Scent Of A Woman

Scent Of A Woman is a very beautiful and touching film with a great performance by Al Pacino as the blind Colonel Frank Slade. Directed by the same man who would later on both direct and write the major flop Gigli and who also directed Meet Joe Black, a mediocre film that was a bit too long, Scent Of A Woman doesn't show any of those bad qualities director Martin Brest came to show in his later work. A remake of the Italian Profumo Di Donna and adapted from the novel by Giovanni Arpino, Scent Of A Woman feels to be standing very much on its own and doesn't feel as a remake at all. Without having seen the original I can not judge which one is better, but Scent Of A Woman is definitely a very great film and a great accomplishment. The film feels very warm. It's a drama with comedic elements. Frank its main protagonist is a wonderfully written character, who will make you laugh and some might even cry. A very strong scene in Frank's New York hotel room, shows how gifted Pacino really is. Without being really able to use his eyes, because his character is blind, he still shows so much expression through his voice and body. Pacino is a true delight. This film is all about him, even though Chris O'Donnell gives a very nice and subtle performance as well. He surprised me the most. Being an actor who after this film came to make films that overall have been far from good, he's one of those actors you heard about, but of whom you never knew why he's so well known and what got him that fame in the first place. This film therefore changed my whole perspective of O'Donnell whom I thought to be holding his own very well next to the master that is Pacino. Convincing as a 17 year old he really showed his character's unexperiencedness. Charlie is still very green, has much to learn and isn't yet able to make important decisions all by himself. O'Donnell really showed his character had still much to learn and I liked to see him be really fascinated and surprised by Frank. His emotions seemed very sincere and touching. Gabrielle Anwar who had a very small role has a very striking beauty and elegance. At first I thought her to be actress Sarah Polley. The two look quite similar. The tango scene between Pacino and Anwar was a very nice touch, which really fitted the story well and showed how rich a character Frank is. It really showed his life experience and the different sides there are to him. Philip Seymour Hoffman was nice as well as George Willis, although he too had a very small role. Hoffman always delivers a nice performance nomatter the size of his role. He is a real character actor, who's acting always catches your attention.

What is it about?

Charlie Simms, a 17 year old college student, instead of celebrating Thanksgiving with his family, takes on a job which eventually leads him to New York. Having to take care of a blind man who used to be in the army, he finds himself in a tough position. Colonel Frank Slade who he has to take care for is unexpected in character and quite a big mouth. Meanwhile Charlie has gotten himself in trouble when some boys he knows pull a prank on the school's headmaster, Mr. Trask. Having seen exactly who did it together with George Willis a fellow student, they both keep their mouth shut. However, when Mr. Trask tells Charlie he has chosen him to help get to Harvard, he finds it harder to not turn the boys in. Still he doesn't say a word and when he gets back to take care of Frank, he unexpectedly takes him on a trip to New York. At first Frank's plan seems to be a very casual made decision, he seems to just want to have a little fun. But as the movie progresses it turns out his plan is very well thought out and he came to New York for a particular reason.

Final Verdict: *****

Scent Of A Woman is a beautiful film and definitely could be considered a modern classic. It features one of Pacino's best performances and tells the very touching story between an elder guy with much life experience and a 17 year old who has still very much to learn and isn't quite ready to face the world. The film reminded me a bit of Finding Forrester (US: Van Sant, 2000), a film which stars Sean Connery, and is about an author who comes to take notice of the writing talents of a student playing basketball close to his house and whom he later takes under his wing. Besides the great story of Scent Of A Woman, undoubtedly the best thing in this film is Al Pacino. From the very first moment you hear his voice, which is the first thing we as viewers get to 'see' of him, until the very end, his performance is strong and impressive. In one of the final scenes, Pacino gives a great speech that will really move you, is very sincere and true. Before that he already showed great range during an argument with Charlie who tries to prevent him from doing something stupid. He is great in showing both the joy in his character as well as the anger, for he has to always live in the dark. Frank thinks of himself to be a very important guy, a real hotshot. His 'poowah!' shoutouts are great. Pacino is both heartwarming as funny. He gets to show everything he's made of. He is such a wonderful actor and his performance in this film is very powerful. Altogether, Scent Of A Woman is a very entertaining film and truly makes you forget it has a runtime of what at first glance seem to be a very long 157 minutes. It's a nice high quality solid drama with comedy elements, that can be enjoyed with the whole family and features a performance by Pacino that can not be missed.

Starsky & Hutch

Starksy & Hutch is a very funny film directed by Todd Philips who also directed the great Old School which also featured roles from Vince Vaughn, Will Ferrell and Juliette Lewis. Way funnier than the old TV series it's based on, Starsky & Hutch is not only a parody of the series but cops movies in general, hence the reference to Dirty Harry in one of the scenes. What the movie makes so hilarious is the way they take all these sort of sterotypes and clichés you find in the cop buddy genre and enlarge them to an extent that they become so over the top and obvious that you can't help but laugh. The movie seems to believe so much in itself and characters take themselves way too seriously which make them convincing. Actors don't play the joke and try to be funny, but approach their characters with much seriousness and let their weird habits and persona speak for themselves. Ben Stiller who plays David Starksy, for example, approaches his character like he would have done when playing in a serious film. Starky's character traits are already so ridiculous that they don't need to be made into something funny. Starsky who's the total opposite of Hutch, who doesn't care to break the rules and uses his position as a cop to his own advantage, is the one who takes his job very seriously. Stiller gives him this serious confident look on his face which make Starsky think he looks though when he actually doesn't. His bad hair and clothing enhance this. Starsky thinks he's cool when as a viewer you look at him as being one big loser who is more of an embarrassment to himself. Owen Wilson as Hutch got that laid back attitude, that swagger that makes him appealing and great as Hutch. I loved the scene where he plays his guitar and acts all modest pretending he isn't that good, even though he knows he is great at playing guitar and has a voice that will make their two hot cheerleading lady friends swoon. The story isn't all that original, but this film is more about the jokes than the story. And because the jokes keep coming and coming, it's just a joy to watch these two men go from one place to another trying to get the bad guys which makes that you don't really care what it is they're doing as long as it is fun to watch. One thing that was really cool is that the movie still also pays tribute to these classic cop movies and series, using some of the camera shots they so frequently used in those series and that are so typical to the genre. Like, for example, zooming in on Starksy when he has sneaked into Feldman's house and lurks from behind a wall to see what the guy is up to. Also it was really cool to see both Starksy and Hutch all dressed up like Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda in Easy Rider. Besides Stiller and Wilson, Will Ferrell also stars in a minor role, making a very cool appearance as Big Earl, a guy who likes to embroider and make clothes with images of dragons on them. What makes Ferrell great is that he looks like a normal guy, keeping his voice calm and looking all serious. And then when it turns out he has all these weird habits and Hutch has to bend over and do his best dragon impression, you laugh your behind off, because it wasn't at all what you expected from this Big Earl guy who's doing some time in prison. Apporaching his character in the way he does, Ferrell easily avoids falling into the trap of becoming some kind of caricature. Vince Vaughn who's voice alone cracks me up also is excellent as Reese Feldman, the bad guy with his yacht he's so proud of having. And Snoop Dogg, although his acting isn't that great, is a nice additive in his role as Huggy Bear.

What is it about?

