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    Sputnik (2020)

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    Sputnik (2020)

    When a Soviet spaceship crash lands and its astronaut is taken to a secret facility, an unconventional scientist is called in to examine its sole survivor, who didn’t return entirely alone.

    Well-crafted sci-fi horror made in Russia. Ego Abramenko’s Sputnik has a horror/sci-fi vibe that levels with Hollywood blockbusters. As much as this is promising, it poses the following issue: If it were dubbed in English, it would be like watching a Hollywood film. And more specifically, the Alien franchise. The name relates to space exploration and the first artificial satellites Russia sent orbiting around the Earth. It also means ‘companion’ or ‘fellow traveller’, which refers to the alien organism the astronaut is carrying inside him (information provided by IMDb).

    By being shot, primarily at the Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bio-organic Chemistry in Moscow, the audience can get a good sense of Soviet architecture, but also its harshness, which is connected to the regime at the time. I very much enjoyed the first act and its slow-burn build-up, the plot point that connects to the main incident, and the narrative’s development until the first part of the second act. From then on, the action takes over, and even though the slaughter is appealing, it turns into a standard Hollywood-like film that is well-shot and well-edited, and that is it. What could I expect more? Drama and/or horror within the action. See Alien (1979); you cannot take your eyes off the chase because action, thriller, and horror blend in smoothly and, simultaneously, unexpectedly.

    The action is expected in Sputnik, but this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t watch it. The visuals are impressive, the photography is dark, and the editing manipulates the information provided to a large extent. Oksana Akinshina does a great job as the unconventional scientist who struggles between science and politics and proudly holds the films on her shoulders. Go for it and, if anything, get a fresh take on the meaning of ‘blockbuster’.

    Please, don’t forget to share and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

    Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!

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    The Protege (2021)

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    The Protege (2021)

    When her mentor gets murdered, an assassin seeks revenge for the people behind the hit.

    Entertaining, yet nothing innovative. I don’t really like badmouthing films, but here we are – especially the ones that decent effort has been put into them. I’ll start with some positive feedback: Maggie Q. Maggie Q has proved to be a diverse actress, seen in dramas, action/adventures, and even horrors. Her acting skills extend beyond her fighting or modelling skills, and when the role demands it, she rises to the occasion.

    Unfortunately, The Protege is not one of these occasions. Director Martin Campbell, after two James Bond films and numerous other successful (or not) action/thrillers, does not meet today’s standards. The story itself is a cliché, with nothing substantial to offer to the genre, and the characters feel underdeveloped. Personally, I didn’t relate with anyone, and everything felt like a déjà vu from Luc Besson’s early films to today.

    I’ve said it numerous times before about action films, and I’ll say it again: From the moment films like John Wick (2014) and Atomic Blonde (2017) were released, the bar has been raised too high. Long shots are partially what cinematic realism stands for. Even though it is an extremely lengthy debate, the argument here is well-established: The action needs to be coherent, clear, and have duration to be believable and be perceived as ‘real’. The director needs to work with the fight coordinator, the actors, and the stunts in preproduction so, during principal photography, everyone knows where they need to stand, where they need to land, and develop the hand-to-hand combat. The editing does not cut it anymore – pun intended. The editing must establish continuity, not in every technique or counter-technique, but when the narrative demands it. Therefore, the info on the poster “From the studio that brought you John Wick…” sounds somewhat ironic. The film features Samuel L. Jackson and Michael Keaton but, as with the rest of the performances, don’t expect much.

    Unfortunately, again, the narrative here is something almost everyone has seen before, lowering the excitement to underground levels. It’s a shame, really.

    Please, don’t forget to share and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

    Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!

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    Dark River (2017)

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    Dark River (2017)

    Following her father’s death, a woman returns to the farm she grew up on after 15 years, but the reunion with her brother will have nothing but dire consequences.

    The hand-held camera and close-ups of Alice after the opening sequence speak volumes from the very beginning about her esoteric world. Upon her return to the farm and the siblings’ reunion, Ruth Wilson and Mark Stanley do a great job as estranged brother and sister, but the moment’s awkwardness, as well as the rest of the film’s pace and rhythm, are well-controlled by the editors Luke Dunkley and Nick Fenton. Writer/director Clio Barnard, a Yorkshire lass born and raised, works with the excellent cinematographer Adriano Goldman and delves into the personal drama Alice and Joe have to endure while simultaneously developing the tribulations of owning a farm nowadays. On one hand, their personal suffering seems impossible to deal with. While we get glimpses of the past, we can only imagine how hard it is for Alice to be back there. What we don’t know until much later on is how much Joe knows and how he positions himself in this predicament. Thus, we cannot fully comprehend the animosity between them.

    On the other hand, owning that farm and its innumerable troubles only escalates that tension. What ideally could have happened, what did happen, how it could have been dealt with, and how it was actually dealt with creates a family disaster of galactic proportions. That intensity is what describes the film. If I were forced to pick on something, that would be the fact that the tone is gloom and doom from beginning to end. As Dark River is mainly a drama, I would expect it to give some hope before it takes it back. Instead, it keeps slowly and steadily taking it, leaving you bereft. Hence, the narrative’s element of surprise is lost there as, from a certain point on, you know that every new sequence you are about to watch will be yet another disastrous encounter between the siblings.

    Don’t be discouraged by that, though. Dark River is the poster child of British indie cinema, and it only evokes emotions from relatable stories and characters and surfaces real dramas that take place in the world that you and I live in. Watch it and get to know England so much differently from the films that open with an aerial shot of London, shot wherever else after that, and dive into banalities that allegedly describe England. Dark River combines cinematic realism and the English countryside, free of stereotypes and clichés.

    Please, don’t forget to share and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

    Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!

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    Antlers (2021)

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    Antlers (2021)

    In a quiet town in rural Oregon, a troubled middle-school teacher and her sheriff brother investigate a series of brutally murdered people only to be led to the awakening of an ancient creature.

    Drama, horror, and mystery in a perfect balance! I’ve been waiting for this film for a long time! Three years, to be precise! With Scott Cooper behind the camera – Crazy Heart (2009), Out of the Furnace (2013), Black Mass (2015), Hostiles (2017) – Keri Russell, and Jesse Plemons in front of the camera, and, among others, David S. Goyer and Guillermo Del Toro wearing the producers’ hat, how could I not? And the waiting was well worth it! It’s a case where Hollywood defies its own (uptight) rules, throws the textbook away, and finally gets it right. There is no fast-paced editing that confuses, no cardboard cut-out characters, and no unnecessary jump-scares to compensate for the lack of narrative.

    Antlers is the horror you must watch to appreciate the slow-burn character and story development that only aims to stimulate your emotions and not undermine your intelligence. Goyer is a master of thrill (most of his DC work excluded), Del Toro is a master of storytelling, and Russell and Plemons are excellent actors. The result is precisely what you would hope for. Admittedly, I found the ending, even though not anticlimactic… a bit flat! It quickly resolved a terrifying build-up. I had high hopes it amounted to something as visceral as the first and second acts up to that point – pun intended. But don’t let that stand in your way.

    Based on the short story “The Quiet Boy” by Nick Antosca, Antlers is the kind of film where the plot relies on the subplot to support it. The personal, unspeakable drama supports the horror unleashed onto these people, and, even though one can exist without the other as separate entities, together they combine forces, pin you down, and cut your breath with the element of unpredictability and the uncertainty of who is worse: mythical, monstrous forces… or us…

    Please, don’t forget to share and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

    Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!

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    Copshop (2021)

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    Copshop (2021)

    A ‘fixer’ gets deliberately arrested to escape a hired killer, but when the killer does the same and both end up in opposite cells, all hell breaks loose.

    Cheery, yet dark action flick with a great on-screen duo. When you see Gerald Butler and Frank Grillo (also producers here) in an action/crime/thriller, it’s meant to be promising. And it is. The first act’s light mood, even though it’s not really a smokescreen, per se, is misleading. The mood gets darker as Viddick and Murretto unfold why they ended up in that sub-floor detention block. Successfully humorous acting precedes Lamb’s pending massacre (you’ll find out who he is) and tricks into thinking that it’s all gonna be funny one-liners. Well, I say no more…

    Other than Grillo and Butler, I must emphasise the amazing performances given by Alexis Louder, Chad L. Coleman, and Toby Huss. Their contribution makes all the difference in the world. Having said that, Copshop is one of those films that no one will talk about in the foreseeable or unforeseeable future, but… it will most definitely get you through the night. The pace and rhythm are just about right, there is a Desperado (1995) feel, a Dirty Harry (1971) feel, and a Dollars Trilogy feel that create a modern spaghetti standoff. Writer/producer/director Joe Carnahan is an expert on fast-paced action/thrillers – Smokin’ Aces (2006), Boss Level (2020), Wheelman (2017) – and with either or all three hats on his head, manages to perfectly balance the humour, the action, and the thrill for about an hour and forty minutes.

    I definitely recommend Copshop as this is the kind of fictional excitement we need from the comfort of our couch. The one outdoors is definitely the one that we neither want nor need.

    Also, Carnahan is currently directing the remake of The Raid (2011), and I look forward to watching the final cut. And by acquiring the rights for the American film partially funded The Raid 2 (2014) – awesome stuff!

    Please, don’t forget to share and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

    Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!

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    Minamata (2020)

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    Minamata (2020)

    Life magazine sends photographer Eugene Smith to Japan to document the atrocious effect of mercury poisoning on the people of Minamata.

    A must-see! Johnny Depp’s performance is the real deal, but this is not why you need to watch this. Let me get it out of the way because many may focus on that, but that shouldn’t be the focus point. Depp’s performance is as intriguing as it is compelling, and I will add that Hiroyuki Sanada’s presence is purely explosive! Now…

    The opening shot takes your breath away and keeps the brutal and cruel promise it makes. Writer/Producer/Director Andrew Levitas fought tooth and nail to get Minamata released after premiering at the 2020 Berlin International Film Festival. Depp’s court case forced pushing the release date back, but the long wait was definitely worth it.

    The first half an hour is about the inevitable: Eugene Smith will accept the job and live up to the name he once had. Once that is out of the picture, the struggle of Minamata’s people immediately becomes the relatable focus point, starting with the poisoned boy taking the camera off Smith’s hands. Every person affected and depicted after him becomes the audience’s struggle to breathe properly as cinematographer Benoit Delhomme’s lens captures their unspeakable drama with respect and understanding. Every shot becomes, indeed, a thousand words of unbearable burden.

    There is so much I could say about the film’s pace and rhythm and every actor’s / actress’ devotion to the project. Still, I’ll deliberately generalise and claim that films like Minamata are the reason cinema exists. Cinema is entertainment but also, like any other form of art, the means to express how artists perceive the world. ‘Science fiction’ holds truths about mankind with direct or subliminal messages hidden in the narrative. ‘Horror’, in its own respect and among others, reveals sides of ourselves that we could never admit about our nature. Minamata exists to disclose both sides of mankind that disgust us but also make us want to cry with what we can accomplish, but we have yet the chance (or will) to do so.

    I know these on-screen kids didn’t suffer from a disease caused by mercury, but my breath was cut short, and I felt like bursting into tears, nonetheless. However, I believe it is the kind of immense influence cinema has. Cinematic magic is the one I always allowed myself to believe in as a kid, and it is the one that has made me get through life itself.

    Please, don’t forget to share and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

    Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!

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    V/H/S 94 (2021)

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    V/H/S 94 (2021)

    The broadcast of a mysterious, cultish, pre-recorded VHS tape will force a SWAT team to raid a labyrinthic building that is connected to horrific events happening in numerous places.

    The VHS tradition continues with the mystery, the horror and the perversion maintained at the same levels. The structure is fascinating; a story of a horrific raid becomes the anchor for several interweaving stories. A monstrous deity worshipped by vagrants in the sewers of America, an undead coming out of his coffin throughout a perfect storm, a modern Indonesian Dr. Frankenstein who creates anthropoids, and a paramilitary group of white supremacists that have captured a vampire… are all connected to a raid that raises hell, defies reason, and twists the human psyche.

    Every story has its merits, quirks, foibles, and horrific charm. Bear in mind that the VHS franchise is the poster child of low-budget horror that solely aims to scare, always to entertain, and never to deceive. Simon Barrett, Steven Kostanski, Chloe Okuno, Ryan Prows, Jennifer Reeder, and Timo Tjahjanto put their heart and soul into it and do their best to make you forget the real-life horrors and suck you into the sphere of paranormal, paranoia, and obscure darkness.

