This year, the Transgender Awareness Week lasted from 13th to 19th of November. Incidentally, the 2021 Five Flavours Festival began in the middle of it, on 17th. So, it was only logical that I started the festival movie marathon with "Alifu: the Prince/ss" – a 2017 film by Wang Yu-lin about life as a transgender person.
I have to admit, due to the fact I myself am transgender, my expectations were high. But guess what? I'm actually quite satisfied with the film.
Mostly. Except for one thing.
But let's start from the beginning.
The movie focuses on three storylines. Alifu (Utjung Tjakivalid) is a transgender woman in her twenties. She works as a hairdresser with her best friend, a lesbian Li Pei-zhen (Chao Yi-lan), and saves money for a gender reassignment surgery. She still hasn't come out to her family, which becomes troublesome when one day her father, a leader of a Paiwan community, asks her to step into his place. Alifu often helps in a drag bar owned by Sherry (Bamboo Chen), a trans woman of an older generation, who deals with both health problems and an unrequited love for her flatmate, Wu (Wu Pong-fing). At the same time one of the drag queens, Chris (Cheng Jen-shuo), struggles with hiding his identity as a performer from his girlfriend.
While Alifu is the titular character, all three stories are treated as equally important. It creates a diverse, fast-paced movie, full of constantly changing sceneries and moods. However, once you get used to fast montage, the film is quite easy to follow. The fact all characters are somehow connected to Sherry's bar definitely helps, tying all storylines together.
What I especially liked about "Alifu: the Prince/ss" is how realistic it is. The filmmakers consulted it with Taiwanese queer folks, including transgender people, and it shows. The stories are very close to real life and deal with actual issues: fear of coming out, lack of acceptance by family members, high costs of gender resignment therapy etc. The movie doesn't sugarcoat, showing everything as it is. Characters aren't perfect, they make mistakes or sometimes uses insensitive language, which makes them more human. On the other hand, the story doesn't fall into a trap of being too dramatic. Yes, the characters have some troubles, but they don't overshadow their entire lives. Alifu lives her everyday life peacefully, accepted by her friends and co-workers. Same goes for Sherry – she's a strong, independent woman and no one questions it. It's quite refreshing to see such approach, especially given the fact how often mainstream media tend to turn queer stories, especially ones about transgender people, into overdramatized tearjerkers.
I'm not saying being trans is always sugar and rainbows, but nobody's
life is. We deal with some problems, but it doesn't mean everyone has to
pity us.
The film smoothly integrates drama and comedy, making it interesting and more down-to-earth. Often emotionally charged scenes are lightened by hints of humour in dialogues. One of early scenes in the hospital is a good example: the characters have just learnt about Sherry's failing health, Wu frets over her in worry... And then Sherry complains that she wants to change the hospital, because she doesn't like the gowns here. Thanks to that remark, whole scene gets more realistic – people often try to ease the tension with jokes. However, the humour is never tasteless and doesn't invalidate actual problems. Issues like Sherry's illness, Alifu's father's lack of acceptance or Chris' problems with his double life are always treated seriously.
However, despite the creators' excellent sensitivity, they didn't avoid a fuck-up. A horrible one, given the fact it touches the problem of consent and breaching one's boundaries.
Or just let me put it bluntly: there's a very rapey scene that totally doesn't match the story.
Unfortunately, to elaborate I need to spoil one plot twist, so
SPOILER ALERT!
Over the course of the movie, Pei-zhen realises she's in love with Alifu. There's nothing weird in it – she's a lesbian and Alifu is a woman after all. However, after confessing it to Alifu, she pressures her into having sex. Alifu first refuses, visibly uncomfortable (she even says she's not into women), before giving in. Whole scene is treated very lightly, like it was some banter between friends and not a major assault on one's body integrity. While I don't want to sanitise media, I think that having such scene in a movie like this, presenting it in light-hearted way and not addressing its problems is unacceptable. Rape is a serious issue and transwomen are in especially vulnerable position.
End of spoilers.
Seriously, it's shame that no one questioned this particular moment while shooting.
Apart from this plot point, I really enjoyed the movie. It's well-acted, emotional and immersing. The audiovisual side is also pleasant, especially the soundtrack – I especially love the main song, Waa Wei's "Silent Movies". It matches the tone of the film pretty well.
In general, I'd love to say that you're looking for a realistic slice of life about queer people, you can give "Alifu: the Prince/ss" a shot. However, because of this very uncomfortable scene of dubiously consensual sex (which, while not treated seriously by the narrative, may be very upsetting), I can't recommend it with pure conscience. But I'm not discouraging anyone from watching the movie either. Just be mindful, okay?
I hate when an otherwise great movie gets ruined thanks to one bad moment. Why can't we have nice things?
I have no idea, when was the last time I did a "Life OST" episode. Still, there is so much music I want to share with you all!
This time I'm introducing songs that are uplifting. Before you ask "but what's the difference between this list and Numbing Emotional Pain one": the songs I listed in that episode didn't have to lift one's spirit. These are, either because of lyrics or the overall vibe. It's just hard not to smile while listening to them.
So, turn up the volume and let's go!
BlutEngel "Lebe deinen Traum"
I'll start with one of my favourites. "Lebe deinen Traum" is a very powerful song about how you can take your life in your own hands and live the way you really want. The narration about following your dreams and not looking back really speaks to me, matching my life philosophy quite well.
Apart from the meaning, "Lebe deine Traum" is also a very catchy tune with awesome vocals by both Ulrike and Chris. And have I mentioned how much I love German? This language is so goddamn sexy!
