jakobmulder Reviews

Charlatan (2020)

Uninteresting story with fine cinematography.

[4/10 · 26 April 2024]

Agnieszka Holland gets attention for her films every decade or so. And appears on many film festivals with her films. Most of these films never attract a substantial audience outside these filmfestivals, however. While I am writing this review her latest film Green Border is being reviewed in all the newspapers and film magazines. The film she had most success with is Europa, Europa. As it happened Lars von Trier premiered his film Europa in the same year. The thing with Mrs. Holland's films is that they are are mostly one issue topic films. This film comes as a surprise: it has 2! At the beginning of a film one always gets to read such and so present this film. That 2nd topic was given away there! A spoiler before the film started. As I don't like spoilers, please open your eyes once that bit is over. The charlatan here is a man who specializes in herbal treatments for ailments and illnesses. Now, some people believe in that and others don't, myself included. After all, we have medical science. I decided to watch the film because of the name and reputation of the director. It is a long film and we move forward and backward to make more things clear. The herbs and flowers are colourful, but the rest of the decor has a depressing dark grey tone. And then at two third of the film the second topic come to prominence. That makes for a surprising twist for many, unless you saw that bit before the beginning of the film: the beginning of a film one always gets to read such and so present this film. The main character. Jan Mikolasek, played by Ivan Trojan looks like Sting from the Police. His son or grandson plays the young Jan. This film might be interesting for you. It won't cheer you up, though.

After Love (2020)

The promesse is not fully rewarded.

[5/10 · 11 March 2024]

I watched this film yesterday as it was offered by my provider. I remember having seen small bits of it in tv programmes and knew that the main actress got a BAFTA award for it. From the onset you know that the husband of that actress (Joanna Scanlan) will die. That was in every tv programme, review and trailer. So you wonder how the story will develop. That turned out to be different than one would have expected and was stretched, unfortunately, way too long. Like most films or tv series it has some flaws. This one featuring a phone. After an hour you know you will get another 30 minutes and also what to expect in those 30 minutes. The emotional part of loss, bereavement, mourning and betrayal is convincing. The way it has been scripted less so. The film has a nice open ending.

Oderbruch (2024– )

Crime thriller evolves into a vampire film.

[4/10 · 2 February 2024]

I saw this film written about in my NL tv guide and thought to give it a try. I had expected a crime thriller with a link to World War II somewhere.. The film builds up with suspense and mood, assisted by the ominous music. The way the film looked, the scenes, the scenery, the film shots and flashbacks were all very promising. The actors were great as well. 8 Episodes was quite a stretch, though. Some episodes were really good and once you got further into the story it evolved more around that "vampire" bit. Had I known that in advance I would not have watched it. But quality throughout, though.

Looking (2014–2015)

Such a wonderful, normal realistic tv series about guys who happen to be gay

[10/10 · 28 January 2024]

This is definitely the best gay characters series I have seen together with Tales Of The City. It shows a group of people from all backgrounds who want to live, love, enjoy work, hang-out. It does so in such a natural way that you can immediately identify with the characters and the motives behind their behaviour and acting. I am glad after the 2 series a film was made. Now the actors of this series. How well chosen they are. And their interaction comes across as so pure and natural. Now every series or film depends on a good script with dialogues that do come across as natural and believable. And the script was co-written by Andrew Haigh, now you can't really go wrong there. He is the auteur-filmer in the English speaking world. Highly recommended.

The Nest (I) (2020)

Too distant to watch

[4/10 · 5 November 2023]

It took a while (in the film) I kind of got to like this film. The small scene set in the U. S. A. Clearly showed a disfunctional family. Money in abundance, but a sense of what we are living for missing, apart for the mother. Then we get transported to England and London. The husband got an opprtunity to work there. O.k., one couild sense he needed that as he was just bored and wasting his time in the U. S. A. Being a househusband. The setting is a mansion. No, it was not haunted, unless you take into account the souls of the family, hubby, wife, daughter and son, it can't get more textbook formulaic. Then the story unfolds into something completely different. Set in the mid 1980s it has a nice soundtrack, but it gets tedious. The acting isn't that bad, I think the actress that played the wife was by far the best and most convincing. I am not really into westerns, not that this is one, but even the sight of a horse already makes me cringe. The only film with a horse I could stand what lean on Pete. And the horse takes a part in this film as well. A particularly weird scene at the end. The film clearly shows the greed of the main character and the tricks he plays to obtain it as quickly as possible. But failing to. It might have worked better a s a tv series. We now watch and at the end think, o.k. This was it then.

Nordland '99 (2022– )

Pretentious and tedious.

