The Last Days (USA, 2005) ☆☆

Director Gus van Sant tells the story of the last couple of days in the life of singer Kurt Cobain. As in many of van Sant's films, there are extremely long shots, very little dialogue, major emphasis on cinematography and little explanation as to what is happening in the scenes. I just wonder if Kurt's last days were as sad as what we see on screen.

The Abandoned (Spain, 2007) ☆☆

Spanish director Nacho Cerda is known for his shocking movies. Barely known in his native country, Cerda shot his last movie in English and it has got some distribution in North America. With The Abandoned, he tells the story of a woman in search of her past. She travels to a farmhouse in Russia, where she was born. Of course the place is haunted, what else. Her mother and stepdad appear as vicious zombies trying to kill her. With the help Nicolai (who according to his version of the story is the woman's brother) they try to uncover the hidden truth. The plot is somewhat predictable, and instead of running away from the haunted house, they just change from one room to another or run in the forest while being chased by the spirit of whoever lived in the farmhouse. Predictable with some good scares, nothing more.

Shutter
(Thailand, 2004 ) ☆☆☆☆

Imagine everytime you take pictures there is a ghost that appears in the background. It does not sound very original, but the plot of this movie sounds better: a couple is driving on the road at night and suddenly hit a girl who crosses the road. Instead of stepping off the car and helping, they live her lying on the road. Unfortunately for them, the spirit of the girl will take revenge and start appearing in their pictures. By the way, the guy is a professional photographer, isn't he lucky?

The plot gets a little more complicated; apparently the photographer had a relationship with this girl. In the meantime, she stalks his girlfriend, plays polstergeist in his appartment and gives the audience some pretty good scary moments.

In one scene, we see a collection of photographs of supposedly "real" ghost apparitions. Let me tell you they look damn scary! All in all, the movie delivers good scary scenes and a decent plot makes it interesting to watch.

The Three Faces of Fear
a.k.a. Black Sabbath (Le Tre Volti Della Paura), Italy 1963 ☆☆☆

This mystery film from Italy is divided into three different stories. In the first story, a woman receives strange phone calls, apparently by a serial murderer who just escaped from prison. The second involves the legends of the living dead, set in Eastern Europe, where a young man finds a secluded family living in fear of the waking dead. The third one is for me the scariest one; a woman for some reason is called upon to dress up the body of a woman who has just passed away. Maybe arrangements for her funeral? We never find out. Without anyone noticing, she steals a gold ring from the dead corpse. As you can figure out, she will soon regret this act. She will be hearing voices in her house, and the dead body will come back for her ring. It all sounds quite cheesy, but remember the movie dates back to 1963, where Dracula and the Werewolf were still fighting in castles. This is a fresh twist on the mystery/horror genre. Wonder why the US title is Black Sabbath. I personally prefer the Three Faces of Fear.

Into Great Silence
(die Grosse Stille) Deutschland, 2006 ☆☆

Die Idee ist sehr gut, es klingt sogar spannend: eine Beschreibung des Lebens in einem Kloster. Weiss man wirklch, wie das Leben da drinnen ist? Die meisten von uns haben natürlich keine Ahnung. Und dieser Film berichtet über den Alltag der Möncher. Leider dauert den Film fast drei Stunden! Meiner Meinung nach ist das zu viel. Immer wieder tauchen die gleichen Szenen auf: das Abendessen, die Arbeit beim Textschreiben, das Gebet, die Massen, und so weiter. Aber, wie erwartet, gibt es nichts Ausserordentliches. Es ist auf jeden Fall interessant zu wissen, dass es noch Leute gibt, die in so ein einfaches Leben führen. Die Möncher besitzen fast nichts, sie tragen immer die gleiche Kleidung und Schuhe. Im Kloster findet man spärliche, einfache Möbel. Wenn der Film nur kürzer dauern würde...

