filmbore pick of the week - Bullhead

Bullhead (Rundskop)

Director: Michaël R. Roskam

Screenplay: Michaël R. Roskam

Starring: Matthias Schoenaerts, Jeroen Perceval, Frank Lammers, Jeanne Dandoy

Year: 2011

Languages: Dutch, French

UK rental release: May 2013 

IMDb

LoveFilm

Rotten Tomatoes

As the awards season is underway, I always like to look over some pictures attuned to these prestigious events. But this is filmbore, so you won't see your usual fare here. We're just over a month away until the 86th Academy Awards where, my previously reviewed, The Hunt has picked up a deserved nominations for Best Foreign Language Picture. 

This week, we're looking at a recent near miss at the Oscars a couple of years ago with Michaël R. Roskam's Bullhead.

Limberg, Belgium, and cattle farmer Jacky Vanmarsenille (Matthias Schoenaerts, Rust And Bone, Black Book) is pushing round another farmer after refusing to purchase his cows. A bull of a man, tense and brewing with fury, Jacky is in the family business of selling beef, while dabbling in the use of hormones to fatten the cattle a lot faster.

Zeebruge, Belgium, and Diederik Maes (Jeroen Perceval, Borgman, With Friends Like These) is checking out a large stock of beef steaks straight out of a shipping container. He works for a shady, underground organisation, linked to providing hormones for cattle across Belgium. Diederik is driven, but bounding with stress.

Jacky's friend and business colleague, veterinarian Sam (Frank Lammers, Night Run, The Preacher) has news of a new deal for Jacky. He's convinced that this lucrative, is slightly alarming, business venture is just what they need to expand. Jacky has concerned from the off though, but reluctantly agrees for the time being.

An officer investigating the use of hormones for cattle is mysteriously assassinated. This starts to out Diederik on edge. Following this event, with his bosses ever more wary, they task him with connecting with two new potential beef suppliers, Jacky and Sam.

When they come to visit Diederik, the air sharpens. It's clear from the encounter between Jacky and Diederik that there is a past between them, their meeting filling them both with agitation. The tension continues to build during the business lunch, leading Jacky to lose his self-control. What exactly happened between them?

Plus, as childhood sweetheart, now perfume-shop worker, Lucia Schepers (newcomer Jeanne Dandoy) is noticed by Jacky, memories from his childhood 20 years back start to flood back, reminding him of a horrific event that has scarred him for life...both physically and mentally.

Mainly spoken in the Limburgish dialect of Dutch, Bullhead was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2012 (just losing out to Asghar Farhadi's A Separation).

This exposure revealed to all a fine actor, with this picture putting Matthias Schoenaert on the map. And righteously so as he's so intense here, owning the lens at every beat. Phenomenal throughout the entire piece, though being a lesser known name internationally, I feel he deserved a sorely missed nomination for Best Actor that year.

It's appearance at the Academy Awards also introduced the globe to the pairing of director Michaël R. Roskam and cinematographer Nicolas Karakatsanis. Thanks to their combined efforts, this piece looks fantastic. Crisp filming and great use of natural light infuse the picture's appearance with both a highly professional and accessibly grounded tableau. A lot of trust is put into the natural illumination surrounding the sets and locations of the story.

  

The film introduces to some beautifully camera work too, as in the first few moments we're greeted by the lens as it glides effortlessly in opening shots, setting the scene from the point-of-view of Schoenaert's Jacky. These smooth pans punctuate the film at key moments bringing an air of art-house flare.

Roskam has also pieced together quite a direct story. It's a slow starter but be patient, as this rewarding drama will surprise you. Flipping briefly back to Jacky's childhood, it provides the relevant insight required to feel empathy towards his plight and to better understand his behaviour. What happened to young Jacky is frightening and unforgivable, and the key scene that exposes this is heavy going, if excellently edited and shot. With this startling moment in place, the tale gradually unravels, drawing you in patiently and confidently - it's an invitation into the perception of a man finally unleashing years of turmoil as he gradually loses control, relentless in his drive to stand up to any who oppress.

