Pay It Forward (2000)

Synopsis: A kid comes up with this idea for a project in the Social Studies class: a person has to do a good deed to three persons, and each of these persons has to do the same, and so forth. 

Appraisal: This is a stupid movie, and it's hard even to review it because it makes so little sense that I don't know where to start. I thought of beginning by bashing the whole idea of the chain as misguided, but in fact then I would be assuming that the film advocates it, which is not clear, since the results of the characters's deeds are not clearly positive in most cases, and very negative in some. If, on the other hand, the filmmaker were trying to demonstrate the futility of that sort of idea through a series of disasters, maybe throw some comedy in, who knows, perhaps it could work. But the film verges definitely on the sentimental side, so I was left wondering, what's the point of the story? If it were just a prop for interesting stories, then it would have been justified. But the dramatic stories are so tritely developed that there is no salvation from that angle either. I could not see a point to this film. 

Rating: 29

"The Office": Season 2 (2002) [TV-series]

The second season of this English series shows the downfall of David Brent, and the arrival of some new characters. I won't say it impressed me as much as the first season - there is almost alway a little weariness as a series gets older - but it still delivers a lot of good moments. Those who loved the first season will not want to miss it.

Matinee (1993)

Synopsis: During the Cuban missile crisis, the preview of a horror movie in Key West, Florida is causing an impact. 

Appraisal: This film benefits from an intelligent script that effectively combines the historical background with the fictional incidents, drawing a portrait of a difficult period. Without indulging in sentimentality, but on the contrary by way of a comicity that is never sarcastic or bitter, it sheds light on various aspects of the American state of mind at that time. There are many funny moments, but the honorable mention goes to that point when the leftist parents lecture their daughter about some "important subject", and the boy who is interested in her asks: "Are they for real?" 

Rating: 65

Kingpin (1996)

Synopsis: A former bowling champion sees in an Amish amateur player his chance at big bucks.
Appraisal: Imaginative, consistently funny, with inventive visual gags, in short this is a successful comedy. It is also an influential film, playing with excess and shock in a way that has been imitated by many but was only equaled by these directors themselves. The comic skill of the two leading actors contributed significantly to the success of the movie.
Rating: 66

Melinda and Melinda (2004)

This is an astonishingly bad movie, except this isn't that astonishing anymore, given the quantity of bad movies 2004 has poured out on us. With absolutely no cinematic expression, it feels like a radio play that has been filmed. The dialogue comes straight from the cliché factory, except no one uses lines like these anymore, not even as clichés ("Mahler's 2nd makes me cry" and so forth...). I wonder where this screenwriter picks the real life models for these characters. They must be a truly weird bunch if they talk remotely like that... The comic story is miserably unfunny, and the movie is plagued with one-liners that sound like left-overs from a stand up act. One hour and forty odd minutes of pure, unflinching torture. 

Rating: 14 (upgraded after a second viewing -- see new review on the November 14, 2006 posting) 

Note from November 14, 2006: I take almost everything I said in this review back (it does not look like a radio play; the unrelenting stream of dialogue sure kept me from appreciating its correct and sometimes brilliant -- as far as the pan-and-scan copy I saw it in allows me to assess this -- cinematography and competent production design); and what I don't take back (the characters are artificial, and the comic story is not so funny) I give a different dimension now: this is not meant to be a character study or a laugh-out-lout farce; read the new review on the November 14, 2006 posting. Sorry, blame my wrong first assessment on exhaustion.

Prescription: Murder (1968) (TV)

Synopsis: A psychiatrist murders his wife with the assistance of his patient and lover. 

Appraisal: This, the first of two pilots to the TV show "Columbo", is itself a remake of the episode "Enough Rope" of the 1960 TV show "The Chevy Mystery Show", written by the same pair of guys. It is well written and pleasant to watch. Some of the tricks Lt. Columbo uses in this film would be imitated later in other films or TV shows (I say this with a great degree of certainty, but cannot point out one specific case in which that happened.) The story is played at a more leisurely pace than the usual episode of the series, and has a greater amount of dialogue, some of which is very interesting. 

