Premiere: August
23, 1991 Country of origin:USA/UK Director:Kenneth Branagh Writer:
Scott Frank Production Companies: Paramount
Pictures Distributed: Paramount
Pictures Genre:Drama, Thriller Runtime:
1h 47min Starring: Kenneth Branagh, Emma Thompson, Andy
Garcia
I have not seen that much of Kenneth
Branagh outside the three Poirot films, all of which are very well
made. His performance in those is very strong, especially in how he
carries the character and directing with detail and control. I have
also seen his work in Frankenstein, which was solid.
It is very impressive to see how much he handles in this film. He
is not only acting in a dual role but also directing the entire
project. That level of control over both performance and structure is
rare, I would say and it shows in how tightly the film is
constructed.
At its core, the story seems simple at first. A black and white
1940s murder case involving the Strauss, where the husband is
suspected of killing his wife. But very quickly it becomes unclear if
it is really that simple. In present time, detective Mike Church
(Kenneth Branagh) is helping a young woman (Emma Thompson)
with no clear memory of who she is. The question slowly grows, is she
connected to the events from the 1940s, or is something else going
on?
This story is full of twists and turns. The more you try to
analyze it, the stranger it becomes. It plays with perception in a
way that keeps shifting what you think is real.
One of the strongest parts is the 1940s setting. It feels very
authentic, how it is framed, paced, the lighting, the camera movement
and the dialogue rhythm all feel like they belong to that era of
movie making. It does not feel like a modern film imitating the 40s,
it feels like stepping into a movie from that era.
The mystery structure is also the main strength. Hypnosis, memory, identity and past reconstruction create a strong “guessing game” effect, where you are never fully stable in what you believe. It constantly shifts what feels like fact and what feels like interpretation, so you are always re-evaluating earlier scenes in a new light. Just when something feels solved, another layer appears that reframes it again, keeping the viewer in a constant state of uncertainty without ever fully locking into a single explanation.
The cast also adds a lot to the experience. One of the really fun
parts of going back and discovering older films like this is suddenly
recognizing actor after actor showing up. You start noticing, “wait,
I know that person,” then another appears and another. It slowly
turns into a full surprise star gallery filled with actors you
recognize from later famous roles and productions. That makes the
movie even more enjoyable to revisit and analyze today.
Kenneth Branagh as Mike Church/Roman Strauss
The
detective figure gives a grounded performance that anchors the chaos
of the film. His gradual descent from control into confusion becomes
one of the strongest parts of the tension. Then the music composer
Roman Strauss in the 40´s. It is also truly amazing to see Kenneth
Branagh handling such a complex dual role while also directing the
movie. That level of control over both performance and filmmaking is
honestly very impressive.
Emma Thompson as Grace / Margaret Strauss
Emma
Thompson does a fantastic job with her dual layered performance as
well. She carries the emotional instability of the story very
naturally, shifting between vulnerability, confusion, fear, and
mystery. Since the film constantly plays with identity and
perception, her performance is essential in making the audience
question what is really happening.
Andy García as Gray Baker
Andy García’s character
is very well structured and well played too. Baker becomes an
important pressure point within the mystery, especially in how
information slowly unfolds around him. García gives the role a calm
but emotionally loaded presence that works very well within the noir
inspired atmosphere of the film.
Robin Williams plays the hypnotist Dr. Cozy Carlisle. His
role is interesting and memorable, but feels more like a thematic
guide than a core part of the main plot. Though the story would still
function without him in a structural sense.
Some honorable mentions.
Wayne Knight appears in a noticeable role and while not central to the story, he adds texture to the world and contributes to the unfolding suspicion and public perception around the mystery. He is a very recognizable actor from roles such as Seinfeld and Jurassic Park.
Raymond Cruz shows up very, very briefly as the Supermarket Clerk. It is only a tiny scene, maybe five seconds long, but I recognized him almost immediately even though the shot is a bit blurry. That actually sent me off on a side track looking through his IMDb page, which was fun in itself. Wait he is in Gremlins? Fun. Some years later he would become more widely known for modern crime and gangsta style roles in film and TV shows.
Another small role that stood out was the late Lois Hall,
who plays the first nurse we see early in the movie. She had a very
long acting career going all the way back to the 1940s, which fits the atmosphere of this film perfectly.
