A plethora of all tastes will be seen from today (31.10.2024) in cinema by movie friends. The programming of the films of the week is now evolving into a manire, as once again festival creations stick to horror, thriller and animation. And all this in an overinflation of titles, since ten more films come to be added this week to the country’s cinemas. The dramas “Black Dog” from China and Levan Akin’s “Passion” stand out, while the much discussed horror film “The Substance: The Elixir of Youth”, with Demi Moore. Black Dog (“Gouzhen”) Dramatic film, Chinese production of 2024, directed by Guan Hu, with Eddie Peng, Zia Change, Tong Leah, Chang Yi, Wang Hong Ka. It is not, of course, the first or last film that a dog will operate ransomably for a film. But this is also the only contract of Chinese director Guan Hu, in this drama – comment on the speed with which the vast country changes and its nature is altered, in this endless pursuit of competitiveness with the West, the paradoxical combination of communism and capitalism and a people who are running to catch up, without realizing where all this leads. The award-winning film in the Department of A Some Look, in Cannes, features a multitude of wonderful open-plans, using the 16:9 frame and the director to make the most of the impressive landscape, the wild nature of the Kobi Desert and within this dystopian setting will unite two lonely souls, a stray dog and a illegal young man, in his own homeland, on a journey of self-awareness and desperate finding companionship. In the vast landscape of the Kobi Desert and while the wind whistles, a bus is suddenly overturned by its way, when a pack of wild dogs intersects with it. The passengers of the bus come out safe and sound and among them a just released with parole, returning to the city where he comes from. Destination of a small provincial town in the latter parts of northern China, full of stray dogs, abandoned by the inhabitants who left, leaving behind their few countrymen. The site shows wrecked, collapsed houses, demolition buildings, as there are development plans, combined with the upcoming 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. But there is also a black dog, considered a threat to the remaining inhabitants. A dog with a bounty… It is no coincidence that Hu places his story a few days before the 2008 Olympiad, when China was living its own dream and wanted to highlight the greatness of a superpower. And as with the superpowers, behind the window, there is always reality, the abandonment, the wreckage of souls and inanimates, which are ideally illuminated, with gray shades, as well as the character of the lone and little-talking hero of the film, who feels stray and he in turn, where he once was the “golden boy” of local society, a rock star. Hu watches from a distance his desperate hero, avoiding melodramas even in his relationship with the most beautiful black dog, with whom he releases his feelings. Feelings reflected by strays and symbolize, through the dramatic plot of the film, the sense of an unruly spirit that is in pursuit, by the extreme competition of states and people. Perhaps that is why the talented director chooses to move away from the realistic approach of his images, giving a much wider dimension to a country, a place and his inhabitants. Or maybe for many countries, their places and their inhabitants… with a few words… A man who just got out of prison returns to his hometown, a border town in the Chinese Gobi Desert. Its city slowly dies, its inhabitants abandon it and an entire old world collapses in front of a country’s demands in rapid technological and developmental orbit. As he in vain tries to keep up with the new reality, a dog suddenly becomes his science friend. The Substance: “The Substance” A 2024 film of horror, American and British production, directed by Korali Farzas, with Demi Moore, Dennis Quaid, Margaret Qualey, Hugo Diego Garcia, and only one look at the case, is enough to realize that we have again a film about the position of woman in society and especially in the industry of spectacle and notorious age racism, especially when Demi Moore is starring, who we thought had given up acting and for the reasons why the film is being dealt with. However, Corali Farza’s film, which won the screenplay award at the Cannes festival, does not approach her feminist drama at a social glance, but enters the film horror, shocking with her images, even the familiar audience, from the array of film reports, starting from Italian giallo and David Lynch and De Palma and reaching early Kroneberg or even Robert Zemekish and “Death Goes Much.” Elizabeth Sparkle, a once award-winning actress, stared at Hollywood Boulevard and now gymnast of a morning television show (the citation to Jane Fonda gets an eye) will be found fired, due to age, by the slimy director of the channel. Mysteriously, she will discover a substance that promises to take out her best self and test it on her body, bringing out a younger, more beautiful and firmer clone. But the recipe for youth will be dangerously crooked with tragic consequences, as the clone drunk from youth and publicity will begin to steal Elizabeth’s time. With the exception of the remarkable interest of the story at the beginning and the observation that manhood will always find a way to turn one woman against another, the film very quickly begins to lose turns and the narrative steps on familiar recipes. Even the director’s argument, that “man’s look is a trap from hell”, is repeated monotonously with a simplisticness that reaches the limits of parody. In addition, within 140 minutes of the film’s over-extreme duration, she does not find time to get to know us better her heroine, to bring us close to the