Movie reviews

AFRYKAMERA 2019     

TALKING ABOUT TREES

Watchable. The film slowly explains who the three nice elderly gentlemen are and what they're going to do. Slowly. But it has a few funny moments, e.g. the Sudanese Film Group representatives comment that there are six mosques round the cinema and during a passionate kiss scene you could hear "Allahu Akbar" or when a muezzin's call interrupts the announcer's speech so he's mouthing the words of that call. Also when the dictator mistakes thousands with millions of years.

AKASHA (THE ROUNDUP)

Watchable. A lighthearted film meant to be a comedy.

Some trivia from the Q&A: The director says the war in Sudan really stops naturally for every rainy season and then people just want to enjoy themselves. When you're at war, you don't want to talk about war. None of the crew were professionals. The director was bombed in 2012 and 2016 which was admittedly scary but in between bombings the war is just in the background and you just carry on with your life. The Sudanese don't talk about the things they're supposed to not to be doing: they drink alcohol, they call pigs 'boars' in order to eat them. The director's experience is that conservatism gets broken at war or revolution. The craziest stories in the film are real - he was writing down stories for over a year. The guy who lost someone from his bike and only noticed an hour later was based on a real incident. The action takes 24 hours. The director used to be an activist which landed him in jail and beaten up by the militia. The psychedelic plant was inspired by "woop" seeds. He ate the seeds, nothing happened, he forgot them, then he got up and couldn't walk, he fell.

LE MIRACLE DU SAINT INCONNU (THE UNKNOWN SAINT)

Watchable. The crime comedy premise is a pretext for social satire rather, e.g. a doctor's waiting room is a gathering place for old people, though I did laugh out loud once - when a guy opened a can of Coke and heard an explosion. But it's frustratingly slow.

And outside the festival:

J'ACCUSE (AN OFFICER AND A SPY)

Walked out. Historical military red tape. Three reasons not to watch.


PRZEGLAD NOWEGO KINA RUMUNSKIEGO (NEW ROMANIAN CINEMA SCREENING)

SINGURA LA NUNTA MEA / SEULE A MON MARIAGE (ALONE AT MY WEDDING)

Watchable. A psychologic drama. Engaging even when you don't share the protagonist's experience.


AFRYKAMERA 2019

THE BURIAL OF KOJO

Recommended. Four post-production studios in Accra, one in Johanessburg and one in London created, together with cinematographers, mesmerising pictures and top-notch sound effects. Entirely African music of varying styles. Magical realism and a compelling story, touching at the end.


STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER AT IMAX 3D

Watchable. The words shaped like a spaceship open the 9th episode of the star saga. And that's where the magic ends. What has my once favourite J.J. Abrams done to the franchise all of a sudden?! It's such nonsense! Ghosts, visions, telepathy - lots of supernatural hogwash. The plot, especially family ties, is over the top. Some protagonists have got obese: Lando, Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, Rose Tico. Poe Dameron is so fat he barely moves and he holds his belly while running as if he were pregnant. We never see the rebels eat anything. They always run around, fight, practise combat so where, when and how could they have possibly put on weight?! Also, dressed up horses look like dressed up horses. The spy subplot is predictable. And my fave actor gets killed off early on. The 3D is fine. Imax is good because of large-scale constructions. But the only location is Jordan and it looks bland. There's little alien fauna. D-O's voice is J.J. Abrams himself.


AFRYKAMERA 2019

AFROSHORTS: SPIRITUALITY
MAMA BOBO

Watchable. Lovely Senegalese music. The story's unsettling at first because the elderly lady is the butt of jokes but the ending is heart-warming.

WE INTEND TO CAUSE HAVOC

Watchable. An average music documentary. This one about a band which was big in Zambia for 6 years in the 70s. The songs and dialogues are all in English. On the margin of the music topic, it's also a cautionary tale since the smoking and drinking band members would die in the order of the amount they smoked and drank in life. The more stuff you inhale and/or drink the shorter you live - as simple as that.

Some trivia from the Q&A: The band toured the US recently - their gigs would sell out. After cassettes came in, people would use vinyl as frisbees. Jagari still works in a mine for steady income and additionally earns money from the band tours. They drank and smoke a bit of weed but did no other drugs. It's the director's film debut. It took 5 years to make and find funds. He's thinking of a new film, "maybe more experimental". Well, I personally think this one was an experiment enough and am not looking forward to a new one by this obscure old music afficionado.

LA MISERICORDE DE LA JUNGLE (THE MERCY OF THE JUNGLE)

Watchable. Feeble plot. I admired the sights and sounds of nature.

And outside the festival again:

LES MISERABLES

Watchable. An annoying moral tale about clashes between the police and black ghettos. The French overphilosophize the issue as usual. It's a video lesson on the origins of riots which indicates at men's and boys' anger and control issues. The story has nothing to do with Victor Hugo's book of the same title.


