steinerelt Reviews

Mysterious Skin (2004)

what happens to us and our recollections of it are never the same

[10/10 · 14 August 2009]

The ambiguous title reveals little about this film, so I wasn't expecting anything special when I started watching it, knowing virtually nothing about the story, other than that it deals with some "difficult" issues.

"Difficult issues…."

If a film boasts this, or claims to be "openly provocative," or even "shockingly revealing" it gives me great pleasure to ignore it, allowing me to relish in the uplifting feeling of superiority over those who are still so ridiculously naive about life that they need a film to slap them in the face, while the filmmakers make a neat commercial profit out of this masochistic abuse of the intellect.

Mysterious Skin is different.

Unassuming, engaging. Disturbing exactly up to the extent in which the film allows you to feel with the characters and the situations they experience, feelings and events as they remember them, or lived through them.

What happens and our recollections of it are never exactly the same.

Two boys. One can't remember. The other can't forget.

The tag line sums it up nicely, without revealing too much about the plot, which is exactly the best way of approaching this film. See it with an open mind. That's how the truth catches up on us.

Superb story development, atmosphere lightly and effectively switching between realistic and surrealistic, objective and subjective, allowing deep emotional engagement, without losing the firm grounding of the story and still feeling light, nonjudgmental and warm.

The cast include young Joseph Gordon-Levitt, whose uncanny resemblance to Heath Ledger made me wonder almost throughout the whole film if it really was or wasn't him..

All the way through, an enriching, engaging, weightless drama.

10 out of 10.

The Boat That Rocked (2009)

In a 60s party mood - no more.. but no less, either

[8/10 · 8 August 2009]

Although the film received its fair share of criticism for its historical inaccuracies and feeble plot, in my view, the film does exactly what its authors set out to achieve and - not only in terms of the soundtrack - rock it really does.

If you're looking for an evening of pure escapist fun, feeling generally nostalgic and cool about the legacy of the 60s fashion and music, and would like to forget history for a while and go with the party mood, go see this film - you won't be let down and you'll get what you're looking for: an amazing soundtrack (although, as many didn't hesitate to point out, not entirely historically accurate), with the likes of The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, Dusty Springfield, The Hollies, Jimmy Hendrix, Buddy Holly, and many many more, with the charismatic Bill Nighy and a bunch of other not-quite-so-ordinary eccentric characters, more or less familiar to you, depending on how you enjoy British (and American) comedy (e.g. IT Crowd). Even if you don't know the actors, even if you're not into the music of the 60s, you've got pure feel-good fun thrown in to top it off for a great evening of the 60s Rock'n'Roll partying. And it's partying in the true 60s sense of the word.

On the other hand, if you're looking for profound plot development, historical accuracy and consistency, or a true story of a real pirate radio station Caroline that inspired the story, or, in fact, would like to see a true depiction of the life in the UK in 1966, do NOT go see this film, because you might leave disappointed.

It's as simple as that.

So, a definite recommendation for cinema viewing because of the necessary volume that the speakers allow you there to enjoy the music to the fullest (and, let me say one more time what music it is!), but stay out if you're not in a party mood.

I give it 8/10 for the feel-good, cool entertainment it brings and.... well, for the Rock'n'Roll.

Have fun!

Star Trek (2009)

Star Trek with a cool touch

[6/10 · 17 May 2009]

Star Trek is back with a new visual overhaul that boldly shakes off all its previous incarnations with a daring, visually cool and escapist approach that appeals mainly to the senses and pleasantly switches off the mind.

Seeing the characters re-cast and re-introduced with this fresh, contemporary approach creates a combination of feelings: a kind of nostalgia for the "good old" Star Trek and an expectation with a touch of skepticism over whether the magic could be indeed re-created.

Even with a clever storyline, the success of any Star Trek film is bound to rely on the chemistry between the iconic crew. In spite of my initial doubts over the youthful, rebel-like depiction of Kirk, with the help of the - in this case - absolutely mandatory suspension of disbelief the cast look charmingly cool and manage to win over the sympathies of the majority of viewers. Although it will definitely fail to impress a die-hard Star Trek enthusiast for exactly the same reason, it all looks exciting and sexy again.

With the main characters making their appearance on the screen, one by one, their lives gradually intertwining, building up the excitement, the film reaches a charming moment in which all of them are finally set up, positioned on the deck of the U.S.S. Enterprise in that well-known manner, all new and ready to start again, with ties and friendships that are about to span a lifetime.

It all looks great and works best as an uplifting cola & pop-corn escapist spectacle, which, frankly, is what a lot of movie-goers appreciate the most.

The filmmakers brewed out the essence of the "old wonder" that was Star Trek, the essence of each of the characters and the original idea, gave it a big stir and a brand new visual overhaul. This gives the film the necessary strength and cheekiness to shake down its previous incarnations and blast it off into an alternative, shiny new space.

It all feels exciting, if not perhaps 100% believable, but this is, after all, a sci-fi movie and all comments about the plot's credibility would be rather pointless.

I left the cinema feeling relaxed and refreshed from how nicely this worked - it's a pleasant movie to look at for guys and girls alike.

The film worked and the follow-ups have an exciting youthful audience waiting for more.

With such loaded history, a lot could have gone embarrassingly wrong. It didn't and it proved to be a new direction for Star Trek.

A big recommendation for visual effects enthusiasts, popcorn munchers, if not so much perhaps for fans and fanatics.