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ptylko
Reviews
Mysterious Skin (2004)
amazing
This movie is simply amazing. The acting is first-class, the script intelligent, there is a clear development of the characters and what is also very important, the movie treats pedophilia in a quite objective way without preaching or without descending into clichés. I would even say it is a very emotional and sad movie on the one hand but very uplifting and beautiful on the other.
Apart from the softness with which Araki deals with the very delicate subject of the movie there are some pretty harsh scenes. There is for example one extremely disturbing rape scene. I am not easily shocked but after seeing this scene I was holding my breath and the only thing escaping was: 'wow'.
Araki does not use clichés and his images are very strong. The story is quite realistic and touching. The beautiful music by ex-Cocteau Twins Robin Guthrie is amazing and fits in perfectly.
An absolute astonishing movie, worth seeing, but not for all ages.
La stanza del figlio (2001)
i can't imagine how this film won a prize...
I will be straightforward with all. This movie, with all the build up and in view of the Palme d'or and hailing from Italy which does have its share of good movies, is a huge disappointment.
Three reasons why, and I will be very short. 1) The acting is stiff, awful and without any emotions or talent. The only one that I could rate above average would be, surprisingly, the daughter; she plays her part reasonably well. All the others are motionless, and emotionless, a way of acting which certainly does not belong in this movie.
2) the script. The movie doesn't go anywhere. It just kinda lingers along. Nothing really happens. Now I'm not talking about exploding cars or that type of action, i'm talking about development of characters, psychological changes, good screenplay. None of that.
3) I have never seen a movie so boring that treats a subject as emotional and difficult as the loss of a son in such an unemotional and uninteresting way.
Since I don't want to include any spoilers, I won't go into too much details. The film is not worth it anyway. This is by far one of the worst movies I have ever seen, especially in view of what I had expected.