200 Movies // One to Ten

No. 1 // The Iron Lady

Dir. Phyllida Lloyd

SYNOPSIS 

A biopic of Margaret 
Thatcher, the woman who 
changed British politics,
told in flashbacks.


I wasn't watching Meryl Streep play Thatcher. I was watching Thatcher. Unfortunately, the film doesn't quite support this stellar performance as well as it should. The entire structure of the film was annoying, the way it moves back and forth felt too jittery and restless for me. The ending is ridiculous and left a sour sentimental aftertaste instead of the complex piquancy that a biopic of a controversial political figure should inspire.

No. 2 // Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives

Dir. Apichatpong Weerasethakul

SYNOPSIS
A dream-like journey
into the heart, soul
and mind of Thailand

Imagine yourself taking a nap on a hammock in the middle of the quiet, Thai countryside. As you enter your mid-afternoon dream you realise you're still in the same place. There are monkey ghosts in the distance with red eyes and you follow them. You're tour guide is Haruki Murakami and he narrates your journey as you follow these strange creatures and you discover the mysteries of life and beyond, of myths and local fables, and of ghosts and strange entities. When you decide to see this film, don't expect a story but instead, expect to fall into a hypnotic dream. One that will leave you scratching your head once the credits roll.

No. 3 // Meek's Cutoff

Dir. Kelly Reichardt


SYNOPSIS
Set in Oregon in 1845,
a group of settlers find
themselves stranded in
the middle of the desert

This is one of those films I did not enjoy watching but I take full responsibility for my lack of pleasure. This is a well-made, well-acted, well-thought out film. Maybe I was just not in the right mood or I was not in the right mindset. It felt like I was watching a classic I couldn't decrypt just yet. This is going on my re-watch pile.

No. 4 // Badlands

Dir. Terrence Malick


SYNOPSIS
A story of two people
on a killing spree seen
 through the beautiful gaze
of Malick


Kit and Holly are confusing people. What they say and do does not make any sense but somehow Malick makes us fall in love with them all the same. It might be the golden hour light that they are constantly bathed in or it may be because despite the unforgivable crimes they commit together they both project a sense of childishness. One half the innocence, the other half the rebellion. 

No. 5 // Waiting...
Dir. Rob McKittrick

SYNOPSIS
Multiple coming-of-age
stories from the young
employees of a restaurant


A chance to turn off the brain after those first four films. The ensemble worked well together and I like anything with Anna Faris in it. If you have ever worked at a restaurant or anywhere customer service is involved a lot of the things here, though at times may feel cliched, will still feel hilariously familiar. Additionally, this film gives a very valuable lesson: don't mess with the people who handle your food.

No. 6 // Page One: Inside The New York Times
Dir. Andrew Rossi


SYNOPSIS
Documentary about the New 
York Time's response
to the 'death of the
newspaper'


When I told people I was studying journalism their first response is always: why? Newspapers are dying. Newspapers aren't dying. The physical object maybe but journalism and news reporting will always exist. It's just at a moment of transition right now. Page One is a timely documentary about this moment of transition. The conflict between traditional and new media. It was interesting but there wasn't all that much I got from it. The people they followed around and interviewed weren't very interesting either and I think that's the biggest downfall of a documentary.

No. 7 // Snowtown
Dir. Justin Kurzel


SYNOPSIS
Australian film about the
real life 'bodies in the 
barrel' murders


This Australian film felt like a slightly less intelligent Animal Kingdom. Snowtown is based on the real life 'bodies in the barrel' murders that occurred in Adelaide. While the scenes were clearly designed to shock and provoke, I felt nothing. Probably because the film felt unkind, like it was just there to make me feel bad. 

No. 8 // Kramer vs Kramer
Dir. Robert Benton


SYNOPSIS

A just divorced man must learn 

to care for his son on his own, 

and then must fight in court 

to keep custody of him

The french toast scene at the end of the film broke my heart a little bit. It was like watching the end of a lovely ritual between two people. It was only one out of many beautifully rendered scenes in the film. It's amazing how the writers, actors and director were able to create subtle nuances in dialogue to show little details about their characters and how that offers us a glimpse into the gradations of their relationships.

