Synopsis: An actress and her boyfriend suffer a car accident which leaves him in a coma and does nothing to her. Several people which she has contact with subsequently start dying.
Appraisal: The same comments I made for the previous Ju-on film apply here as well. Both are empty films, which provide some creepy imagery and some narrative formalism which are an end in themselves. The effect is less than powerful.
Rating: 40
Friday, February 29, 2008
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Santa Claus and the Tenth Avenue Kid (1955) (TV)
Synopsis: A paroled convict is employed as a store Santa Claus.
Appraisal: The tone is considerably lightened here, in the spirit of the holiday it evokes; every episode but one so far has a little surprise or twist; in this one, it consists of a witty remark at the end. Bad Santa (2003) has some similarities with it.
Appraisal: The tone is considerably lightened here, in the spirit of the holiday it evokes; every episode but one so far has a little surprise or twist; in this one, it consists of a witty remark at the end. Bad Santa (2003) has some similarities with it.
Notes on a Scandal (2006)
Synopsis: In an English high school, a new teacher is the focus of the attentions. She and a spinster who has secret lesbian inclinations toward her become close friends. The new teacher -- a married woman with two children -- is fucking one of her students; the spinster sees them doing it.
Appraisal: Entertaining, smartly written and correctly directed.
Rating: 64
Appraisal: Entertaining, smartly written and correctly directed.
Rating: 64
Monday, February 25, 2008
Timecop (1994)
Synopsis: In 2004, time travel is technologically feasible. A police section has been established to punish those who do it for personal gain thus -- according to the film's peculiar physics -- altering the course of history. One cop finds out that one senator is using it to improve his financial status so that he can back his own presidential campaign.
Appraisal: This one was way better than I expected. The plot is quite ingenious, as long as its scientifical improprieties - such as the elimination of the concept of multiplying time lines -- are taken as the film's raison d'être rather than an oversight.
Rating: 51
Appraisal: This one was way better than I expected. The plot is quite ingenious, as long as its scientifical improprieties - such as the elimination of the concept of multiplying time lines -- are taken as the film's raison d'être rather than an oversight.
Rating: 51
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Venus (2006/I)
Synopsis: A very old man gets infatuated with a young woman.
Appraisal: Oh, how boring this is.
Rating: 32
Appraisal: Oh, how boring this is.
Rating: 32
Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Guilty Witness (1955) (TV)
Synopsis: A man and his wife are concerned about the disappearance of a neighbor after he had an argument with his wife.
Appraisal: Another of those entertaining but ultimately unsatisfactory concoctions. This one borrows from "Rear Window" -- unless it anticipates it, or is just a simultaneous idea.
Appraisal: Another of those entertaining but ultimately unsatisfactory concoctions. This one borrows from "Rear Window" -- unless it anticipates it, or is just a simultaneous idea.
Alfred Hitchcock Presents: The Case of Mr. Pelham (1955) (TV)
Synopsis: A man begins to suspect of the existence of a double; he also ponders on the possibility of having gone mad.
Appraisal: This episode has an important difference from all the previous ones, which I won't tell here. Let's just say that they seemed to follow a formula, and this time they violated one of the rules of that formula. I can't say in all honesty that I liked it much; this whole series is watchable, but, let's face it, just barely so.
Appraisal: This episode has an important difference from all the previous ones, which I won't tell here. Let's just say that they seemed to follow a formula, and this time they violated one of the rules of that formula. I can't say in all honesty that I liked it much; this whole series is watchable, but, let's face it, just barely so.
Alfred Hitchcock Presents: The Long Shot (1955) (TV)
Synopsis: A man who owes money to a bookie flees town as the chauffeur of an Englishman; he is also from England and his employer makes him talk a lot about the old country. Halfway into the journey, the chauffeur finds out that his employer is going to San Francisco to collect an inheritance, and that no one there knows what he looks like.
Appraisal: Another ingenious concoction with a twist at the ending.
Appraisal: Another ingenious concoction with a twist at the ending.
Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Our Cook's a Treasure (1955) (TV)
Synopsis: A man starts feeling bad in his stomach right after he hires a new cook. His wife shows some indisposition as well. All this happens while the newspapers report that a serial killer who employs herself as a housekeeper is on the loose.
