MSPIFF - Part 2

This is the second part of my reviews of films featured at the MSP International Film Festival as organized by the MSP Film Society. If you enjoy looking through these, please go check out the first part for more of an introduction to the festival and more capsule reviews. I knew that my day job and other obligations were going to start interfering with my ability to attend screenings, but I think I made a decent effort. As in the first part of this coverage, I'm providing reviews of everything I saw rather than focus on favorites to hopefully give you an idea of the sheer scope of what's on offer. Also, I'd like to thank the MSPIFF and MSP Film Society for providing me with a press pass which made attending more films possible (and for organizing a terrific festival)

Somewhere in Queens (2022) - Ray Romano's directorial debut does not offer much in the way of surprises - Romano plays a husband and father with a large Italian-American family that argues relentlessly and sticks by each other with equal fervor. A significant helping of sports movie cliches (and references to Rocky) added to the family drama framework did not imbue the film with real originality, but it's all done with enough charm and heart that I found myself largely along for the ride. I like New York movies, I like ensemble pieces, I like character actors, and these are places where Somewhere in Queens succeeds. I was hoping that Laurie Metcalf would get more of an opportunity to shine in this - the accent wasn't doing her any favors - but the Russo family manages admirably in the multiple large dinner and party sequences. There are a few gags where Romano tunelessly sings radio hits and I couldn't help but be reminded of the old Pete Holmes bit, "Romano Sings!" I don't think you can rip off another comedian's bit if that bit was an impression of you in the first place - it's funny either way.

The Night of the 12th (2022) - Dominik Moll's latest thriller isn't exactly deconstructed - it employs familiar beats from the opening with a statement regarding unsolved cases that could be from the latest Law and Order spinoff - but it is very aware of its milieu. The plot of The Night of the 12th largely follows the investigation of the brutal murder of a young woman, the film also investigates a society in which women are in harm's way as well as why our systems fail both to protect us or bring guilty parties to justice. It's an unsubtle film both in its messaging and visual metaphors but it avoids  simplistic answers to the questions it raises which adds some depth to the overall project. I thought both Bastien Bouillon and Bouli Lanners were excellent as flawed investigators with good intentions who have to come to grips with some classically French existential issues. It's not the most engaging police procedural (by design) but it is stylish and willing to look at some of the more troubling aspects of a society obsessed with violence - particularly violence towards women.

Birth/Rebirth (2023) - I feel like I haven't included much about horror movies in the blog lately so I absolutely made sure I had a chance to see Laura Moss' medical horror riff on Frankenstein (produced in partnership with Shudder, no less). I wasn't aware at the time that the director would be in attendance, so I'm even happier I was able to make it out. The scares in Birth/Rebirth are somewhat subdued but there's a deeply unsentimental streak in the film regarding the human body, reproduction, and ultimately motherhood that achieves a properly dark tone for what is otherwise a compelling portrait of two women who find themselves with more in common that one would think. Marin Ireland is terrific as Rose, a pathologist turned resurrectionist who's commitment to her work also presents a barrier when connecting to other people. Judy Reyes manages to balance the empathy of a grieving mother with a pragmatism that lends some believability to her eventual collaboration with Rose. I confess I'm not always enthusiastic about new horror films, but Birth/Rebirth looked great, had some fantastic music, and I thought the principal characters were genuinely interesting. Admittedly, it could have gone harder (I do like things to get aggressively weird) but then again that restraint might be part of why I came away from this with such a positive impression. I know that this one will be more widely released this year and eventually make its way to streaming so I would keep an eye out for it.

Next Sohee (2022) - Another compelling drama in the thriller milieu, this time from Korean director: July Jung. The structure of Next Sohee is split between an introduction to the teenaged Sohee (Kim Si-eun) and the investigation into her untimely death by Yu-Jin (Bae Doona). Jung pulls no punches in detailing the machinery of the Korean education apparatus and how it hurls young people into the uncompromising world of exploitative corporations. Sohee is hardworking but also demonstrates a spirited nature that is inherently at odds with the dehumanizing systems she is increasingly subjected to. Yu-Jin's investigation reveals the complicity of different individuals serving the various functions of these systems but also illustrates how bureaucracy allows those individuals to absolve themselves of responsibility. It's important that the real beneficiaries of capitalist excess are never shown - the focus is kept on the middle managers or the lower level supervisors and never the CEOs. The head exploiters remain faceless while everyone points hopelessly at the metrics that determine their less than humane actions. Next Sohee does run a bit long at 135 minutes, but I felt it was earned through the characterizations and the investigative details. I also appreciated that Jung didn't feel compelled to make this a mash up of several genres and just executes the drama and the police procedural with skill.

