"Den Næstsidste" (2021) directed by Jonas Kærup Hjort is a surreal cinematic debut feature film which - in its beautiful cinematography in a 4/3 aspect ratio and non-linear and bizarre storytelling - pays homage to Fritz Lang, David Lynch and other great surreal filmmakers. Although I believe this to be a surreal concoction of ambitious filmmaking, with emotionally charged moments of anguish, psychoticism, and violence, I was left with little inference about why this film was made.
Jonas Kærup Hjort is obviously a talented director with an artistic vision and competent in the technical craft of using interesting editing and cinematography. However, the writing felt too personal, psychoanalytic, obscure and convoluted for me and the audience to follow Kærup Hjort's screenwriting and intentionality.
It would have truly have been a privilege to speak with the director Kærup Hjort about his artistic vision - in particular related to his unclear and fragmented script. Nonetheless, a unique experience.
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