Gus Van Sant's Constant Thematic and Cinematic Elements
The differences in these films could not be more blatant, and yet Gus Van Sant has found a way to portray the same messages and use the same techniques in each.

Monsieur Loyal, bailiff by profession, is dispatched to a grub by an actress. Reason: she accuses Micheline, a young singer who works there, of stealing her songs. But our usher is nonetheless a man, and Micheline exerts her charms on him so well that he gives him shelter for the night, and finds him a new job at the Mirador, a cabaret that has just opened.
The differences in these films could not be more blatant, and yet Gus Van Sant has found a way to portray the same messages and use the same techniques in each.
The film is a documentary focusing on heavy metal in the late 80s and tackles topics like drug addiction, alcoholism, sex, masculinity, and of course, rock and roll. However, this didn’t feel like any documentary I’ve ever seen before.
‘Better Than Chocolate’ isn’t perfect, but it sure has charm! The characters are great. Some took longer to grow on me than others, but ultimately they’re all compelling! I appreciate how a select few help those around them to grow.
Amanda Riley gets the opportunity to travel to Vietnam for the experience of a lifetime.
The plot could’ve really been interesting if the elements of lycanthropy was integrated with perhaps the struggle of identity of being LGBTQ+. It's an experience for so many that as they’re starting to realizing their true selves, they feel like a monster, especially if they come from unsupportive homes or communities. Instead, the horror and transformation elements seem thrown in without contemplation of how this could deepen the narrative.
The director's latest is a dreamlike exploration of a consciousness torn between two homelands, and the implications of history and memory suspended in limbo.