What I Watched This Week #154 (Dec 9-15)
The Hound of the Baskervilles
dir. Terence Fisher/1959/1h27m
The winning Hammer trio of director Terence Fisher and actors Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, who had previous success with Dracula and The Mummy, team up once again for this adaptation of the most famous, and spookiest, Sherlock Holmes story, The Hound of the Baskervilles. Cushing plays Holmes with Lee as Sir Henry Baskerville, under threat from a family curse. Cushing makes for a wonderful Holmes, fitting into the role perfectly, and he has a capable Watson played by Andre Morell, but I did find Lee's role lacking in screen time, though he makes the most of what he gets. I think I would have much preferred to see him play Moriarty in a different story as The Hound of the Baskervilles isn't one of my favourites. What this film does well is atmosphere, particularly in the more supernatural scenes, with some wonderfully otherworldly lighting that feels like a precursor to the Italian giallo horror films of the 70s. 7/10
Memoir of a Snail
dir. Adam Elliot/2024/1h34m
This Australian stop-motion animation sees Grace (Sarah Snook) tell her sad life story, which starts with her mother dying whilst giving birth to her and her twin brother Gilbert (Kodi Smit-McPhee). When their father dies while they are still young they are sent to separate foster homes. From there Grace grows into a lonely, depressed woman whose only friend is an eccentric old lady called Pinky (Jacki Weaver). Like Elliot's previous feature from 2009, Mary and Max – the story of a pen pal friendship between a lonely, bullied, little Australian girl and a lonely, autistic middle-aged New York man - this is a brutally open and emotionally raw film that still finds beauty in the ugliness of life. This extends to the character design, as these characters all border on the grotesque looking but are still endearing and beautiful in their own way. Going further, this applies to Elliot's own life. After watching his much more autobiographical shorts (see next review) I can see how much of this film is based on experience, and the fact that he's been able to make such a profoundly moving film out of his pain (this also applies to Mary and Max) is deeply touching. As far as feature films go he's two for two in my books and I can't wait to see his next film, even if it takes another 15 years. 10/10 Lime's Film of the Week!
Four shorts by Adam Elliot:
Human Behavioural Case Studies. Series One.
1996/1m
Uncle
1996/6m
Cousin
1999/4m
Brother
2000/8m
These four shorts make up Elliot's filmography prior to the release of his first feature, Mary and Max, and offer up bite-sized samples of his signature style and deeply personal storytelling. That is, with one outlier – his very first film, Human Behavioural Case Studies. Series One. This is a simply animated film, drawn with pencil rather than his usual Claymation stop-motion, where we hear three stories about weird hobbies that some children have. While probably based on reality this lacks the emotional heft that really makes his films hit hard. But this is more than present in his other three shorts that make up a trilogy, Uncle, Cousin, and Brother. These are all autobiographical and relate Elliot's feelings and relationships with each of the named family members, his eccentric, hardware store owning uncle, his cousin with cerebral palsy, and his wild and free older brother. These films are all tinged with sadness and melancholy but there is always humour present, something to make life bearable. If you don't laugh you'll cry. Like I said in the previous review, it's incredible that Elliot has taken so much pain and sadness and transformed that into these works of art. Not as refined as his feature films, these are still very much worth watching and I'll give the whole collection a score of 8.5/10
Mandibles
dir. Quentin Dupieux/2020/1h17m
Quentin Dupieux is a very unique director who has previously made films about a killer tyre (Rubber), a possessed jacket that wants to be the only jacket in the world (Deerskin), and a man who takes a play, and its audience, hostage because he thinks it's bad (Yannick), so I wasn't that surprised to find that this film is about a couple of idiotic chancers, Manu and Jean-Gab (Gregoire Ludig, David Marsais), who find a giant fly in the boot of their car and see it as a way to make some money. Deadpan Kafkaesque absurdity is the name of the game here, with the two main characters just going with the flow, seeing where their moronic scheme will take them. It's like if Dumb and Dumber was a surreal, European arthouse film. The two leads do a good job of making what could be very unlikeable characters – they're not only stupid, they're also selfish, manipulative, and deceitful – quite charming, and their almost childlike friendship I found to be quite sweet, they even have a special best friends fist bump. I also found it hilarious that at the end, just when we think that they are going to learn a lesson and grow as people, their idiocy is rewarded and reinforced. The more films of his I watch, the more I like the weird world of Quentin Dupieux. 9/10
