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    Time out of Mind (2014)

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    Time out of Mind (2014)

    A homeless man is going from shelter to shelter, trying to find a way to approach his estranged daughter.

    In a depressing and honest way, it reveals an America to which most people turn a blind eye. One can easily extrapolate and claim that it reveals a world most people turn a blind eye to. Writer/Director Oren Moverman, the man behind The Messenger (2009), Rampart (2011), and The Dinner (2017) does an extensive research on homelessness in New York and brings to our attention an issue that we walk past daily no matter where we live. Richard Gere, a man who is an advocate for the homeless in real life, fully understands Moverman’s vision and commits 100% to the character, delivering a totally different than usual performance. Cinematographer Bobby Bukowski frames him through reflections, amongst bystanders, and from a distance (also careful when to go close), and shows without telling how George positions himself within society. Respectively, editor Alex Hall leaves that protracted zoom-in and zoom-out shots uncut, making the audience “look” for a significant amount of time what the bystanders don’t – parallelism with ourselves that have probably done the same in real life. An excellent example of mise-en-scène and how it creates meaning.

    The off-screen space, though, also speaks volumes. Very interestingly, most of the time, you listen to dialogues from an unspecified location. With a decent surround, one can tell if it’s from behind, left, or right, but it is of no importance. What matters is that it is happening, George listens to it as we do, but as he pays no attention to who says what, it stays out of the frame. A personal interpretation is that all this diegetic sound is pointing at how loud and verbose the big city is and how little it matters to someone who doesn’t know if or where he will find his next meal and bed.

    I highly recommend this film, but a warning needs to be issued. The film feels like one act. Something that someone should have probably noticed in postproduction and shave off about half an hour. Time out of Mind feels endless as, unfortunately, nothing is happening. Ben Vereen and Jena Malone support him to their best abilities, but their role is limited. Once again, unfortunately, what at first seems to be an extensive character development stagnates the story development and can lose the audience’s attention with its inactivity.

    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!

    Fast & Furious 9 (2021)

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    Fast & Furious 9 (2021)

    Dom and his “family” reunite once more as his unknown to everyone else younger brother has teamed up with a terrorist group to initiate a weapon of mass destruction.

    Muscles, guns, explosions, supercars, and spies… all in the mix for a global audience of specific age. F9 did what most of its predecessors also did in previous years. It exceeded every unrealistic expectation! From The Fast and the Furious (2001) to Fast and Furious 8 (2017), whoever follows the saga sees the gang first forming with the intent to steal and sell VCRs and DVD players and end up driving against submarines. Each instalment has been seen getting crazier and crazier, and the level of believability has been dropping exponentially. Now, it’s facing a free fall. A free fall of 2 hours and 25 minutes; the longest Fast & Furious in the franchise.

    Where do I begin… Dom’s initial refusal to participate has been a cliché for a couple of decades now. One would expect that writers would have moved on in the third decade of the 21st century. Apparently not. Then, as the previous films did, this one also introduces a new weapon and/or technology. Like an uneducated Sesame Street, get to know about not even laughable rocket science and ridiculous electromagnetism here. I’m not even gonna touch on the “hacking” parts. As for this type of slapstick comedy, some might find it funny, so I’m not gonna go into it.

    To cut the long story short, let’s talk fast, without fury, about the driving. The driving and the chemistry between Vin Diesel, the late Paul Walker (RIP), Michelle Rodriguez, and Jordana Brewster made most of us fall in love with the first three or four films. Both of them are lost now. The sky-high level of implausibility, and therefore unfathomable CGI scenes, destroyed both. The filmmakers are now milking the cow and are competing with The Expendables (2010), and like most of these films, what massively irritates me is that they are undermining people’s intelligence. No film should ever undermine its audience’s intelligence. And that’s what F9 does. What was the amazing Charlene Theron thinking? A villain that didn’t even sweat. As if the non-existent, so far, Dom’s brother (John Cena) is not a gimmick enough, the rest of the antagonists are just shambles. Helen Mirren and Kurt Russel are there for the easy money, I get it. The rest… I don’t!

    To summarise, maybe, and that’s just a speculation, you might find it exciting if you are around 12 y/o. But I hope you don’t, so maybe Hollywood producers reevaluate and learn how to respect their audience. By all means, if you are into VFX and the MTV style of filmmaking, give it a go. It will make you forget the unpleasant times we are currently experiencing, anyway. But know what you sign up for. Justin Lin is a respectful director/producer but goes for the money. After the franchise is gone, I believe we’ll see something amazing from him. Something that will beautifully surprise both in terms of character and story development. Finally, I’ve said it before and I’ll keep saying it: Michael Rooker is a great actor and should be getting more screening time in everything he’s in.

    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!

    Wrath of Man (2021)

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    Wrath of Man (2021)

    A mysterious man gets a job at an armoured vehicle company that transports money to find the people responsible for a crime that cost him dearly.

    Crowd-pleasing and entertaining, Wrath of Man makes a decent remake of the French thriller Cash Track (2004). Fourth collaboration between the actor Jason Statham and director/producer Guy Richie that proves to be time and time again a recipe for success – at least financially. You need to remember before or while watching it that the film is not to be taken very seriously by any stretch of the imagination. It probably represents the opposite of the cinematic realism film theorists argue about (for decades). Let’s start with the basics: No one heals and reaches peak conditions that fast from multiple gunshots – if they survive. Also, no one can achieve so many headshots easily. Furthermore, no one would come up with that plan as it will likely fail in more ways than I can count. So, deliberately ignoring the film’s unrealistic scenario, let’s focus on the positives.

    Statham is still kicking a$$, which makes him the right man to be in front of the camera. Richie still finds intriguing, non-linear ways to develop the story’s plot, which makes him the right man behind the camera. Holt McCallany, Josh Hartnett, Scott Eastwood, Andy Garcia, and Niamh Algar are great members of the cast (comment to follow on that). Finally, what everyone hoped to be decent is actually more than decent: the action. Wrath of Man is a series of action-packed sequences that satisfy the neurons and neuroglia of the animalistic part of our brain.

    I will never mind Statham not changing his accent. I live in Derby, and he’s from Derbyshire, so I wouldn’t want him to speak any other way. I actually love it! Generally, though, and that’s probably because I am not a kid anymore; I do mind the hero/ine not having a decent antagonist or people surrounding him, which is the case here. The film’s great cast (not just the ones mentioned above) is massively overshadowed by his presence, making him look leagues above everyone else. His crew, the enemy, and the security company have nothing on him, something that exponentially reduces the suspense. Eastwood’s character had a lot of potential to be a great psycho and, consequently, a great villain. That is not the case, though. Having said that, the guys guarding the safe are tough as nails, but their role is limited. Something else that would potentially make us empathise with ‘H’ a bit more is the underdeveloped drama he had to endure. Unfortunately, it took the back seat. As a last and trivial note, listening to British humour in American accents is interesting.

    To sum up, it’s very enjoyable. Don’t get caught up in the details (like I do), and spend a couple of hours watching a funny and thrilling heist with a lot of shooting and punchlines.

    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!

    The Night has Come (2021)

    Kay
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    A day that finds a woman struggling with her reality brings a night of biblical chaos and darkness.

    DISCLAIMER: This story contains strong language and is intended for an older youth audience. Listener discretion is advised.

    Based on my homonymous short script, The Night has Come.

    © 2021 Konstantinos Papathanasiou. All rights reserved.

    Announcement: This is the last podcast before summer. More interviews and horror stories are coming in September so, stay tuned for more. Thank you ever so much for your support, and look forward to meeting you all up soon! Have an amazing summer, and always… Stay safe!

    https://open.spotify.com/episode/6bO9BlkjhffHA9i9YsGkbW

    Army of the Dead (2021)

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    Army of the Dead (2021)

    Mercenaries are hired to pull off a heist in quarantined, walled-off, and inundated with zombies in Las Vegas.

    A friend of mine called me the other day, saying: “Man, have you seen the Army of the Dead? Damn, it’s been years since the last time I watched something so wank”. He then added: “I mean, it’s like gathering every Hollywood cliché under the sun, putting it in, carefully trying not to miss any.”

    Well, as a Zack Snyder fan, I was going to watch it anyway, but I was not in a rush. Why? For the same reason I am not in a rush to watch any film interested in profiting from the pandemic. So, it’s not personal. The good news is that the beginning is like Watchmen (2009) meets Sucker Punch (2011) a bit. The bad news is that it’s neither. Actually, everything else is bad. Starting with the characters…

    Everyone is a breathing, walking, talking cliché. Sex, sexual orientation, and race – most of the burning issues of today – have been exploited by typically low Hollywood standards for commercial purposes, an event that raises questions regarding who its audience really is. Don’t bang your heads against the wall, though; the answer is: masses! The typically unspecified Hollywood audience likes unrealistic people who are nowhere to be found in our world. A surrealistic misrepresentation of every human being out there. And that’s just the characters.

    The narrative… Chaos! The absolute mess! Nothing is convincing, and nothing makes sense. Everything you’ve seen and experienced before, you relive it with little to no surprise. Slapstick humour with some drama in between topped up with some (quite decent, I might say) action-packed sequences. In the end, which emotion stands out? None! It’s neither funny nor dramatic nor thrilling. It’s nothing! Two and a half hours of plot holes that include, but are not limited to (no spoilers): soldiers who escort a weapon of mass destruction and have no training whatsoever, a girl with no training whatsoever who delivers headshots like pancakes, the zombie head that could have been immediately retrieved and end our suffering, zombies moving faster than helicopters, people knowing that a nuclear is about to hit them and indifferently chat… the list is endless! Oh, and no matter what happens, do not, I repeat, do not fall for the “time” theory (no spoilers). It was way out of character and out of space. Pure buffoonery to cause you an extra headache! Do. Not. Fall. For it.

    This is the worst Zack Snyder film yet! I like Snyder’s style, but Army of the Dead is atrocious, and its atrocity has nothing to do with technical aspects such as the “dead pixels” or the too “out-of-focus” issues caused by Red cameras combined with Canon lenses from the 60s. The average viewer does not care about that. Instead, they care about not being insulted by the narrative. No one wants their intelligence undermined and this is exactly what the Army of the Dead does. It considers its audience as dumb as the Shamblers – not sure about the Alphas.

    Final notes: Ella Purnell is a really good actress, but her character is unwatchable. The same applies to Dave Bautista, who, unfortunately, is the only one who actually offers some drama. The only person I rooted for, though, was Chambers (Samantha Win), who literally kicked a$$! Two more highlights were the “tiger kill” and the non-CGI zombies. But if you want to watch a great outbreak film, then refer to Snyder’s directorial debut, Dawn of the Dead (2004).

    Food for thought: Twenty years ago, still at Uni, I discovered the term “Third Cinema”. This term defined the differences between the “First” and the “Second”. Focusing on the First… “Solanas and Getino’s manifesto considers First Cinema to be the Hollywood production model that idealizes bourgeois values to a passive audience through escapist spectacle and individual characters.” Please keep in mind that the Hollywood they are referring to is considered leagues above today’s. For more on film history, read David Bordwell and Kristin Thompson’s Film History: An Introduction (2003).

    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!

    Dredd (2012)

    Kay
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    Dredd (2012)

    In a dystopian future, where the police are judges, juries, and executioners, Judge Dredd and a rookie are sent to take down a violent gang that deals an extremely dangerous drug.