Appraisal: Another nice concoction.
Appraisal: Another nice concoction.
Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Breakdown (1955) (TV)
Synopsis: A man suffers a car crash and survives but gets completely paralyzed except for one finger. Everyone thinks he is dead, and he is scared that he will be buried alive.
Appraisal: This is a very good story, possibly the best so far among the ones I have watched in this series. Strictly from a cinematic angle, though, it's arguably not the best episode; it is very static and depends heavily on the voice-over which expresses the protagonist's thoughts.
Appraisal: This is a very good story, possibly the best so far among the ones I have watched in this series. Strictly from a cinematic angle, though, it's arguably not the best episode; it is very static and depends heavily on the voice-over which expresses the protagonist's thoughts.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Salvage (1955) (TV)
Synopsis: A woman faces up with the revenge urge of a man whose brother's death she ultimately caused.
Appraisal: Although its ending is predictable about halfway into it, this is remarkable in some aspects; the sheer precision and intensity of the direction, which features some stunning close-ups, is quite outstanding; the performances are also very good, particularly the leading actor's. While its plot is practically the telling of a joke, it is competently developed.
Appraisal: Although its ending is predictable about halfway into it, this is remarkable in some aspects; the sheer precision and intensity of the direction, which features some stunning close-ups, is quite outstanding; the performances are also very good, particularly the leading actor's. While its plot is practically the telling of a joke, it is competently developed.
Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Into Thin Air (1955) (TV)
Synopsis: Mother and daughter arrive in Paris for the Exposition in 1900. The mother feels bad and the doctor sends the daughter to fetch the medicine. When she returns to the hotel her mother has disappeared and no one seems to remember either of them.
Appraisal: Stories of disappearance enjoy a persistent popularity. It's interesting to observe that the solution, although implausible, is rather prosaic, unlike in recent film productions.
Appraisal: Stories of disappearance enjoy a persistent popularity. It's interesting to observe that the solution, although implausible, is rather prosaic, unlike in recent film productions.
Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Don't Come Back Alive (1955) (TV)
Synopsis: A man has his wife go to another town incognito for seven years so that he can claim her dead and thus collect her life insurance.
Appraisal: Entertaining.
Appraisal: Entertaining.
La folie des grandeurs (1971)
English title: Delusions of Grandeur.
Synopsis: In Spain of some centuries ago (I don't know exactly which century this is set in, probably the 16th), the Minister of Finance and Taxes is exonerated over a small incident; he then plots a scheme to have his job back while at the same time avenging himself at the Queen, who was responsible for his disgrace. The man who replaces him in his former job is his former valet, whom he plans to use in his evil schemes.
Appraisal: Predictably, this is another unattractive comedy by the same guy(s) who made Le Corniaud and La Grande Vadrouille. This one is even less attractive because it does not have Bourvil, who was probably the only interesting thing about the other two films.
Rating: 25
Synopsis: In Spain of some centuries ago (I don't know exactly which century this is set in, probably the 16th), the Minister of Finance and Taxes is exonerated over a small incident; he then plots a scheme to have his job back while at the same time avenging himself at the Queen, who was responsible for his disgrace. The man who replaces him in his former job is his former valet, whom he plans to use in his evil schemes.
Appraisal: Predictably, this is another unattractive comedy by the same guy(s) who made Le Corniaud and La Grande Vadrouille. This one is even less attractive because it does not have Bourvil, who was probably the only interesting thing about the other two films.
Rating: 25
Recreation (1914)
Synopsis: A park. A couple. A bum. Two police officers.
Appraisal: Awful short comedy.
Appraisal: Awful short comedy.
La grande vadrouille (1966)
English title: Don't Look Now - We're Being Shot at.
Synopsis: During World War II, some English airbombers are taken down while flying over occupied France, and their plane occupants jump with their parachutes. On French soil, they are chased by the Nazis. Two French men -- an orchestra conductor and a house painter -- help them to escape.
Appraisal: Another insipid French comedy by the same guy who made Le Corniaud.
