Dekalog

*10 commandments. 10 films. 10 hours. 10 heartbreaks. 10 out of goddamn (sorry) 10.* Kieslowski, a master of drama, how he presents slice of life and directs his actors make alluring films out of not much at all. I saw this with my introduction 3 colours red, brilliant acting, brilliance all around. In this TV Miniseries that I see as 10 hour long vignettes all under 1 film, he takes a new philosophical approach, taking the foundation of Western society for 2 millenia and reducing them down into the most pure examples of modern day Warsaw. I will eat my hat if you find a topic that isn't covered in this epic. I think it's important to mention that I only see VI as 5 stars and infact gave II 3 stars, the episodes themselves aren't perfect but the body of work that they all form together certainly is. They all take the same slow burner approach, they care not for back stories and just put you into their shoes over a couple days. Kieslowski pours his heart out throughout this, spilling his world views on this major canvas, my interpretation is this, over the 72 hours I watched this over: [Important to know I'm an atheist with a limited but nonzero knowledge on Christianity and this is boosted by my bias] I: He believes that suffering is put by God to prove his existence but this goes too far, God is all powerful and omniscient, he's too good for grief, wiping out earth to him is nothing, the free will be bestowed us allowed us to grieve, when he kills the Son for simply being born to the wrong sibling, he doesn't understand that the father will realize that it was his doing that he died but blame him and push him away. My question is, do you think God grieved when we crucified Jesus, or do you think he recognized the greater good? II: God is still merciful, he understands value, when smiting someone in a lose/lose scenario, he will take the lesser loss, although distanced from loss he understands it, to a small degree. Shame is also presented as this is the only episode referenced outside of itself in VI. III: Don't regret, remember Portrait Of A Lady On Fire (2019) - Now we move more on the personal side of this series, while the other two are definitely more religious experiences, and throughout this part that's what they do, remember, remember the good times and why they had to end. There is a tint of regret but also understanding that it's just a memory at that point and that's all it could be. IV: The second deepest exploration of love in this series is parental vs romantic, sheesh. Some of my favourite acting across the show V: Recut of a Short Film About Killing is great at juxtaposition of killing through capital punishment and murder, both cold blooded, both not knowing of the victims background, both at the hands of rope, both disagreeable VI: The deepest exploration of love, love isn't just sex, Kieslowski says it twice, it isn't connection and sometimes it is just that person you watch everyday, the delicacy of not knowing but admiring, the memories of a friend and seeing a life change over time, he cuts his wrist because when he gets her, what now? Everything is different and there's no game. VII: Seeing a possession as more than a thing, a life, a status they can all be stolen. I didn't know that the "say Daddy, Homer" joke from The Simpsons would push me to the edge of tears however, certainly the most tragic in my eyes VIII: The weakest, most talking, hardest plot and the toughest to crack, will rewatch but the dialogue takes the focus and not life IX: Brilliant ending, had me on the edge of my seat, thought it would be Romeo and Juliet but Juliet is cheating like that X: The perfect ending, the metal start. The brothers crying at the end in laughter, closer and closer to their father. It feels like this is the one that played the works for the 3 colours trilogy and its themes