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mannykronos1
Reviews
Van Gogh (1991)
Film, Van Gogh ,not the same thing.
Many reviewers hail this as underrated!. I, most Happily disagree. Unfortunately any insight to the great painter is done in arbitrary exposition from supporting characters, while the main one stands around aloof. If Hollywood romanticized, any previous films of Van Gogh, it's only a natural inclination too heighten what we see in his paintings!. As an actor, I would be emphatic just to be in a scene where I'm told " You're van Gogh!-you stand here"!( I know this is a harsh assessment,but that's the way it plays,three quarters of the way!) What we are given here, is not an attempt of visual or narrative connection from the man to his works, rather, an exercise in screenplay. I didn't wish to agree with the naysayers of this film,so I had to rent and see for myself. This film could have had any other title, maybe.. that's the point, but whatever preparations no matter how extensive was not translated through this media. Watching this made me want to see 'El Postino' for the hundredth time. Now for the underrated loyalist, I recommend Bronson(2009),now this IS a film that is truly underrated!.
Living on Tokyo Time (1987)
A simple story, low production-what independent films are about.
I rented this some years ago, the video store had only VHS at the time. Straight to video was hitting it's strides (you know, where the box covers use the same font and color schemes of successful films).I didn't know what to expect other than what was printed. First thing I thought while watching was "what the hells' wrong with the sound?"-Obviously there was no dialogue dubbing. Words echoed, so I stopped munching on whatever I had to pay closer attention-mind you there's no Shakespeare here!,just simple talk. The story is simple enough, boy meets girl etc.. What struck me as humorous and heartfelt was, the people in the movie didn't seem like caricatures written into the story,but rather non-actors plucked temporarily from their real jobs(uniforms included). All the while, you begin to sense what the filmmaker is after,then see that there are no attempts at cheap humor(people hurting their privates,using vulgarities this couldn't have hurt the marketing. There was something honest about it. I thought if they'd have a bigger budget then it would have been better, which i'm sure they considered daily,but, they went ahead and made it. This, I felt, was what independent film-making is all about.The word "Indy", is thrown around as if it's a Genre..Ha!..that's funny!