Films of Note: LIFF Edition

Every year come November, the Leeds International Film Festival takes over my little city and brings with it a glimpse into a whole other world of cinema. There really is such a wide range of films in the programme every year from a Cuban zom-rom-com to a Hungarian seven hour meander through a dilapidated village to Steve McQueen's newest feature starring Michael Fassbender as a New York sex addict.

2011 saw the 25th anniversary of the film festival and although, unlike 2010, I didn't invest in a festival pass I still managed to see around twenty films over the two and a half weeks. I picked my top five films to share with you to keep an eye out for in the future including one cheeky piece of self promotion.
This has been sitting in my drafts for over a month now but finally, it's ready to share with you.

1. Take Shelter (2011)
Dir. by Jeff Nichols (USA)
I've seen this film again in the cinema since the festival and I think this is the most accessible film on my list. It's a stunning slow burner of a film that follows a father and husband as he spirals into delusional prophecies of an apocolyptic storm and becomes obsessed with building a storm shelter. It's pitch perfect with beautiful cinematography, an engulfing soundtrack and amazing acting from the entire cast including Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain. I cannot sing this film's praises enough, it unfolds with a building tension that leaves you hooked til the last frame.

2. The Fatherless (2011)
Dir. by Marie Kreutzer (Austria)
Most people know about my obsession with cults and communes so it was no surprise when my list for the festival included multiple films that touched on the subject. The Fatherless was my favourite film of the festival, an amazing achievement by a first time female director, and now a huge inspiration to me. It tells the story of an estranged family, who were raised in a commune, now reunited after their father's death in the same house they used to call home. There's an underlying tension throughout the film as family secrets are held back but the truth finds its way out in flashbacks from the glory days of the commune. It's dark and far from uplifting but it's fresh and moving. If you get the chance to see this, do!

3. Breathing (2011)
Dir. by Karl Markovics (Austria)
Breathing tells the story of a young offender about to be released back into the normal world after a childhood contained inside prison. He gets offered a job as a undertakers assistant to help smooth the transition between his two worlds and finds himself chasing after his mother who abandoned him when he was younger. The tenderness with which the film's story is told is beautiful and had everyone in the cinema in love with this film. The acting is spot on, it deals with such serious issues without falling into cliches and Karl Markovics is definitely someone I will wait eagerly to see what he does next with his writing/directing career.

4. The Last Tribe (2011)
Dir. by Simon Glass (UK)
The Last Tribe is a project very close to my own heart because I worked on the film and it was the first film that brought my name onto the big screen in a cinema. It's a documentary charting the journey of the Jewish community in Leeds. Although it's quite a niche story, it's heartwarming and funny with some great characters who really open up for the camera and share their fascinating stories. The Leeds Film Festival was it's premiere and I'm really proud to be able to say I was involved with the film.

5. 22nd of May (2010)
Dir. by Koen Mortier (Belgium)
22nd of May was one of those films I knew I would love from the moment I read about it in the catalogue. Chronicling the aftermath of a bomb attack in a shopping mall in a non-linear maze as the security guard chasing down victims and perpetrators alike to find their stories leading to a patchwork portrait of a handful of people's lives. The film is dark and gritty with tension building throughout as he rushes to try and prevent the attack that has already happened. An insightful look into an unstable mind and the chaos caused in an everyday situation gone horribly gone.

Films To Note

Another installment of my film reviews and recommendations which disappeared for a while. I've decided to go for a slightly obscure theme this week with five films that are a bit outside of the norm. People assume because I'm a film student I only watch strange films and although I'm a sucker for the classics, I can be a reaffirmation of this stereotype sometimes too. They're not too obscure and still thoroughly enjoyable films so I hope you can take a step outside of the box and watch one of these.

1. Old Boy (2003)

A Chan-Wook Park Film
A South Korean export, this film is part of Park Chan-Wook's trilogy revolving around the theme of revenge. Following a man who was kidnapped and imprisoned for fifteen years on his journey to discover who kept him locked up and why. He travels through his own memory as well as the dark landscape of the city leaving a trail of violence in his wake. Known for the scene where the male lead eats a live squid, this psychological thriller is full of moments that leave you cringing away from the screen and yet always turning back for one more look.

2. XXY(2007)

A Lucia Puenzo Film

Coming from Argentina, this fascinating film follows teenager Alex who has both female and male genitals. Alex has taken medication to suppress his male hormones for his life but has decided to stop taking them when some family friends come to visit. The father is a surgeon and has come to discuss the possibility of a sex-change operation. A story of discovering sexuality and deciding who you are, it is a poignant film with some wonderfully tense moments.

