Yea i was presently surprised. The two and half hours flew by.
If you are interested in the engineering of car races you would like it i would say.
Film The Redcafe Movie review thread
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If you are interested in the engineering of car races you would like it i would say.
It was just a slow, pointless movie with no substance to it. I only went along with it because my friend was a Pitt fan but not even he could redeem it for her, which said a lot.
Brad Pitt is either annoyingly reticent or fecking annoyingly manic in his movies. He can't do in between, it seems.
I would still like to be him all the same
My favourite Pitt role was what’s his name in True Romance. The stoner guy.
The only film's I've seen where he hasn't been irritating are Se7en, Mr. & Mrs. Smith and World War Z. I've never seen 12 Monkeys though I hear that's pretty decent.
Agreed. It had enough technical jargon to be plausible but not so much as to bore viewers who know nothing about motor racing
How about in The Assassination of Jesse James...or Ocean’s Eleven?
Such a underrated movie(And maybe Pitt best performance). Also it's impossible to dislike him in Money Ball.
I haven't seen The Assassination of Jesse James and I would say I probably have a certain degree of ambivalence towards the Ocean's franchise. I only enjoyed the female outing a little more because Blanchett was stunning in that film.
Assassination is a wonderful film. One of the best of that decade.
To be fair, I liked Bread Pitt in quite a few movies.
Se7en
Fight Club
Oceans 11
Once Upon A Time
True Romance
Money Ball
Sleepers
Se7en
Fight Club
Oceans 11
Once Upon A Time
True Romance
Money Ball
Sleepers
Mustang Turkish film about sisterhood and arranged marriage. Wowzerz trouzerz. Amazing!
The Gentlemen
Guy Ritchie back doing what he does best. Good performances, considering it's a cast that I normally don't enjoy watching (bar Matthew Mcconaughey?). Zips along fast, lots of twists and turns. Just a fun film 8/10
Guy Ritchie back doing what he does best. Good performances, considering it's a cast that I normally don't enjoy watching (bar Matthew Mcconaughey?). Zips along fast, lots of twists and turns. Just a fun film 8/10
Such a underrated movie(And maybe Pitt best performance). Also it's impossible to dislike him in Money Ball.
Never seen it, I’ll try and find it somewhere.
And yeah, pretty good in moneyball, I enjoyed that.
Agree with this. I enjoyed it. Better than Lock Stock and up there with Snatch for me. I cant say I'm the biggest Guy Ritchie fan but i do like a good british gangster movie and he does them better than anyone else.
Just watched Little Women and absolutely loved it. Pretty close to being a perfect film. And Greta Gerwig has become a great director.
Watched Coming To America after a long time. Not as good as I remember, though Arsenio still kills it.
It’s a bigger crime too.
Suicide Squad told the studio ‘This is the only bit that we like’.... and they shit the bed.
The Platform could have been a 60 minute Black Mirror episode. Premise is astonishing. Fell over the line in a lacklustre finish.
Enemy is odd. But yes, the final scene is the most insane in all of cinema. Googling it would ruin it.
The Misfits - A film notorious for being the last completed film of both Clark Gable and Marilyn Monroe. Gable had a massive heart attack two days after the shooting was completed and died a few days later. Monroe commited suicide the year after and third star Montgomery Clift would live another five years but was a junkie and in terrible shape ever since a car accident years before, his life after the accident being considered 'the longest suicide' in Hollywood history.
The film is a trainwreck, but in the best possible way. Shooting conditions in the desert were terrible, scriptwriter and Monroe's husband Arthur Miller would make changes to the script as their marriage broke down on the set, director John Huston was drunk most of the time, gambled away and even delivered a mercy blow with a gun to a car had run down. Death is ever present in the dialogue and sometimes it was kinda hard to tell the line between fiction and reality. You could draw all kinds of real life pararells with Gable's old cowboy, Clift's worn-out rodeo rider and Monroe's all-round sad and ethereal appearance. It was fascinating to see the way the camera captured all these tired souls.
