Change Your Image
mrcibubur
Ratings
Most Recently Rated
Lists
An error has ocurred. Please try again
MyMovies: Must See
Reviews
Everest (2015)
An amazing and gripping edge of your seat real Life Drama
Like everyone else, I had waited many months for this film to come out and I was not disappointed when I got my chance to watch it this afternoon with my wife and four year old Son. Yes, I took him along too and he loved the helicopter scene towards the end but the sound effects were a little bit too loud and overpowering at times (for him at least).
I am hugely interested in the story of Everest ascent from an educational and scientific standpoint. I am no mountaineer or climber and I am in total awe of anyone who attempts such a challenge.
The film successfully tells the story of what happened to the eight people who died on the mountain in this 1996 tragedy. I agree with many of the other posters about the negatives. Sherpas are very much a part of the Everest story and they are hardly featured. Also the heights relative to getting to Everest did not seem relative to the 'Mother of the Sky' but maybe that was impossible to achieve.
Criticism has been directed at one or two of the actresses, notably Keira Knightley. She had very much a supporting role and overall she acted well. It seems unjust to criticise for the role she played.
I also got confused with many of the characters as the guys all had bushy beards, were of course heavily clothed and it was not easy to know who was who.
They tried to address in group discussion as to why people like these mountaineers are motivated to climb Everest and I think this was very relevant indeed.
No doubt all the filming was done prior to the Nepal earthquake in April 2015. Do we know if the original Everest Base Camp site was used for the movie? Not sure it is relevant yes or no.
The first half an hour was an excellent starter for the main story to come on the mountain itself.
Two hours of afternoon entertainment, though of course, it is a story of heroes and villains in a sense because I have to wonder whether an actual weather forecast was communicated to the climbers at any appropriate time which might have changed some of the decisions made and averted many if not all of the dangers, given the severity of the blizzard which, according to the story in the film, struck at least twice.
Tremendously well directed, the cinema effects of the films were simply stunning and the actors clearly put great endeavour into their character portrayal.
Inside Out (2015)
An excellent and funny Pixar animation movie
I am surprised so many people have reviewed this film with such negativity. As a mature individual well plus 21, I watched this movie with my wife and youngest child who is aged four. We all laughed all the way through.
Sometimes, I wonder what people expect from a movie. Here we have an imaginative story line which truly gets into the mind of a young child with joy sadness fear anger and disgust.
Yes, the characters for Mother and Father are a little stereotyped and there are moments in the film when you could easily feel disappointed or depressed but those moments are short and overall the film holds the attention of the audience from beginning to end.
The storyline is simplistic and touching, nothing overly American about it, dealing with a child moving far away from home and looking at the problems she faces at home and at school in a fun and challenging way.
This is no doubt a film aimed at a mixed audience of parent and child and teenagers too might find the topic of interest when looking at those five basic emotions applied to themselves.
There are a lot of mediocre films about which fall well below the mark and not many in the category of family entertainment which are appealing across the generation divide. In my view, this one will appeal.
It was the weekend, the film was recommended to me. It was a perfectly good moral film with a sound storyline and easy to follow. I did not have to think too much on any of the issues raised in the film. Younger children would not grasp the point made in the morality stakes but who cares so long as everyone who goes to see the film can eat their popcorn in safety and have a few laughs? Well, nearly everyone!
The Cobbler (2014)
The best American comedy since Hitch IMHO
I absolutely loved this film and I would recommend anyone to see it for its puritanical sense of fun and laughter. It is an absolute gem of a movie with quite a few rough edges in the script, admittedly, but you are watching a movie, not reading the script or reading a book and the film is completely enjoyable from beginning to finish.
Adam Sandler is a fine actor and I agree, he does not need to step up too much in this movie, he is a natural. Overall we have splendid acting, a wonderful story, bits of morality, restrained bad language and violence, toned down sexual tit-bits and a whole bag of laughs which will have you rocking in your armchair.
It is easy to be critical of any film but this film deserves a lot of credit for its originality. I love the play on the pun of the cobbler being the 'guardian of our souls' and the Jimmy-Father link via Dustin Hoffman is sweet entertainment on a movie screen, nothing less.
You underestimate this film at your peril if you want to watch a comedy which will not make you laugh and with an ending which will not make you disappointed. This film scores highly on both fronts.
It is rare today to find a comedy which allows the story and the acting to do what they should and entertain rather than rely on bad language (burn after reading as an example) or sexual or violent overtones to leave their mark.
