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Reviews
Wild Tigers I Have Known (2006)
Those who want excitement, sex and action, go elsewhere
A very delicate and sensitive but powerful film, depicting the struggles of a young boy encountering his feelings.
The loneliness and isolation we feel surrounded by a heteronormic environment when growing up is beautifully depicted. Nothing is rushed through in this film. The parallel between us and the unwanted and feared tigers is stunning.
This movie is not about romance or lust, it is about inner feelings. These grow slowly when you realise that you are (considered) different from the rest, as if you were the only one in the midst of a totally different species.
If you do not have the patience to sit and absorb (as some commentators have expressed here) just go watch Batman and Robin, this film is not for you. But if you can feel with us what we have been through, this is one for you.
Paragraph 175 (2000)
Personal experiences adequately enhanced
This film is an excellent example of letting people tell their story without embellishing the contextual situation. The extra material added to the interviews is perfectly balanced to put the interviews in their historical and personal context, without unduly expanding the context to overshadow what the (very few) survivors had to tell. Enough information is given about paragraph 175 and it's application during Hitler's reign and after for us to get an insight of its consequences, and the situation of denial of our 'civilised' western countries even today regarding the gay victims of this horror. But the focus is on the survivors' tale, not the context. This technique (too rarely applied) produced an extremely powerful documentary. I have seldom seen such a well balanced work.
Denied (2004)
Appalling sound, great script and acting
A very well scripted film, wonderfully acted, depicting two young men struggling with their feeling towards each other, in the midst of heterosexual surroundings.
Unfortunately, the sound mix is so bad that the dialogs are impossible to follow - and they are essential to understanding what is going on.
I found a work-around on my computer: using an equalizer on the audio, I neutralised the low and medium frequencies and enhanced the medium-high frequencies: this made the dialogs followable. Quite amazing that the producers omitted this quality check!
I disregard the low light quality criticism. True, many scenes are filmed with scarcely a light from a light bulb, but for me, that enhances the atmosphere, although I would not have minded some more subtle shading at times.
All in all, if you can fix the sound, very worth while watching.
Nochnoy dozor (2004)
Disappointed at first... thoroughly enjoyed it later
I was expecting a Hollywood style movie... To be precise, late at night at a Ukrainian friend's house in Amsterdam in the fall of 2004, amid wonderful smooth vodka we can't get here and zakuski, the DVD was running. I guess I must have been concentrating more on the drink than the movie. I was disappointed, finding it flat and lacking the sort of thrill I was expecting.
I borrowed the DVD, and watched it at home. And that's when it started getting hold of me. The English (or let's be frank, slang-americanised) subtitles were sometimes misleading. After watching it with subtitles, I watched it without, my Russian proving good enough to do that. And the whole picture dawned on me. The multiple-line plot became quite clear then, and climaxed wonderfully. I loved it! I haven't read the books, so I may have an advantage: comparing book and movie can be stressing and disappointing. I'm looking forward to the Day and Dusk Watch, hoping FOX e.a. won't kill the project.
Godzilla (1998)
fantastic entertainment movie
I gave this 10/10. Why? I'm not a Godzilla fan, so I lack the background. Maybe therefore I could enjoy this movie for its own entertaining value, without having or wanting to compare it to other movies. And enjoy it I did, every single minute. The criticism I read about poor acting (Jean Reno for example: "Jean Reno was obviously repaying a favor" - fourque2 - I find totally based on wishful prejudice) seems to me trivial. In the given situation and genre, I think it fits in quite admirably.
Of course I respect the verdict of the Godzilla fans, that's their prerogative. Mine is to enjoy.
So as far as what I expected, entertainment and good effects, this rates first class for me :) My 2 eurocents.