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Reviews
Bir Zamanlar Anadolu'da (2011)
Except for night-time photography, not much to recommend
It's not clear why so many critics love films where the main emphasis is on shots that are long and slow. Perhaps the director meant to emphasize the drudgery of police work, especially at night. The opening scene has several vehicles driving through the night in search of a crime scene. The night photography is done exceptionally well, but the viewer begins to wonder if anything at all will happen. Other than these long and slow shots, there is nothing in the movie to recommend it for an award.
There is an interesting sociological twist near the end: The prosecutor forces the coroner to change the details of the autopsy report, to reflect a less gruesome crime, in order to avoid clan feuding in the small village.
Another interesting, but not unexpected twist is the way the widow attracts the attention of the prosecutor. Despite being modestly dressed, the director clearly shows the sexual interest she elicits in the prosecutor.
Nordwand (2008)
A must-see for outdoor enthusiasts
Although I haven't seen many other films about mountain climbing, I would agree with some of the reviewers who say it is the best film ever made about this dangerous sport. Since 1935, at least fifty climbers have died attempting the north face.
It is based on a true story, if one believes the publicity for the movie. Anyway, Wikipedia (if you trust the contributors to the site) confirms this, while providing many details that help explain the action; some parts of the movie are so gripping that the viewer can easily forget details.
In one part of the movie the female lead pleads with a rescue team to reach the climbers, who got stuck for several days in a storm. They only agree to go on the mission when the she replies positively to a question, that one of the climbers is her man, although in the story it is not clear how developed their relationship is, apart and beyond a long-term childhood friendship. They ascend in a cog-wheel railcar through a tunnel in the mountain, towards a tunnel window from which they hope to reach the stranded climbers. The camera moves from face to face in the railcar, and it becomes evident that the rescuers and heroine consider themselves as one family (or clan). It's not clear to me if the camera operator and/or film editor manipulated anything, but the faces do look as if they are from the same genetic strand.
***Spoilers below*** The film leaves out an important fact that sheds a different perspective on the chances of a successful return from the summit. The film plot would lead the viewer to believe the only back down is to retrace the route up. Given the perilous conditions, the viewer concludes that the climbers are crazy to risk their lives in this attempt. This is most likely true under any circumstances. However, from the top they could descend by the easy western route. This is what the successful 1938 team did; a four-man team of Austrian and German climbers reached the top in three days. Among them was Heinrich Harrar, author of "Seven Years in Tibet." A 1997 film was made of this true story, with Brad Pitt as the protagonist. In the foreword of his book, Harrar says that it was his dream to join the German-Austrian expedition to ascend the Diamir Face of Nanga Parbat (8125 m) in the Himalayas. Because he was a student from a modest family, he wasn't able to join the expedition as a contributing member, but, instead, felt that he had to distinguish himself in other ways and thus be selected to join the expedition. He decided to make a name for himself by climbing the north face of the Eiger. This he accomplished, with a team of three others, in 1938. The route they followed was the one identified by one of the 1936 team, and it includes the portion now known as the Hinterstoisser traverse. There is irony here: he wanted to be recognized as being capable for the ascent of the 8000+ m Nanga Parbat, and succeeded on the 3970 m Eiger where so many others had failed.
Roman de gare (2007)
A delectable detective story that includes romance
This is a delectable story about various characters whose paths cross in unusual ways. The film begins with an auto driver furiously rushing through the streets of Paris at night, violating numerous traffic rules. A high-speed drive through an underpass, with the mesmerizing stripes in a lane-separating gore, evoke the manner of Lady Di's fatal crash years before. When Haguette (Audrey Dana), a hairdresser, claims to have done Lady Di's hair, one wonders if the director inserted the underpass scene with that in mind. The movie goes a little overboard in presenting the beauty of the female leads: After a heated quarrel with her husband, Haguette is stranded at a highway fuel station where she spends several lonely hours. Then after a lift by a stranger, she gets out of the car, and lo and behold, her hair and makeup are perfect. What magic mascara that doesn't smudge is she wearing? Similarly for the best-seller author Judith (Fanny Ardent): soft focus presents her visage in perfect form. The director, whose film themes tend to focus on love, can perhaps be forgiven for such liberties. The director is best at keeping the viewer guessing. Is the stranger who gave Haguette a lift the pedophile who attracts his victims by doing magic tricks? Just what are the two perfect crimes described in the latest novel by Judith? The packaging of the DVD at Blockbuster seemed new, so perhaps it just came to the U.S. market. The DVD contains a bonus section that reviews Lelouch's film career. This added feature contains little-known tidbits, like the fact that his first several films were failures. His success, at age 27, with "Un homme et une femme" launched him into a career of some 30 films.
