The Kite Runner

With adaptations of novels there's always that question of what the film would have been like watching if you would have first read the novel instead. Having not read The Kite Runner before seeing the film by director Marc Forster, the story with its many twists had me surprised and very emotional. However, in relation to other adaptations, of which Atonement is a great example, The Kite Runner feels to give away that it's based on a novel. The film is very straight forward. It isn't a cinema piece. The film is very much centered on its story which has clearly become the film's main focus. This can be applauded, stating that this finally is a film again which makes telling a solid and engaging story its main aim, but also detested, making no full use of film as a grand visual medium. The Kite Runner hardly is of any interest when it comes to cinematography. There's not especially great camera movement or photography providing for breathtaking images. The entire film seems to be covered in the same kind of style that is used consistently throughout. In this way the film is boring. Still because of the powerful story it's a film that can be very much enjoyed, but one which will likely be experienced in a complete different way when you have read the book before and thus know the story and all its twist. An adaptation then has to offer much more and comes to rely on different things than just its narrative. I, thus, very much enjoyed the film, but also kept in mind and realized that in a filmic way The Kite Runner is nothing special and not that interesting. What mostly stands out are some of the acting performances. The boy playing Hassan is more than just a sweet face. He plays his role very well as is Khalid Abdalla playing the older Amir, giving a surprising performance of subtetly. He makes of Amir an intelligent young man, very recognizable and real, with much heart. The Kite Runner thus still has nice things to offer and is a solid film. It's just that it could have been made much more interesting if it had taken some risks or paid more attention to visuality. Now the film's story stand out too much, so that you can say that you could better just read the book and fill in its colours with your own imagination instead of presenting it in this way, which feels to be nothing more than a story with moving pictures.

Oldboy

Oldboy is a brilliant mix of styles, turning it into a visual extravaganza with a dark twist at the end which will leave a somewhat bitter taste and question your overall thoughts of the film. Still, though, it's a great film, one that is different, strong, and which will no doubt surprise. Director Chan-Wook Park starts his film with elements of comedy, making it seem fresh and crazy. Min-Sik Choi, the actor playing the main character Dae-Su Oh who is out for revenge after spending something like fifteen years in a tiny apartement, is heartbreaking looking at times as if he has lost his mind, which is all due because of his imprisonment. His great expressive face and black bushy hair make him look funny in a way, endeering. The outcome of the film therefore is even more horrifying. Oldboy, which won the Gran Jury Prize at the Cannes Film festival 2004 and in my opinion did so deservedly, is one of those rare films that will have you with your mouth open. It's so unexpectedly good that you're not even sure you have really watched this film which feels to be both insane as magical. Let it run over you as a whirlwind and enjoy its every second.

Eastern Promises

Eastern Promises, David Cronenberg's latest, tells the story of a nurse who gets herself into trouble by being determined to help find the family of a baby which is left in her hands. Traces lead her to the Russian maffia and soon she finds herself in the middle of a dangerous world of betrayal and murder. Overall Eastern Promises kind of feels a bit old fashioned and it's definitely one of those films you either love or hate. The film's setting and style very much remind of the past. Bad guys' throats are cut with fake blood sipping out and running down their necks. A sequence in a sauna ends in a small massacre after providing you with some nice thrills. Cronenberg has made a nice and solid crime drama set in London. Viggo Mortensen is ruthless as the Russian Nikolai, portraying a man you most certainly don't want to cross paths with. People who have seen Cronenberg's A History Of Violence will notice the dark sunglasses and his overall appearance showing many similarities with Ed Harris' character in that same film. Like Violence, Eastern Promises shows how hard it is to escape a world of crime and danger. Once you're part of it it's hard to get out. Eastern Promises is a solid film, but I happened to enjoy it less than Violence. However, seeing it a second time, I might enjoy it more as it took a while for me to get into the Russian accents and the stylistic choices of the film. But taking the film into second account it definitely has a good story and will provide for lots of entertainment.

