AMar_rom Reviews

Into the Forest (2015)

A bit slow film but neither boring nor predictable.

[16 September 2017]

Two sisters (aged 17 to 20 years) live quietly and comfortably with their father, residing in a house inside a forest. The family commutes to the nearest city daily so as to buy groceries, go to school etc. Suddenly one night there is a power break and electricity is completely shut down. Soon it becomes clear that the problem affects the whole country but no explanation is provided by the authorities. Power is not restored and the family has to cope with the new situation.

This is an interesting movie that deals with the end of a world and its way of life. At least the world that we are used to live until now: namely, the world based on electricity, high technology, electric and electronic appliances. The movie tries to answer the question: what are the consequences to society of the sudden 'death' of such world? on the small community? on the family? How this affects peoples lives ?

Do not expect any big special effects. Events unfold in certain locations around the three family members. No big groups of people are shown, neither any catastrophic events are depicted in the screen. I found the film clever with a mature story line, a bit slow moving but in a manner that is neither boring nor predictable. The relationship between the sisters is pivotal in the film.

I would have rated the film slightly higher if not for the last 5 minutes. The film takes a turn to something that was just not necessary at the time. Sometimes decisions like that are taken after much longer times, when practically needed and there is no viable alternative.

Arrival (II) (2016)

One of the best films of the year.

[10 December 2016]

Louise Banks (Amy Adams in the role) is a linguistics Professor. She appears to be living alone leading a quite life devoted to her profession and teaching. Occasionally she recalls vaguely memories of a young child growing up and playing with her. We assume that the child is her daughter but we do not see her in real life.

The arrival of a number of spaceships from extraterrestrial beings shutters her existence; she becomes the leading consultant of the US government in an attempt to communicate with the alien visitors. Banks discovers their enigmatic language (based on circular rings) and learns an unexpected truth about time and her own life.

I liked very much this film. Not your average sci-fi adventure. It is a deeply personal movie about the essence of time, loss and rebirth. Based on a short story by Ted Chiang it tells us a lot about time in our lives and how language signals can give meanings and sentiments that can mark our existence for ever.

The Thing (1982)

Excellent. One of the best films of John Carpenter.

[4 December 2016]

Carpenter's 'The Thing' is a remake of the 1951 film 'The Thing from Another World' produced by Howard Hawks, a classic horror film which did not lose its intensity and appeal, even after so many years.

The story is about the men of an American arctic base (scientists and other personnel) who witness an invasion from a extraterrestrial being (The Thing). The scenario is based on the story 'Who Goes There?' by J.W. Campbell. The story line is similar in both movies with the men fighting for their lives inside a claustrophobic and remote environment.

Nonetheless, a number of differences between the two movies are evident. Hawk's film is fast-paced and events unfold around a people versus 'monster' story. Carpenter's film, instead, is slower and takes its time to develop. Carpenter also creates a strong disbelief and suspicion that the person you see is not what he appears to be. The 'Thing' is a foe who attacks from the 'interior' and not from the 'exterior'. The men in the base are more vulnerable and their fight is more desperate. Special effects are simply amazing and show us the alien being in a grotesque and horrifying manner that the human mind cannot easily comprehend. And that's precisely the problem: it takes time for humans to understand the nature of the extraterrestrial threat. A 10/10 from me.

Solomon Kane (2009)

Very good film based on the life of Solomon Kane.

[15 February 2016]

We are in England somewhere in the 1610's. In the film Solomon Kane is seen initially to fight in a naval battle being captain in the English navy. Years later we find him settled in a monastery seeking desperately a quite life in the presence of God. After the urge of the local chaplain he is convinced to pay a visit to his old household and meet his father and brother. The English countryside, however, is not a safe place. Villages are ravaged by local bandits who kill and enslave at will. It is clear that Kane tries to avoid any confrontation. During the trip he befriends a family of travelers who aim to reach the local port and take a ship to the New World (America). The movie continues recounting the events till his arrival back at his ancestral home.

Solomon Kane was a character in a number of stories written by Robert E. Howard the creator of Conan the Barbarian. Kane was a Puritan, a man driven by a strong religious belief in the power of Good and the necessity to serve justice in a corrupt world. Kane fought in his youth under Sir Francis Drake and then disillusioned perhaps from the violence led a solitary life as a drifter in continental Europe and Africa.