    Misunderstood yet highly entertaining! Dredd makes you forget whatever is happening out there, but this was not the case when it was released. Back then, it evoked mixed feelings, and, unfortunately, the vast majority didn’t appreciate it. The rest of us signed a petition for a sequel to no avail. Times have changed, we have moved on, and so have the actors. Karl Urban is leading The Boys (2019) now, and he couldn’t care less about a role in which he doesn’t show his face, and people doubt it. Having said that, as far as I read recently, he wouldn’t mind taking on the role if offered. It won’t be, though. What’s more, it’s interesting to watch Olivia Thirlby coming out of her comfort zone, shooting everything and everyone up, and seeing the transformed but wonderful Lena Headey running the vicious gang.

    Dredd remains loyal to the graphic novel with the city blocks’ names, the judge’s helmet and the golden chain in MaMa’s penthouse, the “fatties”, and, of course, the Clint Eastwood voice tribute to stand out. For those who are unaware, the character is partially based on Clint Eastwood’s “Dirty Harry” so, the voice will always be that reminder.

    Pete Travis, a director who deserves a lot more spotlight [see also Omagh (2004) and Vantage Point (2008)] as mentioned above, has deeply understood the anti-hero’s nature and the dystopian futuristic”cyberpunk” world, giving us a final cut that, we, the fans deeply enjoyed and, unfortunately, won’t see more of it. The reasons vary: Came out in a bad time? People didn’t really appreciate it? Studios saw only numbers and didn’t care about its quality? Whatever your pick is, it’s a shame.

    I just wanted to remind you of it. After all, that’s what every dystopia is: a reminder. And, if you haven’t watched it, knock yourselves out! It’s quite the experience.

    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!

    Nobody (2021)

    Kay
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    Nobody (2021)

    An ostensibly ordinary family man is proven to have certain skills when he becomes the target of the Russian mafia and the vicious lobby behind it.

    Every time someone told me, “It’s like John Wick,” I replied, “You know it’s written by the same guy, yeah?” If you ask me, A History of Violence (2005) is a lot more similar to Nobody’s plot, so it’s kind of one-meets-the-other.

    As for the film itself, admittedly, it’s very entertaining. Bob Odenkirk has a certain style of acting that transcends frustration and anger like very few nowadays can. One could argue that he actually acts/expresses certain aspects of his character. Regardless, he is the man for this job, and Nobody proves that Hollywood can turn you from a lawyer who can’t slap a mosquito (Saul Goodman) to an ex-black-ops “badass” (Hutch Mansell) in no time. Fair enough! Nobody shows that his acting range is surprisingly wider than we all thought, and the fact that he had been training for two years prior to the film’s principal photography to nail the part speaks volumes about his dedication. Speaking of acting, I can’t leave the legendary Christopher Lloyd out, who nails every part given to him in his 46-year (and counting) career. Furthermore, Connie Nielsen adds to the cast with her talent and beauty, brightening up every shot she’s in.

    Ilya Naishuller, well known for Hardcore Henry (2015), shows once more that he knows how to approach hardcore action scenes and, more importantly, Derek Kolstad’s meticulously written action scenes. Ari Aster’s Director of Photography, Pawel Pogorzelski, and experienced Hollywood editors Evan Schiff and William Yeh complete the main crew and give an extremely satisfying result that will make you want a sequel or, at least, a prequel of the film.

    The plot holes are humongous, but do yourselves a favour and leave them out. The action-packed sequences and phlegmatic humour definitely compensate. I hope you enjoy it and forget, even for an hour and a half, the dark times we are still going through!

    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!

    Oxygen (2021)

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    Oxygen (2021)

    A woman wakes in an advanced pod, not knowing exactly what it is or how or why she got there. She only has ninety minutes to find a way out.

    Claustrophobic and captivating! From the very beginning, the questions “What’s happening?” and “How on Earth is she gonna make it?” are raised. As the narrative unfolds, the next question is, “What would I do if I were her?” Before even putting it on, Buried (2010) came to my mind, which is probably the most claustrophobic film I have ever watched. Therefore, unintentional comparisons were unavoidable.

    Oxygen lets you “catch your breath” a lot more than once, which I’m not sure if it should have. What’s more, I object a tad to its constant non-diegetic sound, and let me tell you why. Without wanting to know for a fact, I would assume that if I were trapped in there, I wouldn’t be listening to any music – just my increased heartbeat and my heavy breathing – the dietetic sound. But that’s just me.

    Writer Christie LeBlanc and director Alexandre Aja restrict the narrative till halfway through. What you know is strictly what Liz does. When the subplot becomes clear(er), the twist is revealed, everything starts making sense, and claustrophobia is lost but relatable to all of us drama replaces it. In short, a culminating moment defines the outcome and justifies everything you have found out that far. And that is as far as I go. I hope you enjoy it!

    Aja has given us brutal – and I mean brutal – horrors such as Haute Tension (2003), and The Hills Have Eyes (2006), some funny or less believable horrors such as Piranha 3D (2010) and Crawl (2019), but also more psychological or paranormal ones such as Mirrors (2008) and The 9th Life of Luis Drax (2016) – and Horns (2013). Oxygen successfully adds to his list of horror/thriller diversity.

    Despite their similarities and differences, I will make only one comparison between Buried and Oxygen: the identical dolly-out shot. I am sure Aja has watched Rodrigo Cortés’ film, and I found it very interesting, even peculiar, that the exact same shot was used. Anyway, if you haven’t watched Buried and you somewhat liked Oxygen, then it’s a must-watch!

    Last but most certainly not least, Mélanie Laurent nails her part. Without her superb performance, everything else would have failed. She’s absolutely amazing and gets my round of applause!

    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!

    On the Bridge (2021)

    Kay
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    Driving in the middle of the night, a man stops when he sees a woman sitting at the edge of a bridge, he sits with her and listens to her haunting and sinister story.

    DISCLAIMER: This story contains strong language and is intended for an older youth audience. Listener discretion is advised.

    Based on my homonymous short script, On the Bridge.

    © 2021 Konstantinos Papathanasiou. All rights reserved.

    https://open.spotify.com/episode/08JhknfPtHDsC8l82nmYDg

    Dark Waters (2019)

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    Dark Waters (2019)

    Unsubstantiated evidence against a giant chemical company is thoroughly examined by a corporate defence attorney who sees what everyone else is turning a blind eye to and fights tooth and nail against them.

    Dark Waters’ cast and theme are its two major selling points: Mark Ruffalo, Anne Hathaway, Tim Robbins, Bill Pullman, and Bill Camp need no introduction, and no matter what I say, it can make them better thespians than they already are. This brings me to the second selling point straight away: the theme. One person tries to take down a colossal chemical company while having everything to lose – special emphasis on “everything.”

    Automatically, in my books, whoever dares that against any company of that magnitude, or any magnitude, or their government is a hero. Half an hour into the film, you want him to crash them with everything he’s got! Rob Bilott is one of the most relatable heroes out there. The world needs more of him, and we root for him to do what the rest of us can’t – or haven’t had the chance yet. The thrilling and dramatic narrative unfolds beautifully through parallel editing that moves the story forward, provides the necessary information, and increases the tension to pin you to your seat. Ruffalo is the man of the hour, and who could direct him better than director Todd Haynes, who has mastered biographic films or films “based on true events”.

    It makes you sick to your stomach that innumerable companies like these get away with such crimes for so long or forever. It makes you sick that money is worth more than lives – humans, animals, and plants. There are two major takeaways here:

    1. However bad you think you’ve had it, there are people who have had it a lot worse than most of us.
    2. YOU can make a difference! No matter how small you think you are or how much “you against the world” you feel, you can make a difference!

    P.S. Are you ready? As per IMDb: “DuPont’s stock price dropped by 7.15 points from 72.18 to 65.03 the week this movie was released on 12th November”. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9071322/trivia?item=tr5294319

    P.P.S. I’ll start doing a lot more reviews like Dark Waters.

    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!

    Nomadland (2021)

    Kay
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    Nomadland (2021)

    Losing everything in the Great Recession, a middle-aged woman decides to lead a nomadic way of life, meet people and explore places she has never had.

    There are two selling points here: Francis McDormand and Chloé Zhao. McDormand is one of the best actresses alive, and no matter what anyone else or I say, I cannot give enough praise for any of her performances. Nomadland is no exception, as her performance is a masterclass. The second selling point is Zhao’s documentary-style filmmaking that expanded to seven states, making it look like a chronicle of a nomad who tries to turn a situation around. It is a great modern example of cinema verité that, if anything, will travel you around the States and show you a way of life that you may not have encountered before. As much as I know poverty very well, this lifestyle/tradition is known to me only through films that have not properly explored it. So, I can’t comment on what I heard regarding its inauthentic depiction. Honestly, it would be wrong if I did.

    As for the script, though, I was trying to establish throughout the film whether her choices were actually hers and, if yes, to what extent. Did she partially want this way of life? Was this what she fully wanted? Was it escapism from herself and the people around her? I believe the answer determines the purpose of this hero’s journey. As a huge fan of David Strathairn, I think he deserved more screening time.

    Extra credits go to Zhao’s frequent director of photography, Joshua James Richards, whose work is just captivating. Pay attention to the little yet very important elements of the film. The use of diegetic (natural) and non-diegetic (music) sounds, Ludovico Einaudi’s piano, the minimalistic editing and montage in its simplest form, the non-actors acting, and a side of America and certain American people that none of us get to see in either studio or indie level. Oscars for Best Motion Picture of the Year, Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role, and Best Achievement in Directing were very much deserved. All 227 wins & 135 nominations were very much deserved. 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!

    The Importance of Dystopia in Sci-fi / Horror

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    The Importance of Dystopia in Sci-fi / Horror

    Turning on the news, what takes over is a… disheartening presentiment about the future. Questionable governments, selfish, narrow-minded masses voting for these governments, sociological dyspepsia, misanthropy, pandemic, psychological decadence… If the present feels that way, it is no wonder why filmmakers “see” the future in a cataclysmic and calamitous light.

    Society: “A large group of people who live together in an organised way, making decisions about how to do things and sharing the work that needs to be done”. (https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/society)

    Utopia: “A perfect society in which people work well with each other and are happy”. Imagine a world where everyone is happy, the laws favour everyone, the economy flourishes, and the government looks after their people. (https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/utopia)

    On the other hand…

    Dystopia: “A very bad or unfair society in which there is a lot of suffering, especially an imaginary society in the future, after something terrible has happened”. (https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/dystopia)

    I wholeheartedly believe that there is no soul out there who believes in a utopian future. Why? Because the present firmly and regrettably indicates otherwise. We usually say that something impossible is science fiction, but, in this instance, it is merely naïve. But! There is another reason, too. Constructing the “perfect” society is nothing like creating a “seemingly” perfect society. And that is for two reasons:

    “Utopia” creates a problem and begs a fundamental question from the very beginning of the definition: What does “perfect” mean? Consequently, what does “perfect society” mean? How would a filmmaker define and depict the “perfect society”? The short answer is that they can’t. Because there is no “perfect”, if it did, humans wouldn’t be it, and therefore, they cannot form the “perfect society”. That is why it is called u-topia (??-????? in Greek). It exists nowhere, much less on the small or big screen.

    The second issue is that even if it miraculously existed, where would the story lead? Everything is “perfect”, everyone is happy. That is beyond science fiction and cinematically unimportant, indifferent, idle, yawnsome, and most likely a box-office bomb.

