BEST OF 2024
BIRD WORDS Nicola Foley
I caught Bird at the opening night of Cambridge Film Festival in October, and found myself thinking about this wonderfully weird coming-of-age story for days after. Blending kitchen-sink grit with moments of magical realism, the film follows 12-year-old Bailey (played by incredible newcomer Nykiya Adams) as she navigates a fractured home life, impending adolescence and the arrival of a mysterious stranger into her life. Despite the heavy themes – drugs, domestic violence, poverty, teen pregnancy – there is a hopeful undercurrent, and some of the needle-drop moments are downright euphoric. Bailey’s father Bug (Barry Keoghan) swaying to Blur’s The Universal , a drunken wedding line dance to Cotton Eye Joe and a deranged e-scooter dash to a soundtrack of Too Real by Fontaines DC stick in the mind. At the heart of Bird is the extraordinary cinematography by Robbie Ryan, who reunites with director Andrea Arnold after their acclaimed collaborations on American Honey and Fish Tank . Ryan’s camerawork has a shaky, handheld style that draws the audience into Bailey’s emotional landscape. The camera stays close, capturing every expression and making us feel as if we are experiencing her world alongside her. It shifts between traditional POV shots and a more instinctive, rhythmic style. As Bailey navigates her chaotic life, the camera mirrors her emotional state – unsteady and frenetic at times of anxiety, tender and still during her reflective moments. Bailey’s obsession with filming her surroundings gives an interesting lens through which to view her world. As she captures moments on her iPhone, we get immersed in her memories and inner world. But where Bird really takes flight is in a scene towards the end of the film, depicting Snake (Bailey’s mother’s abusive boyfriend) on a violent rampage. This brutal scene, which suddenly takes a turn for the supernatural, was one of the most powerful I’ve seen in a cinema in a long time.
S ean Baker is one of Hollywood’s most daring filmmakers, and Anora is perhaps his finest work yet. Mikey Madison stars as the titular Anora (Ani), a young sex worker from Brooklyn who meets the son of a Russian oligarch. While Baker has frequently explored sex work in his films – with The Florida Project , Tangerine , Starlet and Red Rocket notable examples – each film is a unique character study and doesn’t feel repetitive. The film, which scooped the Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes, also marks Baker’s second feature collaboration with DOP Drew Daniels after Red Rocket . Daniels used ARRICAM LT 35mm cameras and anamorphic lenses to shoot the movie, echoing the films of New Hollywood and seventies cinema. It is no surprise that Daniels lists Owen Roizman ASC – The French Connection (1971), The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974), Three Days of the Condor (1975) ANORA WORDS Oliver Webb
– as an influence on his approach. Roizman’s work is clearly reflected through Daniels’ stylistic choices. Seeing Anora on the big screen was a treat, leaving a sold-out audience dazzled by its brevity. Expect to see Madison bag best actress at the Oscars, and perhaps a nom for Daniels, too.
36
DEFINITIONMAGAZINE.COM
Powered by FlippingBook