The film was a pleasant surprise for me. Kane is depicted as a troubled man with a strong urge to serve justice with a religious fervor. His Puritan upbringing coupled with his military past make him a very interesting character. A very good film that made me want to read some of the Kane stories of Robert Howard.

Insidious (I) (2010)

Terrifying film. Showed us the 'dark' side of the spirit world.

[13 February 2016]

A young couple leads a quite and dull suburban life with their children. Quite suddenly, certain occurrences (strange noises, things falling off) start to take place. Tragically, the couple's younger son collapses and falls into a coma. The doctors cannot find any probable cause and eventually the kid remains in this condition and stays in bed all the time unresponsive to any external stimulus.

Weeks later the mother sees a strange figure of a man entering in the boy's room but suddenly disappearing. The mother of the husband intervenes and suggests that a psychic (medium) professional may provide help. The psychic, a very sympathetic and eloquent middle-aged woman, comes in and after reviewing the household and premises suggests that the sick boy has certain abilities that make it extremely vulnerable to evil entities. Moreover, the kid has fallen victim to such entities who captured the kid's mind/spirit and do not allow it to regress back to the real world. There is a disbelief from the couple but eventually they agree to allow the psychic with her partners to start a procedure of bringing back the boy from the other 'dark' side.

'Insidious' is a very good film. Refreshing, well balanced, very scary and brought certain new elements in the horror genre. In particular, the importance of the spirit world in our everyday lives and related beliefs which are cherished more in the American-Indian societies and also in far eastern Asian mythologies.

There is some resemblance with the old film 'Poltergeist' directed by Tobe Hooper and produced by Spielberg, but I thought that 'Poltergeist' (indeed a very good film) went in a different direction and did not go too far inside this spiritual world of the 'dark' side. 'Insidious' directed by James Wan, instead, took such a path and gave us a terrifying viewing experience.

Regression (I) (2015)

A lost opportunity to create an effective horror film

[3 February 2016]

I saw 'Regression' yesterday in a movie theater. I went with relatively high expectations after watching the trailer. I was disappointed somehow.

The story is about a child abuse case in Minnesota, in 1990. Angela Gray played by Emma Watson is a teenager who leaves her house seeking refuge to the local church. She claims physical abuse from her father and other individuals. Being in a state of shock and distress she is not in position to collaborate with the authorities and tell them what exactly happened. The local police Department apprehends her father and assigns Bruce Kenner (played by Ethan Hawke) as the officer in charge of the investigation. Kenner works on the case with professionalism, trying to understand what happened. He makes use of some novel psychology techniques (suggestive hypnosis) offered by a university professor and uncovers some evidence of satanic rituals taken place.

'Regression' is an OK movie. However, one cannot see it as an effective horror film especially if most (or all) the scary scenes are part of dreams. The movie, instead, tried to be a social commentary, effectively becoming a critique of the media (TV) and how these operate in some highly publicized cases. 'Regression' lost a good chance I am afraid to become a good horror film.

'Regression' borrows certain elements (one scene and certain parts of the storyline and locale) from the old classic 'The Leopard Man' (and less from 'Cat People') from 1942/3 both directed by Jacques Tourneur. I am not sure if this was purely unintentional or instead Amenabar tried to pay homage to Tourneur's classics. Either way, Tourneur managed to create better films with a haunting atmosphere, perhaps because he was clearly interested to make horror films and simply just that.

Ethan Hawke tried hard and played his role with passion and a certain fragility, occasionally drifting to paranoia. Emma Watson was also very good. The other actors very competent. A special note to Lothaire Bluteau who played the Reverend with previous credits (among others) including 'Jesus of Montreal' and Father Laforgue in the 'Black Robe'.

The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988)

A wonderful tale by Terry Gilliam (and Munchausen)

[2 January 2016]

It appears the myth of the Baron Munchausen is based on the real person Hieronymus Karl Friedrich von Münchhausen, a German Baron who allegedly became famous for inventing preposterous, imaginary stories from the Russo-Turkish War.

