Film Difficulty 2

To help you ease your way into our world, we have devised a the film difficulty ranking system to rate the difficulty of each film reviewed on our site. The easiest to watch films (the Rom-Coms and Superhero flicks that you watch anyway) will have a rating of 1. Foreign language films automatically add one point, as do black and white films, and films with strange and hard to follow plots. Welcome to Film Difficulty 2.

Film Difficulty Ranking 2: These films are perfect introductions to those new to foreign films. These one’s may have subtitles, or be in black and white, but these films are all easy to follow and enjoy.

For the next step, check out Film Difficulty Ranking 3.

The Courtyard of Songs (O Patio das Cantigas) – Portugal

The Courtyard of Songs Film Difficulty Ranking: 2

Image result for o patio das cantigas

If you’re looking for a bunch of laughs after a long hard day at work, watch this. You have the option of watching the classic original from the Portuguese golden age, or the updated version (which I’ve reviewed here). Either way, watching it is your chance to experience life in Lisbon. You’ll meet a mix of Portuguese stereotypes that you’ll quickly fall in love with.

Why Watch The Courtyard of Songs

To see life in beautiful Lisbon!
For a good, light comedy (a rarity on Film Root, for more comedy check out the German Toni Erdmann)
It’s a great alternative to art-house Portuguese film (such as Tabu or In Vanda’s Room) and the old Portuguese classics (Aniki Bobo)
It was recommended by a Lisboeta (someone from Lisbon)

The Breakdown

The film starts with a view of the neighbourhood. We can see lines of colourful bunting stretched across a courtyard in Lisbon surrounded by houses with balconies. A guy with a slicked back hair and a Mohawk walks out onto his balcony, scratches his balls, and cat calls an attractive woman walking past. The woman acknowledges him (luckily they know each other) and the narrator steps in to introduce us to all of the characters in the neighbourhood.

In this neighbourhood, everyone knows everyone. They are like one big family. They fight, they argue, but they will also support each other when it matters (such as when Amalia sings or when Evaristo bails out his neighbours). On the street, they share their emotions: their life ambitions, their love interests, and their gossip, which travels like wildfire. Gossip is their form of news. People are so eager to be on top of the local news, that they all follow the inspector round to try and solve the crime before him!

In addition, pay attention to the structure of the neighbourhood because it is typically Lisbon. The neighbourhood is divided into two levels: the street level, and the balcony level. People go to their balcony when they want to watch life in the neighbourhood and each character uses it differently. Evaristo uses it to watch out for Rosa, another character uses it to cat call girls, Amalia uses it to showcase her figure, and another uses it for his exercise bike. In contrast, people go to the streets when they want to share their emotions and party.

Conclusion

The Courtyard of Songs is great to watch to get an understanding of neighbourhood dynamics in Lisbon. The film is full of wittiness and laughs, a lot like a good episode of Friends. Watch this if you’re interested in visiting Lisbon, and if you want to go make sure you visit during the June festival!

Tune Into The Future – Luxembourg City Film Festival 2020

Many decades before the internet gave us nerd culture, there was Hugo Gernsback, an eccentric Luxembourgish writer and inventory who went on to become the father of modern science fiction.
Festival Scope

Tune into the Future tracks Hugo Gernsback’s life and inventions from his roots in Luxembourg and Europe, to finding his path and career in New York. It’s a story told with plenty of animations, interviews, personal anecdotes from his grandson, with references stretching from Tesla and Superman (Superman’s creator was inspired by Hugo’s publications).

Tune into the Future starts with some small square black and white footage of Hugo back in the day before the narrator interrupts the footage to tell us we’re missing the true (colorful) story. At this point the small black and white square footage expands to take up the entire screen and starts parading through images of Hugo’s fantastic speculative inventions from the future. The director, Eric Schockmel knows the inventions are the most eye catching part of Hugo’s work so he uses them to get us hooked in order to tell Hugo’s life story.

The director’s experience working with Museum Exhibits definitely shines through this documentary. He successfully manages to keep the audience engaged and interested throughout by mixing dry one on one interviews and personal anecdotes with animations that bring the anecdotes and Hugo’s ideas to life. It reminded me a bit of the educational YouTube videos made by Kurzgesagt – informative, but always engaging.

The way the documentary is presented matches Hugo’s own attempts to popularize science. He, like the director, used a mix of media to promote visions of utopia and drive interest in science across the world. In Schockmel’s case, he makes the film to rejuvenate Hugo’s efforts to popularize science in a time when experts and utopian ideas are being forgotten around the world. It’s time for the world to start dreaming again.

Zero Point – Your Prototypical High School Movie from Estonia

Zero Point Film Difficulty Ranking: 2

If you know your John Hughes from your Richard Linklater, or your Stephen King from Stranger Things, this is the film for you. Zero Point is your classic high school film. There’s plenty of drama and enough gossip and bullying to keep you entertained throughout. It’s perfect for fans Dazed and Confused, Carrie, or Sixteen Candles.

From: Estonia, Europe
Watch: Trailer, Amazon Prime, YouTube Rent
Next: Thelma, Bad Genius, Kids Return

Men in the Arena – The American Dream in Somalia

Men in the Arena Film Difficulty Ranking: 2

The American Dream doesn’t just exist in the United States. In Men in the Arena you’ll meet two footballers trying to follow their dreams in a country that has banned football. It’s a documentary full of hope and optimism for a better future for Somalia and the Somali football team.

From: Somalia, Africa
Watch: Trailer, Tubi, Kanopy, Amazon Prime, Rent on Amazon, Buy on Amazon
Next: Freedom Fields, Uncertain Future, The Eagle Huntress

Read The Full Review

October 1 (Nigeria) – Murder Before Independence Day

October 1 Film Difficulty Ranking: 2

Nigerian Independence Day (October 1st) is fast approaching. A police officer is sent into unknown territory to investigate a string of murders. Can he solve them before Independence Day? For an African thriller which explores colonialism, religion, and tribalism, you can’t go wrong with this film. Plus it’s available on Netflix!

Why Watch October 1?

For a perfect gateway into Nigerian film (Nollywood)
It covers a lot – exploring tribalism, western imperialism, unification, racism, religion, colonialism, and more
To hear a range of languages – English, Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo
It’s easy to watch – it feels much more like the easy-going South African Umbango than the art-house Timbuktu

The Breakdown

October 1 starts under a red moon shining red light over the forest. A man chases a screaming woman through the forest until he catches her, rapes her, and leaves her dead on the forest floor.

It’s 1960. Police Officer Dan Waziri is sent to investigate the murders by a trio of English imperialists to ‘clean up’ Nigeria before it’s Independence Day on October 1st. As a Hausa man from the North, Dan Waziri is out of place in Akote. As an outsider, he faces many challenges in solving the case.

The characters provide the main talking point of the film. The trio of white men from the British colonial military are undeniably racist. Prince Aderopo of Akote is questionably for the continuation of British rule. Then there is Miss Tawa, a teacher who is preparing her classes for Nigerian independence. Among this group of characters, Dan is a mediator. He is neither outwardly for or against independence and shows no religious or political bias. He offers us an unbiased look at the political situation of Nigeria in 1960.

Conclusion

October 1 is brave to explore a range of controversial themes at the time of Nigerian independence. Whilst it does it bullishly, you’ll learn about the lasting impact that colonialism has had on Nigeria.