Broken Embraces Movie Review: Spectrum of Love
Penelope Cruz starred in Pedro Almodovar’s Volver and the two have collaborated once again in Broken Embraces, a drama about infidelity and redemption. This Spanish film is told from the perspective of Harry Caine, a blind writer, who is forced to deal with past pains 14 years earlier when he was directing what was to be his last film.
Broken Embraces is a character-driven drama starring Lluís Homar,Blanco Portilla, José Luis Gómez, Rubén Ochandianoand Penélope Cruz. The film’s narrative progression is a little confusing at first, but all the pieces eventually come together as each character’s motivations are explored and alliances are made. Lluís Homar plays Harry, a blind writer formerly known as Mateo, a promising film director years earlier. Lena, his lead actress and muse played by Penélope Cruz, is his desire and the two enter into a torrid love affair behind the back of Lena’s “partner”, Ernesto (Gómez). Ernesto watches the two from a roving peephole intently as his son relays behind-the-scenes footage as part of his documentary.
Broken Embraces has a similar story to Fellini’s 8 1/2 with a focus on a director, a film and a muse. Which is quite interesting because Penélope Cruz recently starred in a supporting role alongside Daniel Day-Lewis in Nine, a musical film adaptation of 8 1/2. The film was even referenced in Broken Embraces, making a direct parallel with Fellini’s classic. Another admirer of Fellini’swork is David Lynch, renowned auteur of dreams and nightmares.Mulholland Drive broached the same relationship between film, director and lead actress with the prospect of a film within a film.
The plot functions like an extension of the primary relationship from 8 1/2, Nine and Mulholland Drive. The lilting soundtrack is similar to the music of longtime Lynch accomplice, Angelo Badalamenti. Broken Embraces gives Almodovar a chance to embellish and really sink his teeth into the collateral damage of a behind-the-scenes love affair. He’s able to explore the peripheral relationships, building up to one cataclysmic event that started the trail of retribution and healing process for each character.
Homar is like Kelsey Grammer’s Frasier in many respects. His face, his physique, his affinity for art and culture and his love for women. However, he’s more serious and contemplative, relying on the support of others and trying to make the most of life as a blind man seeking an outlet for his creativity and passion. Cruzis reminiscent of to Audrey Hepburn in appearance, physique and even performance as she gracefully carries herself across the screen with a spellbinding performance as the elemental Lena. She may show more skin, but captures the same aloof royalty thatHepburn imbued, with a performance even more deserving of appreciation than her role in Nine.
This is a beautiful film. Almodovar captures some real emotional turmoil in all the familial relationships in Broken Embraces with strong performances overriding any inconsistencies in the narrative. The back-and-forth time warp jolts the film a bit, but this is about the emotional currents, the characters and the drama rather than relaying a monumental message. The film may have its flaws and does harp on for ten minutes too long, but captures real vulnerability through its behind-the-scenes story and contrasting spectrum of love.
The bottom line: Absorbing.
Screenplay with Spling
Stephen ‘Spling’ Aspeling
www.spling.co.za
Win Double Movie Tickets
Two lucky readers will each win double tickets to a movie of their choice at the Labia Cinema complex in Cape Town.
To enter, all you have to do is read Spling’s movie review for the week and answer this simple question: Name one film that has influenced ‘Broken Embraces’, according to Spling?
Email your name, contact details and answer to info@capetowncreatives.co.za:
Competition closes on 5th August, 10h00.
Terms and Conditions:
You (and partner) must be available to attend a film at the Labia in Cape Town between the 5 and 12 August.
Tickets are not transferrable and cannot be redeemed for cash.
Prizes courtesy of the Labia Theatre. See what’s showing: http://www.labia.co.za
3 new solo exhibitions at the AVA
The AVA in partnership with Spier is hosting three new solo exhibitions:
The exhibitions run from 26 July 2010 to 20 August 2010 at 13h00.
Material Matters by Erica Elk
Erica Elk presents a mixed media body of work Material Matters in the Main gallery. Elk utilises everyday materials reconstituting them into a contemporary visual language.
