In Fabric

I’m going to give this film half a star because I hated it that much, but here’s the thing: isn’t such a reaction worth five stars? To simply dislike a film, move on and never give it a second thought is more of an insult than a half star rating. My full-bodied hatred of ‘In Fabric’ means that a gamut of emotions was run throughout the course of viewing, and that’s all a filmmaker is really trying to do, right? Invocation, no matter the result? And for that, ‘In Fabric’ is a raging success. Five stars!

• Jess Fenton

Read Jess' full article... https://www.maketheswitch.com.au/article/review-in-fabric-the-best-worst-film-ever

Head to https://www.maketheswitch.com.au/sff for more Sydney Film Festival reviews.

Very strange, very stylish, very funny, but not for everyone

Modern man is drinking and drugging himself out of awareness, or he spends his time shopping, which is the same thing.

• Ernest Becker; The Denial of Death (1973)

In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should enjoy unprecedented savings on all their favourite brands. This was the first Black Friday and took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to find their discounts. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the cit__y of David called Bethlehem, because he had his eye on a new laptop. He went to be registered at Target with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in the latest styles from Old Navy, and laid him in a shopping cart, because they were waiting in line to get into Walmart.

• Adam Kotsko; "The story of the first Black Friday" (2014)

One of the most visually and aurally accomplished filmmakers currently working, writer/director Peter Strickland has thus far enjoyed considerable critical acclaim and some limited arthouse and festival success, but has been unable to make much of a mainstream impact. Not that he seems remotely bothered by this, as his latest, In Fabric, is easily the most impenetrable and singular work in his increasingly impressive oeuvre. On paper, it's all very straightforward – an unsuspecting customer buys a dress that seems to be haunted (or may actually be inherently evil), and it unleashes chaos in her life. But as anyone who has seen any of Strickland's previous films knows, bare plot outlines do little to convey the riches therein – sure, Katalin Varga (2009) is a rape/revenge thriller, Berberian Sound Studio (2012) is a giallo love-letter, and The Duke of Burgundy (2014) is an S&M-themed lesbian r...