filmbore picks The Past

The Past

Director: Asghar Farhadi
Screenplay: Asghar Farhadi
Starring: Bérénice Bejo, Ali Mosaffa, Tahar Rahim, Pauline Burlet
Year: 2013
Languages: French/Persian 
UK rental release: June 2014

IMDb
Rotten Tomatoes

In the UK, there have been two forces dominating the news of late: Family, through the royal baby, and Politics, via the General Election. Merging both, let's delve into the gentle turmoil of 'family politics' with Asghar Farhadi's, The Past. 

Marie, (Bérénice Bejo, The Artist, Populaire) waits patiently at the airport terminal for her expected visitor. Her ex-partner, Ahmad (Ali Mosaffa, Leila, The Last Step) arrives, having flown in from Iran, bringing with him some luggage issues. Clearly, these two have known each other for a long time. The instant rapport allows Ahmad to forget about his missing suitcase for a moment.  

He can't help being cheeky. She can't help being amused by it. The old connections are still there, if only skin deep. Yet, something not yet spoken haunts their ease and natural chemistry.

Even though married for some years, they are about to finalise their divorce. Since the separation, Ahmad has begun to feel estranged from Marie's two daughters, Lucie and Léa (newcomer Jeanne Justin). While not being their biological dad, Ahmad has played an important part in their lives, with his living abroad obviously playing a part in the segregation now felt. 

While parked near the girl's school, Marie inside looking for Lucie, a traffic warden forces Ahmad to move the car. Circling the block, he chances upon the identification papers of a man named Samir, and starts putting things together.

Samir (Tahar Rahim, A Prophet, Grand Central) is Marie's new partner, living at her home with son, Fouad (also newcomer Elyes Aguis). A fiery boy, Fouad is displeased with having to move into Marie's, worsened now there's a "strange man" around. And, the longer Ahmad stays, the more he learns about the situation, discovering that Samir's ex-wife has been in a coma for months. 

He's still unsure of the full cause of her condition though, but not for long. Eldest daughter, Lucie (Pauline Burlet, La Vie En Rose, Dead Man Talking) has hit rebellious teens, causing strife and rarely sleeping at home, yet something else appears to trouble her. Ahmad has always had a good connection with Lucie, so Marie trusts him to speak to her in the hope that he might understand her behaviour.  

As he digs further, uncovering the source of Lucie's upset, he'll unravel the mystery surrounding Samir's ex-wife's coma.

A Memento Films production, Le Passé is an expertly produced drama. This is no surprise with Farhadi at the helm (click here to see my review of his touching masterpiece, the multi-award winning A Separation) as he delicately positions each element with deft care and relaxed precision. 

It flows at a serene pace, enhanced with some playful scenes to help reveal the overall piece's "real" feel. Keeping the amount of locations to a minimum, Farhadi enriches the film's native claustrophobia, birthed from the story's concept, and enhances that personal feel. This tight but strangely comfortable essence is a welcome extra ingredient of tension infused into the piece. 

Some of this is evident from the off, with the first encounter parading ease and edginess all at once. The director's arena has been justly built to house and reveal genuine performances from the cast; a task managed adeptly by the leads in particular. Calm, patient, with a subtle intensity, the most gentlest of gestures provided further purpose and weight for each character.

This approach is sorely needed for this piece. Even with the mystery underpinning the film, The Past isn't flaunting a complicated story. Until some of the later reveals, there isn't anything majorly complex at play, which is fine when considering the approach of the entire picture. This is about dialogue, normality and character. The open palette allows our performers to take grip of the brush themselves and take part in gracing the canvas with their own strokes of brilliance, creating a tangible body to clasp onto.

As equally palpable is the tense air between the two men, Tahar Rahim's casting adding an extra air of ounce of cool and brilliant. With gentle measure, the friction is lightly acrid, enough to be felt, but not over saturated as to spoil your palate. 

