Luthor gets hold of extraterrestrial rocks that multiply in size under certain conditions (when wet?) and creates the seed of a new continent that would override the American one. Superman fights the evil, with help from Lane and her present boyfriend. There is also a kid.
An allegory for cancer and its cure. The love troubles seem to stem from misunderstandings. Both entities -- misunderstandings and cancer -- are little things that, left to their own devices, may grow into catastrophic proportions, and here is the structural unity of the work. Like many (post?) modern films it is dominated by a weird blue-grayish tonality, and my theory is that the trend is to make live-action films look more and more like computer animations and these in turn look more and more like live-action films, until there will be no way to distinguish one from the other.
Seen mostly dubbed in Portuguese.
Rating: 30
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Sunday, July 28, 2013
The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
Second viewing; the first was on April 28, 1987.
A spaceship lands in Washington, D.C., with one passenger and a robot. It has come on a mission: to give an important message to the leaders of Earth's nations.
Although full of plot holes, the film is moderately fun to watch, and has some interesting ideas. Also interesting are the similarities it bears with the story of Jesus (there is even a resurrection), which reportedly were intended as a private joke from the screenwriter which did not stay completely private after all. The more or less consensual interpretation seems to be that the film intends to do what the aliens in the film did, that is, warn people about the dangers of atomic weapons. If it is so, the way it chose to do it is a little odd, and hardly of assured efficacy.
Rating: 52 (down from 56)
A spaceship lands in Washington, D.C., with one passenger and a robot. It has come on a mission: to give an important message to the leaders of Earth's nations.
Although full of plot holes, the film is moderately fun to watch, and has some interesting ideas. Also interesting are the similarities it bears with the story of Jesus (there is even a resurrection), which reportedly were intended as a private joke from the screenwriter which did not stay completely private after all. The more or less consensual interpretation seems to be that the film intends to do what the aliens in the film did, that is, warn people about the dangers of atomic weapons. If it is so, the way it chose to do it is a little odd, and hardly of assured efficacy.
Rating: 52 (down from 56)
Drums Along the Mohawk (1939)
Second viewing; the first was on August 18, 1990.
A newlywed couple in the days of American independence wars. She is a city girl, goes to live in his farm. The Indians are British allies, and pretty savage. And so it goes.
Perhaps not a perfect movie, but certainly an interesting one. I hear it went overbudget and had a few battle scenes canceled. Some of the humor does not seem to serve the plot, yet perhaps it is what gives the movie a peculiar flavor. The implausibility of having the protagonist suddenly made into an athlete who can outrun very fit Iroquois gives us some very fine compositions.
Rating: 52 (up from 43)
A newlywed couple in the days of American independence wars. She is a city girl, goes to live in his farm. The Indians are British allies, and pretty savage. And so it goes.
Perhaps not a perfect movie, but certainly an interesting one. I hear it went overbudget and had a few battle scenes canceled. Some of the humor does not seem to serve the plot, yet perhaps it is what gives the movie a peculiar flavor. The implausibility of having the protagonist suddenly made into an athlete who can outrun very fit Iroquois gives us some very fine compositions.
Rating: 52 (up from 43)
Tabloid (2010)
Documentary about the Mormon sex in chains case.
I can't think of much to say about the technique -- this is a standard-format documentary, with extensive interviews and the occasional formal frippery which is supposed to add humor or alleviate the monotony -- and the story per se is, I think, a curious display of American culture on opposite ends of the spectrum and the consequences of their coming together for a moment. As for tabloids, on the other hand, there is an interesting question: is this film supposed to be an exposé or is the title meant in the same way as, for example, Film (1965) and High School Musical?
I can't think of much to say about the technique -- this is a standard-format documentary, with extensive interviews and the occasional formal frippery which is supposed to add humor or alleviate the monotony -- and the story per se is, I think, a curious display of American culture on opposite ends of the spectrum and the consequences of their coming together for a moment. As for tabloids, on the other hand, there is an interesting question: is this film supposed to be an exposé or is the title meant in the same way as, for example, Film (1965) and High School Musical?
Saturday, July 27, 2013
Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon (1942)
Second viewing; the first was on May 30, 1995
The famous detective acts here as much as a secret agent as a detective. A German scientist has invented a powerful bomb-sight and prefers to give it to the Allies than to the Nazis (yes, Holmes has lived to see World War II). Holmes gets him out of Germany, but new perils await him (and Holmes) in England.
Perfectly mediocre Holmes outting, not a memorable scene, not a remarkable deductive thought, not a remarkable line of dialogue (except, if you will, for a reference to Holmes' drug use which IMDB mentions but I did not get while watching it). But it is all professionally done, and the narrative flows easily and ends in a reasonably short time.
Rating: 31 (down from 42)
The famous detective acts here as much as a secret agent as a detective. A German scientist has invented a powerful bomb-sight and prefers to give it to the Allies than to the Nazis (yes, Holmes has lived to see World War II). Holmes gets him out of Germany, but new perils await him (and Holmes) in England.
Perfectly mediocre Holmes outting, not a memorable scene, not a remarkable deductive thought, not a remarkable line of dialogue (except, if you will, for a reference to Holmes' drug use which IMDB mentions but I did not get while watching it). But it is all professionally done, and the narrative flows easily and ends in a reasonably short time.
Rating: 31 (down from 42)
Friday, July 26, 2013
The Gamma People (1956)
Two journalists traveling by train get stranded in a small European country where terrible things are happening. A scientist performing some problematic experiments seems to be the man behind all the evil occurrences.
Poor sci-fi which at least allows some humor into it, in the first half of the movie anyway. As usual in the genre, science has very little to do with it except lending it some fancy words and visuals. Also as usual, it is a reflection of some deep-seated fears which were prevalent at the time of production (and maybe later on, too): fear of children, fear of nazism, fear of communism, fear of science, fear of foreign countries, fear of blond-haired people, fear of Eastern Europe, fear of excessively intelligent people, fear of excessively stupid people... I think I have covered all or most of it.
Rating: 33
Poor sci-fi which at least allows some humor into it, in the first half of the movie anyway. As usual in the genre, science has very little to do with it except lending it some fancy words and visuals. Also as usual, it is a reflection of some deep-seated fears which were prevalent at the time of production (and maybe later on, too): fear of children, fear of nazism, fear of communism, fear of science, fear of foreign countries, fear of blond-haired people, fear of Eastern Europe, fear of excessively intelligent people, fear of excessively stupid people... I think I have covered all or most of it.
Rating: 33
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
The Last Mimzy (2007)
* mild spoilers exist in the review below *
Unfaithful adaptation of the short story Mimsy Were the Borogoves, by Henry Kuttner and C.L. Moore (his wife), writing under the pen name of Lewis Padgett. The first publication was in 1943.
Two small kids, a boy and a girl, discover a box which holds in its interior some objects which seem to possess special powers. One of these objects is a stuffed rabbit, to which the girl becomes attached. The kids begin to develop special abilities, arousing their parents and teacher's suspicions. The situation escalates until the mystery about these objects is revealed.
Not entirely bad sci-fi, which as usual in the genre contains some very bogus science, but is well-acted and has a more coherent plot than some have implied. It is a descendant from the likes of La jetée, Twelve Monkeys, and The Terminator, only this time the focus is on environmental issues.
Seen mostly dubbed in Portuguese, and a few portions with the original audio.
Rating: 46
Unfaithful adaptation of the short story Mimsy Were the Borogoves, by Henry Kuttner and C.L. Moore (his wife), writing under the pen name of Lewis Padgett. The first publication was in 1943.
Two small kids, a boy and a girl, discover a box which holds in its interior some objects which seem to possess special powers. One of these objects is a stuffed rabbit, to which the girl becomes attached. The kids begin to develop special abilities, arousing their parents and teacher's suspicions. The situation escalates until the mystery about these objects is revealed.
Not entirely bad sci-fi, which as usual in the genre contains some very bogus science, but is well-acted and has a more coherent plot than some have implied. It is a descendant from the likes of La jetée, Twelve Monkeys, and The Terminator, only this time the focus is on environmental issues.
Seen mostly dubbed in Portuguese, and a few portions with the original audio.
Rating: 46
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Uchû daisensô (1959)
Second viewing; the first was on June 14, 1996.
English title: Battle in Outer Space
A series of catastrophes are found to be caused by extraterrestrials who want to conquer Earth. Their base is discovered to be located on the moon, so two ships are sent there to fight the aliens.
Unimaginative and derivative sci-fi whose major purpose seems to be the exhibition of special effects which by modern standards are unimpressive at best and ridiculous at worst.
Saw it dubbed in English spoken with Japanese accent.
Rating: 32 (down from 33)
English title: Battle in Outer Space
A series of catastrophes are found to be caused by extraterrestrials who want to conquer Earth. Their base is discovered to be located on the moon, so two ships are sent there to fight the aliens.
Unimaginative and derivative sci-fi whose major purpose seems to be the exhibition of special effects which by modern standards are unimpressive at best and ridiculous at worst.
Saw it dubbed in English spoken with Japanese accent.
Rating: 32 (down from 33)
Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959)
Second viewing; the first was on February 15, 1990.
Based on the novel by Jules Verne (1st ed. 1864).
A geologist discovers a message from a late explorer that reports the latter's finding of a path to the center of the earth. He then organizes an expedition following the footsteps of his predecessor.
Science fiction with mostly bogus science, and which will probably spark no more than a moderate interest in modern audiences. Technically, it is very well-made for its time. There are some embarrassing musical and dancing moments which are totally out of place in a film of this kind.
Rating: 53 (down from 63)
Based on the novel by Jules Verne (1st ed. 1864).
A geologist discovers a message from a late explorer that reports the latter's finding of a path to the center of the earth. He then organizes an expedition following the footsteps of his predecessor.
Science fiction with mostly bogus science, and which will probably spark no more than a moderate interest in modern audiences. Technically, it is very well-made for its time. There are some embarrassing musical and dancing moments which are totally out of place in a film of this kind.
Rating: 53 (down from 63)
La buena vida (2008)
English title: The Good Life
Several stories that unfold separately but not without touching each other. A man wants a bank loan to buy a car but suddenly needs the money to provide his dead father's body with a proper burial ground. A social worker who assists women with high risk for sexually transmitted diseases discovers that her teenage daughter is pregnant. A prostitute with an infant child has to cope with AIDS. A clarinetist is rejected for a position in a philharmonic orchestra and then gets a job at an army band.
The idea of several stories in a movie has worked well before, but here I do not think it does. The stories do not seem to go anywhere interesting; the characters remain poorly defined; the ending to each story seems gratuitous.
Rating: 32
Several stories that unfold separately but not without touching each other. A man wants a bank loan to buy a car but suddenly needs the money to provide his dead father's body with a proper burial ground. A social worker who assists women with high risk for sexually transmitted diseases discovers that her teenage daughter is pregnant. A prostitute with an infant child has to cope with AIDS. A clarinetist is rejected for a position in a philharmonic orchestra and then gets a job at an army band.
The idea of several stories in a movie has worked well before, but here I do not think it does. The stories do not seem to go anywhere interesting; the characters remain poorly defined; the ending to each story seems gratuitous.
Rating: 32
Monday, July 22, 2013
Prince Valiant (1954)
Seen it previously an undetermined number of times, probably around two, on undetermined dates, certainly no later than 1986.
A Viking king is deposed and forced into exile near Great Britain. He sends his young son Valiant to England to become a knight. On his way there Valiant discovers a plot to overthrow King Arthur. Once he arrives at his destination he becomes Sir Gawain's squire.
Very lightweight plot, which is to be expected since this was a characteristic of the source comic strip, where story took backstage to the magnificent drawings. But it is not a bad movie, the faithful reproduction of the source's images in celluloid is very nice, and this is a visually elegant movie. As an adaptation, I do not see how this could have been much better.
Rating: 51 (unchanged)
A Viking king is deposed and forced into exile near Great Britain. He sends his young son Valiant to England to become a knight. On his way there Valiant discovers a plot to overthrow King Arthur. Once he arrives at his destination he becomes Sir Gawain's squire.
Very lightweight plot, which is to be expected since this was a characteristic of the source comic strip, where story took backstage to the magnificent drawings. But it is not a bad movie, the faithful reproduction of the source's images in celluloid is very nice, and this is a visually elegant movie. As an adaptation, I do not see how this could have been much better.
Rating: 51 (unchanged)
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Nowhere to Run (1993)
A convict escapes during transportation to another prison. He camps near a secluded house, where a widow and her two children live. She happens to be facing pressure to sell her house to a construction firm which intends to build some big houses on the area.
Routine action thriller cum romantic drama which a few people have noticed to bear more than a casual similarity with Shane. I did not find the plot convincing enough nor engaging enough.
Rating: 32
Routine action thriller cum romantic drama which a few people have noticed to bear more than a casual similarity with Shane. I did not find the plot convincing enough nor engaging enough.
Rating: 32
Saturday, July 20, 2013
Salut l'artiste (1973)
English title: Hail the Artist.
The life of a middle-aged actor who can't get big parts. He scrapes a living off bit parts, dubbings, stage humor shows, etc. His love life is not all that simple either: he is separated from his wife and lives with his new girlfriend, but he keeps seeing both, and flirting with others as well. He has a long-time friend and colleague who decides to quit acting.
A worthy film, which mostly succeeds at showing the "dark side" of the acting profession. It is also a character study, and fairly successfull at that too. I have read somewhere (probably from an Internet Movie Database user) that director Robert specializes in men who will not grow up. That is right on the money, and this film fits in perfectly in that definition. But, while elsewhere he expresses himself through comedy, here he opts for drama -- one that does not exclude the comic element (just as his comedies do not exclude the dramatic one).
Rating: 60
The life of a middle-aged actor who can't get big parts. He scrapes a living off bit parts, dubbings, stage humor shows, etc. His love life is not all that simple either: he is separated from his wife and lives with his new girlfriend, but he keeps seeing both, and flirting with others as well. He has a long-time friend and colleague who decides to quit acting.
A worthy film, which mostly succeeds at showing the "dark side" of the acting profession. It is also a character study, and fairly successfull at that too. I have read somewhere (probably from an Internet Movie Database user) that director Robert specializes in men who will not grow up. That is right on the money, and this film fits in perfectly in that definition. But, while elsewhere he expresses himself through comedy, here he opts for drama -- one that does not exclude the comic element (just as his comedies do not exclude the dramatic one).
Rating: 60
The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb (1964)
The members of an archaeological team begin to die one by one after they enter a pharaoh's tomb and collect all its contents.
