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(London Film Festival, October 3rd, 2019, Curzon Soho Cinéma, 99 Shaftesbury Avenue, London W1D 5DY, England. Soho, 18:00 pm) https://whatson.bfi.org.uk/lff/Online/default.asp?BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::permalink=beanpole&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::context_id= "Beanpole" 1945, Leningrad. 'World War II' has devastated the city, demolishing it's buildings and leaving its citizens in tatters, physically and mentally. Although the siege, one of the worst in history, is finally over, life and death continue their battle in the wreckage that remains. Two young women, Iya Sergueeva (Viktoria Miroshnichenko) and Masha (Vasilisa Perelygina), search for meaning and hope in the struggle to rebuild their lives amongst the ruins. On a surface level, "Beanpole" is a word that describes the physical attributes and outlook of the main hero, Iya, as she’s a very tall woman. Masha has scars, based on the injuries she suffered during the war and the operations that she had to undergo. But "Beanpole" is more about clumsiness and this is how the heroes feel and express feelings in the film, they're clumsy, they're learning how to live again after the war and it's very difficult for them. The story is based around the lives of two young women who've their whole lives ahead of them. A major focus in the film is their desire to reproduce. One of the film’s primary heroes chooses birth as a kind of medicine for her trauma. Iya believes that if she gives birth, then this new person will be able to cure them both. This is a very powerful creative decision that makes the story even more relevant today, to talk about the role of women in society. It allows us to retell a story about traditional 'PTSD' in a more dramatic and radical way. Until Stepan (Konstantin Balakirev), Sasha (Igor Shirokov) and Iya find the internal strength to rid themselves of war and of it's memories, it will continue. In the young women’s apartment, the precise texture of an authentic, historical St. Petersburg’s flat of that time is recreated. Every wall is covered by up to five layers of different wallpaper; from pre-revolutionary wallpaper to the pages of biological atlases depicting exotic birds. Some of the materials used are actual historical wallpaper and not modern recreations. For later periods the film uses 'Soviet' newspapers as wallpaper. The film also uses authentic newspapers from 1942 to plug the holes in the windows of the girls flat as people of that period used to do. These newspapers are also use to make paper napkins for the 'New Year’s' scene at the hospital. They're placed on the patients’ bedside tables. It's very important that the story takes place in 1945. The heroes, like the city they live in, are mangled by a horrible war. They live in a city that has endured one of the worst sieges in the history of warfare. This is a story about them and about people they meet in Leningrad, the obstacles that they've to overcome and the way they're treated by society. They're psychologically crippled by the war and it will take time for them to learn to live their normal lives. The film is interested in the fates of women and especially women who fought in 'The Second World War'. This was the war with the highest participation of women. The film want to find answers to the question; what happens to a person who's supposed to give life after she passes through the trials of war? Out of this deep and intimate psychological drama grows a powerful metaphor about war; it never stops, even when the actual battles are over. This film is based on the book 'The Unwomanly Face Of War' by 'The Nobel' Laureate Svetlana Alexievich. We know very little about the war and how little about the role of women in the war. What happens to a woman after the war is over, when there's a tectonic shift in her mind and her nature, a violation of her nature that would obviously take place afterwards. Leningrad is especially important as it's the city that survived this terrible siege, and the consequences of the siege played an important part in the film. It's vital to feel this space and background in the film, and you can feel it even now, in today's Leningrad (Saint Petersburg). There's not a single image of Stalin, Lenin or any other traditional communist symbols of the time in the film. The streetcars in "Beanpole" are authentic. They're a loan from 'The Museum Of Electrical Transport' in St. Petersburg. The challenge is to construct a special step outside of the streetcar, usually used by people without tickets who rode, just hanging on for dear life. Given it isn't possible to do in a museum exhibit, the film constructs a special contraption that damage the original step, but at the same time can support the weight of a dozen people. For example, in the scene where the patients in the hospital celebrate 'New Year’s, the decorations, thread with pieces of wadding threaded through, are recreated with historical accuracy by the prop-masters. During the post-war years, the patients who lost limbs in Leningrad’s hospitals had to design exercise equipment for physical therapy themselves. The close-up shots of injections in the hospital scene are shown in such a way that the design and manufacture custom-made foldable needles. To make the bandages look more authentic, the film soakes them in tea and dried them on radiators before shooting. This gave the bandages the appearance of having been washed multiple times. "Beanpole" talks about war as a personal tragedy; this is a story of post-traumatic stress. We've seen similar films but almost all of them are stories of men whose lives were crippled by war, who come back to their normal lives and try to find their place in the world. "Beanpole" looks at the post-war world through women’s eyes. When we study the diaries of people who lived during that time, we learn that despite all the hardships and the devastation, they're surrounded by bright colours every day. This conflict between bright colours and the nature of post-war life is also very interesting. We feel the consequences of war in the space where the action takes place, and in the colour palette of the film. But most importantly it’s in the fates of our heroes. It's important to show the consequences of war through people’s faces, eyes, physiques, bodies, not just through abandoned or destroyed buildings. The fact that we live in a world where wars still rage, makes "Beanpole" a traditional story through powerful visual metaphors that create an intricate tapestry. The colour palette tells us more about the internal struggles of his characters than the words could ever do. Two colours, green and ochre, dominate the film. We see them in costumes, in interior design, even in covering shots. These colours give us both drama and warmth. They speak to us both about intimacy and a conflict with the world to which our heroes have much trouble adapting. Even though this is not a documentary, there's a natural authenticity to everything that we see and to all the actions the heroes make. Everything takes place in a carefully reconstructed world where every little detail, from interiors to everyday objects, is authentic to the time period. But attention to detail doesn’t make "Beanpole" a period story. This is not a story about a historic period; this is a story about the world today. This is why the ages of the heroes, the way they act in front of the camera, even their clothes although authentic to the time period, look very modern and visually appropriate to contemporary filmmaking. The film combines true knowledge of classical cultural tradition with a voice of this generation. The true strength comes from a realization of the drama and cruelty of life. There's a deep affection and empathy towards the people who are trying to survive and overcome terrible obstacles. We've to understand the problems that the world faces today and also the hardships and cruelty. The film feels compassion to those who still suffer.