    Dystopia, though, is inundated with messages and parables. In films, the world has fallen apart due to:

    • Economy Collapse
    • Climatic Disaster
    • World War
    • Nuclear Holocaust
    • Pandemic (sore point)
    • Comet’s Impact
    • Divine Judgement
    • Alien Invasion
    • Zombie Rise
    • AI Takeover
    • …

    Your imagination is your limit! And that’s just in the foreseeable future (hopefully, not too foreseeable).* Despite your pick, survival and reversing the situation to make the world a better place would most likely be the film’s theme. How everything started, how it will play out, and how it will end are the thrilling parts and the reasons all of us go to the movies to watch films of that sort.

    *I wouldn’t want to expand to the distant future’s sci-fi as the focal point is mainly different, such as life in different, colonised planets or space issues.

    One of my favourite types of dystopias is the one that starts as a utopia only to reveal the fake and the rot behind society’s epidermically beautiful facade. Yes, the concept of Brave New World. The concept of a deconstructed society that, if it revolted would mean its end is also another favourite of mine. Yes, Snowpiercer (2013) has made an impression on me. Authors such as Aldous Huxley, Jacques Lob, Philp K. Dick, Isaac Asimov, Octavia Butler, Ray Bradbury, and Arthur C. Clarke have thoroughly, and with imagination aplenty, criticised the society they have lived in. Tomorrow’s dystopia is today’s society’s existence, living, breathing, and proudly walking on this Earth complications. Our current insecurities, anxieties, fears, misconceptions, and personal and societal problems are projected into our escalated faulty future, leaving so much to the imagination.

    Is this how we will end? Would I have made it? What would I do if I did make it? Would I be able to rise to the occasion and become one of the heroes I see on screen? What would I do if everyone I knew was gone? These are but a few questions we all ask ourselves while sitting back and relaxing and experiencing something impressive and entertaining yet educational and ill-wishing.

    Dystopias are there to warn us! Plato’s Dialogues is the perfect place to start reading about the origin of such concepts and terms and their purpose. The aforementioned authors, their books, and the films that came out of their adaptations are fascinating places to unfold and enrich your journey, discovering from creative to deranged ways that our world as we know it comes to an end.

    As the title implies, this article is deliberately short and aims to emphasise the importance of dystopia in sci-fi. I don’t believe there is a top 5 or top 10 when it comes to such a subgenre. Below, you can find my all-time favourite films and series that have powerfully depicted our dystopic future world in the way the filmmakers truly envisaged it. Keep in mind that some of these films’ future belongs now to our past. How accurate were their predictions? Does filmmaking’s evolution affect the accuracy of films’ predictions about the future? What do you think?

    References

    https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/society

    https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/utopia

    https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/dystopia

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Dialogues_of_Plato

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aldous_Huxley

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacques_Lob

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_K._Dick

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Asimov

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octavia_E._Butler

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Bradbury

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_C._Clarke

    http://theworldofapu.com/category/film-analysis/

    Dystopian Films

    Metropolis (1927)

    The Day the Earth Caught Fire (1961)

    Alphaville (1965)

    Fahrenheit 451 (1966)

    The Omega Man (1971)

    A Clockwork Orange (1971)

    THX 1138 (1971)

    Mad Max Franchise (1979, 1981, 1985, 2015)

    Brave New World (1980)

    Escape from New York (1981)

    Blade Runner (1982)

    Videodrome (1983)

    Nineteen Sighty-Four (1984)

    Threads (1984)

    Brazil (1985)

    Dead Man’s Letters (1986)

    RoboCop (1987)

    The Running Man (1987)

    Total Recall (1990)

    Demolition Man (1993)

    Fortress (1993)

    The Stand (1994)

    The City of Lost Children (1995)

    Judge Dredd (1995)

    12 Monkeys (1995)

    Johnny Mnemonic (1995)

    Strange Days (1995)

    Waterworld (1995)

    Starship Troopers (1997)

    The Fifth Element (1997)

    Gattaca (1997)

    The Postman (1997)

    Dark City (1998)

    Pleasantville (1998)

    eXistenZ (1999)

    The Matrix (1999)

    Battle Royale (2000)

    On the Beach (2000)

    A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)

    Equilibrium (2002)

    Minority Report (2002)

    Resident Evil (2002)

    The Time Machine (2002)

    28 Days Later (2002)

    Code 46 (2003)

    I, Robot (2004)

    The Island (2005)

    V for Vendetta (2005)

    A Scanner Darkly (2006)

    I Am Legend (2007)

    28 Weeks Later (2007)

    Children of Men (2008)

    Blindness (2008)

    Daybreakers (2009)

    District 9 (2009)

    The Road (2009)

    Watchmen (2009)

    Book of Eli (2010)

    Never Let Me Go (2010)

    The Divide (2011)

    Cloud Atlas (2012)

    Looper (2012)

    Snowpiercer (2013)

    The Congress (2013)

    Elysium (2013)

    The Purge (2013)

    The Zero Theorem (2013)

    The Rover (2014)

    Z for Zachariah (2015)

    Westworld (2016 – )

    The Handmaid’s Tale (2017 – )

    Hotel Artemis (2018)

    Ready Player One (2018)

    Brave New World (2020)

    Thanks for reading!

    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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    Mother (2009)

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    Mother (2009)

    After her son is jailed for a girl’s brutal murder, a mother does everything in her power to prove his innocence.

    The mixed feelings begin from the opening shot and extend all the way through the first act. The music, the acting, the character development, the mother/son relationship, and all utterances and actions make one question why IMDb describes it as a crime, drama, and mystery. Twenty minutes into it, it starts looking that way, but still… Yoon Do-joon’s mental disability and the way his surrounding environment and authorities perceive him make it unclear what it really is.

    The role of his mother, though, somehow, despite the odd human behaviour, intensifies the drama in the second act and turns it into a whodunit with the stamp of Bong Joon Ho. After Memories of Murder (2003) and The Host (2006) and before Snowpiercer (2013), Okja (2017), and Parasite (2019), Bong Joon Ho feels confident directing Mother, most certainly knowing that unpredictable feelings will be evoked. Definitely not for everyone, but it’s the kind of cinema that allows Westerners, through art, to discover a variety of cultural idiosyncrasies so different to their own.

    Far too many years ago, someone told me that if I ended up in hell, my mother would be the only one to find a way to sneak out of heaven, descent, and trade places with me, so it is she that withstands eternal suffering instead of me. Mother ends up being the soul-crushing drama that emphasises the mother’s sacrifice, loneliness, and the unbearable task of carrying a personal cross all the way to the top of Golgotha.

    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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    Chaos Walking (2021)

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    Chaos Walking (2021)

    Many years into the future, on an unknown planet, a male-only settlement is after two youngsters who are in search of truth.

    Interesting premise! Like any decent sci-fi, there is a metaphor behind the top dollar spent and the fancy visual effects. Chaos Walking is the actual settlers’ terraforma atrocities. Arguably though, that takes the back seat when the film decides to focus on the projection of the human inability to control their thoughts; men’s anyway.

    As the story unfolds, more truths and metaphors emerge, eventually overshadowed, too, by men’s uncontrollable projected thoughts. Regardless, pay attention to the mayor’s and the priest’s roles. If you’ve read a thing or two about colonisation, you won’t be surprised about their character development. 

    After the script’s many rewritings, extensive $15M re-shoots took place, during which Tom Holland broke his nose, passed out trying to hold his breath underwater, and had his wisdom teeth pulled out. No wonder why the film’s release date was pushed back a year… And after all that, humongous plot holes are still there, like stains that have failed to come off after many washings. The most striking was the shuttle that no one saw falling from the sky. A shuttle that no one heard or felt crashed next to the farm, either. The best part? By the time Todd saw it, some pieces were still on fire, but Viola had already dag 2 graves and was out and about stealing food. I mean… never mind!

    It’s a shame that experienced directors like Doug Liman and studios like Lionsgate Entertainment still struggle that much when money and resources are not an issue. That’s why audiences think outside the box diminish Hollywood productions. 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.

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    Stowaway (2021)

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    Stowaway (2021)

    A series of dilemmas and decisions divide a crew on its way to Mars when they discover a passenger who shouldn’t have been there.

    Very well-written and shot in the first act, paying extra attention to the orbital mechanics’ math but also the heroes’ reactions during the launch. The discovery of the stowaway passenger intensifies the thrill, and the agony regarding who this person is and why he’s there begins… Well, not immediately!

    The second act starts off a bit slow, not interested in providing crucial information immediately. Don’t be put off by that, though. Pace yourselves. Everything slowly and steadily is falling into place. When the dilemma is presented, questions such as: What would I do? How would I do it? What if I were him? How the hell did it come to that? And maybe more will get you engaged.

    Writer/producer Ryan Morrison and co-writer/producer/director Joe Penna wrote and directed, respectively, a very claustrophobic drama/thriller/sci-fi full of moral decisions and dilemmas. XYZ Films, as always, made sure to invest in the film’s technological realism for a heartbreaking yet kind of believable outcome. Speaking of believability, Anna Kendrick, Daniel Dae Kim, Shamier Anderson, and Toni Collette give very decent performances and have good chemistry.

    The denouement is arguably overdramatised, but it still serves the narrative’s purpose. I believe that the lukewarm reviews derive from the desire for more action, which the film somewhat lacks. Don’t be discouraged, though; its other qualities compensate. While in lockdown, having nothing much more creative to do, Stowaway becomes the escapism we potentially need/want.

    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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    Don’t You Shed A Tear (2021)

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    A man’s family throws a surprise birthday party for him, not knowing that he suffers from a terminal illness.

    This is an exception to my writing style as it arguably has no horror elements. Yet, I aimed to explore a dark side of ours that is kept secret even from the closest to us people, even from ourselves. A horrific side that can be our scariest foe.

    DISCLAIMER: This story contains strong language and is intended for an older youth audience. Listener discretion is advised.

    Based on my homonymous short script, Don’t You Shed A Tear.

    © 2021 Konstantinos Papathanasiou. All rights reserved.

    https://open.spotify.com/episode/4m58V9yc6MiaoCgRYN6hS0

    Ballad for a Pierced Heart (2020)

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    Ballad for a Pierced Heart (2020)

    After stealing her husband’s money, a woman and her lover flee to a small town, but greed, passion, and a series of wrong choices turn everything upside down.

    Even though I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: Yannis Economides is the best Greek / Greek Cypriot actors’ director alive. No one comes even near in the second place. He allows them to improvise to the highest degree, as he allows maximum profanity. This adds to his films’ realism and makes them unique additions to the modern Greek cinema, a cinema that, unfortunately, suffers from wooden acting and writing – even though I must say that, fortunately, this is constantly improving. No matter what, Economides leads the way.

    Like every other of his films, The Ballad for the Pierced Heart is structured according to the narrative. The three-act structure provides the formula for getting from A to B, but the dialogue always prevails. Regardless of where the A or B stand, everything said and done in between matters.

    The Ballad was quite unlucky. The moment it came out, the pandemic was announced, and cinemas shut down. Very highly recommended! It combines neo-noir elements with a Greek reality that is nowhere to be found in the Industry. When the end credits start scrolling, and the enthusiasm starts fading, one realises that… OK… certain dialogue and circumstances were a bit surrealistic. How much that matters? Not a tad!

    Other than Economides, all his crew deserves a round of applause, as it does the brilliant cast: Vicky Papadopoulou, Vassilis Bisbikis, Stathis Stamoulakatos, Yannis Tsortekis, and the rest of the professional and non-professional actors who shine in front of the lens. Well done, everyone!

