Tuesday 26 July 2016

Dean Owens + Kim Edgar, St Andrew Square Spiegeltent



Very much a Leither evening.

Drafted in at short notice after Yvonne Lyon was forced to call off, Edgar was in excellent form.  Her sweet voice and sparse piano accompaniment provide a framework for smart, poetic lyrics that paint pictures of sadness and hope.  The melodies aren't particularly catchy, but they're often memorable.  Pleasantly bittersweet.



Owens was accompanied by a reduced version of his Whisky Hearts band, with Craig Ross on guitar and Amy Geddes on fiddle.  With six albums to his name Owens has built up a strong back catalogue of material and the evening was a reminder of just what an excellent songwriter he is.  His subject matter is mostly personal, about family and friends and joy and loneliness.  Whether it's "A Man From Leith', a tribute to the influence of his father, or "Valentine's Day In New York", about being parted from the people at home, there are enduring phrases and infectious choruses.  It's a great voice too, from Nashville via Easter Road.

Both Ross and Geddes are superb musicians with the ability to make their solos sparkle, and Amy's vocals on the haunting "Strangers Again" were a reminder that she's a talented singer too.

Dean Owens remains one of Leith's, Edinburgh's, Scotland's finest singer/songwriters and a name that should be much better known than it is.  He's got plenty of dates still to play in 2016, so catch him if you can.


Monday 25 July 2016

Mario Caribe Quartet, City Art Centre, Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival

For the final gig of this year's festival, bassman Caribe brought together three of Scotland's leading jazz talents with Doug Hough on drums, Kevin MacKenzie on guitar and Martin Kershaw playing sax and clarinet.  Playing very much in a modern jazz idiom, there was a mix of Caribe's own compositions with a few covers thrown in.  The Brazilian introduced each piece, with his political concerns featuring prominently.  Hence his most recent piece, written in response to UK politics of the past month, and simply called "Shafted".  That got a big round of applause....

All, clearly, are excellent musicians, and there were several high points featuring solos from all four, but the gig had a curiously stilted feel to it.  Playing from the page places some limits of freedom of expression, and there was a sense of being under rehearsed.  Kershaw looked unhappy throughout, although whether it was because he was worried about making a mistake (and several times he looked to Caribe to provide his cue), or fancied being somewhere else, wasn't always clear!

That was a shame because there some great melodies being played.  A beautiful Cuban ballad stood out with it's gentle, soothing nature, and the Duke Ellington piece at the end seemed to finally galvanism the band into a unit.

Enjoyable, but with the sense that it could have been so much more.

Saturday 23 July 2016

Seonaid Aitken and the Tokyo Django Collective, George Square Spiegeltent, Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival

The music called Gypsy Swing is synonymous with the late Django Reinhardt, and many, many jazz musicians still play the style he pioneered.  The Tokyo Django Collective is one such homage to the great man, with two guitarists and a double bass offering their interpretations of the genre.  For the first time they were joined on stage by one of Scotland's best jazz (and folk) fiddlers, Seonaid Aitken.

This quartet delivered a gig of astonishing quality and excitement.  While most the material came from the thirties and forties, some from the master himself, they were joined by some more modern pieces, including one from the pen of Aitken.  After a nervous looking start they soon settled into the job and their increasing enjoyment communicated itself to the audience.

With the gypsy style having become such a staple of the jazz world, so many improvisations become quite predictable.  But tonight all four musicians delivered solos filled with surprises and twists that kept your attention and delighted with it's inventiveness.  Bassist Kyohei Abe didn't get as many opportunities as the others, but he got the biggest applause of the night for one remarkable passage, coupled with the obvious commitment and enthusiasm of his body language and facial expressions!

A well chosen set list, with a mix of tempos and approaches, included a few songs to provided a reminder of what a clear, sweet voice Aitken possesses.  Four top rank musicians having fun together.  An audience that knew it was watching something special.  The ingredients for a very memorable evening.

Friday 22 July 2016

Swing 2016, St Andrew Square Spiegeltent, Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival

A Festival perennial since 1981, there's been a Swing xxxx, with varying lineups, for all those years.  The one constant factor is Edinburgh rhythm guitarist and singer John Russell.  For this year's incarnation he's joined by some of the best known jazz musicians in Scotland - Roy Percy on double bass, Martin McColl on lead guitar and Martin Foster on sax and clarinet.

