ben_andreas91 Reviews

Tusk (I) (2014)

Absurd and surreal - but not in a good way.

[4/10 · 13 August 2018]

To sum this movie up I came up with these keywords or phrases: abhorrent walrus-abomination, washed up actors, Justin Long screaming, Johnny Depp's most useless cameo ever.

I think I could go on, but it's easy to see why the movie has a 5-6 average rating on IMDb. Several people had written long paragraphs, but summed up short it felt like neither a horror movie nor a comedy. It is almost astounding how they even got the actors to partake in this.

DMT: The Spirit Molecule (2010)

The molecule of life?

[9/10 · 25 August 2016]

Perhaps stating it may be the molecule of life is a bit of a stretch - however, the accounts of people who have taken DMT provide something hard to dismiss.

Reading a few of the other reviews of this documentary shocks me. Some state that it is complete nonsense, adding it is unscientific and panders to wishful thinking. While the stories seem like something you'd find in a science-fiction movie, (and the visuals certainly don't make that point any less valid!) those comments go against the entire point of the film. Although I do not think these experiences are spiritual in the religious sense, the effect it has on the brain is too profound to ignore. I can almost compare it to marijuana: Some people ascribe its effects to a higher form of consciousness and healing, while others demonize it as unhealthy and corruptive to the mind. DMT and marijuana are, of course, in completely different categories, but their properties add a different dimension to reality. There is no longer an excuse for us to put a barrier between us and what is found in nature. The documentary does not state that drugs are inherently good for you, but that research should provide answers to what extent that may be the case.

I will respectfully disagree with other reviewers of this documentary and say it is definitely for the scientific-minded. As with everything, don't believe everything you see. Investigate for yourself - that is, after all what the scientific method is about.

30 for 30: Soccer Stories: Hillsborough (2014) Season 1, Episode 1

Harrowing. Long, painful journey for survivors of a disaster.

[9/10 · 18 July 2016]

The last two to three decades have had an influx of impressions, recordings; audio and video. Whatever constantly happens around the world can today be transmitted and stored as documentation of history. But few go to the depths of awakening all your senses as this story does.

What makes this documentary harrowing is not just the story of the deaths. I had heard of Hillsborough before, but it was no more than a tragic event I had superficial knowledge about. It was when the images of the desperate people trapped in a cage-like enclosure the hair on my arm stood up. It was when the camera zoomed in on people's faces screaming in anguish, asking why nothing was being done. It was when the bodies of victims were piled up, pressed up against the fence - that was when I realized the true extent of the tragedy.

Obviously seeing something for yourself will always stimulate you more than hearing about it. But 30 for 30 also gave a podium to the survivors, victims and relatives to voice their opinion. Through them, and by help of archive footage and original video, a story of lies and incompetence is exposed in a long process for justice.

If you want to gain more insight into the disaster this documentary is highly recommended. I do, as previously stated, not claim to have read a lot about Hillsborough before watching this film. But the way it is made has everything to make it a gripping narrative into the loss of life and the power of institutions.

The Fear of 13 (2015)

Captivating storytelling from a Death Row inmate

[8/10 · 16 July 2016]

The story of Nick Yarris was completely alien to me before I saw this documentary. The first impression I got when introduced to him was that of great sadness and loss. His face and body looked tired, drained from whatever he had experienced - at the end I understood why.

The Fear of 13 does not necessarily tackle new issues; nor does it highlight anything one hasn't seen before. The struggles of convicts, their fight for survival inside a maximum security prison is no new genre. However, this story sucks you in from the beginning and keeps you listening all the way to the end. Stripping the documentary down to the bare essentials keeps it intriguing. Atmospheric music complements Yarris' somber voice with recreated scenes as he opens up about his past. And although the narrative of death row inmates have been shared before, there is an eloquence about Yarris that makes his story unique. There are times when I doubted the authenticity of certain professed anecdotes, but it was hard to disagree with the vigor in which he spoke about them.

Making a Murderer (2015–2018)

Real life thriller almost too Hollywood to believe.

