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Jeff Nichols

Midnight Special * Jeff Nichols (2016)

It was about time that I saw a good, weird film again. There have been way too few of these recently.

“Midnight Special” is a film that you should not know too much about before you see it. It has a wonderfully unfolding story that is obviously written to put the viewer on the wrong track. This works quite well. Each time the story gets a weirder layer. The pompous fantasy ‘conclusion’ is a bit too much for my liking, but the film is very well done. The few characters in it do not so much develop, but unfold (together with the story).

The film does not get as weird as films can get, but I guess you have to appreciate strange films to enjoy this one. It has this somewhat melancholic atmosphere that other films of Jeff Nichols have, but there is action, drama, thriller and fantasy and all that pretty well done.

Take Shelter * Jeff Nichols (2011)

This films shows that there need not be an elaborate story with twists and turns to make an interesting film.

Curtis (Michael Shannon) has bad dreams that he comes to believe to be premonitions for a coming super storm. He starts to make preparations to save his family, but the big question is, if he is going mad or if his premonitions could be true. This is worked out well in a tense drama that left out all unnecessary elements and this turned out quite well

Mud * Jeff Nichols (2012)

Two fourteenyearold boys live in some American jungle which makes beautiful scenery. On a small island they run into a man who calls himself Mud. Friendship rises and when it becomes clear that Mud has a couple of problems, the boys decide to help him, which turns out to be quite dangerous.
“Mud” is a relatively slow film with a few action scenes. It is also mostly a drama and raises questions about love, loyalty, honesty, etc. Most of all it is a beautifull film to watch and the viewer is nicely put back and forth in favour of one character and another.