8 1/2, 1963
Director: Federico Fellini
Origin: Italy | France
Languages: Italian | English | French | German
Running time: 138 min
Dog-tired movie director Guido Anselmi retreats to thoughts of yesteryear when his producers, his wife and his mistress all pressure him to start making another movie in director Federico Fellini's rumination on the joys and rigors of filmmaking. (from Netflix.com)
Watch the trailer on IMDB.
---
Review of last week's film ("Elena", 4 stars )
Steven says: It's a Russian film with an anywhere premise. What's important to the film is that there is money; some people have it, other people want it. What does having money mean to each character? And even if they have it, does it help them in the way they expect? It's paced slowly, with ambient sounds sometimes louder than the dialogue. There are a few surprises and great acting from the title character.
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
February 27, 2013 - "Elena" (2011)
Elena, 2011
Director: Andrey Zvyagintsev
Origin: Russia
Language: Russian
Running time: 109 min
Middle-aged Elena is a meek wife to her emotionally distant second husband, Vladimir. When he decides to leave his riches to his estranged daughter, Elena chooses to take drastic action to provide for her own adult son. (from Netflix.com)
U.S. box office: $228,239
Watch the trailer on IMDB.
---
Review of last week's film ("Eternity and a Day", 3.5 stars)
Steven says: Complex and dreamlike, we never fully know what is real and what is part of the narrator's dreams. But we do know this film touches on several themes: the power of memories and of words, the importance of human connection, the perspective of "an outsider". Each scene could stand on its own as a short film, there's so much going on in single takes.The images created by the director alternate between haunting and celebratory. It's a rich experience.
Director: Andrey Zvyagintsev
Origin: Russia
Language: Russian
Running time: 109 min
Middle-aged Elena is a meek wife to her emotionally distant second husband, Vladimir. When he decides to leave his riches to his estranged daughter, Elena chooses to take drastic action to provide for her own adult son. (from Netflix.com)
U.S. box office: $228,239
Watch the trailer on IMDB.
---
Review of last week's film ("Eternity and a Day", 3.5 stars)
Steven says: Complex and dreamlike, we never fully know what is real and what is part of the narrator's dreams. But we do know this film touches on several themes: the power of memories and of words, the importance of human connection, the perspective of "an outsider". Each scene could stand on its own as a short film, there's so much going on in single takes.The images created by the director alternate between haunting and celebratory. It's a rich experience.
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
February 20, 2013 - "Eternity and a Day" (1998)
Eternity and a Day, 1998
Director: Theo Angelopoulos
Origin: Greece | France | Germany | Italy
Languages: Greek | Italian
Running time: 137 min
When Alexandre (Bruno Ganz), a famed Greek author, learns he hasn't long to live, he sets aside his current project and soon meets an Albanian immigrant street urchin (Achileas Skevis), whom he rescues from slave traders. On a journey to reunite the boy with his family, the two share a bus ride with several musicians and a poet (Fabrizio Bentivoglio). This dreamlike drama won the Golden Palm at the Cannes Film Festival. (from Netflix.com)
U.S. box office: $106,486
Watch the trailer on YouTube.
-----
Review of last week's film ("Romantics Anonymous", 4 stars)
Steven says:The laughs started within the first 30 seconds of the film, and they never really let up. The writing was simple and funny, the timing and editing crucially accurate, and the overall film sweet and joyful. And there's chocolate -- good chocolate. It's a great date movie or Valentine's offering without being too sickly sweet or offering a forced star-crossed storyllne.
Director: Theo Angelopoulos
Origin: Greece | France | Germany | Italy
Languages: Greek | Italian
Running time: 137 min
When Alexandre (Bruno Ganz), a famed Greek author, learns he hasn't long to live, he sets aside his current project and soon meets an Albanian immigrant street urchin (Achileas Skevis), whom he rescues from slave traders. On a journey to reunite the boy with his family, the two share a bus ride with several musicians and a poet (Fabrizio Bentivoglio). This dreamlike drama won the Golden Palm at the Cannes Film Festival. (from Netflix.com)
U.S. box office: $106,486
Watch the trailer on YouTube.
-----
Review of last week's film ("Romantics Anonymous", 4 stars)
Steven says:The laughs started within the first 30 seconds of the film, and they never really let up. The writing was simple and funny, the timing and editing crucially accurate, and the overall film sweet and joyful. And there's chocolate -- good chocolate. It's a great date movie or Valentine's offering without being too sickly sweet or offering a forced star-crossed storyllne.
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
February 13, 2013 - "Romantics Anonymous" (2010)
It's our Valentine's Day offering . . .
Romantics Anonymous, 2010
Director: Jean-Pierre Améris
Origin: France | Belgium
Language: French
Running time: 80 min
Love and chocolates may yet win the day in this delightful romantic comedy, which follows the slow-burn romance of talented chocolatier Angélique and chocolate-factory owner Jean-René, lonely souls who secretly share a debilitating anxiety disorder. (from Netflix.com)
Watch the trailer on IMDB.
---
Review of last week's film ("Oranges and Sunshine", 3.5 stars)
Steven says: The word "gripping" was used more than once by others to describe this film. How could it not be? Thousands of children were shipped (literally) from Britain to other countries, most often unknowingly leaving behind family members. The film is adapted from the book Empty Cradles, written by the main character, Margaret Humphreys. And so, the entire movie is seen from her point of view; we don't get full backgrounds, we don't get dramatized conversations, we don't get the explanations of why this could happen. Instead we experience everything with her: the disbelief, the shock, the outrage, the exhaustion. I was particularly struck by the performances of the orphaned children who are now adults. They made the film stand out, at least for me. Read more about the efforts: http://www.childmigrantstrust.com/
Romantics Anonymous, 2010
Director: Jean-Pierre Améris
Origin: France | Belgium
Language: French
Running time: 80 min
Love and chocolates may yet win the day in this delightful romantic comedy, which follows the slow-burn romance of talented chocolatier Angélique and chocolate-factory owner Jean-René, lonely souls who secretly share a debilitating anxiety disorder. (from Netflix.com)
Watch the trailer on IMDB.
---
Review of last week's film ("Oranges and Sunshine", 3.5 stars)
Steven says: The word "gripping" was used more than once by others to describe this film. How could it not be? Thousands of children were shipped (literally) from Britain to other countries, most often unknowingly leaving behind family members. The film is adapted from the book Empty Cradles, written by the main character, Margaret Humphreys. And so, the entire movie is seen from her point of view; we don't get full backgrounds, we don't get dramatized conversations, we don't get the explanations of why this could happen. Instead we experience everything with her: the disbelief, the shock, the outrage, the exhaustion. I was particularly struck by the performances of the orphaned children who are now adults. They made the film stand out, at least for me. Read more about the efforts: http://www.childmigrantstrust.com/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)