David Starksy and Ken Hutchinson are two cops with opposite characters who have to team up after some information got spread about some big drugdeal. Bad guy Reese Feldman and his partner Kevin have apparently been able to produce a type of cocaine that doesn't taste like cocaine, but is sweet like sugar, and that is odorless so the police dogs won't recognize it. After finding a dead body lying down the road the two cops set out to invesitgate the case. Hutch who in his spare time likes to hang with some bad guys to uncover some information, makes a stop at Huggy Bear's place to find out if he has heard some word on the streets that could be linked to the dead guy. Starksy and Hutch find out about Feldman and Kevin via a card of their company that was stuck inside the dead man's wallet. They stop by to interrogate the two men who don't seem to have caused any harm and of whom Feldman is about to organise a bar mitzvah party for his daughter. Further investigation leads the two cops to two sexy cheerleaders whom they try to impress and a guy named Big Earl who's in jail and likes to do some embroidery work. While they pass through their mission they go from one ridiculous looking disguise to another all in order to get the drugs and arrest the men responsible for it.

Final Verdict: ****

Starsky & Hutch is ridiculously funny and will have you laughing almost non-stop. There's absolutely nothing in this film that should be taken too seriously. It's all done with a big wink. To me a good comedy is one that is really funny and Starsky & Hutch is definitely funny and fun. The film provides many laughs and I'm sure some scenes will have you laughing hysterically. Just like a movie as Blades Of Glory, Starsky & Hutch combines the talent of some of the best comedians working in Hollywood right now. You can see the actors must have had lots of fun making the film. The whole cast is well picked and especially Ben Stiller is brilliant as Starksy and I found him to be funnier than in some of his previous films. As Starsky he's so full of himself and he thinks he's so cool, even though he's quite the opposite. I loved Owen and Stiller in their scene where they are trying to impress the two cheerleading girls. Their chemistry in that scene, as well as throughout the rest fo the movie, is great. Starsky & Hutch is a comedy you can best watch with lots of friends, because the jokes are so great you want to tell them to your friends immediately and convince them of how great this film is and they all should see it. So what better way than immediately watch it with friends and enjoy the film together.

Closer

Both the play as well as the screenplay for the 2004 movie adaptation of Closer are written by Patrick Marber and tell the story of four people struggling with their relationships for each other. In the movie adaptation, directed by Mike Nichols, the characters are all played by very well known Hollywood actors. Because Closer originally is a play, the movie is very character driven, almost leaving no space to show beauty shots of landscapes or showing shots of characters being completely silent. Being only the second time I've seen it, at some points it does make you wonder why they adapted the play to the screen when little is done with using cinematic elements. But even though a question like this rises up, Closer does work very well as a film and a lot of films nowadays that aren't trying to be all arty, are mostly just telling stories. In Closer it's the characters and the dialogue which carry the film and the scenes follow each other very fast. It's very much an actors kind of film, who are fully given the chance to set up a character and filling in its colours. Of all the performances I felt Natalie Portman to be the most impressive, truly excelling in her portrayal of Alice. In every one of her scenes she comes off really strong. From the beginning you never feels she gives away too much of her true self. She's the one who keeps most of herself a secret and who seems to be having the most difficulty trusting people. In a way you also feel she likes to torture herself with not letting her get to close to people and keeping secrets. She's sweet but also can be very cruel in order to protect herself. Portman blew me away showing she can really transform into someone else and proved she could very well handle the character she played. Even though he did transform into someone else other than himself, Jude Law's performance as Dan kind of left me cold. After seeing him in The Talented Mr. Ripley for a second time, I don't think it would be fair to just call him a bad actor. Afterall he does show change. However I didn't like the direction he took with Dan. At the beginning you really feel Dan to be a bit stuck up, all polite, kind of soft and his accent was very present, which at first bothered me, but later on when it softened a bit, made me realise that I kind of liked that part of Dan and that it really fitted him. But then after those first couple of minutes he suddenly shows a completely different side of himself when being with Anna. I felt that whole innocent, nerdy kind of guy, was completely gone and he turned more into a guy who isn't that sincere in his feelings towards women but just likes to play games. I do understand that he tried to give his character multiple layers, but I felt he should have peeled those away more gently, instead of shedding them all at once. It was like he didn't have anything left to develop and I feel it would have been better if he let out his other side through the polite guy he was in the beginning, instead of just changing all of that at once. Towards the end I just felt I didn't really know who he was and didn't care for Dan at all. I didn't feel he showed anything. Even if he was hiding his feelings, he didn't show it. He was kind of blank and empty at most times. Both Julia Roberts and Clive Owen did much better jobs. Roberts gave a very nice and subtle performance making her character seem like a victim on the outside while deep down she was actually the worst one out of the four. As a viewer she really made you care for her, pretending she just was taken over by loving feelings and couldn't help falling in love with Dan, even though she was very aware of what she did and seemed to very much enjoy their love making sessions at her own house. But at the same time you sometimes felt she wasn't really aware of the harm she did. She just seemed to be thinking very easy about the actions she took. Sleeping with someone else didn't seem to be that big of a deal to her. Clive Owen who played Larry was perfectly cast just like Natalie Portman. With his rough voice and appearance he made himself look as a though guy who would be able to really hit women when getting mad. However, of all the characters he's the softest one. His calm voice and gestures make him look very confident and cocky, but deep down he's the one who is hurt the most and is most vulnerable. He seems to be the least fit to carry all the weight of the lies and cheating the characters endure and although he comes of as the one who's most in control of his emotions, he really isn't. Altogether these performances are very strong and take the movie to a whole new level. Because of the important role of the characters, it's a must to have them portrayed very well. Fortunately in Closer this is very well achieved.

What is it about?

Alice, a young girl from New York and Daniel, a Brit living in London, spot each other while walking down the street. Their gazes tangle and get stuck for a moment until Alice is hit by a car. Dan immediately helps her out and get her to a hospital. With no heavy injuries but just some bruises and scratches they sit talking while waiting for a doctor to show. Short thereafter they make for a walk around London town in which Dan reveals he's an obituary writer and Alice a stripper. Next Dan is seen together with Anna, a photographer who takes Dan's picture for the cover of the book he wrote. Anna who is having her own exposition very soon, seems to be attracted more to Dan than she wants to admit. They kiss even though she knows Dan and Alice are living together for quite a while since they've met. When Alice shows up at Anna's place to meet up with Dan she overhears a conversation between the two and finds out they are strongly attrackted to each other. Later on Dan is having a sexually tinted chat with a stranger on the internet and gives himself out as Anna. He sets up a meeting between the real Anna, who always hangs out at the London Aquarium and the guy with whom he was having a chat. The stranger turns out to be Larry, a dermatologist, who isn't aware of the prank Dan has put up. Coincidentally Anna is present when Larry gets to the aquarium to meet her. Even though it was all a joke set up by Dan the two start talking and become seriously involved with each other and when the four of them attend Anna's exposition she presents Larry as being her new boyfriend. However Anna and Dan seem to be attracted to each other still and set out to have an affair from that evening without both their partners knowing. Being all tangled up into this square of lovers the four have to decide how to go on with their relationships and whether to keep living lies or be compeltely honest with their partners.

