alipiojorge

The poetics of this hard to watch movie provides some historical explanation for an outsider like myself to what is happening in Ukraine and Russia right now and of what has happenned in Russia in other periods of history. The movie is more theatrical than historical, but it is strange how all the dystopical surrealism used in it can be at the same time the plausible exact truthful depiction of events. In tyranny you never know. It is desolating how much of nowadays russia is described there. The russian and human condition seems to be this eternal cycle of abuse and brainwashing generation after generation perpretated to perpetuate power and the only escape is unlikely and unreachable forgiveness. The film is full of unforgetable scenes like the pietà, the dance, the kid with the bonfire, the mass grave revelation, the execution lesson and so on. The sound track has pratically only one mesmerizing theme. Acting is superb. A must watch.

I often come to IMDB after watching a movie I find special for some reason. Just for its public score. I was not expecting too much for this one but I was surprised by the thrashing. I wonder what most people expect from cinema. This is an originally crafted film that I watched eagerly. I woke up the next morning reviewing mentally some of the scenes and the director's/writer's decisions. The film is relatively short and staged practically in one large beautiful apartment room. Acting is mostly great. Even when it is almost non acting as in the case of the Carl character/real person. The concept of the movie is very simple and anyone can relate to it: your conscience is your fiercest warden. The succession of scenes is not exactly chronological. But if you do not try to make sense of everything immediately it flows naturally, even if at the end you are not able to answer all the questions about the movie. There is a side topic which seems to be wedged into the the film: old age and natural human decay. But if I think of how it goes into the plot I can find a defensible theory of why it is there and why the Carl character is also about conscience, crime and getting on with your life (or not). Note: I watched it on FilmIn, a platform for quality/alternative/international cinema and series. So, I guess the movie was what I was looking for, despite being an American one with a mainstream actor such as Alec Baldwin.

I enjoyed watching both seasons. Credible plot, dramatic and catchy. Good characters with some depth. No clear bad guys good guys divide Very well produced by the Portuguese tv and our mother region Galicia. Great to hear Gallego in Portugal. Not a very good decision to have most Portuguese characters speaking Gallego with their counter parts though, except for Teresa and Paulo who have mixed origins. Otherwise just let each speak own's language which was the same a few centuries ago and some say still is the same language. The first season ends somewhat abruptly so it is more one whole season rather than two. Well done Galicia's and Portugal's broadcasters. Many great actors, especially on the Galician side. Splendid scenic views of Vigo and Lisbon. A shame Porto and North were not in. Great pick especially if you are tired of the usual stuff.