The Favourite

Yorgos Lanthimos' movies are not everyone's cup of tea. They are bizarre, shocking and more often than not, very unpleasant. While they always provide a great material for actors to deliver astounding performances I was thrilled to find out The Favourite is the most accessible of his movies. And that turned out to be a correct assessment - though also strange, this film is more a dark comedy than a crazy ride like The Lobster or The Killing of the Sacred Deer.

First Reformed

(spoilers!)

Fifty Shades of Grey

I love bad movies. Whenever Nic Cage has a movie out, chances are sooner or later - I'll see it. So when something as atrocious as Fifty Shades of Grey shows up I naturally need to watch it. I did not read the 'book' this 'movie' is based on but I heard the comments that it's even worse than a film. I'm not surprised. What occurred to me during watching this film is that truly there are still some things that can surprise me.

Foxcatcher

Foxcatcher tells the story based on real events. John du Pont, eccentric millionaire and wresting enthusiast, invited Olympic gold medalist Mark Schultz to stay on his farm and be part of the wrestling team John coaches. The movie details the complicated personalities of two men, their odd relationship and Mark's older brother Dave care for his brother, as well as the inevitable tragedy that occurred on Foxcatcher farm.

Fugitive Pieces

I rarely review older movies here on the site. When I make an exception and do so, it's either because I really like the movie or because it's very underseen and I want to spread the word about it. Fugitive Pieces is a wonderful example of both of these reasons.

Frankenweenie

I remember the day my beloved hamster died. It was terrible - he was my first pet, well, excluding the fishes in aquarium, and though I couldn't walk him and I almost never let him out of his cage, I really loved him. I cried for days. Now I have a beautiful Yorkie, my first dog ever. He is one year old,  I've known him for 10 months and I love him so much - he wiggles his tail and jumps whenever I get back home, he wakes me up in the morning and he brings toys and drops them next to me when he wants to play. He is my friend.

Flight

Robert Zemeckis is not a risk taker. He makes movies that play things safe - animation, ultimately feel good flicks with Tom Hanks, occasional black comedies. Even his thriller What Lies Beneath, while very good, is pretty subtle for the genre. Flight may just be his ballsiest film to date, but it suffers from incredibly messy script - the film, more often than not, feels very strange - it mixes a drama about addiction, dark comedy and thriller. Many times things are so heavy-handed you are rolling your eyes. But damn if it's not worth seeing.

From Hell

73/100 (122 min, 2001)
Plot: In Victorian Era London, a troubled clairvoyant police detective investigates the murders by Jack The Ripper.
Directors: Albert Hughes, Allen Hughes
Writers: Alan Moore (graphic novel), Eddie Campbell (graphic novel)
Stars: Johnny Depp, Heather Graham and Ian Holm

Only the Legend Will Survive

Jack the Ripper is perhaps the most famous murderer in the history. Oddly enough, there aren't many good movies made about him and "From Hell" is an exception for that rule - although Jack Ripper is a supporting character in the film and the movie is quite far from being a masterpiece, it has an unique ambiance and gives the audience inside look behind the crimes of the legendary criminal.

"From Hell" takes its title from the famous letter sent to the police, probably by the Jack Ripper himself, which was contained in the small box along with half of human kidney. The letter was signed "From hell". The movie is an adaptation of Alan Moore's comic book of the same title - it is quite disappointing, though, that so many changes were made to the source material - fortunately, much like "American Psycho", what "From Hell" lacks in substance, makes up for in style, often suggesting things that we don't see on screen with a shot or a line of dialogue.

Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus

(122 min, 2006)
Director: Steven Shainberg
Writers: Erin Cressida Wilson, Patricia Bosworth (book)
Stars: Nicole Kidman, Robert Downey Jr. and Ty Burrell 

Those who know us best, leave all too soon. 

(spoilers)

Lionel Sweeney will die.
But not before changing Diane Arbus forever.

We meet Diane when she enters nudist colony, then the movie goes back in time – Diane is wealthy, married with kids. Her husband is a photographer and she helps him with trivial things, like fixing models' hair or setting up the lighting, basically being an assistant, whilst ignoring her own talent.

Diane is weird – she likes exposing herself to strangers, she is fascinated by bizarre things, she seems peaceful, but suddenly she bursts into tears. Her husband doesn't understand her, he is fascinated by her, but their relationship is weak – he doesn't see inside of her, but how could he, if Diane has no idea who she really is and what she wants.