Final Verdict: ****1/2

With Closer director Mike Nichols has made a very solid drama which is very well written and features great performances. Because of the central focus on the four characters all four actors get to have a lot of screen time and are really given the chance to show what they're made of and are given the opportunity to really build up their characters. Filled with emotion and complexity Closer is a treat for everyone who loves a story about betrayal and people who torture each other with telling lies and keeping their loved once on the line. The conversations between the characters feel very natural, the dialogue is smart and realistic. Each character is very well written with it's own persona and own part in this big love web. The film has a very strong structure without ever a dull moment. As a viewer you feel to be totally involved in the character's relationship with one another and taken away on their journey to battle out their way through. Patrick Marber talks about the construction of the play as being: 'something that has a formal beauty into which you could shove all this anger and fury. I hoped the dramatic power of the play would rest on that tension between elegant structure – the underlying plan is that you see the first and last meeting of every couple in the play – and inelegant emotion.' When looking at the different shots, the most interesting once came up during Alice's and Larry's meeting in the strip club Alice works in. Showing some really nice shots from different angles, the scene kind of felt like a jigsaw puzzle, showing both characters from all these different positions. One shot is even taken from the top showing the setting and characters from above, as if there was a real camera hanging down the ceiling as Alice implied there was. Music wise Damien rice's song The Blowers Daughter fits Closer perfectly both lyrically as melodically. The song is like hearing someone breath softly and felt to be standing for all the thoughts that were running inside Alice's head as she was trying to make sense of all the things the others did to her. As a whole Closer is a very nice achievement, showing four wonderfully written characters who challenge each other and who don't give away the direction they eventually are set out to take, not until the very end.

The Lookout

The Lookout is a very smart well made film that starts off slowly establishing its characters, but then runs off with full force. Actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt who plays the movie's main character, Chris Pratt, pulls off another great performance after showing he can perfectly carry a film in the earlier Brick. Giving lots of depth and complexity to his character who deals with so much pain and hurt on his inside, looking in his eyes you see both his constant torment and vulnerability. Both written and directed by Scott Frank of whom The Lookout is his directorial debut, Frank has done a great job at getting the best from his actors and writing a solid story that is translated to screen very nicely. The build up to the end is impressively good. Towards the end you really feel as a viewer you've spend a lot of time with Chris getting to know him and seeing the effects of the tragic accident from four years ago. You feel like you truly entered his life and there's a relationship formed between viewer and character. The other characters have very nice scenes as well where they get to show more of themselves and get the chance to develop, like Lewis easily does. Besides Levitt, an actor that I feel finally gets to show of a different side of him is actor Matthew Goode. The British actor who's acting career only started some years ago, pulls off a flawless American accent. Having played roles that could be considered safe and not that challenging, he was on his way to becoming more of a teenage heartthrob than a serious actor. Luckily, with The Lookout he finally gets to show off his acting chops and establishes himself as a very promising actor. Jeff Daniels, who's in the industry for a long time now, but whom I feel still doesn't get the full praise he deserves for his acting, delivers a great performance as the blind Lewis. Easily crawling inside his character's skin, he shows concernedness for Chris as an older brother would and really takes care of him, but also stays true to his character of being funny and approaching life with a big smile. In a slightly smaller role is Isla Fisher playing Luvlee, who shows affection and depth in a character that could have easily become just a pretty girl with no brains. The Lookout is a very solid film, slowly spreading out the field to plant the seeds of its story. With a very nice pace the story moves from one level to another, eventually reaching it's climax that offers you a very nice thrill.

What is it about?

Chris Pratt who works as a janitor at a bank and who also keeps an eye out to make sure the bank's vault is safe, went through a drastic change in life after having caused a deadly accident four years ago. In that accident two of his friends were killed. Only himself and his at that time grilfriend Kelly survived but both left with injuries they will carry with them throughout the rest of their life. Before the accident Chris was a great ice hockey player who a lot of fellow teenagers dreamed of being. His life seemed perfect and full of opportunities. After the accident Chris has gotten trouble remembering and getting his thoughts in order. It's hard for him to set up a string of daily events, like showering and eating breakfast, and then place them in the correct order. He also often forgets his car keys which he leaves stuck inside his car. Fortunately he always carries with him a spare key he keeps in one of his shoes, so that he won't have to get in too much trouble to get his keys back. Together with Lewis, a blind guy who approaches his life with a lot of positivity, he shares an apartment. When one night he meets Gary Spargo, a guy who says to have known Chris' older sister, he soon befriends a lot of new people, including the pretty Luvlee with whom he starts off a relationship. However when the true reasons of Gary's friendship with Chris surfaces, Chris is seduced into the dark side, eventually agreeing on his involvement to set up a heist in the bank he works in.

Final Verdict: ****1/2

The Lookout is a great achievement for debuting director Scott Frank, who gets the best out of his cast by showing great character development and tells the story of Chris with much ease, keeping it very fluent. There are very sincere scenes between characters with witty dialogue. The jokes Lewis makes are really funny. It's nice to get some real conversations in a film that could have been easily turned into a mindless action flick. The premise of The Lookout isn't all that much, but it's handled very well, thanks to the great structure director Scott Frank has put into the story. The Lookout feels fresh and really stands on its own, without giving the feeling it tries to copy other films of the same genre. The opening scene really hits you and the ending leaves you with some nice twists that increases the suspense. With Chris Pratt, Frank has created a great character who's background really explains his motifs, giving the story and its characters a lot of authenticity. Because of the realistic feel of the movie it makes you relate easier and gets you really involved. Joseph Gordon-Levitt proves again he can be a perfect leading man, always looking very sympathetic and likeable, but also reaching into the depths of his character. The Lookout is a very nice crime thriller, that starts of slow and gradually reveals its story and characters, building up to a very exciting ending.

The Devil's Advocate

Even though The Devil's Advocate has been on television a million of times, I never watched it, not until last night. Following a young couple of whom the husband, Kevin Lomax, is a lawyer, The Devil's Advocate shows Kevin's rise to succes and the mysterious happenings that go alongside it. Based on the novel with the same title, The Devil's Advocate is a solid thriller combining elements of other genres as well. There are some religious themes in it, a wife going crazy after seeing things that doesn't seem to be really there, their marriage that needs to be saved, and what it's like when you all of a sudden are part of the upper class. Even though the main subject seems to be lawyers and their work in court, this film isn't about an exceptional case that needs to be resolved like most of those films are usually about, but it's more about the rise to succes of it's main protagonist and the real reasons how he got there. Director Taylor Hackford, who's most succesful film to date probably is the movie Ray about musician Ray Charles, does a good job in telling the story and keeping it vibrant. There are even some interesting cutaways where Theron's character is seen painting the walls of her new apartment green when all of a sudden the shot is turned into a split screen shot. It's little things like that which make you appreciate a film more, even the ones that aren't that good. Keanu Reeves who plays Kevin, I felt was kind of flat in the beginning. His acting seemed a bit stiff and it seemed he was struggling to find a way into his character and give him an own identity. He sometimes spoke with what seemed to be a kind of accent, the way Charlize Theron did, but he was inconsistent in doing so. Whereas Charlize Theron did had some little flaws but overall showed her range and in my opinion shined and was the most interesting in this film, Reeves only gained some steam towards the end. Only then did he convince me and didn't he seem miscast anymore. You wonder why noone has ever told him that when you act on screen it's better not to blink too much. Pacino sure got that. He always seems to be very confident and comfortable on screen and his eyes just pierce right through you. That's part of what makes him such a good bad guy. His acting is always nice to watch. Overall when on screen he's just an fascinating character himself and maybe sometimes the feeling of making it all look so easy, is what makes you question whether his performance is really good or if he's just doing the same performance all over again. Because even though Pacino is a great actor and he has done some great roles in the past, a lot of times he also seems to play the same role in different movies over and over again and doesn't seem to add really new things to his characters. Though what makes The Devil's Advocate most interesting are its acting performances and the story which is very strong in the beginning and only starts to show flaws towards the end.

What is it about?

