_kelly's Talk

A Single Man

Stunning adaptation of Christopher Isherwood's novel about how a college professor deals with the death of his longtime partner. Director Tom Ford's fashion designer roots are clearly evident in the style of the film. The 60s are recreated not as they actually were, but as fashion magazines would have you remember them. Cinematography, art direction, even music - it all comes together to form a film in which any scene could be paused and printed as a beautifully composed photograph. It is a brilliant choice because the pretty but empty facade actually emphasizes the void our protagonist feels in his own life. Colin Firth presents him as a man that is both charismatic but destroyed. It's a difficult act to pull off, but he does it brilliantly. His performance grounds the film and makes this an exquisite tale of love and loss.

Happy New Year

The Ghosts of Girlfriends Past

I watched it and i couldn't really remember the full movie (Well i was drunk while watching at friend's place), but i do remember i laughed at few parts. The story is basically crap! I mean why waste time, money, production, etc for this? If it's at least sweet or enjoyabel i wouldn't rant, it's not. Matthew McConaughey is like the worst actor out there, if people have Ben Affleck in their worst actor, than he is in my list. Jennifer Garner should be drunk like me, when she decide to play in the movie ;) her character was nothing special, flat boring. I do enjoy Emma Stone or Michael Doughlas though.

5/10.

The Crying Game

A thoroughly enjoyable Romantic Thriller with a difference. It?s a little disappointing that most people know the catch to this film, however if you?re one of those people who don?t know, watch before you find out.

This really is a story of two parts, the first setting the intial story, the second really working on the present storyline, with reprocussions of the past.

Another great performance from Rea and an original piece.

G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra

So, what were you expecting...pure genius?
I have seen the bad reviews and I agree, but what did you set out to watch? Did you expect some mix of Platoon with The Matrix?
This is more like "Inspector Gadget" meets "Transformers."
Set your expectations where they belong...low and this film will sit fine.
Good eye candy delivered via CGI.
Good eye candy delivered In the shallow acting of some very pretty people (Come to me Rachel ;).
Tons of action and explosions.
Hollow characters.
Loose plot.
Things that make no sense.
Blockbuster fodder.
If you wanted more than this then you would have chosen something that was not named after an action figure, but you didn't...you chose "G. I. Joe: Rise of Cobra" and as ridiculous as it was to watch it was simply candy and delivered that quite well. That is all this movie was good for and nothing else. Something to rest those Alpha/Beta waves.
Now, stop complaining and go watch "Apocalypse Now."

The White Ribbon (Das weisse Band)

I loved how captivating the whole ambience is and Michael Heneke creates a very good story and very good characters with the notion of memory and what we remember or not, what know or not know, means to us. I thought that was the most fascinating aspect of the whole film, how we're always in the dark of the narrator's mind.

L'Atalante

- Don't worry, Ma. She's married a fine man.
- She'll be back someday!

L'ATALANTE (1934)

Director: Jean Vigo
Country: France
Genre: Drama / Romance
Length: 89 minutes



L'Atalante is one of the greatest films ever made. With that fact already stated, we may now proceed comfortably. Jean Vigo composed in 1934 a truly remarkable drama of impeccably moving proportions. If D.W. Griffith was the father of epic filmmaking, Sergei M. Eisenstein the author of editing, and F.W. Murnau the promoter of an innovative camera work, Jean Vigo is definitely the creator of a groundbreaking, ambitious photography. To call L'Atalante a romance film is an understatement; although it is true, it is not precise. It is a study of the human condition under an unsuccessful love relationship. Therefore, it could be vaguely referenced as the French response to Murnau's Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927). The film signed the period of a cinema era where benign positivism and inspirational melodramas predominated. These projects were abundant in mastery thanks to their influential characteristics and their unique storytelling. Despite Jean Renoir being recognized as a new master of cinema during that period, Jean Vigo's only complete masterwork is a testament aimed directly to the heart that specifically tried to appeal to the sentiments of past decades, yet it has hold a modern universal validity and a noticeable, graphic poetry nowadays.

