Film Duet

"‎”People should not stumble out of a museum like a patient released from surgery"

Thu, 28 Oct 2010 11:01:24 -0400

“‎”People should not stumble out of a museum like a patient released from surgery””

- Philippe de Montebello

Today I watched an awesome Russian film called Edge (Krai, aka...

Sat, 18 Sep 2010 22:26:01 -0400

Today I watched an awesome Russian film called Edge (Krai, aka Край) by Alexei Uchitel. World premiere took place at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 9. This movie isn’t even out in Russia yet, hehehe. It is a post-war steam-punk business as Slava put it. It was an awesome and enjoyable film.

The story line is relatively simple. August 1945. A former war frontliner and eventually a war hero (Vladimir Mashkov) - formerly concussed, hurt, injusticed, pardon the creation of a new word - is sent to a far away outpost and a village of people who used to be the prisoners of war. This is a settlement of Russian people who were caught by the Stalinist regime and sent to Siberia (actually, the Ural mountains - where I was coincidentally born - to keep building railroads and such) because they were traitors. One of the characters said, “Who knows what secrets they were passing on to Germans? You never know if thanks to them a bomb explodes in Moscow”. Something along those lines. Our war hero is a very manly and stern guy. Gets a local chick (Yulia Peresild) real fast. He is obsessed with steam trains, and finds out that on a nearby island there is a train guarded by an “undead girl”. He ventures out to uncover it, in the process meeting the “undead girl” who is actually the daughter of a German engineer who was arrested and shot before the war broke out. She spent the whole war in the forest, living in the steam train. They build a bridge over the river and get the train back… More happens, then some more. Watch it!

Oh, I forgot to mention. There are bears involved too!

Now, onto the details I really enjoyed. I found the dialogue to be silly and witty. Moreso witty than silly. There was a lot of action. There was sincerity. A lot of Russian expressions that made me laugh. Stereotypes. The stern Russian nature covered by the fuzz of the home-brew vodka (moonshine). It was a pleasant movie, a feel-good flick typical of the Hollywood. I think it was made with a specific global audience in mind: it was meant to largely please and to put the best foot forward on behalf of the Russian cinematographic community. It struck me as a sort of a reconciliatory extended arm on behalf of the formerly communist country. This film renounces communism. Stalin is not a fun guy. People suffer. Moreover, the good and suffering guys get a chance to punish the authority.

It was fun. There was a lot of tension. Some of the most fascinating scenes (and displays of the creativity and human spirit) were those of the German girl and our war hero building the bridge for the “Gustav”, our steam train. Another fascinating scene was the bear feast (you’ll get it when you watch it). The frenzy that followed was a bit repulsive, but understandable.

It was a great film. I really hope it gets the Oscar next year. I enjoyed watching it, I enjoyed laughing at the jokes and stereotypes and I loved appreciating where Russian cinema is going. I hope they/we produce a lot more interesting stuff.

Film Review: Martyrs (2008) - France Last night I watched a...

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 11:21:00 -0400

Film Review: Martyrs (2008) - France

Last night I watched a violent film from the New French Extremity cannon. New French Extremity refers to seriously disturbing films by French directors at the early 21st century. Martyrs is on of those films.

It starts with the little girl, seemingly tortured, running down the street. We later learn that she mysteriously escaped from the slaughterhouse where she was held prisoner. In the orphanage she (Lucie) befriends Anna who protects her. Lucie gets attacked by a mysterious “creature” (I called her the cavewoman; she was a Gollum-like terrorlady, serious) who scratched and punched and whatnot.

Fast-forward 15 years and we see a normal family having breakfast in a large house in the woods. I thought of Dario Argento and the geometrically beautiful houses in Tenebre. A very attractive gal, Lucie (Mylène Jampanoï) comes into the house and shoots the family with her shotgun. Close range, no excuses.

This is when I revolt! WTF! You can’t just do things like that. There must be a reason of course. Lucie calls Anna (Morjana Alaoui) - who really gets the dealt worse hand in this film: “Are you sure this is them?” and “They paid for what they did to me!” and so forth. Anna immediately drives to the house. They need to clean up the mess.

The mother of the family is not quite dead and we’re startled by her freaking out our heroines. What’s worse - the primordial creature escapes and causes some damage to our poor Lucie. Lucie, our slaughterhouse victim, can’t deal with the burdens of so many deaths and so much suffering, and jumps out of the house and cuts her own throat. Not good.

What gets worse is what happens when Anna discovers the secret basement below the house. And even worse is what happens to Anna after.

What I enjoyed about the movie is the complete unpredictability and batshit crazy violence. Without giving too much away, I can best describe it this way:

First, it looks like The Ring (2002). We think we’re just dealing with ghosts and schizophrenic mental house patients. Then the movie vehicle takes a sharp turn and we enter The Hostel (2005) mentality. AND THAT’S WHEN IT REALLY HURTS.

It’s a sad and revolting film. It’s dark. It’s not about imaginary boogeymen. It’s a heavy film, and it’s very violent. There is constant tension. A lot of blood. A lot of blows. Blood. Tears.

I can’t say I thoroughly enjoyed the film, but that I was definitely shocked in some of the parts. I kept shouting: “Kick them, kick them!” Do anything but act like a martyr. Fight.

I got emotional. There’s no happy feelings in that film at all. It is about terrorizing the audience. But at the same time, there is a level of humanity and gentleness that is hidden deep down. It is not visible in the film, but it makes us appreciate the tenderness that we get to experience in our surroundings where no such violence exists. Hopefully.

Oh, one more thing. According to the film’s Wikipedia page, Director Laugier comments that the main difficulty other than the technical issues such as special effects was to keep the actresses crying all the time, and that was too demanding.

Welcome to the New French Extremity.

foreign film focus

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 10:28:18 -0400

I am going to start reviewing foreign films. Who knows, this can become more than just that. Since I need to increase my cultural knowledge of Europe (and, more generally, the world), and since for now I choose to do it via the medium of film, I will try to post trailers, reviews and opinions as much as possible. Preferably right after the viewing.

One of the scenes from Andrei Tarkovsky’s...

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 20:51:45 -0400

One of the scenes from Andrei Tarkovsky’s “Mirror” (Зеркало). What a masterfully put together shot. In one breathless moment we are told multiple-chapters worth of material, and emotions that require at least three rolls of photo film. Merci, Tarkovsky

- thekarin

"Film as dream, film as music. No art passes our conscience in the way film does, and goes directly..."

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 11:34:49 -0400

“Film as dream, film as music. No art passes our conscience in the way film does, and goes directly to our feelings, deep down into the dark rooms of our souls.”

- Ingmar Bergman (i feel that way about film, too) (via wordquote)