Airs of competitiveness start to appear, softly surfaced by our male leads. There's a particular scene in Marie's kitchen, where both sit in absolute silence; both too stubborn to break the air, while loosely awkward enough to be too scared to. Through mild mannerisms, the odd brief glance, hesitant reactions and nice pacing, it's raw and smooth all at once, both allowing the rivalry to brew while not fully embodying it. 

This is a smart approach, generating a genuine sense of inner disdain and naturally delivered etiquette, neither wanting to push the other too far in case they upset Bejo's character of Marie. Other actors may have easily embellished the conflict, which seems too obvious, yet, thankfully, these two opted for subtlety. And this film is all the better for it. 

The young cast hold their own against the adults too, especially Elyes Aguis as Fouad. He is just brilliantly cast. Being so expressive and sincere at his age, he has heaps of natural talent. In fact, all the actors, both young and old, permit a heartfelt requisite whatever the scene. It makes the film centre so attainable you'll slip into it with little effort. 

At it's core, however, sits one key performer. Bérénice Bejo is so self-assured and indomitable as Marie that she's the glue to the entire piece. Her delivery is delicious, switching from cool to combustible in a flash. Her whole performance is a masterclass on control, with her efforts just making enough room to add extra flavour to the relationship between her and her ex-husband, Ahmad. 

There's an air of true friendship between the pair. And it's the on-screen chemistry they exude that binds all of the other beautiful elements of this sweet and wonderful film together. Even through divorce, they find heart and softness in the most unlikeliest of places.

As gently paced as it is, you may need some patience of your own with The Past. It's so confident and calm it may appear underwhelming to some. However, if you hold out, you'll be rewarded with simple, moving tale of a complex, fervent family.

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 picks@filmbore.co.uk

filmbore attends Short Stack, Nottingham

An Evening Of Many, Enjoyable, Short Films

Short Stack - An Evening Of Short Films
Rough Trade, Nottingham, 29th March 2015
Compiled and presented by Steve Best
"Birthed" by David Lilley

A chancing glance of a poster in Nottingham's Rough Trade drew my attention. A graphically pleasing promo of an up-and-coming event seared its way into my memory, while earning its place in my phone's photo gallery as a self-captured invitation to a night of local creativity.

A few weeks later, my girlfriend and I arrived at the venue just inthe nick of time (following an enjoyable viewing of Still Alice at Nottingham's famous indie, Broadway Cinema), the room already brimming with bodies and anticipation. It's not often that you get the kind of bustling atmosphere of a gig night in a homegrown-style cafe on a Sunday evening!

Left with little choice on perches, I was squashed into a corner, right at the front, next to the sound desk. Sounds like a minor criticism, I know, and, normally this would be a frustration. Yet, gifted with a great view on the screen, while infused with the intense vibe the room was still generating, my maverick seating was strangely a blessing. Plus, knowing that a spot is difficult to find says a lot for the popularity of independent film culture in Nottingham.

And, with sixteen short films from local films makers based around the Midlands, the stack felt far from short! Compiled and presented with pride and charisma by Steve Best,  covering a medley of genres, it was clear that a lot of thought was put into the sequence of pieces, bringing a good pace and a nice mix of emotive responses. This was probably helped by the night's interactive feel, each filmmaker introducing their piece within a welcome platform for playful heckling. This gave each creator a chance to lift their film in their own way, while helping to further push David Lilley's (Short Stack's founder) mantra of "Low budget with high production values". 

Never a truer word spoken. If I had to pinpoint Short Stack's best character trait, that would be of its material's indelible quality. From Jordan Hays brief, sharp and surprising 'Prayer', through Frank Harriman's intense and moving 'Go With God', to Keith Allott's reflective and poetic 'Flawless', I was enamoured by how great each vignette looked.  