There are a lot of forties and fifties standards, and the tunes, and gig, had a familiar feeling format.  The sax/clarinet introduces the melody, there are improvised solos from guitar, reeds and bass, with a couple of songs thrown in.  Most of the tunes are mid tempo, with a few faster or slower.

All of which makes this sound a bit bland.  Which it is, but much like a warm bath, what it lacks in excitement it compensates for with a feeling that's familiar and pleasant.  (With apologies to anyone who does get up to exciting things in the bath.)   And what fireworks there were came from the playing of Foster.  His long clarinet solos on a soaring klezmer piece were enthralling, and the big baritone sax delivers a wonderful down in the boots sound.  The gig ended ended with that sax providing an enchanting version of A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square.

It might not have been especially memorable, but the Swing 2016 experience still manages to leave a warm feeling behind.

Thursday 21 July 2016

The Rad Trads, St Andrew Square Spiegeltent, Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival

A young six man band from New York, the Rad Trads combine rock with funk and a nod to jazz.  Most of the numbers were originals, with a few covers, including just the one jazz standard.  In the line up, drums, bass, electric guitar, saxophone, trumpet and trombone.  As a rock and roll band they're at their best, with some great drumming and decent guitar solos.  The horns add the funk in the mix giving a driving 70s R&B feel to the sound.  But the results are mixed when it comes to the jazzier elements, with the solos varying in quality.

The trumpeter, Michael Fatum, is excellent, with quickfire phrasing and inventive embellishments, beanpole Sam Crittenden working the slide wasn't all that far behind him.  But sax man Patrick Sargent has more application than inspiration.  One very long solo produced much sound and fury, but little in originality or variation.

Five of the group take their turns at lead vocals, with varying results.  Democracy seems to have won out over singing talent.  The guitarist and drummer were the pick of the bunch, the latter a gruff rocker on the likes of "Keith Richards & I", and Fatum (again) surprised with the smart phrasing and thoughtfulness of his single vocal outing.  But the bass and sax men might be better off sticking to backing singing.

Despite my comments, this was an enjoyable gig, and the band interact well with their audience, the horn men moving amongst us at times.  Their songwriting has produced some memorable numbers.  But I was left with the feeling of watching a band that still needs to make up it's mind about what it's really trying to be.

Wednesday 20 July 2016

Moscow Drug Club, St Andrew Square Spiegeltent, Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival



A band of eclectic tastes, mixing Jacques Brel and Peggy Lee with Tom Waites and Leonard Cohen.  Songs from many decades of last century, but all with some intrigue in the lyrics, some cleverness in the composition.  They're not from Moscow.  But drugs do get a mention....

Canadian singer Katya Gorrie's husky, seductive and conversational voice is wonderfully clear and carried on her own instinctive phrasing.  She's a compellingly theatrical hostess, a natural storyteller in both spoken and singing voices.  Backing her up are four quality musicians on double bass, guitar, piano accordion and trumpet, each bringing their own influences and sensibilities.  And, occasionally, sense of mischief.  They work well together and all four delivered some thrilling solos, with Jonny Bruce's trumpet playing standing out for it's originality, passion and range, and apparent ability to defy the need to breathe.



A very different jazz experience, and a very enjoyable one.


Bratislava Hot Serenaders, St Andrew Square Spiegeltent, Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival



One of the great things about festivals is the chance to push outside the box, try out genres you might not normally consider.  The big band sound fits that template for me, and after today's performance I'm wondering if I've been missing out.  Or was it just the sheer charm of this particular band?

The Chicago of Ness and Capone, the America of Coolidge and Hoover - but with Slovakian accents.  A sincerely felt homage to the era of Duke Ellington, and so eminently suited to the ambience of the Spiegeltent, this is very much a big band on stage.  15 musicians in rhythm, string, brass and wind sections, with almost every one getting a solo at some point.  Bringing the number up to a nice round 20 were the singers - 2 crooners with immaculately brylcreemed hair, and the "Serenaders Sister" trio, who would appear on stage for their singing parts, bow or curtsy, and walk off.  The 17 men outfitted in DJs and dickey bows, the women in 1920s dresses and sweet lace gloves.  Downton Abbey comes to Chigago via Bratislava.

Jazz Era classics and Slovakian songs, all beautifully orchestrated and played with panache.  There's no great dramatic passages in the music, the solos are mostly kept short and simple, and there are a few visual, and musical, gags to provide laughs.  The singers have good voices and authentic period phrasing (with the bonus of those Slovakian accents!).  It's a performance providing a constant stream of pleasure.   Even the band leader's sales pitch for CDs and LPs is done with a coy charm.

