caitythered
Caity The Red
Midwestern movie lover
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Movie Review: The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017)
So I was FINALLY able to see The Killing of a Sacred Deer! After letting it soak in, my main take away from this Lanthimos film is how much more sophisticated and calculated it is than his previous films.
The storyline itself was already so grim and bleak that I felt like Yorgos took a much subtler approach to the material, acting, character development etc. than he’s ever done before.
I definitely feel like The Killing of a Sacred Deer has the strongest acting of all Lanthimos’ films. Colin Farrell gives an EVEN MORE restrained, straight-laced performance than in The Lobster. On the other hand, Nicole Kidman is cold, frigid, unfeeling; all while maintaining being a strong, concerned mother.
The music and cinematography were freakily perfect. However, this did not leave my heart aching as much as The Lobster or Dogtooth did.(Good thing? Bad thing? I don’t know…) But I love them all regardless.
Thimios Bakatakis keeps getting better… and better… and BETTERRR! And Yorgos is really, really mastering his craft while continuing to mix it up and try new things.
Barry Keoghan and Raffey Cassidy are really what brought this movie home for me though. Playing such enigmatic, COMPLETELY opposite characters, the two knock it out of the park. I would love BOTH to get Oscar consideration for this. But, regardless, Yorgos and Efthymis should be praised for their spooky screenplay.(And Yorgos for his direction OBVIOUSLLYYYY.)
And please, Academy, give Thimios Bakatakis an Oscar for his striking, unlike-anything-else, science fiction-y camerawork!!
The Killing of a Sacred Deer is exciting from the get go and gets better and better until that sick, yet totally satisfying, ending. Thank you for giving this amazing movie to us Yorgos!
💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯.
A+
#thekillingofasacreddeer#killingofasacreddeer#yorgos lanthimos#colin farrell#nicole kidman#barrykeough#raffey cassidy#a24#movie review#independent movie
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BLACK MIRROR SEASON 4 RANKING
6. Hang the DJ- I do love me some San Junipero (even hough I do think it is a TAD overrated). Hang the DJ feels like it’s tryjng to hit those same notes but it ends up feeling like a bad knockoff. I don’t think there any Black Mirror episodes that could be described as “bad” but this one just felt like one of the blandest. The acting could have been stronger and I just wish I cared about the characters more. And that ending... it just did not do it for me. C+
5. Black Museum- Super, super entertaining with LOTS of crazy tech possibilities to soak in. I adored the lead girl here (Letitia Wright) but the museum owner’s (Douglas Hodge) campy performance did not work for me. This ended up reminding me of a Tales From The Darkside episode or something, it just became too silly for me. And I don’t watch Black Mirror for the silliness.... B
4. USS Callister- I just thought this one was pretty overhyped. Yes it was good and definitely well-acted but I do feel like everything played out kind of predictably. Again, maybe a little too campy for my own taste. I like Black Mirror at its bleakest, so my top three should be no surprise. B+
3. Arkangel- this was a fantastic mother-daughter drama and an episode that really, really made my heart ache. The whole idea behind the technology used is something I can really see appealing to mothers, even if it’s disgustingly privacy-intruding. Amazing performances, especially by Rosemarie DeWitt and equally good direction by Jodi Foster. A-
2. Metalhead- I thing this is Black Mirror at its best. We have a kickass female lead (Maxine Peake), impressive camerawork and... it’s just plain terrifying. A
1. Crocodile-Of course I’m a nasty bitch, So the most polarizing episode is clearly my favorite. This is a sick little story that hit me harder than any Black Mirror episode ever has. The Icelandic scenery is literally breathtaking; the cinematography is masterful; award-worthy acting from everyone on a screen; and there is an air of Kubrick throughout. This felt like a movie to me, it was so well crafted. The heightening of the crazy shit our main character Mia does (Andrea Riseborough- OH MY GOD is she good...) to avoid a past crime from being exposed is insane. And the pair of sick twist that closes the episode are purely evil, even if its over-the-top. As a Yorgos Lanthimos megafan, this is just what I wanted and needed. A+
On a final note, Black Mirror is an increasingly popular and appreciated show. Please check it out if you haven’t already!
BLACK MIRROR SEASON 4: A-
Watched on: Netflix
#blackmirror#blackmirrornetflix#blackmirrorseason4#netflix#hangthedj#blackmuseum#arkangel#crocodile#usscallister#metalhead
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Movie Review: Deadpool (2016)
OK, so this isn’t really an independent film or anything… And I don’t even really like action/superhero movies. Or Ryan Reynolds. But I was curious to check out Deadpool because of all the hype I’ve heard. Supposedly a new direction, or take, on superhero films; I’ve heard that the black comedy in this movie is pretty great. I was also *hoping* this movie may possibly even make me warm up to Reynolds. I’ve seen him in only a couple movies where I’ve been able to stand him. I’ve never seen him in a movie that he could successfully carry by himself and not really on vanilla, unremarkable supporting roles. But the feedback I’ve heard about Deadpool is frankly amazing. It still seems like people are talking about it. So here I go, taking a risk and giving Deadpool a chance.
The first thing I’m noticing is that Reynolds’ performance is going to be, a lot of the time, mainly a vocal one. You can’t see any of his face behind the fabric Deadpool mask. And you can barely even see his lips moving when in costume. His voice is pretty muffled-sounding too… Just pointing it out.
From the beginning, I didn’t think the action was THAT great. But I am almost NEVER impressed by any recent action films… In my opinion more than 95% of the time the action scenes are completely cheesy and just plain silly looking. The Avengers had SO. MUCH. FREAKING. ACTION. Don’t get me wrong, I know I’m in the minority here. Most people, and most critics, were really impressed by this type of action-based movie. So, I guess, jut keep this all in mind as a **DISCLAIMER**when reading the rest of MY Deadpool review. Let me say what I want fanboys…
But, again, I did see Deadpool for the “dark” comedy that everyone has been boasting about. Not the action. And it is pretty funny… and clever. But I would never quite say it’s as LAUGH-OUT-LOUD hilarious as I was hoping for. Reynolds plays the dry, sarcastic Deadpool with all the bits of doucheyness you’d expect from him.
