ertanasan Reviews

Promising Young Woman (2020)

A wasted good story...

[5/10 · 1 February 2022]

This movie is full of immaturity, irrational turns and it eventually hits a dead end... If you are a teenager or a novice film watcher it will definitely look like an outstanding movie but it's not... Just another overrated misleading movie. Go find another one. Oh, I forgot to add poor acting...

Forty Days of Musa Dagh (1982)

Too bad for the memoir of Armenians' struggle...

[3/10 · 30 March 2020]

Plenty of stereotypical characters and exaggerations. What a waste of an opportunity...

A Quiet Place (2018)

Idiotic scripting

[3/10 · 9 March 2020]

I really don't understand why this film"s rating is so high... Creature reacts to sounds, rushers onto source. If you make sound and move a bit ahead the it misses. You can even make fun of it. LOL. Or make a false voice and ambush them altogether... I think I could make a better scripting...

American Factory (2019)

Wealth by human material

[8/10 · 12 February 2020]

It's all said about poor working conditions in China for a long time. This documentary showed the mentality contrast between US and Chinese workers. We can easily name it as almost forced labor what I saw in this film. 12 hours of hard work and only two days off in a Month... It's simply paid slavery. China is building an economic empire by exploiting its own people for the sake of few privileged minority which has close ties with communist party elite. Poor Chinese people.

Cardboard Gangsters (2017)

I loved it

[8/10 · 3 February 2020]

This is an extremely underrated movie. I personally like well made low budget underground movies which this is definitely one. All natural flow. But ending is stupidly fast, spontaneous and heartbreaking. How on earth a a cool and smart guy as pictured can be so dull to have no suspicion and could be easily ambushed. It missed a ten...

Your Son (2018)

As a father

[7/10 · 10 March 2019]

As a father having a son, watched the movie in horror. Lead actor, the father, is extremely successful. Daily bad news from the society on the radio news and a happy life of a doc portrayed, but you can't keep away from the filth as you're living in a filthy environment. It happens. Things go messy if everyone imposes his own justice. Script is poor especially on scenes required police interaction. A father's unbearable agony, for me, this is movie's ultimate success.

Angelo My Love (1983)

A movie almost lost in time

[8/10 · 26 March 2014]

This is one of my lost movies which I had seen 20 years ago, left a good taste enough for not to forget. Finally found it in IMDb by adding a "gypsy" word in my search criteria, thanks to Google...

Angelo, an eight year old gypsy boy, makes the whole movie by himself; but not the "himself" in the movie, I think "himself" in real life. He had no acting experience before and drafted from his native gypsy life just as many other players in the movie...

It is about the boy's enviable living energy and self confidence which he generated to adapt to lives of grown.

Angelo is a brave early grown lovely child. The film's name was translated into Turkish in a phrase as "Lovely Angelo" ("Sevgili Angelo") which I think more convenient in order to express the feeling after seeing it...

Gangs of Wasseypur (2012)

Keep away

[3/10 · 28 February 2013]

I am not sure of why this movie was added to my watch-list, somehow done and found and watched it. What a waste of time. To me, this is one of the most overrated movies ever. But, at the same time I don't want to be ignorant to the people who this movie historically (or fantastically) about, may be it contains deep emphasis or aspects which a foreigner like me can't infer.

Why? It is a very long movie, add a slow pace to it and finally get a tantalizing experience. This orphan boy was keen to revenge in a scene while having hug from his woman, on to kill the murderer of his heroic father, and then, somehow lost focus. First fought for the rights of mine against him, then insulted him, then jailed, then escaped. Later went into a political rival against "him". Come on! You should respect to your father's memory and take revenge... Nope.

Passed the scenes, especially nonsense ones, rapidly.

Finally, don't waste your time.

The Color of Paradise (1999)

Nice but overrated...

[7/10 · 5 August 2012]

I had seen Majid's another film, "Children of Heaven", and surely had a deep positive impression through its natural manner in story telling style. It had a touching story too but screened in a rather natural manner.

This movie, on the contrary, has a direct symbolic manner which I don't feel comfortable to get its message clearly. Too much symbolism kills the naturalness which eventually lead the movie to a dead end; indeed its final scenes are almost nonsense making me say "so what".

I love Iranian movies very much, Iranian cinema has a deserved reputation all over the world, Majidi has a notable part of it. Regardless of the movie itself, I admired the country side where the movie filmed. I would like to have a chance to see those places in a same season of year. For me who is an obsessed admirer of nature, it would be relieving for my should struggling with city life.

Midnight Express (1978)

Exaggerate and make money

[3/10 · 30 April 2008]

This is a well screened movie but is based on an exaggerated story. Several years ago even Billy Hayes himself emphasized that the movie contained many exaggerations which he had never lived. I can say that it is good enough cinematographically.

It is not a science fiction or fantastic film. Claiming that all those in the movie are the realities faced by Billy Hayes. So, the director, screenplay writer etc., should have stayed loyal to realities.

How can an artist, an intellectual be so carefree of realities and so prejudiced? It is aiming not only showing the incidents lived by Hayes, but targeting the honor of whole nation, insulting all its individuals without any discrimination unjustly...