AFRYKAMERA 2019

SILENT FORESTS

Recommended. The Mariah Wilson's nature documentary and a crime thriller in one is wonderful. You see dog pups being born. You learn that elephants are family animals, mothers are pregnant for 22 months and then the baby elephant has to be brestfed for 3 years to survive. They're very intelligent - e.g. they destroy poachers' camps. It his horrifying to see their dead bodies and to hear of mother killed so early the baby can't survive. But it also presents individuals committed to saving them. Gives hope.

THE GREAT GREEN WALL

Recommended. The first time I've heard about the plans to build a 15 km wide green wall of planted trees. Even though only 15% of the project has been completed, the patches of success are inspirational.

Outside the festival again:

HONEY BOY

Watchable. Written by Shia LaBeouf autobiographic drama about childhood with an alcoholic father. Relatively quiet, didn't stir any emotions in me but it was interesting to see what it was like to have such a family.


AFRYKAMERA 2019

KETEKE

Watchable. Looks like a film from the 70s, including fashion. Typical for Ghanaian TV comedy shows humour, pleasant even if not amusing to me, and a dash of magic. The sorcerer is the most fascinating part of the story.

TANZANIA TRANSIT

Watchable. A manifold travelogue. A cross-section through East African society, its customs, beliefs, hopes and dreams. Impressive also how resourceful they are when they have to wait for a track repair. Depicts in one film how the whole country works. The only downside is that it's just an excerpt from everyday lives, strictly observational.

THE LAST TREE

Recommended. Life through the eyes of a Nigerian boy taken to the UK in childhood. You almost tangibly experience his feeling lost and left on his own. It's fascinating watching him growing up listening to such English legends as The Cure or New Order. Building his own personality and integrity in difficult surroundings. Explains why some boys end up in gangs. Convincingly acted. Captivating, intimate story. Also masterfully shot - engaging from minute one.

This year movie quality varied a lot, just like in previous editions. The films were from across the continent yet captured the essence of Africa perfectly. The catalogue was comprehensive but the division into sections was confusing. I'd rather it were just in alphabetic order for ease of use. The program was filled with plentiful meetings with the movie makers which left no time between the screenings to grab a bite of something to eat. At least on a particularly long day I managed to snack on some dates at the festival stand. The organization wasn't exactly up to scratch, at times the staff acted as if surprised by preparations for a screening. The volunteers were very amiable, eager to help but often had no clue what to do or what the program was. The interpreters were very good. I loved the badge which was from recycled paper and recyclable together with the piece of natural rope. But the catalogue was on glossy paper. I really think they should follow the example of Five Flavours and use newspaper-type paper which is much more environmentally friendly. If not the same recycled type they used for the badges. The opening concert of Ifi Ude was nice but the closing one of the Afronauts was much better - the first time I danced at a movie festival. The drinks at both ceremonies were: exquisite South African wines and Amarula - finally available in Poland. I'm looking forward to the next edition.


JULEMANDENS DATTER (LUCIA'S CHRISTMAS)

Watchable. The story's delightful: a Santa and his helpers' school, differing traditions in various countries and gender equality. A pleasant film for kids, still fine for adults. It just lacks a touch of magic. Christmas music could improve it as well.

DABANGG 3

Watchable. Riveting music: in numerous dance songs as well as in the background score. Silly plot, most of the gags consist of punches and slapping in the face - barely funny. Swear words appear too, for no reason at all. While I adore Salman Khan, I don't understand why he attached his name to such rubbish. Only two events are well-written: the corrupt politician forced to confess and the hero who thought one day in advance. Surprisingly, even this silly buggers movie speaks up against women trafficking. The rest is some nonsense. But I loved the music, my feet wanted to dance.

FROZEN II 3D

Watchable. Uneven animation: transparent clothing or ice reveal the colours behind the objects but most of the colours and textures in the film are just average, some even basic. About half the action takes place in white and blue wintry lands but little use is made of potential hues and reflexes. Decent 3D doesn't make up for those deficiencies. In Poland the movie's dubbed, including songs, which results in all of them sounding the same and tedious. Only the 3 songs over the end credits are in the original and strikingly beautiful. That includes one version of the Oscar-shortlisted "Into The Unknown". The plot is moral and silly and the action protracted. Even the Oscar-shortlisted score is nothing to fall back onto.

SERCE DO WALKI (FIGHTER'S HEART)

Recommended. Very well structured. Provides suspense and emotions. Very well acted, including children. Perfectly directed and cut. Most importantly, leaves you feeling fighting fit and motivated. 

