Previous Almodóvar’s collaborator Tilda Swinton plays Martha, a war correspondent dying of cervical cancer who, after extenuating treatments, decides to terminate her life by her means and wants Ingrid, played by Julianne Moore, a writer and a friend from the past with whom she lost contact for years, to be her companion in her decisive moment and to be in the room on the next door in the luxurious house Martha rents to live her last days in a small town.

Swinton’s voice pitch, expressions, gestures, and acting convey a woman who has lived for decades under stress in family and work life and is coming to terms with her final chapter. Swinton owns an ethereal presence and, in some moments, resembles a personification of death, which is a fact of life and not a stereotyped battle of “good versus evil,” as Martha exposes in brilliant dialogue that debunks condescending notions about those enduring life-ending diseases and conditions.

Like Swinton, Moore is a world-class talent who expresses the responsibility required from her act. The performance is infused with melancholy that seeps through her attempts to act “normal” in an unusual situation. Moore modulates her voice as someone in a dark corner but trying to avoid others’ knowledge.
It is a picture of emotional depth as Almodóvar is dealing with ageing. Nevertheless, ‘The Room Next Door’ has light and tender moments, which are the right choice to avoid the traps of doom and gloom and generate false pity towards the ordeal faced by both characters.

This lightness is also seen in some moments when the physical humour with innuendo comes, as when the friends talk about their shared lover Damian (John Turturro), in the scene in which Ingrid is signing books for many women readers, many lesbians, and when the writer goes to the gym to alleviate the tension from the house and the exercise choreography with the trainer Jonah (Alvise Rigo) has a veneer of sexual tension. During the session, Ingrid breaks down and talks about her ordeal with a stranger, showing how physical proximity creates bonds.

Bridging heavy subjects to a broader audience

‘The Room Next Door’ is also part of the zeitgeist as it touches on climate change and human rights violations mainly through the speech of the activist Damian, who has a valid discourse. However, Turturro embodies a sense of self-righteousness, which is counterbalanced by the light air brought by Ingrid or the looming sense of personal closeness felt by Martha.

Another dark presence is in the film; the rise of the far right and its zealots emerges in the form of the unnamed policeman, played by Alessandro Nivola, a stark reminder of the political moment and how such forces can prey on personal decisions and body autonomy to preserve the status quo. A third prominent masculine presence is brought by actor Alex Høgh Andersen playing Martha’s young years boyfriend who has PTSD after serving in the Vietnam War.

These oppressive or absent emotions are furthered by the employing of architecture to represent the emptiness and solitude of modern life, which are counterbalanced by the use of colours. The latter is a characteristic of Almodóvar’s oeuvre, and his distinctive red appears in important moments, sometimes even dialoguing with Moore’s trademark red hair and bringing lightness to the euthanasia theme alongside the acting by the protagonists.

Being a film by the famed director, although Ingrid and Martha are not identified as gay, queerness permeates it as represented in some parallel stories. Ingrid is writing a book on the beautiful and unique yet tragic relationship between painter Dora Carrington and writer and gay man Lytton Strachey during the dawn of the 20th Century. Martha shared a similar tie with a war correspondent colleague who was in a romance with a Carmelite missionary, a member of the Catholic Church. Martha wrote the story of both men but decided not to publish it.

The movie is based on Ingrid Nunez’s book What Are You Going Through (2020), and it already touches on heavy subjects that mainstream Hollywood avoids, such as euthanasia, far-right ascension, and environmental rights. Almodóvar brought sister love between women and more by mentioning queer relationships from past figures or other characters while focusing on Martha and Ingrid’s friendship without overloading the narrative, which already has complex themes that might push regular audiences away.

In a way, ‘The Room Next Door,’ with its subtleness, might be able to open doors for future major studio dramas portraying layered lesbian relationships while also touching on heavy subjects like euthanasia, considering the state society finds itself in.

Also Read: Review: Memoria

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Visiting her sister in Bogota, Jessica (Tilda Swinton) is awoken by a loud bang, audible only to her. Restless and disoriented, she roams the city in search of an explanation for the mysterious sound. Despite being present throughout, Jessica’s motives remain opaque and her encounters enigmatic. Soon she begins to confront the unsettling sights and sounds that call her identity into question.

How is it?

