#film reviews
My review of Mary Harron’s 2018 film CHARLIE SAYS.
House of Sand and Fog (2003) - dir. Vadim Parelman
I watched this film solely because of the D.P. behind the camera: a mister Roger Deakins. Low and behold I found two not only competent, but downright terrific performances by Jennifer Connelly and Ben Kingsley. I’d even go so far as to say that it is Sir Kingsley’s best performance outside of Sexy Beast (but including Gandhi). The film is melodramatic, but in that terrific middle eastern way where it never even borders on comedy or farce. The film just hits you, again and again, in the same soft fleshy part of your conscience, and there is certainly that moment of doubt instilled in the viewer where you’re no longer sure who to root for.
That’s not to go so far as to say that the film is an all-around knockout, it’s not. Some of the moments are a bit much, and James Horner’s music is more often than I’d like to be found the culprit. One one hand I’m shocked and the other not surprised by the face that most of us have never heard of Vadim Parelman, Perhaps the film could have been even more powerful than it was, but I’d like to think of this not as a fluke, but more of the stars alining just so.
8.0
Post link
Followshotsofhorror over at wordpress or bookmark it or follow on Instagram as well.
If you missed it, here are the first 3 posts:
House.Creepshow. And today’s new post, Sleepy Hollow.
Just to let you know, I am still around on my personal blog @impressionism but shotsofhorror is still active on IG and Wordpress!
Here is my spoiler-free review for Jay and Silent Bob Reboot. Enjoy!
A book could be written deconstructing the film “The Power of the Dog”. This spoiler review is only going to scratch the surface of the film as I don’t have time to write that book.
@astronbookfilms Thank you for the tag. An excellent, perceptive review that gets under the skin of a fascinating film, one of my favourites this year, and one of Jane Campion’s greatest.
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) dir. by George Miller.
One long chase scene built like a video game - including levels and bosses. Amazing visuals and imaginative enemy design (cars and costumes), very limited dialogue. It should have focused even more on silly stuff like the flamethrower guitarist. More focus on dialogue would sure be welcome too.
6.0
Post link
Elephant(2003) dir. by Gus Van Sant.
Includes a promising opening sequence introducing John and his drunk father. But you end up watching no one in particular from behind as they spend their college time walking to nowhere in particular. Then two bullying victims randomly decide to shoot everyone at the school and you care about none of the involved, neither murderers nor victims.
2.5
Post link
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009) dir. by Terry Gilliam.
Really like this one. Three major complaints. The first two concern the CGI (quality and randomness). The other concerns Colin Farrell’s eyebrows.
8.0
Post link
Almanya - Willkommen in Deutschland (2011) dir. by Yasemin Samdereli.
Forget about the whole tell-a-cheerful-story-premise and remove all wannabe-comedy attempts, and this could’ve been an interesting study of a partially dysfunctional family.
3.5
Post link
The Wrestler (2008) dir. by Darren Aronofsky.
A necessary film for Rourke. A necessary film for wrestling. Not much else.
6.0
Post link
Derailed(2005) dir. by Mikael Håfström.
It’s okay. There’s a lack of logic at times. There’s a mismatch between plot and horror music.
5.5
Post link
Taxi Driver (1976) dir. by Martin Scorsese.
Travis Bickle’s slow and steady progress from being a culturally disabled insomniac towards being an incompetent vigilante. A very slow progress.
Jodie Foster’s adorable smile kept it going a couple of minutes, but the relationship between Betsy and Tom continued to be the most interesting part to me.
5.5
Post link
Flight(2012) dir. by Robert Zemeckis.
6 points for a black alcoholic saving lives and a guy with cancer escaping his ward to smoke cigarettes.
Apart from that, fuck the judgemental view on protagonist Whip in the ending and to hell with John Goodman’s role.
6.0
Post link
Steppeulven(2014) dir. by Ole Christian Madsen.
Sex, drugs and sex and drugs and fuck love and love and drugs.
5.0
Post link
The Machinist (2004) dir. by Brad Anderson.
Grey, grim and unpleasant. It is really trying to be unpleasant. Just to think about what Bale did to his body to achieve the skinny look is unpleasant enough.
4.0
Post link
At World’s End (org.Ved verdens ende, 2009) dir. by Tomas Villum Jensen.
Nikolaj Lie Kaas is quite the antihero. He has been quite the antihero in better films though.
3.5
Post link
Chinatown(1974) dir. by Roman Polanski.
Neonoir journalism, Nicholson with a nose plaster, Polanski with a knife.
6.0
Post link
9. April (2015), dir. Roni Ezra.
No fiddle-faddle. One small Danish company with bicycles and rifles ridiculously outnumbered by German tanks. They had no chance. Done talking.
5.5
Post link
Little Miss Sunshine (2006), dir. Jonathan Dayton andValerie Faris, had its bad moments but was overall a positive experience.
I’m happy to see Steve Carrell do something serious for once. Working with Paul Dano always works, I suppose.
6.0
Post link
Contraband(2012) by Baltasar Kormakur.
An action flick being where action flicks are most comfortable.
4.0
Post link
Brazil(1985) dir. by Terry Gilliam.
After1984came the 1985 version of a futuristic dystopia. More corny 80′s, but indeed - also more fun.
5.5 - 6.0
Post link
