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West Side Story: Spielberg’s Update Dances into our Hearts

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When I heard that a new West Side Story was due to premiere, I was sceptical. Did I really want to see a remake of one of my favourite movies? When I heard that Steven Spielberg was directing, and that he had wanted to make this movie for over 30 years, I was intrigued. When 91 year old Stephen Sondheim died in late November, seeing this new iteration became a necessity. When I heard that a new role had been written into the movie for 89-year-old Rita Moreno, seeing the movie became a happy obligation.

I was not disappointed. 

Sixty years after the original movie walked away with 10 Oscars, Spielberg’s new version soars to even greater heights – singing and dancing its way into our hearts. All of the songs are there; sung by new magnificent voices. The star-crossed lovers still pine for each other. The Jets and the Sharks still battle for their piece of the American dream. Everything beloved from 1961 is intact. 

What West Side Story 2021 adds is context, depth and a magnificent New York city backdrop. The movie starts in black and slowly expands to light, showing derelict, crumbling buildings. “Dump”. “Slum Clearance”. It’s the late 50’s and what has been the fought over home turf to both the Irish and Polish Jets and the Puerto Rican Sharks (now played by Latinx actors) will become the beautiful Lincoln Centre and the home for the gentrified rich. It’s an old story that continues to the present. The gang boys and girls aren’t just fighting each other; they’re fighting for a future that has no place for them. 

If we ever wondered why Tony no longer fights with the Jets, now we know. He has spent time in prison for almost killing a boy and he does not want to become that hate-filled person again.  The neighbourhood store owner, Doc is now replaced by his widow, Valentina. She is played by the magnificent Rita Moreno. She is the one steady adult in the film – linking both gangs and acting as their conscience. And she can still sing. I thought I would get through this movie without a tear but her rendition of a WSS favourite song (always sung by another character) defeated me. Is it possible for an actor to get the same Oscar for another role in the same movie – 60 years later?

West Side Story is known for its amazing songs and fabulous dancing. This movie does not disappoint. Here, however, New York City and its streets and stores are highlighted, along with the colourful explosion of the dancers’ movements and costumes. 

All the actors should also be congratulated. Tony (Ansel Elgort) and Maria (newcomer Rachel Zegler) are perfect for the Romeo and Juliet leads. They’re both beautiful, have wonderful singing voices, and are able to bring both gravitas and lightness to the roles. Canadian David Alvarez is tough and focused as Bernardo (Shark leader) and is also a wondrous singer and dancer. My favourite character, surprisingly, was Riff (Mike Faist), the leader of the Jets. Faist brings a quirky vulnerability to the role – the kid with no family, whose future can only be assured if he enacts the toughness that will eventually kill him.

So head to the theatre this week. West Side Story 2021 will not disappoint you. If you don’t know the story, it will be a joyous, heart-rending experience. And if you do know the story, it will be a joyous, heart-rending experience. 

West Side Story opens in theatres on Friday, December 10th, 2021.  

The Magnificent Meyersons – Wandering Wisdom

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“Sometimes, I wish God would just reach down and give the world a big old shake, you know?”

One day. One family. And it all gets shaken up a bit. Evan Oppenheimer’s The Magnificent Meyersons is a peripatetic search for understanding what it means to live in a world that may or may not have a god, in which right and wrong may or may not be relative, in which the future and the past may or may not hold the answers. And it’s a comedy (sort of).

We wander through the streets of New York along with four upper middle class adult siblings: Daphne (Jackie Burns), the older daughter, who is struggling with not being quite fulfilled as a mother, wife, or at work; Roland (Ian Kahn), the older son, who is a confident businessman, but perhaps a bit overprotective of his daughter; Daniel (Daniel Eric Gold), the younger son, a rabbinical student who may or may not have faith; and Susie (Shoshannah Stern), the younger daughter, who is deaf and seeking to make her way as a realtor. There are also interludes involving their mother (Kate Mulgrew) and memories of their absent father (Richard Kind).

