THE SKIN I LIVE IN

Original Title: La piel que habito

Directed by: Pedro Almodóvar
Run time: 117 minutes

Just when you thought no movie could ever surprise you with the sickest twist, Almodovar came with his latest film about sexual identity, revenge, betrayal, loneliness and science fiction wrapped in the skin of thriller. He also dare to explore themes many other directors are afraid to absorb.

Almodovar has also succeeded to bring another side of Antonio Banderas mainstream audiences only known as the voice behind Puss in Boots or Zorro. Banderas acted as the mad but brilliant scientist Dr. Robert Ledgard, driven by his personal problems to repair human skin (and the hole in his soul). He attempted to create a synthetic skin through transgenesis by doing some experiment on human being, regardless of bio ethic.

At the beginning Ledgard held captive Vera (Elena Anaya) in his luxurious mansion for reasons later will be unfolded, including why and how is Vera being there. She wears some sort of skin tight body suit and constantly watched. The back story is that Robert's young wife badly burned in a car accident and something tragic also happened to his daughter.

With devious plot, Almodovar manages to slip so many psychological layers from each characters, Ledger's ambition which leave no space for emotion, Vera's psychopathic needs and the lust for scientific advancement into the film without looking as if it is something cheesy. In terms of cinematography nothing is new and Banderas has successfully acted as a mad scientist minus the comical stuff that usual happen to these characters. Don't forget the twist itself manages the viewers to squirm.

THE IDES OF MARCH

Directed by: George Clooney
Run time: 101 min


The road to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue isn't paved with roses and red carpets but with mud slinging and dirty work. Everybody knows that, even those who never laid their ass at any campaign. So how does George Clooney try to depict the murky face of politics? He could have easily blame the Republicans, but here he portrays inside the Democratic Primary campaign where candidates would be, fight tooth and nail for certain number of delegates to seal the party nomination and if possible, the presidency.

At the center lies Stephen Meyers (Ryan Gosling) as the Junior Campaign Manager for Mike Morris (George Clooney), Governor of Pennsylvania and a Democratic presidential candidate, competing against Arkansas Senator Ted Pullman (Michael Mantell). The place is Ohio where both candidates seek for the endorsement of Franklin Thompson (Jeffrey Wright) who pockets 356 pledged Democratic delegates, which if Morris or Pullman nail it, one of them will seal the nomination.

Shit hits the fans as Stephen found out the Governor's dirty secret plus Tom Duffy (Paul Giamatti), Pullman's campaign manager, made a move towards him. What would Stephen do? Be professional or smear his hand with mud to play the game according to what it used to be played?

As for me it is an interesting movie but lack of breakthrough, especially in the genre of political thriller. We all know that in politics people sell their soul to Mephistopheles and be cynical for the rest of their life but this one seems a bit 'safe'. We didn't see any drastic change from Stephen pre and post 'revelation' and it seems like a bit weird that a guy like Stephen looks like he can be inside politic without having to be dirty. As for Gosling he did well but Clooney is as wooden as any Republican candidate trying to unseat Obama.

The script is decent (and that politic is dirty is nothing new to the rest of us anyway) and full with terms perhaps not familiar with those who had no knowledge of how the election in the U.S happened but for political drama, I still like West Wing although this one didn't disappoint at all.

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - GHOST PROTOCOL

Directed by: Brad Bird
Run time: 133 min

If you go to Dubai make sure  you checked these items. Eyeglasses to protect eyes from sandstorm? Check. Some piece of ethnic cloth to cover your mouth and nose. Check. Money to go there? Not checked.

But after you saw Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt climbing Burj Khalifa in a stunning way, you will want to visit Dubai and check that money. But not climbing Burj Khalifa all by yourself.  As usual the fourth outing of the profitable spy franchise beside James Bond and Jason Bourne is full with superlatives. Everything must be grander, bigger and more. There's daring escape, infiltration and game of trick that will make you wonder, perhaps that's how David Copperfield is able to do his flying illusion.