There was still room for some bravery too. Through Harry Ward's light erotica-becomes-still-life in music video 'Eulalia', or Gavin Mawditt's and Steve Askey's hilarious beat-em-up parody Street Fatter ("Gavin vs. Darren" garnering some of the biggest laughs on the night), edges were left bare, dare we risk abrading through our enjoyment. We were even treated to a parodic rom-com trailer with Anna Lei's 'Spell Of Cupid', which was brilliantly refreshing. The most adventurous and wonky however was probably Lord Anumblue's 'La Folie De La Maison De Carisbrooke', which poked a stark and confident (if comically whimsical) finger at the early days of cinema. A real "Le Voyage Dans Le Looney"!

To be honest, I could talk about every submission but, in the nature of harnessing more "edible" journalism, I'll delve a little deeper into just two pieces that, I felt, had the most impact at the event...the kind of impact where I get my "indie" hat on, as this is filmbore, after all.

I'll start with Nick Archer's 'Dysnomia'. This thriller, about a celebrity assassin under duress, was pleasingly unique, with it's cyclical story highlighting the depreciatory value of personal needs. Superbly shot, utilising great natural lighting, it also benefited from some great acting and a genuinely tense feel. Shot around the local areas of Nottingham, there was a mild "meta" moment as one of the opening shots was of our main character walking down Broad Street, right passed where Rough Trade Nottingham was located. It really brought home the idea of...home, I guess, reminding us all that we were witnessing and experiencing the product of local talent.

Most importantly though, is the fact that this particular film set the standard for the evening's "low budget, high quality" motto. Shot in just 5 hours, followed by a mere 7 hours of post-production, it is an absolute masterclass of planning and swift production. It is so professionally put together, it's just beautiful. It should stand as the flagship of Short Stack, but must share it with the other hero of the evening...

If you live in Nottingham and haven't heard about James Bushe's 'Cannibals and Carpet Fitters' yet, the start paying attention! I had no idea this would be shown on the night but, having been aware of it through word-of-mouth, the odd blog and the waves it was starting to generate on the underground Notts film scene, I was ecstatic when it was announced. 

This cheeky, horror-comedy romp is brimming with creepy giggles, while casually retaining a dark undertone. Blessed with some cracking production and great make-up effects (including some impressive eye gore!) it's insanely enjoyable. Mrs Hanning was brilliantly casted, with Jenny Stokes clearly delighting in the part as the key antagonist, while Darren Sean Enright and Richard Lee O'Donnell play two strong hero characters with such comedic aplomb I can definitely see them having a bigger story to tell... 

A story, of which, will come to pass. Not only has 'Cannibals...' been accepted into the Cannes Film Festival's Short Film Corner, it's also being made into a feature length feature. This is proof that, with enough hard work and a innovative bent, you can step into a higher echelon in the industry. It demonstrates the affect festivals and general support can do for low budget treats, while highlighting the level of quality achievable with the right creative spirit. Who knows...maybe one of the evening's other filmmakers may get a similar spring board from the existence of Short Stack.  

Being only the second Short Stack event at Nottingham's Rough Trade, and with many more planned, I urge you to take a trip out on a Sunday evening next time around. Go and take in the air of the locally brave and wicked, guiding you through their adventures in celluloid. Not only will you have a great evening but feel a part of a grass-roots, stripped-down, honest film festival. Friendly and very, very local. Perfect!

The list of films in full...

• Standby - Trey Drysdale 
• First Stub - Gavin Mawditt and Claire Harris 
• Prayer - Jordan Hays
• Eulalia - Harry Ward
• Council Housed And Violent - Harry Wilding 
• Go With God - Frank Harriman 
• The Loved & The Lost - Will Hollis 
• Flawless - Keith Allott
• La Folie De La Maison De Carisbrooke - Lord Anumblue   
• Street Fatter - Gavin Mawditt and Steve Askey
• Salt And Pepper - Shawn R Briggs 
• Dysnomia - Nick Archer
• Echo - Anthony M Winson
• Cannibals and Carpet Fitters - James Bushe 
• Spell Of Cupid - Anna Lei
• Mr Creek - Liam Banks

You can find out more at the Short Stack Facebook group here and keep an eye out for more events at Nottingham's Rough Trade.