No. 9 // The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Dir. David Fincher


SYNOPSIS
A young hacker and a
journalist solve a 40-
year old murder mystery


I love what Ignatiy from Ebert Presents says about David Fincher's films. That he's interested in process and how one thing leads to another and leads to another. Think of the process of Facebook's creation in The Social Network and how that leads to lawsuits and broken friendships. How in Zodiac the processes of crime investigation and news reporting culminate to one man's obsession with finding the truth. Here in Dragon Tattoo we get a glimpse into the process of research and uncovering secrets. This may all sound boring but Fincher who is  well-known for his style he makes all these processes: programming, investigations, news reporting, and researching, seem really cool and cinematic. 

No. 10 // The Descendants
Dir. Alexander Payne


SYNOPSIS
A father struggles to
look after his family
after his wife goes into
a coma


At the beginning of the film I felt most of the characters were portrayed in a stereotypical, banal way but each one of them have this really beautiful transformation and it was like someone turned on a light. They all became real. George Clooney was great but Shailene Woodley was a standout. I am still holding a grudge towards the Academy for not nominating her. 


Links:


About the 200 Movies Challenge


Films I've seen so far








Images edited by me from screenshots of the film

Inner apocalypse and preteniousness // Melancholia

Melancholia is split into two parts titled with the names of the two protagonists, 'Justine' and 'Claire'. Justine is played by Kirsten Dunst, Claire by Charlotte Gainsbourg. Justine is depression, Claire is anxiety.

When the threat of Melancholia (an approaching planet that once hid behind the sun and may or may not collide with Earth) heightens, Justine reacts to the situation with interminable indifference while Claire responds with suffocating anxiety. 

Von Trier uses an impending apocalypse as a way to explain what depression and an anxiety disorder really feels like. Personally, I've had bouts of anxiety attacks and moments of depression and still continue to experience these. Despite referrals to therapists, I've put off seeing them (yes, I'm in THAT stage). I haven't come across a film that accurately portrays what anxiety and depression does to a person's internal and emotional state.

That intense suffocating feeling that Claire experiences during Melancholia's approach towards Earth, as if gravity itself is trying to wring the air out of your lungs, is a mental and emotional trauma that is painfully familiar for me.

Justine's persistent and frightening indifference towards the end of the world, as well as her own wedding is depicted by Kirsten Dunst in the most powerful and believable way. The hollowness of the eyes that seem to be staring at nothing and everything. The darkness that can cloud over you at any moment and the recklessness and impulsive behaviours that come about in a desperate search to keep the dark clouds at bay. The frank cruelty towards other people that seem to come out of nowhere. The mood swings. The excessive introspection that leads you to the point of self-loathing and the consequent detachment from friends and loved ones. All of these are conveyed so brilliantly and accurately in this film. 

Some found the film to be too lengthy and others deemed it as dull arthouse trash. I can see why some people would perceive it this way. If the film was constructed in the same way but instead focused on a different subject matter altogether and if the characters did not have depression or anxiety I would have probably found it very dull as well. But since the film deeply affected me in a very personal way, I did not mind its length or its slow pacing. In fact I much preferred it that way since it gave me time to assess what I just saw. 

Some found some scenes gratuitous, like an ultra slow motion shot of a horse collapsing to the ground, but I argue that these seemingly random images are not just there because of their visual beauty but are there to reinforce a certain kind of mood. Von Trier created an atmosphere to represent what it would probably feel like if the entire planet knew and are restlessly waiting for the end of everything - a combination of hushed hopelessness and violent tremors of our defeated planet. The ground shaking music of Wagner as the tremors and the isolated country house as the collective hush of our planet. 

Again, I can fully understand why people would dislike this film because of the mood, or its length or because of its dreary subject matter. What I don't understand are the people who call the film pretentious.