Rating: 52

The Birth of a Nation (1915)

Synopsis: A story of two families that end up in opposite sides during the American Civil War.
Appraisal: This film was clearly a tremendous mistake, but, borrowing the words from an Elvis Costello song, "it was a brilliant mistake". Obviously structured like a propaganda piece, it could be thought of as part of a campaign against the U.S. entering the First World War, although I could not find any conclusive information about whether it had that intention or not. I think it is much more likely that the filmmaker was moved by the pettiest, lowest motivation possible: spite. And he achieved a possibly unexpected result: the resurrection of the Ku Klux Klan, in a perverted form, much more evil than its earlier version. (And the U.S. entered World War One anyway.) The adjective "brilliant" refers of course to the technical excellence of the film.
This is my second viewing of this film, but the first viewing of the complete, three-hour long, version.

Yossi & Jagger (2002)

Synopsis: Describes life at a military Israeli outpost, centering on the secret relationship between two male soldiers. 

Appraisal: Running at little more than one hour, this film is the cinematic equivalent of a short story. Within its differentiated format, I think the film is quite successful in showing a homosexual relationship in a mixed gender military context. It is not clear from the film whether this type of relationship is forbidden in that context (and I don't know whether in the real life Israeli army it is forbidden), but the behavior of the characters seems to indicate that it is at least frowned upon. The film is no cinematic achievement, but it is basically correct and honest and deserves to be seen by anyone remotely interested in human stories with contemporary social relevance. 

Rating: 53

Prêt-à-Porter (1994)

Alternative American Title: Ready to Wear.
Synopsis: On the eve of a great fashion show, its organizer dies in mysterious circumstances.
Appraisal: This is a big kaleidoscope of people, showing the inners of the fashion industry. It's narrated in the form of parallel, more or less interrelated, alternating stories. I have seen it for the second time now; my first viewing was a long time ago, and I didn't enjoy it then. My feelings are far from negative now: it's an elegant movie, and not because of all the fancy clothes in it, of course; its elegance lies in the able juxtaposition of the stories, and in the masterful staging of the sequences. The film on the whole is quite funny, perhaps not laugh out loud funny, but certainly amusing enough. The cast was rather uniformly fine, as far as I remember, but I think a special mention should go to the actress who played Kitty the TV reporter.
Rating: 56

The Last Days of Disco (1998)

Synopsis: Two young women live, work and go to disco houses together. 

Appraisal: I loved what I could understand of this picture, which I think was around 80% of it. Certain parts I played several times, and still could not make out what they were saying. Anyway, as I said, what I did understand was enough to ensure my unconditional love for this movie. It has strong characters and memorable dialogue (the lines I could make out, that is), and perfect narrative timing and pace. Also, it has a superb ending, discreetly but effectively romantic. All actors were absolutely perfect, even the ones with smaller roles. It is a film I will want to watch again. Even though I was never a clubber myself, the kind of atmosphere the film evoked got to me, and made me share the characters' sense of loss at the end of an era. I am including it as the 16th position among my favorites of 1998. 

Rating: 70

The Thin Red Line (1998)

Synopsis: It describes the activities of a platoon that has to take an island from the Japanese in WWII.

Appraisal: Through the use of flashback, voiceover and a hypnotic soundtrack, war acquires here a mystical dimension. Each character occupies a small fraction of screen time, but makes a lasting impression. The natural landscape is used in a very effective way, for contrast and commentary. The taking of the hill is competently staged and makes for a thrilling action sequence. The whole of the movie is quite successful at delivering a view of the war that expresses anguish and interrogation. I guess one has to be in a war to really know what it is like, but this film pretty much felt like being there to me. I only wish I had seen it on the big screen. 