Note that the term “peripatetic” means to walk around, to wander. As the day progresses, each of the siblings sit or stroll through the city talking to friends or family about any variety of things. The subjects are just as wandering as the people in the film: the existence of God, what makes man [sic] unique among the animals, what it means to be successful, what makes us happy, and if the past can be forgiven.

There is a philosophical bent to this film similar to what is found in the biblical book Ecclesiastes. In Ecclesiastes, the author (often referred to as Qoheleth) ponders the meaning of life and what makes life worth living. Qoheleth is also a bit peripatetic. He wanders through various approaches in search of the answers to his questions. The four siblings, along with the parents to a lesser extent, all have different understandings of life. The film and all the talking are not so much about finding the answers as it is about all the questions. That too is a bit like Ecclesiastes.

Because the discussions are so diverse, there are many interesting things said along the way. There is an ontological proof of God set side by side with an ontological disproof. At another point, Roland says, “You know what makes man unique? He’s the only animal who can’t take care of himself.” When Daphne admits to being “selfish, vain, and lazy”, her husband concurs, and adds, “like everybody else”. Perhaps the deepest wisdom expressed is “Everything matters”.

The theme line of Ecclesiastes is “Vanity of vanities! All is Vanity.” That refers to the ephemeral nature of life. That concept is also central to the musings of the characters in The Magnificent Meyersons. As they all try in their own way to deal with the life, there is an understanding that things are constantly changing. But how we deal with all those changes can open new ways for us to live in vain lives.

The Magnificent Meyerson is playing in limited theatrical release and on virtual cinema.

Photos courtesy of Argot Pictures.

Materna – Isolation in the City

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David Gutnik’s premier feature film, Materna, consists for four independent stories built around women whose paths will come together in a dangerous situation on a New York subway. Each of the key characters is struggling in different ways with their places in the world and the isolation they find themselves in.

Jean (Kate Lyn Sheil) is an agoraphobic who spends all days in her apartment. There seems to be nothing strong enough to get her out. Her mother calls to nag about “freezing your eggs” and about the possibility of someday Jean being a mother herself. But when there is no one else to talk to, Jean ventures out to catch the fated subway.

Mona (Jade Eshete) is an actress who also has mother issues. Her mother wants her to return to being a Jehovah’s Witness minister, but Mona wants the life she has been creating for herself. After a cathartic roleplay in which she asserts herself, she is feeling good about herself as she heads to the train.

Ruth (Lindsay Burdge) is a very well-to-do woman who strives to maintain the sense of entitled privilege against the “liberal” world that is trying to impose its values on her and her family. That liberalism is personified in her brother Gabe (Rory Culkin) whom she has called to help after the school bureaucrats suspended her son. After a confrontation in the home, she goes off to find Gabe, and rather than hailing a cab, decides to see some of his world by taking the subway.

Parizad (Assol Abdullina) is on the train after returning from Kyrgyzstan, where she went following the death of her uncle. While there she, her mother, and grandmother must deal with a stain on the wall of her uncle’s room, and perhaps a stain on the family was well.

The walls that separate these women from the world may be physical, emotional, intellectual, or (usually) a combination thereof. But the sense of isolation is real in all their cases. That isolation could be what they want in their life, but it also comes with a price that they are all paying inside.

When all four of these women end up on the subway train, their walls are breached by a loud, aggressive man who verbally inserts himself obnoxiously into each of their lives and will eventually trigger a very dangerous situation.

Urban dwellers may well recognize that those obnoxious people in a crowded situation are doubly annoying precisely because they ignore the walls we build to have a sense of privacy in a crowded world. But as we watch this man insert himself into the lives of these women, we might note that his actions are also the result of feeling isolated and unheard in the midst of world filled with people.

