biutiful

javier bardem - star - a-list actor, etc
but eschewing hollywood and doing it his way
gotta respect an actor who seems up for a challenge
biutiful - 2.5 hours of a pointless, depressing story
or at least that's what reviewers and other viewers thought
but interestingly a few others commenting much more favourably
me - no country for old men still resonates re mr bardem
and the appeal of a visit in film to barcelona a factor
so off we go - a totally empty theatre on a sunday arvo
opening scene has whispered voices and a couple of hands
cut to a snow-covered pristine wood and the main man
no explanation about what this bleak scene is all about
as uxbro (bardem) is in dialogue with a younger man
then the main act begins and we're in modern barcelona
modern in the sense of contemporary not shiny and new
uxbro lives and eeks out a living in the city's squalor
supporting his 2 young children and his estranged wife
she is bi-polar, erratic, and demanding some joy in life
sleeping with uxbro's brother tito and partying hard
uxbro earns money as a casual soothsayer and go-between
it's a dangerous life as he runs a protection racket
dealing with local crooks inside and outside the law
illegal immigrants being both exploited and protected
uxbro has a big heart and has empathy with the workers
one of the chinese sweat-shop children minds his own kids
and following a police raid he houses a senegalese mother
this all happening as he does his best as a father
ana his daughter is doing ok but son mateo is suffering
the unfair outlet for tension in his parents lives
there's a lot going on but it is presented naturally
we're well entrenched in life in under-belly barcelona
then the curve-ball of terminal illness is added to the mix
uxbro is diagnosed with cancer and given a few months to live
there's also an accident at the chinese workers dormitory
and the exhuming of his father from a derelict cemetary
so death is now ever-present in uxbro's shambolic life
but to his credit he sets about putting things in order
gathering as much money as possible to set up his family
2 and a half hours in the empty theatre rips by quickly
which says something about the pulling power of this film
totally absorbed i was by this tale of woe and despair
but also revealing the decency of the human spirit
in the end uxbro loses his physical battle
but goes out with his integrity intact
and a couple of amazing final scenes
doing the full circle to the opening
gorgeous music as the credits rolled
and a few moist eyes in the house
bardem strikes again - stunning really

beyond

bleak is the word i read most about this one
several reviews warning of a challenging watch
but i do like a foreign film - this one swedish
leading lady is the very impressive noomi rapace
her first role since portraying elisabeth salander
the star of the the girl with/who millenium series
so that alone good enough reason to take this one in
in this film she is leena happily married to johan
he played by noomi rapace's real life husband
they have 2 children acted by siblings
it starts out on a christmas morning
the family bliss interrupted by a phone call
leena's estranged mother is dying and wants a visit
and then we are plunged back in time to learn more
her mother and father are finnish immigrants
he's struggling with language and alcohol
she is doing her best to be a good wife and mother
he's not so bad himself until the demon drink hits
abuse and violence is served out to his wife
and their 2 young children look on in despair
leena has to care for her younger brother
little sakari is wide-eyed and scared
she seeks solace in the swimming pool
under water being her best escape
she provides sakari the same at bathtime
the film smoothly jumps between past and present
and in no contrived way tells us the obvious
teach your children well - is good - otherwise - is bad
leena and her brother exposed to more than children should
clever shifts in time tell us why adult leena is as she is
and not far removed from her famous role as elisabeth
but thankfully here also with a beauty in and out
it's all quite riveting really - sad but true
and a scandinavian edge that now seems common
bleak - inadvertently - quirky - definitely
empathy for all the characters in this film
the message - circumstances are everything
the formative years are not ours by choice
if you are strong and a survivor then good
but here poor little sakari is doomed
and leena carries the loss into her adult life
secrecy is her choice until the phone call
then her suppressed emotions are released
thankfully redemption follows soon after
one reviewer said beyond has a glib ending
fluent and easy, often in an insincere or deceptive way
the total opposite to what i was feeling - empathetic
feeling resulting from sympathy or compassion
this is a serious and seriously good film
so good to see noomi rapace eschewing stardom
good on her - she's going to do things her way
so actor not totally removed from character