La demoiselle d'honneur (2004)
Don't waste your time viewing this
It's not clear to me why the vast majority of the users of this web site give this film such a high rating. There wasn't much I could find of substance: The plot is somewhat thin, and not developed as it could have been. Senta presents four conditions for totally committed love, including two that would be rejected by most people. However, the protagonist only deals with one of these. It would have been far more interesting if he had dealt with both. At least there would be some progression of the plot, which eventually could reach its conclusion or unravel (I'm avoiding spoilers here). The character of Senta is not believable, in the sense of being an irresistible force. Her speech is too clipped and with little intonation. Perhaps this is the way of modern French speech. Further, there is little in the way of body language or eye movement to reflect the irresistible force. Or perhaps the protagonist is simply too messed up and seeks solace in whichever live female (not statue) that crosses his path.
Um Filme Falado (2003)
A travelogue with three boring, aging actresses
Also known as "A Talking Picture."
Don't waste your time seeing this film. The 96-year old director Manoel de Oliveira may be a "master of the medium" as touted by a major newspaper, but in my opinion this applies only to direction and not scriptwriting. The film starts as a travelogue, with the beautiful Leonor Silveira playing the role of a history professor taking her 8-year old daughter on a cruise from Portugal to Bombay. The sightseeing segments are too short, and the viewer wishes for more. At some point the dialogue between mother and child becomes tiring, as the mother has to explain concepts like "civilization" and "Muslim" to the child.
Much of the film is devoted to light-hearted dinner table banter among the other billed stars: Catherine Deneuve, Irene Papas, Stefania Sandrelli, and John Malkovich. The three ladies play roles close to their actual lives, and Malkovich plays the role of ship's captain.
OK, it's one thing for people at a dinner table to switch languages now and then, but the director overdoes it here, switching at almost every sentence. One expects worldly people to know more than one language, so it's not strange for an Italian to know French, and the ship's captain would be expected to know French, and all of them might be expected to speak English. But Greek? Irene Papas speaks Greek much of the time, and everyone seems to understand her perfectly. This is a joke on the viewer.
This is one of the few films where I was strongly tempted to fast-forward, mainly to get through the idle chatter. One gets the impression that one of the reasons for making the film was to give employment to some of the actors.
The film ends abruptly with an unusual ending that doesn't fit with the main plot, unless one is willing to make obscure interpretations of the travelogue part of the film.
Vozvrashchenie (2003)
A movie about adolescents and growing up in the north Russian wilderness
This is a great movie for parents who have spoiled kids. They will savor the methods of the long-lost father (away for 12 years) to teach his two sons something about self-respect and being a man: take them on a wilderness camping and fishing trip.
If you have a chance to view this film in a theater, by all means see it while it's being screened. If not, find a friend with the largest big-screen TV and ask if you can view it at his house. The scenery, apparently shot somewhere in the northern parts of Russia or Siberia, is absolutely enchanting. The director seems to be a master at filming scenery.
The plot is based on the return of the father of a family after 12 years of absence. There are few clues about the reason for his absence (one always suspects a sentence in the Gulag), even fewer about his reason for returning. He takes his two adolescent sons on a camping/fishing trip. Along the way they encounter the apparently typical teenage street ruffians that rob people who are unable or unwilling to defend themselves.
The wife (and mother of the two adolescent sons) plays her role in the background. She comforts the younger son in an early scene of the movie, dutifully plays her role at dinner with the long-lost father, and upon retiring for the night displays a not unexpected "where the hell have you been expression."
