Laura Birn, Amanda Pilke, and others in “Vuosaari” [2012 Finland]

Of the few Finnish films I've had the opportunity to see, director Aku Louhimies' name appears twice. His multi-strand drama "Vuosaari" [Eng. Title: Naked Harbour] is certainly the better of the two (the one I'm comparing with is his earlier Levottomat).

Storyline:
Set in and around Helsinki, the film unravels several parallel but unconnected stories - the common feature being its focus on relationships within each respective environment. We follow a druggie-couple, hoping against odds to make a fresh start, a doting single father and his son, a precocious teenager desperate to become famous, the son of an immigrant single mum who suffers bullying in school, a wealthy family's failing marriage and the husband's extramarital affair, a young boy aching for love from his indifferent mother and finding companionship through his pet dog, and a terminally ill mother and her child coming to terms with what lies ahead (the most moving story among all).

The film doesn't analyse these relationships as much as observe them sympathetically. Some are melodramatic, while the others are quite dispassionate. The stunning winter-wonderland backdrop acts as a stark contrast to the despair, foreboding, and misery of the characters' lives. This peculiarity also appears to be a very Finnish facet from what little I know about the country and their cinema - you sometimes wonder whether it's the cold climate that does this to them. And this is not even a depressing film - it resolves several stories in a rather upbeat fashion, and there is plenty of love and humour in the film too! In any case, what struck me about the film more than anything else is the exceptional performances by ALL the main cast, young and old. This after all reflects on the quality of the screenplay, shot selection, editing and importantly, the direction. The other positive in the film is its breathtaking cinematography, aided of course by the marvellous landscape and some good set design. Despite the convenient and sloppy ending to one or two of these stories, I thoroughly enjoyed the film for its most part, and it is for that reason that this is Recommended Viewing!

Amazon Blu-ray Link | Amazon DVD Link

 


 

The Nudity:
Laura Birn, Amanda Pilke, Matleena Kuusniemi, Pekka Strang, Lenna Kuurmaa, Mikko Kouki, and Teemo Heino
As suggested by this list, a good chunk of the adult main cast, male and female, appear nude in the film, but they're all brief, relevant, and incidental.



Scene Guide:

• As Make frets over finding cash to pay off a loan shark, fiancée Iiris suggests they have some fun instead. They both appear to be drug addicts.
• Fun over, and when Make reiterates his love for Iiris, she asks him not to be clingy. Iiris is played by sultry Laura Birn.
• "It's payback time", so says the loan shark-thug as he accosts Make after the deadline, and Iiris intervenes by suggesting a different way to deal with the situation. Make could only watch in dismay as his fiancée performs fellatio on the thug.
• No nudity - sixteen year old Milla is desperate to become famous. After some unsuccessful auditions, she decides to build herself a seductive portfolio!
• Milla befriends a photographer at one of her auditions, and makes it plain to him that she'll be willing to do 'anything' to become famous. This inevitably leads to her first porn shoot, despite him making clear what this would entail. Milla is determined all the same, her reasoning - "One should try everything, right?" Milla is played by the rather cute Amanda Pike.
• Sara and husband Lauri haven't made love in ages - their marriage is rapidly falling apart. Sara finds out about his affair with their young maid Viivi, and confronts him one evening by not only inviting Viivi for dinner, but also sauna afterwards. The painful episode is filled with irony and humour, as Sara, superbly played by Matleena Kuusniemi, relishes putting her husband through several awkward moments, only to end up with pie on her face. Stone-faced Lauri is played by Pekka Strang, and Viivi by the pretty and sexy Lenna Kuurmaa.
• Father and son bonding - hitherto domineering father Pertti finally opens up to his own insecurities with son Teemu in the sauna. Pertti is played by Mikko Kouki, and Teemu but Teemu Heino.

