October 15, 2021

WIFF’s Weekend Watch List — 10/15

THE GREEN KNIGHT (If you want a new epic) Vincent Georgie: This highly entertaining new release is based upon the Arthurian tale of Sir…

THE GREEN KNIGHT

(If you want a new epic)

Vincent Georgie: This highly entertaining new release is based upon the Arthurian tale of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Moodily shot, and lead by an appealing cast including Dev Patel and Alicia Vikander, this is ideal for those that are having withdrawal from “Game of Thrones.”

Synopsis: King Arthur’s headstrong nephew embarks on a daring quest to confront the Green Knight, a mysterious giant who appears at Camelot. Risking his head, he sets off on an epic adventure to prove himself before his family and court.

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SUMMERLAND

(If you want to discover a hidden gem)

Vincent Georgie: A friend on Twitter flagged this film recently and it was new to me. Very glad to have discovered this 2020 title, because it’s a terrific period drama pulled off with the typical high standards of British Cinema that we have come to expect. Gemma Arterton carries the film, well-supported by a heavily seasoned supporting cast of veteran performers (Tom Courtenay and Penelope Wilton, among others). This one is hiding deep down in your Netflix account, but cue this one up.

Synopsis: During World War II, reclusive writer Alice has her sequestered life upended when Frank, an evacuee from the London Blitz, is left in her care. Despite initially resolving to be rid of him, Alice finds herself and her emotions reawakened by him.

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RHYMES FOR YOUNG GHOULS

(If truth & reconciliation are top of mind)

Vincent Georgie: Jeff Barnaby’s feature film debut was a pleasure to screen at one of our WIFF 365 monthly screenings several years ago. This Mi’kmaq filmmaker has dramatized the horrors of the residential school system into an engrossing revenge drama that is both creative and expands the ways this story is told. A strong film to be sure.

Synopsis: In 1976, a Mi’gMaq teenager plots revenge against the sadistic Indian agent who imprisoned her in a residential school where rape and abuse are common.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhgztjlLye0

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DOUBLE FEATURE

WITTY COMEDIES

The downfall of so many films labelled as “comedies” is that they are, well, simply not funny. These two films not only have comedy in spades, but they are smartly written, sharply observed and impeccably performed by game ensemble casts. While A FISH CALLED WANDA is a popular comedy classic (rightfully so), THE OPPOSITE OF SEX remains to be a discovery (a dark, mordantly funny discovery at that). The MVPs of each film are Kevin Kline and Lisa Kudrow, respectively.

A FISH CALLED WANDA

Wanda, a con artist, tries to double-cross her lover and the two members of the gang with whom she conducts a diamond heist. Her plan goes awry when she falls in love.

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THE OPPOSITE OF SEX

After her stepfather dies, 16-year-old Dede moves in with her gay half-brother Bill. Already pregnant, Dede seduces Bill’s partner, Matt, and convinces him the child is his. The couple steals $10,000 from Bill and runs off. But when an ex-student of Bill’s — who’s also Matt’s ex-lover — accuses Bill of molestation, he must track down Dede and Matt with the help of Matt’s sister, Lucia, to salvage his reputation.