Shadows on the Wall | Arthouse Films

Shadows off the beaten path
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On this page: COME SEE ME IN THE GOOD LIGHT | D IS FOR DISTANCE | STRAY KIDS: THE DOMINATE EXPERIENCE

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See also: SHADOWS FILM FESTIVAL | Last update 4.Feb.26

Come See Me in the Good Light
Review by Rich Cline | 4/5

Come See Me in the Good Light
dir Ryan White
prd Jessica Hargrave, Ryan White, Tig Notaro, Stef Willen
with Andrea Gibson, Megan Falley, Tig Notaro, Bethy Leonardi, Emily Clay, Heather Mann, Stef Willen
release US/UK 14.Nov.25
25/US 1h44

SUNDANCE FILM FEST

Now streaming...

Tracing spoken-word poet Andrea Gibson's remarkably inspiring battle with cancer, this is an unusually moving documentary. With a warm fly-in-the-wall style, filmmaker Ryan White maintains an intimate perspective, balancing poetry with open-handed conversations. It's an unusually bittersweet film, mixing a steady stream of earthy humour with the realities of terminal illness. It's also beautifully shot and edited, with a gentle rhythm that catches the spark of life.

Colorado's poet laureate Andrea thought she had a stomach bug, then was diagnosed with ovarian cancer that spread to become inoperable. But Andrea survived beyond the two-year life expectancy, determined to live as long as they can. Partner and fellow poet Megan teases Andrea about their uncanny ability to befriend other people, so there's a large family around them. Both are tired of the unreasonable medical bills, but they take each day as it comes. Andrea even begins to plan a final show, and this will mean taking an epic stand against their illness.

Bristling with the joy of laughter, Andrea and Megan chat amusingly about how they write poems in their own styles while also having an impact on each others' work. Both write poems that feature in the film, offering striking observations. The film is also packed with wonderful archival footage and photographs that trace Andrea and Megan's hugely engaging story, which touches on themes relating to attraction, body image, gender identity and queer sexuality. plus of course mortality. Ideas in this film are unusually profound, and powerfully hopeful.

Andrea urges us to call everything love, including the fear and sadness in our lives. Andrea recognises that their life has been lucky, making a living as a poet and meeting Megan. They acknowledge being frightened about being with someone at the end of life, and they long to be here for the things that have been planned. It's this relationship that puts the world into perspective for them, and this gorgeous film captures that with an honesty that feels electrifying. We are all going to say goodbye to our bodies at some point, so we shouldn't waste a second of it.

themes, language 20.Jan.26

D Is for Distance
Review by Rich Cline | 3.5/5

dir Emma Matthews, Christopher Petit
scr Christopher Petit; prd Jussi Eerola, Mika Taanila
with Louis Petit, Emma Matthews, Christopher Petit
narr Jodhi May
release UK 3.Apr.26
25/Finland 1h28

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Taking a kaleidoscopic approach, this intimate, impressionistic documentary explores a family's journey through a health crisis. While it includes details about the complexities of epilepsy, this cinematic essay instead focusses on feelings and connections, weaving in a range of visual and thematic references that feel perplexing and sometimes tenuous. This makes the film feel somewhat indulgent, often leaving the audience on the outside looking in. But it's mesmerising.

Filmmakers Emma and Christopher have created this film to unpick the experiences of their now 22-year-old son Louis, who a decade ago experienced a violent series of epileptic seizures that left his doctors flummoxed and erased all of Louis' earlier memories. But the medications the doctors prescribed were even more debilitating, blurring Louis' sense of identity and time. He later had to travel to the Netherlands for the solution, because Britain's health service refuses to provide the medical cannabis that actually works for Louis. And they're rightly angry that callous bureaucracy stole their son's childhood.

Accompanied by May's omniscient narration, the film is an assembly of home movies alongside clips from early silent movies, largely depicting fantastical scenes that echo Louis' Alice in Wonderland-style hallucinations. There is also a through-line as Louis and Christopher travel overland from London to northern Finland chasing a story involving exposed Cold War spymaster James Angleton. Further references touch on William Burroughs, government experiments with LSD and the Kennedy assassination. How all of these things link together into Louis' story isn't even remotely clear.

Far more engaging is watching this couple stick together to bring their son through a harrowing situation. Louis is a gifted artist and musician; his drawings and paintings fill the screen, offering glimpses into his experience within his seizures. And the film is full of moments in which we can see the caring bond between these three people, often expressed through inventive camerawork and editing. Some of these sequences are hard to watch, but they are laced with such an honest wave of emotion that they can't help but move and inspire us. Although these powerful moments sometimes struggle to break free of the film's more deliberate noise.

themes, language 22.Jan.26

Stray Kids: The DominATE Experience
Review by Rich Cline | 3/5

dir Paul Dugdale
prd Vaughn Trudeau, Ross Putman, Cari Waterbury, Farah X
with Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, Han, Felix, Seungmin, I.N
release US/UK 6.Feb.26
26/US Universal 2h26

Now streaming...

Definitely one for the fans, this film documents the K-pop group's epic performance at Los Angeles' SoFi Stadium, including interviews with the eight bandmates. The excessive run-time will probably keep newcomers away, but this is a great way to discover their eclectic musical vibes, from power ballads to metal anthems to edgy bilingual hip-hop. Although some personal insight into these guys would have made the film more engaging.

Assembled by leader Bang Chan in 2017, Stray Kids is now a global phenomenon with a predominantly female fanbase called "Stay" that packs out stadiums around the world. Bandmates write music together and put on a huge show for their audiences, filling the stage with sound, movement, colour and innocently flirtatious energy. The close connection between them is apparent in their choreography and interaction. And in the interviews they all talk about their responsibilities to and reliance on each other. Oddly, the filmmakers only capture them speaking earnestly, never going off-script to reveal anything unexpected.

The sincerity on-screen is almost comical, mainly because it is only rarely grounded with off-handed moments. But the guys do occasionally reveal their cheekier sides both on and off stage, and their talent as singers and dancers is impressive. The music is also catchy and infectious, mixed beautifully by the filmmakers along with the whizzy, buoyant imagery and a range of eye-catching costumes. The band's followers certainly won't mind the film's excessive length; each song is shown in its entirety. Those new to Stray Kids might wish for some more constructive editing, and perhaps also a more objective eye.

For the record, I watched the film at a special 4DX press screening, in which the seats rolled and shook to the swoop of the cameras and the rhythms of the songs, accompanied by wind, water, mist and more. So itt felt like we doing the intense dance choreo along with the boys. This added a fun zing to the film, although it was also a strain over two and a half hours, leaving us all feeling a bit wobbly afterwards.

themes, language 2.Feb.26

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See also: SHADOWS FILM FESTIVAL