Film Fest 919 Review Round-up


(Images Courtesy of IMDB.com and Film Fest 919

Year three at Film Fest 919 has come to a close, which means it is time to write! My first review of the festival is a round-up of five movies. Having seen ten films in total, some deserve a more thorough analysis than others. I would also like to take a moment to thank those who started the festival,  Carol Marshall and Randi Emmerman. This slate of films was a feast for film fans and a pleasure to participate in! 

The Banshees of Inisherin

Director Martin McDonagh’s films (In Bruges, Seven Psychopaths, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri) always have a tricky tonal balance. Dark comedy mixed with heightened violence strikes a chord with audiences.  His latest film The Banshees of Inisherin follows in the same vein, telling a dark and funny story.  Two lifelong friends (Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson) abruptly end their relationship when claim to stop liking each other.  Following up after In Bruges, Farrell and Gleeson deliver two of the year's most entertaining performances.  The subtle humor in The Banshees of Inisherin packed a lasting impression. 

Close

Close is a film I knew very little about going into Film Fest 919. The story follows an intense friendship between two thirteen-year-old boys Leo (Eden Dambrine) and Remi (Gustav De Waele). After a sudden tragedy,  lives are changed forever. The drama and grief theme of Close might not be for everyone. The performances are solid across the board because they are treated with nuance and kindness. Each one is incredibly engaging until the third act forces the story and performances to lose momentum. The last third kept a good film from becoming a great one. 

Corsage 

Corsage follows a fictitious account of one year in the life of Empress Elisabeth of Austria.  Idolized at a time for her beauty, her 40th birthday makes her associates deem her an old woman. Vicky Krieps delivers one of her best performances as Empress Elisabeth. Her performance conveys mental anguish in a life where her decisions are always controlled. Those moments balance quite nicely with her subtle and consistent humor.  The problems stem from a very languid pace. Krieps keeps your attention, but certain narrative choices feel like padding for the narrative.  If 10-15 minutes were trimmed,  this could have been a best-of-the-year contender. 

The Inspection


The Inspection was the most harrowing film of the festival lineup. Inspired by the life of director Elegance Bratton, the story follows a young gay Black man who joins the Marines. Rejected by his mother and with limited options, he is determined to succeed. Besides the excellent cast, The Inspection’s success comes from the screenplay.  Bratton masterfully balances those in the military’s drama, with the new recruits. This is not an easy watch but packs an emotional punch. 


Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths

    Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths was the most cerebral film of the festival. Director Alejandro G. Iñárritu has created something to take audiences on a spiritual journey. Renowned Mexican journalist and documentary filmmaker Silverio Gacho (Daniel Giménez Cacho is dealing with an existential crisis after the release of his latest film. What follows is a film that delves into the mind, life, and thoughts of Iñárritu himself. To spoil the personal touches would ruin some of the best moments. The film is most definitely overlong and in places indulgent, but the spectacle is mesmerizing. To grasp the most out of the film, please seek it out in a movie theater next month. See Bardo projected on the big screen will deliver an entirely different experience than watching it on Netflix.



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