The actual incidents of most of the film are routine stuff, and altogether unexciting; the solution to the mystery, on the other hand, borders on the delirious, and provides its share of amusement, even though it does not make up for the dullness which prevailed thus far. The film's last act tries to add a little action to it all. Also on the amusing side is the female protagonist's preference for a man who will let her be a housewife over one who insists that she carry on with her career as an archaeologist, which by the way she only took on to earn her father's affection.
Rating: 32
The actual incidents of most of the film are routine stuff, and altogether unexciting; the solution to the mystery, on the other hand, borders on the delirious, and provides its share of amusement, even though it does not make up for the dullness which prevailed thus far. The film's last act tries to add a little action to it all. Also on the amusing side is the female protagonist's preference for a man who will let her be a housewife over one who insists that she carry on with her career as an archaeologist, which by the way she only took on to earn her father's affection.
Rating: 32
King Ralph (1991)
A Las Vegas showman with royal blood is called up to be king of England after the royal family dies in a freak accident.
This is a film wich seems to have written itself. It is just a pile of clichés, put together by a good production and with a good actor in the title role. Although it is barely watchable, it has a feel of necessity in it, somehow.
Rating: 36
This is a film wich seems to have written itself. It is just a pile of clichés, put together by a good production and with a good actor in the title role. Although it is barely watchable, it has a feel of necessity in it, somehow.
Rating: 36
Friday, July 19, 2013
The Last Winter (2006)
An oil-drilling station in Alaska is having some delays because of abnormal weather, and also because of an environmentalist in their team. The abnormalities increase into, well, abnormal proportions.
Too bad this was not written as a comedy, because there is a lot of potential in that direction in its basic plotline. As it is, it is a dull horror movie about fictitious environmental concerns, and an allegory for the terrible consequences of amorous infidelities.
Rating: 15
Too bad this was not written as a comedy, because there is a lot of potential in that direction in its basic plotline. As it is, it is a dull horror movie about fictitious environmental concerns, and an allegory for the terrible consequences of amorous infidelities.
Rating: 15
Iracema (1975)
Second viewing; first was on September 13, 1989.
An adolescent girl living in Northern Brazil as a prostitute encounters a truck driver heading South and decides to accompany him.
Probably few films have gone so far in mixing fiction and documentary and producing such a realistic feel. This is a considerable achievement, of course. The downside is that it is a film with little structure. And of course nothing I said means that what we see is "real", just that it looks "real". A characteristic of these so-called "realistic" films is that they concentrate on the grostesque, the decadent, the miserable, and so on. That occurs precisely because their lack of structure excludes to a great extent, or completely, the time element. It is a philosophical point which each viewer must confront whether this exclusion is truthful or deceitful, or neither.
Rating: 65 (down from 69)
An adolescent girl living in Northern Brazil as a prostitute encounters a truck driver heading South and decides to accompany him.
Probably few films have gone so far in mixing fiction and documentary and producing such a realistic feel. This is a considerable achievement, of course. The downside is that it is a film with little structure. And of course nothing I said means that what we see is "real", just that it looks "real". A characteristic of these so-called "realistic" films is that they concentrate on the grostesque, the decadent, the miserable, and so on. That occurs precisely because their lack of structure excludes to a great extent, or completely, the time element. It is a philosophical point which each viewer must confront whether this exclusion is truthful or deceitful, or neither.
Rating: 65 (down from 69)
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Giallo (2009)
A homicidal maniac captures his victims by disguising his car as a cab. A woman whose sister disappears contacts the cop who is investigating said killer's murders.
Thoroughly routine thriller, with a weak plot and unnecessarily disagreeable.
Saw it dubbed in Portuguese.
Rating: 17
Thoroughly routine thriller, with a weak plot and unnecessarily disagreeable.
Saw it dubbed in Portuguese.
Rating: 17
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Barravento (1962)
Second viewing; first was on November 6, 1988.
English title: The Turning Wind
A poor fishing community is stirred up by the return of one of its denizens, who is now an independent worker and deplores the passivity of the fishermen in face of their exploited condition, for which he puts much of the blame on their mysticism.
The direction is sleazy and a bit primitive, but is not without talent for some beautiful compositions; the plot's analysis of opposing forces in a working class environment has some interesting insights, both political and poetical. The end result is also marred by the endless dwelling on uneventful sequences, mostly of music and dance.
Rating: 44 (unchanged)
English title: The Turning Wind
A poor fishing community is stirred up by the return of one of its denizens, who is now an independent worker and deplores the passivity of the fishermen in face of their exploited condition, for which he puts much of the blame on their mysticism.
The direction is sleazy and a bit primitive, but is not without talent for some beautiful compositions; the plot's analysis of opposing forces in a working class environment has some interesting insights, both political and poetical. The end result is also marred by the endless dwelling on uneventful sequences, mostly of music and dance.
Rating: 44 (unchanged)
The Black Rose (1950)
Set in early medieval times, this film begins in an England torn by the enmity between conqueror Normans and conquered Saxons. A young Saxon receives a small inheritance and goes to Asia in search of adventure, taking his best friend with him. He enlists in an army under a warlord who is bent on conquering China.
The adventure fails to thrill, although it seems that at the time the movie was made this was their idea of fun, both in literature and in film. The care given to the production is visible, but the film is mildly amusing at best. Persons under the age of sixteen might enjoy it a bit more, although by today's standards I suspect that age threshold is perhaps too high an estimation. As a final note, I add that the title is absurd, The White Rose would be a sensible alternative, for obvious reasons, not that this matters much in a film which plays so fast and loose with plausibility and common sense.
Rating: 41
The adventure fails to thrill, although it seems that at the time the movie was made this was their idea of fun, both in literature and in film. The care given to the production is visible, but the film is mildly amusing at best. Persons under the age of sixteen might enjoy it a bit more, although by today's standards I suspect that age threshold is perhaps too high an estimation. As a final note, I add that the title is absurd, The White Rose would be a sensible alternative, for obvious reasons, not that this matters much in a film which plays so fast and loose with plausibility and common sense.
Rating: 41
Sunday, July 14, 2013
Le jour se lève (1939)
American title: Daybreak
A man barricades himself in his apartment after a passional crime. He recalls the incidents which led him to his extreme deed.
There are a few curious things about the characters in Le jour se lève, and it is not at all clear whether they stem from flaws in the writing or from deliberate choices, the reasons for which I could not understand. One of these is that the clarity about the sexual relationship between François and Clara is greater than about that between him and Françoise. Maybe I was not attentive enough, although I do not think so. Anyway, I did not think as much of the movie as its reputation seems to warrant. It is well directed, and Valentin is a very interesting character -- made so by the writing as well as by its player's performance -- and these by themselves are enough qualities to make it a rewarding experience, but they are not enough to make it a masterpiece. The film has several points of contact with Othello (based on my hearsay knowledge of that story), only Le jour se lève's Iago is a vertex of a love quadrangle. By the way, I do not know whether Valentin's psychological traits were already defined in the scénario (the screenplay minus the dialogue) or whether they were created by the dialogue author. This is a difficult authorship question, like so many that exist in the cinema.
Rating: 59
A man barricades himself in his apartment after a passional crime. He recalls the incidents which led him to his extreme deed.
There are a few curious things about the characters in Le jour se lève, and it is not at all clear whether they stem from flaws in the writing or from deliberate choices, the reasons for which I could not understand. One of these is that the clarity about the sexual relationship between François and Clara is greater than about that between him and Françoise. Maybe I was not attentive enough, although I do not think so. Anyway, I did not think as much of the movie as its reputation seems to warrant. It is well directed, and Valentin is a very interesting character -- made so by the writing as well as by its player's performance -- and these by themselves are enough qualities to make it a rewarding experience, but they are not enough to make it a masterpiece. The film has several points of contact with Othello (based on my hearsay knowledge of that story), only Le jour se lève's Iago is a vertex of a love quadrangle. By the way, I do not know whether Valentin's psychological traits were already defined in the scénario (the screenplay minus the dialogue) or whether they were created by the dialogue author. This is a difficult authorship question, like so many that exist in the cinema.
Rating: 59
Saturday, July 13, 2013
Truck Turner (1974)
A bounty hunter is wanted dead by the widow of a pimp he killed while trying to capture him.
The plotline is rather simple-minded, focusing on an invincible protagonist, a fact which renders the conflicts' outcome rather predictable. And when so many get killed -- including some of protagonists' friends, by the way -- it is inevitable that our level of empathy drop a little. But it is well-filmed, with plenty of action, and even the dramatic bits are reasonably well-written. I guess the movie is at its most attractive when it shows its gallery of hoodlums.
Rating: 51
The plotline is rather simple-minded, focusing on an invincible protagonist, a fact which renders the conflicts' outcome rather predictable. And when so many get killed -- including some of protagonists' friends, by the way -- it is inevitable that our level of empathy drop a little. But it is well-filmed, with plenty of action, and even the dramatic bits are reasonably well-written. I guess the movie is at its most attractive when it shows its gallery of hoodlums.
Rating: 51
The Little Prince (1974)
Based on the novella by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, first published in 1943.
An aviator makes an emergency landing in the Sahara desert and meets a child who claims he is from another planet. The child tells the aviator about his planet and also about some earthlings he has met.
This is a philosophical movie for kids; however, some of the text is perhaps a little more complex than could be comprehended by a regular kid. An adult will not, and here I judge from my own experience, find it disagreeable or tedious to the point of unwatchability. For one thing, as a spectacle it has its charms: it is a musical, competent as such, and has nice landscapes as backdrop. The philosophical point (or points) is not so easy to spell out in just a few words, but is a kind of praise of individuality, and also of companionship, which seems a little contradictory at first, but somehow is not, perhaps. It is also a satire of some values and paradigms which are seen as dominant in our civilization, and are shown to be false and hollow. If this seems a little vague, it may be because it actually is.
Rating: 51
An aviator makes an emergency landing in the Sahara desert and meets a child who claims he is from another planet. The child tells the aviator about his planet and also about some earthlings he has met.
This is a philosophical movie for kids; however, some of the text is perhaps a little more complex than could be comprehended by a regular kid. An adult will not, and here I judge from my own experience, find it disagreeable or tedious to the point of unwatchability. For one thing, as a spectacle it has its charms: it is a musical, competent as such, and has nice landscapes as backdrop. The philosophical point (or points) is not so easy to spell out in just a few words, but is a kind of praise of individuality, and also of companionship, which seems a little contradictory at first, but somehow is not, perhaps. It is also a satire of some values and paradigms which are seen as dominant in our civilization, and are shown to be false and hollow. If this seems a little vague, it may be because it actually is.
Rating: 51
Friday, July 12, 2013
Cheaper by the Dozen (1950)
Second viewing; first viewed on January 7, 1987.
This is about a large family in the 1920s, whose head -- an industrial engineer obsessed with optimizing time use -- runs it with strict discipline. His wife is a well of patience. The teenage daughters want to soften their father's rules.
I guess most of the interest in this comes from seeing how people in America of the beginning of last century thought and acted. It is very well directed. The principal actor displays in this a remarkable resemblance in demeanor and appearance to Adolf Hitler.
Rating: 53 (up from 30)
This is about a large family in the 1920s, whose head -- an industrial engineer obsessed with optimizing time use -- runs it with strict discipline. His wife is a well of patience. The teenage daughters want to soften their father's rules.
I guess most of the interest in this comes from seeing how people in America of the beginning of last century thought and acted. It is very well directed. The principal actor displays in this a remarkable resemblance in demeanor and appearance to Adolf Hitler.
Rating: 53 (up from 30)
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
The Caine Mutiny (1954)
Second viewing; first was probably in 1983, certainly no earlier than that, and no later than 1986.
In World War II, a minesweeping ship has a captain change. The new captain displays weird behavior and does not seem to be capable of commanding the ship competently.
There is a contrivedness to the situations which diminish the movie's impact significantly. The viewer is made to accept so many premises and particularities that its point (which would be something in the lines of "help your captain") is somewhat compromised. Furthermore, they needed to have one character (the lawyer) spell it out for us viewers, which is tantamount to confessing they couldn't get the message through with only the events in the narrative. In short, this is an interesting but not impassioning film.
Rating: 58 (down from 67)
In World War II, a minesweeping ship has a captain change. The new captain displays weird behavior and does not seem to be capable of commanding the ship competently.
There is a contrivedness to the situations which diminish the movie's impact significantly. The viewer is made to accept so many premises and particularities that its point (which would be something in the lines of "help your captain") is somewhat compromised. Furthermore, they needed to have one character (the lawyer) spell it out for us viewers, which is tantamount to confessing they couldn't get the message through with only the events in the narrative. In short, this is an interesting but not impassioning film.
Rating: 58 (down from 67)
Tuesday, July 09, 2013
Mutantes (1970)
Short featuring the famous Brazilian rock band. 7 minutes of nice or silly music, two physically very similar brothers who dress like Englishmen, a cute young lady, they are out in the street with the people, it is all a little awkward but cheerful.
Psycho (1960)
Second or third viewing; last one was between 1983 and 1986.
A woman steals 40,000 dollars and heads to a motel. It is located in a secluded place, she is the only guest, the owner is a bit weird -- and his mother appears to be weirder still.
Everything connected to the execution of this film is dazzling. I think what kept me from enjoying it fully previously was that I took the whole psychoanalytical side too seriously. Of course the psychopathology depicted in it is not realistic. But I see now that the film is obviously a dark comedy, and when it comes to dark comedies the loonier the better.
Rating: 72 (up from 52)
A woman steals 40,000 dollars and heads to a motel. It is located in a secluded place, she is the only guest, the owner is a bit weird -- and his mother appears to be weirder still.
Everything connected to the execution of this film is dazzling. I think what kept me from enjoying it fully previously was that I took the whole psychoanalytical side too seriously. Of course the psychopathology depicted in it is not realistic. But I see now that the film is obviously a dark comedy, and when it comes to dark comedies the loonier the better.
Rating: 72 (up from 52)
Ninotchka (1939)
Second viewing. First was between 1983 and 1986.
Three Soviet officials are in Paris to sell some jewels, but the deal goes wrong because the Russian owner, now an exile, claims them. Another Soviet official is sent abroad to straighten things out.
Intelligent mix of political satire and romantic comedy. A film in which everything seems to work well, unlike this blog's interface at this moment, which is not responding properly to mouseclicks and thus forces me to cut this review short (not that I have much more to say).
Rating: 74 (up from 70)
Three Soviet officials are in Paris to sell some jewels, but the deal goes wrong because the Russian owner, now an exile, claims them. Another Soviet official is sent abroad to straighten things out.
Intelligent mix of political satire and romantic comedy. A film in which everything seems to work well, unlike this blog's interface at this moment, which is not responding properly to mouseclicks and thus forces me to cut this review short (not that I have much more to say).
