CIFF 2013 – Page 3 – Ruby Hornet

[CIFF Capsule Review] Blue Ruin

_{[Ruby Hornet will be attending the 49th Chicago International Film Festival from 10/10 - 10/24. Be sure to follow along as we bring you coverage from the longest-running competitive international film festival in the country. You can find all of our coverage from this year's CIFF here.]}

Blue Ruin
Director: Jeremy Saulnier
Country: United States
CIFF Screening: October 13, 2013 (8:15pm)

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20 years after the double murder of his parents, Dwight returns to his hometown when the convicted murderer is let free. After he takes vengeance into his own hands, the tables are turned on him as the now-deceased murderer's family begins a manhunt to avenge their relative's death. Blue Ruin is a psuedo-noir film rife with violence, bloodshed, and a great example of a revenge thriller.

Blue Ruin is dark, both visually, thematically, and humorously. Scenes where harsh shadows envelop Dwight invading an empty house are contrasted with funny dialogue exchanges between himself and those around him, whether they're with his hunters or his high school best friend. Dark comedy can be a mixed bag if used incorrectly or exaggerated, but Blue Ruin balances it well. Not many films can laugh at a witty response, jump when somebody's face is blown off, then laugh again when it comes to disposing the body.

Revenge thrillers are usually about the fulfillment of revenge and the journey the character takes to accomplish it. Blue Ruin, however, takes it to the next level with moments of character introspection balancing the weight of blood. In just his second feature length film, writer/director Jeremy Saulnier showed how much potential he can bring to the film world; it's only a matter of time before the film world takes notice.

Score: 7 out of 10

by Geoff Henao

[CIFF Capsule Review] Tanta Agua

Tanta Agua
Directors: Ana Guevara Pose and Leticia Jorge
Countries: Mexico, Netherlands, Uruguay
CIFF Screening: October 13, 2013 (6:00pm)

http://youtu.be/DSFwtbBy5yI

Tanta Agua tells the story of a divorced father, Alberto, taking his young son, Federico, and daughter, Lucia, out on vacation in Uruguay. However, his plans for a fun getaway are thwarted when harsh rainstorms take over the town. His optimism slowly begins to fade as his children are uncaring of his attempts to connect with them. While Alberto attempts to salvage an otherwise ruined trip, Lucia discovers her first taste of adolescent pain when a boy she develops a crush on has eyes for another girl.

Tanta Agua takes the formula of a broken family vacation and spins it with a South American flavor of a bittersweet, coming-of-age dramedy. Lucia's heartache over her crush is compared to Alberto's heartache over his inability to connect with his children. Yet, the film is never emotionally-draining or preachy with its themes. Rather, directors Ana Guevara Pose and Leticia Jorge crafted a film that banks on the subtlety of its themes as the pitter patter of raindrops against the family's vacation house roof.

Score: 6 out of 10

by Geoff Henao

[CIFF Capsule Review] Raze

Raze
Director: Josh C. Waller
Country: United States
CIFF Screening: October 12, 2013 (10:15pm)

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Raze is kind of like the female version of Fight Club minus that film's expository themes of schizophrenia and anti-consumerism. Instead, it attempts to justify rounding up a dozen or so girls together in fights to the death with a cult/secret society obsessed with Greek mythology about strong women.. If the women don't fight in these gladiator-style 1-on-1 fights or lose, their loved ones are killed by secret assassins... or something. Zoe Bell (Death Proof), Quentin Tarantino's go-to girl for female body doubles, stars as Sabrina, a hardened, wiser "older" woman who is captured by the aforementioned cult and must fight for her own survival. If the plot sounds ridiculously shallow, that's because it is. The film's menagerie of characters run the gamut of stereotypical characters, such as the sheepish, shy girl, the girl with the hidden talents, the bloodthirsty girl who embraces the challenge, etc.

