Watching the movie Heavy Trip is like riding a roller coaster again and again, having yourself mixed with so many emotions that you feel like you’re going to puke. Literally. It all began with this oddly looking person… not even sure if it was a guy or girl at first glance. Only to find out that this seemingly quiet person is part of a heavy metal band with a bunch of his best friends who also have a similar look with him. And it wasn’t your typical heavy metal band. No, they were different, their band name was so unique that anybody who would hear it once would definitely remember it for the rest of their lives… Their band was called Impaled Rektum. And these weren’t your average heavy metal players because they had a higher goal in life: to create heavy metal music that could be equivalent to or hopefully more than a “symphonic post-apocalyptic reindeer-grinding Christ-abusing extreme war pagan Fennoscandian metal” sound. So Turo and his band are pretty close, they practically spend almost their entire days together in max’s basement. They’re so passionate for heavy metal music that max refuses to continue the stable job that his family owns and just continue improving his craft in creating heavy metal music. This just shows how they all practically live and breathe heavy metal that they’re almost willing to forego everything else. Another example of this would be where they had high hopes to be accepted into the big music festival happening in Norway and so they dedicated everyday to train for it because they knew that this opportunity was their calling and that something like this may not happen again. So they practiced and practiced really hard. Eventually it spread in the town of the news of them being accepted to the said concert. This inspired and motivated them even more to become successful in their concert that they decided they would stop at nothing until they would be there and perform to the best of their capabilities. It was sad to find out and see though that they in fact, were not included in the line up. This led to a series of unfortunate events. Not only did the entire town now despise them for lying, but they were also apprehended by the chief of police because he thought that they were a threat to the community. Their reputation now gone, no one left to support them, and still they managed to be struck by the worst possible event to date. They lost one of their band members to a car crash. But his death was for no reason, he died in vein trying to revive their hopes for their collective dream to perform in the music festival and make everyone proud of them and what they could achieve. Though tragic, this did not stop the band from pursuing their goal. They recruited a new member and managed to arrive in the music festival despite still having so many challenges on their journey on the way there. It was not a surprise that upon arriving there, they were granted passage to enter through their efforts and performed out of their minds that they had a standing ovation from everyone attending. It was surprising to see so much welcome from the crowd despite Turo throwing up on one of the persons in front of the stage, right before playing their first song. Everyone was just so happy to hear a unique and fresh sound to heavy metal music that they never heard of before. Of course, this was all possible because one of their band members had the brain capacity to distinguish whether that song they created was similar to any other song made and popularized before. So with this hit, their band was able to bring back their solid reputation within the community, as well as the heavy metal music industry and its fans. On a personal note, I’m not so much a fan of heavy metal music. Although, being a performer, I do understand the similar trials and circumstances that we face given that heavy metal music and dance, though different, are both within the overall performing and arts industry. We usually train long hours and sometimes people don’t see the importance of what we do or maybe that it isn’t stable as a job. But we continue to sacrifice and work hard for it because we’re passionate and we hope that we can touch others along the way. I really appreciate seeing this movie because it has given me a different aspect of the performing and arts industry that is unique, yet so extremely interesting. also believe that heavy metal music is not given that much recognition. And so to all those who like to critique this style of performing arts, I recommend you to watch this movie and see how it really is for yourself.

