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The Room Next Door (2024)
Beauty, friendship and death
Seeing an Almodovar movie in English is a bit weird. This is such a quintessential Spanish director, that the lack of Spanish (apart from one short sentence) seems to take away an essential element from the movie. But even in English, Almodovar stays Almodovar, just like Woody Allen stayed Woody Allen in his French film.
I think this is one of the best movies he has made. It's beautiful, it's touching, it's meaningful. Not many films combine those three qualities. It seems as if with every new movie he directs, he gets closer to the purest film making. In this case, it's a story about two friends who both have to come to grips with death. Martha is dying of cancer and wants euthanasia, Ingrid is an old friend who is afraid of death but nevertheless agrees to accompany Martha in her last days.
This sounds as if the film is very depressing. Let me assure you: it is not. Far from it. There are far more happy moments than sad ones. Even Martha embraces life in her last moments, because she wants to spend them in a stunningly luxurious villa in the woods.
Almodovar once again creates a world of beauty, full of colour and aesthetics. His sets are, as usual, carefully designed. But this is also a very moving film, showing how valuable good friendships can be and how, even in death, dignity and respect are essential values.
Almodovar includes many references in his film. Martha and Ingrid watch movies by Buster Keaton and John Huston, and they go to a cinema where a Rosselini movie is playing. But the most obvious influence, I think, is Ingmar Bergman. Not only is the story reminiscent of Bergman's Persona, but the whole movie has a Bergman-esque feeling. Just like many Bergman movies, it relies heavily on dialogue, tackles themes like death and religion, and has a limited number of characters. The difference: Almodovar adds some Spanish warmth and colour.
Maldoror (2024)
Exciting thriller about a dark page in Belgium's history
In 'Maldoror', director Fabrice du Welz tackles one of Belgium's darkest pages in recent history. The abduction and death of several teenage girls by Marc Dutroux caused a national trauma in 1996. The fact that local police forces and criminal investigators hardly cooperated during the investigation, may have cost the girls their lives. This failure led to a thorough reorganisation of law enforcement.
The movie tells the story from the viewpoint of a police officer, Paul Charlier, who searched the cellar where the girls were hidden. He heard them whisper, but couldn't find them because of the limited search warrant. These events happened in reality, but Du Welz mixes facts and fiction in his film. He portrays the police officer as a typical streetwise cop, who prefers his gut feelings over rules and procedures. Charlier knows he is right, but his superiors have other priorities. Ultimately, his perseverance and lack of respect for authorities lead to his downfall, the end of his marriage, but also to his ultimate moral victory.
The movie is at the same time an exciting police thriller and a character study of Charlier. His strong will is the result from his upbringing: his parents were far from law-abiding. He is determined to be 'on the right side', but for him hunting down criminals is what counts. If rules and regulations stand in the way, he ignores them.
Visually, the film is a joy to watch. The desolate industrial wasteland of Charleroi, where the abductions took place, is used to the maximum. Also, the hopelesness of the city, where unlawful activities seem to thrive, adds to the gloomy atmosphere.
The film documents an important part of Belgian history, and for those who followed the events at the time, it is an interesting interpretation. But some events are clearly fictional. In order to make an exciting police thriller with political elements, the movie abandoned historical accuracy.
The Apprentice (2024)
Is this a political film? Yes and no
Good biopics focus on one aspect of someone's life, and that's exactly what 'The Apprentice' does. In this case, it's Donald Trump's business relationship with his lawyer Roy Cohn. It's a great narrative: Trump, eager but inexperienced, learning the dirty tricks about business deals from Cohn. And then, when he has learned everything there is to learn, turning his back on the man who has made him into what he is.
It's great drama, and it's also great fun to watch. Ali Abassi really succeeds in recreating the 'greed is good'-vibe of the era, when honesty and integrity made way for money and profit. Things are moving fast for Trump, and for the viewer, particularly in the first part of the film. To watch Trump's climb from ordinary rent collector in his father's apartment complex to powerful real estate developer is great cinema. In the second part, Cohn becomes less important for Trump, who is dating Ivana. Their courtship is a also very entertaining part of the movie.
In a way, it's really Jeremy Strong playing Roy Cohn who steals the show. He is absolutely great as the ruthless lawyer without any scruples. His three rules of doing business would become essential in Trump's career. Sebastian Stan as Trump is also amazing: without overdoing it, he shows some of the typical Trump-mannerisms. Even his way of talking is spot-on, without becoming a parody.
Is this a political film? Yes and no. Essentially, this is the story of a businessman making it in New York. The film ends in 1986, when Cohn dies. At that time, Trump had not even started his TV-career, let alone his political endeavors. But Abbasi couldn't resist the temptation to include the 1980 interview whith Rona Barrett, in which he jokes about running for president. And the film starts off with Nixon's famous words about 'not being a crook'. A subtle, but crystal clear message.
