Perfume: The Story Of A Murderer

A lot of people I know had already seen it, but I didn't got the chance to. But yesterday I went to the library to get myself a new movie to watch, and tadaa, it was there: Perfume, The Story Of A Murderer. So last night I immediately watched it and I have to say, everyone who told me this film is very good is right. There are so many things to love. First off, it's a very accessible film and highly enjoyable for people who like the smaller indie art flicks and the more big budget blockbusters. Tom Tykwer, highly respected director and someone I've been following ever since the great Lola Rennt, does an amazing job bringing the big novel of writer Patrick Süskind to the big screen. I have to admit I haven't read Das Parfum, nor really knew what it was about. But I did know there was a boy involved who likees to make perfume of young beautiful women. And the way Tykwer brings the main character Jean-Baptiste Grenouille to life is a real feast to watch. He zooms in on noses and other objects CSI style to show how far his sense of smell reaches. The whole mise-en-scène from the setting to the costumes looks beautiful. The characters are wonderfully portrayed by the actors. Ben Whishaw does a great job at playing Jean-Baptiste, at times showing this innocent look in his eyes, which make you really care for himn as a viewer, even though he turns out to be a murderer. But knowing why he does it makes it acceptable. Also Dustin Hoffman is very charming and funny to watch as Giuseppe Baldini and Alan Rickman, who most people now as Severus Snape from the Harry Potter franchise, is very good as the concerned father. I really liked the story had a narrator and John Hurt who did the narrating did an wonderful job. He really has a nice comforting voice. I also really liked both girls with the beautiful red hair. The first girl, who is Jean-Baptiste first victim, was introduced wonderfully, following her from behind and slowly zooming in, but still too far away to touch. It really brought this mysticism on her and made the story more exciting. The setting was very large scale and fits perfectly with the story and the period it takes place. I loved how wonderful everything looked, but at the same time also looking very filthy. The film has a lot of nudity in it as well, but it is done very tastefully.

What is it about?

Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, born on a fishmarket in France, is a boy with an exceptional quality. His smell can reach further than most people's noses do. As a child he develops this skill more and more, trying to sense new kind of smells he never smelled before. His life changes when one day a beautiful girl, red hair and beautiful white skin, walks by. Her smell is divine to Jean-Baptiste and he starts to follow her. As he follows her along, eventually to her home, he sneaks up on her to smell her from up close. When the girl notices him, she gets scared and starts to scream. Trying to make her shut up, he eventually accidentally kills her. Already dead, Jean-Baptiste takes in the lovely smell of the girl corpse. But after he smelled all parts of her body he realizes the smell fades away after a while, which makes for a new objective. From then on he starts to look for a way to capture a smell and preserve it. This brings him to the steps of Giuseppe Baldini, a well known Italian perfume maker, who is intrigued by Jean-Baptiste's exceptional quality. Soon Jean-Baptiste makes a deal with Baldini. In order to get him to make compositions for the best perfumes, Baldini has to teach Jean-Baptiste how to capture a smell and preserve it. Unfortunately Baldini's attempt fails and Jean-Baptiste gets ill. Though, there is a way for Jean-Baptiste to get what he wants. In order to do so, he has to go to Grasse where they can teach him the complex craft of enfleurage. Not long after Jean-Baptiste learns of this method he gets better and starts his journey to Grasse. When he finally gets there he learns how to apply enflourage and turns into a murderer who uses the corpses of the girls to make the perfect scent which eventually saves him from being killed himself.

Final Verdict: ****1/2

This film is beautifully crafted and tells a great compelling story. The ending could probably be perceived as a bit weird turning into this big love scene, but because the film truly believes in itself and its story it excells to a higher level making everything that happens acceptable. This film is wonderfully shot and really digs into the human senses. Tom Tykwer has done an amazing job in telling this story and making it look beautiful and interesting. The characters are wonderfully played and the way the story is told keeps the film interesting from beginning to end. It's highly interesting to watch how far Jean-Baptiste goes in order to the perfect scent made of gorgeous women. I really liked this film and really think it's a film you must see. It's a really cool experience and is very enjoyable for a large audience. Hopefully I'll have the time to one day also read the novel.

