Citizen Rules...Cinemaesque Chat-n-Review

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Christiane F. (1981)

Wir Kinder vom Bahnhof Zoo (original title)
Director: Uli Edel (as Ulrich Edel)
Writers: Herman Weigel, Christiane Felscherinow (novel)
Cast: Natja Brunckhorst, Eberhard Auriga, Peggy Bussieck
Genre: Biography Drama
Language: German


"A teen girl in 1970's Berlin becomes addicted to heroin. Everything in her life slowly begins to distort and disappear as she befriends a small crew of junkies and falls in love with a drug-abusing male prostitute."

Christiane F. for such a heady, dark subject I felt almost nothing while watching this film. Though I do think it's a well made film. Some films don't touch me emotionally. It just depends if I can suspend disbelief. With Christiane F I couldn't buy into what I was seeing. It all seemed to much like an educational 1980s anti-drug movie. I think I've seen too many movies as I end up watching them to see how they're constructed.

My primary interest with Christiane F. was getting a first hand look at Berlin circa 1981. That and also wondering how Christiane could run so fast from the cops in high heels! I kept expecting her to trip...she did trip, but it wasn't from her footwear choice. I thought the film was shot well and constructed well (because well, I was checking that out, like I said!), but I never believed the story for a second (and yes I know about that).

The actress who played Christiane was too fresh face for me to believe that she goes from baking a cake with her mom to shooting 'H' heroin. I mean she looked 12. All the kid actors looked a little too fresh faced and photogenic to be 'H' addicts.

'You hump with foreigners!'...That movie line cracked me up! It's curious that this German film has one of the worst insults that one can say to another as accusing them of 'humping a foreigner.' Best scene was the puke scene while they were trying to go clean and get off heroin. Wow, that vomit came up in force and was so pink, that is looked like Pepto Bismol. I liked how she puked away all the 'H' that was lined up on the bed, thus causing them to finish drying out.

At the end of the movie I learned this was a true story, I guess that's sad, but then again no one forced them to shoot up 'H'.




I'm just not a fan of Robin Williams. So far I haven't liked him in anything that I've seen him in. Maybe One Hour Photo will be something I like.
I missed this comment last week.

One Hour Photo is interesting as a thriller that uses a very original plot device (the photo developing department at a local store) and, like most great villains, the antagonist has qualities that are relatable which, on some level, make him more human & realistic.

But it would probably be a forgotten movie if not for Robin Williams... not that his performance is so spectacular or anything, but that the role was such a deviation of character for him. It's one of the few roles people remember where Robin didn't play a genuinely good guy.



I missed this comment last week.

One Hour Photo is interesting as a thriller that uses a very original plot device (the photo developing department at a local store) and, like most great villains, the antagonist has qualities that are relatable which, on some level, make him more human & realistic.

But it would probably be a forgotten movie if not for Robin Williams... not that his performance is so spectacular or anything, but that the role was such a deviation of character for him. It's one of the few roles people remember where Robin didn't play a genuinely good guy.
That's good to hear, as it makes me want to watch One Hour Photo even more. So far I haven't liked any movie with Robin Williams in it...Well maybe The World According to Garp but that has been so long ago I don't even remember it. The strange thing is Robin was one of my favorite late night guess on Letterman and The Tonight Show, but as a movie character he always seems to be playing characters I don't like. Oh wait a minute, Mrs Doubtfire was funny and he was good in that.



That's good to hear, as it makes me want to watch One Hour Photo even more. So far I haven't liked any movie with Robin Williams in it...Well maybe The World According to Garp but that has been so long ago I don't even remember it. The strange thing is Robin was one of my favorite late night guess on Letterman and The Tonight Show, but as a movie character he always seems to be playing characters I don't like. Oh wait a minute, Mrs Doubtfire was funny and he was good in that.
I think you'll like it (if you're in the mood for a decent stalker thriller) because of the fact that Robin is almost unrecognizable as Robin.

I mean, you know it's him, of course, but he doesn't do any of his usual schticks or portray the kind-hearted, but "always on," fast-talking goofball that he plays in many of his comedy movies. Even his voice, which is still his, is subdued so he doesn't sound like he's doing one of his stand up routines - which is also how he sounds in many of his movies.

I watched a YouTube video recently about the top 10 most out-of-character roles for major stars... and Robin Williams in One Hour Photo was in the list.

