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Reviews
Brat (1997)
A great crime drama that not enough people know about.
This film and its sequel have become cult classics of sorts within Russia, with many praising the excellent character writing and story. Outside of Russia though, this movie seems to be overlooked by many which is a shame because its a great crime film that I very much enjoyed watching.
The film follows the character Danila, a young man who served in the Russian army during the Chechen war. He never saw any fighting during his time in the army, but is skilled at shooting and this results in him becoming involved in organised crime after moving to Saint Petersburg to see his older brother Viktor, who it turns out is a low-level gangster.
Danila as a protagonist is very interesting, with a sense of morality that is not shared by any of the other criminals. However, as the film progresses we see that he is forced more and more to abandon these morals as he has no choice but to kill others. This loss of connection to others and their feelings culminates near the end of the film where he shoots the abusive husband of a woman that he likes against her wishes, and she forces him to leave as a result of this. Despite this, the ending seems rather hopeful, with Danila hitchhiking to Moscow after he realises that he can no longer stay in Saint Petersburg, and we're left to wonder what is in store for Danila in the future.
Overall, Brother is one of the greats of Russian cinema and it should not be overlooked.
Igla (1988)
Great film for fans of Viktor Tsoi and Soviet filmmaking
I have no doubt that the main reason why many people chose to watch this film was because the Soviet rock legend Viktor Tsoi was the protagonist, and this was my reason for watching too. I have been a fan of his music for quite a while, so was curious how about this film, and it was actually far better than I expected.
Tsoi does a great job at playing the role of the protagonist Moro, and whilst the plot was fairly simple, I still enjoyed it. As many others have also pointed out, the ending scene was very good and I can understand why it became so iconic.
The soundtrack here is also great, with several iconic Kino songs playing throughout the duration of the film, as well as some original music that was created specifically for the film.
Ultimately, if you are a fan of Viktor Tsoi and Kino, you will definitely enjoy this film. However, if you are not, you may not find much that holds your interest unless you are particularly a fan of late Soviet-era films such as this.
El hoyo (2019)
Bleak, depressing and brutal
This film takes the age old formula of throwing characters into a place where it seems as though the chances of leaving alive are close to none, and this certainly becomes apparent as the movie progresses, with the situation getting more and more dire until the characters have a brief glimmer of hope that they use to help them keep fighting until the end. A truly engrossing yet grotesque film that is unlike anything you will see this year. Well worth a watch for people who are looking for something different, you will be pleasantly surprised.
Joker (2019)
Ignore the critics- watch this movie now.
This movie is fantastic, from the superb acting from Phoenix right down to the way the movie really convinces you that Gotham is a living and breathing city that is full of crime and corruption. In this regard, the Joker manages to remind me of Taxi Driver- a movie about one man who is fed up with the world and wants to make a change, no matter the cost. I highly recommend that anyone reading this goes out and watches this movie for themselves before taking one look at critic scores and deciding to give it a pass, because I have a feeling that you'll be pleasantly surprised at just how excellent this movie is.