Flashback Memories 3D (Tetsuaki Matsue)
This is a part concert film/part documentary about a Japanese didjeridoo player named GOMA who has brain damage sort of akin to Guy Pearce in Memento and it's all in 3D. Yes, you read that right. Mixing archival footage, animation, photographs, diary entries along with new concert footage, the film constructs a moving and inspiring story of a man overcoming tragedy. This could have easily have been done in a conventional narrative "inspiring beat-the-odds" type film or even a straightforward documentary. But this unique somehow makes it far more memorable and also emotional. It takes a bit to get into admittedly but once you get past your initial reservations, you will find yourself dancing and applauding along with the music. (A-)
Television (Mostafa Sarwar Farooki)
This is, I believe, the first film from Bangladesh I've ever seen. It's kind of brand-new also since it doesn't even have an IMDb page entry yet. I would advice everyone to keep an eye out for this since it's a wonderful little gem of a film. It's about an isolated island village in Bangladesh whose "chairman" is an ultra-conservative Muslim who despises most technology especially television and doesn't even allow photographs ("lifeless images are against Allah", according to him). His son, however, is in love with a girl who loves technology. The film's funny and charming which never demonizes its characters, despite showing the absurdity and tyranny of their beliefs. I highly recommend it. (B+)
1 comment:
Both of these films sound so interesting to me, love the sound of the first in particular, sounds like a few interesting films are out internationally.
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