Memoria’s strength as a film lies in its ability to be focused on what it is and not try to cram too much into a film for the sake of it. What we are treated to is a multilayered look at searching for connection, meaning and purpose. Stylistically, the film plays on contrasts: the continuous thud (or bang) Jessica here’s intermittently throughout the film provides the literal heartbeat of the film which provides the necessary tension; whilst the story feels like it develops slowly enough to appreciate all the nuance in Jessica’s journey. The use of natural sounds of Jessica’s environment contrasted with the cold mechanical thud that is central to the story provides another element of contrast which provides a unique stylistic quality to this film.

Style & Substance

Although a lot of emphasis can be placed on the stylistic elements of the film director, Apichatpong Weerasethakul has crafted a film with a fine balance of both style and substance. Tilda Swinton gives an engrossing performance as Jessica, the key to her performance is her relationship with Hernan – which plays out wonderfully through the film and pays off at the start of the final third of the film. The closer Jessica gets to the source of this noise, the more she is able to question and discover more about herself and her purpose. The focus is very much on Jessica’s journey and self-discovery, as such, the supporting cast, with the exception of Elkin Díaz’s Hernan, are not the focus of character development. This narrowing of focus does actually help to keep the film focused. The ending is bold in the direction it chooses to take, which might not satisfy everyone, but is certainly a point of discussion.

Rating: (4.5 / 5)

Apichatpong Weerasethakul has created a film that is a very intriguing mix of arthouse, thriller and Sci-Fi – an intriguing & introspective sensory journey.

Memoria is released in U.K cinemas on 14th January 2022

Also Read: The Red Pill or the Blue Pill: Matrix Philosophy

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But which films should you check out? Today I am going to suggest seven films on the festival roster to look forward to. And tell you why they should be on your watchlist. Let’s begin.

Another Round (Druk) (Drama)

Danish director Thomas Vinterberg has reteamed with The Hunt‘s Mads Mikkelsen for this drama about four high school teachers. Their aim – to see if life is improved by maintaining a consistent alcohol blood level. With a killer premise, helmed by a great director and one of today’s best actors, Another Round should be an interesting ride. And if it’s half as good as The Hunt, audiences will definitely be pleased.

The Cheaters (Classic Crime)

The festival also includes some restored and recovered films for classic film lovers. One of the more interesting ones being the oldest film at the festival. Made by filmmaking pioneers the McDonagh’s sisters and restored by the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia; it follows the story of an embezzler’s daughter falling for the son of her father’s worst enemy. 1929s The Cheaters is one of Australia’s major surviving silent films. And audiences can now see it as originally intended.

Friendship’s Death (Classic Sci-Fi)

Another older entry in the London Film Festival’s program is this science fiction film about an alien android named Friendship (Tilda Swinton). Who lands on earth in the midst of the Jordanian Black September War. And begins debating with a journalist about if humanity is worth saving. Swinton is one of the all-time greatest actresses. So the opportunity to see an early performance from her in even more detail, thanks to a restored print, is too great to refuse.

Mangrove (TV)

The latest project from Steve McQueen, the Oscar-winning director behind great films like 12 Years a Slave. Mangrove is part of McQueen’s Small Axe series. Which is based on the real experiences of the London West Indian community. It focuses on the trial of nine activists falsely accused of inciting a riot at Notting Hill’s Mangrove restaurant. With McQueen’s involvement and the current political climate regarding race and the police, this looks to be a hard-hitting; important watch.

Relic (Horror)

There has been a lot of buzz around Relic since its Sundance debut earlier this year. The film centres on a mother and daughter as they try to look after their grandmother. However, the grandmother’s house slowly begins to be infiltrated by supernatural forces that seemingly parallel the onset of the grandmother’s dementia. It has already been compared to Hereditary and The Babadook. So, if you’re looking for an atmospheric, symbolic horror film, Relic will be right up your alley.

Ultraviolence (Documentary)

This documentary explores various deaths that have occurred at the hands of the UK police force. As well as the heart-break many families have suffered because of it. This doc may be too much for some. With a warning given on the festival website, due to footage of real violence. But in a year that has seen worldwide condemnation of police violence, Ultraviolence looks to shine a light on the dark side of UK law and order.

