"Dahomey", the documentary by French-Senegalese filmmaker, Mati Diop, received the top prize of the Golden Bear at the close of the 74th Berlin Film Festival. The film tells the story of the African artworks that were looted from Dahomey, an area that was the former West African kingdom located in the south of today’s Republic of Benin, brought to France and the journey of the art returned to Benin. The Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize went to Hong Sang-soo and his latest, "A Traveler's Needs". Isabelle Huppert stars as a French woman who ends up in Korea and with no previous experience, begins to teach French to the locals in order to make a living.
Here is the list of winners from the 2024 Berlin Film Festival:
Golden Bear: "Dahomey"
Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize: "여행자의 필요 (A Traveler's Needs)"
Silver Bear: "L'Empire (The Empire)"
Best Director: Nelson Carlos De Los Santos Arias, "Pepe"
Silver Bear for Best Screenplay: Matthias Glasner, "Sterben (Dying)"
Best Leading Performance: Sebastian Stan, "A Different Man"
Best Supporting Performance: Emily Watson, "Small Things Like These"
Silver Bear for Outstanding Artistic Contribution: Martin Gschlacht, cinematographer for "Des Teufels Bad (The Devil's Bath)"
Cinema has always been subjective. For every movie that I love, there will be viewers of that same movie who will only not like it but could absolutely loathe the idea of it's very existence. And of course, the films that I was unable to find much pleasure, there are folks out there who love these movies. With that in mind, here is a list of my least favorite films I watched last year:
"ANT MAN AND THE WASP: QUANTUMANIA"
Last year was not so great for the super-hero franchises as most of them failed to generate much excitement or interest. But one of the least engaging (and biggest disappointment) that I saw was "Ant Man and the Wasp: Quantumania", the second sequel of the reluctant hero who can shrink to the size of the powerful, tiny insect. Paul Rudd returns as Scott Lang, the former thief who has become the crime-fighting, Ant Man. After his time fighting with the Avengers to defeat Thanos, he has gone on to living quietly and enjoying his life with girlfriend, Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) and his teenage daughter, Cassie (Kathryn Newton). During a visit with Hope's parents, Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) and Janet van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer), who were the original Ant-Man and the Wasp, Cassie announces that she has a device that can make contact with the Quantum Realm, a universe that exists outside of space and time. Terrified after being trapped there for thirty years, Janet tries to shut it down but it's too late; the message was received and all five are forced through a portal to the realm. Once there, they must work together to stop the Quantum Realm's new ruler, Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors). There's a lot more involved in this convoluted plot but the script by Jeff Loveness is confusing and monotonous. With the focus of the film on multiverses, alien beings (the less said about M.O.D.O.K., the better) and a mystical, end-of-the-world crisis, director Peyton Reed struggles to find an engaging human element that made his previous "Ant Man" films so successful. But the real problem with "Quantumania" is that it lacks a genuine sense of spirited fun and inspired adventure.
"ASTEROID CITY"
I have a complicated relationship with the cinema of Wes Anderson. While I admire his whimsical style and the dry, offbeat humor, I have difficulty connecting to most of his films on an emotional level. Of Anderson's films, there is one that I absolutely love ("The Royal Tenenbaums"), a few that I really enjoyed ("Rushmore", "The Grand Budapest Hotel", "Isle of Dogs") but the rest I am left feeling indifferent towards. With Anderson's latest, the beautifully rendered, "Asteroid City", I really struggled to find a way into Anderson's singular world, but I just couldn't get past the artificial construct. Set in the 1950's, we are introduced to a television host (Bryan Cranston) who introduces a documentary about the making of a play by famed playwright, Conrad Earp (Edward Norton). The plot of the play involves a youth astronomy convention held in the desert town of Asteroid City with war photographer, Augie Steenbeck (Jason Schwartzman) heading there with his son, Woodrow (Jake Ryan) who won a Junior Stargazer prize. Midge Campbell (Scarlett Johansson), a famous yet weary actress arrives with her daughter, Dinah (Grace Edwards) who also won the award. A romance develops between these parents and their children then a UFO appears with an alien to reclaim a fallen meteorite. "Asteroid City" is another film with an overly complicated plot filled with random thoughts that ultimately doesn't add anything meaningful to the narrative. The film is bursting to the seams with a starry, celebrated cast (Tom Hanks, Tilda Swinton, Steve Carell, Jeffrey Wright, Margot Robbie to name just a few) yet they all feel wasted with the actors forced to deliver their lines in the same deadpan, monotone style. I have to add that I far more enjoyed Anderson's short film collection, "The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar" also released last year and based on the work by Roald Dahl. But I do think it's largely because each film was not much more than twenty minutes long, making it the ideal length for me to appreciate Anderson's distinctive cinema.