    If I were to pick something that didn’t seem befitting, that would be the ending. Personally, I felt a bit let down as I didn’t fully get how it came down to that, and, honestly, I was expecting something more ‘twisty’. That’s just me, though. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. I can’t wait for the next one to be released.

    Please, don’t forget to share and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

    Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!

    Stay safe!

    Voice from the Stone (2017)

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    Voice from the Stone (2017)

    A nurse is called to an old mansion in Italy to aid a boy who stopped talking after his mother died.

    As they say, you can make a bad film from a good script, but you can never make a good film from a bad script. Even though I won’t claim that the script is bad, I will claim that its flow is substantially problematic. From what I read, the script’s development was stuck for years, and Verena’s role passed from Maggie Gyllenhaal to Olga Kurylenko to, eventually, Emilia Clarke. As you can see, if the script solely relies on beauty to evoke the desired feelings, it is doomed to fail. Emilia Clarke, besides her striking beauty, is a fine actress. However, her character is flat, and she cannot save it despite her decent efforts. Unfortunately, the same applies to everyone else involved.

    Speaking of flat, that’s what the story is, too. Nothing’s happening for the most part, no matter how hard you want to. Michael Wandmacher’s beautifully composed suspenseful music accompanies a narrative that is anything but. While rendered mostly monotone, Peter Simonite’s haunting photography offers a cold, foggy and mysterious atmosphere throughout most of the film, cautiously ‘warming’ it when the narrative dictates. Be it as it may, chances are that Eric D. Howell’s film let you down, unfortunately. It is a shame, really, as adopting European filmmaking standards and neglecting the influences from overseas provides excellent potential.

    As much as I enjoy watching Clarke naked – every time – I believe that she needs to have a word with her manager about how many films she is going to appear nude. I repeat I am not complaining, but she may need to reconsider for her career’s sake. Films like Voice from the Stone are, as aforementioned, doomed to fail as their target audience is unspecified, and so are their appealing criteria. Hence, projects like this keep changing hands over the years and end up like a creative purée where everyone has stuck their fingers.

    Please, don’t forget to share and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

    Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!

    Stay safe!

    Willy’s Wonderland (2021)

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    Willy’s Wonderland (2021)

    An eccentric, silent man of unknown origin is lured into cleaning up an abandoned funhouse inhabited by deadly animatronics.

    Great fun for some members of the family – the adults, if you didn’t get it. I mean, check the logline. Is spaghetti horror a thing? Well, writer G.O. Parsons and director Kevin Lewis most definitely treat it that way, and they want to make sure that, under no circumstances, you take Willy’s Wonderland seriously. The inciting incident takes place right off the bat, and The Janitor’s introduction – the one and only Nicolas Cage – promises one helluva ride. Minutes into the film, once everyone else has been introduced and you realise you don’t really care about who lives and dies, you sit back, relax, and eagerly wait for actor and co-producer Cage to do what he does best: wreak havoc! Of course, accompanied by his extraordinary grimaces.

    Inspired by Pale Rider (1985) and Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988), Lewis decides to go berserk on the funhouse, turning it into a slaughterhouse of psychopathic animatronics versus a psychopathic janitor and a group of millennials caught in the middle. Overall, I didn’t find any particular gruesome murder capable enough to stand out. Also, the comedy genre massively overshadows the horror, making one wonder how the script was green-lit to begin with. The obvious and only answer is none other than… Nicolas Cage. His co-star, Emily Tosta, has a strong presence in the film and lightens up the shots every time she’s in. I look forward to seeing her on more projects.

    Anyway, the contrast between soundtrack and visuals is the most enjoyable part of the film — and Cage, yes — and it only lasts an hour and twenty-five minutes. Enough time to forget your life’s problems and go to bed.

    Please, don’t forget to share and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

    Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!

    Stay safe!

    Tone-Deaf (2019)

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    Tone-Deaf (2019)

    A woman down on her luck decides to rent a house in the countryside for the weekend only to find out that it belongs to a psychopath.

    Entertaining, scary, and surrealistically crazy! I bet you’ve heard about these two types of films: character-driven and story-driven. Well, this is one helluva crazy character-driven comedy/horror by Richard Bates Jr., who did his absolute best to gather and develop characters you would only think of if you were on dope. Honestly, it’s one of those films that you don’t know how or why to suggest it to anyone, yet you do.

    Like quite a few other horrors lately, Tone-Deaf (or Killer Instinct?) focuses on the Grand Canyon-size gap between the Millennials and the old-fashioned, not politically correct people. It makes fun of both by breaking the fourth wall and using monologues that are meant to make you think but also entertain you. Do they achieve that, though? Yes and no. They set the foundation of contemplation but don’t delve into it, and consequently, they end up unnoticeable.

    I enjoyed it for the most part, especially some anecdotal parts, such as the sequence in the Tinder guy’s place (no spoilers), but I was disappointed with the ending. I found the second act’s last dialogues childish, rushed, and out of character. Surely, that could have been improved, but most definitely wasn’t. Anyway, it’s a film that will take your mind off things. Robert Patrick’s and Amanda Crew’s performances are pretty enjoyable, and they make quite the team as the villain and anti-heroine, respectively.

    Please, don’t forget to share and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

    Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!

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    Awake (2021)

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    Awake (2021)

    When the power goes down globally inexplicably, and no one can sleep, a mother is tasked with leading her daughter, the only person who can sleep, to a hub in search of a potential cure.

    A suspenseful story with anticlimactic execution. I’ll cut to the chase. Gina Rodriguez does a great job as a struggling mother who does what needs to be done. Undeniable! She’s a brilliant actress and deserves a lot of praise. Actually, Rodriguez and story writer Gregory Poirier deserve all the praise in the film.

    Unfortunately, the story’s development to a script and Mark Raso’s directing proved problematic. In reality, all the obstacles the mom and the kids have to face would have been next to impossible. But in Raso’s Awake, solutions are easily found to the point of a gimmick, and horror fans don’t like easy ways out.

    Problems, though, start way before that as the global catastrophe just happens, and its symptoms just spread with nothing building up in the process, keeping the suspense (just) at the lowest possible level. Once again, Rodriguez’s performance saves parts of the film, but despite her efforts, its anticlimactic narrative damages an otherwise good story. Mainly, I blame Netflix! They have all the money in the world and could have overseen the script and its plot holes before they green-lit it.

    If I go on, I’ll probably start talking about the clichéd American reactions and emotional responses to certain stimuli as well as how the numbers don’t add up with the mom’s age and the kids’ and the subplot. So, I’ll stop here and hope that Raso’s next film will avoid all of the aforementioned and Rodriguez will star in an existential drama that will fully unfold her thespian skills.

    P.S. For a proper parent’s struggle throughout a global catastrophe (and obviously main influence of Awake), see The War of the Worlds (2005).

    Please, don’t forget to share and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

    Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!

    Stay safe!

    Titane (2021)

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    Titane (2021)

    In a time where a series of unresolved crimes is on the rise, a go-go dancer with a metal plate fitted into her head runs away, only to be found by a tortured fire chief who accepts her as his son.

    France’s official submission for the ‘Best International Feature Film’ category of the 94th Academy Awards in 2022 aims to shock with raw violence and perversion and not to please with aesthetics. The one filmmaker who could truly shock people by blending sci-fi, body horror, sexuality, and profoundly perplexed personalities is David Cronenberg, who never made it to the Oscars. Consequently, that kind of violence and perversion doesn’t seem new to me, and as much as I enjoyed the film, I can’t see how all these nominations and wins occurred. As for the Oscars, it’s been years that I don’t understand how the nominations and the awards are given, even though I’ve done thorough research on it. You see, theory and practice don’t always match, and I’ve given up on Hollywood’s moronic policies, moral and social indecisiveness, and corruption.

    Anyway, back to Titane, Julia Ducournau‘s provocative lens starts right off the bat with no warning whatsoever. And, no, I’m not referring to the dance or the homosexuality;  I couldn’t care less. It’s not even the sex with the car. It is Alexia’s inclination for murder. Docurnau’s lens focuses on Alexia’s effortlessness to take multiple human lives and showcases it as easy as the murders themselves. And as much as I don’t see where most of the nominations came or are coming from, the fact that Agathe Rouselle only got that one nomination is shocking! Roles like these make or break actors/actresses, but most definitely attract attention. Regardless, I truly believe she deserves a lot of ‘trophies’.

    From then on, the narrative’s perversion takes a different form in that of a man who accepts her as his son and their sick relationship. I wish I could tell you more, but you’ll get no spoilers from me. See for yourselves and make up your minds. I will conclude by expressing my admiration for Docurnau’s natural ability to capture the unnatural. You wouldn’t have been surprised if you had watched her previous work, Raw (2016). Should you haven’t, you should. By the way, I couldn’t detect the ‘sci-fi’ genre, and judging by the characters, I would probably replace it with ‘fantasy’.

    I admire her as a filmmaker, and that is not due to her close-ups, the DePalma split shots, or even her films that much. It’s because she’s a fantastic storyteller. She knows what kind of story she wants to tell, and she knows how to tell it without hesitation. Love or loathe it, Palme d’Or worthy or not, accept it for what it is.

    Please, don’t forget to share and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

    Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!

    Stay safe!

    Old (2021)

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    Old (2021)

    A luxurious resort sends a cohort of families to a secluded beach where, inexplicably, they rapidly get older.

    Mixed feelings over a simple premise. Starting with the narrative, During Act I, nothing’s happening, and the lack of an inciting incident negatively impacts the film’s pace and rhythm. By definition, that creates a tremendous contrast with the second act, in which everything happens. Act II is… death! People are dropping like flies, and all you know is that that beach is making everyone… old. But there is more to it as certain wounds heal, others worsen, and so on. So, stick to the end to see what Act III has in store for you.

    From a directing point of view, M. Night Shyamalan is in full control of his camera and its movement. He takes charge of what to disclose or not to disclose, why, and, most importantly, how to deal with either case. There are exciting crane shots and tracking shots, and Hitchcock zooms in on moments where age abnormality incidents are about to occur. The second act is where he patiently builds up the suspense and horror to lead to the climactic night.

    Shyamalan, based on Pierre Oscar Lévy’s graphic novel ‘Sandcastle’ and heavily influenced by Luis Buñuel’s satire The Exterminating Angel (1962), wrote the script before the pandemic hit but shot the film right in the middle of it. Making sure that all precautions were taken, he, the crew, and the cast were stunned by the similarities of what they were shooting and the effects the pandemic had in the world (especially last year). After all, Old deals with isolation (lockdown), the roots of death (virus), the fear of infection, and the way out of this tragedy. Surprisingly immaculate timing, indeed. Speaking of the cast: Gael García Bernal, Vicky Krieps, Rufus Sewell, Abbey Lee, Ken Leung, Amuka-Bird, Aaron Pierre and the rest of the cast do a great job portraying their characters, adding their performances to Shyamalan’s vision. Embeth Davidtz gets a separate mention, as I’m biased (I admit it) and find her amazing in everything she’s been in.

    Other than the aforementioned influences, Shyamalan said he originally wanted to get involved with this project due to his parents getting old and personal phobias of his. Be it as it may, I bought and read Lévy’s ‘Sandcastle’ as, admittedly, I was unaware of – and I was really interested in observing the differences. The adaptation is remarkable, and I take my hat off to both Lévy for grasping this concept and Shyamalan for bringing it to life. There is something I noticed, though, that I believe in Old became a fainted subplot when, I believe, it should have been, arguably, the main plot: Life is too short! I know it sounds cliché, but it is! And the pandemic made (most of) us rethink and rearrange our priorities in life. And not only is it too short, but whatever problems we think we may have now, these problems will be amplified as the years pass. And all we will be left with is remorse for everything we never tried, reminiscence, and one last chance for redemption. Maybe think about that while watching it.

    Of course, this is Hollywood, and this is Shyamalan, so the result has to be somewhat fancy, and there has to be a twist. Personally, I didn’t find the twist so impactful, as it raised some questions that led me to plot holes. Overall, I found it intriguing, though, and I highly recommend it despite its flaws. I hope you enjoy it and that it makes you think about life after the end credits start scrolling down.

    Please, don’t forget to share and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

    Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!

    Stay safe!

    Dune (2021)

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    Dune (2021)

    The House of Atreides moves to planet Arrakis to protect the most precious resource of existence, but yet another interstellar feud among the Houses is about to begin.