 

Seven fine directors, and "7 Days in Havana" [2012 Spain, France]

"7 Días en La Habana" [Eng. Title: 7 Days in Havana] was one of my most anticipated films of the year, primarily because it contains segments from two of my favourite directors, Julio Medem and Gaspar Noé. And even though I had pre-ordered the DVD, I couldn't help 'previewing' some of the segments, thanks to one of this site's members lorispersempre - he had managed to obtain a copy from Russia where it was released much before the rest of Europe, and had been kind enough to share them with me. Despite the sneak-view, I couldn't help opening my DVD as soon as it had arrived.

If a favourite feature film director makes a short, one could be disappointed watching it for the first time - I'm sure many people will agree with me on that. Jean-Luc Godard, Michelangelo Antonioni, and Nicolas Roeg have all disappointed me at some point, only for me to change my opinion after repeat viewings. I guess it is because we've got so accustomed to the pace, depth, and tone in their feature films, and expect a similar level of intensity in whatever they do, in effect, expecting to see something a full-length film would convey in a short film. I was half expecting to be disappointed this time too, and nearly was - before I discovered some of the other directors whose work I've never had a chance to see before, and also got to watch my favourite directors for a second time.

Seven directors were asked to come up with their own vision of life in a day in the Cuban capital - six of them are renowned, one of the six has hired another renowned director to star in his film, one of the six is a Cuban, and the seventh director I've only known so far as an actor. Interestingly many seem to have collaborated at some level in putting together their material, weaving in common characteristics. The most obvious thread running through all the segments is of course, Havana, and its mesmerising music. We get different perspectives of life in Havana, both as a foreigner, and a local.

 

Monday: El Yuma - Benicio Del Toro
It was a surprise to see Benicio Del Toro directing, I've only known him as an actor in various American and Spanish films. His segment is interesting, funny, and impressive nonetheless, even if it may have a mainstream Hollywood feel about it, especially in its shot selections. Teddy, a freshly arrived American film student on what appears to be an exchange program with the Cuban equivalent (the Cuban film institute - Escuela Internacional de Cine y TV - is by the way one of the more respected film schools in Latin America), spends an eventful day with his cab driver. It is a mild comedy focusing on the city culture, quirks, and language barriers.

Tuesday: Jam Session - Pablo Trapero
Pablo Trapero, one of the most promising Argentinian directors, casts Serbian director Emir Kusturica as himself, visiting Havana to receive an award at a film festival. This is a beautiful heart-warming segment, where Kusturica develops a close friendship with his chauffeur and gifted part-time trumpeter Alexander Abreu during his stay. This segment is also the richest in music - Cuban jazz lovers will be in for a treat. Me loved it!

Wednesday: La Tentación de Cecilia - Julio Medem
Maestro Medem develops a brief but heady romance between a visiting Spanish talent scout named Leonardo and local star-struck singer Cecilia. She's split between affections for her long term boyfriend José - an unsuccessful baseball player, and her new 'temptation' that is Leonardo, and Spain. The segment ends with her opting to remain in Cuba. While it is beautifully filmed and edited, as can be expected from Medem, I was surprised by the stereotypical characterisation, due to which, I'm sorry to say, it fails to rise beyond the ordinary - nice, but nothing special. Cecilia is played by a real-life singer, the talented and beautiful Melvis Estévez.

Thursday: Diary of a Beginner - Elia Suleiman
Elia Sulieman appears as himself in this segment, trying to arrange an interview with the President through his embassy. Placing himself clearly as an outsider, he makes some interesting observations which are at times philosophical, and at times moving, but quite witty and engaging all the same, despite the absence of any significant dialogue. This is also my favourite segment of the lot, because it is exceptionally well edited and presented.

Friday: Ritual - Gaspar Noé
Gaspar Noé likes to go where others don't, and he doesn't disappoint, as he looks past modern Cuba, into its peoples' African roots. The premise for 'the ritual' is set when a family's precocious and modernised daughter crosses their threshold of acceptability, by having sexual relations with a female friend. It shows a family that is, against the tide, trying to hold on to values that their modern religion cannot safeguard. Noé builds up this premise to unleash his full range of stylistic features - saturated colours, quivering light effects, throbbing sound effects - all to convey the protagonist's inquisitiveness, confusion, disorientation, and fear. The casting is particularly brilliant, and we can all see Noé is still a graphic designer at heart - some of the portrait-shots are worthy of framing. And one really doesn't need to be a fan to enjoy this segment.

