My constant thought after watching this crapfest is:
1000 seven-year-olds with 1000 action figures inside a single room would be more interesting and less painful - and I'm not particularly fond of children.
Not sure the actors nor the departments deserve the blame though. Seems like that mostly falls on the writers - another liquor, weed, and other mind altering substance fueled writing season? I don't blame the actors, after all, they didn't write those lines. They just needed the paychecks. Not sure about the directorial and production staff - not sure who decided the movie had to have a little bit for everyone, damn it, it doesn't need to make sense!
Over at IMDb user anderzzz-1 said it better than ever I could. "Less said, less action, but more depth". Okay, my English would be more correct, but anderzzz-1's meaning gets to the heart of the matter. This is by no means the usual Hollywood-style police procedural. Quiet and understated, we see character and plot developed. We are encouraged to think and feel. I fear to say much more than this would risk taking away from what I see as the film's power, but it reminds me of a Parisian Homicide: Life in the Streets and in that vein is much more like The Wire than The Shield.
Il était magnifique.
Well worth all the cinematic detritus I've sat through as of late. Waiting for such a film as this.
Wish I could promise you'll be as moved as I am but I can't. All I can do is record, for posterity, that I thought this a fantastic artistic interpretation of real life.
To quote Count Orsini-Rosenberg from Amadeus, "That? A most tiresome piece. ... Too much spice. Too many notes." Seriously though, that's what comes to mind upon viewing Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. The upside is the luxurious production design: lavish sets - especially in the first two acts (India) - and opulent costumes. But with only a couple interesting production numbers and no tunes that stick with me, the movie goes on and on and on - like an ABBA song and many Bollywood films - at least an hour longer than a Western viewer is generally comfortable with.
Then there is the whole Budapest plays Italy thing... We are used to cities standing in for other cities but usually the glamour shots are of the place we are pretending to be. Okay, maybe the average South Asian theatre goer or DVD buyer might not catch it, then again, I recognized it as Budapest and knew the background language was not Italian and I've never been to Europe. Hollywood films are rightfully slammed for misrepresenting world culture, so this is a definite weakness in my book.
And then there's the plot - pedestrian and predictable, but also familiar and comfortable - exactly what viewers would expect in such a film. Sure, it's Bollywood romance and it delivers, in spades, what one hopes for in a Bollywood romance, but I can't say this movie will stay with me longer than a few minutes more.
Last, characters and acting, both Khan and Rai (Bachchan) are pleasing to the eyes and all actors deliver their performances with skill and they can clearly dance but isn't that what we viewers expect? Other than the physical beauty, nothing holds a viewer's attention.
Luscious, yes, but like the most exquisite Viennese torte, not really a cure for hunger.
Definitely feels, at minimum, like made-for-tv but if a review on IMDb is to be believed, it was series pilot that tanked. Okay as far as pilots might go in the mid-70s and was something of an attempt to be a 'serious' Western, but while you can see a little something here and a hint of low-budget skill there, it doesn't really come together - this in the era when the Western had pretty much run its course.
An easy miss if not the worst thing you might ever watch. But certainly nothing to write much more about.
Denmark?!? How about Bulgaria, Israel, Argentina, Colombia, Thailand, and the Philippines!!!
But this country-list mania is only going to continue. When Denmark gets its next list, then another country will say "hey, what about us?!? Don't we matter too? Why are we slighted by not having our great country's cinema industry represented less equally than ..."
Including this group while excluding that group from official status and the perceived importance connoted by such status is always going to disappoint or offend. Just look at the righteous hullabaloo related to the snubbing of people of African descent in the current crop of Oscar nominees. I'm not sure enough has been done to recognize their contributions to cinema either, and especially in our list of official lists.
Sorry people of (insert name of group or country here), I hear it's more important to have a list of road movies than ...
How long does it take for all these changes to populate the various info screens - pages, movies showing as official checks, ratings, awards, etc. No rush, just curious is all.
I have a different reaction to prior comments. While, by far, not Kurosawa's or Hara's best work, the piece carries strong meaning. It was much less about the anti-fascist movement that was quashed in the lead up to Japan attacking American and British interests in the Pacific: it's a story about personal redemption, and not, Yukie's redemption, albeit we do witness her growth and maturing in her character arc.