Among all the films, the five obstructions had the most different format. It was like a documentary but not completely. It was a film about a film and how the film could be re done. I found it shocking how Von tier who seemed much younger was the one ordering Leth who appears to be the pro. With each obstruction he gave, leth would participate and was very professional with accepting the challenge as well. At first, I assumed that the obstructions were meant to really challenge Leth. I also assumed that it was von tier trying to modernize the film “a perfect human”. I saw how Leth wasn’t exactly comfortable with the obstructions given that it was far from his usual style. He did struggle with it but always tried his best to deliver. The first obstruction felt like a warm up round but nonetheless very different from what Leth has done before. But Leth was able to be innovative in incorporating the 12 frames obstruction that von tier gave. The result was beautiful and creative. The second obstruction for me felt like Leth sort of missed the point of the obstruction. The point was to show empathy which he Leth failed to do. The third obstruction was brought about by Leth’s “failure” in the second obstruction. Here, we saw the struggles of Leth as he created a film without his preferred rules. This obstruction seems to show that when one makes a film seemingly without rules, something can still be created out of sheer creativity and drive. The fourth obstruction for me was personally one of the things I liked the most. To see the film as a cartoon was definitely something fresh and different. It looked cool to see how a cartoon which for me usually meant that I was for kids, could have so much depth and mystery. I really liked how Leth was able to showcase his film using cartoons and how he went out of his way to understand the art (even working with a pro artist). This really showed how he was committed to what he was doing even if he said how much he hated cartoons. He was still up for the challenge. The fifth obstruction is where everything gets tied up. I realized here how all the four obstructions had a bigger purpose. It wasn’t just to test the capabilities of Leth as a film maker. It was in fact for Leth to see his full potential. I think that Von tier had so much respect for Leth that he made his own version of the perfect human and allowed Leth to narrate this so that Leth could be seen as the object of this film. The point for me here was to show that a perfect film and perfect human isn’t about how clean and “perfect” it is. It’s about the flaws that give it realness and character. Overall I enjoyed how these two directors, who are both amazing in their own right, found a way to learn and adapt from each other. It was such a well executed “documentary” showcasing the talents of both film makers. I feel like I have a much deeper respect for all those working in the film industry after watching the 5 obstructions. It really is no easy feat and it requires you to pour out your heart, passion and mind to it.

The first thing I noticed from this movie was that it had the same actor as goodbye lenin. Although his role was different in this movie, the whole “rebel” “fighting for a cause” was very similar. Personally, I didn’t enjoy the movie that much. I felt like peter and jan seemed like spoiled children who wanted to stir up trouble because they couldn’t get what they wanted. Although I liked the idea of them never stealing anything (except that time when peter stole a rolex) because it set them apart from normal burglars. When jan explained to jule why they do what they do, he said something like: to stir them up, so they know that even with all their riches and security, you can still get to them. They aren’t untouchable. I think this for me was what I agreed with the most in their whole cause. I appreciated that they had this ideaology. It wasn’t about stealing and then giving back to the poor because if they had done that then the rich will only be empowered to crush the poor. What they were doing involved letting the rich understand the implications of their lavish lives. It was meant as an eye opener. So for me, I found this clever and well thought off. But also I felt like, even if they succeed in barging into these houses and creating this kind of movement, how far would it go? What kind of change could they actually bring? Maybe the families would get stirred, maybe they would even think about it from time to time or subconsciously get affected by it but after while, they’ll still go back to living their lavish lives. For me, it felt like a cause that didn’t have as much potential even if it did have good ideas and was rooted on a good thing.

Things went downhill after jule and jan on impulse they trespassed the owner of the house whom june owned a lot of money to. It would have been ok if they stopped and went home after rearranging everything. Since they had to go back to fetch jule’s phone which I felt was extremely dumb of her. Knowing everything they were doing, she should have at least been more careful. This led to the owner eventually catching them in his house. On impulse, they decided to kidnap him. This was a way for them to avoid the cops and any trouble. It wasn’t related to their cause but really just a way to save themselves. June most especially since it was her idea to go inside this man’s house. I think that’s when I started to see how their group was toxic. I guess I could say that since the start, I knew that something would eventually go wrong. Even if they don’t steal anything, what they’re doing is still technically illegal so it would eventually come to a point where they would get caught. But as they kidnapped the rich man and as they lived a life in a far away province, you start to see how the rich man and the “edukators” weren’t completely different people. For the rich man at least, life happened and he had to cope. He wasn’t born rich and he didn’t even believe in the same things when he was younger but when you live longer and see how the world changes, you start to change as well. I completely agreed with him when he showed respect for the three by saying that I don’t think what you’re doing to me is right but I do appreciate the ideologies you have. I learned to see and understand both sides at this point.

