madmadmacs Reviews

The Private Life of Plants (1995)

Who can make plants so fascinating?

[10 January 2005]

Actually a lot of episodes start in the ordinary setting of any old English woods, but they seem exotic, particularly when you see a fungus in time lapse.

I saw a documentary on David Attenborough a few years ago and remember that this documentary brought a lot of apprehension amongst the producers... "But they're plants, they just sit there, and you're going to make a documentary about that?" I don't think I can name a better one. I don't think I could imagine a better one.

It's captivating from cover to cover (especially if you have the DVD version)

I even loved the theme music.

For those who haven't seen it, Attenborough shows plants to be so much more amazing than animals. They *do* move, some faster than others, they hunt, but the fascination comes in the fact that we're used to wildlife action coming on four legs, it is an alien world when shown properly, but we live in it, it isn't a fictional fantasy creation.

What a gift he has. Thank goodness for him, and for the ABC (Australian) and BBC.

SS

Amélie (2001)

Yet another comment. Perhaps it's more than a movie.

[10/10 · 22 April 2003]

In the movie Amelie herself melts into a puddle of water on the floor. I feel like that when the movie starts playing. It's the jewel of my DVD collection.

The way the movie introduces the characters is so much more intimate and frank than we're accustomed to. The detail is so well crafted that each time you see it you find new suprises.

It uses some special effects but as they were saying around it's release, their use in this movie makes special effects seem wasted on other movies.

Let's not forget the scene where we first meet the grown-up Amelie in the cafe. The camera work really brings out how stunning Audrey Tattou is.

I've heard some people say they've found it a little slow, but having seen it on the big screen I guess I get very little of a sense of that. Even those who have found it such still love it.

It doesn't matter what genre you prefer movies from, there'll be something in this movie to cheer you up I think.

I dunno.. The back of the DVD quotes something like 'quite simply perfect' and I can't imagine how a movie could be more so.