La Dolce Vita

I watched La Dolce Vita (The Sweet Life) in two parts, not knowing at first that it was such a long film and when I started watching it I was already a bit tired so I thought it would be better to continue the next day and I did. Dolce is a real classic, loved by many, so I couldn't wait to finally see it. Also it's a Fellini film and turns out I had never seen one of his before. I've seen films by De Sica, Rossellini, Scola, and Antonioni, but never before Fellinni, so it was about time. La Dolce Vita shows the life of journalist Marcello (Marcello Mastroianni) and the people who he meets, his paparazzi friends, his relationships with women both young and old, famous and unknown, but also shows him meeting his father after a long absence and how he copes with losing an old friend. It shows the sweet life which turns out isn't always that sweet. Behind the glamour people want to believe that is constantly around, Marcello has to deal with issues every other person has to come and deal with and find himself on a path of self discovery having to figure out where this life will take him in the future. Mastroianni plays him wonderfully. He truly has this elegance of these old film stars, a gentleman, a real charmer for which beautiful women like Anita Ekberg and Anouk Aimée easily fall for, and at the same time he has this sensitivity, these eyes which are able to show his weaker side and give way to his inner struggles. Fellinni perfectly manages to capture the spirit of Rome and its high society, people who seem obsessed with the lush life, are in awe of every movie star, and wander parties of the rich and famous searching for a place where they can feel to belong. The music from Nino Rota wonderfully accompanies the images on screen, making La Dolce a very inviting, accessable and entertaining film.

Verdict: A great look at the lives of Rome's upper class citizens who dwell around the city wandering parties until early morning. It's a sweet life for those who don't get lost. Marcello Mastroianni perfectly portrayes its main character who ends up having to deal with the not so nice aspects of life some people tend to forget. A wonderful vivid, energetic and exciting film.

Janghwa, Hongryeon

Lately I feel to have gotten a greater interest in horror films, especially those Asian ones which have the reputation to be amongst the best of the genre and are said to really scare you good. I however so far have never gotten really scared by a horror film, especially the ones featuring ghosts or other frightening creatures whom I just don't believe in. Most horror films feature those kinds of characters, but there are some out there who tend to go beyond the boundaries of reality and imagination, wrapping things up with a more realistic approach of what is the cause of all the evil that haunts the main characters of the film. Like for instance Ringu (The Ring), Janghwa, Hongryeon (A Tale Of Two Sisters) features the well known shock effects but has an interesting and engaging enough story to keep people like me watching. The entire film is drenched in mystery, making you as a viewer come up with reasons as to explain the strange things that are going on. Janghwa, Hongryeon therefore is not just a horror but also borrows aspects from a psychological thriller leaving you as a viewer continuously trying to make sense out of things and putting strange thoughts into your head. This, however, becomes one of Janghwa, Hongryeon biggest weaknesses. The story just gets too complex at a point and makes that as a viewer you really have no idea what is truly going on, with the effect that every possible reason that could be the cause of all the horror crosses your mind. As a result when the moment comes up where the film reveals what's really going on as a viewer you already got your mind so messed up that you're left even more confused. At the end the twist that appears does give clarity and the film tells how everything led up to this point, though it all still feels to be very confusing and difficult to truly grasp immediately. It wasn't until after the film reading a post on the forum of the film on Imdb.com that I found myself understanding the film better. Though it does feel a bit too far fethced and to really get everything involves a lot of effort. What made me keep watching Janghwa, Hongryeon most though, was the performance of Jung-ah Yum who plays the main characters' stepmother. She really manages to frigthen you with her pure evil and wickedness, presenting a stepmother you wouldn't even wish your greatest enemy to have. Also the film features some very pretty shots and I liked its focus on the lower part of the body or just the hands, in a way cutting up the actors making for a lot of shots in which you never see their head but just their body moving. It's made very well and creates a good mysterious atmosphere though it loses itself too much in this creating of mystery becoming a real mystery itself that on first view is pretty hard to make sense of.

Verdict: A horror film of which the story is interesting enough to keep you watching, so not just counting on shock effects to grab its audience's attention. It's nice but challenges you to not turn it off as it becomes very complicated. I however didn't have much problem to keep on watching because of good acting performances, nice looking shots, and a story, even though complex and refusing to give away answers before the end, that is engaging and keeps your mind active.

