Clara's Talk

Mouth to Mouth

Bit of a strange one. Not entirely sure I liked it that much, but interesting idea. Most of the characters are pretty unlikeable, and the whole thing is quite ugly to look at. Even Ellen Page looks freaky. But it apparently is semi-autobiographical which gives it a bit more credibility. Definitely not on the list to rewatch in a hurry, but worth a look.

Princess Mononoke (Mononoke-hime)

Strella

A masculine movie in spite of the exceptional twist somewhere in the middle,Koutras is evolving,leaving behind aliens and bourgeois salons,there's simply a bohemian state of free-spirited individuals (with a fine sense of rhythm in the frame by frame observance of the social status) alongside the neglect for but also the casualty of "strange" people.
Orfanou playing the titular transsexual sparkles in her debut and Kokiasmenos presents a stiffed ex-inmate,beginning a chain reaction stretching to a (curiously enough) panegyric finale.

Je, Tu, Il, Elle (I, You, She, He)

Je: I am a man who wants to love a woman.
Tu: as in the second person who I'm responding to,and yet nothing is quite certain or as it was supposed to be...
Il: domineering,bipolar,strict,even truck-drivers get the blues!
Elle: fierce,emotional,witty,the artistic,carnal fulfillment for both sexes.
Result: ?
Argument: "Being a woman is a terribly difficult task since it consists principally in dealing with men" Joseph Conrad

Black Sheep

What's Opera, Doc?

Delirious,blasphemous and yet ravishingly innovative!
Inspired by the likes of slapstick stars,musical numbers (did i forget to say the obvious William tell reference),there's not exactly a happy ending rather a diversion of functioned tragedy...and Mel Blanc drives the vehicle of lunacy!
Rossini would have loved this for sure.

Kynigoi, Oi, (The Hunters)

Part III of A Trilogy of History by Theo Angelopoulos:

Wanna know what was Angelopoulos' intention with this film?Well,don't expect a straightforward reply!
According to the post-civil war feelings and terminal partition by the Papandreou democracy,the factual Rules of the Game and "America's" be-friendship are valid,but who yelled for any "foreign" aid?Maybe the film does circulate in a vicious historical trap,and here's how Theo achieves his scope,in a "we shouldn't care of any of the WWII results,we might as well have died by our own comrades a few years later" quota and alas,that small company,from past to future,looks as if hope was finalized by the regimes,the revolutions,the duplicate,governmental allusions...

The Travelling Players (O thiasos)

Part II of A Trilogy of History by Theo Angelopoulos:

Pure mysticism but requires a lot of patience.What Angelopoulos divides here is time and present history.Flash-forwards to the General's Regime (or should the Civil War be denominated like that?),the uninvited theatrical troupe merging in the seemingly confusing backdrop of Greece,a masterful touch of a timeline mixture,it's as if tragicomedy of chronology occurs where Golfo,the troupe's play is but the interlude in between the film's chapters.
For the love of Artemis,there's even sexual parallelism ala Oresteia tension!!!

Meres tou '36 (Days of 36)

Part I of A Trilogy of History by Theo Angelopoulos:

The particles of 20th century Greece being here,in an attempt to observe,spy and subsequently organize the scattered hopes of the ancient legends.Suffice to say Angelopoulos re-defines history as we know it,it's hilarious to find out underground schemes and corrupt authorities damaged a (non-existent) state of union!!!
That is,regardless of the politicians,ignorant of the prosperity of the state nor of the rebellious inmates,struggling for their voice to be heard against a totalitarian nation (Metaxas the "prime minister" was ready to rule with the 4th of August Regime),not even the main protagonist of the drama exaggerates.

Nadja

I love this movie. Absolutely never get tired of it. The best vampire movie ever made. I love everything about it from the way it is filmed in grainy black and white, to the soundtrack, the performances, particularly Elina Lownsohn - perfect. I must have watched this about ten times now.
If you like Vampire movies, then you must see this.

The Saragossa Manuscript

By the Elysian Fields and Hades,the photographic proportions of this film were highly jubilant!The farcical approach helps to create a Dionysian environment and at times,a zany comprehension of non-linear events,in which the ending is unimportant...Wojciech Has prefers to entice us,and sometimes lure us in the trap of hypnosis of a manuscript so enchanting,you'd think it was made for the pleasure of confusion and only...

City of Life and Death

One might raise the hand and question the authenticity of the director's responsibility for executing a precise account of horrifying events,or the sympathy he showed towards Hideo Nakaizumi's role of the Japanese private or maybe giving Gao Yuanyuan her most mature performance to date.Maybe nothing will happen at all and the film will exhume under the roaring blockbusters.Whatever the result will be,Lu Chuan's crescendo is here to stay.
Jancso's The Red and the White in pre-WWII Nanking.

Blindness

Triumphantly captures the chaotic world in which these quarantined blind individuals cohabitate. However, it is ultimately a frustrating and lengthy film that not only lacks depth and understanding, but gets dull in the end.
The acting was very average (i.e. once the Japanese man turns blind... wow, could it suck even more??).
Also, I really didn't like nor appreciate the style of the film. I know they were trying to correlate blindness with white touches here and there, as well as slightly shaky camera movements, it just didn't get to me and reinforced the ambiguity which I felt was an inherent part of the film.

The Ugly Truth

Definitely not the best comedy of summer 2009 but worth a watch. Its only attribute lies in its humour which nearly killed me, as well as many others, of laughter.
Other than that, it is incredibly formulaic and much to my own dismay (seeing as I am a devout fan of chick flicks)I have to say it is the most cliched film of the year and has the worst cheesy ending.
Katherine Heigl is stunning as always and is probably the highlight of the film, next to Gerard Butler, although their on-screen chemistry is flawless and fits the film perfectly.

The Proposal

I love chick flicks because they never fail to move me and I always know what to expect because of their flagrant predictability and tendency for possessing happy endings. With The Proposal I was once again not the least deceived.
First, and most importantly, Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds have terrific chemistry and such intense magnetism that it drew me into the film even more. Storyline is quite ordinary and bland, yet it being sprinkled with a series of successful jokes do render it a fairly agreeable summer film.
If you're looking for a fun, feel-good, and romantic little film, go out and see this. Laughs guaranteed.

Land of the Lost

Absolutely inane and horrible storyline.
I am so disappointed that I don't think it deserves more than a phrase.

Terminator Salvation

Much ado about nothing

My Life Without Me

Absolutely amazing, one of the most humane films I have seen in a long while!
Sarah Polley is breath-taking and gives the peformance of a lifetime in this beautiful, beautiful, beautiful film that makes one reflect and ponder upon the meaning of life - and of one's own life as a consequence.
Also, I think it has one of the best opening scenes I have ever seen. Terribly nostalgic and poetic. Will not please everyone but WoW. Took my breath away.

Instant classic.