While indeed the lyrics may sound cheesy to some, there is something very uplifting in a song about loving someone so much you want to give this person your life, about how their love completes you. "Love is so bright, like a diamond in the light" sings Cezar and damn, he's right. Love truly is a beautiful thing.
I also love (lol) this song for how it sounds. Opera singing and dubstep go together really well and it's a shame so few artists exploit it.
The Crüxshadows "My Telescope"
There's something very soothing about the way "My Telescope" sounds. The pleasant music and Rogue's heavenly vocal never fail to make me feel better regardless of the situation. The lyrics have quite a nostalgic vibe – Rogue sings about fondly remembering someone, who once was very dear. There's just so much love in this piece it's hard not to smile.
I'll be honest: "My Telescope" is my absolute favourite from this album and almost favourite by this band (the most favourite is "Angelus Everlasting"... Which I could also put on this list, but it has already been in this series and I don't want to repeat songs).
Blind Channel "Another Sun"
An extremely powerful song (and I'm not talking only about the musical side) about overcoming hardships and hope. Especially hope. The chorus is my favourite part, I love the emotions in it, especially in the vocals.
Of course, I know that the "there's always the light in the dark" message may be cheesy and overused, but in this case it's the delivery what sells it. Blind Channel boys make music from the bottom of their hearts and let's be honest, I'm ready to believe while listening to this song that yes, it'll be better, yes, I'm strong. And that's what I love in this particular song – it really makes me believe.
BlutEngel "Fire in the Distance"
Two BlutEngel songs in one episode? Yeah, sure, why not?
At the first glance, the lyrics seem to be rather sad. "Where are your friends when you need them? Where are your lovers when you feel alone?" sings Chris and damn, you can feel the loneliness and helplessness. And then the chorus kicks in and it changes whole mood, bringing a lot of hope. Because this is what this song is about: hope. It promises that there's always place when you're welcome and loved, that there is this warm fire burning in the distance that just waits for you. And, similarly to the previous one, no matter what shit happens to you, you are strong enough to just move on and not look behind.
Isn't it a really uplifting message?
IAMX "Mile Deep Hollow"
Chris Corner. The epitome of grace and beauty with the saddest eyes in the music scene (like, really, every time I see him I just have this urge to hug him, stroke his hair and comfort him). And a wonderful musician with stunning vocal abilities, as demonstrated in this very song (the high notes, holy shit, the high notes!).
While previous two songs on this list were about hope and dealing with struggles, this one is about the aftermath. Chris sings about being finally at peace after various shit that happened and receiving help from people who love him. The latter is especially important. It makes us remember that we are never alone and others will help us up when we fall. Very comforting song.
Also, I love this MV. It's so aesthetic and atmospheric...
The Crüxshadows "Quicksilver"
Actually, The Crüxshadows have so many uplifting songs, the biggest problem is choosing. "Quicksilver" is my another favourite. The music is very energetic, it's hard to sit still while listening to it, you just want to move. I especially like how violins are incorporated among electronics – all songs by this band make amazing use of violins, but this one is exceptional.
Another thing I absolutely love is the vocal. As you have probably noticed, I adore Rogue's voice, he sounds like an angel. Here he sings about fighting back against all hardships and facing what is to come with hope. "The future belongs to the brave" indeed and it's hard not to be brave when you are motivated with such powerful music.
Fractal Dreamers "Fortuna Redux"
Can an instrumental piece be uplifting? Well, yes, especially this one. It isn't easy to describe, but listening to "Fortuna Redux" always fills me with a lot of warm feelings and happiness. The song is energetic, pleasant and, for some reason, very motivating. It may be the quick rhythm and catchy melody line. Such a lovely piece to listen when you need a cheer up!
My Friend Is a DJ feat. Eleanor Forte "Down The Dark Road"
An episode without vocaloid music? No way! (Okay, this is SynthV, not Vocaloid, but shhh).
While lyrics indeed are very uplifting, focusing on progressing our path of life without getting discouraged, it's the instrumentals that made me choose this piece. For some reason, the electronic melody line (especially the bridge between first two parts of vocals, that's my favourite) always makes me feel better and happier. There is something very light and warm in it, like a hug from a loved one. My Friend Is a DJ did a wonderful job here.
Miki Núñez "La Venda"
I think this song doesn't need any further comments besides the fact that I usually don't listen to stuff like that and yet I absolutely love this. Also, when Spain performed on Eurovision 2019, whole green room erupted into a big, happy conga line. Whole. Green room. How awesome is this?
−真天地開闢集団−ジグザグ "Promise"
Last but not least, a song that I've been listening a lot to for last several months. There's something very soothing and ethereal in it, especially the melody. ジグザグ really did their best here, making a piece that is both powerful and extremely comforting. And the vocals? Mikoto always sound wonderful, he has such warm voice, but here he had truly outdid himself. Gorgeous song, simply gorgeous.
And this concludes the list! I hope the songs here made you smile at least a little bit. And what songs do you listen to cheer yourself up?
See you next time (which will probably be after the Five Flavours Festival, I think I'll review at least a couple of films from there), sweethearts! Take care!
"SPOOKWARE" is a title I had been eyeing long before its release. Produced by BEESWAX GAMES and distributed by DreadXP, the game was promised to provide a fast-paced microgames-based gameplay with lots of humour and horror themes. The incredibly cute main characters only encouraged me to try it out.
So I did. And holy shit, it was a wild, wild ride!
There are spooks, there are wares, what else do I need?
"SPOOKWARE" follows adventures of three skeleton brothers: Lefti, Midi and Righti. After deciding that they can't spend their whole (after)life mindlessly watching horror movies, the skelebros (I love this term) hop into a car and go on a road trip, looking for thrills.