Worker Interrupted by David Rossouw
Worker Interrupted by David Rossouw will employ the Artstrip. A photographic study of the aesthetic of the ordinary and the everyday that references the strong relationship between work and identity. Worker Interrupted references the notion that work influences one’s identity in a physical way. The physical appearance of a worker can be altered subtly over time as muscles are developed due to physical labour. On a superficial level, this alteration can also be in the form of clothing or bodies becoming soiled due to the nature of the work.
The Sum of the Parts by Nike Romano
In the Long gallery Nike Romano explores the space where science, the personal and art intersect. This mixed media body of work is a visual exploration that endeavours to contain the uncontainable. The theme of ordering chaos, both at a domestic level and within the universe runs through Romano’s practice and can be noted in her attention to detail and choose of materials.
Association for Visual Arts Gallery
35 Church Street, Cape Town, South Africa
Gallery hours: Weekdays 10h00 to 17h00,
Saturdays 10h00 to 13h00
Phone: +27-21 424-7436,
Fax: +27-21 423-2637,
avaart@iafrica.com
www.ava.co.za
World famous authors drop in for a spot of tea at The Mount Nelson
The Mount Nelson Hotel in conjunction with the Cape Town Book Fair will play host to three world famous authors as part of the Mount Nelson Hotel Literary Salon Series during the Cape Town Book Fair.
Director of the Cape Town Book Fair Claudia Kaiser said, “We are excited that during this year’s fair, a number of events related to authors at the CTBF will be taking place in the City of Cape Town. This extends the influence of the fair, and we hope to build on it in the future so that Cape Town truly becomes a ‘City of Books’ during the fair.”
Meet three world famous authors for tea and cake at Mount Nelson Hotel’s Literary Salon Series.
Saturday 31 July / 16h30: Wole Soyinka
One of Africa’s greatest contemporary authors.
A Nigerian writer, poet, playwright and political activist, and the first African recipient of a Nobel Prize for Literature.
Sunday 01 August / 10h30: Jodi Picoult
A critically-acclaimed best-selling American author whose novels about family, relationships and love hold pride of place in many book clubs and have been adapted for big screen and television movies.
Sunday 01 August / 16h00: Chris Van Wyk
An award-winning South African author well-known for his novels, short stories and poetry for children and teenagers, including an abridged children’s version of Nelson Mandela’s ‘Long Walk to Freedom’.
Cost: R165 per adult
Signed copies of books will be available for purchase at each event.
For reservations contact +27 (0)21 483 1948 or email restaurantreservations@mountnelson.co.za.
Plasticboy Anatomy Models
Cape Town animator, Guy van der Walt (Plasticboy) has been working tirelessly to create a series of 3D models depicting the human anatomy. He has spent the last few years studying the human body including all the internal systems and meticulously reconstructing them in a virtual environment. The images below are of the Skeletal and Muscular systems. These two systems go hand in hand with every major muscle in the human body (over 360 muscles in this model) being attached to its corresponding bone. The models have been created for use in medical illustration and animation and are available on the Plasticboy website: www.plasticboy.co.uk/store
To view Plasticboy’s complete portfolio on Cape Town Creatives, click here.
Jazzart positively powerful
Fiona Gordon: Jazzart Dance Theatre presents a celebration of dance and humanity, with the annual bursary fundraiser.
There is something about fire that is mesmerising. And about a crowd that draws attention. So it’s no surprise that the dancing with and in and around a square of flames on the steps outside the Artscape Theatre Complex draws an audience. Fire represents warmth, ritual, survival. And it is thus an appropriate precursor to a show which pays homage to the roots and history of the company, but also marks the advent of a new season of artistic directorship, under Jackie Manyaapelo.
Once the multi-facetted crowd had made its way through the bottleneck of doorways into the theatre area, the show that followed gives credence to the partnerships that have formed part of the development of the illustrious history of this company. Jazzart serves not only to educate new generations of theatre makers, but also to equip them for life through skills development and life skills training, through their ‘Jazzart Young Adult Training and Job Creation’ and ‘Adopt-a-Dancer’ programmes. Members of the trainee group are honoured for their contributions this year – not just in the conventional areas of artistic and/or academic excellence, but also for ‘personal triumph in the face of adversity’, which speaks to the philosophy of the company, and is further embodied in the positivity of the performance.