His predication for improving himself and maintaining manhood is the spine of the entire piece. There's an interesting analogy in Jacky's career - the hormones fed to his cattle mirror his own injected medication; morality of such substance abuse for his bovine subjects raising the same dilemmas for himself.

He is constantly on steroids and hormones, but there may be a deeper meaning for his repeated self prescription. On one level, his persistent use of hormones and steroids may feed his burgeoning hatred, yet at a deeper plane none of this malice would manifest were it not for his experiences haunting him daily. Looking at from this aspect, the medical abuse and history come hand-in-hand, as he wouldn't require any medication if "that terrible event" never happened in the first place. He has become the perpetual ferocity, triggered from something completely out of his control, and now matter how much control he tries to get back, he falls ever deeper.

Strip away this core thematic, however, and there is something lighter, if bittersweet at play. The complicated relationship between Jacky and Perceval's Diederik is this film's heart. They rarely share a scene together, but when they do the tale elevates above it's expected ability. There's no disputing the relevance of the hormone abuse so clearly illuminated here but I feel there is something a little more beautiful at play here, as Bullhead effortlessly addresses poisoned friendships. even highlighting a hidden, if reluctant, loyalty that can never be fully tainted. Friends will out...

Like me, if you are averse to needles and syringes be prepared to cover your eyes from time to time. Fear not though, as when you can bear to look at the screen again you'll be presented with wonderful lens work, superb performances and a strangely sweet and disturbing tale that you won't shake off for weeks.

Don't forget to leave comments below, tweet me @filmbore or post on my Facebook page here. 

Alternatively, you could contact me directly about this film or my other reviews on pickoftheweek@filmbore.co.uk

We're pausing...again!

Waiting....waiting...waiting...

Yet again, some unforeseen social circumstances have prevented filmbore from delivery his weekly article. So, I ask that you be patient once more my filmborians, and wait for your weekly treat of indie movie goodness.

I'll be back soon!

filmbore pick of the week - Scum

Scum

Director: Alan Clarke
Screenplay: Roy Minton
Starring: Ray Winstone, Mick Ford, John Blundell, Phil Daniels, Ray Burdis, Philip Jackson, John Judd, Bill Dean
Year: 1979
Language: English
UK rental release: 1983 (VHS), February 2003 (DVD)

IMDb
LoveFilm
Rotten Tomatoes

Another delay in the pick of the week filmborians. My deepest apologies, yet again. And, as I've been such a naughty boy I've decided that I must be sufficiently punished. So, off to the nick I go, for this week's pick, the modern British classic, Scum.

Three young lads are in the back of a van, handcuffed, and are heading in silence to their new home - to Borstal. Each have committed crimes and are being taken in as young offenders, ready to serve a sentence for their heinous acts.

One of them is Carlin (Ray Winstone, Sexy Beast, Cold Mountain), who hadn't originally committed any crime, instead taking the rap for his brother for some scrap metal theft. Since his term begin, however, he's been encroached into the game, and this current transfer is thanks to numerous counts of violence towards wardens.

But these new 'screws' pack a bit more of a punch than Carlin is used to, especially the bolshy Mr Sands (John Judd) and the slight more sensitive, if cold Mr Greaves (Philip Jackson, Little Voice, Brassed Off). The only guard that holds a brief respite of respective for the young criminals is Mr Duke (Bill Dean, Family Life). He's a couple of years off retirement and tries to retain some hope for the inmates' rehabilitation.

Inside, Carlin meets Archer (Mick Ford, Light Years Away, The Knowledge), who takes an alternative approach to his time inside. He wants to do everything in his power to frustrate his keepers, playing the role of the procrastinator, purely in order to cause plenty of mischief while keeping himself out of the loop of the hard kids of the Borstal.

