Certified Copy (2010, dir. Abbas Kiarostami) ****/****

Abbas Kiarostami’s “Certified Copy” depicts a relationship between a man and woman that is never quite what it seems.  At times we are lead to believe that the date the two individuals are on is a “first date” while at others we are given the impression that they have been in some sort of relationship for a number of years. 

A French woman (Juliette Binoche) living in Italy attends a lecture on a new book by its author (William Shimell) called “Certified Copy”.  The subject of the book is the value of and difference between original works of art and copies of the original.  Before the lecture ends she leaves her phone number for the author with another man who is in close contact with him.  Later, we see the author at the woman’s house and she invites him to a museum a half hour away so she can show him an example of such a “certified copy”.  The remainder of the film depicts their conversations and interactions with each other and a few others.  

The film brilliantly leaves a big question mark as to the nature of this man and woman’s relationship.  At first we think they hardly know each other.  At one point however, a cafe server mistakes the two for a married couple and the woman, while the man is outside taking a phone call, decides to play along.  All of a sudden, the relationship seems to change and the playing out of a make-believe game of husband and wife becomes a seeming reality for the two of them and the viewer of the film.

I have seen two previous films by Kiarostami on recommendations from various film journals and was thoroughly impressed by them (“Taste of Cherry” (1997), “Ten” (2002)).  His films are not made for the mainstream, entertainment-thirsty film viewer but are lyrical, hypnotic, artistically-oriented, sublime films for those seeking something out of the ordinary.  “Certified Copy” is no exception to this statement.  Many viewers will be impatient with the slow, meandering, conversational story.  But this film, like his others is rewarding and captivating for the right viewer.

The performances are stellar.  The cinematography of the Italian countryside is beautiful.  The film, with its theme of the value of copies of originals is re-emphasized in the relationship between Shimell and Binoche.  Although we are not clear as to the exact nature of their relationship, it could be said that their quasi-romance is a “certified copy” of a real, loving relationship.  The marriage that the two are pretending to be in is a cover for the unfulfilled, removed and absent nature of the real thing.

This is a film that demands attention and challenges the viewer in subtle and effective ways.  I really loved it.

12 Years A Slave (2013, dir. Steve McQueen) ****/****

I saw Steve McQueen’s “12 Years A Slave” yesterday and was transfixed by this tale of one man’s voyage into and out of slavery and the injustice, dehumanization, and courageous suffering that he goes through.  It is a microcosm for the plight of many different men, women and children in the face of powers beyond their control, many of whom weren’t as lucky as Solomon Northup, who was eventually able to be a free man again.  We know that Northup will eventually be freed but what really matters is the story of his courage and perseverance against indignity and torment.  

   The first shot we get of Northup is when he is a slave.  The movie does interesting things with the manipulation of time in its use of flashbacks and the fragmentation of a linear storyline.  We are thrown into the movie with some brief sequences of Northup’s slave days and it is after this that we are given the story of how he became one.  This introduction gives a sense of just how far away from his origins Northup is taken and the depth of the treachery and injustice which he has to endure. 

   Solomon Northup is a fiddle player and a good one at that.  He makes a living with his art.  He supports a wife and two children in the Northern United States where black people are free from slavery and can live in harmony with white people.  Solomon meets two other artists who propose a job for him.  He travels out of town with these two gentlemen and engages in a night of heavy-drinking.  We see the two white men carrying Northup to a bed in a hotel room.  He wakes up in a prison in chains much to his and the viewer’s dismay and bewilderment.  He is suddenly sold into slavery and there is seemingly nothing he can do about it.  We witness Northup’s trajectory as he goes from slave-trader to slave-owner, never being sure of his own security or safety.

   His first master is played by Benedict Cumberbatch and he is a sympathetic, fair-minded master despite the circumstances.  One of the over-seers on Cumberbatch’s plantation is played by Paul Dano and he is less sympathetic and is downright loathsome.  At one point, Dano’s character intends to whip Northup but Northup is able to overcome him and ends up beating him and whipping him.  At the same time that we are in elation over the empowerment of a slave at the hands of an overseer, we are in agony and suspense over what his punishment for this will be and Northup and the viewer is subjected to a near lynching.  Fortunately, Northup survives but only by elevating himself from the ground by the ends of his toes.

