raul-4 Reviews

The Twilight Zone: The Mirror (1961) Season 3, Episode 6

What of it

[8/10 · 10 June 2009]

Hmm I just saw this episode and was surprised by the bad reviews. I don't expect a masterpiece from any episode, but there's always something great about them. I think that in this case Peter Falk is the reason, his acting is so raw that you can feel the farce of the story, what's important is the energy in his acting. Also watch him act in Cassavetes, it's his best.

What else... well i like it. I just need to fill the lines a bit. The other actors are good too. And nothing more really. Just hanging in. Got to go. Bye. What do they mean with 10 lines of text. Come on. Please.

Dust in the Wind (1986)

In a time capsule

[14 April 2004]

When it comes to writing about a specific film I stutter, I'm lost. But don't misunderstand me, I know enough of movies to say this is a work of art that will prevail thorough time as the greatest novels do. I believe Hou is up there with Tarkovsky, Bresson, Ozu, Pasolini, Dreyer, Sokurov, Fellini, Herzog, Paradjanov and others. I mention them so as to locate a few of you readers who may have heard little of Hou.

I think its better not to talk about the movie itself, one shall see it with new eyes. It is something new, this time cinema works for reality to transform it to beauty, that's the real meaning of art. It may seem simple at times, and yes it is, for time at present seems always simple, but it also accumulates the most complex structure of time. One can feel how the banality of everyday slowly fixates itself in eternity, one can see the inevitable, the beauty in the every small detail. Hou justifies life in a century that has lost itself and that sees only its own shadow. Humanity in its true form, going around like lost and innocent children, and there's no evil. And every second in Hou's work makes life more beautiful.

I've talked to a few people who have seen his movies, I can't guarantee the same experience, but what I've seen is there if you can see it in yourself.

Ministry of Fear (1944)

Ministry of Fear

[16 March 2004]

I don't remember reading so much trash before, the past reviews seem to have missed the film. Were they watching? They tell you the plot, as a proof that they saw it. Why do people write here? I hope there is no censure in here, that would be just worst. But to criticize and pose as experts, judging an artist with your little thumb, that's pathetic. I've written some humble reviews as to advice on some movies, but burning a movie by such a great filmmaker that is Lang, that's ignorance.

I don't know if you liked him for M or Metropolis, that's just the surface, he works following production and commercial rules but he never loses his voice, he is speaking from the shadows, his images show the perfect conflict between light and darkness, in constant reassembling. The world of lies, the fear, the ignorance and the malice are all there, in life and in his movies. I hope there are people out there who care for this film.

Raul Quintanilla Alvarado.

The Third Part of the Night (1971)

Death and schizophrenia

[10/10 · 14 January 2004]

Having seen two other movies by Zulawski, that forgotten artist, I'm starting to distinguish a style, some themes and his conception of human emotions. He doesn't care to develop a clear story, he has a way of surprising us continually through the exploitation of the characters which cover all the range of emotions. He can take any human and expose them to supernatural occurrences until they goes mad; they live in a constant nightmare. His actors occasionally go in a real trance and purge themselves of all emotions, crying and laughing simultaneously. It seems as if he is dissecting humans and beneath all that flesh and terror there lies a spirit, alone and in darkness.

Near the end someone cites the Apocalypse, and goes something like this: and then they will search for death and they won't find it. And that seems as the center point to the movies I've seen. In a way you can say he believes in an eternal return of the soul, but what he longs for is tranquility in death and so life to him is just a terrible passing, and so it is occasionally for many.

About the movie, well, it can be mistaken for some supernatural horror flick, some will be repelled by the style others will embrace it. But to me his movies are more of the overall experience and the way they linger in our subconscious as an infernal palace which we try to discredit and judge unreal, but which we inhabit.

Millennium Mambo (2001)

True cinema of time

[10/10 · 31 December 2003]

To my surprise this movie hasn't been reviewed, and from what I gather from other external reviews either they think its empty and boring, or believe that Hou Hsiao-Hsien has gone wrong. Neither is true.

Hou has matured his style over the years, and instead of staying with the same historic movies he has moved to the present where he is needed the most. Finally we can see a depiction of the youth's life, which is common to the rest of the modern world, and we see the influence of the west, the decadence of a culture, the fast extinguishing life of a young woman. All seen through an objective heart, not judging or celebrating, but offering comprehension. Very often do we see movies made by the same young people or for commercial needs, when they are more interested in suprising you or make it a music video, and even when Hou uses music a lot he doesn't subordinate his camera or story to it.

Maybe it hasn't had a proper release, but anyone with a chance to see it shouldn't miss it. This is a serious and difficult film, and even if you enjoy it for the first time (which is not common), you'll have to repeat the viewings to understand that the most valuable thing in the movie is Time, and Hou is a filmmaker in the true sense, a sculptor in time as Tarkovsky would had called him.

America Undercover: Persona Non Grata (2003) Season Unknown, Episode Unknown

Who is this Persona Non Grata?

[10/10 · 12 July 2003]

It seems to me that quite a few USA citizens might be looking this documentary the wrong way. In this documentary we get the latest of the Palestinian conflict, we get both side of the story.

