tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82391452557049615372024-03-06T15:46:47.277+11:00Mr MoviesI love Movies. I watch approximately 200 per year. Some good, some bad, some brilliant. I'm here to tell you about these movies.
<br> I am absolutely NOT a writer, I do this for fun.
Be warned, you are now entering spoiler territory.Mr Movieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08003659808749073067noreply@blogger.comBlogger549125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8239145255704961537.post-79901815912714155962024-02-24T21:52:00.003+11:002024-02-24T21:52:41.213+11:00THE WHITE DOVE<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhUUkAZsGDPlyyF6iUN3E6enqrGSyeW6menF6dir1-NRybOjHjs_QQYYNEq-hZ_a1qVNi3FJmpWqrNiNjgMB2yauzIR7Iw1hbNkqKbmVsAjymsySvs1BHr0Y4Ef2Sx1-bQjqSmT5xWZo8TWwDE-5yvRWZCwLg-21exmfxjDxFgYNiWUQ6H_KyUCmpD7A/s960/white-dove-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhUUkAZsGDPlyyF6iUN3E6enqrGSyeW6menF6dir1-NRybOjHjs_QQYYNEq-hZ_a1qVNi3FJmpWqrNiNjgMB2yauzIR7Iw1hbNkqKbmVsAjymsySvs1BHr0Y4Ef2Sx1-bQjqSmT5xWZo8TWwDE-5yvRWZCwLg-21exmfxjDxFgYNiWUQ6H_KyUCmpD7A/s320/white-dove-poster.jpg" width="213" /></a></div></span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">My love of Czechoslovakian cinema from the 1950's, 60's and 70's,
also brings with it a lot of fear too. Due to the political
situation these filmmakers were working in during these decades, they
often told stories that were either full of symbolism or were
allegories to the world they were currently living in, usually of a
critical nature. As such, I often worry that I will not understand
the full intent of these Czech films or by focusing too heavily on
the symbolism, that I end up not paying attention to the narrative
and find myself totally lost in the film altogether. Whilst I would
never call myself an expert of Czechoslovakian cinema, I am also not
a total novice either, thanks largely in part to Second Run DVD's
very impressive roster of films from the former country. In fact,
looking at the top ten list of greatest Czech films ever (chosen by
Czech and Slovak critics in a 1998 poll), I am happy to say that I
have seen them all. The film that came in at number one in that poll
was Frantisek Vlacil's “Marketa Lazarova” (1967), which I must
admit, was a film that I personally struggled with. No doubt from an
artistic point of view, the film is stunning to behold, but like I
mentioned above, I actually found myself lost in the film's
narrative, and at times found it difficult to work out what was
happening in the story. However, this wasn't the case with Vlacil's
previous film, “The Devil''s Trap”, as I loved that from
beginning to end. However, when I came across some stills of the
film Vlacil made before “The Devil's Trap”, “The White Dove”,
I just knew that this was a film screaming out to me to watch. Once
I read the plot synopsis, I was totally sold on “The White Dove”.</span></div>
<p style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">The film is about a homing dove, who on her journey back to her owner
on a Baltic island, gets caught in a storm and finds herself lost,
ending up in Prague. Soon after landing in Prague, she is shot down
by a disabled boy from an apartment window, using an air rifle.
Immediately feeling regret over his actions, the young boy (along
with an artist who lives upstairs) attempts to nurse the dove back to
life, but will he able to set it free to be with its owner once it
has the strength to go? Meanwhile, back on that Baltic island, the
young dove's owner is distraught at the thought of never seeing her
beloved bird again.</span></p>
<p style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Oh my goodness, is this movie stunning! As you can see from the plot
synopsis, “The White Dove” has the most beautiful story line to
it, and once again it succeeds so well due to its simplicity. At
only 66 minutes long, it is a tiny story, but it is packed full with
emotion, and not one minute of it's running time is wasted. Even
more impressive, is the fact that it is also done with very limited
dialogue, meaning the film visuals do all the heavy lifting in terms
of storytelling. Although using the term “heavy” in regards to
“The White Dove” seems totally wrong, as the film feels so light,
breezy and effortless. It is such a beautiful film.</span></p>
<p style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">The most impressive thing about “The White Dove” is, no doubt,
the stunning visuals that director Vlacil and his cinematographer Jan
Curik come up with. Some of the shots on display are simply
spectacular and awe inspiring. Shot in gorgeous black and white,
Vlacil and Curik come up with the most gorgeous images to tell their
story. At times it is the simple use of montage to tell a moment
perfectly (I'm thinking of the scene when the dove is shot and falls
to the ground; we see a shot of glass breaking, then a feather
falling, back to the glass which now has blood dripping from it, back
to the body of the lifeless bird on the ground). Other times Vlacil
uses these virtuoso camera moves that are so complex, particularly
due to the timing of events happening within the frame, however they
never feel like he is showing off. The shot is used in the best
interest of the story. The very final shot of the film is the
perfect example of this (seriously, pay attention to both how long
the shot is, and how much happens within it). Vlacil also regularly
uses frames within frames, which makes sense as he is dealing with an
artist's life, but again, it is all done to perfection. There is one
shot where he uses multiple mirrors which sees the artist walk
directly towards himself, that really made me sit back and wonder how
he did it. I would have to say though that the most impressive
moment in “The White Dove” is Susanna's (she is the original
owner of the dove) dream sequence. During her sleep, young Susanna
hears the hushed voice of the dove calling her name. She awakens
from her slumber, walks to the back door of her house and opens it,
only to reveal the ocean literally on her doorstep, as she
immediately steps outside and, like Jesus himself, walks on top of
the water in search for her lost dove. How Vlacil and Curik pulled
this moment off, I'll never know, but it is “the” highlight of a
film filled with many. Even the way Vlacil shoots the apartment
block that the young boy and the artist live in is amazing. He
chooses the most unusual but spectacular angles that just give the
film so much life. I quickly also want to mention that Jan Curik was
also the cinematographer of “Valerie and her Week of Wonders”;
another stunningly beautiful film, although this time in colour, that
everyone should check out.</span></p>
<p style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Another aspect of “The White Dove” that I loved was watching the
artist hard at work on his art. He uses a number of different
mediums in the film, from painting to sculpting, and they are all so
interesting because they feel like they were actually done on camera
for the film. Vlacil himself was an artist before becoming a
filmmaker and it is no surprise, as he is able to really portray what
the artist is doing in a very authentic manner. So often in films
when art is shown being created onscreen, it feel like the artwork is
already done with an actor just pretending by doing a few
brushstrokes. Here we witness an entire painting, that is done on a
mirror no less, from start to finish, and I was mesmerised by the
whole thing. The pay off to that painting is also just perfect too.</span></p>
<p style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">In regards to the story of “The White Dove”, it is beautiful to
watch the young boy's recovery as it mirrors the doves. We learn in
a flashback, that the boy's disability is more in his mind than
physical after he injured himself in front of his friends whilst
climbing a large fence at school. Traumatised by the incident, he is
too scared to go back outside and play with his friends again, so is
stuck in a wheelchair instead. However whilst looking after the
dove, he too finds the strength to walk again and to take a chance on
life once more. Initially, the artist from upstairs believes that
the dove is a lost cause and should be put out of its misery, but
through the boy's love he is able to perform a miracle, and bring the
bird to full strength again. What is so beautiful about this story
is the amount of life this dove brings to the people it inadvertently
touches.</span></p>
<p style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">So what of the symbolism and potential allegory in “The White Dove”
that I was fearing? To be honest, I am sure that the film is full of
it, but I was determined not to search for it on my initial viewing
for fear of tainting it. However, with the dove often used to
symbolise peace, it is not a long bow to draw to think that Vlacil
may be saying that through love and caring of one another, that the
Czech people can once again find peace. There is also a scene of a
clay sculpture having its face violently cut off of it, which seems
to symbolise a loss of identity or something of the sort, but I would
be lying if I said I had fully analysed the film with this gaze.
Whilst I am sure that it is there, I can guarantee that even if you
do not notice any of the potential symbolism, you will still be able
to love and enjoy “The White Dove”.</span></p>
<p style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Overall, I found Frantisek Vlacil's “The White Dove” to be a very
special film indeed. It is such a simple story but packed full of
emotion. Combined with it stunning visuals, it gives the film the
quality of a visual poem. The complexity and precision of some of
the shots on display cannot be overlooked, but what is most
impressive about them is the way that Vlacil makes them feel so
effortless and poetic. I loved this film so, so much, and think it
is one of my most favourite cinematic discoveries since I found “The
Cranes Are Flying” back during the covid lock-downs. One thing is
for certain, it is a film I will revisit often, and one that makes me
want to sit down and re-watch Vlacil's “Marketa Lazarova” as soon
as possible.
</span></p>
<p style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
</p>
<p style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><i>4.5 Stars.</i></span></p> <br /></div>Mr Movieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08003659808749073067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8239145255704961537.post-42099589265235797172024-01-09T21:56:00.000+11:002024-01-09T21:56:54.439+11:002023 - IN REVIEW: MOST ANTICIPATED FILMS OF 2024<p>
</p><p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Just like every year
that has come before it, there are a plethora of new releases that
are slated for release in 2024 that I am eagerly anticipating. From
last year's list, I'm still waiting on releases for Tran Anh Hung's
“The Taste of Things”, and Jeff Nicol's “Bikeriders”, so
obviously these are still hugely anticipated and should be considered
an extension of the below list (but I do not like including the same
titles for multiple years). Besides the titles below that I am
shining a spotlight on, 2024 will see a number of new and exciting
films from talented directors, the likes of Yorgos Lanthimos (“Kinds
of Kindness”), Steven Soderbergh (“Presence”), David Michod
(“Wizards!”), Rose Glass (“Love Lies Bleeding”), Luca
Guadgnino (“Challengers”), Ti West (“MaXXXine”), Denis
Villeneuve (“Dune: Part Two”), Steve McQueen (“Blitz”),
Ridley Scott (“Gladiator 2”), Francis Ford Coppola
(“Megalopolis”), George Miller (“Furiosa”), Paul Schrader
(“Oh, Canada”), Dea Kulumbegashvili (“Those Who Find Me”),
Justin Kurzel (“The Order”), Roman Zurcher (“The Sparrow in the
Chimney”), Jim Jarmusch (“Father Mother Sister Brother”), David
Cronenberg (“The Shrouds”), David Lowery (“Mother Mary”), Bi
Gan (“Resurrection”), Leos Carax (“It's Not Me”), Tom Tykwer
(“The Light”), Paolo Sorrentino (“Parthenope”) Guy Maddin
(“Rumors”), and maybe, just maybe, we will finally see Terrence
Malick's latest (“The Way of the Wind”). All of the above I am
looking forward to, but the below nine films are my most anticipated
films of 2024:</span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk-KwvsYtVOi4KwIyA4Piw6B7kNriLxQJ4Sp9_k2J5tJlX8gmHl7qPh-S0XPGN9Eb043qh4j6nkwI5fYOwS3rQck5MIhKJ6lqxT4IIzJbOVbtxVCjNyl31yQRZ65EUZWwuMvZ6gJQfRfG-tJj6QICJElD06WciJJejFZ5kw4UpfdmVkjA_cAsyROzV6Q/s1056/joker-folie-a-deux.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="845" data-original-width="1056" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk-KwvsYtVOi4KwIyA4Piw6B7kNriLxQJ4Sp9_k2J5tJlX8gmHl7qPh-S0XPGN9Eb043qh4j6nkwI5fYOwS3rQck5MIhKJ6lqxT4IIzJbOVbtxVCjNyl31yQRZ65EUZWwuMvZ6gJQfRfG-tJj6QICJElD06WciJJejFZ5kw4UpfdmVkjA_cAsyROzV6Q/s320/joker-folie-a-deux.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><u><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">JOKER: FOLIE A DEUX</span></u><p></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">It is rare that a
film so mainstream is on my most anticipated list, but I really liked
what Todd Phillips did with the original 2019 film, and his take on
the clown prince of crime himself. Joaquin Phoenix was amazing in
the title role too, so to have the two key creative personnel
returning for this sequel has me optimistic. I am also under no
illusions though that this could go down the route of so many other
sequels by making it bigger and louder, and in the process losing
what made the original film so great, and end up a total disaster.
Whilst little is known in terms of the film's plot, what we have
heard about the film has really got me thinking that the film could
turn out to be a surprising gem. I love the title, first of all, and
hearing it is meant to be some messed up kind of musical also warms
my heart, but it was the casting of Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn that
really made me sit up. It is perfect casting in my eyes, and as much
as I love Margot Robbie's take on the character, her version would
not work in the real world aesthetics of the “Joker” film.
Succeed or fail, I am looking forward to how “Joker: Folie a Deux”
will turn out.</span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRFR2bzCj5ualEPTHSNRsw0GucIocByhKFRq0995XUP-7gCXAckKbSaEQNYUJNSvb0fMN4ihmkgRiHyxpPQ8TMWIuQrNyl9VAn8h6aknJ_VDhcIhZJgFU_w-69hbO8jEyrqvYqCmUu6SGroZRin1ZxG21V6n1KJ0FtDjYe75M67x73K240VZ0FSvmI5g/s1008/emmanuelle.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="552" data-original-width="1008" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRFR2bzCj5ualEPTHSNRsw0GucIocByhKFRq0995XUP-7gCXAckKbSaEQNYUJNSvb0fMN4ihmkgRiHyxpPQ8TMWIuQrNyl9VAn8h6aknJ_VDhcIhZJgFU_w-69hbO8jEyrqvYqCmUu6SGroZRin1ZxG21V6n1KJ0FtDjYe75M67x73K240VZ0FSvmI5g/s320/emmanuelle.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><u><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">EMMANUELLE</span></u><p></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">The inclusion of
“Emmanuelle” on this list is solely due to how great director
Audrey Diwan's previous film, “Happening”, was. “Happening”
topped my top twenty list from last year, so no matter what Diwan did
next, I was always going to be anticipating it. I have never seen
the original “Emmanuelle” films starring Sylvia Kristel, but from
reputation alone I just assumed that they were smutty lowbrow
entertainment. However, Diwan's interest in adapting the story once
again makes me feel that there is more to it than what I assumed, as
I couldn't imagine a talent like hers would be interested in making
what I thought was one dimensional smut. Anyway, Diwan has cast the
lovely Noemie Merlant in the title role, and I have just noticed that
Naomi Watts is in the film now too. The film has already finished
shooting which seems to suggest that a Cannes premiere is on the
cards meaning we only have to wait until May to see “a woman and
the series of erotic fantasises that she entertains”.</span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXdH3vK1iAqEPqOdWMKuYUjw5IYIARVL_WAqfvLwpWqC5G-Tz8lWp2Mjfzi0uYU8y8N2DoLCuPS-bn3hJB68wga2p-gELzcmiaZa6eXDmsAMXeqx1WMUmlnlWZeHbW1qN2i54HB2Q796geyNfxMCF6aScZWSak-mlZ5byIQCpDOCy5L0xSmgAm_OaIBw/s1234/maria.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="759" data-original-width="1234" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXdH3vK1iAqEPqOdWMKuYUjw5IYIARVL_WAqfvLwpWqC5G-Tz8lWp2Mjfzi0uYU8y8N2DoLCuPS-bn3hJB68wga2p-gELzcmiaZa6eXDmsAMXeqx1WMUmlnlWZeHbW1qN2i54HB2Q796geyNfxMCF6aScZWSak-mlZ5byIQCpDOCy5L0xSmgAm_OaIBw/s320/maria.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><u><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">MARIA</span></u><p></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">For the second year
in a row, director Pablo Larrain has made it onto my most anticipated
list with his newest film. While “El Conde” didn't quite reach
the heights I was hoping for (the film is still pretty entertaining),
it has not cooled me on Larrain's next effort, “Maria”, which is
a biopic on the world's greatest opera singer, Maria Callas. This
will surprise no-one when I say that I know nothing about opera, so
it may seem a strange film to be looking so forward to, but the
reason for this has to do with the strength of the two previous
female bio-pics Pablo Larrain made, namely “Jackie” and
“Spencer”, both of which were phenomenal. Apparently the film
follows the life of Callas from the mid-1950s until her final days in
1970's Paris. Larrain has cast Angelina Jolie in the lead role, and
has re-teamed with cinematographer Edward Lachmann who also shot “El
Conde”. The film has already finished shooting, and the big news
for me was that “Maria” was shot on film, as Larrain and Lachmann
decided that this was the way that Callas would have been seen at the
time.</span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqg-UE0oKdgvMto41bvVVWRv3u4R0YM9ybsQdJQ2flkdetbt_V4tA8msdG_J2asyuMjPijBF2jN2h7-cS1ViHS5H6yr1UjbbDbL38Vf8VYksKfqZ9vz-N-eUdGBdf4gAn3qAfns8WKug6q2bCfwtfNeNPjdqWZa_Wdx624uTr9cqjYQbjl6X_mGlCwdg/s1093/longlegs.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="562" data-original-width="1093" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqg-UE0oKdgvMto41bvVVWRv3u4R0YM9ybsQdJQ2flkdetbt_V4tA8msdG_J2asyuMjPijBF2jN2h7-cS1ViHS5H6yr1UjbbDbL38Vf8VYksKfqZ9vz-N-eUdGBdf4gAn3qAfns8WKug6q2bCfwtfNeNPjdqWZa_Wdx624uTr9cqjYQbjl6X_mGlCwdg/s320/longlegs.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><u><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">LONGLEGS</span></u><p></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">This
is the fourth film directed by Oz Perkins, with the previous three
being outstanding, and deserving of more attention than they got.
His latest, “Longlegs” is a serial killer thriller that the imdb
describes like so: “</span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">FBI Agent
Lee Harker is assigned to an unsolved serial killer case that takes
unexpected turns, revealing evidence of the occult. Harker discovers
a personal connection to the killer and must stop him before he
strikes again.”. While it does have a generic sounding plot, none
of Perkins' films before would ever be called generic, even though
they mine material of well worn genres. Like Perkins himself, the
much under-appreciated Maika Monroe stars as Agent Harker, with
Nicolas Cage apparently playing the killer. Monroe has excellent
taste when picking horror projects to be a part of, while Cage has
recently come out stating that he will be very frugal in the roles he
plays now, only choosing to do something if he thinks the project is
really special. The film has been fully completed and even has an
MPA rating, so I am sure it will not be long until we see a trailer
or at least a release date for “Longlegs” soon.</span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><u></u></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><u><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqkAGvtPY-fHwUcU6g-Z2l2vfgMGRcG-lebhT_bpY3RhPK3Y1oykkYD-DdkNAasQOh_tFJImB5coT06rP0kZp_lW9bDoik6V9b8FhIXcpqCZF_d3RDT3ZllECS-CZkTx5rJg0PfEmblCNdP_KxbfoCvjI_Z-E0ZXWRrIxGEfiEJeSoa2zeg6Agnr2H4A/s860/shadow-of-fire-poster.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="860" data-original-width="603" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqkAGvtPY-fHwUcU6g-Z2l2vfgMGRcG-lebhT_bpY3RhPK3Y1oykkYD-DdkNAasQOh_tFJImB5coT06rP0kZp_lW9bDoik6V9b8FhIXcpqCZF_d3RDT3ZllECS-CZkTx5rJg0PfEmblCNdP_KxbfoCvjI_Z-E0ZXWRrIxGEfiEJeSoa2zeg6Agnr2H4A/s320/shadow-of-fire-poster.JPG" width="224" /></a></u></div><u><br /></u><u><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">SHADOW
OF FIRE</span></span></span></u><p></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">While
technically a 2023 release in Japan, the rest of the world will
finally get to see director Shinya Tsukamoto's latest film, “Shadow
of Fire” in 2024. The film is apparently about the immediate
aftermath of WWII, and the struggles of the Japanese people to move
on and live after the events of the war, particularly focusing on a
young boy orphaned during the war, and a woman forced to sell her
body in an attempt to keep on living, and fight the crushing despair
within her. As you can see, it sounds like it will be quite intense
and very confronting, but I have total faith in whatever Tsukamoto
comes up with, as he is a true original in today's cinema landscape.
Through interviews I have seen with Tsukamoto in the past, he is
particular struck by war and the fact that his generation never went
through it, fearing that lessons learnt from these past wars may end
up being repeated due to how little today's generations know about
the war, so I am sure it will be a very personal film for Shinya
Tsukamoto, and one that I cannot wait to see, as I have been
thoroughly impressed by the already released trailer for “Shadow of
Fire”.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVnfo-9WaYtVkLzXS56FyNG9nyVYU7lTL6uwtmoqpjsNEZFMMcER-qXkEWr9N6y9_NgC7yh6OWzRG1LRKecBv4ND9B6lpSRSbBuOyeDgX7bbL0GQAswJBAuEZIbVtvOz6sH66V_VtolY7k0R0RaR6-cNe7rfopB54dEumNw5NzCGD6hjC-TG0C7QhHUw/s1043/serpents-path-remake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="1043" height="124" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVnfo-9WaYtVkLzXS56FyNG9nyVYU7lTL6uwtmoqpjsNEZFMMcER-qXkEWr9N6y9_NgC7yh6OWzRG1LRKecBv4ND9B6lpSRSbBuOyeDgX7bbL0GQAswJBAuEZIbVtvOz6sH66V_VtolY7k0R0RaR6-cNe7rfopB54dEumNw5NzCGD6hjC-TG0C7QhHUw/s320/serpents-path-remake.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><u><span style="font-weight: normal;">LE
CHEMIN DU SERPENT / CHIME</span></u></span></span><p></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">2024
has the rare distinction of having two new films by Japanese director
Kiyoshi Kurosawa ready to be released. The first, “Le Chemin du
Serpent”, is actually a French language remake of “Serpent's
Path”, which Kurosawa made in Japan back in 1997. The new film is
described like so: “A mysterious woman team up with a man whose
daughter was killed and who is now seeking revenge. Together they
kidnap members of an organisation and torture them to find out what
really happened.” This sounds pretty close to the original
although it appears that one of the characters has now been changed
to a woman, which will be interesting to see how that changes the
story's dynamics. I was happy to see Kurosawa reuniting with
cinematographer Alexis Kavyrchine, who shot his previous French
language film “Daguerrotype”, for this and with Mathieu Amalric
who also had a role in that previous film. </span></span></span></span>
</p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnn-ydRZZF1hdwI-ZuwMoohPso34fwCQxbNzbnoEft-tO23v5OWbQc8epgv8I2MuAv1BhzGYmCYnPTW5XKO3cwmKhLoHCiTcbEFfkCq9Irq5XX0nYiPJGcTyu1IVaaRH_N4EE_dKiQX_YRKcDlsHtvmZpUcUbuR5nsY_MTv7JJ7WckPb5kM4C4BYCRZw/s1200/chime.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnn-ydRZZF1hdwI-ZuwMoohPso34fwCQxbNzbnoEft-tO23v5OWbQc8epgv8I2MuAv1BhzGYmCYnPTW5XKO3cwmKhLoHCiTcbEFfkCq9Irq5XX0nYiPJGcTyu1IVaaRH_N4EE_dKiQX_YRKcDlsHtvmZpUcUbuR5nsY_MTv7JJ7WckPb5kM4C4BYCRZw/s320/chime.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Kurosawa's
other film coming out in 2024 is a Japanese film called “Chime”,
and is about “a schoolteacher whose life is disrupted by a chime
that brings with it an increasing sense of dread.” What is most
interesting about this is that the film is apparently not a horror
film, but something else entirely. Here is what Kurosawa himself
says about the film: “This is a work that aims to shock the viewer
and leave them with a strong sense of fear after watching it. Nothing
that is necessary in a normal story is explained. Also, it doesn’t
fit into genres like horror or suspense. That’s the aim of this
work: a crazy movie, a movie that’s out of this world.” Very
intriguing, but what I love the most about the film is that the
producers told Kurosawa to make what ever he wanted, so whatever
“Chime” turns out to be, it is going to be 100% Kiyoshi Kurosawa.</span></span></span></span><p></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUIpj7JjwsJZTR8QRB954H4XfXG4tv_ZhRspHaMCtREAwTdV-s_RMGjwBGjjPPjfT_LbDGuOcjD-UOWLWIDOrwB3KzgAJd0Pd9IUztRmeCF1H5k-5ltGsWbKbUvjNMLHEJnj0Vu4-mcjiEfCsON9Ssi8z3o_xFqr_wYM5KCHFqMkjMrD-tL-bYyG2XUw/s868/mickey-17.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="858" data-original-width="868" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUIpj7JjwsJZTR8QRB954H4XfXG4tv_ZhRspHaMCtREAwTdV-s_RMGjwBGjjPPjfT_LbDGuOcjD-UOWLWIDOrwB3KzgAJd0Pd9IUztRmeCF1H5k-5ltGsWbKbUvjNMLHEJnj0Vu4-mcjiEfCsON9Ssi8z3o_xFqr_wYM5KCHFqMkjMrD-tL-bYyG2XUw/s320/mickey-17.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><u><span style="font-weight: normal;">MICKEY
17</span></u></span></span><p></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I
have said this before but any film directed by Bong Joon-ho will
always end up on my most anticipated list. The man is a phenomenal
director who has still yet to make a bad film. Something I had
forgotten until writing this list though is this is Bong's first film
since “Parasite” took over the world and the Academy Awards back
in 2019-20. The pressure on the man to try and replicate the success
of “Parasite” must be huge, and yet I am sure he doesn't feel a
thing, as he has always gone about his career making whatever he
wants, and what feels right to him in the moment. As such I am sure
that “Mickey 17” will both impress, and be nothing like he has
made before. Here is how the imdb describes the film: “A return to
speculative sci-fi fantasy for Bong Joon-ho, who went stratospheric
with his Oscar-winning psychological satire Parasite. Adapted from
the novel Mickey7 by Edward Ashton, this stars Robert Pattinson as an
"expendable" - a disposable crew member on a space mission,
selected for dangerous tasks because he can be renewed if his body
dies, with his memories largely intact. With one regeneration,
though, things go very wrong.” As it says above, Bong has cast
Robert Pattinson as his lead (hey, that means my wife may actually
watch this film with me!), with Mark Ruffalo, Toni Collette and
Steven Yuen rounding out the cast. Darius Khondji is the
cinematographer on “Mickey 17” re-uniting with the director after
shooting his “Okja” back in 2017.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-ph1AFkNwKx5sx5Aj0QJ4KFpZeTmT6N9IswTA6fSNN3UZDrroxqY9NSUdjrnEIwnWjjESp3Y6NrhgBvqYoBZAGtVzz_-xpsw_l3iqQTQ5H0mBr9LfMJbYo73am466vrAiA5013yNtH18MJMNWJ5i-ZpiTld_SjDYhhz6ZOBYUxnM1QvNp-fqj9sAUQQ/s1432/nosferatu-2024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="757" data-original-width="1432" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-ph1AFkNwKx5sx5Aj0QJ4KFpZeTmT6N9IswTA6fSNN3UZDrroxqY9NSUdjrnEIwnWjjESp3Y6NrhgBvqYoBZAGtVzz_-xpsw_l3iqQTQ5H0mBr9LfMJbYo73am466vrAiA5013yNtH18MJMNWJ5i-ZpiTld_SjDYhhz6ZOBYUxnM1QvNp-fqj9sAUQQ/s320/nosferatu-2024.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><u>NOSFERATU</u>
</span></span></span></span>
<p></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">My
most anticipated film of 2024 is none other than Robert Eggers' take
on “Nosferatu”, a passion project for the director who has been
talking about making this film from the very beginning when his debut
film “The Witch” came out. This will be the third incarnation of
the story and the previous two have both been mind-blowingly good, so
Eggers has a lot to live up to. The original silent film is one of
my all time favourite films; it is so good that you would think that
no remake could possibly live up to it, and then Werner Herzog's 1979
film did just that. It is just as brilliant and just as terrifying
as the original film, thanks in no small part to Klaus Kinski's
portrayal of the Count. Will lightning strike three times with this
new version of “Nosferatu”? I am not sure, but I would never bet
against Robert Eggers as he is the type of director who will not stop
until he gets exactly what he wants, and exactly as it was in the
time period he is portraying. His attention to detail is second to
none, so I am expecting to once again be blown away again by this new
version of “Nosferatu”. It is a long wait though, as the film
currently has a release date of Christmas Day. For those that do not
know, the original “Nosferatu” was an unofficial adaptation of
Bram Stoker's “Dracula”, however the Nosferatu movies seem to
take on a darker, rougher edge of the classic vampire story, which
makes it even more chilling. Eggers' cast consists of Lily-Rose
Depp, Willem Dafoe, Nicholas Hoult, Emma Corrin, Aaron Taylor-Johnson
and Bill Skarsgard in the role of the terrifying Count Orlok. I
cannot wait!!</span></span></span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
</p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
</p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
</p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Well,
that is it. My enormous round up of the year that was 2023 is finally
over. Hopefully you enjoyed reading it and got something out of it,
but how about we go back to watching some new films now?</span></span></span></span></p>
<p> </p>Mr Movieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08003659808749073067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8239145255704961537.post-22529091190912872922024-01-09T16:28:00.001+11:002024-01-09T16:28:58.293+11:002023 - IN REVIEW: TOP TWENTY FIVE BEST FILMS: #10 - 1 <p>
</p><p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPXpTKTQ-HTDZAhBCxZLwNK5QamfDSh2bfpmgg_tvE-ohTGd-QTF6KOMUJtOUPXV8vH2u27CDSBn4YJUeFP2sGpmQdIoXsodcvD2Ykg6iFvoDIG_7RuYcbWxPa9UWVjpK8PtiHQJSromfLYP-KtTa5xFCrwZy3vx2VfnlP-Iz7PFdDaFkg42G8Q4ymqg/s1500/priscilla-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1016" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPXpTKTQ-HTDZAhBCxZLwNK5QamfDSh2bfpmgg_tvE-ohTGd-QTF6KOMUJtOUPXV8vH2u27CDSBn4YJUeFP2sGpmQdIoXsodcvD2Ykg6iFvoDIG_7RuYcbWxPa9UWVjpK8PtiHQJSromfLYP-KtTa5xFCrwZy3vx2VfnlP-Iz7PFdDaFkg42G8Q4ymqg/s320/priscilla-poster.jpg" width="217" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><u>10.
PRISCILLA</u></span><p></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Sofia
Coppola's films always seem like a breath of fresh air when compared
to the majority of what is released into cinemas these days; her
soft, feminine, quietly introspective examinations of whatever topic
or story she is exploring, seem a far cry from the bombastic, loud,
muscular cinema that is often the norm. Whilst I thought Coppola's
previous film, “On The Rocks”, was one of her lesser
achievements, she is back in top form with her bio-pic of Priscilla
Presley, whilst showing a different side of Elvis and their whirlwind
love affair. It is unashamably romantic in the opening half of the
film, as Elvis woos an underage Priscilla. We are witness to a young
girl falling in love, head over heels, with one of her idols who also
happens to be one of the most famous people in America. In that
sense, it is like a heightened first love story, as Priscilla gives
herself fully to Elvis, while also finding it unbelievable that out
of all the girls throwing themselves at him, he has chosen her. The
first half of the film has an excited energy to it, that mirrors
Priscilla's own excitement while falling in love. Coppola never
shies away from the fact that Priscilla was very young when they
first started dating, but counters this with a very respectful Elvis,
who is a total gentleman with Priscilla, including always being
upfront with her parents and asking their permission. It isn't until
Elvis convinces Priscilla to move to America and live with him at
Graceland, that the story takes a darker turn, with Priscilla
realising that the fantasy of being with someone so famous, is
completely different to the reality of it, as she often finds herself
alone, bored and forever waiting for him to return. “Priscilla”
is a delightful film that has been sumptuously made, and is stunning
to look at. There is a beautiful softness to Coppola's visuals,
thanks to the glorious production design which leans heavily on
pastel colours and fabrics. The way Philippe Le Sourd's camera
gracefully glides through Graceland, it exposes the wealth and beauty
on display, but also how lonely a space it is when not populated by
Elvis and his crew. In a way, Priscilla is trapped in a beautiful
prison, unable to leave on the off chance that Elvis may return, or
call and need her. While I think there is no doubt that there is
true love between Elvis and Priscilla, Coppola's film seems to say
that it was always on Elvis's terms; from what Priscilla did, to what
she was allowed to wear, even her hair colour. Cailee Spaeny is
wonderful in the title role which, like the film itself, relies on a
quiet intensity. We watch her grow from an excited child to
determined young woman, willing to give up on what on the outside
looks like a fairy tale love story, for a life of her own, not one
that is controlled by a man, even if that man is Elvis Presley. In
regards to Elvis himself, I wasn't as big a fan of Jacob Elordi's
performance as the King. I think he nails the voice, but lacks the
charisma of the legend. He seems to disappear in a room, when he
should always be big, front and centre. What is interesting and
something that you would think would work against “Priscilla” is
the lack of Elvis songs used, and yet you barely notice it. I think
it actually works for the film, like Coppola is saying “I know
Elvis is the King. I know you love him. But this is Priscilla's
story, and I will not be falling back on his music to tell her
story”, and Phoenix's score works so well within the story that you
do not miss the Elvis songs.</span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh08ca3DqN6lDqtzHcocz4FKQiIjoWfRQze9Gtr0THER5-_8WOwemyPm_8gJQiqqpFQiJEWV_Ay7ISFpPEomdU1kIaYUh0VPoK1gaZVCdjYiyppHod7O1G4BwmrUP3KNHCo3dwdgTV8KUs238gekdifu-vAoSmssLrDxJa29_Ydjg0badQBZY7Z-Fm6xw/s1500/dream_scenario-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh08ca3DqN6lDqtzHcocz4FKQiIjoWfRQze9Gtr0THER5-_8WOwemyPm_8gJQiqqpFQiJEWV_Ay7ISFpPEomdU1kIaYUh0VPoK1gaZVCdjYiyppHod7O1G4BwmrUP3KNHCo3dwdgTV8KUs238gekdifu-vAoSmssLrDxJa29_Ydjg0badQBZY7Z-Fm6xw/s320/dream_scenario-poster.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><u>9.
DREAM SCENARIO</u></span><p></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Nicolas
Cage makes so many average films that we often forget just how great
an actor he really is when he is committed and inspired by a project,
and “Dream Scenario” is the latest film to open our eyes and
remind us. Cage is so good in this film, playing just an everyday,
normal (some would say boring) professor, but he is so real, natural
and very, very funny. The story of “Dream Scenario” sees Cage
playing a college professor, Paul Matthews. who ends up in a very
weird phenomenon where random people start seeing him in their
dreams. He never does anything in the dreams, but is always there
just watching, but never interfering with whatever the person is
dreaming about. As the days go on, the amount of people who dream
about him grows until he becomes something of a celebrity with talk
shows wanting to interview him, and marketing managers trying to hire
him to advertise a number of products. For a man who is barely
noticed in his real life, this sudden celebrity is both something of
a shock for Paul, who is used to the quiet life, but also something
he embraces as he is suddenly “cool” to both his students and
kids at home. However when the dreams suddenly, and for no reason,
turn into nightmares where Paul is attacking or killing the dreamer,
his short lived celebrity is quickly and brutally torn apart by a
ruthless cancel culture, upturning Paul's real life in the process.
Director Kristoffer Borgli's “Dream Scenario” is a fantastic look
at the dark side of celebrity, as well as a condemnation of cancel
culture, particularly in regards to people who are affected when they
have done nothing to deserve it. Borgli had a particularly great
2023 as his previous film, the Norwegian-language “Sick of Myself”
(which also deals with celebrity too, but in a much different
fashion), was released to English language territories and received
quite well. I like both films a lot, but think “Dream Scenario”
is the stronger of the two, mainly due to the fantastic performance
from Nicolas Cage. In terms of other characters Cage has played in
his career, his Paul Matthews is a close cousin to his Charlie
Kaufman from “Adaptation”. We watch Cage as he suddenly has an
aura about him when the light is shining bright on him, to then see
him totally befuddled and devastated as he begins to lose it all,
without doing anything to garner either response. Borgli's handling
of the dream sequences are great too, with the early ones being
surreal and odd, filled with that bizarre dream logic, whilst the
nightmare scenes are truly like little, contained horror films; some
creepy, some terrifying, and some very bloody. We are never given a
reason for why Paul appears in everyone's dreams which I think is the
right move because trying to explain it would ruin it as it would no
doubt come across as silly. I have to point at that I love 95% of
“Dream Scenario”, but the final ten minutes, when Borgli adds a
completely new element to the film, just do not work and feel like
they are from a different film entirely. What comes before it though
is both brilliant, extremely funny, and very thought provoking.</span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiadc73jFfcrg-LQDTQOe8BATJuwQx40qtmqYS4fagMt6DFZXfGMwyUEqu_0cm2gvB5xf7UGSTRTCLDMVnkcu5v7DZ3ZDhjDWh7rt7SoJhngCz05hJFQjROv-OakuVCajZ7ziHjb79c4bjet-rGhp7k4B2Jge6C1gaZPPPMFhTsBYjgoUuokAQ_17jGnw/s1500/holdovers-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1013" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiadc73jFfcrg-LQDTQOe8BATJuwQx40qtmqYS4fagMt6DFZXfGMwyUEqu_0cm2gvB5xf7UGSTRTCLDMVnkcu5v7DZ3ZDhjDWh7rt7SoJhngCz05hJFQjROv-OakuVCajZ7ziHjb79c4bjet-rGhp7k4B2Jge6C1gaZPPPMFhTsBYjgoUuokAQ_17jGnw/s320/holdovers-poster.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><u>8.
THE HOLDOVERS</u></span><p></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Paul
Giamatti and director Alexander Payne once again have hit gold with
“The Holdovers” , their first collaboration together since
“Sideways” way back in 2004. This new film also sees Giamatti
play a dull professor, but unlike the one Nicolas Cage plays in
“Dream Scenario”, Giamatti's Paul Hunham is a cranky, sarcastic
beast, who seems more intent on belittling his students when they
fail, than take the time out to make sure they succeed. He is a
solitary man, living alone on campus, where his work is essentially
his life and vice versa. During the Christmas holidays, he draws the
short straw of the teacher to stay back and take care of the kids who
are unable to go home to their parents. Through a number of
circumstances that then takes place, Paul is left with one boy,
Angus, who along with the head-cook Mary, end up forming a little
family together. By spending one on one time with the boy, this sees
Paul cool in his snark as they both start to take an interest in each
other and begin to realise that they have more in common than they
first thought, and that there was more to the other than they
initially assumed. Over the next two weeks, the three of them end up
going on unsolicited adventures (written up as school excursions), in
an attempt to make the most out of a bad situation, where Paul starts
to come to terms with the failings of his past, and Angus learns he
has more control over his future than he once thought. This is a
fantastic film built around a truly brilliant script. There is a
truthfulness that reigns supreme over “The Holdovers”, in terms
of both the characters and situations they find themselves in. At
times the film is both funny and poignant, with a whole lot of heart.
Paul is such a wonderful character; hard to get along with at times,
sure and with an intense love of academia, but he is genuine to a
fault. He never sugar-coats anything, which can be a detrimental
quality at times, but at least you always know that what he tells you
is the truth. Giamatti gives 2023's second best performance by a
male actor in his characterisation of Paul, and Da'Vine Joy Randolph
is just as good as Mary. Actually I was blown away by Randolph who
is devastatingly good as the mother of a boy recently killed in
Vietnam; you can see the amount of pain she is in, but who refuses to
let life beat her. She still believes that life is worth living even
through the hardest times. While the film is set during the early
1970s, the film itself just screams “70's cinema”. From the
aesthetics of that decade to the way the film has been shot, with the
use of pans and zooms, it feels of that era, when we used to
regularly get challenging and rewarding cinema that did not pander to
the lowest common denominator. “The Holdovers” is a new
Christmas classic and a throw-back to an era of cinema lost.</span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSo8LbS3jVtX-UL7e4pV0IY2f8SlXmZqTgySURHSq3Xm9zOZlobw527ZGbm0ZjlRtkowWj-rVIp3JZWl7R_qbWEaUbeYqahctn-MbVVrLJDWeSDWPVy58NI29R6p2oDOK7P5TGXkMSnWM6u2-NAZL0vm0Cyse1yQH1yphtI_QkOAwMq8p-w6f6O-HPxA/s1500/killers_of_the_flower_moon-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSo8LbS3jVtX-UL7e4pV0IY2f8SlXmZqTgySURHSq3Xm9zOZlobw527ZGbm0ZjlRtkowWj-rVIp3JZWl7R_qbWEaUbeYqahctn-MbVVrLJDWeSDWPVy58NI29R6p2oDOK7P5TGXkMSnWM6u2-NAZL0vm0Cyse1yQH1yphtI_QkOAwMq8p-w6f6O-HPxA/s320/killers_of_the_flower_moon-poster.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><u>7.
KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON</u></span><p></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Arguably
the best reviewed film of the year, Martin Scorsese's tale of the
brutal and systematic murders of the Osage people by the local white
community in an attempt to steal their oil out from under their feet,
is one of the master director's very best films. Huge in scope, with
a running time to match, “Killers of the Flower Moon” centres on
a dumb and easy-to-manipulate man, Ernest, who arrives in town to
find work with his uncle, William Hale. Working as a driver, Ernest
soon meets Mollie, and the two start a love affair which ultimately
ends up in marriage and children. However behind the scenes, Hale is
working on trying to secure Mollie's family land into Ernest's name
(so the wealth from the oil comes to them), by killing off her
siblings one-by-one, sometimes with the direct help of Ernest
himself. Everyone knows I am a huge Scorsese fan (he is one of my
three favourite directors) and all of his films are like events to
me, particularly now this late in his career. The man just
understands cinema and how to get the best out of any story, and yet,
there is something about “Killers of the Flower Moon” that also
feels new to any Scorsese film before it. There is a sadness to the
film, almost like an inevitability that the Osage will be wiped out,
and the whites will suffer nothing for the murder and destruction
they have caused. The violence is less celebrated here than usual,
and more condemned. I do not know how to explain it properly, but at
times it feels more like an apology or at least a document on
questioning how this was able to happen. Scorsese has garnered three
fantastic performances from Leonardo DiCaprio as Ernest, Robert
DeNiro as William Hale, and Lily Gladstone as Mollie. I think the
character of Ernest is a much more complex one than you initially
think because he does truly love Mollie, but is also complicit in
murdering her sisters, and yet he appears emotionally removed from
those crimes because he sees himself as a good husband to Mollie.
DeNiro is always at his best when working with Scorsese and it holds
true again here, as he is magnificent portraying William as the snake
he truly is. Charming and lovable when amongst the Osage, but behind
closed doors, he is terrifying in his efficiency at executing his
plans to steal their land via any means necessary. The heart and
soul of the film though belongs to Gladstone and her portrayal of
Mollie, the poor woman who loses so much during the story except the
love and trust of her husband, which leads to even more devastating
results. She has a moment when she lets out a blood chilling scream
at the bottom of a staircase that will haunt you for days after.
With a running time of close to four hours, the film feels half of
that, with a narrative that is always moving so that you never find
yourself bored for a second.</span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB55r3tPSLjY37o8DySQ4gxQa3usS5UI-A_9bP0tDt5tJKWFUqWmQJ91AouLwyoE0mdvuouV-leS6xEkpHIhWnp_Gc_KeJJRer7r6OamybBUxP3Xgsyqhe0VGquZ8I6J8Djl9PYYzw0VUGTHhrr5UE4gKCQ0FEauhbtaDa_BXWolzE7nX0SBGqN4AG0A/s1500/roter_himmel-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1060" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB55r3tPSLjY37o8DySQ4gxQa3usS5UI-A_9bP0tDt5tJKWFUqWmQJ91AouLwyoE0mdvuouV-leS6xEkpHIhWnp_Gc_KeJJRer7r6OamybBUxP3Xgsyqhe0VGquZ8I6J8Djl9PYYzw0VUGTHhrr5UE4gKCQ0FEauhbtaDa_BXWolzE7nX0SBGqN4AG0A/s320/roter_himmel-poster.jpg" width="226" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><u>6.
AFIRE</u></span><p></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Once
again Christian Petzold has shown to the world just how great a
director he is with “Afire”. Right from the opening frame of the
film, his direction felt effortless; like always, I felt like I was
in the hands of a master filmmaker, as he is able to construct an
involving social drama, that is also very funny at times, while
having his film anchored with something that could be a death knell
to a lesser director, and that is a very unsympathetic lead
character. Leon is an utter douche bag; he is so self involved, so
self-important, totally inept in social situations, while also being
jealous of those who find these situations easier to be in then
himself, and he is nowhere near the talented writer he thinks he is.
Somehow Petzold actually gets you to care for the guy at the same
time you are rolling your eyes at him. So often you just want to slap
Leon and get him to wake up, get him to remove his head from his own
arse, so he could notice exactly what was happening in front of him,
and through all this, I still found myself caring for the douche and
worrying about the things he was going through. No doubt, actor
Thomas Schubert deserves a lot of the credit here in creating a
performance that exposes Leon's insecurities and flaws as a person,
but doesn't go too far over the edge where we hate the poor guy. It
probably also helps that the majority of his scenes are played
opposite Paula Beer, Petzold's current muse, who returns for her
third consecutive film with the director. She is outstanding in her
role as Nadja, so light, free and full of life, almost like the
opposite of Leon. She lives in the moment, finding enjoyment wherever
she can, but at the same time she is also a serious academic. The
relationship between Nadja and Leon is very complex, and essentially
the backbone of the film, as it is constantly evolving (and at times
devolving), but at all times you can see that Nadja only wants to
help Leon to become both a better writer and person, someone who can
actually live in the moment. As I mentioned above, Beer is so
naturalistic in her performance, that you cannot help but love her
character. The film drifts, building very slowly, that you could
almost be excused for thinking that the film is going nowhere, but
which could not be further from the truth, as it all wraps up in the
most brilliant ending that is particularly poignant due to everything
that has come before it. Unlike most modern filmmakers, Petzold is
fantastic at finding the perfect moment to end a film on and “Afire”
has yet another brilliant ending, with the image of some hands being
incredibly powerful. It is a sensational film filled with complex
characters and relationships, but breaking it down to its base
element, “Afire” is really about a man learning to live in the
moment, not taking himself too seriously and take notice of what is
in front of him, which if he begins to learn these lessons, will see
him become a better writer and human being in general. “Afire”
is another fantastic film from Christian Petzold, one of the best and
most consistent directors working in world cinema today. </span></span><span style="text-decoration: none;"><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://mrmovies2011.blogspot.com/2023/08/afire-miff-2023.html">Click here to read my original review.</a></span></i></span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicH3mmbhRTFSyDdmgp8R8F-3Fhu2qWsYF0JR-BJmIRZue49tXH6VoIGq0cwmx6S-o2b6d8l4KdemqbdGqIVl2o0n5xPNTAZXQv6kz2auFMJuubgqLLPl17WFktf_KknARRi2n4oCq4FnuTWFBkyX2h5kiLPDM78xymHcOOb6-PTBv98ahYYWtPnEQNRg/s1500/may_december-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1101" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicH3mmbhRTFSyDdmgp8R8F-3Fhu2qWsYF0JR-BJmIRZue49tXH6VoIGq0cwmx6S-o2b6d8l4KdemqbdGqIVl2o0n5xPNTAZXQv6kz2auFMJuubgqLLPl17WFktf_KknARRi2n4oCq4FnuTWFBkyX2h5kiLPDM78xymHcOOb6-PTBv98ahYYWtPnEQNRg/s320/may_december-poster.jpg" width="235" /></a></div><br /><u><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">5. MAY DECEMBER</span></u><p></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">While
it is never stated in the film as such, the story of “May December”
is based on the real-life case of Mary Kay Letourneau, who was a
school teacher that was sent to prison for her part in the “romance”
between her and a twelve year old boy, in Washington. Without going
into too many details, the interesting thing about this case is that
Letourneau, while in prison (or waiting to be imprisoned), gave birth
to two children fathered by this boy. Further more, once Letourneau
was released from jail after doing her time, Letourneau and Vili
Fualaau (the boy, who now, was over the age of twenty) ended up
marrying each other, living together as husband and wife. None of
that is part of “May December” except in the background, as
Haynes briefly addresses the scandal of his characters via a quick
montage of newspaper articles and headlines detailing all of this, so
we understand why a Hollywood actress would want to take the time to
meet these people and then play them onscreen. As you can tell, all
of this is very heavy stuff, so you would think that it would
ultimately force Todd Haynes' film to be a serious drama to examine
all of this, but the most surprising aspect of “May December”,
and the biggest reason for why it is so great, is the gutsy, (and
very deliberate) campy tone that Haynes gives to his film. I was not
expecting “May December” to be a funny film at all, and yet at
times it is hilarious! “May December” is filled with wonderful
performances especially from the three lead characters. This is
Julianne Moore's fifth time working with Todd Haynes and I always
feel like magic is created when these two get together. Whilst I
doubt that they could ever top their masterpiece, “Far from Heaven”
(a rare five-star film for me), Moore once again creates a complex
character with Gracie. She plays her as a woman who still feels she
has nothing to apologise for, that she has done nothing wrong, nor is
she embarrassed or ashamed of it, and yet we can see through
interactions with both Joe and her own kids, just how manipulative
she can be through her words and tone. It is interesting watching
the power dynamics between her and Joe even now, as Gracie still
stands over him like he is a little kid even though he is now a fully
grown adult and much bigger in stature than her. Gracie is definitely
the dominant party in this marriage and gets angry when she doesn't
get her way, belittling Joe in the process. “May December” is
Natalie Portman's film though, hands down. Granted, she has the most
“showy” role in the film, but she does it so, so well. When she
first enters Gracie's house to meet the family, she comes across as
really down to earth and friendly, but as she asks more and more
personal questions, particularly to Joe involving the psychological
aspects of what happened, you can feel she isn't as genuine as she
wants to come across. She keeps saying that she only wants to be true
to the story, but her questions are loaded to the point that it feels
like Elizabeth has already come to town with her own opinion on
Gracie's story, so instead of actually listening to what both Gracie
and Joe are saying, she keeps trying to steer the conversations
towards the more controversial or salacious material of their story.
The more and more Elizabeth tries to embody Gracie and get under her
skin to understand her fully, the creepier Portman's performance
gets, where by the end she goes to quite a dark and controversial
place, all under the guise of capturing the “truth”. The other
performance of note in “May December” is that of Charles Melton,
who plays Joe. He is the most grounded and realistic of all the
characters in the film, mainly because he seems to be the only one
truly looking inside of himself, and trying to come to terms with
exactly what happened to him and what he has lost because of it. I
adored “May December”, and I got amusement out of a patron at
MIFF describing the film to another as “the best and most Todd
Haynes picture yet”. While I wouldn't go that far, I knew exactly
what she meant, as the film feels like it could have only been made
by this director. He is mining material and themes similar to that he
has done before, but it never feels derivative of anything else he
has made. It is a fantastically complex film, creepy at times and
always uncomfortable, told in a deliberately campy style and filled
to the brim with great performances. </span></span></span><span style="text-decoration: none;"><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://mrmovies2011.blogspot.com/2023/08/may-december-miff-2023.html">Click here to read my original review.</a></span></i></span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgakVvp2KNuUTPVf2hq3F9wl43B_XJjYRWpUNAeUgDo_GxSKaqxr_vxLJYp6Qfq68cfNjLxUw3IwlmQpeFSBMM9mBkfgKJz-oeWBvEc_cQL3ueKUZfgiOPCrM2_912Cc6lOyZkCx-m3PGFs674KhE0SgrhHd4CVvKB1gr-Bg9LDjBHMNeSCZbDI6vp1ug/s1500/fallen-leaves-posterb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1013" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgakVvp2KNuUTPVf2hq3F9wl43B_XJjYRWpUNAeUgDo_GxSKaqxr_vxLJYp6Qfq68cfNjLxUw3IwlmQpeFSBMM9mBkfgKJz-oeWBvEc_cQL3ueKUZfgiOPCrM2_912Cc6lOyZkCx-m3PGFs674KhE0SgrhHd4CVvKB1gr-Bg9LDjBHMNeSCZbDI6vp1ug/s320/fallen-leaves-posterb.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br /><u><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">4. FALLEN LEAVES</span></u><p></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">My
most anticipated film of 2023 was Aki Kaurismaki's “Fallen Leaves”,
and boy, it did not disappoint me one little bit. I like the way the
imdb describes the film so here it is: “In modern-day Helsinki, two
lonely souls in search of love meet by chance in a karaoke bar.
However, their path to happiness is beset by obstacles - from lost
phone numbers to mistaken addresses, alcoholism, and a charming stray
dog.” As you can see, the plot is simplicity itself, it is
essentially a romantic comedy but it has all been done in
Kaurismaki's trademark deadpan style. I absolutely fell in love with
the film right from the onset. It was everything I wanted it to be,
and so much more. It was one of those films where I knew I had a
big, ridiculous smile on my face the whole time I was watching it.
“Fallen Leaves” is the fourth film in his Proletariat Trilogy
(which is so funny, and so Kaurismaki, to have a fourth part in a
“trilogy”), and it fits nicely among these group of films, both
in its quality of filmmaking and in its themes explored. Like always,
Kaurismaki has teamed with cinematographer Timo Salminen, to give the
film a rich, textured and lived-in look. Bursting with colour and
fitted with retro-technology, as you would expect. Radios and
televisions all look like they have come from the 1950's, and while
surprisingly, mobile phones do make an appearance in “Fallen
Leaves”, they are the older, text-only versions from the 90's, that
the characters use. In fact, if it was not for the constant reports
on the radio about Russia's invasion of the Ukraine, you could swear
that the film was a period piece. Other Kaurismaki trademarks like
smoke filled pubs, live musical bands, and dead-pan comedy, mixed in
with tragedy, are all present in “Fallen Leaves”, so if you are a
fan of the director, I cannot see anyone not loving this. The film
has been put together expertly; brilliantly shot, and particularly,
edited, however the genius of the film comes down to its simplicity.
It is a small scale story, that packs an emotional punch. Too many
films these days are so overstuffed, in what appears to be just to
inflate their running time. The art of editing almost appears dead,
in terms of trimming unnecessary fat from a film. “Fallen Leaves”
has a running time of only 81 minutes, but every minute is worth it.
“Fallen Leaves” sees the introduction of two new actors to
Kaurismaki's world, with Alma Poysti and Jussi Vatanen playing Ansa
and Holappa respectively, and both are outstanding. They fit
seamlessly into Kaurismaki's Finland, as if they had been working
with the director all of their lives. I do wonder how different it
must feel for an actor to work in a Kaurismaki film, because he
obviously demands the actor to deliver performances in the most
stone-faced and dead-pan manner, with very limited dialogue, and yet
still find a way to express emotions within these restrictions.
Regardless of how hard they may have found it, both Poysti and
Vatanen do a wonderful job in their roles. The film is so funny,
because of the dead-pan nature in the way it is told and acted, and I
found myself laughing out loud regularly, with the karaoke scene
being a particular highlight. Aside from the comedy, “Fallen
Leaves” actually tackles some serious issues with depth,
particularly Holappa's alcoholism and the detrimental effect it is
having on his work life, and relationships, and looking at why he
depends on alcohol so much. The Russian invasion of the Ukraine is
also highlighted regularly, with reports on how many people have died
being a constant on the radio. It appears that as Aki Kaurismaki is
getting older, he is getting a little softer, because his earlier
films were all often quite downbeat; hilarious but downbeat. Whilst
“Fallen Leaves” does take a turn towards the tragic that I was
not expecting, it does also end on a note of optimism. There is a
golden moment near the end (my absolute favourite cinema moment of
2023), where Asna smiles and winks, that melted my heart. It is so
quick, maybe a second or less, and not something you would normally
see in a Kaurismaki film, but the moment is so perfect here; I just
loved it! </span></span></span><span style="text-decoration: none;"><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://mrmovies2011.blogspot.com/2023/07/fallen-leaves.html">Click here to read my original review.</a></span></i></span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXv0ORhDXSbONW_M2-0FxEBvB7-JYuXOxfOMw89SQ1ij3DQk35YMKXxsyJy3TaSg9PPA3eVUkqGwbd-vzCRIJZ2PnSNU4yV9ODnBcFhmAHZyNv36qRPwMJhLgv-sw4V8sWbu3R5cML-IE9j954V9UK3cocQXNYw83qCwQ8CyyMkZDhQfDZ7zgi6L5IaA/s1500/spiderman_across_the_spiderverse-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1042" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXv0ORhDXSbONW_M2-0FxEBvB7-JYuXOxfOMw89SQ1ij3DQk35YMKXxsyJy3TaSg9PPA3eVUkqGwbd-vzCRIJZ2PnSNU4yV9ODnBcFhmAHZyNv36qRPwMJhLgv-sw4V8sWbu3R5cML-IE9j954V9UK3cocQXNYw83qCwQ8CyyMkZDhQfDZ7zgi6L5IaA/s320/spiderman_across_the_spiderverse-poster.jpg" width="222" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><u>3. SPIDER-MAN:
ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE</u> </span>
<p></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">The
rare animated feature to wind up on one of my list, “Spider-Man:
Across the Universe” wasn't even a film I was planning on seeing on
the big screen, despite how much I enjoyed the previous film.
Superhero films have gotten so bad in recent years, and I continually
feel like I am watching the same thing over and over again, that I
swore off watching any, and have stayed true to that. However, soon
after this new film's release I received a very passionate text
message from my brother (who is a massive fan of animation) telling
me just how fantastic it was, calling it the movie of the year so
far. On his recommendation I decided to see it in theatres and to
see if he was right, which he was. At that time of the year,
“Spider-Man: Across the Universe” was the best film of 2023.
This film has everything; it is dramatic, action packed, very funny,
and has so much heart! The animation is also to die for!! I have
never seen anything like it, and part of that is because the art
style regularly changes depending on which multi-verse the story is
taking place in, with my absolute favourite being the Spider-Gwen
world, as it had this water-colour painterly look to it. I know that
I wont be able to explain this properly, but when Miles Morales ends
up in the Spider-Man headquarters, the way the animation styles keep
changing in shot/in scene is totally insane and must have taken
forever to design and achieve, and as wild and crazy as it all looks,
it just works perfectly in the film and for this story. The film
sees Miles being taken through the multi-verse by the other
Spider-People to Spider-Headquarters to explain to him that in each
of their universes, some story lines are canon and must take place so
the entire multi-verse does not implode. One of these things is
having a loved one die, like Peter Parker does with Uncle Ben, and
Gwen Stacy does with her father. For Miles, it is indeed meant to be
his father that has to die, so in an attempt to let that happen in
his universe, the other Spider-People try to distract Miles long
enough so that his dad can be murdered by a new villain named Spot.
When Miles works out what is going on, he attempts an escape
determined to save both his dad and the multi-verse that will come
crashing down if he succeeds. For an animated film, “Spider-Man:
Across the Universe” has the very long running time of almost two
and a half hours, but you never feel the time once. The movie moves
at breakneck speed and is constantly in motion, that the whole thing
goes by in a blink. There is just no way you could ever find
yourself bored, as there is always something happening. Another
thing that I really loved about this film is the voice cast, who give
really genuine performances in their roles. Shameik Moore is
outstanding as Miles Morales, giving the kid the right amount of
spunk and energy, while imbuing him with a massive heart. Hailee
Steinfeld is wonderful as Gwen Stacy, who understands what Miles is
going through but has come to understand that what must happen must
happen, so there is a world-weariness to her performance. Oscar
Isaac is both brilliant and at times terrifying as Miguel O'Hara, the
vampire Spider-Man and leader of the group; he is just so commanding
and deserves your respect. Finally, Jason Schwartzman is hilarious
as the pathetic villain Spot, who after being embarrassed by
Spider-Man early in the film, develops his powers in such a way to
become the biggest threat to Miles' world. I love that the
filmmakers haven't gone down the road of using big name actors with
easily identifiable voices, as personally I find that takes me out of
the film when I recognise them. Here they give performances as good
as if they themselves were on camera too. Everything just works with
this film, including the fact that they had the very hard task of
coming up with an ending to this film that feels complete, and not
just the set up for the third film, as this is the middle part of a
trilogy. Amazingly, the filmmakers have done just that by coming up
with a very satisfying finale, and at the same time you just want to
barrel into the third film to see what happens next. I absolutely
loved “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”, and breathlessly
look forward to the concluding chapter later in 2024.</span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl1Ub9B7ZcPAORZ2t2XMQN0mwvIDRRDFCs-38IRjVm5rZXJqzMhm7ET5Z1ZhB3ACXw2_Q9hFT5MjKHO2rX5XwqoQsu9GdaF-A4wshuOEPK9ARLEPgzVCYoOXhwpJQm0GO_zynqFXHPW81dxGgaAAhwLXsFDTKxVQXO8Yu6GPEJZHNCMUlRffJ6TNPHuQ/s1500/killer-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1013" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl1Ub9B7ZcPAORZ2t2XMQN0mwvIDRRDFCs-38IRjVm5rZXJqzMhm7ET5Z1ZhB3ACXw2_Q9hFT5MjKHO2rX5XwqoQsu9GdaF-A4wshuOEPK9ARLEPgzVCYoOXhwpJQm0GO_zynqFXHPW81dxGgaAAhwLXsFDTKxVQXO8Yu6GPEJZHNCMUlRffJ6TNPHuQ/s320/killer-poster.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><u>2.
THE KILLER</u></span><p></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">After
the rather middling Citizen Kane drama, “Mank”, director David
Fincher returns in a big way with “The Killer”, easily his best
film since 1999's “Fight Club”. The film, which is based on a
French comic book of the same title, is simplicity itself, as we are
witness to an unnamed assassin tracking down other assassins from his
own organisation, who were sent out to take care of him after he
uncharacteristically failed a job. When these other killers are
unable to locate our failed assassin, they rough up his girlfriend in
an attempt to gather information on his whereabouts, which infuriates
him and sets him out on a path of revenge, killing anyone in his way
that had anything to do with the injuries inflicted on his girl. It
is a simple revenge story, but told with so much style and class, as
we are regularly in the killer's head throughout the film. It is all
about the details and his personal mythos which he constantly recites
in his mind, that has seen him so successful. In fact, the
assassination attempt is the first he has ever failed, so what comes
next is all new to him. The film is told in six chapters (and an
epilogue), with the first chapter devoted to the assassination
attempt itself. We watch as the assassin plans everything to the nth
degree to ensure success, whilst also ensuring he isn't noticed. As
I said, it is all about the tiniest details, that he thinks about and
follows through with. I am a massive fan of Jean-Pierre Melville's
“Le Samourai”, which is a 1967 French film starring Alain Delon
as an assassin, who also succeeds due to his complete devotion to the
little details. “The Killer” feels like a modern updating of
“Le Samourai”, with today's technology, while never feeling
derivative of the earlier film. I think the opening chapter of “The
Killer” is just outstanding, as we watch the assassin prepare
himself and his weapons for the hit. Taking his time, slowing his
heart rate, stretching, making sure he is ready for that perfect
moment to strike.......only for it to come undone by an unplanned
person passing by as he takes the fatal shot. From that point on, it
is all action, as he makes his escape and heads for home, only to be
confronted by carnage when he returns, which then starts his revenge.
Michael Fassbinder plays the unnamed titular killer, and as usual,
he is outstanding. Interestingly since most of the film plays out on
him when he is alone, he cannot fall back on dialogue to help his
performance, rather he must give an internal performance, which also
hides what he is really feeling on the inside. He must always look
calm, when the opposite may be closer to the truth on the inside.
Whilst I say there is little dialogue, that is true, but Fassbinder
does narrate his thoughts right throughout the film, so we always now
what he is feeling. His line readings are almost robotic, but again
this is true of the assassin who has trained himself to follow his
rules to the letter, that he in turn becomes like a robot himself. I
do not want to say too much about the rest of the film because the
fun is in discovering it all, but I loved the differences in the two
meetings between the other assassins, with one being more cerebral,
the other downright brutal. In fact the chapter titled “The Brute”
is probably the greatest example of kinetic cinema that I saw in all
of 2023. It is outstanding, and you feel every punch and kick that
both men take. “The Killer” was made by Netflix, but thankfully
had a small theatrical window, which gave me the chance to see it on
the big screen, where it played wonderfully well. Of particular note
was just how amazing the sound design of the film was. I have since
re-watched the film on Netflix too and it holds up although I must
admit I preferred my cinema screening of it. I said to my brother
after watching it on Netflix, that it is the quickest two hours of
any film from this year; it just flies by. I wholeheartedly
recommend “The Killer” to all and sundry, as Fincher is back at
what he does best; making uber-stylised crime thrillers. Oh, I also
have to mention the opening titles too, which are actually rather
quick, but show our assassin killing people in a number of different
fashions. Great movie, with excellent re-watch value.</span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuLQ1NCJvLkZzWHWcywsyD49FEOztKIRLf3ZhtjfjPdJgBIpqDKQ-wRtMFeyZ_HM112yzjNrlD5QLZ0aOi9EYD370RTkw7JEksksV0fH_s5FTIxD1WAiB2Vpr7XRUfrXJ09UpLoBa9VdhaPchi5_uJIBlwd50Jx4Kz_8h0jRzAXwCe6mqhNFP9Q4EZBA/s1500/oppenheimer-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="947" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuLQ1NCJvLkZzWHWcywsyD49FEOztKIRLf3ZhtjfjPdJgBIpqDKQ-wRtMFeyZ_HM112yzjNrlD5QLZ0aOi9EYD370RTkw7JEksksV0fH_s5FTIxD1WAiB2Vpr7XRUfrXJ09UpLoBa9VdhaPchi5_uJIBlwd50Jx4Kz_8h0jRzAXwCe6mqhNFP9Q4EZBA/s320/oppenheimer-poster.jpg" width="202" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><u>1.
OPPENHEIMER</u></span><p></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Here
we are, finally. My favourite film of 2023 was none other than
Christopher Nolan's sensational “Oppenheimer”; a film that dared
to tell a compelling adult story with respect for its audience, which
seems too few and far between these days. For those of you who are
rolling your eyes at this reveal of top film, please note that I am
not one of those on the Christopher Nolan bandwagon. While I have
indeed seen all of his films, I do not worship him as a cinematic
God, nor think he can do no wrong within the medium. This is proven
when his previous film, “Tenet”, showed up on my “worst-of”
list of that year, as I thought it was utter tripe. That said, he
has made some excellent films before this such as “The Dark
Knight”, “Inception” and “Memento”. I just take each film
on its own merits, and “Oppenheimer” may arguably be his best
film to date. It is just a fascinating story, told in the most
wonderful way. The race to build an atom bomb in an attempt to win
the war, and then the aftermath after creating a weapon with such
power, and how the American government turned on its creator once the
deed was done. I was riveted from start to finish of this nearly
three hour film. Nolan does not tell Oppenheimer's story in a linear
fashion, rather we gets snippets from different moments in his life
that may pertain to what he is doing in the present at that time.
While it may sound confusing, it never is because whilst these brief
edits may seem erratic, they help illustrate the base story as a
whole, which is still told in a linear format (if that makes sense).
Cillian Murphy gives the best performance of the year as Oppenheimer;
he is so intense in the role, not to mention all the weight he lost
in attempt to create the man's well known silhouette. You can just
tell that Murphy has given everything of himself for this role, and I
have no doubt come Oscar time that he will be awarded with the “Best
Actor” award for his performance here. But the film is littered
with excellent performances throughout, and it was wonderful to see
Robert Downey Jr. back doing real acting again because you forget
just how great an actor he really is. The suspense that you feel
throughout the whole of “Oppenheimer” is so full on, as it leads
to the moment of the testing of the actual atom bomb, which is one of
the film's best scenes. You can feel the tension; all that work,
over so many months, boils down to this one moment......and it is
exhilarating. Once the bomb has been created, and the war over, the
film changes tact as at first we are witness to the brief celebrity
Oppenheimer is awarded, to then almost immediately seeing him
becoming irrelevant in the US military's eyes now that he has done
what they needed from him. It then gets worse for Oppenheimer, as
they attempt to go after the man by trying to portray him as a
traitor to his country after being past friends with a communist.
Personally, I think the building of the bomb the more exciting half
of the film, but the government turning on Oppenheimer in the second
half is arguably the more interesting, as it is material less mined
and less known. It is during the interrogation of Oppenheimer that
two moments happen, one fantastic, the other the film's only flaw.
The former is Emily Blunt's big moment when she has her stand off
with Jason Clarke's character and the disgraceful treatment of her
husband by the government he gave up so much for to help. She is so
strong in this moment, as she takes down the arrogant Clarke via a
few clever answers to his questions. However, there is one of the
worst sex scenes I have ever seen during this interrogation, and what
I think is the only flaw in “Oppenheimer” and the only thing
stopping me from giving the film five stars. While I know what Nolan
is trying to do and say with this sex scene, it has been so badly
designed and handled, that it just does not work and really should
have been edited out, as he could have made the same point of
Oppenheimer having all his dirty laundry hung out to dry in front of
everyone, in a different, more subtle way. Other than that
(terrible) moment, I think that “Oppenheimer” is a perfect film.
Finally we get an adult story, told to us by a director who refuses
to talk down to his audience. This is the type of cinema we need
more of, and less of the superhero garbage. While I mentioned that I
am not on the Nolan bandwagon, I have always appreciated “how” he
tells his stories and his devotion to shooting his films on film,
relying on in-camera effects compared to CGI effects. Shooting on
film gives the movie such a rich look, which digital still cannot
compete with, and your eye just knows when it is watching something
tangible onscreen as opposed to something made in a computer. I am
rambling now, so I will just saw succinctly: CHRISTOPHER NOLAN'S
“OPPENHEIMER” WAS MY FAVOURITE FILM OF 2023.</span></p>
<p> </p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></i></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span>Well
there you have it, that was my round-up of the year that
was 2023; hopefully you got some enjoyment out of it. Now before I
finish, lets have a brief look at the upcoming year and my most
anticipated films of 2024.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> </span></i></span></span></span> <br /></p>Mr Movieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08003659808749073067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8239145255704961537.post-59621338993125501192024-01-07T22:14:00.000+11:002024-01-07T22:14:12.739+11:002023 - IN REVIEW: TOP TWENTY FIVE BEST FILMS: #20 - 11<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUiV1uWu7xojJQZXGzvR04T0mepSZz3tS0Ijik88Tbvb2CuKoToDiHmszuTABVaefEvtPqsC5HWLykIkySh7dJzBL5B-ePFyQTL6Y3vZ-CofgcI6NnrWc_SmG0ALa88mBx1yJyRS0dR-IVEEy5HU6kzAFLUYaZLEx60hEcy3QCNDOY7QN9coZRuvJ5nQ/s1500/revoir_paris-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1012" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUiV1uWu7xojJQZXGzvR04T0mepSZz3tS0Ijik88Tbvb2CuKoToDiHmszuTABVaefEvtPqsC5HWLykIkySh7dJzBL5B-ePFyQTL6Y3vZ-CofgcI6NnrWc_SmG0ALa88mBx1yJyRS0dR-IVEEy5HU6kzAFLUYaZLEx60hEcy3QCNDOY7QN9coZRuvJ5nQ/s320/revoir_paris-poster.jpg" width="216" /></a></span></div><u><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">20. REVOIR PARIS</span></u><p></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">November 13, 2015 will forever be etched into the minds
of the French, as it was the day of a number of co-ordinated
terrorist attacks that took place almost simultaneously at a number
of different locations in Paris. Director Alice Winocour had a
personal connection with the attacks, as her brother was present at
the Bataclan (a well-known theatre and concert hall) where the
deadliest attack took place that saw scores of people wounded and at
least 89 people lose their lives. Thankfully, her brother survived
the attack, but this incident is the initial idea about Winocour's
“Revoir Paris”, which is less about the terrorist attack itself,
but rather the aftermath of it. How the survivors attempt to move on
after being part of something so traumatic, whilst also feeling
guilty that they have survived while many others around them
perished. What makes the film so powerful is that it is told through
Mia's eyes. Mia is a survivor of a terrorist attack while visiting a
cafe one night, and later finds it hard to move on with life. She is
drawn back to the place of the attack and trying to meet up with
other people who were there that night, in an attempt to make some
sense out of it all. Because of this, the rest of her life suffers,
as she is no longer the same person she was before that night. This
puts a strain on her relationship with her husband because, even
though he is there for her, there is no way he can really understand
what is going on in her head because he didn't live through the same
ideal. This is why we see Mia drawn to the other survivors,
particularly one named Thomas, who she remembers sitting a few tables
away from her at the time. The actual terrorist attack is shown, but
again from a vantage point from where Mia would only see. It comes
out of nowhere and is frightening, and you get some sense of the
intense fear that you would be feeling. What follows for the rest of
the film is surprising, because it is more a celebration of human
kindness as Mia searches for a man who held her hand during the
attack, unsure of who he was or if he survived the attack. It is a
beautiful film, that is incredibly powerful, largely due to the fact
that it does not go the melodramatic root, and overplay the emotional
impact of such a story. Virginie Efira has never been better as Mia,
and as usual Benoit Magimel impresses as the charismatic Thomas.</span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_xuFaClJtvVnti2SSblOPWWwzP7auRoAqhOGFbcuxp2NlFK-geAWUOzsfsKorriCS9JpFF7l-7sD_Tx77CMBN-L24u3o2jTXHN6TSqoa_jA_rEfm_x3StYkaoOnF-oFN0ZBMMSSOG7y3kpVcJqVI1LKgy_I1bBJtVcDJDyH3R51DYCooAjLVCIDiJEA/s1500/how_to_have_sex-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1125" data-original-width="1500" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_xuFaClJtvVnti2SSblOPWWwzP7auRoAqhOGFbcuxp2NlFK-geAWUOzsfsKorriCS9JpFF7l-7sD_Tx77CMBN-L24u3o2jTXHN6TSqoa_jA_rEfm_x3StYkaoOnF-oFN0ZBMMSSOG7y3kpVcJqVI1LKgy_I1bBJtVcDJDyH3R51DYCooAjLVCIDiJEA/s320/how_to_have_sex-poster.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><u><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">19. HOW TO HAVE SEX</span></u><p></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Initially I was very disappointed that this was not the
documentary I thought it was, because I definitely need some
lessons.........No, I am just being silly now. This was one of my
frustrating clashes at MIFF (no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't
make it fit my schedule), that I was finally able to catch up with in
the final week of the year, and I am so glad I did because I thought
it was very impressive. Early on though, I did not think that was
going to be the case, as I am not a fan of teenage partying and
drinking culture and when the opening part of the film featured
mostly that, I had a bad feeling that “How To Have Sex” was not
for me. However, as it went along, I found myself liking and even
caring for the characters director Molly Manning Walker had filled
her film with. They were more than just drunk idiots, rather these
were real people with real insecurities, acting in a way that they
thought was expected of them at these sort of parties. The film is
all fun and games, until one morning the group of friends realises
that Tara did not return home from the night before from partying.
Whilst they assume she must have hooked up with a guy, and was still
with him, the girls start to panic when they cannot get in contact
with her. It turns out Tara is alive and well, but she did not have
the night to remember that they all think she had. Tara, who prior
to that night was a virgin, is celebrated by her friends for losing
her virginity, but inside Tara is a mess, knowing the encounter with
the man was not the hot and romantic moment they all assume it was.
Mia McKenna-Bruce is so good as Tara, and is the heart and soul of
the film. She has the extremely hard task of presenting this
larger-than-life persona, and acting as though everything is awesome
with her, but in reality it is anything like that, as she regularly
has flashbacks and memories of the night before. The situations and
drama within the film have been presented by Walker very
realistically, that the film becomes quite scary and at times
depressing. It can also be seen as an eye opener for parents of
teenagers in regards to the social pressures and expectations that
are put on these kids, particularly the girls. It is such a powerful
film, that actually shook and disturbed me, but I think it is an
important film with a lot to say that also really resonates long
after you have finished watching it.</span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCcibBVuuFM9TzUJsfoEDgzTUhdHcHbGaeflgGux4sBHUzujwn0uAA9NvNVC4L4flOzlLT7Wa5jixVXwx2TXtmr32gwbf4r5Yfwyur6ww9NDcZgHPa4ihjS27xXnQPsNJQV6066Xngr608vqe5Zydb_BwsUrYOp11EDrWuHBULvgOh_nl_vllZNEPkLg/s1500/rooster-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1012" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCcibBVuuFM9TzUJsfoEDgzTUhdHcHbGaeflgGux4sBHUzujwn0uAA9NvNVC4L4flOzlLT7Wa5jixVXwx2TXtmr32gwbf4r5Yfwyur6ww9NDcZgHPa4ihjS27xXnQPsNJQV6066Xngr608vqe5Zydb_BwsUrYOp11EDrWuHBULvgOh_nl_vllZNEPkLg/s320/rooster-poster.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br /><u><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">18. THE ROOSTER</span></u><p></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">This was my favourite Australian film that I saw in
2023, which I was lucky to see at MIFF in a sold-out session (the
world premiere, actually) with director Mark Leonard Winter in
attendance. With a packed house, the film played like gangbusters,
particularly in the very funny scenes, which there are many. The
film is about a young policeman, Dan, who after his childhood friend
is found dead in the local bush land, heads out there in an attempt
to find some answers on how he died. Whilst wandering through the
bush, he runs into a very cranky hermit, and while their initial
encounter is fiery, the two men end up striking a bond and then a
friendship, as they begin to realise that they have more in common
than they initially would have guessed. I thought this was an
outstanding film, in every facet, and was stunned to learn that this
was Winter's first film as a director, because the quality of “The
Rooster” was that of a season veteran. The cinematography is
particularly beautiful, with the Australian landscapes looking
stunning, but throughout the film, there were a number of odd and
surreal moments (that work exceptionally well) that just did not feel
like the work of a rookie director. Winter is in total control of
his own film here, and through “The Rooster” he comes across as a
very confident director with a great handle on both tone, and pace.
The absolute highlight of the film though is Hugo Weaving and his
batshit crazy performance as the un-named hermit. He is magnificent!
I have said this before, but Weaving is a national treasure, who
keeps churning out stunning performance after stunning performance,
year after year. At times he is so funny in this, when he has these
out-of-nowhere foul-mouthed outbursts. Whilst “The Rooster”
starts off as something of a mystery, it evolves more into an
examination of guilt, shame, loneliness, the male ego and
masculinity, whilst also touching on themes of mental illness and
depression too. I was super, super impressed by “The Rooster”
and hope it does well when it gets a national release here in
Australia later in February. One of the funniest moments I saw in a
film this year takes place during “The Rooster”, when we get a
montage of Dan and the hermit running around the forest, playing
table-tennis, and enjoying each others company. Throughout the
montage it keeps cutting back to the pair sitting outside naked,
waiting for their washed clothes to dry. The montage continues until
it ends on the sitting, naked pair when Weaving says “maybe we
should have waited for a sunny day!”. It got a massive laugh in
the cinema.</span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1SUaERP39yMZ92UfbToMeea-aoKFZ31E6hze9mObYh9jvxox2TMChi0N6HvZt9-gtp6t8FhssAdhC5YSdjNdmHgM3GKfBaO_HxA-ao04pB4E_Jhswcnbc_Og3x_KoD4K-dasvkZ2cvHLIKSGlZ0Mw1sTxtxCzuVOZ7jKhexop6KIo2mH6ZEQOLHIJMA/s1500/monica-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1050" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1SUaERP39yMZ92UfbToMeea-aoKFZ31E6hze9mObYh9jvxox2TMChi0N6HvZt9-gtp6t8FhssAdhC5YSdjNdmHgM3GKfBaO_HxA-ao04pB4E_Jhswcnbc_Og3x_KoD4K-dasvkZ2cvHLIKSGlZ0Mw1sTxtxCzuVOZ7jKhexop6KIo2mH6ZEQOLHIJMA/s320/monica-poster.jpg" width="224" /></a></div><br /><u><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">17. MONICA</span></u><p></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">This was the final film I saw in 2023, and it totally
blew me away. It is a quiet family drama about an estranged
daughter's return to her family, when her mother is close to dying
from a brain tumour. The woman has not been a part of her family's
lives for a least a decade after her mother essentially disowned her
due to a lifestyle choice. The film is all about love and
reconnecting with loved ones, and forming new bonds, and it is yet
another powerful piece of work, and this is mainly due to the
subtlety director Andrea Pallaoro uses in telling her story. In
different hands this film could have been an absolute disaster,
amping up key moments in emotional intensity with uplifting music
blaring......but Pallaoro strips it right back, and portrays the
story as honestly as possible which sometimes leads to some
uncomfortable and painful moments. There are some big moments within
the film that the audience is anticipating, with the biggest one
being when will the mother recognise exactly who Monica is. Like I
have just said, in different hands, this moment could have been
really big, with the characters and audience in tears, but here it is
done via a simple gesture of reaching out a hand, and a smile; we
know that she now knows. The moment we have been waiting for all
film ends up being this tiny moment, and yet it is so powerful!! You
feel it in your gut; and that is how the whole film plays out. It is
such a stunning achievement as here we have a film that is “just”
a family drama about abandonment, acceptance, relationships, failing
health, and forgiveness, that ultimately ends on a scene of absolute
hope. It is such a complex and nuanced film, that I couldn't be more
impressed by, and Trace Lysette is absolutely sensational in the
titular role of Monica. I must say that if you plan on seeing
“Monica”, please try and go in knowing as little as possible, as
the film is more rewarding when you now nothing about the situations
beforehand.</span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoRoWKvyLlsk5-HBPTTD7uNpbjC60a-YW3n3T5HyQQW_fB8QgjMzypVlPm4_XOAvLCLE1y-vjXJ2ZWjoTE5KtWHRPMKlkz88Sf7R10X-JOHVk7vn36atHv__3yWdPKy-gNRDyL2MdaLzjWsAyQdg3nMyARwX_gu6y9sLq4_dpSxVr7h8kzn8rD5oibIQ/s863/subtraction-poster.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="863" data-original-width="601" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoRoWKvyLlsk5-HBPTTD7uNpbjC60a-YW3n3T5HyQQW_fB8QgjMzypVlPm4_XOAvLCLE1y-vjXJ2ZWjoTE5KtWHRPMKlkz88Sf7R10X-JOHVk7vn36atHv__3yWdPKy-gNRDyL2MdaLzjWsAyQdg3nMyARwX_gu6y9sLq4_dpSxVr7h8kzn8rD5oibIQ/s320/subtraction-poster.JPG" width="223" /></a></div><br /><u><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">16. SUBTRACTION</span></u><p></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I
think everyone by now knows I have a love of Iranian films, but
another thing that I love is films about twins or doppelgangers with
themes of identity, so when I heard that director Mani Haghighi's new
film was about just that and that it was a thriller, I knew I was
going to love this film, and it turns out I was right in a big way.
