Pod Mocnym Aniolem (2014)

Directed by: Wojciech Smarzowski
Country: Poland

Movie Review: The films from Polish filmmaker Wojciech Smarzowski are always interesting to follow, no matter what theme he chooses – whether the dark crime thriller of “The Dark House”, the humorous drama of “The Wedding”, the coldness of war in “Rose”, or the severe accusations of corruption and power abuse made by Polish police in “Traffic Department” – each of them had something valuable to say in its harshness and objective rawness. “Pod Mocnym Aniolem” (translated “The Mighty Angel”) is another powerful drama focused on alcoholism and based on Jerzy Pilch’s successful fourth novel with the same title. The film follows Jerzy (Robert Wieckiewicz), an intelligent and talented writer who can’t keep off from the bottles of vodka, even doing frequent treatments in a rehabilitation house and attending group sessions. Evincing a corrosive sense of humor, his denial takes him to a cynicism and to a spiral of degradation that not even the woman of his life is capable to bear. He wanders and writes in a sort of limbo state where reality and imagination interweave. We are taken through the stories told by other alcoholics, but also to Jerzy’s memories of his drunken father. Horrible images haunt us, depicting embarrassing situations, deliriums, vomiting, and crazy hangovers. It’s a sad film, about suffering, about loss, about fate… Its finale is simply devastating, even cruel. I was touched in two ways – one given the last hope sought by Jerzy, and the other through the creepy loneliness that can ruin everything again. Although with a slow-burning start, “Pod Mocnym Aniolem” won me over.

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Starred Up (2013)

Directed by: David Mackenzie
Country: UK

Movie Review: “Starred Up” depicts a violent action-drama focused on a father-son relationship, with the particularity of being depicted inside a prison. When the super-violent Eric Love (Jack O’Conell) of 19 years old is transferred from a young offended institution to an adult prison, he bumps into his long-lost father, Neville (Ben Mendelsohn), a respected veteran convict who, despite estranged, tries to protect his son from the other inmates. The problem is aggravated when the hostilities come from the responsible for the security of the facility. After an accident, the untamed Eric will be given one last chance, having to behave correctly and attend a group therapy lead by the psychotherapist Oliver Baumer (Rupert Friend) in order to learn how to control his raging anger. After being informed that Eric is marked by trauma and abuse, his father will try to join him in the sessions. Jack O’Connell’s performance was tightly convincing, in an explosive mix of madness and fury, and one of his best so far, making “Starred Up”, directed by the English filmmaker David Mackenzie (“Young Adam”, “Perfect Sense”), more than just an ordinary prison drama. The story never loses grip, and in any occasion slows down. Even when the quietude reigns, we have the perfect sensation that someone is up to something, and most of the times we think it might be the unpredictable Eric himself. The script was written by Jonathan Asser, based on his real experiences with the most fearful inmates of the HM Prison Wandsworth, located in the Southwest London.

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Jodorowsky's Dune (2013)

Directed by: Frank Pavich
Country: USA / France

Movie Review: Frank Pavich’s fantastic sophomore documentary, “Jodorowsky’s Dune”, is about an adaptation of Frank Herbert’s “Dune”, considered the philosophical bible of science fiction, made by the creative mind of the filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky, known in the avant-garde cinema for movies such as “Fando and Lis”, “The Holy Mountain”, “El Topo”, “Santa Sangre”, and more recently by his autobiographical “Dance of Reality”. Although described as a potential masterpiece by all the interveners, the film was never made due to lack of funding. Jodorowsky tells us about his huge passion and ambition for doing this movie, adapted to the cinema only once by David Lynch in 1984, with production of Raffaella de Laurentis and her father Dino de Laurentis as executive. A painful blow for Jodorowsky who had reunited a great team (later participants in “Alien”) of talented believers, including producer Michel Seydoux, designers H.R.Giger, Chris Foss and Jean ‘Moebius’ Giraud, Dan O’Bannon for special effects, and an honorable cast composed by Orson Welles, David Carradine, Salvador Dali, and Mick Jagger. We learned how Jodorowsky approached them one by one, and how he discarded the visual effects' pioneer Douglas Turnbull, famous at the time for having worked in Kubrick’s “2001”, for being more technical than spiritual. The music would be created by Pink Floyd (one of my favorite rock bands) and Magma. What this documentary did to me was to increase my appetite for watching an undone film, and appreciate even more Jodorowsky for his art and principles.