(Release Info London schedule; July 5th, 2019) ■ Empire Haymarket, 63-65 Haymarket, St. James's, London SW1Y 4RL, United Kingdom) https://m.empirecinemas.co.uk/index.php?page=features&forthcoming=1 ■ British Board Of Film Clarification, 3 Soho Square, Soho, London W1D 3HD, United Kingdom https://bbfc.co.uk/releases/anna-2019 "Anna" Beneath Anna Poliatova’s (Sasha Luss) striking beauty lies a secret that will unleash her indelible strength and skill to become one of the world’s most feared government assassins. Anna’s job demands that she hone a multiplicity of identities, but even as she moves from addict to model to numerous disguises, she quietly keeps a tight grip on who she was before she became an operative. The story of a resilient assassin who's used as a pawn but then breaks all the rules to control her own destiny. This film takes place on a more epic, global scale, placing Anna quite literally at the icy-hot center of the tensions between the world’s two superpowers. As Anna moves like a magnetic force between life on the street and on the glam, high-fashion runway, between 'The KGB' and 'The CIA', between two lovers on opposite sides, between loyalty to her mentors and devotion to her most private dreams, she's propelled most of all by an unswerving drive to be truly free. An electrifying thrill ride unfolding with propulsive energy, startling twists and breathtaking action. Anna is a 'KGB' recruiter, one of many masters she appears to serve, in a world of turbo-charged aggression. What's so intriguing about Anna is that she exudes strength, independence and her own strong, feminine power in every second of the film. Even when she’s manipulating people, Anna’s doing it because she has an agenda and she has a dream. She has many guises, many selves, many ways of transforming, and many ways of surviving. Even as she proves herself a brutally fierce player in the cut-throat world of 'Cold War' spies, Anna is slyly constructing her own game-within-the-game that no one sees coming. Modeling and being an assassin are both just jobs. She’s going to be the best she can be, she’s going to excel, but it's all a means of getting to her own agenda. And nothing is going to stop her, not even the most powerful intelligence agencies in the world. In some ways she resembles characters from 'La Femme Nikita' and 'Leon The Professional'. She manifests a 'POV' relevant to our world right now. "Anna" shows the psyche of a woman who proves as capable of astonishing destruction as refined sophistication. The character is as seductive and treacherous as any classic 'femme fatale', but who's also a modern woman who refuses to belong to anyone but herself. The film shows how she learns to move with ease and determination through the raging mayhem that surrounds her. Because even though she can be so tough and so icy, her story is also very personal and emotional. Underneath her training as a killer, she's lonely, she's angry and she's fighting for a kind of liberty that seems impossible in her world. She has led many lives, on the streets, as a model, as an agent and a double-agent, but she has never been able to dream of a future that's really her own, which is all she wants. Anna’s life changes again and again as she tries to survive, and she's always able to land on her feet and adapt. She never imagined herself doing photo shoots when she was a drug addict in Moscow, but that's one of the great things about Anna; she's smart, determined and she can learn new things very quickly. She becomes very sought-after in the fashion world because she has something different, which makes it all the stranger that she has this whole other life where she's one of the world’s most merciless assassins. Whether Anna is soaking in the glitzy modeling limelight or carrying out high-stakes hits for 'The KGB', her aim is beyond both of them. Even after Anna is recruited by a 'KGB' agent who suspects she has the kind of game-playing smarts and skills that could be useful to the government, her new handler scoffs at the idea that Anna will even make it through her first assignment. This is Olga (Helen Mirren), a war-wearied veteran of 'The KGB'. Ultimately, Olga and Anna will become a seemingly invincible team who never fail; even as Anna sees in Olga a dark mirror of who she might become. Olga is a very interesting character. Olga is s gutsy women who has found a way to thrive in a world that offers no quarter. This film is a manifestation of that. Olga is a very, very strong woman who can bring out the best, and the worst, in one another. As Anna’s spymaster, Olga’s single-minded perfectionism begins to rub off on Anna, and Olga begins to do what has never come naturally to her; trust in Anna. At first, Olga is highly skeptical of Anna. Of course, she can see that she's very beautiful, which has it's uses in the spy world, but she doesn’t believe that Anna has all the other qualities you need to survive as an assassin. She really doesn’t believe it until Anna proves it. As Anna’s story unravels in multiple time frames, and as she obliterates one target after another, she also becomes entangled in several romances that pull her in polarizing directions. Those chasing Anna include 'KGB' agent Alex Tchenkov (Luke Evans), his rival 'CIA' agent Lenny Miller (Cillian Murphy) and the spirited French model Maude (Lera Abova), though Anna’s fiercely independent heart gives them each a run for their money. It's Alex Tchenkov who first gives Anna a choice between death and the anonymous, controlled life of a state assassin. But as much as he sees Anna as a valuable weapon of the government, He's a man who doesn’t ever give away anything, When you look at him, he could be contemplating where he’s going to take you for dinner or how he’s going to kill you and where he’s going to bury your body. You wouldn’t know either way. Alex has been trained over a long time to show no emotion, to be able to shoot someone from point blank range as if it's nothing. Alex also is drawn to the fiercely independent woman he knows she really is. At the same time, Tchenkov does have an interior life, if hidden away, mostly seen in his relationship with Anna. He’s not completely cold-hearted, despite his job. As for the sexual chemistry that develops between Alex and Anna, they share a lot under the skin. They’re both a little lost and lonely. Being an assassin is a very solitary job. You constantly find yourself with different name in a different country surrounded by people who are not your friends or your family and you can’t tell anyone any one your secrets. So, in this dark, harsh environment, they're both seeking whatever moments they can of liberation and love and care. Of course, Alex has been in 'The KGB' long enough to know that neither Anna’s story, nor their story together, is likely to have a happy ending, but that's part of his reality. It’s an unconventional romance between them, but they truly need one another. In the world Anna