The film is a trainwreck, but in the best possible way. Shooting conditions in the desert were terrible, scriptwriter and Monroe's husband Arthur Miller would make changes to the script as their marriage broke down on the set, director John Huston was drunk most of the time, gambled away and even delivered a mercy blow with a gun to a car had run down. Death is ever present in the dialogue and sometimes it was kinda hard to tell the line between fiction and reality. You could draw all kinds of real life pararells with Gable's old cowboy, Clift's worn-out rodeo rider and Monroe's all-round sad and ethereal appearance. It was fascinating to see the way the camera captured all these tired souls.
Blue Story
Two dizzy childhood bredrins end up on rival crews you know wha'm'sayain? Bare mandems get wetted, galdems get clocked and a rapper spits some exposition bars at the end of every scene. Get dem eyez over to ArseFam.Tv and listen to brudda Troopz to get the lingo. You understand fam? Else you be watching dis movie with Urban Dictionary on your phone. I enjoyed it 7/10
Two dizzy childhood bredrins end up on rival crews you know wha'm'sayain? Bare mandems get wetted, galdems get clocked and a rapper spits some exposition bars at the end of every scene. Get dem eyez over to ArseFam.Tv and listen to brudda Troopz to get the lingo. You understand fam? Else you be watching dis movie with Urban Dictionary on your phone. I enjoyed it 7/10
There a whole sub genre of British film making which is basically this story told over and over again(Most are ripping off Bullet Boy, which is a genuinely great movie). They remind me of the football hooligans of the mid 2000's that I would watch over and over again(So many wasted hours). The only time I've been in a packed cinema(People literally seating on the floor because all the seats had been taken)was during the opening weekend one of Noel Clarke films(I think it was Adulthood), it was mini sub cultural that wasn't never really talked about. That screening was like something you'd expected from a new star wars movie.
Also these types of movies are far better at getting across their shakespearean influences(Very clear in Blue Story, it seems)than most outright movie adaptations of the great playwright. Although yes I'm way too old to have any idea about what they characters are saying.
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Nilssy's wet dream. Probably.
Fantasy Island
A group of strangers come to an island where their fantasies will come true. What they don't know is each fantasy will become a living nightmare. Bad acting, stupid plot, pathetic twist, poor pacing and the biggest sin... It's fecking boring. I expected a 'so bad it's good' but I only got the first part of that saying. At least there were some hot models in a pool party scene 2/10
A group of strangers come to an island where their fantasies will come true. What they don't know is each fantasy will become a living nightmare. Bad acting, stupid plot, pathetic twist, poor pacing and the biggest sin... It's fecking boring. I expected a 'so bad it's good' but I only got the first part of that saying. At least there were some hot models in a pool party scene 2/10
I've already seen a lot of them. The finnish site has got Valkoinen peura on there which is a nice early folk horror.
The Finns are an odd lot. We know all about Noggies and Swedes but Finns are mostly an enigma.
Apparently they're a miserable bunch.
They've got the greatest sense of humour of all us Nordic people. Very weird and dark. We Swedes are very much a bipolar lot, miserable during the winter and joyous during the summer, but the Finns stay depressed all year long which affects their outlook and high rate of alcoholism.
Lars von Trier Weekend
When I think of this dude, for some reason I always also think of Gaspar Noe at the same time. I don’t know why. It’s not because they have any similarities or anything like that. But they are both controversial directors in their own right, that’s for sure. I’d say Noe is probably more out there and more of a shock merchant, whereas von Trier is more cerebral and refined.
So, I thought I would have a von Trier weekend and visit/revisit some of his films. Lars von Trier is a Dutch filmmaker who has made a name for himself by ripping up the rule book and doing things his way. He tends to work with the same actors in many of his films and is usually able to exact commanding performances from them. If he was to be described as having a distinctive style, I would say it’s probably his use of camera, close-up facial shots and lighting but certain elements like long running film times, splitting the films into chapters or acts, using narration and having strong female leads also crop up quite regularly in his films.