The rich man said that it’s a system that can’t be changed, he is merely playing the game but he didn’t create the rules. However, the edukators pointed out that it’s not who created the gun but the one who pulls the trigger. This moment for me was the most intense part. How can you be part of a system and be expected to go against what is considered a norm in society ? It’s almost impossible to change something you’re part of but at the same time you realize that there is so much capacity that you have towards a situation. In the end. It will always be up to you to challenge this system.

Edukators was a film that helped me understand how people will always lean towards the betterment of themselves and that the trick is to challenge this notion. Along the way, there will be bumps and confusion but that shouldn’t stop you from doing what you truly believe in. The ending quote “some people never change”, is a reminder for all of us not to be cowards and stand up for what we want. Don’t be passive in this world and keep moving forward.

Raw is probably one of the most disturbing films I’ve ever watched. I literally couldn’t watch almost half of the film. I also didn’t expect that she was going to enjoy eating human flesh. But for the most part when I look at the movie, I see it as an exaggerated experience of the freshman experience. Most of us know the feeling of entering college, having new experiences, getting exposed to things we were sheltered from before. There are new changes going on with Justine just like how every person struggles or tries to find themselves when put in a new setting.

                  What really sparked justine’s new found appetite was when she succumed to her initiation. Even if it seemed that she didn’t have a choice, we know that she actually did yet she chose to still do it. She originally seemed like she hated it and that she even had negative reactions in her body (the rash and scabs she got) but then we start to see a transformation. It starts with just wanting to eat meat, then eating raw meat and finally trying human flesh (her sister’s finger. At this point I really felt that the movie was just getting more bizarre and really escalating quickly.

                  Justine and her relationship with her parents reminds me of my own. I have always had strict parents. I remember sneaking around and always making up lies so I don’t get caught. So for me, I understand the need for freedom and the craving for it the more your parents deprive you of it. For Justine this freedom was regarding meat. The more she was deprived of it, the more she craved for it and couldn’t stop herself. The more she tried to stop herself from what she really wanted, the more deprived she felt and again she starts to crave for it more. On the parents perspective, I think it’s normal how parents will always want to protect their children no matter what. My mom got pregnant at eighteen with my eldest brother and both my mom and dad  had to struggle to make ends meet while studying so I think this was the reason they were very strict with me and my siblings. This is also explained why the mom of alexia and Justine would go crazy even if the slightest meat touched their food. I used to think she was just a typical vegetarian who probably loved animals. I didn’t realize that it was because she was also a cannibal and she didn’t want her children to experience what she was experiencing. Sometimes we think of parents as hypocrites but I honestly think that parents only try to prevent you from doing mistakes they have also made because they aren’t proud of it. At the same time, these mistakes are also part of understanding oneself and moving towards adulthood. With Adrienne’s character we also see the change and struggle to discover himself. He used to think he was gay but found himself drawn to Justine. So here we again see how different settings really create confusion to each person. We start to have doubts and even if we don’t like it, we know that change happens among all of us. Which isn’t always a bad thing because it also opens us to possibilities we never knew were possible.

                  Another issue in the film is the relationship of Justine and Alexia. I used to think they were very distant from each other and very different in attitude as well. But as the movie progresses, you see more and more the influence of Alexia in showing Justine who she really is. For a time, I thought that Alexia was just bad influence and trying to get Justine to be like her so that she wouldn’t feel alone. But the more I think about it, the more I realize that Alexia was opening justine’s eyes. One way or another she was bound to realize what she was capable of and Alexia would have preferred Justine to discover this with her guidance because she understood and loved her sister more than anyone else. However I also feel that the reason alexia killed addriane was because of the jealousy of alexia. She might have felt that addriene was competition for her love for her sister. In the end even after Alexia killed addriene, the bond of the sisters was stronger than ever. They had this understanding that nobody else had.