Kevin Lomax, a succesful lawyer who never lost one case is asked to work in New York for a firm headed by John Milton, a mysterious guy who seems to have put much confidence in Kevin. Together with Mary Ann, his wife, they move into a new appartment that's way upper class than there last resort. Feeling quite displaced in this new world of hard working men and luxury, Mary Ann starts to fall apart. While Kevin wins one case after another and becomes Milton's favourite, making some of the other employees jealous, things start to go wrong immensily. Mary Ann seems to go crazy and Kevin is lured into Milton's control more and more. When Mary Ann starts accusing Milton of harmful things, Kevin becomes suspicious. But only when his mother tells him about a happening taking place many years ago, are Kevin's eyes finally opened and does he understand what's been going on all this time.

Final Verdict: ***1/2

Mixing different elements of different genres, The Devil's Advocate is a lot of things, but doesn't seem to really have an own identity or style. It's part horror, part thriller, part relationship drama. Still the film has some suspenseful moments and I have to say I was quite moved by Theron's performance who really made me care for her character. But also a couple of times I felt I was watching more of a TV series than a movie. The Devil's Advocate isn't the best thriller or the most innovative, but it sure is entertaining. Overall the story is kind of strange when you think about it, but I guess you shouldn't think into it too much. Just go with it. But even though the film has a very nice pace and is exciting to watch, it never seems to reach a level that would place it above average. I think The Devil's Advocate is quite good the way it is and there isn't much need to make it better, but I think that's just part of its weakness as well. There just isn't that much to make better, because overall the bar isn't set that high and I don't think this film could be taken to a higher level if changes would be made. It's just not that great, but not really bad either. It's just fun and nice for an evening where you don't know what to watch and want to kill time by watching a film. The Devil's Advocate is nice and enjoyable, but there are films that are far more deserving to be watched.

The Last King Of Scotland

The Last King Of Scotland is a very exciting film and is far more a thriller than a biopic, which some people might expect because it deals with real life people. The main difference with a movie like, for example, Walk The Line is that Idi Amin is more of a side character to Nicholas Garrigan who is thrown into this historical world of this great figure who once was president of Uganda. Nicholas Garrigan who never lived, but is fictional, is based on the character from the novel by Giles Foden on which the movie is based. This aspect of fiction makes you wonder, though, if replacing the film to a different country and different background would have changed the story or that it wouldn't have really mattered where the story took place, in what particular period of time. Is it necessary to tell this story through the life of Idi Amin or could it have the same effect if told entirely with fictionalized people? I think a big part of the strength of the film is Amin's character and the fact that he really lived and the harm he has done is real. Therefore a man like him, a character like him, has a much more powerful impact and you really feel the suffocating tension when being in his presence. He's so unpredictable. You don't know what he will do, you can't really read him. Because some of the events are fiction, like the relationship of Nicholas and Kay, the story could have easily be set in a different time. Overall Amin is just a really bad villain. But without the historical setting this film would have been like any other thriller and never that special. Plus, the film does show a lot of Amin's regime and the kind of man he was and it is based on a novel concerning the life of Amin and his regime. Therefore this setting is still really acceptable and does add a lot to the story. Aside of all this, something I did kept noticing was the shortness of the shots' duration. I'm not sure if it is something that was really used here extensively and that is why it really caught my eye or that for some reason I just really payed a lot of attention to it for some unknown reason. But because of this short shot length in some of the scenes it set for a really fast pace which really worked for the kind of political thriller The Last King Of Scotland is. Mostly the director of documentary films, Kevin Macdonald does a great job at giving his actors the space to really shine. I loved the scenes between Amin and Nicholas where they were all alone. It was nice to see their bond develop. Forest Whitaker's acting was extremely powerful and I felt the way the camera moved, as in documentary style, really fitted his performance. Whitaker is Amin and therefore you are aware of his presence even when the camera doesn't show him during one of his scenes. Whitaker is so real and truly becomes Amin in speech, posture, facial expressions etc. It's kind of scary to watch and it almost makes you forget you're watching Forest Whitaker playing Amin. James McAvoy who I find to have a very nice screenpresence and who seems really comfortable on screen, really stood his own against Whitaker. I liked how he gave Nicholas these different sides and really showed his versatility. He started out young and naïve, but in the end he found himself stuck and knew he only had himself to blame. When a fellow doctor tells him he doens't deserve to live, as a viewer you can only agree. McAvoy made of Nicholas a likable character, but he always gave you the feeling he isn't your typical good guy, he does have flaws, which he knows. As a viewer you appreciate him more because he's aware of his mistakes which really makes you feel drawn to him. Kerry Washington was really good as well, even though her part wasn't that big. But it was just enough to show her range and her versatility as an actress. Even smaller was Gillian Anderson's part, who did good as well, but who's role was just too small to really show development.

What is it about?

Nicholas Garrigan, a young Scottish doctor, moves to Uganda to do something good for the world, but also have fun and be on this great adventure. Once arrived, he works together with doctor Merrit and his wife Sarah. The relationship between Sarah and Nicholas strengthens when Sarah's husband leaves the two to do some work in another village. After attending a conference of new president Idi Amin, Nicholas and Sarah are asked to help out the president who needs a doctor after hurting his hand. Naïve Nicholas helps out Amin and acts without fear, which leads to him taking Amin's gun and shooting a cow. Once Amin find out the boy is Scottish he soon invites him to his home and offers him a job as his personal doctor. Not having yet experienced Amin's true character, Nicholas is too much taken away by Amin's friendly character and what to him seems to be a true friendship. After taking the job Nicholas soon finds himself in a tough position both seeing Amin's true face and his real regime. With almost noone at his side anymore it seems impossible for him to find a way out and leave Uganda once he finds out Amin isn't the friendly man who he once believed he was.

Final Verdict: ****1/2

The Last King Of Scotland is a very powerful film which steams by at a high pace. Throughout the film you can feel the tension rise and Nicholas fear for Idi Amin. As a viewer you know he's in for some real trouble and you never buy into the funny nice looking guy as whom Amin presents himself to Nicholas. This is part what makes the film so full of suspense. As a viewer you know from the beginning Amin isn't someone you should get near to, especially when you are a foreigner and almost aren't aware of the real politics that are going on in Uganda. When watching Nicholas get close to Amin you know he puts himself in a tough position. What the film really shows is what it's like to be at the side of a dictator like Amin. Once you are part of his staff it's hard to get out and impossible to show any oppression. The film really shows not only Amin, but also how other dictators rule and how they take control of everything and can not be trusted. By introducing Nicholas character, the movie really knows how to translate this fear for Amin and is really able to give a portrayal of who Amin really was and the harm he has done. Through Nicholas the viewer inherits the feeling of fear Nicholas feels. I really like the fact that they turned the film more into a political thriller than just a film about historical events. If Amin's life was shown from his own eyes beginning with his childhood, the film would have become I guess, boring and maybe also a bit too hard to sit through just because of all the awful things Amin has done. By adding a protagonist who really experiences Amin's regime from a distance as a viewer you feel much more as an observer and you really feel like being in Amin's presence instead of experiencing events from Amin's own eyes. Altogether, The Last King Of Scotland is a very good movie, which doesn't show anything really new or highly original, but is just really solid and succesful in being a thriller. It's a very interesting film, showing both great entertainment and some historical education, that many will enjoy.

