Review of film: "ANTICHRIST" = REPORT # 2 on the 45th CIFF = Chicago Int’l Film Festival

 

2009, 10-08:

Review of film:  "ANTICHRIST"  =  REPORT # 2  on the 45^th CIFF  = Chicago Int’l Film Festival

 

October 8 (Thurs.)    On 10-6, due to "popular demand", the Festival added a 2nd theater for the 10-8 Opening Nite festivities concerning the comedy "MOTHERHOOD” & the Achievement award to UMA THURMAN.  The price is $ 25--  but that gets you a "LIVE FEED" of the film & Tribute / Awards (rather than an "in-person" viewing of the participants)...

Review of film:  "ANTICHRIST”

             --  Artsy “Symbolic” CRAP!

                Rating:  3 of 10 stars. =

 

After I saw an advance screening of this film [to screen 10-12 with a live appearance by WILLEM DAFOE -- tho it's reportedly already SOLD OUT], I talked to a magazine writer who related having seen the film twice before:  at the CANNES Film Festival, he noticed around half the people CHEERED after it was over--  & the other half BOOED with disgust at what they'd seen…

…  Then, last month at the TORONTO Film Fest, partly because the "buzz" about the film was gone, most people seemed "BLASÉ" after the screening.  I then related MY reaction to it (in the title line above)...

…  I don't know what's going on with certain filmmakers lately. Do they feel a need to go to huge "extremes" to try to be "NOTICED" (among a mass of film releases), or what?  This film (like "LAW ABIDING CITIZEN") was chock full of GRATUITOUSLY GRAPHIC pointlessly VICIOUS VIOLENCE - like the director preferred our seeing an example of the IN-human condition...

…  I "get" the "ARTSY" attempts-- walking up to a short bridge [when it would've been easier just STEPPING across the small creek right in front of you], the rain hitting the windows, the items (like acorns) pelting the roof of the cabin, etc...

...  I saw the fact the woman HAD been taking a bunch of PILLS for an imprecisely-described "state" (which appears more related to a never-discussed BI-POLAR type condition than simple "depression")... 

…  But why is non-medical sort of "psychoanalyst" WILLEM DAFOE "treating" his own WIFE (CHARLOTTE GAINSBOURG) & spending time asking her a bunch of often-nebulous "questions", rather than getting her effective TREATMENT for what's clearly a massive problem she has?!...

...  I admired the HARD WORK put in by Dafoe & Gainsbourg in very DIFFICULT roles (that "open" themselves up mightily to the world--  sexually & otherwise)...  But, again, I found the appalling ANGER portrayed & the BRUTALITY of the actions by both married "partners" to be horrendously OFF-putting & not really "covered" by the script or story portrayed... 

…  I'm aware people might want to see the film to decide just who's "RIGHT" about it--  but, I just want you to be "WARNED” about what lies ahead of you!...

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