evidentlykelly Reviews

First They Killed My Father (2017)

A Cinematic Masterpiece

[10/10 · 22 September 2017]

This film is both brilliantly and beautifully directed, from the first minute the camera pans around young Loung played by Sareum Srey Moch looking down at the city while standing on the banister; at the people crossing the street, at the hopscotch chalk game, and at the beautiful signs written in Cambodian script. Jolie masterfully draws you into this little girl's life and family before and after the Khmer Rouge take over. The perspective is all from that of an innocent 7 year old. It is all done incredibly beautifully, even the parts that aren't positive or beautiful. For example there is a bombing that you see as a reflection instead of seeing the immediate collateral damage. It is all very tasteful. Jolie really outdid herself with this film, and I know it must have been very dear to her heart. I hope that she and Loung Ung are very proud. Loung Ung wrote the book "First they Killed my Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers" Sareum Srey Moch is a brilliant young actress whose subtle emotion is captivating even in the dead of silence. She is perfect in her role.

The Broken (2008)

subjective interpretation of this existential thriller

[8/10 · 20 April 2017]

Basically, when the mirrors break, demons in the form of the five come out as doppelgängers. There must have been some sort of spontaneous seance when the five individuals were at Gina's father's house. Five is the same number as the sides of a pentacle and they were seated at a round table. I believe when Gina sees her boyfriend as a demon and she sees the others around her as demons its because her aura has been punctured and her soul fragmented, allowing entities to share her body with her own etheric body or mind body. She has a demon. She is not possessed, but she is being psychologically tormented by dreams. That's whats happening even before we get to the doppelgänger drama. She also keeps being haunted by this photo of her and her father that is scribbled out in his face area. Like he's not one of the good guys either. She finds it when she goes to see her car at the tow place. The glass isn't all smashed out of the front side of her car like she imagines. Her windshield isn't shattered. It symbolizes that she is still okay. She is still in control. Gina talks to her father about what she saw with the doppelgänger, and she says: "Why would she have a photo of you?" and he responds "Maybe its not me." Well, let's just see about that. These doppelgängers are here to kill their etheric bodies and take their bodies as vessels. This is when Gina learns that her etheric body had been killed before the crash and that she had always had this demon in her. to prove it her heart is on the wrong side now. the good gina is on the wrong side of the mirror now. the bad gina just had amnesia.

Black Plague (2002 Video)

'Cause baby now we've got bad blood

[7/10 · 20 April 2017]

a village keeps a grievous evil as a secret, and thirty years later retribution comes in the form of a man who is meant to be their salvation. it all starts with greed. this village is as corrupt as can be. they are willing to whore out their queen for money from the bishop, and the irony is that the black plague that comes upon the village is payback for a terrible thing that occurred to a previous queen who had another lover. there is a lot of Christian symbolism. it's hard to tell if the stranger in town is the Antichrist, a demon, pure evil; meant to be hated, or just another unloved and mistreated bastard. you feel sorry for the poor guy until he kills someone. the upside down cross he was branded with marks him to be evil, but he is actually quite charming and seductive. this man uses talisman sorcery to send out demons to do his work; both to kill and seduce. its ironic that this man causes forces of lust and obsession when it is those forces exactly that he is come to gain revenge from. he bonds with Matilda who is a kind and gentle soul. she is the only non- grotesque character in the film. Matilda burns these sexual paintings and the only one not burnt is wadded up. It's of two women and one has a phallus. I don't really understand what that means. Maybe it's the only one that doesn't make Matilda think of her suitor. Basically, this grotesque, corrupt, and evil town is brought down by their own creation which is slightly poetic. I won't tell you how, but they are. Lena Headey is brilliant as Matilda. She is kind and compassionate and as I said the only non-grotesque character in the film. She did a brilliant job in this role.

The Devil's Wedding (2009)

Probably too intellectual for most

[8/10 · 19 April 2017]

This celebration of language and film took me a few times watching to understand. I know, art is about being open to interpretation. I just had to find mine. It was meant to be grotesque at times but in the end I think it was a tale of triumph and justice. Stephen Graham plays his role flawlessly. I was even fooled by his delivery at times. He was just so good at what he did. It didn't look like he drew a proper banishing pentacle. I may not have seen clearly from the angle i was at being a viewer though. My understanding was that is what was intended as a trap for the devil. His delivery of the glossolalia was a bit disturbing. I think it was meant to be. ( I speak in tongues; well sing lullabies to myself really when I'm falling asleep, and i sound like some elven princess. I'm a follower of Jesus.) To my knowledge a demonic tongue or language is characterized by its profanity. At first I took the priest to be a second beast type character. I'm still going with that revelation theory. Lena Headey was brilliant in this. She looked stunning even as the devil's fiancé. I think that the MAC counter would have called her sorceress couture fab. The smoky eye with a little nude lipstick and slightly disheveled hair worked. I was also working that look in 2009. 'just a little bit. I thought that Pip Carter played his role well too. I've got to say I'm more terrifying when i clear my throat but that bit i think was just for laughs. He seemed like a decent fellow throughout, which brings me to my thesis on this and its that we ought to have compassion for the devil. I've soul searched on this one a lot of times being Christian and having seen the horrors that there are in the world. I believe the right thing is not to love Satan, because he will take advantage of love, but have compassion and mercy for his soul. And never judge a book by its cover. you never really know who's wearing the white hat.