TITANE [Blu-ray]

To be honest with you I don't know if Titane is a good movie or not. Jay from Red Letter Media recommend it, and since i like their Youtube channel I thoght I'd give it a shot.

A woman with a fetish for cars pretends to be a missing dude. Drama ensues. Cinematography and characterization are incredible.

What do you even begin to say about Julia Ducournau's 2021 Palm d'Or winner, Titane? Wow? Okay, how about: it's not for everybody. In fact, it's probably not for a large majority of moviegoers, most particularly those hidebound in their viewing choices or weaned on multiplex blockbusters. Although, to be honest, Titane's subversive edge includes turning certain elements of Marvel Entertainment and the DC Universe on their heads. Which I can really--REALLY--appreciate!Titane is ostensibly a sci-fi/horror hybrid that manages to cross over into significantly deeper territory as it transcends its bleak, gory plotline of savagery and transformation, morphing into a moving meditation on the transformative power of unconditional love. However, getting from Point A to Point B is no walk in the park.SPOILERS below:Our anti-heroine, Alexia, is barely verbal and has a titanium plate in her skull, the result of a near-fatal childhood car crash for which she bears much responsibility. The movie immediately lets us know that Alexia's relationship with her father (the car's driver) is not a happy one; later, when Alexia is a young adult still living with her parents, the man's dislike of his daughter is made manifestly clear. He is also fearful and a little suspicious, given Alexia's mental instability, and the local constabulary unable to identify the psycho killer terrorizing the area. As it turns out, Alexia's father has good reason to be afraid. When she's not busy pole dancing (sans the pole) at the auto show, Alexia kills people, usually via a quick jab through the ear (or neck or back) with a long, sharp knitting needle that also functions as a hairpin. One unfortunate victim has the leg of a dining chair smashed into his mouth, which our girl then proceeds to sit on once he's down for the count. Alexia does manage to take a break from all the carnage, mayhem and dirty dancing when a handsome Cadillac comes banging on her dressing room door. At least, I think it's a Cadillac. Anyhow, Alexia and the Caddy get it on--just go with it, okay?--and before you know it, Alexia finds herself pregnant. Oops. Well, more than oops, actually. More like what the absolute f*&K? So that happens and I start to wonder if I've stumbled onto a perverse French reimagining of the Transformers movie. Alexia goes home with one of her co-dancers and after failing to abort the car-fetus with the knitting needle/hairpin, goes on a killing spree that includes the chair-through-the-mouth scene. But one woman in the house manages to escape and alert the police. With a composite sketch of the killer being broadcast over the airwaves, Alexia decides to go on the lam. First, however, she stops off to pick up a few things and burn down the house. After locking her parents inside.On a monitor at the bus terminal, Alexia spots an age-progression photo of the long-missing child of a respected fire chief and thus decides to change her identity. This does not go quite as smoothly as might be expected since the missing child is a boy named Adrien. What could go wrong? Alexia chops off her hair, tapes down her breasts (and growing belly) and, for good measure, breaks her nose on the sink in the bus station bathroom. Ouch! Vincent, the fire captain, is elated to finally be reunited with his "son". We know Adrien's secret but something also seems a little--off--about Dad, too. When he catches Alexia/Adrien wearing a dress she found in a bedroom closet, rather than being disturbed, Vincent eagerly pulls out old photographs of the actual Adrien wearing the same dress as a child. He warmly embraces Alexia and begins to kiss her on the face and neck, causing her, a young woman who regularly slaughters people and has been impregnated by a car, to ponder the nature of Vincent's relationship with his son. Well....Once Vincent decides to turn the androgynous Alexia/Adrien into a full-fledged fireman--into a full-fledged man--even after he's caught Alexia taping down her breasts and swollen belly, the situation becomes even more complicated. When a member of Vincent's handsome, all-male crew of paramedics becomes suspicious of Adrien, his attempt to warn Vincent is met with a stern command never to speak of his "son". Vincent, it turns out, is determined to play his role to its logical--for this film--conclusion.Titane, ultimately, leaves many of the obvious questions unanswered, but its narrative, bizarre, bloody and twisted though it be, is fairly straightforward with an unambiguous ending that wraps things up the only way possible (at least in the frenzied alternative world created by Ducournau and her talented cast and crew). Titane, as has been frequently noted, owes an obvious debt to David Cronenberg, and his unsettling 1996 body-horror thriller, Crash, although the influence of Claire Denis is strongly present here too. The scene at the fire station, especially, with the young men flirting and dancing together bristles with homoerotic energy and reminds me a lot of Denis' dreamily romantic French Foreign Legion drama, Beau Travail. In fact, this scene, when Alexia/Adrien finally dances with Vincent, is the only time we see her smile in the entire film, and for one moment, her joy makes her radiant, and I wished that the film could just freeze in that moment.Shot by cinematographer, Ruben Impens, Titane features impressively gritty visuals that, along with Jim Williams' music and the incredible actors, keeps the viewers continuously on edge. Agathe Rousselle utilizes her strong, expressive features and angular body to deliver a breathtaking performance that has very little dialogue. Her Alexia is a monstrous, tragic figure of epic dimensions: with her animal ferocity and brute physicality, she's like some mad goddess sprung from Greek mythology. In fact, Titane has much in common with Greek myths, especially the theme of transformation which echoes throughout the film. Vincent Lindon is perfect as the aging, weary fire captain beaten down by years of grief, uncertainty and an addiction to drugs. Built like a former boxer, Lindon looks both commanding and intimidating, although we're never completely certain if he'll be a match for Alexia if she loses her cool. While Vincent's homosexuality is never made explicit, it is constantly implied through his relationships with both Alexia and his men at the firehouse. There's a certain ickiness to the possibility that he might have had a thing for--if not with--his real son before the boy went missing. It's also vaguely suggested (if not actually implied) that Vincent is aware that Alexia is an imposter from the first moment of their "reconciliation"--prompting us to speculate further on Vincent's past and his maybe not-so-delusionary mental state.Intelligent, grotesque and filled with tension, Titane is a difficult film to like, much less one to recommend to others. But, if you are open-minded, not squeamish about gore, violence and a general air of unsavoriness, Titane packs a tremendous wallop and is extremely moving, thanks to its fine direction and outstanding lead performers. Like it or hate it, Titane is not a film that's easily forgotten.

