This beautiful picture represents the loveliest trend of the modern Russian cinema (that largely consists of cheap action movies and lachrymose dramas) - a definite piece of art and a work of an Author, a story that truthfully and painfully reflects city life from the confused point of view of an outsider, dreamer, youngster. "Rusalka" is often compared to "Progulka" (2003) and "Piter FM" (2006), as in this respect these films are kindred to "Rusalka", never mentioning the fact that they all star Yevgeni Tsyganov - the new Russian Gael García Bernal type. However, watching "Rusalka" aches more than two before-mentioned pictures, for it doesn't lie for the sake of good mood. "Rusalka" is sometimes also called "Amélie Poulain in Moscow" because of the expressive and charming character of the heroine who believes that life is a beautiful and never-ending mystery; however, "Rusalka" goes farther than "Amélie", openly showing that City is not only a place of romance and unexpected adventures, but in fact a get-together of very very lonely people who find each other to remain alone. "Such things do happen in megapoles. Seriously, no big deal. Such things do happen." This might hurt.
Reviews
4 Reviews
Priceless
(2006)
Ten Seconds of Happiness
11 September 2007
The film grants you 1 hour and 40 minutes of pleasure and fun, watching how the sparkling champagne girl Audrey Tautou polishes up the rough cub presented by Gad Elmaleh, an actor who in his own strange way possesses some kind of irresistible charm. It is also amazing how easy and encouragingly the movie interprets the profession of a modern hooker, turning it into a free-and-easy glamorous lifestyle.
Hors de prix is a commercial entertainment; however, it is undoubtedly a well done piece of art. Let's not forget that more or less everyone is able to make an original authorfilm, whilst it takes an effort to create a genre work of quality. I am thankful to the director who has convinced me that there still are some people who live and love truly and do not hesitate to give their last Euro away to buy ten seconds of happiness.
Hors de prix is a commercial entertainment; however, it is undoubtedly a well done piece of art. Let's not forget that more or less everyone is able to make an original authorfilm, whilst it takes an effort to create a genre work of quality. I am thankful to the director who has convinced me that there still are some people who live and love truly and do not hesitate to give their last Euro away to buy ten seconds of happiness.
Notes on a Scandal
(2006)
Nothing terrifies more than a lame love
11 September 2007
"Notes on a Scandal" is one of the best films of the year - a frightening picture about a tragedy that is provoked by misunderstood conception of tenderness and infected love. What happens when our demons leave their hideouts and skeletons come out of our cupboards? The film will give some ominous answers. It assures that a broken life can produce but other broken lives and even most inhuman evil is no more than aftermath of inhuman pain and emptiness. Plus, a shocking demonstration of outstanding acting by Judy Dench and Cate Blanchett, one as an emotional Frankenstein, thirsty for love and understanding, other as a self-destructively and enchantingly attractive victim, both performances accompanied by Philip Glass's musical hypnosis.
The Tin Drum
(1979)
Disturbing Symphony of Symbols
10 September 2007
Warning: Spoilers
Not devoting so much attention to the well-known literary background of the film, I would like to point out three vital aspects which discern this piece of art.
First, this is a very physiological work, full of intense, sometimes disgusting scenes (the frog soup drinking or the famous episode with eels) that will strike a blow into your sensual perception. However, we should bear in mind that European and, especially, Eastern European art simply HAS far deeper traditions of portraying those "ugly" and "dirty" natural physiological processes such as urinating, puking, spewing sputum and so on, in which The Tin Drum abounds and which therefore will leave more lasting impact on the Western viewers who belong to sterility-centred cultural environment.
Second, the film is not an easy one to watch and comprehend, as it totally screws up your brain, not fitting into any of genres you would like to stick it. The most precise genre perhaps would be called a grotesque gradually being won over by a tragedy. The first scene where we meet Oskar is rather light and comical one, as he looks to us from the womb with a gaze full of suspicion and sarcasm. Yet his character is not a role of a comic dwarf, he is a metaphor for the prosecutor of mankind and his time. Another scene includes his mother gobbling raw fish, because she has turned out to be pregnant again so grotesque a scene, you feel amused. In a minute, she commits suicide. So it is impossible to watch the film in a stable, consequent mood; in the end, The Tin Drum leaves you disharmonic, disillusioned and unbalanced, just as you should feel about life itself.
Third, we come to the obvious conclusion that The Tin Drum as all remarkable works of art must be viewed as a symphony of symbols and metaphors. The character of the little drummer Oskar evidently is the most powerful one, as he embodies the true attitude we each have for ourselves somewhere deep inside. We all feel so small, so willing to be pitied and protected, so not-belonging to the dreadful world outside, so humiliated by our comrades, so naive and so terribly lonely. And in the same time our inner selves are just as cruel and self-centred as Oskar is, and we hold so tight to our little tin drum (should it be our surroundings, people, money, status, looks or anything else which we believe to be constituting our identities from), and we yearn so keenly and so unsuccessfully to return back to our mothers' wombs and hide forever from the fierce and violent meaninglessness of this life.
First, this is a very physiological work, full of intense, sometimes disgusting scenes (the frog soup drinking or the famous episode with eels) that will strike a blow into your sensual perception. However, we should bear in mind that European and, especially, Eastern European art simply HAS far deeper traditions of portraying those "ugly" and "dirty" natural physiological processes such as urinating, puking, spewing sputum and so on, in which The Tin Drum abounds and which therefore will leave more lasting impact on the Western viewers who belong to sterility-centred cultural environment.
Second, the film is not an easy one to watch and comprehend, as it totally screws up your brain, not fitting into any of genres you would like to stick it. The most precise genre perhaps would be called a grotesque gradually being won over by a tragedy. The first scene where we meet Oskar is rather light and comical one, as he looks to us from the womb with a gaze full of suspicion and sarcasm. Yet his character is not a role of a comic dwarf, he is a metaphor for the prosecutor of mankind and his time. Another scene includes his mother gobbling raw fish, because she has turned out to be pregnant again so grotesque a scene, you feel amused. In a minute, she commits suicide. So it is impossible to watch the film in a stable, consequent mood; in the end, The Tin Drum leaves you disharmonic, disillusioned and unbalanced, just as you should feel about life itself.
Third, we come to the obvious conclusion that The Tin Drum as all remarkable works of art must be viewed as a symphony of symbols and metaphors. The character of the little drummer Oskar evidently is the most powerful one, as he embodies the true attitude we each have for ourselves somewhere deep inside. We all feel so small, so willing to be pitied and protected, so not-belonging to the dreadful world outside, so humiliated by our comrades, so naive and so terribly lonely. And in the same time our inner selves are just as cruel and self-centred as Oskar is, and we hold so tight to our little tin drum (should it be our surroundings, people, money, status, looks or anything else which we believe to be constituting our identities from), and we yearn so keenly and so unsuccessfully to return back to our mothers' wombs and hide forever from the fierce and violent meaninglessness of this life.
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