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Reviews
The Departed (2006)
it's really not that good
First of all , I have to state that I haven't seen "Infernal Affairs", so no comparisons between the two movies are possible. Judging the movie on that basis I have to say that I cannot understand all these rave reviews. Most of all I think that M.S. has made far better films, this is not a great one.
Some points of criticism: Apart from the fact that the film is too long, that some of the characters are not well developed and some stupid- the police psychiatrist, for example (by the way: is there any film where these people are not depicted as insecure people or morons?), it is the way in which violence is depicted here. At the beginning of the movie with the first execution scenes M.S does it right, violence here is shown as an awful, gruesome thing. Later in the movie,with the killing of Nicholson and especially in the elevator scene it looks like part taken from an ego shooter game, part a joke. It doesn't work. And the swearing. Absolutely nothing against that usually, but it's too much and ends up being a joke and then boring. Or are policemen like that, are they generally -like the gangsters- neurotic-psychotic idiots? It's all overdone , I think , from Baldwin to Wahlberg. And I think it gets the wrong reactions from the audience. It's playing to a teen audience. Despite the interesting conflicts, there is no real depth in this movie, nothing is really touching. And , last but not least: Why have Wahlberg come out in the end and kill the Damon-character so that a kind of justice is restored? Was it like that in "Infernal Affairs"? Well, I will check it out to see if the original is better than this one.
I wish M.S. would do something like "The Aviator" or "Good Fellas" again.
Dangan ranna (1996)
failure, dignity and erotic day dreams
A lot has already been said on this movie and I' d like to join those who praised it. It's a highly unique film which uses elements of different genres: drama, comedy, gangster film without making a mess of it. At points you just laugh out loud, at other points you feel for the characters whose mistakes and failures you watch. Sabu's genius can be shown with regard to some sequences of the movie. One is that where all three men chasing one another have an erotic day dream about a young woman that they just passed by on the street. This sequence is beautifully done and illustrates the characters of all three runners very well. It is erotic and funny at the same time. Another example of Sabu's genius is the part of the film where the runners get tired. First one of them, the typical loser among the three guys, hallucinates that the woman that left him for someone else is back again and you see them dancing with one another and in the next shot him dancing with himself which is deeply moving. All of the runners get to this point where they think that have something back they lost or are on track again. And at one part of the movie they stop chasing each other, running in line, just laughing.So here is it all the beauty and the ludicrousness of what we call life which Sabu manages to show throughout the film. His characters fail (do they at the end?) but he doesn't rob them of their dignity. "Monday" and "Postman Blues" that do justice to Sabu's claim that he is a genius. Go watch them!
Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)
Essential
This film is truly one of the best comedies ever done. It has a great script, is beautifully directed and the performances of the actors are excellent. Above all, it is a treat to watch Cary Grant as Mortimer, every movement and gesture, every rolling of his eyes is superb.
Also praise to Peter Lorre as Dr Einstein. As always Lorre manages to give a stunning performance in a supporting role. When he seems to be found out by the police in one scene his performance goes way beyond that of acting in a comedy and-I' m serious here- tells you something about the human condition.
To sum it up: A great, great movie which is of great use as an anti-depressant.