Familia Rodante

Familia Rodante is a roadmovie by Argentinian director Pablo Trapero. The movie is a comedy about a family travelling to attend the marriage of the daughter of Emilia's sister, the grandmother of the family. Watching Familia Rodante the film that immediately comes to mind is Little Miss Sunshine. However, the only real resemblance with Sunshine is the fact that an entire family goes on a trip to attend a particular event which is important to one of the family members. Shown in bright colours, Familia Rodante gives you this feeling of warmth, not just because of the close family ties, but also of the beautiful scenery. Especially at the beginning of the film Trapero really knows how to capture the hectic familylife by showing a lot of different shots and making lots of cuts which give the beginning of the movie a fast pace. Then when they finally are on the road the pace changes a little and becomes a bit slower, digging deeper into the family relations. Even though these family problems seem interesting, they didn't really add much to the film. Altogether the main focus is the journey to the wedding and the family ties. But the issues that the family deal with aren't all that interesting. Therefore I felt the beginning of Familia Rodante was really soothing, as was the end, but the middle took kind of long and had storylines in it that were a bit boring and could have been more interesting if dealth with in a different way. One of the things I thought should have done differently and in my opinion would have improved the film, would have been to put more focus on one family member instead of showing just bits and pieces of a lot of them. When the movie starts you expect the main focus to be on Emilia, but during the middle of the film attention goes out more to the rest of the family and less on Emilia. But in the end, however, focus is put on her again. I wished Trapero had brought her more to the forefront, since she is the person who keeps the family together and tries to resolve the problems. During the middle of the film you could hardly really grasp of what she thought of all the family issues, she didn't have much screentime and when she did she just made a brief comment and nothing more. Instead I would have liked to have her had a big scene in which she really tried to resolve things and make the journey more hers. Because after all the journey is all about her, but after the beginning you don't really get that feeling anymore. Also none of the other characters really stand out. You had the son and daughter from different parents who went on to have this relationship that went further than just friendship and the boy's mother apparently had a brief relationship with the girl's father. Then there was also the daughter of the mother who had a boyfriend, Claudio, who didn't treat her right. But their presence was just not enough and there was too much switching between all these different characters to really make you have allegiance with them.

What is it about?

At her birthday old Emilia, who's the grandmother of four, receives news from her sister who's daughter is about to get married. Now that almost all of the family is together at her birthday, Emilia finds it the right time that they all go on a trip together and attend the wedding. Emilia has to go, because she's chosen to be a witness and it has been a long time since she last visited her sister's family. Together with the families of her two daughters who are both married and have children, Emilia leaves all her animals in the hands of a friend who has to take care of them while she makes her big trip. Together in a big camper they set off on their journey from Buenos Aires to Misiones. Once on the road issues in the family rise up. It turns out that one of Emilia's daughters has had an affair with the husband of her own sister and Gustavo the oldest son not only has eyes for the friend of his niece, but also for his niece Yanina herself. It turns out Emilia's family isn't one without serious issues. Now all they have to do is make it to the wedding on time and safely without hurting each other. Only Emilia seems able to mend her family and not make them fall apart.

Final Verdict: ***1/2

Even though Familia Rodante is a nice film and a good attempt at making a roadmovie I feel it could have been much better. The camerawork was nice, with lots of close-ups translating the feeling of being on the road in a small camper to the audience, but the little storylines concerning the family problems just weren't interesting enough to keep the story going and too little focus on just one character made some of the characters just not engaging enough. After a while you just want the family to arrive at the wedding and are fed up with having to see the family on the road all the time, which isn't a good thing. The cast however did a great job and especially the young actors look very promising. Their acting was very authentic and natural. Where in a film like Little Miss Sunshine every character had real development, in Familia Rodante none of them really had the chance to evolve and as a viewer you never really felt you really knew them. Still famila Rodante is a very enjoyable film with some really nice moments. The acting is nice as is the lovely music. It is just too bad Emilia didn't get much more attention, because she is by far the most likable character and more focus on her could have made for a much better movie.

Lost Highway

I took a little trip to Barcelona with friends and just returned this Sunday, so therefore I wasn't able to watch any films and update the blog. But today I went back to watching films again and thought it was time to watch Lost Highway by director David Lynch. Known for his complicated style of story-telling Lynch always knows how to challenge his audience. He's great in creating atmosphere and always comes up with something interesting. Therefore, I don't think you can ever say his films bore you. You might be put off by confusion, but I don't think you can ever be bored by a Lynch film. Because there's always something happening, in sight or out of sight, something's always going on. And if the story isn't interesting enough, than the sets, the movement of the camera, music or things like lighting will be. Take for instance the opening shot of the highway covered in blackness, only illuminated by the car's headlights. It immediately catches your attention and puts thoughts into your head that make you wonder. Overall the lighting in this film is exceptional, creating stark shadows, which gives an eerie feeling and enhances the feeling of mystery. The blonde hair of Patricia Arquette's character Alice turns her into a femme fatale every man wants to mess with, but of whom every man knows it can get him in big trouble. Bil Pullman knows how to make his character, Fred, appear confused without acting totally crazy, still giving the feeling he got his thoughts under control. When the scary guy tells him they've met before and is at his house right now, he stays calm without losing his sanity. One of the many reasons I like Lynch is because he really does what he wants. He doesn't try to make something conventional, but always try to be fresh and different. He stays true to himself without making movies to make lots of money at the box office. He uses cinema to create a particular atmosphere, to show things in a different way. His emphasis on the psychological level is something that always fascinates me. He really knows how to translate thoughts and show how the mind works. When you think about things, you don't necessarily think in a chronological order. You might think of something that will lead to another thought, and so you are taken away. You forget about things, or you suddenly remember. Therefore I really liked what Fred said when talking to Ed. He told him he likes to remember things his own way and when Ed asks what he means by that he says: 'How I remembered them. Not necessarily the way they happened.' I felt that sentence really sums up Lost Highway. Bceause when I heard that line it made me think that what we see maybe isn't what really happened, but it is just Fred who creates these weird thoughts and is the source for all the confusion. Lynch's films might be strange and sometimes too dificult to fully grasp and too open for own interpratations, but they are always very interesting and have the ability to keep you watching. You try to solve the mystery and answer the questions. But always, the scenes are great and the film doesn't feel forced to create the feeling of mystery.

What is it about?

Fred Madison, a saxophonist, keeps having these recurring dreams of his wife, which leads him to think she cheats on him. His suspicion and confusion gets worse when one day they receive a strange envelope containing a videotape. There's no name written on it or address, but when they play the tape they see images of their own house. A second one even shows Fred and his wife Renee lying in bed. Also, at the door Fred overhears a message: 'Dirk Laurent is dead'. Not knowing who Dick Laurent is both Fred and the viewer have no clue what this means. There's also the sound of policecars, but no sight of the police. When Fred goes to a night club he meets a scary looking man at the bar who tells him the two of them have met before. When Fred aks where, the man tells him at Fred's house and as a matter of fact the scary guy tells Fred he's there right now. Fred therefore calls home and to his surprise the man sitting in front of him, picks up the phone saying: 'I told you I was here.' After Fred and Renee receive the second tape they call the police. Two cops show up at their house to do some investigation and recommend they should turn back on their alarm system, but besides the tapes they can't find anything strange. At night Fred decides to watch the tape again and now sees more images, the most disturbing ones are of him sitting in a bed filled with blood and Renee dead next to him. Next, one of the cops is seen yelling: 'Murderer!', and Fred is taken away to jail where he spends his time waiting to be executed. However, his head starts to hurt really badly and when one day, even though he never left his jail cell, one of the captains pays visit after hearing something strange happened it turns out Fred isn't there anymore. However he doesn't seem to have left, because instead there's a different guy sitting in the cell Fred was in. In Fred's cell now sits 24 year old Pete Raymond Dayton, a guy Fred transformed in or the guy who he has always been, but of which you are never really sure.