Fear of Fear
(Angst vor der Angst) Germany, 1975 ☆☆

Es geht um eine Hausfrau, die ein normales Leben führt mit ihrem Mann und der Tochter. Leider geht es dieser Hausfrau nicht so gut. Sie fängt an, Angst zu haben. Aber wovor hat sie Angst? Nicht einmal die Frau kann diese Frage beantworten. Mehr und mehr ist sie von einem ständigen Gefühl von Ängstlichkeit befangen. Sie versucht zuerst, sich immer mit irgendetwas zu beschäftigen. Sobald sie nichts zu tun hat, wird sie ängstlich. Später greift sie zum Alkohol, aber das hilft nicht viel. Dann geht sie zum Arzt. Er verschreibt Tabletten (Valium) aber das hat auch keine positive Wirkung auf ihr Wohlbefinden.

Natürlich macht sich ihr Mann Sorgen. Seine Familie mischt sich auch ein, und die Frau fühlt sich immer mehr unter Druck. Selbstverstândlich ist kein glückliches Ende zu erwarten. Schlimmer geht es der Frau, als sie anfängt, eine Beziehung mit dem Arzt zu haben. Die Geschichte ist relativ einfach, mit wenigen Schauspielern, wusste aber Regisseur Fassbinder genau, wie man einen Film spannend drehen kann. Seine Filme sind vom Theater beeinflusst.

Je vous trouve très beau (France, 2005)

☆☆☆☆

It's good to watch movies that you think are not very good but turn out to be much more than you expected. After having seen Changement d'Adresse, this second French comedy was equally impressive. This is a comedy about a farmer, Aymé (played by Michel Blanc) who after his divorce decides to look for a new wife. He is thinking more in practical terms: there is too much work to do at the farm for only one person to handle. He somehow gets in contact with a "mariage agency". The only hic is that these "wives" come from Roumania. After some hesitation, Aymé travels to Roumania to do some interview with potential wife candidates. After choosing Eleena, she goes with him to France leaving behind her child in Bucarest. Troubles start when Aymé hides Eleena's true identity and when he becomes jealous of Eleena because she talks to the few neighbours there are in the village.

I was surprised by this film because is simple, but the it is a very original story. It's in between a comedy and a drama because we get to the living conditions of Eleena's relatives in Bucarest. But all in all, it's a truly original movie.

The Saddest Music in the World (Canada, 2003) ☆☆☆☆

Director Guy Maddin has created a very original movie following the style of the old silent black and white movies. We find ourselves in 1933 in the middle of winter in Winnipeg. A no-legged queen, played by Isabella Rosselini, decides to start a competition to see which country has the saddest music in the world. The winner of each round is thrown into a huge pool of beer, while alcohol prohibition is still going on in the US. One by one, each country brings its own folk music, along with singers and musicians. The American team, lead by Mr. Chester Kent, will do almost everything to win the competition. Unfortunately for him, things do not go very well, and a final tragic event will put an end to many beer parties being held because of this competition.

The movie is shot in black and white, but some scenes change tone, some are sepia, some are bluish, and at times color comes up for a short time. The whole will remind you of the early silent films, and considering the movie was actually shot during winter at minus 30 degrees (in Winnipeg, of course), you have to give Maddin credit for pulling off a nice original story with a strong visual style that is unique to this director.

After the Wedding (Efter Brylluppet, Denmark, 2006) ☆☆☆☆☆

Once again I had the opportunity to watch an extraordinary Danish film, this time from director Suzanne Bier. The manager of an orphanage in India, Mikkelsen, is sent back to Copenhague to renew his funds contact to keep the orphanage open for another year. During this trip, he finds out that the rich guy who is about to give the money is having his daughtter's wedding that very weekend. He invites Mikkelsen to the wedding party. Upon arriving at the wedding, Mikkelsen realizes that the rich guy's wife was actually her ex-wife, and that the girl that is getting married is her own daughter, who he believed never existed. Not only that, there is a really tragic secret that I will not reveal here, but it all makes Mikkelsen's life change dramatically.. for the better or the worst?

