Reviews
The Reader (2008)
Kate Winslet could do better
The reader, the movie (by Nico Keuning)
It's quite normal to make a film in the slipstream of the success of a bestseller. The reader is one of the many examples. It's based on the novel Der Vorleser (1995) of Bernard Schlink. Reality is not of any importance. Neither in a book nor in a picture. Imagination, that's what it's all about. But there must be something to believe in. And that's exactly what lacks in The reader.
The Reader is a cheap story, based on the planned success of the German past: the controversial contents of sexual intercourse of an elder woman with a young schoolboy (which is in The Graduate, normal and hilarious) and Auschwitz. With these two ingredients the film can't go wrong, as far as success is concerned. But what about the story? Predictable and in veracious. That she is a illiterate is quite obvious from the beginning, but the director (Stephen Daldry) shows us this feature of her in a educational sequence of flash backs during the process concerning her behavior as a simple guard in Auschwitz where she childishly obeyed the rule Befehl ist Befehl.
How can such a woman appreciate the world literature, which is read to her by the scholar? How is it possible that a 'reader' like she is, never during her live escaped from illiteracy? The film is disappointing and confusing.
And, Hollywood, please don't reward actrices any longer with an Oscar when they play the role of an older woman! It's too easy and not persuasive. Kate Winslet played better roles.
Zivot i smrt porno bande (2009)
Disturbing movie from modern post war Serbia
This is a quite disturbing movie on post-war Serbia in the early 90's of last century. The main character is a young movie director eager to make his first movie. The only opportunity he has to start his career, is making a pornographic picture. Being partially successful, he begins with his cast a pornographic vaudeville roadshow in rural parts of formerly Yugoslavia. Not surprisingly, the locals disapprove of the explicit content of the sex shows. But than there is a businessman in the audience who wants to have snuff movies produced by the 'porno bande'...... Rise and Fall of a Porno Band is a very interesting movie on how things are today in Serbia. It deals with the poverty and struggle for survival in an European country. The non-professional actors do an excellent job and are convincing in showing the hard times Serbia has to go through. Not for the ones amongst us with weak stomachs.
Paul Algra