Considering I went in with moderate expectations it was a gratifying surprise to spend an hour with a grin fixed to my face.  Delightful.


Tuesday 19 July 2016

Rumba de Bodas, City Art Centre, Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival



A young seven piece outfit from Bologna with an effervescent performance style.  Mixing Latin rhythms with Swing, Ska and good ol' rock 'n roll, they are loud, communicative and bustling with physical and musical energy.  Drums, bass and keyboards, and a driving horn and wind section, fronted by the lively form of singer Laura Tibaldi.

There's hardly a lull in the whole gig, with only a couple of slower numbers in which to draw breath.  For the rest of the time there's half the audience up dancing, the rest moving their hands and feet and bodies.  It's impossible not be drawn into the spirit of the music, or to enjoy the on stage choreography (the two sax players being particularly entertaining).

Underlying this activity is a solid bass of talent, well drilled and and ensemble that creates some lovely interplay and delivers a few decent solos.  There's a good studio band in there, but on stage it's the act that's the thing, that and getting their audience with them.  It's an exhilarating experience and ninety minutes flashed by.


Budapest Ragtime Band, St Andrew Square Spiegeltent, Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival




Yes, they are from Budapest and they do (mostly) play ragtime music, so no need to call Trading Standards.  Drums, double bass, piano, trumpet and trumbone are a common enough line up in this festival, but adding a fiddle and xylophone throws in a bit of a twist.  And when the proceedings are topped off with a good doze of silliness you do get something a bit different.

Not that these aren't serious musicians, they're a tight band with some quality soloists.  But the overall feel is of music for fun and sheer entertainment.



The xylophone player provided the introductions, and much of the clowning.  He has a competent singing voice, sensibly not pushing it over far, and with a certain charm from the Magyar intonations.  But when he returns to stage in a hoodie and delivers a rap version of "Sweet Geogria Brown", or as a sheets and teatowel "Arab"playing the swanny whistle, you know not to take anything that happens too seriously.  There's an excellent version of Scott Joplin's "The Entertainer"which ends with the whole band drifting off to sleep as the piano player slowly grinds to a halt, and how many bands do you see removing their shoes and 'playing' them?  (The consequent aroma provided the only moment when I regretted my decision to sit in the front row....)  Even the lugubrious bassman joins in the confusion.




But there's plenty of imagination in their arrangements of jazz standards, and they did a wonderful medley of tunes from Bizet's Carmen which, inevitably, ended up becoming an other funny routine.

Musically sound, but inherently light hearted, the BRB is the perfect way to spend an hour if you're seeking a musical experience that makes you laugh.


Monday 18 July 2016

Davina and the Vagabonds, George Square Spiegeltent, Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival

A mix of jazz, blues, soul and even some early rock and roll.  Classic jazz and blues songs mixed with originals penned by Davina Sowers herself.  An enjoyably mixed up set list with love songs and breakup songs, slow numbers and full on rockers.  They might be from Minnesota, but their soul is from New Orleans.

The Vagabonds lineup features drums, double bass, trumpet and trombone, with three of the guys proving to be quality vocalists.  They form a tight unit, with impressive solos from all four.  Notably from bassist, Matt Blake, who sadly only had two spots in which to shine, but took full advantage, with a suberb bowed passage standing out for it's raw energy.  Connor McRae's drumming was imaginative and even humourous at times.  And both horn men, Zack Lozier on the valves and Steve Rogness working the slide, had sublime moments that had the audience cheering.  Add in Davina's free flowing piano playing and you have a hugely entertaining and at times surprising band.

But the performance is still dominated by Sowers' voice and personality.  And her range of wonderfully eloquent facial expressions.  But what a voice she has, so good I could easily run out of adjectives.  Powerful, gutsy, bluesy, jazzy, sweet, soaring, emotional, joyous.  Her version of Etta James ' "I'd Rather Be Blind" stands comparison with the original and made those small hairs stand to attention from the electricity it generated.  And it was a pleasure to hear her own compositions which were in no way inferior to the standards.  In between songs Davina entertains the audience in her own scatty fashion, so there's no lull in the enjoyment.

An excellent band, a truly great vocalist, they still have several more performances to go in this year's Festival.  Grab a chance to see them if you can.

