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Reviews
Last Days (2005)
Rock star's last days, lost, desperate, & alone, beautifully filmed
Gus Van Sant, just as he had done in Gerry and in Elephant, has taken a real-life mystery, and filled in some of the trivial missing parts with his imagination. I haven't seen Gerry or Elephant, but this time he has created a masterpiece.
The movie follows Blake, an isolated young rebel, who is a "rock-and-roll cliché", during the last days of his life. We see him mumbling to himself, and he seems incoherent, unable to stay awake. He is constantly running away, pursued by everyone, but unable to face his obligations. He is dragging himself through life.
The atmosphere of the whole movie is determined by the characters' state of mind. Every single element conveys the despair and pointlessness of Blake's existence, and the blurry thoughts that might be going through his brain. But these ugly days are filmed with an unsympathetic, contemplative and poetic eye. Every shot has the rare beauty of a renaissance painting. All the other elements fit together in perfect harmony: the music, the sounds that have no apparent source but the inside of Blake's head, and Michael Pitt's song "From Death to Birth" sent shivers down my back. The song, and all the actors' performances are authentic, personal and uncompromising.
Another thing: it was a very pleasant surprise to see a movie about the death of a rock star that's not filled with trashy violence aimed to shock and move viewers.
Forget about who Kurt Cobain was, and about his legend, this movie is not about him. Forget about the critics and the Cannes Film Festival, it's not about them either. Last days is a sincere and personal movie by people who apparently respect Kurt's memory. At least enough to tell a touching and aesthetic story inspired by his ordeal.
Yadon ilaheyya (2002)
One of a kind. A movie with character, whose pace coincides with it's theme.
Whoever thought it was boring missed an important point: The movie itself (the rhythm, the structure, "no point") is a metaphor for the lives of those people. If it were any more lively or "entertaining" it would have been completely inconsistent.
It is not just the (very funny) jokes that make the movie interesting, but the attitude it emanates. The individual scenes (which are ALL linked to others by the way) express the feeling of indifference developed by the characters after years of living in a land torn by conflict. But they can't just stop living. On one hand, the immensely amusing daily situations prove that they're alive. But on the other hand, everyone in the movie seems to have grown immune to humour.
This movie not only unites strong elements, like hidden symbols, attractively filmed shots, great music, and occasional bursts of humour and action. It also paints a subtle portrait of characters that may or may not reflect reality. It conveys a certain mood with remarkable coherence. The state of mind of people who are living surreal lives but can't take it any more. When will the boiler explode? How long can this go on?
Divine intervention contains poignant scenes of humiliation, defiance, love, insanity, and also scenes of simple mundane living. All that with as little words as possible. I saw it for the first time at a European film festival in Beirut two years ago. I've seen it three times since, and every time I laugh less, but my admiration grows a little for this rich movie.
Saraband (2003)
Stunning. A cinematic orgasm.
Now I know what all those slow movies were trying to imitate.
I had seen a lot of movies like it, but NOT QUITE. This is one of the most flawless movie I've ever seen. A revelation -- (I had never seen an Ingmar Bergman movie before.)
The ease with which emotions are communicated through the screen is unbelievable. I have never seen anything like it. What is it that makes it so different and so memorable? Every single element in this film contributes to its general beauty, the moaning cello, the words, the eyes of the amazing actors, EVERYTHING. No superfluous scenes, no unnecessary sophistication. Bergman is a master of emotional precision.
It is just a personal opinion but just like "Talk to her" was my favourite from last year, "Saraband" is the best movie I've seen this year. I recommend that you go see it if you get the chance. Don't think. Just go. If you don't like it, it will be one more movie you didn't like. But if you don't see it you risk missing a kind of cinematic orgasm.