Three days into the 2nd Annual SRD Film Festival, this year taking place in the Mani, in the southern Peloponnese of Greece, and it’s going well so far.
First off was Saltburn, new to streaming. It features Barry Keoghan from a less privileged background in Liverpool studying at Oxford University and rubbing shoulders with the toffs. It’s an Emerald Fennell film, she of Killing Eve and Barbie. To enjoy it best I’d urge not to take it too literally, it does ask a lot of its viewer in terms of suspension of belief. Rather, it’s solid entertainment, with Keoghan great of course, but stand-outs for me Richard E Grant and Rosamund Pike as Lord and Lady of the Manor.
IMDb score 7.3 / 10 – My Score 7 / 10
Next was Tár, released in January. Cate Blanchett plays Lydia Tár, a piano virtuoso and conductor of the famed Berlin Orchestra. In driving the orchestra to produce their best she uses unorthodox methods, and at times that spills over into her personal life. The question as to whether her methods are abusive or exploitative are there for the viewer to consider.
A lot of my enjoyment of it was because her role is similar to a coach or captain leading their sports team.
IMDb score 7.4 / 10 – My Score 8 / 10
And last night, The Holdovers. In putting together the program for the Festival I did want to include films I may not be attracted to normally, and this is an example of that.
It’s 1970 at an elite boys boarding school in New England and bachelor ancient history teacher with thirty years in the post is charged with minding the four boys who can’t return to their homes over the Christmas break.
It’s well made and will be loved by many, but I found it overly sentimental and rather predictable.
IMDb score 8.0 / 10 – My Score 6 / 10
Safe Return Doubtful 
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