Film Review: Darren Aronofsky's The Whale

The Whale is directed by Darren Aronofsky and stars Brendan Fraser, Sadie Sink and Hong Chou. The film follows morbidly obese English Teacher Charlie as he reconnects with his estranged daughter. It is based on the play of the same name written by Samuel D. Hunter, who also wrote the screenplay.

It goes without saying that The Whale is led by a tour de force performance from Brendan Fraser. He inhabits the role of Charlie completely, and through him, we see so much sorrow and tenderness that the film just becomes so emotionally overwhelming. There are scenes nearly impossible to watch, namely the binge eating scenes, which is triggering for anyone who has suffered from not only binge eating but any sort of addiction.

It’s also heartbreaking to watch him interact with his daughter and the defensive cruelty that comes with each interaction and then the deep love his friend and nurse Liz has for him, which is bogged down by shared past trauma and the very one-sided nature of their relationship. These complex performances from Sadie Sink and Hong Chou add a whole other dramatic texture to the film and also add to the agony of Charlie’s spiralling despair.

I need to know that I have done one right thing with my life!

The choice to use a 4:3 ratio powerfully reflects the claustrophobia of the setting and the protagonist's psyche; in essence, Charlie is trapped in his apartment and in his body. Furthermore, the use of such a dark and gloomy colour palette only heightens this oppressive framing to make the film both thematically and visually heavy.

French Cinema: Mon Roi (My King) film review

Mon Roi directed by Maïwenn, tells the story of Marie-Antoinette “Tony” and her passionate yet tumultuous relationship with Georgio.

Emmanuelle Bercot and Vincent Cassel are brilliant in their roles as Tony and Georgio; Bercot proved this by winning best actress at Cannes for her performance. The raw realism in their elation, passion and despair is extraordinary, and it is the driving force behind what makes this film so compelling. Louis Garrel also delivers a fantastic performance as Tony’s brother, who brings much-needed humour and familial support. But the beauty in this film very much lies in the complexity of the relationship between Tony and Georgio,

I love how Maïwenn uses Tony’s rehabilitation from a skiing injury as a framing device for the film, as it is a time for slowing down and reflection. Naturally, she starts to delve into her past during this downtime. In fact, it’s almost as if the treatment of a physical injury allows her the time to heal the mental one too. The injury Tony has is also very symbolic, which the physiotherapist points out a the beginning of the film. Le genou (knee) is the only joint that can bend backwards.

Thematically there is a lot to unpack in this film. You have the changeability of relationships, discussions of mental health and gender roles. At the beginning of their relationship Tony and Georgio seem perfect for each other; they share a sense of humour and have an electric chemistry, but as time passes, Tony and thus the audience finds Georgio’s behaviour increasingly problematic.

“You leave people for the same reason that attracted you in the first place.”

He abandons his pregnant wife to live alone, spends more time looking after his ex, and parties without consideration for Tony, who has clearly suffered a deterioration in mental health due to postpartum depression and Georgio’s behaviour. Mental Health is also weaved throughout the narrative of the film via the characters of Tony and Georgio’s ex Agnès who attempted to commit suicide upon hearing that Tony was pregnant with Georgio’s baby.

And finally, gender roles are examined through the idea of how men and women and thus mothers and fathers, are supposed to be in the eyes of society. Georgio mentions that as a husband and a father, he is supposed to always be strong and in control. But, he often finds himself taking drugs and sleeping with random women because he falters, and he tries to hide this to protect Tony’s image of him as a model man. Toxic!

Book Review: The Gravity of Existence by Christina Sng

The Gravity of Existence is a poetry collection by three-time Bram Stoker Award®-winning author Christina Sng.

The Gravity of Existence by Christina Sng with cover art by Ukrainian artist Anna Surgan

For the most part, I only really read poetry when required to do so for studying. This is not to say I don't like the literary form, just that I don't choose to read it for some reason. And then my favour seems to side with the romantics like Shelley, Baudelaire or Tennyson.

But this collection intrigued me with its strange mix of sci-fi, fairytales and horror. I was pleasantly surprised by these snapshot poems that feel humorous, honest, anxiety-inducing and beguiling all at the same time.

Thank you to NetGalley and Interstellar Flight Press for providing me with a copy for an honest review!

A love for second-hand books

I love books; I always have. I have faint memories of browsing my local Waterstones as a kid; that’s where I got The Hobbit, a book that would forever cement my obsession with Tolkien and the fantasy genre and a book I will revisit fondly to recapture the lost magic of my youth.

I still love browsing books shops, and occasionally I’ll pick up a brand new book on a whim, but as I’ve gotten older, I think I actually prefer second-hand books. There's just something so charming about them. They have a history; one or maybe a dozen different hands have held the book you now hold. Different minds have pondered the same words you now read.

When you read a second-hand book, you now and forever have an intangible connection to the strangers that came before you. Think of that link as a cosmic library that spans time and place. You are the current steward of a book that has delighted or frustrated any number of readers before you and will continue to do so until it breaks apart at the spine.

Besides the romantic musings of cosmic connections to previous readers, used books also have a rather logical reason for being loved. They are cheaper to buy, and it’s also rather eco to have a book serve many different readers over the years.

What do you think of used books? Let me know in the comments section.

Book Review: The Six Deaths of The Saint by Alix E. Harrow

After seeing it pop up on my TikTok fyp a few times, I decided I had to check out The Six Deaths of The Saint by Alix E. Harrow; because, after all why shouldn’t I when it is only a 30-page short story?

And by Jove, was I glad that I gave it a go. This little story packs quite the punch. It’s a modern chivalric romance with an undercurrent of fantasy.

It asks questions of destiny, duty and love. Would you sell your soul to be remembered? Or is pure unflinching love enough to sustain you?

The language is spellbinding and will have you underlining passage after passage. By the close of this 30-page wonder, you will shed a tear and perhaps be compelled to start straight over or stare into space, coming to terms with the story before you can finally continue with life again.