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By The cover art can be obtained from Movieposterdb.com., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=32677418
Crime and Punishment - (1983)
I was going to work my way through Aki Kaurismäki's films at random but noticed some kind of follow on from others, so to avoid creating any chronological confusion I'm going through them in order. I hear the word "idiosyncratic" thrown around a lot in reference to this guy's films, and no other word best describes his take on Fyodor Dostoevsky's 19th Century novel, which is only a very loose template for the antics that go on in Helsinki here. Antti Rahikainen (Markku Toikka) murders the man who killed his fiancé in a hit and run, and when a caterer, Eeva Laakso (Aino Seppo), witnesses the murder the pair will be thrust into an intense platonic relationship - with the police constantly snapping at Rahikainen's heels. Rahikainen has the mannerisms of someone that is perhaps autistic, but nevertheless very spaced out and strange. Then again, many of the characters behave in a laconic and laid back way, with dry humour sprinkled into their dialogue. Events in the film remind me of real life inasmuch as how random accidents and events have unexpected consequences later on. It all plays out in a sometimes amusing, and always interesting way - there's a lightness and often slightly strange bent to everything. An interesting first feature.
7/10
By "Copyright 1950 Columbia Pictures Corp." - Scan via Heritage Auctions. Cropped from original image., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/inde...curid=87375215
In a Lonely Place - (1950)
Nicholas Ray's film noir masterpiece really knocked my socks off. My review for it is here in my watchlist thread.
10/10
Yes! In a Lonely Place hits so hard. Arguably Bogart's best performance.
