(10754,1876,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1143308880,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: Haibane Renmie (2002) (Japan)','Hi Howard, I\'ve just started watching Haibane Renmie and must say it seems thoughtful and very different from the majority of anime series. Thank\'s for posting your thoughts, I\'m sure I\'ll have something to add once I\'ve completed the series.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.\r\n\r\nP.S. You mentioned Serial Experiments Lain, have you seen it and if so, what did you think of it?','0fe327bb67cdb235d8634d06352eb278',0,'','pzm5ZrRS',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10755,1876,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1143320220,1,0,1,1,1,1,'howardschumann(d)','Re: Haibane Renmie (2002) (Japan)','Very nice that you are seeing this series. It deserves a wider audience. I have not seen Serial Experiments Lain or any other anime by this director. Looking forward to your review.\r\n\r\nHoward','a0a2a8e0be3a6f0f95ddf0685aa47dbf',0,'','Y9ixChra',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10756,1876,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1145851740,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: Haibane Renmie (2002) (Japan)','Thanks for your review Howard. It reallymade me interested in the series, and I\'m a person who almost never cares about anime-series. The only one I\'ve actually seen through was Neon genesis evangelion \r\nBut If I can lay my hands on this one I\'ll give it a try.\r\nWould also like to read your comments Trev!','3b1c1517a4e5f5a08a88695924c495ff',0,'','zsx6LMin',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10757,1876,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1147219020,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: Haibane Renmie (2002) (Japan)','Haibane Renmei\r\n\r\nI wont tread over old ground as Howard has already given a good outline for the series, Ill just write a few notes as to how I felt about it.\r\n\r\nA couple of months ago I rented volume. 1 of Haibane Renmei from our central library, I thought it was pleasant but reserved judgement till I had seen more. Unfortunately I then had to wait till last week before I could get hold of the other episodes so I rented them all out including volume. 1 again figuring that a week would be enough to watch the thirteen episodes plus any extras.\r\n\r\nBoy was my time judgement wrong, I re-watched volume. 1, in a way it is reminiscent of the first part of Innocence, with the rebirth into a strange new world and the gradual discovery of your locale which (also as in Innocence) is hemmed in on all sides by walls. \r\n\r\nI then thought I might as well have a quick look at the first episode on volume. 2, a couple of hours later I had watched the whole series, I have seen most of it again since as well, it really is that good.\r\n\r\nGraphically there are some nice effects, the cgi has been rendered to fit in beautifully with the standard animation, the characters are well drawn and although it isnt as stylish as the artwork in Serial Experiments Lain its certainly better than a lot of anime series Ive seen.\r\n\r\nThe soundtrack is beautiful, really fitting well with the story and the world of the Haibane. There is a slightly religious feel but as Howard has already said, to the credit of the authors, they have emphasized personal responsibility and the need for us to take charge of our own lives. \r\n\r\nIts a wonderfully emotive series and although it doesnt have the psychoanalytical depth of Evangelion (some would say thats a good thing) it certainly does hit the spot.\r\n\r\nA highly recommended short series that you wont be able to put down after the first few episodes.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.\r\n\r\nBBFC ratings, volumes 1-3 PG, volume 4 12. \r\n\r\nR2 dvds available from MVM. R1 dvds available from Pioneer.','f6e7ecfdb1072dd96299bdaa8f6404a2',0,'','4rwhEMCt',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10758,1876,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1147219920,1,0,1,1,1,1,'howardschumann(d)','Re: Haibane Renmie (2002) (Japan)','Thanks very much for your comments on this series. Not having seen any others I wasn\'t able to call upon the in-depth comparison that you brought to your review. I hope this will encourage others to see it.\r\n\r\nHoward','6d874f0474fbc266e87378c33bed16f9',0,'','nzDg786x',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10759,1876,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1147222560,1,0,1,1,1,1,'arsaib4','Re: Haibane Renmie (2002) (Japan)','\"Graphically there are some nice effects, the cgi has been rendered to fit in beautifully with the standard animation, the characters are well drawn and although it isnt as stylish as the artwork in Serial Experiments Lain its certainly better than a lot of anime series Ive seen.\"\r\n\r\nSounds interesting, Trev. How would you compare it with the work of Miyazaki, tomo, etc.? Or perhaps I should ask if it\'s equivalent at all?','c65940122a8d814b675eb961c3a62b0c',0,'','a61EoStm',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10760,1876,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1147288380,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: Haibane Renmie (2002) (Japan)','arsaib4.\r\n\r\nI was thinking (especially in regards to character design), more of series like Evangelion, Nadesico, Full Metal Panic etc. \r\n\r\nWith the majority of series the character designs are done by one artist which often leads to them having a very similar design which is only differentiated by hair style, colour and clothing. Indeed with some series, the facial resemblance is so similar, you could even interchange the male and female characters.\r\n\r\nI\'d compare the character designs in Haibane Renmie with those of series like Azumanga Daioh, each character is different facially and build wise. This neccessitates more work but is instantly noticable and more effective.\r\n\r\nAs for the cgi, I love to see it used sparingly and unobtrusively as in this series and Miyazaki\'s recent films. In these cases it adds to the production whereas in Wonderful days (aka Sky Blue) and to a point Ghost in the Shell 2 - Innocence it is too showy, this may work well in a cinema but pulls you out of the story especially on the small screen.\r\n\r\nHaibane Renmie is a fine series and in fact as Howard noted, it is one of \"anime\'s best-kept secrets\" and is one of the few that does actually make you open your mind.\r\n\r\nAs for Miyazaki, his animes have proved to be timeless. As styles and story types fall in and out of fashion, his films are ever present and ever popular. He uses cgi to benefit the story but even before the introduction of computors as animation tools he was producing incredibly complex images. A couple of good examples are the train movement in Kiki\'s Delivery Service or the giant \"Ohmu\" in Nausicaa. You can see that his animes would still be beautifully executed without the use of cgi, it just makes the job easier and quicker. \r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','995047554e43cffe7568d1bd55567034',0,'','g9mLaEch',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10761,1876,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1147501260,1,0,1,1,1,1,'arsaib4','Re: Haibane Renmie (2002) (Japan)','Thanks, Trev -- very helpful!','200ad73fca6b2f5f11e1a153015e5e6f',0,'','JGfULP6B',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10762,1877,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1140446940,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Elling (2001) and Mors Elling (2003) (Norway)','\r\n\r\nElling (2001) (Norway)\r\n\r\nDirector: Petter Nss\r\nCast: Per Christian Ellefsen, Sven Nordin\r\n\r\nThe film made it to 1 of the 5 nominees in Best Foreign Film category in Oscar 2002.\r\n\r\n\r\nMy thoughts ...\r\n-- What really makes the show is the chemistry between the two male leads ... wow ...\r\n-- The comical scenes are funny without being slapstick (with some lines being rather interesting/thought provoking/occasionally dark), and the touching scenes are not too melodrama ...\r\n-- All in all, it has some nice theme(s) \r\n... about humanity,\r\n... about friendship, \r\n... about overcoming fears, \r\n... about \"politics/welfare systems\", \r\n... about \"contemporary arts/poetry\", etc ...\r\n\r\n-- At another level, I also wonder how much \"eccentricity\" is there in what we believe is \"normality\" ... hmmm ... food fo thought ...\r\n\r\nConclusion:\r\nRecommended ...','28a750a5258b49e07c6c644e3bcce75f',0,'','bhdX5RtL',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10763,1877,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1140447060,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Elling (2001) and Mors Elling (2003) (Norway)','\r\n\r\nMors Elling (Mother\'s Elling) (2003) (Norway)\r\n\r\nDirector: Eva Isaksen\r\nCast: Per Christian Ellefsen, Grete Nordr\r\n\r\nThis film is a \"sequel\" that features the \"prequel\" to Elling ...\r\n;P\r\nSo, it features Elling and his mother ...\r\n\r\nMy thoughts ...\r\n-- While the performance by the mother is good ... and by the son is good ... they are good in their own ways ... Somehow, the chemistry between the mother and the son is less compelling than the two guys in \"Elling\" ... and it is important because audience will want to know why the son cannot survive the social world without his mother in \"Elling\" ... unfortunately, the film takes it for granted and does not shed much light to the development of their bond ... it skips the entire childhood except for the train scene in the beginning ... also, it does not shed too much light on why Elling behaves as his does in \"Elling\" ... instead, it simply focuses on the trip that his mother and him went to ... in Spain ... because his mother is worried about his life after she leaves ...\r\n-- Although there is also comedy in this, I thought they are lesser in quantity and more towards exaggeration ...\r\n\r\nConclusion:\r\nCan watch ... but it is less \"fun\" than Elling ...','99300ea4aae3f9e34950eb2850e599c9',0,'','m9u5ZCDK',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10764,1877,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1147348920,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: Elling (2001) and Mors Elling (2003) (Norway)','Watched Elling last night, pretty cosy oddball (real oddball) buddy movie.\r\n\r\nGot to be fair, it was pretty amusing and well played. Both characters suffered from severe social disfunctional problems and although progress was made in terms of their social interaction there was no magic cure meaning they ended the movie being closer to what we term as \"normal\" but still closeted within their own restricted worlds.\r\n\r\nI noticed this is yet another film marked down for a Hollywood remake so if possible, I\'d suggest you catch the original. It is funny without being condescending or ridiculing people who genuinely have such emotional problems. The actor who played their social worker was excellent as well. \r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','5baf6814dad48bcfb45f75ffc51a6307',0,'','WVAtwKb6',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10765,1877,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1147417500,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Elling (2001) and Mors Elling (2003) (Norway)','I never expect this thread to be revitalized ...\r\nha ha','360e81cc6edf27c5b69685d98224457a',0,'','ZTCyJiba',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10766,1877,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1147464000,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: Elling (2001) and Mors Elling (2003) (Norway)','It\'s one that I taped a long time ago but forgot about it till it was being shown on TV again.\r\n\r\nWhat do you think about the idea of a remake?\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','c0eea384cccb54cfdbd8c9fe11e95140',0,'','b8YuVvqR',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10767,1877,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1147494600,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: Elling (2001) and Mors Elling (2003) (Norway)','I saw the first one, \"Elling\" along time ago, and I liked it. It was a quirky character study where you didn\'t laugh at the people, but with them. I think your comments describe it quite well. But there was actually much fuss about the film here in Germany, and I thought it didn\'t really deserve it. It\'s certainly an entertaining and well-made film, but imo not much more.\r\n\r\nA remake could actually be interesting, but Hollywood would probably it into another American Pie -style comedy with two nutcases instead of teenagers. \r\nIf it\'s done badly enough, it could be enjoyable, but I doubt that will bw the case. I just hope they won\'t try to make a serious \"message-oriented\" film.','9c9c326137c84b7e2dea19c151988f93',0,'','pNuGTL8j',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10768,1878,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1147267560,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Mo Li Hua Kai (Jasmine Women) (2004) (China)','\r\n\r\nDirector: Hou Yong\r\nCast: Zhang Ziyi, Joan Chen, Jiang Wen, Lu Yi, Liu Ye\r\n\r\nThe film was made 3 years ago, but it only got distributed this year.\r\nIt earned Zhang Ziyi the Best Actress in Golden Rooster Awards (in China) in 2004.\r\n\r\nThe Japanese website\r\nsee\r\nhttp://www.jasminewomen.jp/\r\n\r\nSynopsis\r\nBased on a book by Su Tong (Women\'s Life), the film is divided into three Chapters - The Grandmother (called Mo), The Mother (called Li), The Daughter (called Hua). Together, these three characters formed the Chinese words to mean \"Jasmine\" (see the first row of posters). Zhang Ziyi portrayed as all three of them.\r\n\r\nMy thoughts\r\n\r\n- The entire cast is good, incl. the male cast. They are all rather renowned in China. \r\n\r\nWhile some people thought Zhang Ziyi had a very good performance, some people felt that the characters were not distinct enough ... Likewise, some thought Joan Chen stole the limelight, while some felt the two characters did not really differ much (one of which was supposed to be the OLD Zhang Ziyi) ... Watch and decide for yourself ... hiaks hiaks\r\n\r\n- As for the story, because it was based on a book. I had to say it was simple but good. Noteworthy, each story (from the grandmother to the daughter) kind of \"repeated\" itself intentionally to suggest how cyclical life is ... and how sometimes, one might try to change everything but is unsuccessful ... or how sometimes, one is very confident that life will be different for them, but alas, history repeats itself ...\r\n\r\n(PS: the director did change the third story slightly to make it less repetitive ... and maybe more optimistic ...)\r\n\r\nForgive me, but I would have preferred a more pessimistic ending ... because that maintained the \"essence\" of the plot or message ...\r\n\r\n- yup, you are going to hear the familiar song \"Mo Li Hua\"\r\nhttp://www.jasminewomen.jp/\r\n\r\nConclusion\r\nRecommended.','c31fef27d991f725a658b728722695f8',0,'','zZg43dLt',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10769,1879,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1137980700,1,0,1,1,1,1,'howardschumann(d)','Syrian Bride (2005) My review','THE SYRIAN BRIDE (Ha-Kala Ha-Surit)\r\n\r\nDirected by Eran Riklis (2004)\r\n\r\nAfter Israel took the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 war, 17,000 ethnic Druze, whose people had been living in the area for centuries, suddenly found their lives fractured and their families divided by an impassable border. In spite of substantial economic and educational gains made under Israeli rule, the Druze of the Golan still consider themselves to be Syrians living under Israeli occupation. They do not intermingle with Israelis, refuse to hold Israeli passports, and live in their own villages. A French/German/Israeli co-production, The Syrian Bride tells the story of one such family as they prepare to attend their daughter\'s wedding on the Syrian border. It is primarily a comedy yet it is also a poignant drama that takes no sides but attempts to put the political turmoil in the region into a humanistic context.