Change Your Image
Everett-Ulysses-McGill
Reviews
The Limits of Control (2009)
No limit for aesthetics
In my opinion Jim Jarmusch is developing to the star of abstract film. Although if he does it not in such a unsettled way for example Lynch does. But he also left behind a perplexed audience. Also in this new work in which the viewer get the possibility to make own interpretations and analyses. The speechless Isaach De Bankole get an inscrutable order from an intransparent Spanish speaking principal. And even if our protagonist don't speak Spanish it seems that he absolute understand the meanings of the Spanish mottoes he's confronted with by having contact with his meetings the whole movie. Jarmusch shows in this movie his appreciation for aesthetic and his role as a style icon, too. The stage design with his forms and colours and also Jarmusch's sense for outstanding film locations makes you breathless. Especially is that he construct his atmosphere basically with fixed cameras and actually extreme reduced camera work. But this is at least also nothing new about Jarmusch as the mono-/dialogues few and far between but because of that very rich in content. This film is typical Jarmusch and because of that a must for fans of his work.
Blood Simple (1984)
What a start from the Coen-Brother's!
A really good debut of this two film-all-rounders. For me a mixture between "Fargo" concerning the narrative style and the atmosphere, and "Miller's Crossing" regarding the characters and their relationships to each other. Also the journey into abysmal characters of human beings allow unsettled parallels to "Fargo". A astounding attractive Frances McDormand in her first part gives her film character tender-hearted veracity the whole movie. And at least the legendary soundtrack accompany the film intoxicating and also make him that what he still is: The pathfinder of the independent-film. A must-see for all film fans!
Following (1998)
You don't need much money to make a great movie!
This is what Nolan makes clear by creating this film. His low-budget-production who costs just nearly 6 000 dollar is more than a lovely evening entertainment. Those one who liked "Memento" would love this work. The subtle narrative style is similar and also different. You can follow the plot easier but it's still confusing, too. Hints who are given guide you in a blind alley or put you off the scent. The story of the unemployed author who spy on other people become a great atmosphere because of the black-and-white filming. This style especially helped Nolan to fog the character of the disingenuous Cobb. Nolan also adumbrate his talent to make the audience get a feeling with the protagonist without letting him get to close to the character. But also work out a difficult personality. This movie about the fantasy of voyeurism and the unforeseeable results is a must-see both the interested viewer and the film-noir-fan.
Salami Aleikum (2009)
A fresh story with good ideas
The first 10 min. and then at some points in the movie, he reminds me on "Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain", but why should this masterpiece being the only film in his special genre. The movie make remembrances of human life's, wishful thinking's or scenes who were made in other types in a related way J.P. Jeunet goes. The director did a great job I think. Especially his manner to play with stereotypes. The way a lot of German people see the Arabic people in our country is the way Ali Samadi Ahadi let the German people react on the love story of a German and a "persian". "You can't marry a Arab!" - so funny, and in this way he show us our double entendre. And in the other way he let the Arabic descended family have prejudices against the former GDR. This juggling in combination with social themes and this refreshing special "Amélie Poulain"-style makes the movie very great for people who like movies like the cited or maybe "Luna Papa", too.
The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008)
The Day the creativity dies
I can't explain how disappointed i was after watching this "thing". Keanu Reeves (one of the best actors in present, and nearly always acting in great movies). And the great story, who was filmed so awesome in the fifty's. But what was that at least? I must had know, that this can't be a good movie from the director, who makes a horror classic like "Hellraiser" to a joke. He really missed every moment to make a good movie. No association with the characters. How bad the scene was as Klaatu decides to rescue the humankind... I feel nothing! And that's because of this "16-year-old-talking-and-behavior" child. Why? He showed us in "The Pursuit of Happiness" that you can feel with him. And this "invasion"...awful! The whole meaning gets lost... He could have been showing such impressive pictures of our planet to get a feeling for the complex of problems, who are so real in our days. But nothing! The spheres landing in the jungle, you only see it coming down to the ground...and that's it. The only animals you see are little snakes , frogs and other little creatures. No lion, no elephant, no animal you get impressed for, but that could have been so important to get a feeling for the movie. But maybe exactly this points who makes me sick are the special interpretation of Mr. Scott Derrickson. I unusual seen such a unmotivated and boring movie...
