Ateg Reviews

12 Angry Men (1957)

An American Masterpiece

[8/10 · 4 February 2010]

This is a true undeniable American masterpiece. Courtroom dramas rarely match Sidney Lumet's film. The story is about 12 jurors on a murder trial that turns out to be much more complicated than first thought, all thanks to the persistence of Juror 8 played wonderfully by Henry Fonda. This is an hour and a half of gripping, engrossing drama. Prejudice, society classes are just some of the themes that run through the movie from start to finish. These characters are so well written that by the end of this movie you will feel as you must have encountered them at some point in your life. This realness makes 12 Angry Men even the more powerful and thought-provoking.

When this film came out in 1957, Sidney Lumet main input was limited to TV shows and series. Working on 12 Angry Men was not that much different, Sidney Lumet did not use any sophisticated material or expensive locations, he relies here on the power of the screenplay and dialogue and the strength of an all star cast headed by the great Henry Fonda. Limitations that only add to the sheer power of 12 Angry Men.

12 Angry Men is a must-see masterpiece, it is one of the best films of its time and genre, it will capture your attention and make you sit down and think long after you finish watching, it also rewards multiple viewing. Now if those qualities don't make a good movie, I don't know what does.

101 Reykjavík (2000)

A Journey to Beautiful Iceland

[6/10 · 1 February 2010]

This icelandic movie draws a very authentic image of Iceland's capital Reykjavík. Famous for its bars and clubs and nightlife. Reykjavík can also be a lonely place for someone like Hlynur, played competently by Hilmir Snær Guðnason. Hlynur is a young healthy man still living with his mother, we see him sleep through most of his days and spend the rest of his life watching porn or clubbing at night. His event-less boring life takes a slight disturbance with the introduction of his mother's friend Lola, played by the wonderful Victoria Abril, love affairs start showing up between the triangle of Hlymur, his mother and Lola.

Hilmir Snær Guðnason does a very good job in portraying the delusional Hlymur, we feel his emptiness and sense of unfulfillment throughout the movie, we even sympathize with him because he is a very likable character which makes us take interest in what goes on with him and what will happen to him next. His interactions with Lola are the highlights of the movie without a doubt because it's the only time that he finally shows any kind of emotion towards another human being.

101 Reykjavík is beautifully shot, the gorgeous landscapes of Iceland and the busy nightlife serve as a wonderful backdrop to the story, by the end of the film you almost feel like you have been to Reykjavík. The movie has also a very good dialogue with many witty moments be it from Hlymur conversations with his friends or his monologues. All in all, this is an entertaining, charming movie that takes us to the life of a young man with so much going on in his head and not much to do.

And Justice for All (1979)

Al Pacino delivers again

[6/10 · 22 January 2010]

... And Justice For All. is a very entertaining, well made courtroom drama. It is a story of a tormented lawyer who is asked to defend a judge that he despises against rape accusations. The lawyer, played by Al Pacino in another of his great performances in the '70s, finds himself in a moral dilemma that threatens his career. His instincts contradict with all the evidences on his hands that show the innocence of the accused judge, which lead to a memorable finale and the film's most famous and parodied scene.

Jack Warden and Jeffrey Tambor give solid supporting performances here backed up by a solid script and competent direction from Norman Jewison, director of the multi Oscar winner In The Heat Of The Night. This is however Al Pacino movie from start to finish, in a performance that earned him a well deserved Oscar nomination, he steals every scene he is in, showcasing some of the talent that won him the legendary status he enjoys today.

... And Justice For All. might not be the most sophisticated or original movie of the '70s but it is still essential viewing for any Pacino fan and any movie fan looking for an entertaining intelligent courtroom drama.

Breathless (1960)

A Special Debut

[8/10 · 17 January 2010]

Jean-Luc Godard film debut was one of the most defining and influential films in history. À bout de soufflé tells the story of the life of Michel Poiccard and his love interest Patricia Franchini, the film starts with our protagonist shooting a police officer, laying out a story of running from the law and trying to convince an American girl living in France to escape with him to go to Italy and start a new life.

The plot of this masterpiece is not particularly original, and the techniques used especially the jumpy editing might look a tad dated for modern day audience. But what should be kept in mind is that those techniques were unheard of at the time of its release, Godard reinvented the art of film-making in ways that can be seen to this very day. As for the plot, À bout de soufflé was almost an homage to the Hollywood flicks of the '40s and '50s, there was particularly a scene with Michel looking at posters of Humphrey Bogart on a movie theater in admiration and longing.

The new techniques and influential value are not the only thing that make this a masterpiece, À bout de soufflé has one of the strongest scripts you'll likely to see on the screen. There is one particular scene in the middle with Michel and Patricia talking in a hotel room, no action, nothing happens, even the discussion is nothing more than casual chit-chat, yet it is still highly intriguing that you can't take your eyes off of it. Every utterance, every word is brilliantly placed even if it has no bearing on the events of the film, a quality that mocks the tradition of crime films where everything has to mean something and lead to something. Godard's script is like life, meaningless in most parts, it just goes on and on emphasizing the characters' empty lives and their moral dualities and that is why it is so effective.

A special mention has to go to Jean Seberg and especially Jean-Paul Belmondo who is memorable in his portrayal of the wanna-be hip criminal with his cigarette and spot on delivery, he makes Michel interesting with a subtle sense of desperation and unfulfilled ambition. The supporting cast does a solid job in keeping up with the main characters as well.

À bout de soufflé is a must viewing for any movie fan. Its influence on cinema is remarkable, and unlike many influential movies that have nothing but new techniques to show for their merit, À bout de soufflé has a solid story and script that makes it worthy of every acclaim it has received.