Wolfwalkers (Animation)

The latest offering from Cartoon Saloon, who previously made Oscar Nominee’s Song of the Sea and The Breadwinner; Wolfwalkers is the beautiful animated story of Robyn, who journeys with her father from England to Ireland to destroy the wolf population. But Robyn’s resolve is soon tested when she befriends Mebh, an Irish wolfwalker (someone who becomes a wolf when they sleep). With gorgeous designs, an intriguing story, and an acclaimed studio backing it, Wolfwalkers could be another awards contender in the making.

So ends our list of London Film Festival films to look forward to. You can find more information about these and other festival film screenings on their online program. And lastly please share your thoughts on these films if you get the opportunity to see them.

Also Read: BAFTA: Steering Towards Greater Inclusion

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Finding light in times of darkness

That life won’t be easy for David Copperfield becomes obvious from the beginning. The young David (Jairaj Varsani) and his family are coming from a poor background and the loss of his father was a hard blow to handle. He might not have much but together with his single mother (Morfydd Clark) and housekeeper Peggotty (Daisy May Cooper), he’s trying to enjoy life as much as possible. However, dark clouds are hanging above their little cottage in Blunderstone. The authoritarian Mr. Murdstone (Darren Boyd) and his equally evil sister Jane Murdstone (Gwendoline Christie) are joining the family as David’s stepfather and step-aunt. David has to undergo both mental and physical abuse by Murdstone and he’s being deprived of time with his mother and housekeeper. It even gets worse when he has to leave his family to go to work at the bottling factory, owned by Murdstone.

Many years later, David (Dev Patel) is still working at the factory and living with the nutty, clever but also very charming Mr. and Mrs. Micawber (Peter Capaldi and Bronagh Gallagher). They’ve welcomed David with open arms and are treating him like their child. However, an unexpected loss is turning David’s life completely upside down. He can’t return home due to Mr. Murdstone who’s still ruling there so he decides to go to his amusing and kooky aunt (Tilda Swinton) and his even silly cousin (Hugh Laurie). This might be the beginning of a more joyful time for David. He meets the lovely Dora (Morfydd Clark), makes new friends and lives a more luxurious life. Love, family and some money. It seems that finally, David has it all. Will he be able to escape the uncertainty and poverty once and for all or will his past catches upon him?

Love, passion and a stunning assemble cast

We all have our reasons why we cherish a particular book, novel or film so much. For director Iannucci, it was the cinematic, funny, and modern vibe of the original Dicken’s novel that made him wanted to make an adaption of it. To bring his beautiful vision to life, he worked with writer Simon Blackwell (Trying Again) with whom he already made The Thick of It and Veep. The two men certainly know how to make a wonderful and gorgeous movie.

The main reason is without a doubt the stunning performance of the overall cast. Leading the A-stars is the amazing Dev Patel (Lion). Iannucci knew from the start that he wanted Patel to portray the main character and it’s understandable why. Watching Copperfield coming to life is such a joy because of Patel’s extremely heart-warming, charming and emotional performance. He puts a smile on our faces during the joyful moments but at the same time, we can also feel the pain and uncertainty. Also, the young Varsani (Hetty Feather) portrays David in the most vividly, wonderful and contagious way.

The supporting cast? Well, what can we see about them apart from the fact that they were all on-point! This movie can certainly count on strong women. Clark (Crawl) puts on the most emotional and captivating performance while Cooper (This Country) brings immense joy and wittiness. Swinton (Suspiria) is at her best again as the unusual, peculiar but loving Betsey and Gallagher (A Bump Along the Way) is just delightful to watch as the carrying Mrs. Micawber. Christie (Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi) brings darkness to this movie in a gorgeous way.

The male cast is as equally as powerful. Capaldi (Paddington) features as the conniving and funny Mr. Micawber while Laurie (Tomorrowland) delivers a wonderful performance as the loving man who’s sadly showing the first signs of schizophrenia. Whishaw’s (Little Joe) performance as the seedy Uriah Heep brings an even more funny, mad and witty element to this movie. A massive congratulations to the casting tea for putting such a great assemble cast together!

Elegant, heart-warming and delightfully made

While making this film, Iannucci wanted to use as little special effects as possible and that proved only to work in favour of this film. The heartwarming and joyful The Personal History of David Copperfield is a delight to watch thanks to the stunning A-cast, real-life vibe and extreme openness.

Rating: (3.5 / 5)

Also Read: Why James Cameron’s Avatar Sequel Has Come At The Right Time

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