Good Night, And Good Luck

This is only George Clooney's second time as a director, but as with Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind, he again, does a really good job. The film features an astonishing performance by David Strathairn, who is casted perfectly as Edward R. Murrow. I have to say this wasn't an easy film. It realy is about a serious subject. It isn't a film where you can just lay back and see how relationships between characters develop. This film really is a historical piece. The way it was handled is quite remarkable. The feeling of the work environment of CBS at that time really comes through. You really feel you are taken back into time to watch it all happen. The camerawork was great, so was the fact that everything was shot in black and white, which worked very well. I loved the smoke coming up from Murray's cigarette. It gave him a bit of mystery and feeling of power everytime he sat in front of the camera to present the latest news to the American viewers. Strathairn really resembles Murrow, looking juts like him when seen on television screnes in the background. Also the actors in smaller roles are very nice to watch. Clooney himself does a nice job as Friendly and Patricia Clarkson is mesmerizing, even though her role is quite small. The use of real footage of McCarthy fits in perfectly with the new images and really add to the story and the film's authenticity.

What is it about?

Good Night, and Good Luck tells the story of Edward R. Murrow, a CBS reporter who after some topics concerning senator Joseph's McCarthy handling of his hunt for communists, start to bring McCarthy to the forefront himself. Together with friend and producer Fred W. Friendly, Murray starts to expose McCarthy for being unfair in his politics. It's the beginning of the rise of television, but already these two man took the risk to go in against the measures taken by an highly powerful American senator. At the time their actions were being considered very controversial, they were the first to create the news instead of just report. Fortunately, their actions had great effect helping to bring down one of America's most controversial senators.

Final Verdict: ****

Overall the film was quite short. But it really gives a good view of the pressure people felt by the way senator McCarthy started this witch-hunt for communists and the rules at CBS at that period. For instance Patricia Clarkson's and Robert Downey Jr.'s characters who play a married people, but who aren't actually allowed to be married, gives face to the now old views of relationships between men and women at that time. The cast is great, at times really working as an ensemble, but with Strathairn always standing out. This film isn't meant to really entertain, even though it is entertaining. But most of all it shows this period of fear and paranoia created by McCarthy. It's a great look at this historical period, wonderfully told and directed by Clooney. This film isn't really a must-see, but it's definitely a nice and solid movie that gives a great look of its subject handled.

Lady In The Water

So I've just seen Lady In The Water. A film I was very excited about when it first came out, but which I lost a bit of interest in because of all the negative reviews. But still I really wanted to see it, because I loved The Village, which also got negative reviews. Now that I've seen it I can say the reviewers were probably right, I can understand that they've got some problems with this film, but it also makes me feel they didn't quite get Shyamalan's point. At first I thought some of the characters were kind of strange, I felt they acted a bit over the top. For instance the Chinese girl. From the beginning she is always very happy, acting almost a bit silly. But then as you come to understand that some of the characters living in the apartment complex are part of this story, this story of a girl who is called Story, and who herself is the story. She's the one who everything revolves around. She is the story's heart. As you come to understand all this you start to think about how when someone tells you a story, or you're reading a story, the way you bring the characters to live in your imagination is always very straightforward, very clear. So realising this I started to think about how the character of the Chinese girl, really acts as a character you could have read about in a book. The way she was played really brought together all those characteristics you normally read about and turn into this image of the character in your head. They always kind of appear as being comic like. So thinking about how I feel when I read a book myself, I started to understand the acting better and learnt to appreciate it more. I also have to say that I really enjoy to watch Bryce Dallas Howard. She's very intriguing and can look very mysterious. I loved her in The Village, and I again loved her in this film. She kind of scares you a bit too with her looks.

What is it about?

The story is about Cleveland Heep, the superintendent of an apartment complex. When at night he starts to hear someone's still swimming in the pool of the complex, he goes and ask some of the people living in the complex if they know who it could be. Because noone knows who's still swimming around when everybody else is asleep, Cleveland one night goes and take a look by the pool himself. The very next moment he is saved from the pool by a girl with the name Story. She says she is a Narf and came from the Blue World. Cleveland decides to take care of her and helps her to get her back to where she came from savely. With the help of a Chinese girl living in the complex he learns about the Narf and the story she's part of. Bit by bit the story starts to unravel and both Cleveland and the people living in the apartment complex learn about their bigger purpose and their part in Story's story.