\r\n\r\nMona (Clara Khoury), a young Druze bride is to be wed to Syrian TV-star Tallel (Derar Sliman) from Damascus, a man she has never met. Since neither country recognizes the other diplomatically, once the bride crosses the border to Syria, she will never be allowed to return to Israel and her wedding day, usually a day of great joy, may be one of her saddest. While the film tells us much about the sad realities of the political fragmentation in the Middle East, it is also a story with social and cultural ramifications. Mona\'s sister Amal (Hiyam Abbas), whose expressive face frames the film\'s beginning and end, is stuck in an unhappy marriage. She wants to attend Haifa University but is thwarted by her husband Amin (Adnan Trabshi) who is afraid of losing face in the village and of relinquishing \"control\". \r\n\r\nMona\'s father Hammed (Makram Khoury), a pro-Syrian agitator known to Israeli police, is forbidden to travel to the Syrian border to say goodbye to his daughter. He harbors resentment and refuses to welcome his son Hattem (Eyad Sheety) and his Russian wife home from Moscow because he broke family tradition and moved away eight years ago. Another son, Marwan (Ashraf Barhom), a businessman, is welcomed by the family but is rejected by an angry former girlfriend, a French Red Cross worker (Julie-Anne Roth), who works in the village. Mona\'s character is mostly symbolic and she has little to say, yet the story of the film is written on her face and her lack of dimensionality is more than compensated for by the depth of the supporting characters, particularly Hattem and Amal.\r\n\r\nAs these conflicts bubble under the surface, the situation becomes increasingly absurd as the wedding is threatened by bureaucratic intransigence on the border checkpoints between Israel and Syria. Mona\'s passport has an Israeli stamp on it and, according to Syrian regulations, anyone carrying a passport with an Israeli stamp is denied entry to Syria. Neither Israeli nor Syrian customs officials seem to know what to do and the prospective bride and groom are stuck in a no-man\'s land, reduced to communicating via bullhorns pressed against locked gates. The Syrian Bride may sound like an exercise in absurdity bordering on farce, yet for the family who may never see their child again, it is a drama of high seriousness. Whether you consider The Syrian Bride to be an allegory, black comedy, family drama, or political statement, the image of a girl sitting alone in a white wedding dress stuck between impenetrable barriers is one that remains.\r\n\r\nGRADE: A-','8e21695b18f4415e1e649858dc5c2ee5',0,'','xVQFfN0i',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10770,1879,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1138080000,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: Syrian Bride (2005) My review','Saw it also last year at the cinema with a friend. He was bored, I was mildly interested. The film is imo very mediocre, as it tries to raise political questions through a family drama with satirical undertones, but doesn\'t get serious. It raises some questions for the audience, but had imo nothing to tell for anybody slightly knowledgable of the conflict. If it weren\'t for the \"importance\" of the film I don\'t think much attention would be given to it. The direction is mediocre at best, the actors are solid, other technical departments didn\'t strike me as original in any way. It\'s true that the film has some startling images, but for me it worked more as an idea that deserved a better movie.\r\nI recommend it if you\'re interested in the topic.','5ea0d88374b38051bc5b5c6060560bb4',0,'','cXxC76Qr',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10771,1879,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1139519220,1,0,1,1,1,1,'howardschumann(d)','Re: Syrian Bride (2005) My review','I strongly disagree with your assessment. This was far from mediocre in my opinion. Actually it was one of my 12 favorite films from last year.','77a9b35ee5a235ee217449435731b309',0,'','hNLco8vH',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10772,1879,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1140912660,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: Syrian Bride (2005) My review','Well, for me the technical and artistic achievement lagged behind the important message.\r\nIt was just too much \"entertainment\" and too little \"drama\" for me. The director should have focused more on one of these aspects.\r\nA similar film you might enjoy ,and which i found artistically more satisfying is \"Rana\'s Wedding\" by Hany Abu-Assad (Paradise Now). The lead actress Clara Khoury is the same as in \"The Syrian Bride\".','c11f5d7e7365eed45c57c30a0d2fd3a8',0,'','SQNM30A9',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10773,1879,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1147262700,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Syrian Bride (2005) My review','\r\n\r\nDirector: Eran Riklis\r\nCast: Clara Khoury, Hiam Abbass\r\n\r\nThe official website (in English)\r\nsee\r\nhttp://www.syrianbride.com/english.html\r\n\r\nMy thoughts ...\r\n\r\nWhat is good ...\r\n\r\n- The performance delivered by the two female protagonists (the sister and the bride) ... to some audience, the sister might even steal the limelight from the bride ... \r\n\r\nhence, it makes me wonder if \"The Syrian Bride\" actually refers to ALL the \"wives\"/females in the film ...\r\n\r\ne.g., the main protagonist (i.e., the bride)\r\ne.g., her sister ... a typical \"Syrian\" bride (because they identified themselves with Syrians) ... who keeps her silence in the past ... but is now willing to break free ...\r\ne.g., the brother\'s Russian wife ... the \"Syrian\" bride that could not be (because she has to be accepted as a \"Syrian\") ...\r\ne.g., the defiant daughter ... the girl who was in love with someone her father was against ...\r\ne.g., all the girls whom the brother has \"flirted\" with ... but will never be his \"Syrian\" bride ...\r\n\r\nWhile some audience may find the stories of these women to be very real, some may criticize the script for trying to cramp all possibilities into one film and one family ... i am okay with it though ... \r\n\r\n-- The second half of the film is rather engaging, with the audience wondering what will happen, and how the film will end ...\r\n\r\n-- It tries to cover lots of issues ...\r\ne.g., political\r\ne.g., social and family\r\ne.g., feminist\r\netc\r\n\r\nIn essence, it deals with oppression and compromise at many levels ... at the individual level, social level and international level ...\r\n\r\n\r\nWhat could be better ...\r\n\r\n- In order to fully appreciate all the subtleties in the film (because a lot of things are not explained but inferred), an audience would have to possess some knowledge about the history/ or events/ or culture/ or feelings etc ... otherwise, the film would not be as impactful ... one would not feel as much as the characters ...\r\n\r\n- The first half of the film could be more engaging ... it did have a lot of messages ... but they were not dramatic/compelling enough ... those who like \"daily life\" as it is might like the film better ... while those who prefer events/emotions might find the first half less coherent and not too fast pace ... the film is more \"engaging\" when the bride is stranded at the border ...\r\n\r\nConclusion\r\nRecommended. An ambitious film with lots of subtle messages (some of which are lost if one does not know enough). Honestly, I do not profess to know many of them too ... * guilty * ... The second half of the film when the bride is stranded between the two borders is more compelling.','6b0215dddcb8842c01abde2e477b2423',0,'','hUtT4bGq',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10774,1880,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1147245780,1,0,1,1,1,1,'howardschumann(d)','ABC Africa, a Kiarostami film','ABC AFRICA\r\n\r\nDirected by Abbas Kiarostami (2001)\r\n\r\nAsked by the UN International Fund for Economic Development (IFAD) to make a film documenting the plight of millions of Ugandan orphans ravaged by the recent civil war and the scourge of AIDS, Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami responded with something much more, a personal and poetic film that allows us to see the people, the land, and the culture of Uganda without relentless images of despair. The documentary, ABC Africa, captures a kaleidoscope of faces of children and adults that display an enthusiasm for life that belies the grim statistics. The children of Kampala may be without parents but they are still children, ready to burst into wondrous song or dance, or simply mug for the camera when given the opportunity. \r\n\r\nABC Africa illuminates the work of the Uganda Women\'s Effort to Save orphans (UWESCO), an organization of women willing to adopt these children even though they may have many other mouths to feed. There is no voice-over narration in the film, only interviews with Ugandan relief workers who describe the extent of the problems they face. In trademark Kiarostami fashion, as a car drives through the streets of Kampala and the countryside, the digital hand-held camera records the passing scene, revealing both the beauty and the ugliness of Ugandan life. In one extraordinary sequence, we share the grief as the camera pans into a hospital for children dying of AIDS and follows a dead child being wrapped in a blanket and put into a makeshift cardboard box, then wheeled away on a bicycle to an unknown burial ground. \r\n\r\nEqually memorable is a five-minute segment shot in total darkness inside a hotel where the power has failed due to regular midnight power cuts. All we hear is the conversation of two men in Farsi as they struggle to find their hotel room, a hint of the fear that Ugandans face each night and a metaphor for the darkness in which millions of Africans live. The film also shows the well-meaning but questionable efforts of a young Austrian family to adopt an orphaned girl found on the streets and bring her to Austria. Though some might have wanted ABC Africa to address the social, economic, and political causes that have left 1.6 million children without parents, Kiarostami\'s camera is simply present to each given moment and the result is a revelation.\r\n\r\nGRADE: A-','dd7f8f7c5c395f45b298ebbdc14fecd4',0,'','xDqFtVjh',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10775,1881,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1112979540,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','5x2 - Ozon (2004) (France)','Oh dear, where to start on this one.\r\n\r\n5 scenes covering a relationship from inception, marriage, pregnancy, meltdown, divorce.\r\n\r\nThe film copies the broken, reversed style of Memento, Irreversible, 21 Grams etc but without any rhyme or reason, seems like a case of jumping on the boat except the boat has already left port.\r\n\r\nWe open with the divorce and the couple meeting in a hotel room after for some post marital sex? during which the wife says \"no, stop!\" The man stops but within seconds he has pressed his ex wife flat to the bed face down and he rapes her. After, the woman has dressed and cleaned herself up, she tries to leave the room and her ex husband comes out with a truly pitiful remark like \"can we try again\".\r\n\r\nYou can\'t feel anything for the characters because they are vacuous and shallow, why did they marry? who\'s baby is it? what are the causes of the disintegration of the relationship? At the end/start of it it\'s more a case of who cares!\r\n\r\nReviews for the film are very mixed and unfortunately I must side with the negatives on this one.\r\n\r\nFor more indepth and opposing opinions, please use the following link - 5x2 opinions. \r\n\r\nCheers Trev','cffd2179cbe3d8e186a2933f21214fae',0,'','Ndzh7ekX',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10776,1881,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1146956940,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: 5x2 - Ozon (2004) (France)','Saw it again for the 2nd time, this time on a (german) DVD. \r\n\r\nUnfortunately I must say that the image seemed to lose a lot of its depth and plasticity in the transfer. It seemed more like something made for TV, and also the nuanced lighting didn\'t really come through. Maybe this has to do with the fine and grainy film-material itself that wasn\'t adequately captured on this digital medium. The divorce at the beginning that seemed to me reminiscent of Bergman, through camera and lighting, was nowhere as stark and high-contrast as I recalled to remember it.\r\nBut back to the film itself. \r\nThe structure that was surprising when seen for the first time, obviously didn\'t work as well in a re-viewing. But because I knew what was coming, I could concentrate more on the unspoken intricacies between the two protagonists. Sometimes startled at first, too mch seemed obvious to me this time. Maybe I have by now broadened my own experiences to an extent that the behaviour of the couple seemed more \"normal\" - as weird as this term might seem in reference to their cowardly and self-destructive behaviour. What we have is an ordinary middle-class couple, introverted an not really aware of their own needs and desires. Throughout their relationship they will, explore themselves more and more, a task they have obviously never learned in their previous lives. The woman is - like many times in Ozon films - the stronger and the smarter one, walking away at the end with a new sense of her position in life. Her ex-husband it seems hasn\'t learned as much, and is in the course of repeating the same mistake again. And probably for the umptenth time. His previous relationship, which is presented to us briefly at the end of the film, hasn\'t worked out for similar reasons. The film is not as distant and observing as it had seemed to me, in fact Ozon quite often tries to pull us into it through plot-devices and camera and editing techniques that are at times quite conventional. And the hopelessness of the situation is only due to a restricted frame of mind, experiences that haven\'t been gathered, and the immaturity of the leads. \r\nAt one point we see Marion (the female lead, played by Valeria Bruni Tedeschi) having a sexual encounter with a stranger in her wedding night. We see how she wonders, if she really loves her husband, if she can do without touching another man again, and probing these questions through this opportunity. The next morning, she runs back to her husband, afraid of the consequences of her deed, only to find him sleeping in bed. She embraces him and continuosuly whispers \"I love you\" into his ear. A confirmation, as much to herself as to him, but why exactly she hadn\'t been so sure of herself before, can be witnessed in other scenes. In one, the husband is afraid to be present at the birth of his child, at another he shows how little he knows his wife, when he retells a sexual encounter he had on a party, while his wife was present. At first glance both seem to fit quite well together, but they now so little about themsleves and the other that they constantly miss each other - physically and emotionally. The end was already planted in the beginning, but as is the case with most couples, shortcomings and conflicts are ingored until it is too late.\r\nOzon discusses again his favorite topics, though without the bite and satire obvious in his strongest works. Here he displays more his humanist side, making us understand and \"forgive\" both parts more or less equally. Maybe he was trying to sort out some of his own past relationships. He succeeds, though he doesn\'t really seem to be too much involved with the topics presented anymore.\r\nIn the end still a fine film about the disintegration of a couple that is still in search of themselves and the meaning of love. The end is nevertheless positive, because a fulfillment might be closer to grasp than before. And it seems that at least the female protagonist won\'t make the same mistakes in the future. A necessary move onwards for the protagonist as well as the viewer, who might have learned a lesson or two about himself after watching this film.\r\n\r\npersonal rating: 68 out of 100','b03aed785c6907fd0493475bef2459f0',0,'','sxgbUVFE',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10777,1881,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1146964920,1,0,1,1,1,1,'arsaib4','Re: 5x2 - Ozon (2004) (France)','\"I could concentrate more on the unspoken intricacies between the two protagonists.