No Other Choice - BFI London Film Festival

 

What would you be pushed to do if you felt you had no other choice? The latest from Park Chan-wook poses this question and quite literally answers it, at least in the case of the main character in No Other Choice. Unemployment can be soul destroying. Being without a means to earn an income prevents you from functioning, how society sees it, normally. With unemployment being discussed every day, with jobs being scarce and having to deal with companies ignoring applicants, it is a subject that will trigger many. No Other Choice, Based on the novel, The Ax by Donald Westlake, delves into this deep well of desperation mixed with one of the darkest comedies in recent years.

After working in the paper industry for 15 years, Yoo Man-soo finds himself unemployed. After trying and failing to find a job after a several months, desperate to provide for his family, he places an advert for a fake job. Examining the applicants, Man-soo decides to kill those who are more qualified than he is in order secure a job opening, that he will also create for himself.

Known for his dark comedies and violent revenge filled plots, No Other Choice does, at times, feel lighter than his previous film. Though the subject is dark and the solution even worse, the snippets of charm and tenderness feel quite natural when embedded within the story. This satirical approach at the state of current situations that many face is above all, bleak. Throughout, you are meant to be hoping that Man-soo succeeds in his plan to murder people because it means he will secure a job and will be able to fix all the myriad of problems that have happened because he lost his job. But as we learn a little bit about his intended victims, there is absolutely no way to justify these crimes, yet we still hope he succeeds. Its difficult to suspend your morals for the 2 hours 30 minutes as after each murder there is a sense of dread, not that he may get caught but that he has maybe got away with it.

Aside from these internal dilemmas that you may experience throughout, the dark comedic tone does off set most of the issues that the story brings. Man-soo and his family’s other problems that need solving; the cellist genius daughter who won’t play for her family, the son who contemplates stealing, Mi-ri (his wife) taking a job working for an attractive younger dentist. Man-soo’s previous issues are also brought to the surface, his previous drinking problem most prominent, something that could destroy him completely, if unemployment doesn’t first. There are comedic moments to be found throughout but these unfortunately don’t out-weigh the sickening violence planned and executed.

Lee Byung-hun as Man-soo gives a fantastic eclectic and emotional performance, balancing the comedic and menacing side of the character. However, as a whole, No Other Choice, feels like some other choices could have been made but discomfort and shock were more favourable.

Rose of Nevada - BFI London Film Festival

 Curses, ghosts and time travel can all feel very similar laid out on screen. What might be a story set in the present but through an object, place or person, the present soon becomes the past, with ghosts from present now haunting the place. This may seem disjointed but that’s to be expected with a Mark Jenkin’s film. Returning to BFI with his third feature, Rose of Nevada is a slightly different tale than his previous (Bait, Enys Men). Those themes of the past and the present colliding are still the backbone of the story, Rose of Nevada takes the idea of time travel and turns it into a haunting story of grief, resilience and what feels like most definitely a curse.

After it had been missing for 30 years, the fishing boat, Rose of Nevada appears in the harbour of a run-down fishing village in Cornwall. The boat sets out again, this time with two new crew members, but when it returns to harbour once more, the crew members are welcomed back as those who went missing as it is now, 30 years ago.

Full review over at Filmhounds

F**ktoys - BFI London Film Festival

 

With influences being pulled from everywhere; the grime of Troma, the humour of John Waters, the style and look of Anna Biller (particularly The Love Witch) and the melodramatics of Pedro Almodovar, they are responsible for the chaotic baby that is Fucktoys. Written, directed and starring Annapurna Sriram, this film is very much a labour of love and grime. Her odyssey of a sex worker who travels around on a moped going from job to job as she scrapes money together to perform a ritual that will lift the curse on her is above all, inspiring. Though it’s not a perfect work of art, a work of art it is none the less.

After being told by a psychic that she’s cursed and needs $1000 to perform a ritual to lift it, sex worker AP, heads out to make that money. Along the way she is reunites with an old friend/flame Danni, encounters numerous strange clients and three other psychics who tell her she’s cursed. But on her journey will she finally find a way to lift this curse?

This is not the happy go lucky sex worker story who is just trying to get by. Thankfully most clichés are left at the door here. Any stereotypes are leaned into and for weird comedic purposes only. Most of what happens throughout the film is to be taken with a pinch of salt, whether its watching two old friends connect while urinating in a guy’s mouth (he likes it) or believing AP’s place is just furniture in a field, or AP and Danni really badly pretending to be robbers when taking shelter in one of her client’s homes. There is plenty of fun to be had throughout but Sriram doesn’t shy away from the darkness that surrounds AP. The more serious moments are at first gently peppered in and do make you stop, step back and have a reality check, especially the rather off kilter and unhinged ending, even if it does provide an ‘oh my god I understand it all’ moment.

Sriram is absolutely a talent to watch. The B Movie feel of Fucktoys does make me anxious as to what might happen to her comedic timing and style if she was given a bitter budget. However, there is much to enjoy on screen here in the meantime.

