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Shadows catch-up Short reviews of films I only managed to see late in the game... On this page: BEYOND UTOPIA \| NUOVO OLIMPO \| 20 DAYS IN MARIUPOL < < C O N T E N D E R S
See also: SHADOWS FILM FESTIVAL \| Last update 31.Dec.23
Nuovo Olimpo Review by Rich Cline \|
dir Ferzan Ozpetek scr Gianni Romoli, Ferzan Ozpetek with Damiano Gavino, Andrea Di Luigi, Luisa Ranieri, Aurora Giovinazzo, Greta Scarano, Alvise Rigo, Luca Finotti, Giancarlo Commare release It/UK/US 1.Nov.23 23/Italy Netflix 1h53	Italian filmmaker Ferzan Ozpetek tells another deeply personal story, this time from his own life, starting with a young man in film school then following him over three decades. The through-line is a romance that starts in the eponymous cinema with a burst of intense connection, then is broken by circumstances and haunts both men through the years. A gifted storyteller with a terrific visual sensibility, Ozpetek adeptly deploys melodrama in his movies, and this saga surges with big feelings, emotive conversations and wistful glances. He also resists scrambling the chronology, letting things play out in order to fuel the emotional impact of momentous events. Actors Damiano Gavino and Andrea Di Luigi are charismatic leads, creating strong characters who age gracefully, creating strong relationships with others along the way while never losing the sense of their lost connection. It's a bit weepy and perhaps overwritten, but the big emotions are resonant, and the florid twists and turns of the plot lead to a fateful reunion that is enjoyably drawn out for maximum impact. 30.Dec.23
Beyond Utopia Review by Rich Cline \|
dir Madeleine Gavin with Seungeun Kim, Hyeonseo Lee, Soyeon Lee, Sue Mi Terry, Esther Park, Barbara Demick, Gwang Il Jung, Jean Lee release UK 27.Oct.23, US 3.Nov.23 23/US 1h55 SUNDANCE	Tracing a series of stories of people escaping from North Korea, this fast-paced documentary plays out like a riveting real-life thriller. And it's beautifully assembled to focus on the human stories in an inhumane situation. Even though North Korea's leader Kim Jong-Un has declared that defecting is a traitorous act, and she believed she was living in utopia, Hyeonseo made the decision to escape from a painfully difficult existence. In addition to profiling a few specific defectors, the film centres on Seoul pastor Seungeun Kim, who has created an underground network to help escapees get to South Korea. Punctuated with horrific footage that has been smuggled out of North Korea, the film takes an openly emotional approach, pulling the audience in with specific stories that involve children in peril. These are astonishing accounts that vividly depict the way of life in the north and the complex process of getting out, most movingly seen in the epic journey taken by the Roh family. Some of the highlighted stories don't end happily, the toll on families who do get out is wrenching, and the lingering effects of brainwashing are chilling. So the film is vitally important, and even urgent. 28.Dec.23
20 Days in Mariupol Review by Rich Cline \|
dir-scr Mstyslav Chernov with Mstyslav Chernov, Liudmyla Amelkina, Oleksandr Ivanov, Volodymyr Nikulin, Zhanna Homa, Irina Kalinina, Vasiliy Nebenzya, Volodymyr Zelenskyy release US 14.Jul.23, Ukr 31.Aug.23, UK 6.Oct.23 23/Ukraine 1h35 SUNDANCE	Arriving to cover the imminent 2022 Russian invasion of the thriving Ukrainian city of Mariupol, a group of journalists documents what they witness as bombs begin falling within an hour. This expertly edited film is made from their astonishing footage, revealing both events as they happened and their feelings as they watch their country being destroyed around them. It's horrific to see terrified, angry people whose lives are destroyed when Russian missiles deliberately target homes, hospitals, shops and places where people are sheltering for safety. Rescue teams, paramedics and doctors try to help the injured, all of whom are innocent civilians. And the exponential progression of the situation over 20 days is mind-boggling, especially considering the fact that this invasion has ongoing on since 2014. As filmmaker Chernov notes, "This is painful to watch; this must be painful to watch." But they keep filming, as things get even worse. What this says about humanity is staggering, and vitally important. 28.Dec.23
< < C O N T E N D E R S See also: SHADOWS FILM FESTIVAL © 2023 by Rich Cline, Shadows on the Wall
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