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Lacombe Lucien (1974)
Wow, another great by Malle
I gave it a 9 out of 10 here on IMDb. I don't often rate films that high. To me, there's a big difference between an 8 or 9 and then another leap to the masterpieces that deserve a 10 (and then there's masterpieces among masterpieces). I was immediately drawn into the world of this film. It's gripping, it's no-nonsense, and it feels real, and it's where people live and suffer, and I experienced it all watching.
Halfway through, I paused deliberately. It was getting very intense. I then watched it to the end. I then said to myself, I'm glad I found this film and why have I never heard of it before?
I was on a Louis-Malle spree. I was immensely impressed with Le feu follet/The Fire Within (and the acting in there). I have also seen My Dinner with Andre, as well as Au revoir les enfants, but also Ascenseur pour l'échafaud/Elevator to the Gallows. Of these, Le feu follet is my favorite, but followed by Lacombe, Lucien. What a brutal film.
Highly recommended.
Der Untergang (2004)
Engaging to Watch and (Perhaps Too) Dramatic
Second attempt at writing a review of this film, Der Untergang/Downfall, from the year 2004. I clicked on the wrong part of the screen...and so lost my first review in nothingness. Not going to spend too much time on my two cents: I think it's a solid film, and I never lost interest, quite some feat for a lengthier film. My only drawback was I thought the film was trying too hard sometimes to elicit emotion from the viewer. It was like they were going for emotional responses in a rather too obvious way, maybe for the mass audience and maybe for awards at film festivals. There was no need for that.
One example was during a scene some soldier puts a gun to his head and then pulls the trigger in a make-shift hospital, just as one of the characters in the film moves past. It was over the top. There were many such moments. As such, it wasn't so subtle. There were nice touches as well, sometimes even a little comical, as bombs dropped and those tasked with burning the bodies cowered swiftly after giving the salutes of the time.
What stands out is the acting of Bruno Ganz, as Herr Hitler. Excellent. It also looks like great attention was spent on the atmosphere and setting, and also the battle scenes. There was also a variety of story arcs.
I hadn't watched this back in 2004, when it came out. I had seen many memes of that one famous scene before, I'll tell you that. Some are quite funny, maybe not so much if your German is good enough.
In all, I don't find the film that memorable. It's actually fairly shallow. If someone 50 years from now watches this, that person might be missing some background information. The film assumes everyone knows enough about the period. Still, very little depth given, and most of it politically correct.
It was probably a big production and they usually don't offer anything new in modern times. Yeah, they look good, but that's mostly it. This is still worth it, though, mostly for the acting of Ganz. That will stand the test of time.
My Dinner with Andre (1981)
Made Me Think
I think it says something good about a film that's about two people having a conversation over dinner that I watched it through in one sitting. There is a lot of material in this film. It starts off very well already, but it's possible the film is for a niche audience only; I don't think this would fly well if shown in theaters today. No exploding cars, no superheroes, no guns blazing ... no sex scenes, steamy or otherwise. Just life and living.
I am sure I could watch this again some day (like today) and be noticing other things or thoughts or ideas. The interesting part was also that this film hit me on a personal level and it will probably do so differently on that level for each viewer.
I highly recommend My Dinner with Andre. I came across it because I recently watched The Princess Bride again for the umpteenth time; and as you know Vizzini is played by Wallace Shawn and amazingly so. I had to see another film in which he plays a major role.
I leave the philosophical analysis to others more equipped to do so. I would like to add just watch this film and experience it.
Hereditary (2018)
A Creepy Beginning and Then It Bogged Down
I thought the beginning was rather nicely done, creepy in not an overt way. It was all about weird family dynamics and the unseen. I liked that, even though I didn't know where this was going. It was promising. This culminated in one gruesome event. Afterward, the movie devolved (IMO) into a waste of my time. It was too slow and it seemed like the creators didn't know where this was leading to. If the movie had done something with that promising start, my rating would be higher. As such it is, my rating is just 6 our of 10 and the latter part of the movie is definitely worse than 6 stars. Yeah, it's all explainable, but it was not scary anymore, except for that school scene (possession). That was well done. There were too few scenes like this.
