Festival of love and joy (Eurovision 2019, part 2)

Grand final is only part of Eurovision I always watch live. I also vote (and always have problem with choosing). And, as I promised, this note will cover songs from ESC 2019 final. Enjoy!

26. United Kingdom: Michael Rice "Bigger Than Us"

The universe is bigger than us, huh? No shit, Sherlock... Okay, jokes aside. To be honest, this song is quite okay, maybe a little bit boring. I like the visuals – galaxy-like animations always look great, especially on such big screens. However, performance as a whole is too bland for ESC and I if UK wasn't in Big Five, this song probably wouldn't make it to the final.

Or maybe it would, no one knows what people vote for during semi-finals...

25. Germany: S!sters "Sister"

Hey, this song is great, why did it score so little points? I absolutely love the message and how emotional the performance itself is. Adding footage of singers in the background was fantastic choice, it nicely embraces the emotions. It's a pity Germany had no luck this year.

24. Belarus: ZENA "Like it"

Very energetic performance, I especially like the choreography. Also, ZENA has amazing voice and charisma, not to mention singing and dancing in the same time is rather difficult.

Wait... She is four years YOUNGER than me?! AND SHE HAS ALREADY MADE AN INTERNATIONAL CAREER?!
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Fuck, what have I done wrong I'm still unrecognisable?

23. Israel: Kobi Marimi "Home"

Oh my... That's probably the most emotional performance this year. Kobi definitely gave his whole heart into singing, you can clearly hear it in his voice. I didn't like the song that much, just not my type, but the way it's performed... Simply amazing.

22. Spain: Miki "La Venda"

I absolutely adore how cheerful and colourful Spain's entry is! Upbeat songs like this are perfect for summer and I love when they are submitted for ESC among sad and serious ballads. You can clearly see how the artists are enjoying themselves during performance. And the group hug was just cute.

21. Greece: Katerine Duska "Better Love"

This entry is so... pink. And I love it. Really, the atmosphere is amazing. Clothes and scene give a little bit fairytale vibes. Song itself is also very decent, Katerine clearly is vocally talented. I also like the girls with spades, very original idea. In general, whole performance is simply lovely.

20. Estonia: Victor Crone "Storm"

To be honest, I was rather disappointed with this entry. Estonia slayed last year and this year it's just... Meh. It isn't a bad performance, but it has also nothing special. I mean, Victor doesn't have to wear a huge, visuals displaying dress or so, but the song itself should be something more than just an ordinary pop song. Especially after ESC 2018's crazy performance...

19. San Marino: Serhat "Say Na Na Na"

...the fuck? No, really: WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?! It starts as a last century's disco rip-off and then... I have no idea what to say. This song is so, so, SO bad, San Marino really had guts to send it to ESC. Well, at least internet will remember this entry thanks to memes.

Don't judge me, I had been studying medical chemistry for almost a year...

18. Serbia: Nevena Božović "Kruna"

I don't usually listen to songs like "Kruna", but I fell in love with it. Nevena sounds like an angel, especially in the chorus. Smoke and visuals match emotional tone of this song quite well, making an amazing entry. And I have never thought Serbian is such a beautiful language... However, there is one thing I don't like about this song – the English lines stick out like a sore thumb.

17. Albania: Jonida Maliqui "Ktheju Tokës"

Definitely one of my favourite entries this year. I live the eerie feeling this song has, not to mention powerful vocals. I also love the fact the lyrics are entirely in Albanian, English would definitely kill this song. I mean, whole performance feel extremely ethnic, it would be impossible to keep this character while using other language.

16. France: Bilal Hassani "Roi"

My relationship with French music is... Well... Complicated. However, this entry changed it. I fell in love with this song from the very beginning, I love how body positive the whole performance is (the dancers were simply amazing). In the world full of fat shaming and similar, it's really important that songs with such message are made.

But coming back to the entry itself: I think France should have won this year. Really, this performance is a masterpiece! I like how well the visuals are synchronized with lyrics. Also, Bilal's singing is pure pleasure to listen. I love his dancing too, this boy is so skilled... I have to check rest of his songs... And his vlogs... (How to learn French in a very short time? I can only say "Bonjour!" and "Je m'appelle crêpe").

Bilal's such a cutie, I just want to hug him.

15. Slovenia: Zala Kralj & Gašper Šantl "Sebi"

Another entry I hoped would win... It's one of this songs, which you can actually feel. I adore how intimate this performance is, you can clearly see the love between Zala and Gašper. It's hard not to smile while watching they perform together. Also, the song itself is so mesmerizing and ethereal, pure magic... Slovenia definitely deserved a better score.

And I just melted at the end. They're so cute.

