Filmfestivalen 2017

Winning in business takes determination and perseverance, and pretty much nothing else, according to the self-help records Ray Kroc listens to. And he takes that piece of advice to heart. Starting out as a struggling travelling salesperson, he slowly becomes more determined as he expands and eventually doesn’t really care who gets sidestepped in the process. Michael Keaton gives life to the character, and Nick Offerman makes an excellent portrayal of one of the actual founders.

Failed the Bechdel test

4 pickles of 6

https://festival.giff.se/events/the-founder

www.imdb.com/title/tt4276820/?ref_=nm_flmg_dr_1

Andrews is originally a theatre director, and as such, it makes sense that his debut film is based on a play. He doesn’t just film a stage play, which is an easy trap to fall into in these occasions. He adds cinematic elements such as fast cuts, flashbacks and music to the mix, and it serves the story well. The scene in the park is very haunting, and the main actors bring life to the two scarred human beings they portray. The film doesn’t give you a clear cut answer, perhaps even rises more questions instead. Then again, the subject at hand is supposed to make you think.

Failed the Bechdel test

4 implications of 6

https://festival.giff.se/events/una

www.imdb.com/title/tt2315582/?ref_=nm_knf_t1

With a truckload of awards and a barrelful of recent Oscar nominations, including for best picture, my expectations were way high. Unfortunately, they weren’t met. Oh, it’s well acted, the direction is fine, and the editing works. But we’ve seen the story a million times before, and the lead character lacks depth. We have little to care for, and the lack of drama is a huge weakness. Sure, the fate of the main character would be a sad and gripping one in real life, and with less or no hype I might have been more taken by the events. But as it stands, this is just meh. Not bad, just meh.

Failed the Bechdel test

3 acts of 6

https://festival.giff.se/events/moonlight

www.imdb.com/title/tt4975722/?ref_=nm_knf_i1

Cinematic handicraft at its finest. With all the tricks of the trade, Salle tells a by-the-numbers tale of one of the most important pioneers of the 1900’s, or maybe just as much, his son. A man almost consumed by his passion, through no malign intent, realises that he has had a small part in the environmental crisis of the 20th century.
The underwater scenes are, of course, breathtaking for a diver such as myself, but the real wow moment for me was when the expedition took the Cousteau family across the Drake Shake to the, even now, mostly undisturbed shores of Antarctica proper. That takes me back.

Filmwise, it lacks that extra, but is so well done. Never do I lose interest, and it almost reaches one notch higher. So close, but we need a safety stop at 4.

Failed the Bechdel test

4 regulators of 6

https://festival.giff.se/events/the-odyssey

www.imdb.com/title/tt1659619/?ref_=nm_flmg_wr_1

Funny, lighthearted and well acted. Bening is convincing as the 55 year old mum to a teenage son. Most characters are believable, the story flows well and the pace is just right. There is a certain lack of conflict, though, but the film is still worth a watch or two.

Failed the Bechdel test

4 cars of 9

https://festival.giff.se/events/20th-century-women

www.imdb.com/title/tt4385888/?ref_=nm_flmg_dr_1

In these times of so-called alternative facts, it’s important to remember that fact deniers have been around forever. Be it gravity, spherical earth, evolution or climate change they deny, staunch opposers of scientific inquiry have been, and still are, a stain on humanity. Perhaps none more despicable than the Holocaust denier. Timothy Spall shines as the reality denier, even giving him a slight ounce of humanity, thereby making him even more of an arsehole, as he otherwise would have been pure evil of the kind that actually doesn’t exist in this world. The rest of the cast do a great job as well, especially Tom Wilkinson. Rachel Weisz is good as always, but I’m not sure about that supposed accent.

Denial deals with an extremely important issue. Filmwise, it’s not much more than a well performed, well executed courtroom drama, but the subject at hand raises the grade half a notch.

Failed the Bechdel test

4 holes of 6

https://festival.giff.se/events/denial

www.imdb.com/title/tt4645330/?ref_=nm_flmg_dr_1

Chilean director Pablo Larraín turns to the US and tells the tale of Jackie O. Or rather, Jackie K, as neither Jackie B, nor Jackie O shows up. Rather than following formula 1A in biopic making, the film focuses on the aftermath of the events of November 22:nd. That could have been an excellent move, especially considering that Natalie Portman is absolutely brilliant in the title role, but unfortunately there is no story there, or if there is, it’s not very well conveyed. It’s simply boring. Dull, tedious, and boring. Without Portman, Jackie would have been entirely pointless.

Failed the Bechdel test

2 Chanel suits of 6

https://festival.giff.se/events/jackie

www.imdb.com/title/tt1619029/?ref_=nm_knf_i1