The Hunt aka Jagten (2012)

8.4/10

Theo: The world is full of evil but if we hold on to each other, it goes away.

You know, I''ve often thought that the melancholy and the angst which the Scanddinavian films offer no other cinema will be able to surpass them. "Jagten" is no excpeption. 

The story follows a teacher, who lives a lonely life, all the while struggling over his son's custody. His life slowly gets better as he finds love and receives good news from his son, but his new luck is about to be brutally shattered by an innocent little lie. (www.imdb.com)

The film starts off like a serene symphony, slowly leading you into the events that are about to unravel. And just like that, without the viewer's keen or suspectful eye you begin to sympathize the lead character within those first few minutes into the film. 

The brilliance in the script, co-written by Tobias Lindholm (The Hunt, Sumbarino, A Hijacking) and Tomas Vinterberg (The Hunt, Festen, It's All About Love) - also the director of the film - offer a subtle exammination into the human relationships and their limitations. As the plot thickens, and the chracters are left with all those harrowing feelings to deal with, we are also being asked  ever so quietly to answer questions such  as - How far are you willing to go for the people you have loved all your life? How much do you trust them? How much are you suppose to trust them, and love them? How much are you suppose to know about your neighbour? How much gravity are we suppose to give in a child's words? How are we raising our children to behave and act? Where are we going as a 'free' society? And ultimately, how accepting have we become? 

So many philosophical enigmas all thrust within this film, that one cannot but commend the excellence of how both script writers decided to approach the themes and questions being raised above. 

However, the key in most films is the performances, and Vinterberg is still a winner with this one; like his so far biggest film success, 'Festen', the line of actors he chose to cast was with precise consideration and precision. First up, the best Danish export in acting for the past few years - Mads Mikkelsen (Casino Royale, A Royal Affair, Hannibal, After the Wedding). A proper A-lister master of seductory acting, Mikkelsen, not only charms and engages intensely, but he also makes sure you understand the full reasons why you should side with his character. His powerful resilience as the scorned teacher, deflects the viewer from conlcuding into the most crude and vulgar assumptions of what really might has happened, and instead focusses in presenting us with the real issues that should be of our concern; how we treat people within a society, how far will our social norms allow us to accept people. Mikkelsen, is a mastermind in not losing our trust throughout the film, thus not letting us lose our way on where also the director wants us to go as well.

In regards to directing, Vinterberg is a glorious architect of the human psyche. He ever so subtly let us eavsdrop in the lives of a small Danish society, and he presented us with the issue: now it's up to us to decide how we would choose to solve it. Would we choose to solve it? Vinterberg uses long atmospherical moments to transport this eerie brokenness  that the modern society is facing, the evolving deterioration of a hypocrital society and the need to trully believe in human goodness. Whether we choose to believe that there's still such a thing or not, it's not up to the characters to solve. It's up to us, yet again.

It's only worthy to note the excellent collaboration of Vinterberg and Thomas Bo Larsen (previously collaborated in 'Festen' - with similar thematology) in the supporting role; a character who chooses to believe society's opinions rather than be willing to believe a different reality. Larsen is such an evocative actor that demands your attention whenever he's present on screen, he's not an actor to turn to violent mockery to pass on the massage of sheer hopelessness and devastation in his eyes. He's there, full on, battling with his volcanic emotions which will ultimately lead him only to a silent desperation in his approach to his dilemma; a friend or a foe. 

This film is breaking boundaries, is willing to break social norms and is not shy to give it to us as realistically as it possibly can; how open minded are we after all? How accepting are we with one another and how far are we willing to go to co-exist. It raises some fundamental issues that were constructed to build this modern society, which Vinterberg once again chose to show us, even in a society in Denmark - which is known to be one of the most evasive and fastest evolving societies in the world - even in a small little town, how people are still reacting and thinking in terms of sexuality and what is constituted as right and wrong. 

All these Vinterberg elaborates into his long eeries shots in the forest or even in the momentous silences between the actors' interactions. 

In my opinion this film surprasses any of this year's Oscar nominations - I shall carefully analyze in other posts as well this opinion - and it most definitely would be a worthy winner for Best Foreign Film .