14. Malta: Michela Pace "Chameleon"

Looks like an advertisement for some wall paints.
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Okay, jokes aside. Another happy, colourful entry. The song isn't my cup of tea, but I like how well performed it is. Also, I absolutely love the choreography (it's so cute!) and visuals. Especially visuals, they are so creative.

13. Cyprus: Tamta "Replay"

Such a sexy entry. Really, everything in this performance just drips with sex appeal: Tamta's amazing vocal, her mesmerizing moves, her appearance... I heard some people complained about her outfit, they thought it was too revealing. For me, it's perfectly matching overall tone of the entry. And damn, I want these boots...

12. Denmark: Leonora "Love Is Forever"

This is so sweet I just got diabetes. *plays DIMLIM before coming back to writing* Okay, I like sweet, lovely, cute and adorable things, but being like this is not enough for me. I mean, the song itself is so bland... I like the idea, but the music is just too boring, at least for me. But kudos for the multilingual lyrics, especially "Liebe ist für alle da" part.

Rammstein approves.

11. Czech Republic: Lake Malawi "Friend of a Friend"

Actually, it's a nice, very catchy song, just perfect for some parties or so. However, I didn't like this entry much. I mean, it's very well done, but the music doesn't matches my taste. I had the same problem with the previous one... And, to be honest, both sound so similar I had a deja vu.

10. Iceland: Hatari "Hatrið mun sigra"

Okay, there were many great entries this year, but this is my favourite among favourites. Really, my gothic heart has never been so pleased by an ESC song (and I was saying the same thing last year after hearing AWS). This performance is awesome, I love everything: concept, music, vocals, message, choreography, visuals, staging, costumes, every damn thing is just PERFECT. I'm positively surprised that Iceland got such a high score this year, I was sure most people would get scared of this crazy bondage orgy.

Also, I'm absolutely in love with Klemens' voice. It's so high and smooth... In general, I'm very fond of Klemens, he's such a cinnamon roll. (I want to hug him too).

And let's be honest, drummer with a hammer stole the show.

Are you on the square? Are you on the level?

9. Australia: Kate Miller-Heidke "Zero Gravity"

Holy shit... This is epic. This is simply EPIC. When I thought I've seen everything, Australia brought a singer with opera voice (I absolutely love it!), who sings while swaying on giant stick. My basophobia just goes crazy from looking at it, Kate and the dancers must have been brave as hell to perform like this. Moreover, they did they best. Stunning, isn't it?

Also, I like the visuals (galaxies, galaxies are always great). And the message. Especially the message. As a person, who has been dealing with depression for years, it's really uplifting that some people are not afraid of this topic.

8. Azerbaijan: Chingiz "Truth"

The song is... Quite enjoyable to listen. I mean, nothing special, but also not bad. However, the performance... I just fell in love with it. The futuristic vibe feels great, the visuals look absolutely stunning. And I adore the robots, robots are always awesome!

So awesome!

7. North Macedonia: Tamara Todevska "Proud"

I like the message of this song and... That's all. Okay, it's very well performed, Tamara has good, strong vocal, but, unfortunately, I don't particularly like this entry. (But I like the dress. Really like).

6. Norway: KEiiNO "Spirit in the Sky"

Another entry I hoped would win. I absolutely adore the song, it's so catchy I can't stop listening to it. Mixing EDM with Norwegian folk was a great idea (actually, I had never heard before about joik. Man learns their whole life, huh?). Add some stunning visuals and you get a song that deserves to win.

(See, Poland? THIS is how to promote country's folklore, goddammit!)

5. Sweden: John Ludvik "Too Late for Love"

Judging by YouTube comments, it's one of the internet's favourite songs this year. Well, performance is rather okay, but the song itself... Definitely not my type. I wouldn't call it bad, I just don't like it.

4. Switzerland: Luca Hänni "She Got Me"

Very catchy song with energetic performance, I like it. Luca has amazing stage persona, it's hard not to be endeared by him. Also the choreography is awesome, so powerful. No doubt why people like it.

3. Russia: Sergey Lazarev "Scream"

In 2016 Russia and Sergey just won my heart with "You Are The Only One", not only by epic visuals, but also absolutely enjoyable song (I like to listen to it from time to time). It had been said this year's entry is even better, so I expected a blast... And got disappointed as hell. The song is mean to be very emotional, but for me is just extremely bland. Sergey's vocal is okay, but the music is nothing special. The visuals also aren't even half good as in 2016. Okay, maybe I wouldn't be that bitter if I didn't love the old song... But I loved. And I hoped for something much, much better.

2. Italy: Mahmood "Soldi"

Two years ago, Italy sent a totally wild entry. Year ago, it was minimalistic and serious. Seems that this year they finally stroke a balance. (Which doesn't mean I didn't like the previous ones, because i liked, especially the 2018 one). Unfortunately, the song itself doesn't suit my taste, but I like the performance. It's well done, has amazing visuals and choreography. Even if the meaning is rather sad, the entry itself is still very enjoyable.