There are of course more recognizable faces throughout the movie,
but these were some that stood out the most to me this time around.
This film sure was really interesting and good, the tone stays consistent throughout, balancing noir atmosphere
with psychological tension. The pacing builds steadily.
I rate it a solid 9/10. In the end, it is less about
solving a simple murder mystery and more about watching how
perception, memory and suggestion can reshape reality itself.
ps. If you come this far and read, look at the poster at the top again, did you only see the female? Look again.
Type: Digital Camera Model: RetroWave Paper Camera (“Old” case) Company: Paper Shoot Country of Origin: Taiwan Founder: George Lin Release Period: Originally developed around 2013 (updated models since) Sensor Resolution: Up to ~20MP (varies by version) Storage: SD card (64GB included in this unit) Power: Rechargeable batteries Display: No screen Features: Built-in filters, optional filter cards, time-lapse and video modes Materials: Eco-focused casing (stone paper / recycled materials) Price Range: ~120–200 USD depending on model and accessories
Have you
ever heard of the Lomography movement? It began in the early 1990s as
a film photography movement built around the idea that randomness,
surprise, unexpected results could be part of the creative process
rather than something to avoid. Instead of chasing technical
perfection, it embraced experimentation and chance.
In later
years, that mindset has quietly resurfaced in digital photography as
well, with cameras like Yashica and Camp Snap reintroducing
limitation and unpredictability in different ways, echoing the same
sense of playful uncertainty.
Paper Shoot
is strongly connected to Taiwan, both in origin and manufacturing. It
was created around 2013 by George Lin, who came from a background in
the paper industry and had an interest in analog photography and
design. The idea was to build a very simple digital camera that keeps
the experience closer to film photography, not through film itself,
but through design choices that remove distraction and reduce
complexity.
Often
described as the most un-digital digital camera, it is in many ways a
digital camera that feels like film. It is a minimal camera without a
screen, focused on slowing down photography and making the process
more intentional. In a time where smartphone photography is instant,
polished and constant, this approach stands in clear contrast. In
short, it sits in a space where digital tools are deliberately
simplified to recreate a more direct and less interrupted
photographic experience.
As I
unboxed the package, I was genuinely impressed by how clean and well
thought out everything felt. It came across as polished and well
organized.
Inside,
everything needed to build and start using the camera was included.
The digital circuit board with the camera sensor, the outer casing
which can be swapped with different styles depending on preference,
rechargeable batteries and a 64GB memory card. The materials and
construction also reflect a more eco-focused approach, leaning into a
minimalist, sustainable and creative design philosophy.
The
assembly itself is straightforward and quick. Once put together, it
results in a small, elegant looking camera that feels more like a
designed object than a typical piece of electronics.
Check out our unboxing video here:
This
specific unit is the RetroWave Paper Camera with the “Old” style
case, visually it already sets a very specific tone before you
even start using it.
So how is it then, what is the result?
You look
through the viewfinder, press the button on the front and wait a
moment while the camera captures the image. In that moment, you don’t
really know what you got. You can’t immediately see if the framing
was off, if you caught only half a person, or if something unexpected
happened in the shot. That uncertainty is actually quite refreshing,
especially compared to the instant feedback we are used to from
smartphones.
(First photo taken with the camera, showing my friend Alexander helping me film the unboxing video.)
It reminded
me of when I was really young and took some of my first photos with a
compact 35mm film camera. I remember taking a photo of a person and
only weeks later, when the film was developed and we got the prints
back, realizing I had tilted the camera and only captured half of
them in frame. I don’t really remember my thought process at the
time, only the final result when it eventually appeared.
This camera
tries to recreate a similar feeling. The difference is that instead
of waiting for film development, you can later open the memory card
and see what you actually captured.
The camera
has four built in filter settings controlled by a slider on the back.
The first
is the normal mode, which gives a clean and balanced image without
any added tone shift. This is the most straightforward setting and
feels closest to how the camera naturally renders a scene.
The second
is monochrome, which removes color completely and focuses on contrast
and light. It gives the images a more classic and timeless feel,
especially in situations with strong shadows or texture.
The third
is a warmer tone, which adds a slight shift toward yellow and softer
colors. It creates a more nostalgic and film like feeling in the
image.
