron Hubbard’s Scientology, told through the relationship of two opposite characters: a traumatized WWII ex-sailor - superb physical performance by Joaquin Phoenix- drifting from job to job until he meets the leader of a new cult – Hoffman, who also nails his role’s mix of grandeur and doubtful hoax - claiming to relieve all mental afflictions, being welcomed as a perfect case to put teachings into practice. Raising many questions about the mutually feeding nature of master and disciple; one of the most thought- provoking works of 2012. |
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| 2-RUST & BONE ★★★★ Jacques Audiard (NEW) A free adaptation of Craig Davidson's short stories which enables Audiard to keep on exploring the marginal worlds in our society, this time through the brutal love story of a security guard trying to get out of a rough patch in life by reviving his career as a fighter, with the whale trainer in a sea world resort who loses both legs during an accident at work shortly after they met. The sleazy underworld of illegal combats, next to the depressing one of hospitals and coping with disability add a terrible dose of realism to the couple’s against the odds loving bond, brought to life by Marion Cotillard and Matthias Schoenarts’ deeply affecting performances. |
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| 3-BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD ★★★★★ Benh Zeitlin A masterclass in magical realism, since it conquered Sundance the buzz surrounding this superb debut hasn’t ceased to grow. The post-Katrina nightmare narrated through the lively imagination of a 5 year-old kid, mixing fairytale and reality while trying to make sense of the terrible events. Non-professional actors Dwight Henry and Ouvenzhané Willis form one of the most touching father-daughter relationships in recent memory. Already a critical favourite, Oscar nominations await. |
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| 4-ELENA ★★★★ Andrei Zvyagintsev After nearly two years gathering international awards across the festival circuit; many of them for her impressive lead star Nadezhda Markina, the third film in this promising Russian auteur’s career offers a bleak glimpse of Russia’s new class structure through the story of a nurse who marries the millionaire she’s been caring for, while her relatives constantly take advantage of her new privileged position. The film slides from social commentary to noir when her husband announces his intentions to alter his will in his daughter’s favour. Gripping, fascinating and very recommendable. |
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| 5-FRANKENWEENIE ★★★★ Tim Burton The king of goth in a welcome return to form, remaking one of his early shorts. Shot in 3D and gorgeous black and white Frankenweenie’s stop-motion animated marvel serves as a tribute to the horror genre as a whole setting Mary Shelley’s creation in contemporary America. No one like Burton knows how to dig the dark side in everyday life out. This tale of solitary kid who finds the way to bring his pet dog back to life and the chaos that ensues when other kids discover his formula is no exception. |
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| 6-IT ALWAYS RAINS ON SUNDAY ★★★★★ Robert Hamer (NEW) The gem of a new BFI season dedicated to the much loved Ealing film studio’s output; split between its popular, comedy side and the darker, lesser-known dramatic one to which this 1947 classic belongs. An accomplished exploration of British post-war life, set in working class Bethnal Green, sprinkled with cheeky Eastender's sense of humour. Its main storyline focuses on a housewife whose established family life is jeopardised when former lover escapes from jail and comes back to her for help; but rather a choral work, the plot gets enriched by a wide number of characters whose lives exemplify the hardships of that era. |
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| 7-SISTER ★★★★ Ursula Meier The follow-up of Meier’s critically acclaimed ‘Home’ is an accomplished foray into the Dardenne Brothers’ brand of social realism that focuses on two young siblings living with no parents in the vicinity of a mountain resort. The younger kid makes a living by stealing ski equipment and progessively resorts to wittier tactics to make ends meet; he supports her older sister who’s seems to be in a state of careless immaturity, failing to acknowledge the dramatic circumstances they both are enduring. A touching story widely enhanced by a superb European cast featuring rising star Léa Seydoux and the always excellent Gillian Anderson. |
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| 8-SKYFALL ★★★★ Sam Mendes The most famous agent on her majesty’s secret service celebrates his 50th birthday in style. Director Sam Mendes has managed to preserve every one of Bond’s most distinctive features while adding layers of depth to the main characters, allowing Craig, Dench and Fiennes far more room to boast their fine acting. However, it’s Javier Badem’s high camp baddie the one who steals the show. 007 followers are already raving about it. Everyone else should take advantage of this occasion to reconnect with the best franchise British cinema has given to the world. |
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| 9-CALL ME KUCHU ★★★★ Katherine Fairfax Wright & Malika Zouhali-Worrall (NEW) This extraordinary documentary raises awareness about Uganda’s draconian anti-gay laws while paying tribute to the awe-inspiring life of the country’s first openly gay activist, David Kato, killed victim of the growing prejudice. Despite the terrible events depicted, it preserves an uplifting, life-affirming tone due to the warmth of his small LGBT community fighting for their right to be who they are, in the midst of widespread rejection fuelled by religious and political hatred. A moving reminder of the world's ongoing battle against homophobic discrimination. |
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| 10-KEEP THE LIGHTS ON ★★★ Ira Sachs (NEW) Another of the titles currently making waves across the festival circuit, Ira Sachs describes the ups and downs in the ten year relationship of a gay couple formed by a New York based, Danish born documentary film maker and an erratically behaved young lawyer, whose drug and sex additions come in the way of their partnership. Enhanced by a selection of Arthur Russell’s finest songs and packed with nicely observed, heartfelt intimate moments; both lovers, though, feel terribly self-absorbed and their characters rather one-dimensional, which ultimately makes it difficult to care for their fate. |
