The Women Directors Hall of Fame

Been wanting to see this for a while. Actually considered watching it for my October Horror Challenge thing but it didn't fit into any of the categories that weren't already covered. It's not a new favourite but i did like it. Beautiful film. Alot of modern B&W films i question whether it would have been better in colour but this was definitely the right aesthetic for the tone, themes and story. It was very stylish too. I absolutely love the design of the town and that street they kept travelling up and down throughout, so eery creepy and it fit the loneliness theme very well. The acting was good, wasn't blown away but i wasn't really bothered by anything either. Sheila Vand was my favourite. Also OMG Hossein is the taxi/limo driver from How I Met Your Mother! I knew i had seen him somewhere haha. The love story was pretty well done i preferred the similar one in Let The Right One In but overall enjoyed it here and it certainly had its moments.

I thought this was actually Iranian when i watched this so you can imagine my shock at the violence, drugs and nudity. Had so much more to say but obviously most of it doesn't apply since it's an American film, no clue how i missed that haha. Probably because it's self described as "The first Iranian Vampire Western". I definitely tippled early on and felt like confirming my suspicions but didn't want to stop the movie as this didn't just feel western inspired it felt like it was made by someone far removed from Iranian Culture. Still think it's interesting and expected this to be alot tamer and less blatant in its criticisms and themes than it was. Blatant in this case isn't a bad thing because it's not being so obvious because it doesn't have faith in its audience, it's being obvious to say we shouldn't have to speak in metaphors and pretend like we are talking about something else we should openly speak our mind against the problems in our society. That's how i took it anyway. Definitely a brave film and i'm glad i watched it so soon after Taxi Tehran, i think this would be a good companion piece to Panahi in general even though i haven't seen any of his other films with this being a similar female perspective. Seems like Amirpour was born in England and raised in America so i do feel weird about such a Iran bashing film when she doesn't seem to have experienced it, but i don't know her story and she is obviously of Iranian descent and probably has family there. Also its feminist commentary is universal and its criticisms can easily be applied to western society so whatever.

I loved the reversal of expectations with the title: a girl walks home alone at night...and encounters a "bad man" then it flips it on its head with what the vulnerable seeming woman who is violating societal codes turns out to be. The same sort of thing happens at the start of Near Dark with the confident Caleb acting like he's in control of the situation and acting pretty forceful (although this is probably just part of the rapey 80's) in getting Mae to stay so he can have sex with her before we find out Mae's secret. It was very effective here. Moreso than Near Dark because it was obviously intentionally making Saeed unlikeable while to me at least Near Dark wanted you to just find Caleb a typical 80's bro trying to "get lucky" and sympathize with him immediately afterwards; perhaps even dislike Mae. Near Dark was directed by a woman too though so maybe she was subtly criticising and mocking the reactions or non reactions that scene most likely got from most.

The soundtrack was hit or miss for me. I wasn't into the evil/dramatic music that was chosen it seemed almost comical to me. Although again maybe i'm giving this a bit too much leeway but i'm open to the idea it was intentional because there was also some Morricone like music which seemed hilarious to me. I dunno. Think i would have preferred more obviously Iranian or at least Asian music, it was already so western (as in the west not the genre; that too though haha) inspired that i think it would have been good to blend the two cultures with the soundtrack. Actually that was an overall problem i had with it; it didn't feel very Iranian to me. Not sure if the director was too removed from that culture to make it seem like a fusion or what but that's how i felt.

Anyway glad i finally saw this. Good nom TN.

Morvern Callar

About Morvern Callar

For some reason it never crossed my mind that she was a sociopath. As the film was linear without any flashbacks or backstory (which I liked), I figured at first she was reacting out of shock, then her actions were guided by greed for money and stupidity. I kept thinking when she buried the body, bad mistake! you're going to go jail for murder! Though I never thought she was a murderer myself. I kind of thought it might have ended with her being arrested.

I thought she did fine as an actresses. But nothing in her performance captivated me, I suppose that's because her character is unlikable, so I didn't have any emotional feelings for her. I was never emotional moved by the film, so I wasn't wowed per say, but I did appreciate and like the style of film making. I was thinking of the rating I would give when I review it, and I would rate it as same as you.