There is so much that is good about this movie and I commend it wholeheartedly to a wider universal audience.
Gone Girl (2014)
Contrived Comedy with no Laughs but a Lot of Fun to watch
This is a terrific film to watch with lots of twists and turns, suspense and drama and you will remain intrigued and interested from beginning until the end. One thing is for sure. If you are one of the many men in the world who for whatever reason have assets (or credit cards) retained in the name of a spouse/partner, you might want to think twice after watching this film and ask yourself some very serious (or silly/stupid0 questions about what would happen if ...
This for me was not a black comedy, it was far from dour but it was a comedy on a number of very serious issues. I did not laugh at any of the comic moments (and there were many throughout) but it raised a few eyebrows and certainly drew a smile.
Suspect that nobody will win any Oscar awards but nominations will be justified. A little bit like 'Prisoners', this was a film where the ending could certainly have been left a lot more open ended and left up to the audience to decide what happened to the husband and wife.
I called it a contrived comedy because I felt the ending was very much tailored rather than one which was in keeping with the pace and mystique of the film. Not sure if that was the fault of the script, screenplay or the directing by David Fincher.
Splendid film. Of course there is a lot about the film which is absurd but watch the film to enjoy rather than to tear it apart.
The Interview (2014)
Typical disappointing American comedy
First of all, I would not have watched this film at all except for the hype and controversy at all. Second, I have watched it on a pirated DVD here in Indonesia over the festive period. I certainly would not want to waste my money or my time watching such a movie in a cinema, so I am certainly of the opinion that not only did Sony know from early on that this film would be a 'flop' but they contrived the marketing ploy of pulling it to generate interest.
The plus things about the film are in fact, oddly, the little girl singing at the very beginning, the beautiful (Korean? probably not) lady who played Nook, the pure filthy concept of the story-line itself which is actually a very good one but sadly shamefully executed in terms of the script, acting and direction.
As usual with most American comedies, they are not funny at all when they try to be satirical and it would take something exceptional from one of the actors to raise the standard above mediocre and create any genuine audience interest over and above that during the actual interview between the two American nuts and the 'Supreme Leader' To be honest, I was not aware that the two Nuts were going to China and then to Korea for any other reason than for the interview. If it was implied early on that they were colluding in a comic way with FBI CIA or other secret service personnel, then it was not apparent to me.
Reference was made early on in comparison to 'Frost-Nixon'. No doubt we have all seen the commendable film and are up to speed with the real life interview conducted on which the film was based. Had they (Sony for want of identifying anybody else in the firing line responsible for production) stayed within the limitations of what happened in Frost-Nixon and merely concentrated on that by referencing an assassination but not actually carrying it out in a fictional story, I am in no doubt that the comic and satirical potential of the story could have been more enjoyably and spontaneously exploited in the film.
The North Korean 'Supreme Leader' is hardly going to soil his pants real time at this somewhat comic attempt to take the 'mickey' out of him.
Boyhood (2014)
A mixed up disjointed disappointing debacle of a Film
This film was eagerly awaited after hearing of its Golden Globe nomination but unfortunately three hours of absolute tripe and one of the worst films I have sat through this year (or any year).
The idea of the film to follow the life of a boy for 12 years is basically a good one but it absolutely does not work for me. The film left me unengaged and disinterested for the most part if not confused as well who people were.
There was absolutely no story except for the 'step-father thing' plus referencing to adolescent indulgence in sex, alcohol and drugs.
This film might appeal to a passionate audience of adolescents in Houston but in other parts of the world far away from USA I can tell you categorically it bored the pants off the viewers.
The film probably would have worked as a documentary based on the lead actor rather than deceive the audience over this Nerd called Mason who sees Graduation as the be-all and end-all of his life.
I suppose the film in some way is a kind of chronicle of Masons life for 12 years but it is so disjointed that half of the time you do not know what part of the story (what story actually?0 you are following.
I have only scored it 4 points because clearly a lot of work has gone into the making of the film over a long period of time.
There are no high or low moments, no real love scenes, no comedy, no basic human empathetic situation to enable the ordinary mature non-American to engage.
The film is a sad reflection on what plateau Hollywood movies have reached that they somehow think they must re-invent the wheel. They do not. There was real potential in this movie and the opportunity has been wasted like an open goal in football.
Give me three hours of 'Gravity' or 'Interstellar' any day of the week.
When you have a choice of watching one of the 10 movies showing at your local Cineplex this festive period or picking up a DVD for home viewing, this film will sadly not come top of the list.
