A History of Violence

A few years ago, I watched David Cronenberg's A History of Violence (2005) and I did not like it. I decided to give it a new chance today, but my opinion didn't change one bit. This time I know exactly why the film is so disappointing for me. Essentially the film is about Tom Stall (Viggo Mortensen), a family man living in a small, comfy town until he kills two criminals and becomes a hero. His sudden fame does not come without a downside: a notorious gangster begins to stalk him. 

The film's writing has a fundamental problem: it doesn't seem to know what it tries to achieve. The film introduces us to a family that is simply too perfect - they live the American dream. This is actually rather alienating instead of involving because the flaws are always more intriguing. The difficulties the family has to face (eventually) become distant due to this alienation. This, in turn, leaves the cold observation as the only solution for the viewer. As a character study, it is devoted but wishy-washy. Beyond that, there isn't much coherency to the film. The final act of the film is even more confusing as it becomes (unintentionally?) comic.

The form is warm and inviting most of the time. Especially the graceful camera movement, luminous lighting and precise compositions make the movie visually marvellous. The soundtrack is a bit generic and occassionally over the top, but in the end it is pleasant. The film's truly redeeming aspect is the acting. Viggo Mortensen's towering performance is almost rivalled by Bello and Harris.

It is sad that the film doesn't achieve anything when its cast is ridiculously talented and spot-on.

Score: 5 out of 10

The Shining

The Shining (1980) is Stanley Kubrick's legendary cinematic adaptation of Stephen King's horror classic. As a family takes care of an isolated hotel while it is closed in the winter, the father (Jack Nicholson as Jack Torrance) gradually becomes insane. As usual, Kubrick's adaptation is harsh and vastly different from the original novel, but in my opinion he only changed it for the better. The buildup is gracious and mind-boggling - and the climax perfectly explodes all the tension the film has gathered up to the point.

Kubrick's inventive camerawork is fascinating: the Steadicam shots build a powerful atmosphere for the film. The long takes and beautiful compositions are also up to Kubrick's high standards: the film is visually awe-inspiring.

Kubrick's The Shining is one of the landmarks of horror in cinema: it delivers on all fronts.

Score: 10 out of 10

Perfect Blue

When you write or direct a film which plays with reality and illusion, you better do it really well because you can either fail hard or succeed. Satoshi Kon's psychological thriller Perfect Blue (1998) belongs to the former category. It is the story of a pop idol who wants to become an actress. Her change of career provokes strong reactions from her fans, one of whom is an obsessive stalker. Before the movie reaches its halway mark, it becomes an insane mindfuck - to say the least.

The story of Perfect Blue has so many interesting elements that are thrown away during the film. For example, it could have been a fascinating cautionary tale of Internet, but that is completely forgotten by the never-ending twists. The dangers of rising to fame are also somewhat forgotten by the end, and the film seems to say nothing about any of the themes it takes on at first. The film loses itself in the ridiculously frantic narrative that only manages to show us how the main character feels like, but it completely deprives the film of having an impact on the viewer. It tries to be psychologically ambitious, but in the end it is a rather shallow in that aspect too. The ending is the biggest offender because it truly shows how the film was only meant to make the viewer wonder what really happened and what didnt - so that we wouldnt be concerned about its ACTUAL depth.

It is a shame how the content is more or less awful because its form is so precise and striking that it almost made me forget the silly narrative. Great compositions, beautiful animation and nice editing redeem the film from doom. Especially the opening sequence is rather impressively done.

In the end, Perfect Blue is a decent film because it is ambitious yet pretentious in its content, but its form is delightful for anyone.

Score: 6 out of 10

Antichrist

I finally watched Lars von Trier's Antichrist (2009) which has ignited a lot of discussion. Its controversial content turned Cannes upside down. Roger Ebert called it the most despairing film he had ever seen. The film opens with an unnamed couple's (Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg) passionate love scene that almost reaches the levels of hardcore porn. That is crosscut with their child's accidental death. The woman feels guilty of this naturally: they were making love while they should have been with the child. The man's initial reaction is grief, but then he begins to "treat" his wife like a cold psychoanalyst. To deal with this problem, they go to their remote cabin (called Eden for some silly reason) and the shit literally hits the fans there - even to the point of complete sexual mutilation.

After I had watched the film, I spent AN HOUR only reading about the film because I couldnt decide whether the film's content was actually good or not. There are too many distracting moments in the film. In the end the film is about the man whose mind is in chaos although it seems the film is about the woman. The film makes more sense that way. When you take into consideration that this film was developed during von Trier's depression and it was his way to get rid of it, it makes sense to interpret this way. And as such, it is actually quite good, but the distracting moments in the film just rub me the wrong way. I'm not talking about the violent and controversial scenes, but there are hints that give the viewer the wrong impression: non-sense Christian references and weird conclusions about the "nature of women", for example.

For the first time in almost two decades, Lars von Trier finds the right form his film. The Dogme films have been more or less messed up attempts at creating a form that actually fits the film. I've only seen Europa of his pre-Dogme films and that is a better example of good form than any of the Dogme films. In Antichrist, he saves sweet slowmotion and B&W photography (occassionally awesome color photography, too) for the right moments. Even though the rest of the scenes are clearly shot handheld, the shaky camera movement isnt excessive - and that is perfect for the film.

The performances are simply breathtaking. Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg have taken a risk by performing in a von Trier film, but they make the most of it in Antichrist. Their relationship is so intimate and intensive on the film that it is unbelieveable for it to only happen in front of the cameras. The courage of the actors is certainly put to test here.

The film is certainly controversial, but shouldnt be dismissed only as a film attempting to shock: it has a lot more going on under the surface.

Score: 8 out of 10