I had low expectations for the film since they said it was a low budget film. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I originally thought it would be about a serial killer who was going to attack hector and his wife and that they had to find a way to escape. I even thought that the naked woman was bait for hector to go into the woods so that the killer could murder him. But as the movie progressed, it got more and more interesting. I like to analyze or predict the plot of movies so I was thinking the entire time that the scientist who was helping him was actually the killer just trying to lure him. So when he went inside the “big tub” and the man didn’t follow, I kept thinking ok hector is doomed because he just trusted the other killer. But I was completely wrong. When they introduced the time travel machine, I was more intrigued wondering how it would play out in the movie. I think one of the most shocking scenes in the film was when hector picked up the phone and heard his voice. I thought in the earlier part of the film that this scene wasn’t so important so it kind of really struck me. I was literally like woah! It reminded me of when I watched the movie inception and I would literally get confused about what the starting point of everything was. I think this kind of mind boggling situations just kept happening in the film. Like after seeing the woman in the bike who was the same naked woman in the earlier scene, I just kept thinking oh so this is how she got here. But then when hector broke his face and started wrapping his head with cloth, I realized he had been the man he was hiding from the entire time. This really made me so puzzled and I think at this point I was just really trying to understand what was going on. I couldn’t wrap my head around it and I kept thinking, how is he going to make sure only one hector lives? I felt so bad for the naked woman because she was literally collateral damage, she just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. She was even being such a good person and trying to help out, she really didn’t deserve what happened to her. When hector 3 was finally introduced, I felt a sense of hope thinking ok I think he can save his wife and the naked girl because they were both still alive. I was also really curious about what his plan was going to be. I realized though when he made his wife hide that his wife didn’t really die. But then I was thinking who was the woman that fell then? And then it hit me that in the original scene where hector was trying the catch the woman in the roof, she was wearing the same chucks (converse) that the young woman was wearing. But why did it hector 2 think that it was his wife who had fallen. It all started to make sense in the next scene when hector 3 would instruct the young woman on what she had to do and when he put on the coat and cut her hair. At this exact scene, I felt so bad for the woman. It felt so twisted and deceitful. I already knew what was going to happen and still dreaded it because I didn’t want it to happen. The ending was sort of a cliffhanger where we don’t really know what events would happen. We know that the police was going to come but I didn’t know if they would be able to piece everything together. I really did enjoy this movie, it was one of a kind and completely unexpected. In fact, I find it funny how such a mundane day (which was how the movie started) could become such an eventful and thrilling day. It really did take a turn.

I was excited to watch a relatively more modern film. It also gave me the impression that it was a movie that wasn’t going to be difficult to understand because it’s basically straightforward. Personally I thought it would be a fantasy/comedy like ghost busters or some kind of parody film. I didn’t really understand why were watching this kind of movie after coming from the previous deeper and more difficult to interpret. The film for me gave of a low budget film vibe which is expected since it showcases found footage and amateur videos. It was sometimes hard to see the images because of how shaky the videos were. If it weren’t showcased this raw, it wouldn’t make sense given the story line. They wanted to make it seem like it was a legit phenomenon (even if we know trolls aren’t real). They even filmed with a broken camera which really made it seem more real. I also liked how they showcased the sceneries and culture of Norway which I found interesting given that there is not a lot that I know about the place.

The Troll Security Service aspect of the film which the secret job of Finn sort of reminded me of UFO sightings and Area 59 stories that have been reported in the US. It’s also similar to the story line of stranger things. I think that although these stories could be fake or just all hearsay, I feel that there is some truth in it. The fact that people can create stories that have a similar themes means that there could be explicit things that governments hide. These conspiracies make me wonder to what extent governments do cover up scandals.

One of the things that struck me the most was the mention of religion (Christianity) in the movie. I was curious as to why trolls could specifically smell bloods of Christians. Upon researching, I find out that Norway is considered a Christian country. Majority are Christians (70%) but it also makes you wonder what about the minority of 30% which isn’t as small either. I think this might have played a part in the movie where it shows how only rare people can come across trolls at the same time, trolls aren’t really in line with Christian teachings.

