The 12th Hall of Fame

I've been interested by the work of Alan Resnais for the past year and Hiroshima, Mon Amour just fueled that interest.
The beggining is even heavier than Resnais' Night and Fog (if that's even possible) and when I was thinking I wouldn't survive such a heavy theme, the movie took a different path and ended being about a romance with an atomic disaster as background!

It's an incredibly anti-war movie filled with stunning photography, music and poetry. Using the romantic couple, Resnais deals with war, human tragedy and the ability that we, humans, have to overcome hardship without really overcoming it. Hiroshima was destroyed and rebuilt but some wounds will never disappear, just like they went apart trying to convince themselves it wasn't a big deal, but the love between them was to strong for that to happen.

Art made into film. As simple as that.

In response to your questions about the characters in Joe, PG. I think people are generally hypocrites, especially fanatics. Look at the Muslim terrorists before 9/11, spending the night in strip clubs. Also, I don't think Joe actually hated these people; I just think he was hateful. As far as Compton, I think he just got carried away.

The atmosphere and theme of this movie reminded me of the film I nominated some HoFs ago, Das Leben der Anderen (The Lives of Others).
Where it differs is in the type of persons it tries to portray and because of that, the way it approaches that same portrait.
Barbara is a movie about a regular person, that fell in love with a man from the West, and that because of that was relocated by the Stasi. She is unable to trust anyone except her lover (and the scenes with him, are almost the only moments when we see the true Barbara). As cold as she is when in relation to her colleagues, we see how compassionate she is to her patients, making us care for her, and imagine how would be her life without Socialism.
Andre's character is also filled with polarities. He was obviously attracted by Barbara but he couldn't get to her, and he had his duty to report on her.

It's a movie about real life, that's why the only music we ever hear comes from the scene and not from the soundtrack. That's why the pacing is so slow. If Lives of Others had an impressive control of pacing and a lot of spectacular events happened, that was not the rule with everyone that lived under Socialism in 1980.

Barbara just immerses you on the spirit of East Germany in 1980, like no other movie I ever seen, making the ending a lot more powerful. We suddenly feel trapped by the reality, the system wins us by crushing our dreams, and when Barbara had to choose between her and a inocent girl, she chose someone who actually was in time to be happy.

Beautiful, depressing movie!!!

Just Man from Nowhere left!

I had heard a lot of great things about this movie over the years so I was very happy when it was nominated. I think this is a very good movie, but I struggled with it at times. I did like it; I just think some things, especially the dialogue, flew over my head. I immediately loved the style during the opening credits. The atmosphere of the film, indoors and out, is perfect. I also quite liked the characters. I don't mean I liked them in the traditional sense, but they were interesting and very watchable. My favorite parts were when they interacted with other people, and I mean strangers, not the guy's uncle or their buddy. It reminded me of like when I used to go out during the day sh!tfaced and interact with normal and sober people. I got a kick out of doing it and I got a kick out of watching it. The scene when they got kicked out of the breakfast place was especially amusing and familiar. My only issue with the movie was that I wasn't fully engrossed for the duration. I really don't see any flaws in the movie so I blame myself for that. I think it was an excellent nomination, but it's a movie that I definitely need repeat viewings of to gain full appreciation.


And I'm done

wow, just like when this started there is an absolute slew of reviews as we near the end. VERY VERY cool.

having accidentally read over the spoilers in Joe I read PG's questions and will be thinking about them and cricket's answer while checking it out.

and like cricket, the interactions with strangers did have some great scenes in Withnail and brought back some memories from more dazed days as well and a few mildly numbed as well.

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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

~Mr Minio

Damn, that's depressing.

got no one to blame but meself and we'll see how it goes. I know for your film, Camo, not knowing the end TRULY made the experience of the film for me so we'll see where it takes me with Joe

It was just as effective for me the second time I saw it.

cool, I think I'll see Joe because now I'm just curious to see lol

Clazor, congrats on finishing, Some nicely written reviews you just laid on us. Your nom, City of Lost Children was one of the highlights for me.

Neiba, looks like your about to finish too, cool!

Joe

The more things change, the more they stay the same

Has noted in other reviews, this could just as easily occurred along the same lines with very similar characters today. I actually found myself thinking back to being a kid and how I looked at things and then to now and chuckling at one particular line that Joe remarks on how kids today have it so much easier and they get so much more.

I do see how the ending would have been a surprise, but as I was watching I was remember similar story lines back during that time, erupting, not exactly with as much, but with that final, inescapable moment. Like Born To Be Wild, Billy Jack or Ode To Billy Joe there is that somber, resounding end and Joe does an excellent job of putting that initial spiral into full gear into its final impact.
So, in the end, for me, knowing the end, did not take away from the movie and actually knowing the final destination definitely allowed me to enjoy the scenes leading up to it instead of being preoccupied with possibilities of where it may lead to.

I enjoyed this and I remember it being in the 70's Countdown and wanting to see it. Thanks Cricket for making that happen by nominating it.

I just finished reading the series of reviews that came up overnight. Great job guys!

I'm glad you liked Barbara, Neiba. I mentioned the similarities between it and The Lives of Others in the thread a few times already, so it's nice to see that someone else made those connections as well. Didn't know you had previously nominated it in a HoF though. You have good taste.

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Thank you very much! Very nice of you to say.

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Why not just kill them? I'll do it! I'll run up to Paris - bam, bam, bam, bam. I'm back before week's end. We spend the treasure. How is this a bad plan?

When will you decide if Man from Nowhere is eligible or not?

Royale's been away for 3 weeks now, so it's not looking good.

But cricket should decide if it's eligible before the deadline. I mean, if he comes back one day before the deadline, that puts pressure on the people who haven't watched the movie cause he's not around!

The thing is that I wouldn't want him to pop up just before the deadline having watched everything, and then I tell him he's out. I'm going to leave it in until March 8th, and if he reappears, we can give anyone the time they need to watch The Man From Nowhere.

ok,that seems fair!

that'll work