Watch Rosemary's Baby for a much MUCH better film about sort of similar stuff.
The daughter looks really weird and out of place and people would react to her differently than they did in the movie. Examples are the school party and that stuff with the pigeon in the schoolyard. The son and daughter also looked in no way like each other, even though they're supposed to be family. Maybe that's just me. Whatever. It's just a movie and in the end not a classic. The relationship between the father and mother is also crazy and to me looks unrealistic. It had not enough depth.
Have fun watching it. It's kind of disturbing. It's messed up.
A Quiet Place (2018)
Not Too Bad and Definitely Not Great
Started off well and good family dynamics throughout. Plot is rather thin and the movie relies on typical shock elements. It is an enjoyable watch, but not that tense and the monsters are fake-looking and one-dimensional. The whole story is not fleshed out. Just an enjoyable watch for one time only and I'll now investigate whether the sequel is worth my time. I suspect not, because this film also ended rather tiredly. I do think the acting is better than average. Very good use of Harvest Moon by Neil Young :)
Where did all that water come from anyway? I wasn't paying that much attention, because the movie didn't want me to, and I'm not going to watch it again. This was odd. There were a lot of clichés, too. The longer I think about it, the worse the movie becomes...
The VVitch: A New-England Folktale (2015)
I Expected Nothing, but Got Something
I was listening to a podcast by Mark Rippetoe and for some reason he was talking about horror movies. He highly recommended The Exorcist, but I've already seen that classic at least a few times. He also talked about The Witch and it made me curious, so I went to read a few reviews on IMDb or actually to skim-read them and focus mostly on review titles and the like-to-dislike ratio to the reviews that I considered are well-written by intelligent people. Many of the reviews that were glowing were hammered down by its readers. This made me very curious indeed. It's not often well-written reviews that are positive about a movie get trashed.
I watched the movie yesterday (July 2, 2021), at night. No one around. It started off well, and what I noticed was a very good eye to detail, atmosphere, language, and storytelling. I was hooked. It wasn't exactly scary, but I'm rarely scared in life and certainly not by a movie. I'd like to be disturbed, though. This movie didn't do that, I'll be honest, but I appreciated the effort put into this work. It always managed to hold my eyes to the screen. I scratched my head a few times near the ending, which doesn't work for me, but still interesting. Well, it had to end some way. It's not a masterwork.
I normally don't bother with recent movies, and 2015 is recent in my book. I usually watch movies decades old. Horror classics are also decades old, or at least those I would recommend. Classics can also be instant, but this isn't one of those. Still recommended to those who like things to build up with style and leave things to the imagination.
The Princess Bride (1987)
One of My Favorites of All Time
I watched The Princess Bride a few days ago -- again. I think I have watched it half a dozen times over many years, starting when I was just a little boy in the 80s. Each time, it remains perfect. There are very few films I'd go so far as to say are perfect. This one manages to get my stamp of approval with this one word: perfect (almost inconceivably perfect). Hence, I can't find any fault with it. Well, except maybe what if the film were longer? :) NEW! Now with hours of extra footage of the whole cast and André the Giant drinking kegs of beer and telling tall tales. Maybe additional features about fencing and climbing and pirating, or rescuing princesses, or how to become the Brute Squad. But nah, the film is really perfect as it stands.
As I watched it over the years, with much time spread in between viewings, I can also say the film always offers me something new. It's not just for children, nor just for adults; you can watch this with the whole family and I think even the dog would like it. I mean, those ROUSes will get his or her attention for sure.
Highly recommended. In the 'fantasy genre' it ranks in the top 10 easily for me. Some other films of such noteworthy caliber in the genre are, for me, The Neverending Story, Edward Scissorhands, Conan the Barbarian, The Dark Crystal... Well, The Princess Bride actually happens to be in the Top 3 for me, now that I think of it. I don't even like to terms of 'genre' this or that, but maybe for those who are looking for other fantasy films I may have pointed you in the right direction :) Have fun.