\"\r\n\r\nThats in fact part of the problem I had with the film: I just didnt think that there were enough moments where Ozon allowed us to contemplate their interactions. His characters seemed rigid, boxed-in, like they werent allowed to grow on their own; instead they were dependent on the films backward chronological structure.\r\n\r\n\"At one point we see Marion (the female lead, played by Valeria Bruni Tedeschi) having a sexual encounter with a stranger in her wedding night. We see how she wonders, if she really loves her husband, if she can do without touching another man again, and probing these questions through this opportunity.\"\r\n\r\nThats true, but I think this scenario truly depends on whether one finds her actions plausible. Perhaps Ozon couldve chosen another set-up in order to elicit her emotions... I\'m not sure. On the other hand, this film is about challenging, and even attacking, the notion of fidelity.\r\n\r\n\"Here he displays more his humanist side, making us understand and \"forgive\" both parts more or less equally.\"\r\n\r\nInteresting. But one could also make a case that Ozons characters are actually quite hollow, both morally and emotionally. And he perhaps doesnt do enough to justify their behavioral patterns.\r\n\r\nI will say that I remember 5 x 2 better than some of the other films I\'ve watched (and liked) since then. Maybe it\'s a sign.','56594293c184d38b2ddec98743fb31c0',0,'','0UqLzRwt',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10778,1881,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1146970380,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: 5x2 - Ozon (2004) (France)','I agree, that he could have maybe used other ways of making some points. But the way he filmed the encounter between Marion and the stranger was very much reminiscent of Marion and her husband and the \"rape\" scene at the beginning. So the beginning of the film shows us again where Marion falls into the trap of her \"submissive\" behavioural patterns (though she tries to fight it more this time), and the scene \"before\", deepens our understanding of her character.\r\nI don\'t think the characters are hollow. They are very introvertive, and unsure about themselves and their feelings. Both have imo what you could call an \"inferiority complex\", constantly trying to prove themselves, re-determine their image of themselves, etc. \r\nI would call them immature, not hollow. But why Ozon doesn\'t give us \"more\", is probably because he wants to make us think about ourselves, to make it possible to find ourselves in the characters somewhere (I found myself in both quite a lot, actually). If they would be more clearly rendered, everything would seem more determined. It is also only a fragment of their relationship that is shown, though all of the moments are crucial. \r\nI think it fits more Ozon`s technique as a filmmaker, not to judge but to observe, as well as get the viewer to interact with the film on their own. \r\nBut as you can see from my rating, I don\'t value it highly. Maybe those grades are worth something in the end','b6216c50cd6f05a20b8d70f249c38677',0,'','BajgHhbZ',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10779,1881,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1146984780,1,0,1,1,1,1,'arsaib4','Re: 5x2 - Ozon (2004) (France)','You make an interesting point about the \"rape\" scene(s), although I\'m doubtful regarding Marion\'s submissiveness and if that was what Ozon tried to portray.\r\n\r\nMaybe Ozon should\'ve hired actors that didn\'t come across as cerebral as Tedeschi and Feiss. That\'s where we perhaps differ the most in terms of their characters and how they handled themselves.\r\n\r\nI think a couple of other members have also seen this film, so it\'ll be interesting to read their comments and opinions.','03e0c8b8685ccd18fd969ba7bf2eba57',0,'','eCruzmEQ',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10780,1881,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1147024740,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: 5x2 - Ozon (2004) (France)','Unusually for me I haven\'t made the effort to see 5x2 since my comments. I will try and fit it in sometime just to see if my initial opinion has changed.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','11470abf92740389aee2dbaceb80d5e4',0,'','vCGzqhaF',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10781,1881,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1147070400,1,0,1,1,1,1,'Anasazie','Re: 5x2 - Ozon (2004) (France)','I\'ve seen it, but it was a year ago and i remember being very disappointed. I didn\'t feel like it was anything new and i really had a problem with the narrative structure. I find that kind of approach a bit tacky, it was just a cheap gimmick. It was also a bit too objective because even if the device was there in order to convey some kind of idea about the pivotal moments in relationships being quite specific it\'s not working because that\'s a subjective thing, it\'s a personal thing, not a collective experience. The pivotal moments in a relationship would be different for each member of the relationship. I thought it was interesting for a while, but ultimately highly flawed and unoriginally presumtuous of what those pivotal moments are.\r\n\r\nAfter seeing it i felt that Ozon had kind of lost his way since Under the Sand, but he\'s redeemed himself a bit with his latest offering \"Le Temp Qui Reste\", which was very very simple, but quite pure and transcendental, it rang true with me. Not anywhere near as strong or evocative as Under the Sand, but my hope for this film-maker has gone somewhere towards being restored.','198c0c104e6c3f42af9452e2e430f6ae',0,'','U3JKvAHS',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10782,1881,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1147097520,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: 5x2 - Ozon (2004) (France)','I think I understand and share most of your reservations and disappointments with the film, though they don\'t affect the overall film for me that much.\r\n\r\nFrom Ozon I haven\'t seen his newest, and \"Water drops on burning rocks\", yet (along with some of his shorts - he really made a lot before starting feature films.)\r\nMy favorite so far would be \"Under the Sand\" , followed by his short \"A summer\'s dress\" (which I didn\'t care for at all, when I saw it the first time ).','de6c35260eeca43573008a6036c4ec41',0,'','LZ3hQJme',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10783,1881,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1147165020,1,0,1,1,1,1,'Anasazie','Re: 5x2 - Ozon (2004) (France)','Water Drops on Burning Rocks would be probably be my second favourite and i like the short he made about the photographer who captured men in climatic moments.','6e13f66c742b38009983c4c3ce935a7b',0,'','D14MzmfL',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10784,1881,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1147207800,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: 5x2 - Ozon (2004) (France)','Yes, \"le petit mort\", how the french ironically call the male orgasm. I also liked it.\r\nI saw a few excerpts from \"Water drops on burning rocks\", and they seemed interesting. But of course I\'d like to see Ozon taking on Fassbinder.','f93ee648111f3496aec291babb51ff1e',0,'','e8cp6lYN',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10785,1882,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1146041640,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Workingman\'s Death (2005) (Austria/Germany)','\r\n\r\nDirector: Michael Glawogger\r\n\r\nThe official website\r\nsee\r\nhttp://www.workingmansdeath.com/\r\n\r\nThe documentary depicts the work of various manual labor around the world, and is told in 6 segments\r\nChapter 1: HEROES\r\nChapter 2: GHOSTS\r\nChapter 3: LIONS\r\nChapter 4: BROTHERS\r\nChapter 5: THE FUTURE\r\nChapter 6: EPILOGUE \r\n\r\nEach segment will bring you to a different country and labor\r\n1 - Ukraine, coal mines\r\n2 - Indonesia, sulphur mining\r\n3 - Nigeria, slaughter yard\r\n4 - Pakistan, shipbreaking\r\n5 - China, steel complex\r\n6 - Germany, leisure park\r\n\r\nFor more info\r\nhttp://www.workingmansdeath.com/chapter_en.html\r\n\r\nAs I did not read much about the film prior to watching, I thought the film was technically \"unexpected\", but good ... merely looking at the title, I thought it is going to be rather \"dramatic\" and \"eventful\" ... bombarding us with scenes of horrible images ... say, for example, mines exploding, people very sick and dying, etc ...\r\n\r\nWithout these manipulative tactics, the film actually achieves a higher level of technicality ... making the audience feel ... by ... depicting a very realistic portrayal of how life has to go on despite the harsh conditions ... as there is always hope amidst resignation ... and there is always danger amidst calm ... and there is always bond (be it love or friendship) amidst poverty ... and there is always \"entertainment\" amidst work ...\r\n\r\nAs such, the film succeeds in making the audience feel the gravity of the situation, the grimness and the suffering, and yet will occasionally smile at the interviews/dialogues, etc ...\r\n\r\nThe film also has interesting lines and food for thought ...\r\n\r\nIn terms of cinematography, I personally like the scenes at Ukraine (wow ... the winter), Indonesia, China (wow ... the calligraphy) and Germany (the lighting) ...\r\n\r\nI do not have much qualms over the film except that \r\n... NOT all audience can stomach the scenes at Nigeria ... with all the slaughtering and blood ... and for quite an extensive segment\r\n... also, the China and Germany segments are kind of too terse ...\r\n\r\nConclusion:\r\nHighly Recommended. \r\nBut do go with the expectation of a documentary, not a drama ...\r\nAlso, the scenes at Nigeria with all the slaughtering may be too much for some audience ...','e76744366a7e95c15103923418300285',0,'','kf7ZaDC4',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10786,1882,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1146072000,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: Workingman\'s Death (2005) (Austria/Germany)','Sounds good as expected. I\'ll try to check it out if it will be shown here in the south. \r\nCan you tell me some more about the scenes in germany, the \"Leisure Park\"','cd66ad5880b40adea043ee3566be43a3',0,'','5Lw4skTF',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10787,1882,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1146436080,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Workingman\'s Death (2005) (Austria/Germany)','sure ...\r\n\r\nunfortunately, the \"leisure park\" scenes are for the epilogue ... so it is kind of brief ...\r\n\r\nit basically features the \"beauty\" of its night lightings, with many young couples visiting it ... kissing, etc ... * smile *\r\n\r\nwhile others may have a different interpretation for this ending scene, i would like to say my take away of the scene is probably ...\r\n-- that there is still \"life\" after its supposed \"end\" (the steel industry) ... paralleling the fact that life goes on ... or there is always a new lease of life ...\r\n-- and that there is \"beauty\" in everything we do (or work) ... these and many other workers help bring \"beauty\" to the world ...','bfc3bc62ddc00cb1e10220b76f30295d',0,'','TeuN8KcA',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10788,1882,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1146958860,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: Workingman\'s Death (2005) (Austria/Germany)','Thanks. \r\nThe film was just starting to play in one theater when I left Berlin, but I\'ll try to catch it when I have the chance.','54f2f3bbef10dd23c299f637bfaec3c8',0,'','QRGYVBMl',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10789,1882,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1147146300,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Workingman\'s Death (2005) (Austria/Germany)','An interview with the director\r\nwww.cinema-scope.com/cs24...r_salt.htm','7c0d0ba2adb108f9e0065e3ed285176b',0,'','NdEYa4pM',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10790,1883,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1147090680,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','The Giant Buddhas (2005) (Switzerland)','\r\n\r\nDirector: Christian Frei\r\n\r\nThe Official Website\r\nsee\r\nhttp://www.giant-buddhas.com/en/synopsis/\r\n\r\nThe film is based on the destruction of the famous Bamiyan Buddhas in 2001 ...\r\n\r\nMy thoughts ...\r\n\r\n(i) The overall message was good ...\r\n\r\nIn particular, I like the segment at the end ... depicting the family whose lives are changed ... they were also depicted in the beginning ... bringing the entire film to a higher level ... reiterating that the whole issue is NOT just about religion ... but something that is closer to \"home\" ... i.e., families as well ...\r\n\r\n(ii) I also like the segment which depicts the aftermath and \"restoration\" efforts ... e.g., building a replica ... e.g., using photogrammetry and anastylosis ...\r\n\r\n(iii) A very thought provoking line ... Quote, \"... that the statue of Buddha was not demolished by anybody. It crumbled out of shame, out of shame for the world\'s ignorance towards Afghanistan ...\"\r\n\r\nWhat could be better ...\r\n\r\n(i) The narratives ... While the film does revolve around the Giant Buddhas, it does not engage the audience sufficiently to be emotionally attached nor \"curious enough\" to want to know what happens next ... the different paths that the director takes (in terms of narration/story telling) also does not make it feel very \"coherent\" or \"taut\" in terms of story telling ... better editing is encouraged ...\r\n\r\nConclusion\r\nAbove average','3fe5c76acfcfa2db3e0f3f676e4694dd',0,'','L94NZovP',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10791,1884,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1129798800,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Election (Hei She Hui) & Election 2 (Yi He Wei Gui) (HK)','\r\n\r\nElection (Hei She Hui) (2005)\r\n\r\nDirector: Johnnie To\r\nCast: Tony Leung Ka Fai, Simon Yam, Louis Koo\r\n\r\nThis film premiered at the Venice Film Festival 2005 ...\r\nsee \r\nhttp://www.festival-cannes.fr/films/fiche_film.php?langue=6002&id_film=4282802&edition=2005\r\n\r\nThe film title is \"Hei She Hui\" (in Mandarin) or \"Hak Seh Wui\" (in Cantonese), which translates to \"Triads\". \r\nHowever, for some \"correctness\" reason, in China, the title is changed to \"Long Cheng Sui Yue\", which translates to \"The Days/Times in Dragon Town\" (or \"The Days/Times in Kowloon\") ...\r\n\r\nWith regards to the screen version in Singapore theater, I am not very sure but I think it is the China 85 min version (based on the time I entered and departed from the theater) rather than the Cannes 101 min version. A pity ...\r\n\r\nThe story basically revolves around the election of a new Chairman for the Triad, either Big D or Lok ... There is much tension and anxiety regarding major chaos before the election ... But even after the election, the expected calm did not follow ... as they all tried to snatch the \"Dragon\'s Head Baton\" which symbolized the appointed Chairman ... Would the \"traditional\" code of conduct, i.e., loyalty and brotherhood, prevail?\r\n\r\nHere is my take ...\r\n\r\nWhat is commendable ...\r\n\r\n-- In terms of directing, \r\n(i) Despite the lack of fireams, there is substantial violence in very realistic and credible ways. A few scenes are particularly chilly!\r\n(ii) To me, there are a number of well scripted subtleties (for the audience to infer) ... but not everybody will get it, simply dismissing them as just another event or remark, etc ... in other words, the script tries to make it a battle of wit and \"human or triad politics\" ... but it does not necessarily come across ... hence, I feel it is an ambitious film which might be easily dismissed as a cat and mouse chase of the \"baton\" ...