Rating: 74 (up from 70)
Sunday, July 07, 2013
The Extra Man (2010)
A young literature teacher from a small town goes to New York City to experience new things and try to become a writer. His roommate in Manhattan is an older teacher who increases his living standards by escorting rich old women.
Passable comedy which resumes the Glen or Glenda problematics in a contemporary setting. The satire on environmental activists is subtle but is there for anyone with eyes to see. On the whole, a carefully written film, not too brilliant perhaps, but somewhat improved by the presence of the best actors around in these days.
Rating: 52
Passable comedy which resumes the Glen or Glenda problematics in a contemporary setting. The satire on environmental activists is subtle but is there for anyone with eyes to see. On the whole, a carefully written film, not too brilliant perhaps, but somewhat improved by the presence of the best actors around in these days.
Rating: 52
Saturday, July 06, 2013
Totò e le donne (1952)
Second viewing; first was on November 7, 1987.
English title: Toto and the Women
A henpecked husband hides in the attic at night to read mystery novels in peace. He remembers all the tribulations he has gone through because of women. His daughter is getting engaged, and he witnesses his future son-in-law go through some tribulations of his own.
A fine and funny analysis of courtship and marriage from the vantage point of males, with a brief sequence taking the woman's view.
Rating: 62 (down from 70)
English title: Toto and the Women
A henpecked husband hides in the attic at night to read mystery novels in peace. He remembers all the tribulations he has gone through because of women. His daughter is getting engaged, and he witnesses his future son-in-law go through some tribulations of his own.
A fine and funny analysis of courtship and marriage from the vantage point of males, with a brief sequence taking the woman's view.
Rating: 62 (down from 70)
As Young as You Feel (1951)
A printing worker is fired because of age, and devises an extraordinary way to get his job back.
*spoilers follow*
A silly film, which appears to have been made with propaganda purposes. I do not know whether there was an organization behind it, or just the producer's initiative. The point to be made here is that older people should be cherished as valuable members of the workforce. The problem is that the film is neither funny nor rational. Apparently the way they found to demonstrate that Mr. Hodges is a good printer was by showing he was a good... dancer! As for his speech, he expresses the perfectly inane notion that keeping the elderly at their jobs is an efficient inflation-fighting technique. And of course only the extremely naïve will find it credible that the corporate owner will become friends with his impersonator and even want to hire him as an advisor.
Rating: 13
*spoilers follow*
A silly film, which appears to have been made with propaganda purposes. I do not know whether there was an organization behind it, or just the producer's initiative. The point to be made here is that older people should be cherished as valuable members of the workforce. The problem is that the film is neither funny nor rational. Apparently the way they found to demonstrate that Mr. Hodges is a good printer was by showing he was a good... dancer! As for his speech, he expresses the perfectly inane notion that keeping the elderly at their jobs is an efficient inflation-fighting technique. And of course only the extremely naïve will find it credible that the corporate owner will become friends with his impersonator and even want to hire him as an advisor.
Rating: 13
Friday, July 05, 2013
Double Take (2001)
Certain plot elements were borrowed from the 1938 short story Across the Bridge, by Graham Greene.
A banker gets entangled in a complicated affair involving drug dealers, the FBI, and a street crook who seems to follow him wherever he goes. It all begins when a large sum of money is deposited in his bank.
Entertaining study about deceiving appearances and the mechanisms of trust. The introduction of a highly improbable character provides comic relief.
Rating: 53
A banker gets entangled in a complicated affair involving drug dealers, the FBI, and a street crook who seems to follow him wherever he goes. It all begins when a large sum of money is deposited in his bank.
Entertaining study about deceiving appearances and the mechanisms of trust. The introduction of a highly improbable character provides comic relief.
Rating: 53
Wednesday, July 03, 2013
River of No Return (1954)
Second viewing; first was on June 5, 1990.
A farmer decides to take his motherless son to live with him in his farm. He meets a saloon singer who is expecting the arrival of her lover, a gambler. The latter just won a mine's claim on a game, and must get to the nearest town to file it. These characters will meet and extreme actions will take place.
A musical western with a plot that works like a theorem, and there's the beauty of it, or one of the beauties, rather, because there are many in it. The rapids scenes, even though made with the limited technical resources then available, are beautiful and lend an epical quality to the film; the songs, in turn, lend it a lyrical one, and this unusual mix, which in theory shouldn't work, actually does, and very well.
Rating: 73 (down from 87)
A farmer decides to take his motherless son to live with him in his farm. He meets a saloon singer who is expecting the arrival of her lover, a gambler. The latter just won a mine's claim on a game, and must get to the nearest town to file it. These characters will meet and extreme actions will take place.
A musical western with a plot that works like a theorem, and there's the beauty of it, or one of the beauties, rather, because there are many in it. The rapids scenes, even though made with the limited technical resources then available, are beautiful and lend an epical quality to the film; the songs, in turn, lend it a lyrical one, and this unusual mix, which in theory shouldn't work, actually does, and very well.
Rating: 73 (down from 87)
Harvey (1950)
A middle-aged bachelor with a mental disorder is considered a nuisance by his sister and niece, who live with him in his house. They try to have him committed but complications ensue.
Intelligent farce, with essayistic undertones and even a nod at the fantastic. It is not supposed to be a realistic depiction of mental illness (if there can be such a thing), but many spectators do not seem to be able to understand or accept that. Others seem to resent the fact that Elwood is a rich fellow and thus can afford his eccentricities. In fact, these people do not seem to realize that they are, one way or another, characters in the film (select the "hated it" part in IMDB's user review section and tell me if I am not right). On the other hand, many who liked it see a sentimentality in it that simply is not there and thus do not have a perfect understanding of it either. The point is that Elwood is not necessarily a nice character, from the viewer's point of view. In fact, rigorously speaking he is either more than just a character or not a character at all. He is the instrument for the expression of certain concepts. Harvey is an intellectual study that never loses sight of the exigencies of comedy, and vice versa, in short a complete work of art. What is the difference between believing in God and believing in Harvey? This is one of the many questions that this film implicitly raises. Another, and perhaps more important one, derives from one of the movie's famous quotes:
_ELWOOD: Years ago my mother used to say to me, she'd say, "In this world, Elwood, you must be" - she always called me Elwood - "In this world, Elwood, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant." Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. You may quote me._
The question that this quote poses -- and it is a true philosophical quandary -- is the following: is Elwood's recommendation a smart one? Or is it just a pleasant one?
Rating: 73
Intelligent farce, with essayistic undertones and even a nod at the fantastic. It is not supposed to be a realistic depiction of mental illness (if there can be such a thing), but many spectators do not seem to be able to understand or accept that. Others seem to resent the fact that Elwood is a rich fellow and thus can afford his eccentricities. In fact, these people do not seem to realize that they are, one way or another, characters in the film (select the "hated it" part in IMDB's user review section and tell me if I am not right). On the other hand, many who liked it see a sentimentality in it that simply is not there and thus do not have a perfect understanding of it either. The point is that Elwood is not necessarily a nice character, from the viewer's point of view. In fact, rigorously speaking he is either more than just a character or not a character at all. He is the instrument for the expression of certain concepts. Harvey is an intellectual study that never loses sight of the exigencies of comedy, and vice versa, in short a complete work of art. What is the difference between believing in God and believing in Harvey? This is one of the many questions that this film implicitly raises. Another, and perhaps more important one, derives from one of the movie's famous quotes:
_ELWOOD: Years ago my mother used to say to me, she'd say, "In this world, Elwood, you must be" - she always called me Elwood - "In this world, Elwood, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant." Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. You may quote me._
The question that this quote poses -- and it is a true philosophical quandary -- is the following: is Elwood's recommendation a smart one? Or is it just a pleasant one?
Rating: 73
Tuesday, July 02, 2013
Poor Little Rich Girl (1936)
A motherless child is pampered by her father, and kept in isolation from other children. He eventually acknowledges this is a mistake and decides to send her to boarding school. On her way there something happens and she gets lost in the city. She is found by a couple of singers and tap dancers and they decide to put her in their act.
Very unsubstantial, as the above synopsis indicates. Also, some plot contrivances are highly unsatisfactory. But it is all done with characteristic Hollywood ability, and thus is not unwatchable.
Rating: 32
Very unsubstantial, as the above synopsis indicates. Also, some plot contrivances are highly unsatisfactory. But it is all done with characteristic Hollywood ability, and thus is not unwatchable.
Rating: 32
Monday, July 01, 2013
Film socialisme (2010)
American title: Film Socialism
A more accurate one: Socialism Film.
Now, it is unsure whether I should waste a blog post on this, since I have nothing to say that would matter or make sense, my understanding of it has been next to null, and I have the strong feeling that there is nothing to understand, or anyway nothing worth understanding. I might add that the probability of being in the presence of a fraud is extremely high, and I definitely am giving it a second try in the very near future, after I finish with all the classics and non-classics in my to-view list. Oh, and one last thing: do not miss the touching scene where the documentarian reclaims her stolen cap, and the kid hides it, what a statement on socialism, a more cogent one there is not.
Rating: 2
A more accurate one: Socialism Film.
Now, it is unsure whether I should waste a blog post on this, since I have nothing to say that would matter or make sense, my understanding of it has been next to null, and I have the strong feeling that there is nothing to understand, or anyway nothing worth understanding. I might add that the probability of being in the presence of a fraud is extremely high, and I definitely am giving it a second try in the very near future, after I finish with all the classics and non-classics in my to-view list. Oh, and one last thing: do not miss the touching scene where the documentarian reclaims her stolen cap, and the kid hides it, what a statement on socialism, a more cogent one there is not.
Rating: 2
Sunday, June 30, 2013
The Scapegoat (2012)
Based on the novel by Daphne du Maurier, first published in 1957.
*mild spoilers follow*
Two men who look exactly alike meet by chance. One of them is an unemployed teacher, the other an aristocrat and industrialist. The industrialist is in a tight financial spot, and flees with all of the teacher's belongings and documents. The teacher takes the other man's place.
Apparently a TV movie. The plot has some seriously dubious zones. The rich guy's motivations are not clear, but one can always imagine that they weren't clear even to him. A more problematic point is how this guy supposed he was going to profit from murder. It is very unlikely that he would, in my opinion. Anyway, the film has a more serious problem, having to do with style. The protagonist is a "sensitive" guy, a fact noticeable not only in his actions, but also in the dialogue and its delivery; this is a characteristic of recent TV productions (and even some cinema), which affects even stories set in earlier times (in this one, it is the fifties); moral strength is always associated with mild manners.
Rating: 33
*mild spoilers follow*
Two men who look exactly alike meet by chance. One of them is an unemployed teacher, the other an aristocrat and industrialist. The industrialist is in a tight financial spot, and flees with all of the teacher's belongings and documents. The teacher takes the other man's place.
Apparently a TV movie. The plot has some seriously dubious zones. The rich guy's motivations are not clear, but one can always imagine that they weren't clear even to him. A more problematic point is how this guy supposed he was going to profit from murder. It is very unlikely that he would, in my opinion. Anyway, the film has a more serious problem, having to do with style. The protagonist is a "sensitive" guy, a fact noticeable not only in his actions, but also in the dialogue and its delivery; this is a characteristic of recent TV productions (and even some cinema), which affects even stories set in earlier times (in this one, it is the fifties); moral strength is always associated with mild manners.
Rating: 33
Saturday, June 29, 2013
World War Z (2013)
The world is being taken over by the living dead. A former United Nations operative is summoned to find the origin of the disease, or something that would lead to a vaccine, or anyway something that would prevent the destruction of mankind.
North Korea has stopped it: they had all the population's teeth extracted. The joke is interesting, the rest of the film is strictly routine, or downright nonsensical.
Rating: 20
North Korea has stopped it: they had all the population's teeth extracted. The joke is interesting, the rest of the film is strictly routine, or downright nonsensical.
Rating: 20
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult (1994)
Drebin retires from the police force, but is called again to help in a case of terrorism. The villain is serving time, and Frank goes undercover as an inmate. The plot is to plant a bomb at the Academy Award ceremony.
Another funny installment. Intelligent humor, albeit a little predictable at that juncture.
Rating: 52
Another funny installment. Intelligent humor, albeit a little predictable at that juncture.
Rating: 52
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
A Missa do Galo (1982)
The year of production is 1980, according to the end credits, so the IMDB year above may be wrong.
Based on a short story by Machado de Assis, first published in 1894.
On Christmas Eve, during an evening, a married woman is at her house with a young man who has come from his small town to visit Rio, and is awaiting the hour of going to Mass.
Overall an interesting short, with a very interesting female lead, Isabel Ribeiro, a woman of exotic beauty, and a fine actress to boot.
Based on a short story by Machado de Assis, first published in 1894.
On Christmas Eve, during an evening, a married woman is at her house with a young man who has come from his small town to visit Rio, and is awaiting the hour of going to Mass.
Overall an interesting short, with a very interesting female lead, Isabel Ribeiro, a woman of exotic beauty, and a fine actress to boot.
Once Upon a Crime... (1992)
Remake of 1960 Italian movie Crimen, released in America as And Suddenly It's Murder!
Several people meet on the train to Monte Carlo, and a dog is found. In town, a crime has occurred, which may implicate these people, and a few residents.
Interesting comedy with a crime mystery at its center; its difference from a whodunit lies in the fact that the viewer knows all the suspects to be innocent, except for the real culprits.
Rating: 50
Several people meet on the train to Monte Carlo, and a dog is found. In town, a crime has occurred, which may implicate these people, and a few residents.
Interesting comedy with a crime mystery at its center; its difference from a whodunit lies in the fact that the viewer knows all the suspects to be innocent, except for the real culprits.
Rating: 50
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Un éléphant ça trompe énormément (1976)
English titles: Pardon Mon Affaire; An Elephant Can Be Extremely Deceptive
A group of middle-aged friends get together for tennis regularly. Étienne is married and has never been unfaithful; his wife decided late in life to get a Law degree. He is lovestruck by a woman who comes one day to the public service facility he works at. Simon is a doctor with an overbearing mother. Daniel is an unmarried jokester with a secret. Bouli is a chronically unfaithful husband whose wife just left him.
Good comedy. The structure puts Étienne in the foreground, and his friends provide minor subplots. Étienne's adventures are very amusing, but his friends' are not quite on the same level. Overall, it is an agreeable film, with a humorism which avoids vulgarity without being overintellectualized.
Rating: 57
A group of middle-aged friends get together for tennis regularly. Étienne is married and has never been unfaithful; his wife decided late in life to get a Law degree. He is lovestruck by a woman who comes one day to the public service facility he works at. Simon is a doctor with an overbearing mother. Daniel is an unmarried jokester with a secret. Bouli is a chronically unfaithful husband whose wife just left him.
