The Summer of Sangaile (2015) Lithuania, France, Holland

A comet in the snow.

Original title:

Sangailės Vasara (Lithuanian)

Genre:

Drama, Romance.

Length:

Approximately 6-minute read.


Review:
     It can't get any more beautiful than this. I have seen many lesbian films, but this one was like a result of when a poet and an artist comes together. It was so poetic, as well as an enchanting video portrait. Not everything in the film was pleasant, I mean not the romance parts, but you know self hurting parts as one got depressed in their life. That's where it all begins, an awesomely written screenplay where most of the film remains dialogueless. All you have to do is sit back and enjoy the stunning cinematography and a cute little romance the blends with that.

     This is a Lithuanian film, but internationally co-produced. It won some awards at the various film festivals. It was officially selected as the Lithuanian entry for the 88th American Academy Awards, but did not make it. Written and directed by a woman filmmaker and this is her second feature film. I hope she makes more films like this with characters with emotions, then she will be in my watch out list. There's no comparable with any other lesbian film as many people doing. This is a very unique, especially in the storytelling segment. Most importantly, anybody with no objection on some sex-romance will do understand and appreciated the artistic presenstation of this film.

     The title itself a plotline. So you know the storyline, but for how it all happens need to be watched. Sangaile is in her summer holiday, spending time with her parents in a rural villa. Near the house, there's an airfield where some spectacular display taking place, she instantly falls in love with that. That's where she meets a girl named Auste, who seems very interested in her. So later they decide to hang out and do the stuffs. After a few meets, with ups and downs, there relationship intensely grows, but how far it goes and how the story ends was told in the remaining parts.

 You know nobody will understand you better than me. 

     Not the entire film is about the romance that jumps into the bed. There are some messages, like how one influence the other one to change her character. Like depressed and lost, and got no idea about the future, a new hope rises like a sun for the new day after a long winter. The romance between two different social classes and their field of interest, all those fills the film on all the sides with its own colours like a Rubik's cube. The other advantage was the greatly ignoring the common cliches, especially from a lesbian film aspect.

     Films are collections of many things. From the actors to filmmakers to technicians and locations, when these all get together accurately, a beautiful product like this emerges. That's where it succeeded. First the actors, everyone, but the majority of the tale focused between the two characters and those two were brilliant. They executed so perfectly as it was real. You won't get that kind of great chemistry in all the romance film you watch. There are many moments that feels like it was paused, in a good sense as a romantic, as well as visually.

     Then comes the locations. As it is set in the rural, they explored the landscapes excellently. They were not intended to give preferences on those, but while capturing the film scenes, they used some interesting angles to get those beautiful backgrounds. As I said earlier, the images talk more than the film characters. The music score was also very good. The overall film looks like a touch of the 60s or 70s, but there's no any clarifications about the timeline. Seeing the lifestyle, all the gadgets et cetera, it is obviously a modern day tale.

     Observe everything carefully in the film. The film characters, the story, as well as production design was very simple. Like they did not spend much for making it. Yet it delivered big. Sadly, this is not a well recognised film, not much from LGBT film fanatic friends as well. I haven't seen many Lithuanian films, but surely this is one of the best from that region I have seen. You know who's the target audience for this, but the film is too good, so I hope you make a right choice. Though it is for adults, there's nothing much serious to consider in the romance/sex/nudity parts, so the matured and open minded teens can try this. Recommended!



Suitable for:
Tween, Teen, Adult, All


Final verdict:
Ignore, Bad, Average, Good, Excellent


Similar movies:
Water Lilies, Mosquita y Mari, Freeheld, The Way He Looks, Carol, Blue is the Warmest Color.


External link(s):

WCA geolocation:
Right now we're in

Regret! (2013) Netherlands

Regret! for not taken serious about the situation.

Genre:

Drama, Music.

Original title:

Spijt (Dutch)

Review:

     You might remember a few months ago I reviewed a title about the summer camp prank. The movie was called 'Standing Up' that I loved a lot. This movie is kind of similar, but deals on a different issue. Absolutely an important movie that discloses the most common trouble faced by the physically weak students, especially loners who were targeted by the bully boys. It was based on the book 'Regret!'. That is why we need more novel adaptation that deliver the messages to the younger generation.

