English title: The Power of Kangwon Province.
Synopsis (spoilers): Three young women go to a mountain area on a weekend vacation. There they befriend a policeman who gets into a relationship with one of them. In sequence, a story which happens simultaneously with the first is shown. In it, two guys go to that same place of the first story for a weekend vacation. During the time frame of both stories, a murder happens in the area: a man pushes a woman off a cliff. One of the two vacationing guys witnessed the murderer check in by himself at the airport, and deducted he killed the woman; he informs the police about it. In the last act, we learn that one of the three girls (the one who started a relationship with the policeman) had been the girlfriend of one of the two guys (the one who phoned the police).
Appraisal: I am sorry if the synopsis above gets some detail wrong; I just don't feel inclined to watch this film again only to straighten out some misperception or to catch some subtle nuance. Anyway, from what I gathered, the film shows how people are trapped inside their miserable lives, never achieving happiness in their relationships, cultivating superficial friendships (which invariably explode in accusations and envy from one or several of the parts), and - in a subplot the details of which we never get to know - even killing the loved one. Although mildly interesting, it refrains from any depth; the scant (or inexistent?) use of close-ups has us at times guessing who is the person we see on the screen. I don't see much point in those formal choices. The style is elliptic and mysterious with varying results (possible most enigmatic example being a goldfish which appears out of nowhere in the girls' path and which is presumably the same one which vanishes from the male protagonist's basin).
Rating: 50
(Seen on August 18)
Friday, August 24, 2007
Daijiga umule pajinnal (1996)
English title: The Day a Pig Fell Into the Well.
Synopsis (spoilers): The film follows the lives of several men and women who are connected directly or indirectly. A writer has an affair with a married woman whose husband is a sales representative. Another woman who works as a cinema cashier and also as a voiceover person has a crush on said writer. The writer goes to a dinner with other writers and behaves obnoxiously, finally being arrested for brawling and threatening people witha broken bottle. The sales representative goes on a sales trip and has to spend the night there. He has sex with a prostitute and his condom bursts. He takes a medical exam and is observed by his wife while entering the laboratory. The cinema owner has a son who has a crush on the cashier. The married woman spots a photo of herself and her husband and their baby (who is presumedly dead, since he does not appear in the film) on a display window and demands to buy the photo; the shop attendant says he must talk to his boss but she takes the picture anyway and destroys it. The cinema owner's son murders the writer and the cashier out of jealousy.
Appraisal: Depiction of small lives in all their glorious banality; everyone is a prisoner (of their jobs, of their failed relationships, whatever), thence, I gather, the title (although Theo Panayides has a mildly more specific - and fascinating - explanation which refers to humans abandoning the countryside for the city and thus isolating themselves). Emblematic scene: our hero, playing with an insect, repeatedly poses his finger as a barrier to its path, making it turn around incessantly. Mildly interesting as narrative, but with characters duller than any real people I ever knew.
Rating: 50
(Seen on August 18)
Synopsis (spoilers): The film follows the lives of several men and women who are connected directly or indirectly. A writer has an affair with a married woman whose husband is a sales representative. Another woman who works as a cinema cashier and also as a voiceover person has a crush on said writer. The writer goes to a dinner with other writers and behaves obnoxiously, finally being arrested for brawling and threatening people witha broken bottle. The sales representative goes on a sales trip and has to spend the night there. He has sex with a prostitute and his condom bursts. He takes a medical exam and is observed by his wife while entering the laboratory. The cinema owner has a son who has a crush on the cashier. The married woman spots a photo of herself and her husband and their baby (who is presumedly dead, since he does not appear in the film) on a display window and demands to buy the photo; the shop attendant says he must talk to his boss but she takes the picture anyway and destroys it. The cinema owner's son murders the writer and the cashier out of jealousy.
Appraisal: Depiction of small lives in all their glorious banality; everyone is a prisoner (of their jobs, of their failed relationships, whatever), thence, I gather, the title (although Theo Panayides has a mildly more specific - and fascinating - explanation which refers to humans abandoning the countryside for the city and thus isolating themselves). Emblematic scene: our hero, playing with an insect, repeatedly poses his finger as a barrier to its path, making it turn around incessantly. Mildly interesting as narrative, but with characters duller than any real people I ever knew.
