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MarcChrys
Reviews
Ne le dis à personne (2006)
The worst French film I've ever seen!
Sorry, but I usually love French thrillers - e.g. Chabrol - but this was a glossy shambolic mess. The fact that it was based on a Harlan Cohen book is telling, because rather than being a French film (strong on psychology and character), it's more like a John Grisham-esquire roller-coaster ride by numbers with ludicrous plot twists, flashbacks that update previous flashbacks, a predictable villain (as soon as his name is mentioned you think 'hmm, he'll be the bad guy!') and sets of mysterious stereotyped characters who seem to inhabit different movies. By the end I was laughing hysterically at the unevenness of the film's tone (the scenes where the lead character is being helped by two streetwise shady characters are unintentionally hilarious), the utterly baffling plot, the absurd coincidences and strokes of good fortune (e.g. guessing the password for an email account) AND yawning uncontrollably (thought I must have misread the 1hr 50min running time as it seemed to drag on for 3 hours 50 minutes).
Flaming Star (1960)
Fantastic Western - in my Top 20
If I were to compile a Top 20 of Westerns, then Flaming Star would be in it - along side classics such as Shane, High Noon, Yellow sky, The Proud Ones, Man without a Star. Flaming Star is a great western in its own right - no need to classify it as an Elvis Western. In fact, after watching this film one feels saddened that Elvis didn't get given more scripts of this quality. Flaming star has an interesting story line about a mixed-blood son of the family having to choose between his 'white' and 'Indian' families when conflict erupts. The action scenes are very exciting. The compulsory Elvis song adds rather than detracts from the rest of the film. Given the conflict in the modern world, the film has many resonances for situations where misunderstandings and greed lead to implacable violence and tragedy. Elvis is superb in the main role. I have seen it several times and always end up with tears streaming down my face! Recommended.
Le conseguenze dell'amore (2004)
Italian/Swiss paint is just as dull to watch dry
Very slow, dull, enigmatic film. MAybe the kind of film Jean-Luc Godard would have made had he been Italian. Certainly conveys how tedious, repetitious, joyless and empty a person's life can be, but I don't usually go to the cinema to find that out! The plot (such as it is) doesn't convince. Why a gorgeous hotel receptionist (an exception to the dullness of the film) would be the slightest bit interested in a moody, chain-smoking, silent loner who speaks in 'deep' aphorisms baffles me. Very difficult to feel any sympathy with the main character. One feels like shaking him by the throat and telling him to 'snap out of it!'. His brother is a much more human character. The ending is inconclusive and puzzling. Everyone in the cinema (when I saw the film) went out muttering about how they nearly fell asleep. Of course, it shouldn't have to be a Hollywood Bruce Willis-style 'shhot-em-up' and 'crash-bang' fiesta, but a little bit of energy and action would have made it a lot more thrilling. One of the best Italian films ever?! Pleease...An art-house, curiosity at best.