Matt's 64th Berlin International Film Festival Top 10
10. - VULVA 3.0 by Claudia Richarz and Ulrike Zimmermann
It’s hard to imagine such a human and complete approach when dealing with the subject of any kind of genitalia. Yet, Richarz and Zimmermann are completely at ease and successful in their dealings with the vagina in their feature documentary, exposing it as a symbol of female empowerment in all its glory and appeal but also revealing the many ways in which it is physically and metaphorically abused. Airbrushed, deformed, re-styled and abused, it has been constantly mistreated by media but even by humanity as a whole. This is as much true when we see a publicist photoshop his way through an endless number of pictures, when we see a woman on the operating table of a plastic surgeon or when we hear about the unspoken subject of female genitalia. In fact, in many ways, Vulva 3.0 is the most honest, complete and ultimate representational approach at portraying the many aspects of femininity to the eyes of the world.
WATCH THIS IF YOU LIKED - V-Day: Until the Violence Stops (Abby Epstein, 2002), After Tiller (Martha Shane, Lana Wilson, 2013)
9. - THE DOG by Frank Keraudren and Allison Berg
Allison Berg and Frank Keraudren dig up the real story of the real man whose life inspired the classic Sidney Lumet directed and Al Pacino Starring Dog Day Afternoon. John Wojtowicz is a strangely magnetic individual, obnoxious and fascinating almost in equal amounts whose story was described by the filmmakers themselves as a ‘screwed up Forrest Gump tale’. There is a lot of truth in the comparison, as the story of Wojtowicz coincides with many events of the gay rights movement and the feeling of sexual liberation of its times. Furthermore, his own evolution from army-sympathetic Republican to anarchic libertine is something eccentrically intriguing in its own right. Berg and Keraudren are also sensible to the cultural context of the biography and let their documentary The Dog carry a feeling of the times in which the story is set, through extensive research of archive footage and invigorating editing techniques that deepen the interest of the story and extend it to represent a genuine feeling of the culture of its times.
WATCH THIS IF YOU LIKED - Dog Day Afternoon (Sidney Lumet, 1975), Lenny Cooke (Ben Safdie, Joshua Safdie, 2013)
8. - DER SAMURAI by Till Kleinert
Der Samurai is a strange and strangely appealing horror thriller with many B-movie elements that nevertheless always maintains a degree of control that allows it to never slip into farcical territories. It is the story of the meeting between a quiet and introvert cop, whose only excitement in life is a strange fascination and attempt at befriending a wolf that has been causing problems to the inhabitants of his small and dull village, and a psychopathic samurai transvestite. One chases the other through the night and in the process awakens feelings of sexual liberation and animalistic urges that were buried within the cop’s own dull resignation of a life. Kleinert employs a riveting visual style but also a tension that keeps the viewer actively engaged in the storyline, and at less than 80 minutes in length, Der Samurai is always upbeat, interesting, exciting and never boring.
WATCH THIS IF YOU LIKED - Halloween (John Carpenter, 1978), The Warriors (Walter Hill, 1979)
7. - SCRAP YARD (Casse) by Nadége Trebal
Filmmaker Nadége Trebal explores a scrap yard where men meet up and look for their required car pieces. Using a naturalistic documentary approach to shoot the subjects that converse with each other and the camera as if there were at a casual social gathering or at a bar, Scrap Yard especially touches on some heavy and important issues such as immigration and integration in quite a compelling way. Though it may take a while to be fully drawn into the setting, once immersed, the viewer will most likely find the film’s dialogue and structure easy to immerse into also thanks to the subjects Trebal chooses to follow, with their ordinary and yet magnetic presence. All the way, her unobtrusive approach allows the conversations between the subjects to speak their heart out in a real and unaffected way and naturally alternate the mood of the film from funny to pensive whilst always being engaging.
WATCH THIS IF YOU LIKED - Foreign Parts (Verena Paravel, J.P. Sniadecki, 2010), A Better Life (Chris Weitz, 2011)
6. - DIFRET by Zeresenay Berhane Mehari
A young girl faces an almost certain death penalty after she kills one of her kidnappers. The law is on the kidnappers’ side in accordance to an old Ethiopian tradition that allows such behaviours that lead to marriage. Hope arises when a female lawyer comes to her rescue. Difret by Zeresenay Berhane Mehari is incredibly based on a true story and exposes a subject that is not talked about. Despite its regional implications, Difret feels universally representational as a plea for evolution of mankind’s ethics and an elimination of nonsensical and dangerous traditions. There is also a great use of the theme of female empowerment felt throughout the film. As a human rights feature, it is a greatly affecting able to connect with its audience emotionally. It also looks great, and this is also due to the fact that it is shot in glorious 35mm that not only paints a stunning picture of the landscape of Ethiopia but also reveals Mehari’s love for his home country. This reveals that Difret is not simply a film of protest but an inspiring story and a warm act of love and plea for much needed change.