The story is divided into four episodes, three chapters in each. So far only first episode was released. It starts with a prologue in skelebros' basement and then moves to a variety of locations. Each chapter has it's own theme and mechanics. In the first one we recruit musicians into a band with rhythm-based microgames. The second chapter takes us on a cruise ship, where we investigate a murder (don't ask me how it is possible to murder someone already dead, I have no bloody idea) and solve puzzles. The third one is food-themed with skelebros running their very own restaurant.
While the plot seems like a patchwork of various troubles main characters get themselves in, from the first chapter there are hints of something bigger going on with a certain sinister figure appearing from time to time. I have no idea where will this thread take us, but I have to admit I'm really intrigued. The fact said figure totally doesn't match the overall light-hearted atmosphere only fuels the curiosity.
But who cares about sinister figures when there are more serious problems to take care of – lack of toilet paper is a true nightmare!
I absolutely adore the visuals of "SPOOKWARE" – it mixes 3D backgrounds with hand-drawn 2D characters with some photorealistic elements thrown in. It's unique and pleases the eye. The game takes also inspiration from VHS tapes: it has this specific grainy filter on, the pause menu looks like VHS player interface and the view sometimes shakes like the movies played from tape would (fortunately, we can switch the latter off in the settings. I mean, it looks nice and retro, but gets annoying in the long run). And I'm not even starting on the fact that microgames are often called "tapes" and we play them on an old TV, 'cause it's obvious.
However, despite the cutesy looks, we shouldn't forget that "SPOOKWARE" is still horror-themed and definitely shouldn't be played by children (or people who are sensitive to blood). There is a lot of gore (damn, in the prologue there is a microgame where we decapitate someone with a saw!) and some upsetting imagery. It gives a true whiplash when compared with cartoony characters and, to be honest, I loved it. But I can also understand that some people may be put off by this, so proceed with care.
Also, a little warning for fellow arachnophobes: there are some spiders in first chapter. Nasty photorealistic spiders. I'll be honest, I felt a little bit uneasy at this particular part...
However, the game as a whole is not scary. I mean, it's hard to be scared when distressing imageries are drown in tons of jokes.
Another thing I love about "SPOOKWARE" is its humour. The game is very self-aware and often pokes fun at how absurd some of the events are. The skelebros being just a bunch of dorks who often can't see the weirdness only adds fuel to the carousel of comedy. Another things that appears often are jokes that break the fourth wall. The characters sometimes comment on the game itself – my favourite is in the first chapter, when Midi is worried that the camera is fixed and the player doesn't see the beautiful view from school's building. It was unexpected and hilarious. In general, when playing, it's the best to talk to everyone and check every place – absurd gags are hidden literally everywhere, along with tons of bone puns and some black comedy. It's awesome.
Okay, I praised, but now I have to scold a little. As it was already mentioned, "SPOOKWARE" is based on microgames. They appear at various points, always fitted into the story. Most of them last only several seconds (with some exceptions, which serve as kind of bosses, these are longer) with timer at the bottom of the screen. It means that you have very short time to figure out the mechanics and beat the microgame. Usually it works well – the microgames are intuitive and you have just enough time to meet the goal. Of course, with the sheer number of microgames you play, there's no surprise some of them are worse. There are some really frustrating ones either due to how counter-intuitive they are, their wonky controls and hit points (the "protect the traveler from the sun" one suffers from it a lot) or the too tight time limit (the finger grating needs several more seconds, 'cause beating it now is almost impossible). I wouldn't complain about it, as I said, it is kind of expected. However, almost all problematic microgames are accumulated in third chapter. And let me be honest, it is a problem, especially when you have to restart a big part of the chapter several times because you constantly get the hardest microgames one after another and lose all your lives thanks to failing them. It's annoying and I won't be surprised if some players actually rage quit thanks to it.
I'm a rather patient person, but sometimes I really wanted to yeet my laptop through the balcony...
"SPOOKWARE" isn't a long game – depending on how long you spend playing the microgames and talking to all NPCs possible (which I really, really recommend), you can beat it in something around 4 hours. I think it's quite a good time, especially when you consider it's just a first episode.
Despite some annoyances, I enjoyed "SPOOKWARE" a lot. It's interesting, funny (I can't remember when was the last time I laughed so much during video game, really) and has some clever ideas. I think it's worth checking out, especially now – Halloween is coming, so why not try something spooky?
And after you finish, you can join me in waiting for next episodes. I can't wait to see what troubles skelebros would get themselves into.
Content warning: this post includes topics like sex, pregnancy and body horror. Reader discretion is advised.
I'll try not to spoil too much, but it's hard when talking about such film, so sorry if there are minor spoilers.
Anyway.
"Titane" was a total mystery to me. Trailer doesn't reveal much, so do the official summaries. Because of that I avoided any reviews, so I wouldn't accidentally spoil myself any important plot details. As a result I walked into the cinema knowing almost nothing... And, despite getting rather surprised, totally didn't regret it.
I wanted to say it's the best way to watch this movie, but it can be pretty triggering, so checking it first is a better idea.
The protagonist, Alexia, is introduced as a child. After she and her father get into a car crash, her skull gets fractured and the doctors need to implant a titanium plate into it. Years later adult Alexia (Agathe Rouselle) works as a stripper at a car show. One night she gets stalked by a creep claiming to be her fan and, after not being able to make him leave, kills him.
Let's stop here for a moment.
To be honest, at first I thought Alexia killed this guy in self defence. She stabbed him with a metal hair stick – thing she had on her hand. Her putting said stick back into her hair and showering only after she noticed the victim vomited all over her looked like she was in shock. Well, as movie quickly showed, it was not the case. Shortly after we see Alexia murder several other people. With the same stick. It establishes her as a serial killer, who is only mentioned earlier, and is one of two things that kick starts the proper plot. The other one?