The toughest of these youths is 'Pongo' Banks (John Blundell, Junket 89), the 'Daddy' of the borstal, roaming the corridors, barking orders and beating up those that he sees fit. Drunk with power and fury, he's the unofficial leader of his wing. And, with whispers from the wardens of how the other teens should be treated, he's feared by all. 

With his two lackeys, Eckersley (Ray Burdis, Final Cut) and Richards (Phil Daniels, Quadrophenia, Meantime) at his beck and call, will anyone dare stand up to him? Things can change. Carlin may see to that. Can he establish himself as the new Daddy?

This is a proper British film! Directed by Alan Clarke (known for other well known British fare such as Rita, Sue And Bob Too! and, previously reviewed here on filmbore, Made In Britain) it's a sharp entrance into the world of independent UK cinema. And, taking into account its ridiculously low budget of just £250,000, this is no mean feat.

It was originally intended as part of the BBC's Play For Today series, yet its ultra-violent approach frightened broadcasters, leading to them removing it from their roster. A couple of years later, with enthusiasm from the director and, the film's scribe, Roy Minton, it was remade into a film and shown on an opposing channel in 1983.

For those of you who are not from the UK and haven't heard the term before, a borstal is a reform school for juvenile offenders. Not strictly a prison, it is still an establishment of incarceration, with the intention of improving the inmates through the term of their sentence, helping them to improve as men so that they can better fit back into society. 

Yet, as expected, there are numerous pitfalls for the young men to fall into, while the same level of oppression is sometimes abused by a number of the wardens, drunk with power. These aspects are explored at quite alarming detail in Scum. Such an environment, fuelled with these politics and behaviours, provides a wonderful canvas for any number of performers to take advantage of. Thankfully, both the established mature actors and the many newcomers playing the juvenile offenders take up this challenge with gusto.

In fact, it is these "new bloods", carrying such weight in this picture, that elevates the film to the heights it so readily deserves to sit upon. It's a simply incredible young cast in such a minimal piece. And seeing, now renowned, Ray Winstone as a young man, showing the world his ability to command the lens with his natural flare, is breathtaking. His portrayal of Carlin is heady, unnerving and astute.

There is another star player which needs mention. Mick Ford really stands out as Archer. Charismatic, intelligent and a little on the skewed side of the mental fence, he's unlike the rest of the inmates. Where many may fill roles of what is now deemed as stereotypes of prison films (except a lot of this was still fresh back then), Archer is a being unto himself. Cheeky to all his superiors, with a constant vein of righteousness, it's as if he is ever so slightly indestructible; he's a joke to them all and they let him have his way, which is exactly what he wants. The film is great as it stands, but with Ford handling his character in his own unique way, he makes this picture excellent.

Beyond the rich characters though is a vein of importance rarely explored in modern dramas. This picture can also be quite harrowing and truly gruesome and, even with the horrific realism of some moments (the gardening scene in particular), this piece knows the relevance and importance of addressing its key themes with an air of unexpected maturity.

It highlights, in its microcosmic way, the intense hatred held by some of those of a different culture and race. Racism is one key provocation throughout the piece, with slurs and abuse a-plenty. More shocking is how those of an ethnic background are treated by the wardens after they are abused by their fellow inmates. It demonstrates how deep the presence of isolation and oppression goes, held by those of angst and hatred, unnecessarily so.

Such intensely deep emotions and surprising outbursts lead me to this warning: this film is brutally violent! Not your horror-style gory violence either, but realistic assaults that will strike a nerve with any of you. Strangely, this is one of the appeals of this film, grounding the story with a genuine feel and reminding you of what the terrors of prison can be like, even for young offenders.

