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The Second Raid

15 Tuesday Apr 2014

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I did like the first movie very much, so I expected a much better following…

The Raid: Berandal

The first movie was an intense action movie, filled with non stop survival fighting which cumulated into several martial arts uber scenes which we will always remember as part of the martial arts’ movies history. The motivation and the character development were brief, but clear. The script was strong, but it was going only into one direction.

The second movie “The Raid: Berandal” by the young master director Gareth Evans is a new look into the painful and elaborate world of pencak silat (the Indonesian martial art which flows through the movies of Mr. Evans). I would like to congratulate the director on achieving something new – he gave depth to the criminal organization behind the term “bad guys in action movies” which we rarely see in most of the movies from this genre. The script itself is nothing new – Rama (the main hero) goes undercover to avenge and to bring down the whole criminal syndicate which is the “source for all the troubles in the world”.

What I liked though is the way we see evil spawn from one generation to another. It is necessary to point out how Uco is different from his father Bangun. The most interesting thing for me was the expression of Uco’s anger which generated from his lack of moral values and total egotism. We see different generations argue and fight over money, power and other silly things all the time, but it is important to note how the criminal environment can both spoil and bruise a young soul. It is so because the lack of love and compassion is so essential to the corruption of the human soul that it cannot be healed easily. One needs time to be able to reeducate and help. And even the family loses its value to the corrupted person. Thus being lost Uco cannot choose another path, but to end his own family in a disgusting manner. The moral blindness is irrevocable in many cases.
That is why Bangun and Goto have rules – because they are not born criminals. They are not raised by criminals, they had to become criminals. Their part in this story is central because they help us spot the real criminal – the one soul which was born and raised as a criminal. And we all know – nobody is born to be only bad or good. We humans are all conflicted beings. We change, we evolve, we are not constant all the time. But Uco is. He can’t escape his evil confinement because it is bred into him. And that is why Rama succeeds in ruining this whole syndicate – because nothing in life is one-sided. He uses his skills and knowledge to reach his goal – survive and win over them all – people who have rules and loyalty. Some things which Uco didn’t have.

So I think that this was a very good decision – to move the script towards this direction after the first movie.

I’d like to point out also that there were several fight scenes which reminded to me about the ferocity and animality of the first movie. This energy is essential for the success of “The Raid” movies after all…

Noah

06 Sunday Apr 2014

Posted by in Cinema, Living the Life

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The exhausting journey of mankind between destiny and choice…

Noah

I watched the new cinematic piece by Darren Aronofsky one week ago, but I couldn’t bring myself to write about it until now. That is because this movie is very controversial. But not in the way many people think of it – religious VS artistic interpretation. I hesitated because I didn’t want to be disappointed that much when writing about it. I wanted to think about what I saw and then write about its form and substance.

The new heroic journey of Mr. Russell Crowe and his team of dramatic experts – Jennifer Connelly, Anthony Hopkins, Ray Winstone and Emma Watson – is rather epic, but it doesn’t show us many new thoughts on this piece from The Old Testament. And we didn’t see much character development in most of the actors in it. Yes, Russell Crow is rather impressive, but I expected something new, a beam of light to shine through the silver screen, as it did before when I watched Aronofsky’s previous movies (“The Black Swan”, “The Fountain”, “Pi” or “Requiem for a dream”). I felt enormous anticipation for something more provocative and daring, something entirely new as a viewpoint. And I almost didn’t get it. I say almost – because during this week of delay, I weighed the performance of the main actors again.

Yes, we didn’t get much of an enlightenment, but we saw at least four characters who were struggling with their inner demons as we humans do every single day. We can all feel in our hearts the sense of destiny that lies around us. We all connect to the thought that no matter what we do, our paths are destined to go only one way.
But it is true also that we can shape our deeds according to our own will and choices. We model each step we take and we decide what we take as good and evil. Yes, our perception of these two change almost every day, but in the end, we know that it was our choice which shaped our destined path. Indeed we are all prone to explain to ourselves every mischief or every success with a higher power, but since ancient times we want to change and try to change the course of our lives. And we often do that. But all within the time limit which we have.