Instead, the first half of the film - rough as it is - is largely setup for the second half. Viewers need to understand who Yukie and Noge are, what he believes, and why he pays such a high price -
losing first his family, then his life
- to understand why Yukie is willing to go to the lengths she goes. And notice, we never have a scene of her saying
"your son wasn't bad, he didn't do that horrible thing" with his parents. No, instead we have her being a good, considerate, caring daughter. She goes about life as a normal Japanese daughter would and thereby shows that Noge was good. After all, how could such a bad person pick such a good wife? Yukie's sacrifice is Noge's redemption. I was unsettled at the final scene in that it wasn't clear if the truck of farmworkers who stop for Yukie are below the mountain where the movie starts or in his hometown (thereby signalling the Noge family's redemption).
Kind of creepy knowing I'm watching this within 24 hours of the 71st anniversary of Wallenberg's disappearance. I wish I could say the film lives up to the great story. The acting is great to superb but for some reason, the whole seems about average to me. It's not badly made but, for me at least, I didn't feel drawn in - it didn't seem real in the way the best films feel real. I knew I was looking at actors; it felt like it was a play; for people at the end of their lifeline, it just seemed too clean, contrived, and like it was what it was - a film.
Still, all that said, I appreciate the chance to see a young Skarsgard at work and learn more about an average man that did all he could do, by putting the lives (and, alas, the deaths) of others before his own.
I get why this is an important film, but have to admit it's more interesting watching dishes dry. Warning: do not attempt to operate heavy machinery while or shortly after watching this film. Absolutely NOT what one expects from a film about a revolution.
Per Wikipedia, "Mr. Charlie" was an African American epithet for an arrogant or domineering European American male or another African American who is perceived as 'acting white.' It was commonly used during the 1800s along with the female counterpart "Miss Ann."
Felt like a CG team got together with a trio of writers and said, "So, like, this is, like, what we can, like, do with computers now - ya think ya can, like, write us a screenplay? Doesn't even, like, have to be very good. All we need is, like, a way to showcase our awesome CG skills." And the rest, as they say... is hilariously funny! Oh wait, but this isn't a comedy. Oops! My mistake.
An amazing, beautifully filmed depiction of the plight of Central Americans trying for "The Golden Dream" (the film's English title though the literal meaning is "The Golden Gage"). Don't know if there is a subtitled version available on or offline - I saw a Mexican DVD - but honestly, much of the film is meant to be understood through the pictures. In fact, a fair amount of the film is in Tzotzil (a Mayan language) just as unintelligible to most Mexicans as it is to people from other countries. As poignant as it is relevant worldwide as an illegal migrant's passage is never easy. The film leaves us asking why do they risk so much for what they get, but the message is clear - humans are attracted to hope like moths to a flame. An amazing pieced of work.
Pretty mediocre thriller - at least that's my take since I found it hard to accept that an app could do all the things IRIS does. Plays on technophobia and the omnipresence of the smart phone. Maybe an interesting idea. The execution was fine, but this isn't going to rock most people's world. Maybe worth a buck or two, for entertainment, but that's about it.
Could feel the brain cells dying during the first half or 3/4ths so totally understand the hate this one gets - the 'humor' was pretty damn lame. The redemption towards the end keeps this from being totally insufferable BUT it takes an awful lot of work to NOT hate this film completely. Whatever you do, don't pay more than a buck to see it - and then, only if you really, really, REALLY love romcoms, Diaz, or Kutcher. Otherwise, totally skip-able unless you need the check.
if one is teaching a class on what NOT to do when making a movie. It's got it all: weak premise and plot, horrible acting, terrible writing, stilted dialogue, uninspired cinematography, dopey (canned) music, second-hand set/costume design, unskilled direction, zero artistic merit, and weak entertainment value (unless you find laughing at a film for all the things wrong with it entertaining)
. The only things - I guess - this film's got going for it are the two things that made Jane Russell a very successful spokes-model for Cross Your Heart.