What I would also say is that where other directors may cut away or fade to the off-camera stuff, von Trier is not afraid to keep the cameras rolling. But this is done at the time right time rather than just for baseless gratification. But then again, I haven’t seen all of his films. But I have made a start and review a few below (on Prime Video):
Dogville (2004)
Dogville is a compelling drama from the visionary director von Trier. Set entirely on what can only be described as a very basic stage with no walls and a few props and incorporating mime and sound effects, it has the look of an amateur stage production but is definitely far from it. But thanks to the interesting characters, great story and clever direction, von Trier manages to pull off something very unique and spectacular here.
It centres around Grace, portrayed by Nicole Kidman as a high society woman seemingly on the run from some gangsters. She seeks sanctuary in the very small and secluded town of Dogville and befriends Tom, played by Paul Bettany, who manages to persuade the locals to take her in and protect her from the mob. As payment for the town’s protection and silence, Grace agrees to carry out chores for each of the inhabitants. Things appear fine to start with. However, as the FBI start sniffing around and with Grace’s secrets coming to the fore, things take a more sinister turn as the townsfolk begin to make more extreme demands of Grace.
As the town’s treatment of Grace becomes more abusive and oppressive, Tom finds himself powerless to intervene and conflicted as he watches the town taking advantage of the enslaved Grace with whom he had formed a close bond. However, this is a von Trier film and of course there is a twist as nothing is ever as it seems. Everything all comes together in the final chapter and without giving anything away, I can’t remember the last time I cheered as much as I did at the end of this film. Very powerful and deliciously satisfying!
I’ve never seen a film shot in this style before and I didn’t think I would take to it. But it works. It’s bold, thought-provoking and completely engrossing as the changing dynamic within the town begins to take hold and control of Grace. Most of the actors are on the stage throughout the whole movie and there is clever use of lighting to depict night, day and outdoors. The stage is marked out to show the various houses and buildings (like on a Monopoly board).
Lars von Trier is a great storyteller who is able to coax great performances from his cast. Nicole Kidman did a great job, but I think this would also have been perfect for his go-to gal Charlotte Gainsbourg. The film is just under 3 hours long but completely worth it once you get acclimatized to the environment. It’s one that will stay with me for a long time.
I’m giving this an 8.5/10.
Nymphomaniac Vol I & II (2014)
I’ve reviewed this film before but have since come to appreciate it a bit more over the years. It’s one of von Trier’s more controversial pieces of work with some of his trademark styles and actors that featured regularly in previous projects. Most people would have heard of Nymphomaniac already and although I’ve seen it a few times now, I still find it a hard watch in places.
Narrated by Charlotte Gainsbourg, it chronicles her story of Jo, a self-proclaimed nymphomaniac and the destructive impact the condition has on her life, family and relationships from childhood, through adolescence and into adulthood. Von Trier certainly pushes the envelope in what he shows on screen but hey, that’s just what he does. If you’re going to watch this, you may as well go all in with the Director’s Cuts by the way.
You’d think that being a nymphomaniac would be great, right? But when you see the effect that it can have on a person’s mental, emotional and physical well being it’s certainly not something to be envied. Von Trier certainly highlights this as Jo stumbles through sexual experience after sexual experience each becoming more extreme as she searches for that certain something that will give her life fulfilment and meaning that she so desperately craves. I’m not really sure whether I enjoyed watching a woman pushing her body to its limits just to find sexual relief.
Although the film is sexually explicit throughout and very graphic, the scenes may titillate for a brief period but soon become cold, mechanical and uncomfortable as the affliction begins to take real hold of Jo. I will say though that Charlotte Gainsbourg’s nipples are the 8th and 9th wonders of the world! The chapter with Jamie Bell who is very convincing as a sadist was particularly grim.
With a very strong supporting cast, stand out performances, some very realistic scenes and a compelling story, Nymphomaniac will mean different things to different people. Von Trier is not afraid to push the boundaries and again does so here in a film that will no doubt get more appreciation as years go by. I’ll have to revisit my earlier review.
I’m giving this an 8/10.