\r\n\r\n-- In terms of casting, it boasts of a very strong ensemble (be they the old or the young, who may not be known to the West). However, not many are utilized to their fullest potential. For example, scenes by Louis Koo were so heavily edited that he seemed to take on a supporting role ... the ending with him also seemed incomplete ... hmmm, is it reserved for Part 2?! ... Nonetheless, Tony Leung Ka Fai managed to rivet the audience with his performance\r\n\r\n-- It also hints at some themes, \r\ne.g., what have changed in the past and present about triads\r\ne.g., who is more powerful, the police or the triads\r\ne.g., what is more important, power or honor\r\netc etc etc\r\n\r\nWhat is problematic ...\r\n-- My main qualm about the film is \r\n(i) its pacing\r\n(ii) and its story telling\r\n\r\nLet me explain ...\r\n\r\nIf I recall correctly, \"rumor\" has it that more than 3 to 4 hrs of negatives are filmed, but for screening sake, the director had reduced it to a 1 hr odd film ... some even suggested that it was edited to have a Part 1 and Part 2 ... \r\n\r\nIf only the *story telling* could be much better ... why?\r\n\r\n(i) It does not have sufficient \"characterization\" or \"background story\" to let the audience root for either Big D or Lok ... Hence, as of now, the 1st half an hour was kind of slow and tedious, merely watching how the \"old\" leaders argue about who to vote ... UNLESS the audience is rooting for a particular candidate to win ... instead, the audience is likely to watch from an outsiders\' perspective and be indifferent towards either ... \r\n\r\n(ii) I wonder if the original 3 to 4 hrs of negatives could be re-edited to have a much tighter *pacing* and \"gripping\" story telling ... (i.e., if Part 1 and the supposed Part 2 are condensed into 1 film)\r\n\r\n(iii) Initially, there are too many characters (heads and subordinates), such that when the baton fell into different people\'s hand ... it was slightly difficult to track (at least at first viewing) whose subordinates\' hands the baton had landed in ...\r\n\r\n(iv) Louis Koo\'s scenes were so heavily edited that he felt more like a supporting rather than the main role. I also feel that the \"hints\" of a \"next\" generation story and the film\'s ending with Louis Koo somehow seemed \"incomplete\" \r\n(oh no ... will there really be a Part 2?!)\r\n\r\n** There are also \"sources\" which noted that the ending is different for the China and Cannes versions ... in terms of Louis Koo\'s status and what Simon Yam did at the end ...\r\n\r\n* MAJOR SPOILER *\r\n\r\nAccording to some sources (reliable?!),\r\n\r\n(i) Louis Koo is not an undercover in the HK version, but he is made to be a good guy (by being an undercover for the police) in the China version ... Anyway, the scene is pretty abrupt ... \r\n\r\n(2) Apparently, Simon Yam also killed Tony\'s wife rather cruelly at the end (after she witnessed the stoning of Tony by Simon). This scene seemed to be edited out. In the China version, she was only seen running away after witnessing the incident, without Simon giving chase.\r\n\r\n* END OF MAJOR SPOILER*\r\n\r\nConclusion:\r\nIn my very humble opinion, I just feel that it has a lot of potential to be witty, subtle and intriguing, but it just fails to grip in terms of *pacing* and *story telling* ...\r\n\r\nNonetheless, I would rather you watch it and tell me how much you like it, \r\n-- in terms of its artistic/filming merits\r\n-- in terms of its entertainment value/mass appeal ...','be34dde046e5dacb653864250c8b9a3e',0,'','RMPyQ0UA',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10792,1884,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1129801740,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Election (Hei She Hui) & Election 2 (Yi He Wei Gui) (HK)','\r\nHere is what I have posted for the Cannes Film Festival (in the old board)\r\n\r\nDirector: Johnnie To\r\n-- Election (English title)\r\n-- Hei She Hui (Chinese title) (loosely translated to \"Gangs/Triads\" )\r\n\r\nThe movie poster ...\r\nweblogs.variety.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/election.jpg\r\n\r\nThe words in the poster read:\r\n-- Three hundred years ago, they were known as \"chivalry\" (or \"loyalists\")\r\n\r\n** The exact Chinese translation for \"chivalry\" has a slightly different essence/nuance ... Many would like to believe that in the past, \"gangs\" are formed to help one another and are known to be loyal. They may have more principles too ... As for nowadays ... things have changed ...\r\n\r\nSynopsis of the movie:\r\n-- It narrates the events that occur during the election for the new head of a gang. Although fictitious, it seems to reminisce about the rise and fall of gangs/triads in Hong Kong in the early days.\r\n\r\nThe cast:\r\n-- Louis Koo \r\n-- Tony Leung Ka Fai \r\n-- Simon Yam \r\n-- Nick Cheung\r\n-- Andy On\r\netc\r\n\r\nGallery of the cast\r\nent.sina.com.cn/v/2004-11-12/1022563343.html\r\n\r\nTrivia:\r\n** This is actually a 4 hour movie. So, I am not sure if the Cannes release is Part I of the movie and Part II is pending another release ... or is this simply an edited version of the full movie. I think it is the Part I.\r\n\r\nRegardless of any award, I will watch the movie when it is released ...','aa0f16f4f96f0542d580f6a10931d549',0,'','yrjk7wgp',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10793,1884,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1131100800,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: Election (Hei She Hui) & Election 2 (Yi He Wei Gui) (HK)','Nice to see director Jonnie To taking on an epical film. I can\'t wait to see the two parts together. Hopefully they will come into german cinemas.','ee682f003033fd5eb884379b80035cf3',0,'','M6vGJi3Q',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10794,1884,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1144215780,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Election (Hei She Hui) & Election 2 (Yi He Wei Gui) (HK)','\r\n\r\nThe opening film for HKIFF 2006\r\n\r\nThe Chinese words read ... \"yi he wei gui\" ... \r\nloosely translated to ... that peace is most invaluable ...\r\n\r\nI have watched it ... and will write the review soon ...','c1452108637d95f063eca6e9ccd32ae8',0,'','Vm4M6uDh',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10795,1885,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1146943380,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hnderson','The Reader','I\'ve been searching for this film for a long time. As my memory isn\'t what it used to be, I don\'t remember when I saw it but believe it was in the mid to late \'80s. I believe it was French. And the actress\' name was Mia Mia. \r\n\r\nIt was a simple story of a young woman who became a reader to mostly lonely people. \r\n\r\nMy searches for this film have come up with nothing which makes me believe it was a forgettable film. So why can\'t I forget it? I thought the actress was amazing and had the impression that she was quite well known in France. Yet, searches of her name bring up nothing.\r\n\r\nDoes anyone have an idea of how I might find this film or information about Mia Mia and any other films that she\'s been in?\r\n\r\nHA','7e8a00b0bac3e9aae2e2d351c9249155',0,'','PjAkxsF4',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10796,1885,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1146944040,1,0,1,1,1,1,'arsaib4','Re: The Reader','The film you\'re looking for is Michel Deville\'s La Lectrice (1988), starring Miou-Miou. I\'m not sure where you are, but the film is available here (U.S.) on vhs. Hope that helps.','27309d19f0e4384421b2b67390860048',0,'','WX2kAJt8',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10797,1885,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1146946140,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hnderson','Re: The Reader','Thanks, I\'m amazed the difference that a tiny bit of information can produce;-).\r\n\r\nHA','4c1cf41a6e2c56fa8b6c22d9083201c2',0,'','dgp4D1Uv',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10798,1886,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1143953340,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Upcoming Swedish Films 2006','recently, i attended a swedish film festival ...\r\n\r\nin the free magazine, i found this link \r\n... informing us of the upcoming 2006 Swedish films\r\n... having good writeups and interviews\r\n\r\nwww.sfi.se/english\r\n** best of all, they are in ENGLISH!\r\n\r\nits latest issue ...\r\nwww.sfi.se/sfi/IMAGES/_SF...DEN_07.PDF\r\nupcoming films are found from p.30 to p.34\r\n\r\npast issues are also archived ...\r\n\r\nGREAT EFFORT by the swedish and swedish film institute ...\r\nthnks','fc4a6d7e51fc24233a067004a5e56904',0,'','we7EpYMB',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10799,1886,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1143953700,1,0,1,1,1,1,'arsaib4','Re: Upcoming Swedish Films 2006','Thanks!','38f5c24717fedaa404babb0c4710152e',0,'','yelwjmTg',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10800,1886,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1145854920,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: Upcoming Swedish Films 2006','Did you copy this to our links section?\r\nThanks for providing them!','aaadc02aaf907c4173b613504bbe243c',0,'','MtlHYzSs',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10801,1887,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1143116460,1,0,1,1,1,1,'Johndav','Russian Ark (Russia, 2002)','RUSSIAN ARK\r\n\r\nDirector: Alexander Sokurov\r\nCast: Sergey Dreiden, Maria Kuznetsova\r\n\r\nRUSSIA, 2002. 96 Mins. Colour. Cert: U\r\n\r\nRussian Ark is not only a film of incomparable technical ambition; a sinuous, languorous, labyrinthine ramble, achieved in a single, astounding 96 minute digital take, that glides stealthily through the gilded splendours of the Hermitage at St Petersburg, guided by an 18th century French diplomat- with audience and a mumbling off-screen \"spy\" joined as spectators to a sumptuous array of paintings and sculptures (Rembrandt, Van Dyck, Canova..), classical concerts, a grand ball, historical pageants and figures, including a now young, now aged Empress Catherine II; it is also a pretentious, self-indulgent elaboration of the director Sokurov\'s thematic concerns, a preposterous virtuoso display of costumes and choreography (marshalling a cast of almost a thousand); an extraordinary, painstakingly rehearsed theatrical performance- replete with lugubrious longueurs- that renders editing redundant; a refined examination of the links between past and present, various art forms, Russian and European civilisation, illusion and reality; a culmination of certain arthouse aspirations that also serves as a beautiful eulogy of cinema history, recalling Last Year at Marienbad, Celine and Julie go Boating, The Leopard, Bondarchuk\'s War and Peace, Anger\'s Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome, Ophuls, Von Sternberg, Kubrick et al; a noble, elegiac testament to celluloid and the prodigious ten minute take; an allusive celebration tinged with melancholy; a closure, an opening; a deliciously sensuous surreal journey from within a disturbed mind; a Carrollian wander through a cultural warren; an ego trip for director and viewer alike- with camera as eye for an I -, an eyes wide shut meditation on vision, voyeurism, identity; an intimate space odyssey of 2002, an ethereal exploration of Time, a graceful, ghostly reflection on transience and the echoing footfalls of history, a remembrance of things past, a Proustian sentence; a floating repository; a dream, death, eternity...and none of the above.','d727662bbb3bf27ec77a83a7bd80e9a2',0,'','vAW2Bpor',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10802,1887,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1143243960,1,0,1,1,1,1,'madhuban','Re: Russian Ark (Russia, 2002)','John, I\'ve seldom read a piece on a film that gets to the heart of it in such an ingenious fashion. This reflective, freewheeling, impressionistic piece, mimicking the structure of the film itself, will stay with me for a long, long time. \r\n\r\nM','5333d91d5068a9fa3ed45d9c74f31fef',0,'','xyTL1PEb',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10803,1887,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1143249900,1,0,1,1,1,1,'Johndav','Re: Russian Ark (Russia, 2002)','You\'re too kind. Gilbert Adair did something similar (and better) about the film Rope, in his book Flickers, which by an amazing coincidence just happens to be my favourite. He\'s a fan of Proust. Anyway, sounds like you\'ll enjoy Flickers, which has one film to represent each year of the cinema centenary, in 1995.\r\n\r\nThank you again, Madhuban- i had sometimes wondered if the article might be embarrassingly foolish, and the section around the sculptures, artists, concert, ball etc feels a bit clumsy to me. I had fun with it though.','bf6ac56f7b5ff1f1b4c9bf02af79f95c',0,'','JGMUlhTu',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10804,1887,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1145850960,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: Russian Ark (Russia, 2002)','Thanks for your free-wheeling comments. It definitely captures the feel of the film for me. \r\nThough I must say that I didn\'t enjoy it too much. The made-for-TV documentary by Elfi Mikesch \"Mon palais\" - added as a bonus on the DVD - was much better.','5167f2f1b25b65fe842f6f92524c7c43',0,'','y6T8ZD2B',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10805,1888,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1145847900,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Pripyat (Austria / 1999 / Nikolaus Geyrhalter)','After some further thought, I\'ve decided to give this film and the topic its own thread. I found a very good review at imdb.com which expressess adequately my own opinions and is added below. My rambling thoughts (which aren\'t worth much, as I was too lazy to write a proper review) can be read under \"Last movie seen\". \r\nI hope more of you will catch this film!\r\n\r\nfrom imdb.com:\r\nAs Close to Being There as a Movie Can Get 9 June 2005\r\n\r\nAuthor: from United States\r\n\r\nThe minimalist approach to editing taken by the documentary crew brings the lives of the people living in Pripyat closer to home. Their emotions are more visible. They are allowed to talk and never interrupted. The black-and-white visuals somber the movie greatly and add an aura of danger. No music is added, no narration; it\'s just the subjects answering questions (and going on their own tangents) for the camera. All of these elements combine to produce a truly unique documentary that shows us what life is like in a town that no one wants to remember. It is deeply human, profoundly tragic, yet never melodramatized.\r\n\r\nThe viewer feels the weight of a profound, almost existential sadness in the eyes, speech, and gait of the people who inhabit the \"Contaminated Zone.\" In response to one of the interviewer\'s questions, a man who herds sheep in the Zone begins explaining the decontamination procedures he was taught by \"engineers\" in times gone by, but trails off to silently reveal his knowledge of their profound inadequacy. It becomes painfully obvious that he has come to terms with the fact that nothing he does will make any difference - and the fact that the people who were supposed to \"help\" him in the past in fact did nothing.\r\n\r\nWhat strikes me most is how afraid the people living around Chernobyl are, and how resolutely they try to mask that fear. The fear is not as much of the explosion that happened nearly two decades ago but of all the current unknowns: What is happening to my health? What is safe to do? What can I eat? What can I drink? Will I ever get out? Will I die? How much radiation is there? Is this/that dangerous? As is repeatedly emphasized by interviewees, \"They (the authorities) don\'t tell us anything.\" These authorities have long stopped taking radiation measurements. Even the town doctor complains that she doesn\'t know anything about what\'s safe or what\'s not. One firmly-muscled old lady comes to her with a mysterious pain in her knee (\"like someone\'s beating nails into it\"). She has not slept the night before; the only treatment she could afford her ailing body was a vodka compress. The doctor listens to her frighteningly weak heart. In response to the doctor\'s concerned silence the grandmother says in a tremulous voice: \"Oh well. You have to live and you have to work.