The film opens with a celebrated wedding between the gorgeously-looking Juliette and Jean, the owner of a ship. Juliette immediately accepts to live on his ship, on board of which is the scraggly second mate Jules and a cabin boy. After they come to Paris, Juliette grows increasingly bored and decides to sneak away in order to appreciate the nightlife of the city. This results in the anger of Jean, who impulsively leaves Juliette behind. However, his character will suffer a transformation since the repentance of his actions towards his wife leads him to a deep depression.

Due to the censorship measures of the 30s, the main focus of such simple story is not the suspense, or the thrilling wait for the finale. Fortunately, we already know how the film will end. It is all about the innocent naturalness, the great performances and landmark cinematography, not to mention the cathartic appeal it built (and still builds) with the viewer. We are introduced with what may seem typical characters: the curmudgeon and manipulative husband, the tender and naïve wife with romantic and escapist ambitions, the sloppy and often humorous supporting character, and a cabin boy of almost null, but complementary presence. The appeal is primordially derived from the portrayed romantic entanglement and the believability of the strictly human personages. Naturally, Jean Vigo attempted this by creating a purely human sense of humor based on the dialogues of the characters, the dailiness of the depicted events aboard the ship, the facial expressions and the constant personality contrasts.

Cinema was barely escaping its silent era, and the effort involved in the improvement of the technical aspects is noticeable, but very much appreciated. The film first offers us a great glimpse of a colonial France, constructing considerably long shots and achieving a visual balance of great effectiveness, and all of this with the purpose of emphasizing the atmospheric happiness of the protagonistic newlyweds. From there, we accept to aboard the ship with the couple in the same way Juliette does: it is like accepting a new adventure of unpredictable outcomes. The comedy (or tragedy) of the film is first encountered in the uncomfortably painful relationship between Jules and Juliette and the short time that had to pass so they could perform their first argument. Vigo depicted a marriage we could empathize with. He does not force us to adopt a particular side; the sequences are just shown without debating morality or what is right and what is wrong. An unreachable emotional escapism is the symbolic role given to the city of Paris. The worldly known place because of its romantic fame is transformed in the supporter of the separation between Jules and Juliette.

In order to average out the seemingly depressing atmosphere of the film, Jules assumes the comedic role of the careless, disinterested, patriotic and womanizer male of incredible stories of high doubtfulness that defines "consultation" as visiting a fortune teller just for seducing her. Just like the city of Paris is contrasted with the life on the ship, the ship itself contrasts the room of Jules. It is a space full of odd artifacts that, according to him, have several worldwide origins derived from unbelievable anecdotes. There is a particular scene where Jean encounters Juliette in the room of Jules and severely questions them both. Out of hatred, Jean ends up messing up the room and being angered to his wife, symbolizing the destruction of their emotional stability because of the intolerance towards external issues. His role may seem inappropriate especially when directing an essay of the human impulses and the childish attitudes that are originated from an impotence of empathy and romantic companionship. Nevertheless, the protagonist's remorse comes when the analysis of the past actions is executed, actions that were based on manipulation, tactlessness and jealousy. This forces him to jump into the river. The most obvious cinematic conclusion of such act may lead us to think that this idea involves suicide; nevertheless, Jean is plagued by the beautiful and "ballet-ish" image of his wife and starts to gather past moments of their lives in his head. Now, this is a true allegory! What aspects or features are the ones that define the escapist measures of a particular individual? It is understood that the purpose of this scene, which is undoubtedly the most outstanding and moving, works for achieving a merely artistic emphasis, besides obviously explaining more about the character and metaphorically inviting the viewers to reflection.

The ship is the motor of the psychology of the characters and the beautifully photographed Paris is the background for their melodramatically tumultuous relationship. However, the purposes of L'Atalante, although simple, are not as easy as they seem. It goes beyond a "chick flick" or a romantic tale of separation and redemption. It is a film that mirrors the impulsive acts committed by man when in front of a new situation or a new life stage. It serves the purpose of being an analytical masterpiece of delicate proportions. It is the remarkable direction and the unparalleled cinematography the ones that sweeten the plot with elements of humanism and an effective reflection. More than attempting to bring separated couples together, it is one of the most sublime French projects of the 30s, almost reaching the quality and universality of Renoir, and rivaling the scope of Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927), despite that the film clearly borrowed some plot elements from the original silent masterwork.

