Post by unanimous on Dec 2, 2009 10:38:56 GMT 3
So far, movies screened during our personal film festival includes the following:
Winter in Wartime-
Movie about wwII set in netherlands. Though im a big fan of ww2 movies, i did not enjoy this film much. i find the script and acting lacking especially the british soldier who reminds me more of a chav than anything else. It's a story about a teenager who is feeling disillusioned and losing respect for his dad who is the town's mayor and has to kiss butts with the germans to maintain 'peace' - while his uncle on the other hand appears to be rooting for the resistance side. kid found himself hiding and protecting an injured brit soldier and has to help him cross to a safer area. it's an okay film but there are much better ww2 films than this one.
Head On -
It's a dark film and not for the conservative and depressive at heart. It's about a turkish girl in germany who propositioned a turkish/german guy when they met in a mental hospital. to set the tone, guy is a super greasy alcoholic emo guy who would make you itch and scratch yourself just by looking at him and girl is a perky cutter. both do drugs. on their first 'date', when the girl propositioned him again and he refused, girl immediately broke a bottle of beer and cut herself in front of him - scene is complete with spurting blood while everyone panics and screams. it's pretty dark, but i have a soft spot for love stories of drug addicts, i am fascinated by the addicts' weaknesses and incredible strength when they've recovered that's why i like this film.....i wouldnt watch it 3-4x though.
Sin Nombre -
I am getting old. i really have no appreciation for violent gang stories. they scare the bajeebus out of me - a time magazine article and a discovery documentary is enough. This would have been your regular illegal immigrant story except it is laced with gang wars and gang members who beat each other for 13 seconds for initiation and misdemeanors and who ask their even young members to shoot opponents with a makeshift gun and cut them up and feed them to the dogs.........i like cooking, these things i can do without. it's a respectable plot and cinematography is awesome, it had some really kewl shots but images of scary gang members keep popping into my mind. i dont mean to ruin it for anyone but you better have your happy place in your head on speed dial.
Medicine for Melancholy
- cinematography, cinematography, cinematography!! i am getting sick of myself typing the same word over and over but i cant help it, i like it much! This is a story of a one night stand spilling over...2 days. lines are funny but full of awkward moments...appropriate as they are...as i suppose morning afters are per such. anyhoo, it's sweet and dumb and sweet and dumb as love stories are. funny thing is, as mature as they are, i cant shake the feeling of seeing the movie as some sort of a coming of age movie....not the usual kid to teenager type but more from our still selfish 20s (maybe) to our 30s (maybe!) when we are more aware of our decisions' effects on others and our environment's influence on us --- i only say that coz they interspersed their conversations with race and gentrification to keep the teenagers from giggling and assuming a more somber serious face while watching. it's funny anyway. it's the only modern black movie ive seen without blings and scantily clad women. im sure oprah and cosby would approve.........though would remain a bit skeptical. it has flavors of oreos innit for the skeptics.....you know black on the outside but white in the insides....i wonder what spike lee thinks of this film....
Secret of the Grain
- it's about magrhib immigrants and their extended families in france. father divorced and living with single mom, father still has loving relationship with his kids from previous marriage. the guy is overall a likeable man, respected and liked by his co-workers, and even has good fatherly relationship with the teenager daughter of his current partner. father finds himself unemployed and has little money to burn as severance pay, decided he'd buy a dilapidated boat and turn it into a restaurant with couscous cooked by his exwife as the main draw and staffed by his kids and friends. the story is an episode of family woes and bureaucracy in france in trying to set up a resto.....good luck with that!script and acting in this movie is good, it does not feel like you're watching actors at all for the most part. i just have a hard time watching struggles. i like happy endings and concrete endings. although i can appreciate a good ambigous ending, it is easier for me when i see victory after emotionally investing for 2 hours. i call it CLOSUUUUUUUURE. i loathe it when i watch a family drama/struggle only to have the director becoming artistic and intellectual on my butt in the end. I dont want another parallel/symbols of his struggles. Let him live and give him the boat resto for cripessake!! your teenage half-daughter belly danced to save your boat, lets have a happy ending!!!!....im sorry, you have to watch it if you care to find out what im rambling about, we are all in this together!!
Cache
- having just ranted about an ambigous ending, i have no steam left to share what this french movie is about. it's a thriller mystery with decent pacing, makes you think about the story as it goes along....hmmm....actually ending for this one is okay at least for the main character, but the last scene in the movie keeps you wondering and hanging for what appears to be more.... the movie is about this book reviewer guy who has a tv program. one day they were sent a video tape of what appears to be a surveillance of the front of their house for some hours on end. then the wannabe netflixer sends more and more of tapes, becoming personal including a video tape of the house where he grew up, accompanying the tape with a child-like drawing of kid throwing up blood or dead chicken with blood dripping/splurting from its neck. til eventually these videos lead to a guy who he grew up with and was supposed to be adopted by his parents when he was a kid.....see that plot? good premise no?......then the director decides to end it again with a final ambigous shot. the eff!! it's quite good actually, it's just that personally, i have to be in the right mood enjoy it. not a dumbing down movie definitely and the kind that occupies your mind a little while cleaning the toilets.
but after that, i had to watch Spirited Away, a japanese cartoon to refresh myself. if you have kids old enough to understand a full length anime, i would recommend it.
