Change Your Image
mvanwegberg
Reviews
Lucía y el sexo (2001)
humanistic theme lushly depicted
This is the third movie of Julio Medem that I have seen: La Ardilla Roja, Vacas, and Lucia y el sexo. Fascinating and very personal films. I think I am beginning to see a red line though Medem's work. It is all about human tragedy and suffering. Civil war (as in Vacas), suicide (Ardilla Rojo) or lethal accident (in Lucia y el sexo). The suffering is caused by the people themselves, with their fallibility. They don't forgive themselves (as Lorenzo does in this film), or others don't forgive them (the revenge theme in Vacas). The consequence is that human suffering is much increased. As in Vacas, only emigration enables people to escape from violence that comes from unforgiven crimes. The solution Medem presents us is forgiveness. People need a second chance, even after great failure. Each story can be retraced, enabling people to work towards a better ending. In a way the musician Jota in the Ardilla Roja does that: he gives himself a second chance by helping the coma girl, even though he has to deceive her for it. In Vacas, the crimes of one generation fester on into future generations, until an end is put to the revenge cycle by migration. In Lucia y el sexo, Lorenzo finally forgives himself. So does Elena accept her fate. The closing scene of the film suggests that even after horrendous failure and misery, some happy end is possible. If only we accept the limitations of ourselves and others. I find this a humanistic message, that accepts human frailty and suggests some way forward by forgiveness.
Wonderland (1999)
Good music, London is great, the story is a bit cliche
This is the story of an elderly couple that are not on speaking terms, with their son (who has left the house for it) and three daughters. Its all about family relations. The family bond is not quite as strong as it used to be. People drift around a bit. The elderly woman Eileen looks down on her quiet, gentle husband Bill. Daughter Molly gets a baby and sees her husband Eddy run off. Daughter Debbie is divorced from the father Tim of her son. Tim takes the boy with him for a day, with near fatal consequences. Strong women and weak men, that´s very much the story here. The camera is a bit ´Danish´, like a videocamera, the film is grainy at times, as if this is a documentary of a real family, followed on its footsteps for three days. The film´s saving grace is the good music, and London which is the background of the movie. London is bigger than its people, it seems. There are so many opportunities there for another relationship, a sexual encounter, why stick to your partner...