MIFF day 3

Lost and Found

MIFF said: "Six of Central and Eastern Europe’s brightest young directors come together in this omnibus feature, each giving their idiosyncratic take on the theme of ‘generation’."

I say: Like any anthology, not every segment in this film will work for you. The framing animation that holds the elements together was charming, but unnecessary - title cards would have worked just as well, and would have reduced the running time, too. Highlights included The Ritual (dir. Nadejda Koseva, Bulgaria) a wedding story with a twist; the utterly charming Turkey Girl (Cristian Mungiu, Romania), which made me want to go find a pet turkey immediately - who knew foul could be so cute?; and my favourite, Fabulous Vera (Stefan Arsenijevic, Serbia-Montenegro) a delightful comedic drama involving embroidery, Cuba, true love and a tram.

See it: if you want insight into Central and Eastern European life, if you like short story collections, or if you have a fondness for fowl.

Manslaughter

MIFF say: "A major domestic box office and critical success, Manslaughter bears the hallmarks that have made recent Danish cinema substantial and constantly challenging... In portraying the disruption of Carsten’s middle-class comfort and safety, Christensen’s performance, the anchor for the film, goes beyond drama and heads towards the realm of great screen tragedy. Manslaughter confirms Per Fly as a major Scandinavian director."

I say: Strong performances and superlative cinematography do not a good film make. Manslaughter isn't bad, but it engaged me neither emotionally nor intellectually. Besides, how many more films about middle class, middle aged white men having a midlife crisis and boning a woman more than half their age do we really need to see?

See it: If you're a middle aged, middle class man having a mid-life crisis, or if you're dating one.