October 10, 2023
SPECIAL CHICAGO INT'L FILM FESTIVAL PREVIEW! By Dan Pal
For the past couple of weeks, I have been viewing films that will be screened beginning tomorrow at the 2023 Chicago International Film Festival (CIFF). As a member of the Chicago Indie Critics, I am honored to have been given early access to these films. Thanks, CIFF! Here are my capsule reviews (full reviews for most of the films will be published when the films receive an official release) of films I’ve seen which play between Wed. Oct. 11 and Tues. Oct.17. My second installment of additional films reviewed will be published early next week.
SPECIAL CHICAGO INT'L FILM FESTIVAL PREVIEW! By Dan Pal
For the past couple of weeks, I have been viewing films that will be screened beginning tomorrow at the 2023 Chicago International Film Festival (CIFF). As a member of the Chicago Indie Critics, I am honored to have been given early access to these films. Thanks, CIFF! Here are my capsule reviews (full reviews for most of the films will be published when the films receive an official release) of films I’ve seen which play between Wed. Oct. 11 and Tues. Oct.17. My second installment of additional films reviewed will be published early next week.
All Happy Families – 3 out of 4 stars
Directed by Haroula Rose
Some films just feature solid storytelling with well-developed, likeable characters, and a consistent tone. All Happy Families is one of those films that will leave you feeling as if you were part of a family filled with its various foibles and issues. It’s directed and co-written by Haroula Rose who clearly knows a thing or two about all of the above. The film stars Josh Radnor (How I Met Your Mother) as 42-year old Graham Landry who has been struggling for the past couple of years and living in his family’s home on the north side of Chicago. Graham is a struggling actor and writer but as of late is slowly trying to put his run down home together and rent out one of its apartments. With a cast including other recognizable actors such as Becky Ann Baker, John Ashton, David Pasquesi, and Rob Huebel, the film is a solid if not particularly revelatory depiction of contemporary dysfunctional family life in our great city.
Screens Thurs. 10/12 and Fri. 10/13. Director Haroula Rose will be attending both screenings.
Directed by Haroula Rose
Some films just feature solid storytelling with well-developed, likeable characters, and a consistent tone. All Happy Families is one of those films that will leave you feeling as if you were part of a family filled with its various foibles and issues. It’s directed and co-written by Haroula Rose who clearly knows a thing or two about all of the above. The film stars Josh Radnor (How I Met Your Mother) as 42-year old Graham Landry who has been struggling for the past couple of years and living in his family’s home on the north side of Chicago. Graham is a struggling actor and writer but as of late is slowly trying to put his run down home together and rent out one of its apartments. With a cast including other recognizable actors such as Becky Ann Baker, John Ashton, David Pasquesi, and Rob Huebel, the film is a solid if not particularly revelatory depiction of contemporary dysfunctional family life in our great city.
Screens Thurs. 10/12 and Fri. 10/13. Director Haroula Rose will be attending both screenings.
Bad Living – 1 out of 4 stars
Directed by Joao Canijo
I have a pretty high tolerance for slow films, especially those that are character driven. I also tend to have a high appreciation for art films that are not at all interested in entertaining but want to creatively express something. However, Joao Canijo’s film Bad Living, which is Portugal’s submission for the Best International Film Oscar this year, is a completely miserable experience. It focuses on the relationship between three generations of women in one family that owns a decaying hotel with few guests. The film is filled with long shots, long takes, long stares, and a couple of long fights which feature both verbal and physical abuse. Everything about this film is cold, from the characters to the setting. Did I mention there is a companion film (Living Bad), which is also playing at the festival, that is also over two hours and that takes the perspective of the few hotel guests. No thanks.
Screens Sun. 10/15 and Mon. 10/16
Directed by Joao Canijo
I have a pretty high tolerance for slow films, especially those that are character driven. I also tend to have a high appreciation for art films that are not at all interested in entertaining but want to creatively express something. However, Joao Canijo’s film Bad Living, which is Portugal’s submission for the Best International Film Oscar this year, is a completely miserable experience. It focuses on the relationship between three generations of women in one family that owns a decaying hotel with few guests. The film is filled with long shots, long takes, long stares, and a couple of long fights which feature both verbal and physical abuse. Everything about this film is cold, from the characters to the setting. Did I mention there is a companion film (Living Bad), which is also playing at the festival, that is also over two hours and that takes the perspective of the few hotel guests. No thanks.