I did like the build up to how the troll was revealed. In the start, I wasn’t sure if they would ever show the entire troll. The low quality of the camera also made it a bit hard to see the full image of all the scenes. But I still appreciated how the trolls were revealed. It also made the the documentary as real as it could be. The CGI for me needed more help though because it didn’t look as real especially when the camera would zoom into the trolls. Although I still think that the vague ending also strengthens how the form and thought put in this movie was. The acting and the script were also executed well in terms of the film’s structure, it was believable that they felt they were in trouble and danger.

Holy Motors

                  The first scene already gave an eerie vibe. It gave me this idea that this movie was going to be hard to understand. I think that throughout the film, it gives the impression that it isn’t meant to be understand. In the first scene, the man unlocks a secret door which opens up to an audience that appears to be watching. I think this sets the intro to how each scene to follow is meant to target an audience. It really is meant to be an art form and show. The next scene appears to be a wealthy businessman who walks out of his mansion and enters a limo. At this point I think ok I guess it revolves around this businessman. Only to find out that his first appointment isn’t actually a meeting but him playing a role. He starts dressing up as an old beggar and executes it so perfectly. But nothing really happens here except for him doing the part. So by this time, I’m really so confused and I prepare myself for the movie to actually keep getting weirder. I found the next appointment really interesting because it seemed very futuristic like how they make animated movies. I was again impressed because his stunts were done so well and he really is so versatile. I think the scene with the woman was meant not to be humanistic, it seemed like they were filming something that was supposed to mimic animals or aliens. The next appointment was the one I was most impressed with. He did it so professionally. Like he even ate a full meal to prepare for his next role. This beastly role was done so well, he was freaky and bizarre in a really good way. When he bit the assistant’s fingers, I was shocked and left hanging because I don’t really know what happened to the girl afterwards. The contrast between the model and the “beast” appears as a modern beauty and the beast. The next scene of the actor and the daughter made me confused as to whether this was his real character only to realize that it was still just another appointment. In the scene where he kill his doppleganger, only to be “killed” as well. At this point I think, how can he survive, this is probably the end of the movie. But I think at this point it shows that death it something that’s so easily reversible in the film, death doesn’t actually mean death in the act. The next scene where he acts as a dying father, was the first time I saw another actress acknowledge that they were acting. The daughter tells her real name and introduces herself once the scene was finished which shows how everyone in the scenes are all part of the act. The next scene where he met up with his former lover was probably the realest part of the film. It was realy because he didn’t set up an appointment with her, it was sort of by chance that they saw each other there. They also seemed like they haven’t seen each other in so long are have both been so submerged in their different characters for so long that they barely recognized each other. They used the spare 20 mins that they had to catch up. It was extremely romantic and intimate even as the song expressed what they truly felt with each other. At one point I even felt like they were unsure if everything they’ve been doing has been worth it. But even if they had true feelings for each other, they were still stuck in this bubble of acting a part. They can’t actually be together because that’s not where their story leads them to be.
She has a fiancé/boyfriend (probably also just part of an act or part of her character). That’s why this time is so precious because it’s the only time they show a glimpse of who they really are apart from their roles. When the woman committed suicide, I was so unsure as to whether it was real or was this just another way of them creating death and bringing her back to a different character. Although I had a feeling that this was somehow real because the way Oscar reacted was different as how he used to. Normally, once he enters the limo, he switches his emotions/character right away. That’s sort of his neutral state but when he saw the woman fall, he was not able to handle it. He screamed and drank as if he was depressed. (maybe it was the tipping point) I somehow felt that through out this movie, the man was just so trapped. He had no chance to be himself, no chance to make his own decisions because someone was always watching him. I think to a certain extent, it was really beautiful how he was able to channel himself into all those characters. It was entertaining as one of the people in the audience. But it also begs the question as to if he was happy, maybe he’s been inside this acting job for too long. He seemed overworked, lacking inspiration and desperate for something more than this life he had. This goes to show how a performance is really just a facade, it’s beautiful in the outside but these individuals have a whole lot more going on inside of them.

