Holy Motors (2012)

Director: Leos Carax

 It is not too difficult to appreciate this film, or to admire this film, or to enjoy this film, but understanding what it all means it is a different story. There is a lot going, and deciphering every single thing about this film may prove impossible on a first viewing. But when looking at the film overall, it's quite simple. We see an actor do rides around a limousine over the course of a single day doing nine different "appointments". He acts as an old lady begging in the street, he performs on a motion capture stage, he plays a father picking up his daughter from a party, he plays a sewer creature who kidnaps a model, he plays an old man on the verge of death, etc. The odd thing about these "appointments" is that there are no cameras or audience around, at least not visibly. He is performing these acts in the real world. The film hints that digital cameras are so small now, that they are invisible.

The film is a remarkably unique film in that every one of the "acts" Denis Lavant's character performs performs are executed to perfection. While the film does make sense as a whole, it's certain that director Leos Carax also wanted the opportunity to tackle all sorts of genres in one movie (it's his first film in 13 years, so he has a lot of catching up to do). He tackles these familiar genres because these genres are the "typical" entertainment we have in our lives, and because we are always performing for the omniscient camera, these genres become our reality. The digitalization of not just cinema, but of everything in our culture, has made it so in our constant performance for the camera we have lost our sense of identity. Our identity has slipped away behind the veneer of technology and the ways we choose to portray ourselves to the world. With its unique ambiguous structure, Holy Motors shows that truth in identity is slipping away from all of us in our increasingly technology-dependent world. Through it's multiple "episodes" Holy Motors is a mystifying, powerful, sensational, and thought-provoking film that tells us much about who we are and where we're going.

Grade: A

Jacob, the Liar (1975)

Director: Frank Beyer

 This is a surprisingly smart film about the living conditions in Jewish ghettos during World War II. I've seen plenty of Holocaust movies now, but this one is surprisingly smart in the way it deals with the question of hope vs. truth. The main crux of the movie is whether or not the main character, Jacob, is doing the right thing by lying about some positive news, when he really has no idea. It is a movie about hope, but it's smart because it also goes into the perils of false hope.

The fact that the movie does show that in the end, false hope is just temporary pleasure to precede disappointment makes this movie better than many other movies that talk about how great hope is. It is a bit melodramatic during parts, when I would have liked it to be more subtle because I think everyone knows how horrible the situation for Jews was. But ultimately it's definitely one of the smarter Holocaust films I've seen. Something to think about is that one way this film is different may be because it was made in East Germany, perhaps adding a perspective fairly unique to most viewers.

Grade: B

Europa Europa (1991)

Director: Agnieszka Holland

 The basic story is quite remarkable, mostly because it's true. A young Jewish boy finds his way into the German army, and while he's young and so that explains why he's so quick to abandon his principles, they do eventually catch up to him. The themes of this story, not movie but story, venture around identity, self-preservation, and violating your mostly deeply held principles in favor of more practical reasons. Though I definitely do not believe this film lived up to those potential themes.

The movie is made in typical Holocaust movie fashion, showing the horrible living conditions and experiences of Jews and making most of the Germans stereotypically evil. But the tone of the film is a bit comedic, mostly because the kid is fairly innocent and so he does not yet know the serious nature of the war. I also must admit that some of the scenes are probably unintentionally light because the lead actor is not all that great, and this is especially true in the end when he is supposed to have learned a great lesson, but there is not much emotional impact. Like many Holocaust movies, this movie is remarkable only because it is based on a true story.

Grade: C+

Cave of Forgotten Dreams (2011)

Director: Werner Herzog

This Werner Herzog documentary about the oldest cave paintings ever found is a pure treat, not only because the cave the documentary visits is not open to the public, but because we have Herzog as our tour guide. Herzog asks some fascinating questions about humanity, the beginnings of art, and even goes into the topic of spirits. His narration keeps you thinking and interested while his cameras focus on the painting. The movie celebrates both primitive art and the newest technologies simultaneously as he talks to those behind the exploration and preservation of the cave.

The cave itself is completely fascinating because it's been so well preserved, and so going into the cave is like stepping into a time machine and going back thousands of years ago. Herzog does take some detours  in which he explores a bit about how the people who may have done the paintings lived, but during those moments we're just waiting to get back to some more exploration of the cave. The movie was released in theaters in 3D, but unfortunately I saw it on DVD so I can't comment on how the 3D works. But the movie is fascinating, and to be honest, I don't think any movie made by Herzog will not be fascinating and thought-provoking in some way.

Grade: B

A Dangerous Method (2011)

Director: David Cronenberg


This isn't a great film, but I feel like it will eventually become an essential part of David Cronenberg's career. A Dangerous Method boils down so much of the thematic material in Cronenberg's earlier films, which makes the fact that it's basically a talky period drama not that surprising even though it should be. Both Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung are the main characters of the film, and their studies on human sexual behavior and psychoanalysis were probably studied by Cronenberg many times when he was making his earlier body-horror movies.


So the subject matter and all the conversations that Freud and Jung have are directly related to Cronenberg's sensibilities, and if you're a huge Cronenberg fan it's definitely a must watch. But I'm not sure it's a great movie. The film does not have a singular focus, instead it tries to be a film about the birth of psychoanalysis, the rise of a young psychologist studying under Freud, and a love story between a patient and her psychologist. The elements in the film were certainly connected, but tf it wants to satisfyingly tackle all of these stories it should have been much longer than the 99 minute runtime.


It may not have been exactly what I wanted, but A Dangerous Method is still always completely fascinating. This battle that Jung has between repressing his sexual desires and staying true to the monogamous relationship that he believes he must uphold makes for some inner conflict that is thrilling to behold, especially for a figure as educated and intellectual as Jung. I certainly was engaged in intellectual thought while watching and listening to Jung, Freud, and the very entertaining Keira Knightley, but it was the result of the dialogue and the real life figures in the film, rather than the filmmakers.


Grade: B-

Filmcap: The week of Nov 28-Dec 4

Old Joy, and Aguirre: The Wrath of God are the two films that get reviewed in this post. Two absolutely wonderful movies that capture nature and all its beauty through the theme of friendship in one, and the theme of madness in the pursuit of power in the other.