This uniquely beautiful, flashy and thrilling Palme d'Or winning French tour de force is definitely not for everyone, but Titane is a grande guignol blast for the more adventurous and those who enjoy something bold and intellectually challenging. A nearly indescribable story that blends elements of horror, black humor, humanity, fetishism and the absurd, and surprisingly deep themes of identity, gender fluidity, love, loss, family, communication, and the human body as machine. Exciting, often hyper-kinetic, gruesome and violent, with visual flair to spare. A fiery, glossy, metallic, neon nightmare with a powerful score featuring hints of choral music by J.S. Bach, and much appreciated touches of humor and heart courtesy of the excellent performances of the two lead actors. One of the film's greatest strengths is it is absolutely unforgettable, partially because of the especially dense puzzle and dual story structure. A truly crazy ride that sticks in your head like and grows on the viewer- like a titanium plate. The Blu ray is short on extras, containing a Q&A session with the film's talented cast and director Julia Ducournau. Also recommended: Ducournau's Raw, the works of David Cronenberg and David Lynch, and Oscar winning Korean film Parasite.

If you don't like French films, don't watch this. This movie is simply art using film as the medium. If you are looking for straightforward entertainment, you'll be disappointed.If you are looking for something you've never seen before. If you want to FEEL something during a movie. If you want a deeper meaning in your movies this will fit the bill.SPOILERS BELOW:The reason this is a good movie, and certainly one of the best movies of 2021 is not just for shock factor. The themes of the movies primarily surround individual sexuality, family relationships, what is considered "normal" for humans and heavy on symbolism and contrasts throughout.During Alexia's transformation, she not only transforms gender (and gender identity), but she also transforms from psychotic serial killer to docile empathetic son. The contrasts between the halves of the movie are fantastic in shots and tone. I can see why that's off-putting, but this movie wasn't made for these types of viewers.No different than how Inception is a great movie with an ambiguous ending, those upset over the ending simply won't get this film either.This is by definition an Avant Garde Film and should be watched and reviewed as such.

It was a good movie, but it's one of those movies that you should never encourage anyone to watch. I know this because two days later I'm still haunted by the things I saw. Vividly haunted. I might never recover.

Don’t Google it. Don’t research it. Shocking, yes. Tender, yes. Beautiful, crazy, moving. Takes the best of French Extreme horror and gives it a heart. I was completely off balance from minute one and moved to tears by minute last. For those with strong stomachs seeking human connection on the road to something different.

I mean, this movie epitomizes the word unique; there is nothing out there in a hundred years of cinema that I'm aware of that has a similar theme or story line. This film is brilliant in originality, okay, nuff said. I found it very engaging, immersive, and at same time shocking. You'll probably either love this or hate it, and at the end you'll definitely know you just experienced a wild ride never forgotten.

Bebé Titane👶🚗❤️

Super achat à petit prix envoie soigné et rapide

Top Horrorfilm ist echt sehenswert.

Unwatchable as no English subs (or dubbing although I hate dubbing anyway)This is yet another egregious example of how UK people in particular are always considered second-class consumers when it comes to films: USA? Check. Asia? Check. ENTIRETY OF EUROPE? Check. UK? HAHAHA seems to be the checklist for film distributors now.Oh well, if they don't want my money there are ways round this particular problem.

The product is in French, but with no English subtitles (only German & Dutch available). I have not watched the movie but would instead like to return it. My original return request is now a week old with no response yet.