Screens Sun. 10/15 and Mon. 10/16
Bike Vessel – 3 ½ out of 4 stars
Directed by Eric D. Seals
This is an inspiring documentary about a father and son who embark on a bike journey together from St. Louis to Chicago. The son is the director of the project, Eric D. Seals. The remarkable part of this story is the background of his father Donnie and how he experienced three open heart surgeries in the past three decades. Now in his late 60s, Donnie embarks on this ride with a bit of trepidation but full of commitment. While the film is built around this journey, Seals also includes some very insightful and eye-opening details about the cultural conditions which have led many Black Americans to have a history of poor eating habits and health issues. But the thrill of the film is watching these two men on their father and son journey filled with setbacks and squabbles while still solidly focusing on their goal.
Screens Sat. 10/14, Fri. 10/20, and Sat. 10/21. Director Eric Seals will be attending the 10/14 and 10/20 screenings.
Directed by Eric D. Seals
This is an inspiring documentary about a father and son who embark on a bike journey together from St. Louis to Chicago. The son is the director of the project, Eric D. Seals. The remarkable part of this story is the background of his father Donnie and how he experienced three open heart surgeries in the past three decades. Now in his late 60s, Donnie embarks on this ride with a bit of trepidation but full of commitment. While the film is built around this journey, Seals also includes some very insightful and eye-opening details about the cultural conditions which have led many Black Americans to have a history of poor eating habits and health issues. But the thrill of the film is watching these two men on their father and son journey filled with setbacks and squabbles while still solidly focusing on their goal.
Screens Sat. 10/14, Fri. 10/20, and Sat. 10/21. Director Eric Seals will be attending the 10/14 and 10/20 screenings.
Blackbird Blackbird Blackberry – 3 out of 4 stars
Directed by Elene Naveriani
From the country of Georgia comes the story of a unique character in one Etero, played by Eka Chavleishvili. The 48-year-old woman owns a very small, almost empty store in a rural town. The relationship she has with customers is not exactly warm and cuddly. Quite the contrary. Etero walks around with a stern look, almost affectless. Even her friendships with other women feel strained. Etero seeks out her few joys by picking blackberries by a local river. During one of those walks she slips and falls several feet towards the river. Shaken and bruised, Etero imagines the strange reactions she’d receive if she had in fact died. The experience has an unexpected effect on her one day when the distributor of her store’s products arrives. Suddenly she becomes immensely attracted to the similarly aged man, Murman. The slow-paced film doesn’t have most of the bells and whistles we’d associate with a romantic comedy or drama (this one falls somewhere between them.) But perhaps it does possess a more realistic tone reflective of two middle-aged characters discovering something they might have thought was gone from their lives.
Screens Mon. 10/16 and Tues. 10/17
Directed by Elene Naveriani
From the country of Georgia comes the story of a unique character in one Etero, played by Eka Chavleishvili. The 48-year-old woman owns a very small, almost empty store in a rural town. The relationship she has with customers is not exactly warm and cuddly. Quite the contrary. Etero walks around with a stern look, almost affectless. Even her friendships with other women feel strained. Etero seeks out her few joys by picking blackberries by a local river. During one of those walks she slips and falls several feet towards the river. Shaken and bruised, Etero imagines the strange reactions she’d receive if she had in fact died. The experience has an unexpected effect on her one day when the distributor of her store’s products arrives. Suddenly she becomes immensely attracted to the similarly aged man, Murman. The slow-paced film doesn’t have most of the bells and whistles we’d associate with a romantic comedy or drama (this one falls somewhere between them.) But perhaps it does possess a more realistic tone reflective of two middle-aged characters discovering something they might have thought was gone from their lives.
Screens Mon. 10/16 and Tues. 10/17
The Burdened – 3 out of 4 stars
Directed by Amr Gamal
Yemen’s submission for the Best International Film Oscar this year is a cold, sobering look at a downtrodden culture and family who make the hard the decision to end a pregnancy. Ahmed and Isra’a already have three other small children and are having a very difficult time trying to make ends meet. What makes the film worth seeing, for those who are open-minded and interested in socio-cultural challenges, is how matter of fact getting an abortion is for some members of this community. The film explores the difference between a life and a soul and when it is acceptable to some to end a pregnancy. While this exploration of abortion might be hard for various factions of our own culture to take, nothing is glorified here. The film could use a bit more plot and character development but it is an interesting look at one particular conservative culture’s perspective on abortion.
Screens Sat. 10/14 and Sun. 10/15. Director Amr Gamal will be attending both screenings.