It's funny... But nothing new or groundbreaking. And if you are not an action film goer like me but still wanted to check out Deadpool for its apparent uniqueness, you’ll be disappointed. It’s just as uncreatively action-y as the rest of them.
C
Watched on: HBO On Demand
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Movie Review: By The Sea (2015)
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are definitely a striking pair on screen. The opening sequence of By The Sea is very beautifully done and grabbing to watch. The image of the two driving on the dreamy, sunny French seaside paired with an equally magical old French tune will definitely be a rememberable visual for me.
Not surprisingly, though, when either of them opens their mouth there isn’t much depth there. But let me just say right off the bat that I fall into the (probable majority… ) of people who actually DON’T think Pitt or Jolie are one of the greats out there today. I wouldn’t put either in any of my (extremely loooooong) favorite actors lists.
The two then-wed (DUH) couple took on the challenge of playing a constantly-bickering, always-about-to-boil-over married couple. Which apparently reflected their real life. (Again, DUH. I guess I’m just saying it ~for the record…) The two play Americans Vanessa and Roland (…) living in 70s France. But don’t get it twisted, I will ONLY be referring to them as Brad and Angelina in this review. Because that’s who they are. It just is…
On the big screen, there doesn’t seem to be a lot of natural chemistry between the two AT. ALL. The disappointing lack of connection is apparent and distracting right from the beginning.
However there is a lot of impressive stuff here. I was absolutely obsessed with the way By The Sea, which was directed by Angelina, is shot. It is absolutely gorgeous to watch. The camerawork, lighting, pacing, decor… all wonderful. It is really, really, amazing, sumptuous stuff.
And even though Brad and Angie are seriously lacking in the chemistry and charisma departments, they are still nice to watch. Pitt probably more for those (forever-overrated) looks; but Jolie is very strong in her part. She gives a surprisingly subtle, impressively pessimistic performance. And, although, over the years, she’s gotten a little too frail, Jolie really is as beautiful as ever in By The Sea. And her talent HEAVILY outweighs Pitt’s any day of the week in my book.
We don’t get, like, ANY information, detail, or backstory about this ailing marriage. By The Sea is light on story, rather focusing almost all (I would say 95 percent?) of its energy on the look, mood, and feeling of it all. And I do think, overall, the movie does an impressive job at it. It is dreamy and depressing, but it’s filled with great elements of surprise throughout the film. Jolie’s character Vanessa especially is a real wildcard.
The movie is a lot of NOTHING… Which happens to be something I love. It’s not bad, just honest. So please BEWARE if this type of movie is not your jam because you’ll absolutely hate it. Either you will be onboard from the get-go or you will turn it off after two minutes. There is no in-between. When this type of outwardly-bland movie succeeds it can be a very beautiful, sumptuous watch between the lines. But there’s always that potential of… MELODRAMA. Which, sadly, becomes By The Sea’s big downfall.
Brad and Angie are constantly fighting and shooting each other dirty looks. When he tries to touch her sexually or romantically she completely freaks out. But then the two find a common interest: spying on the sexy young French couple living in the next hotel suite over (And this hotel… I mean WHAT!?!) through a suspicious peephole. Angelina is especially obsessed with the couple (played by Melvil Poupod and the ahhh-mazing Melanie Laurent).
I hate to say it but THIS is when By The Sea takes that turn into erotic, melodramatic mush. The real strength here was the gorgeous filmmaking and the dreamy-depressing air that surrounded it. Forcing this other storyline into the mix was unnecessary. It could have soared if they just left it as the subtle, melancholy film it started as.
B-
Watched on: HBO Go
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Review: Children of the Corn (1984)
Children of the Corn isn’t exactly considered a classic, but it certainly does have a huge cult following. For that reason, I’m surprised I haven’t checked it out before. And, right away, it’s easy to see why it has such a following. For being a well-known 80s flick, this movie is surprisingly pretty nasty-violent. And actually a very relevant film to take a look at considering recent American controversies. (But, OKAY that could be said about any movie EVER if you look hard enough… which I always do. …So I’ll stop now before I even start!)
The first scene in Children of the Corn shows several Nebraskan citizens eating a nice lunch at a family dinner. And then with a few quick, quiet signals between some shady townschildren, the scene turns into a surprisingly explicit bloodbath where all these grown-ups end up gorely murdered. I thought this was really such a great introductory scene: it was completely scary and effective to me. It explains the whole story and establishes this children-against-adults theme wonderfully. And it put all my bland expectations of this movie to rest. It captures a mood and style from this jumping-off point. It doesn’t have that layer of cheese to it. And all this gives you high hopes for the rest of the movie.
The forever-lost, generically attractive, and super VANILLA couple we follow in Children of the Corn (played by Peter Horton and Linda Hamilton) act as a nice backdrop while all the real crazy stuff happens around them. And there are definitely cult-ish elements all over the place. The wonderfully generous use of gore throughout; the horror-fantasy storyline… and then there’s the literal religious cult these nuts-o children robotically follow.
Some of my favorite movies deal with this kids-overtaking-adults theme (The White Ribbon… Village of the Damned. Varying degrees of good I know…) And Children of the Corn is a solid, well-made movie (I AM coming from a cult film perspective so you get what I mean… ) The audience ends up following several storylines and characters: the still-lost couple we meet at the beginning as well as some unwilling children followers of this revolution. The kids Isaac and Malacha (played by John Franklin and Courtney Gains) are standouts playing a couple of the crazy, pre-teenish, adult-loathing leaders. They give super kitschy, always short-tempered, performances that keep the movie right at entertaining. The balance between all of the roles and storylines is nice and keeps you interested, never bored.
It is super cultish but also a pretty good horror movie in its own right. Stephen King’s (while not a TOTAL classic in my book) creativity and massive scope of subject matter is forever impressive to me. Even if some of his stories fall flat (I love, love, looove The Shining FILM but the novel was disappointing and boring) others are undeniably great pieces of literature (It is an epic and one of the most emotional novels I’ve read.) Children of the Corn is an eerie story and, as I said from the get-go, an unaged and effective-to-this-day scare. Plus all of the religious aspects were legit scary to me… The turned children going after adults will always be an intriguing, thought-provoking horror theme.
