filmbore pick of the week - Biutiful

Biutiful

Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu

Screenplay: Alejandro González Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Armando Bo

Starring: Javier Bardem, Maricel Álvarez, Hanaa Bouchaib, Guillermo Estrella, Taisheng Chen

Year: 2010

Languages: Spanish, Chinese, Wolof

UK rental release: May 2011

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More of a near miss this week, but with some gong success. From the director who brought us Amores Perros, we're taking a peek at the film that was nominated, yet missed the opportunity of winning, the Best Foreign Language Oscar in 2011, along with Incendies and the recently reviewed Dogtooth... Alejandro González Iñárritu's Biutiful.  

Uxbal (Javier Bardem, No Country For Old Men, Jamon Jamon, The Sea Inside) is looking for reconciliation in his life. We find him in the middle of a snowy forest with a dead owl, confronted with a mildly jovial man who acts like he knows him. 

This mystery is short lived, as we visit his true life. Living in a rough neighbourhood, Uxbal is a caring family man, loving of his two children, Ana (newcomer Hanaa Bouchaib) and Mateo (also newcomer Guillermo Estrella). However, he has a volatile relationship with their alcoholic, mother, Marambra (Maricel Ávarez, Días de Vinilo) who suffers from bipolar disorder. 

He is estranged from her and has custody of both children. Plus, he has troubles elsewhere in his family too. He doesn't fully trust his brother, Tito (Eduard Fernández, The Method, The Skin I Live In), and quite right so as he has been having an affair with Marambra without Uxbal knowing.  

No matter how gentle he may appear in this part of his life, sometimes he shows his temperamental side. This may be due to his exterior world being filled with misdemeanour and deceit. He runs a crime syndicate in tandem with fellow criminal boss, Hai (Taisheng Chen, Jade Warrior, In Love We Trust). Hai is involved in the illegal manufacturing of purses and pirate DVDs, which are sold on the street by some of Uxbal's contacts, mainly organised by his associate with the gangs, Ekweme (newcomer Cheikh Ndiaye).

He also has a contact with the police, who he keeps sweet with regular instalments of bribe money. This keeps the heat down while his business thrives and permits him time to pursue something far more personal to him.

Uxbal has a gift that sits apart from this criminal life. He is able to communicate with people who have just passed away, conversing with them as they float on the astral plane between our world and wherever they are destined to, helping to settle the erupting emotions of the family members that grieve them. He's a criminal because he has to make ends meet. He's a considerate father as he knows no other way. But his spirituality isn't a necessity in his life...it just is, and he must listen to the souls that have passed.

If his existence isn't busy enough, he gets some news that adds pressure. He starting to show frequent symptoms of pancreatic cancer. He learns, from his results, that the cancer is very aggressive and he has but months to live. This unearths a new mind set for Uxbal; an opportunity for reunion and redemption. Not only does it alter his perspective in general but forces him to re-think his actions. Marambra wants him back too, so he takes the chance to bring the family together.

However, Uxbal has no idea that his street peddlers sell drugs too. The police arrest many of them, including Ekweme. As Uxbal world starts to fall away, just like his life. He makes a promise to take care of Ekweme's wife, Ige (newcomer Diaryatou Daff) and their baby. Yet, she may have something that she can do to help Uxbal in return.

First thing I noted in this Mexican-Spanish production is that it's dressed with some poetic dialogue thanks to Iñárritu's engaging script, penned with his compadres Nicolás Giacobone and Armando Bo. With lots of ambivalence in the early scenes to create intrigue, we slowly unravel into the story as the text draws you in. From colourful exchanges with his business partners, through the wonderful stories for his children, to the blessed accounts passed to him from the spirits he reaches out to, there's a abundance of word play at work.

There's a plethora of heart-breaking moments too, which are smartly emphasised by some great sound design. At points, the amplification of heart beats through embraces with our star protrude through some of the more moving scenes, placed at key points of this story. In fact, there superb use of sound in some of the more chilling scenes too, especially in the "ghostly" moments when Uxbal transcends into the spiritual world.