Women Talking
dir. Sarah Polley/2022/1h35m
A group of women in an isolated, deeply religious community meet to discuss what they are to do after several of their men are arrested for sexually assaulting them. They decide they have three options, stay and fight for equality in the community, stay and do nothing, or leave. This is a true ensemble piece with many characters, but led by the brilliant trio of Rooney Mara, Jessie Buckley, and Claire Foy each delivering amazing performances. Ben Whishaw is also excellent as August, a kind and gentle man who has recently been let back into the community after previously being excommunicated due to his mother. He is at the meeting to take minutes because of course none of the women were ever taught to read or write. This is a film that is made by the dialogue, with the Oscar winning screenplay really making each discussion totally enthralling as the women struggle to reconcile their faith with the massively traumatic experience they've all been through. 9/10
Seven Chances
dir. Buster Keaton/1925/56m
This silent comedy stars Buster Keaton as Jimmie Shannon who discovers he's been left seven million dollars in a distant relative's will. The only catch is that he has to be married by seven pm on the evening of his twenty seventh birthday, which happens to be today. This film builds up the comedy over the runtime, starting off with quite subtle slapstick and culminating with a ridiculously over the top chase where he is pursued through the city streets by hundreds of would-be brides. Buster gives a very typical performance of his here, his stony expression exuding a slight air of sadness. While this is very well crafted I do find it to be less imaginative than his best films like Sherlock Jr. or The General. The chase scene is fun but there are no real big set pieces that stand out. But this is still a funny and charming film and well worth watching. 7/10
Toy Story 2
dir. John Lasseter/1999/1h32m
Pixar's third film started out as a direct to video project, but when they exceeded all expectations when it came to quality and story it was pushed to full release. Woody (Tom Hanks) is kidnapped by toy store owner Al (Wayne Knight) who's going to sell him to a museum in Tokyo because it turns out he's a rare collectable piece of merchandise from an old TV show. This is how we meet the rest of the Woody's Roundup gang, exuberant cowgirl Jessie (Joan Cusack) and Stinky Pete the Prospector (Kelsey Grammer). This is one of those rare sequels that is almost, if not as good as the original. Woody having to face the prospect of a life where Andy grows up and doesn't need him anymore is really well handled, with the song where Jessie recounts her own owner abandoning her being genuinely heart-breaking. This is also just as funny as the original, with most of that coming from Buzz (Tim Allen), leading a rescue party out looking for Woody. There's also a marked improvement in the animation from the first film here, especially with the human characters who are no longer nightmare inducing. The textures of the fabrics and plastics that make up the toys also look much more detailed. 9.5/10
Wasp
dir. Andrea Arnold/2003/26m
(no trailer for this)
This Oscar winning short film from Andrea Arnold stars Natalie Press as Zoe, a single mother to four young children living in poverty on a council estate. She is asked out to the pub by an old flame Dave (Danny Dyer) but can't get a babysitter, so she makes her kids wait outside for her. This is an honest and non-judgemental look at what it's like for the poorest people in this country. Zoe, as a character is someone who you sympathise with, pity, are outraged by and can feel disgusted by how she treats her children. Her love for them is never called into question, it's a case of a desperate person not making the best decisions. Press gives an amazing performance that feels real and lived in. I'm also amazed that Dyer gave a good performance as I've hated him in everything else I've seen him in. Bleak and raw, there's still a spirit of hope here, small as it may be. 10/10
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