Rating: 26
Synopsis: During World War II, some English airbombers are taken down while flying over occupied France, and their plane occupants jump with their parachutes. On French soil, they are chased by the Nazis. Two French men -- an orchestra conductor and a house painter -- help them to escape.
Appraisal: Another insipid French comedy by the same guy who made Le Corniaud.
Rating: 26
Friday, February 15, 2008
Baby Boom (1987)
Synopsis: Female executive inherits a baby from a distant cousin.
Appraisal: Nice comedy, with an intelligent screenplay and an outstanding leading performance. My understanding of the dialogue was less than 100%.
Rating: 56
Appraisal: Nice comedy, with an intelligent screenplay and an outstanding leading performance. My understanding of the dialogue was less than 100%.
Rating: 56
Poison (1991)
Synopsis: 1. "Horror". A scientist discovers the substance responsible for the sex drive. He accidentally drinks it and as a result he turns into a maniac and horrible leperlike wounds appear in his skin, both conditions being contagious to the touch. 2. "Hero". Several persons are interviewed regarding a kid who killed his father and mysteriously disappeared. 3. "Homo". A man is sent first to a reformatory, later to prison, because of his thefts. The homosexual world of these microcosmos is depicted, with their own rules and power structures. This segment is based on Jean Genet; I don't know about the other two.
Appraisal: Three segments having apparently little in common; perhaps the underlying theme is the interplay of instinct and society, although the segment "Hero" doesn't fit so nicely in this description. In the black-and-white "Horror" the conventions of B-science-fiction films are adopted to explicitate the dichotomy between Eros and civilization, in a story which owes much to Stevenson's The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. In "Homo", filled with pictorial and literary lyricism, environment shapes desire and identity, but there is still a division between group followers and individualists. "Hero", the most complex and ambiguous of the three stories, adopts an indirect approach where the only absent character is the protagonist himself. It's as if the main character is a perfect void, or a perfect mirror. It is a bit enigmatic, but there appears to be a thematic resemblance with the film La meilleure façon de marcher (1976).
Rating: 63
Appraisal: Three segments having apparently little in common; perhaps the underlying theme is the interplay of instinct and society, although the segment "Hero" doesn't fit so nicely in this description. In the black-and-white "Horror" the conventions of B-science-fiction films are adopted to explicitate the dichotomy between Eros and civilization, in a story which owes much to Stevenson's The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. In "Homo", filled with pictorial and literary lyricism, environment shapes desire and identity, but there is still a division between group followers and individualists. "Hero", the most complex and ambiguous of the three stories, adopts an indirect approach where the only absent character is the protagonist himself. It's as if the main character is a perfect void, or a perfect mirror. It is a bit enigmatic, but there appears to be a thematic resemblance with the film La meilleure façon de marcher (1976).
Rating: 63
Waist Deep (2006)
Synopsis: A man's son is kidnapped and he must raise the ransom in a short amount of time.
Appraisal: Not very original and definitely not to be taken seriously, yet watchable all the same, if you are in a very undemanding mood.
Rating: 31
Appraisal: Not very original and definitely not to be taken seriously, yet watchable all the same, if you are in a very undemanding mood.
Rating: 31
Global Heresy (2002)
Alternative title: Rock My World.
Synopsis: An American rock band goes to a secluded mansion in England to rehearse; the mansion is being let by an impoverished couple of aristocrats who disguise themselves as the house servants for the occasion.
Appraisal: Although nothing very innovative or brilliant, this comedy with occasional bits of drama is well constructed and well put together and may be seen with some pleasure.
Rating: 50
Synopsis: An American rock band goes to a secluded mansion in England to rehearse; the mansion is being let by an impoverished couple of aristocrats who disguise themselves as the house servants for the occasion.
Appraisal: Although nothing very innovative or brilliant, this comedy with occasional bits of drama is well constructed and well put together and may be seen with some pleasure.
Rating: 50
Death on the Staircase: The Aftermath (2005) (TV)
This provides a summary of what was shown in the series, as well as some further interviews with some of its protagonists and also its director after the events which were shown in it. The interviews with the jury members are essential viewing.
Soupçons (2004) (TV)
English titles: The Staircase; Death on the Staircase.