    Yet another feud, yet another cinematic achievement from Denis Villeneuve! A phantasmagorical Part 1 that will impress even the hardest ones to please! Dune has it all: the solid script and acting, the state-of-the-art visuals and sounds, Hans Zimmer’s epic soundtrack, the extraordinary photography, the controlled pace and rhythm… everything!

    Villeneuve did not become a slave to the original source – Frank Herbert’s already excellent novel – but respected it, visualised it in a way no one has done before, and materialised it like no one has done before. While watching it, I couldn’t help but wonder: did I ever imagine in the early 90s, while playing the game, that I would watch Dune, a film of that magnitude, on the big screen? Yet, here I am, having watched it… ready already for Part Two.

    One may notice the numerous liberties taken in adapting the film. Still, we must remember that film is a visual medium and that an adaptation is a product of its era (think from societal needs and restrictions to VFX). And Villeneuve’s liberties work like a Swiss watch. See, for example, the fighting styles: As per IMDb, Fight Coordinator Roger Yuan gave the House of Harkonnen ancient Mongolian fighting skills and the House of Atreides Filipino fighting skills, a visual result that matches the nature of the two Houses. The same applies to the costume design, which doesn’t resemble the book’s descriptions, yet every costume encapsulates the status of each house.

    The all-star cast comprises Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Jason Momoa, Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, Zendaya, Stellan Skarsgård, Chang Chen, Dave Bautista, Charlotte Rampling, and more. An excellent cast that shines in front of the camera. My only issue with Hollywood, and not the film in particular, is that everyone has to be attractive. Everyone could as well be a model on an underwear or a fragrance poster. But whatever… I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve brought that up.

    Every department, every cinematic technique applied, everything you see and hear… can be thoroughly analysed individually but also collectively. And either for research or purely informative purposes, researchers and columnists, respectively, will write extensively about Dune. For now, you need to turn off the lights, turn down your phones, turn up your sound system, and enjoy a unique cinematic experience.

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    Lamb (2021)

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    Lamb (2021)

    On a remote farm in Iceland, a childless couple treats an abnormal newborn sheep as their baby.

    Rightfully, the highest-grossing Icelandic film to date, and most definitely not for everyone! Starting as an impressive horror, with the sheep’s synchronised and guided movements stealing the show, the sequence cuts off abruptly, raising a lot of question marks (even though so does the rest of the film). From then on, the mystery takes over when the appearance of the bipedal baby girl-sheep becomes a naturally accepted family member. This is the biggest part of the film, so keep that in mind. Let me rephrase: over a good, solid hour occupies a normality that is anything but normal. In this act, the narrative’s simplicity and the slow editing render Lamb not for everyone. Yet, this is the part where you need to be patient because this normally presented abnormality serves a purpose that will not be directly revealed to you at all. So, as I said, be patient and enjoy, arguably, the best cinematography of the year – Eli Arenson.

    Here are a few production details that you might find interesting. As per IMDb, Noomi Rapace had to brush up on the Icelandic language since she spent some years there as a child. What’s more, prior to principal photography, she spent some time on an Icelandic farm, actually learning how to help sheep give birth. Finally, Lamb is the ‘Official submission of Iceland for the “Best International Feature Film” category of the 94th Academy Awards in 2022.

    It is an excellent feature debut from director Valdimar Jóhannsson, who makes it really hard for me to provide my interpretation of Lamb without spoiling it for you. I’ll just say that issues such as overcoming sorrow, pursuing happiness, and beating loneliness/solitude in the vastness of an unforgiving nature are Herculean labours individually, much less collectively. Sometimes, we say: ‘If I were in his/her shoes, I would…’ but the undeniable truth is that we never really know what we would have done if we faced someone else’s suffering. So maybe, just maybe, sit in silence for a while and try to understand how other people cope and why they cope the way they do because if God forbid, something similar were to happen to us, the tables would turn. And then people would judge the only way it seems natural for us to cope…

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    Snatchers (2019)

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    Snatchers (2019)

    A teenage girl has sex for the first time and wakes up the next day pregnant with an alien who wants to multiply and conquer the world.

    Funny and entertaining, that’s it! Starting with living, breathing high school clichés, I couldn’t see how this would be promising. Boy, am I glad to be wrong. Snatchers might not be horror per se but, as aforementioned, it is funny and highly entertaining! Mary Nepi, Gabrielle Elyse, J.J. Nolan, Austin Fryberger, Rich Fulcher, and Ashley Argota are nailing their parts and under the meticulous guidance of the directors Stephen Cedars and Benji Kleiman, who are in full control of every shot they’ve taken, and through ‘snappy’ editing, they control the narrative’s pace and rhythm throughout all acts. I know it’s not a film that has been or will be discussed, but films like Snatchers highly indicate that editing defines principal photography. In other words, postproduction starts in preproduction, however convoluted that may sound.

    There is so much to say about specific filmmaking details, just like the one mentioned above, but honestly, I find no reason to implicate film theories when you can just enjoy it without my verbosity. It makes one wonder about the reasons behind certain malicious reviews when even just watching the trailer, you know what you signed up for. The script’s nonsensical trajectory makes actually sense as it adds to the non-believability which is actually intentional and slyly parodies similar actual horror films that most of us have grown up with.

    To sum it up, Snatchers is great fun, especially for millennials but not only. Don’t take it seriously as, again, intentionally, it doesn’t take seriously itself. Something that I actually prefer to self-righteous and self-important films that aim to pseudo-philosophise, be wannabe didactic, or end up being pedantic. Based on the 2015 6-minute homonymous short film by the same directors and main actors, Snatchers earns its stripes in the comedy/horror pantheon, and I look forward to watching Kleiman’s and Cedars’ next project. Remember, the comedy-horror balance is not written in stone, and it takes a whole village to be achieved.

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    Kate (2021)

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    Kate (2021)

    A female assassin races against time to find out and kill the person who poisoned her and whoever else stands in her way.

    Great fun (not) for the whole family! First, the bad news: It’s not an original script! It’s been done before in numerous variations, so it won’t shock you with its lack of authenticity. Now, for the good news…

    Mary Elizabeth Winstead kicks a$$! She’s a very talented actress, an extremely gorgeous woman, and Kate proves that there is no role she cannot take on. Her performance is remarkable, and I couldn’t help but notice her astonishing similarity with Ripley – arguably the greatest bada$$! Combined, later on, with the red eye and the half-damaged face… (you’ll see!) Speaking of great performances, Miku Patricia Martineau deserves an extra round of applause for her fearless performance! Woody Harrelson and Jun Kunimura add quality to the film by just appearing in it, and no matter what I say, it will not make them look greater than they already are.

    The fight scenes, however choreographed, are a match for the John Wick franchise, and Winstead does her absolute best to add (pseudo)realism to what usually doesn’t really look convincing. My hat off to the choreographers and the stunts that make her look even more remarkable and make something so ugly (that kind of fighting, not professional) look so beautiful.

    Umair Aleem and Cedric Nicolas-Troyan manage to write and direct, respectively, a great action flick that, surprisingly, evokes the desired feelings. Now, that is authentic! To watch a film like Kate and before, during, and after the action scenes, you feel, at times, that your heart skips a beat and your breath is short. I’ve said it numerous times: no genre can stand alone without drama. Even comedy. Especially comedy, actually. See King of Comedy (1982) if you have any doubts. Nicolas-Troyan and Winstead will make you feel for Kate as a character and as a film. Highly recommended!

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    Halloween Kills (2021)

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    Halloween Kills (2021)

    Michael Myers escapes from the trap he was led into and kills whoever stands in his way in the town of Haddonfield.

    David Gordon Green and Danny McBride keep the legend alive and perpetuate the thrill of Michael Myers. Great almost 20′ investment to introduce new characters and resurface some of the old ones. That’s also a great way to bridge the past and the present and move on to what will happen. The first massacre was a bit too “Hollywood” for me; too fast, too bloody… something like an out-of-context standoff that the filmmakers felt like throwing in. Before I even managed to process it properly, though, the home invasion sequence was more vicious than expected. I mean… vicious!

    After that, there is just a roller coaster of death! Haddonfield’s suppressed fear turns into exasperation; people men up and women up, respectively, and everyone gets their sequence of blood and gore. None of them couldn’t be bloodier; some are funnier than others, some are suspenseful and others not at all, but, ultimately and most importantly, Laurie Strode is back! 43 years later, Jamie Lee Curtis is still on the ball, believing in her character and John Carpenter’s original vision and comes back swinging with everything she’s got. Carpenter himself puts the producer’s hat on and immensely contributes to the horror’s perpetuation. The excerpts from his original films make all the difference in the world. Onto two crucial points, now…

    One of the franchise’s forgettable and non-canon Halloween timelines explains that Myers is not mortal on Halloween day and that he’s been taken over by a demon, and that’s why he is, ostensibly, unstoppable. Remember that that’s the only explanation ever given, until now, about Myers’ mortality. Green and McBride, though, offer a different and vague explanation of Halloween Kills. See for yourselves and interpret it however, you feel like it. It is open to interpretation anyway. I found it more philosophical than literal, but I can’t wait to hear what other people think of Laurie’s theory.

    Then, I feel there is something else that needs to be addressed. It is an underrated issue that has gone largely unnoticed. The importance of Michael’s mask. His face has not yet been disclosed, and why it is so important to him to have it on constantly. As you may be aware, I host a podcast on horror, and my next interview with the incredible psychologist Michelle Satchwell will reveal undisclosed much information about the role of masks in the horror genre, their effectiveness, and where everything derives from. Stay tuned for more…

    There are so many production details to discuss, but hey, it’s Halloween week, so all you need to do is enjoy it yourselves out there in the real world. If you decide to stay in and turn the lights off, enjoy a good night in, with Myers finding new ways to crawl under your skin. Horror should only be enjoyable in books, on the small or big screen. If you are out and about…

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    The Night House (2020)

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    The Night House (2020)

    After her husband dies, a woman starts dreaming of people and places that reveal secrets that should have been left buried with him.

    I’ll start with the very obvious: Rebecca Hall is amazing at anything she’s in. She’s a phenomenal actress who deserves every praise. Here, she’s wearing the executive producer’s hat as well, so more ‘congratulations’ are in order. On to the story now…

    The film’s best part is that it slowly and gradually builds up the suspense. It spreads the “crumbs” so delicately that it informs, to a certain extent, misleads while, at the same time, keeping you on your toes. For example, the scene is haunting when Beth falls asleep on Claire’s lap. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Wait until the end and see where these “crumbs” lead. Writers Ben Collins and Luke Piotrowski prepare a great finale for their already well-developed story, and director David Bruckner envisions it in an, honestly, unique and original way. Bruckner seems to always find ways to project human phobias in ways that shock and mesmerise at the same time. But don’t take my word for it. Watch his previous films, such as VHS (2012), Southbound (2015), and The Ritual (2017), and see for yourselves. He’s a brilliant director with so much to offer to the horror genre. Can’t wait for his next project.

    Definitely, go for it! It’s a refreshing change for the genre, using mainly practical effects and deviating from the standard Hollywood clichés that have damaged horror films, thankfully, not irreparably. An extra round of applause to the actors Sarah Goldberg and Vondie Curtis-Hall for their amazing support. You will not know what to look for, which is why you will not see it coming. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Happy Halloween!

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    Malignant (2021)

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    Malignant (2021)

    A woman starts having horrible nightmares that turn out to be visions of actual violent crimes in which she is unwillingly involved.

    Amazing opening shot followed by an hour and fifty minutes of Hollywood dumbness. I hate writing about films this way, especially horror films. I’ve said it numerous times. Horror fans might be somewhat eccentric and geeks, but we are not dumb! James Wan, especially New Line Cinema, should know and respect that. Even though the story is decent, its development is dumb, the character development is beyond understanding and that should stop! Let me rephrase: it should have stopped a long time ago. “Jump Scares” is a tool for narrative, not a narrative pattern, to build a whole film on. The same applies to the cardboard cut-out characters that no one can empathise with.

    Why is it that you hear the word ‘dumb’ and its permutations again and again? Because a solid narrative does not rely on constant music to evoke the desired emotions and feelings. That applies to every genre, in this instance, though, for both the drama and the horror unfolding in the story. Take Winnie, for example, a Hollywood typical. Ingrid Bisu, often cast by Wan, is a wonderful woman (and actress), and she pretends to be a geek who the person she has a crush on won’t even consider looking her that way. Also, she seems like a cat person who can’t find love. PLEASE! Honestly, name one girl who looks like that, is a geek, and cannot find someone (she co-wrote it, by the way).