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| 11-ROOM 237 ★★★ / THE SHINING ★★★★★ Rodney Ascher/Stanley Kubrick Did Kubrick direct the shooting of the fake landing on the moon? Was ‘The Shining’ packed with subliminal messages to condemn mankind’s endless self-destroying ability? Those are some of the, rather far-fetched, theories depicted with mind-blowing detail in this entertaining documentary collecting some of the conspiracy theories that surrounded both the director's life and his horror masterpiece. Timely, the analysed classic gets also re-release with a new version featuring twenty minutes never before seen in UK screens. Together, they make a perfect double-bill for this Halloween. |
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| 12-ON THE ROAD ★★★★ Walter Salles More than half a decade since the novel that defined the Beat Generation saw the light of day, the director of other high profile adaptation, ‘The Motorcycle Diaries’, finally got the go ahead and brought the cream of Today’s young actors on board. Many are praising how faithful to Kerouac’s original spirit it is on its depiction of a young writer and his charismatic friend hitting the road on a sex, drugs and jazz-infused search for inspiring vital experiences; others dismissed it as overlong, misogynous and failing to excite. The result of revisiting such an influential work was always going to be hugely divisive. Worth finding out why! |
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| 13-HOLY MOTORS ★★★★★ Leos Carax Visionary, Genius or just plain bonkers, this personal tribute to cinema by cult French auteur Carax is the first true masterpiece 2012 has delivered. Criminally left empty-handed at Cannes, its many episodes see Denis Lavant being driven around Paris in a mysterious limo to a series of different assignments. Mr. Oscar, his character, jumps from finance investor to street beggar; from crime to motion capture; Eva Mendes to Kylie in a mind-blowing genre hopping ride referencing many significant landmarks in the history of film. |
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| 14-BARBARA ★★★★ Christian Petzold One of the Berlinale’s winners and Germany’s submission to the foreign language Oscar, the best reviewed German movie since ‘The Lives of others’ shares the common subject of how police oppression invaded the sphere of citizens’s privacy under the communist rule in East Germany. Nina Hoss collected raves for her performance as the doctor who finds herself banished from Berlin and relocated in a remote Northern town hospital. |
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| 15-THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER ★★★ Stephen Chbosky Stephen Chbosky adapts his own best-selling novel, a heart-warming coming-of-age story where an introverted newcomer makes friends with a pair of peculiar siblings, joining their arty circle of misfits. The three would forge a special bond helping guide them through the ups and downs of high school life and the typical insecurities of teenage years. A real crowd-pleaser, boasting three fine performances from its well-chosen leads, the film only flaw is being too concerned with its own cuteness, which sometimes undermines the storyline from reaching its full dramatic potential. |
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| 16-RUBY SPARKS ★★★½ Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris The follow-up of ‘Little Miss Daisy’ is another intelligent comedy, inspired by the myth of Pygmalion and not miles away from Woody Allen’s territory. The tale of acclaimed young writer falling in love with his creation after finding she’s become real and the neurotic re-writing of her character when relationship troubles arise is a total delight. Paul Dano and Zoe Kazan, who’s also responsible for the screenplay, lead a star-studded ensemble, including a rare appearance by 70’s icon Elliott Gould as the author’s psychologist giving advice on how to cope with such an unusual partnership. |
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| 17-5 BROKEN CAMERAS ★★★½ Emad Burnat & Guy Davidi Filmmaker Emad Burnat bought his first camera in 2005 for the birth of his son Gibreel, soon to find a different use for it as a way to document the injustices and oppression inflicted upon his community, the inhabitants of a small Palestinean village in the occupied territories of the West Bank. Filmed over five years and named after the number of cameras destroyed by the violence of Israeli soldiers, this outstanding documentary is filled with the kind of footage you rarely see in mainstream news and constitutes an unique testimony from a conflict that has long time been a shame for the whole world. |
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| 18-LOOPER ★★★½ Rian Johnson Despite an unfortunate promotional slogan hailing it as this decade’s ‘The Matrix’, this excellent example of high concept sci-fi is one of the best works the maligned genre has offered for quite a while. Set in a near dystopian future when a shady business of time travelling hitmen is booming; to avoid legal troubles, after a number of years every one of them is sent to kill his future self. A disturbingly puffy-faced Jonathan Gordon-Levitt discovers his older version in Bruce Willis and rebels against his fate. Great fun! |
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| 19-MADAGASCAR 3: EUROPE'S MOST WANTED ★★★ Eric Darnell & Tom McGrath An animated Franchise that doesn’t take the audience for granted and keeps on improving on every instalment, Madagascar 3 brings indie darling Noah Baumbach on co-writing credits. Our favourite animal bunch are on a Penguins rescue mission to Montecarlo, joining a travelling circus afterwards as a means to go back home to New York’s Zoo. It’s impressive vocal cast features Ben Stiller; Chris Rock and Sacha Baron Cohen in top comic shape and among the new recruits Jessica Chastain; Bryan Cranston and Frances McDormand, whose hilarious “Captain DuBois” provides some of the funniest moments. |
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| 20-EXCISION ★★½ Richard Bates, Jr. (NEW) Part body horror, part US high school satire; this bizarre film doesn’t quite succeed as either, but provides a peculiar experience to fans of the genre. The sexual awakening of a rebellious girl obsessed with surgery manifest itself in the shape of slick, videoclip-like fantasies, mixing erotic desire with gory operations. Unable to fit in, rejected as a weirdo and pressured by her religious upbringing, her growing unrest will lead to shocking events. Full of winks aiming desperately at cult status, it boasts a notable cast featuring former porn icon Traci Lords as the strict mother; John Waters is the confessing family priest; Malcolm McDowell, a tough teacher; plus a bunch of familiar faces from current TV series. |