Final Verdict: ***

Even though I liked the film, I didn't quite like it as much as the Village. And even though I felt I understand the meaning behind all of it, it still feels it has some flaws. The film is actually quite simple, but the way it is brought is done very nicely. I like when at the end everything comes together and that some things turn out to be mistakes made by the characters and it all happens to be a little different than they thought. This film is very interesting, because it's very reflexive. It keeps referring to itself. As a viewer you are watching a story. But the story itself revolves around a story and all the characters happen to be part of that story. So what you get is a story of some characters that tells a story about a girl who comes from the Blue World and who itself is part of a story which some of the characters from the film are also part of. So you have the characters acting out a story. The moment you as a viewer watch them they're characters from Story's story. But they're also part of the story of Lady In The Water which is telling the story of Story, a Narf. So what the movie does is showing how in a story characters are introduced and happen to have bigger meanings to the story than you expected. Also the Chinese girl each time tells a new part of the story to Cleveland, which is then acted out as he goes and look for the characters and talk to Story to figure out how he can help her. So, she's telling the story to Cleveland which is later told by the characters themselves as they come to be part of the story. All of this saves the film from being just pointless and really bad. You kind of have to look through it all to see the bigger picture. Then you will come to understand that this film isn't as bad as reviews make you believe it is. You just have to be open for it and put some effort in it to really get it.

The Big Lebowski

This has been far out the funniest movie I've seen in a long time. The Dude, how awesome is that. Jeff Bridges, I didn't know he could do this, much respect. I have to say I haven't seen a lot of films with him in it nor payed any real attention to his career. I thought he was just this old guy actor, playing a cop or loving husband, or some other of those filler-up kind of roles, with no real challenge to them. So seeing him as the dude really surprised me.
This movie is so much fun. The characters totally rock. John Goodman as Walter was flat out hilarious. The way he keeps blaming everything on the Vietnam war and his sudden bursts of anger. Crazy. And he made me feel really bad for Donny, always telling the poor guy to shut up. The dialogues are crazy good, so is the very chilled out music. And I love these stories where a regular guy gets in the middle of all these people's problems he never was part of. Reminded me a lot of The Hudsucker Proxy, which is also a very nice film from the Coen brothers.

What is it about?

The story is about Jeffrey Lebowski a.k.a. the Dude. One night the poor guy is mistaken for another Lebowski, he gets beaten up and an Asian guy pees on his rug. Feeling hurt by this act he goes on a search to find the other Lebowksi and get a new rug from him. When the guy doesn't want to give him one, our Dude decides to just take a new rug from the other Lebowski's mansion. A couple of days later the Dude gets a call from mr. Brandt, the other Lebowski's helper. The Dude is then asked to help Lebowski get his wife back who is kidnapped by probably the same guys who beat up the Dude and peed on his rug. Therefore it seems best for the Dude to make the exchange of one million dollar, 'cause those guys think the Dude is the other Lebowski. Together with his friend Walter he goes to the meet up for the exchange, but from there on things go awfully wrong. In one of his outbursts Walter decides they should keep the money and instead of giving the bad guys the briefcase with the million dollar he gives them a bag full of underwear. This makes for a lot of misunderstandings and mistaken identities for the Dude who now has to find a way to get himself out of this complicated mess.

Final Verdict: *****

A lot of witty dialogue and awesomely funny and very memorable characters makes this film a real joy to watch. There are moments I just laughed my ass off. I really like the work of the Coen brothers, they always come up with fun, fresh stories, full of originality. Jeff Bridges gave a stunning performance and really made the whole dude kind of attitude his own, always keeping his voice very smooth and cool. I had no idea he was capable to do this. The conversations at the bowling alley are priceless, as are all the scenes with John Goodman's character. This really is one of the coolest films I've ever seen. And the word dude has always been one of my favourite words, it just sounds so relaxed, love it.

The best 3 of May

After watching movies for another month, some great, some a bit crappy, but overall, totally amazing, it's time to choose the top 3 of films you must-see. All three of these films I will remember as beautiful experiences. They all are great pieces of cinema and tackle very different subjects. These three really reflect my love for cinema. May definitely was a good month, being very diverse and seeing some films from directors that can be considered true artists.

