Uncle Kent

Plot:

Middle aged man and his lonely life.

Review:

This low budget film with no recognisable characters and filmed with a Flip Cam (!) made it to the Sundance festival which obviously gave it big attention. The low-key and non pretentious vibe always sparks my interest with films so I thought I'd review it for you.

The somewhat conventional theme with a lonely 40 year old man is being carried up by the unconventional script and directing in this film.  Kent Osborne ( Kent Osborne ) works as a freelance animator and spends most of his life being on the internet and smoking marijuana. He is not really happy with his situation and actually manages to meet someone on Chatroulette. Kate ( Jennifer Prediger) is a New York resident, works as a journalist but is actually already taken but the boyfriend is distant. She decides to go meet Kent on the other side of the country all the way in Los Angeles. Kent and Kate finds theirselves at a party and the circumstances that unfold is something that comes as a big surprise.

I read somewhere this film had a greater message : That the internet/video generation are waiting for life to happen to them instead of vice versa, that indidivuals in this generation grab a hold of life. That's one way of looking at it although it didnt strike me at first. The passivity of the younger people in society is probably a correct observation though.

I found this to be a humorous film and something that alot of people can relate to, not necessarely just if you are a 40 year old male. It speaks to everyone, I find, simply because its a quality film. I wish more films like these were made. The only reason this made it in to the viewing spectrum so to speak was probably because of the aforementioned film festival. I wonder how many other gems you miss?

Trailer:

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Oslo, August 31st

Watch it.

Trailer:

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Sebbe

The first Swedish film on this blog.

Plot:

The life and times of a bullied boy.

Review:

The movie industry is interesting in that its very hard not to be affected by Hollywood and the common way of making a film. Sometimes the swedish film industry get carried away and just copy the american way of making films but most of the time, atleast the swedish films I see, stay away from that. And by stepping away from the american way of making films, you get very unpredictable and interesting films. Just by stepping away from the "how to make films manual" you distance yourself from the majority of the films made and you automatically become very different. Sebbe is not necessarely a completely unique film, in any sense, but it does something very rare, atleast up until the very end. But to speak of it would be to spoil the film.

Sebbe is a socialrealistic drama that centers around some heavy themes including poverty, alcoholism, bullying and general misery. ( Misery is something swedes do great on film, it comes as no surprise. ) Sebbe ( Sebastian Hiort af Ornäs ) is a young boy who lives with his mother Eva ( Eva Melander ) and they have a very strained relationship. Sebbe's father has left them and Eva is struggling to make ends meet and is handing out infomercials at night as their sole income. Sebbe has become the number one bully victim in his class and finds no peace in school and his presence there is declining. His main interest has become building mechanical and technological devices of different kinds and in doing this he atleast gets to be alone. 

Sebbes mother Eva has a love/hate relationship for her son and often finds him to be a nuisance in this already somewhat grey and wretched world. His problems seem to pour over into her life and this is something she seem to find painful with her already having her own problems. Eva is also, perhaps because of this, an alcoholic. Her temper is quite irate and she often takes it out on Sebbe. 

Babak Najafi is doing his feature film debut with this film and has also by this time made the sequel to another praised swedish film Snabba Cash. Babak has then obviously already proven to be one of the best contemporary swedish film makers. Phenomenal acting from both Sebastian and Eva, although very strong acting all across the board. Many of the actors are actually making their debut acting, including Sebbe, and are new "faces" to the audience, which I believe was crucial to a film like this ( And to films in general, I really support new faces ).

Sebbe is a very unpleasant film to watch and this is something I appreciate, when a film can actually have some sort of effect on you, even if it is a very "negative" effect. This obviously comes from the theme in the film, but also from the very real display of human interaction that all people involved have created. Its strength is also the ability to stay on the subjects of which it has taken upon itself to display. It does not shy away from going deep and exploring all the dark sides of our society. 

Trailer:

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