Any Way the Wind Blows

Sympathetic attempt by Belgian dEUS front man Tom Barman in his debut film about the intertwined lives of ten people during a summer day in Antwerp, his beloved home town. For Dutch people watching this on DVD, you might wanna watch this with subtitles (which I did recently), because most of the dialog is in 'plat Antwerps'.

Tom Barman is a man who likes to leave all odds open. This is the way he likes to play records when he's dj-ing, his latest passion. Not long ago, I attended a party where he was spinning some records. His choice of music is interesting, but hardly fitting for the dance-floor. After three songs I was bored out of my mind, and so was the audience. There was no built-up, no climax and no connection and the dance-floor stayed empty. I've had a bit of a dEUS overdose in the past ten years, but there's no denying it was one of the most interesting music formations to come out of Belgium in a long time. In 2002, I went to a concert of theirs, which ended in a complete anti-climax (they ended with three ballads). Again, Tom Barman seemed oblivious to the fact the audience was snoozing for the last half hour.

Basically, this film offers a similar experience. Lots of ideas, well-meant, attractively shot, but it's little more than a loose collection of ideas. Some pointed out, this is the ultimate reflection of the many loose ends of the main characters' lives. Too bad the characters we're watching are quite obnoxious.

However, the cinematography is pretty good, as well as the soundtrack, and the final party scene is impressively shot and choreographed. But in the end, the main thing that stuck, was that David Bowie probably made his best records in the eighties.

I know.

Camera Obscura --- 6/10

This Belgian film, directed by Tom Barman, singer of the well-known group dEUS, will not be favoured by everyone. For the simple reason that there isn't a clear story or even a plot. This movie just shows 24 hours in "a city" (here Antwerp) and allows you to watch and truly enjoy the dialogues, the directing, the humorous (Dario!, the osteopath Bruno!, ...) and tragic (Windman, Paul Garcin, ...) characters.

There are several memorable scenes: the Windman on the beach, the dance party at the end, the KISS-fan, Windman visits the osteopath,...

Clearly some other viewers didn't understand what's so beautiful and interesting in this movie. They complain that this movie has no story, etc. But it's the atmosphere that keeps you watching and that will drag you into it.

If you didn't watch it yet, be sure to listen carefully to the music. The soundtrack is extraordinary just like Tom Barman and his group dEUS.

And "ssst, mondje dicht hé." (don't tell anyone)

This is a polarizing movie and i am not sure if i can recommend it. I understand the reasons why one may find it boring or meaningless. But most of people who were young in the 00's, will probably like it. A perfect time capsule foor this decade which was probably the last decade in which people were carefree and hopeful or at least, the world didn't seem so hostile, dangerous and instable.

This movie captures 00's Zeitgeist, and i am not saying that people were wise back then, on the contrary. It captures the naivety, people were having fun, those were less nihilistic times and more hopeful.

This is a simple movie with simple stories. A fun ride. Nothing hilarious nor dramatic, just young people (mostly) who were just living the moment. A perfectly enjoyable movie. Empty your head, lower your expectations and remember how the Western world was back then. I miss those days and that's the reason i liked that movie even though it's uneventful and basically, it's a movie about Nothing.

Still, i would have rated i higher but it fell flat during the last 15-20 minutes. Ending is really weak, the worst part of this movie.

Nice music.

I really liked Tom Barman's AWTWB. You just have to let it come over you and enjoy it while it lasts, and don't expect anything. It's like sitting on a café-terrace with a beer, in the summer sun, and watching the people go by. It definitely won't keep you pondering afterwards, that's true, but that's not a prerequisite for a good film. It's just the experience during the movie that's great.

I felt there were a few strands that could have been worked out a little more, but being a Lynch fan I don't care that much anymore :)

And I *loved* the style, or flair of this movie. It's slick, but fresh, and the soundtrack is a beauty. Any music-lover will get his kicks out of AWTWB, I can assure you.

I'll give it 8 out 10.

(music-wise 10 out of 10)

Barman just wanted to make a movie because he wanted to. Just as simple as that, and he succeeded. Not only in his goal, but also in making a wonderful movie, especially visually. He knows how to use pans, slow-motion sequences, tracking shots, crane shots, etc. in a beautiful, smooth way. This gives the movie a very relaxing feel to it.

The story is about the lives of 8 very different characters who have nothing in common except one thing: a party that they all attend to, which also is the turnpoint of this movie. The beauty of this picture lies not in the question how the characters have effect on eachother (in comparance with a similar, of course better movie like Magnolia). I simply don't think that that was Barman's idea. The beauty lies in the different details of experiences that people go through which makes or breaks their lives. Barman is very successful in telling those little stories that describe little experiences. He knows people..... and Antwerp.

The soundtrack of the movie is also excellent, but not a surprise as we know that Barman is also a very succesful songwriter and musician with his band dEUS. The music is sometimes hot and at the same time relaxing which contributes to the sunny, smooth feel of the movie. Other times we hear funky pop/rock-melodies which give some scenes the strength that they need.

There's only one flaw, and that's the last half an hour. Was it the runtime, which was breaking me up? Or weren't the last scenes that fresh and accurate than the scenes until then? I can't figure it out...

All in all a beautiful sunny movie which lifts the Belgian cinema up.

8 out of 10!

(It's the breeze that flows through a girl's hair on a sunny afternoon making her even more beautiful; it's the fresh breeze that makes you relax when it passes you at a crowded party when someone opens the door; it's the breeze that carries the perfume from that beautiful girl sitting next to you in the park who you just met a week ago; it's the breeze.....)