     The story was narrated from the perspective of a high school student David. He also a member of the band called 'Point Out!'. David in not a boy who interfere with others affairs, like a quiet one he's focused on his studies and other activities. He has a crush on his classmate Vera, and so she's on him, but they never expressed to each others. In between their secret affection, a fellow mate called Jochem comes into the scene. He's fat and have no friends, which mean an easy prey for the tyrant of the class. As the school days progress Jochem makes friends with David and Vera, individually. He begins to spend some time with them, but that does not solve his problems. With a little misunderstanding between the three, the story reveals what they had failed to recognize, the seriousness of the situation.

‘‘You should drink water instead.
It's healthy. And it doesn't stain.’’

     Recently kind of I'm attracted to the Dutch movies. Saw some of the best movies and every time with the new movies my interest and expectations on them are growing. So that is how I came up with this movie, an awesome movie. Well, this movie theme was good, a very good movie to educate school and college students about what is right and wrong. Like you know by now it was about bullying, the movie displays what had to be shown. With the blend of little hide-and-seek romance track and music in few parts.

     Bullying is fun for some, but it is a crime, especially if it ends in an unexpected way. To create such trouble the story takes time to advance that kind of looks a drag in the tale. Well written screenplay, which concentrated around three characters. Each of them were so good in their respective roles. This kind of message movie is what I expect from Hollywood, because Hollywood movies can reach all the corner of the earth. I hope dubbed or remake version will do justice to the truth the movie tried to tell. A movie not to be missed, especially if you a parent to the teenagers.

Similar movies:
Standing Up, Kings of Summer, Alabama Moon, Children of Invention.


Suitable for:
Tween, Teen, Adult, All


Final verdict:
Ignore, Bad, Average, Good, Excellent


External link(s):
    

Borgman (2013) Netherlands

The form is as we are, but the kind is different.

Genre:

Drama, Thriller.

Tagline:

"The perfect cross between Dogtooth and Michael Haneke."

Review:

     The Dutch's submission for the 2014's Oscars and as we know it did not represented in the final five. This Dutch movie got good critical response and mixed from the moviegoer. A strange narration and excellent characters display by the cast make the movie very interesting. By the theme a similar movie to the recent ones 'Upstream Color' and 'Enemy'. A movie for grown ups and a hard concept to crack it down. A slightly disturbing which leaves lots of questions than answering it. You should choose carefully this movie to watch. If you know what this movie is all about then there won't be an issue when you begin to watch it.

     This is not your regular entertainer, it is what people sometimes call an art movie. You need to be a little smarter in order to understand the movie with presentation like this. Because the movie won't conclude by saying its purpose, instead you should yourself decode it otherwise you will miss something hidden within and blame for the wasting time. This is the story of a mystery man Camiel Borgman and his gang who finds a place in a rich family house. Slowly conquer whole family by possessing and corrupting their minds. The gang is aware of what they are doing and what should be done like some secret mission of the secret organization. So how far it takes to accomplish and what are all methods used is the story that unfolds.

‘‘I am scared. It appeared suddenly.
I've been marked’’

     Other movies leave pretty wide clues of what it was dealing, but this one it is a tough to make a guess. What I got was the good versus the evil theme. What if the negative forces like ghosts and demons are not scarier ones like we have believed, but lives among us as one possessing and terrorizing the human. The opening scene was fairly convinced me to believe this way when a bunch of priest tried to hunt down the evils by digging their graves out. So they left no choice, but leave the place behind and find a new home to save themselves and their kind. That is how Camiel Borgman make to a rich house. Entering into their minds, psychologically affecting the characters and bringing chaos to fight each others.

     Yeah, it won't look like any horror movie with scary pictures and sudden loud noises, but everything was told in a realistic manner. You would also find a werewolf kind of concept as well. Characters turning into a slimy dog (don't expect the computer graphical tricks because there is none) which won't exactly explains, but I assumed that way. Usually demons need an invitation, a scene in the movie explains it when a bunch of them try to enter the house as a gardener, but denied until Camiel Borgman makes it. I am not made for a movie like this, but sometimes I enjoy them and this movie looked better than what I had in my mind about it. Expected a little better in a few areas and wanted to like it. Still, I was not fully convinced, but somehow managed to like the movie. So I won't call it a great instead between average and good.

