Lately, I have been watching a lot of films that portray problematic teenagers with psychotic tendencies. The subject, which is one of my favorites in cinema and gained a similar post in the blog about prison, school, and reformatories; goes from boys that are discovering themselves as psychopaths to metaphors of the rise of the fascist regime and using neo-nazism as a fetish. Because of that, I’ve decided to write a post to talk about such interesting movies that are not only worth watching but also, not really talked about through the internet.
The Here After (2015) by Magnus von Horn
This amazing Swedish film from last year portrays the story of a young boy who committed a terrible crime against his ex-girlfriend. After spending his time in prison, he goes back to his small town and even though he is ready to move forward, people still remember what he did and will do everything they can to prove to him they are not ready to forgive and forget. Even though the young man does not show himself as a terrible person, the mystery of what he exactly did and how people are simply not talking about it, creates a tension that will drive you mad throughout the movie and its touching ending.
Green Room (2015) by Jeremy Saulnier
Green Room is everything I wanted to see in a movie. It’s filthy, ugly and hardcore. It’s about punk rock, murder, and neo-nazis. Yeah, maybe there is something wrong with me, but this film is just really, really good. The film tells the story of a punk independent band who is traveling around the country with no money in their pockets. Desperate for money, they accept a gig in a neo-nazi venue far away from the city. Everything goes well until they witness a murder inside the venue and end up being hostages of the people who own the place: a gang of crazy punks who are willing to do everything in their power to cover their tracks. One of the last films Anton Yelchin did before his tragic death.
Skin Gang (1999) by Bruce LaBruce
Okay, this movie is definitely NSFW. The only place I was able to actually watch it was in Xvideos, for you to have an idea. Why? Because it’s Bruce LaBruce. Famous for his experimental underground gay films, Skin Gang or Skin Flick it’s half porn half experimental movie that contradicts itself all the time about being a porn film or an art film. With several sex scenes, the film tells the story of a gang of gay skinheads who fuck each other and gather around to talk about their extreme racist ideas until they decide to rob and attack an apartment of a black guy. The movie itself is not very good and you never really understand if it’s a porn film or an art film, but I believe that’s where Bruce LaBruce wants to leave you.
The Childhood of a Leader (2015) by Brady Corbet
I’ve always liked Brady Corbet as an actor and he found himself making little parts in great films throughout his career. Mostly famous for his part in Mysterious Skin with Joseph-Gordon Lewis, The Childhood of a Leader is Corbet’s debut as a writer and director. Based on a short story from Jean-Paul Sartre, the film is composed with an amazing cast to talk about the story of the fascist regime through the personification of a child, whose father is helping to create the Treaty of Versailles after the First World War. The movie itself is quite strange, making you feel quite uncomfortable, especially after the end. However, movies that make you feel like this are quite rare today and even though you feel Corbet doesn’t seem to have control of everything at all times, it’s a beautiful film, especially for a first feature. The soundtrack and the opening scene will stay in your head for days.
Bridgend (2015) by Jeppe Rønde
Inspired by the true events that started happening in the city of Bridgend in 2007, the story talks about the 72 teenage suicides that took place in the town for years. Here, the Danish director Jeppe Rønde tells this story through the vision of a girl who moves to Bridgend with her father and starts hanging out with a group of kids who start committing suicide one after the other, without explanation. With a dream-like narrative, Bridgend offers no answers to its mysteries and facts but actually plays with them, creating a movie that reminds us of The Virgin Suicides with the TV show Skins in a much darker tone. The ending scene will definitely strike your mind for a while.
Benny’s Video (1992) by Michael Haneke
And last but not least, Michael Haneke’s Benny’s Video. For those who are thinking “Why you are not mentioning We Need to Talk About Kevin?”, Benny’s Video is a way more interesting and horrific portrait of the development of a psychopath. Not only that, Haneke questions the viewers with way more complicated questions, involving technology, society, and ethics. The movie tells the story of a young boy who is addicted to homemade videos, especially violent ones. When he becomes friends with a girl, Benny starts to show a little bit more of his world until they get involved in a horrific accident. Benny’s actions after the incident start to question everyone around him if it was really an accident, resulting in a shocking end.