Saturday: Dulce Amargo (Bitter-sweet) - Juan Carlos Tabío
This is the only segment seen through the eyes of Cuban sensitivity and sense of humour - Tabío being the only local director in the film. We look at a day in the life of the parents of Cecilia (from the Medem segment). She pays a visit to bid her family farewell, and we won't know the reason until the end. Veteran Cuban actors Jorge Perugorría and Mirtha Ibarra play her parents. Most of their day is spent trying to deliver a cake for a local ceremony, against a backdrop of power-cuts, shortage of ingredients, and time. A slice of life in the capital lovingly seen from a Cuban perspective.

Sunday: La Fuente (The Fountain) - Laurent Cantet
French director Laurent Cantet's segment almost continues from the previous segment, focusing on where the cake is heading, and the reason for their fiesta. An elderly lady summons all her neighbours to convey a vision she had of the Virgin Mary asking her to organise a ceremony, which would involve some major painting and decorating, including construction of a mini fountain right in the middle of her living room. The segment primarily focuses on the community spirit, and how they pool together resources to get things done.

 

In summary, "7 Days in Havana" is a wonderfully eclectic collection of short films that observes life in Havana, both as a foreigner, and a native. Music is an important ingredient in all the segments. All seven are colourful, imaginative, and a joy to watch. Needless to say, Highly Recommended Viewing..!

Amazon DVD Link

 

The Nudity: Melvis Estévez, Cristella de la Caridad Herrera, and Dunia Matos Hernández
The first instance is of Melvis Estévez who appears as Cecilia in Julio Medem's segment. Ms. Estévez, a gifted singer, also performs her songs here. There are some brief scenes of nudity, first whilst having a shower, and later at home with her boyfriend. There is also nudity from Cristella de la Caridad Herrera, she plays the precocious teenager in Gaspar Noé's segment, and partial nudity from Dunia Matos Hernández who plays the female friend of Ms. Herrera.



Scene Guide:

• The scene from Benicio Del Toro's segment has no nudity, but is interesting nevertheless. Young American Teddy is invited for lunch by a cab driver and his mother. When he is momentarily left alone while they performed errands, local prostitute Norka enters the house and propositions a bewildered Teddy. The cab driver's mum catches her red-handed. Norka is played by Claudia Muñiz.
• In Julio Medem's segment, Cecilia is invited to his hotel room by visiting Spanish talent scout Leonardo, who is also clearly infatuated with her. Cecilia accepts, and asks if she could take a shower first. She overhears a conversation Leonardo has with his partner-friend on the phone, bragging about his success in bringing Cecilia into his room, and promptly leaves. Cecilia is played by Melvis Estévez.
• Cecilia catches boyfriend José just when he's leaving for an important game. Despite his request not to tempt him before a game, she does.
• Gaspar Noé's segment starts with young people having a reggaeton party by the beach, during which 'the girl' is hit upon by a female friend. The girl's parents discover them together in bed. The girl is played by pretty Cristella de la Caridad Herrera, and her female friend by Dunia Matos Hernández.
• The 'ritual', where a shaman exorcises 'evil thoughts' from the girl under the watchful eyes of her parents...

 

Scenes from Andrei Tarkovsky's "Andrei Rublev" [1966 USSR]

I venture into Russian cinema in the blog with a mixture of awe and trepidation, for as fascinating it was watching whatever little I have so far on good ol' Channel 4, and more recently on DVD, I have to admit that I hold only a rudimentary understanding about its people, culture, complex history, and therefore cinema. For very obvious reasons we in this cosy island (and probably across the pond too) tend to see Russia only through twentieth century eyes, which I suppose is about as objective as blind men describing an elephant.