Mike Whellans, City Art Centre, Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival

Remember when you were at school there'd always be someone getting you to try and circle your tummy and pat the top of your head at the same time?  I'm guessing it was never a problem for Mike Whellans to comply.  The phrase 'one man band' carries various pejorative overtones, but you can forget all that when you see this man in action.  With his right foot working the bass drum, the left on hi-hat duties, both hands playing guitar and mouth alternating between harmonica and vocals, it's an impressive act to watch.

The skinny septuagenarian (he says they call him 'the singing pipecleaner in Germany!) delivers a high energy performance, combining driving blues songs with a sharp sense of humour and an extensive back catalogue of stories about the blues musicians he's worked with during his long career.  You wouldn't expect someone playing so many instruments at once to produce virtuoso solos, and that's the case here.  But his playing is of a sufficient standard that if you shut your eyes you'd swear there was a pretty decent three piece blues band up on stage.  And that he does indeed possess the ability to deliver a top class performance when he stands up with mike and harmonica and produces the highlight of the set.  Smile On My Face combines said instrument with finger percussion and vocal gymnastics to create a truly memorable moment, Mike producing a long, complex and fascinating 'drum'solo using his very own "mouth percussion" technique.  Fabulous stuff.

Engaging, foot tapping, inspiring, effervescent, an hour was far too short a time in which to fully appreciate the talent on offer.  Mike Whellans is unique and real class act.

Sunday 17 July 2016

New Orleans Swamp Donkeys, St Andrew Square Spiegeltent, Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival

Take a bowlful of Trad Jazz classics, add a sprinkling of more contemporary New Orleans music, then fold in six cool guys with infectious grins and good dose of talent and bind together with a loose and flexible set list.  Serve in a Spiegeltent accompanied by an enthusiastic Edinburgh full house and garnish generously with laughs.

Drums, sousaphone, banjo, trumbone, trumpet and saxophone.   The Louis Armstrong-like depths of James Williams' voice, the more melodic tones of Sam Friend for contrast, and some fun backing vocals.  Whilst the tunes are totally familiar to jazz fans, and the overall treatment follows the standardised mix of ensemble playing and solos for all, there's a freshness about the musicians that prevents this being a stale rerun of so many similar offerings.  That's partly a reflection of the high standards of musicianship, partly the humour the band bring to their stage act.  For a finale the four front men did a circuit of the venue, playing mightily, and that was a good reflection of the way they bonded with their audience.

The Donkeys might not be musically challenging or innovative, but they do major on fun and what's wrong with that?  Miles Lyons' trumbone solos sparkle with mischief, and even though I've another ten shows to see in this year's festival, I'll be surprised if I hear a sax solo to improve on the one Marcus Miller brought out during a long medley.  You couldn't walk out without a smile on your face.

Saturday 16 July 2016

Hot Antic Jazz Band, George Square Spiegeltent, Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival



A French six piece band playing 1920s jazz, with plenty of grey hairs on show.  The HAJB first appeared at the Edinburgh Jazz Festival 35 years ago, and are still going strong.

Tuba, piano, banjo cornet and a few clarinets and saxophones line up with some eccentric vocal contributions.  Their musical style is conventional trad jazz, without surprises, but their style is unmistakably French and full of fun.  Anyway, who wouldn't charmed by those accents?

Band leader Michel Bastide smoothly introduced proceedings, and got each number underway with a complicated set of foot tap signals.  Everyone gets their chance to shine in solos, with tenor sax player Michel Bescont the best of the bunch for his imagination and fluency.  And he's a decent singer too.  The surprise was finding that the weakest link was, at times, Bastide himself, with a few duff notes creeping into his cornet solos.



Highlights included a lovely rendition of "The Very Sought of You" (say it with a French accent!), and when five band members vacated the stage leaving German pianist Martin Seck to give us a rousing boogie woogie version of the St Louis Blues.

A fun and nostalgic way to pass an hour.


Friday 15 July 2016

Merry Hell, The Atkinson, Southport



Upbeat.  Isn't that what we need right now?

Support came from local singer/songwriter John McBride.  Delivering a mix of pop covers and a few of his own songs, he provided an enjoyable mix in a strong voice and some excellent guitar work.   None of the introspection and misery that so often feels the staple fallback position of so may young acts nowadays.  An ideal opener for what was to follow.



