Lost River (2014)

Some called Ryan Gosling’s directorial debut a self-indulgent, overly dramatic and extremely nonsensical film, but perhaps that was exactly the kind of emotions and reaction the film was supposed to invoke- to “break the spell” of this delusional distinction, or rather, the invisible Berlin wall between fantasy and reality. This is a film that cannot be taken too literally, but before I attempt to breakdown the symbolism and nuances I felt was behind each element of this piece and ruin the fun for anyone who wishes to watch it first, here’s 5 reasons why you should or should not watch it.

Watch it if you…
1) Have an appreciation for engaging films that are thought-provoking and don’t just hand you the story or answers
2) Are open to abstract symbolism and post-modernistic thought
3) Can sit through gore, blood and “artistic” violence

because…
4) It will change the way you view films and entertainment
5) It send a critical message and invokes self-reflection, blurring the boundaries of the fiction and reality

and of course do not watch it if you are against any of the above. If you do not intend to watch the film or have already done, so feel free to read on (though some parts may not make sense until you have watched it)!

——————————————–SPOILER ALERT————————————————

Lost River (2014) revolves around the lives of a single mother and her two sons, a young toddler and a teenage boy named Bones, who are just scraping by in a desolated town ran by figurative overlords.

Characters

Gosling plays with names, familiar characteristics and metaphors to make each character mean something in the larger post-modernistic (similar to the likes of A Clockwork Orange (1971)) and introspective critique on the entertainment industry.

Bones (Iain De Caestecker): A young boy fixing a broken car
I don’t think it is a coincidence that the way Iain dresses is similar to director Ryan Gosling , nor is it just the style he likes. I contend that Bones, represents Gosling himself. With him being both the mechanic in Drive (2011) and stuntman in The Place Beyond The Pines (2012), not to mention his band being named “Dead Man’s Bones” , I do feel there is a strong insinuation that Bones is meant to symbolize him. The duality of him as an entertainer in front of the camera and him in real life behind-the-scenes.

Bully (Matt Smith): The literal and figurative tyrant
Bully acts like a mafia boss, an oppressor that for some unknown and ambiguous reason has the power and control over the entire town, claiming territory, slicing off his subordinate’s lips, setting fire to houses, reigning terror on everyone. He controls no army, no wealth, no political standing or status, but for some reason he leaves everyone in fear and drives the entire town to ruin through crime, violence and arson. To me he is a metaphor for arbitrary hegemonic power and societal oppression– the strong bullying the weak. A structural system we are all too familiar with.

Rat (Saoirse Ronan): The timid girl-next-door
The girl living literally next door to Bones in a cluttered house, with her mentally ill grandmother, is the timid Rat. Her dysfunctional grandmother, who was at the heart of the flooding that left the town in this depressing state, felt like the dark secret behind the stereo-typically misjudged girl-next-door. She is the “girl-next-door” in every film- the victim of the system but also the unwilling perpetrator who set things in motion.

Billy (Christina Hendricks): The sex object
Playing on Christina Hendricks’ well-known role as Joan in Mad Men, of which she was often treated or spoken of, in a derogatory and objectified manner, Billy represents the fetishcised performer, whored out by the entertainment industry. Whether as a child-bearing mother or as an employee at the macabre fetish club, performing grotesque and outrageously realistic gore, Billy never veers far from being a sex object. She is this desperate woman, forced by circumstance to be subjected to uncomfortable treatment from an unassuming audience.

Dave (Ben Mendelsohn): The entertainment ring leader
The banker by day, club owner by night is quite literally the benefactor of this strange, twisted club. Not only does he hold the power and control in this fantasy land just like Bully, he makes use of his performers to set the stage for his own egoistic agenda. He doesn’t seem innately conniving, but in a subtle way, the sadistic theme and disturbing indulgence of the audience under his management, hints at a certain obscenity in entertainment.

Cat (Eva Mendes): Cat with nine lives
“Killed” over and over again as her “act” just like how actors “die” in their films as a performance.

