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chrisjhmanley
Reviews
Encounters at the End of the World (2007)
Should be viewed as art not movie
For a film it probably should be an 8. But for an art piece, a funny thing to rate, I'm going to go 9. My common metric for good art is: doing it motivate me to do something. And Werner Herzog's Encounters at the End of the World scores high in this department.
I'm not saying this film should motivate you in some way or another, as it may just be me as a particular person that it strikes home well with, there's so much in this movie for me.
I mean firstly I love Herzog's delivery. Although he is an incredibly thoughtful and poetic film maker, there is always something simple and perhaps naïve seeming in his inquiries. From the way he questions what to artic explorers dream about (probably the same vague dreams as everyone), to his insights into meaning and human design and purpose, it all boils down to a simple curiosity and old folk tales and ideas. I think this is one of his best assets. And through this a general cynic (I put my hands up) can see great beauty in the simplest of ideas and people, people just trying to overcome something: themselves, egos, society. He is a master of putting huge theories of life (that we are no more than extinct dinosaurs on a course of earth that will go on beyond us evermore, for example) into simple statements to swallow and wallow in, and wallowing in it feeling a sense of freedom and breath of life in something seemingly depressing, but yet a beautiful clear idea.
There is always humour in his movies, and it is never him directly, but his use of his characters, how they stand awkwardly after having made their speeches, how Werner narrates them perfectly intime to give us a great sense of humankind, how we all fear and love simultaneously. And in the end of his movies I am once again given a itch towards 'what is human', 'where are we going' and 'why'. And these questions in the mind of one can push one to do something great, compassionate and insightful. A glass to Werner, and a thank you. Watch this if confused one night.
At Eternity's Gate (2018)
A good movie that throws you into the genius' mind
Where would I begin? There's many ways to view a movie, especially a biopic: attention to historical detail, style, storyline, moral, performance. For me, this movie gives way to storyline in favour of 'feeling'; trying, through one directors vision, to give us a sense of Van Gogh the artist said to be the tortured, brilliant, prostitute using, depressed genius. In that sense the film works. I was left with a wonderful desire to go out and see the world Vincent saw, God in nature as the film puts it. Dafoe brings a wonderful portrayal to this character, we don't see a milked cliche Vincent, not fully tortured, not a genius, not brimming with love, but a very real man who just had to paint.
I enjoyed the somewhat experimental cinematography, the swaying shots and circling close ups work for me, allowing a glimpse into the mind. Perhaps if every movie used this style I would be sick of it, but for this it works.
There are some forced lines, Vincent believing his audience existed in the future made me half expect Dafoe to look at the camera and wink. But the lack to really propel the story works, Van Gogh was a real person, and we tend not to undergo the character arcs that movie characters, he paints, he falls sick, he dies. It was powerful enough for me to be reminded about such a treasure to this world, and why he was different, why his isolation and simple love for nature meant he was able to give us so much.
Black Mirror: Mazey Day (2023)
Canned Fun
Review for those who have seen it
Some fun for 40 minutes but I could pretty much chill and watch anything for 40 minutes and enjoy it compared to working, so that isn't saying much.
A barrel of cliches that are incredibly lazy, I am an novice screenwriter and in class we're told of the lazy cliches of screenwriting and this nearly ticked every box:
TV turned on at the right time to advance plot, check
McGuffin, check
Weapon just in reach of hero, check.
Police officer with terrible aim, check
Cursed monster begging to be killed (with manners), check.
