ADT and I stopped our Netflix subscription years ago in favor of our favorite local video store - Casa Video - one benefit is occasionally finding something unexpectedly wonderful off of the Staff Picks shelves! (An appreciated resource since I find a video store a somewhat daunting place if you wander in without having any idea about what you want to watch...) On this night Dave's shelf delivered one of the best movies I have seen in a LONG time - Festen (The Celebration), directed by Thomas Vinterberg.
It is hard to write too much about The Celebration without revealing spoilers that are better learned while watching (we barely even read the back of the DVD - the film would be amazing even knowing the plot ahead of time, but better to just be surprised...) - but an interesting (non-spoiler) detail that contributes to the impact of the film is that it the first Dogme 95 film. Dogma 95 Manifesto and rules focus on de-emphasizing elaborate technology/sound/lighting/effects/production and superficial action - which seems to be a perfect match for The Celebration where the story/characters/acting are so good it is nearly impossible to imagine anything being gained by additional glitz/glamour.
Rating: 5 of 5 First Watch Date: March 2013
CM