Film reviews

Her Private Hell Review

Leave a comment

The title here is one of meaning, especially in a setting where evil slumbers. It is an enticing world of neon lights with many ominous moments–futuristic like a Matrix setting.  The title, Her Private Hell, however, spoke to me on a lower level. I felt I was on a journey through hell with this experience. The tangents of futures and space kept on being so clingy. I found myself awed, but then later shaking my head in frustrations. There arecool visuals as in sparkling and dazzling, yet the continuity throughout shifts with pointless patterns. This is a world where cinematics deserved better writing.

 

The film is directed by Nicholas Winding Refn, set in a metropolis setting. It is all about rivals, violence, sex, and fashion—all of which do not combine or vibe well in Her Private Hell. The film is about three women. They are Domonique (Havana Rose Liu), Elle (Sophie Thatcher), and Hunter (Kristine Froseth). It is set in the world of a movie, and surprisingly Domonique plays the guardian of both Elle and Hunter. There is a young demographic that does not make sense, and they are in the space setting where power, greed, and fame are the central focus. The three lead men in the film are Private K (Charles Melton), Johnny Thunders (Douglas Scott), and Nico (Diego Calva). 

 

A world of fame and jealousy keeps surrounding itself with sex, desire, and violence. It becomes almost too much to handle. The continuity felt cool and surreal. The focus though, is completelyoff topic. The central purpose kept relying a lot on CGI usage and technology. That kept me focusing on the fact that they were trying and creating disturbing elements rather than selling the film. For Refn, he is good at creating many dark or competitive moments. However, in Her Private Hell, he keeps on misleading it in a context that is not great. There are no positives with Her Private Hell.

 

The dynamics between Domonique, Elle, and Hunter all surround being famous in a movie—one in a futuristic setting where the lights and skies were given more attention than the plot of the film itself. Then the men– Private K, Johnny, and Nico are involved. There are forms of romanticism leading to forms of violence and jealousy. Somehow, they all loop into the film. The execution of direction though is horrid. Her Private Hell is such a downgrade of an experience. Quite disappointing for me to say the least. One out of four stars.

 

Film reviews

Anywhere Review

Leave a comment

This is a film where murder has consequences, the writing is serious, and jealousy with hatred plays its role. Anywhere draws a line to dangerous efforts. A line that gets crossed and creates another dangerous track. Written and directed by Adam Seidel, who has a form of writing where hatred does not go lightly in the film. The Oklahoma Plains is presented to be an evil place in  a silent notion. The cinematics are breathtaking with this quietapproach. 

 

The film revolves around a murder that happens, and covering the tracks is not easy. Especially when a small town already knows or suspects multiple moving parts. These moving parts are what keeps the film feeling invigorating and suspicious.  A setting with a normal day that soon becomes the worst of any, because the wrong move puts everyone in a horrid position. The fact is the that someone dies. 

 

The film’s main characters are John (Joshua Burge) and Syd (Hayley McFarland). They are husband-and-wife. John comes home with good news for his wife only to see two travel tickets with Syd and Cody’s name on it. Cody is John’s brother and he is played by Ryan Francis. John is angry by the fact that his wife and brother were having a fling and were planning a rendezvous together. John invites Cody over to talk about the issue, but he ends up (supposedly) killing Cody. Syd comes home and sees what John has done—together they are both victims of Cody’s possible murder. Now the town seeks answers. 

 

Cinematic with hatred and enviousness to a level that is noir-feeling. There are not many corners to hide in around the Oklahoma Plains. The detective Rose Vile, played by Mary Buss, goes around asking the town about Cody. She even questions John and Syd about Cody—they keep covering their tracks. She also talks to Pam, played by Annie Funke. She is Cody’s colleague from the bar where he worked. John and Syd have a case hovering over them, and their choices can ruin their life. At the same time though, it does not dismiss the fact that there was an affair going on. The affair is what provides much of the curiosity and wonders surrounding the crime in Anywhere.

 

The small town feels vivid and in-depth. The fact that it is like cops and robbers running around and trying to keep silence at a particular pacing is what sold me the most with Anywhere. Despite the hate and the anger, John and Syd must keep on maintaining a low-profile. It is the inconsistencies that create thebrilliance in Anywhere. Stark and daring, but also suspenseful,Anywhere is a different-type of noir that challenges the human mind with the frustration, sadness, and anger that is presented in all forms through John and Syd’s relationship throughout the whole film. Will they get away with it? Can they start with a fresh slate? Do they want to continue down the road for the rest of their lives with this on their backs? Anywhere is a trail of lingering questions that is spellbinding. Three-and-a-half out of four stars.

 

 

Film reviews

Night Nurse Review

Leave a comment

What is the point?  I played that question repeatedly in my head while watching Night Nurse. I have worked in a variety of settings with customers in hospitality and facilities and to me Night Nurse presents a strange form of connection in a retirement setting. It is both unnerving and interesting at the same time, yet the execution of it drags. It’s attempt at being creative as well falls flat. The film surrounds an old man in a home and prank calls to make bank. The twist though, is the nurse is also his assistant and part-time lover. The storyline is bizarre and kept me wishing for a stronger show of decent writing to appear.

 

The film’s main character is Eleni, played by Cemre Paksoy. She takes a job at a retirement community. She is assigned to take care of Douglas, played by Bruce McKenzie. Douglas presents bad forms of dementia, but also strange characterizations. He has Eleni make a fake call for him, she goes for it and soon they become con artists together. He also has another nurse named Mona, played by Eleonore Hendricks. The head doctor at the retirement community is Doctor Mann, played by Mimi Rogers. The scenario creates a rapid dynamic where cash and wrong connection to get more money keeps floating around in a matter that is quirky. I had a hard time trying to put my serious face on with Night Nurse.

 

It is interesting that Eleni gets addicted to the pattern with Douglas. It is like the film was written to look at someone taking a job at a retirement community to help overcome daddy issues. Her “daddy issues” are clearly those of not having enough attention around her.  At the same time, she jumps into that unexplained romantic vibe too easily.  Douglas’ brain is surelynot in the right mind, yet he still manages with his malevolent prank calls and blindsides people. When there is a man living in a retirement community creating loving moments with nurses and driving them around in a convertible, audiences know instantly this is a silly thriller. Just in that context alone, it is hard to present elements to be considered of importance.

 

The peril presented here is the chance of these calls going wrong. That is because they target others around the retirement community—another aspect of poor taste. The concept of those already suffering with health issues being preyed upon as victims gave me a weird feeling that I struggled with to be entertained.  Douglas is clearly “cheating” the system at his retirement community, and Eleni helps him with this. So does Mona. The consequences do not show up well in Night Nurse. Watching Night Nurse felt like working a shift where you keep asking yourself repeatedly when the shift will be over. This one is very poorly written. Three con artists in a pod that lacks fulfillment. Night Nurse is so strange yet enthralling. Not enough to feel enthusiastic about though. Two out of four stars.

 

Treating cinema in many forms of art!