Good comedy. The structure puts Étienne in the foreground, and his friends provide minor subplots. Étienne's adventures are very amusing, but his friends' are not quite on the same level. Overall, it is an agreeable film, with a humorism which avoids vulgarity without being overintellectualized.
Rating: 57
Monday, June 24, 2013
That Touch of Mink (1962)
A rich man makes a love proposition to a poor young woman, wherein marriage is not included. After some reluctance she decides to accept it, but somehow things keep going awry.
Not much to say here, there is enough clarity in the narrative except for one point: what makes the man change his mind about marrying the woman. The tacit reason for it is that in the process he falls in love with her. How much of an explanation this is I don't know, since it leaves out how exactly that occurred. An "Occam's razor" explanation for his behavior is simply that her last ploy works, that is, he becomes jealous, or afraid of losing her, or even sharing her with other men. This is not made explicit in the movie, and anyway is a bit simplistic, in my view. Finally, I thought of a third explanation which is also by no means apparent in the movie, but is arguably a logical consequence of the events. She sets a date with a public servant, in her opinion the lowliest man she has ever met. A quick analysis, however, shows that the only notable difference between this man and the man she is in love with, aside from their respective manners and physical appearance, is that the former is poor and the latter is very rich. This may very well have dawned on the rich guy when he is confronted with his purported rival, and been a cause for his being ashamed. The only way out of that is to marry her.
Seen in awful pan-and-scan.
Rating: 54
Not much to say here, there is enough clarity in the narrative except for one point: what makes the man change his mind about marrying the woman. The tacit reason for it is that in the process he falls in love with her. How much of an explanation this is I don't know, since it leaves out how exactly that occurred. An "Occam's razor" explanation for his behavior is simply that her last ploy works, that is, he becomes jealous, or afraid of losing her, or even sharing her with other men. This is not made explicit in the movie, and anyway is a bit simplistic, in my view. Finally, I thought of a third explanation which is also by no means apparent in the movie, but is arguably a logical consequence of the events. She sets a date with a public servant, in her opinion the lowliest man she has ever met. A quick analysis, however, shows that the only notable difference between this man and the man she is in love with, aside from their respective manners and physical appearance, is that the former is poor and the latter is very rich. This may very well have dawned on the rich guy when he is confronted with his purported rival, and been a cause for his being ashamed. The only way out of that is to marry her.
Seen in awful pan-and-scan.
Rating: 54
Sunday, June 23, 2013
La piel que habito (2011)
English title: The Skin I Live In.
A plastic surgeon keeps a young woman in a room in his secluded countryside clinic. Is she his prisoner, or his patient?
Vertigo, Les yeux sans visage.
Frankenstein too, because this film is made of many different films and plotlines which have an imperfect interconnection.
Good score. Main actress is stupendous.
Overall, entertaining and unfocused, well-made but, contrary to what some have stated, not especially "thought-provoking".
Rating: 58
A plastic surgeon keeps a young woman in a room in his secluded countryside clinic. Is she his prisoner, or his patient?
Vertigo, Les yeux sans visage.
Frankenstein too, because this film is made of many different films and plotlines which have an imperfect interconnection.
Good score. Main actress is stupendous.
Overall, entertaining and unfocused, well-made but, contrary to what some have stated, not especially "thought-provoking".
Rating: 58
Saturday, June 22, 2013
Toys (1992)
The owner of a toy company is dying, and decides his offspring is not good enough to take over, so he calls his brother who is a general. After the succession there is a clash of opinions and worldviews between the late owner's son, who has a childish personality, and the new boss, who has some plans of his own.
Interesting comedy, with quirky characters, offbeat sense of humor and an extravagant visual design, not to mention a bold plotline which is somewhat prophetic regarding so-called drones and the like.
Rating: 57
Interesting comedy, with quirky characters, offbeat sense of humor and an extravagant visual design, not to mention a bold plotline which is somewhat prophetic regarding so-called drones and the like.
Rating: 57
Friday, June 21, 2013
The Seventh Veil (1945)
A psychiatric patient reveals her story during treatment. She lost her parents and was placed under the guardianship of a relative. He was an emotionally cold yet possessive person who took an interest in her musical education.
My, to think this was their idea of a chick flick back in the 40's. Humanity sure has come a long way (or has it?). Not much more to say, it is a weak movie, in spite of good performances and a remarkably atmospheric initial sequence.
Rating: 17
My, to think this was their idea of a chick flick back in the 40's. Humanity sure has come a long way (or has it?). Not much more to say, it is a weak movie, in spite of good performances and a remarkably atmospheric initial sequence.
Rating: 17
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Haywire (2011)
A secret agent does a job in Barcelona, rescuing an allegedly kidnapped journalist. She is then convinced to do a new job in Dublin, where strange things happen.
Well-filmed thriller, with lots of fighting and foot chases and car chases. The plot has some black holes, or vague spots, but one should not ask for too much. The mood is somewhat different than the usual, the cinematography has some seductive tonalities. Not a bad film, not a masterpiece.
Rating: 55
Well-filmed thriller, with lots of fighting and foot chases and car chases. The plot has some black holes, or vague spots, but one should not ask for too much. The mood is somewhat different than the usual, the cinematography has some seductive tonalities. Not a bad film, not a masterpiece.
Rating: 55
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Page Eight (2011) (TV)
A member of British intelligence receives a document from his boss which reveals the existence of clandestine political prisons in several parts of the world. Concurrently, his neighbor, the daughter of an anti-Israel activist, starts flirting with him. Add to all that the internal power struggles within his department, and you have this drama in a nutshell.
It is reasonably well-written and well-directed, but its essence is of the silly kind, a childish liberal fantasy very much in accordance with the tide of the times. The peculiarly slow diction of the main actor may prove charming to some, but this viewer became weary of it in the long run.
Rating: 39
It is reasonably well-written and well-directed, but its essence is of the silly kind, a childish liberal fantasy very much in accordance with the tide of the times. The peculiarly slow diction of the main actor may prove charming to some, but this viewer became weary of it in the long run.
Rating: 39
Temporal (1984)
Short.
A gnostic sect meets in a big house. The owner's daughters are holding a youth party that same evening.
A gnostic sect meets in a big house. The owner's daughters are holding a youth party that same evening.
O sanduíche (2000)
Short.
A couple is splitting, but their emotional ties still persist. A rehearsal of a play inside a movie, the making of which is in public exhibition. Interview with spectators.
A couple is splitting, but their emotional ties still persist. A rehearsal of a play inside a movie, the making of which is in public exhibition. Interview with spectators.
Fire Down Below (1997)
A Federal agent is sent to a small town to investigate toxic waste dumping on abandoned coal mines.
Routine actioner with a few nice set-pieces and that's about all. The country-rock score is intrusive, but there is a reason for it: the leading player (and co-producer) is the author of most songs.
Rating: 40
Routine actioner with a few nice set-pieces and that's about all. The country-rock score is intrusive, but there is a reason for it: the leading player (and co-producer) is the author of most songs.
Rating: 40
Friday, June 14, 2013
East of Eden (1955)
Second viewing. The first was on April 12, 1987.
In 1917, the U.S.A. has not entered the war yet. A man has two sons, his wife has left him a long time ago. One son feels unloved by his father, and looks for his mother, who owns a nightclub (and whorehouse, probably) in the adjacent town. Etcetera.
Remarkable drama, with melodramatic tinges, and symbolic ones, verging on abstraction. Great and many themes are approached. Christopher Mulrooney makes some insightful considerations, "knowledge" is, according to him, a central theme. This is most apparent, I think, in regard with the mother, who was kept a secret, and is the pivot of a crisis.
As happens in melodramas, or, to use a different expression, in stylized storytelling, a joke aspect is inevitable. Cal's gauche quest for love is doomed from the beginning, he goes about things the wrong way (well, he is human and he needs to be loved, just like everybody else does -- hey, what do you know, he is like the guy in that Smiths song...). That does not prevent things to be straightened out in the end, though -- if things can ever be straightened out, that is.
To reach its punchline (and beyond it), the film goes through several lyrical moments, all of them wonderfully acted.
Seen in ugly pan-and-scan.
Rating: 72 (up from 69)
In 1917, the U.S.A. has not entered the war yet. A man has two sons, his wife has left him a long time ago. One son feels unloved by his father, and looks for his mother, who owns a nightclub (and whorehouse, probably) in the adjacent town. Etcetera.
Remarkable drama, with melodramatic tinges, and symbolic ones, verging on abstraction. Great and many themes are approached. Christopher Mulrooney makes some insightful considerations, "knowledge" is, according to him, a central theme. This is most apparent, I think, in regard with the mother, who was kept a secret, and is the pivot of a crisis.
As happens in melodramas, or, to use a different expression, in stylized storytelling, a joke aspect is inevitable. Cal's gauche quest for love is doomed from the beginning, he goes about things the wrong way (well, he is human and he needs to be loved, just like everybody else does -- hey, what do you know, he is like the guy in that Smiths song...). That does not prevent things to be straightened out in the end, though -- if things can ever be straightened out, that is.
To reach its punchline (and beyond it), the film goes through several lyrical moments, all of them wonderfully acted.
Seen in ugly pan-and-scan.
Rating: 72 (up from 69)
Thursday, June 13, 2013
We're No Angels (1955)
Second viewing. The first was on November 17, 1990.
Three convicts in Devil's Island escape from prison but remain on the island, awaiting a ship that they can board. They are hired to fix the roof of a shop, and end up befriending the shop's owner and his family.
Interesting comedy, about the complexity involved in moral judgments, to which many different factors and points of view must be considered. Its screenplay is well-conceived, albeit not exactly brilliant (and probably not aspiring to be so). The expertise of the director and the good cast make it enjoyable, on a moderate scale.
Rating: 51 (up from 35)
Three convicts in Devil's Island escape from prison but remain on the island, awaiting a ship that they can board. They are hired to fix the roof of a shop, and end up befriending the shop's owner and his family.
Interesting comedy, about the complexity involved in moral judgments, to which many different factors and points of view must be considered. Its screenplay is well-conceived, albeit not exactly brilliant (and probably not aspiring to be so). The expertise of the director and the good cast make it enjoyable, on a moderate scale.
Rating: 51 (up from 35)
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Crin blanc: Le cheval sauvage (1953)
English title: White Mane
A wild horse is coveted by the village ranchers (or whatever they call them in France), but they can't keep it imprisoned. A boy wants the horse too, and the horse happens to like him.
A 40-minute film (IMDb reports a five-minute-longer length), with a simple story and extensive footage of wild horses. I do not know whether they were coached or simply observed. Anyway, nothing great, although people seem to admire it.
According to my rules, I should rate the longer version, but not the one I have watched, a weight off my shoulders.
A wild horse is coveted by the village ranchers (or whatever they call them in France), but they can't keep it imprisoned. A boy wants the horse too, and the horse happens to like him.
A 40-minute film (IMDb reports a five-minute-longer length), with a simple story and extensive footage of wild horses. I do not know whether they were coached or simply observed. Anyway, nothing great, although people seem to admire it.
According to my rules, I should rate the longer version, but not the one I have watched, a weight off my shoulders.
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Tico-tico no fubá (1952)
Second viewing, at least. Last viewed on an unknown date, certainly before 1987.
Pseudobiography of a composer. The film tells the story of a man from a small town who works as a public servant but whose real vocation is music. He meets a beautiful circus horserider and falls in love with her, arousing his fiancée's jealousy.
Perfectly mediocre Hollywood-patterned Brazilian biopic. Everyone concerned is very professional, I watched it with curiosity. I saw a cut version, which did not contain the following conversation (which begins at one hour thirteen minutes fifty-four seconds into the movie and is one minute eight seconds long) taken from a subtitles file.
Zequinha: ... e você, Luís, toca flauta.
Luís: Não conte comigo.
Z: Por quê?
L: Depois de amanhã, parto de novo para São Paulo. O inventário, Zequinha. O inventário.
Z: Ah, eu vou reunir todos que saibam tocar algum instrumento, ...
L: Certo, Zequinha. Vai reunir onde? Onde?
(?): Aqui, não.
Z: Já sei. Na farmácia do meu pai. Nos fundos.
L: Seu Abreu não vai gostar da ideia.
Z: Ele não conhece meu pai. Quando ele souber que estou formando uma orquestra, é capaz de fechar a farmácia e decretar feriado nacional.
L: Bonito. Sempre gostei desta valsa. Por falar nisso, você sabe que mandou essa música para o Vitale sem nome?
(?): É preciso arranjar um nome para ela, heim?
Z: Branca.
Rating: 32 (unchanged)
Pseudobiography of a composer. The film tells the story of a man from a small town who works as a public servant but whose real vocation is music. He meets a beautiful circus horserider and falls in love with her, arousing his fiancée's jealousy.
Perfectly mediocre Hollywood-patterned Brazilian biopic. Everyone concerned is very professional, I watched it with curiosity. I saw a cut version, which did not contain the following conversation (which begins at one hour thirteen minutes fifty-four seconds into the movie and is one minute eight seconds long) taken from a subtitles file.
Zequinha: ... e você, Luís, toca flauta.
Luís: Não conte comigo.
Z: Por quê?
L: Depois de amanhã, parto de novo para São Paulo. O inventário, Zequinha. O inventário.
Z: Ah, eu vou reunir todos que saibam tocar algum instrumento, ...
L: Certo, Zequinha. Vai reunir onde? Onde?
(?): Aqui, não.
Z: Já sei. Na farmácia do meu pai. Nos fundos.
L: Seu Abreu não vai gostar da ideia.
Z: Ele não conhece meu pai. Quando ele souber que estou formando uma orquestra, é capaz de fechar a farmácia e decretar feriado nacional.
L: Bonito. Sempre gostei desta valsa. Por falar nisso, você sabe que mandou essa música para o Vitale sem nome?
(?): É preciso arranjar um nome para ela, heim?
Z: Branca.
Rating: 32 (unchanged)
Le ballon rouge (1956)
English title: The Red Balloon.
From the Internet Movie Database:
---quote---
A boy makes friends with a seemingly sentient balloon, and it begins to follow him. It follows the boy to school, to the bus, and to church. Boy and balloon play together in the streets of Paris and try to elude a gang of boys that wants to destroy the balloon. (...) Written by alfiehitchie
---unquote---
I did not like it as much as most people seem to have.
From the Internet Movie Database:
---quote---
A boy makes friends with a seemingly sentient balloon, and it begins to follow him. It follows the boy to school, to the bus, and to church. Boy and balloon play together in the streets of Paris and try to elude a gang of boys that wants to destroy the balloon. (...) Written by alfiehitchie
---unquote---
I did not like it as much as most people seem to have.
