dimitriscisse Reviews

Detachment (2011)

The meaning of life : detachment

[8/10 · 8 April 2016]

First of all, you want to know if this movie was enjoyable and watchable movie . In whole, we see the efforts of a substitute teacher to try to manipulate the manners of unethical kids . I don't know if the situation that is shown in this movie responds to the reality but if it does then it goes without saying ''God bless America''. Because this lifestyle is starting to adopted in my country, Greece . Kids must not only assault the teacher but also offend him. Mr Barthes is very decisive and knows how to react in these situations. Adrion Brody acts like he was being a teacher for several years.

As it mentioned before , we see the efforts of Mr Barthes trying to help and at the same time teach his classroom. So he helps a raped slut that is very young and takes him to his house in order to take her after. Mr Barthes is firstly an altruist and not a conservative teacher who doesn't care about his class. Furthermore he helps Meredith who is a victim of offensive language from their students because of her beauty.

Suddenly we see the difficult job of a teacher. These two, Meredith and the whore are sticking in Mr Barthes life without worrying about the future but only for the present. ''What should I do later?'', ''Is Mr Barthes keep me in her house forever?'' , ''I believe that Mr Barthes loves me''. These are the thoughts of frustrated personalities that they don't have anyone in their life to encourage them . All they need is some moral support and someone just to listen them.

Nowdays everyone is very stressed and they don't spend time with their children. For many they don't even care about their future . They are just ''mouths to need to be fed''. I see the prejudices and the doublethink'' To be nice I must be thin''.'' To attract girls I must be working out'' ( I don't know that girls thinking sorry ) . Is this what is called sense of life? Of course not. The sense of life is determined by the choices you do. If you do the right choices you will be happy , if not you will be sad. And that is expressing clearly on the dialogue of Dr Doris Parker with one student whose dream is to play in a band after graduating and doesn't even care about school .

The resolution to this is that teachers and only teacher considering that the most parents don't really care must lead students ''seize the day''. The fact that they are school is itself remarkable considering that in another countries they don't have teachers . An uneducated person ,these days , is a thing that is being used from everyone . And the worst is that he cant really react to the mistreatment who is living because when he had the chance to learn things he reacted to his teachers when the teachers , the good teachers, are the only one that they care about the future of the new generations.

Black Swan (2010)

Before you see this movie:

[8/10 · 25 March 2016]

Black swan for me was an outstanding film. It was about a young ballet dancer who takes the leading role of black and white swan. Only that what happens in the scenery seemed to become true affecting Bella's life.

So the title says before you see this movie I recommend you to be alone ( without your parents I mean ) because some scenes are very weird and might thrill you. Also you must attend this movie not for the artistic side of ballet because you might get bored but from the social angle. This movie shows the reactions of people when they get a leading role and how anxious they are because they fear the replacement. Nina feels like that , she is very introvert and she creates with her mind situations that herself would like to be just like the love scene with her friend which Bella thinks that she tries to take the leading role of black swan using unfairly means.

Nina is feeling all this pressure from her mother and her teacher. I believe that her mother is envying her when she takes the leading role. On the other hand when Nina had taken all the previous supportive roles she stands up her. So I conclude that her mother is an hypocrite ,arrogant person who in the whole movie pretends an old star of ballet when at the same time she had never taken a leading role instead of her daughter.

For the end I just want to say that Nina hasn't conscious of her actions. '' She felt it and it was perfect''. The combination of applauding and these words it was a really success just like the general sense that black swan creates you.

8½ (1963)

Watching Fellini for first time

[7/10 · 16 March 2016]

To begin with I want to declare something. I don't know yet if this movie is a masterpiece or garbage. So I will tell you my opinion about this film and I hope that I will conclude with a decision .

First of all the movie is about a famous director in Italy who is coming up with a new movie. Then he gives his synopsis of his movie in a critic to assess it and he tells him that is awful and the characters are dark and confusing. Thus he suggests him not to direct this movie because he will destroy him career and the director goes by.

As a matter of fact I can say that Fellini was undecided about 8 ½ and he tries to show his thoughts. Fellini is impersonated by Guido Anselmi. We can see the behavior of people in the decade of 1960. I am glad to see that the cinematography has been evolving since then comparing with my country that never developed at the same level.