Thought this very well done, however it's keeping with my own worldview and thus resonated with me and my knowledge and experience (very limited though it was) with Africa.
I wonder why this isn't better received and wonder if has to do with a misunderstanding of its point. Do people feel it is racist? I would argue it points a finger at English (colonial) racism and challenges all suppositions related to colonialism and 'giving' Africans education, culture, and civilization.
Recommended - maybe not so much because it's a great example of cinema or acting or writing but because it offers a view into a very different world. I'm just not sure people schooled in "we're all just the same" can appreciate the message. It's all about diversity, understanding diversity, respecting diversity, living with diversity. A perfect film to use to lead or develop a group discussion related to these issues - especially on an international scale.
Much better than the usual fare served up for younger audiences. While the story - a six-year old Chinese girl moves to the Netherlands where she really wants a horse and struggles with understanding the St Nicholas/Santa Claus mythologies - is simple by adult standards, it is told in a way where children are not talked down to and characters are (mostly) representative of real people, especially when viewed from a child's perspective. In addition to the focus on St Nick, the movie deals with death in a gentle, non-obfuscating manner. Very watchable, kind, and gentle.
Hated it. But that said, thought the set design was well done - one could almost believe Spooky Island really existed - and the costuming worked well. Otherwise...well, at least it's over. I've got nothing else good to say about it.
Edit: Can't believe no one's played the Scooby-DooN'T card yet!
Better than I expected, but I generally don't expect much in sequels. Can understand why it's a hit with some though - it really feels much more professional than what one expects given a whole new crowd was involved in its creation. I appreciate that they explored the "what next for Norman" question respectfully - after all, they're surfing on a wave created by one of the greats!
Comments 351 - 375 of 468
Movie comment on Yagyû ichizoku no inbô
xianjiro
Note: this is a TV series (not the movie) - see IMDb link for more infoMovie comment on 4
xianjiro
best pointless, nonsensical film?Movie comment on G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra
xianjiro
My constant thought after watching this crapfest is:1000 seven-year-olds with 1000 action figures inside a single room would be more interesting and less painful - and I'm not particularly fond of children.
Not sure the actors nor the departments deserve the blame though. Seems like that mostly falls on the writers - another liquor, weed, and other mind altering substance fueled writing season? I don't blame the actors, after all, they didn't write those lines. They just needed the paychecks. Not sure about the directorial and production staff - not sure who decided the movie had to have a little bit for everyone, damn it, it doesn't need to make sense!
Movie comment on Le petit lieutenant
xianjiro
Over at IMDb user anderzzz-1 said it better than ever I could. "Less said, less action, but more depth". Okay, my English would be more correct, but anderzzz-1's meaning gets to the heart of the matter. This is by no means the usual Hollywood-style police procedural. Quiet and understated, we see character and plot developed. We are encouraged to think and feel. I fear to say much more than this would risk taking away from what I see as the film's power, but it reminds me of a Parisian Homicide: Life in the Streets and in that vein is much more like The Wire than The Shield.Il était magnifique.
Well worth all the cinematic detritus I've sat through as of late. Waiting for such a film as this.
Wish I could promise you'll be as moved as I am but I can't. All I can do is record, for posterity, that I thought this a fantastic artistic interpretation of real life.
Movie comment on Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam
xianjiro
To quote Count Orsini-Rosenberg from Amadeus, "That? A most tiresome piece. ... Too much spice. Too many notes." Seriously though, that's what comes to mind upon viewing Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. The upside is the luxurious production design: lavish sets - especially in the first two acts (India) - and opulent costumes. But with only a couple interesting production numbers and no tunes that stick with me, the movie goes on and on and on - like an ABBA song and many Bollywood films - at least an hour longer than a Western viewer is generally comfortable with.Then there is the whole Budapest plays Italy thing... We are used to cities standing in for other cities but usually the glamour shots are of the place we are pretending to be. Okay, maybe the average South Asian theatre goer or DVD buyer might not catch it, then again, I recognized it as Budapest and knew the background language was not Italian and I've never been to Europe. Hollywood films are rightfully slammed for misrepresenting world culture, so this is a definite weakness in my book.
