Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Primo (2005) (V)
Filmed play. Based on the memoirs "Se questo è un uomo" (If This Is a Man), by Primo Levi (1st ed. 1947, revised 1958).
A monologue. The stage is bare but for a chair and a set of walls. The narration of Levi's recollection of Auschwitz is very vivid and intelligent (both as text and as performance) and makes for a moving viewing experience. On the other hand, it is hard not to imagine how interesting it would be to see a real movie of this, or even a multi-actor play.
Rating: 60
A monologue. The stage is bare but for a chair and a set of walls. The narration of Levi's recollection of Auschwitz is very vivid and intelligent (both as text and as performance) and makes for a moving viewing experience. On the other hand, it is hard not to imagine how interesting it would be to see a real movie of this, or even a multi-actor play.
Rating: 60
Monday, April 19, 2010
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Frost/Nixon (2008)
A talk-show host sets out to do a TV interview with Nixon right after his resignation from office.
Really not a big deal. If you've seen the trailer, that should probably do.
Rating: 43
Really not a big deal. If you've seen the trailer, that should probably do.
Rating: 43
Marple: The Sittaford Mystery (2006) (TV)
Loosely based on the novel by Agatha Christie (1st ed. 1931).
A politician who is considered for prime-minister is murdered at a hotel near his mansion. Miss Marple is a guest at his mansion, and so is a young woman who is engaged to the politician's adopted son. With her is a man who claims to be a reporter. At the hotel there are several guests. The politician's personal assistant takes charge of the investigation. A trip to Egypt made in 1927 by the politician may hold the key to the mystery.
Entertaining and well-made whodunit.
Rating: 50
A politician who is considered for prime-minister is murdered at a hotel near his mansion. Miss Marple is a guest at his mansion, and so is a young woman who is engaged to the politician's adopted son. With her is a man who claims to be a reporter. At the hotel there are several guests. The politician's personal assistant takes charge of the investigation. A trip to Egypt made in 1927 by the politician may hold the key to the mystery.
Entertaining and well-made whodunit.
Rating: 50
Friday, April 16, 2010
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Marple: By the Pricking of My Thumbs (2006) (TV)
Based on the novel by Agatha Christe (1st ed. 1968).
Tommy and Tuppence are a middle-aged couple. Tommy's aunt, who is living at a rest home, dies leaving a letter who throws suspicions over her death. Another guest at the same rest home disappears. Tuppence meets Jane Marple, an elderly woman, who is visiting someone at the rest home. Marple joins Tuppence in an investigation about Tommy's aunt's death. It leads them to a small village.
Entertaining and well-made whodunit.
Rating: 50
Tommy and Tuppence are a middle-aged couple. Tommy's aunt, who is living at a rest home, dies leaving a letter who throws suspicions over her death. Another guest at the same rest home disappears. Tuppence meets Jane Marple, an elderly woman, who is visiting someone at the rest home. Marple joins Tuppence in an investigation about Tommy's aunt's death. It leads them to a small village.
Entertaining and well-made whodunit.
Rating: 50
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Coeurs (2006)
English title: Private Fears in Public Places.
Several characters, one thing in common: loneliness. A man and a woman who work together as realtors, yet do not have any personal relationship. He lives with his sister, who meets people through date sites in the internet. There is also a couple who is looking for an apartment. He is an army reject and an alcoholic. His favorite bartender, a homosexual whose partner has died, lives with his invalid father.
The script is very British, comical in a mild and antiquated way. It is filmed in a very French way, the emphasis being on melancholy, whence the change of title. It is like watching two films at once, a weird experience.
Rating: 59
Several characters, one thing in common: loneliness. A man and a woman who work together as realtors, yet do not have any personal relationship. He lives with his sister, who meets people through date sites in the internet. There is also a couple who is looking for an apartment. He is an army reject and an alcoholic. His favorite bartender, a homosexual whose partner has died, lives with his invalid father.
The script is very British, comical in a mild and antiquated way. It is filmed in a very French way, the emphasis being on melancholy, whence the change of title. It is like watching two films at once, a weird experience.
Rating: 59
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Friday, April 09, 2010
Celebration (2006) (TV)
Two couples sitting at a fancy restaurant are celebrating the wedding anniversary of one of the couples. The men happen to be brothers, the women, sisters. At another table, a younger couple. They talk with one another, with the waiter, with the maîtresse d', and with the restaurant's owner.
Quite hard to describe. The aesthetical effect is based partly on a suspension of decorum. Interesting stuff.
Rating: 57
Quite hard to describe. The aesthetical effect is based partly on a suspension of decorum. Interesting stuff.
Rating: 57
Thursday, April 08, 2010
Find Me Guilty (2006)
A drug dealer belonging to the New Jersey Mafia is arrested and convicted. He then must face a new trial, a collective one that seeks to bring down several members of the Mafia. He decides to be his own lawyer.
An interesting film which works mainly as a sociopsychological study. The film does not clarify the reasons behind the verdict. This is not 12 Angry Men.
Rating: 61
An interesting film which works mainly as a sociopsychological study. The film does not clarify the reasons behind the verdict. This is not 12 Angry Men.
Rating: 61
Wednesday, April 07, 2010
Steal This Film II (2007)
Documentary about file sharing, peer-to-peer networks, copyright infringement, legal battles, this sort of thing. It is publicly available on the Internet (of course).
Tuesday, April 06, 2010
The Wind That Shakes the Barley (2006)
It's about Ireland's struggle for independence in 1920.
Watchable historical drama. The film tries to problematize the dual issue of a) one country's dominion over another, and b) one class's dominion over others. In my humble opinion, movies with political content such as this one are never truly one-sided (unless you are very influenciable or naive), because you can always interpret it in complementary ways, for instance the hero's death can always be construed as a defeat of his ideas (even if the movie refuses to add a final caption explaining foreign and lesser informed viewers that the current situation in Ireland implies this defeat) as opposed to romantic martyrdom. Anyway, this is a topic for a longer discussion which is not going to happen here. And the film is not that much of a success in the artistic plane to motivate me down that road.
Rating: 50
Watchable historical drama. The film tries to problematize the dual issue of a) one country's dominion over another, and b) one class's dominion over others. In my humble opinion, movies with political content such as this one are never truly one-sided (unless you are very influenciable or naive), because you can always interpret it in complementary ways, for instance the hero's death can always be construed as a defeat of his ideas (even if the movie refuses to add a final caption explaining foreign and lesser informed viewers that the current situation in Ireland implies this defeat) as opposed to romantic martyrdom. Anyway, this is a topic for a longer discussion which is not going to happen here. And the film is not that much of a success in the artistic plane to motivate me down that road.