"NO HARD FEELINGS"
I grew up during the time when teen sex comedies were all the rage in the 1970's and 1980's. These movies were filled with raunchy gags and almost always about horny teenage boys who were desperately trying to have sex or, at the very least, see a live naked woman. These films have largely fallen out of favor but "No Hard Feelings" has attempted to bring back the wild spirit of the classic sex comedy. But this movie fails to deliver the laughs, just coming across awkward and cringy, while the sex to be found is just sad. Jennifer Lawrence plays Maddie, a financially strapped young woman who had her car repossessed and on the verge of losing the house she inherited from her mother. Looking for some quick, extra cash, she answers an ad from concerned parents (Matthew Broderick, Laura Benanti) seeking a woman to "seduce" their shy teenage son, Percy (Andrew Barth Feldman) before he heads off to college. With the payment being a used car, Maddie accepts this offer and tries to sexually entice (and have sex with) the unwilling Percy. Even by teen comedy standards, this plot is completely bonkers and the script by director Gene Stupnitsky and John Phillips is unable to make it remotely plausible or humorous. Lawrence gives it her all, displaying her expert timing and gift for physical comedy, yet there is only so much she can do to try and salvage this painfully odd comedy. While there may be a sweet center, with these characters trying to help each other make a true connection, "No Hard Feelings" is just too weird and muddled to work as a timeless coming-of-age comedy.
"WONKA"
"Wonka" is the rare, original contemporary movie musical that became an unexpected worldwide box-office smash. But this origin story based on the classic character created by Roald Dahl never manages to feel necessary and the film's charms are minimal at best. Timothée Chalamet plays Willy Wonka who at this point of time is just a young, aspiring chocolatier who arrives to a nondescript European city to try his luck at opening a shop at the famed Galéries Gourmet. After his meager funds quickly run out, Wonka is misled into signing a contract to stay at the boarding house of Mrs. Scrubitt (Olivia Colman) despite a warning from Noodle (Calah Lane), the orphan who lives there. Now because of hidden fees, Wonka is forced to work in Scrubitt's launderette alongside other captives. His only hope to escape is to find success selling his chocolates but a trio of corrupt, rival chocolatiers (Matt Lucas, Paterson Joseph, Mathew Baynton) who work together to stop Wonka from opening a store. This version of "Wonka" is far removed from Dahl's eccentric tale with director Paul King delivering a safe, feel-good yet banal take of this character. The original songs by composer, Neil Hannon of the band, the Divine Comedy and written by King and co-writer of the screenplay, Simon Farnaby are serviceable yet unmemorable. As the third actor to play Wonka on the big screen, Chalamet presents him as innocent and sweet-natured, making him relatively bland compared to the kind yet eccentric interpretation played by Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp's darker, more oddball creation. And the actor is certainly able to carry a tune, but I wouldn't call him a "singer". "Wonka" is a CGI heavy fantasia that just doesn't have enough magic to make it a truly tasty treat.
The 2024 Berlin Film Festivalis set to run from Feb 15th to Feb 25th. Now in its seventy-fourth edition, the Berlinale is a film festival that began during the post-war period as a platform for the cinematic exploration of social issues. This fest continues to have a diverse, independent and politically minded spirit to showcase thrilling new feature films, documentaries, shorts, experimental and restored classic cinema.