Sunday, June 09, 2013
Sands of Iwo Jima (1949)
The films follows the actions of a Marine squad in World War II. We see them receive training, then participate in the taking of Tarawa, and lastly in the taking of Iwo Jima.
Not a bad war movie. It has most of the right ingredients, including good action sequences. My main problem with the movie is that the screenplay is very formulaic: the characters, their problems, and their problems' resolutions comply, most of them anyway, to certain established and predictable dramatic patterns.
Rating: 52
Not a bad war movie. It has most of the right ingredients, including good action sequences. My main problem with the movie is that the screenplay is very formulaic: the characters, their problems, and their problems' resolutions comply, most of them anyway, to certain established and predictable dramatic patterns.
Rating: 52
Saturday, June 08, 2013
Like Father Like Son (1987)
A magical potion allows two persons to exchange bodies; a doctor takes it and is transplanted into his son's body, and vice-versa. For a few days, they have to perform each other's activities.
The screenplay per se is not very interesting; the fact, however, is that the film has its moments. The direction is extremely competent, and from this angle one might say that the screenplay does at least offer enough opportunities for the display of directorial virtues. Occasionally it gets really good, like when the son-in-his-father's-body is with the hospital director's wife at his house on a date that goes terribly wrong. This film also has one of the most realistic scenes of a beating of a high schooler by another that I have seen.
Rating: 44
The screenplay per se is not very interesting; the fact, however, is that the film has its moments. The direction is extremely competent, and from this angle one might say that the screenplay does at least offer enough opportunities for the display of directorial virtues. Occasionally it gets really good, like when the son-in-his-father's-body is with the hospital director's wife at his house on a date that goes terribly wrong. This film also has one of the most realistic scenes of a beating of a high schooler by another that I have seen.
Rating: 44
One, Two, Three (1961)
Second viewing; first was on January 25, 1990.
An American executive working at a West Berlin branch of his company is forced to take the boss's daughter as a guest. She gets herself, and thus also her host, into trouble, and the executive must summon all his resourcefulness to minimize the damage, so as not to hamper his prospects for a promotion.
An exercise in fastness, which pleased me immensely at my first viewing, but now not so much, given perhaps my increased aversion to a number of vulgarities in its humor, and the whole contrivedness of the concept, which aims to keep the rhythm in constant excess, even with sacrifice of the quality of the contents. But there is a good percentage of the film that is really good, and the cast, particularly the lead, is up to the task at hand.
Rating: 66 (down from 82)
An American executive working at a West Berlin branch of his company is forced to take the boss's daughter as a guest. She gets herself, and thus also her host, into trouble, and the executive must summon all his resourcefulness to minimize the damage, so as not to hamper his prospects for a promotion.
An exercise in fastness, which pleased me immensely at my first viewing, but now not so much, given perhaps my increased aversion to a number of vulgarities in its humor, and the whole contrivedness of the concept, which aims to keep the rhythm in constant excess, even with sacrifice of the quality of the contents. But there is a good percentage of the film that is really good, and the cast, particularly the lead, is up to the task at hand.
Rating: 66 (down from 82)
Wednesday, June 05, 2013
Zelig (1983)
Second viewing; first was between 1983 and 1986.
In the form of a documentary, it narrates the adventures of a man possessing supernatural chameleonic capabilities.
Visually it is funny, and furthermore it is punctuated by funny one-liners, but the two things - the verbal and the visual - are quite independent of each other. The plot is not really funny, except for the fact that Zelig after the treatment is more undistinguished than before the treatment (because his undistinguishability was his distinctive trait), and perhaps this is the film's secret irony. At first sight, the film seems essentially an amusing but frivolous affair, but on further thought it ends up being a bit of a satire on frivolity, taking the 20s, which were the frivolous decade par excellence, as its target. That the film's frivolity is just a mimickry, that the film mirrors its protagonist, who looks like that which is near him, is perhaps another hidden irony in a film that is not perhaps as great as it is curious.
Rating: 60 (down from 73)
In the form of a documentary, it narrates the adventures of a man possessing supernatural chameleonic capabilities.
Visually it is funny, and furthermore it is punctuated by funny one-liners, but the two things - the verbal and the visual - are quite independent of each other. The plot is not really funny, except for the fact that Zelig after the treatment is more undistinguished than before the treatment (because his undistinguishability was his distinctive trait), and perhaps this is the film's secret irony. At first sight, the film seems essentially an amusing but frivolous affair, but on further thought it ends up being a bit of a satire on frivolity, taking the 20s, which were the frivolous decade par excellence, as its target. That the film's frivolity is just a mimickry, that the film mirrors its protagonist, who looks like that which is near him, is perhaps another hidden irony in a film that is not perhaps as great as it is curious.
Rating: 60 (down from 73)
Tuesday, June 04, 2013
Freakonomics (2010)
Several short nonfiction movies: (1) the effect of people's names on their lives; (2) how corruption appears, focusing specifically on Sumo wrestling; (3) understanding the drop in crime rates in the 90s; (4) a case study on monetary incentive to improve students' performance.
I would be hard pressed to describe its theme; they do it in the movie, and their description is bogus (what does the episode on abortion have to do with incentives of any kind?). It is mostly an interesting movie (the first segment is too weak, though) -- mildly so, to be more precise, but I haven't read the book, so...
What I don't understand is what is so unusual or revolutionary about it, it seems to me they coined a new name for something which was already there, or isn't even one thing, but several.
But I agree this is sound thinking, and hopefully it will educate some people. Kids and teens should watch it, I think, and read the book (but I haven't, so...).
I would be hard pressed to describe its theme; they do it in the movie, and their description is bogus (what does the episode on abortion have to do with incentives of any kind?). It is mostly an interesting movie (the first segment is too weak, though) -- mildly so, to be more precise, but I haven't read the book, so...
What I don't understand is what is so unusual or revolutionary about it, it seems to me they coined a new name for something which was already there, or isn't even one thing, but several.
But I agree this is sound thinking, and hopefully it will educate some people. Kids and teens should watch it, I think, and read the book (but I haven't, so...).
Monday, June 03, 2013
Tequila Sunrise (1988)
Second viewing; first was on August 6, 1989.
Dale McCussick is a retired drug dealer who was never caught. He is friends with Nick Frescia, a police lieutenant, now assigned to the district (is that the word?) where McCussick lives. They both develop a romantic interest on Jo Ann, a restaurant owner who thus becomes involved with the criminal universe that surrounds both men. The FBI has the firm purpose of convicting McCussick, which puts Frescia on a personal conflict of interests. An old friend of McCussick's who is a major drug dealer in Mexico requests his collaboration on a new deal.
Not much to say about this film; although I did not recall much of it, I seem to have had similar degrees of liking on both viewings. It is a well-made and pleasant film, very well-written on the microlevel, by which I mean the scene-by-scene basis, the dialogue, etc. On the macrolevel, i.e., the general plot, and the characters' behavioral credibility and consistency , it did not convince me much, especially the girl's behavior, which remains all but an enigma to me.
Rating: 63 (unchanged)
Dale McCussick is a retired drug dealer who was never caught. He is friends with Nick Frescia, a police lieutenant, now assigned to the district (is that the word?) where McCussick lives. They both develop a romantic interest on Jo Ann, a restaurant owner who thus becomes involved with the criminal universe that surrounds both men. The FBI has the firm purpose of convicting McCussick, which puts Frescia on a personal conflict of interests. An old friend of McCussick's who is a major drug dealer in Mexico requests his collaboration on a new deal.
Not much to say about this film; although I did not recall much of it, I seem to have had similar degrees of liking on both viewings. It is a well-made and pleasant film, very well-written on the microlevel, by which I mean the scene-by-scene basis, the dialogue, etc. On the macrolevel, i.e., the general plot, and the characters' behavioral credibility and consistency , it did not convince me much, especially the girl's behavior, which remains all but an enigma to me.
Rating: 63 (unchanged)
Sunday, June 02, 2013
The Hustler (1961)
Second viewing; first was on November 25, 1989.
A hustler, in this film's context, is a guy who makes a living out of conning other people into playing pool with him for money. He is actually much better than he pretends at first. Eddie is one of those, and his dream is beating a certain experienced player. He meets Sarah, a lonely woman, and she falls in love with him.
The pleasure I took from this film is derived from the great expressivity of the emotions it evokes, which are almost abstract. The plot makes use of the 'Sarah' character to instill a greater dose of drama which the game by itself wouldn't be able to provide; the result has a definite moralistic undertone. The screenplay is sufficiently refined to steer clear of absurd propositions, but I suppose it is not free of feminine clichés, and this is definitely not the most attractive aspect of the film. The psychology of gambling is an important theme, derived mostly from Dostoevsky, but here it is a game of skill, an important difference. As I said, the film tends to abstractness, and too much analysis of its logic would not do it much good. The director does an excellent job, one of the best I have seen, of bringing out the essence of the story through actors' faces and gestures. The cast responds well, and Gleason should be singled out for a stunning performance.
Seen in pan-and-scan.
Rating: 84 (down from 97)
A hustler, in this film's context, is a guy who makes a living out of conning other people into playing pool with him for money. He is actually much better than he pretends at first. Eddie is one of those, and his dream is beating a certain experienced player. He meets Sarah, a lonely woman, and she falls in love with him.
The pleasure I took from this film is derived from the great expressivity of the emotions it evokes, which are almost abstract. The plot makes use of the 'Sarah' character to instill a greater dose of drama which the game by itself wouldn't be able to provide; the result has a definite moralistic undertone. The screenplay is sufficiently refined to steer clear of absurd propositions, but I suppose it is not free of feminine clichés, and this is definitely not the most attractive aspect of the film. The psychology of gambling is an important theme, derived mostly from Dostoevsky, but here it is a game of skill, an important difference. As I said, the film tends to abstractness, and too much analysis of its logic would not do it much good. The director does an excellent job, one of the best I have seen, of bringing out the essence of the story through actors' faces and gestures. The cast responds well, and Gleason should be singled out for a stunning performance.
Seen in pan-and-scan.
Rating: 84 (down from 97)
Bullitt (1968)
Second viewing; first was between 1983 and 1986.
A San Francisco police detective is assigned the protection of a mafioso who is about to testify in a Senate subcommittee.
Although it seems blasphemous to deny it the 'classic' status, for it has several commendable virtues, chief among them the perfect filming technique and an ingenious plot, it has some script shortcomings which weigh disfavorably on my assessment. First, a scene which is perfectly self-parodic, and has become (that is, if it were not already) a cliché among cop movies: a cop's girl somehow blames the cop for being 'contaminated' with the violence he has to witness in his job; in Bullitt, this behavior is so perfectly unjustified, and done in such earnestness too, that it becomes anthological in its absurdity. Another point which I took issue with, and more problematic, since it seems to pervade the whole movie and ideologize it, is the characterization of a politician as the incarnation of evil; again, it is an established cliché in movies, but here, unless there is some element which escaped me, there is absolutely no grounds for such an exaggerated position. From what I gather, the film equals a disagreeable person (and, sure, prone to resorting to exchange of favors for persuasion) to a dishonest, unprincipled one.
Rating: 58 (up from 48)
A San Francisco police detective is assigned the protection of a mafioso who is about to testify in a Senate subcommittee.
Although it seems blasphemous to deny it the 'classic' status, for it has several commendable virtues, chief among them the perfect filming technique and an ingenious plot, it has some script shortcomings which weigh disfavorably on my assessment. First, a scene which is perfectly self-parodic, and has become (that is, if it were not already) a cliché among cop movies: a cop's girl somehow blames the cop for being 'contaminated' with the violence he has to witness in his job; in Bullitt, this behavior is so perfectly unjustified, and done in such earnestness too, that it becomes anthological in its absurdity. Another point which I took issue with, and more problematic, since it seems to pervade the whole movie and ideologize it, is the characterization of a politician as the incarnation of evil; again, it is an established cliché in movies, but here, unless there is some element which escaped me, there is absolutely no grounds for such an exaggerated position. From what I gather, the film equals a disagreeable person (and, sure, prone to resorting to exchange of favors for persuasion) to a dishonest, unprincipled one.
Rating: 58 (up from 48)
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison (1957)
Second viewing; first was on May 19, 1990.
A soldier and a nun are, by separate ways, stranded on a deserted island during World War II. The region is a site of naval battles between the Japanese and the Allies.
Interesting drama with good performances and an entertaining story, well directed. The development does not stray much from the predictable issues (romance, religion, survival, etc.), but it is all done with competence.
Rating: 53 (up from 41)
A soldier and a nun are, by separate ways, stranded on a deserted island during World War II. The region is a site of naval battles between the Japanese and the Allies.
Interesting drama with good performances and an entertaining story, well directed. The development does not stray much from the predictable issues (romance, religion, survival, etc.), but it is all done with competence.
Rating: 53 (up from 41)
Citizen X (1995) (TV)
Soviet Union, the eighties. A serial killer is striking in a region near some woods. A forensics examiner is appointed leader of the investigation. The State bureaucracy stands in the way of the investigation.
The film is watchable, but somehow it didn't seem to do its job right. Perhaps the facts it is based on are essentially dull, and that reflected on the dramatization. On the other hand, it is never clear what exactly is going on, how big the region of the murders is, why the protagonist is considered so good at his job as an investigator, what the reaction of the population to the killings along the 8-year period is. Maybe some of the fault lies with its TV-movie budget which did not allow a better production, but I don't know.
Rating: 38
The film is watchable, but somehow it didn't seem to do its job right. Perhaps the facts it is based on are essentially dull, and that reflected on the dramatization. On the other hand, it is never clear what exactly is going on, how big the region of the murders is, why the protagonist is considered so good at his job as an investigator, what the reaction of the population to the killings along the 8-year period is. Maybe some of the fault lies with its TV-movie budget which did not allow a better production, but I don't know.
Rating: 38
To Be or Not to Be (1942)
A theatrical troupe in Warsaw is rehearsing a play about Nazism which is to open after their present season of Hamlet. Husband and wife are the main actors. She has a budding affair with a Polish military aviator. When the Germans invade, everything changes, but the company will cross paths with the flyer yet.
Delightfully mad concoction about actors and Nazis, which exposes the truth about both. A fast film, perfectly directed. The screenplay has perhaps one or two lines which are not funny (e.g. "I would not eat you", etc), and one or two sequences which perhaps seem misplaced or overly repetitive (e.g. the fallen mustache near the end, which by the way seems to be a loose end). Otherwise, it is a film of an astonishing originality and daring.