Blitz (2024)
Immersive experience in the horrors of the Blitz
The first few minutes of 'Blitz' are overwhelming. Right from the start, Steve McQueen throws you into the deep end. The first scene shows houses going up in flames, firefighters trying to do what they can, one of them getting hurt, others fighting against a wall of fire and noise. The camera is right in the middle of the chaos, capturing it in raw and sometimes unfocused images, and you can almost feel the heat of the flames.
This is the 'Blitz', the bombing of London during World War II. McQueen shows the war horror from the viewpoint of Rita, a single mother living with her son George and her father in a working class neighbourhood. For his own safety, she sends her young son to the countryside, but he doesn't want to go and refuses to say goodbye in the raillway station. George jumps from the slow moving train, finds his way back to London, but on his way home all sorts of obstacles delay the happy reunion with his mother.
McQueen changes regularly between George's adventures and Rita's desperate search efforts. In both simultaneous stories, the blitz is shown in all its horrors. The bombed streets, the constant fear, the shelters in the underground stations, the women working in the ammunition factories, the live BBC broadcasts to keep the spirits high. McQueen adds an extra layer by showing the racism in the British society, which at that time was convinced of its own superiority.
There is a lot to enjoy from a cinematographic perspective. Beautiful tracking shots, original camera angles and some impressive aerial images of a burning London. One very nice scene starts by showing abstract moving dots, slowly changing into moonlit waves, which are the backdrop for the German bombers flying over the North Sea.
This is clearly a film with a big budget, and it shows. It is also a film which has a lot to offer: a thrilling story, a spectacular war, lots of excitement, nostalgic songs, and a mother and child theme everyone can relate to. And also one suprising member of the cast: Paul Weller plays Rita's father.
Not everything is perfect. There are moments lacking subtlety, and now and then McQueen aims clearly for the tear ducts. But for showing how London suffered during the blitz, the film is definitely worth seeing.
Riefenstahl (2024)
A deep dive into the personality of Hitler's favourite movie maker
Can despicable propaganda also be great art? It is a question that forever will be raised when German director Leni Riefenstahl's work is discussed. She is admired as being one of the greatest German directors ever (by Quentin Tarantino for example), but she is also despised for making the Third Reich look glamorous.
Riefenstahl herself has always denied being a nazi herself. In her view, she was an artist who happened to be working for Hitler. In interviews she has always insisted to have been unaware of the atrocities of the regime.
After her death in 2003 this self created image was quickly shattered. The striking contrast between her own statements and the historical facts were already the subject of the recent TV documentary 'Riefenstahl - the End of a Myth', and are more deeply researched in the documentary movie 'Riefenstahl'.
Director Andres Veiel has painstakingly combed her entire estate, searching for letters, newspaper clippings and official documents to confront Riefenstahl's words with reality. This research shows even more clearly how manipulative Riefenstahl was. But at the same time, it is very fascinating to see how her huge ego and her fearless ambition helped shape her place in cinematographic history.
In a Q&A during the Film Festival in Ghent, Veiel said that at first, he wanted to create a Riefenstahl-avatar in his film, an alternative Leni, created from the personal letters and diary fragments in her estate. But in the end, the material itself was so clear that it could speak for itself. There is no doubt that Riefenstahl felt deep sympathy and admiration for the nazi movement. Veiel shows convincingly that her own world view was completely in line with the nazi ideology.
The film contains a treasure trove of historic material. Very revealing is the footage of television interviews, made when the cameras were kept running while the interview was interrupted. Riefenstahl repeatedly becomes very angry when questions are being asked about her responsability as an artist and her involvement in the nazi movement.
But even more revealing are the taped telephone conversations Riefenstahl held with her many admirers. Whenever her artistic integrity was put into doubt, she received letters of support and sympathetic phone calls. Many Germans agreed that in the 1930's it was very hard to resist the nazi movement, and that the passive supporters of Hitler are being judged too hard.
Andres Veiel himself considers his film a lesson for today. Riefenstahl's capability of recreating her own image and shaping the past in her advantage, is similar to the multitude of fake news that is being created by populists like Donald Trump.
Julie zwijgt (2024)
This film shows the issues Naomi Osaka has raised
In the credits of this film, one name stands out: that of Naomi Osaka as an executive producer. The tennis player has made no secret of the mental stress caused by top level match playing.
That's exactly what this film is about. It shows Julie, a promising teenage tennis player, coping with the effects caused by a scandal in her tennis club. She is not directly involved by the events, but she cannot escape them either. Although the people around her urge her to 'talk about it', she refuses, insisting there is nothing to say.
Julie seems to be a rather withdrawn girl, although she is popular with her friends. For the viewer, it is not easy to identify with a protagonist who doesn't show her feelings. The result is that not a lot happens in the film. We see Julie training, talking with her friends and parents, walking her dog, and going to school. On the surface, her life is not very eventful. It is up to the viewer to explore what's going on beneath the surface. We get indications, and we see her struggling, as the people around her do. But everything stays unspoken, as is clearly indicated by the title of the film.
Viewers around me at the Film Festival in Ghent, seemed dissapointed but not dismissive. "I was hoping something would happen at the end", the girl on my right side remarked. "What was exactly the point?", a woman to my left remarked.