Rating: 66

The Limey (1999)

Synopsis: Englishman comes to L.A. to avenge the death of his daughter. 

Appraisal: This film is a fortunate combination of well thought out elements into a satisfying whole. From the hypnotizing score to the quirky editing, not forgetting the remarkable lead performance, everything contributes to set a distinctive tone to the movie. The essence of the film distances itself from the ordinary revenge film, in ways that I can't discuss in depth without disclosing elements of the plot. What I can say is that the theme of guilt is at the center of the film. 

Rating: 67

I Am Sam (2001)

Synopsis: Mentally handicapped man fights for the custody of his daughter. 

Appraisal: This is a formula film, and what is commonly referred to as a tear-jerker. I object a priori to films of this kind. That said, there are some specific remarks to be made about this film. First, I must admit that there are some scenes that are good. Not many, but some. For example, the scene where Sam won't stop reading Dr. Seuss, and thus won't let Lucy sleep, is one of them. I also must admit that the lead performance is very impressive. Among the bad things is the obviously manipulative script, which of course is an intrinsic characteristic of tear-jerkers. And some things that clearly didn't work for me. For example, I don't get what the pop band trivia was all about. No, don't try to explain. 

Rating: 47

The White Diamond (2004)

I usually enjoy documentaries, and was very confident about this one, that shows an engineer's attempts at building (and flying) a balloon; it did not live up to my expectations though. Don't get me wrong, there are some interesting things in it, and aficionados of the subject will of course want to see it. But there is also too much off-the-subject footage that only mars the film. To be honest, even the in-the-subject parts were at times rather dull. Also, it appeared to me that at times the interviewer/filmmaker tried too hard to make the engineer look bizarre.
Rating: 35

The Shipping News (2001)

Synopsis: Widower settles in the city of his ancestors, where he starts a new life. 

Appraisal: Ew. This review could stop right here, with that expressive little word. But why deny myself the pleasure of dwelling on the multiple aspects of this film's badness? This is one of those films that give themselves away right from the first frames, and you shudder with the prospect of spending the next two hours being submitted to a massacre of clichés and nonsense. In my case, I must confess that I struggled as hard as I could to like it, up until I found out that there was a psychic kid in it. I knew then that I must abandon all my hopes. Among the annoying things in this film I mention: (1) several characters that lie about their pasts just to add mystery to the film; (2) a character that borders on idiocy and for no apparent reason develops his intelligence as the film proceeds; (3) curses (that of course are defeated by the end of the movie); (4) a love affair that very artificially starts on the wrong foot, very artificially doesn't get started, and at last very artificially blooms; etc. All of that (and more) sum up to the basic fact that there is just no emotional credibility to the film; it is practically an anthology of fakeness. Although there are good actors in it, my impression is that some of the performances made the film even more ridiculous; perhaps because the actors seemed to take their preposterous lines and situations so seriously (which they were paid to do of course). 

Rating: 33

Columbo: Death Lends a Hand (1971) (TV)

Synopsis: The owner of a private investigation company accidentally kills a woman he was trying to blackmail. 

Appraisal: This is a deliciously ingenious episode of the famous TV series. This was actually the first filmed (but the second aired) episode of the regular series following two pilots (in 1968 and 1971). The character had in fact first appeared even earlier (in 1960) in another TV show. Written by the very creators of the character, 'Death Lends a Hand' is a complex plot that won't let go of the viewer's attention. This episode has an imaginative sequence where two simultaneous screens are set in the glasses' lenses of one character. The talented actors add to the quality of the show.

Knock Off (1998)

Synopsis: A clothes shop owner in Hong Kong is involved in a terrorist plan. 

Appraisal: This film is not worth going through. Though it is fairly action-packed, the action sequences are nothing extraordinary, and the non-action bits are simply terrible. My advice is: do not waste your time. 

Rating: 21

Maybe Baby (2000)

Synopsis: Couple tries hard to have a baby. 

