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nandoferrer
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American Hustle (2013)
Utterly boring!
I understand that the movie might appeal to American taste: after all heists and the mafia seem to garner some interest over there. However, as a movie about heists, I do believe there about one thousand better pictures about the subject in Hollywood than this utterly boring piece of sketches put together. It is saved only by Jennifer Lawrence, an actress to follow, and some Bradley Cooper moments. Otherwise Mr. Bale is boring to death (maybe that is the purpose in this recreation of the 70s 'delightful' atmosphere). The script needed a faster hand and different pace, and filmed as it was, it is boring, distracting and totally uninteresting. My 4 vote out of 10 is for Ms. Lawrence. Maybe it didn't help the fact that I did sleep about half of the movie's fastidious length, being woken up at intervals by my friends. As I said before if the movie appeals to Americans as far as winning some awards and probably because of its subject, I will be seriously disappointed if the Academy awards it some of the nominated Oscars. It deserves none, except for Ms. Lawrence. A total, absolute and accomplished bore. And it is not even a question of taste: this writer and reviewer is a great admirer of movies like 'Hiroshima, Mon Amour' and 'Last Year At Marienbad', not exactly fast-paced movies. But then again, as far as these are concerned, there is intellect and passion! 'American Hustle' is simply...boring.
Mine vaganti (2010)
A wonderful movie!
This is one of the best movies of the year,a wonderful tale of hope,friendship,love and family.For those who want to laugh, cry and especially think about matters that are, ultimately, uncomplicated and simple to think about.The actors are all simply wonderful, the musical score a must, and the script consistent with the aim of the picture: to tell a tale about living life to the hilt, and being happy the way one is.The most beautiful and unforgettable moments are related to the on-screen presence of Tommaso, Marco, Alba and 'the nonna'.This is for me one of the best movies of 2010 and a wonderful,sensitive and unforgettable tale!
Dishonored (1931)
Magic!
'Dishonoured' comes off to me as perhaps one of my favourite among Von Sternberg/Dietrich's movies together, his style and treatment of black and white shading adding enormously to the film's whole atmosphere and cinematography.It also encompasses the continuous creation of Dietrich's movie 'persona' around this time,the femme fatale who apparently betrays everything but her final, ultimate love, paying the price for it with her own life. The film also shows Dietrich or the director's increasing concern with her own image and the result is so irresistible one can't avoid thinking of it as a masterpiece.Dietrich also transforms herself into something quite different, a plain waitress, almost unrecognizable, showing how through image and acting talent something like that could be achieved in the 30s, once again reminding us how Dietrich was such an incredible actress when it was allowed or wanted. Dietrich's final scenes, after the character's detention and sentencing, are unforgettable as is the cinematography and direction of the movie by Von Sternberg.The scenes leading to the execution scene and the final execution scene itself are unforgettable and leave a lingering effect of sadness and melancholy after the word The End appears on screen. The film's beauty is furthered by the exceptional musical score, and as Dietrich courageously faces the execution platoon arranging herself and retouching her make up the simultaneous surrealism and reality of the scene is a true example of the director and actress's talents and pure magic.
Morocco (1930)
Wonderful!
Morocco was the first 'American' movie ever made in Hollywood by Marlene Dietrich under her 'master' Von Sternberg's direction and, as a follow-up to their extraordinary work in 'The Blue Angel', it consistently helped create a new myth on the cinema's horizon, the image, sensuality and androgyny of Marlene Dietrich.Cinematographically speaking the movie is a wonderful piece of art, with Sternberg's talent for shades in the black and white variation taken to a wonderful depiction of a love story in the Moroccan landscape.But it is above all else Marlene's true introduction to American audiences in the English language, and it is quite visibly a great effort by both director and actress in the creation of a new feminine myth which Marlene would represent throughout her career: the new sensual goddess, accessible and inaccessible at the same time, wonderfully and apparently aloof and distant, but also carnally at hand, sometimes paying the price of love in her own flesh.That image is ever-present in this beautiful film, from the first moment Dietrich appears on the big screen, arriving in 'Morocco' and refusing the help of a tentative lover.The androgyny which pervades the whole movie, especially her cabaret scenes are fundamental in the creation of the androgynous image of Marlene, especially as she sang the french waltz at the cabaret. Her love scenes with Cooper were ardent and unforgettable, and her final surrender, as she leaves everything behind in order to pursue her love for him, clearly represents the creation of the undying femme fatale who kills for love but can die for love.'Morocco' comes off as a great movie between director and actress, notwithstanding great performances by the others actors, especially the sensual presence of Gary Cooper, still a young man and a very charming one.Quite wonderful!
Der blaue Engel (1930)
The beginning of movie history in the making
'The Blue Angel' remains to me up to this day one of the most memorable and wonderful movies of my life.It is also for those who love the movies a great entrance door to the world of one of the masters of its universe, Josef Von Sternberg and of course the creation of the first and most remarkable of Marlene Dietrich's movie's persona,a sort of femme fatale,imprisoned between her rise and fall,her victory and tragedy.Sternberg introduces us finally,surely inspired by the wonderful presence of Dietrich,into his world of surprisingly (since it's a black and white movie), colourful tones,the world of light/dark contrasts,the use of lighting to create different shades and attitudes in the movie-making industry.This film remains also Marlene's grand entrance into the movie business and it keeps reminding us - taking into account her subsequent work and latter 'persona' in the industry - how wonderful and powerful an actress she was.It also reveals her talents as a singer and entertainer, which she would so powerfully use in the latter part of her career.It also brings us the talent and figure of one of Germany's greatest actors of his time, Emil Jannings,a tragic figure in the end,encompassing in his soul all of human perditions and melancholy,lost in his love for an aloof and distant figure of a woman.Together, they gave wonderfully convincing and unforgettable performances, and the presence of Marlene brought to the screen the birth of a kind of woman unabashedly firm in her struggle for life which would represent her own advantage and fault, her rise and fall, her virtues and sins, together with the beautiful songs she sang in the movie, that would be later on incorporated in her concert tours, like the extraordinary 'Falling in Love Again/Ich bin won köpf bis füss auf liebe eingesteldt'.But what markedly remains in my spirit is the beginning of the powerful and unforgettable collaboration between the master and his feminine creation, Von Sternberg and Dietrich, which would remain in both their careers, their most distinctive and unforgettable period and their career's milestone, until they exhausted that collaboration in the 6 more movies they would make together until 1935.
