Categories: cinema
Date: 26 October 2008 06:39:23
It seems like months since I was at The Italian Film Festival; though looking back it was late September/early October. It has been a busy month. I also have seen two film since, so I thought I'd bore you all with them.
The two Italian Film Festival movies I saw were They Call Me Trinity [Lo Chiamavano Trinità] and Caravaggio.
They Call Me Trinity is the first 'spaghetti western' I have seen: and a reason why I chose it. I have heard of the genre, but never seen one. I think selecting this one was a good choice for my introduction. A very entertaining film, poking fun at the Western genre, and giving you constant laughs throughout. The music was great, the cast were superb -- all round good fun. I think I will have to hunt out other 'spaghetti western' films, particularly those starring Terence Hill and Bud Spencer, who starred in this movie.
Caravaggio was a two-part TV mini-series, and I believe they cut a little bit out to turn it into a film. While I confess I know very little of Caravaggio's life, and even his works [I am a recent, and ignorant, fan], and I am sure some liberties were taken, it was fascinating to see this complicated and very talented man brought to life -- faults and all. I do enjoy historical biopics, and this was a very enjoyable and well-made one. Great acting, some rich and intense cinematography [though some visibly cheap ones as well I must add!], beautiful costumes and a wonderful musical score. The use of light and dark in shooting and scenes, reflecting Caravaggio's use of light and dark, was very well done. A fascinating and engrossing film about a fascinating and engrossing artist.
Leaving Italy, Towelhead [oddly called Nothing is Private in some regions: given the word, which I state I am not fan on, is used in the film and is the title of the book, I am not sure why the name was changed...], which I wanted to see simply because I am a huge fan of Alan Ball through his work on Six Feet Under. I wanted to see how he interpreted and brought to the screen a story which I doubt I could read, given its graphic nature and the topic of teenage sexuality and rape. That was, to me, the hardest thing about the film: it was confronting, disturbing, shocking and honest. Which is fine, but I found some scenes very hard to watch and did wonder if the level of explicitness shown was called for. Yet, while the film has these aspects, it is at the same time a film with a good dose of humour, well-rounded characters and superb acting -- particularly the lead played by Summer Bishil. While I doubt I could've watched more of the confronting scenes, I would've loved to see more of the lives, beliefs and motivations of more of the characters.
The film takes an honest and confronting look at sexuality and the strange, and often hypocritical, way, society portrays sex and how they expect teenagers, and all in fact, to act, and for that I think Alan Ball and all involved, and furthermore the author Alicia Erian, should be congratulated. It is an issue that, not being a parent, I truly have no idea on and am careful how I say it, but I do see hypocrisy between what is out there and what is said, and what children are told and how they are instructed to behave. No answers...just questions from me: I can but pray we find a way forward, for the sake of kids.
I rented The Constant Gardener as it is a film I had heard a lot about. I also have to rent City of God, also directed by Fernando Meirelles, which has been greatly acclaimed. It may take me a while to get to some films, but I do try and get there. If his direction of this film was anything to go by, I will be similarly impressed.
Back to The Constant Gardener. The film is based on the John le Carré novel of the same name: it tells the story of Justin Quayle, a man who seeks to find out who murdered his wife, and why. The trail leads to a large pharmaceutical company and also to a number of British diplomats and public servants. I was gripped for every minute of it. I am generally not into thrillers, but perhaps I need to review that after this. A superb story, with a great cast, magnificient cinematography and direction, making you feel as if you are a secret observer watching it all unfold before you. Well worth the time.
Additionally, the scenes of the poverty our African brothers and sisters are in pulls at the heart. It was also fascinating, and heart-warming, to find out that this situation affected the cast and crew so much that they set up The Constant Gardener Trust to improve basic sanitation and education for those in need. I want to explore this futher, particularly my thoughts on helping others [something I am terrible at doing regularly, may the Lord have mercy on me], but perhaps another day as this entry is long enough and I have to start thinking about dinner.
The next movie will probably be Juno, which I have already seen, and loved, and which I bought today to spoil myself -- as well as some new shoes for work as my current ones have seen far better days.