The Opening Film is the drama "Small Things Like These" from director, Tim Mielants. Oscar-nominee, Cillian Murphy stars as an Irish father in the 1980's who discovers startling secrets about one of the Magdalene asylums in his town. This was a horrific place from the past which were laundries run by the Roman Catholic church who claimed their intentions were to reform "fallen" young women but in reality, these girls were just abused and used as free labor. This world premiere is one of the selections in the Main International Competition.
A total of twenty films have been selected in the international competition for the Golden Bear and includes new works from Mati Diop ("Dahomey"), Olivier Assayas ("Hors du temps (Suspended Time)"), Bruno Dumont ("L'Empire (The Empire)"), Piero Messina ("Another End"), Abderrahmane Sissako ("Black Tea"), Alonso Ruizpalacios ("La Cocina"), Claire Burger ("Langue étrangère"), Matthias Glasner ("Sterben (Dying)") and Hong Sangsoo ("Yeohaengjaui pilyo (A Traveler’s Needs)").
Oscar-winning actress, Lupita Nyong’o will preside as President of the jury for the Main Competition. The rest of the jury members who will decide which films will be awarded prizes are American actor and filmmaker, Brady Corbet; Hong Kong filmmaker, Ann Hui; German director, Christian Petzold; Spanish filmmaker, Albert Serra; Italian actress, Jasmine Trinca and Ukrainian novelist, Oksana Zabuzhko.
The Berlinale Specials highlights exciting new films not in competition and the line-up will include the world premiere of Johan Renck’s sci-fi feature, "Spaceman" which has Adam Sandler as an astronaut in space. However, this is not a comedy but a drama and features Carey Mulligan, Paul Dano and Isabella Rossellini. Following the premiere in Berlin, "Spaceman" will be released worldwide on Netflix on March 1st.
"Sasquatch Sunset", a surreal comedy by the Zellner Brothers, stars Riley Keough and Jesse Eisenberg as the heads of a family of these mythical creatures. But what makes this film particularly intriguing is that the actors are completely concealed in full body hair and do not speak.
Abel Ferrara is set to premiere his latest, a non-fiction feature, "Turn in the Wound" which documents the American filmmaker's travels to Kyiv and Ukraine to explore what remains of these countries after two years of Russia’s brutal invasion. The rock musician. Patti Smith also appears in the film. "Made in England: The Films of Powell and Pressburger" is a feature documentary, making its debut in the Specials sidebar, about the influential British filmmakers, Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, examining their significant works of cinema that includes "The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp", "Black Narcissus" and "The Red Shoes". The doc is narrated by an impressive filmmaker in his own right, Martin Scorsese who has stated many times how much this team and their films have inspired his own work. And Scorsese will receive this year's honorary Golden Bear Lifetime Achievement Award and will be honored in the Classics program with a screening of a digital restoration of his 1985 feature, "After Hours".
The cinematic year of 2023 was filled with highs and lows. With COVID largely in the past, audiences have returned to theaters in signifcant numbers with "Barbie", "Oppenheimer" and two pop music superstars (that would be Taylor Swift and Beyoncé) helping to draw them back. But then we had two industry strikes that lasted for months and caused a pretty major rupture in the pipeline last year (and most certainly will be even worse this year). Super-hero fatigue seems to have finally set in and the numbered sequels are no longer such a sure thing. But in between, we still had a great year with solid, masterful and diverse works of cinema. While it may be harder to find indies and adult dramas in theaters as they tend to be screened for an even, shorter period of time or they are largely made for streaming services with a brief theatrical run, there were some wonderful movies to be found. Here are my favorite films that I really enjoyed last year, listed in alphabetical order:
"ALL OF US STRANGERS"
With the intimate drama, "All of Us Strangers", writer/director Andrew Haigh has deftly captured a sense of loss and mourning in a way that's fantastical yet remains compassionate and deeply moving. Loosely based on the 1987 novel "Strangers" by Taichi Yamada, this story follows Adam (Andrew Scott), a lonely and isolated screenwriter trying to work in his apartment. An initial awkward encounter with a drunken neighbor, Harry (Paul Mescal) later leads to them connecting on a romantic level. Feeling wistful about his past, Adam ventures out to his childhood home and finding his parents (Claire Foy, Jamie Bell) still living there although they have been dead since he was twelve after a tragic car accident. While this plot might sound a bit too high concept to be effective, Haigh is in full command, guiding us through Adam's emotional journey as he reconnects with his parents by sharing with them his current life and past fears and desires. Anchored by an innovative screenplay and powerful performances, "All of Us Strangers" is a heartfelt rumination on love, grief, depression and ultimately, acceptance.