lives in, no one can be trusted, and everyone is a target; to be killed, seduced, turned or manipulated; until she sets out to disrupt that cycle. How she does it's one of the film’s most satisfying pleasures. It seems that Anna is trapped, that she has no choice but to carry out other people’s violent agendas; but Anna never loses sight of her own plan. With "Anna", Luc Besson returns to the neo-noir style and themes of his early films, but this time with a fresh vision of a 'femme fatale' as a trans-global hit-woman who harbors more power than anyone realizes. Though Besson’s thrillers have been influencing other filmmakers for 3 decades, they continue to have a hypnotic look and feel that's unmistakably Besson’s. Seductively colorful and insistently rhythmic, they take on the feel of pop culture fairytales, mixing pure sensuous enjoyment with the palpable dangers of our real, sometimes alienating, world. His long takes have become a trademark, allowing him to work close-in with the actors and giving them the freedom to dive deep into the scenes without having to re-surface. The alluring Anna Poliatova is plucked from a dingy Russian street market and transformed into one of Paris top models. But much like 'The Matryoshka' nesting dolls Anna once sold, what you get in this breathless thrill-ride of a film defies what you think you see. 'La Femme Nikita', which forever shattered the taboo against female-driven action movies. For the mysterious, if efficiently lethal. There's this very strong feeling of immediacy and the atmosphere is never broken. The film is inspired by 'The Cold War' spy tensions that were heating up in the early 90s. Those were sinister times in 'The KGB', assassinations were common, and people were disappearing inside and outside Russia if they're considered a threat. The film collects masses of images from 'The Cold War' era focusing equally on the contrasting worlds of deadly serious 'Soviet' operatives and playful, decadent fashion runways at a time when the fame and power of supermodels were surpassing even movie stars. Throughout the film a color code to divide 'East' and 'West'. The Russians are all in browns, beiges and greens and 'The CIA' is all in blue and grey. But when Anna arrives in Paris as a fledgling model, that’s when the film really has a chance to let loose with color and form. Anna’s look is constantly changing so the film creates this new spy-girl that you haven’t seen five minutes before. Distinctive is the operative word for each component of the film’s design. Every color, shape, sound, choreographed move and swoop of the camera has to be part of building towards a climax that thrillingly turns the world so carefully crafted upside down. This is a story that has layers upon layers, and that you really can’t fully see all that's happening until you get to the end of the story. You get hints here and there of where things are going. But it’s very much like a 'jigsaw' puzzle, where only when the very last piece is put in place do you suddenly see the whole picture. It's a picture of thoughts and feelings at the time. The film is a 'Polaroid' of this moment. And one of the strongest themes in the movie is about trust, which we've lost in our society right now. As for how the story weaves hardcore action through a passionate story of empowerment that also works as an elaborate puzzle. This reflects life, where one minute, things are sweet and then next a storm is breaking. There's action in "Anna", but the film also want audiences to be challenged, so be prepared.

Guillermo del Toro's visionary ideas of shine through in a beautiful love story in a Beauty and The Beast type fashion with the heroine falling in love with the beast. Del Toro's film is packed full of extraordinary colours - from the beautiful blues to the lavish greens, this is something not to be missed. The film is littered full of brilliant performances, from the dark Strickland played by Michael Shannon, The hilarious Zelda played by Octavia Spencer, the treacherous yet kind Robert Dr. Hoffstetler played by Michael Stuhlbarg who also recently put on an Oscar worthy performance in "Call Me By Your Name" and finally Sally Hawkins plays a mute cleaner named Elisa Esposito of which she gives the performance of her career portraying Elisa as a sly yet kind woman full of love. The visuals are stunning and Del Toro's mark unmissable as every single shot has his own signature written all over it, from the opening expressionistic scene as the camera takes us through an omnious water filled corridor to Elisa as she floats alone in her flooded apartment which is symbolic of a particular key scene later in the film. Del Toro has claimed a lot of his work with monsters has been influenced by Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" novel and the influence from James Whale's "Frankenstein" film is evident along with such films as Steven Spielberg's "ET". The Shape of Water is an outstanding piece of cinema diving into tones of melancholy, love and the supernatural that is made from pure passion - from director Guillermo del Toro as seen in his BAFTA ceremony speech, this is Del Toro's finest film. 5/5 Ben Rolph

(Release Info London schedule; October 29th, Picturehouse Central, Piccadilly Circus, Corner of Great Windmill Street and, Shaftesbury Ave, London W1D 7DH, United Kingdom, 18: 20 pm) (Release Info London schedule; October 29th, Clapham Picturehouse, 76 Venn St, Clapham, London SW4 0AT, United Kingdom, 20:45 pm) https://www.google.de/search?q=After+the+Wedding+showtimes+London&oq=After+the+Wedding+showtimes+London&aqs=heirloom-srp.. "After The Wedding" As if driven by an inescapable force, Isabel (Michelle Williams) has devoted her life to running an orphanage in a Calcutta slum. With funds running dry, a potential donor, who requires she travel from India to New York, to deliver a presentation in-person, contacts Isabel. At first balking at the demand of an uncommitted philanthropist, she relents, and travels to a city she deliberately hasn't returned to in over two decades. Once in New York, Isabel lands uncomfortably in the sight line of the orphanage's possible benefactor, Theresa Young (Julianne Moore), a multi-millionaire media mogul accustomed to getting what she wants. From the glittering skyscraper where she runs her successful business, to the glorious 'Oyster Bay Estate', where she lives happily with her artist husband, Oscar Carlson (Billy Crudup), 21-year-old daughter, Grace (Abby Quinn), and eight-year-old twins, Theo (Azhy Robertson) and Otto (Tre Ryder), Theresa's life couldn't appear to be more perfect and different from Isabel’s. But appearances are only skin deep and the two women have more in common than meets the eye. While Isabel thinks she'll soon be returning to her beloved orphanage, Theresa has other plans. She insists Isabel attend Grace's wedding at the family's estate. The joyful event becomes a catalyst for a revelation that upends the lives