Movies, Comedy
The movie is billed as a comedy. It is not much of one. It is a diary of a man whose girlfriend just walked out and who starts callling old girl friends to find out why they all rejected him. The situation is ripe with comic potential but the narrative lacks power and leaves one craving for good writing and deeper insight in the human condition.High Fidelity
Movies, Drama
I have never seen a movie quite like this one. It reminds you of a poem. But here most of the work is not done by words but by images. Bill Murray’s performance has received raving reviews. For me, it was not Bill Murray’s acting that made the movie interesting, but the novelty of how the director (Sofia Coppola) transported the emotions of the characters into the minds of viewers. The film represents an experiment in emotional translations. It is not a movie that I would put on my must-see-list, but if you are in the mood for experiencing some cinematographic innovation, this is not a bad pick. As an aside: I discovered today that more than one promotional poster is made for films. Apparently, the studios design separate his and hers marketing campaigns. Ladies, for you we got Bill Murray. Gentlemen, for you we got young American flesh.Lost in Translation
Movies, Documentary
Watching the life of a child molester and the disintegratation of his family is probably not the kind of story most people consider seeing when they wish to have a good night at the movies. But this documentary is such a spectacular piece of work that even a difficult subject cannot get in the way of having a great film experience. The film raises all sorts of interesting questions about family relations and how different people experience and remember the same events. This is a must-see film for any aspiring documentary maker.Capturing the Friedmans
Movies, Drama
The whale rider is a young girl who finds herself in the middle of a collision between a small traditional culture in New Zealand and the modern world. Her mother and twin brother die during childbirth. Her father leaves her with her grandparents and tries to escape to Europe. The grandfather has absolutely no use for her from the moment she is born because she is a girl and he needs a grandson to continue the bloodline and be the next leader of the tribe. But the young girl knows granddaddy better than he knows himself and takes us along for a quite a ride. This is a beautiful film although the pace of a narrative could have been a bit faster at times.Whale Rider
Movies, Drama
If you like classical music and detailed explorations of emotions triggered by the relationship between father and son, this is a film is for you. In the middle the movie feels a bit slow. But once you have seen the surprising and dramatic ending, you realize that the slowness in the second hour made the ending all the more powerful. The story is so moving that if you are prone to tears, you should bring a good supply of clenex to the show. I am eager to see the previous film by the director Chen Kaige, “Farewell my Concubine.” The film is in Chinese with English subtitles. Postscript: “Farewell my Concubine” was not nearly as good as “Together” and can be skipped!Together
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