Rating: 50
Monday, April 05, 2010
The History Boys (2006)
A group of high-schoolers (or the British equivalent) in Sheffield, England, is trained by a newly-hired teacher for the admission exams to Oxford and Cambridge.
Easy to watch, but not really much more than an exercise in nostalgia and sentimentality. There is no convergence to a theme, several aspects of school life are shown without a sharp focus. It's very much a theater play, and I wouldn't say a very bright or exciting one.
Rating: 49
Easy to watch, but not really much more than an exercise in nostalgia and sentimentality. There is no convergence to a theme, several aspects of school life are shown without a sharp focus. It's very much a theater play, and I wouldn't say a very bright or exciting one.
Rating: 49
Sunday, April 04, 2010
The Ground Truth (2006)
Documentary about the process of, in sequence, one, convincing youngsters to join the army with deceitful propaganda, two, shaping them into killing machines during training, three, subjecting them to a barbaric and meaningless war in Iraq, four, not caring for them and their war-originated problems once they get discharged.
Good documentary.
Good documentary.
16 Blocks (2006)
An alcoholic cop gets a last-minute assignment of escorting a prisoner to court where he is supposed to testify against a cop.
People are saying this has a very similar premise to that in The Gauntlet, a film I remember little of. The screenplay of 16 Blocks, although founded on a completely implausible set-up, has some reasonably intelligent set-pieces built around the schemes that the old cop engenders in order to accomplish his mission.
Rating: 51
People are saying this has a very similar premise to that in The Gauntlet, a film I remember little of. The screenplay of 16 Blocks, although founded on a completely implausible set-up, has some reasonably intelligent set-pieces built around the schemes that the old cop engenders in order to accomplish his mission.
Rating: 51
Saturday, April 03, 2010
Sybil (2007) (TV)
It is about a woman being treated for dissociative identity disorder, stemming from a childhood of terrible abuse and suffering.
My comments follow the general pattern, namely, that the extreme temporal compression produces a rushedness in the presentation which makes it impossible for the viewer to have an adequate appreciation of the story in its full dimensions, dramatic and otherwise. The direction job is fine, nonetheless.
Rating: 35
My comments follow the general pattern, namely, that the extreme temporal compression produces a rushedness in the presentation which makes it impossible for the viewer to have an adequate appreciation of the story in its full dimensions, dramatic and otherwise. The direction job is fine, nonetheless.
Rating: 35
Friday, April 02, 2010
There Will Be Blood (2007)
Loosely based on the novel Oil!, by Upton Sinclair (1st ed. 1927).
An oil prospector in the turn-of-the-century U.S. makes his way to success. He adopts a son. The social prosperity brought by the oil business favors the appearance of a Christian church between whose leader and the oil magnate a sort of rivalry arises.
A lot of impressive sequences, and a storyline which sheds some light on some sociological truths, e.g. the parasitical quality of religion. The film has limitations, though. The main character seems to solve all his conflicts through murder or violence, in ways that do not seem warranted by the context in which they arise. An intelligent analysis of the film's shortcomings is to be found here. I agree with most of what the reviewer (Dan Sallitt) says, except with his opposition of "charismatic and powerful evil figure" versus "slimy and unattractive one"; these adjectives (except "powerful") are interchangeable here, and as for "evil", I totally reject this simplistic use of this term.
Rating: 60
An oil prospector in the turn-of-the-century U.S. makes his way to success. He adopts a son. The social prosperity brought by the oil business favors the appearance of a Christian church between whose leader and the oil magnate a sort of rivalry arises.
A lot of impressive sequences, and a storyline which sheds some light on some sociological truths, e.g. the parasitical quality of religion. The film has limitations, though. The main character seems to solve all his conflicts through murder or violence, in ways that do not seem warranted by the context in which they arise. An intelligent analysis of the film's shortcomings is to be found here. I agree with most of what the reviewer (Dan Sallitt) says, except with his opposition of "charismatic and powerful evil figure" versus "slimy and unattractive one"; these adjectives (except "powerful") are interchangeable here, and as for "evil", I totally reject this simplistic use of this term.
Rating: 60
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Mutum (2007)
Based on the novel "Campo Geral", by Guimarães Rosa (1st ed. 1964).
The film depicts the day-to-day life in a small farm, from the point of view of a boy whose father is rude and hateful.
Frequently absurd, with lots of dead (and often meaningless) shots, and hugs galore (these imaginary country folks sure love a hug). That being said, the film shows signs of intelligence here and there, keeping the persistent viewer attentive for its duration.
Rating: 35
The film depicts the day-to-day life in a small farm, from the point of view of a boy whose father is rude and hateful.
Frequently absurd, with lots of dead (and often meaningless) shots, and hugs galore (these imaginary country folks sure love a hug). That being said, the film shows signs of intelligence here and there, keeping the persistent viewer attentive for its duration.
Rating: 35
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
A Serious Man (2009)
A Physics professor is facing a series of setbacks in his life, and seeks counselling from his religious leaders.
This film has been pretty well understood by a few commentators in the Internet Movie Database, namely, Stephen R. Cann, Greg Peters, jafdc, MisterWhiplash, and possibly others.
Rating: 67
This film has been pretty well understood by a few commentators in the Internet Movie Database, namely, Stephen R. Cann, Greg Peters, jafdc, MisterWhiplash, and possibly others.
Rating: 67
Summerhill (2008) (TV)
I do not really know much about the real context to which this film is supposedly referring, except that it is about a school which was founded in the 1920's (I think). The plot involves a conflict between the school and some government inspectors. It is a well-done (albeit somewhat superficial) TV-movie, easy to watch and advertising concepts with which I am in total agreement.
Rating: 53
Rating: 53
Shutter Island (2010)
Here also, I will not go beyond a simple record of viewing. This film is worthless, except for mise-en-scene freaks (I stole the expression from Sarris). And maybe cinematography freaks, too.
Rating: 20
Rating: 20
Bonanza: The Last Hunt (1959) (TV)
Just a record of having watched this, go to the Internet Movie Database for more information.
Bonanza: The Outcast (1960) (TV)
I have allowed some back log in my updating. And, to be honest, it does not make sense to copy and paste the Internet Movie Database plot summary here.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Indio Black, sai che ti dico: Sei un gran figlio di... (1970)
American title: Adiós, Sabata.
In Austrian-ruled Mexico, a mercenary is hired to steal a wagonload of gold for the revolutionaries.
Ininterrupted silliness. Dubbed in English.