1. The Fountain

A highly remarkable experience, a great mind fuck. This really is one the most amazing films I've seen in a long time. The way it sticks long after you've watched it is brilliant. It really lingers on and makes you think of your life and life itself. Totally extraordinary and like nothing Ive seen before. All praise for Darren Aronofsky.

2. Anche Libero Va Bene

A great drama about a family coping with the absence of a mother. Wonderfully acted by both the parents as the kids. Very moving, showing characters with great feeling and depth. A tremendous debut of actor and first time director Kim Rossi Stuart.

3. Bin-Jip

Highly original. A beautiful story of two characters that don't speak, but just love. A very different film, but in a very good way.
Romantic and dreamy. A great piece of storytelling. Kim Ki-Duk has great talent. I definitely have to see more of his films.

Ocean's 13

After the first one and the sequel they for some reason thought that it was time for another one and this one had to be better than Ocean's Twelve, which afterwards the cast and crew themselves weren't that crazy about. Nowadays almost everything has to turned into a trilogy in Hollywood, therefore also the Ocean's series. So this summer they're back with Ocean's Thirteen. Gone is Europe and gone are the Julias and Catherines. Still there are Danny Ocean and his men. New are Al Pacino and Ellen Barkin, who's the new leading lady of this latest installment. I have to say I myself wasn't very fond of Ocean's Twelve either. It was fun, but the story was way too confusing. At the end you weren't entirely sure of what exactly had taken place. But it was fun and it was partly shot at the beautiful train station of the city I live in, Haarlem, which was presented though as being part of Amsterdam. With ocean's 13 the men go back to the casinos from the first film and it seems they did find back their cool.

What is it about?

Reuben, one of Danny's crewmembers, is lying in the hospital after getting unwell. The reason for his pain is Willie Bank, played by Al Pacino, who was supposed to build a hotel together with Reuben, but who decides to cut Reuben out off the deal. Fortunately Reuben has ten friends that can put up a good heist and help him out to get Bank bankrupt. The plan is to make it all happen on the big grand opening of Banks new casino. To get their revenge the team starts taking the measures to pull of this major plan. A big fake nose, some earthquakes and a highly expensive Samsung mobile phone are all part of the plan.

Final Verdict: ***1/2

This one was much better that Ocean's Twelve. The team kind of went back to their roots. The story was nice and easy to follow and the way all their little plans come together at the end is a delight, just like in the first one. The slick music was back too, which is always a feast to listen to and which adds a lot to the Las Vegas atmosphere. Ocean's 13 is hilghly entertaining and maybe even better than Ocean's Eleven. It's really a film you have to see with some cool friends. Just kick back, relax and take it all in. Ocean's 13 delivers pure fun after a hard day of work. With this one they nicely finish off the series, in which admitting, I did lose some interest. It's been a long while since the first one, so it was time to get this series over with. Ocean's 13 is definitely one of the better summer movies and turns out to be a great way to end the adventures of Danny Ocean and his crew, while secretely longing for a little bit more.

Duo Luo Tian Shi

It is only my second film I've seen by director Wong Kar Wai, but again I'm totally in awe. This man's not only a director, but a painter and the screen is his canvas. My first film of him was 2046, which I loved, but Duo Luo Tian Shi (a.k.a. Fallen Angels) I like a bit more. The film is pure magic. I loved the characters. Especially the guy who decided not to speak again and the quirky blonde who's in love with the rain. Almost all of them get to be narrators, which gives the viewer a glimpse of their wonderful thoughts. This film seems like a dream, which probably all of Wong Kar Wai's films feel like. The visuals are amazing. I love the way he switches from colour to black and white, without having to give the switch a real meaning. Also the scenes where there's fighting or a shooting taking place are done magically by kind of turning it all into a slow-motion kind of blur. I also loved the scene where He Zhiwu talks about man and woman being like water or something like that, but the whole scene was in black and white, while blurred on the edges, making the images seem like water flowing. And the way he puts his actors in front of the camera, so close to the lens as if you could see right into their minds is pure bliss.