Berlin Stories (Stadt als Beute) Germany, 2005 ☆☆

Director Miriam Dehne explores life in the big cities by presenting three different stories about three persons living in the German capital. They are all actors in a new independent play for a local theater. The first story involves a missing kid and a visit to a retro rock bar. The next is an intimate conversation in an almost empty strippers club and the third is about "Ohboy", a quite excentric character who is afraid of showing up at the play rehearsal and instead wanders around the city, playing inside the fountain of the Sony Centre. There is a strong implicit critique of the big cities and how they affect everyone in a negative way. Is this entirely true? This psychodelic trip to Berlin is original in its presentation, but at times repetitive and tiresome. It's up to you to decide.

INLAND EMPIRE (USA, Poland, 2006) ☆☆☆☆☆

David Lynch's latest movie took more than three years to complete. Shot partly in USA and Poland, the story involves actress Nikki Lake, who lands a part in a new Hollywood movie. Little does she know that the movie is actually a remake. The original movie was never completed, apparently someone put a gypsy spell on the production and crew. From this point on, David Lynch takes us to different places. Nikki Lake starts to fall in love with one of the actors and her husband begins to suspect. Sometimes you do not know if you are watching part of the movie they are shooting, or we are inside Nikki's mind, or perhaps we are watching the gypsy fairytale that becomes the basis for the movie's curse.

Even more dificult to understand than his previous movies, David Lynch takes a huge step in releasing the movie in an almost three hours long version. Some scenes are in Polish, played by real local Polish actors. This surreal experiment is worth every minute. Forget about understanding the movie, just let yourself go.

Happy As One (Komm Näher), Germany, 2006 ☆☆☆☆

Director Vanessa Jopp brings us a story about different people living in Berlin whose lives suddenly change because of love. Actress Meret Becker plays the role of an urban hippy who has trouble establishing serious relatioinships. She quits her jobs in a matter of days, and her spontaneous and unpredictable character does not help her get along with people. This changes when she falls in love with a police offer, the same who showed up at her place to tell her to lower the volume of her stereo system. In another story, a 40 year-old taxi driver meets a woman thru an ad. Soon enough, the man meets the woman´s daughter, who also starts to fall in love with him. All the stories are both funny and sad. The movie is about solitude in modern-day Germany, and how people try to cope up with it.

the movie event of 2007, at least for me. Coming soon...

Zeppelin! (Germany, 2006) ☆☆☆

In Gordian Maugg's newest movie we learn about the Hindenburg's tragic incident back in the 20's. The director combines real footage with a love story involving one of the many constructors who helped build this gigantic zeppelin. This is perhaps the best part of this movie, the ability to combine a story withing the storyframe of the incident. We see the Zeppelin burn a couple of times, but the dialogues of the different characters and the musical score make up for an interesing movie overall.

Movie Ratings

I am starting my own movie rating system for all the movies that appear in my blog. Please note that this rating system is completely subjective and reflects only my own personal opinion. Generally, almost all the films I comment on are relatively good, but sometimes there are very good and very bad surprises. Note also that some movies will not be rated.

I also invite you to post your own comments. I am interested in knowing if you also saw the movies and if you liked them or not. So, here it is:

☆ = don't even bother
☆☆ = just o.k.
☆☆☆ = good
☆☆☆☆ = very good
☆☆☆☆☆ = excellent, not to be missed

The Free Will (der Freie Wille, Germany, 2006) ☆☆☆

The most controversial movie in the last Berlinale (2006), the Free Will tales the story of a serial raper, Theo. After having raped three women, he is sent to prison for 9 years. Doctors say he is "cured" and is then released. Theo is willing to start his life again; he finds himself a job in a printshop and even starts a romantic relationship. But unfortunately for him, his urge for violence cannot seem to stop. Although he consciously tries to, Theo is more and more attracted to the act of raping. He falls again, committing a horrendous crime, and to stop his suffering and those of others, is willing to even commit suicide.