of both women, and the people who love them most. As if driven by some inescapable force, Isabel (Michelle Williams), an orphanage director in the slums of Calcutta, has devoted her life to caring for impoverished children. She's also become surrogate mother to a vulnerable seven-year-old boy, Jai (Vir Pachisia), with whom she shares such a deep emotional bond, that they're nearly inseparable. Despite years spent working with her colleague, Preena (Anjula Bedi), to scrape together donations, the orphanage is on the brink of bankruptcy. And just as the situation reaches it's breaking point, Preena receives a letter from a potential big donor, who requests that Isabel travel to New York to deliver a presentation in-person. At first balking at the demand of the as yet uncommitted philanthropist, Preena convinces her to relent, and Isabel travels back to a city she's deliberately been avoiding for over two decades. Once in New York, Isabel is as disoriented by the luxury of the hotel that's been arranged for her, as she's meeting the orphanage's possible benefactor, the glamorous, multi-millionaire media mogul, Theresa (Julianne Moore). From the glittering skyscraper where she runs her successful business, to the glorious 'Oyster Bay Estate', where she lives happily with her artist husband, Oscar (Billy Crudup), 21-year-old daughter, Grace (Abby Quinn), and eight-year-old twins, Theo and Otto, Theresa's life couldn't appear more perfect. But although their lives seem diametrically opposite, Isabel and Theresa are forces to be reckoned with, and have far more in common than they may ever know. While Isabel thinks she'll soon be returning to the orphanage, and her beloved Jai, Theresa has other plans. She invites Isabel to attend Grace's wedding to Jonathan (Alex Esola), a rising young executive at her company. Not wanting to feel any more displaced, Isabel demurs but Theresa, always in command, insists. Despite the veneer of joyfulness, the wedding exposes a long-hidden truth, ripping open an old wound, and exposing a new secret, which alters the course of all of their lives. Adapting Susanne Bier’s 'Danish' film of the same title, "After The Wedding" crafts an absorbing cinematic tale of secrets and intersecting lives. By cleverly changing the gender of Bier’s characters, the film offers an elevated take on the film’s melodrama, and tells a rich, emotional complex story about strong women, motherhood, second chances and fate. The film has two female leads. Between the dearth of significant, multifaceted leading roles for women, and the country's current climate regarding power dynamics and gender, the switch makes the story more current. Realistically zigzagging from extreme poverty in Calcutta to extreme wealth in New York is no small feat. The film creates the stunning visuals, that beautifully illustrated the chasm between the lives of Isabel and Theresa. The locations in New York are wholly emblematic of Theresa Young's life, and also stand in stark contrast with everything Isabel represented. She's a little bit painful. She has a deep loyalty to the children of the orphanage. 'Karaikudi' has it's own extreme challenges, which to the benefit of the movie, lent authenticity to Isabel's world of the orphanage and breathtaking colors. The conditions of the working environment are challenging. It's hot and unbelievably humid, but the film finessed it. There's a kind of luxurious look to the movie. The world that Isabel is thrust into, feels like something you want to be surrounded by. It's just beautiful and wide, and a little over exposed. It's very exciting to do such a deeply, intimate movie with this super wide scope feel. What makes a good father? The film reveals Oscar's inner turmoil. He has an intuitive understanding of how monumental things most often happen in small scale. The film's themes of what a parent wishes to pass on to their children, how they want protect them, and how they sometimes fail as parents, really resonated with both of them. Everything that's represented through a space is supposed to transform the audience, especially when it comes to Theresa and Oscar's estate. That house has to say everything about the characters. It focuses on tones that are neutral and soft; grays with blue and purple undertones. The goal is to keep it quiet but to include a layer of character dressing, because there's much in the script that's emotionally stirring. The film works with a new way to use white light and break it up into colors. You can do everything from subtly changing a character's features to creating more elegant shadows and reflections. Designing the costumes, the film remains alert to creating clothing that not only make the characters inhabit what they're wearing, but that what they're wearing belonged in the space they're living in. The space and the costume feel like one complete character. For Isabel's palette, the film uses only colors, textured fabric and garments that are sourced in India. Careful to not be heavy handed, the character's simple clothing is imbued with subtle indigos and turmeric. When creating looks for Theresa, Oscar and Grace, the film uses soft neutrals and sumptuous fabrics to convey quiet wealth, and the kind of moneyed comfort most often found in exclusive enclaves. Grace is marvelous. She's completely effortless, and open and lovely to watch. Even the costumes for Abby's elaborate wedding, which included a live fire-works display, take a backseat to the physical environment. While the wedding is richly detailed, the garden is the star of the location, so the film creates a story with the clothes, and the people at the wedding are an extension of the garden. We've many layers, and a plethora of different, three-dimensional, character perspectives. Al character's have a close familial relationships. They all embraces the conflict and the contradiction. They're happy with the endless peeling back of the layers of what could be going on. They strove to uncover the subtleties of how much these people are aware of their behavior, and how much of it's unconscious. So, it's an exciting opportunity to tell a story that takes on what it means for these women to make certain high-stake choices, and then have to deal with the many consequences of those actions. We've an intensive character development and a very modern way the high drama unfolded, to be compelling. It's a story that lives in the real world. The film explores that human frailty, and the joys derived from people we form relationships with over the course of our lives. At the end of the day, we’re all on this journey, but we don’t really have a choice about where it takes us fully. "After the Wedding" deals with the gray areas of life, and the idea that what's morally right or wrong can get muddied. We humans are nearly all guilty of manipulations both large and small, but even with the best intentions, bending the truth to fit your personal narrative often results in great damage.