And, as always, please feel free to comment below, or contact me @filmbore

Top 10 Original Romantic Gestures

Step up and make an effort! 

In wake of my last top ten, plus my last two reviews of Angel-A and Blue Is the Warmest Colour, I'm staying one final time on the theme of love. Which is fitting, considering that Valentine's Day is just around the corner (along with that florist that you should get down to immediately!).

However, if you're still struggling with discovering a present with that unique appeal, maybe I can help inspire your gift choices with a list celebrating the more daring of chancers in the game-of-amour, with the Top 10 most original romantic gestures in movies.

The criteria:

• The ranking within this list will be determined on both the effort and, most of all, the originality of the event.
• The genre of the film has no impact. Love story or not, it's the gesture contained in the movie that counts.
• There will be no "murdering for love". Yes, there is effort in this act but it is so unoriginal and far too common.
• There has to be some "lack of shame" at play. Some purposeful detriment to yourself is beneficial but not paramount, however the opposite angle of a detriment to many will be vetoed. For example, like when Clark gives up his power for Lois in Superman II with little regard for the impact this has on mankind. Or even Neo, choosing to save Trinity over the remainder of the human race in The Matrix Reloaded. Shame on you, you over-romantic demi-gods you!

Right, with that settled, let's see who's top of the sops...

WARNING! Major spoilers and incredibly romantic acts lie ahead!

10. Jello house - Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs (2009)

Flint Lockwood impresses Sam with a mansion-sized mould of jelly to lark about in, leading to a mutual connection through science between them. As they gaze at the sunset, Flint takes it a step further, expressing how beautiful Sam is when she's her true self, donning her specs and ponytail.

Smooth-o-meter: 3/10

You had me at...Jello

9. Getting the photo - Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008) 

Rachel hates the topless photo of herself in the toilets of a nearby bar. Peter, in an act of chivalry and recompense, obtains the evidence of her raucous flash, even with the knowledge that he'll take a downright beating from the barman. Her delivers the trophy, battered and bruised, in a true triumph of the underdog!

Smooth-o-meter: 4/10

Heart broken...face broken more like!

8. A joke-a-day - Rocky (1976)

At heart, this is a love story. A romantic at heart, Rocky Balboa is so infatuated by local pet-shop worker, Adrian, that he makes up a new joke to tell her every single day. Even though his jokes are sometimes a little weak, he persists, showing both effort and uniqueness on a daily basis.

Smooth-o-meter: 5/10

Fighting south guffaw

7. Buying the piano - Once (2006)

When a fellow appreciation of the arts clouds feelings between two people, sometimes a personal gift will do the trick. Leaving Dublin for London, and knowing their relationship will always purely be through music, Glen's "guy" farewell gift to Markéta's "girl" is one thing she can't afford but desires the most...a piano to play on forever. 

Smooth-o-meter: 5/10

Tickled ivories

6. Have a library! - Beauty And The Beast (1991)

And when the gap between the pair is even greater, thanks to a difference in species, you have to give a present of absolute grandeur. And nothing says "I love you" more than...a library! The beast gifts Belle his prize possession, a lifetime of literature, to the woman who stole his heart.

Smooth-o-meter: 6/10

Dewi you love me?

5. A field of daffodils - Big Fish (2003)

Young Ed Bloom extends his love to Sandra with flowers...thousands of them! Enough for five states apparently. This takes some serious planning to handle such a large volume of bloom for Bloom and is visually impressive too. No half measures there Ed!

Smooth-o-meter: 7/10

Blooming romantic

4. His favourite treat - Juno (2007)

One of the cutest gestures on the list, I'm always moved when Juno takes it a step further once the baby is born. The "lawn living room" was one thing, but filling Bleeker's mailbox with the only other thing he adores, Orange Tic-Tacs is truly original and highly bespoke! 

