Film tips week 44 - Halloween edition

Where: Trondheim Kino

What could be more frightening and horrific than the world we live in?

In this documentary, director Raoul Peck explores Orwell’s warnings about totalitarianism and mass surveillance from the influential novel 1984, drawing parallels between the book and the present day. The film highlights, among other things, the re-election of Donald Trump as the obvious turning point and the rise of political populism. It is thematically structured around Orwell’s famous slogans “War is peace,” “Freedom is slavery,” and “Ignorance is strength,” using each of them as a lens to examine contemporary power dynamics. Events such as the Iraq War, the storming of the U.S. Capitol, Elon Musk’s Nazi salute, global surveillance, and the rise of artificial intelligence are illuminated. It may be a disturbing time to live in, but there is still a glimmer of hope.

© Another World Entertainment

Where: Cinemateket

Ringu was a major success when it premiered in Japan in 1998, and became a widely pirated cult phenomenon in the rest of the world. It’s quite ironic, considering that a cursed VHS tape—one you definitely should not watch—stands at the center of the story. Death follows closely behind those who view it.

The possessed videotape is chillingly well crafted. It consists of fragments seemingly placed together at random. As the terrifying story slowly unfolds, we are given explanations for the elements in the video and their place in the narrative. The pace is slow, allowing the dread to build, and an unsettling sense of unavoidable fate spreads throughout.

© Toho

Where: Streaming

Elvira dreams of the stunningly handsome prince and heart-breaker, Prince Julian. When he invites everyone to a royal ball in order to find his bride, Elvira is willing to do anything to become his chosen one. She must conform to the kingdom’s ruthless beauty standards, get the enchantingly beautiful Cinderella out of the way, and most importantly… the shoe must fit!

© Mer film