'TRAGEDY AND FIESTA'

SNOW WHITE

- BLANCANIEVES - 

(2006)

Director: Pablo Berger

Black. White. Silent. Fairy tale. Dwarfs. Bullfighters. All of this in one movie, Berger's Snow White. 

This beautiful and picturesque adaptation includes motifs and symbols from more than just fairy tale. Including different stories and myths and excluding language and dialogue the director made this movie universal. 

With people's faces, expressions, eyes and carefully selected music the director manages to evoke emotions without uttering a single word. 

Every fairy tale is based on the contrast between good and evil, so is this one. In director's words: "The contrast of black and white movie simply represents the contrast between darkness and light, love and hate, good and evil, tragedy and fiesta."

TOO LUCKY?

MATCH POINT

(2005)

Director: Woody Allen

The man who said "I'd rather be lucky than good" saw deeply into life. People are afraid to face how great a part of life is dependent on luck. It's scary to think so much is out of one's control. There are moments in a match when the ball hits the top of the net, and for a split second, it can either go forward or fall back. With a little luck, it goes forward, and you win. Or maybe it doesn't, and you lose.

These are the opening lines of Allen's movie of luck and guilt, movie of passion, temptation and  obsession as the movie poster says itself. Lines spoken by the protagonist Chris, a character who changes from a self-confident but likable person to a cold opportunist. These lines illustrate the main topic of the movie. Being lucky rather than being good. The motif of the ball hitting the top of the net becomes the key motif in the movie giving an intriguing twist towards the end of the movie. 

Being lucky instead of being good is how the protagonist, or the antagonist, perceives life. "You have to learn to push the guilt under the rug and move on, otherwise it overwhelms you." These words illustrate how he works, he manages to push the guilt under the rug with luck on his side. When the ball/ring falls on his side the viewer must ask Isn't he a bit too lucky?

INCEPTION - BEFORE IT WAS COOL

THE DISCREET CHARM OF THE BOURGEOISIE

Le Charme Discret de la Bourgeoisie

(1972)

Director: Louis Buñuel

This surrealist social satire focuses both on its content as well as its form. 

The movie mocks the social habits of the bourgeoisie. Their special way of sipping martini and their false social graces. It presents us with a funny scene where a fancy coffee place runs out of coffee, tea and milk, and doesn't serve alcohol.

It displays the hypocrisy of the high society which deals enormous amounts of cocaine but abhors the sight of marijuana.

They consider themselves the ones with proper social graces while some of them have love affairs with another person from their group.

The movie doesn't stop there. It mocks the church, the police, the military, the diplomacy...

All of these contents are presented in an oneiric atmosphere. Dreams intertwined with more dreams all of which make the protagonists uncomfortable and all connected with the scene of the group walking in the middle of nowhere probably heading nowhere. 

"...CREATED OUT OF INK, PAPER AND IMAGINATION"

RUBY SPARKS

Directed By: Jonathan Dayton , Valerie Faris

(2012)

Cute and magical romantic comedy about a young writer Calvin and his creation Ruby Sparks. 

Although this movie comes down to two quotes; which are 

commonly used when talking about love and relationships - that they almost become cliches; it is still one charming and disarming love story. 

"If you love something, set it free. If it comes back, it is yours. If it doesn’t, it never was." 

Calvin tries to shape his perfect partner, but every time he does that his love goes to another extreme. When she acts differently from his expectations Calvin changes Ruby and molds her into his perception of an ideal. He fails every time. He doesn't manage to put her in a cage of his concept of a perfect woman. He sets her free, he does not try to control his destiny any more, and destiny returns him a favor. 

"We come to love not by finding a perfect person, but by learning to see an imperfect person perfectly."

The movie brings a message of true love as a relationship where both sides embrace the other person completely, with his/her imperfections and differences between the sides.

GROWN-UP-KIDS' KINGDOM

MOONRISE KINGDOM 

(2012)

Director: Wes Anderson

Moonrise Kingdom, a film about love and revolt is based on the contrast between two worlds and their clash. The world of adults and the world of children. 

Adults in this movie are the antagonists. Not because of their viciousness or ill-temper, but because of their incapability. A scout master loses his scouts; parents are completely incompetent when considering the upbringing of their children. 