    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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    Until the Edge of the World (2019)

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    Until the Edge of the World (2019)

    Not understanding why her father lies unconscious in a hospital, a little girl’s vivid imagination places him on a journey to the moon.

    Daniel Bertram’s writing (but also directing), Serhii Reznik and Billy Ray Schlag’s ambient music, Alicia Valencia Pollex’s acting, and Knut Adass’ dark cinematography promise a tear-jerker – a drama that cannot end well.

    The restricted narrative, though, adds a mystery to it. The audience knows as much as Flo does or as much as she understands, if you may. It approaches the tragedy from everyone’s perspective, including Flo’s, the mother’s, and the father’s perspectives, and the restricted narrative affects them, too, as no one knows each other’s thoughts or true feelings. In the case of Flo and her mother, they are even unable to understand each other. Interestingly, only the audience can experience the father’s inner world, turning us into omniscient viewers.

    It definitely follows an unconventional way of telling the story, but don’t cast any stones yet. How do you experience tragedy? And how would you prepare a little kid for it? At the end of the day, is anyone really ever prepared? From an artistic point of view, scenes such as the non-boiling milk, the rain during a starry night, the reflections, the mixture of colours turning into clouds, and the animated painting spark our imagination, significantly reducing the situation’s cynical or orthological approach. For example, I’ve never thought of the moon, the Earth’s satellite, in such a poetic or existential way.

    I very much recommend it to whoever is looking for nontraditional/unconventional storytelling. Until the Edge of the World is quite depressing, though, and may not suit people who struggle in these difficult times.

    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 Hater (2020)

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    The Hater (2020)

    An overambitious young man uses social media, as well as friends and family, to achieve his immoral goals.

    Two qualities stand out right off the bat: Tomasz’s manipulation skills and Aleksandra Gowin’s non-linear editing skills. Both of them unfold brilliantly along with the narrative.

    Writer Mateusz Pacewicz collaborates once more with director Jan Komasa after the amazing Corpus Christi (2019) – review to follow – and, once more, shocks society to its core. There are plenty of scary scenarios and people here… Tomasz Giemza is a person who shouldn’t be walking on the streets. Why? Men like him bring out the worst in people and remorselessly manipulate them, individually and collectively. In both cases, since we all have weaknesses, no one can blame us for that. Who is to be blamed, though, is the people behind social media who support that manipulation and enhance it by reaching out to the larger masses. Social media are merely tools and platforms of communication, but the way the “puppeteers” operate them can shape, control, manipulate, and even tear apart societies. Sacha Baron Cohen very eloquently described one of them as: “the greatest propaganda machine in history” that would even allow Hitler to run his propaganda.

    Besides social media, though, I believe The Hater‘s best achievement is Tomasz’s character development. He is a psychopath with the phenomenal ability to learn from his mistakes and constantly up his game, eventually manipulating the manipulators. Absolutely amazing! You’ll catch yourself loving the way he does it while hating him at the same time.

    Last but not least, Agata Kulesza always deserves a separate mention, no matter what she’s in. She shines in Pawel Pawlikowsi’s films as much as in this one. She is an Oscar-worthy actress, and I hope she wins it one day. Whether she does or not, she’ll always be a first-class thespian.

    This is an excellent example of modern European cinema, with profound filmmaking techniques, intriguing performances, plenty of visuals, and food for thought. It’s definitely a must-watch!

    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 Contribution of Heroines, and the Role of Feminism in the Horror Genre – Part 2

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    Tonight, I’m releasing the second part of the interview with Michelle Satchwell. Michelle analyses Martyrs and its contribution to the horror genre, but she also uses it as a reference for the role of women in torture horrors. Moreover, she talks about advertisements and gender roles in the 80s, how females have been portrayed, how they could have been portrayed and how that has affected the present. Last but not least, she talks about the representation of ethnic minorities and non-binary people in the film industry and the potential future.

    https://open.spotify.com/episode/7gZ84UmygcWPN60bQrSBXk

    Feminism References
    Evolutionary Psychologists (no specific names), they focus on reproductive success in mate selection in humans.

    Tuchman (1978) Symbolic annihilation (narrow range of roles for females).

    Glascock (2001) Leading female characters (e.g. Lara Croft).

    Bristol Fawcett Society (2008) Imbalance in media representation.

    Ferguson (1983) Forever feminine; focusing on womens’ magazines and the cult of feminity.  Women focus on “him, home and looking good (for him)”.

    Johnson and Young (2002) Impact of advertising on children.

    McRobbie and Garber (1976) Bedroom culture.

    Heidensohn (1985) Social Control of women and crime.

    Westwood (1999) Transgression and Gender. “Transgressive female roles that go beyond gendered expectations”.

    Gauntlett (2008) The representation of gender roles in the media. “Do the traits of the characters challenge conventional masculinity?”

    Julia Kristeva (1980) Powers of Horror: An essay on Abjection.

    Freud (1905) Psychosexual stages of development (Pre-Oedpial stage). 

    Frieda-Fromm-Reichmann (1984) Schizophrenogenic mother theory.

     

    Further References

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suburb

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Lives_Matter

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woke

    https://revisesociology.com/2019/09/02/media-representations-women/

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suffragette

    https://www.waterstones.com/author/sallie-westwood/8084

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_homogenization#:~:text=Cultural%20homogenization%20is%20an%20aspect,but%20customs%2C%20ideas%20and%20values.

    https://greenwichfairnesscommission.files.wordpress.com/2016/11/uk-bme-population-briefing-paper-mar2016.pdf

     

    Sociological key terms:

    Liberal

    Marxist

    Radical

    Black Feminists 

    Desensitised

    Patriarchy

    Agency

    Power and Control

    Malestream Criminology

    White Knight / Saviour Complex

    Male Gaze

    Vicarious Reinforcement

    Toxic Masculinity

    Myth of Male Power (Strong)

    Halo Effect

    Heteronormative

    Social Norms

    Interactionism

    Pluralist View (Reflects Taste of Audience)

    Gatekeepers (Stakeholders)

    Double Deviant

    Takers of Shit

    Dual Burden

    Idealised Mother

    Myth of Motherhood

    Chivalry Thesis

    Meritocracy

    False-class Conscious

    Ageism

    Fatphobic

    Cultural Homogenisation (of Western Individualist Views)

    Cross-Cultural Research

    Transgressive Sociology

    The Little Things (2021)

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    The Little Things (2021)

    A series of murders get the attention of a County Deputy Sheriff, a man with a dark past in the police force, and in collaboration with a young detective, they will try to find whoever is behind these crimes.

    It is shocking how people even considered comparing it to Seven (1995). The film’s biggest issue is not the cliché opening sequence that makes zero sense. It is not that Denzel Washington and Rami Malek don’t believe in what they signed up for – even though Jared Leto somehow does. It is not even that all three of them are Oscar winners in a film like this. The biggest issue with the film is that the producers put all the effort into getting A-list actors, but then they decided to green-light a boring, formulaic, predictable, flawed Hollywood three-act structure with yawning character and story development that makes you say: “It’s OK for the quarantine”. A film that you stop thinking about the moment the end credits start scrolling down. And once you think the script is the worst thing that happened to The Little Things, the editing makes it a mission to dumb it down even more by explaining everything to you like it’s the first time watching a thriller. Moreover, it fundamentally ruins the film’s pace and rhythm with its discontinuity errors.

    I know I sound bitter, but that was not my intention before watching it. But focusing (always) on the film’s intentions, I don’t like it when the audience’s intelligence is undermined. Watching the final cut before exporting it, the filmmakers should have seen that, for an over two-hour film, everything is rushed and said and done in a better and much better way. It is saddening me that, John Lee Hancock, the man behind great films such as The Blind Side (2009) and Saving Mr. Banks (2013) was sitting on the director’s chair.

    After pointing out the film’s biggest issue(s), it would be only fair to mention the biggest achievement: Jared Leto’s decent performance. Even though ruined by bad directing and even worse editing, it managed to get a Golden Globe nomination and a nomination from the Screen Actors Guild Awards – the only two nominations the film got. How about that?

    To cut the long story short, go ahead and watch it. It is yet another night in with restrictions left, right, and centre. Just don’t have any expectations, as you’ll be severely disappointed.

    P.S. I mean… the editing is bad!

    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!

    The Contribution of Heroines, and the Role of Feminism in the Horror Genre – Part 1

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    Tonight, I’m interviewing Michelle Satchwell. Michelle is returning to the show to talk about the role of women in horror films. Class, gender, and race will also be analysed to determine how they have been portrayed over the decades and if and how, nowadays, things have changed. Michelle analyses classic female-led horror films through sociopolitical theories and practices and sheds light on how psychology examines these filmic portrayals.

    https://open.spotify.com/episode/1l3NNpD1APn8359pr0E4mx

    References

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abjection

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigmund_Freud

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_actions

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interactionism

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oedipus_complex

    https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007%2F978-3-319-15877-8_482-1#:~:text=Introduction,the%20illness%20(Hartwell%201996).

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Informal_social_control#:~:text=Informal%20social%20control%2C%20or%20the,such%20as%20citizen%20patrol%20groups.

    https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/psychology/evolutionary-theory#:~:text=Evolutionary%20theory%20highlights%20the%20adaptive,%2C%20health%2C%20or%20physical%20size.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slut-shaming

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Bandura

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Final_girl#:~:text=Clover%20argues%20that%20for%20a,the%20part%20of%20a%20male.

    https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/the-white-knight-syndrome/200905/white-knight-commonalities#:~:text=White%20knights%20often%20have%20a,be%20hurt%20easily%20by%20others.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marxism

    Come True (2020)

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    Come True (2020)

    One of the most intriguing and atmospheric opening sequences I’ve seen in a while. The first act’s slow pace, music, and cinematography betray a feel-good 80s horror that promises not to disappoint. And it doesn’t (to a certain extent)!

    Writer/director Anthony Scott Burns has done his homework on sleep, dreams, and nightmares and carefully and patiently unfolds a narrative that will most definitely surprise you if you haven’t read anything about the plot. Positively or not, you are about to figure things out for yourselves.

    The dream sequences are the most vividly and terrifyingly surrealistic images since Silent Hill (2006) and The Cell (2000) – the only Jennifer Lopez film I have gotten to enjoy. Jungian psychology, Escher’s portrayal of illusion, and Clive Barker’s horrifying vision of the human psyche’s darkness blend into one, bringing to life nightmares that make us question how our mind, consciously or not, interprets reason and how we understand and explain our fears.

    David Cronenberg has been a tremendous influence on Canadian cinema, and Burns, having specialised in horror, adds his own personality and vision to intrigue you and get and maintain your undivided attention. In the end, I must say that I did get confused and found myself remorselessly scratching my head, and even though I love proper WTF endings, Come True runs out of steam before you start rolling your eyes in disbelief. Shame because I had nothing negative to say for the 2/3’s of the movie. I guess the denouement is the toughest part of the script.

    P.S. Certainly, I am not the only one feeling like Riff came out of Hogwarts…

    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!

    Lifeforce (1985)

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    Lifeforce (1985)

    An alien vampire race is found in space and brought to a lab in London, but upon escaping, chaos and doom threaten to destroy our planet.

