Dear friend,

let’s just move on to the few films I managed to watch this week.

Glengarry Glen Ross, directed by James Foley, written by David Mamet, based on his theatre play, US, 1992 - ⭐⭐⭐⭐½

There’s not much to say about this masterpiece about heartless capitalism and greed. I somehow remembered it only happening during one night, so even if I had a vague idea of one of the plot revelations, I could still be surprised by some of the later developments.
Everyone’s performance in this cast is fantastic, although Jonathan Pryce’s role felt a bit too exaggerated and took me out of the story.

Lost Highway, directed by David Lynch, co-written with Barry Gifford, US, 1997 - ⭐⭐⭐½

I wasn’t planning to go to the cinema this Saturday but, when I passed by it, I noticed that the film by David Lynch I despised so much so many years ago was being screened. I couldn’t let the opportunity pass to experience to watch this crazy and at times assaulting film on the big screen.
It’s still a mesmerising experience, and although trying to make sense of its plot in detail is a lost cause, I noticed - maybe for the first time - that Lynch gives us explicitly the keys to understand it.
It’s the perfect third instance in a chain linking Blue Velvet, Twin Peaks and Mulholland Drive, but I would sincerely have preferred fewer sex scenes. I hope Patricia Arquette felt respected enough.

Mr. K, written and directed by Tallulah Hazekamp Schwab, Netherlands/Norway, 2024 - ⭐⭐

I watched this film thinking it was one of the most quintessential Belgian movies, but then I found out that the author is Norwegian/Dutch (although it is a Belgian co-production). It tells the story of a magician (Crispin Glover) that checks into a hotel only to find out that it’s of the Californian kind, in the sense that he can never leave.
Though the premise reminded me a bit of Calvaire, this is not as horrifying, but also not that interesting: a perfect representation of a pure nightmare, but once you get used to the atmosphere there’s not enough story to keep you engaged for an hour and a half.
If there is an allegorical meaning, it was drowned amongst the many ideas without resolution.
Fionnula Flanagan from Lost and The Others has a small role as one of the hotel’s guests.
I loved the cacophonous marching band.