\" Nor have the authorities done anything to repair the town\'s non-existent infrastructure, so communication with the outside world is next to impossible. In the absence of working telephones, another elderly lady laments, \"You could die here waiting for an ambulance.\" With no police force, crime is unregulated, so theft and murder are common fears.\r\n\r\nThe town is inhabited almost exclusively by elderly people too poor or too attached to leave. Those who refuse to leave make up one group; those who cannot make up the other. The latter are the ones who curse the government for keeping them in the dark about everything, isolating them, and \"leaving (them) to (their) fate.\" The impossibility of acquiring a car has destroyed travel both to and from Pripyat, so leaving on one\'s own terms is not an option. Those who choose to live in the town speak with a barely-believable cheerfulness about how safe everything is.\r\n\r\nI cannot describe the pain I felt after watching even a small portion of Pripyat. In the final analysis, the film affords little hope since the secrecy and rampant incompetence of the Soviet administration remains under the autonomous Ukrainian government. In one moving section, a former lab technician prefaces her criticism the Soviet government for sending in young, uninformed soldiers to perform \"clean-up\" operations in the wake of the disaster (in effect, sending them to their deaths) with the phrase: \"I don\'t care if they send me to prison.\" Even in 1999, people in the former Soviet Union must fear both their environment and their government.','ec79bedab8a50d4428210a0c9bb7ed0f',0,'','PqhQX45c',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10806,1889,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1118001540,1,0,1,1,1,1,'howardschumann(d)','Broken Wings (Israel)','BROKEN WINGS (Knafayim Shvurot) \r\n\r\nDirected by Nir Bergman (2002)\r\n\r\n\"Blackbird singing in the dead of night. Take these broken wings and learn to fly. All your life, you were only waiting for this moment to arise.\" - Paul McCartney\r\n\r\nThe trauma that accompanies the sudden loss of a beloved family member is being repeated all over the Middle East today. Behind the headlines are the stories we never read about. One of these is told metaphorically in Nir Bergman\'s brilliant first effort Broken Wings. It is not an overtly political film, but the implications are clear. Set in the Israeli port city of Haifa, it depicts the effect of the loss of a patriarch on each member of his family, perhaps suggesting the emotional state of Israel since the murder of Yitzhak Rabin. The 83-minute film won accolades at the Berlin International Film Festival and has been a huge critical and commercial success in Israel, winning nine Israeli Academy Awards in 2003. \r\n\r\nThe beautifully expressive Maya Maron, in her first major role, plays an Israeli teenage singer-songwriter (also named Maya) who dreams of becoming a rock star, and wears wings when she sings in her local band. As the film opens, Maya is singing a song she wrote in memory of her father who died suddenly nine months earlier, for reasons not disclosed until the end of the film. Her song is interrupted when her mother Dafna (stage actress Orly Zilberschatz Banai), a nurse, phones and tells her that she has been called to work on the night shift at the local hospital and needs Maya home to take care of her brother Ido and sister Bahr. Maya emphatically refuses, then relents, but the tension between mother and daughter is palpable. \r\n\r\nThe young woman, who was with her father when he died, does not fully grasp the guilt behind her bottled-up rage, and takes out her anger on her mother, who is both sympathetic and irritating as she labors wearily to keep the family from a collision course. We learn that each family member is suffering the father\'s loss in his or her own way. Dafna stayed in bed for three months, leaving the children to do the parenting, and the results are reflected in their erratic behavior. Six-year old Bahr wets her bed and Ido carries out a strange ritual of filming himself while jumping into an empty pool. The oldest brother Yair (Nitai Gaviratz), also a teenager, has been suspended from school, and hands out leaflets on commuter trains dressed in a mouse costume while expressing a nihilistic philosophy to anyone who will listen. His inability to respond to the words father, fear, and anger during a word association test prompts his school counselor to deny him re-admittance until he receives treatment, but he does not help his cause when he tells the counselor \"Your words are meaningless. This conversation does not exist and you don\'t exist.\" \r\n\r\nYair tells Maya that \"things could be worse,\" and they do get worse before they get better. Broken Wings may sound depressing, but in Bergman\'s skillful hands, its sadness is balanced with humor and the strength and dignity of its characters. The film doesn\'t break any new ground, but displays the kind of insight that allows us to learn something new about ourselves. Though rooted in reality, Broken Wings has a heart that leaps and a soul that soars, and it\'s a film that I truly loved.\r\n\r\nGRADE: A','5b0e829bc93deaa573cba9bedd9488bc',0,'','CmKB1l0J',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10807,1889,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1118026740,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: Broken Wings (Israel)','Thank\'s Howard, it\'s been a while since I\'ve watched it but you\'ve reminded me how much I enjoyed it, as you say \"The film doesn\'t break any new ground, but displays the kind of insight that allows us to learn something new about ourselves.\" and that certainly rings true with Broken Wings. \r\n\r\nMost of us feel a pang of guilt at the death of a close friend or relative so it must be terrible when you feel (and you believe your close family think) that you are in some way responsible, this is one of those films I try and recommend to anyone interested in foreign films. Great review btw.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','971945ecfb15703c13b5e65d1ef85643',0,'','cpRrku3T',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10808,1889,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1118032560,1,0,1,1,1,1,'howardschumann(d)','Re: Broken Wings (Israel)','This is one film that I felt a very strong connection to. Though I haven\'t been able to persuade too many people to see it, those that have really enjoyed it. For some reason, my son, who usually shows very little surface emotion, sobbed for ten minutes after the film was over - must have struck some chord (he never talked about it). It is one of my favorite films of the decade.','96e4137c945c822a12bbcc64f5933543',0,'','TlFA4ePM',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10809,1889,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1118110440,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: Broken Wings (Israel)','Haven\'t seen it yet, but wanted to very much since its release. If I ever see it I\'ll post something. Sounds like a film I\'ll like. \r\n\r\nAnd thanks for all the reviews Howard!!','400fa53eba3e97626d7167a10e25e1dd',0,'','XYszSGkD',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10810,1889,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1118114760,1,0,1,1,1,1,'howardschumann(d)','Re: Broken Wings (Israel)','You\'re welcome. I\'m sure that it is available on DVD depedning where you live of course.','78a431caf482563f696cafe243e1a990',0,'','dD6Kq0Sx',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10811,1889,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1145357400,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Broken Wings (Israel)','Hey,\r\nI have watched it a long time ago in California.\r\n\r\nAnyway, among sev things, I like the song ... very meaningful ...','b48558f3e7d05f4aab4c6eab25a2f1f9',0,'','EbFDquoy',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10812,1889,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1145476320,1,0,1,1,1,1,'myfavorite','Re: Broken Wings (Israel)','I must be losing my humanity, but this movie struck no chord with me. If anything, it merely reminded me of family fare like Party of Five and Seventh Heaven, lowly tv shows which show more restraint and less melodrama than this movie. This movie just went straight for the tear ducts with a not-so-subtle portrayal of a bereaved and embattled family. I\'d pay twice the price of admission if they could achieve the same effect without literarlly going for the floodgates (i.e. the constant depiction of characters shedding copious tears and sundry other overwrought scenes.) \r\n\r\nThere is a formula to tearjerking and that is to do so through sympathetic weeping, i.e. depict someone (preferably a child, the younger, the better) crying with a little context and the audience reach for the Kleenex. But during those manipulative moments in Broken Wings, I could only shake my head and tune out. There are other ways to create emotional responses than outright melodrama. \r\n\r\nFor family drama, I\'m still genuinely moved (yes, to tears, sometimes) by Yasujiro Ozu (although he has clunkers too like Brothers and Sisters of Toda Family). I still remember the heart-rending ending of The Only Son., and yes, it tugged at my heartstrings, to say the least. For that matter, there are a number of movies during which I admit I found myself getting teary-eyed. \r\n\r\nNow that I think about it, I remember Nani Moretti\'s The Son\'s Room, a movie with a similar theme to Broken Wings (i.e. death in the family). The depiction of those who are left behind, their struggle to cope with a loss resonated with me much more than what Broken Wings was shamelessly trying to do.','192f99c2c1d1a268675a35806be9d9fb',0,'','e81uiMl7',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10813,1889,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1145497800,1,0,1,1,1,1,'howardschumann(d)','Re: Broken Wings (Israel)','Really sorry you didn\'t connect with it on an emotional level for whatever reason.\r\n\r\nIt is true of course that I have an abiding emotional connection to Israel and to the Jewish experience but I think the film transcends the limitations of time and place and is a universal exploration of loss and how families respond to it. \r\n\r\nFollowing is a summary of some of the key elements that stand out for me:\r\n\r\nTHE TRUTH OF THE CHARACTERS\r\n\r\nThe script authentically conveys the turmoil of adolescence, one minute they are angry and resentful, the next minute warm and loving. In every situation, the characters react believably even if at times they are unable to put aside their personal desires. All are separated from their pain and act out their guilt by engaging in various forms of denial: Six-year old Bahr wets her bed and Ido carries out a strange ritual of filming himself while jumping into an empty pool. Maya drifts between normal desires for boys and pop music and resentment against her mother for forcing her to assume child-rearing duties. The oldest brother Yair (Nitai Gaviratz) has been suspended from school and spends his time handing out political leaflets on commuter trains wearing a mouse costume while espousing a nihilistic philosophy. The characters do not speak to each other in \"movie\" language but talk in a way that is recognizably human.\r\n\r\nINVOLVING STORY\r\n\r\nThe story, about ordinary people having to experience loss, is one that is easy to identify with. The film could easily have fallen into the trap of melodrama but the director avoids manipulating our emotions by not providing a clichd narration telling us how we should feel and by allowing the characters to achieve growth at their own pace. The score by Avi Belleli is also deeply affecting.\r\n\r\nHUMOR \r\n\r\nIt is a sad film but each character has their own droll sense of humor that lightens the tone, reminiscent of Kitano\'s Fireworks in its play of light and dark. Though the film has moments of darkness, it is not a bleak experience but an uplifting one. \r\n\r\nNATURAL AND UNAFFECTED PERFORMANCES\r\n\r\nWith the exception of Dafna, the mother who is played by an Israeli TV and film veteran, the actors are all first-timers and all the performances achieve a rare naturalness and authenticity. Mr. Bergman illustrates the problem and the challenge. \"You had to use different manipulative ways for each actor. It\'s not like you have one method to work with all your actors, you gotta work with each of them the way that he works. You want to bring them to the authentic moment. But then it\'s so different between different actors. For instance I had a lot of problems with Yair in the energetic scenes. He was a non-actor and he had this pain in his eyes that got him the part, and he was quite good, he was great in most of the scenes that he didn\'t have to be angry. And then when he had to be angry and he had to be more excited, he found it hard to do because it wasn\'t exactly in his nature. So I had to ignore him that day. I had to not speak with him. And eventually I had to shout at him, until he came back with fire, you know? With what he was feeling. So when he and his sister are shouting at each other, that was a scene you really had to work on to get it out.\"\r\n\r\nPOLITICALLY RELEVANT YET UNIVERSAL IN THEME\r\n\r\nThe sudden loss of a family member is part of the experience of life in Israel today when a terrorist can, in an instant of horror, bring a swift end to an individual\'s plans, hopes, and dreams. The film could be a metaphor for the condition Israel finds itself in since the murder of Yitzhak Rabin, but it is not a political film. It is told in the language of personal emotion, of the struggle of a family growing together through a mutually shared loss. Broken Wings may not break any new ground stylistically but, in the honest way the characters interact to support each other, it is a deeply moving and unforgettable experience.','370ba3e31aff30bf20db2ca9d7111594',0,'','3LBrnQ8k',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10814,1889,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1145553240,1,0,1,1,1,1,'wpqx','Re: Broken Wings (Israel)','Didn\'t know this thread existed. I too wasn\'t overly impressed with the film. I didn\'t dislike it, but I found nothing special or really worthwhile about it. The film was remarkably safe and bland, and I know I\'m not the only one who thinks so on this site.','bcffab84e548d82ea966a07d529c1697',0,'','D94ZWknz',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10815,1889,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1145554020,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: Broken Wings (Israel)','I think it\'s one of those films that can touch a nerve, ten years ago it would have made far less of an impression on me than it has now though it\'s less to do with age than with life and personal experience.\r\n\r\nNot a classic but its heart is definitely in the right place.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','d91c8425925e275def52339533ac84d9',0,'','exSEotTn',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10816,1890,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1145106900,1,0,1,1,1,1,'arsaib4','Lu Chuan\'s Mountain Patrol: Kekexili (China / 2004)','__________________\r\n*A 2006 U.S. Release* \r\n\r\nBased on actual events, Mountain Patrol: Kekexili is a thrilling, old-fashioned adventure which sports a larger-than-life scope, albeit at times without the adequate depth. Set in the Kekexili region, a vast barren expanse atop the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau which happens to be the largest animal reserve in China, the film documents the struggles of volunteer patrolmen who for much of the 90s fought to protect the rare Tibetan antelopes (and their valuable pelts) from poachers. Ga Yu (Lei Zhang), a fresh-faced journalist from Beijing who serves as our guide, arrives in the region early on in the film and witnesses a village in mourning. The reason being that the poachers had recently murdered yet another patrolman on duty. Now their rugged leader, Ri Tai (Bujie Duo), is about to organize what could be their final expedition to catch the enemy. \r\n\r\nWhile the basic set-up of Mountain Patrol is as simple as what one usually comes cross in a big-budget western film, director Lu Chuan (The Missing Gun [2002]) even foregoes any backstory elements, perhaps to keep his film moving as swiftly and leanly as possible. As Ga Yu gets acclimated with the crew and his new surroundings, he gets a better grasp on the situation which often demands compromises. On their way, they come across and capture many who are forced to work for the poachers due to economic hardships. At this point the film, which was inching towards becoming an \"actioneer,\" deepens, even though Chuan largely stays away from politicizing the Tibetan conflict, knowing full well that the film may not have the legs to carry such a weighty issue, not to mention the fact that this is an \"official\" Chinese production.