Kelly's Heroes (1970)
Funny
I went into the film without knowing what I could expect. After a while, I started laughing -- and laughing and laughing. I should have known with Don Rickles in there. Clint kept his stony face, of course :)
I thought one of the tank scenes was funniest of all, when they had a tiger nicely in view from behind, and from there things went to hell.
The film still respects the soldiers; when soldiers die in the film, there's no laughing and it ain't a laughing matter anyway. There are some obvious caricatures of Nazis, which works well, but I didn't know there were hippies during WWII. Heck, but why not? Donald Sutherland played his role amazingly. No negative vibes there, or was it waves? Hmmm. Most recent film of his I watched was The Invasion of the Body Snatchers and that was a rewatch for me. He has a whole arsenal of various films to his credit. Maybe he can do anything.
Anyway, you got to watch this film. Somehow, I hadn't seen it before. Maybe it's passed over by many critics and other moviegoers because they want to see the serious war movies only, and as such I don't remember it being recommended to me at least. Or maybe I didn't think a WWII war comedy can't be good. Recently, though, someone said Kelly's Heroes was one of his favorite WWII movies, so I followed up his advice to watch it. I don't mind watching older films. The year 1970 or so isn't that long ago anyway. The film I watched before this was All Quiet on the Western Front (1930). That one also holds up well. In fact, these films will probably pass the test of time much better than most movies in theaters today, if theaters still exist. I don't know. Where I live, these have been closed. Back when London was bombed night after night, people still went to the movies, but the times have changed. Yes, I rather watch these old movies, when people were more real and defended freedom. Even the movies were more real. Here they talk about booze and broads -- and gold! Yes, perhaps the gold makes the heart of a man beat fastest. They should have placed the gold in Berlin and Kelly's Heroes would still have gone after it, breaking through enemy lines all the way through into the depths of Nazi Germany.
The Bad Seed (1956)
Quite Interesting
I watched this film a few days ago. I had never heard of this film before, to the best of my memory. However, I was recommended to read March's Company K (a great read, BTW) and I read that the author of that book penned a novel titled The Bad Seed. While I have not read that story, I did want to watch the movie, because it was bound to be at least interesting. It was. Although somewhat dated, but not in a bad way, the film endures because of the work put into it. There are no cheap shocks or easy filler. I only found the opening music to be too overly dramatic, but it did serve a purpose after all.
The horror is not shown in any direct manner; it's psychological horror instead. This is often much more enduring. The excellent acting here by especially the girl, Patty McCormack, stands out for me and makes the film effective.
I did not particularly like the ending, but for a while I thought the film would end in another way, which I would have found much more lasting.
Christiane F. - Wir Kinder vom Bahnhof Zoo (1981)
Painful to Watch
I actually had to watch the film over a number of days, spread out in smaller doses than I usually do watch a film. I normally watch a film in one sitting, but due to personal reasons combined with the film's subject matter I found it painful to watch, too painful to go through it in one go. Don't get me wrong: this is a good film. If the film was trash, I probably wouldn't even have bothered sitting down for it, as I usually screen out films I don't consider worth my time. Other reviewers made me curious enough about this film. I had never heard of it. Sometimes, I find a hidden gem.
I found the film after listening to Here She Comes Again, a song by Röykssop. The video that went along with the music showed scenes of this film. Intrigued, I searched for it and found it.
Speaking of music, the film also features Bowie's Heroes. Good stuff.
I recommend this film.
I really would like to read the book, but the original is in German and my German is sorely lacking, even though Germany is around the corner from where I live (well, not literally). The English translation of the book is extremely difficult to find. So far, I have failed to do so. The story needs to be kept in print. It's tragedies such as this that make me want to start my own publishing house dedicated to make available information that I think needs to be out there for people.
