Tell It To The Bees - BFI Flare

First film of BFI Flare and its a delicate romance in 1950s Scotland where two very different women find more than comfort with each other.

Formally posted on VultureHound HERE.

It’s not secret that bees are the key to our survival. If the bees were to die, we wouldn’t survive. We feel that way about people, if we were without the ones we loved, we might not cope, we might not be able to carry on. A new love isn’t quite unearthed in ‘Tell It To The Bees’ as it sometimes appears in romantic period dramas but is nurtured and gently formed. Seen from the point of a young boy at times as he witnesses his mother and the local doctor fall in love without realising that it is love, but instead a secret that he has not been part of.

Set in small village in Scotland in the 1950s, young mother, Lydia works at the local factory while caring for her 10 year old son, Charlie. Abandoned by her husband and ostracised by the village for being an outsider, she at first struggles to carry on. But when Dr Jean Markham returns home, despite rumours about circling the village, she finds a job as the housekeeper and a home for her and Charlie. At first a tender friendship is forged between the women and slowly they fall in love, while Charlie cares for the bees that Jean has looked after since she was young. But with the danger of Lydia’s husband returning to take away her son, her new love and the bond she shares with her son could be shattered at any moment.

At first glance, Annabel Jankel’s film, adapted from the novel of the same name by Fiona Shaw could be written off as any other period romance, but the two leads, Holliday Grainger and Anna Paquin share chemistry and understanding that the film becomes a precious moment in time. Each moulding their characters to two very different women, Lydia, a bring light in a dark time. She doesn’t play the broken woman like others have in her character position, she is open to possibilities and open to love. Jean, despite knowing who she is, she is still tortured by the past and is seems on edge about the truth coming out. Tired of running away from what she sees as an obstacle, returning home is her way of standing up to those who dislike her just for who she is. Together these two women don’t just find comfort but find a soulmate who they can be exactly who they want to be.

The recurring theme throughout the film is about secrets and bees. Charlie shares his secrets with the bees forming his bond and trusts with the creatures who ultimately protect him. Secrets can cause arguments and resentment, they can tear a family apart. Lydia and Jean’s secret relationship isn’t only threatened by society. Lydia’s cousin Annie becomes a victim of ignorance and prejudice in a horrific scene towards the end. Showing that anyone’s love can be seen as unsavoury to some. In the end, love does triumph but there is always a price for it, especially period dramas, that hammer home injustices of the past.

O Captain My Captain

There are hundreds of reviews floating round the internetsphere so I won't take up your time with mine, instead I'll share a few thoughts and then dive into, why the media circus?

SPOILERS AHEAD

I haven't read the comics. I should start that for every Marvel film I write about, although I used to read a bit of Xmen. Back to Capatin Marvel. Serving as an origin story for Captain Marvel aka Carol Danvers as well as side flashback to when Fury wasn't the head of S.H.I.E.L.D and was inpired by his encounter with Danvers and the all the other, aliens, to start his avengers inititive. This really makes Danvers the centre of of the whole universe so its only appropriate that shes there in Endgame to save it.

Starting with her day to day solidering with the Kree where they make sure she keeps her powers in check, answers to her superiors and encourage her to ignore her memory flashbacks, she is in deep with this life. Although their enemy are the shape shifting Skrulls, the Kree have never been the 'good guys' so it's not so difficult to see what comes later, despite the opening group banter, which was funny. Danvers or 'Vers' as she is affectionately known as literally crash land back home after escaping the sinister Skrulls ships and memory contraption. This is a homecoming that sets the whole 'but who am I' journey in motion, while at the same time uncovering the true deception of the Kree and switching the Skrulls to the innocent party.

Captain Marvel is a superhero film so it will hit the same beats as the films before it, but it also goes against the grain. She is superpowered thanks to an accident or rather act of bravery; trying to destroy technology that is literally from another planet and honour her mentor. The origin stories of Danvers have apparently been different and usually involving a man, soilder giving him her powers, BUT in this story, her mentor is Mar-Vell, a Kree scientist trying to stop war and its Annette Benning. Fantastic cast choice, in fact the Captain is surrounded by great characters/cast, which can make or break a film.
 
