#Cinequest Film Festival day two
“Life In A Fishbowl” is an interesting exploration of how three peoples lives affected by the 2008 financial crisis intersected after that event. It is set in Iceland which was particularly hard hit by the crisis due to unwise decisions by the bankers in that country. So it is no surprise that several bankers play a role in the film. What is a surprise is the pivotal banker was a former sports star hired by the bank central to the story seemingly solely for his name recognition and personal charms. He was not hired because of any great intellect regarding economics or finance. Which I think is the most powerful message of the film. I gave it a 6 of 10 score because it so badly muddled the backstory of one of the three protagonists and why he was now an alcoholic; otherwise, it deserves a 8 of 10 score.
“Beast of Cardo” was the second film I saw today. I liked it but it has some major flaws (at least for an American audience). First, it doesn’t ever establish or explain adequately why the protagonist is forced to return home from her post-graduate education in America. Second, there is a major plot device (the killing of a dog, presumably the “Beast of Cardo”) which is inadequately set up and seems to have little significance to the broader story arc. What I did like was the use of two dream-like episodes. The first appears early in the movie and is initially confusing. By the time the second appears at the end of the movie you both understand the first scene and appreciate how the second dream-like sequence is the perfect close to the movie.