Once Upon A Time In Anatolia
Despite being the phrase that kicks off many a fairytale, it's always a pretty safe bet that any film that has "Once Upon A Time" in the title isn't going to be fare for children, and this is no exception. This is firmly a film for adults or at least for those mature enough to tolerate things like subtlety, character and the kind of storytelling that doesn't have you guessing the ending in the first five minutes of the film. In fact, it's hard to tell what this slow burner is even about for the vast majority of the running time.
That's certainly not a criticism: the film is fascinating from start to finish, loaded with fine performances. It's just that the way this tale unfolds depends on giving the main players a lot of time to interact in order to present themselves properly.
It's a move only a confident and patient director could make. Turkish director Nuri Bilge Ceylan drew heavily from his own experiences growing up in a thinly populated area of Anatolia for the characters, if not the actual situation. The film starts with a lengthy section where the police, with a doctor in tow, are taking two suspects around the countryside looking for a crime scene. The scenery is so spartan and uniform that it seems like a fool's errand. It's only when they stop at a small village that the men talk unguarded and the film's many secrets start to be revealed.
DVD & Blu-ray, New Wave
Rampart
Patchy police corruption drama, co-written by James Ellroy, elevated by a ine performance by Woody Harrelson.
DVD & Blu-ray, Studiocanal
Absentia
Interesting, atmospheric and mysterious low-budget horror that generates effective creepy moments.
DVD, Second Sight
Margaret
Legal and editing troubles kept this 2005 film unreleased until now; it's a great role for Anna Paquin.
DVD, 20th Century Fox
21 Jump Street
Another TV adaptation that mocks its source material, still some decent laughs had by messing with the format and stereotypes.
DVD & Blu-ray, Sony
