Change Your Image
Comandante666
Reviews
John Rabe (2009)
John Rabe
I have just watched the movie 'John Rabe' three days ago at the Berlin International Film Festival. Fortunately the director was present and kind enough to answer some questions after the screening. Thank you for that.
The movie itself is about the extraordinary achievements of the then director of Siemens Naking, John Rabe, who saved several thousand Chinese people during the Japanese assault on, and capture of the city in 1937/38.
There certainly are several similarities to the case of Oscar Schindler, whose story is well documented and was made into a movie by Steven Spielberg, but those similarities are due to the story, and not because of any semblances of the two movies...
Nevertheless, the most innovative and interesting aspect of the movie 'John Rabe' is the story, which is about this extraordinary person. The movie itself, and that's really unfortunate, is partially too declamatory and rather kitschy in some parts. Some scenes actually reminded me of sad experiences such as the movie 'Pearl Harbor'. This critique may sound a little harsh, because on the whole the movie isn't too bad, but I still think it should be mentioned.
Now, if you are able to take some kitschy love scenes and some heroic moments, you might actually enjoy this movie and be able to discover a very interesting and less known story about the Second World War...
Savage Grace (2007)
Don't be afraid, it's human(e)
The most disturbing fact about this movie is that it is actually based on a true story. Though it appears to be pretty well known at least in the US I so far haven't had heard of it. Thus it probably struck me twice as hard.
The subject though is familiar and reminds of ancient Greek tragedian Sophocles and his famous play 'Oedipus Rex'. But this is only a very basic resemblance. The story which evolves in several steps around the life of Tony Baekland is set in several countries of Europe between 1946 and 1972.
The environment in which Tony grows up is a very wealthy American bourgeois family which seems to exist pretty independent of much of the outer worlds developments. At one point in the movie Tony reads a statement by his famous grandfather which I'd like to cite from my memory: 'Money allows you to not have to live with the consequences of your mistakes.' Although Tony in the movie doesn't seem very content with the meaning, I guess it summarizes the behavior of the characters very well. They are revolving around themselves and soon the ultimate catastrophe begins.
Tony discovers his homosexuality at a very early stage and is thereupon loosing his connection to his father, Brooks, whom he already had described as being cold and dark, at the very beginning of the movie. Eventually Brooks takes off with Tonys first girlfriend and from now on he is mostly seen only from the distance. Tonys relationship with his mother in contrast is exceptionally close and shows no apparent privacy of either of the two characters. It develops to a full incestuous act at the end of the movie that finally also leads to matricide and the arrest of Tony.
It is very hard to describe this film other than as irritating. But it never goes so far as to repel the viewer. Though it may not be sympathy you feel for the characters it might very well be empathy or at least pity. They are very well described in their perfectness and simultaneous vulnerability and resourcefully embodied by the outstanding performances of the main actors.
Apart of the dramatic content, the movie also captivates because of its beautiful costumes and requisites. I hardly like movies just because of their visual impression. But this one I must say was absolutely impressive in this case. I was stunned by only watching the set and the beautiful people moving around there. It somehow reminded my of the film version of 'Death in Venice'. Don't ask me why, it's just a feeling...
Anyways 'Savage Grace' is a very recommendable movie and I was glad I had the opportunity to watch it yesterday. The director Tom Kalín was present and was kind enough to answer some questions. Thank you Tom, for a very decent movie about very indecent people.
No Country for Old Men (2007)
It's good enough to be great
First of all I have to admit that I'm a hopeless adherer of Coen movies. So to all the folks who basically don't like 'em: better skip my comment simply because it might not be objective in every sense.
I watched the movie yesterday at the Vienna International Film Festival and I must say it is awesome in many ways. The actors (and not only Javier Bardem whom I totally admire since his portrayal of Ramón Sampedro in Mar Adentro)are superb. Tommy Lee Jones as aging Sheriff and Josh Brolin as the one who kicks off the whole mess. Their performances are outstanding and even Scottish Kelly Macdonald, whom I still remember as delightful Diana in Trainspotting, was pretty convincing as Texan trailer-girl.
Back to the mess: And there is plenty of mess in that movie for sure. Counting dead bodies is almost a Sisyphean task. So don't even try. By the way, apart of a dead dog, that actually looks more like a stuffed potato, the bodies are really well prepared. Also a scene where the psychic killer (Bardem) is operating on his own leg looks pretty real and gives you the creeps. But it's not only blood and violence as some critics have found fault. There is much more of course. It's the irony and sharpness that lies in every spoken line and joke. As in earlier masterpieces by the Coen brothers this combination of brutality, irony and every day life brings flavor to the movie. It's set in the amazingly beautiful countryside of the US-American south. And images of slowly hovering clouds are a welcome variation of otherwise rather cruel pictures.
