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Ugetsu monogatari (1953)
A tale of ambition.
Mizoguchi's Ugetsu is a magical tale of two men longing for success by taking different paths, no matter the cost. In an old Japan in war a craftsman wants to be rich by selling his pottery and be recognized for his work, his pal dreams to be a brave samurai. Their family just thinks about a nice and steady life where they can enjoy each other. After the war forces them to move from their town, each one of them have to face their inner desires and confront the consequences of their decisions. The photography is astounding, with some beautiful wide shots that let you dive into the rural japanese life and the horrors of war. Fantasy makes its way to portray the struggle of morality in such a marvelous way. War changes everybody, that seems a really strong argument, where it's almost impossible to get things back as they were. Flawless film that only gets better through time.
Piedra sola (2020)
Stepping in mythical soil.
The unconventional living in the highlands of northern Argentina, close to the border with Bolivia, offers a majestic overview of its natural beauty and raw element. There's a fusion between the local communities with the landscape, which unites all of them as a single being. Despite the harsh conditions we may find in this wild environment and the struggles for survival, we can feel the mysticism that lies in the traditions and the relationships they form. In Piedra Sola we feel, see and hear through the eyes of the inhabitants of this marvelous highlands. A film that lies between fiction and the documentary style, with lots of sceneries that portray a natural canvas.
Dogville (2003)
When less is better.
A masterpiece by Lars von Trier. It takes out every aspect of flashy films that distracts the viewer from what matters the most, narrative and acting. Engaging from the first minute, not knowing what to expect, just the fact that von Trier always puts us in a very unpleasant spot. This film proves that there are other ways of making a film. The recreation of sounds not visually there and the abstraction of scenery is incredible as it puts all your focus into what is really going on. Also, Nicole Kidman's acting is superb.
Crónicas (2004)
Chronicles from an ambitioned journalist.
Cronicas talks about the duty of journalists and the morality involved when looking for the biggest story to tell and deliver incredible news, what are they capable of doing to obtain that longed recognition. The desired to have every exclusive or follow what is morally correct and inform authorities of critical information that can help an investigation. Manolo is clearly incapable of waging the consequences of his decisions, working behind the law, to increase the rating of the news program he works for and get his own tv show, even if that means creating a story that might help someone he doesn't trust to get out of jail, and when he realizes what he's done it's all too late.
La camarista (2018)
The everyday struggles for desire and small moments of pleasure.
The chambermaid is one of those pieces that rarely comes around. A complex film that revolves on the daily work life of a woman and the relationships she engages with in a hotel in Mexico City. It hits quite the spot at the depicting the language, the inner conflicts in low paid jobs in great corporations and the differences presented in social class interaction. The script is marvelous. A woman who's trying her best to continue growing and challenging herself, always giving a plus effort, working extra hours, but not being completely recognized as she should. The character development is so natural and stays true to her beliefs. We see her 100% focus on her work, soon starts to relate with others, getting illusioned with promises, though she gets disappointed, being let down by everybody, understanding that she can only depend on herself. A caring mother that wants to get home early to see her son, with her job making it almost impossible. We see her working almost all the time, just some little breaks for lunch and other emotional needs. A work that everyone hopes to be transitory, Eve wants to finish her studies implying she can always do better, unfortunately some union problems shut down the regularization program. Other staff members are always playing the role of having goodwill and being reliable persons but behind that facade their own ambition and selfishness is stronger. In the Ariel won Roma for best film, after seeing the chambermaid that award is honestly questionable. Hands down the best mexican film out there in the period between 2018-2019. It's not a movie that follow many conventions, there aren't blockbuster moments at all... it simply follows the true human nature to overcome everyday in our lives. Great example of social cinema. Lila Áviles deserves a lot of praise for this work and I'm expecting what she does in the future.
Kes (1969)
Come here, Kes.
Amazing story about a boy from a working class family, who is struggling to make a connection with other people but finds it through his love for animals and nature. There are so many incredible scenes that will last in my memory. The way Ken Loach represents life in Northern England is inspiring. Great characters, very original story and beautiful photography. A truly human film.
Varda par Agnès (2019)
Pure love for filmmaking.
Agnes leaves us a master class about filmmaking in her own peculiar way of storytelling, but, also, by reviewing her previous works she shares her passion and love for art, photo, finding different ways to express herself. Always with people as her main theme. The process of filmmaking and storytelling analyzed with tenderness and detail. If you simply like or enjoy Agnes' films this film will let you understand better the mastermind behind them.
The Irishman (2019)
Three long hours of unnecessary scenes.
Martin Scorsese had made most of my favorite films in this genre. However, this isn't one. Not even close. I watched it at the cinema and felt it probably could have been done in half the time. There's a lot of unnecessary plot elements. They focus too much on secondary characters so we can empathize with them, without much success. The family relationship had a lot of potential as there's clearly an interest in exploring the father-daughter approach but it barely scratches the surface. De Niro's character is dull and senseless, feels the same way throughout the story. He doesn't show the complexity of someone struggling between being a family man, a close friend and some mob big shot. It's a character that simply knows how to follow orders and never experience any moment of self reflection and change; he lacks ambition and desires. A man that by sheer luck starts working with the mafia and becomes a union leader because he seems bored enough and needs a little bit of enjoyment in his life. That's the only argument that drives his action. The more personal interactions are set aside. His daughter notices from an early age his activities, though we never see a confrontation. The relationship he develops with Al Pacino's character is suppose to grow a lot closer, he is the stepfather of his daughter, but their interaction on screen is all the opposite, very rigid and more like that of subordination. De Niro's character "tries" with very doubtful conviction to persuade Al Pacino's into retiring or else... Always afraid to speak up and say the things straight forward. Not truly the reaction one would take when your best friend's life is on the line. By the end of the film, De Niro's apparently thinks about his past actions, kind of nostalgic,but not with the slightest regret for all his mistakes or wrongdoings. Someone who misses more being a lackey than the deep connections he had.
