JuguAbraham Reviews

Touch Me Not (I) (2018)

A product of research on intimacy that is admirable and very different from most films

[8/10 · 28 May 2023]

An admirable debut film from Romanian director Adina Pintilie, who wrote, acted and edited this Golden Bear winner at the Berlin Film Festival. I admit that there were times I felt I should stop watching the film but I did not as the film made me introspect on my own views. The well-researched script, and the elegant and stylish cinematography by Romanian cinematographer George Chiper contribute value to the film that marries documentary and fiction. Kudos to the Jury headed by German director Tom Tykwer for awarding this unusual work that requires a mature mind to appreciate the subtle studies on intimacy. The long journey to complete the film is evident from the time stamp of some included videos that indicate the year 2010--some 8 years before it made it to Berlin.

World War III (2022)

Odd subjects (for an Iranian film) with humane touches that eventually turn nihilistic

[7/10 · 12 May 2023]

The opening quote that explains the film is attributed to Mark Twain: "History doesn't repeat itself but it often rhymes."

This winner of Best Film and Best Actor awards at the Venice film festival's Horizon section, and the Special Jury Prize at the Tokyo International film festival has bagged 13 awards world-wide to-date. It is an unusual film from Iran; yet, if you stay to the end, it could be rewarding. It is a film about love of a widower for a prostitute in Iran. How the conservative Iranian censors allowed the film with such a subject to be made is surprising. The script involves the shooting of a film within the film that deals with Hitler and the Holocaust (again an unusual subject for an Iranian to make in Iran)!

The Outsider (1981)

Allegorical opening and ending of a tale about an affable, non-conforming violinist

[6/10 · 6 May 2023]

The begins with a handsome young man immersed in playing a violin solo in a hospital ward for mental patients, who find the music calming. The film ends with a small group of classical musicians playing Franz Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody, at the request of a classical music enthusiast, who thinks and lives in the world of composers. The situations, where both these musical sequences are played, are allegorical views of Hungary's social and political reality in the early Eighties. I had visited Hungary at that time. Tarr's movie has the philosophical line "Music can't be bought, it is not like a painting." There are sequences where the audience can easily miss the satirical undercurrents--a joke about a chicken thief who insists his bag contains crows, and when discovered, says he doesn't want them.

"The Outsider" is an unusual Tarr film because it is in shot in colour; usually his films on equally bleak, reflective subjects are best captured in black-and-white. It is also unusual because all actors are non-professional (according to the IMdB trivia). But the lead actor Andras Szabo playing the role of Andras is a delight to watch as a happy-go-lucky man, refusing responsibility of having fathered a child, getting fired from jobs, and eventually getting married (the actual marriage is never shown, except for a post-marriage dance and merry-making and a bus trip with wedding attire.) Andras is "The Outsider"-- an affable, talented violinist who is rejected from orchestras as he has not graduated from music schools and has a history of being fired from many jobs. He is an outsider also because he rejects social responsibilities that most others would accept.

Tarr's wife Agnes is also the film's editor. Not a major Tarr film but the non-professionals are by and large agreeable on screen.

The Mattei Affair (1972)

Two, not one, real-life mysterious killings while making a film on one

[8/10 · 30 April 2023]

Interesting feature film that combines two, not one, real life mysteries. The main tale is about emergence of Enrico Mattei and his growing clout in Italy and the world, after propagating the underground methane reserves in Italy to alleviate poverty in Italy, post-Word War II. Though Mattei was a member of ths Christian Democrats Party during the war he was appointed after the war to dismantle AGIP, a petroleum agency set up by the Fascists. He found scientific studies already conducted but shelved about methane reserves and subsequently converted AGIP which he was supposed to dismantle into a major state-owned powerful petroleum company called ANI. Rosi's film presents both the negative and the positive sides of Mattei, who was by all accounts killed in a plane crash in 1962, possibly with a bomb placed on board the aircraft.

The secondary tale (also real) is of Rosi employing an investigative journalist, Mauro de Mauro, to figure out the last days of Mattei. Mauro, too, is killed before he can provide all the details of his investigation to filmmaker Rosi for making this film. Two separate but possibly linked killings. The viewer is left to guess the killers. The second tale lifts up the quality of the film even further than the first. Rosi is admirable for presenting all views of both the killings.

