7 May 2021.
By Neptune
I tell you, the films are coming at us like a backlog avalanche! Such a pleasure to be seated in the dark again in a real movie theater, in front of a BIG screen. And our art house cinemas – the Scalas, the Nord-Sud, the Bio, the Cinelux – have been in the forefront, especially the Grütli Cinemas:
Their lineup is so rich and varied that you must book or buy your tickets in advance, otherwise both their theaters are often sold out (due to COVID restrictions), especially for the retrospective of Italian Comedies, which will be reprised again and continue until the end of May.
In the meantime they are taking us on a film journey with ITINERANCES this week, a program that includes superb classics like the films of Tarkovsky, Lynch, Wenders and the great, recently deceased South Korean director, Kim-Ki-duk. Pick up the full program at the Grütli, or online at www.cinemas-du-grutli.ch. It only lasts through May 9th.
This Sunday, try to catch a 1983 classic from the Swiss director Alain Tanner – DANS LA VILLE BLANCHE (14h); or a warm and charming 1995 work from Wolfgang Panzer – BROKEN SILENCE (17h); or SAINT JACQUES…LA MECQUE (20h), a touching and hilarious 2005 film by Coline Serrau about a pilgrimage to Compostela.
DRUNK (ANOTHER ROUND)
They also have multiple screenings of a recent film from Poland/Sweden, SWEAT, about the effects on a young girl of the fitness craze and online celebrity. Though well made and interesting, it leaves you feeling hollow, like her empty life.
SWEAT
In others cinemas, you can catch the Oscar-winning Best Foreign film, DRUNK (Another Round), by the celebrated Danish director Thomas Vinterberg, starring the other great Dane, Mads Mikkelsen. As usual with Vinterberg, it is brilliantly filmed, written and acted, yet its celebration of alcohol goes overboard in its ending, which is too flamboyant and carefree considering the dire effects of the four friends’ drinking bouts. It is somehow morally cynical and detrimental. Is one allowed to say that in our ‘let it all out’ era?
HEROIC LOSERS
And then there is HEROIC LOSERS, a down-to-earth, amusing thriller from Argentina with the always superb Ricardo Darin. Starts off slow but builds up to a satisfying conclusion.
Have you been to see the brilliant documentary THE DISSIDENT, at the Cine17, asI urged you to do last week? I know, you haven’t had time…
The Pathe Cinemas at Balexert have also started, but for now are only open from Friday through Sunday, with a full program for kids and adults, including a great many films from the art houses. Smart.
(See the schedules of all the films on cineman.ch – Geneva.)
Superb **** Very Good *** Good ** Mediocre * Miserable – no stars
By Neptune
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.
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