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Daniel Wiener
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Als die Sonne vom Himmel fiel (2015)
From Hiroshima to Fukushima
This is not just another Hiroshima Film, as you have seen them before. At first sight, it looks like a family history of the author Aya Domenig, whose grandmother's husband was a doctor in Hiroshima when the atomic bomb hit the city and killed over 100'000 people immediately. And it shows how it is still killing people today. But beyond that personal connection, other eyewitnesses, nurses and a doctor, appear on screen, explicitly and dramatically making the link between the "Little Boy" (as the bomb was banalised by the US Army) and the explosion in Block 3 at the Fukushima nuclear park in March 2011. The fight for freedom of information against authorities, who deliberately suppress facts appears to be the same today, as it was after World War II, when the US military censors hided the real and long term effects of radiation from the public. And so does the Japanese government deal with Fukushima today. This documentary lets the last living and engaged coevals of Hiroshima speak and make the connection between the two disasters. Impressive and thoughtfully composed, with astonishing pictures and lively 90-year-olds as main protagonists.
Tikkun (2015)
Killing fundamentalism
Shot in black and white, this movie about a young fundamentalist Jew, who is living in Jerusalem's most religious district (Mea Shearim), could be just as well shown to fundamentalist Christian or Muslim audiences, as a tale on the structural violence of these so called religious circles. The movie, which is developing slowly but is never boring, has strong characters and excellent actors. After an accident in the bath tub, the main figure, Haim-Aaron, is given up by the ambulance personnel that is called in to reanimate him, but his father succeeds in doing so. This heroic deed is interpreted as a sin against God's will to kill the young man by both the rescuer (by profession a butcher) and his religious masters. However, it gives the young Haim-Aaron a new life and a new view of his sensuality and capacity to cherish his physical existence. 10 out of 10 for courage, plot and excellent dramaturgy.
Der Fürsorger (2009)
This is Switzerland - a must see!
Speaking of secret bank accounts and petit bourgeois who dream of peeling off their narrow corset, in which their secure and quiet lives ripple along in smaller Swiss towns - this is the best movie ever made to explain the explosive blend of Swiss society. Greed reigns among middle class savers, and when a social worker comes along and promises them exorbitant returns - they believe every word of it. The more daring his accounts become the more followers beat a path to his door (and the one who is most puzzled about this is the social worker himself). Extremely well played by Roeland Wiesnekker, who shows a performance that should be honored by an Oscar (!), the main character Hans-Peter Stalder fascinates not only his willing and credulous "victims" but also the moviegoer, who can hardly believe that this is based on a true story, which happened only two decades ago. But the underlying message and truth of it has become even more topical with recent developments: What looks like a conflict between the Swiss Banking Secret and some crazy tax collectors form the US, Germany or France is something much more internal: "Der Fürsorger" clearly shows that this is a matter between the Swiss and within Switzerland. If perceived accurately it is a blank mirror for anyone to see this piece of Swiss identity.
Soul Kitchen (2009)
Nothing new under the sun
The men, especially Moritz Bleibtreu, come across lively and funny in this new comedy by Faith Akin, while the women remain pale and flavorless. Most jokes, slapstick scenes and scenario twists looked so familiar to me that they provoked a déjà-vu yawn. Dialogues are stiff like in a freshmen theater, many scenes just unbelievably predictable and even unrealistic (e.g. when the main character, innkeeper Zino, is arrested and drops the corpus delicti - a robbed contract - in front of the police, which lets it being blown away by the wind).
The good cooking that takes place doesn't make you hungry, though, as it does in some of Akin's ante types for this aspect of the film (e.g. Eat Drink Man Woman). One may argue that Akin wanted to produce a satire, as a relief from all the serious and heavy stuff he has delivered in the past. But this genre would be even more demanding and as a satire the movie would not merit more than 1 out of 10.
Akin was apparently more absorbed by his obvious (self-imposed or factual) obligation to show his home town Hamburg from its most picturesque sides, including old and modern backdrops and sceneries, which certainly indemnified the Hamburg Tourist Board for any sum it might have contributed.