And then she meets Lionel, her enigmatic neighbor from upstairs. He makes wigs, his friends are circus performers. And one more thing – he suffers from rare disease which causes abnormal hair growth. Diane is fascinated with him from the first moment she sees him and under the pretext of wanting to take his portrait she enters his house and his world. He is forward, he is interesting, but most of all he is free. He is not living in a cage like Diane is.

As their friendship progresses Diane is spending more time focusing on herself, her work. Lionel helps her in finding her inspiration, in unleashing her personality and eventually in setting her free. He appears to be a bit of a collector – looking for bizarre people and helping them in finding their way. He is too sure of himself when Diane first goes to see him, he knows exactly what to ask her. It's like he knows that type of people inside out, he has experience with them and it brings him joy to influence Diane so much. Without meeting him she would probably live her life trapped, until her death.

Fight Club

(139 min, 1999)
Director: David Fincher
Writers: Chuck Palahniuk (novel), Jim Uhls (screenplay)
Stars: Brad Pitt, Edward Norton and Helena Bonham Carter

Breaking the Pattern

  

Warning: If you are reading this then this warning is for you. Every word you read of this useless fine print is another second off your life. Don't you have other things to do? Is your life so empty that you honestly can't think of a better way to spend these moments? Or are you so impressed with authority that you give respect and credence to all that claim it? Do you read everything you're supposed to read? Do you think every thing you're supposed to think? Buy what you're told to want? Get out of your apartment. Meet a member of the opposite sex. Stop the excessive shopping and masturbation. Quit your job. Start a fight. Prove you're alive. If you don't claim your humanity you will become a statistic. You have been warned
- Tyler.

„Fight Club” by David Fincher is a masterpiece.
I doubt if there is anyone out there who wouldn’t agree with that statement above. The movie is so complex, unique, fascinating, brilliant, honest and outstanding. I have been trying to write the analysis for 3 years now, I started reading the book, then I finished it and I realized it can’t be used here - the movie is a separate organism in that case, much like with “American Psycho”, the movie, which whilst is one of the most daring and bravest mainstream movies I saw, contains maybe 1% of book’s necessary gore and profoundness.

There are so many things shown here.
The human basic need to express its anger – we are angry. why? Tyler has the answer for that:

Frost/Nixon

(122 min, 2008)
Plot: A dramatic retelling of the post-Watergate television interviews between British talk-show host David Frost and former president Richard Nixon.
Director: Ron Howard
Writers: Peter Morgan (screenplay), Peter Morgan (play)
Stars: Frank Langella, Michael Sheen and Kevin Bacon

"Only one can win, Mr. Frost"

The first duty of a man  is the seeking after and the investigation of truth.

-Cicero

I never liked Ron Howard's movies. I was disgusted when I saw Russel Crowe painting invisible umbrella on the sky for Jennifer Conelly (A Beautiful Mind) and I nearly vomited when Audrey Tautou said 'c'est ne pas possible!' in the butchered adaptation od 'The Da Vinci Code". So when I heard about 'Frost/Nixon' i thought that it's gonna be filled with cheap tricks, pathetic and forced emotional scenes (like the one with Nobel prize in ABM at that point I nearly puked on my TV too).

But what a surprise! Not only is the movie one of the finest ones this year, it is one of the best political thrillers I've ever seen. And what a unique kind of a thriller it is.

I'm not exactly sure what was up with Watergate and prior to the movie I had absolutely no idea who David Frost was. But I was excited and I saw the movie because of the wonderful cast - Michael Sheen, who I adored so much in 'The Queen', Sam Rockwell, who is one of the most underrated actors right now, Kevin Bacon, who was great in 'Mystic River' and he does wonderful things on screen if he doesn't play a vilian and Rebecca Hall, golden globe nominee for new Woody Allen's movie 'Vicky Cristina Barcelona'.

The cast is the movie greatest asset. Frank Langella plays Nixon so well that the viewer absolutely looses the idea that he is in fact watching the movie. I don't really know why Mickey Rourke will win oscar this year, since his performance is miles away behind Langella's (and miles MILES away behind Penn's in Milk). Michael Sheen is as good as his opponent, bringing so much life and passion in the character of David Frost, with his eccentric 'Hello, good evening and welcome', his playboy's attitude and his joyful, optimistic approach to things. Olivier Platt and Sam Rockwell are hilarious, especially the latter with his comments and funny look, so different than his other roles. I also greatly enjoyed Kevin Bacon's portrayal of Nixon's bodyguard and right hand, he was terrific and I can't imagine any good reason why neither he nor Michael Sheen aren't nominated for any of major awards this year (beacause nominating them for best ensemble during SAG is simply not enough and that is another piece in hall of shame called 'academy awards').