Birdwatchers - Out Now

Birdwatchers
Dir: Marco Bechis
Released 18 Sept

A thoughtful and well observed story of culture clash in rural Brazil, Birdwatchers is at times haunting and sad, capturing rare images of a stunning and beautiful land. The traditional way of life of the indigenous Guarani-Kaiowa people of Mato Grosso do Sul is pushed to the forefront, revealing a proud race constantly under threat from the modern world. The film is the story of their ability (and struggle) to adapt accordingly, while staying true to the beliefs of their elders.

Unfortunately, a somewhat disjointed and disorientating narrative does not fully do the tribespeople or their plight complete justice. The plot jumps around too quickly in an effort to personalise the political statement of the piece. The burgeoning love affair between trainee shaman Osvaldo and farmer’s daughter Maria and the flirtations between ‘The Scarecrow’ (recruited by the landowners to watch the tribe) and the local women could have both received more screen time. Instead their stories are left to dwindle disappointingly away. Similarly, the emotional impact of a second suicide within the tribe feels curiously dampened by the amount of ground that is being covered.

However, there are many powerful scenes that resound in what is essentially a serious political film. The opening scene of bird-watching tourists floating down the river, expressing surprised delight at the ‘natives’ who jump up and down shaking spears and bows as they go by is great. Shortly afterwards we see these same ‘natives’ in modern dress getting paid for their acting work.

The political and social landscape of Guarani-Kaiowa is deeply imprinted on the movie and theirs is a story richly deserving of attention. It is a shame that at times it feels as though a traditional documentary may have worked better. That said, the film is a moving and humbling account of a battle that has and is being fought all around the globe.

Robert Monk

All Tomorrow's Parties - The Film

All Tomorrow’s Parties
DVD release and download Nov 2

“For the fans, by the fans” is a phrase that comes to my mind whilst watching this lively, vibrant documentation of the first ten years of the popular ATP festival. Collated from hundreds of hours of footage of the festivals submitted by bands, fans and the organisers themselves on a variety of different formats, the film is more than your average concert movie.

Like the festival itself, the film plays host to a chaotic mixture of styles – with an emphasis on experimental guitar music – and the varying quality of the film recordings adds to this slightly schizophrenic, surreal experience. Snippets of live performances from the likes of Belle & Sebastian, The Gossip, Animal Collective and Iggy Pop provide the meat and bones of the film, but they are interspersed with a fan’s eye view of the festival. The editing is adventurous and imaginative - many of the clips look back to the traditional British holidays of times past that took place in usual ATP venues of Minehead and Camber Sands.

A sense of the festival’s character and personality really comes through; as ATP founder Barry Hogan states, it was originally set up to be “like a best friend’s mix-tape, only on stage.”The off the wall, easy going nature is captured perfectly, whether it’s Daniel Johnston playing to a small crowd in a chalet or someone falling off a balcony drunk. There are times however, when it all feels a little bit ‘Woodstock’ - too many shots of young men with long hair acting stoned.

Without a narrative or voiceover the film is somewhat disorientating and trippy, but as a tribute to a modern musical institution and the raw power of rock and roll All Tomorrow’s Parties takes some beating.

Rob Monk
www.atpfestival.com

The Agent

The Agent

Dir. Leslie Manning/ Written by Martin Wagner 

Ever wonder who decides what books you read? No, it’s not Richard and Judy, not even Oprah. The answer, as delivered by this spiky and clever little film, happens to invariably be the literary agent (played with gutsy vigour here by William Beck). Alexander the agent is cunning, ruthless and oblivious to taste or criticism and is out to make lots and lots of money. Which he does very well.  And like all the best con-men, we find that he is strangely likeable and charismatic in spite of ourselves …

Plunging us head first into the wheelings and dealings of the publishing world, Martin Wagner’s bitingly funny screenplay follows disgruntled author Stephen (a world-weary Stephen Kennedy) in his attempts to get his agent to justify his fee and his occupation.  Fearing that his agent is not doing enough to push his second novel, Stephen takes matters into his own hands…

The Agent started out as a play and it shows in the production. There are only a few characters (Maureen Lipman turns up in one very funny scene) and most of the film is a two-way conversation between Stephen and Alexander taking place in a non-descript office. But what the film lacks in action or variety of tone it more than makes up for in the quality of the writing and acting. The two leads are superb and absolutely convincing in their given roles. Kennedy’s edgy desperation drives the film and evokes tremendous sympathy as the man who has been knocked by life one too many times. Beck is equally good and displays great levels of wit and charm. The characters are so believable that at points the film almost feels like a documentary.

The real star on show however is the terrific writing. I doubt a more truthful film exists in relation to the literary world and if it does it could scarcely be more energetic, funny or stylish. A real gem, packed with wonderful lines and two incredible, performances. This is a challenging and thought provoking film that treats its audience with a maturity and respect, which is unfortunately all too rare in British cinema. Seek it out.

The Agent is out September 18th and is showing at the BFI Southbank. 

 

Mad, Sad and Bad? Nah, Just bad...

Mad, Sad & Bad - UK, 98 mins, English. Dir. Avie Luthra.

Meera Syal, Nitin Ganatra, Zubin Varla, Andrea Riseborough

Avie Luthra’s comedy drama about a British-Asian family attempts to uncover universal truths and generous laughs from the minefield of modern relationships and city living. Unfortunately, despite a good cast - including familiar faces such as Meera Syal and Eastenders’ Nitin Ganatra – the script is frail, largely laugh free, and the plot, such as it is, never gets going. The whole feel of the production is that of a TV movie, or perhaps a pilot for an uncomissioned sit-com.