    James Wan is a solid director. I especially love his tracking shots and his use of close-ups. But it’s not enough, though. Malignant’s script is full of plot holes, and that shows so much more on the big screen. And no filmmaking technique or decent acting can make that right. I wish I could be less harsh on the film, but trust me, I’m already holding my punches.

    P.S. OK, the prison and police station sequences were gruesomely entertaining!

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    Tsotsi (2005)

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    Tsotsi (2005)

    When a young gangster commits a crime he never expected, he experiences emotions he never had before.

    Mise-en-scene and editing enhance the narrative, moving the story forward and emphasising the pain but also hope. Tsotsi, which, from what I read, means “thug” in Johannesburg slang, was the rightful Oscar winner for Best Foreign Language Film of the Year in 2006!

    When I first watched it back then, I may have had no idea about who Gavin Hood was, or may not have known about films what I know now, or even could not understand what I understand now about South Africa’s torment… but still, I was filled with tears in the end while watching it mouth agape. Tsotsi is the torn (anti)hero’s journey that will make you hate him, feel for him, and then be left with so many mixed feelings, rethinking of Boston’s “decency” – and “redemption” (my addition). Megan Hill’s editing plays a tremendous role in narratives such as this, as it paces the audience’s emotions and defines the film’s rhythm. It is a masterclass! There are so many more technical details that I could urge you to pay attention to, but no need. Let the film speak to you.

    I was fresh out of the special forces back then, and, to a certain extent, Tsotsi helped me reevaluate certain aspects of life. That is the power of cinema, and, like every other form of art, it is part of our lives, affecting it in ways we could never predict or plan. As much as I liked Hood’s Official Secrets (2019), Tsotsi remains my all-time favourite of his. Last but not least, Presley Chweneyagae’s realistic incarnation of Tsotsi will make you forget he is acting. Enjoy the thrill!

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    My Son (2021)

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    My Son (2021)

    After suspecting that his son has been kidnapped, a father does everything in his power to find him.

    A parent’s worst fear depicted in a sorrowful yet mysterious way. James McAvoy could not be a mediocre actor even if he tried his best. The guy is phenomenal! His acting is out of this world. Writer/director Christian Carion, who adapted his own homonymous film My Son (2017), applied the same technique he did back then: Everyone but McAvoy had received the script, so his reactions to every stimulus of the story are genuine. On to that story, then…

    The first act concerns the missing boy, the parents’ tribulations, the mother’s new boyfriend, and their triangle. Somewhere there, you get the odd questions from Inspector Roy that start complicating the issue further, but the focus, rightfully, stays on the parents and the missing boy. Until then, the drama and the mystery are well-balanced, and one can only feel for both of them and hope for a happy ending. Imagine: I hate happy endings, and I most certainly wished for one.

    The second act is taken over by mystery, where McAvoy, like Liam Neeson, applies some basic investigating skills without a plan but is hell-bent on finding his son. The outcome of his actions is natural and believable as he has not previously displayed any similar skills whatsoever, just a dad willing to do anything to find his son. Eventually, it turns into a nail-biting thriller that, in the end… confuses with the turn of events. There might not be a narrative twist, but there is an emotional one. Personally, I found myself wondering how the ending was befitting, and even though I understood it to some degree, it evoked mixed feelings inside me. It seemed somewhat rushed, and even though Act I and II bothered to explain what was going on – which you might find unnecessary – it abruptly ended, giving away nothing. Again, I understand open endings, but I struggled, and still do, to find meaning in that one. But that is just me.

    I hope you enjoy the thrill it offers and yet another stupendous performance from McAvoy. Quick note: I’ve praised Claire Foy in everything she has been in before, and her acting here is nothing but remarkable, too. I just think that she deserved more screen time.

    Please, don’t forget to share and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

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    Reminiscence (2021)

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    Reminiscence (2021)

    A private investigator with access to people’s memories unfolds a conspiracy that also involves the disappearance of his beloved woman.

    Interesting yet intricate plot that tells more than it shows. What has happened, but not to the full extent, becomes pretty straightforward from the very beginning. Until the inciting incident, a sci-fi, neo-noir unfolds that emphasises nostalgia. Once it becomes clear what the story is about, the plot and the subplot become respectively unclear. I struggled to figure out which is which. One is a decent love story, and the other is a decent crime one. But which one is the plot? And what are they together if both of them are the plot? Or the subplot? See the confusion?

    There is a jigsaw waiting to be put in order, and Hugh Jackman, Thandiwe Newton, Rebecca Ferguson, and (the massively underrated) Cliff Curtis do a great job putting it together, but the film’s imbalance and the editing’s rhythm and pace do not help. Director Lisa Joy, the woman behind Westworld (2016-2022) gets Newton and Angela Sarafyan on board and even though she did a very decent job putting it together the result was not probably exactly what she hoped for. That said, the extremely poor box office does not reflect on that result – Budget: $54,000,000 (estimated) / International Box Office: $11,900,000. You will not regret watching it, so go for it.

    Here’s another one for you. At times, it felt like this was a film about Hugh Jackman, who, in his fifties, still looks the same awesome, well-trained, good-looking man he was ten and twenty years ago. I’m not saying this is positive or negative, but it becomes yet another factor that takes the focus away from the story and, consequently, distracts. Again, I hope you forget your problems for about two hours and enjoy it.

    P.S. Fun fact: Lisa Joy is the wife of Jonathan Nolan, brother of Christopher Nolan, who directed Hugh Jackman in Prestige (2006)

    P.P.S. Fun fact 2: Hugh Jackman and Rebecca Ferguson worked together before in The Greatest Showman (2017)

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    Unhinged (2020)

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    Unhinged (2020)

    A road rage incident makes an unstable man go berserk on a young mother and everyone she cares about.

    Intense and brutal action/thriller with a bat-sh*t crazy Crowe! The film doesn’t lack anything. Great performances, relatable characters, chase sequences, realistic violence, and great editing pace and rhythm. Yet, it didn’t do that well at the box office, but I guess being one of the first theatrical release entries after the US lockdown is the main reason. Director Derrick Borte envisages this horrific American reality: Russell Crowe and Caren Pistorius go full throttle against each other on screen, and the result is definitely worth your time. It is not a film you’ll be constantly talking about after the end credits start scrolling down, but it’s a great addition to the series of thrillers/horrors where someone… unhinged, with unknown motives, goes after the hero/ine while committing atrocities. I can’t hide that my favourite one is Steven Spielberg’s original Duel (1971).

    To cut a long story short, I greatly enjoyed it and highly recommend it to suspense lovers like myself. Rachel’s decisions occasionally annoy, but it’s not her fault, as the Hollywood-type script dictates such decisions. Unfortunately, we live in a world where road rage has spread like pestilence, and it’s everywhere. Hideous crimes happen daily on the streets just because someone happened to hit the break abruptly. It’s shocking, horrible, uncivilised, and inhumane. Watching Unhinged and saying “reality is worse” is not encouraging. We all need to chill the f@€% out.

    P.S. For those who think that Crow has completely let himself go, please know that he had been consulting a dietitian to achieve that result throughout the film.

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    Other People (2016)

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    Other People (2016)

    An underachieving gay writer returns home after many years to support his terminally ill mom… and face the rest of the family.

    The type of American cinema that knows what to cut out, when, and how to balance feelings. Succeeding in comedy/drama is as complex as making a comedy/horror. And Other People will make you laugh as much as it will make you cry. Jesse Plemons and Molly Shannon make an excellent on-screen duet, and writer/director Chris Kelly allows them to shine and evoke all the intended emotions.

    Tragicomedy describes all three acts with little things such as the milkshake order, which in its simplicity I found genuinely hilarious, or mum farting. The dialogues are authentic, and the performances are immense. There is so much I could say about connecting film theories on cinematic realism to independent American cinema, but I see no reason to do so. Therefore, I’ll keep this one shorter than usual and hope you get the chance to watch it, laugh and cry and, respectively, recommend it to as many people as possible to share your experience. Because, as we tend to think, real-life events such as the ones unfolding in the film are situations experienced only by… other people.

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    Joe Bell (2021)

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    Joe Bell (2021)

    A father from Oregon makes it a mission to walk to New York and preach along the way against bullying after his teenage son gets tortured for being gay.

    Mixed feelings throughout all three acts. Right off the bat, from the first flashbacks, the first impression is that a working-class dad who surprisingly supports his son for being gay does not support him enough to have him parade it in his front yard. Therefore, my question was: his problem was showing it off? Then, I thought to myself that it is biographical, so if this is how it was, this is how it was. Then, I got a different problem. As the story develops, I thought that it doesn’t let you think for yourself at all; it spoon-feeds you the message all the way through. It forces you to side with Jadin by telling you – not showing you – who the “bad” guy is and who the “good” guy is in a black-or-white manner. Then, there is another “then”: Jadin accusing Joe of not being supportive enough, and Joe accusing Jadin of not handling it (in the present era) creates a vague grey area in the film’s otherwise “black or white” scheme for the supportive people but questions their level of support. Here’s my two cents in general…

    People, and more specifically bullies, need to feel what it is like to be bullied without being bullied, hated or criticised for thinking and acting the way they do. They need to understand that, to other people, they are as different as the people they pick on. I did some research and this is what the real Joe Bell tried to do. He was non-violently preaching against it because his son faced the consequences, and he wanted, to his best abilities, to make the world a better place. A friendly for all of us place so no one has to suffer what his son did, and, consequently, any other boy, girl, man, woman, or non-binary person out there.

    However, Mark Wahlberg as Joe Bell, the late Larry McMurtry (RIP) and Diana Ossana’s script, and Reinaldo Marcus Green’s directing do not reflect that. Joe Bell does not know where to focus and massively holds back on the emotions it means to evoke. Take, for example, when his mother, Lola (Connie Britton), finds out. This should have been the moment where the toughest one breaks. And one wonders, how can this be with so many A-list names wearing the producer’s hat: Mark Wahlberg, Cary Joji Fukunaga, Jake Gyllenhaal, Paris Kassidokostas-Latsis, and 17 more…

    To cut a long story short, Joe Bell makes it more about Joe Bell rather than his incredibly noble and courageous mission. Ironically, he says it himself to the sheriff while opening up. And he keeps doing it. Shame really as if it wasn’t for this film I, and potentially hundreds of thousands of others, wouldn’t have known about this mission. But the real shame is that his mission’s message doesn’t really permeate. It does not sink in; therefore, there is nothing much to take away from it. And the Bell family’s story is absolutely f@£$!^% tragic!

    I really do hope each of us finds an honourable way to make this world feel like… home. For everyone!

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    Don’t Breathe 2 (2021)

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    Don’t Breathe 2 (2021)

    A gang of highly skilled killers invades the blind man’s house to kidnap his daughter, not knowing what he is capable of.

    Worthy sequel shot in a standard Hollywood manner. Acting first: Stephen Lang is an incredible actor. That’s it.

    Moving on to the plot, it gets trickier. The first act sets a thrilling foundation that promises horrific brutality that potentially matches the first. The first plot point’s protracted tracking shot increases the tension while making it obvious what will happen next. And what is actually happening is quite brutal. As brutal as promised, though? Yes! So, what are the differences with Don’t Breathe (2016)?

    Don’t Breathe 2 is a lot more far-fetched but reasonable enough for a sequel. Not a problem, it’s expected. Then… In the first one, what we have is poor, untalented boys and girls – harmless thieves who have no idea what they are up against – enter the blind man’s house whose intentions are revealed to be shockingly sinister and unfathomably perverse. In Don’t Breathe 2, the competition is way tougher and, against all odds, he is (somehow) the victim – even though the twist and, consequently, the intentions come to a tad early. But the confrontation (act 2) is not restricted to just a house and develops the story and leads it even further than expected, to, actually, extremely unexpected paths. As I can’t say much about the plot’s development, I’ll focus on the one thing that got me asking: What the hell was going on in writer/director Rodo Sayagues’ head while balancing the characters’ morality? What everyone has done, is doing, and what is about to do is just beyond me. And I leave you with that. From a filmmaking point of view, there is nothing much to say. Other than the aforementioned protracted shot, nothing much stands out. From a narrative point of view, the film walks a tightrope, risking to lose the audience by tipping the scales as to who to root for – the morality issue.

