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Kuru Otlar Üstüne (2023)
Ultra-liberal manifesto in the form of movie
Starting from positive :
The movie is another visual masterpiece by the Turkish director Mr. Ceylan who is probably one of the most important, hardworking and focused creators of modern art world.
The movie is so realistic (dialogue, the locations, the scenery, the awkward moments and most importantly the people&their interaction) it has even some taste of non-fiction semi-documentary. But you never get bored and the tempo never drops.
It also succeeds in giving you the special, rugged, exotic but authentic atmosphere of Eastern Turkey including the somewhat particular&strong local culture (which puts honor&decency above everything else)
Now negative sides :
Too much profanity. OK I know some Turkish man talks like this especially when there is no woman around but it felt exaggerated for the sake of looking natural&realistic
Forced/outdated political agenda about Kurdish-micronationalism/Alewites/ultra-left : Nothing wrong with these real elements presenting themselves in a movie like E. Turkey in this type of movie, but its intensity and the way it is being represented looked forced and outdated to some extent
The movie is slowly becoming like a manifesto of philosophical ultra-liberalism against "naive/pointless" leftist/humanitarian thinking and "crude/authoritarian" right-wing thinking (latter being seen not even worthy to initiate a discussion)
To sum it up, I think this is a deeply subjective movie whose main characters seems like the inner voices/mindsets of the director himself fighting each other. And this has been made too explicit for my taste. The cultural/political background&profane dialogue tries to balance this (towards some level of authenticity/objectivity) but it remains somewhat exaggerated and forced.
However I can say that the director&author is at least honest with us in delving to the deep layers of liberalist psyche (humans not trustable, all religions/ideologies inevitably authoritatarian, too much pain/suffering for any naive hope to exist, genuine compassion/care for humans not sensible since it would lead to futile/risky existential engagement etc).
I would recommend the movie event if I think it is not a masterpiece.
Poirot: Curtain: Poirot's Last Case (2013)
Complicated in a rightful manner
I think this final episode is more about religion, piety and sacrifice. Nothing looks as it seems. No Poirot does not commit suicide, amyl nitrate would not save a man in his final stage and suffering an angina heart attack. He felt it is the end and thought that amyl nitrate is not useful. Yes there is a reason why he treats Mr.Hastings harsher than usual, Hastings just can not understand the seriousness of the danger, he is nice, innocent, friendly but not sharp. Poirot tries to protect him by being blunt and somewhat authoritarian. Yes he does commit a murder, but he knows that Mr.Norton could not be convicted under law and he will continue to hurt people just for the sake of it (actually their last confrontation makes it very obvious that he is an extremely clever but evil character). So Poirot sacrifices his reputation and his principles to save people in his last hour.
The episode tries to establish that there are three categories of people : 1-) religious meaning that they truly and caringly respect human life (as core aspect of religion with everything else is of secondary importance) 2-) Indifferent and disrespectful like Judith Hastings and Dr.Franklin (they eventually marry and leave the scene in appalling indifference) . Remember when Dr.Franklin says to Mr.Hastings "why anything is important and valuable when we know death is inevitable" 3-) Evil like Mr.Norton. However he is the manifestation of hidden evil as abusive and manipulative. Actually the whole episode is like a testimony to goodness and piety in more strange and convoluted forms as fitting to Monsieur Poirot himself. The final scene, the signing of the letter, remembrance of "good old days" and Mr.Suchet's final look to the camera was so emotional and overwhelming. You did a wonderful job, congratulations and thanks for everything...
Poirot: Three Act Tragedy (2010)
Not so credible, weak motivation and suspension of belief
If you are a calculating and heartless killer who goes to such lengths to rehearsing your method of killing anyone in a group of people, you would have been much clever. Why insisting the first death was a murder, you should always mention it as a natural death. Why staging the same setting in your second murder? Why collecting the same group of people? It should have been a totally different setting (maybe an afternoon tea party) with different people (definitely not including Poirot) maybe after 6 months (so that every one would forget the first murder). I know the murderer was trying to confuse the police and everyone but still you are putting yourself in the suspicion list because you were related to the Sir Barthelomew and you were there in the first murder (which would become suspicious again since the settings and people are so close). Once this two murders are associated, no police/detective will by blackmailing butler story. Also the motive is weak in this version. How can only one person know that someone as famous as Mr.Cartwright has a wife in mental asylum that he can not divorce? It is impossible. American version of the story in which he suffers clinical megolamania is more credible.
Btw I agree that Mr.Martin Shaw is outstanding in this role. His acting as an past-his-prime actor with well hidden derangedness/megalomania is almost perfection
Poirot: Murder on the Orient Express (2010)
Could not stand to violent, prejudiced and raw orientalism
I am really sorry, what a disappointment.
Come on Ms Christie. How could you really think a woman stoned to death in downtown Istanbul in 1930's? Turks do not have such tradition neither it is in the religion. This is unheard of in the history of Ottomans and Turkey.
Why Orient should always include savagery, barbarism, brutality? Why there should be call to prayer sounds in the background all the time? Why Poirot or other tourists does not even go or even considering going to police?.
I know it is in the novel but we have seen many parts of the novel removed or altered. So why they keep this in 2010 when it is so obvious that rampant orientalism and islamophobia had its toll in Mrs.Christie's mindset. We all know that these ideologies have been and still are pushed to justify white-christian supremacy and the wealth of underdeveloped countries being stolen/plundered by Western countries.
No I do not want PC but at least some credibility should exist. Istanbul was always a centre of civilization. While Istanbul (last station of Orient Express) was the center of civilized world and scientific advancement 900 years ago, most european cities was filthy, muddy, backwards.
I liked the series. I really like David Suchet. Big disappointment for me.