Just Giblets

As we climb higher into the Top 10, it gets harder and harder to differentiate between the films as to their level of accomplishment: these are all such great films! What this pair of films share is a boldness of writer/director vision, and a pair of show-stopping lead performances.

#8) Anne at 13,000 Ft., directed by Kazik Radwanski – Kazik Radwanski’s films are up close and personal… so much so that there is a certain level of discomfort in watching them. He uses intense emotions and extreme close-ups to drive his points home. ANNE AT 13,000 FT. introduces us to a young woman who works at a daycare center. As a bridesmaid for one of her co-workers, she, along with the bridal party, jump out of a plane to do some tandem skydiving. The exhilaration and yes, calm, Anne feels is something she yearns for again when she is back in her regular life. And there’s definitely something different about Anne. At first it’s just some inappropriate laughter, discomfort in social settings, discomfiting work decisions… that soon reveal themselves to be a struggle with mental illness. This portrait of a woman dealing with an illness is poignant, yet unflinching, as those around her struggle to provide assistance and support.

Deragh Campbell is riveting as Anne, and it’s with trepidation we watch her try to navigate every day life with this incredible burden. Her performance is so raw and open it’s hard to remember you are watching a film. Radwanski’s directing style keeps that honesty up front and in your face, daring you to judge while his camera holds unflinchingly as Anne makes bad decisions or behaves in ways we can’t understand. I look forward to following Kazik’s career as he continues to confound and fascinate.

#7) Aftersun, directed by Charlotte Wells – This British father-daughter memory tale is a remarkable work as a first-time narrative film. Writer/director Charlotte Wells tells a very personal story through the eyes of a pre-teen girl about a time spent at a Turkish resort with her Dad, who is divorced from her Mom. Wells doesn’t tell a straight-forward story.In fact, for the first half of the film I found myself frustrated, not quite understanding the point of some of the extended scenes we were experiencing The latter half grew both more compelling and more obtuse, as shifting timelines, and unexplained scenes created a sense of unease, but little detail of what was actually going on. Fortunately the film is anchored by a remarkable performance by Paul Mescal playing the young dad. Loving and attentive, there is also a sense of desperation and anxiety beneath his actions. In the end when those elements grow stronger, his behavior suggests a darkness that is surprising although not entirely unexpected. Ultimately, I was very moved and impressed with the film, despite not having a solid grasp on some of the events and their sequence or meaning. It was one of those films that I wasn’t sure how I felt about as it concluded, and the next morning found I truly appreciated.

My top 10 films of 2022 kick off with the return of one of my favorite directors, and a special spotlight for a character actress in a leading role. These films also highlight the very different stories centered around women.

#10) Women Talking, directed by Sarah Polley – It’s so very exciting to see Sarah Polley back in the director’s chair after taking an extended hiatus to raise a family and to recover from a serious concussion, and she is in fine form. Polley’s adaptation of a novel based on actual events explores the discussions held by a group of women in an isolated religious colony after years of sexual abuse by the men in their colony have been uncovered. The title of the film is not wrong, this is all about the conversations these women have, and the sharing of very differing points-of-view of what should be done. Polley does a masterful job at having the narratives flow in a way that is natural, and also absorbing for the viewer. She is assisted by a phenomenally talented ensemble of women actors who bring each character’s story to vivid life. I hope this is the first of along string of films directed by Polley now that she’s back in the chair.

#9) A Long Song, directed by Max Walker-Silverman – This exploration of love, loss, and aging is a lovely story in and of itself, but as a vehicle to showcase the magnificent performance by character actor Dale Dickey, it’s a real show-stopper. Dickey is known for lots of memorable performances from films such as Winter’s Bone, Leave No Trace, and The Incredibly True Adventures of Two Girls in Love, but never has she been given a leading role that is so internalized and beautiful realized. A solitary widow, Dickey plays Faye, who waits in her trailer to meet a childhood sweetheart that she hasn’t seen for decades. Walker-Silverman spends luxurious amounts of time on Dale’s exquisitely weathered face as she spends her days catching fish, enjoying the magnificent vistas of the Colorado Rockies, and pondering her life thus far. She’s eager, she’s wary, she’s lonely, she’s sad… she’s a human being living a quiet life with hope and expectation, but also reality and experience. Aided ably by a great supporting performance by Wes Studi, A Love Song is a very special film, and one that is worth every moment.