La Noche De Los Girasoles

La Noche De Los Girasoles (The Night Of The Sunflowers) features some scenes that are hard to watch and that are pretty disturbing leaving you with a bit of a fright, though they don't take away from the film's perfect setup and structure. La Noche gradually heightens the tension to a point that towards the end I was planted in my seat, unmoving just watching the screen with intense eyes to see how this thrill of a film would come to a close. There are many characters and they come together through an event that's set in motion by a guy who can be assumed to be a rapist and a killer. It's an out of control story which creates bad guys out of victims because of a certain situation they are confronted with. It shows how everyday people can turn into murderers when something inside of them just snaps or things grow out of proportion. It shows how killers don't always have to be bad people with merely bad intentions. It's about the motives that can drive people to act in wrong ways. La Noche is a film which leaves you with a bag of mixed emotions, one you can't immediately shake off. After I still could feel the effect the film had on my stomach. The film completely took me into its story and kept a powerful hold on my body. La Noche is a really good film, though very heavy and not always easy to watch. But it's definitely a film that deserves to be seen. It would be a shame to let it go unnoticed.

Verdict: A very strong film that deals with characters who are put into a situation that sets them off into a wrong direction with life changing effects. Not always easy to watch it's a film that lingers on long after having left the cinema. It's a film that deserves to be seen by many and that will leave you with the satisfaction of having watched a film that has a real impact on you.

Mou Gaan Dou

Mou Gaan Dou (Infernal Affairs) is the original first part of a trilogy The Departed by Martin Scorsese is based on. Unfortunately, like probably a lot of people, I saw the original first part after seeing The Departed. 'Cause when seeing The Departed I was impressed and surprised by the quality of it. I truly enjoyed it and still do, but having seen one of the three films it's based on, it does make The Departed less cool and fresh as I now know it happens to have borrowed a lot of scenes straight from the original. It can be said that in the hands of Scorsese the material truly reached its full potential. Scorsese's film holds all the tension and complexity Mou Gaan Dou to me seemed to somewhat lack. But maybe that's a result of already knowing what the film is about and what is about to happen. I can therefore say that The Departed definitely has made the original far less enjoyable because it borrows so much from the original, which makes that you find yourself constantly comparing and trying to remember how in The Departed these scenes were brought to life and at what point of the film they were shown. A thing The Departed has left out is the created symbolism which can be found in Mou Gaan Dou which for example focuses a lot on handgestures through close-ups. Also the two actors playing the two main characters (Tony Leung and Andy Lau) are very different compared to the performances by Damon and Dicaprio in The Departed and the latter has set the entire film in a complete different location, namely Boston. Because The Departed is based on the entire trilogy it has a very solid structure including the material Mou Gaan Dou II and III contain, which delves deeper into the two main characters' pasts, making for much more character development. So to say whether Mou Gaan Dou is a good film is very difficult as The Departed is great and combines all the three parts into one, something that the original didn't do and therefore makes it very different. Mou Gaan Dou seems to be pretty good, though it's a shame I had not seen it before The Departed was released 'cause now I never had that experience of watching it for the first time as I had the feeling to have seen it all before. My true experience of it therefore is completely robbed by Scorsese's remake.

Verdict: A great chance you like it more and can appreciate it better when not having seen The Departed. Mou Gaan Dou is a good film, but most people might prefer watching The Departed as it features some well known actors, is helmed by an acclaimed director, and combines all the parts of the original trilogy into one thrill ride of a film.