The result of all this isolation is fear, anger, sorrow, and eventually violence. The film doesn’t relish isolation, but seems to see it as the essential human condition. Certainly, it is a common experience everyone is touched by at some point, but I found the world of this film a bit too dark overall. The promise of connection is what this film needs to be complete. While a hint of such a promise comes up in some of the stories, we never see the fulfilment.

Materna is in limited release and available on digitally and VOD.

Summer of Soul – A Revolution Resurrected

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1969. It is the year humankind set foot on the moon. The US is heavily involved in Vietnam. Men were being drafted, but there were growing protests. It is only a year after the murders of Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr. It was also the year of Woodstock, the amazing music festival that got out of hand. But Woodstock isn’t the whole story of music in 1969. A few hundred miles away that summer the Harlem Music Festival took place over six weekends. Summer of Soul (…or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), winner of the Grand Prize and an Audience Award at Sundance, gives us a wonderful taste of that event that has long gone unnoticed.

Sly Stone performing at the Harlem Cultural Festival in 1969, featured in the documentary SUMMER OF SOUL. Photo Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2021 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved

For six Sundays through the summer, the biggest names in Black music held court in Mt. Morris Park (now Marcus Garvey Park) in Harlem. Performers included Stevie Wonder, The Staple Singers, Mahalia Jackson, The Fifth Dimension, Nina Simone, Hugh Masekela, B.B. King, Gladys Knight and the Pips, and Sly and the Family Stone, among many others. Admission was free and there were estimated 50,000 people each week. And, it was all filmed! (So, then, why haven’t we seen it before? More on that later.)

Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson has brought together some of those wonderful performances and included some interviews with people who were there—performers and audience—to give us a hint of what that cultural experience was, and why it was important at that time in the Black community. This is more than just a celebration of the music. It brings forward the issues that were facing the community and the nation at that time—many of which continue.

Nina Simone performs at the Harlem Cultural Festival in 1969, featured in the documentary SUMMER OF SOUL. Photo Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2021 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved

One of the issues that played a part in the festival was racial unrest. The year before, after the King and Kennedy assassinations, many cities experienced civil unrest. The city helped to sponsor these concerts, possibly in part to head off violence. When the police were slow to commit to the festival, the Black Panthers provided security. At one of the events, Rev. Jesse Jackson was part of the program to promote Operation Breadbasket.

That political setting is an important part of understanding the event (as is reflected in the film’s subtitle). The very concept that the culture of Black America was of value was a part of the larger racial revolution that was underway. But more than anything, this was about community. One of those who remembers attending as a child called it “the ultimate Black barbeque”. This was an opportunity for the people of Harlem to gather and find affirmation of their music and their culture.

The Harlem Cultural Festival in 1969, featured in the documentary SUMMER OF SOUL. Photo Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2021 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved

There is a spiritual aspect to that affirmation. Some of the acts performing were in the gospel tradition. We see during some of these performances how gospel serves as a bit of therapy to the harshness of the world. The height of this understanding comes as we watch an amazing version of “Precious Lord” with Mavis Staple and Mahalia Jackson.

Getting back to the question of why it’s taken over fifty years for this to come to light. Even though it was all filmed, no one really thought Black music was a market that would make it profitable. There was a pair of local broadcasts, but nothing beyond that. There is also a sense that those who made those decisions did not recognize the revolutionary nature of such an event. (Or maybe they did.) So it’s been hidden away all these years.

The festival is sometimes referred to as “Black Woodstock”, but I find that a bit off base. While both were amazing music festivals, Woodstock became famous more for the event itself. It was a countercultural happening. It was a crashed party that overwhelmed the promoters and the authorities. The Harlem Cultural Festival was extremely well organized and its sense of community was far more organic than the seeming community of the flooded fields of Woodstock.

Hugh Masekela performs at the Harlem Cultural Festival in 1969, featured in the documentary SUMMER OF SOUL. Photo Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2021 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved

All these years in the future, we still struggle with racial inequality in our society. Summer of Love allows us to consider what progress has and has not been made in the decades since the Harlem Cultural Festival. It is a blessing that it has been brought out after all this time. Not just for the music, but for the revolution that we are still ready for.

