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Reviews
Le passé (2013)
Another decent drama but we have seen this before Farhadi
Another strong drama from Asghar Farhadi, however his formula is starting to wear thin. Strong performances and diverse personalities engrosses us through the whole film, but things could have been resolved a lot sooner than it did. Farhadi is really good at telling stories and creating underlying issues. But the way things were ultimately resolved towards the end was less desirable. It all felt too similar to his older films although with a less interesting story and cast. If you have already seen About Eli and Separation you will relate to this. It would do him good for the director to change his formula for his next movie so that things feel fresh again. Despite criticism this is still a solid film with an engrossing story but a bit disappointing in comparison to Separation.
Soshite chichi ni naru (2013)
Another fantastic emotional film from Koreeda.
The story is about two Japanese families who got their sons exchanged at birth but only to find out about it 6 years later. The big dilemma that both families face is whether to switch children or not. The main strength of this film is the unique story and the complexities that comes with this theme. Already from the start when both families meet a lot of tensions occur due to the different backgrounds and personalities of the characters. The acting performances are top notch creating a convincing scenario between these families. Koreeda has always been good with handling fun and deep family stories with underlying conflicts. A masterful combination of both humour and grief. This film will make you both laugh and cry. As always in Koreeda films the children are the biggest reasons for enjoying his films. Full of charisma and innocence pulling us through a emotional journey from start to end.
Tusen ganger god natt (2013)
The best film Erik Poppe has put out in years
Griping drama about a war photographer who is caught between choosing her family or her work. Which we learn is a lot more complicated than we initially thought. The cast did a believable portrayal of the difficulties that people encounter in life between their passion and family. What I liked especially about this film was that the lead was not portrayed as some war hero and her story was not romanticized. The story and characters all felt realistic and convincing since the characters were different shades of gray. Something that is amiss these days within film making. There is always a need to create a struggle between good and evil. Probably one of the better stories I have seen this year. Erik Poppe you did a great job with this one!
Wadjda (2012)
A fantastic film contribution from Saudi Arabia.
This film gives us a unique glimpse into a society we know very little about. The story might seem simple at first but as we are witnessing the events unfolding we notice that the story is a lot deeper than that. Underneath the surface of a standard modern society we see how women have to cope in this patriarchal restrictive society. Despite the absurdities that women face every day we can still relate to the characters and the themes in this film. What makes this film so good is how it tells us a story of how people live their lives through the experiences of a little girl. Where dreams can still be realized despite how oppressive things can be. While a sense of optimism always lingering in the background with a healthy dose of humour. A rare but curious journey into a society that seems so different than ours. The director did a great job at telling the everyday story about the Saudi Arabian people without any bias or obvious political agenda. All through the perspective of a charismatic young little girl who just wants a green bicycle.
It is good to see films use similar themes but from a different perspective. The film industry is too clouded with uncreativity. I hope this film experience is not the last great adventure from Saudi Arabia.