MOVIES AT LA PLAZA: THE RETURN-Go easy on the legend

Movie Review by Sergio Martínez

For the writer of this piece, the story of Ulysses and his return after battling in the Trojan War was the first encounter, as a teenager, with the fascinating saga of Greek mythology. The Odyssey, as told by Homer, transports us to that time when the gods seemed to enjoy putting all kinds of obstacles in the lives of humans. Certainly, they also do their part in unleashing many of these misfortunes upon themselves. Still, in the end, the hero will fight for the balance between justice, reward for loyalty, and persistence to be restored.

The film, directed by Uberto Pasolini, focuses on the final episode of the Odyssey when, after spending years at the mercy of the elements at sea, returning from Troy, and having dealt with monsters and other traps sometimes set by the gods themselves, Odysseus (Ralph Fiennes) finally returns to his homeland, Ithaca. Still, he is no longer the same warrior as before. His kingdom has also changed: his wife, Queen Penelope (Juliette Binoche), is constantly besieged by suitors who want to become the new king. His son Telemachus (Charlie Plummer) also resents his father's absence, whom he hardly knew, and is in danger because he is an obstacle for his mother's suitors.

Despite all the omens that Odysseus should by then be dead, Penelope holds out hope that her husband is alive. The queen has said that she will choose her future husband once she finishes a weaving on which she toils during the day, only to undo it at night. However, no deadline is missed, and Penelope must finally decide. When she does, she devises a complex test of warrior skill that will reveal who will be chosen.

The Return, however, fails to convey the emotional tension that emanates from Penelope's wait and loyalty for the warrior's return and has many overlong scenes that don't add much to the drama, such as some of the skirmishes in which Telemachus is involved. What it succeeds in is conveying Odysseus' state of mind and portraying through him what the war was like and what its effects were. In today's language, one could say that the hero has returned but is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, a syndrome common today in many former combatants in wars. In a certain sense, the film can be qualified as a denunciation of war and its effects, both psychological and emotional, indirectly inflicted on others, in this case, on the wife and her son.

Running time: 116 min.

CINE EN LA PLAZA: THE RETURN (EL RETORNO)—Ir fácil con la leyenda

Comentario de Sergio Martínez

Para quien escribe esta nota, la historia de Ulises y su accidentado retorno después de batallar en la Guerra de Troya fue el primer encuentro, en tiempos de adolescencia, con la fascinante saga de la mitología griega. La Odisea tal como relatada por Homero nos transporta a ese tiempo en que los dioses perecen divertirse en poner todo tipo de obstáculos en la vida de los humanos. Por cierto, estos también ponen mucho de su parte en desencadenar sobre ellos mismos muchos de esos infortunios, sin embargo, al final el héroe luchará porque el balance entre justicia, recompensa a la lealtad y persistencia sea restaurado.

El film dirigido por Uberto Pasolini se centra en el episodio final de la Odisea, cuando luego de pasar años a merced de los elementos en el mar, al retorno de Troya, y haber bregado con monstruos y otras trampas tendidas a veces por los propios dioses, Ulises u Odiseo (Ralph Fiennes) finalmente regresa a su tierra, Ithaca, pero él ya no es el mismo guerrero de antes. Su reino también ha cambiado: su mujer, la reina Penélope (Juliette Binoche) es constantemente asediada por pretendientes que quieren así convertirse en el nuevo rey. Su hijo Telémaco (Charlie Plummer) también resiente la ausencia de su padre al que prácticamente no conoció, y se halla en peligro ya que para los pretendientes de su madre él es un obstáculo.

Pese a todos los augurios de que Odiseo a ese entonces debería estar muerto, Penélope mantiene la esperanza de que su marido esté vivo. La reina ha dicho que elegirá a su futuro esposo una vez que termine un tejido en el cual labora arduamente durante el día, sólo para deshacerlo durante la noche. Sin embargo, no hay plazo que no se cumpla y Penélope debe finalmente tomar una decisión. Cuando lo hace, diseña una compleja prueba de destreza guerrera que entonces revelará a quien será el elegido.

El retorno, sin embargo, no logra transmitir esa tensión emocional que emana de la espera y la lealtad de Penélope por el regreso del guerrero y tiene muchas escenas excesivamente largas que no agregan mayormente al drama, como algunas de las escaramuzas en que Telémaco se ve envuelto. En lo que sí tiene éxito, es en trasuntar el estado de ánimo de Odiseo y en retratar en él, lo que fue la guerra y sus efectos. En lenguaje actual se diría que el héroe ha retornado, pero sufriendo un desorden de stress post traumático, un síndrome hoy común en muchos ex combatientes en guerras. En cierto sentido, el film puede calificarse como una denuncia de la guerra y sus efectos, tanto psicológicos como en los emocionales indirectamente infligidos a otros, en este caso a la mujer y a su hijo.

Duración: 116 min.

MOVIES AT LA PLAZA: “MARIA"—The opera was her world

Movie Review by Sergio Martínez

Director Pablo Larraín, after having given us the biopics of two women of considerable influence in the social and political world, Spencer (about Princess Diana) and Jackie (about Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis), puts his focus this time on the most fabulous diva of the 20th century: Maria Callas.  In the title role, Angelina Jolie effectively portrays the character in her glory and in the security of being the most outstanding female star of world opera for two decades, as well as in her vulnerability in her Paris apartment when she must face the reality that her best time has passed. Only her two faithful employees, Ferruccio (Pierfrancesco Favino) and Bruna (Alba Rorhwacher), accompanied her during those days.

Angelina Jolie delivers a solid
performance as Maria Callas

The structure of the film allows us to see in retrospect the life of the soprano from the moment she is found dead on the floor of her apartment, passing through her moments of glory in the great centres of world opera. Incidentally, her sentimental life is also present, in particular, the beginning of her relationship with Aristotle Onassis (Haluk Bilginer), with whom she has a striking dialogue when he practically follows her during a party: “You have to see when an excess of self-confidence is bordering on madness,” she tells him.

