Month: June 2020

Film Reviews

All them Witches

Lamees ShaheenLeave a comment

Over the past two weeks or so, I’ve watched around 15 movies related to witches, and I’ve enjoyed almost all of them. Now before I share my conclusion of all these witches, here are just a few more films that may have not made it into complete reviews:

The Witches of Eastwick (1987)

This fun and feminist take on witches was probably the best the eighties had to offer on the subject. Based on John Updike’s novel, and directed by George Miller, the film tells the story of three unusual women; Alexandra (Cher), Jane (Susan Sarandon), and Sukie (Michelle Pfeiffer). All three women are outcasts in their society, abandoned by their husbands, and left to rely on each other for emotional support. One night they manage to conjure their ideal male, who also happens to be the devil (Jack Nickolson), and eventually it takes all three of them to try and escape his grip.

The movie is light and fun to watch, the three main ladies are all gorgeous, and it’s heartwarming to see them come together and push each other up. Of course the film still has a whole lot of silly effects and unexplained subplots, but I am sure almost any viewer can overcome that to enjoy the film’s overall cheerful and entertaining atmosphere.

The Love Witch (2016)

I am just gonna start off by saying this movie is weird. Once again this is a feminist take on witches, written, directed, produced, edited, in addition to a bunch of other titles, by Anna Biller, and starring Samantha Robinson as Elaine, a young Wicca witch using love magic to find her perfect match. However, every time Elaine uses her magic to make a man fall in love with her, it seems that they fall so hard it ends killing them. Elaine’s life gets complicated once the police start investigating the death of one of her “lovers”, and the only question that remains is whether her magic can save her this time or simply backfire as usual.

The visuals of this film are just stunning, the colors pop out of the screen, the costumes are meticulously chosen, and overall it’s filled with close ups reminiscent of 1960’s technicolor movies. And yet it is so freaking random, the dialogue is simply a war between the sexes, going back and forth on defining love, and overall it is incredibly campy, from the music to the story to the purposefully cringe worthy performance, everything screams camp. Frankly I didn’t enjoy the movie very much, surely it looked gorgeous, but every single line that was ridiculously over acted made me cringe, but if you have no problems with this kind of art, you should absolutely check it out.

Hereditary (2018)

Ari Aster’s debut feature film received widespread critical acclaim, and with good reason. The film starts after the death of the matriarch of the family, where her daughter Annie (Toni Collette) struggles to overcome both her resentment and curiosity about her late mother. A series of mishaps and tragedies follows, which tears the family apart bit by bit, forcing Annie to dig up her mother’s past, and to try and understand the late woman’s involvement with the occult.

Hereditary carefully examines the theme of mental illness, as Annie’s anxieties stem from her knowledge of her family’s long history of mental problems. The film is a classy piece of horror, keeping the jump scares, and occult elements at a minimum and focusing on its characters’ emotional struggles to deliver a much more effective dose of horror. With Collette’s incredibly powerful performance, and Ari Aster’s sharp directorial style, the film is definitely worth watching.

Midsommar (2019)

The second film from Ari Aster is equally incredible, and I simply couldn’t choose just one. The events of Midsommar take place in Sweden, where a group of American friends are invited to attend a once in a lifetime event; a midsummer festival by a pagan cult called Hårga. Two of the Americans; Dani (Florence Pugh) and Christian (Jack Reynor) are a couple in very strained relationship, and as their relationship deteriorates, the wildness of the festival simply amplifies, culminating in a rather shocking ending for all parties.

Unlike his previous film, Aster placed the cult front and center in Midsommar, and although Dani and Christian’s relationship remains at the heart of the movie, the film extensively explores the psychology of people living in cults, and even the kind of emotional support they might get from it. Filled with psychedelic sequences, as hallucinogenic tea is simply a part of the cult’s everyday life, as well as disturbing pagan rituals, Midsommar manages to lure its viewer into the unsettling and often gruesome community of Hårga.

I guess this is the end of this series, and as much as I wish you’ll check all of the films mentioned, I suppose a roundup of the best films is necessary. I think it’s important to view Rosemary’s Baby (1968), other than the fact that it’s an absolute classic, its exploration of motherhood is exceptional, and is bound to intrigue any viewer. Belladonna of Sadness (1973) is also a must-watch, simply because it is absolutely gorgeous. The Witch (2015) is a slow burn that depends on atmosphere and historical accuracy to tell its sinister folk tale. Finally I think the most realistic representation of witches would have to be Hagazussa (2017); if you’re interested in the history of witchcraft, and a logical explanation for the burning of hundreds of women on the stake, then this is the most honest answer. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll just go watch cartoons for the rest of the month.