This documentary covers the indictment and subsequent trial of a man in North Carolina who was accused of the murder of his wife. It's an excellent show although the filmmaker didn't have as much access to the prosecution as he had to the defense team. It's very important that everyone who has the chance to and considers himself (herself) as a responsible citizen watches this, as it touches on very important aspects of the justice system in the U.S. (but that are no doubt present in varying degrees in many other so-called democracies); the one aspect which is prominently in evidence here is the jury system. This documentary's political,institutional, educational, anthropological, forensic, and, last but by no means least, domestic safety implications are big and by far surpass the scope of these modest notes. All I can do is stress that this miniseries should be seen by as many people as possible; more than that, it should be studied and meditated upon, if we want this world to function in a more rational and civilized way. Just as a side note, I would like to add that the fact that it's also tremendously entertaining does not detract from its seriousness one bit; this is good entertainment, achieved through honesty and intelligence. The implications of what is demonstrated in this telefilm are far wider in scope than the specific case which is analysed. Basically, its point is that in a trial the defendant's fate is put in the hands of twelve people whose education level, moral integrity, mental health, religious beliefs, political inclinations, and intelligence quotients, are anyone's guess, and who probably in most cases would have some difficulty understanding (or at any rate accepting) the concepts "burden of proof" and "reasonable doubt"; they might dislike the defendant for a vast number of reasons, and if someone linked to the defense tries to explain chaos theory or biomechanics to them, then you can abandon all your hopes; they also will very probably suffer peer pressure either explicitly or tacitly, not to mention outside influences which this film discusses at length. In view of all that, let me finish with one single question: is it possible that this is the best we can come up with, in terms of the application of justice?
Dealing with somewhat related subjects, see also a great nonfiction film named "Capturing the Friedmans".
Rating: 75 (4th position in my list of 2004's best)
This documentary covers the indictment and subsequent trial of a man in North Carolina who was accused of the murder of his wife. It's an excellent show although the filmmaker didn't have as much access to the prosecution as he had to the defense team. It's very important that everyone who has the chance to and considers himself (herself) as a responsible citizen watches this, as it touches on very important aspects of the justice system in the U.S. (but that are no doubt present in varying degrees in many other so-called democracies); the one aspect which is prominently in evidence here is the jury system. This documentary's political,institutional, educational, anthropological, forensic, and, last but by no means least, domestic safety implications are big and by far surpass the scope of these modest notes. All I can do is stress that this miniseries should be seen by as many people as possible; more than that, it should be studied and meditated upon, if we want this world to function in a more rational and civilized way. Just as a side note, I would like to add that the fact that it's also tremendously entertaining does not detract from its seriousness one bit; this is good entertainment, achieved through honesty and intelligence. The implications of what is demonstrated in this telefilm are far wider in scope than the specific case which is analysed. Basically, its point is that in a trial the defendant's fate is put in the hands of twelve people whose education level, moral integrity, mental health, religious beliefs, political inclinations, and intelligence quotients, are anyone's guess, and who probably in most cases would have some difficulty understanding (or at any rate accepting) the concepts "burden of proof" and "reasonable doubt"; they might dislike the defendant for a vast number of reasons, and if someone linked to the defense tries to explain chaos theory or biomechanics to them, then you can abandon all your hopes; they also will very probably suffer peer pressure either explicitly or tacitly, not to mention outside influences which this film discusses at length. In view of all that, let me finish with one single question: is it possible that this is the best we can come up with, in terms of the application of justice?
Dealing with somewhat related subjects, see also a great nonfiction film named "Capturing the Friedmans".
Rating: 75 (4th position in my list of 2004's best)
Rules of Engagement (2000)
Synopsis (spoilers): A rescue operation at the American embassy in Yemen ends with the U.S. soldiers shooting at the angry mob. The commander of that operation is sent to court martial for violating the rules of engagement. He asks a fellow military whose life he had saved in Vietnam to defend him. The whole case boils down to deciding whether there were shooters among the crowd; a videotape proving that there were is destroyed by the American International Affairs bureaucrat, for political reasons.
Appraisal: Hopelessly silly, which is no surprise considering its screenwriter's other works; mildly entertaining at some points, but you can sense the underlying ridiculousness throughout.