Oliver Stone is constantly pressing on the politics and terrorists, he wants to get answers and hopefully get the conflict solved. But there is also a feeling of invasion from the camera operators, going around in the background, the unstable camera movements and violent edition. This is a style associated both to Oliver Stone and the MTV generation, but it's not gratuitous, this invasion is the only real invasion.

Oliver Stone surrounds himself with young people, and he is in a way making a movie of them, their reactions to the conflict. He wants them to look at what their country is doing. He also wants the viewer to be conscious of his presence in this movie, we are this invading eye, we are this Persona Non Grata.

The Crime of Padre Amaro (2002)

Perhaps controversial probably vain

[1/10 · 17 August 2002]

So we see a fresh Mexican cinema being made and I can't deny that. To me it seems like if themes like the ones they deal: church corruption, endangered faith, etc have been in the mind of many Mexican Catholics, but till recently nobody seemed to express them. Those are the positives things I can say. For the rest of the people they seemed to enjoy the humor, which in the process also seems to lighten the dramatic parts, and no longer can we take the characters and situations seriously.

The theme of the movie, whichever it was, seems to get lost in the over packed story; you'll get drug trafficking, abortions, retarded girls, newspaperman, priest, clerics and else. Supposedly the director didn't have in mind to create a social or religious critique, `he was minding the characters', but really… a beautiful classical music doesn't fix the carelessness of the director towards the emotional reality.

Mulholland Drive (2001)

What is he driving us at?

[5 June 2002]

I thought of myself as a great Lynch fan, I've seen many of his movies and even in the worst scenarios I said I loved his movies. I'm not sure anymore, and I don't think I know exactly why.

When Mulholland Dr. ended I just felt a void, which I suppose was induced by the movie. By previous reviews I thought I would find myself trying to solve a provocative puzzle, but it wasn't like that, it made me take a book and recover the lost time. I know there is a lot of symbolism, several layers to unlock, but I found no reason to do that, it was like trying to uncover a fake ridiculous circus, boring.

I don´t know how Lynch develops his ideas, but I no longer care. It didn't only ruin the newest film, but make me reconsider the rest. The only two surviving film are now A Straight Story and Elephant Man. The rest can be buried in the 90s as a testimony of what's complex and symbolically absurd. For when I look back at surrealism, only the concept survives.

Ghost in the Shell (1995)

The best anime movie I've seen, althought I've seen very little

[27 November 2001]

I want to give the bad review right away: I would have appreciated very much if they gave more movement to the animation, very stiff, at least let them wink! The dialogue is a little artificial, but I'm sure it was the translation, I hate dubbing, really do. So, some dialogues were thrown at the spectator in a very cold manner. Other thing, about the sound, probably for the dubbing also, it sounded very low and could have done a little bit more of work, and for the music, well, not my taste.

Anyway, it might seem I really dislike it, but quite the opposite. I can compare it to the other few anime I've seen, Akira, Mononoke Hime, and still I like this one more. Mainly for the smooth pace, uncompromised to show stupid action sequences. The plot reminded me a lot of Blade Runner (which I prefer), it deals with similar theme. The director probably saw to many art films, and that's good, let's change anime stories; it has a lot of potential, you can create a world from a scratch, but I can't still see how everybody is obsessed to making futuristic fantasies (for Ghost it's alright, its the whole point). Well, I'm drifting away... This movie reminded me to Apocalypse Now, althought is not nearly as good as it, it has the same dedication for the visuals, to create an hypnotizing mood.

See it, buy it... "We now see thru a mirror, darkly." - I Corinthius 13:12 (The movie didn't bother to cite.)

George Washington (2000)

A new director with a heart

[8 November 2001]

I was about to change the channel, when this hypnotic images of poor kids playing in trash, and the train passing by, there was something I couldn't explain, an instant click which made me watch it to the end. I believe there is a whole genre to this kind of movies, althought so little are so good, cause it's a poetic vision of the real world, it moves your heart and mind. It reminded me a lot of Terrence Malick and those slow scenes, with hypnotic music, but it isn't in a way a copy. Just watch it, see all those wonderful characters, those grown-ups who spend time with kids, the superhero, the poetic dragon, just see it.

Dead Man's Letters (1986)

Possibly the best post-apocalyptic movie ever

[10/10 · 26 September 2001]

It took me some time to remember the title of this film, and it's certainly a hidden gem. In it's very slow pace, it transfers the mood of what will probably be if we went through a nuclear war. Great cinematography, and the quality of the film just makes it more profound and hipnotizing.

If you find this film, take your time any rainy day, and drift away in a world of dead and dying.

Amores Perros (2000)

A wonderful movie which portrays more than dogs and love

[10/10 · 19 June 2000]

Being a mexican, this is the film I think gives the most accurrate description of our life. It handles three great dramatic stories in a way no other film could. The actors are not really actors, they are giving an natural performance. So fascinating portray of our country, and I must say, the best mexican film I've ever seen. I don't know if people in other countries are going to have the opportunity to see it, but if you can. Do it! You will never regret it.

Mamma Roma (1962)

This is the italian cinema!

[10/10 · 21 May 2000]

Wonderful performances, almost real. Beautiful black and white cinematography. It shows the real love of a mother, driving her to situations she doesn't want, to make her son happy. Melodramatic story that will make you weep. And will also make you watch every single italian film done in the 60's.