Change Your Image
Aleluya
Reviews
Oldeuboi (2003)
"And now?"
This movie is great and anybody saying otherwise is either jealous of its brilliance or hasn't got a clue. I won't bother in explaining the plot since knowing it will only ruin you some surprises (but I saw the movie aware of the final twist and it didn't make it any worse), and, if you already know it, what for? I think the biggest mistake is to take this as a normal movie with a normal plot and characters with normal motivations. Because is not. (SPOILERS AHEAD)This is a movie about revenje and who says revenje needs a reason? stop looking for one: that's OldBoy's whole point: a reason doesn't make any difference. You could take revenje on virtually everything. The whole sister story is probably just there to introduce incest's subject (which is not treated as a sin, but, rather, as a punishement), not to explain anything. This movie is so great because the director seems to know exactly how much information we need at every time to follow him; sequences are never too long or shot (save for the ending maybe?), and include some highlights such as...yeah, the giant ant, and of course the one in which Dae beats up 20 guys in a very Kill Bill fashion. WOrds are concise and beautiful, and music...a world apart. And the details...the line when Guy and Girl are screwing, that seems so pointless, assumes a huge, terrible meaning when we hear it again at the end of the movie. Does that make you think? It is conceivable to sexually hurt a girl, but what happens when you hear it again knowing it is your daughter? Or like the seventy steps the "Monster" takes at the end... Movies that will make you click together with this one: Cube, Fight Club, Kill Bill And I give it a 9/10 just because the final scene really freaked me out. Nothing personal.
Deux hommes dans la ville (1973)
Inevitability
(SPOILERS) This is the story of a man (Delon) who commits a mistake (a bank robbery) and, although being an excellent person, is never given a second chance by so-called justice. The film is slow (but certainly not boring) as we assist to the development of the character; we see him recovering from 10 years of prison after the bank assault. We also see his love for a first woman, who dies in a car crash (note that nobody actually goes to jail for that "accident" -it was during a car race, and Delon and his wife find themselves right into it without not even knowing it-). After that, he recovers and moves to Montpellier, always under the assistance of his protector (and narrator of the film), where he finds a good job and falls in love with a wonderful girl who happens to work in a bank. Misluck follows then. A "fair" cop who was in his first arrest ten years ago finds him in Montpellier and immediately believes that he is running after mischief. As the cop harasses him (and his wife and his friends) more and more, and tries to link him with another Bank robbery that he has definitely not committed, Delon founds himself hopelessly trapped in the net of justice. Exhasperated, Delon finally kills the cop in the wave of rage (quite understandably) and predictably he is sent to jail and sentenced to death. Death sequence that follows (operated by the all-times star french guillotine) is tactful and strikingly hard, and (thankfully) rather short. The film is quite surprising and the sequence of acts matches like an infernal machine of doom: he main character cannot escape but can see it approaching (so can we). All in all is a perfect rebuke to the hypocrisy of the so-called Justice. A must watch.
Fantastic Four (2005)
A mistake
As it was released more or less at the same time that "Batman Begins" and "War of the Worlds", I expected a bit of effort in this movie, in way to make it, if not interesting, at least entertaining. Well, no. It was neither the one nor the other. It's just a bad tale about five guys who fly out to space (for unimportant and basically unknown reasons, as if we all flew to space to make our picnics every weekend) who, due to an other unexplained failure, inexplicably turn to superheros, or to have superpowers in any case. The jokes are horrible. The plot is nowhere to be seen. The guys are hot (pheeew, one out of fifty!) and so is the girl (two out of fifty, then). The general impression is that someone had the idea of bringing Pixelart's "The Incredibles" out to the big screen in flesh and blood, but managed to extraviate the screenplay in the way. There's this fashion of taking superhero/Marvel characters into the theaters, but I have to say, if YOU (general moan) are ever planning to film "The Watchmen" or "V for Vendetta", please restrict yourselves from doing a big mistake like this movie was. For that's what it is: a mistake.
