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Black Panther (2018)
Black Panther another Hollywood superhero
I saw Slumdog Millionaire as Hollywood goes India or India goes Hollywood and I see Black Panther as Hollywood goes Africa or Africa goes Hollywood. The values sold in this film are no different than the values sold in a slew of Hollywood action films. It has value in that it gives North American people of African decent heroes in their own image which is all the more important in today's socio-political reality.
Juste la fin du monde (2016)
Dolan does it again
Extremely well acted, filmed and put together. I thought I'd stop and watch again later but never did stop it kept pulling me in. It's a hard film because it is about relationships that hurt, everyone wanting so desperately, no one getting which leaves us the viewer hurt too. Dolan is brilliant in studying these relationships full of need from I killed my mother all the way to Mommy and this. Cinema about pain.
The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
Almost like the director had ESP
The cinematography is great, the development of the plot kept me interested, there was a lot of suspense and the acting was superior. I particularly liked Angela Lansbury's role. I always see her as kindly but not this time. Some of the intrigue is dated since we aren't in the midst of a red scare anymore however I have to say that the director seemed to have ESP because the outcome of the plot, what Moscow is up to that is, may very well have been successfully executed in 2016.
Requiem (2006)
A wake up call to the damage belief in demonic possession cause
Spoiler alert
Brilliant portrayal of the fatal damage done by the misguided belief that a serious mental illness coupled with epilepsy is not physical or psychological but rather is demonic and must be exorcised. As an atheist I found it extremely difficult to watch the damage being done by the religious people around the young woman. Well acted and drives the point home of the folly of religion gone too far. This film is based on a real life case, that of Anneliese Michel of Bavaria. The film "The Exorcist" was based on the same case. In real life the Priests attempted 12 exorcisms on Anneliese only stopping because she died, in her parent's home, of exhaustion. Thankfully there was justice in that her parents were convicted of manslaughter.
The acting was top notch and the camera work, mies-en-scene and editing all added to a real life feel to the movie. Kind of like a Lars von Trier film. I think this film is truly aptly named "Requiem". It is a testament to a life sadly wasted to the folly of religious belief gone too far.
Gran Torino (2008)
Gran piece of pro white patriarchal American propaganda
This review contains spoilers: I am kind of amazed at the good reviews for this film however I am not surprised. This film is so full of right wing white supremacist pro patriarchy, pro America, pro military propaganda that it makes my blood curdle. The film is about a lone white ex Korean military man who saves a Hmong immigrant family from a terrible Hmong gang and terrible African American hoods. The allusions to Christ are obvious but I won't elaborate so as not to spoil the ending for any readers still with me. The message embedded in this film, I believe, is that American militaristic male white-hood is there to save everyone else from themselves so you all can rest easy. Quite the task however it would appear Clint Eastwood believes America and Christ are up to it. The acting is not that great and seems forced. Eastwood playing a curmudgeon who swears a lot and believes that male bonding is all about exchanging insults with other men who insult him right back. There is a scene where he and his barber are trying to teach a Hmong teenager how to do this and naturally all is right with the world once said Hmong teenager has mastered the technique and thrown some zingers himself which immensely impress the two white men. White male America teaching the world how to be manly it would appear and so the film.
Antiviral (2012)
Antiviral the future of North American Capitalism?
Unfettered capitalism, Corporatism, the worship of anti-intellectualism and the "fetishization" of celebrity's ultimate result brilliantly portrayed in this futuristic film. Caleb Jones is absolutely perfect as the protagonist working at a corporation selling celebrity viruses to allow fans to feel close to their favourite stars by having the same viruses that they do. There are people who purposefully try to become HIV positive so I do not think this scenario is too far fetched. Caleb Jones as Syd March has an ethereal beauty and paleness allowing him to pull off the part impeccably as does Sarah Gadon as Hannah Geist the main star on exclusive contract with the Lucas Clinic. The mise-en-scene, with its clean clinical whiteness and modern design, mirrors how corporations would present their clinic to best market their product. Even their advertising and the clinic staff dialogue with clients seems to be exactly how the selling of celebrity viruses would take place. I take this film as a caricature of what we are becoming and it's not pretty.
Noah (2014)
My kind of Noah - spoiler alert
I will begin by letting you know that I am an atheist and so was not going to go watch this movie which I thought would be religious however I saw that it was an Aronofsky and I am a huge Aronofsky fan. I, therefore, obviously went to see it. I loved it. Note that I am seriously concerned about what we are doing to our planet, animals and the environment particularly with global warming and I am, also, a vegan so this movie and this Noah had me with hooked within minutes. I was on the verge of tears throughout most of the film due to the message that man's sin was not orgies etc but rather the wanton rape of the land, air and water and the violent mistreatment of each other and of the animals, birds, reptiles, fish etc The film was dramatic, the actors and actresses, for the most part, beautiful, special effects quite good. The only flaw, and why I gave it a nine instead of a ten, was that it was a little bit too long. This may not be my favorite Aronofsky film but it spoke to me and is so timely what with the most recent UN / IPCC report which says that we are all sitting ducks if we do not do something, and now, about global warming.
Krótki film o zabijaniu (1988)
Brutal but important.
As with many Kieslowski films it starts slowly and one can be tempted to give up but it is never a good idea as most Kieslowski films end up leaving you changed should you watch them to the end. This one did not disappoint. "A Short Film about Killing" is not any easy film. There are graphic scenes. While this film made me disgusted by the brutality of the main characters senseless act the brutality of the state also disgusted me. Though I felt no empathy towards the young man I was repulsed by the state's behaviour. Brutal murder does not negate brutal murder. All the state does when it kills someone as retribution is increase the murder rate. I recommend this film. Kieslowski deals with brutality in a far less morally high handed way than Michael Hanneke does and, I think, his message is all the stronger for it.
I compagni (1963)
A testament to human weakness
This movie is an amazing study of human behaviour from the sheer selfishness and greed of the exploiters to the fear and desperation of the exploited. It is a testament to the weakness of humanity be it the weakness of greed leading to lack of compassion for one's fellow on the one hand and to the weakness of the exploited to allow themselves to be exploited for fear of losing the very little they have. The Organizer is the exception. He is not weak. He is compassionate. For this he pays dearly. Hated by the exploiters and not understood by the exploited. Perhaps he does not even understand himself. A powerful film and a must for anyone concerned with the current horror of Neo-Liberalism and global warming.