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Jack Strong (2014)

Directed by: Wladyslaw Pasikowski
Country: Poland

Movie Review: With “Jack Strong”, writer/director Wladyslaw Pasikowski provides us with a thrilling espionage film based on the real story of Polish Colonel Ryszard Kuklinski who got known as one of the most important spies for CIA in the midst of Cold War tensions. Disillusioned with the Soviet domination and the loss of identity of his own country, Kuklinski decides to risk his life and his family’s by revealing important secrets of state, including secret nuclear operations. Using the code name ‘Jack Strong’ to communicate with the ‘enemy’, Kuklinski ended up awarded by President Carter for his glorious yet risky contribution. The story is told in flashbacks and was suspenseful enough to get me seated without move for more than two hours. Expect a constant asphyxiating atmosphere, tense score, and strong performances by the magnificent cast, which strengthened even more a well-connected story and its intriguing characters. With all these positive aspects we also have a fantastic car chase, one of the most spectacular scenes of this political thriller, along with a fulminant, bitter ending that left me perplexed. Shot with rigor and set up in an attractive old-fashioned way, Pasikowski proves that Polish cinema still has something valuable to give, even if in most of the cases, is invariably centered in WWII. If “Aftermath”, his previous film, was a disappointment, “Jack Strong” comes as an impressive feature and is solidly recommended.

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Han Gong-ju (2013)

Directed by: Lee Su-jin
Country: South Korea

Movie Review: Lee Su-jin's fantastic directorial debut, “Han Gong-ju”, is a poignant drama whose title was taken from the name of its main character, a teenager girl who is transferred to a new school, trying to adapt to a new life. Isolated and quiet, Gong-ju is visibly tormented with something that we aren’t able to perceive at first. Little by little, and in an intelligent way, the story is unfolded and shocking revelations finally makes us understand the reasons behind the young girl’s detachment. Completely abandoned by a drunken father and a freshly married mother, Gong-ju was raped by a gang of kids whose parents have social influence, only trusting in a former teacher who tried to help her the best way he could. Her talent for music was noticed by some new colleagues who gave her a boost, trying to get closer, but will Gong-ju be capable to forget her past and freely accept her gift? A demanding narrative structure didn’t frighten the newcomer director whose work was noteworthy, collecting prizes in festivals such as Pusan, Rotterdam, Deauville, Marrakech and Fribourg. Chun Woo-hee’s second performance in a feature film, after her appearance in Bong Joon-ho’s “Mother”, was also accurate and convincing. This is a sad, unsettling film that requires a deep reflection after observing its atrocious scenes. It might not be an easy watching story but a hint of hope allows us to breathe at the end, in a drama where a new writer/director emerged to be considered a valid one in the modern Korean cinema.

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Tattoo (2013)

Directed by: Hilton Lacerda
Country: Brazil

Movie Review: Love is free and censorship is severe in “Tattoo” aka "Tatuagem", writer-director Hilton Lacerda’s debut fictional feature film. Set in Pernambuco, Recife, in the well defined political context of 1978, the film starts to introduce us with ‘Chão de Estrelas’, a cabaret and night club where theater, poems, dance, and music in the forms of traditional fanfares, samba and Brazilian popular music, compose the subversive enjoyment and freedom of expression censored by a feared military dictatorship. Cléssio is the choreographer of the show and also performer, while Paulete is the real star of the company, an expressive exhibitionist who gets jealous when his sister’s boyfriend, an 18-year-old soldier, gets involved in a torrid gay romance with Clécio. The latter manages to bring all the crew of the show to live in a big house, in a sort of commune, including his partner Deusa and their son, Tuca. The film, in all its libertinism, is based on jealousy and unstable relationships, at the same time that tries to get a hand on the political situation and the repression lived at the time, an aspect that was not so well accomplished. A restless camera moves from one side to the other, capturing the visual richness and warm colors of the places, in a direction and sound design that were a sight for sore eyes. “Tattoo” counts with impeccable performances by Irandhir Santos, Rodrigo Garcia and Jesuita Barbosa, mixing moments of seriousness, flamboyance, anarchy, and humor. The film achieved local success at Rio de Janeiro, Gramado and São Paulo film festivals.