Rating: 32
In Austrian-ruled Mexico, a mercenary is hired to steal a wagonload of gold for the revolutionaries.
Ininterrupted silliness. Dubbed in English.
Rating: 32
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Cztery noce z Anna (2008)
English title: Four Nights with Anna.
*SPOILERS*
A peeping-tom and his mischiefs. In flashbacks, we see how he witnessed the rape of the object of his present obsession.
Formally refined, structured in tightly staged set-pieces; the recurrence of clocks is perhaps not accidental, the film having the nature of a sophisticated mechanism, like a silent comedy. The impossibility of viewer identification with an aggressor is a well known fact, but this film may exemplify the extreme opposite problem, that of identifying with a perfect victim. I can't say I have enjoyed it much. It obviously flirts with the surreal, but it leaves a small window towards realism, contaminating the film with implausibilities such as: how can an innocent man be convicted for rape if after the crime the victim has only the rapist's semen in her?
The filmmaker seems to be fond of having male stalkers as main characters in his films (cf. Deep End)
Rating: 54
*SPOILERS*
A peeping-tom and his mischiefs. In flashbacks, we see how he witnessed the rape of the object of his present obsession.
Formally refined, structured in tightly staged set-pieces; the recurrence of clocks is perhaps not accidental, the film having the nature of a sophisticated mechanism, like a silent comedy. The impossibility of viewer identification with an aggressor is a well known fact, but this film may exemplify the extreme opposite problem, that of identifying with a perfect victim. I can't say I have enjoyed it much. It obviously flirts with the surreal, but it leaves a small window towards realism, contaminating the film with implausibilities such as: how can an innocent man be convicted for rape if after the crime the victim has only the rapist's semen in her?
The filmmaker seems to be fond of having male stalkers as main characters in his films (cf. Deep End)
Rating: 54
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Friday, March 19, 2010
I.O.U.S.A. (2008)
Documentary about the deficitary situation faced by the U.S. economy. The theme of the evil that the present generation is (allegedly) doing to the future ones is central to this film, as was to An Inconvenient Truth. I find it very interesting in a philosophical sense, but I can't really attribute much value to either film, because they both deal with very complex issues in a very simplified manner. Anyway, I do not live in the U.S., a fact which further limits my interest in them. I could not help watching them, though.
Bonanza: El Toro Grande (1960) (TV)
Hoss and Little Joe are sent to California to buy a bull from a farmer. They go through a lot of adventures. The farmer's daughter sets her mind on marrying Little Joe, etc.
Bonanza: The Sisters (1959) (TV)
Adam starts dating a saloon girl, to his father's distress. She is murdered, and Adam is arrested as the prime suspect. Who would want to kill Adam's girl? Or rather, was she the one whose death was intended?
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Bonanza: The Hanging Posse (1959) (TV)
A woman is murdered at her home while resisting a rape attempt. The killer flees, along with two partners (who were in the vicinity but neither witnessed nor took part in the murder). The town people organize a searching posse. The dead woman's husband wants to hang the three men on the spot, as soon as they find them. Adam and Little Joe ride along but oppose summary hanging.
Very good episode.
Very good episode.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Bonanza: Vendetta (1959) (TV)
Excellent episode. The best reference for its summary and analysis is probably Christopher Mulrooney's site.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Good (2008)
A Literature professor is coopted by the Nazis because he dealt with the subject of euthanasia in a novel of his. He becomes involved with the Nazi party. In his personal life he has to deal with an aloof wife and a physically deteriorating mother; he gets involved with one of his former students. Also, he must deal with the plights of a Jewish friend.
This is an intelligent film, which investigates the meaning of evil (the irony of the title is evident). Nazi Germany is of course one of the most obviously adequate settings for this sort of investigation, although I am sure there are plenty of other places or situations which could be chosen instead. The film proceeds through a concatenation of events (some external, and some of his own doing) which put the main character in progressively untenable situations. He somehow doesn't seem to grasp their logic (but we do). The effect achieved is tragicomedy, a difficult style, and consequently no small accomplishment. It has been noted by user mackjay2 of IMDB that the main character's situation and behavior is similar to those of character Erik Dorf in Holocaust (1978). I further point out that Good's leading actor has shaped his performance in an identical (or almost) manner as that of the player of that character in Holocaust.
According to the film's credits it is based on C.P. Taylor's 1981 play. For what it is worth (I have not read or seen that play), that play came out 3 years after Holocaust.
Rating: 67
This is an intelligent film, which investigates the meaning of evil (the irony of the title is evident). Nazi Germany is of course one of the most obviously adequate settings for this sort of investigation, although I am sure there are plenty of other places or situations which could be chosen instead. The film proceeds through a concatenation of events (some external, and some of his own doing) which put the main character in progressively untenable situations. He somehow doesn't seem to grasp their logic (but we do). The effect achieved is tragicomedy, a difficult style, and consequently no small accomplishment. It has been noted by user mackjay2 of IMDB that the main character's situation and behavior is similar to those of character Erik Dorf in Holocaust (1978). I further point out that Good's leading actor has shaped his performance in an identical (or almost) manner as that of the player of that character in Holocaust.
According to the film's credits it is based on C.P. Taylor's 1981 play. For what it is worth (I have not read or seen that play), that play came out 3 years after Holocaust.
Rating: 67
Bonanza: The Truckee Strip (1959) (TV)
The Internet Movie Database is thus: "Caught in the middle of a longtime family feud over a disputed piece of land, star-crossed lovers Joe Cartwright and Amy Bishop try to convince their stubborn fathers to resolve their differences as tension escalates into violence."
Romeo & Juliet.
Romeo & Juliet.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Aces 'N' Eights (2008)
In the 19th century American West, some ranchers refuse to sell their farms so that a new railroad may pass through them. The local manager of the railroad company employs violence to get rid of these stubborn persons. The opposition finally comes down to one rancher. A negotiator is sent from Washington.
Western of little interest, working on themes and situations which have been explored dozens of times in the past.
Rating: 39
Western of little interest, working on themes and situations which have been explored dozens of times in the past.
Rating: 39
Saturday, March 13, 2010
The Four Horsemen (2008)
Four guys who are best buddies enlist to fight in the Iraq War. One of them gets killed. Two of them are given a leave to attend to the funeral and the third one is discharged because of severe injuries; it is an occasion for reflection and crisis.
Mediocre drama.
Rating: 38
Mediocre drama.
Rating: 38
Bonanza: The Magnificent Adah (1959) (TV)
A theatrical performance of Mazeppa is taking place in Virginia City. Ben Cartwright wants to marry the leading star, an old friend of his. His sons oppose to that.