On the other hand, children are clever and adroit. Even though one can question the correctness of their actions, most of the times it seems that kids know better than the ones who should be their role-models. The thing that makes us laugh is how these kids embody adulthood and childhood in such an overwhelming and charming way. 

Diverting story, exceptional imagery, enjoyable atmosphere of the movie and lovable innocence of main characters keep a smile on viewer's face throughout. 

FIGHTING ABSURDITY

BRAZIL

(1985)

Director: Terry Gilliam

To criticize the society of today, or the one of 1985, is not easy. It has always been difficult to  accentuate flaws of the society. Authors of written observations about the world and its defects, usually use the same trick to avoid assaults. They travel in time. They either place events in the past, or in the future. Terry Gilliam chose the latter one. 

Gilliam's Brazil exquisitely distinguishes terrible shortcomings of the society giving emphasis on timeless stupidity and extremely ineffective bureaucracy.

BUREAUCRACY

"This is your receipt for your husband... and this is my receipt for your receipt."

The plot of the movie is focused on a highly inefficient and ultimately dangerous bureaucratic system and it effects on people. The plot is concentrated around the event where a simple and rather stupid mistake ruins several and fundamentally changes some lives. The world of Brazil is the one where money is spent on ministries which are end in itself, where every home device is automatic but nothing really works, where guards are dressed like SS troops and people are just numbers. 

THE IDIOCY OF SNOBBERY 

"There's been a little complication with my complication."

The stupidity and falsity of high society is perfectly depicted through protagonist's (Sam Lowry) mother and her cosmetic surgeries. The peak of stupidity is the celebration of her latest operation.

The same is skilfully represented in the dinner scene. The dinner is held in a supposedly luxurious restaurant where  all allegedly fine meals are just swills. Just like the people who go there. 

FANTASIES

The movie is intertwined with protagonist's fantasies about a lady of his dreams. He tries to rescue her, his captive princess. On the way he fights giant samurai, 'zombie-hunchback-children', freaks. All of these represent different officials, SWAT team, and other problems which he encounters. 

TUTTLE THE RENEGADE

Archibald Harry Tuttle, apostatized heating engineer, helps the protagonist and impersonates the other side of the society. The ones which fight against the stupidity of bureaucracy. Tuttle is represented as an 'Air Condition Batman', an outcast, fighting for the right cause and always leaving theatrically. 

 The world of Brazil is a combination of Kafka's Trial, Orwell's 1984, and, sadly, our reality.

TASTE OF LIFE AND DEATH

TASTE OF CHERRY

(Ta'm e guilass)

1997

Director:Abbas Kiarostami

The story of a man (Mr. Badii) searching his associate in suicide. Although the theme revolves around death, the most impressive moments are the ones concerning the celebration and appreciation of life.

 "If you look at the four seasons, each season brings fruit. In summer, there's fruit, in autumn, too. Winter brings different fruit and spring, too. No mother can fill her fridge with such a variety of fruit for her children. No mother can do as much for her children as God does for His creatures. You want to refuse all that? You want to give it all up? You want to give up the taste of cherries? 

This is a part of Mr. Bagheri's monologue held in Mr. Badii's car. Mr. Bagheri is the one who agrees to help Badii in his intention, because he really needs the money. Although another person's life depends on that money, Mr. Bagheri still wants to persuade Badii to keep on with his life. That life is something worth of keeping. 

A spectator might assume that this beautiful metaphor of richness and diversity of life will talk Mr. Badii out of his intentions. Viewer might think that Mr. Bagheri will convince him that there are always reasons to live and carry on. 

However, Mr. Badii is not convinced, he proceeds with his intentions and lays in his prepared grave. This is the penultimate scene in the movie. 

The movie ends oddly, to a certain extent. The movie ends with a meta-cinematic scene: film crew on the set making this movie. By using this scene, the director wants to remind the spectator that this is still just a movie. He probably wants to distant the viewer and himself from the protagonist because he does not want for anyone to identify with Mr. Badii. 

The director cannot approve Mr. Badii's decision, because approving suicide would imply supporting it, which is not commendable. On the other hand, he lets him do it which implies  the director's respect of Mr. Badii's choice.