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To watch or not to watch? I will tour around Amsterdam’s cinemas and answer this crucial question every Friday. Without mercy, of course. Sucky films will be slaughtered, cinematographic pearls will be appreciated as such. Or the other way around. After all, good taste is in the eye of the beholder.
The novelist, journalist and critical-yet-fair film reviewer aka Anouk Kemper has done another Houdini. She’s off roaming this crust called earth in search of adventures and inspiration, and on her return she will bring you stories that will tickle your fancy. In the meantime Rozemarijn and I will take care of your weekly dose of Film Fetish Friday.
Cloud Atlas
This week we kick off with a big one: Cloud Atlas. First of all, it is of the upmost importance that you are neither an anti-fantasy nor ants-in-pants kind of person. The film is a three-hour sit and is directed by the Wachowski brothers (known for the Matrix) and Tom Tykwer (Perfume, the story of a murderer). You also need quite a solid attention span, because Cloud Atlas will take you from 1849 to 2346 in a jiffy. This movie tells the story of six different individuals through different eras. The characters and storylines intertwine over time and basically you are watching six movies in one.
Confused? So was I, but I can honestly say that Cloud Atlas has a great narrative and is a visual spectacle that will take you on a three hour rollercoaster ride. The make-up in this movie is absolutely insane. Halle Berry is hardly recognisable, as a Caucasian lady in the early 1900s and Tom Hanks is transformed into a rough Irish boxer. The resemblance between the characters is that they all are fighting for a certain ideal. This sounds very Hollywood cheesy, but this ideal is so nicely integrated in the narrative that it didn’t bother me at all. This was a memorable one.
Anna Karenina
Second is the timeless novel by Tolstoy: “Anna Karenina“. I have really been looking forward to the release of this film. I’m a genuine sucker for costume dramas and although Keira’s infamous pout can annoy me to bits, the girl knows her stuff. It’s not the first time that director Joe Wright and Keira Knightley work together on a film (Pride and Prejudice, Atonement) and the visual theatrics of his former masterpieces are also present in this little gem.
The film tells the story of Anna, who’s part of the Russian high society in the late 19th century and is married to respected politician Alexei Karenina. However, her marriage is loveless and life-loving Anna finds passion with Count Vronsky. This affair has tragic consequences, and Wright knows how to take all these theatrics and place them where they belong… The majority of the film takes place in the theatre, a place where most aristocrats come together. To be honest I expected more of this film, but this could be due to my high expectations. Somehow Vronsky (Aaron Taylor Johnson) does not quite do it for me and I think another actor could’ve delivered a better performance. Still Anna Karenina is a cinematic beauty, which is nice to watch with your mom and girlfriends during Christmas.
Populaire
Last but not least, “Populaire”. A French comedy that takes place in 1958 and tells the tale of 21-year old Rose Pamphyle who resists to become an ordinary housewife and attempts to be the world’s fastest typing secretary. The film has a rather predictable storyline, but nevertheless is a treat for the eye. It has a very Mad Men feel to it, only less serious and more fun. So ask your boy if he wants to: voulez-vous aller au cinéma??
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