Islam Unveiled (2004)

This documentary analyses the situation of women in Islamic countries, doing interviews with women and men in several islamic countries. It is informative and, for me anyway, surprising at some points. The only regrettable thing is that some important Muslim countries (like Saudi Arabia) were not visited.

Work (1915)

Synopsis: A house painter's assistant is exploited by his boss. During a job at a house he makes friends with the maid and gets involved in several incidents.
Appraisal: Passable, sometimes funny short comedy. It seems to drag at times, but overall is pretty decent.

Zmruz oczy (2002)

English Title: Squint Your Eyes 

Synopsis: A little girl prefers to live with her ex-teacher rather than with her parents. 

Appraisal: Where is the first part of this film? You know, where they introduce the characters, develop the conflict, etc. Without that, you get to watch complete strangers parade on the screen for one hour and a half. I found it difficult to see the point of the film. It seemed at times that its theme is the contrast between country and urban ways of life. It is hard to tell, because things are a little disjointed. Anyway, give yourself a break and skip this film. 

Rating: 27

Springtime Saps (1928)

Synopsis: Two friends work as cleaners, but they do not do well at that job, so they leave it and become policemen. On their way to an assignment, they give a girl a lift. Finally, they arrive at a "spiritualist"'s house, where strange things happen.
Appraisal: This short film is not bad. The actors are not very good, though.
The copy I have watched was from the "Comedy Capers" TV show, boasting the fake title "Midnight Patrol", that bears no relation to the occurrences in the film.

En jouant 'Dans la compagnie des hommes' (2003)

English Title: Playing 'In the Company of Men'.
Synopsis: The adopted son of an arms manufacturer schemes to gain control of his father's company.
Appraisal: Honestly, this film is an error on top of another. The basic text, which is based on a play, does not seem interesting enough, filmically anyway, and it gets even worse with the 'creative contributions' by the filmmaker(s). The Ophelia subplot was absolutely uncalled for. The pop soundtrack was always a nuisance. The rehearsal scenes do not add to the movie either.
Having said all that, I must admit that the film has some watchable parts, because the actors are good and well directed, particularly near the end.
Rating: 45

Am zin (1999)

English Title: Running Out of Time 

Synopsis: A man who has little time to live engenders a complicated revenge plan, for which he needs the assistance of a policeman. 

Appraisal: I have not understood a few points of the plot, and did not care enough to watch it again, but even so do not think the film is a complete waste of time. It has some entertainment value. 

Rating: 40

His Regeneration (1915)

Appraisal: This run-of-the-mill drama concerns the activities of a thief, and how he becomes regenerated. There is a comic sequence early in the movie, but it is of no consequence to the dramatic plot.

By the Sea (1915)

Synopsis: Two men fight on a beach.
Appraisal: There isn't really a story, it is just a succession of physical gags, that work well and are sometimes rather creative.

Sylvia (2003)

Synopsis: Depiction of the relationship of two poets, centering on her. 

Appraisal: Rather conventional story, professionally told but without much interest. 

Rating: 37

La saison des hommes (2000)

English Title: The Season of Men. 

Synopsis: Woman goes to an island with her autistic son, her two daughters and some women friends. There they weave rugs and wait for the "season of men", when their husbands should join them for one month and then leave for the capital. Her past is revealed through flashbacks. 

Appraisal: This film depicts the suffering of women in a society where men dominate. It is good to learn about other cultures, but, truth be said, the film is unremarkable. 

Rating: 40

The Tramp (1915)

Synopsis: A wandering bum saves a farmer's daughter from hoodlums, and employs himself as a worker in her farm.
Appraisal: Short comedy that, although its gags are not terribly original, has a consistent story with beginning, middle and end, and maintains a good level throughout. Its main asset is its bittersweet quality, achieving very touching moments by the end of the film. The main actor brilliantly conveys, through face and body, that funny-sad combination.

Anything Else (2003)

Synopsis: A young writer gets involved with the wrong girl, the wrong shrink and the wrong agent. His best friend is an old writer who is a survivalist. 

Appraisal: Very dialogue-driven, with the occasional funny one-liner, "Anything Else" is a series of run-of-the-mill situations, not unlike an extended length sitcom. Not a very distinguished work, to say the least. 

Rating: 37

Touching the Void (2003)

Synopsis: The reenactment, interspersed with the spoken account of the participants, of the real climb of a mountain on the Andes.
Appraisal: A gripping tale of survival? Well, to begin with, I think there will be less empathy for these guys than there would be for people in a situation not created by themselves. All in all, a very watchable movie (the realism of the scenes is impressive), even if I did not give a damn about the characters.
Rating: 60

The Last Sign (2005)

Synopsis: A widow has visions of her dead husband. 

Appraisal: Mystery drama that has a pretty lame explanation for its enigma. Also, it does not have credible characters. Give yourself a break and skip this film. 