universe of her spectacle and savagery, but it is sufficient to the rudimentary and, of course, to the many nude scenes of Moore and Qualey and the excessive doses of body terror, culminating in a repulsive and angry crescendo in the finale. Demi Moore, she did not suddenly become a good actress, but her devotion to character, which is not far from herself, is worthy of respect, as is her daring to film several nude scenes, having to face the talented and full of vigor and beauty Margaret Qualey. Completely wrong, the approach to the character of the channel manager, played by Dennis Quaid, as he’s so hideously slimy, you can’t take him seriously, although there’s no way these guys can run American channels. A few words… Defeat, Oscar star working as a gymnastics television show presenter falls out of the clouds when the channel fires her to replace her with a younger presenter. She will resort to a mysterious substance that promises to literally bring out the best, youngest and most beautiful herself. But not without a price. Crossing Dramatic film, Swedish and international co-production of 2024, directed by Levan Akin, with Mzia Arabuli, Lucas Kankava, Denise Dumanli Ms.The latest film by Levan Akin, the notable “And After We Dance”, again maintains the standards of a complete work, which stands out for her wonderful character wallpaper and her narrative effectiveness. More, however, it is a wandering drama, observing a colorful and complex world, with cordialness and understanding of more humanity. The Swedish, Georgian-born director, makes mastery and a culture puzzle, crowding in Istanbul, “a place where people come to disappear” and escape the pursuit for their diversity. A retired old woman, who on her face is engraved the difficulties of life, will pass to Istanbul from Batumi, where her home was. The reason is the promise she had made to her dead sister now, to find her child in Turkey. One, abused by his brother, young man, who says she knows her niece, to travel to Turkey, will stick with her and their journey will begin in slums of Istanbul, where they will seek out her niece, an adult now trans. Akin’s deep human eyesight and disarming natural interpretation of the first-looking Mzia Arabuli will work beautifully in the Odyssey of a woman who comes from the old world to prove her compassion, acceptance and unquestionable love in a complex modern world, which needs her, in trying to find his identity. The film may have some flaws, but it has excellent footage, which sneak behind windows, half-closed doors, dark neighborhoods and at the same time highlight Constantinople as an autonomous character in the film. Please note that in the film, which won the Panorama Award at the Berlin festival, in addition to the protagonist, the rest of the cast consists of amateur actors, who stimulate realistic images and justify Akin’s boldness. A few words… A retired teacher from Georgia, who decides to travel to Istanbul searching for traces of her chronic lost niece trans. “Hesitation Wound” line Dramatic film, Turkish and international co-production of 2023, directed by Selman Najar, with Tuline Ozen, Gulchin Kultur Sahin, Oguljan Arman Uslu ca. The young Turkish director, Selman Najar, with his second film, shows that he can develop into a remarkable director, which the people of the Venice festival also recognized him, inviting him to participate in the Department of Horizons. Najar, through the form of a court drama, will make a multi-level personal film, with studied characters, to ask a number of questions about justice, duty and personal sacrifice, to expand his concerns and tensions underlying Turkish society, but also their causes. The story takes place in a small Turkish city, with young criminalist Kanan, divided between personal and professional responsibilities. Her mother is in a coma and has to decide whether to interrupt her mechanical support and organ donation, while she has assumed the support of a young man accused of killing his employer. Musa’s case is characterized by uncertainty, with conflicting evidence suggesting corruption and a hidden truth, while Kanan is confident of his innocence and that only she can save him from conviction. The minimalist, almost stiflingly limited setting of the film and with the narrative following, consistently, despite the difficulties, real time, combined with the close shots on the heroine’s face, will yield its emotional intensity and the emergence of moral dilemmas regarding problematic justice, duty and personal sacrifice. Showing skilful little clues, which will later be used in the plot, Najar will wander us and play with the shades will intensify the interest of his story, gradually illustrating the individual portrait of his heroine and the collective for a society that needs to find its balance, to reconcile traditions with the modern way of life, class contradictions, morals, woman’s position and corruption. A really interesting film, which is decisively supported by her performance by the protagonist and established Turkish actress Tulin Ozen. A lawyer-criminal, who shares her time between the court on the day and her sick mother’s headset at the hospital at night, must solve a moral dilemma that will affect her mother’s life, the judge and her murder suspect client. The Secret in Kellar (“Cellar Door”) A 2024 horror film, directed by Von Stein, directed by Lawrence Fisburn, Jordana Brewster, Addison Timlin, Scott Speedman Mrs. More thriller than horror film, as recommended, is this here the film by Von Stein, a low demand director (“Terminal Station”), who has an appeal to beat renowned filmmakers of his time. Without long searching it, he will suffice to the well-known recipes of the genre and a cliché story: young