[10/10 · 3 January 2016]

Being into documentaries recently, Making a Murderer popped out with its short description and high rating on Netflix. The real life thriller was filmed in the span of 10 years, and follows a man and his legal team battling a murder conviction while maintaining his innocence throughout.<

The filming and setting, typical Midwestern scenery in Wisconsin, is beautifully crafted and very captivating. Normally real life stories can be incredibly cheesy and forced when made into TV Documentaries: Dramatic music leads the mood, reenactments of bad actors distracts from the actual story, and overall setting ruins it. This 10 part piece was nothing like that though. The story flowed naturally and was thrilling in its own unfolding of new evidence and events which took the stories through unpredictable highs and lows.

If you love watching well made documentaries on crime and mystery, I couldn't recommend anything better. The length of the documentary (well over 10 hours) glues you to the screen and takes you into the mind of the legal system and the people it attempts to incarcerate.

Lost (2004–2010)

So much unfulfilled potential *Minor spoilers*

[6/10 · 14 October 2013]

I'll get right to the core of my review by saying Lost is a series worth having a look at. Before I even started the show I had preconceived ideas and biases that were somewhat unfounded. This did however not stop me from being drawn in by the first few seasons. The unknown, mystical setting of origins was addictive and highly entertaining. The characters in themselves weren't that interesting, but their roles made the progression of the show possible.

To make this review more helpful, then, I have listed up personal pros and cons to justify the rating I have given Lost.

Pros: First few seasons exciting and enjoyable to watch. The unknown, the thought of the characters solving mysterious puzzles that they encounter throughout the island. The hatch and the others especially. The imagination of the writers are praiseworthy, especially the first part of the series. Also the music score is good albeit repetitive.

Cons: Last few seasons. After more of the answers were revealed, it felt like the writers of the show attempted to give us more answers than we needed to know. This might be a personal preference, but the interest faded for me when all the cards were laid on the table in the last two seasons. This is not to say the solutions to the puzzles are bad, but that it made the show predictable. The entire charm of the show and what made the origins so good was just that; mystery. Also the actors and the dialogue between them is mostly lackluster in my opinion. From the main cast I'd say only Michael Emerson, Terry O'Quinn and Michael Fox shine in their respective roles.

As you might have gathered, I judge the show in two parts. My rating of 6 is frustrating as I'd ideally like to give it 7 or 8 if the spark wasn't lost towards the end. Although some might argue that the point of the show is to make you more lost, which it undoubtedly does, my objections come from the writing itself. The second half became repetitive and predictable towards the end, which in turn made me lose interest.

Would I recommend the show? Yes and no. In its genre it is up there, but it does not quite live up to my expectations as one of the greater shows out there today.

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

A journey through time and space

[8/10 · 12 May 2009]

2001: A Space Oddysey is a film that you would naturally expect so much from; The hype, the popularity and the fact that arguably the biggest director ever, Stanley Kubrick was the man behind the camera.

A Space Oddysey is an enjoyable, but slow paced, journey through time. The film begins with our past ancestors, the apes, and their slow yet important development. We see an ape studying a bone from a dead animal in the desert-like landscapes. The ape then precedes to using the bone as a hammer and realizes the power and usefulnes it could have. The cinematography is quite stunning, and I quickly forgot that I was watching a film from 1968. The journey continues from our earliest history, to a time where we have colonized space and made machines smart enough to do jobs for us - without us needing to control them.

The whole experience has so much atmosphere and I couldn't have used the word "epic" better in any other context. The film is just the definition of the word. The special effects, the visuals and the deep, stunning orchestral music fills the movie with so much room and life; You just feel so small and helpless - but in a somewhat spellbinding way. The film has so many important messages, even more so now today than over 40 years ago. The film also raises many questions about the human race; How hungry we are for exploring, and how we might even explore more than what we should for our own good.

Any person interested in sci-fi, space, time, evolution or even just enjoy atmospheric pieces, should definitely check it out. And even if it isn't your cup of tea, you have in my opinion, seen a landmark of a film for cinema and indeed human intelligence.

Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! (1989)

You can't make anyone fall in love with you...can you?

[7/10 · 26 February 2009]

¡Átame! is a charming film. It is emotional and full of small twists and turns. The film is about a man who just got released from a mental institution. He knows exactly what he wants, and goes to great lenghts to get it. He hunts down an actress he once had sex with - he wants to settle down with her and have babies together. When he finds her, he kidnaps her and holds her hostage in the apartment she lives in to make her like him.

The film is very interesting, and another way to portray a love story. It's a about two people who have nothing to lose - him, no family and mentally unstable, whilst her, a seemingly unhappy actress with a drug addiction. With him having power over her and keeping her prisoner, he tries to keep her "happy" by buying more comfortable rope and tape to tie her down with. So it's quite interesting in the end when her sister finds and befrees her - she admits she is in love with him, even though she is very scared. It sends the message that people do develop some kind of relationship, even if it isn't wanted or even intended in the first place.

I did like the film as it had a new, more realistic take on how love works.

"Love is blind, love is free, love is whatever you make it to be" is what I believe love is, and fits this film's message well.

The Science of Sleep (2006)

A dream which seems too real to be a dream

[9/10 · 14 December 2008]

When I saw this film for the first time, I got blown away. It always takes a while for me to let the film settle in. It can take many days or weeks. With this film however, I got instantly enchanted, kind of under the impression that I was dreaming myself. I thought about Science of Sleep a long time and got so obsessed with it.

I'm not going to write the whole storyline or plot, but I will point out a few things which I loved and found a personal interest in. The film portrays how paranoid a person can become. Stephane doubts himself and gets tangled up in his own world. He refuses to believe that anyone could understand and come that close to him. Even though it might seem like a romantic comedy, it also has a serious theme. Stephane was losing total control over himself and slowly becoming insane. He was losing his mind and becoming a social outcast. The film is a huge massive feast, with eye candy to consume bucket loads of. The film revolves around a young man who can't seem to longer control his dreams against what he makes out to be reality. In his dreams he is creative and can do whatever he wants. He masters lucid dreaming easily and uses his dreams to fulfill what he can't do or dares to do in real life. As he starts falling for the neighbor girl (because she is in some ways as different and creative as him) he doesn't seem to be able to control his two "worlds" any longer. Every day he gets more and more paranoid and alone. It is this which is one of the most interesting things. I have always thought of my dreams as an important part of my life and this film truly showed me this alternative world where your failures can become successful. It also reflected my own belief; that your dreams are just as important as your life itself (With this I mean that you can learn so much about yourself and your inner self. Also don't forget that an average person sleeps for 20 years in a lifetime!) As the film progresses you see how the two worlds collide for Stephane. You see abnormal and dreamy elements creeping into his life and you see how confused he becomes. Of course, it's up to you how you interpret this.

Science of Sleep is the type of film which there is so much to talk about, analyze, think about, and dream about. One of the most mesmerizing, beautiful, stunning and elegant films I have seen. It appeals to a large audience and I recommend any type of person to see it. Everyone won't like it, but that time you spend on the film will be a memorable experience.

Kurt Cobain About a Son (2006)

Peaceful, gentle and relaxing

[9/10 · 24 September 2008]

It's so delightfully refreshing watching these types of "documentary" films. The film is not like many others I have seen as it is highly original and experimental. There is nothing to spoil in this piece really. It's just a really relaxing experience throughout.

It sounds a long time of just simply listening to audiotapes of Kurt Cobain - and it actually is. I disagree when I hear that only people who like Nirvana/Kurt Cobain would enjoy and appreciate the film. For people who really appreciate film language, it is a film to watch too. I have seen it twice now and it does amaze me that I don't get bored. The mild soundtrack in the background along with pictures and video clips makes it a journey while you listen. Basically all of the clips you see are merged together with what he is saying to give a sense of atmosphere and relevance. ( There is no clips of Kurt Cobain or Nirvana. Nor is there any songs. The only small clips of Kurt are at the very end) Without spoiling (even if that's not really possible), there is one particular clip where there is a man walking in the background which is supposed to be Kurt. Therefore it's also a documentary you need to pay attention to, just like any other film.

