The first impression I get from writer/director Christos Nikou’s Apples is that it bears a strong resemblance to that of the films by fellow Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos. Blending deadpan, black comedy with a degree of tragedy, Nikou, like Lanthimos, is keen on showing the awkward and absurd nature of humans with a stark directness.

But the way in which Apples stands apart from a Yorgos movie is that Nikou has made something that is more delicate and personal while simultaneously holding up a mirror to society even with the analog state of technology that is a character in it of itself in the film. Following the story of Aris (Aris Servetalis), Apples intimately (and also quite hilariously) shows the story of a man who has lost his memory and his way as he tries to journey back home, hopefully better than when he left (or rather got lost).

Spontaneous amnesia is spreading like a virus in Aris’s world. There is no explanation as to what is causing it, and as far as they know, there is no cure. But for those who are lucky enough to have families, they have people to hopefully get them back to normal. But others are not so lucky. Aris has no family and nobody who can come pick him up when he is one day the victim of this sudden disease.

However, since this weird disease has surfaced, a type of recovery program has been advised for people who share Aris’s lonely situation. They send him cassette tapes with a task he must complete. Tasks that seem to be things that every person seems to experience in their lifetime. Riding a bike, seeing a scary movie, getting into a car crash, having a one-night stand. They prescribe these things to all people in the program with the added instruction of taking a polaroid for a scrapbook. So, the film begs the question: is Aris getting back to himself or is he becoming just like everyone else?

The sole, unique trait that Aris possesses in the film is that he loves apples. And interestingly enough, a shopkeeper that Aris meets in the film says that they are good for memory. Despite shifting to oranges after hearing this information, Aris starts getting his memory back. He starts veering off of the program’s path in little ways. He starts returning to who he was before he was sick. Though Aris pretty much ends back to where he started, it doesn’t have a hopeless ending. Perhaps its message is that embracing who you are is more fulfilling than trying to live your life like everyone else.

Apples is one of the more subdued films out there that is also able to speak volumes through its nuances and images. Servetalis has a very tough and restrained demeanor that just perfectly portrays the character’s intense emotions in this situation. And Nikou’s decision on using the 4:3 frame simultaneously capitalizes on the nostalgic air while also making the film feel even more personal and focused.

Apples is a promising debut from Christos Nikou, and I’m sure many, like myself, will be eagerly awaiting to see what he is going to do next.

Home Video Distributor: Cohen Media Group
Available on Blu-ray - August 2, 2022
Screen Formats:
Subtitles: English
Audio:
Discs: Blu-ray Disc; single disc
Region Encoding: Locked to Region A

Amidst a worldwide pandemic that causes sudden amnesia, middle-aged Aris (Aris Servetalis) finds himself enrolled in a recovery program designed to help unclaimed patients build new identities. Prescribed daily tasks on cassette tapes so he can create new memories and document them on camera, Aris slides back into ordinary life, meeting Anna (Sofia Georgovasili), a woman who is also in recovery. Through images deadpan, strange and surreal, Greek writer-director Christos Nikou posits a beguiling reflection on memory, identity, and loss, exploring how a society might handle an irreversible epidemic through one man’s story of self-discovery. Are we the sum of the images we compile and display of ourselves, or are we something richer, and deeper?

Video

Presented in its 1.33:1 the 2K transfer shows off the muted tones of this personal film with a strict beauty. No complaints at all.

Audio

While the 5.1 surround sound is not necessarily shown off to its full extent in a low-key film such as this, it nonetheless sounds great with a nice mix that has everything coming in clean and clear.

Supplements:

Included on the disc are two extremely insightful conversations that dive deep into the psychological and social themes of the film that film nerds will just relish in.

Commentary:

• None

Special Features:

• Taika Waititi in conversation with director Christos Nikou
• A conversation with director Christos Nikou and executive producer Cate Blanchett moderated by journalist Anne Thompson
• Trailers

	Movie
	Video
	Audio
	Extras
Composite Blu-ray Grade

MPAA Rating: Unrated.
Runtime: 91 mins
Director: Christos Nikou
Writer: Christos Nikou; Stavros Raptis
Cast: Aris Servetalis; Sofia Georgovassili; Anna Kalaitzidou
Genre: Comedy | Drama
Tagline: Could it be that we are the things we don't forget?
Memorable Movie Quote:
Distributor: Cohen Media Group
Official Site:
Release Date: October 20, 2020
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date: August 2, 2020.
Synopsis: Amidst a worldwide pandemic that causes sudden amnesia, middle-aged Aris (Aris Servetalis) finds himself enrolled in a recovery program designed to help unclaimed patients build new identities. Prescribed daily tasks on cassette tapes so he can create new memories and document them on camera, Aris slides back into ordinary life, meeting Anna (Sofia Georgovasili), a woman who is also in recovery. Through images deadpan, strange and surreal, Greek writer-director Christos Nikou posits a beguiling reflection on memory, identity, and loss, exploring how a society might handle an irreversible epidemic through one man's story of self-discovery. Are we the sum of the images we compile and display of ourselves, or are we something richer, and deeper?