A film that won a deserving Golden Palm at Cannes Festival. The real heroes of the film are Mauro, the journalist who was killed while helping Rosi, the scriptwriters. Tonino Guerra, Rosi and Tito di Stefano.

Friday Night (2002)

Slow burn but keeps you interested to the end

[8/10 · 23 April 2023]

A lyrical, almost wordless film on a one-night stand involving two strangers in Paris. The artistically made film is almost as beautiful as Aleksandr Sokurov's "Mother and Son," which in stark contrast, did not involve sex.

The best aspects of the film "Friday Night" are: (1) the screenplay adaptation of the novel (which included collaboration of the novelist Emmanuelle Bernheim herself) ; (2) the magical opening roof-top cinematography sequences of Agnes Godard (a regular Denis collaborator); (3) Dickon Hincliffe's original musical composition (a debut for him for films before he stunned us with his music in "Leave No Trace" and "Locke" and possibly his sole collaboration with Denis); (4) the performance of the lead actors (Valerie Lemercier, who plays Laure, is a film director of repute): and (5) last but not least, the fascinating direction of Denis, which included imaginary thoughts of Laure imagining Jeane (Vincent Lindon) with another pizzeria customer, spliced between real visuals. The film is slow but well-made and will be well appreciated only by knowledgeable cineastes.

The final sequence reminded me of the end-sequence of Paul Mazursky's "An Unmarried Woman."

Trivia--(1) The "for sale" notice of the car pasted on the rear window disappears halfway into the film. (2) The shots of the pizzzeria being swept did not serve any purpose.

One of the very sophisticated films of Ms Denis, who is one of my favourite active directors.

Ludwig (1973)

Helmut Berger's crowning performance.

[8/10 · 18 April 2023]

Helmut Berger's finest performance. He is supported by Romy Schneider (who is a treat to watch as she was in Visconti's segment in Boccaccio '70), Silvana Mangano, Helmut Griem and Gert Froebe. A long film with gorgeous palaces and intricate production design and breathtaking indoor cinematography by Armando Nannuzzi (who worked in two other Visconti films). The screenplay trio comprising director Visconti, Suso Cecchi d'Amico and Enrico Medioli have worked wonders in this and other Visconti films. Visconti is a maestro indeed as a director. The only flaw in the film was the casting of Trevor Howard as Wagner, who never impressed as he did in other films. This version of Ludwig needs to be compared with the version by Hans Jurgen Syberberg, made a year before this one.

No Bears (2022)

Illusion and reality, in the world of Jafar Panahi

[7/10 · 15 April 2023]

Telling the truth is difficult for Iranian filmmakers. You have Government control on one hand (the real tale of Panahi remotely directing a film being shot in Turkey while stationed on the borders of Iran as he is not allowed to leave the country) and you have quaint traditions on the other (in the Iranian villages on the border) that often lead to tragedy. However good your intent, the road is bumpy and leads you to a sad, nihilistic end. Intelligent filmmaking that captures the difficulty of renowned filmmakers to capture the Kafkesque ground reality in Iran and the frustrations of Iranian nationals today. Deserved the Special Jury Prize at Venice.

The Ballad of the Sad Cafe (1991)

The complex world of the lover and the be-loved, created by Carson McCullers, captured on the screen

[8/10 · 13 April 2023]

A fascinating story by Carson McCullers, which was made into a play by playwright Edward Albee. An unusual performance from Vanessa Redgrave with supporting roles from Rod Steiger as the priest. The key element in the film are the shots of the chain gang that begins and ends the film as are camera shots of the fields green and fruitful that moves on the adjacent fields harvested and ready to be cultivated and the reversal of the sequence at the end. Very realistic production design. Sometimes while watching the film, you get the feeling you are watching a play on stage. Rather than a film. But the director changes that view if you watch the film closely and absorb the opening and sequences I mentioned. Walter Lassaly's cinematography, which includes arresting close-ups, is another noteworthy aspect of the film rarely discussed. Thank you, producer Ismael Merchant for doggedly pursuing the idea of bringing the tale and play to the screen. I had interviewed Merchant in 1982 in New Delhi and at that time he had not made this film. How I wish I had chance to ask him so many questions on this film! One question would have been why director James Ivory and screenwriter Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, Merchant's trusted collaborators on so many films, opted out of this one.

