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Na srebrnym globie (1988)
A Cyclical History
Throughout the ages, humanity has always seen the future with hope. With all our mistakes, errors, and vices, a deep belief in the attainment of some sort of utopia always lingers on, reflected on ideas about the limitless of knowledge. Amidst all the chaos and destruction of the present, we seek refuge in a tale of "progress" and "communion", wherein everyone will transcend the current limitations and achieve a state of perfection. In all of this, one can discern the presence of a pressuposition that history moves in a linear way, towards an end goal, as if eventually the utopia will be reached. But is such pressuposition correct? Are we in a constant state of enhancement, or is it that our "selves" are in their roots divided, corrupted, hopeless?
In what is essentially Zulawski's magnum opus, despite never being entirely finished, "On the Silver Globe" tells the tale of a group of astronauts that crash in another planet, in hopes of finding an alternative to their dying planet. In the process however, we see them going back to an almost primitive state, where instinct reigns supreme, and where the law of the strongest reigns supreme. With this, they are lost, and whatever their was of their personalities is suddenly filled in by group identity, by tribal customs, by rituals. Rationality, autonomy, the "self", loses in a constant struggle against the collective, and by the end of their lives, the only things that exists are myths and the collective. Every gap in knowledge, every moral conduct, every branch of human conduct is thus solved by an appeal to the supernatural, to their creators, to their "Adam and Eve". Suddenly, the tribe acquires a given belief system, and a society is formed around it.
While the first half tackles all these difficult themes, the second follows from a narrative akin to a retelling of Jesus Christ. Already consolidated as a society, what was once a cohesive group is now divided according to belief in the return of the "chosen one". A new astronaut (named Marek), upon finding the recording of the previous cosmonauts, ventures into this new world, only to be identified with God himself. Should Marek accept his "fate" and play God, or should he hold on to his own identity. In other words, are we defined by how others perceive us, or are we defined by how we perceive ourselves? From this dilemma, madness insues deep in his soul, and much like his colleagues before him, his "self" ends up being lost. Upon constant battles with a bird-like civilization, Marek chooses to portray himself as the saviour. His whole existence, his whole purpose from thence forward is subjected to the preservation and defense of the collective. Marek is no longer an individual, but an attempt at transposing the divine to the terrestrial. Despite his efforts, faith starts to decrease, while his arrogance increase. The systems of power in place start to question his omnipotence, dooming him from the start.
In the end, the society portrayed in "On the Silver Globe" ends up being nothing more than a copy of our own. Chaos, destruction, faithlessness, an endless desire for power and perfection assume themselves as the norm. Zulawski's vision thus encapsulates a pessimistic and cyclical vision of humanity and the human nature, meaning that all of us will, forever, be condemned in some sense or another.
Jak byc kochana (1963)
Love in times of war
"Jak byc kochana" or "How to be loved" was made by polish director Wojciech Has in 1963. The movie centers around a women, named Felicja, travelling to Paris, all the while remembering her old life during the war in Poland, and her turbulent and complex relationship with a theater actor, Wiktor, who is forced to go into hiding in her apartment.
Albeit a simple and traditional story about the II World War, Has seemed to be more focused on the characters per se than the overarching context of the time. From the beginning, the contrast between the main characters positions is evident. Being theater actors, before the war, their entire "being" (in particular that of Wiktor) was defined by being the center of attentions, the receiver of the applause, and the adoration that comes with it. Once in the times of war, however, he not only loses his status, but also his "self", being reduced almost to bird trapped in a cage. With no freedom to go out, to socialize, throughout the movie he feels as though he doesn't exist anymore, extending even after the end of the war itself.
Felicja, on the other hand, is also portrayed as a caged bird, but not in relation to her role in society, but in her relation towards Wiktor, whom she deeply loves. Her whole identity and purpose is shaped towards making sure that his object of adoration stays under her "wings" during the war, establishing an inevitable relationship of toxic dependency between her and him.
All this, however is nothing but mere memories, conceptualizations of the mind, being reflected on by the "present" Felicja, one who, despite far from the dangers of war, is deeply sorrowed by the lost love it entailed.
Has consequently portrays something more than just another II World War drama. Here, the facts of war, despite being in the epicenter of the times, are thrown into the background, to instrumental means to represent the loss of liberty, the loss of individual autonomy and "self", the loss of purpose in the world. Despite showing in some scenes the horrors associated with war, the major condemnations it makes of it are shown on how the characters reorient themselves in times of distress. How can they live day-by-day? How can they have hope? How can they endure all the suffering? In sum, how can they find meaning in their lives? These are the questions the movie tries to answer.
