Strange Powers/Antichrist/Enter the Void

Strange Powers (2010)
Directed by Kerthy Fix and Gail O'Hara
"Strange Powers" is definitely one of the best songs on The Magnetic Fields' perfect 1994 LP Holiday, so that it is the title of this documentary on Stephin Merritt and his band is appropriate. Unfortunately, the film does not mention that album once, but the history of the band and Merritt's off-putting personality and relationship with collaborator and manager, Claudia Gonson, are fascinating subjects nonetheless. Whether you're an obsessed super fan or a moderate one who is in love with one particular Mag Fields album, like me, then I recommend viewing this.


Antichrist (2009)
Written and directed by Lars von Trier
I've been wanting to see Lars von Trier's ultimately controversial film Antichrist since first hearing of its production. I will most definitely admit that I've been very nervous to see, and had to spend a couple of years working up the guts. I'm not sure that I'm okay with the fact that I was actually expecting it to be even more unsettling than it is. Don't get me wrong. It is incredibly messed up and is not something that I anticipate ever being able to, let alone wanting to see again. I guess I just wonder if I'm desensitized to this level of disturbance. Anyway, there are plenty of moments where Antichrist is visually stunning. The acting of Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg is fine, but I can't help but strongly dislike these characters, as they were entirely too unrealistic (which is usually something I like in film). A lot of the plot details and way too much of the dialogue made absolutely no sense, in the worst way. The mutilation scenes were cringe-worthy, for sure. In spite of all this, I walked away feeling that I did not hate Antichrist, not even a little bit. My brain is sick.


Enter the Void (2009)
Written and directed by Gaspar Noe
It was totally stupid of me to have watched Gaspar Noe's third feature film, Enter the Void, in the same sitting as Antichrist. Enter the Void may not have been quite as unsettling as Antichrist, but it certainly was more depressing. It tells the story of a young American drug dealer living in Tokyo around the time of his death, and details important life events leading up to that point and the lives of those close to him after by way of post-death out-of-body experience. The filmmaking here is obviously experimental, blatantly inspired by psychedelic drugs, and this makes for some wonderfully innovative and stimulating visuals. Enter the Void is easily an hour too long, but its one of those films that I'll be thinking about for a long time. You should probably see it.