Hey, hey to the first movie review of the year! Though no new movies made it to theaters, my local indie theater got their hands on some Oscar-buzzy international films!
Medusa Deluxe – A24 is such an eclectic production company. I really heard nothing about this movie, but found it on my weekly search of new films. This presented itself as a horror-thriller film taking place during a hairdressing competition. That’s right. It’s a whodunnit in the world of hairdressing. The atmosphere reminds me of what cheerleading, pageants, or fashion shows are like. It’s high stress and high chaos, even though we are thrown into the action right at the start. We enter at night after it’s been revealed that one of the stylists was found scalped by his model after a break. Everyone turns on everyone at one point or another and some of these stylists are intense, but what really shined here was the camera work and the lighting. It reminded me of Birdman in many ways, but this dialogue-heavy film might bore some.
Dicks: The Musical – Did I mention that A24 is an eclectic production company? This is hands down one of the most bizarre things I have ever watched and that is saying A LOT. I understand that “musical” is in the title, but I also think that’s maybe where this story should have stayed. Yes, it was a Broadway show before it was adapted for the screen, and I could actually picture it having been a blast to see in that kind of setting. As it were, “twins” Craig and Trevor decide to Parent Trap their parents after finding each other, but the story only gets weirder and more disturbing from there. The songs were alright and I had a few good laughs, but Megan Thee Stallion was the real crown jewel here. I have absolutely no clue who I would ever recommend this to and I probably won’t.
Monster – Well, it’s hard to believe I might have found a top ten film of 2024 already, but I really think I did! This Japanese drama was absolutely incredible. By the end all I could think was that this was a perfect example of how no one actuals knows anyone’s full story. That is totally the case here. A film that unfolded in three parts first starts with the perspective of a mother who is increasingly worried about her son’s behavior and eventually is told that he is being abused by his teacher, who doesn’t really make a case for himself. Then we are presented with the teacher’s perspective and learn that everything is totally a misunderstanding on his part, but who are you going to believe in this day and age? Finally, we get the real story from the child, and how complicated the lives of young people can be. It was a really beautiful story and I highly recommend people check this out if they can. I’d also really love to see this as an Oscars contender. There is buzz, but it seems relatively quiet so far compared to other international films.
Fallen Leaves – Speaking of hype for the Oscars! This comedy seems to only be getting stronger as the months roll by and I can totally understand why. Set in Finland, the film centers on Ansa and Holappa, an unlikely pair that want to try and be together, but a lot of roadblocks get in their way. From the casual viewer’s perspective, it probably doesn’t look like these two like each other at all given how little they make eye contact or speak to each other, and all of the obstacles that get in their way are quite bleak, but it’s the quietness of this romance that is the most endearing. MVP though goes to Holappa’s work friend, Huotari. He’s absolutely hysterical in all of his scenes. Again, not for everyone, but I sure appreciated this unassuming romantic comedy.