Why so much hype?

The film was still a fun one that will make you laugh and have you leaving the theater feeling like you just stole something valuable and got away with it.

The movie is wonderful and true, an act of love in all its contradictions and complexity

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

This is my second Romanian movie in 3 weeks to review in WCA. And both of them were the Oscars sent movie that never made into the final stage. My Romanian movie count is not exceeded to double digit, but I think now I started to like them and hoping to watch many more in the days to come. This movie was less expected by me, well, I was delaying it for some times, eventually finished it with highly satisfied.From the director of the Golden Globe Nominee movie '4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days' brings the story of two young women who were once abused when in orphanage that led them to bond closely before going their separate ways after leaving the place. One of them returns from working in Germany to win another's heart back who has now found a place in a convent. How the things work out between them, with their new life and the past attachment that affect not only them but entire convent.If 'Ida' made into the Oscars, I don't know why this one failed to make. Both of them were kind of similar, about the characters who were caught between the faith and emotion. One's true commitment to the faith is tested with the unexpected encounter with the desires. Is the religion too innocence in the modern world? While the human civilisation shifting its phase to the next stage, the 2000 years old belief is struggling to pull together. In that platform this movie was narrated a wonderful story."Continuity is essential in our spiritual realm. You can't stop for a break when you feel like it."The tale was quite clearly displayed when one has to choose between two, even knowing what the reality is, but fixed with their devoted mind on one. Maybe like coming from the orphanage, knowing all the struggles about life, this is the way they pledged to help the society. In the perspective of hardcore believers, the movie might be a little hurtful, but nothing serious offensive. It was just a movie, and sometimes it was a dark comedy that was not intended, but anyway I had a few good laughs.I am really happy for the movie, I won't consider it an outcry about religious cruelty. Unlike hospitals that legally runs performances, while a monastery like this raises a few questions within its practice that performed against someone's will. After all it was inspired by the real even that took place in the 2005 and mostly factual than fiction.This was set in the present time, but most of the movie shot in a convent just outskirt of a city, so gives the feel of the 60s, 70s or earlier to that. Because their lifestyle that disconnects from the rest of the world, including their financial struggle. An ideal location for the story and its title. Shot in two different seasons similar to change in the phase and pace of the tale to the intensified conclusion. I loved everyone's performance. Definitely it is not in the line of 'Spotlight', but you can't ignore where the movie is pointing out on what went wrong. In my opinion, it is a must see and surely suggest it for all, well, mostly adults for its sensitiveness.8/10

The profane love between two orphanage graduates causes mayhem in a cute little nunnery far from anywhere. It's a contemporary theme (if not too popular with lesbians in its implications) that brought two Romanian actresses world acclaim at Cannes film festival.The lengthy story takes pains to set the scene in the impoverished little community of half a dozen nuns, two novices, and one male priest. The nuns get up in the middle of the night to read scripture, and one of the nuns starts reading out a list of 624 sins from some text or other. The intervening girl seems to have committed all the first 17 that she reads. After she confesses, the priest awards her 1,000 prostrations, and various other tasks in order to purify herself. However, she remains very sceptical and outspoken about her predicament. She wants her friend and nothing else will do.She goes nuts when her friend (a novice) asks her, in relation to her confession: "Did you mention self-abuse?", meaning masturbation. And it all goes downhill from there, until the priest is convinced to read the ceremony for casting out devils. Alina has to be strapped down on a crucifix-shaped pallet to perform this. She is kept thus for several days and eventually appears calm, then suddenly dies. The cops arrive and tell them they could all face sentences of 20 years. Apparently in the real story, the priest got eight years and the others got five, although the film leaves us unknowing.I found this foreign film riveting viewing, and strongly recommend getting to enjoy it.