Pod severnym siyaniyem (1990)

Very happy to find it after seventeen years

[10/10 · 6 May 2007]

I had seen this movie more than fifteen years ago. I was about 17. I remember, I had to go to bed immediately because had things to do in the morning, but couldn't manage. The movie attracted me so much that couldn't stand up and go. It had a fascinating manner, romantic story, dramatic occasions, spiritual interaction with nature. I had been fascinated. After a long time passed, the information lost in impossibilities became possible to get by internet. It is interesting that my search keywords were "a Japanese hunter geisha Sibirian movie", because I didn't remember its name or anything else. I hope I can find and see it again.

The Beast of War (1988)

Not a good cross-section of Afghan war

[6/10 · 19 February 2006]

Just seen the film and having difficulty to determine its main message. It is not aiming to give a message? Eh... But its original name "the beast of war" itself is a message. Acting is good mainly for Russian characters. For me, the tank commander's acting is significant.

It is not hard to infer that screenplay writer is not well informed about Afghan war realities. Afghan mujahideen fought against a superpower with unlimited resources. And, it is an important detail, it would never be possible to have a victory with such stupidly described Afghan guerrillas, who are even without basic knowledge to use an anti-tank rocket. There had been a heroic war won by heroic mujahideen, and film should have been giving some samples of that.

By the way, Hollywood should hire some Islam consultants in order to get rid of silly practical mistakes about Islamic practices. In one scene, a collaborator Afghan originated Russian soldier begins praying, it is ridiculous that his practicing was full of ritual mistakes... Directors take care of such details...

Into the West (2005)

Spectacular

[10/10 · 20 August 2005]

For one living far away from continental America I think it is more interesting to know about North American Indians. My generation used to see Indians as wild, uncivilized enemies of heroic people, mostly in western movies. In this TV series, I see that, it is not too hard to see unity of Indian culture which is not "bad" or "enemy" "in any case". I felt the same when I saw the movie "the man dancing with the wolves" years ago.

Apart from the story of the film which is very good, it is a fascinating spectacular show which made us lose ourselves in the beauty of wild scenes...

Thanks to Spielberg for the pleasure we taste...

Pascali's Island (1988)

A great movie having deep historical and psychological references...

[8/10 · 20 January 2003]

I watched this movie with a great pleasure. In fact, as a Turk, I didn't feel degraded or insulted even though the Turkish pasha and other Turkish characters are presented as a narrow-minded members of a decayed political system. Because, it was not totally wrong.

Ottoman Empire, named as sick-man by European politicians, was just a few step away from death. During that time, it was fighting in several fronts, trying to deal with threats against him, but no luck, death was inevitable. Pascali's loyalty worth appreciation, but as the movie showed us, there was no such an authority to honor him.

This is a great historical movie having perfect psychological and historical references, and every single person who enrolled must be appreciated...

It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

As good as it deserves

[10/10 · 12 January 2003]

When I first saw this movie I was rather a teenage kid, I don't remember my age then, but I think I was 13 or 14. It was during the time of one channel TV days. I watched it with great pleasure, without knowing it was one of the best movies ever made. I believe that this movie has a great effect in my good-hearted, honest, compassionate nature.

A Fare to Remember (1999)

To be marginal or not to be ...

[8/10 · 9 December 2002]

This movie was a suprise for me while I was surfing from channel to channel... I don't know why but it filled in me with warmth and happiness. This is what a high budget movie can not do mostly. I liked it, this is "a must see" one...

The Broken Landlord (1985)

Excellent drama and comedy.

[10/10 · 30 December 2000]

I am from the country which the movie's story is about, Turkey. Seen this film several times in fifteen years and undoubtly I took pleasure in each time. It is about an honest, good hearted land lord having several villages. The movie is trying to show the end of the feudal system in south-east of Turkey by the influence of city life. It uses an ironic manner. Actually, in order to comprehend the story exactly and to take the same pleasure like me, you should be native like me. But it is worth enough if you interested in such a story. For me, it is one of the best 10 Turkish movies. Sener Sen is a living legend of Turkish cinema.

Ertan

The Sheltering Sky (1990)

A spectacular journey

[8/10 · 10 November 2000]

Not every single movie has to have a solid story to tell about, or give a certain, effective message... This movie is a strait expression of the destiny of three friends. Isn't life, itself, enough to infer what we need to understand?

(I wanted to edit this comment which I wrote years ago. Unfortunately IMDb is forcing me to add some more lines up in order to submit)

Now I hardly remember the movie details. I think it is time to see it again. I wonder my reaction, whether I would like it or not.

"How many times shall we see full moon? Maybe 20? Whereas any of us assumes that life will go on in this way..."

Black Cat, White Cat (1998)

One of the worst movies I have ever seen.

[1/10 · 1 October 2000]

I have seen "Time of Gypsies", a movie by Custurica before. Undoubtly, it was one of the best movies I have ever seen. I am having difficulty to believe that "Black Cat White Cat" was directed by the same person, Emir Custurica. It was a whole disappointment for me. I am sorry for the money I paid for.

It is even hard to categorize it whether it is a comedy or something else. A bad story, badly described characters, etc...

Operation Daybreak (1975)

Excellent, touching, heroic

[9/10 · 15 March 2000]

Some movies stick themselves into your memory. This is one of such ones.

I am 28 now and I think I was just 17 when I first saw this movie. I never forgot it so that when I began to use IMDb database first I checked it for it. So It should be an impressing one, yes it was.

It is an exact and excellent dramatization of patriotism, heroism, idealism.

I deeply would like to see it again.

Ertan