by Cris Mora-Villa, Contributing Writer
In Part One of the World Excursions section, I took a look at five films from five different countries. Those films share one broad similarity when examined underneath the microscope. But what I find more intriguing is how little common ground is shared between them. Despite ostensibly being presented as dramas, the countless differentiations from film to film that can be juxtaposed fascinate me. Setting, themes, subject matter, subgenre, director experience, age and gender of the protagonist, and each film’s ending all widely vary. At the heart of these differences is what allows for them to feel like unique works, and that’s the perspective offered from each filmmaker. Considering each respective director also wrote or co-wrote their films, it’s from these points of origin that formed these stories. People with something to say that eventually made their way to the silver screen. Now while that general blueprint similarly applies to the films being discussed in this section, there is one contrasting point to consider. How do different countries cover similar terrain? More specifically, the horror and murder mystery film genres.
Departing Seniors — It Was Just Okay
The horror-comedy film Departing Seniors,follows Javier (Ignacio Diaz-Silverio), a queer high school senior who uses his newly found psychic abilities to investigate a serial killer targeting his classmates. With the opening night of the festival taking place at the historic Music Box Theater, it should not be understated that there was a big time feel in the air that really showed me how much of an event the first night really was. The attendees in the crowd packed out the auditorium and were not hesitant to show their enthusiasm for the slasher genre. It’s these elements that really elevated the movie for me beyond a standard schlocky horror flick. Director Clare Cooney does well in her directorial feature debut to establish an eccentric tone fit for an exceedingly bizarre premise, while also using her own history as an actor to guide the film’s ensemble for how to best embody their respective characters. The overall cast does a good job in delivering what’s needed from their roles, but if anyone deserves to be singled out for praise it would be Ireon Roach in the supporting role of Bianca, Javier’s best friend. There’s just something about the way Roach handles the comedic material that makes her character stand out as the most memorable. What does ultimately hold the movie back from being great are its moments of predictability that end up making the film feel a bit amateurish. In all, Departing Seniors offers the audience a fun time by sticking true to genre convention and displaying enough charm to brush past its pitfalls.
Limbo — Low Side of Liked It
The first of two movies centered around murder investigations, Limbo comesout of Australia. It follows detective Travis Hurley (Simon Baker) as he investigates a 20-year-old murder of an Aboriginal woman in a small outback town. There are a couple of standout components which make Limbo one of the most unique films of the festival. While notably being the only black-and-white film I was able to watch out of my 31 screenings, there’s also an interesting piece of background about the director shepherding this project. Ivan Sen not only directs the film, but also is credited as writer, producer, editor, composer, and cinematographer. To whatever extent these aspects of the film may or may not work for the viewer, I do feel regardless that the movie deserves extra respect for having someone with the capability to handle that many elements of the production process. In regards to how Sen himself executes his contributions to the picture, he fundamentally succeeds, despite having a few drawbacks which prevent the film from being truly excellent. The biggest hindrance for me is largely the pacing. Considering the relatively short runtime, the momentum of the story never really exceeds a certain tepidness, which ultimately leaves a gap in my personal level of engagement. A conjoining side effect of that feature is that I also found the ending to be a bit disappointing. The conclusion of the mystery at hand feels apt for what the movie tries to get across, but it does feel like a coda of sorts, considering the heart of the movie lies elsewhere and gets paid off quite serenely. So there are a few issues here, but what the film has going for it excels to a smashing degree. The cinematography is absolutely phenomenal. For as much as some people tend to refer black-and-white films as a gimmick, that’s actually not the case. It wasn’t long into the picture before it dawned on me that this was undoubtedly a necessary choice. The Australian outback is shot to feel hollow and desolate. Its reputation for being bushy and dry remains, but with it comes an almost mechanical spirit of loss. Scattered in between the shadowy vistas are both literal and metaphorical holes meant to symbolize the memories that are left buried in perpetuity. That atmosphere wouldn’t exist if the movie were in standard color. This choice also enriches the film thematically. Travis spends most of his time in this small town feeling like a stranger in a strange land. Mistrust and secrecy hover over the town and its inhabitants. That’s at least the case for the first half of the film, as opposed to the latter half, where characters drop their defenses to allow a more emotionally honest disposition. It’s also worth mentioning that the movie doesn’t forget to comment on its heavier message for why crimes like this are allowed to continue, but especially to communities who tend to be overlooked such as aborigines. That certainly is an important theme to tout, but Sen is sure to leave the audience knowing that it’s through Travis’s connection to the victims’ family that bonds are able to be reformed and a reprieve of hope is able to shine through this purgatory known as limbo.
