Change Your Image
michael saunders
Reviews
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963)
Great Movie
I first saw this film at the age of eight on BBC TV while visiting my Grandparents in London in the early seventies. Never will I forget my Grandad saying: "You´ll like this one - there are a lot of stars in it." And indeed, from that day I really loved this movie! It is funny, entertaining and above all it is clean! I have seen "It´s a mad, mad world" lots of times since, even a dubbed version in Germany, where I live now. Unfortunately, the german version is the only one I have, that´s why I was glad to read in earlier comments that an original DVD has been released. SEE IT!!!
Hotaru no haka (1988)
Truly Heartbreaking
**SPOILERS**I saw "Hotaro no haka" on german TV the other day and it has changed my life! Never have I been so moved by a film in my whole life. I cried and cried and cried. Since then I can´t get this heartbreaking story out of my head.
After the movie I went upstairs to the bedroom, where my 3-year-old daughter was sleeping. I woke her up and took her in my arms. In the way she talks and acts she is just like Setsuko, one of the main characters in the film. And I can´t help feeling like Seita, her brother - because my daughter and I are alone since my wife left us a few months ago.
I found one of the most touching scenes was the one where the dying Setsuko starts sucking the buttons she collected, because she ran out of her special sweets. I will also never forget how her brother cremates her after having tried everything to save his little sister. The most depressing thing with this movie is: you feel so helpless. You think: Man, I wish I could have helped those kids.
This movie has changed my whole attitude to life. All the problems you may have - they become so small. Watch it and you´ll be a different person.
Michael Saunders