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Matthias et Maxime (2019)
Unsure what the point of it all was
Pointless film with the usual Dolanesque non-ending ending. The characters were underdeveloped, ironically Dolan's character in particular was difficult to read and understand other than that he was from an abusive home and this was the likely cause he was leaving for Australia. How he was able to simply move to Australia without a job waiting and no mentionable or worthy skills was difficult to comprehend, especially considering Australia's strict visa system. I also did not understand why he got so upset about the email not being forwarded by Matt either. In addition, the film also features a futile and purposeless cameo from actor Harris Dickinson, he contributes as much to the plot as the Tuxedo football scene did to the plot of The Room. There's also a scene that places emphasis on an office plant, another in which the characters sing a Eurovision song (to be fair - it should have won that year) and a scene where there is a waterbed present. The ending resolves nothing either, does he go? Does he stay? Does his friend who is obviously in love with him put on his big boy pants and admit his feelings? Who the hell knows. After watching it, I felt like I had been Punk'd. I don't have anything against Dolan but it's becoming clear that 'Tom at the Farm', which is a sensational film and Dolan's best, is an exception rather than the rule for Dolan's movies. Disappointing.
De nærmeste (2015)
A disappointing execution/ending
The plot is interesting, GSI isn't usually a subject that prompts an entire film and seeing the trailer only made me more interested.
The film however is kind of dull. I wanted to see more scenes with Charlotte and Henrik, to have them at least talk about what they're doing and the consequences.
The ending was atrocious.
Tom à la ferme (2013)
Dolan's best film by a longshot
It's a shame Dolan has not made another thriller style movie like this. Tom a la ferme is an absolute sensation of a film. The performances of the main characters are exceptional and the music is fluid and syncs very well with the scenes and feel of the film. The chemistry and scenes shared between Dolan's character of Tom and Pierre St Cardinal's Francis are engrossing and as a viewer, you never know if they are going to give into their physical and sexual attraction to each other or instead if it's going to end violence and aggression. You won't find another Dolan film like this one, sadly, and that's maybe the reason this one stands out so much.
White Christmas (1954)
Danny Kaye steals every scene he is in
A magical and beloved film that I've loved since my childhood. It is a testament to Danny Kaye's talent as both an actor and an entertainer that he can perform and act alongside Bing Crosby yet manage to steal every scene. His character's optimism and excitement are infectious. Clooney is also an absolute gem in this film. I watch it every year.
The Girl on the Train (2016)
Gripping, but should have remained based in the UK
Gripping film, strong plot and fantastic performances by Blunt and Bennet in particular. The biggest disappointment with this film is that it just does not work in the New York setting it has been moved to. I strongly believe it the film had remained set in the UK, it would have been received better.
Cats (2019)
If you want to watch a film for a laugh, stick with The Room.
Honestly so, so, so bad. Not even ironically funny. Elba has surely destroyed any chance he had at Bond with this utter tripe. Do not watch it, just don't. You will not get those minutes back. You will regret it forever.
Kopfplatzen (2019)
**Spoilers ahead - a review for English Speakers**
I'm hoping this review will help those who do not speak German decide if they want to watch this film or not. I went into this film not knowing what to really expect and only knew roughly what the subject matter was about based on the trailer. There will be spoilers ahead in my review:
The plot to this film is as follows, it follows Markus, a 30 something male. Markus has a successful job, a nice flat, he is physically very attractive and boxes in his spare time as a means of keeping fit. The 'twist' however is that Markus is sexually attracted to young boys. The film shows Markus deal with this attraction and the pain and anguish it causes him.
I found whilst watching the film, that I noticed a strong similarity between this film and Steve McQueen's 2011 Shame. Whilst the main character in Shame, Brendan, had a sex addiction, the negative consequences of him engaging in this behaviour predominately only affected him whereas if Markus acted on his urges (spoiler: he does not but comes very close several times) the consequences would be far worse and cause devastation for several persons, not just Markus. Both Brendan and Markus spend the majority of the films drowning in their own shame and self-loathing and both films reach their own tragic and depressing climaxes. That being said, I felt more sympathy and compassion for Markus than I did for Brendan, a testament to Riemelt's acting. I would recommend if you've seen this film to give Shame a watch too. Especially if this film left you wanting to seek out others like it.