This episode has several points in common with "The Julia Bulette Story". In that one, the heroine has a old liaison with a gunfighter, in this one he is an ex-boxer.
This episode has several points in common with "The Julia Bulette Story". In that one, the heroine has a old liaison with a gunfighter, in this one he is an ex-boxer.
Bonanza: Enter Mark Twain (1959) (TV)
Young Sam Clemens arrives in Virginia City and gets a job in the local newspaper. A plot to grab land from the Ponderosa is under way, having a crooked politician as an accomplice.
Bonanza: The Julia Bulette Story (1959) (TV)
Little Joe falls in love with the saloon owner. There is a fever epidemic in Virginia City.
Tuesday, March 09, 2010
Bonanza: The Phillip Diedesheimer Story (1959) (TV)
The problem of mine cave-ins due to poor support systems is exposed. The efforts of an engineer to improve those systems is at the center of this episode.
Bonanza: The Paiute War (1959) (TV)
An incident involving an attempted rape against Indian women of the Bannock tribe snowballs into a war involving another tribe, the Paiute, and the whites.
I sincerely revoke my bad omens about this show. It has become clear to me that the initial set-up, which I found so corny, has become a mere excuse for the telling of variegated interesting stories involving mining, Indians, and, last but not least, farmers.
I sincerely revoke my bad omens about this show. It has become clear to me that the initial set-up, which I found so corny, has become a mere excuse for the telling of variegated interesting stories involving mining, Indians, and, last but not least, farmers.
Saturday, March 06, 2010
Katyn (2007)
In 1940, Poland was occupied simultaneously by the Germans and by the Soviets. All Polish officers were taken prisoners by the Soviets, and eventually most were executed. The film follows the resonances of this massacre on the lives of the relatives and friends of the victims. After the war, the Soviets pinned the blame for the murders on the Nazis.
In general terms this film is a correct enterprise and gives what seems like a good account of the facts. It is anti-dramatic in essence, going for the kaleidoscopic instead of focusing on any particular character with any depth. It is also anti-political, in that it refuses to analyse motivations for the crime (which are, in any case, obvious for anyone who has a little knowledge of how the logic of power works).
Rating: 52
In general terms this film is a correct enterprise and gives what seems like a good account of the facts. It is anti-dramatic in essence, going for the kaleidoscopic instead of focusing on any particular character with any depth. It is also anti-political, in that it refuses to analyse motivations for the crime (which are, in any case, obvious for anyone who has a little knowledge of how the logic of power works).
Rating: 52
Friday, March 05, 2010
Bonanza: The Saga of Annie O'Toole (1959) (TV)
A man finds gold in the Washoe and gives one of his two claims to his girlfriend in San Francisco. She decides to explore it while he opts for selling his and stay in San Francisco. She goes to Nevada with her father and the latter dies on arrival; she opens a restaurant for the miners. A dispute arises between her and the buyer of the other claim concerning who owns which claim.
This excellent episode completely reverted my expectations toward this show.
This excellent episode completely reverted my expectations toward this show.
Chéri (2009)
Based on the two Chéri novels by Colette, 1920 and 1926, respectively.
The film narrates the relationship between an ex-prostitute and a much younger man, who is the son of one of her colleagues.
What this film has of admirable is the screenwriting, which shows a superior skill in dealing with a literary material which I have not read. The director is a veteran and not at all incompetent, but I imagine that some constraints of an expensive production like this one have taken their toll on the energy and vitality of the mise-en-scene. Particularly the love scenes are appalling.
Rating: 60
The film narrates the relationship between an ex-prostitute and a much younger man, who is the son of one of her colleagues.
What this film has of admirable is the screenwriting, which shows a superior skill in dealing with a literary material which I have not read. The director is a veteran and not at all incompetent, but I imagine that some constraints of an expensive production like this one have taken their toll on the energy and vitality of the mise-en-scene. Particularly the love scenes are appalling.
Rating: 60
Bonanza: Death on Sun Mountain (1959) (TV)
Someone is hunting all the antelope and selling it for exorbitant prices. The Paiute are going hungry. Ben Cartwright offers beef at reasonable prices. The antelope merchant wants to get filthy rich. His partner is, as usual, a scumbag.
Thursday, March 04, 2010
Bonanza: The Newcomers (1959) (TV)
Some strangers trespass on the Ponderosa; one of them is a "hydraulical miner" and is up to no good; his partner is a good person who has been deceived. Hoss falls in love with the latter's sister. In keeping with the predominant tone of this show, she doesn't have much time left to live.
Tuesday, March 02, 2010
Bonanza: Mr. Henry Comstock (1959) (TV)
A con man is saved by the Cartwrights. Little Joe takes the Paiute chief's daughter to a ball; Hoss follows the con man to the mining area, where the latter sets up a fake gold discovery. Note: an accidental discovery of gold is called a "bonanza".
This episode, the ninth, is better than the first one, but I suspect that this show is not exactly my cup of tea.
This episode, the ninth, is better than the first one, but I suspect that this show is not exactly my cup of tea.
Monday, March 01, 2010
Bonanza: A Rose for Lotta (1959) (TV)
The Internet Movie Database is right on the money in their Plot Summary: "Lotta Crabtree is hired by mining tycoon Alpheus Troy to lure one of the Cartwrights into town and hold him for ransom in exchange for Ponderosa timber rights."
Judging from this first episode, it's a mystery that this show went on for nearly 14 years. The level of the dramaturgy, as well as of the humor, is very primitive, and there are some aspects of the plot which are downright absurd, especially the fact that the character 'Lotta', despite being a woman of no morals or principles, and pretending to be something else with unflinching cynicism ("It was not about the money", she says), is rewarded by her main victim with a pleasurable dance, and by his brother with a romantic kiss. Particularly hilarious is the contrivance of a different mother for each of the sons (their father is a real bluebeard, I'll say) in order to justify their complete physical dissimilarity, to one another and also with regards to their father.
Judging from this first episode, it's a mystery that this show went on for nearly 14 years. The level of the dramaturgy, as well as of the humor, is very primitive, and there are some aspects of the plot which are downright absurd, especially the fact that the character 'Lotta', despite being a woman of no morals or principles, and pretending to be something else with unflinching cynicism ("It was not about the money", she says), is rewarded by her main victim with a pleasurable dance, and by his brother with a romantic kiss. Particularly hilarious is the contrivance of a different mother for each of the sons (their father is a real bluebeard, I'll say) in order to justify their complete physical dissimilarity, to one another and also with regards to their father.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
It's Complicated (2009)
A middle-aged woman starts having an affair with her ex-husband, who is now married to a much younger woman.