Goodbye Lenin was by far my favorite among the films we took up. It had a comedic aspect even if the situation and setting was a serious matter. It also showed aspects that were relatable even if I don’t come from a broken family and have never experienced living in a socialist environment. The important values I saw in the film were love, sacrifice, sense of family and sense of nationality.

I think that it was already obvious from the start of the movie how the 2 children were really close to their mom. After their dad left, their mom was really all they had and I think they saw the hardships she had to go through to show a tough and stable front for them. So when Alex was in a rally and saw his mom collapse after seeing him with the opposite party, I think that moment really made him feel ashamed. Not because he didn’t believe in what he was fighting for but because he wanted to protect his mom at all costs. After his mom got into a coma, he wanted to be extra careful with protecting her feelings. So he staged everything even the details just to pretend that the Berlin wall had not yet fallen. It sounds crazy and absurd but everyone was in on it. I guess to a certain extent it became too much, the fine line between protecting and manipulating. But I think from Alex’s point of view, he didn’t feel like he had a choice. Despite the comedic aspects (I especially loved it when he Alex would shoot fake films and fake news of his friend to show to his mom), there was a lot of deeper themes presented. One of them was the absence of their father, they were happy as just the three of them but there’s a lot of pain and years of suffering that they try to hide between those smiling faces. Alex’s sister couldn’t even talk to her father after all those years even when he was right in front of her and Alex would have awkward and distant conversations with his father only for the sake of his mom. The father also moved on and had a new family. But despite all of this, Alex and his sister remain good people. I think that’s what I appreciated from them that they didn’t try to create trouble, they didn’t even latch out on their father, they tried to be better people. It’s inspiring to see people who come from troubled pasts and still remain strong and loving through out everything

 This charade was going on for too long that of course eventually there would be a few slips. I think deep inside the mom knew or already had a sense of what was going on. She’s fragile and weak but she is far from dumb. I think that what Alex was doing to protect his mom was also what his mom was doing towards him. In the end, I knew that Alex’s mom knew what he did all this time. She didn’t say “hey why did you lie to me”, instead she let him be and I think was even grateful to have a son who cared and loved as much as he did.

For me, this film showed how love will really make us go the extra mile. It makes us realize that we would do anything to protect our family even if it may be wrong in the eyes of others. It shows us that there is no perfect way to love, we love in our own way, in the way we think is best. Moreover, this film emphasizes the life of people and families during this historical time. We usually focus on the events, the killings, the chaos of this time but here we see another side of the story which i find quite refreshing.

What kept going inside my head while I was watching the movie was “She’s just not that into you”. The way Anna acted around her fiancé made me question if she was as invested in their relationship as he was. I think that the time they spent apart made her realize that she was capable of being and living without him. Sure she misses him from time to time but she also constantly wanted the space. In a way, I felt that she was trying to find a way to leave him without really leaving him. In the boating trip, I could see resentment in her eyes even if she would kiss Sandro almost like she felt trapped in the relationship. Of course I really couldn’t tell what she was thinking but based on the body language, it’s what I assumed. When she jumped into the water and faked the shark in the water, it made me wonder again if she really wanted to disappear. So when Anna really disappeared, I wasn’t entirely shocked. The movie never lets you know what really happened to Anna. If she committed suicide, if she escaped to somewhere else without letting anyone know or if she got into an accident and died or if she was injured. It just lets you wonder on your own. One of the things that struck me was that they ruled out suicide just because they saw a bible in Anna’s things. As if having a bible meant that she would never attempt harm on herself, an absolute false basis.

