Phantom Thread (2017) and Satan's Brew (1976)

Phantom Thread is a very beautifully made film with a wonderful music score and great performances. Daniel Day Lewis stars as a dress designer Reynolds Woodcock, and describes himself as a "confirmed bachelor". Leslie Manville (so good in Another Year) plays his sister and business partner. A relationship starts between Reynolds and a new young woman (Vicky Krieps), which stirs some jealously in the sister character. Strange occurrences develop throughout the film and there's some mystery as to what's happening and why. It's not an easy film to encapsulate, but the two main characters are very interesting; Reynolds is very obsessive, while the young woman wants to break him of his mold; in one scene she wants to go out dancing on New Year's Eve, but he wants to stay in and work. What would happen with the sister character kept me guessing as well. The relationship in the movie is an unusual one to say the least, and was sort of reminded of a film that I've blogged about numerous times in the past, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

I also attended a local screening of a German-language film Satan's Brew (1976) directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder, a very dark and bizarre comedy-mystery, which reminded me somewhat of Phantom Thread. The main character in the picture (Kurt Raab, star of Why Does Herr H Run Amok) is also an obsessive artist - a writer - who channels the German poet Stefan George to great lengths, to the point of even dressing like him and acting like him. I saw similarities between him and PT's Reynolds Woodcock, both controlling men with an unusual marriage relationship. Like that film, this film is also a mystery, and the truth is hidden from the audience until the very end. It's also has some elements that may be considered offensive to some, as the main character is so despicable; he's a womanizing, scheming, manipulative, greedy, selfish, rude, lewd, tactless pig, so it's not a film for everyone.

Another review of the film Satan's Brew from the blog Surrender to the Void

The Witch (2016) and The Crucible (2006)

Saw two films recently about witches; I saw them months apart but they would make a good double feature.

First, the Crucible starring Winona Ryder, Paul Scofield, Joan Allen, Bruce Davison. In the 1690s New England United States, there's fear was witchcraft and of witches, and the religious community comes against them and brings them to trial. Based on the play and it's a good drama with good performances.

Next--- The Witch, a smart, intelligent horror film directed by Robert Eggers; it's on par with The Conjuring (one of my favorite movies of the past 10 years).  I was also very curious about the subject matter and the period setting of the film.

In the film, set in the 1600s, a family is haunted by strange occurances, and the parents fear witchcraft. Some critics might say that the film is a slam on puritan paranoia. There's alot of creepy imagery and you get a sense that the parents' fear might be justified.

Kate Dickey (from Prometheus) plays the mom; her performance is good, but I felt very bad for what happens to her character at the end. The actor who plays the dad looks a little like the late Alan Rickman; Rickman may have been perfect for this role a few years ago.

I felt sympathy for the father, too, even though he could be interpreted as being too hysterical. When your children are threatened by evil spirits, I think any parent would go a little nuts.

I found the movie to be very thought-provoking, with many interesting concepts, but I feel I missed some important dialogue due to the heavy accents used by some of the actors (will need to watch it again on DVD at home with subtitles).

Additional articles about The Witch -

• Variety film review - here
  
• The Dispatch review, calls it "Puritan paranoia" - here
  
• The Vox article: Why satanists have given new horror movie The Witch their endorsement - here | review here 
  
• Complex - Satanic temple after party - here
  
• Slate review and profile of Robert Eggers - here
  
• RogerEbert.com review - here
  
• Wired interview with the director - here