cloudyskye Reviews

Laura's Wish List (2005 TV Movie)

Total kitsch, but it's SALZBURG!

[8/10 · 1 January 2023]

Ever since I discovered this, I watch it every Christmas. I mean, the story couldn't BE more cheesy and Christine Neubauer couldn't BE a worse actress.

Most of the others are actually quite decent, my favourite being Floriane Daniel as Laura's best friend (and the only real Berlinerin in this effort). I almost wish Sebastian had fallen in love with her - instead of that younger copy of his sweet elderly scheming mother. Uncanny how those two look just like each other ...

Still, to me the real superstar here is the city of Salzburg. Watch this if you can't visit Salzburg in person - and if your Sound of Music DVD is broken!!! ;)

Wild Child (2008)

Rock bottom of teen films?

[1/10 · 14 November 2011]

I had to watch this with my young nieces, and honestly, it made me sick. Cliché-ridden doesn't even begin to describe this drivel. I had never seen anything with Emma Roberts before and after this certainly never will. OK, as a rule it's a hard act for Americans to compete with English actors, remember colourless Andie McDowell in „Four weddings". E. R. may be talented, well, I doubt it. She shows just one facial expression, to distract from which fact she is flashing about her skinny white legs and freakishly pointy knees. She looks totally bland and forgettable, especially in that horribly obvious blond wig in the first half, in no way prettier than her English counterparts. And since when is being a Californian particularly exotic? But the story's pretty boy falls for her almost at once, oh yeah. She doesn't even have to play hard to get, au contraire. Actually not even a better actress, say a young Jennifer Aniston, could have saved this horrible story. There is the obligatory dressing up scene – Roberts's aunt had a legendary one in "Pretty Woman", but whereas erstwhile prostitute Julia/Vivien emerged as an elegant lady, Emma/Poppy goes from spoilt brat in super-high heels to pole dancer-prostitute look-and-act-alike. I shudder when I think of the age group this is aimed at. Awful, awful, awful!

Für kein Geld der Welt (2011 TV Movie)

Sickening

[1/10 · 16 May 2011]

What a sorry waste. A bunch of clichés, rich girl back from years in Tokyo, but mind, nothing about her indicates a stay in Japan. Now she is back to Daddy's cutesy castle, but only to start working incognito in Daddy's automobile plant. Here the young hopeful handsome (not really, I could have named a few actors for real eye candy here) genius from research falls in love with her and about two minutes later they become an item. OK, it felt like two minutes. End of possible suspense curve as far as this relationship is concerned. Oh yes, and there is Daddy's new woman whom he springs on his daughter the first evening - but she is such a good woman, even the most prickly potential stepdaughter has to surrender sooner rather than later. Now we need some more plot to fill in the time, we have 90 minutes to kill, after all. Right, there's always the cheating, lying bloke high up on the ladder who is selling out the firm to the evil Americans or Russians or both? But who cares anyway. Young genius and daughter to the rescue, and we are all one big happy family once more. Bottom line: AVOID this one!!!!

Traum aus Schokolade (2010 TV Movie)

Quite a disappointment --- warning: spoilers!

[1/10 · 21 November 2010]

Perhaps I expected too much, what with handsome and likable Matthias Schloo as one of the leads, and the Bruges setting. Given the really weak story, it's up to the actors to save the day. But the heroine looked rather tired and washed out, almost old most of the time, and the love interest she ends up with is so much less attractive than Schloo's character (who turns out to be a bit of a villain). He, that is the guy who gets the girl, is supposed to be a rich, handsome and charming South American, but the part the actor would actually be perfect for is "sleazy Middle Easterner". I'm amazed to read he was born in Berlin, his German sounds rather weird. Sorry, but I can't take anyone seriously who pronounces e.g. "romantisch" like "romantich". German speakers will know what I mean. All in all, a sad waste. Schade!

A Change of Place (1994 TV Movie)

I love Budapest ...

[5/10 · 10 March 2010]

Did it strike anyone else how obviously this was made in Budapest and Hungary? Any Hungarian viewers perhaps? These film makers really seem to think it is enough to throw in pictures of a few Paris landmarks every now and then to fool viewers. They didn't even bother to remove typically Eastern European cars. In the scene on the balcony, the Hungarian Parliament building is clearly visible in the background. And the supposedly private grounds of some Marquis or other is actually the much visited touristy Budapest castle and surroundings. Just look at those windows, no self respecting French aristocrat would allow them in the home of his ancestors. Or so I hope. Also the fashion show takes place in the well-known Gellért Bath. Of course they must have saved a fortune this way. Still, partly Hungarian myself, I don't mind all that much ... :-)

Silent Night (2002 TV Movie)

Silent Night

[6/10 · 4 March 2007]

I rather liked this, having bought the DVD just based on these recommendations, although I agree with some of the reviewers in that I find it a little too sweet and naïve in some places. But then, apparently it is based on a true story, and I don't really mind swallowing a little sugariness sometimes. There is just the language issue that made me cringe throughout the film. As a native speaker of German (perhaps the only one here?) I can't agree with the reviewers who praised the actors' accents. Maybe they could impress foreigners with their very fake sounding English-with-a-strong-German-accent, but no German would ever be fooled. The only exception is Cassian Bopp, playing young Heinrich. All the others speak their German lines in a very stiff and wooden way, betraying their origins all the time. And please, is there a German who can read "Moby Dick" and "Huckleberry Finn" in the original and yet forgets to say "and" instead of "und" when speaking English? I think not. Still, I tend to be forgiving because obviously they tried their best. I'll certainly give it another chance – because sometimes a good story covers many sins.