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 Shadows off the beaten pathIndies, foreign, docs and shorts...
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GRAND TOUR |
THE PLEASURE IS MINE |
SAD JOKES
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| See also: SHADOWS FILM FESTIVAL | Last update 30.Mar.25 | |||||||||||||
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Grand Tour Review by Rich Cline | 
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 dir Miguel Gomes prd Filipa Reis scr Mariana Ricardo, Telmo Churro, Maureen Fazendeiro, Miguel Gomes with Goncalo Waddington, Crista Alfaiate, Claudio da Silva, Lang Khe Tran, Jorge Andrade, Joao Pedro Vaz, Joao Pedro Benard, Teresa Madruga, Joana Barcia, Rembrandt Beerens, Kazuo Kon, Manuela Couto release Por 19.Sep.24, UK Oct.24 lff, US 28.Mar.25 24/Portugal 2h08 CANNES FILM FEST TORONTO FILM FEST  Is it streaming? |
 Produced by film companies across Europe and Asia, this ambitious globe-hopping tale is shot in luxuriant period-style black and white with vivid colour poppet shows plus anachronistic travelogue inserts that blur the past into the present. Portuguese filmmaker Miguel Gomes is cleverly exploring the interaction between European and Asian cultures in disarming and unusually involving ways. It's also a fascinating look at how humans intersect across artificial barriers. In 1917 Rangoon, Edward (Waddington) impulsively boards a ship for Singapore just before his fiancee Molly (Alfaiate) arrives. Molly hasn't seen him for seven years, and tenaciously follows him. After Edward's train derails in the jungle, he treks to Bangkok, takes a boat to Saigon and then on to the Philippines, Japan and China. In each place, he finds a new way to hide, but he becomes worried when Molly seems to lose his trail. Meanwhile, Molly has her own adventures, meeting the amorous American cowboy Timothy (da Silva) and his housekeeper Ngoc (Tran). Travelling aimlessly around Asia, Edward embraces each culture he discovers, but of course remains an outsider. Even he doesn't know what he's looking for, only that he is determined to get away from Molly. And he doesn't seem to know why that is. The way Gomes mixes new footage with the period story is fascinating, giving the story a timeless feel while emphasising history and culture across the region. There isn't much dialog or action, as the tale is told largely in voice-over narration in various local languages. Waddington's Edward is thoughtful and focussed, trying to blend in with his surroundings. At the midpoint, the film switches to Molly's perspective. And Alfaiate plays her with a wry sense of sardonic humour expressed in a silly signature laugh, as well as an unnerving heartless streak. Her journey becomes even more emotional than his. Weaving together various geographies, societies, languages and personalities, this film inventively locates the commonalities amidst the differences. Seeing locations and traditions echoed across the decades is fascinating. There are a few heart-stopping events along the way, each rendered with gorgeous storytelling artistry. And in the relationships between the characters, there are other thought-provoking ideas that make the film both mesmerising and moving.