There were several times where I rolled my eyes but with homages to previous superhero films and even an Indiana Jones moment, the film was what I hoped to see. A fun, comic book film with an amazing and on point 90s soundtrack, featuring a fair amount of female artists and unexpected surprise in the form of a cat that provided comedic bits galore, I was entertained. It didn't excede my expectations but I enjoyed the outcome.

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There have been a great show of support between female film critics, sharing each others reviews on Twitter. I didn't read them all but the ones I did show a variety of reactions to the film. Some loved it, others didn't, some had strong feelings about different aspects surrounding the film, others championed it, and some, well, really hated it. Even amongst the positive praise and justified critiques, I was disappointed by the circus of attention that wasn't about the character and story.

The bigger picture is that, yes, there was quite a bit of the Marvel franchise riding on whether this film would be successful or not. But looking back at the previous films, there hasn't be a film thats been attacked (both positively and negatively) in this way before. I suppose there was a fair amount of speculation around the first Guardians of the Galaxy as it was purely space set and had three main characters that were CGI but that was because there hadn't be such a heavily sci-fi Marvel film, when really, if you strip it down, its a science fiction film with a great group of characters that just so happens to be within the Marvel universe. Also, its my favourite Marvel film. But apart from GOTG, the hype has been normal. I can't be the only person to have said this, but all this fuss is just because the main character, main superhero is female and to be honest, there shouldnt be this sort of hype just because of that fact. Extra pressure is mounted on this fact alone as to whether its good or not and if it isn't its because its a women front and centre and if its good, its only because theres finally a female superhero as the main character.

This is the death that practically killed Ghostbusters back in 2016. This is the death that buried Oceans 8, although granted the hype was not big for this film, which I don't understand, that film is amazing and I'm just saying that because I watched it 5 times in a row (no joke). This the possible death that Wonder Woman defeated, but because the rest of the DC films sunk (apart from Aquaman I hear) after the sequel, who knows what will happen to her. All these film were built up with everyone half hoping they'll fail. The malicious half anyway.

There has also been a cloud of disgust surrounding critics. A barrage of outraged critics who believe what they have to say is more important. Then the backlash that women only like the film because there's a woman in it! Its reached ridiculous heights. But, again, seeing the threads of female critics sharing each others work, no judgement, no arguments, just sharing and championing each other, gives me hope that we can do this for any film and not just when there a female superheo on the poster, alone.

The Young Poet

 Two films are being released this weekend that will and should spark conversation. One is of course is Captain Marvel herself, Marvel's first film with a lead female superhero, the other, The Kindergarten Teacher written and directed by Sara Colangelo about the teacher of the title who discovers that one of her 5 year old students is a gifted poet. One of these films will be in cinemas for weeks, the other might not be. The latter deserves your attention.

Lisa is a kindergarten teacher who spends her days with her young students, teachers them the alphabet and playing games. She takes poerty classes but her work is usually critiqued harshly by her classmates. She has little chemistry with her husband and is disappointed in her children who don't share her ideals of them having an intellectual or creative life. One day she hears one of her 5 year old students recite a poem. Finding out from his nanny that he does this quite often and upon hearing more of his poetry, she believes that Jimmy is a gifted prodigy. She becomes determined to nuture his talent even at the disapproval of his family and lack of support from own home. Her actions turning to desparate attempts to keep Jimmy's poems alive, she spirals out of control.

Part of the 'Reclaim the Frame' project which was started by Birds' Eye View who wanted to bring greater audiences to see films by women. This year kicked off with 'The Kindergarten Teacher' and a fantastic panel of speakers; a neuro-psychologist, a poet and filmmaker and founder of the Bechdel Test Fest.

The film poses the question about whether Lisa is a bad person or not. The decisions made by Lisa are unethical, especially considering the position of trust she is in. But she could also be right in wanting to nurture Jimmy's talent because as he gets older, this guft will be crushed by what's expected of him and what his family want from him.

