What kind of American are you? “Civil War” (2024)

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directed by Alex Garland
© 2024 A24. All Rights Reserved.

Each time I see a new film labelled as A24 baby I’m stamping my feet like an overly excited Minion. It’s because I know that there’s a huge possibility I’ll enjoy the film. However, when I learned about “Civil War”, I wasn’t much tempted because I generally try to avoid films about all kinds of wars. Being sensitive isn’t the thing, rather my allergy to films that do not stand out. Of course, we have “1917” which is still highly underrated, in my opinion, but generally war movies don’t impress me that much. Still, I had a day off so I thought “let’s spend 2 hours in a dark room watching how people are fighting with each other”. It was either that or another romantic comedy, so the choice was obvious. If you expect “Civil War” to be that typical action film, don’t even bother. Indeed, we have shooting and running scenes, but they are just the background to what’s put in the spotlight here. We get to meet Lee (Kirsten Dunst), a photojournalist who specialises in documenting wars. She’s a middle-aged woman who’s seen more than you can probably imagine, so she’s obviously struggling with all those pictures in her head. However, doing such job you cannot really sympathise or reflect too much – you simply take photos and try not to be hurt yourself. She’s working with Joel (Wagner Moura), a journalist as well, and at some point they are joined by Lee’s old friend and mentor Sammy (Stephen McKinley Henderson) who asks for a lift to Charlottesville where the Western Forces are preparing for a big offensive. However, the two colleagues will continue their journey and wish to reach Washington, D.C. to interview the president (Nick Offerman). Everybody knows that he will soon be killed considering the situation, so Lee and Joel have a goal to be the last and only people to ask and photograph the president before his final breath. Unfortunately, even though as press they are neutral in the conflict, they cannot feel safe everywhere. What’s more, they are joined by a young photojournalist who’s just starting her adventure with this profession and begged the team to take her with them. Jessie (Cailee Spaeny) is in her early 20s and she’s still not immune to war pictures, which makes her character a great contrast to Lee and her years of seeing pure evil, fear and helplessness in a human form. What I absolutely loved about this film’s narration is that the story is told from the perspective of journalists who don’t try to get involved, don’t try to support any of the sides – they are just working. And they are so focused on their job that we may even think they don’t realise what’s happening, although we know they do, but in order to stay sane, they have to remain unbothered. In the world (or in this case the USA) where people are fighting for their lives, the press is worrying about not overexposing their photos or getting some quotes that would sell on TV. I guess that’s what creeps me out the most – not the fact that such civil war may actually happen, but the fact that people like journalist will stay “professional” and continue doing the same job. You may say that medical staff also has to stay professional in such circumstances, but to me it’s a different kind of approach. We need the doctor or nurse to treat us, but do we really need journalists to take photos of group shooting, hanging captives or abusing the innocent? Perhaps we do. Perhaps their job is extremely important since thanks to those photos we may receive some more or less true information. But it doesn’t change the fact that doing such job is terrifying from the psychological point of view, because you’re not yourself – you’re at work and it’s like being stuck in your own body. Your mind might be screaming “run away!” or “help those guys!”, but your body presses a photo camera button and moves forward. So if you think this is a simple action film, I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed. To me it’s a very specific psychological horror, whose background is a potential civil war that may occur in the USA or anywhere else. Speaking of that, this film also reminds us how ridiculous it can be – people fight for the sake of fighting, not even willing to reflect why and what for. There’s this moment in the film (I hope you won’t mind this little spoiler) where Joel asks some soldiers why they’re shooting if they don’t know who the other person is. And one of the men says “We’re trying to shoot them, because they are trying to shoot us” (might be slightly different, but that’s what I remembered from the cinema). End of story. Eye for an eye, without any hesitation. There are also those who stay away pretending like nothing wrong is happening. On the one hand you may say they are ignorant, on the other – if they can’t change anything, why should they agree to be in danger instead of protecting themselves? And there are journalists trying not to lose their minds documenting such reality. This film asks a lot of questions and you have to deal with them on your own. I hate it and love it at the same time. Thank you A24 for nurturing this pathological relationship between us. Please, continue.