The audio is elevated thanks to a sensual score by Gustavo Santaollala, which coats the piece fluidly, sometimes punctuated by some brilliantly left field production in places. The music earned Santaolalla a nomination at the Goya Awards in 2011 but sadly wasn't noted anywhere else.

The Goya's also recognised Rodrigo Prieto's exquisite cinematography (again, regrettably, nobody else did!). Predominantly displaying some "fly-on-the-wall" approaches in parts, with hand-held effects and close-ups galore, it's peppered with kinetic pans to emphasis a more organic flow to the picture. And with sets so detailed, he used a keen eye to take advantage of sharp lighting, scattering it across the claustrophobic apartments, bringing a richness to the cluttered living spaces.

There are some artistically interesting shots scattered frequently amongst some of this stunning camera work: the glimpse of an interesting painting, a out-of-focus view of the Barcelona's landscape, some political graffiti, a close-up of a brain scan, the creeping of an insect, and so much more. These clips interfuse with the entire piece, with rapid recurrence, conveniently chapterising each segment of the tale with obscure beauty.

It is one of the most refreshingly shot films I've seen for some time, thanks to such an unexpected fusion of realness, art and dramatics. These techniques are absolutely key to the overall package to ensure that the correct feel is generated when considering its premise. With key thematics covering redemption and forgiveness, brought on by Uxbal's looming demise and his actions taken due to this predicament, its artistic delivery nurtures the necessary emotions and responses to absorb you into the lead character's life.

Uxbal is an incredibly deep individual. At first, it's the blend of caring father, criminal businessman and spiritual medium that allures you to him. Then, throw his pending fatality into the fray and his character, in theory, should be nigh on impossible to fathom. Yet, with the sensitive and brooding nature in which Javier Bardem approaches the part, instead of confusion we meet a man of incredible depth and charisma. He gently nudges the character through his journey, building a rich transcript of Uxbal's experiences.

There's a juxtaposition so tangible in Uxbal's lifestyle, between his sweet adoration for his family and the corrupt actions he involves himself in through his work. His illness throws a huge curve ball into the mix, as you fight with your morals while witnessing some of his actions. Yet, there's an air of spirituality too, through Uxbal's abilities as a medium.

Speaking of which, be prepared for its blunt approach to death. Some scenes are quite disturbing. At the same time, this directness grants it with a strangely graceful approach to mortality. For example, Uxbal and his brother Toto need to relocate their dead father's grave due to some pending construction work; of a father they have never truly met. On seeing the remains of the body prior to cremation, Uxbal has a moment which is oddly moving. Not only is it the first time that he's truly seen his father, but the physicality of his dad's demise through this corpse appears to unearth something buried deep within himself, assumingly attuned to his own ticking clock.

He is greeted by cadavers in his life regularly in his foray as a medium, but this encounter touches him at his core. It is within these confrontations with the afterlife, especially with that of his father, that the true beauty in Biutiful truly shines.

Biutiful is seriously underrated and misunderstood. It's confident in its moody and somber approach. It has been criticised for its lumbering pace, and some of you may struggle to stick with its two and a half hour length, yet I was completely consumed by its pensive manner. But, if none of what I have said so far wins you over, consider the other Oscar nomination this film received - Javier Bardem for Best Actor. He was never going to take the gong from Colin Firth for The King's Speech, but his simply gorgeous performance should be enough of an excuse for you to check it out. 

Don't forget to leave comments below, tweet me @filmbore or post on my Facebook page here. 

Alternatively, you could contact me directly about this film or my other reviews on pickoftheweek@filmbore.co.uk

filmbore pick of the week - A Separation

A Separation (Jodaeiye Nader az Simin)

Director: Asghar Farhadi
Screenplay: Asghar Farhadi
Starring: Peyman Moaadi, Leila Hatami, Sareh Bayat, Shahab Hosseini, Sarina Farhadi, Kimia Hosseini, Ali-Asghar Shahbazi
Year: 2011
Languages: Persian
UK rental release: November 2011

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Continuing the awards season reviews, this week I thought I'd choose a winner over a near miss. Taking trophies at nearly every single film festival, Asghar Farhadi's A Separation touched the hearts of many, even taking the gong for Best Foreign Language Film at the 2012 Academy Awards, even beating the brilliant Bullhead (reviewed recently). Let's delve into the film that took the world by storm between 2011 and 2012.

