October 16, 2023
2023 Chicago International Film Festival Preview (Part 2)
By Dan Pal
So many thrilling and provocative works in the second and last week of the festival! Here are capsule reviews of films I’ve seen that will playing this week. Full reviews will be published once the films are officially released.
2023 Chicago International Film Festival Preview (Part 2)
By Dan Pal
So many thrilling and provocative works in the second and last week of the festival! Here are capsule reviews of films I’ve seen that will playing this week. Full reviews will be published once the films are officially released.
Alien Island (Isla Alien) – 3 out of 4 stars
Directed by Christobal Valenzuela Berrios
Alien Island centers on a mysterious island off the coast of Chile which was said to be a landing site for aliens who had special powers to cure diseases and predict the future. The film features interviews with people who were affected by the supposed invasion in 1984. These include amateur radio operators who claimed to have heard or know others who recall the strange alien sounds and voices. Coupled with this is what looks like black and white archival footage. Much of it doesn’t look authentic to the period so it’s unclear how much of it is real and how much was created for the film. Director Christobal Valenzuela Berrios has a lot of interesting things to say about people believing in aliens and miracle cures. It’s a provocative film leaving audiences to form their own opinions about how much they see is true.
Screens Tues. 10/17 and Wed. 10/18. Director Cristóbal Valenzuela and Producer Diego Breit will be attending both screenings.
Directed by Christobal Valenzuela Berrios
Alien Island centers on a mysterious island off the coast of Chile which was said to be a landing site for aliens who had special powers to cure diseases and predict the future. The film features interviews with people who were affected by the supposed invasion in 1984. These include amateur radio operators who claimed to have heard or know others who recall the strange alien sounds and voices. Coupled with this is what looks like black and white archival footage. Much of it doesn’t look authentic to the period so it’s unclear how much of it is real and how much was created for the film. Director Christobal Valenzuela Berrios has a lot of interesting things to say about people believing in aliens and miracle cures. It’s a provocative film leaving audiences to form their own opinions about how much they see is true.
Screens Tues. 10/17 and Wed. 10/18. Director Cristóbal Valenzuela and Producer Diego Breit will be attending both screenings.
All of Us Strangers – 3 ½ out of 4 stars
Directed by Andrew Haigh
Andrew Haigh’s films have always been talky and deeply introspective. This is especially true with 45 Years and Weekend. His new film remains in the same vein but also takes us into an alternate dimension of sorts. It stars Andrew Scott as Adam, a lonely middle-aged man living in an apartment building in London where no one else seems to have yet begun to reside. The only exception is Harry, played by Paul Mescal. Harry is younger but like Adam is gay. He’s much more assertive than Adam but aside from some heavy drinking, seems to be a good guy for shy screenwriter Adam. As their relationship begins to develop, Adam take a number of train trips to an outlying area where he visits his parents (played by Jamie Bell and Claire Foy. The catch: they were killed in a car accident some 30 years earlier. It’s all very intriguing if a bit languid in its pacing. The star of the film truly is Andrew Scott. Having made a name for himself as the “hot priest” on Fleabag, he’s now operating at A level status here. His chemistry with Mescal is quite palpable.
Screens Thurs. 10/19
Directed by Andrew Haigh
Andrew Haigh’s films have always been talky and deeply introspective. This is especially true with 45 Years and Weekend. His new film remains in the same vein but also takes us into an alternate dimension of sorts. It stars Andrew Scott as Adam, a lonely middle-aged man living in an apartment building in London where no one else seems to have yet begun to reside. The only exception is Harry, played by Paul Mescal. Harry is younger but like Adam is gay. He’s much more assertive than Adam but aside from some heavy drinking, seems to be a good guy for shy screenwriter Adam. As their relationship begins to develop, Adam take a number of train trips to an outlying area where he visits his parents (played by Jamie Bell and Claire Foy. The catch: they were killed in a car accident some 30 years earlier. It’s all very intriguing if a bit languid in its pacing. The star of the film truly is Andrew Scott. Having made a name for himself as the “hot priest” on Fleabag, he’s now operating at A level status here. His chemistry with Mescal is quite palpable.
