Lately, I’ve been trying to come up with different types of posts for my blog other than book reviews and I decided to try and do some short movie reviews of some movies I watched recently for the first time.
My taste in movies is as eclectic as my taste in music is – so basically, it’s a bit over the place. I love action, adventure, fantasy (though it’s not usually done very well especially if based on a book), comedy and historical movies. Animation movies and Marvel movies are my favorites. (By the way, I judge/rate a movie based on how entertaining/enjoyable it is for me and not for anything else (with some exceptions, perhaps).
The Innocents (2016), originally Les Innocentes, Directed by Anne Fontaine
Poland, 1945. Mathilde, a young French Red Cross doctor, is on a mission to help the war survivors. When a nun seeks for her help, she is brought to a convent where several pregnant sisters are hiding, unable to reconcile their faith with their pregnancy. Mathilde becomes their only hope. [source: Letterboxd]
Watched: Sep 05, 2017
Thoughts: I’ve been interested in this movie for quite some time now and I’m so glad I was finally able to watch it.
Les Innocentes is based on a true story. [Warning: The subject of rape is present and mentioned frequently.]
Les Innocentes has such an eerie, deeply sad atmosphere no doubt reinforced by the snowy, stark polish forest and the austere convent that appear repeatedly throughout the entire movie. It’s a deeply sad and moving movie with several moral dilemmas and it’s hard not to question yourself and what you would do in such a situation. Let there be no misunderstandings though, it’s a movie about the cruelty and despair of war, about unspeakable acts and strength, faith, perseverance, and hope.
I really enjoyed this (well, as much as one can enjoy a movie about these subjects) and it’s a movie I strongly recommend. It’s a very powerful movie and you won’t regret watching it.
Black Swan (2010), Directed by Darren Aronofsky
IN THE ERA OF PERSONAL BRANDING, THE SCARIEST POSSIBILITY IS THAT SOMEONE MIGHT BE BETTER AT BEING YOU THAN YOU ARE.
A ballet dancer wins the lead in “Swan Lake” and is perfect for the role of the delicate White Swan – Princess Odette – but slowly loses her mind as she becomes more and more like Odile, the Black Swan. [source: Letterboxd]
Watched: Aug 29, 2017
Thoughts: This is the best psychological, suspense movie I’ve ever watched.
The viewer follows the main character Nina’s point of view in a very subjective way through the use of mirrors, with cameras just looking over her shoulder. We follow her daily life throughout the production of this play and we see how Nina slowly deteriorates due to pressure, stress and her own desire for perfection. Since it’s so subjective, it’s hard to tell what is real and what is not and that’s what makes it so intriguing and interesting.
I just loved this movie.
The Wave (2015), originally Bølgen, Directed by Roar Uthaug
IT WAS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME.
Based on the fact that mountain party Åkneset, located in the Geiranger fjord in Norway, one day will race out and create a violent tsunami of over 80 meters that will crush everything in its path before it hits land in Geiranger. A geologist gets caught in the middle of it and a race against time begins. [source: Letterboxd. ]
Watched: Aug 30, 2017
Thoughts: I have to admit that for some reason I love natural disaster movies, no matter how well/badly done they are. It’s my guilty pleasure. (I love the movie 2012.)
Although it’s based on a real prediction of something that might happen in the future, it’s not a very original movie. There’s a man (MC) that is a geologist/ or someone who somehow gets a feeling that something bad is about to happen and proceeds to basically try to save everyone he can but most importantly his family. (In a way, this is basically the plot of 2012 and The Day After Tomorrow.)
It was fun to see a movie set in Norway for a change (I don’t usually watch many of those) and the landscapes were gorgeous so it wasn’t a bad movie. I don’t really recommend it if you don’t like this kind of movie, though. It’s enjoyable to a certain extent but it’s predictable, unoriginal and not that good.
