The Act of Killing (2012)

Natural Born Killers

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2375605/?ref_=nv_sr_1

I feel like this doc deserves its own thread. Just finished it a few hours ago and I'm still reeling... seriously mind-blowing stuff.

Definitely check it out.

I’m planning on watching it, but I haven't been able to track down the subtitles yet
were you more of a lucky charm or

Nicholas Watson said:I'm planning to watch it but I can't find any subtitles
you should probably just hunt down

just look for the version that has Netflix in the file name...

I think we need Netflix subtitles😁

Honestly, Southeast Asia is probably the last place on Earth I’d ever set foot in, so I can’t say I’m shocked by how this whole mess unfolded.
There’s just something about the people over there that hits me all wrong—honestly, even just looking at them gives me the creeps.
My main gripe with the documentary is that it’s missing those gritty archival clips you need to actually back up the story. Without hard documentary facts, the whole thing just feels like it's turning an absurd situation into some kind of weird myth.

Look, don't get me wrong, it's a top-tier doc with a totally unique angle, even if it's maybe a bit too cautious or presumptive for my taste. It's no wonder the whole thing drags on forever like stretched-out pizza dough.

This video does a pretty solid job of breaking down what's actually going on here.

The Act of Killing (with clips)

We can expect the follow-up, "The Look of Silence" coming in 2015. ☕

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

I had the chance to catch The Look of Silence at an AMC theater recently, and it’s just as profound as I expected. Highly recommended. It essentially explores the other side of the story—told by the brother of a victimized "communist," who conducts a series of interviews with the actual killers and those who helped them...

I must admit, I have spent nearly a year procrastinating on this film. It wasn't due to any doubt regarding its quality; in my estimation, it missed out on an Oscar solely because its political undertones didn't sit well with certain members of the Academy. Rather, I simply had a nagging intuition that the experience would be grueling and deeply unsettling. That assessment proved accurate; the film is as pitch-black and hopeless as a moonless night. Yet, amidst all that absurdity, surrealism, and pure nightmare fuel, there is a sense of humor so profound that I found myself torn between laughing out loud and biting my tongue to keep from doing so. The Act of Killing is truly something singular. I am now eagerly anticipating the "sequel," The Look of Silence.

more at:
http://film-na-dan.blogspot.com/2014...f-killing.html

Jamie Turner80 said:I have to admit, I’ve been putting this film off for nearly a year. It wasn't because I doubted its quality—in fact, I suspect it missed out on an Oscar simply because its political undertones didn't sit well with certain members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Rather, I just had a premonition that watching it would be a grueling, heavy experience. And that holds true; it is as dark as a moonless night and utterly hopeless. Yet, amidst all that absurdity and surreal nightmare, there is a sense of humor so profound that I found myself torn between laughing out loud and recoiling in horror. The Act of Killing is truly something singular. I am eagerly anticipating the "sequel," The Look of Silence.

more at:
http://film-na-dan.blogspot.com/2014...f-killing.html

Expect something very similar: heavy, difficult, and occasionally darkly comedic. As someone previously mentioned that the perpetrators aren't explicitly labeled in The Act of Killing, The Look of Silence does address them—though perhaps not with quite the same bluntness.

Jamie Turner80 said:But honestly, amidst all that pure absurdity and nightmare fuel, there’s this dark, twisted sense of humor running through it. It’s so surreal I can't tell if I should be cracking up or just punching myself in the face.
http://film-na-dan.blogspot.com/2014...f-killing.html

For real though, I guess that weird, non-traditional style is supposed to help us actually get inside those guys' heads, 🤷
like they don't even realize that people who pull off crimes that heavy usually end up in the electric chair.
Personally, I couldn't care less about the pacing being slow as hell,
I'd rather just toss those little pests straight to the gators and call it a day.

there's this one scene where they're filming for some local news station

honestly, this thing snatched an Oscar away from something way better

This didn't win an Oscar. Instead, they handed the trophy to some film about girls singing backup vocals—something called *20 Feet from Stardom*. I can certainly grasp the intended social commentary regarding class dynamics and such, but *Schindler's List* is devastatingly powerful. It appears Americans simply weren't prepared to confront the reality of what a regime they wholeheartedly supported actually accomplished.