A couple argue during a hearing over their desire to divorce. Simin's (Leila Hatami, Deserted Station, Leila) visa is due to run out and sees this as a sign for right timing; she wants to leave Iran.

Her husband, Nader (Peyman Moaadi, Camp X-Ray, About Elly) won't go with her. He has to stay with his sick father (Ali-Asghar Shahbazi) who suffers from Alzheimer's disease. His responsibility for his father may be overshadowing his duty to his wife and daughter, but he feels drawn to do what's rise for his ailing dad.

The daughter, Termeh (Sarina Farhadi, Tambourine) is their key topic of conversation, however. The pair can agree on their divorce but not where matters concern their child. Simin wants to take her daughter with her on her travels but Nader doesn't agree, feeling that her stability at home is vital right now.

Termeh is unaware that her mother is leaving for good. She thinks she's only going for a couple of weeks. She has an idea that something is up but she wants to stay with her father.

With Simin away, living with her parents for the time being, and Nader's commitment at work, there's a huge need to employ someone to take care of Nader's father. Razieh (newcomer, Sareh Bayat) and her little girl, Somayeh (also newcomer, Kimia Hosseini) decide to take up the job, which includes regulating the old man's medication and plenty of housework too.

This work is a strain on Razieh though being four months pregnant. She begins to struggle with the load on her and begins to question her involvement, especially when considering such a hug commute. Also, as she has taken the job through word-of-mouth and not with her husband's approval, she cooks up an alternative way of getting things straight. The husband, Hojjat (Shahab Hosseini, About Elly, Goodbye), a hot-headed individual, visits Nader at the bank he works at to discuss taking on the work himself.

Due to some trouble with his creditors, Hojjat cannot make his first day on the job. To her distress, Razieh has to continue in his place until he can be made available. However, Nader is surprised to come home that day to find his father passed out on the floor, with his hand tied to the bed. Razieh and Somayeh are nowhere to be seen, even though the girl's rucksack is still there. 

With some money missing from the apartment, this upsets Nader heavily. Once Razieh returns with her daughter, he cannot contain his dismay. The incident starts to build tension between the, with the ensuing argument causing some dire circumstances.

As their world falls apart, estranged wife Simin feels guilty for her choices, wanting to do all she can to fix this horrendous situation. The further she digs, the closer she gets to a heartbreaking revelation.

To those in the know, it has been incredibly difficult for filmmakers in Iran for some time. Politically, there are always barriers and rules, the beautiful art of storytelling with the lens puts strain on people like Asghar Farhadi, who received no government support for this picture. This may be partly due to a speech he made where he wished to see the release of two prolific filmmakers involved in the Iranian Green Movement: Mohsen Makhmalbaf and Jafar Panahi, who's autobiographical documentary This Is Not A Film (of which I have reviewed in the up-and-coming Eyelids Of Dawn Pt.2...watch this space!) illustrates the difficulty of making pictures in their nation.

Farhadi still managed to circulate some interest and get some financing in the end, managing to make this beautiful piece on a modest budget of $500,000. Stripping down the investment and concentrating on filming and story, he has crafted a stunning picture. 

While nearly completely filmed in handheld style, he uses tight spaces to dress this tense world that our characters are drafted into. With wonderful use of close-ups quite regularly, Farhadi also manages to expose both the subtle and explosive performances from our cast, both approaches being strong in their own right.

A delicious array of characters are presented here. For a start, Kimia Hosseini as Somayeh is as cute as a button. A colourful and confident young child, when things get too frightening, she shies away, peering around corners with her huge eyes. You'll fall in love with her immediately. Just as sweet is Ali-Asghar Shahbazi, portraying the suffering father to Nader. He will absolutely break your heart, as Shahbazi plays him with such softness and sorrow, he'll melt you.

In fact, everyone is just excellent. Hojjat is a very well drafted character, with his charisma and dramatic presence infusing his persona with a spectrum of emotional outbursts. Shahab Hosseini handles the role with such a delicate manner, he truly embodies Hojjat. Most interestingly, Farhadi cast his own daughter, Sarina, to play the unsettled daughter, Termeh. This is a complex role, which Sarina executes with sensational calm. Her approach is one of being tender, but wrought under the surface. She is the heart of the entire story, and I'd like to think that her comfort with her father directing may have helped to illustrate, in front of the lens, a strong relationship between her role and that of Nader.

