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Master i Margarita (2023)
See it. It's way better than the book. And speaks volumes about the world we live in right now.
Disclaimer first: this review is written by a Russian speaking person, who both read the book and saw the movie in their original language.
***
I came in just to rate the movie I've just finished watching - an act that makes me feel as though I'm back in the olden days, when Internet actually made sense for me. And by accident I saw a few lines of one of the reviews - claiming the movie to be pointless and stupid.
So do people change? Here's our answer: right there, in that opinion.
As here we are, almost a hundred years after Nazi Germany disaster, Stalin's Gulag, China's events etc: having our latest history in front of us and all means of studying it. And yet someone doesn't even recognise the ideas of this movie, laden in front of them so simply and in such full view. How do we expect people to be able to coherently analize the world around them then? The world that is not only more complex and less cinematographically clear, but also much more real and painfull, full of their own interests, worries and fears, both little and existential?
Spoiler alert now due for the next part:
The movie shows two people fully destroyed by the system so powerfull that the only salvation possible is in their dreams, the dreams one of them creates and the other one escapes to, and even in those dreams the only hope they muster is for the Satan to come and rectify the world himself. If you can not imagine that amount of sorrow and dispair to abondon even faith in God or Gods in the end - good for you, you've been lucky so far. But their context is clear. As is the end they come to.
***
I thought this attempt tells the story better than Bulgakov managed to: the movie opens the story up and makes it raw and painfull, but also obvious and eye-opening. Just as a good movie should.
I had my reasons to believe that: for one, it has had a huge success in Russia both among critics and the crowd, for another - I myself never really got the book, and found the people who did almost exlusively reading it as a fairytale or farce with no further meaning - now I do.
Seeing opinions like that, however, I reailise that even such a strong statement can be so utterely misregarded and misunderstood.
"They're ordinary people, in fact they remind me very much of their predecessors"
W.
Friends (1994)
Actor- and writing-wise
I enjoy Friends every time I watch them, but what I especially love is the amazing comedy of David Schwimmer. Ross is for sure not my favorite character nor does he get the best jokes, we all know who that would be, but David makes such a fabulous work with what material he's got, it amazes me time and time again! I just hope he's done enough money for a life time there, because it does feel a little bit like he has given all of his talent to the show.
My second point is actually a bit of a complaint. For the show that big it is weird how many story inconsistencies it has. There wre a lot of examples for it through out the years, but I get especially mad with ep 2 in season 7, where Ross and Monica's parents have these lines:
- I remember when we first got engaged... Well, I'd gotten Judy pregnant... I still don't know how it happened?
- How it happened? Your dog thought my diaphragm was a chew toy!
How could it happened that the whole crew of writers, no one on the set, not even actors themselves remembered that just a few years back they were telling how Ross was a "medical marvel" because the Gellers hadn't thought they could have had children?
And Then We Danced (2019)
If you like melodrama, watch this.
I enjoyed both acting and cinematography a lot, and of course the Georgian music, which is in a way the main character in this beautiful movie. As a bonus I got to see a new and interesting culture. Overall, the time not wasted, but well used.
Triple Standard (2010)
A good waking-up call
Intense and beautiful. There's not much more to say, but I wanted to leave a review because there are so few at this point.
Made me feel and explore things and ways of people who are different more than your usual movie, may be understand a bit a certain behavior I usually am simply irritated with.
A good waking-up call, that even I myself found important, while I am not a homophobic person in the least.
Romeos (2011)
Probably of interest to FtM guys
I didn't like this movie and it was difficult to watch, I actually made an effort to get through it. I guess it might be recommended to FtMs, because it shows both fight and win, and Idk if other better movies exist that have that in them.
But if you are just a casual person, this will probably make you suffer as it did me. I can not command anything at all in "Romeos", not a single acting job, not the script nor music, nothing. May be realism? That seemed to be fine to me, but I am no FtM myself, so who knows if it's even there.
Skam (2015)
There's hope
I'm not gonna review per se. Just found what I wrote after watching this show, and felt I needed to share it.
Such a beautiful final. So expertly closing all those seasons of different points of view with it.
Green Book (2018)
Great job by Viggo
Ever wondered if Viggo Mortensen could act? I know I did. Somehow he always looked like he could, but I was yet to find a movie to prove it.
And now I've got it. His performance is the jewel of this movie. Just go and see for yourself.
However, Green Book is good all over: every other actor, big parts, small parts, everything is just right.
To be honest it is so rare nowadays to see a high quality movie - at least my last movie theater experience ended up after about 20 minutes of sitting there literally boiling with anger (that was my attempt on BR) - that Green Book is something I'm quite thankful for.
