Change Your Image
whiplash
Reviews
Prevrashchenie (2002)
Créme de la créme of filmmaking
This film is based upon the novel by Franz Kafkas from 1912.
We follow a businessman, Gregor, who is heading home to his home town to see his family. He is stressed out because of his work, and because of the bad relationship between himself and his father.
Evgenij Mironov plays the part as the man who is on his way to self-destructive isolation through the fact that he is slowly turning into a beetle. Along with the very surreal settings in this movie, the viewer gets to witness Gregor's dreams, and how everything around him happens from his view. The film is unique in anyway, in terms of music, cinematography, editing, and acting. The tale has been adapted to film a number of times, but the Russian stage director Valerij Fokin is the first to show the physical deformation of Gregor. The film also leaves questions about "how" and "why", but on the other hand, the surreality may not need an explanation at all.
Let me point out that it is VERY rare that I give full score for a movie, but Metamorphosis is definitely worthy of it.
***10/10***
Amores perros (2000)
Devised, ardent and glorious.
The debut of Alejandro González Iñárritu, vital "Amores Perros", is a thoroughly carried out piece of modern mexican cinema, ready to nail you to the chair for its approximately 2 1/2 hours duration.
Three stories are spun together up against each other. Octavio is the average guy in the street, passionately in love with his brother's wife, Susanna, who is married to Ramiro. He lets his dog participate in dogfights, always with a dying part, in order to make enough money for Susanna and himself to escape from Ramiro's violence and cruelty. Nothing, however, goes in the right direction.
Daniel, a prospering editor, leaves his wife and kids to move together with the "not-so-stunningly-hot-actually" supermodel, Valeria. Preferably, Daniel's hopes and love, developes into frustration at a higher level, as Valeria gets smashed in a car accident, and later has to have her right leg amputated.
El-Chivo, "The goat", is an ex-communist living in a bunker along with his stray dogs. He abandoned his wife and daughter at an early age, to become a soldier fighting for the fate of the world. Only to be put in jail, losing an entire life with his daughter. Now, over 20 years later, he tries to get in touch with his daughter, who thinks he is dead. ---
These are the lively, dramatic lifestories, drawn together by Alejandro González Iñárritu's artistic mode of expression. With this rough concentrate of consequence spectrums, Alejandro González manages to rise questions whether pain may be a leading path to hope. And.. how would you react if the ultimate euphoric luck, turned out to be leveled with the ground, destructively?
When I put this film into my dvdplayer, I had no expectations beyond good reviews etc. It turned out to be one of the best "non-english speaking movies" I've seen. The acting, cinematography, directing, and the music are all spellbinding factors. Brilliant!
(10/10)
Blue Velvet (1986)
Lynch and Blue Velvet - Spellbinders
Blue Velvet was notably made in 1986, and yet I've seen it now for the first time in 2001. It is truly amazing, but I am not going to extol it any further; rather focus on the stunning cinema that Lynch delivers.
Lynch composes images and light with precision and skilled handwork. Like for example his visually similar flick "Lost Highway", which was in my opinion created with several points of resemblance to Blue Velvet. Although it has its dissimilarities. And what is so special about the way David Lynch makes his movies? Well, as far as I'm concerned, it is the way he pulls the viewer gradually more and more into the story. And the way he portrays his thoughts and ideas. Angles, lights, scenery, music etc. All put forth in this spellbinding cinema. Twisted together, but in order. I dare to call it compelling and evocative.
Of course this has to be experienced, and not dwelled about in an IMDb review. It is pretty obvious. See this movie. Let David Lynch welcome you to his cave of cinema.
(9/10)
Ôdishon (1999)
Interesting thorough japanese thriller drama.
Japanese director Takashi Miike does it again. The man behind "Rainy Dog" and "Dead Or Alive" takes us deeply into grace, love and sorrow, beautifully compensated by violence and terror. Professionally carried out with precision and tolerance. "Odishon" is solely unique one way with another.
We're in the present, modern Japan. Mr. Aoyama loses his wife to disease. Presumable, he moves on in life. Seven years later, his (now) young adult son urges him to look for a new woman. Tired of solitude, Aoyama agrees. Along with his colleague, he decides to hold an audition for choosing young girls for their movie production, combined secretly with selection of a new girl for him to start dating. He meets Asami Yamazaki. An apparantly innocent girl with a slight lack of confidence. Aoyama gets more and more interested in her as time goes by. Nearly fixated on spending a lifetime with this woman. "You are my perfect partner". Unfortunately, after seriously involving, he becomes the victim of the true, sadistic Asami. Revealing her depraving past as well as her gruesome intentions. We're ready for 20 minutes of hardcore climaxing.
Concessively, I experienced the same as the other IMDb reviewers of this film when watching the first half hour. "Odishon" starts well off with a short scene of Mrs. Aoyama dying quietly on the hospital bed. This was looking like a calm drama showing the life of a widower. But that is only before the story evolves. The structure of this movie is pretty much brilliant. It builds up SLOWLY, leaving moments of suggestive tension behind, to take the viewer with an iron grip as it builds up towards climax. Hideo Yamamoto's brilliant cinematography is also a part of this sneakingly excitement. Despite the story's praise and credibility, the story takes a couple of TOO FAST solutions. Which makes everything NOT PERFECT; yet good. As far as the violence and terror scenes in this movie are concerned, well.. its VERY excessive and sadistically raw. "Odishon" also has a very sickening scene, which will guaranteed disturb most viewers. Even though you ARE callous in advance. *** NOT FOR EASILY OFFENDED PEOPLE ***
"Odishon" is definitely worth a watch. (7/10)
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
Not too macabre after all..