In this film directed by Terry Gilliam (a member of the Monty Pythons) the events take place during the siege of Vienna in 1683 by the forces of the Ottoman Empire. The citizens of Vienna are demoralized, hungry but try to hang on. They organize theatrical plays to lift their spirits. During one of these plays a middle-aged man (with an aristocratic appearance) jumps on the scene and claims that he is Baron Munchausen. He also asserts that he is the reason that the Turks want to sack Vienna and recounts some hilarious events during his visit in the Pasha's palace in Constantinople. He also believes that he can chase them away and keep Vienna a free city.

People do not know what to make of him and the city authorities try to apprehend him. The old Baron, however, is too clever. He escapes and embarks on a journey to find his old friends and allies so as to save the city. A wonderful adventure begins.

Gilliam's film is so good. Baron Munchausen personifies the power of 'imagination' which many times is in conflict with the realism of 'logic'. Nonetheless, without it our lives would be empty of feelings, of dreams and sentiments. The Baron appears to understand that only imagination holds the key to the liberation of Vienna against all odds dictated by the cold 'logical' reality. Munchausen, of course, was not the first to realize the power of imagination. Great storytellers of the past knew this and their writings also contained a fair amount of imagination and allegory: Aesopus, Homer, Dante Alighieri, Goethe. A 9/10 from me for this wonderful tale of Gilliam (and Munchausen).

Screamers (1995)

Good sci-fi film. Excellent story.

[15 December 2015]

Good science-fiction movie. Based on the short story 'The Second Variety' by Philip Dick. Years in the future Earth and the colonized outer planets are shaken by a decade of civil war. The war brought destruction and even nuclear arms were tried against major civilian centers.

Colonel Hendrickson (Peter Weller in the role) commands a military base of the Alliance on the planet SIRIUS 6B. The enemy, however, is also present there. Both sides are entrenched in subterranean bunkers leaving an uninhabited land in between of destroyed cities and desolate landscapes. It appears also that a specific model of robotic killers operates in these areas keeping either side inside the bunkers for safety.

Suddenly news arrive that a peace treaty is signed and the war should be over. Nonetheless, soon thereafter an Alliance plane crushes and a surviving man tells a different story. Hendrickson decides that he 'd better check with the other side and attempts to make the dangerous trip to reach the enemy bunkers and negotiate. He will soon have to face a different reality from what he expected.

I liked this sci-fi flick from the 90's. With no major special effects but with such a good story that keeps it interesting. Peter Weller reprises another role in the sci-fi genre (after the more known film 'Robocop') and brings a lot to the credibility of the film. Jennifer Rubin also has the second role as one of the enemy soldiers. If you like sci-fi movies you will not be disappointed. A 7.5 from me.

Jacob's Ladder (I) (1990)

Interesting film. However, it tried to be too many things.

[22 November 2015]

Jacob Singer is a Vietnam War veteran. He lives in New York city with his girlfriend (Elisabeth Pena) working as a post-office clerk. We learn also that he has two kids from a previous marriage, although nothing is revealed about his ex wife, namely if she is still around and if they still keep in touch because of the kids. He also has a PhD. The couple appears to go along well but certain things do not seem to fit in. Singer appears to 'see' certain ghost-like images and experiences delusional episodes. At some moment he is approached by a strange man and an old army colleague who hint that the army experimented with some untested chemical even to American soldiers during the war.

"Jacob's Ladder" is an interesting film, which however tries to be too many things at the time. For a big part of the film the tension was built towards conspiracy theories, nonetheless there was also an angle with strong supernatural elements that defied any logical explanation. That's not necessarily bad but such a contrast took away from the overall credibility of the movie.

Anyway, the film tried to balance between such possible scenarios and eventually ended with something that seemed like an easy way out. In any case, I enjoyed the movie's atmosphere but be aware that there are some loose ends. Danny Aiello's role is also to be noted, although I felt afterwards that his role was inserted not just to provide a meaningful resolution to the protagonist's struggle but also to explain things to us (the audience). A 7/10 from me.

The Visit (I) (2015)

A more mainstream horror film by Shyamalan. I liked it.

[20 November 2015]

Shyamalan's new film is called 'The Visit': A single mother sends her two young kids for a short visit (a week) to their grandparents in a village in Pennsylvania. She hopes that the visit will rekindle the affection of her parents towards her. Years ago she had an argument with them and had to leave the house because of that, not keeping in touch until now. She hopes time has healed things. Time, however, sometimes can have other plans in our lives.

