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Alamar (2009)
Pleasant laid-back family movie
Enjoyed this totally relaxed presentation of REAL reality life. The kid, the Dad and Grandpa were great, just being themselves, but an Academy Award should go to the camera person, and to the bird (as a best supporting actress).
Could almost smell that seafood stew, yum.
Rome looked pretty boring by comparison!
Sausage Party (2016)
Extremely crude cartoon parodying politics, religion, sexual mores, etc
Utter piece of sh*t, but underlying philosophies expressed are, mostly, worthwhile. I look forward to the Brits cleaning up the script and producing their own TASTEFUL much wittier version. (Not that I'd bother watching it.)
This intellectually obscene flick was painful garbage to sit through. Only watched it out of curiosity as how just how crude some American filmmakers can be just to make a buck.
The Imitation Game (2014)
LGBT tale, not really history, but interesting anyway.
This is more a story about 'Rainbows' than about decryption technology.
Important events such as the first Bomba's developed in 1938 by Polish Cipher Bureau cryptologist Marian Rejewski and colleagues Henryk Zygalski and Jerzy Różycki were ignored, as were the contributions of the vast staff of Bletchley Park and related organizations.
Turing's role was formidable, but only part of the secret intelligence war that produced 'Ultra'. This is not a war history film, it is an oversimplified biography of Turing, a much more complex individual than the one depicted by actor Benedict Cumberbatch. Nonetheless, Cumberbatch did a very credible performance despite the limitations of his script.
Salinui chueok (2003)
Counterfeit ratings?
According to its web page, this movie has received an overall rating of 8.1, and what's more five IMDb staff have ostensibly given it an average rating of 8.3.
Horse poop. IMDb has been hacked. There is NO WAY that 68,996 IMDb users could rate this piece of junk 8.1 (unless they were close relatives of the director, which I doubt).
In fact, it's hard t0 imagine 69 thousand users watching more than 30 minutes of this pic before pitching their DVD in the trash.
The acting is abysmal. The cinematography is awful. The continuity is terrible.
IMDb mamagement, please check this out. Your service's credibility is on the line.
You've been had!
Zwartboek (2006)
Historically good, but...
Although mostly a downer, I thoroughly enjoyed this film except for one stinging implausibility: that of the liberating Canadian Colonel cooperating with German General Käutner.
After Canadians experienced Nazi 'honor' via Dieppe, Ortona, the Abbey Ardenne, the Battle for the Scheldt Estuary, and seeing the starved Dutch people, I find it impossible to believe that a Canadian officer would respect such a pre-capitulation order by a defeated Nazi scum.
Other than this incongruity, the film's depiction of the mixed and often ephemeral allegiances of a many Dutch civilians, the double-crossing by some, the idealism of others, in the nightmare vortex of Nazi occupation was certainly illuminating.
I wonder if citizens of my own country, Canada, would do any better when faced by such a tragic situation as those of the Netherlands experienced in the five full years from May 10, 1940 to May 5, 1945.
Troy (2004)
deja vu?
Hmm, after a while I sort of expected Golem to appear. But then, good actors are had to find, so you use the decent ones you've discovered over and over. Its been a while since I read the Iliad, but most of the movie seemed to be more or less faithful to Homer's plot (except, maybe, the ending). I'd particularly like to complement the set designers, those were damn functional yurts on the beach, and I don't recall seeing that many ships assembled before, even in WW II D-Day photos. Also, I liked the way that Petersen developed the viewer's appreciation of how the weaknesses and strengths of the major characters changed over the course of the movie. At the beginning I pigeonholed Achilles as a bloodthirsty status seeking dork. By the end I realized he was a noble bloodthirsty status seeking dork with a conscience. Helen of Troy's character, though pretty, didn't really ring my chimes at all. very 2- dimensional she was. But, all in all, the whole shebang was worth the price of a ticket.
M - Eine Stadt sucht einen Mörder (1931)
Still Apt
Still a great movie. Although made 71 years ago, it is nevertheless relevant in today's North American society.
It's also very intriguing for its glimpse of German society the year before Hitler became chancellor (and propagated that nation's temporary lapse into the evil barbarity epitomized by National Socialism). The characters, by and large, behave just like us, kids and adults both.
A must-see for social sciences students!
Max (2002)
not quite there
Noah Taylor looked like (and behaved more like Goebels) than AH. But I felt that Cusack's Max came off much better - as a compassionate, liberal attempted patron. The plot was ingenious, but a bit hollow. It didn't really show the evolution of the monster very well.
The setting, Munich after the Great War, was impressive. As was the costuming.
Red Dragon (2002)
So-so suspense saved by fine acting.
Excellent characterizations by Ralph Fiennes, Edward Norton and, of course, Anthony Hopkins, compensate for the mediocre plot confining this picture. And Emily Watson was especially good as a blind photolab technician, whose charm and innocence almost tames a Red Dragon. All in all, the pic is well worth the price of a couple of beers. I give it 7/10.