Final Verdict: *****

This film is very beautiful. The characters all have real feelings. The cinematography is tremendously cool. It adds so much to the story. It's just about real people searching for love and themselves in this big city. It's like a long wonderful dream. I found myself dreaming away a bit too while watching. I love when a film has that effect on me and makes me think in that way. You're thoughts just wander off, just like the movie. The movie itself seems like a bunch of beautfiful thoughts brought together into one story of different people. I can't wait to watch it again some time. Hopefully the experience then will be as wonderful as it has been this first time. It's really a great piece of cinema. I can't wait to watch even more films of this man. Wong Kar Wai's truly an inpiration. I feel he kind of sees the world the same way as I do. This film feels as if it could have actally been a thought of mine.

The Station Agent

This morning I finally watched The Station Agent. I had it on tape for a couple of weeks now, but because I waited too long I kind of lost interest in the movie. But finally today I decided to see it. I'm really amazed by the beauty of it. It's this perfect little film. Everything about it is great. After the first couple of minutes I suddenly felt this rush of joy come over me, this feeling of intense fulfillment. And all of that because of the great, interesting characters. This film touched me so much. I really haven't felt about a film in this way in quite a long time. It's weird, 'cause it's just such a simple premise. It's just about regular people. Nothing big happens. But the characters are so moving, especially Patricia Clarkson's character, Olivia. And she's played so well. Patricia has this very natural way of acting. She really gave her character personality. Yesterday I watched Walk The Line and even though I liked it, I did feel it missed something. This film just has a lot of heart and it really shows. Patricia Clarkson's performance is one of the best I've seen so far. And I have to say I would give her an Oscar over Reese Witherspoon's performance any time, even though Reese was very good also.

What is it about?

The story is about Fin, who isn't very tall which is why people call him a dwarf and look at him funny when he walks by. When one day his friend dies, he inherites a little train depot across a railway and decides to live there. He soon meets a lot of new interesting people, like Joe, who owns a hotdog vendor and Olivia, a struggling painter who lost her son Sam and not too long ago went through a divorce. Soon the three of them become close friends. They make walks together and watch trains, which is one of Fin's passions. He also meets Claire, a girl who invites Fin to speak in front of her class at school, and Emily, a young woman who is pregnant from her boyfriend and works at the local library. All of the characters deal with their own struggles and soon Fin finds out, he's not the only one with problems in his life.

Final Verdict: *****

This film really is extraordinary. I knew a lot of people liked it and I knew it was something special, but I never realized I would like it so much. This could definitely be a favourite of mine which I would've never expected. It's funny, but also very sad at some times. I truly loved it. Only the ending felt kind of abrupt. There weren't any real indications that the film was about to end. And I know it doesn't have to, but it kind of came unexpected and with a film as wonderful as this one you just want to prepare yourself for the ending. You just want to be able to say goodbye to the film and its characters and the wonderful feeling you got from watching it and which you probably will not feel for a very long time. Not until the next gem of a film comes along, which can take very long. I really thought every character was very loveable, they all got their own set of characteristics and their kind of uncommen friendship feels very realistic. I loved how these characters are attracted to each other and don't mind about the way they look. They don't care that Fin is a little person. It just doesn't matter. It's not what their friendship is based on. This film is really nice. It just shows how little is needed to touch an audience when you just tell a good story. You don't need a lot of action to move people, to keep their interest. This film is truly wonderful and I've been incredibly touched by it. It definitely is a film everyone should see.

Walk The Line

I was supposed to see this movie on Tuesday, but I was so tired that I fell asleep short after the first couple of minutes. So today I decided to watch it and not fall asleep. Of course everyone has heard about this movie and so do I. It received a lot of Academy Award nominations and even landed Reese Witherspoon her first Oscar, which I have to say, is very deserved. The acting was top-notch. I loved Joaquin Phoenix's performance. He IS Johnny Cash in this movie. Just like Reese who is tremendous as June Carter. Sure you start wondering what's so great about their performances. So did I. But when you watch this film and compare those two performances with the rest of the cast, you really see the difference. For instance, take Ginnifer Goodwin. Her performance as John's wife was great, but she just didn't own the screen as Reese does. When June comes in the picture it's all about June. Reese takes away all of your attention from everyone else. Even a bit from Joaquin at some moments. I really loved the scene on the bed, just after Johnny took the tractor and drove it into the lake. Reese's eyes, everything. You got a glimpse inside her soul. That's what great acting is. Truly showing the emotions of your character and really showing you feel them yourself. Both Joaquin and Reese's eyes tell so much. And watching Joaquin during the performances of the songs is pure bliss. The way he moves, his gestures and his voice, all are like Johnny Cash.