Sueño en otro idioma (2017)
A fight against prejudice, acceptance and regrets.
Ernesto Contreras develops an interesting story that involves a dying language as its survival depends on the relationship between the last two men whom are able to speak it. But it's a relationship that has a complex background as they take different paths over love. I like the way death plays its part in the narrative from the point of view of the small community and the interaction with their environment. The first part of the film has a great treatment, amazing visuals and astonishing sound, the language itself is a way to communicate with nature, though as it goes on the character development starts to feel weak. Some of the characters are just a little too distracting, they are given more attention than needed. But the end definitely makes justice to the story. There are some unnecessary elements that without them it could have been a truly important piece in the mexican film industry. Despite that, it's very enjoyable and also commendable for going for a fresh approach, far from the narco violence, urban disturbances and social problems, getting in touch with the rural life and its individuals in such a respectful manner.
Hiroshima mon amour (1959)
You saw nothing in Hiroshima.
Alain Resnais was really preoccupied with making people acknowledge and remember the terrors of war, as humanity tends to forget and repeats it over and over again. After making short documentaries (e.g. night and fog, recovering nazi film material so no one kept turning a blind eye to dimension what really happened) he decided to make something about Hiroshima but it was impossible to do a doc of something that he wasn't able to truly put in images, so in the end he wrote a love story of a french woman and a japanese that was in the middle of the war when everything happened. She keeps repeating that she knows about Hiroshima, he denies it "You saw nothing in Hiroshima". Algerian war was going on during Resnais' time, he was making a statement through his films, not to forget, to remember everything that went on and not to make the same mistakes. This is the constant dialog in the film which leaves us without knowing what will happen in the near future. The last scene of the couple is vague and without answers, just as we usually feel when we simply try to forget.
L'année dernière à Marienbad (1961)
Breaking traditional storytelling.
The script of Robbe-Grillet and the interpretation is an open dialog in Marienbad. Is a genius structure that plays with a simple argument. A game between seduction, memory and fidelity. Different realities, open to the observer's imagination, seem to happen simultaneously. The photo runs through long corridors into width rooms, all full of mirrors. The perspective changes between each scene making it an enjoyable piece of art. Strong transition between visuals and sound. It may not play well for you if you're expecting a very aristotelic narrative. It questions the need of a chronological time.
Rocco e i suoi fratelli (1960)
When family matters.
A great work of filmmaking. Visconti's understanding of the nature of family goes into its social consequences. The inner relationships within it determine how we interact with our contemporaries. Breaking ties with the closest people around you is more difficult than it seems. From the very start, Visconti shows us how the oldest of the five brothers, Vincenzo, is about to get married when his family arrives at Milan in search of a better life. The bride's family disrespects his so he stays by her mother's side, even if that means troubles for his love relationship. All the family work together to improve their lives. Vincenzo failed to be a boxer, but Simone finds a brief success in the fighting career, though he meets Nadia. But she's just looking for an affair while Simone falls in love. She runs away, leaving him with feelings he keeps to himself and isn't able to handle. The middle brother, Rocco, is fairly the most righteous one. Self-centered. Soon he goes into military service, where he stumbles with Nadia, and they start a romance story on their way back to Milan. Rocco finds Simone in shambles. Boxing hasn't been paying out for him. Since Simone's trainer notices Rocco's improvement in boxing he tries to persuade him to join the gym as a pro fighter. Simone hears rumours of Nadia being back in town and that she's hanging out with his younger brother. Jealousy takes over and he wants to teach a lesson. Despite the criminal actions he makes, Rocco is always trying to take care for him and forgives all his mistakes. All the film depicts really complex relations between the five brothers, the motherly love and the decisions they make all throughout.
Rojo amanecer (1990)
Preserving memory.
A simple and yet amazing film. Everything happens inside of the appartement of a middle class family while disconnected from the outside. It shows the atrocities of power and inhumanity of authorities during the 1968 student movement in Mexico. Tlatelolco is the stage of a massacre. Jorge Fons (director) and Xavier Robles (screenwriter) brings an ingenious way of denouncing the oppression and fear in the Tres Culturas square. There's always the claustrophobia, for not being able to scape. Nowhere is safe. They have to hide their identities. The militaries don't even care if the head of the family is a well connected bureaucrat. And the day after nothing ever happened. Just a clean square without bodies to be seen. It's a sour sensation of injustice. This is an essential film that preserves the memory of those fallen by the hand of a government ruled by mad men.
Las niñas bien (2018)
A life of appearances.
Sofía (played by Ilse Salas) is a very complex character. A rich woman living quite a monotonous life. Inside a small bubble that goes from her club to social gatherings. She likes to be the center of attention and has the last word about who's to be included in their exclusive group. Her husband then finds himself with financial problems. But they believe everything will be solved soon, so they keep on with their luxurious life. Until she realizes that that's never going to happen and her world starts to crumble. She can't accept it, even if that means going against her convictions.
Alejandra Marquez Abella builds an incredible dark story of psychological development. A very natural script. And the editing work of Miguel Schverfinger gives a raw and innovative storytelling through overlapping times.