BFI Flare 2021 | Reviews

BFI Flare content commissioned by The Indiependent and Film East. Click on the images to view the original review. 

The Obituary of Tunde Johnson
A wealthy, Nigerian-American teen is pulled over by police, shot to death and immediately awakens, reliving the same day over and over, trapped in a terrifying time loop - forced to confront truths about his life and himself.

WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH:
The Obituary of Tunde Johnson is a film that rings with so many truths that you have to see it twice to fully comprehend its mission. It raises questions about being Black in America, about being Black and queer, about Blackness and class and about Black stereotypes and expectations. The film tackles issues of Black masculinity and sexuality and micro-racism and institutional racism. It may seem like the film is packed with too many themes, but they all blend together effortlessly to create a film that encapsulates a perspective of Blackness that is rarely explored in the film. But it’s Steven Silver’s powerful and brutal performance as Tunde that leaves you wanting more. Silver is a star in the making, and I would watch him just about anything. 
DOUBLE FEATURE: Ali LeRoi’s The Obituary of Tunde Johnson and Barry Jenkins’s Moonlight

Boy Meets Boy
During a weekend getaway to Berlin, Harry meets Johannes in the club. The two kiss and dance all night. The next morning, Johannes offers to help Harry print his boarding pass and shows him around the city. The two spend the rest of the day together, musing on complex philosophies and life as a modern queer man.   

WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH:
Berlin makes the perfect backdrop for a film that explores the complexities of 21st-century dating. Like modern love, the city, although chaotic and energising, can at times be simple and uncomplicated. Boy Meets Boy finds all the nuances of love in a world that never stops, showing the awkward, heartbreaking and beautiful side of temporary infatuation. Daniel Sanches Lopez’s wonderful film allows you to slow down and reflect on life. When you’re listening to Harry and Johannes talk about all the wonders of living, you can’t help but place yourself into the conversation. You feel as if you are a third-party in their day, travelling with them, thriving off the ecstasy of spontaneity and passion. (And it’s definitely a treat to live out a day on holiday in a European city at this point during Covid.)    

DOUBLE FEATURE:
Daniel Sanches Lopez’s Boy Meets Boy and Andrew Haigh’s Weekend