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Smile (2022)
A mature and well-made psychological horror
It seems horror movies are taking a leap in their evolution from being childishly unrealistic into being less hyperbolic and more psychologically unsettling. The best of horror movies are not those with the most blood and scariest monsters but rather those which are able to get under our skin simply by exploring the dark side of the human mind. Smile ticks all the boxes and skillfully depicts the psychological nature of a curse which seemingly could happen to the best of us, in this case the doctor itself.
Perhaps we are now moving from a materialistic paradigm in which demons, ghosts and evil were seen as entities which exists "outside" of the human mind in some invisible space to actually being symbolic manifestations of the dark side of our own minds. The movie lays bare the naive materialistic assumptions of our contemporary culture when the doctor initially is more interested in labeling her patient with a diagnosis than actually listening to her until she is herself afflicted with the same curse in a twist of fate.
Smile could have been a top tier horror flick if it wasn't for a relatively weak ending where it turned from a realistic psychological thriller to a more hyperbolic horror movie. One can however understand the point of this since it seemed to reflect the gradual increase of insanity in the protagonist - a maze which she never was able to get out of. Perhaps this was the most unsettling part of the movie, which was not your average happy ending story. Instead the directors gave us an intelligent plot where the protagonist gradually tried to face her own demons to break the curse but falling prey to its intensity.
This makes one wonder whether the doctor herself truly was psychotic and had inherited mental illness from her sick mother that was triggered by her environment or if she was indeed victim of a true curse. As is always the case with mental illness it can be hard to discern cause and effect.
A big up to the directors and actors for a well crafted and immersive horror that bodes well for the future of the genre.
Kristy (2014)
Watchable
Reminiscent of The Strangers, a group of competent and fearless killers set out to hunt down attractive girls out of purely evil motifs. A slow build up where the main character and victim is gradually surrounded and hunted down culminates when she manages to turn the tables and fight back. The movie doesn't preach any morality, but is all about survival, which makes for an immersive and suspenseful watching experience without much gore.
365 dni (2020)
Refreshing
A ferocious and erotic breath of fresh air showing a man and woman in predatory natural interplay with no strings attached. The movie is mediocre but hammers it home through passionate actors bringing their respective roles alive, graciously teasing the viewers inner animal until the long-awaited crescendo is reached.
I, Tonya (2017)
Great cinema
A realistic and well-shot biography showcasing a raw talent trying to realize her ice skating potential amidst unfavorable social circumstances. While giving all she can, protagonist Tonya is eventually let down by her closest relationships. Growing up with an absent father she ends up lacking sufficient self respect and pursues an abusive relationship with a small-minded partner. The mother tries to fill the gap by pushing her daughter to the limit, but goes too far and reveals her psychopathic tendencies. The end scene with Tonya in the boxing ring shows the tragic fate of a neglected woman. A real fighter but a waste of talent for all of America.
Joker (2019)
Bore
Despite supreme acting the movie itself is not very entertaining, which leaves those of us who don't find the joker as a particularly interesting character disenchanted in a boring and dull Gotham as a mere background.
I wish the clown was at least funny. Go Batman!
Rambo: Last Blood (2019)
Stallone delivers
Growing up with the Rambo-series and Stallone as a childhood hero this follow up is a highly welcomed surprise. Rambo still has game and takes no prisoners. Seeking revenge of his murdered niece the old veteran does not compromise with evil and takes out every perpetrator who deserves it. Not on par with the classics but does justice to the legend.
Hacksaw Ridge (2016)
Tour de force
Based on real World-War II events a peculiar young man named Desmond Doss is eager to participate in the war with just one holding hook: refusing to bear arms. Desmond is a committed Christian and fully adheres to the commandment 'thou shall not kill'. He sticks to this non-violence principle after childhood trauma involving violence.
After joining the war unarmed Desmond turns out to be the bravest of all and rescues seventy-two comrades and survives himself without firing a single shot. A tale of a miracle taken from real life. The message is hammered home powerfully. The film shows the Japanese' uncompromised loyalty to their nation in their impressive and self-sacrificing way of war. It also goes to show the Japanese lack of the Golden rule of Westerners when they raise a white flag in a scene to fire a grenade in the next moment, just as they're about to win the forgiving trust of the gullible Westerner. The Asian mind makes a virtue out of deception if it favors their in-group. The famous Chinese symbol yin-yang shows the hide-and-seek play between apparent opposites that seem to characterize existence.
The main character Desmond is the opposite of this Asiatic mindset and, instead, fully syncoperated in his unbreakable faith even chooses to save Japanese soldiers when he gets the opportunity.
An inspiring tale of hope and Divine providence.
Swallow (2019)
Traumatized girl gets mistaken for being insane in well-acted drama
A fairly decent psychological character study of a young woman who becomes pregnant with her rich husband and starts displaying odd behavior through swallowing different hazardous objects. The behavior becomes a form of self-harm to control and provoke a solution for an underlying neurosis as well as for not being truly seen by her husband. Her compulsion worsens until she gets detected, which becomes a blow for the husband's ego for not being able to predict his wife, resulting in him trying to medicate and control her.
Although trying to help her his career sentiments seem to get in the way of actually recognizing his spouse for who she is apart from a housewife. Since she is lacking in self-worth she is compliant and blames herself. The family hires a psychologist and a body guard to watch her which exacerbates the problem. As it turns out, her condition stems from a suppressed childhood trauma, as often is the case. She lets her psychologist know her mother was raped which resulted in her own birth. This explains why the trauma suddenly came about during pregnancy, where swallowing sharp objects became a control mechanism to compensate for the fact that she was conceived in an involuntary manner. Luckily, she is able to escape her husband's efforts to hospitalize her and manages to find and confront her father which ends up resolving her trauma.
A story of a woman who needed to be seen and understood but almost ends up in a mental institution. The movie illustrates how modern psychology often fails to address the underlying soul, how superficial relationships prevent real communication and how important piety, acknowledgement and family is for human well-being. It also shows the complexity and emotional depth of a woman which is often neglected or feared by the male counterpart for not being able to understand it.
Terrifier (2016)
Decent comedic gore
Despite coming off as another cheap horror-movie, this one actually turns out to be worthwhile entertainment. It does not try to be anything it isn't, and maintains the ability of being both humorous and disturbing at the same time, which makes the gore endurable. The performance of the clown-murderer is obviously the best part of the film, amusing the viewer with creepy glares and hilarious body language. If you can take it for what it is and are able to stomach a heavy dose of sadistic parody, the movie does deliver an amusing experience for the whole family!
Lukas (2018)
Solid action movie with character depth
This movie delivers solid action and drama that reminds us of the good ole' 90's. Van-Damme's acting is great and down to earth, as he portrays a broken family man who lost his wife and struggles to provide for and protect his daughter by any means. Unlike classic Van-Damme, this movie is dark and realistic, and the action builds up nicely. It doesn't overdo anything, and gradually delivers more and more suspenseful scenes. For Van-Damme fans it's a must, but otherwise a satisfying action flick (except the rather indecisive ending). I'd recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys heavy characters and hard boiled suspense. That being said, it's not any superficial action-fest for teenagers with a short attention-span.