    Watch it and see for yourselves what I mean. It does not necessarily mean that it’s “good” or “bad”, that’s hardly ever the case anyway. Overall, I found it enjoyable and do recommend it. It’s the kind of morbid entertainment that doesn’t come even remotely close to the horrific reality we are currently facing.

    Please, don’t forget to share and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

    Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!

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    The Woman in the Window (2021)

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    The Woman in the Window (2021)

    An agoraphobic woman witnesses a crime that, to take action, she will have to face her deepest fear.

    Interesting premise and great acting, yet it fails to deliver on many fronts. Amy Adams, Gary Oldman, Julianne Moore, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Wyatt Russell are great. That’s the elephant in the room. Tracy Letts’ script and Joe Wright’s directing create a significant issue, though: they increase, by the minute, the distance between the audience and Anna – admittedly, not intentionally. The close-ups and the Dutch angles, the tracking shots, and the low and high angles are plenty. It would be exciting to ask the editor, Valerio Bonelli, about his experience editing it. It feels like its pace is all over the place, and its rhythm is like a song you want to like, but you are too confused to dance to it. Bonelli seems like the person who puts together scattered pieces of visuals that the filmmakers had no idea what to do with. That causes the twists not to be able to find their place in the plot, and consequently, they lose their gravitas. The fact that A.J. Finn’s book has been receiving rave reviews and the film nothing but scathing makes Wright’s film a mediocre adaptation for the big screen. I haven’t read the book, though; therefore, I cannot really comment on that, just putting it out.

    This character-driven story shouldn’t have been Brian DePalma meets Alfred Hitchcock, but Body Double (1984) meets Rear Window (1954). It’s a real shame to have so many talented people involved in front and behind the cameras and get that head-scratching result. There are too many techniques and influences that, ultimately, cancel each other out and leave the audience indifferent, at best. In the end, I didn’t know if the plot’s drama or the final cuts made me want to cry. I’ll go with the latter.

    Please, don’t forget to share and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

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    Upstate Story (2018)

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    Upstate Story (2018)

    A peek at the week of a man who struggles to go through it.

    Well-written story that deserves some budget to take off. Upstate Story is the case where the script is better than the film. Not because writer/director Shaun Rose doesn’t have the skills to pull it off, but strictly due to budgetary restraints that don’t allow him to develop it the way he envisioned it.

    Upstate Story surfaces an enormous problem many people fail to address and, consequently, deal with unfulfillment. The notion that we could have done so much more with our lives if we were just given the chance. What makes it worse is asking, to the point of begging, for this chance from people who have been given that chance and didn’t deserve it, to begin with. And then time goes by, and that chance seems further and further away, sucking, at first, our energy and then our lives like a black hole of despair. And while these nihilistic thoughts consume us like woodworms, during these darkest hours, Upstate Story‘s hidden positivity urges us to always hang onto whatever we consider a lighthouse in our lives and be guided by it so we don’t crash on the rocks.

    Ellis Martin is a real-life, relatable character who can be developed into a person who one day will find the purpose he so eagerly seeks and write a book called “Against All Odds” or “Finding the Strength”, but he can also become the person who grabs a gun and enters a mall. He represents a surprisingly huge portion of people out there who have unexplored skills that could make all the difference in the world. A person’s thoughts represent them, and Ellis’ choice of words renders him the poster child of the endless Freudian battle between id, ego, and superego.

    Yes, a few minutes from here and there could be shaved off in the cutting room, and yes, a lot more could have been done to make it visually more impressive, but that leads us back to the no-budget-indie-filmmaking issue. Just try to be in the hero’s shoes for an hour and, maybe imagine that this minimalism expresses and represents countless people who struggle with a dead-end nine-to-survive job. If it were a small-budget film, it would have swept through the festivals and be an Oscar bait if Billy Bob Thornton was in it. Even so, it was selected as a semi-finalist at the Los Angeles Cinefest and proud winner of the Feature Film Silver Award at CINEMAFEST 2018.

    Please, don’t forget to share and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

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    Friday the 13th – An Unlucky Day (?) and the Birth of an Instant Classic

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    Tonight, Michelle Satchwell comes back once more with intriguing information regarding Friday the 13th, both as a day and as a film. Is it actually an unlucky day? Does it still impact us and the society we live in? What made it a great horror film back then, and why is it still considered a cult today?

    https://open.spotify.com/episode/5VB6cIflDlxov3nxFYYlWB

    References

    Michelle’s book: Psychology Review: A-level Exam Skills and Practice Paperback – 30 Oct. 2020 ISBN-10: 1398308013

    Baron-Cohen, S (2001). Theory of Mind in normal development and Autism. Department of Experimental Psychology and Psychiatry, Cambridge. 

    https://www.researchgate.net/publication/238603356_Theory_of_Mind_in_normal_development_and_autism

    Yuki, Metal (2007). Are the windows to the soul the same in East and West? Cultural differences in using the eyes and mouth as cues to recognise emotions in Japan and United States. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology (43), pp 303 -311. 

    https://www.researchgate.net/publication/222549401_Are_the_windows_to_the_soul_the_same_in_the_East_and_West_Cultural_differences_in_using_the_eyes_and_mouth_as_cues_to_recognize_emotions_in_Japan_and_the_United_States

    Rosenthal, A. M. (1964). Thirty-eight witnesses: The Kitty Genovese Case. Melville House Publishing. https://www.mhpbooks.com/books/thirty-eight-witnesses/

    In-group and Out-group in Social Identity Theory (in reference to bullies); Tajfel, H (1979). Individuals and groups in psychology. British Journal of Social and Critical Psychology (18), pp 183 -190. 

    https://bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.2044-8260.1979.tb00324.x

    Skinner, B, F (1948). ‘Superstition’ in the pigeon. Journal of Experimental Psychology (38), pp. 166 -172. 

    https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1948-04299-001

    (Behaviourists / Learning Theory Approach) Negative Reinforcement in Operant Conditioning of phobias; https://www.psychologyhub.co.uk/the-behavioural-approach-to-explaining-and-treating-phobias-the-two-process-model-including-classical-and-operant-conditioning/

    (Social Learning Theory Approach) Role Models; 

    https://gcse-psychology.fandom.com/wiki/Social_Learning_Theory_-_Phobias

    (Cognitive Approach) Confirmation bias; https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/seeing-what-others-dont/201905/the-curious-case-confirmation-bias

    (Anomalistic Approach) Discriminative stimulus; https://www.murdoch.edu.au/news/articles/on-friday-the-13th-leave-the-superstitions-at-home


    (Psychodynamic Approach in relation to the Mother-Son bond) Oedipus Complex in Phallic Stage of Psychosexual Development; Freud, S (1905). Three essays on the theory of sexuality. Standard Edition (7), pp. 123 – 246. https://www.sas.upenn.edu/~cavitch/pdf-library/Freud_SE_Three_Essays_complete.pdf
    (Psychodynamic Approach in relation to the Mother-Son bond) Schizophrenogenic Mother; Fromm-Reichmann, F (1948) Notes on the development of treatment of schizophrenics by psychoanalytic psychotherapy. Psychiatry, 11(3), 263–273.

    (Evolutionary Approach in relation to the Mother-Son bond) Bowlby, J. (1956). Mother-child separation. Mental Health and Infant Development, 1, 117 – 122. 

    https://www.simplypsychology.org/bowlby.html

    (Evolutionary Approach in relation to the Mother-Son bond) Bowlby, J. (1944). Forty-four juvenile thieves: Their characters and home life. International Journal of Psychoanalysis, 25(19-52), 107-127. 

    https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Forty-four-juvenile-thieves%3A-their-characters-and-Bowlby/ecc5eeaef75614e4129f0088bb472c5de2a7800c

    Uncanny Valley

    https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-uncanny-valley-human-look-alikes-put-us-on-edge/

    SOCIOLOGY SPECIFIC:
    Stephen: The murder that changed a nation. (2018). https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0b0br42 (Three part documentary looking at institutional racism in the UK in the 1990s). 

    Halo effect; Thorndike, E (1920). The constant error in psychological ratings. Teachers College, Columbia University. http://web.mit.edu/curhan/www/docs/Articles/biases/4_J_Applied_Psychology_25_(Thorndike).pdf

    Anti-school subcultures and working class as bullies; Willis, P (1977). Learning to Labour. Columbia University Press Edition https://www.tutor2u.net/sociology/reference/classic-texts-paul-willis-learning-to-labour-1977
    Anti-school subcultures form in working class; Mac an Ghaill (1994). The making of men. Oxford University Press. 

    https://hecticteachersalevelsociologysite.wordpress.com/roles-and-processes-in-school/student-sub-cultures/

    Youth buy their identity; Polhemus, T. Supermarket of Style. http://www.tedpolhemus.com/main_concept5%20467.html

    GENERIC:

    Paraskevidekatriaphobia (fear of Friday 13th); https://www.fearof.net/fear-of-friday-the-13th-phobia-paraskevidekatriaphobia-or-friggatriskaidekaphobia/

    Triskaidekaphobia (fear of number 13); https://www.verywellmind.com/triskaidekaphobia-2671880

    Tetraphobia (fear of number 4); https://people.howstuffworks.com/number-4-unlucky.htm

    Heptadecaphobia (fear of number 17); https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heptadecaphobia

    Frequency of Friday 13th; https://www.inverse.com/article/26371-friday-the-13th-upcoming-dates

    History behind Friday 13th and social impact; https://www.history.com/topics/folklore/friday-the-13thhttps://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/what-is-friday-13th-superstition-facts-sciencehttps://people.howstuffworks.com/friday-thirteenth.htm
    https://www.psychologicalscience.org/news/releases/do-you-fear-now-that-friday-the-13th-is-here.html

    How odd: We’re hard-wired to prefer even numbers; https://www.wired.co.uk/article/alex-bellos

    Male nudity; https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080761/trivia

    Lunacy etymology; https://www.etymonline.com/word/lunacy

    Let Him Go (2020)

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    Let Him Go (2020)

    After losing their only son and their remarried daughter-in-law moves away against her will with their grandson, a retired sheriff and his wife set out to bring them back.

    An amazing on-screen couple in a suspenseful yet emotionally superficial story. My suspicions about the depth started with the inciting incident, which was the death of their son. It would have really made me cry if writer/director Thomas Bezucha let Kevin Costner be the actor he really is and then cut to Diane Lane’s response. A father losing his only son is a scene that would break anyone in half. Let alone followed by the mother’s reaction. And Let Him Go… lets it go quite easily – no pun intended. I get the hard-macho-old-sheriff-ranch man who doesn’t show many feelings, but they develop strong bonds with their sons (and daughters).

    Having said that, what Bezucha does well is build up the suspense. The moment they start asking about Donnie Weboy, it gets quite intense. It gets, actually, surprisingly intense. Then they made it to dinner with the Weboys, where I could hear the heartbeat. I say no more about that because you must watch it for yourselves. But the emotions keep fluctuating throughout and neither build up nor reach climax. It’s a shame, really, because the story has all the right ingredients that are lost in the plot’s development.

    Diane Lane and Kevin Costner were a great couple as Clark Kent’s parents and are a great couple here as well. They play it really well from the beginning of the motel room to the revenge. Let Him Go is definitely worth watching. Even though it could dwell on the drama a lot more, it most definitely transcends the difference between the way men and women think and how that affects them both. Plus, the final scene in the house pays off.

    But forget what I or anyone else thinks about it and, as I said, have a go at it. Lane and Costner are in the same film. In the meantime…

    Please, don’t forget to share and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

    Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!

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    Lorelei (2021)

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    Lorelei (2021)

    A man who just came out of prison is trying to rehabilitate, but life seems to have more downs than expected.

    Working-class problems and unfulfilled dreams are portrayed in a disjointed way. Watching it, I tried to figure it out. I was wondering… why do I find it disjointed? Halfway there, it somewhat hit me. It felt like writer/director Sabrina Doyle hadn’t experienced what she had written and directed. And, if I’m mistaken, and she has, she hasn’t been able to translate it to the screen. The same applies to Pablo Schreiber and Jena Malone’s capacity as executive producers because, as actors, they are doing a fine job, but as producers, they should have contributed, I believe, a lot more. They are really great actors, but Doyle’s script and directing tie their hands behind their backs. I honestly feel like the film misses the depth it deserves, and both Schreiber and Malone shine. Schreiber especially puts a lot of physical and emotional effort into it. Malone, on the other hand, is amazing as she always has been in every film she’s been in.