Rating: 50
(Seen on August 18)
Sour Grapes (1998)
Synopsis (spoilers): Two cousins, plus their wives, go together on a trip to Atlantic City. One of them tries his luck at the jackpot machine and, running out of coins, asks the other one for some. He hits the jackpot and the one who provided the coins thinks he deserves half the money. He is a doctor and as a revenge for the other's refusal in sharing the money he gives him a false cancer diagnosis. Upon receiving this sad news, the winning guy gives his mother's house keys to a bum, in the hope that she will die of a heart attack when she sees the man in her house (his ultimate purpose is to alleviate her suffering after he is gone as she would have no one to look after her). He later finds out the truth about his condition listening to a message his doctor friend left in his answering machine. Meanwhile, his mother, as predicted, has a shock to see the bum in her house and is taken to a hospital; she survives though. The doctor receives a phone call from his cousin right when he is about to begin a surgery for the removal of a testicle. Deeply disturbed, he inverts the patient's exam image and removes the wrong testicle. His nurse detects the inversion and warns him. He then proceeds to remove the second testicle, leaving the patient without both. The latter's voice acquires a shrillness which gets him fired from his acting role in a TV show; he vows to avenge himself on the doctor. A worth mentioning subplot refers to the rare ability of the guy who won the jackpot to fellate himself. At a certain point in the movie, he suffers a kind of muscular distension which takes that special ability from him, but later in the movie as he returns to the upright position after picking a dropped object he is magically cured, and promptly proceeds to performing that self-pleasing act.
Appraisal: Cerebral and quirky comedy with highs and, more often, lows.
Rating: 43
(Seen on August 17)
Appraisal: Cerebral and quirky comedy with highs and, more often, lows.
Rating: 43
(Seen on August 17)
Jeux d'enfants (2003)
English title: Love Me If You Dare.
Synopsis: A boy and a girl start playing a game of dare when they are kids and can't stop it even as they grow older.
Appraisal: This film is just stupid and annoying, but I kept asking myself whether a darker, harsher approach to this basic premise would lead to an intelligent one. I don't know the answer to that. What I know is that the way it is it just doesn't work for me.
Rating: 16
(Seen on August 15)
Synopsis: A boy and a girl start playing a game of dare when they are kids and can't stop it even as they grow older.
Appraisal: This film is just stupid and annoying, but I kept asking myself whether a darker, harsher approach to this basic premise would lead to an intelligent one. I don't know the answer to that. What I know is that the way it is it just doesn't work for me.
Rating: 16
(Seen on August 15)
L'homme blessé (1983)
English title: The Wounded Man.
Synopsis: A young man meets a pimp in a train station and is taken by an obsessive attraction toward him.
Appraisal: Energetic account of a doomed love; despite all the energy, the film is ultimately flawed in so many ways that it would be tedious to enumerate them. Too much vagueness, to begin with: it is hard to know what exactly each character has in mind that leads them to do what they do. Perhaps a little more backstory on some of them would help. Also, the sex scenes are borderline ridiculous - allow me not to dwell on that, though. The ending is disgusting.
Rating: 35
(Seen on August 14)
Synopsis: A young man meets a pimp in a train station and is taken by an obsessive attraction toward him.
Appraisal: Energetic account of a doomed love; despite all the energy, the film is ultimately flawed in so many ways that it would be tedious to enumerate them. Too much vagueness, to begin with: it is hard to know what exactly each character has in mind that leads them to do what they do. Perhaps a little more backstory on some of them would help. Also, the sex scenes are borderline ridiculous - allow me not to dwell on that, though. The ending is disgusting.
Rating: 35
(Seen on August 14)
Mes nuits sont plus belles que tes jours (1989)
English title: My Nights Are More Beautiful Than Your Days.
Synopsis: A man with a terminal illness starts a relationship with a young woman who performs a devination act at nightclubs and casinos. They both witnessed traumatic incidents when they were children.
Appraisal: Aside from the intensity of its mise-en-scene, which relies on fine performances from its leading pair, there isn't much to this film. It is all openly silly and hysterical.
Rating: 37
(seen on August 13)
Synopsis: A man with a terminal illness starts a relationship with a young woman who performs a devination act at nightclubs and casinos. They both witnessed traumatic incidents when they were children.
