Can I just say I’m so glad The Old Guard was getting attention on tumblr. Matthias Schoenaerts has been my favorite actor for over a year and I’m glad he’s finally getting some recognition in this community. I knew that The Old Guard was going to be an amazing movie simply because he was in it. I have not yet seen a film of his that was bad. He chooses each movie carefully and with such respect to acting that they can’t possibly be bad. For God’s sake, he turned down the role of Batman because there’s no meaning to the role anymore. Here’s a comprehensive list of his works I’ve seen and the order I watched them in.
The Laundromat (available on Netflix): I watched this a month before “discovering” Matthias. Turns out he’s the asshole who I was glad died. This movie would probably be considered boring to the average viewer. However, I am someone who enjoys introspective and sometimes hard to understand films. This movie is about whistleblowers and how the rich avoid taxes by using offshore bank accounts. I watched it during the whistleblower scandal in 2019 so it was uncomfortably relevant. That being said, I will not watch a few specific scenes in the very beginning because it shows the images of drowned people. That is something this film (and another one of Matthias’) have helped me come to realize; I don’t like the image of drowned bodies.
The Danish Girl (available on Netflix): This movie depicts Eddie Redmayne as a transgender woman. Some people found this controversial because he is not transgender in real life but I could not imagine someone else depicting Lili. I think it is a beautiful retelling of the first transgender woman to undergo the first part of gender reassignment surgery. I cried at the end and am unashamed to say so. I think it’s a wonderful LGBT film and Matthias is an added bonus.
Suite Française (unavailable unless purchased): It is such a shame that Netflix took this movie from their collection because I think it was beautiful. Matthias is the main love interest in it as a Bruno, a Nazi stationed in Bussy. He was a composer before the war and I like how the movie depicts a soldier fighting because of familial requirement (Bruno comes from a military family) instead of personal belief. However, he is still a Nazi! I am not a Nazi sympathizer! It is uncomfortable in that sense but it is a romance, so...
The Command (available on Netflix): This is a film based on a true story of a Russian submarine sinking and men being trapped in it and still alive. It is heartbreaking and, at times, funny. I’m the type of person who will google the end of a movie if it is based on true events (‘cause it’s not spoilers if it’s history, right?). However, I did not do that with this movie for some reason and that was a big mistake. SPOILER IN ASTERISKS *I cried at the ending and I will not watch it anymore because of the whole drowned bodies thing.* All in all, it’s a beautiful movie based on an unnecessary tragedy that resulted from politics.
A Little Chaos (available on Netflix): This is a movie that shows an awesome female lead taking charge and not letting men get in the way of her talents. I feel like the romance between Matthias and Kate Winslet came second to that, which I appreciate. Also, this film has Alan Rickman playing the king who ordered the construction of the gardens of the Palace of Versailles (can’t remember which king). So like... that’s freaking awesome.
Our Souls At Night (available on Netflix): This is also a film that to most viewers would be considered boring. It has very little Matthias but I thought was at least worth mentioning. It’s a sweet story about and older man and woman who have both been left alone by time and start sleeping platonically in the same bed. I think that idea is sweet overall just to prevent touch starvation which can seriously screw a person up but the film also has an unlikely ending for a romance film.
The Old Guard (available on Netflix): This movie, regardless of Matthias is amazing! I’m not an action movie person but this was great and I’ve already seen it twice. I also made my friends watch it with me. The soundtrack is subtle, unusual, and awesome for the film. It was directed by a black woman (which definitely shows). Like seriously, there was not one scene of Andy in a sports bra. She wears a tank top the entire time. There is a canon and wholesome gay relationship and an implied lesbian one. The gore and violence, in my opinion, is tasteful and not overdone. Also, the choice to cast Harry Melling as the villain (the guy who played Dudley in Harry Potter) was a good choice. There’s just something about him as Steven Merrick that just makes me mutter “twit” and want him to die.
This high praise is without even seeing his most know works such as Rust and Bone, Far From the Madding Crowd, Red Sparrow, Bullhead, and The Mustang. Unfortunate, these films are not available on any streaming service I subscribe to but someday I’ll watch them.
Seriously guys, check Matthias Schoenaerts out. He’s an amazing actor who really dedicated himself to the quality of his work. Also, he does graffiti which is rad af.
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