Benedikt Erlingsson's Of Horses and Men is a film that should be praised for its truly unique experience. Structured in an episodic type saga, Of Horses and Men in an examination of the relationships between humans and horses in the Icelandic countryside. Each episode is different, but starts the same, with the work or life of the human owner being relfected in their horses' eye. Erlingsson captures the importance of these animals, and in doing so creates a truly unique film that explores the human condition, presenting tales of love, life, and death. The most impressive attribute of the film is how Erlingsson is able to craft many of these vignettes simply by showcasing the horses, who are very important to both the narrative and obviously the theme. Of Horses and Men is shot using an abundance of wide angles that throughly showcase the vast Icelandic countryside, capturing the importance of this animal to the everyday life of these icelandic people. The relationship that the film creates is a fascinating one but Of Horses and Men feels a bit trivial in its assertions at time, never penetraing beneath its shallo survice. Featuring a series of vignettes ranging from bleak contemplation to sly humor, Of Horses and Men is certainly one of the most unique and strange experiences of the year, though it never managed to affect me much on an emotional or intellectual level.
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If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front (2011) - Marshall Curry & Sam Cullman12/10/2014 Marshall Curry & Sam Cullman's If A Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth LIberation Front is a detailed look at the activities of the ELF, a radical environmental group that has been branded as domestic terrorists by the FBI. The film is centered around Daniel McGowan, a member of the group, who was arrested for committing arson against two timber companies and now faces a life sentence in jail due to the justice system perceiving it as a "terrorist act". If A Tree Falls uses McGowan's story to examine larger questions surrounding environmentalism, activism, and terrorism, capturing both sides of the argument in an intelligent and completely fair way. David is an appropriate character to center the film around, as the narrative of his life provides insight who a member of ELF is. David was as normal of a kid growing up as you can get, with the film capturing his transformation into more and more of an extremist right in front of our eyes, If A Tree Falls' questions why violence and destruction is the only thing that graps people's attention, which is probably the most profound aspect of the entire film, its ability to capture how many of these members are peaceful protestors who are pushed to extremist means due to their inability to be heard. If A Tree Falls is a fascinating and honest portrait of the ELF, exploring the 'One man's terrorism is another man's freedom fighter' concept in a profound way. Gerard Reve, a famous writer, is invited to give a lecture at the literature club of Vlissinger. An alcoholic and overall morbid human being, Gerard arrives by train, where he beings to experience frequent visions of death and violence. At the literature club Gerard hits it off with Christine Halsslag, a weathly widow, with the two engaging in a one night stand. The next morning Gerarld catches a glimpse of Christine's boyfriend, Herman, and convinces Christine to invite him to the house, secretly intending to seduce Herman behind Christine's back. Soon after Herman's arrival, Gerald begins to suspect that Christine is responsible for the death of all her past lovers, questioning whether Herman or himself will be next. Paul Verhoeven's The Fourth Man is a stylstic tour-de-force that unfolds into a subversive thriller where reality and perception become completely intertwined. Dripping in sex appeal, The Fourth Man explores desire and lust, being a film far ahead of its time in its portrayal of bisexuality. Verhoeven plays with the viewers perceptions, never making it clear whether Gerard is suffering a mental breakdown or Christine is in fact a murderer, using religious imagery and surversive style to keep the viewer completely unsure from start to finish. Red is abundant through The Fourth Man, a symbolic representation of both death and arguably lust, with Gerard being a deceitful man who is fueled by his lust for Herman. It may be a bit of a stretch, but Verhoeven's heavy use of religions imagery may also shed light into his true intentions, showcasing a man who is crumbling under the pressure of his catholic upbringing due to his lust for other men. Stylistically seductive, Paul Verhoeven's The Fourth Man very well could be the filmmakers greatest achievement, delivering a truly unforgettable erotic thriller. Josh, an everyday Manhattan resident, meets the woman of his dreams one day on the streets of New York. The sparks are flying between them when Cheryl unexpectedly collapses, being quickly picked up by an ambulance. Josh goes to visit Cheryl in the hospital but strangely she hasn't been admited. As Josh digs deeper into the mystery he discovers a dark secret, The Ambulance isn't what it appears to be. Larry Cohen's The Ambulance is a highly entertaining thriller about a crazed doctor who uses his