vineri, 13 iulie 2012

6-12 July


Satan's Brew(1976)-10/10->Probably one of the strangest films ever made,Satan's Brew is a bat-shit crazy masterpiece,unusual from Fassbinder's usual.To label it as a dark comedy,would be little.

The Third Generation(1979)-8/10->It is episodic,often confusing and non-accessible,but Fassbinder has made a strange film about terrorism,with dark humor to underline his point of view.

The Marriage Of Maria Braun(1979)-8/10->A very different film for Fassbinder,not only in style,but also in approach,it contains some of his usual elements,but here he seems to have become a bit more dull because he mostly sticks to the rules,even though the irony,the profanity and the sex are still present.Fascinating central performance from Schygulla and also very intimate as a character study from Fassbinder,who usually prefers to keep his distance from his characters.

Dragonslayer(2011)-6.5/10->Although it has no clear narrative structure,Dragonslayer is an engaging,interesting and wonderfully shot film about a skater's life and just how shitty it got at a certain point

Himizu(2011)-9/10->It is a bit exaggerated in some moments,but Himizu is a harsh and dark look at the morals of human beings and why do they keep on living,depicting the story of troubled teenager after a big tsunami,Sono using this event to make the film even more tragic.Heartbreaking performances from Sometani and Nikaido.

Zero Killed(2012)-4/10->Zero Killed has a good premise and Kosakowski has succeeded in opening human psychology a bit,but not enough and after a half hour the film gets awfully repetitive.

Strictly Ballroom(1992)-5/10->It is funny and the acting is good,but Strictly Ballroom lacks coherence and the story is predictable and formulaic.

Porfirio(2011)-7.5/10->A slow,but powerful film,Porfirio takes an unknown subject and turns into a part-fiction and part-documentary film.The fiction is art,the documentary is insightful.

Clockers(1995)-5.5/10->Lee has directed a strong cast and he tells a compelling story,but he never focuses enough on his characters' personality and their problems.

The Doors(1991)-5/10->Kilmer gives a terrific performance,there are some great,but episodic performances from MacLachlan,Glover and Madsen,the cinematography is inspired and it mostly nails the atmosphere of those times and the band,but The Doors has problems with the coherence of the story,its overlongitude and the scenes that just don't have their place in there.

sâmbătă, 7 iulie 2012

30 June-5 July


Fear Eats The Soul(1974)-9/10->Fassbinder mixes two very controversate subjects,into one story.The result?A sweet and sour love story,in which the director once again proves his unabashed love for his characters.

Extraterrestrial(2011)-5/10->Extraterrestrial starts off well,but the plot becomes too convoluted to be interesting.Also,like its characters it makes promises it can't keep.

Blow-Up(1966)-10/10->Clearly one of the best thrillers ever made,Antonioni's film is a complex portrayal of a photographer's mentality,who is brilliantly played by David Hemmings.Also,the film is a sheer delight to watch,because of the way Antonioni leaves little clues about his main character everywhere,but the audience must dedicate their full attention.

A Burning Hot Summer(2011)-3/10->Good moments are rare in this meandering and mostly wooden acted drama.Beautifully shot though.

Last Days(2005)-7.5/10->Different from Van Sant's previous work,Last Days is not only a film about what was going on in Cobain's head in his last days,but also what goes on in everyone's head,during tough times.The cinematography and the sound collapse beautifully.

The State Of Things(1982)-3/10->It has a good premise and like all Wenders movies the cinematography is spellbinding,but the film is a pretentious drag and it never shows any insight on the hardship of making a film.

The King Of Comedy(1982)-8.5/10->Even though it's effectively creepy The King Of Comedy is an underrated masterpiece.Funny,ambitious and with DeNiro at the top of his game as a likeable psychopath,it mostly works.

Casino(1995)-6.5/10->Sure,it's overlong and the actors don't give fantastic performances,but that is because they don't get much to work with from the beginning,but it is an insightful look at casinos and how they work,and also,it is a succesful representation of violence,vices and the power of money.

The Prefab People(1982)-7/10->Filmed as a documentary,The Prefab People is a tough and realistic film about the everyday life of two married people.Wonderfully acted,but like most Tarr films,plot-less.

Almanac Of Fall(1984)-8/10->Except for the constant,but usual (from Tarr) lack of a coherent plot,Almanac Of Fall is a beautifully shot,but bleak and slow film about relationships that just won't work.

Damnation(1988)-10/10->A bleak and masterful film about the human condition,it might not appeal to everyone,but to those who it will,it will probably remain on their minds for quite some time.Heavyweight cinema.