Final Verdict: ****

Apart from the wonderful acting, the movie itself is very nice too. The story is very touching and compelling. I really liked the musical performances. After a while you really can't get the songs out of your head. I'm not a real fan of this type of music, but these songs sure are addictive. This film has a lot of great scenes which allows Joaquin and Reese to really show their range as an actor. I really liked the last scene where Johnny asks June to marry him. The acting in that scene is so honest. Really incredible. I guess this movie won't be a classic, nor a real favourite, but I definitely enjoyed it. it's a very good, solid movie.

AzuloScuroCasiNegro

I heard nice things about this film, so I thought let's go and watch this film with the very cool title. I had no idea what the story was about, 'cause I kept myself away from reading anything that had to do with it. So I wasn't sure what to expect. Seeing it today I have to say I was a little bit dissapointed, just because apparently I expected a lot more from it. But either way it was a really nice film. Cool story, sometimes funny but also very sad. It also feels kinda raw. This film isn't so much about shooting sentimental pictures, but really more about the characters and their relationships. It's a coming of age kind of film with very good used music. I especially liked one song that was performed by a friend of one of the characters. I really like moments like that. For me it gave this movie that little extra which it needed at the time.

What is it about?

The story is about Jorge who lives together with his father whom he takes care of. He finished his studies, but can't seem to find a decent job, even though he keeps applying. Meanwhile his brother is in jail where he meets a girl. She's also in jail and wants to have a baby. They fall in love a bit, but not fully. She kind of uses him to get pregnant. When it turns out Jorge's brother can't make babies, he asks Jorge to have sex with the girl, who's name's Paula. At first Jorge is quite hesitant, 'cause he already has a girlfriend. But eventually Jorge decides to do it, putting his relationship with both his girlfriend and his brother at risk. In the meantime Jorge's best friend is having some trouble with his father, who regularly visits a masseuse, but not only for the massages it seems, while also struggling with his sexuality.

Final Verdict: ****

The acting was nice. Quim Gutiérrez who plays Jorge really knows how to carry this film. The girl who played Paula reminded me of Monica Bellucci a bit, which was also very nice. She gave a really nice performance. I have to say that I kind of hoped for a film that was a little bit more romantic. This film was nice, but didn't fully work for me. It has a lot of sweet moments though and quite a few laughs. Maybe the fact that there was a short break in between, which I'm not really used to anymore, also made the experience less cool. I guess this film won't be a favourite of mine, but if it comes on TV one day I will definitely watch it again and give it another try. I think I will come to like it even more then.

25th Hour

I watched 25th Hour for the second time last night. I was very surprised, cause I liked it even more than the first time I saw it. I remember the first time that the beginning was kind of difficult to watch, 'cause I wasn't really aware of what exactly was going on, but then at the end I felt I got this great reward. Now watching it the second time I loved it from the beginning. I really found myself loving each scene and appreciate the wonderful conversations between the characters even more. The dialogue is awesome, just as the acting. Edward Norton really is one of the best actors. I always try to watch as many movies he's in, 'cause I learn so much by watching him. Also Barry Pepper gives a great performance. The first time I saw this film I was very surprised. He's just that good in this film. Watching this film is like getting a masterclass in acting.

Final Verdict: *****

The pace of the story is very nice, very relaxed. I really like that all the scenes, the conversations take long and aren't interrupted. The dialogue is so good and all the actors play very nartural. I also loved Rosario Dawson she's beautiful in this film. And together with Edwards character she makes a great couple. They're one of the most believable couples I have ever watched on screen. They really look like a real couple and act like one too. It's really nice to watch and makes me remember how nice a relationship can be, without it having to be overly romantic.
The ending to me is perfect. 'Cause you can decide for yourself what happened. This film is definitely one of my favourites, and last night I remembered why that is again.

