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February 20th 2002 Movie review for you: "Monanieba" ('Repentance' in English) Its about a woman Keti who grows up in a small Russian town which is ruled by Varlam, an insane despotic mayor, who sings jolly operas for his friends before having them hauled away by secret police dressed as roman centurions. He gives frenzied, twitching public harangues with great quotes like "4 out of every 3 people are spies! our society must become a clenching fist of rightousness!" Her father, an anarchist painter, is gulaged for painting 'too individualistically', which inspires her utter hatred of Varlam. The movie opens years later at Varlams funeral and Keti wreaks a unique revenge, and most of the story is told through flashbacks at her trial. The second half deals with Varlam's son coming to despise himself for following in his fathers footsteps after the grandson angerly rebels from his family's murderous past. its delightfully surreal, with dream sequences and a general attitude of absurdity. It also has deeply touching scenes. Its a great satire of authority. I highly recommend it. 5 stars just as a movie, with or without the political message. |