PINNLAND EMPIRE

Wednesday, November 1, 2023

ENYS MEN - SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL UPDATED

Finnis Terrae / Enys Men

I was first inspired to watch L’humanité after seeing a clip of it in Mark Cousins’s The Story of Film. Once I saw the movie, I was absolutely haunted by it. Like Persona, it’s untrustworthy - Mark Jenkin, Criterion

L'Humanite / Enys Men

I guess the cinematic references & homages in Enys Men left a serious impressions on me considering I still have a bunch that didn’t make my original review (click here to read).

Below are a few additional/alternate comparisons that made the cutting-room floor that I still feel like sharing…

Since writing this, I have come to learn that Jenkin is a big Jean Epstein fan which makes a lot of sense considering their respective films all take place in rural European fishing towns...

Finnis Terrae / Enys Men

Although it’s a real outlier in terms of his body of work, this was a touchstone when I was developing Enys Men. I’d be lying if I said I fully knew what the film means - Mark Jenkin, BFI

Penda's Fen. / Enys Men

Penda's Fen. / Enys Men

It took a reference to Jeanne Dielman in an Enys Men review to make me consider the impact of this film upon my own work. The confrontational camera, the sparse dialogue, the performances devoid of grand gesture or faux emotion are all there, but the gradual subversion of a strict routine is the obvious starting point when it comes to its influence - Mark Jenkin, BFI

Jeanne Dielman... / Enys Men

The opening shot of Enys Men is an homage to a composition of an ATM that appears in L’argent. It’s the kind of thing that no one would ever pick up on but that I know - Mark Jenkin, Criterion

L'Argent / Enys Men

I can’t articulate what effect Bresson’s films have on me, that’s the beauty of it – Mark Jenkin, Ukfilmreview.co.uk

Four Nights OF A Dreamer/ Enys Men

For me, Tarkovsky’s films exist outside of time and space. I can’t imagine how a film like Mirror sat within the cinema of its time - Mark Jenkin, Criterion

Stalker / Enys Men

The Mirror / Enys Men

Nostalghia / Enys Men

Stalker / Enys Men

The Mirror / Enys Men

Don’t Look Now is the obvious choice. Roeg’s influence runs through everything that I’ve done as a filmmaker - Mark Jenkin, Criterion

Don't Look Now / Enys Men

If you look closely, you may catch a glimpse of the spectre of Enys Men, looming in the background - Mark Jenkin, Vice

Between The Tides / Enys Men

The purest film included in this collection. A camera, a voice, some music. A beautiful and apparently simple portrait of a loved one, but also a love letter to the medium of film itself; a past-tense art form that shows us ghosts and freezes time. Truly transcendental filmmaking - Mark Jenkin on A Portrait Of Ga, Vice

A Portrait Of Ga / Enys Men

And as I mentioned in my original review, Jenkin doesn’t namedrop Maya Deren or Stanley Kubrick as direct references but there are so many moments from both; Meshes Of The Afternoon and The Shining running all throughout Enys Men…

The Shining / Enys Men

The Shining / Enys Men

The Shining / Enys Men

Meshes Of The Afternoon / Enys Men

This pick is all about Nigel Kneale’s script (which gave birth to the endlessly intriguing stone tape theory) and how it’s combined with the unmistakable work of Desmond Briscoe and the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. Both were huge influences on me while making Enys Men- Mark Jenkin, Vice

The Stone Tape / Enys Men

And while Jenkin hasn't namedropped Altman or his psychological thriller Images, I'd be surprised if that wasn't some sort of subconscious influence either. Both movies are incredibly similar with a lot little moments that sync up

Images / Enys Men

I must have seen this [Haunters Of The Deep] around the time it came out. Enys Men shares many of the same West Cornwall locations. Having recently re-watched it, I realise I may have borrowed some shots for my film. It obviously made a mark at an impressionable age - Mark Jenkin, Vice

Haunters Of The Deep / Enys Men

It may be nearly half a century old, but this melancholic portrait of loss seems more relevant than ever. I was intrigued by this film when I heard about the dead rising from their graves sequence, but the film is so much more than this undoubtedly brilliant sequence. At times surreal and abstract, while in other moments pure documentary, this is a quietly angry piece of filmmaking - Mark Jenkin, Vice

Requiem For A Village / Enys Men

this [A Warning To The Curious] is my favourite – a highly atmospheric piece of visual storytelling with a chilling climax. I find the simplicity of the filmmaking invigorating. No doubt born of limitation, this is cinema by way of TV - Mark Jenkin, Vice