The director makes good use of fantastic or hallucinatory elements, such as a striking scene on the esplanade of Trocadero in Paris, with the Eiffel Tower in the background when passers-by suddenly become the chorus of one of the operas, a similar resource is used for a scene that is illustrated with the music of Madama Butterfly. These images are very well achieved and have the function of portraying the mood of the diva in a non-explicit way. Also, the use of documentary images of the actual artist is illustrative without being intrusive.

Maria is undoubtedly a film that we recommend not only for those who like opera and who was one of its most outstanding figures, but also as a successful combination of music and image that captures very spectacular scenarios such as those of the great theatres, but also those of the most intimate atmosphere of the great stars in social gatherings (in one she meets President Kennedy) and especially, the atmosphere of loneliness of the artist in her final years. It is certainly not an exhaustive biography or a version that gives us a didactic vision of the soprano, but it does transmit all the passion she felt for what was her world: opera.

Length: 123 min.

CINE EN LA PLAZA: “MARIA”—La ópera fue su mundo

Comentario de Sergio Martínez

El director Pablo Larraín después de habernos entregado las biopics de dos mujeres de considerable influencia en el mundo social y político, como fueron Spencer (sobre la Princesa Diana) y Jackie (sobre Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis), pone su foco esta vez sobre quien fue la mayor diva del siglo 20: María Callas.  En el rol protagónico Angelina Jolie retrata muy efectivamente al personaje en su gloria y en la seguridad de ser la mayor estrella femenina de la ópera mundial por espacio de dos décadas, a la vez que, en su vulnerabilidad, en su apartamento en París, cuando ya tiene que enfrentar la realidad de que su mejor tiempo ha pasado. Sólo sus dos fieles empleados, Ferruccio (Pierfrancesco Favino) y Bruna (Alba Rorhwacher) la acompañan esos días.

Angelina Jolie nos entrega una muy
convincente interpretación como la diva

La estructura del film nos permite ver en retrospectiva la vida de la soprano desde el momento cuando es hallada muerta en el piso de su apartamento, pasando por sus momentos de gloria en los grandes centros de la ópera mundial. Por cierto, también su vida sentimental está presente, en particular el comienzo de su relación con Aristóteles Onassis (Haluk Bilginer) con quien tiene un llamativo diálogo cuando éste prácticamente la asedia durante una fiesta: “Hay que ver cuando un exceso de confianza en uno mismo, es rayano en la locura”, le dice ella.

El director hace un buen uso de elementos fantásticos o alucinatorios como una impactante escena en la esplanada de Trocadero en París, con la Torre Eiffel en el trasfondo cuando los transeúntes súbitamente se convierten en el coro de una de las óperas, similar recurso es utilizado para una escena que es ilustrada con la música de Madama Butterfly. Esas imágenes están muy bien logradas y tienen la función de retratar el estado de ánimo de la diva de un modo no explícito. También la utilización de imágenes documentales de la real artista es hecha de modo ilustrativo sin ser intrusivo.

María es ciertamente una película que recomendamos no sólo para quienes gusten de la ópera y de quien fue una de sus figuras más descollantes, sino además como una bien lograda combinación de música e imagen que captan escenarios muy espectaculares como los de los grandes teatros, pero también los del ambiente más íntimo de las grandes estrellas en encuentros sociales (en uno se encuentra con el presidente Kennedy) y especialmente, el ambiente de soledad de la artista en sus años finales. Por cierto, no es una exhaustiva biografía ni una versión que nos entregue una visión didáctica de la soprano, pero sí nos transmite toda la pasión que ella sentía por el que era su mundo: la ópera.

Duración: 123 min.

MOVIES AT LA PLAZA: MEMOIR OF A SNAIL—A metaphor for a girl's life

Movie Review by Sergio Martínez

This animated film, directed by Adam Elliot, is undoubtedly something very special. For one thing, it deals with a subject that requires a certain degree of maturity, so despite having a girl as the main character, it is not a film for a child audience.

The film is made using the animation technique known as stop motion, that is, a process by which objects made of flexible material (plasticine in this case) are physically manipulated in small increments each time they are captured by the camera-undoubtedly quite arduous and time-consuming work-that once filmed and projected on the screen gives the illusion of movement. Unlike traditional cartoons, because they are real objects, they also provide a certain three-dimensional effect like that of a live-action film.

After the death of their mother, Grace Purdel and her twin brother Gilbert live with their father, who is wheelchair-bound after an accident. The siblings' life is spent between reading and, in Grace's case, her hobby of collecting snails. The life of the two siblings, however, will be disrupted when their father dies, and the kids are sent to live with adoptive families. Grace will have a somewhat unexpected life with her new family, but it will not change her habits, although she will not have a good time at school. Her brother, on the other hand, is adopted by a family of fanatical evangelicals who have an apple orchard business and who will eventually drive him to desperate action.

Grace also has, at one point, the support of Pinky, an eccentric octogenarian who, in her youth, had a very hectic life but who now becomes a close confidant and advisor to the young girl.

The snail, a collector's item for Grace, can be said to be a metaphor for her own life. She is, in a way, the snail. Her memories record those quiet times when she read with her brother in her father's house, the anguish of being separated from her brother, and the time shared with Pinky.

We recommend this film for the deep tenderness of its main characters, the nostalgic vision of small-town life, the sarcastic criticism of fundamentalist religious fanaticism, and the simplicity and expressive richness of its images, which result in great creative work.

Running time 94 min.

CINE EN LA PLAZA: MEMOIR OF A SNAIL (MEMORIAS DE UN CARACOL)—Metáfora por la vida de una chica

Comentario de Sergio Martínez

Este film de animación dirigido por Adam Elliot es sin duda algo muy especial, por de pronto, aborda una temática que requiere un cierto grado de madurez, por lo que, a pesar de tener a una niña como protagonista, no es una película para un público infantil.