"AMERICAN FICTION"
At its core, "American Fiction" is essentially a wild, hilarious comedy yet Cord Jefferson's film debut as writer and director also captures moments that are profoundly moving and incredibly insightful. Thelonious "Monk" Ellison (Jeffrey Wright) is an African American novelist and professor currently living in Los Angeles. While his work is acclaimed, his books don't sell well with them having little appeal to the Black community. During a seminar, he walks in on an interview with African American author, Sintara Golden (Issa Rae), the writer of a wildly popular novel filled with black stereotypes. Appalled by the idea of this book and its success, "Monk" decides to play the game and write his own version of this type of book under a pseudonym. But to his dismay, the book becomes a best-seller with an offer for a movie deal and high demand for a follow-up novel. In between all of this, "Monk" heads back to his hometown of Boston to help deal with his mother (Leslie Uggams) who is showing early signs of Alzheimer's with his sister (Tracee Ellis Ross) who is a medical doctor and estranged, recently divorced brother (Sterling K. Brown) that has recently come out as gay. And "Monk" begins a romance with Coraline (Erika Alexander), a neighbor who lives next door to his mother. There is a lot going on in this satire, yet Jefferson skillfully holds it all together, very impressive for a first-time filmmaker, keeping "American Fiction" enjoyable throughout and managing to draw exceptional performances from his wonderful cast. I can't wait to see what this exciting filmmaker will do next.
"THE HOLDOVERS"
"The Holdovers" marks the reunion of the director, Alexander Payne and the actor, Paul Giamatti almost twenty years later following "Sideways" their previous outstanding film together. Set during near the end of 1970, Giamatti plays Paul Hunham, a professor at a New England prep school. Gruff, somber and rigid, Hunham is not a popular teacher amongst the students. Professor Hunham is assigned over the Christmas break to watch over the few students who are unable to return home, referred to as "Holdovers", along with the cafeteria manager, Mary Lamb (Da'Vine Joy Randolph). After a father flies in on a helicopter with an offer to take his son and the remaining boys on a ski trip, all are able to get permission by their parents except Angus (in an impressive acting debut by Dominic Sessa) who ends up stuck alone at the campus with Hunham and Mary. As these three isolated and emotionally broken people begrudgingly come together, they each find their own offbeat way to help each other and heal themselves. Payne intentionally made "The Holdovers" to evoke the spirit of a movie that could have been made in the 1970's with its distinctive cinematic rhythms and vintage formatted camerawork created by cinematographer, Eigil Bryld. Plus, there is a really great soundtrack that features music by composer Mark Orton and pop songs from the 60's and '70's. "The Holdovers" may be set in the fairly recent past yet feels perfectly timeless.
"KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON"
Martin Scorsese has made several great films throughout his prestigious career and his latest, "Killers of the Flower Moon" ranks high on this impressive list of cinematic achievements. Leonardo DiCaprio, in their sixth feature film collaboration together, stars in this fact-based story as Ernest Burkhart, a WWI vet who goes to his uncle, William King Hale (Robert DeNiro) in Oklahoma to live. During his job as a cab driver, Ernest meets Mollie Kyle (Lily Gladstone), a member of the Osage nation whose family owns oil on their land. Hale encourages a relationship between them, and they are soon wed. A series of murders of the Osage, including Mollie's family, begins by corrupt members of the community with the goal to steal the tribal members' wealth. Originally conceived with the emphasis on the FBI coming in to save the day and solve this crime yet this film avoids the pitfalls of a "White savior" plotline device (like the misguided "Mississippi Burning") with the persuasive screenplay by Eric Roth shifting focus more on the Osage, their customs and concerns. Quentin Tarantino is absolutely wrong regarding his statement about directors that stay too long in the game will ruin their reputations and their body of work. The eighty-one-year-old Scorsese shows here that he's still very much at the peak of his powers as a filmmaker. And the biggest compliment I can state about "Killers of the Flower Moon" is that I have sat through movies that were only ninety minutes long that felt much longer than the over three-hour runtime of this engaging film.