Ivan Groznyy. Skaz vtoroy: Boyarskiy zagovor (1958)
A fallen Tsar
Comissioned by the Soviet State in 1941 to Sergei Eisenstein, "Ivan the Terrible" was meant to be a historical trilogy detailing the great achievements of the Tsar Ivan, with whom Staline identified, and to consolidade the legitimacy of the Soviet struggle against the germans in the II World War. As a consequence, the production of the movie was from the start limited for propagandistic purposes, with the II part only seeing the light of day after the death of Stalin, and the III part never being completed. Nonetheless, Eisenstein delivers what remains to be a classic, depicting Ivan in all its complexity-
The II part of the movie continues on the intrigues behind the fall out of grace from Ivan, where the I part left. Here we see the slow descent into chaos, the slow destruction of Ivan psyche as he becomes more and more corrupted by his power. The ideals he once promoted so highly now stand in the background, with Ivan himself questioning their validity. A once great Tsar is now shown in his worst, tired, constantly fearful of betrayal, alone, and lost. Ivan here ceases to have a "self". His own meaning seems to be dependent on power alone, leaving the audience with a saddened and depressing view of what was supposed to be propagandistic tool to bolster pride in Russian History.
This characterization of Ivan is all the more powerful by the mastery from Eisenstein artistic wise, always employing the use of light, shadows, and even introducing color sequences all for the sake of imprinting in the viewer the sense of progressing madness of Ivan. Despite the II part finishing with Ivan's ultimate victory over the aristocracy (in the form of the Boyars), we can only feel pity by what such end entailed. Ivan remained in power, but such entailed loneliness, isolation, distrust, and a complete loss of identity.
It is no wonder why the Soviet State banned the showing of the II part. Showing Ivan's fall out of grace, instead of glorifying him, one could easily discern the parallels between a paranoid despot like Ivan and that of Staline.
For what it's worth, despite the trilogy not being completed, Eisenstein delivers a masterful work.
Ivan Groznyy (1944)
Master at work
Comissioned by the Soviet State in 1941 to Sergei Eisenstein, "Ivan the Terrible" was meant to be a historical trilogy detailing the great achievements of the Tsar Ivan, with whom Staline identified, and to consolidade the legitimacy of the Soviet struggle against the germans in the II World War. As a consequence, the production of the movie was from the start limited for propagandistic purposes, with the II part only seeing the light of day after the death of Stalin, and the III part never being completed. Nonetheless, Eisenstein delivers what remains to be a classic, depicting Ivan in all its complexity-
The I part recounts the rise of Ivan and his attempt at consolidating power, all the while striving for his attainment of a "strong and united Russia". Throughout this part. Ivan is characterized as someone who is knee deep in an "ends justify the means" mentality, being blinded by his desire for a greater Russia. As a consequence, he is forced to rule with an iron fist against the "foreign invaders" and interest groups from Russian aristocracy (like the Boyars).
Ivan stands as the embodiment of an ideal, more than as a person all throughout, slowly discovering that he can count on nobody but himself, himself and the Russian people. He ends up betrayed, befallen, and stricter than ever, usurping his "self" to his reptuation as "terrible". In the face of disillusionment and betrayal, he as nobody to turn to, but his ideals and his family.
Ji-geum-eun-mat-go-geu-ddae-neun-teul-li-da (2015)
Enjoyable watch with some drawbacks
Going into this movie knowing nothing but the summary I was filled with high hopes, wondering what route the movie was going to take, or how it would tackle the much used topic of "love" and "loneliness". Such hope, unfortunately, soon fell short and turned into disappointment.
"Right Now, Wrong Then" poses a simple yet intriguing plot. A man meets a women out of chance, and they start talking. Having such a basic and linear story, the director goes to great lengths to subvert the narrative. The first half, constituting what can probably be described as a "realist" perspective on chance encounters between strangers, end up with disillusionment and leaves the audience with a feeling of lingering loneliness all around. The main characters start alone, and they end alone. The second half is akin to a "hopeful" or "illusioning" twist in the story. All the events are the same, except for how the main characters act, with their qualities being more transparent, honest, and virtuous. In the same way that the movie finishes "lost" in the snowfall, so do we as spectators end wondering which of the halves corresponded to the "truth".
In all these respects the movie poses an interesting twist to traditional love stories. However, upon finishing, I was left feeling as though the potential was lost. Albeit naturally awkward, some of the interactions between the main characters feel out of place and purposefully dragged to fill up time. A stark example of this is how in both halves of the movie, the director almost forces Yoon Hee-jeong to go for a coffee. Sure, it could be argue his attitude is explained by his yearning for companionship, however, in my opinion, it showed him as essentially instrumentalizing others for his own ends, making it difficult to relate.