Watch it with a tranquil mood, ready to feed your mind with questions and let the characters touch and humanize your soul.

             

The Hunt/ Jagten Trailer

Jeux D' Enfants aka Love me if You Dare

Rating: 8.6/10

"Cap ou pas cap?" - "Game or no game?"

This film for me is the ultimate romantic film of the last decade. It was after all made by the experts of romantic love...the French!

As the poster of the film also suggests this film is wickedly delicious. But let's take things one by one shall we? First of all the script. The wonderfully written script of writer/director Yann Samuell who did wonders in his creation of the two main characters. A rather complicated plot to follow but with much wit, raw honesty, humour and a lot of love in it, he poured all of his magic into the creation of two very complex but also unique contemporary characters that would overcome most anything human to be together. Based mostly on the allegoric themes, the dialogue is among the wittiest most intellectually challenging dialogues I have ever come across in a romantic comedy. Having had my share of rom-coms, this one stands out from the lot by far.

Of course it all comes down to the two main protagonists who bring to life these two powerful characters; Julien and Sophie. This for me is the ultimate representation of romantic love and cruelty all rolled into one. Guillaume Canet and Marion Cotillard, who incidentally nowadays are rumoured to be a couple in real life, have done a superb job by performing these two characters. Albeit unknown till then to the wide international public, these two young and fresh actors from France, grasp these two characters with energy, passion and magic and give their simply best in making sure the audience is entangled with them from the very beginning of their introduction. Whether you love or hate them, whether you understand their motives, their actions or even their dialogue it pays of little consequence, as at the end they make you fall desperately and hopelessly in love with their story. Yes, it is that sweet and transcendental.

The musical soundtrack in the film pays homage to the beloved French music legend Edith Piaf (who incidentally is later on performed in La Mome by Cotillard herself). Alongside the visual imagery, which is full of allusions and childlike references, the direction takes you on a wonderful unexpected  and quite unconventional romantic journey of two of the most sadistic romantic couple to have been written for the screen. Albeit the cruelty and the inexplicability of the two character's motives of their actions, this is one of the most powerful and match-made on-screen couples of the last two decades.

Without giving further too much away of the story, below is these tale of these two "star-crossed" lovers:"As adults, best friends Julien and Sophie continue the odd game they started as children -- a fearless competition to outdo one another with daring and outrageous stunts. While they often act out to relieve one another's pain, their game might be a way to avoid the fact that they are truly meant for one another." (www.imdb.com)

This is not a film simply for the chick flick or rom-com lovers. It is a film for film lovers in general, as it holds many wonderful visual and performing moments. Good to watch it with loved ones (not just your other half), 'cause above all the thing that counts the most is love.

Happy screening everyone!




Jeux D'Enfants (2003)

Spirited Away (2001)

Rating: 9/10

"There must be some mistake! None of these pigs are my parents!"

It's not many times that I will sit down to watch anime feature films, but with this one I made the exception. The film is 'Spirited Away' and for 2hrs, we are being asked by the Studio Ghibli to sit back and get carried away in a mesmerizing journey. First time I watched this was back in 2003. And it literally took my breath away.

This film tells the story of Chihiro. "After she's forced to move to the suburbs with her family, Chihiro, a 10-year old girl wanders into a world ruled by gods, witches, and monsters; where humans are changed into animals; and a bathhouse for these creatures." (www.imdb.com)

This was the first film I've ever watched by world acclaimed director Hayao Miyazaki, and surely wouldn't be the last one as well. To express my overwhelming desire to want to live in the world that Miyazaki so brilliantly created would be an understatement.

This animated feature film holds high its sceptre as on of the best animated films of all time, due to its unlimited length of imagination, its overwhelming spirit to show go beyond the boundaries and with a plot that can simply attracted even the more demanding anime-viewers.

The freshness of the story is not only addressed to young audiences, as this film also talks about moral messages that rule our 'adult' society today. The issues at hand begin from the theme of greed and gluttony up to the themes of envy and how to surpass everything negative that life may through in your way, and to try to be as authentic and as honest as when you first start a journey as such as Chihiro's.