Directed by Amr Gamal
Yemen’s submission for the Best International Film Oscar this year is a cold, sobering look at a downtrodden culture and family who make the hard the decision to end a pregnancy. Ahmed and Isra’a already have three other small children and are having a very difficult time trying to make ends meet. What makes the film worth seeing, for those who are open-minded and interested in socio-cultural challenges, is how matter of fact getting an abortion is for some members of this community. The film explores the difference between a life and a soul and when it is acceptable to some to end a pregnancy. While this exploration of abortion might be hard for various factions of our own culture to take, nothing is glorified here. The film could use a bit more plot and character development but it is an interesting look at one particular conservative culture’s perspective on abortion.
Screens Sat. 10/14 and Sun. 10/15. Director Amr Gamal will be attending both screenings.
Bye Bye Tiberias – 3 out of 4 stars
Directed by Lina Soualem
The film follows the director returning to her mother’s village in Tiberias, a small village in Palestine that was earlier invaded by Israel leaving it under Israeli control. Ironically, given the current war developing in the region right now, her mother fears the village will one day be gone. The mother in question is Hiam Abbass, who left home thirty years ago to be an actress. Today, we know Abbass from her work as Ramy’s mother on the TV series Ramy and Logan Roy’s wife on Succession. She has also appeared in films such as The Visitor, Munich, and Blade Runner 2049. Clearly, she’s made good on all of her professional dreams but as she returns to Tiberias after her mother passes away, she wonders what it would have been like had she never left. What’s interesting about this film is the inclusion of footage from essentially three different times: the 1940s, the 1990s, and 2018. The editing, while at times allowing us to compare the area as it has evolved, also feels a bit disjointed as the chronology jumps between eras and ideas seemingly randomly. Still, there’s a warmth and nostalgic feel within the film and the stories of the family’s past are quite interesting.
Screens Sun. 10/15 and Mon. 10/16. Director Lina Soualem will be attending both screenings.
Directed by Lina Soualem
The film follows the director returning to her mother’s village in Tiberias, a small village in Palestine that was earlier invaded by Israel leaving it under Israeli control. Ironically, given the current war developing in the region right now, her mother fears the village will one day be gone. The mother in question is Hiam Abbass, who left home thirty years ago to be an actress. Today, we know Abbass from her work as Ramy’s mother on the TV series Ramy and Logan Roy’s wife on Succession. She has also appeared in films such as The Visitor, Munich, and Blade Runner 2049. Clearly, she’s made good on all of her professional dreams but as she returns to Tiberias after her mother passes away, she wonders what it would have been like had she never left. What’s interesting about this film is the inclusion of footage from essentially three different times: the 1940s, the 1990s, and 2018. The editing, while at times allowing us to compare the area as it has evolved, also feels a bit disjointed as the chronology jumps between eras and ideas seemingly randomly. Still, there’s a warmth and nostalgic feel within the film and the stories of the family’s past are quite interesting.
Screens Sun. 10/15 and Mon. 10/16. Director Lina Soualem will be attending both screenings.
Departing Seniors – 3 out of 4 stars
Directed by Clare Cooney
Ignacio Diaz-Silverio stars as Javier, one of several students about to graduate from a fictitious Chicago area high school. Javier is out, gay, and has to contend with bullying by a few annoying jocks. Murders by a masked figure begin to plague the school in the final days of the year. There’s blood and thrills, but if one thinks they know where this is going, they’re in for a few surprises. Javier isn’t played as a stereotypic gay teen who takes the negative attention he is getting. Rather he fights back. He’s also outspoken and boasts a charmingly mature personality. While the timeline is a bit unrealistic and the school’s response to the horrific events is questionable, the script in general is well-polished with some interesting teen characters. Thankfully, the slasher element is not overdone, though it is a major part of the plot. Still, the twists, characters, and direction make this a pretty satisfying experience.
Screens Wed 10/11 at the Music Box Theatre. Director Clare Cooney will be attending the screening.
Directed by Clare Cooney
Ignacio Diaz-Silverio stars as Javier, one of several students about to graduate from a fictitious Chicago area high school. Javier is out, gay, and has to contend with bullying by a few annoying jocks. Murders by a masked figure begin to plague the school in the final days of the year. There’s blood and thrills, but if one thinks they know where this is going, they’re in for a few surprises. Javier isn’t played as a stereotypic gay teen who takes the negative attention he is getting. Rather he fights back. He’s also outspoken and boasts a charmingly mature personality. While the timeline is a bit unrealistic and the school’s response to the horrific events is questionable, the script in general is well-polished with some interesting teen characters. Thankfully, the slasher element is not overdone, though it is a major part of the plot. Still, the twists, characters, and direction make this a pretty satisfying experience.