After a while the movie does begin to lose some steam. It gets to a point where the final act becomes endlessly draggy and predictable. I started doodling for long periods of time instead of taking notes… But it does end up ripening a bit when conflicts arise between Isaac and Malacha . But it never goes back to the energy right at the beginning.
Children of the Corn isn’t going to be a movie you’ve felt like you’ve missed out on… Just saying. But as far as cult-y movies go; it’s fun, gory, and usually pretty entertaining.
B-
Watched On: Netflix
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Review: Goodnight Mommy (2014)
THIS REVIEW CONTAINS ~~~~SPOILERS~~~~
From the very beginning, the German-language Goodnight Mommy is a rare find within the mystery-thriller genre. It isn’t a movie bursting with dramatic music or any other lush sensory overload. The quietness is what makes it so strikingly creepy.
We’re introduced to two young (probably 10-ish) twin boys: Lukas and Elias. We first see the two appropriately-immature boys playing and goofing off around their lavish home. And then, without any explanation, we see their ~supposed mother robotically, and repeatedly, opening and closing the shutters in her bedroom. Covered in bandages; her only visible facial skin bruised and raw, it’s no surprise that her children are shocked and totally thrown off by this visual. All they can do is watch with awkward dead-quiet horror from behind.
Not surprisingly, in the next several scenes we see Lukas and Elias struggling to reconnect with their mother. In fact the boys flat out CAN. NOT. BELIEVE. that this monstrous figure could even be their mother to begin with. This whole situation is veeerrrrry uncomfortable to watch unfold on screen. And as you can probably imagine, pretty sad… Even tragic.
Right from the beginning Goodnight Mommy is not a “fun” movie experience at all. It’s a hard watch but an interesting one. We do continually hear talk about “the operation” the mother has undergone… and the severity of it. But other than those occasional words, we really have no clue as to what caused this drastic change. Her boys can only quickly glance up at their mother when they’re talking. When their eyes do meet their mothers every once in a while they quickly have to look away, almost like their mom’s the sun and any long-term eye contact can only cause harm.
In a movie like this- where there’s little or absolutely no context -we’re thrust into the freakiness (that the trailer so eerily set up) with absolutely no questions answered. Why are these kids so isolated on this large estate?? Shouldn’t they be in school?? …Or somewhere?? Where is the father that we occasionally hear about?? And what’s his deal?? And the operation?? But I’m not complaining at all. Even without context and heavy-handed uses of music and special effects Goodnight Mommy really escalates quickly.
This woman saying to be their mother (You really are swayed by these boys…) is pretty cold-hearted towards her sons. From the audience’s point-of-view, you never get the feeling of a parent-child dynamic. She’s more like an evil, demanding stepmother you’d see in a Disney movie.
Through freaky dream sequences and cleverly shot fake-out scenes (Was that a roach or something she was crunching on in bed?!) the film really cements it’s style. The longer the movie goes on, the more questions arise… and remain unanswered. There are several sadistic, totally WEIRD scenes that leave you not knowing what to think. Again, not a bad thing. It makes you question not only the mother but also the two little boys, who are getting more and more squirrelly as the film goes on.
It’s definitely one of the most nightmarish things I’ve seen. And if you have a bug phobia there are TOO. MANY. moments of frantic cockroaches running around to not mention. It’s genius, because so many things were up in the air and unexplained at the beginning, and it makes you never know where the movie is ultimately going to take you. I’m not ashamed to say I didn’t know what was going on at any point in this movie.
There’s a constant unsafe theme of cold isolation in Goodnight Mommy. And when Mommy begins actually recovering and finally does get her bandages removed it’s not much better at all. In fact the boys are fueled by this to flee from the home. It’s not long before Elias and Lukas are returned to her.
But now the boys are in the fight part of their fight-or-flight response to their imposter mother. And eventually they do get the upper hand in this situation. This is when Goodnight Mommy really gets unsettling.
It’s not totally surprising but these kids turn out to be pretty sadistic and cold in order to find out what happened to their mommy. I probably CONSTANTLY had a grimace on my face. It’s not only freaky through and through but it’s also just plain sad. The idea of your own children unable to recognize you is a pretty tragic thought.
So the boys turn out to be pretty nuts. The ideas of when to stop the madness and how far they will go becomes the topic of conversation here. Do you follow your own instincts or do you just follow the instincts of your partner in crime? Lukas is the clear leader of this mommy operation. Elias, often reluctantly, is the one assisting him.
The child actors are great. Lukas and Elias Schwarz are brand new to acting and this is a great first role for them. Their flat delivery really adds to Goodnight Mommy. You can’t even imagine to comprehend what’s going on in their little minds… What’s going on behind those poker faces? Why do they do some of the evil, bizarre things that they do? Susanne Wuest, as the mother, is great in the most opposite way. She gives a frantic, layered performance. The film successfully directs you away from choosing sides.
The camera lingers a lot on Lukas and Elias’ young, childish mannerisms. These kids are the filmmakers’ muses for sure. They are the characters you most want to figure out.
As far as the movie-going experience goes, Goodnight Mommy is always more of an unpleasant watch then a thrilling or mysterious one. It is continually cold and always goes to darker and darker places. I do wish it was more layered in that way but I can’t really complain because of how overall GOOD it is. Just don’t expect a lot to enter your mind aside from unpleasant thoughts.
Goodnight Mommy is a film I wasn’t totally satisfied with. I just wish it was a little less… abstract. But before I jump down the rabbit hole of various conclusions, it definitely feels like a movie that requires more watches before giving a real opinion on.
I was captivated and wrote a lot of notes about this film while watching it. But I wouldn’t say I was ever really that inspired by it like I really, really, really, really wanted to be. In that sense, Goodnight Mommy was overall a bit of a letdown. But the uniqueness of the performances and story’s progression, paired with its impressive freaky-deaky style does make this movie an impressive little indie gem.
B+
Watched on: Amazon Instant
Originally a B but looking back on all the thoughts, notes, energy, effort, and time (Oh my gosh, the TIME!!!!) I put into this movie and review; I have to upgrade that score. (And this has got to be my longest review I’ve put out there. Apologies!)
