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Reviews
Nuovo Cinema Paradiso (1988)
Great stuff!
This ranks as one of my all time favourites. A celebration of the cinema and of life, Cinema Paradiso is beautifully crafted and one of those rare few that manages to touch on so many global themes (while lesser films struggle to find any theme). A coming of age film about (among other things) friendship, family, love, loss, war, religion, and politics, set against the rugged beauty of the Sicilian countryside, Paradiso transports the viewer effortlessly to that place, as if we had lived there all our lives.
Like Hallstrom's "My Life As A Dog" and Robert's "My Fathers Glory", Tornatore has surrounded his protagonist with quirky characters in perfect balance; i.e. the kinds of people-you-know, and people-you'd-like-to-know. This alone makes it the type of universally transferable movie everyone can enjoy. But for me, the masterstroke was Toto's love of movies. This added another more subtle level to an already well rounded flick. Of course the Paradiso was a metaphor for change/progress, a symbol of community spirit, etc. However, to try and analyze this film too much would be doing it a supreme injustice. It is simply a beautiful piece of cinematic history, a film for all true movie-lovers.
The Karate Kid (1984)
You know you liked it!
Okay, it was the 80's, and its quite chic to say how terrible that decade was for movies, clothing, hair, etc. But c'mon, Karate Kid was a good film. It didn't break any new ground (or any ground for that matter) but it was lots of fun. Avildsen's love for "underdog/outsider" movies may have been his downfall, but like "Rocky" before it, Karate Kid had me cheering (figuratively) for Larusso by movies end.
"It's a cruel....., cruel summer," and if you found yourself humming just now you are an 80's child, and doubtless saw Karate Kid two or three times. But that's okay, Karate Kid had no depth to it, but neither did it warrant any. It is what it is, a fun, harmless, great movie going experience. And you know you had a crush on Elizabeth Shue!
Tian xia di yi quan (1972)
Classic Kung Fu!
This is my favourite kung fu movie. It has a very authentic flavour, seasoned by an eerie music score (of tradition chinese instruments, I think), and some wonderfully over-acted melodramatic moments contrasted by heavily affected comedy. Indeed, while attempting to create their own "Western" (i.e. Cowboy film) genre, the Chinese concocted a whole new animal, marked by kung fu fighting and its associated sound effects.
The story of Five Fingers of death is simple, a story of revenge (for killing a loved one) and the pursuit of the main character to master the "iron-fist-technique" that will enable him to wreak holy vengeance on his enemies. There is even a love interest, though the awkward, polite kind (found in most Chinese films of the period). The end result however is great and much more authentic than any Bruce Lee movie.
Citizen Kane (1941)
So what?
This movie has tortured film students for decades. Brilliant in its delivery, undoubtedly, but the story is boring. Yes, it changed the way films are made, and yes it has more layers than a supreme pizza, but it does not deserve the title, "best film of all time." This is a movie for film students in all their associated forms, but not for public consumption. Rosebud.