The younger child is the one more troubled. One could sense if from the opening scene where he didn't dare jump into the water from a high platform; he seemed to be smallest of the group, so his reluctance is understandable. Anyway, he seems to be the clever one, always questioning, especially the actions of the father. His expressions of disgust and questioning of his father's motives are compelling.
The camping/fishing trip reveals the main purpose of the father. An unexpected incident near the end reveals to us the purpose of the father's return.
NO SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW
There are a couple of discontinuities, people entering from right when it should be left, but it doesn't detract from the message of the film.
You must see this film.
The Luzhin Defence (2000)
Will the director make up his mind?
This movie is frustrating because the director can't decide what type of movie to make. Should it be a love story? This approach won't work because there is little development of the relationship between hero and heroine; the hero's character is so shallow that it's hard to imagine any lady falling in love with him. Should it be a period piece? The director doesn't take advantage of the natural beauty of the northern Italian lake district. One would have hoped that at least one of the hotels would be recognizable, or that through the mist one would see some Cyrillic characters on the presumably Russian railway carriages. And where does one find a rail station without people except the principal actors? Should the movie appeal to chess enthusiasts? There is insufficient detail to appeal to them. Perhaps the movie is intended to showcase Emily Watson's beauty? Or perhaps to tell the story of the hero's obsession with chess? Rating: 4 out of 10.
Der Krieger und die Kaiserin (2000)
An enjoyable character study
This film presents a clever plot story of two emotionally handicapped people who meet twice by coincidence under unusual circumstances. Franka Potente plays the role of Sissi, an attendant at a mental hospital; Benno Fuermann plays that of a man who is seeking a job after serving his military draft duty. Franka's clumsy little-girl walk is in stark contrast to her well-known film, "Run, Lola Run," but it adds valuable characterization to her character's incomplete personal development in this story. Her acting in the film can be described as slow and subtle, but utterly compelling in its ability to convey emotion.
The cinematography includes some unusually long zooms, especially of the Wupertal overhead monorail (the longest operating monorail in the world?), and some standard transitions and special effects that are nicely done. In other words, the director and cinematographer don't try to impress the viewer with their technical expertise, but add just a right amount of dash. A scene near the end is especially wonderful: the camera circles continually around the two actors, who are contemplating their next move.
The soundtrack is mesmerizing without being intrusive. It ranges from the anxiety typically used in medical crises to hopeful optimism when a character is trying to change destiny. There are some extraneous scenes that could have been omitted: a patient in the mental ward attacks Sissi, the ward patients are being their normal (?) selves. Others may argue that these scenes add to the enduring quality of the Sissi's character. Then there is the title in the original German, which translates into "Empress" and not "Princess" as the marketing folks would have us believe, and some undefined, implied link to Empress Sissi. But these criticisms are minor.
In summary, the film represents an enjoyable character study. It is one of the few films I felt compelled to watch again before returning the videocassette to the rental shop. Rating: 8 out of 10.
To kanarini podilato (1999)
If you like optimistic social commentary
There is nothing exciting in this film. However, the message contained in it is important in today's age, especially when the public schools have so many students with improper preparation and little or no motivational support from home. The director leaves some loose ends, and the ending could have been stronger, but overall it is a satisfying film.
I diakritiki goiteia ton arsenikon (1999)
Enjoyed the clever plot, but ...
This film presents one of the most clever plots in a long time, with the three daughters getting entangled in their own and each others' love lives. The action is a bit fast, and one is tempted to see it again to get all the plot details. Potential viewers should be warned however, that if the film were rated in the U.S., it would get a YRV (youth restricted viewing) grade. I'm not against sexual themes in cinema, or alternative life styles, provided they support the main plot. In this film, it's not clear who the target audience is: the general cinema attendee, or the voyeur.
The Tailor of Panama (2001)
Delicious satire
This is an enjoyable spoof of spy movies, with political criticism mixed in, as well as satirical characterizations of espionage and military establishments. There is little violence compared to other movies on this theme; instead, the screenplay relies on witty dialogue. The editing may confuse some, but it appears well done, with several instances of interleaved (interwoven) scenes. This technique, where the action moves back and forth repeatedly between two scenes, is quite effective. The sound track by Shaun Davey adds a lush aura to the movie. If you're tired of blockbuster thrillers and action movies with physically improbable stunts, then you may enjoy this movie.