My rating: 8/10
S.

We are all swimming in that void. “Madina” (2023)

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directed by Aizhana Kassymbek
© 2023 Awedacious Originals. All Rights Reserved.

These days I have this wonderful opportunity to see films presented during one Eastern European cinema festival and my first choice was “Madina” by Aizhana Kassymbek. Before watching, you should take a deep breath and prepare yourself for this strange peace you’re about to experience. Let me explain in a second, but first, I’d like to start with the plot. We get to know Madina (Madina Akylbekova), a young and single mother of an adorable two-year-old. They’re living with Madina’s younger brother and grandmother. The woman is struggling to provide for the family since she’s the only breadwinner and her child’s father is not willing to support them anyhow. The woman is a dancer and she also teaches others to dance, which is already an interesting contrast in this film. On the one hand, Madina is an exhausted mother and caretaker at home, but when she’s dancing – it looks as if she has stopped time and enjoyed this little break from reality. As I mentioned before, the film is peaceful, but you may not feel comfortable because at some point you realise that Madina’s peace is not coming from her life satisfaction but from her helplessness. She has to accept her situation and do everything not to stop going forward. Otherwise, she may let herself and her beloved ones down. Additionally, her brother shares a terrifying piece of information with Madina, which destroys this strange peace of theirs and the woman tries to get back on track. This film left me with an interesting reflection. We all differ from each other, our cultures are different, we eat different dishes, listen to different songs, speak different languages, but there’s one thing we all have in common – we try to survive in the same way. In case of troubles, we’re all stuck in this weird void, where we’re not satisfied or happy, but at least we’re not falling apart. Because we know that if that void is gone, we’re doomed. So we know the current situation is not what we used to dream of, but at least we’re not hitting the bottom. We’re simply swimming in that life void, which, in my opinion, is exactly the same all around the world. I’ll leave you with that reflection and perhaps you’ll decide to deepen it while watching the film. In order to finish the post with something slightly more cheerful – the camerawork is stunning here. I always appreciate those little shots, which say more than million words, so I was pleased.

My rating: 7/10
S.

There is a book for everyone. “Hello, Bookstore” (2022)

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directed by A.B. Zax
© 2022 Greenwich Entertainment. All Rights Reserved.

Today’s World Book Day and since I’m also a big bookworm, I just have to celebrate this day on my film blog as well. So, to those who love books and those who haven’t read anything since their school times – this documentary is for you all. We’re going to Lenox in Massachusetts, a town where Matthew Tannenbaum is running his own bookstore. He’s been selling books since the 70s, so as you may quickly do the maths – quite long. In this documentary, we get to know Matthew and we accompany him at work. The more we learn about the man, the more we realise he cannot imagine life without his workplace. Literature and making it accessible to people are his true passions that he wishes to continue sharing. Unfortunately, his business is affected by the same thing that has destroyed lots of wonderful places and left numerous people unemployed – the pandemic. Matthew doesn’t close his bookstore, but he has to keep it safe, so customers aren’t allowed to walk inside and just enjoy looking around. Instead, they can ask for concrete books and the man would bring them. As a bookworm I know how important being in the library/bookstore is. Of course, if you’re looking for some specific book you have to read for school – then yes, you give the title, they give you the book and bye bye. But if you’re looking for some inspiration, want to find something new, or simply surround yourself by people who share your passion for reading, then obviously, you have to enter the library/bookstore and become a part of it. Such places were already losing customers since we have more and more things available online or in a digital form. Want to read something? Just purchase it online and don’t even move from your sofa. And now imagine those few individuals who actually used to be visiting bookstores – they also had to stop because of the pandemic. In the end, safety over any hobby, right? And losing those few readers was a true knife in the chest of many booksellers. Besides, they lost contact with people who used to not only share their passion for reading, but also their everyday life. Getting to know your customers helps you build a community, which truly brings a lot of comfort to both sides. Suddenly, such community gets separated and you’re not enjoying your common hobby equally much. Personally, I love spending time in libraries and bookstores, just looking at books and having chats with random people about our reading preferences. No matter how old you are or what your background is – in a bookstore we’re all friends. Sometimes even exchanging looks with another reader is like “hey, buddy, good to see you here, hope you’ll find your next book today”. And that’s what this documentary is about. We are all responsible for taking care of such places where we may feel like a part of some community, so if you haven’t read anything in a while or you’re thinking of buying a new book sometime soon, perhaps choose your local bookstore and support the owner, who’s surely trying to make a living with difficulties. Or visit a library – I visited mine today and I was the only person there except the librarians, but at least I made them smile and left with something to read for myself. Cinephiles can be bookworms as well, so feel free to explore both worlds.

