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Free Rainer (2007)
5/10
Once Again a good theme done poorly
26 November 2007
Warning: Spoilers
I came into the movie with fairly high expectations - I had liked "Die Fetten Jahre Sind Vorbei" and thought Weingarten would move up the scale - the topic was a challenge, but I was optimistic.

Let's start with the good part: The first 20 minutes are amazing. Moritz Bleibtreu is the perfect actor for playing the a****** TV producer: Loud, eccentric, on edge, constantly drinking or sniffing a line, no respect for other people, full of himself. His exit from the studio and his drive in the Jaguar through Berlin to Downset's "Anger" is memorable. Excellent throughout the movie are also Gregor Bloéb as Maiwald, Rainer's (even more polarizing) boss (what a fabulous name for the character) and Milan Peschel for the introvert security-guard-come-conspiracy-theorist Philip.

Unfortunately, the good part of the movie ends after Rainer's accident. This is where the movie tries to be a moralist movie/comedy/serious film/blockbuster. Unfortunately, it fails on all counts. The constant swing back and forth between the genres made me feel unease half of the time. Weingarten was constantly trying to get a message across to the viewer, but I'm afraid he didn't know what it was himself. If he was just trying to provide entertainment, why did he constantly attempt touching on my moralist conscience? I hope you get my dilemma.

Elsa Sophie Gambard, alias Pegah is really pretty, but the only face she could make the whole movie was a cross-over: "Angeline Jolie Tomraider/I am an evil alien/My life is frustrating/I am in love with you". After seeing her on screen with the same face while screaming at Rainer and kissing him a few scenes later, I had to laugh out loud.

Superfluous are the swimming pool scene - what the heck does that have to do with the movie - and the (very superficial) love story between Rainer and Pegah. Making the movie end almost exactly like in "Die Fetten Jahre Sind Vorbei" - didn't help. What? Did Weingarten run out of ideas but was forced by the production company to finish before Christmas? Come-on! I did enjoy some of the characters from the unemployment army to hack into the IMA-System. Irshad Panjatan (Gopal) was a laugh. A few memorable moments also include Maiwald skating out of the CEOs office with a big fat grin on his face and Rainer smashing his Jaguar - but all this is not enough to save the movie. (5/10)
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Serenity (2005)
4/10
I don't understand the hype
29 November 2005
I used to be able to go to the movies by blindly trusting IMDb-ratings... until I went and watched Serenity. I don't understand the hype and I don't understand the positive ratings.

The movie is an attempt of mixing "Star Wars", "Resident Evil" and "Kill Bill". And it is a poor attempt.

This is one of the worst Sci-Fi Movies I have ever seen - there is no feasible plot and horrible acting. Fair special effects just save the movie from being worse than AvP. Don't waste your money, go watch "Harry Potter" or "Merry Christmas" or rent "Alien"... you will be a happier person.
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Der Wixxer (2004)
1/10
This movie was not funny
21 June 2004
I had heard about the movie from my local newspaper and the critique was "a nice movie to watch with friends after work". This is exactly what we did.

After about 3 minutes I regretted watching wasting time and money on these 90 minutes of absolutely horrible "stuff". This was the first movie I was inclined to leave since "Hoffa" (I fell asleep in that one).

None of the characters are funny, the plot is terribly weak and way to easy to follow, the "east German" is horrible - I've heard better on B-Radio Shows and references to Matrix and Silence of the Lambs are futile attempts to make the movie funny.

The Butler Adolph Hatler, a weak impersonation of Hitler is funny the first time he shows up... and that's that.

Don't waste your time on this.
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Stauffenberg (2004 TV Movie)
6/10
Tremendous Event, Average Acting, Weak Storyline
26 February 2004
The assassination attempt on Hitler in July, 1944 is one of the most important events in modern German history. It has been reconstructed dozens of times - none have really been successful. "Es Geschah am 20. Juli" and "Der 20. Juli", both in 1955, were the first early attempts of "Vergangenheitsbewaeltigung" in Germany, both were made for the cinema screen, both with well-known actors of the time that were old enough to experience the event.

Several re-filmings (To name two more successful ones: Operation Walküre, The Plot to Kill Hitler) were less successful. Filming in color was not enough to make a good story out of a weak one.

"Stauffenberg", on German TV was a much advertised and, rumor has it, expensive event. The cast filled with actors the audience is used to seeing on TV, not one a really good one.

The plot is ok, but runs through the timeline very quickly, starting in 1933 and running to the Summer of 1944 in about 3-4 minutes, without delivering any input. Too little emphasis is placed on the historical context to show the drama of the situation, and if the attempt was to portray the characters decently, not enough is done here. Without historical knowledge of the time, it is hard to follow the characters, their roles and positions.

Hitler and Goebbels (portrayed by Udo Schenk and Olli Dittrich) both look like they have just climbed out of their tombs. The attempt to make them look really evil, fails. In his short appearance, Olli Dittrich makes of Goebbels an insecure, hysterical zombie - it made me laugh.

A few moments of the film did keep me on edge, although I knew the outcome, especially shortly before the execution of Stauffenberg and the other "enemies of the state" - a plus.

Yet: I am still waiting for THE excellent portrayal of the event.
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9/10
What a love story
2 June 2003
This is probably one of the better films of last year. Adam Sandler has grown up and plays wonderfully in this love story which goes around any touchy-feely smooch-smooch.

Don't expect pretty woman and sure do not expect happy gilmore. You will get non of these. What will you get? A pretty unlucky and slightly deranged adam sandler on his quest for free American Airlines Miles and in search for true love... side-tracked by 1-900 Sex Lines... and a pretty nasty bad guy with his goons.

Go watch it!
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8/10
With a twist...
2 November 1999
Warning: Spoilers
One of the better movies I've seen - Bruce Willis is excellent, but what struck me the most was Toni's brilliant display of acting. The movie is well shot and well-planned. I don't want to offer spoilers, but the movie would've been even better without display of blood and gore - let it play in the mind of the audience, don't show them anything. And a second point: There are moments when the movie becomes extremely slow, but the Grand Finale is a masterpiece. To offer something as new and original definately deserves a solid '8'.
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Disappointing
2 November 1999
After what Scorsese has shown so far, I went into the movie with very expectations. And I must say I was disappointed. There are great moments, and some of the shooting was truly tremendous - but most parts seem to be weak copies/remakes of Taxi Driver. It's not a bad movie, it just depends what you hope to get out of it.
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