And then there's the plot - pedestrian and predictable, but also familiar and comfortable - exactly what viewers would expect in such a film. Sure, it's Bollywood romance and it delivers, in spades, what one hopes for in a Bollywood romance, but I can't say this movie will stay with me longer than a few minutes more.
Last, characters and acting, both Khan and Rai (Bachchan) are pleasing to the eyes and all actors deliver their performances with skill and they can clearly dance but isn't that what we viewers expect? Other than the physical beauty, nothing holds a viewer's attention.
Luscious, yes, but like the most exquisite Viennese torte, not really a cure for hunger.
Movie comment on Death Sentence
xianjiro
An excellent reminder that "made for TV" wasn't meant as a compliment in the 70s.Movie comment on Comanche blanco
xianjiro
Stars William Shatner in TWO roles.Need I say more?
Joseph Cotten does a decent job though.
Movie comment on The Hanged Man
xianjiro
Definitely feels, at minimum, like made-for-tv but if a review on IMDb is to be believed, it was series pilot that tanked. Okay as far as pilots might go in the mid-70s and was something of an attempt to be a 'serious' Western, but while you can see a little something here and a hint of low-budget skill there, it doesn't really come together - this in the era when the Western had pretty much run its course.An easy miss if not the worst thing you might ever watch. But certainly nothing to write much more about.
Blog comment on The Lord of the Lists: February
xianjiro
Denmark?!? How about Bulgaria, Israel, Argentina, Colombia, Thailand, and the Philippines!!!But this country-list mania is only going to continue. When Denmark gets its next list, then another country will say "hey, what about us?!? Don't we matter too? Why are we slighted by not having our great country's cinema industry represented less equally than ..."
Including this group while excluding that group from official status and the perceived importance connoted by such status is always going to disappoint or offend. Just look at the righteous hullabaloo related to the snubbing of people of African descent in the current crop of Oscar nominees. I'm not sure enough has been done to recognize their contributions to cinema either, and especially in our list of official lists.
Sorry people of (insert name of group or country here), I hear it's more important to have a list of road movies than ...
It's a no-win proposition.
Blog comment on The Lord of the Lists: February
xianjiro
Thanks! Good post.How long does it take for all these changes to populate the various info screens - pages, movies showing as official checks, ratings, awards, etc. No rush, just curious is all.
Thanks again.
Movie comment on Waga seishun ni kuinashi
xianjiro
I have a different reaction to prior comments. While, by far, not Kurosawa's or Hara's best work, the piece carries strong meaning. It was much less about the anti-fascist movement that was quashed in the lead up to Japan attacking American and British interests in the Pacific: it's a story about personal redemption, and not, Yukie's redemption, albeit we do witness her growth and maturing in her character arc.Instead, the first half of the film - rough as it is - is largely setup for the second half. Viewers need to understand who Yukie and Noge are, what he believes, and why he pays such a high price -
Movie comment on God afton, Herr Wallenberg
xianjiro
Kind of creepy knowing I'm watching this within 24 hours of the 71st anniversary of Wallenberg's disappearance. I wish I could say the film lives up to the great story. The acting is great to superb but for some reason, the whole seems about average to me. It's not badly made but, for me at least, I didn't feel drawn in - it didn't seem real in the way the best films feel real. I knew I was looking at actors; it felt like it was a play; for people at the end of their lifeline, it just seemed too clean, contrived, and like it was what it was - a film.Still, all that said, I appreciate the chance to see a young Skarsgard at work and learn more about an average man that did all he could do, by putting the lives (and, alas, the deaths) of others before his own.