ARCTIC JUSTICE

Watchable. A standard cartoon for children which will be still fine for adults: the foxes are cute, the main protagonist strives to become someone else and finally goes back to his innate self, while going through a career struggle and a crush on a vixen on the way. The first hour lets you sympathise with him, then suddenly a mad scientist hellbent on destroying the world comes into play and the rest of the movie is run-of-the-mill and tedious. The finale's nice - some parcel is "Not so fragile" and you should "Handle without care". The original is dubbed by Heidi Klum, Anjelica Huston, John Cleese and others, the Polish version by nobodies. The original's not available in Poland. Forgettable music. 

FUTRO Z MISIA

Watchable. The opening credits are fun to watch, e.g. directors' names appear on a door after whose opening someone gets killed. It's a crazy gangster comedy in the style of the 90s, with some actors popular at the time. Not funny but light, eventful and engaging. There are a few mid-credits.

AWOKEN

Watchable. Clearly set to scare teenagers both with the effects of sleeplessness or rare sleep disorders and with demons. The movie makes use of jump scares as well as a number of horror gimmicks. The only twist of action can be predicted as soon as you realize the phone situation. But that's a good thing since it's the only bit that lets you do some thinking for a change. Still, only one fragment frightened me fully - the information that you can't survive more than 18 nights with no sleep. I'll have to mend my ways.

FROM THE VINE

Recommended. Joy of life, love of family and homeland permeate the movie. It's a praise of simple life. The film mixes English and Italian - America stands for business - but it's very Italian in character. Touches your soul.

JUMANJI: THE NEXT LEVEL

Recommended. The same fun as before but with several new elements - exactly how sequels should be made. O'ahu in Hawaii, Alberta in Canada and Mexico make for locations this time. Danny Glover, Danny DeVito, Awkwafina appear in the cast. No mid- or end-credits apart from one sound effect: the Jumanji theme drums and an ostrich shriek can be heard at the very end of the credits.

INVISIBLE SUE - PLOTZLICH UNSICHTBAR

Watchable. Science fiction adventure for children and younger teenagers. Catchy electro and techno tunes. Twists of action. But the same visual effects over and over. And why is the very young girl wearing only underwear in one scene?! There's a mid-credit. 

AILO: UNE ODYSSEE EN LAPONIE (AILO'S JOURNEY - THE AMAZING ODYSSEY OF A NEWBORN REINDEER)

Recommended. A beautiful nature documentary shot in Finnish and Norwegian Lapland. Sometimes touching, e.g. when the mother has to decide whether to rejoin the herd or whether to risk her life to protect her newborn, sometimes witty, e.g. the commentary on the fox falling in love. You learn about the Arctic and its fauna: reindeer, red squirrels, Arctic foxes, wolverines, wolves, with some mention of predatory birds and lemmings. The reindeer herd traversing the snow resembles AT-AT walkers from "Star Wars".

LAST CHRISTMAS

Recommended. A complex story starting off like most Christmas romantic comedies but reaching the bottom of such serious issues as finding your identity, dealing with a difficult family, being a refugee, the true reason why people voted for Brexit, accommodation - reminded me of my own experiences in London, looking for love, discovering compassion. It's the most complex and multi-layered Christmas movie ever. The final twist of action rips your heart out. All that to the rhythm of George Michael's songs which keep playing in your head after leaving the cinema. So it is a feelgood movie after all.

MOTHERLESS BROOKLYN

Recommended. Starts like a mess but this mess is exactly what the protagonists need to sort out. One good thing about the beginning is that you can't quite figure out who is who. You just get the feel it's a sort of gangsters' meeting. Director Edward Norton is amazing in Brooklyn's role, making the guy's Tourette syndrome plausible. The 144 minutes don't drag at all. The storyline lets you unravel the mystery piecemeal, together with the detective, and the constant twists and turns glue you to the screen. Part of the music score stands out but only part. It's a grim vision of New York which makes you wonder if there's a grain of truth in the novel the film's based on. It's also hard not to link it to Trump with his racism, a very probable rape he got away with, revelling in the power, contempt for the poor, considering himself a "builder". It's a top-notch detective story with serious political undertones. Some of the revelations sound like Poland nowadays so I guess the picture is universal. 

NORM OF THE NORTH: KING SIZED ADVENTURE

Watchable. Funny adventures, e.g. when the bear trips and falls down the whole room in the middle of boasting of how he's delivered the statue without a nick, top-notch dialogue, like when the bear is asking for directions: "How do I get to the university?" "Has got A levels?" and a clear-cut yet eventful plot. The polar bear royalty inhabit the foot of a mountain looking like a crowned bears version of Mt. Rushmore and there's a bow towards the Chinese producer when the crew are surprised not to see any plastic or rubbish in the land. Only the animation standard could be better, the colours and textures are just sufficient. While the translation into Polish is excellent, it's dubbed, no subtitled version.