The plot is 100% predictable, but, except for some cringeworthy midsection scenes, it's mildly funny and entertaining. The film is obviously intended to cash in on older women's low self-esteem.
It's fascinating to read the "I hated it" user reviews at the Internet Movie Database. There seems to be a growing animosity against stories involving wealthy fictional characters. By this standard many comedic masterpieces of the 30's and 40's would never get any recognition. Another frequent grudge is a moral one, that the film promotes adultery, etc; based on this criterion, we would have to reject most pre-code comedies. Of course, the distinctive factor about this kind of contemporary film is the shift to an older age range for the main characters.
Rating: 43
The plot is 100% predictable, but, except for some cringeworthy midsection scenes, it's mildly funny and entertaining. The film is obviously intended to cash in on older women's low self-esteem.
It's fascinating to read the "I hated it" user reviews at the Internet Movie Database. There seems to be a growing animosity against stories involving wealthy fictional characters. By this standard many comedic masterpieces of the 30's and 40's would never get any recognition. Another frequent grudge is a moral one, that the film promotes adultery, etc; based on this criterion, we would have to reject most pre-code comedies. Of course, the distinctive factor about this kind of contemporary film is the shift to an older age range for the main characters.
Rating: 43
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Combat!: The Celebrity (1962) (TV)
I could not do better than the Internet Movie Database plot summary: "Del Packer, a famous baseball star who was drafted into the army, winds up as a replacement in the squad. While Kelly looks for a way to make some money by setting up a baseball game with a neighboring outfit, Billy--a devoted baseball fan--is awestruck to be in the same squad as one of his heroes. However, Packer has his own demons to fight, and while the other squad members are too star-struck to notice that something may be wrong, Saunders isn't."
Friday, February 26, 2010
Holocaust (1978) (TV)
It follows the trajectory of the members of a family of German Jews during the Nazi era.
It might be an oversimplification to say that, while Cinema is literature dumbed-down, Television is Cinema dumbed-down. But often that is the case. Holocaust has some OK parts, some awful ones, and is excellent on only one item. The awful parts are practically everything related to characters Karl and Inga; the excellent aspect is Fritz Weaver's performance; I guess most everything else is OK.
It seems that the version that I saw on TV is a somewhat shortened one (a couple of sequences missing, like Heydrich's death).
Rating: 53
It might be an oversimplification to say that, while Cinema is literature dumbed-down, Television is Cinema dumbed-down. But often that is the case. Holocaust has some OK parts, some awful ones, and is excellent on only one item. The awful parts are practically everything related to characters Karl and Inga; the excellent aspect is Fritz Weaver's performance; I guess most everything else is OK.
It seems that the version that I saw on TV is a somewhat shortened one (a couple of sequences missing, like Heydrich's death).
Rating: 53
Seminole (1953)
Set in 19th century Florida, the film depicts the conflict between an Indian-hating major and one of his lower-ranking officers, who had a half-Indian friend who is now the chief of the Seminoles.
Pretty nondescript stuff, although well-enough made considering its B-production status.
Rating: 35
Pretty nondescript stuff, although well-enough made considering its B-production status.
Rating: 35
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Burn After Reading (2008)
A CIA ex-agent, his wife, her lover, two gym employees, a CD containing said ex-agent's memoirs.
Entertaining.
Rating: 57
Entertaining.
Rating: 57
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
They Call Me MISTER Tibbs! (1970)
*SPOILERS AHEAD*
A prostitute is murdered, and the first suspect is a liberal preacher. The detective in charge of investigations is a personal friend of the suspect; he investigates a series of persons who might have done it: a realtor from whom she was subletting the apartment where she lived; a pimp who owned the building where she lived; the building's janitor.
Moderately pleasurable policier. In the realm of ideas, the film draws an interesting parallelism between the several subplots , a fact which has been noted by Christopher Mulrooney (see my links). The unifying theme of the movie seems to me to be Impotence, in a general sense. The titular character has a son and a daughter, the former of whom is a lazy, disobedient kid who watches TV all day in his pajamas and mistreats his little sister. His father's idea of an education is based on talking to his son as a "friend", attempting a sort of alliance of the "boys" versus the "girls" (i.e., Tibbs' wife and his daughter). This tactics doesn't work at all, and when the boy simply shows his utter contempt for his father's authority, the latter slaps him in the face, and that doesn't work either. It becomes clear that Tibbs is utterly impotent to deal with his family. On the other side of the movie, we have this preacher who is engaged in passing a law which supposedly would improve the lives of poor people. He gets involved with a woman, a prostitute, whose life he tries to change by giving her books, and with whom he sleeps. So, if you compare the two strands of the plot, the thematic convergence becomes clear: authority presupposes respect, and respect presupposes a certain distance from the people from whom you want that respect. Violence emerges out of a fracture in the self-image of the supposed authority figure. In the film, this is also worked out symbolically as a necklace which the perpetrator makes the prostitute wear, and which she provocatively tears off of herself. That necklace had belonged to the perpetrator's mother, adding another layer of psychology to the events.
Rating: 51
A prostitute is murdered, and the first suspect is a liberal preacher. The detective in charge of investigations is a personal friend of the suspect; he investigates a series of persons who might have done it: a realtor from whom she was subletting the apartment where she lived; a pimp who owned the building where she lived; the building's janitor.
Moderately pleasurable policier. In the realm of ideas, the film draws an interesting parallelism between the several subplots , a fact which has been noted by Christopher Mulrooney (see my links). The unifying theme of the movie seems to me to be Impotence, in a general sense. The titular character has a son and a daughter, the former of whom is a lazy, disobedient kid who watches TV all day in his pajamas and mistreats his little sister. His father's idea of an education is based on talking to his son as a "friend", attempting a sort of alliance of the "boys" versus the "girls" (i.e., Tibbs' wife and his daughter). This tactics doesn't work at all, and when the boy simply shows his utter contempt for his father's authority, the latter slaps him in the face, and that doesn't work either. It becomes clear that Tibbs is utterly impotent to deal with his family. On the other side of the movie, we have this preacher who is engaged in passing a law which supposedly would improve the lives of poor people. He gets involved with a woman, a prostitute, whose life he tries to change by giving her books, and with whom he sleeps. So, if you compare the two strands of the plot, the thematic convergence becomes clear: authority presupposes respect, and respect presupposes a certain distance from the people from whom you want that respect. Violence emerges out of a fracture in the self-image of the supposed authority figure. In the film, this is also worked out symbolically as a necklace which the perpetrator makes the prostitute wear, and which she provocatively tears off of herself. That necklace had belonged to the perpetrator's mother, adding another layer of psychology to the events.