My rating: 7/10
S.

It’s so lovely to fly. “Merry-Go-Round” (“Körhinta”, 1956)

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directed by Zoltán Fábri
© 1956 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. All Rights Reserved.

How do you feel about going back to the 50s and hearing some Hungarian language? I mean, why not? After the films I’d seen recently, I was in need of watching an actual love story that doesn’t make me drink those extra glasses of wine while staring at a wall. So, we finally get a cute couple, Mari and Máté (Mari Törőcsik & Imre Soós). Those two are young and visibly in love with each other. If you want some adorable pictures like staring into each other’s eyes and dancing in each other’s arms – that’s the kind of relation you’ll see here. However, to make things difficult, the lovebirds cannot really be together because Mari’s father has other plans for her. He wishes his daughter to marry Sándor (Ádám Szirtes), an older man who’s definitely not Mari’s type, but the thing is… he’s the owner of the land that István (Béla Barsi), Mari’s father, wants to get his hands on. Since Mari’s family are simple farmers, they don’t bother to think about such trivial things like love – they need land, they do everything to get land. Period. But Máté doesn’t give up and does everything to win Mari’s heart. Or I should rather say convince István to let them be together, because you can tell her heart has already chosen. Simple story, simple idea, the kind of scenario that you’ve seen numerous times. So why should you see it? First, you can take a break from the modern cinema that is much different, so perhaps getting back to the 50s will give you a fresh experience, paradoxically. Second, even though it was made about 70 years ago, I was fascinated by the camerawork, because it’s not only pleasant, but also quite innovative (especially pay attention to the scenes with the carousel). Third, despite a very common type of story, I didn’t feel bored or tired – quite the opposite, that simplicity was very enjoyable. I guess it’s because of the form that the filmmakers chose and the chemistry between the actors, not only the lovebirds. I had a good time watching this film and it’s the kind of love story that makes you admire our ancestors. I mean, Mari’s story isn’t anyhow original – a lot of people were getting married for the sake of economical reasons back then. Of course, you may say that people marry for money nowadays as well, but I feel like today we have something they didn’t have before – we have a choice. It’s up to us what we prioritise. So you know, next time you feel bad about that person who left you on “seen” and their effort ends with a like of your photo on social media, remember Máté telling Mari that “he could only die without her”. Standards, darlings, standards. It’s spring so I wish you fewer disappointments and more amusement park’s dates.

My rating: 7/10
S.

As long as you want me. “First Love” (“Primo Amore”, 2004)

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directed by Matteo Garrone
© 2004 Fandango. All Rights Reserved.

