Change Your Image
voglerlena
Reviews
The Fest (2005)
A light-hearted comedy about the struggles of alcoholism
Doggg and Tak's dreams come true when they travel to Munich for the Oktoberfest. The two best friends start their adventure with joy and enthusiasm. But at the entrance to endless fun and drunken revelry, Doggg struggles with his intentions to stay sober so he can prove to his wife that he's not an alcoholic. While one tempting mug of beer after another passes Doggg's thirsty eyes, Tak enjoys getting drunker and drunker. Finally, the moment of truth arrives when Doggg's willpower is put to the test.
Even though the topic of a struggling alcoholic is quite serious, "The Fest" manages to portray it in a very humorous way. Though the overall acting isn't quite Oscar-worthy and the plot clearly lacks any depth and is somewhat dumbed down, there are many ways to enjoy this goofy comedy. The main attraction is the two loveable protagonists who are refreshingly full of energy and foolishness. It keeps you riveted to the screen, wondering what silly encounters and dialogues they'll have next. While the humour's partly so stupid it's funny, there are some quick-witted disputes in between that will make you grin.
Drive (2011)
A girl risks her life to save her family.
Fourteen-year-old Sophie wants nothing more than to bring her parents back together. So she heads off on a reckless adventure. Armed with only a minimal understanding of driving, she steals her mother's car and plans to convince her father to return to the family. After several moments of shock on the road, Sophie's adventure ends at a gas station, where she meets an old, blind man and an unexpected passenger.
"Drive" is an exciting family drama showing the kind of story that evolves when a child's solution-oriented approach is put into practice. The scenes on the road are especially suspenseful as Sophie tries figuring out the traffic rules. You can't take your eyes off the screen.
Sophie's flashbacks reveal a very idealistic family life that she just can't let go of. However, by the end of the film, it remains unclear whether Sophie succeeds in bringing the family back together again. The open ending is a very nice way not to give in to Sophie's naïve fantasy of a happy ending. The ending is more realistic and prevents the film from getting too cheesy.
Ultimately, the film thoroughly presents great production value, well-cast and convincing actors, excellent camera work, and a well-written, compelling story.
Rewinder (2016)
Covering very fascinating themes with the potential for a feature film
"Rewinder" opens in an apocalyptic world where almost no water exists. People are lining up with their most valuable possessions for the possibility of the only way out: becoming a rewinder. This means travelling back in time where there's plenty of water to waste. The audience follows the journey of a young man on his search for this precious thirst quencher.
The director, Jean-Luc Julien, touches upon a very fascinating and multifaceted issue. The parallels to today's problems, especially the contemporary refugee crises, seem obvious. Instead of fleeing from one country to another, "returnees" are escaping a specific time of chaos. Similarly, they are not welcomed with open arms, but are feared and held responsible for the problems to come.
Unfortunately, some details keep the fictional universe from being conceivable. While the leading actors do a great job, some of the supporting actors aren't very convincing. Other problems can be seen in the substantial implementations of the futuristic world. The main character, for instance, isn't distinguishable from the world of today. His clothes, hairstyle and language don't make his origin, nor him being a target of racism, believable. But this is only a minor problem preventing the total immersion into the story.
Even though it's very difficult to cover this complex topic in such a short amount of time, the film clearly shows its strength in other areas. The plot succeeds in staying straight-forward and effective. And although budget-related deficiencies are notable in the time traveling scene, the available budget is sufficient and very well implemented. The viewer understands the tension of the situations without straining to see any special effects.
Ultimately, many questions remain. The ending leaves behind the pressing desire for greater elaboration of some details, for example what the protagonist's main motivation is. Does he just want to live a carefree life, or does he travel back in time to change the world? And how does humanity cope with the prospect of this catastrophe? When the closing credits start rolling the disappointment is that there isn't more to watch. This could be seen as a strength of the main idea, which definitely has potential for a compelling feature film.
Unbreakable (2017)
A documentary about showing broken children that they're unbreakable.
"Unbreakable" is a short documentary about a climbing group for children dealing with severe problems like diseases, disabilities or traumatic experiences. The film gives insight into the philosophy of climbing, and how it can support children in need. The central message is very beautiful: You cannot erase an illness, but there are still many ways to experience life to its fullest. Climbing is one of them and it teaches children that they can achieve anything no matter how hard it seems or how frighten they are at the start. Sometimes it just takes baby steps, but eventually they will reach the top of "Heaven's Gate."