Smooth-o-meter: 8/10

Sweet love letters

3. Come and find me - Amélie (2001)

With a story that's all about generosity through actions, how could Amélie top her efforts so far so she can win the heart of Nino? Cleverly, through trying to unite him to his lost photo album, she incorporates this act into a treasure-hunt style, wild goose chase across Paris, eventually leading to her and her adoration for him.

Smooth-o-meter: 8/10

A literal route to her heart

2. "I've bought you flours" - Stranger Than Fiction (2006)

Nearly taking the top spot, this could be the most unique gesture of them all. When Harold Crick realises he has feelings for baker-businesswoman, Ana, he surprises her, not with a bunch of flowers, but the gift of "flours". It's funny, personal and as naturally romantic as anyone can ever get. A hard one to top.     

Smooth-o-meter: 9/10

Say it with flours

And the winner is...

1. The whole film - Cypher (2002)

An obscure choice, I know. And if it didn't exist, Stranger Than Fiction would clearly get the top slot. This is a major spoiler so, if you want to brave it, let me run this down for you.

Vincenzo Natali's Cypher is, like his other films, another unique tale with twists and thrills within it's exclusive shell. Morgan Sullivan (Jeremy Northam) is bedazzled by the intriguing life of being a corporate spy. Agreeing to the espionage, he gets pulled into a corporate data war between two huge conglomerates, becoming a double agent, or maybe even a triple one.

During his heady experience between the companies, he's also wowed by Rita Foster (Lucy Liu) who, working for a mysterious man called Sebastian Rooks, is guiding him to what appears to be some form of emancipation and righteousness. She reappears at crucial moments through his secretive actions, luring him to behave against the task beset him.

Everyone, including Morgan, fears Sebastian Rooks; a shadow, who appears to be manipulating every major player to his own will. Its only at the finale that the enigma himself is revealed...Morgan is Sebastian Rooks. Duh-duh-daaah!! A memory transplant, meticulous planning, along with key instructions to Rita, have led him down this monstrously, labyrinthine path to the heart of these corporations. 

Yet, his motive is unclear. In a key moment earlier on, at Sunway System's vault, is where we find a MacGuffin of true romance. Rooks is a ghost to the world. No ID, no trace. Completely under the radar. His employee, Rita, is more than just his colleague. She is also his lover. This elaborately over-the-top plan was to retrieve all information on Rita from Sunway Systems' vault leaving little evidence in his wake. He obtains her entire identity and history and, when sunning on a yacht, they throw it into the deep blue. His risky, lethal and near disastrous methods, while completely oblivious to the plan, were just to ensure that Rita can enjoy tranquillity through anonymity. A lifestyle that he wants to share with her forever.

Totally unique and a ridiculously amount of effort. Aww, isn't he sweet! Nice one Sebastian!    

Smooth-o-meter: 10/10

You really know me...well, someone has to!

Just missed out:

Becoming a different species (Avatar, 2009)
Arwen chooses mortality (The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King, 2003)
Penny goes back for Dodge (Seeking a Friend for the End of the World, 2012)
Climbing the ferris wheel (The Notebook, 2004)
Forfeiting the throne (Coming To America, 1988)
Giving up being Iron Man (Iron Man 3, 2013)

If you disagree, and have other suggestions, please post comments at the bottom of the post. Or, email me directly on topten@filmbore.co.uk.

And don't forget, you can tweet me @filmbore or post on my Facebook page here.

filmbore picks Blue Is the Warmest Colour

Blue Is the Warmest Colour (La vie d'Adèle)

Director: Abdel Kechiche
Screenplay: Abdel Kechiche, Ghalia Lacroix
Starring: Adèle Exarchopoulos, Léa Seydoux
Year: 2013
Language: French
UK rental release: March 2014


IMDb
Rotten Tomatoes

With the romantic spirit of New Years Eve still in our hair, some of us are still bathing in the wake of sentimentality. So, with my last list of Top 10 Alternative Love Stories tuning into the wonkier side of the passionate coin, it seems fitting that we continue to traverse Cupid's flight path with the impressive and memorable Blue Is the Warmest Colour.

