A Field in England

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes

Ben Wheatley's latest feels a throwback to 70's expressionism. At least it's what I imagine European arthouse films were like then. There's probably much more to it that Im' picking up but I just found it utterly bizarre. There's a lot of mushroom eating, so perhaps that accounts for some of the trippyness. There's also a sinister supernatural undertone. It didn't help that I was having trouble staying awake whilst watching and already completely surreal dream like film.

That line between pretentious and meaningful is going to be different for everyone. I'm straddling a bit but leaning more to the former. I do appreciate many of the sequences are effective though. Wheatley has crafted a great sound design and plays around with his editing a lot. The film is interspersed with tableaux and song.

The actors all do great with what they're asked. It's often very funny, perhaps sometimes unintentionally. I'm not sure, it's hard to tell.

It's not a film I can easily recommend but it will have its fans.

The Deep

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes

Not to be confused with The Deep. Another Revelation Film Festival title, the true story of an Icelandic fisherman who survived for many hours and a long swim back to shore after his boat capsized and all his colleagues drowned. It's not just a survival story, it's a survivors story and the film continues on after  the harrowing event to show the aftermath of such an incident and what effect it has on him and his town.

What was great was I didn't know any of that going into the film. The beauty of festival films. The scenes out on the ocean are superbly put together. It's an inhospitable landscape and you really feel the ice cold temperatures. Perhaps surprisingly the most tense moment for me was our hero, poor Gulli, having made it to shore, just trying to get out of the water without being pummelled into the sharp rocks.

The drama in the second half is understated and much of the mystery of what happened is left unexplained but poses some interesting questions. My tastes prefer the survival story of the first half but overall it was a pretty neat experience. I think this is the first Icelandic film I've seen too, so that was fun.

Cheap Thrills

IMDB

First time viewed: Yes

Current Release: Yes

Watched With: Tyler

This kind of dark humour appeals to me greatly. A late night screening as part of the Revelation Film Festival and one I've been greatly anticipating since its debut at other festivals overseas. It didn't disappoint either. Hilarious and sick. It's a simple set up, a 4 hander moralistic play and it escalates beautifully. 

I really really loved this one, I wish more people had turned out to see it but hopefully it will get a release later in the year. The small crowd that was there were very enthusiastic though, a thoroughly entertaining evening. Can't wait to unleash its brilliance on unsuspecting friends!

Sparkle

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: No
Watched With: Tyler, Elizabeth, Maria, Richard

This one was watched in a bit of a haze at a party but the story gets across. For a film called sparkle there's not much glitz or glamour on display, it's more of a gritty 70's indie film. Low budget and the filmmaking's a little clunky. It ain't Dreamgirls.

I recognised Joel Schumacher as a producer and one of the writers. He does like The only other person I recognised was Mary Alice, who played the Oracle in the last Matrix film. All the original songs are on a pretty even tempo and I gotta be honest, all kinda sounded the same to me.

Sparkle has a sister and her name is Sister. Amazing.

The film was picked up cheaply on bluray and watched on a whim, mainly out of curiosity. It's rough around the edges, very rough, but the basic structure is there and you might get a kick out of the Motown songs.

The Look of Love

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes

Michael Winterbottom has a new film out, which means you go and see it even if it's just to discover what he's done this time. It's a biopic on British entrepreneur Paul Raymond, who became the richest man in the country with his property dealings and perhaps more interestingly, through his clubs and peddling softcore porn magazines. 

Winterbottom regular Steve Coogan is in fine form and Imogen Poots, who plays his daughter, is on equal footing. The film focuses mainly on their relationship and it's an interesting dynamic. Anna Friel also stands out as his first wife. 

The film spans a few decades and as the narrative shifts, so to does the style of filmmaking. Black and white for the 50's, and pop colour for the 60's and 70's. Although in a refreshing change they don't bother to load on excessive film grain filters so the image looks great and the sense of time and place is still conveyed through the costumes and production design, as well as the great pop montages and swinging soundtrack.

A very enjoyable watch, it has the usual rise and fall biopic arc but the the script and the actors really make the drama play and Winterbottom captures it in veritē style.