Change Your Image
andre08011
Reviews
Brokeback Mountain (2005)
Will haunt you
Perhaps what the Ang Lee's movie should be praised for is its tone. The intimate plot overwhelms the immense scenery. A metaphor for what you should do in life: Don't let opportunities pass you by. No matter what, love rules our lives and our decisions. Jack Twist knew what he wanted and never got it. Enis del Mar, wasn't sure and lost it forever. The supposedly undertone works marvelously since all the inner feelings are for the audience to feel. We don't see tear jerking scenes (so easily there could be a "throwing of the ashes" scene over Brokeback... but, fortunately, it never happens) but all the sensitiveness is contained within the silences. Never before what isn't said is more important that what is told. It's a movie that will haunt you for a long time. But that's good; I don't want to let it go any way...
Witness (1985)
Above all, great directing
This is all about a great directing job by Peter Weir. The cop story is just the excuse to let feelings out from the main characters. Harrison Ford and Kelly McGillis give outstanding performances, mainly due to the way the script is done: the say much more by the things they don't say. Silences are more important than words. The bathing scene is the best example. Peter Weir is able to convey all these feeling and still maintaining a great pace and rhythm. John Seale's cinematography and Maurice Jrre's music are both remarkable. Saw it first back in 85 (I was 11) and now again (I'm 31) and still amazes me... Such a pity that Kelly didn't get the career we thought she would have... A straight 9
Dalida (2005)
television product
I'm a huge (huge, really huge) fan of Dalida. I was waiting with great expectation for this movie. I saw it and couldn't find anywhere the Dalida I "know". Everything is shown in fast forward, one doesn't have time to absorb everything, because suddenly you have a subtitle saying "3 years later". The actress (probably) gave her best, but wasn't enough, even forgetting the physical unresemblance, the fact that she was dubbed doesn't help her much. Couldn't they find someone who speaks french? As Italian was not needed because even with her family or Luigi Tenco, she always spoke in french (odd, don' you think?). But pay close attention to Vittoria Scognamiglio, the french voice of Dalida - it's absolutely unbelievable. She the only thing that's worth on this movie: she managed to get the right tone, accent, color... you seem your listening to Dali's talking. The rest of the cast is average: Arnaud Giovaninetti and Charles Berling are above average. It's a shame that such a great story couldn't be told in another way: with a steady pulse, with passion and not with a soap opera undertone that discarded all possibilities of making something memorable. We'll always have her story...
PartII I've seen a couple of times more these series. Although I still agree with all from the above, I have to admit that some things start to look better: Sabrina Ferilli does a remarkable effort to convey the right feelings from this tormented character. The production valus are outsatnding: sets, props and wardrobe. The choice of the songs and the original soundtrack are great. I guess I really needed to see it once more to start enjoying. I've changed my rating from 3 to 5.
Maurice (1987)
Tender and romantic
I remember I saw this movie I was about 17. I'd read the book and fell in love. It tells a love story between two men and the way they have to carry it out despite society rules (with some changes it still happens nowadays...).
The general message would be "love conquers all" but is it really so? Are Maurice and Scudder able to live happily ever after? I doubt, and on the beginning of the XXth century it would be even worse.
Despite all, it's lovely to watch the same kind of story we're used to watching in movies that portray society in different times, but now speaking about love between men! Although James Ivory's work is beyond criticism, in my point a view, there were some scenes in the book (the one when they are in London, sitting naked by the fire, for instance) that really should be in the movie.
But it's a tender and romantic approach of of book (only published after E.M. Foster's death) that surely would have pleased it's author.
O Convento (1995)
metaphysical and mysterious
Well, first of all I've enjoyed this film immensely. I think it had all the right tone, the right actors, and the way the story is developed is done with great know-how. It's not boring in any way, but spectators need to be aware of the kind of movie they're going to watch.
Deneuve, Malkovich, and the Portuguese actor Silveira and Cintra are all able to create an atmosphere of metaphysical mystery, in dealing to all the questions about all books, convents or even the devil.
Thank god there are still movies that make you think and don«t give you all the answers so that you forget just after leaving the theater.
Great scene the one where the "devil" runs through the forest... don't miss it!!!
Brideshead Revisited (1981)
This is probably the best tv series ever
A tragic love story between two young university sudents, that take separate paths in their lives. (Although neither the writer nor the screen writer were willing to assume any gay content). Performances by Irons and Andrews are outstanding. Don't miss it. Directing is well guided and in the perfectly right tone, intimate and tender. I remember I saw it for the first time I was still a young boy, but now, twenty years later it is still modern and actual. Thank god it's now available in DVD.