Since my introduction to Russian cinema began with the great Andrei Tarkovsky (Andrey Tarkovskiy) - Solaris being my first Russian film experience, and also since his work is the one I'm most acquainted with (which isn't many in any case), I shall start writing about Russian cinema using the same director, from one of his most acclaimed classics, "Andrey Rublyov" [DVD Title: The Passion of Andrei].

Storyline:
Loosely based on the life of fifteenth century muralist and iconographer Andrey Rublyov aka Andrei Rublev, the film is more about the historical events of the time that could have affected the painter-monk and his work, both at a physical and metaphysical level. Neatly divided into seven chapters, each save the epilogue depicts an influential episode in Rublyov's life and spiritual journey. We follow Rublyov from his youth at a monastery to his apprenticeship with Theophanes the Greek, their frequent disagreements, Rublyov's encounter with pagans, his own confrontation with Byzantine beliefs, his sense of guilt, and his unexpected enlightenment through the son of a bell-maker - my favourite chapter in the film. All these events take place against the backdrop of Tatar invasions against the Rus, which would eventually set-forth in motion the birth pangs of a Tsarist Russia.

The epic film takes its time fleshing out a plethora of characters that mark the landscape for Rublyov's thoughts, and his art. Through the three hours and twenty five minutes (Criterion DVD), we experience breathtaking imagery ranging from the positively enchanting, to the outright brutal. We see the magic in the dew on shivering leaves of a tree, we see a happy horse rolling in the meadow, and we see twilight pagan gaiety in mist-shrouded woods by a river, made from the primary ingredients of Tarkovsky's cinematic palette - wind, water, fire, and light. We also see marauding horsemen take down an entire town, desecrate churches, slit throats, burn cattle, rape women, slay horses, and pour molten metal from crucifixes through a tied-down priest's throat. We also experience the exhilaration of triumph against odds, of the humble teaching the learned, and of a new beginning amidst the chaos. Most of the scenes we see are shot through a series of intricately orchestrated long takes. There are numerous instances of political and religious symbolisms exquisitely woven into the film narrative. This is Andrei Tarkovsky not only gatecrashing into the auteur club of the Antonioni's, Bergman's, Kurosawa's, and Wajda's, but also laying siege to the grandiose castle of the Cecil B DeMille's and David Lean's. To summarise, for anyone who loves film, this is a visual feast of the very highest order, and therefore Highly Recommended Viewing..!

The thirstyrabbit rave that you may gladly skip:
Scroll through the IMDB comments and you'll come across more than a few who consider "Andrei Rublev" to be the greatest motion picture ever made. I cannot possibly make that claim, perhaps having seen a few more films than many of them. But then again, this is as subjective as the blind men analogy used above - what touches someone profoundly may fail to move the person next to him - that's the way the cookie crumbles. Many great directors, including Ingmar Bergman have paid glowing tributes to Tarkovsky's work, so there is nothing more I could possibly add to glorify his undoubted genius. But if you ask me which DVD I will instinctively pick from my shelf for an absorbing evening of cinema, it will not be a Tarkovsky, certainly not Andrei Rublev! Ironic, because the reason for my decision will have been the film's very virtue - its pursuit of total perfection. Now ordinary mortals can strive for perfection, the most they're likely to achieve is an improvement to what they would otherwise. It's an extra pat on the back, "good job, ol' boy" - the perks, there's certainly no harm in that. But the more closer they get to 'perfection', the further they'll recede from their 'humanity'. Tarkovsky in my eyes personifies cinematic perfection more closely than any director I'm aware of, and that is scary, because total 'perfection' is essentially egotistical and ultimately dangerous. I for one, would much rather watch 'imperfect' films - warts and all, as long as their intentions are genuine..!

