Change Your Image
MarkusOctavius
Reviews
The Breadwinner (2017)
Propaganda?
The only nation mentioned in this film is Russians, yet it is the only outsiders that were helping the afghan prople agsinst bandits. But the main culprit of the recent conflict -- Americans -- were not mentioned at all. Because they sponsored this film. The film is amazing art wise, but it's a slow poison mind wise.
Mission to Mars (2000)
Bad even by the mid 20-th century standards
The movie is not thrilling, not exhilarating. It feels like a movie about walking in a park. Actors/protagonists are emotionless. It seems like they are bored with all this space mission to an unknown planet, like they have been to Mars at least hundreds of times. They are never shocked or even slightly surprised when something happens. When they are about to die they act like their shoes got unlaced. And they almost constantly smiling.
But all that wouldn't be so bad if the director/producers would make a slight effort in making this film a little bit authentic. I'm talking about sound/audio effects. Whenever there's a communication between the control center and spaceship (or between the spacesuits) there's no radio distortion. Everything sounds like a normal high-quality microphone. This spoils everything more than any bad acting or directing ever can.
Salt (2010)
Good action, good story. Bad image of Russians.
Just watched the BlueRay of this movie and I really liked it. Good action, exceptional acting, good story. Not a mind blowing, but still interesting.
I've also listened to the director's commentary for the movie where he said that the Russian people had a negative reaction after watching this movie. In particular, that they were offended of the way Russians are shown in the movie. Well, I hope the director reads the reviews on this website and I would like to make a tiny remark. He completely missed the point of why they were offended.
It was not due to the fact that Russian government had (or has) spies in the US, but due to the image he gave to the Russians in his film.
1. Russians don't address each other as "comrade". Never did. 2. Russians don't drink vodka on every other occasion. And certainly don't carry a bottle on their person just in case. In fact, Russians drink more beer than vodka. 3. Russians don't kiss each other as a form of greeting. Only if they are very good friends (or would like to seem so) or relatives and either both girls, or of opposite sex. Russian men never kiss each other, even if they are best friends or relatives. Male relatives kissing is much more common in Europe and even US, than in Russia. 4. The Russian spies that were caught in the US last year were not observing the life of US. Any simple person can do that without being a spy. For example, I often talk to my relatives in Russia and tell them how I live in the US and how life in the US is in general. Of course, I don't tell or know any secrets; THAT is the spy's job.
Also, just a side note to others, who might only know about Russia by films such as this one: Russian people don't dream of attacking US (or any other country for that matter). They have problems of their own. So please, stop exploiting these beaten-to-death stereotypes in the movies. Otherwise, the cold war will never really end.
Other than that -- great movie. Enjoyed it very much.
Just to clarify: I am Russian and lived in Russia for 26 years.