Working at the largest tech company on the planet, Caleb Smith, a programmer, wins a competition to spend a week at the private estate of the company's brilliant CEO, Nathan. When he arrives, Caleb quickly realizes he is there to serve a purpose, with Nathan informing him that he will be the human-component in a Turing Test, asking Caleb to evaluate his latest Artificial Intelligence, ultimately deciding if the AI has a consciousness. The artificial intelligence is Eva, a hyper-advanced machine with the capabilities to show emotion and sophistication. Alex Garland's Ex-Machine is a beautiful-looking piece of Science Fiction thats best attributes revolve around the mystery, tone, and atmosphere the film creates. Alex Garland pumps this film with a tone of intrigue and mystery, relying heavily on the performance of Oscar Isaac as Nathan, a wise decision. I cannot write enough about how important to the film Oscar Isaac is, being a truly impressive performance that is subtlely brilliant at creating a character that is equal parts funny, charming, mysterious, and completely unpredictable. Ex-Machina is certainly one of the more interesting and intelligent science fiction films to come around in some time, a beautiful film that never relies solely on its visuals but rather its dialogue to create its ideas. The film essentially develops into a pupil vs. master power struggle between Caleb and Nathan, using these two programmers to develop one of the more interesting thematic conversations in recent cinema about consciousness and what it means to be human. Ex-Machina is interesting because it isn't scared to bring up a host of ideas centered around humanities relationship with technology, whether it be related to privacy or artificial intelligence. While I'd have a hard time saying I disliked Ex-Machina the film does come off the rails a bit in its climax, feeling incredibly rushed with its two-fold double-cross that simply doesn't fit the rest of the film's quiet intrigue and manipulation. The film's emotionaly climax is centered around Eva, which is a tough sell, and in the climax I didn't care too much about her freedom, though how she got there is what does work. Probably my favorite aspect of the entire film is how Garland plays with human kind's penchant for selfish manipulation, with Nathan, Caleb, and even Eva all being characters with their own agendas. One could make an argument that Ex Machina beautifully and brilliantly uses the debate of AI consciousness to comment on the selfishness of man, with Eva gaining her freedom after learning how to be selfish and manipulative from her human counterparts. While the film isn't perfect, Alex Garland's Ex Machine is a fascinating piece of science fiction that isn't afraid to tackle a host of ideas related to man's relationship with technology
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Taking place in Calcutta, where unemployment and poverty are on the rise, Aditya Vikram Sengupta's Labour of Love focuses on a husband and wife who are fortunate enough to be employed. While the wife works long hours during the day, her husband works the graveyard shift, which leads to the couple rarely having any time together. Labour of Love is a film that gracefully and meticulously examines the daily isolated lives of these two lovers, capturing the solitude of their daily routines which culminates in a poetic, surreal sequence demonstrating the beauty in the few moments they do share together. These two individuals share the same space but rarely ever occupy it at the same time, with the film demonstrating the "Labour" they go through just for the fleeting moments they share together every morning. Featuring hardly any dialogue, The Labour of Love is an extremely observant film, relying completely on image to create its portrait of solitude. While I'll admit the film can be challenging at first, Labour of Love takes on an intoxicating effect soon enough, with its impressive collage of color and sound creating a lyrical experience.. I loved the use of sound as a reminder of the environment these characters occupy, with the loud protests that echo in the streets being a constant reminder of the dire situation around the couple. Sengupta also uses symbolic imagery to capture this with a simple cooking scene that sees the oil in a frying pan slowly burn up, which feels like a visual representation of employment in Calcutta, which continues to dissipate. Aditya Vikram Sengupta's Labour of Love is especially impressive given it's a first time feature, making it resoundingly clear that Sengupta is someone to watch. Ernst Lubitsch's To Be Or Not To Be is a beautifully realized satire that is incredibly fun and witty, while also being a truly eerie film, considering its depiction of Nazi Germany. The film revolves around a group of theater actors in Poland who get swept up into spy games during the Nazi occupation of Poland. To Be Or Not To Be is extremely playful and features lots of hilarious bits throughout, ranging from the more slapstick variety sequences to some darker, blacker humor. While the film is a comedy, Lubitsch does show glimpses of war torn Poland, subtlety showing the destruction and chaos taking place but never enough to take away from the upbeat nature of the film. It's just a really profound film that perfectly balances the wide range of emotions, making the viewer laugh but still