1. The Netherlands: Duncan Laurence "Arcade"

And here we are, the winner... To be honest, I was disappointed as hell. I mean, it's not a bad entry. The music is nice, the vocal is nice, the visuals are nice too. Everything is so... Nice. Only nice. I don't see anything special about this performance, for me it blends with other ballads. Nevertheless, congrats to Duncan, he did amazing job.

(But I still think the piano could have at least burst into flames!)


Actually, even if I complained a little bit, I still enjoyed whole contest and I just can't wait for ESC 2020. Eurovision, see you in the Netherlands!






Image sources:
Base for Serhat meme: https://i0.wp.com/oneurope.co.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/rop-e1557476170590.jpg?w=968&ssl=1
Bilal: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bilal_Hassani#/media/File:Bilal_hassani_NRJ_Reims_79785.jpg
Rammstein: https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ich_tu_dir_weh#/media/File:Ich_tu_dir_weh.png
Hatari: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatari_(band)#/media/File:Iceland-Hatari-ESC2019-002.jpg
Awesome robots: http://d2ybq9unw89ve4.cloudfront.net/tv/2019/05/18/eurovision-song-contest-final-2019-pictures/chingiz-azerbaijan-performs-song-truth/ 

Waiter, there's insanity in my folk horror!

I planned to write a post about Eurovision's final, I even started it... But then I took my best friend (a declared horror and occultism lover) to a cinema to see "a new horror movie about paganism". I was sure she would like it. Her thoughts after the film?

"Kiki, next time I choose a movie!"

And that was the moment I knew I had to write about this film. I mean, when the biggest horror fan I know is that shocked by the movie then said movie is definitely extraordinary.

I think you probably know what film I'm talking about.

I know, it looks like a melodrama movie. Don't let these tears deceive you...

If I were to describe "Midsommar" with just one sentence it would be "lighter and softer pagan version of Suspiria". And "lighter and softer" definitely doesn't mean "everyone can watch it". There is still a lot of gore and mindfuck, just not that much.

But let's start from the beginning – the plot. Writing anything about this movie without spoilers is nearly impossible, so

SPOILER ALERT!

In the beginning we meet Dani (Florence Pugh). Dani is a regular student with horrible problems: she deals with mentally unstable, bipolar sister and quite toxic boyfriend, Christian (Jack Reynor). During opening sequence Dani tries to contact Christian and tell him how worried she is about her sister, who first sent her very unsettling email and then stopped responding. Christian shoos her away, saying it's probably another false alarm.

Let's stop here. I was quite amazed how realistic is the toxicity of relationship between Dani and Christian made. Dani is a really troubled woman, who needs support, so nothing surprising that she clings to Christian for comfort. However, Christian is totally egoistic and never thinks about that. Instead, he views Dani as a pain in the ass, who always looks for problems to complain about. Moreover, he always makes her guilty by blaming her for everything wrong (that's funny, my ex-boyfriend used to do the same...) and later, when things go completely downhill, doesn't hide the fact he totally doesn't care about his girlfriend. And why they don't break up? Because Christian is too scared to do so. Shortly, Christian is one hell of an asshole, who gets worse when movie progresses and we learn more about his horribly egoistic personality.

Shortly after an introduction it's revealed Dani was right with her concerns – her sister killed her parents and then herself with carbon monoxide. Some time later Dani learns that Christian planned to go to Sweden with his friends from studies (of course, he didn't tell her, which led to painfully realistic exchange, starting with Dani calling Christian out for not telling her and finishing with Christian making her feel guilty about it. Again). Christian invites Dani to go with them, believing she won't do so. Surprise – she does. And then things happen. Many things.

I liked how different and original are Christian's friends. They all are anthropology students, but each of them has completely different personality and approach to life and studies. There's Pelle (Vilhelm Blomgren), a kind and calm man with totally hippie attitude, raised by a Swedish pagan commune, who asks his friends to go with him to his hometown, Hårga, for once in a lifetime festival. From the beginning he is genuinely nice towards Dani, comforting her after her loss and talking with her about his commune's midsummer celebrations. There's Josh (William Jackson Harper), passionate anthropologist and horrible jerk at the same time (let me be honest: knowing about it and still not telling an anxious person that something they are going to witness involves ritual suicide IS a shining example of dickery). And there's Mark (Will Poulter and yes, I had one, big "where the hell have I already seen this guy?!" on my face during all his scenes. Damn you, "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" and my facial recognition problems...), a goofball who thinks only about drugs and sex. Add Christian, the "I don't care about anyone except me" man, and you get quite colourful bunch of movie characters.

From annoying know-all to sex obsessed stoner. Something went terribly wrong, Eustace...