A large part of the problem can be ascertained from Luthra’s notes when he states that he intended to reflect a “kind of metropolitan thirty-something selfishness…people in their mid/late thirties in mixed relationships who were so self obsessed they’re not able to look beyond their own needs.” Now, if ever there was an unnecessary and uninspiring pitch it would have to be that one. Perhaps that sounds harsh and unfair. However, it was particularly disappointing that the most potentially interesting aspect of all of this – the mixed-race relationships, possible cultural divides etc – was not examined or used in anything approaching dramatic (or comedic) fashion at all. Indeed, the fact that there are mixed-relationships in the film is unimportant and largely irrelevant. All of the characters could have been Brit-white or all could have been Brit-Asian and the script could have remained unaltered. Which is presumerably the point? But in that case why mention or show it at all?

As it is, Mad, Sad & Bad joins the already tragically large list of failed British comedic offerings. The three main storylines; Syal’s dowdy Rashmi’s quest for a decent date in order to get her secretly boozing Mum (Leena Dhingra) off  her back, Ganatra’s Atul’s  troubled relationships and writer’s block and eldest brother Hardeep’s (Zubin Varla) sex obsession and lonely home life all remain unconvincing and barely raise a smile between them.  Often the balance between comedy and drama seems well off kilter – particularly Hardeep’s attempted seduction of his brother’s girlfriend (Riseborough), which just comes across as inappropriate and seedy.

The strongest character is probably that of the matriarch Usha, whose post-death narration opens and closes the film and should be the spark that leads the characters out of their naval gazing.  She at least provides some sense of realism, as her loneliness and desire for a better life for her kids begins to tire her out.

As for the other characters, they seem forced and underdeveloped. Syal and Ganatra are both good comedy performers, but they are working with frankly sub-standard material here. A running gag about Atul struggling to write an opera about cheese is painfully unfunny and is unfortunately the abiding memory that sticks after the credits roll. Mad, Sad & Bad? No, sadly, just bad.

Mad, Sad & Bad is out now.

 

Looking For Eric - Back of the net!

Looking For Eric  (15)

Dir. Ken Loach, 2009, UK, 116 mins

Cast. Eric Cantona, Steve Evets, John Henshaw, Stephanie Bishop

Films about the beautiful game have had a troubled history. From the undoubtedly bizarre thrill of watching Sylvester Stallone lining up alongside Bobby Moore and Pele in The Great Escape to lacklustre debacles such as Fever Pitch or When Saturday Comes, cinema has struggled to capture the sport’s emotional intensity, passion and endless possibilities. More recently the depressing sub-genre of hooligan film (Green Street, The Football Factory) has overshadowed the game itself on the screen.

Thankfully, with Ken Loach’s (himself a follower of non-league titans Bath City) masterful feel good character study Looking for Eric, footy fans finally have a film to be proud of.  And this is by no means at the exclusion of audiences more at home in the cinema than on the terrace. Football references are kept to a broad minimum and should not put off anyone unfamiliar with flat back fours, the offside rule, or relegation dogfights.

Steve Evets’ (think, Mancunian Harry Dean Stanton) terminally depressed and damaged postman Eric Bishop is in the middle of a nuclear strength mid life fall-out. We first meet him as he drives his van the wrong way round a busy roundabout oblivious to the oncoming traffic. As a compelling visual metaphor for his sad existence it grabs us from the off and doesn’t let go.

He left his first wife (Stephanie Bishop) 30 years ago in the grip of doubts and fears about becoming a father and remains painfully in love. The stepsons (Gerard Kearns, Stefan Gumbs) from his second marriage treat him with contempt and rule the roost at home.  On top of this he can’t afford to go and see his beloved Manchester United anymore. To be blunt, life for Eric sucks.

And where is the wayward genius Cantona in all this misery? Well, at the height of his despair Eric turns to his bedroom poster of the legend and asks him where it all went wrong.  To his understandable surprise the former Old Trafford hero appears, languidly stepping forth in a puff of spliff smoke (‘borrowed’ from the troublesome step-kids) and beguiling bon mots.

And from that point on King Eric acts as advisor, fairy godmother and personal trainer, constantly popping up offering sage advice and typically oblique poetics; cleverly sending up his public persona (I am not a man…I am Cantona, he announces, tongue firmly in cheek) and showing a nice gift for subtle comedy.  Eric’s desire to explain and understand his failings and goal of reuniting with the love of his life is carefully plotted by his charismatic namesake and together they make a genuinely winning double act.

Great support is provided by Eric’s workmates (particularly John Henshaw’s splendidly named Meatballs); the scene in the postal depot where they try to raise a smile from Eric by telling him god-awful jokes is a peculiarly British comedy gem.  Loach’s (at 73, surely worthy of ‘national treasure’ status) love of gallows humour is always near the forefront but it is without doubt his lightest film in tone; the ending is brilliantly upbeat and will leave a quiet grin on the face for many weeks afterwards. Some aspects of the crime sub plot in the second half of the film don’t always work but these are minor quibbles and as a plot device it necessitates the superb climax. A genuinely entertaining, funny and emotive British movie that fully deserves the many accolades that are sure to come its way. A film to be proud of… back of the net!

Looking For Eric is released on June 12