Anniversary

My theory: This is not merely a movie. This is a warning of what is about to happen. I believe that with movie like this can both warn us and by watching our reviews understand how we feel about what's coming. This is one of the more important movies of the decade. Brace yourselves and good luck to us all.

Seriously, you need to watch this movie. It's a horrific realisation of what will happen if people don't stand up for themselves and their belief.

Common dystopian trajectory, where misinformation replaces shared reality and disinformation rewards emotional reaction over evidence. Identity hardens into ideology, ideology justifies aggression and personal self-interest is reframed as moral certainty.

When truth becomes optional, power shifts to whoever controls the narrative momentum, not the facts. Political and fundamental doctrines then stop being belief systems and become tools for dominance. Chaos isn't accidental in that environment.

The horror isn't the future itself, but how little imagination it takes to see it happening already.

Baron Nathan Rothschild has been quoted as saying "When there's blood in the streets, buy real estate." This sentiment, beyond the obvious reference to financial opportunities, also expresses the idea that division and chaos create opportunities for political revision. And as history has so often demonstrated that revision can manifest in negative ways.

A single, close-knit family celebrates an anniversary, every toast invokes love, but over the course of five years the story moves inextricably toward the antithesis. The close-knit weave is unravelled. A political evolution is occurring, sparked by a book written by the girlfriend of the young son in the family. The result is a family divided and increasing at odds and edgy.

Diane Lane, Kyle Chandler, Zoey Deutch and the rest of the cast excel. The screenplay itself attempts to be a cautionary tale, a psychological thriller, and a study in the corrupting nature of power. It only partially succeeds, because it touches too lightly on the subject matter--we never learn anything about political movement itself, the ideology behind it. The story should have been told through a limited series of three episodes.

It does however remind us quite clearly how what often appears as a simple grassroots movement, and appeals to the masses, can be saturated with malfeasance. We need to be cautious, and history should be studied. Prevent those who want to control it.

Gripping tale about a possible 'new' political society aka totalitarian regime with the main focus on a family.

Great performances by Diane Lane, Kyle Chandler and Dylan O'Brien.

Unfortunately Lionsgate wanted to keep this movie as low profile as possible, didn't do any marketing for it to not 'hurt' anybody and therefore this movie with a top notch superb cast is very under the radar and a financial flop. So, a studio produced this movie and a distributor should distribute it, but then it's for the better good to keep this movie quiet.

Ironical, isn't it?

The movie is like a chamber play, more or less takes only place at the house and inside the house of the Turner family, the parents Paul and Ellen Taylor and their children being in the centre of the story that spans five years.

Sharp, intense dialogues, very well acted by Diane Lsne and I hope she gets nominated for an Academy Award, and a dark mood and unease that starts after appr. 15-20 minutes and never let's go.

Good movie. Reminded me on the first 'The Purge' (2013) with Ethan Hawke and Lena Headey that also showed a changed society from a chamber play view.

Recommended.

Polish director Jan Komasa presents an intriguing political thriller with touches of science fiction that immerses us in a mind game and the disintegration of an apparently perfect family.

With a star-studded cast including Diane Lane, Kyle Chandler, Madeline Brewer, Zoey Deutch, Dylan O'Brien, Phoebe Dynevor and McKenna Grace, the story follows a close-knit family that is torn apart when a new movement, "The Change," takes over the country.

Anniversary may seem like a political pamphlet at first glance, but delving into the film's psychology reveals a layered thriller that captivates the viewer. It's a work with a moral and political undercurrent that explores the extreme thoughts plaguing the characters' minds. The director's impeccable handling captivates with a simple interplay of glances and unease, creating a film that becomes an addiction as intense as it is cruel.

The film's stellar cast is its greatest asset in keeping us captivated by everything that unfolds on screen. Diane Lane returns with one of her finest performances as a determined and politically engaged mother, perfectly counterbalanced by Phoebe Dynevor, who provides the ideal antithesis to what we might expect. The rest of the cast is equally superb.

It's a clever film that manages to win you over, but it's not a film that will appeal to everyone. While it has its political undertones, it also explores social culture in times of questioning freedom. It's a daring film that, in Lori Rosene-Gambino's screenplay, finds its main strength in suspense and tension, making you feel uncomfortable as part of this family that unravels over the course of five years.

A pleasant surprise, especially for those who enjoy intense thrillers like this one. It has its flaws, of course; it's not a perfect film, particularly when it tries to string together transitions that aim to present a layer of reflective morality. The film works much better when it lets go and doesn't try to be a politically correct piece meant to please. The discomfort and tension it generates within a house prove to be the ideal effect for enjoying a story with a couple of very satisfying twists.