How to Catch a Monster

The initial title for the film was “How to Catch a Monster”. This film is about monsters. Not just the dragon we see in the submerged theme park, not the demons that lie in the dark corners of our consciousness, not the bully on the street proclaiming dominance, not even the demented gore-fest in the club. The biggest monsters are us- just like the audience callously enjoying the simulated killing of the entertainers, we sit behind computers and theater screens, watching the latest blockbusters like SAW VII, the real-life inspired war film American Sniper, even the romantic flicks like The Fault in our Stars. Simulated violence and death drawn upon real life scenarios, as a replacement of sexual content, creating a new fetish for frivolous consumption by a hedonistic audience. Is there really this separation between fantasy and reality- between Bully’s oppression in “real life” and Dave’s suppression in the make-believe space; between Lost River’s fantasy setting and the real violence, war and crime around us? How can we laugh and treat so inconsequentially, the violence presented to us before our screens and ignore the same in real life.

We feel sickened by the imagery and the thought of these act really happening; we say it is self-indulgent for Gosling to go overboard with the gore in the club and repulsiveness of Bully’s actions; we call it fantasy. But is it really? Are we so inoculated to the simulated violence in the media that we have forgotten that true violence exists, that we should feel repulsed to heinous acts. Instead we are glorying war and killing through our never-ending demand of more violence for the sake of entertainment. We demand for actors conform to our will, to be cast into ideal personas, like a hypersexualised Ruby Sparks, just as Billy was in the locked shell, held in a reversed role as the captive audience while the consumer runs a mockery and tries to violates her.

When Bones said he wanted to “break the spell”, I believe he meant not just to break the curse of desolation in his town, but also the curse of illusion among viewers. For the figurative Ryan Gosling to “break the spell” with this film, to cut off the head of the dragon.

What’s great about this film is that its “story” is beyond the text. It continues in the real life discussions about the film in its critiques and dissections. A sign of a culturally significant film is one that can spark discussion and force introspection and self-reflection. I hope that viewers can see beyond the literal gore and contrived story of Lost River and appreciate its deeper messages (whether you agree with mine or not). Perhaps even the disapproval of his film says something about the oblivious audience.

8.5/10 (Lost River effectively connects with the audience in a disconcerting manner and provokes discussion and thought. While I enjoy analyzing the signs presented, of which may or may not be the intent of the film makers, the film is still a little raw in production quality and stylistic presentation. Even though it is aesthetically thoughtful and presented with a dramatic score, it would have been nice to see Gosling present his own style instead of sticking to those of directors he has worked with before.)

Jiro Dreams of Sushi (2011)

Always look beyond and above yourself. Always try to improve on yourself. Always strive to elevate your craft. That’s what he taught me.”- Yoshikazu Ono, Elder Son of Jiro

I finally got around to watching the highly acclaimed Jiro Dreams of Sushi (2011) by David Gelb and it was a true masterpiece not just in story by also in cinematography. In a symphony of mouthwatering, picture perfect, dramatically paced cut scenes Gelb turns the art of Sushi making into a visual feast, just as how 85 year-old three-star Michellin holder, Jiro Ono, performs his craft down to the very details of his presentation. I’m not a fan of raw sushi or seafood for that matter but the 30 000 Yen course looked stunningly irresistible.

(Image from: https://www.facebook.com/jirodreamsofsushimovie/)

Jiro is the embodiment of hard work and dedication. “Once you decide upon your occupation, you must immerse yourself in your work. You have to fall in love with your work.” Once you choose the path to take, your passion and your life should become one, you will constantly look for ways to improve yourself and your craft, to strive to learn and strive to do your best. Jiro was left to on his own since he was 9 and he had to survive by himself. He chose the occupation of being a sushi-chef, immersed himself in work for decades and now it has become his passion (he literally dreams of sushi). These days many complain how much they hate work, or how they long for breaks and holidays. Granted not everyone will have the luxury to specialize in jobs within their interests, perhaps we should learn to live with our choices and grow to appreciate them because there is always something interesting in everything.

The film isn’t just 1.5hours of sushi making. It goes beyond the actual processes of sushi-making by using it’s elements to extend to larger issues like passion, tradition, trust, succession, environmental sustainability.

You’re consuming Jiro’s philosophy with every bite”. -Masuhiro Yamamoto, Food Critic

His philosophies of Umami and only serving the best, his impeccable attention to details in a customer’s experience from seating to sushi portions, his 70 years of improvisation and dedication. Through the interviews with his sons, apprentices, dealers and the food critic, we get a glimpse of the passion that burns within this 85 year-old Shokuni, and a glimpse into Japanese culture of apprenticeship, collectivism and craftsmanship.