Of course, the performer playing Nader himself, Peyman Moaadi, is just superb, especially in scenes opposite his on-screen, played magnetically by Leila Hatami. In their key moments, they clearly demonstrate on of A Separation's ace cards - honest and organic acting.

Take the superb opening scene, for example, which is an absolute actor's dream! A locked-on, mid shot of our two leading performers, slowly building through their differences, with an argument that's pretty much about as real as it gets. It sets a perfect tone for the film right from the start, allowing this pair of incredible performers to to act their guts out and show the world what they can do.

You can see why it won all those gongs purely in its collection of simply stand-out performances alone. But A Separation brings so much more with it, in particular an exceptional script. Besides taking the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film it was also nominated for Best Original Screenplay, which is breathtaking when considering how quickly Farhadi put it together.

It's such a deep upsetting tale, that's excellently written. One impressive decision was to use virtually no music throughout the entire piece (besides a subtle tune during the closing credits). The whole film is reliant on the dialogue for its rhythm and momentum. The script is incredibly powerful, our actors using the text to its maximum, allowing the words to dance across each scene. There's one scene in particular that illustrates this: a hearing about 55 minutes into the picture following a key event, broken into two parts and acting as a keystone to the entire story, and is incredibly tense.

The situation that has caused this criminal dispute between Nader and Razieh drives the entire plot and exists purely as of a result of the separation of our Termeh's parents. Yet, through this, A Separation is less about the segregation of our two leads itself and more about the weight of bearing both truth and lies. As you experience it through the respected eyes of each individual you unearth a plethora of mixed feelings within yourself, totally buying into the dilemma at hand and questioning every morals attuned to all involved.

With so many secrets, tied up in this web of relationships, it's a smart and graceful piece, merited by its justified awareness, and proof that simplicity, sometimes, reveals surprising complexity at its core. A hard balance to achieve in the medium of film, yet Farhadi has absolutely nailed it.

There's no doubt that buried deep within the turmoil of this story, A Separation does a wonderfully tasteful job of addressing religion, marriage, illness, responsibility and honesty. At moments, it's full of melancholy, which can be off-putting to some. Yet, it's this confident regard to truism, teamed up with spectacular dialogue, handled extravagantly by a cast totally on their game that makes this film so great. A masterpiece!

Don't forget to leave comments below, tweet me @filmbore or post on my Facebook page here. 

Alternatively, you could contact me directly about this film or my other reviews on pickoftheweek@filmbore.co.uk

filmbore pick of the week - City Of God

City Of God (Cidade de Deus)

Director: Fernando Meirelles Kátia Lund (co-director)
Screenplay: Bráulio Mantovani
Starring: Alexandre Rodrigues, Leandro Firmino, Phellipe Haagenssen, Douglas Silva, Seu Jorge, Alice Braga, Matheus Nachtergaele
Year: 2002
Language: Portuguese
UK rental release: July 2003

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Brazil this week. And another near-miss to Oscar glory. I really hope a lot of you reading this have already seen the heady, real drama that is City Of God, as there are rarely any foreign language films out there that carry such original premise while also having the necessary impact that it did upon its release. Let's find out why:

We open on a chicken on the run. A gang of lads chase after the feathered beast through the labyrinth of the favelas, hoping to catch their prize. Led by Li'l Ze (Leandro Firmino, Cafundó), their hunt is sporadic and bustling, as they negotiate the muddled back streets, shouting, guns in hand.

Because here, in the Cidade de Deus, the "City Of God", even the kids have guns. The town has changed over the years, with its initial inception intending to be a urban Samaritan to the lost, with homeless families being saved by its potential. Since, it's forgotten its role for society, allowing the youth to dominate its veins with crime and violence.

The gang run into a main street, hoping to head off their plucky prey and run into another resident of the favela, Rocket (Alexandre Rodrigues, Forbidden To Forbid). He stands, bemused, camera in hand. Li'l Ze calls to him to catch the bird before it gets away. 