Appraisal: This is a less than appealing comedy. The sort of situations depicted here are not particularly funny or interesting, except perhaps for people who are going (or have gone) through similar experiences as these characters are. There is nothing offensive or repulsive in the film, it is just excessively bland and innocuous. 

Rating: 37

"Cinema Europe: The Other Hollywood" (1996) (mini)

This is a 6-part documentary on European silent cinema. Apart from the first one (on the appearance of cinema) and the last one (on the appearance of talking pictures) each chapter addresses one particular country or region. It is very informative, and is appropriate as an introduction to the subject.

Burlesque on Carmen (1915)

Synopsis: A soldier gets into trouble for a woman.
Appraisal: This short film has some pretty inventive gags and is surely worth watching, but it is somewhat flawed as a whole. This stems perhaps from the mismatch between the tragic story and the comedic approach. Unlike, for example, "The Bank" and "The Tramp", made in the same year, where comedy and drama mix in a harmonic way, here they are too incompatible.

A Night in the Show (1915)

Synopsis: Two spectators disturb a live theater show.
Appraisal: This short comedy is nothing especially remarkable, but is generally funny. It begins with fairly elaborate gags and gets progressively slapstick-ish towards the ending.

Shanghaied (1915)

Synopsis: A shipowner plans to blow his ship in order to collect the insurance money. The film follows the funny occurrences inside this ship at sea.
Appraisal: This short comedy is a bit irregular, containing some unfunny parts along with other parts that are funnier. The scenes of the rocking boat, with everyone being tossed about while trying not to, are quite well staged. Its main attraction of course is the lead actor and his amazing corporal expression.

The Phantom of the Opera (2004)

Synopsis: Masked man hiding in a theater takes a young singer as protégée.
Appraisal: Although its source material is the apex of modern kitsch, I must admit that the director of this film managed to infuse life into it. He achieved that mainly through the able use of decor, camerawork and editing. Thus the final result rises above the intrinsic conventionality of the text and songs, coming out as a visually compelling spectacle.
Rating: 54

Ett hål i mitt hjärta (2004)

English Title: A Hole in My Heart 

Synopsis: A porn filmmaker and his son, plus a man and a woman that work as actors in the porn film, in an apartment. 

Appraisal: This film's director apparently was trying to conjure up the most repulsive imagery and the most depressing situations he could think of. That's shock for shock's sake, very sloppily put together in an obviously improvised way. Bottom line: just a bored director playing naughty boy and if you spend an hour and a half doing absolutely nothing that's time better spent than watching this movie. 

Rating: 20

Team America: World Police (2004)

Synopsis: Military Group in charge of protecting the world has a new challenge: avoid a terrible terrorist attack.
Appraisal: Here's the catch: this film could only appeal to persons under the age of 17, but is rated R, which means that those persons are not allowed to watch it. Fortunately, adults are devolving into a permanent state of childishness, making the catch obsolete. Lest I sound too harsh, let me clarify my position: I did not consider the film completely bad. There is some amount of decent stuff in it. But what prevails is (1) the usual assortment of in-jokes concerning the American film industry; and (2) grossness. Neither appeal to me. Politically, I have no problem with this film. Just like in the "South Park" series, under a cloak of profanity and pseudo-outrage, they are pretty moderate and sensible and most of the times state the obvious. But they seem to imply (1) that actors with million dollar salaries have no right to express their opinions; (2) that these opinions are always stupid. They are wrong in both.
Rating: 46

The Lion King (1994)

Synopsis: A lion cub is tricked into thinking he is responsible for his father's death by an evil uncle.
Appraisal: First, the good things: the songs! Oh, and most secondary characters are interesting, visually at least. The stampede sequence is also very good. The not-so-good things: the plotline. Why? Because it is ideologically out of tune with my personal convictions and with modern thought in general. How's that? Well, it is basically a monarchist movie. Does that matter, being a cartoon? Well, I think it does. It affects the empathy we feel for the characters. Other not-so-good things: shall I mention the too-smart-for-its-own-good dialogue? The net result is positive, but only by a small margin.
Rating: 51