From Writer / Director James Webber and Producer Roxanne Holman comes SOROR, the follow-up to the BAFTA long-listed and Cannes Film Fetsival Coup de Coeur winning DRIFTWOOD. Starring: Rosie Day (Outlander, Misfits), Sian Breckin (Tyrannosaur, Starred Up, Donkey punch), James Alexandrou (Eastenders) & double BAFTA winner Kate Dickie (Red Road, Game of Thrones, The Witch). Watch the full film for free now on Findie:https://www.findie.me/video/soror

The film starts near the end. Zain is being brought to court from a juvenile detention centre to sue his parents for having brought him into the world. When we see in lengthy flashback what that world was like for him, we are inclined to agree. Zain is supposed to be 12 years old, but looks a squalid age eight. His birth was never registered, he has never been to school. He, his parents and a crowd of brothers and sisters live in a Beirut slum called Capernaum. He works all day for Assaad a neighbouring store owner -- running errands, making deliveries, hauling stuff up long flights of stairs. As a business sideline Zain's family peddles Tramadol. One day Zain realizes that his beloved sister Sahar, age 11, has begun menstruating. He washes out her panties for her, steals sanitary towels for her, warns her not to throw the used ones out in case their mother discovers them. Of course she does. Sahar is married off to Assaad in exchange for some chickens. Zain runs away. He is befriended by Rahil, an Ethiopian illegal immigrant. She feeds him, washes him, lets him stay, and in return he helps look after her baby boy called Yonas. One day Rahil is picked up by the police and Zain is left looking after the baby. When he finds Rahil's home has been locked up with her belongings thrown out in the street, he finds his only option is to hand over Yonas to Aspro (who deals in false ID documents and is also a people smuggler). Aspro promises Zain he will find Yonas a wonderful home with wonderful parents. He also tells Zain he can help him leave for Turkey, or even Sweden. All he needs is some sort of ID. He returns to the family home in search of just that, not knowing that his parents never registered his birth. Besides receiving a beating, he finds out that Sahar is dead. She became pregnant, and then bled to death outside the hospital. The hospital would not admit her because she had no ID. Zain grabs a knife and rushes out to attack Assaad. So, here we have a fullblown melodrama: the poor with no future; an unscrupulous trafficker who robs defenceless babies and tricks young boys; a young girl who dies before she even has a chance to live. All narrated soberly, coldly, heart-breakingly. The final ending has a tinge of hope. Thanks to Caritas little Yonas is rescued before he can be shipped off to be sold and is reunited with his mother. Zain finally smiles into the camera as his photograph is taken for his much needed ID. He will never recuperate his childhood. He may begin to enjoy his youth. This is a powerful, deeply moving film. Nadine Labaki is an accomplished young actress and filmmaker, whose previous work has focused mainly on women, their lives, hopes and aspirations (Caramel, 2007; Where do we go from here? 2011), Here the theme is relentless, grinding poverty. In all his short life young Zain has never known anything but poverty, work, deprivation. He has never slept in a real bed. He is a survivor, a warrior, a master of making do, dealing with impossible difficulties, managing to go on living. Zain Al Rafeea is superb in the part, as indeed is the whole cast, mainly first-time actors. Christopher Aoun, a German-Lebanese cinematographer portrays with documentary-style veracity the grim starkness of this Beirut slum.