I think the director has left the answer to that question intentionally open. He didn't spell it out, but has left it for us to discover. If there is a point, I think it could be that preparing young people for a very competitive sports environment should be done with ultimate care.
I know, that doesn't sound spectacular and it probably won't stimulate large crowds to see this film. But some film makers prefer quiet 'slice of life'-movies over high-octane spectacles. Just ask the Dardenne brothers. They are also producers of this film.
No Other Land (2024)
A film to make your blood boil
Just imagine. The house you live in, being destroyed by bulldozers. Imagine having the choice: living in a cave or building a new house. Imagine having to watch the new house being destroyed by bulldozers too.
This is what is being documented in 'No Other Land', and it makes your blood boil. The film shows how a village on the West Bank is being systematically destroyed by the Israeli occupiers. Its inhabitants resist, organize protests and start a court case, but nothing can stop the process.
The film hits you like a punch in the stomach. A lot of the footage is filmed by small handheld cameras or smartphones, which gives it a genuine authenticity. Another strength of the film is that it not only documents the demolishing of the buildings, but also the friendship between the Palestine activist Basel and the Israeli journalist Yuval, who wants to raise public awareness about the injustice. Although friendship is perhaps not the right word. They are colleagues and brothers-in-arms, but the difference between them is always palpable. "You have to learn to lose", Basel tells Yuval when the journalist notices that there is not much interest in his stories. "We have been fighting for decades, you can't change the situation in a few days".
Yuval's involvement gives the film an extra layer. For the Palestinians, he will always be a 'yehudi' from the other side, who can go home to his comfortable life. But for his fellow Israeli's, he is sympathizing with the enemy, and they accuse him for his involvement in Palestinian activism.
The film contains peaceful moments, when Basel and Yuval discuss the situation by an open fire or smoke a hookah, but also shocking images of villagers being shot down, in one case paralysing the victim and reducing him to a miserable life without proper care.
The film has an enormous emotional impact. It reminded me of similar documentaries like 'For Sama' or '20 days in Mariopul'. The film makers stopped filming in october 2023, when everything changed in Israel and Palestine. Of course, the events of the last 12 months give the film an extra urgency. We know that the village is a symbol of so much more injustice, bloodshed and cruelty. And we also know that now not only houses are being destroyed, but the lives of thousands of innocent people.
La nuit se traîne (2024)
Night and the city
Although 'La nuit se traîne' is set in Brussels, it
has all the characteristics of a run-of-the-mill thriller from Hollywood. A gentleman-criminal living in a luxury high rise overlooking the city? Check. A high speed car chase ending in a crash? Check. A man escaping from his pursuers by entering a subway car that's about to leave the platform? Check. Two creepy looking thugs using violence againt anyone standing in their way? Check.
These tired Hollywood clichés and the abundance of violence stand in the way of what this film could have been: an original and well-written nail-biter with an interesting social dimension. The screenplay is clever enough. The film takes place during one night, in which locksmith Mady is drawn against his will into a dirty affair which keeps on getting more complicated and, for him, more life-threatening. In order to safe his life, he has to retrieve a large sum of cash before dawn. The events take place against the background of a large Black Lives Matter-demonstration.
But instead of concentrating on the story, the film takes unnecessary detours, and fails to explain some improbabilities. On the plus side, the director has put a lot of effort in filming the nocturnal streets of Brussels, and succeeds in showing the city from a nice aesthetic perspective. For viewers who are familar with the city, trying to recognize the locations is a nice game.
Holly (2023)
Original story, told in understated style
'Holly' has a storyline which should be ideal for a gripping drama in the best Hollywood style. The film is about a shy, lonely girl whose life is turned upside down because of a coincidence. After she stays home on the day her school burns down, people around her start to think she has a special gift, and that she can make positive things happen.
But anyone who is familiar with Fien Troch's earlier films, knows that a simple straightforward drama is not her style. Troch uses an understated cinematographic language, in which implying is more important than spelling things out. She is not primarily concerned with the story itself, but rather with the way different characters react to things that happen to them. Apart from Holly herself, who is confused and insecure about how she is perceived by others, there are two other interesting characters: her teacher, who somehow hopes Holly can solve a major problem for her, and a classmate, who is also an outsider, just like Holly.
With 'Holly', Flemish film maker Fien Troch adds another film to her very distinctive filmography. The central theme in her films is the difficulty of understanding each other, and the way young people interact with adults. Her films have an unpolished, almost documentary feel, but they are made very carefully. Every scene has its place, and helps us to get to know the characters better.
Some viewers might be dissapointed that the film doesn't lead to some apotheosis. But this is consistent with Troch's way of making films. She doesn"t seem much concerned about what happens exactly and why, but rather by what her characters do and feel. After having seen the film, you are more concerned about Holly's well-being than about anything else.
Het smelt (2023)
Gripping movie about a teenage trauma
'This is heavy', I heard the woman next to me whisper to her friend while watching 'When It Melts'. It is. At least, some of the scenes are. Director Veerle Baetens doesn't shy away from scenes that are painful to watch. She shows rather explicitly why Eva, the main character, is a traumatized young woman. And why she decides to turn the page of this trauma for once and for all.