As a film, it's also more cerebral than most - focusing on story & character with very little suggestion of overt violence (it's not a slasher flick).



mattiasflgrtll6's Avatar
The truth is in here
One Hour Photo is one of my favorite Robin Williams movies. It's a terrifying portrayal of just how far people can go due to loneliness, and his performance is at the least among his top 3 best.
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One Hour Photo is one of my favorite Robin Williams movies. It's a terrifying portrayal of how just for far people can go due to loneliness, and his performance is at the least among his top 3 best.
Been watching some clips since I haven't seen it in years, and I think what is so effective is Robin thoroughly becomes the character to the extent that, within seconds, you forget you are watching a Robin Williams movie (there's really no trace of the Robin Williams we've come to know through so many other movies in the character of Sy Parrish).

When an actor can do that, then they've succeeded.



mattiasflgrtll6's Avatar
The truth is in here
Insomnia is another movie where Robin plays a very creepy character, though unlike Sy he's completely evil inside and out. Amazing role and performance as well.



I think you'll like it (if you're in the mood for a decent stalker thriller) because of the fact that Robin is almost unrecognizable as Robin.

I mean, you know it's him, of course, but he doesn't do any of his usual schticks or portray the kind-hearted, but "always on," fast-talking goofball that he plays in many of his comedy movies. Even his voice, which is still his, is subdued so he doesn't sound like he's doing one of his stand up routines - which is also how he sounds in many of his movies.

I watched a YouTube video recently about the top 10 most out-of-character roles for major stars... and Robin Williams in One Hour Photo was in the list.

As a film, it's also more cerebral than most - focusing on story & character with very little suggestion of overt violence (it's not a slasher flick).
You described why I don't usually like Robin Williams in his movies, he's always 'on'...but One Hour Photo is sounding better and better to me.

One Hour Photo is one of my favorite Robin Williams movies. It's a terrifying portrayal of just how far people can go due to loneliness, and his performance is at the least among his top 3 best.
What are in your opinion his other top performances?



You can't make a rainbow without a little rain.
Insomnia is another movie where Robin plays a very creepy character, though unlike Sy he's completely evil inside and out. Amazing role and performance as well.

I haven't seen One Hour Photo, but Robin Williams was great in Insomnia.
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I haven't seen One Hour Photo, but Robin Williams was great in Insomnia.
I haven't seen Insomnia (not even sure if I ever knew about it until I heard about today from mattiasflgrtll6), but Robin Williams was great in One Hour Photo.



You can't make a rainbow without a little rain.
I haven't seen Insomnia (not even sure if I ever knew about it until I heard about today from mattiasflgrtll6), but Robin Williams was great in One Hour Photo.

I tried watching One Hour Photo a few years ago, but the DVD was damaged. It's still on my watchlist, but I just haven't gotten around to it yet.



mattiasflgrtll6's Avatar
The truth is in here
You described why I don't usually like Robin Williams in his movies, he's always 'on'...but One Hour Photo is sounding better and better to me.

What are in your opinion his other top performances?
Probably Dead Poets Society and Insomnia, though the more I think about it, the harder it is to narrow it down to just three. I mean, his performances in Awakenings, Good Will Hunting and World's Greatest Dad are too incredible not to include.



You can't make a rainbow without a little rain.
Probably Dead Poets Society and Insomnia, though the more I think about it, the harder it is to narrow it down to just three. I mean, his performances in Awakenings, Good Will Hunting and World's Greatest Dad are too incredible not to include.

Dead Poets Society and Good Will Hunting would be my top 2 Robin Williams performances. I also think he's very underrated in What Dreams May Come.




The Skin I Live In (2011)
Director: Pedro Almodóvar
Writers: Thierry Jonquet (novel), Pedro Almodóvar (Screenplay)
Cast: Antonio Banderas, Elena Anaya, Jan Cornet
Genre: Thriller Drama Horror
Language: Spanish


"A brilliant plastic surgeon, haunted by past tragedies, creates a type of synthetic skin that withstands any kind of damage. His guinea pig: a mysterious and volatile woman who holds the key to his obsession."

Wow, that was weird, a really weird film!...Nothing at all like I had expected. I went into this blind and I didn't know what to expect...except I thought it might be visually graphic & gross, which it wasn't.