Having this said I would like to express my gratitude for Russell Crow’s, Jennifer Connelly’s and Anthony Hopkins’ performance. They all did a very, very good job. And my general impression is that acting was very good. It was the script that didn’t feel too much innovative. But it is important to say that Aronofsky made a very watchable epic movie. He will not be remembered for it (compared to his previous masterpieces), but he will surely make some money for the studio.
The sound and the special effects were very good – powerfully complementing the story. The makeup and the clothing did represent an era long forgotten. The artisans’ job seemed impressive indeed.

In the end – we got what they prepared for us – a movie within the limits of the blockbuster screen writing, but with the potency of modern acting schooling.

The Grand Budapest Hotel

21 Friday Mar 2014

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I have actually the feeling that movies like this expand my synapses rapidly…

The Grand Budapest Hotel

This film deserves to be acclaimed not only because it represents the best features of our civilization, but also because it is masterfully executed. This peculiar story about the concierge Gustave and his loyal lobby boy Zero is a beautiful and intriguing comedic thriller tale. But it is deceptive. The main character is “The Author”. So who is the author?

The emotionally ornamented journey of the viewer is carefully prepared. We witness how Gustave and Zero overcome many obstacles during their adventure between the two European wars. But the main focal point is on the elegance of the human behavior. Education and good manners are just the package, the insights of this movie dessert are the care and love which we feel through this nostalgic piece of cinematography. In our modern times of speed and greed we forget way too often that we can change each other’s energy the right way. This movie is a cheerful escapism to a more romantic world which we lost a century ago.

And what about the cast, what about the acting? Ralph Fiennes is such a driving force. He delivers both funny and dramatic performance, complemented by a constellation of good actors and actresses such as Willem Dafoe, Tilda Swinton, Edward Norton, Harvey Keitel, F. Murray Abraham, Jeff Goldblum and the young Tony Revolori.
The music is unconventionally good and I very much liked the sets and costumes.

But let’s get back to the author. The movie ends with a dedication to Stefan Zweig. This is the logical conclusion to the Wes Anderson’s (the director) message to the public. And to translate that into words I will paraphrase Zweig himself:
– Every man with a moral sense will always consider his own existence empty and insignificant without the comforting thought and empowering illusion that he, as a separate entity, may contribute something to the overall improvement of the moral world.

The man becomes an author through his aspirations and activities.
It is all about the creator’s imagination which can change the world for the better.

Fioravante’s comfort

21 Friday Mar 2014

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I have just watched John Turturro’s “Fading Gigolo” and I am feeling very light-hearted and comfortably happy…

Fading Gigolo

I don’t know if Woody Allen has any part in the scriptwriting of this movie, but the art piece has his watermark for sure. The open-minded style, the straightforward and honest performance and most of all – the tenderest look into human relationships and morality – this is what you will get from “Fading Gigolo”.

Turturro is presenting us the rather comedic, but also touching story of the flower shop worker (and a lover for hire!) Fioravante, the book shop keeper (and a pimp!) Murray and the devoted Jewess (and a loving female soul!) Avigal. They are all mixed up (along with the predators Sharon Stone and Sofia Vergara) in a touching story about the oddities of life. There is very little exposition and I think that this is one of the best qualities of this movie. Woody Allen is impressive in his typical role once again. This guy is a talker and he can really get your attention in a funny and enjoyable way. I personally loved the constant transition from comedy to sensitivity. The intelligent storytelling is complemented by beautifully selected music pieces.

The intentional nod to Woody Allen’s work is outspoken. The ideas behind the character of this fading gigolo are very simple, but true and appropriate for our time of loneliness and emotional distance. The gentle and understanding Fioravante for me is a personification of the simple pleasures of life that we as ordinary people tend to forget and bypass. Maybe if we focus more on mutual appreciation and take it easier we could show our own inoffensive charm. Tenderness and enjoyment are more than welcome together.
I watched the whole film with a genuine smile. You should definitely take the time to enjoy it as well!

Sayuri

01 Saturday Mar 2014

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The gentle standpoint of the Japanese woman…

Memoirs of a Geisha

I guess you have all watched “Memoirs of a Geisha”, the beautiful adaptation of Arthur Golden’s book of the same name. This dramatic film does justice to the position not only of the geisha in the Japanese society, but it is also an embodiment of the innocence of the Japanese woman.