Similar movies:
Upstream Color, Enemy, Holy Motors, Primer, Dogtooth, Uncle Boonmee Who Can Call His Past Lives.


Suitable for:
Tween, Teen, Adult, All


Final verdict:
Ignore, Bad, Average, Good, Excellent


External link(s):
      

Daylight (2013) Netherlands

Revealing the dark secret is easier than facing it.

Genre:

Drama, Mystery, Thriller.

Original title:

Daglicht (Dutch)

Tagline:

"Some family secrets cannot bear the daylight."

Review:

     A novel based Dutch movie about a single mother, Iris, a lawyer whose son 8-years-old Aron is a partially autistic. A very good Dutch thriller with decently maintained suspense till the end. I can say a movie very similar mode of concept to 'What Lies Beneath', but not a horror. About the family secret that was kept hidden for years is about to come into the lights after Iris fights for it. And reforms the role of the movie characters alongside racy pace marches towards the twist in a tale.

     It all begins when Iris and Aron decides to go and spend the weekend in her mother's house. Accidentally she finds out the existing of something that is close to her. She decides to follow all the clues, but what she gets is unbelievable truth. That's not the end, but seeks the accurate explanation for that which drags her into the series of life-threatening scenarios. Can it be exposed and who are all going to affect by this is told in an exhilarating manner.

‘‘King Kong, Hannibal, Maria, Peanut,
Frangois, Chili, Saturn, Raisin, Margie’’

     What may go to happen is what everyone thinks about once the story of puzzle takes its part. As a mystery theme it kept those elements subsequently introducing limited characters that come in now and then to warn the main character as well to enthrall the viewers. I figured it out so early one of the two twists and expect most of people with experience in watching mystery movies will do the same. That is not a let down because the rest of the story creates enough grip to hold firmly on the audience interest.

     I usually see plenty of movies about autistic father and a 8 year old daughter or son in Korean movies. That is so frequent if you are familiar with them movies. In fact, I expected similar style of storytelling from this, but what I got was so much fresh and fascinating narration with cool screenplay. Feels like reading a novel except it comes with motion pictures. I have not seen tons of Dutch movie in my life, but a few in that it is one of the best for sure. I believe you should try this before in case Hollywood grab for a remake rights.

Similar movies:
What Lies Beneath, The Uninvited, Half Light, Dark Shadows.


Suitable for:
Tween, Teen, Adult, All


Final verdict:
Ignore, Bad, Average, Good, Excellent


External link(s):
    

Wolf (2013) Netherlands

Under a one society every action is so distinct.

Genre:

Crime, Drama, Sport, Thriller.

Review:

     Like many saying this must be the best ever Dutch movie. At least from the list I have seen so far. The movie surprised me from the every corner with the great cast and powerful performances. Made me to think like I am on a right movie at a right time. Yeah, the subject was quite a strong as the title indicates, though it was not that brutal yet enjoyable.

     A movie that depicts the social lives of the different ethical groups who endeavor power to rule and to lead sustainable lives. It was a crime-cum-sport-drama, but took all the time to build a better platform for the last quarter of the movie. In the initial hour the story was well developed with fine characters and leaves nothing behind you to carry a bag of doubts. The boxing concept would have not been a necessary, though politely blended into the mainstream story just like the Korean movie 'Punch'.

‘‘You really think this is a free country?
Then I am free to come here every day.’’

     The main character Majid was good. This is the character that encounters everything in the story like emotions and conflicts in his unpleasant life. When his family and romantic life was not arranged properly, he got a slot to rewrite his social life and he has to act tough regarding the approach he chose. The tale of his gang was quite predictable, especially the twist that coming from that way was as expected. Then what makes this movie so special? Well, all together like a multi-face of a character that reshapes according to the situation was displayed precisely. Not only the actors, but praisable job was done by the writer and the director. This underworld and multi-cultural story is definitely not for everyone for many reasons. This could be a perfect entertainer if you take lightly everything you are going to see. Overall one of a better movie of the year from this geographical region.

Similar movies:
Lawless, Drive, Failan, Combat Girls, Punch (2011), This is England


Suitable for:
Tween, Teen, Adult, All


Final verdict:
Ignore, Bad, Average, Good, Excellent


External link(s):