The Japanese word shokunin is defined by both Japanese and Japanese-English dictionaries as ‘craftsman’ or ‘artisan,’ but such a literal description does not fully express the deeper meaning.  The Japanese apprentice is taught that shokunin means not only having technical skills, but also implies an attitude and social consciousness. … The shokunin has a social obligation to work his/her best for the general welfare of the people.  This obligation is both spiritual and material, in that no matter what it is, the shokunin’s responsibility is to fulfill the requirement.” – Tasio Orate

Beautifully shot and composed, the film uses orchestral music paired with captivating slow-motions of ordinary happenings and spectacular sushi-making action to form another form of art all on its own. Turing the process into a glorious symphony of sign, sound (and taste). The alignment of meaning within Jiro’s story and the cinematographic portrayal in front of the lens adds an additional layer of appreciation and awe, for the audience, to the craft that one wouldn’t find in a normal documentary.

9/10 (Inspiring story, flawlessly matched with stunning cinematography)

Interstellar (2014)

(Image from: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0816692/)

As with most blockbusters today, movies have been relying on heavy marketing to build up hype for movies with stellar directors, star actors and high production costs. To inject that “must watch” factor into films even before their release in order to draw that much needed audience to cinemas. Can’t blame them for trying to recoup cost, but I’ve gotta say many movies these days don’t exactly live up to the hype. Not sure if Interstellar is one of them, I feel rather ambivalent about this Christopher Nolan “masterpiece”.

Interstellar (2014) is set in a dystopian future where Earth is no longer able to sustain organic life. Much like many science-fiction writers have theorized, humans will eventually be forced to leave the world we know and build new colonies in other solar systems or even galaxies. Many theories of time dilation, relativity, singularity and ideas of gravitational catapulting, wormholes as express tunnels to another space-time and dark holes as time vortexes were applied, explored and visualized in this film, which makes this a very ambitious film, yet at the same time wide open to plot holes and logic flaws.

I do see why first exposure to the science of space-time (seemingly behind Interstellar) can bring awe and amazement but what really bothers me is that Interstellar was written not to educate these people who have not been exposed to such concepts because it really failed to explain many of these theories. Instead it took them for granted and assumed the audience had some basic concept of wormholes and black holes. Yet to others who have some basic concept of relativity and the space-time fabric, I can’t imagine it being logically sound enough to be convincing.

I wouldn’t claim to be an expert or even a physicist, but with my basic knowledge of physics and space-time continuum, there were a few major loopholes and convenient plots that did ruin a big part of the “mind-bending” effect Christopher Nolan films are supposed to have. Just a disclaimer, this is all based on my understanding of and what I have learnt from basic classes. Our understanding of space and time as a collective, in itself is not yet complete and many of the popularly subscribed to theories are still theories as well.

So assuming technology has gotten so advance, for humans to be able to manufacture space equipment to withstand such insanely harsh conditions, and for space travel to be so simple and easy to maneuver,

1) The gravitational catapult would require immense amount of thrust, not to mention very long orbit

(Image from: http://www.interstellar-movie.com/news/2417)

The gravitational slingshot I believe is a real concept that has been put into practice when sending spacecrafts out to Jupiter by using energy and angular momentum from Earth. Technically the propulsion from such a maneuver would work, but we need to consider the gravitational pull working perpendicular to trust. Gargantua, being a black hole (not just a black hole but a MASSIVE one at that), would have such immense gravitational pull on any orbiting object (depending on the distance) that in order for Endurance to orbit it, it would probably take a hell lot of thrust that could not possibly be generated from those engines (even they had to harness gravitational energy itself to reach so far into space) OR an insanely long orbit to balance out the G force.

2) Scientist at NASA must be terrible at their job to not know about tidal forces

(Image from: http://epicwallpaperhd.com/interstellar-2014-sci-fi-movie-poster-wallpaper-hd-background)

Though it makes for an exciting plot point, I believe it’s rather obvious that a planet right beside such a big known black hole, in itself will not be stable for life (unless it has somehow reached a tidal lock/stable state within orbit) even if there are the necessary conditions for living in the planet’s atmosphere. Tidal forces and gravitational anomalies & disruptions from large celestial bodies like Jupiter (larger mass=larger space-time curvature=larger gravitational force) on it’s Moons surface conditions like Tidal Heating, have already been observed and cited as possible hindrance for life. It took the team a near-death experience and 23 years to figure that out.

