In Short (The Greatest Showman / Drown Among the Dead / The Scythian)

The Greatest Showman

(Michael Gracey, 2017) 

☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼ out of 10☼

The escapist, exuberant, flamboyant, painfully optimistic, excessively romanticized, borderline-high fantasy musical biopic of the famous hoax master P.T. Barnum may be one big fat lie, yet the Aussie first-timer Michael Gracey tells it with the confidence of a more experienced helmer and, in an oxymoronic twist, imbues it with heartfelt sincerity, providing his diverse cast with a larger-than-life playground (where all of them, including the supporting actors, seem to have a whale of a time) and presenting the viewer with a most pleasant ride on a shiny, bewitchingly designed emotional rollercoaster.

Drown Among the Dead / Pierdete entre los muertos

(Rubén Gutiérrez, 2018)

☼☼☼☼☼☼☼(☼) out of 10☼

Taking cues from the theatre of the absurd, a bold, minimalist debut feature by Mexican director Rubén Gutiérrez sees an aging comedian literally and metaphorically stuck between life and death (i.e. buried neck down in the middle of nowhere) 'amusing' a young, murderous and crazy woman (wielding a bat adorned with nails) with tall stories in what could be described as a surreal, nihilist, sardonic, oddly paced and somewhat philosophical 'dramedy' (for the lack of a better term) laced with twisted humor and attractively lensed in sunbathed widescreen.

The Scythian / Skif

(Rustam Mostafir, 2018)

☼☼☼☼☼☼☼(☼) out of 10☼

As if inspired by Clara Pais and Daniel Fawcett's 'love of all cinema, beyond the hierarchies of taste and quality', Rustam Mosafir draws from Russian fairy tale adaptations, modern Hollywood blockbusters and arthouse offerings, quoting various directors from Sergei Parajanov and John Millius to Zack Snyder and Nicholas Winding Refn, while delivering a pulpy pseudo-historical epic that takes the viewer back to feminist-unfriendly times and comes neatly packed with paganistic rituals, solid performances, brutal (blood-spilling) action and impressive production values, despite being shot for less than $3 million. 

Bound by Gods, Unchained by Arthropods

Deep inside the divine mind,

all of the dominoes lie aligned.

So, please be kind to unwind

the woes designed to blind

that child left behind.

(click to enlarge)

Dead End (no hay sentido)

After the Spider had left the room,

three circles reveled in his Absence.

It took them an eternity to find the Land.

But, there was another Verity

that Arachnophobia could not unload:

death had plans for the Dreamers.

 Was it all the Ouroboros fault

or was it just a new Rule?

(click to enlarge)

Unhelp This Soul

An abbreviated deconstruction of the Medusa myth.

(click to enlarge)

EVERYONE AFRAID TO BE FORGOTTEN (Jonna Lee & John Strandh, 2018)

☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼ out of 10☼
 

A driving force behind the fascinating online project iamamiwhoami, Swedish singer-songwriter Jonna Lee (aka ionnalee) makes a fine debut as a co-writer/director of a 50-minute long feature whose title can not ring any truer. Effortlessly blending (synth)pop music with experimental cinema, she and her DoP collaborator John Strandh deliver one of the most eclectic and - well, this might sound strange, but consider it as a compliment - 'milkiest' films I've seen so far in 2018.

The basis for the unconventional, poetic narrative is reflected in every artist's desire stemming from the very human fear of oblivion and that is to create something which will stand the test of time. In their struggle to be remembered forever, Lee and Strandh present the viewer with an experience comparable to a fresh, fragrant breeze that gently infuses you with new, somewhat rejuvenating energy. And only the upcoming days will tell whether the sensation is lasting or not.
 

Like the Ouroboros, their story ends where it begins and believe me, this is not a spoiler, considering that the storytelling is eschewed in favor of the overall feel and atmosphere. An unnamed heroine (played by Jonna Lee herself) is stranded in an uninviting wonderland inhabited by a sect-like community who holds an 'unending party' with guests adorned in white and wolf-masks. As she tries to find her way back to the 'outside' world, the themes of isolation, treachery and exclusion intertwine in the rhythm of a low-key phantasy.
 

Blurring or, at some points, completely erasing the boundaries between self-portraits, music videos, fairy tales, mystical rituals, performing arts, avant-garde films and all of our realities, both physical and virtual, the duo comes up with a peculiar musical - visually stimulating and aurally spellbinding (even if you're not a big fan of the genre, as in my case). There's an ethereal quality to Strandh's cinematography, as well as to Lee's vocals and appearance, that keep you mesmerized, eyes glued to the screen, ears tuned to audio-reveries. Simply put, beautiful!
 

Devastation

Ten fingers, twelve plugs,

don't ever look under the rugs.

Don't ever wonder about the sore,

'cause if you ignore, there'll be no gore.

(click to enlarge)

We Are Dead, yet We Live

Inspired by the line spoken by Laura Palmer in Twin Peaks: The Return, my latest collage holds plenty of meanings, some of which even I am not aware of. We Are Dead, yet We Live could probably be interpreted as a social commentary of sorts, but above all, it stands for my love for the strange, absurd, surreal and unfathomable, for the pain I embraced for the sake of creativity, for the enthusiasm (madness?) that still keeps this blog running, as well as for my seemingly futile and neverending struggle with unemployment...

(click to enlarge)