MFF Film Review - Ajami

AJAMI
2009

(Hebrew & Arabic with English subtitles)

Directors: Scandar Copti, Yaron Shani
Screenwriters: Scandar Copti, Yaron Shani
Starring: Shahir Kabaha, Fouad Habash

Ajami is a film in five chapters set in the West Bank on both the Israel and Palestinian sides. (The title refers to the neighborhood a couple of the stories are set in.) The five stories are all interwoven, with shared characters that, with each progressive chapter, become more fleshed out and motivations become apparent. The stories include two brothers who strive for survival after their uncle injures a member of a powerful clan, an Israeli policeman looking for his missing brother who is a soldier in the Israeli army, and a love story between a man of Muslim faith and a Christian woman, which is forbidden (or at the very least, frowned upon) in the West Bank.

Ajami is non-linear, with characters returning when you least expect them to, and the stories and actors weave seamlessly among one another. No real actors were used, only local residents, which is quite shocking based on the depth and strength of all of the performances. Every story, though approximately 20 minutes long each, were rich and full-bodied due to the excellent screenplay by writer/directors Copti & Shani. Though the subject matter was very heavy and involved some politics and nuances that may have gone past me a bit, Ajami was riveting from start to finish, a real accomplishment for a film so dense and complicated.

The winner of several Israel Academy Awards, and nominated for an Oscar for Best Foreign Film, Ajami is like the 2004 film Crash, only good. It gets its point(s) across without heavy-handedness and literally had me holding my breath at the end, so intense and impactful the entire experience was. Ajami is not for anyone looking for levity in a film, but the film is so good, it really should be experienced.

My Scale: 4

MFF Film Review - Soundtrack for a Revolution

SOUNDTRACK FOR A REVOLUTION
2009

Directors: Dan Sturman, William Guttentag

Soundtrack for a Revolution examines the impact of protest music on the Civil Rights Movement. Interviews with student movement leaders and activists including Julian Bond and Coretta Scott King provide personal accounts of the non-violent protests and the evolution of the rise of Martin Luther King as the leader of the movement. News stories, photographs and archival footage show evidence of the stories being told. Also featured are current artists, including Joss Stone, John Legend and The Roots, who perform some of the songs sung by the hundreds of protesters more than forty years ago.

Like another film I recently screened at the Milwaukee Film Festival, Freedom Riders, Soundtrack for a Revolution is a powerful documentary about a turbulent and important piece of 20th century history; in fact, the broad series of events covered include the subject of the freedom rides. If anything, the photographs documenting those events were more effective than some of those used in the former film, which is an impressive achievement.

The modern-day performances were handled well; they could have brought the documentary to a screaming halt each time. Rather, it was a nice marriage of contemporary soulful singers and the past, with very little time spent showing the singer(s), instead just listening to the song with accompanying historical footage.

One of the things that hit me hardest about Soundtrack for a Revolution is that it both educates and shows the struggle people made to make the United States a better place. However, it also is self-aware enough to show that some of the principle figures learned that through music, their forefathers could provide tools for them to survive. One of the interviewees pointed out that the majority of the protest songs were derived from old negro slave spirituals and his generation had completely discounted them until they were embroiled in the Civil Rights Movement. It was only then that they truly grasped the strength the words and music provided. I love that the film, as a documentary, strives to serve as a historical educational tool, yet also shows that its subjects turned to history as well.

Soundtrack for a Revolution is a first-rate documentary that documents one of the most important eras in American history, and shows ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Rather than simply documenting the horrifying struggle, Soundtrack for a Revolution is incredibly inspirational and ultimately, sublimely triumphant.

My Scale: 4

The 2nd Annual Milwaukee Film Festival Days 6&7

Nothing really to see here! I decided that it would be best to spend a day or two getting caught up with all of my writing and reviews, plus get a few things done around the house as well, so I took Tues. & Wed. off to write, write some more and recharge. I also found a couple of the films on Netflix instant so I am lucky enough to watch about 3 of them here and experience other films in the theater instead. All told, I think I'll still hit my goal of seeing 30 films during the festival.

MFF Film Review - Breathless (1960)

BREATHLESS (1960)
2010 Restoration

(French with English subtitles)

Director: Jean-Luc Godard
Screenwriter: Jean-Luc Godard (Story by Francois Truffaut)
Starring: Jean-Paul Belmondo, Jean Seberg

(Note: this is not so much a review as just a few thoughts about the film, since there have been about 3 million reviews written about this film in the past 50 years)

Michel (Belmondo) is a car thief who, while joyriding in his latest acquisition, shoots and kills a policeman. When he returns to Paris, he tries to secure money owed to him, avoid the law and convince one of his former lovers, Patricia (Seberg) an American journalist and student, to join him in Italy so he can hide out.

Breathless is absolutely exquisite, and a gleaming example of the French New Wave film movement, by its leading director, Jean-Luc Godard. In crisp black and white, beautifully photographed with quick, jarring edits, Breathless is contradictory with its pacing. Some scenes are fast-paced and set on the busy streets of Paris, with an incredible jazz soundtrack screaming over the action, while others are quiet and intimate between Michel and Patricia in her room. It's really amazing to realize that Breathless is 50 years old because it seems absolutely timeless; everything about the film is hipster-cool and barely dated.

The French New Wave is not a movement for everyone, but those, like me, who are devoted to it as an art form should not miss this beautiful restoration; it is absolutely breathtaking and it makes me want to crack open my vintage French New Wave film books again.