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Haghighi
is like the rock star of Iranian directors, in which I mean he just
doesn't seem to care about what is considered the norm in films from
that country (which are mainly social dramas). His films are so
different from anything else coming out of Iran in that they are big,
broad, often very funny, and less political, and he never makes the
same thing twice.</span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">
</span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">They are also
very, very entertaining. Whilst the film crackles with directorial
energy, the true key to the success of “Subtraction” all boils
down to the two leads abilities to create two different characters ,
making them easily identifiable from one another because obviously
each looks the same. Both Taraneh Alidoosti and Navid Mohammadzadeh
are phenomenal at achieving this task, as you become convinced that
you are watching two distinct couples, and this is done with more
than just the average change in clothing and make-up. I must admit
that when the two couples originally crossed paths with one another,
I initially struggled to work out who was who, but once I worked it
out (which didn't take long at all) I was never in doubt as to which
variation of the character I was looking at onscreen. What is
interesting about the whole doppelganger element to “Subtraction”
is that they are not real doppelgangers at all; they are two distinct
couples living apart from one another, unaware of each other, until
they eventually cross paths. It is only then that the trouble starts
to begin as questions of identity are raised, as well as the morals
behind falling in love with another woman or man who happens to look
exactly like your partner. Can it be helped or stopped if one of them
falls in love or is drawn to a “better” version of the person
they already love? It is actually really interesting stuff. The
suspense of the film comes from the fact that one member does not
know about the phenomenon, with the other three trying to keep it
from him, due to his unpredictable and volatile nature, but then
being stuck in the same place as him. Going into a film that deals
with doppelgangers, you can often sense where the movie is going to
end up. There is really only one ending that makes sense, and so
while the end of “Subtraction” is a little predictable, I must
admit that I was also quite surprised with how Mani Haghighi
concluded his film (how's that for a contradictory statement?!).
“Subtraction” has been handsomely put together, filled with
stunning cinematography that makes the film feel “big”; the
tension is continually raised as the film goes along until it ends in
an explosive but very satisfying conclusion. I loved it! </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><i><a href="https://mrmovies2011.blogspot.com/2023/08/subtraction-miff-2023.html">Click here to read my original review.</a></i></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfqF2n6FUHbmI-VgBsy2heAnEMBOIX8mH2-UjkRdrPtKEbBQRjMbdVIUnX2O2FTDb-yK5W1LIVtxvEgpz_hbk1DTCYPN7Zo8gs8XqSHVS_lX7cJH9wpG4L7Hb7wG_LTXeBpXerUTg34zBp0KTQk6zGuF9uImUBIofyYsB3dnr9B03RTe2hpU_YwqkVWg/s862/wingwomen-poster.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="862" data-original-width="690" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfqF2n6FUHbmI-VgBsy2heAnEMBOIX8mH2-UjkRdrPtKEbBQRjMbdVIUnX2O2FTDb-yK5W1LIVtxvEgpz_hbk1DTCYPN7Zo8gs8XqSHVS_lX7cJH9wpG4L7Hb7wG_LTXeBpXerUTg34zBp0KTQk6zGuF9uImUBIofyYsB3dnr9B03RTe2hpU_YwqkVWg/s320/wingwomen-poster.JPG" width="256" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><u>15.
WINGWOMEN</u></span><p></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Sometimes
I think us cinephiles can take ourselves and the medium a little too
seriously. What is wrong with loving a film just for being
entertaining and putting a smile on our faces for its two hour
running time. This is exactly what happened with me and Melanie
Laurent's “Wingwomen”. I absolutely loved this film, but because
there is essentially nothing that hasn't been seen before in the
film, I actually thought about naming it my “guilty pleasure”of
the year. However I realised I had nothing to feel guilty about
loving “Wingwomen”; it was designed to be fun, silly, funny and
something you could just turn on and forget about any troubles you
may have while it played, and it succeeds beautifully in all facets.
“Wingwomen” is essentially another “one final job” film as it
is about two best friends, Alex and Carole, who make their living as
thieves who decide they have had enough of this lifestyle and want to
stop to live normal lives. When they propose the idea to their boss,
nicknamed “The Godmother”, she is not happy about it, but says
she will think it over if they do one last job, which is stealing a
famous and rare painting that is soon to be put on display for the
public. They reluctantly agree, and realise that they are going to
need one extra person for the job, so they hire Sam, a fiery race-car
driver for their getaway. From here though, they need to train Sam
up with firearms training, self defence, and basic fitness to get her
ready for her first criminal job, all whilst knowing the likelihood
that “The Godmother” is unlikely to let them go after they have
finished the job. As I said, the plot is kind-of been there, done
that, but the reason it is so successful and entertaining has to do
with the insane likeability of the cast, and the fantastic chemistry
they have together. Melanie Laurent plays Carole, whilst the
stunningly gorgeous Adele Exarchopoulos plays firearms expert and
sniper, Alex and they are both so, so good. They have this natural
rapport that makes you truly believe that they have been best friends
for years. The way they joke with each other, bicker or make fun of
the other, it shows a comfortability between the two of them, but
there is also a deep (platonic) love between them too. These are
characters that you love being around because they are fun loving and
have a sense of morals (despite regularly killing people while
stealing things). I was unaware of Manon Bresch, who plays Sam,
before this, but when she enters the film later on, she fits in
perfectly, with the petty sniping between her and Alex being very
amusing. “Wingwomen” has also been beautifully directed with a
lot of flair by Laurent, who uses the exotic locations of the film to
great effect. I have seen most of Laurent's directorial efforts and
I believe that she is truly an excellent director; she's never boring
from the visual side of things either, regularly finding unusual
angles to shoot a scene from to keep it interesting. An excellent
example of this is the scene when the group locate and assassinate a
bunch of thugs who, unluckily for them, killed Alex's pet bunny when
it got caught in the crossfire of a hit on the girls themselves.
During the scene, Carole and Sam dance a flamenco, distracting the
guys, while Alex nails them, one-by-one, from afar with her rifle.
It is a cool scene in a cool movie; one that you can just tell the
actors themselves had a ball making too (as seen in the outtakes
during the credits), and I refuse to feel guilty for loving
“Wingwomen”.</span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis7J9NNkvxPY_yGOD9SMuQJbdWb-1DamVLJ-tPLgiXOt-pfZMGWbW_o1Dm-H9YgX1UsAF3iowUrzyJLHJ6Heo0M_BRwZLZRgaijGkJNTwGCmsu7Z8L6iktXjvMvxLyXpcqkrF0_f8p8hyYTjER1S-n1RYLq6j1AcP2h1E2YgyxUKiSBFvZo4YVUzsBaw/s857/trenquelauquen-poster.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="857" data-original-width="584" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis7J9NNkvxPY_yGOD9SMuQJbdWb-1DamVLJ-tPLgiXOt-pfZMGWbW_o1Dm-H9YgX1UsAF3iowUrzyJLHJ6Heo0M_BRwZLZRgaijGkJNTwGCmsu7Z8L6iktXjvMvxLyXpcqkrF0_f8p8hyYTjER1S-n1RYLq6j1AcP2h1E2YgyxUKiSBFvZo4YVUzsBaw/s320/trenquelauquen-poster.JPG" width="218" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><u>14.
TRENQUE LAUQUEN</u> </span>
<p></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">I
was initially very intimidated by the four hour and twenty minute
running time of “Trenque Lauquen” back when I saw it at MIFF,
while also cautiously excited because for some reason I just had a
really good feeling about this film. My feeling turned out to be
prophetic as I absolutely loved “Trenque Lauquen” and the
extended running time just flew by. T</span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">he
success of “Trenque Lauquen” and why it was so easy to sit
through was due to the fun atmosphere of the film and with how
playful it all was with format. The film almost plays like a novel
in that it is broken down into twelve chapters. What it really
reminded me of though was an old silent serial where each new chapter
added more fun and intrigue to the story line. I am quite a big fan
of pioneering French filmmaker Louis Feuillade and his silent serials
like “Les Vampires”, “Judex” and “Tih Minh”, and to me
“Trenque Lauquen” truly felt like an updated modern version of
the types of films he used to make one hundred years ago, which I
think may be one of the reasons I love this film so much. Like those
serials, director Laura Citarella playfully tells her tale by mixing
genres so what you initially think is going to be a straight ahead
drama, ends up dipping its toes into other genres like romance,
mystery, suspense, horror and even sci-fi (seriously), which is just
delightful. It just makes the film so much fun because you never
really know where it is going to go next. It is always bubbling away
from scene to scene, full of energy, light-hearted and always fun.
This is true even when serious things are being explored, like for
instance Laura's disappearance. What I think the film is really about
are stories themselves, and the importance of storytelling and how
telling a person's story, it keeps that person alive or relevant.
There are many times during “Trenque Lauquen” when a story thread
begins and is followed for however long Citarella sees fit, but
doesn't always feel the need to close out that story or thread. It
sounds like it could be frustrating for the viewer, all lead up and
no pay off, but actually experiencing the film, it turned out to be
the opposite as I found it exhilarating, as it was more about the
journey than the destination. I think also because each plot strand
is followed so genuinely by Citarella and her cast, you are willing
as an audience member to go along for the ride too. You feel the same
excitement the character's do as they are investigating something,
finding clues and making educated conclusions. You would think that
a film about the disappearance of a certain character, that the
person playing that character would have little to do, but that is
not the case here, as while Laura is the person who goes missing, she
is also the main character of “Trenque Lauquen”, and actress
Laura Paredes is outstanding in the role. She also co-wrote the film
with director Laura Citarella, so you assume that her character is
very close to her heart but she doesn't produce a false note in this
very long film. You just believe her in every moment even when she is
experiencing or reacting to the very unbelievable. Probably my
favourite contribution to the film though was Gabriel Chwojnik's very
playful score which really reflects the changes within the narrative
and genre as the film goes along. I particularly got a kick out of
just how sci-fi he went with the music as the story heads down that
path too. Like the film itself, the music is light, energetic and a
whole lot of fun. </span></span><span style="text-decoration: none;"><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://mrmovies2011.blogspot.com/2023/08/trenque-lauquen-miff-2023.html">Click here to read my original review.</a></span></i></span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg85eI176qVP_egye5XMrcA4CmI9DnKTczUdh5He9KGu_WMgxDjOzVjK3ndqs_nVtVY3bBkLL0IRwDlsji5AITeBwwGDewVMdXiBQiP3LocQzMxNRfpDnH411MYWD9itacgsRxR7NUOU68WE2F5mrJR29u1l3S31BuVLNvQxgBJN95Yywk4WUz-KUyGcw/s1500/origin-of-evil-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1016" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg85eI176qVP_egye5XMrcA4CmI9DnKTczUdh5He9KGu_WMgxDjOzVjK3ndqs_nVtVY3bBkLL0IRwDlsji5AITeBwwGDewVMdXiBQiP3LocQzMxNRfpDnH411MYWD9itacgsRxR7NUOU68WE2F5mrJR29u1l3S31BuVLNvQxgBJN95Yywk4WUz-KUyGcw/s320/origin-of-evil-poster.jpg" width="217" /></a></div><br /><u><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">13. THE ORIGIN OF
EVIL</span></u><p></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">It
is strange how sometimes you can view a single image from a film and
just know that the film is going to connect with you. This kind of
happened here with me when I saw the origin French poster for “The
Origin of Evil”. Whilst the image itself doesn't really resonate
with me in terms of things I am necessarily interested in, what it
did do was evoke the spirit of Claude Chabrol's bourgeois thrillers,
so I felt compelled to search it out and watch it. As it turns out,
the film is much more De Palma than Chabrol, but with De Palma being
my favourite director, I am sure you realise why I ended up loving
“The Origin of Evil” so much. The story is about a woman,
Stephane, who attempts to connect with her estranged father whom</span></span></span><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
she has never met. The man turns out to be a multi-millionaire, and
no matter how much Stephane pleads to the opposite, her father's new
family are sure that she just wants his money, and they will do
anything to stop that. That is the basic starting point of the film,
and from there it is filled with twists and turns that would be
criminal to highlight. This is such a fantastic and fun thriller
from director Sebastien Marnier who does an excellent job of keeping
his cards close to his chest, so that each new twist is a surprise
and adding a new wrinkle to the story. This is Marnier's third
feature film, and from all accounts his best yet. It is the first of
his that I have seen but I will definitely be looking forward to his
future films because he has a keen visual sense, and does an
excellent job of building suspense within a story before he rips the
carpet out from underneath you. The entire cast is very good, they
are a wacky bunch of eccentric characters, but the film really does
belong to Laure Calamy who plays lead character Stephane. Her role
is much more complex than you initially think, but which becomes
obvious the more the story twists and turns; at times she comes
across as a victim, other times as the manipulator, however as
passive as she may seem initially, she is much stronger than anyone
expects or gives her credit for. Her performance is both warm and
calculating, depending where you are in her story, but Calamy is just
perfect in every scene. Calamy was also excellent in another French
thriller that I saw this year, “Full Time”, (about a woman
trying to get to work during a transport strike), which only just
missed making my top 25 list, so she has had a stellar year. It is
really hard to talk about what makes “The Origin of Evil” so
great without ruining its surprises, so I'll just say that it is a
superior and very playful thriller that I had an absolute ball with
(I have actually seen it twice, and it still works amazingly well
even after you know its surprises), and recommend wholeheartedly.</span></span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsI54bLm-_t4FJHfbYHFR4NVZCA5eSoDHXenp2rhqBzoHgjZC1CcLyDtiwUAKEhRrcUBOiZG7TbnPkKXNACt3Sy2NcxT9kMj29mSsvoA6VYszorELgRpp1kyfkSVBHMiKkyDcX6ZHr6e944W12q4B-4w3hJZ3QXuprPz6IZfNj9Y5JgkJIwAdrblrJCQ/s1500/poor_things-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1013" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsI54bLm-_t4FJHfbYHFR4NVZCA5eSoDHXenp2rhqBzoHgjZC1CcLyDtiwUAKEhRrcUBOiZG7TbnPkKXNACt3Sy2NcxT9kMj29mSsvoA6VYszorELgRpp1kyfkSVBHMiKkyDcX6ZHr6e944W12q4B-4w3hJZ3QXuprPz6IZfNj9Y5JgkJIwAdrblrJCQ/s320/poor_things-poster.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br /><u><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">12. POOR THINGS</span></u><p></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">I have been a fan of Yorgos Lanthimos's surreal
idiosyncratic and skewed perspective of the world from almost the
beginning, and with his latest film, “Poor Things”, he may have
created his most insane film yet. It may also, arguably, be his
best. The film tells the story of Bella Baxter, the
Frankenstein-like creation of her “father”, Dr Baxter, who found
the girl's deceased body floating in a river after the poor girl took
her own life. Realising that the woman was also pregnant at the
time, and that the fetus was still alive, the good doctor (or mad
scientist) did the only normal and responsible thing which was to
take the brain from the unborn child, replace it in Bella and then
reanimate her back to life (!). From there the madness really takes
off as we are witness to Bella's journey of discovery as she realises
how great it is to be alive and human, whilst also being witness to
the darkness that can, at times, also comes with humanity. This is
such an odd, odd film, but at the same time, so easy to love because
of the purity of Bella as a character. She is someone who has no
filter, no social programming, nor any shame about anything she is
doing. She does things because she wants to, or the opposite as
well. If she eats something that she doesn't like the taste of, she
will spit it out, despite the setting or who she may be eating with.
Part of the fun of the film is the fact that Bella is out-of-sync
with herself, in that she has the brain of a newborn, yet the body of
a fully grown adult. This creates an awkwardness inherent within the
character both in speech and movement, while Bella's brain attempts
to catch up with her body. My favourite scene in the film is when
Bella is out to dinner with Duncan (Mark Ruffalo). It is a swanky
affair, very high class, when suddenly Bella hears music, and
instantly and almost involuntarily reacts to it. Rising from her
chair, she finds herself moving to the music, but she has no real
control over her body so looks like a broken doll dancing her heart
out. The funniest bit though is when Duncan attempts to keep up with
Bella, as if it is some rehearsed dance between them, with the two of
them looking ridiculous, although their reactions are totally
opposite. He is stressed that he is looking the fool in front of his
peers, whilst she is having the time of her life. Emma Stone is
wonderful as Bella, and you take for granted just how hard the role
is. She is always speaking in broken sentences with words never
flowing from her mouth with any ease, while at the same time having
to deal with the physical aspects of the role with the distinct way
she walks and moves. She is also constantly evolving, and learning
so her performance is always in flux and motion. Mark Ruffalo is
also fantastic as the stuffy and pompous Duncan; arrogant and full of
himself, until he becomes a shell of himself, thanks to Bella.
Willem Dafoe surprises in the softness he brings to his role of the
good doctor, as he lets his feelings become involved with Bella so he
ends up more of a father figure than a scientist studying an
experiment. I also want to mention just how great Kathryn Hunter is
as Swiney, the Madam at the brothel Bella decides to work at. It is
a tiny role, but she is just outstanding in the limited screen-time
she has. Visually, like all of Yorgos Lanthimos's films, “Poor
Things” looks stunning, thanks to Robbie Ryan's beautiful, yet odd
cinematography and Shona Heath and James Price's very bizarre
production design. It all looks very strange but at the same time
stunningly beautiful. I would also be remiss in my duties if I did
not mention Jerskin Fendrix's very off-kilter score, which sounds
unlike anything I have heard before, but fits the film like a glove
and adds so much to Bella's world and perspective of it. There is so
much going on in “Poor Things”, and so much more I could say, but
just be prepared that it is a very, very weird film, that is also
very frank in its depictions of sex and nudity (there is a lot of
it!), but also has the most wonderful lead character at its centre,
who fills the film with heart and pathos.</span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinUQfEXnQ_CPb0lUoMEI6jOLkvyKQqrR5kHx81eqEgRKQAo_C7Otc6T0ym_0AI0XD57RJRPLFEi_7z45kFhDjuFArYjU1cKZTqpvoW3vmHd0wZ_p3fmr5we3ErSzBiLhdiTXaQCvp05OQHmxFKGTb_RI3p3FlwC5_7TaTE98GFu0gacbrRP8_CF2xXCw/s1500/close-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1101" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinUQfEXnQ_CPb0lUoMEI6jOLkvyKQqrR5kHx81eqEgRKQAo_C7Otc6T0ym_0AI0XD57RJRPLFEi_7z45kFhDjuFArYjU1cKZTqpvoW3vmHd0wZ_p3fmr5we3ErSzBiLhdiTXaQCvp05OQHmxFKGTb_RI3p3FlwC5_7TaTE98GFu0gacbrRP8_CF2xXCw/s320/close-poster.jpg" width="235" /></a></div><br /><u><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">11. CLOSE</span></u><p></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Lukas Dhont's tale of adolescent male friendship,
“Close” was one of the most devastatingly beautiful films I saw
in 2023. For a film with such a gentle heart, it packed a massive
punch, that absolutely floored me. It also almost did not make it
onto this list due to an oversight by myself where I thought it had
actually came out in 2022. When I realised I had actually seen it in
January, I quickly had to re-arrange my entire top 25 to fit the film
in. “Close” is about two boys (in their early teens), Leo and
Remi, who are the best of friends and have been that way since they
were very little. They are incredibly close with the boys often
touching and hugging each other, laying on each other or even
sleeping together in the same bed. They spend a lot of time with
each other, with each boy feeling an extended part of the other's
family. They have a pure love for each other, but not a romantic
love. This continues when they begin high school, but it isn't long
before their closeness is noticed by their classmates, who then think
that the two must be gay and together. They both deny this, but as
the scrutiny on their relationship increases, Leo starts to pull away
from Remi in attempt to avoid being labelled as “gay”. Remi is
hurt and devastated by this change in their friendship, but attempts
to continue to go on like normal, but Leo starts to ignore him more
and more, as Remi finds himself ostracised, which leads to
devastating consequences. As I have said, this is such a beautiful
film, filled with so much colour, both figuratively and literally.
The opening scenes of the film, with the two boys just playing and
having fun together, are the key to the film and its success, so you
can see just how far they boy's relationship deteriorates in such a
short time. Even Leo's relationship with Remi's mother changes
significantly, and it is so heartbreaking to see, when we think back
to those early scenes. The film really highlights what we can lose
via society's need to label things, or put a name to something they
do not understand or have themselves. I keep wanting to use the word
“gentle” for this film, which is especially true in the
performances of the two boys. Eden Dambrine is just wonderful as
Leo, in a role that is incredibly complex, especially later in the
film when he has to deal with his regret and guilt over his part in
the end of their friendship. You can feel how much pain he is in
over it, particularly over not standing up for the friendship.
Dambrine has a beautiful, natural chemistry with Gustave De Waele,
who plays Remi, making the intense closeness of their friendship
believable from the outset. De Waele plays Remi as the more
sensitive of the boys, but also in a sense, the stronger of the two
in the fact that he did not give in to a peer pressure and act
differently because of it. I also have to mention Emilie Dequenne
who plays Sophie, Remi's mother. She only has a couple of scenes in
the film, but she stands out whenever she is onscreen, and in such a
short amount of time, she brings so much heart into the film.
“Close” is a beautiful, stunning, devastating film that you will
never forget. </span>
</p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
Mr Movieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08003659808749073067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8239145255704961537.post-32990037758250107852024-01-04T21:50:00.000+11:002024-01-04T21:50:02.295+11:002023 - IN REVIEW: TOP TWENTY FIVE BEST FILMS: #25 - 21<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span>Let's
get onto the good stuff finally. I am not going to do any honorable
mentions, this is it, my top 25 of 2023, and while the title of this
list states that these are the "best" films of 2023, that is not really
the case, these are my "favourite" films of 2023. Alright, enough talk,
lets begin with my:</span> </span>
</p><p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><u><b>TOP
TWENTY-FIVE BEST FILMS OF 2023</b></u></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-C3K698Zubh1-khSAUgFv_5FsyRzGkrNKAkaL7R71kjh2kCaOuJR54Kw2dNfxVlVuaTniIIDf-2o7r6vMeu7jeRSMrcPiohfRrvwnQuxoMJrrt7BF1WAVKYbhCHpbCNx-BfL-YhzF9Xhs1GNx3aAUsHCvAfJXzSJfWUPLusjBY-EovqC9CreyO8rU3g/s843/scarlet-poster.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="843" data-original-width="585" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-C3K698Zubh1-khSAUgFv_5FsyRzGkrNKAkaL7R71kjh2kCaOuJR54Kw2dNfxVlVuaTniIIDf-2o7r6vMeu7jeRSMrcPiohfRrvwnQuxoMJrrt7BF1WAVKYbhCHpbCNx-BfL-YhzF9Xhs1GNx3aAUsHCvAfJXzSJfWUPLusjBY-EovqC9CreyO8rU3g/s320/scarlet-poster.JPG" width="222" /></a></div><br /><u><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">25. SCARLET</span></u><p></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">This is director Pietro Marcello's follow up to his art
house hit “Martin Eden”, and I must say that I am very surprised
by how little attention the film has garnered because I thought it
was an absolute delight. It is about a man who returns to his
country home in 1919, back from the war, to find out that his wife
has passed, and that he is the father of a beautiful young daughter.
The film is about the two of them growing up in a world where they
are seen as outcasts, as they create a make-shift family with the
other residents of the house they occupy. The father, a skilled
carpenter, brings up his daughter to always see the best in life, and
treat everyone with respect, but particularly herself. Just because
she is a girl, doesn't mean she is less off than anyone else, as
during the film we watch the girl become more and more independent,
until the end, when she realises that she doesn't need a man in her
life to be happy. I'm not sure if I have made the film sound very
exciting, but it is told in this lovely, dreamy, almost fairy tale
style (including moments of magic realism and fantasy), which I fell
in love with. Filled with lovely subtle performances from the whole
cast (I was stunned to learn that this was lead-actress Juliette
Jouan's first ever acting performance; she's outstanding!), and
gorgeous cinematography from Marco Graziaplena (which was very
obviously shot on film), I thought “Scarlet” was a delight from
start to finish.</span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhao_EubP_EGklw7bxxoq6eQIChgErU6w_-Ly-XymNJ15zIs390tvoAFOm5dq_gF0tGO706WHqLHurvhvI1rXDkyMOE9jsZ6KLp4R1UmUHWn-fZ5ImbiorfDznp2WyXn1z9KKLC5RBD4VP42MzxzQxv-J_YGD4pqmw1tmct-2CChtNvPiO8eyNfGWtDQA/s860/godzilla-minus-one-poster.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="860" data-original-width="609" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhao_EubP_EGklw7bxxoq6eQIChgErU6w_-Ly-XymNJ15zIs390tvoAFOm5dq_gF0tGO706WHqLHurvhvI1rXDkyMOE9jsZ6KLp4R1UmUHWn-fZ5ImbiorfDznp2WyXn1z9KKLC5RBD4VP42MzxzQxv-J_YGD4pqmw1tmct-2CChtNvPiO8eyNfGWtDQA/s320/godzilla-minus-one-poster.JPG" width="227" /></a></div><br /><u><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">24. GODZILLA MINUS ONE</span></u><p></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">If someone had told me at the start of the year that I
would have a “Godzilla” film on my end of year list, I would have
laughed them out of town. Sure, I love the giant lizard, but his
films are rarely seen as high-end cinema. “Godzilla Minus One”
is the brand new Godzilla film out of Japan, and it harks back to the
seriousness of Ishiro Honda's 1954 original. The film is set
immediately after the second World War, with Japan trying to rebuild
their lives amongst the ruins from the aftermath of the war. Left
with almost nothing, the Japanese people once again have to rally
together and fight the result of the nuclear attack on their country;
the mammoth Godzilla. As I mentioned, this film is not light
entertainment, but truly horrific as Godzilla is absolutely
terrifying in this. The scenes of his rampages are outstanding, with
stunning special effects to give some sense of just how big and
powerful he is. Similar to “Scarlet”, “Godzilla Minus One”
deals with the aftermath of a war, while focusing on a band of
disparate characters who come together to form a non-traditional
family. It is through this “family” that the film's heart comes
from, and believe me, there is plenty of heart and emotion in this
film. There is a very surprising death mid-movie that really hits
you hard, and I defy anyone not to be moved by the film's incredibly
moving finale. Thankfully, I was able to see this film on the big
screen, so felt the full force of Godzilla's wrath. The scene when
Godzilla first unleashes his atomic breath is just shocking in its
destruction. This is a stunningly good film, and I am rapt that it
has been a huge hit across the world because this is a monster movie
done right, with real emotion and real consequences.</span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOj0bdJXBYBYRynVGBLD44-oQVkYCz2rL4h_nOv3zSPmvxqogLJtWlox2AvtcrxaYkFstfhYgl3nGIexKUZwC1tbMCKyRp4jKnhBIUK5kDrxJXEzq0dsyApNg1Jhpr3MZ2UVYYTJq0V0TUyO7jIhVK_Civs81ut5Au_gensyldcy-Sf6OHVTJ2Snckxg/s859/henry-sugar-poster.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="859" data-original-width="583" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOj0bdJXBYBYRynVGBLD44-oQVkYCz2rL4h_nOv3zSPmvxqogLJtWlox2AvtcrxaYkFstfhYgl3nGIexKUZwC1tbMCKyRp4jKnhBIUK5kDrxJXEzq0dsyApNg1Jhpr3MZ2UVYYTJq0V0TUyO7jIhVK_Civs81ut5Au_gensyldcy-Sf6OHVTJ2Snckxg/s320/henry-sugar-poster.JPG" width="217" /></a></div><br /><u><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">23. THE WONDERFUL STORY OF HENRY SUGAR (AND OTHER TALES
BY ROALD DAHL)</span></u><p></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">I wasn't sure if I was going to include these films on
this list, because from the way Netflix screened them, these are four
short films (not a feature), each one based on a story by writer
Roald Dahl. “Henry Sugar” is the centrepiece though, with a
running time of 37 minutes, whilst the other three shorts run around
17 minutes each. The reason I decided to include them is two-fold.
The first reason is because they are in no way just throwaway Wes
Anderson pieces; these have been immaculately put together like all
of his features. Second, I have a sneaky suspicion that they were
always meant to be shown together as a full feature (the combined
running time comes to 88 minutes) and it was Netflix's idea to break
them up and premiere them one day after the other (although I have
nothing to back this up with). Anyway, going in I was expecting
these to be well made, but essentially nothing more than a curio.
What I got was four outstanding little stories, immaculately designed
and performed by the small cast of actors involved. As you would
expect being directed by Wes Anderson, the films have been stylised
to the hilt, and work more like intricate theatre pieces, with set
walls being removed and changed whilst the actors walk in front of
them. “Henry Sugar” is no doubt the stand-out of the four, with
Benedict Cumberbatch outstanding in the title role (I also loved Dev
Patel as the doctor too). The way Anderson has tackled these stories
is almost like an audio book, with the actors saying “he said”
after their line, like they are reading. You would think it wouldn't
work, but it just does. I am not sure if it is because of the short
running times, but these films are just crackling with energy and
move at such a speed, almost like a screwball comedy. That said, not
all of these stories are in fact comedies, with the excellent “The
Swan” (about a small boy being constantly tormented by a pair of
bullies) being incredibly sad and downright tragic. All four are
absolutely worthwhile of your time though and I highly recommend the
collective. I also want to say that it was awesome seeing Ralph
Fiennes in a Wes Anderson production again, here playing Roald Dahl
himself no less. (Note: the other two titles are “Poison”and
“The Ratcatcher”).</span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiDB046QPgM4Nd0UToaC_nqfe4_FzxeSsI_kP4k4tHoGcOJ7gJJEL_kICZBb_fl8ReyPhnEU0RVwM7kuDT82wqBJ-aVRBAUzJBU2x7opyMkYyvDsWrx-yB9TM7YbPtrkRgvhC6lpCf-Xg85ASr_LdYcu1wvlLKzdPHeI_1_SU2rRHpWFg-dOHdZ-oZVw/s856/under-the-light-poster.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="856" data-original-width="620" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiDB046QPgM4Nd0UToaC_nqfe4_FzxeSsI_kP4k4tHoGcOJ7gJJEL_kICZBb_fl8ReyPhnEU0RVwM7kuDT82wqBJ-aVRBAUzJBU2x7opyMkYyvDsWrx-yB9TM7YbPtrkRgvhC6lpCf-Xg85ASr_LdYcu1wvlLKzdPHeI_1_SU2rRHpWFg-dOHdZ-oZVw/s320/under-the-light-poster.JPG" width="232" /></a></div><br /><u><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">22. UNDER THE LIGHT</span></u><p></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">This is director Zhang Yimou's brand “new” film,
although it has apparently been sitting on the shelf, done and ready,
for four years. Way back in 2021, it actually featured on my most
anticipated list for that year and then never showed up, despite
posters and trailers for the film being released for it months
earlier. It isn't entirely certain what happened in the intervening
years, except that apparently it did screen back then at a film
festival with a running time of two and a half hours, whereas it now
enters the world with a running time of just shy of two hours. With
a crime film dealing with corruption within the police force and the
collaboration between crime figures and the government, the theory is
that the Chinese censors were not happy with the film and demanded a
large chunk to be removed. While at times, the released film does
feel a little choppy, I was surprised by just how great it was and
how well it flowed, after sitting on the shelf (and altered) for so
long. I much preferred this to Zhang Yimou's other 2023 film, “Full
River Red”. This is a brand new type of Zhang Yimou film which is
mainly due to the fact that it is set in the present (the first film
of his to do so since his rarely seen 1997 film, “Keep Cool”).
The time period makes no difference though, because Zhang just knows
how to put together an exciting movie. The look of “Under The
Light” is also different than his norm, with Zhang this time
working with Pan Luo as his cinematographer and filling the screen
with bright coloured neon lighting the night skies and the criminal
underbelly working under them. It will come as no surprise that the
film looks amazing, but what did come as a shock was just how
incredibly violent “Under The Light” was. This is the bloodiest
film of Zhang's career, no doubt about it. He does not hide just how
dangerous a world this is, and whilst the film is not filled with
wall to wall violence, when it happens it is so brutal. There is a
horrific neck slash late in the film that stunned me in its
brutality. There is quite a large array of characters in the film,
and early on it can get a little confusing just who everyone is and
who they are connected to, but once you have this all figured out,
you are then treated to a superior crime thriller.</span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQd7M5tWpkvauQH6lK9eoPHwerdzP1eAAuy5HRXmPnpp979tMIq6AgQ6AVdUjvCTEilnlqIt4eiiigakSj19K4c_0kmjD13VYYoJo5FyOyI0dq2IgIigdwbGHnKSJRmdzi4ciSOLccurML1nkS_H3r6ED1rCf0eddUohnBOOFg457welpUjnOPrg6xyw/s1500/asteroid_city-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1013" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQd7M5tWpkvauQH6lK9eoPHwerdzP1eAAuy5HRXmPnpp979tMIq6AgQ6AVdUjvCTEilnlqIt4eiiigakSj19K4c_0kmjD13VYYoJo5FyOyI0dq2IgIigdwbGHnKSJRmdzi4ciSOLccurML1nkS_H3r6ED1rCf0eddUohnBOOFg457welpUjnOPrg6xyw/s320/asteroid_city-poster.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br /><u><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">21. ASTEROID CITY</span></u><p></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">This is the second Wes Anderson project to appear on
this list, so I think it is obvious to say that I am a fan of the
man. However, normally his feature films appear a little further
down the list. As much as I really liked “Asteroid City”, I
would admit that I am cooler on it than most of his filmography. The
film is about a group of people who, whilst at a Junior Stargazers
competition for scientifically-minded children, are quarantined at
Asteroid City when an alien visits and steals the town's famous
meteorite. The arrival of the alien than makes the group question
their life beliefs. Whilst that is the plot of the film, it is
really about the fact that there is no meaning of life, or rather
there is no grand plan, rather you just have to keep going and make
the most of any situation you find yourself in, leaning on your loved
ones throughout. There is actually a lot going on in the film,
sometimes to its detriment, as Anderson lately seems obsessed with
over-complicating his narratives. Rather than just telling the main
story as it is, he layers it as a performance of a world famous
writer's play that is titled “Asteroid City”. As such, the story
is interupted in places to give us backstory on how the play and cast
came about, which sometimes works well, and others not as much. The
look of “Asteroid City” is something else entirely; it looks
phenomenal and unlike anything else out there today, but also totally
fake (which it is meant to because it is a play, remember). The
colours themselves are so unique in that they have a sheen so every
shot looks something like a postcard. I am unsure how they did it
but it looks amazing. The cast is ridiculously huge, but everyone is
fantastic, and I actually got a kick out of Tom Hanks playing the
grandfather, and thought he fitted into Wes Anderson's world
beautifully. I thought the first half of the film was incredibly
funny, but it loses a little steam in the final half an hour when it
skews more towards the serious. For mine, “Asteroid City” is not
top notch Wes Anderson, but even when a little off, that is better
than most filmmakers at their very best. Still definitely
recommended viewing. Oh, and I loved the roadrunner. Meep-meep!</span></p>
Mr Movieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08003659808749073067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8239145255704961537.post-90422910678247936832024-01-03T23:59:00.001+11:002024-01-03T23:59:36.469+11:002023 - IN REVIEW: CINEMATIC DISCOVERY<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjChD0D5bju8nidaAPwCm8t_dyojhV3cNL4-WLA4Ulq7AqwZDQ1DikzCmGX5EbqDCDHlLGmVWdfPi0xk4-QumL7yiRb-LpXHEdj9uCim2HseWw4apKHorrVZuUYJjrTTyeVuQ4o0-a3q4B_pA9Q2qp4xl33VJetO7vS43BlIo5W8P1JAPm67KZNBY-tBw/s699/pied-piper-poster.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="699" data-original-width="486" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjChD0D5bju8nidaAPwCm8t_dyojhV3cNL4-WLA4Ulq7AqwZDQ1DikzCmGX5EbqDCDHlLGmVWdfPi0xk4-QumL7yiRb-LpXHEdj9uCim2HseWw4apKHorrVZuUYJjrTTyeVuQ4o0-a3q4B_pA9Q2qp4xl33VJetO7vS43BlIo5W8P1JAPm67KZNBY-tBw/s320/pied-piper-poster.JPG" width="222" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<p></p><p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><u><b>THE
PIED PIPER (1986)</b></u></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I
would never call myself the biggest fan of animated films, but in
2023 I was lucky enough to see three brilliant, and completely
different examples of the form. One of those films will feature
highly in my top ten, whereas the other two films were both from the
past; one was Hungarian, the other from Czechoslovakia. The
Hungarian film is titled “Heroic Times” and is a medieval tale,
where the animation style looks like animated oil paintings. I have
never seen anything like it before, and it is simply astonishing to
look at. It is a brilliant, brilliant film, but the Czechoslovakian
film was amazingly, even better. Jiri Barta's “The Pied Piper”,
from 1986, is simply out-of-this-world good, and was the best
cinematic discovery I had in 2023. Sometime in the middle of the
year, Deaf Crocodile posted a trailer for their new restoration of
“The Pied Piper”. This was to be my first interaction with the
film, and just from this minute trailer, I knew that both, the film
was something very special, and that it was also going to be for me.
I was right on both accounts. I immediately bought the blu ray for
the film as soon as it became available, and totally fell in love
with the film, and have already watched it three times. </span></span></span>
</p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The
film is a Gothic retelling of the Pied Piper fairy tale, told via my
favourite form of animation: stop motion. The film has also been
heavily influenced by German expressionism, and particularly by
Robert Wiene's seminal 1919 horror film, “The Cabinet of Dr.
Caligari”. The film looks stunning, with the townsfolk and the
Piper himself being rendered via detailed wood carvings. These are
not realistic renditions, but rather grotesque approximations of the
towns people who are obsessed with money and ripping off one's
neighbour in an attempt to have more. They can never have enough
money, and always need more.</span></span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The
brilliant thing about “The Pied Piper” is that it is told totally
dialogue-free. Sure the locals speak an unintelligible language
(that is also never subtitled), but it is up to the visuals
themselves to tell this dark version of the famous tale. In Barta's
version here, he has done away with the revenge of the Piper being
the kidnapping of the town's children until he leads them all to
their deaths. Instead, he replaces the children with the townsfolk
themselves, with his magical tune turning the disgusting locals into
rats themselves that he can seduce and force them to jump from the
local cliff to their deaths. You would think that removing the
children's suffering, that Barta reduces the horror of the tale, but
instead he adds to it one of the most horrific moments I have ever
seen in an animated film, which is what finally gets the Piper to act
out his revenge.</span></span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">As
I mentioned, all of the townsfolk are depicted as grotesque
creatures, who care more about money than their fellow man. There
are rendered in angular wood carvings, full of sharp edges, and we
are left in no doubt that Barta does not want us to identify with
these characters. Then towards the end of the film, a young woman
enters the story, and she is rendered completely different than the
towns people. She is soft, full of curves, and coloured in white
rather than the brown, gold and red of the locals. She comes across
as a like a princess in a fairy tale, but in reality she is just a
farm girl, content in her life and unlike the rest of the town, as
she has no interest in money. As you would expect, the Piper is
drawn to her and her kindness. However it is through this
princess-like character that the film's ultimate horror takes place,
when the girl is viciously gang-raped by a group of the locals.