Appraisal: Aside from the intensity of its mise-en-scene, which relies on fine performances from its leading pair, there isn't much to this film. It is all openly silly and hysterical.
Rating: 37
(seen on August 13)
Pride & Prejudice (2005)
Synopsis: Elizabeth, a young woman from a modest family, meets Darcy, a proud young man of higher social standing. Her sister is courted by Darcy's best friend.
Appraisal: Jane Austen's novel (1st ed. 1813) is a series of contrivances which work well in the way of light entertainment; this film has a solid direction, especially competent in the orchestration of party scenes. A respectable film.
Rating: 69
(seen on August 13)
Appraisal: Jane Austen's novel (1st ed. 1813) is a series of contrivances which work well in the way of light entertainment; this film has a solid direction, especially competent in the orchestration of party scenes. A respectable film.
Rating: 69
(seen on August 13)
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Gwoemul (2006)
English title: The Host.
Synopsis: A huge monster appears in a river and starts attacking people at the river banks.
Appraisal: Interesting mix of sci-fi thriller, comedy and drama, which boasts competent effects and good camerawork. It departs somewhat from the conventions of thrillers: the editing is not frenetic and the film proceeds at a gentler pace than others. Also, the humor is present is several situations, giving the film a distinct mark. The plot has some questionable elements, particularly in the latter half of the movie, which I will not reveal here. It seems like they just didn't spend enough time and effort on the screenplay. Anyway, the net result is positive and I mildly recommend it.
Rating: 56
Synopsis: A huge monster appears in a river and starts attacking people at the river banks.
Appraisal: Interesting mix of sci-fi thriller, comedy and drama, which boasts competent effects and good camerawork. It departs somewhat from the conventions of thrillers: the editing is not frenetic and the film proceeds at a gentler pace than others. Also, the humor is present is several situations, giving the film a distinct mark. The plot has some questionable elements, particularly in the latter half of the movie, which I will not reveal here. It seems like they just didn't spend enough time and effort on the screenplay. Anyway, the net result is positive and I mildly recommend it.
Rating: 56
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Return to Paradise (1953)
Synopsis: An American adventurer named Morgan arrives at a South Seas island and challenges the tyranny of a white preacher. The local population wants to make Morgan into a leader, but he is not keen on becoming one. He begins a relationship with a local woman.
Appraisal: Quite undistinguished drama that suffers from severe blandness. The violence is so toned down that it is practically incomprehensible how Morgan prevails over the local wardens (he has a gun but never really uses it against people). Nudity and sex are never displayed, although they are mentioned in the voiceover as important elements in the narrative; this makes the film quite hypocritical. Putting these flaws aside, it is possible to enjoy the narrative on a very superficial level. Note: I saw the shorter (88 min) version.
Rating: 33
Appraisal: Quite undistinguished drama that suffers from severe blandness. The violence is so toned down that it is practically incomprehensible how Morgan prevails over the local wardens (he has a gun but never really uses it against people). Nudity and sex are never displayed, although they are mentioned in the voiceover as important elements in the narrative; this makes the film quite hypocritical. Putting these flaws aside, it is possible to enjoy the narrative on a very superficial level. Note: I saw the shorter (88 min) version.
Rating: 33
Friday, August 10, 2007
Salmer fra kjøkkenet (2003)
English title: Kitchen Stories.
Synopsis: A scientific research is conducted aiming at assessing the efficiences of different kitchen configurations at bachelors' houses. One human observer is placed inside each subject's kitchen and must write down the activities of the house dweller. The story centers around the friendship that develops between one of these observers and his subject.
Appraisal: The greatest flaw of this film is that the eccentric premise is not good enough for one hour and a half of film. Thus, the interest dwindles by the middle of the movie, to be rekindled only near the end. Although quite tedious at some points, the film illustrates the lonely life of men living in remote regions with a certain affection and stylishness.
Rating: 36
Synopsis: A scientific research is conducted aiming at assessing the efficiences of different kitchen configurations at bachelors' houses. One human observer is placed inside each subject's kitchen and must write down the activities of the house dweller. The story centers around the friendship that develops between one of these observers and his subject.
