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Deadline is April 20th iirc?
Planning on a review a week
Planning on a review a week
24th Hall of Fame
I just finished Shame, so I've watched all the noms. A review in nearish future. As a teaser, it's the worst Bergman I've seen this far.
I may end up rewatching La Dolce Vita. It depends if I can comfortably place it on my ballot or not. In other words, it may take a while before I submit my votes.
I may end up rewatching La Dolce Vita. It depends if I can comfortably place it on my ballot or not. In other words, it may take a while before I submit my votes.
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What? Ed is ahead of me? This I can’t abide....
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What I actually said to win MovieGal's heart:
- I might not be a real King of Kinkiness, but I make good pancakes
What I actually said to win MovieGal's heart:
- I might not be a real King of Kinkiness, but I make good pancakes
~Mr Minio
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Correct!
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"A laugh can be a very powerful thing. Why, sometimes in life, it's the only weapon we have."
Suspect's Reviews
"A laugh can be a very powerful thing. Why, sometimes in life, it's the only weapon we have."
Suspect's Reviews
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Skammen (1968)
aka Shame
I've seen way too few Bergman movies considering that he's done one of my favorites, The Seventh Seal. Shame is probably just the fourth, and unfortunately the worst, as well. It has lots of the trademark goods you'd expect from the legendary Swede, like beautiful black-and-white cinematography and great performances by his staple actors.
What Shame lacks, in my opinion, is a solid script. I don't know if the film is meant to happen in Sweden, but I can't really think otherwise. The civil war that sets the background of the film doesn't make any sense. It feels like a war written by someone who doesn't have any grasp of warfare. Someone who just wants to transfer the images of distant conflicts into a more familiar environment without paying attention to whys or hows. Sweden of the late 60s wasn't some Far Eastern agricultural society where the civil war would be fought over the control of small and isolated villages.
The main characters are interesting enough, but the time jump in about an hour to the film is too abrupt. Even though the change in their relationship is retroactively explained (at least partially), it felt odd decision to make the skip. Other members of the community remain rather unknown; just like the war, they're only background noise for the central couple. Like many films about war, Shame is too interested in its anti-war message and doesn't bother with "unnecessary" details.
I found the film shamefully average. It looks good, it's well-acted, but it can't overcome a weak script.
aka Shame
I've seen way too few Bergman movies considering that he's done one of my favorites, The Seventh Seal. Shame is probably just the fourth, and unfortunately the worst, as well. It has lots of the trademark goods you'd expect from the legendary Swede, like beautiful black-and-white cinematography and great performances by his staple actors.
What Shame lacks, in my opinion, is a solid script. I don't know if the film is meant to happen in Sweden, but I can't really think otherwise. The civil war that sets the background of the film doesn't make any sense. It feels like a war written by someone who doesn't have any grasp of warfare. Someone who just wants to transfer the images of distant conflicts into a more familiar environment without paying attention to whys or hows. Sweden of the late 60s wasn't some Far Eastern agricultural society where the civil war would be fought over the control of small and isolated villages.
The main characters are interesting enough, but the time jump in about an hour to the film is too abrupt. Even though the change in their relationship is retroactively explained (at least partially), it felt odd decision to make the skip. Other members of the community remain rather unknown; just like the war, they're only background noise for the central couple. Like many films about war, Shame is too interested in its anti-war message and doesn't bother with "unnecessary" details.
I found the film shamefully average. It looks good, it's well-acted, but it can't overcome a weak script.
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Sorry not being around. Have a masters thesis to get done till Monday but I'll bing watch this after that!
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What?? This is more important than a measly masters thesis, pfff!
(good luck!)
(good luck!)
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Starting up The Day of The Jackal, which is a welcome rewatch from a years ago, and then Shame tomorrow.
Expect 2 reviews soon.
Expect 2 reviews soon.
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Starting up The Day of The Jackal, which is a welcome rewatch from a years ago, and then Shame tomorrow.
Expect 2 reviews soon.
Expect 2 reviews soon.
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Just to clarify, I might make my reviews a bit shorter to ensure I finish this in time.