The film switches between the present, showing how Eva plans to return from Brussels to the village where she grew up, and the past, showing the events leading to the traumatizing experience which has ruined her life. On her way to the village, she loads a large block of ice in her car. Gradually, as the movie advances, the audience gets clues about why she does that. But only in the last minutes, her ultimate plan is revealed.
This is not a film that lets the viewer read between the lines. Everything is made clear, at the end of the film there's nothing left unexplained. Some scenes could perhaps have been less explicit. It would have given the film a different feel. But even so, this is a very strong movie. The screenplay is exactly right, giving the right amount of information to move the plot forward without any distracting sidelines. The editing is also very tight, wich must not have been easy given the large amount of flashbacks. Teenage actress Rosa Marchant, who plays 13-year old Eva, got an award at Sundance for her excellent performance, but I was equally impressed by the understated way Charlotte De Bruyne plays the adult Eva, terribly hurt and full of anger, but showing it in a very subtle way.
The theme of the film is the difference between being a child and being a teenager, but it is not a coming of age story. It lacks the nostalgic view many directors have on being a teenager. It's a brutal film, more concerned with explaining what caused Eva's trauma than by highlighting typical teenage problems.
'When It Melts' is an adaptation of a 2016 novel by the same name, which was an absolute hit in the Belgian bestseller lists. Lots of moviegoers will undoubtedly have read the book, so they know the plot. The experience is better when you don't know what's coming, but even if you do the movie is certainly worth seeing.
Wil (2023)
The good, the bad and the in-between
Wars are mostly perceived as morally unambiguous. The Russians are the bad guys, the Ukrainians are the good ones. Before that, the communists were bad and the west was good. And before that, the Germans were the villains and the resistance fighters were the heroes.
In reality, it's not always clear cut. Who is bad and who is good is sometimes the result of mere circumstances. Of meeting certain people, of doing certain jobs. This is what the Flemish film 'Wil' is about. It shows how in Antwerp during the second World War, some people helped the Germans and the resistance fighters at the same time. Not because they couldn't decide what was morally wrong or right, but because circumstances forced them to, and because deep down, they preferred to stay on the sidelines.
Wil, the main character, is a low-ranking policeman in Antwerp who gets involved in an incident with a German officer. It can cost him his life. Most of the film shows how he tries to cope with this fact, and how people around him make various choices, thus influencing his own fate. The ending of the film is very dramatic, and illustrates how making moral choices differs from not doing that. Deciding not to stay on the sidelines can have an extreme impact.
The film is beautifully shot in dark, sombre colours, accentuating the difficulties of the war years. The acting is top notch, which shouldn't surprise because the cast consists of some of the best Flemish actors. This is a different kind of war movie, which inevitably makes every viewer wonder which choices he or she would have made. And to that question, there are no easy answers.
Vanskabte land (2022)
Very slow, very beautiful
At least twice during this film, the director uses a bold and spectacular cinematographic gimmick. In the shots, lasting several minutes, the camera turns very slowly around in a 360-degree movement. These shots are almost mini-films within the film. In the second one, the camera captures a village wedding party, with musicians, dancers and children playing. Wonderful to look at.
There are more beautiful shots in the film. One shows a dead horse, slowly decaying in a series of identical shots, but filmed in different seasons. Has the director filmed the entire process during a full year? It's possible, there is enough space in the immense expanse of Iceland's remote wilderness.
Apart from the 19th century Danish priest who is the story's protagonist, the Icelandic landscape is really the most important element in the film. In the first part, there really isn't much else. After having arrived by ship, the priest travels on horseback through the barren landscape, accompanied by some taciturn Icelanders. When he arrives at a village in order to build a new church, the story concentrates on the tension between the Icelanders and the priest, who is not only seen as a representative of an oppressive country, but also seems ill-prepared for the physical challenges of the primitive Icelandic lifestyle.
In order to give this simple story an extra dimension, the priest is also a photographer, making portraits of the people he meets. In the 19th century, this was an elaborate process involving eggwhite and silver. The director wants us to believe it is the recent discovery of those photo's, which survived the centuries, that made him reconstruct the priest's journey.
For me, the film ticked several boxes. I have hiked through the Icelandic interior, and yes, the landscape really is amazing. I also like slow cinema, and this is very slow cinema. Thirdly, this film also contains some food for thought about religion. Officially, the Danish priest and the Icelandic villagers share the same religion, but the way they experience it couldn't be more different.
Mon crime (2023)
#MeToo à la Française
What if one of Harvey Weinstein's victims, unable to fend off her attacker, just shot him through the head? Would that count as self-defence? And how would the court case about this crime look like?
This is one way of interpreting 'Mon Crime', the delightful new film by François Ozon. The similarities are too obvious to ignore. It's about a young, attractive actress visiting a powerful film producer in order to get a part in a new film. But during the interview, the producer turns out to be a sexual predator. She admits to having killed him with his own gun. During the court case, she uses all her acting abilities to convince the jury of her innocence.