be emotionally involved in the more dramatic moments of the film. The funniest bit for me had to be the recurring joke centered around "Heil Hitler' really capturing the fear that existed between both the resistance and even the German's themselves, who were fearful of being deemed an inadequate supporter of the Reich. Enst Lubitsch's To Be Or Not To Be a beautiful example of the capabilities of comedy, being a very funny film that still managers to capture the underlying horror of the situation. Titli, the youngest brother of a violent family of thieves is desperate to escape the 'family business' and become his own man. Secretly, Titli is saving up to buy his own place in one of the new skyrises that tower over the city, but every time he seems close, outside factors related to his indigent brothers leave him financially unable to escape. When his brothers discover his plan to leave, they become infuriated, with his oldest brother Vikram, the leader of this family of thieves, concocting a plan to "domesticate' Titli marrying him off to Neelu, who has her own set of complicated dreams. Forming a strange relationship that is almost completely exploitative, Neelu and Titli work together in a desperate bid to help each other escape the stranglehold of their respective family. Kanu Behl's Titli is an impressive debut feature which impressively blends the tangled narrative of a Neo-Noir, with a poignant melodrama that is reminiscent of the films of Italian Neorealism. As a narrative, Titli is engaging and constantly evolving, full of twists and turns and double-crosses that make the film's conclusion and the plight of its characters completely unpredictable. Titli is a film that works so well because of its complicated characterizations, with the main protagonist being a man on the edge of becoming a monster. The young Titli is a man the audience feels sympathetic for, stuck in an environment where mean-spirited and volatile men are his elders. This couldn't be captured more vividly than in a nighmarish, kaftka-esque, dream sequence in the middle of the film, that perfectly symbolizes Titli's feeling of entrapment and lack of options. He desperately wants out of this world, not wanting to live this outlaw lifestyle, but as the film progresses it becomes clear he is already developing some violent tendencies. Neelu faces her own entrapment, being in love with a wealthy, married man in Prince, whom she hopes can help her escape from her problems. Titli is a film that paints a rather dark portrait of modern day Delhi, a city full of corruption and lack of opportunities, with impoverished characters who turn violent out of desperation. These characters feel like their lives have no hope or future, with each desperately and in Titli's case, deceptively, trying to create a world where opportunity exists. The film doesn't make excuses for these characters but both Titli and Neelu are at the bottom of the societal hierarchy of their respective lives, with Titli being the youngest brother of a impoverished family and Neelu being a young woman. Through this exploitative relationship Titli and Neelu see a path to their freedom, though it comes at a massive cost, with an deeply resonant conclusion that perfectly taps into the emotional core of Titli, a good man whose path getting there couldn't be more difficult. Unapologetic and not seeking sympathy for its complicated characters, Kanu Behl's Titli is an impressive debut feature that's honest, gritty and raw, painting both a complex portrait of Delhi, and an intimate portrait of two young people trying to find peace and happiness. Stanley Kubrick's early effort 'The Killing' really should be considered one of his best films. Compared to his later efforts its a much more traditional film about a group of criminals attempting a major heist. The film really put Kubrick on the map with his sharp dialogue and cinematic lense. The Killing unfolds beautifully from the opening frame, with the first 20 minutes or so, Kubrick jumps from character to character, as they learn the meeting place for where they will discuss the heist among themselves. It's confusing at first, but Kubrick is establishing a few of the key character's back stories, which are crucial for later sequences. As the film builds towards the inevitable heist, the audience is never told about what exactly the plan is, but rather is given pieces much like Johnny, the leader of the gang of thieves, only telling the various participants only what they need to know. This builds a lot of suspense and intrigue as to what exactly is going to go down, amplifying the heist simply by withholding information. Sterling Hayden is pretty much perfect as the rough leader of the crew, Johnny Clay. It's actually really interesting to re-watch 'The Killing' so close after seeing 'Terror in Texas Town' just to see the range that Hayden had as an actor. Marie Windsor is also a highlight, as the money obsessed Sherry, who is the wife of one of the men involved in the heist. The whole movie is told in a non-linear style, particularly the heist in which we go back and forth between morning and afternoon as we follow each character preparing and carrying out their part of the heist. The Killing very well may be Kubrick's most accomplished film from a narrative structure perspective, creating an effective, interesting and intense thriller. Robert Greene's Actress is