Change Your Image
natzel
Reviews
Død snø (2009)
Blood, gore and little more!
Blood, guts, gore and more? No, there is not much more to zombie spoof titled, Dead Snow, written and directed by Tommy Wirkola. The movie opens with a group of medical students traveling into a remote part of Norway to entertain themselves at a cabin. Drunken horny students stranded in the middle of Norway's winter, what could possibly go wrong? As the movie unravels, any audience familiar with the typical Hollywood thriller can pick out numerous examples of typical horror themes. First off, the group of youth must travel by ski, snowmobile or foot to a small cabin where, of course, there is no cell phone reception. En route to the cabin the group discusses how to dig themselves out of an avalanche, an obvious example of foreshadowing. At the cabin they entertain each other telling stories, drinking and well having sex. A knock on the door disturbs the festivities and creepy weathered old many enters. Here the audience gets a glimpse of what might be to come. Wirkola pulls from Norway's brutal war torn past when the old man tells of the Nazi invasion and the Norwegian rebellion that occurred. Of course a dark presence can still be felt in this area and the youth are told to heed his warning, which obviously they don't. As if the number of cliques could not get any greater, the group decides to split up and go their separate ways after a battle with a few Nazi Zombies. In most movies cliques are looked down upon however, in this movie Wirkola uses them to a humorous advantage which I must say I found very entertaining. Though originality is lacking in the great majority of the film there are several elements that stand out as completely unique. The most significant being the zombies, though zombies are already frightening Wirkola amps it up a notch by making them Nazi zombies. Nothing provokes fear and anger into an audience better than a combination walking dead and Hitler saluting soldiers. The second item that is unique to this film is that of winter. Never before has a zombie movie been filmed on top of several feet of snow. The snow adds an element of surprise new to the horror world as we can never be quite certain when a zombie arm will blast out from beneath the snow. Another very pervasive theme is that of blood, guts and gross! This is the epitome of college guy humor. My disgust began when two of the horny students hook up on an outhouse toilet seat. I cannot imagine a least attractive place to bump uglys. The repugnance continues throughout the rest of the movie. Every character seems to be dripping with large amounts of zombie blood. Several of the most abhorrent scenes involve the use of zombie intestines as a climbing rope, the use of a chain saw to remove one's own arm and of course the young woman who wakes to her innards being eaten out of her limp body. The amount of gore becomes very comical by the end of the film and has probably entertained many a teenage boy, however, I find the use of excessive blood a little much and it detracted from my enjoyment of the film. The last theme I noted regarded the vulnerability of the young college students. For starters they are basically stranded. Their only mode of transportation, a snow mobile, takes off early in the film. Additionally they are so far from any sort of civilization that not a single soul can hear them screaming. To add to this blood creates a great amount of contrast against the pristine snow making it hard to hide. Every time they are splattered with more blood they become a little more obvious to the zombies following them. A young woman wearing bright red coat even attempts to hide from zombies in a tree, as though she blends in. A couple of these students realize there is no way to hide but instead they must fight their way through the army of Nazis, using a chainsaw and snowmobile. All and all I would rate this film as mediocre. For a low budget film, made by a young male with an obsession with gore it serves its purpose. Many audiences are sure to enjoy the comical side to this film, that is, if they can stomach the blood. I however was left with a feeling of nausea and an even greater dislike for Nazis. As for the rest of Tommy Wirkola's films I believe they too have a similar comical feel which may be of interest to anyone who enjoyed Dead Snow.
Du levande (2007)
You, the Living artistic and original
Muted colors, mundane and melancholy topics with characters who feel their lives are meaningless are elements of director Roy Andersson's artistic and dark comedy. Andersson directs a film titled, You the Living, a compilation of 50 vignettes, all about the typical emotional struggles of the average person. The film is engaging in a way I have never experienced before. Some parts worked for me and some parts didn't but there is no denying the unique style of Andersson is something not seen everyday.