On the same night she killed that creep, Alexia also got impregnated by her own car.
Have I mentioned it's only the beginning?
Running from the police, Alexia decides to change her appearance (which involves not only cutting her hair short and shaving her eyebrows, but also breaking her nose) and impersonate Adrien Legrand – long lost son of Vincent Legrand (Vincent Lindon), an old firefighter. As it turns out, it's harder than expected: while Vincent doesn't doubt for a moment that she's his son, she still has to dodge suspicions of his co-workers, his wife... And also somehow hide her rapidly progressing pregnancy.
You know, for a movie about sex with a car there's very little sex and cars. It all gets squeezed into two scenes during first act: the audiovisually pleasing and incredibly erotic show and quite weird car sex scene (if you are now wondering how is it even possible... Well, I don't know. Despite the film being pretty graphic in general, not everything is shown). Rest of the story focuses on Alexia's attempts to hide her true identity and growing bond between her and Vincent. Her character development is done quite smoothly. You can spot the first major change when she, despite having perfect opportunity to do so, can't bring herself to kill him. Later she gradually trusts him, which culminates in the ending when she asks him for help during her most vulnerable moment.
But don't expect a heartwarming family story, it's still a thriller.
"Titane" is categorized as body horror and actually lives up to it. What hit me while watching was how realistic this movie is. When Alexia kills we are usually shown everything: blood, vomiting, aftermath of smashing guy's skull with a stool. And when she binds her breast with elastic bandage, she ends with red marks and, later, lesions on her skin – an issue often overlooked when portraying a chest-binding (and also an actual reason why using elastic bandages for binding is a very bad idea. Don't do it, sweethearts, get a proper binder instead). Of course, one may argue that there are movies with much more gore... But it isn't the point here. The movie isn't intended to gross us out, at least not by this. The part that actually shocks the most is the pregnancy... But not only because of its supernatural origin.
You see, despite what media often try to tell us, pregnancy is scary. Even when going right it horribly messes with the body. The movie shows that – Alexia vomits, gets large stretch marks on both her abdomen and chest, later she starts spontaneously lactating. Of course, the squickiness is upped by supernatural elements: she doesn't lactate milk, but oil, and said stretch marks end tearing her skin, revealing metal placenta underneath. However, the basis is the same as in real life.
That's why asking someone why they don't have children is the shittiest
thing in the world. Maybe they just don't want to get pregnant?!
I like how "Titane" plays with viewer's expectations by unexpectedly changing mood during the most dramatic scenes. First we have the moment when Alexia murders her co-worker, Justine (Garance Marillier) and her housemates. The intensity of events is suddenly "ruined" by upbeat song playing in the background. Then it gets serious again... Only for new people constantly enter the scene, which makes Alexia blurt "How fucking many of you is here?!". Her annoyance clashes with gruesomeness of murders, making the scene hilarious.
Another example happens near the ending, when Alexia takes part in a disco with firefighters. Mix of loud music, flashing colours and moving bodies is hypnotizing and a little unsettling. At one point two guys catch Alexia and make her climb up the fire truck. Whole crowd starts urging her to jump, everything looks like she will do it... But she doesn't. Instead she starts dancing a strip routine, which confuses the hell out of everyone. The awkwardness and general WTFness of this moment first throw the audience off the balance and then becomes quite funny.
The fact Alexia doesn't give a flying fuck about whole situation definitely helps.
I have to admit, I enjoyed "Titane" a lot. It surprised me: I expected a gory, artsy mindfuck and got a disturbing, but still rather comprehensible story. However, I don't know, if I can recommend it to anyone. On one hand it's nicely paced, well done technically and brilliantly alternates between drama and comedy, between straight body horror and psychologically distressing motives. The actors did great. The score matches the events. It's just a solid piece of filmmaking. But on the other hand there's still, well, gore and disturbing content and the fact I enjoyed it so much probably steams from the fact how desensitised I am when it comes to fucked up shit in art. I mean, people were fainting when viewing it in Cannes and I don't blame them, some scenes were nasty (like the one with attempted DIY abortion, everything was off-screen, but the acting really sold it). Damn, in the cinema I was sitting next to a guy who looked quite uncomfortable during screening (but still watched whole thing, so points for him for persistence... Or stubbornness, one of two). So yeah, despite my fondness I really can't recommend it with clear conscience.
Or let's word it this way: if this review made you interested in watching "Titane", then I'm taking no responsibility for it. Proceed on your own risk.
You've probably known me for a while, so I think it's not a surprise that I enjoy weird indie movies. The weirder, the better. That's probably why "Lamb" appeared on my radar. I've seen news about it on Bloody Disgusting, watched the trailer and was like "woah, this is some fucked up shit, I need to see it!". The fact A24, ergo the guys who brought us "Midsommar", is the distributor only fed my interest. Fortunately, "Lamb" was part of 2021 the New Horizons IFF, which means I had a chance to see it in the cinema.
So I did.
And it both did and didn't meet my expectations.
I wanted to make here a joke about Schrödinger's film, but it sounded funnier in my head than when I wrote it down.
"Lamb" tells a story of Maria (Noomi Rapace) and Ingvar (Hilmir Snær Guðnason), a married couple living on a farm in the middle of Icelandic nowhere. As expected, they spend most time tending to the crops and taking care of giant flock of sheep. Their serene life gets disturbed when one of the sheep gives birth to a weird hybrid: human infant with lamb's head and arm. Having no children of their own, the couple names the baby Ada and decides to take care of her. However, things get complicated when the farm is visited by Ingvar's brother, Pétur (Björn Hlynur Haraldsson).