an engrossing and layered documentary which takes an intricate look at Brandy Burne, a once promising, up-and-coming actor who had a recurring role on HBO's The Wire. Brandy gave up her career to start a family, but as the years have passed she begins to suffer from what can only be described as a existential crisis of priorities, leading her to attempt to re-start her career as an Actress. Blending melodrama and cinema verite elements, Robert Greene's Actress is a bold and unflinching portrait of a woman trapped between the selfish tendencies required to become an actress and the selfless aspects of motherhood. Brandy is a woman who desperately desires a creative outlet from her domesticated world, with the documentary giving some semblance of that to her. Speaking to the desire for independence in a domesticated household, Brandy is a character who may come off as almost narcissistic at times, but as Greene further examines this woman it becomes apparent that she is struggling with identity. This is what makes Actress so fascinating, with Robert Greene using Brandy's identity crisis to examine the predetermined 'roles' we all play in society, with Brandy herself seemingly attempting to play this 'role' as a good mother and wife, while simultaneously attempting to fulfill her own personal needs and desires. There is a quiet battle raging inside Brandy, with Robert Greene offering an intimate window into the second guessing, and conflicting thoughts, as she attempts to make sense out of her situation. Actress is a beautifully composed documentary, with Green using lighting and composition that beckons back to Douglas Sirk's prestigious melodramas, giving the whole film a dream-like feel, almost as if we are drifting in the consciousness of Brandy herself. Offering a deeply personal look at the conflict between domesticated life and individuality, Robert Greene's Actress is a meditative and reflective documentary that takes a very unique perspective at examining the roles we all play in life. Andrzej Zulawski's Szamanka is frantic, highly stylized, and an extremely bold experience that captures the madness and conflict that exists between love and passion, in way that only Zulawski could provide. The narrative of Szamanka centers around the physically-fueled relationship between Michal, an anthropologist, and an unnammed woman who is known as"the Italian'. 'The Italian' is a woman who can only be described as a being of pure carnal desire, driven completely by her sexual appetite as if it is detrimental to her survival. She is a very mysterious character who Michal feels immense passion for, with Zulawski photographing their sexual experiences in a way that makes Last Tango In Paris look tame by comparison. Michal is a married man, with a Priest for a brother, but the sexual connection between 'the Italian' and himself is something he simply can't resist. Discovering the corpse of a thousand year old shaman that has been preserved by time, Michal grows equally obssesed with the mystery between the Shaman's death, and his obsession with 'The Italian'. Andzej Zulawski's Szamanka is an assault on the senses and the mind, raising a host of interesting themes and ideals, but unfortunately unlike some of the filmmakers greatest works, Szamanka struggles to fully express some of them. Szamanka features the filmmakers' incredible camera-work, being another beautifully photographed film from the director and cinematographer thats visual energy perfectly matches the film's off-kilter tone. Szamanka touches on themes and ideas pertaining to the male and female ego and love vs. lust, but what makes this film so interesting to me is how it uses these two extreme characters and over-stuffed narrative as a symbolic representation of athiesm vs. catholisicm. Zulawski uses his typical attacks on convensional morality and censorship to fuel this tale of sexul desire, with Michal eventually becoming a Preist, like his brother, when he gets pushed to the edge by this pulsating creature of pleasure. Oddly enough, Szamanka very well might be the most restrained film in Zulawksi's filmography, with over-the-top acting and stylized camera work that while bold for many feels almost subdued for the great Polish filmmaker. From the opening scene, Aki Kaurismaki's Le Havre revels in its optimism and deadpan humor, which can only be described as a fairy-tale like. Marcel, a shoe-shiner, witnesses one of his customers being gunned down in front of him, off screen, yet the eternal optimist merely says to his colleague, "At least he paid first". Le Havre is the story of a optimistic man who is dealing with hardship. His wife has been diagnosed with a disease, that almost means certain death. As fate would have it, Marcel meets through chance a young African refugee, Idrissa, and much of the film involves Marcel's unwavering desire to help Idrissa escape the authorities and get to London where he can be reunited with his mother. Marcel is really a greatly composed character, who is supported with great character details -his optimism towards his profession where he exudes, "there are few professions where one has so much human contact". I've always been a fan of Aki Kaurismaki's minimalist visual style, where the camera and framing is almost always stagnant. He uses motion in such a sparing way, that when it is used it's greatly effective at portraying emotion. The