Serena (2014)
An Entertaining and Enjoyable Film to Watch
There is a lot of negativity written and spoken about this film but actually it is not anywhere as bad as people are saying. I found the film entirely engrossing and it is definitely worth a watch, not so for the obscured and short sex scenes shown in the film between Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence.
I much prefer JL in 'Hunger Games' than this' it did seem to me that BL and JL were deliberately cast together to follow on from 'Silver Linings Playbook' and 'American Hustle', neither of which films i particularly enjoyed.
For all the apparent failings of this film, and I agree that there are many which will deserve the movie not earning any notable Academy/Oscar nominations unless by default and design, this is for me by far the best of the JL-BC bunch.
In a strange sort of way, if only wishing to portray Serena as a brave woman of some strength, I draw comparison with Danielle Steele's Zoya. Totally different kind of character and story of course.
Yes the initial introduction and engagement of BC-JC in the story was suspect and I wonder how and why Serena came to be there in the first place. The 'Panther' was a feature of the film throughout and the ending of the film was not entirely surprising.
There was clearly an environmental issue raised in the film which was barely explored but this was the depression-era and I guess the focus was more on the local men having a job and earning money. What would they do if logging ceased? Become tour guides for the new National Park? Unthinkable at that particular time.
Toby Jones as the Sheriff gave a sold and commendable acting performance and I empathised with the Galloway character. I was half expecting some previous collection between him and Serena in the story line but it never came.
All in all, there is a lot which is good about this film. Do not be over-critical and enjoy it in context.
The Equalizer (2014)
A Highly Recommended suspense Action Thriller
This is not my favourite film of the year but it is certainly one of the most enjoyable in terms of the action thrills and suspense. Comparisons with Matt Damon in the Jason Bourne movies are for me way off the mark.
I have never watched the 'Equalizer TV series' and Denzel Washingtons acting in this movie must rank as some of the coolest I have seen in a while which makes all the film appealing.
This film has a gripping story and will you watching until the end. No romance in the story unless McCalls association with the girl was considered in some way romantic. I didn't.
I love to hate Russians anyway for the way the gangster-manner they are portrayed in the film full of arrogance and disregard for Society. the story bolts together nicely but the shoot-out towards the end of the film was the one negative for me (rather than the false Russian accents throughout) as that was not in keeping with the nature of the film. it lacked subtlety and Mr McCall deserved more respect in bringing terminus to proceedings.
I would like to see a film on the back story on what led to Mr McCalls quiet and secretative life portrayed in the film, it would be quite a pre-quel.
Labor Day (2013)
An unexpected but pleasant movie to watch
There is no doubt about the implausibility of a lonely depressed Mother and her Son being picked up by a man in a grocery store (hardly a supermarket)who turns out to be an escaped convict on the run.
The fact is that the two characters both in terms of real time acting and in terms of the story line blended and bonded well in my personal view and there is nothing appropriate in trivialising a movie which reaches deep inside our hearts and brings more than a few tears to our eyes while watching it as they both seek to re-discover love and a righteous way to live their life.
There are too many films made nowadays focused on action and violence riddled with bad language, perverseness and inappropriate sexuality.
This film is well directed, the screenplay story is entirely logical in the circumstances, the acting does not disappoint and the ending of the film was well considered.
I am not altogether sure of the implied reference to 'Labor Day' in the title and I was initially put off watching this film for a couple of months because I thought this might be some kind of 'Mum gets pregnant' cheesy love-story film. Not like that at all.
I have questions as to who is the real Mother of Henry (Hank) given developments during the story and not having read the book and there is a hollowness to Frank's earlier part of the story with his girlfriend/wife. The same could be said about Adele and her relations with her former husband and what was the real cause of her depression.
There are many issues about this film which merit open discussion but overall this is a super film and should be appreciated and enjoyed on merit.
Stonehearst Asylum (2014)
Entertaining Insane Gothic Thriller
A most enjoyable and entertaining film with a quality cast of actors and actresses who do an excellent job to develop the story and the suspense which stems from it from beginning to the end.
This is certainly a film on DVD you will be tempted to watch more than once to catch up on the little bits you might have missed along the way.
Might even suggest and recommend the movie makes excellent viewing for Christmas Day but it certainly offers an intriguing insight to an Asylum at the turn of the nineteenth century into the twentieth.