In this dark humor the audience rarely finds themselves laughing out loud. Instead they may find themselves smirking at the irony and pain of daily life. A theme that I found very pervasive is that of depression, melancholy and the mundane. This message is hard to miss. As the movie opens the audience is asked to appreciate their delightfully warm beds before the river Lithe pulls them away. This little bit of satire clearly sends a message that is portrayed throughout the movie. The message, we as individuals don't appreciate our depressing little lives; however, we only have short time on this earth before we forget our lives and death takes us. One way the audience is forced to realize the dinginess of this film is through the way it is shot. Most scenes are one continuous long shot, the camera does not move and often we are at equal level with the characters. Another obvious filming technique is that of filming so all the colors are muted and gray. These filming techniques are also ones that Andersson uses in his famous commercials to create a melancholy feel. Additionally the majority of the characters appear depressed or at least not content with their lives. The second vignette shows a woman smoking on a park bench, yelling at her boyfriend and dog to "get lost" and "scram" because no one understands her struggles. No one understands the way she feels.
Another overriding theme and one common to the Nordic are is that of alcohol. In the movie the characters strive for the relief from the mundane, an escape from reality and the freedom from their depressing lives. Their method of escape is alcohol. For the depressed woman in the park alcohol is an escape from her feeling that no one is able to understand her. We see this same woman again in later scene. As the people in the bar went about their business, oblivious to her ranting, she whined about not being understood. In a later vignette this same woman calls her own mother a sadist for serving nonalcoholic beer. Alcohol is clearly of great importance to her and most likely to many others. A great example of this is when the bartender rings his bell and announces last call for drinks, every person in the bar flocks to the counter to order their next fix.
Additionally music is an important element of the movie. Though there is not a lot of music used in the background there are many musical elements within the vignettes. One of the initial scenes is a man playing tuba in the living room of his house. The house rocks, things fall over, but he continues to play. An angry neighbor tears a hole in the ceiling and breaks his hanging lamp in attempt to silence the tuba player and the story continues. Later a man plays a drum in his living room. The most elaborate scene in the movie involves a young woman who dreams she falls in love with and marries a rock star, Micke Larsson. Most of the music itself is melancholy and make the lives of the character's seem even more depressing because even music is not enjoyable. The only music that is enjoyed is that of Micke Larsson.
Throughout the film each vignette overlaps with another. There is some connection between each of the vignette. Some share characters, for example the man who received the dreadful haircut was later seen at a business meeting. Other vignettes also bleed into each other, a teacher and carpet salesman (husband and wife) get into a fight both proceed to have emotional breakdowns at work. The overlapping serves not only to unify the film but also serves as an example of the connection and ties between the people that walk this earth.
One last theme that adds the great majority of interest to the movie is the theme of oddity. All humans are odd creatures. Andersson makes this very clear throughout the film. This element of oddity is something that we can all relate to on some level but Andersson takes it just one step further. My favorite odd scene is that of the man who receives the death penalty for breaking dishes at a family dinner after failing to perform the table cloth trick. Other examples of oddities is the scene with the man and woman having sex, while the woman is wearing a Viking hat.
The elements within this movie serve an entertainment and also an artistic purpose. Though not my favorite movie I did enjoy the majority of the film and found myself chuckling. Overall Roy Andersson directed an engaging and interesting film made with meticulous care and planning. Is interest in the artistic side of filming seals the deal and makes for one the most original movies I have ever seen.
Brúðguminn (2008)
A search for happiness
White Night Wedding leaves the audiences' minds spinning as we witness a wedding gone completely array. Baltasar Kormakur writes twisted story painted on the canvas of beautiful Iceland in complete juxtaposition to his first popular film 101 Reykjavik. As the movie unravels we witness the life of a middle aged professor, Jon, as he recovers from the suicide of his first wife and learns to accept a commitment to his second wife. In interview, Kormakur states that theme of the movie is the search for happiness, which is mixed with a few twists, turns and road blocks. Even against the odds, Jon finds his happiness as the audience enjoys Kormakur's sense of humor along the way. This movie offers moments of laughter but also leaves the audience guessing at what will happen next. We, as viewers, are drawn in by the music and the beautiful landscape and at the same time, put off, by suicide and debt issues that are intertwined into a cinematic masterpiece.