Daddy can see us…when he gets here. But he’s already here. Do you fancy a movie along the lines of “Hush” but with people who aren’t mute? In short, a film in which there’s a lot of screaming. And should there be co-stars who are simply mown down with a wicked-looking ax as in every “Friday the 13th” episode? Then “He’s out there” might be something for you. However, if you are someone who expects a little explanation about why someone is terrorizing a family, then I’ll have to disappoint you. Why Laura (Yvonne Strahovski) and her two daughters Kayla (Anna Pniowsky) and Maddie (Abigail Pniowsky) were suddenly attacked by an unknown, still remained a question mark in the end. And again a cabin in the woods. “He’s out there” certainly isn’t a bad movie. The increasing tension ensures that you’ll be sitting on the edge of your chair. It’s a bit like “The wolf and the seven young goats“, only the wolf is a lurid disguised person and the 7 goats are played by two irritating screaming girls. Now such a disguise as the maniac uses is nothing new in the slasher genre. Jason Voorhees had a hockey mask. Michael Myers a scary rubber mask. Leatherface wore a mask made with the flesh of his victims. The perpetrator in “He’s out there” seems to be a cousin of “The Collector” in “The collection“. Almost an identical disguise and the same used clothes. A disappointing, simple, third-rate film.. I like to watch such a typical slasher full of screaming victims. The least I expect though is a surprising denouement or a unique thought up slaughter as in “You’re next“. But in this film, the standard list for slasher movies is neatly checked off and there’s no deviation from the standard formula. And then there’s also the fact that there are just a few victims and nothing (but absolutely nothing) of background information is shared. That makes “He’s out there” just a disappointing, simple, third-rate film. Even the end was so predictable that I had to sigh deeply. And to be honest, I also thought the denouement was a bit exaggerated. Let’s hope there won’t be a sequel. Is there something positive to report? Yes, there is. Yvonne Strahovski. And not only because she looks nice. She tries in a realistic way to give shape to a character who’s terrified and at the same time tries to protect her two panicky children. So expect a lot of hiding and running away while screaming. Kind of stupid though. Because the person who wants to hurt them, always knows where they are. “He’s out there” is like an ex-girlfriend. It was fun for a while, but then it turns out she wasn’t so special. And before you know it, you are glad you got rid of her. And in no time you are looking for someone else and you have forgotten about her. Let’s hope they aren’t planning to make a sequel. My rating 4/10 Links: IMDB

When I was younger I used to be a huge fan of Jackie Chan, from his cult classic 'Police Story' series of films to his entertaining action comedy capers 'Shanghai Noon' and 'Shanghai Knights'. As a young boy I always had a fascination with martial arts and Chan was among others such as Bruce Lee and Jet Li of my on screen idols. When I hit my mid teens, I dropped out of my Ta-Kwan-Do lessons and decided to focus on a new passion, writing. I still enjoyed watching martial art flicks but wasn't as obsessed with them as previously. As I got older, I became more interested in the film genres of crime and drama. So it was a surprise and a delight one evening, when I happened upon a Film4 Thriller/Drama called 'Shinjuku Incident', starring none other then Jackie Chan. Although Jackie has done a handful of more serious films, he is most well known for his jaw dropping stunts, hectic and masterfully choreographed fight scenes and comic, light hearted style of acting. This film however made me reconsider my opinion of the actor, as I found both the story of the piece and Chan's acting engaging and impressive. Although there is a small amount of fighting and martial arts, the film is more about Jackie Chan's character and the physical and emotional toll he suffers, throughout the course of the narrative. So, you can imagine my excitement, when I first heard news that Chan was bringing out another film with him in a serious role. Having watched the Netflix film, I can gladly confirm that this is one of Chan's best performances. He brings a lot to the role and his gravitas in his performance is consistent throughout. In a nutshell, The Foreigner focuses on Quan (played by Chan), who after the fatal death of his daughter in a London bomb attack, seeks vengeance and goes in search of the people responsible. At first glance, it would seem like your typical revenge flick, following in the same vein as such payback classics as 'Commando' and 'Taken'. What sets it apart though, is the political backdrop it is set against. The bombing is by a rogue IRA group and with it's detonation, both England and Northern Ireland are plunged into political chaos with the threat of a British Civil War from it's backlash. The character of Hennessy, played aptly by Pierce Brosnan adds another layer to the film and his relationship with the prime minister of England and his former IRA associates, prevents this from becoming just another box standard revenge fesh. Despite their being that added layer of depth with the political angle, I did spend the first fifteen minutes of the film, contemplating that the death of the daughter and the father's decision for revenge, could be seen as glorification. At the end of the day, parents lose their children all the time but in reality, they wouldn't turn into Rambo and simply go on a killing spree. Life doesn't work like that and in a way to highlight that in film can be seen as a bit insensitive to anyone, who has actually experienced this sort of thing in real life. If there had been one scene where he was mourning the death of his daughter and then suddenly on the hunt for the killers, I would have very much felt it was glorification. In terms of story and Quan's character though, it is a little bit more thought out then that. Whilst he does eventually go rogue and take matters into his own hands, there is a decent amount of time where we see Chan mourning for the loss of his daughter. During this period of grievance, his action in regards to the people responsible, is more realistic to what someone would do. He visits the Metropolitan police every day, pleading with them to find the people responsible. When that fails, he appeals to Hennessy, again very politely and humbly asking for him to help. It is only when these avenues of aid fail to help resolve the matter, that he decides to take matters into his own hands. Although, this can be seen in some senses of glorification, the way Quan's character is written and the way Jackie performs it, plus the later revelations of his past and backstory, makes it less insensitive. Quan, although out for revenge feels like a real person, not just a trained fighter with his finger on the trigger. Martin Campbell has always been a director who has struck me as possessing that ability to deliver slick, smooth and stylish action, whilst at the same time having main characters that have much more going on, then their prowess at beating the crap out of anyone. He also has a good track record for implementing the ripple effect fictional events have on the political landscape of that world. 'Casino Royale' has all the classic traits of a bond film. Fast car chases, epic fight scenes, corny one liners but it was the first bond film, where I felt they tried to explore Bond's emotions. Yes, he is a cold blooded killer but he also has compassion and a sensitive side. Campbell has done the same here. Quan is a trained killer, taking down his enemies one by one but he is also a grieving father trying to deal with a tragic loss. One of the things I very much liked about this film was how clever Quan is, in terms of his tactical planning and execution. They could have avoided all of that and relied on Jackie's mastery of martial arts. To have scene after scene of him working his way through room after of room of brutes, to get to his objective. Instead, Quan's character is more methodical in his approach. He sets traps, plants false trails and makes sure he is one step ahead of his foes, so his chances of prevailing in his outcome are far more likely.  