Adèle (Adèle Exarchopoulos, Pieces Of Me) is a 15 year old student, ready to embark on an exploration of life and of herself. 

One morning, her friends espy a boy at school who keeps ogling her, nudging her to consider him for boyfriend material. She isn't so keen though, not succumbing to peer pressure. She meets the young man, Thomas (newcomer Jérémie Laheurte), once again on the bus to school. He's a budding musician, a fact he shares with her during the journey while a brief air of attraction peeks its head.

Adèle first notices Emma (Léa Seydoux, Grand Central, Saint Laurent), the girl with the striking blue hair, on her way to her first date with Thomas. The encounter leaves a mark, as she struggles to understand how it makes her feel. Her true feelings begin to emerge when she's half asleep. She begins to touch herself yet it is not Thomas that's possessing her thoughts... instead, she can only see Emma. 

And as her imagination lets her new muse caress her, a new door in her life opens. She is still so confused at this early phase in her awakening; still trying grasp her feelings for Thomas, which are clearly misdirected, distracted even when they make love. It isn't until a surprising and provoking kiss from a school friend that her inner-self rouses. 


Her affections re-guided, cementing themselves in her heart and mind, it's from here that her adventure really begins...

Unanimously winning the Palme d'Or at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival, director Abdel Kechiche won the gong thirteen years after his debut La Faute à Voltaire. This is so deserved for Blue Is the Warmest Colour, even if just down to the techniques on display.

It carries a rich palette, infused with all manner of natural shades, unabated when seldom punctuated by strikingly sharp colours. Blue, as in the title, is a hugely significant hue, presenting itself at key junctures of gentle epiphany and power. A key sighting of Emma occurs in a nightclub saturated with blue lighting, clearly paving a way for an important encounter.

There's some great use of hand-held pans throughout too. In fact, it's mostly hand-held, with confident extreme close-ups to capture the subtlety in each character's expression. Such intimacy is vital for this picture to work, especially when trying to experience Adèle escapades as fully as possible. The whole picture is pinned to her. This is essential, as her emotional adventure of discovery is the film's core; a centre that you need to relent to, joining her for this tumultuous odyssey.

Emma's persona is well drafted too. She's as much Adèle's muse as Adèle to Emma. And, with such a powerfully effective performance from Exarchopoulos, it's difficult to shine in her light, yet Léa Seydoux has depth and charm of her own. Her personality is aloof and cool, properties most attractive and beguiling to an impressionable Adèle.

When the relationship hits a low, Adèle becomes a lesser version of herself, not teaching at her best capacity. It's through some of these activities in the final segment of the film that we see the breadth of talent in our star. Adèle Exarchopoulos is endearing and untreated, displaying a full spectrum of emotions and aspects in soft, supple delivery so silky you won't even notice the transition. I would be highly surprised if we don't see her career blossom over the next few years, as she's destined for future in acting.

As a final note of the two actresses' brilliance, it needs to be mentioned that they both shared the Palme d'Or with Abdel Kechiche, a rare event, also making Exarchopoulos the youngest woman ever to receive the accolade. It's a shame that this news isn't at the forefront when discussing this picture...

It's at this point that I have to forewarn you of the film's ever present elephant-in-the-room: be prepared for some lengthy, very real sex scenes. They may be too graphic for most, where some of you be uncomfortable just with the fact that there is young nudity on screen (Exarchopoulos was 19 when this was filmed), yet these scenes are not in place to sate your carnal desires. 

These moments are respectful, tender and beautiful, highlighting the innocence and intrigue this phase of young adult life carries with it. This is a difficult angle to achieve with such delicate and destructive weight such scenes could deliver, yet Abdel Kechiche has impressively presented these moments with grace and realism. It's the grittiness of these scenes is also one of the film's strengths. More often than not, the film industry delivers love scenes with a flat, almost false temperament, while always viewed through rose-tinted glasses. Here, they are raw and normal, which is so rare.