However, pulpy, B-movies like Raze never worry too much about plot. Instead, the focus is on how gruesome and entertaining the action can be. Often is the case with films of this nature, the fight scenes are a lot of fun. With Bell's background as a stuntwoman, she's given the spotlight to show off her fighting chops in fights that are similar to MMA matches with a mix of hand-to-hand combat and wrestling techniques. Raze isn't for the faint at heart, though. Since fights are to the death, you'll see women with their faces caved in after a dozen point-blank punches or blood stains against the secluded arena's brick walls.

If you can weather character stereotypes and pointless plots in exchange for brutal, one-on-one female fight scenes, Raze might just be the film for you. It left me wanting more, plot-wise, but once I contextualized the medium of pulp, B-movies, I was able to excuse the otherwise lack of depth. Buy some popcorn, a large Icee, and enjoy the ride.

Score: 6 out of 10

by Geoff Henao

[CIFF Capsule Review] Under the Rainbow

Under the Rainbow (Au bout du conte)
Director: Agnès Jaoui
Country: France
CIFF Screenings: October 15, 2013 (5:00pm), October 21, 2013 (3:30pm)

http://youtu.be/LFuL0jQ-GMQ

Under the Rainbow mixes fantasy-like fairy tales into a modern day love story. Unfortunately, once the allure of deciphering fairy tale tropes (enchanted godmothers, wolves in sheep's clothing, evil stepparents, etc.), the main plot begins to feel thin predictable, and boring.

Laura is a young woman looking for her Prince Charming, her knight in shining armor. When she finds Sandro at a party, cheesily under an angel statue pointing directly at him, it's love at first sight for the two. As their romance begins to blossom, Laura is tempted away from the aspiring musician by Maxime, a well-known musician in his own right. As Maxime both steals Laura away and helps Sandro's career, Laura's aunt, Marianne, and Sandro's father, Pierre, establish a subplot of their own as Marianne attempts to become more independent of her ex-husband's influence while Pierre faces the prospect of his death in a few days (prophesied by a psychic 20 years prior).

I'll admit, the film's clever use of the fairy tale tropes added an interesting gimmick to the film. However, that's all it is: a gimmick. Once the shine begins to fade away, and the warm romance between Sandro and Laura begins to crumble, Under the Rainbow becomes a melancholic romantic comedy/drama. I loved how every primary character had some sort of connection or plot line intersect with another's, yet the culmination of the film felt empty.

Score: 5 out of 10

by Geoff Henao

[CIFF Capsule Review] Blue is the Warmest Color

Blue is the Warmest Color (La vie d'Adèle chapitres 1 & 2)
Director: Abdellatif Kechiche
Country: France
CIFF Screening: October 12, 2013 (6:30pm)
Release Date: October 25th, 2013 (limited)

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A lot has been said about Blue is the Warmest Color, and more will continue to be said as more people watch the film primarily known for its lesbian sex scenes. However, the sex scenes, explicit as they are, run the risk of overshadowing such a beautiful film about first love and identity/self-discovery. It's a French film through and through in the way the film has an air of warmth and passion that films from other countries can't necessarily pull off in the same way.

Unfortunately, what makes Blue is the Warmest Color so great is sometimes taken away from the aforementioned sex scenes between stars Adele Exarchopoulos and Lea Seydoux. My problem with sex scenes in any form of media/entertainment is how necessary they are. Do they build upon the film's narrative? Do they actually bring more to a character's arc/personality? Are they shot in good taste? Simply put, the sex scenes in Blue is the Warmest Color are so artificial that the passion they're intended to invoke are laughed away as male voyeurism.You can tell why controversy came up over the actresses' discomfort with the sex scenes and director Abdellatif Kechice's obsession over them. Out of the handful of sex scenes in the film, only maybe two or three of them are actually justified. These scenes were supposed to represent the fulfillment of young love, comfortability in one's self and in another person, and the physical embodiment of love. Instead, they're pornographic and uncomfortable for both audience and actress.

