Alexios1995

In an early scene of the movie, a grieving husband suddenly bursts into tears while cooking. His 17-year-old daughter is with him in the house, but prefers to stay away. The sight of her father crying, which deeply moves her, leaves a authority void in her life that will define her behavior as things unravel at her new school. The relationship between Alejandra and her father is of deep love, but too many things are left unspoken, maybe precisely because each one thinks it is his duty to protect the other.

But at its seething heart, After Lucia is about the abject cruelty of the human being, and more specifically of teenagers. The acts portrayed soon become monstrous,and the issues raised are only too real. Unfortunately, the ensemble lacks cohesion, and leaves many questions unanswered about the characters and the plot. Moreover, the emotional frigidness of the film, desisting any sentimentalism, may be annoying to some. The camera seems to shun the characters, and consequently never gets close to them.

The film is saved by Tessa Ia Gonzalez, you embodies a scarred teenager. The scary intensity of her gaze, at once eerily serene and seething with mute terrors, will stick long in your minds.

Even if confusing, After Lucia packs a hard emotional wallop and have proved to be, alongside with American indie Compliance, one of the most disturbing sit in recent memory.

With Atonement, his second feature film, Wright delivers a no-holds- barred, sweeping romance, with palpable echoes of classic epics such as Gone with the Wind, Casablanca and The English Patient, with their passionate love stories hindered or smothered by war, egoism and human cruelty. But at its seething core, Atonement is really about the brutal, painful awakening of a child struggling to come to terms with one senseless, venomous act she committed and that haunts her. The parallel with Gone with the Wind is facile, and there are numerous sequences, from a grueling hospital scene to a bravura war set-piece, that are reminiscent of the latter's epic grandeur and virtuoso, unflinching cinematic approach. But Atonement is something quite unique...

An unforgettable combo of visual virtuosity, romance and drama, Atonement is a powerhouse motion picture, superbly acted, which reaches vertiginous heights of visceral intensity and immediacy. By turns horrifying, heart- breaking and beautifully bucolic, this has the guts and heart of an instant classic. Has 21th century cinema reaped its Gone with the Wind already?

See my full review at http://movie-database.e-monsite.com/

It's really a good movie; visually it is close to perfection and the direction is innovative and riveting. Nicolaescu captures perfectly the wild energy of the popular dance (Ciuleandra, hence the title). But unfortunately the acting, or rather the dialogue are unnatural and lack spontaneity. I've read the book and liked it, but the film was quite different. Also, it takes some time until the pieces fall into place and the beginning, despite being "spiced" with eerie dream sequences, is rather boring. In conclusion, this is a very decent movie and, particularly, a beautifully shot one. For those who like handsome movies, it is a must. The fact it was made before the fall of the Communist regime doesn't necessarily means it's aesthetically subdued. Even to modern standard, it's very convincing.