“A TOUCH OF SIN” ****
Violence is spreading around the world as a disease, bleeding the grounds, breaking families and relationships apart, changing the essential characteristics of living being, everywhere, in many aspects and shapes, between people, nations, political, and social. An ordinary miner is willing to turn things up for himself and his community, as he imposes the absence of his benefits. Some of the reason of his decision to go on for his rights, is self-interested, but he proves he’s well-intentioned doing whatever he can to increase their miserable salaries, even facing the big boss. A mysterious runaway devoted to his family ties, his siblings and son, dreams bigger every time he leaves for his outlaw duties. A beautiful woman who works in a sauna, longs for her encounters with a married man, and is caught by surprise by his wife. A young man is looking for his opportunities in a growing fast economy, moving job to job only to face the true facts of modern capitalism.
Through these four different characters, connected by a similar structure of intense violence, corruption, and social injustices, Chinese Director Jia Zhangke presents a meditation on social issues focusing on his country’s systems, cultural traditions, shapes and developments. Using an irreverent language in each story to reveal a dark and yet sarcastic aspect of the violent instinct in humans lacking control when faced with the interruption of their search for financial and emotional accomplishment, in a system dictated by an economic injustice that divides classes, the result is a brilliant and unexpected piece about capitalism and the irregularities on the increasing clash between classes. Great performances combined to the stylized, explosive, and sometimes gratuitous violence, that the director’s authentic taste demonstrate, in a furiously and bloody territory, dealing with real issues, makes it one guaranteed for this year’s Top List.
MODERN LOVE, IS IT?
Joseph Gordon-Levitt is a cool and smart guy. His choice for his directorial debut not so much. Although it shows his efforts to make it work, giving a fine performance, the film is funny and sexy, but not a satisfactory first-time. His “DON JON” is such a grotesque and repulsive character who despises the women he sleeps with, preferring the porn he watches constantly. He’s obsessed with his hobby, and describes it as one of the things that really matters in life for him. Of course, he meets one hot girl who will touch his heart, instead of his sexual appetite, giving him a chance to change things for his own good. There are several low points here: the aggressive profanity, women are treated as disposable, his irritating arrogance and stupid perspective in life, the porn propaganda and the lack of sympathy. The result is like a mix between taking vacations on the Jersey Shore, pretending you’re in Vegas, and a crazy, euphoric and horny visit to a club as a guy-night out, partying with the pretentious people from that crap MTV produces.
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