Rating: 80
Delightfully mad concoction about actors and Nazis, which exposes the truth about both. A fast film, perfectly directed. The screenplay has perhaps one or two lines which are not funny (e.g. "I would not eat you", etc), and one or two sequences which perhaps seem misplaced or overly repetitive (e.g. the fallen mustache near the end, which by the way seems to be a loose end). Otherwise, it is a film of an astonishing originality and daring.
Rating: 80
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Le gamin au vélo (2011)
English title: The Kid with a Bike
A boy of 12 whose only living relative is his father - or so I gather - is placed by the latter under the tutelage of the State. The boy and a young hairdresser whom he meets by chance become gradually closer to each other until she is foster parenting him. But the boy makes some deleterious acquaintances which lead him astray into dark alleys, so to speak. Will the hairdresser persevere in her love for the brat?
The Righteous Brothers are back again, in force. Which means that every step of the plot, every nuance of character, everything in short, is exactly contrived in order to advance their agenda of betterment of the world (or of Belgium in the very least). And in their worldview all the solutions depend on individual love and self-giving. None of that is necessarily wrong, but I'm afraid it also means that the film has no aesthetical independence. It is an educational film. I, for one, am not sure it taught me anything I didn't already know; and if it did, how can one tell that what they taught is correct? What if there is an angle they excluded because it would not serve their purpose?
Rating: 40
A boy of 12 whose only living relative is his father - or so I gather - is placed by the latter under the tutelage of the State. The boy and a young hairdresser whom he meets by chance become gradually closer to each other until she is foster parenting him. But the boy makes some deleterious acquaintances which lead him astray into dark alleys, so to speak. Will the hairdresser persevere in her love for the brat?
The Righteous Brothers are back again, in force. Which means that every step of the plot, every nuance of character, everything in short, is exactly contrived in order to advance their agenda of betterment of the world (or of Belgium in the very least). And in their worldview all the solutions depend on individual love and self-giving. None of that is necessarily wrong, but I'm afraid it also means that the film has no aesthetical independence. It is an educational film. I, for one, am not sure it taught me anything I didn't already know; and if it did, how can one tell that what they taught is correct? What if there is an angle they excluded because it would not serve their purpose?
Rating: 40
Monday, May 27, 2013
My House in Umbria (2003) (TV)
A bomb explodes in a train, leaving the passengers of one compartment wounded or dead. An elderly woman, who is a writer of cheap romantic novels, invites the survivors to spend their recovery in her big house. A police officer appears there and interrogates them.
Reasonably well made and well photographed, but the film doesn't have much to distinguish it; the plot is not very exciting or unusual, the dialogue is pretty standard, etc.
Saw it dubbed in Portuguese.
Rating: 43
Reasonably well made and well photographed, but the film doesn't have much to distinguish it; the plot is not very exciting or unusual, the dialogue is pretty standard, etc.
Saw it dubbed in Portuguese.
Rating: 43
Germania anno zero (1948)
Second viewing; first was on June 18, 1994.
English title: Germany Year Zero.
Two years after the end of World War II, Berlin is still a destroyed city, and the population is starving. Several families live in the building where this story's characters dwell. The protagonist is Edmund, a boy of 12, who has to help his family increase their income. His older brother does not have a ration card because he did not report to the authorities, for fear of being sent to a prison camp. His father is ill, and so cannot work. His older sister's scruples prevent her from becoming a prostitute or even accepting gifts from men. In his wanderings through the devastated city, Edmund meets all sorts of people; among them is a former school teacher who offers him work for a day, and also exposes his worldview to him.
This melodrama did not please me on my first viewing, mainly, if I remember correctly, because I thought its tragic development was the result of contrivances which stretched suspension of disbelief a little too far. I specifically have a hard time believing in child characters as depicted in most movies, and this used to be one of the more problematic cases. I have changed my mind about it, though, and this has to do with the different set of values I work with nowadays. Although I still appreciate credibility in fiction, I do not consider its absence a fatal flaw. As a work of fiction, Germania anno zero is well made and succeeds in its purpose of producing emotional situations. Its limitations are visible right from the outset, when it states in a caption that "ideologies" should not forsake "Christian" values, a typically unsatisfactory response to the complexities of human life.
Rating: 51 (up from 30)
English title: Germany Year Zero.
Two years after the end of World War II, Berlin is still a destroyed city, and the population is starving. Several families live in the building where this story's characters dwell. The protagonist is Edmund, a boy of 12, who has to help his family increase their income. His older brother does not have a ration card because he did not report to the authorities, for fear of being sent to a prison camp. His father is ill, and so cannot work. His older sister's scruples prevent her from becoming a prostitute or even accepting gifts from men. In his wanderings through the devastated city, Edmund meets all sorts of people; among them is a former school teacher who offers him work for a day, and also exposes his worldview to him.
This melodrama did not please me on my first viewing, mainly, if I remember correctly, because I thought its tragic development was the result of contrivances which stretched suspension of disbelief a little too far. I specifically have a hard time believing in child characters as depicted in most movies, and this used to be one of the more problematic cases. I have changed my mind about it, though, and this has to do with the different set of values I work with nowadays. Although I still appreciate credibility in fiction, I do not consider its absence a fatal flaw. As a work of fiction, Germania anno zero is well made and succeeds in its purpose of producing emotional situations. Its limitations are visible right from the outset, when it states in a caption that "ideologies" should not forsake "Christian" values, a typically unsatisfactory response to the complexities of human life.
Rating: 51 (up from 30)
Sunday, May 26, 2013
Roma, città aperta (1945)
Second viewing; first was on June 17, 1988.
English titles: Open City; Rome, Open City.
Rome, during the Nazi occupation. An engineer in the Resistance manages to escape just in time when the Nazis raid his house. He takes refuge in the house of a Resistance fellow, a typographer, next-door to the latter's fiancée (they plan to marry the next day). Her sister is a performing artist, one of whose co-workers is in a relationship with the engineer and is a morphine addict. The latter's supplier is a Nazi agent. There is also a priest who helps the resistance by running errands and the like.
I tried to analyze its technique with some expectation of finding flaws, but, apart from a couple of really unelegantly edited sequences, I was unable to find anything badly done. On the other hand, a scene which I detested on first viewing -- Pina's death -- impressed me very well this time. I think that on my first viewing I found it lacking in realism, a term which then I understood to refer mainly to behavioral credibility. But the term 'realism' as applied to this film only makes sense in reference to some aspects of its filmmaking procedures, for example, location shooting. Albeit working with some facts from then-recent history, it seems distant from historical accuracy or psychological verisimilitude. Its propagandistic tone is quite evident, and so is its melodramatic quality. From what I read in Wikipedia, I understand the director was a fascist collaborator from the beginning, and all the way to the extinction of the regime, and then adhered to the new one very promptly. For what it is worth: in Roma, città aperta, if I recall correctly, the fascists are almost completely absent, the main conflict being between the Nazis and the Resistance.
Rating: 51 (up from 44)
English titles: Open City; Rome, Open City.
Rome, during the Nazi occupation. An engineer in the Resistance manages to escape just in time when the Nazis raid his house. He takes refuge in the house of a Resistance fellow, a typographer, next-door to the latter's fiancée (they plan to marry the next day). Her sister is a performing artist, one of whose co-workers is in a relationship with the engineer and is a morphine addict. The latter's supplier is a Nazi agent. There is also a priest who helps the resistance by running errands and the like.
I tried to analyze its technique with some expectation of finding flaws, but, apart from a couple of really unelegantly edited sequences, I was unable to find anything badly done. On the other hand, a scene which I detested on first viewing -- Pina's death -- impressed me very well this time. I think that on my first viewing I found it lacking in realism, a term which then I understood to refer mainly to behavioral credibility. But the term 'realism' as applied to this film only makes sense in reference to some aspects of its filmmaking procedures, for example, location shooting. Albeit working with some facts from then-recent history, it seems distant from historical accuracy or psychological verisimilitude. Its propagandistic tone is quite evident, and so is its melodramatic quality. From what I read in Wikipedia, I understand the director was a fascist collaborator from the beginning, and all the way to the extinction of the regime, and then adhered to the new one very promptly. For what it is worth: in Roma, città aperta, if I recall correctly, the fascists are almost completely absent, the main conflict being between the Nazis and the Resistance.
Rating: 51 (up from 44)
Pierrot le fou (1965)
Second viewing, first in color. First viewing, in black and white, was on May 20, 2002.
A married man runs away with the babysitter. They commit a series of crimes and run out of money. She suggests they go to the South of France where she says her brother, a criminal, is.
A playful comedy, much of which owes a great debt to Marx Brothers films and Warner Brothers cartoons. Here, however, literary references are an important part. The extensive use of non-sequitur generates an unusual sort of comicity. The film starts in an angry mood, then switches to a gay one, which is then dissolved in graphic violence and betrayal. References to the Vietnam war seem to be neither here nor there. Very little of the film strikes me as particularly brilliant. The cinematography is remarkable.
Rating: 51 (up from 47)
A married man runs away with the babysitter. They commit a series of crimes and run out of money. She suggests they go to the South of France where she says her brother, a criminal, is.
A playful comedy, much of which owes a great debt to Marx Brothers films and Warner Brothers cartoons. Here, however, literary references are an important part. The extensive use of non-sequitur generates an unusual sort of comicity. The film starts in an angry mood, then switches to a gay one, which is then dissolved in graphic violence and betrayal. References to the Vietnam war seem to be neither here nor there. Very little of the film strikes me as particularly brilliant. The cinematography is remarkable.
Rating: 51 (up from 47)
Saturday, May 25, 2013
O dia em que Dorival encarou a Guarda (1986)
Short.
One night, a prisoner asks permission to shower, and is refused. He demands to see a superior officer. And so on.
Good short.
One night, a prisoner asks permission to shower, and is refused. He demands to see a superior officer. And so on.
Good short.
Manhattan (1979)
Second viewing; first was between 1983 and 1986.
Isaac is a middle-aged divorced writer who is in a relationship with Tracy, a 17-year-old high-schooler. Isaac's latest ex-wife left him for another woman. Isaac's best friend is Yale, a married man who is having an affair with Mary, a divorced writer. Isaac is trying to break up with Tracy because he thinks she is too young. Mary in turn is not going anywhere in her relationship with Yale.
I think my understanding of this movie became a little less muddled upon this second viewing. It seems to be developing a thesis which could be stated more or less like -- one should guide one's actions by one's own feelings, not by assumptions about what is better for others, or by what most people think is right; most of all, one should not be opportunistic in human relationships. In the present case, Isaac should not break up with Tracy because of general ideas about age difference improprieties, or implying less age equals less maturity, etc.; furthermore, he should not be in a relationship with a woman who is clearly incompatible with him (namely, Mary), just because the 'opportunity' appears, both are without a partner, and so on.
I am not sure this has anything to do with Manhattan, but then again what do I know about that city? There is a lot of sarcastic cultural references, mainly dealing with feminism and modern art; I think they are somehow meant to represent the city or some slice of it; I do not know how well they do that, but as for the University circuit, they certainly click with some things I read in recent years; and they are funny too.
I couldn't bring myself to give this movie a high rating; the strangeness of its situations and characters still pose something of an obstacle to my enjoyment. Maybe a third (improbable) viewing would bring the matter to a closure.
Rating: 50 (up from 37)
Isaac is a middle-aged divorced writer who is in a relationship with Tracy, a 17-year-old high-schooler. Isaac's latest ex-wife left him for another woman. Isaac's best friend is Yale, a married man who is having an affair with Mary, a divorced writer. Isaac is trying to break up with Tracy because he thinks she is too young. Mary in turn is not going anywhere in her relationship with Yale.
I think my understanding of this movie became a little less muddled upon this second viewing. It seems to be developing a thesis which could be stated more or less like -- one should guide one's actions by one's own feelings, not by assumptions about what is better for others, or by what most people think is right; most of all, one should not be opportunistic in human relationships. In the present case, Isaac should not break up with Tracy because of general ideas about age difference improprieties, or implying less age equals less maturity, etc.; furthermore, he should not be in a relationship with a woman who is clearly incompatible with him (namely, Mary), just because the 'opportunity' appears, both are without a partner, and so on.
I am not sure this has anything to do with Manhattan, but then again what do I know about that city? There is a lot of sarcastic cultural references, mainly dealing with feminism and modern art; I think they are somehow meant to represent the city or some slice of it; I do not know how well they do that, but as for the University circuit, they certainly click with some things I read in recent years; and they are funny too.
I couldn't bring myself to give this movie a high rating; the strangeness of its situations and characters still pose something of an obstacle to my enjoyment. Maybe a third (improbable) viewing would bring the matter to a closure.
Rating: 50 (up from 37)
Friday, May 24, 2013
Mulher de verdade (1954)
A nurse gets involved with two of her patients, of distinct social classes. She marries them both, bigamously, and uses her profession as an alibi for her double life.
Unsuccessful comedy, with a script that has some good plot ideas but is severely lacking in its finer details. The film is noticeably better directed than the Brazilian average, though.
The audio was severely problematic, with dramatic loudness variations, I do not know whether from a bad sound recording or from deterioration of the physical support, or what.
Rating: 31
Unsuccessful comedy, with a script that has some good plot ideas but is severely lacking in its finer details. The film is noticeably better directed than the Brazilian average, though.
The audio was severely problematic, with dramatic loudness variations, I do not know whether from a bad sound recording or from deterioration of the physical support, or what.
Rating: 31
Bus Stop (1956)
Second viewing; first was between 1983 and 1986.
A cowboy who has no experience with women has to leave his ranch to contend at a rodeo in another town. Over there he meets a cabaret singer who, as they say, has been around. But he does not know that he cannot impose his will regardless of others.
It is funny to watch this man who is like a natural disaster. But the joke wears out at midfilm, and it becomes a little too obvious and even a little dull. It is a passable film, saved by the excellent male lead, and by a competent direction.
Rating: 51 (down from 69)
A cowboy who has no experience with women has to leave his ranch to contend at a rodeo in another town. Over there he meets a cabaret singer who, as they say, has been around. But he does not know that he cannot impose his will regardless of others.
It is funny to watch this man who is like a natural disaster. But the joke wears out at midfilm, and it becomes a little too obvious and even a little dull. It is a passable film, saved by the excellent male lead, and by a competent direction.
Rating: 51 (down from 69)
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Desk Set (1957)
A consultant (here called a "methods engineer") is advising a large company (which has "broadcasting" in its name, so it must be a TV or radio company, or both) in its computerization process. A certain chemistry arises between him and the head of the Research Department, who is already in a complicated relationship with her boss.