The Secret in Their Eyes (2009) -
This film is at its best when it explores the impact Liliana Colotto's murder has on the various characters. There are direct effects such as Ricardo waiting at a train station every day in hopes of catching the killer and indirect effects such as the long-term effects the case has on Esposito, which lasts for decades. And, of course, there's Isidoro Gomez's shocking fate which I can't talk about without spoiling it. Watching how the murder case effected the three characters was one of the film's main highlights for me. I found their stories thought-provoking and tragic, specifically Esposito's since his relationship with Irene was handled really well. In addition to their on-screen chemistry, I found their inability to express their attraction to each other quite tragic. Unlike other films I've seen with a romance sub-plot, this aspect didn't feel unnecessary or tacked on. I was also impressed with the camerawork and editing. While the soccer stadium sequence that unfortunately didn't involve a helicopter was the main setpiece for me, I appreciated other scenes as well like the dreamy opening or the way the film handled the flashback structure. Though the film jumped back and forth between 1999 and the mid-1970's a number of times, these cuts were edited into the film quite seamlessly, showing subtle visual cues that the setting changed such as the de-aging effects in Esposito's hair. Overall, not sure how often I would want to revisit this film, but I enjoyed quite a bit about it.
Next up: Shame (I take it MovieGal dropped out)
The Secret in Their Eyes (2009) -
This film is at its best when it explores the impact Liliana Colotto's murder has on the various characters. There are direct effects such as Ricardo waiting at a train station every day in hopes of catching the killer and indirect effects such as the long-term effects the case has on Esposito, which lasts for decades. And, of course, there's Isidoro Gomez's shocking fate which I can't talk about without spoiling it. Watching how the murder case effected the three characters was one of the film's main highlights for me. I found their stories thought-provoking and tragic, specifically Esposito's since his relationship with Irene was handled really well. In addition to their on-screen chemistry, I found their inability to express their attraction to each other quite tragic. Unlike other films I've seen with a romance sub-plot, this aspect didn't feel unnecessary or tacked on. I was also impressed with the camerawork and editing. While the soccer stadium sequence that unfortunately didn't involve a helicopter was the main setpiece for me, I appreciated other scenes as well like the dreamy opening or the way the film handled the flashback structure. Though the film jumped back and forth between 1999 and the mid-1970's a number of times, these cuts were edited into the film quite seamlessly, showing subtle visual cues that the setting changed such as the de-aging effects in Esposito's hair. Overall, not sure how often I would want to revisit this film, but I enjoyed quite a bit about it.
Next up: Shame (I take it MovieGal dropped out)
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The Day of the Jackal
Fred Zinnemann is a director you rarely hear spoken about. Yet, looking at his filmography, it’s one that stand on its own merits and accomplishments. This is a director of such films like High Noon, From Here to Eternity, A Man for all Seasons. And Of course, The Day of the Jackal.
Jackal starts off grabbing you and never really letting go. It doesn’t have much in the way of action, but rather is a slow burning thriller that builds up right until the climax.
The Jackal, An assassin, is hired to kill De Gaulle, and most of the film features him planning it. Somehow, this makes for an interesting approach, with Zinnemann taking some Interesting camera shots and scenes such as one following behind a biker delivering a message and another of the Jackal testing out his new gun. But of the Intrigue is the mysterious nature of The Jackal. We never really learn his true identity.
A detective is hired to catch him, and their game of cat and mouse is fascinating to watch, with The Jackal somehow always staying one step ahead. It isn’t done with intense actions scenes, but rather a sense of foreboding.
The film isn’t without its issues. There’s about 20 minutes that involves a woman The Jackal meets to keep himself hidden, that really doesn’t serve the film well and drags it down somewhat. But once we’re past that, it picks itself back up. And we watch as it slowly winds it’s way to the inevitable showdown between the detective and The Jackal. One worth the wait.
Fred Zinnemann is a director you rarely hear spoken about. Yet, looking at his filmography, it’s one that stand on its own merits and accomplishments. This is a director of such films like High Noon, From Here to Eternity, A Man for all Seasons. And Of course, The Day of the Jackal.
Jackal starts off grabbing you and never really letting go. It doesn’t have much in the way of action, but rather is a slow burning thriller that builds up right until the climax.
The Jackal, An assassin, is hired to kill De Gaulle, and most of the film features him planning it. Somehow, this makes for an interesting approach, with Zinnemann taking some Interesting camera shots and scenes such as one following behind a biker delivering a message and another of the Jackal testing out his new gun. But of the Intrigue is the mysterious nature of The Jackal. We never really learn his true identity.
A detective is hired to catch him, and their game of cat and mouse is fascinating to watch, with The Jackal somehow always staying one step ahead. It isn’t done with intense actions scenes, but rather a sense of foreboding.
The film isn’t without its issues. There’s about 20 minutes that involves a woman The Jackal meets to keep himself hidden, that really doesn’t serve the film well and drags it down somewhat. But once we’re past that, it picks itself back up. And we watch as it slowly winds it’s way to the inevitable showdown between the detective and The Jackal. One worth the wait.
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I rewatched Vampyr last night so I'm well on my scheduled track.
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