MFF Ballot Vote: 5
My Scale: 5

MFF Film Review - Only When I Dance

ONLY WHEN I DANCE
2009

(English/Portuguese with English subtitles)

Director: Beadie Finzie

Only When I Dance is a documentary focusing on two Brazilian teens; one boy, Irlan, and one girl, Isabella who are transcending the "white, wealthy" stereotype of ballet students and vying for positions with international dance companies in order to escape the favelas they live in. Irlan is a breathtaking dancer and has opportunities lined up for him, whereas Isabella struggles with having her talent overshadowed by racism (she's black) and body issues; despite her talent and strong body, everyone is telling her she needs to lose weight (whereas in real life, she would be perceived as thin.) What Irlan and Isabella have in common, however, are their poor financial backgrounds and the unwavering support of their parents, who sacrifice everything so their children can dance.

The film is a good documentary that really gives the audience a taste of where the subjects come from and the environmental challenges they are forced to overcome. Overcrowded schools filled with rowdy kids that spill into streets where many male youth end up on the wrong side of the law or dead is difficult for those who are disciplined and focused enough to thrive in their chosen field. By contrast, the dance school acts as a sanctuary, where the students can concentrate on their craft and be mentored by their instructors.

Only When I Dance succeeds in not being afraid to show every side to the principle subjects; the headmistress mentions the fact that she's "nouveau riche" more than once and alludes to money throughout the film, Irlan, with all of his sweetness, seems to have a bit of an ego, and Isabella, suffering a loss, is shown feeling really sorry for herself, much to the irritation of her fellow dancers. This makes the film and its subjects multidimensional and interesting, and I think is an improvement over sentimentality, which is infectious, but should not be the overwhelming conceit of a documentary film. Only When I Dance is uplifting, nonetheless and very enjoyable.

MFF Ballot Vote: 4
My Scale: 3 1/2

MFF Film Review - Monica & David

MONICA & DAVID
2009

Director: Alexandra Codina

Side note - if anyone is interested in seeing this film, it will be aired on HBO on October 14, 2010

Monica & David is a documentary about a great love story. What makes it different is that Monica and David both have Down syndrome and while they are unable to live on their own as a couple, decide to marry. An examination of the lives of two very special people who are very much in love, Monica & David is a film that shows love can transcend most barriers.

Director Alexandra Codina, Monica's first cousin, noted in a talk back following the screening I attended that she made the film to show those who are against marriage among the intellectual disabled that these relationships, with the right support, can not only work, but flourish. The key factor, however, is support, and though there are many challenges, the environment that Monica and David live in is nearly ideal. Monica's mother, foreseeing the challenges her daughter would face, both emotionally and financially, created a solid and protective world for Monica that affords her comfort and security. She and David are able to live with Monica's parents, and even have their own wing at their apartment at the beach. The family does face challenges and concern while caring for Monica and David and I don't want to downplay the difficulties they face, but it's absolutely wonderful that the two are able to flourish in their world, but it appears to be more ideal than the norm.

Having said that, I really enjoyed Monica & David. The film also shines a light on the issue of dignity and the desire the disabled have to be productive members of society and the need for jobs for this demographic. Monica & David is a delightful film, and it's clear why it has been a festival circuit hit, including at its Tribeca premiere where it had 9 sold out screenings. Monica & David is sweet and charming, which are perfect adjectives to describe the film's couple. The love they have for another is very beautiful and I'm sure a lot of preconceptions about people with Down syndrome will be shattered once people see it.

MFF Ballot Vote: 4
My Scale: 3

The 2nd Annual Milwaukee Film Festival Day 5

Three promising films on tap today, including the film that I've been waiting the most to see since the films were announced, Breathless. Fatigue is really setting in, and I think I'm going to need to take some time off soon in order to catch up with writing and just generally recharge. I think it probably sounds funny to someone that attending a film festival is exhausting work; you're sitting in a theater after all, but it genuinely is.

The first film of the day is Monica & David, which is a documentary about a couple with Down's Syndrome who get married. The film's subjects are here, as is the director, and I actually found this out because I saw them walking to the theater in the parking lot. They looked really sweet, chatting and holding hands. The talk back following the film was very interesting - I know that I miss out on a lot of director/actor talk backs by staying at the North Shore theater because I think there are a bunch of them that attend screenings at the Oriental, but I have appreciated the ones I've been able to see and hope that the festival continues to offer those. I still regret not being able to see Susan Sarandon, but it was announced too late for me to be able to change my film schedule without blowing out the whole day, so I had to weigh what was most important to me - seeing films or listening to Sarandon and screening one of my least favorite of her films.

Then there's a documentary about two ballet dancers in Brazil that I'm only seeing because it's between two films I scheduled, but if history has told me anything, I'll probably end up loving it because I started out lukewarm on it. It seems that I've encountered at least a dozen or two of films in the six years I've covered the festival where some of the best movies came out of nowhere and were originally time fillers.

Finally, there's Breathless, that I'm really glad isn't going to be in the Ultrascreen since the aspect ratio would be all weird on that big screen. I'm a huge French New Wave fan, and Breathless has been on my "must watch" list forever, so when I saw that the festival was going to offer the newly restored version it quickly shot up to being the #1 film I wanted to see. There was a great crowd for it, which was really encouraging since I immediately felt a common bond with everyone there, because they not only came out to a 9pm show on a school night for a classic movie, but a classic French movie to boot, which is all good in my opinion.

By the end of the night I was Fidgety McSquirmsalot and while I was loving the movie, was wanting to get the hell out of there, so I can tell it's definitely time for a break and regroup day.