Dialogue Avec Mon Jardinier

Dialogue Avec Mon Jardinier (Conversations With My Gardener) is an extremely funny film, a true comedy for the more mature, instead of targeted on teenagers and full of rude jokes like most films of the group actors like Vince Vaughn and Will Ferrell belong to. Those films mostly present the stupid funny, with characters that are very stereotypical and wear crazy costumes and make-up. Dialogue is far from those type of comedies in a way that you would prefer to not even call it a comedy as the type of comedies Vaughn and Co. make nowadays seem to be the somewhat definition of the genre unless they're romantic comedies. But Dialogue is indeed a comedy, though maybe it's preferable to call it a light drama with comedic elements, a real film with heart. It's about friendship and features a lot of witty dialogue between the two main characters (hence the title) which the film seems to spur out effortlessly. I enjoyed every second of it and with me the entire audience in a cinema that was completely sold out. Though afterwards taking a look at Imdb I noticed Dialogue is an adaptation of a novel by author Jean Becker. Taking this into account you do have the tendency to view the film differently as you start to wonder if the witty dialogue comes straight out of the novel, making the film thus feel less fresh and original as you thought it was when watching it. Though, I haven't read the book, so I can't say how close adaptation and original stand to each other. I can say, however, that Dialogue is an extremely funny and enjoyable film with two very well constructed two main characters wonderfully played by actors Daniel Auteuil and Jeanne-Pierre Darroussin. Especially the latter is perfectly cast as 'Dujardin' being extremely sympathetic, a real man from the countryside, and making Auteil's character 'Dupinceau' realize that even when being less educated you can still carry with you a lot of knowledge and he ends up learning a lot from his childhood friend. Dialgue Avec Mon Jardinier makes for a very touching film, which will easily win audiences over. Seems like positive word of mouth filled the not usually sold out cinema I saw it at.

Verdict: An extremely funny film with two very enjoyable main characters. A wonderful film about friendship, perfectly executed. A real treat which focuses on clever dialogue and well rounded characters instead of action fare and shock effects.

Elephant

I'm not sure how many times I've already seen Elephant, but it's still always as good as the first time I saw it. There really isn't any film like it and it's truly something else. Van Sant does an amazing job giving the film its own feel and style. He just documents the last minutes of the lives of these high school kids and never forces an opinion on you saying that this or that led to the shooting in the end. Instead Van Sante gives multiple perspectives and takes on themes teenagers of today struggle with, introducing multiple reasons for why the tragedy happened, making it a very rich and layered work. And with showing not only the two shooters but also some of the victims, Van Sant shows how it could have been any of them as every teenager seems to have his or her own problems and nothing is truly what it seems. A kid who's not bonding well with his father, the girl who is made to feel insecure by girls talking behind her back, the atlethic guy with good looks all the girls fall for, and the girls who spend their afternoons shopping and talking about boys while trying to keep a slim and in their eyes perfect figure, are just a few of the teenagers Van Sant has walking around in Elephant. All these kids could have ended up taking a gun, having enough of this miniature society that is high school. Therefore the two teens who do take up the guns aren't shown as extremely aggressive or violent, having major troubles, but are just shown doing their daily business. They just seemed to have enough of other people giving them the feeling they're better than them bullying them round, isolating them. A concrete reasons doesn't seem to have been there and there isn't anything which can really take up all the blame. It's not that easy and the reason, if there is any, is much more spread out. A lot of Van Sant's signature clouds and beautiful long takes following kids around as they make their way through school drench Elephant in this peaceful atmosphere almost surreal and kind of dream like, making it a real work of art. It's a beautiful piece which handles its subject extremely well.

Verdict: A filmic experience like nothing else out there. Beautiful simplicity shedding different lights on a tragedy which happened for reasons only the two shooters can truly tell. A film that isn't for everyone, but art-house crowd will eat it like cake.

Mar Adentro

Mar Adentro (English title, The Sea Inside) won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film Of The Year in 2005, which I have to say it very much deserved. The film challenges a, in some countries, still problematic subject matter, but manages to do so without judging. Though Ramón Sampedro (Javier Bardem) wants to die, he is willing to confront people who disagree with him and who don't feel a person should ask of someone to take his life by assisting him in commiting suicide. At one moment he even starts to wonder why it is he wants to die and maybe even wants to stay alive for there are still many pleasures in life he can really appreciate. Mar Adentro thus gives different perspectives on the subject of euthanasia and shows the difficulties. Javier Bardem gives a very strong and touching performance. He has a set of great expressive eyes which make him a joy to watch. Belén Rueda perfectly supports him as Rosa the advocate who is willing to help Ramón and bring his case to court. However, a character that I could not find sympathy for was the character of Rosa (Lola Dueñas) who to me never was appealing and never evolved into becoming a likeable character. This of course doesn't always have to happen, but I just could not see what Ramón saw in a woman so naïve and so unwilling at first to help him out, though always going back to visit him what seemed to be more for her own comfort, and thus more for her own interest than for that of Ramón's. But this aside, Mar Adentro is a wonderful film about death, which also manages to celebrate the beauty of life as Ramón never stopped loving life, which is probably why it was so hard for him to continue living, knowing he could never enjoy the life he so much loved the way he used to.