Match Point

I finally saw Match Point last night. It's always nice when you watch a film that got good reviews and now you can finally see what's so good about it yourself. It is really a fantastic film, very intense, great development of characters. You would think all of this would be done before, there wouldn't be anything new to this story of betrayal and an unfaithful husband. But somehow Woody Allen takes it to a whole new level. The ending is full of suspense. It's greatly done. Even the great Alfred Hitchcock came to mind at some point. The film starts slowly, then at the middle everything takes its place to end with a bang. For so many times you're left unsure of what is about to happen.

What is it about?

It all starts off with Chris Wilton, a former pro tennis player who now only teaches. When Tom Hewett starts taking lessons from him they notice they both share a love for opera and soon thereafter Chris is invited to the opera house to watch La Traviata. There he meets Chloe, Tom's sister. The two start to fall in love, but there's someone else. Tom's engaged to Nola, an American struggling actress whom many man desire. Chris falls for her and the two start an affair. Meanwhile Chris and Chloe get married. And when Tom and Nola break up, Nola leaves Chris's life and he got no other choice than to continue his life with his wife. Still on his mind, he tries to contact Nola. When he sees Nola, while attending an art exposititon with Chloe and one of her friends, he manages to get Nola's phone number. Soon they meet at her place and continue their intense affair full of lust. At the end Nola turns out to be pregnant. She begs Chris to leave Chloe, but he never has the gut to. Eventually Chris makes a dreadful decision and makes a plan to kill Nola. Looking like a robbery, he kills Nola's neighbour and then Nola herself. The police contact him, but there's no proof he murdered Nola. It all seems just like a robbery. Chloe finally gets pregnant and Chris gets away clean. The guilt will haunt him for the rest of his life.

Final Verdict: *****

Woody Allen did a great job. The ending is so crazy, that you just can't fully believe this is the decision Chris takes. The writing, though, is so great, that you believe all his actions. He really seems capable to commit this murder. He's desparate, scared, and knows he screwd up. The acting is solid. I loved Scarlett's character Nola. She really goes ballistic as the whining mistress. The ending is full of suspense. It's a great thriller, very well made. A must-see.

Zodiac

Just yesterday I saw Zodiac, which is a very good, solid film. Great performances and a great story with lots of suspense. It even got a bit scary sometimes. And as for me who never gets scared by movies that's a really cool thing. Where horror movies with ghosts, doesn't scare me at all, a film like this, which is based on true events, really gave me some shivers. At one point I even thought: 'nooo don't go in there, just leave, this doesn't feel right!,' when Jake Gyllenhaal's character gets to play detective. Also there was a very graphic scene where a woman was stabbed. That one made me cringe in my seat and wasn't a nice sight. The acting in this film is great. First off Chloë Sevigny was in it, which is always a pleasure, since she is one of my favourite actresses. The characters she plays are always really nice and even if they're just small, like this one, she knows how to give the character that little extra that it lacks on paper. Her presence is always a delight, she really lights up the screen for me. Also both Mark Ruffalo and Robert Downey Jr. give solid performances. Especially Downey Jr., who kinda reminded me of Johnny Depp sometimes. He sort of had the same look.

Final Verdict: *****

Overall, it really is an excellent film. One of the best to come out this year. It's one of those movies that is so good that you don't need any new movies about the same subject matter for many years to come. This one will do just fine. So far David Fincher has made a lot of great movies. I hope he gets to make many more. This one is one of his best and maybe even a classic. See this film if you want to watch a really good movie. It won't dissapoint. Also this film reminded me why it is so much better to watch movies on the big screen.

Pirates Of The Carribean: At World's End

Like almost everyone I also saw Pirates Of The Carribean: At World's End a while ago. As for all the summer blockbusters it is probably the most anticipating one. The earlier two has been reaal box-office smashes gaining billions of dollars. But while the earlier two were very good and fun, this one was kinda lacking it. It was very long and also a bit confusing at times, even though I did manage to understand everything. Compared two the first two this one was a big dissapointent. Thinking about it right now, I don't even remember what it was about exactly. So much happened. But what I do remember is that it really felt like a the final part of a trilogy. All loose ends got finished with and the all live happily ever after. Well, beside Will Turner who is dead and has to spend his dead bringing other dead people to the underworld.