    Regardless of what I say, though, Lorelei did critically well, and I couldn’t be happier about it. Sounds contradictory? I couldn’t be happier about a film doing well that deals with working-class issues, second chances, and chasing dreams. And that’s what it deals with at the end of the day: The chances we have been looking for in life that we were never afforded. The dreadful questions every morning when we struggle to get out of bed: what have I done wrong, or why can I not fix it? Lorelei‘s intentions are honest and even though it could have been made differently, it still urges the viewers to go after their dreams. I hope one day we all manage to stay up all night and watch the sunrise from the ocean.

    Please, don’t forget to share and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

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    The Forever Purge (2021)

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    The Forever Purge (2021)

    Most pro-Purgers take the law into their own hands and extend the New Founding Fathers of America’s tradition… indefinitely.

    The burning issues of modern society under the microscope of a tired annual blood holiday. I liked the opening credits’ titles, to be fair, as they were creative and summed up many of the issues we currently face that either make us ashamed of ourselves, depress us, enrage us, or cut our breath short. This Purge, though, doesn’t build up like its predecessors did, and the reason is none other than the obvious: this purge does not end; it is merely the beginning. And as much as this could be something refreshing in the franchise, it ends up being pedantic, to say the least. It lacks depth and premasticates the meaning for you, intending to unnecessarily lead and intentionally prevent you from thinking for yourselves.

    Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind the honest message behind it, but I don’t appreciate how Hollywood undermines the audience’s intelligence. I don’t like badly criticising films that dozens of talented people have starred in and thousands of also talented people have worked in all three stages of production. For example, the two-and-a-half-minute shot is remarkable, and even though it has been done before and has been done better, the fact still remains that both cast and crew have put their hearts and souls into it. Producers Michael Bay and Jason Blum should give a lot more credit to those who spend money and time on their entertainment. Like me, all horror fans and cinephiles want to appreciate at least a decent cinematic experience. That’s all we ask. They are talented filmmakers with years of experience under their belt, and I would be honoured if I were to work with them. Films like The Forever Purge, though, feel more like capitalising on the decay our world experiences rather than urging people to think about why they feel or act the way they do and where they stand in a world that craves diversity and unity.

    Writer James DeMonaco and the studios should have ended the franchise a long time ago, but I’ll leave you with a positive note. If you make it to the closing credits, blast the music and enjoy! It’s an awesome and meaningful song!

    P.S. Still, my thoughts and prayers go out to the people who suffer from real-life horrors and dramas, such as the unspeakable wildfires that swallow everything in their path and their aftermath!

    Please, don’t forget to share and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

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    Blood Red Sky (2021)

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    Blood Red Sky (2021)

    Hijackers take over a plane, not possibly knowing that there’s a woman on board suffering from a monstrous illness.

    Unique, gripping, and, if you ignore logic at certain points, a great R-rated entertainment. The film starts with a meaningful flashback that serves the narrative perfectly and builds up the heroine’s backstory. The fast-edited shots right before, though, don’t do it too much justice, as we are meant to get thrilled about something we know nothing about. Then it starts pacing and finding rhythm even with the flashback within the flashback. Well, you are about to watch the following: a vampire with a kid, before fully turning, unleashes the beast inside her in a hijacked plane full of civilians and trained assassins! As an audience, you just hope the filmmakers don’t blow it out of proportion and stick to the strong plot that the dramatic yet horrifying subplot supports so well. Does it, then?

    Before I go into it, Peri Baumeister is the first one who deserves praise. Her role is extremely challenging, and she absolutely nails it. Her performance is terrifying as it is dramatic, which is exactly what her character should be. Writer/director Peter Thorwarth and co-writer Stefan Holtz are next on the list for coming up with and bringing this project to life. It is something that we most certainly haven’t seen before. Due to its uniqueness, the film takes an entirely unexpected turn where everything goes. And indeed, everything does go. Some bits and bobs may not add up, but come on, don’t go too hard on it. It’s trying to fool no one, and the dramatic level matches the horrifying. Try to think of it as Die Hard (1988) meets Blade II (2002), and you’ll definitely enjoy it.

    I very much enjoyed the diversity and, especially, the role of Muslims, as, for a change, it breaks the stereotypes and portrays them as they can be in real life: scientific and/or heroic like any other religious or non-religious human being.

    P.S. My thoughts and prayers right now go out to the people who suffer from real-life horrors and dramas, such as the unspeakable wildfires that swallow everything in their path and their aftermath!

    Please, don’t forget to share and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

    Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!

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    The Vanishing (2018)

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    The Vanishing (2018)

    A wooden chest of gold and greed initiates a chain of events leading to the disappearance of the three lighthouse keepers.

    Intense, dark, suspenseful, unpredictable, and superb performances! The Vanishing becomes a thrilling treat because it’s based on the mystery of the Flannan Isles’ actual lighthouse keepers and their controversial logbooks. The film’s beauty is that even though you know what will happen in the end (the title and tagline imply it), it makes you want to know the speculation of what will become of them. The “when” and “how” alone intensify the suspense and overshadow what we think is obvious. Furthermore, the shockingly realistic performances make you want the resolution delayed so you can see more of Peter Mullan, Gerald Butler, and Connor Swindells on screen. Special mention deserves the editor Morten Højbjerg, who knows when to cut and, more importantly, where not to. His editing focuses on the performances and lets the shot “breathe” enough so you can get the full experience of the thespians. My only objection is the ending, which, I believe I speak for all of us when I say we were really looking forward to it. I found it anticlimactic when so much could have been done with it. Even though the script is the most obvious candidate to take the fall here, director Kristoffer Nyholm should have been the one to expand further and give the film the open ending it deserves. Unfortunately, this is not the case, but that’s what I think. Maybe you’ll feel otherwise.

    Maybe we’ll never find out what became of them 120+ years ago, but upon watching it, we can tell with certainty that films like this showcase Butler’s true talent without having to water down his striking Scottish accent. Hollywood should have utilised his skills more in films like this than in typical cash cows. Having said that, Greenland (2020) was realistically terrifying and he and Morena Baccarin were excellent leads. The same applies to Mullan, whose versatility is undeniable – see Ozark (2017) – and he’s breathtaking in everything he’s in.

    Definitely worth the shot for an intriguing night full of mystery and a show-don’t-tell lesson that everything comes with a price.

    Please, don’t forget to share and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

    Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!

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    Gaia (2021)

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    Gaia (2021)

    Two forest rangers go deep into a jungle where nature is an ancient force to be reckoned with.

    Visually stunning with a convoluted yet powerful message. Great opening sequence that warns: If you were not born in this jungle… Do. Not. Enter. You would never guess! They did (face slap). Well, just think of it this way: if they hadn’t, we wouldn’t have watched it, and I wouldn’t have reviewed it. So, does Gaia live up to its expectations?

    From a filmmaking point of view, you get Dutch angles, 180-degree reverse angles, drone long shots, tracking shots… everything! While we are at it, Jorrie van der Walt’s photography is truly admirable. This will probably be the first time you watch a film with the aspect ratio changing four times to cover the forest’s vastness to the heroes’ most claustrophobic feelings and deepest fears. Leon Visser edits the film with mastery, maintaining continuity, battling confusion, and effectively building up the suspense. His work’s peak, though, is the hallucinatory montage sequences that create micro-narratives within the macro-narrative and make us feel even more lost in a reality that has nothing to do with ours. Costume designer Mariechen Vosloo also deserves a round of applause as everything Barend, Stefan, and Gabi (later on) wear is handmade! Kudos to their fantastic effort. Finally, Pierre-Henri Wicomb’s original music, the art department, the sound department, the visual department, the make-up department, and all the cast crew deserve tremendous recognition as, without their hard work, this film, like any other film, wouldn’t have been made.

    Writer Tertius Kapp and director Jaco Bower have created a world in the heart of our world with plenty of visuals and strong opinions. Somewhere in between, Bower felt like constantly teasing us with Stefan and Gabi’s sexual tension and for better or for worse, he left us hanging. Maybe one of the reasons is the focus on the message. I will not go into it as you need to pay attention to Barend’s monologues on civilisation. They are as powerful as they are intriguing. Utterances like these, written in lockdown, leave quite a bitter taste because they carry dark and painful truths that came to the surface while feeling like living in isolation, as many people experienced. As per IMDb, the lockdown was announced a week into the shooting, so most of the crew parted ways at different times and went to different places. The film’s message expresses that loss we all felt – some more than others – and the aforementioned truths sting us, as well as the society we live in. There is a poignant accusation in the Biblical references and the way we have been functioning as humans, individually but also collectively. There is a great resemblance to In the Earth (2021); there is much to compare and contrast. I found Gaia‘s ending psychologically brutal but depressingly befitting.

    How this pandemic affected our lives and, consequently, filmmaking has already started showing, but I have a feeling that its full force has yet to strike, and it’s still patiently building up. As much I adore dark, horror films, deep down, it aches when you know how many people have unfathomably suffered (especially) the last couple of years. The news broadcasts daily from drama to horror, and the child inside me wishes these genres belonged only to the cinema. I hope you are keeping well wherever you are, whatever you do.

    Please, don’t forget to share and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

    Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!

    Stay safe!

    Pig (2021)

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    Pig (2021)

    A truffle hunter who lives alone in the woods returns after many years to the city that once gave him a reputation after his pig gets kidnapped.

    Pig is the kind of film that, when you know nothing about it, you get a surprising cinematic experience. Well, you get that with most Nicolas Cage films anyway, but the narrative looks like Pig was written for Cage, and that’s it. Therefore, unexpected narrative + Cage = double the surprise!

    I will just give you a one-line summary and keep it short to avoid spoiling the crucial parts. The once best and hard-as-nails chef in Portland, who also had an extraordinary reputation in underground restaurant fights (???) and once disappeared into the woods, resurfaces himself, raising hell when his pig gets kidnapped. I mean… WTF?! How does one green-light such a concept? How does one even conceive it, to begin with? It sounds like writer/director Michael Sarnoski, a David Lynch fan, liked John Wick (2014), smoked a couple, and then put it together. Remember, everything is happening because someone stole his pig. How does Lynch come into play? The two Cage monologues. The first one sounds completely irrelevant – or is it? It was as if Rob listened to a different story and recited something from a different movie. Check Amir’s reaction that reflects the audience’s. This brings us to the second one, which is all about Chef Derek’s (David Knell) close-up reaction as the story evolves. His reaction is priceless. That is Lynch through and through, and Sarnoski brilliantly encapsulates it.

    There is so much I could say about this film, but I won’t. I’ve already said enough, and it will just ruin the experience. Principal photography lasted 20 days, and all cast and crew had to work like a Swiss watch as the budget was tiny. And after they actually did, about an hour was taken out in the cutting room because Neon thought it was too long.

    Definitely worth the watch! Will you find meaning, eventually? Only if you put your phones down, turn the lights off, and understand why Rob’s journey takes place. A journey explicated though his stories and attitude towards people and circumstances. But also… what the pig means to him and why. I hope you enjoy it!

    Please, don’t forget to share and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

    Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!

    Stay safe!

    Arctic (2018)

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    Arctic (2018)

    Long after his plane crash-landed in the Arctic, a man must decide whether to stay at the crash site or set out for the unknown to seek help.

    The European way of unfolding a narrative with a touch of Scandinavian darkness and a taste of Icelandic identity. Writer/director Joe Penna and writer/editor Ryan Morrison have beautifully paced the drama that leads to the fork that saves your life or points you to certain death. And regardless of what road you take, you can’t know which is which. Until it’s probably too late… Penna and Morrison have been collaborating since the beginning of their career to this very day. If you haven’t watched their sci-fi Stowaway (2021), you definitely need to. Special mention deserves the cinematographer Tómas Örn Tómasson – native Icelander – who knows exactly what he needs to shoot and how. All three collaborate perfectly behind the camera and give you great value for your money.

    While the crew works tirelessly behind the camera, the person in front of the camera who cuts your breath is none other than the highly expressive and diverse Mads Mikkelsen. All the struggle, frustration, agony, and horror are written on his forehead while he’s trying to keep it together and save both their lives. Seeing is believing, so go for it and see for yourselves.