Der Untergang (2004)

English Title: Downfall.
Synopsis: It narrates the last days of the Nazi regime.
Appraisal: What a magnificent historical movie this is! I am willing to bet that it is the most accurate portrayal of an historical event ever put to celluloid. What else can I say? It is so perfect in every aspect... Screenplay, direction, acting, etc, etc. I must say I came to this movie with very low expectations, mainly due to some stupid debate that followed its release. Boy, was I pleasantly surprised. This is a very gripping account of a happy moment in History, focusing those people for which it was the unhappiest one.
As of now, it is the best 2004 film that I have seen. Of course I am a little far behind everyone else and have seen only 60 films of that year, so it may not remain in that position forever. But it sure is a great movie.
Rating: 75

"Cheers" (1982): S01E01-03

TV Series whose action is set in a pub. It has a light kind of humor. I couldn't go beyond episode 3, but that does not mean the show is bad; it's just that I did not find it compelling enough.
Here are the names of the episodes:

S01E01: Give Me a Ring Sometime
S01E02: Sam's Women
S01E03: The Tortelli Tort

"Alias" (2001): S1E01-08

This TV series was targeted primarily at the teenage audience, but can be enjoyed by adults as well. It has a lot of action and some drama, too. The plot is completely absurdistic, and I suspect that that is intentional. The cast is charismatic enough, and a special mention goes to the character Marshal and the actor that plays him. I could not take more than eight episodes, but who knows after I finish watching and rewatching every masterpiece of cinema and have a taste of every good TV series ever produced, I may pick up from where I stopped. The episodes I watched were:

S1E01: Truth Be Told
S1E02: So It Begins
S1E03: Parity
S1E04: A Broken Heart
S1E05: Doppelganger
S1E06: Reckoning
S1E07: Color Blind
S1E08: Time Will Tell

Murder by Numbers (2002)

Synopsis: Two high school students plan to commit the perfect murder. 

Appraisal: Although competently scripted and directed, and superbly acted, this crime drama never really gets to be an exciting film. It's practically suspenseless, so under that angle it really amounts to nothing, unlike its first predecessor, "Rope" (1948). The psychological analysis of the criminals is not as developed as in its second predecessor, "Compulsion" (1959), but I must say that I remember very little of that movie, so I may be wrong here. The emphasis here is on the police investigation, so the film has little or no difference from an episode of one of the dozens of TV series of the investigation genre. As a matter of fact, it has one difference: it is longer, and I can't say that's a good thing. 

Rating: 42

Der neue Schreibtisch (1913)

This is just a short comic sketch in which a man has to "reform" a desk that is too big. I must say it prompted me to laugh out loud.

Tonite Let's All Make Love in London (1967)

I saw this because I thought it contained the footage in Pink Floyd London '66-'67 and more. But there must be missing pieces in my copy because none of that film (that I remember) is in this one. The copy I saw is mostly interviews, and a few musical numbers, not (I think) by Pink Floyd. It figures too, because it was only 56 minutes long when IMDb says it should be 70. Anyway, the interviews are not very interesting so it may be of some interest for 60's fanatics and that's all.

Conte d'automne (1998)

Synopsis: Magali doesn't have a boyfriend and her friends try to fix her up with men. 

Appraisal: This film follows some simultaneous stories of relationships of people close to the widow Magali, and the process of finding her a companion. The proceedings are not unlike a game, and the dialogue at one point even brings that up (but I don't remember which point it is). The screenplay is well structured and I found myself pulling for the protagonist. There is quite a lot of intelligent dialogue in this film, which makes watching it a pleasant experience. 

Rating: 66

The Barber Shop (1933)

Synopsis: A day in the life of a barber. 

