aristofanis's reviews

I just saw Comandante on Greek public television, in its entirety and uninterrupted and was immediately drawn to it.

Whether one agrees with Cuba's political system or not, is not the issue here. What Oliver Stone has achieved is what no journalist or historian has ever come close to. He brings himself and his crew right up close to the aged leader and confronts him relentlessly with questions from the mundane to the esoteric and from the political to the personal. Ideas about the past and the future, about dreams, art, democracy, colonialism, family, religion, women's rights, education, love etc are all exposed here, bringing out an intimate portrait. The questions are often uncomfortable as when Stone asks Castro about his ex wives in front of his wife, or when his claims about policing in Cuba are denied by one of Stone's crew members. Yet Castro even at this age, is sharp, humorous and poetic in a way that reveals the intellectual behind the politician.

It is also a travel documentary of Havana where Fidel Castro is Stone's guide and walks him through the city's monuments and cafés, sits next to him at the back seat of his car, eats and drinks with him and we get a sense that he knows what is happening in Havana's every alley.

One thing is for sure: no other country leader would ever allow himself the closeness Castro offers to Stone and expose his feelings and doubts with such spontaneity.

Stone turns a formal encounter into a family visit and brings the audience to meet an iconic political figure and spend a couple of intimate hours with him.

A work that leaves you thinking for a long while.

This movie has been praised for its graphics and at some instances criticized for its plot. I have not watched Pocahontas but I do believe that many of the main ideas have been repeated in the past. To me this isn't necessarily a flaw. History repeats itself and just as we haven't learned from our past crimes we do not seem to be learning from our current ones either. So I think Cameron tries to make some crucial points clear for once more to a wide pop-corn audience which expects mainly visual sensations.

Expressions used in this film such as 'Shock and Awe' and 'Terror' reveal, even to the unsuspected, the parallels drawn here with current irrational warfare mostly for the control of markets and resources.

There is a strong environmental agenda and ultimately there is revolution. The messages are clear and relevant. Yet they may fall short in being convincing. The natives bear too many cultural similarities to humans. They speak in polysyllabic words, are monogamous, use similar tools, gather and sing to evoke something spiritual, the women's concept of femininity is similar to ours etc… Of course all this is done in order for us to relate to them as much as possible.

Some cheesy disneyish romance, along with romantic views on natives that look like North American Natives and sing to African tunes, make also part of the Hollywood gloss.

What chiefly kept me interested was the ongoing switching of the marine's world from that of the artificial human environment to the natural non-human one. It is within those transformations that his dilemmas are understood and his character develops.

Overall, it was an entertaining experience with beautiful imagery and pertinent messages. There is room for more character development and intricacy, especially from the part of the natives.

This is Greek comedy at its best as a group of excellent actors execute an excellent script. Middle aged Lalakis uses a business trip to Thessaloniki as an excuse to his much younger wife Popi in order to spend a romantic weekend with his chubby mistress Lolota. Yet things don't go as planned as the couple misses their train in a remote village where the local train officer keeps referring it as a major 'junction' (komvos). The train officer offers hospitality. Soon Lalakis is in for a big surprise to his mistress' bewilderment. A must see comedy, loaded with Greek idioms and hard to translate as is the case with humour, but Logothetidis delivers beyond words.

A brave American archaeologist defies, almost singlehandedly, Nazis, Arabs and a sleazy Canadian in an ongoing pursuit filled with gunshots, explosions and fist fighting in order to bring to the safe hands of the US academia a significant relic of the Hebrews. Apart from the political undertones, there are way too many predictable things happening in this movie as the 'good' guys win over the 'bad'. Seeing this movie at the age of 7 must be exhilarating. Seeing it at the age of 14 must be quite fun. But if you are any older than that, most scenes will seem redundant. I believe that most viewers' ecstasy with this movie stems from their nostalgia to when they first saw it and that's legitimate.