    Arctic, Penna’s feature film debut, rightfully received a 10-minute standing ovation at its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. Interestingly, I watched George Clooney’s The Midnight Sky (2020) only a few months ago, and I couldn’t help but compare the differences and similarities. As much as it’s tempting to present them or some of them now, I’ll resist. They are, essentially, different films, and for various reasons, I liked them both. If you watch or have watched them both, though, ask yourselves this: What drives you? What is it that keeps you going through life’s hardship? When all hope seems lost, how do you find the strength to “squeeze hard”? Don’t undermine Clooney either, as both he and Penna present the world through their lens. As we experience life through our eyes.

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    Fear Street – Part Three: 1666 (2021)

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    Fear Street – Part Three: 1666 (2021)

    Through Sarah Fier’s eyes, Deena experiences the horrors she had to endure and discovers how the curse of Shadyside really began.

    The entertaining horror finale in the trilogy of entertaining horrors! Beware of what you read before watching it, though! My beloved Ioanna urged me to watch it, so here it goes. Have the exact expectations for Part One and Part Two, and you will not regret watching it if you like the other two. Let me start with the most essential element. The similarities to 1978 – certain narrative juxtapositions – are meant to be striking to remind us that there are people out there who would still go after you with modern torches and pitchforks just because you are different from the majority. People who would ignore even stomp on values such as diversity, inclusion, and freedom of choice. Therefore, the intention is there; that’s not what you need to be preoccupied with.

    Now, the execution is what caused, from what I’ve heard, all the unnecessary negativity. People who didn’t like the other two shouldn’t have watched it, to begin with. People who did like the other two shouldn’t be moaning. Part Three refers to the same diverse yet enormously narrowed-down Netflix audience I’ve spoken to before, so I fail to see what the same audience didn’t like. Was it the accents? The accents are not to be taken more seriously than the plot itself. The lesbian drama? Some people (or cultures) still take infidelity and homosexuality as seriously as back then. So, it’s trying. It really is. But I believe the film’s message is as confusing as its audience – consequently, is it the film to blame? And since I’m not really that trilogy’s audience, I just enjoy the confusion, turn it off, and go to bed.

    Alas, the execution is that particular crowd-pleasing(?) result that, ultimately, is not Scream (1996), Friday the 13th (1980), or The Witch (2015). But don’t be overly alarmed because it’s Fear Street! And it has its own character and is the product of its era. Imagine you open a nightclub. Are you gonna play whatever song everyone is asking you to play, or will you stick to the music that characterises and defines your night club – and whoever the hell likes it? Unfortunately, as a filmmaker, putting up with ignorant producers is a dilemma. As an audience, try to respect the complex work thousands of people have put into any project. And Leigh Janiak, and all cast and crew, have put a lot of work.

    P.S. Did anyone comment that maybe there is a connection between “Fear” Street and Sarah “Fier”? Food for thought…

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    Fear Street: Part Two – 1978 (2021)

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    Fear Street: Part Two – 1978 (2021)

    The only survivors of the 1994 incidents, in an attempt to find a way to stop the evil, meet one of the survivors of the 1978 incident who remembers the horror.

    Great modern, pop horror/comedy flick that entertains! Part Two resembles a lot more the 70s than Part 1 does the 90s. I guess cinema (technologically) evolves, and it can’t really reenact the past. The vintage look seems to be just… gone. But then the atmosphere cannot fully be accurate either. Most likely, it was because very few of the cast and crew were alive or old enough to remember how people were talking or acting. There are film archives and means to find out, but it seems that this accuracy will always be missing. I guess yet another reason will always be the consideration of the audience. If it was ‘too 70s’, who would watch it?! Netflix seems to have established a particular audience already. It may be socially diverse, but it looks narrowed down otherwise. Just in case you feel like casting stones, I have already surfaced and will keep surfacing exceptions that are a shock to the system – especially its documentaries. 

    Focusing more on the film, as I mentioned above, Part Two is entertainingly brutal! McCabe Sly makes a decent possessed/psycho ‘axe-man’, and Sadie Sink and Emily Rudd are great on-screen sisters who face their demons way before the ‘axe-man’ starts taking heads off, and everyone starts running amok. Overall, the sub-plot smoothly permeates the plot and patiently escalates, leading to the climax. The references to Stephen King (and ‘Shining’, for whoever got it), Friday the 13th series, and a couple more that I cannot reveal indicate the hard work that the crew has put into it to give us a good feel, ‘throwback-style’ horror. Indicative, composers Marco Beltrami and Brandon Roberts have done an excellent job with the soundtrack, paying a great tribute to the one and only Jerry Goldsmith.

    There are a few flaws that I could pick on, as well as numerous strengths (such as the sisters/climax scene). But I’m not going to do it. Leigh Janiak seems to have a lot of passion for what she does, and she does it well. Watch it, enjoy it, and… onto Part Three!

    P.S. It was great seeing Gillian Jacobs and Ryan Simpkins again in the same movie. Especially after their stellar performances in the brilliant and underrated Gardens of the Night (2008)

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    The Tomorrow War (2021)

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    The Tomorrow War (2021)

    On an ordinary day, a group of soldiers arrives from the future to warn and train people and send them to the year 2051 to fight.

    Visually stunning naivety for the whole family! Past the inciting incident, one can spot a realistic approach right off the bat. An approach that a high dose of Americanism will soon replace. I’m not saying this is a good or a bad thing, but I’m saying that it focuses on a particular type of audience. Why do I focus on that more than other times? Because it’s meant to be addressing an international audience. It’s about saving the world and not a particular country.

    During recruitment and basic training, I didn’t feel it. Stanley Kubrick set the example in 1987, and it seems that Hollywood is still struggling to evoke or balance emotions. As the first encounter with the aliens, coincidentally, John McTiernan set another example the very same year. Scrolling credits aside, the film is about two hours and ten minutes long, and still feels rushed. Something a tad more comparable to Full Metal Jacket and Predator, respectively, would be War of the Worlds (2005). Steven Spielberg first dealt with aliens in the masterpiece Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), and in 2005, he blew our socks off with realistically dramatic reactions to events deriving from science fiction to our deepest fears.

    I’m gonna stop rumbling now, though, cause I sound bitter and spiteful, and that was not my intention. So, I’m gonna end with a huge positive note. Director Chris McKay has brought Zach Dean’s script to life, and the result is generally fulfilling. The film’s strongest moment is the closure of the father/future-daughter relationship, which is well-shot and written and most definitely pays off. While at it, Yvonne Strahovski gets my round of applause here as she shines. It’s like she’s so proud of taking that role, and she acts like it. She’s amazing. The Tomorrow War is a decent sci-fi summer flick with several standard Hollywood flaws but a great way to spend just over two hours with your favourite company – that includes your own. We may not have been attacked by aliens or saved the world yet, but we surely need a good-feel action to excite us. Give it a shot. It’s worth it.

    P.S. You need to check these trivia about J.K. Simmons and his physique:

    https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9777666/trivia?item=tr5821635

    https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9777666/trivia?item=tr5821752

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    The Unholy (2021)

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    The Unholy (2021)

    A disgraced journalist accidentally stumbles upon a girl who performs miracles that are of an unholy nature.

    Too fast, too soon, too much! Screen Gems used to know how to build up horrors, but, as it’s Sony’s property, it produces standard, mainstream Hollywood, spoon-fed popcorn flicks. It’s like they summed up a bunch of clichés and put them together, making absolutely sure they didn’t miss any. What really makes you wanna keep watching is Jeffrey Dean Morgan. And if you have kept watching, it gets a tad better. Actually, you’ll get to find out what the Vatican considers a miracle and how they disprove it. Is that enough to keep watching, though?

    My issue with the aforementioned standard Hollywood films is that they treat them as byproducts. Cheap meat comes out of the grinder for masses that studios consider unintellectual. Considering that, the studios seem to be taking no chances to explore different types of narrative. In The Unholy, the writing, after the inciting incident, gets solid, it’s just there is nothing to watch; nothing visually stunning stands out. Plus, all the information you want is there the moment you want it. That decimates the suspense and leaves you with cheap jump-scares and nothing more. There are nano-to-low-budget films that break the rules or even invent new ones. It’s a shame to have millions to spend, be a mid-tier player, and take no risks. Why is this happening? As said earlier, they think that their audience is dumb. And that’s not nice. Horror fans are eccentric as they are insightful. Horror fans are resilient and are always up for the challenge. Studios should respect that and should challenge us with everything they have.

    Oh, did I mention that CGI ruins horrors? I’m telling you again: the story is solid, but the way the plot unfolds ruins it, and the CGI follows as a wrecking ball and smashes it down. My comments are quite bitter not because of writer/director Evan Spiliotopoulos, who does a decent job, but because of producer Sam Raimi, who used to dominate the genre and now has given in to Hollywood standards and, as I’m a huge fan of his, I expect so much more because I know he can do so much more. And I hope we get to see that sooner rather than later.

    Oh well… At least, devout Catholics will get (even more) confused about faith and the Church. That’s something.

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    Fear Street Part One – 1994

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    Fear Street Part One – 1994

    A group of teenagers finds themselves against an ancient evil that has plagued their town since the witch-hunt.

    More entertaining than it is scary, the inciting incident is, hands down, a tribute to the late Wes Craven and Scream (1996). Kudos to director Leigh Janiak for that and the good old (somewhat) 90s feeling. Then… we come to the rest of acts 1, 2, and 3. On a serious note, the film’s initial mystery is pivotal. What is it, the curse of the witches or the conundrum of postmodern American society? Keep that question in mind… but not for the film. More likely, for a painful conversation every time you turn on the news and see young American men, women, and non-binary people have lost their lives to another young person who just happened to get a gun in their hands. But it’s neither the time nor the place for it.

    On a less serious note, the answer to the question is rather simple. It’s the witch, and that’s it. Fear Street Part 1 is allegedly a concoction of elements from the 90s, which it isn’t. It’s supposed to be scary – at times – but it isn’t. Respectively, it’s meant to be funny – at times – and even though it kinda is, it isn’t really. Think of it as… 90s for millennials? It sounds a bit unhinged, a combination of two worlds that cannot really be combined. In addition, as much as I crave for diversity, I am against the forced one. The diversity that doesn’t benefit minorities but sells more tickets – or increases viewings. Craven, Carpenter, Romero, Raimi, etc… would never see this film as anything that remotely resembles that era. Why? Because they weren’t making movies worrying about what the social media, couch warriors and keyboard fighters might think of it afterwards. They didn’t try to please the masses. Did you like what they did? Awesome! Didn’t you like it? Awesome again! Until the next one…

    Having said that… Fear Street Part 1 is just an enjoyable Netflix-level comedy/horror flick that will make you forget (some of) your problems with decent acting, editing, and directing. Admittedly, I haven’t read the books but the script is a tad lazy. Gimmicks, jump scares, questionable last-minute saves, and clichés, unfortunately, reduce the suspense as well as the thrill. Maybe I am not the filmmakers’ target audience and you’ll find it fascinating. If that’s the case, or whatever the case, I hope you enjoy it; it seems that the cast and crew have gone the extra mile for it. Know what you sign up for, and you’ll be all right.

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    A Quiet Place Part II (2021)

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    A Quiet Place Part II (2021)

    Right after losing her husband, Evelyn needs to take her kids to a safe place and find a way to use their new “weapon” of defence.

    Intense, horrifying, and breathtaking first act (Day 1) that captivates before catching up with the present. From then on, and after the first “hunt”, the pace slows down, but the thrill remains.

    The parallel stories unfold equally well, and their suspense escalates effectively, maintaining the initial thrill. For that, the credits go to the film’s editor, Michael P. Shawver. A good editor always controls the film’s pace and rhythm and reveals what only needs to be revealed and not what you or I would like to be revealed. The good editor also knows the footage they have, weaves the story’s plot, and defines the final cut – alongside actor/director John Krasinski, in this instance. The problem with so many match-cuts and identical parallel action is that it makes the plot more sci-fi than the alien beings themselves. That level of synchronisation, potentially for a more mature audience, ruins whatever believability a genre like that can have. Regardless, Krasinski’s greatest achievement here is directing the actors. He proves to be an actors’ director, which shows in the dramatic sequences – that’s what I think anyway. Without drama, there is nothing to be thrilled about or anyone to empathise with. The incredible performances from Emily Blunt, Cillian Murphy, Millicent Simmons, Noah Jupe, and Djimon Hounsou make you feel for each and every one of them for everything that’s happening to them. Furthermore, pay attention to the excellent use of sound… or the lack thereof!