The story line that was focused on Anna in the beginning, quickly begins to focus on her best friend, Claudia. Which is a big shift because in the start she seemed as if she were just a third wheel that didn’t have much depth. Although, we suddenly see a different side of Claudia after Anna’s disappearance. She is anxious and deeply worried of what really happened to her best friend. I think even if she doesn’t say anything, she leaned towards Anna running away rather than getting into an accident. She blamed Anna’s fiancé for her disappearance but as the day progressed, the two found themselves getting closer to each other. I believe the loss of a person they both thought to be closest to them is what brought Sandro and Anna together. This closeness soon develops into a strong attraction that Anna tries so hard to control. She controls it not because she doesn’t have feelings for him but because she feels it is too soon. She’s ashamed of herself because she knows Sandro is really Anna’s and not hers for the taking. But just as she tries to fight it, the more she is drawn and the further she is drawn to Sandro, the more the two forget about Anna. You could see in the movie, how quickly the two move on from Anna, barely even mentioning her. But at the same time, I think this might have been a coping mechanism for the two which would explain why they also seeked comfort from each other. Because of how quickly things were moving between the two, I wasn’t really sure if what they had was love. I knew they were attracted to each other but I was unsure of the motives and sincerity of this love. In the end when Claudia was getting hysterical thinking that Anna had come back and that Sandro would leave her, it made me think that maybe they were both just trying to push the idea of Anna further back as a way not to bear the pain but that it was always just floating at the back of their heads. I did feel that both characters did not show enough sadness in their mourning but then again maybe this was their idea of coping with loss. Another thing that I thought was that maybe they knew Anna was alive, that she just needed time apart, thinking that one way or another she would eventually come back. In the very ending of the movie, I finally see Sandro cry which is something he had not done when he initially found out about Anna’s disappearance. I think that in that moment, it sunk into him that maybe she was truly gone. The movie title is translated as Adventure. I think that this was truly an adventure for the characters. They moved around in trying to find Anna and in the process also tried to find and understand themselves.

The first few scenes and images bothered me because it seemed creepy and eerie. I think that the black and white color added a more horror effect to the film. I really thought that I was about to watch an old horror film. Even as the next scenes showed Elisabet and Alma in a psychiatric ward, I still assumed that it was going to be horror or thriller. But as the movie progressed, I realized that Elisabet wasn’t actually crazy but she was definitely battling with something inside of her that she could not express. Alma was also really patient with Elisabet even if at first she doubted her capacity to be able to get through her. Their relationship seemed to develop as they left the city and isolated themselves. For a time being, I really thought that Elisabet would eventually converse with Alma. Although it would appear that although Elisabet was the patient, it seemed Alma had her own battles inside that she tried to conceal from everyone else. I was a bit confused as to whether there was sexual tension or infatuation going on between the two women or if it was simply a deep friendship and sisterhood that had developed. I think that somehow, Alma looked up to Elisabet and she felt proud to know that someone like Elisabet who was beautiful and successful would actually listen to her rants and choose to be friends with her. As the movie progressed, the difference between nurse and patient started to blur and at one point I wasn’t really sure who was taking care of who.

Another thing emphasized in the movie was the likeness of the two characters in appearance. Although I don’t really see how they look alike, the movie plays with camera angles to show their likeness. I think Alma liked the idea of being/having the life of Elisabet. Which is why Alma also felt betrayed when she found the letter of Elisabet stating that she was observing Alma. She felt like she opened up to Elisabet and really created a relationship with her. She felt used and tricked by Elisabet. The scene where Alma almost throws boiling water at Elisabet for me shows how although she is the nurse, she has the tendency to be unstable as well. Which again begs the question of who was really being observed between the two characters. This scene was also the scene where Alma hears Elisabet talk for the first time out of fear. I would say that this proves that Elisabet has the capacity to talk but she just really chooses not to. I’m not quite sure what she’s really scared of. Things start to get weirder when Elisabet’s husband who appears to be blind, mistakes Alma for Elisabet and sleeps with her. I think this was another indication of how Alma did want Elisabet’s life.

Up until the last scene, I was still left pretty confused at the situation the two characters were put in. It felt like, the movie never really answers any of your questions but leaves you to wonder about it on your own. In the last scene I couldn’t confirm if Alma’s analysis of Elisabet was right or if it could have been an analysis of her own life. The very last scene shows the two faces of the women put into one picture indicating that their lives may have intertwined more than we know.