ArtSpoken & Reviews
Leon at the MoviesLeon van Nierop07/30/2010 08:58:10 
Leon van Nierop: Brilliant sci-fi Inception will blow you away, Antichrist is only for very strong stomachs and Our Family Wedding is totally predictable. Inception (Nu Metro) Starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Ellen Page Directed by Christopher Nolan Science fiction You have never seen anything quite like the mind-blowing and breathtaking Inception. If you are familiar with the eccentric and often genial films of cinema's latest big thing, Christopher Nolan, like Following, The Prestige and, of course, The Dark Knight, you might have an inclination of what is waiting for you. Yet this director, who constantly challenges one's perception about films and the effect they have on viewers, never ceases to amaze and astound. Seldom before has special effects been so brilliantly integrated in a narrative structure as here. Usually the effects often seem to have been added afterwards and seem to have little to do with the charm of the film or the action - compare the below average Knight and Day. They are simply there to support the narrative or draw in a younger crowd, but Inception's effects form an integral part of this unusual, original and effective science fiction thriller. As a matter of fact Nolan seems to reinvent that genre, taking his cue from classics like 2001: A Space Odyssey, Star Wars and The Matrix. But the film also has traces of Nolan's first and still one of his most striking and original films, Following. Inception, a box office giant in America at the moment, concerns an agent who is capable of entering people's dreams and gaining access to their darkest secrets and desires. But he can also plant information or thoughts in their dreams, which opens up several new possibilities. For instance if you can enter the dreams of your worst enemies, you can sabotage their plans. Inception has to be seen to be believed and should be experienced on the big screen. Rush off for a ticket. Rating: 9 Antichrist (UIP) Starring Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourgh. Directed by Lars von Trier Drama It is quite difficult to describe this highly disturbing and gruesome art film. It is one of the most brutal and upsetting films ever to be screened in this country, and viewers should know that there are scenes of an explicit and disturbing sexual nature like you have never seen before. During its showing at Cannes some members of the audience booed while others walked out in horror. But there were also those who experienced it as a big cinematic event. Add to that the fact that von Trier had a psychiatrist on the set to treat his main actors and comfort them, you will know that you are in for one of the roughest rides ever in cinema and it is not pleasant or sexy in the least. The film addresses the issues of grief and humiliation and how people respond to punishment and deal with loss. When a couple loses their beloved child while they have sex, they identify sex as something evil and problematic that has destroyed their lives. They enter a cabin in the woods where they hole themselves up and try to recover from their grief. But it is here that their diabolical and cruel games of self-destruction start in the starkest and most disconcerting of scenes. You will not believe what you see. Although I found Antichrist to be disquieting yet good, many readers might storm out in protest and find it to be exploitation. So be very careful when you decide to buy a ticket. It could seriously disturb or offend you. Rating: 8 Our Family Wedding (Nu Metro) Starring America Ferrera, Forest Whitaker and Carlos Mencia Directed by Rick Famuyiwa Comedy Many potential bridegrooms forget that they also marry their fiancé's family, while the (un)lucky bride seems to conveniently forget that she is "taking" or "stealing" somebody's son. This is the premise of this rather flimsy but exuberant comedy about a couple who discover that their wedding vows may lead to bloodshed amongst the family as the entire ceremony turns into one big circus. It is one of those typical Hollywood comedies that rather read like a TV sitcom and makes all the right noises. It is accessible, predictable and slightly bland. The witty one-liners are there, the vulgar comedy situations abound and TV stars like Miss Ferrera (of Ugly Betty fame) sell this film to her loyal television. There is little more to say about it than it is one of those comedies that you can wait for on DVD and even then you should think twice. Rating: 5 Leon van Nierop is one of South Africa's best-known and most respected film critics. He has reviewed films for 34 years for every medium; from television and radio to magazines, newspapers and the Internet. He has lectured on film criticism for 14 years throughout the country and headed the TUT film school in Pretoria for 4 years. He has also written two books on film analysis, the most recent being Movies Made Easy published by van Schaiks. He has also served as judge for several short film and film competitions, is part of the SAFTA jury awarding Golden Horns to the best local film talent, and writes extensively on film for several publications. He also served as professor in film at TUT and also headed that film school for 4 years. He has just completed a stint as presenter, scriptwriter, voice-over artist and co-producer for DEKAT on SABC 3. He has written 23 novels and several TV-series and dramas and is currently working on another novel. He is also a newsreader and continuity presenter for RSG on SABC radio and serves as their major film critic. |
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