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Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos' crypto-satire Dogtooth is hyped as weird, transgressive, darkly funny and gorgeous to boot. It has been turning heads on the festival circuit since its Cannes 2009 debut where it won the Un Certain Regard prize. Kino is now going release this to North American audiences, even if it is only on a single screen New York City. If you are listening Toronto theatre programmers, please get a 35mm print up here for those who missed it at TIFF last year. If you are in New York, run...don't walk... on June 25th.
Three teenagers are confined to an isolated country estate that could very well be on another planet. The trio spend their days listening to endless homemade tapes that teach them a whole new vocabulary. Any word that comes from beyond their family abode is instantly assigned a new meaning. Hence 'the sea' refers to a large armchair and 'zombies' are little yellow flowers. Having invented a brother whom they claim to have ostracized for his disobedience, the uber-controlling parents terrorize their offspring into submission. The father is the only family member who can leave the manicured lawns of their self-inflicted exile, earning their keep by managing a nearby factory, while the only outsider allowed on the premises is his colleague Christina, who is paid to relieve the son of his male urges. Tired of these dutiful acts of carnality, Christina enlists the elder daughter for some girl-on-girl action, carelessly disturbing the domestic balance. Soon enough, sex has spread throughout the household like fire. Next stop: rebellion.
This film is the shit. See it.
While watching the film, I didn't care for it too much. I thought it was well done and technically beautiful, but didn't really enjoy it. After it was over, it began to grow on me and I do like it now. It is one of those films that gets in your brain and allows you to ruminate on it's themes. In the end, I really did end up enjoying the experience, even if it took a little longer than usual.
Awesome movie. Both disturbing and funny.