I have to say subjectively this is an excellent made film with some uncomfortable subject matter that's presented quite seamlessly. I can see why people would really like this. Objectively it's not the type of film I usually watch, though the second to last 'payback' scene was just desserts! I don't think I've ever more wanted to see two evil characters get what they deserved than here in this film. I'm so glad for that scene, it felt like redemption.

I liked the pacing and the art design of the sets too. Everything was very professional and artistically done, nothing seemed rushed. I like how that screen shot that I used...mirrors a nude painting that hangs in the doctors house. I thought that was pretty creative. So was the breakfast scene where the doctor has a small bottle of syrup he pours on his waffles and then licks the bottle, then the maid brings a bigger bottle which turns out to be blood. I don't know why but I thought that was ingenious.

The Skin I Live In, can be interpreted many different ways and films that are open to interpretation are often rewarding in that they allow us to think about the subject matter, as oppose to just watching it. My take on the film was that: *Spoiler... I get the idea from the last scene in the clothing store, that the man in the beginning of the story might have had different gender identity feelings already present, so that in the end his/her fate didn't seem so horrible as she still loved the other woman and now has a chance at a relationship with her. That's how I interpret the film, but those points are left vague so can be interpreted differently.





Al-Mummia
(1969)

Al-mummia (original title)
Director: Chadi Abdel Salam
Writer: Chadi Abdel Salam
Cast: Ahmed Marei, Ahmad Hegazi, Nadia Lutfi
Language: Egyptian

"An Upper-Egyptian clan robs a cache of mummies and sells the artifacts on the illicit antiquities black market. After a conflict within the clan, one of its members goes to the police, helping the Antiquities Service find the cache."


This film was cursed! I started watching it on Memorial day night when a huge freakish wind storm came up out of nowhere and the lights blinked, then...off goes the power and all was dark. For two days we were without power as the outside air filled with smoke from nearby fires. All very scary as the fires were so close! Then after the power came back on, I started watching my video file of the movie only this time the sub titles ran out at the 45 minute mark. Not being able to understand Egyptian I tried the next night to watch it on Youtube on my TV. Did I mention my TV doesn't like Youtube?...After watching about 15 minutes the stream ended with an error....OK, so I just now managed to watch the end of Al-Mummia on my computer. I hate watching movies on my computer and so never usually do it.

With all that said, I think this is a very cool movie as it's something I've never heard of before and it's very meditative. It reminded me of a Tarkovsky movie in the way the camera lingered and took it's time on the beauty of emptiness that made up the Egyptian desert. The score too reminded me of something from Tarkovsky. A very effective score!

I love history and already knew abut this remarkable find of a cache of mummies stashed in a mountain cave...I seen a documentary on it before. But I didn't know there was so much turmoil between the mountain people and the city people over the find of the mummies. For me it was hard not to view the mountain people as the antagonist as smashing a Pharaonic mummy is sacrilege!

I really wish this had a Criterion restoration as I think it's beautiful filmed and effective in it's seductive simpleness and the quality of the Youtube video was lacking.





La Belle et la Bête
(Christophe Gans 2014)

Beauty and the Beast (2014)
Director
: Christophe Gans
Writers: Sandra Vo-Anh & Christophe Gans (script), Jeanne-Marie (novel)
Cast: Vincent Cassel, Léa Seydoux, André Dussollier
Genre: Drama, Family, Fantasy
Language: French


"An unexpected romance blooms after the the youngest daughter of a merchant who has fallen on hard times offers herself to the mysterious beast to which her father has become indebted."

Impressive film version of the classic French 18th century fairy tale. Beauty in the Beast is a well known story that has been put onto celluloid many times in the past. This 2014 French version imparts impressive world building thanks to the digital age. The enchanted kingdom of a cursed king comes to life with stunning vistas and alluring sets that weave this netherworld into the very fauna of nature.

I was immediately drawn into the story of Belle and her family. Each scene moved with a satisfying pace, taking time enough to weave details into the back story of Belle. Thus we know the kind of person she is and that then grounds the actions she takes when she's imprisoned in the Beast castle. The Belle of this film is presented as a real person... she's both generous and stubborn, kind and yet she's no trinket to adorn the castle walls. She's flesh and blood and very real.

The Beast too is multi dimensional. He reeks of things gone wild. He's no saint, he's a wild creature...a thing that hates himself and needs to earn Belle's love so he can shed his self loathing and reclaim his humanity.