Rating: 51
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Eddie (1996)
A limo driver who is a basketball diehard fan is hired as coach to a team which is going through a bad phase.
It's predictable and formulaic throughout, but it's not badly done.
Rating: 36
It's predictable and formulaic throughout, but it's not badly done.
Rating: 36
Combat!: Any Second Now (1962) (TV)
Lt. Hanley takes refuge inside a church during a bombing raid, and gets stuck under a beam which falls on his leg. A time bomb which fell inside the same church must be disarmed before he can be freed.
Combat!: Far from the Brave (1962) (TV)
The Internet Movie Database has a satisfactory summary: "When the squad's BAR man is killed saving them from being wiped out in an ambush, the men aren't too happy with his replacement--including Saunders, who was especially close to the man, and particularly Kirby, who expected to be promoted to BAR man. The fact that the new man was, up until a few days ago, a cook's helper with no combat experience doesn't help matters, either."
This interesting episode is important as the basis of future ones, since here is where we get acquainted with the weapon which Kirby will be using in them - the BAR (Browning Automatic Rifle) - and the process which will lead him to become the squad's BAR man.
This interesting episode is important as the basis of future ones, since here is where we get acquainted with the weapon which Kirby will be using in them - the BAR (Browning Automatic Rifle) - and the process which will lead him to become the squad's BAR man.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Not Quite Hollywood: The Wild, Untold Story of Ozploitation! (2008)
Documentary about exploitation films made in Australia in the 70's and 80's. Interviews with Australian directors, actors, stuntmen, technicians, and critics, plus clips, and commentaries by a guest director who is an aficionado of the films in question.
As interesting as the format allows, I guess.
As interesting as the format allows, I guess.
Monday, February 15, 2010
The Horse Whisperer (1998)
An accident involving a truck leaves physical and psychological sequels on a teenage girl and on the horse she was riding during the accident. Her mother takes them both on a trip to meet a horse 'therapist' living in a secluded ranch with his brother and the latter's wife.
I could enjoy with no problem about one fourth of the movie, which is exactly up until when the titular character appears. After that, the film slowly (very slowly) reveals its purpose. Working women, the film says, should be tamed the same way horses are. The message is conveyed amid mellow music and "ravishing" landscapes. A cube of sugar for the horse, a ton for the viewer. An absurd film.
Rating: 25
I could enjoy with no problem about one fourth of the movie, which is exactly up until when the titular character appears. After that, the film slowly (very slowly) reveals its purpose. Working women, the film says, should be tamed the same way horses are. The message is conveyed amid mellow music and "ravishing" landscapes. A cube of sugar for the horse, a ton for the viewer. An absurd film.
Rating: 25
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Puffball (2007)
Based on a novel by Fay Weldon (1st ed. 1980).
A young architect is reforming the country cottage that her boyfriend gave her; they decide to live there. There has been a tragedy in that house a long time ago, involving a fire in which a boy was killed. That boy's mother still lives in the neighborhood, and has a middle-aged daughter who still has hopes of having a male child.
The first hour, featuring a devilish complicated succession of events, is probably irreproachable. I see it as a comedy. After that first hour, there is not much plot development, and the film shifts its tone to supernatural horror or thriller. Close to the end, there is an accumulation of suspenseful episodes having to do with the deliverance of the child. The unifying themes are pregnancy and childbirth, and the fears that surround them.
Rating: 52
A young architect is reforming the country cottage that her boyfriend gave her; they decide to live there. There has been a tragedy in that house a long time ago, involving a fire in which a boy was killed. That boy's mother still lives in the neighborhood, and has a middle-aged daughter who still has hopes of having a male child.
The first hour, featuring a devilish complicated succession of events, is probably irreproachable. I see it as a comedy. After that first hour, there is not much plot development, and the film shifts its tone to supernatural horror or thriller. Close to the end, there is an accumulation of suspenseful episodes having to do with the deliverance of the child. The unifying themes are pregnancy and childbirth, and the fears that surround them.
Rating: 52
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire (2009)
An overweight African-American teenage girl, pregnant for the second time from her father, and living with her abusive mother who does not work, finds a way out of her prison-like life when she is led to an alternative school.
There is not much besides the exposition of the basic dramatic point, which is a portrait of certain social sores which were supposedly prevalent in the eighties. Most of the development relies on very simple devices, and we could reduce the whole plot to one sentence: girl is abused until she says enough. To evoke a theme brought out in the movie, this film's style stands in relation to the art of cinema just as 'fast food' does in relation to culinary. But it is slightly more nourishing than some related product such as Juno, for example.
Rating: 40
There is not much besides the exposition of the basic dramatic point, which is a portrait of certain social sores which were supposedly prevalent in the eighties. Most of the development relies on very simple devices, and we could reduce the whole plot to one sentence: girl is abused until she says enough. To evoke a theme brought out in the movie, this film's style stands in relation to the art of cinema just as 'fast food' does in relation to culinary. But it is slightly more nourishing than some related product such as Juno, for example.
Rating: 40
Friday, February 12, 2010
Le Divorce (2003)
The film tells what two American sisters living in Paris go through: Roxanne, in a state of advanced pregnancy, is left by her husband for a Russian woman; Isabel, Roxanne's sister, takes up with a young musician and then with a middle-aged married politician. The issue of the division of possessions in Roxanne's divorce arises, preeminent amongst which possessions stands a painting which may be by Georges de la Tour.
This is my second viewing. The film casts an entertaining look into the cultural specificities of France and the U.S., and flows rather well as a story. The subplot about the mad American lawyer, who is the Russian woman's husband, is both improbable and amusing.
Rating: 59 (unchanged)
This is my second viewing. The film casts an entertaining look into the cultural specificities of France and the U.S., and flows rather well as a story. The subplot about the mad American lawyer, who is the Russian woman's husband, is both improbable and amusing.
Rating: 59 (unchanged)
Goodbye Charlie (1964)
A womanizer is killed by a lover's husband, and a few days later comes back to life in a woman's body.
Entertaining comedy.
Rating: 51
Entertaining comedy.
Rating: 51
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Chi to hone (2004)
English title: Blood and Bones.
A panel of the life of Korean immigrants in Japan, from 1923 onwards, taking as its focal point a man and his interactions with his women and children. The film shows how, after disappearing during World War II, he starts a business from scratch and, first as a seafood producer, then as a loan shark, builds a fortune.