Recently, I felt like watching a horror, but nothing popular or new, and that’s how I found “First Love” (Huh! That sounds like a creepy love story beginning). Before you get too excited, let me just say it’s a totally unique kind of horror, so no paranormal activities, made-up monsters or weirdos running around with a chainsaw. If you’re ready to watch something that may give you chills and make you severely regret your relationship choices, then press play. The film starts with two people, Sonia and Vittorio (Michela Cescon & Vitaliano Trevisan), who meet up for their first date. The man isn’t thrilled to see Sonia because, despite her being a rather fit person, he finds her too fat. And what’s more – he doesn’t mind sharing his opinion, which as you may guess is not the most polite way to start a date. Even though Sonia is having second thoughts about the meeting with Vittorio, or as we would say it in Gen-Z languague “she’s noticed his red flags”, the couple decide to keep dating and getting to know each other. Soon we learn that Vittorio is in therapy due to his obsession over female bodies – he’s incredibly attracted to women struggling with anorexia. So he tolerates Sonia’s appearance, yet he’s constantly manipulating her to keep losing weight. And since he doesn’t do it drastically and at once, the woman is slowly becoming his puppet that he’s leading towards the darkest point possible. So… I wanted a to watch some silly horror from the 80s or 90s and I ended up with an existential crisis after watching an Italian film about invisible abuse. I say it’s invisible because Vittorio manipulates Sonia in such smart way that she’s not even aware of the harm. Or perhaps she realises this relation is not the healthiest, but she doesn’t put her own comfort as a priority just to make the man happy and keep the relationship alive. Even though it’s a film and it focuses on a man obsessed with emaciated bodies, I cannot stop my brain from thinking about toxic relations in general. Vittorio is constantly checking Sonia’s weight and accuses her of snacking when the number doesn’t go down, but we can observe similar scenarios around us: checking the partner’s phone, controlling their purchases, shaming for meeting with other people, comparing to others (obviously “better” ones), and even physically abusing or threatening the partner. And still, there are such couples and they last. You know, there’s this one scene in the film that I’d like you to pay attention to, because it’s a perfect summary of what this story is about: Vittorio and Sonia go boating and the man is talking to his partner, but she doesn’t reply and when the camera shows her face, it’s blurred so you cannot see any expression. And that’s what toxic relations make out of us – they blur us. And that’s a real horror.

My rating: 6/10
S.

I’d rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not. “Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck” (2015)

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directed by Brett Morgen
© 2015 Universal Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

30 years ago, on April 5th 1994, we failed as humanity. Well, to be precise, we fail quite often, but that day we lost one of us and I do believe it was our mistake that should have been a big lesson. Yet we keep making the same mistake, so perhaps you’ll share my conclusions after seeing this documentary. I’ll explain my truly Schopenhauer’s mood in a moment, but first, let’s focus on the film itself. For the younger generations or people who prefer slightly lighter kinds of music, Kurt Cobain was the vocalist and guitarist of Nirvana, a very popular grunge rock band. They were especially appreciated for being total rebels and artists refusing to go with the flow. Their songs were not only on top because of the music, but mostly because of the lyrics that were somehow allowing millions of people to associate with them. It’s not surprising because Kurt was writing those songs basing on his own experiences, feelings and personal troubles. From the early years, he’d been a lost soul, seeing the world differently than his peers and constantly in need of more affection in life, especially after his parents’ divorce. He was looking for a way to escape this mind battle of his in many ways, finally ending up with addiction to drugs. So his life was mostly focusing on expressing himself through music and running away from the reality that was too difficult to handle. Despite his arduous mental battle, he managed to get married and have a child, Frances. Those big life steps and their fame as Nirvana were pulling Kurt down and, unfortunately, he finally hit the bottom. No matter if you’re a fan of Nirvana or what I’m writing is new to you, still you should see this documentary. I believe it’s not about a music icon, but about a lost soul that was too emotional for this ruthless world. Indeed, Kurt chose the worst way possible, meaning drugs, and very few manage to return from this hell, but we have to remember he didn’t choose it just for the sake of wasting his life. He was so helpless and desperate that drugs were the only thing making him function, even on the lowest level. What I wrote at the beginning of this post was perhaps to general, but I do think Kurt needed more understanding and support, just like anyone struggling with anything in life. One may struggle to find a job, another to find a will to wake up in the morning. Why do we help one and leave the other to shoot himself out of the blue? Addiction to anything is never a pleasant picture, but, in the end, we’re all together on this planet and maybe, just maybe, we could try harder to stay united. People give up too easily on literally everything and never learn, because we keep losing our idols, family members, friends, neighbours. And you know to what? To loneliness. Because that’s the biggest killer of them all. This documentary is horribly difficult to me, even though I became a fan of Nirvana and learned about Kurt years after his death, but he’s still an icon to me. In the world full of people pretending to be someone they’re not, he wasn’t afraid to show his even ugliest sides, which made so many fans sympathise with him. To me, such authenticity is what I appreciate most in another person, so thank you Kurt for being you. I’m sorry the world wasn’t welcoming.