ambulance to kidnap people and sell their organs on the black market. One has to look no further than the main protagonist in The Ambulance to realize that Cohen is being tongue-in-cheek, with Eric Roberts portraying a cocky, Marvel comic book artist who rocks a mullet. Pretty much everything that comes out of his mouth is pure gold, making The Ambulance a throughly enjoyable experience from start to finish. While the film never takes itself too seriously it's stil an effective horror/thriller which uses impressionistic lighting and well-crafteed cinematography to create a tense and creepy experience. Like many of Cohen's genre films, The Ambulance is quirky yet assured, being a highly enjoyable experience with a truly memorable central performance by the one-and-only Eric Roberts. In a small town, isolated by the towering Alpes mountains, there is an underlying violence and tyranny thanks to the Brenner family, who use fear and violence to rule over the population. Before the harsh winter takes hold of the town, a lone rider arrives, seeking shelter. The Brenner's grant the stranger a place to stay, not knowing his true intentions lie in vengeance stemming from the Brenner's tyranny. Andreas Prochaska's The Dark Valley is a western revenge story that effectively uses its dark, isolated setting to enact a solid tale of vengeance. A mostly quiet, brooding experience, The Dark Valley spends a lot of time building its atmoshperic setting, using the harsh winter and cold landscapes that perfectly fit into this dark vengeance story. While The Dark Valley isn't anything out of the ordinary as far as revenge films go, the film's poetic aspect of the film is somewhat compelling, capturing the circular nature of violence in this small town, with Greiger, the lone rider, intent on stopping the cycle. The film is brutal in stretches, not holding back from showing the monstrosities inflicted by the Brennar family, with action sequences that work to a degree, although the overuse of slow motion grows tiresome. Slow motion can work in certain situations but in this film it doens't really fit the quiet, brooding tension that envelopes the rest of the film. The Dark Valley isn't a groundbreaking film in anyway, being a rather ho-hum revenge story, but its solid atmosphere and gorgeous cinematography make it a sound entry in the revenge film genre. The narrative of Yoshishige Yoshida's Confessions Among Actresses follows three leading ladies, all appearing in the same movie, each of which is going through some form of a personal crisis or mental breakdown. From there the film becomes much less narrative driven, using staggered flashbacks, melodramatic acting, and confessional type confrontation sequences to create of profound and deeply layered portrait of three woman's psyche's. Yoshia routinely blurs the lines between reality and fiction with this tale of three actresses, questioning the true nature of reality for those that routinely create it. This is not an easy film to experience, with Yoshia routinely throwing the viewer into the headspace of these woman, faking out the audience in a way that has them question what is real and what is merely performance. Yoshida's jaw-dropping visuals are fully on display, using a heavy dose of low angels, obscured compositions, and open spaces that enhance the voyeuristic aspect of the experience. Yoshia has created a film that showcases three woman struggllng with their own identity, using heavy doses of symbolism to showcase the actresses' struggles with identity. These woman are tools for creating a form of reality, and because of it they have lost a sense of who they are, struggling to find a blance between their profession and their own intimacy. A diffifcult film for casual viewers, Yoshida's Confessions Among Actresses is a perplexing film that attempts to tap in,o the female psyche, exploring three woman who struggle to find their true identities in a world that asks them to be someone else. Two large families spend the summer together in a low-end resort town in Northwest Argentina. Spending most of their time at the filthy pool, the middle-aged members of these families drown themselves in booze, while the rambunctious children find their own ways to pass the time. With the hot sun beading down on them, repressed family tensions begin to leak to the surface, threatening the stability of the family units with violence. Lucrecia Martel's The Swamp is an expertly crafted film that has little interest in narrative, presenting a disjointed story of tension lying underneath the surface. The beginning of the film is absolutely unforgettable, with Martel showcasing her visual eye in a beautifully composed sequence that establishes the setting and characters in an almost completely visual way. Everything in this film, the cinematography, acting, and direction, are stellar, with Martel creating a film that feels incredibly naturalistic. With The Swamp you never feel like you are watching actors, but simply behavior, with an underlying unsettling atmosphere of normalcy that feels like it could turn violent at any point. Lucrecia Martel's The Swamp is one of the most impressive debut features in some time, offering an intriguing portrait of a not-so-perfect family on the brink. Set in Glasgow, Scotland, Stuart Murdoch's God Help