Another week and another varied collection of films! This week Werner Herzog, last seen as the villain in Tom Cruise’s Jack Reacher flick, takes us deep into the Cave of Forgotten Dreams in his remarkable documentary about ancient prehistoric cave drawing. We also cross the Wild West in the startling Meek’s Cutoff, and then head to China for The Lost Bladesman, a historical action epic that in many ways is the Asian version of the American western flick. Here are my picks for the week...
Another week and another varied collection of films! This week Werner Herzog, last seen as the villain in Tom Cruise’s Jack Reacher flick, takes us deep into the Cave of Forgotten Dreams in his remarkable documentary about ancient prehistoric cave drawing. We also cross the Wild West in the startling Meek’s Cutoff, and then head to China for The Lost Bladesman, a historical action epic that in many ways is the Asian version of the American western flick.
Here are my picks for the week:
CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS
Genre: Documentary
Directed by: Werner Herzog
Screening: Thursday 18th April, 8.30pm
Cave of Forgotten Dreams is a remarkable documentary by German filmmaker Werner Herzog that takes us into the famous Chauvet Cave in southern France. Shot as a documentary to be screened in 3D at cinemas, it brings to life the extraordinary discovery of prehistoric cave drawings thought to be over 30,000 years old, the most ancient visual art known to have been created by man. The paintings were found in 1994 and their importance was immediately recognized. Getting to see these caves is extremely rare, and Herzog’s excitement at being granted brief access, and what they experience, comes across powerfully. There are only a few directors who could take images on a wall and bring them to life in a haunting, poetic and mind-blowing way - it really is a treat.
THE LOST BLADESMAN
Starring: Donnie Yen, Andy On and Betty Sun
Directed by: Felix Chong, Alan Mak
Screening: Friday 19th April, 8.30pm
Friday nights on Rialto Channel are being dedicated to a great collection of South Korean and Chinese action films, with The Lost Bladesman screening this week. Hong Kong filmmakers Alan Mak and Felix Chong made a name for themselves with contemporary crime thrillers Infernal Affairs starring Andrew Lau, and with The Lost Bladesman they attempt their first “period epic” as co-directors.
This historical Chinese action film is loosely based on Luo Guanzhong's classic story Guan Yu Crossing Five Passes And Slaying Six Generals, and stars Donnie Yen as General Guan, who surrenders to the tyrannical General Cao Cao who is slowly conquering China in the name of the Han. When Guan joins Cao Cao to take down a mutual enemy he is then allowed to leave the army peacefully and return home. Not all Han think it’s a good idea to let the great warrior leave, and Guan once again finds himself fighting for his life. It takes patience to work out who’s who, but if you’re a fan of action films you’ll be rewarded with a couple of fantastic fighting scenes.
MEEK'S CUTOFF
Starring: Michelle Williams, Bruce Greenwood, Will Patton, Paul Dano
Directed by: Kelly Reichardt
Screening: Saturday 20th April, 8.30pm
If you like your westerns fast and furious then, frankly, Meek’s Cutoff may not be for you. But if you’re happy to relax into a film and let it drift over you then you’ll find it a thoroughly satisfying experience. The cinematography is beautiful and contemplative, which serves as a counterpoint to the terrifying situation of the characters who are lost in the desert in Native American territory. The result is a film that is as unnerving and intense as it is beautiful. I seldom have a bad thing to say about actress Michelle Williams, a woman who with very little effort manages to realistically portray a breadth of human emotions, and once again she is in fine form in this period drama.