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Review: Paper Towns (2015)
I haven’t really connected with recent teen movies. So many are just so unbelievably try-hard and weirdly pretentious that I can barely even stomach them. Book adaptations, independent ventures, the more ~avant garde efforts… whatever. The Perks of Being a Wallflower was sickeningly self-indulgent; Spring Breakers was just as silly as it was exploitive; and Palo Alto was a total bore. These movies just haven’t been working for me… at all.
I just feel like these NEWER teen movies try waaay too hard and misrepresent what it’s like to be a teenager, where SO. MANY. older teen movies (Grease,The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Election… even Mean Girls and Clueless) came from the right place. Paper Towns; based on the same-titled young adult novel by John Green and directed by new-ish filmmaker Jake Schreier; is definitely a film from these newer crop of teen movies. … But I’ve decided to come out of my pessimistic comfort zone and give it a shot.
Cara Delevingne is Margo, our manic pixie dream girl, who’s the object of Quentin’s (Nat Wolff) affection. Friends as kids, the two soon drifted apart as they got older and entered high school. Margo became a popular chick; Quentin a nerd. Haven’t heard that storyline in a teen movie! Shes just a little too cool and hes just a little too square.
Quentin dreams about Margo, clearly still as in love with her as he was when he was a kid (duh!) His dreams finally come true when she comes to his window one night with an elaborate revenge plot on her mind. It turns out her boyfriend of several months has been cheating on her with her best friend. …But of course she’s not going to to let them get away with it. Margo and Quentin end up having an exciting, enigmatic night together; pulling pranks and being rambunctious kids in downtown Orlando. It’s full of a bunch of exciting, fun moments. And the movie totally sells you on why Quentin, and everyone, would be so in love with Margo.
And the next day Margo is M.I.A…. again. Ah, it was too good to be true! According to her parents, when the police get involved days later, it’s something she likes to do when she craves attention. It’s like she’s disappeared into thin air. But Quentin is fresh off a long-awaited bonding session with Margo. And he knows she won’t be found until she wants to be.
Quentin, with the help of his nerdy friends (who are actually pretty hilarious despite being expectedly flat, stock characters) begin a scavenger hunt seemingly left by his love. He finds out that Margo is obsessed with “paper towns” (hence the title, yo!) “a fake town created by map makers created to protect their copyright” according to Green. Soon Quentin discovers through Margo’s clues that she is in one of these make-believe places: Agloe, New York.
So, of course, the real question surrounding Paper Towns is whether Delevingne can act or has ANY kind of presence on the big screen at all. The answer? Oh yes! Undoubtedly so. From the very beginning I was pretty blown away by her. She has a serious confidence onscreen and her acting is nice and just the right amount of subtle. She has so much charisma too. And I just love her deep voice! Her insane gorgeousness is obvious but her heavy tomboy style and natural, young awkwardness make her believable as the crush-worthy girl next door.
I’m not even a Cara fangirl like literally EVERYBODY on Instagram. I like her personality and all but I’ve never actually seeked her out. But I WILL be a fangirl now! Anyone with the slightest bit of curiosity about her acting skills should seek this out. She is fantastic.
As low as my expectations were of Paper Towns I have to say that it kind of blew me away. The many cliches aside, it was a lot of fun and featured a ton of great young talent throughout. But it’s the very end, when Quentin finally finds Margo, that the message of the film really is expressed. And that message is something so sweet but still so raw and real, it made me a little teary.
B+
Watched on: HBO On Demand
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Review: Byzantium (2012)
Brooklyn was my favorite movie from 2015… There is just something so special about Saorsie Ronan. She is a timeless beauty and one of the best, and most subtly effective, actresses working today. Gemma Arterton is… pretty. She seems to be a good actress but definitely is cast for her looks first and very foremost. She is beautiful but jeez! give her some material!
The two play hundreds-of-years-old vampires/friends who share a secret. Eleanor (Ronan) is the younger, more ~innocent one, while Clara (Arterton) is the older, maternal figure. (Eleanor calls Clara her “muse” at one point.) The two women are a striking pair together. Arterton is tall and model-esque with dark features, while Ronan is petite and childlike. She has one of the most romantic looks out there right now. She’s delicate, pale-faced and has an all-around Irish look. They’re both sooo, beautiful but also so different looking. And the two have definite chemistry on top of that.
And then (like before the movie even starts!) it’s suddenly a run-of-the-mill; uninteresting; and, sadly, uncreative, vampire flick. It’s disappointing but not totally unexpected. Vampire films are now made so often and have become such a huge part of ALL media that it’s hard to find uniqueness in the endless stream of movies/TV shows/books. Byzantium is no exception. These movies are Just. So. Common. that what should be the most thrilling scenes (those where the vampires feast) are now the most unoriginal ones that audiences only come to expect. Byzantium isn’t to blame but vampire media in general.
And, aside from all the vampire stuff, from the get-go Byzantium is pretty generic. From the wise old man that bonds with Eleanor to all the camera work, lighting, music… Pretty much everything. It’s an “attractive” movie but not very layered. It’s a lot more sentimental than I wanted it to be, considering it’s an R-rated vampire flick. The violence, even when it seems gruesome, is pretty muted.
There are a lot of dispersed, random ~touching moments in Byzantium that kind of go on for too long. Eleanor’s piano solo near the beginning feels more self-indulgent than anything. This movie lingered waaay too much on the gushy stuff rather than the grittiness that I, and probably A LOT of people seeking this movie out, crave.
Okay, so I’m definitely saying more negative than positive about Byzantium. (Another part that annoyed me? The bland period piece moments.) But I’d still consider it an above-average, at least as far as vampire stuff goes, film. Is it watchable? Yes. Is it original? Heeeck no! But it is attractive to the eyes. And, after leaving a generic taste in my mouth at the beginning, it does eventually find its own groove. Plus Ronan and Arterton are both great in this. Even when the movie is flat they’re still always two interesting female leads to follow.
LuStory-wise, Clara and Eleanor are vampires on the run, basically crashing at as many places as they can get away with. When prostitute Clara comes across a sickeningly good-natured (and wealthy, of course) geek, he decides to take the two in permanently. His character is a hypersensitive, no-backbone bore. He’s flat.