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Palo Alto (2013)

Directed by: Gia Coppola
Country: USA

Movie Review: “Palo Alto” is a self-confident debut feature on writing/direction for Francis Ford Coppola’s granddaughter, Gia Coppola, based on the short stories by James Franco, who also stars in the film. It addresses juvenile problems both with clarity and charm, focusing on a few interesting characters who are ready to experiencing whatever life may throw at them, and finally decide what path they want to go. April is a sweet girl who has a crush for Terry but let herself be trapped by her deceitful soccer coach. Terry is also in love with April, but during a night drinking party he screwed up his chances with her, when drunk, he allowed himself to be grabbed by Emily, a lonely girl who just wants to fall in love with someone and is always available for every boy around. Finally, Terry’s best friend, Fred, is an insane misfit who no one gives credit, bringing trouble everywhere he goes. There’s so much going on in this well-observed drama that I almost didn’t notice the time passing. From start to finish, I was taken by the powerful subtleness of its exposures, and was amazed by the perfect light and color of Autumn Durald’s cinematography. In spite of its dreamy tones, “Palo Alto” is far from a sweet look at teenage conducts, giving us enough motives to appreciate but also to think about it. Above all, it’s a film about choices and even if not entirely new, in my eyes it seemed pretty fresh. Emma Roberts, Nat Wolff and Val Kilmer’s son, Jack Kilmer, gave noteworthy performances.

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Stand Clear of the Closing Doors (2013)

Directed by: Sam Fleischner
Country: USA

Movie Review: “Stand Clear of the Closing Doors” is one of the most compelling dramas recently released in the US, depicting the perilous adventure of Ricky, an autistic young boy who gets trapped in the huge New York City subway system. Ricky lives in Queens with his undocumented immigrant mother, Mariana, and his older sister, Carla. His father is absent working upstate and Mariana has to manage everything by herself. She is perfectly aware of her son’s special needs but even though she tries by all means that he remains in public school. Certain day, the reckless Carla decides to wander with her best friend Sara after school, leaving Ricky by himself. Disoriented, he will spend a few days lost in the dark labyrinthine underground, managing to eat, drink, sleep and relieve himself, even if not always in a conscious or planned way. At home, the helpless Mariana alternates between despair and hope, while Carla slowly seems to gain some conscience of her actions. Capturing the multicultural diversity of the big city through an often-blurry lens of autumnal pale grey tones, confident director Sam Fleischner, who also shares a career as cinematographer, was able to put up more tension than a large number of horror movies and create genuine dramatic moments without overdoing them. The simple yet sensational script was co-written by the habitual sound mixer, Micah Bloomberg, along with Rose Lichter-Marck. Debutant trio of main actors did a wonderful job, in a film that won’t be easily forgotten, also working as a call of attention for those who look without seeing.