Rating: 18

Dolls (2002)

Synopsis: Three stories: (1) a couple of beggars wanders around tied by a string of cloth; (2) an old Yakuza boss survives a murder attempt and reencounters the love of his youth; (3) a pop star who had passionate fans lives now in seclusion after having lost one eye in an accident. Through flashbacks the film reveals the past of these characters. 

Appraisal: The stories are interesting and strange. The theme of love and fidelity is explored in extreme situations, involving extreme sacrifices. It is touching but at the same time a little boring, due to the slow, repetitive pace, particularly of the first story. 

Rating: 66

The Tailor of Panama (2001)

Synopsis: British spy is sent to Panama, where he befriends an English tailor who becomes his source of information.
Appraisal: I read a novel centuries ago, called "Our Man in Havana". From what I recall of that novel's plot, this film seems to borrow a little from it. Putting that aside, "The Tailor of Panama" lets itself be seen rather easily, due to a fast pace and a satirical look at the political game. Do not expect much style, though: everything is as straightforward as it can be.
Last but not least, the title character is brilliantly played.
Rating: 54

Collars and Cuffs (1923)

The action in this short feature takes place in a laundry house. I did not find it in the least funny. The humor is of the most primitive level.
The "Comedy Capers" copy I watched had the title "The Laundry".

Bom yeoreum gaeul gyeoul geurigo bom (2003)

English Title: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring 

Synopsis: It shows the life of a man under the viewpoint of the place of his upbringing, a floating temple in a lake. 

Appraisal: This film is unnecessarily slow and repetitive. It would have been a somewhat better film had it been excised of, say, 30% of its length. Even so, I do not believe there is much in it that qualifies as a masterwork. Sure, the scenery is stunningly beautiful, but, well, it is just scenery. What happens on that scenery is most of the time not that interesting. 

Rating: 45

In Good Company (2004)

Synopsis: A sports magazine executive in his 50s has to work under a guy half his age after his company is bought by a conglomerate.
Appraisal: This film does a reasonable job in portraying work life in these days of globalization and corporate capitalism. There is enough empathy with the main characters, too.
It does, however, exaggerate in some points. For example, the grotesque cheering for the owner of the company is a little unbelievable. Of course in real life things happen in a more disguised manner.
Also, the subplot of the relationship between Carter and Alex is poorly developed and its depiction is extremely prudish (not one sex scene!); furthermore it has an unconvincing resolution.
Rating: 63

The Weather Man (2005)

Synopsis: A professional weather man faces a midlife crisis. 

Appraisal: This has got to be the most contrived screenplay I have watched in years. The main character is a clumsy and shallow man, and the script makes a point of making this evident beyond any doubt by making him do some obviously idiotic things or putting him in very awkward situations. It all seems strained and artificial. 

Rating: 48

Dom durakov (2002)

English Title: House of Fools 

Synopsis: A mental institution at the border between Russia and Chechnya is caught up in the middle of the conflict. 

Appraisal: The situations depicted in this movie are interesting, but their development is often poor. What annoyed me most was the main character, Zhanna. Her infatuation with the pop singer, as displayed in the film, would certify her as the nuttiest of them all, yet otherwise she behaves closer to sanity than others. Miraculously, the actress that plays her manages to infuse feeling to such implausible character. The cinematography is one of the good things about this movie, with extremely sharp depiction of movement. This film would probably benefit from an additional screenwriter, working in collaboration with the writer/director. 

Rating: 47

Borderline (1950)

Synopsis: The narcotics department of the LAPD sends a woman to Mexico in an undercover operation. After some adventures down there she ends up returning to the U.S. with a man and a load of drugs. 

Appraisal: This film has such a lame script that I don't think anyone over 15 could have written it and not felt ashamed by having done it. I am aghast at the thought of how many good films could have been made in the Third World with the money that went down in such First World junk like this. Well, I guess that just would not happen, you know, after all, the mentality of the film industry is no different than that of the sausage industry. Anyway, give yourself a break and skip this film. 

Rating: 23

Shark Tale (2004)

Synopsis: Little fish poses as a "Shark Slayer". 

Appraisal: This animation tries to make up for the silliness and triteness of its script by filling it with 'cultural references'. The only thing that makes it (barely) watchable are the pretty visuals. 

Rating: 41

Le silence de la mer (2004)

Synopsis: A young woman lives with her grandfather in WWII occupied France. They must share their house with a German officer. 

Appraisal: Well-done TV movie, with an engaging story. 

Rating: 55

Scorching Sands (1923)

Synopsis: A guy enlists in the Foreign Legion and gets in trouble there.
Appraisal: A little irregular, with funny bits and dull ones.
The version I watched was that of the TV show "Comedy Capers", under the title "The Foreign Legion".

A Man About Town (1923)

Synopsis: A young man that wants to switch trains but does not know how is told to follow a young woman and that he does, arousing the suspicion of a police officer.
Appraisal: I found this short amusing enough, even if there is nothing really extraordinary about it.
The version I watched was that of the TV show "Comedy Capers", under the title "The Gay Blade" (nothing to do with the film).