The other thing I want to discuss is that : Fellini is a left or right- wing?. He endorses the role of church ,especially catholic church, about the excessive lifestyle of pure that faithful need to follow in order to go to the ''Paradise''. I can see from this movie that Fellini was intellectual and too front from his time. The way that thoughts emerge from his film is fantastic. 8 ½ is a film that will make you think things. As a matter of fact we can see Guido's producer caring not for the quality of his scenery but only money. Fellini disapproves this and he is positive to quality cinematography and not the commercial in which the one thing that cares everyone is how many tickets will be cut.

Fellini's love for circus is obvious. The last scenes were very good taken and I understood that circus keeps director in a good mode. Even if he ashamed on the reporters and his film will not be done he doesn't lose his amusement of circus.

So, in the end, you will ask me : ''Is Fellini represented by Guido? '' The answer is yes. I believe that Fellini decided to direct this movie just to show his thoughts and the in whole the general statement that predominates in the decade of '60.

Finishing I want to inform you that Fellini was in Christian democracy which was a political party with right – wing ideas. Despite this in this party belonged both right and left – wing people. Moreover DC characterized by factionalism and by the double adherence of members at the party in which a very important role was playing the affect from individual leaders who the majority contributed both ( right and left – wing ) ideas.

Ghost World (2001)

Improper under 18

[7/10 · 10 March 2016]

This movie: ''Ghost world'' was a very good and nice movie. It reminded you the years when you were on school and the casual and lazy behavior as a teenager who is ready to become adult. Rebecca wants to become independent. She wants to leave away from her parents just like the most teenagers. Also I found out many differences between America and Greece. In Greece , my country , teenagers aren't so eager to go work . The ideology that exists here is that children must study at university first and then they will work with ''dignity''. Also I saw that Enid's father was very tolerant and he gave her the chance to decide for her future instead of my country . Here, parents decide for their children future and they impose their decisions . If the children react to this properly studying then the situation will be OK but if they don't then they are pressured from their parents to find a work to live. I can say that in America there isn't the same misery which there is in Greece. The pattern that all children follow is work marry children work and death. And this is supposed to describe LIFE. Enid is a different character . She is unconventional , she doesn't want to follow the same path , she feels the injustice that there is in society . When she reacts to that she becomes a ''foreign'' person that needs to be excluded from society . She tries to find a purpose in her life , a person that might have the same interests with her and this person is Seymour . I can say that Enid is an arrogant person because at the same time not only can compromise with the society but she doesn't want to study at university to get a major role in her society trying ,with that way , encounter the way that things are. Enid once mentions that wants to kill her self and I believe that this confession marks her whole character. She is a frustrated person .her mother has died , her father wants to marry the hateful stepmother . She is confused , she doesn't know what she wants ( scholarship for art class) and I believe that typifies all the teenagers of her age that are at the same situation or a similar one. I believe that Enid has psychological problems because when you are thinking suicide , when you are talking to old men its not a normal behavior but a divergent one . On the last scene Enid left with the bus . Is this means that she wants to do a new beginning or she has bored her life next to her father and she cant deal with the ''bad'' and suspicious society ? This up to you.

Cinema Paradiso (1988)

Cinema paradise : what a wonderful movie

[9/10 · 2 March 2016]

Cinema paradise was one of the best movies I have ever seen because in Toto I saw my self and secondly was a very touching movie that made me look back and think different things about my life.

Tornatore combined humorous elements with the nostalgia for the past. The one thing that I want to complain is the character of Elena was poor acted. She is a daughter of a rich father who removed in the small town of Toto because of her father's job. I wanted to see her not only refusing Toto's love but she should act like she is ''detesting'' him . We mustn't forget that is a postwar period and then riches and poors were 2 different worlds which it was unacceptable to mix them . Elena's father didn't show the anger because her daughter fell in love with Toto.

Also Tornatore didn't show how the relation between Toto and his sister and mother grows. Did Toto feel some anger for the cruel behavior of his mother? I saw only his sister at the beginning of the movie saying that he won't come again to see them even if Alfredo has died. Also I believe that Alfredo reminds the director a person who had a close contact with him and he might affect his whole career by showing the way and the choices that he should do. Alfredo was like that father that Toto wanted to have.