Summer of Soul (…or, When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised) is in select theaters and will soon be available on Hulu.

Photos courtesy of Seachlight Pictures.

Asking the Tough Questions: SCENES FROM AN EMPTY CHURCH

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Coming off of its recent world premiere at Chattanooga Film Festival, MPI’s Scenes From an Empty Church will arrive on VOD and in theaters July 2nd.

The Covid-19 pandemic has unquestionably had a massive impact on the film industry, shutting down productions, bankrupting theaters, and perhaps irreversibly hastening the adoption of streaming services and VOD over the traditional communal, theatrical viewing experience.

What largely remains to be seen is the narrative and creative impact it will have going forward. Will interrupted film productions and TV series set in a fictional version of our present acknowledge the hiatus, or the pandemic itself? What kind of stories will emerge as we return to normalcy? What will the “new normal” even look like? For many, watching movies has been a form of escapism, especially in lockdown. Will audiences want to watch, much less embrace, “pandemic movies”?

Set in New York City, one of the most dangerous and heavily quarantined metropolitan zones impacted by the outbreak, Scenes From an Empty Church uses the pandemic as a raw backdrop for a story exploring theology, spiritual connection, and what it means to be human.

The film is directed by NYC filmmaker Onur Tukel, who cowote with Andrew Shemin. It is, so far as I’ve seen, the greatest meditative piece of art to directly emerge out of the pandemic.

The film centers on two depressed Catholic priests dwelling in the silent emptiness of their locked-down church. Like everyone, they’re feeling the anxiety of the situation, scared and disconnected. Their doors remain closed, their ministry halted and their mission uncertain. An unexpected visit from his old friend Paul (Max Casella) reignites Father Andrew (Kevin Corrigan)’s hunger for connection, and he convinces apathetic Father James (Thomas Jay Ryan) to begin to slowly allow the church to resume its work – albeit in a very limited fashion.

Though he’s not a Christian, Paul also hangs around. He’s on a spiritual search, and enjoying the company of the priests and their deep, lively conversations.

As parishioners return for prayers and confessions, the Fathers are reinvigorated in their mission, but also confronted with deep questions about their faith as they encounter different people with varied experiences and backgrounds. The film isn’t shy about asking these difficult questions, as characters grapple and debate in earnest over some of the biggest quandaries and criticisms of Christianity and Catholicism. Would modern day Christians recognize and believe in Jesus if we encountered him performing miracles today, or write him off as a charlatan? Is a priest’s ministry less valid because he set out on that path for the wrong reasons? Or if he has homosexual urges? Is a child molester who has accepted Christ more deserving of God’s mercy than an atheist who leads a righteous life?

One of the film’s saddest critiques is the response of the priests when a stranger comes into the church eager to be saved and baptized. Rather than being equipped with the gospel and ready to engage his plea, they stammer about how busy they are and hide behind protocol, more annoyed by his interruption than joyous at the spiritual rebirth of a new believer.

Another great conversation, and perhaps the most “real” in the film, finds Father Andrew, who is Jewish, getting back in touch with this estranged dad (Paul Reiser): the cause of their rift was his conversion to Catholicism. In still another discussion, Andrew explains how believing in Christ isn’t antithetical to his Jewish roots, but complementary: he embraces Jesus as the very fulfillment the Old Testament.

These conversations and engagements are the heart of the story, which clearly portray the priests as fallible, human beings trying and sometimes failing to honor God. There’s not really any deeper plot; the film is more interested in how we engage and connect. It’s sometimes sad, sometimes hilarious, always thoughtful, and ultimately hopeful. The big questions are left unanswered, leaving them for the audience to consider.

This isn’t exactly Sunday School material – there’s a smattering of profanity, mostly by priests, and a small bit of sexuality and nudity – but the film is an earnest and incredibly thoughtful exploration of both faith and the human experience. Highly recommended viewing.