Verdict: Beautiful film about death, but which also celebrates the beauty of life. With very touching performances from Javier Bardem and Belén Rueda. It's a nice drama which really makes you think about the difficulties of euthanasia and provides you with different perspective without ever giving you the feeling that it wants to force its opinion on you.

Die Höhle Des Gelben Hundes

Like The Story Of The Weeping Camel, Die Höhle Des Gelben Hundes (The Cave Of The Yellow Dog) tells a fictional story made with a group of non-actors, therefore enhancing the documentary style of the film. Apart from telling a fictional story the film shows the life of a real Mongolian family, observing them in their everyday environment. Most of the dialogue even is said to be unscripted with the 'actors' improvising. It's a nice mix of documentary with fiction which works extremely well, never feeling forced but showing true and sincere emotions. Though at times you can't help wondering what is real and what is not. Because the ever present camera it's hard to tell what is staged and what is not and what is really true. This however doesn't take away from the viewing experience. Die Höhle Des Gelben Hundes is a very sweet film showing how beautiful and simple the life of this Mongolian family is and how strong their appreciation for all that they have. At first glance they don't seem to have that much, but they have everything they need which is enough to establish a healthy life and it truly shows how much Western countries have, most of which can be said to be way too much and much more than is actually necessary.

Verdict: A sweet and touching film which mixes fiction and documentary in a way which works extremely well. It's a film both young and old will love and embrace. If you liked Story Of The Weeping Camel you will love this one just as much.

Sophie's Choice

I finally saw Sophie's Choice after seeing some clips from the film about a year ago. At home we have a copy of the book with the same title written by William Styron, but I haven't read it yet. So I can't make any comparisons between film and novel as I've only seen the film. Sophie's Choice might best be known as one of the two films for which Meryl Streep won an Oscar (the other was for her role in Kramer Vs. Kramer). And having seen her performance I can say that indeed she does a great job bringing Sophie to life. Like always Streep gives a masterclass in acting even if the film itself is a bit weak, her performance is always top notch and this certainly is the case in Sophie's Choice. What's most admirable is how easily she switches between languages and her German is just like that of a native speaker, which is very fascinating to watch and her speaking English with a Polish accent seems completely effortless. Like always Streep makes it all seem so easy and truly becomes her character. The film itself is good as well. It's a solid drama with comedic elements showing friendship and relations as well as giving insight in some historical events such as the Second World War and slavery and lynching in the South of the US. The film is very compelling and well structured resulting in that you never quite get the feeling the film is too melodramatic. Its three characters and their strong bond is what makes the film most interesting. Kevin Kline is perfect as Nathan Landau and at times even steals the spotlight away from the already great Streep. Together they form a perfect match and their love for each other is very convincing. I didn't however like the way the film sometimes switched between the kind of banal aspects such as when Stingo (Peter MacNicol) the writer who narrates the story has a date with a girl who claims she could have sex every single moment of the day. It kind of rubs with the strong scenes taking place during the Second World War and some of the themes of the film. But this aside, Sophie's Choice is a well crafted film which introduces you to some very nice characters.

Verdict: A nice drama with two very sympathetic characters played by Streep and Kline who both give great performances. Though sometimes a bit odd in the way historical events are easily mixed in with fiction and banal kind of aspects, in the end it's a very solid drama which is very enjoyable.

Laugh And The World Laughs With You. Weep And You Weep Alone.

Iron Man

When watching Iron Man I had to get myself used to the huge screen again, as I'm nowadays used to go to smaller venues where the screens are still big, but apparently far less big than the ones from the Pathé cinemas. Another thing getting used to was the fast cutting and the explosions on screen which causes explosions of flickering light, as well as the shaky camera to capture all the action. Having seen a lot of smaller films lately, most of which are from outside the US, watching a summer blockbuster as Iron Man asks for a whole different way of viewing. But as soon as Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) turns into Iron Man the film takes full flight and turns into a fun thrill ride. Nice performances from both Downey Jr. and Gwyneth Paltrow aside, as well as the amazing special effects, Iron Man follows the basic concept which everyone who has seen an adapated Marvel comic for the big screen has come to get used to. There's the young guy turning into a superhero and wanting to better the world, a villain who our superhero will fight at the end, and a young woman who our superhero has a weak for. The entire film is action packed and makes for light summer entertainment. Iron Man succeeds in being a great summer blockbuster which is fun from beginning to end. Downey Jr. is great in the lead role which he fits perfectly. At times it's a bit too unrealistic, especially the beginning feels kind of fake at times and jokes don't always work, but apart from that it's a very solid and fun film from start to finish.