Iron Island (2005)

A brave second feature from a filmmaker who made 9 critical feature films of life in Iran and is now imprisoned there

[8/10 · 30 March 2023]

This is the second feature film of the brave young director Mohammad Rasoulof, who after winning so many international awards for 9 feature films he directed and wrote, depicting veiled criticism of life in Iran, is currently imprisoned in the notorious Evin prison in Iran. "Iron Island" won the Golden Peacock for the best film at the Indian International Film Festival. His subsequent 8 films have won major awards at Cannes (twice), Berlin (Golden Bear for Best film), Chicago (Best Screenplay), Denver (Best Film), Dubai (Best Film), Durban (Best Feature Film), Hamburg (Political Film Award), Milwaukee (Best Director), Sydney (Sydney Film Prize), and Telluride (Silver Medallion Award).

"Iron Island" is a contemporary Noah's ark, where a disused oil tanker, awaiting shipbreaking, provides refuge for homeless poor Iranians, young and old, under a seemingly benevolent "Captain" who is able to provide food and medicines for the refugees by selling metal parts and oil in the ship. The Captain is a veiled representation of the Iranian Government, which is dictatorial and brutal to those who step out of line while appearing to be benevolent. The motley refugee group represents the innocent who accept their fate without being able to question their benefactor. This film may not be as sophisticated as Rasoulof's later films but it makes you think beyond the obvious tale. Rasoulof is definitely one of the finest filmmakers in Iran, now languishing in prison. His crime--he made movies critical of life in Iran in the recent decades--films that won so many major awards and acclaim that few other filmmakers worlwide can equal.

The Man from London (2007)

Rich cinematography, music and sound make film different from most other crime films

[7/10 · 29 March 2023]

Mesmeric cinematography, music and sound. Tarr and his co-director colleague/collaborator Agnes Haranitsky make this film very interesting in spite of the awful dubbing and Tilda Swinton's below-par, theatrical over-the-top acting with a quivering lower jaw, further pronounced by the bad dubbing. The mood of the film and its alienated characters are top-notch as are the lighting effects employed. Tarr brings a new unusual dimension to Belgian Georges Simenon's tale on crime and murders with an unusual cop. A tale of innocent ordinary folks, whose peaceful lives are disturbed by strangers with evil plans.

Iran Is My Land (1999)

One of two prominent surrealist films from Iran

[7/10 · 26 March 2023]

This is the second Iranian feature film that I found employing facets of surrealism--the first being my all time favourite Iranian film: Mohsen Amir Youseffi's "Bitter Dreams" (2004). In "Iran is My Land," the protagonist is a young man trying to publish his thesis on the works of five eminent centuries-old Farsi poets--namely, Hafez, Ferdowsi, Rumi, Omar Khayyam, and Saadi. To publish it, he has to get the approval of the present day Iranian Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance--an attempt which proves to be a leaf out of Franz Kafka's or Joseph Heller's novels. In the film, the five medieval poets as guiding angels) constantly provide advise out of their written works to the protoganist to get past the red tape. The debates between the young writer and the difficult bureaucrat are punctuated by visuals of trees with pages of poetry replacing leaves and of widows being chosen by villagers to become "canal brides'' to sit at the mouth of dry canals to make water flow again. When the water does flow out, with it comes books of poetry and musical instruments! The film also satirizes the mention of women and wine in the poetry of the five poets, set off against the present day intolerant views on those very subjects in Iran. The performance of the seemingly benevolent Kafkaesque bureaucrat (superbly played by Saeed Poursamimi) is a notable part of this film.

The Verdict (1982)

A film where the adapted screeplay rules the roost

[8/10 · 25 March 2023]

A superb screenplay from David Mamet, to which Sidney Lumet adds an evocative final sequence that was not in the Mamet script. The liquor-addicted lawyer (played by Paul Newman) stops drinking liquor and prefers coffee instead, while his recent flame (Charlotte Rampling) who was not an alcoholic takes to liquor in that sequence. Lumet stated that he had not read the book when he made the film but was attracted to Mamet script that adapted the book and that the book, when he read it after the film was made, would have been difficult to convert into a film. In other words, Mamet made the big difference. Robert Redford opted out at the early stages because he was not comfortable playing a floozy lawyer, eventually played by Newman. Julie Christie opted out of the role played by Rampling.

