Crimes of the Future ★★½
FANTASY (2022)
Directed by: David Cronenberg
Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Léa Seydoux, Kristen Stewart.

David Cronenberg chose Greece for his new film, although our country is barely recognizable in it, except for some signs in Greek. This is of course logical, as his story takes place in an unspecified future where the human body has evolved to produce its own mutations, even new vital organs. Saul (Viggo Mortensen), along with his partner Caprice (Le Seydoux), organize performances that demonstrate these transformations live. However, at the same time, a mysterious group of criminals are using the same tactics to take human evolution to the next stage. Even if the premise of Cronenberg’s film sounds complicated to you, that’s because it is. Here, the great Canadian film director gives free rein to his imagination, creating a script that allegorically, not allegorically, speaks of many things: about the “new” sexuality, identified with surgery, all kinds of mutations and their consequences, the problems of contemporary art, etc. . And human evolution is defined as a dystopia that produces monsters and nightmares taken from the imagination of Hieronymus Bosch.

Creator of Mamma Mia! Here we go again,” Ol Parker, specialist in…weddings and joys, puts here a comedy with a similar structure, set in exotic Bali. George Clooney and Julia Roberts are shining stars as the troubled parents of young Lily, who is in love on a Bali vacation and ready for a speedy wedding to her lover. The two race to prevent the massacre, but first they will need to resolve their long-standing feud. The mere presence of the two lead stars is enough to lend some interest to an otherwise perfectly predictable comedy that is otherwise unsettling in an extended travel agency commercial.

The usually heretic François Ozon tells a bittersweet true story about a father-daughter relationship and the end of life. 85-year-old André (André Dusolier) suffers a stroke that leaves him half paralyzed. His daughter Emmanuelle (Sophie Marcheau) rushes to his bedside to hear that all he wants now is to help him die. Now she, along with her sister, must make a decision and initiate euthanasia procedures, as André remains unconvinced, although his health improves significantly. Ozone gradually builds a family drama with interesting ramifications, based largely also on the excellent performances of its main characters. Through brief flashbacks, we learn about the difficult relationship between father and daughter, which leads us to the current situation, which further complicates matters. And in the last part of the film, even the police dimension appears, without, however, particularly distracting from the general touching film, which, by the way, is indifferent to most of the clichés of the genre.

Finnish director Temu Niki presents a very special film with an even more special protagonist. Yako suffers from multiple sclerosis, as a result of which he is confined to a wheelchair, and now he has also lost his sight. Through the Internet, he meets Shirpa, who is also sick, and they communicate daily by phone. However, one day Yako decides to cross the (not few) kilometers separating them, and even unaccompanied, in order to finally meet his beloved. On the road, of course, he will need the help of strangers, and somewhere there things will take a dangerous turn. Despite the “heavy” subject matter, Nicky manages to spruce up his film with a fair amount of humor and cinematic references, while his visual approach is also notable: the camera is almost constantly fixed on the face of the (excellent) protagonist, and the surroundings are blurred and lost. , manages to put the viewer in the place of this unique hero as much as possible.

Another drama is coming out of France, this time a romantic one, starring Fanny Ardant. The great actress plays Sona, a retired architect who meets and falls in love with the much younger and married Dr. Pierre. The attraction is mutual, and soon a passionate relationship will begin between them, which in its own way will affect others. A love story contrary to stereotypes, it works mainly due to the chemistry of the main characters, but also some insightful observations about… love.

One of the most important films of modern Greek cinema, which also introduced us to the talent of Giannis Economides, comes out this week in Trianon with its original 35mm print. Unbearable heat, cramped apartment and a family on the verge of a nervous breakdown – all this creates a shocking and at the same time pleasant film that has become a classic.