Whilst this moment is not shown in any detail onscreen, it is
horrific because you are left in no doubt as to exactly what has
happened to this poor woman. To make matters worse, she is then
murdered by the group after her ordeal. I was totally floored by
this scene as I have never seen anything like it in an animated film
before, even though the scene itself is barely graphic. It is all
implied, but the result is still the same; you feel this moment
through to your bones, and understand that the Piper does too.</span></span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I
cannot stress enough just how brilliant this film is, and at only 55
minutes long, it is something of a miracle. I also need to mention
Michael Kocab's amazing score; it is creepy, bizarre and
other-worldly and it adds so much to this film. I absolutely loved
Jiri Barta's “The Pied Piper”; it was the cinematic discovery of
the year for me, and definitely the best film I saw in all of 2023.</span></span></span></p>
Mr Movieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08003659808749073067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8239145255704961537.post-17533562536498773652024-01-03T23:04:00.001+11:002024-01-03T23:04:45.604+11:002023 - IN REVIEW: MOST UNDERRATED<p>
</p><p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUInovl3d62pi21PKPCbTSRDisdryR3t8rcWlWkX4VQE1olzxo293dpnPO8A1NsN77Q74olfAlWTEvyvNVsjayZv_SELyMF0Hw27-OrWeCho-p46Sn7YrCQDwUUDMnK7otL4L472adpx01vbBPjK75sCLYVanN5RfbLhH6X_ft9kyOzGpEohumlptEzA/s1500/cobweb-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1013" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUInovl3d62pi21PKPCbTSRDisdryR3t8rcWlWkX4VQE1olzxo293dpnPO8A1NsN77Q74olfAlWTEvyvNVsjayZv_SELyMF0Hw27-OrWeCho-p46Sn7YrCQDwUUDMnK7otL4L472adpx01vbBPjK75sCLYVanN5RfbLhH6X_ft9kyOzGpEohumlptEzA/s320/cobweb-poster.jpg" width="216" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><br /></span><p></p><p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><u><b>COBWEB</b></u></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Amazingly,
2023 saw two films released with “Cobweb” as its title, and both
turned out to be pretty great films. The other one is a South Korean
film that I have already reviewed for this blog, whereas the one I am
talking about today is the genius little horror film, directed by
talented Frenchman Samuel Bodin. Back in 2019, Bodin wrote and
directed for Netflix the French language horror series, “Marianne”,
which was a total gem and particularly, very scary. As is the norm
for Netflix, they cancelled this brilliant series after only one
season, but because of “Marianne”, Samuel Bodin was now on my
radar and I looked forward to whatever he did next. That turned out
to be “Cobweb”, Bodin's first foray into English language horror,
and he immediately proved that “Marianne” was no fluke. That
said, I am not sure if Bodin is just unlucky or has offended someone
upstairs, but after “Marianne” being prematurely cancelled, he
now suffered the fate of “Cobweb” being sent out into the world
with almost no marketing behind it, at the same time as when both
“Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” was released. “Cobweb” had no
chance at leaving a mark on the world, and yet those who have found
“Cobweb”, have championed it due to just how stylishly it has
been made and just how scary it is. With the film taking place over
Halloween, it really should have been released around that time too,
to give the film a chance, as it has the atmosphere of that holiday
in spades.</span></span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The
film is about a young eight year old boy who starts to hear noises
coming from the walls of his bedroom in the middle of the night. His
parents tell him it is his imagination, but as the sounds persist, he
becomes less and less sure that his parents are telling him the
truth. When he then overhears a story about a girl who went missing
near his house one Halloween night, the boy begins to believe that
his parents may not be as nice and normal as they went him to
believe. One night, the noises in the wall changes to a voice, a
voice telling him that his parents want to kill him.</span></span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">This
is such a great little horror film, that has that spooky campfire
quality to it. It is so stylishly directed, with Bodin pulling out
all the stops with his camera work, camera moves, and shadow play all
being very impressive. It is a very visual film, which totally
seduced me by its style. I will admit that the film is not perfect,
but jeez, it is a whole lot of fun. The first hour of the film, is
more mystery and set-up. It is almost Hitchcockian at times, but
very, very creepy, thanks to the performances from Lizzy Caplan and
Antony Starr, who play the boy's parents. You understand why the boy
isn't sure about his folks, as something is definitely off there.
The final half an hour of the film is completely different in tone,
and I was not prepared for just how bloody and brutal it was all
going to get. By the end of “Cobweb”, it becomes a very messy
and gooey film!! Like everything else in this film the gore is
incredibly well done, using a lot of practical effects. There is
quite a turn in the story towards its end, that I want to keep
secret, but suffice to say it has been handled more practically and
with less CGI then you would expect (which I found out thanks to the
special features on my blu ray of “Cobweb”). It is also this
turn that people have the most problem with when it comes to the
film, because the tone and style of the film changes drastically
because of it all. Personally I really liked this change, and
thought it added a lot to this already fantastic horror film, but
once again, my fourteen year old daughter and I differed in our
opinions in regards to “Cobweb”, and she felt the ending started
to border more on the silly side than I did.</span></span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">In
a perfect world, I would have preferred the spotlight that “Talk To
Me” received to have been shone on “Cobweb” instead, or at the
very least for it to have got the same amount of light shined on it
too, because personally I think it was the hidden horror gem of 2023,
and definitely the most underrated film of the year. The film is
good enough that I am sure it will end up having a following in the
future, but it deserved that following now.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> </span></p>Mr Movieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08003659808749073067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8239145255704961537.post-31731224714512603642024-01-03T22:58:00.000+11:002024-01-03T22:58:15.593+11:002023 - IN REVIEW: MOST OVERRATED<p>
</p><p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvGUTnKD9EOhxZiqYsVY7oZNrI_ejCBmYS2gtDCP5MtBMbtX9NWMaS7iBTeEQ4Q4G07K9CF3yxFlGvzSTitzr75YYo87DVD3TVg4F1UAqn-cHhQOud07HURUXC1Z9wKZaVFulFdQd8KTdvRqlX106OkiSzAUYX94K0nKT3uY_kDcMNG2oBUi6nKcuJfQ/s1500/talk_to_me-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1125" data-original-width="1500" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvGUTnKD9EOhxZiqYsVY7oZNrI_ejCBmYS2gtDCP5MtBMbtX9NWMaS7iBTeEQ4Q4G07K9CF3yxFlGvzSTitzr75YYo87DVD3TVg4F1UAqn-cHhQOud07HURUXC1Z9wKZaVFulFdQd8KTdvRqlX106OkiSzAUYX94K0nKT3uY_kDcMNG2oBUi6nKcuJfQ/s320/talk_to_me-poster.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> </span><p></p><p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><u><b>TALK
TO ME</b></u></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Once
again, let me just say that just because I deem something to be
overrated, it does not mean that I then think it isn't good. Almost
always my most overrated film of the year is actually a film that I
have liked, but one that I think that has been hyped up more than it
is actually worth. This year, that film was the Australian
supernatural horror film, “Talk To Me”. For some reason,
Americans went crazy for this film and before it had even been
released, it had been significantly hyped due to a successful
screening at Sundance, earlier in the year. I think what got me to
take some interest in the film, was that A24 then came on board to
distribute it, and they have a pretty good eye in what is good and
different in cinema. When the trailer came out, while I admit, it
did look very good and was certainly intense, I must admit that I
wasn't sold on the whole “embalmed hand” thing; it seemed like a
stupid idea for someone to be possessed by and see into the other
side, if only for a brief moment.</span></span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">None
of this stopped me from going out and seeing the film, the first
session on the opening day here in Melbourne (I am a horror tragic),
and while yes, “Talk To Me” is a well made and good supernatural
horror, I just did not see anything extra that made it “special”
or worthwhile of all the extra buzz that it had been generating. It
seemed like all the other teen horror movies that are regularly
released into cinemas. I was not a huge fan of the characters or the
actors, and I never truly got over the “embalmed hand” thing
either. That said, I can tell when a horror film is working, which
“Talk To Me” certainly does when it comes to its scary scenes, so
I understand when people say it is a good horror film, it is just
that I do not understand why people think it is any more special than
that. I must say that I did like that it was at least a little bit
original in its story, but my heart sank a little when it did so
well, and thus an immediate sequel was green-lit (Not every
successful horror film needs a sequel, people!!). </span></span></span>
</p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Again,
let me reiterate, “Talk To Me” is a good horror film, that I
actually liked (I even gave it 3.5 stars), but I also think that it
has been massively over-hyped too, although this may be just the
opinion of a seasoned horror fan, who at almost fifty years of age,
feels like he has seen it all in the genre, because my horror-loving
fourteen year old daughter thinks “Talk To Me” is absolutely
terrifying and she loves it because of that, so what do I really
know?</span></span></span></p>
<p> </p>Mr Movieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08003659808749073067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8239145255704961537.post-78082071994818380822024-01-03T21:28:00.001+11:002024-01-03T21:28:25.813+11:002023 - IN REVIEW: BIGGEST SURPRISE<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1vNgk9CwhBlOySMRcvF5f5CdbnpzDIborKvwYg8edXWVRJGQuhdQ0rMr1GHmTSUn-KvaeoQm6e9n7AolJ6x9JZzCRt_tHahEdi-hY6tHtHclXjNJ1Wbb0GBiDmRkltaKiAV195qWYzeIbLoOKKZad544wtGTYAbMLQnUOaEJNNSZHxW1Mu0P9_5cmrQ/s1500/barbie-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1039" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1vNgk9CwhBlOySMRcvF5f5CdbnpzDIborKvwYg8edXWVRJGQuhdQ0rMr1GHmTSUn-KvaeoQm6e9n7AolJ6x9JZzCRt_tHahEdi-hY6tHtHclXjNJ1Wbb0GBiDmRkltaKiAV195qWYzeIbLoOKKZad544wtGTYAbMLQnUOaEJNNSZHxW1Mu0P9_5cmrQ/s320/barbie-poster.jpg" width="222" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> <u><b>BARBIE</b></u></span><p></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Before
“Barbie” had even come out, I remember having a conversation with
my brother about the film, and whether or not we were planning to see
it or if it would be any good, or had any purpose in being made. The
early marketing or talk of the film was always very vague, and my
brother and I both said that we actually had no idea what they were
exactly attempting with “Barbie”; were they making fun of her,
was the film pro-Barbie, or was it a satire of the Barbie phenomenon?
As history has shown, the answer to all these questions was “Yes.
It is all of those things”. However at that time, all I said to my
brother was that I trusted the talent involved, particularly Greta
Gerwig and Noah Baumbach, and I was sure that they were going to have
a unique take on it all, and that the film would be worthwhile, as I
couldn't see these filmmakers wasting their time on just fluff, or a
propaganda piece for Barbie, or Mattel themselves. As we all know,
“Barbie” became this massive phenomenon, and that was the biggest
surprise of the year; just how audiences flocked to see and love this
movie. And for good reason too, for the most part, it is absolutely
genius!! “Barbie” is such a fantastic and great film, and at the
time of my viewing, I thought it was a shoe-in for my Top Twenty
list.</span></span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The
first half of “Barbie” is flat-out brilliant; it was very funny,
looked amazing, and the performances from everyone, (but particularly
Margot Robbie as Barbie and Ryan Gosling as Ken), were outstanding.
I thought everyone was such a good sport in this film, especially
Gosling and Mattel themselves, as their past, failed and aborted
additions to the Barbie line of toys are regularly made fun of,
whilst Gosling is seen in some quite ridiculous and impractical
costumes. Micheal Cera is hilarious as Allan, Ken's forgotten best
friend, whilst Kate McKinnon rules the film with her rendition of
“weird”Barbie; an old Barbie toy that has been disfigured via
poor playing or poorer siblings. It is all very funny stuff, and
then when Barbie goes to the real world, the film changes, but is
still just as funny, whilst also adding some poignancy and heart to
the proceedings. I feel that the film only loses its way when Barbie
returns to Barbie Land and is followed there by the Mattel
executives, with the CEO being played by Will Farrell himself. It is
here that I felt that a lot of the jokes were becoming recycled, the
film got a little too serious at times and they really didn't find
anything interesting to do with the executives in Barbie Land, so
this part comes across more like padding. I also wasn't convinced
completely by the ending, however, this is such a great film that I
do not want to harp on these minor negatives I had, because “Barbie”
is essentially now a universally loved film (honestly, out of
everyone I know that has seen it, no one dislikes it!)</span></span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I
know I have kind of glossed over what makes “Barbie” so great,
but c'mon, everyone has seen it and knows why it works so well, so I
just wanted to briefly highlight the bind-the-scenes work by all
involved. I read a very interesting conversation with
cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto about just how hard “Barbie” was
to light, particularly due to all of the pink that was used in the
film, which would wreck havoc on the skin tones of the actors. To
combat this, any part of the set that wasn't to be seen in a shot,
had to be draped in a grey fabric to get skin tones back to normal.
Challenges like this blew my mind because it is the kind of thing you
would never think of whilst watching the film, which just moves
effortlessly throughout its running time. One thing that is
impossible not to notice while watching “Barbie” though is just
how incredible both the production design and costuming is on the
film (by Sarah Greenwood and Jacqueline Durran respectively), and the
attention to detail on both. These look and feel just like a Barbie
Dreamhouse or an oversized accessory (like Barbie's big hairbrush)
would look like, in a living, breathing Barbie world. I loved that
Barbie came across as a little too big for everything that she owned,
like that the ceilings on her Dreamhouse looked too low, or her car
that little bit too small for her, because the real-life dolls always
struggle with this scale too. I was also very impressed by how
glossy, and shiny (and plastic) Barbie's world came across as, and
how this was countered by the real world aesthetics and dullness when
they change worlds. The famous scene of Barbie and Ken arriving in
the real world dressed in their skin-tight Lycra rollerblading
costumes is hilarious and immediately shows the point of difference
between both worlds in a very funny way. As I mentioned above, Greta
Gerwig and Noah Baumbach's script is fantastic, with it being equal
parts funny and at times deep, and I loved the aspect where they
examine how the good intention of making Barbie powerful, beautiful
and successful in her world, has led real little girls unprepared for
the harsh realities of the real world, as they have been set-up with
unrealistic expectations on what it is to be a young girl in the
world. Gerwig also excels in the direction department by keeping the
film incredibly fun, full of colour, and always moving. She is an
excellent filmmaker, and this is another huge success in her young
directorial career.</span></span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">As
you can tell, like almost everyone in the world, I am quite a fan of
the “Barbie” movie (although I have to admit, sadly, it just fell
short of my top twenty-five list), but what was the biggest surprise
for me, and what I was not expecting from it, was that “Barbie”
would turn out to be such a massive success all around the world.
That said, it is definitely well deserved.</span></span></span></p>
Mr Movieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08003659808749073067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8239145255704961537.post-55953141779679041372024-01-03T21:16:00.001+11:002024-01-03T21:16:44.959+11:002023 - IN REVIEW: BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW9MZ6Ic0ZSkLbsf_pwHe1oenV_QHy4nq2O3D2wjIB7IUqY8BpLqQA4vrLIXor4i-39UH_ZP1invT0s3Hhxt1HhzkSu2U3pFFAk_WhJ8fPwXRv7skBGmub1BivuNF_hdahFJ9sM6M27l6E4pC8jZF4n4_oVniDCZ6BeAJH6ibBdMGwGVD5_t0Nz_R5-g/s1500/about-dry-grasses-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1104" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW9MZ6Ic0ZSkLbsf_pwHe1oenV_QHy4nq2O3D2wjIB7IUqY8BpLqQA4vrLIXor4i-39UH_ZP1invT0s3Hhxt1HhzkSu2U3pFFAk_WhJ8fPwXRv7skBGmub1BivuNF_hdahFJ9sM6M27l6E4pC8jZF4n4_oVniDCZ6BeAJH6ibBdMGwGVD5_t0Nz_R5-g/s320/about-dry-grasses-poster.jpg" width="236" /></a></div><br />
<p></p><p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><u><b>ABOUT
DRY GRASSES</b></u></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I
am sure many of you have just read the title of my biggest
disappointment of 2023 and gone “WHAT??!!??”. Yes, I understand
how loved “About Dry Grasses” is, and that it currently has a
score of 8.1 on imdb, but this has more to do with a film not living
up to expectations rather than it being a bad film of any kind.</span></span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I
am a very big fan of Turkish director Nuri Bilge Ceylan, and it is
always an event whenever he releases a new film. His previous film
“The Wild Pear Tree”, I thought, was outstanding and it featured
highly on my top ten of that year. Although it didn't make it on to
my “official” most anticipated list of 2023, there was no doubt
that “About Dry Grasses” was one that I was looking forward to
greatly, and was very excited when it was announced (as expected) to
be playing at this year's MIFF. From memory, the first trailer for
the film had been already released (or happened very soon after the
MIFF announcement), and just on the images displayed and mood
conveyed in that trailer, it looked as if Nuri Bilge Ceylan had
another masterpiece on his hands. The film looked stunning!</span></span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">And
the movie played out just like that, as I was watching it. I
remember consciously thinking “Man, how great is this! This is
going to be another classic”, during my screening, as I was
particularly impressed by Ceylan's handle of both tone and pace, and
the way he never seemed rushed to tell his story. He gives us time
to meet all the characters, become familiar with the landscape of the
town where the story takes place, before the actual drama of the
story begins. It had a very un-Hollywood feel to it, and I was
loving every second of “About Dry Grasses”. As mentioned above,
I am very familiar with Ceylan's films previous, so his slow and
dialogue heavy style was something I was anticipating, nor did I see
it as any sort of negative in regards to enjoying “About Dry
Grasses”. The same goes for the extended running time, I was well
prepared for the 3 hour and seventeen minute running time (it's
Ceylan's longest film to date), and like I mentioned above, I was
with the film totally and loving every second of it.........until I
wasn't. There is a very long scene, about halfway through the film,
that takes place between the characters of Samet and Nuray, set
essentially just around a kitchen table, where the two characters
talk about their personal philosophies about life and just how they
see the world and the fairness within the world. It is a very, very
long scene (I wouldn't be surprised if it was at least twenty minutes
long), but it totally took me out of the film because I found the
character of Samet insufferable and incredibly selfish after his
rant, that I lost all empathy towards him and his ordeal throughout
the film. He isn't the most likeable character from the outset but
by the end of this scene, I thoroughly disliked him, and particularly
the way he treated his “friend” Nuray during this conversation.
From this moment on in “About Dry Grasses”, I found myself
distracted and disturbed by Samet, and as such kept finding myself
outside of the film, trying to locate an entry point to enter within
it again, and enjoy it once more, which I struggled to do. I was
shattered by this too, because of just how much I was enjoying the
film before this scene and with it being so good up until then, that
I was expecting to rate it as a masterpiece. Now I understand that
all of this has to do with my own personal baggage and beliefs that I
have brought to the film, so it is not the fault of Nuri Bilge Ceylan
in any way, but I reacted differently to the film from this scene
onward. </span></span></span>
</p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Until
now, I haven't even mentioned the plot of “About Dry Grasses”,
which is about Samet, who is a teacher in the fourth year of his
compulsory service in a remote village of Anatolia, looking to the
future and finally being transferred back to the city, when his world
is turned upside down after he is accused by two teenage students of
inappropriate touching. He is floored by the accusations, and makes
little sense of them, particularly when he finds out that the two
girls who accused him are those he has a fantastic teaching
relationship with (or so he thought). He denies any wrongdoing, and
maintains his innocence throughout, but the weight of the accusations
hang heavy on him, as he starts to think he will never be able to
escape the grim life he is living in this tiny village. Samet then
meets Nuray, who is also a teacher (and someone who has the right to
feel aggrieved by the world), and he has the chance to find meaning
and hope in his life (and occupation) once more, but will he be open
enough to take that chance?</span></span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">As
you can see, there is a lot in the film, and for the most part,
“About Dry Grasses” is very well done. It is actually based on a
real-life incident of Akin Aksu, who co-wrote the screenplay with
Nuri Bilge Ceylan, and his wife Ebru Ceylan, back when he was a
teacher himself. I think it is a fantastic script, with a lot of
depth, tackling a lot of different (and difficult) topics and themes
in an intelligent manner. The acting is all superb, with a special
shout-out to Merve Dizdar who is outstanding as Nuray. I wasn't as
thrilled by the cinematography by Cevahir Sahin and Kursat Uresin
which, whilst you would never call bad or uninteresting, I just
didn't find it as sharp or as impressive as the cinematography of
Gokhan Tiryaki, Ceylan's regular cinematographer since “Climates”
in 2006. Do not get me wrong, “About Dry Grasses” is not a bad
film, not even by a long shot, but when I left my screening I was
absolutely shattered that I did not fall in love with the film
completely, as it appeared like the majority of the people did who
attended my screening. Again, I had a conscious thought where I
couldn't believe how disappointed I was, particularly after the way I
was feeling about the film around the half way mark, where I thought
it would challenge my top two or three films of the year! So yeah,
whilst I understand that this is a strange one for “Biggest
Disappointment” of the year, it was actually what I felt coming out
of the film; it disappointed me “in film”, from how great I found
it initially to where my opinion of it ended up; I was devastated.
Sadly, I have not had the chance to re-watch the film since MIFF, but
I really do look forward to a second viewing in the hope that I see
the film in a different light and it becomes the masterpiece I
thought it was at the half way point.</span></span></span></p>
Mr Movieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08003659808749073067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8239145255704961537.post-18573941338980261712024-01-03T21:03:00.000+11:002024-01-03T21:03:05.397+11:002023 - IN REVIEW: GUILTY PLEASURE<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCEAUDLq0hNfrhDSaNmgdO6Qnt5W7EkLSu_Q9Ar6VGtl7efkk_PYpFzTvNbiHEYtIk-sRybt4A7UDnPk55xEg2YhNP2Wvrepv05NqcevEATHR2nFLm-YBT9OEYIL3_C6nj00h4fyoQWheVmT8gInQsLbeRy5F4su3eOvkSngK4gRpGLAXlrD23U3JsMg/s755/mon_crime-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="556" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCEAUDLq0hNfrhDSaNmgdO6Qnt5W7EkLSu_Q9Ar6VGtl7efkk_PYpFzTvNbiHEYtIk-sRybt4A7UDnPk55xEg2YhNP2Wvrepv05NqcevEATHR2nFLm-YBT9OEYIL3_C6nj00h4fyoQWheVmT8gInQsLbeRy5F4su3eOvkSngK4gRpGLAXlrD23U3JsMg/s320/mon_crime-poster.jpg" width="236" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><br /> </span>
<p></p><p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><u><b>THE
CRIME IS MINE</b></u></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">My
love of French cinema and particularly my love of director Francois
Ozon's work should be well known by any who read this blog by now, so
to see the inclusion of one of his films on these lists should come
as no surprise. As I always seem to say in my “guilty pleasure”
film of each year, the reason why a film is usually my guilty
pleasure is not because it is a bad film that I love (although that
can happen), but rather it is because it is a good film, that is
incredibly silly or fun that I love, that the cinematic snob in me
sticks its nose up for liking. For those of you who are familiar
with Francois Ozon's films, you would be aware that he has two styles
that he regularly alternates between, which are his serious “real
life” or “real world” dramas (such as “Under the Sand”) or
his more fun, silly, wacky, glossy “movie” movies (like “8
Women”). He is adept at both styles (he sometimes even combines
the two styles into one movie, like his well known film “Swimming
Pool”), however his latest film “The Crime is Mine” is as silly
and as goofy as it gets. The funny thing about this though is, when
I wrote about this film in my most anticipated film list of 2023, I
remarked how I didn't know what type of film it ultimately was, word
out of France was it was a comedy, but looking at the plot
description, I could only see real world drama. Make no mistake, I
was totally wrong, as this is comedy through and through, and at
times it is a very silly one too!</span></span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Back
then, the imdb described “The Crime is Mine” like so: “</span></span><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Madeleine
Verdier, a penniless actress is accused of the murder of a famous
producer. With the help of her best friend, she is acquitted of the
crime due to her acting in self defence at the time. Then begins a
life of glory and success, until the truth threatens to come to
light”. This is such a fun, light-hearted film that I had a great
time with. Ozon has created a movie that is very big and theatrical
in its design, right down to the film starting with theatre curtains
opening. The film revolves around a woman lying about committing a
murder due to the money and success that will come her way from the
notoriety of such a crime, due to the fact that (in her story) she
was protecting herself from a predatory producer (with a nod to the
recent “Me Too” sensation that swept through Hollywood). As
such, Madeleine's life is essentially one big performance piece, so
Ozon's operatic style he has imbued on “The Crime is Mine” is
perfect for the material.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">One
thing I love about Ozon is that he is very loyal towards his actors
and often works with them more than once. What he has done with his
cast in “The Crime is Mine” is cast regular actors from his films
but usually against type or in roles you wouldn't immediately think
of them playing. Frabrice Luchini, Andre Dussollier, Felix Lefebvre
all show up playing silly, off kilter roles, but it is Isabelle
Huppert who surprises the most here, playing the mysterious and
seriously over-the-top (ageing) actress Odette Chaumette. I almost
fell off my chair when I saw Huppert enter the film for the first
time, with her giant hair and preposterous dress sense! She is
absolutely ridiculous and hilarious in this film, and such a good
sport. I mean this is a very seasoned and serious French actress,
known for her intensity in dark dramas by Michael Haneke, so to see
her like this, so hilarious and batshit crazy as she is in “The
Crime is Mine”, I loved her even more than I did before. She
totally steals every scene she is in! The lead actresses, Nadia
Tereszkiewicz and Rebecca Marder (who play Madeleine and her lawyer
friend Pauline respectively), I was unfamiliar with, but I thought
they were both excellent, particularly as a pairing, as they had
great comedic timing together. </span></span></span></span>
</p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">As
I have mentioned already, “The Crime is Mine” has a very glossy
look to it all, and the film has been wonderfully lensed by Ozon's
(current) regular cinematographer Manuel Dacosse. With the story set
in the mid-1930's, Dacosse gets a wonderful chance to regularly show
off the period details of the film's intricate production design. I
was also a big fan of the murder reconstruction scenes, as they have
been presented in a black and white style similar to a silent film.
These scenes stand out and look great.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I
find that comedies from other countries do not always translate well
into English, and I am sure the opposite would be true too.
Thankfully, I'm happy to say that I found no such barriers with the
comedy found in “The Crime is Mine”; it is all so broad and
silly, that anyone can enjoy. There is also some funny “word play”
in the film, which almost never translates if you do not understand
the language spoken, but works extremely well here. However this
brings me to the unsavoury point that sadly, “The Crime is Mine”
has been released here in Australia in a censored version, simply for
a word-play joke involving the “C” word. Sure, it is a rude
word, but also quite funny in this context, and the decision to
censor this dialogue totally ruins the moment. I have no idea why it
was thought a good idea to censor this moment for Australian
audiences, as whilst it brought the rating down from an MA15+ to a
simple M (meaning teenagers can now see the film), I doubt many
teenagers under the age of 15 who would be clamouring to see “The
Crime is Mine” in the first place.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Anyway,
outside of that little annoyance, I must say that I thoroughly
enjoyed Francois Ozon's latest film; it is as silly and as fun as
anything which is why it was my “guilty pleasure of 2023”. </span></span></span></span>
</p>
Mr Movieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08003659808749073067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8239145255704961537.post-52044039251309389082024-01-03T15:31:00.002+11:002024-01-03T15:31:49.290+11:002023 - IN REVIEW: WORST FILM OF THE YEAR<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> <span style="font-size: small;">Normally at this point I would go through my top ten
“worst” films of the year, but whilst I was going through the
list of films I watched and rated during 2023, I discovered just how
incredibly strong a year it was from a cinematic perspective.
Normally, my “worst of” list is saved for films that I give two
stars or less to, but for the entirety of 2023, I only gave four
films two stars or less. As such I didn't feel comfortable writing a
full list of ten films, as that would mean including titles that
weren't necessarily “bad”. I thought about maybe getting rid of
this category entirely, but then for traditions sake decided to just
list the one title that stood head and shoulders above all the rest
to be named.......</span></span>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><u><b>THE WORST
FILM OF 2023</b></u></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyVdtkUVCPVXvRO93BE4Vmqz6FYKA7nXL4NdokrLinxpMLjZjN4OTVsEgEwwpbjZM0hNBp7LqG9jCOIAD7YXW18mUjeTn3u2eHXTfsa4GxyC3BUDtvpamw1F2bisRV5wqB_UF-bavVNlLq1LV4k7pTEl01jRT_Ilhbwqw1JAxY8xj28QhOA8XklXCQIg/s1500/magic_mikes_last_dance-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1012" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyVdtkUVCPVXvRO93BE4Vmqz6FYKA7nXL4NdokrLinxpMLjZjN4OTVsEgEwwpbjZM0hNBp7LqG9jCOIAD7YXW18mUjeTn3u2eHXTfsa4GxyC3BUDtvpamw1F2bisRV5wqB_UF-bavVNlLq1LV4k7pTEl01jRT_Ilhbwqw1JAxY8xj28QhOA8XklXCQIg/s320/magic_mikes_last_dance-poster.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br /><p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><u>MAGIC MIKE'S LAST DANCE</u></span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Out of all the films that I saw in 2023, this film stood
out amongst them all in regards to it being a film that I thought did
not work on any level. As I often say during my “Worst of”lists,
when I hate a film so much, it doesn't stay around in my head for
very long, so my reasons for disliking it may come off as rather
shallow or in-considered. The biggest problem I had with “Magic
Mike's Last Dance” was that the love story felt so false, forced
and unbelievable, which is primarily due to the fact that Channing
Tatum and Salma Hayek have no romantic chemistry at all. The fact
that Hayek's character falls for Mike so quickly during his dance is
just ridiculous, but from this point on when the two of them are
together as a couple, they never feel connected or as one. It always
feels like a business transaction between the two of them. I
understand that during the making of the film, that Thandie Newton
was originally cast in the role that Hayek plays in the finished
film, and actually filmed for at least a week before she dropped out,
so Hayek stepping in as a replacement at the last second would not
have helped with the chemistry factor, but it really took me out of
the film because I did not believe in it's reality. Chemistry is
clearly an intangible thing; what creates great chemistry? Why do
some people have it whilst others do not? I am not sure but it isn't
as simple as putting two beautiful people together, which Tatum and
Hayek no doubt are.</span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">You may be saying to yourself that I am clearly not the
target audience for this film, and that may be true, but I will say
that I was a fan of the original “Magic Mike” (not so much the
second film, although it had some good dancing in it), and I watched
this new film with my wife who is very much the target audience and
she too thought “Magic Mike's Last Dance” was dreadful and worse,
extremely boring.........and she adores Channing Tatum!!!</span></p>
<p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Sadly, the whole film is as dull as dishwater, with an
overwritten script (which has some of the most eye-rolling lines in
it), very poor acting (Salma Hayek is terrible as Max), and almost a
complete lack of dancing (!!). I mean, come on, the dancing part has
to be a pre-requisite for a Magic Mike film. When we do finally get
the “big” dance sequence at the end of the film, it is so
underwhelming, and sees Mike dancing with a girl we barely know and
who only shows up for the end of the film. Did I mention that there
is also a ridiculous revenge plot that Max has conceived in a bid to
get a one-up on her ex-husband? Man, this film is embarrassing. It
honestly felt that no one was invested in making this film, because
the whole thing lacks energy and it felt like Mike's story came to an
end at the end of “Magic Mike XXL”. What is worse is that this
is the first theatrically released film directed by Steven Soderbergh
for years (at least in Australia), and we got this dreck?!?
Soderbergh clearly has a love for the Magic Mike character, as he was
the director of the very good first film, and even returned to do
cinematography duties on the second film (during his “retirement”),
but even his heart doesn't seem to be in it here for the third film.
The cinematic energy that was so evident in his recent films, “KIMI”
and “No Sudden Move”, is totally absent here, which instead gives
way to a plodding, sputtering, and ultimately boring film, that drags
for its entire two hour run time. For mine, it is Steven
Soderbergh's worst film of his career so far, and was far and away
the worst film I saw in 2023.</span></p>
</div>Mr Movieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08003659808749073067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8239145255704961537.post-17824102834552288712024-01-01T22:38:00.011+11:002024-01-09T21:57:39.116+11:002023 - IN REVIEW<p><span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif"><span> </span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg94mwYghfTvbos4Cqxdb-aJWkzealLcaUZtzXbuwfe6Xxa2YrClLbUFMsViVEYx4CGcpzVuV7h4MLxTar6ENwkaZeQFH7VjzuOARzSjzaYh00xVH4v2I5otL8Goo36v-AZHS_BUWz4Yu1FzhgTa4eHwM9xDa-B5crjOQNP_j89krQWQs3ZxIpGX_ewKw/s637/2023logo.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="292" data-original-width="637" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg94mwYghfTvbos4Cqxdb-aJWkzealLcaUZtzXbuwfe6Xxa2YrClLbUFMsViVEYx4CGcpzVuV7h4MLxTar6ENwkaZeQFH7VjzuOARzSjzaYh00xVH4v2I5otL8Goo36v-AZHS_BUWz4Yu1FzhgTa4eHwM9xDa-B5crjOQNP_j89krQWQs3ZxIpGX_ewKw/s320/2023logo.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif"><span>So
it has come to that time of the year again where Top Ten lists become
the norm, so I guess I have to add my two cents to the discussion.
Whilst researching the comings and goings of the past cinematic year, it quickly became apparent that 2023 turned out to be a stellar year in film. As such, this has forced me to slightly change my norm in regards to the number of films I will look at, with my top films being extended to a Top 25 this year, whilst my Top Ten Worst Films list being shrunk considerably to just a solitary title. Below are the categories I am going to be discussing
in regards to 2023, so sit back and enjoy. Remember that these are my
lists and you can disagree with them all you want.</span></span><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://mrmovies2011.blogspot.com.au/2013/01/2012-in-review-top-ten-worst-films.html"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif"><span><br /></span></span></a></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
</p><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif"><span><a href="https://mrmovies2011.blogspot.com/2024/01/2023-in-review-worst-film-of-year.html">WORST FILM OF 2023</a></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif"><span><a href="https://mrmovies2011.blogspot.com/2024/01/2023-in-review-guilty-pleasure.html">GUILTY PLEASURE OF 2023</a></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif"><span><a href="https://mrmovies2011.blogspot.com/2024/01/2023-in-review-biggest-disappointment.html">BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT OF 2023</a></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif"><span><a href="https://mrmovies2011.blogspot.com/2024/01/2023-in-review-biggest-surprise.html">BIGGEST SURPRISE OF 2023</a></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif"><span><a href="https://mrmovies2011.blogspot.com/2024/01/2023-in-review-most-overrated.html">MOST OVERRATED FILM OF 2023</a></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif"><span><a href="https://mrmovies2011.blogspot.com/2024/01/2023-in-review-most-underrated.html">MOST UNDERRATED FILM OF 2023</a></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://mrmovies2011.blogspot.com/2024/01/2023-in-review-cinematic-discovery.html">CINEMATIC DISCOVERY OF 2023</a></span>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif"><span>TOP TWENTY FIVE FILMS OF 2023 <a href="https://mrmovies2011.blogspot.com/2024/01/2023-in-review-top-twenty-five-best.html">#25<span>-21</span></a> <span><a href="https://mrmovies2011.blogspot.com/2024/01/2023-in-review-top-twenty-five-best_7.html">#20-11</a> <a href="https://mrmovies2011.blogspot.com/2024/01/2023-in-review-top-twenty-five-best_9.html">#10-1</a></span></span></span><br /></span>
<a href="https://mrmovies2011.blogspot.com/2024/01/2023-in-review-most-anticipated-films.html"><span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif"><span><span>MOST ANTICIPATED FILMS OF 2024 </span></span></span></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://mrmovies2011.blogspot.com/2024/01/2023-in-review-most-anticipated-films.html"><span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif"><span><br /></span></span></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS",sans-serif"><span>Once each segment has been posted I will add the link to it on this page. So let's begin shall we?</span></span></span></div>Mr Movieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08003659808749073067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8239145255704961537.post-39224434771188197262023-08-30T22:43:00.002+10:002023-08-30T22:43:57.794+10:00MAY DECEMBER - MIFF 2023<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3bX_SAXt9YUjhY80LXc4aVANp1lJ4tIAjnwRYl3ElbnyleuzPRVC_Zb1n0PYhogcaQGh2n-fSyqpw5dEfA12Gf7fh9aocG4XxM4MagBzjkpcKbWULXKqZByUw45P65W-VmEe-MadWsvO80JyDH6o0-pIa57AEXU5pU4AZdQtWl31lAkneFk9rpkkiyw/s1295/may-december-still-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="764" data-original-width="1295" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3bX_SAXt9YUjhY80LXc4aVANp1lJ4tIAjnwRYl3ElbnyleuzPRVC_Zb1n0PYhogcaQGh2n-fSyqpw5dEfA12Gf7fh9aocG4XxM4MagBzjkpcKbWULXKqZByUw45P65W-VmEe-MadWsvO80JyDH6o0-pIa57AEXU5pU4AZdQtWl31lAkneFk9rpkkiyw/s320/may-december-still-1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /></span><p style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">As per the MIFF guide: “At 36, Gracie caused a worldwide furore and
landed herself behind bars after her predatory sexual relationship
with a 13-year-old boy was made public. Some 20 years later, with
Gracie now married to him with children of their own, the
complexities resurface when actor Elizabeth arrives in their hometown
of Savannah, Georgia, ahead of playing her in an upcoming biopic. But
Elizabeth’s stripping of her subject’s layers triggers a crossing
of boundaries – from every which way.”</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">I was late in discovering the cinema of
Todd Haynes but once I finally came across his work, it didn't take
me long to recognise his genius, nor to the fact that I am on the
same cinematic wavelength of this great director. His films just
speak to me, and now each time a new film from Todd Haynes is
released, it is something of an event. “May December” is his
latest, and it may come as no surprise that it was my second most
anticipated film at MIFF after Christian Petzold's “Afire”.
Unlike the Petzold film which was my first film screened at MIFF this
year, I had to wait until the second last day of the festival to see
“May December”, but unsurprisingly, it was definitely worth the
wait. I loved this film, and from the reaction of the audience I saw
it with, it certainly seemed like a crowd favourite too.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">While it is never stated in the film as
such, the story of “May December” is based on the real-life case
of Mary Kay Letourneau, who was a school teacher that was sent to
prison for her part in the “romance” between her and a twelve
year old boy, in Washington. Without going into too many details,
the interesting thing about this case is that Letourneau, while in
prison (or waiting to be imprisoned), gave birth to two children
fathered by this boy. Further more, once Letourneau was released
from jail after doing her time, Letourneau and Vili Fualaau (the boy,
who now, was over the age of twenty) ended up marrying each other,
living together as husband and wife. Such a relationship fascinated
America because it questioned whether or not Letourneau was in the
wrong if it was true love all along, but at the same time, she was 22
years Fualaau's senior at the time of the “assault / romance” so
the power dynamics clearly were in favour of Letourneau, with Fualaau
clearly not being of a mature age to be making such decisions on his
life. Anyway, none of that is part of “May December” except in
the background, as Haynes briefly addresses the scandal of his
characters via a quick montage of newspaper articles and headlines
detailing all of this, so we understand why a Hollywood actress would
want to take the time to meet these people and then play them
onscreen. As you can tell, all of this is very heavy stuff, so you
would think that it would ultimately force Todd Haynes' film to be a
serious drama to examine all of this, but the most surprising aspect
of “May December”, and the biggest reason for why it is so great,
is the gutsy, (and very deliberate) campy tone that Haynes gives to
his film. I was not expecting “May December” to be a funny film
at all, and yet at times it is hilarious!
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">One of the keys to getting this very
hard to capture tone just right, comes down to the use of the
excellent over-the-top score by Marcelo Zarvos, which is actually
re-purposed music from Joseph Losey's 1971 film, “The Go-Between”.
The way Todd Haynes first introduces this music into his film is so
funny due to how dramatic it comes across, especially as it follows
this simple line of dialogue: “We may not have enough hot-dogs”.
My cinema erupted into laughter during this moment, which I'm sure is
exactly what Haynes wanted, as he is giving his audience the okay to
laugh during the film; do not fear, it is intended that way, even
during some of the most uncomfortable moments and scenes.
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">“May December” is filled with
wonderful performances especially from the three lead characters.
This is Julianne Moore's fifth time working with Todd Haynes and I
always feel like magic is created when these two get together.
Whilst I doubt that they could ever top their masterpiece, “Far
from Heaven” (a rare five-star film for me), Moore once again
creates a complex character with Gracie. She plays her as a woman
who still feels she has nothing to apologise for, that she has done
nothing wrong, nor is she embarrassed or ashamed of it, and yet we
can see through interactions with both Joe and her own kids, just how
manipulative she can be through her words and tone. It is
interesting watching the power dynamics between her and Joe even now,
as Gracie still stands over him like he is a little kid even though
he is now a fully grown adult and much bigger in stature than her.
Gracie is definitely the dominant party in this marriage and gets
angry when she doesn't get her way, belittling Joe in the process.
She also projects the image of a woman who is popular and successful
in her community, but this image is slowly eroded the more Elizabeth
questions Gracie and her friends for her research in the role.
Julianne Moore plays Gracie with a lisp, which is something I never
like, because it usually feels so forced, but funnily enough, Moore
has done it so subtlety here, that I didn't notice it until late in
the film when Elizabeth herself is practising Gracie's speech
patterns.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Speaking of Elizabeth, “May December”
is Natalie Portman's film, hands down. Granted, she has the most
“showy” role in the film, but she does it so, so well. When she
first enters Gracie's house to meet the family, she comes across as
really down to earth and friendly, but as she asks more and more
personal questions, particularly to Joe involving the psychological
aspects of what happened, you can feel she isn't as genuine as she
wants to come across. She keeps saying that she only wants to be
true to the story, but her questions are loaded to the point that it
feels like Elizabeth has already come to town with her own opinion on
Gracie's story, so instead of actually listening to what both Gracie
and Joe are saying, she keeps trying to steer the conversations
towards the more controversial or salacious material of their story.