Winter in Wartime-
Movie about wwII set in netherlands. Though im a big fan of ww2 movies, i did not enjoy this film much. i find the script and acting lacking especially the british soldier who reminds me more of a chav than anything else. It's a story about a teenager who is feeling disillusioned and losing respect for his dad who is the town's mayor and has to kiss butts with the germans to maintain 'peace' - while his uncle on the other hand appears to be rooting for the resistance side. kid found himself hiding and protecting an injured brit soldier and has to help him cross to a safer area. it's an okay film but there are much better ww2 films than this one.
Head On -
It's a dark film and not for the conservative and depressive at heart. It's about a turkish girl in germany who propositioned a turkish/german guy when they met in a mental hospital. to set the tone, guy is a super greasy alcoholic emo guy who would make you itch and scratch yourself just by looking at him and girl is a perky cutter. both do drugs. on their first 'date', when the girl propositioned him again and he refused, girl immediately broke a bottle of beer and cut herself in front of him - scene is complete with spurting blood while everyone panics and screams. it's pretty dark, but i have a soft spot for love stories of drug addicts, i am fascinated by the addicts' weaknesses and incredible strength when they've recovered that's why i like this film.....i wouldnt watch it 3-4x though.
Sin Nombre -
I am getting old. i really have no appreciation for violent gang stories. they scare the bajeebus out of me - a time magazine article and a discovery documentary is enough. This would have been your regular illegal immigrant story except it is laced with gang wars and gang members who beat each other for 13 seconds for initiation and misdemeanors and who ask their even young members to shoot opponents with a makeshift gun and cut them up and feed them to the dogs.........i like cooking, these things i can do without. it's a respectable plot and cinematography is awesome, it had some really kewl shots but images of scary gang members keep popping into my mind. i dont mean to ruin it for anyone but you better have your happy place in your head on speed dial.
Medicine for Melancholy
- cinematography, cinematography, cinematography!! i am getting sick of myself typing the same word over and over but i cant help it, i like it much! This is a story of a one night stand spilling over...2 days. lines are funny but full of awkward moments...appropriate as they are...as i suppose morning afters are per such. anyhoo, it's sweet and dumb and sweet and dumb as love stories are. funny thing is, as mature as they are, i cant shake the feeling of seeing the movie as some sort of a coming of age movie....not the usual kid to teenager type but more from our still selfish 20s (maybe) to our 30s (maybe!) when we are more aware of our decisions' effects on others and our environment's influence on us --- i only say that coz they interspersed their conversations with race and gentrification to keep the teenagers from giggling and assuming a more somber serious face while watching. it's funny anyway. it's the only modern black movie ive seen without blings and scantily clad women. im sure oprah and cosby would approve.........though would remain a bit skeptical. it has flavors of oreos innit for the skeptics.....you know black on the outside but white in the insides....i wonder what spike lee thinks of this film....
Secret of the Grain
- it's about magrhib immigrants and their extended families in france. father divorced and living with single mom, father still has loving relationship with his kids from previous marriage. the guy is overall a likeable man, respected and liked by his co-workers, and even has good fatherly relationship with the teenager daughter of his current partner. father finds himself unemployed and has little money to burn as severance pay, decided he'd buy a dilapidated boat and turn it into a restaurant with couscous cooked by his exwife as the main draw and staffed by his kids and friends. the story is an episode of family woes and bureaucracy in france in trying to set up a resto.....good luck with that!script and acting in this movie is good, it does not feel like you're watching actors at all for the most part. i just have a hard time watching struggles. i like happy endings and concrete endings. although i can appreciate a good ambigous ending, it is easier for me when i see victory after emotionally investing for 2 hours. i call it CLOSUUUUUUUURE. i loathe it when i watch a family drama/struggle only to have the director becoming artistic and intellectual on my butt in the end. I dont want another parallel/symbols of his struggles. Let him live and give him the boat resto for cripessake!! your teenage half-daughter belly danced to save your boat, lets have a happy ending!!!!....im sorry, you have to watch it if you care to find out what im rambling about, we are all in this together!!
Cache
- having just ranted about an ambigous ending, i have no steam left to share what this french movie is about. it's a thriller mystery with decent pacing, makes you think about the story as it goes along....hmmm....actually ending for this one is okay at least for the main character, but the last scene in the movie keeps you wondering and hanging for what appears to be more.... the movie is about this book reviewer guy who has a tv program. one day they were sent a video tape of what appears to be a surveillance of the front of their house for some hours on end. then the wannabe netflixer sends more and more of tapes, becoming personal including a video tape of the house where he grew up, accompanying the tape with a child-like drawing of kid throwing up blood or dead chicken with blood dripping/splurting from its neck. til eventually these videos lead to a guy who he grew up with and was supposed to be adopted by his parents when he was a kid.....see that plot? good premise no?......then the director decides to end it again with a final ambigous shot. the eff!! it's quite good actually, it's just that personally, i have to be in the right mood enjoy it. not a dumbing down movie definitely and the kind that occupies your mind a little while cleaning the toilets.
but after that, i had to watch Spirited Away, a japanese cartoon to refresh myself. if you have kids old enough to understand a full length anime, i would recommend it.