Dancer In The Dark (2000)
I’d always had Björk down as a bit of a bitch but she is so endearing in her breakout role as a Czech immigrant trying to make her way in the US in order to give her son a better life. Compounded by the fact that she is suffering from a hereditary condition which will render her blind, time is against her as she does everything she can to save up enough money for her son to undergo the life-changing op that will cure him before it is too late.
Dancer In The Dark, is a gut-wrenching story with depth, intensity and passion. Von Trier goes for the musical style with Björk lending her very distinctive musical talents to the proceedings with the musical score. I’m not usually a fan of musicals but von Trier uses the musical segments to symbolize Selma’s daydreams through song, which are frankly, hit and miss efforts, mostly miss if I’m honest. Thankfully they’re not overblown affairs though. Von Trier also has a knack of flipping the mood and turning a story on its head when you least expect it and we get the same treatment here, with positivity, optimism and hope rapidly descending into despair, misery and hopelessness as Selma’s fortunes take a sudden turn for the worse after she is done dirty by her neighbours/landlords. Portrayed with integrity by the brilliant Björk, Selma for all her vulnerability manages to maintain her dignity and show great strength in the face of adversity as her life begins to unravel and spiral out of control. Dancer In The Dark is an intimate portrait of friendship, loyalty, courage and the ultimate sacrifice in one of the most intense endings I’ve seen in a long time. The lack of accompanying soundtrack only adds to the intensity in the final scenes. I defy anyone not to get through the last 20 minutes of this film unmoved.
Again, most of von Trier’s regulars are present with Stellan Skarsgård, Siobhan Fallon Hogan and Udo Kier along with a couple of others reprising their regular film collaborations and a great supporting role by Catherine Deneuve. Björk was absolutely brilliant and completely authentic as the defiant Selma. She won Best Actress at the Cannes Film Festival and a Golden Globe nomination and rightly so. She also has one of the most sweetest accents ever.
I’m giving this a 8/10.
Melancholia (2011)
Probably my least favourite of the day but an intriguing film nonetheless and with an original premise to boot. Yet again with most of his regular actors on call and this time including Kirsten Dunst, Alexander Skarsgård and Kiefer Sutherland, von Trier directs this doomsday drama about the last days on earth. Although the film opens with the joyous wedding of Justine (Dunst) and Michael (Skarsgård), it ends up being a very gloomy affair and a bit of a disaster to say the least, leaving a gloom that will carry throughout the rest of the movie.
Uplifting it isn’t and although we are not privy to any circumstantial facts that explain why Justine is so depressed and how the planet Melancholia came to pose such a threat to the earth, the sense of foreboding becomes more palpable as time goes on. The film mainly centres around the dysfunctional relationship between the two sisters Claire (Gainsbourg) and Justine as they also navigate their own inner struggles; Justine’s constant state of morosity and Claire’s increasing anxiety about the approaching blue planet, despite the constant reassurances from her husband John (Sutherland) that all is well. We also see a clever shift in dynamic between the sisters towards the ends of the film as Justine up until this point receiving all the physical and emotional support from Claire ends up being the tower of strength on which the family will come to depend on.
The film actually leaves you with more questions than it does answers, which I always find frustrating but again von Trier is able to get the most from his cast with good supporting performances. Some excellent visuals and cinematography takes your mind off the monotony at times but ultimately the film just peters out into mediocrity until the final act when it really comes back to life again. Nothing too controversial in this film but still quite poignant and with an ending that will stay with you for a long time. Could have been great and just lacking the sharpness of the other films I’ve watched today, I can just say it was ok.
I’m giving this a 7/10.
The House That Jack Built (2018)
Once again, we get the usual common von Trier film elements; narration, film chapters and the usual cast members (boy, they must really love working with this guy) in this graphic psychological thriller about a serial killer called Jack, played by Matt Dillon. From the opening few minutes when the first victim gets in his van, you just know this ain’t going to be a fun movie.