Appraisal: The greatest flaw of this film is that the eccentric premise is not good enough for one hour and a half of film. Thus, the interest dwindles by the middle of the movie, to be rekindled only near the end. Although quite tedious at some points, the film illustrates the lonely life of men living in remote regions with a certain affection and stylishness.
Rating: 36
Thursday, August 09, 2007
Les poupées russes (2005)
English title: Russian Dolls.
Synopsis: Sequel to "L'auberge espagnole". Now Xavier is without a steady girlfriend, and writes all sorts of vile stuff (biographies as a ghost writer, TV movies, newspaper articles about assorted banalities) while his dream of becoming a novelist is forever postponed. He accepts a job of adapting a screenplay of his for the English language, teaming up with Wendy, whom he knew from Barcelona.
Appraisal: Almost insufferably insubstantial and insignificant for most of its duration. It improves a bit near the ending.
Rating: 29
Synopsis: Sequel to "L'auberge espagnole". Now Xavier is without a steady girlfriend, and writes all sorts of vile stuff (biographies as a ghost writer, TV movies, newspaper articles about assorted banalities) while his dream of becoming a novelist is forever postponed. He accepts a job of adapting a screenplay of his for the English language, teaming up with Wendy, whom he knew from Barcelona.
Appraisal: Almost insufferably insubstantial and insignificant for most of its duration. It improves a bit near the ending.
Rating: 29
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
The United States of Leland (2003)
Synopsis: The film retraces the events prior to the murder of a mentally deficient boy by his sister's ex-boyfriend.
Appraisal: Wow. This one has left me speechless, gazing into the void.
Rating: 5
Appraisal: Wow. This one has left me speechless, gazing into the void.
Rating: 5
Battle Hymn (1957)
Synopsis: A World War II veteran working as a religious minister has qualms of conscience due to having accidentally bombed an orphanage. He decides to reenlist as a trainer of pilots in the Korean War.
Appraisal: This film is very much the equivalent of a moral treatise, and probably deserves some praise for it. The way it demonstrates its views is quite elaborate and arguably inspirational (to some), and, I suppose, not excessively dull to those who are looking for a more down-to-earth (oops) war story.
Rating: 53
Appraisal: This film is very much the equivalent of a moral treatise, and probably deserves some praise for it. The way it demonstrates its views is quite elaborate and arguably inspirational (to some), and, I suppose, not excessively dull to those who are looking for a more down-to-earth (oops) war story.
Rating: 53
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
Padre padrone (1977)
English title: Father and Master.
Synopsis: In rural Sardinia, a young boy is forced to abandon school and work as a shepherd for his brutal father.
Appraisal: Second viewing, and it seemed even less good than on my first one. Although the plot is interesting by itself, filmically it is somewhat unpolished and humdrum.
Rating: 55 (down from 62)
Synopsis: In rural Sardinia, a young boy is forced to abandon school and work as a shepherd for his brutal father.
Appraisal: Second viewing, and it seemed even less good than on my first one. Although the plot is interesting by itself, filmically it is somewhat unpolished and humdrum.
Rating: 55 (down from 62)
Trooper Hook (1957)
Synopsis: After a battle against some rebellious Native Americans, the latter are subjugated and it is discovered that their chief was living with a white woman whom he had kidnapped. They had a son together, and a U.S. soldier is placed in charge of taking her and the kid to meet her white husband.
Appraisal: Low-budget western with a very predictable ending. Watchable.
Rating: 39
Appraisal: Low-budget western with a very predictable ending. Watchable.
Rating: 39
Sunday, August 05, 2007
Georgia Rule (2007)
Synopsis: Rachel, a rebellious 17 year old, is sent by her mother to stay for a few weeks with her (Rachel's) grandmother who has strict rules of discipline. Rachel draws the attention of the small town at which her grandmother lives due to her liberal behavior. Things get really complex when she tells a local veterinarian that she suffered sexual abuse from her stepfather.
Appraisal: This film has almost no effect as a comedy, and is poorly conceived as a drama about sexual abuse. It's ineffective both as entertainment and as serious social or psychological discussion. Although I wouldn't go as far as saying it's offensive, it's certainly a poor way of spending two hours of your life. To give just an example of what I am talking about: why is it justified for Georgia to assume that Rachel's stepfather is really a sexual abuser? Is she implying that all swearers are moral degenerates? Or is she psychic? Maybe she is actually supposed to be a dimwit, but shoudn't the film stress that more clearly instead of making us sympathize with her?