Screens Thurs. 10/19
Because We Have Each Other – 2 out of 4 stars
Directed by Sari Braithwaite
Some documentaries attempt to change the world, push an agenda, or highlight a time in history. Because We Have Each Other doesn’t do any of that. It’s a story of a struggling family in Australia who deal with a lot of things many families do but that have also experienced some significant hardships. Why this particular “neuro diverse” family was chosen to follow though is a mystery. There are a host of interesting personalities within its core but there isn’t a larger through line, other than the love of a couple, to make this documentary really pop or feel necessary. Janet and Buddha have been together since the mid 2000s. They each arrived into their relationship with children from previous spouses. One has three, the other has two. If you’re thinking, “ah, almost a Brady Bunch story!” you’d be sort of right, if you took out the comedy, the laugh track, the big house, and the contrived storylines. The children are diverse in their own rights and Janet and Buddha seem like good nurturers but the film as a whole just doesn’t add up to much.
Screens Thus 10/19.
Directed by Sari Braithwaite
Some documentaries attempt to change the world, push an agenda, or highlight a time in history. Because We Have Each Other doesn’t do any of that. It’s a story of a struggling family in Australia who deal with a lot of things many families do but that have also experienced some significant hardships. Why this particular “neuro diverse” family was chosen to follow though is a mystery. There are a host of interesting personalities within its core but there isn’t a larger through line, other than the love of a couple, to make this documentary really pop or feel necessary. Janet and Buddha have been together since the mid 2000s. They each arrived into their relationship with children from previous spouses. One has three, the other has two. If you’re thinking, “ah, almost a Brady Bunch story!” you’d be sort of right, if you took out the comedy, the laugh track, the big house, and the contrived storylines. The children are diverse in their own rights and Janet and Buddha seem like good nurturers but the film as a whole just doesn’t add up to much.
Screens Thus 10/19.
Carnal Sins (Almamula) – 3 out of 4 stars
Directed by Juan Sebastian Torales
When a young adolescent, Nino, is brutally beaten by neighborhood boys for being, as they refer to him, a “faggot,” his mother and sister move away with him to a more remote area where their father lives. There, it is said that boys should not go into the nearby forest for fear of the “Almamula” – a creature who takes away anyone who sins. The story presents all of the usual trappings associated with Christianity and blends them with a defiant young character who pushes the limits of all that the followers are taught. The star of the film is young Nicolas Diaz as Nino. He remains silent for a good chunk of the story. Everything he is thinking and feeling can be read in his eyes which observe, question, and make judgements. It’s a terrific performance that is finely controlled and contained. This is a character after all whose own emotions and desires remain imprisoned in his own mind and body just waiting to break free.
Screens Fri. 10/20 and Sat. 10/21. Director Juan Sebastian Torales will be attending both screenings.
Directed by Juan Sebastian Torales
When a young adolescent, Nino, is brutally beaten by neighborhood boys for being, as they refer to him, a “faggot,” his mother and sister move away with him to a more remote area where their father lives. There, it is said that boys should not go into the nearby forest for fear of the “Almamula” – a creature who takes away anyone who sins. The story presents all of the usual trappings associated with Christianity and blends them with a defiant young character who pushes the limits of all that the followers are taught. The star of the film is young Nicolas Diaz as Nino. He remains silent for a good chunk of the story. Everything he is thinking and feeling can be read in his eyes which observe, question, and make judgements. It’s a terrific performance that is finely controlled and contained. This is a character after all whose own emotions and desires remain imprisoned in his own mind and body just waiting to break free.
Screens Fri. 10/20 and Sat. 10/21. Director Juan Sebastian Torales will be attending both screenings.
The Crime is Mine – 3 out of 4 stars
Directed by Francois Ozon
It seems that due to the success of films such as Knives Out and Murder on the Orient Express in recent years, it’s not surprising to see other comedy/mystery/thrillers making their ways to cinemas. They’re usually easy to digest, very entertaining, and filled with a lot of familiar and colorful actors. This French film takes the age-old genre, hastens its pace, and delights its most ardent followers with plenty of twists and surprises. Nadia Tereszkiewicz stars as Madeleine Verdier, an actress in the 1930s who can barely pay the rent. During a meeting she has with a producer, a gun is fired and the man dies. Did Madeleine do it? We don’t actually see her commit the crime but she does come running out soon after. The interesting twist here is that she admits to it and then becomes a major star making films, starring on stage, and gracing the cover of magazines. She’s thrilled at the turn of events until a fading silent film star, Odette Chaumette, played by Isabelle Huppert, steps up to claim she killed the producer so that she can revitalize her own career. There is a genuine lightness to the film as it successfully provides pure entertainment. The film moves at a fast pace with little let up. That’s a good thing, as it doesn’t get bogged down with anything unnecessary to the almost cartoon-like tale it is trying to tell.