Final Verdict: ***1/2

Even though, for me Lynch always creates an interesting piece of cinema, Lost Highway did feel like it lost a bit of momentum right after Fred transforms into Pete, or at least it appears he does, because that's a thing you can only speculate about. It was still interesting, but there were some things I just didn't really like or had wished were handled differently. One thing I have to admit, though, is that I didn't completely approach this film with a blank mind. Some months ago I happened to read about the film in one of my study books and unfortunately they gave away a lot of the plot. Therefore I knew some of the twists that were coming up and I remembered how the movie was going to end. But even though I knew all this, I did feel the movie lacked something. So my first time watching this film felt like watching it a second time, because I knew about all the things that were about to happen. Therefore I didn't have the surprise factor. But when I think of a film like Mulholland Dr. I don't think this should change anything. Because, even though I've seen Mulholland Dr. multiple times, I still really like it, nomatter the fact that I know how the movie will end. Mulholland Dr. always surprises me again. It may be because I discover something new I had not noticed before or because I'm so immersed into the movie again that part of me starts to think the ending will be totally different this time and Lynch will come up with a great new twist. So therefore I don't feel like giving Lost Highway a higher rating. It is interesting, and it keeps you watching, but I did feel the movie slowed down a bit too much. However it still really is Lynch, and if you love his work you definitely will enjoy Lost Highway, like I also did. But when you really think of the movie itself, it does has some flaws and it makes you feel it could have been better.

The Best 3 Of July

Either way I have to watch more crappy films or change my grading scale to 1 out of 10. 'Cause lately I have been giving 5 star movie ratings way too much. And the reason for that is that the movies I watch and I have most interest in are most of the time the ones that are also very, very good. So it would be nice to not have to speak about a movie with much praise. This time having to choose the 3 best films that I've seen in July therefore was much harder than before. So many of them are great and I could watch them over and over again without getting bored. But even though it was very hard to choose, two of the films that I've chosen did still really stand out. Just my final pick remained to be very, very tough.

1. Dare Mo Shiranai

A very sad and compelling story that tells about real life events hardly anyone knows about, Dare Mo Shiranai grabs hold of you and doesn't let go until its final shot. With beautiful subtle performances by a group of very young actors, Dare Mo Shiranai really shines. Director Hirokazu Koreeda impressively creates the atmosphere and world his characters try to survive in. It's a long 141 minutes, but definitely worth it. A beautiful portrait of a life that, until I saw this film, was unknown to me.

2. Me And You And Everyone We Know

Sweet, real, fresh, and very art-like, Me And You And Everyone We Know is a great film which deals with different characters and emotions. It really is Miranda July's lovechild. Watching it you can feel her passion and drive to make something that will last and really touch her audience. A beautiful crafted little masterpiece.

3. Half Nelson

Showing the close relationship between a teacher and one of his students Half Nelson takes a different direction than most of these hign school teacher-student drama's such as Dangerous Minds and the more recent Freedom Writers. Watching these two characters, who's lives feel so messed up, but when together it's like they find that little spark of hope that will get them through, it gives a beautiful message ofhope and faith in better things to come. With Half Nelson Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden have written a great screenplay and made a very impressive little film.

Being John Malkovich

Charlie Kaufman keeps coming up with these great imaginative screenplays. Most recently there was Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind about a couple who both erased their memory to forget about the relationship they once were in together. But it all started with Being John Malkovich, a great innovative little film, with strong performances by Catherine Keener, John Cusack, Cameron Diaz and John Malkovich himself. Directed by well known video director Spike Jonze, Being John Malkovich tells the story about a puppeteer who is forced by his wife to get a new job, one that actually provide for a living, and eventually ends up in a portal that leads to actor John Malkovich his head. Soon you're thrown from one crazy event to another. Characters seem to go wild and obsessive, all the effect of being inside Malkovich's head. It's great to see them develop and show different sides of themselves which didn't yet show at the very beginning. Especially Lotte Schwartz, whom I found the most interesting and funny of all, and who once in the mind of Malkovich, really starts to see things in a whole new light. She finds herself, discovers things she didn't knew about herself before. It's funny to see her react to all of it, which she herself can hardly understand or grab. Cameron Diaz, who besides films as Shrek and Charlie's Angels, has actually always chosen nice and different roles, which people tend to forget because of her fame, really gives a great performance. However the one who really takes over is Catherine Keener as Maxine Lund, Craig's co-worker for whom he got the hots. She portrays Maxine as a very layered person with different sides to her. She can be both seductive and sweet, but also very cruel. She surely ain't one to mess with and really knows what she wants. She doesn't get played, but like's to be the one in total control. Both John Cusack and Malkovich, who stars as himself, are great as well. Especially when Malkovich is taken over by Craig. From that moment on Malkovich really acts like Craig, and Malkovich (the actor) does it superbly. Watching him it's like seeing Craig, but through Malkovich's appearance. It's very impressive. Overall the set looks pretty great as well, especially Craig and Lotte's appartment. When at the end Lotte and Maxine chase each other in the Malkovich's subconscience, crawling from one place to another, the viewer is taken on a journey through Malkovich's past, all closely followed by the camera, turning up and down. Most memorable though, is floor 7 1/2 where everyone has to bend down to get in and walk through the hallways. And the way people get sucked into the Malkovich's portal and afterwards end up somewhere near a highway, is really fun to watch.

What is it about?

Craigh Schwartz, a struggling puppeteer is forced by his wife Lotte to get a 'real' job. Because of his fast fingers, he applies for a job interview as a filer. He easily gets the job and soon thereafter meets Maxine. From the very moment Craig sees her he is intrigued by her and soon he falls for her, head over heels. She, however, doesn't have any interest in him, at least not romantically. When Craig one day finds a hole in a wall at work, it turns out to be leading to actor John Malkovich's head. This portal gives you the experience to be John Malkovich for exactly fifteen minutes. After finding this discovery he tells his wife Lotte about it, who soon crawls through the portal herself, right into Malkovich's head. Together with Maxine, who Craig also informs about the portal, they start their own little company J.M Inc. which gives people access to the portal for 200 dollars. Business goes well, but when Malkovich starts to expect things are happening inside of him, his suspicion leads to some drastic consequences for both Craig, Maxine and Lotte, but most of all Malkovich himself.

Final Verdict: *****

Being John Malkovich is a fun, fresh and very original comedy, greatly directed by Spike Jonze. Only the second time for me to watch this film, I almost totally forgot about all the things that happen in it. I only remembered the premise, but not the outcome. Having seen it again, I think I enjoyed it far more than the first time I saw it, when I was also a different age and my whole experience of it was different. After seeing it again I can say I really liked it, just as much as for example Eternall Sunshine Of the Spotless Mind, which I actually also have to watch again, since I don't quite remember how it all went down in that one either. With Kaufman directing for the first time himself I'm very looking forward to his upcoming Synecdoche, New york, which already seems to be very original as well. Being John Malkovich is for anyone who likes to see something different and be taken into this whole different world with great dialogue, funny twists and characters that deal with emotions and problems that are, even though sometimes a bit crazy, very recognizable.