100/100

Apur Sansar (The World of Apu)

"This is my world, the world of Apu, the jobless former student who is drifting through life as a writer."

APUR SANSAR (1959)

Director: Satyajit Ray
Country: India
Genre: Drama
Length: 105 minutes



Pather Panchali (1955), Aparajito (1956) and Apur Sansar (1959): the song of a seemingly little road to walk, the unvanquished, and the world of a soon-to-be existentialist protagonist. And all of them form one of the three best trilogies ever committed to celluloid: The Apu Trilogy, directed by Satyajit Ray. Considered among international and Indian film critics as the absolute Indian masterpiece, it is also the result of the work of a true cinema master. Satyajit Ray raised not only his popularity, but also Indian cinema out of the blue and achieved international attention since the release of Pather Panchali. Despite the great neorealist influence of Italy (mainly from Vittorio de Sica), it is one of the strongest and most memorably powerful and heartbreaking movies ever made around the world. Rivaling the humanism of Masaki Kobayashi's Ningen no Joken (1959-1961) and the universality of other foreign masterworks, Ray's trilogy started slowly to be accepted and welcomed with open arms in several countries throughout the decades and is now referenced as the director's best effort. A single review will not suffice, since this absolutely complete and appealing work mirrors life itself: its impactful moments, key events, traumatic incidents, birth, happiness, sadness, disappointment, departures, growth, maturity and independence are few of the aspects developed in this beautifully orchestrated opera of conglomerated sensations.

In Pather Panchali and Aparajito, the films open with the year of 1327 according to the Bengali calendar, which means 1920 according to the Gregorian calendar. Apu is born to a poor Brahmin family in a village located in Bengal. Living under extremely deplorable life conditions, each one of the family members faces several life problems individually and some others collectively. Apu is an innocent character who has a fantasized vision of the world, finding magic wherever he goes and being astonished by the natural wonders of the earth and by the extensive cultural diversity around the world. Durga is the problematic sister that won't stop stealing guavas from the orchards of the neighbors. Harihar is a poet and a priest who can't sop encountering difficulties in the process of finding a stable job and affording his family the necessary economy for their subsistence. Sarbojaya is the extremely caring and maternal, yet disciplinary and objective mother. Aparajito deals with the family living in Benares for some time after they had to surpass a very tragic incident and then moving in with Sarbojaya's uncle. Once there, Apu's curiosity for acquiring knowledge about the world compels his mother to subscribe him to a school in Calcutta, where his abilities and constant studying offer him a remarkable status of recognition. Nevertheless, the mother faces a huge emotional challenge when she must accept the fact that her little bird must leave the nest. After a huge separation between Apu and Sarbojaya, a terrible tragedy occurs, and a new stage in the character's maturity begins. Apur Sansar concludes the story in an astonishing way. Apu is now a jobless ex-student who lives a life of independence and solitude. While he is dreaming of a successful future as a writer and being largely inspired for writing an autobiographic novel, an old friend from school finds him and invites him to assist to a village wedding. Unfortunately, it is discovered that the bridegroom turned out to be insane, thus causing the wedding to be canceled. Because of the region's superstition, it is believed that the bride will be subject to a curse. Out of sadness and desperation, Apu's best friend convinces Apu to become the bridegroom. Since he makes this remarkable decision, he embarks on a journey of meaningful self-discovery, causing his vision towards the world to be significantly distorted, culminating in one of the best endings ever filmed.