La película está realizada con la técnica de animación conocida como stop motion, esto es, un proceso por el cual objetos de material flexible (plasticina en este caso) son físicamente manipulados en pequeños incrementos cada vez que son captados por la cámara—sin duda un trabajo bastante arduo y que consume tiempo—y que una vez filmados y proyectados en la pantalla dan la ilusión de movimiento. A diferencia de los dibujos animados tradicionales, por tratarse de objetos reales, proveen también un cierto efecto tridimensional, parecido al que presenta un film con actores en vivo.

Luego de la muerte de su madre, Grace Purdel y su hermano mellizo Gilbert viven con su padre que luego de un accidente está en silla de ruedas. La vida de los hermanos transcurre entre lecturas y en el caso de Grace, su afición por coleccionar caracoles. La vida de los dos chicos, sin embargo, se verá trastocada cuando el padre muere y los chicos son enviados a vivir con familias adoptivas. Grace tendrá con su nueva familia una vida un tanto inesperada pero que no cambiará sus hábitos, aunque en la escuela no lo va a pasar bien. Su hermano, en cambio, es adoptado por una familia de evangélicos fanáticos que tiene un negocio de manzanas y que eventualmente lo llevará a una desesperada acción.

Grace tiene también en un momento, el apoyo de Pinky, una excéntrica octogenaria que en su juventud tuvo una vida muy agitada, pero que ahora se transforma en una cercana confidente y consejera de la joven.

El caracol, objeto de colección para Grace, puede decirse que es una metáfora por la vida misma de Grace. Ella es, de algún modo, el caracol. Registrado en sus memorias quedan esos tiempo de vida tranquila, cuando leía junto a su hermano en la casa paterna, o el tiempo compartido con Pinky y la angustia de haber sido separada de su hermano.

Este es un film que recomendamos por la profunda ternura de sus personajes principales, la visión nostálgica de la vida pueblerina, la sarcástica crítica al fanatismo religioso de corte fundamentalista, la sencillez, pero al mismo tiempo riqueza expresiva de sus imágenes que resulta en un gran trabajo creativo.

Duración 94 min.

MOVIES AT LA PLAZA: CONCLAVE - The Vatican Intrigues

Movie Review by Sergio Martínez

The Pope has died, and the members of the College of Cardinals are summoned to Rome for this ancient and arcane procedure full of rituals and formalities: the conclave. During this meeting, the cardinals must elect the successor to the deceased pontiff. According to tradition, the solemn procedure is conducted by the dean of the College of Cardinals, in this case, Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes), who must deal not only with the administrative aspects of the conclave but also with the vagaries, ambitions and polarized political views of the pretenders to the pontifical throne. If the Vatican, in normal times, is a focus of tensions and intrigues in times of papal elections, this character is amplified and exacerbated by the secrecy of many of the decisions.

One of these reserved decisions of the recently deceased pontiff introduces a first surprising element to the conclave: an unexpected new cardinal, the Latin American Benítez (Carlos Diehz), is admitted after it is revealed that it was a last papal appointment “in pectore” (the appointment of a cardinal not made public immediately but kept secret; at the end, we learn why).

As expected, the first votes do not achieve the necessary majority for any of the contenders; the “white smoke” will take time to appear while outside, an anxious crowd awaits the results. Meanwhile, the cardinals play their cards: the conservative Tedesco (Sergio Castellito) proclaims that the Church must return to a path from which the late pontiff and other “liberals” have led it astray. His ideological opponent Bellini (Stanley Tucci), on the other hand, tries to gain support under the slogan “stop Tedesco” since if he were to win, all the advances made under the previous papacy would be lost. On the other hand, Cardinal Tremblay (John Lithgow) tries to position himself as an alternative between the progressive and conservative positions, but doubts will also arise about his procedures. The possibility that an African Cardinal Adeyemi (Lucian Msamati), could be anointed as Pope is also part of the game of manoeuvres, not entirely clean, that unfolds behind the scenes of the election process.

The conclave is prolonged for a few days before a winner finally emerges, but this does not end the game of mysteries surrounding the old institution but rather opens a whole new and unprecedented situation. Cardinal Lawrence can finally conclude his task.

This film directed by Edward Berger, with screenplay by Peter Straughan and Robert Harris, author of the novel on which it is based, conveys very well the atmosphere of a process that has all the traits of a political campaign not unlike those we see in other contexts, combined with the ritual and mystical elements of an institution that, by the way, claims divine inspiration, but operates with all the imperfect human qualities.

Good camera work and setting contribute to the realism of the story, especially at the moment of an incident that interrupts the election process and serves to give arguments to Cardinal Tedesco and his anti-liberal discourse. Fiennes stands out in the acting by giving his character the necessary nuances to sometimes exercise authority while simultaneously being immersed in doubts.  Also outstanding is actress Isabella Rossellini, who, as Sister Agnes, at a crucial moment, will provide information that will surprise the cardinals (“Although we sisters are supposed to be invisible, God has nevertheless given us eyes and ears”, says the nun before delivering the news).

Conclave is a film that we recommend for those interested in a good story of intrigue, suspense, and unforeseen endings, as well as for those who are captivated by the many vicissitudes of an old institution such as the Catholic Church.

Running time: 120 min.

CINE EN LA PLAZA: CÓNCLAVE—Las intrigas vaticanas

Comentario de Sergio Martínez

El Papa ha muerto y los miembros del colegio cardenalicio son convocados a Roma para este antiguo y arcano trámite lleno de rituales y formalidades: el cónclave. Durante esta reunión, los cardenales deben elegir al sucesor del pontífice fallecido. Según la tradición, la conducción del solemne trámite corresponde al decano del colegio cardenalicio, en este caso el cardenal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) quien deberá lidiar no sólo con los aspectos administrativos del cónclave, sino además con las veleidades, ambiciones y polarizadas visiones políticas de los pretendientes al trono pontificio. Si el Vaticano en tiempos normales es un foco de tensiones y no pocas intrigas, en tiempos de elecciones papales ve amplificado ese carácter, además exacerbado por el secreto de muchas de las decisiones.