Irréversible

Irréversible is probably one of the most controversial films you will ever see, which is mostly caused by its two (in)famous scenes which are excessively violent. One is of a guy being hit to death with a fireextinguisher, the other a rape scene which lasts for something like 9 minutes and which is shown during one long take. Added to this is the film's spinning camera, which moves around in circles from upside down to downside up and which is said to be able to cause nausea. Some people reacted with disgust leaving the cinema before the film ended, some people, like me, loved the film for its beauty, its ideas and its deeper meanings. Fact is that Irréversible is a film that varies in responses. True, the rape scene makes you feel disgusted and is almost unwatchable, because of its realness and is definitely a scene you don't want some people to ever lay eyes on. But what comes after are scenes that are pure beauty and a treat for people who love to watch actors interact almost purely on improvisation. This is what happens in one of the scenes showing actress Monica Bellucci and Vincent Cassel, who plays her boyfriend and Albert Dupontel, who plays her ex, involved in a conversation about their sex life, discussing why Bellucci's character Alex reaches real pleasure with Cassel, but never with Dupontel. In contrast to the film's opening, which is almost completely dark, its ending is colorful like the most wonderful summer day imagineable. And it's end message: 'Time destroys everything', will make you think and wonder long after having watched the film, which is told in reversible order starting with the ending and finishing with the beginning when the life of the characters was still bliss and seemed full of opportunity. Overall Irréversible is a love or hate encounter and a film which contains some scenes which you have to be able to endure to not give in to the temptation of walking out on the film.

La Faute À Fidel!

La Faute À Fidel! (Blame It On Fidel!) is a very entertaining film showing life from a young girl's perspective. Finding herself involved into her parents' political aspirations, this girl named Anna, comically mixes up politics, not having any understanding and seeing things very black and white. At one point it all becomes Fidel's fault, when her nanny from Spain tells her the man is no good and the family, living in a very nice and luxurious home, leaves for the city and moves into what in comparison to their old home is a very small appartment. The film is full of these political little jokes, which is why altogether La Faute À Fidel! is definitely a film for adults, even though it sometimes seems a children's film. One of the reasons you might think it's a children's film is because of the films main protagonist, which is a little girl trying to cope with change and being reluctant to difference. But the jokes are for the adults, making it less a family film. The joy mostly is also seeing this child adapt to a new environment and sticking her nose into things she shouldn't be sticking her nose into, which as a spectator you connect to your own childhood memories, using this girl as a mirror for the ways you as a child took notice of the world around you and being sometimes spoiled and unkind to your parents who in the end always knew what was best for you. Played by Nina Kervel-Bey, little Anna is portrayed as a girl with a very strong opinion who doesn't take things for granted and is filled with curiosity. The look in her eyes tells it all. Sometimes those eyes seem to be able to set you on fire when staring too long into them. Kervel-Bey plays her role extremely well, being firm and fearless, giving way to a spoiled brat, but one who will steal your heart as well, being many times the mere victim of confusion and not being able to understand the world her parents start to build around her. Someone who doesn't understand a thing, even more than Anna does, is her little brother François. He however just takes it all in, easily adapting to his new nanny, while Anna keeps struggling, not wanting to like the new people she is set up with and wishing things could be back to how they used to be. La Faute À Fidel! as a whole feels very much like Goodbye Lenin! in the way it looks and the easy way it tells a story, which sometimes feels to consists more of nice fragments than a complete whole. With a not that long 99 minutes, La Faute À Fidel!, however seemed to take much longer, which isn't particularly a bad thing, but sometimes the film seems to miss a bit of clear focus. There's no real goal which the film works its way to. It just shows a young girl who is forced to change her life and eventually learns to deal with this change, even though she was hesitant at first. The film does try to become a bit climatic, with Anna and her brother at one point walking away to the library when their parents end up in a heated discussion. Still, though, La Faute À Fidel! is a very entertaining film, one which will probably spark more interest in women than men, even though a male audience will probably enjoy it very much as well. But with a girl at its center, it does seems likely to appeal more to a female audience.

What Is It About?

Anna de la Mesa, a young girl living a very luxurious life and who has everything she wants, one day finds herself moving to a tiny appartment, her life being put upside down. Caused by her parents new found interest in politics Anna all of a sudden has to give up her comfortable life and all the things she had gotten used to. Together with her little brother she has to deal with all these changes while life carries on. With her parents now being communist, her father travelling to South America, bearded men around the kitchen smoking and talking, and her mother interviewing women to write a book about abortion, it seems life for Anna will never be the same. Trying hard to adapt to her new household she starts wishing her parents had never made her leave and wants to return to their big mansion in the countryside. Visiting her grandparents she starts complaining about the new house and her new nanny, still not willing to except her new life.