2001: A Space Odyssey

At the time it came out Time Magazine called it: 'some of the most dazzling visual happenings and technical achievements in the history of the motion picture', and after all these years those words still account for the brilliance that is 2001: A Space Odyssey. Starting off with a black screen, with only the music indicating the movie has already begun, it is an example of the major role music and sound have in this extraordinary film. Told in four chapters, director Stanley Kubrick starts off with 'The Dawn Of Man', showing a group of primeval apes living on planet earth as it once was, years and years ago. With a dynamic cut, we then find ourself in space, floating around in the big black unknown. With still no dialogue, it is the music and the visuals that speak and tell the story. Looking at these images you can't help but be fascinated of how real everything looks, especially when you consider 2001 was made in 1968, a time in which the 21th century still looked as something far away in the future. If 2001 would have been made today, I'm sure it wouldn't have looked much different. The effects from then are as good, if not better, to how they are now. 2001 has really stood the test of time. Some movies get remade, even some classics, but 2001 definitely is a film that doesn't ask to be remade, just because it already is perfect. If it was ahead of it's time back then, it still is right now. We are still fascinated with life, evolution and our universe. And the way it is depicted in 2001 still holds questions that to this day are left unanswered. Artifical intelligence with machines and computers fully operating on their own like the HAL 9000 computer taking control of our lives, is still something that belongs to our future and is something we have yet to bring into use. The idea of machines and robots taking over still scares us and therefore 2001 still presents to us an unknown world. The way the camera moves slowly through the settings gives you a feeling of the impact of its large scale and makes it feel all the more real. Some of the visuals even match the music in movement, making for beautiful synchronous shots. Altogether 2001 is cinema-art, with beautiful shots and music, action and a great story of mankind, raising questions that challenge our ideas of life and explore the strengths and weaknesses of men.

What is it about?

2001 is a story about the evolution of man, told in four chapters: 'The Dawn Of Man', which shows a group of primeval 'ape men' livng on planet earth who one day stumble upon a big monolith standing in their landscape; a second untitled chapter which shows Dr. Heywood R. Floyd who together with a team goes on an expedition to take a look at the monolith, now 4 million years old, and which is discovered recently; a third chapter, called 'Jupiter Mission, 18 Months Later' shows Dr. Dave Bowman and Dr. Frank Poole with three other men who are still in a sleeplike state called 'hibernation' and are aboard a spaceship controlled by the HAL 9000 computer, a very powerful system which functions on its own; the final chapter, 'Jupiter And Beyond The Infinite' shows Dr. Dave Bowman travelling through space, which eventually takes him to a place which seems to take place in another time and dimension. By showing all these different chapters Kubrick tells of the evolution of man, how man came to use and develop tools and what man's purpose is in a time when artificial intelligence has taken over the most important functions.

Final Verdict: *****

2001: A Space Odyssey so far is the most fascinating piece of cinema I've ever seen. It really is a spectacle and goes beyond your imagination. From beginning to end it's truly amazing. Like nothing I've ever seen before, even though it reminded me a bit of The Fountain, which also takes place in different periods of time and raises questions about man and life and death and which is also quite overwhelming and more of an experience tickling all senses, than just a film. But 2001 just exceeds every film. Everything about it is just great. The way it looks, the music, the sound. It all fits. The shots, filmed from all these different angles which really gives you a feeling of what it is like out there in space, are spectacular and very fascinating. They make you feel as if everything in this movie is there with a purpose, a true meaning. It just shows how much thought there has been put in making this film and choosing how to translate the feeling and the whole atmosphere of space to film. When you watch the spacecrafts floating through space it just looks so real. Beside showing man's strengths and weaknesses it also deals with other dimensions and raises questions of what will happen after we've let computers take so much control of us. The used sound and the music are perfectly chosen and used. I don't think I've ever seen a movie which used music and sound the way 2001 does. Without it 2001 would have been a totally different experience. The impact of the images and the whole created atmosphere of the unknown is intensified by the use of sound. I especially loved the heavy breathing of both Frank and Dave when they float through space. It makes you realise that even though HAL feels alive, he still is a computer, he still doesn't breath, which is a crucial difference between men and computer. 2001 really is an extraordinary film, it truly is a masterpiece which shows why Stanley Kubrick is seen as such an important figure in cinema, shows how talented he is. I'm still kind of overwhelmed by all of it. If you love cinema and still haven't seen it, you really should. There are so many things I loved about it and which I haven't seen before and could not have imagined myself. If only I could have watched it on the big screen, I'm sure the whole impact, if possible, would have been even bigger.

Fargo

The Coen brothers are known for their hilarious films about characters that are slightly naïve and a bit crazy and who seem to get themselves into the weirdest situations. Where in The Hudsucker Proxy Tim Robbins character is all of a sudden taken for the one person who has to replace the former president of this big company and in The Big Lebowski Jeff Bridges is mistaken for a man with the same name, in Fargo William H. Macy plans on letting his wife get kidnapped, which eventually goes extremely wrong. The film starts off with Jerry Lundegaard (William H. Macy) who's having a conversation with Carl and Gaear, two criminals with whom he makes a deal to kidnap his wife. Both are played brilliantly by Steve Buscemi, who always plays interesting characters and deserves way more recognition than I feel he gets credit for, and Peter Stormare who's whole posture and facial expressions alone makes you laugh. However, when things go out of hand a cop is put on the case. The investigator, Marge, an Oscar winning role of Frances McDormand, which she totally deserved, sets out to look for what is going on. With large snowy landscapes, which really make you shiver watching them, Fargo tells a very fresh and exhilarating story with great dialogue and is as good as, if not better, than most of the other Coen's works.

What is it about?

A cardealer, Jerry Lundegaard, a married man living in a nice home plans on kidnapping his wife. Desperate for some money he hires two men to carry out the job. The three of them then will split the randsom, which will be paid by Jerry's father-in-law and the two man will get a car from the dealer where Jerry works. The two men, Carl Showalter and his partner Gaear Grimsrud, however, are forced to take some unexpected measures which go totally out of hand. After they kidnap Jerry's wife, they get noticed by a cop. In a fast attempt to not get caught the cop gets killed and when two passerby's in a car, see Carl standing with the cop's dead body held in his arms, the two are taken down as well. Soon the bodies of the three are found and a cop, Marge Gunderson, is put on the case to do some investigation. Always cheery and friendly, Marge, who is alo pregnant, takes her job very seriously. And after she gets close to finding out about Jerry and his kidnapped wife, Jerry gets nervous as well and soon starts making hastily decisions just as the two kidnappers do.

Final Verdict: *****

Fargo really is a fun film and will be a pleasant surprise for those who never heard of it before. It's full with clever scenes and great dialogue. The yaaah-ing is so lame and ridiculous, but knowing some people really say there 'yeah's ' in that manner makes it tremedously funny. Frances McDormand really is great as Marge. She is both hilarious as sweet and very likable. Her character isn't the most clever person it seems and she will be totally recognizable for a lot of people. Eveyone knows them. These people who's looks are so simplistic, with afwul hairdo and wrong kitschy furniture. Little details like that, as for example the hideous purple bowl that stands on the coffeetable in Jerry's house and can be seen the moment his wife is watching television, just before getting kidnapped, really add to the brilliance of the film and makes it feel very complete. It couldn't have been done any better. I also really liked the shot where Marge after having breakfast leaves the house but then returns, because she isn't able to get the car running. The place where they've put the camera splits the shot in two. Left you have Marge's husband eating some eggs and right there is Marge walking outside to her car. Even though the shot isn't that groundbreaking or anything, it is really nice to watch and it adds a lot to the quality of the film. It's nice that besides characters and story they also put much effort in making the film look good as well. Also the scene near the end where Gaear gets busted chopping some 'wood' with a woodchipper by Marge is great, and the expressions on Peter Stormare's face are priceless. Fargo's full with funny and clever moments. It really is a comedy you can't stop watching and one that is actually really funny, which can't be said about most comedies.

Khane-ye Doust Kodjast?