Justamente, una de esas decisiones reservadas del recién fallecido pontífice introduce un primer elemento sorpresivo al cónclave, cuando un inesperado nuevo cardenal, el latinoamericano Benítez (Carlos Diehz), es admitido luego de revelarse que se trató de una última designación papal “in pectore” (la designación de un cardenal no hecha pública de inmediato sino guardada en secreto, al final nos enteramos por qué).

Como era de esperar, las primeras votaciones no logran la mayoría necesaria para ninguno de los contendientes, el “humo blanco” tardará en aparecer mientras afuera una muchedumbre ansiosa espera los resultados. Entretanto, los cardenales juegan sus cartas: el conservador Tedesco (Sergio Castellito) proclama que la Iglesia debe volver a un camino del cual el fallecido pontífice y otros “liberales” la han desviado. Su oponente ideológico Bellini (Stanley Tucci) por el contrario trata de ganar apoyo bajo la consigna de “parar a Tedesco” ya que si éste ganara se perderían todos los avances hechos bajo el anterior papado. El cardenal Tremblay (John Lithgow) por su parte trata de posicionarse como alternativa entre las posiciones progresistas y conservadoras, pero también surgirán dudas sobre sus procedimientos. La posibilidad de que un africano, el cardenal Adeyemi (Lucian Msamati) pueda ser ungido como Papa también es parte de todo ese juego de maniobras, no del todo limpias, que se despliegan tras las bambalinas del proceso eleccionario.

El cónclave se prolonga por unos días antes que finalmente surja un ganador, pero con ello no termina el juego de misterios que rodea a la vieja institución, más bien deja abierta toda una nueva e inédita situación. El cardenal Lawrence puede finalmente dar por concluida su tarea.

Este film dirigido por Edward Berger, con guión de Peter Straughan y Robert Harris, autor de la novela sobre la cual está basado, transmite muy bien la atmósfera de un trámite que tiene todos los rasgos de una campaña política no muy diferente de la que vemos en otros contextos, combinado con los elementos rituales y místicos de una institución que, por cierto, reclama inspiración divina, pero opera con todas las imperfectas cualidades humanas.

Buen trabajo de cámara y ambientación contribuyen al realismo de la historia, en especial en el momento de un incidente que interrumpe el proceso eleccionario y que sirve para dar argumentos al cardenal Tedesco y su discurso antiliberal. En la actuación destaca Fiennes al dar a su personaje los matices necesarios para a veces ejercer autoridad mientras al mismo tiempo, estar también sumido en dudas.  También destaca la actriz Isabella Rossellini que, como la Hermana Agnes, en un momento crucial proporcionará una información que sorprenderá a los cardenales (“Aunque se supone que nosotras las hermanas somos invisibles, Dios, no obstante, nos ha dado ojos y oídos” dice la monja antes de dar la noticia).

Cónclave es una película que recomendamos tanto para quienes les pueda interesar una buena historia de intrigas, suspenso y finales imprevistos; como a quienes les cautive las muchas vicisitudes de una vieja institución como es la Iglesia Católica.

Duración: 120 min.

FESTIVAL DU NOUVEAU CINEMA: AN ATTENTIVE LOOK

Commentary by Sergio Martinez

The 53rd edition of the Montreal New Cinema Festival took place between October 9 and 20. It was a showcase that tried to include contemporary cinema and experimental works.

The following is a brief review of some of the films we had the opportunity to see.

The Seed of the Sacred Fig, directed by Mohammad Rasoulof (Germany-France-Iran).  Undoubtedly, it is one of the most interesting films at the festival, plus its own secret filming in Iran gives a special connotation to the story. Imam works for the judicial system and has recently been promoted in his job. When he tells his family this news, it is greeted with expectations of an improvement in his status, especially from his wife. Her daughters, on the other hand, do not seem very enthusiastic; the eldest of them is studying at university and has a close friend who is involved in protest activities, especially concerning women's demands. This happens in the times when a girl died at the hands of police for not wearing the veil (chador).

Suddenly, an incident occurs that can have bad consequences for Imam, lead to a head-on clash with his family, and reveal the work he actually does.

The film tells very well the tension that will occur within the family. However, the central character does not seem to be described in a very consistent way. At the beginning of his new job, he showed some reticence, but then he is shown as very possessed in the position he holds. In any case, this is a very good film.

Emilia Perez Dir. Jacques Audiard (France).  This surprising French film is set in Mexico and mostly spoken in Spanish. A very interesting plot shows us the brilliant lawyer Rita Moro (Zoe Saldaña), whose services are required by the drug lord Manitas del Monte (Karla Sofía Gascón) who, in order to mislead the authorities, has planned an elaborate scheme in which she will change her sex, where Emilia Pérez will be born, completely clean from her previous life, but with her fortune still in her hands. Eventually, however, some elements of the past will return to interfere in her new life. The film is a thriller with musical scenes, making it difficult to classify. At the same time, it reflects in a raw way the violence involved in the drug business.

The Apprentice, directed by Alia Abbasi (Canada-Denmark-Ireland-United States). A film that presents in a very accurate way “how it's done” a character who, from the always lurid world of business, moves into politics carrying with him the same questionable practices that have made him a mythical figure for many. The performances of the two main characters are very solid; Sebastian Stan adopts Donald Trump's mannerisms and gestures very well; Jeremy Strong, for his part, convincingly embodies lawyer Roy Cohn in all his exuberant display of power, and then also in his downfall. A highly critical approach to the central character, but without falling into superficiality or disqualification.