The kids eventually go to their grandparents and record part of their experiences with a small portable camera even taking improvised interviews with both grandma and grandpa. Things however soon turn out strange and the kids will need to find a way out.

Shyamalan directed some very good films in the past. Among these I would like to mention some of his best (according to me) :'The sixth Sense', 'The Unbreakable' and 'The Village'. These films contain certain horror elements but are not horror films in the true sense of the world. They can be categorized as thrillers with some supernatural or psychological elements that still do not make them traditional horror films.

'The Visit', in contrast, is a mainstream horror film. I liked it. It does not give something new in the genre. Instead, it follows certain rules of traditional horror films: First, the setting is a bit unsettling and creepy; the kids visit an isolated village with no possibility to make any new friends. Secondly, most of the occurrences take place at night or at claustrophobic environments. Also there is an unexpected 'twist' in the plot towards the end that makes the situation that the kids face dramatic and unpredictable.

Shyamalan cares for his protagonists and approaches the plight of the two kids with interest, portraying even small details of their personalities. The brother relies on his sister and vice versa. Together they find a way to go on in life and join their mother who awaits them back home.

Ghosts of Mars (2001)

Not a bad film, but clearly among Carpenter's lesser work.

[18 June 2015]

The Ghosts of Mars is an adventure film which can be described as part fantasy, part science-fiction. It takes place in the far future where humans have colonized Mars and built a society based on matriarchy.

The movie starts with the testimony of the policewoman Melanie Ballard (played by Natasha Henstridge; i thought she was quite good here) recounting events that took place in previous days: she with other policemen led by Commander Braddock (Pamela Grier) traveled to Chrysi (a martian mining town) to escort back a dangerous criminal (Desolation Williams played by Ice Cube) who has been kept in the local prison there under guard. The policemen use the martian rail to go to Chrysi by train. After arriving there they find Desolation Williams in his prison cell but they also discover a far more dangerous situation than they would ever have expected.

'The Ghosts of Mars' is directed by one of my favorite directors, John Carpenter. Quite frankly I think it is among the lesser films that he ever directed. Not because it is a bad movie. The reddish martian landscape is portrayed well with the cities isolated inside the martian desert and interconnected by rail. The film also contains enough good mystery, tension and action scenes to satisfy many movie goers who are attracted by such traits. It is a lesser film for Carpenter simply because Carpenter's other films are clearly superior. I rate it 6/10 and as I said: it is not a bad movie.

Wolfen (1981)

A decent urban horror film.

[22 May 2015]

'Wolfen' is an urban horror film set in New York city. Albert Finney stars as Dewey Wilson, a cynical and hardboiled police detective who tries to solve a strange homicide case of a wealthy couple and their bodyguard. No murder weapon (or trace of it) was found on the scene and initial reports indicate the presence of wolf's hair on the bodies. This however does not make any sense since wolves are extinct in the northeast of the United States.

Wilson teams up with a forensic psychologist (played by Diane Venora) who tries to create a criminal profile for the murderer. They also get help from Wilson's partner (played by the late Gregory Hines) and also from Eddie Holt, an American Indian played by Edward James Olmos in one of his first film appearances I believe.

The film tries to bring in some elements of the old American Indian beliefs and spiritual world in a modern setting. It also has an environmental aspect of criticism towards our modern consumer society that does not care too much about environmental issues, e.g. by building apartment complexes above ancient burial sites.

My view is that 'Wolfen' is a decent urban horror film that introduces us to an interesting subject which is, however, not handled so well. The execution feels a bit flat despite the fact that the actors are all good, in fact very good. If you want to see a very good film with a similar background I would recommend Peter Weir's early film 'The Last Wave' from 1977 set in Australia.

The Lincoln Lawyer (2011)

A good court drama. Sometimes justice has a cost.

[1 May 2015]

McConaughey is surprisingly good in this court drama as the amoral but capable defense lawyer Mickey Haller. Haller accepts to represent the case of a rich young man accused of mauling to death a young woman after allegedly trying to rape her. Haller makes a good effort to help his client, however, he soon realizes that some decisions in life always come at a cost.

Haller is a good defense attorney and takes his cases not because he believes in his clients innocence necessarily. Instead, he claims that everybody in our society is entitled to a legal representation and of course he is up to the job provided the payment is there for his services. He appears as a cynical person but he abides by the law.