My rating: 8/10
S.

Mother Nature takes no prisoners. “Lamb” (“Dýrið”, 2021)

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directed by Valdimar Jóhannsson
© 2021 Sena. All Rights Reserved.

It took me some time to see this film as I hadn’t been in the right mood, if you know what I mean. Icelandic drama about a couple living in the middle of nowhere – that’s the kind of film you watch only when in a certain mood. But the day came and as you can see, I’m recommending the film to you. But let me just say that I wouldn’t be surprised if you disliked it, because for a long time I wasn’t buying the story either. However, the ending made it clear to me that behind the surreal and strange form, there’s a horribly important message is waving at us. At first we meet María and Ingvar (Noomi Rapace & Hilmir Snær Guðnason), a couple living a rather simple life on their farm. Their routine is destroyed at some point when one of their sheep gives birth to a strange creature. It looks like a hybrid of a human and a sheep. Fascinated by the lamb-baby, the couple decide to take it home and raise it as their own child. I know, you may already be frowning wondering what the hell is happening here. I get it, trust me. We also find out that María and Ingvar have lost a daughter, Ada, so this sheep/human creature is like a missing puzzle they’ve been looking for. The family is enjoying their life together, not bothered by their visible differences, until one day they are visited by Ingvar’s brother Pétur (Björn Hlynur Haraldsson), who finds it difficult to accept this situation. To be honest, for the first half of the film I was hoping for it to finish sooner as such surrealism is not my thing at all. I was pretty sure the drama is turning into some intense fantasy, and again, that’s not my thing. But when I finished the film, I realised that even if the form may be discouraging to some people, I see the point of the story. And what I say next is my personal interpretation, which you can consider as a *SPOILER*, so just so you know. To me this is a reminder how spoilt we are as humans in this world. We only care about our own pain and put our own comfort as a priority, even if it means hurting other creatures. However, no matter how superior we may feel to everything around us, Mother Nature is there to give us a lesson. Here I could expand this thought to destroying our planet, polluting literally everything from air to water, deforestation, eating animal products, using animals’ for testing etc., but it would take me days to mention all the fields where we’ve been overusing power. And we can all see that now, all those actions are playing against us. Back to “Lamb”, I’m still not sure about such surreal forms in drama films, but I appreciate trying something unique to spread the message. I’m also a big fan of Noomi Rapace’s acting, which can never let me down. Plus, as strange as it is, I do find the lamb-kiddo adorable, so yeah… Sorry not sorry.

My rating: 6/10
S.

You cannot see the future without seeing the past. “Dune: Part Two” (2024)

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directed by Denis Villeneuve
© 2024 Warner Bros. Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