I understood Lunacy to mean from 'luna' the moon in Latin and a Lunatic as someone who went mad from looking at the full moon or something like that. Lunacy was not in fact the main feature of the film but rather other reasons why people were kept locked up in an asylum (rather than say for a petty crime in Jail). It might also have been an alternative to the Victorian workhouse but that aspect is also not focus of the film.
I doubt the story of Mr Poe bears any semblance to the story acted out in the film but that does not matter.
There is nothing pretentious or offensive about the film, it seeks to entertain on a sensitive topic and I believe that it verily succeeds.
Devil's Knot (2013)
Complicated Crime Film Based on a True Story
Like most films of this kind, it is a film based on a true story which happened in Arkansas in 1993. I am English and until watching this film, I had never heard of this story. However, some, if not many, might regard this right up there for notoriety with crimes put to movies such as Ted Bundy and others in the pipeline such as Madeleine McCann and Amanda Knox-Meredith Kercher.
This was a complicated story-line to absorb without knowing the story first and I took the chance to research it a little afterwards. Certainly the film focuses a great deal on Colin Firth as Ron Lax and Reese Witherspoon as Pamela Hobbs in the leading roles but it shows little light (perhaps as in the Knox-Kercher case which is still fresh in our minds) that the Arkansas wanted 'closure' and quickly and they set out fabricating a case against the three guys which only serves to show the sheer ineptitude of American justice or of any civilised country for that matter.
No real acting is required by Colin Firth, he just plays the part while Reese Witherspoon does step up as the emotional Mum grieving her lost Son. The background to the parenting of the three lost boys is not explained in this film.
I find it incredible that the film did not throw more light on the apparent satanic cult which was prevalent in that area at that particular time and which, had that been investigated and questions asked of those who were involved, just as in the McCann case in Portugal from 2007, there is the possibility that the crimes committed could be solved in a professional manner rather than left for people to comment and judge by social media in the present climate following release of the new evidence and the ultimate release of the three convicts in 2011.
I cannot say I enjoyed this film. It is definitely not a film to enjoy but I wonder whether the film could have carried a more subtle focus for a more connecting audience. 20 years on, I sense the film was made for financial reasons but who are the beneficiaries?
Soekarno: Indonesia Merdeka (2013)
A Take on Important events in Indonesian History
I have waited a while to see this movie, being an Englishman married to an Indonesian lady and living in Indonesia. My Bahasa is not great and I was thankful for excellent sub-titles, a rarity on Indonesian films.
Overall, the film is good and worth a watch but whether it accurately depicts Soekarno I have to question. With the exception of the lady playing Fatmawati who for me was the star of this film, I came away with the view, right or wrong, that Hatta was the engine and brains while the somewhat passive Soekarno was the voice and mouth-piece.
Maybe Soekarno was an opportunist who ironically was in the right place at the right time and had the credentials to lead the nation - or maybe it would have happened anyway, not as portrayed by the film by careful manipulation of the Dutch and then the Japanese.
The story about Soekarno first marriage with Inggit was very vague to say the least and without having researched Soekarno life story (or wishing to) I am nonetheless curious if such a honest man as Soekarno was portrayed to be and so much in love with Fatma Wati that he felt the need to subsequently take other views which seemed in direct contravention of the principles he initially spoke in the first union of the Parliament in 1945 (the first speech of the Pancasila).
There was a lot which flattered to deceive. The acting was fine but the directing and the cinemaotophy were poor in my view compared to much classier films I have seen in recent days.
Definitely a story to be told but I would have appreciated it being told more objectively. The film was too biased and its International audience potential suffered as a direct result of that.
Montevideo, vidimo se! (2014)
Best Football movie you will ever see
I am a football fan and widely travelled but I did not know the story of the Yugoslavia football team in the 1930 World Cup in Uruguay and I thoroughly enjoyed this film from start to finish. I am a little uncomfortable with the reference to the Yugoslav team being entirely Serbian but I acknowledge why it was referenced in the way it was and i empathise with the analogy if a British team competing was comprised entirely of Englishmen.
Superbly filmed, excellent dialogues, loaded with comic moments, touching moments of romance and suspense but I wonder if the romance was true between the Yugoslav football player and Dolores? In years there has not been a football related movie to get even remotely close to 'The Damned United' and the Brian Clough story but this, given it is a foreign language film, exceeds that and you are missing a jewel of a movie at your absolute peril.
It is a weird kind of agony that Yugoslavia beat the favoured nation Brazil in their first match which nation also supplied the reference for that eventful semi=final with Uruguay and the irony extends to the 1950 final when Uruguay beat Brazil on their 'patch'.
