Reviews
Wolke 9 (2008)
Beautiful and tragic
An old lady falls in love with an old man, not her husband. She and the old man have wonderful sex, and she finds herself compelled to continue against her wishes "I didn't want this" she will say again and again. It is a bit alarming, this portrayal of a mature woman in a good relationship, with a daughter, grandchildren, a good an settled life when she finds herself acting methodically but out of control... she is filled with desire for this new man's company, and out of a sense of honesty she is compelled to tell her husband and indeed, leave him. "I didn't want this" she will say... This is not a young thing, inexperienced, taken away by some mad youthful forbidden fling, This is an adult, a mature and capable woman who is nonetheless taken up as if she were just that young thing, bereft of responsibility, consumed and driven to pursue that new love, wonderfully fresh. How can this not destroy her family? "I didn't want this." It is a little bit frightening, that for all she has, her emotions can pull her away and out of her family, surely able to know the damage that must be done but unable to experience that created pain against the overwhelming passion she has incautiously stumbled into. A lovely, revealing, cautionary tale. The audience itself seems similarly drawn in, enjoying the romance but unwilling to accept what would clearly be an expected outcome: pain.
A Serious Man (2009)
Not a pretty picture of Jews
I loved reading the other reviewers... about the uncertainties, seeing gods hand sometimes, sometimes not... But the Jewish kids, the disrespect, the self absorption, the "don't make waves" path through life, the fear, running, the cloistered views of life, the otherness, lack of a stand for any notion of right or wrong... this was strange, personal, and I have to wonder: is this just the Jews? Turns out not: my friend from Kansas finds much in the film from her own youth... in a land where seldom is heard a discouraging word and even less often see was the Jew... Still, I find it hard to believe that this could be anything but a Jewish story. And I'll bet the Coens could do an Italian version, maybe an Asian version. I'd love to see those!
No Country for Old Men (2007)
A morality tale
I don't see it so much as a film of violence as of fate, and choice. That runs through the movie time and again. About the rule, the rule that got you here, and so what good is it. And the coin toss for life: the bad guy is nothing more than the same chance as a coin toss: "stuff" is out there all the time. Both he and Lewlyn have to buy shirts off of kids to escape and both times the kids, initially innocent, to some degree, turn avaricious at the presentation of money. The guy is a "ghost". People are warned that getting killed by this guy is a sure thing, and get, they toss the coin, the choose to go after the guy, and they all get killed. All of them. But not the sheriff. I'm not clear how the sheriff escaped that fate, and I don't know why Lewelyn goes back to the scene of the massacre with water... if he hadn't have gone back, he might have been free and clear. He knows it's a bad idea, but what was the idea? Did he go back to make sure the guy was dead? To keep him alive with the water? Surely, the guy is long dead.
Volver (2006)
nice, but weird: what a construct...
Less than meets the eye, the mystery and risk never materialize, but flatten out into the ordinary... But the story spins around two generations of a father molesting his daughter, which results in one murder of a husband by his wife, one of a father by his daughter, one daughter impregnated by her father and bearing the child, and things that don't happen: the heroine does not fall in love with her semi savior who brings a massive and perfect business to the restaurant, a murder is carried out and the body stashed and disposed of without a hitch, a woman with cancer goes on TV in a bargain to save herself and says nothing and retires to die. Eeek. Oh, and a mother is recognized by her penchant for farting. Need a plot be so fantastical and hinge around such grim events?
Above Freezing (1998)
outstanding comedy
good comedies, really good comedies, are hard to come by. this is a bit whimsical, but the characters are very well acted, and the writing is outstanding. I would promise that you will like it 'cause if you didn't, well, I'd have to say there was at least a little something wrong with you. That is very unlikely, won't you agree? See it. (I tried to send this and was told I have to write more. OK) I don't know the actors, with one exception I hadn't seen them before. Ah, yes, the lines are delivered with a great tempo (really need that for comedy). The other review, right before this one, is pretty good. I just wanted to say that the movie was good without repeating, so you'd see it. One thing: when you do, come back and write another review, maybe even better than mine.
Sommersby (1993)
Sweet and noble tear jerker
This is a sweet film with noble causes and a grand love story. I've seen it umm, 4 times? now... An improbable story, but moral, epic, just after the civil war, of an imposter southern gentleman returning to his run down plantation, wife, child, and joining all together, black and white, to bring a tobacco farm to being, against great odds, and prosperity to the town.
But the man he is posing as must be prosecuted as a criminal... the imposter can continue the ruse and die for the crime, or confess his true identity, and undo his love, his work, his community. He must prove to the court that he is indeed Jack Sommersby, and must extract Fosters (his wife's) testimony, against her will, that he is Jack Sommersby, because as Jack, he will die. A few grand lines... when Foster must say that he is indeed her husband, that she never loved "Jack the way I loved you" and Gere, in his cell, asks her to be there at his hanging "I can do this thing if you are there."
I've enjoyed it each time I've seen it, and it brings grand tears each time.