3. Dogtooth (2009)

A Giorgos Lanthimos Film
A shining example of the new Greek film scene, Dogtooth is a surreal and chaotic watch, challenging the entire family dynamic. A father has decided to keep his family safe from society by keeping them inside their compound without outside contact, except for a woman who is brought in to deal with the son's sexual needs. The events unfold in a bizarre manner and while not a comfortable watch, Dogtooth captures a sense of control and a need to escape with such ease.

4. AntiChrist (2009)

A Lars Von Trier Film
Lars Von Trier is infamous in the industry for creating experimental and dark masterpieces. AntiChrist was allegedly made when he was suffering from severe depression and this definitely translated well into this troubling film. It opens with the death of a couple's child as it falls from a window and from there travels into the forest where they have gone to try and deal with their grief. It is a violent and explicit film so not for the weak stomached but the cinematography is stunning and a depiction of madness  is never going to be a simple film.

5. Rubber (2010)

A Quentin Dupieux Film

This French film takes the concept of voyeurism and runs with it. A multi-layered narrative which involves a group of viewers watching the action through binoculars in the desert, follows the story of a rubber tyre that wreaks havoc as it kills people with it's mind. I know it sounds ridiculous and it is, but it's an interesting watch that plays with the idea of diegesis and with the idea of genre itself.

Films To Note

For this fortnights 'Films to Note', I thought I'd go for an obscure theme. When I watch films, I often take away completely different things. Sometimes I think it has an amazing storyline or it explored an issue in a new way or I have a big emotional response. And then there are the times when I think, 'Wow, I want to see these places'. So without further adieu, I give you five films that make me want to travel.

1. Into The Wild (2007)

A Sean Penn Film

America. 

'Into The Wild' is inspired by the story of Christopher McCandless who decided one day to give up his life as a graduate in normal society and go quite literally into the wild. McCandless travels all over North America in his journey of self-discovery, forming relationships that are permanent yet transient with everyone that he meets. His eventual goal is to live in Alaska off the land. The places seen in the film are beautiful and stunning and left me with the biggest urge to pack up and get travelling. I love the lesson that our lives shouldn't be defined by our careers or how much money we earn but by the things we've experienced and the places we've embraced.

2. Lost In Translation (2003)

A Sofia Coppola Film

Japan.

My fascination with Japan is no secret and when I have the money, I will be there in a flash. 'Lost in Translation' tells the story of two Americans in Tokyo who quite literally get lost in translation but manage to keep each other afloat. A beautiful love story intertwined in the intriguing sceneries of temples clashing with trips to karaoke bars and the bright city lights that are almost blinding. An amazing insight into Japan through the eyes of an outsider.

3. An Education (2009)

A Lone Scherfig Film

Paris.
Having visited Paris and not been that fussed about what I found, I prefer to imagine Paris in the dreamy way that Jenny (Carey Mulligan) experiences it in the coming of age romance of An Education. With her sights set on Oxbridge, Jenny falls for an older man who shows her things she couldn't have previously hoped to experience within her academically driven world and I would love to wander the streets of Paris with her perfectly coiffed hair, wonderfully styled outfits and reckless abandon towards following the rules. This film reinforces Paris as the definition of romance.

4. Monsters (2010)

A Gareth Edwards Film

Mexico.
If it seems strange to pick a science fiction film for this category, you need to watch Monsters. It's an extremely accomplished piece of film making for the miniscule budget and gives a human face to the recycled storyline of aliens invade and take over the world. Monsters tells the journey of a photojournalist who is given the task of returning his boss's daughter to the safety of the US, which means traveling through the danger zone of Mexico. The scenery is stunning and I've now added watching the sunset from a Mayan temple to my to-do list.

5. Before Sunrise (1995)

A Richard Linklater Film
Vienna.
The idea of meeting a stranger while traveling and finding a connection that leads to love is a thought that crosses everyone's mind when they make accidental eye-contact with that attractive traveller in the seat across from them. This is the idea that is explored in Before Sunrise, which follows Jesse, an American with a flight in the morning, and Celiné, a beautiful french woman on her way home, who take the risk of getting off the train in Vienna together. They wander the city for a day and a night, talking about everything and forming a bond that is rare and unique.

all images from google images.

Films To Note

These film posts keep rolling around quickly but I'm starting to make lists of films I want to share with you guys so I should be able to keep up. Also, if there's a topic or style that you would like to see me recommend films based on then please don't be shy and send me an email or leave a comment and I'll see if I can rise to the challenge. 

This week I'm going to share five unconventional romance films. Perfect for when you need a hit of love but don't want to turn to rom-coms (my guilty pleasure). 