    Ask anyone why they remember Lifeforce… And as much as I understand why, this is why the film bombed! An alien sex bomb wreaking apocalyptic havoc in London sounds peculiar, to say the least. The film didn’t even make half its production cost back because a naked Mathilda May and her astonishing beauty stole the show and left everyone uninterested in its shallow science. BUT…

    Lifeforce has become a classic, and watching it 25 years later, I must say that it is a case study of deconstructing a B-movie. I don’t think I’ve ever read more production details on a film such as this. Moreover, most of these details revolve around May’s backstage nudity or how the film’s failure showed during the early stages of principal photography.

    Despite how my review sounds so far, especially in times like these, Lifeforce is the escapism that will truly entertain you (I mean, read the logline). Based on Colin Wilson’s novel, “The Space Vampires”, and directed by Tobe Hooper, the film offers a lack of seriousness and superficiality that harms no one and, if anything, reminds us of the cinematic, low-budget, sci-fi era that, once upon a time, was as believable as today’s advanced CGI. The practical effects, the make-up, the effort given not to be rated pornographic, and the budget restraints, to name but a few, constitute it a very hard film to make. No words can describe the satisfaction you will get through while watching it. So, forget reality for a couple of hours…

    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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    Breeder (2020)

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    Breeder (2020)

    A doctor who conducts illegal experiments on women in an underground lab kidnaps her partner’s wife, making her one of them.

    The first two things that stand out are the photography and editing. It is very well shot and paced and very scientifically provocative. And then the torture comes.

    I started researching and analysing torture after the one film that truly affected me like no other, Martyrs (2008). The reason behind torture, or the lack thereof, offers a perspective on what you are watching. It provides an explanation or gives none as to why people are suffering the way they do. In Martyrs, you only get to find out in the end, and it’s just unthinkable. In Hellraiser (1987), Pinhead and the rest of the crew are sadistic, hellish creatures and live off the victims’ excruciating pain. In The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974), Leatherface and his family are a bunch of psychopathic killers. The problem presented here is that two innovative yet despicable scientists are behind everything that’s happening, and a couple of mindless humanoids that the film has the audacity to call “animals” commit further atrocities.

    Personally, the reason here leaves me indifferent. What made me feel uncomfortable was its statement or the way I perceived it anyway: She was looking for pain, and that’s what she got. Maybe I got it wrong, but, ultimately, the film’s message is utterly confusing. Women are oppressed mostly by men, but some women, too? Men are disgusting beings? Sh*t happens? Together, we are stronger than ever against the system that wants us subdued? Women are stronger together against… who?

    Anyway, maybe Breeder has no message to deliver, and I just missed the “entertainment.” Maybe you get a different vibe.

    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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    Prisons: Depravity and Decadence in Horror / Sci-fi… and in Real Life

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    Tonight, I’m interviewing Dr. Neni Panourgia. Dr. Panourgia is an affiliated faculty member of the Hellenic Studies program. She is an anthropologist, Associate Professor at the Prison Education Program, Psychology Department, and Academic Adviser at the Justice in Education Initiative at Columbia University. Tonight, she talks about the prison system in the US and how it has affected their current and futuristic cinematic depiction. Without further ado, here’s the interview.

    https://open.spotify.com/episode/5wgnGVu7Lg6E6PEpWi8FxE

    Biography

    https://hellenic.columbia.edu/people/profile/388

    Books

    https://www.amazon.co.uk/Primitive-Man-Philosopher-Nyrb-Classics/dp/1590177681/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&qid=1615419635&refinements=p_27%3ANeni+Panourgia&s=books&sr=1-1
    https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dangerous-Citizens-Greek-Terror-State/dp/0823229688/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&qid=1615419635&refinements=p_27%3ANeni+Panourgia&s=books&sr=1-2
    https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ethnographica-Moralia-Experiments-Interpretive-Anthropology/dp/0823228878/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&qid=1615419635&refinements=p_27%3ANeni+Panourgia&s=books&sr=1-3
    https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fragments-Death-Fables-Identity-Anthropological/dp/0299145646/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&qid=1615419635&refinements=p_27%3ANeni+Panourgia&s=books&sr=1-4

    Never Rarely Sometimes Always (2020)

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    Never Rarely Sometimes Always (2020)

    A teenage girl, followed by her cousin, leaves her hometown to go to New York to terminate her unexpected pregnancy.

    Never underestimate the power of independent cinema. It rarely disappoints. Sometimes, it defies the traditional, conventional narrative. Always, though, it offers a more realistic perspective.

    The difference with American studio-level films shows, in this case, even before the narrative unfolds. Take a close look at the actors; they are everyday people, not like underwear models. It’s (not) funny how studios nowadays indulge diversity and inclusion but don’t cast actors who wouldn’t be a fit for a fragrance poster. But this review is not about the industry’s hypocrisy, so…

    Eliza Hittman writes and directs a modern, painful Odyssey about a girl who suffers in silence, has no room in her life for the baby she is carrying and decides to make a journey to make the most difficult decision of her life yet. Admittedly, I haven’t watched her other films, but I most definitely will after this one. Like an omniscient narrator, Hittman mounts the camera on her shoulder and closely follows Autumn and Skylar exploring The Big Apple for the first time. The close-ups and the extreme close-ups leave you no choice but to feel Autumn’s pain, embark on that coach, share the experience of discovery, but mainly, go through the shivering experience of what comes next.

    The “never, rarely, sometimes, always” moment is the brutal realisation that facing the pain is exponentially harder than imagining facing the pain. The editor, Scott Cummings, is on board with this idea as he’s very careful where to cut when this conversation takes place. He cuts selectively and only briefly to the counsellor but mostly stays with Autumn’s close-up, “forcing” you to look when she breaks. Why? Because it’s not pretty. And it’s even uglier when these questions are asked because only then do the boys’ initial, hideous comments and gestures make sense. Think about it from the narrative’s point of view; it takes an hour to indirectly indicate why those comments were made and how they are related to the pregnancy. What is also astonishing is the “show, don’t tell” subplot of the bond between Autumn and Skylar, which needs no soppy dialogue to project one has love for the other without overshadowing the film’s delicate and sorrowful subject.

    In a very disciplined manner, Hittman manages not to get caught up in the ethics behind abortion and to focus on how it burdens an already suffering girl. It might seem easy, but rest assured that it is not. In fact, it is one of the main issues pretentious films face when they tackle too many issues, address some, and finally delve into none. Never Rarely Sometimes Always brilliantly achieves that focus, and I can’t praise it enough. Speaking of praising, Sidney Flanigan deserves an Oscar for her realistic performance. I take my hat off to Talia Ryder, who doesn’t let her natural beauty overshadow her acting and, surprisingly, gives “friendship” the meaning it always should have.

    Compare Promising Young Woman (2021) with this one and see for yourselves how you feel about the different styles of filmmaking.

    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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    Promising Young Woman (2020)

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    Promising Young Woman (2020)

    A young woman seeks revenge against anyone who was involved in a tragic event several years ago.

    I’m in two minds about this. I believe that’s because I was hyped up for weeks before watching it, even though I hadn’t even watched the trailer.

    I’ll start with the good news: Carrey Mulligan is amazing, Bo Burnham is funny, and Clancy Brown is heartbreaking. And, for me, this is where the good news stops.

    First and foremost, the film lacks structure. Its pace and rhythm is all over the place. Secondly, it resembles a thriller with music video montages in between. Is that wrong? Not on its own. It becomes wrong and, if not wrong, confusing for such a delicate issue that ultimately takes the back seat. This wrongness/confusion causes indecisiveness, and no film should be undecided about situations that have scarred women’s but also families’ lives. Occasionally, it felt like a dark comedy accompanied by millennial pop music that was not befitting, so I kept asking myself, how am I supposed to feel? And then, about who? About Nina or Cassie? Does Cassie’s behaviour justify what happened to Nina? Was it that that made her sociopath, or did that event trigger it? How was she punishing the ones who were crossing her path? How was the level of punishment against the ones who were accessories to what happened to Nina decided? There are so many questions regarding the character’s arc and the hero’s journey, but I’ll raise one last one: How is one meant to feel about Cassie and her actions in the end?

    The film is rated ‘suitable only for 15 years and older’, but I can’t shake off the feeling that is for 15 y/o ones alone. That excludes the two-and-a-half-minute shocking scene in the cabin (no spoilers). Writer/director Emerald Fennell, Carrey Mulligan, and Margot Robbie are wearing the producer’s hat, and their effort is rewarded with 4 Golden Globes nominations, another 62 wins and 132 more nominations. I congratulate them and the rest of the cast and crew for their achievement, even though it was not my cup of tea.

    Nothing that affects someone that much should be that stylised. Even though I found Revenge (2017) quite ‘stylish’ until the inciting incident in the second act, its brutality defined the film and established for the viewer that ‘shock’ was what it aimed for. But cinema, like life itself, is not just black or white. There are numerous shades of grey, and one of my favourite genre mixes, horror/comedy, falls under that category. Keeping that in mind, I’m constantly asking myself, how much comedy does one mix with horror? Or is it the other way around?

    P.S. Never Rarely Sometimes Always (2020). That’s the kind of realistic cinema I find more intriguing. 

    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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    Wrong Turn (2021)

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    Wrong Turn (2021)

    A group of friends gets lost in the Appalachian mountains but gets found by an off-grid community that hunts them down.

    Ahhhh… The clash between the world we are slowly leaving behind and the brave new one we are entering at warp speed. Bridging those two worlds will be one of the most difficult tasks societies globally must handle. Anyway…

    Wrong Turn‘s producers decided, in a six-member “gang”, to represent as many minorities as possible. And as much as I endorse diversity and inclusion, when it’s for ticket sales or any other form of profit, I don’t. It’s called exploitation. Moving on from the casting choices concerns… one realises, right off the bat, when the alleged action and thrill kicks in, that the educated youth comes up with the dumbest questions, ideas, and ideologies ever existed while people of unknown origin and skills are after them in the middle of the unknown… nowhere. Ultimately, what most of them say and do is nothing but contradictory, which renders them undecided in life or hypocrites at best.

    And if you are somewhat confused with the messages about the old and new world and their people… boy… wait until the film’s revelation! I’m not going to spoil it for you. See for yourselves the mess the script is leaving behind. Honestly, wait until the very end; the script’s direction is more lost than every city boy and girl has ever been on these mountains throughout the whole franchise. And since you’ve made it to the very end, watch at least the last scene; it’s awesome.

    To my surprise, that script is by Alan B. McElroy, the writer behind the original Wrong Turn (2003), and it may be a reboot but has nothing to do or has nothing on the original one. Emmanuelle Chriqui and Eliza Dushku are irreplaceable.

    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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    Saint Maud (2020)

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    Saint Maud (2020)

    A young religious nurse moves to a remote town to treat a housebound terminal patient, making her mission to save her soul.

    Feature debut for writer/director Sophie Glass, who, so far, directs only what she writes. Using a flashback in the opening sequence is not uncommon but Glass’ shots are, admittedly, impressive. The first half-hour is spent on Maud’s character development and her relationship with Amanda. The confrontation with Carol and Joy’s comment indicates how much we don’t know about Maud but should have suspected in the first place.

    The moment she cannot pretend anymore… the moment she unleashes her true self… Glass’ lens pays tributes to Hitchcock and DePalma while adding her own personal touch. She infiltrates Maud’s mind, dissects her martyrdom/schizophrenia, and restricts the narrative to only to her interpretation of signs. Consequently, this raises the question: How should I interpret those signs? Religion and mental health had been interchangeable for centuries, something that Glass manages to sink her teeth in but mostly provokes in less than an hour and a half.