Pretentious is a word used to describe this film in many reviews I've read. In all honesty, I'm quite irritated having this adjective used as a go-to word to sneer at creative works that strive to be ambitious, daring or beautiful. I find it sad when writers, specifically critics, use this word. It is cop-out criticism. It is lazy because it is too definitive and delimits the opportunity for further discussion which is what art, and subsequently, criticism is really there to do - promote discussion. 

Any work of art that is brave, unconventional and new can be called pretentious and those that who do can get away with it. This is because films like Melancholia require a certain degree of pretentiousness. Any work that takes a risk need to be christened with self-importance that it initially does not deserve. If this wasn't so then the artist will never have the impetus that eventually leads to the art's creation.

What is creativity but considering what is in one's head important enough that the artist indulges himself by bringing it into the world. If artists did not give their work greater importance than what it deserves then we will only be left with art that is subpar, lacklustre and dangerously unambitious. 

I'm just grateful that von Trier was pretentious enough that he was able to make this film. 

Images are edited by me from various screenshots from the film. Note: The film is not black and white.

The Sweet Taste of Life

Abbas Kiarostami's film Taste of Cherry leaves us in a state of contemplation - not after the film's conclusion but during. Most movies show things happening and then we reflect upon the meaning of this later on. But here, Kiarostami neglects the 'happening' (the action, the story) and positions the entire film to make his audience think. He makes us think about life and death. Actually a more accurate word would be: appreciate. He makes us appreciate life and death.

Mr Badii (Homayon Ershadi) is looking for someone to bury him. He has decided to end his life. We are not provided with his motivations to do so but we need not look far for proof. We feel it from his face, a visage with no trace of cheerfulness. 

The beauty of the film is in its respectful pacing. Kiarostami leaves room for contemplation, silence and thought. If you have read my posts on films I love, their pacing are always the same. They take their time. Even though Taste of Cherry explores the meaning of life and death, it is minimalist in its approach. Many films that try to encompass such an immeasurable subject matter with a broad, sweeping method do little to serve it. I can only think of Terrence Malick as the only filmmaker who has succeeded to tackle the subject in this manner. 

The camera spends most of the duration time inside the car, switching back and forth from the driver's to the passenger's point of view. Like a therapist session, only with a more pleasant scenery outside the window. The colour palette is more or less the same. Warm, earthy and bursting with life, this is quite an achievement since the actual environment is desolate and the tone sober.  With a restraint in visual style, a controlled sense of place, few key characters and minimal dialogue, Kiarostami lets the story breathe. Precisely what this kind of film needs.

While planning to end his life his encounters with people are the most significant. When one reaches the point when unhappiness can be quantified and suicide can be dangerously justified it is the contact from ordinary people - their soul, heart, pulse - that can hopefully breathe life into those who feel they are already dead. The people he encounters offers him tea, asks if he's sick, or simply talk with him. Simple gestures and lines that may seem trivial and banal towards an ordinary man living a content life. But when the receiver of these gestures and remarks is as sensitive and vulnerable as a suicidal man, then these small humanly motions could potentially save a life. 

In one gloriously long, unbroken scene a taxidermist tries to discourage Mr Badii from doing the deed by telling him a story of how he too wanted to kill himself once but then decided not to. I do not want to spoil it here as it is one of the most mesmerising and moving scenes of all time. All I can say is, the taxidermist's story - in all its simplicity - simply shows the taste of life. 

And it is sweet.

Original image is a screenshot from the film and edited. Do not reuse without permission.

FILM REVIEW: Megamind

There are two animation giants in Hollywood at the moment. Pixar and Dreamworks. They are always unfairly compared with one another. I consider Pixar to be my religion, and Dreamworks, my guilty pleasure. Dreamworks never tries to be like Pixar, and it shouldn't. I love it how it is.


From past offerings such as Kung Fu Panda and How To Train Your Dragon, Dreamworks has consistently given us colourful goody bags of fun - with a lot of heart. They are movies that are unpretentious and exist solely for pure entertainment, and I love them for it. Megamind is no exception, although I would have to say it did catch me off guard from time to time.