A Warning To The Curious / Enys Men

When I first moved home from London 20 years ago, I went to a short film screening in a village hall. That night I realised I could make films in Cornwall – that there were people already doing it and, most excitingly, the work was distinct. There was a National Cinema! This film screened on that rainy winter night and represents all that was happening at that exciting, and hugely influential time, in Cornish film history - Mark Jenkin

Wind / Enys Men

Wednesday, October 18, 2023

FERRARI @ NYFF

Unlike the other films I saw at this year’s New York Film Festival (click here & here to read), I actually sat with this one for a few days before sharing my thoughts. I waited seven years to see this and I want to chose my words carefully. I have mixed feelings about Michael Mann’s latest Enzo Ferrari biopic. It disappointed and exceed expectation at the same time. Anything involving a car is an A+ as far as I’m concerned. The sound design, the cinematography, etc – it’s all great. Even the couple of surprise car wrecks, reminiscent of Tarantino’s Death Proof, were incredibly visceral and got a reaction out of me that no movie has in quite some time (I haven’t really spoiled anything. These scenes come out of nowhere and you wont be expecting them).

Now…anything that had to do with the actual story felt like a C-. I know some folks may think it’s silly to take a piece of art and use school grades to judge – but some of the accents in the film are pretty silly. Too silly for a film like this in my opinion. I appreciate Adam Driver’s dedication to his semi-subdued yet sill forced Italian accent but Shailene Woodley’s portrayal of Lina Lardi (Enzo’s mistress and mother of his son) was a bit frustrating. Her accent was a mix of American, Eastern European & Italian, and the performance was pretty forgettable (the chemistry between Driver and Woodley wasn’t really there either). Watching Ferrari made me wish there was a bigger pool of diverse actors to pull from in terms of age & nationality. Adam Driver was “fine” as Enzo Ferrari but are there no prolific older actors in their very late 50s/early 60s that could have pulled this role off? Is there no young up & coming Italian actress that could have portrayed Ferrari’s mistress? This is Michael Mann’s first feature film in almost a decade so that’s really the draw. It’s not like Woodley’s presence was going to make any difference. I know you need a "big name" or a recognizable actor to "sell" a movie but this is about the return of Michael Mann at the end of day.

With the exception of a few flashbacks, Ferrari focuses primarily on the 1957 Mille Miglia race along with Ferrari’s failing marriage & business. The issue here is even though the movie takes place over the course of one summer, there’s still the equivalent of three movies in this one biopic (a potential Right Stuff-style story about the team of racers hired by Ferrari, the horrific tragedy that came out of the 1957 Mille Miglia race, and Ferrari’s personal life at the time). This isn’t a quick 100 minute film but it’s still ten pounds of substance in a five pound bag. The movie ends at a weird place leaving me wanting another hour. But at a certain point I guess we do have to wrap things up. Perhaps this would have worked better as a mini-series?

I’m giving Ferrari a hard time but there are some positives. I sensed pinches of modern-day Terrence Malick's style in some select isolated moments. I know that might turn some folks off but that's a good thing as far as I' concerned...

A Hidden Life / Ferrari

Knight Of Cups / Ferrari

I’m not even that caught up in the visual accuracy or how much the actors look like the real life people they’re portraying. If anything we need to stray further away from that. The more obsessed some actors & filmmakers become with the look and mannerisms of their real life subjects - the more things turns in to a feature length SNL sketch (Viola Davis’ recent portrayal of Michelle Obama should have made folks do a universal reset on how biopics are approached). Mann doesn’t get caught up in any of that with Ferrari but there’s still a lack of chemistry between a lot of the actors and just an overall layer of flatness outside of Penelope Cruz’s portrayal as Laura Ferrari (I assure the accents are not the only problem with this movie).

There are certainly a nice amount of signature Mann-style shots in Ferrari but he doesn't go full-on "Michael Mann" from start to finish (the trailer does a good job of capturing the best shots but those moments are stretched out inside of a 140+ minute film). If I'm being honest, even Public Enemies has more style than Ferrari which is a problem because, in my opinion, an Italian film full of sexy cars should be oozing with style from start to finish and that's just not the case here.

No matter how many mixed feelings I have, I still loved watching Ferrari on the big screen. That’s the only way to watch it. This movie falls short in a few places but I still encourage everyone to see it big. I suppose this is the best thing Mann has done since Miami Vice? But is that really saying much?

POPCORN ESCHATON EPISODE 17: FRANTZ FANON

I joined the guys over at Popcorn Eschaton to chat about the Frantz Fanon-based films; Luce and Frantz Fanon: Black Skin, White Mask.

Click here or the image above to go to the episode.

WRONG REEL EPISODE 665: THE 61ST NEW YORK FILM FESTIVAL RECAP

James, Rob and myself continue our yearly tradition of New York Film Festival talk.