This makes sense, as both Jackie and his character are much older, meaning that to physically have to fight would be harder and waste precious energy and strength. On the handful of occasions Quan is forced to fight, the sequences are devastatingly brutal. They play to Jackie's strengths with him using the environment around him to best his opponents but the close combat fighting is harsh in its delivery. Combine these two together and you have fight scenes, which are both realistic and impacting, whilst at the same time with enough flair to be surprising and entertaining. What is interesting about Quan as a character is that he doesn't actually kill anyone apart from those responsible. Admittedly, he does rough up those that get in the way quite a lot but he refrains from killing on several occasions, when it would be easier too. As I have mentioned before, Quan is calculating and objectionable. His morale compass stops him from killing Hennessy's men but it is also a clever power play. By using other techniques such as the threat of death or blackmail, he can get the information he needs and secure his own safety better. Following on from this, it was a strong decision on the directing and writing front, to shake things up a little bit in the last act of the film. Instead of sending more men to be outwitted, disarmed and knocked out by Quan, Hennessy sends his nephew, an ex soldier, who fought in Iraq. This stops it becoming too easy for Quan and adding a sense of new threat and danger to the story. Hennessy is an interesting and very well developed character. At first I found him rather dislikeable and then warmed to him and then later in the film, grew to really hate him. But what is clever about how he is written, is that there is no straightforward answer. He is neither good or evil. Hennessy hovers between, in a murky grey area, making it hard to form an decisive opinion of the character. The ones that surround him, particularly his ex IRA colleagues further add to this character's complexity and by the end of the film, I was faced with a character I strangely pitied in a lot of ways. Again though, his actions would then contradict with this and I would find myself at odds with the character again. Brosnan plays it very well, never revealing too much but hinting at possible secrets his character is keeping tucked away. The tension and pace is achieved remarkably throughout, juggling both what is happening on a personal level with Quan and Hennessy and the larger political game that is happening with the Northern Irish and English governments. Finally you have the perspective of the bombers themselves. These three story arcs interspersed with one another, make for an exciting watch and when the three story lines come together at the end, the climax is exciting and dramatic. This goes to show how important editing is in a film's delivery, showcased in both the splicing and cutting together of events, as well as the skill of the edits during the fight sequences. 'The Foreigner' takes an overused and predictable revenge plot device and instills it with new life. It does this in a number of ways. Firstly, it takes a political topic that is still very fresh in terms of British history and executes it well, through both it's character writing and strong acting from a plethora of well regarded and praised Irish actors. Alongside that you have Jackie Chan bringing something completely new to the table. Probably one of his best performances, Chan presents a character who is broken emotionally and later on in the film physically. At the same time, he delivers just the right amount of stunts and martial arts, which at the age of 60, is pretty damn impressive. Although it is a revenge film at it's core, there are enough twists and turns to stop it from becoming too predictable. The fight scenes are well thought out, packing a punch but with enough of a tactical approach to not appear totally ridiculous. If you are looking for a revenge film that stands out from the endless copycats of 'Taken', then 'The Foreigner' is well worth your time. It still packs all the punches but isn't afraid to explore it's characters and the larger political world that surrounds them.

Writer, Director: Brad Bird (Contains mild spoilers) Nearly fifteen years have audiences been patiently waiting for the sequel to Pixar’s successful much-loved family superhero flick. All your favourite characters return to take on new villains and new missions that allow each Incredible to use their powers in a fun and exciting way. The question is whether or not that this film was worth the long wait. THE GOOD: The Beginning/A Change in Shift: The best part of the film occurs at the start where we begin where the first Incredibles ended - The Underminer. Straight away action ensues in a chaotic, intense way so that we are drawn into the Incredibles from the get-go reminding us of their powers and personalities. After this chaos is resolved we see the dynamics in the Incredible Family shift. Mrs. Incredible (A.K.A Elastic Girl) becomes the breadwinner whilst Mr. Incredible has to stay at home and look after the kids whilst trying to be supportive and hide his jealousy from his wife’s success. This in itself is quite poignant and relevant when looking at current issues surrounding gender equality in the workplace. The switch makes for humorous moments, but it is a clear statement surrounding the difficulties and ideals of how society still sees women as the home carer and men as the provider. It supports the cliché that whatever men can do women can do it too, sometimes, even better. Old and New Characters: Seeing childhood favourites on the big screen again will put a smile on anyone’s faces and make adults feel like a kid again. Dash (unnoticeably voiced by a different actor) is my personal favourite, and remains the cheeky, high-energetic 10 year old. As hinted before, you get to see more of Elastic Girl and more of what she can do (the motorcycle/metro chase scene was intense) as she hesitantly fights against injustice in the new fictional city of New Urbem. The short appearance of Edna was a clear audience favourite, but it is Jack-Jack who steals the show. Though an old character, his development of new, random powers make him feel like a new one, and with Mr. Incredible taking on the role of an unexperienced stay-at-home parent, this is an inevitable recipe for hilarity (trying to make Jack-Jack reappear with a cookie was priceless). With an array of new super-powered characters, the only one worth mentioning is Voyd. With similarities to the mutant Blink in X-men: Days of Future Past, Voyd’s teleportation abilities bring a high sense of fun and intensity. In particularly, towards the end Voyd tries to teleport Elastic Girl onto an aircraft, but Elastic Girl keeps missing the target, so Voyd attempts at least three more times to get Elastic Girl on the fast traveling turbo jet. This was ingenious, showing us a unique perspective and scenario not seen before in previous superhero movies. The Visuals: Needless-to-say, Pixar is so reliable and consistent with the high-level quality of the visuals and Incredibles II does not disappoint. Colours, light and shade, set designs, together emanated ecstasy for the eyes, and combined with the distinguishable energetic soundtrack, brought a solid, satisfactory completion to the film. THE BAD: Different