The story sees Jack recounting his murders or ‘incidents’ over a 12 year period. We only discover who Jack is talking to during the commentary at the end but during their musings we get to hear Jack’s perspective on each murder with references and comparisons to works of art and nature. It’s as if Jack is striving for that perfect piece of art by any means and will go to any lengths to achieve it. Jack is one seriously fecked up individual, not really helped by his OCD and other personality traits. Early on we see how one coincidental event caused him to believe that perhaps his work was being blessed by a higher power but to be honest he was already taking big risks up to this point anyway and just a bit lucky.
As his compulsion begins to take over, he becomes more brazen and extreme in the murders being committed. Some people may find some of the murders shocking and upsetting, especially incidents 3 and 4. You can try and get into the mind of a serial killer but at the end of the day they are just twisted psycopaths who don’t give a feck with warped senses of reality. I found the apparent ease in which Jack was able to commit his crimes and the naivety of his victims (who ended up feeling kind of disposable anyway) a bit hard to take in although von Trier does attempt to explain this during the commentary.
Dillon is very convincing in his depiction of a cold, calculating, unsympathetic killer compelled to satisfy his appetite for murder and von Trier does a great job in committing that to the screen. Unbelievable acts of cruelty intertwined with moments of dark humour. I felt myself feeling guilty at chuckling at the most inappropriate times (sorry victims!). The film loses it’s momentum somewhat in the Prologue and is just a little too abstract in keeping with the rest of the film. A more conventional ending would have sufficed though some may argue the final outcome is just as satisfying.
Again, great use of visual imagery, symbolism, cinematography and musical score come together to create a film that will certainly evoke emotions in all who watch it. Graphic but not gratuitous, shocking but not sensationalist, grim but not gross, von Trier has managed to produce an intelligent thriller that could easily have gone down the slasher route but thankfully stayed on the right side of the tracks.
I’m giving this an 8/10.
When I think of this dude, for some reason I always also think of Gaspar Noe at the same time. I don’t know why. It’s not because they have any similarities or anything like that. But they are both controversial directors in their own right, that’s for sure. I’d say Noe is probably more out there and more of a shock merchant, whereas von Trier is more cerebral and refined.
So, I thought I would have a von Trier weekend and visit/revisit some of his films. Lars von Trier is a Dutch filmmaker who has made a name for himself by ripping up the rule book and doing things his way. He tends to work with the same actors in many of his films and is usually able to exact commanding performances from them. If he was to be described as having a distinctive style, I would say it’s probably his use of camera, close-up facial shots and lighting but certain elements like long running film times, splitting the films into chapters or acts, using narration and having strong female leads also crop up quite regularly in his films.
What I would also say is that where other directors may cut away or fade to the off-camera stuff, von Trier is not afraid to keep the cameras rolling. But this is done at the time right time rather than just for baseless gratification. But then again, I haven’t seen all of his films. But I have made a start and review a few below (on Prime Video):
Dogville (2004)
Dogville is a compelling drama from the visionary director von Trier. Set entirely on what can only be described as a very basic stage with no walls and a few props and incorporating mime and sound effects, it has the look of an amateur stage production but is definitely far from it. But thanks to the interesting characters, great story and clever direction, von Trier manages to pull off something very unique and spectacular here.
It centres around Grace, portrayed by Nicole Kidman as a high society woman seemingly on the run from some gangsters. She seeks sanctuary in the very small and secluded town of Dogville and befriends Tom, played by Paul Bettany, who manages to persuade the locals to take her in and protect her from the mob. As payment for the town’s protection and silence, Grace agrees to carry out chores for each of the inhabitants. Things appear fine to start with. However, as the FBI start sniffing around and with Grace’s secrets coming to the fore, things take a more sinister turn as the townsfolk begin to make more extreme demands of Grace.
As the town’s treatment of Grace becomes more abusive and oppressive, Tom finds himself powerless to intervene and conflicted as he watches the town taking advantage of the enslaved Grace with whom he had formed a close bond. However, this is a von Trier film and of course there is a twist as nothing is ever as it seems. Everything all comes together in the final chapter and without giving anything away, I can’t remember the last time I cheered as much as I did at the end of this film. Very powerful and deliciously satisfying!