Then, suddenly, with some commotion, Rocket finds himself caught in the cross-fire between the gang and a fleet of policemen.

We go back to the sixties, for Rocket's first story of many - the Tender Trio. Robbing gas trucks travelling through their neighbourhood, they were the first real gangsters of the town. Including Rocket's brother, Goose, they were the coolest kids on the block, with youngsters Li'l Dice (Douglas Silva, Last Stop 174) and his best friend Benny tagging along.

Li'l Dice comes up with new ideas to better the Trio's takings. One sterling plan is to rob local motels, as the residents will be swimming with cash. But one motel job goes wrong, leading to further complications for the trio.

As we continue the journey through Rocket's narration, through the seventies and eighties, we'll see the evolution of this city through his dreams of becoming a photographer, his love of Angélica (Alice Braga, Only God Knows, Elysium) but more importantly, see Li'l Dice become Li'l Ze.

Li'l Ze begins to take control of the entire drugs trade with Benny (Phellipe Haagensen, Máncora, Sonhos de Peixe), the only guy that Li'l Ze listens to. Yet, there is a different nature to his childhood friend. As a gang war brews between Li'l Ze and the other major player, Carrot (Matheus Nachtergaele, Bald Mountain), Benny is the key for fragile peace. 

Yet, once Li'l Ze makes an enemy of Knockout Ned (Seu Jorge, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, The Escapist)  things really start to shake up.

Adapted from the novel by Paulo Lins and loosely based on real events, City Of God lays out the progression of organised crime in the Cidade de Deus through three decades.

It was presented as Brazil's candidate for Best Foreign Language Film at the 2003 Academy Awards. It was elected as one of the key five choices that year. However, if it had the it would not have been eligible for it's four nominations the following year: César Charlone for Best Cinematography, Daniel Rezende for Best Editing, Bráulio Mantovani for Adapted Screenplay and Fernando Meirelles for Best Directing. Unfortunately, it didn't take any of the gongs (The Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King taking the lion share) but these are four categories rarely considered for foreign films, granting City Of God with the necessary, well deserved gravitas it still retains to this day. Thankfully, it did pick up some awards globally, with Rezende getting his trophy for Editing at The BAFTAs.

Amidst such accolades, and with the anticipation such promotion can bring, there's a tangible presence that this film brings. Something that you'll pick up, which I felt strongly the first and still the most recent time I've watched it, is that City Of God has an extremely addictive quality to it. It moves as such a well delivered pace that you find yourself settling within its world with ease.

As a picture that proudly presents a character all of its own, it beautifully handles numerous other character's back stories to create the world within the growing city. Characters are introduced by their street-names and nicknames which, where being a true rendition of how a younger generation of this background would address each other, lends to build a quick canvas for each role before they reveal their matching personalities. 

Most of the cast are real inhabitants of the Brazilian favelas, including the real Cidade de Deus itself. It's in these choices that the film plays a lot of its trump cards. All the young actors are simply mind-blowing! Li'l Dice in particular is a terrifying young boy, commanding attention from all that witness his disregard and power. 

Both elements of the role, of Li'l Dice and his evolved persona as Li'l Ze maintain the movie's stained heart, and this individual is played brilliantly by both actors, with "the big bad" becoming the icon of the film. Li'l Ze is so relentless...terrifying in fact. He enjoys his life so much. His gusto and reverie frighteningly compliments his evil resolve with such force you cannot ignore his attractive, if imposing, presence.

Benny's a strong character also. His transformation is an appealing element, if minor within the plethora of the tales at hand. This approach humanises an otherwise frightening member of the gang, while his growing friendship with the "groovies" creates an interesting dynamic between him and Li'l Ze.

Our narrator and star, Rocket, is also very charismatic in the telling of each chapter thanks to a wonderful turn by Alexandre Rodrigues. His role does take a slight back-seat, smartly so, as to allow each story to flourish in their own right. Yet, Rodrigues is rich enough in his delivery of the part, while the way his character is written with a perspective of his home town and its inhabitants, that he still manages to have an endearing presence, which is remarkable when considering how he's surrounded by so many colourful, well drafted characters.