The Mighty Quinn (1989)

Synopsis: In Jamaica, a police officer investigates a murder and theft. Some powerful people want to pin the crime on the officer's childhood friend. 

Appraisal: This is my second viewing of this film. Basically, this is an entertaining crime story that maintains a good level throughout its entire length. Its Jamaican background adds to the interest, and I think that it does portray the country with affection, although the cast and crew are U.S. The discussion of individual corruption is interesting and unjudgmental, placing it in its social context. 

Rating: 65

Bout de Zan et l'embusqué (1915)

U.S. Title: Bout de Zan and the Shirker.
Synopsis: Bout de Zan and his family have to endure the hunting stories told by a boring acquaintance. But they will have their revenge.
Appraisal: Unpretentious and mildly funny short comedy. It was also part of the enlisting campaign in France.

La signora delle camelie (1915)

English Titles: Camille; The Lady of the Camellias.
Synopsis: A young man falls in love with a Paris courtesan, and is retributed. But external factors will pose obstacles to their relationship.
Appraisal: Lacklustre version of Dumas fils's novel. It manages to convey the story with images and a few intertitles, but after a while it gets monotonous; maybe the sequences should be shorter, more concise.

Brokeback Mountain (2005)

Synopsis: Two men fall in love with each other, but are not able to develop a full relationship. 

Appraisal: This is one of those films about personal dramas, tortured characters, difficult choices, regrets. Films of that kind generally have an easy way to widespread critical recognition (this one had), provided they display technical and acting excellency (this one does). They are not required to contain anything artistically groundbreaking or creative, and in fact, given the record of films that achieved that status, one is allowed to say that they are forbidden to contain them. This film runs at about 2 hours and 14 minutes, and it basically intends to show how these two men cannot get together. In the process, the viewer is presented with the lives of both men, separately, in detail. This makes little dramaturgical sense. You could tell the same story in a half an hour shorter movie. 

Rating: 66

No Direction Home: Bob Dylan (2005)

Competently made 3h30 documentary covering the artist's career until 1966. Rumor has it they just completed the second part, covering his career from then until today. According to the same apocryphal source, that second part lasts 15 minutes. Rating: 60 (Addendum on June 29, 2021: That rating has been canceled. I have decided a while ago that rating documentaries and fiction films together is silly; I no longer rate documentaries.)

The Invaders (1912)

Synopsis: The presence of some land surveyors on Native American territory sparks a war between Whites and Native Americans.
Appraisal: Competently made, and as unbiased as a film of that period could be. The plot has at least one implausible element, namely, a young Native American woman that betrays her people. Curiously, that happened also in the first film reviewed in this website (Le straordinarissime avventure di Saturnino Farandola).

May (2002)

Synopsis: May, a social misfit, having lived an isolated childhood, longs for being loved, but is unprepared to relate with others. 

Appraisal: "May" describes a character's journey into madness. It shows how each pillar of sanity is removed from May's fragile psyche, until it all falls down, in a scene filled with symbolism, when a certain object is broken. After that, all hell breaks loose, and the film pursues to the horrible end the logical path that it has designed so carefully. "May" might be described as a horror story with a sense of humor. The first three quarters of the film have no violence; in that time the viewer gets acquainted with the characters; also, the sense of menace grows. There are perhaps imperfections: in the beginning there is room for additional scenes; in the middle, on the other hand, there are scenes that look superfluous; but these are not serious flaws. Of the 122 films I have seen that were released in 2002, only 10 stand out, and "May" is number 8. 

Rating: 74

Memoirs of a Geisha (2005)

Synopsis: A child is sold by her parents to a geisha house. She later becomes a geisha. 

Appraisal: Melodrama with high production values, fluent pace and at least one atrocious accent. Verdict: watchable. 

Rating: 64

Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004)

Synopsis: A guy has to win a dodgeball tournament in order to collect the money to save his gym from being taken over by his rival. 

Appraisal: This is clearly a formulaic comedy, even mocking itself about it. The humor is frequently physical, and invariably simple. It has amused many undemanding viewers. 

Rating: 35

The Secret Lives of Dentists (2002)

Synopsis: A husband sees evidence that his wife is having an affair, but chooses not to confront her.

Appraisal: These characters' unexciting lives could perhaps be made exciting in a novel, because there one can have full access to their thoughts and states of minds. (By the way, the film is based on a novel, which I have not read.) As cinema, though, it lacks the necessary elements that could transform that dullness into something more engaging to the viewer. Thus, even displaying good acting and believable characters, it falls short of being a rewarding viewing experience. Oh, and that is a stupid title. 

Rating: 49

Nirgendwo in Afrika (2001)

English Title: Nowhere in Africa. 

Synopsis: A family of Jews flees Germany in 1938, establishing itself in a farm in Kenya. 

Appraisal: An interesting story, handled with competence, but also with a penchant for convention. Some scenes should be better thought out, in order to avoid a certain phoniness; example: when the cook says goodbye to the girl he advises her to take care of her father because he is still only a child; that does not sound like something such a character would say. 

Rating: 54