Romanian screenwriter, producer and director Cristian Mungiu's fourth feature film which he wrote and produced, is based on real events which took place in Moldova in 2005 and two non-fictional novels by Romanian author Tatiana Niculescu Bran. It premiered In competition at the 65th Cannes International Film Festival in 2012, was screened in the Masters section at the 37th Toronto International Film Festival in 2012, was shot on location in Romania and is a Romania-France-Belgium co- production. It tells the story about a 24-year-old woman named Alina who travels by train from Germany to Romania where she is reunited with her friend named Voichita whom she was separated from after they left the orphanage they lived in and choose different paths. Voichita whom has become a nun at an Orthodox monastery now lives up in the mountains nearby a village with a monk called Papa and a sister called Mama whom she and the other nuns who lives there regards as Father and Mother superior. Alina is allowed to stay with Voichita after Voichita tells the priest about Alina's situation, but Alina is not a believer in the same sense as the other ones there and when she realizes how devout and accustomed her former roommate has become to her new life, she begins to question the monk. Distinctly and engagingly directed by European filmmaker Cristian Mungiu, this finely paced and somewhat fictional tale which is narrated from multiple viewpoints though mostly from the two main characters' viewpoints, draws a consistently gripping and dense portrayal of how a Romanian woman reacts when she learns that the only person in the world whom she trusts and loves has developed an unconditional love for God and renounced her love for real human beings, and how the monk and nuns at a monastery reacts when a woman who does not share their beliefs rocks their boat in the name of love. While notable for its naturalistic milieu depictions, low-keyed and nuanced cinematography by cinematographer Oleg Mutu, production design by production designers Calin Papura and Mihaela Poenaru, costume design by costume designer Dana Paparuz and use of sound, this dialog-driven and narrative-driven story about intentions, choices, the transformation of a person's personality through indoctrination and the, in this particular case, conflict between sanity and hysteria where materialism and science is replaced by imposed solitude and superstitious experimenting on human lives, depicts two interrelated studies of character about two friends with afflicting and harsh backgrounds who are united by a human connection and separated by religious doctrines. This psychological, literary, non-judgmental and atmospheric love-story which was chosen as Romania's official submission to the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film at the 85th Academy Awards in 2013, which is set during a spring in a patriarchal cloister in Romania in the 21st century and where a minor community is trying to get their church consecrated by a bishop, a woman tries to the get her friend to move to Germany with her and religion is a character in itself which confines and directs the other characters, is impelled and reinforced by its cogent narrative structure, substantial character development, efficient continuity, masterful screenplay, multiple and interrelated themes, unsettling undertones, moral intricacies, refined characters, thorough depiction of the nuns' lifestyle, the pivotal scene towards the end when the voice of reason takes command, the subtly understated acting performances by Romanian actresses Cosmina Stratan and Cristina Flutur in their debut feature film roles and the fine acting performances by Moldovan actor Valeriu Andruita and Romanian actress Dana Tapalaga. A phonetic, dramatic and tragically heartrending mystery which gained, among several other awards, the award for Best Director Cristian Mungiu and the award for Best Actress Cosmina Stratan and Cristina Flutur at the 65th Cannes Film Festival in 2012.

Beyond the Hills is an intense film narrating the relationship between two friends, who were once raised in an orphanage together. Alina, a waitress in a bar in Germany visits her friend Voichita, who is now a nun in an orthodox church in rural Romania. Serene atmosphere in the church is shaken upon the arrival of Alina. Incidents that follows seriously raises the questions of conventional religious rituals and shakes the conscience of the audience in Mungiu's style.Even said that the movie deals with the relationship, but that is in the backdrop of the religious practices that are carried out with strong beliefs. Brings out the unquestionable faiths to be subjected for assessment.Movie is pretty intense and it grabs the attention of the audience within a minute or so and keeps you completely engrossed for two and a half hours. Opening scene at the railway station needs a special mention that presents both the characters beautifully.Excessive usage of hand-held camera has been a letdown at some places where a smooth camera movement wouldn't have disturbed audience concentration. Excellent dialogs but seems to be bit excessive and some of them not that important with the story could have been avoided. Absence of BGM throughout the movie and just with the sounds of the ambiance probably makes the audience glued but the failed to make the impression that visuals combined with music can together create.Both the lead actress Cosmina Stratan as Voichita & Cristina Flutur as Alina are pretty good in their roles but the lack of scope on the characterization was a bit let down especially for Cosmina Stratan. Few more shots to reflect her emotions & character might have earned high recognition. But whatever the scope provided all the actors were brilliant.Watching '4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days' was an unique experience as never one has watched such a style on screen before. Beyond the hills is presented with the similar style but still a very good film in its scope.Cristian Mungiu will be on the watch list of many movie bluffs hereafter.