Director Satyajit Ray was nominated for a Golden Palm for his film Pather Panchali, which lost against Jacques-Yves Cousteau and Louis Malle for their documentary Le Monde du Silence (1956), and won the OCIC Award - Special Mention and another Award for Best Human Document at the Cannes Film Festival of 1956. He also won two Golden Gate Awards for Best Director and Best Picture at the San Francisco International Film Festival of 1957. In 1967, he won a Kinema Junpo Award for Best Foreign Language Film. When Aparajito was released, Satyajit Ray won a Golden Lion at the Venice Film festival of 1957 and another Golden Gate Award for Best Director at the San Francisco International Film Festival of 1958. Thanks to Apur Sansar, the director won the Sutherland Trophy at the British Film Institute Awards of 1959 and the film won an NBR Award for Best Foreign Language Film at the National Board of Review, USA the following year. In total, the trilogy gathered 4 BAFTA Film Award nominations, besides other 12 wins and one single nomination.

Reportedly, Satyajit Ray was a great admirer of Vittorio de Sica's Ladri di Biciclette (1948), one of the best neorealist films ever made. Thus, its similarity with the plot of Apur Sansar is obvious and justifiable. However, the nature and atmosphere of the trilogy started to change with the style of the director. Pather Panchali has a strictly neorealist environment, yet not deviating from the portrayal of Indian poverty. Despite being a very simple film, it is the absolute best of the trilogy. It shows the poverty with no clichés or pretentious grandiloquence. Like a masterful and faithful, loyal-to-life documentary, it shows a world that is very distant from us, yet it irrevocably finds a place inside our hearts. The depictions of poverty may be overwhelmingly difficult to endure; however, it is completely compensated with an indescribable visual beauty and a strong hope in the progress of humanity, mirrored in the characters and, most specially, in Apu. Pather Panchali is mainly composed of solid performances by an inexperienced cast, facial expressions, character development and daily hardships that stick to the basic necessities of man: food, shelter and security. The inevitability of death was a necessary topic to be treated, but instead of bringing the protagonists to their doom, it makes them grow spiritually. It is clearly said during the first film: "What God decides is for the best". Their main hope relies in the father getting a job and being paid fairly since his payment is delayed sometimes three months.

The previous paragraph may seem ultimately depressing but, as almost all masters of cinema have, Satyajit Ray adds a very innocent and peculiar humor. Tenderness can be found in the faults of Durga; Apu's innocence and ambition is a relieving source of comedy (especially in Aparajito before he becomes an adolescent); the simplicity and well-intentioned pretentiousness of the father is inevitably laughable; the auntie in the first film represents the character that is alienated from the family because of her lifestyle and behavioral attitude and that, ironically, supports the thievery of Durga since "she has good intentions and is having fun", a fact that always upsets the mother. The visual beauty is derived from a surprisingly skillful and visionary cinematography, being surprising because of the country and the conditions in which it was made. Before letting us enter into a more civilized environment, the only glimpse of industrialized technology we are offered in Pather Panchali is a train loudly running over the railroads located beyond the beautiful rice fields. Excitedly, Apu and Durga flee home so they can see the train closer, becoming the most extraordinary thing they have ever seen. Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay is the author of the novel that inspired the direction of the trilogy, and he developed the screenplay exclusively for the first film, a piece of text that allowed good performances to be originated. Although its simplicity was predominant, it had enough thought-provoking substance to make of Pather Panchali an unforgettable, landmark and memorable Indian masterpiece.