Making a fun comedy about such a theme as the effect of computers on the unemployment rate increase is not supposed to be an easy task, and yet Desk Set does not come off too badly at that. I had a hard time trying to figure out exactly who were the users of the Research Department, but, after several more-or-less plausible hypotheses, I gave up on a positive answer. But the major problem of the movie, if you choose to call it a problem, is that the romantic subplot does not have much relation with the, say, sociological one (I mean the installation of the computers and the effect on the company's personnel), and so you have a double-headed monster. Most films are that way, I suspect, so let us not raise hell about it. I guess the main thing is that it is very ably written and directed, and is entertaining enough.
Rating: 55
Making a fun comedy about such a theme as the effect of computers on the unemployment rate increase is not supposed to be an easy task, and yet Desk Set does not come off too badly at that. I had a hard time trying to figure out exactly who were the users of the Research Department, but, after several more-or-less plausible hypotheses, I gave up on a positive answer. But the major problem of the movie, if you choose to call it a problem, is that the romantic subplot does not have much relation with the, say, sociological one (I mean the installation of the computers and the effect on the company's personnel), and so you have a double-headed monster. Most films are that way, I suspect, so let us not raise hell about it. I guess the main thing is that it is very ably written and directed, and is entertaining enough.
Rating: 55
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Tora no o wo fumu otokotachi (1945)
English title: The Men Who Tread on the Tiger's Tail
A disgraced general is being hunted by his brother the Shogun. The general and his six samurai disguise as monks and go through a mountain path. They are stopped at a control guard post.
Naive tale very much in the line of a folk story. The comic relief is provided by a baggage porter who is played in a very histrionic way. Watchable but a little too primitive for my taste.
Rating: 41
A disgraced general is being hunted by his brother the Shogun. The general and his six samurai disguise as monks and go through a mountain path. They are stopped at a control guard post.
Naive tale very much in the line of a folk story. The comic relief is provided by a baggage porter who is played in a very histrionic way. Watchable but a little too primitive for my taste.
Rating: 41
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Week-end à Zuydcoote (1964)
English title: Weekend at Dunkirk
In 1940, France is suffering heavy German bombing; in a beach near Dunkirk, Sgt. Maillat tries to get embarked to England, but this proves very difficult. He and his friends spend their time protecting themselves from the bombs and making small talk; Maillat meets a young woman in a house in town and tries to convince her to abandon the place.
Realistic portrayal of a specific moment and place in World War II. The film is very well directed, and, while not possessing a strong storyline (it is basically a series of episodes), it is enjoyable.
Rating: 59
In 1940, France is suffering heavy German bombing; in a beach near Dunkirk, Sgt. Maillat tries to get embarked to England, but this proves very difficult. He and his friends spend their time protecting themselves from the bombs and making small talk; Maillat meets a young woman in a house in town and tries to convince her to abandon the place.
Realistic portrayal of a specific moment and place in World War II. The film is very well directed, and, while not possessing a strong storyline (it is basically a series of episodes), it is enjoyable.
Rating: 59
Scener ur ett äktenskap (1973) (TV miniseries)
First integral viewing; theatrical version viewed on February 4, 1990.
English title: Scenes from a Marriage
Johan and Marianne are seen as a happy couple, but one day this image falls apart: Johan tells Marianne he is leaving her for another woman.
Very uneven, ranging from brilliancy to straightforward soap-opera to mere opaqueness. The intelligence of some of the dialogue is admirable, but the drama as a whole is not as convincing as I thought on my previous viewing (of the theatrical version). Also, it is rather tiresome due to the absence of action; everything is shown through dialogue. It goes beyond the simple chronicle of a specific marriage; it intends to be a summing up of all marriages. The evidences for this ambition are multiple, but listing them would make this review too long; suffice it to point out that Marianne's second marriage only repeats the patterns of the first, implying that all marriages follow them. Several behavioral oddities defy credibility; the last episode is entirely absurd.
Rating: 60 (down from 87)
English title: Scenes from a Marriage
Johan and Marianne are seen as a happy couple, but one day this image falls apart: Johan tells Marianne he is leaving her for another woman.
Very uneven, ranging from brilliancy to straightforward soap-opera to mere opaqueness. The intelligence of some of the dialogue is admirable, but the drama as a whole is not as convincing as I thought on my previous viewing (of the theatrical version). Also, it is rather tiresome due to the absence of action; everything is shown through dialogue. It goes beyond the simple chronicle of a specific marriage; it intends to be a summing up of all marriages. The evidences for this ambition are multiple, but listing them would make this review too long; suffice it to point out that Marianne's second marriage only repeats the patterns of the first, implying that all marriages follow them. Several behavioral oddities defy credibility; the last episode is entirely absurd.
Rating: 60 (down from 87)
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Damsels in Distress (2011)
Violet is in college, and she is a sort of leader to a small group of girls whose ambition is to exert a good influence on their school environment, especially through their work in the Suicide Prevention Center. A new student arrives in college, and Violet and her friends take her under their wings. Their involvement with boys adds new complications to their well-being and mutual friendship.
Interesting comedy, which avoids dramatic patterns and formally opts for a sketchy development. The dialogue is very prominent in it, and is usually intelligently written. Very early on, it becomes clear that the film's universe is not realistically fashioned, and this becomes even more evident as the film progresses. All of the acting (and all of the casting too, it is important to mention) is exemplary.
It should be commended for its courage to be personal, but I think its inspiration seemed a little trivial at times. For example, was the best that they could think of for the 'sambola' a compilation of other known dancing styles? Another thing I am not sure I understood: if missing kindergarten is the explanation for Thor's particular knowledge lacuna, are we to conclude that he is not stupid?
Apart from the example in the previous paragraph, and although this is not a psychological drama, I think there is a good deal of consistency in the characters; for example, Lily accuses Violet of being attracted to doofi (and thus accuses Fred of being one) and yet she, Lily, is the one who displays an abnormal tolerance to being exploited. The implication is that real doofi cannot see in the first place that they are the real doofi.
The film's title may be a wicked reference to the untruthfulness of another film's title (The Virgin Suicides), by way of a certain point made in Pepi, Luci, Bom y otras chicas del montón.
Rating: 59
Interesting comedy, which avoids dramatic patterns and formally opts for a sketchy development. The dialogue is very prominent in it, and is usually intelligently written. Very early on, it becomes clear that the film's universe is not realistically fashioned, and this becomes even more evident as the film progresses. All of the acting (and all of the casting too, it is important to mention) is exemplary.
It should be commended for its courage to be personal, but I think its inspiration seemed a little trivial at times. For example, was the best that they could think of for the 'sambola' a compilation of other known dancing styles? Another thing I am not sure I understood: if missing kindergarten is the explanation for Thor's particular knowledge lacuna, are we to conclude that he is not stupid?
Apart from the example in the previous paragraph, and although this is not a psychological drama, I think there is a good deal of consistency in the characters; for example, Lily accuses Violet of being attracted to doofi (and thus accuses Fred of being one) and yet she, Lily, is the one who displays an abnormal tolerance to being exploited. The implication is that real doofi cannot see in the first place that they are the real doofi.
The film's title may be a wicked reference to the untruthfulness of another film's title (The Virgin Suicides), by way of a certain point made in Pepi, Luci, Bom y otras chicas del montón.
Rating: 59
Friday, May 17, 2013
Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex * But Were Afraid to Ask (1972)
Second or third viewing. Latest was on April 8, 1989.
A series of comical sketches, each entitled with a question regarding an aspect of sex.
A very good film, which offers a sort of panorama of sexuality. The first episode ("Do Aphrodisiacs Work?) is perfect as an introduction, stating how in the past repression was explicit and consequences were physical; in such times guilt was not an issue, or rather it had a merely legal aspect. Moving on to modern times, we find that more than one episode are centered on the theme of Sex vs. Culture; two of them deal with it more or less straightforwardly: the zoophile ("What Is Sodomy?", an inaccurate title) and the crossdresser ("Are All Transvestites Homosexuals?"), another one shows the ambiguity in the aforementioned duality ("Why Is It So Difficult for a Woman to Reach Orgasm?"), in which sexual fulfillment is inextricably entangled with cultural repression; yet another reverts surrealistically the expectations on this theme ("What Are Sex Perverts?"), with an insight into the 21st century and its culture of trivialization and self-exposure. In "How Accurate Is the Scientific Knowledge About Sex?", there is an analysis of science-fiction films, from the vantage point of sex. The final episode ("What Happens in Ejaculation?") covers the biological aspect, and is in certain ways the most ambitious of the lot. Even though the humor displayed in this film is not always all that groundbreaking, I think overall it is a remarkable work.
Rating: 71 (down from 78)
A series of comical sketches, each entitled with a question regarding an aspect of sex.
A very good film, which offers a sort of panorama of sexuality. The first episode ("Do Aphrodisiacs Work?) is perfect as an introduction, stating how in the past repression was explicit and consequences were physical; in such times guilt was not an issue, or rather it had a merely legal aspect. Moving on to modern times, we find that more than one episode are centered on the theme of Sex vs. Culture; two of them deal with it more or less straightforwardly: the zoophile ("What Is Sodomy?", an inaccurate title) and the crossdresser ("Are All Transvestites Homosexuals?"), another one shows the ambiguity in the aforementioned duality ("Why Is It So Difficult for a Woman to Reach Orgasm?"), in which sexual fulfillment is inextricably entangled with cultural repression; yet another reverts surrealistically the expectations on this theme ("What Are Sex Perverts?"), with an insight into the 21st century and its culture of trivialization and self-exposure. In "How Accurate Is the Scientific Knowledge About Sex?", there is an analysis of science-fiction films, from the vantage point of sex. The final episode ("What Happens in Ejaculation?") covers the biological aspect, and is in certain ways the most ambitious of the lot. Even though the humor displayed in this film is not always all that groundbreaking, I think overall it is a remarkable work.
Rating: 71 (down from 78)
Eu tu eles (2000)
English title: Me You Them
In a poor rural place in Brazil, a woman makes somewhat unconventional arrangements with several men (amongst them her husband) in order to get on with her life as best she can and raise her children (who keep coming).
Poorly staged. Seems too infatuated with the landscapes. Passable storyline. Mostly competent cast.
Rating: 45
In a poor rural place in Brazil, a woman makes somewhat unconventional arrangements with several men (amongst them her husband) in order to get on with her life as best she can and raise her children (who keep coming).
Poorly staged. Seems too infatuated with the landscapes. Passable storyline. Mostly competent cast.
Rating: 45
West Side Story (1961)
Second viewing; first was on January 16, 1987.
Two youth gangs, one of whites and the other of Puerto Ricans, fight for dominance in the New York West Side; a Puerto Rican girl falls in love with a white boy.
I didn't have a bad time (re)watching this, and I think this is overwhelmingly due to the music (and, in most cases, also the lyrics, I should add). The choreography is OK, I suppose, but there just isn't enough in it to justify the praise it has received over the years (but mind you I am talking about the movie, not the play,which I haven't seen). The dramatic side is not without flaws, but the basic plotline and a few scenes I found moving, even knowing that in many aspects it is not realistic.
The excellent "Officer Krupke" lyrics is mind-blowingly appropriate to the historical moment that my country is going through, even with the caveat that these kids are way nicer than Brazilian young hoodlums.
Rating: 65 (up from 50)
Two youth gangs, one of whites and the other of Puerto Ricans, fight for dominance in the New York West Side; a Puerto Rican girl falls in love with a white boy.
I didn't have a bad time (re)watching this, and I think this is overwhelmingly due to the music (and, in most cases, also the lyrics, I should add). The choreography is OK, I suppose, but there just isn't enough in it to justify the praise it has received over the years (but mind you I am talking about the movie, not the play,which I haven't seen). The dramatic side is not without flaws, but the basic plotline and a few scenes I found moving, even knowing that in many aspects it is not realistic.
The excellent "Officer Krupke" lyrics is mind-blowingly appropriate to the historical moment that my country is going through, even with the caveat that these kids are way nicer than Brazilian young hoodlums.
Rating: 65 (up from 50)
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Pillow Talk (1959)
Second viewing; first was on January 24, 1995.
A womanizer and a single woman share a phone line (a "party line" is what they call it) between themselves, and dislike each other intensely. He sees her by chance in a public place and from then on can only think of getting her to bed.
Funny comedy, with some very sophisticated screenplay aspects, and a few others which are sillier but still are very funny. The whole film is splendidly directed.
The songs Doris sings are terribly uninspired, though. The ending, too, is unsatisfactory, I think.
Rating: 73 (down from 77)
A womanizer and a single woman share a phone line (a "party line" is what they call it) between themselves, and dislike each other intensely. He sees her by chance in a public place and from then on can only think of getting her to bed.
Funny comedy, with some very sophisticated screenplay aspects, and a few others which are sillier but still are very funny. The whole film is splendidly directed.
The songs Doris sings are terribly uninspired, though. The ending, too, is unsatisfactory, I think.
Rating: 73 (down from 77)
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
The Wrong Box (1966)
Second viewing; first was on April 23, 1989.
Based on the novel by Robert Louis Stevenson and Lloyd Osbourne, first published in 1889.
A lottery is established which takes as participants several children and has as a rule that the last survivor among them shall be the winner. It so happens that many years later two brothers are the only two living remnants, and this causes some anxiety in one of them, as well as on two inheritors of the other.
A funny film from start to finish; the humor may not be of the most intellectual kind, but it is certainly effective, and I was rarely without at least a smile on my face while watching it (and this, if I remember right, on both occasions).
Rating: 65 (down from 70)
Based on the novel by Robert Louis Stevenson and Lloyd Osbourne, first published in 1889.
A lottery is established which takes as participants several children and has as a rule that the last survivor among them shall be the winner. It so happens that many years later two brothers are the only two living remnants, and this causes some anxiety in one of them, as well as on two inheritors of the other.
A funny film from start to finish; the humor may not be of the most intellectual kind, but it is certainly effective, and I was rarely without at least a smile on my face while watching it (and this, if I remember right, on both occasions).
Rating: 65 (down from 70)
Monday, May 13, 2013
O mandarim (1995)
English title: The Mandarin
Supposedly, this should work as a filmic essay on the life of Brazilian singer Mário Reis.
Do not waste your time on this. Seek information about this great singer by other means. This film is a fine example of how money is wasted in Brazil on projects of little worth. For the sake of fairness, it should be said the main actor's professionalism seems misplaced in this.
Rating: 11
Supposedly, this should work as a filmic essay on the life of Brazilian singer Mário Reis.
Do not waste your time on this. Seek information about this great singer by other means. This film is a fine example of how money is wasted in Brazil on projects of little worth. For the sake of fairness, it should be said the main actor's professionalism seems misplaced in this.