We’ve waited for this part almost as long as Fremen waited for their Lisan al Gaib. Inside joke for nerds have been shared, I can peacefully begin my post. In case you don’t remember my text about the first part, I shared there that I hadn’t read the book so I went to see the first film without any clue what I was about to experience. Right after leaving the cinema, I grabbed my phone and ordered the first book, because I honestly had fun and wanted to know whether the book’s equally engaging. Back then I promised myself I’d read the first book before seeing the second film. And now… do you think I’ve succeeded? I hope you believe in my at least a little because yes, I finished those 700 something pages and the following day I was sitting in a comfy red cinema chair excited to see this never-ending desert with worms on a big screen. But getting back to the plot – as you might be guessing, this is the continuation of what we could see in the first part. I definitely recommend you to see them both in the correct order, because you may not understand certain relations in the second part without knowing the book or the first film. Whatever I write next might be considered a SPOILER (the charm of sequels), so just feel informed. House of Atreides have been destroyed and Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) is hiding in the desert with Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet), her son. They are living with Fremen, probably only people who know desert and its specifics, and who were expecting someone from “Outer World” to come and save them. Some Fremen believe that Paul is their long awaited prophet, but some others want to banish both strangers. Luckily, the leader of the group, Stilgar (Javier Bardem), is supporting Paul and offers him different kinds of trials, which may clarify whether Paul is their actual messiah or not. In the meantime, Baron Vladimir of House Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgård) is continuously destroying everything he wants and in this part we get to know his heir (also called “na-Baron” – don’t you just love those names?), Feyd-Rautha (Austin Butler), who’s equally creepy as his uncle. We generally get introduced to many more figures in this part, but it’s best if you see them yourselves in the film. Is it worth seeing this film in the cinema? Yes, absolutely, and if they make another part – I’ll also want to see it on a big screen. Such productions are meant to be seen in cinemas, because there are those elements which may not amaze you that much if you see them on a small screen, such as the desert. You may think “meh, just a lot of sand”, but if you see it on a big screen and be exposed to the soundtrack (by marvellous Hans Zimmer), you may then feel how overwhelming it is. I’m still amazed by the actors and my heart is stolen by Rebecca Ferguson – all chapeaux bas to this talented woman. Also, some people complain about Chani and how annoying she is in this part and that she’s acting like a spoilt child. Personally, I disagree with this opinion and I see Chani as a much more logical character than she is in the book (yes, I’m complaining about the book, sorry to all the fans). In the film, she’s concerned about her people, Fremen, and she wants to be extra cautious, even though she has feelings for Paul – that’s very mature if you ask me. Then, she’s pissed off when she sees Paul making strange decisions – here, I also have an explanation. At some point, when it was almost clear that Paul is the awaited prophet, the relation between those two got weaker and Chani felt like she’s losing him as a trustworthy partner. So she focused on herself and her tribe. And I believe Zendaya performed it just as it was supposed to be, so no hate, just love, my dear! Before I finish, you probably expect me to say what I liked more – the book or the film? Well, definitely the film. It was a nice experience to read the book, but I’m not going to read next parts. This story is very complex and it’s tiring for me to follow all the weird names and relations between characters. The film is much clearer and thanks to it I understood the book better, so I’m team Denis Villeneuve and big screen. And I can’t wait to see next parts, so let’s cross fingers nothing else disturbs the crew. And Javier Bardem screaming “Lisan al Gaib” is this year’s icon for sure.

My rating: 7/10
S.

To awaken humanity. “Aurora’s Sunrise” (2022)

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directed by Inna Sahakyan
© 2022 Bars Media. All Rights Reserved.

In 1919, “Auction of Souls” film was released. It’s a silent production focusing on the Armenian genocide of 1915 from the perspective of an Armenian woman. Then, the film disappears and nobody has a chance to see it until 1994, when only fragments are found. The content of this story is nothing pleasant to see, yet it’s important to learn and that is why I’m recommending you “Aurora’s Sunrise” today. It’s an animation, but definitely not for children, so if you’re a parent – better watch it alone. Aurora Mardiganian, or Arshaluys Mardiganian (her Armenian name which she changed for non-Armenians speakers to make it easier for them), was a survivor of the already mentioned genocide and she played herself in “Auction of Souls”. The animation is based on her life story, where most elements are animated, but there are also fragments of interviews with Aurora and several scenes from “Auction of Souls”. I wouldn’t like to write too much about the woman’s life because it’s what you’ll learn best from this production and herself speaking. However, I’d like to focus on the technicalities and the messages coming out of this film. First, I’m positively surprised about the animation style because it was a paper cutout technique (a form of stop motion animation using flat objects often cut from paper or photographs and such), which normally gets me tired, and here I was enchanted. The filmmakers decided to make it an animation because it gave them more freedom of expression, which I definitely support. Since they were already using the recordings of Aurora and fragments of “Auction of Souls”, putting all of that into a live-action film would be a huge mess and mistake. The animation let us see all those pictures in a somehow limited way, which forces us to use our imagination, and I believe it’s a big plus. Second, this production reminds us about something that took place, something incredibly real, which was swept under the rug. Was it because they wanted to forget about it? Or hide it from us? Or they didn’t believe in the fault of the offenders? No matter what the motivation for hiding “Auction of Souls” was, we should spread this story and encourage people to see it. I personally support the opinion shared at the end saying that if only we’d put enough spotlight on one genocide, perhaps there wouldn’t have been others. You see, I don’t believe in a perfect world, because I’m too much of a realist, but it is true that we kind of treat wars and crimes as a part of our reality. Yes, there’s a war somewhere. Life goes on. And I’m not judging that because even though I’m following the news about some conflicts happening in the world, I can’t do much about that as an individual. So I sort of understand this “blindness” to tragedies – it comes from helplessness. However, I do believe we have country and world authorities to make difficult decisions and that’s the way to make sure offenders get punished and the consequences are significant. Because if one crime is swept under the rug, I’m pretty sure next one will be as well. That is why this film is worth seeing – to remind you that perhaps all those world crimes are happening right now because we, as humanity, ignored one a long time ago. So it’s surely time to awaken.

