It’s not long until the cinemas re-open now. Already, I’m eyeing up a screening of Dunkirk at my local Odeon, although that will very much depend on Portsmouth’s football performance as it clashes with the League 1 play off final. In the meantime, there are a couple more weeks of being stuck at home, which provide an ample opportunity to watch any of these five pretty great films.
Rafiki (2018) is a Kenyan film which I unfortunately missed out on when it was released. I saw that it was on at my local Devon based art-house cinema, but instead I went to see something else (No idea what though). That is a shame because it was a really well made film.
Actually banned from screening in Kenya until a high court appeal, the story sees Kena and Ziki, both daughters of two election rivals, strike a friendship which morphs into a romantic relationship. In a country where LGBT relationships are still illegal, they have to keep on the down low, but this story of love and passion does make you smile. They are both pure souls who want the best for one another. Against this love is a sad backdrop of discrimination, with a focus on the religious conservatism in this area. The film doesn’t hide away from the tough reality that these characters would face.
Visually, the film is fantastic, going from neon colours to more intimate pastel colours in the quieter moments. The two leads slowly go from wearing their fathers’ political colours to wearing a similar colour. The characters both feel different and believable.
If you’re going to watch one Kenyan lesbian Romeo and Juliet-esque story this week, make sure it’s this one. Despite the story being familiar, it feels really fresh here. A film of the four-star variety, it’s free to watch on All4.
Chinese Roulette (1976) is a film so old, that it’s not just German, but West German. A tense psychological drama sees a husband and wife both go off to their secret affairs for a weekend, although both accidentally end up in their second home where they come across each other. Coincidence? I think not. Their vengeful daughter tricked them into both being in the same place. She hates them as she blames their infidelity on her illness.
The whole thing is really strange, each character has secrets and you feel unsettled. You don’t know where the film is going and the script is so well written. The acting was brilliant and under stated. Each had a unique reaction to what was going on as we reached the final game of Chinese Roulette.
It is another four star film and is available on BFI Player.
Ratatouille (2007) is a film you all know and love. It’s about a rat who loves cooking who teams up with a man to become one of the best chefs in Paris.
What can I say that hasn’t been said. It’s a beautiful film which looks great, even by today’s standards. The passion behind the food resonates. The action scenes are brilliant and high stakes without ever being threatening. The lighter jazz track when talking about food works brilliantly. The whole thing is a wonderfully put together story. This is the standard I was disappointed that Onward didn’t reach.
I thought it was great, 4.5 stars. It’s probably available on Disney+ (Although I’m not sure as I don’t actually have Disney+).
The Hurt Locker (2008) won the best picture award on its release and Kathryn Bigelow is the only woman to have won the Best Directing Oscar. We follow an improvised explosive device team, lead by Jeremy Renner, in Iraq during the war as they go to diffuse bombs across Baghdad.
The film is rather tense. With long scenes playing out, disaster almost feels inevitable as the army needs to keep themselves and civilians safe. Each situation feels equally dangerous and the team can’t tell who is friend or foe.
These scenes are where the film thrives. The scenes focussing on Renner’s character weren’t quite as interesting, although provided a little insight into what could have been. Although I imagine this is more to the credit of the rest of the movie.
I thought it was great and earns 4.5 stars. The film is available on Prime Video and free to watch for seven days on BBC IPlayer.
Film Of The Week
The great thing about films is that they can take you to places where you rarely if ever hear stories. Every person has something to share, even deep in the Amazon. Based on the diaries of two travellers, Embrace Of The Serpent (2016) provides two stories of Karamakate, the last of his tribe in the Amazon. In both he meets travellers who are looking for the rare and sacred Yakruna plant. The stories are both a couple of decades apart with the later one complementing the earlier one in an action and consequence style.
Shot in Black and White, the film has a timelessness to it. Despite being based in the early 20th Century, you couldn’t tell. While I appreciate the decision for Black and White, a big part of me would have loved to have seen the colourised version of this film. The music is minimal as we rely on dialogue. The story is mysterious and entrancing. We see the effects of colonialism, greed, possession and slavery. It feels rather like Apocalypse now in the story telling.
Nominated for Best Foreign Language Film, this piece of art was fantastic. It told a different untold story in brilliant fashion. Essential viewing, I give it 4.5 stars and recommend you watch it. It’s free on All4.
The Film Ramble 