Appraisal: Due to impaired sound, it was impossible for me to understand much of what was said in this short film. From what I could understand, I would say that it is a fair comedy, mostly nice, but a little unfunny at times. 

Rating: 42

"NYPD Blue" (1993): S01E01-04

This is a good series, but I am not sufficiently drawn to it, so I am quitting at the fourth episode.

S01E01: Pilot
S01E02: 4B or Not 4B
S01E03: Brown Appetit
S01E04: True Confessions

Marie-Jo et ses 2 amours (2002)

Synopsis: Married woman has a lover. 

Appraisal: This is one of those slow films that take the viewer's attention for granted. This comment applies to all films that I saw by this overrated director. The acting is competent, but despite the slow pace there is no real character development here. I for one could not describe any one character of this film in terms of personality. So, if it is not a character study, what is it? In retrospect it looks like a moral tale, but I am not sure if that was the intention. Anyway, it is less than engaging. 

Rating: 36

The Pharmacist (1933)

Synopsis: A day in the life of the owner of a drugstore. 

Appraisal: Lovely short film, full of funny sketches. The leading actor is outstanding; the whole cast is actually very well. Too bad the sound was not 100% in the copy I watched. 

Rating: 64

Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself (2002)

Synopsis: Two brothers, one with suicidal tendencies and the other a serious man that tries to help his brother, meet a single mother through their bookshop. 

Appraisal: I liked the emotional density of this film, and that the story is like an ironic parable on life. Also, it is well directed and acted, and most scenes have a natural, spontaneous feel. Its weak points are on the details, I guess. Children that speak and act like adults, for instance. One would think, from recent films, that filmmakers were born adults, because they have no clue about how a child thinks and behaves. Also, the character of the nurse is frankly absurd, without necessarily being funny. 

Rating: 63

Up the River (1930)

Synopsis: Two guys are always breaking out of prison. This time they got to do it to help an ex-fellow inmate who is being blackmailed.
Appraisal: This film defines itself as a "comedy drama". The comicity here comes in a nice, gentle manner, not intended for an outburst of laughter, but rather for a smile. The whole atmosphere of the film is gentle and there is only one character that is evil, and he is not a convict. The cast is one of the main strengths of the movie, and it seems that everyone involved understood the tone of the film and conveyed precisely the right performance for it.
In this film, prison is not the grim, corrupt place which we grew accustomed to with the films of the 60's, 70's and 80's. I don't know how civilized were the real prisons in the 30's, but I suspect that they weren't as civilized as the one this film shows. See the film and you will know what I mean. Bottom line: a worthy film.
Rating: 60

"Sex and the City" (1998): Season 1

Synopsis: The sexual adventures of four female friends in New York City.
Appraisal: A charming series, well written and with excellent performances. It showed some signs of fatigue by the end of the season though, and that is why I decided to take a break, or quit altogether. This is an eminently static show, with emphasis on what characters say and how they look, but no real action. This is no demerit of course, it is the nature of the show. I liked how each episode chose a theme and developed it in various situations according to each character's personality. Maybe the following seasons are also good, but it seems like sex in the city is not such an inexhaustible subject, and they pretty much covered the main topics in these first 12 episodes.

Detour (1945)

Synopsis: Man hitchhikes from New York to Los Angeles to meet his girlfriend. 

Appraisal: This film could benefit from some improvements in its screenplay, particularly in what regards the behavior of the Vera character. No one in her right mind would behave like she does in a car on a semidesert road with a possible murderer in the car with her. I mean, wouldn't she be just a little afraid? That aside, the film has qualities and addresses a situation that is very appealing to almost everyone: the possibility of losing everything because of some dirty trick of chance. For a film this cheap, the quality of the mise-en-scene and camerawork is quite good. 

Rating: 52

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1920/I)

Synopsis: Scientist discovers a drug that separates the good and bad personalities of a person. 