The film opens with a backstory of how Megamind developed his villainous ways, justifying his life mission to defeat his nemesis Metro Man. But this fight between good and evil abruptly ceases leaving Megamind to contemplate his place in the world. It's an introduction to existentialism for young children. Hooray for Dreamworks.

What I enjoyed most about the movie was that it presented itself as being formulaic, then out of nowhere it rewrites the formula - this happened two or three times from what I remember. I'm not ashamed to admit I was surprised many times in the duration of this wonderfully made film. The director perfectly balances the obligated sentimentality, alongside the gags and the thrilling action set pieces.

The only criticism I have for the film is that it feels like a spin-off. Some of the smaller characters feel like they've been recycled from another movie and it lacks the epic nature of something like Kung Fu Panda, so I would not be expecting a sequel to this one.


Despite that, Megamind is joyous, fun, and laugh-out-loud funny. The 3D was very well done too, and I recommend seeing it in that format. Usually 3D just works in animation, and it works extremely well here. If you live in the southern hemisphere, this is a great summer flick. It's the perfect movie to just sit back and enjoy the air-conditioned confines of a movie theatre with a box of popcorn on one hand and a choctop on the other. Oh, and take the kids too.


Image Credits: 1, 2, 3

FILM REVIEW: Scott Pilgrim vs The World

"We all have baggage"

When you come across a film with a villain whose superpowers derive from his veganism, and they actually EXPLAIN why (apparently it's the hindering effect of dairy products to the brain) you know it's going to be quite original.

Scott Pilgrim is the kind of movie that is tailor-made for what I would call the 'Facebook generation'. People whose attention span are as big as this *holds up a single tic tac*

I would say I'm part of that generation but goodness me, the film went by so fast, there are some scenes I can't properly recall because it blurred by so quickly.

I'm not saying I didn't like this film; in fact I'm just a tad bit in love with it.

Notice how my paragraphs are getting smaller and smaller? Yeah, I felt like I had ADD after walking out of the theatre - quickly checks twitter - which by the way was so cool because I saw it in Vmax, which is less like the look-at-me-I’m-huge version of Imax. Did I tell you how they took everyone's mobile phones because it was a preview screening and they didn't want the film pirated. *oh a Facebook notification*. Which was awesome because I felt like such a film critic. Now what was I saying before?

Oh God I need to read a book.

So our lovable protagonist (of course he would be, he's played by Michael Cera) has to defeat seven evil exes in order to claim Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) as his girlfriend.

This all plays out like a video game. Which is both the film's strength and flaw. A flaw because it suffers from the very same reason why I do not play video games anymore: redundancy. You know, defeat one bad guy, and move on to the next. Press the X button, then the O button then the X button again. Repeat, repeat, repeat.

When Scott Pilgrim *spoiler alert* defeats the third ex. I was starting to get a bit bored with all the fight sequences, simply because they all felt the same to me. There was no added tension surrounding those fights, because we all know, no one loses in a video game. If you lose a life, voila, here’s another one.

But the video game aspect of the film gives it (how I hate to use this term) an edge. Yes, the fight sequences weren’t particularly exciting, but they were resplendent, just enough so that you can’t seem to look away, similar to the allure of video game arcades, the way those bright, colourful lights and loud bangs manage to wake up your inner child seeking for play. These are fight sequences I’ve never seen on screen before.

Don’t get me wrong though, the whole film isn’t centred on the idea of Pilgrim fighting all the exes – it’s more of a modern relationship story. The characters, including the evil exes, felt so familiar to me, as if the writers themselves have taken them straight out of my Facebook news feed. Everyone I know can relate to some way or another to any of these kids, or have similar relationships to those depicted in the film.

Scott Pilgrim (the character) is drawn particularly interestingly here (can I use two adverbs after another? – quick Google search – yes I can). He’s a strange mix of maverick and conformism, akin to the weird, quirky kid in school we secretly look up to. He’s the hero of the film but he’s not perfect. He’s sweet, funny and charming but he’s also whiny, obsessive and self-conscious. Actually they all are. Which makes them all the more interesting and all the more fun to watch. The dialogue between these characters is by far the film’s biggest strength. I can already imagine people quoting them as their Facebook status or in their tweets.