\r\n\r\nIt could be said, however, that Mountain Patrol eventually emerges as an elemental, man/nature conflict of the Herzogian variety. (In fact, I am a little surprised that the German filmmaker didnt get to this region first!) Working with DP Cao Yu, Chuan often allows the awe-inspiring images of the overbearing landscape to speak for themselves. And proved by the films most harrowing sequence, this undiscerning terrain is certainly more than capable of defending itself.\r\n\r\nGrade: B\r\n______________________\r\n\r\n*The film was released in U.S. theaters earlier this week.','bb02a8580748cae9ccc09f67c50b900b',0,'','CpmJzxjF',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10817,1890,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1145129640,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Lu Chuan\'s Mountain Patrol: Kekexili (China / 2004)','\r\n\r\nDirector: Lu Chuan\r\nCast: Duobuji\r\n\r\nAmong its many awards, \r\nThe film has won the Best Film in Golden Horse Award 2004 . \r\nIt has also received the \"Don Quixote Award - Special Mention\" in Berlin International Film Festival 2005 .\r\n\r\nWell, since my OLD review has been \"deleted\" by the virus a year ago ... \r\nhere is my \"new\" review/or \"try to recall\" review ... \r\nbecause I have yet to watch it again ... hee hee\r\n\r\nMy thoughts ...\r\n-- In terms of plot, it is not very \"thrilling\" ... nothing much really happens in fact ... \r\nthen why did it win so many awards ... \r\nthere are plausibly three important reasons ...\r\n\r\n(i) the technicalities ...\r\n-- the cinematography ...\r\n... the scenery and the vast weather change ... wow ... \r\ni.e., at a height of about 4,600 ...\r\n\r\n-- the \"harshness\" of the filming condition ... \r\n... it may or may not be easy to tell that the filming condition is really harsh ... \r\ne.g., when the men ran in shorts in the water ... the temperature is excruciatingly cold ...\r\n\r\n-- the filming style ... the fact that the line is blurred between movie and documentary and real life ... the director has chosen to make it look like a documentary, removing MANY \"melodramatic\" and \"heart wrenching\" scenes, so that it feels less manipulative ... yet, at the end of the film, one can still feel some emotions ... which is considered a rather tough feat, i.e., without dramatization ...\r\n\r\n(ii) it has a good message about protecting the wild \r\n(in this case, the Tibetan antelopes)\r\n\r\n(iii) finally, it really describes human relationship and behavior/survival very well ... the film merely depicts events as they are ... narrating them \"simply\" without exploitation ... without too much tears nor blood ... whether one likes it or not ... whether incidents are expected or not ... many of the incidents just happen ... without the audience preparing for it ... without warnings and without \"endings\" ...\r\n\r\ne.g., most notably, i think many people will remember the scenes with the very weak old man ... what can we say ... \r\ni.e., * major spoiler * the one who claims he will not survive the walk/journey out ... * end of spoiler *\r\n\r\ne.g., the opening scene ...\r\ni.e., * major spoiler * the sudden gun shot and killing ... * end of spoiler *\r\n\r\ne.g., near the end incidents ...\r\ni.e., * major spoiler * the snow storm and the quick sand ... * end of spoiler *\r\n\r\netc\r\n\r\nConclusion:\r\nRecommended. However, note that it does NOT have a very complicated nor constantly engaging plot. Instead, it has a very human story that seems more like a documentary ... because the director does not want to appear too manipulative or make it appear like a movie ... but rather depict life as it is ...','797ebd8a17aeec6e1d7a98a865577856',0,'','BrgxS6fu',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10818,1890,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1145392560,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: Lu Chuan\'s Mountain Patrol: Kekexili (China / 2004)','I\'ve had the dvd hanging around since Christmas so after seeing (but not reading) the comments I thought I\'d better take a look at it.\r\n\r\nI enjoyed its almost \"reportage\" style though obviously a bit of artistic licence had to be used as well. The mountain patrol were reminiscent of the old \"posses\" you would often see in Westerns, rough and unruly but since this is based on true events and considering the job they were trying to do, I have no doubt that it\'s pretty true to life.\r\n\r\nThe lack of dramatics certainly differentiates this film from a typical adventure film although the patrol did appear to act a little foolhardy at times causing more danger to themselves than the poachers did.\r\n\r\nAll in all a worthy effort, pointing out not only the desperate need for protection of an endangered species but the sheer effort and will needed to survive in such a harsh landscape.\r\n\r\nDefinitely worth seeing.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.\r\n\r\nR2 dvd from Columbia Pictures, good picture and sound but a complete lack of extras.','1f01ff2980e78ec9ad68dc9d24fb4f03',0,'','mU06uQxE',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10819,1890,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1145415180,1,0,1,1,1,1,'arsaib4','Re: Lu Chuan\'s Mountain Patrol: Kekexili (China / 2004)','I pretty much felt the same way. \r\n\r\n\"... obviously a bit of artistic licence had to be used as well.\"\r\n\r\nTrue. I\'m sure that certain situations were enhanced for dramatic purposes, but there weren\'t many unnecessary sub-plots.\r\n\r\nI didn\'t know that an R2 was available; anyway, I\'m glad that this thread motivated you to watch it.','2687b021b18db85a938df48d710b649b',0,'','Z7dvaUCx',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10820,1890,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1145442420,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: Lu Chuan\'s Mountain Patrol: Kekexili (China / 2004)','\"... obviously a bit of artistic licence had to be used as well.\"\r\n\r\nI couldn\'t go into any depth as it would have meant adding spoilers but whereas most of the scenes are from the perspective of the reporter, there are scenes involving one particular member of the patrol that had to be creative simply because the truth will never be known.\r\n\r\nThe seed for that part of the story was planted earlier when the group were discussing the definition of \"Kekexili\".\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','37fc32a7f54582008fa21372cd40ecb9',0,'','iBoTea4S',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10821,1891,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1145417520,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Keeping Mum (2005) (UK)','\r\n\r\nDirector: Niall Johnson\r\nCast: Rowan Atkinson, Kristin Scott Thomas, Maggie Smith, Patrick Swayze\r\n\r\n(editing)\r\n\r\nConclusion:\r\nAbove average ... I actually thought the humor is interesting (not very exaggerated), with good use of words and puns ...','72240a346a5b6449baa1378beb322171',0,'','2Ke91PtL',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10822,1892,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1145246820,1,0,1,1,1,1,'arsaib4','Anders Thomas Jensen\'s Adam\'s Apples (Denmark / 2005)','[Note: The film was originally seen last year at the Toronto film festival; this review was posted in the appropriate festival thread on 11/13/05]\r\n\r\nThe Danish nominee in the foreign-language category for 2005 Academy Awards, Adams Apples (Adam\'s bler) is an equal opportunity offender from director/screenwriter Anders Thomas Jensen. This black comedy/satire, which incidentally also offers a few views on its own good vs. evil morality tale, fires at just about anything it could possibly find. But even at times when certain situations threaten to engulf the overall proceedings in its darkness, Jensens consummate skill as a storyteller allows him to take charge and navigate the fine line that hes created for the material. In the opening scene, a neo-Nazi skinhead, Adam (Ulrich Thomson, one of the finest actors in Denmark today), arrives in an idyllic small town, and is greeted by his supervisor, Ivan (Mads Mikkelson), a humorless minister of the local church. Much to his surprise, Adam is assigned to take care of an apple tree after he blithely stated that he wants to bake an apple pie during his stay. He is further astonished to learn that the two other men under Ivans guardianship, an obese rapist/alcoholic and a Saudi robber, have seemingly only gotten worse. However, what really ends up ticking Adam off are Ivans theological musings after the tree gets attacked by ravens, prompting Adam to attempt proving to his mentor that evil exists, and its the \"book of job\" which helps him along the way. But, of course, things don\'t turn out to be quite that simple! Adam\'s Apples, the third directorial effort of Jensen -- best known for his work with Suzanne Bier (he co-wrote both of her films: Open Hearts [2002] and Brothers [2004]) -- quite deliberately features both scandalous humor and perturbing violence in close vicinity of each other, often making one wonder how to react. However, whats compelling is the film\'s penchant for occasionally justifying itself. The clarity of Jensens overall agenda could be questioned, but his cast, which also includes the likes of Paprika Steen and Nikolaj Lie Kaas, is immaculate.\r\n\r\n_____________________\r\n\r\n*ADAM\'S APPLES doesn\'t have a U.S. distributor at this point. The film is available on Danish DVD with English subtitles.','4ba9a220f3ac5a1b888c79d24fac8376',0,'','qDXZywlp',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10823,1893,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1145211720,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Tbilisi-Tbilisi (2005) (Georgia)','Director: Levan Zakareishvili\r\nCast: Giorgi Maskharashvili, Eka Nijaradze, Rusiko Kobiashvili \r\n\r\nThis film was submitted by Georgia to Oscar 2006.\r\nIt was also featured at Cannes Director\'s Fortnight 2005.\r\n\r\nSynopsis:\r\nThe film is about a young filmmaker who tries to write a script (these are filmed in color) ... and people he found interesting are captured in his script (these are filmed in black and white) ... in particular, there are 4 \"stories\" named after the 4 \"characters\" ... Professor ... Pickpocket Tedo ... Deaf and Mute Nona ... and the Drummer Boy ... all the different characters are woven together by the third and fourth story such that it becomes a coherent film ... in essence, it deals with the misery of the people ... with emphasis on their poverty and their political/social chaos ...\r\n\r\nMy thoughts ...\r\n-- I thought the black and white segments are great ... in particular the third and fourth segments ... of all the characters, I thought the pickpocket Tedo was given a more complex writing (i.e., in second, third and fourth segments) ...\r\n\r\n-- Maybe i would prefer if they do away with the colored segments ... nonetheless, it highlights the state of life (social and politics) ... and also, the sad state of film making ...\r\n\r\n* in reality, the film took abt 7 years to make ... *\r\n\r\n-- Commendable are the cast ... they looked so real ... are they professionals?! ... they have such intense look ... are the characters based on real life characters?!\r\n\r\nConclusion:\r\nRecommended, in particular, the \"black and white\" segments ... actually I would have preferred if it was not a \"film within a film\" arrangement ... \r\n\r\nat the end, there was a hint at \"is this a film\" or \"is this reality\"? ... sometimes, it is really grey ... overall, it depicts human and life rather well ...','38b02a24da68b21dadb3659689e06b21',0,'','5l6x7E48',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10824,1894,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1129571520,1,0,1,1,1,1,'howardschumann(d)','C.R.A.Z.Y.','C.R.A.Z.Y.\r\n\r\nDirected by Jean-Marc Valle (2005)\r\n\r\nAs exhilarating as The Barbarian Invasions and as audaciously inventive as Leolo, Quebecois director Jean Marc-Valle\'s C.R.A.Z.Y. (a title derived from the initials of five brothers) has a lot going for it, including one of the best rock soundtracks in recent memory. Scheduled for wider distribution in Canada and the U.S., the film has already grossed six million dollars in Quebec since its summer release and is already Canada\'s nominee for Best Foreign Film at the 2005 Oscars. Although it cannot be considered entertainment for the whole family, it will not offend anyone and just may become the first gay-themed film to attract a mainstream audience.\r\n\r\nThe film is about an ongoing struggle between Zac, the second youngest son in a family of five boys and his overbearing, homophobic dad (Michel Ct), a blue-collar worker who collects Patsy Cline recordings. C.R.A.Z.Y. covers a period of thirty years in the life of a suburban Catholic family and has a remarkable feeling for the era. Born on Christmas Day, 1960 Zachary Beaulieu is the second youngest of five sons. The adult Zac narrates the film and we see the world through his eyes. He tells us that the reason why he has always hated Christmas is because the holiday always overshadowed his birthday and because the presents he received were not those he really wanted. He recalls how he received a game of table hockey when all he wanted was a toy baby carriage.\r\n\r\nZac at six (Emile Valle) is a quiet, sensitive boy who loves his parents but does not get along with his brothers who are always teasing him. Zac\'s mother (Danielle Proulx) is very religious and believes that Zac has special healing powers, partially derived from the fact that he is always able to quiet the youngest boy, an infant who has colic, just by holding him. When his special powers are reinforced by the \"Tupperware lady\", it becomes apparent that he will never be like everyone else. When his father Gervais catches him dressing in his mother\'s gown and pearls while watching baby Yvan, the name-calling starts and their relationship is never the same. Zac prays every night that he doesn\'t turn out to be a \"fairy\" but with mixed results. The other boys are more acceptable to their father simply because they are more manly but we never really find out much about them other than the roles they played in Zac\'s life. \r\n\r\nThe oldest brother Christian (Maxime Tremblay) has an active intelligence and reads a lot, Antoine (Sbastian Blouin) is a sports nut, and Raymond (Pierre-Luc Brillant) is a rebellious teen who will eventually get into trouble with drugs (more acceptable to dad than being gay). The brothers are stereotypes but the performances are so full of kinetic energy that it doesn\'t get in the way. When Zac reaches fifteen, Marc-Andr Grondin assumes the role and turns in a flawless performance, allowing the audience to feel his pain and torment. Awkward in social situations, he stays in his room listening to David Bowie (whom his father calls \"that fag singer\") and Pink Floyd. When dad thinks he catches Zac making out with another boy, he forces him to go to a shrink to be cured, but the sessions are terminated when Zac tells him that the psychiatrist blames his father.