Berlin
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Berlin 2014: ‘Is the Man Who Is Tall Happy?’ review
★★★★☆ French director Michel Gondry allows himself to become the receptive canvas for the theories and concepts of famed academic and philosopher Noam Chomsky in his animated documentary, Is the Man Who Is Tall Happy? (2013). Illustrating the complexities of linguistics, this charmingly presented and incredibly modest discussion unites the playfully surreal animation of Gondry…
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Berlin 2014: ‘Another World’ review
★★☆☆☆ Fisher Stevens’ Occupy Wall Street documentary Another World (2014) – which premièred in the Panorama sidebar in Berlin – is as scatterbrained as the protest itself, attempting too much and delivering too little. Yet it also remains an earnest view of a movement that has created the modern Western notion of direct action. Stevens,…
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Berlin 2014: ‘Shadow Days’ review
★★★★☆ In recent years, filmmaker Zhao Dayong has garnered a reputation for being one of China’s most outspoken dissident voices. Zhao’s preoccupation with exploring the dark heart of China’s global image has situated him as a key player in its recent independent documentary movement. Shadow Days (2014) is Zhao’s second fictional feature and continues his…
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Berlin 2014: ’71’ review
★★☆☆☆ The complexities of the Troubles in Northern Ireland have long been a difficult era in British history to replicate on the big screen. Certain efforts have been more moving than others, whilst some have been downright incendiary – with Belfast often reduced to an urban warzone decimated by bombs and ingrained hatred. Yann Demange’s…
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Berlin 2014: Jack review
★★★☆☆ In competition at Berlin, Edward Berger’s Jack (2014) is a laconic adolescent drama that burns with all the dynamism and intensity of a hyperactive child, yet struggles to maintain its fierce momentum. Despite being only ten, the film’s titular protag (Ivo Pietzcker) finds himself responsible for both himself and his younger brother, Manuel (Georg…
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Berlin 2014: ‘Thou Wast Mild and Lovely’ review
★★★☆☆ Beginning life as a Kickstarter project and now playing in the Forum section of the 64th Berlinale, actress and director Josephine Decker presents her sophomore feature, Thou Wast Mild and Lovely (2012), starring regular collaborator Joe Swanberg alongside Robert Longstreet and Sophie Traub. We open to an uncomfortable scene of father and daughter Jeremiah…
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Berlin 2014: ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’
★★★★☆ Wes Anderson ushers in the 64th Berlin Film Festival with his latest intricate offering The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014). Starring Ralph Fiennes in the lead as concierge extraordinaire M. Gustave, Anderson marries old world opulence with his signature stylistics in what is a frosted gateau of a dramedy, trimmed with vibrant charm and wry…
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Berlin 2014: ‘Butter on the Latch’ review
★★★☆☆ The debut narrative feature from actress and director Josephine Decker, Butter on the Latch (2012) has taken a leisurely journey to this year’s Berlinale, arriving at exactly the same time as her Kickstarter funded Thou Wast Mild and Lovely (our festival review here). Relying heavily on improvisation and community collaboration, Decker’s work is a…
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Berlin 2014: Our picks of the programme
The Berlin Film Festival has a reputation for exhibiting an eclectic mix of challenging and thought-provoking films that engage with sociopolitical ideas and promote independent cinema throughout the world. The highlights from this year’s programme are suitably varied. From the festival’s opening film, Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel, to Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard’s…
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Berlin 2013: ‘Child’s Pose’ wins Golden Bear
The 63rd Berlin Film Festival drew to a close last night with its prestigious annual awards ceremony, rewarding the cream of this year’s crop with the International Jury’s highest accolades. Headed up by The Grandmaster director Wong Kar-wai, and featuring American actor Tim Robbins and acclaimed Danish filmmaker Susanne Bier, the Jury presented the coveted…