Mike-590 Reviews

Time of the Gypsies (1988)

A Kusturica Masterpiece

[6 March 1999]

This was the first Kusturica film I've seen and I was greatly impressed with it. It shows the transformation of a young, honest Gypsy boy from Yugoslavia into a thief and robber. He goes into crime because he needs money for his girlfriend's dowry. It is the first film completely in the Gypsy language, Romany. I think for all the people who are interested in Gypsy culture should see this film. It portrays them in a very positive and factual manner. The acting by Dujmovic who was also in Kusturica's Underground and when father was away on business was great.

September (1987)

A Bergmanesque Masterpiece

[6 March 1999]

Woody Allen in this movie brings to us the story of a group of people all staying at a summer home in the country. It's a very dark and claustrophobic place. And at this place we learn so much about the characters. This is a very deep character study and I think it's the best Allen "bergmanesque" film he's made. It has been highly underrated by people and critics. I feel it does not get any of the recognition it should. And Mia Farrow's and Sam Waterston's performances are magnificent.

Next of Kin (1984)

An underestimated and little known film

[6 March 1999]

Atom Egoyan's first feature length film is highly unknown and even somewhat hard to find. It is really a great film though. It is about a young man who's having problems with his WASP family. While going to "video" therapy, he sees an Armenian couple who gave their son up for adoption. What follows is a remarkable film about searching for yourself and for the perfect family. Like most of Egoyan's films it is set in an unknown city and country, and he never says the family is Armenian but we learn from their culture they are. I like that fact because he lets the viewers make up their minds as to what country it is in and so forth.

Who's That Knocking at My Door (1967)

A classic Scorsese film

[6 March 1999]

Scorsese's first feature length film is a real classic. It was Keitel's acting debut and he is superb as J.R. a young Italian-American living in Little Italy. He hangs around with punks and doesn't do much with his life. But things change when he meets Bethune. He falls in love with her, but he finds out something. And as soon as that happens he has second thoughts on marrying her. This is a remarkable film and it really deals with morality and feelings with a strong Italian-Catholic background. I'd recommend this to all Scorsese fans.