catfish

quiet sunday - time for a fil-um me-thinks
scan the options and there's only one that appeals
not being fussed about pirates or comic strip heroes
never heard of catfish - the film - so research required
rotten tomatoes reviewers and critics mostly thumbs up
seems it's as much documentary as it is drama
more than one reviewer saying best seen unprepared
that i am and the appeal of no hype is enough for me
dash to the theatre and choice of seats in an empty session
nev is a young photographer living in downtown new york
sharing an apartment with film-maker brother and a friend
a few of his photos are published in the mass media
and then he starts getting them back as paintings
very good ones too and done by a young girl out west
quite naturally contact is made via facebook, etc
she has a supportive family and friendships develop
her mother is attractive as is the older sister
similar age as our main man and with her own talent
composing and performing music is where she is at
and so tunes start coming along with paintings
it's all kind of voyeuristic up to this point
the 3 of them are goofing off with technology
as much as anything reminding us of it's impost
and for me believing that this is shot on the spot
and not a staged theatrical experience in any way
if it is then the protaganists are very fine actors
and it becomes quite believable as nev falls in love
the girl of his dreams is gorgeous, talented and sweet
he's seen photos, exchanged phone calls, texts and fb posts
a turn of events means the 3 flatmates head way out west
and so they decide to make a surprise visit to the family
about here i start getting a bit nervous about all this
sneaking up on houses in the dead of night does that
especially when paranormal activity comes to mind
one reviewer casting this film in with that one
but what actually happens is just as disturbing
in broad daylight nev meets the mother
she's sweet but not the lady in the photos
and the introduction of the family is un-nerving
particularly the sadness of 2 mentally handicapped step-sons
and a young daughter not at all inclined to art or painting
it becomes obvious nev has been superbly duped by the lady
but to his credit he bypasses anger and settles for intrigue
leading to some quite incredible one-on-one scenes of them
she's in heart-wrenching tears as she describes her plight
it is she that is the artist and conjurer of the tale
these scenes as raw and honest as it gets in films
her husband then given a scene to explain the title
seems catfish are put amongst fish being transported
keeps them on edge - stops them going - as he says - mushy
and he thankful that such people exist in his life
that be the message then - but delivered so gently
but in doing so casting technology, etc aside
oh what a clever film - beware the social network
it'll lead you places you may not want to go
but maybe teach a few lessons along the way
me - sat through the credits in awe
these people are all real
...and a happy ending
(mostly)

another year

ah - well 2 years later and blogging is resurrected
kind of ran from it cringing with embarrassment
what self-obsessed attention-seeking fool am i
who reads it anyway - well hopefully nobody
but on a night in isolated wonder i did it
trawled back through the story of my life in blog
well at least a couple of years and quite enjoyed it
some fond memories of music, films, places seen and heard
and confirmation that indeed the written word is more reliable
moments of sensation kind of captured in black on white
certainly not in any way retrievable from the grey matter
which brings me to the fil-um in question from last night
another year - the latest from brit mike leigh
seen a few of his and from that he has a tick
in that definitely worth seeing anything he does
as usual these days the reviews are mixed for this one
but generally on the positive side so off i go
in splendid isolation and in a smallish theatre
pick a seat half way back and perfectly centered
opening scene sets it really - hello uk circa 2010
lovely intelligent african-english doctor lady at work
her patient a neurotic depressed sad messed up pommy lady
imelda staunton playing the part and immediately dragging me in
poor love just needs some respect, love, happiness, cuddles
seems none of that forthcoming and despair is pervasive
cut to the centre couple of the film - tom and gerri
a respectable, comfortable, average decent couple
in their sixties - both working, contented
but with friends where loneliness rules
mary works with gerri - alcohol is her friend
ken is an old school mate of toms - obese and glutenous
the reviews i read post-film reckon they are caricatures
some commenters said if they were real they'd not be friends
as if tom and gerri would have cast them aside before now
but i think this is why i have the time for mike leigh
he knows these people are real and not far from us
what we could be given the same set of circumstances
upbringing, abandonment, insecurity, loneliness
tom and gerri have hearts that reach beyond that
they love their friends for all the right reasons
there's goodness in them - and they need their friendship
i couldn't help but think this is a quite political film
the liberals (conservatives) say - it's all about you (me)
get what you can go for the most discard anything negative
what can you do for me - nothing - well bugger off then
the labour-ites (liberals) say - i accept you, in you i see me
i understand your anxieties i can't and don't want to fix you
let me give you that which you need - companionship and love
yep - this is a deep film - though how simply done
no wonder mike leigh prefers actors to improvise
set the mood and let the actors do their stuff
but it isn't acting - these people get it
no doubt drawn on their own experiences
what a seriously good film this one is
has had me thinking about it constantly
every single character is any one of us
there's a couple of lines from a song
seems to fit the theme of this film
i am human and i need to be loved
just like everyone else does
(thank you mr morrisey)
thank you mr leigh
unforgettable