Dreamland

Dreamland is a dark and unconventional amalgam of thriller and comic noir, released in 2019. Directed by visionary Belgian filmmaker Bruce McDonald, known for his unique storytelling charisma, the movie stars the charismatic consist Stephen McHattie, punk legend Henry Rollins, and Academy Award nominee Juliette Lewis in pivotal roles. The movie welcomes audiences into a perpetually nocturnal, surreal, and grim world where the boundaries between dreams and reality blur in undetected paradoxes.

Stephen McHattie delivers a dual performance, portraying two completely contrasting personalities – a renowned trumpet player teetering on the brink of despair and an icy-cold hitman with an affinity for strange assignments. These two roles intertwine on the fateful day before royal wedding day, which is earmarked to be a grand event for the mysterious underworld society. This underground elite society is garlanded by an assortment of eccentric individuals – drug-dealers, gangsters, boxers, a vampire countess portrayed by Juliette Lewis, and even children criminally invested in trading handfuls of human fingers.

The two disparate worlds of a disillusioned musician and professional hitman collide when the latter is tasked with acquiring a finger from the musician's trumpet-playing hand. However, the task proves challenging as the hitman finds himself entangled in moral dilemmas, triggering a series of unforeseeable events.

In the dark alleys of Dreamland’s oppressed society, where cruelty is the norm, the narrative also incorporates moments of absurd humor and unexpected turns. This juxtaposition of dark drama with comic relief is one of Dreamland's unique traits, immersed in bizarre extravagance and grim realities of the underworld. Adding to it is an acoustic jazz score that creates a fitting soundtrack, allowing viewers to absorb themselves in the eerie reality that the characters navigate.

In Dreamland, Henry Rollins, primarily known for his music career, performs remarkably as the smoothly menacing gangster 'Hercules.' His role not only provides an interesting counterpoise to McHattie's characters but also proves crucial in weaving the narrative's twisted trajectory. Rollins manages to depict a disturbing sense of charm associated with his devilish character, often overshadowing the enigmatic evil plans hovering around them.

Award nominee Juliette Lewis, widely praised for her raw intensity on screen, offers a chilling performance as the vampire countess, who longs for an extravagant wedding ceremony. Lewis effectively lures the viewers into her deranged world of dreams, bringing forth an eerie yet strangely enticing persona.

Dreamland's gritty aesthetic is perfectly visualized by the cinematographer Richard Van Oosterhout, who skillfully embeds the surreal within the real. The dark ambiance of the movie is heightened by its gothic architecture, nocturnal scenes, and equal parts sinister and beautiful landscapes. The visuals are subtly haunting, evoking an unsettling sense of discomfort where civilization's norms no longer apply.

Underneath all its noir-shaded comical layers, Dreamland is essentially an exploration of dreams. More so, it brings forth questions about one's ability to unshackle oneself from their looming nightmares. However, the narrative does not provide direct answers. It paves a path for audiences to decipher the internal struggles of the characters while they grapple with their realities.

Strangely intriguing, Dreamland takes its viewers on a mind-bending journey, an excursion into a universe where nothing quite adds up, and yet everything eventually falls into place. Its narrative captivates equally with its eerie ambiance, engrossing plot twists, and unconventional portrayal of characters. As a result, Dreamland leaves a layered narration, bound to linger on its audiences' minds long after they've seen it. The prowess of the film lies in its unique structure, which can be disturbing, yet irresistibly captivating at the same time. Lucid, haunting, and packed with unexpected hilarity, making it an incredible watch for those willing to embrace movies beyond traditional norms.