Movie reviews

GULLREGN (THE GARDEN)

Recommended. That's one smart movie. Icelandic scriptwriter and director Ragnar Bragason, who had made a movie about children and also one about parents, this time created a feature about child-mother relationships. And sprinkled it with a dash of racism. It's hilarious at times, e.g. when the mother's best friend trips over, usually ironic, at times sad or hard-hitting. Most of all, it's a sharp satire about an overbearing mother who manipulates everyone around her but turning into a profound psychological drama when more family secrets are revealed and you see the light why she is this way. Her shrewd neighbour-friend is another brilliantly written character. A masterpiece of scriptwriting and acting.

Reviewed from a screener. Cinematic reception might differ.


17TH DOCS AGAINST GRAVITY FESTIVAL

This time a real life, held in-cinema, conference on the documentary film festival at which the organizers all the movie makers and most of the media acted as if Covid-19 was fiction. I'm not planning on attending it this year. With so many individuals ignoring the distance and or not wearing masks it's going to be a horror-like experience. Maybe the later online version will be better but... I have no clue if the platform is going to screen the movies with a better quality than they did in the spring when the pictures stuttered and the sound was barely audible. Plenty of new Polish documentaries will be shown this year, hardly any enticing though. "Z wnetrza" ("From Within"), about painter Beksiński, perpetuates his cult in Poland. I've been looking forward to seeing "Blizny" ("Scars") but the cameraman referred to the Tamil Tigers as a terrorist group which mimics the Sri Lankan ruling regime's narration so now I'm apprehensive about the portrayal of the rebels. Dorota Proba, who's been creating the festival trailers for years, now has shot a documentary: "Między nami" ("Between Us") - this trailer hasn't encouraged me though. On the brighter side, TVP Kultura in Poland is going to show earlier festival editions highlights. A film on Tony Halik, famous in communist times traveller who respected all authorities, might be a gem due to the protagonist. Apart from screenings, in-cinema and online Q&As will take place after some films. A foreign documentary worth seeing is:

THE CAPOTE TAPES

Recommended. I've never read any of his books, I don't think I have ever watched "Breakfast at Tiffany's" till the end but loved this biopic. And it's not about his grandiose style either. The documentary is a comprehensive study both of the writer's personality and of "the beautiful people" as the New York elites are called. Turns out the rich are bored silly hence their penchant for extravagant guests. He received la dolce vita and a million-dollar advance on a book, they were entertained. While his veracity has often been contested, the shock at his revealing the jet set party's exploits hints at their truth. The film covers the length of his life and is both inquisitive and enjoyable.