I Am Dina - 2002

Movie #170

3 stars


Dina's father accuses her of killing her mother but in reality it was just a childhood accident.  Dina's childhood is filled with loneliness and rage but when a tutor is hired, her love of music emerges.  When the tutor is forced to leave, Dina marries Jacob and the rest of her life is still haunted by death.

Cast: Maria Bonnevie, Gérard Depardieu, Christopher Eccleston, Mads Mikkelsen, Pernilla August, Bjørn Floberg, Hans Matheson, Amanda Jean Kvakland, Jorgen Langhelle, Anette Hoff

Director/Writer: Ole Bornedal

NR (but I would say it's a R), 125 minutes

Filming Location: Nordland, Norway

Tagline: This is my story

Normally I go through all of my likes and then my dislikes...but this time I am just going to start with the most noticeable and go on from there...

Dislike: The first major drawback of this film is that it's in English.  The film is already filled with overacting...but would it have been so noticeable if the viewer was forced to read subtitles?  Dina's voice was so strange...there are some cheesy lines and when they are combined with her strange accent it almost makes you want to laugh.  I'm sure that's not what they were going for.

Like: The film was visually compelling.  The beginning of the film is overrun with the color white...the color of purity.  But in no way is Dina's life pure.  Was this a coincidence?  I don't think so...Bornedal probably wanted the viewer to think that Dina was innocent but as time goes by nothing can trick the audience into thinking that she is innocent.  As far as the scenery goes, looking at the film as a foreigner who has never been to Norway but wants to, the shots are very pretty.  In fact, it might be one of the reasons why I kept watching it.

Dislike: The pace was very strange.  At times it was very hard to understand how much time had gone by.  Which in the end, doesn't really matter I guess but it was a little frustrating while I was watching it. 

Dislike:  My emotional connection with Dina (pretty much feeling sorry for her) disappeared when her adulthood emerged.  It wasn't caused by a lack of resemblence between the two actors playing Dina it was more like the ridiculousness of her character was impossible to ignore.

Like:  The story was interesting and the characters were interesting.  Yes, there was some overacting but it did hold my attention.  Mads Mikkelson, the son of Dina's husband, did a fabulous job...as always.  He was the reason I watched it.  I don't think I would have watched it otherwise.

Overall Recommendation:  You can skip this one...but if you like Mads Mikkelson then it's worth it.

How could this film have been better?: Subtitles...subtitles...subtitles.  Not only would it have hidden the ridiculous accent but it would have forced the audience to read...hiding the overacting.  The kind of audience (US audience) that this film would most likely attract is the kind of audience that doesn't mind reading subtitles.

Analysis (Spoilers):
Dina's life changes when the tutor, played by Depardieu, comes into her life.  Instead of being obsessed with her mother's death, she becomes obsessed with music...and her mothers death.  In an attempt to force Dina to move on, he takes her to her grave and explains that she is in heaven.  In her eyes, Depardieu has told her that when Dina accidentally caused her death she was setting her free...along with all of her pain.  In a way this shifts Dina's obsession with the death of her mother to death in the large scheme of things.

After getting married, Dina and her husband witness a hanging.  As the man in about to die Dina says "Look at me. Look at me. Let all the cares and sorrows of this world fall away from you."  She thinks that death is the answer.  Death can make all of your pain go away.

So what does she do when her husband has an infected leg and she is taking him to a doctor in the cold winter weather...she pushes him off the cliff...because she is setting him free.  Dina thinks she can help everyone but she really just needs to help herself.  She is psychotic.  If this film didn't take place in the mid 1800's then she was surely be locked up in the loony bin.

Dina is haunted by her mother and her husband.  No matter what, it seems like Dina is forced to remember what she did.  If she was really helping them, would they have haunted her.  This especially true of her husband.

This film is an interesting look at death and the many views that people have of death.  In Dina's eyes no one should be afraid of death.  This is a tough subject to conquer...I know that I am very scared of death and I always have been.  But can this film change your life?  nah...but it's a little thought provoking I guess.

Trivia: Courtesy of iMDB

• With a budget totaling 144 million Norwegian kroner (about US$21 million) this was the most expensive movie to date in Norway. 
• Co-star Gérard Depardieu brought 500 bottles of wine from his own farm and winery to the location in Kjerringøy (northern Norway) "to keep the spirits up", as he himself put it.

