Saturday, September 10, 2016

tiff2016 - it's what we do

Catfight

Directed by: Onur Tuket
Starring:  Anne Heche, Sandra Oh, Alicia Silverstone

Telling the story of a chance reunion between 2 former college friends that goes wrong, way wrong Catfight is a unique black comedy which delivers pointed commentary on the haves, have nots and what happens when the haves become the have nots and vice versa.  Playing the college friends - splintered by an unknown incident back in the day which fuels all their subsequent interactions - Anne & Sandra are bitter, cynical, angry and mean.  Their interactions are shocking and jarring, based on physical violence which becomes the cause of these transformations of class.  In a nutshell, they pummel the shit out of each other and lose it all.  The pummelling is completely over the top and cringe worthy.  I react to most violence on screen today with a bit of a shrug.  Okay, an explosion.  Yeah, that building collapsed.  Ah, machine guns.  But physical violence in its most base form - simply punching each other to almost death - is so cringeworthy.  Anne & Sandra were great in this and were completely girl crushing on each other at the Q&A.  Give this one a whirl if you can handle some punches.

Trespass Against Us

Directed by: Adam Smith
Starring: Brendan Gleason, Michael Fassbender

As a complex character study of a man trying to break free from the life he was born into, Trespass Against Us hits all the right notes for me.  Michael is the oldest son born to father Brendan, the head of an outlaw British crime family - they're thieves and thugs, living in a communal trailer park of sorts working jobs as directed by patriarch Brendan.  Michael is married, he has two kids.  He wants to be done.  He wants out.  But we all know this isn't easy.  The core of this film is Michael - his portrayal of the hardened criminal and soft hearted Dad who wants more for his family, but whose own family, and circumstances, will not make this possible is nuanced and real.  As every chance he takes to break free is thwarted he loses hope, gains frustration and our sympathy builds.  This one issn't perfect, it did drag at times, but if you keep your eyes on Michael you won't be disappointed.


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