Screens Wed 10/11 at the Music Box Theatre. Director Clare Cooney will be attending the screening.
A Happy Day – 3 out of 4 stars
Directed by Hisham Zaman
Set in the far and frozen northern sections of Norway, A Happy Day follows three teenaged boys who are residing in a remote detention camp. They have arrived as asylum seekers from an unspecific country in the Middle East but must return the day they turn 18. That is, ironically, their “happy day.” Writer/Director Hisham Zaman tells this story with a degree of humor (somewhat similar to that found in Wes Anderson’s films) and metaphor, letting the characters maintain some sense of hope for their future, while never letting us or the characters forget they are in a cold, desolate environment and will soon be returned back home unless they can escape. The film is a bit slow paced but some of the humor and colorful characters make for an interesting watch.
Screens Fri. Oct. 13 and Sat. Oct. 14. Director Hisham Zaman is scheduled to attend both screenings.
Directed by Hisham Zaman
Set in the far and frozen northern sections of Norway, A Happy Day follows three teenaged boys who are residing in a remote detention camp. They have arrived as asylum seekers from an unspecific country in the Middle East but must return the day they turn 18. That is, ironically, their “happy day.” Writer/Director Hisham Zaman tells this story with a degree of humor (somewhat similar to that found in Wes Anderson’s films) and metaphor, letting the characters maintain some sense of hope for their future, while never letting us or the characters forget they are in a cold, desolate environment and will soon be returned back home unless they can escape. The film is a bit slow paced but some of the humor and colorful characters make for an interesting watch.
Screens Fri. Oct. 13 and Sat. Oct. 14. Director Hisham Zaman is scheduled to attend both screenings.
In the Rearview – 4 out of 4 stars
Directed by Maciek Hamela
There has never been a documentary quite like In the Rearview. Filmmaker Maciek Hamela records people in Ukraine who are being evacuated to Poland via a transportation service. The driver is the same but the country’s residents keep arriving at different intervals for their rides to safety. There are at least two cameras in the van which picks people up in a variety of Ukrainian villages. They all have one thing in common: to escape their war-torn homeland. It is a study of ordinary people thrown into the worse imaginable circumstances. Yet their reactions during this transportation out of the country considerably vary. Some sit with sad, contemplative looks on their faces. Some are calm, nonverbally worried, sullen, and/or forlorn. Then there are those who left all behind, including a cow and various family members, but are still concerned about what they feel are their basic necessities such as their cell phone batteries. That’s what is so disturbing and yet beautiful about this film. It captures the real human effects of these conflicts on everyday people that could just as easily be us instead of them. This is a brilliant and much needed to be seen document of a very sad time in our world’s history.
Screens Sun. 10/15 and Mon. 10/16
Directed by Maciek Hamela
There has never been a documentary quite like In the Rearview. Filmmaker Maciek Hamela records people in Ukraine who are being evacuated to Poland via a transportation service. The driver is the same but the country’s residents keep arriving at different intervals for their rides to safety. There are at least two cameras in the van which picks people up in a variety of Ukrainian villages. They all have one thing in common: to escape their war-torn homeland. It is a study of ordinary people thrown into the worse imaginable circumstances. Yet their reactions during this transportation out of the country considerably vary. Some sit with sad, contemplative looks on their faces. Some are calm, nonverbally worried, sullen, and/or forlorn. Then there are those who left all behind, including a cow and various family members, but are still concerned about what they feel are their basic necessities such as their cell phone batteries. That’s what is so disturbing and yet beautiful about this film. It captures the real human effects of these conflicts on everyday people that could just as easily be us instead of them. This is a brilliant and much needed to be seen document of a very sad time in our world’s history.
Screens Sun. 10/15 and Mon. 10/16
Pictures of Ghosts – 3 ½ out of 4 stars
Directed by Kleber Mendonca Filho
This documentary is a loving and melancholic tribute to the home and cinemas frequented .by famed Brazilian director Kleber Mendonca Filho. The town, Recife, has been featured in more than one of his films. It’s also his hometown. As such, he looks back on what was once a bustling city, that had connections to Hitler and then to Hollywood elite such as Janet Leigh and Tony Curtis, but is now decaying as it finds itself a shell of what it once was. Anyone who has ever looked back on their childhood neighborhoods and wondered how they evolved will be entranced by this film. Because Filho is a filmmaker who has been recording much of his life and surroundings for decades, it is particularly bittersweet to see how much has changed in his world. The town of Recife represents any setting that has fallen on hard times and that means so much to the people who once inhabited it. It’s a character in and of itself.