This is a good film and especially viewers who like court dramas will not be disappointed. The movie becomes a bit formulaic in the second half but still it leaves a very good impression.

Brooklyn Rules (2007)

Growing up in Brooklyn

[27 April 2015]

'Brooklyn Rules' tells the story of three friends growing up in Brooklyn in the 80s. They live in a blue-collar, working-class neighborhood and have hopes for a good life ahead of them. The friendship bond among these young men is very strong. It runs for years living together. Nonetheless, time has caught up with them and life appears to open new horizons to each one of them; in this case an unforeseen event plays the role of separating their common lives for ever.

One of the friends is a rather aloof individual (easy come, easy go) but also a very good student showing promise to enter Law School; in the meantime he works in a grocery store part-time. The second is preparing to get married to his girlfriend. He is also looking for a job and is ready to move out from his parents house. The third is attracted by the life of local mob people and slowly enters their circles. This is the only way he feels that people in the community will respect him.

This is a very good and poignant film about friendship and loyalty especially in the 'tough' working-class neighborhoods of big cities like New York (here in this movie), but I think it would equally apply to many other cities where young people grow up and dream for a better tomorrow. I recommend strongly this film. A 9/10 from me.

The Sixth Sense (1999)

Among the better movies that Shyamalan directed

[31 October 2014]

Bruce Willis is Dr Malcolm Crowe, a decorated psychologist and happily married man living and practicing in Philadelphia. Suddenly one night an armed intruder enters his house and shoots him in front of his wife. Crowe appears to be badly injured but lucid enough to realize that the shooter (a young adult man) used to be his patient years ago when he was a child.

The scene terminates and we see again Crowe a few months (or a year) later providing counseling to an 8 year-old boy (Cole Sear) who lives with his mother. The movie is centered on the interaction between the psychologist and the child. Crowe also is shown to speak to his wife throughout the film but she appears oddly aloof, something that suggests marital problems or at least some detachment of the couple.

Anyway, Crowe tries to help the troubled kid, and to understand the cause of his problems and heal them. Curiously most of their meetings do not take place at the doctor's office; it is obvious that Crowe makes larger than usual effort to help the youngster and visits him also at home and at school. Soon we start to wonder about the source of the kid's anxiety and fears and how these are related to Willis' character. The movie answers these questions.

My rating is 9/10 for this movie. One among the 2-3 better movies by Night Shyamalan. But not the best. In fact the 'Sixth Sense' reminded me of another Shyamalan movie 'The Unbreakable' which I think is the best movie that Shyamalan ever directed. Bruce Willis has again the central role. The 'Unbreakable' and the 'Sixth Sense' have some things in common. First, the place is the same. Both movies take place in Philadelphia, which is a Greek name (of the old Byzantine city of Asia Minor) and literally means the City of Brotherly Love. I believe that Willis character (in both movies) tries to do just that: to help his fellow human being inside the community. Secondly, the theme in both movies has similarities: in both movies the central hero is haunted by some event from his past. This event drives his actions and in both movies it is revealed to us at the end.

The Ipcress File (1965)

A good unconventional spy thriller

[12 July 2014]

This is a well-made gritty spy film set during the cold war years of the 60's.

Michael Caine is Harry Palmer, an undercover British agent who we see initially to perform routine surveillance on suspected enemy agents from an apartment in London. This everyday routine is interrupted when his boss gives him a different assignment: to follow the whereabouts of enemy agents involved in the kidnapping of British scientists and theft of sensitive documents related to nuclear arms. The case is more difficult than usual since the British agents have reasons to believe that one of their own works for the enemy.

What makes this film different from the films of the Jame-Bond 007 series is that it portrays a different and more realistic life of intelligence agents that is not glamorized or romanticized. Instead their lives can be more boring but also more deadly at the same time whereby little details can make the difference between life or death especially if the enemy may anticipate your moves.

Eventually Palmer manages to resolve the case he works on (and also stay alive) not because he has the best weaponry or the best information but simply because he follows his instincts.

I recommend this film if you are looking for a good mystery and intense thriller. It may have a bit outdated feel now since the cold war is over but do not let this deter you from seeing the good film that it is. An 8/10 from me. Note: This is the first film where Michael Caine portrays the 'Harry Palmer' fictional character.

