El Bola (Pellet) (Director: Achero Mañas, Spain, 2000): Pablo’s nickname is Pellet, hence the title of this film. I didn’t know anything about this film before popping it in the DVD player, so I had no idea what kind of a ride I was in for.
The ride was great. Performances are authentic and at times, appropriately subtle. The actual subject matter doesn’t arise until almost halfway through the film; a style that doesn’t always work, but definitely does here.
Pellet loiters around town with some of his misfit, daredevil peers and befriends the new kid at school, Alfredo. Alfredo provides Pellet with a simple camaraderie that Pellet seems to never have known before, and he is obviously needy for this kind of friendship. Still, he initially feels out of place in certain situations, such as spending time in Alfredo’s family environment; granted, Alfredo’s family environment may not be the most “normal”, but we soon see why Pellet is tentative.
The film touches indirectly on a lot of themes and situations that are not very developed, but I appreciate the realistic snapshot of time-and-place that this method provides; they also work to advance characters rather than plot. We never really get the story on some of the supporting characters but it ends up not really mattering; somehow the subtle oddities of certain people and events gives the film a “truth is stranger than fiction” sort of backdrop.
I was very impressed with the lead actor Juan José Ballesta, who played the title character at only thirteen years of age. I didn’t recognize him at first, but later realized that I saw him in person a couple of years ago at TIFF when he was in town to promote the film 7 vírgenes.
El Bola is a powerful film that deserves the many awards and nominations that it received. It is a moving story that is painful at times and heartwarming at others. It authenticates itself through its photography, characters, performances and sadly, the story itself. I think that Jay would consider this to be a “Jason Chu film”, so it’s no surprise that many moments of it recall Truffaut’s Les Quatre cents coups (The 400 Blows).
Note: Film Movement featured this film as their Year 1 Film 1. That’s right, it was their very first pick. As an added bonus, the film is on sale right now for half price, making it a bargain even for non-subscribers to Film Movement’s service.
Official site for the film (Spanish only)
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The Bothersome Man (Den Brysomme mannen) (Director: Jens Lien, Norway/Iceland, 2006): “Forty-year-old Andreas arrives in a strange city with no memory of how he got there. He is presented with a job, an apartment — even a wife. But before long, Andreas notices that something is wrong. He makes an attempt to escape the city, but he discovers there is no way out.” I remember reading this synopsis in the programme guide at TIFF last year and wanting to see this film. Now, thanks to the folks at Film Movement, I can. Well, technically, I can’t, since Film Movement doesn’t offer subscriptions to Canadians, but they were nice enough to send me some films to review, and I’d encourage any of our American readers to check them out if you haven’t already. A new indie or foreign film every month for less than the price of two cinema tickets. Now, on to the film:
I’ve always been a fan of Nordic humour; dry and deadpan, as in the films of Aki Kaurismäki. Lien’s film is that, with a touch of Kafka thrown in. You see, Andreas arrives in the strange city after throwing himself in front of a subway train, and this extremely pleasant afterlife turns out to be hell, after all. Food is tasteless, there are no children, and everyone seems obsessed with decorating and furniture. Even sex is boring, though it seems easily available. In fact, everyone seems to go out of their way to make sure Andreas is happy. Only, he’s not. For all the polite kindness he finds, it seems that Andreas can’t find love. There is no real connection between anyone in this nether world. No conflict, granted, but no passion at all. All talk is small talk.
The only glimmer of hope comes when he discovers a crack in the wall of a new acquaintance’s apartment. Through the crack they hear music, and can smell wonderful scents. Is this a way back to the world of the living?
The clever thing about the film is that seen in a certain way, it could very well be a commentary on the real world, especially the Western world of banal social pleasantries and mindless consumerism, and in particular, the well-meaning socialist welfare states of Scandinavia. It’s a safe world (one unforgettable scene has Andreas trying to repeat his subway suicide, to no effect), but one without vitality.
Lien has carefully wrapped his sharp social criticism in a witty and at times absurd film that is equal parts horror and science fiction. Forget 28 Weeks Later. These are the scarier zombies.
Note: Film Movement featured this film as their Year 5 Film 3.
Official site for the film
(8/10)
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While I’m going on about films, I’d be crazy not to mention Ironweed Film Club. This is a monthly service, a bit similar to Film Movement (except they’ll actually deliver to Canada!), but the films are mostly documentaries with a progressive viewpoint. The price is US$14.95/month, and all the films I’ve received so far have been excellent and thought-provoking. Here are some of the films they’ve featured over the past few months:
The way I discovered them was while searching for a DVD of “The Education of Shelby Knox,” an amazing documentary I saw at Hot Docs in 2005. Another bonus is that even when some of these films are available on DVD elsewhere, Ironweed’s are almost always cheaper and often include bonus films.
FULL DISCLOSURE: If you click the Ironweed link above and sign up with them, I get a free month. But my desire to get lots of free months should tell you how much I really value a service like this. Please sign up!
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