Holly - 2006

Movie #160

3.5 stars

In this poignant drama, Holly (Thuy Nguyen), a young Vietnamese girl sold into prostitution by her family, tries to escape her dismal life by beginning a platonic relationship with a 40-year-old American named Patrick (Ron Livingston), a stolen-artifacts dealer. Twelve-year-old Holly has been smuggled into Cambodia, becoming one of countless children exploited in the sex trade; Patrick, who has his own troubles, may be her only hope.

Cast: Ron Livingston, Thuy Nguyen, Chris Penn, Udo Kier, Virginie Ledoyen, Sahajak Boonthanakit, Kosal Dang, Sethy Dy, Adi Ezroni, Hugh Kirk

Director: Guy Moshe

"Imagine you've been bought, sold, emotionally abused, and raped.  Now imagine you're 4 years old."

This was on a pamphlet that Virginie Ledoyen's character handed out to men outside of the brothels.  Her mission was to save young girls that had been sold into the sex trade by their families.  Don't let this or even the synopsis scare you away from this film.

The film sheds light on a touchy subject...a subject that most people either choose to ignore or are oblivious to.  And that's a shame.

Like:  The acting was all around pretty good.  Thuy Nguyen did an exceptional job...and she was only 14 when this was filmed.  She acted in scenes that people most people can't imagine living through...and that's exactly was she did, put herself in that position.  Sometimes I wonder about childhood actors and if they are even emotionally scarred from the roles they play.

My main dislike was that is was kinda slow in the beginning but eventually the story line picked up (I hate to say).  In the end I did connect with the characters.

Overall Recommendation: If you can deal with such a dramatic storyline then this is a pretty good one.

Flame and Citron - 2008

Movie #159

4 stars

Based on actual events, this exciting drama tells the story of World War II Danish Resistance fighters Flame (Thure Lindhardt) and Citron (Mads Mikkelsen). Taking orders from Resistance leader Aksel Winther (Peter Mygind), the two systematically assassinate Danish collaborators and Nazi officers. But they are far from heroic in their personal lives, and filmmaker Ole Christian Madsen explores the serious flaws of these complex men.

Cast: Thure Lindhardt, Mads Mikkelsen, Stine Stengade, Christian Berkel, Hanns Zischler, Peter Mygind, Rasmus Bjerg, David Bjergsø, Rasmus Botoft, Jesper Christensen

Director: Ole Christian Madsen [Prague]

Filming Locations:  Berlin, Germany; Copenhagen, Denmark; Prague, Czech Republic

My question to you:  Is there a cause that you would kill for?  How do you decide who must be go?

The film opens with black and white footage of the Germans taking over Copenhagen.  An unnammed narrator asks the viewer, "Do you remember April 9, 1940?"  This made me realize that he has such strong feelings towards this day.  The narrator turn out the be Flame.  With such a calm voice he makes the perfect narrator- a voice that is almost forgettable...a voice that is not intruding.

The viewer is first introduced to the Flame and Citron duo when Flam walks out to the car where Citron is asleep in the backseat.  Citron then starts driving, sweat glistening his face.  This is a remarkable scene.  Flame appears to be confident whereas Citron is nervous.  This instills in the viewer that Flame is more like the #1 man...he is the narrator and all.

Like:  The script allows for the main characters to have a line that is noteworthy:

Flame:  I forgot we're not killing people, but nazis.
Flame: The only thing that you can do is eliminate them.  One by one.  Down to the last one.
Ketty:  It was fun in the beginning.  But it's different now.  Everything is grey.  I think I just want to survive.

Dislike:  The viwer was not able to get to know Citron until Flame was shot.  The narration seems to dissapear for a while and Citron's story slowly emerges.  Citron's relationship with his wife has deteriorated.  She says to him, "You're just not that kind of man," explaining that they won't be a functional family.  She says this to him the day he doesn't have the nerve to shoot and kill a woman, only graze her.  From here on, Citron feels the need to prove himself.  He is the perfect person to take over for Flame while he is out of commission.  The look into Citron's life, even though exciting, was rather short.

Dislike:  The relationship between Flame and Citron was never really fully developed.  Even though the title suggests that they are inseperable, I felt as though I miss out on the foundation of their relationship.  The last shot of the film could have been much more effective if their lives together had been explored more.