Film Reviews

Film Review: Hagazussa (2017)

Lamees ShaheenLeave a comment

In my last post I reviewed Robert Egger’s 2015 debut The Witch, so I thought perhaps this is a good time to take a look at this German much darker take on witches; Austrian director Lukas Feigelfeld’s 2017 debut Hagazussa, which apparently also translates to the witch in High German. The film is an Austrian- German production that was released in 2018, almost three years after The Witch’s, something that Figelfeld has stated was disappointing for him, as he had been working on his film for years before and didn’t want audiences to draw comparisons immediately, which is frankly very hard not to do.

Set in the middle ages in a rural Alpine community, the film explores the life of its main character Albrun (Aleksandra Cwen) in the form of four acts, each with a distinct underlying theme. In the beginning we see Albrun attending to her sick mother in a secluded cabin in the mountains, where they live together alone and excluded from their community, which considers them witches. The mother eventually dies in a rather gruesome manner leaving Albrun to deal with her traumatic loss and to fend for herself alone in this wilderness. The rest of the film explores Albrun’s adult and extremely lonely life, as she becomes a single mother ostracized by the townsfolk, and relying on goat herding to provide for herself and her baby. Her past traumas are vivid in every scene, she is on the verge of psychosis because of her complete isolation, and eventually all of her mental problems are rather amplified by the way her community behaves towards her, which meticulously pushes her further towards complete and utter madness.

The main theme of the film is almost identical to that of The Witch; it’s a careful study on the causes and circumstances of Europe’s witch hunt of the Middle Ages, but while Egger’s film presents itself as a folk tale intertwined with the ever present supernatural elements of its universe, Feigelfeld’s film is rather the practical results of applying this folk tale to real people living in the era. The film lacks any supernatural elements, and every action that happens on screen, regardless of its wildness or gruesomeness, is not related to the supernatural in any way. Hagazussa is about a woman who is quite clearly unstable from the start, and her journey of losing her mind, which is probably the explanation for most cases of women accused of witchcraft at that time. The film also explores the effects of these accusations on the women themselves; Alexandra Cwen perfectly captures this in her performance, with subtle facial gestures and incredibly expressive eyes, offering the viewer a glimpse of Albrun’s significantly deteriorating mental state. Despite Albrun’s actions that get crazier by the minute, the film maintains its cold and sinister tone evenly throughout, this disconnect certainly heightens the horror, making for a very interesting and overall dark viewing experience. 

It is very hard to decide whether to recommend this movie or not, I absolutely loved it, but I admit I have a dangerously soft spot for cinematography; any film that has grand picturesque landscape shots or gorgeous naturally lit indoor scenes is absolutely worth watching for me, and Hagazussa certainly lives up to this standard and even surpasses it. The film is visually stunning, an absolute feast to look at, which combined with an eerie and minimalist soundtrack, completely mesmerized me. However, I can see why it wouldn’t appeal to a lot if viewers; the film is incredibly slow even for its rather short runtime, and with extremely sparse dialogue that can probably be summed up in less than ten minutes, this can obviously make it arduous to watch for a lot of people, and was certainly not ideal for me either. Additionally, the film is awfully dark, it takes some twists and turns that can put anyone at unease, mainly because it dismisses the supernatural element from the equation and allows all of the evils shown on screen to stem from human nature alone, also it leans on ambiguity and leaves a lot of room for interpretation, shying from a cathartic conclusion and allowing this darkness to stick around even after the film has ended. All in all, these were the highs and lows of this film for me; I would recommend it to anyone who liked The Witch and was looking for a story somewhat similar, but also to anyone who is willing to watch a non-traditional horror movie, with aesthetics that are miles above average.

Film Reviews

Film Review: The Witch (2015)

Lamees ShaheenLeave a comment

In 2015, Robert Eggers directorial debut The Witch premiered at Sundance Film Festival to wide critical acclaim. It was widely released a year afterwards, and although it garnered generally favorable reviews from the critics, audiences had a more negative response to it, mainly because the movie was marketed as a traditional horror movie, combining the very few jump scares and fantastical elements that are shown all throughout its runtime into one short trailer, which has proven time and time again to only set the viewer up for disappointment. However, The Witch is in fact a horror film, only it relies heavily on the general atmosphere, and inner conflicts of its characters to reach its premeditated and truly horrific climax.  

Set in 1630s New England, a family of Puritan settlers is cast away from their plantation due to the father’s arrogance. They move out to a secluded farm near the woods, where they presume their normal everyday roles. One day as the eldest daughter Thomasin (Anya- Taylor Joy) is watching her baby brother Samuel, the boy mysteriously vanishes. This leads to tension between the mother Katherine (Kate Dickie) and her husband William (Ralph Ineson), as she blames him for not baptizing the child, and according to their beliefs, his eternal damnation. Sam’s disappearance affects other members of the family as well; Thomasin is left to deal with the resentment of her mother, while the older brother Caleb (Harvey Scrimshaw) struggles with the idea of Sam’s damnation as well as his puberty and lustful thoughts about his sister. In the meantime, as almost all the family members are distraught and lost in their thoughts, the youngest members, the twins Mercy and Jonas, are talking of witches and speaking goats, and the evil forces that reside in the woods.