Verdict: Cool summer flick which is not that different from the usual Marvel formula which can be seen in for example the Spider-man trilogy, but it are the performances and incredible special-effects which distinguishes it from earlier Marvel adaptations and make Iron Man tons of fun.

The Good Shepherd

The Good Shepherd starts of slowly introducing a lot of characters, which at the beginning might have you a bit confused. It's well constructed, starting of immediately with a case of investigation to which Edward Wilson (Matt Damon) feels closely related to and which establishes the object over which the group of members of CIA scratch their heads over in order to figure out this little mystery. The Good Shepherd is a thriller mixed with elements of a detective, a mix that works very well, which closely follows the life of Wilson from his early years on in college showing how he got recruited and ended up being a spy. Angelina Jolie plays his wife and Tammy Blanchard the woman he truly loved, 'causing also tension in his love life. With a duration of approximately 167 minutes, The Good Shepherd suggests a very long sit, but expect to be engaged in the story completely, constantly trying to figure things out and connect characters and how they relate to each other with the final being very satisfying.

Il Y Longtemps Que Je T'Aime (I've Loved You So Long)

Strong performances are at the center of this drama by Philippe Claudel. It's a nice portrait of a woman entering society after a long absence. Kristin Scott Thomas is wonderful in her portrayal showing how her character copes with the negative and positive aspects of her return. Her subtle performance raises the tension which can be constantly felt throughout. Her sister played by Elsa Zylberstein shows a different perspective of how to cope with a loved one you haven't seen for years and your parents made you forget. Il Y A Longtemps is a film full of thought and will be tough to shed off immediately as the characters might linger on.

Karov La Bayit (Close To Home)

Simple looking, beautifully acted, interesting characters and a story that makes you think. All what good cinema should be. A nice drama about friendship of two young girls serving their compulsory military service, which puts story over special-effects, showing once more what most of Hollywood lacks so much at times. Both actresses playing the two main characters seem not that experienced but they manage to create two very engaging characters, being subtle and showing real progress, making their characters evolve. Especially the actress playing Smadar (Smadar Sayar) does a very nice job showing Smadar's toughness, with also her warmer personality slowly revealing itself, as she comes to loosen up and realizes the importance of the girls' jobs.

Stellet Licht

After The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford it was only a matter of time until another gem of a film would pop up, which could go head to head with the beauty of Jesse James. The one film, who I feel can fill up that part is Carlos Reygadas' Stellet Licht (Silent Light), a remarkable enchanting hypnotizing poem from beginning to end. It's stunning with long takes that go on and on, every one of them building up to a tiny climax, before going into the next. You feel the urge to cry hysterically over its magnificent beauty. It's a wondeful journey which sometimes feels to be more a documentary than a fiction film. The story takes place somewhere in Mexico and tells of a Mennonite family. The language they speak is Plautdietsch, a mix between East Low German and Dutch. The father of the family Johan, finds himself in a crisis of his own. Loving his family and his wife Esther, this love however could not save him from falling for Marianne. Not sure what to do and who to choose his faith in God is put to the test. Will he be forgiven for loving a woman other than his wife? Stellet Licht is drenched in beauty, every detail is perfect. Children play in a lake, filmed from the most wonderful angles, touching upon their youth and innocence. The camera provides for beautiful still images and frames are kept in the same place, even when the actors walk off screen. The camera stays focusing on a flower who slowly comes into view as the camera moves slowly into focus. And walking through the yellow grass, walking up the stones towards Marianne who waits for Johan as they kiss passionately. Every bit is extraordinary and beautifully carried out. Reygadas has made a real work of art, one which is filled with breathtaking moments and tells a sad tragic story. However, this isn't a film for everyone as some might find it too slow or even boring. It has touches of Joachim Trier's Reprise and Gus Van Sant's Gerry, both magical films which some found hard to digest. But if you love both these films or Reygadas own feature length debut Japón, you're in for a real treat and will love Stellet Licht as it will provide you a very fulfilling and satisfying experience. It haunts you long after your eyes leave the screen.