Snow Falling on Cedars (1999)
Too many themes and disastrous directing.
I checked for director and producer at end of the film, but in the video version it seems no one wanted these credits. There were only a first assistant director and associate producer listed; no credits for script or adaptation. This film should be viewed by every cinematography student, with the objective being how not to make a film. It is frustrating and hard to follow the story because of so many timelines and flashbacks. The camera work suffers from too much zooming in on the prosecuting attorney, and too many shadows and gray colors. Do these describe the main scene of the movie, even allowing artistic license? The music was the wrong type for the themes. It reminded me of films about the holocaust in Europe, which was an event that was at least two orders of magnitude different from that of the maltreatment of Americans of Japanese origin before and during WWII. There were too many themes: the maltreatment described before, war in the Korean setting (which doesn't contribute much to the film), nature (with too many cuts into snow falling on the cedars), and personal relationships. The main theme, the maltreatment of Americans of Japanese origin, is too important to have the distractions of the irrelevant war scenes. Generally, the acting is good, but it can't save the disastrous directing. That is, except for one who acted as if he had one foot in the grave; that actor should retire from a distinguished career.
Dancing at Lughnasa (1998)
Good acting and scenery but little character development.
If you enjoy Irish scenery and good acting, then this film may be enjoyable. Otherwise, it's a disappointment. There's not much of a plot, except how a family of five sisters manages through the economically difficult period of the mid-nineteen-thirties. This story line withers away, however, and the viewer is left to ponder the meaning of the film. What character development there is stops midway through the middle of the film. We expect the oldest sister to either take charge of the situation or undergo a personality change. We expect the unwed father of the boy to develop a closer relationship with his son and the mother, but he prepares to join the Republican forces that are fighting Franco in Spain. We are left with nothing except the narrator's voice, representing the boy, to tie up some loose ends.
Runaway Bride (1999)
Please don't compare!
Viewers should forget they ever saw the previous film with these actors and allow themselves to watch a thoroughly enjoyable film. All major characters were well scripted, including those played by Hector Elizondo and Rita Wilson.
Los años bárbaros (1998)
Political commentary and comedy in Franco-era Spain
Despite the ominous political overtones of the opening scenes, where two university students are given harsh eight-year prison sentences for anti-Franco graffiti, the movie eventually develops into a comedy as two American girls pretending to be rich tourists in a red convertible become their accomplices in an escape attempt. Franco's chief of security forces, who was instrumental in getting the harsh sentences imposed, keeps popping up in various scenes throughout the film.
Screen One: Hostile Waters (1997)
Tightly scripted drama
The movie portrays a tightly scripted drama when a disaster occurs on a Soviet nuclear sub. It places the viewer in the narrow confines of the sub and reminds us of the dangers constantly faced by the crew. Potential weaknesses of nuclear fail-safe systems also become apparent.
To vlemma tou Odyssea (1995)
Man's search for his lost family and homeland.
This powerful, masterfully directed movie shows Harvey Keitel in 2 roles and Maia Morgenstern in 5 roles. The film presents deep-rooted themes interwoven with clever, seamless flashbacks. These universal motifs include: loss of empire (culture), loss of family, loss of homeland, and loss of one's mother, and the resulting bereavement. "Ulysses" is an appropriate title since the protagonist searches for his lost homeland after wandering for many years in foreign lands. The role of Maia M. is deceptively important, as an anima image, as mother, as helper, as rescuer & caretaker & hearth keeper, and as the spirit of new life that is taken away by fate. The themes run forwards and backwards with seamless transitions. An example is at end of the film, at a New Year's dance: the protagonist dances reluctantly with his mother and then more assuredly with another character in a different time frame. The dialogue in this long journey is spoken in different languages: Greek (HK manages to speak some complete sentences), English, Bulgarian, Serbian, Romanian, German. The haunting viola music written by Eleni Karaindrou lends proper atmosphere to the themes. A difficult movie to watch perhaps for young people, but unforgettable for someone who has suffered family and/or homeland losses during wartime.