Mar del Plata Film Festival, November 2014. Some notes (I)

El Patròn: Anatomía de un crimen, Sebastián Schindel (ARG):

• Real story is terrible and impressive.
• Good scenes in butcher shop about this particular sub-world.
• Bare by-the-numbers characterization of corrupt or just inefficient judicial system.
• Intrusive melodramatic music in certain scenes("now feel sad").
• Simplification of the moral scheme (sympathy for the "hero" and hate for the "bad guy"). 

 Watch (***)


Birdman, Alejandro G. Iñarritu, USA.

• Technical marvel in some sequences.
• Self-important.
• Good Oscar-chewing acting by Batm...I mean, Michael Keaton (yep, that`s the point).
• I`m gonna say it: "too meta".
• Gimmicky one-shot is gimmicky.

Watch (***)


  Spring, Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead,USA.

• Derivative mix of discounted Kauffman and Linklater.  Almost mumblecore.
• With a similar central issue, Doctor Who is far superior thematically.
• Watch "Afflicted" instead (seems to be filmed in the same Italian town).

Do not Watch (**)