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Reviews
La meglio gioventù (2003)
Best movie of the decade
The best movie of the past decade and one of the best I have ever seen. I watched this movie for the second time and was as touched as I was the first time. Too bad this movie has not made it into the top 250. Even though this is a six hour movie time flew by as I grew sympathy for all the different characters in this movie. It is a roller-coaster of emotions, I loved the cinematography, the shots of Rome and Florence are simply beautiful, the acting is superb.
Even after I saw this movie twice I was left with questions, the movie does not give all the answers which is one of the reasons I love it.
The music is great. And it is true, life is beautiful, especially if you get to watch movies like this one.
Amores perros (2000)
Impressive
I had seen 21 Grams a few years ago and was really impressed with Iñárritu as a director. Amores Perros is a great movie as well. At the beginning I didn't find the movie very promising, as the only thing I saw were dogfights. But once the movie progressed and the other stories started unfolding it became an impressive movie. The stories are told separately but in a way in which the other stories tag along and relate to each other. I can't really say which of the two movies I find better, Amores Perros or 21 Grams, I find them both equally good. Amores Perros stands out because of the character development and the way the stories are related to each other, film-making at its best.
9 out of 10.
Crash (2004)
Brilliant film
One of the best movies I have seen over the last couple of years. Even though different stories are told they all blend together and make you realize how easy it is to judge and be prejudiced. The movie keeps you on the edge of your seat constantly, at times it makes you angry, sometimes it makes you melt, other times it makes you laugh. The acting is great across the board. Matt Dillon and Don Cheadle are brilliant in their roles. It made me realize that their is good and bad in all of us and that the two co-exist. I really liked the way the different stories were built up and how they came together. Brilliant movie.
10 out of 10.
La marche de l'empereur (2005)
Fascinating documentary
One of the most beautiful documentaries I have ever seen. The story of these penguins living in the coldest place on Earth is both beautiful and unbelievable. Also amazing to see is how they can only survive as a group by making a giant penguin. Of course it is also funny to see how limited they are walking around on the land. But once they hit the water they are amazing animals. The underwater part is fascinating, it is almost as if bullets are flying by when they swim. The most beautiful scenes are when they launch themselves out of the water onto the ice. The music in combination with the beautiful shots make this a clear Oscar winner.
9 out of 10.
Caché (2005)
No conclusion
Very slow moving movie. What I liked about the movie is the story and the impact the events have on the family and the relationships within the family. However, I waited until the end of the movie to find out what the plot was, only to find out that there was none. I thought I had missed something but when I looked around me I could only see confused people, so I was not the only one left wondering. Maybe it was a hidden plot. The one positive thing in this movie is the acting of Juliette Binoche, she does a good job in portraying the wife that is not trusted enough by her own husband (and son).
4 out of 10.
Casanova (2005)
Entertaining
Entertaining movie.
At times it is funny, sometimes because of small details. I like the way the movie is told, and I really had no idea who the narrator actually was. Jeremy Irons is quite convincing as the bishop, Oliver Platt was entertaining and Tim McInnerny as The Doge is always funny. Other than that beautiful costumes and nice shots of Venice. But all in all it is not a movie that stayed on my mind for too long. If you are looking for entertainment this is a good pick but don't expect any stellar acting performances or a very strong story.
6 out of 10.
The Ice Harvest (2005)
Very violent comedy
Got to this movie thinking it was a comedy (a black one) but it turned out to be a very violent movie. I did like the story and Cusack and Thorton do a good job playing the two thieves. But the best acting was done by Pete (Oliver Platt) who adds some light to the grim atmosphere. The Ice Harvest also has some Fargo elements in it. A couple of sequences are really, really good. The part where Pete is drunk and decides to go home, together with Charlie, for Christmas dinner and also the part where Charlie thinks Vic is dead and goes to his house to find out what happened to him. The next ten minutes I thought where really worth the movie, especially the part filmed at the frozen lake.
7 out of 10.
Cidade de Deus (2002)
Tough movie
Very tough movie portraying the lives of kids/teenagers in one of Rio's favelas. What I liked most about the movie is the way in which it is told, through the eyes of one of the kids who manages to escape the harsh reality of the favela. I also like the flashback following the opening scene in which a group of kids tries to catch an escaped rooster. The freeze-frame shots are very nice as well. It is a very fast paced movie and sometimes it is hard to keep track of all that is happening especially because the movie covers a couple of decades. I saw this movie after visiting Rocinha in Rio the week before. I did not realize until after having seen the movie that Seu Jorge plays the role of Mane Galinha. He makes beautiful music these days and one of his quotes is really frightening "The other actors were ... curious. They wanted to know if the favelas are really like that. I said unfortunately they're much worse."
Walk the Line (2005)
Top acting
Even though the movie is long, it is definitely worth it. It might not be the best movie I have seen but the acting performances are truly great. Phoenix is very convincing as a lost soul. I was actually amazed to realize it is actually their own voices you hear. I am not familiar with most of Cash' work but Witherspoon and Phoenix were very convincing. One of the nicest things about the movie I found is to watch a man who can be loving and caring one moment and the next scene he can be as scary as only Jack Nicholson can be. Phoenix and Witherspoon deserve their nominations.
7 out of 10 for the movie. 10 out of 10 for the acting.
The Merchant of Venice (2004)
Pacino at his best
Loved seeing this movie.
I believe the acting performances are very credible, Al Pacino was brilliant is his role as Shylock. I felt deep sympathy for him but also hated him at times for being so stubborn. Especially the monologue where he explains why he seeks revenge is worthy of an Oscar. I truly believe Pacino deserved at least a nomination for his portrayal as Shylock. I also love the costumes and pictures of 16th Century Venice. The relationship between Antonio and Bassanio played an important part in this movie and it turned out to be more than just friendship. One part at the end of the movie is the only part I did not understand and that is when Jessica looks at her father's ring at her finger, I did not understand how she got it. 8 out of 10.