A Ma Soeur- review

'Fat Girl' 

'Fat Girl' is the english title for this incredibly twisted French film. Im a fan of French cinema and this had been on my list of films to watch for a while. So I thought id give it a chance and boy was I flabbergasted by this warped storyline. The film is about two sisters one who is a little more older than the other Elena and her younger sister Anaiïs. The sisters are the complete opposite Elena a delicate flower graceful, slender and stunning and Anaïs is on the frumpier side, piggish and introverted at times.

Elena wished to lose her virginity and to fall in love with many guys, and she isn't shy about it either the first guy she meets at her local outdoor cafe seems to be the chosen one. She flirts with him openly in front of her sister and brings him home and not the only thing she does in front of her sister, in their bedroom. Poor Anaïs tries to sleep while all of this goes on and is not standing for it, the next morning she interrupts, angry that she lost many hours of sleep Elena then slaps her. Anaïs wishes to lose her virginity with a stranger because she finds the concept embarrassing it is hinted at throughout the film she is embarrassed of her body but nether the less tries to triumph over her sister which never works out too well for her. Long story short the sisters both have an underlining love for each other but it is clear that Elena is not very nice and treats her sister more as a tool to make herself feel better. SPOILER ALERT, the end of the film however is so overwhelming and insane it makes you want to burst into hysterical tears of laughter.

Basically there mother takes them on a seaside holiday so to speak and on the way home they park up in a motel parking lot to catch some sleep. A random axe murderer smashes through their windscreen slashing Elena's once beautiful face killing her instantly and slowly strangles their mother also too. Anaïs however watches this (it kind of looked like she enjoyed it and yet was a tiny bit shocked) and slowly gets out the car, the axe man walks towards her luring her into the woods and raping her. The next day the police investigate and Anaïs surviving the dreadful night insists he didn't rape her and the titles roll.  I know completely insane however I really liked the film.

I don't think the majority of people would like the film but people who are fond of cinema in general will find it pretty amusing at times uncomfortable and I thought hilarious. The only scenes that seemed to really irritate me were when Anaïs would have random lonely outbursts of singing which were far to long and awful. Overall a funny disturbing drama or in my eyes a tad bit of dark comedy at times.

Film Spot- Zero Day

Film Spot of the day- Zero Day

Based upon the tragic event of the Columbine High school Massacre of 1999. This film shows the portrayal of the famous killers through the lens of a hand held video camera. The story is heavily based upon the events leading up to the murdering of the innocent students. Its really interesting because the portrayal of the Killers are really humane and most of the time just footage of an average teenage occurrences.  However Every now and then the teens say rather sinister and disturbing things and rapidly the film speeds up as the students start to plan the event named 'ZERO DAY'.

 The day in which they will kill. The performances were very chilling and eye opening, the characters were very intense and gradually became more disturbing as the film went on. I'm not a lover of the found footage camera filming effect the motion of the camera often makes me bored and a little nauseated. Its one of the reasons I dislike films like 'The Blair Witch Project' and 'Paranormal Activity'. The films have no real story half of the time unlike this film which is based upon an unfortunate true story. Although I did like watching the film It isn't a film I would anticipate watching anytime soon. I will however probably watch it some time in the far future. 

To Die for- film recommendation

Gus Van Sant's - "To Die For"

Gus Van Sant is one of my all time favourite directors for his ability to just create such original ideas and concepts, he just tells each story in a whole different perspective. 'To Die For' is a film I've watched about 4 times and love. Starring Nicole Kidman, Joaquin Phoenix and Matt Dillon. A beautifully talented cast. First of all the narration of the whole film is just so inventive and probably the first director to even portray a film in this way. Last year I went to see 'Nightcrawler' and was surprised by the amount of similarities between it and 'To die for'. I definitely thought the director of 'Nightcrawler' drew a lot of inspiration from this film. 

The film is about a young women (Kidman) who will do anything she has to, to get to the top using her sexuality and manipulation skills as her main tools. The story line is so in-depth and the ending is an intense twist and altogether an incredible film. The concept of the film, storyline, costume, sets, character depth and soundtrack is phenomenal. I must say I have a soft spot for Joaquin Phoenix and heart throb Matt Dillon and they both gave incredible performances. Casey Affleck (my favourite of the Affleck brothers) gave a convincing performance also playing a cheeky, boundary pushing teen. Kidman however I believe,  this is one of her most intense and amazing roles she gives such a humorous yet gritty peformance. I loved the sets they were similar (only in some scenes) to 'Edward Scissorhand' and Nicole Kidman's wardrobe were very similar of Pegs in the film. The film also had Danny Elfman in common giving the film a stunning cinematic soundtrack really bringing each scene to life. I wont reveal the whole of the film other than it is a masterpiece, that I really relish.