Rating: 27
Appraisal: This film has almost no effect as a comedy, and is poorly conceived as a drama about sexual abuse. It's ineffective both as entertainment and as serious social or psychological discussion. Although I wouldn't go as far as saying it's offensive, it's certainly a poor way of spending two hours of your life. To give just an example of what I am talking about: why is it justified for Georgia to assume that Rachel's stepfather is really a sexual abuser? Is she implying that all swearers are moral degenerates? Or is she psychic? Maybe she is actually supposed to be a dimwit, but shoudn't the film stress that more clearly instead of making us sympathize with her?
Rating: 27
Le silencieux (1973)
English title: The Silent One.
Synopsis: A French scientist is kidnapped to the USSR and forced to work for the Soviets. The French (or is it the English?) kidnap him back during his visit to London and force him to reveal the names of British agents who are working for the USSR. After that he is chased by the KGB.
Appraisal: Espionage drama which contains some dull parts and others not so dull, and which is rather implausible at times.
Rating: 37
Synopsis: A French scientist is kidnapped to the USSR and forced to work for the Soviets. The French (or is it the English?) kidnap him back during his visit to London and force him to reveal the names of British agents who are working for the USSR. After that he is chased by the KGB.
Appraisal: Espionage drama which contains some dull parts and others not so dull, and which is rather implausible at times.
Rating: 37
Saturday, August 04, 2007
The Black Dahlia (2006)
Synopsis: Two friends, both cops. The sweetheart of one of them. A struggling actress's grisly murder. A millionaire's daughter who knew the victim. Her wacky family. Based on a novel by James Ellroy (1st ed. 1987).
Appraisal: An intricately plotted melodrama, filmed with the director's usual visual mastery. To be sure, it's all form and no soul, although it is pretty impressive at specific points (the boxing match, the dinner at the Linscotts', the set-up at the Olympic).
Rating: 53
Appraisal: An intricately plotted melodrama, filmed with the director's usual visual mastery. To be sure, it's all form and no soul, although it is pretty impressive at specific points (the boxing match, the dinner at the Linscotts', the set-up at the Olympic).
Rating: 53
Thursday, August 02, 2007
The Ice Harvest (2005)
Synopsis: On Christmas Eve, a lawyer and his friend steal money from a strip club owner. The sexy manager of the club wants in on it.
Appraisal: Although the plot is vague on some details (e.g., how they stole the money), and the film doesn't really have any major plot element that hasn't been explored hundreds of times before, it is done in such an elegant way - and is so beautifully acted (all over, but if I had to choose one performance it would be Platt's) - that the final result comes off as a fresh addition to the noir genre.
Rating: 64
Appraisal: Although the plot is vague on some details (e.g., how they stole the money), and the film doesn't really have any major plot element that hasn't been explored hundreds of times before, it is done in such an elegant way - and is so beautifully acted (all over, but if I had to choose one performance it would be Platt's) - that the final result comes off as a fresh addition to the noir genre.
Rating: 64
Monday, July 30, 2007
Lance maior (1968)
Synopsis: Mário is a young law student who works at a bank. He starts a relationship with a humble yet attractive shopgirl. He then starts a concomitant relationship with a rich girl.
Appraisal: Urban drama whose grim candor in character depiction and economic narrative style make for an interesting portrait of how the Brazilian upper and lower middle classes of the late sixties behaved and interacted. Although it abides by a realistic worldview, it has a certain theatricality to its dialogue and mise-en-scene that betrays some roughness in the overall execution; in spite of that, it is a worthy film, probably one of its director's better ones.
Rating: 57
Appraisal: Urban drama whose grim candor in character depiction and economic narrative style make for an interesting portrait of how the Brazilian upper and lower middle classes of the late sixties behaved and interacted. Although it abides by a realistic worldview, it has a certain theatricality to its dialogue and mise-en-scene that betrays some roughness in the overall execution; in spite of that, it is a worthy film, probably one of its director's better ones.
Rating: 57
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