Ne Touchez Pas La Hache

Ne Touchez Pas La Hache (Don't Touch The Axe) by director Jacques Rivette is a powerful film about two lovers who don't get the chance to love. At the time Armand de Montriveau confesses his love to Antoinette de Langeais, her stubborness keeps them from falling for each other. And once she shakes off her pride, it's too late and it's him who now plays hard to get. It's a game of love which is never played out. Rivette tells the lover's story beautifully, with the camera slowly moving into the scene, lingering on the beautiful mise-en-scène, while the actors perform on their stage. Especially during the scenes in which noone else but the two lovers are shown, Ne Touchez Pas feels mostly like a theatre play. The actors get to closely interact. As a spectator you can feel their attraction for each other and their constant pulling and pushing. Great are the intertitles in between, which sometimes give the film a comedic touch presenting unfinished sentences which are only finished later, the outcome at times being very funny. The acting is strong. Both Guillaume Depardieu as Armand and Jeanne Balibar as Antoinette shine. Especially Balibar gives a performance which at first seems hard to grasp, her acting being quite different than you're used to. Yet, it keeps her performance fresh and fascinating. Ne Touchez Pas La Hache is a very solid film, with beautiful sets. Some might find it a bit slow, but for those who can appreciate the beauty of takes being longer than usual, will find themselves drawn into a wonderful period piece.

Chung Hing Sam Lam

Wong Kar Wai's films are those you want to linger in. They draw their success heavily from creating a perfect soothing atmosphere. Added to this is his style of genius combining the most crazy shots imagineable. If his films didn't have a story they could survive just by the shots he presents. His cinema is real art and every shot is a painting or a beautiful photograph. Chung Hing Sam Lam (Chungking Express) is no exception. It marked as Kar Wai's breakthrough and consists of everything his works stand for. His characters are those you can easily fall in love with. They have chance encounters in a big bruizing city where they explore love, life and relationships. Like in his other films Kar Wai provides his films with nice pop songs to go with the story. In Chungking Express it's California dreaming, a classic song which get a complete new meaning and makes you experience the song in a complete new way. Dancing to the song during her work hours, is the young waitress Faye, played by Faye Wong, for whom the song represents her longing to leave Hong Kong for a far away adventure. Chung Hing Sam Lam is the perfect introduction for anyone still unfamiliar with Kar Wai's work and for those already familiar Chung Hing will fit in nicely with all those others of Kar Wai's masterpieces.

The Darjeeling Limited

Best known for his fresh own original style, like most of Wes Anderson's films, The Darjeeling Limited is funny, but subtle and consists of a group of characters with strange tastes and likes. Always colourful, showing a great mise-en-scène, the camera tracks passed the set as if floating on air, such ease it is done with. This time Anderson explores the beautiful India showing three brothers who are on a trip to bond with each other after the passing of their father and the dissapearance of their mother. Played by Jason Schwartzman, Adrien Brody and Owen Wilson, the three of them make up a pretty funny team. However, even though most of Darjeeling is charming, mostly because of the great looking colourful eye candy images, at times Darjeeling feels a bit empty. Overall the film is coherent in its funniness, but the comedic aspects not always work. It's a certain humour Anderson provides you withw hich can only completely be enjoyed when you and Anderson are exactly on the same length. Else you end up chuckling along rather than laughing hysterically. The best thing about Darjeeling comes at the end, with a beautiful small performance by Anjelica Huston. Yet, the best thing of all can be seen before Darjeeling has even started. This best thing is Hotel Chevalier, a short made by Anderson telling a bit of the past of Schwartzman's character and his relationship with a woman played by Natalie Portman. Introducing the tune Where Do You Go To (My Lovely), a classic hit by Peter Sarstedt, which will linger inside your head hours after both he short and Darjeeling, in which it is also featured, Hotel Chevalier is a tiny little gem which ends with a beautiful shot of Paris seen from a balcony. It is the best thing Anderson offers and shows everything Darjeeling unfortunately lacks.