It was the financial success and international recognition that Pather Panchali received the one that allowed Aparajito to exist. Satyajit Ray, with a more improved photography, a more precise editing and better performances, directed a sequel that was not supposed to be made. Not staying away from the nature and the inspiration of the original novel, he stuck to a neorealist tone. Nonetheless, the literally astonishing cinematography of the first 10 minutes has a strong emphasis on architectonic beauty and colonial wonders typical of Benares, focusing on the visual stillness of the inhabitants bathing in the waters of a common river while doves fly in the air above them. This is the new scenery that we will receive for the first third part of the film, until the real purpose of the subject matter is launched. Apu, as a maturing and growing character, will show an insatiable ambition and curiosity of acquiring knowledge about the world and every single meaningful object and cultural element it contains. From the lifestyle of Africa to the basic definitions of geography and classical samples of literature, the character is now subjected to an intellectualist perspective. Bandyopadhyay never aimed towards the depiction of a progressive India mirrored in the psychology of the protagonist through scholar learning, but Ray still portrays the same neorealist elements he showed in the previous film in order to strengthen the emotional relationship between Apu and his mother. Although Apu will not cease to be the protagonist, Aparajito builds, at some point, a structure that allows Sarbojaya to be the main focus of attention temporarily, bringing along one of the strongest universal emotions that can be found in every single culture: the mother-and-son relationship. She will face a huge emotional obstacle when Apu, now an adolescent of outstanding knowledge thanks to his dedicated learning of the English language as a tool for opening new opportunities, must separate ways with her. Seemingly, this was the instrument of the director for achieving a universal appeal, strengthening the fact that, regardless of the folkloric diversities and international habits, there are strictly human and merely emotional laws that follow the same pattern thanks to the rational sensibility of mankind. Apu, on the other hand, will learn the price of personal decisions and will be forced to surpass one of the greatest and most landmark events in his life in the end, almost offering an open ending.

Satyajit Ray was being threatened by the fact that there was not enough material in order to warrant a third film. However, avid fans of such groundbreaking story were willing to wait patiently for the new project of Ray. What was meant to be one single film was magically expanded to the trilogy we know nowadays. Despite this, the director kept in mind the atmosphere and the humanistic intentions of Bandyopadhyay, who kept being credited as the author of the original epic. Just like the direction of Ray throughout the trilogy kept being technically developed, so did Apu, both reaching a higher state of maturity and psychological complexity. In Apur Sansar, we are strictly taken to the mind of a man that now calls himself Apurba Roy perhaps with the purpose of assuming a more serious and independent identity. Even so, he is still Apu. Just like the direction and the main character, we are now transported to an extremely different scenario: a city of financial order and industrial features. The more the plot advances, the more our tears want to come out of our eyes when we remember the life conditions and story of Pather Panchali, culminating in an increasing nostalgia for the audiences. Suggesting that the nature of the story has not taken a drastically different course, the director makes Apu to start to reflect on the mistakes of his past and is inspired to construct an autobiographical book. After he is impulsively driven by solitude and decides to embark on his journey, abandoning all responsibilities (including his son), Ray grabs a much more Eastern influence, highly resembling Japanese filmmaking. The cinematography keeps showing an inspirational improvement and the musical score is still heartwarmingly joyful, but mysticism is added to the formula. Existentialist philosophy is now contemplated by Apu, who now owns a very Christian physical appearance that could be said it references Luis Buñuel's Nazarín (1959). Despite how different and alienated the first half of the film feels, the second one is very rewarding, achieving the audacious task of adopting an effective filmmaking style that contrasts considerably the neorealist tone shown in the past and that symbolizes rebirth. A new beginning has been propelled. Materialism and forced love is not the solution. Instead, we are offered a huge quantity of moral lessons of vast appeal. Human beings are still human begins, and man cannot embark on a journey of independence and successful relationships without prior self-acceptance and complete spiritual and religious awareness.

Basically, there is nothing left to say. Being an almost-never paralleled experience, this is one of the most complete and multilayered stories ever told. The huge transition it suffers from neorealism to civilization and Eastern philosophy is as transcendental just as it is meaningful. Satyajit Ray is not only the master of spiritual strength, but also of the extermination of internal doom and earthly banalities. With an astounding technical progress and a great capacity of finding a huge place inside the hearts of international audiences, The Apu Trilogy is composed by transitioning layers with different purposes, all of them leading to a single, final conclusion. It must not be seen, it must be lived. Ray is mirroring his personal experiences since Aparajito just like the character reflects on his past. Stories within plots within stories within inspirations of life. We will be mirrored as well.

100/100

(500) Days of Summer

A realistic (funny, tragic, honest) look at relationships. It stars two of my favorite "indy" actors, Jospeh Grodon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel who are always a delight to watch and deliver here performances that are quirky, charming and painfully believable.

