Lost River (2014)

Written and Directed by Ryan Gosling
Starring Christina Hendricks, Iain De Caestecker, Saoirse Ronan and Matt Smith

A single mother is swept into a dark underworld, while her teenage son discovers a road that leads him to a secret underwater town. With the local legend that the town is cursed, due to a large section submerged under water by a dam, he sets out to reverse the spell.

In this modern fairy tale, a nearly abandoned city called Lost River keeps the families living within hostage to poverty and unemployment. Filmed entirely in the slums and ruins of the once great parts of Detroit, the entire film feels like an allegory for the plight of the inhabitants of the real-life city as well as an exaggerated, yet entirely true representation of society’s tolerance of violence toward women.

In his directorial debut, Ryan Gosling valiantly tackles these sensitive subjects with this wildly artistic film. The ambition Gosling has is easily found in the first few minutes of the film and remains prevalent throughout.

While I can see why so many of the people who have seen the film find it convoluted and boring, I feel that it has several nuances that make it unique and unlike any other fairy tale I have ever seen.

And with cinematography by Benoît Debie, this is a beautiful film to look at at the very least. Each scene is filled with vibrant colors and amazing composition. Each frame is meticulously orchestrated and captured, making each shot as stunning as the one before, if not more so.

I loved this movie. It is definitely one of those films that you will either love or hate; the audience would probably be divided equally. It is a remarkable, creative, ambitious story with incredible directing. It is definitely worth the watch.

My Rating: 8/10

Detachment (2011)

Directed by Tony Kaye
Written by Carl Lund
Starring Adrian Brody, Sami Gayle, Christina Hendricks and Betty Kaye

A substitute teacher who drifts from classroom to classroom finds a connection to the students and teachers during his latest assignment. During his stay with this school, he meets a young girl who is living on the streets, showing him just how bad it can be for those who never have anyone that cares for  them. Even if it is just a teacher.

A love letter to teachers everywhere, this film shows just how stressful and emotionally draining being an educator can really be. In a "No Child Left Behind" world, where state-wide testing is everything and the failure of a single student is the fault of their teacher, this is a display of just how frustratingly backwards the American mindset on education is.

Adrien Brody gives an amazing performance as a career substitute teacher trying to make as much of an impact as he can in a short period of time. Yet he keeps himself distant as to not have an emotional breakdown like the permanent teachers that surround him every day. This film will truly give you respect for those you took for granted during your school days.

In his biggest release since "American History X", Director Tony Kaye has taken his voice and style of film making and has shout it through a megaphone. The power of this film is one that is hard to find in the endless sea of movies released every year. To say that it is gripping is an understatement. It is rare that a film grabs you and keeps you hostage such as this one did. With a star-studded cast, where recognizable names clutter the line-up, this is a movie that anyone who values education should watch.

My Rating: 10/10