The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994)
A special view at the theme.
This is such a authentic movie! And that means that you don't see the hole movie the transvestites abscond from there plaguers. You don't must be scared that every moment someone comes up and kill ore hit one of the main characters, like in "Before Night Falss". You could be concentrate on their life's and feelings. Not to show the typical daily discrimination or volition to describe the reasons to become a transsexual, that makes this movie exciting. Cause the film show scenes from their childhood, but this flashbacks playing exactly with that stereotypes of describing transsexuality or homosexuality (if you have a look at the scene with the (father?) of "Felicia Jollygoodfellow"). The gathering with the aborigines is such a great symbol! Two cultures who are so foreign from the western civilization come together, accept each other and have fun together. Awesome! "Tick's" child at least show the way everybody should deal with transsexuality or homosexuality in his heart-warming appreciative kiddy impartiality. Treat it as something natural. At least it's so great to see Weaving and Pearce in this parts and the soundtrack is also super.
The IT Crowd (2006)
"I'm disabled!"
Does anybody work in a concern? "The IT Crowd" give you the answer: No! The hole day the three main characters get in trouble or strange situations or made themselves ridiculous. The two IT's are shown in such a stereotype way as unsettled and lonesome underdogs that you must feel with them every time. Especially if they get in trouble without their own fault, or better with no purpose and thats nearly always. Some episodes are a sequence of unfortunate actions from the characters. And exactly that makes the slapstick humor in this series and also give the great British humor with nearly no tabu and even the slapstick.
The Dark Knight (2008)
Nolan at it's best!
This is definitely the best Batman ever (also if I say this after every single part, except Schumacher's trials). It's so impressive in what awesome way Nolan broach the issue of the theme 'good and bad'. He shows the option of a good person to choose the bad or the good site and also the choice of a bad person to decide between the good or the bad in different ways. And another interesting point is that Nolan reveal this theme in the person of "Two-Face" in the movie and in that way create a famous character in the middle of the movie and let him expire till the end of the film. His handling with Batmans heroism is also exciting. He extract it in such a special way! Batman become that what Gotham needs, not what Gotham require to keep Batman as a superhero. By watching "The Dark Knight" with this background make this movie the next step for Nolan to be the best director in present and get the next level after "Memento" or "Insomnia". At least I must mention that the cast is also very great. Ledger as The Joker, Oldman as Det. Lt. Gordon, Freeman as Lucius Fox or Christian Bale are definitely the best actors for this special parts.
Bis neulich... Live in Berlin 2004 (2004)
Great cabaret
Forget any political cabaret you seen before. This is such more straight and ruthless than anything else. He don't be careful about his audience and exactly that makes him authentic. And what makes him different to the other cabaret artists is that he makes approaches for our misery, in a very funny and soooooo imaginative way. Pispers humor and his talent to juggling with words is brilliant. His brain concerning statements of politicians and other official people is amazing and that makes it possible to expose the unbelievable lies of them. There are only a few reasons who makes Pispers the best cabaret artist in present.
Guest House Paradiso (1999)
I don't wanna sleep in "Guesthouse Paradiso"
This is maybe the best slapstick-movie I ever seen. The first ten minutes I'm laughing without breathing. The movie seems to be senseless, but try to watch out the many references to other movies. The poor people who visit "Guesthouse Paradiso" are very unfortunate, but sometimes I can feel with the director of the Hotel, too. The good old dark British humor as it's best. It don't must hide behind "Death at a funeral" or other movies like this. So if you like to watch people fighting till the end, physical and psychical, or laugh about senseless and maybe bad tasted sketches, than watch it. And be prepared for a end who blows you away!!!
Be Kind Rewind (2008)
An awesome homage to making movies!
This movie make a glance on our film-society of today. He hold up a mirror to us and take a look at what are the roots of film making. How is a modern video store appointed? In my country there are maybe 50% porn movies, 20% action or horror movies, 25% Mainstream and nearly 5% legendary movies. Exactly this makes the movie show me in his funny way. Jack Black and Mos Deaf as funny simple-minded human beings try to make their accident right and in that way exactly hit the mark. This movie on the one hand motivates to use your own creativity - going out and make your own films. On the other hand makes clear that video stores like "Be Kind Rewind" are still fighting against Goliaths, hopefully with a sling and as well with us who going to support such treasures like those video stores. After all this movie is some kind of tragicomedy, even if you must laugh nearly the whole movie.
