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Memphis Belle (1990)
Reasonably good view on bomber life
Characters are thin, as is the plot, but that doesn't really bother me on this film. We get to experience the dangerous task these young men had to do. How much pressure there is on every man to do their job well to be succesfull and return home alive. How everything can be over in a second if you're not lucky. And how you deal with the fact that the odds are against you returning home alive.
Arrival (2016)
Interestingly different
The best thing in this movie is the linguistic angle. The difficulty of communicating with a completely different lifeform is handled in quite a creative and intelligent manner. Also the way aliens and the ship are presented is also among the most believeable. No english speaking humans with a bump in forehead here. The time part of the storyline is unscientific and makes this less a scifi classic and more a fairytale. Military idiots did not need to be in this story. Does Hollywood have an oblication to put them in every film? The colonel (Forest Whitaker) is a refreshingly smart soldier though.
Amy Adams excels in the leading role as the liguistics professor facing an almost impossible challenge. She's both strong and delicate in a way that captivates you all the way through.
Overall my feelings of Arrival are mixed. What's good is really good, but the weaknesses are all the more frustrating.
Gilda (1946)
Weird and hollow
At times the drama carries, but sadly it then overshoots so much, that you start wondering if it is a drama or comedy you are watching. The storyline is simple and predictable, which as itself might suit this kind of film, but there are just too many weaknesses. The rhythm is all off, the characters are exaggerated and unbelieveable and sometimes it feels like a chunk of the film has been just chopped off. With this story and cast the film could have been very good, and at times it almost is, but as a whole it is more a Plan 9 from outer space than Casablanca.
Brokeback Mountain (2005)
Beautifully shot work of art
What an unusual story for a mainstream movie. And yet a story, that must have remained untold thousands of times. Heath Ledger's performance in this film is exceptional. What an actor we lost when he died so young. No less amazing is the scenery and cinematography. This movie is told visually and by unspoken words. Ang Lee is not called a master for nothing. This is a movie I will watch many times.
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
Boring and predictable
This is a movie that I watched so that I know what happens in it. It was quite a demanding task. There are really no ideas in the movie. It is the most basic kind of story; a creature arrives, becomes a friend with a child, then there are some difficulties to overcome and finally the creature has to leave and everyone is sad.
The only thing that brings joy in the boring task of watching this is the performance of the then 6 years old Drew Barrymore. She was a very talented actress already as a child. But knowing how fame at early age ruined her life, it is not all joy either.
So, now I know what happens in E.T. and I will not watch it again. For someone who likes childish stories and doesn't mind their predictable nature, this may be an entertaining film.
Aliens (1986)
Disappointing sequel
All the suspense of Alien is lost. The almost invincible intelligent predator has been diminished to a mindless beast, slaughtered in masses by Ripley, a corporate jerk and a bunch of military dimwits. The only character with any depth is the little girl Newt, who's lines are the only thing remembered from this movie, and the little first time actress Carrie Henn does a wonderful job with the role. The android character Bishop is also somewhat sympathetic, redeeming the reputation after John Hurt's memorable Kane in Alien. Even if you have seen Alien many times, it is better to watch it again than ruin the whole idea by watching this.
Kaksipäisen kotkan varjossa (2005)
Charmingly old-fashioned musical
This movie does not offer great cinematography or breathtaking special effects. But it does offer echoes from more innocent times. It is a simple love story, one that has been told many times and will be told many more times. It happens in the beginning of the 20th century, when Nicholas II tried to tie Finland tighter to Russia. The story doesn't go deep in the historical facts, but it is accurate.
The songs are quite good, in a musical sort of way. The singers are good too. Vesa-Matti Loiri and Anneli Saaristo do their own singing, of course, and Nina Tapio does Ella's singing.
This movie is an old-fashioned musical, where the fairytale feeling is more important than realism. Don't be too critical and you'll find that it gives you a warm feeling, even moves you.
Rabbit-Proof Fence (2002)
Wonderfully balanced masterpiece
This movie could easily have been just another anger arousing story about racist tyranny. But it chooses to rise above simple hatred, much like Australian Aboriginals themselves chose to remain more civilized than their oppressors. Even the main villain is not a bad guy, he's just a bureaucrat who thinks he's doing the right thing.
This is basically a story about how people can do even seemingly impossible things, when justice is on their side. Government troops are no match to a little girl, who just wants to go home. In all it's simplicity this is the most uplifting movie I have seen in years.
Everlyn Sampi does a memorable role as Molly, a 14 year old half aboriginal girl. Her eyes do most of the talking in the film. The mighty Australian landscape gives a perfect background for it.
Rabbit-proof fence is based on a true story, a book written by Molly's daughter Doris Pilkington, who's also a victim of Australian government's oppression. Often true story movies are duller than fictional ones, because the writers imagination can't run free, but not this film. It captivates you on the very first minute and doesn't let go before the end.
Seabiscuit (2003)
Hollywood movie at it's worst
This movie was an agony to watch. You always know what's about to happen, and keep watching only because you hope there will be at least some plot twist or surprising event along the way, but no. It goes just as all those other Hollywood sport hero movies and bores you to tears.
The script is dull. It just picks events here and there along the time line and fails to create any suspense. Directing isn't all that inspired either. So the story gets just told and that's all.
The actors do an OK job considering the circumstances, but can't save the movie. Tobey Maguire even manages to create some depth into the character of jockey Red Pollard, but generally the characters remain paper thin.
Usually, when a movie doesn't seem interesting after 20 minutes or so, I stop watching, but this one had been praised so much, that I had to see if there's anything in it. But the longer I watched, the more disappointed I got, and It was relief when the movie finally ended.