The film also plays around with the all too familiar dilemmas teenage kids go through – breaking up with someone for another, that obsessive crush you cannot shake off, or that difficult decision of becoming a vegan, a vegetarian or a lowly, unethical carnivore.

I’ve never quite experienced a film that says so much about MY generation with such integrity and without the belittling mockery most representations of contemporary teens seem to always invite.

I’m quite disappointed to hear the news that Scott Pilgrim didn’t do as well as expected in the box office, and I’m left wondering why. This is one of the freshest films I’ve seen all year, one that truly deserves an audience. So, I’m telling you please go see it.

You do that while I go browse in Amazon to buy – what was it again? – oh yes, that book. 

Image Credits: Poster, Red Sword, Group Photo

FILM REVIEW: Animal Kingdom

Directed by David Michod
Starring Guy Pearce, Ben Mendelsohn, Jacki Weaver, Joel Edgerton, Luke Ford and James Frecheville

The film opens with a seemingly ordinary scene. Seventeen year old "J" (James Frecheville) is quietly watching a game show with his mother who appears to be asleep next to him on the couch. What we learn next is that she's just had a heroin overdose. There's a chilling quietness that blankets the first scene and that atmosphere lingers until the end. Right from the very beginning, the film tightly grips you by the neck and will slowly shatter your very core.

With no other guardian to look after him J is forced to live with his family, all criminals,  for whom his mother kept him away from for years. It's not long until things start to get out of hand and the helpless J finds himself torn in a battle between loyalty and morality.

The family is played by some of the most talented Australians actors working today. Ben Mendelsohn plays the uncle, "Pope", who is both comic and relentlessly monstrous. Jacki Weaver plays Janine, the creepy over-attached, mother figure whose expressions barely hide the beast lurking within. But it is Frecheville who steal the show. He plays his character with such restraint, his face alone can tell stories of a young man hardened in a world of crime, and not once did I feel that I was disconnected from the character.
.

But for me, the film's strength is its pacing and editing. It's a slow burn film and one that doesn't rely on micro-second shots and quick editing, but rather lets the story unfold in a natural pace, it's a patient movie and a very disciplined one.

I cannot express in words how well-made this film is all aspects. The way it is photographed is stunning, truly captures that dark crime drama mood but not too dark that it dehumanises the characters. The actors are brilliantly directed, there are no wasted moments in the film, each frame perfectly captures the tiny nuances and expressions of the characters and exposes the fragile relationships between them. Surprisingly this is David Michod's first feature film. I cannot wait what he does in the future, I have high expectations for him. He co-wrote Hesher which I'm excited to see next month for the Sydney Film Fest.

I really hope that people get behind this fantastic movie both in Australia and internationally, it's a film that deserves to be seen in the big screen and in a packed theatre because judging from the gasps, the laughs and the quiet moments of shock I heard in the screening I attended, this is one to share with other people.

For the past two or so years, Australia has been churning out some of the most ambitious and thought provoking films, ones that wield so much power over you that you just can't help but sing praises. If these types of film continue to roll out from the great Down Under then its film industry will certainly be a force to  be reckoned with.

FILM REVIEW: Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky

Directed by Jan Kounen

The movie picks up from where Coco Avant Chanel left off. I haven't seen that one but I have a feeling I'm going to prefer that Chanel movie over this one.

The film begins with the opening in Paris of Stravinsky's highly controversial Rite of Spring. It was controversial because it was cosidered to be too modern for the audience who saw it. Most were clearly angered by it, shouting their insults mid-show. While some were mesmerised by it with a scattering of bravos and cheering. The opening was spectacular.

There was so much tension and energy in that room. There was this intense passion that flooded that theatre both from the artists who were performing in the show and the shocked audience members who were viewing it. That scene left me literally breathless.