    Saint Maud is a phenomenal psychological horror that aims to shock you to your core, and Morfydd Clark, fully understanding Glass’ vision, goes the extra mile with a breathtaking performance. Jennifer Ehle also plays her part beautifully, resembling a younger Meryl Streep. Extra credits go to A24 that invested in the film, Ben Fordesman for the haunting cinematography, Mark Towns for perfectly controlling the pace and rhythm, Adam Janota Bzowski for his hair-raising soundtrack, and every member of the cast and crew who strived for perfection.

    Saint Maud becomes a proud addition to the British horror genre where you don’t know what’s gonna happen until it happens. Turn off the lights, throw the phones away, and get ready to be blown away.

    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 Whisperer in Darkness (2011)

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    The Whisperer in Darkness (2011)

    Alleged evidence of ancient creatures will make a professor travel to a remote village only to discover that the truth is a lot more frightening than he anticipated.

    Pseudo-noir and semi-serious, H.P. Lovecraft’s adaptation does not rank very high on my “Favourite Lovecraft Films”. Having said that, this merely means that I didn’t enjoy this ecranisation. Writer/director Sean Branney and writer Andrew Leman collaborate once more on a Lovecraft adaptation in reverse roles – Leman directed The Call of Cthulhu (2005), and Branney wrote the script – and, I must say, the way they have envisioned Lovecraft’s writings, his world, and his creatures is captivating. As much as the film itself resembles a student project, the script is tight, engaging, and… Lovecraftian!

    There are moments, I believe, taken from In the Mouth of Madness (1994) – by far my favourite Lovecraftian adaptation – but it is definitely not plagiarism, just inspired by it. There are numerous filmmaking issues that I will not go into as I respect the hard effort the filmmakers put into it. It is a very decent film with very honest intentions. If you are passionate about Lovecraft, like I am, you will turn a blind eye to whatever seems unreal. You’ll enjoy the visualised version of the homonymous story by Branney and Leman, two truly loyal fans of the man who changed the literature of horror as we know 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.

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    Score Composition for Dark and Eerie Sequences

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    Tonight, I’m interviewing Aris Lanaridis. Aris is a film & media composer, sound designer and music producer. Tonight, he is talking about how music affects and enhances the suspense in horror films and what principles dictate how and what kind of music is used.

    https://open.spotify.com/episode/30CiotG1njiybB8UWhS5T2

    About Aris

    https://www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/staff/aris-lanaridis

    https://tagg.org/teaching/mmi/filmfunx.html

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/arislanarides/

    References

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zofia_Lissa

    Pulse (2006)

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    Pulse (2006)

    Mysterious entities start taking over a group of friends through an obscure wireless signal spreading rapidly all over the city.

    I’ll be quick… The dark and promising opening sequence unhooks you with its formulaic narrative once it gets you hooked. The audience it addresses becomes clear straight away and is none other than… American pre-millennials. Just before social media, androids and iPhones became our lives, this generation started carrying their cell phones with ostentatious designs everywhere.

    In case you are wondering why I am doing a review now, it is because I’ve had that DVD on my shelf for the last 15 years, and I never got to watch it. Now, I know why. Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s original script and Wes Craven’s adaptation were allegedly significantly altered by Ray Wright, something that made Craven walk out before production even started and renounced the film. Besides Wright, director Jim Sonzero did not do a good job either. Unfortunately, he treated his audience like they were mentally incapacitated and that alone is a reason to look down on the film. I’ll give you one example to get an idea. Kristen Bell is wearing make-up from beginning to end. No matter what happens, the make-up is intact. It’s shocking that there were two more (horrendous) instalments after that.

    I’m not going to waste your time. To sum up, the story could have been promising, the script is dull, and the filmmaking techniques were outdated long before the film was made. It is not Kristen Bell’s and Ian Somerhalder’s fault for being in it. They are really good actors. Watch it at your own risk.

    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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    Red Dot (2021)

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    Red Dot (2021)

    In an attempt to heat their relationship, a couple travels to the north of Sweden only to become a target and fight for their survival.

    I have to thank my good friend Shiying for suggesting this one to me, and I’m so glad she did. The film’s strong suit is, hands down, the narrative. The script is solid, and its two protagonists, Nadja and David, are totally relatable. Its horror works on two levels: survival against the forces of nature and survival against the forces of unnatural (?) human evil. As the story unfolds, the difference, not that is really needed, is broken down for you so you can reconstruct it yourselves in the end. But, please, for argument’s sake, let me humour you. When we distance ourselves from nature, it is not nature to blame if it does what it has been doing way before we stepped foot on this planet that we ended up looking down on as if we owned it. Then, there is the other threat: us. They detached from nature beings who developed, amongst other things, ideology, philosophy, and politics and used them against one another, as well as… nature.

    Leaving my ecological concerns out of the equation, Red Dot steps on these characteristics of ours and very manipulatively deceives you. The twist is well-designed, and the editing, of course, selectively discloses what it requires for you to fall into the trap. The second part of the second act could be easily analysed in terms of how the restricted narrative led to the moment of truth, but that would ruin it for you, so I’m not gonna do it. Watch it and decide for yourselves whether you saw it coming and how ‘smart’ or not you thought it was. My major objection and that’s the only thing I’ll tell you, is that the third act’s harshness would be far more breathtaking if the verbosity levels were dropped, even to zero. But that’s just me.

    Have a go at it! It’s well worth it. From beginning to end, Nanna Blondell and Anastasios Soulis lead the way with their incredible performances. What also stands out is Oscar-worthy cinematography. Before everything goes tits up, see how it starts at the petrol station. I initially thought: ‘As if they don’t have enough on their plate, them two… it’s just what they needed.’ And that’s what makes Nadja and David totally relatable, as I said in the beginning. You go somewhere with your boyfriend/girlfriend, and they show up. How would you react? What would you have done differently? How would you cope with the consequences? It is how every good thriller/horror starts…

    P.S. Shiying, that’s for you! Thank you, luv!

    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 House That Jack Built (2018)

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    The House That Jack Built (2018)

    The life of a serial killer through the major incidents that made him and the examination of his psychosynthesis.

    Welcome to the world of a psychopathic murderer! Look at it through his eyes. See how it makes sense to him. Feel how he perceives it, in the scariest possible way, as you and I do. Welcome to the world that Lars von Trier and Matt Dillon built!

    Watch back-to-back Trier’s The House That Jack Built and David Fincher’s Zodiac (2007). The former views the world through the nihilistic eyes of a killer who tries to make sense of our world’s identity, and the latter views it through our ‘existential’ eyes, which try to make sense of the killer’s identity. Regardless of the antithetical points of view and budget, both films’ themes are regarding serial killers, yet they share no similarities. Not really, anyway. The striking differences in writing, acting, editing, and cinematography – all overseen by the director – are responsible for creating films worlds apart and confuse film theorists (even more) regarding ‘What is Cinema?’. Fincher’s meticulous mise-en-scène and precise cuts become an example to avoid for Trier, who, in a mockumentary style of filmmaking, shakes his camera as much as he possibly can and cuts wherever it seems not right, ignoring continuity and paying tribute to Jean-Luc Godard’s Breathless (1960). Is there ‘right’ or ‘wrong’? No, there is not! The narrative always dictates how the story will unfold and in which way. And Trier’s filmmaking choices of saying the story the way he wants to create one of the most realistic serial killer films you have ever watched. Pay extra attention to the humorous side of the murders. Yes, there is a humorous side to it. Don’t judge it, though; remember whose point of view this film is from. Even I smiled at Dillon’s reaction to the body’s melted face that had been dragged on the streets for miles. The film’s scariest parts, though, are not the murders themselves but the justification of Jack’s actions and the sick and perverted way they somehow make sense.

    My issue is not how the story unfolds but where it is heading. After an hour and a half of balanced nihilistic philosophy, deranged psychology, and monstrosities, Trier turns the film into a pseudo-sophisticated paradigm that, in my humble opinion, does not any more explain Jack’s actions, takes over the narrative and expresses how Trier views art, politics, history, war, and anything that comes into his mind. Why do I think of that? Because I’m sure that Jack didn’t commit these murders, creating a montage of Trier’s previous films in his head. I know he made a statement about potentially not directing another feature, but he managed to lose the narrative’s focus in the name of art and turned it into a confusing mess.

    Some people left the theatre in Cannes, and others gave it a six-minute standing ovation. Some condemned it on social media for its violence and point of view, and others praised it. See for yourselves how parts of ‘The Divine Comedy’ and ‘Faust’ work within the narrative and how the allegories and the history lessons work for you. Love it or loathe it, be it Trier’s last film or not, The House That Jack Built is a must-watch, and whatever I say, nothing will give justice to Matt Dillon’s remarkable performance. If none of the aforementioned sounds appealing or appalling enough, watch it just for Dillon!

    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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    Nemesis (2021)

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    Wounded and hunted down, a man enters a deserted bar, but refuge is not what he finds.

    DISCLAIMER: This story contains strong language and violence and is intended for an older youth audience. Listener discretion is advised.

    Based on my homonymous short horror script, Nemesis.

    © 2021 Konstantinos Papathanasiou. All rights reserved.

    https://open.spotify.com/episode/6L4g9bp4AD8U0VR2W7L1lz

    Synchronic (2019)

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    Synchronic (2019)

    A new drug on the streets, causing obscure and mystical effects, will make two paramedics from New Orleans reevaluate life.

    The trippy, otherworldly, and oneiric opening sequence pins you down and gets your undivided attention. Steve (Anthony Mackie) and Dennis (Jamie Dornan) become immediately relatable from the get-go while you try to establish how everything is connected. As the incidents increase, the plot’s mystery and intricacy are accompanied by an equally dramatic subplot. Both unfold together on Jimmy LaValle’s amazing soundtrack, which expresses the characters’ psychosynthesis.

    In my humble opinion, though, the film reaches its peak with the heartbreaking sequence of Steve’s dog, Hawking – honestly, I couldn’t breathe properly. Steve realises how the drug works and, from then on, it becomes too explanatory too fast for my taste, disillusioning too early an experience that stops raising questions anymore. Having said that, please don’t let it discourage you. Watch it, as it is a great low-budget, indie sci-fi, and both Mackie and Dornan do a great job in front of the camera.

    Behind the camera, writers/directors/producers/cinematographers/editors Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead prove once more their unquestionable talent. From Resolution (2012) to Spring (2014), to The Endless (2017), to Synchronic, they constantly prove that filmmakers don’t need millions of dollars to bring to life something innovative, something that follows certain rules, breaks others, and, ultimately, still manages to be groundbreaking, didactic, and entertaining. Christopher Nolan started on small budgets twenty years ago, and then the world became his oyster. As Steven Spielberg did thirty years before him. It seems that the filmmaking partners Benson and Moorhead are gradually being given more and more funding. If they stick to their unique point of view – and don’t get sucked by Hollywood – they will keep performing cinematic miracles.

    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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    Possessor (2020)

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    Possessor (2020)

    A secret agent who works for a shadowy organisation with the technology to control people is sent on a mission to assassinate a high-profile target with unexpected consequences.

