Pleasure is quite an intense film, but doesn't exploit its topic. While it doesn't shy away from graphic nudity, the porn itself is always filmed from 'strategic' angles. I am very happy for that, because while it does show the intensity our character goes through, it never objectifies her or goes for easy shock value. It's about her, her feelings, her place in the industry and her being a woman in the industry.
I also really like that the industry…
Who are we, who do we want to become and who can we become? Are we defined by our surroundings or our deeds? Are dreams enough to hold onto and what are good intentions worth? Sono asks many big questions and with 'Adagio for Strings' playing, the weight of those questions is underlined. But apart from its heavy-handedness and the bleak world of our protagonist, it's also a movie about hope and the future.
At first I was just thinking…
What a delightful film featuring great performances, a soundtrack that makes it even easier to vibe with the film, beautiful cinematography and an interesting approach to biopics. A movie I will definitely revisit. I feel like I need to see it again to write something more in depth about why I think it's so good. This is one of those movies where at the first watch it just evokes a feeling of immense joy and awe.
Lists I made that feature this film:
Favourite movies of all time
Favourite movies watched in 2022
Todd Haynes ranked
An okay short from Sono. Some interesting ideas, not very well-developed. Of course it's a short and I get that there isn't too much time to flesh out the story, but I feel like it was such an exaggeration of the situation that it didn't really make me suspend my disbelief.
Der Hauptmann is no easy watch. Everything from the dark humor to the soundtrack makes this one of the most suffocating movies I have seen. Because of that it leaves a very strong impression and gives a lot of food for thought. And I guess that is something all of the moviegoers felt up to a certain level, because nobody said a word after the end credits had rolled (those end credits are great BTW).
Der Hauptmann is about power…