I dare not say that there is no controversy in this movie – the lead female actresses are all Chinese. Though the depiction of the characters is so much true to the original. My opinion is such not because I understand all the qualities of the geisha performer, or the Japanese women, but as a result of the many various emotions and thoughts that this cinematic artwork awakens in me. The heartbreaking purity and vulnerability pierce through the silver screen into the viewer’s mind like a clear chord from a Shamisen’s stretched string.

The movie follows the narrow path of poor Chiyo through the hardships of time and depicts the layering of an impeccable white powder mask. Despair and the driving forces behind the transition of the main character from the gentle Chiyo to the symbolic Sayuri. Romantic mystery and cruel reality wrap up the appealing of this powerful story. This film is about the power of the spirit which I guess most of the Japanese women have. Their obedience and timeless intimacy are two of the main characteristics which we all know.

Also, we can see the world of the geisha depicted in details. It nurtures carefully, but also drains the natural desire for freedom. This harsh world imprints the sense that there is no alternative, but to live gracefully empty. The story though follows the historical turbulences of time and unites the two main characters at the end. Fate is involved like a thin invisible thread joining the dramatic parts of the story.

The intimate music and the compelling visuals are so immersed that we ourselves feel deep compassion for Sayuri. Throughout her whole life she wants only one thing – to love and to be loved. The Chairman is that island of peace and happiness which she longs for.
Do we all crave to express and feel? Aren’t we all harboring such intimate dreams of fulfillment? Don’t we all relate to the same heartfelt desire? I think that deep inside we are all the same. No matter when, where and how we live…

This is No country for old men

23 Sunday Feb 2014

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I have recently watched Cormac McCarthy’s “The Counselor” and that’s why I decided to pay due attention to his”and the Coen brothers’ “No country for old men”. A true hunter-prey classic tale about life…

No Country for old men

I’ll start from the ending, where sheriff Bell shares his two dreams – the first about losing the money that his father (also a sheriff) gave him and the second about his ride along with his father. I can truly connect to this metaphor. It is a vivid vehicle for the directors and the script – our fears, hopes and thoughts are all reflected in our dreams. And the dream to follow into his father’s steps became kind of a nightmare (losing the money his father gave him) for Bell. But the true message which we receive through this insightful movie is the moral of the second dream. You see, the title of this film comes from the 20th century dramatist William Butler Yeats’s poem “Sailing to Byzantium”. It goes like this:

“That is no country for old men. The young
In one another’s arms, birds in the trees
– Those dying generations – at their song,
The salmon-falls, the mackerel-crowded seas,
Fish, flesh, or fowl, commend all summer long
Whatever is begotten, born, and dies.
Caught in that sensual music all neglect
Monuments of unageing intellect”

“Those dying generations” are Bell, his father, his uncle and his grandfather who were all sheriffs at the depicted parts of West Texas. And their covenant is fading and will ultimately be lost. The weary and old sheriff is overwhelmed by his own incapacity to deal with the new generation of crime and loathing. His uncle Ellis reminds him that these parts have always been wild and violent. Despite this Bell feels like his grasp is not firm enough and that he is heading where his father “awaits”. After all his efforts to help Llewelyn Moss despite his fear, he ends up finding him dead. And he feels like there is nothing he can do about it. That people like Anton Chigurh and the Mexican drug cartel members overmatch him with their boundless discontentment. That law and order are already lost and he can do nothing but stay away from this world of the hunters and their prey. I think that this is exactly why at the end of this movie he has accepted his part as the one who will inevitably fade away like a dinosaur, like an “old man”. Failure is weighing above his consciousness. And that’s why after his retirement he is more content, troubled only by his dreams, reflecting on his past where he sees no future for individuals like himself.
This is a very interesting juxtaposition – between the feeling of moral codes passing and the sense that since ancient times people have always been the same, that we are living in a circle of discontentment. This is both eerie and assuring to me. What do you think?

And in the end I just want to add my utter admiration of Cormac McCarthy’s books which show us our violent nature of selfishly deluded living beings. The stories are mature and absorbing. Reassuring that there is no white and black, only gray in our lives. The script is precise in tension, with thrilling sound and camera work. The imagery is both beautiful and a bit hopeless. I felt some of these aspects in “The Counselor” too, but then again Ridley Scott and The Coen brothers are two very different categories.