Then it went downhill from there.

Unfortuantely the focus of the film was the "love" affair between Chanel and Stravinsky. It wasn't even love, it was just an affair. There was zero chemistry between these too and I didn't understand why they were so attracted to each other in the first place. It was meaingless sex scene after another. There were so many scenes that were just unnecessary, those long close-ups of the characters staring deadpan towards the camera was utterly futile and served no purpose at all and it happened roughly ten times in the movie (yes, I counted).

I would have preferred scenes showing the vast amount of  hard work both Chanel and Stravinsky put in their art. I liked the subplot of Chanel creating the legendary No. 5 perfume - I wanted to see more of that.

The other thing they should have focused more on was Stravinsky's wife and children. The affair destroyed their family and their lives and there wasn't enough screen time to really feel the drama. I wanted the camera to stay in that car that took the family away. I didn't want to be stuck with these two again, they were just so dull.

To be fair, the set design and costume design were brilliant, really captured that Chanel vibe - clean yet edgy, with a neutral colour palette. Anna Mouglalis' performance is worth the admission price alone, her portrayal was exactly how I imagined the real Chanel to have been like.

FILM REVIEW: A Single Man

Directed by Tom Ford

Starring Colin Firth and Julianne Moore

Synopsis here

Have you ever had the pleasant experience of sitting in a darkened theatre and a high fashion ad plays? And you wished that it would play a little while longer? Yes and yes? Then Tom Ford's directorial debut A Single Man might be your cup of tea.

The film opens with an underwater shot of a naked body swaying and moving artistically in the depths of the ocean (though I do believe he was meant to be drowning). One would expect the name of Dior or Gucci to appear slowly on the screen announcing a new line of fragrances. It doesn't. Instead we find ourselves in more fashion ads, every scene seemed like it was advertising a dress or a suit, but after being immersed in this world, you forget all about that and you focus on the story.

Call me superificial, but I found myself longing to live in this 'world' that Ford creates. Even for a little while, for a vacation maybe. There was no hair out of place, no shoe mismatched with a dress. Fashion policing is dead here. And everything is breathtaking

Colin Firth was sensational here, he took this film to another level. I was never a big fan of him, mainly because I couldn't get Mr Darcy out of my head, but this performance was heart-stopping. He made subtle changes to his face, eye movements that told a story, creating a performance that made the audience feel, what his character was feeling.

It's a film possessing both inner and outer beauty. The stunning visuals never distracted from the story or the emotional intensity of the film, they worked side by side together. It's a dramatic punch wearing cashmere Chanel gloves.

Some people criticise A Single Man for being TOO beautiful. That is not a valid point, nothing is ever too beautiful in my opinion. Ford brought something new to the table, he was able to show that you can have a film that is over polished and super pretty but still have the strength to carry the emotional weight of the narrative. I can't wait what he does next.

Photo from here

Argento Double Feature at the Chauvel Cinema

Chauvel cinema (the one and only surviving arthouse theatre in Sydney, sad I know) is playing four of Argento's classic horror films in the next four weeks. I attended the first one last friday, it was a double feature of Argento's Suspiria and Romero's Dawn of the Dead.

I'm ashamed to say that I have never heard of Dario Argento until now and was pleasantly surpirsed by Suspiria. Argento knows his visuals. In every scene, despite the cheesy special effects, Argento was still able to evoke terror from within me through his masterful use of shots. The things that were happening did start to get ridiculous at times but I do love a director who is unafraid of giving us absurd, which I think produces a much more entertaining film as opposed to having it held back.

The plot is the film's weakest element, but it is also irrelevant. I didn't care about the story, I just wanted to sit back and marvel at the visual feast emanating from the screen. The music by the Goblins fits perfectly into the film, it's unsettling and creepy and althought it played excessively throughout the film, not once did I ever get tired of it. The dialogue is hilarious but I wasn't quite sure whether it was intentional or not. The opening scene was jaw-droppingly good, the visuals, the colour, the shots used and the sound were all balanced and played harmoniously together, creating a scene that I think would make Hitchcock and Coppola proud.