Samurai Chanpurû (2004)
Great!
I'm not a big fan of anime and this kind of music that is played too. But this is such a great symbiosis of these two types. The story is also very funny. The two fighters want to kill each other but at least they always fighting together against the evil. It's very interesting which hints are given about the present in the Japanese historical fighting scene - the change from historical culture to modern lifestyle - however the style of "Samurai champloo" is very ancient. And I don't remember in such a good kind of end that makes you feel to watch the next episode and after that the next and the next... Well done! I don't know if there are better animes. Maybe. But this series makes you addicted. So to anybody who's sceptical about anime and hip-hop (south-american kind in this one I think)...
********* go try and watch it!!! *********
Herr Lehmann (2003)
A different view at the Fall of the Wall!
***********************May contain SPOILERS!!!*******************
Mister Lehmann is 30 years old and lives in Berlin. He works in a tavern and like his life although nothing special happened in it. But then he felt in love and his life seems to change. But she don't know if she loves Lehmann or if she only be in love. His best friend, at least he think he is, get more and more depressive. "Kristall-Rainer" seems to be a cop and he realize more and more that he's felt in love. And all that happened in the time nearly the Fall of the Wall. This movie shows this historical time from a simple point of view of a simple human being and, that's important, in West Berlin. So slight and funny hints ("why do people in the east need a world clock?") and so deep senses of the characters. Awesome! Christian Ulmen seems to become a great actor, unless he is at present! Lehmanns lethargic moral conduct paired with funny dialogs makes a bizarre and hilarious spirit. The best German comedy in the last years beside "Lammbock", also if this movie can't be pigeonhole.
Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005)
In according to "Citizen Kane" and "All the President's Men"
This movie is about the campaign of Senator McCarthy against the bad communists and the fight of CBS-journalists against his witch-hunt. It shows in a straight and at the same time also very difficult modality the stony way up to the truth. Today it's very difficult to believe that this is possible in the media scene of the USA in present (but that's my personal point of view as an non-American) and as well in many other countries, too. The movie shows in a real good wise the conflict of interests by finding out an uncomfortable verity and also the problem to make a established truth. Clooney did a great job as actor and director as well and the monologues of Edward R. Murrow are awesome. Ray Wise showed that his best work is always stand out in a crowd by playing a broken man (if you remember Twin Peaks). Only Jeff Daniels vulnerable the gravity 'cause i always must think about "Dumb & Dumber" (but don't take this to serious, it's my own funny feeling by watching this movie). All in all a very lovely movie which gives an deliver insight the work of critical reporters and their difficult activity, also if it had not really something in common with the real story of Senator McCarthy.
25th Hour (2002)
Such a real good movie!
This is such a nice movie, because it's so far away from a mainstream-movie, what Spike could have been made out this stuff, too. The movie shows the way of a man (well played by edward norton) into jail. But the special is, that you don't see his criminal career or his time in prison and in fact of that it isn't a gangster movie or something like that. Maybe it's like "Dead Man Walking", the story is focused on that special situation, not on the way he get into scrape. This movie shows the whole essential meaning of getting in jail. What is the reaction of the parents, how does his wife feel and what are true friends? How is the emotional situation of the future jailbird? Those different feelings are shown in such a sensitiveness, that you can feel pity of any character who's described. A MUST-SEE!
Inland Empire (2006)
A little bit much "lynch"
I'm a big fan of Lynch and I'm the last one, who said that he isn't the most important director in present. But in my opinion the movie is a little bit overloaded.
Of course, it's the typical surrealism in a next step of perfection. But for me it's not really better than 'Mullholland Drive' or 'Lost Highway', maybe it's an attempt to exceed this last perfect movies.
The art of movies in Lynch's understanding is better represented in this two movies, i think. The opinion, that movies should be something like music and in fact of that give different feelings and understandings and directions of interpretations for the observers.