The more and more Elizabeth tries to embody Gracie and get under her
skin to understand her fully, the creepier Portman's performance
gets, where by the end she goes to quite a dark and controversial
place, all under the guise of capturing the “truth”. The very
final scene of the film is particularly creepy as we finally realise
that through her research, Elizabeth may have gone way too far in her
attempts to get to that truth, so far that she herself is in danger
of becoming a predator. It is a wonderful performance from Portman,
and so much deeper and complex than you ever think it is going to be
when we first meet her. She has a standout monologue late in the
movie, when she portrays Gracie (lisp and all) reading out one of her
(real) letters to Joe. I also really liked the progression in her
physical acting as she mimics Gracie's actions and movements, and
gets closer to perfecting them the more they are together. Wardrobe
helps amazingly in this too, and the scene at the twin's graduation
ceremony, where Gracie and Elizabeth meet and are almost
indistinguishable (with echoes of Bergman's “Persona”) is just
masterful.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">The other performance of note in “May
December” is that of Charles Melton, who plays Joe. I mentioned
above how tricky the tone of this film was, particularly in regards
to the campy comedy to it, as it could come across as though Haynes
is treating the rape/sexual assault of a teenage boy in a trivial
manner. I am happy to report that the character of Joe, and his
ordeal, is never treated in this fashion. In fact, Melton's
performance as Joe is the most grounded and realistic of all the
characters in the film, mainly because he seems to be the only one
truly looking inside of himself, and trying to come to terms with
exactly what happened to him and what he has lost because of it. He
realises that maybe what they are telling the world, that they are
happy and in love, isn't really the case, and he has in fact been
hurt by the past that he has buried so deep within. Joe is the most
genuine character within the film, and he has the most gentle and
loving relationship with his children. There is an amazing scene on
a rooftop, where Joe and his son share a joint. Joe explains he has
never tried it before, which shocks his son, as Joe begins to
understand just how much of his childhood he lost or was taken from
him, due to needing to grow up so quick. Unfortunately, Joe is also
the character who is manipulated the most, with even Elizabeth
bending his will, all in the name of her research.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">“May December” is the first Todd
Haynes film not to be shot by his regular cinematographer Edward
Lachman since “Velvet Goldmine” in 1998, and to be honest, I
actually missed his contribution to the film. That is not to say
that “May December” is not an attractive looking film, but it
does look different than the norm for a Haynes picture.
Unfortunately, Lachman was away shooting Pablo Larrain's new film “El
Conde” in Chile, so Haynes turned to his friend Kelly Reichardt's
cinematographer Christopher Blauvelt to fill in, and he does a nice
job. The film is brightly lit, although as the story evolves,
shadows begin to deepen and darkness creeps in more. At times, he
gives the movie a gaudy soap opera feel, but this is no doubt
deliberate as it goes well with the story itself.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Overall, I adored “May December”,
and I got amusement out of a patron describing the film to another as
“the best and most Todd Haynes picture yet”. While I wouldn't go
that far, I knew exactly what she meant, as the film feels like it
could have only been made by this director. He is mining material
and themes similar to that he has done before, but it never feels
derivative of anything else he has made. It is a fantastically
complex film, told in a deliberately campy style, filled to the brim
with great performances. As much as I loved the film, I think film
festivals are the perfect place for people to watch a Todd Haynes
film, and I do worry how “May December” will be received outside
of the festival circuit. I really hope it is able to find its
audience because it is another entertaining and engaging film from
this super talented director.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><i>4 Stars.</i></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><i></i></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfe5Bi8kKMsFtG7VwzewtHYn38QkGsM9qs6DuZO-Im8oWGKYVlWAipNJpSIfBUMsohab5rT1tLN1Jr-ieM5v9lguPLh9IIge6jT0J_Jr6l-wsOsSPjNk8Pd3C0rh6rq_TTF7IjJrLVBJ_mv78fU5hwjwfxiV-tnqJGL7LF9KX5-tHZ2Ye76-DHi2hdGQ/s1598/may-december-still-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="761" data-original-width="1598" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfe5Bi8kKMsFtG7VwzewtHYn38QkGsM9qs6DuZO-Im8oWGKYVlWAipNJpSIfBUMsohab5rT1tLN1Jr-ieM5v9lguPLh9IIge6jT0J_Jr6l-wsOsSPjNk8Pd3C0rh6rq_TTF7IjJrLVBJ_mv78fU5hwjwfxiV-tnqJGL7LF9KX5-tHZ2Ye76-DHi2hdGQ/s320/may-december-still-2.JPG" width="320" /></a></i></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><i><br /> </i></span><p></p>
</div>Mr Movieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08003659808749073067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8239145255704961537.post-29917969811238820892023-08-29T21:26:00.000+10:002023-08-29T21:26:34.596+10:00TRENQUE LAUQUEN - MIFF 2023<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQRyh5eOdjiLMhfHblG-eoQh4Y1LdZRzXrodTp9z19iYf6hDRsPsjdBEj3CiryrlXhxhfloGvhVe2hPyppXuPqhVy4miEP1CRvS0bfWyCvhM9lc0ci-ACMs2-fs3BdLEmmu-LPXwYhvXfi8IDmDZ6rSinjxbGYSf-TZMOZoUr775hvdpmenyOo8IqEuQ/s857/trenquelauquen-poster.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="857" data-original-width="584" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQRyh5eOdjiLMhfHblG-eoQh4Y1LdZRzXrodTp9z19iYf6hDRsPsjdBEj3CiryrlXhxhfloGvhVe2hPyppXuPqhVy4miEP1CRvS0bfWyCvhM9lc0ci-ACMs2-fs3BdLEmmu-LPXwYhvXfi8IDmDZ6rSinjxbGYSf-TZMOZoUr775hvdpmenyOo8IqEuQ/s320/trenquelauquen-poster.JPG" width="218" /></a></div><br /> </span><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">As
per the MIFF guide: “In the small town of Trenque Lauquen, a woman
named Laura goes missing. As two men in love with her haplessly
search for clues, the mystery only deepens and Laura’s story
expands: Is it an erotic affair hidden between pages in the local
library? A recollection of history’s formidable feminist icons? An
affectionate study of rural Argentinian life? A botanical survey of
talismanic flowers? Or a supernatural puzzle that has the whole town
abuzz?”</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Out
of all the films I saw at MIFF this year, I was most intimidated by
“Trenque Lauquen” due to its epic running time of four hours and
twenty minutes. Intimidated and excited actually, because for some
reason, I had a really good feeling about the film. Still, there is
nothing worse than being stuck in a cinema with a film you hate,
where time just stops, feeling like it is never going to end.
Knowing the extended running time of “Trenque Lauquen”, it was my
biggest fear going into the film. It is not that I am afraid of
films with massive running times, it is just that I prefer to watch
them in the comfort of my own home, when you can control the viewing
situation better. It turns out my fears were unfounded and those
good feelings I had about “Trenque Lauquen” were ultimately
prophetic as I absolutely loved the film, and for such a long film,
it just breezed by.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I
think the reason for the success of “Trenque Lauquen” and why it
was so easy to sit through was due to the fun atmosphere of the film
and with how playful it all was with format. In actuality, the
entire story is two films, but I think this has only been done to
make it more digestible for cinema goers rather than any story
reason, because the film just continues in part two right where it
finished off in part one. Either way, MIFF chose to present “Trenque
Lauquen” as a single film, playing both parts immediately one after
the other. In a way, the film almost plays like a novel in that it
is broken down into twelve chapters. What it really reminded me of
though was an old silent serial where each new chapter added more fun
and intrigue to the storyline. I am quite a big fan of pioneering
French filmmaker Louis Feuillade and his silent serials like “Les
Vampires”, “Judex” and “Tih Minh”, and to me “Trenque
Lauquen” truly felt like an updated modern version of the types of
films he used to make one hundred years ago, which I think may be one
of the reasons I love this film so much.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Like
those serials, director Laura Citarella playfully tells her tale by
mixing genres so what you initially think is going to be a straight
ahead drama, ends up dipping its toes into other genres like romance,
mystery, suspense, horror and even sci-fi (seriously), which is just
delightful. It just makes the film so much fun because you never
really know where it is going to go next. It is always bubbling away
from scene to scene, full of energy, light-hearted and always fun.
This is true even when serious things are being explored, like for
instance Laura's disappearance. What I think the film is really
about are stories themselves, and the importance of storytelling and
how telling a person's story keeps that person alive or relevant.
There are many times during “Trenque Lauquen” when a story thread
begins and is followed for how ever long Citarella sees fit, but
doesn't always feel the need to close out that story or thread. It
sounds like it could be frustrating for the viewer, all lead up and
no pay off, but actually experiencing the film, it turned out to be
the opposite as I found it exhilarating, as it was more about the
journey than the destination. I know that is a total cliché but I
also found it to be true in this case. I think also because each
plot strand is followed so genuinely by Citarella and her cast, you
are willing as an audience member to go along for the ride too. You
feel the same excitement the character's do as they are investigating
something, finding clues and making educated conclusions.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">A
couple of examples of this that I loved was the main thread point (or
what initially seems like the main plot) when Laura and Ezequiel find
secret letters hidden in books from the local library that are a
century old, that expose a secret correspondence between a girl and a
man who fall in love. As Laura and Ezequiel continue their search,
the plot of the love affair within the letters starts to mirror their
own relationship until Laura disappears (just like one of the letter
writers themselves do). The investigation between the two is so fun,
and involving that you are just in on it with them as they discover
things; it feels so real, so much so that Ezequiel is convinced that
these letters have something to do with Laura's disappearance.
Without giving too much away, eventually the whole thread about the
letters becomes less and less of the focus of “Trenque Lauquen”
as Citarella moves her story in other directions, but that doesn't
dissipate how fun that part was during it. This sort of thing
happens a lot during the film, elements at the time that feel really
important, end up meaning little or brief things heard in the
background of other scenes, suddenly becoming the focal point later
on in the film, when initially it felt like they were nothing
comments. This brings me to a later part of the film that I wanted
to mention that I loved which is the “alligator boy” story. I do
not want to ruin the specifics of this part of the plot because it is
truly out there, but this is when the film goes “sci-fi”, but
again what I loved about it was just how real it all played, despite
how ridiculous it all is when you actually stop and think about it.
Once again, Laura becomes so involved in the whole story of it all,
that we too become fully invested. I remember when “Trenque
Lauquen” finished and I was thinking back on it, and I couldn't
believe that director Laura Citarella had the balls to include both
of these story strands in the same movie, AND get it to work so well!
Each plot strand seems to leave behind a little piece of something
which starts another fresh strand, which I guess is what life really
is, at the end of the day.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">From
a technical point of view, the film is well made and definitely well
acted. The film is shot digitally, which you would expect of
something this length, but it really does have that harsh digital
look to it at times that I am not a huge fan of. Seeing as how the
film is told in a non-linear fashion, editing is paramount to the
success of “Trenque Lauquen” and editors Miguel de Zuviria and
Alejo Moguillansky do a wonderful job, with the regular changing of
times from before and after Laura's disappearance never feeling
jarring at all. They also do a fantastic job within scenes to keep
the momentum moving so we never feel the four hour running time
whilst watching. Probably my favourite contribution to the film
though was Gabriel Chwojnik's very playful score which really
reflects the changes within the narrative and genre as the film goes
along. I particularly got a kick out of just how sci-fi he went with
the music as the story heads down that path too. Like the film
itself, the music is light, energetic and a whole lot of fun.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">You
would think that a film about the disappearance of a certain
character, that the person playing that character would have little
to do, but that is not the case here, as while Laura is the person
who goes missing, she is also the main character of “Trenque
Lauquen”, and actress Laura Paredes is outstanding in the role.
She also co-wrote the film with director Laura Citarella, so you
assume that her character is very close to her heart but she doesn't
produce a false note in this very long film. You just believe her in
every moment even when she is experiencing or reacting to the very
unbelievable. In fact, the majority of the cast is excellent, with
most of the characters named after the actor that plays them. The
only misgiving I have in terms of performance is that of Ezequiel
Pierri, who doesn't give a bad performance, but who regularly has
this pathetic sad sack, grumpy look on his face throughout most of
the film, which often goes against the fun tone of the rest of the
film. I just wanted to slap him at times and tell him to stop being
a baby, and enjoy the moment you are in!</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Overall,
whilst I was initially intimidated by the length of “Trenque
Lauquen”, I ended up absolutely loving it and thought the film flew
by. You might imagine that I have barely scratched the surface of
the plot, or indeed the characters of the film, and you would be
right because at over four hours long, there is a lot in it and well
more than I could ever cover. All you need to know is that director
Laura Citarella and her cast have created a super fun film that not
only celebrates stories themselves, but also the art of telling those
stories. For me, it all just worked wonderfully well, but I am sure
that due to its four hour run time, it may be a little divisive in
regards to if it all builds to a satisfactory enough ending. For me,
the answer is a big fat “YES” and I cannot wait to revisit
“Trenque Lauquen” again in the future, sometime soon.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><i><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">4
Stars.</span></span></i></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><i><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></i></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp7lioeW2jTHbc8w852wB9yddjhfSJ2sdIW22pdzwjYgGR1Vr9yMlUVNjoo5xNLBuwrqc9prR_IBLOGT21WVfVTgXXEAp0YEm_iqM89R_Gf41H-wNFTzbKXksb1B-RzavXb5DB3ugBxeaiIkqXCB1f5H3fyLtTodhF-IguJGc356NyZkW-11i_0W8-uA/s1600/trenquelauquen-still.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1600" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp7lioeW2jTHbc8w852wB9yddjhfSJ2sdIW22pdzwjYgGR1Vr9yMlUVNjoo5xNLBuwrqc9prR_IBLOGT21WVfVTgXXEAp0YEm_iqM89R_Gf41H-wNFTzbKXksb1B-RzavXb5DB3ugBxeaiIkqXCB1f5H3fyLtTodhF-IguJGc356NyZkW-11i_0W8-uA/s320/trenquelauquen-still.jpg" width="320" /></a></i></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><i><br /> </i></span><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span></span>
<p></p>
</div>Mr Movieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08003659808749073067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8239145255704961537.post-80756995266797145602023-08-29T16:43:00.000+10:002023-08-29T16:43:11.193+10:00MONSTER - MIFF 2023<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuR9Mpe6Rgy792SKMszjpX7Y_78nR5mQCcoiPpEdDZqpKaQFC7NwYaV82nXO8GukI2UM7aRYWphdLpwg6UjIew-vS4iCXcTFAbmdPgDoCsz3QgSwEwnllgzD4_aTe5W3scLhOoQtjx4gcyk0VSELebUY-eggAaXSTpL5aCtbEOURIhko3XvtNml7cm7g/s862/monster-poster.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="862" data-original-width="624" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuR9Mpe6Rgy792SKMszjpX7Y_78nR5mQCcoiPpEdDZqpKaQFC7NwYaV82nXO8GukI2UM7aRYWphdLpwg6UjIew-vS4iCXcTFAbmdPgDoCsz3QgSwEwnllgzD4_aTe5W3scLhOoQtjx4gcyk0VSELebUY-eggAaXSTpL5aCtbEOURIhko3XvtNml7cm7g/s320/monster-poster.JPG" width="232" /></a></div><br /> </span><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">As
per the MIFF guide: “Rural tween Minato has been acting strangely
since his dad’s death: drastically cutting his hair, leaping from a
moving car, claiming his brain has been replaced with a pig’s. When
he comes home from school injured, his mum Saori is convinced
something more sinister is at play and sets out on a relentless
campaign to expose Minato’s teacher, Hori, as the culprit
victimising her son. In turn, Hori claims Minato is a bully. But
Minato has his own perspective, focused on his new friend, with
troubles of his own.”</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">“<span style="font-weight: normal;">Monster”
is popular and successful Japanese director Hirokazu Koreeda's latest
film, returning to his home country after his previous film, the
South Korean drama “Broker”. When initial word broke about the
film, it was described as something a little different from Koreeda,
who is known for his family dramas, but little else was said about
the project. It was one of the hot ticket films at MIFF this year,
with all of its sessions selling out, and if word of mouth is
anything to go by, it was greeted very enthusiastically. Many times
I heard patrons, when asked what is the favourite thing they have
seen at MIFF this year, responding with “Monster”, so I give you
fair warning that this review will be of a contrary opinion, as
sadly, the film fell totally flat for me. I will admit that it is an
incredibly well made film, with some excellent performances, but
outside of this I had a lot of issues with “Monster” that I
couldn't get past.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The
main issue I had with the film was the structure of it; the way the
story has been told. It is a film that has been broken into thirds
where each time we go back to the same beginning (a large fire
burning in Tokyo, where a well known brothel exists on one of its
floors), except from a different character's point of view each time.
The first being Saori's, the mother's, point of view, then the
teacher Hori's, before finally we get the point of view from Minato
himself. In each segment, some scenes are repeated but like I said
from a different point of view, but a lot of the time we see
different moments involving these characters that begin to fill the
timeline and picture fully. Personally, I love the exploration of
time in cinema, and seeing scenes repeated from different points of
view, but the way it was handled in “Monster” was both confusing
and frustrating. My first point of frustration was not being able to
determine whether what we were seeing in each segment was the “truth”
or only that person's truth. Akira Kurosawa's “Rashomon” is
probably the most well known film of this type, and it is very easy
to tell that each segment there is only true of the person telling
it. With “Monster” because certain scenes fill in the gaps of
moments that the other participants wouldn't know about, I assumed
that the whole thing (all three parts connected) was to be considered
the truth. However the problem with this is in the inconsistencies
in the portrayal of Hori between the first and second segments. He
comes off very uncaring, flippant, angry and even belligerent at
times in his interactions with Saori, which doesn't come close to the
type of teacher he is portrayed as in his own segment. He is so
caring, worrying about his student's well being and learnings. He
cares more about them, then the politics of the school he works at,
where they try to get him to apologise for something he may or may
not have done, just so it causes them less issues to deal with.
Things get more murky after he is accused of abuse towards his
students and the way he then struggles to deal with these
accusations. He is, rightly, devastated and without spoiling
anything it gets pretty dark in regards to his mental state, but the
way this is quickly turned around in the third segment, Minato's
point of view, to build towards the film's finale, just felt so
false. I did not buy it at all! (It is really hard to talk about
without giving away the main secrets of the film). The character arc
of Hori just did not feel realistic from a humanistic sense, rather
it seemed to function in a way that serviced the film's story
instead.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The
inconsistencies of this also carry over into the performances in the
film too, which to be fair are mostly excellent. Sakura Ando is very
good as Saori, who at times comes across as a fun and carefree
mother, but is very serious when her child's health (both mental and
physical) is threatened, and will not suffer fools lightly. She is
great, but I think Eita Nagayama as Hori gives the best performance
within “Monster”; he is outstanding, particularly in the segment
from his own point of view. What I felt was strange though is how
different he performs Hori in the first segment compared to the
second; it is so different which further blurred the line of what was
meant to be reality and truth in this film.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">My
biggest issue with “Monster” though comes down to the final
segment when it all comes out, and we learn what is really happening.
Again, I cannot spoil this moment because it is essentially the
point of the film, but when I finally learned the “truth” behind
Minato's ordeal and why he was behaving like so, I was made so angry
by it all. Firstly, I felt that the story was strong enough on its
own, without it being watered down via the fragmented way it was
told, which by the end only comes across as a narrative gimmick.
This fractured narrative takes away all of the story's potential and
power, but worse (and this is what upset me the most), it trivialises
it. Worse still, is when I thought back to everything that had
occurred prior and what was being insinuated (both in story terms and
the type of film that it was pretending to be), I was disgusted by
how disingenuous and exploitative it was in regards to the subject
matter. It was like the filmmakers did not want to be upfront with
the type of story they were telling and decided to hide it behind a
very exploitative title and disgusting tagline (“Who is the
monster?”). I am not sure why I have reacted so negatively against
this, as my concerns around “Monster” have not been echoed by
anyone I have spoken to or I overheard talking about the film during
MIFF, but it really rubbed me the wrong way. This is a shame too
because from a technical standpoint, “Monster” has been extremely
well made. It is one of the most beautiful films, pictorially
speaking, from Koreeda's filmography, due to the stunning countryside
cinematography from Ryuto Kondo, and has a really lovely score from
the late, great Ryuichi Sakamoto, who sadly passed away in March of
this year. It was to be Sakamoto's final score of his career, but he
goes out on a high, as it is quite beautiful particularly towards the
end of the film when the music really takes over and helps to portray
the kid's emotions.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Briefly,
I want to make mention that “Monster” is the first time since way
back in 1995, with his debut film “Maborosi”, that Hirokazu
Koreeda did not write, or at least contribute to, the screenplay of
one of his films. Now maybe this is just me looking for a way to
give an out to a great director, but with the screenplay not his own,
maybe he felt compelled to keep the way the narrative had been
(ineffectively) structured (although, he did edit “Monster”
himself), or keep the inclusion of certain clunky moments that he
wants audience members to remember between each segments, which come
across more like “signpost” moments rather than organically
integrated into the story. I just think it is interesting that
Koreeda has been able to successfully make two films in different
languages he does not speak, but still had a hand in the scripting
duties, but has failed here with a film he didn't write at all. Like
I said, maybe I am trying to give him an out, but it just didn't feel
like a normal, humanistic screenplay that is the norm for Koreeda.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Overall,
I was seriously disappointed in Hirokazu Koreeda's “Monster”, but
my opinion of the film is definitely not the consensus one. Whilst
the film is well acted, beautifully shot and has a lovely score, I
thought the story itself was very poorly handled and found it very
exploitative in regards to the main themes of the film once they are
revealed (the fact that “Monster” won the “</span></span><strong><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Queer
Palm” at Cannes is a very big clue!). The fractured, fragmented
narrative only served to take the film's power away and because of
this I felt the story just did not come together to make a complete
satisfactory whole. “Monster” was a massive disappointment.</span></span></strong></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><strong><i><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">2
Stars.</span></span></i></strong></span></p><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;"><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><strong><i><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></i></strong></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><strong><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9qKigTY0dQqsKSnp-NCXnb3XhUNMTnX76prn3v8g6xhr4fj77rT1_DD5YV0KQ4bE7Q5YxTk4I9-5VDbW0lSD4UNFlpR_FrjDM4EeNhEjyN7J_djNp6-DvqVpYryInZqwBPQynDssX-Bn7fuWf78UTJmJibKMxajLXNFzV0oBnpEj6d8djK9hqZoe6Hw/s1600/monster-still.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1600" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9qKigTY0dQqsKSnp-NCXnb3XhUNMTnX76prn3v8g6xhr4fj77rT1_DD5YV0KQ4bE7Q5YxTk4I9-5VDbW0lSD4UNFlpR_FrjDM4EeNhEjyN7J_djNp6-DvqVpYryInZqwBPQynDssX-Bn7fuWf78UTJmJibKMxajLXNFzV0oBnpEj6d8djK9hqZoe6Hw/s320/monster-still.jpg" width="320" /></a></i></strong></span></div><p></p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><strong><i><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /> </span></span></i></strong></span><strong><span style="text-decoration: none;">
</span></strong><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span></span>
</div>
</div>Mr Movieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08003659808749073067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8239145255704961537.post-54823558353308283802023-08-24T18:24:00.000+10:002023-08-24T18:24:09.246+10:00AFIRE - MIFF 2023<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguiK2e89DPGMOTPv_fbvkaxKtCXR2cWD4L3mlVVjrM42tymzIHouP94UHz5-Guqjgf-Go7fCLvdkBoGz3bFua-5v3pZZLgHmttUeof7BswW82lnxxzR_PEr0fsIcjOA-xlM3Afsk40dvrLrc7MglbBRPtIsW9h_zpieVTcxe4qMKdZK6eXlOVUuTxCtA/s755/afire-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="533" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguiK2e89DPGMOTPv_fbvkaxKtCXR2cWD4L3mlVVjrM42tymzIHouP94UHz5-Guqjgf-Go7fCLvdkBoGz3bFua-5v3pZZLgHmttUeof7BswW82lnxxzR_PEr0fsIcjOA-xlM3Afsk40dvrLrc7MglbBRPtIsW9h_zpieVTcxe4qMKdZK6eXlOVUuTxCtA/s320/afire-poster.jpg" width="226" /></a></div><br /></span></span></span></div><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">As
per the MIFF guide: “Leon escapes to the coast to work on his
second novel, accompanied by his friend Felix, who has grand plans
for his art-school portfolio. Expecting solitude, they’re instead
met with company in the form of bubbly Nadja, who leaves the cottage
each morning and invites her local lover over in the evenings. As
surrounding wildfires threaten to encroach on their languid retreat,
so too do the suffocating pressures of creative unrest and social
insecurity bear down on Leon’s malaise. Group dynamics shift,
attraction builds and, all the while, a sense of foreboding hangs
around like a cloud of smoke.”</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">My
most anticipated film at this year's MIFF was Christian Petzold's
latest “Afire”, which also turned out to be the very first film I
saw at the film festival this year. Personally, I like to build into
a festival, so having the one movie I was most looking forward to
first up, I didn't think was ideal. However, we obviously have no
say when certain films are playing; you just have to see them when
you can, and in the end it was a perfect way to start MIFF, having a
fantastic film right from the get-go to build the anticipation of
what was still to come.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Once
again Christian Petzold has shown to the world just how great a
director he is with “Afire”. Right from the opening frame of the
film, his direction felt effortless; the consistency in his work that
he has shown throughout his career, but particularly from “Barbara”
onward, is phenomenal. Like always, I felt like I was in the hands
of a master filmmaker whilst watching “Afire”, as he is able to
construct an involving social drama, that is also very funny at
times, while having his film anchored with something that could be a
death knell to a lesser director, and that is a very unsympathetic
lead character. Let's get this out of the way, Leon is an utter
douche bag; he is so self involved, so self-important, totally inept
in social situations, while also being jealous of those who find
these situations easier to be in then himself, and he is nowhere near
the talented writer he thinks he is. When the first trailer for
“Afire” dropped, it was very apparent that Leon was going to be
unlikable, but what I was really worried about was if he would turn
you off the film itself because of this. Somehow, this not only
doesn't happen, but Petzold actually gets you to care for the guy at
the same time you are rolling your eyes at him. So often you just
want to slap Leon and get him to wake up, get him to remove his head
from his own arse, so he could notice exactly what was happening in
front of him, and through all this, I still found myself caring for
the douche and worrying about the things he was going through. No
doubt, actor Thomas Schubert deserves a lot of the credit here in
creating a performance that exposes Leon's insecurities and flaws as
a person, but doesn't go too far over the edge where we hate the poor
guy.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">It
probably also helps that the majority of his scenes are played
opposite Paula Beer, Petzold's current muse, who returns for her
third consecutive film with the director. She is outstanding in her
role as Nadja, so light, free and full of life, almost like the
opposite of Leon. She lives in the moment, finding enjoyment
wherever she can, but at the same time she is also a serious
academic. You may find yourself wondering why she is drawn towards
Leon, or why she wants to help him, but her offer of help is genuine,
which is ultimately wasted by Leon. When he does finally decide to
show Nadja his manuscript of his second novel, “Club Sandwich”,
I'm sure he is expecting her to praise it, even if it is insincere
praise, but he is shocked when she is brutally honest with him
calling the novel “shit”, and telling him that he knows this, and
also that she knows he could do better. The relationship between
Nadja and Leon is very complex, and essentially the backbone of the
film, as it is constantly evolving (and at times devolving), but at
all times you can see that Nadja only wants to help Leon to become
both a better writer and person, someone who can actually live in the
moment. As I mentioned above, Beer is so naturalistic in her
performance, that you cannot help but love her character.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Christian
Petzold stated that he wanted to make a “summer” movie with
“Afire”, where characters are together, enjoying the sun and
water, and each other. After the Covid years where the world shut
down, Petzold said that he needed to see people interacting again,
and at times because of this “Afire” feels like a hang-out movie,
where we just exist with the characters, listening in on their
conversations and such. The film drifts, building very slowly, that
you could almost be excused for thinking that the film is going
nowhere, but which could not be further from the truth, as it all
wraps up in the most brilliant ending that is particularly poignant
due to everything that has come before it. Unlike most modern
filmmakers, Petzold is fantastic at finding the perfect ending to his
stories, or the perfect moment to end a film on. I cannot stress
enough just how many films fall apart these days when they get to
their end, but Christian Petzold never seems to have this problem,
and “Afire” has yet another brilliant ending, with the image of
some hands being incredibly powerful.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">One
of the most impressive things about “Afire” is its regular tonal
shifts, both in the film as a whole, or even within a single scene.
At times the pace of a moment can feel languid and quiet, before
suddenly tensions rise, or we find ourselves laughing out of the blue
(often laughing at Leon's ego and inflated value of self). It all
feels very real and of the moment, rather than something that has
been falsely manufactured. There is also the element of the
surrounding bushfires which, although start far away, soon begin to
get closer, and we can feel the tension and unease this causes
amongst the group.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">As
usual Hans Fromm's cinematography is naturalistic and very beautiful,
often relying on the bright summer sun to light things, or the fire
in the distance to tint the visuals red. The beach scenes
particularly are gorgeous. One element that I think is less
successful though is the ability to express the extreme heat that the
characters are having to deal with. Heat is so hard to portray
successfully in movies, with probably only “Do The Right Thing”
and “Body Heat” being the most successful at portraying it on
film. We constantly hear from the characters just how hot it is, but
I do not think it translates perfectly in the images (but this is a
minor nitpick). I mentioned the fire above, and just want to briefly
highlight two moments involving the fire that I thought were both
terrifying and superb. The first is a night scene when the
characters are on the roof of the holiday house just drinking when it
appears to start raining. One of them quickly realises that it isn't
rain but actually ash falling from the nearby fires. It is a
powerful moment as you feel that this is the first time the group
actually thinks they could be in some danger. The other moment is
when Leon is running through the nearby forest, and he hears a
rumbling, before a family of wild pigs burst out running, on fire,
fleeing for their lives. The fire then roars up the hill near where
Leon is standing, in what is the film's most terrifying image and
moment.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Overall,
although it was not a surprise, I ended up loving Christian Petzold's
“Afire”, and even though it was the very first film I saw at this
year's MIFF, it also remained my favourite of the festival. I have
barely scratched the surface of “Afire” in this review (I haven't
even mentioned the two other main characters that help form the
friendship group with Leon and Nadja), so there will be plenty to
experience for those of you who end up watching it. It is a
sensational film filled with complex characters and relationships,
but breaking it down to its base element, “Afire” is really about
a man learning to live in the moment, not taking himself too
seriously and take notice of what is in front of him, which if he
begins to learn these lessons, will see him become a better writer
and human being in general. “Afire” is another fantastic film
from Christian Petzold, one of the best and most consistent directors
working in world cinema today. Highly recommended to everyone!</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><i><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">4
Stars.</span></span></i></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPpUSWlycXo-sr2JWXPP4WFpOBeIKyAIkSXipRNXVgwCpOKzy1M1fUoiZmjdiAK_Ic2PFh7SD1C6hGtExk93NYhZuUpqQvtGhtXgbq4-psg8zB41H_VV2ysJyuIhMh0F-l8_vptHRxvg36V6U3jFRpOnX0X_DOoupIbsNk3SPPg4_SHr5LY9u4Q0QKQA/s1600/afire-still.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1600" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPpUSWlycXo-sr2JWXPP4WFpOBeIKyAIkSXipRNXVgwCpOKzy1M1fUoiZmjdiAK_Ic2PFh7SD1C6hGtExk93NYhZuUpqQvtGhtXgbq4-psg8zB41H_VV2ysJyuIhMh0F-l8_vptHRxvg36V6U3jFRpOnX0X_DOoupIbsNk3SPPg4_SHr5LY9u4Q0QKQA/s320/afire-still.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> </span><br /></div>Mr Movieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08003659808749073067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8239145255704961537.post-89171379843036022622023-08-24T00:12:00.002+10:002023-08-24T00:12:34.135+10:00COBWEB - MIFF 2023<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlyRh4I2PXzyrdUoczrO5-JWwxw4vSeh44n3PqM95_fjebFhCHkRypWKfZf8HagIgTKzSYy7707rSF8LA8dl6Dx6AvjKPLqaY57BTtZPDhQ-Ebv_jOQxaPyQgpc0yhKBmUKcvcRcauUPzi-MxVDa44BLc1P_FciFswx8zTR05k03sSuYPznspCWlZiPg/s755/cobweb-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="526" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlyRh4I2PXzyrdUoczrO5-JWwxw4vSeh44n3PqM95_fjebFhCHkRypWKfZf8HagIgTKzSYy7707rSF8LA8dl6Dx6AvjKPLqaY57BTtZPDhQ-Ebv_jOQxaPyQgpc0yhKBmUKcvcRcauUPzi-MxVDa44BLc1P_FciFswx8zTR05k03sSuYPznspCWlZiPg/s320/cobweb-poster.jpg" width="223" /></a></div><br /></span><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">As
per the MIFF guide: “...an ambitious but beleaguered director [is]
desperately trying to finish the movie – a black-and-white
melodrama entitled ‘Cobweb’ – that he’s convinced is going to
be his masterpiece. The project is rife with chaos: censors are
interfering, bewildered actors and producers struggle to make sense
of the rewritten ending, and everything else that seemingly can go
wrong does.”</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">This
is the brand new film from South Korean director Kim Jee-woon, and
stars Song Kang-ho in his fifth collaboration with Kim. Song plays
the director within the movie who is convinced and determined that
his latest film will be nothing short of a masterpiece. Whilst most
Western audiences would know Kim Jee-woon from his very violent
thrillers like “I Saw The Devil” and “A Bittersweet Life”,
“Cobweb” sees him play in the genre of comedy once again.
Personally, I believe that this is a genre that Kim really likes a
lot, particularly because he started his career making comedies
before he turned to the horror and thriller films that he is most
known for. I must admit that I feel a little sorry for Kim, because
lately he seems to have been left behind by his cinematic comrades
Bong Joon-ho and Park Chan-wook, who both have found large and
continued international success. Kim is just as talented as these
other two directors, (all three of them are also good friends), but
for whatever reason, Kim's international fame has started to wane and
his films are now barely seen outside of South Korea. I'm not sure
why this is, because he is still an unbelievable talent and the films
he has been making recently are of a high quality, maybe it is just
that Kim is happy enough being a big director in his home country and
international success is no longer the carrot it once was. Anyway,
“Cobweb” is another very entertaining and funny film from this
very talented director.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The
film opens with Song's character, director Kim, having intense
nightmares about his new film “Cobweb” which he has just finished
shooting. He wakes full of ideas, and suddenly believes that if he
could just re-shoot certain scenes in the film, he could turn it into
a masterpiece. The only problem is he has to re-group his cast (who
have moved on to other projects) and get everything shot within two
days before all the sets are torn down and destroyed. Not only that,
he needs to get censorship approval for the new scenes he has written
before he can shoot a frame of film. Comedy ensues. </span></span></span>
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">This
is actually a very, very funny film, but it is a tad overlong. If it
had been tightened by about 15 to 20 minutes, I think it would've
benefited the film greatly as Kim Jee-woon struggles to keep the
laughs going for such an extended time. Song Kang-ho proves once
again just how brilliant an actor he truly is, and how big his range
is. He is fantastic playing the in-over-his-head director, and is
the key to most of the laughs in the film. While he is no doubt a
fantastic dramatic actor too, personally I believe Song shines his
brightest when he makes comedies. I will admit that there are a
couple of scenes when he may go a little too broad and over-the-top,
(particularly the ones when he is forced to act in his own movie when
the original actor passes out from drinking too much), but really
this is a part of the fun of “Cobweb”. It is not a film to be
taken too seriously, and both Kim Jee-woon and Song Kang-ho
understand exactly the type of film they are making, and just have
fun with it. The film takes place in the 1970's so Song is dressed
in some very funny stylings from that decade which also add to the
laughs too.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Kim
Jee-woon's films always look amazing, and “Cobweb” is no
exception; in fact I really love the look of this film a lot because
the majority is shot on sound stages where the artifice of filmmaking
is totally embraced. It gives the film a hyper-stylised look, where
cinematographer Kim Ji-yong (who just came of lensing Park
Chan-wook's “Decision to Leave” prior to this) is able to use
very dramatic and unrealistic lighting to great effect. All of the
“back of stage” scenes are presented in colour, but when we are
witness to the actual shooting of scenes of the film-within-a-film,
“Cobweb”, these scenes are in stark black and white. While I do
like these black and white scenes a lot, I really wish that they
could have been shot on real black and white film, because they do
have a very digital appearance which does not suit the time period
the film is set in.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">In
terms of the comedy, it isn't what I would ever call subtle. This is
broad, in-your-face laughs, but thankfully it is actually quite
funny. It is a very funny satire on filmmaking and the behind the
scenes dramas that can take place on set. At times it almost borders
on slapstick or even a screwball comedy, it is that silly. Kim
Jee-woon finds laughs in seeing Song's director character attempting
to get censorship approval, finding access to an actress who has
moved back to shooting her television commitments, being abused by
film critics who accuse him of being a hack, dealing with actors who
are either drunk or distracted by love affairs with other actors on
set, to him trying to dodge his producer who has explicitly told him
not to shot the extra scenes. Like I said earlier, it is all very
funny, particularly as the stakes get higher the more time is running
out for them to finish the picture.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">One
thing that I got a big kick out of was the fact that the film
director Kim thinks will be his masterpiece, was clearly based on Kim
Ki-young's seminal thriller “The Housemaid” (from 1960) although
a much cheesier version of it. The staircase, the shots from outside
looking into the room, the rain, the crazy woman carrying the knife;
it is all from “The Housemaid”, a film that I absolutely adore.
The brilliant thing is, at the end of the film we get to see the
finale of “Cobweb”, the film-within-a-film, uninterrupted, to see
once and for all if director Kim is the hack the critics claim him to
be, or if he has indeed created the masterpiece he thinks. The look
on Song Kang-ho's face when he has his answer is absolutely perfect
too.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Overall,
I really enjoyed Kim Jee-woon's latest film, “Cobweb”, as did the
majority of the audience I saw it with. It is overlong, but for the
most part Kim has created a very silly, over-the-top satire of the
filmmaking process and the perils that can lie within. Technically,
the film is extremely well made, and look gorgeous, as Kim is able to
really embrace the artifice of cinema, as it makes perfect sense to
do so in the story that is being told here. Because of this “Cobweb”
has a very stylised appearance and has quite an impressive, and big
old-style score attached to it (think Bernard Herrmann) that is just
outstanding. Coupled with Song Kang-ho's very funny portrayal of a
director struggling to finish his movie without compromises, and you
have a great night out at the movies. “Cobweb” is a whole lot of
fun!</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><i><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">3.5
Stars.</span></span></i></span></p><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><i><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></i></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><i><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyajpZXPZFcGRcXCZjE1nctSC-lajUBZvewXStfxoSVMn7YGCTRj0jXANlyJalY3ucPBxj_qeSxHNz2H1MBRYEBXTK3zx6sCXvQLNXPpcwXZrMCdBMye6S1SO0MkQ-K7EpA4f588516yNY5MMlkCDtnZV8CK21CpzHxjaqOSOTGzpmxSLp25YmEumnKg/s1600/cobweb-still.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1600" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyajpZXPZFcGRcXCZjE1nctSC-lajUBZvewXStfxoSVMn7YGCTRj0jXANlyJalY3ucPBxj_qeSxHNz2H1MBRYEBXTK3zx6sCXvQLNXPpcwXZrMCdBMye6S1SO0MkQ-K7EpA4f588516yNY5MMlkCDtnZV8CK21CpzHxjaqOSOTGzpmxSLp25YmEumnKg/s320/cobweb-still.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> </span></span></i></span></div>
</div>Mr Movieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08003659808749073067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8239145255704961537.post-30066045573640874132023-08-23T16:44:00.002+10:002023-08-23T16:44:56.121+10:00SUBTRACTION - MIFF 2023<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaUUmmKWRbJQY4TpRgnZqTetBR9EUEQEAPno1wak24wBXgyP7ECNmnvvZT8oJmucNG1z_IDBOrfiOdFEhugJFV1CMlsooTqsDiD0piHRkq95Ex0Ac4I-aPguIMq5PXtIopBK7sFtCa9Q-4Vr86maCIufKFGZjuAxnON-Fks7zgG801kI_7QRNJBUhO3A/s863/subtraction-poster.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="863" data-original-width="601" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaUUmmKWRbJQY4TpRgnZqTetBR9EUEQEAPno1wak24wBXgyP7ECNmnvvZT8oJmucNG1z_IDBOrfiOdFEhugJFV1CMlsooTqsDiD0piHRkq95Ex0Ac4I-aPguIMq5PXtIopBK7sFtCa9Q-4Vr86maCIufKFGZjuAxnON-Fks7zgG801kI_7QRNJBUhO3A/s320/subtraction-poster.JPG" width="223" /></a></div></span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">As
per the MIFF guide: “</span></span>Driving instructor Farzaneh
spies on a person who appears to be her husband, Jalal, heading
towards the upmarket residence of another woman. Jalal claims to have
been out of town but Farzaneh isn’t placated, so she enlists the
help of her father-in-law, who is stunned to discover a man identical
to Jalal … with a wife who’s a dead ringer for Farzaneh. Existing
on opposite ends of Tehran’s socio-economic spectrum, the couples
soon find their lives intertwined in unexpected ways.”</span>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Director Mani Haghighi is like the rock
star of Iranian directors, in which I mean he just doesn't seem to
care about what is considered the norm in films from that country
(which are mainly social dramas). His films are so different from
anything else coming out of Iran in that they are big, broad, often
very funny, and less political, and he never makes the same thing
twice. They are also very, very entertaining. I had seen Haghighi's
two previous films, “A Dragon Arrives!” and “Pig”, at past
MIFF's and loved them both, so I was very excited when I noticed that
he had a new film premiering at this year's MIFF. When I then saw
that the film was a thriller that dealt with doppelgangers, it became
one of my most anticipated at MIFF because I am a massive fan of
films that deal with the doppelganger phenomenon, and issues of
identity. Thankfully, “Subtraction” did not disappoint and I was
enthralled right from the beginning.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Whilst the film crackles with
directorial energy, the true key to the success of “Subtraction”
all boils down to the two leads abilities to create two different
characters , making them easily identifiable from one another because
obviously each looks the same. Both Taraneh Alidoosti and Navid
Mohammadzadeh are phenomenal at achieving this task, as you become
convinced that you are watching two distinct couples, and this is
done with more than just the average change in clothing and make-up.