Dawn of the Dead, was the weaker of the two for me (I have a feeling some would disagree with me). It was funny, but it wasn't hilarious. There wasn't really any tension for me, probably because I never really cared about the characters in the first place. On the other hand, I do think that the film holds an important message, the film is an allegory of the consumerist values of the 70s American society which, in my opinion, is still relevant to the wider society today. There were some gruesome scenes, which I can imagine would have created quite a stir among audiences who saw it on it's original release. But overall, I just did not find the movie entertaining and I found myself checking my watch constantly, and actually hoping for the credits to play.

Next Friday, I might go see another Argento screening (they're playing Tenebre with the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre) or wait another week for Phenomena or Wes Craven's Last House on the Left. But I'm more excited about the Scorcese classics screenings which begins near the end of March, might finally get to see Raging Bull.

Photos from: 1, 2 and 3

BITE-SIZED FILM REVIEWS: Zombieland

Plot summary here

This is the most fun I had in a movie theatre all year.

It's hilarity is beyond what I expected and is actually (quite) scary at times. Ok laugh.

This is probably the only time I will complain that a movie was too short. I didn't want the fun to end.

The actors have fantastic comedic timing and the characters, although not very three dimensional, are still interesting enough so that you care for them.

Everything about it worked so well, the set of rules that one character lays out in the beginning, and is constanly referred to thorughout the film, was an effective device and also provided some laughs. The cameo in the middle was the highlight of the whole movie and the the setting of the ending perfectly encapsulates what this film is all about, a tremendously enjoyable rollercoaster ride.

RATING: 9/10

FILM REVIEWS: Antichrist

Directed by Lars Von Trier

A nameless couple, He (Willem Dafoe) and She (Charlotte Gainsbourg) retreat to a cabin in the woods to grieve the loss of their young son. After falling from a window, while the couple have sex in the other room.

This film caused controversy when it screened in Cannes. People boo-ed the film, while others passionately applauded it. Where I sit, I still don't know. And I don't think I'll ever know.

This is a very difficult film to digest, I was almost in physical pain the whole way through. It played like an arthouse horror film. But it's the kind of horror that I've never experienced before, and one that I hopefully will not experience again. It's like a demon that sits on your shoulders and takes away all the happiness and hope inside of you. Or like a dementor from Harry Potter, you know, the creepy hooded monsters that suck all the joy right out of you.

After walking out of the film, I felt scarred. It's not the kind of film one would want to see again or buy the dvd for all their loved ones for Christmas. I can't even define what it's purpose was other than to be so relentlessly brutal to its audience.

But I have to admit that Lars von Trier is one heck of a talented auteur. The images he creates are so beautiful it could potentially make your heart stop. But the reason for your heart stopping might not just come from the beauty of the image but also the horror of which it represents.

If "Antichrist" was a person, it would be the popular, bitchy one at school. The one that everybody worships but secretly hate. They're beautiful but so utterly nasty and vile.

Trier has mastered the technical aspects of filmmaking but I find him so frustratingly immature. In the press conference after the screening of the film in Cannes, when the journalists direct a question at him, he answers it either with a joke, an incomplete answer or he seeks help from the actors sitting beside him. And for a filmmaker who just created a film with such heavy subject matter and who is unable to justify the reasons and the purpose of the film makes me wonder if he really did place a lot of thought towards the work or if he just made it to create a reaction.

RATING: ??/10

FILM REVIEWS: 9

RATING: 7.5/10

9 (not to be confused with the upcoming musical Nine) is an animated film set in the aftermath of a war that destroyed pretty much everything on the planet. The story centres on a group of burlap dolls who have come to life and are trying to survive in a place where destructive machines roam and where life is very bleak, and seemingly hopeless.

The animation of this film, to be an honest, took some time to get used to. At first, I felt like I was watching a video game interlude. Fortunately, it did not take long for me to get used to the visuals and I actually started to appreciate it. It was organic and fresh. A breath of fresh air from the Disney/Dreamworks computer animation factory.