Final Verdict: ****

Like I mentioned La Faute À Fidel! does become a bit long, or at least it feels to be longer than two hours, even though it's not. At this point it really is Kervel-Bey's energetic performance which saves the film. Overall La Faute À Fidel! is nice, but does feels a bit distant at times. The film itself is not that extraordinary or special in any way. It's just very well carried out and happens to take all the right steps to guide it towards a succesful finish. Therefore it can be said that it does miss a bit of freshness and leans a bit too much towards the simple and predictable side. But director Julie Gavras indeed has made a very solid and fun film with a central character to remember. La Faute À Fidel! is not one of those must-see films, but definitely one which will satisfy and could become a favourite of some people because of it's high cuteness factor and it's charismatic little lead actress.

The Best 5 Of 2007

A whole year went by. This blog however launched in April, but didn't really start until May. 2007 was a year in which I saw a lot of films not only releases of 2007 but also from the past. Having seen so many good ones, it's time to decide which 5 films blew me away and have made such an impression that until this day I still remember them and the viewing experiences they gave me. Some were destined to be on this list the moment after I saw them, some asked for a bit more thought to have me deciding if they were truly worth having a spot on this list. Here are the final 5:

1. The Fountain

A dazzling film of which the visual beauty will be graved on my mind forever. It leaves you puzzled and aks you to question life and don't take it for granted. Darren Aronofsky really comes to show off his talent in this project of love which is the final step on that path to greatness which started of with Pi. Always trying to visually overwhelm his audience whith his spin of images, which are once again carried by the heartwrenching arrangements of Clint Mansell.

2. 2001: A Space Odyssey

A larger than life depiction of mankind's evolution. There's nothing like it. Stanley Kubrick has done a very impressive job in making one of the most memorable films which will be cherished throughout all the years which are still to come. It's a real classic and will leave a very haunting and lasting impression.

3. Dare Mo Shiranai

A story of strength and overcoming challenges, Hirokazu Koreeda's Dare Mo Shiranai is both a celebration of life showing a group of children trying to survive on their own and making the best of what they have, as well as a dark portrait of life and its losses, it feelings of loneliness, abandonment and how it tries to steal away our joy bringing upon us all its suffering.

4. Bin-Jip

With Bin-Jip I got introduced to Kim Ki-Duk and the style that has gotten him the praise and respect by critics and audiences all over the world. A love story in which the lovers fall for each other not because of their verbal abilities but because of their physicality, the sparks and twinklings bubbling underneath their skin, which errupt into a mysterious attraction to one another. Like many of Ki-Duk's films Bin-Jip lets you experience the beauty of silence.

5. Reprise

I never got to see its ending, but I did see everything that went before it, and all of that is enough to put it on this list. With Reprise Joachim Trier presents the big dreams of two young men. The power of the film lies more in the way it tells its story then the story itself. It's by making full use of the cinematic medium, challenging his audiences with images that seem to be flashbacks and flashforwards at the same time. It's this big visual splendor, throwing everything around and doing things the way he wants. The result is this incredible style which oozes freshness and orginality. Trier tries to do things differently, throwing off the conventional and creating something new.

Honorouble mentions: Blue Velvet, Être Et Avoir, Ratatouille, Breaking The Waves, Duo Luo Tian Shi, The Station Agent, Samaria, Anche Libero Va Bene, Le Conseguenze Dell'Amore, Match Point, Zodiac, Me And You And Everyone We Know, Gerry

The Best 3 Of December

The last month of the year, another recap. Again a lot of films I had never seen before. I managed to see two more films by a person who is quickly becoming one of my favourite directors, Kim Ki-Duk. Once, the film I had been waiting for for so long, felt like a bit of a dissapointment, which was mostly caused by my expectations which were set way too high. A second view might change my perception and make it a real favourite. I also watched The Fountain again, the first time since I watched it at the cinema and still it's amazing. Well, here are the best films I had never seen before, but (finally) saw this December:

1. Samaria

Once again Kim Ki-Duk shows his distinct style, combining excesses of violence with a tragic story kept silent. His films feel sad and are drenched in coldness featuring characters not showing much of what they feel through words, but connecting through gazes and physical expressions.

2. American Gangster

A nice take on the genre by Ridley Scott. A thrill from start to finish with fine performances by both Washington and Crowe. American Gangster fits perfectly on the list of classics like The Godfather and Goodfellas. It might not get that legendary status, but it sure is a solid film and Washington gives a masterclass in how to become the ultimate gangster.