"MAESTRO"
For his second time behind the camera following his dazzling musical remake of "A Star is Born", Bradley Cooper takes on another musician in "Maestro" where he impressively plays the legendary composer and conductor, Leonard Bernstein. While he was sexually fluid throughout his life, the film's focus is on Bernstein's complicated yet enduring marriage to actress, Felicia Montealegre played with warmth and burning intensity by Carey Mulligan who delivers another brilliant performance. "Maestro" begins with a somber Bernstein in his 70's being interviewed about his past while working on his latest opera before shifting to his first big break in 1943 when he was a last-minute replacement to conduct the New York Philharmonic. After meeting Montealegre at a party, Bernstein drifts away from his relationship with a male musician (Matt Bomer) to focus only on her where they have a glamourous life and start a family. But over time, Bernstein's eyes begin to wander, landing on a young musician (Gideon Glick) and Montealegre is left feeling resentful and frustrated. With the capable assistance of cinematographer, Matthew Libatique, Cooper has the camera in constant motion while utilizing crisp black & white for the early part of Bernstein's life before slowing down and shifting to saturated color once we reach the Bernsteins' life in the 1970's. There was a bit of chatter regarding Cooper's use of a prosthetic nose to play Bernstein but it's all an unnecessary distraction to the accomplished feat of the actor/filmmaker crafting a powerful and moving work with a Hollywood biopic that transcends the expected.
"ORIGIN"
Based on Isabel Wilkerson's "Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents", "Origin" is Ava DuVernay's masterwork that explores the painful events that inspiried Wilkerson to begin this book and all of the extensive research and travel involved in order for the writer to complete her thesis. Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor plays Wilkerson who is consulted by her editor (Blair Underwood) to write a piece about the shooting of Trayvon Martin. Interested yet hesitant, Wilkerson decides to not pursue this assignment. But several personal tragedies pushes her to get back to work and explore expanding upon the ideas of bigotry. With the belief that race is not the only determining factor in prejudice, she begins examining the caste systems of India and the extermination of Jews in Nazi Germany, especially since the discrimination in both cases involves people of the same race, and how they are connected to the racism in America. The film is boldly rendered in an experimental cinematic style that combines elements of narrative and non-fiction storytelling; exquisitely performed by a stellar cast (that includes Jon Bernthal, Niecy Nash-Betts, Vera Farmiga and Audra McDonald) and presents Wilkerson's comprehensive investigation persuasively. "Origin" has helped me reconsider my views on racism and bigotry and how far-reaching it has been in our society. DuVernay has once again crafted a fascinating and astonishing work of cinema.
"PASSAGES"
Bold and provocative, "Passages" is a European set drama from American filmmaker, Ira Sachs which examines a love triangle that has rarely been explored in cinema involving two queer men and a woman. Tomas (a captivating Franz Rogowski) is a German filmmaker living in Paris with his English partner, Martin (Ben Whishaw). Unsatisfied in his relationship and looking for excitement, Tomas connects with Agathe (Adèle Exarchopoulos) at a party which later begins an unlikely sexual affair. Tomas tries to make his romance with Agathe work yet still strongly desires Martin. An exceptional film for enlightened adults, "Passages" daringly attempts to tackle the complicated fluidity of sexual identity in a way that is titillating, introspective and considerate.