Even though these events, which are magnificently shot, have caused some controversy for the flick, they represent a crucial palisade placed halfway through this story; a fence of which Adèle finally jumps down from, choosing which garden she belongs to without any regard for how rocky the terrain will be! The severity and natural being of these key scenes need impact for the whole piece to behave as expected.

And paired with the apparent paranoia and jealousy, perfectly captured through the lens, we're party to the struggle of her slow awakening. It tenderly portrays, through fragile understanding, the steps taken through your late teens when trying to find yourself. In Adèle's case, she fears the treacherous journey into exploring her sexuality, which is delivered on screen in phases and carried with poise, restraint and respectability. All of this manner carries us through the story via the deftness and dexterity of the film's production. Buy into Adèle's plight, and the journey isn't as treacherous...it's joyous!

Those less initiated with films of this ilk, or those who prefer their movies with more immediacy, may find the pace a little lacklustre. And with a three hour running time, that's difficult to argue with this. However, its own patience invites you to apply yours, where you'll be awarded with a genuine and intense drama that's both sensitively rich and calmly entrancing. But, above, it's a story that speaks to us all.

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 picks@filmbore.co.uk

Top 10 Alternative Love Stories

Awwww.....sweeeeeet!

So many love stories available in film. Over the decades, tales of amour have invested in nearly every genre, forever ruling as the queen of story backbones. You must agree though that it is quite difficult , within such an overwhelming presence, to find romantic tales that sit alone; unique in this suffocating genre that crosses over to nearly every theme available.

Well, that's what I'm here for! However, the work was done for me already last year with Spike Jonze's surprisingly warming Her. Through one of the most unusual romances set to film, we were reminded of the core fundamentals for initially falling for someone, of how frequently others may never understand and of the pending sword of Damocles that threatens the sanctuary you've built for one another.

It received some mixed responses; unfairly so when considering the brave approach it was taking. So this got me thinking...what other alternative love stories deserve more recognition? Which tales of brewing romance need their gallantry and spirit upholding? Time for another Top Ten, this time on alternative love stories...

The criteria:

• For a true alternative love story within a film, then the movie's core genre cannot be a "Romance". 
• Better if love is not even the main thread of the story (a couple of exceptions have been made here, yet the films' core genre is so extreme it's forgiveable). This is why I haven't allowed Jonze's Her onto this list.
• The ranking within this top ten is based on the growing strength of the romance, not necessarily the quality of the film. The lengths that the lovers go to within the tale is what drives them up and down this chart.

So, let see who are the king and queens of the courtship...

WARNING! Spoilers and heartbreak await!

10. Upstream Colour (2013)

Shane Carruth's second outing ripped up the rule book once more on most genres, yet most interestingly regarding love. The pair's symbiotic links to their pigs opened a sweet if twisted approach to unrequited love, both compelled to forgo their normal lives just to be together.

Score de l'amour: 4/10 

Like pigs in muck!

9. I'm A Cyborg, But That's OK (2006)

If scoring on quality, this would have rated higher. Fearing Cha Young-Goon will die of starvation, Park Il-Sun believes his 'special ability' could prevent her untimely death, falling for her in the process. Using your own psychosis to fix  that of another? Now that's love!

Score de l'amour: 5/10

Crazy about each other

8. Bonnie and Clyde (1967)

There's nothing like spills and thrills in a relationship. This canny pair take their relationship to the next level by starting a mutual hobby in bank robberies, sparking parodies and homages for decades, most notably Natural Born Killers.

Score de l'amour: 6/10 

Take that love to the bank!

7. Heathers (1988)

Dark humour and romance are a perfect match, just like Veronica and J.D. who take to covering their murders of fellow school students as cult suicide pacts. Yet, love is blind and tragedy will follow, as Veronica's last stab allows J.D. to go out in a blaze of glory.