The film itself was in my view faultless but I would have liked some reference at the end as to what happened in the lives of those Yugoslav football players. Did they return to Serbia? By the way, reference to Coca Cola was a little odd because I thought the soft drink was not marketed aligned with Santa Klaus for red and white until the Christmas of 1936.
Fasle kargadan (2012)
A remarkable evocative and compelling to understand movie
There are so many fascinating and compelling aspects to this movie which I have now watched twice.
First of all, it has nothing to do with Rhinos or indeed with Martin Scorcese. It says he presents the movie, whatever that means. He is no way involved with the directing of this movie which is directed by a man named Bahman Ghobadi who left his native Iran in 2010 and has never returned.
This is a love-triangle, a husband and wife and a third party (the driver)centred not so much around the poetry of the husband but around the fixations of love of the driver for the wife and its consequences over a 30 year period. Ghobadi has publicly stated that if he were in the shoes of Sahel, he could not tell his wife he was still alive after 30 years if she believed him to be dead.
This is a far more meaningful film than 'Argo' in reference to the 1979 Iranian Revolution and its aftermath but I do not think the film is really about that, it is not a political movie in any way though politics played its part in the storyline.
You will want to watch the film more than once for sure - to ponder who is/was the father of the two young girls, did Sahel really sleep with one of them, how come Sahel could not recognize the man who was Mina's driver, the marvellous short scene when leeches were used to suck blood from Sahel and his associates, the prison sex scenes, the turtles scene, and what pact, if any, was horrifyingly agreed between Sahel and the driver towards the end.
Bear in mind this that whereas 'Argo' was a Hollywood blockbuster produced with a huge budget,'Rhino Season' was not, an independent production on low budget and to such degree that none of the actors involved, including Monica Bellucci, were paid for their work.
The participation in the film of Monica Bellucci and of the man who played Sahel is remarkable in itself. Sahel's Actor, Behrouz Vossoughi, is himself a man in exile for more than 30 years. He barely if ever speaks in this movie but his acting is evocative enough.
I still wonder who Mina was meeting and the boy who rode the motor cycle, the same boy Sahel played a game with in the Cafe.
It is not clear why the film is called 'Rhino Season' but there are clues throughout for the viewer to make up their own mind. Alas, Persian Cats and Turtles in two previous films is indicative of the mindset of a Director who loves animals more than people (so he apparently said anyway.
'Not without my Daughter' was a while back and 'A Separation' was another Iranian movie worthy of praise. This movie is something else. It is no blockbuster but it is beautifully filmed and directed, well acted and produced and in my opinion it is a mastercraft of a movie. It is such a pity that the movie has not been exposed to a wider audience.
I do wonder who the movie is aimed at. Most people outside of Iran have perhaps never heard of the Iranian Poet Sahel Fauzan and know little if anything about the 1979 Iranian Revolution. Even if they have heard of him, they know nothing of his poetry and will not readily relate reference to the title 'Rhino Season'. People in Iran will not be able to watch it inside their own country. Perhaps only Muslims or anyone associated with Islamic culture will truly understand the ultimate message of the film.
Yes, it is a slow, boring movie but that should not belie the fact that everything about this movie is of the highest standard and do not always judge a book by its cover.
Riot (2017)
Another graphic Paul Tanter film on police football violence
There is absolutely nothing to commend about this film other than the main storyline which is not reflected by the title of the movie.
For me, the main story theme was not about riot at all but about the damage football violence had done to two families, Damien the cop and his girlfriend cop Louise. Louise lived with her physically and psychologically affected ex-cop Father and Damiens Father was in prison as a result of violence which had a football-related history, a middle aged thug who refused to let go of the past.
All the other bits of storyline within did not connect to that at all and the only riot was a bunch of hoodlums towards the end in a shopping mall, can hardly be called a riot on the scale portrayed in the opening clips of the movie.
The confrontation between characters played by both Nick Nevern and Peter Barrett has been a common theme in many of the Paul Tanter films. Though I understand he did not direct this movie, he did produce it and he did act in it.
Nick Nevern I feel needs to move on. He is a sort of passive Jason Statham and has the potential to step up.
Paul Tanter needs to move on too. Football violence in the UK has moved on since the 1990s, just as Northern Ireland has for different reasons, and the film could have been directed and produced in a different way for a much more receptive and appreciative audience.