Screens Wed 10/18 and Thurs. 10/19
Directed by Francois Ozon
It seems that due to the success of films such as Knives Out and Murder on the Orient Express in recent years, it’s not surprising to see other comedy/mystery/thrillers making their ways to cinemas. They’re usually easy to digest, very entertaining, and filled with a lot of familiar and colorful actors. This French film takes the age-old genre, hastens its pace, and delights its most ardent followers with plenty of twists and surprises. Nadia Tereszkiewicz stars as Madeleine Verdier, an actress in the 1930s who can barely pay the rent. During a meeting she has with a producer, a gun is fired and the man dies. Did Madeleine do it? We don’t actually see her commit the crime but she does come running out soon after. The interesting twist here is that she admits to it and then becomes a major star making films, starring on stage, and gracing the cover of magazines. She’s thrilled at the turn of events until a fading silent film star, Odette Chaumette, played by Isabelle Huppert, steps up to claim she killed the producer so that she can revitalize her own career. There is a genuine lightness to the film as it successfully provides pure entertainment. The film moves at a fast pace with little let up. That’s a good thing, as it doesn’t get bogged down with anything unnecessary to the almost cartoon-like tale it is trying to tell.
Screens Wed 10/18 and Thurs. 10/19
Hard Miles – 2 ½ out of 4 stars
Directed by R.J. Daniel Hanna
Hard Miles is inspired by the true story of Greg Townsend who took troubled boys from a chartered reformatory academy on a 762-mile bike ride to the Grand Canyon. Matthew Modine stars as Townsend who, at the start of the film, is dealing with his own physical limitations while breaking up fights at Ridgeview Academy. Initially he plans to go on the journey by himself as a way to attain some solitude. The father he is estranged from is dying and his brother seems to be in prison. He then decides to take four of the boys from the academy as a way for them to work through many of their issues. They’re all at odds with each other when the trip begins but, surprise, they learn how to work together as a team. As such, the film has a lot of familiar “inspirational story” beats but also leaves out a lot of logistical and character details. Still, many people will probably love and feel moved by this film regardless of its missing pieces.
Screens Sat. 10/21 and Sun. 10/22. Actor Matthew Modine is scheduled to attend the screening on 10/21
Directed by R.J. Daniel Hanna
Hard Miles is inspired by the true story of Greg Townsend who took troubled boys from a chartered reformatory academy on a 762-mile bike ride to the Grand Canyon. Matthew Modine stars as Townsend who, at the start of the film, is dealing with his own physical limitations while breaking up fights at Ridgeview Academy. Initially he plans to go on the journey by himself as a way to attain some solitude. The father he is estranged from is dying and his brother seems to be in prison. He then decides to take four of the boys from the academy as a way for them to work through many of their issues. They’re all at odds with each other when the trip begins but, surprise, they learn how to work together as a team. As such, the film has a lot of familiar “inspirational story” beats but also leaves out a lot of logistical and character details. Still, many people will probably love and feel moved by this film regardless of its missing pieces.
Screens Sat. 10/21 and Sun. 10/22. Actor Matthew Modine is scheduled to attend the screening on 10/21
The Mission – 4 out of 4 stars
Directed by Amanda McBaine & Jesse Moss
There’s a “funny line between faith and madness.” It’s one of the significant points made in Amanda McBaine & Jesse Moss’s new documentary The Mission. This sensational film tells the story of John Chau who was killed in his attempt to bring the word of Jesus to the natives of North Sentinel Island. This not to be missed film explores just how far one man’s faith took him and asks the question of whether doing so was ethically sound or not. Using his home videos, social media posts, and journals read by actors, the film delves into Chau’s background which led up to his ill-fated journey. The Emmy-winning filmmakers (for the great 2020 documentary Boys State) also create a very visually stimulating piece of work. While there are plenty of talking heads interviews with Chau’s teachers, friends, and other explorers, they infuse the story with Chau’s own footage, scenes from other documentaries and fictional films (King Kong was said to originate in the same geographical region) which may have told us incorrect stories about people like those in the Andaman Islands (the location of North Sentinel), and a number of animated images which bring many of Chau’s words to life. It’s one of the best films of the year.