The funny thing is, this is not a serious analysis of power and gender, but a screwball comedy set in 1930's Paris. It's hilarious, it's stylish, and it's full of razor sharp references to the present. Ozon captures the 1930's style of film making perfectly, including the exaggerated acting, the witty dialogues, and the continuous plot twists, one even more improbable than the other.
It's clear that Ozon had lots of fun making this movie. He inserted small films-within-the film (in silent-movie style), he used marvellous 30s locations (I recognized the Villa Empain in Brussels), he casted Isabelle Hupert in one of the most memorable parts of the film, and he lets the jokes continue, even during the end credits.
This is not a cutting-edge film which will blow you away. But it's a perfectly made, very entertaining movie which doesn't have any weak moments.
The Fabelmans (2022)
A film about film making
When you consider this movie as a film about film making, one scene is more revealing than all the others. It's a scene which captures the essence of cinema in a simple conversation between the film maker (Sammy Fabelman) and his subject (a guy Sammy hates). 'Why did you film me this way?', the guy asks, implying he is not happy with the film. 'What way?', Sammy answers. 'I filmed what I saw'.
It proves that Sammy Fabelman has put an extra layer of meaning over the simple images. He filmed what he saw, but there's more to it than that. Of course, this shows how talented he is. Film making is exactly that: adding a meaning to images.
'The Fabelmans' is not a profound cinematographic document about the secret of succesful films. It's a personal movie about a family falling apart. Film, and what is captured on film, is an element of that process. But, knowing that Sammy Fabelman is Steven Spielberg, you can't help thinking about what Spielberg wants us to know about his style of film making. He shows how he learns to control every aspect of it, from coaching actors to using technical tricks, from finding good shot angles to smart editing. We see it all happening in 'The Fabelmans', right until the very last shot.
Apart from letting us learn a lot about Spielberg as a film maker, 'The Fabelmans' is also a nice coming-of-age movie. Of course, it helps that Spielberg's youth is a good story in itself, with enough drama, fun and emotion in it for 2,5 hours of entertainment. I can imagine that for a director, making a good film about your own family requires a completely different approach than making a good film about a giant shark or a friendly alien creature. But Spielberg has shown many times before how versatile he can be, and how he succeeds in different genres. This autobiograpical movie is once more a case in point.
Khers nist (2022)
The man with a camera
In 'No Bears', Jafar Panahi plays a clever game with his viewers. We see a film about the making of a film. But is this film within the film really a film, or is it reality being filmed? It sounds terribly complicated, but it isn't.
Basically, 'No Bears' consists of two parallel stories, with Jafar Panahi, who plays himself, as connecting element. Panahi, who is not allowed to leave Iran, has rented a room in a tiny village close to the Turkish border. From there, he supervises the making of a film on the other side of the border. He tries to make internet connection with his crew, but the technology fails. No worries: his assistent can cross the border freely with a hard drive containing the rushes.
By coincidence, Panahi gets involved in a bitter conflict between two family clans in the village. This is the first story. It starts relatively calm with the request to erase a photo Panahi has made. The villagers are at first visibly embarassed to disturb their distinguished guest from Teheran. It is nice to see the contrast between the villagers, who live according to ancient traditions, and the sophisticated Panahi with his MacBook and modern cameras. The conflict gets more and more serious, and ends in a tragedy.
The controversial photo itself is never shown. Here, Panahi plays again with reality. The event he has photographed may or may not have happened. He never admits having taken the photo. What the villagers want, is the evidence of its existence, or non-existence. But how can you prove something doesn't exist?
The second story is the film Panahi is making, set in Turkey. It is about an Iranian couple trying to flee to Europe. But soon it appears that the movie doesn't follow a written script. The couple are not actors, but real life refugees, and the camera follows their attempts to get out of the country. Sometimes, the crew adresses Panahi directly through the camera. It seems the fourth wall is being broken, but at the same time it isn't because we are looking at the film within the film.
Both stories are about a couple in love, and both have unhappy endings. In one very unsettling scene, Panahi is accused by one of his 'actors' to adapt reality, in order to film a happy ending. This, of course, is exactly what film making is about. Panahi's decision to film not one, but two unhappy endings is probably inspired by the unhappy situation he himself and his country are in. Panahi has been harassed for years by the Iranian regime. He has recently been released from prison, after starting a hunger strike.
In spite of this, 'No Bears' is not a sombre movie. The events in the village are in a way very amusing and even funny. Panahi himself never loses his cool and confronts the villagers in his own way: with a camera.
Aftersun (2022)
Everyday events, made into a special story
The golden rule in cinema is 'Show, don't tell'. In films, images should tell the story, not dialogue. 'Aftersun' is a perfect example of how that's done. This film is good because of what we see, and what those images imply. The storyline itself is secondary.