Lila dit ça (2004)
There is no one truth
There's much to say about "Lila dit ça" virtues, such as the vivid camera work (who ever said that to make a lively film you need millions?), the soundtrack (pretty sensual and well chosen) and even the narrative (Lila is the main character, but we see her mostly through Chimo's eyes, the young Arab and wanna-be writer guy, which creates a distance between her and us, the "mistery", actually). Because we don't know Lila, we are in love with her, just like everybody else in the movie is, but we also fear her. Lila is disruptive, immoral and gorgeous, she talks about sex all the time; she touches herself in public and her presentation card is asking "would you like to see my pussy". And she adores teasing her new-found best friend Chimo. But what we don't know about Lila is that all of this is a fake, a mere mask to catch Chimo's attention, whom she believes "different from the rest" (and thus worthy of her attention),a very dangerous game to make herself different and desirable that, much to her own pain, will revert in a wicked -although not unexpected- ending. Has been Lila, thus, been lying? It's difficult to tell, since if we are talking about her sexual fantasies then she has not; problem is, those differ from reality. The more I think about the movie the more I get the impression that what she really has done is a big sacrifice, a sacrifice for love, that is: she has gambled everything on a guy - but Chimo is too impressed by her to realize the big joke - and she has lost. She has played too hard. She was hoping that through a process of differentiating herself from the rest of the world she would get his love, but she has got much more than his love: he admires her, he fears her, he cannot follow her. So who is the liar? Lila, that talks about her true desires? Or, rather, Chimo, who does not, and doesn't realize in time of her love, and can't save her from the world's punishment? What is most unbearable, Lila's open talk, that seems so out of place, or Chimos' friends crude comments (and actions), that, although much more violent, nobody seems to find wrong?
11:14 (2003)
Butterfly effect
This movie is great. It is not pretentious, but neither it is modest; however the story manages to make laugh, move and entertain you at the same time, which is saying a lot.
It deals about the story of a load of people in cars, having all sort of disastrous accidents that shouldn't have happened in the first place, if only they had been acting "normally", and, basically, thinking about what consequences can your actions have. All of the stories are tangled in a most complex and satisfying web, to the point that any decision taken by a character will immediately affect in unexpected ways the rest.
The whole thing is filmed at nighttime and most of the actors are really young, but somehow the result is not cheesy or plain vulgar as one could expect form such premises. I guess it all comes from a big casting-work and mainly from an iron script that doesn't leave a single gap open for mistakes to come in (except for the merciful plot blank of what happens to the character that loses something that he should not have lost in the first place...).
What I really like about it is how well it deals with explaining how little things can change much, and how what you do can change other people's lives, no matter how silly it is. In many ways, it is better shown than in movies like "love is a bitch" or, rather, "21 grams", because the tangle here is so much thicker and however so lightly exposed. It has also reminiscences of "requiem for a dream" (in the sense that most of the characters are teenagers -controversial ones-, but also because of the shot-style). And if you liked "memento", you'll probably like this one too, because it uses this technique that has become so fashionable lately: cut the film to pieces, and the construct it again in complete disorder. Good job.
The Phantom of the Opera (2004)
Very nice...music
I'm gonna make a list of the things I enjoyed of the movie: 1.the music 2.the soundtrack 3.the sound direction (+4.pretty dresses) Now I'm going to say three things that I really did not...enjoy(why is it that now the corrector does not let me use a more vulgar word to describe the act of urinating?): 1.The constant ecstatic idiot-ism of the actress playing Christine Daae 2.The ever changing mask of the Phantom (it does NOT fit with the face we are shown at the end...just remember the eye). 3.The disappointing "finale..."
That said, I propose this movie to the Oscar for the Best Production...oh, pity there is no Oscar for a Production. I want to state that I enjoyed the film very much, but it was so unbearably not-tragic that it'd make me feel like I wanted to push the main actress to cut down the angel-of-music litany...I mean, it was like a joke, but after all, what of a plot can be left after adapting to the screen a musical that was already (bad) adapted from a book?Obviously much of the meaning has been lost in the process. There's still another thing that makes me feel sick, and it is this psychotic MANIA that Americans have of saying "mademoiselle" in their France-located movies and "señorita" in the Mexican ones...IF THEY DON't SPEAK FRENCH THERE IS NO ACTUAL REASON TO CRASH INNOCENT EARS WITH THE SOUND OF THEIR FREAKY ACCENT: I don't believe it's happening in France anyway, so what about filming it in French?Oh, they can't, because the musical was in English too, well, what about stopping the thought of "paris speaks English"? Anyhoo I am glad that finally everybody can watch the musical for the melodic price of 6 Eur's (in Spain at least). If you say otherwise, you are denying the right everybody has of watching art works. Or rather, to listen to them, accompanied by beautiful images, in this case.