The Shipping News (2001)
Schlepping Snooze
In my opinion Lasse Hallström 's new movie, erroneously entitled "Shipping News", is not really based on the book "Shipping News". However, it may well be based on a condensation of the classic comic, "Shipping News", I don't really know, not yet having read the classic comic. (In fact, maybe this movie maybe just the trailer of the condensed ...?).
Perhaps it was too much to expect that the Pulitzer Prize winning story carefully crafted in Annie Proulx's 337 page novel could make it to the silver screen (no, make that grayish-brown) unscathed. But hacked to bits, and then recycled, this impersonation of the Proulx's moving story has been gouged almost beyond recognition. So much is cut out that it appears to me Hallström was just trying finish it super quick because he didn't want to get caught in the next Newfoundland storm.
One cannot lay much blame with the cast members, Kevin Spacey, Julianne Moore, Judi Dench, Gordon Pinsent, etc. who all give credible, if hurried, performances in those parts of the original story that avoided the cutting room floor.
Now that I think a little more about it, here we have a case in which the television medium would probably have served up the story better than cinema. Let me imagine how an enlightened TV producer who had actually read Proulx's tale would proceed with this project.
Firstly he'd make it into a mini-series of about four or five two hour segments (restricting the commercial breaks to the top of the hour).
Secondly, he'd recruit Steven Spielberg or even Quentin Tarantino to direct it. They'd certainly let some humor bubble up once in a while.
Thirdly, he'd have the new director restore deleted characters: Partridge, the black newspaperman who got Quoyle started as a reporter, Sunshine, Quoyle's youngest daughter who plays foil to sister Bunny, and Agnis's toothless dog, Howard, who plays a pivotal role in subtly explaining her life style. (And, although Spacey's Quoyle was pretty good, probably John Malkovitch's would be better.)
Fourthly, because Quoyle's development is really a series of episodes, the series should reflect this. And consequently, he'd make damn sure Nutbeam's riotous party, its preparations, and its aftermath, were one two hour episode in itself. Show the tub!
Fifthly, he should buy the TV cameraman some color film for the Newfoundland shots. I'm sure this is no more expensive than the dreary sepia tones that Hallström seems to have preferred, Check with the Newfie Chamber of Commerce. The sun actually does shine on some days.
Finally, if Hallström 's scriptwriter writer ever had the temerity to show up on the TV production set, the producer's security guards might, in retribution for what he did to the Proulx's story, threaten to stuff him into the nearest wood chipper.
However, notwithstanding my criticisms, Hallström 's thing he calls "Shipping News" is a passable if mediocre entertainment, but it should NOT be seen by anyone who has actually read Prouxl's book. They'd be sorely disappointed.
P.S. I really did thoroughly enjoy Hallström 's successful work, "Ciderhouse Rules".
Himalaya - l'enfance d'un chef (1999)
Anthropological visual poem.
An anthropological yet poetic glimpse of 'rural' Nepal via a story paralleling the classic American west 'cattle drive'. Very enjoyable (but the films landscapes makes one especially grateful for the existence of trees).
Safar-e Ghandehar (2001)
Beautifully unnerving.
As the film progresses, one gradually experiences the frustration of a Canadian ethnic Afghan woman in her attempts to get to Kandahar to help a desperate sister (left behind years ago when the family emigrated). Into the vehicle of the trip story line slip a few vignettes that are each microcosms of Islamic fundamentalist 'education' , the horrific results of war, culture collision, disillusionment, economic opportunism and Taliban repression.
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)
Lucas' muse?
I think Cecil B. De Mille's ghost must have been whispering into George Lucas' ear during the production of this epic. It has a cast of millions (of species). Well, Cec certainly influenced the grandeur of the sets, special effects and production scale but, fortunately, Lucas chose Liam Neeson rather than Charlton Heston for the starring role. It was a good flick - given that it is the first of the series - by the time he gets to episode six he should (did) do better. It is worth seeing, though it drags in places. The menagerie was especially terrific. I freaked out in the part among the 'goldfish bowls'. Boy, am I gonna have some real interesting nightmares from now on !
A Simple Plan (1998)
Another gruesome, exploitation of violence.
Greed overcomes altruism as a so-called good person, corrupted just a little bit, slides headfirst into an abyss of ethical depravity. One of the most disturbing films I have ever seen. Technically an 8/10, but I rated it a 4/10 because of its societal worthlessness.
Fireball Forward (1972)
This is NOT an academy award winner!!!
With a little dressing up, this movie could be served for Thanksgiving dinner. Not only is is boring, implausible, historically inaccurate and poorly directed, the best actors were the bit players (mainly because they had so few lines to say). A waste of time, even for war fanatics.
Ronin (1998)
A pseudo-sequel to "The Professional"? Not quite, but close.
A great deal of mayhem including not just the 'bad' guys, but lots of innocent bystanders (Don't sit in the front row unless you are wearing Kelvar garments). In between the killings, maimings, chases, and the emoting, there isn't much time for a plot, and none at all for an explanation of the final goal, whatever it was.