This was the screening I was looking forward to most impatiently, Steven Soderbergh’s Che, mostly because it was the first big budget project to be shot on the REDOne. At 4 and 1/2 hrs in 2 deeply thought out parts, the movie is a little too long for mainstream acceptance and will hopefully be released as a single, shorter version stateside.
The screening was digital and the REDOne truly did not disappoint. The first film was shot at 4k and 2:35 screen ratio, which was appropriate given most of the film takes place in a lush green forest. It is great to see that Soderbergh is still is in touch with his indie root style of handheld, on-the-go shots, which make up most of the film.
The first film cuts back and forth between Che's trip to NY to address the UN and his fight in the forests of Cuba. It would have been better if it was cut with motorcycle diaries. There is a short scene in the beginning to introduce the characters and set-up up the preceding storyline and the rest of the film is them fighting in the jungle of Cuba or preparing for the upcoming battle. There is a lot in the 2 films, which if combined, would be a great film. Even though they are long, I do believe that Soderbergh has earned his right for a director’s cut to bring his vision to the screen the way he intended to do. Furthermore, I see this film being appreciated in the foreign market more than it would be here.
Sticking with the Documentary approach was another well received aspect of Italy’s Gomorrah by Matteo Garrone, which is a shoe-in with The Class to be nominated for an Oscar, mostly because of its critical acclaim and awards. The story revolves around 6 characters that are not interconnected but rather are parts of the widespread tentacles connected to one of the most ruthless mafia organizations in the world.
Gomorrah is the most un-glamorizing look at gangster life to date, where the characters are on pins and needles, watching their backs constantly and only a shade away from a bullet in the head. There are a few hard hitting moments, but the majority of the time, it concentrates on the mundane dull activities of the characters involved. The environment these people live in is the only constant in the film and how it affects the people living there is the subtext of the film. Do not go in expecting The Godfather or Goodfellas; it is more like a realistic documentary you would see on the History Channel.
Another film that has created a lot of buzz in the last year has been writer/director and main character Ari Folman's Waltz with Bashir. Folman, a former Israeli soldier, tries to recover his memory of his and Israel’s role in wartime atrocities. The film has a distinct style of animation which sets it apart from most documentaries and makes it visually stimulating.
A thundering debut by director Steve McQueen, based on true events of IRA member Bobby Sands hunger strike in 1981. This film is a testament to human suffering in the pursuit of freedom and human rights. The first hour of the film is void of dialogue and is a reflection on the debate of torture that has been relevant in media in recent times. The visual torture depicted on screen makes the Abu Ghraib pictures look like a set of vacation photos. After the one hour mark, the audience is privy to a 10 minute exchange between Sands and a priest, as he tries to convince Sands to negotiate rather than die. This is all shot in one long languorous take which is then followed by 5 plus minutes of a guard cleaning piss off the floor. This film is more for the arthouse crowd with incredibly strong stomachs.