Jamie Turner80 said:It’s pretty obvious Americans just couldn't stomach seeing the actual fallout from a regime they were so busy backing up.

Honestly, it feels like nobody wants to look at the truth, and frankly, the filmmakers missed a huge opportunity to actually make an impact. If you're going to commit to this, go all in! Throw in some raw documentary footage, leave a mark, give us something to chew on.
As it stands, the whole thing just feels watered down and way too timid. 🤷

See, I actually prefer this departure from the standard documentary format. There aren't any gratuitous, shocking images used just to provoke an emotional reaction—though one does wonder how much footage actually survived—and there isn't some heavy-handed, lecturing narrator telling you what to think. Instead, we get this surrealist setup: just an ordinary guy reenacting the very scenes where he took lives, accompanied by his partner who dresses up in drag. The most devastating part is the total absence of any remorse whatsoever. Look, even in the heat of war, whether you're on the winning side or simply on the side of justice, people don't typically find joy in killing others. If they're human, that is. These animals genuinely relished what they did; they’re still proud of it. They feel zero empathy for their victims, regardless of whether those victims were enemies, communists, or whoever else. Yet, when you look at them, this Anwar figure seems like just some random old man rambling on about nothing, while the other one comes across like a cabaret performer. They appear so utterly harmless. That is a far more profound horror than most horror films could ever hope to achieve. I can't recall a movie affecting me quite like this in a long time.

Look, I get what everyone's saying, but it trips me out how much they've managed to sweep this under the rug all these years. Even now, when people are finally starting to ask the hard questions, the whole thing feels watered down, like they're just going through the motions without actually digging deep. And those killer clowns? They’re still running wild in Jakarta like they own the place, and frankly, they couldn't care less. Someone needs to step up and put the squeeze on them once and for all.
It’s about accountability. An eye for an eye, right? It’s justice. Sitting here in my armchair just watching this play out makes my blood boil—I can't even sit still.
Someone needs to take Obama down a notch.

I have to admit, that was probably the most terrifying thing I've ever watched...

That specific genre of movie that leaves you sitting there thinking, "What the hell did I just watch?"

Absolutely brutal... I hate to generalize, but this left me with a terrible taste in my mouth regarding Indonesia.

The government basically justifies the slaughter. There’s a pervasive culture of violence that’s still totally accepted, extortion is just business as usual, and criminals are treated like heroes. It's fueled by that twisted ideology of Pancasila, where you actually hear a Vice President at a rally claiming gangsters are just "independent contractors" outside the system who provide essential services to any nation—even suggesting that beating people is sometimes necessary. Then you have the main characters, who reminisce about torturing and slaughtering people with these eerie, nostalgic smiles, only to seemingly realize halfway through the film that maybe what they did wasn't right.😵 And then there's the lead guy calling his own grandkids over, saying, "Come here, kids, come watch how Grandpa tortures and strangles people."🤣

Schindler's List is a very niche documentary; it's overflowing with morbidity and absurdity from start to finish. It definitely isn't for everyone.

boldtiger7 said:You could have caught the look of silence in theaters recently; it's just as excellent, so I highly recommend it. It explores the other side of the story—told by the brother of a slain "communist," who conducts a series of interviews with the killers and those who aided them...

I actually found this follow-up even better. The conversations with the killers feel more intimate, heavy with their own discomfort, all captured with the vibe of a naturalistic feature film. I could be cynical and argue that with Oppenheimer, you can't tell if it's a great documentary or just a mediocre drama, but either way, you can clearly see the influence of Herzog in the production.

This documentary is deeply unsettling. By the time the credits roll, you’re left with this profound sense of emptiness, following all the anger and revulsion the film provokes. It is an incredibly educational piece, though; I truly believe it's something everyone should experience. It provides such a clear, chilling window into the psyches of psychopaths, sociopaths, corrupt bureaucrats, the deranged, the shameless, the pathetic, and the victims alike.

That "happy dancing" scene on the roof—right after they boastfully detailed how they slaughtered people with wire until the rooftop was drenched in blood—that image is permanently burned into my mind, much like some of the other unforgettable lines from the film.

For those of you who are still debating whether or not this is worth your time, here is an interview with the director.