Amanda Konstantin (stopitgoaway)

Based on the book The 120 Days of Sodom by the Marquis de Sade. Because of its scenes depicting intensely graphic violence, sadism, and sexual depravity, the movie was extremely controversial upon its release, and remains banned in several countries to this day. When Pier Paolo Pasolini was asked who is the film's audience, he said, "It's for everyone. For people like me."

Pier Paolo Pasolini, as is well known, was murdered not long after he finished work on this, his most audacious and confrontational film, yet even the most casual viewing of SALÓ begs the question - had he not been murdered, would he have taken his own life anyway? Every sequence, every shot and practically every moment of this film is so burdened with despair, barely concealed rage and a towering disgust with the human race, one gets the impression that Pasolini was barely hanging onto life - and any attendant shreds of hope - by his fingernails. Although ostensibly an adaptation of one of DeSade's most depraved works channeled through the horrifying excesses of the Second World War with the Fascist ruling classes as its (authentically vile) villains, SALÓ also contains a lot of contemporary criticism - Pasolini hated the modern world, and explained the stomach-churning 'banquet of s**t' as a none-too-subtle attack on the encroaching global domination of the fast food chains. (The scenes of sexual excess can similarly be read as a despairing attack on the permissive society - those who come to SALÓ expecting titillation or B-movie sleaze will be sorely disappointed.) Beyond the nihilistic content, which has been well documented elsewhere, the film has an overall mood that seems to have been engineered to make the viewer thoroughly depressed. Shot on washed-out, faded film stock using primarily static cameras, long shots, choppy editing and very few cutaways, SALÓ has a visual style reminiscent of cinema-verite documentary. Add to this the unnerving use of big band music, piano dirges and the (intentionally?) scrappy post-dubbed dialogue, and the distancing effect on the viewer is complete. SALÓ comes across as one long primal scream of rage, designed to shake the viewer out of his complacency, and in this respect, the film succeeds unequivocally. Whether or not you would care to watch this more than once, or indeed for 'entertainment', is another matter, but SALÓ is an important film that demands a careful viewing ONLY by those prepared for it.

When the military discover what they believe to be a spaceship at the bottom of the ocean they bring in Dr Norman Goodman who had once written a report on the protocol for an alien encounter. His report had named a team of experts ? this team is also assembled. The team descend to the craft and begin to find some astonishing things about the craft. However when they find a huge golden sphere they begin to experience problems. Problems that become worse when a storm traps them at the bottom of the ocean.

With a cast like this ? you gotta have high hopes. With a director and a writer to match you deserve something fantastic! And for the most part this delivers. The build up is dark, mysterious and exciting. However once the sphere is found it goes downhill. It still has some really good moments ? the jellyfish bit is scary and other actions bits are cool. But it gets all muddled up in what the sphere is and who is doing what on the base. It almost manages to hold together until the final half hour then it all just collapses like a flan in a cupboard! It's a shame because for the most part it felt like it was building to something much better, but no.

The cast promised much but didn't deliver. Jackson was great, but I don't think he can be bad ? even in a bad movie. Hoffman stutters around like he doesn't know what he's doing. I know he's meant to be playing a character that isn't used to heroics, but he doesn't bring anything. Stone is OK but at times looks like she reading her lines off a board. Coyote is good and Schreiber is understated by his own hammy standards. It's also cool to see Queen Latifah in a role.

Overall this is worth watching as for the majority it's real good. However you notice that the film has got 30 minutes left to go ? make your excuses and leave, by then you've seen the best it has to offer.

I'm sure my readers will appreciate that I rarely give a movie more than 3 stars, und this is only the 4th time in my blogging career that I have given 5 stars, so I'm sure that you will understand that this movie must be some great revolution in the history of movie making... in fact, I would venture to say it is very nearly the "perfect" movie... It was with great anticipation that I went to view this movie, after reading that nearly every reputable movie magazine gave it a 5 star rating... I knew for certain that I was in for something amazing! I had to travel a little way as my home cinema wasn't showing it, but it was well worth it, und I would recommend it to all of my readers, even if you aren't a fan of the Vampire genre! ***Synopsis*** Oskar, a bullied 12-year old, dreams of revenge. He falls in love with Eli, a peculiar girl. She can't stand the sun or food and to come into a room she needs to be invited. Eli gives Oskar the strength to hit back but when he realises that Eli needs to drink other people's blood to live he's faced with a choice. How much can love forgive? Låt den rätte komma in or Let The Right One In is a story both violent and highly romantic, set in the Stockholm suburb of Blackeberg in 1982. Written by John Nordling, Producer Starring: Kåre Hedebrant, and Lina Leandersson Directed by: Tomas Alfredson ***Fantasy Take*** Excellent fantasy movie, yet not too weird as to alienate the average viewer... ***Storyline: 5 Stars*** Brilliant story, based in a perfect fairy-tale style, simple und easy to follow, yet leaving you as if you had had the most filling meal in your life! ***Graphics: 4 Stars*** Hey, it's not really that kind of movie, but for what it is, the graphics certainly do what's needed of them... ***Acting: 5 Stars*** Oh, just perfect actors! Especially the little girl (Eli), who was both sweet, but still quite freaky at times! ***Music: 4 Stars*** Excellent music, though I would have liked a catchy theme tune to hum on my way home... ***Emotions: 5 Stars*** Excellently emotional throughout, I was completely wrapped! ***Conclusion*** Well, in conclusion... It's basically perfect... need I say more? Enjoy, nazdrovia

"It must be hard to love an adopted child as much as your own" I'm an adopted child and that quote quite fit in my persona, but I'm not here to talk about me, I'm here to talk about Orphan and goes... Kate and John Coleman, VERA FARMIGA and PETER SAARSGARD, have two children, Danny, JIMMY BENNETT, and Max, ARYANA ENGINEER, who is deaf; a baby was still-born, and, still saddened by that loss, the Colemans decide to adopt an older child, settling on a 9-year-old orphan, Esther, ISABELLE FUHRMAN, who comes from Eastern Europe. Esther proves to be a problem child, manipulative, devious, jealous ? and possibly murderous, I feel very fit to Esther, except the murder thing. This horror film about an evil child is at times genuinely unsettling and contains a not-to-be-revealed twist which I certainly wasn?t expecting. Though the plot mechanics are familiar from dozens of similar films (The omen, The Bad Seed, The Good Son), the acting is unusually strong, especially ISABELLE FUHRMANN as the very nasty Esther and little ARYANA ENGINEER as Max. One of the good things about ORPHAN, which is directed by Jaume Collet-Sera, is that it takes itself quite seriously and manages to bring a surprising level of originality to the potentially familiar material. At two hours plus it?s much too long for this sort of exercise in suspense, but it?s several cuts (if I may use the word) above the average.