Movies with child actors in leading roles are often tricky, but this pair of films is uncanny in the way children are presented. Much credit must go to the directors, Céline Sciamma and Laura Wandel respectively. The poise and sophistication of these performances is nothing short of outstanding.

#12) Petite Maman, directed by Céline Sciamma – It’s hard to talk about the creative exploration Sciamma plumbs in this deceptively simple story about a young girl who stumbes upon a friend in the woods who shares many of her characteristics. Coming off the sweeping romantic drama of Portrait of Lady on Fire, Petite Maman seems like a trifle, but it is perhaps one of Sciamma’s most ambitious films to date, thematically, at least. The two young actresses who play the film’s central characters make it all work. Without them it would have been a clever story, but their performances add to the depth and mystery that unfolds.

#11) Playground, directed by Laura Wandel – This hard-hitting examination of how children learn the harsh realities of adulthood is a tough watch, but the astounding performance that director Wandel reveals by child-actor Maya Vanderbeque is riveting. Nora and her older brother Abel, go to the same elementary school, and when she witnesses Abel suffering terrifying abuse by other boys in the playground, she is traumatized. Uncertain who to turn to, from her teachers to her father, Nora must thread the needle between fearing for her brother’s safety, to bowing to his wishes to stay out of it. Abel’s bullying has ramifications that spill over to Nora beyond her anxiety, as her friends start to shun her for being connected to him. As the situation evolves, Nora makes decisions in the name of self-preservation that affect those around her, It’s a frightening and painful film made all the more challenging by its stark truths.

I love when indie films explore genre. Good horror and science fiction films can be incredibly thought-provoking and thoughtful. The problem (for me) is big budget Hollywood films tend to take everything to extremes and we end up with jump scares, buckets of blood, and special effects. My #’s 16 & 15 films of 2022 have a different, far more subtle take on these genres.

#16) You Won’t Be Alone, directed by Goran Stolevski – Framed by a story steeped in folk horror, about a woman who was deeply wronged and transformed in to a vengeful spirit, YOU WON’T BE ALONE manages to delve into the mysteries of what makes life the hardship and the glory that it is by showing it through the eyes of ‘the other.’ The plot is twisty and complicated, but involves that afore-mentioned vengeful spirit, who creates an heir of sorts using the body of a girl given to her in an unholy bargain., This heir, lacking the drive for vengeance steeped in her creator, sets out to experience just what makes humanity what it is. Through a series of varied experiences, depending on the form se has taken on, she experiences helplessness, fear, power, arrogance… and eventually belonging, yet there’s still the fact that her creator is a vengeful spirit, and isn’t going to just let her spawn in peace. This Australian/UK/Serbian co-production is an astounding blend of genres and storytelling, with some incredible visuals, and great performances. A little gruesome at times, but I’m a wimp, and I didn’t have trouble getting through it, and it’s definitely worth it.

#15) The Dog Who Wouldn’t Be Quiet, directed by Ana Katz – I really loved this film. I was quite taken by Daniel Katz’s performance, how he managed to be so passive, yet so compelling at the same time. I also found the twist of the global pandemic fascinating, and how it played into issues of class, which actually threaded through the entire film. There’s a deadpan, absurdity to the humor that reminded me of some of Almodóvar’s early work. In a scene where Sebastian’s boss is telling him he can no longer bring his dog to work, she says something to the effect of, that behavior ultimately leading to ‘an office full of hens and everyone pole-dancing.’ That kind of absurd remark is prevalent.