I’ve never seen a film shot in this style before and I didn’t think I would take to it. But it works. It’s bold, thought-provoking and completely engrossing as the changing dynamic within the town begins to take hold and control of Grace. Most of the actors are on the stage throughout the whole movie and there is clever use of lighting to depict night, day and outdoors. The stage is marked out to show the various houses and buildings (like on a Monopoly board).
Lars von Trier is a great storyteller who is able to coax great performances from his cast. Nicole Kidman did a great job, but I think this would also have been perfect for his go-to gal Charlotte Gainsbourg. The film is just under 3 hours long but completely worth it once you get acclimatized to the environment. It’s one that will stay with me for a long time.
I’m giving this an 8.5/10.
Nymphomaniac Vol I & II (2014)
I’ve reviewed this film before but have since come to appreciate it a bit more over the years. It’s one of von Trier’s more controversial pieces of work with some of his trademark styles and actors that featured regularly in previous projects. Most people would have heard of Nymphomaniac already and although I’ve seen it a few times now, I still find it a hard watch in places.
Narrated by Charlotte Gainsbourg, it chronicles her story of Jo, a self-proclaimed nymphomaniac and the destructive impact the condition has on her life, family and relationships from childhood, through adolescence and into adulthood. Von Trier certainly pushes the envelope in what he shows on screen but hey, that’s just what he does. If you’re going to watch this, you may as well go all in with the Director’s Cuts by the way.
You’d think that being a nymphomaniac would be great, right? But when you see the effect that it can have on a person’s mental, emotional and physical well being it’s certainly not something to be envied. Von Trier certainly highlights this as Jo stumbles through sexual experience after sexual experience each becoming more extreme as she searches for that certain something that will give her life fulfilment and meaning that she so desperately craves. I’m not really sure whether I enjoyed watching a woman pushing her body to its limits just to find sexual relief.
Although the film is sexually explicit throughout and very graphic, the scenes may titillate for a brief period but soon become cold, mechanical and uncomfortable as the affliction begins to take real hold of Jo. I will say though that Charlotte Gainsbourg’s nipples are the 8th and 9th wonders of the world! The chapter with Jamie Bell who is very convincing as a sadist was particularly grim.
With a very strong supporting cast, stand out performances, some very realistic scenes and a compelling story, Nymphomaniac will mean different things to different people. Von Trier is not afraid to push the boundaries and again does so here in a film that will no doubt get more appreciation as years go by. I’ll have to revisit my earlier review.
I’m giving this an 8/10.
Dancer In The Dark (2000)
I’d always had Björk down as a bit of a bitch but she is so endearing in her breakout role as a Czech immigrant trying to make her way in the US in order to give her son a better life. Compounded by the fact that she is suffering from a hereditary condition which will render her blind, time is against her as she does everything she can to save up enough money for her son to undergo the life-changing op that will cure him before it is too late.
Dancer In The Dark, is a gut-wrenching story with depth, intensity and passion. Von Trier goes for the musical style with Björk lending her very distinctive musical talents to the proceedings with the musical score. I’m not usually a fan of musicals but von Trier uses the musical segments to symbolize Selma’s daydreams through song, which are frankly, hit and miss efforts, mostly miss if I’m honest. Thankfully they’re not overblown affairs though. Von Trier also has a knack of flipping the mood and turning a story on its head when you least expect it and we get the same treatment here, with positivity, optimism and hope rapidly descending into despair, misery and hopelessness as Selma’s fortunes take a sudden turn for the worse after she is done dirty by her neighbours/landlords. Portrayed with integrity by the brilliant Björk, Selma for all her vulnerability manages to maintain her dignity and show great strength in the face of adversity as her life begins to unravel and spiral out of control. Dancer In The Dark is an intimate portrait of friendship, loyalty, courage and the ultimate sacrifice in one of the most intense endings I’ve seen in a long time. The lack of accompanying soundtrack only adds to the intensity in the final scenes. I defy anyone not to get through the last 20 minutes of this film unmoved.
