As Luck Would Have It (2011) d. de la Iglesia, Alex (Spain)
Another superb black comedy from the Spanish master of the format, bursting with lively, unique characters and an ingenious central scenario. Unemployed former advertising star Jose Mota (there are constant references to his “spark of life” Coca Cola campaign) is already having a bad day when he fails to get hired by a former friend and discovers the hotel where he and wife Salma Hayek honeymooned has been demolished to make way for a museum. But through a bizarre series of events, the former publicity hound finds himself in a media-magnet life-or-death situation, one that could revive his career even as it threatens his mortality. Another don’t-miss effort from de la Iglesia, following 2010’s crazy clown mindfreak, The Last Circus.
Pig (2011) d. Barrial, Henry (USA)
A man (Rudolph Martin, who resembles a younger, handsomer version of Billy Bob Thornton) wakes up bound and hooded in the desert, with no idea who he is or how he got there. Writer/director Barrial’s intriguing sci-fi thriller has deservedly invited favorable comparisons to Memento and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, although it also finds some interesting political axes to grind as well. Hard to say much more without spoilers - and you definitely don't want these surprises spoiled - but solid stuff.
Don Quixote (2010) d. Gan, Ah (China/Hong Kong)
A fairly zany but enjoyable spin on the Cervantes novel, with delusional Gua Tao believing himself an invincible knight-errant out to slay dragons and rescue fair maidens. As fate would have it, he soon finds himself on just such a noble quest, accompanied by his trusty Sancho (Wang Gang), battling the forces of evil in the form of nefarious noblemen. Energetic and juvenile in the best ways, with enjoyably slapstick combat scenes.
Himizu (2011) d. Sono, Shion (Japan)
Writer/director Sono (Suicide Club) delivers an overwhelming and cathartic cinematic response to the tragic events of March 11, 2011, when Japan was rocked by a 8.9 magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami. An adaptation of Minoru Funuraya’s manga, Sono explores the life of a 15-year-old (an extraordinary Shota Sometani) in the wake of the aftermath, whose life was oppressive enough before Mother Nature stepped in, what with a philandering mother, drunken and abusive father, faltering family boat rental business and a small community of homeless squatters living outside his front door.
Wrestling daily with suicidal thoughts, the youth resists emotional engagement with his community of well-intentioned misfits, the most determined of which being an idolizing female classmate (Fumi Nikaido) whose unsinkable spirit provides Himizu’s bloody beating heart. Not an easy film to watch for multiple reasons, but one that had tears rolling down my cheeks during its final moments as Sono and his two young leads (both of whom won awards at the Venice Film Festival last September) deliver an excruciatingly raw and devastating message of hope for a crippled nation. Not the least bit “fantastic,” gory or futuristic, but a breathtaking work of beauty and soul.
Shuffle (2011) d. Kuenne, Kurt (USA)
Borrowing its central conceit from Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five, T.J. Thyne stars as a man who, every time he falls asleep, randomly wakes up in a different day of his life, from age 9 to 92. Essentially a drama with sci-fi leanings, writer/director Kuenne uses his narrative novelty to create a mystery for Thyne (and the audience) to solve as he attempts to first discover the reasons behind his bizarre temporal malady, then to prevent the death of his beloved Paula Rhodes. The black and white cinematography lends an arty touch, and while the storyline and performances occasionally dip into the schmaltz pool, the feel-good ending doesn’t come off as distastefully saccharine.
Sorcerer and the White Snake, The (2011) d. Ching, Siu-Tung (China)
Shamelessly robust period fantasy very much in the same vein as the director’s Chinese Ghost Story trilogy, supersized for a modern day CGI-primed audience. Jet Li stars as an elder Buddhist monk who spends his time combating demons, one of which turns out to be mortal-loving snake woman Shengyi Huang who falls for herbalist Raymond Lam. Their charming romantic scenes give way to an epic, morally ambiguous battle with Li attempting to crush true love’s sway in the name of his religious stance. The satisfying and oft-told story (most famously visited in 1958’s Panda and the Magic Serpent) has greenscreen and pixilated action sequences galore, although admittedly some of the CG work barely rises above SyFy creature feature fare. All the human performances are appealing, even if the “battle” sequences consist of little more than the actors waving their hands around, pushing post-production lightning bolts and colored ectoplasm with abandon, a station that must be just the slightest bit humbling for one of the world’s great cinematic martial artists. Great, full-blooded score by Mark Lui.
