July 25th
Night Raiders
Official Competition
Cuba and the Cameraman (streaming on Netflix)
MIFF alert! Advance reviews coming soon!
Though this week's reviews seem light on, it's full steam ahead as I'm previewing for the imminent Melbourne International Film Festival, with the Korean FF hot on its heels! Square eyes indeed! All three films reviewed this week come well recommended.
Night Raiders
Dir: Danis Goulet
Length: 101 mins
 |
© Vendetta - a bleak future and oppressive
state is taken on by Cree people |
Set in a near-future dystopian world, this is a story of America and Canada united, the whole continent divided by a wall, with impoverished and indigenous people on one side, and the right-wing ruling powers on the other. (Hmm, something Trump may have enjoyed!) Children become the property of the state. Cree woman Niska (Elle Maija Tailfeathers) has successfully hidden her daughter Waseese (Brooklyn Letexier Hart) for several years but after an accident gives her up to be looked after by "the academy", where kids are brainwashed. Realising her mistake, Niska joins a group of Cree night raiders to attempt to steal Waseese and other children back. This intriguing film has a lot of indigenous political themes underpinning its story, and, recognising that issues are often similar throughout the world, director Goulet has New Zealand Maori actor Alex Tarrant included in an important role. Featuring a lot of native American Cree language, and shot in a very muted pallette to accentuate the doom and gloom, this is a thought-provoking film adding to the recent upsurge of Indigenous sci-fi.3.5 - well recommended
Official Competition
Dir: Sylvie Oyahon
Length: 100 mins
 |
© Palace - Cruz and her leading men bring
a lot of ego to this fun tale |
Pen Cruz, like you've never seen her before, plays film director Lola Cuevas, a woman known for her unusual methods. She is co-opted by a wealthy tycoon who wants to leave a mark on the world, and gets her to direct a film from a Nobel-Prize-winning book, about sibling rivalry. Her leading men Felix (Antonio Banderas) and Ivan (Oscar Martinez) couldn't be more different in their acting approaches, but their egos are equally large. The film is witty, at times laugh out loud funny, and as a vehicle to stick it to the film industry and to arrogance, this is one worth seeing. Cruz and her leading men are terrific in their performances, and the minimalism of the sets means you can concentrate hard on the over-the-top characters.
3.5 - well recommended
Cuba and the Cameraman
Dir: Jon Alpert
Length: 113 mins
Streaming on Netflix
 |
© Netflix - the Borrego brothers -
resilience personified |
Imagine making a film for forty-five years! That's how long director Alpert has been taking his camera to Cuba, documenting the rise of Fidel Castro, but even more importantly, meeting the locals to assemble a vision of a fascinating nation that has been through a hell of a lot of turmoil. The most intriguing is the trio of Borrego brothers, who have worked the land for decades, and, despite grinding poverty, maintain a resilient and life-affirming attitude. Though not overtly political, the film does examine the effect of the Castro rule, and Alpert seems to have even befriended the leader over the years. But it's the view of the locals, and the very long-term real-life view of this country that makes for such fascinating and insightful viewing. 3.5 - well recommended
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