As much as I wanted to like Byzantium there is just not a lot there. It’s pretty from the outside looking in but there is no substance here. Ronan and Arterton try to rise above the blandness but there’s just not a lot to be inspired by. It’s likeable and inoffensive but when there is a serious lack of risk in a movie like Byzantium it will fall out of your mind and memory as soon as you watch it.
C+
Watched on: Netflix
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Review: Victoria (2015)
Sebastian Schipper’s Victoria opens with a great uncut scene where we meet our Spanish born, English speaking titular character dancing and mingling in a Berlin club, desperate for a friend. Eventually she runs into four young, smooth-talking German boys. They’re crude and pretty rough around the edges but, at least seemingly, harmless. Victoria, on the other hand, is as sweet and cute as an angel. No wonder these boys immediately treat her like a goddess.
Victoria and the boys spend the night predictably getting into trouble around town after leaving the club (stealing beers from a drugstore run by a snoozing associate, for example). The characters really build during these first scenes, especially through the dialouge and different situations the characters run into. It’s all very sweet and endearing.
Victoria, played with quiet beauty by Laia Costa, mostly sweetens up to one of the boys in particular: Sonne (Frederick Lau). Their chemistry is really sweet and natural and they really build a great relationship over this night, which they eventually spend alone together. Once Victoria invites Sonne into her workplace (a cafe in Berlin which she has to open in a few hours) the movie starts to deepen and she reveals that, up until recently, she was an aspiring piano player. She then gives an INSANE performance to show off to Sonne and we learn that Victoria just learned that her dreams of stardom weren’t ever going to pan out. After studying piano relentlessly most of her existence, she’s come to the realization of just how demanding and lonely her life has been.
(Sidenote: Piano seems very fitting of Victoria’s whole ~aura. Although I was thinking with her pettiness and natural grace she was more of the ballerina type.)
…And this “great uncut scene” actually turns out to be the whole movie (Hey, I didn’t know!) The whole film is shot in ONE take. Sometimes the idea of a movie shot in one long, continuous take sounds a little too experimental and doomed to fail. But Victoria is so powerfully acted and elaborately set; it’s like an amazing, layered play unfolding onscreen. It’s never not building and it never feels static or uneventful. The camera work is even dynamic and feautuires tons of different, interesting techniques.
Once the film hits it’s emotional peak with Victoria and Sonne in the café, it takes a drastic turning point. The sun is coming up but instead of winding down Victoria is just getting started. Sonne’s friends from earlier (“his family”, he calls them) are back. But they’ve brought trouble. Boxer has to commit a crime for a criminal who helped him out back when he was in prison. And he needs help.
To not go into too many details (I’m trying to avoid spoilers here! It’s a good movie to go into fresh.) what follows is an increasingly violent, and thrilling, second half.
These two parts are, impressively, complete opposites. The first half is innocent and flirtatious but also extremely emotional while the second half is gritty and gets pretty ugly. But there’s just something about the first part that really pulls at the heartstrings. Yet, overall, all of it works amazingly. Victoria does get a little drag-y in the middle but just when it began to lose any of my interest it hits the final act where the movie gets back to, not only entirely exciting, but nail biting and unexpected at every turn.
And as intricate and layered as the characters were already, just a half an hour in; by the time the film ends, the crazy-emotional journey that Victoria and Sonne go through is one of the best I’ve seen in any movie. Ever. Victoria is a journey, and a feat, in so many ways.
A
Watched on: Netflix
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Review: Happy Go Lucky (2008)
I’m normally a person that can appreciate (and actually learn to like) all weather; but lately this cold, gray Illinois that I call home has been giving me the serious blues. Day… After day… After day it’s sunless, windy and ugly. And even though it’s already April (Hello? Mother Nature, are you out there?! Do you not have any sympathy?!) it’s hard to see the light at the end of this depressingly dull tunnel. So, I thought what better than to cheer myself up than with a silly British comedy, which there seems to be an endless supply of.
And the most “silly” I could find is Happy Go Lucky, a (SUPER) British Indie with the awe-dorable Sally Hawkins as a (You guessed it!) totally happy-go-lucky school teacher, appropriately named Poppy. In the first few minutes we see Poppy strolling around town on her bike (“ol’ lovely” as she later calls it); unstoppably telling a quiet book store worker to cheer up and smile; and then returning to find her bike stolen. Not that that gets her down for even a second.
These first few minutes really cement who the character of Poppy is; the director clearly obsessing and loving her every goofy move. Poppy’s antics always verge (and often teeter over the edge) into total annoyingness. (Cuz everyone loves to be told to smile…) But that makes her even more endearing… if you can buy that? Whether cute or annoying, Poppy’s instantly an entertaining character to watch.
Living with her wonderfully monotone roommate (and fellow schoolteacher ) Zoe (Alexis Zegerman), who delivers a sea of sarcastic one-liners; Poppy loves her job and loves her off time. (Getting drinks, taking dance classes… Getting drinks.) She has a handful of equally eccentric galfriends and constantly is coming across some pretty interesting characters in her life. There’s the crazy-but-lovably-intense Flamenco teacher; an unpredictable homeless man she entertains on the train tracks one night; and, best of all, her screamingly angry drivers ed teacher, Scott (Eddie Marsan).
If, at first, you’re not really ~into Poppy’s manically happy behavior (At one point she explains “It makes me so angry!” about a topic, then immediately bursts into a fit of laughter) you should definitely still try to stick with Happy Go Lucky. The character of Poppy doesn’t take long to fully engage the audience. As a schoolteacher you especially see what a sweet-natured, beautiful person she is. She dresses awfully cute (Oh, I mean awful AND cute) and she even has her own theme music… She’s a complete character and clearly a muse for Mike Leigh, the director.
And even if Poppy doesn’t grow on you, there’s a lot of other stuff to appreciate. Aside from the dozen or so other stand-out characters to keep you entertained; the movie establishes an always interesting groove and delivers such undeniably solid and emotional moments. It’s well written and directed but always a laid-back and unpredictable watching experience.
Sally Hawkins and all the rest of Happy Go Lucky is like a big ray of sunshine… And just what a person needs when they’re feeling down. It is endlessly sweet-natured but also layered and tinged with a hint of darkness. It’s a movie that isn’t afraid to ask the question “Are you happy with your life?” But, also, it’s not afraid to think that maybe that’s a silly question that people concern themselves with too much anyway. Happy Go Lucky is a simple, good-natured and inspiring film.