Making a film on principle to include sex violence and bad language does not mean as a movie fan I always want salt and vinegar and dollups of tomato ketchup on my fish and chips!
Vénus noire (2010)
Extraordinary Film about an Extraordinary Woman
I finally watched this movie earlier today with a sorrowful heart after first hearing about it a couple of years ago. hard to get it here in Indonesia on DVD, finally got it on two split You Tube downloads.
Yes this is not a film for the faint hearted, it is extremely graphic and harsh in its direction to say the least and certainly long at 2 hours 40 minutes (comparable with the Hobbit which I saw on new Years Eve).
The film is an artistic portrayal of a dignified South African tribal woman who is abused and misled once she arrives first to England and then later to Paris. However, it lacks artistic direction and balance. Not a contradiction in terms exactly.
for example, the opening scene shows her being exhibited in a medical seminar and the end of the movie displays her physical remains which would later be put in a Paris Musueum. My point is that the Director could have taken more attention to detail and put the lady into a greater prospective, perhaps a prequel to the main part of the story (the recent Johnny Depp movie 'Dark shadows" a case in point) showing the lady in her tribal land and how she met the Doctor before arriving to England. The explanation in the movie is all too bland and passed over for the most part. The same applied for the ending although there were some explanatory subtitles and compensating visual glimpses of when she was returned to South Africa.
What we see in this film is no different from what still goes on in our world today but in a different way. We go-global in order to see the very thing that this humble woman was subjected to and we pay to see it, sometimes on the internet - animals as well as humans - and it is only perhaps in western countries that there are anti-voice against the abuse in circuses.
We should watch this film and want to be shocked. Unlike the spectators shown throughout the film, we have the benefit of a greater education and enhanced knowledge but abuse such as Saartje Baartman is shown to endure in the movie, goes on to this day.
There was a lack of cohesion at times in the transition from going London to Paris and then later when Saartje found herself in the Brothels. Yes, she drank and smoked and was inevitably sensitive and temperamental given her real life role play but this is indeed an extraordinary film about an extraordinary woman who is extraordinary for her courage and determination and not so unordinary from any other woman except for her buttocks and her labia, according to the medical scientists.
I certainly enjoyed this film more than the "Hobbit' which bored the pants off me (except for the special effects) and yes 'Venus Noire' is slow and often repetitive but I can share empathy with the Director and in an unkind, cruel, uncomfortable way, this is entertainment.
On a general note, there is no swearing or offensive violence, despite the harsh treatment Saartje Baartman endured while away from South Africa. Yes, she is mostly naked for large sections of the film and there are a couple of later scenes in Paris where she is in a sexual situation but apart from that, this is not a film for a sexual voyeur and don't expect to see flashes of an unusually large labia because you will not.
The standard of acting in this film is excellent. I may be wrong here but this is a French film and so good sub-titles in English or language of your choice are important. I suggest that there are a lot of other movies out there who will shock and offend you a whole lot more than this one.
The Door (2012)
Helen Mirren in a Hungarian Drama Thriller
First of all this is a Hungarian made film and using Hungarian actors with the exception of Britains Helen Mirren - and it is entirely in English.
You might wonder why Helen Mirren appears in this film and compare her role in 'the Queen' and 'The Tempest". If it was not for Helen Mirren, I doubt this film would have any publicity or marketing potential at all.
Helen Mirren plays an eccentric maid called Emerinc who basically works for a family across the street. She has had an interesting life but lives somewhat reclusive and nobody ever enters her house, hence the title of 'The Door'.
The film is essentially about Emerinc and her relationship with her employers. The story in a sense is very ordinary but this is a very interesting drama because it gives an insight into Hungarian folk life and provides a terrific acting platform for the great talents of Helen Mirren.
I liked the film very much. It is not a thriller in the normal sense but a slow slow drama which tells a story about a lonely woman and her relationship with her villagers.
While there is a definite dearth in good movies around at the moment, this one stands out as different and very watchable. Enjoy!
388 Arletta Avenue (2011)
A Voyeur Movie with a Difference and a Chill
The only good things about this movie are the directing and the acting by the lead character Nick Stahl who plays the frustrated (and frustrating) husband James. I actually watched the movie a second time to see if it was as bad as I thought the first time and if i missed anything first time around. Nope, apart from a few minor details.
Quite frankly, James Deacon is an idiot and probably deserved some kind of incrimination but what happened to both James and his wife is disturbing in the sense that it could be acted out like this in real life without neighbours, friends or work colleagues being able to rationalize what was happening.