An overwhelming animated experience. This is why I recommend this film. It will fill you up, bedazzle you and then spit you up like a hurricane with a sweetness you will not be expecting.

For those who will indulge to roam around in Chihiro's world for the two-hour length of the feature, I hope you let also your imagination run wild. That's all you need to have when you sit to watch this.


Spirited Away (2001)

The Artist (2011)

Rating: 9.2/10

"Perfect. Can we do it one more time?" - "With pleasure!"

Probably one of the most talked-about films of the year, if not the decade! 'The Artist' is the most recognizable silent films of the 21st century!

A lot has been said and written on this film, and my review will not be the exception of the majority of what's been said. This film is quite the accomplishment for writer/director Michel Hazanavicious. Although this is hist first transatlantic endeavour, Hazanavicious did wonders. He simply proved to every active director out there that simple is best!

He managed to get people from around the globe into the cinema theatres to watch a silent film; in our day and age when people are more and more driven to words and blabbering on screen, Hazanavicious was capable of mesmerizing the cinematic audience with no words, no dialogue, simply image, music and sound.

The story in brief: "George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) is the king of silent movies in Hollywood in 1927. Audiences just adore everything George is a part of. Along comes Peppy Miller (Bérénice Bejo) who you just know is going to be a huge star some day. George and Peppy work together on one film as George not only takes her under his wing, but an undeniable spark develops between the two. Over the course of the next few years, silent movies fade into obscurity as talking pictures or "talkies" explode onto the scene. George finds himself struggling for not only work, but a purpose to live as Peppy becomes the next big thing overnight." (www.imdb.com)

Hazanavicious innovative idea of shooting this film silent, black and white but also in a 1:37:1 aspect ratio has literally and figuratively brought Hollywood and the rest of the world by surprise, as it not only dares to experiment on a very unique film idea but also make the world experience cinema like the old days. He asks of his audience to relive the golden glory of the silent film era; an era full  of romantic ideals and enthusiasm for what was to come in the future.

The absolutely vital ingredient for this film's success though lies in the protagonists; Jean Dujardin and Berenice Bejo. A match-made in Heaven. In cinema heaven. These two actors,  bring the enthusiasm, the energy and the passion needed to carry through the narration of the story. Their merge is astonishing, as the freshness in their performance, is able to magnetize every viewer on the big screen. An amazing pairing in my opinion, that manages not only to captivate and engage the audience with their very heartfelt performances, especially Dujardin who holds the lead role, but also both actors are able to let their faces light up on screen, thus reminding to the audience how powerful the face of an actor can be on camera.

Russian director Grigori Kozintsev once said "what would be the point of  setting-up a camera to shoot anything, if that camera does not manage to capture the facial expressions of the character's emotional journey". And this is what exactly this film is about. It has the courage and the guts to remind us what we, as an audience, forgot nowadays; to pay a little less focus on the visual and a little more attention to the character development.

A worthy mention to the cameos and non-cameos of veteran actors such as Malcom McDowell, John Goodman and the always warm James Cromwell, as well as actresses that have many-a-time been underestimated by Hollywood producers Missi Pyle and Penelope Ann Miller, are few of the names that simply add to this cinematic recipe of success.

The costume and production design certainly must have been an overwhelming task for the production team to fulfill but it accomplished to transfer us for an hour and a half back in the late 1920s with such ease, it made the make-belief all the more easy to buy in and get sucked in the feeling of the era. So wonderfully designed and mastered!

And it would be a tremendous error of me if I wouldn't praise the music design in this film. The soul and heart of this silent 'picture'. Ludovic Bource. A true artist who I do hope his name will echo loud and clear this coming Sunday evening at the Academy Awards Ceremony for the Oscar for Best Original Score, since to say that he did a superb job in the musical enhancement would merely be an understatement on my part. Thumbs up for the brilliant work he did!

This film is not just a brilliant masterpiece made for the wider audience to enjoy; it is an experience that everyone who loves and appreciates good cinema should indulge in! It is the wonders of all wonders of filmmaking, and it came from a very unknown background, and not a mainstream filmmaking co-operation that just wanted another blockbuster hit, but instead wanted to make magic on the big screen. And that it does.