Elmer Gantry (1960)
A Tour de Force
I would like to leave a short review of this amazing film. I watched it yesterday (on March 6th 2021), and even though the film is closing in on 2 1/2 hours, I watched it all the way through in more or less one sitting, only getting up for essentials such as food :) I find the acting engrossing and outstanding. No wonder Burt Lancaster and Shirley Jones scooped up an Oscar each.
I'm not the religious sort, so the film's subject is not one that immediately grabs my interest, but none of that matters, as every subject is interesting when given the right treatment. This film is very human and has great depth. I highly recommend it.
I just gave it 9 out of 10 and maybe only 10 out of 10s are tour de forces, but never mind. I have some minor nitpicks I won't go into.
From Here to Eternity (1953)
Beautiful Story (or Stories)
These days, I actively avoid watching new popular films or those that get a lot of awards. They have nothing to offer, except blandness and virtue signaling. However, I do pay attention to the classics, when films had story, emotion, and something to say, without being preachy. I had seen From Here to Eternity a long time ago (but not in 1953, hahah, as I am not that old) and didn't remember much from it. I think it's not much of a film for kids, and I perhaps watched it first when I was too young to really appreciate it. I think the story is beautifully crafted with much care for character building and story arcs. No fluff here, no contrived endings, no pulling of punches (pun intended). It works really well as a romantic story (stories), without being consumed with sappiness. It's a mature film. I bet this easily overshadows most films made today.
The acting is really solid. I was most impressed by Burt Lancaster. He has an immense screen presence. He carries his role like it fits him. Physically, he looks impressive, too: tall, in excellent shape, and good-looking. I just looked up some information about him and learned he had been a gymnast. In the movie, everybody smokes like a chimney and drinks, but maybe it was reflective of the times or someone paid for the ads on screen. People still looked a lot healthier then.
Not so physically impressive is Montgomery Clift. I don't know if he consciously hunched over all the time, but he always is hunched over with his shoulders hanging forward, like he carried a burden too heavy for him. Solid acting, though. His character is still believable.
Beautiful women in here as well. Back then, they could be beautiful and classy.
I think I could spend a lot of time writing about this all, but I can suffice writing it's a film to watch. I have rated it 8 out of 10. It didn't blow me away. I will now seek out other Lancaster films.
Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)
Ghastly (in a Bad Way)
For nostalgic reasons, I decided to watch this movie again. I must have seen it first as a kid, perhaps even in 1992. I glanced over some top reviews here and they were all glowing. So I started to watch it and at first some good memories came back, but this didn't last long. The atmosphere is not what I remembered; this looked rather cheap and shoddy, with rushed camera work and bad acting. I had always regarded Reeves's performance as completely ludicrous. Gary Oldman is actually the only stand-out and his make-up. Still not remarkable, though. I can't mention any good things about the movie anymore. It was actually really boring, too. More than halfway through, I quit. Two days later, I thought to myself to finish what I started, however horrible it was.
I still haven't read the novel, but I will soon. I read elsewhere that the director slapped on Bram Stoker's Dracula for easy marketing and that this is not even close to the novel and doesn't even pretend to be. I already know that has got to be true, because I've read another story by Bram Stoker a while ago and it's literary, thoughtful, and atmospheric. This movie is trash. I'd go so far to say it's of a particular type of trash: American trash. This consists of mindless action scenes, boobies, moaning women, cardboard characters, blood splashing on the screen, and it's unintentionally funny. Well, almost so. If it were a little worse, it would be comical. Clearly, too much money had been wasted, but I don't know how exactly. Probably on some big names. The sets looked fake.
Do not bother watching this. I'd like to follow my own advice in recommending go read the book. I'm reading A Farewell to Arms right now. Up next, Bram Stoker's (real) Dracula.
The Crying Game (1992)
One to Remember
A really long time ago, when I was a teen, I watched this film and I have since remembered it, but for some reason I didn't get around to watching it again. It just went into my head as a really good film and a rewatch would just confirm that even more. Anyway, years have gone by and it's not like I had forgotten it, but I also didn't think about the experience of watching The Crying Game. That is, until recently, when somehow I ran into the music theme somewhere. That made me watch the film again. It's probably even better now. The film hasn't lost anything, and to me that's a hallmark of a classic. Classics are timeless. If you haven't heard of this film, that's all right; it's not like they show this on billboards or typical recommended lists of must-watches.