Analyzed in 2023, there are comparisons of this film with "Tar." Both were Best Picture nominees at the Oscars and didn't win any of the bagfull of nominations. Both had strong screenplays. Both had a woman who proves to have a negative streak.

Robe of Gems (2022)

A noteworthy debut effort

[7/10 · 20 March 2023]

This is the debut feature film of Natalia Lopez (wife of director Carlos Reygadas, actress in Reygadas' "Our Times" as its lead character Esther, and editor of several works of Reygadas). It is not surprising that this work has the stamp of Reygadas' style all over it, from the opening sequence onwards (ref. "Silent Light"). As Ms Lopez is a woman, she captures the life of Mexico's underworld of drug cartels, the corrrupt police, abductions, killings, divorces, and the effect of all this on the children in a sensitive, realistic manner, unlike the brutal, coarse work of director Amat Escalante in "Heli" in which also Ms Lopez was the editor. As in all Reygadas films, the race relationships within Mexico are prominent. This is critical, as this film dwells on the reactions and actions of three "connected Mexican women," following the disappearance of a fourth woman. During the Berlinale Press Conference . Ms Lopez said she saw the three women as three faces of a single woman, like a Hindu goddess. The three women are a wealthy woman separating/divorcing from her husband; a corrupt police officer; and a family maid of the wealthy woman.

A noteworthy debut effort, which deservedly won the Berlin Silver Bear. (P. S. The film includes a bizarre sequence of a man being burnt to death in front of scores of mute spectators, including women, as though some illegal justice/punishment is being carried out.)

Flanders (2006)

Elegant direction but warped, original screenplays

[5/10 · 19 March 2023]

Bruno Dumont has a good command of elegant filmmaking ("Humanite" and the early parts of "Flanders" are testimonies of this fact). However, I find his extremely twisted screenplays to drive home his view of life disconcerting. In "Flanders," it is French male soldiers (who are deprived of sex for a while) raping a female enemy soldier on battle lines and events that follow, which are related to that incident. Can Dumont write a screenplay devoid of sex, rape, killings, and their aftermath? In "France" (2022), he showed that he could. I have seen four of Dumont's films and they seem to be variants of the same theme in different locales and circumstances. I look forward to future Dumont films that are more like like "Humanite" and "France."

Night Sun (1990)

"May the sun shine on you, even at night"

[8/10 · 11 March 2023]

The full body of the Taviani brothers is fascinating and I have only seen 10 of their 22 feature films. "Night Sun" is a fine adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's short story "Father Sergius."

At least four films have adapted the tale on screen: twice by Russian directors, once in 1917 (a silent film) and then by Igor Talankin in 1978; a French film in 1945; and finally, the Italian film by the celebrated Taviani brothers "Il Sole Anche de Notte," (Night Sun) in 1990.

The Taviani brothers' version with Julian Sands in the principal role is very close to the original tale, even though it replaces Russian locations with Italian ones and the modes of worship of the Russian Orthodox church with the Roman Catholic one. What is worth connecting, however, are the end of the Italian film version and the disappearance of actor Julian Sands 2 months ago.

The contributions of actresses Nastassia Kinski and Charlotte Gainsbourg, although small, make an impact. So also the contribution of the famed screenplaywriter Tonino Guerra with the Taviani brothers. Limited to two films--"Night Sun" and "Kaos"--both remarkable works of the Taviani brothers.