Extreme Artistry

18 Tuesday Feb 2014

Posted by in Cinema, Dance

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I’m continuing my journey through my favorite movies of all time with the graceful extremism of “Black Swan”…

Black Swan

This melodramatic film piece by Darren Aronofsky was such a big inspiration for me back in 2010, that I felt that I need to present it with a special place here.

The role which brought an Oscar to Natalie Portman (well deserved) is passionate and creepy at the same time. The story is loosely based on Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake ballet, but the main focus is on the extremism of the artistic dedication. Only the best examples of artistic expressionism reach to such a point that they loose themselves into the abyss of the eternal applause. And the character of Nina Sayers really does that at the end. Her emotional breakdown transforms into a state of perfection which transcends over ballet into eternal veracity. Her repressed personality and extreme dedication hurl her into the frightening world of temptation and danger.
The jealous mother, the unsatisfied director, the tempting competitor – they all play their role in the creation of the wonderful symbiosis of the White and Black swan in Nina. We witness the growth of a confused gentle swan which is aimed at perfection.

Nina truly achieves perfection at the end of the movie, but at the cost losing her sanity and life. Giving everything to the performance, she embraces happily the applause of the world which has made her suffer so greatly before. As a true artist, she crosses the line between reality and fiction with a gentle, but firm “pas de deux”.

The cinematography, the choreography are truly astonishing contributions to this art piece. And the music – marvelous. Lurking and intoxicating, graceful and majestic – the soundtrack is an essential part of the story.

It is namely the mesmerizing psychological entirety of “Black Swan” which makes us gasp at the end of the movie. This embodiment of the artistic life and performance is and will be given as an example of perfect cinematography. A glorious garland which shines through life, death and ultimately over eternity.

Real human being

13 Thursday Feb 2014

Posted by in Cinema, Music

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Do you know the story about the scorpion and the frog? If you don’t then watch “Drive”.

Drive

Many people consider this the best film of Nicolas Winding Refn and one of the best performances by Ryan Gosling. I cannot agree more. Although I am as much exalted about “Only God forgives” as for this movie, I cannot deny the human face of “Drive”. And that’s a feature which we cannot see in “Only God forgives”.
So let’s talk about “Drive”. Why do we like it? Because of the real reason behind the title of the movie – “Drive”. Refn implies that the most important message of this film is that the choices which we make really drive our lives in the direction which we follow. And we make the wrong choices most of the time. Even when we want to do the right thing. And namely these choices “drive” us away from each other as people. Distance is felt throughout the whole movie. Between the main character and Irene and Benicio. Between the Driver and Shannon. And ultimately between the Driver and his dream to be a real person with a loving family.

The main character has no past and no future, he exists only in the present. The neo-noir art house stylistic of the film is impressive and adds to the violent loneliness felt throughout the movie. The music is retro synthesized and complements the tone of the film. We as viewers feel tension until the very end of the story. The juxtaposition of vionence and romance culminates in the elevator scene where destiny is determined by choice. The acting is potent and masterful.
I must admit that this film will be a real treat for the moviegoers who expect to see perfect blend between story, acting and cinematography. After all the most important thing to me is that this artwork shows us that we are all in charge of our lives, but we rarely make the right decisions to go where we want to go and be what we want to be. And this is the exact reason why we as modern society lack the mutuality which should help us get through whatever obstacles we have in life.

Blowup your mind

02 Sunday Feb 2014

Posted by in Cinema, Photography

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A very provocative film which makes me think about limitations…

Blowup

Maybe the best film by Michelangelo Antonioni. Perhaps one of the boldest movies I’ve ever watched. And I enjoyed it.
The movie depicts one chaotic day of Hemmings, a bored glamorous fashion photographer. He thinks that he has photographed a murder in a park and this incident awakens him for a moment from his chaotic and bored every day life.