As someone who feels starved of creativity from her work and home life, her poetry classes act as a sanctum, even though her own poetry doesn't inspire anyone in her class, including the teacher. She is openly disappointed with her two teenage kinds who don't want to follow in her so called intellectual footsteps. Her husband doesn't have much input in her life and barely registers with her once she becomes focused on Jimmy. Her desparate need for creative output is almost shunned before it can even becomes more than a few dull sentences on a page, but she finds peace with Jimmy, living vicariously through him and his poetry. To her, she is doing the right thing by pushing him to work, practice reciting his work and writing all his work down. By the end of the film, she accepts that the lenghths she has gone to to 'protect' Jimmy and his gift is too far and she has lost control. However, her fear that no one by her cares about his gift, is proved to be very real. The fact that his father doesn't care about his poetic talent, caring only whether he can make money or not aside, just from the last few moments in the film, Jimmy says he has a poem, but he is ignored, predicting exactly what society will do with him as he ages. No one cares about your poetry when you get older.

If the film has a genre, it would be a thriller in some ways, but one that is hightened not by the actions and soundtrack but by its delicacy, small actions and expressions which director Sara Colangelo brings through her own touch and gaze to the story. Maggie Gyllenhaal gives a brilliant complexity to her character, creatineg sympathy as well as anger, she makes you want to side with her and at the same time question her actions, a fantastic performance.

If you're looking for a film that will spark debate and discussion, The Kindergarten Teacher is out now, go see it and get others to join you.

#ReclaimtheFrame

@BirdsEyeViewFF ‏  

January/February Watch List

Stan & Ollie

A story of legends and one of the greatest love stories ever told. 4/5 My post about the film is HERE for your reading pleasure.

Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse

This one crept up and made a huge impact on all comic book fans. Its the best comic book film I've seen, maybe even better than my beloved Guardians of the Galaxy. This Spider-Man film not only manages to side step some of the terrible films that came out, it even pokes fun at them. The fact that there are multiple universes and each one there is a Spider-Person must mean that there are multiple versions of all the Marvel characters. In this film, this is Miles' time to shine. The film introduces a new Spider-Man, passes the baton, gives him a worthy story to work with, gives him THE best mentor a would be hero could ask (Peter B. Parker perfectly cast/voiced by Jake Johnson) for AND even has time to introduce 4 other great Spider characters from multiple universes AND bring villain King Pin back to his original place, fighting Spidey as well make Dr Oct a woman voiced by the amazing Kathryn Hahn, literally all my dreams came true with this film. Story and characters aside, the film is brilliantly animated, making it look like a comic literally came to life, with the voiceover, speech bubbles, the black lines of the panels. This film is so brilliantly constructed, it shows up all the previous efforts, this film is pure comic book heart. 5/5

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden Kingdom

A satisfying and emotional close on a fantastic franchise. My review is over at VultureHound and can be read HERE 4/5

Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte

Whatever happened to Baby Jane? Well, she made this film with the bare bones similarities but then her sister left the set so Olivia De Havilland stepped in. 3/5 My review is over at VultureHound and can be read HERE. 

The Lady Eve

One the best screwball comedies, I laughed so much out loud. They really don't make 'em like they used to. 5/5 My review is over at VultureHound and can he read HERE.

Burning

 I missed this at LFF due to scheduling clashes BUT with the hype that grew during and after the festival, I knew I couldn't miss it again. With a pace slower than pain drying, this thriller doesn't have any scare moments, there are no 'big reveals' but instead plagues your mind as you try to put the very few clues together. Lonely would be writer Lee Jong-su bumps into old school fellow Shin Hae-mi after years. At first it seems this is going to be a not so romantic story about two lonely people who used to know each other but instead flips what you except of this mysterious story. She leaves for a trip and returns with the mysterious, handsome and wealthy Ben. Jong-su ends being the third wheel to the couple. He observes them, suspicous of Ben and his beahviour, remarking that Ben is a Gatsby. No one knows how he makes his money or where it comes from. A mystery unfolds as pieces start to fall into place, we are left to draw our own conclusions despite what happens on screen. The story unpeels itself, creating unease from the moment Ben is introduced, giving a whole new meaning to a slow burner thriller. 4/5

Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Amongst the Oscar darlings there was a hidden gem directed by Marielle Heller, based on the true story of how literally down on her luck writer Lee Israel forged thousands of letters from famous writers. It takes a while for Lee to get going in her new venture which proves to be lucrative and along with her down his luck friend Jack, they live a little, that is, until they are found out. The story isn't a huge story as in there is no over the top dramatics, except from Richard E. Grant as Jack but that's who he is. Deservingly so, both Grant and Melissa McCarthy were nominated at the Oscars. Both great roles in what I'd describe as a quiet film which reflects on how far you'd go to pay the bills and be able to sleep at night. 3/5

Polar

I love a good hitman story and even more so when its crazy and ridiculous, think Smokin' Aces but without the police side plot and undercover bit. The infamous Black Kaiser is about to retire which means the company he works for, even hitmen have a boss, will owe him 8 million, which they clearly don't want to pay so his wacky clothed boss gets his hit sqaud out to kill him. In the meantime hes settled into a cabin and even made friends with his neighbour. What follows is a spectacular bloodbath of bullets and mayhem and Mads Mikkelsen, the Kaiser himself, barely flinches. 3/5

Velvet Buzzsaw

There was little hype except for a trailer that arrived a month before it appeared on Netflix but since there was so much hate and misunderstanding about this film, it deserves a post of its own. 4/5

Piercing

What the hell was that? I asked myself throughout this film even though I knew exactly what I was walking into. A man who has the desire to kill someone with an ice pick casually books a hotel room and arranges for a call girl who does S&M to come to his room where he plans to kill her. He has it all sorted and written in detail in his notebook. BUT when she shows up, she's even crazier than he is. A brilliant two hander from the very beautiful Christopher Abbott and the fascinating as ever Mia Wasikowska who dance around each other is a strange and sometimes even erotic way. Biazrre to say the least but again, expected as the film is based on a novel written by the same guy who wrote Audition, which the film was based on. There's something so desparate and immaculate about the two characters and in another time and place, they could have made each other so happy, if they weren't so deranged. 3/5

The Guilty

This is one of those, just one person on screen throughout the film while he makes lots of calls and like the others, its one hell of a suspensful thriller. 4/5 My review is over VultureHound and can be read HERE. 

We Are the Weirdos

With the success of last year’s showcase of emerging talent in film, specifically exploring the horror genre made by female filmmakers, The Final Girls are back with a second instalment of the shorts programme. 

To celebrate Women in Horror month, the feminist horror film collective, The Final Girls are taking their programme on the road around the UK. The shorts, from filmmakers around the world each have their own perspective on what horror can be. Exploring the genre through animation, monsters, ghosts, memories and satirical viewpoints, these filmmakers each have something unique to share. 

We are treated  shots from our own shores, like Kate Dolan’s ‘Catcalls’ where a man cruises the streets and picks on the wrong women to exercise his quick thrill. They soon get their revenge. As well as Rebecca Culverhouse’s #EatPretty about a product photographer is who is obsessed with the perfect image and soon turning to sweeter, darker things. Shot like beauty adverts, the film captures the essence of what makes the perfect outward image while conveying the darker side to this lifestyle. 

Those who had a fear of puppets were warned at the start and no wonder as Hanna Bergholm’s ‘Puppet Master’ was about a lonely woman who is turned into a puppet by a handsome stranger. But the beautifully filmed puppetry was heartbreaking more than terrifying, at least after the first initial shock. 

Animation was also featured in the line up with a fantastical stop motion animated ‘Cerulia’ from Sofia Carrillo which featured Cerulia of the title venture back to her old house where her childhood memories still live, waiting for her return. 

The centrepiece short of the evening was the only short with a comedic edge matched only with its undertone in truth. Mariama Diallo’s brilliantly named ‘Hair Wolf’ was pitch perfect at every step. Set in black hair salon, the staff fend off the strange monster like threat, the white woman trying to take away the ‘lifeblood from black culture’. Both zombie and witch like, the woman invades and turns them one by one with a selfie claiming that its ‘viral’. A brilliant film that fits so well into the horror genre, it worries me. 

Monster are real, whether they are creatures that roam the streets at night seeking revenge or in your own home, someone you know, someone close to you, maybe even under your bed. The nine shorts we get to see, explore the fantastical and the so real it feels like a dream. We are the Weirdos is hopefully going to become an annual event in the film calendar so we get to see more shorts like this. 