Overall Recommendation:  The film is a somewhat perfect blend of action, a little comedy, heart, and enough twists and turns to keep you enthusiasitcally watching.

Budget: $7.4 million
Gross: $10.2 million (98.5% non-US)

Man Push Cart - 2005

Movie #158

3.5 stars

Standing on a corner in midtown Manhattan every day, a Pakistani immigrant named Ahmad sells his coffee and bagels to the fast-paced New Yorkers from a cart -- all the while harboring secrets from a tragic past. After becoming friends with local newsstand worker Noemi and a wealthy man named Mohammad, Ahmad's inner demons begin to surface in this poignant examination of personal identity in the big city from director Ramin Bahrani. 

Cast: Ahmad Razvi, Leticia Dolera, Charles Daniel Sandoval, Ali Reza, Panicker Upendran, Arun Lal, Razia Mujahid, Hassan Razvi, Mustafa Razvi, Bill Lewis, Altaf Houssein

Director: Ramin Bahrani

This film takes simplicity and turns it into a message...not every film has to be action packed...filled with tragedy, love, comedy, bad guys, good guys...whatever the typical ingredients are for a Hollywood film these days.  Man Push Cart is simple compared to other films but in reality it is capturing....reality....and life is far from simple.

Day after day, Ahmad has the same routine...pushing a food cart down the busy streets of New York City at 3am.  We can all learn something from this film.  That is one of good things about most Iranian filmmakers...its up to your own interruption.

So why a 3.5...I don't know...it took me a while to get through it...a couple of weeks actually.  I would see it on my queue and not have a desire to watch...maybe because it is too real.

So my overall recommendation is:  just sit down and watch it...like you're in a theatre.  It's 87 minutes...you can do it.

Left: Ramin Bahrani and Ahmad Razvi

Invictus - 2009

Movie #156

3.5 stars

In this drama based on real-life events, director Clint Eastwood tells the story of what happened after the end of apartheid when newly elected president Nelson Mandela used the 1995 World Cup rugby matches to unite his people in South Africa. Based on John Carlin's book, the film stars Morgan Freeman as Mandela and Matt Damon (both Oscar nominated) as Francois Pienaar, the captain of the scrappy South African team that makes a run for the championship.

Cast: Morgan Freeman, Matt Damon, Tony Kgoroge, Adojoa Andoh, Patrick Mofokeng, Matt Stern, Julian Lewis Jones, Marguerite Wheatley, Leleti Khumalo, Patrick Lyster, Penny Downie

Director: Clint Eastwood

Writers: Anthony Peckham (screenplay) [Sherlock Holmes]
            John Carlin (book)

Tagline: His people needed a leader. He gave them a champion.

Filming Locations: Cape Town and Johannesburg, South Africa


hmmmm....I just wasn't that impressed.  I was never bored (or should I say really bored)...but even with low expectations, I was unimpressed.  The biggest disappointment was Matt Damon.  His accent was terrible, almost to the point where it was distracting.  It would come and go....I just don't think he prepared enough that's all (accent wise). He definitely beefed up a bit...

I don't really know who would have played a better Francois Pienaar...Jonathan Rhys Meyers?  Maybe.

Morgan Freeman did a pretty good job I thought.  He definitely looks a lot like Mandela.  As far as his accent goes, he did an OK job, better than Damon that's for sure.

According to iMDB (the greatest site ever!): The actors playing the New Zealand rugby team, the All Blacks, had to learn the traditional Maori war chant, the Haka, which is performed at every game to intimidate rival teams. Out of a sense of verisimilitude and respect, the crew contacted the New Zealand Rugby Association to make sure the Haka would be done correctly. They sent over a Haka expert named Inia Maxwell, who assisted in Haka/rugby training and was present when the Haka was filmed so that it was portrayed accurately.

This scene...or should I say little clip...was a huge disappointment too!  It was too short!  Here is a real one..



I almost think that the film Forever Strong did a better Haka. (that's a pretty interesting movie by the way)



Back to Invictus.....

Favorite Scene:  When the rugby team went and held clinics with the kids.  It was just fun to watch.

Another Dislike:  The film didn't really explore the relationship between Mandela and his family.  The film hinted at it but only for a couple of minutes.  The filmmakers either should have cut out all of the scenes with the daughter or added 5 more minutes.