The actress who played Belle Sandra Vo-Ahn was not only perfectly cast but looked fabulous in her period piece, fancy gowns, kudos to the couture.





Tideland (2005)
Director: Terry Gilliam
Writers: Tony Grisoni & Terry Gilliam (screenplay)
Cast: Jeff Bridges, Jennifer Tilly, Jodelle Ferland
Genre: Drama, Fantasy


"Because of the actions of her irresponsible parents, a young girl is left alone on a decrepit country estate and survives inside her fantastic imagination."

What the hell!!! I actually liked this film! and I had expected to hate it!

I really liked the first half, which I'd rate a 5/5, it was near perfect. The first scene in the house with mom and dad junkies was actually pretty cool (the house was as awesome set too). I loved the character Jennifer Tilly created. It was a blast how she moans & bitches with her screechy voice while laying in bed like a doped out slug...Then she hugs her daughter, telling her she loves her and will do something special for her one day....But when the little girl tries to grab her stash of chocolate bars and so mom hauls off and wallops her and calls her a little bitch...I thought that was funny because it seemed like a black comedy and a lampoon on a deeply messed up family of junkies. If I had taken these people as real then it wouldn't have been so comical.

Jodelle Ferland was a really amazing actress in this. She was so natural and could convey all sorts of emotions that adult actors would have had a problem portraying. I loved the creative use of the doll heads! And Jodelle Ferland did all the voices too. That was pure genius on Terry Gilliam's part. It was like the little girl had multiple personalities and the doll heads was her conduit to escaping reality.

Oh and the old house in the sweeping wheat fields, wow what a cool location that was! I don't know why but it was even more interesting when the dad OD and she was left on her own. It was interesting how she kept talking to him and dressing him up all the while he was stinking and she either wouldn't admit it to herself or didn't know what the stink was. Such a weird film!

The second half of the film with the introduction of Dickens and Dell, was too over the top for me and I lost some interest. Terry Gilliam like Wes Anderson and so many other directors often go way over the top in the last part of the movie. I guess that's what most people want, but not me. The whole body preserving and creepy Dell character was too silly and too much.

I was not comfortable with the more sexual suggestive scenes between Je-liza Rose and Dickens. I don't think they were needed in the story. In fact Dell and Dickens weren't needed as the actress who played the little girl could've done this as a one person show and pulled it off, that might have earned this film critical acclaim.

The film could've ended with her either alone in the house with the rotting corpse of her dad or with someone coming to take her away. The ending with the train didn't do much for me either.

++




DragonHeart (1996)

Director: Rob Cohen
Writers: Patrick Read Johnson & Charles Edward Pogue
Cast: Dennis Quaid, Sean Connery, Dina Meyer
Genre: Fantasy Adventure


A fun watch, with a colorful bad guy and a cool looking dragon too.' CR

DragonHeart
reminded me of the opening scene in The Good The Bad and The Ugly where Clint Eastwood captures and turns in a wanted outlaw, Eli Wallach...After collecting the reward money and as Eli is about to be hanged, Eastwood then shoots the rope and sets Eli free, galloping away on horseback to another town for the same trick.

Visually DragonHeart was impressive, such cool sets that were real and built on location. I couldn't find the screenshot I wanted...it's of the water filled rock quarry with enslaved town's folks mining the rock from high up on wooden scaffolding. There was also a long floating bridge over the pond. Pretty cool stuff! So was the castle ruins and the countryside of Slovakia where it was filmed.

I was taken aback at first by Sean Connery's voice coming out of the dragon. The sound mix was such that Connery's voice boomed as if he was standing behind my tv set. Now the last thing I want is a middle-aged Scottsman getting tangled up in all those HDMI cables!

So after awhile I got use to the dragon sounding like Connery, though I wish they would've digitally mixed his voice so that it sounded more raspy with snorty gasps, you know like a dragon would make.

The highlight for me was David Thewlis as the evil, bully king who delighted in being mean, really mean! He alone made the movie and was my favorite character. Dennis Quad was OK, I think his character needed to be punched up more and played larger than life. Dina Meyer was OK too, she didn't get to do much, though she had a fair amount of lines. I liked her better in Starship Troopers.

Let's see, what else can I talk about? I guess that's it.