Such disorder and ferocity play an important part too, its very existence forming a full-grown character. The brutality has a rightful place in this story, its mere presence imperative to the plot threads and the ever-building tension. For instance, 'that scene with the pool ball and sock', which Scum is now so famous for, still holds firm to this very day. It builds to the key moments, with Winstone cold faced up until the 'crunch' moment, while the camera holds him in frame all through the scene, before and after 'that swing'. It's a crucial piece of independent, low budget, homegrown British cinema which is well-known for all the right reasons, and not just because of the pulpiness of a bit of bloodshed.

Yes, it is controversial but it wouldn't be Scum without its shock and bravery. It sits within a genre that, through the years since its release, it is now suffocated by identikit penitentiary movies, all with similar plot devices and the obvious dilemmas throughout. However, through its self righteousness and proud identity, it puts all these other pictures to shame, reminding them, and us, that this is the quintessential UK prison film: raw, startling and fearful. 

And while it has all this going for it, it demonstrates the power of youth; how their courage and personality can seep through their performances making a good film great.

It may be over thirty years old, yet it still able to stir up the emotions it strives to reveal. It's hefty and relentless, and many brilliant British movies still can't stand up to its hardcore persona. If, after all this time, it still stands tall above the rest, it says a lot for the quality of film making and performances, with such little finances and pocket full of ambition. Still cracking, still powerful... and still the Daddy!

Don't forget to leave comments below, tweet me @filmbore or post on my Facebook page here. 

Alternatively, you could contact me directly about this film or my other reviews on pickoftheweek@filmbore.co.uk

Pause!

Slight delay in the pick of the week tonight. Saturday into Sunday craziness has taken over. 

Normal service will resume tomorrow.

Charlie filmbore Pitt

December Overview

Goodbye 2013...

Christmas is over...but a new year arrives! And what can we celebrate over Christmas, besides family, friends, presents, bad TV, heaps of food and the odd sleep? Isn't it obvious? The farewell to Matt Smith in Doctor Who of course!

Anyway, we're not here to hear me geek out on the world's favourite time traveller. No, we're here to get all nerdy about films again. And December, even with the Christmas period throwing in some random dates and busy times, managed to give us some stellar content to tide us over the yuletide period.

We witnessed the return of the Top 10 in a roundabout way, with a special holiday themed Top 12. More on that below. Also, not only were there some cracking films to talk about (some with Christmas themes too) but due to December's timing of weekends it was one of those bonus months again. Five reviews for the price of four!

So let's remind ourselves of December...

Pick of the week recap

Five reviews this time around. Let's take a peek at what was chosen:

Acting brilliance from Frank Whaley and Kevin Spacey in Swimming With Sharks, a stripped down drama thriller about politics in the movie industry. Strip down the torturous scenes and you'll find a rich screenplay by the film's director George Huang. It received poor box office which is a terrible shame as this a real hidden gem.

My favourite film from one of the world's greatest directors. Jean-Pierre Jeunet's A Very Long Engagement is a beautiful blend of genres, adorned with gorgeous palettes and lighting, delivering a breathtaking picture. Plus, there's the stunning Audrey Tautou, who'll melt your heart at every corner on her hunt to find her long last love, missing during the Great War.

Then begins a long stint in Scandinavia. The Hanks starring Captain Phillips has been making waves recently, so here's a filmbore equivalent. Tobias Lindholm reaches into your gut for A Hijacking, a raw, terrifying drama. Part of its success is through its switching from boat raid to office negotiations from beginning to end. This is one for anyone.

Staying in Denmark, and for the first Christmas themed (if tenuously!) film we have Thomas Vinterberg's Festen: the ultimate dinner party film (besides Abigail's Party, of course!). A huge family gathering is the perfect moment for Ulrich Thomsen's Christian to drop a bombshell, exposing a dark family secret. Amazing performances in the first Dogme 95 movie. 

Over to Finland for Christmas film number two, for the incredibly original and hugely enjoyable Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale. It's existence is thanks to some hilarious shorts (don't watch them until after this film, due to spoilers), birthing a wonderfully dark story of Christmas and doomed mythology. Have you been a good kid this year?

