Oh Kool Thing...

Simple Men(dir. Hal Hartley)

Do I even need to write a review? It's obviously amazing through that clip, but I'll talk about it alittle more. There's something about Hartley's style that is extremely effective on me. It's probably because he realizes the concept of plot is ridiculous in films and kind of displays the plot as a seemingly random and melodramatic thing. A moment like in that clip wouldn't appear in a movie that takes it's plot seriously and I'm thankful it doesn't take it's plot seriously because it is fairly ludicrious. Some scenes point out the artifice that is inherent in movies while others resonate with a sense of true emotion and are extremely moving like the end. These scenes are moving because we notice the fake scenes and when something truly insightful happens on screen, it packs more punch. The ending is easily one of the most moving and beautiful things I've ever seen in a film.
**** out of ****
Show Me Love(dir. Lukas Moodysson)
The complete opposite of Lilya 4-Ever? Definately. The film is warm and fuzzy. Two adjectives that I would never use to describe Lilya 4-Ever to someone who hasn't seen it even though it does display a genuine warmth with it's scenes between Volodya and Lilya. The teens in this film have problems, but not nearly as big of problems as Lilya 4-Ever. That's ok, it's a different movie and much more whimsical. This film put a smile on my face. I know I'm not gonna obsess over this film like Lilya 4-Ever, but I definately enjoyed the hell out of it.
**** out of ****