In essence, 'Aftersun' consists of scenes during a summer holiday in a beach resort. Divorced father Calum has brought his eleven year old daughter Sophie, who lives with her mother. They're clearly having a good time swimming, relaxing, playing pool and participating in the occasional excursion. They're filming each other using a portable camera, and those images are part of what we see.
But underneath the joyful scenes of a happy child and a loving father, there is a sense of something more unpleasant going on. The more the film continues, the more the viewer gets the impression that something terrible can happen at any instant. We are used to films that spell things out pretty clearly. When we see a weapon, we know someone will get killed. When we see a boy and a girl smiling to each other, we know they will fall in love. It doesn't work that way in 'Aftersun'. I started to look for clues of a dramatic development, but it never came. The holiday comes to an end, and only the final scene suggests things that might have happened, and gives the film a different meaning.
'Aftersun' leaves much to the interpretation of the viewer. That can be frustrating or rewarding, depending on how you look at it. Director Charlotte Wells has taken the 'Show, don't tell'-strategy to its extreme: she tells us very little and shows us very much.
Apart from the deeper meaning that is hidden beneath the images of the happy holiday, the film is remarkable for its cinematographic approach. Images of holidays can be extremely boring, even more so when nothing spectacular happens, but in 'Aftersun' they have a wonderful, emotional quality. Also, the home movie footage is very cleverly used. In one scene, the images of the camcorder are displayed on the small television screen in the hotel room. When the camcorder is shut off, we see Sophie and her father reflected in the glass of te screen. In the last scene, the use of those different images is even more prominent.
Paul Mescal, who plays the father, is nominated for a 'best actor' Oscar. In a way, that doesn't really reflect what makes this film special. It's not only Mescal's acting, but rather the way in which ordinary, everyday events are made into a special story.
Tár (2022)
Cate Blanchett shows what an extraordinary actress she is
During the first minute of this film, Cate Blanchett shows what an extraordinary actress she is. Her character, star conductor Lydia Tár, is waiting to go onstage. There is no dialogue, only body language. But even without words, Blanchett shows what Tár thinks and feels.
Blanchett's remarkable performance is a large part of what makes this a good movie. But there's more. The very clever script gives us a lot to chew on afterards. Tár is a woman in the men-dominated world of classical music. She's not warm, empathic or even very sympathetic. In fact, she has many characteristics that are usually associated with men. She's vain, selfish and manipulative. And that's what gets her in trouble. At the start of the film, she seems to be one of the most admired women in the world. She is extremely famous and successful. At the end, everything has fallen apart.
The film doesn't judge. It leaves it up to the viewer to decide if Lydia Tár is a victim or a culprit. Or maybe both at the same time. The viewer gets a lot of information to make up his (or her) mind. Director Todd Field gives us the story elements slowly, bit by bit. Take the scene where Lydia Tár gives a stern speech to a young girl who bullies her daughter. It shows that she is used to getting everyone in line, according to her wishes. That's useful information to interpret things later on in the movie.
Tár is very much a modern movie. It has things to say about gender, about power, about social media, about being woke. But at the same time, it's a very old-fashioned movie. It takes its time. There are long scenes, and long takes. There's nothing modern in the way it is filmed. And that's a good thing.
Corsage (2022)
A chain smoking, anorexic, tattooed Empress
In reality, the seemingly glamorous Empress Elisabeth of Austria, nicknamed Sissi, was an anorexic, chain smoking, heroin user with an anchor tattooed on her shoulder blade. At least, that's what this film suggests.
Or doesn't it? The film includes lots of hints about its lack of historical accuracy. The funniest are the songs made famous by Gladys Knight and Marianne Faithful, which are sung and played by 19th century court musicians. Also, I think Elisabeth giving her dinner party guests the finger is not exactly accurate. So, the tattoo is probably made up as well. And maybe the cigarettes and the heroin too. For your information: the anorexia is historically correct.
Never mind the historical accuracy, the film shows clearly that Elisabeth is lonely and unhappy. There is no love in her marriage with Emperor Franz-Joseph, so she has affairs, but those are also unsatisfactory. She is very fond of one of her court ladies, and even forbids her to marry. Which shows that Elisabeth is not only unhappy, but also very selfish. And perhaps, as we would say nowadays, mentally unstable. She pretends to faint during official happenings, cuts off her hair and takes her 10 year old daughter for a horseriding trip during the night.
The problem with this film is that you can't fully appreciate the fictional character Elisabeth whithout some minimal knowledge of the historical person Elisabeth. I googled her afterwards, and immediately many elements in the film made much more sense.
Anyhow, 'Corsage' is certainly a nice addition to the many films that have been made about Empress Elisabeth. I've never seen the Sissi-movies, but I wouldn't be surprised if Vicky Krieps's character in Corsage comes closer to the real Empress Elisabeth than Romy Schneider's version.
Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)
Is this a great movie? Yes. Was I dissapoined? Also yes
If the essence of cinema is to create a cinematic universe in which reality can be transformed, projected, enlarged or distorted, 'Avatar: The Way of Water' is a great success. After having seen the film, each viewer will understand that the story is about so much more than mankind destroying the beautiful planet Pandora and its friendly inhabitants, de Na'vi. Lots of hotly debated issues are part of the story. The message about ecological destruction is very clear, but the film also deals with the refugee problem, racism, the obsession with youth and health, religion, and the importance of the nuclear family. There's lots to talk about afterwards.
