Film Review: Irreversible (2002)

Gaspar Noè doesn’t shy away from expressing his horrifically bleak view of the world. His unforgettable feature film debut, I Stand Alone (1998), revolved around a butcher who embarks on a hate-fueled rage against the world.  He finally returns to the director’s chair four years later to make Irreversible, an equally brutalizing and relentless examination of the most horrific aspects of human nature. It’s violent, mean, and vulgar, too much for most people. I have plenty of experience with disturbing films and it still exhausted me. But it still signifies why Noè is a rare artistic presence, because in spite of his films having a decisively nihilistic tone to them,  he still finds a heart and soul within all the madness.

Film Review: The Seventh Continent (1989)

Michael Haneke’s The Seventh Continent is one of the rare directorial debuts that immediately showcases a filmmaker’s grasp of his craft and what he can bring to the medium. Some of the greatest director’s feature film debuts have been transitional maturations of their styles – Lars von Trier’s The Element of Crime (1984)  is one that springs to mind – but Haneke skips his transitional period and displays a natural discovery of the technical and stylistic qualities that have shaped his acclaimed career. This is a well executed film by any standard, but it’s also a thoroughly impressive introduction to Haneke’s distinctive and challenging filmmaking style. If you appreciate his style then you are witnessing a more-than-humble beginning that features some of his strongest artistic traits; if not, then it will likely be a rough viewing experience.

Film Review: Holy Motors (2012)

Holy Motors marked the first time I have had to watch a film twice before even attempting to put together my thoughts and opinions. This is also my introduction to the mind of Leos Carax, a French filmmaker who is widely considered one of his country’s finest. Considering this is his return after a decade-long absence, I wanted to see some of his earlier works before watching this, but I wasn’t able to. With that in mind, I am pretty sure I shouldn’t be expecting anything like Holy Motors from his other films. Although, what that means is we are watching an experienced director try out and experiment with a completely new style, and create something truly unexplainable. Carax induces the film with so many complex ideas and visual qualities that give it a mysterious nature to it that makes its ambiguity become one of its strongest aspects.