A-
Watched on: Netflix
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Criterion Review: Sisters (1973)
If anyone out there is craving something super 70s, the first scene of Sisters should cement your interest. We see an episode of the (thankfully) fictional variety show “Peeping Tom” introducing us to Danielle (Margot Kidder) and (the veeery handsome) Phillip (Lisle Wilson). This is, RIGHT AWAY, a quintessential 70s film. The softcore, pornish lighting; the almost sci-fi-weird overdramatic score… All the touches are certainly there. It looks great but it’s also undeniably aged. It is what it is… And that’s not a bad thing.
On Hulu the movie’s classified as a “drama” but it, very obviously, is first and foremost trying to scare the audience more than anything. Within the first half-hour or so there’s creepy montages, obvious musical score choices, and tooons of murderous foreshadowing… And pretty quickly, and predictably, Sisters turns into a straight horror film. But I wish it was a little more grabbing of my attention before it reveals itself in this way. I didn’t really feel any attachment to the characters. So when the ~rising action~ starts to kick in, I wasn’t that interested.
For SOME reason (again, thanks Hulu description!) I was expecting a bit of a more subtle, moody drama; not a murder-thriller with a tinge of sci-fi. Sisters seems to bounce between genres, even throwing dispersed comedic moments into the mix. It’s messy but the movie does eventually find a pretty interesting groove. Spoiler-y talk ahead! This movie is over 30 years old afterall, so do SPOILER rules still apply anyway?! Hmm…
When an ex-treeemely nosey neighbor, Grace (Jennifer Salt) witnesses the gruesome murder of Phillip in Danielle’s apartment from her own, she gets the cops involved right away. Eagerly she bursts into the seemingly too-adorable-to-hurt-a-fly Danielle’s apartment to discover the dead body… And the killer. Grace is convinced that Danielle is not the killer but rather her monstrous twin sister Dominique; who Grace discovers from a birthday cake she snoops around to find in Danielle’s refrigerator. But we know as the audience that Danielle is hiding something… With the help of her overprotective ex hubby (and easily the creepiest aspect of this film) Emil (William Finley) by her side.
Thus, we have a girl-on-girl battle: one hungry for a journalism scoop; the other trying to hide a murder. The movie soon pleasantly surprised me and switched gears here, focusing on Grace and her thirst to solve the case over Danielle’s less-interesting drama. Sisters does finally get creepy as it nears the end but even then it’s uneven. Maybe I am kind of just not getting it? Maybe I have to watch it a couple more times? But I don’t know. This first viewing doesn’t interest me enough to give it another go.
Sisters is a decently entertaining watch, and, like I said from the get-go, a 70s lover’s smorgasbord. But it’s flat. And turns out to be a run-of-the-mill, nothing-special, horror film. Maybe I was expecting too much (It has been on my watch list for years.) But I don’t really think so! I found my mind wandering a lot of the time, I hate to say it. It’s an alright movie, and even has little touches of greatness every once in awhile, but it doesn’t ever live up to its potential.
C
Watched on: Hulu
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Nymphomaniac (2013) Movie Review and Discussion
(Note: This includes talk on both the original and director’s cut versions; parts one and two. This discussion is also ~spoler-free)
Even if Lars von Trier films are undeniably sloooow (and even pandering at times) it’s also undeniable how layered and interesting they are. I love every one of his movies, I don’t even care. Needless to say, I’ve checked Nymphomaniac (all five and a half hours of it) a couple of times already. I always Can’t. Wait for his movies to come out. And, OBVIOUSLY I’ve already established a love for this movie like I have all the rest of his before.
Lars von Trier movies could definitely be described as “cold” but that doesn’t mean they’re without an emotional core. In Nymphomaniac that’s where we have Stacy Martin and Charlotte Gainsbourg as our female protagonist Joe, played in her younger and older forms, respectively.
We meet Joe (Charlotte Gainsbourg) freshly beaten up in a rainy, somewhere-in-Europe alley where a good samaratin, Seligman (played by von Trier muuuse Stellan Skarsgard) soon takes her in and helps nurse her back to good health. Eagerly he sits and talks with Joe, mainly trying to understand how she ended up beaten and bloodied in a dang alley. But of course we get the whole enchilada. The next five hours are spent following Joe from childhood through her adult years.
Joe is a sexual person. In fact she discovers her sexuality when just a young child and by her teen years she fancies playing games with best friend B to sleep with as many men as possible; one time on a train, the winner scoring a bag of “chocolate sweeties”. We follow Joe’s sexcapades from then on, broken up into chapters as variedly titled and abstract as “The Complete Angler” to “Jerome” to “The Mirror”. Also a fun touch: Joe’s life characters tend to be referred to as alphabetical letters (B starts us off but there’s also an Mrs. H, P etc.) And, just so ya know, there IS real sex going on here (apparently porn doubles stood in for the actors) and it IS a little exploitative at times.
The present Joe (Gainsbourg) tells her story to an increasingly interested Seligman. He’s not sexually enticed though, more interested in all the little details, which Joe finds mostly irritating. He constantly introduces new perspectives: those from nature, music, art; but mainly religion.
On top of all of the already-there lushness of Nymphomaniac (You see these photos! IT IS a von Trier movie, as if I haven’t annoyingly told you enough…) There’s a tremendous, varied soundtrack; including pop hits by The Talking Heads and Steppenwolf but ,mostly, the movie beautifully uses orchestral tragedies by Dmitri Shostakovich and Cesar Franck to intensify things and really add to the mostly-somber mood.
There’s also a remarkable cast of characters that come and go and pop up everywhere. It’s debatable though if everyone gives a totally solid performance. But they certainly all go for it.