The programme opens with ‘Ukushaya’ – an old Jazzart favourite which draws on the rhythms of voice, clapping and percussion, and incorporates dancers from the Nyanga Arts Development Centre. The showcase of their historical and present partners continues with input on the silks from members of the Zip Zap Circus School, CYDC 34/18 and the Tercia Kindo Arts Project.
Ina Wichterich draws together dancers from the Vadhini Indian Arts Academy and Jikeleza Dance Project, and influences from their respective dance idioms, in a piece exploring ‘Divinity’. Her understanding of organic movement and rhythm is well-grasped and -articulated by the dancers, who offer an earnest performance in a piece which, despite some interesting movement choices, seems to manifest an almost innate understanding of their expression.
Vadhini Indian Arts Academy appears to be working in line with the philosophies of La Rosa Spanish Dance Theatre. With reverence for the classical forms and traditions, whilst exploring their relevance in the modern context, they are increasing accessibility of the form(s) through exposure to a wider audience – both within the community who engages with it directly, and in performance – and the result is a significant contribution to the emerging dance landscape.
Jay Pather’s Siwela Sonke Dance Theatre hails from Durban, and presents a piece called ‘Human Ladder’. Despite the relatively few performers – it begins with a solo, with the cast growing progressively to six dancers – there seemed to be an overload of visual cues, and my appreciation of the piece certainly suffered as a result.
Jazzart’s mentorship programme, which runs within the Western Cape Education Department’s Arts Focus Schools is represented with the showcase of a piece danced by learners from the dance department of Wynberg Senior Secondary School, who have clearly benefitted from the involvement of the Jazzart Artists-in-Residence in their training programme. Another youngster given a platform on this stage is ‘MC’ for the evening, ten-year old Amkele Mandla Nyamza, who does a sterling job, presenting with comedy and confidence, and promising to be no stranger to the boards in years to come.
The double volume stage sets this journey on a road – a literal representation of their mandate as a company, and as individuals, moving forward towards a common purpose. It strikes a lovely metaphor, with the stage providing the platform for representation of this journey. I see evidence of their progress in the quality of performance from some of the trainees. Gumboots are donned for a piece which shows the development of their use as a theatrical tool – as opposed to more of the ‘same-old, same-old’, and the trainees conclude the evening with a collaborative ‘Iqiniso’ , where more than twenty dancers fill the stage and move in unison, with two girls winding themselves up and down suspended silks. With the absence of tabs and associated theatrical pretence in this production, the humanity of these dancers comes to the fore, and is an immensely powerful and beautiful thing.
Danscape 2010 played at the Artscape Theatre 22-25 July 2010.
The Jazzart company presents their forthcoming season, iHaw’ Elisha, at Artscape 3-12 September 2010.
Fiona Gordon
fiona@artslink.co.za
World’s Greatest Dad Movie Review: Um, About That…
World’s Greatest Dad… we see the slogan on coffee mugs, t-shirts and fake certificates, but how could someone truly know they were the world’s greatest dad? There’s no way of quantifying it… and the illustrious title comes wrapped in a bundle of bias, making it a personal, yet hollow compliment with the best of intentions. A pretty complex little conundrum, which is probably why this film’s for adults with Robin Williams as the World’s Greatest Dad… he’s not.
Robin Williams stars as Lance Clayton, a loving father, a committed teacher and a struggling writer. His form of “writer’s block” makes it so that his work keeps getting blocked from magazines, newspapers and publishing houses. To make matters worse, his ungrateful brat and only child, Kyle would make Bart Simpson blush with his repertoire of explicit language fueled by his filthy mind. When Lance finally does get his golden opportunity to become a full-time writer, ironically it’s his son, who is there to open the door and keep him on the straight-and-narrow.