Which was the full eight piece Merry Hell electric line-up.  Drums, bass, keyboards and fiddle at the back, and the four Kettles fronting the line up.  That's three brothers - John on guitar, Bob on mandolin and bouzouki and Andrew on lead vocals - and Virginia, wife of John sharing the main singing duties.  Together they provide the perfect musical antidote to these crisis-laden times.

MH are a solid folk-rock band from Wigan, singing from their now extensive back catalogue of self penned numbers, with a few new songs to be released on their fourth album later this year.  There's not much in the way of musical fireworks or experimentation.  Just solid professional musicianship, in which fiddler Neil McCartney's solos stand out, complete with a shovel tuned to F.  If that sounds like just another folkie bunch of rockers I should add that there are three things that make Merry Hell stand out.

Firstly, there's the songs themselves.  Memorable melodies and well crafted lyrics, often laugh-out-loud funny.  With impeccable left wing credentials, they tackle a number of subjects of modern relevance.  There's the usual suspects - anti war, the venality of politicians and bankers, a strong emphasis on community - but with a very forward looking slant.  However they are perhaps at their best with songs like Bury Me Naked and Loving The Skin You're In which focus on the need to find your own identity, unconfined by the stereotypes pushed on us by the media.

Secondly, those singers.  Andrew's sandpaper lined throat and Virginia's sweet soaring soprano are the perfect complement and contrast to one another.  Expressive, humane and full of warmth.

Whilst both the above are also a recommendation to get hold of their CDs, my third comment is what makes them such a special live act.  Charisma.  Merry Hell are one of those bands who only have to walk on stage and fire up the first few bars for it to feel like the sun has appeared from behind the clouds.  They are theatrical, funny, down to earth, infectious.  They are clearly having a good time up there, so why shouldn't audience, and the steady flow of foot tappers ensures that's the case.

Merry Hell are one of the UK folk scene's finest live acts.  Joyous.


Thursday 7 July 2016

The Man Who Was Thursday, Filmhouse, Edinburgh Film Festival

A young American priest, bored with the routines of his daily life, gets dragged into a messy situation by an apparently vulnerable woman.  Disgraced, he is sent to Rome for spiritual rehabilitation, but finds himself being asked to infiltrate a shadowy underground group to try and prevent a murder attempt.

Uncertain why he's been given the job, his life becomes more and more confusing. As fantasy and reality become intermingled, is he there to prevent the ope being assassinated in 2016, or foil a plot to kill Mussolini in 1942?  Is he dreaming, or being drugged, or losing his mind?   He might manage to solve the mystery, but at what cost?

The cinematography is wonderful, with some stunning shots and sequences, and there's effective use of repetition to suggest the craziness of the world we're being drawn in to.  Francois Arnaud's disturbed Father Smith is good at conveying the nightmarish quality of his experiences, but sometimes looks to be trying too hard to be a Bogartesque gumshoe.  But Charles, the eminence gris who propels Smith into his sometimes dangerous assignment, is played in suavely sinister fashion by the excellent Jordi Molla.

Supernatural, metaphysical, multi layered, this is a treat for film buffs who enjoy the uncertainty of nuance.

Mr Right, Cineworld, Edinburgh Film Festival

Martha is twenty something, flaky, neurotic, and getting drunk after a break up.  She meets a man who tells her he kills people.  Joking, eh?  But Martha soon finds out he was deadly serious, and moves from horrified to accepting, to....

It's all very daft, played for laughs - and misses them.  The festival blurb described this as "Grosse Point Blank with a bit more dancing".  But it has none of that film's charm, thrills, chemistry, plot or acting talent.  Tim Roth is wasted as supposed bad guy Hopper, and both Anna Kendrick's Martha and Sam Rockwell's murderous Mr Right lack any trace of likeability.

A facile romcom felt an odd choice for a festival screening.  But maybe that's just me.  There were people in the audience laughing, I'm just not sure at what.  Maybe you have to be a twenty something?  I'm not.

A Man Called Ove, Odeon, Edinburgh Film Festival

Rolf Lassgard is best known here as one of the two Swedes who have appeared as Kurt Wallander in BBC4's Saturday evening slot, and his character in this film could hardly be more different.

Ove is 59, recently widowed, and finding himself out of a job.  He's also a busybody, bad tempered and a one man, self-appointed, neighbourhood watch and warden.  A grumpy old git.