 
The return of the Top....Twelve?!?

I needed to get back into doing Top Tens for you all and I promise there will be many more for 2014. December saw the return of the list with a Christmas twist.

filmbore's Twelve Days Of Christmas takes the famous song and relates each lyric with a suitable movie. Some are well connected, some a little odd, but you know how I roll people... they are Top Tens With A Difference after all!

In case you don't agree with each choice, there is an alternative at each point. And, if you don't agree with the other choice either, then let your views be known by commenting as usual. Go take a peek and let me know what you think.

And, I promise, there will be more on their way soon.

Happy New Year everyone. Hope you all have a smashing 2014!

Don't forget to leave comments below, tweet me @filmbore or post on my Facebook page here.

Or, you can email me directly at overview@filmbore.co.uk.

filmbore wants you! The Results continued

Part Two

Welcome back! Yes, we're here for the final part of the Top 20 everyone has been waiting for, filmbore wants you!: a list of the best films out of filmbore's first 52 reviews that make up its inaugural year in existence.

For those of you a little bit behind, go and check out Part One here.

To remind those of you that did see the post, I have not decided solely on this list myself, but compiled it with the consideration of your own votes and feedback on the first year of filmbore's pick of the weeks, all via the reminders I've been posting over the last several months.

Taking into account your views, the Top 20 has been finalised. And, so as not to forget some of the other popular choices, a couple of "honourable mentions" are included too. So, let's get cracking, as filmbore wants you! looks at positions 10 to 1...has your choice made it into the the final section of the list? Which film has made it to the coveted "numero uno" slot?

WARNING! Some spoilers and some awesome films await!

10. Bronson (2008)

Tom Hardy is now one of the biggest names in Hollywood. His earlier forays into acting hold just as much gravitas as his recent portrayals, and Bronson is no exception. Nicolas Winding Refn's biopic of the UK's most famous prisoner is a wonderfully art-house approach that will stay with you.

9. Headhunters (2012)

A sensational blend of humour and thrills in this refreshing action-packed drama from Norway. Based on Jo Nesbo's book of the same name, we see Roger Brown, a charismatic head hunter with a particular talent in art theft. What begins as a straight up heist film evolves into a deadly chase of an unusual kind.

8. Brotherhood (2004)

I love South Korean cinema, and this picture is one of the reasons why. The Far East's answer to Saving Private Ryan sees two brothers consumed by the Korean Civil War. As their close bond is frayed, attacked and near obliterated due the unforeseen paths they are about to take, it's an emotional and hefty perspective on boys becoming men.

Honourable mention

Staying in Asia, I need to make a nod to one of Hong Kong's finest action pieces, Infernal Affairs. Bumped off by some of your votes, it's more famous for being the film that was remade into Scorsese's Oscar winning movie, The Departed.

7. Battle Royale (2000)

At the turn of the century there was only one film on everyone's lips...Battle Royale! A mash-up between The Running Man and Lord Of The Flies, this comical yet alarming gore-fest is, surprisingly, brimming with metaphor and political brevity. A must if you haven't seen it...but only if you dare!

6. Let The Right One In (2008)

And who'd have thought that a horror movie can be both scary and sweet. One of the most unique films you are likely to see, Tomas Alfredson's left field approach to school bullying is touching while still carries enough chill to not forgot its genre roots. But at its heart, it's a story of love between friends.

5. Searching For Sugar Man (2012)

So many documentaries to watch. Which one to choose? Just one! The story of the best unknown songwriter in the world, Rodriguez, is an incredible revealing tale. Initially played as a real life detective story, this eye opening film will melt your heart through its reveals. This man is a legend!

