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PoloBurro
Reviews
El laberinto del fauno (2006)
Emperor's new clothes
Obviously, all opinions on film are purely subjective, but I fail to see how this film lives up to its awesome reputation.
Yes, it's nicely made, and Sergi Lopez is a fantastic super-villain, but there's little to amaze here.
It's a film of two halves, fantasy and reality, and although there are some obvious parallels they fail to converge with any purpose.
The fantasy sequences are Harry Potter meets Hellraiser. They look good but are not as visually stunning nor as strangely disturbing as you may have been led to believe. They owe more to standard fairy tales written by adults than they do the wild imaginings of children.
Interestingly, the reality sections are the more like a child's view of the civil war in Spain, where the communists are lovable heroes and the fascists impossibly evil. Perhaps this is deliberate, but if so, I can't see the point.
Del Toro's The Devil's Backbone is better in every respect, so I recommend you adjust your expectations to less than masterpiece before viewing.
Dansöz (2001)
Fantastik Turk Cinema
I don't understand the voting on this. Perhaps because this is just too far from the mainstream. It is so different to US and European movies of today, although it is perhaps closer to some of the exploitation pics of the '70s.
It is a little confused as to what it is (it mixes Russ Meyer with Benny Hill in its comedic moments and is quite dark in its more dramatic scenes), but this is part of its charm. The story is insane and almost irrelevant, the music, belly dancing and hot gypsies are the heart of this movie.
It's also extremely well made, beautifully shot, has a great cast is the sexiest film I've seen in years.
If you think Russ Meyer and Tinto Brass have their moments, then you'll love this film. Ignore the votes and get yourself a copy immediately.
Caché (2005)
Make your own mind up..
I gave this a 5 as a middle score.
But maybe I really think it's a 1, or do I think it's 10? It's for you, the reader, to decide.
This is a film about the way one deals with guilt by silence, particularly the silence of the French Nation following the death of 200 Algerian protesters in 1961.
Don't look for clues, don't wonder who the mysterious sender of the tapes is, you'll never know. Haneke (who also wrote) doesn't know.
It's not important, the important theme of this film is guilt. Maybe no one sent the tapes? Or maybe it was me? This is an interactive film that requires the watcher to add something of themselves to complete the experience.
You may find Cache a masterpiece, or meaningless, slow, pretentious trash. How can you know without sitting through the whole film? The good news is that you can find out in advance, possibly saving 2 hours of your life. Just watch the director's interview on the DVD 1st. If you find Haneke a fascinating man, you'll love this. However, if you find him a smug patronising git, Cache is not for you.