Change Your Image
carangi
Reviews
The Outsiders (1983)
stunning
I have not read the book that the movie is based on, so I can't comment on how the movie and book are alike or not, but I have seen the movie and the part of the TV series. As for the TV series: terrible! Don't waste your time on that. But the movie is a different story. It is really nice to see so many talented young actors together, especially because most of them were new to the public and had not (yet) made a name for themselves. Most of the comments on this movie have focused on C. Thomas Howell, Rob Lowe and Matt Dillon, so I will not comment on them. They are great, don't get me wrong, but I feel that everything has been said already. The most beautiful performance (in my opinion) is given by Ralph Macchio, who seems to get a little forgotten in most reviews. It is hard to believe he was really 21 and 22 years old when the movie was made. He is usually one of those actors of whom people would think he can't do anything besides look cute and play "some kind of kid", but trust me, he can really act. He plays Johnny Cade, a scared and troubled 16-year-old who is not wanted at home and who is a member of the "Greasers", one of the 2 gangs. The other gang are the "Socs", the rich boys who are from the other side of town. Some of Macchio's best scenes are actually the ones in which he is not the key figure. For example, the scene in the movie drive-in where his fellow Greaser Dallas is bothering the 2 girls and the scene in which the Socs follow Johnny, Ponyboy, one of their friends and the 2 girls after they leave the drive-in and Ponyboy and the other Greaser prepare to fight the Socs with a knife and a piece of glass. The part of the movie where Ponyboy and Johnny are staying at the abandoned church is really nice too. The most memorable scenes by Macchio are naturally the ones in which Johnny is the main character, like the scene in which Johnny talks about committing suicide and the scenes that deal with the confrontation with the Socs, Johnny killing one of them and Johnny telling Ponyboy that he "killed that boy". The fire scene seems a little odd, but that is just because it is unlogical for it to be in the movie and that has more to do with the script than with any of the boys's acting. Macchio clearly shows he can do more than just "be cute". I can really recommend this movie, simply because of the performances of all the young actors, so if you like any of them: go watch this movie, you won't regret it. 8 out of 10!
Blazen tot honderd (1998)
very impressive
This is a very impressive movie with very impressive acting from most actors. Olivier Tuinier gives definately the most impressive performance of his career so far. He stars as a teenager who has completely lost touch with everything since the death of his mother. He has developed a very unhealthy fascination for death and morbidity and that starts to develop in even more dangerous ways when he meets a girl, who refuses to tell him her name. When she eventually tells him she admires Joan of Arc, he suggests that she should also be burned to really connect with her heroin. This gets really out of hand. I would highly recommend this movie to anyone. It really shows how children can react to important things that happen in their lives and also how blind parents can be to their problems. In this case the boy's father knows his son is struggling with his mother's death, but does not see how serious and dangerous the situation is, until it is almost too late for his son and definately too late for his son's friend...
Het zakmes (1991)
wonderful
This is a great movie for children. It has no violence in it at all and they can actually learn something from it. I would also recommend it to parents, because this is really the kind of movie you can watch with your children together. It shows not only the situation, but also how certain situations can be a problem to a (young) child. Olivier Tuinier is Holland's pride and probably our only worldwide known childactor, but he can easily compete with the American ones. Highly recommended movie!
Girl, Interrupted (1999)
Wow
I am usually very hard to impress when it comes to movies, but this one just blew me away. I have never seen a more touching performance than Winona Ryder's in this movie. She and Angelina Jolie manage to give such great performances that you actually forget you are watching them and they just pull you inside the story. Magical!
Mobsters (1991)
very impressive
I must say, I don't really agree with what most other people have to say about this movie. I must admit it has its ups and downs, especially when it comes to the casting. Casting Christian Slater as Lucky Luciano was just ridiculous. He is just so the wrong type. He is a good actor, but this part does not suit him at all! It is a different story for several other people. I must say I was very impressed with the performances of Richard Grieco and Lara Flynn Boyle. Richard clearly shows he can do a lot more than just being the pretty boy. He was probably the best choice for the part. Violent and sensual. He even manages to do a quite funny scene, when his character gets angry, because someone tells him he does not kill with style. I did not know what to expect from him, as I had only seen him in "21 Jump Street", but give him a chance, because he will not disappoint you. Lara Flynn Boyle's performance is wonderful. Too bad her part was so small, as I would have loved to see more of her in this movie. She shows here clearly she can do so much more than cheap comedies. Usually I would give this film 8 out of 10, but because of Richard and Lara, I will make it 9.
Performance (1970)
Madness and sanity
This is probably one of the best cult movies ever made. I have seen it about 20 times now and even the last time, it was still not boring and I stayed up late again to watch it at 3 in the morning (even though I have it on video). "Performance" shows James Fox in a part you would never expect from him. The mobster with the secret past and deep dark secrets. Violent and with a "no mercy" attitude. Very impressive. Mick Jagger debuts as an actor in this picture and you can see he wants to do well in the beginning. I know the movie was shot chronologically and Jagger seems to be growing as an actor in each scene. The most impressive performance is the performance German/Italian actress Anita Pallenberg is giving here. As the Jagger's character says in the movie: "The only performance that makes it, that really makes it, that makes it all the way, is the one that achieves madness!" And Anita does just that. She is beautiful, decadent, dangerous, high and grounded and very much herself as Pherber. If you watch this movie, you should really try and focus on her, because she is full of surprises. French teen actress Michèle Breton only starred in this movie and the attention is drawn away from her completely by Pallenberg. That is a shame, because Breton does have some very strong scenes, like the one with Pallenberg when they are talking about the gangster. You can see that both Breton and her character are not sure what they are yet: are they children or young women? This movie clearly deserves 10 out of 10!