Actually the Bill Burroughs character, I assumed, was critical to the plot of the movie in relation to the song which was played - what was the song title by the way? This was no ordinary stalker or voyeur, not sure actually if he was either or both - and he certainly repeated his crimes. Why did he do it? Why and how did he select his victims? Was it purely entertainment? What would such a person get out of it? I was very dismayed with the ending. Personally, I thought police officers went around in pairs - and were not any neighbours or other folk who could have known what went on? How did James not suspect all the cameras hidden in his car when he was suspicious early on about the music CD?
I do not agree the characters were developed. At work, James looked out of place and dysfunctional, while what did Amy do all day anyway? Bill was the trump card for me, he said little but his acting was spot on and for me he was the star of this movie, not James Deacon or any of the other characters.
My guess also is that the time frame of the story was meant to be over several days and not any longer, gauged from the many reaction of Amys sister Catherine.
The film is enjoyable and worth seeing. It is not as dull as some have made out but it is no blockbuster. Nevertheless, thought provoking.
W.E. (2011)
A Well worked Movie to Tell the Alternative Love Story of WE
Just imagine if someone decided to tell the alternative love story of Charles and Diana or even Antony and Cleopatra, what would the public reaction be? i have a lot of respect for Madonna as a singer actress and director. i can see how much of a statement Madonna wanted to make with this movie, perhaps by casting herself indirectly as both Wallis Simpson and as this much criticized protagonist Wallis Wintrop.
Madonna, as I recall, has a passionate life embracing of children and though she has children of her own, I think she adopts from overseas as well (Malawi if I am not wrong). My point is in in the desperation of the protagonist to show a woman who wanted to have children but was denied by her abusive partner. Pretty much the same one could say for Wallis Simpson in her relationships with two husbands and then with Edward Windsor.
I disagree with some of the comments. The Script is perfect for the film and it is wonderfully directed by Madonna with great sensitivity and interpretation. there is nothing trashy about this movie. Compare to Angelina Jolie debut movie 'Milk and Honey" and that is pure trash compared to this. Jolie could learn a lesson or two from Madonna.
Yes the film is a short of spin off from Kings Speech but this is much more than a love story.
There are indeed some careless errors in the final release which are absurd in truth but don't let these spoil your enjoyment of the movie as a whole
The Lady (2011)
The Steel Orchid or Burmas First Lady as Told in this film?
Nobody should criticise the drama directing or entertainment value of a film like this which offers an intimate insight into the struggle of one human being to fulfil a humanitarian cause for her country, Mynanmar.
Quite by chance, I watched WE yesterday, another love story with a twist directed by Madonna. As for the Lady, both Michelle Yeogh and David Threwlis are excellent throughout in the two leading roles. the film is as much about their devotion to their each other as it is to the cause of Burma (or Mynanmar if you like).
What disappointed me was that there was no translation for whenever Burmese was spoken in the movie and so I had no idea what was being said. furthermore, the end credits were in French and I could not understand them either.
Considering the political nature of the movie and the profile of the woman in focus, I thought it was a surprisingly unpolitical film and the Burmese Generals came across as a bunch of puffs who had no idea to connect with the people they ruled and controlled.
I also agree that the ending was rushed after Mikeys death and more time could have been spent to balance the story to the present day but that is the directors prerogative and I am not criticising in any way.
I remember the Ghandi movie and as much as I liked this movie, sorry, the overall quality of this movie cannot be compared to Ghandi.
Terrific film, have a few hankies at the ready and be ready to grab a hand or two when things taken a sudden turn!
No mires para abajo (2008)
Enjoyable and Artistic Tantric Sex Romp in Spanish
This is one of those films which you will watch either because of the sex scenes it contains or because you want a good Spanish speaking film with readable English sub-titles - or both. What you get in fact is an underrated emotional comedy which has all the sex you might want to watch for curiosity sake while using it as a lesson to brush up on your Spanish.
My wife and I were very taken with the film, it was nice to watch together. Yes it is a sort of Kama Sutra movie, but the film is artistically directed and the storyline, although not reaching Hollywood heights, will tickle and tease you with delight, and I am not talking about the sex scenes in that reference.
Here is a film carrying a double meaning, a young boy who has been taught by his Father to walk on stilts, so he looks down on people in an amusing way. Not only that, as a sleepwalker, he has an uncanny ability to see the dead 'alive' each morning, this is all very touching in a young man who is setting out on a life of sexual exploration.
