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Margot at the Wedding (2007)
The intricacies of a mother-son relationship
'Margo at the Wedding' delves into aspects of the complicated relationship between a mother and son little explored in film. It reveals the subtleties of how roles can be switched between adults and children, with the parent taking on the role of the child, and vice versa. Yet, no matter the consequences and the emotional fallout, the bond a mother and a son share remains unbreakable and is more powerful than life itself.
I particularly appreciated the final scene in which Baumbach crafts a magical cinematic moment, masterfully depicting the impossibility to sever this bond.
I Feel Good (2018)
A comedic delight!
Happened upon this by accident. Loved it! A comedy that really cracks you up, with a quirky storyline and characters.
Which reminds me - I should check out the rest of Jean Dujardin's filmography.
Sandome no satsujin (2017)
Masterful depiction of the struggles of the pursuit of justice
Of all the courtroom drama movies I have watched (the bulk of which American), I consider 'The Third Murder' to be a most insightful and artistic - almost metaphysical - depiction of the trials and challenges a lawyer's pursuit of the truth can entail. A truly mesmerising feature so rich in layers that it bears watching more than once.
If I were a criminal law professor, I would make this movie part of the mandatory curriculum.
Indian Summers (2015)
Such an engrossing story!
I have to admit I thoroughly enjoyed watching this show. The historical backdrop is fairly well depicted, and the leading characters are well-developed. Julie Walters and Henry Lloyd-Hughes give truly masterful performances, especially in how they have portrayed the inextricable bond that exists between their respective characters. It almost seems like they have unwittingly added more depth to the story by doing so.
Although I am not British myself, 'Indian Summers' was so engrossing that watching it was sort of a cathartic experience for me.
The show may be a slow-burner for some, especially season 2, but do keep at it. You won't regret it.
Une histoire américaine (2015)
How late is too late?
For some reason I really appreciated this movie - the quality of the story, the very solid and purposeful direction and the excellent acting by Vincent Macaigne. While the story about the trials and tribulations of the transatlantic relationship is certainly not a new one - we have seen it told a handful of times before and usually from a US perspective - this time we see it from a uniquely French perspective. Does the difference in mindsets and culture make for a difference in outcome? Will the French protagonist win back his American lady? What methods will he use to accomplish this and at what price?
We have a man blinded by love (and possibly some obsession thrown into the mix for good measure), wishing to turn back time and have a second chance at love, determined to overcome the transatlantic barrier and therefore uprooting his life in France and moving to New York. The director faces us with an age-old dilemma: how late is too late for a second chance at love with one person, and should there really be one single 'objective' answer to this?
Love (2015)
Love at its rawest
Watching this movie has been a transofrmative experience for me. The director pushes so many boundaries with his unique approach to portraying love and sex and almost manages to eliminate the "fourth wall". I don't think the dialogues are bad or under-dveloped at all (as one user noted) - to the contrary, I think they are 'fit for purpose'. Not too much, not too little.
It's a movie that stays with you, makes you rethink and challenge your own perception of the correlation between love and sex as basic elements that sustain human life. It has a liberating effect on the viewer's psyche and therein lies its unique quality. In today's age of alienation, cybersexuality and virtual interaction, Noe's storytelling reminds us of our human essence and of how important it is to nurture it and elevate it.
"Love" is freedom in its purest form.
Crno seme (1971)
The artistic quality of this movie is amazing
This is not you average labour/prisoner camp movie. There's so much more to this movie, from the way the director skillfully plays with different frames and stop-shots to the movie's compelling soundwork. It manages to deliver a very poignant message - one about the perseverence of the human spirit in the face of viciousness and cruelty.
Jazol (1985)
Second world war-era story with great original music scores
The film "Jazol" ("Knot") follows events that take place in 1943, during the fascist occupation and the deportation of the Jewish population from the city of Skopje. The story line is multi-layered and combines the personal stories and individual drama of the doctor Nikola, the prisoner Simeon and August, a Jewish man from Germany. Through the rich and dynamic plot, the film illustrates the challenging historical and social conditions of the time.