I really hope the sex scenes don't overshadow the otherwise remarkable, amazing film framing them in the minds of general film audiences. Blue is the Warmest Color is lighthearted and contemplative, enlightening and heartbreaking, entertaining and frustrating; the very definition of French film pondering of Self. Overall, Blue is the Warmest Color has been my favorite film of CIFF thus far. There's a reason why it won the Palm d'Or at Cannes; it's just a matter of general audiences' ability to see the film for what it truly is: a magnificent love story that will hopefully be remembered for its remarkable performances from Seydoux and Exarchopoulos and not the handful of sex scenes.

Score: 8 out of 10

by Geoff Henao

[CIFF Capsule Review] Stray Dogs

Stray Dogs (Jiao You)
Director: Tsai Ming-Liang
Country: Taiwan
CIFF Screenings: October 11, 2013 (8:30pm), October 13, 2013 (12:30pm)

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I wasn't familiar with Tsai Ming-Liang's previous works, but the allure of a film described as "one of his most emotionally powerful films" reeled me in. Unfortunately, the power of these emotions is lost amidst the overuse of long shots and lack of a narrative. Stray Dogs is about a father who makes his living as a human billboard while his two children skip school and make do with what they can to kill time during the day. The family has fallen into this routine of doing nothing, then squatting in abandoned apartments at night. However, Stray Dogs doesn't worry itself or the audience about what it's about. Rather, the focus of the film is on what's seen.

Stray Dogs is mostly made up of long shots consisting of the slightest bits of movement to ensure audiences that the film hasn't become frozen or paused. The camera lingers on as main actor, Lee Kang-sheng, eats his food or smokes a cigarette. There are scenes of actual movement and motion, but the bulk of Stray Dogs prefers to let the audience play voyeur as they examine the family. Much has been said about the film's penultimate scene, a 14-minute long shot where Lee Kang-sheng stands behind a woman as they look off-screen. The gravitas of the scene is displayed on the actors' facial expressions with the occasional sip of liquor or shed tear contextualizing the scene.

Stray Dogs is poetic in its oftentimes silent scenes, yet boring and plodding because of them. On a technical side, it's visually-arresting with every long shot composed and framed to near-perfection. Overall, however, you'll find yourself feeling arrested with nowhere to go because of its two-hour duration with no escape in sight. Even the most ardent fans of avant-garde, art-house films might find Stray Dogs too empty.

by Geoff Henao

[CIFF] 15 Films to see at the 49th Chicago International Film Festival

This year's Chicago International Film Festival will be screening 180 films made in over 60 different countries over the next two weeks. That's pretty impressive... if not intimidating. Luckily, you all have me around to help guide you along your path to foreign film enlightenment. Unlike the majority of the major American film festivals (Sundance, SXSW, NYFF, etc.), CIFF specializes in finding foreign film gems from all across the world. Because of the low profile of most of the films, they wouldn't normally garner much attention if it weren't for CIFF and other international film festivals giving them the spotlight.

That's not to say, of course, that American or English-language films won't be screening at CIFF - far from it. Rather, while high profile films will be shown during CIFF, the real fun is finding that one under-the-radar film that will surprise you. In saying that, I'm leaving a few (not all) of the big-name films that will be shown, such as 12 Years a Slave and The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete simply because they'll be playing in theaters by the end of the year.

Read on as I share 15 films you should see at the 49th Chicago International Film Festival listed in chronological order for your convenience. Note: While I have yet to see the majority of the films on this list, I have seen a select few. Proper reviews for such films will be published ahead of their scheduled screenings.

Blue Ruin follows the aforementioned man as he returns to his old neighborhood to act out revenge. However, when things go wrong, he finds the tables turned against him. I admittedly don’t know much about Blue Ruin, but the first image I saw of the film (a bearded man covering in blood driving with a desperate look on his face) won me over. The film, tauted as a “classic American revenge story,” won the FIPRESCI International Critics Prize at Cannes this year, so the critical acclaim is already there for the rest of us to determine whether or not it was justified. Blue Ruin will be screening on October 11th at 6:15pm and October 13th at 8:15pm.