Overall Recommendation:  If you like Morgan Freeman and Clint Eastwood then check it out.  But if you like Matt Damon then stay away---you may just lose all respect for him.  And if you aren't interested in history or sports then stay away too.

Budget: $60 million
Worldwide Gross: $122,231,655  (70% non-US)  

Good but cheesy line: I was thinking how a man could spend thirty years in prison, and come out and forgive the men who did it to him...

Last Line:
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
I am the master of my fate.
I am the captain of my soul.

Good Dick - 2008

Movie #155

4 stars

Habitually isolated in her quiet apartment, a vulnerable girl (Marianna Palka) with a penchant for soft-core porn ventures out to a local video store, where she meets a store clerk (Jason Ritter) who vows to break down her emotional walls and win her affections. But as he pursues her in bizarre fashion, it's clear that their budding relationship will be anything but conventional.

Cast: Marianna Palka, Jason Ritter, Eric Edelstein, Martin Starr, Mark Webber, Tom Arnold, Charles Durning, Jesse Garcia, Josh Holt, Katherine Waterston, Elisabeth Waterston

Writer and Director: Marianna Palka

Tagline: What do you REALLY want?

Like: The one part that made this film is definitely the acting.  Jason Ritter did a FABULOUS job.  (and yes he's John Ritter's son)  This goes for both  Marianna Palka and Jason Ritter...it would be easy to think that they are creepy and need lots and lots of therapy.  However, these two play their role perfectly.  The viewer kinda feels sorry for them without thinking they are pathetic. 

Like:  the fact that the two main characters were not given names...but somehow the viewer can still become attached to them.  The credits simply state "Woman" and "Man"  Even though the viewer may connect with the two, being a little creeped out is still possible, which makes the viewer still intrigued by their lives.

Like: This film was daring.  On top of not giving them names, the ending is what most filmmakers avoid...confusion.  The viewer is not told directly what happens...it is left up to the imagination.  Whenever I watch films where it ends on a more open-ended note, at first I feel unsatisfied a bit.  Later, I come up with my own story to the ending...and these are often the films that I'll think about weeks, months, years later.

The only dislike that I have is that towards the end it's almost like it feels rushed.  Music joins the two characters' lives, cutting back and forth.  It is an ok technique, if the music is not terrible...and this music was prettty terrible.

Overall Recommendation: It's entertaining and fun...just don't let any young ones watch it.

Prague - 2006

Movie #152

4 stars

When unhappily married Christoffer and Maja travel to Prague to retrieve the remains of Christoffer's recently deceased father, their misadventures expose both a cultural gap and the cracks in their own relationship in this Danish drama. From doctors who sprint through the morgue to hotel workers who misunderstand simple requests, the bickering couple finds that every interaction in this foreign land leads to confusion and conflict.

Cast: Mads Mikkelsen, Stine Stengade, Borivoj Navrátil, Jana Plodková, Josef Vajnar

Director: Ole Christian Madsen

Filming Location: Prague, Czech Republic  (duh)

So many things about this film are excellent.  But at the same time, there are a few little things that are not so good that seem to overshadow the good parts.

Like:  The way the film really lets the viewer experience a piece of Prague.  The combination of wide angle shots and different shooting locations is fabulous.  It made me almost feel as though I have actually been to be Prague and would recognize it again.  Compared to Good Evening Mr. Wallenberg, this film does a much better job of taking advantage of the location.

Like: I am normally not a fan of films shot with a hand held camera but this film is the exception.  The main reason I usually don't like it is because it makes me dizzy.  I guess it worked for PRAGUE because there were a lot of close up shot...sometimes there were long stretches where all you see are the actors' faces.  It just worked...which is also related to my next....

Like:  The acting was wonderful!  Mads Mikkelsen has impressed me yet again.  The whole cast did an excellent job though.  When there are a lot of close ups of faces, then it is really easy to pinpoint bad performances.  But its also easy to spot great performances.  If I'm not mistaken, I think Mads was in every scene....such an awesome performance.

Like:  The script itself contributed to much of the success of this film.  It gave the viewer an in depth look at a failing marriage without going overboard or being cheesy.  There was also enough comic relief for the plot to not be too depressing.

