Apr
22
07
Official movie website.
Internet Movie Database link.
A very enjoyable, very well made comedy by Woody Allen. I spent the whole movie laughing and giggling. The pace is quick and the story consistent. This is pure comedy, in the style of Small Time Crooks and similar Allen movies: neither philosophy nor psychology make an appearance.
The acting is very good, including Ms. Johansson’s, my least favorite actress. Apparently she has learned that the human face has 44 muscles capable of more than 5,000 expressions, and she has begun excercising a couple of them. Besides, the role is very well suited to her.
Rating: Excellent.
Filed under Excellent, S, Romance, Comedy.
Jan
01
07
Internet Movie Database link.
This powerful film retells the history of twentieth-century Hungary through the lives of four generations of the Sonnenschein/Sors family. Religion, politics, power, commitment, love, family, serendipity, patriotism, nationalism, fear, sports, prejudice, war: a portrait of human life and death.
The individual is presented as fundamentally anchored in family, religion and principles, but at the same time subject to the whims of those in power. The interplay between each one’s abilities, emotions and ambitions, and the ever-present whirlwind outside one’s doors, is presented wonderfully.
Directed by the acclaimed István Szabó, it shows a surprising consistency throughout its 181 minutes.
Rating: Excellent.
Filed under Excellent, S, Drama, Politics.
Nov
13
06
Official movie website.
Internet Movie Database link.
One of the most enjoyable films of the year. An entertaining plot performed by excellent actors.
I have always thought that Almodovar, an otherwise brilliant filmmaker, was also a bit immature: his films tried to shock as much as (or more) than to please.
He began to grow out of this with Talk to Her, and now the process is complete. Volver is more lighthearted, but deeper and more meaningful than Talk to Her. Almodovar has matured; he films as if he has nothing to prove and the result is a masterpiece.
Rating: Excellent.
Filed under Excellent, V, Comedy, Drama.
Sep
28
06
Internet Movie Database link.
Official movie link. (Australian movie website — Disney owns this film in the US, and I won’t link to them).
Original name: “Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi”
An absolute must-see, whether you’re a fan of anime or not. The story is highly imaginative, with many twists, turns, and intriguing characters. The animation is simply amazing. Pixar, Dreamworks and Disney are mere dust in Miyazaki’s shoes.
Very briefly, this is the story of Chihiro, a little girl moving to a new city with her parents. She gets lost in a bizarre land filled with the most extravagant characters. She must escape and rescue her parents in the process. By the time the film ends you’ll feel like you, too, left this world for a while.
Rating: Excellent.
Filed under Excellent, S, Anime.
Aug
06
06
Internet Movie Database link.
Official movie website.
This is a hard film for me to categorize. On one hand, the acting is very good, the story is interesting and relevant today, and Evey, Portman’s character, is well developed and intriguing. Hugo Weaving has the best voice among actors that I know, and he doesn’t dissapoint here. The production quality is also very good.
On the other hand, I tend to dislike movies with opressive, slightly surreal, dark environments. This movie is a bit twilight-zoney. However, I was still thinking about it more than a week after seeing it, and in my book that means it was excellent.
Rating: Excellent.
Filed under Excellent, V, Action, Science Fiction.
Aug
04
06
Internet Movie Database Link.
Official movie site.
With well choreographed action scenes, agile camera work, and unrelenting pace, this movie is very entertaining. The action is up to par, and the way the impossible mission turns into a personal affair is well handled. There’s just about the amount of explosions, wrecks, high-tech equipment, flying bullets and pretty girls one would expect.
I especially liked the sequence where the bad guy is taken away from Cruise by an undercover special forces team. It’s very well executed, not too fast, and had me sitting in the edge of my seat.
Rating: Excellent.
Filed under Excellent, M, Action.
Jun
01
06
Internet Movie Data Base link.
Official movie website.
(Disclaimer: I’m a huge Woody Allen fan). What a great movie. It mixes suspense, romance, intrigue, love, infidelity, luck, murder, and serendipity into a perfect blend. The film unrolls at a slow, determined pace that lets all the details sink in while the spectator admires the great acting. (Except for Ms. Scarlett Johansson, who goes on to prove she’s the worst actress to ever mar an Allen movie. If he can’t get her to act, no-one can).
This film’s theme and dialog are very different from your usual Allen movie. I highly recommend it, whether you are a fan of his or not.
Rating: Excellent.
Filed under Excellent, M, Drama.