Wake Up Dead Man - BFI London Film Festival

 

Rian Johnson knows his murder mysteries. He knows his genres and he knows exactly how to have a story play out. He also knows his audience and that those who love murder mysteries and whodunnits love to work out the puzzle of the crime committed. Which each new mystery, Johnson has given us clues, characters and something more to think about than just the crime and killer. After the mammoth success of Knives Out (2019), no one would have thought that the next detective/mystery franchise was born. Wake Up Dead Man is fresh new mystery, that both follows the formulas Johnson has created, as well introducing new twist and turns that will have any fan of the genre (and Blanc) excited to see how it all ties together.

Benoit Blanc returns, this time the case seems impossible to solve. Arriving at the Parish of the intimidating and influential Monsignor Wicks, where he rules over his small group of faithful followers (parishioners). But when a mysterious death occurs, Blanc must wade through the secrets, lies and myths that surround this church, alongside a young priest who recently arrived at the parish, Father Jud Duplenticy.

Full review over at Filmhounds.

After the Hunt - BFI London Film Festival

 

Looking over Luca Guadagnino’s filmography, it’s hard to compare After the Hunt to anything he has done before. Where his films have been filled with love, forlorn wistfulness, finding the horror in beauty and vice versa, his characters too have been those who wish to follow and actively root for. Maybe Challengers comes to the closest in comparison, yet even then, there was some magnetic about the love triangle, passion and obsession. But, with After the Hunt, there is only bitterness, pain and secrets.

Philosophy Yale professor Alma (Julia Roberts) is forced into an uncomfortable and difficult position when her PHD student, Maggie (Ayo Edebiri), accuses Hank (Andrew Garfield), a fellow professor in the department of sexual assault, she is faced with her secretive past as well having to deal with the fallout of the accusation.

The baseline of the story is nothing new, sad to say. A student accusing a teacher of inappropriate behaviour and the fallout that follows is difficult. But there is something suspicious and concerning about Maggie’s and Hank’s behaviour throughout. From the very start, its clear that both parties are obsessed with Alma. She and Hank clearly are very close and there is an admittance of past feeling later on in the film, but she keeps him at arm’s length. Maggie, not only tries to emulate Alma (dressing like her, same nails, jewellery) but even steals something very secret from Alma that was clearly not meant for anyone. There is a sickening feeling throughout that both Hank and Maggie use this accusation and incident to claw attention, recognition, even approval from Alma, which is very unsettling. There is of course the fact that Alma prior to the events of the film, has placated their attentions to satisfy her own ego, for example, she knows Maggie plagiarised her thesis but said nothing, which could have been used in Hank’s defence. But Alma makes it clear she doesn’t want to be involved with the fallout of the incident, she doesn’t exactly take sides, but she doesn’t want to be involved with either.

There is are underlining questions throughout. One is about what really happened and whether Hank did assault Maggie. It is never actually laid out what happened as Maggie describes Hank kissing her and then she trails off, saying he crossed the line. Hank has the counter argument that he never tried to kiss her and that she became frosty when he brought up her plagiarising her thesis. But Hank has a reputation for flirting with his students. The other is what Alma’s big secret is, which could be key to her behaviour throughout. When it is finally revealed however, it is just another piece to the ultimately unsolved conclusive puzzle.

What’s strange is that the entire cast are impressive in their own right, yet only Julia Roberts as Alma is able to fully shine through the dismal and incoherent at times story. Both Garfield and Edebiri feel as if they are playing two dimensional characters, but try their hardest to make the most of what they are given. Chloe Servigny is criminally underused, not to say that her character should have been present more, but a lesser actress could have made a bigger impression. Thankfully Michael Stuhlbarg makes the biggest impression, left to what could have been written off as ‘the husband’ role, practically trapped in the kitchen throughout. He manages to be the voice of reason and understanding, even calling out the hypocrisies that follow from the very beginning. He does far more by simply making a superb exit from an awkward conversation and playing music that half the cast does throughout.

After the Hunt will not be remembered as Guadagnino’s best, but it may spark some deeper conversations due to its subject matter. Though this may be an impressive cast, the story, somewhat convoluted, just doesn’t match up to the talent telling it.

Exit 8 - BFI London Film Festival

 

Big and small screen adaptations of video games have been improving over the years, we’re certainly a long way from Doom (2005). Exit 8 came out in 2023, it itself inspired by the Finnish game, I’m On Observation Duty, the game explored liminal spaces and the surreal atmosphere that these spaces offer, a perfect setting for a potentially unhinged game. Exit 8, the film directed by Genki Kawamura, explores this idea while using a very human character to bring us into this space.

A man (Kazunari Ninomiya), on his way to a temp job, becomes lost in an endless subway passage. In order to find his way to Exit 8, he must pass levels by finding anomalies.  If he finds an anomaly, he must turn back, but if there isn’t one, he must continue forward. Fail to notice an anomaly or make a mistake and you have to start all over again.

