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Reviews
Lo spietato (2019)
Wonderful dark yet humorous flick about the dark and ugly side of Italy
Too lazy today to write an extensive review today, sorry for that. But I enjoyed every minute of this well-made movie. It's funny, it shows how raw Italian society can be, nice camera work and styling, good contemporary music and fine acting. It helps if you know a little about the recent history of Italy and love the country (not just the Elelesian hills of Tuscany) to appreciate some details more, but it's not necessary. Definitely recommended!
Au service de la France (2015)
A missed opportunity
Au service de la France may be a nicely crafted satire, as most reviewers agree fervently. But why does it have to be satire in the first place? The French secret services ranked at the top of the world and the country was involved in several post-colonial wars and 'dirty games', especially in Africa, France's traditional 'back garden'. Furthermore, the subject is largely unexplored cinematographically and lends itself perfectly for a series full of gripping, bloodcurdling suspense.
So, why the satire? Is the subject considered too sensitive in modern France to bring without an ironic and 'queer' twist?
Mindhunter (2017)
Well made, but psychologically shallow, not very involving characters
Mindhunter is the single most overrated series in years. Why is it that people are euphoric about it? Have the standards fallen that much? Neither me nor my wife have, at any point, been truly gripped by the stories. Let's try to rationalize why. Technically, in terms of 'production value', Mindhunter offers everything you could ask for. It all looks perfectly seventies (with one BIG exception: the people), the camera work is top of the bill. But that's not why you watch a series. Then what is it? Is it Holden Fords boring (Hannah Gross) girlfriend Debbie, an aloof, left-wing graduate student, who has no business at all to be in the series? Is it Holden Ford himself, with this increasingly irritating, innocent and slightly surprised, boyish look on his face, who shows little if any emotion at any time? Is it the neurotic 'I'm all ratio and have no emotions or maybe I am just oppressing them'- Dr. Wendy who spews out her lines like a robot and has an instant explanation for literally everything, a caricature of a psychologist. My favorite line was her answer as to why the murderer ironed his victim's hair: 'That's how he shows his dominance'.
It's certainly not his partner Bill Tench, who is the only one (props for Holt McCallany here) who brings some humanity in this environment of AI cyborgs. Who I like the most are the actors that play the inmates. Boy, they are awesome. I couldn't care much for most of the rest. The stories, what to say about them? Just okay. Pretty much run-of-the-mill crime stories with gory details we've seen many times. But the plot is seldom the reason why you get gripped or not by a movie. The greatest movies in history have the simplest stories. It is the emotions, the psychological depth, the intensity, or just good fun, the characters have to offer. Thats where Mindhunters falls painfully short.
South Park: A Million Little Fibers (2006)
Brilliantly absurd
I have to disagree strongly with most of the other reviewers. I laughed out loud during this episode. Giving Oprah's vagina a Cockney (London working class) and her rectum a Welsh gay accent is f***** BRILLIANT. Maybe American viewers are not familiar with British accents, but that is there problem. I give it 9/10.
Heaven (2002)
'Arthouse' at its worst
What starts as an interesting psychological drama gradually derails into a shallow, third-rate melodrama. An utterly implausible story, riddled with (moral and visual) clichés, with the escape of the young couple by helicopter as its embarrassing low point. Admittedly, the camera-work is beautiful at its best moments. But even the images increasingly started to bored me, with its abundant use of filters and 'smooth' lighting, which the director probably mistakes for poetry. Even a pig stock is illuminated with a golden glow. There is a word for this: kitsch. Well suited for the Italian board of Tourism perhaps, or as an ad for a brand of tomato sauce in a ladies' magazine. Tom Tykwer can still opt for a different career.
Zazie dans le métro (1960)
Witty at its best moments, but a bit annoying as well
I will not waste your time by elaborating on the qualities of this original and witty film. Others have already done that, and everyone can see for themselves. But for all the cinematographic brilliance, I have to admit to a little (well, a bit more than that actually) vexation about the little Zazie's whims. Frankly, I find her a conceited, spoilt, little loudmouth, and this substantially diminished my pleasure watching the film. Her behaviour is unbearable even by today's standards, but extraordinary by those of 1960. Looked from that angle, 'Zazie dans le métro' is not only a brilliantly crafted film, but also a prophetic and emblematic one. In the second half of the 20th century, the child became the focal point of attention (in the western world at least), and this film shows this as few others.
