Desejo e Obsessão

If anything, this spooky little film will make newlyweds feel a whole lot better about their decisions; or maybe not. It's all fun and games until the vacation ends in exsanguination. See Vincent Gallo and his fetching snookum in gay Paris. See Vincent Gallo with an American Psycho-like mouthful of raw crotch meat. See Vincent Gallo dry grind some doughy matron on public transportation while holding an unharmed (Christmas is saved!) puppy. Thank your God that Gallo appears here, without his natural acting abilities and broodingly intense presence, this film would have been a pretentious bust. Like all of Claire Denis' films it lacks overall cohesion in the storytelling and feels deeply disjointed and dislocated. Atmospherically it works in large part, again, due to Gallo's presence. A fine young cannibal with no fear of transmitting Kuru and/or being aptly compared to Armie Hammer (too soon?). Also, bloody good soundtrack provided by the Tindersticks, one of the most monstrously underrated bands of all-time!

This movie is up until now the dullest and most boring movie of the Stockholm Film Festival. It is not touching, not moving, not repulsive, not anything, just boring. Slow and completely void of story and character development, it leaves me feeling empty. Lesson for the movie-makers: Just throwing in some blood and unnecessary rape doesn't take away that this is 100 minutes of nothing.

Crap I say.

This is really a slow-paced and mostly boring film with mainly sexual-cannibalism as it`s focus.The actual storyline is quite intriguing and beautiful,pity then that this french director does`nt do it justice when it comes to convey it on screen.Well,you may ask;are`nt there any redeeming qualities about this film?As I said,this is a film that is MOSTLY boring,well when director Denise goes for the jugular,she truly does!!There are two flesh-consuming scenes here that,in my opinion,could be deemed to be very realistic,and I am especially referring to the burglary-scene.Seldom have I witnessed a more graphic presentation of love-bites,he,he.Nice set of teeth there!!Is this really worth a buy?Yes and no.If you,as I do,cherish mayhem and gloat over the macabre scenes portrayed here,wanting to show it to everybody(hoping they`ll vomit eventually,he!),then yes.On the other hand if you are looking for a remotely exciting film,then better avoid.Better still,rent it and copy the two scenes worth watching.Well,that truly was some expert advice,don`t you think?You`re welcome!

Although there are a few scenes that are very, very striking (the gore and the sexuality), the movie just left me wondering "what was this all about?". There are no explanations for any of the events that take place and we never get any insight into the characters. It was as if I was observing a couple of very disturbed people but I was not allowed to ask questions and no information is available. I was disappointed.

Vincent Gallo ... I should have known this would not be anything remotely "normal". And while the violence may borderline and vary to some (between ridiculous and scary), we do not get to see too much of certain things. Still there is an unease about this. Because it dares to show us glimpses of things ... especially sexuality and the insatiable hunger ... which I'm quite certain is a metaphor. For a lot of things.

As another reviewer has already stated, the movie is about sexuality and the gender roles. Or at least can be viewed as such. You can see beyond the horror and try to figure certain things out yourself. Gallo plays it straight ... and while there is not much dialog ... certain things are being repeated - I'm ok ... I'm ok. As if the characters are trying to convince themselves of what they are saying. Which is not really working - or fooling anyone for that matter.

There will be blood and there will be mayhem ... and there will be unsatisfied conclusions ... and some that may not even be considered a conclusion. A weird movie that for some reason was playing at a cinema the other day ... I reckon they knew I'd go and watch it anyway ... but I was not alone. A couple watched this with me ... and while we didn't know each other (and still don't), they shared their candy with me - not an innuendo. Although I am not ruling out or saying ... well anything. Anyway that anecdote aside that has nothing to do with the movie, it is as weird an encounter and experience as the movie itself was ...