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The Pleasure Is Mine El Placer Es Mío Review by Rich Cline | 
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 dir-scr Sacha Amaral prd Romain Bent, Tomas Cohen, Agustin Gagliardi, Ricardo Goncalves, Franck Thoraval with Max Suen, Katja Alemann, Sofia Palomino, Anabella Bacigalupo, Vladimir Duran, Paco Onnainty, Luciano Suardi, Jose Vicente Orozco, Julian Larquier Tellarini, Ramon Cohen Arazi, Ivana Zacharsky, Iair Said release Arg Apr.24 bafici, UK Mar.25 flare 24/Argentina 1h34  Is it streaming? |
 Like its central character, this drama from Argentina is a bit flippant and enigmatic, pulling us in with pure charm. Unfolding in fragments of scenes, this observant film follows a quick-thinking hustler who finds it easier to manipulate people than to make a meaningful connection. Writer-director Sacha Amaral shoots with offbeat wide-screen camerawork that sharply captures the characters, which makes it eerily easy to put ourselves in their shoes. At 20, Antonio (Suen) has worked out ways to make a living doing whatever he has to, from dealing drugs to stealing from the men or women he sleeps with. Although his main goal seems to be to simply enjoy himself without worrying about anyone else. Everyone is drawn into his orbit, although Antonio doesn't really want anyone around him, except perhaps his mother Viviana (Alemann) and his friend Lu (Palomino). But they are finding it difficult to put up with Antonio's duplicity. Meanwhile, Valentin (Larquier) knows Antonio's a thief, but still befriends him. Rather than depicting sex, Amaral depicts Antonio's marks as sleeping vulnerably while he quietly robs them, focussing on what's meaningful for him. Antonio doesn't believe that there's such a thing as a "normal" life, and he feels entitled to whatever he can take. His drug supplier Paco (Onnainty) tells him that he can't just keep all the money when he sells to Paco's clients, which Antonio sees as unfair. Even when he's caught stealing, his crocodile tears fool no one. In Suen's haunting performance, Antonio is a young antihero who gets what he wants, then realises that might not be what he wants after all. Suen is an understated actor who plays each conversation with disarming openness, expressing interest in the people he is with, enjoying himself while feeling utterly empty. The other characters are equally realistic, as they seem to have full lives off-screen. This is a film full of complex, inscrutable characters who are likeable because of their fragility. And when the film centres on how they are all searching for affection, it holds the attention tightly. Less compelling is the drug dealing subplot that continually threatens to get very nasty indeed. The final act shifts gears considerably, with both an unexpected relationship and some pointed plotting. But it's a rare film that continually makes us think.
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Sad Jokes Review by Rich Cline |
TORONTO FILM FEST Is it streaming?
|  From Germany, this bittersweet film plays up its comedic intentions with a stream of jokes that are silly, brittle, bleak and absurd. These provide a meta running commentary to the story of a filmmaker trying to get his life back on track after a difficult breakup and the birth of his son. Actor-filmmaker Fabian Stumm has a wonderfully easy on-screen presence, bringing the audience along without pushing any points. It's been three years since Joseph (Stumm) broke up with boyfriend Marc (Dassler) and had a baby with best friend Sonya (Jones). Now Pino (Meyer) is an adorable toddler, and Sonya is in a mental health clinic, just as Joseph premieres his latest movie starring acclaimed actress Alexandra (Sellem). Launching his next project is challenging, working with sculptor Elin (Flach) to develop an idea about statues. And when he finally tries dating again, meeting up with Elin's life model Dominik (Berger), their encounter turns awkward. Perhaps he's not ready to move on quite yet. Stumm uses long takes and offbeat camera angles, adding an artful eye as characters enter and leave the frame. So each scene is intriguing, packed with little details that may or may not mean anything. When Joseph gets his finger stuck in a vending machine, his surgical bandage becomes a running joke. Sonya keeps escaping to be with her family, but she really needs to complete her stint in the clinic. Elin starts work on a giant bust of Joseph's head for his new movie, but his producer (Giese) isn't so sure about this. All of the characters are grounded and realistic, with sharp senses of humour and quietly surging emotions. Stumm is charming as Joseph, a likeable guy whose life hasn't actually gone off-the-rails, but he isn't perhaps where he wants to be right now. His scene with Dassler's Marc is particularly strong, reflecting their deeper past connection. And his friendship with Flach's relaxed, thoughtful Elin leads to a few terrific discussions. The main point here seems to be that we shouldn't push ourselves to change things too quickly. Life has a way of evolving at its own pace, and important things happen when we're actually ready for them. An amazing one-take scene at the premiere after-party captures a series of attitudes regarding expectations and public and private personas. And in the end, the film uses goofy jokes and offhanded emotions to remind us that we can feel sad, stuck and joyful at the same time.
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See also: SHADOWS FILM FESTIVAL © 2025 by Rich Cline, Shadows
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