Change Your Image
mis-7
Reviews
GeGe (2001)
I saw this film at the 22nd Cambridge Film Festival, 2002 and thoroughly enjoyed it.
This is a beautifully crafted film and very accomplished first feature from Yan-Yan Mak. The film has a contemplative pace and little dialogue, which unfortunately seemed to make some of the audience a bit restless. However, the editing shows great skill as much of the film's narrative is told through carefully considered scenes and well composed shots rather than the relatively minimal dialogue.
The viewer is told nothing about the main subject of the film, Ah Ming's older brother, who disappeared some years before from his home in Hong Kong. The last correspondence Ah Ming received was a battered photograph sent from a small rural town in Qinghai Province. Despite this simple narrative there is an abundance of ideas in this film, played out through the journey Ah Ming makes to find his brother and the touching relationships he forms along the way. The acting is understated, but consistent. The influence of Wong Kar Wai's style of direction is apparent - less is more.
As a fan of Asian cinema I also found the remote backdrop and portrayal of the local people in this film fascinating. When the credits rolled it was great to see that everyone featured got a thank you.
Yan Yan Mak is quoted as saying "The filming made me realize I could get close to other people and myself in ways I had not thought of before". I think this experience has shaped GeGe and is apparent throughout the film.
In addition there was a great soundtrack and some excellent cinematography.
I look forward to her next feature.
Otesánek (2000)
Svankmajer on form
It's good to see that Svankmajer still conveys plenty of dark humour in Otesanek. We particularly enjoyed a sly reference to a dwindling interest in culture - when a couple in the film are shown coming out of a cinema and the husband comments "Why doesn't anyone make good films anymore, films about people?".
The animation is less frequent than in Alice, or Svankmajer's short films, as with "The Conspirators of Pleasure". However, by exercising restraint, the scenes where Svankmajer's trademark visual indulgence comes into it's own are all the more potent.
The plot parodies an old Czech fairytale, `Otesanek' (Greedy Guts). Svankmajer seems to draw many parallels between attitudes towards infertility in the modern world, with all our scientific know-how, and the fear of the unknown and the dangers of attempting to meddle with nature as told through the tale of `Otesanek'.
The film has excellent cinematography, sound, props, sets and superb performances by the cast (particularly the little girl, Alzbetka). And of course there is the animation which is, as with any Svankmajer film, unique, organic, surreal and ever so slightly repulsive!
Scratch (2001)
Scratch UK premiere in Cambridge
Just seen this at the Cambridge Film Festival - UK premiere.
Scratch is very well researched, has in-depth interviews and contains some superb footage (especially Herbie Hancock doing Future Shock live). There is no doubt that this film is aimed at a very specific audience, who will absolutely love it! The entire documentary emphasises the importance of the dj throughout the development of hip-hop.
As with any good culture, hip-hop has now been absorbed and appropriated by the commercial mainstream. Doug Pray pays respect to the originators and innovators who still rock the crowds with a pair of turntables, a mixer, stacks of vinyl and phenomenal dj skills.
However, given the incredible diversity of hip-hop, it was a shame that Pray didn't offer a wider view of this fascinating culture. In the last decade, for instance, some really inventive vocal styles have developed and artists such as those in the Anticon collective, Kool Keith, Company Flow, Infesticons and Mike Ladd didn't get so much as a mention.
Even if you haven't got vhs tapes of the DMC World DJ championships adorning your shelves, this documentary is worth catching if only to see various dj's reminiscing about wrecking the stylus on their parent's turntable in their youth!