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Reviews
Miesten vuoro (2010)
Real Men Have Emotions
Did you know saunas have play a huge role in Finnish culture and history? The earliest saunas appeared around the 5th century in Finland. After a hard day at work men would go into the sauna for relaxation and to wind down for the evening. In the past, Finnish women would give birth and lived in the sauna with the newborn for a few days. Today proper sauna protocol is being quiet and considerate so everyone can relax. Finnish people are not known for being emotionally vulnerable, but this film shows a different, soft side to masculinity. The film Steam of Life follows men who sit in the Sauna and talk about their everyday, happy memories, love, and life struggles.
The Steam of Life is one of few films showing a soft side of masculinity. Men are able to talk about life difficulties such as losing children, child visitation, love agony, and life stories. Usually directors have men act emotionless and hard core. This is the first film I have watched that have men talk about their soft sides, and as a result, I learned a lot from these men. The man who was trying to get custody or visitation with his children moved me. Films usually show women begging the fathers of their children to spend time with their children, but Steam of Life is not a stereotypical film. No two people have similar lives but each person faces individual and unique struggles. Not knowing you are alone and other people struggle with life is an incredible relief. Even though I can't personally relate to most the stories, I felt like I could understand where they were coming from and understand their situation. For example, I can't relate to the man whose child died and he talked with other parents who went through the same thing, but the way he told the story made me felt like I had lost a child and was coping with the grief. Each man talks honestly about his unique life. Even though this a serious film, every story is not sad and depressing but some have sweet and happy stories. In general this film makes the viewer realize that everyone has their ups and downs because life is a roller coaster.
Actively listening is not possible one hundred percent of the time. What really struck me is how well each man listened. I know I am guilty of not listening when people are talking, but the men were engaged and actively listening to the speaker. This is so great because the men get to tell their stories to everyone who watches the documentary and the other men in the sauna encourage the viewer to actively pay attention. It is possible that the men were actively listening so well because they were acting for the camera, but I believe they were listening. I learned so much about body language and nonverbal clues just from watching people listen.
The film uses no special effects or techniques because the main focus is the bare truth of life. Some of the men are not wearing anything showing vulnerability and confidence. The camera does not hide or conceal anything. Also, the camera does not just focus on the man speaking, but the camera shows the man speaking and the men listening. I was surprised that the men were so relaxed even though there were cameras right in front of them. Personally, I would never let a whole camera crew in while I was naked in a sauna. I couldn't tell my life stories to strangers-especially when naked! Therefore I think the men in this documentary have great self confidence and had to have been dedicated to the documentary. I felt like I was in the sauna and the men were telling me their personal life stories.
In conclusion this documentary is very emotional. As the men sit and sweat in the sauna they cleanse themselves from their innermost secrets and emotions. This film made me realize what is important in life: friends, faith, and family. These three things provide a support network to help through the toughest times in life. In addition to the inside of saunas, the film shows the beautiful outdoors in Finland. The music helps build the emotional intensity, but it is not overdone and melodramatic. My favorite type of literature is personal memoirs and journals, but The Steam of Life is so much better than a memoir or journal because hearing the stories with emotions nothing is left to the imagination. Overall The Steam of Life gives an unique point of view to life because the film exclusively uses men who are in touch with their emotions.
deUsynlige (2008)
Build a Bridge and get over It?
Have you ever done something in your past that you tried to hide? In the film Troubled Water, directed by Erik Poppe, one main character Jan, also known as Thomas, plays a role in a stealing a stroller resulting in the murder of a young boy named Isak. Thomas goes to prison and after release he finds work playing an organ for a church. When a some children from school take a field trip to the church, the teacher (Agnes) just happens to be the mother of Isak. The film follows both the stories Thomas and Agnes. Agnes and her family are struggling to cope with the loss of Isak. Troubled Water is just another movie with a message of forgiveness and moving on with your life after tragedy strikes. The characters either have a skeleton in their closet or have to forgive someone else. Even though the main question of why did Thomas murder the boy is never answered, the film is very easy to understand.
How does a mother deal with the loss of her child by murder? Poppe has Agnes dwelling in the past and use different ways to come to terms with the loss of Isak. During the scene with the field trip, the camera does a close up of Agnes's face when she sees Thomas. Her eyes are huge and she is staring at him. Then the camera moves around and shows the faces of the innocent children. Even though this is very small and little attention is brought to this detail, but Poppe has the camera show Agnes's car in scenes when Thomas is outside. Showing Agnes has not moved on since the death of her son. Agnes even goes so far as to adopt two new children, but they don't replace Isak in her heart. Her children feel that their mother only wanted them as replacement children. This film shows that attempting to replace children does not work and stalking your child's killer prevents you from moving on with your life.