Appraisal: Good silent movie with a great performance of the lead actor. The appearance and manner of Hyde reminded me of Nosferatu, that would be released two years after this film. 

Rating: 61

C'est pour les orphelines (1916)

English Title: For the Children.
This is a 3 minute film made for gathering money for war orphans. It is very bad.

Tokyo Joe (1949)

Synopsis: A guy that used to own a nightclub in Tokyo before WWII returns there after the end of the war. 

Appraisal: Post-war melodrama. Not hard to watch, but without any remarkable features. It also has a distasteful pro-American slant. The lead male performance is good, and the lead female performance is bad. 

Rating: 41

"The O.C." (2003): S01E01-03

I watched the first three episodes of this so-so series and decided to stop due to lack of interest.

Columbo: Murder by the Book (1971) (TV)

Synopsis: A writing duo splits, and one kills the other. An investigation ensues. 

Appraisal: This is the first aired episode of the regular series Columbo. It was preceded by two pilots, one in 1968 (which was based on an earlier TV series episode) and another in 1971. Also, it was filmed after the one that was aired next. The story is very entertaining, at least for people like me that enjoy old fashioned TV shows. I detected at least one plot hole, though: there were two phone calls from the beach area to the widow, but she thought the second one came from his husband's office. Lt. Columbo checked the existence of these phone calls, so why didn't he double-check with the widow the exact number of phone calls that she recalled having received and from whom these calls were from?

Alfie (2004)

Synopsis: The adventures of a womanizer. 

Appraisal: I came to this movie with little or no hope of liking it, but I must say I was quite surprised. As I expected, it is a different movie than the earlier version, and a weaker one. The thing is, the earlier movie is practically a tragedy whose main character is a profoundly detestable fellow, and the film has a strong moral message. Here, the story has been adapted to newer, morally looser times, and in consequence the film loses a little bit of focus and strength. While the old Alfie was a man of no conscience and thus a truly evil person, the new Alfie is just a normal guy that makes mistakes, pays for them, and perhaps even learns some things in the process. Women are more liberated today than they were forty years ago, and sex has become less of a moral issue than it was then; the filmmakers made the necessary changes to take all that into account. The price to pay is some trivialization of the story, but it still holds the viewer's interest due mainly to the agile narrative style. 

Rating: 55

A Fool There Was (1915)

Synopsis: Married man abandons his family for a woman.
Appraisal: While dated in its morality, this film displays obvious artistic qualities. The acting style is sober except that of the 'Vampire', but I felt that was appropriate. The direction was rather well done, with well staged scenes and very little reliance on intertitles. In fact, I think that this film is a little underappreciated. Of course we are talking 1915, and a masterpiece is not to be expected, but it is a good work.

"I Love Lucy" (1951): S01E00-05

Synopsis: Comic situations in the life of a couple.
Appraisal: I used to watch this series as a child, and felt the urge to rewatch it. I must say that I found episodes 01-05 very enjoyable, with fabulous dialogue and some very funny scenes. Episode 00 (a pilot that was never aired) does not feature the neighbor couple and is not on the same level, but is watchable. The names of the episodes are as follows:

S01E00 (pilot)
S01E01: The Girls Want to Go to a Nightclub
S01E02: Be a Pal
S01E03: The Diet
S01E04: Lucy Thinks Ricky Is Trying to Murder Her
S01E05: The Quiz Show

The Guilty (2000)

Synopsis: A complex web involving a lawyer, his secretary, his out-of-wedlock son, the friends of the latter, a rape, and a hit. (Not really a synopsis, but this film works best if you know nothing about it.)
Appraisal: This film is no masterpiece, but it is quite entertaining due to the solid screenplay, direction and cast. (Not much of a review, but this is the kind of movie that you watch and don't think a lot about.)
Rating: 51

The Commissioner (1998)

Synopsis: The European commissioner for Industry has to deal with a complex plot behind a merger of chemical companies. 