3. A History Of Violence

Even though ExistenZ is still my favourite, with A History Of Violence David Cronenberg proves he is a great director. It feels pretty slick, but it fits, especially with the characters introduced near the end. It has some flaws, like the high school scenes, which seem flat. But then again, considering it is based on a graphic novel, it does seems to be in line with that style. Mortensen is great as well as Bello.

The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford

Here it is, the best film of 2007, The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford. It is really probably the best and most fulfilling film of 2007, that, if you have not already seen it, you will be seeing this year, 2008 that is. Based on the novel by Ron Hansen the film itself reads, or in this case watches, like a novel. Not only because of its use of a voice-over narrator, but also because of its very slow pace. Almost as if director Andrew Dominik wants you to describe every little detail, becoming yourself a novelist, the story comes to literally unfold before your eyes. The cinematography is amazing with the camera slowly tracking to lead the audience into the landscape. While actors are seen playing their parts, the background filled with beautiful mountains call you from afar, willing to get your attention. Especially at the beginning the film features some beautifully lit shots with actor Brad Pitt standing in an open field. And as if all this visual beauty wasn't enough, there's also some pleasure for the ears. The soundtrack accompanying the images fits the image track so well. Nick Cave and Warren Ellis who composed the score found the perfect sounds to accompany the visual beauty and the film's slow pace. The Assassination Of Jesse James definitely isn't for those people only used to fast editing and who aren't able to keep concentrated for longer than some 10 seconds. Whereas in most films you only have to blink once to already miss another shot, here you won't be missing a thing as the camera lingers on every small detail, which isn't a bad thing at all, more the opposite. The Assassination Of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford is a hauntingly beautiful film and one of those westerns that is slower than those filled with chases and gunfire. Besides being one of the films with the best cinematography The Assassination is also one which features some of the best performances. Brad Pitt is good, gradually sliding into his role and making you see the character instead of the actor and celebrity that is Pitt. He finds a good balance between making Jesse look friendly, someone who you can look up to, but also deadly scary able to all of a sudden turn into some kind of crazy person ready to kill anyone standing in his way. But nomatter how good he is, or Sam Rockwell or Paul Schneider who both are also terrific, this film belongs to one person only and that person is Casey Affleck who gives the most brilliant performance, one that is among the best you'll find in film. He's a revelation and gives the performance every wannabe-actor dreams of giving. When he's not featured in one of the scenes you wish he was there, so fine, so stunning is what Affleck comes to show here. At first he makes Robert unexperienced, a young boy who dreams of one day becoming a first class cowboy like his role model Jesse. Being in his presence he can't seem to be able to wipe that grin of his face. As the title suggest, Robert seems like a real coward, one of whom you would never expect to reach the same status of a Jesse. Over time, however, Robert comes to find out Jesse isn't that great either. Reading stories about him in little books in which Jesse plays the hero, gradually he comes to believe Jesse was right when he said he should not believe these stories, which in contrast to the real events are merely lies. Also being mocked at for looking up to Jesse and knowing everything about him after Jesse keeps him under his wing for a while, taking him to places where Jesse always goes, Robert seems to lose his dream, though he holds onto it, being the only real thing he has to hold onto. Therefore when the assassination takes place, he is seen somewhat feeling indifferent about his actions, doing what he has always dreamt of doing, but also having doubts about his actions no longer sure this is really what he wanted. Looking at Affleck's portrayal, you come to feel for him. He puts Robert somewhere between this image of always being in his heart this little boy who dreams of one day becoming that big tree just like Jesse, and this young guy who is smarter than he looks and is determined in his actions and goal. He takes it all very seriously and one can not blame him for wanting what to him seems the best of life, the life Jesse lives. He is hismelf an admirer, but he too wants to be admired. It's this being torn between two different persona which makes you as a spectator like Robert, but also dislike him. Coming to think of it, he's really not that likeable and sometimes even a bit annoying. Being honest, you can not but admit you understand Jesse's mockings when he keeps asking Robert to tell him interesting stories about him, since he's the real expert when it comes to Jesse James. It's therefore somewhat a relief when eventually Robert comes to question his deeds and excepts life as it is, realizing his life will never be like Jesse's. This feeling of both finding him sympathetic, but at the same time annoying like a coward is, is part of what makes Affleck's performance so strong. He is one of the main reasons this film lingers and sticks with you long after seeing it. He's that impressive and people seeing this film will think of his performance when one day stumbling upon the film in a local videostore. Overall, thus, The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford is a very soothing and satisfying film, somber, melancholic, and art-house beautiful, with characters that show great development and unlock the most wonderful emotions inside of you, as well as appealing to the big audience with well known actors and a compelling story.