    As a huge fan of the Canadian film school, I will tell you that Possessor does not disappoint. Films like that need to be highly praised, if anything, for their boldness. Writer/director Brandon Cronenberg is not to be compared with his father (David), as he has his own distinct voice to narrate a story worth telling. The influences from eXistenZ (1999) and Videodrome (1983) might be visible, but even these works are not parthenogenetic, and every generation “steals” from the generation before it, anyway. This has always been the case in art and science, which is the root of evolution (maybe of devolution, too). My only “like his father” reference is the theme of “sex”. Brandon has taken over the torch of sexual exploration and mental darkness as projected through the lens, and I believe in future films of his, we’ll see a lot more. The hallucination scenes are only the beginning…

    Possessor‘s practical visual effects most definitely stand out, giving meaning to to the original purpose of visual effects before they became the means to overshadow a mediocre or bad narrative. Cronenberg’s high-concept, hi-tech, cinematic schizophrenia dictates what effects are needed and to what end, allegorically cautions the audience of the brain’s unknown vastness, and offers the thrill of its exploration by presenting the shock of the characters’ experiences through their own decisions.

    Andrea Riseborough has proved time and time again that there is nothing she can’t do in front of the lens and mesmerises with her performance. Christopher Abbott is a rising star, and he’s terrific in everything he’s been in. Watch Sweet Virginia (2017), The Sinner (2017), and It Comes at Night (2017) if you don’t want to take my word for it – and that’s just within a year. As for Jennifer Jason Leigh, no introductions are needed as she’s been constantly offering her versatility to the cinema for over forty years now.

    To conclude, Possessor is a must-watch that adds value to the Canadian film school and excites with its uniqueness and unpredictability. Regardless of the film schools, though, they distinguish themselves from the traditional Hollywood narrative and blend the horror/sci-fi/thriller genres in a way you have not seen before. Pay attention to the opening sequence’s details. Gabrielle Graham, as a theatrical thespian, captivates with her performance and Cronenberg guides her character, Holly, to commit the poetic crime in a way that only Shakespeare would describe. From then on, it’s all uncharted territory.

    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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    Ghosts of War (2020)

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    Ghosts of War (2020)

    During WWII, five American soldiers are sent to a French Chateau to make a stand, not expecting to encounter a sinister supernatural force. 

    The “thriller” and “war” genres are indicative from the get-go. Even though it gets quite brutal but also comedic straight after, their arrival at the French mansion brings a certain mystery with it. Admittedly, the introduction of the interior of the mansion is quite spooky and entertaining, decently maintaining the balance between “horror” and “comedy” and, consequently, the audience’s attention. The “Nazi shootout” sequence becomes the film’s climax, with all of us deeply enjoying their vicious deaths. The “facing the ghosts” sequence is also enjoyable and should have given the film its deserved ending. That could be a happy ending, depressing ending, jaw-dropping twist ending… An ending nonetheless. But the filmmakers thought otherwise! Before I move to the ending, I’d like to say that the acting is brilliant and all the actors deserve praise. Excellent job!

    Writer/director Eric Bress comes back as a director for his second film after The Butterfly Effect (2004) and does a very decent job up to the point I mentioned. His directing still remains intact after that, but his writing eventually damages the rest of the film. I cannot tell you why without spoiling it for you, so should you decide to watch it, stop here and see for yourselves. You are more than welcome to come back to my review after you have watched 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.

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    Spoilers Alert!

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    The ending is nonsensical because it tried to copy two films that were similar but successful for their narrative ending: The Thirteenth Floor (1999) and Dark City (1998). These fall under the jaw-dropping twists I mentioned earlier and, back then, gave the films the endings that everyone was talking about after watching them. In Ghosts of War, this is most definitely not the case. It’s like Agent Smith (the ghosts) infiltrated the matrix, and now Neo (Chris) would collaborate with the machines (the scientists) to restore the balance. It could not make less sense.

    Other than nonsensical, though, the ending is dangerous. What the filmmakers did here is dangerous. They associated the Nazis with ISIS. They “juxtaposed” their crimes as if that makes them the same. The Nazis and ISIS are not the same. I’m not going to give you a history lesson. Still, when the era is different, the culture is different, the history behind them is different, the motives are different, and then when one atrocity is related to war, and the other (mostly) to terrorism… the comparison is not even wrong, it doesn’t exist. There is nothing to compare.

    Filmmakers and studios need to be careful nowadays. They are responsible for what they release, and careers can be ruined in the blink of an eye.

    Edgar Allan Poe: The Man, The Myth, His Legacy

    Kay
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    Tonight, I’m interviewing Pantelis Tsibiskakis. Pantelis was born in Thessaloniki, Greece. He studied languages and art both in the UK and the US. Tonight, he is talking about one of his favourite poets, and admittedly mine too, Edgar Allan Poe, his writings, the adaptations, his personal tribulations, but also his legacy.

    https://open.spotify.com/episode/3NPOFNWcd5aFuQ4ufSYjxe

    I’ve used three of Pantelis’ poems in my short story The Last Route (2020)

    You can find more about him, but also all of his work at the link below: https://ziti.gr/syggrafeas/tsimpiskakis-pantelis/

    My Friend Dahmer (2017)

    Kay
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    My Friend Dahmer (2017)

    A high school student finds it really difficult to blend in, isolating himself from friends and family while doing things that no one should be doing.

    My Friend Dahmer invests in Jeff Dahmer’s character development while stealthily exposing American society. School and home, the two environments that play a catalytic role in a kid’s physical and emotional growth, become a case study for writer/director Marc Meyers, who adapts John Backderf’s homonymous book. Shot in the same town where Dahmer was raised, the film leaves its mark for the spine-chilling realism it offers, covering the raw brutality of loneliness, the harshness of bullying, the fear of coming out – even to oneself – and, ultimately, society’s success in… creating monsters.

    Furthermore, Jamie Kirkpatrick’s editing patiently builds up the suspenseful narrative, and Daniel Katz’s photography accurately captures the 70s. As for the cast, Ross Lynch gets into character and nails his performance, as does the rest of the cast, who very successfully supports his effort. I’d like to seize this opportunity to state something that should have been obvious but, unfortunately, isn’t. Anne Heche is a wonderful and dynamic actress. Not only that, but she’s also a real-life heroine. I hope we get the chance to see her in more amazing roles like this one, as she still has so much more to offer to both the small and the silver screen.

    Every joke made me sadder. Every prank made my heart skip a beat. Whenever the parents didn’t care about Jeff’s isolation from everyone but also himself, I felt like giving up. In the end, though, you step back, and everything becomes clear. What you have in front of you is all the ingredients you need to… “make a murderer”. I have not read the book, but I’d love to know the author’s self-criticism. How does he describe himself looking back?

    Share your feelings. Respect one another. Treat everyone the way you want to be treated.

    P.S. In a way, it reminded me of Michael Haneke’s Funny Games (1997/2007). Nothing to do with the content but with the absence of on-screen violence. I think it’s amazing.

    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!

    The Dark and the Wicked (2020)

    Kay
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    The Dark and the Wicked (2020)

    After receiving news that their father was dying, two estranged kids gather at their parents’ remote farm to comfort him, but a sinister entity is lurking in the shadows for all of them.

    From the opening sequence, the scent of the independent film forewarns that the absence of a “formula” will fill you with dread of unknown origin and unknown for everyone involved consequences. Marin Ireland and Michael Abbott Jr. make an excellent duo in front of the camera, and Ireland, especially, gives a breathtaking performance. Speaking of breathtaking, Xander Berkeley is absolutely terrifying! That role was him! He is a massively underrated actor, so I’m very glad he was afforded this opportunity.

    As for the narrative, it is very restricted. The editing very meticulously unfolds the plot’s mysterious and horrifying elements, constantly making you wonder what the paranormal threat is and what it wants. Is it the devil? Is it a demon (with some vampire qualities)? Far-fetched, I know, but pay attention to how it stands on the front door before asking for permission. Try to think why it has targeted the family and anyone contacting them. If you want some answers, you might find them in Louise’s phone call to the priest – even though that will probably raise more questions.

    Bryan Bertino, the man behind The Strangers (2008) and The Monster (2016), produces, writes and directs something between these two films: something between malevolent, external forces that subliminally manipulate our fears and the chaotic, internal abyss of the human mind that can prove more sinister than anything… non-human. I have never been a huge fan of jump scares, but Bertino uses them quite wisely here, as there are other sequences where no music or sound effects are needed, just the visuals. Such sequences include (spoilers free), but are not limited to:

    • The carrot chopping.
    • The “hanged-in-the-barn” dolly out.
    • The priest at night.
    • The girl’s visit.
    • The nurse losing it.
    • The home arrival.

    After everything is said and done, and the end credits start scrolling, among the rest of the questions you will definitely have, ask yourselves this: Who is the dark and who’s the wicked?

    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!

    Run Hide Fight (2020)

    Kay
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    Run Hide Fight (2020)

    When a group of students invades their school with weapons and takes hostages, a girl needs to use her skills to save those in need.

    Read that logline and let it sink in before you read further…

    The film is well-shot and edited, and the actors do a decent job. The setup prepares you for what is about to happen; it shocks you when it does, but then it gives you all the emotional space you need to relax and “enjoy” something that is not meant to be enjoyable. Immediately, it seems like a corporate-industry-hostage situation involving pompous adult assholes that don’t matter if a few of them die in the process like unimportant stunts.

    Then, from the first plot point, quite a few issues are raised:

    • The van drove through the cafeteria’s front window, and no one heard smashing.
    • The gunshots at the cafeteria that no one heard were firing.
    • The relaxing verbosity after the van and the first shootings that lightens the mood.
    • The parallel stories that take the focus off and go easy on the monstrosity that plagues the United States.

    And these are just the major ones. The Die Hard missionaries and the 17 y/o female John McClane give this ongoing toxicity a sweet Hollywood flavour when no words can describe the horror of kids turned kamikazes at the place that is meant to be the starting point to change the world. I know that it is trendy nowadays to portray women doing extraordinary things, but there is nothing trendy or extraordinary about exploiting scenarios that have deeply scarred people’s lives. That applies to boys, girls, men, women, and non-binary people. Keep the trends for social media. People’s wounds are still wide open.

    Elephant (2003), The Life Before Her Eyes (2007), My Friend Dahmer (2017), and We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011) are but a few films that have managed to capture that horror somewhat realistically. But they are well-made films. You wanna let horror crawl under your skin? Start with Bowling for Columbine (2002) and then go through the real-life mass shootings before and after. There has never been and never will be heroism in this ongoing heart-wrenching and soul-sucking tragedy.

    Just death.

    Followed by unspeakable, never-ending, inconsolable mourning.

    P.S. You wanna know who funded this film? This is the first film for The Daily Wire, an American conservative news website turned TV/Film production company that, according to NewsWhip, is “by far” the top right-wing publisher on Facebook: “The Daily Wire is by far the top publisher among its peers in terms of engagements to its content, with more than 130 million Facebook engagements to its web content for the year”. Just saying…

    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!

    Pieces of a Woman (2020)

    Kay
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    Pieces of a Woman (2020)

    After losing her baby, a woman is trying to put her life back in order, but the intolerable suffering keeps damaging her and the people around her.

    A protracted tracking shot in the opening sequence always raises the bar and expectations. The second one comes right after, and its twenty-four-minute realism and intensity stealthily build up to the point that it will cut your breath. The preexisting knowledge that the sequence will end in the worst possible way, the attention to detail, and the meticulous preproduction planning will make you feel as ill as Martha does. Director Kornél Mundruczó mounts the camera over the shoulder, magnificently depicting the moment of tragedy. Vanessa Kirby, Shia LaBeouf, and Molly Parker bring his vision to life by doing an excellent job in front of it.