Joe is an undoubtedly cold and unfeeling character. She even relishes in it in her young and wild days. But she’s also constantly growing and observing what’s around her, learning as she goes. Stacy Martin certainly gets the “cold” part down to a tee… But is she likable nonetheless? Not really. She’s pleasant enough and gives a fine performance as the younger Joe; but when Charlotte Gainsbourg takes over the lead role, we get a more interesting, layered woman to follow
Shia Labeouf gives a decent performance as Joes longest on-and-off squeeze. He’s likable enough but honestly uses one of the most distractingly forced English accents I’ve ever heard. Uma Thurman pops in for a moment to give a quick, bizarre performance; Christian Slater plays Joe’s peaceful, inspiring father; and Willem Defoe reunites with Gainsbourg (and brings the creep factor as always) playing her eventual boss.
Nymphomaniac is a wildly uneven, at times polarizing, film all the way to the end. But it’s also fun and a seriously entertaining one too. Von Trier ventures into all kinds of unpredictable (and some *ahem* predictable) territory and while it doesn’t always work, the parts that do overwhelmingly make up for it. Nymphomaniac is a rich watch, all five-something hours of it.
B+
Watched on: Netflix
(And just for the lulz...)
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Review: The House of Yes (1997)
In Mark Waters' The House of Yes indie darling Parker Posey plays a mentally ill rich kid obsessed with Jackie Onassis. Only answering to "Jackie" or “Jackie O,” she spends her days watching soap operas and reading assassination books, according to her naive younger brother Anthony (an oh-so-young and baby-faced Freddie Prinze Jr), who she lives with alongside her mother in an endlessly huge mansion. But her real enjoyment comes from manipulating all the people around her.
So when her dapper older brother Marty (who she might be just a tad too obsessed with) comes back home for Thanksgiving with his sweet new fiance Leslie (Tori Spelling), Jackie O sinks her teeth right in. Complete with Rachael Leigh Cook in a small, funny role as an equally-kooky young Posey I just got One. Thing. To. Say. Could this movie be anymore 90s!?! Surprising to me, I found Freddie Prinze Jr and Spelling both pretty endearing in their parts. And I loved how all of the characters are increasingly… off.
The movie is filmed on a small scale: only these 5 actors; only this one setting; and, mostly, taking place over a single night. And on that night our Jackie O (but mainly her even crazier and confused family) starts to crumble.
(Begin rant: it's so great to see Parker Posey in a starring role, NOT just supporting. But this movie is from '97 yo! Parker Posey is amazing and gets even more beautiful and hilarious with age. "Maybe she's only good in supporting roles" you say? NO! I refuse to believe that. Wouldn't it be so great if Christopher Guest made a new hilarious movie or TV show with her in the starring role!? Wouldn't that be just a dream. Do it. Do iiit!! End rant...)
The House of Yes is dark and demented without jamming it down your throat. But mostly it’s clever, sassy fun. But I wish it was a little more laugh-out-loud-funny. I mean with Posey in the lead (I could seriously watch eight straight hours of Parker Posey’s quirky dreamgirl antics paired with her amazing one liners) and being such a wacky story to begin with, I wish it was even darker and funnier. Yet there’s still a lot to appreciate. It is, overall, an interesting take and commentary on a story of family dysfunction.
Honestly, The House of Yes probably won’t stick in my head for very long. But it is an admirably weird and dark film. Plus if you’re a Parker Posey fan (And why wouldn’t you be!?!) this is essential viewing.
B
Watched on: Netflix
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Review: The Duke of Burgundy (2014)
The Duke of Burgundy is just my most recent choice from the Movies Featuring a Strong Female Lead category on Netflix. (I’m predictable, sure… I don’t have a problem with that.) We’re introduced to two women: Cynthia; a wealthy butterfly expert; and Evelyn, her young, meek housekeeper. So what’s the catch? Yep, the two share a dominant-submissive relationship in the after hours.
Immediately there is a lot of classic cinematic beauty here. The gorgeous interior designs are mixed with stunning outdoor shots and an impressive musical score. The movie has a sense of timelessness to it. The imagery and visuals as a whole are bright, clean, and sumptuous. But there is a definite tinge of freakiness mixed in with it all. …It gets increasingly freaky, actually. (Okay! This movie is just pretty freaky in general.)
The Duke of Burgundy is a slow, intimant burn. Yet sooooo much emphasis is put on all the beautiful things in it: The music! The passionate love-making scenes! There is just So. Much. prettiness it verges into perfume-ady, melodramatic territory. It’s erotic through and though but where it really excels is in the darker moments. Luckily, that’s immediately where the movie goes.
Our two ladies start off predictably one-note about all the BDSM stuff. But it quickly does turn more layered, thus interesting. We go deep with these characters but they always remain enigmatic to a degree. Both Sidse Babbet Knudsen as Cynthia and Chiara D'Anna as Evelyn give solid performances. But D'Anna is wide eyed and especially endearing as the young, curious Evelyn. She’s got a striking face, one I can totally see fitting right into the silent film era.
The movie starts solid and continues on surprising with interesting plot choices that keep the movie from ever being boring. It makes for an uneasy, dreamy feeling that surrounds the whole watching experience. The Duke of Burgundy really hits one of its high points when the question of More and How Far comes in. One of these two women has a lot more esteem for the BDSM world and tends to go further than the other…
This is a movie that starts off pretty freaky but once it nears the end, it becomes straight nightmarish. It may be a little dramatic but it IS an art house film. Yet with that you also get a lot of beauty and surprises. The Duke of Burgundy is an erotic, striking, and sumptuous film. But it has a serious bite.
A-
Watched on: Netflix
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Review: Run Lola Run (1998)
Within a few minutes of the fast-paced, hyper-stylized Run Lola Run the suspenseful, meaty storyline is laid out. Our edgy, flame-haired Lola has only 20 minutes to come up with $100,000 when a precise plan involving her partner in crime (and boyfriend) Manni and a really bad guy goes awry.
The constant electronic dance score paired with often-changing camera shots and angles in the German-language Run Lola Run works right off the bat at showing the suspense. And spazzy, hand-drawn animation paired with lots of side tracking storylines of strangers who Lola literally runs into adds a layer of real unpredictability to it all.
Buuuuuuut it quickly seems like Lola and Manni’s spontaneous plan isn’t heading in the best direction. And it doesn’t work out so well for Lola. But that’s only round one. As soon as Lola’s killed, we jump back to the beginning, when she first gets that unpleasant call from Manni.
