somamoons Reviews

The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)

It tries too hard

[6/10 · 22 July 2002]

I like weird things. I can even handle when stuff tries to be weird. However, this movie tried way too hard. Name one sane thing about this movie. Can't do it, can you? That's because EVERYTHING is weird. From dalmatian mice to families in matching jumpsuits to incestuous relationships...it's overkill. At the beginning I was laughing, after 20 minutes I was chuckling, by the middle I sensed another hour of pointless oddities, and by the end I was bored.

That said, this movie isn't terrible. It's worth watching for a few laughs. But a masterpiece? Never. Masterpieces don't try.

Amélie (2001)

My new favorite movie

[10/10 · 22 July 2002]

At it's heart, this film is about a "detail-oriented" girl that refuses to grow up. Because of an isolated childhood she has difficulty relating to other people. Thus, by adulthood she doesn't bother trying to form relationships. She lives in her own fantasy world and is perfectly fine with it. But after contacting two quirky neighbors, who have also lived (somewhat depressing) isolated lives, she begins to question her decision. With some prodding by one of these neighbors, she has to decide to make the leap and "grow up" or stay lonely forever.

Truthfully I went into this movie expecting a little bit less. I read so many reviews that said it was an "un-deep" love story, that I expected an artsy French version of a Meg Ryan/Tom Hanks film. But how many Ryan/Hanks films have you seen that involve so many blunt jokes about sex (counting orgasms, people working in porn shops, "fur pie doesn't sell"...)? This is definitely a sophisticated comedy, far surpassing any Ryan/Hanks film by miles. It's also one of my new favorite movies of all time. Audrey Tautou is stunning, the quirky little additions (gnomes, records made of syrup, photo booths) make me laugh, and the direction is pure eye candy. If you haven't seen this film, go get it now!

M (1931)

Stunning

[10/10 · 22 July 2002]

Things I liked about this movie: 1) the lighting isn't high-contrast. A great example of how early black and white films could still have perfect lighting. 2) They relied on visuals *and* dialogue to tell the story. For example during the first predatory scene, instead of hearing the girl cry out or yell, we see her balloon float away, followed by a shot of her ball rolling down the hill and stopping at the bottom. This indicates that she's been killed. The effect is chilling - far more so than any dialogue would have been. I wish more modern movies would use this technique to tell crucial parts of a story. 3) The ending - without spoiling anything, it's interesting to note which side you agreed with and then to ask yourself if that's something you would normally do. Many people have brought up the Nazi paranoia in this film, but I think it goes beyond the film. If you place yourself within the ending scene (and how can you not?), you can get a feel for which side you might have been on in WWII...and it might not be what you want to think.