What is it about?

Jesse James is someone who is deeply feared even by those who are close to him. His unexpected nature scares everyone and noone can be sure of him liking you or not. Amongst his many admirers is Robert Ford, a young guy who idolizes Jesse the bandit and looks up to him as if he's the ultimate hero. His older brother Charley Ford may count himself to that small group of people who has been priviliged to work with the James' brothers, making it possible for Robert to get close to the one person he has looked up to all his life. One day his dream can be said to come true when James briefly takes Robert under his wing showing him the places he goes to and teaching him the tricks of a bandit. During this period Robert gets the chance to fully observe the guy, leading to him dressing up trying to look like his idol. His brother and friends come to mock him for it, finding his books in a box hidden under his bed, the books which tell stories about James. That's how famous he is. Soon though, Robert comes to get to know James real character. There's more than meets the eye and it's a side not so great as Robert might have hoped. Slowly he's becoming somewhat resentful, building thoughts and feelings which will make him do the one thing he hopes will put him on the same level as Jesse, assassinate him before anyone else does.

Final Verdict: *****

In a short scene just some minutes before the long awaited assassination takes place, Robert can be seen outside washing his face with water from a small bucket. While doing so his actions are wonderfully accompanied by the film's score, being totally in line with the way you would picture a scene like this in your head. It's a perfect little scene showing Robert getting ready for the moment he's been waiting for all his life feeling both serene and beautific. It's just one of the many beautiful scenes The Assassination has to offer. Saying it's a masterpiece might sound as an over-statement an exaggeration, but this one asks for it. The Assassination is just that good. It is a masterpiece. It is a wonderful film perfectly carried out. It gives you the best experience and for me the best since The Fountain. True, at a certain moment you might feel you have lost part of the plot, but if you just focus on the important things, eventually you will get back into it completely and the feeling of being lost will be entirely gone. Watching it a second time might be even more pleasant for me as I had not expected the film to go on that long after the assassination, which I thought would be the film's climax and ending. But there's more to come, so be prepared. But because of my expectations the thought did creep in my head, the one asking: it's still not over? I didn't want that though to be there, because for me the film can't last long enough, for me it could have went on for ages, nothing I would have loved more. But I could not shed it off. Next time, though, I will know and I will enjot it even more than I already did. Though the films are different and give different experiences, it was as good, or at least similar to my first experience of watching The Fountain. There's this magic that can not be explained. It's just is there and this film for some reason has it, which I myself did not expect. Therefore it was a real suprise finding out how extraordinary this film is, in ways I could have never expected. With a great score, great cinematography, great characters and story and great perfomances by both Pitt and Affleck, especially Affleck, The Assassination Of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford is the ultimate film to watch. Maybe you won't like it, but just go, because if you will like it, you will probably really love it and that's a love I wish for anyone to experience.

4 Luni, 3 Saptamani Si 2 Zile

Cristian Mungiu has made one of the most gripping films of last year, making you feel as if you're really part of the two main characters' life. Both students, these young girls have sex with their boyfriends just like any other girl and sometimes they end up pregnant. Young as they are a long future still ahead of them, being a mother is not exactly what they dream of becoming. No wonder so many young girls therefore make the decision to let it be taken away, at a moment the baby is not yet full grown. Using a lot of static shots, Mungiu takes his audience so close to these two characters, it's almost as if you're going through the experiences with them, as if you're silently sitting in a corner at a distance observing these characters while they make some lifechanging decisions. Almost claustrophobic-like, making it impossible for the spectator to look away, the camera doesn't turn away, making it impossible for you to escape. It's like it's ordering you to watch this, to witness this so you will know what some girls in Romania go through and how far they go risking their lifes for an abortion, putting their lives in the hands of a person they hardly know. Both actresses who play the two girls make their characters look smart, but very naive as well. Especially Gabriela, who is getting the abortion, seems to not be truly aware of the consequences and seriousness of the cause, not obeying to the demands of the guy who will do the abortion. She seems somewhat careless, but at the same time you can see in her expressions she indeed knows what she's doing and her foolish behaviour is mostly a result of fright. Anamaria Marinca, the actress surrounded by lots of buzz, and who plays Otilia, Gabriela's helpful friends, proofs all the raves for her acting are legit. She has this naturalness in the way she delivers her dialogue and is an actress who a lot of people would not mind having to listen to non-stop. With a lot of subtlety she gives way to her characters deeply felt emotions. During a scene at her boyfriend's house who's mother is celebrating her birthday, sitting at a table having dinner around people she doesn't know, in a very long take, she keeps her character so alive that there's not a single moment in that scene she loses hold of her character's feelings. Looking at her posture, the expressions on her face, the thoughts racing through her head come to speak to the audience physically. It's a beautiful part to play and she does it magnificently. 4 Luni, 3 Saptamani Si 2 Zile (4 Months, 3 Weeks And 2 Days) deservedly won the Palme D'or, being a film that is very political showing the situation of these girls, which is representative for the social situation of a lot of young people. It shows what's going on in Romania apart from this great new cinema that seems to have risen up. With 4 Luni, 3 Saptamani Si 2 Zile Mungiu has put himself on the map and with him Romania's new promising cinema. Let's hope his next project will be as good and he won't be eaten up by Hollywood and the big studios.