What the movie maybe lacks a bit is deepness of the plot. I mean don't get me wrong the plot is fun and all but it's not quite the story of Fargo or The Big Lebovsky. Though one might argue that the plot isn't the most important part of a Coen movie, which is probably even true, I find it worth to mention that they have already written better screenplays.
To sum up, though the film is not as consistent in all possible aspects, as some of their earlier work has been, the created ambiance is definitely worth spending some bucks for two hours of splendid 'coenic' cinema feeling.
Watch it and convince yourselves. It's good enough to be great!
Ling yi ban (2006)
The embarrassing half
There's no doubt that this movie cannot compete with most of the usual standards a western moviegoer is accustomed to. The light in the movie is irritating, actors sometimes all-too theatrical in their gestures and one can observe a lack of finesse and professionalism in camera work and directing too. In short, one can easily say that the movie is a total low budget production and in many ways a bad one as well. Today, when I watched it in the cinema, a bunch of lads left well before the end. I can't blame them.
But still, I stood there in my seat, somewhere in the middle of the room. There was something that kept me from leaving. Kept me from fleeing that intermittent boring experience. I suppose it had something to do with what I mentioned at the beginning. I'd like to call it western decadence. What I mean by that is our high expectations, our greedy demand of perfection, all our cinematic standards. And many, by the way, many western movie makers nowadays try , at various success of course, to somehow get back to the roots of film. Trying to find again the essence what constitutes moving pictures. That's very very hard and I would definitely not go so far to say that Ling yi ban has achieved what others are trying to reach in vain. No, I'm simply trying to communicate the importance of giving different and alien movies a chance.
I still don't blame the folks who left one after the other and probably would laugh at what I'm writing here. But I guess it's significant to underscore the possible advantages of staying. For example, I've never seen such brutal and disillusioned images of Chinese industrial life. Though the medium wasn't very sophisticated, the essence somehow was. And that's what might be even more important from time to time. Still, the movie gets a 3 rating from me. I couldn't give it more but it's not a total waste. It has potential and I invite everybody to watch the full two hours and maybe one can understand why on my mind it is actually recommendable to rethink our standards and to engage in a different and embarrassing world of movies.
The Last Legion (2007)
Stand up against bad movies
Normally I wouldn't even comment on such a crappy movie. One could say it's just a waste of time to write anything about this movie. But I really was a little angry when I watched it yesterday and i feel the need of warning other to not make the same mistake as I made yesterday! First of all I have to say that maybe the story has some potential. The last Ceasar of the once so powerful Roman Empire, a little boy, taken prisoner to the Island of Capri. The 9th legion in Britannia has to stand up again, against tyranny (the Roman Empire wasn't quite a democracy either was it???)... and fights a last battle against the bad Lord with a mask! This story can be exciting, though it is not very historic.
But then it really gets mean: The guard of the Ambassador of Constantinople is wearing a head-scarf made of chains...Might he be a woman???...The teacher of young Ceasar, a poorly fake-bearded Ben Kingsley is actually Merlin, which is more than predictable at the very beginning...Come on cut me some slack...Thats all boring...but not enough, 'The last legion' is awful in any respect. Costumes are terrible and uninspired. Make-up is just boring and even the actors, especially the Goths are more than poor, looking more like a German punk-rock band or something... The movie is just awful and sometimes I wasn't sure if it was supposed to be a cheap comedy or an action-movie. It reminded me of some very poorly made, low-budget B-movies I have seen when I was a kid. I think this movie is a total waste of time and money...
The Godfather (1972)
A History of myself...not the 'Best Movie Ever' anymore
This movie has a lot of history. I used to describe it as one of the best movies ever. This was when I still was a boy and mafia-movies were so exciting. Don't get me wrong, 'The Godfather' is still an amazing excitement to watch and if I have time I still do watch it. But with this movie it is as it is with so many things in life. Time shows that it is only a thing, or as it is in this case, a movie. Therefore I recommend to anybody who hasn't watched 'The Godfather' already: don't hesitate any longer. Watch it now! It is a beautiful story, great acting, and definitely a movie you won't forget. But for those who have seen this film, maybe many times already...don't discard it, I suppose it has become part of your own history. Enjoy talking about it, love watching it, and don't waste it by naming it the 'Best movie ever'.