Change Your Image
soefikos
Reviews
Amen. (2002)
a very powerful film
but not that efficiently directed. Mr Gavras is not that good in directing actors apparently - they seemed to try to do their best to survive. Ulrich Tukur had no problem, his performance is excellent - but Mathieu Kassovitz is not that convicting. As for the supporting roles... Mr Gavras did a good job with the rest of his work however. As far as the accuracy of the script is concerned, I don't think there can be any doubt about it! I particularly appreciated that the Pope did not came across as a heartless opportunist, but simply as a weak (or maybe pacifist) person.
Ali (2001)
is M. Ali as idiot as that?
this film was a big disappointment, it made Ali look like a real simple-minded guy. Example: he didn't go to the army because they drafted him as Cassius Clay? I am sure it was not like that. But the film really makes him look like someone who just obsessed with a couple of thins and was just too stubborn or simply too idiot to let go. There are a couple of interesting scenes in the film, and the matches are interestingly filmed, but otherwise this is a really long, really slow movie that wants to say a lot about a lot and finally manages to pass its hero as the village idiot. Will Smith did a good job in gaining weight, but finally it's still Will Smith with a funny voice. Not that he didn't try - but he has too strong a personality himself, he's too known to convince as Ali. It is a real pitty, I am sure the film does not do honour to Mr Ali. Even if he is as extravagant a personnality, he cannot be as stupid!
Swordfish (2001)
sadly realistic
I don't know how I would evaluate this film if I had seen it 24 hours earlier. It just happens that I saw it the day after the terrorist attacks in the USA, and I couldn't help connecting it to that horrible event. Travolta's character wants money in order to fight worldwide terrorism - using terrorist methods. After September 11, every bit of the plot seamed realistic.
Apart from that, I think this is a good action movie, more intelligent than most of its kind. My only objection is Hugh Jackman: he is really good in the film, but doesn't look exactly as a computer freak. He's too sexy for that. But then again, why complain?
La pianiste (2001)
heavy
This film is really heavy. The piano teacher is so sick you can cry, and the golden boy is not so golden after all. I really felt miserable during the film. It is not boring at all, but be prepared. It was a good film, and the actors were really great. But still, it was too heavy for me.
Original Sin (2001)
fascinating
There is one thing that I have to make clear from the beginning: I'm not a fan of either Banderas or Jolie. But you don't have to be their fan to like this movie. It has a great plot (I would really like to read the novel it is based on), great performances and really good direction. Plus, 19th century Cuba looks quite fascinating. The story is about a rich Cuban, Luis (Banderas, obviously) that is set on marrying an american woman. He posts an add on a Boston (I think) newspaper, and he finally finds the bride of his dreams: Miss Julia Russel, a not very pretty but young and strong woman that will give him an heir. But when Julia arrives, it is non other but Angelina Jolie, not quite like the picture Luis has of his bride to be. With this intriguing start, the plot gets thicker and thicker as love and passion, as well as treason, lie and crime come into the game, so you can never get bored. The characters' acts seem a little unbelievable sometimes, but the tagline is "how far would you go for love", so be prepared. And in spite of what many people said about the ending, I personally liked it - it was almost exactly what I wanted to see. I give it 8/10.
Wo de fu qin mu qin (1999)
just got back from the cinema...
and I may say that I rather liked the film. It was quiet, tender, sweet... A little slow sometimes maybe, certainly not a film for every audience. But nice.. It got me thinking how China is such a unique country, with such unique people. If you like chinese cinematography in general, I strongly recommend it. And Zhang Ziyi is adorable.