A Traveler's Needs Dir. Hong Sangsoo (South Korea). It is a bit difficult to classify this film, which has elements of a documentary, but at the same time tells a fictional story with French actress Isabelle Rupert in the role of a French teacher who travels around Seoul teaching her classes at home. Curiously, we almost never see her speaking in French as practically all the dialogues are in English. Basically, it is a succession of small, banal encounters where the only interesting note occurs towards the end when we discover with whom the Frenchwoman shares her life in Seoul.

A SMALL LATIN PRESENCE

La piel en primavera Dir. Yennifer Uribe Alzate (Colombia-Chile). A story with some potential: a woman who works as a security guard in a shopping mall and strikes up a relationship with the bus driver who transports her every morning. In the background, the aspirations of other women like her.  However, the film lacks focus in that all the plots are left in the air, with no way of knowing what is happening. These loose ends leave a disjointed story with incomplete characters, with a gratuitous final scene, without any justification or reference to an already incoherent plot.

More people die on Sundays Dir. Iair Said (Argentina-Italy-Spain).  The death of an uncle brings David (Iair Said), who is studying in Italy, back to Buenos Aires. In the midst of his Jewish family, David soon finds himself out of place, although he didn't seem to be any better off in Italy either. The film dabbles in the search for meaning in life, which David tries unsuccessfully, be it in his relationship with his father, who is in a coma, with his mother, who also has her own health problems due to her age, and in his relationships with other men, as David is gay.

It is a film that, at times, seems a bit dark, but it keeps the viewer's interest in David's fruitless search. 

FESTIVAL DEL NUEVO CINE: UNA MIRADA ATENTA

Comentario de Sergio Martínez

La 53ª edición del Festival del Nuevo Cine de Montreal tuvo lugar entre el 9 y el 20 de octubre con una muestra que ha intentado traer algo del cine contemporáneo, así como obras de corte experimental.

A continuación, una breve reseña de algunas de las películas que tuvimos oportunidad de ver.

The Seed of the Sacred Fig (La semilla del higo sagrado) Dir. Mohammad Rasoulof (Alemania-Francia-Irán).  Sin duda una de las películas más interesantes del festival, además que su propia filmación—secretamente en Irán—confiere una connotación especial a la historia. Imán trabaja para el sistema judicial y ha sido recientemente ascendido en su trabajo. Cuando le comunica a su familia esta noticia, ella es recibida con expectativas de mejoría en su status, especialmente por parte de su esposa. Sus hijas, en cambio no parecen muy entusiasmadas, la mayor de ellas estudia en la universidad y tiene una amiga muy cercana que está envuelta en actividades de protesta, especialmente en lo que concierne a las reivindicaciones de las mujeres. Esto sucede en los tiempos cuando una chica había muerto a manos de policía por no llevar el velo (chador).

De pronto se produce un incidente que puede traer malas consecuencias para Imán y llevará a un choque frontal con su familia, además de revelar el trabajo que él efectivamente efectúa.

El film relata muy bien la tensión que se va a producir al interior de la familia, sin embargo, el personaje central no parece descrito de un modo muy consistente, ya que al comienzo en nuevo trabajo había mostrado algunas reticencias, sin embargo luego se lo muestra como muy posesionado en el cargo que ostenta. En todo caso, se trata de un muy buen film.

Emilia Pérez Dir. Jacques Audiard (Francia).  Este sorprendente film francés es ambientado en México y la mayor parte hablado en español. Una muy interesante trama nos muestra a la brillante abogada Rita Moro (Zoe Saldaña) cuyos servicios son requeridos por el capo narcotraficante Manitas del Monte (Karla Sofía Gascón) quien para despistar a las autoridades ha planeado un elaborado plan en el que cambiará de sexo, allí nacerá Emilia Pérez, completamente limpia de la vida previa, pero con su fortuna aun en sus manos. Eventualmente, sin embargo, algunos elementos del pasado volverán para interferir en su nueva vida. La película es un thriller que además contiene escenas musicales, lo que la hace difícil de clasificar. Al mismo tiempo refleja de un modo crudo la violencia envuelta en el negocio de la droga.

The Apprentice (El aprendiz) Dir. Alia Abbasi (Canadá-Dinamarca-Irlanda-Estados Unidos). Un film que presenta de un modo muy certero “como se hace” un personaje que, desde el siempre escabroso mundo de los negocios, se traslada a la política llevando consigo las mismas cuestionables prácticas que lo han convertido en un figura mítica para muchos. Las actuaciones de los dos personajes principales son muy sólidas, Sebastian Stan adopta muy bien los gestos y maneras de Donald Trump; Jeremy Strong, por su parte, personifica convincentemente al abogado Roy Cohn en todo su exuberante despliegue de poder, y luego también en su caída. Un enfoque muy crítico del personaje central, pero sin caer en la superficialidad ni en la descalificación.

A Traveler’s Need (Las necesidades de una viajera) Dir. Hong Sangsoo (Corea del Sur). Resulta un poco difícil clasificar esta película que tiene elementos de un documental, pero a su vez narra una historia de ficción con la actriz francesa Isabelle Rupert en el rol de una profesora de francés que recorre Seúl impartiendo sus clases a domicilio. Curiosamente, casi nunca la vemos hablar en francés ya que prácticamente todos los diálogos son en inglés. Básicamente se trata de una sucesión de pequeños encuentros banales donde la única nota interesante se produce hacia el final cuando descubrimos con quien la francesa comparte su vida en Seúl.

UNA BREVE PRESENCIA LATINA

La piel en primavera Dir. Yennifer Uribe Alzate (Colombia-Chile). Una historia con cierto potencial, una mujer que trabaja como guardia de seguridad en un centro comercial y que entabla una relación con el chofer del bus que la trasladaba cada mañana. En el trasfondo, las aspiraciones de otras mujeres como ellas.  Sin embargo, el film adolece de una falta de foco, en que todas las tramas quedan en el aire, sin que podamos saber qué sucede. Esos cabos sueltos dejan al final una historia inconexa con personajes incompletos, con una escena final gratuita, sin justificación ni referencia alguna a una trama desde ya incoherente.