3) Bringing the lead back to Earth just seems to unravel the entire concept of a black hole (to me at least, because god knows what a black hole is like or if they even exist)

There has been speculation that if Black Holes did exist, beyond the event horizon, the would be Spaghettification– the stretching of a 3 dimensional being. And that time will stop due to the extreme time dilation in a black hole. Since the black hole itself is undiscovered, it would give the producers space to fill in the gaps and create their version of what happens in the black hole. Ignoring the fact that he probably wouldn’t have survived in a black hole, I liked that they suggested that entering a black hole causes transcendence into the 5th dimension through Spaghettification, allowing for partial time travel, because in a black hole, time doesn’t exist, but exists all at once. However at the point that they suggested that black holes are tesseracts created by future humans to “teach” Cooper to help the “chosen one”, it just vanishes after it’s job is done and lands him right in the vicinity of the new human space-colony, it just became ludicrous. Perhaps Cooper being the ghost of Murph (while predictable) would have been more ‘romantic’ if he was lost in the black hole forever and his last message to her was the Morse Code that saved the human race.

——

The last two are more like plot holes that bugged me.

4) Dead giveaways

There were so many signs foreshadowing the trajectory of the plot. The repetition of gravity (usually people don’t associate gravity with space-time curvature!), telling you something will happen in relation to other dimensions; the idea of the mysterious “other” being this 5 dimensional beings (which means they can transverse time!); Murph’s sudden interest in her past when they introduce the “second half of the equation” being in the black hole, it’s almost like telling you Cooper will end up sacrificing himself in the black hole because it’s the only way to save humanity, in order to gather data and send it back to Murph through his “ghost” messages while in the black hole… somehow.

5) “I live and breathe in space”

This is just a random few scenes that were way to obvious faults. Ignoring the fact that they did not depressurize/preasurize and oxygenate/deoxygenate the shutter a couple of times. There were scenes in the climax where they were out of the planet’s atmosphere or at least near it’s edge, WITH THE DOOR WIDE OPEN, yet still living and breathing like he was it was preasurized. How was he so sure his head wasn’t going to explode before he executed his dramatic space-station save??

——

Not to be too hard on the film that like most films had some plot holes here and there. The ideas of space-time and other dimensions are simply too complex to be explained and properly applied in even a 3hr movie. A couple of ideas they did use well though:

1) Time dilation and Special Relativity

The aging of various astronauts at different gravity/space and time relative to each other and relative to people on Earth which made for very touching scenes of watching your children age, carry on decades without you and eventually die, while only hours have passed in your reality.

2) Black hole: Time exists all at once

This links back to the point earlier about the ending of the movie.

——

(8/10 I have to give credit for its ambition and exploration though, and well as a film, it was entertaining and sad at times. Probably just not as impressive as I thought it would be.)

For anyone interested in space-time, there are tonnes of interesting Youtube videos!

On a side note, many have raised how Interstellar is trying to raise the question of existentialism and transcendence through family, love and heroism, against the fear of death, but I feel like that seems like a common theme among so many mainstream movies that it was not an obvious enough or adequate exploration of the theme. The film tries to do too much at the same time but introducing a completely new and confusing world while trying to explore such big questions of life, death and meaning.

The Fault In Our Stars (2014)

(Image from: https://www.facebook.com/faultinourstarsmovie/)

The Fault in Our Stars (2014) promised us love and heartbreak of which it delivered, but which person with a soul wouldn’t feel sad when someone important in the show dies?? That more or less summaries this movie. They used a sure way to make people cry with little value added to the title.

The context and setting for the movie had so much potential for greater life philosophies which the film did try to deliver but sadly fell short, but to be fair, the movie wasn’t all bad. Lets break this down.

I loved the setup and characters, namely Hazel (played by the talented Shailene Woodley), a clever teenager with cancer, wise beyond her years. I guess living knowing that you are slowly dying does make someone reflect more deeply about life… She and Augustus/Gus have numerous meaningful and intellectual conversations throughout the film which we will get to later but to talk more about Gus, the guy has seriously confusing character development. He comes off as a pretentious and cocky (or I guess you can see it as courageous and staying strong through his predicament), much like a careless jock but at times he speaks carefully crafted and thoughtful words of wisdom, which makes it unbelievable and slightly conflicting in my opinion.