I must admit that when the two couples originally crossed paths with
one another, I initially struggled to work out who was who, but once
I worked it out (which didn't take long at all) I was never in doubt
as to which variation of the character I was looking at onscreen.
The two married couples are Farzaneh and Jalal, and Bita and Mohsen.
Farzaneh is pregnant, a driving instructor, and appears to be
suffering from some form of depression or anxiety. She is quite
withdrawn, says little, and her body posture is quite slumped. Her
husband Jalal comes across as the most beautiful man, alive and
energetic, always smiling and caring for his struggling wife. He is
respectful towards everyone, and willing to lend a hand if someone
needs it. Bita on the other hand, is almost like the complete
opposite of Farzaneh in that she is full of life, happy, cares about
her appearance (often wearing light make up), and adores her young
son. Her bright outlook on life is impressive when you see what she
has to deal with in her husband Mohsen on a daily basis, who is a dog
of a man. He is angry, violent, arrogant, rude and disrespectful,
has little time for his son, and expects his wife to do everything
for him. If there is a villain of the film, Mohsen is him. As I
mentioned above, both Alidoosti and Mohammadzadeh are extraordinary
in their two separate roles. It is hard to believe at times that
Jalal and Mohsen are played by the same guy due to how extremely
different Mohammadzadeh is. You fear him when he is Mohsen, but are
totally drawn into him when he is Jalal. Taraneh Alidoosti, who I
consider one of the very best Iranian actresses, also effectively
plays two sides of the same coin with her characters, but she is able
to make you care for them both. You love being in the presence of
Bita because of how light and happy she is, but you also feel so sad
for Farzaneh he is obviously struggling and it is not her fault at
all. Whilst Haghighi doesn't do it often in “Subtraction”, the
scenes where Farzaneh and Bita play off one another are superb and
highlight just how impressive Alidoosti is at creating these two
roles and making them distinct from one another.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">What is interesting about the whole
doppelganger element to “Subtraction” is that they are not real
doppelgangers at all. Even though there is also a scene in the film
where Farzaneh states to her doctor that “They don't just look like
us. It's like we are clones”, that is not really the case, as they
are two distinct couples living apart from one another, unaware of
each other, until they eventually cross paths. It is only then that
the trouble starts to begin for each couple as questions of identity
are raised, as well as the morals behind falling in love with another
woman or man who happens to look exactly like your partner. Can it
be helped or stopped if one of them falls in love or is drawn to a
“better” version of the person they already love? It is actually
really interesting stuff. There is a really sad moment when Bita
laughs slightly at something Jalal says, and he replies that her
laugh reminds him of his wife. She says “of course”, to which he
follows “...but she hasn't laughed like that in years”.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">The suspense of “Subtraction” comes
when, due to the volatile nature of Mohsen, the other three decide
not to tell him of the weird phenomenon they have discovered,
initially leaving him in the dark. Mohsen has a number of problems
in his life, and refuses to either own up to them or even attempt to
fix them, but with Jalal and his helpful personality, he wants to
pose as Mohsen to fix these problems and ease the pain in Bita's
life. The fact that Mohsen does not know of Jalal's existence is
where the real suspense kicks in, as they then end up in the same
place at the same time. Will Mohsen destroy the attempts of Jalal to
fix the situation, and what will happen if or when Mohsen finds out
about Jalal and Farzaneh? In fact when you look back at the film
after you have seen it, most of the problems come out of Jalal's
nature of being helpful, so I wonder if Haghighi is saying that it is
often better to not get involved in other people's business, even if
you are doing so for the right reasons.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">From a technical point of view,
“Subtraction” has been handsomely put together. It has some
quite gorgeous cinematography by Morteza Najafi, some of the best I
have ever seen in an Iranian film, that is very theatrical at times
and revels in the artifice of cinema. I am not sure if I am making
sense here, but a lot of films that originate out of Iran have a
documentary look and feel to them, whereas “Subtraction” has the
look and feel of a movie, not real life. It gives the impression
that the film was produced on a big budget. Najafi's lighting also
adds real suspense to “Subtraction” too, particularly during the
scenes that take place in a thunderstorm. One element of the film
that I have failed to mention, that is paramount to the tension and
suspense built in the movie, is the fact that during the entirety of
“Subtraction” Tehran is experiencing a freak weather occurrence
where it is pouring with rain the whole time. From a production
point of view, this would've made the film that much harder and
longer to make, but it really adds so much to the film, similar to
how the rain creates the atmosphere in David Fincher's “Se7en”.
The rain in the film may even be supernatural in origin, as one of
the characters mentions the constant fall of rain, but there are no
clouds in the sky. However this is never explored further than this.
The other aspect of the film that I loved so much was the
non-traditional (from an Iranian point-of-view) score from Ramin
Kousha. It is very “big” and continually builds as the tension
in the film does.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Going into a film that deals with
doppelgangers, you can often sense where the movie is going to end
up. There is really only one ending that makes sense, and so while
the end of “Subtraction” is a little predictable, I must admit
that I was also quite surprised with how Mani Haghighi concluded his
film (how's that for a contradictory statement?!). In fact, I was
pleasantly surprised and genuinely liked the end of the film, which
then finishes on a coda of sorts, with a brief exchange of dialogue
between two minor characters, that I found to be chilling.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Right now, director Mani Haghighi is
three for three with me, as I found his new film “Subtraction” to
be a stunning achievement. It may not be as deep and thoughtful as
is the norm for Iranian film, but there is still a lot to digest in
“Subtraction”, and it is always very entertaining. Haghighi
proves once again that he is brilliant at eliciting excellent
performances from his cast (no doubt, him also being an actor has
helped him in this regard), and both Taraneh Alidoosti and Navid
Mohammadzadeh are outstanding in their double roles. I cannot wait
to watch this again one day, and really hope it gets an English
friendly blu-ray sometime in the near future, as this is a film I
want to own.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><i>4 Stars.</i></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><i></i></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyDYW22lggP0SvU04HnMGd5r3j3lkYCCUoSuPD35apKBTw_z1Qfb_n25JR7bYlwmoplu6l27zY199Tz_QpAAmJ4BzzrNEJ2LzSHccKTUZiWpgS3K8PZKEa_nawjR0uVRjKW6itUcFjvGDlyGxp7rjPCbKSBjC_HuH1OCoovHfC1OQSSN-jfSPdhTd40w/s1078/subtraction-still.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="584" data-original-width="1078" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyDYW22lggP0SvU04HnMGd5r3j3lkYCCUoSuPD35apKBTw_z1Qfb_n25JR7bYlwmoplu6l27zY199Tz_QpAAmJ4BzzrNEJ2LzSHccKTUZiWpgS3K8PZKEa_nawjR0uVRjKW6itUcFjvGDlyGxp7rjPCbKSBjC_HuH1OCoovHfC1OQSSN-jfSPdhTd40w/s320/subtraction-still.JPG" width="320" /></a></i></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><i><br /> </i></span><p></p>
</div>Mr Movieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08003659808749073067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8239145255704961537.post-43182535083661518902023-08-22T23:29:00.000+10:002023-08-22T23:29:17.084+10:00PERPETRATOR - MIFF 2023<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjerzhUcrGWdbp7hRpdRUUqht_lYXjg6KpY7_mdwl3MxT-qhW0i2wHT0yJru-bLFl_ScjB873fdBJRZIQfR6iRhfuhcF-5xh132jRBeXdf0KOmCcwNWj0p5vpuqr7SgsY8GnOx6vT5-g-2DLQl4V9T-T-KJNPpZVUuuVFzv_7QFIWuyAzlnUJSHaFEzXg/s755/perpetrator-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="513" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjerzhUcrGWdbp7hRpdRUUqht_lYXjg6KpY7_mdwl3MxT-qhW0i2wHT0yJru-bLFl_ScjB873fdBJRZIQfR6iRhfuhcF-5xh132jRBeXdf0KOmCcwNWj0p5vpuqr7SgsY8GnOx6vT5-g-2DLQl4V9T-T-KJNPpZVUuuVFzv_7QFIWuyAzlnUJSHaFEzXg/s320/perpetrator-poster.jpg" width="217" /></a></div><br /> </span><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">As
per the MIFF guide: “Something peculiar is going on with
17-year-old Jonny. Experiencing simultaneous nosebleeds with her
face-morphing father, she’s shipped off to stay with her austere
aunt, Hildie. There, she learns more about her magical blood and
shapeshifting abilities – known as ‘forevering’ – that also
equip her with a form of hyper-empathy. Which is just as well, as
girls at her new school are disappearing at the hands of a
mask-wearing killer, and they’ve all been linked to the local
jock.”</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">At
this point in time director Jennifer Reeder was something of an
enigma to me. After watching her 2019 feature “Knives and Skin”
I was so impressed by both it and her ability to create an unusual
atmosphere, that I was sure we were seeing the beginnings of a new
and important cinematic voice. However, her follow-up film “Night's
End”, was the total opposite in that I absolutely hated it, and
worse I felt the film had no atmosphere at all, nor did I feel
Reeder's “voice”; it came off as a nothing effort. Had I been
wrong with my initial opinion of Jennifer Reeder, or did she just
fluke the success of “Knives and Skin”? The only thing I could
equate the huge gulf in the success between the two films was that
with “Knives and Skin”, Reeder was also the writer of the film
(something she was not with “Night's End”), so perhaps was more
invested in that project since it originated with her. Either way, I
had a feeling that with “Perpetrator” I was going to finally have
my answer to the question I posed above, and I must say that I went
into the film with a fair bit of hope once I noticed that Reeder had
also written this film too. Thankfully, I'm happy to report,
“Perpetrator” is the work of the creator of “Knives and Skin”,
rather than the director of “Night's End”, even if it may not
quite be at the level of that earlier 2019 film.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">“<span style="font-weight: normal;">Perpetrator”
is definitely an uneven film, in tone, pacing and performance, but
what I loved most about it was the exact same thing I loved about
“Knives and Skin”, which was its atmosphere, which was incredibly
weird, but felt perfect within the world Reeder has created her story
to exist in. And it is a story which has a lot in it. The film
initially plays out like a coming-of-age story, but with a
supernatural bent to it. Jonny struggles with the changes in her
body (and mind), as her new abilities start to manifest themselves.
I was worried at first that the reveal would be that Jonny was some
type of vampire, which would have been too same-old same-old, so I
was happy when it turned out that she was some sort of shapeshifter
instead, which I felt was more original. That said, I am not sure
that Reeder spends enough time explaining the mythology of the
creature and the special abilities that comes with being one of these
things. It feels skimmed over, as Reeder needs to move on to the
second phase of the film which is the missing school girls, and
Jonny's search for them. It is during this section that I think that
“Perpetrator” is at its strongest, as it is here when the
humanity of the film is found when Jonny starts to make real
connections and friendships with the girls from her school. The
disappearance of the girls starts to get a weight to it, as does the
fear that it could happen to any one of them next. The conclusion
goes full genre-style, and full supernatural craziness, but again, I
feel like Reeder hasn't given these moments enough time to breathe to
illicit the strongest response from her audience. It is certainly
interesting, and very bloody, but it also feels a little rushed.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">One
thing that is absolutely apparent from “Perpetrator” is that
director Jennifer Reeder is a massive fan of David Lynch, and hugely
inspired by his films. This was obvious also in “Knives and Skin”,
but within the first half an hour of “Perpetrator” there were two
direct visual homages from Lynch's work; one from “Blue Velvet”,
the other “Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me”. Like Reeder, I myself
adore David Lynch, and one thing I have noticed in my time watching
movies is that he is a true original, and that he is impossible to
copy. To her credit, Reeder doesn't try to copy Lynch with her
films, but rather tips her hat at someone she is inspired by. The
atmosphere she creates in her films is all her own, rather than
attempting to ape Lynch's style. Something that didn't show up in
“Knives and Skin”, but does so in her new film, is her love of
David Cronenberg, as there are elements of “Perpetrator” that
could have come directly out of either “Videodrome” or
“eXistenZ”. For those that have seen “Perpetrator”, it
should be obvious that I am talking about the orifices in the chests
of the kidnapped girls where the killer is draining them of their
blood. Not to mention the fact that there is a body horror element
to the story line which sees society's elite attempt to slow the
progress of ageing and keeping their youth for as long as possible.
Whilst Reeder is not afraid to show off her influences, as her
filmography is growing, it is becoming apparent that she has her own
fetishes that she likes to tackle in her films, mainly in the use of
the “lost” girl. Be it an actual lost girl, or an outsider who
feels alone on the margins of society, or the girls who fall through
the cracks of life, it is clear these are the characters Reeder is
most interested in telling stories about.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I
mentioned above that the film is uneven from a performance
perspective, which is true, but for the most part I believe that
“Perpetrator” is a well acted film. It is important to note that
the film is quite stylised, so none of the performances would be what
you call naturalistic, but all of them feel cohesive and of the same
world, except one (which I will get to soon). Kiah McKirnan gives an
excellent lead performance as Jonny, showing the right amount of fear
and confusion early on when her powers are coming into fruition, and
then showing enough sass when getting more comfortable with who she
is and what she can do, whilst looking for the missing girls. She
also has really good chemistry with the girls who play her school
mates, particularly Ireon Roach who plays Elektra, Jonny's best
friend. All the girls are great, but the big surprise is the casting
of Alicia Silverstone in the role of Aunt Hildie. Silverstone gives
an effective performance whilst being dark, cold and mysterious in
equal measure. It is something I had never seen from Silverstone
before, in fact if someone had told me at the time “Clueless”
came out, that Silverstone also had this in her, I'd have said “OH,
AS IF!!!” (sorry!). Unfortunately, the person who plays the role
of the villain in the film (and it isn't hard to work out, but I will
not mention them by name, to still keep it a secret) is absolutely
dreadful. Yes, I mentioned before that none of the performances were
truly naturalistic, but this person feels like they have come from a
different movie entirely! They have no grasp on the tone of the
film, nor the kind of film they are in, so they come off very badly
in it. It feels like they have stepped off the set of a comedy,
rather than the mystery/horror film that they are in, and it sadly,
does hurt the film, particularly its ending.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Before
I finish up, I have to mention the film's best scene, which I thought
was total genius. We learn that one of Jonny's powers is that she
can feel people (emotionally), and then mimic them. The scene in
question takes place at a teenage party where Jonny and Elektra are
searching for clues on the missing girls. As Jonny is new to her
powers, she cannot control them, so as she walks through the house,
she is constantly mimicking all the people around her. It may not
sound like much here, but it is so well done, and so intricately
choreographed because it actually all feels real and happening in the
moment. The background actors do not look like they are doing
pre-planned actions but talking and moving naturally, and totally in
the moment, but as Jonny moves past them doing the exact same moves,
it is just something else; it is a brilliant moment, and one of the
reasons I am so excited to see Jennifer Reeder grow as a filmmaker
and continue making more films.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Whilst
I had a very good time with “Perpetrator”, I have to say that
this is going to be a divisive film (if my session is anything to go
by). There were quite a few walk outs during my screening, and my
own brother (who saw it with me) stated it was probably his worst
film he saw at this year's MIFF. I obviously disagreed, and I think
that those who are able to get on the film's wavelength, will get a
lot out of “Perpetrator”. It may not have the polish and
cohesiveness of “Knives and Skin”, but there was enough in it to
enjoy the film and get me excited again for Reeder's future. All the
different and disparate elements don't quite come together as well as
they could have, but “Perpetrator” is filled with lush
cinematography and a great synth score, not to mention the atmosphere
of the film is to die for. Is “Perpetrator” entirely successful?
Probably not, but it is a massive bounce back after the dreadful
“Night's End”.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><i><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">3
Stars.</span></span></i></span></p><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><i><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></i></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><i><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG2CckS9eeD-hYaeUCUwhqG2SSn4Jrk0xtc48UqcZubo2aRPLxHGXyjQqC5nXOJ8mHetOkr45l1gGIajg5bueiek9PPo1TRqMLU5yUWGUxTFf1REDaOfVmhLvgNWjnGEJNP5L98uUzBSFdbZ1nOiEteuifB1hCJxl1Tv6UQQzrGSLh-3zoAoheNITPwQ/s1600/perpetrator-still.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1600" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG2CckS9eeD-hYaeUCUwhqG2SSn4Jrk0xtc48UqcZubo2aRPLxHGXyjQqC5nXOJ8mHetOkr45l1gGIajg5bueiek9PPo1TRqMLU5yUWGUxTFf1REDaOfVmhLvgNWjnGEJNP5L98uUzBSFdbZ1nOiEteuifB1hCJxl1Tv6UQQzrGSLh-3zoAoheNITPwQ/s320/perpetrator-still.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> </span></span></i></span><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span></span>
</div>
</div>Mr Movieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08003659808749073067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8239145255704961537.post-34372898480495310532023-07-26T12:36:00.000+10:002023-07-26T12:36:19.050+10:00FALLEN LEAVES<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6rqvztQ_ZzqOOTNUf5Z76Azrq5QVyAk5XADIcuTdV6YxaZIXSxT00XTfHavRr9GbutJ1cI_jMiwWzA0GKoRbLmM2Oz60B_4X96ISbhx5pqxD15GHXwQ1jqVSkACgwfQtR90YnWBgjutDV9Ng292v2yUwcooyMwgN-y8k_2Yl42qrJn_aNZhO-0ZyrdQ/s862/fallen-leaves-poster.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="862" data-original-width="603" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6rqvztQ_ZzqOOTNUf5Z76Azrq5QVyAk5XADIcuTdV6YxaZIXSxT00XTfHavRr9GbutJ1cI_jMiwWzA0GKoRbLmM2Oz60B_4X96ISbhx5pqxD15GHXwQ1jqVSkACgwfQtR90YnWBgjutDV9Ng292v2yUwcooyMwgN-y8k_2Yl42qrJn_aNZhO-0ZyrdQ/s320/fallen-leaves-poster.JPG" width="224" /></a></div><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">It was way back in August 2011, that I finally “discovered”
director Aki Kaurismaki and his wonderful, idiosyncratic cinematic
world. Whilst I was always aware of him, and also thought that he
would be a director I would actually respond to, it wasn't until my
screening of “Le Havre” during the 2011 edition of MIFF that I
had seen any of his films. I remember that it was my first film of
the festival that year, and I thought it was absolutely wonderful,
and I immediately set out to see anything and everything that
Kaurismaki had made previous. This proved surprisingly easy, due to
the fact that, at the time, all of his films had been released on
English-friendly blu rays in Finland. I bought them all, and fell in
love with the director's entire filmography. I just loved his retro
visual style, his outlook on the world, his dead-pan comedy delivery;
it all just spoke to me, and I had found another director who I
absolutely adored. What I was not expecting however, was for that
same director to announce his retirement from filmmaking during the
production of his very next film, which is exactly what happened
during the shooting of “The Other Side of Hope”. Kaurismaki
reported to the press that the film was to be his swansong and all
through the promotion of that film, it was always described as
Kaurismaki's final film. After taking so long to find this man's
work and then finally falling in love with it all, it felt kind of
cruel that it was all taken away from me almost immediately. “The
Other Side of Hope”, (which was initially meant to be the second
part of his “refugee trilogy”), came and went, and Kaurismaki
disappeared from the spotlight, staying true to his announcement of
retirement. However, totally out of the blue in June 2022, five
years after his retirement, Kaurismaki announced to the world that he
was about to embark on the shooting of his newest film “Fallen
Leaves”. To say that I was beyond excited would not be correct; I
was absolutely ecstatic, mainly because I had come round to the fact
that we were never going to get another Kaurismaki film again.
“Fallen Leaves” was never meant to exist, but because it does,
there was no way that it was not going to be anything other than my
most anticipated film of 2023. Well, after that very long
introduction, I am happy to report that I have now seen the new film
from Aki Kaurismaki, “Fallen Leaves”, and it did not disappoint
in the slightest. Lets look at the film now in a little more detail.</span></div>
<p style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Ansa and Holappa are two lonely souls just trying to get by in
Helsinki today. Both work low pay factory jobs, scrounging
everything they have just to feed themselves daily, usually with very
modest meals. Ansa spends most of her day working, and falling into
bed exhausted after she gets home to ready herself to do it all again
the next day. Holappa, on the other hand, uses alcohol to relax, to
the point that he even finds himself drinking on the job. Their
dwellings are nothing special with Ansa living in a tiny one room
apartment, whilst Holappa lives in the lodgings provided by his
employer, often with other workmates. Life is tough for them; they
work hard and have little to show for it. However a glimmer of hope
is offered, when at a night of karaoke Ansa and Holappa meet. They
are instantly attracted to each other, and Ansa gives Holappa her
phone number, which he immediately loses. Will destiny bring these
two together again, or is their fate to wander the Earth without that
special someone?</span></p>
<p style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">As I said in the opening paragraph, “Fallen Leaves” did not
disappoint. I absolutely fell in love with the film right from the
onset. It was everything I wanted it to be, and more. It is so good
(and increasingly rare) to go a cinema and have a movie live up to
the expectations you have for it. With “Fallen Leaves” being my
most anticipated film of 2023, those expectations were obviously very
high, but Kaurismaki has created an absolutely lovely film here. It
was one of those films where I knew I had a big, ridiculous smile on
my face the whole time I was watching it. “Fallen Leaves” is the
fourth film in his Proletariat Trilogy (which is so funny, and so
Kaurismaki, to have a fourth part in a three part trilogy) which
included the previous films “Shadows in Paradise” (1986), “Ariel”
(1988), and “The Match Factory Girl” (1990); all of them are
outstanding, showing the plights of low income workers, with “The
Match Factory Girl” being not only my favourite of the trilogy but
my favourite Aki Kaurismaki film overall. “Fallen Leaves” fits
nicely among these group of films, both in its quality of filmmaking
and in its themes explored.</span></p>
<p style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">A lazy critique often heard from the director's detractors is that if
you have seen one Kaurismaki film, then you have essentially seen
them all, which is just not true. Story plots, the tone or mood of
the films, the themes explored and emotions showed, all differ in
each film. However, it is definitely true that Kaurismaki has a
distinct style, and if you are not already a fan of this style, I
hate to say it, but “Fallen Leaves” wont sway you over to the
positive side, as he sticks very true to that style. Like always,
Kaurismaki has teamed with cinematographer Timo Salminen, to give the
film a rich, textured and lived-in look. Bursting with colour and
fitted with retro-technology, as you would expect. Radios and
televisions all look like they have come from the 1950's, and while
surprisingly, mobile phones do make an appearance in “Fallen
Leaves”, they are the older, text-only versions from the 90's, that
the characters use. In fact, if it was not for the constant reports
on the radio about Russia's invasion of the Ukraine, you could swear
that the film was a period piece. Other Kaurismaki trademarks like
smoke filled pubs, live musical bands, and dead-pan comedy, mixed in
with tragedy, are all present in “Fallen Leaves”, so if you are a
fan of the director, I cannot see anyone not loving this. The film
has been put together expertly; brilliantly shot, and particularly,
edited, however the genius of the film comes down to its simplicity.
It is a small scale story, that packs an emotional punch. Too many
films these days are so overstuffed, in what appears to be just to
inflate their running time. The art of editing almost appears dead,
in terms of trimming unnecessary fat from a film. “Fallen Leaves”
has a running time of only 81 minutes, but every minute is worth it.</span></p>
<p style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">“Fallen Leaves” sees the introduction of two new actors in
Kaurismaki's world, with Alma Poysti and Jussi Vatanen playing Ansa
and Holappa respectively, and both are outstanding. They fit
seamlessly into Kaurismaki's Finland, as if they had been working
with the director all of their lives. I do wonder how different it
must feel for an actor to work in a Kaurismaki film, because he
obviously demands the actor to deliver their performances in the most
stone-faced and dead-pan manner, with very limited dialogue, and yet
still find a way to express emotions within these restrictions.
Regardless of how hard they may have found it, both Poysti and
Vatanen do a wonderful job in their roles. The film is so funny,
because of the dead-pan nature in the way it is told and acted, and I
found myself laughing out loud regularly, with the karaoke scene
being a particular highlight. Probably the funniest moment of the
film is when the couple go to the movies to see “The Dead Don't
Die” (a nice nod to Kaurismaki's friend Jim Jarmusch), and the
reactions from some of the cinema goers as they leave are just
hilarious! Aside from the comedy, “Fallen Leaves” actually
tackles some serious issues with depth, particularly Holappa's
alcoholism and the detrimental effect it is having on his work life,
and relationships, and looking at why he depends on alcohol so much.
The Russian invasion of the Ukraine is also highlighted regularly,
with reports on how many people have died being a constant on the
radio. With Finland sharing a border with Russia, you can feel the
strain this war is having on the people of neighbouring countries,
which I must admit, was something I hadn't thought of before this
film.</span></p>
<p style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">It appears that as Aki Kaurismaki is getting older, he is getting a
little softer, because his earlier films were all often quite
downbeat; hilarious but downbeat. Something changed with “Le
Havre” which had the most beautiful, and almost “Hollywood”, of
happy endings. Whilst “Fallen Leaves” does take a turn towards
the tragic that I was not expecting, it does also end on a note of
optimism. There is a golden moment near the end, where Asna smiles
and winks, that melted my heart. It is so quick, maybe a second or
less, and not something you would normally see in a Kaurismaki film,
but the moment is so perfect here; I just loved it!</span></p><p style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Overall, I just adored “Fallen Leaves”. After thinking Aki
Kaurismaki had retired for good, it was so great to see him come out
with a new film, and for it to be brilliant. He has introduced two
new actors into his world who are both excellent, although I must
admit I missed Kati Outinen not being part of the cast, but it didn't
effect the film, and Sakari Kuosmanen does have a nice cameo towards
the end as a sweetener. Kaurismaki has made a film that is small in
scale, but large in impact. It is very funny, as you would expect,
but also does tackle some serious issues too. At a scant 81 minutes,
this is cinema at its most efficient, and I really hope that this was
not just a once-off for Aki Kaurismaki, and that he once again
continues to make films again. His latest, “Fallen Leaves” is a
total triumph, and I can see myself rating it even higher after
repeated viewings.</span></p>
<p style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><i>4 Stars.</i></span></p>
<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibGAqcx_MAFNAP0BxQvBwB6bMm2AfNp_fFDobolwVGf5Fa_2FH2ajkqV8fdeDy33hvp5GYVflPNktmd5Uj_VtZY5bhLi2XMRPkFlePX_bhryVXw7NlK0Z06fhj8QAndf3S_kkaGlVF78BRUNLZ8zEqT5MuEiM14233DC0XBzhDlFcUw9cjKLg0jJ47mw/s1290/fallen-leaves-still.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="760" data-original-width="1290" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibGAqcx_MAFNAP0BxQvBwB6bMm2AfNp_fFDobolwVGf5Fa_2FH2ajkqV8fdeDy33hvp5GYVflPNktmd5Uj_VtZY5bhLi2XMRPkFlePX_bhryVXw7NlK0Z06fhj8QAndf3S_kkaGlVF78BRUNLZ8zEqT5MuEiM14233DC0XBzhDlFcUw9cjKLg0jJ47mw/s320/fallen-leaves-still.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /></span></div>Mr Movieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08003659808749073067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8239145255704961537.post-27792475248956093582023-01-08T22:15:00.000+11:002023-01-08T22:15:06.267+11:002022 - IN REVIEW: MOST ANTICIPATED FILMS OF 2023<div style="text-align: left;"><p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Just
like every year that has come before it, there are a plethora of new
releases that are slated for release in 2023 that I am eagerly
anticipating. From last year's list, I'm still waiting on releases
for Martin Scorsese's “Killers of the Flower Moon”, Brandon
Cronenberg's “Infinity Pool”, Wes Anderson's “Asteroid City”
and Yorgos Lanthimos's “Poor Things”. Obviously these are still
hugely anticipated and should be considered an extension of the below
list (but I do not like including the same titles for multiple
years). Both Wes Anderson and Yorgos Lanthimos actually have two
films coming out in 2023, with “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar”
and “AND” (respectively) also seeing release by year's end.
Besides the titles below that I am shining a spotlight on, 2022 will
see a number of new and exciting films from talented directors, the
likes of Woody Allen (“Wasp 22”), Roman Polanski (“The
Palace”), Zhang Yimou (“Full River Red”), Pawel Pawlikowski
(“The Island”), Ridley Scott (“Napoleon”), Steven Soderbergh
(“Magic Mike's Last Dance”), Ari Aster (“Beau Is Afraid”),
David Fincher (“The Killer”), Michael Mann (“Ferrari”), David
Michod (“Wizards!”), Justine Triet (“Anatomy of a Fall”),
Lukas Moodysson (“Together '99”), Hirokazu Kore-eda (“Monster”),
Kim Jee-Woon (“Cobweb”), Rose Glass (“Love Lies Bleeding”),
Luca Guadgnino (“Challengers”), Sofia Coppola (“Priscilla”),
Denis Villeneuve (“Dune: Part Two”), Steve McQueen (“Blitz”),
Nuri Bilge Ceylan (“On Dry Grass”), Christopher Nolan
(“Oppenheimer”) Victor Erice (“To Close One's Eyes”), Neil
Jordan (“Marlowe”), Greta Gerwig (“Barbie”), and maybe, just
maybe, we will finally see Terrence Malick's latest (“The Way of
the Wind”). Not only that, but we are also getting new entries in
the following horror franchises, “Scream”, “The Evil Dead”,
“Insidious”, “Saw”, as well as Ti West finishing his “X”
trilogy with “MaXXXine”. All of the above I am looking forward
to, but the below nine films are my most anticipated films of 2023:</span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha4t3MnVA8PunTdPMthQMPpIIzmcB8QPSPI7U_At1fu6_65EVssYwtLIQ88_eyHqv44EhDAdBHs_7f73amtJlKJkB9J7rqgjoeAQnsLjlOD6zL1CAM5jJpINyCV5JijUuMU0QLTeuznE0NXsM0jmH6yWShuqGxlfeKqY2Cvv-FIfYxrbgKlYwZ2mY/s750/tran-anh-hung.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha4t3MnVA8PunTdPMthQMPpIIzmcB8QPSPI7U_At1fu6_65EVssYwtLIQ88_eyHqv44EhDAdBHs_7f73amtJlKJkB9J7rqgjoeAQnsLjlOD6zL1CAM5jJpINyCV5JijUuMU0QLTeuznE0NXsM0jmH6yWShuqGxlfeKqY2Cvv-FIfYxrbgKlYwZ2mY/s320/tran-anh-hung.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><u><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">LE
POT-AU-FEU DE DODIN BOUFFANT</span></span></span></span></u><p></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Whilst
I have no idea what the English title for this film will end up
being, nor do I know a direct translation from the French, this is
the brand new film from French-Vietnamese director, Tran Anh Hung,
his first film in seven years. Whilst he has been a little
inconsistent in the 2000's, I absolutely adored his previous film,
“Eternity”, which was his first film shot in the French language
and was a real return to form for this talented director. Not much
is known about this new film other than it is a romance and is set in
the world of upmarket cooking. It also stars Juliette Binoche, who
is so popular around the world, that it almost guarantees a good
worldwide release for “Le Pot-au-feu de Dodin Bouffant”. Another
exciting thing about the film is that Hung has hired Jonathan
Ricquebourg as his cinematographer, who floored me with his visuals
in “Earwig” this year.</span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOs6EMwNYXA_UwRbTIndXQxFjz51iKv4i8VmNpA_IYrJ9pR68JApEh3yRL-B4gLQdwVg83iyHZgkOkwSQn8o_NtT8YFpEtEM4uWdbhCBbTZq5XWRZBQUUniLdg9u33E7OoVucjD4RvnUnXkcak_f0blQPMO5DkGn4jcNQSRDX2FBXKOfO2_McYKWU/s608/may-december.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="343" data-original-width="608" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOs6EMwNYXA_UwRbTIndXQxFjz51iKv4i8VmNpA_IYrJ9pR68JApEh3yRL-B4gLQdwVg83iyHZgkOkwSQn8o_NtT8YFpEtEM4uWdbhCBbTZq5XWRZBQUUniLdg9u33E7OoVucjD4RvnUnXkcak_f0blQPMO5DkGn4jcNQSRDX2FBXKOfO2_McYKWU/s320/may-december.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><u><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">MAY
DECEMBER</span></span></span></span></u><p></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">This
is the brand new film from director Todd Haynes, and for once, we
actually know a little bit about the film. The synopsis from the
imdb reads like so: “Twenty years after their notorious tabloid
romance gripped the nation, a married couple buckles under the
pressure when an actress arrives to do research for a film about
their past.” The film sees Haynes reunite with actress Julianne
Moore who starred in my favourite Todd Haynes movie, “Far From
Heaven”, one of my rare five-star films. Moore is something of a
Haynes regular, but joining her on the film is Natalie Portman and
this is her first time working with the director. Probably the
biggest shock about “May December” is that for the first time
since 2002, and the aforementioned “Far From Heaven”, Ed Lachman
is not handling the cinematography duties, as he was busy shooting
Pablo Larrain's new film at the same time. To fill this void, Haynes
is using his very good friend, Kelly Reichardt's regular
cinematographer Christopher Blauvelt on “May December”, which
will be interesting to see if anything changes with Haynes's style
because of this. </span></span></span></span></span>
</p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDk3kSyMYp01KelUowdlxdqpB4GCL4uTqwvPGILckBuaFtvBw-R6oNjVEql6cBIsZ9HEdtbKMxklJxYyy5bcs3gpubJ_lLu-VKFRqcI4HqHtjDsywmpJz-meyYv-sw2xo0rOzIpV8-nC2XXUtFe_btKoij8VjJ90b6iNfoO1ZAxoVbFSMjEvEM45Q/s1000/el-conde.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="848" data-original-width="1000" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDk3kSyMYp01KelUowdlxdqpB4GCL4uTqwvPGILckBuaFtvBw-R6oNjVEql6cBIsZ9HEdtbKMxklJxYyy5bcs3gpubJ_lLu-VKFRqcI4HqHtjDsywmpJz-meyYv-sw2xo0rOzIpV8-nC2XXUtFe_btKoij8VjJ90b6iNfoO1ZAxoVbFSMjEvEM45Q/s320/el-conde.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><u><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">EL
CONDE</span></span></span></span></u><p></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Speaking
of Pablo Larrain, with his new film “El Conde”, he continues his
love affair of telling stories involving Augusto Pinochet and his
dictatorship, although this time with a genre element added as the
film reveals that Pinochet is actually a vampire, and that after
already living 200 years, he has decided to finally die, once and for
all. This appears to be much lighter fare than is the norm from
Larrain, with “El Conde” being regularly referred to as a comedy.
However with Larrain at the helm, I am sure there will be some form
of social commentary attached to it, and with the whole “politicians
(or dictators) as vampires”, it isn't hard to see where it may come
from. Outside of the above, not much else is known about the film,
but I must say that I love that Larrain continues to alternate
between making films in Hollywood and then back at home in Chile,
particularly now after he has found success via “Jackie” and
“Spencer”. As I mentioned above, he has scored quite a coup
enlisting Ed Lachman as his cinematographer on “El Conde”, who is
using a specially designed camera, built for the intent purpose of
creating monochrome images like they once looked in the past.
Hearing that “El Conde”is going to be in black and white is extra
exciting because it is so rare to see nowadays.</span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid_QTa3ziU7uWMBA_lFcrZpDtt5gntoI-wYoYS4hO8OI5z1S6cMdczwuo5_DZ2TaVF9uWI1UwPNa9TkCdrBswV6TsQZg_5O0WwVYt1L44wcE6N40oV7PAmJbkwc_OLd_j4MlUBnXmJQimzJDsRPWwYPsxtk5YCPGW4e-eS0SiFmSMSoDxhEwnFrU0/s883/seligman-and-sennott.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="595" data-original-width="883" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid_QTa3ziU7uWMBA_lFcrZpDtt5gntoI-wYoYS4hO8OI5z1S6cMdczwuo5_DZ2TaVF9uWI1UwPNa9TkCdrBswV6TsQZg_5O0WwVYt1L44wcE6N40oV7PAmJbkwc_OLd_j4MlUBnXmJQimzJDsRPWwYPsxtk5YCPGW4e-eS0SiFmSMSoDxhEwnFrU0/s320/seligman-and-sennott.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><u><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">BOTTOMS</span></span></span></span></u><p></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">One
of my favourite films from 2021 was the anxiety inducing comedy
“Shiva Baby”, which was so funny but also, at times, played like
a horror film. It was written and directed by Emma Seligman and
starred Rachel Sennott, and was one of those fantastic surprises that
seem to come out of nowhere from time to time. “Bottoms” is a
reunion between Seligman and Sennott, with Seligman once again
writing and directing the film, whilst Sennott this time co-wrote the
screenplay along with starring in the film too. The film is once
again a comedy, but from the sound of it, it seems more of the
traditional variety compared to “Shiva Baby”; “Two unpopular
queer high school students start a fight club to have sex before
graduation.” I honestly have no idea how this will actually turn
out, but I am so intrigued to see if lightning can strike twice for
Seligman and Sennott. As seen in last year's “Bodies Bodies
Bodies”, Rachel Sennott has an amazing ability of making
potentially very annoying characters so very funny instead.
Hopefully she keeps her track record at 100% with “Bottoms”,
which I am quietly optimistic about.</span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAoSmJ5oyvFNjiOoHu1E4zTiz-wjjhCjky_ey09YBOyUj2nGSExpM-N3FY3Vywnl-wMZzRvXMDvBJ9ulwZnCmcP0qUaDQaz3KUQqulWRKN7n1aCceXP2E0xeVldUaSGgIhRIf_NUTET1cgGkwUW2FYL-bkxiaDs-igf9_mqrJ1ZUiV6-7BvlJwRaY/s765/the-crime-is-mine.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="765" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAoSmJ5oyvFNjiOoHu1E4zTiz-wjjhCjky_ey09YBOyUj2nGSExpM-N3FY3Vywnl-wMZzRvXMDvBJ9ulwZnCmcP0qUaDQaz3KUQqulWRKN7n1aCceXP2E0xeVldUaSGgIhRIf_NUTET1cgGkwUW2FYL-bkxiaDs-igf9_mqrJ1ZUiV6-7BvlJwRaY/s320/the-crime-is-mine.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><u><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">THE
CRIME IS MINE</span></span></span></span></u><p></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">As
I mentioned in my top ten list, 2022 saw me fall in love again with
the cinema of Francois Ozon. The French director is quite prolific
and seems to work at a pace where he makes one film per year, and
“The Crime is Mine” is his brand new one. Just being the latest
film from Francois Ozon is enough for me to add “The Crime is Mine”
to this list, but it also has a very interesting plot too which imdb
describes like so: “Madeleine Verdier, a penniless actress is
accused of the murder of a famous producer. With the help of her best
friend, she is acquitted of the crime due to it her acting in self
defence at the time. Then begins a life of glory and success, until
the truth threatens to come to light”. The film is a period piece
and during production Ozon referred to the film as a comedy, although
imdb currently lists it as a drama/mystery, so I guess we will have
to wait and see exactly what it turns out to be. “The Crime is
Mine” sees Ozon reunite with Isabelle Huppert for the first time
since they made “8 Women” together way back in 2002. </span></span></span></span></span>
</p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq2YINL_bqVnoLdvz7pYnW1IFpBul2Pqye_8JZZAZjxsI-4w9OxVVZSTvbsHEj0d9spJKNRO4SR-f5hvBSPWt_LsS4tbAOyMGG0Wgw--UDoh6P8lgxwD_GzJzfKM9Qtiif-UgWYvtPex7elETpemBkpNGb6H4t9MtU4Ow_-2fGahLdMTBfLSB94QA/s1284/The-New-Boy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="851" data-original-width="1284" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq2YINL_bqVnoLdvz7pYnW1IFpBul2Pqye_8JZZAZjxsI-4w9OxVVZSTvbsHEj0d9spJKNRO4SR-f5hvBSPWt_LsS4tbAOyMGG0Wgw--UDoh6P8lgxwD_GzJzfKM9Qtiif-UgWYvtPex7elETpemBkpNGb6H4t9MtU4Ow_-2fGahLdMTBfLSB94QA/s320/The-New-Boy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><u><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">THE
NEW BOY</span></span></span></span></u><p></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">“<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The
New Boy” would make it onto my most anticipated list just due to
the strength of director Warwick Thornton's previous two features,
“Samson & Delilah” and “Sweet Country”, both of which I
adored. Being a cinematographer himself, Thornton has a keen visual
eye and can express so much in his films just through its visuals,
with him never having to rely heavily on dialogue. The way he
captures the Australian outback is just stunning and so beautiful.
