I read several rave reviews of this movie along the lines of "it brings these forgotten people to life", but without narration, interviews, or much dialogue, the footage wasn't much more enlightening (or involving) than passing the individuals on the street would have been. Lovely images, observed at numbing length... the sort of movie that makes you ask, "What does the director want me to think or feel about the third minute of Vanda coughing that I didn't already think during the previous minutes?"
I'm usually a fan of adapted stage thrillers like Sleuth or Wait Until Dark, but this just felt hokey and contrived. Dyan Cannon, in a thankless part, is particularly annoying and hard to watch.
Haunting and brilliantly spare. Thank goodness Netflix didn't spoil the premise of this one like they do so many movies--when the key information finally drops, it's amazing.
I'm surprised this one got so much critical love. Thought it was a decent, campy thriller but basically forgettable. The last ten minutes redeem a lot, though.
Great piece of historical cinema--tells a very complicated story without excessive dumbing down or inaccuracies, and brings surprising drama to many scenes.
Watkins' recreation of the Commune is fascinating, but the second half dragged for me as the actors frequently broke character to talk about their contemporary concerns with globalization. Watkins at times seems to be advancing the thesis that presenting a variety of voices is superior to the limitations of other filmmakers or network television, but these actors appear lock-step in their hatred of the current global economy; more disappointingly, they don't have anything more interesting to say about it than the average college freshman. Still, I couldn't stop watching it, and for a six-hour movie, that's really something.
I'd put off seeing this for years because I thought it was going to be a paint-by-numbers inspirational story (which is sort of how Netflix described it, too). But this was a much better movie than I'd hoped for.
I respect what this movie was trying to do, but most of it was just wild claims from talking heads, without any effort on the director's part to get to the bottom of it. For example, in one interview, a Panamanian academic claims that US Army forces were testing a laser/heat ray that made Panamanian citizens burst into flame and sawed cars in half. Possible? Maybe. But when the interviewer doesn't ask, "what evidence can you provide for that?", it tells you everything you need to know about the agenda here.
Never actively bad, but I'm surprised this made it onto a list. Just a competently done, mostly cliche action movie. I did really like the actress who played the little girl, though.
I forgot this movie even existed until I saw it on Van Sant's filmography list just now. What a waste of artistic capital to make this his follow-up project to Good Will Hunting.
Dombrewer, I agree that the Shakespearean link felt a bit forced. (The logic of the Henry IV/Keanu character didn't make much sense here compared to play either--the businesspeople and voters of Boise will admire him all the more for having risen above a past as a gay street hustler??) Lots of lovely scenes, though, and great performances from the leads.
Comments 26 - 50 of 136
Movie comment on No Quarto da Vanda
Shazaaaam
I read several rave reviews of this movie along the lines of "it brings these forgotten people to life", but without narration, interviews, or much dialogue, the footage wasn't much more enlightening (or involving) than passing the individuals on the street would have been. Lovely images, observed at numbing length... the sort of movie that makes you ask, "What does the director want me to think or feel about the third minute of Vanda coughing that I didn't already think during the previous minutes?"Movie comment on Deathtrap
Shazaaaam
I'm usually a fan of adapted stage thrillers like Sleuth or Wait Until Dark, but this just felt hokey and contrived. Dyan Cannon, in a thankless part, is particularly annoying and hard to watch.Movie comment on Le fils
Shazaaaam
Haunting and brilliantly spare. Thank goodness Netflix didn't spoil the premise of this one like they do so many movies--when the key information finally drops, it's amazing.Movie comment on The Guest
Shazaaaam
I'm surprised this one got so much critical love. Thought it was a decent, campy thriller but basically forgettable. The last ten minutes redeem a lot, though.Movie comment on La révolution française
Shazaaaam
Great piece of historical cinema--tells a very complicated story without excessive dumbing down or inaccuracies, and brings surprising drama to many scenes.Movie comment on Culloden
Shazaaaam
Great stuff.Movie comment on The Quick and the Dead
Shazaaaam
Interesting premise and some good moments, but Raimi seems to be all over the place tonally, and Sharon Stone is just terrible.Movie comment on La commune (Paris, 1871)
Shazaaaam
Watkins' recreation of the Commune is fascinating, but the second half dragged for me as the actors frequently broke character to talk about their contemporary concerns with globalization. Watkins at times seems to be advancing the thesis that presenting a variety of voices is superior to the limitations of other filmmakers or network television, but these actors appear lock-step in their hatred of the current global economy; more disappointingly, they don't have anything more interesting to say about it than the average college freshman. Still, I couldn't stop watching it, and for a six-hour movie, that's really something.Movie comment on You're Next
Shazaaaam
Good dark comedy, great lead character. Much more entertaining than most slashersMovie comment on OSS 117: Le Caire, nid d'espions
Shazaaaam
Jean Dujardin is great in this, but the comedy's pretty thin.Movie comment on Top of the Lake
Shazaaaam
How has this not cracked the miniseries list yet? One of the best I've seen.Movie comment on The Central Park Five
Shazaaaam
Terrific.Movie comment on Children of a Lesser God
Shazaaaam
I'd put off seeing this for years because I thought it was going to be a paint-by-numbers inspirational story (which is sort of how Netflix described it, too). But this was a much better movie than I'd hoped for.Movie comment on The Panama Deception
Shazaaaam
I respect what this movie was trying to do, but most of it was just wild claims from talking heads, without any effort on the director's part to get to the bottom of it. For example, in one interview, a Panamanian academic claims that US Army forces were testing a laser/heat ray that made Panamanian citizens burst into flame and sawed cars in half. Possible? Maybe. But when the interviewer doesn't ask, "what evidence can you provide for that?", it tells you everything you need to know about the agenda here.Movie comment on 30 for 30: The Two Escobars
Shazaaaam
Really terrific; surprised that ESPN put out a documentary of this quality and weight.Movie comment on Mugabe and the White African
Shazaaaam
Quite a story.Movie comment on Ajeossi
Shazaaaam
Never actively bad, but I'm surprised this made it onto a list. Just a competently done, mostly cliche action movie. I did really like the actress who played the little girl, though.Movie comment on Heavenly Creatures
Shazaaaam
Crazy, wrenching stuff. Jackson's an amazing talent to go straight from Dead Alive to this.Movie comment on Incendies
Shazaaaam
Brutal, but beautiful. I didn't realize how wrapped up I'd gotten in this one until I cried like a baby at the last few minutes.Movie comment on Riget
Shazaaaam
Great kooky fun, sort of a Danish Twin Peaks.Movie comment on Chugyeokja
Shazaaaam
I watch a lot of thrillers, and this is by far my favorite I've seen all year. Extremely intense and a very unpredictable plot.Movie comment on Psycho
Shazaaaam
I forgot this movie even existed until I saw it on Van Sant's filmography list just now. What a waste of artistic capital to make this his follow-up project to Good Will Hunting.Movie comment on My Own Private Idaho
Shazaaaam
Dombrewer, I agree that the Shakespearean link felt a bit forced. (The logic of the Henry IV/Keanu character didn't make much sense here compared to play either--the businesspeople and voters of Boise will admire him all the more for having risen above a past as a gay street hustler??) Lots of lovely scenes, though, and great performances from the leads.Movie comment on Gregory's Girl
Shazaaaam
Great low-key, endearing comedy.Movie comment on The Critic
Shazaaaam
Pretty funny. Worth three minutes, anyway. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=DiYjwRZK_NMShowing items 26 – 50 of 136