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Reviews
Take Shelter (2011)
A movie about relationship with hopeful ending
"Take Shelter" is a film by Jeff Nichols that centers on Curtis, a working-class man, who is haunted by apocalyptic visions. He becomes fixated on constructing a storm shelter due to his fears of these visions being warnings. As his obsession grows, it impacts his relationships and raises uncertainty about the boundary between mental illness and genuine apocalypse. Eventually Curtis acknowledges the visions as manifestations of his illness and leaves the idea of the shelter behind. The movie ends with Curtis and his family on a beach vacation, while the real apocalypse begins. But this time everyone can see apocalypse.
In an interview, Jeff Nichols said that "Take Shelter" is a movie about relationship with a hopeful ending, despite its seemingly tragic and dark conclusion. I think his hint was enough to decipher the movie. Nichols suggests that Curtis' visions were real, emphasizing that mental issues are as genuine and real as anything else. Nichols narrates a relationship story in which one partner fails to understand and acknowledge the challenges of the other partner. Nichols said the movie has a hopeful ending because, in the end, Curtis' nightmares are fully realised by his partner.
Serbian psychologist Dr. Aleks Dimitrijevic, on a lecture on trauma, stated that the most significant factor in overcoming trauma is to have someone by your side. Someone who actually and imaginatively listens to your story without judgment and helps you navigate through the stormy sea. "Take Shelter" ends on a hopeful note because, at the end, Curtis' partner actually and imaginatively realises the pain that Curtis is going through. I don't think it's a coincidence that the family are away from home and the shelter when the apocalypse begins. Nichols implies there is no real hiding from traumas -- they need to faced. The family's journey ahead is going to be a challenging one, but, at least, they are a team now.
Roads of Ithriyah (2022)
To enter the kingdom of heaven one must become a child again
Philosopher Zizek once stated that what makes Gretha Thunberg very special is her lack of ideology. Gretha sees the world objectively and without bias or ideologies. Zizek believes that today, more than ever, we, the adults, need the innocent gaze of children to see the world in its pure, unbiased form.
This movie portrays a Syrian soldier who loses his memory and consequently his ideology in the midst of war. He no longer remembers for which side he is fighting for. Similar to children, his gaze becomes pure. This is a story of self-discovery and overcoming of ideologies by following love (one's true passions).
War Cake (2020)
Pathetic & immoral religious propaganda
"Morality born out of intimidation is immoral."
-- Adam Phillips, British Psychotherapist and literary critic
This movie, in a Taliban-isque manner, intimidatingly tries to tell the audience that sex before marriage is a sin that leads to damnation.
Having sex turns the innocent 18-year olds into murderers. What a sick and backward logic! Based on Adam Phillips' quote, this movie is immoral to the very core.
Aquaman (2018)
An entertaining movie about the Oedipus complex
Aquaman is an entertaining movie about the Oedipus complex. Two sons are separated from their mother. As a result, they are totally desperate. One son (Aquaman) blames Atlantis for his loss; the other son (King Orm) blames humans. He is desperate to the extent that he wants to destroy the world.
At the end of the movie, both sons reunite with their mother and it seems they are going to live happily ever after. I think this is a rather superficial ending. Both Aquaman and King Orm needed their mum when they were growing up. Not only they never fully experienced a (semi)healthy family life, but, most likely, they also projected all of their frustrations on the loss of mother. In other words, for both of them, mum symbolises both 'mother figure' and also everything that they lack in their lives (e.g. I could achieve this or that only if I had a mother). We know Atlanna (the mother) can't fill these roles now.
In a more realistic world, I bet after few days both Aquaman and king Orm are going to feel miserable again because "no one ever fully recovers from the sadomasochism of their childhood"(1).
(1) Adam Phillips, Psychotherapist and literary critic
I Want to Dance (2017)
Those Who Dance Are Considered Insane by Those Who Can't Hear the Music
Nietzsche: "Those Who Dance Are Considered Insane by Those Who Can't Hear the Music."
I think the entire movie revolves around this sentence of Nietzsche. This movie operates in two levels: philosophical and sociological. Sometimes these two are completely intertwined.
Bahram, the protagonist of the movie, is a writer who is surrounded by a culture that fetishizes sorrow and death (mostly because of religious beliefs). Exposure to this vicious circle of sorrow (with the assumption that reward is in the afterlife) have made Bahram numb. He can't write. Because in a sense he is dead! He is surrounded by death (death of friends, religious rituals of a neighbour, the depressed son, etc).
Then, all of a sudden, due to a rare encounter, he starts to hear the music of life. As a result, he can't stop dancing (while others called him insane). He sees life to a greater depth. He feels and hears the music that resides in everyone. However, because of the challenges in the everyday life (that one may refer to them as samsara) and the dominant culture of sorrow, people forget about this music. Except for children!
Children are innocent. They are the embodiment of life in its purest. That's why they can hear the music.
I finish this review with another quote from Nietzsche:
"Remain faithful to the earth, my brothers, with the power of your virtue. Let your gift-giving love and your knowledge serve the meaning of the earth. Thus I beg and beseech you. Do not let them fly away from earthly things and beat with their wings against eternal walls. Alas, there has always been so much virtue that has flown away. Lead back to the earth the virtue that flew away, as I do-back to the body, back to life, that it may give the earth a meaning, a human meaning."
Patton Oswalt: Annihilation (2017)
Combination of Tragedy and Comedy
In his last stand up (Annihilation), Patton Oswalt masterfully combines tragedy with comedy.
He lost his wife last year. And now, Patton has set a new mission for himself: To spread the message of his late wife: "Life is chaos. Be kind".
Mother! (2017)
Story of Life from a Religious Perspective
Him is the God, the creator! Mother is the mother earth. Mother gives form and maintains the structure. God first invites Adam (the old man). Then from Adam's rib God creates Eve. Do you remember the scene in which Man's rib was wounded and he was throwing up?
Adam and Eve break the forbidden crystal (they ate the forbidden fruit).
Then we see the story of Abel and Cane. Cane kills Abel. Then mother's house, the earth, is populated with various religions and various ideologies. All of which pray God (or Him). But they become aggressive. They start to betray the earth.
And then the story of Jesus. Mother becomes Mary. It gives birth to Jesus. But Jesus followers eat him alive. They eat his blood and his flesh (wine and bread). And the story continues. The way the humanity is heading, Mother earth is doomed.
I liked the symbolism in this movie. But to me, as a semi-Nietzschean thinker, mother is the real God. For God is not separated from mother. God is mother's creation.
Mother = Earth.
I finish with this quote from Nietzsche:
"Remain faithful to the (mother) earth, my brothers, with the power of your virtue. Let your gift-giving love and your knowledge serve the meaning of the earth. Thus I beg and beseech you. Do not let them fly away from earthly things and beat with their wings against eternal walls. Alas, there has always been so much virtue that has flown away. Lead back to the earth the virtue that flew away, as I do—back to the body, back to life, that it may give the earth a meaning, a human meaning."