16 October 2015.
Neptune Ravar Ingwersen reviews film extensively for publications in Switzerland. She views 4 to 8 films a week and her aim is to sort the wheat from the chaff for readers.
APPIA ***1/2 (vo French)
You may have never heard of the painter Dominique Appia. I had not. But thanks to writer/director Nasser Bakhti, the Carouge-born Swiss painter of wonderfully imaginative, detailed works is now receiving a long overdue homage at age 87. This illuminating documentary is a gem, as are Appia’s hyper surrealistic paintings.
Bakhti follows the artist from his childhood through his years of finding himself and his talent in our sleepy Geneva environs. Carouge and Appia become one as we discover his parents, his loves and friends, and his many admirers. And of course his intriguing canvases, which Bakhti reveals with magical delicacy. As we go from his participation in a Centre Pompidou show in Paris to Geneva’s Victoria Hall, we realize with wonder that its ceiling is Appia’s work! That’s the brilliance of good documentary: discovery through an aesthetic path…
The following is one of the artist’s paintings.
There film is showing in Geneva at Cinelux, 18 October 2015 at 11 am.
IRRATIONAL MAN ***1/2
Like most years, this new Woody Allen film was first shown in Cannes, out of competition, as usual. The man knows how to captivate an audience – much of the time – and has done it annually for the past 40some years! This latest, harking a bit back to “Match Point “, is about a depressive philosophy professor (Joaquín Phoenix) in an American college. Depressed, that is, until he finds a curious distraction. I will say no more – it will be your pleasure to find out…
Allen’s press conference at the festival was a pure delight: flanked by his two actresses, Emma Stone and Parker Posey, Allen, almost 80, had all the journalists in stitches with his humor and eloquent wisdom. He said we all need a distraction to survive the tedium of life; his is that he can’t help writing and making films, and simply chooses the right actors and let’s them do their thing! This will leave you both chuckling and pensive.
PAN ***
Don’t listen to the dour critics – this is delightful adventure! From angelic-looking Peter (the adorable Levi Miller) in Oliver Twist surroundings, a hilariously evil Hugh Jackman as Blackbeard, a sweet Rooney Mara, to sexy/funny Garrett Hedlund as Hook, we’ve got a prequel to Peter Pan that’s super fun for all the young at heart. English director Joe Wright loves to make big, classic entertainment, like “Pride and Prejudice”, “Atonement” and “Anna Karenina”. You may or may not love it – but it’s done with heart!
Superb **** Very Good *** Good ** Mediocre * Miserable – no stars
By Neptune
Neptune at the 2015 Locarno film festival in Switzerland
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