The Raven (I) (2012)

A film that could and should have been better

[6 January 2014]

Edgar Allan Poe was a famous American poet and novelist who (among other things) wrote dark and enigmatic detective fiction stories before Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle (the author of the Sherlock Holmes novels). In this film Poe is asked by the Baltimore police to help find a murderer who uses techniques to kill his victims taken from his own previously published novels and short stories.

The film starts reasonably well showing us Poe struggling to continue writing good novels and poetry and having to fight his own demons and alcohol addiction. Soon Poe and the police inspector of Baltimore trace the murderer's moves and the film becomes a bit formulaic, namely both men manage to decipher some of the killer's marks and riddles eventually closing in on him.

Overall, I think the movie was just good, but lacking in depth. Poe is portrayed by John Cusack who gives a rather youngish image for the tortured Poe but I thought he did well. Unfortunately he is not given too much to do really other than running after the criminal who abducted his fiancée. The references to Poe's actual work (parts of his stories and poetry) are welcome but do not help too much. The murderer's identity also does not mean anything and is clear that he does not understand Poe's literature and talent. A film on this subject should have been better.

Sherlock Holmes (2009)

A refreshing film on the myth of Sherlock Holmes

[21 December 2013]

This is very good and quite refreshing film that manages to re-invent the myth of Sherlock Holmes.

Sherlock Holmes is portrayed here by Robert Downey Jr in a relatively young age (late thirties/early forties). He is therefore a more passionate and foul-mouthed individual than the one we all know from Conan Doyle's stories. His clever but hasty remarks sometimes bring him into trouble and he ends up in some awkward social situations.

Nonetheless, do not make the mistake to underestimate the man. He has tremendous deductive abilities and sense of observation and judgment that make him an extremely capable detective.

I thought Robert Downey Jr was great in this role. The big surprise for me, however, was Jude Law. He plays Watson amazingly well and his interaction with Sherlock Holmes provides the strongest point in this film and makes it what it is. The ways Watson reacts to Holmes decisions creates marvelous dialogue between the two friends making Watson the alter ego of the gifted but a bit immature famous detective. One of the very good films of the year. The recreation of London of the times of Holmes is also quite of an achievement.

Romancing the Stone (1984)

Escapist romantic adventure that ultimately works

[21 December 2013]

Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas star in this romantic comedy whereby a best-selling novelist of popular romances (Turner) and an American drifter (Douglas) cross their paths somewhere in Colombia on their search for a precious stone (diamond). Dany DeVito also stars as the thieving vagabond who tries to get hold of the stone as well but always something happens leaving him empty-handed.

'Romancing the Stone' is not a very complicated movie. It is an escapist adventure with some over-the-top situations taking place and with an improbable romance that ultimately works. Turner and Douglas are certainly very competent actors and they have a great chemistry together. Do not search for a deeper meaning. Enjoy the ride.

All That Jazz (1979)

A very good film

[21 December 2013]

All that Jazz is such a good film. It is about the life of an accomplished theater (stage) choreographer Joe Gideon. We see him in his professional endeavors on a day-to-day basis but also his personal life as well with his family and lovers.

Gideon is a hard-working professional unforgiving to others and also to himself and is also a very gifted one and he knows it. He is not a perfect individual (he cheats his wife) but still loves her as well as his mistress. He is a man of passion and he is aware of the fact that we have a finite time (before we die) to leave our mark on this life.

Roy Scheider gives the performance of his career in this film. The final song 'Bye bye Life' and choreography (10 minutes before the closing credits) that Gideon 'sees' in his bed in the hospital is captivating.

Pitch Black (2000)

Pitch Black is such a big surprise

[9 July 2013]

Pitch Black is a sci-fi adventure with strong horror elements.

We initially see a spaceship crashing on a remote planet due to a malfunction. The survivors include the notorious (but wrongly accused) convict Richard B. Riddick (played extremely well by Vin Diesel) his guards and several other travelers, entrepreneurs, a father and his sons in search of a better life. The planet appears at first uninhabited but soon the survivors discover human-made installations but no sign of life. Eventually they come to the conclusion that the previous occupants had to abandon the planet for some unexplained reason.