I was born and raised in Montreal and for one thing, it is a city that is far more diverse with people who are far more funny and intelligent than these caricatures. The humour here is contrived and most of the comic scenes are designed for 12 year olds. The whole thing seems to be a glossy TV production for tourists or for language students who should be introduced to the french-Canadian lingo and the rivalry between Quebec and Ontario. Thus the jokes are unintelligible to someone outside Canada and too cliché for those who are Canadian. The hostility shown by people towards the 'other' province in this movie isn't funny and it really does not reflect anything close to reality since Canada is known for its tolerant society. Most people in Montreal do understand English and more than 1/3 of them are anglophones! (Yes, French Canadians are not the only inhabitants of Montreal) while the name Bouchard is very standard and recognizable throughout the country. Nothing noteworthy as far as direction and photography either. I would classify this movie as very light entertainment.

This is a very well made production of an epic story placed in 10th century China. Magnificent scenes of ritual, majestic scenery, beautiful landscapes, great stage design, artful choreography and above all a very good sense of the theatrical that echos ancient Greek Tragedy. One thing that seems to be wearing out in Chinese movies of this kind are the long violently cruel scenes that are attempted to be beautified and the ongoing fighters who fly allover. In a choreographic sense they are of great merit but a lot is unnecessary. Zhang Ziyi is one more good reason to see this movie. I found her convincing in her role although somewhat stiff. I would like to see more of her in the future, more such great productions with even less fighting and more content that Chinese culture can easily provide.

This movie was pleasant to watch although as it progressed towards the end it became more and more cheesy. Can Forrest Gump be a grotesque caricature of the average ignorant and politically numb citizen that sees history passing in front of his eyes without noticing it? Is the country he lives in made for idiots? I liked the return from Vietnam and the scenes with the lieutenant. I didn't like the philosophical contemplations made by Gump as he becomes "wise" nor the way the movie concludes with the unnecessary death of Jenny which leaves Forrest raise his child that in turn doesn't seem to have any particular problems with that. The heroics towards the end are also incredibly far fetched. Overall it is a fun movie with some good moments but I wouldn't take it too seriously.

I saw this film in Greece where the sequence is: Antonioni, Sodenberg, Kar Wai. The Antonioni film felt a bit indifferent but one has only to pay attention to some details to understand that this is a work of a genius like Antonioni who has great fun. Utopia, poetry, mythology and all that which eros is made of, parade here. Those who are disturbed by nudity should come to terms with their body. "Equilibrium" has some intelligent interplays between dream and reality and great acting. Sodenberg is trying to do a little too much with colour and the eros theme is a bit too subtle. Kar Wai has found a successful formula in creating tension, atmosphere, and passion in narrow, dark corridors and in the 50s time zone. This was the only film out of the tree that penetrates to the audience and has really something to say. The future belongs to the youngster.

I saw this movie on public Greek TV (original version with subtitles), and was glued to the screen until the very end. I would say that it develops in three modes. One is the horrible black and white present, one is the colorful past (memory) and one is the surreal world of Johnny's dreams where he is conscious of his injury! I haven't understood how the scenes with his father in the past add up to the movie very well. The acting isn't superb and some lines could have been different. The black and white cinematography is very convincing and the scenes with the last nurse are tremendous! Aside from the downsides of war which are evident, the movie also deals with how the system is willing to suppress its own fabricated heroes when they fall short of its ideology. One of the best Hollywood movies ever made, chiefly due to its powerful script. 8/10

This is my favorite Vengos movie. This is the moment Vengos has reached a certain stylization in his performance without seeming to merely imitate himself. A janitor is trying to set up his six sisters and his aunt before he gets married to his beloved one who's brother's task is to have her married the soonest! While the film mocks the irrationality of traditional customs (sisters have to get married first)the main theme of Vengos devising all sorts of ways to earn his living and that of all others, remains. Although Vengos is funny just to watch, the one liners in this one are amazing and unfortunately very hard to translate to other languages (vast use of idioms, rhymes etc.) I've seen this a dozen times and can see it another dozen easily.

