maxbryantx

Stockholm can be described as a fun and comedic film, covering a dark subject matter in order to show its audience how human beings cope with stressful, life threatening situations. The film is based on the Swedish bank heist, and hostage situation, that would later inspire the coining of the phrase "Stockholm syndrome," which describes the phenomenon of a hostage forming a bond with their captor. Of the many things the film does well, what stands above the rest is the films ability to make the audience realize how someone might actually succumb to Stockholm syndrome. The main anti-hero of the story, Lars (Ethan Hawke), shows early on that all he really wants is to get his buddy, Gunnar (Mark Strong), out of jail. You the audience member even find yourself sympathizing with him as over the course of the film he goes out of his way to care for his hostages including letting one of them, Bianca (Noomi Rapace), use the telephone to call her family. The comedy in the film comes across quite well, at some points I found myself audibly laughing, and allows the audience to establish a better connection with Lars. Apart from the story, the 70's aesthetics were executed perfectly with a very pleasing color pallet focusing on shades of orange and teal, wonderful b-roll of a 70's Stockholm, and a few Bob Dylan songs thrown in for good measure. It was very enjoyable to watch and had my interest peaked right from the get-go.

Soul to keep is a fun, Friday night horror movie that doesn't overdo it on the gore or violence but is still able to create lasting scares that are just as terrifying as they are entertaining. After reuniting at their late grandfather's country home, intent on having a weekend full of drug-induced partying, a group of friends quickly find themselves delving into the world of the paranormal as their weekend getaway makes a decisive b-line to...hell. While, its premise may ring bells of Evil Dead, Soul To keep adds several interesting plot twists along the way that keep the viewer locked-in and help to separate the film from others in its genre. It also made the whole movie pretty unpredictable which is fun (also the I definitely didn't see the ending coming). Soul to Keep also adds another interesting element to its film with the inclusion of a deaf actress, Sandra Mae Frank (Tara). However, because the rest of the members of the group are able to sign flawlessly, this element of the film feels like something that happened naturally long ago in order to incorporate their female friend in on the fun; it feels far from gimmicky and very wholesome. All in all, an entertaining horror movie that's worth the watch!

Life and Nothing More is a gorgeous look inside the life of a struggling family that is only increasingly harbored due to their miscommunication and lack of understanding of one another. Which may sound like a bleak or heavy synopsis but played out as a beautiful and accurate portrayal of very real struggles experienced by very real people. The film does a fantastic job at capturing the often-difficult relationships that can form between a teenager and a single mother, and the miscommunication/misunderstanding of those relationships. Andrew, the son played by Andrew Bleechington, not only faces misunderstanding with his mother but with almost every other character he encounters in the movie from the therapist and councilor, to his mother's new boyfriend. Regina, the mother portrayed by Regina Williams, has to work every available moment just to keep her family afloat, while also raising and caring for that family all on her own and making sure that her son does not end up like his father, who is serving time in prison. The mother and son are so obviously trying their hardest to do right by themselves, and everyone else around them, but struggle desperately to understand one another. This struggle, along with the overall struggle involving the unfortunate situation that life has placed them in, is the driving force of this wonderfully beautiful slice of life drama. The acting and story were so incredible to watch that often I felt as if I were watching a documentary and not a drama, something that greatly enhanced my experience and caused me to get "sucked in" by the film. It all felt so real, from the delicate and fleeting high point of the film, to the heartbreaking lows. It's one of those rare films where you get attached to the characters but not for any superficial reasons like, "that actress is cute," or "they're so funny," but because it felt as if the characters showed all of themselves to you and you established a connection through their pain. Cinematography was also a huge take away from the film, I can actually remember four specific shots that left me quite literally with my mouth gaping at the screen. As well as two more shots that, along with what was happening in the story at those points, made me announce out loud, "wow this is so good." However, I'm so sure that those shots will have a similar effect on you when you watch it, that I'm declining to provide any description of them (i know my words would not do them justice). I loved this movie, and i unfortunately was not able to talk about every detail that made me love it, but hopefully the ones i did highlight were enough to make you want to watch it too.