Reviews, Reports + Comments

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Review of film: “MAMMOTH” [ = REPORT # 04 re CIFF ]

Review of film:  MAMMOTH   [ =  REPORT # 04 re 45th CIFF = Chicago Int'l. Film Festival  ]




            --  Looms LARGE as to Quality work! 

                Rating:  9 of 10 stars. 

Scheduled to play at CIFF on 10-14-09 @ 6 PM, & 10-17-09 @ 8:45 PM.


This movie is a production from Sweden & Denmark, filmed in ENGLISH starring American MICHELLE WILLIAMS (as a surgeon named Ellen in New York) & Mexico’s GAEL GARCIA BERNAL (as her husband Leo, a video game type producer who goes to Thailand to get money for a big deal)...

...  It also has Filipino MARIFE NECESITO as their nanny Gloria who cares for their young daughter Jackie (SOPHIE NYWEIDE).  As an associate named Marilyn commented, it’s a sign of how “global” film-making has become!...

  The CIFF (CHICAGO INT’L FILM FESTIVAL ) brochure describes the film as “Babel-esque”, & that’s actually an ACCURATE statement:  there’s a really fine “interweaving” of stories involving many people & across wide-ranging areas…

 The “mammoth” refers to ivory from tusks of that prehistoric creature that’s used as an inlay in an expensive pen Gael is given. That element is interwoven into a story that also involves modern-day ELEPHANTS in Thailand, & the film also cleverly intertwines things like mangos (involving the nanny’s son Salvador back in the Philippines & also a “SEX-trade” person Gael meets in Thailand) & other such situations…

  I have one big complaint about the film: the way they foolishly turn up song volumes to like TRIPLE normal, to the point that it over & over again really blasts & assaults the ears for no clear purpose…

 But overall, I was very favorably IMPRESSED with the [very well-acted] movie--  the warmth & basic un-assuming decency of Gael towards his family & others, the problems that he & Michelle & others have to deal with in their work & personal lives, & the overall effective “mood” of this film directed by Lukas Moodysson

  This is one of the few really choice ones I’ve seen that ISN’T yet Sold Out at the Festival!  Get your tickets quickly!…


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