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Tracks (2013)

Directed by: John Curran
Country: Australia

Movie Review: The always-interesting Australian filmmaker, John Curran (“Praise”, “The Painted Veil”), returns with “Tracks”, a biographical drama set in warm colors and inspired on Robyn Davidson’s memoir of her 1700 miles journey across the Australian desert towards the Indian ocean. Mia Wasikowska very consciously incorporates the lonely adventurer, who travelled in the company of four camels and her inseparable dog. Inspired by her deceased father, Robyn started planning the trip in 1975, moving to Alice Springs to learn survival techniques in the desert and how to work with camels. In 1977, with the sponsor of National Geographic Magazine, she initiates the trip, occasionally followed by the talkative photographer Rick Smolan (Adam Driver), assigned to cover the adventure. She seemed disturbed with his presence but despite of her natural detachment, showed not to be restrained when the need of human contact knocked at the door. Her anti-social character was simply a shield of protection (she often recalls childhood), and she eventually admits she’s lonely and suffering because of that. Along the trip, the help from some locals will be precious, but Robyn will have to face both good and bad experiences on her own. The pacific, relaxed atmosphere is broken with brief moments of tension, so crucial to keep the viewer’s interest alive. Curran’s secret for success was merely reporting the facts, using its natural joys and sadness, confidence and doubts, without the usual stratagems to impress. Even the romance seemed authentic and sober, while the finale became very refreshing in every sense.

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The Golden Dream (2013)

Directed by: Diego Quemada-Diez
Country: Guatemala / others

Movie Review: The first feature film by Spanish director Diego Quemada-Diez, “The Golden Dream”, follows the same lines adopted by Cary Fukunaga’s “Sin Nombre”, becoming less stereotyped and considerably more appealing than that one. The film centers in three Guatemalan adolescent friends who join efforts and embark in a perilous illegal journey on train, and later on foot, towards the US border. Juan, Sara and Samuel leave their slums, just to be busted and robbed by Mexican migration forces. Sent to the point of departure, Samuel decides to stay, but Juan and Sara, well accompanied by a loyal Indian boy called Chauk, decide to try again. There’s some crispation between the two male protagonists, once they dispute Sara who travels disguised of a boy. Along the way, a lot of misery is seen - human trafficking, exploitation, and kidnaps for ransoms are a constant danger. The destinies of each one of them will differ but even those who make it through the border, attaining the so expected golden dream, aren’t free from disillusion. The solid camera work wasn’t a surprise, since Quemada-Diez is a former camera operator; the real surprise came from the incredible performances by the young actors, all of them non-professional, and worthy of the A Certain Talent prize for the ensemble at Cannes. Apart from the authenticity felt, “The Golden Dream” better achievement was to expose a powerful sad story without resorting to sentimentality. A great debut by a newcomer director/writer from whom we expect awesome things in the future.

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Chinese Puzzle (2013)

Directed by: Cedric Klapisch
Country: France / USA / Belgium

Movie Review: The adventures of Xavier Rousseau are best than ever in the bilingual “Chinese Puzzle”, this time with New York as background, after the two previous European stories, “L’auberge Espagnole” and “Russian Dolls”. The film, directed by a more mature Cedric Klapisch, stars Romain Duris as Xavier, a French writer in his 40’s, struggling to finish his novel in New York City, where he moved to be near his children. Xavier explains that life for most of the people resumes to move from point A to point B. But not for him who always has a problem with point B. In truth, Xavier life is a big confusion – he is in bad terms with the mother of his children; agrees to give a son to a lesbian friend who also moved to NY; is having a case with Martine - a French friend who speaks Chinese fluently and keeps visiting; and prepared a fake marriage with an American-Chinese woman in order to live legally in the US. Beyond that, he’s freaking out to find an apartment (all of them with crazy rents and tiny spaces) and a job that pays under the table, while dealing with the bureaucratic American lawyers and immigration services. Capturing so well the urban life of Manhattan and Brooklyn, this modern romantic drama puts us in face of the complex reality of human relationships, only interrupted by the imaginary visits from philosophers Schopenhauer and Hegel. Eventful, agitated and graciously funny, the American/French “Chinese Puzzle” is much recommended.