Kind of.
I won't say that nothings happens in this movie, but if you expected a lot of action, you'll be disappointed. The story progresses slowly and for most of the time we observe characters doing mundane things like performing their chores or having a meal. Sometimes humans aren't even present and we're treated with shots focusing on animals or landscapes. While we are at it, the animals – sheep, a dog and a cat – tell us sometimes more than we get from human characters. Their reactions give first hints at some sinister force lurking around that we don't see until much, much later.
I hope the dog or the cat will get at least an Oscar nomination, they were awesome.
The unwritten rule of filmmaking states "Show, don't tell". "Lamb" goes several steps further and doesn't do both. It creates a very distressing atmosphere of uncertainty: we know something is happening, but can't see what exactly or what caused that. Damn, even the baby isn't shown whole at first, but Maria and Ingvar
taking care of her like it was a human child clues that it isn't an
ordinary lamb. The creepiness is upped by their not questioning anything. Instead of going usual film main characters' way and investigate weird occurrences, they just shrug them off and go on with their routines. And when an occurrence turns into a nuisance? They just deal with it the most straightforward method possible and then behave like nothing happened. The only character who gets confused by the weirdness is Pétur... For a while. Later he too starts to accept reality as it is.
Despite film's reserve, there's still a lot of storytelling. Straightforwardness is just replaced with focus on characters. We don't get a clear backstory for Maria and Ingvar, but the way they behave and feel while confronting the happenings suggests a lot. And there's a lot of feelings – psychological takes with focus on actors' faces are often. This way we can understand them (as much as the movie lets us that is) without any additional exposition.
Thanks to storytelling not relying on dialogues the movie gets really intensive at times. We watch the events unwind with no explanation, accompanied with loud musical score suggesting that something big is happening. Similarly to "Suspiria" and "Midsommar", "Lamb" tends to assault our senses, making even seemingly peaceful scenes filled with dread.
I'm so glad I could watch it on a big screen, it was a wonderful experience.
When it comes to visual side, "Lamb" has a very melancholic atmosphere . The scenes are either set in a cramped farmhouse or among beautiful, but empty landscapes, often covered with fog. The colours are usually bland, making the shots a little depressing. At the same time, there's a lot of ethereal beauty in it, in the peace that comes with the melancholy.
If not for rather disturbing uncanniness of events, I'd say this movie is quite relaxing.
But it isn't. Instead of relax, there is anxiety.
Okay, I'm praising the movie a lot, but what's the thing that didn't meet my expectations? (Except the fact I thought it'd be a horror. It's not... I mean, it's not scary. At all. Uneasiness and scariness are two different things). Of course it's the ending, which is horribly detached from the rest.
I mean, don't get me wrong: it makes sense. Kinda, it makes as much sense as it can in the movie like this. It seems to provide a logical conclusion to earlier events and is properly foreshadowed. However, it breaks the fundamental rule of the film: don't show. It doesn't explain much, but it directly shows the "force" that kickstarted the plot and was later stalking the characters. And holy shit, it's so out-of-place I was just sitting there, thinking "what the actual FUCK?!". The fact it involves some very bad CGI, which contrasts a lot with movie's natural visuals doesn't help. It's weird (but not in a good sense, it's weird in a very bad, bad sense), it looks unnatural and it disrupts the atmosphere with the sudden straightforwardness.
Such a shame.
Why so many good movies have disappointing endings? Why?!
In general, I enjoyed the movie. If you like unusual, slow-paced indie stuff, then give "Lamb" a watch. It's a really interesting experience.
If you don't count the ending. Holy shit, the ending...
Eurovision's Grand Final – an event I'm waiting for every year. This time I was even more excited for it than usual and the fact that there was no contest last year wasn't the only reason. This year there were so many incredible artists competing, it was hard to foresee who might win. So, why not have a look (and listen!) at all entries?
26. United Kingdom: "Embers" by James Newman
The scoring system implemented in 2016 makes it almost impossible to get zero points. Almost.
"Embers" isn't the worst song this year (if you exclude constant usage of this goddamn trumpets and trombones, but it may be my hatred for metal wind instruments speaking). It's catchy and James has great stage presence. However, when compared to other entries, it's rather bland and forgettable.
Or it would be if it didn't get exactly zero points. Hey, it is an achievement!
But I have to admit, this song made me feel quite uneasy. These giant trumpets have very threatening aura...
25. Germany: "I Don't Feel Hate" by Jendrik
While this song completely doesn't match my taste, I still enjoyed it a lot. Jendrik s a huge ball of sunshine and his optimism and enthusiasm are contagious. The performance itself is great – very energetic and upbeat. I'm really surprised that it did this bad with points. Germany deserved much better.
Also let's not forget that, despite ESC being a rather family-friendly
show, they still somehow managed to flip off whole Europe.
24. Spain: "Voy A Quedarme" by Blas Cantó
You know, I actually like this entry. The song is very personal and emotional and Blas has great voice – the high notes are stunning. The visuals are very fitting, setting the mood. There's only one thing I don't like: this giant moon is completely unnecessary (damn, for whole performance I was wondering, if it'd fall on the scene...).
23. Netherlands: "Birth Of A New Age" by Jeangu Macrooy
A very unique entry. It's always refreshing to see different cultures represented at Eurovision. The song itself is very powerful and has an important message. Quite a pity it didn't receive the recognition it deserved.
Also, I really like the dancer. He's so skilled and invested!
22. San Marino: "Adrenalina" by Senhit feat. Flo Rida
Okay, San Marino getting an American rapper to perform a fragment of the song definitely was at the bottom of the "what to expect" list. Unfortunately, this bold move didn't bring them a victory. Still, the song is quite nice, perfect for summer. The performance is also good.