La maschera del demonio (1960)
Predictable and Bordering on Comical
I'm not at all impressed with this movie. It was neither horrific or in any way original or suspenseful. At times, I wished the movie would get it over with and hurry up, and I even almost chuckled, which was probably not the intent of the creators. I did find the opening effective, though; I was hoping this mood and level of intensity was kept up or at least achieved later on again. I was, however, as I said, not impressed in the least. Acting is nothing special, the atmosphere isn't bad, but it reeks off a manufactured set.
Det sjunde inseglet (1957)
Overrated
I went into this film thinking I was now going to watch one of the world's great classics of cinema. I was sorely disappointed. The film doesn't even come close to a masterpiece, in my opinion. It's not bad by any means and I didn't pause my viewing to continue it another time, there are some memorable scenes, but what was all the fuss about? I found the opening scenes even jarring.
The scenes of Jof and Mia I think are human and ... cute? I think Bibi (Mia) was an extremely pretty woman :) The scenes with Death were also excellent. The scenes with the 'possessed' woman likewise.
I watched this film a few weeks ago. I still remember some scenes or episodes from it, which is good. I'm not too impressed with the ending, nor with the general telling of the tale.
It's not my first Ingmar experience: I have seen Wild Strawberries (1957) and also Persona (1966). Both star Bibi Andersson, but let's call that a personal interest of mine. I remember Persona as a great film, and especially one scene sticks out in my mind. I'll revisit those films and watch some other Bergman films as well. I'm not going to hype myself up beforehand; that's always a bad idea.
I'd still recommend this film, but don't think you're going to be blown away. Hey, maybe you will be, but then you won't complain...
Chernobyl (2019)
I Couldn't Look Away, but It Was Horrific to Watch
It's now early 2021 as I am writing this, but I watched this last year and it's one of those screen experiences I remember vividly. Off the top of my head, I couldn't tell you what other series I watched last year, but I was immediately pulled into this one and I think I watched all episodes within one week, trying to make the miniseries last; after all, it's only (I think) 6 episodes. They're not like chocolates, though: more like bitter pills that need to be swallowed, and their digestion takes a looooong time. I'd call it mandatory watching, although I hate anything mandatory. I highly recommend anyone watches this. Watch and shiver. There is so much in this story, many layers, from the personal human level to high-level politics and a general critique of society.
No spoilers, but you know people die. They die horribly. Even after they're dead, they're made to suffer by corrupt officials.
I was just a kid when this happened and I don't remember much from it, except I knew there was some sort of radioactive cloud passing over, but not much over where I lived, so my life went on as before, catching frogs and newts and me doing other kid stuff. If my home had been elsewhere, my life could easily have been snuffed out. People think too lightly of things that happen elsewhere and those in power don't think too highly of the truth and saving human lives. There is much to learn and much to teach others, so we can all lead better lives and keep suffering to a minimum. So do watch this.
The Andromeda Strain (1971)
Overall, Pretty Good
This time when writing a review, I have the movie fresh in my memory, as I watched The Andromeda Strain (1971) late at night yesterday. Halfway through, I got sleepy, but I pulled through and this was mostly due to the film keeping my interest. There are quite a few memorable scenes, least of which the sad scenes about the lab animals. I really felt for the rats and monkeys. Even if the virus is invisible to the naked eye, the effects on the animals was horrible. How did they do this?! I assume no animals were harmed in the making of this film, although this was the 70s and who knows what they did with the poor things back then (or even now, when no one is looking). But heck, I am no animal-rights activist and this review is not about that or about me, but I do think these scenes stand out. The human interest, such as the crying baby, struck me as less worrying. There's probably something wrong with me. The old man was kind of funny. Good thing he didn't die. (No spoiler.)