Rating: 36
Appraisal: Hopelessly silly, which is no surprise considering its screenwriter's other works; mildly entertaining at some points, but you can sense the underlying ridiculousness throughout.
Rating: 36
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Triggers in Leash (1955) (TV)
Synopsis: Western. The owner of a canteen does everything she can to stop two men from engaging in a duel.
Appraisal: Quite good, this one.
Appraisal: Quite good, this one.
Diamonds for Breakfast (1968)
Synopsis: A descendant from the Russian imperial family architects the heist of the Russian imperial jewels. The plan is carried out with the assistance of several female robbers.
Appraisal: Awful comedy, in which nothing works.
Rating: 12
Appraisal: Awful comedy, in which nothing works.
Rating: 12
Alfred Hitchcock: Premonition (1955) (TV)
Synopsis: A man returns home after a long absence, and finds that his father has died in mysterious circumstances.
Appraisal (mild spoiler): One of the several examples of how cinema and television have built a mythology of mental disorders according to simplistic notions with no empiric validation. Strictly as melodrama, it's not completely worthless.
Appraisal (mild spoiler): One of the several examples of how cinema and television have built a mythology of mental disorders according to simplistic notions with no empiric validation. Strictly as melodrama, it's not completely worthless.
Saturday, February 09, 2008
Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Revenge (1955) (TV)
Synopsis (mild spoilers): A man returns to his trailer home after work, and finds his wife lying in shock after an alleged assault by an unknown man. Presumably, the assailant was a traveling salesman who saw her in her bathing suit and then raped her (or tried to) -- although she claimed he wanted her money.
Appraisal: This is just so-so; nothing offensive, but nothing brilliant or exciting either.
Appraisal: This is just so-so; nothing offensive, but nothing brilliant or exciting either.
Friday, February 08, 2008
Le corniaud (1965)
English title: The Sucker.
Synopsis: A naive man is conned by a criminal into borrowing his car to make a vacation trip in Italy; there are drugs and stolen jewels concealed in the car.
Appraisal: Inferior comedy, which boasts some nice landscapes of Rome, Naples and Paris.
Rating: 26
Synopsis: A naive man is conned by a criminal into borrowing his car to make a vacation trip in Italy; there are drugs and stolen jewels concealed in the car.
Appraisal: Inferior comedy, which boasts some nice landscapes of Rome, Naples and Paris.
Rating: 26
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Ruthless (1948)
Synopsis: A rich man invites to a cerimony all the people he harmed or estranged during his rising.There he recollects his life, from his adoption by a generous man to his bold financial transactions in Wall Street.
Appraisal: Consistently watchable and occasionally interesting; some things are badly thought out (e.g. his mother's rather convenient detestability), others are downright awful (e.g. the ending). The film's dialogue goes deep into financial concepts, so it's expected that many viewers will have a rather superficial understanding of what goes on at certain spots; I'm afraid I'm one of them.
Rating: 39
Appraisal: Consistently watchable and occasionally interesting; some things are badly thought out (e.g. his mother's rather convenient detestability), others are downright awful (e.g. the ending). The film's dialogue goes deep into financial concepts, so it's expected that many viewers will have a rather superficial understanding of what goes on at certain spots; I'm afraid I'm one of them.
Rating: 39
Saint Ralph (2004)
Synopsis: A young boy whose mother is in a coma pledges to run in a marathon in the hopes that it would supernaturally bring her back.
Appraisal: Weak stuff, very uninspired. What can you expect from a film whose very premise is based on a semantical misconstruction -- if "only a miracle could bring her back", then winning the marathon could do it (since it would be a miracle); when of course the sentence doesn't mean that at all, but rather that only a supernatural intervention could bring her back, which in itself would constitute a miracle.
Rating: 21
Appraisal: Weak stuff, very uninspired. What can you expect from a film whose very premise is based on a semantical misconstruction -- if "only a miracle could bring her back", then winning the marathon could do it (since it would be a miracle); when of course the sentence doesn't mean that at all, but rather that only a supernatural intervention could bring her back, which in itself would constitute a miracle.
Rating: 21
La promesse (1996)
English title: The Promise.