Pokoj, rci, jad (1975)
Medieval story based on Biblical motives
The action in the film "Jad" ("Misery") is set in the Balkans, at the end of the XI century. Based on Biblical motives, the film talks about the spiritual resistance of the Slavic population against the Byzantine rule and the Christian dogma, shown through the rich folk tradition of medieval rites and customs and the spread of the Bogomil movement. The film follows the fate of the family of Abraham (Avram) as a symbol of the human endurance amid the relentless fate of the Balkans.
What Cenevski as a film director always did well - as a result of his unique and unquestionable sensibility - was to skillfully and poignantly capture the inner, immanent framing of the film image and mastering the art of refined treatment of other film elements - whether these portray brutal violence or ideological clashes. After all - cruelty, despair, restlessness, anger, etc. - in Cenevski's films always manage to appropriate a deep inner balance, in that, when watching the film, these are not always necessarily associated with horror; they rather speak to life itself, in all its fullness. Never literally or too obviously, but in an artistically layered and profound way, he manages to open up a space for the triumph of human freedom and true human values. For Cenevski, the magnitude of such filmmaking did not result in unnecessary hyper-productivity; on the contrary, it resulted in a deep reflection over each of his film projects, which were always eagerly anticipated by film critics and audiences. Today, Cenevski's film achievements - restored and digitized - are awaiting new viewings, as well as new interpretations. Macedonians can find the power to overcome the doubts and dilemmas over their identity in every work of Kiril Cenevski. After all, is there a greater confirmation than this, for an artist and his work?
Time Out of Mind (2014)
Brought me to tears!
Please try not to rely on the low rating score, this movie is a true indie gem in its own right. For whatever reason, it also seems to have been snubbed by most film festivals. The movie encapuslates the essence of what indie movies should be about: emotion, empathy, compassion, humility. It brought me to tears!
It is very well written, flows very nicely and is so genuine that there is almost a documentary quality to it. Also, Richard Gere's performance - my God! At first I was apprehensive, thinking that including an A-list Hollywood star would spoil the 'indie' vibe, but quite the contrary, Gere proves he is a stellar actor no matter the scene or the budget.
Although we know very little about the main character's, George's (Richard Gere), past we become engrossed in his story, his desperation, the point in life where he finds himself lining up in front of a homeless shelter - penniless, hungry and unable to remember his social security number. This movie is a powerful story, a story about the stories we tell ourselves and those we tell other people. But, above all, it speaks about our right to human dignity and respect and how each person is entitled to seek wellbeing and happiness, regardless of his past mistakes. These are all elements inalienable from our very essence as humans.
Thank you for this one, Oren Moverman.
P.S. Nice soundtrack, too.
Endeavour (2012)
Deep, moving, and engaging period piece
"Endeavour" is a show that slowly, but surely grows on you. A true delight! I liked it so much that I've been re-watching some episodes multiple times just for their sheer cinematic quality. The show is exceptionally well written, the storylines are well thought-through and layered, and the main characters are vividly depicted, making their individual stories very relatable. This is not just a detective drama, it's a true period piece - a veritable portrayal of life in the sixties in the UK.
And, of course, to warm the heart, there is a delicate yet compelling love story which we gradually see develop as the show advances. It acts as quite an endearing common thread for all the episodes.
Folk Hero & Funny Guy (2016)
"On the road" flick well worth the watch
I came upon this movie quite by accident and a happy accident it was. Although it has all the elements of a run-of-the-mill "on the road" story about down-on-their-luck characters searching for themselves, there is a lot more to this movie, especially given that it's a first one for writer/director Jeff Grace.
