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9/10
Superpowers can't overcome existential problems
3 November 2023
"There used to be a bird you shot, right? It's not there anymore, is it?" Cemal says. What would have happened if we had never existed? What would change? Does our existence in this world mean anything or should it? Philosophical questions abound in this movie. While watching Cemal, the audience feels as if they are being abstracted from their surroundings and constantly residing in the realm of thoughts as if they were Cemal himself. Superheroes have superpowers. But these superpowers don't create characters who live without worries or as if they've come to this world to have fun. Cemal has a concern, and this concern doesn't seem like it can be resolved with superpowers. These concerns are related to very basic things, the existence of life. This concern is about love and the delicate balance of love.

Cemal is a very contemplative and thoughtful character. His thoughtfulness is constantly reflected as worry to himself. He doubts small things, experiences his emotions. He is a person "created from worry." These worries push him towards inquiries that will develop him as a human while also causing him to engage in behaviors he does not want and will regret. He beats the woman he loves (Yasemin). Then he reads her poetry. Cemal is confused, his actions are contradictory. Just like all of us. Even if he could see inside the walls and pass through them, he would not be able to overcome the emotional wall with Yasemin, drowned in his worries and obsessions, which have taken over his entire life.

The cinematography of the film is important in understanding the characters' inner worlds. Cemal's scenes shot with a fixed camera show his eyes and what's behind them to the audience. The poetry scene on the balcony is a nod to Romeo and Juliet. Cemal, the guilty lover trying to win his wife's heart, reads poetry to her. Light shines on his face as if it is from Yasemin, her light giving meaning to his life, he can't do it without her, but his worries are also visible on his face. Cemal stands below the balcony, looking at Yasemin as if she were a goddess. A goddess he can never reach, a goddess who will "definitely" betray him or leave him.

Don't we all have a bit of Cemal in us, after all? Cemal "lives in the church in our ribs."
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Irreversible (2002)
10/10
A slap in the face of the society
2 October 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Because time destroys everything.

Because certain acts are irreparable.

Because most crimes go unpunished.

Because love is the source of life.

Gaspar Noé does his job and creates a masterpiece. This movie grabs your head and slams it into a wall. It effects your life, your thoughts deeply. No other movie had this effect on me which is quite shocking to be honest (since I am not easily effected). Society's opinion on crime (especially sexual assaults) are highly criticized and it is so so so well done with this movie.

An example of this would be the scene we see a silhouette of a man walking into the underpass in the middle of the scene. The man sees the thing that was going on and ignores it and just goes away. This is one of the most real scenes ever. In the movie theater that I went to, there were like 20-30 people who left the hall because of this scene (we were like 50 people). This man who decides to ignore all the things represents the society and the leavings in the movie theatre proves it. This kinds of things, if not worse, happen every day and everyone just reads them and they are not effected, they don't think about it a bit unless something like that happens to them or their loved ones. They are like this bystander who just goes away with no emotion, no purpose of help, nothing. Gaspar Noé forces the viewer (society) to watch this kind of act and you can't escape. You need to watch. You need to understand. You need to feel. You need to speak up and be a voice.

Gaspar Noé also does magnificent on directing and camera movement. In most of the scenes, camera is unstable, creating an unsettling effect and keeps the anxious feeling all throughout the movie. Especially the "Rectum" scene camera movement is so intense, it made me feel out of breath and it is hard to be not amazed by this kind of artistic shooting.

There are a lot of things to discuss about this movie but I wrote short in order to keep it simple. Thank you for your time.

Disclaimer: Be cautious before watching, this movie is highly graphic and it is easy to be effected. However, if you decide to watch this movie, don't pause it or skip anything This is the best way to understand the director's intentions.
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