Synopsis: An adolescent boy helps his father in his business of exploiting illegal immigrants. When one of the workers die, the man's wife becomes a threat and a conflict arises between the boy and his father, with the boy taking the side of the woman.
Appraisal: The usual fare from these filmmakers; mildly interesting conflicts, competent direction of actors, slightly unrealistic behavior immersed in a socially realistic context.
Rating: 48
Synopsis: An adolescent boy helps his father in his business of exploiting illegal immigrants. When one of the workers die, the man's wife becomes a threat and a conflict arises between the boy and his father, with the boy taking the side of the woman.
Appraisal: The usual fare from these filmmakers; mildly interesting conflicts, competent direction of actors, slightly unrealistic behavior immersed in a socially realistic context.
Rating: 48
Never Talk to Strangers (1995)
Synopsis: A criminal psychiatrist starts a relationship with a handsome stranger, and from then on strange things start to happen to her, even putting her life in danger. Her suspicions start to turn to her new boyfriend.
Appraisal: This is a frivolous little thing, without aspirations to realism or depth of any kind, but with a certain wicked sense of humor to it; despite what you may hear to the contrary, its finale is the only one possible which makes the film a coherent whole.
Rating: 38
Appraisal: This is a frivolous little thing, without aspirations to realism or depth of any kind, but with a certain wicked sense of humor to it; despite what you may hear to the contrary, its finale is the only one possible which makes the film a coherent whole.
Rating: 38
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Heller in Pink Tights (1960)
Synopsis: A theatrical troupe traveling in the West in the 19th century gets into constant trouble because of their beautiful female star.
Appraisal: Funny and intelligent western, with splendid performances and high production values.
Rating: 65
Appraisal: Funny and intelligent western, with splendid performances and high production values.
Rating: 65
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Indecent Proposal (1993)
Synopsis: A billionaire offers one million dollars to a married couple for a night with the woman.
Appraisal: It's hard for me to judge this film because I am not sure whether I have the necessary empathy with the characters and their dilemma; the way I see it, the whole thing seems based on a nonissue. Of course, if one can ignore that fact, or believe otherwise, the film follows a predictable pattern, and is reasonably well made.
Rating: 36
Appraisal: It's hard for me to judge this film because I am not sure whether I have the necessary empathy with the characters and their dilemma; the way I see it, the whole thing seems based on a nonissue. Of course, if one can ignore that fact, or believe otherwise, the film follows a predictable pattern, and is reasonably well made.
Rating: 36
Monday, February 04, 2008
Massa'ot James Be'eretz Hakodesh (2003)
English title: James' Journey to Jerusalem.
Synopsis: An African young man comes to Israel to visit Jerusalem, but is recruited as an illegal worker.
Appraisal: The process of survival and learning is depicted here in a simplified but still honest way; also interesting is the depiction of class (and race) relations in Israel, made without any attempt at ideologic or moral preaching.
Rating: 59
Synopsis: An African young man comes to Israel to visit Jerusalem, but is recruited as an illegal worker.
Appraisal: The process of survival and learning is depicted here in a simplified but still honest way; also interesting is the depiction of class (and race) relations in Israel, made without any attempt at ideologic or moral preaching.
Rating: 59
Showgirls (1995)
Synopsis: A young woman arrives in Las Vegas to be a nightclub dancer.
Appraisal: Strictly cliché melodrama, that nevertheless is well directed and sexy.
Rating: 38
Appraisal: Strictly cliché melodrama, that nevertheless is well directed and sexy.
Rating: 38
Place Vendôme (1998)
Synopsis: A woman finds among her dead husband's stuff some stolen diamonds which she tries to sell.
Appraisal: Interesting film, whose symmetry-ridden plot moves along nicely and without any shadow of dullness.
Rating: 60
Appraisal: Interesting film, whose symmetry-ridden plot moves along nicely and without any shadow of dullness.
Rating: 60
Sunday, February 03, 2008
Alpha Dog (2006)
Synopsis: A middle-class drug dealer kidnaps the teenage brother of a debtor.
