A small village and its charms tinged with monotonous, unavoidable routine. To leave is to escape, to stay is to dream.
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Fallen Angel 1945
Morality as chips to be played. Going all in on the wrong hand. Andrews’ prideful affectations evaporate under Faye’s persistent tenderness. She sees through his poker face. Trust, not as a result but as a necessity.
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The Banshees of Inisherin 2022
I was sceptical about the appraisal McDonagh’s latest received, partly because of the shit show that was his last film and partly because ‘when he’s at his best’ I find his films vaguely amusing. The Banshees of Inisherin is vaguely amusing. Just like all his previous films, this one feels trapped behind its dense screenplay. Outside of Farrell and Gleeson, who are predictably good, there doesn’t seem to be a lot happening. Keoghan wanders around aimlessly as the joke turned metaphor and Condon, whilst very good, is ultimately just a pair of ears for Farrell to talk at. Occasional laughs do filter through this dull affair.
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Decision to Leave 2022
A portrait of repression helmed by a director whose films tend to not hold back. However, in Decision to Leave, extreme violence is traded for mysterious romance whilst remaining every bit as morbid. Though many renditions of the story exist, Park’s instalment may be the most convoluted. Complicated narratives are a trademark of his after all, for better or worse. Tang Wei’s superb performance as the femme fatale, Seo-rae, is ultimately the reason why the film works. So much suppressed emotion on display helps guide the themes. You can’t run from what’s buried within.