What Is It About?

On what seems to be an ordinary day, two girls get themselves ready to set up a meeting. Sharing a room in a student flat these girls are studying hard and are representative for the bright new generation of Romania. However, just like any other girls they also make mistakes nomatter how smart they are or how hard they study. When it comes to sex and boyfriends they too seem to forget to use protection or even themselves decide to be less careful than they know they should be, being very much aware of the consequences their actions can bring. For Gabriela it's already to late and together with her roommate Otilia she sets up a meeting with a guy who might be able to help her. Not wanting her baby, she has decided she wants to undergo an abortion. Having saved all their money Otilia tries to get a hotel room for the abortion to take place, one which Gabriela should have booked before, but it turned out she didn't. After meeting the guy who will be doing the abortion it becomes clear to Otilia that not booking the hotel room isn't the only rule Gabriela broke and there is more she promised to arrange but ended up not to, which leads to a less than solid start with the guy who is about to perform the abortion. Not following his demands the girls have to face the consequences.

Final Verdict: *****

4 Luni, 3 Saptamani Si 2 Zile doesn't let go. It sticks until the end. The way the camera follows Otilia, shot from the back, you walk with her, while she heads into this frightening journey. It's nice to see a film in which there went so much thought in how to depict the story and what are the best means to do it. 4 Luni, 3 Saptamani Si 2 Zile feels very realistic throughout. The characters look very ordinary, there's nothing glamorous about their situation and it shows. The scenes that are shot in the dark give you quite the creeps, especially thinking about what Otilia is about to do at that moment. Mungiu has made the perfect film which is a great fit for this story. His depiction is honest, thoughtful and therefore really lingers. It's a film which shows how you should bring to life a subject like this to really grab people's attention, but which stays truthful and doesn't dramatize it in a way only to reach a greater emotional response from its audience. Watch it to learn about these young women out there and spread the word.