From France comes Under the Rainbow, a comedy illustrating the trials and tribulations of young love and romance. Of course, the French definition of “comedy” usually comes with much more tragedy and drama than the typical American comedy full of sex jokes and terribly cheesy innuendos. Under the Rainbow takes the typical notions of romantic comedy and mixes them up with fairy tale tropes to create a whimsical story of love. Under the Rainbow will be screening on October 12th at 1:00pm, October 15th at 5:00pm, and October 21st at 3:30pm.

How do you describe a cloud? How to Describe a Cloud comes from the Netherlands about a young DJ returning home to take care of her blind mother whose memory is slowly fading away. To stave off even more memory loss, doctors have advised her to describe the world around them. The film is described as being “beautifully dreamlike” and imaginative; how can you resist that? How to Describe a Cloud will be screening on October 12th at 2:00pm, October 19th at 4:00pm, and October 20th at 7:30pm.

I’ve raved on and on about Blue is the Warmest Color for months now, and with good reason. The film adaptation of the graphic novel Blue Angel hits all of the high notes over its admittedly overlong three hours. The story of young Adele discovering herself and her sexuality amidst a blossoming romance with an older, female art student is poignant in the way only French filmmakers are able to display. Don’t let the controversy over graphic sex scenes overshadow the film’s tender story of love and identity. Blue is the Warmest Color will be screening on October 12th at 6:30pm.

The title of Monsoon Shootout might seem like the entire film has been spelled out for you, right? The Indian film focuses on a rookie cop, Adi, on his first job amidst a monsoon in Mumbai. When he comes across an assailant, he puts a gun to his face. The film then spins off into three separate “What if?” scenarios. It’s this twist that has me excited for the film. Monsoon Shootout will be screening on October 11th at 9:00pm, October 13th at 12:30pm, and October 15th at 1:00pm.

How I Live Now is an adaptation of the novel of the same name about a teenage girl, Daisy (Saoirse Ronan), sent to England because of political turmoil in the States. While she’s initially distant, she eventually warms up to them… even questionably falling in love with her oldest cousin. When England becomes a military state due to the rising tension across the world, she has to do everything she can to survive the onset of war and reunite with her loved ones. How I Live Now will be screening on October 15th at 7:00pm.

Miele is an Italian drama about a Irene, whose nickname is the titular “Miele,” a woman who performs assisted suicides for a living. Due to her job, she has become cold to the world. However, an encounter with a depressed, yet physically healthy man challenges what’s left of her humanity. Films that tiptoe gray moral areas can oftentimes be too preachy or too shallow in their attempts to humanize an otherwise dehumanized character. Miele, however, could be the rare film that can remedy the dilemma while not alienating the protagonist’s central character… if that makes any sense. Miele will be screening on October 15th at 8:15pm and October 16th at 5:45pm.

What would you do if you found out the boy you’ve raised for six years isn’t your biological son due to a mix-up at birth? In the Japanese film Like Father, Like Son, director Hirokazu Kore-eda explores two families’ options. On one side is the strict, hardworking Ryota whose son is a smart, caring child; on the other side is Sakai, a carefree, small shop owner whose devotion to his family overshadows any notions of laziness. Like Father, Like Son examines the Nature vs. Nurture debate in the framework of a Japanese culture that sometimes values blood lineage a bit too much. Caution: You might end up crying. Like Father, Like Son will be screening on October 16th at 6:00pm and October 19th at 7:00pm.

Chasing Fireflies is about Manrique, an old man content with his lonely routine of watching an abandoned salt mine with his dog as his only companion. When his teenage daughter shows up, her positive optimism influences Manrique to break out of his isolation. The Colombian film has notions of love, self-discovery, and sheer happiness mixed into a subtlety that won’t appear overbearing to even the coldest of hearts. Chasing Fireflies will be screening on October 16th at 8:00pm, October 18th at 5:30pm, and October 19th at 11:45am.