couple hopelessly acquire the home of their dreams and of course he will have to face the deadly dangers hidden by the “Secret Cellar”. A couple seek a new beginning in the suburbs of Portland and an enigmatic man will give them his luxurious and huge home, provided they never open the cellar door. The couple’s enthusiasm will quickly turn into concern and every day that goes by more and more, they realize that the idyllic house hides dark secrets. As tension increases and the couple’s relationship is tested, they should reveal the truth before it is too late. The story could also be described as a summary of all films with a similar case and waste both good and fun ideas that exist: The first one is about the power that is forbidden in life and the undefeated curiosity of man and the second, that a “home – catch” always hides unexpected problems and it is good to think that you are not the only smart one and the other suckers. From there on, film is a parade of clichés, although it is seen with some interest, especially by the incurable lovers of the genre and may have had a better chance if the leading couple were not so indifferent. A few words… A pair of bourgeoises will hopefully have an amazing house in the suburbs of Portland, but on condition that they never open the cellar door, as its mysterious owner tells them. The more the days pass, the more they reveal worrying truths and the real cost of their dream home, that will turn into nightmares. Azrael (“Azrael”) 2024 horror, American and Estonian production film, directed by E. L. Katz, with Samara Wiving, Vic Carmen Sean, Nathan Stuart- Jarrett Mrs. Another horror film, this time with the “Finding” of non-existence of dialogues, as the characters of history have renounced speech and come together like wild animals and birds. A post-apocalyptic thriller, evolving into horror, after having previously gasped with the heroine chase by some religious fanatics in the wild forests of Estonia, where most of the film has been shot. A girl who survives in the woods along with her partner will be captured by a cult of fanatical religiousists who still have Mad Max cars and will leave her tied to a chair to make a sacrifice to the monstrous demon zombies, but somehow escapes. From there, an endless hunt begins, in a cycle of repetitions, with the heroine captured, released and this “game” repeated. Now, why all this is happening, we learn little from director Katz, who does not bother – after he saves the… dialogues – to inform us why people have renounced the speech, how they communicate, where they come from and where they go, but also why male characters have a secondary role and the ultimate evil is reflected in a heavily pregnant woman. However, fanatics of the genre will not get tired of seeing beheadings and other freaks, in a film that clearly stands out the protagonist Samara Wiving, with her freshness and sports performance. A few words… Many years after the Rapture of the Believers, a religious cult of fanatics who have renounced the temptation of speech pursue Azrael, who has escaped. When ruthless fanatics capture her again, Azrael is intended as a human sacrifice that will appease an ancient evil rooted deep in the wild. The movies are still on: “Canary Black” Of the usual and without anything the new dynamicly severed adventures, except that killing and beating is shared by a woman, Kate Beckinsail and not the usual suspects, Liam Neeson, Jason Staitham and Aaron Eckhart. Directed routinely by Pierre Morel (“The Rapture”), the film begins to lose oil very quickly, having as a weight and the pretext scenario, which wants a CIA agent, to be blackmailed by terrorists to choose in her country’s betrayal or the salvation of her kidnapped husband. An American cocktail, with two doses of action, a dose of patriotism and a pinch of feminism – as some people in Hollywood see it. Looney Tunes: Porky and Duffy Save the Earth (“The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie”) Fun animated children’s film, this year’s harvest from Warner Bros, with the lovely Porky and Duffy wanting to save the earth from a contaminated gum. The directing is by the covetous Peter Browngard, while the technique followed is traditional, without meaning that the film relies solely on nostalgia, for the trifled heroes. The film is shown and compiled in Greek. Ozzy: “Ozi: Voice of the Forest” An animated children’s film, British and American production of 2023, with environmental concerns and other positive simplistic messages. The film, which is the first directed by Tim Harper, has Ozzy as a central hero, an orphan orangutan, who will do everything he can to save the forest that lives from deforestation. The film is shown compiled in Greek and therefore we do not listen to Donald Sutherland, in his last film participation before he dies, lending his voice to a crocodile. The Ballad of Narayama (“The Ballad of Narayama”) Reissued Kizuki Kinosita’s excellent film (1958) based on folk myth, passed from generation to generation through the kabuki theatre. Kinosita combines the traditional Japanese theater with his film look and delivers lessons in aesthetics and color exploitation, which influenced many Western creators, even the great Michael Powell. An old Japanese tradition dictated to ordinary people who have reached 70 years of age to move to the top of Narayama Mountain to die there. In a remote poor mountain village, Old Orin is a decent and obedient woman who spends her last days before climbing to Narayama, ensuring happiness to her son. It stars Kinuyo Tanaka, Tiji Takahashi, Yuko Mochizuki.
‘Black Dog’, ‘Passion’, ‘Hesitant line’ and seven other films from today in cinemas
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in Lifestyle