 

About the DVD:
There are numerous versions of this relentlessly butchered film, ranging from 2hr 25mts to 3hr 25mts. Mine is the director's cut Criterion release, which is the longest presently available. But there's also a recently remastered blu-ray release that comes close at 3hr 3mts (from which this compilation was made). The quality in the blu-ray is significantly superior in all ways to my letterboxed NTSC Criterion DVD, but I hate the cuts in the blu-ray which make parts of the film incoherent. They cut out some gruesomely realistic scenes involving animals, and a few seconds of male and female nudity, but they importantly also broke Tarkovsky's narrative in places, which is terrible. Besides, the Criterion release also includes a commentary in English that some may find handy. I'd therefore, at least for now, recommend the longer Criterion NTSC version.

Amazon Criterion DVD Link

 

The Nudity:
There's a chapter titled "The Feast" that deals with Andrey Rublyov's encounter with a group of naked pagans celebrating their festival of love. One of the prime characters in the episode is Marfa, a medieval equivalent of a hippy who questions a fascinated but uptight Rublyov about the meaning of 'love'. There's an obvious parable between these two characters and the Biblical Jesus and Mary Magdalene. Rublyov is also symbolically 'crucified' during the scene, and the following morning, Marfa evades capture by Christian soldiers by jumping into the river. Marfa is played by Nelly Snegina.



 


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Elizabeth Cervantes nude in "Fuera del Cielo" [2006 Mexico]

Javier Patrón's first feature-length film "Fuera del Cielo" [Eng. Title: Beyond the Sky] is a gritty crime thriller set amidst the bad streets of Mexico City where we follow two parallel stories - one of two brothers down on their luck, and the other of a senator's relationship with his chronically ill daughter. You guessed it - it is a bleak film with very little respite or humour, and if you've seen it before, you're unlikely to rush to watch it again anytime soon. My DVD too had been gathering dust on the shelf for some time before this post...

Storyline:
Malboro and younger brother Cucú reunite when the elder brother returns after serving time. Cucú is training to become a professional boxer, but is also a petty criminal, and has a lot of anger stacked inside him. Malboro wants him to turn a new leaf, but he has issues of his own, not least learning to deal with his arch enemy - Rojas, a corrupt cop who not only put him behind bars for five years, but also married Sara, the woman Malboro had planned to elope with. Malboro still loves Sara and wants her back, but she fears she may once again be left to fend for herself alone with teenage daughter Elisa, and is reluctant to commit anything. Rojas catches wind of Malboro's release, and wants to find an excuse to put him away for good. An opportunity presents itself when Cucu, Malboro and their uncle lock the senator in the boot after stealing his car, with an excuse to celebrate Cucú's birthday in style. Rojas will catch up with Malboro, but not before he'd decided to stop running away from him...

Working with an impressive cast such as Damián Alcázar (Rojas), Demián Bichir (Malboro), Isela Vega (Malboro's mother), Dolores Heredia (Sara), and the talented Armando Hernández (Cucú) and Martha Higareda (Elisa), director Javier Patrón succeeds in showing us a part of Mexican life in all its mucky detail, even though it is at times judgemental and to an extent clichéd. The weakest part of the screenplay however has to be the film's climax - we're left with too many questions and few answers. I don't disapprove of the ending as such, but there hasn't been an adequate build-up to it. In summary, while the film may not exactly be easy viewing, it is a promising debut for Javier Patrón who makes a sincere effort in keeping it real. Recommended Viewing!

Amazon DVD Link [NTSC]

 

The Nudity:
Dolores Heredia, Armando Hernández, Demián Bichir, Martha Higareda, and Elizabeth Cervantes


Scene Guide:

• When Malboro drops by Sara's house after five years, he gets a taste of her feistiness. This is also one of the better performed and memorable scenes in the film despite there being no nudity. Dolores Heredia plays the character of Sara.
• Brothers bonding at the showers - Cucú, played by Armando Hernández, tells elder brother Malboro, played by Demián Bichir that he now has a new girlfriend named Rebeca and proceeds to show him how he feels about her..! :)
• Elisa trying on her mum's pantyhose and acting all grown-up in front of the mirror. The cute Martha Higareda doesn't get nude in the film, but manages to give the audience some intermittent upskirts. She is quite convincing as the precocious Elisa.
• Cucú takes Malboro to the strip club where Rebeca works - it appears the couple had had a tiff recently, but manage to make up at her dressing room. Rebeca later joins Cucú to celebrate his birthday.
• Lovebirds Cucú and Rebeca couldn't keep their hands off each other in the car, and Elisa, inquisitive teeanger that she is, steals some glances of them making out, upon which Rebeca decides to have some 'privacy' outside.
• Elisa and Malboro get talking about sex when they end up alone in the car, and Malboro inexplicably offers to pass some of his 'wisdom' to Elisa, the teenage daughter of the woman he's in love with, by masturbating her..!