It comes to no shock to anybody that the immigration process can be a long, sometimes unfair system that is harder than what it’s worth. For those looking for a better, more promising life in the United States, sometimes the only solution is taking matters into your own hands. La Jaula de Oro follows three teenagers from Guatemala doing exactly that: roughing it out on a 1,200 mile journey from their home to America. Along the way, they must be mindful of their surroundings and the strangers they come across. La Jaula de Oro will be screening on October 16th at 8:00pm, October 17th at 6:00pm, and October 22nd at 1:15pm.

From Argentina comes La Paz, a character study about a teenager re-adapting to life following a stay at a psychiatric clinic. However, struggle abounds as both he and those around him have trouble reconnecting with one another. La Paz sounds like a character-driven drama that examines the effects of psychiatric problems and the way people respond to those suffering from them. Given its name, I wonder what form the titular “peace” will come in. La Paz will be screening on October 18th at 2:00pm, October 20th at 4:00pm, and October 22nd at 8:00pm.

Never make a promise you can’t keep. That’s the central theme of the German A Pact. When Georg and Paul were teenagers, Paul convinced Georg to give his girlfriend, Anna, to him. Georg relented on the understanding that he’d be able to take her back at an undetermined time in the future. Decades later after Paul and Anna have started a family, Georg re-enters their life… and insists on following through with the promise made in their youths. If psychological love drama thrillers are your types of films, A Pact has you covered. A Pact will be screening on October 18th at 8:15pm, October 20th at 8:30pm, and October 21st at 1:00pm.

At the 47th Chicago International Film Festival, I found myself surprisingly enchanted by the Drake Doremus-directed film, Like Crazy (and its lead actress, Felicity Jones, in the process). At the time, I didn’t think much of the film, infuriated at the initial conflict of overstaying a student VISA. However, two years since I saw it, I still can’t shake the film off of my mind (especially with its accessibility on Netflix too convenient to resist). This year, Doremus’ follow-up, Breathe In, finds Jones as a British exchange student upending the lives of a music teacher (Guy Pearce) and his family. While the concept sounds eerily similar to Ry Russo-Young’s Nobody Walks (itself revolving around a musically-gifted person being tempted by my main actress crush, Olivia Thirlby), if it’s half as captivating as Like Crazy was, I’ll be more than forgiving for the similarities. Breathe In will be screening on October 19th at 6:00pm.

The cartel and drug situation in Mexico has been escalating for years with little to no movement towards stopping it. Heli fictionalizes the very real danger that surrounds Mexican citizens in a crime drama with devastating consequences. Heli was awarded Best Director for Amat Escalante at Cannes and has been selected as Mexico’s selection for Best Foreign Language Film at next year’s Academy Awards, so the pressure is on to see if the film delivers. Heli will be screening on October 19th at 9:30pm and October 21st at 8:30pm.

Salvo is an Italian action/drama thriller about a ruthless Mafia hitman that finds himself taking pity on his target’s blind sister. Unfortunately, his moment of redemption results in himself becoming an assassination target. Thusly, the predator becomes the prey as he must protect not only himself, but the woman he uncharacteristically showed grace to. Do you feel that? Those are the goosebumps this film’s premise just caused. Salvo will be screening on October 20th at 6:15pm and October 22nd at 8:00pm.

by Geoff Henao

[CIFF] The 49th Chicago International Film Festival begins tonight

Another October, another Chicago International Film Festival. As the longest-running competitive international film festival in the US, CIFF screens a large amount of foreign films during its duration. Without the festival, many of these films would go unseen, unheard, undistributed, and unknown. There are many film festivals that happen over the year all across the country, but it's CIFF's dedication to introducing high quality, independently-made foreign films that has helped separate it from other film festivals.

Beginning tonight with the Opening Night screening of James Gray's The Immigrant (starring Marion Cotillard and Joaquin Phoenix), the Chicago International Film Festival will be taking over the AMC River East with hundreds of film from all across the world. Ruby Hornet will be your guide to this year's CIFF, starting tomorrow with my personal recommendations over the next two weeks. Keep your eyes peeled for reviews and interviews, as well.

You can find a full list of films on the Chicago International Film Festival website. It's going to be a fun two weeks!

by Geoff Henao