Nature evokes a great deal of emotion in this film and the symbolisms that accompany it are difficult to ignore. The first encounter the audience has with the drama surrounding nature is when Anna, Jon's first wife, strikes a swan with her car. We are met with the vivid image of crimson blood on white feathers. Shortly thereafter, the couple moves back to Anna's home town which is a small but charming island. Here, Anna's deep connection with nature comes alive. Though it is clear she is mentally unstable there is something charming about her devotion for nature. She tends to the sea like her garden when she creates a web of seaweed. In addition to Anna's devotion to nature, Kormakur frequently uses aerial shots of the island. Through these shots the audience is able to view the exquisite serenity of the Icelandic land.
Other themes emerge throughout the film, such as the theme of infectious mental illness. We can see Anna's mental illness and how it leaches into the lives of others. Anna forces Jon to leave his position of professor because she longs to be home. After moving back to her home island she loses trust in Jon, and any love left in their marriage slowly fades. After Anna encounters Jon during a sexual affair with a previous student, Þóra, her depression worsens and she is driven to suicide. Jon, wears the weight of her suicide around like a heavy cloak. Though, his affair did not help his wife's depression, he blames himself fully for her death and repeatedly says that he killed her. This notion that he was responsible for sucking the life from Anna, is the barrier that stand between him and his love for Þóra. This debt that he feels to his deceased wife is not relieved until he flings himself into the sea where she committed suicide. Jon's debt does not end there however.
Jon is also a debtor in the monetary sense. When Jon returns to the Iceland for his second marriage to Þóra he is sought out by his friends and family who hound him for money. We encounter his soon to be mother in law, shortly after arriving to the island. Immediately upon meeting her we can see that she is not pleased with his past actions. In fact he owes her a great deal of money for a golf course plan run amok. His mother doesn't trust his intentions with her daughter and is so hung up on his debt she can't see the devotion between Þóra and Jon. Nevertheless, this is not his only debt owed on the island. The morning of his wedding, Jon is awoken by breaking glass as golf balls are flung through his window. Börkur, an angry friend of Jon's is also here to collect a debt owed to him. From every angle, Jon is bombarded by his debts and his sins which again do not appear to be reconciled until his plunge in the ocean.
Quite possibly my favorite theme in the movie, is that of music. Music seems to permeate all areas of this film. The first experience we have with music being performed in the film is through the musical talent of Anna. Anna requests that a piano be sent to her island home. Later it is during times of turmoil that we see her passionately playing. Other characters are deeply involved in music also. Lárus, the soon to be father in law of Jon sings beautiful opera throughout the film. My favorite scene is most definitely his early morning dip where he awakens the inhabitants of the island with is booming operatic voice.
There is also a great deal of parallel between the "old" life of Jon with his deceased wife and his new life with Þóra. About half of the movie is made up of flashbacks, these flash backs are presumably the memories of Jon. At times it is difficult to differentiate between the present and the past. This is done to portray the stark difference between Anna and Þóra and the difference between past unhappiness and current happiness. This is enforced by the dreary and dark weather of past scenes compared with the bright scenes of the present. At the same time this is in contrast with the static portrayal of the island and its people. The audience can see that life for Jon changes dramatically while the small sleepy town remains consistent and folksy. This theme of rural life is a common theme in many Icelandic films.
In conclusion Kormakur puts on a great show. Though this film is not similar to his past success, 101 Reykjavik, it holds its own position in his collection of films. The message of a search for happiness is theme that most can relate with. Along with this the audience enjoys the gorgeous nature in the film and beautiful music. All elements in combination make a quite striking film.
