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Reviews
La cité des enfants perdus (1995)
Movie of Lost Raison d'Etre
As a fan of Amelie and A Very Long Engagement, I thought I would give this Jeunet film a try. I should have known better, since I didn't like Delicatessen either. This movie, too, was overwrought and tiresome. Despite the occasionally engaging visuals, the story was near impossible to follow and visual excess can never substitute for a good story. I think the emphasis upon excess also made the actors, at least those who weren't required to play some hysterical prop, seem like quaint scenery. A Very Long Engagement may have worked for me because Jeunet was working from an original novel and there he could use his visual talents to create the stunning horror of W.W.I trench warfare and didn't allow the love story to be swallowed up by the visuals. I recommend that film and, of course, Amelie, to you.
Rangeela (1995)
Run from Rangeela!
This film was sorely in need of a ruthless editor, not unlike most Bollywood movies, and ran far too long. The musical numbers were too many and largely uninspired or, like the desert scene, made no sense. Additionally, Urmilla Matondkar, the star, is not a very good dancer. Rangeela was also sloppily made; in my copy, one scene was clipped before Jackie Shroff had finished speaking. While the three principal characters were sympathetically portrayed, the supporting cast, especially Mili's father and brother, was largely dreadful. For this American viewer, who has seen some powerful Indian dramas and some delightful musicals, Rangeela proved a great disappointment.
Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998)
adults adults stay away!
This was arguably the worst film I have ever seen. As a fan of Bollywood movies, I expected, if not a plausible story line or some decent acting, then at least some memorable song/dance numbers. But even these were as puerile as the characters were uniformly annoying! Not even the normally charming Kajol could save this dog. I watched my first Hindi film more than 30 years ago, while teaching school in a West African village; some of the village merchants were Indians and they would show the movies, outdoors, to the entire village. Although most of us didn't understand what was being said, the entertainment value was considerable. However, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai would not have pleased even that undemanding audience. This movie is for 12 year old girls only.
Asoka (2001)
Asoka? A shocking disaster!
This film was dreadful! The acting was uninspired. The direction and editing were sloppy. The combat scenes were laughable. Even the musical numbers were completely out of place; they looked like MTV retreads. Don't waste your time on this cinematic sin. If you want to see a fine Hindi film, rent Lagaan. In that movie, you have intelligently crafted characters that inspire you. The story line is smart and believable and the dancing/musical episodes well reflect their cultural setting. And, Lagaan will bring you to tears, unlike Asoka, which put me to sleep. The only tears shed were over the time and money wasted watching this tripe.
Excalibur (1981)
Arthur would have found this film treatment artless!
This film was a dreadful Boor! There was no discernible sense of poetry or wonderment, as there should be in a movie about King Arthur. The acting was wooden and the direction was uninspired. The music was also terribly disappointing. Couldn't the director have commissioned some interesting original scores rather than recycling Wagner and Carl Orff; Carmina Burana is based on 13th century drinking songs. The legend of Arthur deserves better. It has been wonderfully depicted in literature, from Geoffrey of Monmouth in the 12th century through Marion Zimmer Bradley's The Mists of Avalon, a contemporary retelling. Sadly, there has been no credible film version. I suggest you immerse yourself in the literature until a decent movie is made. Or read some of Richard Barber's books (e.g. King Arthur: Hero and Legend).