Scenes From an Empty Church will arrive on VOD and in theaters July 2nd, with a DVD planned to follow in August.

The Times of Bill Cunningham

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The Times of Bill Cunningham is a documentary about the fashion photographer who was known for riding around New York City on his bicycle taking pictures of whatever interested him. Most of the film is taken from a 1994 interview done by director Mark Bozek. We get to hear Cunningham tell his own story as we see some of the millions of photographs he had taken over decades.

It is fair to say that Cunningham was obsessed with fashion. He relates that even as a child he couldn’t pay attention in church because of his fascination with women’s hats. He went on to design hats early in his career—even doing so while stationed in France during a tour in the Army in the early 1950s. He went on to open his own millenary shop as William J.

When he was given a used camera by a friend, his obsession with fashion found a new expression. He began to take pictures of anything that struck him. He was especially interested in “the way women dressed in their own lives”.  His photograph of Greta Garbo in a nutria coat drew the attention of the New York Times. (They were interested in a photo of Garbo; Cunningham was interested in the nutria coat.)

The film (in narration read by Sarah Jessica Parker) refers to him as “the Nostradamus of fashion and society.” He saw himself not so much as a critic or even as a photographer. He thought of himself as a documenter. As such his photos were not limited to high fashion—although the fashion shows were a big part of his work. He was there for society events to see what celebrities were wearing, but he also took pictures of everyday people on the streets—including the homeless. He also chronicled the Gay Pride celebrations. (The New York Public Library asked for his collection of those photos for its archives.) He wanted to record the world not just as society wanted to be seen, but also to show us the world as it really was.

The film shows us the muted eccentricity of his life. Although he lived in the world of fashion, much of his life he wore hand-me-down clothes. (He says when someone would die, their widow would give him the clothes.) He lived in a small studio over Carnegie Hall with minimal furniture. (He refers to living in “a cave”.) Even when the 2010 documentary about him (Bill Cunningham: New York) premiered, he didn’t see it. He stayed outside the theater photographing people.

©Harold Chapman / Topfoto / The Image Works

Where the film comes up short is that except for photos, it missed the last 20 years of his life, except for a few comments made about those years. But those are not his own reflections on life as we hear in the interview. Cunningham wanted to give us new ways to see the world. Instead this film just gives us a brief glimpse of what he saw.

Photos courtesy of Greenwich Entertainment

Uncut Gems: It’s About to Pay Off

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Image result for uncut gems

The comedic powerhouse that is Adam Sandler has yet again flexed his dramatic skills in the new film by Josh and Benny Safdie, Uncut Gems.  Some will recall Adam Sandler previously playing the strong dramatic role of Charlie Fineman in the 2007 film, Reign Over Me. 

In Gems, Sandler completely embodies the lead role of Howard Ratner, an eccentric jewelry store owner with a severe gambling addiction. When his bets don’t pay off, he gets himself into very risky and often dangerous situations in order to make a buck and pay off his debts. Fueled by greed and consistent harassment by a trail of creditors, Howard doesn’t seem to be able to keep his head above water.

Image result for uncut gems

Right from the beginning of the film, we get an overall sense of chaos. It begins with chaotic music and over top of the dialogue, to the point where you can’t fully understand everything being said. We follow Howard as he hops from one location to the next, smooth-talking his way through business and personal dealings. The Safdies use the hectic and claustrophobic nature of New York City, mixed with Jewish jeweler culture, to their advantage as it only heightens the chaotic nature of the film.

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Howard is quite a selfish character who will do whatever is necessary to get what he wants. After being caught cheating with his girlfriend, Julia (Julia Fox), he becomes separated from his wife, Dinah (Idina Menzel). As he gets caught up in numerous distractions, he seems to have less involvement with his children, From work to gambling to chasing Kevin Durrant for a diamond, Howard essentially has no time left for what’s most important. To top it off, the safety of his family becomes at risk after Howard’s numerous shady actions.

