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Tag Archives: Charlotte Gainsbourg

Antichrist

16 Monday May 2016

Posted by vinnieh in Movie Reviews

≈ 46 Comments

Tags

2000's, Antichrist, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Horror, Lars Von Trier, Willem Dafoe

Film Title

Antichrist

Director

Lars Von Trier

Starring

  • Willem Dafoe as He
  • Charlotte Gainsbourg as She

To say that the movies of Lars Von Trier are divisive and an acquired taste is a major understatement, and with Antichrist, it is no exception. Visceral and horrifying, yet often meandering and somewhat overloaded by too many ideas, Antichrist is certainly memorable for the intense performances, grisly content and atmosphere, yet is muddled and at times incoherent. It’s safe to say that this offering from Von Trier will provoke wildly differently opinions, including the one I will give.

An unnamed couple, only identified in the credits as He and She, open the movie by making love in the shower. Antichrist PosterTragically, while in the throes of passion, their toddler son manages to climb up to an open window and falls to his death. The woman goes into a deep depression and blames herself for her son’s death, while the husband, who is a therapist, stifles his grief by analyzing his wife’s condition and attempting to treat her with psychotherapy. He tries to get her to talk about her fears and make them face them in order to carry on. One of her fears is the woods, specifically those near a cabin known as Eden, that she and her son visited in the summer past while she worked on a research paper centred on gynocide and society’s oppression of women. Her husband who thinks he can do better than other doctors in treating his wife and decides to take her to Eden to help her face what she is most afraid of. Antichrist He and SheBut going to Eden may have not been the best idea as the surrounding woods and nature itself seem ready for them. Soon strange and alarming visions for the husband and the manic behaviour of the wife, who believes that everything has turned evil, reach a fever pitch and chaos reigns for the both of them.

Going into Antichrist, I knew from watching other movies from Lars Von Trier, that it wasn’t going to be the most comfortable or heartwarming movie to watch. And I was right because Antichrist is a disturbing and stomach churning watch to say the very least. From what I’ve read, Von Trier was suffering from depression around the time of making the film and that potent emotion of darkness and desolation bleeds into a lot of frames within the movie. I must give him kudos for the way he crafts the unusual atmosphere and the way he employs striking( yet often unforgettably dark) images, in a way that reminded me of paintings. EdenThe cinematography can’t be praised highly enough, particularly in the scenes at Eden where the surrounding forest and forces of nature are made to resemble something out of an adult Grimm’s fairy tale. Yet for all these positives within the film, there are a number of things that are detrimental to it. Firstly, while I thought that some of the themes examined(such as extreme grief, evil and human nature gone awry) where potent and well executed, many others get lost in the mix and seem to appear then disappear without so much as an explanation. The violence throughout which is no doubt where many find a point of contention, is horrific and some of the most sickening torture and mutilation I’ve ever seen committed to film. But while they are unforgettable, the feeling overall is depraved and borders on gratuitous and utterly revolting. Willem Dafoe AntichristI wouldn’t say it is torture porn because the violence does have some purpose as the unnamed couple unravel and savagely turn on each other. But then the violence is thrown at us left, right and centre and the whole set up falls apart due to Von Trier not knowing when to stop. An ominous soundscape forms a terrifying backbone to the film that brings out the horror, despite Antichrist as a film not knowing what it quite wants to be and suffering because of it.

On thing that can’t be criticized in Antichrist is the willingness of the two main stars to surrender themselves to the extreme material. Both Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg turn in daring and brave performances, considering some of the things that the film calls for them to do. Willem Dafoe excellently portrays the stoic, closed of man who suppresses his own grief and puts it off, ultimately leading to an immense cauldron of emotions threatening to bubble over. Charlotte Gainsbourg AntichristCharlotte Gainsbourg is phenomenal in her part; embodying the suffocating grief, guilt and trauma of the character, she both startles and frightens with an intensely visceral performance that is hard to forget. The two actors are really the only people in the movie and boy do they deliver work that is provocative and memorable. It must have been hard performing in this movie, due to the extreme content and situations, but both stars get so in touch with the characters that it’s hard to see any nerves and thankfully their acting papers over some of the cracks in the film.

To summarise my thoughts on the controversial and experimental Antichrist, I’ll say that it is a flawed movie to be sure, but due to the performances from the leads and the visuals, it sure as hell made a disquieting impact on me, despite some of my ambivalence. Like of all of Von Trier’s work, Antichrist will cause discussion and differing opinions a plenty.

21 Grams

24 Sunday Mar 2013

Posted by vinnieh in Movie Reviews

≈ 26 Comments

Tags

2000's, 21 Grams, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Benicio Del Toro, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Drama, Guillermo Arriaga, Melissa Leo, Naomi Watts, Sean Penn

Film Title

21 Grams

Director

Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

Cast

  • Sean Penn as Paul Rivers
  • Naomi Watts as Cristina Peck
  • Benicio Del Toro as Jack Jordan
  • Charlotte Gainsbourg as Mary Rivers
  • Melissa Leo as Marianne Jordan

The second film by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, 21 Grams is a vivid, visceral and fragmented view of lives intersecting after tragedy. Examining the lives and actions of three principal characters, the film becomes a visual jigsaw as the audience attempts 21 Grams Movie Posterto fathom what events will lead them to redemption and revenge.

The three principal characters in this fragmented narrative are Paul, a dying mathematician, Cristina a former drug addict who has cleaned up her ways and Jack, an ex-con turned devout christian. Their lives collide when Jack after drinking runs over and kills Cristina’s husband and two daughters. This leads Cristina back to her old ways to try to cope with unimaginable grief. Paul, is in need of a new heart and eventually receives the heart of Cristina’s late husband. As his marriage to his British wife Mary crumbles, Paul begins a relationship with the grieving Cristina who is out for revenge. All of these events transpire in non-linear order, giving the viewer an insight into the characters before and after the tragedy and the events that will transpire as a result of this one fateful incident.

Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu has fashioned an interesting film about redemption and retribution. The script by Guillermo Arriaga delves deep into the emotions of these emotionally wounded characters, revealing the inner turmoil and confusion each experiences throughout the narrative. Although at first the non-linear narrative may leave you bewildered, as the events continue to unravel we are given a bigger picture of what is happening as the pieces begin to form an inexplicable link to each other. This style is not for everyone, but it is certainly interesting to watch the past, present and future of each character’s life as they unfold like a coiSean Penn as Paul Riversled snake.

The acting of the leading trio is uniformly excellent. Sean Penn reveals a deep humanity within the character of Paul, who is just about holding on as the last flicker of light in his life begins to slip away. Naomi Watts puts in a powerful turn of sorrow, anger and heartbreak as her character tries to grieve Naomi Watts as Cristina Peckand later get even with the cause of her pain. Benicio Del Toro is a menacing presence as the ex-con turned preacher who attempts to write his wrongs, but is ultimately unable to escape the guilt he has inflicted upon himself. Because of this powerful trio of portrayals, the secondary characters lack something and only contribute tiny things to the story. Charlotte Gainsbourg and Melissa Leo are talented actresses but are underused in this film. Regardless of this minor gripe, the film still remains an evocative look at damaged people trying to make good with their lives.

Evocative, thought-provoking and inventive, 21 Grams is a film that is once seen, never to be forgotten.

Melancholia

18 Wednesday Jul 2012

Posted by vinnieh in Movie Reviews

≈ 29 Comments

Tags

2010's, Alexander Skarsgård, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Charlotte Rampling, Drama, John Hurt, Kiefer Sutherland, Kirsten Dunst, Lars Von Trier, Melancholia, Science Fiction, Stellan Skarsgård, Udo Kier

Movie Title

Melancholia

Director

Lars Von Trier

Cast

  • Kirsten Dunst as Justine
  • Charlotte Gainsbourg as Claire
  • Kiefer Sutherland as John
  • Alexander Skarsgård as Michael
  • Stellan Skarsgård as Jack
  • Charlotte Rampling as Gaby
  • John Hurt as Dexter
  • Udo Kier as Wedding Planner

The Melancholia of the title refers to two things; a rogue planet that has been hiding behind the sun and is heading towards the Earth and the frequent bouts of depression that Justine, one of the main characters suffers from as the movie progresses. As with most of Von Trier’s films, this one will polarize viewers. People seem to either think of him as an artistic genius or violent sadist, there never seems to be a middle ground when it comes to people’s opinions on the controversial director. Although the film’s pace maybe too slow for some viewers tp watch, I personally enjoyed the film for many reasons that I will go into further detail in this review.

The plot revolves around young bride Justine on her wedding night and the events that follow on from it. At her lavish wedding to groom Michael and the ensuring reception organised by her sister , various incidents begin to take a detrimental effect on Justine.  Her mother and father bicker during the speeches, her mother tells her  “Enjoy it while it lasts” words that take on a bigger meaning and resonance as the film unravels. During these scenes, the up close camera work clearly captures the characters off guard, especially Justine whose face reveals hurt and pain as she tries to smile.  It also helps create a sense of confusion and isolation within her character. Her relationship with her sister Claire is explored and reveals a distant feeling between the two of them.  With all the feelings of melancholy beginning to engulf her, the rogue planet of the title begins to emerge ominously and seems destined to strike the Earth.

Split into two parts named after the sisters, the film explores the frail relationship between the two and how they react the impending planet.  I thought that each half was remarkably different, the first half is more slow-moving whereas the second half gains momentum and becomes more dramatic as it goes on to reach its climax. If there is one thing that kept me engaged when watching the film it was the performances, especially from Dunst, who I believe gives one of the best performances in her career. She is a revelation as Justine, giving an emotionally raw and bruised portrayal of a woman close to breaking point. Even when she isn’t speaking her intensity is felt, as her eyes reveal the deep sadness and emotional bruises inside her. In other word she is the embodiment of melancholy. Also giving a great performance is Gainsbourg, who returns for her second venture in a Von Trier movie after her harrowing role in the highly controversial and much discussed Antichrist. Even though she scolds her sister for her despondency, she is equally troubled and becomes highly strung as the thought of Melancholia begins to get to her. Sutherland does well in his role as Claire’s amateur astronomer husband who tries to convince her that there is nothing to worry about but fails. Also the cameos of Charlotte Rampling and John Hurt add to the acting honours, as well as Von Trier regular Udo Kier as an impatient and extremely surly wedding planner.Stellan Skarsgård and his son Alexander Skarsgård appear as Justine’s boss and her new husband in the first part of the film.

Aside from the acting, the stunning visuals are amazing to behold. I don’t think I’ve ever seen an apocalypse look so strangely and hauntingly beautiful before. Especially, the aesthetically and visually outstanding opening sequence, filmed in extreme slow motion to the strains of an epic Wagner score. The movie itself is full of so many bold symbolism and imagery that you will find it hard to forget them long after the credits have began to roll, they are that haunting. Although the film seems to follow some of the conventions of the sci-fi and disaster movie genre, it is essentially a drama about the depths of loneliness within a person and how it can take a hold over you and your whole existence.

As I have mentioned earlier, this is a film that will definitely divide opinion sharply down the middle. But if you are looking for a visually enthralling and well-acted hybrid between disaster movie and intense drama, Melancholia is a film that I would vocally advise you to give a look and judge for yourself.

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