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Reviews
En fiende att dö för (2012)
An engaging but flawed drama
It's hard to pigeon-hole this movie - suspense? Action? Thriller? Drama? None of the above? Certainly it has all of the above elements, but is not any one off them.
The story begins with a 1939 German-led scientific expedition with Brit and Swedish participants aimed at proving a theory about continental drift which goes haywire when members hear about the invasion of Poland. From this point what had been a mainly interpersonal drama - with several nice elements and a few excellent characterisations - moves into action and intrigue; more I will not say for fear of being branded a blab and nevermore allowed to insert my tuppence-worth here.
There are some very good characters, and some potentially excellent that didn't quite come off. I found the acting of high standard for the most part, but I feel that the script let the cast down by not giving them the scope to develop and project. I also feel that the script did not adequately establish the storyline - establishing scenes in a Nazi Ministry and a Brit Admiral's office bemused, bothered and bewildered rather than laid foundations of plot and character.
After this the story got under way and, while maintaining interest through good, credible action sequences and developing situations, had the feel most of the time that the 'good guys' would inevitably win. How it actually turns out I leave to you to watch the movie and find out; take my word, you will find it worth the 105 minutes.
If you are limited to English, you will need either a dubbed or subtitled version; and the subtitles I have seen so far comprise machine-translated English and way-out-of-sync times. I am preparing a rectified English sub which I will post on allsubs.org.
Chained (2012)
A curiously common thread in these reviews
Just a brief remark - nearly half of the reviews here talk of 'when I walked away from this movie' or similar; the movie must have had quite an effect since nobody talks of taking a taxi home after the movie.
This might seem like a matter of little consequence to those who have not yet seen the movie but - spoiler coming - I promise that it does become kinda deep and meaningful. And when you are paying all those dollars for your taxi ride home, of course you don't want the bloody thing full to the brim with terminally hysterical screaming girls.
I must also remark that the condition of Mr d'O's character's cab is a credit to him - always spotless despite all that travel on unsealed bush roads, and not a dinged panel or bent fender in sight. And is it the same cab for the whole - what - eight years or so?
Memoria de mis putas tristes (2011)
Si jeunesse savait, si agesse pouvait ... (If Youth only knew, if Age only could)
The story tells of a respected journalist who on the eve of his 90th birthday decides to award himself with a final crazy night of love - with a teenage virgin! His Madame of note, Rosa, who had not heard from him - whom she calls El Sabio, her Wise Old One - for 20 years, agrees to provide such a rarity for an additional fee of a pitiable couple of pesos.
So the arrangement is made, but when El Sabio is left in the maiden's bedroom, where naked, with gaudily painted face she is sleeping under a herbal sedative, he is touched by her appearance and vulnerability. His heart is moved by the situation, and other than to touch her hair and to sing a little song to her sleeping form, he does not attempt anything physical with her. He leaves some money on the pillow and takes his departure.
He informs Rosa of what passed, who asks if he wants his money back; no, he is not that stingy, but he asks to have another assignation with the girl, whom he calls Delgadina. This is arranged by Rosa, but the outcome is as before - she sleeps through his visit, he sings to her. And that is the core of the story - he realises that, for the first time in his long life he is in love. What follows I will not reveal, so as not to spoil the story for you; but I assure you that it is sweet, touching and beautifully told.
A feature of the telling of this story is the use of time-shift - we flicker from present to incidents vital, trivial, funny or sad at various times in the past, mostly memories of El Sabio's mother and of his interactions with the whores who serviced him and the fellow clients whom he recalls for one reason and another. It is a cleverly made pastiche that builds up into a richly coloured image of this man and of his long life without love, made almost tragically bitter-sweet by his realisation of what he has missed at this late hour of his life.
El Sabio expresses this in the line: 'Sex is the consolation for those that have not yet found love.'
For what it is worth, I heartily recommend this film - and I leave you to find out what happens in El Sabio's love affair for yourself. You will thank me for it!
My English subtitles for this are available at allsubs.org - enjoy!
The Hot Potato (2012)
What a delicious entertainment!
The 'official' blurb kinda tells the tale, but I would have said it thus: two London Eastend gobshites acquire a lump of 'hot' (meaning a chattel to which they do not have absolutely clear title of ownership) uranium and decide to 'monetize' it, as our yank cousins would put it.
First they approach Colin Meany's character, the local heavy, Harry - a role just made for Colm! - who takes them to 'the twins' - obviously you should read the psycho 'Cray Bros.' here - after which we meet a succession of weird and wonderful con artists, villains, bullies and a really spooky CIA spook.
And all the time the characters' domestic arrangements are moving ahead, complexifying the action and putting additional demands on the characters.
The action is full of novel ideas and twists and turns, yet never inconsistent - the storyline is well served by script and actors. Worthy of remark is the cinematography in so many European city locations, as well as out in the bush.
Overall it's just a fabulous film, the only way to lose interest during this is to die (laughing or otherwise) during the show. As another commentator remarked, it is not full of the foulmouthedness so usual today, and I must also remark that - unlike Hollywood - it did not leave a death toll to compare with Dachau, as most yank 'entertainments' do.
Buy it, rent it, pirate it - just don't miss it!