Screens Sat. 10/14 and Thurs. 10/19
Directed by Kleber Mendonca Filho
This documentary is a loving and melancholic tribute to the home and cinemas frequented .by famed Brazilian director Kleber Mendonca Filho. The town, Recife, has been featured in more than one of his films. It’s also his hometown. As such, he looks back on what was once a bustling city, that had connections to Hitler and then to Hollywood elite such as Janet Leigh and Tony Curtis, but is now decaying as it finds itself a shell of what it once was. Anyone who has ever looked back on their childhood neighborhoods and wondered how they evolved will be entranced by this film. Because Filho is a filmmaker who has been recording much of his life and surroundings for decades, it is particularly bittersweet to see how much has changed in his world. The town of Recife represents any setting that has fallen on hard times and that means so much to the people who once inhabited it. It’s a character in and of itself.
Screens Sat. 10/14 and Thurs. 10/19
The Promised Land – 2 ½ out of 4 stars
Directed by Nikolaj Arcel
Danish filmmaker Nicholaj Arcel, who previously created the entertaining and Oscar-nominated A Royal Affair, directed this story which centers on Ludvig Kahlen who fought for the German army and in 1755 was given land by the King in Denmark to develop and live on it. This may be a story that resonates with those passionate about Denmark’s history but this particular telling will not make other audiences search down for more details. It’s just not very interesting. Mads Mikkelson (Another Round, Hannibal, Doctor Strange) stars as Kahlen in a performance which is for the most part played very straight and stern-faced possessing little emotion to connect with until the film’s later scenes. He spends most of the time stoically dealing with wealthy landowner Frederik De Schinkel (Simon Bennebjerg) who insists the land belongs to him. Schinkel is the kind of villain we’ve seen repeatedly in these period films. He has very little depth and only exists to flaunt his power and money. The production design and period are fine but the narrative feels too predictable to be entertaining in any original way.
Screens Sat. 10/14 and Sat. 10/21
Directed by Nikolaj Arcel
Danish filmmaker Nicholaj Arcel, who previously created the entertaining and Oscar-nominated A Royal Affair, directed this story which centers on Ludvig Kahlen who fought for the German army and in 1755 was given land by the King in Denmark to develop and live on it. This may be a story that resonates with those passionate about Denmark’s history but this particular telling will not make other audiences search down for more details. It’s just not very interesting. Mads Mikkelson (Another Round, Hannibal, Doctor Strange) stars as Kahlen in a performance which is for the most part played very straight and stern-faced possessing little emotion to connect with until the film’s later scenes. He spends most of the time stoically dealing with wealthy landowner Frederik De Schinkel (Simon Bennebjerg) who insists the land belongs to him. Schinkel is the kind of villain we’ve seen repeatedly in these period films. He has very little depth and only exists to flaunt his power and money. The production design and period are fine but the narrative feels too predictable to be entertaining in any original way.
Screens Sat. 10/14 and Sat. 10/21
Silver Dollar Road – 3 ½ out of 4 stars
Directed by Raoul Peck
Oscar-nominated documentary director Raoul Peck (I Am Not Your Negro) returns with the sad story of several acres of land that were given to a Black family following the Civil War. Since then the land has brought joy, freedom, and good memories to the many descendants of that original family. However, there has also been significant strife, racial, and legal issues that have plagued its people. Peck spends much of the film interviewing those living on the land as they tell their difficult story about claims that the land doesn’t legally belong to them. While focusing more on this close-knit community, Peck doesn’t provide much information on the legal side their opponents seem to stand on. How they can put away two of the community’s members for refusing to leave the land remains a bit of a mystery. Still Peck paints a portrait of a community of people full of resolve and strength to take on any group that stands in the way of holding onto their inherited land. It’s also a film that makes it clear that racism and money are still major issues in our society, but at least one family and its cultural community can still stand as a powerful force to fight the enemy.
Screens Fri 10/13. Director Raoul Peck will be attending the screening.