Voleurs De Chevaux

Micha Wald, remember that name. Not only is he the director of this gem of a film, which is his feature length debut, but also the director of Alice Et Moi, which got him a prize at the Cannes film festival in 2004, and is a comic delight. This short film was shown before the screening of Voleurs De Chevaux (Horse Thieves), and after seeing both, comes to really show the differences between the two. Voleurs De Cheuvaux is this epic tale of brotherly love that goes deep. It's a beautiful film from start to finish, wonderfully shot and strongly acted. The way the camera lingers to show the sky and makes full use of the surroundings the film is shot in set up the setting of the film prefectly. Looking at the images you feel like wandering through those woods yourself, feeling really part of the 19th century the films is set in. In a time where men looked scruffy, not caring too much about taking baths and rather throwing themselves into rivers to wash them, Voleurs De Chevaux shows also the way people came to take care of their family, being very protective and providing in their own means to survive. Voleurs De Chevaux is divided into three parts and shows both Jakub and his younger brother Vladimir as well as Roman and his younger brother Elias. It starts by a meeting between the four that the film later gets back to after telling the story of the first two brothers. Then the story of the two other brothers gets told and eventually the outcome after their lives come to intertwine is shown. By then however, the film, unfortunately, has lost part of its magic, which could be felt so strongly throughout the first parts. Still, though, it keeps you watching and is good, though not as strong as first. It just becomes a bit too long with Jakub following the other two brothers, making attempt after attempt to get back at the harm the oldest of the two, Roman, has caused him. Still Voleurs De Chevaux is a must-see, and consists of so much beauty, you want to scream out from your seat in appreciation because of the joy you feel sipping through your body and want everyone to experience. The film consist out of a young cast full of great talent and led by Adrien Jolivet who plays Jakub, the brother who, out of all four gets the most screentime and who the spectator comes to learn most about. He is the one who the film comes to depend on in showing how certain actions come to affect the brothers. Jolivet portrays Jakub as a strong young boy with a good spirit and intelligence, trying to proof himself and be the best older brother he can be. Very protective of his younger brother Vladimir, he also tries to set the best example, so Vladimir has someone he can really look up to. Jakub definitely is the most experienced of the two which shows when the two enter into becoming Cossacks, during which he easily clims a horse and starts riding, very much to the surprise of the big Cossack leader who teaches the boys in what being a real Cossack is about. Vladimir, Jakub's younger brother, played by Grégoire Leprince-Ringuet who also stars in Christophe Honoré's latest film, Les Chanson D'Amour, a modern musical similar to John Carney's Once, is the brother who out of the four main characters comes endure the toughest of pains. Portrayed as the opposite of Jakub, he's less socially equipped and has less guts than his older brother has. Grégoire Colin, who plays Roman, makes a very powerful appearance, almost beastlike when angry and causing quite some scare into the people around him, but also the audience watching. Elias, played by François-René Dupont in his debuting role, is the youngest of all brothers shown and the one who seems most sympathetic, kind and charming, still showing very much innocence. It's therefore tough to have to watch him choose between his own brother and Jakub who he soon after meeting, comes to admire and look up to. At times Voleurs De Chevaux can be quite brutal in its depiction of violence and therefore comes to feel quite masculine. Coming to think of it, it can be said to be more of a male film, not romanticizing things, but just shows life as it was in the time the film is set. And showing the deep bond that exists between some brothers, which the bond between sisters can not compare to, guys watching the film, especially those with an older or younger brother themselves, will probably come to feel more closely connected to the film's characters and story. Altogether Micha Wald has made a perfect film which show his great skills as a director and a storyteller who seems to have a great eye for natural beauty. Voleurs De Chevaux will encourage young directors to start making their own film and shows what can be achieved when you start with making shorts, which can bring you critical acclaim and perhaps a chance to make a feature length film just like Wald achideved in doing.

What is it about?

Two young guys are playing in a river on what seems a perfect sunny day, while their horses stand waiting on the river bank. However, the two guys are't the only ones around. Carefully approaching their horses are this young boy and this older guy. Making a whistling sound to lead the horses towards him, the boy manages to get hold of the horses and together with the older guy the two of them take off. One of the young guys in the water takes notice and quickly pulls himself out of the water, but it seems already to late. Next, the same boy, who goes by the name Jakub, is seen asking for a little spare money or food in what seems to be a bar. Together with his younger brother Vladimir he manages to get the chance to become a real Cossack, when pleading for the leader of the group of Cossacks who just entered the bar, to let the boys be part of thir group of young men who they give the chance to become Cossacks. Given a place to sleep and eat, the boys have to work hard to earn their spot. Thrown into a group of various young men all wanting to become part of the Cossacks the young men have to perform taks and are taught how to fight and ride a horse. Vladimir, Jakub's younger brother, in contrast to Jakub doesn't make any real progress. Whereas Jakub manages to show off his talent, quickly becoming the best of the group, Vladimir seems to have some trouble. To Jakub this all seems strange as it is him who taught his younger brother how to ride a horse, which he therefore should easily be capable of doing. Soon Jakub comes to learn about the other guys treating his younger brother badly, making Jakub errupt into this rage of anger. Noone should ever touch his brother or even come near him. His love for Vladimir goes deeply and it shows in his protective ways. Once the two brothers are accepted by the group of Cossacks, being themsleves now Cossacks as well, playing in the river, the film brings them back to the beginning, where their horses get stolen. The young boy and older guy stealing the horses turn out to be brothers too and like Jakub, the oldest one, Roman is highly protective of the younger Elias, just the way Jakub is.

