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Valkoinen kaupunki (2006)
The White City
The title, "White City" (as translated from Finnish) alludes to everything being white and then suddenly I got the idea of a whitewash.
The film is rare in handling divorce and child custody issues from a father's perspective, where husbands and fathers are treated unfairly by the society, the legal system and their ex-wives.
It depicts all the small injustices of the world, which the protagonist, Velimatti, is continuously subjected to. It shows to tell that legally, everything appears to be all-right, while all the protagonist feels is injustice, given for his penchant to trust the world.
Hope may appear in the end, in the last shot, while appearing cold and bleak, refers to a light at the end of the tunnel. Velimatti, whilst secluded from the rest of the world, is also protected from it. And himself.
We don't know what happens next. The hope is that the children will still remember their father and will visit him in their adulthood.
The White City depicts the worst-case scenario of what may be the result of a societal and legal system with bias against a divorce respondent.
Paradise Lost (1999)
Nice B-film
I bought an el-cheapo DVD (distributed in Europe) of this film only because I saw that Marina Sirtis was playing in there. I liked the main concept (about the environment and such), the beginning, the end (during the credits), the natives, Marina Sirtis and the promising Michel Angelo Mejias, the rest of the bunch of Puerto Rican actors and also some of the nature, too. But the way the plot revolved was not quite exactly what I expected nor wanted...
In one part because I later thought that the two male leads' roles should have been swapped in some way, since I reckoned that the two doctors could have become a better couple in the end, while the developer (Forsythe) could instead have met a certain demise. Or perhaps I'd have preferred one or two cases of unrequited affection. These would have been clichés of sorts, but the ending would have been more cuter (doctor-doctor couple) or more interesting (unrequited affection and a good ending nevertheless). Granted, Forsythe was an associated producer and Havers' character was too likable throughout for the how the film culminated.
* The film also contains a "morning after" scene, so I suggest parents with small children see through it first and decide whether their kids should see it or not.
Pahat pojat (2003)
Great action, a great villain (= good acting) and great eye candy ;)
I rarely watch any Finnish fiction movies, but since it was on TV and since I knew the general plot somewhat and that it contained eye candy and some insight into a neighboring country's microcosm of culture and way of life, I thought I had to stay and see it (unlike Aki Kaurismäki's "The Man Without A Past", which felt queasy for some reason; granted, I had only seen a few scenes of that.).
As I try to watch most everything with an open mind, it is difficult to claim feeling surprised. I found the film to be different and enjoyable and "Pahat pojat" greatly upped the ante in the genre in a region of countries (Finland, Nordic countries and then some other ones nearby) it was first released in.
The viewer gets to see most of the trappings of Finnish life, with numerous contrasts and then some: Many Finns who are everything that is good in them and _even more_ -- versus Loiri's portrayal of Jouko Takkunen, who in one person most despicably and artfully embodies everything that is bad in some Finns. Oh, but the character of the hypocritical "papi" Takkunen is not alone in this, as there are also others who are morally and ethically corrupt, self-righteous and in a position of power. In opposition to that, there are most good-natured, well-wishing, moral and ethical people who prevail against all odds and despite all difficulties.
Some of the good parts: good acting (a great and most despicable villain), then lots of eye candy, plenty of fun and witticisms and a fitting ending. I only wish for the casket to have been the cheapest model available.
Kudos go to everyone who played the Takkunen family and Risto Tuorila (the benevolent police constable).
The Jennie Project (2001)
Boring film only for children
My own note: * The review does not contain outright spoilers, but there's enough spoiler material to mark it as such, because of a telling reference in the last paragraph. *
I only just happened to see this film -- luckily, not in its entirety and I wonder if it's my adult age or many-many boring kiddie films that I have come to generally dislike this genre (with many exceptions, such as "Mrs. Doubtfire").
"Made for TV" usually says it all: boring acting and actors, directing and execution, character conflict that is not believable, the plot changes very slowly and/or the film's pace is slow as molasses. Adding to that is the fact that the plot setting takes place in a very comfy-comfy suburban environment which is quite specific to North America.
In this day and age of knowing how most films end in a satisfactory manner, and while this suburbanite milieu may serve well some other films and series ("Desperate Housewives" being a great example), in here it seemed to make a notable disservice, adding to the TV-watching boredom.
Before writing my review, I learned from here that there was a way better book published on the subject matter. I thought then, that the paper publication had to be better. I guess the idea was heavily watered down by decision-makers.
This film aired May Day (01.05.), which is a national Spring Holiday in Estonia. It was given a late morning time-slot that seems suitable for small kids.
I couldn't care to watch it till the end, so I changed channels to watch a better-rated "Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron", which is also a kiddie-film, but more watchable. Alas, there was nothing better to watch anyway, so I finally switched the TV set off. Of other kiddie-films, "Baby Geniuses" was also better than what this review is about.
I remembered a 1980's film about a chimpanzee who could also speak sign language and who was also befriended by a kid (the kid was notably older and not a small child anymore) and the film was about many chimpanzees and about experiments to be done to them... Of course, that ended well, too, but I just can't remember that film's title.
My Own Country (1998)
Poignant and largely overlooked
/The latter part of my comment might almost be construed as preaching, but belonging in a risk-group can't leave me emotionally unaffected. I don't think I should feel apologetic about it.
This is one of those films that I would always prefer watching alone or in the company of someone very close.
While to some, Mira Nair's directing and the flow of the story is irritatingly slow; Instead, I think that is actually the idea: It's not about expecting to have a quickie (in whichever platonic sense) from this - The film's slowness does not impede it, but works as a means to absorb the viewer into the story, its scene, its look and feel.
Re-telling the story in my comment might be overdone, considering the fact that some have done it here before me anyways and through the course of time, will probably not be the last ones to do this.
Of course the film is about AIDS back in the 1980's, but it's really almost a documentary reminder of what the disease is actually about - in a world where some people, especially the youth, have not begun considering that they might as well be affected by this.
It's beginning to be sad once the mainstream media narrows (or has already narrowed) its attention span towards this just because the condition is 'less of a pain' or that its status has been degraded to 'chronic'... "Ignorance is a bliss," or what?
The film just shows through its characters that the persons who died of HIV/AIDS, were real and they were not some poor people far away in some distant country. They were the human embodiment of different personalities and types we all can see around us, whom we can well relate to. AIDS (among other sexually transmitted diseases) is one of the more serious ones that could be caught in the road of pursuing [physical] pleasure. We shouldn't stop being careful about it.
By the way, "My Own Country" is also 'one of those' films that I caught watching on Hallmark back when there was cable at where I live.
Cagney & Lacey (1981)
Where it might be seen
I saw and also happened to follow Cagney and Lacey on German or Finnish TV a few years back. What had me interested was the dynamic of the series and its lead characters, though I don't remember much else than emotions of seeing it.
As for availability, then I don't rule out that it might be shown somewhere in Europe. Since the show is about 20 years old now (as of 2003), few TV channels are likely to put it on their prime time slot. If possible, grab a chance to take a look at it, because I feel that the show was in many ways ahead of its time.
Hua hun (1994)
The movie is about an escaped prostitute who later becomes an arts professor and a famous artist as well.
It is not a Shakespearean drama, though. But other than usual (stereotypical) Chinese movies, it touches the viewer's heart and mind, proving that good stuff can be done anywhere and anytime, despite the location and difference of ideals.