At the same time, this is a blockbuster movie, and providing entertainment has clearly been the first priority of the film makers. The messages are there for those who want to see them, but they are not in-your-face as they were in, for example 'Don't Look Up'. There are many magical moments in the movie, but other scenes made me cringe because of their simplicity or sentimentality. I also was a bit annoyed by the simple good versus bad theme that dominates the screenplay.
The movie is a showcase of the limitless possibilities offered by computer generated images. Many scenes are jaw-dropping. But at the same time, it struck me as too big, too exaggerated, too far removed from a simple, human scale. Only afterwards I realized that the teenage girl Kiri was played by 69 years old Sigourney Weaver. That's because I didn't see Weaver herself, I saw a computerized and distorted version of her.
So is this a great movie? Yes. Anyone watching it will be amazed, will have a great time and will have something to talk about afterwards. Did it dissapoint me? Also yes. Because it prefers to be spectacular instead of sophisticated.
The Banshees of Inisherin (2022)
This is film making as it should be
It's not difficult to find some deeper meaning in The Banshees of Inisherin. The story of how two friends become bitter enemies, seemingly for no reason at all, has a universal quality to it. One of them, Colm, prefers silence over chatter, creativity over banality, and playing music over drinking beer. The other one, Padraic, doesn't understand why his friend decides to offend him by making these choices. He prefers kindness over everything else. It's radicalism against pragmatism.
If you look at it this way, the film is an allegory for the state of the world in 2023. Radicals are fighting pragmatists everywhere, from the US to Israel, and from Iran to Afghanistan. And the message of the film is clear: radicalism is a short cut to self harm. You'll understand it when you see the film.
You can have endless discussions after seeing this film, which is why it's such a good movie. But even better: you don't have to search for a deeper meaning to enjoy it. It's already brilliant as just a crazy story about two people on a remote island off the Irish coast.
The great thing about the movie is that it is hilarious at some points, but also very dramatic at other moments. It shares this quality with Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, the other masterpiece by director Martin McDonagh. The dialogue is very funny, but at the same time this is not an outright comedy, not even a black one. The script is a classic drama, with a good narrative arc and perfectly developed characters. There's no good versus bad in this film. Viewers can sympathize with both characters, because there's something to say for each of their arguments.
And then there's one other great thing about the movie: the location. The isolated island and its tightly knit community, where the men gossip at the pub and the women at the grocery store, is a crucial element to the story. But it also adds a layer of pure beauty. The landscapes are nothing less than breathtaking.
This is film making as it should be: a good story, great actors and strong direction. Just leave it to Martin McDonagh to deliver.
Le otto montagne (2022)
Beautiful film about mountains and friendship
Felix Van Groeningen, the director of The Eight Mountains, was born and raised in an area that's as flat as a pancake. I know, because I live there. There are no mountains in Flanders.
Maybe it takes a flatlander like Van Groeningen to really appreciate the beauty of mountains. His film starts with magnificent images of the Italian Alps, the area where The Eight Mountains takes place. In fact, the whole movie seems to be an ode to the beauty of the mountains. The vistas from the highest summits and the calm of a mountain lake: the images are magnificent.
And so is the story of the two friends, who both love those mountains. As a child, city dweller Pietro befriends Bruno, who lives in a small mountain village. Their friendship continues when they are adults. The film shows how they both try to shape their lives, each in their own way. Both are drawn to the mountains, but in different ways.
Van Groeningen, together with his wife Charlotte Vandermeersch, has made a beautiful and poetic movie about the friendship between Bruno and Pietro. The two men don't show their emotions easily, and the film doesn't aim for easy effects either. In an understated, subtle way, the movie shows how their lives divert, but remain connected through their mutual love for the mountains. It's well directed, well acted and beautifully filmed. This film will find a natural audience: the readers of Paolo Cognetti's bestseller it's based on. But those who haven't read the book might also be fascinated by the friendship between Pietro and Bruno.
Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975)
A film about gender, motherhood, sex, regret, boredom, life and, yes, death
For a long time, 'Jeanne Dielman' lingered in the lower regions of my 'must see'-film list. A classic, yes, praised by many, but to be honest, I wasn't really looking forward to the experience. A film about a housewife peeling potatoes and doing the dishes? Let's put it this way: there were always films that needed to be seen more urgently.
But the news that Sight & Sound considers this to be the best film ever, meant that I couldn't postpone seeing 'Jeanne Dielman' any longer. I felt the need to see it for myself. Is it the masterpiece so many critics think it is, or rather a pretentious, joyless arthouse experiment?
Now that I've seen it, I think it is neither. It is, above all, very special. Many viewers may find this film too slow. Yes, it is extremely slow. This is not slow cinema, this is snail's pace cinema. But that is exactly the quality of it. Seeing the main character peeling potatoes or making coffee has a zen-like feeling to it that you find in very few other films. It's so slow, that it's almost the cinematic equivalent of meditating. While watching the potato peeling going on, you notice little things you wouldn't have noticed in films at a faster pace.