I know in the past people have said everything poorly written in Black Mirror in on purpose (yes I've heard this), but putting in cliches to make fun of them or something is just a cliche itself and very lazy. There was absolutely nothing to this episode, nothing to take away, nothing that lingers in your mind unexplained, no philosophy or real critique of society (other than paparazzi=bad), but that's not news. Also, all of Bo's character development (not wanting to take these photos, developing a heart etc. Compared to the other paparazzi) out the window as the werewolf actress dies with a shot, it felt weak. There's nothing wrong with a movie that says Look People Don't Really Change, but it canbe done much more subtly or with better writing. This was horse, and it's sad compared to the loftly heights Black Mirror has sprung on us over the years, I think the show might be over, C Brooker may keep trying, and saying 'one last season full of fantastic episodies', but maybe he's trying too hard. Get a new long-term project Charlie, we know you're good, move on.
Dancer in the Dark (2000)
What is a success
Almost undiscussable but to be honest I really don't care. Spoilers ahead I am assuming you have seen the movie
Bjork's portrayal of Selma is rigorously enticing and really allows the movie to move around her effortlessly and so she deserved her own shout out from me, Chris.
Anyway, to me the core message in this flix is: what is a success.
Does Selma succeed? Her son is cured. Although all around us we see injustice, hate, prejudices, her son is cured. We almost shout at Selma as she keeps her secret with Bill and refuses to pay the lawyer. We feel humanity has failed when so easily the jury judge her guilty, when Bill manipulates the situation with his power and influence we feel humanity has failed. So what are we to learn from this masterpiece? Sit on that. But likely that human institutional decisions don't matter. Remember at the end when they pulled the mask off Selma and someone said: 'this is highly irregular', that right there, a woman is about to die and they discuss irregularities in the death process, human institutions are so surreal.
The music pieces were perfect and pulled me from the stress I would feel watching the other scenes and remind me this is a movie, I don't have to hate Bill as much as I do.
Overall fantastically brave movie that couldn't be improved upon.
24 Hour Party People (2002)
Fun mishmash of a truly exciting time
"I'm a bloody cambridge journalist in one of the most important times in history"-Steve Coogan as Tony Wilson (or something like that), for those interested in the the development of punk into melancholic industrial into house this is a really fun watch looking at some of the key characters of that time, and stays pretty close to the true events.
Me and my mum are both huge fans of Joy Division and Shaun Ryder (more him as a man than his music), so that helped sink us into this film, and using Tony Wilson as the anchor/ship/oar of the whole journey makes the journey flow nicely. Coogan delivers, almost Alan Partridge in his portrayal, but keeping it in check everytime it's a little too on the nose.
The complaints I've read seem to suggest those people weren't so sure what they were in for, didn't like the music, and now hate the british. I'd say being a fan of Sex Pistols, Joy Division, Happy Mondays, House in general (check out Voodoo Ray) helps watching this movie.
There seems to be lots of non-sequiter moments: random Granada interviews TW has to do, conversations in pubs, but these are all funny, and do fluff out characters somewhat so if that's enough purpose to a scene to you then it's fine.
Living (2022)
A nice sweet movie
It's like a nice friend, it's very sweet and Bill Nighy is always a delight to watch. For me, the movie never hits the emotional stride it could have, I was hoping for a true waterworks moment and heartache or heartbeating moment, it just never quite came, maybe that's on me. The swing scene could have been this, it just didn't quite feel right. Perhaps the scene where the son discovers his father never revealed his illness was it, but that seemed somewhat out of place.
The colour of the movie, especially the intro, is captivating and brings in some nice nostalgia, Bill Nighly is fun, worth a watch.
La vita è bella (1997)
Makes a child of a man
Beautiful movie from a relatively beginner director. It's rare to see such serious tones and plots hidden by comedy, Strangelove did it, but doing it with the Holocaust is something entirely different and ballsy.
It's done so well in fact and is so funny that you scarce believe it's real. The moments of Nazi horror seem almost trivial and a joke through the lens of this film, the story is a sad as The Pianist but you don't feel it, because you're laughing so much. You scarce buy in to the real horrors, Benigni achieved a masterpiece; not only does he trick his child into believing these horrors aren't real, but he tricks us.
It gives an entirely new light unto life, where one can be both comical and serious, and these can exist together.