   This master (Cumberbatch) is left with no choice but to sell Northup to another slave-owner played by Michael Fassbender.  He is more evil and mean than anything Northup has experienced in his days as a slave.   Fassbender does a masterful job of creating a truly despicable and treacherous individual that is at the same time a full-blooded human being with his own idiosyncrasies and flaws.  He is in love with and frequently rapes one of his female slaves, Patsey, all the while maintaining a fractured and volatile relationship with his cruel, cold-blooded wife. 

   “12 Years A Slave” contains moments of cinematic bliss and joy.  Many images are extremely difficult to look at.  There is a moment where Patsey is whipped by a forced Northup and Fassbender and the flesh is rendered from her back.  There are moments of shear humanity juxtaposed with ultimate cruelty.  Brad Pitt has a small part as a Canadian labourer who is instrumental in the eventual release of Northup.  The direction is masterful and the cinematography does justice to the themes, plot situations, and characterizations.  Chiwetel Ejiofor is amazing in as Northup in a performance that is sure to garner an Oscar nomination.

   This is one of the best movies of the year.  It is spellbinding and riveting.  It gives the viewer a glimpse into a time in human history when the colour of your skin was a deciding factor in your fate and when there was a lack of justice in the world.  As the film makes clear at the end, Northup was one of the few individuals who were able to escape the bondage of slavery, an institution that was a festering sore on the skin of our collective history and humanity.

Bed & Board (1970, dir. Francois Truffaut) ***/****

Francois Truffaut followed up "Stolen Kisses" (1968) with "Bed & Board" in 1970, continuing his series of films featuring the character, Antoine Doinel (Jean-Pierre Leaud).  While not as satisfying as his previous work in the series, Truffaut gives us an entertaining glimpse into the married life of his iconic character.
   In this film, Antoine is now married to his girlfriend from the previous film, Christine (Claude Jade).  He is working for a flower shop dying flowers various colours.  Soon, Christine is pregnant and gives birth to their first son.  Antoine loses his job at the flower shop and finds work with a hydraulics company maneuvering toy boats on a miniature model waterway.  On the job, he meets a Japanese woman who he starts an affair with.  Eventually, Christine finds out about the affair and the two separate.  Soon, the husband and wife discover that they do in fact love each other and we are left with the assumption that they probably will reconcile.
   There is not as much depth and character development in this film compared to Truffaut previous work.  It is a quirky, eccentric film with odd characters coming and going.  There are humorous moments and surprises but this film doesn't compare to the other films in the series.  The performances are good and the screenplay is witty and charming.  There just isn't enough to warrant a higher rating.  Fans of Truffaut will like it though.

The Hunger Games (2012, dir. Gary Ross) ***/****

I decided to watch Gary Ross's "The Hunger Games" from 2012 this past week because of the hype and anticipation surrounding the release of its sequel, "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" at the end of November.  I haven't read the series of novels upon which the films are based but I was won over by the film's vision of a dystopian future and the excitement of the story.
   This first film of a trilogy depicts a time in the distant future when two individuals from varying sectors of a seemingly North American population are selected to participate in the annual "Hunger Games", a frightening, violent, survival-of-the-fittest competition in which the participants must do everything in their power to survive until the end in an outdoor, forest environment.  There are different hazards and dangerous elements that test each of the competitors survival instincts while they struggle to avoid being killed by the other participants.
    The film stars Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen who volunteers for the competition after her younger sister is initially selected.  She takes her place in a brave attempt to spare her sister's life in a competition in which the odds of surviving are heavily stacked against you.
   Because there are sequels which also star Lawrence, it wouldn't be much of a spoiler to reveal that Katniss ends up the winner at the end of this film.  Still, there are surprises and the manner she goes about winning are worth watching and quite exciting.
   There is commentary on the spectator society of our current world and much of this futuristic society can be seen as a critique of our own, current blood-thirsty, voyeuristic culture.  There are similarities between the Hunger Games show in this world and current reality-based television programming such as Survivor and Big Brother.  The art direction and vision of the future that the film presents is mesmerizing and spectacular.
   The film is really carried on the shoulder's of its stars, mainly Lawrence, who's performance is charismatic and impressive.  There are also welcome appearances by Woody Harrelson, Stanley Tucci, Donald Sutherland and Wes Bentley.  Josh Hutcherson as Peeta Mallark does a good job in the role of Katniss's fellow hometown competitor and possible love interest.
  I look forward to seeing the sequel to this film.  This film though not the greatest of its year is an action-packed, kinetic, and visceral experience that says a lot about reality television, what society does for entertainment, and survival instincts.