Raging Grace — It Was Just Okay
Raging Grace comes from the United Kingdom and slides right alongside Departing Seniors with its connection to horror. The film follows Joy (Max Eigenmann), an undocumented Filipina immigrant, and her daughter, Grace (Jaeden Paige Boadilla), who discover a dark family secret upon being hired to care for a comatose elderly man by his niece. As opposed to the slasher subgenre, this movie leans more towards the ghost story spectrum of horror. While most people tend to have their own preferences for which kind of story they’d prefer to watch, my feelings are a bit more ambivalent. Above all else, my thoughts towards this movie in particular are by far the most complicated of the festival. From the opening moments of the film, director Paris Zarcilla works in tandem with his editor to deploy a show-don’t-tell method of storytelling when introducing its lead characters and establishing the stakes of their economic plight. The ensuing tension from that choice works to a remarkable extent, especially when the mystery portion of the story is introduced. There’s also a genuine sense of dread when the elderly man, Mr. Garrett (David Hayman), and his niece, Katherine (Leanne Best), enter the picture. Their introduction offers a good deal of intrigue, as they add a certain cat-and-mouse dynamic that’s fun to watch. But beyond the more surface level aspects of the film, Zarcilla can be added to the growing list of directors who have roots to the source material being a British-Filipino filmmaker. Given he also wrote the film, I do credit him for what the film is commentating on with its themes of exploitation and entrapment. For as brisk and enthralling as the movie is, Zarcilla makes sure to devote some time for the audience to sit with Joy in order to get an understanding of her worldview and how she’s affected by her struggles which in turn affect her daughter. The only drawback preventing me from really loving the movie is what’s imbued in the film’s DNA, and that’s the horror. So much of this movie is grounded in these characters, and it does so much right technically, that it’s a little deflating when the story leans hard into a full on jump scare-heavy kind of movie. Within that portion of the picture, it still makes good on completing Joy’s arc by weaving in a sort of mythological angle to the central mystery, but I can’t say it didn’t lessen the impact on what I feel is a tremendous ending. I truly hope horror fans can walk away from Raging Grace feeling they had a great time, just know I simply had a good time.
Only the River Flows — Low Side of Liked It
Like most of the international countries represented in the festival, I don’t have a particularly in-depth knowledge of Chinese cinema. The hope with attending these festivals is that I will be able to flesh out a space for some lesser-known projects from all sorts of countries. Only the River Flows makes for a great example of such a film. The movie follows detective Ma Zhe (Yilong Zhu) as he investigates a series of murders in a small rural town in the 1990s. Director Shujun Wei has been touted as a prominent figure within a new generation of Chinese filmmakers. For my money, Shujun shows a lot of promise with this feature. Very much in the style of a noir, the picture is resolute in homaging its influences from past films dealing in murder investigations. A side effect of operating in such fashion is that it creates comparisons to said films that reflect somewhat negatively on this film. Not for anything inherently wrong or that’s done poorly, but more in a sense that it feels like the viewer is treading on previously covered territory. Aside from that critique, this movie is quietly sublime. Production design and cinematography are strong standouts and help establish a compelling mood, which feels imperative for the story to achieve what it does. As far as how well the story works on its own, the mystery, if not a bit standard, does well in servicing a complete character arc for Zhe. Additional elements which elevate the material that should be singled out for praise are Yilong’s stoic performance in the lead role, a quirky sense of humor to add levity, and Shujun’s well-attuned eye for inserting nice visual motifs. I also commend the film for how it artistically balances the lead investigation with certain subplots to expand upon the movie’s themes of uncertainty and suppression.
Late Night with the Devil — High Side of Liked It
While production for Late Night with the Devil originates in Australia, the in-story setting leans firmly on the coastal show business side of ‘70s Los Angeles. So I suppose it can count as a sort of dual location kind of movie. Presented via a rediscovered found footage tape from the final broadcast recording of the fictional talk show, Night Owls With Jack Delroy, the film follows Jack (David Dastmalchian) as he interviews a collection of guests specializing in the supernatural in an attempt to boost ratings for their annual Halloween special. When going through the films playing at this year’s festival, this was one of my most anticipated. I was not disappointed in the slightest. For starters, there is zero doubt in my mind that this is one of the most creatively made films I’ve ever seen. Excluding a documentary-esque prologue that provides a little background for what’s to come during the broadcast, the film is set entirely in a single location. With that in mind, the filmmakers go all out in making this sound stage feel as authentic as it can possibly be. Cinematography, editing, production design, and sound design are all well done here. Choosing to focus on such a specifically niche setting like a 1970s talk show not only offers the audience a glimpse into a subset of entertainment media they may not be familiar with, but also gives Dastmalchian a chance to really chew into some interesting material. The supporting cast do perform well in their roles, but it’s through Dastmalchian’s excellent performance that the viewer is able to engage with the film emotionally beyond its technical feats. It’s the combination of these aspects of the movie that almost make it feel like I’m watching a piece of history. And as far as the horror element goes, the writer/director duo of the Cairnes siblings wisely use the movie’s scares rather sparingly. Instead, they opt for a slow burn approach, using the awkwardness of the dialogue and cheesy comedic edits to build a more unsettling tension. It’s in that approach that I would actually go as far as to say that this film would very much appeal to both horror and non-horror audiences.