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Nattvardsgästerna (Winter Light) (1962)
Nattvardsgästerna (Winter Light) (1962)
1962 | International, Drama, Drama
(0 Ratings)
Movie Favorite

"This is a terrifying film to watch for any aspiring filmmaker worth his/her salt. One takes a look at it and soon realizes that it spells perfection. Not a reassuring realization when one is trying to enter the trade. The only thing that can mitigate somewhat this feeling is that Bergman himself expressed wonderment at what he had pulled off here, as if he weren’t entirely responsible for it and lady luck had been outrageously on his side. The conventional wisdom when one talks about Bergman is always to list the thematic bases he hits: the fundamental triviality of faith, the traumatic economy of unrequited love, etc. Better go small and more mysterious: this is a textbook of what drama is made of, each scene exploring relentlessly the perilous equilibrium of a situation, what makes it what it is, what will keep it there. Nothing ever comes to a trite conclusion in this film. Everything is suspended, held together by the contradictory forces that vie for the moment to be what they are, and as a consequence everything is resonant. It is so finely tuned that it can be unendurable: nobody has ever explored the savagery of gender relationships as accurately as Bergman, because nobody else has so detailed them as an ineluctable stasis. Yes, Bergman was right to wonder: there is a miracle at work here. It’s a film where the energies and the craft of the principals intersect so splendidly under the guidance of a director: the photographer’s eye (Sven Nykvist, who knows how to match the coldness of these souls with the cold dampness of the landscape outside); the actors’ bodies (Ingrid Thulin, her hands, wrecked by eczema, fussing around abjectly out of unrequited love for her pastor; Gunnar Bjornstrand, with a terminal case of the sniffles and an endless ability to tap into cruelty). Not a first-date movie, but it will do for the third. And, any time, a humbling lesson in film craft."

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Prey (2022)
Prey (2022)
2022 | Sci-Fi
8
7.6 (9 Ratings)
Movie Rating
The latest film in the Predator film series has arrived and the first
under Disney ownership since their purchase of 20th Century Fox. “Prey”
takes a look back in order to move the franchise forward and it does
this by setting in amongst the Comanche community roughly three hundred
years in the past.


The film follows a young girl named Naru (Amber Midthunder) who looks to
become a warrior but in a male-dominated setting, only her brother is
relatively supportive of her ambition and talks about when she will face
a trial which she must endure to show her worth.


At the same time, a Predator has arrived and begins to hunt the local
wildlife. Naru sees evidence of his work and tries to convince the tribe
that the carnage they are finding is not the work of a bear or a
mountain lion as the community believes.


When the nature of the threat manifests itself, Naru must find the
courage and skills to track and face the enemy who threatens to destroy
her tribe.


The film is directed by Dan Trachtenberg and he mixes a good amount of
action along with a very interesting setting and characters to create an
engaging tale.


There are some moments that the FX was not as sharp as one might expect
but the sequences with the Predator are filled with action and suspense
and should make fans of the franchise very happy. The film at times does
require some leaps of faith from the audience but in the end, “Prey” is
a satisfying film that is superior to “The Predator” and rates as one of
the stronger entries in the series and that the franchise is in good
hands for the future.

It will be interesting to see where the franchise goes next as there is lots of material for the franchise to explore, but for now, “Prey” is a refreshing take on the series and one fans should enjoy.
  
The Third Veil
The Third Veil
Heather Carter | 2022 | Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
THE THIRD VEIL is a historical fantasy romance that covers some touchy subjects, just so you know. If you have any triggers, check them first.

Seven is the unloved and abused daughter of the owner of a brothel and spends her days cleaning like a maid. She finds solace in Charlie, a young farmer who is her best friend and courting her quietly. But the heroine can't be happy at the beginning, now can they, so it came as no surprise when tragedy struck. Not only that but Seven is pushed into something she is wholly unprepared for. With both friends and foes looking for her, she needs to save the world. No pressure.

I found the beginning of this story to be a little slow although I understood it was doing the groundwork and building up to the big event. Once she was through the veil, it sped up and moved along nicely. There is a lot that goes on so you will need to concentrate on all the twists and turns. One thing that made this hard for me was listening to her constant monologue about how weak she was, how she couldn't do it, how she needed Draivus, etc. etc. I kept waiting for the moment when she would gain faith in herself and step up, but it never happened. I know she's supposed to be young but it just felt a little too much in the opposite direction for me.

There were parts of the story and the world that remain unclear to me but they didn't really affect my enjoyment.

A good read that I enjoyed and recommend.

** same worded review will appear elsewhere **

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jun 21, 2023