    The film is not just that sequence, though. Understandably, the torn couple’s journey goes down the mourning path anyone can expect, but the destination is unknown. And this is where Kata Wéber’s tight and focused script builds up next. The narrative is restricted to what everyone knows when you are watching. So, your guess is as good as everyone else’s. Numerous external forces, i.e., the mother, the sister, the lawyer, the media, and everyone in the surrounding environment, can play a significant role in what might happen next. Can you feel Martha’s pain while sensing that the midwife did her best? The ending is fulfilling for everyone but Sean, and since I don’t want to spoil it for you, I will just say that he will unfairly pay the unbearable price till the very end on his own. And that is really unfair.

    Two more people are worth mentioning at this point: Martin Scorsese, who is wearing the producer’s hat on this one and Ellen Burstyn, who, despite her age, is still giving her 100% every time she stands in front of the lens. Interestingly, Burstyn won the Oscar for her performance in Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (1974), directed by Scorsese.

    When such unfathomable pain takes over, it feels like passing it on to everyone, especially the ones we love, as absorbing it all will completely consume us. It doesn’t have to be this way, though. Whatever the intolerable pain might be, expressing it and sharing it with our loved ones and professionals will help the healing process. Oh, and there is another underlying message in the film: Be kind to everyone, everywhere! We can never know what lies underneath the surface.

    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!

    Outside the Wire (2021)

    Kay
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    Outside the Wire (2021)

    A disgraced rookie drone pilot and a prototype android officer are sent to enemy territory to stop a nuclear attack.

    Very bad from the very beginning! Having served in the special forces, let me put it this way: There is NO WAY you can get away with what Harp did! You are done! Finished! In and outside the army! From thousands of miles away, eating gummy bears, chilled, while marines on the battlefield drop like flies, and then you kill your own! NO. WAY.

    I would say that the film goes downhill from then on, but this would require it to start from a certain height. It starts from the bottom and stays there. It miserably fails to evoke any emotion at any level in all three acts. No suspense, no drama, no humour, no relatable action, no relatable characters, and then, no science, no reason, confused moral compass, and confused geographic compass. All the confusion and the no’s are nothing but the result of a bad production that is the result of a terrible script. It is like John Wick (2014) meets Terminator 2 (1991) meets Lord of War (2005) that finally meets none of the above and fosters a two-hour, old-fashioned, American, propagandistic, nonsensical, pedantic mashup of nothingness.

    I value Netflix, director Mikael Håfström, and Anthony Mackie, and I hardly speak like that about the films I review. This one, though, undermines human intelligence and has immoral and dishonest intentions, so I’ll pretend I never watched it and move on. I suggest you do the same, and if you haven’t watched it, don’t!

    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!

    In the Fade (2017)

    Kay
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    In the Fade (2017)

    Having nothing else to lose, a woman seeks revenge after the bomb attack that killed her husband and son.

    With the camera mounted on the shoulder, Fatih Akin fully explores the act of “The Family” and hugely invests in Katja’s bereavement in a shocking political, documentary-style crime/drama that will cut your breath short. Diane Kruger’s powerhouse performance will bring tears to your eyes and most definitely adds to the narrative’s realism.

    “The Trial” is immense. The disgusting defence lawyer, the remorseless couple, the prosecutor’s speech, and Katja’s reactions throughout it compose an excellent court thriller that will, even temporarily, question your beliefs regarding taking justice into your own hands. If that doesn’t bring out “The Punisher” in you, I don’t know what will.

    “The Sea” needs to be divided into two segments: “The investigation” is the thrilling part as no one knows what she has in mind, and also, no one knows what will happen if she gets caught. That keeps the suspense building up. The second part, “The Revenge”, is quite shallow. It feels like Akin is unsure how he wants to proceed or what he wants to say. He doesn’t know what kind of ending he wants the film to have, making it a “semi-revenge” film. “The Sea”, as a total, makes an enormous contrast to “The Trial”, where utterances matter the most. That means that actions should matter here the most, and unfortunately, this is not the case.

    To sum it up, In the Fade is a must-watch, and no matter where you are in the world, you can translate the film’s hate to what is happening in your neck of the woods. I hope it gives you some perspective. Among others, Golden Globe Winner (2018) Best Motion Picture: Foreign Language and Cannes Film Festival Winner: Best Actress- Diane Kruger.

    Now… a little background information. Makris, the Greek guy who appears in court, supports the once-upon-a-time political party called “Golden Dawn.” For those who don’t know, that Neo-Nazi party and its supporters had always been the disgrace of Greece but also humanity. The party has been taken down, and its members have been sent to jail, where the rest of us hope that they rot there forever. As for the actor who plays Makris, Yannis Economides is one of the most prolific Greek / Greek-Cypriot directors of his time and one that I personally highly admire. Johannes Krisch, the defence lawyer, is nothing like his character in real life, so he also deserves a round of applause for his thespian skills.

    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!

    Shadow in the Cloud (2020)

    Kay
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    Shadow in the Cloud (2020)

    A young female WWII pilot boards a fighter aircraft, but everything escalates when a creature infiltrates it.

    The animation in the beginning is well-made, but it shouldn’t be there. It has no place within the film and gives away what is going to come next. I can’t guess its purpose for the life of me. There is a difference between foreshadowing an event and ruining the suspense. It’s like self-mockery.

    Straight after, as it started from the second act, the film’s visuals promise a horror that will raise more questions than answers but definitely still deserves the benefit of the doubt. Two things stand out positively immediately: Kit Fraser’s claustrophobic cinematography and Chloë Grace Moretz. Rumour has it that writer/director Roseanne Liang heavily rewrote Max Landis’ script (and removed him from the production) due to the latter having been accused of sexual misconduct. Regardless of the allegations, the heavy rewrites kept the humongous plot holes, did nothing to favour the script, and heavily damaged the film with implausibility and charade. The film’s best part is from the moment the animation ends to the moment the gremlin gets inside the plane. From then on, everything goes to sh*t. Furthermore, Mahuia Bridgman-Cooper’s electronic, new-age, ambient, space, and cyberpunk music is beautifully composed but, in my humble opinion, is way out of context in a WWII movie. But then, everything else is anyway, so I don’t even know why I bother.

    Films such as Hidden Figures (2016) empower women and honestly portray humankind’s fortitude. The rest is just Hollywood’s moronic way to try and milk the cow and, thankfully, gets nada in the end. Moretz is an amazing actress. Liang seems to have a spark for innovation, and I bet I will see them both in something extraordinary again.

    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!

    Kajillionaire (2020)

    Kay
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    Kajillionaire (2020)

    Petty crime runs in the family, so when an attractive outsider joins them, everything goes.

    Can something be funny and depressing at the same time? I was about to say something other than Kajillionaire, which is funny and depressing at the same time, but it is not really funny. Or, is it? I am not entirely convinced how or if it was meant to be funny, but I didn’t get it. In a way, and don’t quote me on that, it felt like it was borderline mocking mental illness. And whatever that was, the whole family had it!

    Once that was established, it just dragged. I think in an attempt to switch genre? Or, maybe, in an attempt for the audience to experience Old Dolio having a change of heart? Whatever the reason, Kajillionaire fails to find meaning but, ultimately, piles up all the eccentricity it can get. For a crime/drama – as per IMDb anyway – the plot is less believable than Independence Day (1996). Other than the family’s mental state, there is no chance on Earth a girl like Melanie would leave the plane with such people and go along with their plans. Yes, she seemed to have a dead-end job and no friends or girlfriend, but personally, I don’t know anyone who would leave that plane with them. But then, nothing really makes sense in the film, so I think that trying to rationalise surrealistic characters and situations is the wrong approach. Which begs the question, what is the right one?

    Writer/Director Miranda July is a magnificent indie filmmaker. Still, I cannot understand how she approached so many producers, among others Brad Pitt, and A-List actors such as Richard Jenkins, Debra Winger, Evan Rachael Wood, and Gina Rodriguez and got them board. What was the selling point? For the actors, I guess it is to try something different that not too many people will watch and be as awkward as they want. For the producers? They know they will lose whatever penny they put in, and they still do it. And the recognition is next to nothing.

    Maybe it’s just me not getting it, and you find it far better than I think. I didn’t know how to feel throughout the whole film, even though all I wanted was for Old Dolio and Melanie to find the love they deserved. And that is, at least, the film’s payoff.

    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!

    1BR (2019)

    Kay
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    1BR (2019)

    I didn’t know anyone from the cast or crew or anything about the film itself, so I gave it a shot just for that. I love indies, especially when I know nothing about them and feel like I should have. 1BR was meant to be one of them.

    What starts as too coincidental, convenient, and questionable, such as the single, good-looking, and kind neighbour, is followed by an interesting first plot point and a second act that promises something extremely sinister. That promise will get your undivided attention… but will almost instantly let you down as it doesn’t live up to it. Here’s the tricky part, though. If you want that promise to be kept, it means that one way or another, you are into some torture porn or similar, so this film is not for you. If, on the other hand, you were glad that that promise was not kept, it means that even the idea of the concept appals you, so this film is not for you either. So, who is this film for, then? Maybe you can find a third category.

    From where I stand, no half-measure ever brought any decent results. Hence, no one likes them. You either go for it, or you don’t. Any reservations about the script will be enormously amplified on the screen. To put it plainly, 1BR is not daring. It teases you with something that, eventually, does not offer. Nicole Brydon Bloom’s acting is more than decent, but David Marmor’s script and directing fall into the half-measure category. Two, respectively, “full measure” films that didn’t hold back were The Invitation (2015) and Martyrs (2008). While it could have been The Invitation meets Martyrs, it isn’t. Too many variables should have been different for that to happen.

    We can’t really have it both ways in life, and the same applies to films. What also applies to both is that we are free to choose but not free of the consequences.

    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!

    Redemption Day (2021)

    Kay
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    Redemption Day (2021)

    After terrorists kidnap his wife, a war hero races against time to get her back.

    I’ve written before about opening sequences and protracted shots, and I’ve said that they raise the bar for what comes next. On Redemption Day, what comes next is too American and cliché for my standards, so it becomes the exception to the rule. Regarding the narrative, everything you expect to happen does happen, and so does the time you expect it to happen. There are no twists or no difficulties in completing the mission. The characters are forgettable, with the “good” being highly skilled and the “bad” ones highly incompetent and stupid, which makes an extreme disanalogy. The dialogue is worse than the “bad” ones mentioned above, so no further comment. Then, directing, acting, choreography, and editing are mediocre at best.

    My distaste for the film has nothing to do with anything I’ve mentioned so far, though. People do what they can with what they have. My distaste is because of its propagandistic intentions. The film’s oversimplification of who is “good” and who is “bad” is borderline insulting. The world doesn’t work this way, and Islam, or any other religion for that matter, has nothing to do with the monstrosities the human species is capable of. That is something that the film is trying hard to show but fails to do so.

    I would prefer if co-writer/director Hicham Hajji made a film on the two innocent, young female, Scandinavian hikers who were found beheaded in Morocco two years ago. That would be a challenge, wouldn’t it? No superfluous heroism, no formulaic scripts, no childish gunfights, no need for constant background music to dictate to the audience how to feel, and no goddamn propaganda that nobody needs. Filmmaking should be, among others, challenging, intriguing, and innovative. As fun and entertaining as the days of Commando (1985) may have been, they are long gone, and we all have moved on. I hope some studios do the same.

    P.S. Andy Garcia has no place in this film.

    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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