As more and more weight piles on top of Howard’s shoulders, he quickly begins to unravel.  Always sly, he soon begins to show his many vulnerabilities and becomes increasingly desperate to fix the trouble that he’s got himself into by doubling down on some of the same behaviours that got him into that place to begin with.

On top of it all, it seems that Howard just longs to be loved. He doesn’t seem to know what he has until it’s gone. He shows remorse, but it’s often too little, too late.

Aside from the incomparable Adam Sandler, Uncut Gems was blessed with a dominant supporting cast, including one of my personal favourites of the film, LaKeith Stanfield, who plays the very convincing plug, Demany. We also see some unsuspecting talent in Kevin Garnett and The Weeknd, who play themselves.

Overall, this is a film that should not be missed, and I would not be shocked to see a number of award nominations for Uncut Gems in the future.

Uncut Gems is scheduled for a limited release in the United States on December 13, 2019, and will be released nationwide on December 25, 2019.

21 Bridges – Hunting Cop Killers

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“There are 21 bridges in and out of Manhattan. Shut’em down. Three rivers. Close them. Four tunnels. Block them. Stop every train line that leaves the island – Amtrak, PATH, New Jersey Transit, LIRR—and loop the subways. Then we flood the island with blue.”

That is certainly a dramatic undertaking! Just think of closing down all of Manhattan! That is the hook for 21 Bridges, a police thriller from director Brian Kirk and producers Joe and Anthony Russo.

Taylor Kitsch and Stephan James star in 21 BRIDGES

When a pair of criminals (Taylor Kitsch and Stephan James) steal cocaine from a restaurant used by a drug dealer, they are surprised by some police. In the shootout several police are killed. Detective Andre Davis (Chadwick Boseman) is brought in to investigate, and teamed up with narcotics detective Frankie Burns (Sienna Miller), a single mom struggling with the pressures of life. When it becomes obvious the killers are in Manhattan, and since it’s 2:00 a.m., the decision is made to shut down the island to find the killers. In a race against the clock the killers try to find their way out while Davis and the police zero in on them.

Davis is the real focus of the film. It opens with the words from Romans 13:4 being read at a funeral, and focusing on a child with tears in his eyes. It turns out that this is his father’s funeral, after his father, also a police officer, was killed in the line of duty. That verse, which of worldly authorities executing justice on God’s behalf, color how we see Andre throughout the film.

Chadwick Boseman stars in 21 Bridges

When we next see Davis, he is meeting with a police board. It turns out he has been involved in eight shootings in nine years—all justifiable. It is no wonder he is chosen to find these killers. No one wants them taken alive—except maybe Davis. The angry precinct captain (J.K. Simmons) is perfectly clear that he sees no point in prolonging the execution of justice. But Davis, we discover is not about killing bad guys—he’s about finding the truth. And the truth turns out to be far more complicated that just shutting down Manhattan. And when the truth is uncovered, Davis is determined to continue to be the manifestation of justice.

The film is very much a story of good vs. evil. However, the clear boundary between the two in the first half of the film becomes more complex in the second half. That makes the biblical quote that opens the film a bit sticky to consider. It is one thing to think of police as working with God’s authority to execute justice (I have some quibbles with this interpretation in the film, but I’ll let that pass), but what about when what we see the police acting in why that is clearly not in line with God’s justice? That becomes the central question of the latter part of the film.

J.K. Simmons, Chadwick Boseman and Sienna Miller star in 21 BRIDGES Image Courtesy of STXfilms

Oh, and the shutting all the bridges, etc.? I think it would make a really interesting film to focus on the logistics of that actually happening. Here it is really a minor plot point that very little actual attention is paid to. I wouldn’t be surprised that a plan to do that exists, but in this film it is far too spur of the moment to really be given credence.