This is a drama and a pretty gutsy, twisted, adult comedy too. It’s for those of us, who like their comedy black. It’s one of those awkward schoolyard dramas with mature themes like Donnie Darko, Rushmore and Charlie Bartlett, where one kid seems to be at the centre of it all. The kid in this case is Kyle, whose sudden celebrity status helps his father write his first book. The language is often filthy thanks to Kyle, the situations are quite dark and perverted… yet writer-director Bobcat Goldthwait still manages to hold onto the reins of this dark horse-drawn carriage with Robin Williams up front to help keep equilibrium.
Williams is ideal for the part of Lance and works his Robin Williams magic once again with a solid performance. He’s ably supported by a grown up Spy Kid and vastly experienced, Daryl Sabara as Kyle, who embodies the very essence of a problem child-turn-teenager. The performances are straight-up with most of the humour coming from rude wisecracks and hilarious relational shock situations rather than slapstick or witty dialogue. Any film directed by someone called Bobcat is going to be different and World’s Greatest Dad runs the gauntlet of bad taste with its head held high.
The title is completely misleading and choosing World’s Greatest Dad for Father’s Day would be about as awkward as choosing There’s Something About Mary as a first date movie. Yet, it somehow manages to pull it off. Kyle’s preoccupation with sex is normal for a teenage boy, but they just turn the taps on full blast… making his infatuation perverted and his character completely unlikable. Perhaps that’s why its so easy on the audience when he suffocates himself to death while masturbating. He becomes such a detestable brat, that it’s more of good riddance than a farewell.
World’s Greatest Dad is hugely entertaining, despite the bad language, voyeuristic interludes and pubescent nightmares. The performances are top draw and the film’s skewered comedy actually becomes quite contagious… guilty, but contagious. It’s obviously not for everyone, which is why it’s been relegated to the art circuit. Having peers like Rushmore, Donnie Darko and Charlie Bartlett will also give you an idea of it’s dark “schoolboy” slant, but it’s one of those awful, yet unmissable movies you’ve just got to see for yourself and probably by yourself too!
The bottom line: Skewered.
Screenplay with Spling
Stephen ‘Spling’ Aspeling
www.spling.co.za
Inaugural Concert at Casa Labia
For more information on Casa Labia or the concert please call 021 788 6068 or email: info@casalabia.co.za
Creative Week Cape Town
Creative Cape Town, together with a range of partners including Cape Town Tourism, The Loeries Awards and a number of event managers and venues, has initiated Creative Week Cape Town. Taking place annually prior to and culminating in the Loeries Awards weekend in Cape Town, this event will be a “user generated” festival that allows venues, collectives, event organisers, companies and individual artists in the greater Cape Town to showcase their creativity.
The dates for the 2010 Creative Week are 24 September – 3 October. A website that will allow possible partners to lodge their events goes live on 1 August: www.creativeweekct.co.za and until then you can send information or show your interest by emailing caroline@capetownpartnership.co.za.
Look forward to an exhibitions and a music event planned for the City Hall, events all over the “Loeries Village” on Long Street, cutting edge light shows, and much much more.
The Loeries Awards is SA’s major advertising, communication, design and experiential media awards event. It takes place at the Good Hope Centre and Long Street annually. Creative Cape Town is a non profit project tasked with promoting the creative and knowledge economy in Cape Town. As a partner to the Loeries, it is working with the event to profile Cape Town’s creative sector to both Loeries delegates and locals. Creative Week Cape Town is being developed as a legacy both of the Loeries and to support the bid for World Design Capital 2014. It is part of Creative Cape Town’s strategy to position the city as an important hub for design globally. See www.capetown2014.co.za for more information.
Gallery: Inge Prins Photography
Inge Prins is a commercial photographer based in Cape Town.
Represented by Shapeshifters Photographers Representation (www.shapeshifters-photo.com), she shoots both locally and internationally for worldwide clients.
Some recent work includes the new Timotei stills hair campaign for Europe and a Beauty Shoot with top Hair and Make-up artist Elma Storm.
Image Credits:
Timotei Europe
Beauty Shoot:
Hair and Make-up: Elma Storm
Models: Sam Laskey, Ice and Kyla Close, Ice
To view Inge Prins’ complete portfolio on Cape Town Creatives, click here.
