Monday, August 12, 2013

Four-Sentence MIFF Reviews #12-14: The Final Cut, Capturing Dad, The Selfish Giant

The Final Cut: Ladies and Gentlemen (Gyorgy Palfi)

 Restricted by the financial crisis in the film industry in Hungary, Palfi spend 3 years labouriously cutting together more than 450 films (from Star Wars to Run Lola Run) into a familiar cinematic love story.
Initially jarred (and trying to identify every film), my brain sortof relaxed and followed the narrative.
A funny and clever demonstration of the tropes of film narrative, their familiarity, and the universal pleasure that "classic" stories provide.
But I still haven't forgiven him for Hukkle.


Capturing Dad (Ryoto Nakano)

Sisters Hazuki and Koharu are sent by their bitter mother to visit their dying father and take a photo of his expression so she can "laugh in his face".
But dad dies while the girls are en route, and instead they front up to an awkward funeral and family they never knew.
At times poignant and touching, this film also has a very odd sense of humour that didn't quite fit, turning it into a bit of a farce.
Unless your idea of a good family joke is daughters grabbing at their mother's boobs in order to quell her grief.


The Selfish Giant (Clio Barnard)

Arbor is a Very Bad Influence on his best friend Swifty.
When the two boys are expelled from school, they start scrapping for a metal dealer around their bleak Bradford housing estate, attempting more and more dangerous thefts to make some cash.
Reminds me of a Ken Loach film, starting off with already downtrodden people and then stamping on them further.
A heartbreaking look at two boys with no chance and no place in the world.






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