\r\n\r\nZac wants to please dad so much that he starts sleeping with his best friend Michelle (Natasha Thompson). In fact, Zac resists his orientation so much that he beats up a young gay pursuer to show how macho he really is. The film\'s third act shifts into the eighties where Zac is working as a DJ, still crazy after all these years. When his father accuses him at his brother\'s wedding of preferring male companionship, Zac leaves the country, going to Jerusalem to try to discover his identity and to pursue his pleasure in a non-threatening environment. Though there is a touch of nudity, there is no overt sexuality shown and Valle seems careful not to disturb anyone and the film offers a somewhat pat yet moving conclusion. \r\n\r\nDisappointingly, the view of gay life is very limited. Zac seems to have no interests outside of the pursuit of pleasure and no real relationships are shown, either male of female. Yet C.R.A.Z.Y. is more about being different in a conformist society and the struggle for self-awareness rather than just about being gay. As Valle explains it, \"the theme of the film is personal acceptance. It\'s about this struggle to express yourself and being honest in the moment\" Winner of the Best Canadian Feature Film Award at the recent Toronto Film Festival \"for its standout acting, its incredible emotional resonance and extraordinary visual inventiveness\", C.R.A.Z.Y. is one the best films of 2005.\r\n\r\nGRADE: A-','19b5139afed4e46d1c6917c306b6c1cd',0,'','jpU82E0v',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10825,1894,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1145208180,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: C.R.A.Z.Y.','\r\n\r\nDirector: Jean-Marc Valle\r\nCast:mile Valle, Marc-Andr Grondin, Pierre-Luc Brillant, Michel Ct, Danielle Proulx\r\n\r\nIt was Canada\'s submission to Oscar 2006.\r\n\r\nMy thoughts\r\nSince a lot of things have been mentioned in the review above, I will just add several things ...\r\n\r\n(1) There are quite a few thought provoking scenes with regards to religion ... \r\nand there a few very nice scenes that parallel the footprints ... incl. the recital/narration of the entire poem ...\r\n\r\n(2) There are a few scenes that the audience will gasp in surprise or shock (i.e., oh no ...) ... not bad ...\r\n\r\n(3) I thought the younger Zac carries his role very well ... and everything seems more grey then ...\r\n\r\n(4) Overall, the film is rather meaningful ...\r\n\r\nConclusion:\r\nHighly recommended\r\n\r\nPS: a link to recommend ...\r\nhttp://www.cbc.ca/arts/film/crazy.html','64ec05f56f0e0f0c1ccc20730e6ae33c',0,'','Ez0Ko5Ur',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10826,1894,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1145210820,1,0,1,1,1,1,'howardschumann(d)','Re: C.R.A.Z.Y.','Glad you liked it. Truth is I don\'t remember any of it and I just saw it last year. OH, well. You made some very good points. Hope your review will encourage others to see it.','6940418010c120522782c51b71856879',0,'','JfLB3Chy',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10827,1895,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1145090580,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Naboer (Next Door) (2005) (Norway)','\r\n\r\nDirector: Pl Sletaune\r\nCast: Kristoffer Joner, Cecilie A. Mosli, Julia Schacht, Anna Bache-Wiig, Michael Nyqvist\r\n\r\n* given that it is a thriller, anything can be a possible spoiler, even though I have tried NOT to have any at all ... read at your own risk ... hiaks hiaks * \r\n\r\nSynopsis:\r\nThe film begins with the split of John and his girlfriend, Ingrid, but the audience is never told why ... When John returns home one day, he is asked by two of his attractive female neighbours to lend a hand ... The thriller begins ...\r\n\r\nMy thoughts ...\r\n-- The cast is most commendable. In a way, you will be bought by the lead actor ... wondering if he is a victim or a culprit ... and at the end of it all, you can\'t help having mixed emotions about him ... how about the other 2 gals ... wow ... they can be really scary and chilling ... * shudder *\r\n\r\n-- The soundtrack helps to create an intense atmosphere ... and the editing is good ... with \"history/past events\" being filled in only when necesary ... while sometimes, we think we can guess what happens/will happen ... sometimes, we can\'t ...\r\n\r\n* end of possible spoiler * \r\n\r\nWhat could be better ...\r\n\r\n* possible major spoiler, if you are a good guesser * \r\n\r\n-- Before the end of the film, I thought one of the less convincing features was the \"weird\" and \"awkward\" designs of houses, with all the hidden walkways, hidden rooms, etc ... however, at the end of the film ... I did not find this a problem ... \r\n\r\n* end of possible major spoiler * \r\n\r\nConclusion:\r\nRecommended ... what a thriller ... though I have to qualify that it can be kind of \"sick\" at times ... \r\n\r\nMainly credited to the excellent soundtrack, the great cast, and the editing ... \r\n\r\nPS: To me, it passes off more as a commercial film rather than an art film ...','b9b5005ab6ebe1cac28dd923e81cb2e7',0,'','M8LpuPi0',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10828,1896,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1144688820,1,0,1,1,1,1,'howardschumann(d)','Live and Become','LIVE AND BECOME (Va, vis et deviens)\r\n\r\nDirected by Radu Mihaileanu (2005)\r\n\r\nThe images we see of Ethiopians are often those of children with distended bellies clinging to life as a Western television announcer comments about their depressing fate. No one, however, speaks for the children. Winner of the Audience Award at the Berlin Film Festival, Radu Mihaileanu\'s Live and Become gives words to people whose voices have been silent. The film tells the story of Ethiopian Black Jews known as Falashas who were brought to Israel in Operation Moses in 1984 by the Israeli Mossad. It was an operation that successfully airlifted 8,000 Ethiopean Jews to Israel, but sadly also one in which 4,000 died during a brutal journey on foot to Sudan or later in refugee camps. \r\n\r\nMihaileanu (Train of Life) was born in Bucharest, Romania to Jewish parents who had spent time in the Nazi labor camps. In 1980, like the film\'s protagonist, he was torn from his parents when he fled the dictatorship of Ciaucescu to move to Israel and later to France. In Live and Become, a boy clinging to his mother in the Sudan is told by her to \"go, live and become\". She tells him that he must pretend to be a Jew and instructs him to remember that his name is Solomon, his father\'s name was Isaac, and his sister\'s name was Aster. The film spans fifteen years in the life of young Solomon (called Schlomo by the Israelis), describing his experiences of being alone into a foreign country that speaks a language he doesn\'t understand and filled with people of a different religion and a different color. Mihaileanu crams a great deal into the film\'s 142-minute length and it often seems cluttered, yet we can listen and understand its heart and the clear voice in which it speaks to us.\r\n\r\nAs he reaches Tel-Aviv, Schlomo begins the long processes of absorption and integration into Israeli society but the barriers engendered by social and cultural differences prove difficult to bear. He angrily acts out his frustration in a boarding school in Tel Aviv and is sent for adoption to a left-wing French Sephardic family, Yoram and YaE Harrari (Roschdy Zem and YaE Abecassis), who already have two children. They are a close-knit, warm and loving family but face many problems with the boy they did not anticipate. Yael must fight the prejudice of parents in the school who want to withdraw their children from school because they think, coming from Africa, he must be a carrier of disease. \r\n\r\nAt first refusing to eat, he makes an effort to fit in but hears over and over that because he is black he is not really a Jew. A battle erupts within Israel between fundamentalists and Orthodox Jews over the premise of a black Jew and Schlomo is caught in the middle. Afraid of being discovered as a Christian, the boy immerses himself in Jewish theology, learns Hebrew and French and studies the Torah, yet he carries the burden of his lie around with him. The story then jumps ahead a few years. As a good-looking teenager (Moshe Abebe) Schlomo meets Sarah (Roni Hadar), a white girl he likes but must contend with the virulent racism of her father. Rebelling against the authority of his surrogate parents, the boy is sent to a kibbutz to work and study but maintains a correspondence with Sarah.\r\n\r\nAs Schlomo (Sirak M. Sabahat as an adult) grows into adulthood and takes responsibility for his guilt, he feels compelled to confess his inner truth and the film capitalizes on every touch of his personal drama. Live and Become tackles one of the most controversial subjects in Israel, that of Jewish identity and racial purity. While it does not hesitate to show the ugly side of Israeli life, it also embraces its humor, sensitivity, and compassion. Although unfortunately the film occasionally slips into clichE Live and Become works because it is about more than the experience of one person. It tells a universal story of alienation, wanting to belong, and the pain of feeling alone, feelings shared by people of all religions throughout the world.\r\n\r\nGRADE: A-','a4d83897c65d007ec3514be45f9175f8',0,'','JLVf9Xd6',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10829,1896,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1144904760,1,0,1,1,1,1,'Anasazie','Re: Live and Become','Thanks for the review Howard, the film\'s playing near me and i was unsure whether to check it out. I will now based on your comments, but just be sure to realise that if it\'s bad i\'ll hold you personally responisble','cc5080ba53edc67df1f74fbf922c1602',0,'','geWP4in2',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10830,1896,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1144909500,1,0,1,1,1,1,'howardschumann(d)','Re: Live and Become','Sure, check it out. If you don\'t like it, I will go to confession and say 30 mea culpas. Hey wait a minute, I\'m not even Catholic.','8391726cdc383120cbee7b069748ee9e',0,'','S0w3atrm',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10833,1898,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1143079380,1,0,1,1,1,1,'whitepajaro','M6 movies','I\'m looking for a web site where I can buy French M6 channel movies. A couple that I\'m looking for are, Le Couloir Des Desirs and Echange Tabou. Can anyone help me out? \r\nThanks, Whitepajaro','537eff129c59bdee2e131b2a309dbd4c',0,'','plwc5fxV',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10834,1898,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1143349080,1,0,1,1,1,1,'arsaib4','Re: M6 movies','I poked around a couple of French sites but it looks like that these made-for-TV(?) efforts aren\'t available at this point.','7654c82391ad52c3b3b62afdb911e75f',0,'','9qWbRA6a',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10835,1898,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1143407400,1,0,1,1,1,1,'whitepajaro','Re: M6 movies','That\'s what I\'m coming up with. Appreciate the help. Sazuma.com has a couple, but there priced in Euros and expensive.','1b984a7f280e6b535b578c243e4c961a',0,'','9rE1nGJ5',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10836,1899,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1143282180,1,0,1,1,1,1,'arsaib4','Josue Mendez\'s DIAS DE SANTIAGO (2004)','The titular protagonist of Das de Santiago (\"Days of Santiago\"), an intense and gripping debut feature from Peruvian filmmaker Josue Mendez, is a world-weary war veteran at the relatively young age of 23. He belongs to what has been described as Perus \"lost generation,\" referencing youths who were recruited to strengthen the military during the 90s under President Alberto Fujimori. Like many others, Santiago (Pietro Sibille) became a man and much more while fighting drug lords, guerrillas (the \"Shining Path\" movement), or the Ecuadorian army from the north. But the power granted to them ultimately took its toll, and now Santiago and his fellow surviving comrades arent quite able to comprehend the atrocities that were committed during their time together. Yet, they miss the discipline, the order, the mission. \r\n\r\nEarly on in the film, Mendez expertly employs both grainy b&w and color stock to distinguish his protagonists psychological terrain as he tries to adjust to the life back home in the economically challenged Peruvian capital of Lima. Along with battling his own demons, Santiago now also has to endure a distanced wife and a mostly indifferent family, not to mention the realities of having no educational background. He eventually starts a cab service, which not only helps him to go to school, but also enables him to associate with others, especially young woman who often pursue a protector in his mature demeanor, not realizing that he may not even be capable of saving himself. (It\'s clear that Mendez is well familiar with Scorseses 1976 classic, Taxi Driver). \r\n\r\nDas de Santiago is important yet explosive stuff -- so the 28-year-old filmmaker deserves much credit for handling it for the most part with care. It\'s a bit disappointing, however, that his aforementioned methods to depict Santiagos struggles ultimately resort to nothing more than stylistic tics. But the authenticity of Sibilles performance and the depicted milieu are among the reasons why the film, which was Perus nominee in the foreign-language category for 2005 Academy Awards, \"leaves a singularly raw impression of having spent time inside someones sweaty, ill-fitting skin\" (Village Voice).\r\n\r\n_________________\r\n\r\n*The film is now available on DVD in the U.S.','50985d555a674dfb730e8e0ab365ec17',0,'','FnloJMy0',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10837,1899,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1143306960,1,0,1,1,1,1,'Johndav','Re: Josue Mendez\'s DIAS DE SANTIAGO (2004)','Another excellent review! Thanks for drawing my attention to it, as i knew nothing about it, will check out more. Peru is a country whose cinema is rarely mentioned.','4df4977f044aeecdefa61f92fcfe24f9',0,'','QUVWmbpj',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10838,1899,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1143320820,1,0,1,1,1,1,'arsaib4','Re: Josue Mendez\'s DIAS DE SANTIAGO (2004)','Francisco Lombardi is still going strong but he seems to have fallen out of favor with the international community.','7b07ce7dc7a72667d3075e857725b0a0',0,'','WRvGCUFH',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10839,1899,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1143342000,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: Josue Mendez\'s DIAS DE SANTIAGO (2004)','My peruvian flatmate mentioned the film recently when we were talking about south american cinema of which I\'m mostly ignorant. And his girlfriend was also fond of the film. \r\nIt\'s time to start filling some gaps','ef6622475e8fde163caaf76c5b7d96ac',0,'','Lz2HDvZ6',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10840,1900,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1143091440,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','The Green Butchers (2003 - Denmark)','The Green Butchers (2003) De Grnne Slagtere\r\n\r\nDirected by Anders Thomas Jensen (Adams bler)\r\n\r\nStarring Nikolaj Lie Kaas (Reconstruction, Brothers), Mads Mikkelsen (Open Hearts, Torremolinos 73)\r\n\r\nTwo butchers, both of whom suffer from the type of disorders that would lead them to be considered damaged goods set up shop in competition with their previous employer. At the end of their opening day (only notable for the complete lack of customers) an electrician accidentally gets locked in the freezer. Svend (commonly known as Sweaty Svend) panics, especially when his former employer turns up the next day and sarcastically asks for something special to serve to several of the towns top people. In a state of turmoil he slices up the frozen electricians leg, marinates the meat and passes it off as chicken. \r\n\r\nThe dawn of the following day is greeted by a large queue who have heard about this beautiful marinated chicken and surprise surprise, they all want some!\r\n\r\nSvend and Bjarne become unwitting serial killers to cope with the demand for this wonderful dish, they make large amounts of cash and become minor celebrities but of course things cant continue to run smoothly, not when you need a constant supply of fresh corpses. \r\n\r\nFresh corpses are one thing but there are other problems as well. Bjarne raised his capital for the business on the strength of his inheritance, which in turn relied on the death of his brother Eigil who had been kept alive on life support but classified as brain dead for several years. The hospital obligingly switch off the life support but instead of his brother dying their action brings him back out of his coma. \r\n\r\nDue to the financial success of the butchers Bjarne isnt bothered in terms of the Will but there is bad blood between the brothers, this and the fact that Eigil loves all animals and is retarded bring on a whole new set of problems. Svend ends up on the verge of a breakdown especially after killing his ex fiance and is ready to spill the beans when he finds the health inspectors at the butchers.