RADICAL – ★★★☆

If you’re of a certain age, you’ve almost certainly seen a riff on this film before; To Sir With Love, Dead Poets Society, etc. It’s a story about an inspiring teacher that changes the lives of their students. In this case it’s in Mexico at a school that has very low results for its grade six contingent. Based on a true story, it was pretty much by-the-numbers effort, but I still felt inspired by the teacher’s efforts to make a difference in the kids’ lives. We also shared similar opinions of national testing of students as a bearing on their abilities (or value of the school). I disagreed with one scene where the teacher suggested that computers would be teaching the kids if they had them (computers are tools, not teachers).

LA CHIMERA – ★★★

Funny-ish Italian film about an English archaeologist let out of prison, and rejoins with his gang of grave robbers, looting ancient tombs for artefacts, whilst mourning the loss of his girlfriend. Very cool style to it, shot with grainy film, and for most of it, you might not be able to place that it was shot in current day at all.

ONE LAST EVENING – ★★★☆

I liked this German film about a couple hosting a dinner party in their Hannover apartment, prior to a planned move to Berlin. Shot almost entirely in their apartment, there are various characters from a newly met neighbours to old friends. As the film progresses you learn more about the people add their history. Has some similarlities to The Party (MIFF 2017), so if you like one, you’ll probably like the other.