1. Almost Famous (2000)

A Film by Cameron Crowe

An absolutely wonderful film about a young boy who wants to be a music journalist and gets an amazing opportunity to write for Rolling Stone Magazine and go on tour with the fictional, Stillwater. It's a coming of age movie with a great soundtrack and some amazing acting talent but for me, what makes this film is the love story between William and Penny. She is the stunning band-aid who moves through the film in a haze of cool and he is the geeky but adorable kid that who will never quite catch her eye. Watch this when you're feeling nostalgic for first love.

2. Leon (1994)

A Film by Luc Besson

To call this film a romance is slightly controversial but no one can deny the love between Leon and his young apprentice Mathilda, played by an outstanding young Natalie Portman. The story of a cleaner who lives his life in a constant routine until one day newly orphaned Mathilda knocks on his door, begging him to save her. What unravels is a fast paced, dark but hilarious at times tale of revenge, devotion and making your own family.

Watch this when you need something not romantic.

3. The Reader (2008)

A Film by Stephen Daldry

This film has recieved masses of critical acclaim but it is fully deserved, painting the life of Michael Berg and the impact his lover, Hana, has on him. They meet by chance but a frantic sexual connection blossoms between the two, seperated by quite a few years, until one day she disappears. Michael grows up, never quite letting go and then their paths cross again when he least expects it. In the courtroom for a trial for Nazi war crimes. It is a dark story that deals with so many issues bigger than love but it is at the heart of the film along with ideas of pride, resentment and guilt. 

Watch this when you need something without a happy ending.

4. Never Let Me Go (2010)

A Film by Mark Romanek

I was lucky enough to see this first at the Leeds International Film Festival for it's first UK screening and I was stunned. I've since read the novel it's based on, by Kazuo Ishiguro, the science fiction story of a race of people bred for the singular purpose of donating their organs to medical science. Set in Britain and told through the eyes of one of the ex-pupils of Hailsham school, it is a tragic love story with strong themes of yearning, self-acceptance and questions of humanity. 

Watch this when you need something to cry to.

5. Perfume: The Story of A Murderer (2004)

A Film by Tom Tykwer

With a name like that, I wouldn't blame you for thinking this wasn't a romance. And it's not, in the traditional sense. It chronicles the journey of a man with an acute sense of smell, who becomes obsessed with the idea of capturing the perfect scent for his perfume. This perfect scent is of a woman and thus his killing spree begins with a detached sense of purpose. Each woman he kills, he treats like another ingredient, putting her through a series of distilling experiments to try and reach his goal. The romance comes in the form of the woman he decides he must have, a porcelain skinned redhead whose father is determined to protect her.

Watch this when you need a visual spectacle.

Films To Note

For this fortnight's Films To Note, I thought I would share with you some films close to my heart. As a film student and a fingers crossed future screenwriter, I have a lot of favourite directors and screenwriters who I aspire to be like so I am going to share with you six (I couldn't settle on just five) films from my favourite film makers.

1. The Virgin Suicides (1999)

A film by Sofia Coppola
Sofia Coppola is the woman I tell everyone I want to be like. Her films are beautiful, they explore all the right themes in a dreamy daze and her characters are so well written. The Virgin Suicides is also one of my favourite books so this film had a lot to live up to. I have watched it countless times and will watch it countless more. It tells the story of the Lisbon girls and one summer where things all went wrong from the eyes of the neighbourhood boys that loved them from afar. Hazy American Suburbia with the right tone of isolation for a perfect movie.

2. The Darjeeling Limited (2007)

A film by Wes Anderson
Wes Anderson is someone whose films can always make me laugh. I'm never going to be a comedic writer so I envy his talent but love his films all the same. The Darjeeling Limited chronicles the journey of three brothers across India to visit their estranged mother after their father's death. It has all the classic Anderson kooky characters, played by a few of his favourites (Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman, Anjelica Huston) and Bill Murray gets a part as always. He weaves a hilarious, moving and tragic story of mistrust, brotherhood and the meaning of family.

3. Se7en (1995)

A film by David Fincher
David Fincher indulges my slightly more thriller side and he always pulls off the tension with flair. Se7en is the chilling story of a serial killer who commits a murder for each of the seven deadly sins. An unlikely partnership of detectives must track him down before the ultimate shocking twist at the end. Tense, dark and captivating until the last moment.

4. Memento (2000)

A film by Christopher Nolan
Christopher Nolan is another master of tension, unravelling his stories with layers and layers of twists (recently showcased in Inception). Memento is the completely crazy and misordered story of a man with amnesia trying to hunt down his wife's murderer. It's told backwards, each time handing you another piece of the puzzle before the big reveal at the end that throws the whole film into a different light. Raising questions of revenge, humanity and forgiveness, Memento always leaves my jaw hanging.