Más gente se muere los domingos Dir. Iair Said (Argentina-Italia-España).  La muerte de un tío lleva de regreso a Buenos Aires a David (Iair Said) que está estudiando en Italia. En medio de su familia judía, David pronto se halla fuera de lugar, aunque tampoco parecía estar mejor en Italia. El film incursiona en el afán de buscar un sentido a la vida, que David trata infructuosamente, sea en su relación con su padre que está en estado de coma, con su madre que tiene también sus propios problemas de salud debido a su edad y también en sus relaciones con otros hombres, ya que David es gay.

Se trata de un film que por momentos parece un poco oscuro, pero que mantiene el interés del espectador por esa búsqueda—infructuosa—de David.

MOVIES AT LA PLAZA: THE APPRENTICE—The Making of Donald Trump

Movie Review by Sergio Martinez

Just a short time before the presidential elections in the United States, this film, directed by Ali Abbasi, with a script by Gabriel Sherman, was released, and it focuses on the early business career of Donald Trump. The film does not venture into the magnate's moves after the 90s. Therefore, there are no references to his presidential pretensions, although on one occasion, during a press interview in which he talked about changing the world, he was asked about that possibility.

It is the late 1970s, and Trump (Sebastian Stan) works for his father in the real estate company that bears his surname and owns several middle-income buildings in New York. Although he holds the title of vice president of the company, his job is not glamorous, and he must deal with hostile tenants or others who don't even deign to open the door when he goes to collect rent from them. However, Donald already has his sights set on broader horizons. The opportunity presents itself when he meets lawyer Roy Cohn (Jeremy Strong), known for his aggressive New York courtroom tactics.

New York lawyer Roy Cohn (Jeremy Strong)
and the young Donald Trump (Sebastian Stan)

Cohn, a man of extreme-right views who is routinely litigating against government agencies trying to reverse liberal policies, will become Donald's mentor, and his teachings will undoubtedly largely shape his protégé's later behaviour, especially when he launches his political career. In that apprenticeship period, Cohn taught him his three golden rules, which he used in his professional practice. First: attack, attack, attack; second: never admit anything, always deny; and third: declare victory and never admit defeat. In a way, these rules will set the standard for Trump's business behaviour and encounters with the judiciary and politics.

The application of these rules also leads to an interesting situation with axiological and even epistemological connotations: there is no truth. Or, rather, there is, but it is always my truth versus others who also claim to be true. This is an interesting position that, taken to its ultimate consequences, makes it practically impossible to argue in a coherent sense. 

The film transports us very well to the 1980s, marked by Ronald Reagan's economic policies and the emergence of AIDS as the great threat of that time. The latter will majorly impact the man who exerted that enormous formative influence on Trump.

Meeting his first wife, Ivana (Maria Bakalova)

Events that impact Donald Trump's personal life are well reviewed in the film but always circumscribed to that particular sphere, without ever interfering in Donald's grandiose plans: the relationship with his father Fred (Martin Donovan) and his brother Freddy (Charlie Carrick) and, his first marriage to Ivana (Maria Bakalova).

On the level of his relationships with women, the film very well portrays Donald's strange addiction to women of a milieu, if not openly prostitute-like, very close to it. His first wife, Ivana, a not particularly attractive woman, certainly not of the more refined beauty of his current wife, Melania, reveals that at that time of his youth, Trump seemed to be fascinated by a type of woman of low social rank.

Donald with his father Fred (Martin  Donovan )

The Apprentice is certainly a film that we recommend because it presents in a very accurate way “how it's done” a character that, from the always lurid world of business, moves into politics carrying with him the same questionable practices that have made him a mythical figure for many.

The main actors deliver very solid performances; Stan adopts Trump's mannerisms and gestures very well; Strong, for his part, convincingly embodies the lawyer Cohn in all his exuberant displays of power and then also in his downfall. The movie takes a critical approach to the central character without falling into superficiality or disqualification. And certainly, this film may also provide a topic of conversation for viewers for a long time.

Running time: 120 min.

CINE EN LA PLAZA: “THE APPRENTICE” (“EL APRENDIZ”)—Hágase a Trump

Comentario de Sergio Martínez

Justo a poco tiempo de las elecciones presidenciales en Estados Unidos se estrena este film dirigido por Ali Abbasi, con guión de Gabriel Sherman, y que enfoca los inicios de la carrera empresarial de Donald Trump. El film no incursiona en las movidas del magnate con posterioridad a los años 90, por lo tanto, no hay referencias a sus pretensiones presidenciales, aunque en una oportunidad durante una entrevista de prensa en que hablaba de cambiar el mundo, le preguntan sobre esa posibilidad.

Son los finales de la década de los 70 y Trump (Sebastian Stan) trabaja para su padre en la compañía inmobiliaria que lleva su apellido y que posee varios edificios de renta mediana en Nueva York. Aunque ostenta el título de vicepresidente de la compañía, su trabajo no tiene mayor glamour y hasta tiene que lidiar con arrendatarios hostiles u otros que ni siquiera se dignan abrir la puerta cuando va a cobrarles el alquiler. Sin embargo, Donald ya tiene en vista horizontes más amplios y la oportunidad se presenta cuando conoce al abogado Roy Cohn (Jeremy Strong), conocido por sus agresivas actuaciones en los juzgados neoyorkinos.