On the surface, it's a dark and depressing film but you can't help but fall in love with (some) of these burlap dolls and feel a tiny glimmer of hope for their survival in this cruel, dystopic world. I thought it would be difficult to identify with a bunch of awakened sack puppets, but they had more charm and personality than some people I know. I was very much invested with these characters and it was fun to take this journey with them. It's not a perfect film, it does have its flaws and plot holes. But it's entertaining, with a decent storyline and characters you can easily fall in love with. Much better than some bigger budget films coming out.

RATING: 7.5/10

Screenshots from: Film in Focus

Poster from: Vision 6

FILM REVIEW: Ponyo

Directed by Hayao Miyazaki

The new film from Studio Ghibli (Japanese equivalent of Pixar) is Ponyo. A truly heartwarming and enjoyable film that had me smiling all the way through. It's nice to see hand drawn animation again and Ponyo just made me miss it so much. The visuals in this film are superb. It's colourful, bright and incredibly uplifting.

The narrative structure is unusual but it's important to note that the story is told from an angle of a child, which is refreshing to see. It's like listening to a five-year old retelling their dream. It's simple yet imaginative and it's a lot of fun.

The portrayal of the characters are very much well done. Unlike cookie cutter characters that we so much (and get tired of) in children's films these days, the characters in Ponyo feel genuine, authentic and human. They're flawed, they make mistakes and it's easy to relate to them. Some people may complain about the abrupt ending but I think it's a perfect touch to the film. Since it's told from a child's angle the ending is what you would expect from a child. Quick, happy and no explanation required.

There were times when I stared at the screen, stunned at what I was seeing. Something in my head kept telling me that some of these things shouldn't be happening (over-exposure to generic kid's films, I think) and that they needed more explanation. But at one point I just stopped and learned to just go with it, and I'm glad I did.

RATING: 9/10

FILM REVIEWS: The Cove and Bandslam

THE COVE
Directed by Louie Psihoyos

My favourite documentary from last year was Up The Yangtze, a poignant film detailing the lives of the many Chinese people affected by the rapid change of their homeland. It's a beautiful mix of modern and old China and it almost brought me to tears. Like Up The Yangtze, The Cove addressed one of the most significant issues facing the the world today. Not global warming, or terrorism but marine life, emphasising on the annual dolphin slaughter in the Japanese town of Taiji. A group of filmmakers and activists infiltrate the aforementioned town (who falsely claim themself as "dolphin-loving") to expose the shocking truth of the whaling industry, who kill thousands of dolphins and whales each year.

It sounds very bleak, and it is, but the real achievement of the filmmakers was how they weaved in a sprinkle of comic relief without detracting too much from the seriousness of the subject matter and as a result, gives us quite an entertaining film. It's also quite suspenseful at times and you forget that you're watching a documentary and not a thriller. It is still predominantly a sad film that deserves to be seen, with or without its entertainment value.

I became deply affected by the film, which is strange seeing as I'm not the biggest fan of dolphins out there (UPDATE: I am now). It pulls you in and takes you on a journey that you're glad you have seen, because now you can start the change.

I'm incredibly grateful to the filmmakers involved for shedding light into this significant issue and I hope that, like An Inconvenient Truth, this doco will find a larger audience and have a bigger impact on the whaling industry.

RATING: 10/10

BANDSLAM

Directed by Todd Graff

I was surprised by the amount of praise this movie received from critics. Now that I've seen it, I'm scratching my head, thinking that I viewed a completely different film from what the rest did. Honestly, I found it to be quite lame. Vanessa Hudgens was painfully annoying and I found myself rolling my eyes. So much so, that I began to get dizzy.

Although there were some funny moments, I just couldn't find myself relating to any of the characters or connecting to the film. It's like a middle-aged man's interpretation of what today's high schools are like and unfortunately get most of the elements wrong.

Overall it's still a pleasant film (I loved Lisa Kudrow), it would make an excellent rental.

RATING: 5/10