So that you don't miss out, tickets for the tour can be found HERE. 

Fan Service

Last week Jason Reitman unceremoniously announced that he will making ‘Ghostbusters 3’ and that it will be for the ‘real fans’.

In just a few words Reitman has disregarded ‘Ghostbusters’ that came out in 2016 and the massive misogynist wave of abuse the cast, filmmakers and fans received. He has fallen into the trap of appeasing these ‘real fans’ or at least promising to please them. He has also ignored the fans who did enjoy Paul Feig’s film and the positive critics reviews. He has instead acted as if what he is doing is what everyone wants. There is an arrogance about Reitman thinking that its ok to ‘take back’ the Ghostbusters franchise just because he is the son of Ivan Reitman, director of the original films. This is literally all he is hanging on to in my opinion.

Jason Reitman isn’t a favourite filmmaker of mine, I think it’s fair to state this. I loved ‘Juno’ and actually thought ‘Men, Women and Children’ wasn’t that bad. ‘Labour Day’ was also an interesting watch. But otherwise, he isn’t that great. Plus, ‘Juno’ is really all about the script and the characters, which he didn’t come up with, that was all Diablo Cody.  

 

Right as I type Reitman is trying to back track what he said and claim what he said ‘came out wrong ’. Sure Jason, sure. Paul Feig has defended Reitman disappointingly saying that he can’t wait to see what Jason does. But its not enough to convince us fans that don’t even register on Reitman’s close minded radar. I’m with Leslie Jones, it was ‘dick move’.

This announcement will be in the news a few more days and wind down, but while the iron is hot, I want to strike further. In Reitman and the studio’s eyes, there’s a need to feed the beast that are the ‘real fans’ of Ghostbusters. Why can’t we just have a film and enjoy it or not? Why is there a need to make films just for the fans with no thought for progression or improvement? The only time I can think that fans should be considered is if the project is literally funded by the fans. When Veronica Mars the TV series was cancelled, all the fans came out of the woodwork in protest to the point creator Rob Thomas kickstarted the film. The film is literally made by the fans and so is for the fans. As a fan of the show, I really appreciated this final frothy farewell to the folks of Neptune. The fans got what we wanted. But ‘fanboys/girls’ can turn nasty when they don’t get what they think they deserve. This was painfully apparent during the entire Ghostbusters bitter rollercoaster in 2016.

With the out cry of ‘fans’ who took the internet to voice their opinions after ‘The Last Jedi’ was released was unbelievable. The amount of arrogance that these ‘fans’ had or should I say has, has no bounds, even starting a partition to remove the film from canon was ridiculous and rather pointless. ‘Fans’ were outraged with the way Luke was handled, the way the plot was handled and with everything really, but mostly Luke. The film was a brave step towards the future and in order to have a future, you need to leave the past behind, but the ‘fans’ seemed not think the films were just going to be about Luke, Han and Leia again, which is, again, ridiculous. If they wanted the old Star Wars, they can literally just watch the old Star Wars. Self entitled ‘fans’ think that its all about them and yes to an extend the films are for them, but the creation of story and characters belongs to the filmmakers and in a way George sodding Lucas. The fans, audience are there for the ride, they are there to be entertained not have their every demand pandered to. The ‘fans’ feel as if they are entitled to how a film is made and should dictate to the filmmakers. This pure poison to the film and all the fans watching and enjoying.

This is when films falter. If they make a film just to satisfy the fans, a mediocre film is created and most likely critically panned. If a film is made just for the creators alone, it turns into a self indulgent mess. If a film is make by passionate filmmakers for an audience who appreciate a great story and characters then, we’re all winners. ‘Fanboys’ or fan girls, but to be honest fan girls cause very little trouble are usually championing things rather than bringing them down, but either way, ‘real fans’ ruin the film experience and creation. Wouldn’t it better if they just shut the hell up and let us enjoy the films? Wouldn’t it better is Jason Reitman also shuts the hell up and stops trying to pathetically take back that really idiotic comment? It would be better but I doubt its the last we’ll encounter this sort bullshit.