My second favorite "star" of this film (after the two lead actors) is (my home town) Los Angeles. Shown here in rare form and reminding me (and the rest of the world) of all the beauty that can be found here. Which for once is shown to be more then just palm trees, fancy cars and "beautiful" people.

And almost as enjoyable is the eclectic soundtrack featuring: The Smiths, Carla Bruni, Regina Spektor, Feist, Hall & Oates and Simon And Garfunkel (to name a few).

The only problem that I had (SPOLIER ALERT) is the fact that after (500 days) of alternating between leading Tom on, putting him off and declaring that she doesn't want/need to be with anyone...Summer can both find and marry her "soul mate" in a matter of just a few weeks.

While I can see a writer wanting this to be a sign of her "quirkiness" and possibly the fact that she might be a littIe unstable (an ultimately not a great match for Tom)...I feel like it would have been just as effective (and would have allowed her character to remain both quirky AND likable) if she would have just gotten engaged to the other guy.

But other then that, I enjoyed the story and the clever way that it was told.

Public Enemies

Little bit of poetic licence with this one but Depp is his usual brilliant self with this portrayal of the bank robber extrodinaire. The way the Bureau was changing at the time was the forerunner of today. Shame we didnt get to see J Edgar in his favourite dress...lol.

Supergirl

I thought Mommie Dearest would have drained Faye Dunaway from every camp gene in her. So, the first 30 minutes are great because every single moment is hilarious but then the movie goes for about 35 hours more and it kinda drains you. It's outstanding how Helen Slater can talk so much and never move a single eyebrow.

Vals Im Bashir (Waltz with Bashir)

Disturbing and depressing. One of the most powerful anti-war films since Apocalypse Now, every single account, despite what many would dismiss as simply "animation", grabs you and you truly feel transported to this inferno called war.

Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans

Terence McDonough is one fucked up Lieutenant. Six months pass after Katrina struck New Orleans. Back in those Six months, especially on one particular day, Terence and his partner Stevie go look for a cellmate who is neck deep in water. He's also in a jail cell. While he begs for Terence and Stevie to let him out, they make bets on whether or not the waters will rise high enough to drown this inmate. It's pretty funny to Terence until the inmate begins to pray.

He dives into the water. Does he help him? or Kill him? We never know until the very end of the film.

Terence is given a medal and a bad back. Six months pass and he's extremely addicted to drugs. He even sniffs cocaine before entering a crime scene. Five Senegalese immigrants were murdered and Terence tries to find who done it. Can his drug addiction and sporadic behavior be under control long enough to solve this crime? Nope.

Terence is a complete mess of a man and will get drugs any way he can. He even corners a couple in a parking lot where he searches for drugs on them, even asking the girlfriend to dump her purse where he discovers crack. The girlfriend, very willingly, helps Terence take a hit and as he does she begins to fuck him right there in front of her boyfriend. That was actually very funny in the way it was handled. If a little demented and mean spirited, of course. Just be warned.

Now is Terence single? No. He actually has a girlfriend who is a prostitute. So overall it's an open relationship for the time being. The one thing they have in common is drugs, but there is something else as well. Something deeper and due to their souls being lost it must be a saving grace to have somebody, just, there. When Terence is around her, you can see it makes his crazy world much more serene.

Terence has many connections. Many of them help in his crooked behavior. He never leaves any bread crumbs until he threatens a witness's grandmother. Now much of the case for which he is on does eventually get solved. It's just more of the film is about Terence and not that case. What this film is about is how Terence can go through all this chaos, coked up, and still come out on top. It's a very bizarre film and funny!

Don't expect a serious drama out of this because it's more of a dark comedy. Nicolas Cage literally out does himself and does a great fucking job at playing a bad man. Also I must not forget about Herzog. If they got somebody else to direct this material, it would've been mediocre bullshit. Herzog does a wonderfully creative job at balancing the sad and manically humorous.

