Reviews

"Good Morning," is one of my favorite's films.

It means a lot to me personally, because -like all of Ozu's work- it demonstrates a brilliant understanding of the complexities of being human. It contains simple wisdom, humour, and kindness; and sadly the whole of cinema history has provided us with very few films which can make such a claim. Ozu celebrates the beauty of middle-class existence, all the while delivering a profound criticism of our tendency to permit "small talk" to dominate conversations. Ultimately though, it is the humour which makes "Good Morning" my favorite's Ozu picture, for it is a very funny movie. Very funny and very satisfying! I can hardly imagine an open-minded person not enjoying it.

Because many North American viewers have a reluctance to watch films more than a few years old, or in languages other than English, Ozu's exposure here is still extremely limited. That is unfortunate because Ozu's films are quite universal.

I feel confident that anyone could appreciate Ozu's genius in this film.

I encountered this film almost accidentally one evening, and was not expecting a lot from it. Certainly, I had no way of knowing in advance what I was in for. With relative indifference I sat down, pressed play, and ended up experiencing one of the greatest movie experiences of my life. I sat in my chair, taking in the film, and was breathless. It never took a wrong step.

As a film-maker myself, I kept a critical watch, waiting for Olmi or one of his actors to misstep. However,I can happily say that 'Il Posto' is a flawless picture. It is deeply moving, visually beautiful, and has a resonating power unlike almost any other film.

I sincerely wish that more people could see and appreciate this picture, and that it was more widely available, because I consider it one of the greatest accomplishments in cinema history. Olmi's beautiful, universal film is worthy of standing alongside the best of Bergman, Kubrick, or Bunuel. Please seek it out!

This excellent movie has been overlooked for too long. Its a great film on every level. It is entertaining as well as deeply profound. Schatzberg's directing is outstanding, Hackman and Pacino deliver acting on a level rarely found in any films, and the script is funny, while retaining a quiet note of tension and melancholy throughout. Its an exceptional film, largely overlooked by American audiences in the years since its release (despite winning the grand prize at Cannes, as well as the acting prize for Hackman and Pacino).

Don't overlook this film. Rent it!

All the actors look like 70´s rockstars, the opening plays like a scene from Monty Python, and the low-budget is evident in every frame. Bresson has a reputation as one of the masters, standing alongside Kubrick, Bergman, Bunuel, and Ozu; this film (the twenty minutes I suffered through) makes that reputation seem a little bewildering to me. Its a dull period film that fails to immerse you in the medieval world of Arthur. I was extremely dissapointed, to say the least.

The only way I can envision any pleasure coming from this film would be in watching it with friends and having a good laugh at how bad it is. For its camp qualities I recomend it, otherwise stay away. I´m sorry to all the people who loved it, but its AWFUL!

From beginning to end, Kelly´s Heroes is entertaining. Its simply a fabulous movie. Its fun. Its entertaining. Nazis die. The Allies win. War is simple: The bad guys are bad, the good guys are good, and Clint Eastwood is best! Its a refreshing world. Thus its a refreshing film, a film which attempts (and succeeds) to entertain its audience, without falling into a swamp of cliches and painfully contrived dialogue. Its the action movie Jerry Bruckheimer only dreams of making. It is simple, unpretentious fun, and pure entertainment!

Unfortunately, because the film doesn´t examine any serious issues, and the director chose to tell a simple story rather than flaunt his directoral prowess, it has been overlooked by alot of serious movie watchers who snobbishly dismiss all movies of this kind. And thats a shame because Kelly´s Heroes is a truly great film!

This film is intelligent, but always enthralling. It puts you on the edge of your seat as much as Hitchcock ever did. Persona (and Bergman) have reputations as being difficult, but as Woody Allen says "watching Bergman is NOT like doing homework." His films, including Persona, are a joy to view. They are not just for film scholars and students, they can be watched and appreciated by anyone, so please don't be put off from watching this film. It is breathtaking, and one of the truly great films!

If you consider yourself a cinephile, this is essential viewing! It could be convincingly argued that Persona is the greatest film of all time.

Key Largo is a film of which enough good can not be said. The camera movement, directed by Huston, is breathtaking. Bogart and Bacall have never been better. The plot is entertaining. And finally, in a manner in which only the greatest directors of this era in American movies were capable, Huston -with the assistance of a great script- weaves a profound moral of man´s responsibility for man. All told, this is one of a very rare breed: a timeless and flawless film, to be admired without reservation. So, if you´re looking for a film to challenge, entertain, and charm you -watch Key Largo. Its incredible!

Citizen Kane is entertaining, contains good performances, is visually rich, and is technically ground-breaking. I have enjoyed watching it each of the three times I´ve seen it. That said, its over-rated. Its the critics darling, and is usually at the top of all the lists of greatest films ever. Usually the justification given for its high rating is that its ground-breaking. Jean-Luc Godard said that "we will always owe (Orson Welles) everything," and that may be true, but its not sufficient justification for its being considered the best movie ever made. Others have said that it is considered the greatest film because no one has offered another film worthy of top spot. Well, how about The Godfather, Lawrence of Arabia, Gandhi, The Seventh Seal, or even the overlooked masterpiece Ordinary People? Citizen Kane is a really, really good movie, and I highly recommend it, but it is certainly not the best film ever made. You should read what Ingmar Bergman says about Citizen Kane (do a search at rottentomatoes.com). Very interesting.