El abogado Roy Cohn (Jeremy Strong) le impartirá a 
Donald Trump (Sebastian Stan) importantes reglas que
éste aplicará hasta hoy

Cohn, un hombre de extrema derecha que habitualmente está litigando contra agencias gubernamentales tratando de revertir políticas liberales, se convertirá en el mentor de Donald y sin duda sus enseñanzas habrán de moldear en gran medida la conducta posterior de su protegido, en especial cuando lance su carrera política. En ese período de aprendizaje Cohn le había enseñado sus tres reglas de oro, que él mismo utilizaba en su práctica profesional. Primera: atacar, atacar, atacar; segunda: nunca admitir algo, negar siempre; y tercera: declarar victoria y nunca reconocer derrota. De alguna manera, estas reglas marcarán el patrón de conducta de Trump, tanto en los negocios, como en sus encuentros con la justicia y, por cierto, en política.

La aplicación de estas reglas lleva además a una interesante situación con connotaciones axiológicas e incluso epistemológicas: no hay verdad. O, mejor dicho, la hay, pero siempre es mi verdad versus otras que reclaman también ser verdad. Una interesante postura que, llevada hasta sus últimas consecuencias, hace prácticamente imposible argumentar en un sentido medianamente coherente. 

La película nos traslada muy bien a los 80, marcado por las políticas económicas de Ronald Reagan y la irrupción del SIDA como la gran amenaza de ese tiempo. Esta última tendrá un importante impacto sobre quien ejerció esa enorme influencia formativa sobre Trump.

El entonces joven Trump con  Ivana (Maria Bakalova), 
su primera mujer

Eventos que impactan la vida personal de Donald Trump están bien reseñados en el film pero siempre circunscritos a esa esfera particular, sin llegar a interferir en los planes globales de Donald, la relación con su padre Fred (Martin Donovan), la condición de fracaso que rodea a su hermano Freddy (Charlie Carrick) y, por cierto, su primer matrimonio con Ivana (Maria Bakalova).

En el plano de sus relaciones con las mujeres, el film retrata muy bien esa extraña adicción de Donald por mujeres de un medio, si no abiertamente prostibulario, muy cercano a él. Su primera mujer, Ivana, una mujer no particularmente atractiva, ciertamente no de la belleza más refinada de su actual mujer, Melania, delata que en ese tiempo de juventud a Trump parecía fascinarle un tipo de mujer de bajo rango social.

Con su padre, Fred (Martin Donovan),
no siempre estuvo de acuerdo

El Aprendiz es ciertamente un film que recomendamos porque presenta de un modo muy certero “como se hace” un personaje que, desde el siempre escabroso mundo de los negocios, se traslada a la política llevando consigo las mismas cue
stionables prácticas que lo han convertido en un figura mítica para muchos. Las actuaciones de los dos personajes principales son muy sólidas, Stan adopta muy bien los gestos y maneras de Trump; Strong, por su parte, personifica convincentemente al abogado Cohn en todo su exuberante despliegue de poder, y luego también en su caída. Un enfoque muy crítico del personaje central, pero sin caer en la superficialidad ni en la descalificación. Por cierto, este film además provee un tópico de conversación para largo tiempo.

Duración: 120 min.

THE TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2024: THE BEST AND THE WORST

A review by Sergio Martinez

The 49th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) came to an end on Sunday, September 15, with the announcement of the various awards given in different categories. The Audience Awards went to The Life of Chuck (Mike Flanagan), The Substance (Coralie Fargeat) and The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal (Mike Downie).  Naturally, as a critic, one sometimes agrees with the audience's sentiment – in this case, in agreement with The Life of Chuck—but at other times, not.

OUR REVIEWS: THE BEST

Winter in Sokcho--Dir. Koya Kamura (France-Korea)

This film has the merit of turning a simple plot into a story with profound connotations in which the search for identity and the desire to deal with a past that continues to haunt the protagonists converge. The life of young Soo-Ha (Bella Kim), a young woman who has studied and speaks French, is turned upside down when Yan Kerrand (Roschdy Zem), a middle-aged Frenchman who is a well-known artist in his country, arrives at the small inn where she works. The visit, in the middle of winter, is a bit strange, even more so for Soo-Ha, whose father was a Frenchman she has never met. 

The Room Next Door—Dir. Pedro Almodóvar (United States)

This is the first feature film in English by this Spanish director. Ingrid (Julianne Moore), a renowned writer, is reunited with Martha (Tilda Swinton), a former war correspondent with whom she had cultivated a strong friendship, but whom she had not seen for some time. Martha is terminally ill and asks her friend to accompany her as she makes a final decision about her life. The film impeccably captures the doubts and apprehensions that Martha's move will have, while its cinematography portrays the delicate and beautiful environment in which the drama will have its final unfolding. Excellent acting by both actresses contributes to the viewer not only enjoying a remarkable display of images of great impact but also reflecting on the theme of death as a fact to be accepted, part of life, after all.

The Life of Chuck—Dir. Mike Flanagan (USA)

Adapted from a novella by Stephen King, this surrealistic story narrates the life of a character who becomes a celebrity from being an obscure accountant. At least that is what it seems in the story's first chapter. The character, however, holds other mysteries that the film will only reveal at the end. A work that entertains and at the same time leaves the viewer somewhat perplexed.

Pedro Páramo --Dir. Rodrigo Prieto (Mexico)

Juan Rulfo's novel is already structured in a very cinematographic way, with jumps in time and in the places where the action takes place. In this sense, it can be said that it was a work practically ready to be taken to the screen. Rodrigo Prieto does a very good job in this adaptation while remaining very faithful to the original text. At the same time, he successfully translates into images the phantasmagoric world that Rulfo created in 1955, considered one of the antecedents of magical realism.

Emilia Perez -- Dir. Jacques Audiard (France)

This surprising French film is set in Mexico and mostly spoken in Spanish. A very interesting plot shows us the brilliant lawyer Rita Moro (Zoe Saldaña) whose services are required by the drug lord Manitas del Monte (Karla Sofía Gascón) who to mislead the authorities has planned an elaborate scheme in which he will change sex, there Emilia Pérez will be born, completely cleansed from the previous life, but with her fortune still in her hands. Eventually, however, some elements of the past will return to interfere in her new life. The film is a thriller that also contains musical scenes, which contribute to delivering a light but strong message on the drug business

ALSO GOOD

Faithless –Dir. Tomas Alfredson (Sweden)

A game of ambiguities is what is presented in this film in which moments from the past are conjugated with the present of a successful film director and an actress who remained rather mediocre.