Au revoir les enfants (1987)
En état de grâce!
I've loved Louis Malle's work for many years now,having seen several of his movies and some of his master-pieces.Paramount among them I believe to be 'Au revoir les enfants' a movie made in 'état de grâce' (state of grace) by the director.This wonderful,magic,nostalgic and brilliant piece of film work is unforgettable and everlasting.I've seen it several times, and each time it becomes more gracious and important in my own life experience.It not onlys brings us back to the sufferings and contradictions of Nazi-occupied France,but it tells a heart-felt story of friendship between two boys from different backgrounds,religions and outlooks on life: a catholic bourgeois and a refugee Jew.The direction is secure,translucent and enveloping,and the actors more than competent, suave and delivering all the gamut of emotions conveyed by the characters and needed to muster sympathy towards the film's themes.It is also an opportunity to watch Francine Racette's last movie role, before devoting herself to her family, after her wedding to Donald Sutherland back in 1972. Cinematically Malle was never considered truly part of the nouvelle vague directors because of his classical traits, but not exactly a truly 'old vague' director, thus establishing a sort of balance between both fields. The actors, the music, the direction, the story, all will stay forever in our hearts. For those who wish to learn more about his work, please watch 'L'Ascenseur pour l'Échaffaud', 'Les Amants' or 'Le feu follet' among others. As for 'Au revoir les enfants', it is truly a masterpiece in movie history.
Fado, História d'uma Cantadeira (1947)
The wonderful Amália!
For those who haven't ever seen or heard Amália,this film may represent a good presentation of the Portuguese Fado Diva and internationally renowned and famous singer,unanimously considered in her golden years (which expanded from the late 1950s to the mid-70s with a strong revival of interest from the mid-80s until her death in 1999 with an uninterrupted career of 55 years from 1939 to 1994), to be one of the world's best singers alongside Ella Fitzgerald, Piaf and Judy Garland. The movie is loosely inspired in Amália's own life,from rags to riches,and at the same time the nostalgia and melancholy of part of her life, though it is not a biographical movie.Amália was not only a singer but also a consummate actress,who won two best actress awards in her own country,Portugal and refused invitations to work in France and Hollywood in the movies several times, though she sang there to acclaimed success.Surrounding her in the film are some of Portugal's best actors of the 30,40s and 50s,but she remains of course the centerpiece of the movie's action,acting with her straightforward naturalness, her passion and singing several beautiful songs, either Portuguese (fados), or Spanish.It is above all else an opportunity to see Amália when she was already, at the age of 27, a nationally acclaimed figure and her county's paramount artist,and to appreciate her talent as an actress and singer in the still early stages of her professional career, and finally the beauty of her presence and charisma which would be a steady trait in her life and career. A very special introduction to Amália, whose career spanned 55 active years, with decorations numbering in the tenths, from Portugal, Lebanon, France, Spain, Japan, among many other countries.A very special treat!
Paranormal Activity (2007)
A monumental bore!
After so much ado, and though I am not an habitué at horror movies, I went to see it, and I came out convinced that if such a monumental bore has had such success it must be due to the times of great emotional distress and susceptibilities we are going through. The movie is essentially a monumental bore, dull,filmed in the way of 'cam on hand' type,a couple trying to film the alleged paranormal phenomena taking place in their home. These phenomena are indeed quite sparse, restricted to a few thumps and footsteps,and one or two other minor effects,which I don't reveal in order not to reveal spoilers which might spoil those few unaware of the film's boredom that might want to go watch this monumental barbiturate of a movie. I couldn't really go into further detail, since I slept through the last third of the picture.By this I don't mean it doesn't have a good starting point: taking advantage of the subconscious fear of the dark, those noises we hear in our own homes, etc. But the final product doesn't work: what really diminishes and mines it's credibility is the way it was filmed,with the camera jolting all the time, and the absolute ineptness and inefficacy of the actors, of whom I read great reviews saying they are allegedly natural, but to me of amateurish awkwardness, especially the female character, of the young hysterical type of woman during her menstruation, and whose performance robs the movie of any of it's credibility. So little is the movie credible, that when I finally woke up at the end, because of a final major thud, I laughed my heart out, since the epilogue is the major joke(no one seriously believes that what is written on the epilogue really happened!) One of the worst films I've ever seen, and frankly, by the reaction of those in the room, I was thoroughly convinced that most of them agreed with me; besides I didn't hear in the room any reaction similar to that shown on trailers which included images of the spectators reacting to the film. I can't understand the success of this picture other than caused by an excellent marketing campaign, and because of the times we are living,when everybody seems to be emotionally unstable and impressed by these lacklustre stories or those of vampires with very little interesting points other than the bodies and alleged physical beauty of the young actors and actresses peopling those movies. My final advise is to go see something else and spend your money in something far more interesting, or if you want to overcome a sleepless night, just go get there and sleep all through this monumental bore!