MOTHER! (2017)

Broadly categorized as a psychological drama, Mother! has a level of twisted imagery and events that lend it more towards the horror category. As arty as a film can be with such names as Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem, Ed Harris, and Michelle Pfeiffer, the film works to remove any unnecessary extravagances, placing the focus purely on the quality of the actors and the depth of the portrayal of the characters. An example of the minimalistic take is how none of the characters are given names; referred to as Mother, the Poet, Man, and Wife, the names are not needed and therefore not known.

The film takes place in one setting; either inside the house or directly outside the house, and follows the point of view of Jennifer Lawrence's character, the Mother, with all shots with focused on Lawrence's face, looking from her point of view, or over her shoulder. The viewer receives no information that the protagonist doesn't have, and it creates a very immersive experience. Seeing all that she sees, it does not take long to start seeing the set of events leading to a chain reaction.

The entire plot revolves around the Bardem and Lawrence's characters and their contradictory viewpoints. Lawrence's Mother, who has fully renovated their home herself, connecting with it on a spiritual level, making the house effectively a part of herself, and whose only want is to spend her time with her husband isolated from the rest of the world. Bardem's Poet, on the other hand, is the ever-obliging host, who craves to please those that worship his work. These contradictory viewpoints begin to clash and escalate as more characters begin to enter the story until the situation devolves into the climax of the film.

Mother! is a polarizing film. You will either love it or hate it. It leaps beyond the boundaries of what is expected from a film and takes the viewer on a journey that will no doubt frustrate and baffle them. Lines between reality and fiction blur as time moves and bounds inconsistently. The film has no filler; every action leads on towards something further into the film, but that is not to say it is easy to follow, not in the slightest. Climaxing with an irreconcilable hallucinogenic fever dream sequence that folds in on itself, we are treated to a vicious cycle that highlights a selfish, narcissistic society which takes what it wants.

An intriguing story, that leaves you with many unanswered questions. The framing and perspectives of the shots are truly brilliant, and the plot is certainly a simple and original idea but is it enough to make it a great film? That is up to each viewer to decide on their own. I was engaged, and I empathised with Lawrence's Mother character, but it is not a film I will feel the need to see again.

Originally posted on: http://djin.nz/Kr7856

I, TONYA (2017)

This is based on a true story. A story that I had no knowledge of (I'm 29), but a story I now realise I have seen referenced before on multiple occasions (one example of which involves an episode of The Simpsons where Moe is orchestrating an "accident" to prevent Mr Burns from taking part in their bowling team). Needless to say, it is interesting to come across the source after seeing the references. But I digress.

I, Tonya is based on a true story; a story created by stitching together multiple contradictory eyewitness accounts of events. The end result is part comedic, and part unreliable, as the characters that are reenacting the scenes, frequently break the fourth wall, to refute the testimonies of the other characters. It almost comes across as an argument between several people being played out word for word, without any editing. Narration, commentary, contradictory statements are all par for the course in this film.

But it is well done. I had no idea that a film about a figure skater from the 80s and 90s would have engaging characters, and yet this is what I found. You come across many situations that are incredibly relatable, whether it is the recognition of the emotionally absent mother, the abusive partner, the differences in treatments of differing social classes. These are portrayals of real people, and the viewers can really empathise and sense the frustration, fear, and anger, that the characters exhibit on screen.

The casting was superb. Not being aware of the story, or who any of the characters were beforehand, I thought perhaps they had gone with a purposefully over-the-top, dated, stereotypical, "white trash" look. Having seen Margot Robbie and Sebastian Stan looking amazing in their respective DC and Marvel movies, to see them in a film like this felt incredibly out of place. But wait until the credits. You will be shown footage of the real people, where you can see samples of the scenes that they were recreated from, word-for-word (even the more unbelievable parts, I'm looking at you, Shawn Eckhardt). 

The flow of the film works well up until the tail-end of the film. The viewer watches the struggles of Tonya Harding as she works her hardest to be the best she is at what she does, attempting to overcome prejudices, abusive spouses, lack of funding, towards her final goal of performing in the Olympics. A section of the film that is glossed over with a simple narration rather than a reenactment. From a film studies perspective, it is a choice that denies us the payoff that we've been waiting for which is arguably the same thing that happens to Tonya Harding. 

Personally, I enjoy getting a good payoff in a film. It helps the feeling of completion, but truth be told, the way the film has been done is the strength of the film. It doesn't take sides. It portrays all points of view. It doesn't try to glorify people or paint them in a better light. It's starkly honest, and it hits home. Emotionally engaging. A must-watch.

Originally posted on: http://djin.nz/Kr7851