Highly Recommend
Features
Deep Red (Retrospective) –
Italian horror maestro, Dario Argento, made a string of giallo and
supernatural horror masterpieces in the 70’s and early 80’s. While
Suspiria (1977) remains his most famous film, commonly touted as one of
the scariest films ever made, it is of my opinion that Deep Red (1975)
is his greatest work. David Hemmings (Blowup) stars as Marcus Daly, a
pianist and music teacher living in Rome, who investigates the shocking
murder of a psychic medium, who lives in Daly’s apartment building.
After his desperate attempt to save her fails, he becomes obsessed with
finding the murderer. The killer strikes several times, eliminating
people who have learned something about their identity, but as Daly digs
deeper into the complex web of affairs, he uncovers a sinister secret
inside a deserted old house. One feature I adore about this film is the
wonderful score composed by prog rock band Goblin (who would become
Argento’s primary collaborators, following a disagreement with Ennio
Morricone on Four Flies On Grey Velvet). Though Suspiria’s main theme is
more famous, perhaps, I don’t think Goblin ever again matched this
work. Don’t miss this stunning film on the big screen. It may be the
highlight of your MIFF2013 experience.
For Those in Peril – The debut
feature from talented writer/director Paul Wright following a number of
award-winning shorts, For Those in Peril is a visceral and complex
psychological drama with an emotional intensity that continually keeps a
viewer guessing. This is a fresh vision from a bold filmmaker who has
an interest in telling his stories and provoking his audience with
inventive sensory experimentation. From the eerie opening to the
unforgettable finale this is a mesmerizing tale pits sea folklore with
the personal struggle of a youngster dealing with conflicting emotions
of grief and guilt, and facing malevolence for being alive.
Frances Ha – Greta Gerwig
delivers an infectiously warm and bubbly performance in Noah Baumbach’s
New York-set dramedy about a charming hipster stumbling through a
directionless mid-20’s life crisis. Always optimistic about her future
and determined to continue to purse her modest artistic aspirations,
Frances cannot seem to make anything else work. Barely scraping together
enough funds to support her living expenses, and unlucky in her
romantic pursuits, her series of misadventures are captured in pleasing
black and white photography. Fueled by an energetic soundtrack, Gerwig’s
klutzy and awkward pratfalls are a consistent source of humour, earning
our sympathy in a way I found Lena Dunham’s Girls characters did not.
Continue reading at Graffiti With Punctuation.
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