5. American Beauty (1999)
A film written by Alan Ball
Alan Ball is one of my favourite dark writers, I watched all five seasons of Six Feet Under last summer and I have never felt so invested in a family of characters before. I cry every time I watch the finale. His films are just as good. American Beauty is a dark exploration of the American dream through a family with a trio of extremely messed up characters. Our protagonist, played by Kevin Spacey, spirals through his mid life crisis as his family and neighbours crash and burn around him. Brilliantly written with unsettling moments and a step away from your conventional happy ending.

6. Requiem For A Dream (2000)
A film by Darren Aronofsky
Aronofsky recently gained acclaim from all corners for Black Swan, which I loved, and is the master of the unhappy endings. Requiem for a Dream explores the lives of a group of Coney Island residents who scrape by and slowly spiral out of control when their drug addictions become too much. A supremely dark and bleak film with scenes that I wouldn't recommend watching with your parents that leaves me gasping every time. Aronofsky wanders through the seasons with them, chronicling their self-destruction in the gritty way he does best.

all images from imdb.com. click names for link to imdb page.

Films To Note

For this fortnight's installment of Films to Note, I thought I'd pick a theme which is extremely close to my heart. As a film student, short films are a very big part of my life. I've just finished writing my first one, hopefully to put it into production soon, and I'm starting the research stage on another. Shorts are a wonderful world of glimpses and to produce a good quality one is harder than you would think. That being said I'm going to share with you five short films that I love.


1. Mono (2006)
A film by Richard Smith
Such an adorable and original love story, this is the short I always show to people when trying to get them involved with watching shorts.

2. Signs (2009)
A film by Patrick Hughes.
Another romance, with a similar theme to the previous one, this is a huge hit on youtube but I couldn't resist including it because it's an all time favourite. It's not always about dialogue in films.

3. The News
A film by Luke Shanahan
A great short short with a hilarious twist. Future Shorts is the perfect place to find shorts to watch, they even have regular events all across the world showcasing their films.


4. Luv Deluxe (2009)
A film by Saman Keshavarz
A fast paced music video style short that asks the question, what if? 







5. On Time
A film by Bianca Bodmer
A wonderful surreal story that shows how much you can do in just one location with a few actors and a lot of imagination.

What is your favourite short film?

Films to Note

This is probably going to become a fortnightly feature here on the blog. I am a Cinema student and I want to be a screenwriter when I graduate therefore a big part of my life is watching films. Recently, I started noted down every film I watch and giving it a rating. I did this because all the films were starting to blur into one and I could never recall names. 

This feature will be my way to put my consumption of films to use by recommending five films I love every fortnight. For this first week, I thought I'd have a theme that reflects a lot of what I've been watching lately which is documentaries so here is five of my favourite documentaries.

1. Spellbound (2002)

This is a film about the phenomena of spelling bees in America and follows the story of a group of teenagers who are training for the National Spelling Bee. It's a great journey with amazing characters who you really feel a connection with as the film develops. Definitely an easy watch for someone who doesn't normally watch documentaries as it's a light topic with humour and compassion.

2. Catfish (2010)

There's a lot of media buzz surrounding this film, especially whether it's real or not. I can't comment on it's authenticity but it is an amazing look at the way social networking is affecting our relationships. It follows Nev, a photographer, who creates a friendship with a young girl who paints one of his photographs and as a consequence begins a relationship with the rest of her family too but as he gets pulled in further, everything is not as it seems. A wonderful watch.

3. The Cove (2009)

One of the most affecting documentaries I've ever seen and I constantly rave to everyone about this film. It focuses on the issue of dolphin hunting in Japan and it's just perfectly executed with hints of espionage, tension and just the extreme tragedy of what's happening in the film's namesake cove. Even if you don't care about the issue, watch the film and you will by the end. 

4. Jesus Camp (2006)

Another slightly heavier one about a summer camp for evangelical Christians. It's in the observational style of documentary that I prefer with no spoonfed message but only the madness of the situation. It's obviously a very touchy subject but as someone who is undecided about religion, this film literally made me angry when I was watching it and that kind of visceral reaction to a film is one of the reasons I came away loving the film.

5. My Kid Could Paint That (2007)

A more light hearted one to round off with. Unfolding the story of Marla Olmstead, the four year old modern artist, whose paintings sold for thousands and thousands of dollars, this film explores so many interesting themes such as fraud, the credibility of modern art and also the effects of media on a family. It's crazy to watch a four year old create a piece of art that people are willing to pay that much money for but the second half of the film where doubts are thrown up about whether Marla is doing the paintings herself is where the film really shines.

All images via imdb, click on the photos for youtube trailers.