Movie comment on Bremenskie muzykanty
xianjiro
Psychedelic Sixties Saint Petersburg StyleMovie comment on Reed, México insurgente
xianjiro
I get why this is an important film, but have to admit it's more interesting watching dishes dry. Warning: do not attempt to operate heavy machinery while or shortly after watching this film. Absolutely NOT what one expects from a film about a revolution.Movie comment on God Respects Us When We Work, But Loves Us When We Dance
xianjiro
Interesting but overlong by half.Movie comment on Mr. Charlie, Your Rollin' Mill Is Burnin' Down
xianjiro
Per Wikipedia, "Mr. Charlie" was an African American epithet for an arrogant or domineering European American male or another African American who is perceived as 'acting white.' It was commonly used during the 1800s along with the female counterpart "Miss Ann."Movie comment on San Andreas
xianjiro
Felt like a CG team got together with a trio of writers and said, "So, like, this is, like, what we can, like, do with computers now - ya think ya can, like, write us a screenplay? Doesn't even, like, have to be very good. All we need is, like, a way to showcase our awesome CG skills." And the rest, as they say... is hilariously funny! Oh wait, but this isn't a comedy. Oops! My mistake.Movie comment on La jaula de oro
xianjiro
An amazing, beautifully filmed depiction of the plight of Central Americans trying for "The Golden Dream" (the film's English title though the literal meaning is "The Golden Gage"). Don't know if there is a subtitled version available on or offline - I saw a Mexican DVD - but honestly, much of the film is meant to be understood through the pictures. In fact, a fair amount of the film is in Tzotzil (a Mayan language) just as unintelligible to most Mexicans as it is to people from other countries. As poignant as it is relevant worldwide as an illegal migrant's passage is never easy. The film leaves us asking why do they risk so much for what they get, but the message is clear - humans are attracted to hope like moths to a flame. An amazing pieced of work.Movie comment on App
xianjiro
Pretty mediocre thriller - at least that's my take since I found it hard to accept that an app could do all the things IRIS does. Plays on technophobia and the omnipresence of the smart phone. Maybe an interesting idea. The execution was fine, but this isn't going to rock most people's world. Maybe worth a buck or two, for entertainment, but that's about it.Movie comment on What Happens in Vegas
xianjiro
Could feel the brain cells dying during the first half or 3/4ths so totally understand the hate this one gets - the 'humor' was pretty damn lame. The redemption towards the end keeps this from being totally insufferable BUT it takes an awful lot of work to NOT hate this film completely. Whatever you do, don't pay more than a buck to see it - and then, only if you really, really, REALLY love romcoms, Diaz, or Kutcher. Otherwise, totally skip-able unless you need the check.Movie comment on The Outlaw
xianjiro
Perfect film!Movie comment on Mister Johnson
xianjiro
Thought this very well done, however it's keeping with my own worldview and thus resonated with me and my knowledge and experience (very limited though it was) with Africa.I wonder why this isn't better received and wonder if has to do with a misunderstanding of its point. Do people feel it is racist? I would argue it points a finger at English (colonial) racism and challenges all suppositions related to colonialism and 'giving' Africans education, culture, and civilization.
Recommended - maybe not so much because it's a great example of cinema or acting or writing but because it offers a view into a very different world. I'm just not sure people schooled in "we're all just the same" can appreciate the message. It's all about diversity, understanding diversity, respecting diversity, living with diversity. A perfect film to use to lead or develop a group discussion related to these issues - especially on an international scale.
Movie comment on Het paard van Sinterklaas
xianjiro
Much better than the usual fare served up for younger audiences. While the story - a six-year old Chinese girl moves to the Netherlands where she really wants a horse and struggles with understanding the St Nicholas/Santa Claus mythologies - is simple by adult standards, it is told in a way where children are not talked down to and characters are (mostly) representative of real people, especially when viewed from a child's perspective. In addition to the focus on St Nick, the movie deals with death in a gentle, non-obfuscating manner. Very watchable, kind, and gentle.Movie comment on Scooby-Doo
xianjiro
Hated it. But that said, thought the set design was well done - one could almost believe Spooky Island really existed - and the costuming worked well. Otherwise...well, at least it's over. I've got nothing else good to say about it.Edit: Can't believe no one's played the Scooby-DooN'T card yet!
Movie comment on Psycho II
xianjiro
Talk about muther issues!Better than I expected, but I generally don't expect much in sequels. Can understand why it's a hit with some though - it really feels much more professional than what one expects given a whole new crowd was involved in its creation. I appreciate that they explored the "what next for Norman" question respectfully - after all, they're surfing on a wave created by one of the greats!
Showing items 351 – 375 of 468