But now for my major dislike:  The Music and even just the audio in general was very distracting.  There was just too much music for my taste.  I guess I understand the role of the music (of course its trying to affect the viewer emotionally) but it seemed as though music played every time Mads' character didn't want to hear what people were telling him...which isn't necessarily a bad thing but in my opinion this could be have been much better achieved with muting the voices a little bit.

The other problem was that I was constantly having to adjust the volume...which doesn't allow for the best viewing experience.  It would go from loud music to the characters speaking English very very softly.  This wasn't a problem when they were speaking another language because there were of course subtitles.  The editing could have just been much much better.

Overall Recommendation:  It's a good little film...only about 90 minutes.  Check it out!

Some of my favorite quotes:

"Life is hard.  You can't have everything."  (spoken by 2 different characters)

"Life is hard.  You either bend or you break."

"We are always ashamed and never good enough for the world."  (which was spoken in Czech by the housekeeper to Mads who didn't understand what she was saying.  This was by far the best scene of the movie.  The two were pouring each others heart out...yet the other one didn't have a clue what the other one was saying)

Good Evening Mr. Wallenberg - 1990

Movie #150

4.5 stars

The story of Swedish businessman Raoul Wallenberg, who, in 1944, helped Jews in Budapest obtain Swedish passports to get them out of Adolph Eichmann's deadly path. Wallenberg's efforts helped save more than 60,000 people in Budapest's Jewish ghetto -- the most successful rescue of Jews during World War II. Aside from Winston Churchill, Wallenberg was the only other person ever to be made an Honorary Citizen of the United States.

Cast: Stellan Skarsgård, Károly Eperjes, Miklos Szekely B., Erland Josephson, Jesper Christensen, Ivan Desny, Katharina Thalbach, Franciszek Pieczka, Geza Balkay

Director: Kjell Grede

The main selling point of this film was that it didn't try and go overboard.  When you are dealing with such a tragic issue it is easy to try and outdo everything else that has been made.  Kinda like Boy in the Stripped Pajamas...it was trying to send a message.  With Good Evening Mr. Wallenberg, it is apparent that they did not try to top every other film that tackled the subject.  The film simply told a story...and the story in itself was moving.  Yes, the film was pretty violent at times but not in order to entertain or keep the story interesting...it was violent because it was portraying real events.  And it's sad to say...but you don't need to add a Hollywood plot to make this a good film.

In addition, I think another reason this film was so good was because it is foreign.  Tom Cruise was not hired to entertain us for 2 hours....Stellan Skarsgard prepared himself for the role in order to let more of the world know more about who Wallenberg was.

Skarsgard has said..."There is no overacting, only untrue acting."  He did a fabulous job.  In no way did he overact.  When I was watching the film I was unsure about his acting.  When people would be murdered it was as if Skarsgard was underacting...his character did not seem sad.  But looking back on his performance, it was perfect.  Every single day Wallenberg witnessed people being murdered.  If his reaction every single time was that of sadness then he could not be the most effective he could be.  In order to save people he needed to think of a way to make the Germans stop.

The acting as a whole in the film was superb.  The shots of Budapest added to the affect of the story....even if it was portrayed a little bit more gray then it really is.  The reason I am not giving this 5 stars is because it did drag a little bit...but that is also what added to its greatness...it was a non-Hollywood film.

Overall Recommendation:  If you're not in the mood for something lighthearted...then watch this film!

Interesting Fact about Wallenberg:
Wallenberg rented 32 buildings in Budapest and declared them to be extraterritorial, protected by diplomatic immunity. He put up signs such as "The Swedish Library" and "The Swedish Research Institute" on their doors and hung oversize Swedish flags on the front of the buildings to bolster the deception. The buildings eventually housed almost 10,000 people

And yes...Stellan Skarsgard is Alexander Skarsgard's father.  I guess you can kinda see it..

The Beat That My Heart Skipped - 2005

Movie #149

3 stars

Tom (Romain Duris) seems destined to follow in his father's footsteps as a sketchy Parisian property shark until a chance encounter with his late mother's music agent leads him to believe he can become a concert pianist. With the help of a beautiful Chinese virtuoso, he starts preparing for a critical audition and making positive changes in his life. But secrets from his past threaten to destroy his plans for the future.

