Amélie

courtesy of Curzon Films

 
Celebrating its 25th anniversary, Amélie was re-released in cinemas early this year by Curzon Film. Giving a chance for those who have adored this film since it was first released out into the world and ensnaring a whole new audience. It’s strange to think that Amélie was rejected by the Cannes Film Festival, despite director Jean-Pierre Jeunet having a prior connection with The City of Lost Children which opened the festival in 1995. There was also overwhelming support for the film from audiences, with near universal praise. This rejection caused quite a stir but nevertheless, Amélie has become synonymous with French cinema as well as breaking the barrier between arthouse and mainstream cinema audiences. What better time to celebrate the film’s anniversary with a new exquisite limited edition home entertainment release, while simultaneously commemorating Curzon’s own 50th anniversary.

Full review over at Filmhounds. 

Idiotka

courtesy of Utopia

 

How does one film embody the struggle of an artist, the very real crisis of trying to pay bills when you have no money, the bond of family, the repercussions of getting out of prison, and exposing the hypocrisy of reality TV while also not being able to stop watching. Idiotka is a fantastically concise film (82 mins) that manages to cover many topics, with different perspectives though this is Margarita’s (Anna Baryschinkov) journey and triumph.

Idiotka is Nastasya Popov’s debut feature film, as writer and director, she brings all her characters to life without turning them into caricatures despite the fact that the main plot is about Margarita trying to win a reality TV show so she can pay off her family’s debt and avoid eviction from their home.

There is no avoiding the reality TV stereotypes throughout the story but instead of making it feel like just another satire, these are embraced and used to mostly comedic perfection, including some of the bizarre outfits that the ‘celebrity’ judges wear. But to show that this making of is based in reality itself, Camila Mendes’ (who is making the balance between indie and blockbusters) TV producer Nicol is never outlandish, always dressed in muted tones and despite asking for ridiculous things from the contestants, also offers a few pieces of wisdom. It may just seem this is all for the benefit of the show, but she knows that Margarita really needs this break.

Alongside the reality TV show where Margarita gets to showcase her real talent for fashion, we see every other scene how close knit her family is. Her grandmother who inspires her, embarrasses her but knows exactly how to play off their situation in order to get attention from the cameras. Her brother who is working for free so their family can pay off some debt to the landlord, but also is a musician himself. And finally her father, a doctor who broke the rules and went to prison for fraud and can’t seem to get back to his own reality, dealing with the shame for not being able to provide for his family himself. Each family member has something to prove and gain. It all comes to a head in the form of a fashion show that will either make Margarita a star or empower her to do more.

Idiotka is a rare gem amongst other films that are too afraid to embrace the chaos, not wanting to be too abrasive and playing it safe with stereotypes and its funny while doing all of this.

Leviticus

 

Courtesy of Neon

It's bizarre to see that not all original or rather new stories within the horror-sphere have succeeded at the box office. So much has been said about Backrooms and Obsession and how well they have been received by critics and audience alike. But there were two other prominent horror genre related releases that came out over the summer, One premiered at Sundance, the other at Cannes, both important film festivals, both receiving high acclaim and favoured reviews from critics and the audience who has seen the films. But Leviticus and Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma make under $9m each at the world wide box office. Of course these two films were both not sold or released in as many territories as Backrooms and Obsession, but they are also about LGBTQ+ characters and themes. These two observations may go hand in hand sadly. But it's still frustrating nonetheless, especially as both films are so spectacular in their own way.

With the simplest of hooks; Leviticus follows two teenage boys, Ryan and Naim, who must escape a violent entity that takes the form of the person they desire most - each other.

Leviticus had been on the radar of many leading up to and after its Sundance premiere. Reminiscent of other supernatural stories mixed in with religious cult tendencies, the film manages to generate real terrifying scenarios mirroring genuine experiences of fear. Some might say this film is just an allegory for conversion therapy but that selling the film short of all that it accomplishes. We witness these two boys’ real fear of their own desire, manifesting in the worst possible way.

Naim’s mum Arlene knowingly puts her son through this ritual saying it will keep him safe, yet she knows the ritual is irreversible and doesn’t ‘cure’ anything. This, aside from the violence, is the darkest revelation of the entire film. His own mother wanted him to be afraid, because fear will keep him from straying, fear will control him. Naim’s own fear and most likely confused jealousy put two others in fear and pain, but he didn’t know what would happen. A terrible mistake on his part, one he regretted, but Arlene knew exactly what she was doing.

The darkness that overshadows the entire film is contrasted with the moments of hope and happiness. The use of light is carefully used to show throughout to show what Ryan and Naim are to each other. From their early encounters when Ryan seems genuinely shocked by Naim’s tenderness and responds, to the bus ride home together. After hearing there is possibly no hope of getting rid of the entities, they still take a moment to enjoy what they have. Their desire is used as a tool for fear but the acceptance of who they are and what they mean to each other is far more powerful than the fear that’s been forced on them.

Hopefully Leviticus will be given the appreciation it deserves, even if that means waiting a while for a wider audience to catch up with those who have been excited about its release for months. Same with Camp Miasma. All we can do is hope and wait.