What I loved most was the beautifully crafted script with numerous quotable moments about life (and if you know me, I live by quotes), which not surprisingly have been turned into Tumblr-ish inspirational quotes. Here are some of my favourite quotes/moments:

 “So Zeno is most famous for his tortoise paradox. Let us imagine that you are in a race with a tortoise. The tortoise has a ten-yard head start. In the time it takes you to run that ten yards, the tortoise has moved one yard. And then in the time it takes you to make up that distance, the tortoise goes a bit farther, and so on forever. You are faster than the tortoise but you can never catch him; you can only decrease his lead. Of course, you just run past the tortoise without contemplating the mechanics involved, but the question of how you are able to do this turns out to be incredibly complicated, and no one really solved it until Cantor showed us that some infinities are bigger than other infinities” -Van Houten

To be very honest that scene was a little annoying to me because Van Houten was obviously trying to answer her questions in a metaphoric/analogical way and that Anne was a tragic topic for him but as clever as she was supposed to be she just threw a childish temper tantrum and stormed out. To the people quoting “Some infinities are bigger than other infinities”, credits really go to Van Houten instead of Hazel.

“I’m in love with you, and I’m not in the business of denying myself the simple pleasure of saying true things. I’m in love with you, and I know that love is just a shout into the void, and that oblivion is inevitable, and that we’re all doomed and that there will come a day when all our labor has been returned to dust, and I know the sun will swallow the only earth we’ll ever have, and I am in love with you.” -Augustus Walter

This is one of those moments I described earlier which confuses you about Augustus. I feel like someone who can string words so beautifully together for his confession doesn’t quite fit Augustus’ profile.

“At such moments I don’t think about all the misery, but about the beauty that still remains. This is where Mother and I differ greatly. Her advice in the face of melancholy is: ‘Think about all the suffering in the world and be thankful you’re not part of it. My advice is: ‘Go outside, to the country, enjoy the sun and all nature has to offer. Go outside and try to recapture the happiness within yourself; think of all the beauty in yourself and in everything around you and be happy” -Anne Frank, The Diary of a Young Girl

I’m not quite sure if the whole excerpt from Anne Frank’s diary is in the movie, but I vaguely remember this being the last voice over before the mush debated kiss. I do agree that tho the Anne Frank house is a solemn place (though I have never been there), but I think it also celebrates the courage of Anne and her positive outlook despite her circumstances which I believe inspired Hazel to take the leap of faith.

However, though these moments were perfectly crafted in speech (mainly from the books), the delivery was hasty and seemingly randomly with little emphasis on any of these key life lessons. Perhaps it was the nature of the medium, there was little time to adequately digest and understand these inspiring quotes and reflect upon them like you can with a book. This flaw in plot is prevalent throughout the entire film where the key events were messy and random. As though they just threw in all sorts of possible unbelievably lucky or terrible events at the couple of which mostly don’t quite fit logically. The day to day interaction on the other hand was well scripted with funny lines and emotional scenes but the overall plot was still a mess.

The film is about living through tough times and seeing the beauty in it. With stars, young love and inspirational dialogue I would expect better and stronger visuals, yet the only artful visuals we got were during the dinner scene and at the end (kinda?). Even the publicity visuals on their Facebook page are nicer than what we got on screen.

(Image from: https://www.facebook.com/faultinourstarsmovie/)

On the contrary, I do think that the soundtrack was wonderful and apt with some of my favourite indie songs like All Of The Stars by Ed Sheeran, All I want by Kodaline and Long Way Down by Tom Odell.

7.5/10 (Overall touching and sort of inspiring but incoherent in plot. Though you’ll probably be better off reading the book if you want life inspiration)

Accepted (2006)

With the knowledge we gain in breakthroughs in each generation, intelligence has somehow taught us to be less wise. These days smart phones are smart and people are dumb. We have gotten lazy and complacent, everything can be found at the tip of our fingers yet people don’t bother looking. The easiest excuse out of anything is “I don’t know how to do it” yet in this day and age how can anyone say they don’t know how to do something when everything can be learnt online.