Gegen die Wand (2004)
losing straightforwardness
(Watch the spoilers)
This film is too long. I like suicide characters and I like them the most when they perform sad sex-scenes, but here it was really a bit too much. Although I enjoyed very much the subject and how it was developed throughout the movie, I felt it was losing fire minute after minute. Around the third attempt of suicide of Sibel I started feeling like an end there should be a most graceful closing, but apparently the director hadn't finished his speech because the film would go on and on just like to reach the standard lenght of a standard movie... It is important to recognize when something is good: beautifully explained, adequate use of music and very convincing characters are alright, but it is no less important to know where to end something good. Too many endings confuse the watcher and leave him unsatisfied. My advice: leave the theater right after the bath scene when she cuts her veins (like for the third or fourth time, by the way). Otherwise you'll have to watch some very humiliating rape shots that are really not worth it, (unless you are a freak of The Rules of Atraccion) and a very improbable self-killing murder (how can she survive? mysteries of life). Very good. Very long.
Janghwa, Hongryeon (2003)
spoilers at will
Now, I am very angry at this movie, because it makes me feel so stupid when in fact I bet that it was just the scriptwriter's fault. Before going on about all the fool stuff about the film let me just point quickly at the things I liked: great illumination, (very in the oriental way, reminded me to "In the mood for love"), wonderful images and...hmm, that's all. Now let's begin the slaughter. Nothing here had a proper sense. Starting from the subtitling-massacre (someone already said it, but I repeat it, anyone able to read Spanish could know from the fifth minute who was dead and who wasn't) and finishing with the bag (WHAT, IN GOD'S NAME, WAS INSIDE THAT BAG? WHERE WE SUPPOSED TO KNOW IT?) I just couldn't make it. It did actually scare me, but just because I am *that* coward, and because the music is rather effective. Apparently a sister here was two (or three or four, who knows) people at the same time, and she was killing...the others (therefore, herself?oh my I'm lost). There was a bizarre stepmother who did not exist terrifying a little sister who did not exist either and a father that apparently did exist but who could not or wanted not to help any of them. There was also a freaky cupboard where one or two of the imaginary characters met their end (or all of them, what the hell), and the above mentioned bag, where they *also* were killed...yeah, it does not make sense at all. To resume the movie, we could say that there was an oriental-like girl who was like really mad and who made up all of a continual of horrid camera shots. See, I let you here my mail, email me the solution at will if anyone here possesses it...!
Sleepy Hollow (1999)
the lights, the lights!
Well, yeah, the lights. Everybody should watch this movie, at the very least to have a look at the atmosphere and at the gothic, phantasmagorical and yet oddly bright light set around. Useless to say, it's a Tim Burton film, therefore this fact should not be too surprising, but still...(well, he's lucky, the progress of technique helps him out, that's quite clear). I love Burton's style. Maybe his way of telling stories is not very orthodox, in fact the plot of "Sleepy Hollow" is not always clear, but the magic is there anyway. Also, it is funny that he is classified as a horror film maker, when in fact it would be quite difficult to get creeps from any of his films. Everything in this tale is unbelievable, from the begining to its very end, and I mean it: nothing fits at all, it dances between a comedy and an umbalanced terror film and the music is too romantic to thrill anyone. But that's one of the nice points: why should it fit anyway? It is alright like that. Burton's jokes are funny, and, which is even better, are intellingent, shinny and beautiful. To look at the images is like going through a Friedrich's painture. It also has something of the old, forsaken beauty of Murnau. The actors look great in this big confusing weirdness. Well, not as if Depp and Ricci were bad actors! but they really do their job here; specially Ricci with her strange and slightly malicious innocent look is able to confuse the viewer until the end...which I'm not gonna tell you, basically because it is quite obvious. And you'll find Christopher Lee and Lise Marie around...you just have to seek for them. Jewels within jewels. Oh, and another note...why is the blood so red? This I never understood. It annoyed me a bit: it definetly didn't fit with the general setting. But, nobody is perfect I guess.
