Woman at War and Birds of Passage—the best films in May 2019

 

Woman at War

Released on 3rd May

A middle-aged choir-leader has a secret identity: at night, Halla pulls on her Nordic knitwear, slings a crossbow over her shoulder and wages war on the heavy industry polluting the Icelandic countryside. But the delicate balance of her life is tipped when her ambition of being an adoptive parent comes closer to being realised. The earth mother versus real mother conundrum is deftly juggled; likewise, the eco message never stifles the irreverent spirit of the storytelling. The playful use of music is a particular pleasure.

 

Birds of Passage

Released on 17th May

A bracing narco-thriller explores the clash between indigenous Colombian communities and the appetites of the world outside. The backdrop is the tribal lands of the Wayuu people, which, between the late 1960s and the mid 1970s, were torn apart by a blood feud fuelled by the nascent drug smuggling industry. This excellent film blends the traditions of the gangster movie with the symbolism and allegory of Wayuu oral histories and creates something genuinely fresh and original.

 

Support the Girls

Released on 31st May

Part observational comedy, part social commentary, the latest film from “mumblecore” pioneer Andrew Bujalski unfolds over the course of two days at a sports bar. Regina Hall is wonderful as Lisa, the fiercely upbeat manageress (and den mother to the scantily clad girls who hustle for tips). But over the course of a trying day, Lisa finds her reserves of goodwill exhausted. Sharp writing and an unconventionally episodic structure make for an enjoyably offbeat take on female friendship and the slog of the service industry.