De avonden (1989)
Beautiful and sensitive adaptation
If it had been written in English instead of Dutch, Gerard Reve's first novel 'De Avonden' (the evenings, 1947) would probably have won international acclaim. Frits van Egters, the main character, could have become the antihero of a generation, like Holden Caufield in Salinger's 'Cather in the Rye' or Jimmy Porter in Osborne's 'Look Back in Anger'. Frits is an emotionally and socially disoriented, sensitive young man, who tries to hide his uncertainty and vulnerability behind his aloofness and a compulsive need to tell shocking jokes. 'De Avonden' gives a realistic picture of drab daily life in post-war Holland. However, underneath this deceptive realism, there a looms a world of fear, truly black humour and repressed (homo-)eroticism. 'De Avonden' was generally considered highly unsuited to be turned into a film, but director Rudolf van den Berg proved everybody wrong. He succeeded in combining the realistic and surreal elements of the novel into a beautiful, sensitive and monumental film, which merits to be seen by more than just Dutch and Flemish viewers, although the BBC broadcast it in the beginning of the 90's. Long live Auntie Beep.
Morte a Venezia (1971)
Breathtaking beauty... after two long and disappointing hours
I had high hopes when I switched on my DVD-player, but unfortunately, this was a disappointing experience. The film is simply dragging on for too long, there is hardly any development in the characters, and after 3/4 of the film I had definitely had it with Von Aschenbach's yearning for the little boy. Another flaw - in my opinion - is the excessive use of the Mahler symphonies by Visconti, probably to compensate the lack of drama in the film itself. After some time it didn't move me anymore, but started to bored me. And what's the use of the discussions between Von Aschenbach and his friend on the 'artistic genius and the necessity of evil in art', and on so on? I failed to see the relevance of it in the story. And why does Visconti merely tell about an epidemic rather than show it, apart from some smoldering fires? I liked other Visconti-films - like Ossesione, Ludwig, L'innocente, and perhaps even La Terra Trema - far more than Death in Venice. But still... after more than two hours my patience was rewarded by an image of stunning beauty. Von Aschenbachs attempts to look youthful, in order to get closer to Tadzio, are all in vain. He looks pathetic in his beach chair, with the hair-dye slowly running out over his cheek. Tadzio slowly walks away from him, into the calm sea, then stretches his arm, pointing his finger in the air. In a last effort, Von Aschenbachs imitates Tadzio's gesture, and perishes. This scene finally expresses what 'Death in Venice' is about: the elusiveness of youth and juvenile beauty.
L'emploi du temps (2001)
And now for a really good film: L'adversaire
L'Emploi du temps is alright, but I found it nowhere near as impressive as L'Adversaire. In this film, the main character Jean-Marc Faure deals with pretty much the same dilemma, and like Vincent, he is incapable of facing reality. But as a psychological portrait, L'adversaire offers so much more. Jean-Marc Faure's (excellent role of Daniel Auteuil) seemingly placid behaviour is extremely disquieting, whereas Vincent (Aurélien Recoing) stays a rather vague character throughout the film. Not for a second his inner struggle and loneliness are as painfully tangible as in L'Adversaire. And that's exactly the sort of feelings an actor should arouse and express in such a delicate role. No thumbs down for L'Emploi du temps, the film has enough to offer, especially when you see it before L'Adversaire. But if you want to see a really chilling film, based on the same story, there's only one thing to do. Go to your video rental store.
L'adversaire (2002)
Much better than L'emploi du temps
What a chilling experience, this terrific movie. Jean-Marc Faure's loneliness in conference halls and on the highway is so painful that it's hard not to feel compassion for him. All my credits to Auteuil and Garcia for this moving film. As you probably know, L'adversaire was based on a tragedy that truly happened some ten years ago. It didn't just inspire one, but two directors. The other film based on this story is L'emploi du temps, by Laurent Cantet. I watched it yesterday, and I have to admit I was a bit disappointed. Having read the very enthusiastic comments on this site, I expected a film of equal quality as L'adversaire but the latter outclassed it by far. I missed the palpable loneliness and desperateness in l'Adversaire, and Daniel Auteuil is in my opinion simply a more interesting and accomplished actor than Aurélien Recoing. If you haven't seen either of the films, I recommend you watch L'emploi du temps first, or just L'adversaire. It's always interesting to compare, but if you have already seen L'adversaire, you might be in for a little disappointment.
Abel (1986)
Weird, but certainly witty.
Although the last commentator found the movie a bit too weird, I'm delighted that people in far-away Virginia have the possibility to enjoy such an obscure Dutch art-house movie. Long live globalization. As for the film, I heard it's a classic among cinéphiles in France and other countries, but I completely understand those who find it a bit too weird, like our friend from Virginia. Different places, different sorts of humour. But if you like Bunuel, it's worth the try.
Cheers, Arnoud (Amsterdam)
Bloody Sunday (2002)
Magnificent!
A convincing, thrilling reconstruction of that disastrous day. It's got it all: the confusion, the tension, the outburst of violence, and the struggle of two men trying to let things not getting out of hand, and their failure to achieve this. Great performances, great filming!