Family Portrait (1962)

Another Zurlini cinemtic gem, adapteded from a literary work, capturing inner turmoils of its characters

[7/10 · 8 March 2023]

Zurlini next best work to his monumental "The Desert of the Tartars" made 14 years later. "Family Diary" shared the Golden Lion at Venice with Tarkovsky's early work "Ivan's childhood" (with Konchalovsky as the uncredired co-scriptwriter) for the best film. Both Mastroianni and Perrin give creditable performances as do Guiseppe Rotunno as its cinematographer. Like Satyajit Ray, Zurlini's cinema is mostly a world of adapting existing tales for the screen, which both did with aplomb. This film never bothers to explain why Mastroianni's character Enrico never has a female friend or who his biological father was. Why is a butler of a rich family taking care of Lorenzo as a foster dad? Zurlini's cinema rarely dwells on such crucial details but excells excels in capturing inner turmoils and cinematographic wonders (Rotunno in this work and Luciano Tavoli in "The Desert of the Tartars"). Zurlini is a master of capturing beauty in bleak tales on screen. Cineastes will see parallels in the tale of this film with Bergman's "Cries and Whispers." Zurlini re-utilized Perrin in "The Desert of the Tartars" some 14 years later.

Crimes of the Future (2022)

Very interesting original Cronenberg screenplay

[7/10 · 4 March 2023]

One of the most interesting works of David Cronenberg, based on his own original sci-fi script. Lea Seydoux gives another fascinating performance of this decade. If we study the script closely, Cronenberg reprises elements of his earlier film "Crash." where, too, a major character performs live reality shows that are mortally dangerous for the performers with a live audience that pays to watch it.

One of the minor players, Tanaya Beatty (partly descended from First Nation/Native Indians of Canada and partly of Indian Himalayan descent) playing one of the two assassins under the pay of the police, was wonderful. She had earlier played the lead in the Canadian film "Through Black Spruce" (2018). She is a scene stealer.

This Cronenberg work can rank alongside "The Fly," "Spider," "Crash," and "Existenz." The film didn't win at Cannes but it will be one of my important sci-fi films ever made.

Sanjuro (1962)

Interesting psychological decoding of actions within power games

[7/10 · 20 February 2023]

Interesting for its psychological deconstruction of others' actions within power games. The 10-man brigade led by a Ronin who calls himself Sanjuro (39-year-old Camelias) reminds you of the manipulation of the jury in the Sidney Lumet film "12 Angry Men." It provides fodder for spaghetti Westerns to be made later. However, why did Kurosawa suddenly introduce western music when the nine (under the leadership of Sanjuro) realize they have won, when the rest of the film had Japanese/oriental music? While I rate works like "Ikiru", "Red Beard" and "Dersu Uzala" superior in quality, this work of Kurosawa is definitely a good entertainer.

Caravaggio (1986)

Visually stunning but the screenplay's sudden jumps in time are disconcerting

[7/10 · 26 September 2022]

Lovely production design and colors, especially for scenes where actors are the models for painter Caravaggio, including one with the Cardinal without his cassock! The young Tilda Swinton steals her scenes, as does Derek Fletcher playing young Caravaggio, Derek Jarman's jumps in time are disconcerting, e.g., use of a typewriter, an electronic calculator and even a scene in front of a parked truck in a garage.

Derek Jarman's casting is commendable picking actors who some 35 years later are the most sought after actors--Tilda Swinton and Sean Bean. I found Jarman's use of a white sheet as the background of the sitting Pope, quite amusing.

Fresh Bait (1995)

A film based on true events showing the negative influence of a Hollywood film, also based on a true gangster

[7/10 · 4 September 2022]

My initial impression was the film was below par for its director Tavernier's standards with the despicable and dumb actions of three Parisian youths shown in the film. I had to revise that impression on re-assessing what Tavernier had done. The film was not based on fiction--it was based on the Valerie Subra affair that actually took place in 1984 where three youngsters mindlessly killed two persons after their robbery attempts went haywire without considering the conequences. The trio had watched Brian De Palma's film "Scarface" (made in 1983) 20-odd times on video cassette, dreamt of making quick money, with the guilt free attitude of the real-life US mobster portrayed in that film, and of migrating to USA to live a carefree life. Tavernier's film is not about the dumb actions of the trio but more a commentary of how films affect immature minds. The wonderful acting of the trio and Tavernier's overview on the impact of cinema truly deserved the Golden Bear for the best film it received at the Berlin Film festival. The film is another example of a film that needs re-assessment by the viewer on why the director made a film on a seemingly mindless tale on 3 idiots. The last line of the lead female character is that she hopes to be released from prison by Christmas so that she could spend it with her dad. That last line captures the immaturity of the perpetrators. Actor Phillipe Torreton (who played major roles in Tavernier's films) plays the chief detective/police officer.