(Image from http://www.impawards.com/2006/accepted_ver2.html)

Accepted is a movie about a bunch of college rejects that start a “sham” college to please their parents but in the end they learn the real value of education- to excite and enthuse students to learn more about and pursue their passions. This movie is a cheesy comedy that plays on all the stereotypes possible in an American college experience but as typical as the plot device is, it is obnoxiously true and glaringly relatabe. I do not speak for an American college but I can relate to the overall theme of this movie which is the youthful pursuit of dreams. College is the point of our lives when we are not only opened up to the world or as Dean Lewis puts it “the beginning of your disorientation”, but also where we decide the course of our future.

In the movie it is obvious that the main attendees of South Harmon Institute of Technology are college reject and misfits which reminds me a lot of the less “respected” schools we have here. The ones that make it into college are the ones who follow the safe path to their future desk job and give up their dreams. Yet to the rejects, it seems their only choice is to pursue their dreams and they have nothing to loose. It is quite twisted if you look at it. Society has brought us to a point where the people who are endowed with more choices end up choosing a choice they usually like least (and join in the robotic workforce) and those left with no choice are the only ones who are the only ones who dare to step out and pursue these dreams.

There are consequences of stepping out, not just socially but also economically and psychologically and I would say this is a life choice. Live mediocre and safe or risk and live life to the fullest. It is a tough choice indeed…

This is not so much a film review as it is a reflection or rant (as some people may think of it). There isn’t much fancy filming techniques or plot devices. Just a simple comedy, plain story but resounding message. We have all known it all along but things never really change.

6.5/10 (An average film, quite funny at times with satire jokes)

Tom à la ferme (2013)

(Image from: http://www.thefilmchair.com/wordpress/index.php/2013/07/26/first-look-xavier-dolans-tom-at-the-farm-image-and-poster/)

The best way to categorise Tom at the Farm is to call it a a psychologically thriller yet I find that it is more of a “psychotic-character movie” than a full on mind-numbing psychological thriller. It revolves around the story of the homosexual lead character Tom played by the brilliant 25-year-old actor-director Xavier Dolan himself. This is my first Dolan film (which I actually chanced upon) and I must say I am quite impressed with the unique style and pacing of his film (not to mention despite his distraught blonde look in the film he actually looks quite charming off screen).

(Screenshot from I Killed My Mother (2009) from http://anamorphosis-and-isolate.tumblr.com/post/83430175730/we-should-be-able-to-kill-ourselves-in-our)

The movie is disorientating and slightly confusing at times because things are not explicitly spelt out for the audience, but that is what I appreciate about this film- the fact that it gives us glimpses of each character and what is going on through pure acting and the little details. It shows us just enough in a very non-intrusive filming style to let the audience deduce what is happening because in like real life, the answers in a story are just not that obviously stated.

So here’s my take on the plot. In the beginning it wasn’t clear what was going on at all with Tom walking around the farm with ominous music playing but as it develops, we slowly realise, though not explicitly stated, that Tom is gay and was visiting the family of his boyfriend for his funeral. This was conveyed through the emotions and actions of Tom in the sequence and the reaction of Francis, his boyfriend’s brother. Francis terrorises Tom emotionally and psychologically exerting all his anger regarding the story he had concocted about his brother’s fake girlfriend, yet at times he is affectionate and cares for Tom like he loves him, probably as a surrogate for his dead brother.

(Image from https://www.facebook.com/TomAtTheFarmUK/)

Francis’ character is left ambiguous for a purpose. On one hand we are not entirely sure if he is a homophobic jock, or if he is secretly homosexual but acts homophobic. On the other, he beats Tom and chases him around with an excuse of pleasing his mother (but in actual fact I believe he has a mummy complex and feels lonely), yet seems to have a disturbing reliance on Tom, sabotaging his car so he cannot leave and becomes extremely distraught when he manages to escape. When Francis grabs Tom, I get the feeling that he was going either choke him to death or kiss him at any time, and that was the chemistry between the actors that made the psychopathic relationship so realistic and intriguing. I guess the theme of homosexuality was one that resonated with Dolan thus adding his own deep set emotions into the film really created a layer of authenticity to the characters.