“The New Boy” also has the added bonus of Cate Blanchett
headlining the cast, which is massive, because it has been a good
while since Blanchett has returned home to Australia to make a film
here. The official synopsis reads like this: “Set in 1940s
Australia, The New Boy is the story of a nine-year-old Aboriginal
orphan boy who arrives in the dead of night at a remote monastery,
run by a renegade nun, where his presence disturbs the delicately
balanced world in this story of spiritual struggle and the cost of
survival.” There is something about Cate Blanchett playing a
“renegade nun” that gets me very excited; I have a feeling “The
New Boy” is going to be something special.</span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4JHv2jUdJO6KnHxdau6Re2XTdakU8V6fkUDQFYCpy9nk6D8A360zQplZcCNMqmiwEzs8kKUrdqxhoXaT9NEvJU3qsfZtgf7fpaxUbq8141RL7gs6uoL5UaZYpE8MqfDaV0ghNRLSZf2k4zx22e9vJ_BbXfAZXqv1kNmQi2sltcJIGhCvpQRMzDlc/s1024/jeff-nichols.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="731" data-original-width="1024" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4JHv2jUdJO6KnHxdau6Re2XTdakU8V6fkUDQFYCpy9nk6D8A360zQplZcCNMqmiwEzs8kKUrdqxhoXaT9NEvJU3qsfZtgf7fpaxUbq8141RL7gs6uoL5UaZYpE8MqfDaV0ghNRLSZf2k4zx22e9vJ_BbXfAZXqv1kNmQi2sltcJIGhCvpQRMzDlc/s320/jeff-nichols.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><u><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">THE
BIKERIDERS</span></span></span></span></u><p></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">To
be honest, what little is known about the plot of “The Bikeriders”
doesn't really sound like my thing. The reason why it still makes it
onto this list though is because it is directed by Jeff Nichols, who
hasn't made a film since 2016's “Loving”, although this is not
due from a lack of trying. In the ensuing years, the poor guy has
been attached to at least three or four projects which have all ended
up falling apart and not going into production. “The Bikeriders”
is his sixth feature, and all five prior to this I have absolutely
loved. I actually made a statement almost a decade ago where I said
that Jeff Nichols was the most important “new” director to come
out of the United States since Paul Thomas Anderson. As you can
tell, I am a big fan of the guy and his films, and trust him to make
any subject into an entertaining film, whether I like the subject or
not. So what is “The Bikeriders” about? Based on a photography
book of the same name by Danny Lyon, it will follows the rise of a
fictional biker gang in the Midwest during the 1960s. That's it,
that is all we know, but the cast list is very impressive with Tom
Hardy, Austin Butler, Jodie Comer and Mike Faist all starring.
Michael Shannon also reunites with the director to continue his
streak of being in all of Jeff Nichols' films. </span></span></span></span></span>
</p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibmxEe-dzwNPuZpZSI2BJLrR2TFwU2fBXyPV27TBbxqhw6QCtW8-WoRuomm5GjOxjgN-3UCRBQ9KqP0lQ13-ROftEdQJxjhh4lit-KTAJmpRUvrOvfermRU5eg_G0LoWZ-pMnERcMOI3q3PLt4HyY9-n8KjrOdBOl81c8BiJ0M-2m2i2SgOjS2KiM/s1000/the-red-sky.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="702" data-original-width="1000" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibmxEe-dzwNPuZpZSI2BJLrR2TFwU2fBXyPV27TBbxqhw6QCtW8-WoRuomm5GjOxjgN-3UCRBQ9KqP0lQ13-ROftEdQJxjhh4lit-KTAJmpRUvrOvfermRU5eg_G0LoWZ-pMnERcMOI3q3PLt4HyY9-n8KjrOdBOl81c8BiJ0M-2m2i2SgOjS2KiM/s320/the-red-sky.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><u><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">THE
RED SKY</span></span></span></span></u><p></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I
do not have much to say about “The Red Sky” because we still do
not know much about the film, but hey, it is the brand new film from
the brilliant German director, Christian Petzold, who essentially
gets a free pass from me now because of his stunning 2014 film,
“Phoenix”, which was my favourite film of that year. “The Red
Sky” sees the third consecutive collaboration between Petzold and
actress Paula Beer, who appears to have replaced Nina Hoss as the
director's current muse. While I miss Hoss in Petzold's films, they
made six films together, Beer has proven to be the perfect
replacement. “The Red Sky” follows four people caught in
whirlwind romances amidst a series of forest fires. Petzold has said
it is a summer film, and very erotic and may have a queer edge to it.
Whatever it is, it's Petzold. It's new. Bring it on!</span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqIgTPISQYewZXRfbo2cG7D3snPdqsmIC_SKFRztFkscVPACnvG2ibnNTujK0g20D40C747fAxD96d81e7JMvSiDC8QSS6Wbf07yZE8D50EIEfzj984Qg1NwZkleRkm9HAj7SwrW5B_BXOgQbBtTiymmay1vh8aUqYgieFVO7mwB6n1_MR5r7KwJQ/s1224/aki-kaurismaki.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="812" data-original-width="1224" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqIgTPISQYewZXRfbo2cG7D3snPdqsmIC_SKFRztFkscVPACnvG2ibnNTujK0g20D40C747fAxD96d81e7JMvSiDC8QSS6Wbf07yZE8D50EIEfzj984Qg1NwZkleRkm9HAj7SwrW5B_BXOgQbBtTiymmay1vh8aUqYgieFVO7mwB6n1_MR5r7KwJQ/s320/aki-kaurismaki.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><u><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">DEAD
LEAVES</span></span></span></span></u><p></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">My
most anticipated film of 2023 is “Dead Leaves” (although I have
seen some publications refer to it as “Fallen Leaves”, so I am
not sure what the official title will end up being) which is the
brand new film from Finnish director Aki Kaurismaki. That is a
sentence that I feared I would never say again because back in 2017,
during the production of “The Other Side of Hope”, Kaurismaki
announced that the film would be his last. I was devastated because
he has such a unique cinematic voice, and also not least because he
was two thirds through his proposed “refugee trilogy” which
obviously would now not be finished. For five years, he stayed true
to his retirement promise and it really did seem like we would never
see another Aki Kaurismaki film again. Then out of the blue he
announced that he was about to begin production on his brand new
film, “Dead Leaves” and you could not wipe the smile off of my
face! While no plot details have been revealed, Kaurismaki did
announce that “Dead Leaves” would be the fourth part in his
“Proletariat Trilogy” (hmmmm, I think his maths may be a little
off). This is excellent news because the previous three films in the
trilogy, particularly “The Match Factory Girl” are some of my
absolute favourites from his entire career.</span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
</p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
</span><br /></span></span>
</p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
</p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">Well, that is it. My
enormous round up of the year that was 2022 is finally over.
Hopefully you enjoyed reading it and got something out of it, but how
about we go back to watching some new films now?</span></span>
</div>Mr Movieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08003659808749073067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8239145255704961537.post-81367917835707871572023-01-07T22:31:00.000+11:002023-01-07T22:31:14.793+11:002022 - IN REVIEW: TOP TWENTY BEST FILMS: #10 - 1<div style="text-align: left;">
<p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHJSV4hZPcOYRRfNxtGL6W-YyWDAy0sU8MsX4ciffH7tDyN9Y2_3Kac_Vu5RkwwomjHcgnn_wcR3ww5naXREzmXCGY06XW5n3KkgLHvSgz4GB183wDLnClTYf3ifVJy1kQx0lemYXuEhUCy8OaYitKSrqNu1_P2JehZv8Kdti0FB7ghYqwbnKi3e0/s755/cyrano-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="510" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHJSV4hZPcOYRRfNxtGL6W-YyWDAy0sU8MsX4ciffH7tDyN9Y2_3Kac_Vu5RkwwomjHcgnn_wcR3ww5naXREzmXCGY06XW5n3KkgLHvSgz4GB183wDLnClTYf3ifVJy1kQx0lemYXuEhUCy8OaYitKSrqNu1_P2JehZv8Kdti0FB7ghYqwbnKi3e0/s320/cyrano-poster.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u></u></span></span><p></p><p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u>10. CYRANO</u></span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">After topping my
Worst Films list last year with the dreadful “The Woman in the
Window”, director Joe Wright has immediately bounced back with his
glorious musical version of the Cyrano de Bergerac tale, simply
titled “Cyrano”. This is actually my first cinematic exposure to
the story although I am aware that in most versions Cyrano is
self-conscious because of his large nose. In this version, Cyrano is
portrayed by Peter Dinklage, so the story has been altered that
Cyrano is now convinced that Roxanne, the love of his life, could
never truly love him because of his diminutive size. It is funny
that he finds his size to be an issue when it comes to love, because
he never lets it affect him negatively any other aspect of his life,
as he is very adept at cutting down naysayers with his sword or his
expert use of the English language. Dinklage is absolutely
sensational as Cyrano, to the point that I was sure he would win Best
Actor at last year's Oscars for his performance (“Cyrano”
qualified for the 2022 Oscars due to a brief one week run in December
2021, before expanding later in 2022). The fact that he wasn't even
nominated was an absolute disgrace as his performance was my
favourite by an actor all year. He is charming, loyal, loving,
self-deprecating, brave, and his line-delivery was second to none.
Playing his love interest, Roxanne, is Haley Bennett, who is actually
Joe Wright's partner in real life, but this is actually the first
time they have worked together. She suits the role perfectly,
although her character isn't as well rounded or developed as the two
boys. The third in the trio, and the character who Roxanne actually
loves, Christian, is played by Kelvin Harrison Jr who, like the other
two, is fabulous. Harrison Jr is such a great actor, and this role
gives him a chance to show off an aspect he hasn't before which is
his lighter more comedic side, as Christian is a bit of a goof. This
is a story of true love because even though Cyrano loves Roxanne so
much, and it hurts him that she doesn't feel the same way, he is
willing to do anything to make her happy, which is why he supplies
the poems and love letters to Christian to woo Roxanne. I mentioned
that “Cyrano” is a musical, and I really liked the majority of
the songs in the film with two being particular standouts. I also
like that Joe Wright was fine with using the actors unpolished voices
when singing, as I prefer when characters suddenly burst into song,
that it doesn't sound perfect. There is also some dancing within
“Cyrano” which is really beautiful, but the style is so unusual;
it has a very flowing look to it, but it is really lovely. I was
such a massive fan of “Cyrano” particularly because it feels like
the old Joe Wright, the guy who directed “Atonement” and “Anna
Karenina”. Unsurprisingly, he has teamed up with his two key
collaborators from those films, production designer Sarah Greenwood
and cinematographer Seamus McGarvey and together they have created a
gorgeous, highly stylised film. Some might think that it has
actually been over-styled to the point of excess, but hell, this is
what I love about Joe Wright and why I adore “Cyrano”.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYr7xiLp5-6ieSeZZjtSRuC-Xf3znJJY9xv5qKQfj8wDHLnfOmCYXlWsVNsJNsTnxnAXW1CT0HAfSi3-letPRPRNYusB5Nj7dOIK60HZ0205pocaLjNU2qX7fcajn-qU0uceg9xOp3e7gw_lDsPLcBp_sr4NAujXxiJtMX1PetcsRNAjWewtZERis/s755/everything-went-fine-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="554" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYr7xiLp5-6ieSeZZjtSRuC-Xf3znJJY9xv5qKQfj8wDHLnfOmCYXlWsVNsJNsTnxnAXW1CT0HAfSi3-letPRPRNYusB5Nj7dOIK60HZ0205pocaLjNU2qX7fcajn-qU0uceg9xOp3e7gw_lDsPLcBp_sr4NAujXxiJtMX1PetcsRNAjWewtZERis/s320/everything-went-fine-poster.jpg" width="235" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u>9. EVERYTHING WENT
FINE</u></span></span><p></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">Over the course of
2022, I really fell in love all over again with the cinema of
director Francois Ozon, re-watching a lot of his earlier films,
catching up with the ones I had missed over the years (with “Ricky”,
his 2009 feature, the only one left I have to watch) and also seeing
his two latest films as well. Both of these films were great, but
only one made my top ten list, which was his assisted suicide comedy
“Everything Went Fine”. I mean lets face it, what is more funny
than suicide, am I right? Going into the film, I was a little weary
about it, for a couple of reasons. The first was because I had heard
it was a comedy, and I was unsure how Ozon was going to make this
controversial subject funny. Thankfully, he treats the assisted
suicide very seriously, but the character of the father (who wants to
die) is just a prick, which leads to some very funny situations and
reactions from his two daughters. One very amusing moment is when he
tells Emmanuele, his eldest daughter, that he got great satisfaction
of telling her she was an ugly baby; the joke here is that Emmanuele
is played by Sophie Marceau, one of the most beautiful women in the
world. It is interesting, and the two girls mention this in the
film, Andre (the father) is not a nice person, but you find yourself
endeared to him. One of them says “He is a terrible father, but I
think we would be great friends”. The other reason I was worried
about the film was I had a feeling it was going to turn into a mushy
sentimental affair by the end, which thankfully it never does. In
fact, it never goes that way at all, with only a brief moment where
the girls actually cry a bit. By the end it turns into something of
a heist thriller, if you can believe it, because assisted suicide is
illegal in France so the sisters have to find a way to get their
father out of the hospital, and over the border to Switzerland where
a clinic is waiting for him so the procedure can be carried out.
Making the job that little bit harder is that the two girls can't be
associated with it or they will face the full brunt of the law back
in France. The movie is based on Emmanuele Bernhaim's book of the
same name which chronicles the real life drama of helping her father
in his wish to have an assisted suicide after becoming paralized down
half his body after suffering a stroke. Bernhaim was a close friend
of Francois Ozon, having helped in writing the screenplays of four of
his films (“Under the Sand”, “5x2”, “Swimming Pool” and
“Ricky”). Sadly though she passed away in 2017 from cancer, and
missing his friend, Ozon decided to translate her book into a film as
a tribute to her. He has done her proud, creating a stunning film
with “Everything Went Fine”, one of the very best of his entire
career.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvcV_dBce8kEEuKVn9uyH2ejNOYgWv7JR9-0X6KxHwIEHh385dQJPPTn6XWf3FGWK_L3weQLEUxNjIwwKShWVUEPq_0bn4eBOQNTgBd8K7zbZxLchZMZGxxJ1WEWaJMgxGlCHIus93TDMMI1Z0wOAjRgXfJCfd3npGAayLQ77P4mfz3zd-b6_Diuc/s755/flux_gourmet-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="510" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvcV_dBce8kEEuKVn9uyH2ejNOYgWv7JR9-0X6KxHwIEHh385dQJPPTn6XWf3FGWK_L3weQLEUxNjIwwKShWVUEPq_0bn4eBOQNTgBd8K7zbZxLchZMZGxxJ1WEWaJMgxGlCHIus93TDMMI1Z0wOAjRgXfJCfd3npGAayLQ77P4mfz3zd-b6_Diuc/s320/flux_gourmet-poster.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u>8. FLUX GOURMET</u></span></span><p></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">Peter Strickland's
“Flux Gourmet” was on my most anticipated list of 2022, with the
caveat being that I thought “...out of all the films on this list,
[this one] has the biggest chance of being a total dud”. Boy, was
I wrong! There was never a chance this was going to be anything
other than genius, as Strickland has created his best film yet with
“Flux Gourmet”. I have watched the film, so far, three times and
it never stops being hilariously entertaining! Combining two tonally
different plot threads, writer / director Peter Strickland has done
almost the impossible and created gold with “Flux Gourmet”. The
main part of the film is a very, very funny look at an unnamed “sonic
collective” and their time together during their residency at an
exclusive art institute, where they constantly bicker amongst
themselves and with their director, before starting to implode.
Documenting their stay at the residency is a “dossiage”, Stones,
who is struggling with a gastrointestinal disorder, making him feel
uncomfortable within the group due to the excess wind his body needs
to regularly release, and it is Stones' ordeal that is the second
plot thread of the film. The tones between the two plot threads
couldn't be more different and yet they live together harmoniously in
the same film. The whole aspect involving the sonic collective is so
over-the-top and done with tongue planted firmly in cheek; it is
hilarious and we laugh both with and at the group. However
Strickland then balances the absurdity of the sonic collective with
the complete sincerity in regards to Stones' condition and the pain
and awkwardness he feels because of it. Whilst the situations he
finds himself in are humorous (not to mention his dead-pan narration
of his problems, told in subtitled Greek), Strickland never once
makes fun of him or his condition. Strickland then is able to make
both plot threads come together for a very satisfying conclusion that
is also, amazingly, quite poignant too. Again, I have no idea how he
does it, and it really shouldn't work, but it just does! The entire
cast is excellent; they all clearly understood just what type of film
they were making, as well as the tone of the film, and they deliver
in spades. I love a director who has a style that is recognisably
their own, and Peter Strickland certainly has that. What makes it
more impressive is that none of his films resemble one another, they
are all so different, but when you watch them, you know that only one
man could have made the film. Probably the thing I was most
impressed by though was his handling of the ending and his ability to
make something poignant out of all the insanity that has come before
it. <a href="http://mrmovies2011.blogspot.com/2022/08/flux-gourmet-miff-2022.html"><i>Click here to read my original review.</i></a></span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLofuQ72vZeuqFknivz76mHiT-Tbo_4kz8jfRYzsRtN5CiBvHjw2powg6IFJA1Vo6TFvRbpuiitoVDDQ9SEr67yGxQxFzI85Jnt-7EBMmChyBPZE7YPNxWdiqMyz4krkm211yQXjNyq6JtFk6HzXYqjg5eWpR5iKS3hjCaMnzYnuSMNiLLrkEbbcQ/s755/stranger-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="529" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLofuQ72vZeuqFknivz76mHiT-Tbo_4kz8jfRYzsRtN5CiBvHjw2powg6IFJA1Vo6TFvRbpuiitoVDDQ9SEr67yGxQxFzI85Jnt-7EBMmChyBPZE7YPNxWdiqMyz4krkm211yQXjNyq6JtFk6HzXYqjg5eWpR5iKS3hjCaMnzYnuSMNiLLrkEbbcQ/s320/stranger-poster.jpg" width="224" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u>7. THE STRANGER</u></span></span><p></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">Thomas M. Wright's
“The Stranger” was my favourite film I saw at MIFF this year, and
while I still think it is an excellent and powerful Aussie crime
thriller, it hasn't remained in my mind as much as other films since
that time. The film is based on the kidnapping and murder of 13 year
old Daniel Morcombe back in 2003, but the main aim of the film is not
to dramatise those events but rather to highlight the years-long
investigation and undercover operation that the police conducted in
order to obtain an arrest of the killer. It has nothing to do with
the actual kidnapping or murder, and is entirely about the immense
work the police did and the huge task of collaborating between
multiple states, all in an attempt to get their man. “The
Stranger” is a dark and gritty affair but Wright understood that
the story he was telling was strong and powerful enough to not need
to fall back on cinematic excess or over-stylisation. All he needed
to do was to present the story as honest and realistically as
possible, coupled with casting the right actors who could disappear
into their roles and finally, creating the right amount of dramatic
tension and atmosphere onscreen, and Wright does all of these things
magnificently. Wright does an amazing job of recreating the
intensity of the undercover world, where criminals and cops interact
on a daily basis, and makes us feel the violence of it, without
showing a single violent act onscreen. The other thing that Wright
had to get right was to make the audience feel the progression of the
case, and how the stakes rise the closer they get to an arrest. This
is a very dangerous man they are trying to trap, and who they know
has done some horrific things in the past, and we need to feel the
weight of what making a mistake would mean in this world. I
mentioned that the casting also had to be perfect and let me just say
that Joel Edgerton is outstanding in the role of Mark, the undercover
cop assigned to get close with Henry (the killer). It is such a
multifaceted role because his character is also acting the majority
of the time and his life and the case relies on him being very
believable when in the field. It is a fantastic showcase for an
actor, and I never once doubted the reality of Edgerton's performance
for a second. He is just phenomenal! Sean Harris is just as good in
his role of Henry too. He comes across as a dangerous, yet pathetic
character, looking for a friend more than anything else. We never
see what he is like when he is alone, only when he is with Mark, but
he never seems in total control, like he could go off at any second,
either by fleeing or striking out violently. Make no mistake though,
through Harris's performance, you know that despite how pathetic and
cowardly he comes across at times, Henry is a very dangerous man.
The thing that “The Stranger” really opened my eyes to was just
how much work actually goes into not only catching a killer, but to
do so with enough physical evidence to ensure a conviction. It is
such a success at exposing the reality of these undercover operations
and exactly what these brave men and women really go through. “The
Stranger” is a sensational movie, however it is not an easy watch
because it hits you hard and stays with you after the credits have
finished. <a href="http://mrmovies2011.blogspot.com/2022/08/the-stranger-miff-2022.html"><i>Click here to read my original review.</i></a></span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB9iPh2pK2AKCyujAESpCv7wQRWTjv-6AcHOIWjFOhq3Pm1W5vqnd1FCJGWraUddQxuRe2AcH6gIW0Gkj35Ac5RMOcpkcCfhHYjyJDywGi-AS3KWK9ikIIzziszyZf9VqcR6p-Vu54ngViWTXfWB2JmlVcWe0MVDA69VKQkw9q92z1V6ch5weTJ3c/s755/pearl-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="604" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB9iPh2pK2AKCyujAESpCv7wQRWTjv-6AcHOIWjFOhq3Pm1W5vqnd1FCJGWraUddQxuRe2AcH6gIW0Gkj35Ac5RMOcpkcCfhHYjyJDywGi-AS3KWK9ikIIzziszyZf9VqcR6p-Vu54ngViWTXfWB2JmlVcWe0MVDA69VKQkw9q92z1V6ch5weTJ3c/s320/pearl-poster.jpg" width="256" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u>6. PEARL</u></span></span><p></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">Shot back-to-back
with his 1970's-set slasher film, “X”, Ti West surprised the film
world when he revealed (via an end of credits teaser) that he had
already completed a prequel to the film, this time focused on the
early years of “X's” villain, Pearl. What is so impressive about
“Pearl” is that even though it is a prequel to “X”, the two
films couldn't be more different. Whilst still very much a horror
film, “Pearl” plays out more like a deranged drama – and it is
absolutely glorious! The best word to describe “Pearl” is
disturbing; it really burrows in deep and gets under your skin, but
rarely in an aggressive fashion. The fact that the majority of the
film is done in a quiet manner makes it all the more disturbing,
because when it does explode in brief flashes of violence or intense
verbal altercations, these moments hit that much harder.
Stylistically the film is also completely different to “X”. Gone
are the grainy grindhouse aesthetics, replaced by a bright, bold
Technicolor look reminiscent of those large Hollywood movies from the
30's and 40's. Whilst the film is filled with a number of
interesting characters, the focus of “Pearl” is really on one
character, with Mia Goth once again excelling above and beyond with
the younger rendition of her titular character. Goth is so good in
“Pearl” that if the Academy had any balls at all, they would
nominate her for Best Female Actor. Different from “X”, “Pearl”
requires a more internal performance from Goth, due to the fact that
Pearl is so often alone, fantasising or living in her dreams, and she
has no problem at all at delivering this. She has an uncanny ability
in giving Pearl a naivety or innocence to her and then turning the
mood towards the disturbing or sinister in a second. West gives Goth
so many moments to shine in “Pearl” such as her brilliant dance
with a scarecrow which starts out innocently enough before suddenly
turning much more sexual and disturbing. It is a telling moment,
which exposes just how messed up Pearl may be, and the thoughts that
her repressed mind is constantly fighting against. The stand out
scene of the film is Pearl's already famous six minute monologue,
which Mia Goth performs in a single unbroken take, during the film's
finale. In the scene, Pearl is persuaded by her sister-in-law to
take down those walls, confide in her and finally talk about how she
“really” feels, after Pearl makes the brave admission to her that
she “thinks something is real wrong with me”. West never takes
his camera off of Goth's face as Pearl goes through a number of
different emotional states while talking. One aspect that I loved
that Ti West included in this film was a connection to pornography
which plays so much importance in “X”, as Pearl is shown an
illegal stag film by her friend. I absolutely loved “Pearl” and
thought it was a fantastically disturbing character study about a
very sad character, exposing the dark side of the “American Dream”.
Ti West has created his best film yet, and I was so impressed by the
way he was able to create two films in the same “universe” and
make them so different from one another, whilst still keeping them
connected. It is a stunning achievement, now give Mia that Oscar
dammit! <a href="http://mrmovies2011.blogspot.com/2022/11/pearl.html"><i>Click here to read my original review.</i></a></span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoc_b-hCiHhEa-VTT1N9ilwGhCR-w3dwoH058Hw8zyUTghIaf2qoUS4r4JLT7841boIdndsBMAA4X4QO_3dKVjs3g-uAte05syjYDiSb2EKQo94w4FoHpGR5PALV27KQ2iWXnKucsWftSzOdNTMfgoqYhrGD-wVb8mXlvnVLMdhMLXTbG_yJQwNsk/s535/earwig-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="401" data-original-width="535" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoc_b-hCiHhEa-VTT1N9ilwGhCR-w3dwoH058Hw8zyUTghIaf2qoUS4r4JLT7841boIdndsBMAA4X4QO_3dKVjs3g-uAte05syjYDiSb2EKQo94w4FoHpGR5PALV27KQ2iWXnKucsWftSzOdNTMfgoqYhrGD-wVb8mXlvnVLMdhMLXTbG_yJQwNsk/s320/earwig-poster.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u>5. EARWIG</u></span></span><p></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">Lucile
Hadzihalilovic's “Earwig” is a very strange film and one that has
niche audience appeal, but it ticks all the boxes of what I love in
cinema. Here is how the imdb describes the plot of this utterly
bizarre film: “Somewhere in Europe, mid-20th century. Albert is
employed to look after Mia, a girl with teeth of ice. Mia never
leaves their apartment, where the shutters are always closed. The
telephone rings regularly and the Master enquires after Mia's well
being. Until the day Albert is instructed that he must prepare the
child to leave.” This was my most anticipated film at this year's
MIFF and not only did it not disappoint, it actually exceeded my
expectations, but in saying that, it is a film I would never
recommend to anyone else due to how odd it is, and the fact that it
poses more questions than it answers. The first thing you notice
about “Earwig” is how quiet a film it is and just how impeccably
designed it has been. It is a details-oriented world, both in terms
of look and in plot. Hadzihalilovic goes to great lengths to show
the daily routine of Albert and Mia, the young girl he is assigned to
look after. We see every step, in glorious detail, of him changing
her teeth of ice and replacing them with the new set. She presents
the scene almost in real time, but like the rest of the film, I found
it entirely mesmerising. These two characters clearly live day to
day in a highly structured routine, which you can tell benefits
Albert more than the girl. This is proven when he receives a
mysterious phone call telling him to ready the girl for the outside
world. Suddenly his carefully constructed world falls apart, as the
routine is now broken, and Albert struggles to function properly
without it. He resists the change, and things really start to go
downhill once Mia steps outside for the first time. I mentioned that
it is a quiet film and this is due to the fact that there is very
limited dialogue in “Earwig” with the first spoken word not
arriving until at least half an hour into the film. Hadzihalilovic
lets her amazing visuals tell her modest and very strange story,
coupled with an atmospheric sound design representing the hidden
outside world via the sounds of distant trains, animals and the
changing weather. The film has been beautifully shot by
cinematographer Jonathan Ricquebourg in low light which gives
“Earwig” a painterly look to it, which also helps define the
period setting. Lucile Hadzihalilovic is in total control of her
film “Earwig” and her direction is flawless. I feel it is
necessary to mention this because “Earwig” is a film where most
people will leave the cinema at least a little confused. Her control
of both the film's tone and pacing are expert and I never once
doubted that what was onscreen was exactly what Hadzihalilovic wanted
to show. Every frame is composed in such a way that it couldn't not
be deliberate, as is the way the actors (slowly) move throughout that
frame in unison with the pace of the film itself. Hadzihalilovic has
created a stunningly beautiful fairy tale world filled with a thick,
tactile atmosphere, while also employing the use of dream logic which
gives “Earwig” the feeling of a beautiful nightmare. Just whose
nightmare it is though is the big question. One of many questions
asked during the film. “Earwig” is a puzzle film, the type where
clues and hints of ideas are hidden throughout the film but we,the
audience, need to work a little to find and use them to get meaning
out of this elliptical story. Personally, I love this stuff! I love
when I know that the director has a definite idea about what has just
happened, but has left it up to me to find the clues and work it all
out. So what is it all about? What does it all mean? I will be
honest and say that I am not quite sure, but there are definite clues
there, which made me wonder; just who is Albert? Is Mia actually
his daughter or is he really just her guardian? Why and how are
Albert and Celeste connected symbiotically? Are they different sides
of the same person? Is Albert suffering from trauma after the war?
Did Albert have a wife, and if so, did she die in childbirth? I am
not sure of the answer to these questions, but I adore the mystery of
it all. Whilst I was initially attracted to “Earwig” due to the
unusual image of a girl with ice teeth, I ended up being blown away
by the stunning photography, exquisite production design and
beautiful mystery of the finished film. It is a very odd film, but I
fell in love with all of this oddness and for its originality; its a
stunningly produced film. <a href="http://mrmovies2011.blogspot.com/2022/08/earwig-miff-2022.html"><i>Click here to read my original review.</i></a></span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjofn15O3KjorK-NlKR2bhUA2O2LMWPyEqnasWoQWdo4WQBsI1h6ybDf7oFxmAn_ud1tjdNaKKiAJw3SKTeyPhdNLq5HiAHgZERXbf9b2ojKzuQ-1d5SrEHaO_81GUWtq4N2hbYeyis1suKJkG6okieokx6K_raYMVbc9cT0iBwFkWlhAi4Gc8NV8I/s755/aftersun-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="510" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjofn15O3KjorK-NlKR2bhUA2O2LMWPyEqnasWoQWdo4WQBsI1h6ybDf7oFxmAn_ud1tjdNaKKiAJw3SKTeyPhdNLq5HiAHgZERXbf9b2ojKzuQ-1d5SrEHaO_81GUWtq4N2hbYeyis1suKJkG6okieokx6K_raYMVbc9cT0iBwFkWlhAi4Gc8NV8I/s320/aftersun-poster.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u>4. AFTERSUN</u></span></span><p></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">The film that I have
seen on the top of people's top ten lists this year more than any
other is Charlotte Wells's “Aftersun”, and it deserves all the
accolades that it is receiving. The thing that I found so amazing
about “Aftersun” was that I had no idea just how much I was being
moved by it all whilst I was watching it. It wasn't until the
credits started to roll that I was hit by this huge ball of emotion
and was just devastated by it. I honestly could not move for ages,
as I was just sitting there thinking about what I had just witnessed.
I cannot remember feeling like this with any other movie in my life
prior. The movie absolutely floored me, but I had no idea at the
time that it was affecting me so. “Aftersun” is about a woman
named Sophie recollecting old memories, via video footage she took of
the time her dad and her went on a holiday to Turkey back when she
was ten. Whilst the majority of the moments are happy ones, Sophie
remembers them with a sense of melancholy as she begins to realise
the truth of what her father was going through at that time, which
was invisible to her back then because she was a child. Being a
father with two daughters myself, films with father/daughter
relationships at their core often hit me hard, but this was something
else entirely. The way Charlotte Wells feeds us information,
particularly about the father Calum is so clever. The story isn't
told in a linear fashion, as we are fed bits and pieces of Sophie's
memories as she is having them, while she also fills in the blanks
with the video footage she is watching, and fantasising about a
possible future. One thing we learn late in the film is Calum's
difficulties as he struggles with depression. This makes us, and
Sophie, re-evaluate certain reactions and moments Calum had during
the holiday. We realise that Sophie understands all of this now,
because she is going through similar things herself in the present,
which is at the same age her dad was when they went on this holiday.
What is scary though is that Sophie shows signs way back then during
that holiday and her dad obviously recognises these symptoms
immediately. Writing about this movie now, it chokes me up just
thinking about it. The casting of Paul Mescal and Frankie Corio, as
Calum and Sophie (father and daughter) respectively, is perfect.
They have the most beautiful, natural rapport together. They are so
authentic that it feels like we are witnessing little private moments
between them, rather than they are actors performing for a film.
They are extraordinary together, but they are equally as good when
they have scenes away from each other. The pain you can feel in
Mescal towards the end of the film is just heart-breaking, but also
so impressive. The film looks amazing too, thanks to the gorgeous
Turkey locations. “Aftersun” is amazing and I am sure in the
future it will be considered a classic. My biggest cinematic regret
of this year is not seeing “Aftersun” at MIFF on the big screen.
At the time, I was not yet aware of the film, but what makes its more
upsetting is that I know that I actually had a clear space in my MIFF
calendar to see it when it was actually playing. No matter what, I
implore anyone who has a chance to see “Aftersun” to do so; you
will not be disappointed. </span></span>
</p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyVUas5lnD0TQFhq41rJ6T7ry8qOIH8JHYUxxkbApB8gzS4L5bZfIG-MdfOu-Gh4iTXuSF0C8IMTf1P4fSEIM8M_88bsCSJ3Cqeu4TPjFumBCgTaNw-lEj4ho2IjRbZRUuKmcBhDPUzn-zOwl38wNj_nUI76736-P0fsbW06kPV0fTb15NILYdWaw/s755/banshees_of_inisherin-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="510" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyVUas5lnD0TQFhq41rJ6T7ry8qOIH8JHYUxxkbApB8gzS4L5bZfIG-MdfOu-Gh4iTXuSF0C8IMTf1P4fSEIM8M_88bsCSJ3Cqeu4TPjFumBCgTaNw-lEj4ho2IjRbZRUuKmcBhDPUzn-zOwl38wNj_nUI76736-P0fsbW06kPV0fTb15NILYdWaw/s320/banshees_of_inisherin-poster.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u>3. THE BANSHEES OF
INISHERIN</u></span></span><p></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Expectations
are a funny thing. You would think being excited about something
should always be a positive, but as I have found now and then, having
big expectations on a film can sometimes cause the opposite effect.
Disappointment often ensues as the film cannot possibly live up to
the expectations that you have put onto it. This is exactly what
happened with me during my first viewing of “The Banshees of
Inisherin”. My wife and I are massive fans of the film “In
Bruges” from 2008, and think it is one of the funniest films going
around. So when a film re-uniting the director, Martin McDonagh,
with his two stars from that earlier film, Colin Farrell and Brendan
Gleeson, comes about, you cannot help but get a bit excited about it.
You also have some expectation on just how funny it is going to be.
While I did think “The Banshees of Inisherin” was a good film on
my first viewing, I did think it was overrated and couldn't
understand all the fuss around it. I also didn't find it anywhere
near as laugh-out-loud funny as I thought it would be. That bummed
me out a bit, but I moved on. However I kept reading glowing review
after glowing review for it, that I decided that it wasn't the film's
fault for letting me down but the expectations I had put on it.
Therefore on New Year's Eve, I decided to have a re-watch (it was the
final film I watched in 2022), and this time around I absolutely
adored the film. I also found it ridiculously funny and haven't
stopped quoting it since! For those who do not know what the film is
about, here is how the imdb describes it: “</span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;">Two
lifelong friends find themselves at an impasse when one abruptly ends
their relationship, with alarming consequences for both of them.”
Hands down, this is the best acted film of the year! The entire
ensemble is superb with not one giving a bum note. Farrell and
Gleeson continue to have incredible chemistry, with Kerry Condon (who
plays Farrell's sister) just extraordinary. The person who surprised
me the most though, particularly during my second viewing, was Barry
Keoghan who essentially plays the village idiot. He is an actor that
I traditionally cannot stand, but he blew me away in this; he is just
so, so good. And hilarious, but the entire cast is! This is not a
comedy in the style of “In Bruges”, this is the most jet black of
black comedies, but if you get onto its wavelength, you are going to
be rewarded with non-stop laughter. It can be a depressing film
though too, and it gets darker the more it goes along, but
writer/director Martin McDonagh also has an amazing knack of adding a
deep emotional layer and poignancy to his film. These are all
characters stuck living on an island off the coast of Ireland, which
doesn't have a lot of prospects in the future for any of them. They
go through life, doing the same things day-in, day-out, with the
spectre of death hanging around them at all times (death is portrayed
by an old busybody woman in the film). Themes of isolation,
depression, loneliness, guilt and wanting to do something with ones
life so they are not forgotten, are all explored in the film. I
cannot speak highly enough about “The Banshees of Inisherin”, and
I am sure it will continue to grow in my appreciation as time goes
on. It is a hilarious film, with so many stand out scenes and
moments, but one of the very funniest is a confessional scene gone
wrong when Gleeson's character, Colm, asks his priest if he has
impure thoughts about young men (immediately after the priest asked
him the same thing). The priest rages and then refuses to forgive
him for his sins to which Colm replies “well I better not be dying
in the meantime, eh Father, otherwise I'll be pure fucked!!”, and
the priest screams “Yes! You will be pure fucked! You will be pure
fucked!”, and then waves the next person into the confessional.
OMG! I was in tears with this scene. Fantastic movie, all around.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheB-vFUHEWVuM6b9cAnVAUfz7kcJwlnsbntDCSSKSQkLGAyfX5_XsuTVUETFMn-zLnIidcmHjaKKe2nXnibMT8k7OHApI5YSwq_5J2L_w7f5cvLjPF5jQvP3-NMZN6oi09svRBwyz_i-erKGIPogRXnsHLKKfaLpdBcI_RJdcnPA5G3pKez_2F8EY/s755/quiet-girl-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="511" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheB-vFUHEWVuM6b9cAnVAUfz7kcJwlnsbntDCSSKSQkLGAyfX5_XsuTVUETFMn-zLnIidcmHjaKKe2nXnibMT8k7OHApI5YSwq_5J2L_w7f5cvLjPF5jQvP3-NMZN6oi09svRBwyz_i-erKGIPogRXnsHLKKfaLpdBcI_RJdcnPA5G3pKez_2F8EY/s320/quiet-girl-poster.jpg" width="217" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u>2. THE QUIET GIRL</u></span></span><p></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">The imdb synopsis of “The Quiet Girl” sums up the film really
well so I am going to use that myself here: Set in rural Ireland “in
1981, the film tells the story of a quiet, neglected, young girl who
is sent away for the summer from her dysfunctional family to live
with "her mother's people". These are Seán and Eibhlín
Cinnsealach; a middle-aged couple she has never met. Slowly, in the
care of this couple, Cáit blossoms and discovers a new way of
living, but in this house where affection grows and there are meant
to be no secrets, she discovers one.” “The Quiet Girl” turned
out to be a surprise hit in the UK and Ireland earlier this year, and
after my viewing at MIFF, it was very easy to see why this film has
been so loved by so many. Here we have an understated and
fantastically unassuming but powerfully emotional tale, that is just
so human. It celebrates love, and caring for one another, and
putting the time in to help, nurture and teach someone in our care.