The fourth
is a colder tone, which shifts the image slightly toward blue and
cooler shadows. This gives a more distant and muted atmosphere
compared to the warmer setting.
(Special thanks to photographer Per Gyllingberg for helping out with the filter photos.
Instagram: @fotografpergyllingberg)
Each mode
changes the mood quite noticeably, even though the base camera stays
the same.
There is
also another detail. On the back of the camera there is a small
indicator system with three flashing symbols. If both indicators
flash during a shot, everything is working normally. If the SD card
indicator flashes together with an error sound, it means there is an
issue with the memory card. If the battery symbol flashes, it
indicates low battery and the camera needs to be recharged.
There are
also different ways to access video modes like time lapse and video
recording. One option is to connect the camera to a power source,
which changes the function of the filter slider. In this mode,
position three becomes time lapse (1 photo every second) and position four becomes video (10 sec clips with audio).
There is
also an alternative method using a function card inserted into the
side slot, similar to a SIM card. This allows the same features
without needing to keep the camera connected to power. This SIM slot can one also be used for filter cards.
Overall the camera performs well within what it is designed to be. The overall aesthetic is genuinely charming, the feeling of holding the camera is good and pressing
the shutter button feels simple and practical. Looking through the
viewfinder works fine, although what you capture is slightly offset
compared to what you see, which takes a bit of getting used to.
At first,
the capture process felt a bit slow, since there is a short delay
after pressing the button. But after using it for a while, that delay
started to feel natural. The only real limitation is that it makes it
harder to capture fast moving moments with precise timing and
framing.
The camera
also gives an error sound when the battery is empty, which is a small
but useful detail.
The final
images themselves have a very distinct look, almost like something
from the 90s. I really like that character. The built-in filters also
produce interesting variations, and overall they work well with the
style the camera is aiming for.
Score: 6/10 Good presentation, fun to use. The viewfinder and slow shutter response makes it harder to master, but the nostalgic trip is real.
A day of small spaces, shifting realities and shared film moments.
The third edition of Day of the Visionaries took place this day.
Final preparations were completed just in time before arrival. Three
people at setup, with a few additional guests arriving shortly after. A sound check was done using random K pop playback, which
confirmed that the audio system worked correctly. The program
featured works from Sweden, Japan, Spain and Azerbaijan, along with a
David Lynch inspired lottery segment, drinks, candy and pizza.
Everything was ready.
Film 1: Doften av ett band - (SMELLSCAPE) - (2026, Sweden) By Mattias Eliasson Length: 1h
After a short introduction by Mattias, That you can watch here:
Now everything was set in
motion and the day opened with the first film. The film is a music
documentary focusing on a punk/hardcore band. Going in, the
expectation was a straightforward portrait of a band and its music.
What unfolds instead moves in a different direction.
While rehearsals, performances and live moments are present, the
film gradually shifts toward the personal lives behind the music. The
members appear as middle aged musicians balancing work, family and
everyday responsibilities while still trying to keep the band active.
This shift creates a slower, more reflective tone than a
conventional music documentary. As it progresses, the identity of the
band becomes less central and attention moves toward relationships,
persistence and the reality of sustaining creative work over time.
After the viewing, there was some discussion about the band’s
name, which is not clearly stated in the film. Some visual cues
appear in rehearsal spaces and locations, but nothing fully confirms
it during the film itself, what any of us noticed anyway.
Later research suggests the band is called
Shitsame, a local group connected to Vimmerby, Hultsfred and
Stockholm.
Overall rating: 6/10 The documentary leaves a thoughtful impression. It does not
function as a straightforward band portrait, instead leaning into
ambiguity and everyday realism, which invites reflection rather than
clear conclusions.
Film 2: Notch: Ep 04 - Mabito (2025, Japan) By: James
Webb Length: 23min
First we got a Statement from the group explaining there idea of
there anthology show Notch. This focus shifted now to Japan, featuring a short film titled Mabito from an
anthology project associated with a group using the name James
Webb.
Here the tech started messing, after the file I had
downloaded from YouTube started to lag for some reason, we looked at
it on YouTube, that worked fine.
