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Reviews
Les quatre cents coups (1959)
A true gem
A simple, lucid story which, with a lightness so natural that it almost seems unintentional, gradually unravels into a full-blown masterpiece. Tragic as the story is, it still keeps this charming, luminous allure, like a breath of fresh air in the shape of a movie. Jean-Pierre Léaud's performance is nothing short of fantastic. Yet it's exactly on his casting for the part that I would like to comment. On the one hand, the choice is perfect - he IS Antoine Doinel, he lives and breathes this part as if it were his own life. On the other hand, the lead was obviously supposed to be a charismatic actor with a charming personality, able to make the audience feel for him. And that he does incredibly well.. but in fact, Antoine-Jean-Pierre is even TOO good. He is supposed to portray a troubled boy falling deeper and deeper down the social scale, and that in reality is a way darker, uglier sight than the one we see. Léaud conveys a strange sense of well-being and invincibility even in the hardest moments of Antoine's life, which renders the movie even more "watchable", but at the expense of psychological accuracy. I also find it hard to believe as a spectator that someone as heartrendingly adorable as this child could suffer such amounts of neglect and abuse from the grown-ups who surround him. The scenes with his family who couldn't care less about him come across as slightly unconvincing at moments. It's hard to imagine a mother so cold or a father so ruthless in the face of the exceptionally charming little human being that is Léaud-Doinel. Yet it's probably this uncanny supernaturally natural charisma that gives us a sense of hope at the end of the movie and a feeling that in spite of everything that has happened at the end of the day he'll do well.
I gave it 9 out of 10, and am still in doubts, 'cos it could have been a perfect ten. Still, as great a movie as it is, I wouldn't recommend it to everybody. In a few words - pure cinema at its best.
The Division (2001)
I'm amazed by how many people actually like this show
Mediocre at its best, laughable the rest of the time. While OK when dealing with relationship issues, the show is increasingly hilarious whenever professional issues are on. Like pretty much everyone, I have seen dozens of police shows, but The Division manages somehow to shine among them all. The cops come across as persistently unprofessional, yet constantly smug, which in reality would have made any real work done impossible. But the funniest part are the criminals. I understand that 40 minutes per episode require a tight timing, but it's still ridiculous to see (at the end of each episode) the villain eagerly unveil his or her sinister plan, like they have an uncontrollable urge to tell EVERYTHING to the cops and ruin themselves as quickly as possible. So funny it's not even funny.