Riff Raff –Dir. Dino Montiel (United States)

Family values in violent times, we could say about this film in which, despite the lifestyle changes, the past will not cease to haunt a retired gangster, especially when his son and his girlfriend, along with his first wife, arrive at his well-disguised house where he spends his retirement time in the company of his new young wife.

The Mother and the Bear –Dir. Johnny Ma (Canada-Chile)

This is a very enjoyable film to watch because of the sympathy aroused by Sara (Kim Ho-jung) a widowed mother who travels from Korea to see her daughter who has suffered a fall on the ice -we are talking about the Winnipeg winter- and who is kept in a coma in a hospital as a result. The clash of cultural values is very present, especially when she is looking for a boyfriend for her daughter. In this endeavour, there will be an unexpected outcome in the end.

The Legend of the Vagabond Queen of Lagos –Dir. The Agbajowo Collective (Nigeria-Germany-South Africa)

A film with a powerful message denouncing the injustice suffered by thousands of slum dwellers in Nigeria who are evicted from their land to make way for new real estate projects. Jawu (Temi Ami Williams) who carries the sign of the warriors, a humble woman from these camps, will become a symbol in the fight against injustice and corruption. Excellent acting and the collective presence of the villagers make this film a very good example of cinema as a means of protest.

Paul Anka: His Way -Dir. John Maggio (United States)

This documentary provides a very interesting view of this Canadian artist who has remained a prominent rock figure since the 1950s (he debuted on television at the age of 15) and who also remains relevant because of his talent as the author of countless songs.

The Friend -Dir. David Siegel, Scott McGehee (USA)

A dog, a Great Dane moreover, can be said to be the true protagonist of this story.  After writer and professor Walter (Bill Murray) dies, he leaves his dog Apollo in the hands of his friend Iris (Naomi Watts). This is a film that, from that incident, delves into the meaning of friendship.

The Wild Robot –Dir. Chris Sanders (U.S.A.)

This animated film leads us to reflect on the relationship between nature and technology. A robot (voiced by Lupita Nyong'o) has accidentally landed on an island inhabited only by animals. When activated, the robot quickly becomes a source of terror for the animals, but that will begin to change when, also unintentionally, the robot “adopts” a little goose that has been orphaned. The presence of Fink the fox (voiced by Pedro Pascal) will help to iron out the differences between the main character, a product of technology, and those of nature.

NOT VERY GOOD, BUT WATCHABLE

I, the Executioner –Dir. Ryoo Seung-wan (South Korea)

Interesting story, with lots of action and great cinematography, but predictable.

Addition -Dir. Marcelle Lunam (Australia)

A math teacher who also has a fixation with numbers and their operations. The story is weak plot-wise.

A Missing Part –Dir. Guillaume Senez (Belgium, France)

Jay (Romain Duris) is a Frenchman living in Tokyo where he works as a driver for a car company. His reason for being is to find his daughter, the one he had with a Japanese woman, but due to legal impediments, he does not have access to see her.

FRANKLY, THE WORST

Bonjour Tristesse --Dir. Durga Chew-Bose (Canada, Germany)

The novel of the same title on which this film is based was a bestseller in the 1950s; Françoise Sagan, its author, wrote it when she was 18. The story centred on the life of a teenage girl whose mother has died and who is vacationing on the coast with her father and his girlfriend, attempted to portray the existential angst of youth then besieged by the emptiness of life in a post-war France that enjoyed a growing posterity, while the spectre of the Cold War seemed to overshadow its future. In this film, director Durga Chew-Bosse, we don't know if intentionally, introduces incongruous elements: the fashion, especially the actresses' swimsuits and the models of the cars make it clear that this is the period in which the story was written the 1950s –yet, incoherently,-- there are also cell phones in the scene, which otherwise have no use in the story. A simple inconsistency and lack of knowledge of the director? A deliberate recourse, although without a clear objective? Many of the scenes are extremely tedious: how often do we want to see the protagonists swimming in the sea or sunbathing on the beach? In short, a version of a novel whose subject matter is otherwise aged, and the director fails in her attempt –if she had one— to make the story relevant again.

The Assessment –Dir. Fleur Fortuné (UK, Germany, USA)

Films set in a dystopian world are very common these days and are generally well received in part because they serve as repositories for our own fears of possible apocalyptic scenarios, whether due to the effects of nuclear war or climate change. In this case, to contain population growth, the society of the future will require couples who want to have children to pass an evaluation. In the case of Mia (Elizabeth Olsen) and Aaryan (Himesh Patel) who think they would have everything in their favour to be allowed to procreate, the assessor sent by the authorities is Virginia (Alicia Vikander) who will do everything possible to make their lives impossible. The assessor acts childishly, she is unnecessarily provocative and unbearably invasive in the couple's life. What happens is that the story itself becomes implausible, sometimes even ridiculous.

Under the Volcano –Dir. Damian Kocur (Poland)

An idea that had potential is nevertheless wasted in a story marked by banality. A Ukrainian family is on vacation in the Canary Islands just at the time of the Russian invasion of their country. Suddenly prevented from returning to Ukraine, the family is faced with uncertainty and internal tensions also surface. However, Damian Kocur's film, whether due to insufficient expressiveness of the actors or a superficial script, ends up being a banal account of a vacation amid uncertainty, but without a deeper portrayal of what such a situation would really represent. The Ukrainians go from vacationers to refugees, but far from causing them much concern, it only makes them continue their stay as if nothing happened, even worse, despite the goodwill of the local people, the family does not interact much with them and in one of their outings, its members end up lost in a desolate place, where no tourist ventures because it is of no interest whatsoever.