Pitch Black is clearly a film that takes certain elements from the 'Alien' trilogy, especially the presence of extraterrestrial specie(s) that attack humans. There is also a considerable drama and tension here between the actors. Richard B. Riddick is a multi-faceted character whose ability to see in darkness and survival skills prepare him better and help him to assess the dangerous situations much sooner than anybody else. The other survivors have to work together with Riddick in order to make it through and escape. The exploration of the planet (at least near the crash site) was also very nicely shown.

This film was a big positive surprise for me. It was also a very good introduction of the Richard B. Riddick character that we saw again in the more ambitious but less satisfying 'The Chronicles of Riddick' in 2004.

Quest for Fire (1981)

The quest to survive: a movie, not a documentary

[4 July 2013]

The precise path of the evolution of the human societies is not known, especially during the Stone Age period (about 10,000 BC) which predates the historical periods of written documents or other findings that can reveal details on society rules and norms, judicial system and commerce.

This movie provides a glimpse in the endless quest of man of Neolithic age to establish his livelihood and place within nature. In those times fire must have played a big role: it helped to cook, forge tools and weapons for hunting and self defense against predators or other tribes.

This film is about the quest of three tribesmen who belong to a northern cave-dwelling tribe. After losing their sacred fire they set out towards the hotter and more fertile southern plains in order to recover and bring back another fire. This journey is very dangerous since they have to avoid natural predators, other tribes with cannibalistic diets and certainly the elements of nature e.g. bad weather, ragged and inhospitable terrain with limited food supply.

I enjoyed very much this film keeping in mind its speculative character. No one can say what it was like in those times but let's not forget: this is a movie, not a documentary.

The Road (I) (2009)

A powerful film (but too dark)

[4 July 2013]

The film is based on the novel 'The Road' by Cormac McCarthy and stays loyal to its source.

Civilization as we know it has collapsed. Trees and natural resources are dying (for some inexplicable reason), organized society exists no more and humanity faces extinction due to famine and violence. We follow a father and son's journey towards the coast. They walk in cold weather along a deserted road making sure to avoid groups of armed bandits and cannibals who scavenge for fuel, food and humans to kill.

I do not share the author's bleak and pessimist view of the world of the day after. I would like to think that McCarthy's motivation for 'The Road' is more like a warning, namely to show that if society goes down the cliff then there is no turning back. Only perhaps those that can carry the 'fire', as the father explains to his son, can change things.

Season of the Witch (2011)

Not bad. Not bad at all.

[3 July 2013]

Two veteran knights disillusioned with the endless wars during the Crusades decide to return back to Europe and live a peaceful life. Unfortunately the situation back home is not as they expected: the war effort and the plague have destroyed the economy increasing superstition and despair.

On their return they are recognized and they are threatened to be imprisoned as deserters unless they volunteer to help local authorities and the church. Their task would be to bring a suspected 'witch' to a Convent in order to receive a fair trial from the monks and absolution for her 'sins'.

I liked the film. It is certainly not the 'Seventh Seal, (1957)' of Ingmar Bergman (a more philosophical and better film which dealt with a similar subject) but I really think it is not just a mindless adventure. The knights are portrayed very well being product of those times but also with a good deal of cynicism and skepticism towards the situations they face.

Se7en (1995)

This is a great film.

[29 June 2013]

Se7en has a lot of things going for it: A talented director and two among the best American actors of the past 20 years (Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt, the second at the start of his career). Furthermore, the plot is interesting enough: two detectives (Somerset and Mills) the first just before retirement with his much younger colleague try to resolve a number of murders perpetrated by a serial killer somewhere in a north American city (looks like Philadelphia but could be Chicago, it does not matter).

I think the strength of the movie lies with the interaction of these two characters who are so different from each other and see their job from very different perspective. Both are very good professionals but Mills is more ambitious and sees the murders as a puzzle to be solved and does not spend much time trying to understand the killer's motivations and mindset. Whereas Somerset is more resigned and perhaps pessimistic about the efficiency of the police force to fight and contain the evil of the serial killer and the crime in a big metropolitan city like the one the action takes place.

Finally, I thought that the movie tried to impose a visual style, e.g. The way of showing detailed images of crimes and torture that made me feel uncomfortable at times. If the director's message is that crime is bad because it looks 'bad' visually then I have some reservations.