The Girl tells the story of Eve, a troubled young woman whose been hospitalized due to emotional problems that have taken a toll on her body. As she struggles to get better, Eve begins to write songs, which leads her into the city where she meets James and Cassie. Musicians themselves, Eve, James and Cassie decide to start a band, beginning a friendship that will effect them forever. God Help The Girl is an endearing coming of age tale that captures the power of music and self expression. For Eve, Music is her outlet, finding solace in song that initially gives her a way to express herself and feel better. The film wisely keeps the exact cause of her hospitalization vague, focusing more on this poignant tale of rebirth through self-expression. What I found most interesting about the film is Murdoch showing how expression is important, while simultaneously commenting on the need/desire to be heard. God Help The Girl is charming, creating this exaggerated realism, with moments of playful absurdity that only elevates the film's endearing qualities. Stuart Murdoch shows an impressive eye in crafting the visual aspect of the film, using an extremely warm color pallete and good use of camera movements. This is particularly noticeable during the musical numbers throughout the film that spring to life, harking back to some of classic technocolor musicals of an earlier era. Narratively the film does have a few problems, most notably a subplot involving a romantic interest with Eve that feels completely unneccesary. This is particularly frustrating given the film's bloated running time of two hours, that leads to the film dragging during stretches towards the end. Overall, God Help The Girl does feel a little slight, with some of the more dramatic moments never fully resonanting, but this is such a charming film it hardly matters. When Neil, Will , and Simon receive an invitation from Jay to join him in Australia they gracefully accept his proposal, each needing a vacation from their dull university lives. Promising them it's "the sex capital of the world", the guys arrive in Australia to find that things never change, Jay is still a chronic liar. Focusing their attention on girls, booze, and an annoying group of "cultured" travelers, the guys set off for another adventure full of bad taste humor. Damon Beesley & Iain Morris' The Inbetweeners 2 is an incredibly raunchy comedy that is more of the same, delivering for the most part the type of humor that makes the adventures of Neil, Will, and Simon a fun time. The film's horrible gender politics aside, The Inbetweeners is throughly funny from start to finish, with these actors easily slipping back inot their roles and showcasing the chemistry that made the show so fantastic. The narrative itself is rather bland and has nothing unique but placing these characters in nearly any situation is still gonna lead to some solid raunchy comedy. With two of the larger comedic set-pieces centered around fecal matter and other bodily waste, The Inbetweeners 2 certainly feels like the creatives are running out of ideas, with gross out humor becoming a much more common comedic device in this film. I'd be lying if I didn't say The Inbetweeners 2 was funny but there is something inherentedly sad about watching an inferior product knowing the potential that was reached on the television show. Dr. Ian Gray, a molecular biologist whose research is centered around the evolution of the eye, is a workaholic whose personal life is basically nonexistent. A chance encounter with Sofi, a beautiful young woman, changes that, with Ian's personal life permeating his work for the first time. After a devastating tragedy takes Sofi away from Michael, he becomes deeply depressed, with his research being his one outlet where he can find peace. Along with his lab partner Karen, who Michael becomes intimate with, they make a starting discovery that could effectively shatter both scientific and spiritual beliefs as we know it. Mike Cahill's I Origins is a film with big ideas that I really wanted to like, but unfortunately it's tought too considering all of the film's shortcomings. I Origins is a film that attempts to deconstruct the science vs. religion debate, challenging the notion that any human being has the mental capacity to disprove a higher power. The biggest problem with I Origins is it is a simplistic examination of a very complex issue, using the desperately rational Ian as its subject. The film feels more like a whimsical fantasy film than a serious dissection of man's desire for proof, regardless of how well made the film may be. From a character/narrative perspective, I found major issues with the structure, as I Origins glosses over Ian's relationship with Sofi, using it simply to exacerbate its themes. The early part of the film spends a lot of time capturing the love and affection these two had for each other but after Sofia's unexpected death it basically glosses over everything its built. Make no mistake, Mike Cahill is still a very talented and promising new filmmaker but with I Origins he certaintly bit off more than he could chew, being a film with huge, interesting ideas that unfortunately misses the mark. |
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June 2023
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