This film, made in my hometown Montreal, is a work well composed and structured from beginning to end without exaggerations. The characters are an unusual bunch but this is what brings together all these interesting dialogues that raise issues of how life should be lived. The acting takes the film quite further as it is flawless and keeps the audience attached to the action. Issues are spread and not really resolved but I don't think that this is necessarily the purpose of a movie. Audience from different cultural backgrounds (ie. some US viewers) may have difficulties relating, while one has to keep in mind the particularities of Quebecois French that cannot be fully translated to subtitles. 8/10

This is a superb work that combines some computer animation that never really takes over the great hand drawings! One has to see this movie more than once to examine details that are beautifully drawn everywhere. Portuguese grandma goes from France to an imaginary US to save her son.

Favorite scene: her chasing the ship in the ocean while in a pedaling boat. Superb music and atmosphere. Great for everyone to watch. I expected something from the grandson but unfortunately he hasn't been given personality. Story could have been more resolved. Nevertheless 9/10

This movie has become the biggest box office hit in Greece ever with more than one million tickets already sold. So the money spent were well spent. It is about the "Polis" (Constantinoupolis) the City. The polis, namely Istanbul, has its images, sounds, smells and of course its unbelievable cuizine. Greeks and Turks long for it and cannot live away from it. Cought in political turbulence, the Greeks of Istanbul are deported to mainland Greece bringing with them the art of cooking that awakens memories of a past long gone. A will for reconciliation prevails when the deported child returns to Istanbul many years later. It is worth watching for some delightful stage design and beautiful music as well as for turning on ones appetite. Some of the missed opportunities of this film include mediocre acting from some of the characters and the very few takes from Istanbul that should have been more.

I grew up listening to this film's soundtrack and observing pictures from the movie. Later, when my parents let me see it, it did not live up to the expectations my childish imagination had set. Twenty five years later, I realize that the music and some of the dancing is what salvages this somewhat dumb scenario. The film is a compact package of images and archetypes of a certain US culture (50s mixed with some 60s and 70s in them). Cars, leather jackets, american sports, american fast food restaurants, american high schools, competitiveness... He/she who has more of all this is the winner. Typical of this agenda is when Sandy sings near the end "Look at me I'm Sandra-dee" as a mourning of an identity she has to give up. She will be rewarded when she uglyfies herself proving that she is capable in conforming. Danny also has to prove himself. One wonders what could had happened had they had not done otherwise! Like in most simplistic movies, there are good and bad guys and complicated teenage situations such as pregnancy are dealt with superficially simplistic solutions. Not to be taken seriously. 6/10 for its musical aspects and for my admiration to Olivia Newton John.

Politiki kouzina is a movie about the cuisine of the Polis and its people. The Polis (City) is no other than Constantinoupolis (Istanbul): "it was called the Polis because it was the most beautiful city of the world!" as exclaims the father of the protagonist. The film actually revolves around the attachment that people have to this city which goes beyond nationality or time period. The City has to do with images, sounds but also with smells and taste! When people leave it, they carry with them their memories from it through stories, customs and the art of cooking.

This movie has become a box office hit in Greece because of it's grand production for the standards in the country and because of it's appealing subject matter that deals with sensitive memories from recent history and...food!

The story is told through the innocent memories of a child, that mix fear, trauma and humor quite eloquently. The film achieves not to provoke while shedding light to a time long gone at a very personal and humane level.

While stage design and special effects are made beautifully, the film is let down somewhat by mediocre acting, inappropriate takes/angles, and to my opinion the middle portion (Fanis' childhood in Athens) is too long compared to the scenes in the Polis that I expected to see more of.

These lost opportunities deprive it from being excellent. I give a 7/10.

This movie really touched me. Nothing spectacular in film-making or stage design, but the trip to east Germany (shots of a world now gone) are monumental. The extents to which Alex goes to to keep his mother protected can seem an exaggeration but it is what keeps the film going until the very touching scene at the end. One can draw a parallel with Benigni's "la vita e bella" where the father creates an entire false world to protect his son. Here the son does it for his mother.

Yet in this film, it seems that this "protection" may be more important to the son than the mother herself! Insightful, well made and above all: humane. 8/10