Bridge Over Troubled Water has a powerful theme of forgiveness. Usually before receiving forgiveness, the criminal will give an explanation why he or she committed the crime. The Pastor, Anna, is trusting enough to let her child be around Thomas. Even though Anna is unmarried, she is still a pastor. In the Lutheran Church, pre-marital sex is a sin, but Anna still has sex with Thomas, and we know this was not her first time because of her son, Jens. The church provides a safe sanctuary for forgiveness and gives the Thomas and Anna the ability to move on from their past and start a new life. Ironically just like in baptism when the reciepent's former life is washed away and he or she becomes a member of Christ's family. The song troubled water even goes with forgiveness. The title Troubled Water could refer to the craziness and sin the character's lives and the bridge is overcoming and forgiving each other. Even though this is a Nordic film, the phrase, "It is water under the bridge," applies to the film.
To make certain moments more intense and draw attention to certain moments, Poppe repeats the scenes later on in the film and uses music. For example when Thomas and another teenage boy are stealing Isak and his stroller is shown more than once. Each time the scene is repeated something is added so the viewer has a better understanding of what actually happened. The second time the scene is shown we can see a violin case in the stroller. In the scene when Thomas is playing the organ, the camera circles around him and light is shining on his face. This combination creates powerful emotions. Thomas playing the organ is a way for him to let out some of his emotions and express himself.
Overall Bridge Over Troubled Water is emotionally powerful and moving. Poppe brightly shows once a mother, she will will always be a mother to the child. Even in Agnes's case her child Isak died, but she still has maternal feelings toward her son. The split narrative between Thomas and Agnes gives two points of view, the murder and the parent of the victim. Characters learn how to deal with their past and forgive others for sinning against them. Even the pastor is a single mother and her congregation still respects her even though pre-marital sex is against the will of God in the Christian tradition. Music is a powerful tool and a great way to express emotions. Poppe used elements such as camera angles, music, and repetition to reinforce and draw attention to key events in the film. In conclusion this film was easy to watch, gives a general lesson in forgiveness, and easy to understand.
Elling (2001)
Successful at Life
What happens when you leave home for the first time? The real world is not a happy place and the first push to independence, no matter at what age, is never easy. Two men, Elling and Kjell are released from a mental hospital, given an apartment paid for by the government, and try to live a normal life. Of course, if you have been in a mental hospital, your sense of normal is a little bit warped. Naturally the film is filled with funny moments that build and build making you laugh and laugh. I truly felt like I was a cheerleader rooting for them to get simple tasks done and I got frustrated at points watching them fumble with easy tasks.
The help of a friend and simple hard work provide foundation to be successful. Elling has a support system allowing him to attempt to live a "normal life". Elling has his friend, Kjell, who is in the same boat as Elling. Because Elling and Kjell are in the same boat, creates friendly competition to push forward and valuable learning experiences for the pair. Both men need each other to face the world for the first time.
As a college student, I really related to the theme of independence. Even though Elling is much older than a college student, he faces struggles with getting the basic necessities such as food while trying to prove he is normal. In most human household's, parents will give their children more and more responsibility. After watching the film, I will never think of shopping or cooking the same way. In a bird's nest, the momma bird pushes her children out to force them to fly and take independence. Elling and Kjell experienced the bird's route. This makes independence more difficult to achieve because they had no experience. Therefore when they accomplish simple tasks like shopping or cooking, you can't help but feel happy for them.
After someone is released from a mental hospital, he or she needs to identity what is normal, attempt to imitate, and fashion his or her lives after what is normal. Therefore this film is absolutely hilarious. What you think might be common knowledge or easy to figure out can be a struggle for someone else. Their struggles are like someone who time traveled to the twenty-first century from the nineteenth century because people still look the same, but the new technology, the hustle and bustle of life, and a brand new environment creates stress and trouble.
Elling makes the Norwegian welfare system seem like a free checking account. In Norway, the citizens have to pay a huge amount of taxes to support expensive programs because the state pays for them. Therefore Kjell and Elling have it pretty easy, because the other taxpayers support them. Elling shows the flaws with a social state. The people who are making a lot of money pay to support those who are not making much money. Then the people who are not making much money have no incentive to work harder because the rich support them. Elling and Kjell think they are pretty tricky with their style of survival and have no motivation to change their living habits.
Kjell has a serious sexual desire that is hard to satisfy. The fact that Kjell and Elling were in the hospital for social problems makes Kjell's attempts for sex seem pathetic. In my opinion, Kjell was released from the mental hospital and now he has the world open to him and sex is just one aspect of independence. Therefore he thinks sex will help deal with stress daily necessities. Also his sexual appetite could be driven by his desire to feel like a man because he may have felt that the mental hospital took away his masculinity.
In conclusion, I felt that this movie gave me a great sense that I am successful at life. But then I realized I was feeling successful because this movie was about men who were released from a mental hospital. I laughed at myself because I have never been put into a mental hospital, nor am I completely independent of my parents therefore I can't really compare myself to Elling, and someone's daily struggles should not be laughed at, but I could not help laughing uncontrollably all throughout the Elling. Overall this was funny movie with scenes that will make you laugh so hard you have to hit the pause and rewind button five times!!!! I truly felt like I was a cheerleader rooting for them to get simple tasks done.