Author: Raúl Alejandro Mendoza

Klondike is an ambitious film looking at the conflict between Russia and Ukraine set on the border between both countries.

Filmmaking is quite an amazing medium when we come to think of it and truly take time to reflect on the impact of the art. Films can be made for a multitude of reasons and all have valid reasons to exist in their own right. Some films are made for escapist reasons so when the audience watches them they can forget about the difficulties of their lives, but there are also films that are made to spread awareness and make sure that stories are being told. The latter is exactly what Klondike is.

Klondike is written and directed by Maryna Er Gorbach. The film stars Oksana Cherkashyna, Sergey Shadrin, Oleg Shcherbina, and Oleg Shevchuk. The picture’s photography is expertly crafted by director of photography, Svyatoslav Bulakovskiy. The film was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize in the World Cinema Dramtic competition at Sundance and took home the directing award for the latter category.

The story looks back at the early parts of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine in 2014. A family lives on the border between Russia and Ukraine, the wife, Irka (Oksana Cherkashyna) is pregnant and she lives with her husband, Tolik (Sergey Shadrin). Things are not perfect in the home as there are tensions between the husband and brother for different stances on the conflict because Yarky (Oleg Shcherbina) is perceived to be a sepratist. What we experience is the definiton of an uncompromising vision that lays everything on the table to be examined.

I will not lie and say that Klondike is amazing because it is far from that but this film is very effective. Right off the bat we are thrown right into our inciting incident. The film does a great job at slowly building out its tension where it crecendoes in the last act of the film. If I could call anything from this film near perfect it is those final 30 minutes of this film. Everything comes crashing down and Maryna Er Gorbach directs the film with such calm and poise. Its pace is undoubtlebly slow but that’s not the problem more so that the film meanders in the second act. The first act does a good enough job introducing us to what is going on but it meanders too much that the arresting third act really saves this film from completely falling apart.

Either way I highly recommmend Klondike if it ever eventually finds its way to another screen near us.

892 captivates its audience in an explosive fashion as it creates a fantastic thriller.

Taking a break from discussing some of the World Cinema Dramatic Competition I set my eyes on a film from the U.S. Dramatic Competition. 892 walked away with an award this year at Sundance as it picked up the Special Jury Award for Ensemble Cast. I cannot even begin to explain to you all exactly how much this film does not just deserve that award but also the buzz coming out of Sundance. When I was scrolling through the program I had to use a ticket for this film, I mean this has already two actors that caught my attention in John Boyega and Michael K. Williams. What I walked out of was an experience that lands this as one of the best films coming out of Sundance this year.

892 is directed by Abi Damaris Corbin from a script by Corbin and Kwame Kwei-Armah and stars the late Michael K. Williams in his final role, John Boyega, Nicole Beharie, and Connie Britton. The film is based on a real-life story as we follow Brian Brown-Easley (John Boyega) a former veteran with mental health struggles. The film first sees Brian trying to rob a bank but as we continue on with the film we learn throughout the journey that there is more than meets the eyes of this thriller. What seems like a simple crime thriller at first evolves into a fantastic piece discussing the treatment of veterans in the United States. The film truly lays it all on the ground and delivers on all cylinders.

892 is an explosive thriller from beginning to end, gripping you until it is time to let go. It is expertly performed by its cast including a masterful performance by John Boyega. As we continue to travel through the journey of the film, the pace feels like it meanders a bit during the second act, but once it is ready to wrap up the stakes are raised once again. I found the film to bring up important themes like the treatment of veterans, mental health disorders, and class divide. It exceptionally discusses these themes and lays them out well enough to be analyzed.

892 is one of the best films coming out of Sundance and you do not want to miss this one when it releases

Goran Stolveski’s folk horror film is one of nuance and captivating visuals.

As I proceed with my coverage of the Sundance Film Festival this year I am stumbling across another of the films from the World Cinema Dramatic Competition. This film was one that interested me outside of it being an international flick. I was drawn by the horror aspects and plus it was being distributed by Focus Features. I looked into the film and found its premise interesting, so I decided to give this film a chance and I was pleasantly surprised as to what I watched!

You Won’t Be Alone is written and directed by Goran Stolevski in his feature film debut after working on various short films and television episodes. The film is set in 19th century Macedonia and follows the life of a woman who was kidnapped at a young age by a witch. The woman tours along by taking the shape of people after accidentally killing a peasant and taking their shape first. We follow along this journey of self-discovery and what it truly means to be alive. Along with existentialist themes, we also explore various characteristics of different experiences within the people she takes shapes of. A nuanced horror movie that is grounded in human connection, You Won’t Be Alone transforms its premise into a surprisingly captivating film.

You Won’t Be Alone was conflicting for me to say the least. On one hand, I think the film is poorly paced and its story drags way too much into the second half. On the other hand, I was mesmerized by its visuals and thematic elements that we analyze throughout the picture. I found myself enthralled by the way that scenes are lit, the camera moves, and its choice of angles especially when we get into our extreme close-ups. All of that was also helped by its 4:3 aspect ratio. Its writing is not the strongest but the film has a lot to say about motherhood, femininity, sexuality, and existentialism. Even though the film has its fair share of problems it still makes for a compelling watch that will definitely find its audience upon release.

Watch You Won’t Be Alone when it releases in theaters on April 1st.

Alli Haapasalo’s coming of age film shines bright as it displays the complexities of sexuality, love, and growing up.

As I reach the end of my Sundance screenings, I must continue with my coverage. Staying in the style of my last review of The Cow Who Sang a Song Into the Future, I will be reviewing yet another title from the World Cinema Dramatic Competition. Girl Picture caught my attention for a multitude of reasons. The film is a coming-of-age story that partly deals with exploring one’s sexuality which interests me especially given how this film decides to tackle that. This is also a Finnish film and I have yet to have the pleasure of exploring Finland’s cinema. Overall, I was excited to watch this film and it did not disappoint in the slightest.

Girl Picture is directed by Alli Haapasalo from script written by Ilona Ahti and Daniela Hakulinen. The picture stars Aamu Milonoff, Eleonoora Kauhanen, and Linnea Leino as three girls looking for a formative change in their life in the span of three separate Fridays. They embark on a journey of self-discovery, figuring out their sexuality, finding love, and confronting the imbalance of their family dynamics. A poignant story is crafted that is enriched by its visual component shot by Jarmo Kiuru. Thus, we end up with a fabulous film that tackles multiple themes coherently.

Dare I say, Girl Picture is the hidden gem of this year’s Sundance Film Festival. The film is compelling in every way imaginable. The characters are so interesting and it is hard to not root for them during this journey. Its visual language is one of an aesthetically pleasing nature. The lighting and camera movements craft a sense of wonder and almost a sort of nostalgic feel to this story of self-discovery. The story is an intimate well crafted journey that takes you through its ups and downs even though it can be off the pace a bit it always manages to pull you back in. I found myself invested and thoroughly impressed by the filmmaking and messages conveyed through this film. It had everything going for it and it does not leave anything on the table left to desire.

I am not sure when this film will be released because at the time of me writing this review it has not been bought at Sundance. Whenever this film is released, I highly recommend watching it or if it wins any awards it is well worth spending 20 USD on a single ticket to watch. I promise you, Girl Picture is one of the best films of this year’s Sundance Film Festival!