Sydfest: The End

I mentioned that I had a couple of Sydfest movies still to watch, so for the record here are my thoughts. The first was an interesting failure, the second a qualified success.

Neighbouring Sounds - The sounds are as important as the images in this study about the tensions in a middle-class neighbourhood in Brazil. The multiple storylines sprawl all over the place, with moments of apparently random imagery that only partially come together with the final revelation concerning the community's foundational sin.

Wuthering Heights - Andrea Arnold is an interesting director and her take on a well-known classic is predictably radical. The first shock is the style; 4:3 framing, handheld camera and a lack of music make it more kitchen sink than sweeping epic. The second shock is the casting of Heathcliff as black, which it turns out can easily be justified from the text. The first half of the film works well, but the actor who plays the older Heathcliff is rather wooden, and there is a hopelessly silly necrophilia scene.

I found Kaya Scodelario, playing the older Cathy, to be astoundingly beautiful.