The story follows a unit of soldiers moving through a forest
during the Second World War. What begins as a straightforward wartime
setting gradually introduces a more uncertain presence within the
environment. The forest feels active in a way that goes beyond
geography, suggesting something unseen moving alongside the group.
The film relies heavily on atmosphere. Sound design plays a major role in shaping tension, using
subtle environmental audio to build a sense of unease. The visual
approach is restrained, with attention to movement through space and
the gradual build of psychological pressure.
A comparison can be drawn to Deathwatch (2002), particularly in
how isolation and fear develop inside a hostile environment. Both
films use enclosed natural spaces as a form of psychological trap,
where the real threat is never fully defined.
Overall rating: 8/10 Mabito stands out through its controlled pacing and strong
technical execution. The cinematography supports the mood
effectively, with a consistent focus on distance, silence and
uncertainty.
Film 3: Videohead (2026, Sweden)
By - Robin
Andersson Length: 8min
The third film began with an extended introduction from
director Robin Andersson, who framed the short as a tribute to the
videocassette format and its cultural influence. The presentation set
up expectations of a retro inspired experience centered on analog
media and physical tapes. Watch his introduction here:
The film follows a young woman who receives a mysterious cassette.
From there, the narrative moves into increasingly unstable territory,
blending experimental horror elements with a stylized retro
aesthetic. The tone leans into 1980s inspired visual language, where
analog texture, distortion and mood driven pacing take priority over
conventional structure.
Partway through the screening, playback was interrupted due to a
technical file issue. The film could not continue normally at that
moment, which forced an early stop in the viewing. This created an
unintended break that left the audience with an incomplete first
impression. At that moment I did not know it existed on YouTube also.
This was the last frame that was seen at the event from this short sadly.
Later, the remaining portion was viewed separately for this blog article. The second
half escalates into more chaotic and surreal territory, pushing
further into experimental horror and fragmented narrative structure.
The transition from the earlier section to this part feels abrupt,
almost as if the film deliberately abandons coherence in favor of
tonal expression and visual experimentation.
There is a noticeable shift between the more grounded opening and
the later abstract progression, which gives the film a dual identity.
The initial stopping point would have worked as a strange but
contained conclusion, while the full version expands into something
more unpredictable and unrestrained.
At moments it lands in a strange space somewhere between Ringu
(1998) and Darkman (1990) energy, where familiar horror logic
dissolves into something more distorted and reactive.
Overall rating: 6/10 A playful, experimental work that
embraces imperfection and ambiguity, with a strong emphasis on sound
design and visual atmosphere rather than narrative clarity.
Robin
also help me write some of the reviews here that you might have seen.
Check out his own site here: https://filmfett.wordpress.com/
Film 4: NO ME SUELTES (Don’t Let Me Go) - (2025, Spain)
By: Lia Montsu Length: 5min
Next film is from Spain, created by film student Lia
Montsu. The
short is inspired by a visual reference from Junji Ito’s
manga The Long Hair in the Attic(1988).
Maybe this panel.
The film presents a simple but striking scenario. A young woman
appears trapped, her hair physically bound to a wall, while another
woman attempts to help her escape. The setup is minimal, but the
emotional weight is carried through movement, framing and atmosphere
rather than dialogue.
Shot in black and white, the film develops a timeless quality that
enhances its poetic tone. The visual choice removes distractions and
places full focus on texture, contrast and physical tension within
the frame. The result is a piece that feels closer to a moving
illustration than a traditional narrative short.
What stands out most is the restraint. The concept is not expanded
into explanation or background, but instead allowed to exist as a
fragment of a larger implied world. This creates a lingering effect
after viewing, where the situation continues to resonate without
clear resolution.
Overall rating: 6/10 There is a sense that this material could support a longer form
adaptation, where the emotional and symbolic elements could be
expanded further. Even in short form, it leaves a strong impression
through its visual simplicity and thematic focus.
The atmosphere shifted into
something more informal and relaxed compared to the screenings
earlier.
The segment was a lottery draw by David Lynch. A YouTube playlist
he had created during the pandemic. Random selection turning it into
a kind of unpredictable draw mechanism. Numbers were pulled in sequence from this setup, the process was
simple but carried a sense of anticipation because of its completely
random nature.