Like it has done to almost everyone that has seen it, “The Quiet
Girl” weaved its spell on me, and exposed me for the big softy that
I truly am. It is such a modest and simple film, but it has been so
beautifully made. Director Colm Bairéad has sensitively directed
the film, keeping it very grounded without the use of grandstanding
emotional manipulations that you would likely see if this film had
been made in Hollywood. The film is all the better for it, and is an
incredibly emotional experience, but each moment is earned and not
forced upon the audience. From the pain you feel for Cáit in the
beginning, and then you just beam for her as she starts to come out
of her shell and grow. The cinematography by Kate McCullough is
exquisite. It is not flashy, nor does the camera move excessively
but the images of the rural Irish landscape are so beautiful. She
also does a great job of catching the light in Cáit's gorgeous big
blue eyes. The reason that “The Quiet Girl” works as well as it
does is the stunning lead performance from Catherine Clinch who plays
Cáit. She is mesmerising; you cannot take your eyes off of her. As
the title suggests, she does not say very much in terms of dialogue
but those big blue eyes tell you so much, and you can see her change
and grow and become more confident in herself under the attention,
love and care from the older couple looking after her. Clinch's
performance is both simple and subtle which mirrors the film she is
starring in. It is so impressive seeing her conveying so much, while
doing so little. Two things I have to briefly mention also, are the
fact that “The Quiet Girl” is predominately told in subtitled
Irish Gaelic, which I think was a first for me, but another thing I
loved about this great film. The other thing is just how
heartbreakingly beautiful the film's finale is. It is essentially
the same ending as a film in my top twenty last year (which I wont
reveal as it will give away this film's ending), although the roles
are reversed. Like that previous film, I was totally sucked in by
this ending, and it totally broke me (a tear may have even left my
eye). Again, like I mentioned before, as much as the ending is very
emotional, it is a moment that has been totally earned. This is such
an exceptional film, and one that I think anyone would enjoy. It
would also make the perfect double bill with Celine Sciamma's “Petite
Maman”. <a href="http://mrmovies2011.blogspot.com/2022/08/the-quiet-girl-miff-2022.html"><i>Click here to read my original review.</i></a></span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisFXg8hFznaAUyfN_29im_VKTXMOhyf9MkO2PWYg7TjkzRTbvn5LuZkOayns__RXl0b8HfFoVDWj6Zq0hg3ml9L65Cbr7R_M0lKwG89xrgOtIMQ8gK8o2RXZhgg6QEZOFYG2G6oXxXjteMCVk-seZSgU7NM2R_v_lUn2tBYHuSCntVoRaYFwbB8Xg/s755/happening-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="554" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisFXg8hFznaAUyfN_29im_VKTXMOhyf9MkO2PWYg7TjkzRTbvn5LuZkOayns__RXl0b8HfFoVDWj6Zq0hg3ml9L65Cbr7R_M0lKwG89xrgOtIMQ8gK8o2RXZhgg6QEZOFYG2G6oXxXjteMCVk-seZSgU7NM2R_v_lUn2tBYHuSCntVoRaYFwbB8Xg/s320/happening-poster.jpg" width="235" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u>1. HAPPENING</u></span></span>
<p></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">My favourite film of 2022 was Audrey Diwan's “Happening”, a film
that was so mind-blowingly good and sadly, still incredibly relevant
as two weeks after I watched “Happening” the United States
Supreme Court voted to overturn the result of the 1973 “Roe vs
Wade” case, which was historic for its recognition of an
individual's right to terminate a pregnancy. I was totally blown
away by “Happening”; it is such a powerful film, but it is also
an incredibly difficult watch. Diwan pulls no punches when it comes
to showing the risks involved in obtaining an illegal abortion,
including a number of very graphic and confronting scenes that will
have you squinting at the screen. While these moments are full on
and incredibly tough to watch, that is the whole point. The viewer
needs to understand just how bad and dangerous and painful it can get
for the woman, so if these scenes were watered down to make it easier
on the viewer, the impact would be lost. The film is an adaptation
of Annie Ernaux's autobiographical book of the same name, that deals
with her own experiences with abortion back in the 1950's. Diwan and
her co-screenwriter Marcia Romano have done an excellent job at
adapting the book and creating a film that is filled with immediacy,
tension, heart and understanding, without it making it feel like a
political or “message” film. The entire film is from Anne's
perspective, she is in every scene, so Diwan needed an actress with
an ability to go through a large range of emotions quickly and
believably and she struck gold with the casting of Anamaria
Vartolomei, who is just extraordinary. I was particularly impressed
by Vartolomei's ability to express her character's sudden lack of
focus, as well as her fear which continually builds until its
outright panic, as she understands just how much trouble she is in
after deciding to terminate her pregnancy and realising just how hard
that will actually be. She also does an excellent job of making us
feel her isolation from the rest of her, once comfortable, world.
While I would always describe “Happening” as an intense drama, at
times it plays like a thriller (particularly as Diwan highlights
regularly where exactly Anne is in her pregnancy, getting closer to
when an abortion is physically impossible), with the final fifteen
minutes just excruciating to sit through. After two viewings of the
film, I am convinced it is a masterpiece, but it is a hard film to
recommend due to how confronting it is in places. If you are not
afraid of bold and difficult cinema, and can handle scenes of a very
graphic nature (think about what the film is about, to work out what
these scenes probably involve), I wholeheartedly recommend
“Happening”. While the film is about a hot-button topic, Audrey
Diwan is more interested in the human element behind it all, rather
than attempting to make a big political statement. Personally I
think “Happening” is a brilliant and important film, that has
left my jaw on the floor both times I have watched it, which is way I
consider it my favourite film of 2022. <a href="http://mrmovies2011.blogspot.com/2022/11/happening.html"><i>Click here to read my original review.</i></a></span></span></p> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><i><span><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span>Well
there you have it, that was my round-up of the year that
was 2022; hopefully you got some enjoyment out of it. Now before I
finish, lets have a brief look at the upcoming year and my most
anticipated films of 2023.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> </i></span></span></span> <br /></div>Mr Movieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08003659808749073067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8239145255704961537.post-38759222045218667622023-01-05T21:07:00.001+11:002023-01-05T21:07:38.552+11:002022 - IN REVIEW: TOP TWENTY BEST FILMS: #20 - 11<p>
</p><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span>Let's
get onto the good stuff finally. I am not going to do any honorable
mentions, this is it, my top 20 of 2022, and while the title of this
list states that these are the "best" films of 2022, that is not really
the case, these are my "favourite" films of 2022. (I just want to mention that at the time of compiling this list, I still hadn't seen Ävatar: The Way of Water" or "EO"). Alright, enough talk,
lets begin with my:</span></span></span></span></div><p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u><b>TOP
TWENTY BEST FILMS OF 2022</b></u></span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgItkOeCN9ebBzR6rAKnDy6ylwCLAGVZtgZ3duQB2GvXSn-PAY3m74Xg0DWosBfZpn57rq7i2bL6SCxOqXTtO_JBZjjHJgkGcGBWsUDc_mDtEK0Ho7kOa5vRrJ8iACfsZrxnmPWoz9GYLDk7Bd3qW_q7McKp_QRgoNUbSkgRwUy2CEFxHBqyesuwco/s755/northman-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="510" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgItkOeCN9ebBzR6rAKnDy6ylwCLAGVZtgZ3duQB2GvXSn-PAY3m74Xg0DWosBfZpn57rq7i2bL6SCxOqXTtO_JBZjjHJgkGcGBWsUDc_mDtEK0Ho7kOa5vRrJ8iACfsZrxnmPWoz9GYLDk7Bd3qW_q7McKp_QRgoNUbSkgRwUy2CEFxHBqyesuwco/s320/northman-poster.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br /><u><span style="font-family: helvetica;">20. THE NORTHMAN</span></u><p></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">My main objective for including Robert Eggers' viking
tale on this list is to upset my brother who absolutely hated every
second of this film. Call it my small revenge on him for
recommending “Barbarian” as something he thought I would love.
Obviously I jest, as “The Northman” is also a bloody good film
and deserves its place on this list. After only three films,
director Robert Eggers has built a reputation for making movies that
are historically accurate, and this holds true once again with “The
Northman”. It is an incredibly masculine film, that does not shy
away from the blood, dirt and grim that these warriors encountered
regularly. At the end of the day, the main story within “The
Northman” is a revenge tale, but it is the authenticity in the way
Eggers tells the story that makes it stand out from the pack. The
plot is downright Shakespearean filled with familial betrayal, stolen
kingdoms, mystical rituals, revenge and witches (maybe). It looks
like it cannot have been an easy film to make, as the extreme
landscapes on display look both arduous and treacherous, and that is
without trying to shoot a movie on them. However, it pays off
handsomely in the film because “The Northman” looks stunning and
grand in scale. It is housed with a brooding but intense lead
performance from Alexander Skarsgard and a deliciously villainous
performance from Nicole Kidman. Also in the cast are Anya
Taylor-Joy, Ethan Hawke, Willem Dafoe, and a rare cinematic outing by
Bjork. I must make mention of the action scenes in “The Northman”
which are very bloody affairs, particularly one large battle that has
been miraculously filmed in a single take. </span></span>
</p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh06fDG8QfvVoa4a2itvMgunpqMJbeJRy5eJJyT25FHd4jKMkZ9ZbUWzhjB5AH5OxGXA5xl82x16dsfZaXR8oH-uttI8SOktByMBEB9Cn2gstnrGodNWsEOIGBTGkxqyFdg-0Jbx_zVGIf2c9DzLtXy5XmUM_PxKnfd3Juguvux7Ct58nzLn-TRJ90/s755/you_wont_be_alone-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="510" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh06fDG8QfvVoa4a2itvMgunpqMJbeJRy5eJJyT25FHd4jKMkZ9ZbUWzhjB5AH5OxGXA5xl82x16dsfZaXR8oH-uttI8SOktByMBEB9Cn2gstnrGodNWsEOIGBTGkxqyFdg-0Jbx_zVGIf2c9DzLtXy5XmUM_PxKnfd3Juguvux7Ct58nzLn-TRJ90/s320/you_wont_be_alone-poster.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br /><u><span style="font-family: helvetica;">19. YOU WON'T BE ALONE</span></u><p></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">It
seems right that this next film follows straight after a film by
Robert Eggers because you feel Eggers' influence (and that of his
feature debut “The Witch”) throughout “You Won't Be Alone”,
which tells the story of a shape-shifting witch who falls in love
with what it is to be human. Like Eggers, director Goran Stolevski
has infused his film with an authenticity particularly in its period
details. The other director whose influence is also felt throughout
“You Won't Be Alone” is Terrence Malick, as Stolevski often has
his camera glide through his locations, along with his similar use of
voice-over. I now a lot of people have issue with Stolevski aping
Malick's style but I personally thought it worked wonderfully in
conjunction with the type of story he was telling. As the witch is a
shape-shifter, taking on the guise of the victim she has just
murdered, the witch is played by different actors throughout the
film, with Noomi Rapace being the most well known of them and who is,
as always, excellent. “You Won't Be Alone” is actually an
Australian film, despite it being spoken in Macedonian and being set
in the Macedonian mountains in the 19</span></span><sup><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">th</span></span></sup><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
century. Initially, I wasn't really sure how I was going to react to
this film, but was quickly won over and totally blown away by it
before its end. I was so impressed by “You Won't Be Alone” that
I was sure it was going to make a large splash on the international
market, but sadly the film came and went with barely a whimper. I am
not sure why it hasn't made a mark on audiences worldwide, but
suspect that the film's slow, deliberate pacing may have something to
do with it. Personally, I loved every second of “You Won't Be
Alone”, and thought it was a beautiful, if disturbing tale.</span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTMdXnznMmJU08n1eGRuAUyonNY_jwK89bslAnP6rtiK6161aoOY4zCOF1tRzoumlQYuxwc3AE5uK45e58hrEMpmUnIrUyHlGI903ODprTHysYqya1TXYVlKUSfTU-ugCKSR8_TmSt3BUuoYu24xEZ_f1JR99upEvjlnLeiaoVK_RUZUDoo3NPbRQ/s755/wonder-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="510" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTMdXnznMmJU08n1eGRuAUyonNY_jwK89bslAnP6rtiK6161aoOY4zCOF1tRzoumlQYuxwc3AE5uK45e58hrEMpmUnIrUyHlGI903ODprTHysYqya1TXYVlKUSfTU-ugCKSR8_TmSt3BUuoYu24xEZ_f1JR99upEvjlnLeiaoVK_RUZUDoo3NPbRQ/s320/wonder-poster.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u>18. THE WONDER</u> </span></span>
<p></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sebastian Lelio's “The Wonder” was another
disturbing work that I also fell in love with. Set in the Irish
Midlands in 1862, the film sees an English nurse who is sent to watch
over a young girl who has stopped eating. Being that it has been
months since the girl last ate, and that she is still in good health,
the Church organises the nurse to observe the girl to prove that she
is a miracle of God. Word has already leaked of the proposed
miracle, with locals regularly visiting the girl's house for blessing
or just to witness a saint. Whilst she can find no evidence of foul
play, the nurse is convinced that all is not what it seems, but she
is determined to do right by the young girl in her care. Whilst I am
not a religious person, I have a lot of respect for people with
faith. I also have contempt for religious hypocrisy and organised
religions who use this unwavering faith to manipulate people for the
sake of the church, at the expense of the individual at heart. This
is another slow moving film, that could put people off for thinking
that nothing is happening, but I was riveted from the first minute of
“The Wonder” until its end. Florence Pugh is excellent as Lib,
the caring nurse, who finds herself being emotionally drawn into the
dilemma in front of her, due to a tragedy from her past. The male
lead is Tom Burke, who plays Will, a journalist Lib befriends, and
who is convinced that the girl is faking. You may remember that I
spoke of my hatred of Burke as an actor in my Top Ten Worst Films
list, but I am happy to say that this is the first film he has been
in that I have been able to stomach him; in fact he is rather good in
the role. It amuses me when people say that nothing happens in “The
Wonder” because there is so much going on in it under the surface.
It is hard to say too much without giving away the film, but at times
I was shocked at how far certain people would go to keep their
secrets buried. Amazingly, this story is very loosely based on a
real incident, which is more than a little scary. Oh, I almost
forgot, that the film is book-ended with two very strange sequences
set in the modern day, talking about the stories we tell one another
to survive. I am still not sure how I feel about these, but I must
say I love Lelio's boldness in beginning (and ending) his film in
such a manner. Finally, I loved seeing Niamh Algar who has a medium
sized role in “The Wonder”; after her sensational starring role
in last year's “Censor” I was rapt to see her in a bigger scale
film.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGV_wojU4Cr7kbvxdkAoKIZ4r4mGEJ6vHzTugwPstRnPbgEjLm49KNjjcux_qK02dEotmR1bIrCZ5lCQz0pUz974hWyxQFeJqPDU8mc1swY_TgmJTuXd_dtKb745TXTk7g8NV_QtFG3ue8ilPF8EQ0nCGHrw_ddkEEnyCDX3C_q61AXEG6fJlbCjc/s755/white_noise-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="510" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGV_wojU4Cr7kbvxdkAoKIZ4r4mGEJ6vHzTugwPstRnPbgEjLm49KNjjcux_qK02dEotmR1bIrCZ5lCQz0pUz974hWyxQFeJqPDU8mc1swY_TgmJTuXd_dtKb745TXTk7g8NV_QtFG3ue8ilPF8EQ0nCGHrw_ddkEEnyCDX3C_q61AXEG6fJlbCjc/s320/white_noise-poster.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br /><u><span style="font-family: helvetica;">17. WHITE NOISE</span></u><p></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
</p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">I think the most surprising thing about Noah Baumbach's
latest film, “White Noise”, is that it is nothing like anything
he has done previous. He is totally out of his comfort zone here,
but holds himself more than adequately. It is well known that
Baumbach is good friends with director Brian DePalma, and it is a
friendship that has always amused me because they both seem to have
completely different directing philosophies or hold more importance
on different things when it comes to making a movie. DePalma is all
about the visuals, finding the perfect camera angle or move to tell
his story visually, whilst Baumbach up to this point has focused more
on dialogue and performance. Baumbach's films are more character
pieces, whilst DePalma's films are more plot driven. I am obviously
talking broadly here, but I bring this up because “White Noise”
is the first time Noah Baumbach has let his visual side take centre
stage and he is surprisingly adept at doing it. It is a glorious
looking film, with some very impressive camera moves to boot. There
are also a couple of very obvious visual homages to his mentor Brian
DePalma in the film too. Going into “White Noise”, I really
didn't know what to expect, and the first ten minutes or so, I found
it a little hard to get into, but eventually I clicked in with the
film's very bizarre and wacky tone, and from this moment on, just
loved it. Whilst flexing his visual muscles, Baumbach hasn't
abandoned his love of dialogue, as there is a lot of it, but it has
been delivered brilliantly by the whole cast in a fast screwball
comedy-like fashion. There have been a couple of films this year
that have had amazing ensemble casts, and this was one of them. Adam
Driver is sensational showing another side of himself and further
showing his impressive range as an actor, Don Cheadle is hilarious as
a professor specialising in Elvis, whilst Greta Gerwig's character
has quite the emotional arc, which she nails whilst also being very
funny. Her wild hairstyle deserves an Academy Award in itself; it is
just brilliant. The marketing of “White Noise” has focused on
the element of the “airborne toxic event”, but this isn't all the
film is about, as we are witness to a suburban family attempting to
find happiness while filtering out outside influences to realise what
is truly important. It deals with drug addiction, infidelity,
murder, revenge, media manipulation and the spreading of
misinformation via the media. At times it is heady and full on, and
I will admit that I think I need a second viewing to fully digest
everything in “White Noise”. I found it incredibly funny, but it
also went to some dark and disturbing places too that I wasn't
expecting, before almost becoming a full on thriller in the final
third. Whilst I do not think “White Noise” is a better film than
Baumbach's previous film “Marriage Story” (also starring Adam
Driver), I still had such a good time with it, and I loved that
Baumbach was prepared to try something different, and was impressed
by how well he succeeded with it. Due to it's very strange and
quirky tone, not to mention oddball characters, I am not sure that
“White Noise” is for everyone, but it hit all the right notes for
me.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeRrGac34gwpVTWLhkKfP31V4G4nGQQVBrVqJzvckPCbYKiqGI1wcrjgrPJszKFy7i2phXEkClyLDQtzxHFcsKSQooXl444Taa1WMhpzUHAVR7YfhSRZeub40zlVAVwm2QCG3JII0VTMqx0qIiJKGzNKes4S2TbbcYNqXEqjDVcmi1AyrB-EccVEM/s755/chiara-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="521" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeRrGac34gwpVTWLhkKfP31V4G4nGQQVBrVqJzvckPCbYKiqGI1wcrjgrPJszKFy7i2phXEkClyLDQtzxHFcsKSQooXl444Taa1WMhpzUHAVR7YfhSRZeub40zlVAVwm2QCG3JII0VTMqx0qIiJKGzNKes4S2TbbcYNqXEqjDVcmi1AyrB-EccVEM/s320/chiara-poster.jpg" width="221" /></a></div><br /><u><span style="font-family: helvetica;">16. TO CHIARA</span></u><p></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">To
be honest, I have no recollection of how I ended up aware of “To
Chiara”, or what made me want to check it out. I was not aware of
director Jonas Carpignano or his films prior to this, so I can only
imagine that it must have had some festival buzz earlier in the year,
but whatever the reason, I was glad that I ended up seeing “To
Chiara” as it is a powerful coming of age tale, set during a
close-knit family's downfall. The film is about a fifteen year old
girl, Chiara, who idolises her loving father. One night while she is
half-asleep, she sees some commotion in the family kitchen between
her father, mother, and some other family members, before Chiara's
dad grabs his coat and leaves the house. Due to her sleeping status,
Chiara is unable to understand the scene playing out in front of her
tired eyes, but when she awakes the next morning, she finds that her
father is gone. She is shocked by this as it is so out of character
for her dad, which then makes her determined to find the truth of her
father's whereabouts. Chiara sets out on a journey of discovery that
will change her life and relationships within her family forever.
What makes “To Chiara” as hard hitting and powerful as it is, is
all thanks to the lead performance from actress Swamy Rotolo who
plays Chiara. Rotolo gives Chiara incredible strength and
determination, often coming across closer to an adult than the
fifteen year old girl she is. She is tough and takes no shit from
anyone. What I also loved is that she is a girl with great morals
and character, and when she finds out the truth, she is disgusted by
it. She is also devastated when she learns that the rest of her
family knows, but worse, they accept it, if it means living the
lifestyle they currently do. I am trying to be as vague as possible
so as to not ruin the movie for anyone, but suffice to say Chiara's
world is turned upside down as she learns the truth about her family,
and then rejects what the rest of them just expect will be a rite of
passage for her. Carpignano makes a smart decision starting his film
with the 18</span></span><sup><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">th</span></span></sup><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
birthday party of Chiara's sister, as we see this family and Chiara
at their happiest. You need this extended moment of fun and
frivolity, for the juxtaposition of the end to fully hit its hardest.
I was super impressed by this bold and emotional Italian film (but I
am devastated that it does not have an English friendly blu ray
release at the moment).</span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvUmjeW4d8WR4Do8cS9g9txI6-nXbYgAbFCp3x1Do6BuCEKCZF16rLZIogw-nCeMbbL-KGHRxUF34SHLIsokvkR8obnTdluW7SUSdDulhyRoKEvR_ntl82xeNjKWgl0dxJmE9S-LLRVhDSVPT84JG0JmcOjSNKySc88CxmG3jpLMkRJsC2YbDAR3k/s835/1976-poster.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="835" data-original-width="627" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvUmjeW4d8WR4Do8cS9g9txI6-nXbYgAbFCp3x1Do6BuCEKCZF16rLZIogw-nCeMbbL-KGHRxUF34SHLIsokvkR8obnTdluW7SUSdDulhyRoKEvR_ntl82xeNjKWgl0dxJmE9S-LLRVhDSVPT84JG0JmcOjSNKySc88CxmG3jpLMkRJsC2YbDAR3k/s320/1976-poster.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><u><span style="font-family: helvetica;">15. 1976</span></u><p></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Director
Manuela Martelli's “1976” was the second film I saw at this
year's MIFF, and it has stayed with me since. Set in Chile 1976,
during the early years of Pinochet's dictatorship, Carmen and her
well-to-do doctor husband head off to their beach house to spend time
with their grandchildren on the holidays, and to prepare for the
birthday party of one of their granddaughters. Carmen is a giving and
caring person, and in her free time she reads to the blind at the
local church. Essentially preying upon this kindness, the family
priest comes to Carmen asking for her help to take care of a wounded
man that he is sheltering within the church in secret. Her decision
to help alters the trajectory of her life immediately and forever, as
she is thrust into a menacing world she is unfamiliar with, a world
where she can trust no one, and where a single mistake could cost her
life or the lives of her loved ones, as her eyes are opened to the
dangerous reality of Pinochet's Chile. </span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;">I
was thoroughly impressed by “1976”, and thought it was a
seriously intense cinema experience. Highlighting life in Pinochet's
Chile via the eyes of a middle aged woman, without the representation
of the military was a bold choice, but one that works wonderfully
well. T</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">he
success of the film hinges on the performance of Aline Kuppenheim
(who plays Carmen) who just delivers in spades. She is so light and
carefree in the early scenes, whereas by the end you can feel the
weight this entire ordeal is having on her, to the point that she
appears to have aged years in just a couple of weeks. Manuela
Martelli's direction is perfect in its detail and oh so confident in
its execution. It is a classy looking film, with Martelli employing a
classic style of filmmaking relying heavily on beautifully composed
images, and perfectly timed editing to portray the immediacy and
tensions of the world she has created. I was particularly impressed
by the period detail in the art direction by Francisca Correa, who
creates a world that feels fully lived in and Soledad Rodriguez's
cinematography which is slick and precise, relying on images that are
a little off tilt or regularly reflected off mirrors which enhances
the paranoia of the story. The thing that I was most impressed by
though was Maria Portugal's pulse pounding and very dark score; it
kept the tension of the film forever ratcheted at eleven. “1976”
is an excellent example of the paranoid thriller that I recommend
wholeheartedly, but man, is it an intense ride.</span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span></span></span><a href="https://mrmovies2011.blogspot.com/2022/08/1976-miff-2022.html"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Click here to read my original review.</span></span></i></span></a></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghF-RSA0Bf4aSsdBuNNdvyGO4aY_yBlB8rDBVBr06T6xBE7uJHebtjEnD7NYtDmbElfArIhGYnk2YHFdmJQRpsygTo0z4RdX0gMzw4oOaDKPHXWne-_g7O4NbeRtGLytBK_1r7rB18NyEwVo6bsu9h-cTNn1qQZpF2abdoPWsHAmTP9tUumX7NcaE/s2362/maigret-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2362" data-original-width="1742" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghF-RSA0Bf4aSsdBuNNdvyGO4aY_yBlB8rDBVBr06T6xBE7uJHebtjEnD7NYtDmbElfArIhGYnk2YHFdmJQRpsygTo0z4RdX0gMzw4oOaDKPHXWne-_g7O4NbeRtGLytBK_1r7rB18NyEwVo6bsu9h-cTNn1qQZpF2abdoPWsHAmTP9tUumX7NcaE/s320/maigret-poster.jpg" width="236" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><u><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">14.
MAIGRET</span></span></u><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span></span></span></span>
<p></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">I am a big fan of
French director Patrice Leconte, although it has been awhile since I
had seen one of his new films. He had a stellar run during the 90's
through to the mid-2000's where the majority of his work was released
in cinemas outside of France, with most of these films being of very
high quality. However, he seems to have fallen out of favour
recently as I honestly cannot remember the last film of his to
receive a release in Australian cinemas. Anyway, I became aware that
Leconte had made a new film featuring that famous Police Commissioner
Maigret, with Gerard Depardieu cast in the role, when it was set to
play in the French Film Festival here in Melbourne earlier in the
year. Thankfully, a trailer for the film was on the festival
website, which I watched and loved, particularly because I felt it
had the same atmosphere as “Monsieur Hire”, which is my favourite
Patrice Leconte film. This similarity in atmosphere seemed perfect
as both films are based on books by Georges Simenon. Obviously, I
saw “Maigret” and loved it, but it is such a quaint piece. It
would have to be the most low-key murder mystery film I have ever
seen, but it works so beautifully for the story being told. There
are no car chases, explosions or action scenes of any kind. Instead
we are treated to an old style detective examining clues, narrowing
down suspects, working out motives, before solving the crime. It is
slowly paced, but so stylishly directed and designed by Leconte. I
also really liked Depardieu's world-weary portrayal of Maigret
himself, and appreciated the personal backstory as to why the
commissioner is so emotionally connected to this mystery. I must say
that I also had a very funny realisation in regards to my changing
cinematic tastes during my screening of “Maigret”, as I suddenly
looked around the very full session and realised that I was one of
only three people in the cinema who was under the age of eighty.
After being so impressed by “Maigret”, I was left surprised when
it barely made a blip on the cinematic radar. Maybe I was wrong in
my opinion, and there wasn't much there to begin with after all. I
decided to give the film a second look, and again thought it was a
fantastic murder mystery. Yes, it is very old fashioned and probably
as far from the “Knives Out” films you can get, but that doesn't
make it any less impressive.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlD-oWrxNf4-rM0wC1PTvFWdPDSNgujrwNN4F26h9M8-Mm0W06cQNiKLvy-UUv33fYkR_xeg_BJdbbSAIBwHiDuQbria6XapboQRSdAB8m__vA_zt41MuZo-ec05slta_5pkcsmNj7w3nmeRtI4z1FdBkK79c95Czryel-R6dJZIppAdpDRLwHakM/s755/bones_and_all-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="510" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlD-oWrxNf4-rM0wC1PTvFWdPDSNgujrwNN4F26h9M8-Mm0W06cQNiKLvy-UUv33fYkR_xeg_BJdbbSAIBwHiDuQbria6XapboQRSdAB8m__vA_zt41MuZo-ec05slta_5pkcsmNj7w3nmeRtI4z1FdBkK79c95Czryel-R6dJZIppAdpDRLwHakM/s320/bones_and_all-poster.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br /><u><span style="font-family: helvetica;">13. BONES AND ALL</span></u><p></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">Luca Guadagnino's
“Bones and All” was on my most anticipated list of 2022 and
thankfully it did not disappoint. It is a stunning romantic horror
film, that goes heavy on both facets and does so with an emotional
depth that is rare in genre cinema today. The film is incredibly
romantic with these two oddball loners falling deeply for each other
to the point that they would do anything for the other. Whereas the
horror is as bloody as it gets and deeply, deeply disturbing! Did I
forget to mention that our two main characters, Maren and Lee, are
also cannibals? “Bones and All” begins with Maren discovering
her cannibalism whilst at a sleepover when she bites the finger off
of one of her friends. Maren and her father immediately skip town,
before her father abandons her, leaving her to fend for herself. She
soon comes across another loner, Sully, who also happens to be a
cannibal too. It is here we learn that cannibals can smell one
another, although this is something Maren has yet to fully develop
and control. Maren and Sully together then devour an elderly woman
who has just had a critical heart attack, all in very bloody and
graphic detail. I was lucky to see “Bones and All” on the big
screen at a MIFF member's screening, and this early scene saw a lot
of walkouts, so believe me when I say that it is not for the
faint-hearted, but it rewards those who stay, as you are then witness
to one of the most heart-felt, if not tragic romances seen on cinema
screens for ages. Sure, it is an unconventional love story, but you
never doubt just how much in love these two characters are. The film
is essentially a road movie, as after the scene above, Maren has
mixed feelings of what she has done, fleeing the scene and leaving
Sully behind. It isn't long before she meets up with Lee (she smells
him!), and the two head off driving across the mid-West in search of
Maren's biological mother in the hope that she can give her some
answers on why Maren is the way she is. Like all road trips, Lee and
Maren meet up with other oddball characters, not all who are friendly
and inviting either. The reason “Bones and All” made my most
anticipated list was solely due to Taylor Russell's involvement in
the film. Russell plays Maren, and previously she blew my mind in
Trey Edward Shult's “Waves”, so I was dying to see her in another
film made by a top quality director. She is outstanding in “Bones
and All”, and her and Timothee Chalamet have real chemistry
onscreen. You feel the heat of their romance and burgeoning passion
for one another. Whilst I have just mentioned Guadagnino as a top
quality director, I must admit that I haven't loved all his previous
films. I have “liked” them all, but something seemed to stop me
from loving them. I am happy to say that I loved “Bones and All”
and it is definitely my favourite film of his so far. He directs the
film with both a sensitivity and sensuality, whilst never judging his
characters for who they are and what they do to survive. There is a
real emotional depth to this film that makes it more than just
another horror film. But as I have mentioned, Guadagnino also isn't
afraid of depicting just what Maren and Lee's cannibalism consists
of. This is definitely not a film for everyone, maybe it is not even
for most people, but I thought it was both fantastic and
heart-breaking in equal measure.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsbZEbe296iwdWoEx6MKtGAvpac-CMJr2NIfQm_j5AVgD4mC5cfOC4PK0fcUTn5YosDAoxes_e4adaPjIzzCnjrzYClZvyEnD2mE8cXpGv3Nsmf8OgDvvZiv2WEqvitPTjIMagIuXldcztJ2lji-ZHpwBHfuAa4y0SXEKdWgy2IUM9dcgTE7vPPWs/s755/glass_onion-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="510" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsbZEbe296iwdWoEx6MKtGAvpac-CMJr2NIfQm_j5AVgD4mC5cfOC4PK0fcUTn5YosDAoxes_e4adaPjIzzCnjrzYClZvyEnD2mE8cXpGv3Nsmf8OgDvvZiv2WEqvitPTjIMagIuXldcztJ2lji-ZHpwBHfuAa4y0SXEKdWgy2IUM9dcgTE7vPPWs/s320/glass_onion-poster.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br /><u><span style="font-family: helvetica;">12. GLASS ONION</span></u><p></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">Just like in 2019
when he released “Knives Out” into the world, Rian Johnson has
done it again this year with “Glass Onion”, which was arguably
the most entertaining and downright fun film I saw all year. And
let's face it, that is what these Benoit Blanc murder mysteries are
all about: fun! They do not take themselves too seriously, while at
the same time are also very clever in regards to their mystery. You
can also see that it is not just cinema audiences that enjoy these
films, as it is very obvious the cast is having a ball making them
too. Particularly Daniel Craig who seems to relish the silliness of
it all, especially after playing the self-serious James Bond for so
long. If I was really pushed, I would still say that I prefer
“Knives Out” over “Glass Onion” but it really is by the
barest of margins, and only because the original film is slightly
more serious, where “Glass Onion” really leans further into the
comedy, but that is also a strength of the film. I would also say
that the original film had a bigger name cast, but all those in
“Glass Onion” do an excellent job, really working well as an
ensemble, and just having a ball with it all. Initially I was really
disappointed in “Glass Onion” with its initial set-up and story
plotting, but the film gets to a certain point before going back to
the beginning, this time showing us the same events but from a
different point of view and with added information, and suddenly it
all just clicked into place and I thought it was so very clever.
Outside of Craig who is the heart of these films as the brilliant
detective, Benoit Blanc, the person who stood out most in the cast
was Janelle Monae, who I thought was amazing in the role of Andi.
Really though, the whole cast is great with Kate Hudson also
memorable as a ditsy model, with Edward Norton hilarious as the
not-as-smart-as-he-thinks-he-is billionaire. Rian Johnson has a lot
of fun with Norton's character, often making fun of him, with him
being a not-so-subtle substitute for Elon Musk. The mystery itself
was also very clever, particularly in its simplicity which is also
very funny (he says trying to give nothing away). Rian Johnson
directs with flair, and along with Steve Yedlin, his regular director
of photography, they have created a very glossy, expensive looking
world. I also liked that Johnson didn't cheat with some of his
mystery elements, having things play out exactly in front of us, if
only we are looking in the right places to notice these details.
Once again, “Glass Onion” is fun, fun, fun and I would recommend
it to anyone looking for a good time at the movies. It is well
acted, superbly written and directed, beautifully shot, and is filled
with amusing cameos. I cannot wait for the third film in the series.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpV2n8oH_EWHxRhe95wDeTyJ5Ig0y_EfzCSyRvnCa4OOHP3noQ_ApaC5G--v9Knt1ZJ6jxkd_wVqb7ouQNjNknALvkkHnewtooKsrk9ysIIHiHJ_7TWG9Y02tDLwoDa71aDV2p29FwcLEDGH_f7pW8VBGimZLNfahv9Ut4T-UdP8Ys9PZEJhdIPk8/s755/marcel_the_shell_with_shoes_on-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="509" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpV2n8oH_EWHxRhe95wDeTyJ5Ig0y_EfzCSyRvnCa4OOHP3noQ_ApaC5G--v9Knt1ZJ6jxkd_wVqb7ouQNjNknALvkkHnewtooKsrk9ysIIHiHJ_7TWG9Y02tDLwoDa71aDV2p29FwcLEDGH_f7pW8VBGimZLNfahv9Ut4T-UdP8Ys9PZEJhdIPk8/s320/marcel_the_shell_with_shoes_on-poster.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br /><u><span style="font-family: helvetica;">11. MARCEL THE
SHELL WITH SHOES ON</span></u><p></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">If someone had said
to me at the beginning of the year that I would have a film about a
talking shell on my top twenty list, I would have laughed them out of
town, and yet here we are. “Marcel the Shell with Shoes on” is
based on a short series of animated YouTube videos, that were created
by married couple Dean Fleischer-Camp and Jenny Slate, with both
parties contributing to the writing, while Fleischer-Camp directed
and Slate provided the voice of Marcel. The couple created three
shorts about Marcel, which had earned a dedicated following, and soon
the idea for a feature length Marcel came about. By this stage, the
couple's romantic relationship had ended but their creative
relationship was still strong, so the two combined to create one of
the most lovely, and genuinely delightful films I have seen in ages.
It is just so cute, and so damned sweet, that you cannot help but
love little Marcel. The film is a mockumentary with Fleischer-Camp
playing himself as the director of the documentary about Marcel and
his grandmother Connie. Throughout interviews with Marcel, we learn
about the colourful life Marcel and Connie live, as well as the fact
that they are the last two remaining shells of a once, much larger
colony of shells. Marcel aches for his missing family, and being
moved by this dilemma, Dean soon posts a video on the internet about
Marcel to help in the search for his loved ones, which in turn makes
Marcel something of a celebrity and gives the little shell some
renewed hope that he and his family may finally be reunited. “Marcel
the Shell With Shoes On” is an absolute joy from start to finish,
and is also very, very funny. The rapport between Dean and Marcel is
both hilarious and brilliant, with Dean often found laughing at
Marcel's very honest, but amusing answers to his questions. The film
is so creative in terms of the everyday things Marcel uses for other
purposes, such as the broken tennis ball that he uses to get around
the house in. I also dare you not to laugh when he explains what he
and his grandmother use to make their rope. Besides all the laughter
to be found in the film, you find yourself genuinely caring for this
shell and his ordeal in trying to locate his family. You empathise
with poor Marcel when he realises just how big the world actually is,
and how unlikely it will be that he will succeed. I happened to see
“Marcel the Shell With Shoes On” in a sold out session at MIFF
with my brother and for once, we actually agreed on a movie. At the
end of the film, he turned to me and said “that's a five star
film”. Whilst I didn't rate the film that highly myself, I still
thought it was a stunning achievement, and it seemed like I wasn't
the only one who felt that in the audience. </span></span>
</p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></p>Mr Movieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08003659808749073067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8239145255704961537.post-32653319847319719762023-01-03T16:01:00.001+11:002023-01-03T16:01:29.901+11:002022 - IN REVIEW: MOST UNDERRATED <div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfxqZfDNvfRTer8ZPPctnBUP1ifLpFXr3B7PHXkrqeFsoddck5JdhGFS8Fgy-3TbXTUk97mrEdU5cIKWCZVY2UyCHPPGMUOZMbi5G6421zLIUf-UsjIrIKYV8R6XAqBGYpYlccPDycaeBYtzhG19RWuf73oJoCqBTe5jj83xRrwCGliVAgWDuZSwI/s755/watcher-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="510" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfxqZfDNvfRTer8ZPPctnBUP1ifLpFXr3B7PHXkrqeFsoddck5JdhGFS8Fgy-3TbXTUk97mrEdU5cIKWCZVY2UyCHPPGMUOZMbi5G6421zLIUf-UsjIrIKYV8R6XAqBGYpYlccPDycaeBYtzhG19RWuf73oJoCqBTe5jj83xRrwCGliVAgWDuZSwI/s320/watcher-poster.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br /></span></span><p align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u>WATCHER</u></span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The
film I have chosen this year as my most underrated of 2022 is
director Chloe Okuno's “Watcher”. While the film does not
reinvent the wheel, personally I think it is a superior thriller that
should have garnered much more attention than it did. The imdb
describes the movie like this: “</span></span>A young
American woman moves with her husband to Bucharest, and begins to
suspect that a stranger who watches her from the apartment building
across the street may be a local serial killer decapitating women.”
From this synopsis, you can no doubt tell that “Watcher” is
Hitchcockian in nature, with “Rear Window” being the obvious
template, but that is essentially Okuno's starting point. What Okuno
does so well, and why “Watcher” is so successful, is that she
makes you feel the incredible isolation and loneliness Julia herself
is feeling. Being in a new country where she knows no-one, where
they speak a language she doesn't understand, living in a giant and
somewhat empty apartment that is anything but home, you understand
why Julia feels the way she does. She is a good wife, moving out of
her comfort zone for her husband's career, but he is not a good
husband in the fact that once they hit Romania, he does little for
Julia to make her transition smooth and that she is okay in the
situation. He is constantly leaving her for work or work functions,
or when he does come home with friends, they speak in Romanian (which
Okuno leaves unsubtitled so we feel Julia's frustration), further
isolating Julia. The more scared, terrified, or potentially paranoid
Julia gets, Francis (the husband) does the worst thing possible by
not believing Julia or attempting to understand how she could
possibly feel this way.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Maika
Monroe is outstanding playing Julia. She makes you believe and feel
everything that her character does, particularly when she gets close
to a nervous breakdown. I have said this many times before, but I
just do not understand how Maika Monroe is not a massive star. She
certainly has the talent, not to mention the looks, so the only thing
I can think of is that it is a conscious decision of Monroe herself
to not go down that rabbit hole, and to stay just on the fringes of
Hollywood, doing great stuff in smaller, independent productions.
Anyway, like I said, she is phenomenal in “Watcher”, and while
Julia is often seen in a fragile way throughout, she ends up proving
herself to be a strong female who doesn't need a man to protect her.</span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I
really loved the way Chloe Okuno tells her story with “Watcher”.
She has paced the film much slower than is the norm for today's
cinema. She has shot the film, along with her cinematographer
Benjamin Kirk Nielsen, in a very classic, old fashioned style, that
just works wonders for the film. Through both the style and the
pace, Okuno is able to wring out every drop of suspense possible in
this paranoid thriller, and it is a seriously suspenseful film. Two
scenes in particular, one on the subway and the other in a cinema,
are white-knuckle suspense through and through. When the scenes are
over, you don't even realise that you had forgotten to breathe. The
scene on the train is particularly impressive in that it has the
ability to change your opinion on and feel sorry for the neighbour
that Julia thinks is terrorising her. You see the story from his
perspective and suddenly realise that, in fact, Julia may be
paranoid, and her isolation from everything she knows and feels safe
around, is causing these delusions. The inclusion of a plastic bag
that the neighbour is holding makes the scenes unbearably tense
throughout too.</span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">While
Chloe Okuno is more interested in suspense with “Watcher”, it
does come with a very bloody finale, which was almost perfect, until
the final two minutes when it sadly when a little Hollywood. It is
the only real miss-step in this very entertaining and superior
chiller. It is a shame that it hasn't received the exposure that it
deserves, but it goes without saying that I look forward to whatever
Chloe Okuno does next.</span></span></span></span></p>
</div>Mr Movieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08003659808749073067noreply@blogger.com0