anton-neschadim Reviews

Eye in the Sky (2015)

A great examination of moral reasoning and ethical decision-making!

[10/10 · 12 September 2015]

"Eye in the Sky" is an excellent examination of ethical decision-making and action within the complexity of the military and government structures. Explored through a complex ethical scenario, this work is illustrative of many important aspects of the process (such as moral sensitivity in military and government, moral reasoning, motivation, character, ...) as they are portrayed and examined through the decisions, judgements and actions of the various participants and stakeholders. This movie is very well paced and is supported by a stunning cast! The action scenes really make this into a thriller. Great to have Gavin Hood return to TIFF with this excellent work, ten years after "Tsotsi" made a splash here in Toronto!

The Railway Man (2013)

A remarkable examination of a challenging topic

[10/10 · 7 September 2013]

Saw this film at its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. Teplitzky's film is primarily an attempt at an exploration of the male psyche of men of the WWII generation, as they cope with PTSD, told through a true life story about torture, war crimes, loss, honour, and forgiveness. The protagonist, brilliantly portrayed by Colin Firth, is set apart as an unusual archetype right from the beginning of the movie, practically specifying that he is almost certain to cope with his condition and the circumstances that unroll as the plot thickens in an exceptional, but not necessarily an unexpected way. A story with any different ending is unlikely to be told this way, but the ending brings a pleasant surprise of greater magnitude than one would expect from a true story. The concepts of honour and valour lurk throughout the film, and the movie reaches its climax beautifully when the irony about honour is finally exposed in what was nothing short of a heartfelt and memorable admission of wrongdoing. This story is likely to resonate well with anyone, from any generation and cultural background.

Black Swan (2010)

Darren Aronofsky's Masterpiece is his best work yet!

[10/10 · 14 September 2010]

I have watched Darren Aronofsky's "Black Swan" at its North American premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. The film exposes the viewers to the highly competitive world of classical ballet through a psychologically intense pirouette of emotional and physical battles of a company dancer. A behind-the-curtain portrayal of the rise and fall of a principal dancer, it captures, from an every possible angle, the inner and the outer struggles of a dancer that is now required to climb above and beyond technical perfection to deliver a brilliant performance. Aronofsky has been very keen to reveal to the audience very early in the film that what they are about to see is an inner metamorphosis of the main character, but what he reserves revealing is just how wild exhilarating the ride will be. Natalie Portman in the lead role has delivered a perfect act on every level. Her introduction of the main protagonist as a tragedy waiting to unfold greatly augments the anticipation of the transformation the audience is so eager to see. The relationships of the protagonist with the key surrounding people (mother, creative director, alternate, male partner, other dancers in the company, and even the former principal) are explored to great depth, and Aronofsky builds his storyline on every factor that would have influence on the success of this new principal. Natalie Portman has delivered a sensational performance, depicting effortlessly, it would seem, yet with great intensity, every emotion to keep the audience captivated. Aronofsky does a great exploring the main character's obsessive drive for technical perfection, chronic physical and mental exhaustion, and her damaged and uncultivated sexuality, while exploring how, under changed conditions and increased pressure, these would collide to create a self-destructing ingenious artist. The ballet subject chosen by Aronofsky is perfect for such explorations – it is the one art where technical perfection and artistic expression are often at odds. The timing is impeccable and the thrill is sustained all throughout until the very end, taking us through a number of sometimes very chilling crises. Musical score is a superb adaptation of Tchaikovsky's themes. Aronofsky has really told a fascinating and complete story here (in his own twisted and dark flavour, of course), and that is what great directing is all about! It is a ten out of ten!