Rating: 11
The Rat Race (1960)
Second viewing; first was on June 2, 1990.
A saxophone player from Milwaukee comes to New York City to live and work there. He ends up sharing an apartment with a taxi-dancer.
(1) I hugely overrated this on my first viewing.
(2) Although I do not know the play, the film has every characteristic of a hugely bowdlerized text.
(3) It is still not a bad film, if you just relax and enjoy it (what am I saying?). Anyway I confess to having a crush on Debbie.
(4) This is not much of a review. Would it fix it if I said that the screenplay is only so-so, but it is so well directed one kind of gets carried away?
(5) What's with the sentence numbering?
Rating: 57 (down from 87)
A saxophone player from Milwaukee comes to New York City to live and work there. He ends up sharing an apartment with a taxi-dancer.
(1) I hugely overrated this on my first viewing.
(2) Although I do not know the play, the film has every characteristic of a hugely bowdlerized text.
(3) It is still not a bad film, if you just relax and enjoy it (what am I saying?). Anyway I confess to having a crush on Debbie.
(4) This is not much of a review. Would it fix it if I said that the screenplay is only so-so, but it is so well directed one kind of gets carried away?
(5) What's with the sentence numbering?
Rating: 57 (down from 87)
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Hans Christian Andersen (1952)
In this musical fiction which usurps the name, work titles and a few geographic data from the famous Danish writer, Hans is a cobbler from a small town who likes to tell stories to children. He goes to Copenhagen and gets involved with a ballet troupe.
The attempts at establishing a connection with its real-life referent are pitiful and ultimately render the movie incomprehensible. I didn't care much for the songs either. When taken in isolation, some dramatic sequences are effective. The Little Mermaid ballet is well done, the decor is particularly impressive.
Rating: 33
The attempts at establishing a connection with its real-life referent are pitiful and ultimately render the movie incomprehensible. I didn't care much for the songs either. When taken in isolation, some dramatic sequences are effective. The Little Mermaid ballet is well done, the decor is particularly impressive.
Rating: 33
Saturday, May 11, 2013
The Wolf Man (1941)
Second viewing; first was on August 9, 1997.
Larry comes back from America to his home town in Wales. He falls in love with a woman who is already engaged. Larry is bitten by a wolf, or at least that is what he thinks.
This is a modest film, and arguably perfect within its ambitions, except for the werewolf's costume, which by today's standards is not very impressive. This is the kind of story which allows endless readings. On a trivial level, Larry is simply a homicidal maniac. The film is disturbing because within its frame of reference he is just as much a victim as the ones he kills. As a consequence, no one is really guilty of anything; thus, the concept of responsibility is wiped out from the film's moral universe. This is in tune with dominant modern worldviews, especially Freudian-shaped ones.
Rating: 51 (up from 46)
Larry comes back from America to his home town in Wales. He falls in love with a woman who is already engaged. Larry is bitten by a wolf, or at least that is what he thinks.
This is a modest film, and arguably perfect within its ambitions, except for the werewolf's costume, which by today's standards is not very impressive. This is the kind of story which allows endless readings. On a trivial level, Larry is simply a homicidal maniac. The film is disturbing because within its frame of reference he is just as much a victim as the ones he kills. As a consequence, no one is really guilty of anything; thus, the concept of responsibility is wiped out from the film's moral universe. This is in tune with dominant modern worldviews, especially Freudian-shaped ones.
Rating: 51 (up from 46)
Cuba, une odyssée africaine (2007) (TV)
English title: Cuba, an African Odyssey.
Documentary about the Cuban role in the political struggles in Africa in the sixties, seventies and eighties.
For me, this was an excellent source of information, and very enjoyable too.
I am not in the position to judge the accuracy of all the information it delivers; for example, a quick web research shows there is some dispute about the movie's depiction of Kabila's role in the Congolese rebellions.
On the whole, I found it reasonably unbiased and well made.
Documentary about the Cuban role in the political struggles in Africa in the sixties, seventies and eighties.
For me, this was an excellent source of information, and very enjoyable too.
I am not in the position to judge the accuracy of all the information it delivers; for example, a quick web research shows there is some dispute about the movie's depiction of Kabila's role in the Congolese rebellions.
On the whole, I found it reasonably unbiased and well made.
Friday, May 10, 2013
Young Mr. Lincoln (1939)
Second viewing; first was on June 3, 1990.
Inspired by events in the life of the famous American president.
A beginning lawyer with humble origins accepts to defend two brothers accused of murdering a man. This lawyer is a very cunning man, and has great rhetorical ability too.
This is basically a courtroom drama, with a prologue telling a little of the lawyer's previous life. The reason for this prologue is obviously the intention of rising up to the movie's title. In fact, the two parts of the movie, albeit both good, do not connect a great deal with one another. I have never been a big fan of biopics because of this type of "impure" structure. But I cannot decide whether Young Mr. Lincoln is a worse film because of that; anyway I am sure it has a refined script and a very intelligent central performance. I am not much of a reviewer, and thus could not instantly write anything that even remotely would do justice to the many facets of the film. If, however, I am allowed to pick an angle, I will say that the stupidity of the masses (which never changes) against the intelligence of one man is an important theme of this film; I would go further and say that the intelligence of one man consists mainly of acknowledging the stupidity of the masses (and that it never changes).
Rating: 85 (unchanged)
Inspired by events in the life of the famous American president.
A beginning lawyer with humble origins accepts to defend two brothers accused of murdering a man. This lawyer is a very cunning man, and has great rhetorical ability too.
This is basically a courtroom drama, with a prologue telling a little of the lawyer's previous life. The reason for this prologue is obviously the intention of rising up to the movie's title. In fact, the two parts of the movie, albeit both good, do not connect a great deal with one another. I have never been a big fan of biopics because of this type of "impure" structure. But I cannot decide whether Young Mr. Lincoln is a worse film because of that; anyway I am sure it has a refined script and a very intelligent central performance. I am not much of a reviewer, and thus could not instantly write anything that even remotely would do justice to the many facets of the film. If, however, I am allowed to pick an angle, I will say that the stupidity of the masses (which never changes) against the intelligence of one man is an important theme of this film; I would go further and say that the intelligence of one man consists mainly of acknowledging the stupidity of the masses (and that it never changes).
Rating: 85 (unchanged)
Never a Dull Moment (1950)
A successful Broadway composer marries a cow rancher with two kids from his late first wife. She faces difficulties adapting to the life of a housewife, and a rural one to boot.
I read this was elected at its time as the dullest movie of the year, and, although it is certainly not true, I can see why an organization made up -- exclusively, I guess -- of urban people would make such a pick. The film did not appear realistic to me, but afterwards I read it is based on a semi-autobiographical novel, so I think I too must be a little prejudiced. Modern audiences would possibly frown at the sight of what they would see as the self-effacement of a talented woman.
All that being said, the film is watchable, although it does fall short of being credible in its premise, and is a little too trivial in its development, not to mention too abrupt in its ending.
Saw a dubbed copy, a detail which usually affects my assessment negatively, but I do not think it did in this case.
Rating: 36
I read this was elected at its time as the dullest movie of the year, and, although it is certainly not true, I can see why an organization made up -- exclusively, I guess -- of urban people would make such a pick. The film did not appear realistic to me, but afterwards I read it is based on a semi-autobiographical novel, so I think I too must be a little prejudiced. Modern audiences would possibly frown at the sight of what they would see as the self-effacement of a talented woman.
All that being said, the film is watchable, although it does fall short of being credible in its premise, and is a little too trivial in its development, not to mention too abrupt in its ending.
Saw a dubbed copy, a detail which usually affects my assessment negatively, but I do not think it did in this case.
Rating: 36
Thursday, May 09, 2013
Moonraker (1979)
Second viewing; previously seen in 1979 or 1980.
British agent Bond investigates a certain Drax after one of the space shuttles he manufactures is stolen.
It is probably one of the weakest of the series. The word that comes to mind to describe this film is "tidy". All seems to obey a rigid formula, both in terms of script and direction. Creativity is nowhere to be seen.
Rating: 33 (unchanged)
British agent Bond investigates a certain Drax after one of the space shuttles he manufactures is stolen.
It is probably one of the weakest of the series. The word that comes to mind to describe this film is "tidy". All seems to obey a rigid formula, both in terms of script and direction. Creativity is nowhere to be seen.
Rating: 33 (unchanged)
It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
Second viewing. First was on December 15, 1990.
There is a big banker who wants to wipe George Bailey's father's small bank out from the face of the Earth. George is not attracted to banking and has many plans as a young man, but, as Robert Burns once said to a mouse about best-laid plans...
There is a great film inside It's a Wonderful Life. It is the life of George Bailey, mostly as it is told in the movie. The story of a man who feels that he hasn't lived the life he wanted, who somehow feels his potential is being wasted, is a great story, full of rich meditations. The screenplay has many intelligent solutions, which are rendered into magnificent sequences. Perhaps it could use a little more sobriety here and there; just to give an example, in the scene where George and Violet are talking at a busy avenue, in my version there would not be a crowd coming out of the blue and making a lot of fuss about their private conversation. Above all, I would lose the proto-Twilight Zone angle, that is, all mention of supernatural creatures such as angels, gods, etc would be dumped. Would George kill himself in the end? I do not know. It would probably be best to leave that out of the movie, a suicide does not tell much about a person's character at any rate. What the hell, you could eliminate the whole episode of Billy losing the money and Potter stealing it. You could even soften Potter's villainy. You don't need to outdickens Dickens by making a common thief out of your Scrooge.
Rating: 63 (unchanged)
There is a big banker who wants to wipe George Bailey's father's small bank out from the face of the Earth. George is not attracted to banking and has many plans as a young man, but, as Robert Burns once said to a mouse about best-laid plans...
There is a great film inside It's a Wonderful Life. It is the life of George Bailey, mostly as it is told in the movie. The story of a man who feels that he hasn't lived the life he wanted, who somehow feels his potential is being wasted, is a great story, full of rich meditations. The screenplay has many intelligent solutions, which are rendered into magnificent sequences. Perhaps it could use a little more sobriety here and there; just to give an example, in the scene where George and Violet are talking at a busy avenue, in my version there would not be a crowd coming out of the blue and making a lot of fuss about their private conversation. Above all, I would lose the proto-Twilight Zone angle, that is, all mention of supernatural creatures such as angels, gods, etc would be dumped. Would George kill himself in the end? I do not know. It would probably be best to leave that out of the movie, a suicide does not tell much about a person's character at any rate. What the hell, you could eliminate the whole episode of Billy losing the money and Potter stealing it. You could even soften Potter's villainy. You don't need to outdickens Dickens by making a common thief out of your Scrooge.
Rating: 63 (unchanged)
Tuesday, May 07, 2013
Les amants naufragés (2010) (TV movie)
Based on the novel Les veufs (The Widowers), by Boileau-Narcejac, first edition 1970.
Stanislas is a young writer who does dubbing jobs to make a living. He anonymously submits his novel to a literary contest. Stanislas is in a relationship with Mathilde, a model and struggling actress, and both suffer because of his constant jealousy. He suspects she is having an affair with her employer, a fashion designer.
The plot is ingenious, and the film is competently written and directed. Not bad for a TV movie.
Rating: 51
Stanislas is a young writer who does dubbing jobs to make a living. He anonymously submits his novel to a literary contest. Stanislas is in a relationship with Mathilde, a model and struggling actress, and both suffer because of his constant jealousy. He suspects she is having an affair with her employer, a fashion designer.
The plot is ingenious, and the film is competently written and directed. Not bad for a TV movie.
Rating: 51
Monday, May 06, 2013
La ilusión viaja en tranvía (1954)
English title: Illusion Travels by Streetcar
Two tramway workers "kidnap" a tram wagon, experiencing several incidents along the way.
Not much to say about this. It is not intensely funny, and the ending narration raising doubts about the interest of it all is possibly a valid self-criticism. But it is easy to watch, and agreeable, with a gentle humor which is not devoid of social observation.
Rating: 52
Two tramway workers "kidnap" a tram wagon, experiencing several incidents along the way.
Not much to say about this. It is not intensely funny, and the ending narration raising doubts about the interest of it all is possibly a valid self-criticism. But it is easy to watch, and agreeable, with a gentle humor which is not devoid of social observation.
Rating: 52
Sunday, May 05, 2013
Cluny Brown (1946)
A young woman is sent to a country manor to work there as a maid. A foreign writer who is in England fleeing the Nazis is staying there as a guest. Both had met before and get along very well. She is somewhat unconventional and he has a libertarian worldview.
It starts out as a screwball comedy, but loses some of its energy along the way. I suppose it was meant to cheer people up after World War II (although the book was written before the war was over), but seen with today's eyes some of it is rather silly, especially the Belinski character. Most of the cast does well, but I am not sure Jones achieves the right amount of zaniness her part requires. Overall I think it is an enjoyable film, but overrated.
Rating: 55
It starts out as a screwball comedy, but loses some of its energy along the way. I suppose it was meant to cheer people up after World War II (although the book was written before the war was over), but seen with today's eyes some of it is rather silly, especially the Belinski character. Most of the cast does well, but I am not sure Jones achieves the right amount of zaniness her part requires. Overall I think it is an enjoyable film, but overrated.
Rating: 55
Angel (1937)
Second viewing; first was on February 22, 1989.
The wife of a League of Nations delegate meets a man in Paris and has a one-day romance with him. Back in London, she meets him again, now in the company of her husband.
A moderately charming picture, a bit moralistic in the end but with well-written dialogue, a coherent plot, and some funny bits too. The performances are all decent. Can't quite explain my previous antipathy for it, unless it was the moralistic aspect that put me off.
Rating: 52 (up from 33)
The wife of a League of Nations delegate meets a man in Paris and has a one-day romance with him. Back in London, she meets him again, now in the company of her husband.
A moderately charming picture, a bit moralistic in the end but with well-written dialogue, a coherent plot, and some funny bits too. The performances are all decent. Can't quite explain my previous antipathy for it, unless it was the moralistic aspect that put me off.
Rating: 52 (up from 33)
Valdez Is Coming (1971)
A sheriff of Mexican ethnicity enters in conflict with a rancher on account of the latter's refusal to contribute 100 dollars to the widow of a man who was wrongly killed.
Western with a complex -- and, I confess, slightly bizarre -- plot. It is sort of a compilation of liberal themes (as they existed at the time it was made), which somehow make for a sufficiently engaging narrative.
Rating: 50
Western with a complex -- and, I confess, slightly bizarre -- plot. It is sort of a compilation of liberal themes (as they existed at the time it was made), which somehow make for a sufficiently engaging narrative.
Rating: 50
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