Dune (1984)
Herbert, Lynch, all the same...
I don't know why people overeacts so much at Dune. First of all, it's a Lynch movie, (and I'd even say it's his only movie involving some actual sense), what were you expecting? Nice and easy screwball comedy? Or maybe a lineal, comfortable plot? Second, anybody who has read Herbert's book might know that the book itself also lacks of logic at some points and exceeds of solemnity. So what? This is science fiction. I like how Lynch deals in an innovating (even if boring, sometimes) way with those complications, and he succeeds in giving us a completly different set of the usual sci-fi. I also do think that it is quite a good adaptation of the original book, except maybe for the ecology of the planet, which you'll find at the epilogue of the book and that was so amazing...yes, there is a lack of depth sometimes, I'd like to see the fremen's "plans" about the planet on the screen.
But I can do no objection to Lynch's way of doing things. The special effects are weird, the voices are weird, the dialogues are weird (although taken from the book) and, to finish, everything is weird, but absolutely amazing. And plus you've got all those wonderful actors popping here and there, Sean Young, Von Sydow and, hello Sting. A 10/10 for Lynch and sci-fi lovers, and, if you are not in one of those groups, then save yourself from what will be a sure disappointment.
To vlemma tou Odyssea (1995)
Ulisses reloaded
#beware of the SPOILERS, they bite# Here we go again, as if I didn't have enough trying to understand Joyce's Ulysses now comes another guy and decides that more meanings can be thrown upon this myth. Honestly, what is it with Homer? This movie is long. Long? This movie is as long as a breadless day, yeah ok you can't explain a whole myth in just 100 minutes but 176 are definetly too much. What's wrong with all this people like Stroheim and Griffith and Antonioni and yeah this greek guy too?!Is it maybe that they believe themselves so worthy and marvelous that they decide wihtout any remorse they can go on and on forever? Of course, they are free to do so, but does it not ache at least a bit in their hearts. Because the movie was fine, what it wasn't that fine it was the whole amount of time I had to stand to see it finally reach something like an end. Well, anyway; Angelopoulos designs his tale calmly and with a few jewels sparkling here and there. Seeing the same actress over and over again swits fine the movie, it is like he is arriving always to the same woman, but always unable to love her. Some similarities with the book arise all around, but faintly, leaving it always open to your own judgement. There are a few really innovating ideas (like how time goes by in a same scene without cuts, and also the character assuming the personality of one of the ancient greek filmmakers), and the last 30 minutes were really interesting (despite everything), the misty scenes are truly well recorded. The final slaughter is moving, although not unexpected at all, in fact it's pretty obvious. The girl playing her sort of Calipso/Penelope/(..) was convincing, but the actor seemed to be trying to understand what on earth was going on, which is probably the whole point of his performance, and also of the movie... But STILL there's a problem with the TIME here. I know I said it before but making movies last so long is an abuse of power, for the director, that is (for the viewer it is obviously a bad echange of trust). The movie is kinda poetic, but it is not *that* beautiful to have justified all the waste of time; for exemple: the Lenin statue scene was revoltingly long, and so were many conversations, specially the ones in (where is it?that soviet city...sorry, I can't remember)...well, actually: ALL the conversations were a complete void of useless words. Nevertheless, the river scenes are truly magic, and so are the Sarajevo ones; specially the one with the mad patiens scaping from the hospital: see, I agree that one needed its actual 5 or 6 minutes, but well, one in a hundred... Is it that directors think that long=brilliant? Cut down the manifesto, Angelopoulos; the film is real good but viewers have a limit in their resistance. And nobody said that a long poem is better than a short one.
