Milwaukee's Daily Magazine Saturday, July 5, 2008
Today
Hi: 76
Lo: 60
Sun
Hi: 80
Lo: 67
Mon
Hi: 87
Lo: 71
Section Sponsor
Article Tools
Print this Article
Make text larger
In Movies Blogs
Riffing on loneliness in Finland
 
By Bobby Tanzilo RSS Feed
Managing Editor

E-mail author | Author bio
More articles by Bobby Tanzilo

What is a blog?  For us it is a short blurb that we write when the mood strikes us.  It can be first person, funny or informative. In short, a blog is whatever we want it to be. Published Nov. 27, 2007 at 9:38 a.m.
Tags: koistenen, finland, uwm union theatre, "i don't want to sleep alone", tsai ming-liang, aki kaurismaki, lights in the dusk

It's hard to believe there's much left for directors to say about loneliness and alienation in films by now. But, perhaps thanks to its Finnish accent, Aki Kaurismaki's "Lights in the Dusk," which screens this week at UWM's Union Theatre, 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd., is a compelling film.

Koistenen is a sad sack security guard who draws taunts from his fellow workers, is desperate for love and appears to have no friends (except for the woman who runs the chipper van) and few prospects for improving his dull, emotionally barren life.

He lives in modern Finland, a thriving place, which the director likes to point out via scene-setting shots amid modern skyscrapers and new-looking housing developments. But Koistenen isn't reaping much in the way of financial or social benefits. However, despite his bare bones existence, he still dreams of starting his own business and talks about turning his life around.

But a local gangster has other ideas and uses a femme fatale as bait to pull of a theft and frame Koistenen for it. Just when things couldn't seem to get worse for our poor hero, they do. But how bad will things have to get for Koistenen to finally say "uncle?"

Although wrapped in a depressing cloak, "Lights in the Dusk" is a hopeful film.

It plays Friday, Nov. 30 at 9 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 1 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 2 at 5 p.m. On the same nights (at 7 p.m. Friday, at 5 and 9 p.m. Saturday and 7 p.m. Sunday) is "I Don't Want to Sleep Alone," the new feature film from Taiwanese director Tsai Ming-Liang.

Admission is $5, $4 for students.



More Information ...
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
2200 E. Kenwood Blvd.
Milwaukee, WI 53201
(414) 229-1122

Post a comment / write a review.

Recent blogs/briefs by Bobby Tanzilo
M-Change project will finish early and under budget
Tuesday
The Marquette Interchange project will be completed early and under budget, said Gov. ...

What is a blog?  For OMC, it is a short blurb that we write when the mood strikes us.  It can be first person, funny or informative. In short, a blog is whatever we want it to be. Pan Am brings young Attanasio to Summerfest
Tuesday
If you see a guy playing a Hofner bass on Summerfest's Harley Roadhouse at 4:30 p.m. Sunday, ...

Osteria salutes San Domenico in July
Tuesday
Osteria del Mondo heads east this month. Beginning today and for the next four weeks, ...

What is a blog?  For OMC, it is a short blurb that we write when the mood strikes us.  It can be first person, funny or informative. In short, a blog is whatever we want it to be. Mix tape: July 2008
Tuesday
Here's a look at the jazz-heavy stack of discs teetering on my desk while I'm at Summerfest... ...

What is a blog?  For OMC, it is a short blurb that we write when the mood strikes us.  It can be first person, funny or informative. In short, a blog is whatever we want it to be. A Sunday in Milwaukee with MTV Italia
Monday
While crowds soaked up sunshine and then dodged raindrops at Summerfest on Sunday afternoon, ...