Film Review: Corn Island
A few weeks ago, I participated in a film review contest where everyone had to review this film. This was my submission:
Corn island is a Georgian film which was released in 2014. Directed by Giorgi Ovashvili and starring Ilyas Salman and Mariam Buturushvili, the film was Georgia's submission for the Best Foreign Film at the 87th Academy Awards.
First things first, don't expect much in terms of story content. The opening minutes of the film explain how small land masses rise up and float on the water which are rich with soil and are used to grow and harvest crops for winter. The land masses are then washed away by rain and the cycle repeats itself come springtime. The basic premise of the film is about a man and his granddaughter growing corn on one such land mass. But much of the film focuses on the building of their house, the tilling of the land, harbouring a fugitive, planting and harvesting the crops with great emphasis on each of these situations.
Corn Island's simplicity could be considered a problem but it was its strongest feature. The mostly silent dialogue and the minimal action gave the film a peaceful atmosphere. In addition, the island as well as its surrounding elements were aesthetically pleasing and each component such as the river and the mountains in the distance were shown beautifully. One interesting trait of the film was the lack of a musical score which worked to its advantage. Though there were a few moments were music was used, the sounds of nature acted as an adequate soundtrack for the film. But perhaps the highlights of the film were the main characters, the elderly farmer and the young girl. The old man managed to win me over with his arduous efforts and work ethic while the young girl's actions were very realistic especially for a girl her age. Thanks to this, I felt very attached towards these characters which led me to worry about them at the climax. But I did have a few issues with this film.
Perhaps my biggest concern with Corn Island is that it felt like it was Oscar bait, meaning that the film was made for the purpose of appealing to the Academy Award voters and not the general public. The reasons for my statement are as follows:
1. The film does not have much substance
2. The film tries to make the viewer feel sympathy for the main characters
3. The director is a renown filmmaker whose previous film was also Georgia's submission for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film
Despite featuring characteristics of an Oscar worthy film, Corn Island was only shortlisted for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film but did not secure a nomination.
Aside from the above, the film tried to showcase some political tension with the recurring army officers but this left no major impact on the whole. Even the part with the renegade soldier, while adding some excitement and spice to the story, ultimately did nothing to affect the climax of the story.
Overall, I think Corn Island is not for everyone. The film requires a great deal of patience and is best suited for viewers who already have a taste for simple, quiet indie dramas. However, if you are not a fan of such films, then prepare for a 100 minute tedious affair about an old man growing some corn on a tiny piece of land. Regardless, I believe it is worth watching at at least once
Corn island is a Georgian film which was released in 2014. Directed by Giorgi Ovashvili and starring Ilyas Salman and Mariam Buturushvili, the film was Georgia's submission for the Best Foreign Film at the 87th Academy Awards.
First things first, don't expect much in terms of story content. The opening minutes of the film explain how small land masses rise up and float on the water which are rich with soil and are used to grow and harvest crops for winter. The land masses are then washed away by rain and the cycle repeats itself come springtime. The basic premise of the film is about a man and his granddaughter growing corn on one such land mass. But much of the film focuses on the building of their house, the tilling of the land, harbouring a fugitive, planting and harvesting the crops with great emphasis on each of these situations.
Corn Island's simplicity could be considered a problem but it was its strongest feature. The mostly silent dialogue and the minimal action gave the film a peaceful atmosphere. In addition, the island as well as its surrounding elements were aesthetically pleasing and each component such as the river and the mountains in the distance were shown beautifully. One interesting trait of the film was the lack of a musical score which worked to its advantage. Though there were a few moments were music was used, the sounds of nature acted as an adequate soundtrack for the film. But perhaps the highlights of the film were the main characters, the elderly farmer and the young girl. The old man managed to win me over with his arduous efforts and work ethic while the young girl's actions were very realistic especially for a girl her age. Thanks to this, I felt very attached towards these characters which led me to worry about them at the climax. But I did have a few issues with this film.
Perhaps my biggest concern with Corn Island is that it felt like it was Oscar bait, meaning that the film was made for the purpose of appealing to the Academy Award voters and not the general public. The reasons for my statement are as follows:
1. The film does not have much substance
2. The film tries to make the viewer feel sympathy for the main characters
3. The director is a renown filmmaker whose previous film was also Georgia's submission for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film
Despite featuring characteristics of an Oscar worthy film, Corn Island was only shortlisted for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film but did not secure a nomination.
Aside from the above, the film tried to showcase some political tension with the recurring army officers but this left no major impact on the whole. Even the part with the renegade soldier, while adding some excitement and spice to the story, ultimately did nothing to affect the climax of the story.
Overall, I think Corn Island is not for everyone. The film requires a great deal of patience and is best suited for viewers who already have a taste for simple, quiet indie dramas. However, if you are not a fan of such films, then prepare for a 100 minute tedious affair about an old man growing some corn on a tiny piece of land. Regardless, I believe it is worth watching at at least once
Comments
Post a Comment