Appraisal (mild spoiler): This film is perfect in every aspect, and yet I can't say that I cared much for it. It's a terrible story, to be sure, but it's so predictable that one can't help feeling down in anticipation of its ending. Every actor is pitch perfect. The mother's final scene is going to break your heart, unless it's made of stone.
Rating: 59
Appraisal (mild spoiler): This film is perfect in every aspect, and yet I can't say that I cared much for it. It's a terrible story, to be sure, but it's so predictable that one can't help feeling down in anticipation of its ending. Every actor is pitch perfect. The mother's final scene is going to break your heart, unless it's made of stone.
Rating: 59
Steel City (2006)
Synopsis: A young man has to live with his uncle after his father gets arrested. Meanwhile, his brother is cheating on his wife.
Appraisal: Reasonably well directed but unmemorable and indistinct from other current independent U.S. productions. The plot has some obscure details, which apparently the filmmaker didn't think necessary to clarify. I won't go into that, though.
Rating: 41
Appraisal: Reasonably well directed but unmemorable and indistinct from other current independent U.S. productions. The plot has some obscure details, which apparently the filmmaker didn't think necessary to clarify. I won't go into that, though.
Rating: 41
Rough Night in Jericho (1967)
Synopsis: A former deputy joins a former sheriff in a trip to another town where they expect to start a partnership with a woman in a stagecoach business. The town boss wants a share of the business, but the woman does not agree. The situation of injustice in the town becomes intolerable and some people decide to take action against the boss town and their men.
Appraisal: Interesting western, with an interesting and well developed theme.
Rating: 51
Appraisal: Interesting western, with an interesting and well developed theme.
Rating: 51
Que la fête commence... (1975)
English title: Let Joy Reign Supreme.
Synopsis: After the death of Louis XIV, his son being still an infant, Philippe d'Orléans rules France as regent. In Bretagne, an insurrection arises intending to proclaim it an independent republic. Meanwhile, abbey Dubois, the regent's former tutor and best friend, makes a deal with the English by which he will have an insurrection leader hanged in exchange of his being made archbishop.
Appraisal: Extremely eventful account of France's history in the XVIIIth century. It's well written and sufficiently directed, but the excess of points of view and subplots in such a short film length takes a little of the dramatic strength.
Rating: 62
Synopsis: After the death of Louis XIV, his son being still an infant, Philippe d'Orléans rules France as regent. In Bretagne, an insurrection arises intending to proclaim it an independent republic. Meanwhile, abbey Dubois, the regent's former tutor and best friend, makes a deal with the English by which he will have an insurrection leader hanged in exchange of his being made archbishop.
Appraisal: Extremely eventful account of France's history in the XVIIIth century. It's well written and sufficiently directed, but the excess of points of view and subplots in such a short film length takes a little of the dramatic strength.
Rating: 62
Fort Massacre (1958)
Synopsis: In 1879, an army outfit moving in the desert, and running out of water, is ordered by its leader, a ruthless sergeant, to strike against some Apache who are controlling a water pond. Later, they run into a house inhabited by an old Piute man and his granddaughter, and they decide to take refuge there.
Appraisal: Decent B western, well scripted and well directed, and with excellent cinematography.
Rating: 51
Appraisal: Decent B western, well scripted and well directed, and with excellent cinematography.
Rating: 51
Ren xiao yao (2002)
English title: Unknown Pleasures.
Synopsis: Two youngsters in China are unemployed and inseparable. The first one has a girlfriend who is going to the University; the other courts a singer/prostitute who has a very possessive and violent boyfriend (apparent he is her pimp too, but I couldn't care enough to figure that out).
Appraisal: Uninspired chronicle of small lives, for those enamoured with banality and immature quirkiness. Speaking strictly from the mise-en-scene angle, the filmmaker shows some skill.
Rating: 41
Synopsis: Two youngsters in China are unemployed and inseparable. The first one has a girlfriend who is going to the University; the other courts a singer/prostitute who has a very possessive and violent boyfriend (apparent he is her pimp too, but I couldn't care enough to figure that out).
Appraisal: Uninspired chronicle of small lives, for those enamoured with banality and immature quirkiness. Speaking strictly from the mise-en-scene angle, the filmmaker shows some skill.
Rating: 41
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