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Strange Way of Life 2023 ★★★★
Only 30 minutes in a movie theatre. 35 if you count the trailers and announcements (turn off your phone, enjoy the movie, try our passes, yadda yadda yadda). The average Bond/Marvel blockbuster has hardly warmed up in that period. Almodovar uses it tell an entire story. Yes, Almodovar. The first name is not even necessary anymore at this point. He's become his own brand.
And yes, it has gay cowboys. But, for the South Park-fans out there, no pudding. Sadly.
But this is not even that much about their relationship. And yes, the parallels with Brokeback Mountain are obvious. With Jake reminiscent of Ledger and Silva closer to Gyllenhaal.
What is about then? You can tell from looking at the two leads and the feelings they emote. Mostly in their facial expressions and body language. With nearly every shot in their scenes together brimming with emotion. This is the type of regret you understand more and more as you grow older. The regret that has your body and mind say “if only I had...”. If only I had the courage back then to...
The movie is also about inner conflict. About being torn. Between your principles and your feelings. Between following your heart and doing what you think is the right thing, in both justice and life. Between what your work can turn you into and what you think life expects from you.
Cinema at its purest. Not for everyone, but the ones who are open to enjoying this, will be touched by it.
The Outwaters 2022 ★★★★
I went into this one with mixed expectations. On the one hand, the trailer looked good and it was programmed on a festival, but at such an hour that I could not attend the screening. So that makes for a bit of anticipation. On the other hand, I understand that there were mixed reviews. Like a lot of FF, it can be hit or miss. Depending on where said viewer is at that specific moment.
Well, as far as I am concerned, this one certainly delivered.
Sure, we get some of the standard build up trying to get us to relate to the main characters. In this case a band who, I believe, is recording a video for one of their songs. And sure, we get some characteristic “did you hear that?”. But other than that...
The Outwaters walks the right line between explicit and implicit. The physical harm happening to the characters and the state they are in mentally. A state that answers the question “why do they keep filming?”. For all we know, he probably does not even realise that he is filming anything in the first place.
A state where you are never really sure which part is reality and which part is hallucination. Where did that blood come from? Where did that wound come from? How did they find that? And yes... What the hell is that?
I will not spoil the ending, but I will say that I cannot remember feeling this uncomfortable since watching Be My Cat. A kind of discomfort that stuck to me for the rest of the evening.
For fans of FF, this can be some seriously scary shit.
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