As with all such "on the road" genre pieces, this movie is all about the journey, and not the destination - alas, it would have been nice for the director to have worked out the destination with the same subtle ingenuity as he did the journey. Still, it does have hilariously funny bits, especially if one is a fan of Alex Karpovsky's comedic niche (who himself has a couple of indie comedies under his belt). The oddly put together scenes do somehow work; packed with embarassing and socially awkward yet endearing situations, they make the viewer feel genuinely connected to the characters. The individual struggles of the characters are very relatable (especially for the 'Gen X' crowd) and well thought through: the impossible to settle down and commit rock star; the former coat-check girl with a flair for country rock, dealing with her own insecurities; the struggling stand-up comedian set on pursuing his dream while still working on the right way to approach and impress the ladies - the department his friend "folk hero" has no problem in.
In spite of all this, "funny guy" still manages to be the unassuming hero of the story. But, will he get the girl in the end?
Mississippi Grind (2015)
Great character acting by Ryan Reynolds
As much as I wouldn't expect to be re-watching for the third time in a row a movie starring one of Hollywood's "men of the hour", it is Reynolds' truly stellar performance that kept me glued to the screen. What I particularly appreciate about the movie is how well crafted the two leading characters are and the particular depth that Reynolds adds to the drifting casino-frequenting thrill-seeker he plays (who by his own admission is better at darts than gambling and is a casino regular simply because he "likes people"). Curtis (Reynolds' character) is a sort of a perennial wanderer, set on a journey of discovery, oblivious however as to what exactly it is he is searching for. A typical "lost soul" in the Gen X sense, Curtis loathes any sort of predictability and never stays in one place for too long and has a debilitating fear of committing to places and people - love interests, too. Reynolds manages to turn Curtis into a likable character one could relate to so much so that when he professes his love to his on again-off again casino hostess girlfriend, it almost looks like he is finally ready to settle down and anchor "in love". But, love is the ultimate gamble for him, something he is yet unprepared for, with the next roll of the dice at the next casino holding more appeal. The thrill of the "open road" and the endless possibilities it brings with it have been nicely captured in this movie, depicting the very essence of the American dream which lies in the understanding that, in Curtis's own words, "the journey is the destination".
Kicking and Screaming (1995)
My favorite scene in the movie...
Romantic relationships don't come with a user's manual and sometimes - to paraphrase Grover from "Kicking and Screaming" - despite our most intense efforts, things happen anyway. Though I've never been one to detail movies scene-by-scene, I believe the scene with Jane and Grover's chance meeting at the townie bar is one to go down in independent movie history. It is both a captivating and a moving scene which represents a perfect blend of just the right amount of emotion and humor epitomizing a semiotic balance between the spoken and the unspoken, as the two basic parameters the scene revolves around.
It's daytime and Grover happens upon Jane at the bar - probably expecting to find her there - and after a fair share of drinks they sit down at their table and the magic of the scene starts to unravel. They realize they are both hammered, share a couple of semantically flawless exchanges (as to be expected from creative writing majors) and some innocent yet flirtatious looks after which Jane realizes she is late for her therapist's appointment and gets up to put on her coat. Grover gets behind her and hesitates to help her put on her coat; he's only an inch away, but last minute decides against doing it. He sees her off to the exit, feeling compelled to start with his 'confession' which is that "despite (his) most intense efforts, things happen anyway", stating that he has decided against developing any emotional attachments with anyone in senior year, before graduation, but yet insisting that after the alcohol wears off and Jane and him go back to their daily routine, they both still "feel this way" and hoping they get to "keep this". One could only hope that what he is referring to is the magic of that particular moment, the unplanned intimacy and unmistakable complicity they have managed to conjure up together leading up to that moment. To this Jane responds with a more sobering answer, putting things into perspective by saying that the whole thing shouldn't be conceived in such dramatic terms and that they still "have some time" since "it's a long life". She takes Grover's suggestion one step further, hypothesizing about what would happen should they indeed start a love affair and asking him if he thinks the affair would last. Upon Grover's quick retort ("That's a nice attitude"), Jane pauses for a while and leaves.