When a new family moves in opposite they seem determined to befriend him.  Whether he wants it or not.  As a kind of friendship slowly builds between Ove and the pregnant Parvaneh we see in flashbacks why Ove has turned out to be the person he is and the sadness in his life.  There's even a kind of logic to his being so bitter, vindictive and petty.  His new Iranian neighbour forces him into a form of mutual dependency and gives him the empathy he needs to reinvent himself.

Lassgard shows a great talent for comedy, and is never less than hilarious when the script gives him the chance.  But Ove is a complex character and this is a very moving performance too.  If there are times when the film strays into sentimentality I can't begrudge it.  Superb.

The Commune, Cineworld, Edinburgh Film Festival

Anna is getting bored with her conventional life.  When husband Erik inherits a huge old house she pushes him into setting up a commune, overriding his obvious caution.  They select their housemates, a mix of old friends and serendipitous acquaintances, and see how their lives develop in both good and bad ways.  But when Erik is found to be having an affair how will the spirit of communal openness cope, and what does it mean for Anna?

There are very strong performances from Trine Dyrholm as Anna, and Martha Sofie Wallstrøm Hansen as her daughter, Freja.  The sense of drama and tension is slow to develop, but turns tight, and tragic, as the end nears.  Communal life provides some lighter moments, and raises the question of what sort of people are best suited to a commune lifestyle where some will thrive and others flounder.

Always pleasant and entertaining, but this film lacks anything special to make it stand out.

A Reykjavik Porno, Filmhouse, Edinburgh Film Festival

Set in the constant darkness of Iceland's capital in January, the use of black and white adds to the classic noir feel.  The action takes place over three days, but we begin on day three, then see the preceding events from the two days before, and return to our starting point for the denoument.

Ingvar has been badly beaten, but why?  Why does Laufey, who may or may not be his much older lover, treat him so disparagingly?  And where's he going with a gun in his pocket?  The causes and effects of the days before give the answers and hint at what the gun might be for, but the real tragedy isn't fully apparent until the end.

This is very much the seedy side of Reykjavik life, with Ingvar getting propositioned by an elderly gay man, and tied in with a low life porn distributor.  Lots of drink and sex and darkness.  There's an enigmatic verbal introduction to each of the four sections of the film that leaves the audience to provide their own interpretations.  But otherwise there isn't a great deal of dialogue, this is more about actions than words.

Bleak, ambiguous, with nary a laugh to be had.  But it has such a personal feel to it, and respect for filmic history, that it's definitely one for serious film buffs to appreciate.

A Conspiracy of Faith, Cineworld, Edinburgh Film Festival

If you've become a fan of the Scandi Noir genre popularised by BBC4 then this will fit the bill.  It's the third in a series of films about the cold case  investigators of Department Q and features a few familiar faces from all those Saturday night assignations with the darkness of the Danes.

When an old bottle containing a message written in blood is found it opens the gateway to a case of serial child abuse and murder which is still continuing.  Assad - devout muslim, sensible and reliable - and Carl - intuitive, downcast, curt - get on the trail of the killer and have a short time in which to save the lives of the latest two victims.

The plot moves along at a good pace, there's plenty of red herrings, suspense and  action (there's a memorable scene on a tram that stands out), and if it has some gruesome moments it's also not the goriest of it's ilk.  Beautifully shot, occasionally predictable, but with a satisfyingly dramatic ending, this is tremendous entertainment.

Pale Star, Cineworld, Edinburgh Film Festival

Solveig is an interesting woman.  Within the first ten minutes she's murdered her abusive partner, distilled and distributed illicit alcohol, and had sex in the back door of a Land Rover with the local cafe owner.  Oh, and she does a bit of knitting too.  All with barely a word being said.

Set in a bleak and remote corner of Iceland this is an odd tale.  There's very little dialogue, and much of what there is is in Icelandic with no subtitles (the director did later say he might review that decision - he should!), and an alienating musical soundtrack.  Solveig takes in a Scottish tourist who has locked her husband in a caravan.  But when Ari, that cafe owner, brings him to Solveig's it's the beginning of much violence and turmoil.

It's bleak, slow and confusing.  But not without it's own fascination.  I did keep hoping that all would be explained at the end, but I left no better off.  One for the connoisseur of oddity.

24 Weeks, Cineworld, Edinburgh Film Festival

A powerfully emotive German movie about the difficult choice facing a woman when she learns that her unborn child will be born with a serious heart defect.