Electricity - Review

Electricity-review

First of all I must say I was a fan of Aygness Deyn from her modelling days and how unique she was and how she stuck out from the crowd (plus her Dr marten collection is the best).  I was unaware that her acting abilities would be so pure and intense. I believe the film was set in Northan England. The story surrounds a young women Lily (Deyn), who searches for her brother Mikey played by Christian Cooke (Cemetery Junction, Unconditional love). As she struggles to find her brother (who was taken away when they were both young) while she wrestles with her epilepsy. Reality becomes blurred and warped as she goes through her painfully, frustrating episodes.

 I believe the film has been inspired to be a modern English social realist depiction of "Alice in wonderland" Agyness Deyns character even makes a reference to it in the film. Along the way her friend Al (a mad hatter like character) reassures her, she also meets Mel played by the talented Lenora Crichlow (known for sugar Rush) who becomes her friend and also encourages along her journey of rediscovery the way in which the white witch does in 'Through the looking glass'.  The films landscapes are beautiful and the dialogue was pressing and spunky.

I really loved the outfits in which Deyn's character would wear often very vibrant when having an episode but very simplistic at the same time, it really said a certain mood for the scenes ahead. I wont reveal the ending other than that the performances were electric and my favourite scenes were when reality and her episodes collided as the visuals were very unusual to what I had expected.

Lost River- Review

Lost River- 'Dark, twisted, electrifying, fantasy'

Lost River gained negative reviews at the Cannes festival. I had medium expectations for the film. Despite all the backlash from festivals. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It had a great cast Christina Hendricks, Saoirse Ronan, Iain de Caestecker (who I use to watch in the UK series 'The Fades') and Matt smith and Eva Mendes. A really interesting cast all filled with such character. I was so surprised by the spectacular amounts of effort and thought it must have taken to create such a story and little sentimental touches within each scene for example where Rat (Ronan) was singing on her synthesiser and sang beautifully, to the Bloody Burlesque (the story behind it Parisian Horror burlesques) and Ronan's nan played by the glorious Barbara Steele known for starring in black and white Italian Gothics. 

The only problem I had with the film was the dialogue it could have been a little more exciting at times and the length of the film. The cinematography was beautiful the colours were well thought out the neon lighting similar to 'Only God Forgives', 'Place beyond the pines' and 'OldBoy'. 

I loved how some scenes were like moving images and collages of videos overlapping, it really brought a unique perspective on how the characters were experiencing the moment. I felt like I was a voyeur in one of my dreams the whole film was very dream scape and nightmarish at times. Some of my favourite scenes were when Christina Hendricks character begins her performance in the burlesque show, Matt Smiths gas station and car scene, and where Rat and Bones dance and talk in the tainted street lights along the road. 

The film had its only little twisted genre a romanticised, violent, beautiful sick fantasy in which Goslings head is the meat grinder of all fantastic dark ideas. The acting was incredible and I particularly loved bones little side story of going to Lost River and Rats side story where she repeatedly plays the same bleak VHS tape for her grandmothers wedding day as she mourns her husbands death many years ago.  

It was very Lynchian and Kenneth Anger which makes sense because Ryan Gosling used Angers 'Scorpian Rising' as inspiration for his characters jacket in 'Drive'.

I was a little disappointed at the length of the film as I felt just as I was being drawn into Goslings wonderland of warped characters and blissful dream like landscaped it ended. I was drawn back to reality, but maybe that's what he was trying to imply that you do wake up from dreams and return to reality which at times can be just as twisted. It was filmed in Detroit and the derelict urban landscaped contrasted beautifully with the costumes and lighting from the barbed wire fences and sunken street lights to Bully's glittery statement Jacket (which I loved.)  I noticed it had a Terrence Malick touch,  the romantic story line was very lets runaway together, 'Badlands' feel and some scenes like the more landscapes shots and the opening shots reminded me of shots similar to Malick's 'The Tree of Life'. 

 I hope to see more of Goslings warped fantasies and masterpieces in the future. The dark twisted American dream (scape) was electric and I thought it was superb and have already watched it twice I highly recommend.

Rats song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sx83owWT5Ck

Trailer:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8ngDiG9V8w

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