Tilt (2011)

Best movie of this year hands down!

Purely Joyful Movie!

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

I was led to believe that the last few years have marked a new beginning for the Bulgarian cinema since a series of TV shows and movies have been produced and the media mainstreamed the improved acting and directing. Being disappointed of what i saw during the last 10 years I respectfully decided to give this one a chance.On the plus side I have to admit that acting have improved, but just a very tiny step forward has been made. The performance of Baharov and Georgi Staykov were satisfactory. There are a few funny moments as well - especially the poor German translation from one of the house mates in the house in Germany. As far as I can recall this ends the advantages.The main flaw of this movie is the clear continuation of a script lacking any challenge for the viewer, which is the main issue of the last 20 years. Too simple, predictable, boring script, lacking twists and meaningless dialogues. In my view however the successive exploitation of the political transition period in the Bulgarian post- communist film making era is the major problem- we have had enough of this. Either they are still trying to create the Bulgarian Goodbye Lenin (far far away to get there with this one) or the directors cant figure out a relevant plot. The thing is that people are fed up with this topic and they want to see something more up to date and less politically soaked. Less depressing and a little bit brighter settings could also make a difference. That is why I can say that there has been a slow movement from the disasters produced during the last 20 years in terms of acting but the main problems still exist. As much as I want to say it this could not be an Oscar 2012 even close to a nomination. In a nutshell improved acting, bad direction and a crappy story.

I saw TILT last night and undoubtedly this is a good Bulgarian movie with a story line (which is hard to find in other BG movies) and acting that is more good than bad. Actually the young actors that have not appeared in theaters have not been ""corrupted"" by theater directors, so they play satisfactorily well in the movie.The film shows the transformation in Bulgarian (and Eastern European) society after 1989, focusing on the young people''s state of mind, susceptibilities, hopes and dreams, thus pointing to what one can expect the future Bulgarian society to be. Young and fragile boys, easily manipulative by the more insolent ones, fall victim to the rising mafia, a social stratum that rose from the military circles and still dominates the public domain of Bulgaria today.There is of course a love story going on, which develops despite the girl''s tyrannic father, who is a symbol of the powerful of the day, the remnants of the past, all shaping the future of a couple strongly in love. The two lovers act well, although the love story between them could be developed a little more, I felt like I wanted to see more of it and wanted to know the girl better. Anyway, I think the movie is beautifully shot, showing the misery of the country but in a nice way, not self-pitying or anything (which is common for other BG movies). I liked it that the movie makes you laugh at many points (the humor is relevant for Bulgarians) and the audience did indeed laugh a lot. At the end some people even clapped their hands :)I give it 6 out of 10, rating it as an entry in IMDb, not as a Bulgarian movie. If I had to rate it compared to other Bulgarian movies, I would probably give it 9/10

Although many Bulgarian directors choose the fateful events of the end of 1989, and the subsequent transition to municipal democracy as background to their films, TILT is definitely not clichéd or melodramatic.The story encompasses the fall of the Communist behemoth in Bulgaria and its metamorphosis in the early 1990s into the mafia that will corrupt a good part of the Bulgarian population in various ways.My primary criticism in Bulgarian films used to be cinematography. TILT is, however, beautifully shot and the color grading accentuates the mood of the film.The music/score was also superbly used, giving TILT a fresh breath of air. The storytelling was decent.My only criticism of the film is the excessive use of profanity--after a while it felt forced.10/10

The crew of the Chuchkov brothers is relatively young but this is the last thing you are going to think of while viewing the film Tilt. The entire manner of telling this déjà vu story is not only pretty conventional but too old fashioned. Formally it has to bare the spirit of youth but this is what it lacks most of all. The script is as mediocre as the directors approach. Actually it is not easy to comprehend which of the two is weaker. The story is played on the same annoying tune. Back on the déjà vu the film recalls some of the good examples of cinema in Poland and in Hungary from the beginning of the 80 of the previous century that the director obviously is familiar with but is too far away for their true artistic power. It pretends to be a love affair but nothing of the sort the film is leaving you ice indifferent. Authors call the film a drama but it is simply a kind of a boring sketches particularly those in Germany. In general this film has too many ingredients all wrong and in mistaken dosage. It would be nice and complimentary if the stew had at least some plastic fast food taste but certainly not this dish is definitely turned sour and with rather unpleasant odor.