[1/10 · 10 July 2023]

I watched 2 episodes. During episode # 1 I already watched it with irritation as really nothing happened and the loud music pretended it did. So, much against my own wise advice I decided to watch another episode. Same thing. Pretentious, boring and tedious. I realy was annoyed by both 2 episodes, so called it quits after those 2. Now, I am sure the rest of the series is superb and it will be on the year's final lists;-) At the start I got the idea this series will be captivating and would have many subplots and links to things happening in the past. Although I got it that the youths in this series are living in a cul-de-sac village where everyone knows one another and the past is hoovering about the present it still did not interest me. Maybe it was all too dark, sombre and the same.

Promising Young Woman (2020)

Highly original in its approach

[10/10 · 4 June 2023]

What a stunning and stellar performance of Carey Mulligan, THE actress of her generation in the English speaking world. I was mesmerised by her performance from beginning to end. The script is original and daring and that is shows things in such a logical way that it does not need superfluous explanations as is commo with American films. Use your own imagination instead, Cassandra does that as well. I absolutely LOVED this film for its acting.scripting and directing. A surprising way to deal with this subject matter. It was very funny at times. The soundtrack is sublime as well and the song at the beginning was tongue in cheek and the final song moving. To use these staples so efectively, wow.

Luce (I) (2019)

Promise at the start not fulfilled at all in the end.

[6/10 · 26 October 2022]

I was quite intrigued by the promise of this film. I read a rave review in a tv guide, so decided to record and watch it. Slow in its upbuild you think you gradually get to know the characters and their motives better throughout the film. You don't really. Some of the actors played really well, but Tim Roth was acting very, very cliché like. Luce is idolised and accused at the same time. As you get to see what he is "supposedely" accused of you are even left wondering more what it was then. The centre point is his relationship with his teacher. The way that is portrayed is interesting at times, but sometimes too good to be true. As a psychological story it is partly convincing, but in the end it seems more like a subtle revenge film, subtle in the sense what we really get to see than a film that serves a plot or ending that is satisfying. Good thing about it, though, I got to read something about Frantz Fanon. At least it served that purpose.

Oldboy (2003)

Hard to endure this.

[4/10 · 9 September 2022]

Undoubtedly cleverly construed film. I finally got to see this film as the film The Handmaiden of the same director is one of my favourite films of the last 2 decades. And I will be seeing his new film Decision To Leave very soon. I have to say I don't get all the rave reviews for this film. The film is a bit of a puzzle to me. It is brilliantly shot with some very special filmed scenes and sequences and I read later it is based on a manga cartoon. That explains a lot, I guess. The film has 2 primary colours you will see throughout the film: green and red, for obvious reasons, but I won't be giving any spoilers. I was really appalled by the grotesque and over the top violence and really incredibly stupid fighting scenes (manga). I am sure the violence must have brought a smile on the mouthwatering face of Quentin Tarantino, but it is just sick to watch. Understanding the film in 1 view is impossible (but I for myself would never watch a film like this twice), so I read some stuff afterwards. That did not make my decision for this film to be more positive, au contraire. As I found it very pretentious, indeed. 2 characters who were in school together and one hardly aged at all a few decades later, that was a flaw. 2 Hours this film is. Be warned: that's 120 minutes! Watch the Handmaiden instead.

Wunderschön (2022)

Positive insight in women fighting back

[7/10 · 15 August 2022]

I was curious to watch this movie. It evolves around the lives of 5 women of several ages. They all face their own problems and issues and surprisingly some of them are even related to one another, the women, not the problems or issues. Although there are some flaws in the movie or things too good to be true it is a fine movie to watch as we get to see life from a female perspective for a change. How strange it may sound, it even is a feel good movie.

Jos (2022– )

Superlative hilariously dark comedy.

[10/10 · 4 August 2022]

In 10 episodes we see the life of lead character Jos (a good hearted and spirited and selfless divorced man) and his struggles with his ex, 2 daughters, his best friend, his new girlfriend and his job and colleagues, well basically with life in general. A totally unique feauture is his correspondence with a prisonor in Thailand. Each episode has the title of a song featured on one his many compilation cds. Addictive till the end, it's funny beyond words. The way the locations are filmed make it extra rewarding to watch.

Patrick (2019)

Extremely original between crime, suspense and comedy-tragedy.

[10/10 · 20 July 2022]

This is an absolute superb debut film with a very original story line, but most of all so well acted with sometimes even kind of unexpected plot twists. The location in itself a true original sensation, although it's a nudist camping that doesn't change a thing at all, it's put in so logically. On a normal camping one would have been able to "hide" the hammer. The main character absolutely steals the show. You see all his subdued emotions and his abnormal obsession with a stolen hammer. Some scenes are so beautifully and surrealistically shot. Without giving anything away: a scene in the forest with almost all camping guests is beyond sublime. An absolute must see. During the end credits we even get to hear a great Alex Harvey song, not sung by himself, alas Highly recommended, but not to those who are used to who only watch formulaic and predictable and sappy movies. Sometimes heroes don't need much action.