Appraisal: This is routine fare by any standards. There are some real political issues raised by the film, but this is done on a rather feuilleton manner, with abundant plot twists interspersed with some bland sexual drama. 

Rating: 36

Posle smerti (1915)

English Title: After Death.
Synopsis: A young scholar that lives a secluded life goes out one night and meets an actress.
Appraisal: The first, more upbeat part of the film, impresses for some finely composed frames and a remarkable dolly sequence at a party. The morbid undertones that become prominent in the second part are illustrated with some genuinely eerie imagery. All in all, an engaging film that constitutes a real achievement for its age. Additional kudos go to the excellent score composed for the film.

Oldboy (2003)

Synopsis: Man is incarcerated for 15 years for apparently no reason. 

Appraisal: The experience of watching this movie has been mostly negative for me, as I could not detect enough cinematic virtues in it to motivate me to develop a strong interest in the resolution of the main mystery. While post facto I acknowledge a certain ingenuity to the whole proceedings, the fact remains that said proceedings are full of annoying features that ultimately ruin the movie. To begin with, there is the inevitable sequence (an eternal obsession in Asian movies) of one man defeating dozens of well trained enemies with just, what, willpower? While that may prove interesting in martial arts films, here it is just out of place. Then there is the incapacity of portraying female characters with any depth. I think the resonance the film found among audiences may be due to some cathartic effect its over-the-top brutality might have on angst-ridden adolescents, but that of course would not explain why that resonance extends to adults as well... or would it? After all, isn't it old boys we are talking about here? Anyway I stick to the point that cinematically the film is mostly dull, even though it displays some visual flare due to its competent camerawork. 

Rating: 39

"The Office" (2001) [TV-series]: Season 1

Synopsis: The daily activities of a branch of a paper company in England.
Appraisal: This TV-series blew me away. Its depiction of an assorted variety of characters in a small microcosmos achieved sublime levels of tragicomedy, and departs from the traditional low emphasis on mise-en-scene that is characteristic of TV productions. Here, it is quite the opposite. There is a rumor about certain scenes being done in dozens of takes, and honestly it shows. Seldom have I seen such richness of levels, and such perfectly orchestrated sequences as here. And everything else shines: from the smart text to the glorious performances by everyone involved. It is hard to believe that these actors are not actually the characters they are impersonating.
I think it is fair to consider the six episodes of this first season as a dramatic unit, and include it as one of my favorite films of 2001. In the eighth position.

Zelary (2003)

Synopsis: In WWII Czechoslovakia, a woman that helps the Resistance has to run away and hide in the country. She is obliged to marry in order not to arouse suspicions.
Appraisal: The characters of this film lack depth, and the story per se is not all that interesting. The camerawork is primitive, and the acting is merely adequate. The only thing that stands out is its gorgeous cinematography.
Rating: 49

"The Critic" (1994): S1E01

I felt a certain nostalgia for this animated TV series, of which I have long ago watched an unknown number of episodes. I rewatched the first episode.

"Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist" (1995): S1E01-04

I had watched, in a disorganized way, many episodes years ago. I recently watched (probably not for the first time) the first four.

S1E01: Pot-Bellied Pigs.
S1E02: Pretzelkins.
S1E03: Bully.
S1E04: Cholesterol.

I had the intention of watching the whole series in a sequential fashion, but I decided to take a break which may be temporary.

"Get a Life" (1990): S1E01-04

Watched the first four episodes.

S1E01: Terror on the Hell Loop 2000
S1E02: The Prettiest Week of My Life
S1E03: Dadicus
S1E04: A Family Affair

Good episodes so far, except for S1E02. Maybe some day I will pick up from where I stopped.

"Frasier" (1993): S1E01, S01E02, S01E03

Watched three episodes (the first three).
S01E01: The Good Son
S01E02: Space Quest
S01E03: Dinner at Eight

Good series. Just logging it so I pick from where I stopped. Maybe.