Speaking about characters, I absolutely loved portrayal of the commune. People there are so warm and welcoming it's hard not to like them from the first scene. The fact they live in a sunny village in the middle of nowhere only adds to the sweetness of them. Villagers' cheerful attitude gets quite unsettling when you compare it to what they do every 90 years during special midsummer celebrations. To begin with, the ättestupa or "the oldest people from our commune lead special dinner, then sing ritual songs, then are taken to the cliff and then jump from this cliff to their death" (which is hinted to occur every year...). Actually, I kinda understand why the commune sees nothing wrong with it – for them committing suicide after hitting 72 is a very dignified way of dying, much better than spending years dealing with illnesses and other "perks" of being old. Value dissonances at its finest. However we can't use the same excuse towards rest of ceremonies, which involve human sacrifices. The fact that these sunshine children get excited with killing people (not only outsiders, but also fellow villagers!) is probably the scariest thing about "Midsommar", much worse than mutilated corpses and similar.

Some people may wonder why, at the end, Dani decided to stay with Hårga people. She witnessed them killing her boyfriends' friends (and a young couple from London), perform rather gruesome ceremonies and many, many more. She wasn't, as Pelle, raised with these people, for her their way of thinking was hard to understand. So why did she calmly embraced the fact she became one of them? I think the answer is simple: they were nice to her. As I mentioned, she has spent years in rather abusive relationship with Christian, has been worrying about her sister, had no support in anyone. Hårga must have seemed like a paradise for her – everyone was so kind, she was warmly greeted and invited to join villagers' activities. As you can notice, from the very beginning Dani was the one who was spending the most time with Hårga people. On the first day she joined flowers collecting, then she helped with cooking (I think that was one of the sweetest moments in the movie, especially, when other women gave Dani on apron and complimented her appearance) and then she was invited to take part in traditional dancing competition. The joy visible on her face while dancing is really hard to describe, not to mention her astonishment when she became the May Queen. I think that was the moment when she finally felt accepted by someone. Considering the fact she has been in great distress for most of her life, it's no surprise she decided to stay with people, who gave her at least some happiness.

"In the morning, we do happy pagan things. In the evening, we sacrifice people. Isn't it fun?"

Trailers may suggest "Midsommar" is another "bunch of Americans go to the end of the world and then die" film. Actually, it's partially true. However, most of the time the movie focuses on Dani's deteriorating mental state. The filmmakers showed it pretty well. When Dani feels anxious, you can clearly hear her deep breathing. To be honest, sometimes the audio focuses more on her breathing than any other sounds. This makes viewers (especially the ones, who have experienced at least one panic attack in their life) very unsettled. Additionally, for most of the time the screen is swaying, representing Dani's distress (or the fact she is under the effect of drugs – it often overlaps). The effect is creepy as hell, especially, when the scenery seems to breathe (remember the moving flower in May Queen's crown?).

In the beginning, I compared "Midsommar" to "Suspiria". Both movies are unsettling, psychedelic horrors, which focus a lot on insanity and gore ("Suspiria" is only slightly more graphic, especially the ending) and don't hold back when it comes to nudity and sexual themes (however, "Midsommar" is more literal). But the first thing that made me think about "Suspiria" while watching "Midsommar" is the sensual abuse both films inflict on viewers. There are a lot of rather chaotic scenes, accompanied by loud music and other sounds, for example Dani's painful wailing. They seem to try to get into viewer's head and make them feel the same the characters are feeling – shock, distress, anxiety, excitement and, in the end, catharsis. It's another trait characteristic for both movies: the ending is very cathartic, not only for the main heroine, but also for the audience. However, it's a little bit problematic in the case of "Midsommar". The movie just abruptly ends during very intensive moment. This made me confused as hell and a little bit disappointed – I hoped for a longer ending sequence and some kind of dénouement, not a cut in the middle of the climax.

The dancing competition kinda reminds me about integration games I used to play in the school. "Belgijka" (Polish version of Chapelloise) anyone?

Actually, "Midsommar" isn't very scary, rather really disturbing. But I enjoyed it anyway – it's a decent movie about insane pagan cult with nice special effects and great acting, definitely worth watching... Unless you are sensitive to body horror. If you are, better stay away. Or watch it with friend, who will tell you, when you should close and open your eyes.

And yeah, next time I'll probably go with my best friend to the cinema to see a Disney movie. Or a generic horror without long shots of dead bodies...

I swear, I had no idea there would be so much gore! (And what do you mean, I should have checked "Hereditary" first?!)

Image sources:
All movie stills were screenshot by me from the official trailer and belong to A24.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Vnghdsjmd0

First poster: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8772262/mediaviewer/rm3772802304
Second poster: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8772262/mediaviewer/rm1428384768