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Reviews
Network (1976)
Media money
Howard Beale is an old newsreader for the not-so-successful channel UBS. His view ratings are dropping dramatically and the bosses have all agreed to cut him loose, all but Max Schumacher, the head of the news broadcasting, who is an old friend of Howard. After hearing of his forced retirement he decides to say goodbye in a different way: during his last 'performance' on TV he, instead of reading the news, informs the viewer he's going to commit suicide. The bosses of UBS are furious, but a newcomer and professional b*tch Diana Christensen sees a great commercial hit in this new way of dealing with the news today.
This main story forms the base of a magical dark comedy and drama picture directed by Sidney Lumet. A star cast filled with established actors received in 1977 the important prices at the Academy Awards, winning both the Oscar for best leading actor, won by Peter Finch in his role of the exuberant television prophet Howard Beale and the Oscar for best leading actress, won by Faye Dunaway, playing the professional business women, creating a prototype of modern television. Somehow Beatrice Straight even won the award for best female supporting actress, as the aging woman of Max Schumacher. Besides these, you got William Holden (Max Schumacher), Robert Duvall (Frank Hachett) and Ned Beatty as Arthur Jensen, all in good form.
Apart from the terrific acting the movie delivers a great, but dramatic story of the evolution of the media system into a real killer machine (signified by Dunaway's character). In the beginning the story is quite funny and entertaining but when Howard has his first strike, you know this is more than a game, it's reality, just like Howard prophecies. Then the channel gets more and more aggravated, the public is aroused and evil has won the war, 'cause that's what the media has become: a bloody battle for money. The last shot of the film, when Howard has been shot by the communist revolutionaries (I even recognized Tim Robbins as one of the shooters), is bitter and absolutely horrifying. The prophecy has become reality.
This weird mix of comedy and drama is just the way I feel about modern television: I can laugh with it because of its stupidity, but on the other hand it is sad that more than a half of the population of my country (Belgium) is watching this crap. The comedy of the movie is sometimes achieved in tiny things. I love the fact that Howard is from the start of the picture on saying he's going to kill self because of the system, but in the end it is the system that kills him. Powerful filming and strong acting create a bitter good film. Just go and rent or even buy this one!
To Have and Have Not (1944)
the happy couple
Howard Hawks casted in this Casablanca-like story the perfect pair: Lauren Bacall (who is extremely hot!!) and Humprey 'Boogie' Bogart. The chemistry between the two is historical. Howard Hawks knew how to let them do their thing - Bogie was known for his stubbornness and selfish thinking - and giving satisfaction to his own `needs' (for a good movie that is).
Bogart fills the screen as a cynical (like Rick in Casablanca) fisherman in Martinique during the second world war who only wants to earn money. But his cynical appearance is nothing but a cruel mask over his nice personality. This is quite clear when you notice his relationship with the nice fool Eddie (played by an enjoyable Walter Brennan) and later on in the film when he helps out fugitives to get on shore, only for the money, so he says. All those things just made me think about Casablanca and you don't have to look far for other references, for instance the club, the piano player (although it's a white edition), etc.
But the movie rises above the copycat nature when Marie 'Slim' Browning' (Lauren Bacall) enters the movie. Gloriously looking she walks into the film and into the life of Harry 'Steve' Morgan (Humprey Bogart). She has got `the cool' but is also very attached to her love. Boogie's character changes a bit, bitten by her love. Notice the little laughs of Boogie's during witty conversations between him and Slim. This is a significant difference with Casablanca, it is a different Bogart that changes the picture and of course star director Howard Hawks (then known for hits like `Bringing Up, Baby', `Only Angels Have Wings' and `His Girl Friday')
One of the strong points of the movie is the pace, which is quite fast. Thanks to the pace the movie never becomes a bore. The story is told very fluently by Howard Hawks but this is far from his best movie, knowing that his next one would also star the magical couple (`The Big Sleep') and become a true crime classic. `To Have And Have Not' is a very entertaining movie that became a classic thanks to Bacall and Bogart's performances.
Steve + Sky (2004)
Ironical Destruction
The film starts off by a story told by Jean-Claude (played by a great Johan Heldenbergh), an amusing invalid with great dreams but with a little mind. The story is about a dispute between a father and a son. An Opel Cadet is the subject of this bizarre story. Throughout the movie this story keeps on coming back. Every character tells it in her/his own way - which is a beautiful character sketch. The explosion of the car opens up to the intro of the, in her own weird way, confident woman called sky (played by Delphine Bafort - who is actually a model).
The movie tells the tale of two people, Steve + Sky, living their marginal life. Steve (Titus Devoogt) is a crook who decides to turn his life around after his time in jail - this doesn't mean he's giving up stealing. He now wants his life to evolve around one person, himself. When Sky falls in love with him, after she had some bad luck with her last boyfriend, he acts as if he doesn't care and he will keep on acting that way, but in the end everyone knows he's in love with her too.
The thing that touched me the most was the ironical destruction. Every character in the movie likes to walk right into some kind of accident: Sky always falls in love with the wrong guys but still she keeps on bashing her head into these relationships; Steve is a crook and will always be a crook even in the worst moments he steals things; Claude has great dreams (Steve also falls for these dreams) and good intentions but he will always end up alone and even Claude's daughter has fatalistic impressions.
The strength of the movie is not the acting (which is quite good), but the directing job is simply astonishing. So much beauty in one movie, so many great situations and point of views and all that created by a simple Belgian director. The greatest moment in the movie for me was without doubt the ending where Steve crashes his motorcycle and ends up somewhere in a bush. Heavily bleeding he's lying there. Behind him there's a building with in big letters on it `GIVE BLOOD'. Magical comedy! This goes for the whole movie. A beauty!