What happened during the draw was crazy. The number 10 appeared
three times in a row, so the all the prize ended up going to a single
participant that by luck had this numbers as wining numbers. That was an unplanned twist.
Here the program paused for a short break. The timing landed well, giving
space to reset before moving into the later part of the evening. Food
arrived from Dana Pizzeria, which added a welcome change of pace to
the screening. The delivery turned into a shared moment. Thanks so
much to Dana Pizzeria for sponsoring this event, it helps a lot.
Taste good too.
Film 5: Aporia Kiyamet Deneyi (Doomsday Experience) - (2019, Azerbaijan)
by Rec Raven Length: 1h 26min
The final film of the evening brought the audience into a
part of world cinema rarely represented, a
horror film from Azerbaijan directed by Rec Raven. Title roughly
translates to “Doomsday Experience”
Part of the fascination surrounding the film came from simply
experiencing a movie from a country many viewers knew very little
about. Several attendees were unsure where Azerbaijan was
geographically located, which became part of the discussion
surrounding the film itself. The country sits west of the Caspian
Sea, below Russia and above Iran, positioned in a region that rarely
reaches international horror audiences.
The version screened at the event had been dubbed into Turkish,
reportedly to help the film reach a larger market.
The story follows a group of people taken hostage under brutal
circumstances. During an attempted escape, two characters end up
trapped inside a long narrow pit/ bunker, where much of the film then
unfolds. From that point onward, the narrative transforms into a
confined survival horror story focused on desperation, fear, and the
struggle to escape.
One of the film’s strengths is how it maintains tension despite
the limited environment. Creating atmosphere and momentum in a single
confined location is difficult even in short films, yet this
production manages to sustain interest across a full feature length
runtime. The hostage scenes are intense and at times extremely
brutal, adding a harsh realism to the horror elements.
The film also contains several effective gore effects that help
reinforce the physical danger surrounding the characters. Rather than
relying purely on shock, the horror grows from the feeling of
entrapment and uncertainty.
Overall rating: 6/10 for intensity, confined storytelling and the
uniqueness of seeing horror cinema from Azerbaijan.
Another thing that was happening in the shadows of the event was this camera was making a round around the area, it is an anti digital camera, that is digital, but you can not see on the back what photo was taken, it has no display, all is saved on a memory card for viewing later. I am in the making of a longer article about it so stay tuned for that. Not so many photos was taken sadly, but here are some that was taken at the event by those attending.
One thing I like with this camera is the 90´s era felling over it.
THE END
The throughline becomes surprisingly clear when looking back at the
program as a whole. Even without planning it, the selection of films
ends up circling the idea of confinement in different forms.
The opening documentary places its focus inside a limited social
space, where the “band” exists less as a public identity and more
as a small, contained struggle to keep something alive within
everyday life. The Japanese short pushes that idea into a physical
environment, where movement through a forest becomes a controlled,
enclosed experience shaped by unseen pressure.
The Swedish short takes confinement into a more stylized
direction, narrowing everything into a single object and perspective,
almost like a sealed narrative space where meaning has to be
extracted from limited fragments. The Spanish film reduces it even
further, holding the entire emotional weight inside one static
situation, a single visual problem that never expands outward.
The feature film from Azerbaijan, then pushes confinement into its most literal
form, trapping its characters inside an underground space where
survival and tension are built entirely from restriction. Even the
closing lottery segment, shaped through David Lynch inspired
randomness during a period of isolation, fits into the same pattern
of constrained conditions producing unpredictable outcomes.
Seen together, the program starts to feel less like a collection
of unrelated works and more like variations on a shared condition:
people, spaces, or ideas placed under limits and forced to evolve
within them.
Against that, the presence of the Paper Shoot camera becomes
almost the opposite gesture. It moves freely through the room,
capturing moments outside the films themselves, outside the
structured confinement of the screenings. It acts like a small breach
in the concept, documenting the people watching the constraints
rather than the constraints themselves.
That contrast gives the evening its final shape. The films explore
restriction from different angles, while the camera quietly records
what exists beyond that shared frame.
Overall an okay event for it being on a Sunday. Next event is planed for Nov, let´s see how that goes.
Thanks to : Studiförbundet Vuxenskolan Dana Pizzeria Direkten Nöje
Then also thanks to those that attended the event this time.
