Film Review: Gravity

Copyright: Warner Bros. Pictures

It’s undeniable that Gravity is awesome to watch. When I’m confronted with incredible images like these, I feel like they should be followed by some deeper meaning that will in equal measure intrigue the rest of my mind, and not just the visual cortex.

This assumption of mine is wrong, and Alfonso Cuarón thought the same way. This glorious lifeboat scenario was dreamt up by him long before technology could properly depict it in the images he desired, so he waited. Finally, when he decided that the CGI and robots are good enough, he made the film. Its story is a simple survival tale set in the most inhospitable environment imaginable (I’m not counting things like the center of the Sun as a possible option).

Film Review: Filth

Copyright: Lionsgate

I wonder is there a moment of saturation when you consume the stories written by Irvine Welsh? I was blown away like everybody else when I watched Trainspotting, and a few years later I loved the The Acid House, possibly even more because I found it equally deplorable and at the same time, somehow more insightful.

Now, almost two decades have passed by, and I’m left unimpressed by the latest Welsh adaptation, Filth. The story about Bruce Robertson, an Edinburgh police detective and his manic, narcotic driven days is close to the heart of the Scottish writer. The novel came out in 1998, but now all that profanity, sex, drugs and politically incorrect insults thrown around don’t seem to have that bitter sting they used to.

Film Review: Nymph (Mamula)

Let’s face it, horror films are a good investment, because they are popular on every imaginable scale. Small indie films like Jug Face can even turn out to be interesting outside of the genre, while cleverly crafted blockbusters like Insidious Chapter 2 can bring in 41 million US dollars on the opening week (the entire film was made on a 5 million budget). Thankfully, someone realized this in Serbia and now we got Mamula (international title will be Nymph).

Film Review: The Great Beauty (La grande bellezza)

Copyright: Medusa Film

One thing really alienated me from this film. Its main character Jep Gambardella, an old and bitter journalist working for an art magazine, is lost in the world of Rome’s high society. He is 65 years old, but he lives the lifestyle of a young playboy, constantly being surrounded by women, parties and exciting performance arts he professionally follows. But the film presents him as a burnt out guy how suddenly becomes interested in reflection about his current affair.

I was left wondering where are all those decades that we didn’t see Jep? The years he spent doing nothing but having fun or sleeping it off are nowhere to be found, and still we are subtly informed that he isn’t happy or tranquil. At the same time, he isn’t openly desperate or depressed. He lingers on and on, revisiting his former friend and doing his best to keep it interesting. All the decisions he made that added to his present state are invisible, and we are left only with reflects of his inner state that can be seen in many passing situations.

Film Review: Mystery Road

Copyright: Well Go USA Entertainment

Mystery Road is a beautifully shot minimalistic thriller, set in an unusual social context. Its main character is a police detective in a small town located somewhere in the Australian outback. Detective, called Jay Swan, is of aboriginal descent, just like a big part of the town’s population. One day, a trucker discovers a body of a local girl underneath a highway, and Jay is given the case. The murder investigation sends him into the dark underbelly of the community, where alcohol, drugs and lack of opportunity decimate the underprivileged.

The film develops very slowly, presenting the town one image at a time, with Jay (played by Aaron Pedersen) as the guide. He comes from the same group of people, but is now feared, ignored or openly loathed because of his decision to become a “copper”. At the same time, he is also personally invested in the community and his ex-wife and daughter still live there.