Screens Tues, 10/17 and Wed. 10/18.
Directed by Amanda McBaine & Jesse Moss
There’s a “funny line between faith and madness.” It’s one of the significant points made in Amanda McBaine & Jesse Moss’s new documentary The Mission. This sensational film tells the story of John Chau who was killed in his attempt to bring the word of Jesus to the natives of North Sentinel Island. This not to be missed film explores just how far one man’s faith took him and asks the question of whether doing so was ethically sound or not. Using his home videos, social media posts, and journals read by actors, the film delves into Chau’s background which led up to his ill-fated journey. The Emmy-winning filmmakers (for the great 2020 documentary Boys State) also create a very visually stimulating piece of work. While there are plenty of talking heads interviews with Chau’s teachers, friends, and other explorers, they infuse the story with Chau’s own footage, scenes from other documentaries and fictional films (King Kong was said to originate in the same geographical region) which may have told us incorrect stories about people like those in the Andaman Islands (the location of North Sentinel), and a number of animated images which bring many of Chau’s words to life. It’s one of the best films of the year.
Screens Tues, 10/17 and Wed. 10/18.
Poor Things – 3 ½ out of 4 stars
Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos
Filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos has made some of the most original and unusual films, from the Oscar-winning The Favourite to nominees Dogtooth and The Lobster. His work is not for everyone though as the films tend to push the limits of narrative logic, character development, and sexuality on screen. His latest, Poor Things, is no different. It’s based on a novel by Alasdair Gray but most people will view it as a variation of The Bride of Frankenstein. That element is definitely there though but the script goes much deeper and ultimately will resonate with open-minded viewers. Emma Stone stars as Bella Baxter who is brought back to life using the brain of an unborn baby by a scientist named Godwin Baxter, played by Willem Dafoe. The way Stone physically moves is a wonder to behold. Every bit of her actions mimic that of a young child. As the film goes on, Bella is confronted with a series of men who desire her as she becomes more sexually awakened. These include characters played by Ramy Youssef and Mark Ruffalo. Ultimately this is a story about a young woman coming into her own in a world filled with controlling men. Be warned though: there is a lot of sex and nudity in this often very funny film!
Screens Sat. Oct. 21. Costume designer Holly Waddington will be at the screening and receive the Festival’s Tour de Force Award.
Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos
Filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos has made some of the most original and unusual films, from the Oscar-winning The Favourite to nominees Dogtooth and The Lobster. His work is not for everyone though as the films tend to push the limits of narrative logic, character development, and sexuality on screen. His latest, Poor Things, is no different. It’s based on a novel by Alasdair Gray but most people will view it as a variation of The Bride of Frankenstein. That element is definitely there though but the script goes much deeper and ultimately will resonate with open-minded viewers. Emma Stone stars as Bella Baxter who is brought back to life using the brain of an unborn baby by a scientist named Godwin Baxter, played by Willem Dafoe. The way Stone physically moves is a wonder to behold. Every bit of her actions mimic that of a young child. As the film goes on, Bella is confronted with a series of men who desire her as she becomes more sexually awakened. These include characters played by Ramy Youssef and Mark Ruffalo. Ultimately this is a story about a young woman coming into her own in a world filled with controlling men. Be warned though: there is a lot of sex and nudity in this often very funny film!
Screens Sat. Oct. 21. Costume designer Holly Waddington will be at the screening and receive the Festival’s Tour de Force Award.
Shayda – 3 ½ out of 4 stars
Directed by Noora Niasari
Set in Australia in 1995, Shayda, explores the situation the title character finds herself in after leaving her abusive husband. She is residing in a women’s shelter with her small daughter Mona. Together, mother and daughter have a very joyful, warm relationship. Shayda, who is originally from Tehran, Iran, loves to let loose and feely dance. However, she remains in fear that her husband will return and resents the afternoons in which he is allowed to have custody of young Mona. I admired that Niasari chose to begin the story after Shayda already left her husband. We’ve seen the abusive marriage stories before but what is most interesting here is the period just after that when not all has been solved, feelings linger, and final decisions about the future have not been made. Shayda already has demonstrated that she can find safety elsewhere but now she has to fight for her independence and freedom. I think this is something that is inspiring to all.