"PAST LIVES"
"Past Loves" is the alluring debut by writer/director Celine Song that takes a graceful and poignant look at a relationship that evolves from childhood to adulthood as opportunity and continents keep them apart, yet a strong connection continues to burn between them. Our story begins in Seoul where Na Young and Hae Song are children attending the same school where they become close friends with a deeper yet reticent affection forming between them. But they are separated when Na Young's family immigrates to Canada. Twelve years later after searching for each other on Facebook, Hae Song (Teo Yoo) and Na Young, now going by Nora (Greta Lee) spend time over Skype reconnecting and stirring old feelings. But due to circumstances, it would not be until another twelve years before the two will finally meet in person with Hae Song coming from Korea to visit Nora who is now living in New York with her husband of seven years, Arthur (John Magaro). Sparked by her own personal experiences, Song has confidently made a film of profound beauty, looking at this couple trying to maneuver their friendship through suppressed desires and entangled heartbreak. And by the time we come to the conclusion, "Past Lives" unexpectedly delivers a powerful, emotional wallop.
"SALTBURN"
A wickedly perverse, Gothic thriller on the British upper class, "Saltburn" cleverly dives deeply into the depths of obsession and depravity. Oliver Quick (a very game Barry Keoghan) has just entered Oxford on a scholarship and struggles to fit in. He becomes fixated on Felix Catton (Jacob Elordi), a handsome, wealthy and popular student and they actually become friends. After Oliver reveals his family problems and the recent unexpected passing of his father, Felix, in order to help him out, invites him to spend the summer at his family's country house, Saltburn. Once at this lavish estate, Oliver meets Felix's parents (Rosamund Pike, Richard E. Grant), sister, Venetia (Alison Oliver) and an American cousin, Farleigh (Archie Madekwe) who also attends Oxford. As his obsession for Felix intensifies, a darker side of Oliver is revealed as he charms and seduces this eccentric family. Just as polarizing as her feature film debut, "Promising Young Woman" (which I was not a big fan) yet writer/director Emerald Fennell has managed to make "Saltburn" more appealing with a sharper script, crafting characters that are far more intriguing and going even further out there with shocking and outrageous moments. "Saltburn" is certainly not for the easily offended but if you like your cinema challenging, mind-boggling and demented, then this film should fit the bill.
"THE ZONE OF INTEREST"
As only his fourth feature film over the last twenty-three years, filmmaker Jonathan Glazer has delivered another brilliantly conceived yet disquieting drama with "The Zone of Interest" which takes us to a place set during a disturbing time in history, creating an environment that is haunting and austere. Glazer uses the novel of the same name by Martin Amis as inspiration for his screenplay with the film detailing a fictional account on Rudolf Höss (played here by Christian Friedel), a real-life SS Nazi commandant who would later be executed for his war crimes. Living in a charming home behind a wall next to the Auschwitz concentration camp that he runs, Höss spends his day operating the camp, then later retiring for a quiet evening to his wife, Hedwig (Sandra Hüller) and their five children. When Höss is offered a promotion that would require a move to a town near Berlin, Hedwig is distraught about leaving behind the beautiful home she has spent so much time creating, begging her husband to ask if she and their children can remain. While "The Zone of Interest" is yet another film that deals with the horrors of the second world war, Glazer has avoided the expected, inventively using a modern approach to tell this story with cinematographer Łukasz Żal using only natural lighting and shooting scenes with an infrared and surveillance camera. We never witness the atrocities that goes on behind the wall of the Höss home, but we hear the faint, ominous sounds of gunshots and screams along with the jarring score by Mica Levi which effectively adds to the uneasy atmosphere. "The Zone of Interest" is yet another compelling, singular work from Glazer and hopefully we will not have to wait so long for the next movie by this gifted filmmaker.
Honorable Mention: "Afire", "All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt", "Anatomy of a Fall", "Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret", "Blackberry", "Blue Jean", "Dream Scenario", "Fair Play", "Full Time", "Me Captian (Io capitano)", "Rye Lane", "A Thousand and One", "The Teachers' Lounge (Das Lehrerzimmer)", "Theater Camp", "Tori & Lokita"
