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Insomnia (2002)
Christopher Nolan before you knew who he was.
Insomnia
2002
Released in 2002 Insomnia is one of Christopher Nolan's earliest films. Interestingly he doesn't have any writing credit for this movie. Regardless it is a drama mystery with a lot of late 90's investigator/cop stereotypes. I don't think there is anything groundbreaking about this movie but definitely a fun watch with Al Pacino and Robin Williams carrying it with their many cop vs criminal interactions.
The film starts with a couple cops from LA arriving in Alaska to investigate a local murder case. Things quickly turn when they first get close to the criminal and an additional death happens. From there blackmail tactics are attempted between the suspect and lead investigator(Al Pacino) for the remainder of the movie ultimately coming to a satisfying close of the overall story, including the criminal case and other story arcs that are revealed throughout.
Insomnia is driven by the main actors attempts at overcoming their guilt in a situation he isn't familiar with. The lead investigator has to deal with lack of sleep due to constant sun causing some moments he would regret. (Movie title is Insomnia, get it?)
I personally enjoyed the movie for what it was, it was not over the top and there were a few little twists that aren't expected throughout. Something unexpected that I now know to just be true, Robin Williams may be an even better serious actor than he was a funny one. RIP to one of the greats. The movie is filled with tense moments all the way to the end, and I don't really recall any serious lull in the movie that bored me.
Christopher Nolan is already one of the greats, and even though it doesn't appear he had any hand in the writing or screenplay, you can definitely see his hand in the way things play out on screen. I'd recommend it but not sure I'll ever have a reason to view it again. 7/10.
Escape from Pretoria (2020)
Entertaining and True!
Escape From Pretoria
2020
The 2020 film Escape from Pretoria is a true story directed by Francis Annan and filmed in Australia. Based on the title you can probably take a guess at the plot line. While the general direction of the movie is rather predictable, the suspense and true nature of the story keep it very captivating until you know what happens in the end.
If for no other reason, I would recommend watching to see a real event under the 1970's South African apartheid. It does a good job at showing some of the extent to which the government was committed to systemic racism, as well as what some of the great activists had to overcome during that time.
This is a suspenseful, emotional, and honestly crazy true story of a few activists learning how to survive prison, while also devising an escape plan 1 piece at a time. You'll see as the film begins with events of the main characters spreading information that the government did not want citizens to have and this causes them to be arrested and thrown in jail. While in jail they befriend a few groups that assist in various ways to help develop their plan. It's obvious that this was a different era and you can see how many things have changed in the incarceration process since then.
While there were a few moments that I question the true nature of, the constant suspense keeps you watching very closely to what happens next. Daniel Radcliffe and his colleagues deserve some applause for their performances as well.
I'll be looking for what Francis Annan does in the future to see what he brings to the table. I had some questions about the reality of some scenes, but I didn enjoy the roller-coaster it provided. 7/10.
Dýrið (2021)
Grief and Cinematography
Lamb
2021
Valdimar Jóhannsson's 2021 film "Lamb" is a fictional drama/mystery that left me with more questions than answers. Despite the questions, the performances and technical aspects of this film has me recommending it to those who enjoy uncomfortable scenes or beautifully framed shots.
A couple owns a sheep farm in rural Iceland. You can tell something is wrong until an unexpected child arrives and things appear to get a lot better for them. When the husband's brother shows up he begins questioning the couple's decisions and things get a little weird.
The film attempts to merge folklore with modern realities of grief and despair. The actors' performance along with the cinematography do an excellent job at showing these emotions. I believe the message of this film is up for debate. But here are a few possibilities to consider.
-Do not live with regret and attempt to conjure up the past. Move on.
-Climate Change is real and our(humanity) part in it will come back to bite us.
-Time Travel (it's a big stretch but I like the idea haha)
Lamb has a certain level of intriguing slow burn that kept me captivated for the majority of the film but ultimately culminated to a moment where you just say "wait..WHAT??" as you'll certainly see in the ending.
Many scenes appear to be paintings with the amazing icelandic backdrop. And despite being a largely rural and slow film, there were a few special effects that were rather impressive. The setting and way it was presented elicits a very lonely and isolated tone. This was especially on display in the very beginning of the film when it takes what felt like 30 minutes for a single word to be used while the couple attends to daily farm chores.
A24 is known for a certain type of film and this absolutely fits into their wheelhouse. It's beautiful, lonely, has a couple unexpected twists, but lacks some substance to really answer a lot of the viewer's inevitable questions when the credits start rolling. 7/10.