A lot of this is thanks to such detailed and refreshing writing. There's a lot take in in this rich story. An astonishing script handed to such talented young performers is weaved within numerous other techniques; a blessing to the picture as a whole. With gorgeous music throughout the whole piece, with freshly composed songs blended with known anthems, Rocket takes our hand through the history of the town while structured within fresh songs from the region and seminal pieces from each era.

Yet it's the film's appearance that's the most striking. With dynamic shooting. fast paced. exciting, even in the opening shots, some of the cinematography is outstanding. Bright saturation make the images dance on screen. Overall, it's mostly coated with a copper-like template, building a unique look which has become synonymous with the film. And the editing is superb. From the wonderful opening, with razor sharp cuts of a chef sharpening his blade, from the off you know you're in for a treat.

This opening is not suitable for vegetarians. In fact, there are quite a few scenes that may not be ideal for those of a weaker disposition. The violence will disturb some of you - not so much in its activity but its dark existence and blatant approach. Some of the scenes are quite shocking, yet the realism on display creates further stature within the piece. There's even violence towards children which is disturbing, if profound, and is vital to portray the horrendous environment that we are entranced in.

Everything fits perfectly: performances, writing, directing, cinematography, story, music, lighting, editing...the list goes on. It's a formidable film that should be seen by anyone. That includes you. Go and watch this film immediately. You will not be disappointed!

At 135 minutes, City Of God is a long film yet, from the moment we're introduced to our flustered chicken, fluttering its wings in despair, it absolutely flies by. So many styles are at play that it could have ended up messy. Instead, thanks to Meirelles and Lund's stellar direction and Rezende's complex editing, it's an effervescent cocktail, perfectly balanced in each juxtaposed ingredient like a perfect Caipirinha. 


Don't forget to leave comments below, tweet me @filmbore or post on my Facebook page here. 

Alternatively, you could contact me directly about this film or my other reviews on pickoftheweek@filmbore.co.uk

filmbore pick of the week - Dogtooth

Dogtooth (Kynodontas)

Director: Giorgos Lanthimos
Screenplay: Efthymis Filippou, Giorgos Lanthimos
Starring: Aggeliki Papoulia, Mary Tsoni, Hristos Passalis, Christos Stergioglou, Michele Valley, Anna Kalaitzidou
Year: 2009
Languages: Greek
UK rental release: September 2010

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Continuing with out awards themed reviews, this week we look at Greece's winner of the Prix Un Certain Regard at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival. It also sat as a Best Foreign Language nominee, next to Biutiful, Outside The Law and Incendies, at the 83rd Academy Awards (losing out to In A Better World). Though missing out on the gong, it's hard to ignore the originality of Dogtooth.

Three teenagers live in their own world. Holed up within an isolated environment, they have little understanding of how life is outside their hazy bubble.

Younger daughter (Mary Tsoni, Evil) is a high spirited soul. Along with her innocence, she likes to make up games for her siblings to play. Son (Hristos Passalis, Black Field) is quiet and aloof. He's kept busy with chores and has some musical talent, but sometimes expresses an air of pride and a need to prove himself.

Older daughter (Aggeliki Papoulia, Alps, Matchbox) is the most inquisitive and most forthright of the bunch. She has itchy feet and is quick to experiment if posited. She has a appears to have an inch more awareness than the rest, with her scrutinising behaviour allowing an alternative perspective to the other two.

They learn new words via cassette tapes passed on to them, where all the meanings are skewed. For example, the word motorway is described as a strong wind. But to them, this is the norm. They make up all manner of games to keep themselves occupied, and respond with boundless enthusiasm to the slightest of stimuli.

Housed in a luxurious house in the Greek countryside, they're conditioned to carry on their lives within this extremely controlled haven, captive by their parents regime. The Mother (Michele Valley, Morning Patrol, Singapore Sling) is cooped up all day with them, even though she is party to this insular conspiracy. In order to communicate to the outside world, she has a telephone hidden in her bedside cabinet. When the kids hear her, they think she's talking to herself. 