Artistically speaking, Baumbach plays with the notions of the spoken and the unspoken interchangeably which adds to the spontaneous and dynamic character of the scene. Being centered on two people who have found themselves in this amazingly auspicious moment in time, this scene flawlessly captures the 'will they, won't they' conundrum so many of us have found ourselves in. When Jane leaves the bar the viewer is left with the feeling that just about anything might happen between our two protagonists after their 'moment' is over; out there, 'in the reality of life', they may have a storybook love affair, or indeed, by some weird twist of faith, may even never see each other again. It is a definite maybe and the dramatic value of the scene is that it so unpretentiously suggests to the viewer that one should always cherish the beauty of the moment and the fullness of the feelings one experiences in that particular moment, in spite of the whirlwind of ill-fated events that may potentially ensue. By having crafted such a flawless cinematic moment, Baumbach inevitably turns the viewer into a cheerleader for Grover and Jane's budding romance, almost to the point of compulsion.
Red Flag (2012)
An indie movie to be treasured
Alex Karpovsky, the writer and director, is my new favorite indie movie guy. Having watched through a fair share of indie movies, I can say that Karpovsky has a lot going for him and his talent for independent movie making should be treasured. Watching 'Red Flag' was such a refreshing experience - even though the storyline is pretty straightforward (an up-and-coming young filmmaker takes a road trip hoping to resolve among other some of his personal and emotional dilemmas), Karpovsky manages to breathe a breath of fresh air into the standard 'on the road' movie story and does it so beautifully. I love it how the story makes a full circle and the end of the movie marks a hopeful new beginning. A new day, a new beginning and still, an age-old conundrum - why doesn't US hotel policy allow one extra hour of check-out time, even in the most dire of circumstances? :)
Full Frontal (2002)
Shamefully underrated!
I was surprised to see the rather low IMDb score for this movie which is actually one of my top ten American independent movies of all time. It has a terrific cast, a great story and a great sub-story (or rather a sub-text to the main story), the different camera work serving as the differentiating element between the two. As a 'film within a film' type of movie, it superbly conveys the reality-fiction duality, centering on two main stories/plots: the 'real' story (shot dogma-style) and the 'fictional' story (shot in a standard way) thus allowing the viewer to distinguish between the two. It is a film about love and the search for love, the search for love in the right or wrong places, in ways which can be right or wrong. It engages with two developing love stories – one fictional, the other real. The 'fictional' story involves Roberts and Underwood's characters (him - an up-and-coming Hollywood movie star, her –a journalist doing a cover story on him). The 'real' story running in parallel is about the potentiality of human relationships, with two protagonists who have not yet met in person and, through a prolonged online communication, have arranged to finally meet in person. As the movie progresses, the sympathetic viewer's anticipation and excitement for their upcoming meeting at the "Holiday Inn" in Tucson builds up giving the impression that this 'love story in the making' is essentially the leitmotif of the movie, engaging the viewer with these two people's chance for romance and love and the opportunity to 'get it right' this time around. The ultimate reason why this movie resonates with me so deeply is the final scene of the chance encounter between the 'real' love story protagonists before they board the plane to Tucson (the irony being that both of them are based in L.A. and share a number of mutual acquaintances) with the two of them ending up sitting together on the plane. It is at this time that the viewer experiences a heart-warming 'ooooh' moment about how real love can work in mysterious ways, which is almost immediately followed by a shocking twist in the story: as the camera zooms out, what is revealed is – a movie set! Shattering all our illusions that the 'real' love story of the film will indeed develop, the ending is truly a pessimistic one, however, managing to depict in a masterful way the thin dividing line between art and life/ reality and film. Even though the film yet again confirms the age-old rule that accomplished love stories get a better chance in the fictional (movie) world, it also presents us with a challenge for a real-world chance worth taking.