Photos courtesy of STX Financing

Brittany Runs a Marathon: Finishing Well

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Written and directed by Paul Downs Colaizzo, Brittany Runs a Marathon tells the story of a hard-partying woman (Jillian Bell) who is challenged to change her life when she receives a wake-up call from her doctor regarding her physical health. Motivated to lose weight, Brittany opts to train for the New York City marathon while taking the opportunity to re-examine her priorities, friends and family relationships in an effort to prepare herself for the emotional journey ahead.

Based on a true story, Marathon is a fun but thoughtful film that crosses the finish line on the strength of lead Jillian Bell. While the film features strong performances from supporting cast members (especially Utkarsh Ambudkar), this is Bell’s film to carry. As Brittany, Bell creates a character that the audience both cheers on throughout her journey, yet also bears the scars of her burdens. While some might focus the narrative on the larger issue of the impact of the marathon itself, Colaizzo wisely focuses the story entirely on Brittany’s personal journey, giving the film a more intimate feel. As a result, the film both allows Bell to shine through her comedic forte but also explore her dramatic side as well. 

With the marathon looming in the distance, Marathon is a story about one woman’s hard work to get her life together, rather than just ‘getting healthy’. Having been shunned and called lazy due to her weight most of her life, Brittany’s real battle is within. No matter how many pounds she sheds, she still views herself through the warped lens of others, causing self-loathing and disgust. For her, the marathon becomes an opportunity to not only get into shape but also to grapple with her own emotional demons as well. (“The marathon was never about losing weight. It was about taking responsibility for your life,” her brother-in-law wisely reminds her.) 

Drawing ever closer on the calendar, the marathon soon becomes a metaphor for the battle for Brittany’s peace of mind. Brittany doesn’t need to run because of some compulsion to win. She needs to run to tell herself that she can finish well, not just in the race but also in her own life. Hilarious and touching, it’s Brittany Runs a Marathon’s interest in exploring responsibility and growth as opposed to merely physical health that really sets it apart from the pack. 

Brittany Runs a Marathon jogs into theatres on August 30th, 2019

Five Seasons: The Gardens of Piet Oudolf

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“This is what you’d like to see in nature.”

Gardens bring us pleasure, even if we have to work to keep them beautiful. Gardens bring a bit of nature close to us, even if it is in an artificial setting. But Dutch landscape designer Piet Oudolf seeks to make gardens that reflect nature. Filmmaker Thomas Piper has brought us Five Seasons: The Gardens of Piet Oudolf, a visually enjoyable visit to some of the amazing gardens Oudolf has designed.

Piper is a documentarian who has specialized in films about contemporary art. And the gardens that Oudolf designs are truly works of art. Oudolf began with a nursery to grow perennial plants, but in time branched out into designing public gardens that often seem to be like a trip into nature. Oudolf’s gardens include The High Line in New York City, Lurie Garden in Chicago, as well as gardens in London, Paris, and the Netherlands.

The film takes us to some of the gardens he has designed and lets us look over his shoulder as he works on a design for a new garden. In the process we move through the year from winter to winter to see how the gardens change over time. We also come to understand that the beauty of a garden is not limited to the colorful times of blooming, but even when the plants become “skeletons” there is still a beauty to be found. The film also takes us with Oudolf as he travels to see the beauty of nature in various places: the Texas Hill Country during the bluebonnet season, a prairie restoration in Iowa, and a post-industrial forest in Pennsylvania. Here he finds inspiration for his work.

Piet Oudolf’s plans for the gardens at Hauser & Wirth Somerset.

Because the film views these landscapes as art, it is careful to let us see the beauty—not only in the plants themselves, but in the design that Oudolf creates on paper. It also allows us time to savor the visual world, and to reflect on the relationship between humankind and nature.

There is a certain poetic feel to the film that invites us to consider the way nature enhances our lives and also how we fit in to nature. This is especially true as the film moves into the second winter, because at that point it gives us time to reflect on death—death that exists in nature before newness comes, and the death that is inevitable in every life.

The gardens at Hummelo in the fall.

Photos courtesy Argot Pictures