Alcarràs (2022)

Should have won an acting ensemble award, not the Golden Bear

[7/10 · 31 August 2022]

The only positives were the amazing performances of children, teenagers, and the very old in the film. It deserved an acting ensemble prize at best. Carla Simon deserves praise for extracting realistic performances. Little else. The script was predictable on change in values that are influenced by pecuniary factors. The crane removing an old car which later removes fruit trees was too contrived for the script. Was it, as the ultimate Golden Bear winner, more deserving than the Grand Prize of the Jury winner, from Korea, Hong Sang Soo's film "The Novelist's Film"? I don't think so. M. Night Shyamalan and his jury that he headed got it wrong, in my view.

Blind Chance (1987)

Good but not as impressive as his collaborative films with co-scriptwriter Piesiewicz

[7/10 · 31 August 2022]

Second viewing. My initial impression remains--Kieslowski at this stage of his career was just a notable Polish director overshadowed by the more impressive compatriot directors Zanussi and Wajda. It is only when he started collaborating with co-sciptwriter Piesiewicz that his quality of filmmaking moved up to an awesome level, content-wise and style-wise with No End, Dekalog, Three Colors trilogy, and The Double Life of Veronique.

The performances of Boguslaw Linda (as protagonist Witek) and Boguslawa Pawalek (as Witek's lover Czuszka) are notable--wonder if they are real life spouses going by their names. The other notable contributor is the composer Wojciech Kilar, whose bars of music lingers in your mind and has contributed to many Zanussi films.

Nobody Has to Know (2021)

The three awards the film has won to date encapsulates it strengths

[7/10 · 24 August 2022]

This film has won three awards to date--all deserving and correctly encapsulating the strengths of the film. Two awards were Silver Hugos for the Best Actor (Bouli Lanners) and the Best Actress (Michelle Fairley) at the Chicago film festival. (The two actors are two of three co-directors as well.) The third award was for the film's cinematography for Frank van den Eeden at the Oostende Film Festival. I am not sure, however, if a person who suffers a stroke losing his memory can recall his past so well with time as depicted in the film. May be they can. I am not a doctor.

Broker (2022)

One of the two best Kore-eda films--the original screenplay is outstanding

[8/10 · 14 August 2022]

The Third Murder and Broker are two of Kore-eda's films that make you admire his complex original screenplays. For the first time, the thin line between the good guys (here, the Korean cops, caring parents) and the bad guys (the brokers of all hues, the murderers, the bad son born into a good family getting close to thugs, bad wives, etc,) blur and almost disappear.

Sertânia (2018)

Sarno treads the path of Brazilain directors Ruy Guerra and Nelson Pereira dos Santos

[8/10 · 5 August 2022]

My first film of Brazilian filmmaker Geraldo Sarno--his fourth and final feature film made at age 79. He died at age of 83, some 4 years later.

Sarno's film is refreshingly different. Shot in black-and-white with handheld cameras, which capture the humans and the flora of north-eastern Brazil, the economic disparity, the strong religious fervor of the people, and the civil insurrection. Thus far, the film could resemble the works of Brazilian directors Ruy Guerra (The Guns) and Nelson Pereira dos Santos (Vedas Secas a.k.a. Barren Lives) made decades earlier. It also reminds you of some early Cuban films.

Then how is it "refreshingly different"? Sarno's film uses near death scenarios to traverse into the future religious "purgatory" where the main character Antao Gaviao meets his dead mother, tries no meet his dead father and does meet other important people in his life, now dead. Here, it resembles Konchalovsky's award-winning film "Paradise."

Sarno's film breaks into the fifth dimension for the viewership midway in the film showing a film crew shooting the main actors in the film (as they appear in the very film the viewer is watching) complete with tripods, cameras and reflectors. Renowned directors Kiarostami and Almodovar have done this as a postscript in their films; Sarno chose to do it mid-script!

Finally, the film belongs equally to the original writer/director Sarno, cinematographers Tuna Mayer and Miguel Vassy and the talented music composer Lindenbergue Cardoso.