The Father (Christos Stergioglou, Hard Goodbyes: My Father, A Dog's Dream) is the head controller of this treatment. He hardens his children in peculiar ways and isn't averse to a little violence when he deems it necessary. He even cuts off the labels of water bottles he brings home, just to be rid of any outside influence.

At his firm, he has a deal going with the company's security guard, Christina (Anna Kalaitzidou, The Enemy Within). She is taken to the home from work by the Father, blindfolded so as not to know the building's location. Her task is to take part in the act of sex with the family's Son; an exercise that seems to occur to infuse his development with some maturity somehow.

He is occupied elsewhere some of the time though. Along with his siblings, he keeps speaking to the fence in the garden, thinking that his brother is out there somewhere. He reached enough accolade and maturity that he ventures outside the ground, never to be seen again.

As the siblings venture through their unreal lives, in their hope to follow in their missing brothers footsteps, they must stay victim to this unusual experiment. What is the meaning behind this routine? Or are their parents just control freaks?

With a budget of only €250,000 this picture, scandalously, only took $384,147 at the box office. This is such a shame, as Giorgos Lanthimos took a very organic angle when making Dogtooth. He didn't start to block his shots and plan the film's look into rehearsals were underway, wanting a naturally evolved approach. He employed strict framing throughout, establishing the film's slick template.

Symmetrical shots are frequent also, paired with lots of low shots, confidently held for lengthy moments capturing our cast from the waist down. This is an incredibly exclusive feeling picture visually, refreshing in its overall look.

Included in its unique appearance is some of the most incredible use of natural light I've seen in years. Not, perhaps, in the "Malick-esque" sense where peeks of sunlight seep over profiles to generate lens flares (even though there are some from time to time), but on display is a clear understanding of the qualities that organic illumination can bring to a picture; mostly subtle, yet still noticeable, and for all the right reasons.

Another minimal choice is the amount of performers, Yes, the cast is limited in numbers but certainly not in style. With an indirect take on the source material, each actor handles every word with severe punctuality and precision; almost monotone and robotic in their method at times.

It's a peculiar acting approach to take, yet it is so suitable for this piece. It's comical at certain moments (the dance in particular is one of the finest "hoons" I have ever seen!), yet each portrayal is beautifully quirky thanks to the casting choices, especially with the trio of teenagers in particular.

The three protagonists are very distinct, while elusive. They display some unusual relationships between each other; they're close but clearly stifled. From their viewpoint, you begin to build a surprising context, sparking no end of challenging aspects while engulfing yourself in this left-field tale.

For the main, you'll question the effects of incarceration. The dogtooth in the title, which is explained to you midway through the film, is the gateway to the outside world. With the knowledge that this concept brings to the children, you see their desire to escape or rebel grow. A lot of this is thanks to the character of Christina, seldom seen in this film, yet her part carries such importance. Her presence and interaction with this tight-knit family demonstrates at such a concentrated level how one person's influence can have such an impact on such a concealed habitat.

As her infection into the straight-family rules take form, no matter how minor, we get to see the progression of Dogtooth's ace cards: sex and violence. Both play a hugely important part in this story, especially as they don't appear to fit in this film's raison d'être. 

Firstly, with it being so nonchalant about sex, it takes "casual" to a whole other level. If sexually explicit scenes do offend you, be prepared for some direct visual nudity and quite graphic intercourse. And then there's the bloodshed and brutality. The effects and violence are surprisingly real. 

Yes, there is that scene with the kitten, but it's the surprising moments of lashing-out that emerge from nowhere that astonish. You may find some of the abuse is shocking but it's presence is so vital to this tale, tapping into unnecessary oppression and the fear nurtured from such moments of aggression.

With these facets thrown in the mix, it's clear to see the genius method in which Lanthimos, as a director, has seamlessly incorporated raw thematics into an unconventional piece. At its heart it's a film about platonic relationships, with how they can crumble against a desire to break out of a cycle. All of this achieved while still exposing how humanity will always respond to isolation; in the end you need to break free.

It's fair to say that Dogtooth may be too abstract for some. However, if you crave something original, quirky and enlightening then you, like myself, will find this film strange but oddly appealing. Through the light, there is a deluge of darkness running through its veins...it's probably the sweetest horror you will ever see!

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