Sanctuary

And yet, somehow it's better than 50 Shades Of Grey! It's the same messed up, kinky sex thing. It's the same messed up, kinky relationship thing. And in the end, it's the same messed up, kinky love thing. I don't know why, but everything felt way better, deeper, and more visceral than 50 Shades. Maybe it's the directing? Maybe it's the acting? The screen-writing? Who knows? But I get more satisfaction from watching this movie than when I watched 50 Shades trilogy. Maybe because it's more concentrated than 50 Shades? I don't know. All I know is that this movie is more interesting than 50 Shades trilogy.

While it is not a perfect film, Sanctuary does win points for it's creativity and craft. The story is handled with care, although it is a bit bloated. However, this allows the viewers the full view of the situation, something that I appreciated. It really doesn't skimp on the details.

The two leads are fantastic in their respective roles and manage to be the only actors on screen for the entire runtime, which is a feat I certainly applaude. Not many actors or actresses can pull that off without the audience feeling exhausted by their performance, especially with having to do such long takes as well. Very impressive.

Speaking of long takes, I really enjoyed the cinematography. The sweeping camera motions, and the way the moods are captured throughout are subdued just enough to not overshadow the narrative, but are wild enough for a slick presentation.

Coming to the ending, it was a bit predictable. But there's something about such a sweet ending that made me feel like these two deserved it. For all the mind games and the fighting, it felt like the right place, right time, even if it was a bit too convenient for this particular story. Any more would have felt like too much.

Overall, I recommend it. It has a few downfalls, but they are easily overlooked by the simple but charming story of a dominatrix and a rich kid falling in love through blackmail and vitriol.

3.5 secret videos out of 5.

When is a game not a game? When it's real life? Is real life though, not a game? Aren't we all playing games all of the time in some way or another? Games, roles, responding to the situation, never quite sure what's real or not.

How much of this film was a game? Was their game, just part of a larger game? Is play the only way to be who you really are? Assuming a role to be the person you want to be and having another along for the journey?

In the early stages of the film I wondered why they cast Margret Qualley. She's pretty, and a very good actor, but this role is beneath her and she's not especially sexy, so she can't pull off the role of the dominatrix properly. Then it dawned on me: she wasn't playing a dominatrix, she was playing his girlfriend, playing a dominatrix.

There were some truths in there, not all of which we will ever know, as the interplay between role and reality was clever and vague, but we can guess at many them and still come to the same end conclusion.

I look forward to watching this again in the future and seeing if I can work any more of it out.

Nice actor showcase film. Both performed well, with Margaret showcasing her depth as a "screen takeover" actor. A rare thing to be seen. She fully dominates the role (both literally and figuratively).

It's an up and down ride of domination and submission, game or no game. Freedom or going with the narratives you're assigned in life.

It's also a love story of sorts, maybe not the healthiest, but that's how it goes sometimes in life. The acting really saves the issues with the overall dynamic and plot I had, and some unbearable scenes (the music/yelling scene I had to mute).

Overall it's a claustrophobic actor showcase film with only 2 characters. I found it engaging and packed with tension and great acting. 6.8/10.

A sensually dominant vibrance paired with a comedically dark spotlight on the societal flaws that we've created for gender roles. Margaret Qualley is an absolute movie star, showcasing a performance with utter confidence in her range and complete control with her emotions. Her chemistry with Christopher Abbott is sharp and timely with a specific whit that is admirable yet terrifying at times with purposeful misdirection. The environment is predominantly stationary, only ever expanding between a couple rooms and a hallway within a hotel, but the pacing remains tense and the score seeps in desperately for a deeply fascinating experience. An ambiguous introduction that is properly complemented by a satisfying conclusion.