Again, most of von Trier’s regulars are present with Stellan Skarsgård, Siobhan Fallon Hogan and Udo Kier along with a couple of others reprising their regular film collaborations and a great supporting role by Catherine Deneuve. Björk was absolutely brilliant and completely authentic as the defiant Selma. She won Best Actress at the Cannes Film Festival and a Golden Globe nomination and rightly so. She also has one of the most sweetest accents ever.
I’m giving this a 8/10.
Melancholia (2011)
Probably my least favourite of the day but an intriguing film nonetheless and with an original premise to boot. Yet again with most of his regular actors on call and this time including Kirsten Dunst, Alexander Skarsgård and Kiefer Sutherland, von Trier directs this doomsday drama about the last days on earth. Although the film opens with the joyous wedding of Justine (Dunst) and Michael (Skarsgård), it ends up being a very gloomy affair and a bit of a disaster to say the least, leaving a gloom that will carry throughout the rest of the movie.
Uplifting it isn’t and although we are not privy to any circumstantial facts that explain why Justine is so depressed and how the planet Melancholia came to pose such a threat to the earth, the sense of foreboding becomes more palpable as time goes on. The film mainly centres around the dysfunctional relationship between the two sisters Claire (Gainsbourg) and Justine as they also navigate their own inner struggles; Justine’s constant state of morosity and Claire’s increasing anxiety about the approaching blue planet, despite the constant reassurances from her husband John (Sutherland) that all is well. We also see a clever shift in dynamic between the sisters towards the ends of the film as Justine up until this point receiving all the physical and emotional support from Claire ends up being the tower of strength on which the family will come to depend on.
The film actually leaves you with more questions than it does answers, which I always find frustrating but again von Trier is able to get the most from his cast with good supporting performances. Some excellent visuals and cinematography takes your mind off the monotony at times but ultimately the film just peters out into mediocrity until the final act when it really comes back to life again. Nothing too controversial in this film but still quite poignant and with an ending that will stay with you for a long time. Could have been great and just lacking the sharpness of the other films I’ve watched today, I can just say it was ok.
I’m giving this a 7/10.
The House That Jack Built (2018)
Once again, we get the usual common von Trier film elements; narration, film chapters and the usual cast members (boy, they must really love working with this guy) in this graphic psychological thriller about a serial killer called Jack, played by Matt Dillon. From the opening few minutes when the first victim gets in his van, you just know this ain’t going to be a fun movie.
The story sees Jack recounting his murders or ‘incidents’ over a 12 year period. We only discover who Jack is talking to during the commentary at the end but during their musings we get to hear Jack’s perspective on each murder with references and comparisons to works of art and nature. It’s as if Jack is striving for that perfect piece of art by any means and will go to any lengths to achieve it. Jack is one seriously fecked up individual, not really helped by his OCD and other personality traits. Early on we see how one coincidental event caused him to believe that perhaps his work was being blessed by a higher power but to be honest he was already taking big risks up to this point anyway and just a bit lucky.
As his compulsion begins to take over, he becomes more brazen and extreme in the murders being committed. Some people may find some of the murders shocking and upsetting, especially incidents 3 and 4. You can try and get into the mind of a serial killer but at the end of the day they are just twisted psycopaths who don’t give a feck with warped senses of reality. I found the apparent ease in which Jack was able to commit his crimes and the naivety of his victims (who ended up feeling kind of disposable anyway) a bit hard to take in although von Trier does attempt to explain this during the commentary.
Dillon is very convincing in his depiction of a cold, calculating, unsympathetic killer compelled to satisfy his appetite for murder and von Trier does a great job in committing that to the screen. Unbelievable acts of cruelty intertwined with moments of dark humour. I felt myself feeling guilty at chuckling at the most inappropriate times (sorry victims!). The film loses it’s momentum somewhat in the Prologue and is just a little too abstract in keeping with the rest of the film. A more conventional ending would have sufficed though some may argue the final outcome is just as satisfying.