Eastern Promises (2007)
Good story? No. Good acting? No. Accurate culture representation? No!
This will be in two parts:
Part 1.
OK, people, can somebody tell me why this movie has a 7.7 rating here + nominations and wins?
Anyone who sees any good in Viggo's performance here obviously haven't seen Daniel Day Lewis in My left foot or Martin Freeman in Sherlock's 3-4 season and other great actors of our time.
Anyone who feels the movie has anything close to a Story - let me ask: isn't it apparent from the get-go who is who and how the story is going to evolve? And if you, like me, saw every single turn of it coming - is it really a good screenplay?
And, lets not forget that the movie has an abrupt ending, not even giving a steady composition. The only good thing about it is it's flow, which really is nice and you can watch it in one single take, very nicely cut and leading you from one scene to another. Leading to what? To a zero, because we are left with no real ending. Was there a second part in plans? I dont care to know.
Part 2.
But like that's not enough - there's more. Let me tell you a secret now. Every single thing you see in a movie that is "Russian" - just isn't. OK, the names are.
Initially I was watching it wondering why not take Russian actors, who, just like in any country, exist, some of them incredible, some not so much, some are, but in no way they would act any worse than non-Russian actors, yet they would not be speaking in broken Russian for one third of a movie and then in a broken Russian accent for the other two thirds.
Soon enough I stopped wondering that, because when one sees how every single detail is garbled - every cultural aspect they show just does not exist or exist in another culture - one kind of stops asking questions.
No Russians call each other by the name + fathers name, never ask for the father's name when first meeting, and never would give it with a straight face, because it's just plain weird. That structure is left solely for the legal institutions and for school teachers and big bosses, and is never used in private conversations, except ironically - so watching "heartfelt" Anna Stepanovna makes anyone familiar with the culture wince. It's like meeting a Spaniard and making them tell you all of their last names as a sign of respect and special cuddle, if you know what I mean.
Not a single tattoo shown except one on the back has any meaning in Russian criminal world and no rituals like what you see exist or ever existed.
Borscht is a Ukrainian dish, it is indeed eaten in Russia - just as Miso and Tom Kha are, but it is by no means a significant part of Russian cuisine and is also never cooked the way it is shown in the movie, nor eaten without the sour cream.
Playing violin is usually considered to be a Jewish "thing" in Russia.
I could go on and on, the movie is literally full of it. But I think I have vented my feelings more or less already, so...
If you're going to watch "Eastern promises" - do not for a moment take what they show as Russian culture seriously.
Freier Fall (2013)
Incredible acting by Max Riemelt and Katharina Schüttler
As some previous reviews mentioned, the movie drags a little in the middle, and it really does seem this could have been fixed by introducing Kay's background a little - we basically know nothing about him up until the end.
Still, it is a great movie, much more down to earth realistic than majority of stuff coming from Hollywood (I would not agree, by the way, that it's paseé - I actually suspect there is quite a lot of such stuff going on everywhere). One of the best things here is the credibility of the main protagonist, who evolves throughout the movie and who's truth and struggle we witness and can relate to easily.
While I watched "Free Fall" initially because of Hanno Koffler, who's brief appearances made "Summer Storm" such an entertaining movie (again, I'm not the 1st one here who had this same reason, which shows how impressive Hanno is there), Max Riemelt's work in "Free Fall" is beyond praise, as is Katharina Schüttler's.
So, if you are into actor's art - go see this movie, it is absolutely amazing.
Ausente (2011)
Powerful director's masterpiece.
While Ausente obviously has less potential to be a hit than Plan B had - and that, to avoid spoilers, is just due to the nature of the story it tells - it has an interesting twist to it and Berger yet again reminds us of the things we don't usually focus on and creates perspectives that change every day life into something significant and worthy.
Berger's signature soft guidance mixed with strong acting results in a movie that sucks you in deeper than you might be ready for. That's what makes his every movie a unique personal experience.
Marco, I'm so looking forward to your next film!
Strapped (2010)
If you want to turn it off in the middle - think once again
O-kay... I hadn't read any reviews prior watching, so for a blank page like me
THAT was a torture to watch. I don't know if its done for a reason. It could be - that's what I thought in the end, when the main idea became clear. Anyway,
miraculously, "Strapped" turned up to be a highly rewarding movie, and while I still can't say I enjoyed watching it, I don't suppose one hour and a half is too high a price for what you get in the end.
Thank you, Joseph Graham. That was truly a pleasure when a maze turned into a labyrinth.