The scenes between Markus and the wolf, a literal wolf, were overdone and not subtle. In addition, there are several scenes in which Markus engages in acts of self-harm and suicidal behaviours (he bangs his head against a wall repeatedly, he cuts his palm with a knife, he tries to break a glass by gripping it, he stands over a motorway flyover looking down and, in the climax of the film, slashes his wrists with a knife) There was no 'trigger warnings' for these scenes at the start of the film and as a non-German speaker who had only seen the trailer prior to the actual movie, I was caught off guard. Then again, you don't watch a film like this if you expect an easy ride.
Markus also lives a very lonely and isolated existence. He lives alone, he rejects offers by both a female colleague and those at the gym to socialise and when he does initially advise a doctor about his problem, the doctor reacts with disgust and unprofessionalism rather than refer Markus to a psychiatrist. In fact, it's only by chance that Markus finally is able to speak to a psychiatrist that specialises in Markus's issue but unfortunately, the psychiatrists lectures Markus and imposes strict and at times unworkable rules for him in order to reduce any risk that Markus may offend. Is it so realistic that if a boy gets on the train that Markus should just simply get off of it? In addition, there's no discussion between Markus or the psychiatrist about what Markus could do as an alternative to obsessing and fixating on young boys. There is also no discussion about how empty and lonely Markus life is and the psychiatrist also doesn't bring up the subject of chemical castration to Markus in spite of Markus saying at their first meeting that he wants to be cured of his affliction. I would have liked someone, not necessarily the psychiatrist, to give Markus some optimism and some sense of belonging. I felt it unnecessary and borderline cruel that his sister waited until he was lying in a hospital bed with both wrists bandaged up to tell him that she and their parents wanted nothing more to do with him. I understood her need to protect her own son, but did that necessarily mean that all of his family had to abandon him when he needed them the most?
That's not to say that the psychiatrist did not make some very good points. Because of such a strong association with criminality and universal disgust, we forget to acknowledge that having such thoughts in and of themselves is not criminal. It's not illegal to think or have untoward fantasies or desires. As mentioned above, it does not appear that Markus has actually harmed or abused a child and whilst the online conversations we see him have with another peadophile, he doesn't necessarily show the same level of comfort or enthusiasm as the person on the other end of the computer. I did think the way the Dr framed it as Markus suffering from a psychological condition was helpful for both the character and the viewer.
The scenes with Jessica and Arthur are stressful to watch. The scenes where it was just Markus and Arthur leaves you with a feeling of absolute dread in your stomach, even though Markus hasn't done anything explicitly inappropriate.
The ending feels inevitable, especially as Markus had displayed the typical warning sign behaviour as the film got closer to the end and it was presented like it was the only alternative Markus had to meeting Arthur in secret and presumably actually offending. I don't agree with other reviewers who have said this film had an 'open ending', it didn't. We know what happened even if it was not explicitly filmed. I do not believe Markus changed his mind or survived this time, the shots of the immaculate apartment and the calm, almost tranquil expression Markus had when he looked in the mirror only add to this.
Some may take major issue with this ending, especially those who may watch this film having the same affliction as Markus and I have read other reviews suggesting the film presents suicide as an acceptable alternative to persons dealing with said affliction. It could be interpreted this way, sure. But it could also be interpreted as a result of the character's complete isolation as by the end of the film, his sister and parents have disowned him, Jessica and her son have moved out of the building and there appeared to be no follow up care for Markus after the first hospitalisation. I found myself almost feeling relief for him by the end.
To summarise: A strong and powerful debut from Savas Ceviz which dares to deal with a harrowing and completely undesirable topic. Riemelt was a clever casting choice and I found the film gripping, disturbing and ultimately painful to watch. The use of the wolf metaphor was a bit too much and the ending is bound to invite controversy but as mentioned, a strong debut.