I was apprehensive about seeing "Antichrist,, but not primarily for the reason that you might expect. Yes, the film's allegations of rampant misogyny (not a new accusation for controversial filmmaker Lars Von Trier) and graphic violence were daunting, but I also heard that the Von Trier's new work was linked thematically to "Melancholia," a film I found almost unbearably aloof and pretentious.
I am, however, a fan of the director's earlier works "Dancer in the Dark," and especially, "Breaking the Waves" (the film that made me fall irrevocably in love with Emily Watson), so I decided to give this one a go. This movie didn't make me fall in love with anybody, least of all the characters (though the acting is very good.) It made me want to hit something. Or crawl into a fetal position and cry.
The events that unfold in "The Woman" are not always believable or even serious, but they are consistently intriguing and have a thought-provoking message behind them. The acting adeptly drives home this message- 'the woman' of the title (Pollyanna McIntosh,) a feral human wandering the wilds of rural North America, may be more animal than human, but she is more of a person than her sadistic (and supposedly 'civilized') male captors.
The Cleeks are an all-American family that have done well for themselves- Dad Chris (Sean Bridger) is a successful lawyer, while the others fall into traditional roles of housewife, jock brother, feminine sister, and cutie pie youngster. But something is terribly wrong. Chris rules his frightened family with an iron fist, bullying them into compliance, while older daughter Peg (Lauren Ashley Carter) hides a terrible secret from the rest of the world.
So when the unthinkable happens- Chris brings home a feral woman to force his family to participate in her 'reintroduction into society'- the others are bullied into playing along- but such a decision will have explosive consequences. While brother Brian (Zach Rand) follows in his dad's footsteps and downtrodden mom Belle (Angela Bettis) frets, sister Peg's secret becomes increasingly hard to hide.
The acting here is quite good- I was especially impressed by Lauren Ashley Carter as Peg, who portrayed her alienation, aching loneliness, and increasing empathy for her father's prisoner startlingly well. I really started to care for her- I felt she was a good person trapped in a very sick family dynamic, and felt keenly for her.
Polly McIntosh and Angela Bettis were very good too- Bettis, who impressed in director Lucky McKee's 2002 horror film "May," here shows her versatility as a weak, frightened wife and mother, while there is no trace of actor in McIntosh's portrayal of a wild woman who has met her match in sadistic captor . I felt Sean Bridger's 'family-values-gone-awry' dialogue was a bit silly at times (like a close descendent of Terry O'Quinn's "The Stepfather,") but he did alright with the resources he had.
"The Woman" raises this question- what is more dangerous, a person who is taught to put on a mask of success and normalcy but remains a wild animal, or a person who has never been taught these resources. This would make a great companion viewing with the Stephen King essay "Why We Crave Horror Movies," which goes into the dark urges we are taught to keep in check.
I urge you to pay attention to the scene where youngest child Darlin' Cleek (Shyla Molhusen) demands a cookie from her mother, to which Mom responds, "That's not a very nice way to ask." Promptly, the girl says "Please may I have a cookie Mommy, I love you" (not a direct quote.) We are taught these techniques from an early age, but when the person being taught in a psychopath, does etiquette make him a less monstrous monster?
The editing in "The Woman" is sometimes a little overbaked, as is the writing, and the bombastic ending is so gory and disgusting that it is hard to take seriously, but the films performances and psychological aspects make it worth seeing and discussing. Rating- 6.5/10
Well-done in every respect, "Raging Bull" nevertheless made me feel somewhat ambivalent about its content. As a depiction of real life boxer Jake Le Motta (amazingly portrayed by Robert De Niro)'s degeneration from a rage-filled fighter to a fat, unkempt slob of a man, the movie can be forgiven for not giving us a warm and fuzzy reiteration of the events.
However, the characters the film portrays are so hard to care about, that it's hard not to look at it with a mix of disbelief and stoicism. That said, "Raging Bull" as a piece of cinematic history is magnificent. The black-and-white photography, which might peeve some, is a fascinating stylistic approach.
Emotionally devastating and rewarding, a study of desperate individuals with seemingly nothing to lose, "Tyrannosaur" is one to put on your watch list. Now. Featuring electrifying performances from Peter Mullan, Olivia Coleman, and the criminally underused Eddie Marsan, it is as riveting as it is disturbing and shocking.
Joseph (Peter Mullan) is a man seething with rage and contempt. When we first see him, he is leaving a bar after a fight. Irritated suddenly by the whining of his dog, tied up outside, he gives it a fatal kick in the ribs.
Joseph seems to have this effect on everyone who crosses his path, and he certainly seems incapable of any lasting change, but that doesn't stop kind Christian charity shop worker Hannah (Olivia Coleman) from trying to help, to Joseph's great puzzlement.
No one does slice-of-life drama and acerbic humor like the Brits, and the curiously named Treacle Jr. showcases this, as well as some damned good acting from the cast, particularly Aidan Gillen (Queer As Folk, Game Of Thrones) as Aidan. (It seems kind of cheap when the screenwriters can't come up with their own names; does anyone agree?)
Treacle Jr., as it so happens, is a kitten, Aidan is a childlike man in an unhealthy relationship, and Tom (Tom Fisher) steps quite by accident into the situation, in the process of getting out of another.
Unable to bear for another minute the responsibilities of parenthood and family life, Tom (Fisher) walks out on his wife and baby and, after running out of cash, seeks a new means of livelihood on the streets of London.
Inexplicably, he is attacked and injured by a gang of thugs, and while at the police station, he meets Aidan, who is comparing the woman at the front desk's hair to an Irish Setter's in an attempt at flirtation.
Aidan's the kind of guy most people stay away from. He's earnest, hyper, and completely free of any social graces. Aidan's naive and enthusiastic to a fault, but Tom soon discovers he has problems too, namely Linda (Riann Steele), his "girlfriend," a volatile bag of nuts who beats on Aidan, dubs him a "retard," and in one painful scene, tries to rape him.
She's a barrel of laughs.
People who find this situation unlikely need only think again. What does society think of men who hit women? If Aidan were to so much as take a swing at Linda in self-defense, she'd need only pull a pouty face to the police and Aidan would be sent up to the big house. Maybe it's a bit of an exaggeration, but it's something to think about.
The story chronicles the meeting and eventual friendship between the two men, despite Tom's initial urgent attempts to get away from Aidan, who has the boundless enthusiasm of a horny beagle. Now Aidan, he's an interesting character. Devoid of the marketability of endearing innocents like Forrest Gump, he is good-hearted but entirely oblivious to his effect on people. He was not written to be liked. I liked him.
If this was to be remade in America, there would be some adjustments made. Linda's race would be changed, the gender roles would be switched, and the movie would become a feminist power flick. But it will not be remade because it was not highly successful, and it's a good thing, too. Treacle Jr. intrigues and challenges, doing what British films do best.