The film is presented as a New England Folk Tale, and it achieves that in every sense of the word. It does not aspire to be a modern day allegory; in fact it thrives in its accurate representation of the period it is set in. Eggers spent five years doing the research for his film, and the dedication and effort he poured into it show in every single frame of the movie; from the sets and costumes, to the old English dialect and the outlandish script. With its ultra-realistic representation of its characters, the film allows the viewer to tap into their mindset and fears, and ultimately understand their rationale for believing in the witch of the woods. Communicating with the devil in the form of a goat, destroying crops, and seducing men are all real accusations that were historically used against women of that period to prove they were witches, and viewed from our modern day perspective, they sound ludicrous as they can be scientifically explained with ease, yet in constructing an early 17th century farmer’s perspective on screen, it does not seem hard to understand why witches are a much simpler answer.   

Finally, this film is my favorite of the list of witch movies I put up for this series of articles. It is moody and chilling; its cinematography is mesmerizing and captures the vastness of the woods that encompasses the family farm. The soundtrack matches the tone of the film and the performances are all incredible, but above all the accuracy that goes into portraying what a witch was in the consciousness of the people who lived at the time, truly elevates this film to be a folk tale commemorated on screen forever.  

Film Reviews

Anime Witches

Lamees Shaheen2 Comments

 In 2003, Hayao Miyazaki won an Academy Award for his animated feature Spirited Away. Despite the sad fact that only because of this recognition did the audience become interested in his work worldwide, the end result is favorable either way. People started to discover some of his earlier masterful works such as My Neighbor Totoro (1988), Princess Mononoke (1997) and so much more, and although almost all of his work is often described as magical, I’d like to focus on 2 of his films today that probably have Studio Ghibli’s most famous witch and wizard; Kiki and Howl.

Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989)

 Based on the 1985 children’s novel by the same name by Eiko Kadono, the movie follows the life of Kiki, cinema’s most adorable witch. The young 13 year old, accompanied by her black cat Jiji, sets off on a journey to settle in a new town, as is custom for witches her age. We follow her as she hops off into the sky on her broomstick, in search of a new home, and a way to achieve her independence. It’s a coming of age fairytale that values determination and perseverance, in a sort of “the beauty is in the journey itself” kind of way. There’s a lot to be said about Kiki, her zealous efforts to prove herself and make money on her own, whether by cleaning a bakery or starting a delivery service, are certainly admirable, and yet they raise the question of why is a flying witch not able to make money easily in the first place?

 In Kiki’s world, magic is taken for granted; the fast-paced rhythm of the city allows citizens only a few seconds of wonder when Kiki first flies in. Her delivery services are not always rewarding, as it doesn’t really matter if she’s delivering the packages on a broomstick or on foot, as long as the clients get their money’s worth. Later in the film when Kiki experiences burnout, it doesn’t come off as a shock, since her passion for flying has been sucked up entirely into her work. It’s only later on when she recluses to a friend’s cabin in the woods is she able to regain her powers, and ultimately a way to balance her love for flying, and her delivery service.

Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)

 Again based on a children’s novel by Diana Wynne Jones, Howl’s moving castle is about a young hatter named Sophie, who gets involved in a magical dispute between the old Witch of Waste and the young and charming wizard Howl. Early in the movie the witch casts a spell on Sophie that makes her age prematurely, and in an effort to break the curse, Sophie stumbles upon Howl’s moving castle. She takes the role of the housekeeper, and accompanies Howl, his young assistant Mrukuru, and the fire demon that keeps the castle moving Calcifer, as they try to escape the witch as well as the many wars ongoing around them.

 Unlike Kiki’s Delivery Service, which is a rather simple and direct story, Howl’s Moving Castle is filled to the brim with intricate subplots, and plenty of colorful characters. Its general and clear message is against war, and like real wars, the film doesn’t have a main evil character, instead everyone is somehow entangled in the war in spite of their acknowledgement of its absurdity. The bad guys become good, and the good guys become bad, and then they restore their order altogether. It is rather this ambivalence that gives the story its realistic charm despite all the magical elements. At its heart, it’s a love story of how the two main characters, Sophie and Howl, are able to grow and become better human beings through their shared love, and even at times change their world to the better.

Although both films are very different, they share major keys of Miyazaki’s philosophy; his love for nature and embrace of the spiritual and magical world is evident in the two, and they both leave plenty of room for interpretation by the audience. Kiki’s burnout could be allegorical with humans’ abandonment of nature for the hustle of the city, or an artist’s burnout when they turn their passion into a method of paying bills among tens of other explanations. Howl on the other hand has a much more grounded story due to its complexity, yet a lot of questions are left unanswered; such as the nature of Sophie’s spell, or whether Howl’s stance on war was coming from an honest opinion or simply cowardice. Both films offer a delightful take on witches and magic with mesmerizing visuals as well as deeply sympathetic characters and stories guaranteed to charm their viewers.