I canât stop thinking about the scene where sheâs showing her mother the garden, and the ominous presence of closed curtains the whole way through. The sound design was perfect, listen closely and youâll hear gunfire and screams throughout.
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I expected this to be graphic considering its subject matter but itâs a purely psychological thriller with a twisted bent. This movie gave me chills and deeply unsettled me in ways I was not expecting!!! brilliant commentary on the nature of true crime content, with realistic depictions of technology⊠The lead is an incredibly fascinating and complex female character. highly recommend if you havenât seen itâŠ
Sep 26, 2024
The countless atrocities committed by the Nazis have been well-documented in the media, but I canât recall having ever seen a movie that opted to focus on the cold banality of the lives of the Germans who were actively engaged in or complicit with such incredible cruelty. Filmmaker Jonathan Glazer (Under the Skin), inspired by Martin Amisâ novel, has decided to tap into this underexplored area, and the chilling result will haunt viewers for days.
Focusing on Auschwitz commandant Rudolf Höss (Christian Freidel) and his wife Hedwig (Sandra HĂŒller, both perfectly cast), who are raising their family in a well-appointed home directly adjacent to the camp, we watch them go about their relatively mundane existences. They live better than many of their fellow Germans and have local girls working as servants to help keep up the house, but otherwise much of their time is spent tending to trivial day-to-day tasks, aside from the odd bit of Nazi business that Rudolf attends to from his home office.
Nothing here is truly normal however, a point made very clear shortly into the film when the camera changes its view of the familyâs yard to expose the guard tower just on the other side of the brick wall that abuts the property. Given the proximity to the notorious camp, its noises permeate every aspect of the familyâs lives. The low hum of the furnaces is ever-present, punctuated by screams and gunshots. Frequently trains can be heard bringing more prisoners, puffs of steam appearing over the tree line. Somehow, the Hössâ and their children go about their day as if they donât even notice it.
To celebrate one of the childrenâs birthdays, Hedwigâs mother comes to stay. Initially impressed by the large, well-maintained home and garden, she casually wonders aloud if a Jewish neighbor might be imprisoned next door, complaining that she lost her chance to claim her curtains. As the pair sit on the patio and sounds from the camp impose themselves, she turns to glance at the wall, at least a little discomfited. At night, the sounds of suffering disturb her sleep and she looks out the window, only to see ash and bright flames erupting from a smokestack. She leaves the following morning.
While the atrocities next door are felt throughout almost the entire movie, we never see them. Everything is instead conveyed through Johnnie Burnâs meticulous sound design and the effect is powerful, especially in contrast to the mundanity of everything shown. Cinematographer Ćukasz Ć»alâs striking staging avoids overly prettifying the home while still maintaining a painterly artfulness, often using static, embedded cameras to give the proceedings the sort of voyeuristic feel of reality shows like Big Brother.
A movie may not be the best place to figure out exactly how people can react so blithely to such large-scale inhumanity, so Glazer doesnât really try to do so. It is enough however to be reminded that the behavior is not only something that we as a species are capable of, but that it is necessary for such evil to be enacted. Hopefully the reminder will help to prevent it from happening again. â
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RATED PG-13 FOR THEMATIC MATERIAL, SOME SUGGESTIVE MATERIAL, AND SMOKING.
Feb 21, 2024
This movie is so damn disturbing showing anything horrific onscreen. Just hearing the audio from the snuff films that the characters watches sends chills up my spine. Juliette Gariepy is amazing as Kelly-Anne. You can definitely feel that something is very wrong with her even when her motives are noble. If you love serial killer/true crime movies especially movies by David Fincher, you should watch Red Rooms.
Feb 11, 2025
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I used to be envious of people who had âMySpace friendsâ or âtumblr friendsâ. Now I have PI.FYI friends. Thank you capyboppy for your lovely letter and this illustration of a capybara and a mouse with fruit on our heads, it made me weirdly emotional â€ïž
Jun 11, 2024
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is gig etiquette dead? Donât go to a gig if you wanna just talk to your mates! go to a pub itâs what theyâre for!
Dec 8, 2024
IT'S OUT MY RECORD IS OUT I LITERALLY AM CRYING. The culmination of 4 plus years of work. I'm...gonna go to bed now!
May 3, 2024