I found this film on DVD by accident. I am always glad to watch a foreign language movie and especially one in Spanish. An Argentinian movie is a rare treat. Something as sexually evocative and artistic as this IS a rare treat indeed. There is hardly any nudity in movies of current release nowadays and when there is, it is hardly done in an artistic way.
There are some great expressions and some really funny moments. The story is somewhat thin at times but that matters not to the overall enjoyment of the movie.
Here we have a movie with artistic credibility, no bad language, no violence, a movie which is just a pleasure to watch.
Miss Bala (2011)
Enjoyable Enlightening Mexican Drugs and Gun Thriller
I like foreign language films and this is right up there as one which can be enjoyed from beginning to end. It is a Mexican film in Spanish language with perfect subtitles in English on DVD.
The story is of course about a young girl called Laura who has a dream of becoming a Beauty queen while also being a story about how she gets caught up and used in a drugs war.
There is no doubt that Laura is portrayed as a very stubborn character and is presented with opportunities to escape from her dangerous situations but she is possessed of fear what might happen to her Father and Brother.
She has seen that the Mexican police could not be trusted, so who could she trust? The film also illustrates how a drug cartel might also influence the outcome of a Beauty pageant to instill fear and control over one of its participants.
Yes it is a little depressing but a riveting drama thriller to watch. Considering the subject matter, there is nothing graphically sexual and no outlandish bad language, there are a couple of sex scenes but the filming generally is carefully considered and respectable.
Nannerl, la soeur de Mozart (2010)
Enjoyable period Costume Drama about Mozart Sister
I found this to be an enjoyable period drama about the Mozart family. Remember it is a French made film, made in French language. Top notch English subtitles are necessary on DVD. I doubt the movie, released in the autumn of 2011, would have got worldwide cinema attraction.
Most of us watching would not know the story of Wolfgang Mozarts sister and I have no special interest in classical music, though as a tourist, yes, I did once visit Salzburg.
The film centres around the maturity of the young Nanna and her exploitable musical potential while in friendship at least with the French Dauphin.
The movie contains too much talking overall and I usually like French movies for that but not this time. I liked the acting and the costume drama and I liked the story itself, though two hours is definitely too long and for a non French speaking audience, not many are going to stay until the end. I nodded off the first time after 30 minutes and gave the film a late afternoon re-viewing earlier this afternoon.
Nothing offensive or conspiratorial about the movie. It simply dramatise a story from a book published a few years ago. Enjoy the movie for what it is and do not expect too much.
The music does come across as a little false and overdone but 6 from 10 is about right pitch for its rating.
Oranges and Sunshine (2010)
A Very Moving and emotional True Story told with Great Sensitivity
this is one of the most moving and emotional movies which I have seen in recent years. i have not cried in a movie as much since I last saw Hachiko - a Dogs Story. This is, of course, a completely different kind of movie, based on the true story of child deportation of unfortunate children from Uk to Australia (without parents permission).
This is is a film drama and not a documentary but unlike other recent film release which are based on a true story, this film, appears to tell the true story as it was and some of the details revealed are extremely harrowing.
We go through the film with feeling for Margaret Humphreys the social worker as much for the lost children and Mothers who had lost contact with their children.
There is no fault with this film and we have to wonder what happened to those in authority at the places the children went in Australia and especially the Christian Brothers referred to.
An Unmissable film for every parent of a child and shows just how much faith parents place in the social welfare state of a civilised country like United Kingdom. Beware!
One Day (2011)
Enoyable Time Related Love Story
This is indeed an enjoyable and entertaining love story which I watched on DVD last night. Two amiable characters in Dex and the girl played by Anne Hathaway. I have also become a fan of Rafe Spall since his performance as Will Shakespeare in 'Anonymous". Here he plays the girls Partner Ian and also (as he did in 'Anonymous') has a connection to being a comedian. Excellent actor a chip off the old block - Father Timothy! No need to read the book. Just like 'Time Travellers Wife", the scripting required adjustments and they were made in the name of time and entertainment. I did think the story was somewhat pedestrian and ploddy for the first half hour but when the separation occurred and they started to live their separate lives, the characters came more to life and seemed less 'wooden'.
Nothing bad about the movie, the flow of dialogue is good, the cinema clips (cinemaotophy?) is befitting for the film and Anne Hathaway gives a first class acting performance, make no mistake.
Love Story movies always have twists and so does this. Watch and Enjoy!