Final Verdict: *****

Even though the film fails at being completely perfect, because the small detail of after the first parts of the film, it starts to slow down too much, making it feel to run a bit too long, it still definitely comes close to it. It's a new favourite, which asks for another viewing, if possible on the big screen to experience it in its most beautiful. Micha Wald has made this epic tale, a combination of sadness and revenge and all filmed in this beautiful landscape showing lots of greens and ponds of water. The young cast of actors really carry the film very well and for some of them Voleurs De Chevaux might be the beginning of a solid career or at least lead them into the right direction. Voleurs De Chevaux was for me a very pleasant suprise and brought me more joy than I expected. Not only the story is heartbreaking, but also the performances and some shots of the beautiful scenery will take your breath away and will make you want to pick up a camera yourself and start recording the wonderful world around you just like the makers of Voleurs De Chevaux have done. With Voleurs De Chevaux Wald has made a very gritty film, that feels fresh because of the young cast and characters and very natural and earthly. It's one of the best films I saw recently and an't wait to experience again.

Grimm

Alex van Warmerdam's Grimm is not the great film it could have been. Having this surrealistic flair, it has a nice starting point with its two main characters left in the woods like Hensel and Gretel, though, this seems to be the only really clear refercence to its title which insiuates a reference to the two famous fairytale storieteller brothers. Grimm however seems nothing like a fairytale at all, even though it has a somewhat happy ending structure and is quite unusual, if not weird. But after this nice start Grimm becomes a bit too long after the two main characters come to live with a guy the sister gets to know. From this moment on the film seems to be settling down, as if taking a break from the little adventure the sister and brother came to be on in an attempt to get to Spain as fast as they can, stumbling upon little problems and strange characters on their way. After this break the film tries to recover itself, but it's already too late. The real interest in the film is gone and as a spectator you no longer really care for the brother and sister. Also the weirdness of the film, which in the beginning seems nice and interesting comes to make no sense in the end. Apart from the knowledge the brother and sister need to go to Spain to stay with family, because their parents can no longer take care of them, there isn't much more information you come to inherit. It's never made clear who the brother and the sister really are, what kind of lifes they live. All you end up knowing is that once they leave the forrest in which their father has left them, they come to be on the run. This lack of clear information, make the film a bit too distant, containing what can be understood as too many plot holes. Also as a spectator you seem to fall from one genre into the other. The beginning is still kind of fairytale-like with its landscape and surrealistic elements when the two get rid of a farmer and his wife, but then the film turns into a roadmovie and the sister pointing a gun at a woman. After this the film comes to contain some mystery and starts having some thriller elements with chases, eventually ending in a western-like landscape with abandoned saloons and a goat and donkey the brother and sister come to befriend. As a spectator in the end you just come to wonder what all this was for and what you have gained by watching this film and what exactly it is it wanted to tell. Still the film is quite enjoyable, especially the beginning and beside solid acting, even though there's seems little real substance for the actors to work with, the film looks great. Especially those scenes with the brother and sister running through the woods holding hands is a treat to watch. Grimm thus can be said to be quite nice but it isn't as if you would have missed something really important if you would not have watched it.

What is it about?

A brother and a sister, Maria and Jacob, are left in the woods by their father who can together with their mother, no longer take care of them. A note from their mother tells them to go to Spain and stay with their uncle, which make the two set of on a trip, going from winter to sunny Spain meeting some strange characters and dealing with some risky situations along the way. When their uncle no longer seems to be alive, Maria happens to meet a Spaniard, Diego, who she falls in love with and very fast seem to come to live with. Jacob is allowed to live with them too. However Diego, seems to be very dominating and protective of Maria, preventing Maria from leaving when she wants to. The reasons for her leaving are a secret Diego happens to have for her, which has to do with the real reason she and her brother came to be welcomed into his home.

Final Verdict: ***

The cinematography probably is the most interesting aspect of Grimm, which shows that Dutch films can be quite nice. Being myself Dutch, I don't think that highly of the Dutch cinema, and therefore was pleasantly surprised of how good this film looked. I therefore also happen to be quite dissapointed with the direction the story took, which could have been much better, but now seems to be a sequence of loose ends used to create a suspenseful narrative, but one which lacks some common sense. Actors Halina Reijn and Jacob Derwig succeed in keeping the film more interesting than it would have been without them. They make you to keep paying attention and not turning off the screen. Reijn especially is nice to watch with her big eyes and quite unusual appearance. It's a real pity this film doesn't become what it could have been. The whole look of the film is great and it has some strong scenes, but as a whole it lacks clearity. Still it's nice to see a Dutch film which tries not to copy Hollywood, but rather tries to give Dutch cinema a face of its own. It's for this reason it's sad to see such a nice attempt fail.