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Reviews
101 Reykjavík (2000)
A Great Film! A Coming of Age -much too late film- an excellent portrayal of European Art Cinema... with a touch of the surreal...
I stumbled upon this film by mistake in the movie theater and I really enjoyed it. Not only does it give an accurate portrayal of life in Iceland, but it explores the human spirit and soul. The music is absolutely sensational, and writer/director/actor Kormákur's photography is absolutely marvelous. The story itself is bizarre yet entertaining, surreal but pleasant and definitely a fresh alternative to the Hollywood blockbusters. The story digs into human nature, the love for ambition, our way of life, and most importantly, the way apathy rules our lives. It is, if you will, a coming of age film, a film of self discovery, and the outcomes are very much deserved and liked. Everyone with a love for European cinema or good quality cinema will enjoy this film.
Das Leben der Anderen (2006)
A Masterpiece! A Tale that vividly captures the very essence of the Human Soul.
This is, without a doubt, one of the best films in the history of German Cinema. A tale of love, deception, humanity, and the essence of the human spirit, The Lives of Others not only accurately displays life in the GDR, but is nearly perfect on every level. Its scenery is absolutely sensational, the photography is excellent (not too ostentatious, but brilliant enough), the music score is nothing less than brilliant, and the screenplay is an absolute work of art in itself. The story involves an agent of the East German Stasi as he investigates the life of a writer and his lover. The story focuses on how, as he observes the couple's everyday activities, the agent gradually changes from his cold like, objective self, to a more human, warm, passionate, person; a Good man, as we are told in the end of the film. Unlike other East German films such as Goodbye Lenin!, which focus more on the nature of the Socialist Regime itself, the Lives of Others focuses more on human relationships and the goodness of mankind. In the end, it leaves us a very powerful message, a message that tells us that no matter how hard we are, how terrible we might seem, no one is corrupted, and everyone has a sensitive, kind, and loving person inside them. A naive dream perhaps, but the director makes it work to perfection to the point where we, as an audience are deeply moved by the film and begin to look inside ourselves for that "good" person we are told lives inside us. The story will make us cry, will make us question our stand in the world and make us realize how important goodness and humanity really is. I recommend this film to anyone... but fair warning first, this film is so good it will absolutely move you away from Hollywood Blockbusters and superficial, frivolous films. It is so good that by comparison, everything else will seem mediocre.
Carrie (1976)
An Excellent, Simple Horror Film... one of the Best Ever Made.
A simple story used in a powerful way, Carrie is truly one of the best horror films ever made. Brian dePalma's amazing job of developing a seemingly simple story is nothing less than superb. The film is pragmatic, simple and to the point and uses horror in a very imaginative and revolutionary fashion, not through tension or spontaneity, but through building up and finishing off with a powerful climax. Carrie is an adorable protagonist with whom we can identify ourselves with very well and with whom we might feel a pity and solidarity. The script is absolutely fantastic; the scenes have a rhythm of their own and are beautifully merged into the next. The story practically writes itself but nevertheless allows us to see very lively and lifelike characters. The cinematography is excellent, as are most of the aesthetics. The shots are absolutely sensational, especially the shot just before Tommy and Carrie are turned into Prom King and Queen (in a sequence of two minutes with no cuts and ample usage of both dollies and cranes) and the sequence immediately following the blood spill. The film brilliantly portrays the nature of adolescence society, and never once does it overstate, exaggerate or step away from realism. Apart from being a very simple story, it would be hard to find something against this brilliant feature. With simplicity as its only enemy, the film's ending and the death of Ms. Collins are the only parts of the feature we might have changed, but this is very much trivial very much my own personal point of view. The feature is wonderful as it is, and its simplicity is what makes it great.