An analysis of man at his most brutal and egotistical, in screaming details of rape, beating, avarice, exploitation, and of course the reverse of the coin, that is, abject passivity and economic interest, out of need or greed.
Rating: 60
A panel of the life of Korean immigrants in Japan, from 1923 onwards, taking as its focal point a man and his interactions with his women and children. The film shows how, after disappearing during World War II, he starts a business from scratch and, first as a seafood producer, then as a loan shark, builds a fortune.
An analysis of man at his most brutal and egotistical, in screaming details of rape, beating, avarice, exploitation, and of course the reverse of the coin, that is, abject passivity and economic interest, out of need or greed.
Rating: 60
Monday, February 08, 2010
Back to School (1986)
An elderly man decides to attend University as an encouragement to his son who was thinking of quitting it.
Unpretentious comedy which delivers some bits of superficial satire on universities along with low-brow sexual humor and a plot which involves a sports competition.
Rating: 41
Unpretentious comedy which delivers some bits of superficial satire on universities along with low-brow sexual humor and a plot which involves a sports competition.
Rating: 41
My Zinc Bed (2008) (TV)
A love triangle consisting of the owner of a business software company, his ex-alcoholic, ex-druggie wife, and a recovering alcoholic poet, who is hired by the businessman to do publicity work.
The theme here is addiction and the role of support groups in recovery. The text possesses a modicum of refinement which keeps it watchable, although it is nothing particularly strong or memorable.
Rating: 39 [Note: raised to 53 when viewed again in February 08, 2011]
The theme here is addiction and the role of support groups in recovery. The text possesses a modicum of refinement which keeps it watchable, although it is nothing particularly strong or memorable.
Rating: 39 [Note: raised to 53 when viewed again in February 08, 2011]
Vers le sud (2005)
English title: Heading South.
The world of female sexual tourism in Haiti is depicted. A newcomer arrives in search of a young man whom she had met in a previous visit; he has a relationship with a habituée of the place, and a conflict arises between the two.
Not without interest, but flawed because of poor writing which translates into weak cinematic content. Examples - I think it would benefit from a visual exposition of Legba's first encounter with Brenda; they chose to narrate this and the other two women's backgrounds through their talking to the camera, a very poor choice; second, the car ride sequence which serves as an exposition of Legba's troubles is very poorly done; third, Ellen's bursts of bitchiness, signaling her contradictions in regards to her true feelings, are too caricatural.
Rating: 34
The world of female sexual tourism in Haiti is depicted. A newcomer arrives in search of a young man whom she had met in a previous visit; he has a relationship with a habituée of the place, and a conflict arises between the two.
Not without interest, but flawed because of poor writing which translates into weak cinematic content. Examples - I think it would benefit from a visual exposition of Legba's first encounter with Brenda; they chose to narrate this and the other two women's backgrounds through their talking to the camera, a very poor choice; second, the car ride sequence which serves as an exposition of Legba's troubles is very poorly done; third, Ellen's bursts of bitchiness, signaling her contradictions in regards to her true feelings, are too caricatural.
Rating: 34
Sunday, February 07, 2010
Combat!: Rear Echelon Commandos (1962) (TV)
A detailed description and analysis of this episode is to be found in Christopher Mulrooney's site (see my list of links on this page).
One thing I have learned from it is that I must never light a hearth's fire in a town in which there might be hidden enemies with a machine gun.
One thing I have learned from it is that I must never light a hearth's fire in a town in which there might be hidden enemies with a machine gun.
Saturday, February 06, 2010
Le silence de Lorna (2008)
*SPOILERS*
English titles: Lorna's Silence; The Silence of Lorna.
Lorna is an Albanian woman who pays a Belgian man to marry her so that she can get Belgian citizenship. He is a drug addict trying to quit drugs. Lorna's "agent" plans to give her husband an overdose so that she gets quickly available for a new wedding, this time with a Russian who will pay them for it.
Apparently, there is nothing easier than giving an overdose to someone you want to get rid of. At least, that is what we learn from this film. Oh, and, if in L'enfant we learned that the Belgian police are not very diligent, in Le silence de Lorna we learn that they are not very bright. About the title, no idea what it is supposed to be referring to. This film relies on an overly convoluted plot to express the idea that women are easily driven mad, particularly when they are in the criminal business. It seems to imply that Lorna somehow found a truer love with the drug addict than with her Albanian lover, a plot element which makes the film a variation on such films as Green Card, and Les noces de papier.
Rating: 40
English titles: Lorna's Silence; The Silence of Lorna.
Lorna is an Albanian woman who pays a Belgian man to marry her so that she can get Belgian citizenship. He is a drug addict trying to quit drugs. Lorna's "agent" plans to give her husband an overdose so that she gets quickly available for a new wedding, this time with a Russian who will pay them for it.
Apparently, there is nothing easier than giving an overdose to someone you want to get rid of. At least, that is what we learn from this film. Oh, and, if in L'enfant we learned that the Belgian police are not very diligent, in Le silence de Lorna we learn that they are not very bright. About the title, no idea what it is supposed to be referring to. This film relies on an overly convoluted plot to express the idea that women are easily driven mad, particularly when they are in the criminal business. It seems to imply that Lorna somehow found a truer love with the drug addict than with her Albanian lover, a plot element which makes the film a variation on such films as Green Card, and Les noces de papier.
Rating: 40
Combat!: The Gantlet (1967) (TV)
*SPOILERS*
Sgt. Saunders is captured, placed on a train, escapes, ends up with a scumbaggish sergeant, they run into some Germans, are unmasked, kill the Germans, put on their uniforms, Saunders is injured, abandoned by the scumbag, rescued by Germans who think he is one of them, their camp is attacked while Saunders is under morphine, he steals a motorcycle, falls, a field battle takes place next to him, he shouts a warning to his friends who are about to be shot from behind, the allies win, take him with them, he encounters the scumbag again, slaps him.
I sum up my comments in one word: wow.
Sgt. Saunders is captured, placed on a train, escapes, ends up with a scumbaggish sergeant, they run into some Germans, are unmasked, kill the Germans, put on their uniforms, Saunders is injured, abandoned by the scumbag, rescued by Germans who think he is one of them, their camp is attacked while Saunders is under morphine, he steals a motorcycle, falls, a field battle takes place next to him, he shouts a warning to his friends who are about to be shot from behind, the allies win, take him with them, he encounters the scumbag again, slaps him.
I sum up my comments in one word: wow.
