Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Film reviews: Antichrist, The Human Centipede, and Food Matters

As a filmmaker, I believe it's my job (plus, I love it!) to watch movies. Here are a couple of fun, twisted and disturbing ones for your demented guilty pleasure! In addition, I've included one of my recent favorite documentaries, Food Matters, to break up the disturbia, and push us towards a path of enlightenment and better health.

I usually rate movies highly when I want to watch them over and over again. These are the exceptions. :)

First up: Antichrist
Wow, did they go there. Let me elaborate. My husband and I sat down to watch it, and I have to admit, we weren't paying as much attention as we should have. We had three pugs pulling for our attention, and it was hard to hear them speaking (was it just us?). So, we turned up the volume, and I pulled out the dental floss. Upon pulling it out, I was subjected to Dafoe's penis and balls flapping around (sorry, guess I should've warned this is not for the light or faint of heart). Let's just say I pulled out a lot of dental floss.

The worst disturbia thus far was actually the amount of sex these guys were having. I mean, I'm not against being intimate OR having sex with my partner, but Dafoe's (ok, probably stunt double's) butt was constantly in our faces, and I found myself bursting out with laughter in dark, serious scenes (not what they were going for, I'm sure).

The movie started off jarring, and a little slow. The tone was dark, ominous and consistent of keeping us in the moment, however bazaar. The camera/DP work was quite exceptional, I might add. Really brilliant.

So, we kept watching...

In the third act, I became witness to some of the most horrific imagery I could possibly imagine. Let me give you some examples, if you haven't seen it - SPOILER ALERT - a deer's fetus, the cutting off of a vagina, and bloody ejaculation. Yeah. Not something you want to watch before bedtime!!! Thank God for rescue remedy.

Nevertheless, it was a piece of artistic cinema, and I suppose it's good that I saw it. Whatever the case, it left an impression, and by some filmmaker's standards - that's the whole point.

I'm giving this one an A, because of the acting, and over-all exceptional quality/ look of the film. But let's just say, I won't be watching it again. :)

Moving on: The Human Centipede
You've seen the trailer, right? Whatever you saw, the movie's worse (in a good way, if you like to let your imagination run wild with uncomfortable thoughts). The number one complaint I had from friends was that the imagery wasn't 'in your face' enough. Personally, I kinda liked that it wasn't that graphic, because I was able to stomach it better.

Kinda gave a whole new meaning to being stuck in the middle, right? :)

When the picture came on, I thought it was just another Friday the 13th wannabe (one of my old faves, btw) flick with mediocre actors. I actually started off thinking the acting was bad and that we'd made a mistake by renting it.

Boy, was I wrong.

In both of these cases, the actors were spot on - outstanding, giving deeply committed performances.I have to commend THC on its authenticity and ability to work around the gore, too. I don't think it was as easy as it looked.

AND, in case the idea that these three being surgically connected (i.e., turned into a human centipede) wasn't enough of a treasure, then how it ends makes up for it. It's one of the worst ways you could think up dying. I'll leave it at that, in case you haven't seen it.

I'm giving this one an A for authenticity and acting. But again, I probably won't be watching it again, either!!

And, so that we can leave on a note that's NOT totally stomach turning, let's talk about one of the best (educational) films I've seen recently - Food Matters.

Yes. It. Does.

This film is a gem, if you're concerned with your health or your family's health, and don't know why/if you should take supplements. It's also an eye-opener to what can be done via nutritional therapy, instead of just the conventional benefits we're more commonly exposed to in the US. I highly recommend it for everyone. It's never too late to start living a quality life.

On that note, I'm signing off with love and hope. Happy movie watching! :)
Jentri

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