David Hemmings and Vanessa Redgrave play outstandingly in this bold artwork. You have to take into an account that this movie helped bringing down the so called “Motion Picture Production Code” of Hollywood in 1968. So for a ’66 film this masterpiece is an example of adventurous film making. I can’t really imagine how I would have accepted this film if it was made in 2013 for example, but I’m pretty sure that it still would have been a sensation. Why? Well, because it is open-minded, symbolic and we, as society, still have almost all the same prejudices. It’s not really about breaking through them, it is more about expressing what we feel and stressing out that there aren’t so many values left in this chaotic egocentric modern society.
The fashion photographer is a symbol of glamor, style and fulfillment. But when we look at this “blowup”, we see nothing more than chaotic actions leading to dissatisfaction and alienation. The truth is that the main character is lost in his art and his job and feels frustrated that he cannot express himself the right way. And when he confronts the murder of a stranger (and the woman who is involved in the murder) he is perplexed and attracted at the same time.

Hemmings is intrigued by the unknown woman who chases him to get the photos he took of her. Not knowing about what he shot he plays with her, taking advantage of the situation. But when he finds out that all the fuss was about a real murder, and especially when he confronts the corpse, he is awaken from his usual chaotic and daze personality and tries to discover the parts of the puzzle. At the end of his journey he goes through a London club where he fights for a piece of a broken guitar and runs into a drug-drenched party, trying to find a way out of this situation. The photos stolen and the corpse gone he cannot put across what he had photographed anymore.
The film ends with a tennis match between mimes and Hemmings watching it ALONE on a lawn. The fading of the main character’s image is a metaphor for the dissolubility of people in a jazzed-up society. And we must admit it – our natural feelings are very much overwhelmed by the synthetic stimulations we create, as the critic Bosley Crowther said in a review about the movie.

We try to recreate what is already present. Artistry is a tricky thing – we can’t really find the limits of creativity and where exactly reality begins. And in this vortex of sensations called life we can only find a few moments of clarity when peacefulness is present. That’s why we must value them. That’s why we must value movies like “Blowup”…

Human Dignity

01 Saturday Feb 2014

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Here’s why my favorite movie of 2013 is “12 years a slave”…

12 years a slave

A film about human dignity and the will to survive. Overcoming the emotions which flow through me when I talk about this movie, I am certain that I must write about it. It is a cinematographic masterpiece that deserves your attention. Based on the true story of Solomon Northup and his memoir book “Twelve Years a Slave: Narrative of Solomon Northup, citizen of New-York, kidnapped in Washington city in 1841, and rescued in 1853, from a cotton plantation near the Red River in Louisiana” this artwork is a revelation. A revelation about how we humans can treat each other and to what extend we can suffer. It is hard to talk about slavery, because it is not a widespread “disease” in today’s society. But every human being which feels and thinks will be touched by this story. There are many morals coming out of Steve McQueen’s work, but I guess the most important one is about how a person cannot easily forget injustice. And that’s exactly why the vile actions depicted in the story are so monstrous. But against them we are seeing the flickering hope and human dignity which illuminate the path to salvation.
I was in awe especially from the small, but significant moments of truth when Solomon stayed by himself and tried to keep his memories – who he is, that he has his loving family and ultimately about his nature as a FREE person.

Most of the movies on this tough topic in America present us the story of African American slaves after they lost their freedom, or being born without it. But here we see a man who is born a free person, who has lived all his life as a free person, who has a caring and lovely family, with respected profession, with dignity. Then we see this person’s transition from free life to slavery and at the end again back to free life. The process of breaking down a free soul is presented to us in severe details with no excuse and exception. And that is exactly why this exact story is so strong. You can’t just turn away or forget about it after time. The viewers are all free people. And to see how a man like you can end up in such a miserable condition because of other people is terrifying and frightening. I’m talking about an impression which I at least cannot distance myself from.

As spectators we are moved by the wonderful play of Chiwetel Ejiofor, Lupita Nyong’o, Michael Fassbender, Brad Pitt, Benedict Cumberbatch. I only wish that by watching this true story of the survival of human dignity we embrace each other as nations and as people even more. We are all children of our planet and we all have the equal right to call ourselves FREE men and women.

It is essential to quote Brad Pitt’s character Bass at the end of this review:
“Laws change. Social systems crumble. Universal truths are constant. It is a fact, it is a plain fact that what is true and right is true and right for all.”