 


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Sylvia Kristel from Chabrol's underrated "Alice" [1977 France]

I would have liked this post to have been an elaborate tribute to one of the most remarkable personalities in European cinema, but will have to settle for paying my respects through an underrated gem from Claude Chabrol, "Alice ou la dernière fugue" [Eng. Title: Alice or the Last Escapade]. I hesitate to address Sylvia Kristel merely as a Dutch actress - she was a phenomenon, only comparable, perhaps, to someone like Marilyn Monroe in terms of being the object of near universal adulation and infatuation of her era. She was also influential in spawning a whole 'industry' on the back of her success - every "Emmanuelle" has strived to recreate the elegance and mystery of the character created by Sylvia Kristel. Emmanuelle was Ms. Kristel's gift to male youth of the 70's, one for which they would forever be grateful. Her recent passing may have been quite untimely, but she can rest assured of the indelible legacy she had left behind - changing men's perception of female sensuality, and furthering feminist goals. Dear Emmanuelle - may you rest in peace..!

Form is temporary, but class is permanent - I think it was a sports writer who said that. But I think it holds true to creative endeavours as well. Claude Chabrol was going through a bit of a crisis during the seventies - he was working on different genres but not exactly going places. Because people wanted him to do films he'd hitherto been famous for - murder mysteries. Several elegant pieces made during the period weren't well received, and "Alice" was one among them. While the film may not be his masterpiece, this modern adaptation of Alice in Wonderland is nevertheless a well conceived gem that oozes class. Sylvia Kristel also may not have been the most gifted of actresses, but as the eponymous Alice, she gives her character an air of mystery and a determination that makes this film tick. Alice here is no longer the innocent and curious type, but a worldly-wise modern woman wanting to make a fresh start after a failed marriage.

The story starts with Alice breaking-up with her husband one night and setting off in pouring rain. A shattered windscreen forces her to seek shelter at a nearby manor, where she's invited to stay for the night by its owner Henri and his butler. The following morning, she wakes up to find no one at the house, but her car has been fixed and breakfast laid at the table. But when she tries to leave, she couldn't find the gates through which she entered last night, and since then every attempt at leaving would bring her back to the same manor, making her realise that she's an unwilling participant in someone's wicked game.

Chabrol recreates an atmosphere of unease and impending fate surprisingly through light images and stunning colour - the stills will bely the horror fantasy that it is, yet every scene will be tinged with anguish. There's an enormous amount of meaningful detail in the imagery if you're willing to indulge yourself. Right from the snail on the windshield, to the reading room, and Alice's red dress (what an elegant dress by the way!), it is a feast for the eyes. The music and cinematography ably assist the tone of the film, and despite the fact that this is one of Chabrol's more unusual works, he has once again showcased his sheer mastery of cinema as a medium. Fittingly he had dedicated this film in memory of Fritz Lang. "Alice" is definitely a Chabrol classic, desperately in need of rediscovery, and therefore, Highly Recommended Viewing..!

Amazon.fr DVD Link

 

The Nudity: Sylvia Kristel
There is a scene in the film when Alice first notices that she is being watched, when she is about to get into the bath. Sylvia Kristel briefly displays her physical charms in all its stunning glory in this scene. She hears a voice when she's about to get into the bath, realising for the first time that she is being watched. My DVD is letterboxed and I don't think it has ever been mastered in true anamorphic widescreen. So I took the liberty of enhancing this special scene to 720p.




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