The most fascinating thing about Khane-ye Doust Kodjast? (Where Is The Friend's Home?) probably is its simplicity. As you watch this film you keep wondering how something so simple can be so engaging. 'Cause all director Abbas Kiarostami really does is show you an everyday random event. What happens is nothing special as far as the story goes. But somehow he makes it a very moving story, taking both the time to show the innocence of children and the wisdom of the elderly. As a viewer you can't help to be moved by Ahmed who desperately looks for the house of his friend Mohamed Reda Nematzadeh. While Ahmed searches for his friend's house, Kiarostami takes this as opportunity to show the beautiful Iranian landscape. With its beautiful sand coloured brown and yellows, its small streets that run up and down, and the colourful and very helpful people, Khane-ye Doust Kodjast? shows that life in Iran doesn't have to be that much of a difference as life in Europe or the US. Everywhere around the world children act the same, nomatter what language they speak or what country they grow up in, their surroundings most of the time make the only real difference. Ahmed, portrayed with much honesty, almost makes you forget you're watching a movie instead of a documentary or real event. It is as if the camera isn't even there and you're actually watching a real boy set off on this search, almost as being a voyeur peering through the windows of someone else's life. The dialogue is simple, with a lot of lines repeated many times, just so Ahmed can get through to the people who he asks for help. It's just like real life. Gone are the movie dialogues, that sometimes feel fake and fabricated. This is how you would go ask for help, and if you wouldn't get through to people you would ask again and again, especially if your an eight year old like Ahmed. These simple and recognizable things add a lot to the authenticity of the film wich is what makes this film succeed in being earnest and sincere.

What is it about?

Ahmed, an eight year old boy living in Koker, a village in Iran, goes to school just like any other child. His teacher who is a bot strict with the boys, keeps pointing out the importance of making homework in a notebook. This way they can easily look up their previous work from some days before. Mohamed, who sits next to Ahmed in class, is crying because he forgot his notebook at his nephew's house and therefore wasn't able to do his homework. His nephew, also in the same class, returns Mohamed's notebook to him, but the harm is already done. The teacher is already angry and threatens to send Mohamed home if next time he still hasn't done his homework in a notebook. When walking home after school's out, Mohamed stumbles and falls to the ground. Ahmed who walks beside him helps him get up, but in his attempt doing so accidently takes Mohamed's notebook. Without realising he has Mohamed notebook in his bag, the two walk on to their separate homes. After Ahmed realises he has Mohamed's notebook he knows he has to somehow return it to him, because if he doesn't, Mohamed will be dropped out of school and it will all be Ahmed's fault.

Final Verdict: ****1/2

Like a film such as Ladri Di Biciclette (It: De Sica, 1948), about a man who's bike is stolen and together with his son tries to get it back, Khane-ye Doust Kodjast? succeeds in turning a simple premise into something special. It shows that cinema doesn't have to contain difficult plots or lots of action to be interesting and exciting. It first and foremost is a way to tell a story and give way to feelings and emotions that words alone can not express. With the desperate look in his eyes, you can't help feel moved by Ahmed's numerous attempts to asks people for help in his search for this one house. The strength of this film is mostly that it is so recognizable. We can all relate to Ahmed. We all have been little and have acted the same when adults wouldn't take notice of us and we had to make ourselves heard. Khane-ye Doust Kodjast?, which is part of a trilogy of films set in Koker, also leaves you a few lessons and teaches you to don't take anything for granted and making sure you realise education is something to be cherished and not let go to waste. Why replace the doors with new ones, when the old ones still work properly, the elderly wonder. With these simple and small aspects, director Kiarostami gives a very clear portrayal of everyday life in Iran. Even though this film is already very touching and sad, knowing that the actors who played these boys aren't alive anymore makes it even more sad. Apparently, a couple of years after the film was made an earthquake hit their village and destroyed it. Both boys were killed during the events. Kiarostami, clearly hurt by this tragedy, tells about these real life events in the fictionalized Zendegi Va Digra Hich, which he made a couple of years later. With Khane-ye Doust Kodjast? Kiarostami has made a very touching film that gives shape to a wonderful look upon childhood and makes me crave for more.

Ratatouille

Even though you hope every one of their films will be a fantastic one, you can't help wonder if they ever going to make that one mistake that will lead into a film that's not so good or just plain bad. However, with Ratatouille they just go on where they left off, again treating their audience on sublime computer animation and serving them with an original, fresh story that's enjoyable for the whole family. Watching the movie you totally forget about all the time and effort that is put into these images that pass by at high speed in front of your eyes. It just all seems so perfectly done and finished that you almost can't believe all of it is animated. The created world feels superreal, not at all like a fabrication. When you watch all the food lying on the different plates it's almost as if you can smell them and Colette's motorcycle looks super cool, especially when she took a ride on it through the city. This stream of beautiful images is held together by a very solid story and funny characters. Always adding lots of comedy and slap-stick humour, Pixar's films really appeal to adult audiences as well, who probably can appreciate the movies more than the little kids, or at least in different ways. Where the kids are more drwan into the story and its characters, the older viewers look more at the animation and are more aware of how well made these films are in comparison to the non-animation films that are made in Hollywood these days and of which most lack the heart and spirit of the Pixar creations. Mixing comedy, with eyecandy action scenes, a little crum of drama and finishing off the taste with the usual happy ending, Ratatouille seems to include the perfect ingredients for the perfect recipe. Held together by this string of great characters, which are all greatly written, both the humans as the rats, all these different aspects seem to really come together and fit in to each other perfectly. Linguini is very loveable as you watch him being clumsy and make contact with the spunky Colette and both Remy's father and brother rat provide for many laughs. The actors who do the characters' voices are greatly chosen as well, especially Peter O'Toole as Anton Ego, the devellish reviewer and Ian Holm as chef skinner. After The Incredibles it's clear that with Ratatouille Brad Bird has made another incredible film that is even more incredible than Pixar's predecessors.

What is it about?

Remy a rat with a great sense of smell, loves to make tasty combinations with different kinds of foods. Living with his father and brother and the rest of their big rat pack, Remy has a big adoration for famous French chef Gusteau who is the owner of a restaurant and has written many books which are all best-sellers. When one day Remy tries to bake something nice at the house of an old lady who's sleeping in front of the television, he gets himself in big trouble when the old lady suddenly wakes up and starts chasing him, eventually exposing the hiding place of the whole rat colony living above her house. Remy and his family therefore have to leave the place, but because Remy can't leave the house of the old lady without one of the famous recipe books of Gusteau, he runs a bit late forcing his family to leave without him, even though Remy tries to get hold of their tiny little boat. This causes Remy and his family to part ways and so the little rat ends up in Paris. By chance Remy finds himself to be at, of all places, Gusteau's restaurant. Finally able to make his dream of becoming a chef a reality, he seaches for the restaurant's kitchen where he observes how a young man Linguini starts his first day as a new employee. Little does he know then that the two will help each other out and together become a great team who will cause a revolution in the kitchen of Gusteau.

Final Verdict: *****

Ratatouille is a highly entertaining film. The animation is top notch, the jokes will really make you laugh and Luigingi and Remy will steal your heart. It's another succes story for Pixar and hopefully Wall-E and the rest of their future films will all be as great as this one. The scenes where Remy has to save himself from drowning in the big sewer and the ones where he checks out the restaurant for the first time all look great and are all done from Remy's perspective which increases the action. You watch Remy run between tables at high speed trying to avoid the many feet of the people running down the kitchen floor. The switching between both human and rat perspective is done superbly and makes for these great action scenes and fast looking animation. Ratatouille is one of those movies you can show your whole family and you really should. Take everyone with you, nomatter their age, they will all like it and all enjoy it and experience it in different ways. Ratatouille really is fun for everyone and definitely one of the coolest, if not the coolest films to come out this summer.