Festen (1998)
The Celebration, Finding interest in the absurd
Pedophelia, sexual abuse, racism and ghosts are all elements interwoven in to the Danish film The Celebration. The Celebration also known by its Danish name, Festen, written by Thomas Vinterberg was my first experience with Dogma 95 style and I must say it was a very refreshing experience. Through the use of the Dogma 95 filming technique the audience is invited to participate in the festivities of a wealthy man's 60th birthday, which quickly take a turn for the worst with the airing of the family's dirty laundry. The camera angles give the film an up close and personal feel as the audience becomes a party guest. The movie was nothing less than an entertaining but perverse emotional roller-coaster ride. Through the entirety of the film we, as the audience, are forced to endure to awkward situations which are created when Thomas Vinterberg capitalizes on the eccentric. The single element of this film that had the most pervasive effect on the audience's emotional response was the filming. The film was shot using a 35mm hand held camera. All light is natural and all sound and music was present during filming. In addition Vinterberg, utilizes the close up and camera angles that beckon us in. In effect these elements bring the audience into the scene providing them with a seat at the party table. Furthermore, when parts of the film are shot in a darkly light room or a room with an odd perspective the audience finds them themselves craning their necks to get the best view. Many examples of this exist in the movie, several of which I will touch upon briefly. The darkness of the filming reflects the darkness of the themes Vinterberg portrays. The overarching theme of the film is sexual abuse. Sexual abuse took precedent when Christian, the eldest son, stands to give a birthday speech for his father. He asks the party guests to choose between two speeches he has written, one a green speech and the other a yellow speech. The chosen green speech is a shock to say the least. Christian tells of the years of sexual abuse he and his sister endured at the hands of his father. This is confounded by the additional confession that the Christian's mother was aware of and even witnessed the abuse. Christian is clearly in a state of shock brought on by the recent suicide of his twin sister, Lene, and as a result is accused of making the story up. Adding to the shock value of the film is the sexual abuse apparent within the confines of marriage. Michael, the youngest brother, demands his wife to have sex with him. Several scenes prior to Christian's exposing speech we watch as the couple engage in a verbally violent disagreement. Post-disagreement Mete reluctantly agrees to "lay with him" which in progresses into abusive intercourse. Witnessing this abuse, the audience is left to wonder if this is norm of most Danish relationships is sexual abuse, though I fear this was not Vinterberg's goal. Furthermore this element of the film kept me entranced. Although the subject matter is not lighthearted it is emotional provocative and holds the audiences interest by embracing topics that most films wouldn't dare include.
Ignoring cycles of abuse is another theme that Vinterberg exploits. Vinterberg keeps the audience engrossed in the continuous action as another theme, suppression of abuse, emerges. Initially this can be seen as Michael forcibly expels Christian from the dinner party after Christian's second attempt to unveil his father's dirty deeds. When Michael's attempts to silence Christian fail he brings him into the woods and ties him to a tree. This not only demonstrates an attempt by Michael to conceal his father's abuse but it also demonstrates his inability to control his own anger. During these scenes the audience is able to see Vinterberg's unique filming style. He uses close ups of the actors faces which increase our perception of their fear and anger. His lack of artificial lighting leaves some ambiguity as to what actually occurs in the film and makes us feel as if we are hindered by the darkness just as the actors are.
Another family secret is revealed when the unsuspecting toastmaster receives a note which Helene requests he read aloud. The note confessed to the entire dinner party that Lene took her own life as a result of the sexual abuse of her father. Though she took her own life one can rightfully say that her presence was felt through the entire film. Vinterberg revives the memory of the Lene in the most intriguing ways. At the beginning of the film the audience knows very little about the status of the Lene until, Helene is tempted into child's play with her. Through this slightly unsettling game of hid and seek Helene finds her sisters suicide note. Though it may seem to the audience that Lene has served her purpose in the film she has not. The film could not be complete without an added element of confusion when Christian, in a drunken stupor, converses with Lene in what seems to be a dream or hallucination. He is then pulled from hallucinations by the ringing of his phone. When he stands to answer the phone we find that he is lying in bed with Pia, one of the house staff and a past lover. The continued relation with Lene confuses the audience and makes thin the line between reality and spirituality.
In summary, Vinterberg proves to us that a movie can be captivating, engaging and even stunning using the bare minimum of filming resources. This film is contrary, in every way, to Hollywood films but it is still successful. Its success hinges on the realistic filming through low lighting and hand-held camera styles in addition to the connection we feel with characters and their dire situations.