    There will always be the question regarding whether certain decisions were stupid or not, but then, if not every, almost every classic horror deals with ambiguous or moronic decisions for narrative purposes. A Quiet Place Part II respects its audience’s intelligence and offers a post-apocalyptic sci-fi/horror worthy of its predecessor that, in just over an hour and a half, excites and makes you forget pandemics, lockdowns, increased number of cases, vaccinations, and ridiculous politics.

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    Another Round (2020)

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    Another Round (2020)

    Four high school teachers go out one night and decide, as part of an experiment, to consume daily certain amounts of alcohol and observe how that affects their lives.

    Rightful Oscar and BAFTA winner for the ‘Best International Feature Film’ and ‘Best Film Not in the English Language’ categories, respectively! Actually, all 41 wins and 55 nominations are firmly deserved! Extremely well written, shot, edited, directed, and acted! Another Round is Denmark’s instant classic! The first act patiently lays the foundation for the character establishment and justifies the reason and bizarre philosophy behind the unprecedented experiment. Each and every one of them has a story to tell and a way to contribute towards it. The second act sets the cogs in motion and bears the fruits of their experimentation, shocking the audience with its pseudo-scientific data and the pseudo-realistic cause-and-effect results. Writing, editing, framing, directing, and acting work together perfectly, creating a dark yet realistic effect that alcohol has on us and the people around us. We get to experience through Martin, Tommy, Nicolaj, and Peter how life’s difficulties can cloud our judgement and mislead us to places that no human should ever visit, but, ironically, we learn from them and come back stronger. Or not…

    The third act is the narrative’s unexpected culmination but most definitely the totally unexpected hero’s arc. There is nothing I can say without spoiling it, so it is up to you to watch it, connect the dots, and, above all, unleash your feelings. Just know that it’s all Mads Mikkelsen is doing.

    Martin was meant to have a son and a daughter, with the daughter being the director Thomas Vinterberg’s daughter. Tragically, four days into filming, at the age of 19, she died in a car crash – the film was dedicated to her and was shot in her old classroom with her classmates. I can’t even begin to imagine how he completed it. Part of the film’s idea was hers, as alcoholism has been having a severe effect on Denmark’s youth for years now. As Vinterberg put it, the film is ‘a survey and exploration not only of alcohol usage but of the uncontrollable.’ Another Round is a must-watch, and it is no wonder why it became critically and financially successful. A lot of heart and soul has been put into it, and it is available to explore.

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    Crisis (2021)

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    Crisis (2021)

    The stories of an undercover cop, a grieving mother, and a professor facing a dangerous dilemma interweave as they find themselves fighting, in their own way, the war against drugs.

    Very well-structured and paced thriller from the very beginning. The inciting incident occurs in the opening sequence, and from then on, every player is introduced in minutes, making clear who they are and what they do. The tragedy that hits Claire, every parent’s worst nightmare, is expressed vividly and tearfully by Evangeline Lilly. Respectively, Armie Hammer, Gary Oldman, Michelle Rodriguez, Greg Kinnear and Luke Evans become the characters they represent and shine on screen. Indira Varma and Mia Kirshner, even though they have small roles, add to the film’s great cast.

    Crisis unfolds like a bomb waiting to explode. A pharmaceutical corporate thriller, an undercover mission, and a mother hell-bent on finding what happened to her dead son, gradually, through meticulously paced editing, start blending into one story that pins you to your seats. All three stories are equally dramatic and thrilling, so when they come together, you get the full force the script intended to offer. Nicholas Jarecki, the man behind Arbitrage (2012), pens that script, acts in it, directs it and manages to attract a plethora of the aforementioned A-list actors.

    I’m afraid I’ll have to address the elephant in the room. Due to Hammer’s bad reputation and accusations, the film did not perform well, but let me be clear… thousands of people have worked on this film, and they deserve recognition. Don’t let one name prevent you from a very decent cinematic experience. Crisis tackles very successfully, if not the most, one of the most severe plagues to have ever hit this planet. And it’s a realistic depiction of the war I mentioned above. A war that, unfortunately, seems to have no end. I hope you enjoy it.

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    Censor (2021)

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    Censor (2021)

    A film censor starts investigating a “video nasty” that awfully resembles the case of her little sister’s disappearance.

    Hauntingly realistic psychological horror that crawls under your skin. And so does the dramatic subplot that drives the story to its unexpected turn. What is it that we see? What is it that we want to see? How do we perceive what we see? Why do we perceive it the way we do? What is actually real? Keep these questions in mind… but not just throughout the film.

    For those who are unfamiliar with the logline’s term, “video nasty” is a colloquial British term regarding mostly low-budget films that include, among others, explicit gore and pornography. Even though they did have quite an impact in the UK, the impact was not as severe as the film makes it to be. Having said that, Censor will have an impact on you. For a film that deals explicitly with gore, it becomes the definition of psychological horror. Adapting her short film Nasty (2015), in less than an hour and a half, writer/director Prano Bailey-Bond fully develops Enid’s obscurity, deliberately misleads you using restrictive narrative – Enid’s perception – and presents to you the darkest side of cinema that becomes cult for the hardcore fans and appalling taboo for the masses. I’m not going to divulge anything about the narrative, watch it and pay attention to the minor details that explain what happens in the end. It makes it somewhat obvious but not overly obvious and, to a certain extent, open to interpretation.

    From a filmmaking point of view, the Dutch angles, the transitions between locations, but also dark reality and nightmare, and the match-cuts that signify/betray that dark, distorted reality… reveal the behind-the-curtains (unconscious?) side of our lives that we fail (or choose to) not to look. Ultimately, the film tackles how we perceive films and their role in our society. Is it film imitating life or the other way around? Are films to blame for the release of our darkest side? What about for what we do to one another? I guess the answer can also be found in the role of art in our lives. Other than Bailey-Bond, my round of applause goes to all cast and crew who believed in her project, and especially to Niamh Algar, who nails her part, Annika Summerson’s cinematography, and Mark Towns’ editing, who has been behind equally amazing horrors, such as The Ritual (2017) and St. Maud (2020).

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    The Courier (2020)

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    The Courier (2020)

    MI6 and the CIA approach an ordinary businessman to help them prevent the Cuban Missile Crisis.

    Shockingly brilliant! The first act’s light mood raises suspicions about how a horrific historical event, such as that Crisis, can be approached in such a manner. The suspicions fade away in warp speed, though, as Benedict Cumberbatch is thoroughly enjoyable, and no one can moan about his performance. On the other hand, Rachel Brosnahan plays her part equally amazingly and together, they create the illusion that thrill, British phlegmatic humour, and action will entertain you for the rest of the film… Wrong!

    The light mood is replaced by a genuine Cold War thriller that, if you weren’t around at the time, will make you feel its threat to humanity and how close our world was to being devastated (again) by a third World War. Both character and story development move the story forward, intensify the suspense, and keep you on the edge of your seats by brilliantly pacing and unfolding actual events that shocked everyone when they saw the light of day.

    As Greville Wynne’s story is not well-known, though, and for most people, it remains to be seen what will become of him, Cumberbatch makes sure not to betray that and succeeds in doing so. His performance shocks the system, following the narrative’s turn towards the worst. Merab Ninidze’s presence is also captivating, putting the viewer in Oleg Penkovsky’s shoes and the imminent danger he’s in.

    What I also found shocking upon reading about it is that, on IMDb, The Courier has 1 nomination… 1 nomination! That’s it! I have been reading, writing, and researching this industry for so many years, and I still find myself scratching my head regarding who’s getting rewarded and under what criteria. Weinstein is gone (good riddance), but it seems that the gatekeepers and/or festivals still have ambiguous criteria for selecting their nominees and winners. Don’t let that put you off though. The film opened worldwide on Greville’s birthday, and Tom O’Connor’s script shows justice to the relationship between the two men. Ultimately, Dominic Cooke’s The Courier is a masterpiece, and it is definitely worth your time. An absolute must-watch spy thriller!

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    In the Earth (2021)

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    In the Earth (2021)

    While a pandemic has swept the world, a scientist and a park ranger venture into the woods to find a fellow scientist who may have had a significant breakthrough.

    Brutal, psychedelic, relatable, but overly intricate horror that defies Hollywood’s conventions. From the very beginning to the first plot point, one feels that the editing choices – the jump cuts – are eager to move the story forward. Moving it towards where is a good question. In the meantime, Martin’s secrets and, somehow, obvious dishonesty seem to be preparing the ground for something that will play a role when the twist reveals itself.

    Scenes like the “stitching” and the “ritual” turn the sci-fi from torture horror into something more… folklore! As the psychological drama keeps blending with the gore, the suspense intensifies, and one can only wonder how this can possibly have a happy ending. Before you find out what kind of ending the film will have, the experimental chase sequence reveals more information, and, in an intricate way, the combination of utterances and actions up to that point starts making sense. Due to the film’s nature, it is difficult to go into it further without spoiling for you, so this is where I will stop.

    Ever since Kill List (2011), writer/editor/director Ben Wheatley has been one of my favourite filmmakers of his generation. Kill List was his first and massively successful effort to switch from a realistically gritty thriller to a cult horror that defies reason. In the Earth is not far off, but its experimental, hallucinatory and psychedelic nature, at times, gives a whole new different vibe. The film’s photography (Nick Gillespie) and 80s music score (Clint Mansell) become assets to a convoluted and head-scratching narrative that ultimately confuses. Still, I’ll dare say that it does not disappoint. I’ve heard a truckload of awfully negative comments, and I believe this results from false expectations. Small things that influenced me a tad negatively are sequences that involve the aforementioned secrecy and dishonesty that didn’t really lead anywhere; therefore, it was just misleading for no apparent reason. Other than that, Joel Fry, Ellora Torchia, Hayley Squires, and Reece Sharesmith have great chemistry and deliver amazingly convincing performances.

    What you’ll make of it depends on your understanding of the narrative. Pay close attention to what is said in all three acts. Our current pandemic is obviously the film’s source of inspiration, but its development is a Ben Wheatley original film with twists and rich visuals.

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    The Father (2020)

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    The Father (2020)

    An old man who refuses his daughter’s help feels like he is losing the earth under his feet when his home and the people around him constantly change.

    A soul-destroying cinematic realism when your life comes crashing down. Based on the homonymous play by writer/director Florian Zeller and co-writer Christopher Hampton, the cinematic adaptation resembles a play, and the interchangeable locations 1 and 2 confuse as much as the restricted narrative dictates. Anthony’s condition does not cause The Father‘s suspense; how it affects him, and the people around him cause it. Moreover, as it is an extremely sensitive subject, it is also caused by how Zeller approaches it and how Sir Anthony Hopkins delivers it. Ultimately, as the narrative unfolds, the nail-biting suspense is caused by the heart-wrenching drama that raises the question, what will become of him?

    The Father‘s full force hits you on two levels: One, on the level of having a beloved person suffering from it. In this case, you are experiencing their transition from one of the most dynamic people in the world and, maybe, your true inspiration in life to someone you wish they never become; someone who doesn’t recognise you anymore and… you don’t recognise either. Two, on the level of suffering it yourself. In this case, whoever you may have been is no longer. Dishevelled, helpless, or “losing all your leaves” may be ways to describe it, but no one has or ever will be prepared for when it, unfortunately, happens.

    Either way, no one should ever wish it to their worst foe, but fortunately, word has it that, around the date of this review, certain scientists may have had a significant breakthrough. I truly believe that all of us, no matter where we are in the world, no matter how we look, whatever we believe in politically or religiously, regardless of our sexual orientation, are keeping our fingers crossed and our hopes high. Remember, no disease has ever discriminated.

    Excellent music by Ludovico Einaudi! Feel free to listen to the film’s soundtrack over and over again. Extra credits go to Cinematographer Ben Smithard, Production Designer Peter Francis and editor Yorgos Lamprinos. “Anthony” is named after Hopkins himself, the first and only choice for Florian Zeller. If it weren’t for him, he would have adapted it for the French audience, and even though I’m positive the experience would have been equally shuttering, it would definitely be different. Olivia Colman, Olivia Williams, Rufus Sewell, and Mark Gatiss have great chemistry with each other and deliver powerful performances. They are absolutely amazing. In the end, Sir Anthony Hopkins’ performance will break you, take your breath away, and maybe make you reevaluate your life’s journey from the moment it started to where you are now to where (you think) it’s heading.

    Please, don’t forget to share and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

    Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!

    Stay safe!

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