The movie manages to amp up the drama as it goes along, not losing any bit of steam. We often revisit characters and moments, the storyline continuingly layering with detail as we go. Although Lola clearly gets smarter with more experience, constant curve balls are always getting thrown the audience’s way.
It’s crazy-thrilling but on top of that, Lola and Manni’s great relationship makes for a strong emotional core. Yet, even without that, the movie would still totally work. It’s well written, features an utterly amazing lead performance, and overall, it’s paced and filmed perfectly.
…But back to the incredible lead performance. Franka Potente is ferocious in the lead role… she’s on fire. This is a chick you never mess with. She even has her own signature death stare. And like all great film protagonists, she’s got the look. With her bottled, fire-engine-red hair and black lined eyes, she makes for a rememberable female character all around.
For all the richness, intelligence, and complexity that goes into Run Lola Run, it turns out to be a pretty short movies. And it feels quick. But that’s great and just how it should be. The movie is a rush and a constantly electrifying viewing experience. Run Lola Run is a real nail-biter (Really… I Could. Not. Stop.) It’s one of the most thrilling movies I’ve seen.
A
Watched on: Movieplex On Demand
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Review: The Human Centipede (2009)
The Human Centipede films have become such a ~thing these days, I thought I should finally check this out. Not that I’ve necessarily been avoiding it. But a horror film about a**-to-mouth experimentation isn’t what I’m usually up for. Yes, the storyline is gross, thus horrifying; but I kind of found the idea silly above all else. And Netflix seriously recommends the hell out of this movie to me (I get it, it’s very cult-y) so I thought it was time to check this movie off my list.
Horror films are so bad these days and as much as they are (obviously) panned by critics, I still find them more and more unwatchably (not even good bad?! Come on!) horrible. I wish they would just go away. That considered, I actually was surprised at how The Human Centipede starts off… Not that bad.
We follow two seemingly innocent young New Yorkers traveling in Europe. On the way to a German nightclub, the fresh-faced girls get a flat tire. They soon find themselves in the home of a wealthy, middle-aged German surgeon; currently mourning the loss of his recently deceased pet Rottweiler…s. [And, side note, if I thought the whole centipede idea was silly sounding before, there’s a nicely ridiculous visual provided here.] He’s a stern and serious man with an air of obsessive cleanliness to him. If the movie ever does verge into eccentric territory, it’s thanks to him. He actually makes for a pretty intriguing villain. Complete with a PowerPoint presentation and all he has one goal on his mind: fulfilling his thought-up Human Centipede invention. And now he’s found just the two people to bring his big ideas to life.
Overall, I gotta say this movie is actually OK. There are no distractingly poor elements to it. The dialogue isn’t too bad, the actors do a pretty good job, the pacing is nice. As much as I wanted to (surprise, surprise!) dislike this, I didn’t at all. As far as horror movies go, The Human Centipede is one of the better ones I’ve seen recently. Still, it’s not like that’s saying much.
It’s a surprisingly subtle movie. Maybe too subtle to be a truly successful horror movie. It’s never that suspenseful and I wouldn’t ever consider it to be a “scary” watch. It is gross though, I’ll give it that. And it does get pretty unpleasant. The plot does begin to build a bit when this evil surgeon gets approached by a couple of cops on a mission. People are missing and he’s OBVIOUSLY the creepiest fool on the whole block.
The Human Centipede is a movie I’ll probably never want to watch again. But in a sea of uncreative and miserable horror options, this movie turns out to be a pretty decent watch if you are curious.
C+
Watched on: Netflix
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Review: Frank (2014)
Domhnall Gleeson is one of those lucky actors that’s truly blowing up right now. Just last year he was in four HUGE (blockbuster/critically acclaimed) movies: Ex Machina, Brooklyn, Star Wars, and The Reverant. His rise has been going on for quite a while though, which leads me to Frank. Featuring a kooky-costumed Michael Fassbender as a frontman to an avant garde rock band, I don’t know HOW I’ve gone so long without checking it out.
Gleeson is our protagonist, Jon, who stumbles upon the opportunity to play keyboards for an aspiring indie rock band when their current drummer dramatically tries to drown himself in the ocean. Here we’re introduced to Fassbender, the titular character and band’s lead singer (?. He never dares takes off his signature (…scary) wooden bobblehead.
At first thrown off by the band’s bizarre sound and lead singer, it doesn’t take long for Jon to be won over by these eccentricities. He takes time off from work to go with the gang for the weekend, after just a single show playing with them. What Jon thinks is just another gig turns out to be a prolonged stay at a cozy Irish cabin to record an entire album. …Once again it doesn’t take long for Jon to say yes.
I found the idea of Fassbender playing dress up like this often hilarious and, surprisingly, pretty easy to go along with.. Even without Fassbender’s magical facial expressions and overall handsomeness. The character is lovable but also layered and smart. He’s just as much sweet and open minded as he is silly and unpredictable. I can’t imagine that Fassbender has ever been funnier, or just able to use his comedic chops so well, as he does in this. His jokes, comedic timing, vocal range… Everything is impressive. It is an eccentric, deep performance through and through.
Maggie Gyllenhaal gets a lot of screen time as the band’s , Clara. Jon’s biggest adversary and source of sexual tension, she’s extremely rude and biting… Its ~her thing. She’s great in the role but maybe pulls off being a downright B**** a little too well. She’s funny at times, but other times she’s just really unlikable.
Other than these two, the rest of the band consists of a couple of hipster, young Frenchies who stay on the quiet side and the often-deep Don, the band’s manager… But it’s pretty much agreed upon by everybody but Frank is the real star of this band. And that’s the way it has to stay.
After A LOT of procrastinating, the band finally gets to work on recording an album. That ends up going really smoothly and, once complete, there’s finally a real sense of welcomeness for Jon.
And then, out of nowhere, (and super annoyingly, I gotta say) something horrible happens. …Which leads to the whole unraveling of the band.
Yet no matter how dark Frank gets it never loses its loose, good-natured vibe. Frank is a movie that’s trully genuine and sweet. It’s not just a fabulous showcase for Fassbender’s eccentric, extraordinary performance but tells a feel-good, soulful story that will leave you smiling.
A-
Watched on: Netflix
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