WATCH THIS IF YOU LIKED - B for Boy (Chika Anadu, 2013), Rabbit Proof Fence (Phillip Noyce, 2002)
5. - THOU WAST MILD AND LOVELY by Josephine Decker
Josephine Decker’s strange film about sexual fantasies is centred around a strange triangle between a farmer, his daughter and the quiet ad mysteriously introverted hired hand. The latter two develop a sexual relationship that intensifies the tone of the film as it becomes clear that it could spell nothing but disaster. Interestingly, Decker strengthens the ploy and heightens its psychological implications by utilising a stark contrast in its cinematography that all at once recalls a Malick melodrama and The Blair Witch Project. Defying genre boundaries and with a remarkable ability to change the mood of each scene within the blink of an eye, Thou Wast Mild and Lovely is like a schizophrenic sex dream and nightmare all at once. Some satire and comedy also catches off guard, particularly in the ending. Impossible to categorised, if not by originality, with Thuu Wast Mild and Lovely, Josephine Decker affirms herself as a distinctive independent filmmaker to look out for.
WATCH THIS IF YOU LIKED - Badlands (Terrence Malick, 1973), Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (David Lynch, 1992)
4. - IN ORDER OF DISAPPEARANCE (Kraftidioten) by Hans Petter Moland
With revenge flicks aplenty in today’s cinema, Moland’s attempts at freshening up what could probably be called a film sub-genre in its own right are very entertaining and rewarding. His film In Order of Disappearance tells the tale of a man whose son is killed by a gang of drug criminals and goes out single-handedly looking for revenge. The film misleadingly starts in all seriousness, then proceeds through a coating of comedy and satire that actually sensibly touches on themes such as immigration and integration, themes that are depicted in a surprisingly effective metaphorical way. Nevertheless, it is the small creative touches and an air of unpredictability that make In Order of Disappearance the fun film it is – with a star studded cast that includes Stellan Skarsgård, Bruno Ganz and Pål Sverre Hagen adding to its appeal.
WATCH THIS IF YOU LIKED - Kind Hearts and Coronets (Robert Hamer, 1949), The Limey (Steven Soderbergh, 1999)
3. - WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS by Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi
Mockumentary about a group of vampire housemates, which follows its subjects in their ordinary struggles with everyday life. What We Do in the Shadows by Waititi and Clement is genial in its simplicity. A refreshing take on the comedy spoof genre, the film’s approach gives way to improvisation that makes the comedy seem a lot less staged and much more spontaneous. This approach also aids the different characters in naturally achieving their own distinctive characteristics through the actors’ own performances – themselves influenced by their own comedic personalities. To add to the overall appeal are some great references to the horror genre that take up back to the good old days when vampires were gothic and cool rather than being the modern day sparkly skinned melodramatic counterparts. Structured around some very creative gags, this film is fun and entertaining. As well as that, by the end of the film, there is also a feeling that these are characters that could easily be brought back to life in various formats, from TV to a sequel.
WATCH THIS IF YOU LIKED - The Office (Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant, 2001-2003), This is Spinal Tap (Rob Reiner, 1984)
2. - '71 by Yann Demange
A young British soldier is thrown into the chaos and mayhem in the midst of the Troubles of Northern Ireland 1971, and finds himself hopelessly lost and dodging violence from both factions of Catholics and Protestants. Great vehicle for Jack O’Connell who delivers an intense and soft spoken performance heightening tension and drama and letting the despair and disorientation of his character shine through. Despite ’71 initially pointing out to a realistic approach, Demange’s film resembles the tension of Jonh Carpenter’s thrillers with its ferocity and suspenseful tension. Nevertheless, its emotions remain quite compelling and rewarding on a scale that remains tastefully sensible to the culture context in which it is set, especially through its driving force that aims to depict the socio political situation of Northern Ireland as a dangerous place where everyone is forced to adapt to the dangers and violence.
WATCH THIS IF YOU LIKED - Bloody Sunday (Paul Greengrass, 2002), Escape from New York (John Carpenter,1981)
1. - BOYHOOD by Richard Linklater
An incredibly ambitious experiment that nevertheless manages to avoid feeling like a precious gimmick. Linklater tells the stort of a young boy from age six growing up to college age, and goes through his own personal evolution. The film was shot over the course of twelve years. Despite the nightmare it must have been on continuity and the many risks that the production undoubtedly had to endure to seem credibly compact, Boyhood ends up feeling like one of the most rewarding and genuine coming of age experiences that one can hope to witness on the cinema screen. This is also due to the authenticity of the real physical changes of the main actors involved, where even the wrinkles on the faces of the supporting characters add a genuineness that deepens the dramatic aspect. There is a lot of realism within the narrative too, and an avoidance of melodrama that can usually be identified with Linklater’s humanistic cinematic projects anyways pricelessly makes Boyhood seem legitimate. Indeed, this is a film that could be interpreted as a vanity project by its creator Linklater, yet ultimately this reading would essentially be missing the point of the complete collaboration and commitment of cast and crew that over the course of the twelve-year production contributed to making such a courageous project come together. The cast adds to the film’s appeal and sensibility with some great performances. This rings particularly true with Patricia Arquette as the mother whose evolution and life-long struggles to look after her family but a leniance towards making constant mistakes is just as significantly fascinating as the central boy’s growing up process.
WATCH THIS IF YOU LIKED - Before Sunrise (Richard Linklater, 1995), This Boy's Life (Michael Caton-Jones, 1993)
RELATED ARTICLES:
Matt's 31st Torino Film Festival top 10
