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Ivo_Martijn
Reviews
Brammetje Baas (2012)
Unbalanced screenplay
Brammetje Baas has sympathetic characters, but a flawed and unbalanced story. It suffers from a problem you see more often in movies based on a book (in this case a cartoon by the screen writer herself): three quarters of the movie are basically the first act, after which there is, of course, not much of a second act and an underwhelming finale. The main principle of good storytelling hasn't been followed: the protagonist is actively trying to solve a problem. The main character here, six years old Brammetje, doesn't really do anything to solve his problem (having a grumpy new teacher who doesn't understand him), because he can't. His parents do, a bit, but ultimately it is his substitute teacher (who appears after three quarters) who does understand Brammetje and gets him to apologize to grumpy teacher, which clears the air. So, for most of the movie, we're watching a boy getting in trouble in class again and again, and his parents trying to deal with it. It becomes repetitious after a while. It's hard to stay engaged, this way.
On a side note, for anyone interested in camera's: this movie was shot on an Arri Alexa with no additional lighting most of the time (only a reflection board) and only basic color correction has been applied, but no artistic grade. So if you want to check out what images of the original Alexa look like, this movie is a good opportunity.
De Bellinga's: Vakantie op stelten (2023)
All involved should be ashamed
The Bellinga parents are a couple who make their money by exploiting their children. They publish a 30 minutes plus video with their young children on their YouTube channel every single day. One of them has literally been filmed every day from birth (which was filmed also). It's very doubtful that this is a psychologically healthy situation for these children in the long run. They certainly can't oversee future consequences. Maybe, when they have grown up, they they aren't too pleased with the fact that their parents have published their entire childhood online. The fact is that these parents earn their money by making their kids do things on camera. Every. Single. Day.
And now there is a second 'movie'. To make more money. Everyone who has worked on these productions, including their distribution, has participated in the further exploitation of the Bellinga children, and ought to be ashamed of themselves. I have worked with some of the people involved, and it's disappointing that they look away from the obvious moral issue, and go for the money.
Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022)
Must be written by the interns
If you value logic, as in: you'd like to suspend your disbelief when watching a story, you'd better don't give this one a try, because it will drive you nuts. Everything happens conveniently because the plot demands it, whether it makes sense or not. And most of it does not. I actually paused episode two to check if I had accidentally skipped it and started episode three. But no. Apparently Kenobi díd track the ship with kidnapped Leia, even tough he couldn't possibly have known which one or where it was and we never saw any of that. After which he randomly walks into a building, which turns out to be a drugs lab where no one questions him, and where Leia is indeed miraculously kept. He must have used the force without letting us in on it. And the list goes on and on and on.
You get the impression they let the interns have a go at writing it, never changed a word and sent it off to production. And that's probably an underestimation of the interns.
Misfit (2017)
A situation, not a story
This is a situation, not a story. None of the four writers (a sign of screenplay trouble on a Dutch production), producers or director seem to have known the difference. Consequently, none of the turning points of the plot really work, including the most important one: the finale.
The three stars are for production design and cinematography (despite the heave handed use of diffusion filters).
The Book of Boba Fett (2021)
Favreau failed to ask two basic questions
Writer John Favreau did such a good, and successfull, job with The Mandalorian that, perhaps, no one at Disney and Lucasfilm dares to challenge him on his writing anymore. After watching the first three episodes of The Book of Boba Fett, it's obvious that this time Favreau failed to ask, and answer, two very basic screenwriting questions:
1) What is Boba Fett trying to accomplish and why?
2) Why should we care?
After the first three episodes I have no idea.
Alles is liefde (2007)
A few points
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!CONTAINS SPOILERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
In terms of Dutch mainstream movie-making this is as good as it gets. Writer Kim van Kooten excels in writing scenes. They're witty, no longer than necessary and often ending with a punchline. Structure wise she's slightly less solid, but overall she's definitely one of the best in Holland. The line "To him, it's an escape from reality" caused a roar of laughter when I attended. And there where more. There are a few points though. -In the final scene, how does Jan know that Kees is on his way to meet him? He surely behaves as if he's expecting him. And how does Kees know where to find him? -From one scene to the next suddenly there's snow everywhere. That's fine, but it would've been better if there'd been one shot in which the snow started falling. Dramatically, that could've been useful too. -The film could have used a scene which shows Kiki realizing that Valentijn won't show up on their date. -The group of 50 children cycles in front of a police car, there's even a close of the police officer showing his surprise. Cut to a news reporter saying that the children are missing and the police doesn't have a clue where they are. From the point of visual storytelling, that's inconsistent. -During the emotional reunion of Klaasje and Dennis we don't know if Sarah has left the apartment yet. The tension of the question if she'll suddenly show up during Klaasje's and Dennis' embrace, gets in the way of a full emotional response from the audience. -The snow flakes around Valentijn on his horse are CGI. That's fine, I suppose originally they weren't gonna use show in that scene. But overall, highly enjoyable and well done.
Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)
Prophetic words
What Michael Moore demonstrates in this movie shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone who knows his history and/or human nature. America doesn't have a government; it has a board of directors of "Filthy Rich Americans Inc.".
These prophetic words are quite chilling in the light of Fahrenheit 9/11:
"I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country. As a result of the war, corporations have been enthroned and an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until all wealth is aggregated in a few hands, and the Republic is destroyed. I feel at this moment more anxiety for the safety of my country than ever before, even in the midst of war."
Abraham Lincoln, Republican President
Full Frontal (2002)
It's not about the movie. It's about the project.
Some stuff had never been done in a movie. Steven Soderbergh, film historian as he is, knew it was up for grabs, took it and wrote his name under it. Forever. On the timeline of motion picture history, Soderbergh managed to enhance his already secure position even further.
I enjoyed Full Frontal. I watched it until the very last frame. Of course, if you walked out of the theater during the end credits, you missed a tiny little something. As was to be expected.
David Hyde Pierce must be mentioned here. His acting is exceptional.
David Duchovny. He is the boldest guy in tinseltown. (Of course Paul Verhoeven did this in my country in the 70's, so great that you guys are catching up!)
Julia Roberts. She DOES act differently when she's less self conscious! Plus, it is appealing to watch her on images that look like you made them yourself.
Full Frontal is not about the movie. It's about the project. The film is basically an unavoidable byproduct of something else: acting. Thus, another fairly important part of the filmmaking process, everything technical, was pretty much ignored. But who cares, it was never about that. There was a camera, it was pointed in the right direction, it captured it, you saw it.
Steven, well done! Don't let it happen again.
(8/10)