Medusa Deluxe (2022) - I was genuinely prepared to love Thomas Hardiman's debut film about a murder mystery during a hairdressing competition and I think this film will ultimately find its audience - but I'm afraid I was a bit underwhelmed. No small part of that is the "one shot" structure which I've never found terribly interesting and am only further perplexed by its persistence. If you like scenes of people walking through hallways or up and down stairwells - Medusa Deluxe more than delivers on that front. There are some terrific moments and performances, particularly from Clare Perkins, but this never came together for me as a whole.

Four Little Adults (2023) - Selma Vilhunen's distinctly Nordic, but relatable (I think) exploration of polyamory. Juulia is an up and coming liberal politician who discovers that her husband, Matias, is having an affair with a woman he also loves. Rather than issue an ultimatum of divorce or ending the affair, Juulia proposes she and Matias proceed with an open relationship so long as they are honest with each other. It's not long afterwards that Juulia meets and falls for a performer, Miska, and the two begin a romance even though Miska has another partner. I can picture a version of this story that focuses on jealousy or anger and Vilhunen doesn't shy away from those topics completely, but it's only a part of how these intertwining lives become complicated. There is almost as much attention paid to time management (very Nordic) and the impact of how other people perceive Juulia and Matias. I'll admit that I'm probably missing some important cultural and political context to this, but Matias is a practicing priest and it's made absolutely clear from both his father (also a priest) and his predecessor that an open marriage is a career ending event should anyone decide to make a complaint about it. Juulia's career ascent and personal discovery paints and interesting picture as well as even though she is a member of a progressive political party, she feels the need to be delicate about what she discloses. It's a thoughtful film and while it's not personally revelatory or shocking in any way, I can't help but recognize how regressive American public life is compared to what's being depicted here.

Love Life (2022) - As I sat down for Koji Fukada's family drama, I had to ask myself whether the title was a noun or an instruction. I think it works either way but by the end I was feeling more aligned with the latter. It's hard to talk too much about some of the plot points without spoiling anything, but it's a film very much dealing with grief and how we cope with or process profound loss. I think you could be forgiven if you find the film slow or visually disinteresting but I truly loved the pacing and even though this largely takes place in a suburban apartment complex - I thought Fukada composed some beautiful shots. I'm a little embarrassed to write this, but one of the more compelling elements of Love Life is that there's a major character with a disability (deafness) and that character possesses the same if not more complexity as the rest of the ensemble. He is neither pitiable nor is he heroic and he isn't even portrayed very sympathetically all of the time. There's a deep humanity on display here and it's extended to everyone on screen. I think that's something that shouldn't seem as exceptional as it does, but well worth applauding in this case.

L'immensita (2022) - It's funny, of all the films I watched during the MSPIFF, L'immensita is the one I keep coming back to. It's not because of the complexity of the themes - though they are present - rather it's because there are all of these cultural touchpoints in the depiction of 70s Italy that I wasn't already familiar with. I find myself listening to the music featured in the film or trying to find some of the television performances that the characters watch - it's been interesting. Luana Giuliani performs admirably as Adri/Andrea, a young teenager coming to terms with how to express their gender identity in a time and culture that was not well equipped to do so. Unsurprisingly, Penelope Cruz brings much of the on-screen charisma as Andrea's mother who has significant struggles of her own. After seeing their mother cat-called on the streets of Rome, Andrea exclaims "They're all assholes and you're too beautiful, could you try not to be so beautiful?" Of course, this isn't possible for Cruz and her glamour serves her well when L'immensita occasionally breaks reality for a musical number. Unfortunately, the stylization of the film is less successful when conveying the depth of drama I think is meant to be invoked. For a story tackling gender dysphoria, unhappy marriage, and mental illness - L'immensita comes off as a breezy affair. Still, I'm susceptible to style and characters who lean into pop culture fantasies to help transcend their realities will forever be relatable to me. 

Sadly, I had to truncate my time spent at this year's fest due to travel but I had a wonderful time and got to see a nice variety of films from different countries and perspectives. The fest was run beautifully and all the staff and volunteers I talked to were terrific. Having so much of the festival concentrated at the Main Cinema and the St. Anthony Main area is tremendous - I was able to use public transportation primarily and take walks along the river during downtime as well as being nearby to some excellent food (and coffee!). Hopefully next year I'll be able to take some time off from work so that I can attend more of the festival be it screenings, events, or just time spent with fellow film enthusiasts.