scene where Marcel's wife realizes she is very ill, is a great example of this, where the camera slowly punches in on her expressive sorrow in a quietly profound way. The same can be said for his use of lighting, while it's naturalistic, it's also very expressive during certain scenes, with the best example being the scene where little bob and his wife are reunited. Aki Kaurismaki's Le Havre is about one man's attempt to do good in a world that gives him little in return, being another simple, but effective story from Aki Kaurismaki. Johnny Smith, a schoolteacher, lives a happy, modest life with his girlfriend Sarah, who Johnny loves very much. Tragedy strikes in the form of a car accident that sends John into a coma. Awakening after five-years, John finds that life has passed him by, most notably due to Sarah being married and with a small child. Even more startling is the fact that John soon discovers that he has acquired cognitive abilities that let he see into an individuals future, with physical interaction being the only requirement to do so. With his ability to see into the future, John soon realizes his new skills also grant him the ability to drastically change the future, something that becomes pivotal when John meets Greg Stillson, a ruthless and corrupt politician whose eyes are set on the White House. David Cronenberg's The Dead Zone is one of the filmmakers most accessible films, a twilight zone type story about one man's ability to effectively play god. The least subversive and violent of Cronenberg's earlier filmography, The Dead Zone raises some interesting ethical questions centered around pro-activity vs. re-activity as it pertains to seeing into the future, with Walken's John character slowly becoming a man who realizes he must take down Senator Stillson by any means necessary. Martin Sheen's over-the-top peformance as the power hungry Senator is quite memorable as well, with the man being an exaggerated caricature of political greed. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of The Dead Zone is how it captures the expectations society places on John, as he feels the pressure to help out others, due to being "blessed" with these gifts. Cronenberg does a great job at placing the viewer into John's tortured psyche, a man whose haunted by these visions, showing the taxing nature that pre-cognition could have on an individuals' consciousness. With a finale that somewhat subverts expectations, David Cronenberg's The Dead Zone is without question one of the best Stephen King adaptations out there, being a well-directed, memorable film that raises age-old moral questions. Making his big-screen debut, Charlton Heston plays Danny, the ring leader of a small bookie operation, in William Dieterle's Dark City. After Danny's bookie business is raided by the police, Danny and his cronies find themselves in desperate need of money, which leads Danny to meet Arthur Winant, an out of town businessman with a lot of spare change. Inviting Arthur to join him in a friendly poker game, Danny and his crew slowly con Arthur out of all of his money, forcing him to part ways with a $5,000 cashier check, money that Arthur proclaims isn't even his to give. Losing everything, Arthur subsequently hangs himself in despair, but when each member of the crew begins to turn up dead, Danny suspects that Arthur's mysterious brother may be out for personal revenge. William Dieterle's Dark City is a straight-forward, shadow-drenched Noir that succeeds more so than it fails thanks to its hard-boiled characters, dark atmosphere, and constant tension. Typical of any good Noir, Dark City is a film filled with darker souls and bad intentions, with Danny, the main protagonist, being a man with a mysterious past. As the film progresses, it becomes clear that Danny isn't like the others in his crew, not having the same excuses pertaining to growing up in a rough environment, but a man who seems to have willingly buried all empathy underneath his anger and hatred, fed-up with the tough life that has been dealt to him. Danny is the heart and soul of Dark City, which is really a redemption story of a man who slowly begins to show empathy again, attempting to do the right thing when it comes to taking care of Arthur's wife and child. While Danny's characterization is layered and easily what makes Dark City compelling, the primary love interest in Lizabeth Scott's club singer, couldn't be more forgettable. This character is a complete and utter pushover in this story, a needy, overbearing woman who desperately wants Danny to show affection for her. Her character is an insulting caricature of female wants and desires, and her overall annoyance and neediness makes it rather frustrating that she is the symbolic representation of Danny's transformation. While Arthur's wife and child are what gets Danny moving in the right direction, it's Danny's relationship commitment to the club singer at the end of the film that symbolizes a change, symbolically showing Danny's ability to show empathy for someone outside of himself. Dabbling in the typical post-war darkness that made many Noir's interesting, William Dieterle's Dark City is a well-crafted, tension-filled Noir featuring a strong central characterization and memorable debut for Charlton Heston. |
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June 2023
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