As much as I have gotten better with speculating whether I would enjoy seeing a particular film, it can still be an unpredictable experience. On Monday I watched three films and, based on descriptions and trailers, I had thought I would enjoy them in decreasing order. It ended up being the reverse. On Tuesday however, the outcome was pretty much what I had predicted.
"Circumstance" (Iran) - B-
A lesbian love story intertwines with political and social issues in this well-intended drama. Despite hitting mostly the right notes in the process, I find the overall result to be less than inspiring, with the exploration of all the complex issues mostly staying on the surface. The villain character is caricatural to the degree of detracting from the power of the story. It's still worth seeing overall, just not up to its potential.
"Every Song Is About Me" (Spain) - B
Ramiro, an aspiring poet who works at his uncle's bookstore, reflects on his just-ended relationship, explores an old friendship, and contemplates future romantic opportunities. The back-and-forth and loosely episodic structure comes dangerously close to becoming disengaging, yet eventually succeeds in constructing a relaxed narrative. Ramiro's romantic plights and struggles come off as being realistic to the degree of causing a little irritation. I was all ready to give the film a B+ until the very end, when the story wrapped up in a direction that I found unsatisfying.
"Tilt" (Bulgaria) - B+
SIFF may have done this film a disservice by putting it under the "to the extreme" pathway. Yes, the main characters are four teenagers who seek thrills and cause troubles. But ultimately this is a story of growing up, with a heartfelt, innocent, almost old-school-Hollywood kind of romance at its core. A successful merge of a gangster thriller and a love story, with the country of Bulgaria playing a background role as a metaphoric teenager as well.
Me with "Tilt" producer Borislav Chouchkov
"The Off Hours" (USA) - C
Full review coming soon.
"Bobby Fischer Against the World" (USA) (Docu) - B+
Full review coming soon.
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