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Reviews
Vai (2019)
Promising ethnofiction, disappointing filmmaking
A marvellous look into cultures - diverse yet drawn together by undeniable bonds - that all too seldom appear in film. Unfortunately, the storylines are sophomoric and the cinematography strictly by the book. There is a sense that the directors felt their artistic freedom constrained and were mostly phoning it in.
After a strong first vignette, the second is particularly weak, with inevitable walkouts - a pity because once the film passes through the more cringe-inducing phases of Vai's life and we meet her in middle age and as an elder, her strength finally begins to draw the film together. Seeing four generations of her family is particularly touching.
The film was promoted as "ambitious", and in some ways it is. However, if the directors had been given complete control over their vignettes (within the parameters broadly required for the overarching story), we could have seen a truly daring work.
Obvious parallels with Moana (1926). There are many stories to be told here. Let us hope this is not the last attempt to do so.
The American Astronaut (2001)
Not the worst film I've ever seen ...
... simply the worst film I can think of at the moment.
Comparisons to David Lynch's early work are unfair blemishes on his reputation. Surely the only ways in which this film resembles 'Eraserhead' are that it's low-budget and shot in B&W.
There is no content or depth in this film, it is just a long set of scenes loosely strung together, held together by one running joke. What is that joke? Others have commented on it here -- professor Hess's birthday.
There is nothing else. Period.
Note that the lack of special effects isn't an issue. Tarkovsky's 'Solaris' and Godard's 'Alphaville' both satisfactorily represented space travel with limited technology, as does 'The American Astronaut'. The problem is that there's nothing for the space travel scenes to bind together -- the film is empty.
It was difficult to believe that the film was *only* an hour and a half long. It felt like an eternity. There was a constant trickle of audience members leaving all through the session. Well, that was at MIFF, maybe the viewers were a little more discerning than the usual crowd. I stayed because I felt that there must be at least an attempt at redemption at the end. Sadly, no. Just a continuation of that joke.
Maybe I'm just spoiled by the likes of Bela Tarr, Wim Wenders, Mike Figgis, Jim Jarmusch, Terrence Malick and other mind-alteringly talented directors.
Then again, maybe there's a simpler answer -- that this film really is devoid of all worth.