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Starred Up (2013)
Like father like son.
Like father like son. A captivating yet at times hardly believable drama which evolves around emotional development of a troubled young lad. We follow him as he gets prematurely transferred from juvenile prison to what seems like an open prison for adults, where he bullies jailers and inmates even though he's the youngest. It is captivating because of the dynamics and pace of the film, good casting, especially O'Connell's perfect portrayal of an angry young man, who accidentally turns on a downward spiral of events, as well as for realistic insight into British prison. It is also hardly believable - a funny thing is that this realism praised in reviews looks rather suspicious at a first glance, especially to eastern Europeans, I suppose. How much freedom do convicts in British prisons have and how scarcely jailers use force is alerting. This striking disproportion may be good for the viewers since it makes the film more cool and drastic, but it doesn't look as though it was good for those doing time.
Her (2013)
Love in the 21st century
A vibrant, touching story depicting patterns how we interact with each other, what we value, what we strive for and what is the meaning of love and life. Her is a breakthrough, one step forward in the sci-fi genre, where one crucial question has always been asked - can machines feel? This take on this problem is really outstanding and goes beyond the borders set by Blade Runner or Ghot in the Shell. This film can convince you that making love to a machine is possible and possibly better than making love to a human, that bonding with artificial intelligence may be much stronger than your bond with facebook; that we and AI evolve to become coexistent as we all are made of the same matter. It must be one of the most beautiful dramas about romantic love, surprisingly with only one human lover. Besides, exquisite cinematography, impressive music, Phoenix's brilliant performance and Johansson's voice, so soothing, and so unbelievably erotic make Her one of the best films ever created. Truly a gem no one should miss. Almost highest score in my hall of fame, 9 out of 10!
Only Lovers Left Alive (2013)
An artistic take on vampirism
Although this is yet another story about vampires, you will not find it generic nor mediocre. It is a film that redeems the genre with its seriousness as it touches existential issues and interweaves them with popular culture - two vampires being in love across centuries, one of them a romantic role model, idealistic poet, musician, artist, who keeps art underground, away from mass of zombies, what he uses to call people, and resides in abandoned Detroit - a perfect spot for a loner like this. The other is this alien-like woman, knowledgeable, well-read, and intriguing, who spends her life in Tanger in Morocco, indulging in exotic culture and mystical atmosphere of this place. Their relationship reflects the particle entanglement theory; they witness the progress and deterioration of civilisations and peacefully coexist with people living off blood obtained from shady sources until the moment comes when they run out of other possibilities than hunt. The film is a beautifully crafted romance, with outstanding performance by Tilda Swinton, brilliant music and cinematography that leaves you with some strange feeling of longing and makes you think about all these little details, metaphors, and references throughout it. 8 out of 10, very recommended for a night with a bottle of wine.