The rape and violence scenes are some of the most realistically disturbing I have ever seen. The message in the movie is quite clear: a serial raper cannot be cured with psychological treatment. Is this always the case? I guess no one know for sure, but the disturbing images will make you reflect upon the subject for a long time after finishing this almost 3 hour-long story.

They (Ils, France, 2006) ☆☆☆☆☆

It is nice to watch a horror movie that has a conventional plot but a very original twist to it. These movies are rare nowadays. A French language teacher and her boyfriend are living in Bucharest. They live in the suburbs surrounded by nothing but forest. One night, their sleep is interrupted by strange voices coming from the outside. Soon they will be stalked by a group of persons with flashlights. There are not monsters or gory scenes, but the way each scene is constructed is scary enough that you will find it impossible to stay alone in your house. Director David Moreau did an incredible job building a scary atmosphere and the Roumanian settings make the whole movie all the more mysterious and eerie.

Who are "they" exactly? And why do they want to kill this couple? You will discover this when watching the movie. Do not even try to guess; you will be surprised. By the way, this is based on a true story, which makes it even more unsettling.

Requiem (Deutschland, 2006)

Regisseur Hans-Christian Schmidt hat mit Requiem einen sehr starken und eindrucksvollen Film gemacht. Es geht um Michaela Klingler, die mit ihre Eltern in Süddeutschland wohnt. Sie leidet ständig unter epileptischen Anfälle. Dieser Tatsache ungeachtet geht sie an die Universität. Michaela gewinnt die Überzeugung, sie sei vom Teufel besessen. Ihre Eltern, die stern religiöse sind, fragen der Pfarrer des Dorfes nach Hilfe. Er beginnt ein Exorzismus, der sich später als lebensgefährlich erweist. Die Szenen, in denen sie die Anfälle hat, sind stark und realistisch, und die Eltern helfen überhaupt nicht, das Mädchen vom religiosen Fanatismus zu retten.

The Host (Gwoemul, South Korea, 2006)

Director Bong Joon-Ho's second feature film is a new look at the monster movie plot. Fortunately, this one is really good. The monster appears in the first 15 minutes of the movie, and from that point on, the action scenes are almost non-stop. It all begins when a forensic doctor throws formaldehyde into the sewer. This toxic substances ends up in the Han River intoxicating a living creature (we never know what) and making it grow into a huge Godzilla-like monster, but ten times more terrifying if you ask me. The story then continues with our main characters, a small family (a little girl, her dad and grandpa) who runs a candy shop in the shore of the Han River park. As you can imagine, the monster comes out of the river, kills several innocent people and takes the little girl as hostage. Is she dead or can someone still rescue her? You'll have to watch the movie, but I am guessing you already know. Joon-Ho's effective blend of comedy and horror is what makes this movie really unique. The computer special effects are impressive as well. And it surely beats the hell out of the US version of Godzilla.

Running with Scissors (USA, 2006)

This is a semi-autobiographical film about author Augusten Burroughs. Augusten's mother (played by Annette Benning) is a little crazy. She believes that one day she will become a great star. And she leads her life by this premise up to ridiculous extremes. On the other side, Augusten's alcoholic father does not help much keeping the family together. So his mother decides to consult Dr. Finch, a supposedly famous psychiatrist. Things actually get worse because Finch's family consists of excentric characters to say the least. In Dr. Finch's Victorian-style house, Valium is consumed almost like candy, so everyone is in his or her own world all the time. Mrs. Finch watches TV while eating dog food while her daughter plays doctor with his friends, only she uses electroshock therapy! Annette Benning plays her role extraordinarily. All characters are played with such intensity that you actually believe this happened, and it did, although it is hard to believe for some. This is a highly entertaining and original adaptation of an original novel.