Just to clear the air of a myth though. The film is not entirely in silence; and for those who will endeavour to watch this film, they will understand why I'm saying this.

I do urge people to go and watch this film. Support it, love it, and simply enjoy the ride!

Sound rolling. Camera rolling. Aaaaaaaaaand.....Action!!!

'The Artist' (2011)

El Laberinto del Fauno aka Pan's Labyrinth (2006)

Rating: 8.7/10

"My mother told me to be wary of Fauns."

Today's film review is about a foreign film, a fantasy film. For the non-fantasy fans do not despair; there's also some raw reality involved.

Film suggestion for the day is 'El laberinto del fauno' or in english if you prefer 'Pan's Labyrinth'.

The film was first released in 2006 and was directed by the world acclaimed director Guillermo del Toro ('Hellboy'). In brief the plot goes somewhat like this:

"In 1944 fascist Spain, a girl, fascinated with fairy-tales, is sent along with her pregnant mother to live with her new stepfather, a ruthless captain of the Spanish army. During the night, she meets a fairy who takes her to an old faun in the center of the labyrinth. He tells her she's a princess, but must prove her royalty by surviving three gruesome tasks. If she fails, she will never prove herself to be the the true princess and will never see her real father, the king, again." (www.imdb.com)

On first thought, this seems to be another fairy-land story about a young girl and her fairy tales. But when it comes to the execution of the film, the story is somewhat different.

This film is a fascinating suggestion for numerous reasons; the fantasy-world meets the cold reality way too early on in the film, without letting the audience to get un-hooked from their screens. Nothing is what it seems, and the protagonists seems to be in a struggle of trying to cope both reality and fantasy with charisma and courage.

The unwavering of the plot is smoothly translated on our screens with del Toro's majestic directing. He never let us slip. Not for one instance. He manages to engross us so much into the story and the two parallel worlds he's trying to create, we can never stop wondering how he will treat his beautifully written scenario to the very end.

Of course the real gem in the story is the little young lady actress, Ivana Baquero, who steals the show with her sublte but also empathetic film performance. The audience can't help but indulge in her emotions, her fears and thoughts. Baquero's acting is so unique that manages to hold her own in a film set of grown-ups acting in a very cold and cruel war story.

The mesmerizing though hardly stops by Baquero's performance. I would like to comment on the superb performance of Baquero's on-screen step-father who's played by Sergi Lopez. What an on-screen presence. His very presence makes you overwhelmed and shudder with fear. He takes on the role of a regional capitan (commander) under Franco's dictatorship, and the very thought of crossing your path with such a fierce man makes your bones tremble with fright. He manages to keep his audience afoot, always hoping he will get what's coming to him for all the terror he spreads.
And that's what distinguishes him from all the super-villains in films nowadays.

And the ultimate performing task has to be given to the Faun/Pan. The remarkable acting of Doug Jones, the way the production design department presented him in our screens is simply why films are so magical. I can't talk a lot about the Faun without giving anything away, but I will simply say that it's because of the courage and the imagination of such actors that the cinema is still a thriving and booming industry and that is why one falls in love with it in the first place.

Even six years after it's release, I consider this film, as the best European product to have been produced in the last decade, thus marking it as a true masterpiece.

Of course we have to pay a worthy tribute to the musical score of the film, which is so beautifully written by Javier Navarrete. The glory of the score lies in the evocative instrumentation of transporting the mind into a world of magic, without letting go of the fact that sadness does still exist in there as well. Beautiful score. You can listen to the introduction here.

The reason I chose to review this film, is because it hold a particular place in my heart. Not because I was under the Franco dictatorship or have even experienced the ruthlessness of dictatorship at all, but because when I first sat down to watch this film, I went with blind eyes, not knowing what to expect and I got so much in the outcome.

This film is not for children, although it may appear this way. It is a very grown-up film, filled with love, honesty and imagination. And at the end of the day this is what filmmaking and arts in general need; to have the courage to imagine!

I hope you do get to enjoy watching this film, or if you have already I hope that opinions out there are mutual.

Happy screening!


El Laberinto del Fauno/Pan's Labyrinth (2006)