Final Verdict: ***

I have to say I kind of lost interest since the last one. But this one was even worse. Elizabeth and Will had no chemistry at all. She should have better chosen Jack. That would be way more fun. Also nothing huge happened. The fighting scenes were boring. We all saw those before. The second part had some nice fresh takes on the fighting, like with the big wheel towards the end. But this one was all the same. It could have been way better. I guess that when you watch them all at once they feel more complete and it will be a different experience. But this one didn't have enough excitement to stand firmly on its own.

Bin-Jip

Some weeks ago I woke up and decided to start my day watching this Korean movie by Kim Ki-Duk I rented, called Bin-Jip. It was my first time watching a movie by Kim Ki-Duk and since then unfortunately I haven't been able to see another one of his. But I definitely still want to see more, I've heard amazing things about him. And I really start to love Asian cinema. I really loved how Ki-Duk's style really came through. Even though it was my first film of him, I could immediately notice it. There's something so serene and at the same time mysterious about the images he presents. The two main characters don't say anything at all. Just at the end the woman speaks two sentences. But besides that there is almost no dialogue.

What is it about?

The story's about a young man who breaks into houses of people who are on holiday. He doesn't steal anything. All he does is use their things and spends some time in their house. He bathes in their bath, he eats in their kitchen, he even sleep in their beds, in their pyjama's. Then one day he breaks into this house, but the woman living there is still at home. Only her husband has left. As he walks around in her house, she just observes him. She doesn't call the police or anything. When she finally appears to him, he leaves without saying anything. He later returns and notices the woman and her husband are having some issues in their relationship. The woman then leaves with the young man and from that moment they break into houses together and fall in love. Eventually the man gets arrested and the woman has to return to her husband. While he is in jail, the man trains himself in becoming invisible so he can dissapear completely. In this way he gets to free himself from jail and the woman and he can be together again without her husband noticing him.

Final Verdict: *****

Thinking about it makes me feel really satisfied. The film is a very beautiful, different and original love story between two people. Just by looking at each other, without saying anything at all, you can just see how their relationship develops. They just enjoy each others presence. I loved that they didn't spoke a word to each other. They didn't ask any questions. She just went with him. They didn't need words to make clear to each other how they felt. This film is very special and for everyone who loves movies that are different it's a must-see.

Anche Libera Va Bene

A while ago I saw Anche Libero Va Bene at a movie theatre in Amsterdam. I was very excited to see it that day. I especially like it when an actor directs a film and also plays in it himself. And Kim Rossi Stuart did an amazing job both in directing and acting. I guess most people here haven't heard about this film. Except maybe when you're from Italy or when you really love European cinema. But anyway, I really enjoyed this film. It's very good. The acting is awesome. I never saw Kim Stuart Rossi in a film before. It's the first time I watched a movie he's in. But he definitely wants to make me see more of his films. He played his character very well. A real strong performance which blew me away. Also both actors that played his son Tommi and daughter Viola in the film are very good, especially considering there young age. They really were like a brother and sister and acted very natural.

What is it about?

The film is about Tommi, who's about 11 years old and his older sister Viola who live with their father. Their parents are separated, cause apparently the mother likes to sleep around with other men. The father takes care of his two kids pretty well, but he still has a hard time dealing with the fact the mother of the children left them. The father, who's name is Renato, seems like a very kind man, but so now and then he can get really angry over little things. For example when the house is a bit of a mess, he flips out and gets all angry with his kids screaming and yelling. Also in public he sometimes get angry, especially when it has to do with his job. Renato's behaviour sometimes scares Tommi a bit. Tommi wants to play football, but his father wants him to be a swimmer, cause he finds swimming a better sport than football. Swimming will make his little boy a real man. The film shows how Tommi struggles with the problems his family go through.

Final Verdict: *****

I could really relate to everything in this film. Like when Tommi was about to ask his father if he could go skiing with his friends. I could feel how afraid he was for asking, cause you just knew his father would flip out. And there have been many moments when i was a little kid that I had to ask my parents for something which I knew would make them mad. This movie is a must-see and could definitely grow out to be a favourite of mine. I'm very glad I watched it and still after all those weeks, I think about what a nice experience it was watching this film.