To be honest, I have seen this one many years before; it was a rewatch and it occurred to me to do this because of the current situation in ... it's now early 2021. This movie about a virus is actually a whole lot scarier than anything directly related to the coronavirus right now, but I would like for this review not to be censored or outright canned, so I'll shut up now about that.
Kate Reid has good lines in this movie; she provides comic relief. The scenes about her and the lights and what that meant was initially not clear to me. I thought the virus had hypnotized her.
The movie has a realistic feel about it, but I feel the state of emergency could have been better. The initial scenes about the village I think are most gripping, like something out Stephen King; and also the lab, which looked realistic and gave a sort of claustrophobic atmosphere.
There is a good message behind the movie, but not thickly so. No preaching here. My main gripe is with the ending; it felt slapped on and rushed.
I tend to be overly critical, but I set the standards high. I'm not often incredibly impressed. As such, my 7 out of 10 is quite a compliment anyway. I'd recommend the film. Take your time watching it, because it's not fast-paced.
Atomic Blonde (2017)
Good Music and Atmosphere
What stood out for me in this movie was the music. During watching it, I heard a song that I hadn't heard in a looooong time: After the Fire's Der Kommissar. I actually paused the movie to listen to the full song online, and then I listened to a whole bunch of other 80s classics and only then did I go back to Atomic Blonde. This tells you I didn't care all that much about the movie itself, but I sure appreciated the music and also the setting. I'm from the 80s myself. How nostalgic.
I didn't care for the story. The fight scenes were done well, however. The movie has style. Never mind that it's not believable. I could suspend my disbelief for a while.
The movie could work for you, so give it a chance. There's better out there, though.
Sleepy Hollow (1999)
Nice Visuals and ... That's About It
This movie didn't do anything for me. I was actually disappointed, because I was anticipating a very good couple of hours spent watching this. I noticed that the top reviews on this site were all positive. Besides, this is a Tim Burton film, and his Edward Scissorhands is one of my favorite films; and a few days ago I saw Ed Wood and that's a very good Burton film, too, although not on the level of Edward Scissorhands (IMO). I will say this movie looks good. Better than good actually. I must give credit where credit is due. An Academy Award went to Best Art Direction and Set Direction. To be honest, Academy Awards hold no value to me anymore, as it's mostly politics (and not my kind), but I guess the art direction hasn't yet been politicized.
A missed opportunity was that there wasn't anything done with the Dutch element of the story, except maybe the visuals (I recognized some Dutch architecture). From the start, it became clear that this movie was going to be superficial entertainment, made for the big screen. I didn't care for the story, nor for the characters. This is because they were cardboard or even illogical. Was there supposed to be a love story involved? Didn't work at all.
Ed Wood (1994)
A Fine Piece of Work
For some reason, I never got around to watching Ed Wood (the 1994 film) until a few days ago. I had heard nothing but good things about it and I think I wanted to wait until the hype died down sufficiently. Late in 2020, I thought it was about time :) Also, I saw that Bill Murray is in the film, and I think he's a good actor and I fondly remember Groundhog Day (1993). The last film I watched wherein he starred was Lost in Translation and I just read that film is from 2003. Time sure flies, as they say. Lost in Translation is a must-watch, too.
Bill Murray is a supporting actor in here. Johnny Depp stars as Ed Wood, and there's Martin Landau (Bela Lugosi), Sarah Jessica Parker (Dolores Fuller), and Patricia Arquette (Kathy O'Hara), Jeffrey Jones (The Amazing Criswell), Lisa Marie (as Vampira).
The film is both funny and sad. The comical side of it is at the forefront, but it's not a typical comedy in that it wants you to laugh and tries hard doing so. No, this is an excellent drama and it so happens to be what you yourself bring to the table. That's my two cents. In the end, I think it's more sad than anything else in the film. A really good performance by Johnny Depp, but we all know he can act. His most amazing role I consider to be Edward Scissorhands (1990).
