Edinburgh University Film Society

Life in Movement (EIFF)

The take-home point about making a documentary about a person is to simply make sure that they were enchanting. Tanja Liedtke was just that, an extraordinary talent that bred creativity and inspired all around her. Liedtke’s death not only upset people but put a massive dent into the dance world depriving it of what she would have accomplished if she were still around today.

A fascinating insight into the world of modern dance with footage of Liedtke and her peers constructing and exhibiting their dance acts on tour is starkly contrasted with her dance group now, staying together out of loyalty with her long-term partner taking over as director as they do a tour in her honour claiming that this will be the last time that some of these dances will ever be performed. The performers not only talk about what Liedtke meant to them in terms of friendship but also as a visionary who was the glue of their dance group and that now, there is such hesitancy in her absence to embark on new beginnings.

At times the documentary does feel quite repetitive, the same usage of particular pieces of footage, or the re-wording of the same situation is noticeable but probably unavoidable, more time could have been focused on what the interviewees now plan to do as by the end you get to know them and you realise their dedication to dance. As someone who is not at all familiar with modern dance, and who had not even heard of Liedtke (although there is some vague recollection of when the news reported her death) it is still just as intriguing to get wrapped up in the documentary with complete sequences of routines that are bound to pique your interest and even delight you. You might not get an overwhelming urge to start an interest in dance but you will embrace knowing the name of one more genius who sadly passed before her time.

Charlie Casanova (EIFF)

I really don’t want to be mean, but this film was the biggest waste of my time. It’s sad because I think everyone thought they were involved in a gritty, edgy and dark (those exact buzzwords have probably been used by other people) film but it was far from that. Apart from being all to aware of its style (and even then it’s nothing special although it is the best thing about the film) the substance was thrown completely out of the window. A story that sounds like it couldn’t be boring is boring and the people are unlikable, sure I guess that was the point but even crude and malicious characters are supposed to have some sort of charisma about them to make you invested, after all the film does have the word ‘casanova’ in the title but there is absolutely no charm, no nothing. I really didn’t understand it, and I guess neither did the eleven people who walked out of it before it finished.

Elite Squad: The Enemy Within/ Tropa de Elite 2 (EIFF)

This year, Brazilian cinema offers us a great film about the drug war in Rio de Janeiro. A film that addresses what it needs to on the streets and takes it to what is happening behind doors. Elite Squad 2 is an intense and engaging watch from start to finish.

Maturing a lot from the first film (it isn’t integral to have watched the first film either, any appropriate recaps are given) Elite Squad 2 is not your standard crime/ action film but one that still ticks those boxes and more.

After a miscommunication in a prison leads to a massacre by the BOPE squad, Human Rights activist Dioga Fraga (Irandhir Santos) creates a public outrage and breaks down the system put in place and the worlds of the police force, special tasks unit, politics and the slums are put into imbalance. Told on several levels by Fraga who now becomes invested in the world of politics; Roberto Nascimento (Wagner Moura), ex-BOPE who has been heralded by the people for having no-tolerance against criminals is set to work in the Secretary of Security sector, as well as the politicians when the Governor Gelino sets up a squad of militia.

Elite Squad 2 was an absolute joy to watch; fast-paced, tense and not cutting any corners about the matter, the storylines don’t seem to be that much of sprawling ones as they are neatly brought together with great direction by Jose Padilha – I can fully understand why Elite Squad is such a sensation in Brazil.

Stormhouse (EIFF)

The British army has captured a supernatural entity and managed to secure it in a caged environment in a secret location, they call in a government agent consultant from the US named Hayley Sands (Katie Flynn) who has been known to communicate with the other side so they can understand it better; only there are restrictions as to what the army want her to figure out and report back. Of course, as soon as she arrives everything sort of goes haywire.

Stormhouse had a great opportunity to be a fantastic film but it fell short on several levels.
First, it kept swapping its tone on whether it wanted to be a ‘serious’ ghost film or one that has turns almost comical.
Secondly, the usage of CCTV footage and the claim that it is ‘based on real events’ doesn’t add anything to the film, I feel that, if you’re not going to do it properly (like Blair Witch, or to even reference a film in this very festival; Troll Hunter) then don’t bother – it detracts from the film and wastes time that could have been use more effectively.
Third, it doesn’t use the characters to their potential which is a shame because it could have been utilised better as the relationships between everyone is one of the stronger elements of the film

After a while it simply just… gets boring, which is not what you want from a horror movie when an evil supernatural being is running rampage – HOW CAN THAT BE BORING?

It has an interesting ending, and by the time it came to it I felt a bit let-down that the middle and main section of the film wasn’t as strong. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t dislike Stormhouse, it was decent enough, as well as liking the relationship between the characters and the set and location were extremely well done, but didn’t live up to my expectations, let me say – you’re better off watching Ghostwatch.

Our Day Will Come/ Notre jour viendra (EIFF)

This here is a picture of the director of Our Day Will Come, his name is Romain Gavras and he has some serious issues with people with red hair. Obviously he wants people to talk about this, I thought it may have been because he himself has red hair, but looking at this picture I can see that he DOES NOT. So I really have to wonder what his deal is. First he does that MIA video and now he makes a feature length film all about the matter – the man needs… some help.

Vincent Cassel does not hold back in the slightest as he embodies Patrick, a charming but essentially… crazy, racist man who comes across a distressed young boy called Remy (Olivier Bartelemy) who seems to have just discovered that he suffers from some anger issues after just beating up his mother. Patrick gives Remy a ride which then turns into a very bizarre road trip in which Patrick tries to teach Remy how to get himself taken seriously and be braver, to exploit his anger issues and most of all, embrace his redheadedness.

I’m sure the people will be divided into the shocked and the unshocked and then the people who claim that they weren’t shocked, but they thought it was frustrating how much the film tried to get under your skin repeatedly as its characters spiral out of control to offend you.

At the end of it I can admit, I laughed a fair bit, parts of the film were amusing but the beginning of the film was more promising than what followed it and by the end I left feeling that although the film was interesting I don’t think that I can say that I liked it.