So, I finally got to see the infamous Texas Chainsaw Massacre. I got heavily disappointed.
Initially, I thought this was going to be a roller coaster of the macabre..and scary (at least!). It was not. Five young vacationing kids are savagely haunted and killed by a small Texas slaughter-family. Period. The intensity and mood was created with failure. In the sense that it did not push your adrenaline over the edge. Which it should. Which supposedly was its purpose. I cannot complain TOO much of the gore though, because there were rather few sequences of blood and slashing in the movie. As a fresh breath, however, comes Gunnar Hansen as 'Leatherface'. He is an entertaining killer. More than most nutcases on the screen in modern cinema. Daniel Stern's cinematography is not the worst either. Unluckily, this is not enough to make TCM a good movie.
NB: one of the best sequences in the movie, is when Leatherface is assisting Grandpa of hitting Sally in the head with a sledgehammer.
(5/10)
Requiem for a Dream (2000)
A swingeing blow in the midriff
From the very moment you sink into your chair and switch on 'Requiem For A Dream', you become a passenger on of the most intense and frightful rides into the living hell of drugs. With his second movie, Darren Aronofsky hits you in the stomach so it hurts with a drama so real depicted, it works as much more than just a wake-up call to how the satisfactory inebriation of drugs can degenerate to inhuman and depraving fates. The actors, the performance of Ellen Burstyn in particular, are more or less convincing to the max. "Requiem" means originally 'mass for a departed soul' (hence: everything). The cinematography, dialogue, settings and lighting... everything is excellent for its purpose; to make you feel sick. Towards the end, Aronofsky dazzles the viewer with well composed back and forth sequences, ready to slay the entire audience one by one... with this evil drug nightmare. The cinematic experience itself, cannot be put to words. You would have to see it for yourself. Recommended to everyone. A true and healthy movie of the reality.
whiplash-
Summer of Sam (1999)
An incredible story based upon the frightful Son of Sam murders.
Summer Of Sam is a beautifully told story, visually as well as regarding content. We meet a group of young people in the heart of New York going through their own link of problems. In the middle of this; a crazed, confused and mentally discharged serial killer calling himself 'Son of Sam', ravages through the silent night obliterating young brunettes. The directing, lighting, music, and above all, the acting that this movie has to offer is top notch. John Leguizamo and Adrien Brody exceptionally distinguishes. Not to mention the setting; the seventies look is convincing to the max.
Summer Of Sam drags you inside the screen and makes you follow it's destination to the very end. Two Thumbs Up.
True Romance (1993)
Plain and simple a marvellous movie!
This is just a fantastic movie. It's constantly amusing, and combines beautiful, compact violence with an incredible love story, which engages the viewer to the max. True Romance evolves quickly thoroughly the whole movie. In a matter of minutes, Clarence Worley and Alabama are married. The turning points are made with excellent precision. The music, the cast, and the atmosphere that True Romance delivers, is just a breakthrough for any modern love story committed to the screen today. Patricia Arquette, Christian Slater, Christopher Walken, James Gandolfini and Dennis Hopper are all highly worth seeing.
Recommended to anyone with a taste for a wicked, wild, entertaining love story. 8/10
American Pie (1999)
A minimum flop.
This movie has to be called a total blunder. Although enjoyed by an inconceivably large amount of teenagers, American Pie has an immensely great lack of filmmaking and talent. It combines wretched humor, a contemptuous plot, and superficial characters without common sense. What's the point? American Pie is a rather embarrassing affair with its pathetic humor and minimum 'comedic' tone. I find it hard to believe its huge boxoffice success. The movie, however, had one bright gleam; Eugene Levy and Jason Biggs as father and son, whose performances were delightful.
My conclusion is, after having suffered through the full duration, don't EVER waste your precious time on this film. It's crap. The only reason I ever saw it, was to be able to declare about it.
Lost Highway (1997)
A stunning cinematic piece of work.
David Lynch takes the cinematic experience one step further. Again! When I saw this film for the first time, I found it fairly complex. But its complexity and Lynch' variated use of powerful means, makes this movie what it is; an overwelming cinematic experience. David Lynch' particularly choice of lightning and camera angles makes it interesting and exciting to watch. The movie's excellent soundtrack and superb acting performances keeps you riveted to the edge of your chair through the film's two hours. The surreal and sombre tone contributes to enhance all of the movie's different aspects. I recommend this movie for everyone with a taste for a wicked, different told story. By one of the greatest inside his range, David Lynch.
Mulholland Falls (1996)
A respectable gangster movie with great actors.
This is absolutely a gangster movie with good characters and actors. It has a style that's absolutely missing in todays average movies of this type. Nick Nolte and Melanie Griffith is 100% delightful in this edifying conventional story which takes us back to the 50's in L.A. This movie can definitely be enjoyed by the average movie viewer with a good taste for an exciting energetic plot. Recommended.
whiplash