Eventually Tom develops a slight Stockholm Syndrome where he feels a part of the family and refuses to leave with Sarah. Tom himself is lost and wants to stay as close to the memory of his lover as possible but he is reminded of his imminent harm if he were to stay with the bully he had come to depend on. He decides to make a run for it with a shovel and on the way out he crosses path with the other gay guy that over-protective Francis had disfigured for dancing with his brother and we catch a slight glimpse of his scar and are reminded of what a psychopath Francis really is (I was starting to feel sympathetic towards him towards the end).

(Image from https://www.facebook.com/TomAtTheFarmUK/)

The acting is superb and filming suspenseful. I loved punchy and grainy imagery together with aesthetically pleasing framing that puts the audience in a very unique and sort of “first person” point of view.

The only thing that didn’t sit quite well with me was the music. Perhaps it was deliberate overplay to add drama and suspense to the thriller, but it felt a unnecessary and too exaggerated at times especially in the opening farm scene and Tom’s escape scene. The story line itself does not support such an epic soundtrack in my opinion but it does perhaps help to express the emotional turmoil Tom is going through or could be going through.

Overall I am quite impressed at Xavier Dolan’s piece. It does feel like an “everyday life” kind if story that is well supported with believable characters and well directed scenes that highlight both the beauty and the disturbing darkness of the story.

8/10 (Commendable effort, unique directing, interesting story but lacks a tad in flare and excitement)

Blue Valentine (2010)

Cannes Film Festival announced its official selection last Thursday with an exciting directorial debut by Ryan Gosling (OMG) in the Un Certain Regard section. In the meanwhile, I have been re-watching Ryan’s awesome films.

(Image from www.bluevalentinemovie.com)

 Blue Valentine is a story of boy meets girl and they get married, but it is not your usual love story. This movie is well known for it’s stellar performances by Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams directed by Derek Cianfrance who also more recently directed The Place Beyond the Pines together with Ryan which is one of my favorite movies.

Blue is the colour of the sky- the cool, calm, unfeeling sky. Which is exactly what this story is about. With Ryan’s characters, there always seems to be a continuity, a part of him that is injected to each role and that adds a raw connection that grows on viewers towards him and his fictional yet realistic characters. So to me Blue Valentine felt like an anti-thesis of The Notebook where the couple grows old and live a long happy life together. The shaky camera scenes, long shots of raw and emotional acting, the free un-directed documentation of the dynamics between Ryan and Michelle (the style also seen in The Place Beyond The Pines) reflected the reality of the issue- love beyond marriage.

The movie is divided into sections with each section set in the present “troubled marriage” phase, relating back to a past memory of when Dean and Cindy were so passionately in love synchronously and meaningfully. The narrative was carefully crafted to not only link back in order from their first encounter till their marriage, but also fill in the gaps of the situation and the psyche of both characters. Through the brilliantly crafted narrative, we can see the insecurities and deep inner thoughts of both characters as they grow and how these issues come to become problems in their marriage as the story develops. His burden of coming from a divorced family, his insecurities about not being good enough for her; her fears of a intact yet dysfunction family, her regrets of giving up both their futures being a teen mum. These burdens weigh down on their marriage as they try to keep the family together yet always falling short.

The short scenes of happiness contrasted with the outbursts of intolerance brings us through an emotional roller-coaster, with acting so raw that really makes us stop to ponder about our future (or current) relationship. What Cindy’s gramma said was true “be careful who you fall in love with” because love can only bring you so far. You can have a passionate love for someone like with Dean and Cindy or Noah and Allie but in the long run, you have to be willing to work for and with that someone, “for better or for worse”. Yet at the same time, most of us know that but when it comes down to it, we let emotions and weariness get the better of us. Having said that, failure as an end result shouldn’t become a self fulfilling prophecy as Cindy had done. The fact that Dean walked away was refreshingly real yet heart-breaking (if that makes sense).

“You gotta be careful with that. You gotta be careful with the person you fall in love is worth it… to you.”- Gramma

The flawless narrative and immersive acting and directing style is what I really loved most about this film (and The Place Beyond The Pines). This movie challenges the notion of love with the real life challenges that resonates deeply with everyone’s experience. Everyone’s takeaway from this movie would be unique. Even if you watch it the second time like I did, you would learn different things and relate in different ways. That is the essence of a timeless movie I guess.

9/10 (Seamless performance but I’m a little sick of love stories)