My rating: 7/10
S.

I don’t know how to be myself. “Dark Water” (2005)

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directed by Walter Salles
© 2005 Buena Vista Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

Are you the kind of person who has a list of to-watch films and regularly checks it out to see whatever you’ve planned to see or you’re like me – scrolling on social media, learning about some haunted hotel, binge-watching a documentary series about it till 1 am and then finding out there’s a film that has similar significant elements in common with that tragedy from the series? Either way, now you know why you’re reading this post, because everything I wrote is true. In the film we meet Dahlia (Jennifer Connelly) who’s a single mother of Cecilia (Ariel Gade), an adorable 5-year-old kiddo. The woman has just divorced her husband but they are still arguing about the custody of Ceci. In order to keep her daughter, Dahlia has to prove she can take care of her, including finding a decent flat close to a school etc. They decide to move into a flat on Roosevelt Island in a not very fancy block, yet it’s affordable. Except the fact that their new home is horribly neglected, some strange things start to happen and it doesn’t scare Dahlia that much until she learns about her daughter’s new imaginary friend. It’s because Ceci seems to believe in the friend way too much. As you can be guessing, it’s a supernatural horror, so if you’re easily scared, better watch it during the day covered in a blanket. But since I started the post telling you the whole journey which led me to this film, let me explain because that may be the reason why you see it. So, I saw a reel about Cecil Hotel in Los Angeles. That short video said it’s a hotel with some dark history, so I obviously wanted to know more – I’m a curious creature. I found out there’s a series on Netflix called “Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel”. It has 4 episodes and you may learn what a strange place that is. I mean… imagine all possible pathological and criminal things and put them in one building – that’s pretty much the story of Cecil Hotel. Yet, this series focuses on one tragedy of a girl who went missing. Please, don’t Google anything because watching this series is really engaging as you slowly discover what happened, yet in episode 4 you may feel even more confused than in episode 1. Anyway, in that series they mention “Dark Water” because some elements of the real story were literally copy-pasted into the film. Some people even say that “Dark Water” is literally a fictional version of the story of that missing girl. But is it really? The creepy part is coming – this film was released in 2005 and the real tragedy happened in 2013. If you think that someone got inspired by the film and proceeded to committing the crime, let me tell you – I doubt it. In the end, those are two very different stories, yet some elements are basically the same. Did someone predict the story of Elisa Lam? We may never find out… However, I’d recommend you to see the series and the film (in that order!) and make up your own mind. I cannot spoil anything, but in my opinion, even if the film is not presenting the actual tragedy, I still enjoyed it as a horror. It’s very intimate and plays with your mind, so I give a thumb up. Although, after both productions, I will definitely change my habits while staying at hotels… You’ll see why… Anyway, if you’re a budget traveller, take a deep breath and have fun with those stories.

My rating: 6/10
S.

P.S. This film is a remake of “Honogurai miss no soko kara” (2002, by Hideo Nakata). I haven’t seen the Japanese one and my decision was conscious to see the remake first – I wanted to compare the story of Elisa to the American film.