Wow. I really liked “Anomalisa“. Such a simple story, yet so complex. You’ll notice there’s something slightly surreal about it right away. Why do the female characters have a male voice? Actually, there are only three different voices in the whole movie, but we still meet a lot of characters. Hmm…
And talking about voices: It’s so nice to hear real conversations in a movie. This is how people actually talk, and yet it’s slightly bizarre, cuz it’s puppets talking.

I definitely like the idea with stop motion and puppets, not just because it’s done brilliantly, but also because it adds to the surreal atmosphere in a deeply social realist film. Some of the scenes in this animated movie capture reality better than any other movie featuring human actors. Crazy.

Highly recommended if you’re into social realism with a twist.

Rated: 4 / 5

A modern day “Rosemary’s Baby” directed by Stanley Kubrick? Well, almost. But without the horror.

This tense, wicked, mysteriously psychological drama is ultimately a deep dive into the psyche of a woman struggling with lost love, grief and madness. It’s wicked in that it at first glance is about a woman who opens her door to a boy who says he’s her dead husband reborn… What the hell?
But that’s just scratching the surface.

Even though the subject of this movie is absurd, the approach is 100% serious. They could have made this funny, but instead it’s eerie, and in the end it’s a heartbreaking experience.
The colours (brown, beige, gray) remind me of Lars von Triers “Riget”, making it almost like a fantasy. The dense atmosphere and the tone of the score only adds to the unreal.

Nicole Kidman delivers a stunning performance. Her fragile and desperately silent emotions are almost felt through the screen, especially in the famous opera scene, where the close-up of her face (with Wagner playing in the background) displays acting and camera work at its best. No cuts. An actor totally in character. It’s a magical moment in film history.

“Birth” left me in a melancholic state of mind, yet still in amazement. I actually watched it two times in a row, and the second time I was even more fascinated, and it made me realize how well crafted this film really is. Even though it’s losing steam along the way, a rewatch made complete sense. I don’t want to understand it, I just want to experience it, because it moved me. I will watch it again.

Some say this is the most underrated masterpiece in film history. I have to think about that. Jonathan Glazer is without a doubt a master of mood, but this mood is certainly not for everyone.
For me, it was deeply fascinating.

Rated: 4 / 5

War is hell, and even more so when it’s seen through the eyes of a child.

”Beasts of No Nation” is powerful, majestic, dark and emotional. It’s easily one of the best movies I’ve seen lately, and definitely one of the best war films in a very long time. Cary Joji Fukunaga, probably most known for his work with ”True Detective”, is from now on one of my fave movie makers. He gets almost everything right, especially the really hard things, like making things seem authentic.

I’m always impressed when actors are so good you don’t realize they’re acting, and I usually hate child actors. These boys are amazing all the way through (hail Abraham “Agu” Attah!), and I’d really like to know how Fukunaga worked with them.

Along with some really good footage (the camera work is astounding at times) and a moving but depressing story (child soldiers in Africa), ”Beasts of No Nation” is quite a ride that should not be missed by anyone. It might be missing that little extra which makes you praise the Lord and shit, but in a world dominated by bad Hollywood films, this one is a true killer.

Rated: 4 / 5

Having thoroughly enjoyed Yorgos Lanthimos’ ”Dogtooth”, one of the absolute highlights of 2009, my expectations were high. ”The Lobster” didn’t disappoint, but I wasn’t thrilled either.

This film obviously has a really odd feel to it, being some kind of dark dystopian comedy. It’s a little too much comedy for my taste, even though it’s a deep movie, essentially about loneliness and modern day relationship problems. I’d prefer a more serious take on these subjects, but maybe that’s because I’m not in the mood for joking about right now. It certainly has its dark moments as well, which makes it really interesting.

”The Lobster” is slow, bizarre and sometimes bordering on the surreal, and I will definitely watch it again, hopefully in a different state of mind. It’s absolutely worth it.

Btw, the voice-over (amongst other things) made me think of ”The Grand Budapest Hotel” and a deeply depressed/disturbed Wes Anderson. Good or bad? You decide.

Rated: 3,5 / 5