Combat!: Jonah (1967) (TV)
A new replacement is deemed to be a "jonah", that is, jinxed, that is, a bearer of bad luck for those surrounding him.
Tuesday, February 02, 2010
Cruising (1980)
A series of killings of homosexual men spreads fear among that segment. A policeman goes undercover to try to find the perpetrator.
This film sabotages most of the potential appeal from its plot, by introducing ambiguous elements in its development. What remains of positive is the exposition of some ideas concerning the corruption of the individual by his work. The result is still somewhat problematic; for starters, I think it could delve deeper into the main character's issues.
This is my second viewing.
Rating: 43 (up from 36)
This film sabotages most of the potential appeal from its plot, by introducing ambiguous elements in its development. What remains of positive is the exposition of some ideas concerning the corruption of the individual by his work. The result is still somewhat problematic; for starters, I think it could delve deeper into the main character's issues.
This is my second viewing.
Rating: 43 (up from 36)
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Combat!: The Partisan (1967) (TV)
The Germans bomb a site where the allied soldiers are camping. Saunders gets a superficial injury and Caje a more serious one; the latter is taken prisoner. Saunders gets help at a blind woman's house.
King Kong (1976)
An oil-searching expedition to a remote uncharted island unveils a mysterious community which sacrifices young girls to a gigantic ape.
The musical score is good. Almost nothing else is, though. Even so, somehow, it keeps itself out of dullness, barely. And since we are at it, Kong was obviously a bad guy. He killed countless previous women, which per se rules out any kind of sympathy I could have for him. And there should be a reasonable suspicion that he was a racist, since it took a white woman to make him fall in love, after those countless natives whom he just slaughtered.
Rating: 36
The musical score is good. Almost nothing else is, though. Even so, somehow, it keeps itself out of dullness, barely. And since we are at it, Kong was obviously a bad guy. He killed countless previous women, which per se rules out any kind of sympathy I could have for him. And there should be a reasonable suspicion that he was a racist, since it took a white woman to make him fall in love, after those countless natives whom he just slaughtered.
Rating: 36
Transsiberian (2008)
A young American couple decides to make a trip by train through Siberia. On the train they are made to share a cabin with another young couple, who perhaps is up to no good.
Thriller filled with absurd or improbable situations, yet, despite of that, easy to watch and suspenseful on occasion.
Rating: 48
Thriller filled with absurd or improbable situations, yet, despite of that, easy to watch and suspenseful on occasion.
Rating: 48
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Bloody Mama (1970)
A family of criminals consisting of a woman and her four sons ravages Chicago in the 30s.
Exploitative and cheaply made, with a marginal interest for the comical effect which emanates from its outrageous content. The relation with the real people bearing the characters' names is minimal.
Rating: 40
Exploitative and cheaply made, with a marginal interest for the comical effect which emanates from its outrageous content. The relation with the real people bearing the characters' names is minimal.
Rating: 40
Defiance (2008)
Two Jewish brothers, living in Poland in 1941, decide to take refuge in the woods. There they assemble a community of people, and must face the hardships of survival and the threat of the Nazis.
It has an interesting subject, but the approach is rather insipid and dull. Some departures from fact are justifiable only by the melodramatic effect.
Rating: 43
It has an interesting subject, but the approach is rather insipid and dull. Some departures from fact are justifiable only by the melodramatic effect.
Rating: 43
Class Action (1991)
A lawsuit involving an alleged defect in a car model which would make it explode has father and daughter in opposite sides as prosecutor and defense lawyer, respectively.
This is my second viewing of this film.
Solid entertainment, with perhaps minor improbabilities, but I am not a legal expert, so I may be wrong about this.
Rating: 56 (unchanged)
This is my second viewing of this film.
Solid entertainment, with perhaps minor improbabilities, but I am not a legal expert, so I may be wrong about this.
Rating: 56 (unchanged)
Luther (2003)
The life of a monk in the 16th century who rebelled against the Catholic practice of selling indulgences; he eventually founded a separate Church.
Highly edulcorated and fictionalized biopic, which fails to convince and feels like a soap opera much of the time.
Rating: 20
Highly edulcorated and fictionalized biopic, which fails to convince and feels like a soap opera much of the time.
Rating: 20
Gran Torino (2008)
An elderly widower befriends his neighbors of Vietnamese Hmong ehtnicity.
Quite ridiculous, bordering on self-parody on several occasions.
Rating: 15
Quite ridiculous, bordering on self-parody on several occasions.
Rating: 15
Amen. (2002)
Based on the play "Der Stellvertreter" (The Deputy), by Rolf Hochhuth, first staged in 1963.
A chemical engineer who, in Nazi Germany, was responsible for the production of gas for extermination camps, tries to stop the killings via the Lutheran church at first, and then via the Catholic church.
Interesting story, based on true events and characters, with, it seems, minor fictionalizations. A film which deals with the ironies of fate and the limits of individual and collective action in war times. The situation has some similarities with the one depicted in Die Fälscher. One minor caveat is due, regarding the misleading publicity poster, which implies a connection between Christian organizations and the Nazi regime. The film never makes that connection, but rather presents a balanced view, with all its nuances and details.
Rating: 63
A chemical engineer who, in Nazi Germany, was responsible for the production of gas for extermination camps, tries to stop the killings via the Lutheran church at first, and then via the Catholic church.
Interesting story, based on true events and characters, with, it seems, minor fictionalizations. A film which deals with the ironies of fate and the limits of individual and collective action in war times. The situation has some similarities with the one depicted in Die Fälscher. One minor caveat is due, regarding the misleading publicity poster, which implies a connection between Christian organizations and the Nazi regime. The film never makes that connection, but rather presents a balanced view, with all its nuances and details.
Rating: 63
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Cinderella Man (2005)
In the American Depression years, a ex-boxer who has been banned from competition gets a second chance.
An extremely conventional melodrama.
Rating: 33
An extremely conventional melodrama.
Rating: 33
Two Flags West (1950)
In the final years of the American Civil War, some Southern prisoners obtain their freedom from jail under the condition of fighting to protect a frontier post from rebellious Native Americans. The post, however, is run by a neurotic officer who, among other things, has an unsound obsession toward his late brother's widow.
Made with the usual Hollywood competence, but marred by a poorness of dramatic scope which, particularly in the third act, brings forth some weary clichés (e.g., nobility of character triumphing over wartime allegiances, etc.).
Rating: 45
Made with the usual Hollywood competence, but marred by a poorness of dramatic scope which, particularly in the third act, brings forth some weary clichés (e.g., nobility of character triumphing over wartime allegiances, etc.).
Rating: 45
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