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Jar City (2006)
5/10
There is no need for the same old song: Good cop and bad cop.
28 May 2008
Balthasar Kormakur's last movie, "Myrin", was made into a bestselling novel in Iceland. In short a time, Myrin was called to mind the best movie of Iceland with effect of the novel. Myrin has no difference than alike movies, despite of being a dark movie which is well-casted and directed. Especially being given messages by the director in the final is very cliché and this banal final chapter doesn't fit with this movie. Finally, Myrin doesn't tell about a new story in genre, which calls "Crime", and there is no need for the same old song: Good cop and bad cop.

Myrin begins the story with finding a corpse in an apartment which was built on marsh. Detective Erlandur, who has a daughter is pregnant and a junkie, tries to take up curtain of mist on the case. When Erlandur investigates the case deeply, he finds out roots of the story. Essentially the story grounds on very old. In the movie, there is another story in parallel with this story. In another story, Örn loses his little daughter for an implacable illness. Common points among stories are associated by Erlandur. In conclusion, it comes into the tragic picture.

Actually Myrin shows it which is interested in under the iceberg from the beginning. Every minute the story, which has no surprise, comes to a true picture and reminds the viewer of corrosion. When Erlandur resolves problems, marsh remembered by the story like an apartment where was built on a marsh. Basically people go to the bottom each day. Moreover a degeneration and a corrosion are becoming commonplace. We discover these marshes, which were inside people, with Erlandur. If the director just chose to tell a crime story, it would be OK, but he tries to criticize people. At this point, the director loses the control and departs from movie's subject. Maybe critical messages and dramatic structure both are compatible in the book; however, in the movie these two sides are not compatible. An icon of father, who realized a degeneration after committing crimes by co-workers and discovered own estrangement after all of these facts, is an acquaintance and a cliché.

Myrin doesn't tell a new story, also it has no different expression way. Nonetheless, the director shows own talent with background of the movie. An excellent background is created by the director. He highlights the dark side of the story with color selection, light using and filter preference. He relates the story in its entirety with Grey and several shades of Grey. He is promoted about visuality, despite of having some problems about storytelling. As a result, Myrin doesn't stick out in the genre, but it can be good choice to kill time.

Written by Baris Saydam (BuRnOut_TR)
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Mataharis (2007)
7/10
It's good; however, it's not like Take My Eyes.
15 April 2008
Iciar Bollain, who made the debut film "Take My Eyes", tells the story about three women who live in Madrid. The director uses an allegorical expression to talk about three middle-aged women's lives. In addition to personal stories, she emphasizes social messages like her first movie, Take My Eyes. These women characters are detectives and they observe other people's lives; however, they have a lot of problems in their marriages and they cannot resolve their problems. The director approaches every character sentimentally. Furthermore she emphasizes the problems which are bigger. The women, having problems in their lives, care about housework and childcare for their children. Also there is such great the segregation between women and men in society. They struggle with social inequality. If we thought about the movie with all its elements, we would say that "Mataharis" is an impressive and realistic movie; however, it's not better than Take My Eyes.

BuRnOut_TR
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Parents (2007)
8/10
The director has shot one of the best movies in recent years.
15 April 2008
Ragnar Bragason, who is an İcelandic director, follows Börn, which is the first film of a series. Actually we think that Börn and Foreldrar are different films, but it's not true, because these films are parts of one film. In the first one, Börn, was more active and boisterous, because it was the introductory chapter of the story. Nonetheless, Foreldrar is slower and shorter. It emphasizes leitmotif by more direct ways. It explains the family, which is the basic composition of society, and individual solitude. Foreldrar becomes an impressive movie with the director's attitude which dares to use classical narration like Godard's cinema and his method of approach to his characters similar to Mike Leigh's cinema. Finally, this movie's visual world which was created by Bragason and its dramatic dialogs are both perfect. The director has shot one of the best movies in recent years. It definitely deserves praise.

BuRnOut_TR
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8/10
Guy Maddin's last movie is hypnotic, stylistic and fascinating.
19 April 2007
I had recognized Guy Maddin with his short movie. I had watched it on my friend's suggestion, and I liked Maddin very much. After that, I was obsessed with Maddin. Maddin's unaccustomed editing and imaginative film language affected me. Maddin's last movie, "Brand Upon the Brain!", had a successful affect on me once again. Maddin's imagination combines his childhood memories in the his last movie. The Director says, "This movie is %96 real. All movie are about my childhood memories."

Maddin is inviting us on a strange journey. He is starting in the present time and going to the past, of course accompanied by Maddin's frantic editing and his abnormal images. Maddin is hovering different types during the movie. Sometimes the movie is turning into a horror movie or a science-fiction movie. Especially in the lighthouse where Maddin used an important factor of tension in the movie. Maddin used Expressionism while composes the lighthouse. In this way, the lighthouse seems like a monster. Creepy, uncanny and strange...

Little Maddin has a despot mother, a busy father and an adolescent sister. These things are causing tension for little Maddin. At this point, the director is benefiting from that tension and changing his movie type. The Director's expression is resembles fable book; simple and illustrated. This expression is adding comic aesthetic to the movie. Also, the director is using sexuality in specific Maddin style. Especially, he is emphasizing human libido. In this way, he is using sexuality with aggressiveness. Finally, Guy Maddin's last movie is hypnotic, stylistic and fascinating. Maddin doesn't frustrate his fans, he has created a great film once again.

BuRnOut_TR
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Venus (I) (2006)
7/10
Venus has a nostalgic perspective and shows old ages successfully.
10 April 2007
I watched Venus in Istanbul Film Festival. Venus is not the funniest or the most impressive movie about old age, I've ever seen. However, I think the director's intention is not that. Obviously Venus has a nostalgic perspective and shows old ages successfully; however, Venus joins old and new. When Maurice meets Jessie, Maurice again finds beauty in the goddess Venus. After that Maurice is rejuvenated. At the same time, Maurice feels the breath of death on him. Perhaps, he had a great wish for being immortal, he realizes that it's impossible. This scene is the one of the most tragic scenes of the movie. Mostly the humour is effective, although we always feel melancholy. The places which the director chose and the dark colours that he used in the film stand out. In addition, Peter O'Toole's (Maurice) acting is marvelous. As a result, if you haven't great expectations Venus, you can experience different feelings about this movie.

BuRnOut_TR
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