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First Cow (2019)
A deft critique of capitalism
Whilst it is certainly a beautiful movie, I will let the filmography experts in the comment section describe the movie's aesthetic value and briefly discuss First Cow's moral and political commentary. Beware, spoilers ahead.
In my view, this movie is a critique of capitalism in that it exposes the economic system's ruthlessness. The first shot of the cargo ship - a symbol of world trade and consumerism - transitioning into the movie's main period may be a sign that this was the director's intention all along.
Both the characters of the Cookie and King-Lu are deep, skilled, and sensitive individuals, who are ultimately killed (we know from their bones being dug up in the second scene) by their drive to fit in and succeed in a nascent capitalist world. Cookie, on the one hand, is a highly skilled baker and hedonist who enjoys the good things in life: drink, food, warmth, and friendship. His dream is to open a hotel or bakery. King-lu is a multilingual traveler whose determination, resourcefulness, and will to survive make him a stand out character. Both find friendship and companionship in each other as outcasts in the harsh (yet bountiful) landscape of Oregon.
As far as symbols go, I see the relationship between the two main characters as representing human nature, and more specifically that desire among us all to be loved and give love, to care for and be cared for. The cow represents capital, or wealth. It is hoarded by the only rich man in town, and used not for sustenance or selfless purposes, but as a mere delicacy, a superficial pleasure. Whilst most people in town live in the dirt, Chief Factor uses his cow to flavor his tea.
The fact that that Cookie and King-lu need to steal his milk to "get ahead" (read: survive) is a commentary that the means of production tend to be hoarded and controlled by the few. The two are eventually caught and pay the ultimate price. Was the punishment proportionate to the crime? What was their crime, really?
Their crime was being born into a capitalist society, which rather than rewarding their value as humans and productivity as members of society, pushed them to delinquency and eventually got them killed.
Knives Out (2019)
Expect the unexpected
Knives Out is pitch-perfect indeed, inscribing itself in the annals as one of the best mystery movies of all time. Reminiscent of the board game Clue (referenced in the movie), the mansion where most of the film is set subconsciously creates an atmosphere of suspense itself, a suspense that is developed and deepened by the stunning chiaro-oscuro lighting.
The actors play their roles beautifully, with an especially good performances from the grandfather (Christopher Plummer), the daughter (Jamie Lee Curtis) and of course the detective (Daniel Craig), whose accent starts out as forced but ends up contributing to the film's paradoxically whimsical nature.
Finally, the writing is exceptional. As with any murder mystery, expect twists. Unlike any other murder mysteries these days however, expect to be genuinely taken by surprise.
A particularly entertaining film and a must see!
Sex Education (2019)
You won't be skipping this class
Sex Education is more than just a coming of age TV show. It is an injection of emotions - the most prominent of which is happiness. Funny, sad, encouraging, frightening, deeply satisfying, and sometimes even cringe-worthy, Sex Education encapsulates teenage youth at its very core. In a light-hearted mood, the show retells the triumphs and tribulations of horny, insecure, self-searching teens. It hearkens back to a time we all could not forget soon enough, but find ourselves missing now. We miss the innocence, novelty, and excitement of those years, and this show delivers.
What this show does best is tread a delicate balance between the familiar and the fresh. The way the show is filmed and directed reminds of us of common coming-of-age and rom-com tropes (lovers climbing through windows, bullies uncovering their closeted homosexuality, smoking in the school's toilet stalls), but also brings something new to the table. Its aesthetic beauty and feel-good realism aside, I think Sex Education is representative of a new generation of television - one that rejects straight, white males as the only heroes and is socially conscious. The supporting character (Ncuti Gatwa) is a flamboyant, expressive, strong, gay black kid whose wits will have you laughing and loyalty crying. The parents of the perfect, wildly handsome Jackson (Kedar Williams-Stirling), are a bi-racial, same-sex couple - yet that is added as an unimportant detail in the character's story. The show skillfully normalizes and praises sexual identity, racial diversity, and emotional vulnerability in a way that I have rarely seen before.
Original storyline, genuine acting, brilliant writing, good directing, AND progressive social commentary? That's a class you won't want to skip.
Hide and Seek (2014)
A triumph of artistry
Joanna Coate's Hide and Seek is an ode to beauty. Grace is everywhere, whether it be in the cinematography, the story, the characters or the actors.
The same way the characters in the film defy society by creating their own little utopia, the film generally defies our expectations regarding modern cinema. Coates has done away with the conventional plot. There is no beginning, no middle, no end to the story. She has done away with the socially-dictated faultless images of the body. Beauty in this movie can be found as much in its perfection as a unique picture, as in its deliberate imperfection.
Constructed around the central themes of nature, boundaries of intimacy, social non-conformism and freedom, Hide and Seek will leave you reflective. In our busy lives, few are the times we allow ourselves to escape reality and question things society has taught us to internalize. Could we be capable of undertaking the protagonists' journey? Would we be willing? What do we owe society that we shouldn't just seek to create our own utopias?
These are some pretty profound questions, yet there is something to be said about the softness of the film. A plot so uncomplicated, a setting so peaceful and stripped of business, the fact that most of the scenes happen in a small perimeter in and around the same house make for a pure, distilled, easy to watch film.
Hide and Seek is a triumph of artistry in that it glistens beauty through simplicity, and perfection through difference.
Seven Psychopaths (2012)
One of the worst movies to ever have screened. And this is why.
Firstly, and I am far from being the first (nor the last, for that matter) to find that the plot was absolutely dismal. Not only does it feel like it was written by an ill-inspired 11 year old, it also does not hold together. Secondly, the cinematography is poor. No interesting POV shots, no different use of lighting or anything what so ever. From the lack of originality to the botched up scenes where objects disappear from one shot to the other, this movie is an insult to the art of cinematography by and large. Thirdly, the dialogues are perhaps the stupidest, most basic exchanges one could possible think of: "Put your hands up!" "No" Why not? I have a gun". The substandard interchanges of the movie will leave you with a cringe.
I was deeply disappointed by this movie, and only wished I had consulted IMDb before watching it. Now I urgently need to go do something productive because I just threw 110 minutes of my life out the window. What a waste of time!