The Band's Visit (Bikur Ha-Tizmoret)

I know I'm always calling movies "sweet", but this one truly deserves it more than anything I have ever seen before. It is funny and the characters are all very well drawn and it is impossible not to fall in love with every single one of them.

The Invention of Lying

There's no doubt in my mind that everything Ricky Gervais does, it's going to be funny. He was funny in both his television shows The Office and Extras as well as in the underseen great Ghost Town. So, the thought of Gervais in a high-concept comedy about a world without lies where he basically invents, off the top of his head, God and Heaven should be ripe with both satire and a deep, yet humorous, analysis about humankind's need for faith and, especially, they're need for a tailor-made faith where if things go great they believe, and if they don't they blame. Then why does it feel like it doesn't reach its full potential?
Well, firstly, the film is only kinda half its premise; the rest of the time, though, it spends with Gervais trying to win the affections of Jennifer Garner. Though Garner comes across as a lovely person, and she's always great in comedy (I love her in 13 Going on 30), we don't get to know much about her character before she starts going through the changes that would make Gervais fall in love with her (I refuse to believe her tranny face is the reason), but not why he was so adamant in ending up with her before their first date. Not only does this take much of the plot, but there's also something else I want to address:
I like film cameos. They're funny and it is always enjoyable to say "Oh, hey, look at that guy"; this year, it was taken to GREAT effect with Bill Murray in Zombieland. But sometimes a film is not too happy with only just one cameo and needs to have about 300, this is one of them. Tina Fey (yes, loving fans, she's just a cameo), Philip Seymour Hoffman, Christopher Guest, Jason Bateman... though people I love, mostly bring nothing to the table and distract from what you are watching, especially Bateman who shows up in a very emotional scene. This is something that people like the Apatow crowd is also very fond of and, like I said, though I love recognizing people, isn't getting to the point where its too much?
Still, it is a very funny, charming and overall winning film that does not give its full potential but has enough goog qualities to make it a worthwhile time, great performances and it has to be the first feel-good atheist romantic comedy ever made.

Rampo Noir (Rampo jigoku)

I didn't get it at first. Then I thought I knew where this was going because I had already read some Edogawa Rampo.

My ass. This, as Rampo, isn't just for your brain, it's for your senses.

The first piece is brief, silent, stunning, nearly Tarkovskian.

"Mirror Hell" is cold, distant and should be watched that way. It will bring up some of the many elements and superimposed moods that are to be constantly resignified throughout the film.

"Catterpillar" is barely survivable, even for those who know what it's about.

And the last piece... It is simply superb. The kind of thing Almodóvar would be doing if he were a Japanese horror filmmaker.

I think it'll take me a while to get over this one.

The Final Destination

As another edition of the very silly messy death filled romp greets us I have to say that I really enjoyed this one. Its filled with the usual daftness, deadly accidents and bits of people being minced and curned off. This one takes it just one step further and its great.

The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3

Damn fine film, well acted, very well written, some damn fine aboue levelled at the city of New York by the psychotic Travolta who was superb as the maniacal baddy robber as usual. I have to say he needs to tone down the hair dye a little though...too old and too dark for his skintype.

Funny People

OMG....Its called funny people and I am afraid it just isnt.......I tittered once or twicwe then sat the rest of the way through the film alone after my wife got so bored she went to read.....I tried but I should have known with the idiot Rogen in it......dont waste your night.

Sherlock Holmes

Thrilling re-invention of the titular detective, his partner Watson, and their attempt to stop Lord Blackwood from taking over the world with his apparent supernatural powers. Irreverent update on Arthur Conan Doyle's character is more action hero, high on testosterone, than the sophisticated intellectual from the books. Regardless, the script is gripping, for once the adventure starts it never lets up. Unquestionably, director Guy Ritchie's best film. The story is complimented by a terrific performance by Robert Downey Jr. and wonderful art direction which renders Victorian-era London in a stunningly grimy post industrial haze of blues and grays. Also of special note is the rousing score by master composer Hans Zimmer. An entertaining and fun film.