4. Kill List (2011)

A firm fan favourite. Your votes had an influence on the position of this picture too. Ben Wheatley's shockingly brilliant, disturbingly delicious thriller is in a realm of its own. A foray into the psyche of a troubled assassin and the underlying conspiracy that eludes him merits repeat watches as the subtle references slowly seep through. Dark but beautiful.

Honourable mention

Another favourite of yours was Sightseers. A great film admittedly,  but with many UK films already in this list and a Wheatley film about at number 4, it had stiff competition. It's properly funny though!

And so...to the Top 3...

3. Tyrannosaur (2011)

The highest UK film on this roster and only the second review I ever wrote on this site. Tyrannosaur, the directorial debut from Paddy Considine, is one of the finest modern British films available. It's both subtle and brash, real and unbelievable, appealing and astounding. With two of the country's finest actors in Peter Mullan and Olivia Colman, it's proof that straight- forward storytelling, delicate and confident camerawork and plenty of room for performers to release is just the right recipe for a great picture. I've watched this piece several times and cannot tire of it. It's evidence of when a good team of talented artists get the balance just right.

2. Holy Motors (2012)

This very nearly took the number one spot! After a thirteen year sabbatical, Leos Carax came back to the world of cinema and birthed unto the world one of the smartest, craziest, prettiest, bravest films in many a year. This truly refreshing look into the world of voyeurism and reality TV, mainly encapsulating the ever growing demand for real-life entertainment, sees Monsieur Oscar (Denis Lavant) step between different realms to "perform" as a plethora of alternating personalities. Each vignette is absorbing in its own sense, as we are taken on a ride through an array of genres. This sounds hard to swallow, I know, but it truly works. It's the work of a genius and proof that the world of art really missed Carax. Try and find a film like this. In fact, just watched this live-recorded, Steadicam accordion skit and tell me it's not superb!

And the winner is...

1. I'm A Cyborg, But That's Okay (2006)

There can be only one winner! Quite clearly one of the most perfect films of modern cinema, this is Park Chan-Wook's masterpiece. Each frame paints its own picture, with vivid colours, obscure angles and intriguing sets. But it's the premise to this film that will really win you over.

Cha Young-Goon (the beautiful Lim Soo Yung) is at odds. She is adamant that she is a cyborg yet nobody else sees it. A confused attempt to "charge her batteries" is seen as a suicide attempt, or even just a cry for help, so she is placed in an institute for the clinically insane.

Park Il-Sun (action star Rain) believes he has many hidden talents, super powers even. Invisible when he wears his mask, he can steal personalities or traits from his fellow patients without a trace. Yet, he is enamoured when he's confronted by Young-Goon, and starts to see his world a little differently. Maybe he can use his abilities to help her somehow?

Chan-Wook can work a lens, we all know that. Yet, you won't see such a wide array of his talents as visible in I'm A Cyborg... as he switches genres in an instant, prompting some incredibly creative camerawork.

Yet, behind this visual smorgasbord is not a tale of insanity, or a big action piece, or a response to mental care. In fact, scrape away a lot of the surface art and beneath you will find one of the simplest, sweetest love stories that you'll even encounter. It's incredibly well paced too and should be studied for its sensational rhythm of editing.

If you are a fan of Park Chan-Wook, of his Vengeance trilogy, of particularly Oldboy, or of his recent output Stoker, then watch this film. If you are bowled over by artistically shot films with great choice in colour and design, then watch this film. If you are the type who's won over by wonderful storytelling and unique performances, then watch this film. If you haven't seen this film...watch this film! It is, quite clearly, one of the finest modern pictures ever made and - yeah, you guessed it - one of my favourite films of all time.

Enjoy!

So that's it. filmbore wants you! has finally come to an end. Did your choice make the list? Are the right films in the right place? Are there any that are placed so incorrectly that it just enrages you to the extent where you need to have a massive rant?

Then post your comments below and get the debate going. Alternatively, you can email me directly at filmborewantsyou@filmbore.co.uk, comment on my facebook page or tweet me @filmbore.