After seeing this movie I had to asked my father if the situation was like that in my country Greece. He said me yes. Just like Spain people centering to see a movie with a humorous and relaxing mode . After their work they knew that going to cinema will have some rest there by laughing, sleepping and more. Each one of them he is trying to rest as he wants that makes tragicomic states because the children of the small town are making fun of them.

Cinema paradise was a movie that responds in the requirements of reality and this makes it much better because Tornatore showing the simple things of life ( love , poorness ) created a masterpiece without displaying something excessive and extreme.

The White Ribbon (2009)

Great imagination Hanecke

[7/10 · 29 February 2016]

So, starting my word with , I want to say that ''white ribbon'' is a movie about a small town of decade 1910 . Director wants to show how the relations of people formed by the happenings of strange facts. Michael Hanecke indicates who's responsible for them : the children of the town or the doctor with the midwife? I will explain to you why I believe that both are. The children live in a strict disciplined, religious, society . They seem to manage to get over with it but the conservatism of their parents sample their patience . So when they are starting to feel isolated they react with different ways. Clara cut the neck of the bird , they drop baron's son in the river and someone bites his hand. I must say that the kid's of poor locals farmers react to the rich and comfortable Sigi because they feel that they are inferior of him. The question which creating is can the children do things like these happened in the small village of our story? Hanecke shows the indignation of children but he indicates what children can do ( for example when Clara cut the neck of the bird). The other suspects are doctor and midwife. The school teacher who is the narrator of our story indicates that these two might have a connection with the death 's wife of doctor. Doctor has sexual behavior with her daughter . The teacher said that Clari's eyes have been wounded them by the doctor and the midwife. The question is who put the wire on the doctor's house and he fell from his horse? Was it midwife or the children? Generally this movie like Hanecke's movies doesn't give you free and easy answers but he wants to make you think, to make you imagine things just like the end which is an open end .Clearly answers are not given and I like these kind of movies because they make you search for the answers and think how your life would be in 1914 . Would you have been able to live in an environment like that ? For Baron's wife, I don't think so and I believe that Hanecke gave so much freedom of her . Don't be free thinker Hanecke ,women didn't act like that especially the wives of rich people. The shot in black and white is very good idea because Michael wants to transport you in a cruel society of 1914.

Anyway very good movie

The Hunt (2012)

Similar to Lars Von Trier or better?

[8/10 · 23 February 2016]

Thomas Vinterberg similar to Lars Von Trier? Jagten ( the hunt) was a movie about a person that lives in a community who tries to prove his innocence about a charge. Clara sees in Lukas face the ''real '' father or better the father that she wanted to have. Thomas Vinterber doesn't show clearly the bad connection between Theo and Clara. For me the problem was that this ''lie'' from Clara that Lukas showed her his willie was too fast and surprised me . In addition, this unclearness lifted if we consider that Thomas (director) wanted to show the way people act when they want to expel a person from a community. The thrown rock and the man with the carbine who shot Lukas was not one person specific but the society which doesn't forget about the category had given to Lukas. Furthermore Thomas shows the way societies work. I want to insist in this because this is the main idea of this movie. Everything that disturbed a society wants to expel this because thinks that this person is responsible for the bad process of her. Also I wanted to see how Lukas managed to become again part of his town and how people introduce him . Because to conclude with the scene with the carbine means that more things than once had become but Thomas skipped them . This director is very similar to Lars Von Trier . There is a difference that must be said. When Lars wants to sock the viewers he shows something extreme . Thomas Vinterberg managed to sock us with the scenery of Jagten because no one expected that Clara would say that thing that she said. And furthermore no one expected that people of his town who know Lucas for many years will react like that way . That's the extreme and this is the reason that Thomas reminded me Lars . Lars wants to attract the viewers by showing scenes extreme instead of Thomas who surprises us from the basic structural of his movie (Clara said that unbelievable lie and locals believed her because '' children always say true'' in contrary to Lucas who is a teacher and an adult with a son. Incredible and socking point of view!!