However, there's one thing that keeps bugging me... What is Senhit wearing at the beginning and whose idea was it?!
21. Albania: "Karma" by Anxhela Peristeri
I love this entry so much! It's epic and unique. Anxhela's vocal is incredible, so strong and just beautiful. I also like the idea behind the staging: it's quite minimalistic, but makes the audience focus on the singer. Awesome. Simply awesome.
20. Azerbaijan: "Mata Hari" by Efendi
When I first heard this song, I joked it's just "Cleopatra 2.0". And okay, they are similar, but I think it was deliberate ("Cleopatra" is even referenced in the lyrics).
Strong entry with nice staging (I love the snake!) and catchy song. I also like the ethnic elements it brings, diversity is always welcomed.
And let's not forget about the Eurovisional love story it sparked!
19. Belgium: "The Wrong Place" by Hooverphonic
One of my favourites this year. I love it's dark vibe, pretty rare at this contest. The minimalistic staging builds an unique atmosphere of melancholy, very fitting for a song about a one night stand gone sour. And I have to admit I'm in love with the music, especially the chorus. I can listen to it all the time.
As a whole, "The Wrong Place" is rather non-Eurovisional, but I wouldn't say it's a bad thing – it's just different.
18. Norway: "Fallen Angel" by TIX
After the first hearing, I didn't like this song – I wrote it off as another break-up ballad. But then I learnt more about the singer. And watched the music video. And just fell in love.
"Fallen Angel" is one of the most important entries this year. TIX tells the story about coming to terms with one's weaknesses and not letting our demons drag us down. The moment he takes off his glasses is extremely powerful: he's not ashamed of his illnesses, of who he is. Despite progressing normalisation of various health problems, talking about it is still an act of bravery. TIX knows it and still shares his experiences whenever he can. I admire him a lot for doing this.
Also, let's be honest: he's such a lovely person, it's hard not to like him!
17. Israel: "Set Me Free" by Eden Alene
Cool, very catchy entry. I especially like the dancers, the energetic choreography complements the show quite well. Also, Eden's very charismatic and really does her best, which is great to watch. And these high notes? Amazing.
I only have a question to the hairdresser: how?!
16. Cyprus: "El Diablo" by Elena Tsagrinou
No, I'm not going to make another "Cyprus sends the same entry every year" joke, don't worry. (This stopped being funny ages ago... Although Elena reminds me a bit about Tamta, but in a good way).
This whole performance oozes sex-appeal. The song, the staging, the choreography, everything is so sexy you can't take your eyes off the screen. Also, can we focus on the dancers for a while? They are so skilled, it's a shame the audience looks only at the main singer. For me they actually made this entry.
Also, minor thing but I like the contrast between the costumes. Crystal dress and red body suits are a really clever combination.
15. Serbia: "Loco Loco" by Hurricane
Sweethearts, a new party anthem just dropped!
But really, this entry is incredible. Danceable song? Shiny costumes? Wild hair? It has everything! I also love how the girls share the spotlight: there are moments when the focus is only on one of them, thanks to which each has her time to shine. And last but not least, Hurricane somehow managed to pull absolutely wild choreography while singing and never got out of breath. Talk about stamina!
There is only one thing I don't like: the visuals with black-and-white stripes were quite unnecessary and too epileptic to my taste. They could have been exchanged for something less seizure-triggering.
14. Sweden: "Voices" by Tusse
The song itself is not exactly in my type, but I still like it. The performance is very emotional and Tusse did incredibly well. He has great voice, especially in the chorus. Also, the staging is nice, I like the changes in visualisations. It made the song much more epic.
13. Moldova: "Sugar" by Natalia Gordienko
One of the most fabulous entries this year. Natalia's breathy vocal is so hot, which fits the song's theme really well. And I love how she is clearly having fun while performing – she didn't stop smiling even when she dropped the mic. And the note at the end? Woah, talk about lung capacity.
The staging is one of the best. The rotating platform is a simple, but effective item, which makes the choreography more interesting. I also like the slightly futuristic vibe of the whole performance created by the visuals.
Only complaint? I quite miss the cake gore from the MV.
It was unexpected, but awesome.
12. Portugal: "Love Is On My Side" by The Black Mamba
You know, I appreciate the concept and can see, why people like this entry... But I still hate it. It just somehow manages to tick most boxes on my "things I don't like in music" list. I'm sorry.
11. Bulgaria: "Growing Up Is Getting Old" by Victoria
I have the same problem with this entry as with the Portugese one. Just... Not my cup of tea. At all.
But again, the concept is great and Victoria did well.
10. Greece: "Last Dance" by Stefania
I'll be honest, I totally didn't expect the green screen. But I have to admit, the idea is quite cool, especially when the dancers join. I only feel a little bit sorry for the live audience – it must have been weird to watch.
And the song? Well, I like the single version a little bit more, but still. I enjoyed it.
But I have to complain a little: where is the pegasus?!
9. Russia: "Russian Woman" by Manizha
A song about strong women performed by a strong woman. Despite receiving a lot of hate, Manizha didn't back out and instead did her best at the competition. Take that, haters.
Also, the staging is on point. The act of leaving the self-propelling dress symbolising a reborn? Working class jumpsuit? Blending modern elements with the traditional ones? The choir of different women from all around the country? I love every single fragment of it.
8. Lithuania: "Discoteque" by The Roop
Such a cute entry! It's extremely catchy, it's hard to sit down while listening to it. The silly choreography with a lot of arm flailing and jumping perfectly conveys the feeling of bouncing around to favourite music when nobody looks. Really, this song should be listed in the dictionary as the definition of fun.