But if you actually are interested to see this piece because you are a Kurt Cobain fan, you really should have a look. It's probably the film which made me really assured that Kurt Cobain was a true role model. You can read as much about him as you want, but the interviews which this film provides is truly excellent.

It will definitely not suit everyone, but for me it is one of the best crafted documentaries I have ever seen.

Vacancy (2007)

Seen it all before

[2/10 · 20 September 2008]

I wanted to see this film to just offload a bit. I am a big movie fan, and I watch a whole lot. This was one of those films I just watched to get some eye candy. Of course, I did not expect it to be any good, but I actually did expect some tense and action packed scenes. The story has for one, got no originality at all. We have all seen at least one film where a group of people have been killed in a cabin or house in a isolated area, where nobody could ever help them. Sure, I have nothing against that. But what really bugs the hell out of me, is the dialog between the central couple in these types of films. The problems which they have, the way they sort them out under these literally mind blowing circumstances just simply makes my stomach want to throw up. When they did it in the film, I got really frustrated. Near the end I was pleasantly surprised when Luke Wilson got killed off (I honestly didn't think with my heart and soul that was ever the case). I mean, he got stabbed and bled out the whole night. I thought that going THAT far with him surviving would be extremely comical. But of course, it happened. He "woke" up with some random shake ritual and made out with Kate. I know this review was very messy, but I am really angry with exactly this. I know that films need to have some over exaggerated elements in them, but the dialog can be sharp and clean. The dialog and acting in this film were none existent.

Nevertheless, I knew it wouldn't be anything fantastic, but I didn't think it would be so uncreative and unoriginal as this.

If you care about watching films with good value, please do yourself a favour and never watch it.

Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

A film that depicts sex, sexuality and frustration.

[9/10 · 30 August 2008]

Eyes Wide shut is a very interesting film. The film hasn't got any big plots, but has a lot of long, gentle scenes which have a very obvious theme; sex and sexuality.

The film evolves around a couple who have been married for over 8 years. They have a luxurious house and a young daughter. They seem to have it all, until early in the film Alice (Nicole Kidman) opens up to her husband, Bill Harford (Tom Cruise) about how she feels about sexual lust and how it's affecting their relationship. After an unbelievable unreal truth from his wife, he leaves their apartment. And in this night of pondering and confusion, he encounters parts of the town filled with sexual culture, frustration and desperation. As he experiences, he learns frightening truths along the way.

As mentioned, the film hasn't got a direct plot, but it shows different parts of human sexuality and sexual relationships. It kind of throws it in your face sometimes, because it barely gives you a break. Either you can think of this as very interesting or very exhausting as you might get the "I get the point" in your head. I for myself am not sure what I make of this, but I really learnt and understood different aspects for different types of sexual topics (Such as; homosexuality, prostitution, pedophilia and fantasies) It also asks the question of how important sex is in a relationship and how many people might confuse the two.

Other than that, I felt that the character studies of Dr. Harford were very captivating. It kind of answered some of my other questions, which was how a person with high intelligence and full of love can still not fully understand the other part of the relationship which lacks spark and excitement.

All in all a film worth seeing with a message and theme which is more than ever relevant in the world we live in today.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007)

One of the most beautiful films I have seen

[10/10 · 22 August 2008]

This film is an unbelievable story about how deep and amazing the human brain is. The film itself is beautiful in many aspects; great visual design, language ( I don't think it would of had the same effect if it was in English for example) the story and the in depth exploration of the human mind and spirit. It is a film which will make a personal impact on anyone who watches it. One can become very sad and depressed or totally uplifted beyond belief in the sense of the symbolic nature the film provides. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is a film which makes you fall in love with life in it's own way and will make you appreciate what we can achieve through sheer determination and imagination.

I could truly write many pages about this film, but discover for yourself this modern masterpiece