Score de l'amour: 7/10

Too cool for school

6. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)

Competing with the ex is one thing...but seven?! And evil ones, at that! Luckily, Scott just happens to be totally badass at the game, taking on each opponent in a true war of romance, even dying and coming back to life to win the heart of Ramona Flowers.

Score de l'amour:  7/10
Ex-ceptional!

5. True Romance (1993)

Christian Slater appears for a second time on our list as Clarence, who will  do anything for his instant sweetheart Alabama. At the advise of the king of rock n roll himself, he'll take out anyone to protect his darling through their mission of love, in one cinema's greatest black romantic-comedies.

Score de l'amour: 7/10

Little less conversation...plenty of action

4. Angel-A (2005)

There are two love stories here. One beautiful message is to love yourself. Yet, beyond that, once André can except this, Angela makes a huge sacrifice - her angel wings burn to a cinder to allow her to stay with him, if preventing her return to Heaven. That's a mighty big gesture!

Score de l'amour: 8/10
A heavenly romance

3. Fight Club (1999)

No sleep, fights every weekend, credit hits zero, nearly kill yourself, explosions everywhere and build the biggest anarchistic empire ever. Just like a real relationship (well...except maybe the last part!). Unbeknownst until the end, our beloved narrator, in a roundabout way, does all of this for and because of the intriguing Marla Singer.

Score de l'amour: 9/10

Sleepless nights

2. Wall-E (2008)

After years of lonely garbage work, Wall-E meets and is transfixed by Eve. While in stasis, little "Trash-timus Prime" looks after her through thick-and-thin, even following her into space. Listening to his tin-man heart he reunites with her and returning the entirety of the rest of humankind to Earth in the process. Now that's a romantic gesture!

Score de l'amour: 9/10

To infatuation and beyond!

And the winner is...

1. Braindead (1992)

Okay, maybe Lionel didn't bring The Man to his knees through an underground network of political soldiers, or rescue the remnants of humanity from a psychotic space robot but the difference with this guy is his effort was totally intentional.

A real "mummy's boy", Lionel was a treated as butler, gardener, cook and cleaner by his mother, Vera, who's blind to his good heart and kind nature. This all gets shaken up when he meets pretty shop worker, Paquita, who's fortune is read, shrouded in mystery. She commits her intentions to Lionel, believing her prediction to mean that they will be romantically entangled, leading her to woo him.

It is kind of unfortunate that a zombie apocalypse awaits them. A date for the pair to the zoo leads to an accident, where the recently caught "rat monkey bites Lionel's mother in the ankle and the mysterious Sangaya virus spreads. As Vera becomes progressively ill, Lionel's efforts lean back towards caring for his mum, creating a rift between him and Paquita, which is understandable after Vera ate her dog! 

Lionel can't keep the virus at bay. Slowly, the townsfolk become zombified, leading to an almighty war with the walkers at his home. Such scenes have grounded Braindead as the goriest film of all time, yet it is within the last moments that this movie wins the top slot in this list. 

Following the brewing romance already at play, Lionel attempts to take out as many zombies as he can to rescue his true love with the only he knows how...with his impressive skills with a lawnmower. I can only assume Peter Jackson (yes...pre-middle earth, this film maker made some insane movies!) had always dreamed of taking out the undead with a Fly-mo.

However, the last moment is the sweetest and most breathtakingly romantic gesture of them all. Lionel gives up on caring for his vindictive mother and, after she ingests him through her stomach (she has seriously mutated at this point, I might add) destroys her internally, wiping her from his life and securing his place at Paquita's side. 

No matter how evil you mum is Lionel, that's some pretty serious efforts to win over the lady. The top slot is yours you sadistic mowing nut job, you!

Score de l'amour: 10/10
Undead into each other!

Just missed out:

Delicatessen

Submarine

Shaun Of The Dead

Stranger Than Fiction

Monsters

Blue Velvet

If you disagree, and have other suggestions, please post comments at the bottom of the post. Or, email me directly on topten@filmbore.co.uk.

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