Here is the last of my coverage of TIFF. You can read the first two parts of my reviews here: (Part 1) (Part 2)
“Charlotte,” directed by Eric Warin & Tahir Rana, is an animated drama that brings to life the remarkable true story of Charlotte Salomon, an enigmatic young German Jewish painter who created a sprawling masterpiece in the face of both private turmoil and sweeping global cataclysm. As you may know, I’m not the wisest person when it comes to art, specifically painters, but this film explores familial relationships and the responsibilities one has to bear with caring for elders. It’s dark with its thematic, which it’s supposed to be considering the era in which this takes place, but seeing how some people reacted to what was happening on a macroscopic level, it was painful to witness. Although it deals with dark themes, it somehow felt light with its animation and voice acting. The animation is simple. Nothing too outlandish or flashy with a straightforward premise. It’s an ok movie.
★★★1/2
Courtesy of TIFF
“Where is Anne Frank,” directed by Ari Folman, is an examination of the life of Anne Frank from the perspective of someone who existed only in the beloved diarist and holocaust victims’ imagination. Now that I’m writing these recap reviews, I’m realizing that yesterday was a rough day (thematically speaking) for watching films. I went from modern-day slavery depiction to the Holocaust era (ironically both animated films covered this topic). This was an interesting approach to the story of Anne Frank, which I hadn’t been exposed to in-depth until now. The film’s leading character is the person Anne Frank addresses in her writing and the concept/message is an admirable one. “Antisemitism, Holocaust denial and violent racism against minorities and refugees are increasing” and this quote could not be more fitting to our current era. However, I think its message could’ve been more impactful but it fails to deliver the ultimate emotional punch. Another decent film I don’t plan to revisit.
★★★1/2
Courtesy of TIFF
“Snakehead,” directed by Evan Jackson Leong, is a film about a woman who must reconcile with success after her true motives for sneaking into America come to light, all while she rises through the ranks of a New York crime family. I went into this movie completely blind. So apparently for $50,000, Chinese human smugglers known as Snakeheads provide passage to immigrants. I liked it overall but did have my issues with it. One being that the leading performance was a bit stiff which prevented a certain level of engagement and thrill. We see the difference it makes when someone is empathetic, which women tend to exceed. A decent movie worth checking out.
★★★1/2
Courtesy of TIFF
“Ste Anne,” directed by Rhaynne Vermette, confronts ideas of belonging, reclamation, and family with both intimacy and a near-hallucinating pull-forward visual abstraction. This is certainly on the experimental level, which I’m lukewarm with most of the time. This film however wasn’t for me. In its attempt to provide a dreamlike scenario, it made its transitions with bright colored shots to the point where it bothered my eyesight. There’s flashing and it didn’t appeal to me. I appreciated the scenery and the still sequences where the camera just sits there and allows whatever is within the shot to unfold. We get a granular look due to its 16mm film. It is a film I slightly admire but mostly found boring.
★★
Courtesy of TIFF
“Medusa” is directed by Anita Rocha de Silveira and it follows a group (gang) of women in Brazil that try to control everything around them, including other women, in the genre-hopping film about internalized misogyny. Brazil once again comes with a punch leaving me completely in awe and contemplating about religious extremists driven by misogyny. It’s visually stylistic, utilizing neon bright colors during performances and contrasting them with paler calmer colors during the quieter intimate conversations, a visual representation of the two sides of religion. It touches on the subject of objectifying women including the pressures they endure in having to live up to a set of beauty standards. This film is a thought provoking look into the life of various girls and what they must face surviving in this environment. Strong performances all around and incredible cinematography, particularly some transitions that were standouts. The symbolism throughout is riveting. An essential viewing.
★★★★
Courtesy of TIFF
“The Falls” is directed by Chung Mong-Hong and it follows a relationship between a mother and daughter that takes an unexpected turn while quarantining during COVID. We are slowly but surely beginning to watch films that take place in current times (we are still in a pandemic). And even though I was initially not too fond of watching movies that take place during COVID, this film might have single handedly changed that perspective. This is an intimate, relatable, and engaging look at the relationship between this mother and daughter. It begins as a mental health decline from the mother after a turbulent divorce and being fired from her job, but it ends with a hopeful yet suspenseful last 15 minutes that left me distressed due to its unexpected ending. Both of these character arcs are some of the best I’ve seen in a while, and it’s non-formulaic premise caught me off guard but I wholeheartedly appreciate it. Stellar performances from the two leads invested me in their outcomes. Its attention to detail (especially clothing) further escalated the stakes at the end. A film I recommend watching.
★★★★1/2
Courtesy of TIFF
“Small Body” is directed by Laura Samani and it follows Agata, a young grieving mother who must embark on a journey to give her stillborn child a name. There’s no secret about the fact that stories about mothers have a strong connection with me. Although I’m not a religious individual, this film was one of the most heartfelt, heartbreaking and physically and emotionally painful journeys I’ve ever witnessed. First off, it’s a period piece that tends to garner my attention instantly. Secondly, its female lens via the director serves this film so well. Its depiction of the female body after giving birth is accurately showcased and the lengths a mother will go through is beautifully shown in this movie. This film is beautifully shot with various hand held camera sequences which immediately gave me the sense of joining the protagonist on this journey instead of just being an observer. There are some crisp underwater shots that left me in awe. Overall, this movie was a visceral, riveting and heartbreaking experience that won’t be leaving me anytime soon. A difficult but worthy watch.
★★★★
Courtesy of TIFF