When you keep in mind that Akin is of Turkish origin and that Soul Kitchen is mainly situated in the Greek community of Hamburg, you might suggest that the film is a peace-offering to the other ethnicity, which in many cases still has hostile feelings against the Turks. This is also symbolized in the final scene, in a way that would spoil the movie if I would tell it here.
All in All: Wait for the next, certainly fine Akin film, if you have a choice between seeing this movie or doing something else.
Snow White (2005)
Well filmed - story filled up with clichés
Snow White, which just came out in Locarno, where I had the chance to see it, of course refers to the world famous fairy tale. And it also refers to coke. In the end, real snow of the Swiss Alps plays its part as well.
Thus all three aspects of the title are addressed in this film. There is a lot of dope on scene, and there is also a pale, dark haired girl - with a prince who has to go through all kind of trouble to come to her rescue.
But: It's not a fairy tale. It's supposed to be a realistic drama located in Zurich, Switzerland (according to the Tagline).
Technically the movie is close to perfect. Unfortunately a weak plot, foreseeable dialogs, a mostly unreal scenery and the mixed acting don't add up to create authenticity. Thus as a spectator I remained untouched.
And then there were the clichés, which drove me crazy one by one: Snow White is a rich and spoiled upper class daughter - of course her parents are divorced and she never got enough love from them, because they were so busy all the time. Her best girlfriend, on the other hand, has loving and caring parents. They (a steelworker and a housewife) live in a tiny flat, poor and happy - and ignorant of the desperate situation their daughter is in. The good guy (= prince) is a musician (!) from the French speaking part of Switzerland (which is considered to be the economically less successful but emotionally fitter fraction of the country). He has problems with his parents. They are migrants from Spain, who don't seem to accept his wild way of living - until the father becomes seriously ill and confesses his great admiration for his son from a hospital bed.
And so it goes on: Naturally, the drug dealer is brutal, the bankers are heartless, the club owner is a playboy and the photographer, although a woman (!), has only her career in mind when she exposes Snow White in artsy pornographic pictures at a show.
This review doesn't need a spoiler in order to let you add these pieces to an obvious plot. As I like other films by Samir, e.g. "Forget Baghdad", I was quite disappointed. Let's hope for the next one.
Strähl (2004)
Swiss "mean street" hopefully a start into a new era of films
You know the contribution of Denmark, Sweden, Netherlands and other smaller countries to European Cinema. But you certainly haven't seen any recent Swiss made movie, that hit the ranks with critics as well as the public. This seems kind of strange, because Switzerland has an outstanding documentary film making tradition and certainly a strong economy, which could finance even expensive features. But in the last decade or two nothing remarkable from Switzerland came in sight on our movie theater screens. Strähl could be the first feature to signal a new, very different era of films from "Heidiland". On one hand, Strähl presents a rather traditional story of a breakdown in a Cop's career - moving from fighting drug dealers to falling in love with a narcotic. But on this basis it derives it's strengths and high suspense from a witty script, brilliant acting, a dense atmosphere and a very Swiss variety of madness on the streets. So if you don't want to miss the premiere of a - hopefully - new feature production country in Europe, have a look at this (9 out of 10).
Timecode (2000)
Your ears are superior to your eyes
Four simultaneous movies on four screens with people interacting (e.g. by telephone) between the four plots - that sounds quite confusing. I saw the movie at the Locarno Film Festival this summer and I could follow the four stories without any problems. Why? Because Mike Figgis underlines only one story at a time - in most cases he guides you by simply turning up the sound of it. Even if the action on one screen is quite spectacular (but with lower sound) you concentrate on the louder plot (as visually dull it might be). This very impressive experiment teaches anybody who doesn't care much for the sound of his movie to think this over.
C'eravamo tanto amati (1974)
Does not wear out in 25 years
I saw this film as a 20 year old when it just came out in the 70ies and I was fascinated by its vision, humor and tragedy. Now I saw it again, more than 25 years later. Living so to speak at the other end of the plot (the story begins when the four protagonists are around 20 and it ends in their late 40ies) it does not look worn out a bit. The way life constructs and destroys friendship has not been mirrored more intensely in any other film I've ever seen.