I have no interest in watching the real Ed-Wood films. Well, they are so bad, they might be comical, so I might consider it when I'm in the right mood.
Recommended. The black-and-white is an artistic choice that fits like a glove. It even made for a fun joke about a 'red' dress.
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
Masterpiece, One of Many by Kubrick
As there are already 962 reviews of this title, I will be brief. I just now gave it a 10 out of 10 and this is upon a second viewing; my first experience of this film was years ago, and a few weeks ago I watched it again. I did not expect it was that good, but my second viewing has even made more of an impression. This is probably due to me now being much older with even more of a discerning taste. I already regarded it as a classic, but I am now more gushing (but not with my precious bodily fluids) over its strength. I can't find faults. This film is biting satire and darkly comical, too.
Watch it. Peter Sellers and George C. Scott really stand out.
The Hill (1965)
I am Impressed
I don't think I had ever heard of this film, until shortly ago. I think I only found it when I searched for something like Best Films of Sean Connery (who has sadly passed away on October 31st 2020). I got a list that mentioned The Hill (1965). A quick search on IMDb led to other reviewers recommending the film and praising it as an unknown masterpiece. Indeed, how can a film be this good and not be more widely known?
Is it because the subject matter is just too tough for the public to handle? Is it because it's in black and white and so has got to be old-fashioned or stuffy? Is it because it puts the military in a bad light? Were people disappointed this is not a James-Bond movie? Well, for whatever murky reasons, The Hill is not that known. It did win a BAFTA, though, for Best British Cinematography. It also got a Best Screenplay at Cannes 1965.
Acting in the film is all-around solid, even outstanding; Harry Andrews was awarded Best Supporting Actor by the National Board of Review, and he was nominated for a BAFTA for his role, too. He plays Regimental Sergeant Major Bert Wilson.
I recommend you watch this film. You won't be sorry.
Lolita (1997)
Excellent
I watched this film a while ago (some years, I mean) and probably watched it a second time, because it's that good. The acting is gripping and excellent. Hats off to all involved, also to Dominique Swain, who was just 15 at the time of filming. She couldn't have all that much -- if any -- acting experience at that age and then to perform like this, much respect. What I also remember is the music. Another reviewer called it haunting. That's the very word exactly. The directing by Adrian Lyne is marvelous.
In fact, I can't remember much about Kubrick's version, which I also watched, once. That says something about this film, I think. If it can overshadow Kubrick, just this once, well, it must be good.
I watched the film after reading the book, which is a classic by Nabokov.
Yes, I would highly recommend this film. It's not controversial for its own sake. Go watch it, if you haven't already. Jeremy Irons is wonderful in here and afterward I sought out other films of his. I was already familiar with him in Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995), The House of the Spirits (1993), and of course with his voice of Scar in The Lion King (1994). That latter performance is just legendary :)
Reversal of Fortune (1990)
Didn't Do Anything for Me
I haven't posted many reviews yet, and I could almost not bother myself to write this one; but I have to share my opinions on films I think are worth your while as well as those you could pass over and miss out on... This film fits into the second category, easily so. I watched this purely because of Jeremy Irons being in the film and I consider him an excellent actor, such as in Lolita (1997: Lyne) or Dead Ringers (1988: Cronenberg). However, as someone else pointed out in his/her review of Reversal of Fortune, Irons acted over the top. This being my opinion as well, my hope this film would matter to me dwindled, as Glenn Close is someone I never cared for in her films and I was not familiar with any of the other actors.
What else did I notice? Well, the film is plain boring most of the time, with characters I felt unable to relate to or admiring in any way. I am not even particularly interested in courtroom dramas; that seems to me a particular American obsession, which is why masses watch crappy legal dramas on the TV there.
I also didn't care at all for the Dershowitz character played by Ron Silver, not at all badly though. Then there's a whole crowd of minor characters surrounding him as his students and I don't know what to make of them. No, no interest there and no interesting story lines at all. I guess the director checked off some diversity boxes there, however.
I'll leave it at that.