Again, great use of visual imagery, symbolism, cinematography and musical score come together to create a film that will certainly evoke emotions in all who watch it. Graphic but not gratuitous, shocking but not sensationalist, grim but not gross, von Trier has managed to produce an intelligent thriller that could easily have gone down the slasher route but thankfully stayed on the right side of the tracks.
I’m giving this an 8/10.
Under The Sliver Lake
Sam, a disenchanted young man, finds a mysterious woman swimming in his apartment's pool one night. The next morning, she disappears. Sam sets off across LA to find her, and along the way he uncovers a conspiracy far more bizarre.
I quirky film, that made no sense, I sat though 2 hours and 20 mins and the ending was
But I enjoyed it, the acting was OK, story was strange.
Worth a watch.
6.5/10
Sam, a disenchanted young man, finds a mysterious woman swimming in his apartment's pool one night. The next morning, she disappears. Sam sets off across LA to find her, and along the way he uncovers a conspiracy far more bizarre.
I quirky film, that made no sense, I sat though 2 hours and 20 mins and the ending was
But I enjoyed it, the acting was OK, story was strange.
Worth a watch.
6.5/10
Half way through I thought it might end up being a classic. By the end I wished I hadn't bothered.
Couldn't get through it. I posted on here while my better half finished it. She loves that stuff but wasn't massively impressed.
The Perfection
A girl returns to the high class music school she left due to the sickness of her mother. There, she befriends the star pupil and together they fall into a void of sinister chaos. Decent movie, had some good ideas but also had some questionable plot devices and became rather too silly in its final act 6/10
A girl returns to the high class music school she left due to the sickness of her mother. There, she befriends the star pupil and together they fall into a void of sinister chaos. Decent movie, had some good ideas but also had some questionable plot devices and became rather too silly in its final act 6/10
Sea Fever
The crew of a West of Ireland trawler, marooned at sea, struggle for their lives against a growing parasite in their water supply.
It has been done before and much better.
3.5/10
The crew of a West of Ireland trawler, marooned at sea, struggle for their lives against a growing parasite in their water supply.
It has been done before and much better.
3.5/10
Gretel & Hansel
A long time ago in a distant fairy tale countryside, a young girl leads her little brother into a dark wood in desperate search of food and work, only to stumble upon a nexus of terrifying evil
This is one of those films that should have been excellent, but did not fulfill its potential.
In the end it was just dreadful, horror !! I was more scared watching Boris give his speech.
Avoid at all costs.
2/10
A long time ago in a distant fairy tale countryside, a young girl leads her little brother into a dark wood in desperate search of food and work, only to stumble upon a nexus of terrifying evil
This is one of those films that should have been excellent, but did not fulfill its potential.
In the end it was just dreadful, horror !! I was more scared watching Boris give his speech.
Avoid at all costs.
2/10
I watched Ran this evening. What an amazing cinematic achievement by Kurosawa. Shakespeare's King Lear serves as a backdrop for Kurosawa's vision, and what a vision it is - everything is meticulously planned and plays out before our eyes as chaos invades the land following Hidetora's abdication. The characters are wonderful (Kaede feels like Lady Macbeth transposed into Japan), the costumes and the decors are gorgeous, but it's the cinematography and the score that elevate it just a bit more for me - the scene of the invasion of the castle on the 1 hour mark, followed by Hidetora's madness and meandering in the windy hills have to be some of the most powerful imagery I have seen on the screen in a long time.
An absolute feast and a delight. Will watch again, I'm sure I've missed loads.
An absolute feast and a delight. Will watch again, I'm sure I've missed loads.
Trying to... In fact I've watched loads of films over the past couple of months, though I haven't posted much here.
Interesting trivia - surprised to read the King Lear inspiration only came later, the Shakespeare inspiration seems super strong. Not surprised by how meticulous the preparation for it all was, it transpires in every shot. Gorgeous film.
Which other film by him do you recommend? I have only seen Seven Samurai.
@Rooney in Paris check out 'High and Low', its fantastic