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Still Life (2013)

Directed by: Uberto Pasolini
Country: UK / Italy

Movie Review: “Still Life” works as a poignant drama and black comedy, consisting in the sophomore feature film from Italian-born, British-based director, writer, producer, and former investment banker, Uberto Pasolini. The story focuses on John May, magnificently performed by Eddie Marsan, a council caseworker who tries to find the absent relatives of recently deceased lonely people, trying to persuade them to attend the funeral. Oftentimes, John is the unique presence in those funerals and that certainly makes him feel terrible and frustrated. Although very tidy, obsessive, and meticulous in his work, John receives order to leave the premises for good due to department reorganization, after 22 years in service. But not without finishing his last case concerning Billy Stoke, an isolated man with a violent past, who lost contact with his daughter that no one knew about. To satisfy his own curiosity, John starts gathering the maximum info by meeting Stoke’s relatives and acquaintances in person. Marsan was simply brilliant; his presence and expressions (like when he was absorbed in old photo albums) stick to our heads for a long time after the film is over. After all, the morbid yet good-hearted John himself, is also looking for a meaning in his solitary life. “Still Life” is a grey, gloomy, and fatalist film in every sense, but nonetheless rewards us deeply in the end. With four distinguished prizes at Venice, Pasolini, with a classy direction, seems condemned to a big career.

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Blue Ruin (2013)

Directed by: Jeremy Saulnier
Country: USA

Movie Review: “Blue Ruin” is an absorbing American indie thriller, directed by Jeremy Saulnier (also screenwriter and cinematographer), which depicts a sequence of unstoppable revenges involving two families. Homeless Dwight (Macon Blair) roams the streets with his long hair and beard, taking every opportunity to break into some house to have a bath. All he possesses is an old car and the clothes he’s wearing. When informed by the police that Wade Cleland is about to be released from prison, Dwight’s eyes became wide open and his hands started shaking with rage. Supposedly, Wade murdered Dwight’s parents and now will have to suffer the consequences. Highly determined but inexperienced in the act of killing, Dwight fulfills his purpose but leaves a track behind – he forgot his car keys in the local of the crime. In the next step, the hunter becomes hunted by Wade’s siblings, doing everything he can to protect himself and his sister, and asking for the help of an old friend who is an expert in guns. Some scenes contain explicit violence but the film doesn’t rely on these particular moments to impress, since the story is involving and the motives that led to this situation put us in a state of curiosity and anxiety, without ever losing grip on visuals or atmosphere. Blair’s performance had something that captivated me, in one hand he shows to be a merciless punisher, but on the other, he tries to find reasons not to continue killing. “Blue Ruin” can figure among other recent, competent thrillers, such as “Blue Caprice” or “Joe”.

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The Missing Picture (2013)

Directed by: Rithy Panh
Country: Cambodia / France

Movie Review: Cambodian filmmaker Rithy Panh exposes once again the atrocities and terrifying atmosphere imposed by the authoritarian communist regime Khmer Rouge, led by Pol Pot, between 1975 and 1979 in Cambodia. Looking in vain for a missing photograph taken in that time by Khmer Rouge, evincing mass murder, Panh resolves to narrate his own story, at the same time that recreates in an artsy way – through scenarios composed by clay dolls and the use of new and old footage - the impure and corrupt environment of Phnom Penh, where poor common people, capitalists, and intellectuals were eradicated and destroyed. The film starts with a big close-up of Panh’s hands carving clay to shape a little figure that symbolizes his father, a dignified man who starved to death as protest against the inhuman conditions lived in those killing fields. The scene then shifts to footage where we can see children submitted to forced labor, sick people who lost their dignitiy, and deep misery in every sense. The creative scenarios mingled with harrowing images of a sad reality, left me with an unexplainable sensation – almost like hypnotized by the narrator’s melancholic voice, absorbed by Panh’s beautiful creativity, and furious with what these innocent people had to suffer. Not so blunt or striking as the ‘Indonesian’ “The Act of Killing”, “The Missing Picture” shows personal sensibility and grief. Rithy Panh showed to be confident behind the camera and his panning shots prove what he wanted to: ‘a picture can be stolen but a thought cannot’.

