Arconada

The film Bram Fischer tells the story of the eponymous South African lawyer who defended Nelson Mandela and his comrades during the Rivonia Trial. While the film strives for historical accuracy, it sometimes lacks the dramatic tension needed to fully engage the viewer. This is partly due to the filmmakers' commendable choice to avoid exaggeration, but the result occasionally feels flat and emotionally distant.

Another point of criticism is the tacit promotion of communism as the liberator of apartheid. While it is understandable that certain anti-apartheid activists adhered to communist ideology, the film offers little to no space for critical reflection on this ideology. Communism, however idealistic it may be portrayed, can only exist through the suppression of dissent, a problematic aspect of this ideology that remains unaddressed.

All in all, Bram Fischer is a well-intentioned biographical film that could have benefited from more depth and nuance in its treatment of its themes.

I made the effort to watch Pendular. The film follows two self-proclaimed artists, who possess little to no real talent, sharing both their lives and a studio. On top of that, they struggle with communication, both professionally and socially. What unfolds is a series of attempts at creating art, interspersed with rather explicit sexual scenes. Due to their poor communication, they realize too late that their art is not well-received. The situation worsens when the man discovers, again belatedly due to miscommunication, that his partner had been pregnant and underwent an abortion, which strains their relationship. That's essentially the plot. While the acting appears natural, it isn't strong enough to carry the film. Overall, it's a rather dull movie.