Cast: Romain Duris, Aure Atika, Emmanuelle Devos, Niels Arestrup, Jonathan Zaccaï, Linh Dan Pham, Mélanie Laurent, Gilles Cohen, Anton Yakovlev, David Birge-Cotte

Director: Jacques Audiard

Filming Location: Paris, France

I don't really know what to think of this movie...it's not that I didn't like but I didn't not like it either.  The story was somewhat interesting but the thing that kept my attention was Romain Duris.  His character was so interesting.  Tom pretty much has two separate lives...one of a greedy, pain in the ass real estate broker and one of an aspiring pianist.

One of the first scenes is when Tom and two other guys are carrying sacks of rats into a building.  After they let the rats loose, the viewer realizes that this was done in order to motivate the tenants to move out so they can buy it.  Not soon after this incident, the men encounter trouble at one of the buildings that they own.  Squatters had moved into half of the apartments and it appears that they can do nothing about it.  So...being the nice gentleman that they are, they take baseball bats and destroy the other half of the apartments.

The viewer is starting to not like Tom at this point.  So how does a filmmaker change the viewers perspective?  Close-up shots of Tom as he is going about his daily routine regains the viewer's trust that Tom is humane.  Now the story can progress.

Tom runs into his mother's concert manager who tells him to come in for an audition one day.  Tom then begins to reconnect with his past.  He listens to one of his mother's old piano tapes and hires a piano teacher, a Chinese lady who does not speak any French.  The process of relearning is daunting and it seems as though Tom is going to break.  He doesn't know whether to continue his old ways or start a whole new one.

I don't want to give away much more...the story is rather bland and the glue that holds it all together is Romain Duris' performance.

Overall Recommendation:  Watch it if you really really want to but I wouldn't try and convince you to watch it.

Oh and Melanie Laurent is in the movie for about 3 minutes :)

Reprise - 2006

Movie #148

4 stars

Close friends Erik (Espen Klouman-Høiner) and Phillip (Anders Danielsen Lie) each await news on their first novels. But when Phillip's book is published before Erik's, he's unprepared for fame and the obsessions and temptations it brings along with it. He eventually emerges from a nervous breakdown, only to discover that Erik has found literary success of his own.

Cast: Anders Danielsen Lie, Espen Klouman-Høiner, Viktoria Winge, Henrik Elvestad, Christian Rubeck, Odd Magnus Williamson, Rebekka Karijord, Henrik Mestad, Pål Stokka, Sigmund Sæverud

Director: Joachim Trier

Filming Location: Norway...mostly Oslo and some Paris

Like: The technique of flashbacks --- Within the first 5 minutes we learn that only Philip's book has been published and he is about to do a book reading. Then it cuts to 6 months later and Erik along with 4 other guys are driving. As Erik is walking through a building it is apparent that it is a mental institution. They all get in the car and start to drive off. The camera cuts from their faces to scenery shots. The camera shows a close up of what appears to be a scar on Philip's hand. Piece by piece we get a look into how those scars got there.

Like: Narrator --- not only his voice but the fact that he is unknown to the viewer. When we hear his voice it's not followed by irritation...it is followed by intrigue. The viewer wants to know who this narrator is.

Like: The lack of music --- or should I there was no fear of silence. I think that so many times films overuse music. Silence is such a big part of this movie. I think that there are only 2 times in this film that there is non diagetic music. When there is silence, it not only forces the director to come up with good shots but it forces the actor to...act. Without music during high emotion scenes, the viewer focuses more on the actual film to produce an emotional effect.

Major Like: The song Deceptacon by Le Tigre that played during a party scene.



Dislike: I never really felt connected to the characters. I wanted to like Erik and I wanted to feel a little sorry for Philip but it never happened. It wasn't that the acting was bad...I actually think the actors did a pretty good job...it's just that the script didn't allow for any connection.

Dislike: The flashbacks....flash forwards....and what-ifs reminded me a lot of lost. The only difference was that Lost was exciting and you don't want it to end. I was waiting for this film to end 45 minutes into it.

Trivia:

• Sten Egil Dahl, the old writer in the movie, is based on Norwegian writer Tor Ulven. Ulven gave only one interview in his career, but is regarded as one of the most important writers in Norway during the eighties and nineties.
• Anders Danielsen Lie (Philip) is the drummer in the Oslo band Virgo.

Overall Recommendation: It's worth watching...even if it's only for the cinematography