Un condamné à mort s'est échappé ou Le vent souffle où il veut (1956)
believe in the possibility of the impossible
A 10/10 to this film that proves in a definetly not-american way that doing the impossible is possible. The plot it is entirely sustained by the will of the character: no matters what, no matters how, he will escape. To do it he'll have to dominate first the space that surrounds him, fight his own fear, etc etc...I know it sounds like boring but the truth is that it is grateful to watch a movie that defends the tagline of "believe in the possibility of the impossible" in such an unexpected way. It vaguely reminded me to a certain Herman Hesse aura, but, not sure why...maybe because it's everything about waiting? What if you could actually watch a film with your eyes closed and listen to it through your eyes? Something miraculous happened here...
Meisje (2002)
Learn another word
*SPOILERS*(assuming that there is something to be spoiled). Now, this is one of this kind of movies that when you go through it leaves you with this uncomfortable feeling of "I really don't know enough about cinema (or about anything else)to be able to judge it". Much better, because I probably would be unable to handle a judgement anyway...Anyway, what I mean is that this is exactly what people understands when they refer to each other with sentences of the like: "you gotta go watch this film because it's such a piece of independent cinema". I'm doubtful about what the hell independent cinema is, but sure this ressembles the rumours I heard about it. If a good movie has to be entertaining, then this is certainly the nightmare of any viewer. If it is to make you think, then it's probably brilliant. In a very freudian fashion this movie basically deals with the points of view in life of three woman (as if one wasn't enough...), and their discoveries in life throughout the film (none). It is all very delicate (which I am grateful for, because it contains a few uncanny and disgraceful sex scenes) but also very bitter; You constantly feel sorry for the characters, which is annoying, because at some point (if you are a woman, I guess) you might be identified with any of them. I can tell you it is not nice to feel some ressemblance with them when at the same time you are willing to scream something like "god's sake, girl, get a life and stop acting like an asshole". I also think the director has exagerated the screenplay (it's uncomfortably unbelievable sometimes, or at least it is to be a "realistic" movie), but she has anyway picked the right actresses. And I am really grateful for the hidden sense of humor that emerges randomly even in the scenes of more psicological pathetism, it basically helps to don't wish to crash your head against a glass at the end of the session. But, what is it with the so closed shots? We were almost eating Muriel...did I forget to say that the main character's name was Muriel? A pretty name, and as it all talks of abscence and memory it is probably adequate, it reminded me to Bresson and his kind of movies, and to the name of one of them of course. Yeah, it is all like a hit of new wave, but, well, with technicolor and dolby digital spiced with dutch sentences.
Did I say I like it...?It is only against the characters I'm mad at, not against the film itself...
Fargo (1996)
brilliant, brilliant, bri...
That was great. More than great. I'd even say it was terrific if I my principles allowed me to use this word. SPOILER; SPOILER; heck, SPOILER...particullary the last scene with the man smashing a corpse into some strane device of technollogy (yeah, what?I just don't know the name) was so apocallyptic and so fairly well placed that it necessarily has to force any person to surrender at the film. Ironical, and so sarcastic that the cold of the ambient is equilibrated by the brightness of the images and the simply outstanding dialoges...I'd say, like Tarantino, but without the gross part...it is definetly in it's place among the best 100 movies ever made!
Mulholland Dr. (2001)
Lose your mind
**POSSIBLE SPOILERS**
About the spoilers, I just mention it because there might be a chance of me unleashing some clue to understand this movie (a small possibility, but there it is after all) by complete randomness: I'll say it plain: I haven't the foggiest of what this movie it's about.
Then again, it's truly nice to watch. I don't know why people expects things to have some sense in Lynch's films, as far as they usually don't have any sense in real life either. I've watched every shot of this movie with a criminal pleasure, except maybe for the lesbian scenes, which are gross for my own taste (I was going to say "pointless" but I realized in time that it really wasn't the right word). What is for me, the whole thing is but a party for the viewer's eyes to enjoy, you get into Lynch's speedy car and you let him drive you wherever. From the blackbook-killer (who, with his complete surrealism, made me cry my tears out) to the incredibly eerie shots of the "dream" (weird-faced man) and the melodious Spanish going throughout the film, I've loved every bit of it, and I haven't got a clue of what was the story about.