But it's not only the slow rhythm that makes this film very special. It's also the camera. It never moves. And I mean never. Not one instant. It would be interesting to kow if director Chantal Akerman has been influenced by Yasujiro Ozu, for whom the static camera has become a trademark. There are other Ozu-like elements in 'Jeanne Dielman', for instance the camera filming a room a few seconds before the characters enter it, and after they have left it. Moreover, Akerman uses a limited number of camera angles in the apartment where most of the film takes place. Gradually, the viewer gets to know every corner of it, every piece of furniture, and every picture on the wall. After a while, it feels as if you're at home with Jeanne Dielman.
And then there's the question what te film is about. It's about gender relations, it's about motherhood, it's about sex (yes, apart from a housewife Jeanne is also a sex worker), it's about regret, it's about boredom, it's about life and also, in the end, about death. So yes, it's quite fascinating. I kept on watching, amazed by the cinematographic radicalism. And I was never bored.
Is this the best film ever made? I don't think so. It's too unorthodox, too much an outlier in the cinematographic universe. In order to be the best film ever, it should have more qualities than just being different. Is it worth seeing? If you like something special, it certainly is.
Donbass (2018)
The bleak reality of every day life in occupied territory.
This film was made four years ago, but the war in Ukraine has given it a new urgency. At the time of its original release, the conflict in eastern Ukraine was not high on the world's priority list. Because of the Russian agression, this film has been released again. A good thing, because not only the current affairs are a reason to go see this movie. It is a very good film in its own right.
It consists of short vignettes, loosely related, some surreal, some very shocking, and some even funny. The central theme in each of them is the absurdity of the situation in the Donbass region. I write situation, because what the film shows is not an outright war. Corruption, abuse of power and lawlessness are as much a problem as violence.
Sometimes the scenes are reminiscent of the films by Roy Andersson, the Swedish master of minimalist absurdism. But there are also Fellini-like situations, with over-the-top characters contrasting the bleak reality of every day life in an occupied territory. Apart from the originality, two other things really stand out: the acting and the cinematography. Some of the scenes look like mini-documentaries, not at all like scripted movie scenes. Romanian cinematographer Oleg Mutu shows how effective very long takes can be, sometimes with a camera on the shoulder, sometimes without any camera movement. The very last scene consists of one single, extended shot. It is a master class in understated film making.
Hytti nro 6 (2021)
Nicely rough-edged and vodka-soaked
Aah, the pleasures of traveling by long distance train! Admiring the scenery from the compartment window, enjoying nice meals in the restaurant car, and dozing off at night to the clickety-click sound of the wheels.
Everybody who once took a long distance sleeper knows the reality is different. Those people will enjoy this film. One of the drawbacks of international trains is the company in the compartment to which you have been assigned. Finnish student Laura has bad luck, having to share hers with a drunken Russian miner who asks without much ado if she is a prostitute.
During the long ride from Moscow to the northern city of Murmansk the two travel companions get to know each other better, and even learn to appreciate each other. This sounds a bit cheesy, but it isn't. Laura is dissapointed and lonely: her lover couldn't accompany her on the trip and reacts coolly to her phone calls. When, during a long stopover, she has to choose between the company of her rude but adventurous travel companion or no company at all, the choice is a no-brainer.
An extra attraction is that the movie takes place in the not-so distant past. It is the pre-internet era of pay phones and Walkmans. This is no major issue in the film, but it explains why Laura takes the train instead of flying.
There's a bit of 'Lost in Translation' in this film, a bit of 'Before Sunrise' and a bit of 'Ma nuit chez Maude'. Plus: it's Russia, so everything is nicely rough-edged and vodka-soaked. Na zdorovie!
The Card Counter (2021)
Righteousness, fate and revenge
Righteousness, fate and revenge are the themes of this film. This sounds spectacular, but 'The Card Counter' is not an action packed thriller. Rather, it is an introspective movie, delving into the psychological motivations of the protagonists.
The only action scenes are short flashbacks of the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. Oscar Isaac plays William, one of the soldiers involved in the crimes committed there. Afterwards, he has spent many years in military prison for his misbehaviour, while the officer who gave the orders was not punished because he worked for a private contractor.
William has become a man without emotions, leading a solitary and anonymous life, and earning his money as a card player in casinos. By coincidence, an encounter with the son of another soldier revives the memories of the war. He sets out a plan to deal with the consequences of the past.
The film's setting fits its theme. Most scenes take place in the anonymous, drab and interchangeable interors of casinos and motels, populated by unusual and sometimes weird characters. William doesn't seem to have a home or a family. He behaves like a man who has seen everything and doesn't really care. The encounter seems to change that: after all, he does care about people.
The slow succession of events leads to an unexpected and bitter ending, but the beautiful last image of two fingers almost touching each other suggest that, after all, something has changed in William's life.