mn_aqua Reviews

De matchmaker (2018)

Dry humor in authentic setting

[7/10 · 5 January 2020]

For me it was not about the main storyline, which is not interesting. It is the interaction between the characters that does it here. A careless handsome guy who makes a mess of his life, makes a video for an agency about his single mother only because he needs footage quickly. He does not tell her at first. After her anger she accepts the situation, and he ends up being her matchmaker. But things do not run smoothly, which creates funny situations. The dialogs and happenings are realistic. No hollywood make-up or fake-world-scenarios. Just authentic as we would experience in real life. I like this kind of movies because we can recognize ourselves in it. The acting is quite good and I had a good laugh. The last few minutes are weird and awkward however. As if the director did not know what to do with the ending.

Single Street (2019)

Funny and tragic warm hearted movie

[7/10 · 4 January 2020]

Funny movie with subtle jokes. Typically Dutch, in which the communication between characters is very direct, sometimes rude, and with a lot of references to sex. But if you don't mind this movie is entertaining. The story is both funny and tragic: An insecure woman falls in love with a gay man but does not dare to tell him. What I appreciated is that the gay man in the movie is not a stereotype. In fact he is quite masculine. That is refreshing. The emotional parts are not too pathetic. Although the end is unrealistic it leaves you with a smile. Recommended.

Black Swan (2010)

A bad directed horror movie of sick taste

[1/10 · 10 July 2011]

At the start I was only slightly disturbed by the inappropriate scenes of aimless evil inflicted upon the fragile and pure Nina. I wiped them away, and thought a deep drama would unfold about the psychological problems of Nina caused by stress and pressure. But later on I got more and more annoyed by detestable scenes of pain and sex. Especially the sudden shocks (sudden loud sound and movements) every five minutes became highly irritating. I wondered if this was meant to be a horror movie, but then another scene with some warm human response changed my mind. During the movie I had more and more doubts about the actual theme of the film. Where was the director going? What does he want to say? Eventually I got the feeling I was looking at a bad directed sequence of painful and shocking moments, that had no connection with real life whatsoever. At the scene where Nina returns to Beth in the hospital to give her back her lipstick (etc.) and Beth starts stabbing herself with the nail file I said to myself: 'this is enough!' I stopped the movie (dvd) and rigorously took care this garbage will never meet my eyes again. I decided not to lend my mind any longer to be fed with such mental vomit. The maker of this movie has to be a very ill-minded person.

Man About Town (2006)

I liked it but it's not a comedy

[6/10 · 9 November 2006]

I liked the movie. Ben was funny and Rebecca Romijn lovely and attractive. The characters they portrayed were real and convincing. But the movie contained more drama than comedy. A few times I laughed, but overall this movie had a serious message about how to cope with people's imperfection (and your own). Psychological themed movies often are presented as a comedy. Hence the casting of John Cleese, the neurotic eminently. The movie is a nice distraction, and some people may learn from it.

A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)

A must see if you are not afraid of the future

[10/10 · 14 August 2003]

I will not discuss the whole movie here since that has been done many times already. I think the whole movie is brilliant. Including the ending. It is not too far from realism and it completes the story nicely by stating that unconditional love eventually will be rewarded.

One of the most striking suggestions in the movie, presented as a message between the lines, is that robots are better capable of love than humans. Maybe it is a warning.

In that perspective the ending fits perfectly. Mankind who is troubled by so many fears (most of which are non-realistic and only prohibit progression) have ceased to exist. But their genius lives on in the androids. It is a beautiful and happy future scenario for this planet. I love Spielberg for this.

Supernova (I) (2000)

An non-realistic projection of anxieties

[30 June 2003]

In my view the film is non-realistic. Although the story line is good and interesting the direction in which the story develops betrays a paranoid and fearful view (of the makers) on what the future might bring. The first thing that strikes is that the producers/writers find it so frightening that machines could take over and gain power that they gave the main computer a willingness to have emotions and to fall in love with one of the crewmembers! Eventually it is a film in which the computers and machines show more emotions (and are willing to do so) than the crewmembers who appear to be as cold as ice, and very computing. The men and women aboard all seem to be paranoid and seeing bugbears when they stumble on a bounty hunter who shows admirable generosity and love. The hunter also appears to be very wise. Still the director of this movie draws him out as the villain that should be stopped and put in jail. The crewmembers who act constantly out of anxiety on the other hand are at the "good" side. The most cold and fearful among them will eventually survive and return safely to their home. The "villain" (just a regular guy that has found something of tremendous positive value) who comes in peace and immediately offers to share his treasure is abruptly rejected and violently robbed of his bounty.

Besides the makers of this science fiction film were paradoxically very afraid of what new science is bringing. In the beginning we see a couple, standing on the "good" side, wishing to have a baby and starting a procedure to get permission from the government. One of them then says: "Don´t worry baby. We are people who are not genetically modified, so undoubtly we will get permission to beget a child."

The makers of this film were obviously troubled by their own mental bugbears. These are the people that we don´t need any more creations from. Luckily there are others, like Steven Spielberg, who do not project their anxieties in their movies as evil phenomena but as things to overcome.