A beautiful, heart-felt documentary about unconventional ways to help others. It also encourages the viewer to look at what these children can do instead of what they can't do. "Unbreakable" is very short and easily maintains the audience's interest, but at the same time you don't feel like any information is missing. It's not only an educational presentation of the climbing group in Munich, but also shows the children's intelligent perspectives on life and their own situation.
Limbo (2017)
An excellent film about the stage of grief you never want to experience
"Limbo" introduces us to a grieving father whose life is out of control since he lost his teenage daughter. While his wife has already moved on with another man, the protagonist wastes the days away in his dirty flat and his money on webcam girls. However, his intensions are not as they appear, and he discovers an unusual salve for his unending grief.
This film is a well-made piece of art that stimulates the eye with its beautiful, cinematic look and leaves the heart heavy with its depressing, bitter-sweet story. You care deeply about the protagonist from the very start and it never gets boring for a moment. The casting is exceptional and each actor fits their role perfectly. It's almost as if the parts were written specifically for each actor.
"Limbo" has a unique plot that raises issues about the state of grieving. The short film is perfect for anyone who likes stories that give you something to think about and includes a bitter-sweet twist.
Courage (2016)
An awkward perspective on the dating life of a wallflower
A middle-aged man sits in a bar and drinks to get up his courage. His plan is to approach women without leaving a bad impression. With this highly-set bar in mind, he starts off the night with his first attempts. Unfortunately, he realizes he can't even speak a single word in the presence of the fair sex. Ultimately, he finds a world of hope through pick-up lines. While some pick-up lines go down really badly, others go down even worse.
Hey baby, you look like a bag of trash. Can I take you out?
The protagonist's awkward attempts to win the heart of a woman is both hilarious and painful to watch. You don't want to miss a single pick-up lines which is destined to fail. Still, hope remains that the peculiar and quirky man gets the girl in the end.
The film isn't only fun to watch, it also employs a great cinematic style and a mise-en-scène that draws the audience into its spell. "Courage" is a very entertaining short film where the unique humour of its writer/director shines through.
Keep Smiling (2013)
Compelling and very creative
Keep Smiling - What else is there when experiencing a life of mediocrity?
Experiencing the viewpoint of the central character, the viewer of "Keep Smiling" follows the path of a relentlessly distressed man who struggles with the mediocrity of his life. With a very engaging and creative opening scene, this short film is compelling from the start and fascinates with its implementation of the first-person perspective. The subjective camera is supplemented by a babbling, stream-of-consciousness voice-over, as the protagonist expresses his self-doubts in nearly every way possible. The film is a perfect depiction of a constantly-worrying character whose failures are a self-fulfilling prophecy.
While most of the story seems to be rather serious, the climax of the final scene transforms it into ridicule and gives a wink to the theme of the film. So, if you're hoping to find an answer to how the protagonist finds deliverance from his hopelessness, you'll be waiting in vain. Instead, the director gives his audience life advice in general: Don't take life, yourself, or this film too seriously.
Moments (2014)
a beautiful short film about love and loss
Only the memories remain.
A woman loses her beloved husband to cancer. Silently grieving, she repeatedly corrects her daily habits, like taking out two coffee cups in the morning. While she tries processing the fact her husband's no longer with her, she slowly but surely finds clues that he's not entirely absent from her life.
"Moments" really gets under your skin, especially when the protagonist finds little notes from her deceased husband and can't help but smile. These scenes demonstrate that happiness is possible even in the darkest of times. The soothing message of this film is that no matter how far away her husband seems, their shared experiences still touch her in the most unexpected ways. It almost demonstrates what life is really all about in only five minutes. It expresses a combination of loss and love, pain and joy and the peculiar experience of these two extremes coming together in a single moment. The film is a declaration of love and illustrates what's left of a person after they die.
The theme of sadness is contrasted with beautiful cinematography. The locations, as well as the color scheme, are great additions to the excellent cinematography. A heart-breaking story and an exquisite work of pictorial design create a wonderful film.