Arts: Film

Society and the American Psycho

KENZA GARMZI | CONTENT WRITER

Source: Christian Bale as Patrick Bateman. @cclassisclass, Instagram

Mary Harron’s cult horror-thriller American Psycho (2000), based on Bret Easton Ellis’ novel has long been infamous due to the controversial nature of the graphic violence found in it. The ending has also proved intriguing because of its ambiguity, and the multiple theories around it following its release. The film follows Patrick Bateman, an investment banker played by Christian Bale, and his journey through his double life as both a “yuppie” and a homicidal individual who struggles to hide his depraved fantasies from those around him.

American Psycho has always had a cult following yet its popularity has skyrocketed in recent years among a younger generation, many of which were not even born during the film’s release. TikTok especially has seen multiple scenes from the film being turned into popular audio being used by creators worldwide. Many videos also include some of the more satirical scenes which have since become viral memes, but why is a film released more than 20 years ago still relevant to today’s youth? The movie follows Bateman as he interacts with the world around him, which is shallow and materialistic. He finds himself desperate to fit in by analysing what those around him are wearing and which exclusive restaurants and clubs they can get into. This is shown by a scene where Bateman’s girlfriend asks why he does not quit his corporate job when he hates it, and he replies, “because I want to fit in”. By conforming to the “yuppie” culture that surrounds him, he can mask his inner self to be more socially acceptable.

Moonage Daydream: A review

KAYLA TOMLINSON | CONTENT WRITER

David Bowie once spoke about how no piece of art could illicit the same emotion twice; one day, the shadow a tree cast in the afternoon sun could make you feel such serenity and happiness, while the next day, the same tree and the same shadow would make you feel the opposite.

His repressed rage and killing are seen as a metaphor for an inner self and feelings repressed in the name of being socially acceptable and fitting in. By doing this, he is frequently mistaken for other colleagues and is not even believed at the end when he admits the killings to the lawyer. He tries to blend in so with society yet is still ignored as a result of his desperation to conform and fit in with his peers. The youth of today, especially young men who relate to the emergence of “incel culture” can relate to how Bateman navigates through his life throughout the film.

His need to hide his inner self and conform to a cold uncaring society feels like their reality. In my opinion, Harron (and Easton Ellis in the novel) uses dark humour to try and portray the people in the film in a satirical way, as some of the interactions within the film are over the top such as the infamous card scene. However, within these satirical portrayals of the lives of materialistic investment bankers and their equally materialistic girlfriends lies a truth about the superficial nature of our society. It gives a stark warning that this, along with consumerism and hyper-individualism, can lead to a loss of identity which is ultimately what leads Bateman into his descent of madness.

Source: @moonagemov, Instagram

This analogy is how I would also sum up Brett Morgen’s musical documentary about Bowie: Moonage Daydream.

Moonage Daydream is not your usual documentary. Morgen strays away from the “talking-heads” style of film-making others have relied on, seen in such films like Todd Haynes’ The Velvet Underground and Liz Garbus’ What Happened, Miss Simone. While both are remarkable films and explorations, Morgen adopts a style much more reflective of Bowie. Instead of having others talk about their interpretations of Bowie and his work, Morgen gets it straight from the man himself. Moonage Daydream utilises hours of archival footage from concerts, interviews, and films, with interpolations of his paintings, short stories and of course, his music. To put it simply, it is two hours straight of everything Bowie ever produced, presented in a chaotic, but fantastical fashion. It is therefore hard to sum up what this film is and the effect it will have on viewers. There is something new to discover every time you watch it, whether that is fleeting references to Oscar Wilde and John Coltrane, or blink-andyou’ll-miss-it moments of film and cinema that Bowie both starred in and was influenced by. Moments in the film take on new meaning on a second watch, with the repeating clip of the eclipse in the film, first confusing, now is a sign of the film shifting into exploring a new era of Bowie’s career.

The eras themselves are explored perfectly too, with explanations from Bowie himself on the ideas and influences behind them. Through interview sound clips and footage, we are told his thought processes behind creations like Ziggy Stardust and his classic Heroes.

. We are shown concerts from each era and album with Morgen’s use of live audio and shots of screaming fans truly placing us in the crowd with them, making the film feel more like a concert than documentary at times. The music, of course, is a large draw to the film and both hard-core and casual fans of Bowie will enjoy the selection in the film. Overall, to call Moonage Daydream a documentary feels a bit like a lie. It has been described as an “odyssey” through Bowie’s career and it certainly feels so. It is a true exploration of not only Bowie the singer, but also as the artist, musician, painter and actor. It both emboldens the myth of Bowie while destroying it, taking a look behind the curtain. It is my hope that future documentaries take inspiration from this style of filmmaking, in the same way

Source: @unboxingmovieswithme, Instagram

Avatar: The film with no cultural impact?

DEVESH SOOD | MANAGING EDITOR

In my eyes, there is no stranger film in recent memory than Avatar. Released 13 years ago, it was the result of an incomprehensible amount of time, effort and pure passion. A film that saw critical success, Academy Award nominations and held the title of highest-grossing film for 10 years straight. There was a period when the world was simply entranced. And then… rumblings, challenges; some labelling the film simplistic, others suggesting it to be contrived, telling a story of colonisation from the perspective of the colonisers. But the key phrase that came to the forefront about Avatar was this: a film with no cultural impact.

I half expected to find this statement as the film’s IMDb description considering how many times I have heard it. As someone who has loved the film for years, I must admit that I often found it difficult, and frustrating, trying to combat this remark. Even with it being such a bizarre title to hold, it is also the reason why I do not often have the urge to rewatch the film. The story it’s telling is definitely not new and not always told in the most effective way possible. For many, despite all the technology, simplicity still remains. So, is this a film with no cultural impact? The answer is no. Avatar absolutely is not a film that had no cultural impact. While its writing may not be the strongest (something Cameron himself has recognised), and it may not be as quotable as something like Avengers: Endgame or even Cameron’s Titanic (previous highest-grossing films), it does thrive in one area. The one area that has cemented its legacy is worldbuilding. This is what has defined Avatar; the world of Pandora is so vividly realised that just a random few frames would be enough to recognise where it has come from. And this all is the result of the pioneers behind the technology. I hypothesise the reason this argument is even still around is because no other film has been able to utilise VFX (and 3D-CGI) to such success in the years since. There have been a lot of reports regarding the state of this industry and having seen the results of a project given actual time to be completed rather than rushed to meet a deadline simply exploits the waste of the artist's talents. When I heard about a re-release of the film, upgraded and remastered, I fully expected the idea to be scoffed at - to be sitting in an empty theatre, alone and having the time of my life. Instead, on its re-opening weekend, packed; I was shocked, caught off guard! After holding that false badge of honour for all these years, it was truly a treat to see people finally taking their time to reassess. And for myself, to finally be exposed to the wonder that this film comes with when seen in IMAX 3D made for one of the most entertaining blockbuster experiences I have had all year. Seeing that sneak-peek at the end of the credits of the rerelease, it is rapidly becoming clear that we have something truly special awaiting us this December.