7. Malta: "Je Me Casse" by Destiny
Another great song with feminist undertones. Destiny slayed both in terms of vocals and stage presence. However, the fact that Malta put so much pressure on her makes it a little bit hard to enjoy this performance. Poor girl, she was so stressed...
6. Finland: "Dark Side" by Blind Channel
Did I expect to leave this year's Eurovision with a new musical obsession? No. Do I mind? Also, no.
"Dark Side" was my absolute favourite from the first listening. It has everything I love: heavy guitar, melodic electronics, energetic vocals. While many people despise it as "too edgy", taking a closer look reveals it's much more than a simple rage song. It's a song about being an outcast and not giving a fuck about the world that excluded you. About flipping off all that shit that makes you tired and angry. About partying at the end of the world with others like you. About unity.
The meaning is punctuated by amazing performance, full of flashing lights, pyrotechnics and this unique feral energy. Blind Channel boys don't only pour their hearts in their music. They're living, breathing it. And it shows.
Another reason I adore this band are the members. Blind Channel consists of six cute dorks, who clearly love music and each other. They feel comfortable together, often joke and are affectionate. It's really hard not to love them. They're awesome.
And yeah, I have a massive crush on Aleksi. But come on, he's such an adorable cinnamon roll!
5. Ukraine: "Shum" by Go_A
Folk is awesome. Electronic music is awesome. And what happens when you mix it?
Perfection. Perfection happens.
"Shum" is a shining example of how to incorporate Eastern European folk elements into an entry and make it appealing to broader audience. The song is catchy and mesmerising, blending traditional music with wild rave. Futuristic visuals and TRON-like dancers complement it nicely, creating unique atmosphere that you just want to experience. And these vocals? Incredible.
Yes, I'm absolutely in love with Kateryna Pavlenko, why do you ask?
4. Iceland: "10 Years" by Daði og Gagnamagnið
I have a problem with this entry. Surprisingly, it's not the song. I mean, the song is okay, not my taste, but whatever, if someone likes this slightly retro vibe, then fine, enjoy it.
I have a problem with the performance. Due to one person from the group testing positively to COVID, Daði og Gagnamagnið didn't perform live. Instead, the footage from the rehearsal was shown both at semi-final and the grand final. And okay, I understand that, the band didn't want to compete without one person... But still, I can't shake the feeling that it was kind of unfair towards rest of the contestants. Let's be honest: performing live in front of the giant audience is completely different from recording the song. It's additional stress, so many things can go wrong... Twice. And they didn't have to deal with it.
I'm not saying that Iceland didn't deserve such a high score, I actually feel quite sorry for them that they couldn't perform live. But still, I have mixed feelings towards whole situation.
3. Switzerland: "Tout l'Univers" by Gjon's Tears
You know that I didn't like this song in the beginning? But then I reached the chorus, Gjon hit the high notes and I got swept away.
I love it. I just love it.
The entry is extremely ethereal and full of feelings, you just get lost in it. Gjon's angelic vocals match it perfectly. Also you can see that he's pouring his heart and soul in the performance, like his whole self belonged to music.
However, I have to admit that this entry gave me a little anxiety – at the end, when Gjon is waddling, I was afraid he's going to fall. Fortunately, it was just my paranoia.
Gjon's such a sweetheart, I just want to hug him... (Is it just me or
there was a lot, I mean A LOT of cinnamon rolls among contestants this
year?)
2. France: "Voilà" by Barbara Pravi
*sighs* And what am I supposed to sat about this entry?
Don't get me wrong: Barbara is a great vocalist and she nailed the performance. However, again, "Voilà" just ticks everything of my "I hate that in music" list (and a little more). The minimalistic staging doesn't help either. Sorry.
1. Italy: "Zitti E Buoni" by Måneskin
If the fact Italy won isn't an ultimate proof how horny everyone was this year, then I don't know what is.
This entry is so sexy and I don't only mean the band looking hot (although they do). The vocals are sexy, the instrumentals are sexy, the way everyone move and interact with each other is so, so, SO sexy. I don't usually listen to this type of rock, but "Zitti E Buoni" somehow managed to capture me with it's sexiness and unapologeticness, especially the latter. Måneskin don't care if they are perceived as inappropriate or rude (they even performed the uncensored version as a reprise!), they just create and don't give a fuck. And that's beautiful.
Congratulations, Italy! You deserved it.
***
And this concludes this year's Eurovisional posts. It was a wild, but very satisfactory ride. I can't wait till next year's contest.
I know, I know I was supposed to start writing this post in May, but... Well... Let's be honest: life hit me with a force of a fucking train. Fortunately, lately I've somehow managed to sort most things out and sit down to work, so... Better late than never, eh?
But let's get to the topic: Eurovision 2021. After two years of waiting everyone was Eurovision-starved (me included), so no surprise that this edition was... Special. Really special. I mean, it's been something like two months and I still haven't gone down from Eurovision high, so yeah. In short, there were emotions, a lot of fun and many wonderful people. And songs. I'll be honest, the variety of songs this year was amazing. So, let's start the annual tour around entries!
As last time, the order is determined by country's placement. And we're starting with...
39. Latvia: "The Moon Is Rising" by Samanta Tina
Wait, what?!
When I was checking out songs before the contest, I got pretty hyped up for Latvia. Okay, maybe this year's entry isn't as much my taste, as the previous one, but I still liked it. It's amazing song with feminist message sung by a strong woman with powerful voice. So what went wrong?
Everything. Everything went wrong.
Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating a bit. The staging is weird, but fits the chaotic energy of the song. Same for the costumes. What failed are the vocals. Samanta has gorgeously powerful voice, but for some reason couldn't stay in the right key. I doubt it's the stress – her voice is too consistent for just being nervous. Several people theorized that her earpiece fucked up and she couldn't hear the music, which I think is the case here. Quite a pity. "The Moon Is Rising" is fire, it's painful to see it killed by technical issues.
38. Georgia: "You" by Tornike Kipiani
Despite said musical variety, we still couldn't escaped mandatory tearful ballads. (Yeah, I'm not a fan of ballads on Eurovision, why do you ask?) "You" is well written and performed, but for some reason it just feels... Empty. Empty musically and visually. Maybe I got spoilt with electronic and metal music, I don't know. This is just not in my taste.
But I have to admit, the moment when lyrics are being displayed on Tornike is quite cool.
37. Ireland: "Maps" by Lesley Roy
Another song that sounded great as a studio version, but didn't do as well live. Lesley has a good, powerful voice, but still I can't shake the feeling that something was off on the stage. Maybe it was stress, maybe tiredness (so much running...), I don't know.
But I have to admit, the staging is unusual. It brings to mind these children books with 3D illustrations, which is an interesting idea. Okay, maybe it didn't look as good when seen from the auditorium, but damn. Greece had similar problem and no one complained, so why would I?
36. Czech Republic: "Omaga" by Benny Cristo
Woah, that's a lot of glitter. Or crystals. Or whatever they glued to his jacket. It sparks.
This is one of the songs I call "typical Eurovision". It's... Safe. There's nothing really outstanding. The song is nice, the visuals are nice, the choreography is nice, everything is... Nice. And that's all. For me there's no surprise that it didn't qualify. Sorry.
35. North Macedonia: "Here I Stand" by Vasil
Okay, who had "disco ball cosplay" on their Eurovision bingo card this year? *ba dum tss*
Jokes aside: while the song is totally not my jam, the performance itself is marvellous – very aesthetic and well done on technical level. Vasil has strong voice (holy shit, the high note on the end!) and sings very emotionally, which was completed with some nice visuals. To be honest, I didn't expect this entry to get so little points... But well, surprises are integral part of The Eurovision ExperienceTM.
34. Australia: "Technicolour" by Montaigne
Aww, they did Australia dirty this year! Despite remote participation (fucking pandemic, can this shit finally end?!) this entry is awesome. The staging is lively and suits the song, the choreography is interesting and, last but not least, Montaigne slays as a vocalist. Her vocal range is phenomenal, she is also very invested in the performance. I was sure this song would get into the final.
Anyway, now you know why I never play any lottery...
33. Poland: "The Ride" by Rafał
(People will probably hate me for this, but fuck it).
To my giant surprise, this year's song is... Not bad? I mean, it's very upbeat, danceable and just nice to listen to. When I was checking out songs before the contest, I quite enjoyed it. Of course, I still didn't expect much from the performance... And I was mostly right. Mostly. I mean, the performance itself is nothing special – rather mediocre compared to others this year. Also, Rafał's voice just sounds weird without the shitload of autotune. However, if we compare it to entries from previous years, we can see that Poland is actually making progress. Not much, but if we keep that up, in a few years we might actually get a good score. For now I can say we are heading in the right direction... And hope we don't fuck it up next year.
However, there is one thing that kept bothering me: displaying "Warszawa" everywhere was completely unnecessary. Like, damn, everyone knows it's Poland's capital, no need to flex!
I'm not very fond of this song, it's quite boring for me. However, I have to admit that Ana has amazing voice – the "hallelujah" part is awesome. I also liked the visuals, rather minimalistic, but matching the tone of the performance. But as a whole, the performance didn't make me change my mind about eurovisional ballads.
31. Estonia: "The Lucky One" by Uku Suviste
Shout out to Tumblr user, who made the UwU Suviste joke. Now I have to watch myself so I wouldn't call Uku that. Thank you, I hate it.
Rather solid entry, but also not outstanding. For some reason it reminds me about "Arcade" and "Scream", dunno why. Maybe it's the visuals... Also, please, can someone teach Uku how to tie a bow tie? This untied one around his neck looked rather sad.
30. Austria: "Amen" by Vincent Bueno
In retrospect, it's quite funny that there were two songs called "Amen" this year... And neither qualified to the final.
Totally not my jam, but I like how emotional this entry is. Vincent poured his whole heart into performing and oh my, it shows. Especially near the end – he almost started crying.
29. Denmark: "Øve Os På Hinanden" by Fyr Og Flamme
A cool, energetic song with cool, energetic performance. It also has a distinct retro feel, which is great. And I'm always for songs in national languages, it makes a nice difference in English-dominated music scene. Also, Fyr Og Flamme definitely had a lot of fun while performing (these cute dances are my favourite part). Watching them brings a lot of happiness.
28. Romania: "Amnesia" by Roxen
Interesting entry. The song is nice and has a great message. I also like the staging, especially the choreography. However, I'm not sure if Roxen should have moved that much: as someone pointed out, she often sounds out of breath, which affects the overall performance. But still, her vocals are quite pleasant, at least for me. Quite a pity Romania didn't qualify.
27. Croatia: "Tick-Tock" by Albina
Another entry I was sure would qualify. The song is catchy and well performed, I especially like the language change. The dancers also did amazing. And the visuals? I love them.
However, despite being this great, Croatia still got screwed by the points. Well, shit happens.
***
This concludes the post. Next time (don't ask me, when, my life is too chaotic to promise you anything) I'll talk about the songs from the final. Stay tuned, sweethearts! 💜
(And if you want to make sure you don't miss anything, you can follow me on Twitter! Look for @kikihakanate there! 💜)
