Change Your Image
andreas-27
Reviews
The Naked Dawn (1955)
A small but excellent, atmospheric western - an allegory on greed.
An excellent little western that shows what can be done with a good story, little money, character actors and inspired direction(i.e. with no studio interference). The story unfolds in a slow but well-controlled tempo and proceeds to show how greed changes a kind-hearted man and his family into vicious money-hungry people. Edgar Ulmer, a much underrated but top-grade director, knows how to bring out the deepest and most secret feelings of his characters, through the excellent direction of his actors (Arthur Kennedy gives the best performance of his career) and create tension and the right atmosphere. On the level of John Ford's "Wagonmaster"! Should be seen and enjoyed more often. Makes you want to see more of Ulmer's works. Andreas-27
Man on Wire (2008)
Dancing on a Wire
You think that documentaries are boring? You should see this MAN ON WIRE!! Philippe Petit, a Frenchman high-wire walker, unknown to most people, one misty summer morning in 1974 walked across the twin towers on a high-wire. A superb, unimaginable feat that took him months of secret preparations to accomplish and landed him in prison - outstanding feats always seem to provoke the small-minded. The British documentary film-maker James Marsh, after a long but always as exciting, introduction on Petit's previous feats (walking on a high-wire across Notre Dame Casthedral in Paris and later on Sidney's Harbor Bridge in Australia), relates Petit's twin towers feat like a "Rififi" type of thriller, presenting in detail all the aspects of the preparation and editing his material tightly, with a rhythm that catches your breath. Here is a suspenseful, some times humorous, drama that at the same time moves you to the point of crying. What the film is finally about is that of a courageous man who, against all logic, walks up and down on a wire, high up in the sky, sitting and relaxing in-between, almost dancing, like a Fred Astaire of the skies, for more than 45 minutes, challenging man, nature and the whole universe, making you feel that you can do anything you want as long as you really believe in it! But what is still more exciting is the beauty of it all, of those wonderful images of that man up there, alone and happy, enjoying his walk in the clouds. A breathtaking film worthy of many Oscars!!!
Dogville (2003)
Excellent idea, excellent depiction, excellent result
I never thought that a film presented on a bare stage could be so exciting and able to keep you alert for all its 180 minutes. However Lars von Trier managed to make his best film, a film in which the story is used to comment on present-day society (and not only the American society), on its fragile values, fears, racialism and opportunism. With a dense script, excellent direction of actors - Nicole Kidman has never been so persuasive - and excellent atmosphere. A film that shows European pioneering and excellence.
Gangs of New York (2002)
A work of epic proportions, with images inspired by great paintings
Certainly the best film of the year and one of the best of the last ten years. A work of epic proportions, with images inspired by flemish and other painters, which haunt the viewer's mind. A strong comment on violence, racism and intolerance as well as a moving, exciting work of art. During its 165 minutes the whole history of world cinema passes before your eyes, from the plastic beauty of the films of Griffith (from "The Musketeers of Pig Alley" to "The Birth of a Nation"), the naturalism of those of Stroheim and the editing power of Eisenstein's to the stylized realism of those of Sergio Leone ("Once Upon a Time in America") and Akira Kurosawa ("The Seven Samurai", "Ran", "Kagemusha"), not forgetting the popular 19th century literature that comes to mind as you encounter the various characters and their situations (Dickens, Hugo, Dumas, Eugene Sue). Nineteenth century New York has never before been depicted with such authenticity. The use of sound, the impressive sets, built on the Cinecitta studio lot, the costumes, the music, all have the feeling and freshness of the great Hollywood movies - ironically this time by a non-Hollywood director.