Screens Sat. 10/21
Directed by Noora Niasari
Set in Australia in 1995, Shayda, explores the situation the title character finds herself in after leaving her abusive husband. She is residing in a women’s shelter with her small daughter Mona. Together, mother and daughter have a very joyful, warm relationship. Shayda, who is originally from Tehran, Iran, loves to let loose and feely dance. However, she remains in fear that her husband will return and resents the afternoons in which he is allowed to have custody of young Mona. I admired that Niasari chose to begin the story after Shayda already left her husband. We’ve seen the abusive marriage stories before but what is most interesting here is the period just after that when not all has been solved, feelings linger, and final decisions about the future have not been made. Shayda already has demonstrated that she can find safety elsewhere but now she has to fight for her independence and freedom. I think this is something that is inspiring to all.
Screens Sat. 10/21
Terrestrial Verses – 4 out of 4 stars
Directed by Ali Asgari and Alireza Khatami
Terrestrial Verses is an extremely powerful statement on social rules in Tehran, Iran. Yet it is so simply produced that one might overlook the immensity of what it is accomplishing. Writer/Directors Ali Asgari and Alireza Khatami serve up a series of vignettes that are each shot in one take and feature an average Tehran citizen attempting to defend their needs and make their lives better while being interviewed by government officials or employers who are bound by their own scripts about what is right and what is wrong. The individuals endure harassment, loss of choice, and identity throughout many of these jaw-dropping scenes. From our Western eyes so many of these rules come off as laughable and ludicrous. That a film like this can be made is a major accomplishment in itself. The fact that each story is so compelling and well-written is to witness a major work of art by two Iranian born filmmakers commenting on their culture and exposing it to the rest of the world.
Screens Thurs. 10/19 and Fri. 10/20
Directed by Ali Asgari and Alireza Khatami
Terrestrial Verses is an extremely powerful statement on social rules in Tehran, Iran. Yet it is so simply produced that one might overlook the immensity of what it is accomplishing. Writer/Directors Ali Asgari and Alireza Khatami serve up a series of vignettes that are each shot in one take and feature an average Tehran citizen attempting to defend their needs and make their lives better while being interviewed by government officials or employers who are bound by their own scripts about what is right and what is wrong. The individuals endure harassment, loss of choice, and identity throughout many of these jaw-dropping scenes. From our Western eyes so many of these rules come off as laughable and ludicrous. That a film like this can be made is a major accomplishment in itself. The fact that each story is so compelling and well-written is to witness a major work of art by two Iranian born filmmakers commenting on their culture and exposing it to the rest of the world.
Screens Thurs. 10/19 and Fri. 10/20
They Shot the Piano Player – 3 out of 4 stars
Directed by Javier Mariscal and Fernando Trueba
They Shot the Piano Player is an animated documentary style film about a journalist who attempts to find out what happened to a 1950s/60s samba jazz pianist. Jeff Goldblum voices the journalist but he’s not what makes the film interesting to view. Right from the opening credits, we know it will be filled with cool jazz sounds and a lot of colorful imagery. For the most part it does, but the energy wanes down towards the middle, losing the initial great steam the filmmakers behind the previous Oscar-nominated animated film, Chico and Rita, establish so well in the beginning. The main focus though is the disappearance of Tenorio Jr. and the implications that, after a military coup, led to a dictatorship in Brazil. Mariscal and Trueba rely a bit too heavily on talking head interviews slowing down the narrative but they do make an interesting and melancholic story suggesting that the world may have lost a lot of strong musical creators due to the various military and political happenings of the 1960s.
Screens Sat. 10/21
Directed by Javier Mariscal and Fernando Trueba
They Shot the Piano Player is an animated documentary style film about a journalist who attempts to find out what happened to a 1950s/60s samba jazz pianist. Jeff Goldblum voices the journalist but he’s not what makes the film interesting to view. Right from the opening credits, we know it will be filled with cool jazz sounds and a lot of colorful imagery. For the most part it does, but the energy wanes down towards the middle, losing the initial great steam the filmmakers behind the previous Oscar-nominated animated film, Chico and Rita, establish so well in the beginning. The main focus though is the disappearance of Tenorio Jr. and the implications that, after a military coup, led to a dictatorship in Brazil. Mariscal and Trueba rely a bit too heavily on talking head interviews slowing down the narrative but they do make an interesting and melancholic story suggesting that the world may have lost a lot of strong musical creators due to the various military and political happenings of the 1960s.
Screens Sat. 10/21