Here, Brad Bird has successfully make a leap from animation into live action. Although in terms of action, Christopher Nolan's Inception is much more mind bending than this one. Which will make Nolan a better candidate for James Bond movies than Brad Bird. But it doesn't mean that this one is lame. In fact it was thrilling especially the scene in Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world.

The whole film gravitate towards Tom Cruise and for some reason I don't know he let his hair just like in the second film. The rest of the cast is decent with scene stealer Simon Pegg edged by Anil Kapoor, a big star in India, for comedic relief. This time the spies of IMF are not only relying on gadget but their hunch and improvisation, something that gives the element of surprise and thrill for this film.

Some might complain that it has comedic element, in fact it has the A113 signature from Brad Bird. But the real complain lies with the two dimensional villain. Little screen time was spent for the villain to unleash his character, unlike in the third film where Phillip Seymour Hoffmann can bring a very scary villain into the screen.

The rest is just action after action after action and it will entertain you to the max, making you feel that it is not the cold December winter but the hot summer of blockbuster movies.

THE KID WITH A BIKE

 

Original Title: Le Gamin au vélo

Directors: Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne
Runtime: 87 min

Cyril (Thomas Doret) is an 11 year old boy who search for his father, Guy Catoul (Jérémie Renier, the main actor of L'enfant, also by Dardennes brothers) who went missing without any notification. Cyril lives in a children care home and it looks like he rarely had contact with his own father. He also search for his beloved bike. Parentless, (his mother seem to be not present at all) he took refuge at the local hairdresser, Samantha (Cécile de France). He soon try to find his father only to find that his father is actually throwing Cyril out of his life. Angry and rejected he find a friend with the wrong figure which leads him into new trouble.

At first Cyril looks naughty and hard to restraint but as the film proceed, the viewers began to empathize with him since what Cyril did is just a manifestation of him seeking love and affection. He is just a kid who cannot articulate his own feelings in words. All he can do is just manifesting his anger into his surroundings.

Just like L'enfant, the previous Dardennes brothers film, this one has minimal soundtrack and neo realistic approach. Although almost free of soundtrack, it has a non natural music between certain scenes to mark an emotional change which reminds you of Kieslowski's Blue.

By avoiding to explain each character's back story the film which won Grand Prix at this year's Cannes Film Festival can avoid sentimentality but manages to provoke deep thought inside the audience's mind. To sum it up, all what we need is love, Beatles-wise of course.

A SEPARATION

Original Title: Jodaeiye Nader az Simin

Directed by: Ashgar Farhadi
Run Time: 123 min

A small family drama is a very difficult theme to tackle, it can be beautiful like Biutiful or just another Hallmark channel movies with too much dramatization and easily forgotten.

Simin (Leila Hatami) had enough with Nader (Peyman Moadi) after 14 years of marriage. She asked for a divorce, something Nader will not give since he thinks he is a good husband who treated his wife rightfully. Simin thinks that Nader pays too much attention to his elderly father who suffers from Alzheimer and she wanted to take their daughter Termeh (Sarina Farhadi, the director's daughter) abroad to have a better future. She thinks that Nader is being selfish. Here the story takes no sides since both seems to have a valid argument.

They live separately ever since with Termeh living with her father. As Nader is busy working at the office he hire a help from a woman, Somayeh (Kimia Hosseini) to take care of his father. This lead into another problem which probes deeply into the fabric of modern society in present Iran and lays out each character's motivation.

Here is the story where right and wrong are not clearly divided and everyone just do things what they think best (or right?) for them. Wonderfully crafted and well acted, wherever you come from you can relate to the hopelessness and the uncertainty of the situation. It is emotional without having to rely on popular song or some score to lead the viewer's feeling.

Free of any political messages, it proves that Iranian filmmakers are able to make a neo realistic film without having to be political.

This is the first Iranian film to sweep Golden Bear for Best Film and Silver Bear awards for Best Actor and Actress at this year's Berlin Film Festival.