Directed by Raoul Peck
Oscar-nominated documentary director Raoul Peck (I Am Not Your Negro) returns with the sad story of several acres of land that were given to a Black family following the Civil War. Since then the land has brought joy, freedom, and good memories to the many descendants of that original family. However, there has also been significant strife, racial, and legal issues that have plagued its people. Peck spends much of the film interviewing those living on the land as they tell their difficult story about claims that the land doesn’t legally belong to them. While focusing more on this close-knit community, Peck doesn’t provide much information on the legal side their opponents seem to stand on. How they can put away two of the community’s members for refusing to leave the land remains a bit of a mystery. Still Peck paints a portrait of a community of people full of resolve and strength to take on any group that stands in the way of holding onto their inherited land. It’s also a film that makes it clear that racism and money are still major issues in our society, but at least one family and its cultural community can still stand as a powerful force to fight the enemy.
Screens Fri 10/13. Director Raoul Peck will be attending the screening.
The Teacher’s Lounge – 3 out of 4 stars
Directed by Ilker Catak
Germany’s submission for the Best International Film Oscar this year is a film in which students clash with students, teachers clash with other teachers and the administration, and parents clash with schools. Leonie Benesch stars as Carla Nowak, a grammar school math teacher dealing with the daily tribulations that are a part of her chosen profession. Soon a more serious situation arises when Nowak uses her laptop to catch someone stealing from her jacket. This sets up the series of confrontations as the person in question is a staff member from the school whose son is in Nowak’s class. Initially she appears to have great rapport and strong control over her classroom but the incident leads to questions about unfair, and possibly illegal, surveillance, administration support, and parental involvement. What the film is ultimately trying to say though is a bit unclear. It doesn’t really solve today’s issues in the education system but perhaps suggests that we’re in need of new approaches to address these concerns.
Screens Sat. 10/14 and Sun 10/15
Directed by Ilker Catak
Germany’s submission for the Best International Film Oscar this year is a film in which students clash with students, teachers clash with other teachers and the administration, and parents clash with schools. Leonie Benesch stars as Carla Nowak, a grammar school math teacher dealing with the daily tribulations that are a part of her chosen profession. Soon a more serious situation arises when Nowak uses her laptop to catch someone stealing from her jacket. This sets up the series of confrontations as the person in question is a staff member from the school whose son is in Nowak’s class. Initially she appears to have great rapport and strong control over her classroom but the incident leads to questions about unfair, and possibly illegal, surveillance, administration support, and parental involvement. What the film is ultimately trying to say though is a bit unclear. It doesn’t really solve today’s issues in the education system but perhaps suggests that we’re in need of new approaches to address these concerns.
Screens Sat. 10/14 and Sun 10/15
The Universal Theory – 3 ½ out of 4 stars
Directed by Timm Kroger
This is an impeccably fine-tuned thriller which blends all of the elements of classic story telling, exquisite production design, cinematography, and a big dramatic score. It’s a film which harkens back to an earlier era of filmmaking as its narrative sits squarely in the center of it in 1962. Leinert is a doctoral candidate with theories about multiple universes. Traveling to Switzerland with his professor, Leinert encounters a series of mysterious situations including some unique cloud formations above the mountains. The region is said to be filled with radiation causing events that would seem improbable based on the accepted theories of physics at the time. Tension builds as significant characters come and go from the area and Leinert falls for a curious woman named Karin (Olivia Ross.) Every filmmaking element that could be employed to create an atmosphere of mystery and suspense is applied here rivaling the visual work found in classic films such as Vertigo, Casablanca, and 8 ½. This is a very satisfying and entertaining science fiction thriller.
Screens Sun. 10/15 and Tues. 10/17
Directed by Timm Kroger
This is an impeccably fine-tuned thriller which blends all of the elements of classic story telling, exquisite production design, cinematography, and a big dramatic score. It’s a film which harkens back to an earlier era of filmmaking as its narrative sits squarely in the center of it in 1962. Leinert is a doctoral candidate with theories about multiple universes. Traveling to Switzerland with his professor, Leinert encounters a series of mysterious situations including some unique cloud formations above the mountains. The region is said to be filled with radiation causing events that would seem improbable based on the accepted theories of physics at the time. Tension builds as significant characters come and go from the area and Leinert falls for a curious woman named Karin (Olivia Ross.) Every filmmaking element that could be employed to create an atmosphere of mystery and suspense is applied here rivaling the visual work found in classic films such as Vertigo, Casablanca, and 8 ½. This is a very satisfying and entertaining science fiction thriller.
Screens Sun. 10/15 and Tues. 10/17