Full review over at Filmhounds.

Bad Apples - BFI London Film Festival

 

Teachers and students, stories that can turn into sordid affairs, or lead down inspirational paths. But when the story is about how teachers are meant to handle difficult students, they can easily end in chaos. Thankfully, Bad Apples is a dark comedy and is able to show harsh realities as well bizarre events, all without taking itself too seriously.

Primary school teacher Maria is overwhelmed. Her class is constantly disrupted by one pupil, a bully with a violent streak. But when she takes drastic and desperate measures to fix the problem, everything escalates to the point of no return.

First and foremost, we all know teachers are underpaid and often overwhelmed, especially if their class is facing important exams that will affect a child’s future. Immediately, we all understand and can sympathise with Maria as she tries her best to deal with Danny, the ‘difficult child’. Everything seems to hit harder for Maria as the teacher of a Year 6 class. Not only does she need to prep the students for SATS exams (important in the UK), but she’s been left alone by her colleague and ex-boyfriend who she moved to the town to be with. She’s been left with a house, but her existence seems pathetic as she plays a tractor simulator every night. The head teacher is losing faith, her ex is too and even her class mock her to her face. You can understand why, to an extent, she does what she does with Danny. 

Director Jonatan Etzler, manages to keep the balance of between feeling sympathy for Maria as questioning how she thinks things will play out. We also end up in a similar situation with Danny. At first, we believe him to be nothing but a violent bully, until its revealed, he can’t actually write. The boy has got to Year 6 (approx. 11 years old) and he’s unable to write. In this moment, we can see his frustration, he’s been written off by previous teachers, his over worked father hasn’t even noticed. But at the same time, we see Danny’s default response is to smash anything in sight when he’s cornered. We are able to get points of view from both Maria and Danny, each played superbly by Saoirse Ronan and newcomer Eddie Waller. However, for all the merit that can admired, there is very much a sense that the film is not pushed to the realms of absolute shock. We teeter on the edge of something very serious, especially during a Parents Evening meeting where terrible truths are revealed, we witness how far parents will go for ‘the greater good’. But in truth, there are no truly shocking moments.

Things do start to feel uneasy and verge on unhinged with the inclusion of Pauline, the creepy wannabe teacher’s pet who invites herself to Maria’s house. But even then, nothing of note happens, just an awkward fallout where Pauline subtly blackmails Maria and stirs up trouble at school. In all honesty, Pauline is probably the real villain of the film, with her parents even expressing that she’s weird and not in an interesting way. Its just a shame that the bar is not pushed, especially with such an great set up and lead into a third act. Bad Apples holds the promise of repressed carnage but it would have been great to see absolute chaos.

Alpha - BFI London Film Festival

 

We had all been waiting with bated breath to see what Julie Ducournau would create next. Beginning with her cannibalistic Raw and her unhinged Titane, her next film took a slightly different turn. Alpha is, like Ducournau’s previous films, a blend of genres. The body horror elements are truly disturbing, the coming of age and exploration of unbreakable bonds are blended into this relentless drama, as that is what the film is at its core, a drama.

When 13-year-old Alpha returns home after a party with a tattoo on her arm, her mother, a doctor becomes concerned that she may have contracted a blood born virus where its victims gradually turn to marble.

It has already been widely discussed that the virus in Alpha is reminiscent of the AIDS crisis and it is in no way subtle. From the cracked dust laid ground to the disturbing sandstorms that rage in the finale, there are meanings layered into this story. There are three key performances, with each relationship explored, sometimes even just through a devasting emotional scene where two characters embrace and breakdown crying, or through flashbacks which provide greater context and a better insight. There is the bond between brother and sister, one trying to desperately save the other, the strained relationship of a mother and daughter and the confusingly laid out story between uncle and niece. These isolated pairings, are harrowing and filled with pain and yes, to a point love. Each of the three leads are outstanding, packing in the emotional punches. But as a whole, the film crumbles with confusion and lack of understanding what we’re meant to be grasping at.

To call this a film a body horror cheapens the entire film, but to focus on the tragic elements would be the better focus and fairer way to describe it. Those suffering from the virus and seeing those care for loved ones without being able to do anything is as devasting as any other story featuring a horrific incurable disease. But while we watch Maman try to save Uncle Amin over and over, the film starts to slip past into stagnated territory. Thankfully the scenes with Alpha dealing with school, whether it’s the prejudice about her bleeding tattoo or her and her classmate sneaking away to make out in the toilets, the film takes a break from the confusing timeline Ducournau has created.

Though the emotional and devasting moments are the ones that stick with you, as well as the sight of someone’s crumbling back breaking, Alpha is feels like a very tone and overarching subject that Ducournau’s previous. Don’t go in expecting anything her previous films as you may be disappointed.