Ága is a true big-screen experience that at first resembles an ethnographic film with its gentle study of an elderly Inuit couple living off the ice on the Siberia tundra. As the film unfolds it becomes increasingly apparent that the impact of climate change is permanently affecting their culture, tradition and way of life. The result is a quiet tragedy, but also a tribute, to a way of life that is not continuing with younger generations, mostly because the modern world has made it impossible. The final shot of this film left me shattered in a way I did not see coming.
Chela (Ana Brun), the reclusive middle-aged protagonist in The Heiresses, is coping with looming bankruptcy, having to sell off her prized possessions, the incarnation of her partner and having to make ends meet by becoming a car service for her wealthy friends. Despite the bleak premise (and visual style) this is a sweet and subtly uplifting film as Chela realises that her partner and the trappings of her social class have been stifling her, and she develops a new lease on life. The result is a restrained feel-good film about transformation and new beginnings.
It’s hard to believe there is common ground between Knocked Up and VEEP, but Long Shot finds it. It’s a superb rom-com that manages to be actually funny and romantic, plus it slides in doses of both cynical and sincere political commentary. Secretary of State Charlotte Field (Charlize Theron) and speechwriter Fred Flarsky (Seth Rogen) are clearly mismatched in terms of social status, but their mutual respect for each other results in an enjoyably refreshing dynamic, and Theron and Rogen have magnificent chemistry.
Following four women campaigning against the Democratic establishment in the 2018 US midterm elections, Knock Down the House inevitably focuses on Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez who unsurprisingly is an engaging documentary subject. While this is an extremely US-centric film, it’s a compelling and inspiring story regardless. The themes of women and people of colour rising up to challenge the conventions of entrenched political discourse with grassroots campaigns of sincerity and authenticity is something to celebrate and draw some hope from. Streaming on Netflix.
The Night Eats the World, which I enjoyed a lot, is yet another take on the zombie film; this time taking a more low key or even minimalist approach. It functions more as a lone survivor film with the majority of the action taking place in a Paris flat where a musician has barricaded himself after sleeping through an overnight zombie apocalypse. We watch him explore his surrounds, figure out how to adapt to his new life, and fight boredom and losing his sanity. More melancholic than thrilling, it’s a welcome variation on a much-loved, but well-worn genre.
Thomas Caldwell, 2019
CINEMA AUTOPSY 