TV stand up comedian Astrid is delighted to be pregnant.  When she and her husband learn that the foetus is showing signs of Downs syndrome they are initially concerned, but soon come to terms with it when they take time to get better informed about the condition.  But when they are told the baby will also have a heart problem which will require extensive surgery to correct, and are given a rundown of all the risks involved, the decision becomes more complicated.  Does Astrid opt for a late abortion, or give birth to a child who may have a very poor quality of life?

Resolving this dilemma puts pressure on Astrid's relationships with her husband, mother and daughter.  And becomes harder when the press get hold of the story and she finds herself having to make her choice with the public looking over her shoulder.

Funny, harrowing, moving, and creating a strong empathy with her audience, Julia Jentsch delivers a superb central performance, recognising there's no such thing as a right or wrong answer, and whatever she decides will be a bit of both.  And the way in which the media and public treat 'celebrities' as their property adds an extra dimension.    This is a brave take on a difficult subject and a worthwhile, if not always entertaining, watch.  Recommended.

Away, Odeon, Edinburgh Film Festival

Two damaged people arrive in Blackpool.  He is middle aged and given up on the world, she is young and bruised, physically and emotionally.  Circumstance brings them tenuously together, and the development of their relationship is fleshed out with flashbacks to the tragic events which have drawn each to the seaside town.  As their understanding and relationship develop there are outside forces which push towards a dramatic conclusion, but will each of those wounded souls get what they need?

There's a real chemistry between the ages, with Timothy Spall's deadpan Joseph and Juno Temple's livewire Ria working through the tensions of their predicaments to find a kind of affection.  But the film's flashback structure gets a bit confusing at times, and the central story has too many predictable moments.  It's enjoyable for the performances, but feels like it could do with being fifteen minutes shorter.

Sunday 3 July 2016

Aloys, Odeon, Edinburgh Film Festival

A sad loser of a man, Aloys Adorn is a private investigator living in the past.  Still mourning the death of his father he is unable to move on in his life, and his clothes, decor, even the technology he employs, show how out of touch he has become.  He scrapes a living gathering evidence for seedy divorce cases.  So when he finds his video camera and a load of tapes have been stolen he panics.

A mystery phone call tells him he will have his precious items returned if he participates in an activity the caller refers to as "Telephone Walking".  And Aloys finds himself drawn into an existence that blurs fantasy and reality, and begins to play with his mind.

It's underplayed, gloriously confusing, and beautifully shot, with a succession of stunning images being played out on the screen.  There's a narrative that's almost a non-story and an inherent sadness to the character, which combine to fascinate.  At the post-screening Q&A the director admitted it was mostly a 'festival film', and that it had already failed commercially in it's native Switzerland.

Black, bleak, stylised and stylish, Aloys isn't for everyone, but if you appreciate the oddities of life it might just be your thing.

Shepherds and Butchers, Cineworld, Edinburgh Film Festival

Set in the dying days of apartheid South Africa, this underplayed courtroom drama follows the murder trial of Leon Labuschagne (Garion Dowds).  He has shot and killed seven young man black men in a fit of blind rage, but claims to be unable to remember the event itself or what led up to it.  An English lawyer, Johan Webber (Steve Coogan) is appointed to defend him, in a case that appears to be indefensible, with all the evidence indicated that the defendant had carried out the murders.

This is the background story for an exploration of  South Africa's then heavy use of the death penalty, and the brutalising influence it has on those who have to take part in it.  To avoid military service the seventeen year old Labuschagne had opted to work in a maximum security prison where, on only his second day in the post, he had to escort a prisoner to the gallows and hold him in place before the trapdoor opens.  Month after month of this work affected his mental state, and this is the defence Webber uses.

Flashbacks are liberally employed to illustrate the nature of the work the accused took part in, with graphic illustration of the most unpleasant aspects - there is no shying away from the piss, shit and blood that comes with hanging people.  And of just how dehumanising the atmosphere is for the warders who take part in these scenes day after day.  Which is the basis for the defence Webber develops, and the structure on which the film hangs.

Coogan makes for a persistent advocate, trying to develop something from nothing, and Dowds is truly excellent as the young man suffering internal conflicts.  But the courtroom scenes, in trying for realism, have ended up feeling very flat at times, lacking the edge of confrontation that would provide a spark of life.  Fortunately the flashbacks, with their unflinching portrayal of brutality and violence, counterbalance this, and jolt the viewer into an emotional reaction.

It's a worthy subject and has much to commend it, but it's a film lacking the spark needed to mark it out of the ordinary.