Probably something about a dream; it appears clear to me that the inflexion point lies on the broken "Crying" song: in this glorious creeping moment when the singer faints/dies/whatever and the music keeps on playing a dream is over and another dream starts. To me, Diane has killed herself (or has been killed maybe?), well, anyway, she has died, and all the images are but her death dream. I don't say that because it actually makes any sense, but just because it feels like a Death dream to me. I'd bet something valuable that if you go and shoot yourself the last things in your mind would resemble a Lynch movie, just for the heck of it, and just because his sequences are so anguishing, anxious and (for good and for bad) breathtaking. A horrible, surrealistic and sarcastic hallucination? Might be. And if you don't agree with that, which you shouldn't, I'll give you a cool reason to go and watch this film: 1. Because you don't need a reason. If you do, it's not your kind of movie. 2.If you like hot girls, here you'll get a few. If you don't, you'll get really nice performances anyway (which is not as pleasing I guess, but it worths the effort anytime), but no you won't get hot guys, which is sad, but not a tragedy after all. And 3...oh well, I'm tired of giving reasons: great lights, pretty blue colours, amazing music and a long et cetera.
Spoorloos (1988)
The ultimate horror
This movie is terrifying. When I say "terrifying", I really mean it; I don't think that anyone that has feelings can stay quiet at its view. Recorded with an outrageous sensibility that lives through the words (this is not a metaphor actually: the movie is in dutch and french and I don't speak any of them, still without the lacking subtitles it thrilled the hell out of me), you won't see here the classic (and boring, and bad) horror movie.
Because horror is human, the director relies the main plot on enduring, tender human films, which is weird for the genre, but most convenient. There are many films that rely on absences, but I haven't had the chance of watching one that does it so well until now: A girl disappears and her friend looks for her. Great, you'd say that's just crap. But it is not. Because of the warm performances of both actors, you actually *do* believe everything. And then there's the end of the film. Be sensible and don't watch this film alone. Otherwise, I welcome you to the kingdom of nightmares. I dare anyone who doesn't feel miserable and moved after this film to go down to hell and happily burn there.
Freaks (1932)
scape normality
There's something everyone should do before watching this movie: read its case! Otherwise you might start the movie and begin to trade a most sinister way of thoughts on the lines of..."but, was make-up so good in the thirties?!" Yeah, well, it wasn't. All is for real here, and that's the whole point of the movie. Creepy? You can bet it. The director was either very brave or very cheeky when he attempted to record a film with those actors. It's not an interesting movie, it's not a wonderful piece of art, but it is an astounding slice of valour. I really can't imagine this film being recorded nowadays. Starring with "freaks" it's considered socially unacceptable, disgusting, and unesthetic. I can't find surprising that it was banned for more than 30 years in UK. Other than that, I've just something to say about it: go watch it, and then think. It is in fact a sweet tale told with unusual words.
Intacto (2001)
Love moves luck
I guess it's not surprising the little success this movie had, as it usually happens that jewels like this one are overlooked. With an astoundingly powerful script and a most bizarre mixture of actors, this movie lurks between the typical budget-lacking spanish film such as "Tesis" and the great star-system one that you'd get at, say, "The Others". Strange. The plot is an atractive one: what'd happen if luck could be controlled? What if you could steal it from others and sell it? From this high precept the movie continues, in a very hard effort to don't disappoint us -and achieving it, but by a very narrow distance- until reaching its apocaliptic end. You've never seen a film like that before: it seems to oscillate on the edge of the spanish thriller tradition but it is sustained on the acting of the english-speaking sweden guy that happens to be von Sydow (and by the way, he's what can be called a great actor, but his accent is terrible, so if you are not a native english speaker do yourself a favour and never attempt to watch the last scenes without subtitles, otherwise you'll miss the main point of the film). To be truthful I'd say this movie has a huge bunch of mistakes, most of them coming from the obvious lack of money of its production (have a look at the lights if you don't believe me, or at the soundtrack), and one'd say that they burnt out their budget in renting Von Sydow, while leaving the rest pretty naked to the eye, a high bet for a luck-tale, but they still managed (don't ask me how though) to build up a wonderful story. And, pay attention to the end: it'll leave you pondering for weeks...