Different But Same - What is really odd about watching Incredibles II is that after waiting over a decade for this sequel to be made, nothing much has really changed, i.e. the film occurs only days after The Underminer event. The storyline has not really progressed either; Supers are still exiled and forbidden to use their powers in the public domain, Violet’s boyfriend’s memory has been wiped and doesn’t remember ever meeting Violet and so she has to try and win his heart for a second time round, and Dash is still having problems with school (albeit math problems as opposed to behavioural ones). Also, with Violet, she is dramatically different in personality (clichéd teenage mood swings) and in her powers (she can now use her shields in a offensive way). It is great that Violet and her powers have progressed and evolved, but with the time being set only days after the end of Incredibles I, this seems a bit odd and misplaced. What’s more flawed about the film is that, although it seems fresh and different to the original, there really isn’t much difference to the structure at all. Mrs. Incredible has to work alone for some rich people she rarely knows - just like Mr. Incredible in the first - one of the people who Elastic Girl works for turns out to be the villain and is tech-savvy and uses technology as a means to get what they want - just like Syndrome in the first - the identity of the villain is revealed three quarters of the way in, Violet and Dash is left alone to defend for themselves for about seven minutes, and, just like the first, there is a similar climatic end which involves the efforts of all the Incredibles working together. So although it appears that the sequel is far different from the first instalment, closer inspection shows that it has more similarities with its predecessor, and the problem with this is that it makes Incredibles II seem stagnant, trite, and unoriginal. Like the latest Star Wars franchise, nostalgia alone cannot make a film a good one; it is the combination of the storyline, script, messages, and themes and ideas that elevate an average film to an incredible one. Screenslaver, The Antagonist - The villain in Incredibles II - Screenslaver, is one of the most flimsy antagonist seen this year. It is extremely obvious who the villain turns out to be, and rather than hiding Screenslaver’s identity, the film should have spent more time building Screenslaver’s backstory and create more empathy behind Screenslaver’s actions. Instead, we get a very bland, forgettable, unconvincing, two-dimensional adversary. With strong villains in superhero films this year - Eric Killmonger in Black Panther, Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War - Screenslaver is by far the weakest aspect of the sequel. The Verdict So was Incredibles II worth the 14 year wait? I hate to say this, but no, it really wasn’t. Definitely go see it and make a family outing out of it, but in no way does Incredibles II outshine the first, nor does it come anywhere close to how outstanding the first one was. The reason for such a long wait was that the creator, director and writer, Brad Bird, wanted to make a sequel until he had a good, compelling story and script. This can only be commended, but unfortunately, even after good intentions, Incredibles II feels like it was trying to capture the magic created by the first encounter, and so ends up being nostalgic but in a repetitive, uninspiring, uncreative way. Kids will enjoy this film, adults will feel like a kid again, but you just won’t leave the cinema feeling like the way you did the first time round. Rating: 6½/10

The Event took people we cared about, but it also left a part of them behind. Remnants. When I saw “Shovel Buddies” a while ago, I decided to add the item “Watch movies with Bella Thorne playing in it” to my to-do list. Now, I have a large number of to-do lists in the meantime. I could wallpaper my living room with it. In short, too much talk and too little action. I was pleased to see at the beginning of the film that she also participated in “I still see you“. The only thing that surprised me was her appearance. Not such an adorable, fresh looking, and stunning appearance as in the first mentioned film. No, this time she’s an alternative looking, rebellious goth chick with raven black hair and sturdy shoes on her feet. Such a type of girl you’d encounter in a pub full of smoke and doom music. The only thing missing was a piercing through her eyebrow and lower lip. Belle Bella Thorne. And yet you can catch a glimpse of that lovely face with those sparkling eyes through the mascara. I myself was such an alternativo in times long past and I knew girls who looked like this. But believe me. There were quite a few scarecrows between them who used the thick layer of make-up as a camouflage. Bella Thorne, on the other hand, remains a ravishing appearance. Maybe her lips look rather botox-treated. But otherwise she’s a very attractive looking young lady. Especially when she’s a wearing a T-shirt braless. But enough about Bella Thorne. There is also the movie. One day they were gone. Just like in “Shovel Buddies” we are dealing here with deceased fellow humans. Something Veronica (Bella Thorne) is confronted with in her daily life. And not only Veronica. People worldwide see the victims of a scientific fiasco in which a laboratory imploded. An implosion that made people disappear within a mile radius, after which they re-appeared as holographic images in society. Somewhat like the shadows that remained behind of the people who were present in Nagasaki and Hiroshima when the atomic bomb fell. I see dead people. So these aren’t phenomena as Cole could see in “The Sixth Sense” or Thomas in “Odd Thomas“. Cole and Thomas saw real spirits. In “I still see you” it’s visualized memories that appear daily at regular intervals, performing the same routine all the time. Until you touch them and they disappear with a plop. They are immutable appearances without consciousness that have no influence on daily society. Until one of them appears in the bathroom where Veronica is taking a shower. It tries to tell her something life-threatening is going to happen. I found a remnant in my soup. And that’s what’s similar to the aforementioned films. Namely that entities from the hereafter warn the main character that something is about to happen. Anyway, these appearances are part of today’s society. Kids at school are having lessons about these “remnants” as they are called. They are remains from the past. The only thing I didn’t understand very well, was the presence of people from an ancient past. Teenage girls will love it. I add “I still see you” to the list “horrors for teenage girls“. There’s certainly no trembling and shuddering while watching such films (such as in “Happy death day” or “Before I fall“). So, don’t expect screaming teenage girls running out of the movie theater. And there’s also a bit of romance in this movie so that this target audience can daydream a bit. At first, I expected an exciting film with paranormal and ghostly events. In retrospect, it’s sort of a Nancy Drew-like film in which Veronica tries to solve the mystery of a so-called serial killer with the help of fellow student Kirk (Richard Harmon), who’s really interested in these “remnants”. In the end, it was disappointing. Although the movie is filled with sometimes beautiful images and you can call the story highly original, it’s all in all a bit disappointing. The start was promising. But as the film progressed it all became rather superficial. And guessing the ultimate outcome wasn’t so hard either. “I still see you” is indeed a movie suited for teenagers who are sitting anxiously close to each other while watching. For me, it was just like watching a political debate. Always the same and nothing special. My rating 5/10 Links: IMDB More reviews here