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Joe (2013)

Directed by: David Gordon Green
Country: USA

Movie Review: “Joe”, David Gordon Green’s so much expected feature after the acceptable remake of Icelandic “Either Way” under the title “Prince Avalanche”, is a pungent Southerner drama and thriller, featuring Nicolas Cage, Gary Poulter, and the young Tye Sheridan in the main roles. Joe (Cage) is a problematic lone wolf and ex-con, who decides to hire 15-year-old Gary (Sheridan), for a job that consists in clearing the backwoods by poisoning sick trees in order to make room for more suitable species. Joe naturally becomes Gary’s protector when he realizes the difficulties he has to keep out his mother and dumb sister from the multiple abuses perpetrated by his drunk, slacker, and malicious father (Poulter), known as G-Daawg. Joe also has his own problems, haunted by his past and emotionally smashed by a depressive and often turbulent day-to-day. He’s constantly confronted by the police and stalked by Willie-Russell, a coward but dangerous psycho who’s looking for revenge regarding a past brawl. Gordon Green created tension everywhere through a very personal and commendable direction, enhanced by the somber cinematography by Tim Orr and the truly creepy score by the duo David Wingo/Jeff McIlwain. Nicolas Cage had a fantastic performance as a disreputable man who tries to make the right thing, but for me Gary Poulter exceeded the expectations as the perfect representation of vileness. The taciturn and intriguing “Joe”, shall please both art-house and commercial audiences.

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The Auction (2013)

Directed by: Sébastien Pilote
Country: Canada

Movie Review: Sébastien Pilote’s sophomore feature, “The Auction”, is a compelling Canadian drama starring Gabriel Arcand in the role of an aging, dedicated farmer. Gaby Gagnon lives alone in his countryside farm after his wife has left him 20 years ago to go live in the city. A few years later his two daughters, Marie and Fréderique, also left home in order to live their own lives. Fréderique, with an emerging career in the theater, never shows up or give signs of wanting to be with the family, while Marie is expected soon with her two children and husband. Arriving just with the kids, Marie confesses she is divorcing and needs urgent money to keep the house. Gaby promises to help her out, but the bank refuses the loan he asked for, leaving him with the unique and toughest solution in hands: sell the farm in the local auction. Pacific and contemplative in style, yet profound in dramatic terms, the film evinced emotional insight and a true sense of family and friendship that define completely the main character. In this story of sacrifice and guilt, Gaby’s silent affliction was quite painful and his determination will be tested through his neighbor friends, who got very sad with his departure, or his opponent brothers who wanted a share from the farm’s sale. It’s a bittersweet tale that confronts the happiness of a conscious father (even knowing that his daughter is taking advantage of him) and the extreme sadness of an innate farmer. “The Auction” is a mature and tender drama that moves in crescendo, deserving to be seen.

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For Those in Peril (2013)

Directed by: Paul Wright
Country: UK

Movie Review: From Scotland, arrives another valuable drama that starts with an impressive chilling mood accompanied by tenebrous images of an agitated sea. Aaron (George MacKay) is the only survivor of an unexplained boat accident that victimized his older brother and four other young men from his small fishing village. In a state of shock and without recalling what happened in that fatidic day at sea, Aaron keeps looking for his brother, being blamed by the superstitious villagers and getting more and more isolated in his own tortuous thoughts and deliriums. I felt sorry for the hopeless Aaron, realizing that sooner or later, the tiredness of body and mind he is subjected to, might end in another tragedy. Scenes of the brothers’ childhood are depicted under the form of ghostly flashbacks, helping to frame a chant of despair and loneliness that brings us a very sad awareness of loss. Erik Enocksson’s score was fundamental to create the low-spirited and fearsome atmosphere chosen by newcomer Paul Wright whose writing/direction was simply triumphant. George MacKay and Kate Dickie’s performances were worthy and co-responsible for turning “For Those in Peril” in a creepy experience. The surreal finale, recalling “The Tree of Life” or “Werckmeister Harmonies”, can be a letdown for many, but didn’t affect the pleasure of watching its enthralling images, or the curiosity of following Aaron’s somber mind.

