Apples

"You could make a new beginning now."

Apples is a Greek movie that I fortunately got a ticket to during AFI. This must be the year for perfectly timed movie releases. Like our world today, the movie takes place during a worldwide pandemic. In this case, the unknown illness causes sudden amnesia. Middle-aged Aris finds himself enrolled in a recovery program designed to help unclaimed patients build new identities. I probably should've paid attention more in the beginning (I was finishing up some school work) because I had no idea what was actually going on the first 20 minutes. Once I figured everything out, I could actually start enjoying this movie. What I've found is Greek films have a certain style. All the ones I have seen have a quirky style, are drama-comedies, and have a deeper meaning to them. Apples follows this same setup the whole way through. I liked this style for the movie, but I found a major issue with pacing. The beginning starts off very slow and leaves many questions for the viewer. Right away there isn't much of an interest other than the acting and direction. Aris Servetalis plays Aris (I don't think the naming is coincidental) well. We're with him the whole time. He starts out having contracted this amnesia illness so we're blind with him. The comedy comes mainly from him. It's not the sort of laugh out loud comedy but it's more wholesome and situational. But the main source of interest comes from director Christos Nikou. He could be a new Yorgos Lanthimos. Their styles from the pale cinematography to the deadpan acting are very similar in the way of execution. I liked where he was coming from and this is a personal story to him as said in a Q&A with him, but this isn't as fleshed out as I would like it to be. Maybe a rewatch would help gain a better experience, but for now there's a bit of a disconnect. I wouldn't be surprised if this becomes a contender for international feature this awards season as it showcases good filmmaking.

A parallel universe of loneliness. An isolated man without memories. A new beginning. Brilliant Smart Inspiring

Even though there were a few absurdities, it was very well made in general. It's a very easy going and entertaining movie.

A very interesting take on a different type of pandemics, I felt I could see more of that movie, maybe more complications and more lines to the story to give it the depth that could made that a movie one of the best movies in 2021 without a doubt.

Beside my wishes, an authentic experience that you witness rarely.

In this film Aris appears to have suffered from a major case of amnesia, along with many of his fellow citizens. As a result he is put into a rehabilitation program, to try to help him rebuild his identity. The central character plays the scenes with a deadpan air, allowing us to view the unfolding events with him. He meets a fellow amnesiac, and they appear to be building a relationship, but he becomes disillusioned when he realises that her advances towards him are just the result of suggestions by the doctors who are controlling the program. It is an interesting study about the search for identity, and a meaning to life, and perhaps too the controlling impact of institutions on our lives, as the demands of the doctors become increasingly bizarre and inappropriate. Ultimately the film seems to question whether the character really has lost his memory, or whether this is a voluntary choice, as he searches for a new identity.