American Psycho (2000)

Crazy Or Not? You Decide

[7/10 · 3 September 2015]

American psycho: what a well-aimed title for film! This film does not concern at all the history of PatrickBaitman, a perverted person at most of you. Patrick is narcissists and is becoming o a symbol of all humans. Really , how many from you have not thought the same for their competitors. Simply into this point enters the mental factor that appears in the film in order not to misunderstand the director. Patrick stops acting like a person but behaves as an animal, he tries to exterminates his enemies and he dominates. Patrick is above everyone. Money determines the relations of persons in this film. The Film moves between fantastic and real.The director excellently has attributed fiction verisimilitude

while we are watching the conflicts that happen in our hero: leave his instincts to guide him or to rein? The more times first predominates but with Liz didn't kill her . Sadistis and schizophrenic is Patrick no because ''kills'' in his manner women but because he imagines that really kill them. The film remained in the middle because the thoughts will not be late becomes action! However Patrick isn't like the other murderers who have sense what they do. Tragic is that he does not have sense of his actions. he imagines what would want him shelf to become but alas social reality bounds him, he feels oppressed and the imagination is the best medicine in these circumstances, however his imagination is sick or no? Maybe he is afraid to know the true love and resorts to the market love? Or he just abominated his girl because she blatantly showed that she had relation with other man and in consequence he adopts such a behavior of the women? It is a film very searched, See it!

Brothers (I) (2009)

This is a good movie but...

[7/10 · 23 July 2015]

The film was enough good. We watch the history of family four-member with father military and uncle(brother Tommy) released. I liked a lot the interpretations of actors, however the direction was mediocre. The director did not show perfectly the attraction between Grace and Tommy. "I wanted focuses more in the force of love and that the life is continues afterwards the "" death" 'of Tommy in Afghanistan. Many viewers are disturbed because of this line : ''You are just mad because she would rather sleep with uncle Tommy than you! '' by Isabelle,the daughter of Sammy. However in the all duration of film you would realise that director accomplished to show the intelligence of Isabelle especially. She is 12 year old, it has sense of space and it begins to understand the people, it is unprompted sometimes and perfunctory but I like a lot her character because he portrays a 12-year-old child without idealization. The film could be still better if they unfolded all them in bigger time and if the director didn't show to us immediately Tommy who was captive and he focused in relation between Grace and Sammy? Imagine how many big would be the contrast for the viewer who would have tied up Grace with Sammy and from the other it would feel pity for Tommy. Also Grace doesn't realizes rightly her role as a mother. She hears her girl say such a embarrassing thing to her father Tommy and she does not speak.I understand that she would preferred this thing and her:sleep with uncle Tommy because I consider the silence as acceptance. Of course is a other void that I realize is that Isabelle is sad because her dad leaves but in 2-month doesn't cry at all while she understands his absence? In general it was a very good film, the only disadvantage is the limited time. See it !!

Would You Rather (2012)

Would you rather see this movie or no?

[7/10 · 29 June 2015]

First of all I should say that the film was unexpected good. The interpretations of actors o were enough good particularly Jefrey Combs and Britany Snow.I consider that the script was that helped by far the enough good direction, I can say that it was innovative.This film focuses in the way of thoughts of people as well as our way of behavior to the fellowman when we found ourselves under pressure. Dr Lambrick tries to infiltrates in the depths of soul of our heroes and elects something human: the human weakness. This film is moved in human steps, it does not have super-humans, we simply have persons who try to survive.

Also the film presents masterly how people live in their everyday routine: that is to when you select something you accept also the effects whatever they are. In very general stage I can say that the film is moved in the limits of reality(life) and imagination (script) and is reducing to life presenting the two aspects (the one is given when Iris saved her brother, something which accomplishes, from the other hand the suicide of her brother gives tragicalness in her character). That's the way life behaves the most of us? They fight in order to gain and when gain something afterwards lose something else precious and all these because they committed vituperation (Iris killed Lucas in order to gains the award and also her divine factor killed her brother because she behaved conceitedly). Exemplary film that can compares with the life of each one!!

It Follows (2014)

Is this a good movie or a bad?Lets see it

[4/10 · 28 June 2015]

Initially the film has a lot of voids in the affair. Does the entity walk but can't run? The all work has been structured round erotic andventures by young persons (subject topical after all are moved round them) and presents an alternative version of the dreams of director. Also the film leaves you with inquisitively for what it will become in the end, they will survive or no and finally who the entity hunts Paul or Jay? The film is scary no because of the abrupt scenes that the most wait to see in a film of terror(there is no scary scene) but the movie is scary because of the all idea that has been structured: imagine somebody who follows you but he does not run in order to catch you at the duration of the day. This is scary!! It would be scarier if there have been strongs interpretations.