All in all, Hong Sang-soo delivers an entertaining and promising movie, albeit without reaching its full potential.
Yume (1990)
Dreams come true
What are Dreams. Are they simply a myriad of random imagery produced by our brains. Do they symbolize something deep within our being? Or is it us that give meaning to them?
Albeit the true nature of dreams (in the abstract) remains murky, such has always been the object of our curiosity. Being a master of film making, Kurosawa no less tried to tackle the essence of some of his own dreams.
In a beautiful sequence of different "stories", we are presented with personification's of the director's dreams. Be it in efforts for resisting against the fear of death, the awe with which one gets stuck in looking at paintings, or in the building of picturesque japanese traditions. Despite possibly being nothing but randomness, in translating dreams to "reality", Kurosawa thus proves that dreams are both meaningless and meaningful.
The Zone of Interest (2023)
A Portrayal of the Banality of Evil
What is morality? Many times I have asked myself such question. We as a society cannot function without it, much less we as individuals. Nonetheless, as times goes by, we come to the realization that it is not absolute, not objective, but ever changing and relative.
Is it we that adapt to it? That conform to the moral standards of our time? Or rather, are we able to fight against the current and stand our ground in what we think is "right"?
No such questions can have a definite answer. But if we are just a mere "product" of social moral codes, who are we to say that we would not fall victim to the same normalization of atrocities commited against others like the ones in the past? Time flies by and we like to think of ourselves as morally good, when in reality we are all full of inconsistencies and holes. How then can we assure ourselves that we are not capable of the greatest of evils? The potential for evil lies in every one of us. By conforming, or following a "hive" mind, we inevitably follow a path towards destruction, where the ones who decide what is "right" or "wrong", who are the "enlightened" and the "benighted" are not us, but the leaders. Such was how the Third Reich was able to turn otherwise normal people into apparent monsters in today's standards.
In the end, not much differs between a family of an Auschwitz commandant and ourselves. Both do gardening, fishing, spend quality time with their children, and all the other typical activities of day to day life. Where we differ is in the extent to which we are capable of possessing an autonomous mind. However, if taken for granted, we will always run the risk of repeating the same mistakes.
"What has come to light is neither nihilism nor cynicism, as one might have expected, but a quite extraordinary confusion over elementary questions of morality-as if an instinct in such matters were truly the last thing to be taken for granted in our time."
-Hannah Arendt, 1963, Eichmann in Jerusalem.
Riri Shushu no subete (2001)
A Haunting Experience
The old age debate surrounding human nature... Are humans inherently crooked, or is it society that makes us that way?
Setting aside such complex question, the truth is that everyone suffers. Everyones loses its purity, and with it all the glimmering lights with which we observed reality and people alike. This is something one feels in the rawest of forms, entrenched deep in one's consciousness. A void starts to appear, then isolation follows, social alienation and, in a continual fall out of grace, what we once feared the most now appears to us as a reflection of ourselves, troubling us beyond words and rendering every course of action possible, with no consideration for its consequences.
Nonetheless, hope remains. Like a candle burning bright, something deep inside us keeps shouting "I'm here!", hoping to be heard, understood. In the most metaphysical way, we look for strength and comfort otherworldly, keeping our "self" from losing itself in all the despair that surrounds it. In the end, life depends on the constant balance between these two forces... hope and despair.
On its surface, "All about Lily Chou-Chou" could merely be described as an exaggerated nihilistic coming of age movie. In reality, across the almost 3 hours it follows a deep descend into chaos, cutting right through the naivety that accompanies much of our younger years, and leaving the viewer doubting his own assumptions regarding the world.
Nadzieja (2007)
I only wrote this because this movie had no other review whatsoever
The last movie of Piesiewicz's trilogy, Nadzieja (Purgatory), was directed by polish director Stanislaw Mucha, and it tells the story of a young boy, Francis, who lost his mother in childhood as a result of an accident caused by him, and is now trying to make up for it by trying to save an art dealer soul who has stolen a painting from a church.
Being written by Piesiewicz the movie does not fail to deliver a brilliant script, which is purposefully made to be seen as "thought-provoking". This mixed with the amazing direction of Stanislaw Mucha, which obviously got some inspiration out of Kieslowski's movies and a very good acting, makes up for a very much entertaining watch. Nonetheless it should be noted that apart from this characteristics the movie fails on various aspects by being unable to deliver anything but average performances and not so memorable characters, which can be detrimental to its viewing.
Regardless, this is a perfect movie for anyone who is a fan of Kieslowski's work. However it is important to note that the movie is a bit slow pace and so might not be of interest to some people.