Here are my favourites at the Sydney Film Festival so far. Watch out for them when they get a mainstream release.
DOCUMENTARY
AMERICAN FACTORY
Everything about this is perfect! The concept, themes, characters, the comedy. The drama! It’s also so topical, not to mention a fascinating reversal of roles. China-America cross-cultural relations fully examined!
APOLLO 11
“That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” And it is indeed one leap made by this doco pieced from archival footage of that time. Transports you to 1969. An era seen by the eyes of today, thanks to this.
UNTOUCHABLE
Very well made, perfectly structured, a compelling doco on the sexual harassment crimes of Harvey Weinstein, spawning the powerful #MeToo movement. It may be the end of a Goliath, but the hope is to prevent future ones.
AMAZING GRACE
It was overwhelming to witness this. Filmed 47 years ago, vintage film stock, 70s look and fashion, but the real highlight was Aretha’s gospel voice. That moment with Aretha and her father, in the end, was such a gem.
ONE CHILD NATION
“One is too few; two is just right” is probably a tragic ending to this Sundance winner. Harrowing and far-reaching in scope, the doco tackles what it could, exposing what could be one of history’s greatest crimes.
MYSTIFY: MICHAEL HUTCHENCE
While using the same no talking heads style as AMY and OASIS: SUPERSONIC, MYSTIFY distinguishes itself with such heart and emotion. Creatively nonlinear, respectful and yet still no holds barred revealing.
THE KLEPTOCRATS
Life imitates art in this jaw-dropping doco of corruption and scandal in high places. Good use of journalists as investigative reporters. Add celebrities to spice up content, and it’s a recipe for fine entertainment.
ANTHROPOCENE
With sparse lucid narration and awe-inducing imageries reminiscent of BARAKA, this film tackles the big human-centred questions of overpopulation, environmental damage, climate change, and life extinction. A must see!
MONROVIA, INDIANA
An everyday look at life in small-town America. Mesmerising to watch, anthropologically insightful, with so much poetry and lyricism, it is a perfect companion to the rest of Frederick Wiseman’s masterful works.
MEETING GORBACHEV
Werner Herzog’s affectionate doco on Mikhael Gorbachev is just so simple in style yet so lucid in knowing and understanding the leader. A man of peace, a loving husband, and a victim of Russia’s power struggle.
FEATURE FILMS
MONOS
Primal, visceral, like the hard terrains and weather of this film. These Colombian Lord of the Flies wannabes do march to the beat of their own autochthonous drum. That ending still numbs me. Nice electrifyingly eerie score!
MARIGHELLA
What a potent manifesto for a revolution!! Riveting from beginning to end, this wearying film is highly combustible, amidst the ban and controversies. A true to life thriller that will keep you at the edge of your seat.
NEVER LOOK AWAY
Controversies aside, this epic saga is very well made, highly dramatic, so enthralling to watch. The three hours went so quick, immersing you into an artist’s life within that turbulent period in Germany’s history.
THE SOUVENIR
This Sundance Grand Jury winner is an 80s period pastiche of Woody Allen-esque improv drama centered on the entrapment of toxic relationships. Unique in style, very British, with a less than ideal heroine at its heart.
THE THIRD WIFE
Framed in careful 4:3 ratio, the film is as daintily civil as it is cruelly guttural. Sensual, reserved, and delicate like the silkworms, Ash Mayfair’s debut feature on patriarchy is still never afraid to confront.
PAIN AND GLORY
Deeply seated in memory and neurosis, framed in Picasso colours, reflecting on one’s mortality. There is always a psychoanalytic tinge in Pedro Almodovar’s films, and this semi-autobiographical work is no exception.
ALPHA, THE RIGHT TO KILL
Employing his own gritty documentary style, Brillante Mendoza scarily captures the flaws and perils of Duterte’s war on drugs. With realism more palpable than BUYBUST, this film goes for your jugular.
RAY AND LIZ
Bleak, sad, beautifully shot British working-class family drama. Naturalistic acting, perfect casting, gritty texture, affecting performances. If you are a fan of Loach and Arnold, this is familiar territory.
DANIEL ISN’T REAL
Mental illness is at the core of this innovative psychological horror thriller. With elements from DONNIE DARKO and THE SHINING, it creatively fuses psychosis with cosmic evil, down to its crazy over-the-top ending.
Filmmaker Lin Jianjie’s uneasy piece depicts a sombre modern China moving from its one-child policy to embracing its now two-child and more policy. It dwells on sibling rivalry between two sons, one biological and the other adopted.
After the success of Ray Yeung’s last Hong Kong-based mature-age gay-themed film TWILIGHT’S KISS (or SUK SUK), together with previous Western-based gay Chinese love story films CUT SLEEVE BOYS and FRONT COVER, this auteur writer-director has ventured queer territory again with his Berlinale Teddy award-winner ALL SHALL BE WELL.