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The Meteor (2013)

Directed by: François Delisle
Country: Canada

Movie Review: “The Meteor” is a Canadian dialogue-free drama that uses solely voice-overs to express the thoughts and feelings of its characters, all part of the same broken family. Like reading a book with melancholic images passing in front of our eyes, François Delisle’s fifth feature succeeds in its elegiac tones by creating a whole story without interaction. 40 year-old Pierre is arrested and condemned to 14 years in prison for the murder of a woman, in a desperate act related with drugs. This fact motivated a great shake and suffering in his direct relatives, including his father who died shortly after. His old and tired mother, in turn, recalls the happy childhood of his son, while prepare herself for another visit to prison, the only occasion that her lone son get out of his cell. Death frequently comes to her head, boosted by the news of her older sister’s cancer, and with a sad assurance that she won’t be with her son again in the outside world. Pierre’s ex-wife, Suzanne, explains her gradual, prolonged, and deeply felt separation, regretting not to have children of him, but admitting to be totally ready for a new life. We also have the opportunity to know what’s in Pierre’s head. Every single day, he regrets what he did and revives the trauma of being raped by a cellmate in the night he arrived. Words of anguish, regret, and painful resignation echo constantly, in a depressing film that didn’t become limitative by its unusual communication option, which exposes openly the deplorable psychological state of its protagonists.

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The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

Directed by: Wes Anderson
Country: USA / Germany

Movie Review: Another sympathetic and imaginative comedy from American director Wes Anderson, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”, is a German-British co-production that tells the incredible adventures of M. Gustave (Ralph Fiennes), a very solicited concierge of the famous and luxurious Grand Budapest Hotel located in the fictional Republic of Zubrowka, and his best friend and lobby boy, Zero Moustafa (Tony Revolori), who unexpectedly becomes the hotel’s owner. The eventful plot, also of Anderson’s authorship, was inspired on writings from Austrian writer Stefan Zweig, presenting the expected peculiarities and efficacious humor that, being very own, became staples in his filmmaking style. The scenarios, a feast for the eyes, were vividly photographed by Robert D. Yeoman, while the story was structured in a captivating way, never being boring or softening up. The numerous funny situations include: Gustave’s careful dedication to insecure, blond, and rich old women; a fantastic shooting inside the hotel; a great escaping from prison; and a perilous adventure in a top-mountain monastery, among many others. With a remarkable cast, “The Grand Budapest Hotel” is an irresistible feel-good movie that will provide you with a wonderful laid-back time. You won’t regret being a guest in the sumptuous Grand Budapest and get to know its eccentric personnel.

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Enemy (2013)

Directed by: Denis Villeneuve
Country: Canada / Spain

Movie Review: Acclaimed Canadian filmmaker, Denis Villeneuve, presents us an inscrutable exercise on suspense, obscurity, and surrealism, where von Trier meets Cronenberg. “Enemy” was based on the novel “The Double” by Portuguese Nobel Prize winning author José Saramago, and adapted for the screen by Javier Gullón who took the premise: ‘chaos is an order yet undeciphered’ to good terms. How would you react if you find that another man looks exactly like you? David Bell is an introverted history professor, whose life seems not to be fulfilled, especially in regard to his amorous relationship. One day, while watching a movie, he discovers Anthony St. Claire, a self-assured small actor who is exactly his look-alike. Ruminating about this discovery, Adam decides to meet Anthony, in a strange move that will mess with their heads in completely different ways. The two men will switch houses and women, trying to find more about each other and themselves. Visually oppressive with its pale filtered tones and aerial shots showing the geometrical arrangement of the buildings, “Enemy” is an organized delirium (chaos) that invites its viewers to decide what they want to do with this inscrutable story - a bad dream, a longstanding hallucination, a traumatic situation triggered by arachnophobia, or even a movie inside the movie. You are still confronted with the choice if Adam and Anthony are two opposite sides of the same person or two identical persons with opposite personalities. The non-answering ending might be a frustration for some but for me was almost impossible to escape from the spell of “Enemy”.

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