\r\n\r\nA rich vein of dry acerbic black humour runs through this film, Mads Mikkelsen as Svend looks suitably fragile (almost like a demented Christopher Walken at times). Nikolaj Lie Kaas as Bjarne comes across as a man who gave up on life many years before; he also plays the role of the half-wit brother Eigil.\r\n\r\nThe story isnt laugh out loud funny but it certainly made me chuckle quite a few times. Despite the subject matter, there is very little in the way of gore, no squirting spurting arteries or visceral organs splattered anywhere. No its all pretty subdued in the effects department and the strength of the film comes from the script and the performances, which in my opinion makes for a far better film.\r\n\r\nOne problem though, I did feel the end was a little rushed and a bit of a cop out but it is a comedy after all, albeit a dark comedy.\r\n\r\nI enjoyed it, hopefully you will as well if you get the chance to see it.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev\r\n\r\nBBFC rated 15\r\n\r\nR2 Pal dvd available from Metrodome Distribution. R1 ntsc dvd available from Columbia Tristar.\r\n\r\nApparently the Danish release comprises 2 discs packed with extras.','fd142a67cb96334e01c306c902dbed2a',0,'','smD43N8q',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10841,1901,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1140509220,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Eastern Europe Excites ... ;)','Hi to all,\r\n\r\nBy popular demand, I am \"cutting and pasting\" all the Eastern European films here ...\r\n\r\n\r\nPS: oh no, I think all the index has to be verified again ... hiaks hiaks ...','5a3d40b06eb9305cd7880b08cd34383d',0,'','rXuE5wh8',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10842,1901,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1140509520,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Eastern Europe Excites ... ;)','From madhuban\r\n(1/10/06 3:37 pm)\r\n\r\nhi all,\r\ni chanced upon this message board and immediately became a member. priceless information for somebody like me sitting in india, trying very hard to access world cinema. i\'ve been watching a number of czech new wave films from the 60s over again, and wondering why these gems are not talked about as much as they should be.\r\nDiamonds of the Night - Jan Nemec\r\nLarks on a String & Closely Guarded Trains - Jiri Menzel\r\nDiasies - Vera Chytilova\r\nThe Fireman\'s Ball & Loves Of A Blonde - Milos Forman\r\nThe Cremator - Juraj Herz\r\nWho Wants to Kill Jessie - vaclav Vorlicek\r\nThe Shop On Main Street - Elmar Klos & Jan Kadar\r\nIs there anybody here who is fond of these films? Would love to have your response.','02dda5e73ca8e17545470c64be203db5',0,'','auC8S5Wg',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10843,1901,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1140509640,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Eastern Europe Excites ... ;)','Johndav\r\n(1/10/06 4:08 pm)\r\n\r\nWelcome. It\'s great to have some new input here, especially as it\'s quieter than it used to be. We had a recent brief discussion somewhere on the boards about Eastern European films we like. I\'ve long wanted to see Diamonds of the Night- and a few others you mention i\'ve not seen. I enjoyed the very playful anarchic Daisies (cutting men down to size, literally by unusual compositions). A Blonde in Love and Closely Observed Trains are fine. I\'ve ordered forthcoming dvd of Passer\'s Intimate Lighting. Svankmajer is an interesting director of animations (or part-live, part-animated films): Alice, Dimensions of Dialogue, Little Otik, Conspirators of Pleasure... Trnka is another admired animator, e.g the satirical The Hand (i\'ve not seen), The Emperor and the Nightingale. There\'s a strong strain of quirky surrealism in Czech/Slovak cinema, e.g Valerie and her Week of Wonders (Jires).\r\n\r\nOne Czech novel i really liked is Cutting it Short/ The little Town where Time Stood Still (Hrabal), again with that seemingly characteristic mix of eccentricity, humour, darkness and whimsicality.','541274fcc691b6921642ee5f4c901b94',0,'','olaEnvYS',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10844,1901,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1140509700,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Eastern Europe Excites ... ;)','madhuban\r\n(1/11/06 1:27 am) \r\n\r\nhi john,\r\n\r\ni am still getting used to the logic of this message board. will look up the discussion on east european films you talk about. i recently acquired \"Diamonds of the Night\", but it is really an awfully bad print. this film has not been restored and released on DVD. i wonder why! have you seen Menzel\'s film on Hrabal\'s \"Cutting It Short\"? i haven\'t and am looking forward to ordering another bad print. if that\'s the only way one can watch these films, so be it! Passer\'s \"Intimate Lighting\" is another priority, as is Jires\' \"The Joke\" and \"Valerie and Her Week of Wonders\". what i like best about the czech new wave is really the dark humour. it is quite unlike anything that has ever been done in cinema, especially if you consider that a lot of them (except Chytilova, Nemec) often stick to conventional linear narratives, yet use them to operate on an allegorical level. In most allegories, the characters become cardboard figures, but the czech new wave guys were able to pay as much attention to the ordinary everyday of their characters, as to the larger context of state socialism which was being made fun of through them.\r\nM','9122dd6a8119e762285d4d61eb263f9d',0,'','g9WasMF0',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10845,1901,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1140509760,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Eastern Europe Excites ... ;)','Johndav\r\n(1/11/06 6:19 am)\r\n\r\nMadhuban; it\'s obvious you\'re going to be a real asset here. This is a site that more than makes up in quality what others have in quantity (it was more busy a couple of years back, but was sidelined for a period and hasn\'t yet fully recovered). Any other knowledgeable recruits very welcome.\r\n\r\nEr, i hadn\'t even realised Menzel had done a film of the Hrabal book, have just had to look up his career details to find it (1980?), not one of his more famous ones, i think. I\'ll see what ratings it gets at imdb. I must read Hrabal\'s novel of Closely Observed Trains (he co-scripted the film with Menzel)- i\'m often deterred from the source novel when i\'ve already seen the film-, but i\'m currently awaiting delivery of Good Soldier Svejk novel. \r\n\r\nIt would be great to have more Eastern European films availablegenerally, as they have something very distinctive to offer.\r\n\r\nToday a dvd arrived of Mughal-e-Azam. Not that i want to change this thread subject- perhaps we could do with a thread elsewhere on Indian cinema? (my dad was born in India, by the way- if i\'d been a top cricketer, i\'d certainly have chosen to play for India rather than England).','2f9b7e1f2caf3af873d3fd06660e9c9c',0,'','lJDCu3vL',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10846,1901,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1140512940,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Eastern Europe Excites ... ;)','arsaib4\r\n(1/11/06 8:59 am)\r\n\r\nAbsolutely. It\'s good to have you here, Madhuban. That\'s a very nice list of films you posted on the previous page.','c8fc4fe45ff080b512828f1240bb517c',0,'','ApoJGk79',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10847,1901,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1140513060,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Eastern Europe Excites ... ;)','madhuban\r\n(1/11/06 1:43 pm)\r\n\r\n\"A\" can we have a separate czech cinema thread please? If the earlier thread can\'t be revived, let\'s begin afresh. I would like to know about things I haven\'t seen. Maybe, we could have a more general \"the other europe\" sort of thread where we talk about films from lesser known european countries. Or is that far too general? For instance, I simply adore Aki Kaurismaki. \r\n\r\nHave been going off on a tangent! Here\'s what i\'ve seen today:\r\n1. \"All The Boys Are Called Patrick\" - this is an early Godard short, with the screenplay by Eric Rohmer. I have a preference for the early Godard, and had been waiting for years to see this one. To say the least, it was sublime!\r\n2. Do you Remember Dolly Bell? - Kusturica\'s early film. I am a Kusturica convert, so i definitely found this amazing. I do not know if I\'m imagining things, but Kusturica had been to film school in Prague, and there seems to be a huge influence of the Czech New wave on this film, especially the manner in which he treats the obviously obsolete communist sympathies of the father.','509c2ef4fa92c90da8c64bee817bb119',0,'','xcHaM6qz',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10848,1901,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1140513061,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Eastern Europe Excites ... ;)','Johndav\r\n(1/12/06 3:28 am)\r\n\r\nKusturica: i fancy seeing Dolly Bell, and When Father was Away on Business. I enjoyed Time of the Gypsies but disliked Underground (just too full of itself, never let up) Black Cat White Cat somewhere in between. I appreciate his interest in Romany culture though of course the characters still often fit into loveable rogue stereotype.','8c2747c47e93102e9394dfb8d26e9bd1',0,'','U5SqDd0a',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10849,1901,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1140513120,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Eastern Europe Excites ... ;)','A\r\n(1/12/06 7:14 pm)\r\n\r\nWhat may seem as stereotypes at first glance in most Kusturica films is just the \"above\" layer. There is really very much subtext going on in most of his films, and especially in \"Underground\"! Maybe I\'m biased, as I was born on Balkan, but I don\'t like most Yugoslavian stereotypical films I\'ve seen, but Kusturica is really something else.\r\n\r\n@madhuban\r\nHave seen the Godard short a while ago, but wasn\'t impressed too much. Seemed like an influence on Jean Eustache, though (or was it the just Eric Rohmer...). I liked Godard\'s short \"Story of Water\" much more (co-directed and scripted by Truffaut).\r\nFine to see the mention of similarities to the Czech New wave in \"Do you remember Dolly Bell?\". I also thought so immediately when i watched it (especially at the beginning), and when i pointed this out to a friend I watched the film with (a big Kusturica fan), I think I made him a bit interested in Czech films. \r\nBut I think other Yugoslavian films of that time had the same influence (Rdeci Boogie by Karpo Godina comes to mind). It is the only film by Kusturica where this is apparent, though, as he fully found his own style with his next feature \"When father was away on business\". I see it as a kind of hybrid between Kusturica and the films he probably admired. A great film, and this made it even more interesting for me.','eaad51e8632367bf9304dfe059f4c4c5',0,'','KSTMZEvC',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10850,1901,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1140513121,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Eastern Europe Excites ... ;)','madhuban\r\n(1/13/06 3:35 am)\r\n\r\n@ A\r\n\r\nThe reason i liked the Godard short is that it builds up the story (whatever story there is) through inconsequential conversations a la Rohmer, and the viewer knows that the two girls met the same man, though they do not know this. A rather nice conceit. Neither does Patrick know that he is fishing for two flatmates. The viewer is the only one aware of the repetitions. It isn\'t a short to make the top ten perhaps, but a charming wisp of a tale with a fine structure.\r\n\r\nM','e427c29c6fa0f91ddac99fa41ae2f3cf',0,'','YseC4xXo',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10851,1901,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1140513122,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Eastern Europe Excites ... ;)','wpqx\r\n(1/13/06 11:09 am)\r\n\r\nAs for Dolly Bell, I saw more of the Makajevek influence. Very similar to earlier Yugoslavian films for me at least. I think Kusturica developed more of his own style afterwards, although it was certainly a positive step up.','37ba6e162ff2cd3eb2b9b55090d5997f',0,'','0nQmAqcw',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10852,1901,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1140513180,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Eastern Europe Excites ... ;)','trevor826\r\n(1/13/06 11:47 am)\r\n\r\nAll The Boys Are Called Patrick was packaged with one of the Godard dvd\'s in the UK, can\'t remember which one though I\'m sure I have it, I thought it was great fun, fresh and breezy though definitely more Rhomer than Godard.','635fc931dece5eeb1bda13f238266e8f',0,'','2mfSHVC7',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10853,1901,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1140513181,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Eastern Europe Excites ... ;)','madhuban\r\n(1/13/06 2:58 pm)\r\n\r\n@ wpqx\r\n\r\nunfortunately, i haven\'t seen any makavejev. just haven\'t found it in any renting library here. i\'ll go ahead and buy whatever is available, whenever i can cough up those dollars. \r\n\r\n@ trevor\r\n\r\n\"All The Boys Are Called Patrick\" is a bonus with \"A Woman Is a Woman\" \r\n\r\nM','a22f73fe4b3e768f40c8412cbbc3eb4f',0,'','EV0hFpnr',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10854,1901,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1140513182,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Eastern Europe Excites ... ;)','wpqx\r\n(1/13/06 3:20 pm)\r\n\r\nI have a generally good source for Eastern European films, although I\'m still trying to see I Even Met Happy Gypsies. On a different note the last film I\'ve seen was Gus Van Sant\'s Gerry (2002), the first in his unofficial trilogy. It\'s a remarkable step up from the sloppy Finding Forrester, but I\'ll need a little more meditation time to decide how it fits with his last two films. The style was great, and I kept getting a sense of John Ford with those landscape shots, granted not filled with bad Dmitri Tiomkin music so not quite the same.','a2b9e4f9e3638cc20708c8ddd4e36ae4',0,'','3s7oMJl1',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10855,1901,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1140513183,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Eastern Europe Excites ... ;)','madhuban\r\n(1/16/06 6:05 am)\r\n\r\nLemonade Joe or The Horse Opera - Oldrich Lipsky (1964)\r\n\r\nLemonade Joe is a rollicking parody of the wild western, shot in black and white, using colour filters - sepia, red, blue and green - to emotionally code the sequences. The story takes place in an imaginary place called Stetson City and has stock characters like the untainted hero (he drinks only lemonade and campaigns for it) who is the best marksman around, the lecherous, scheming, villain who is \"wanted\" by the law in four states, the angelic woman who the hero falls for, and the \"fallen\" woman who has a golden heart, and saves the hero\'s life a number of times (even though she is attracted to him and he wards her off). The hero wears white throughout (except when, by his own admission, he changes to black to exact vengeance, because black is more suited to that mood) while the villain wears black. What lends this breezy spoof a certain complexity is the strong undercurrent of irony around the actual identity of the marksman hero (gradually revealed) and his obsession with kolaloka lemonade (one cannot avoid the anagram of cocacola). He turns out to be the son of the founder of the brand, who lovingly coerces people to give up other alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages in favour of kolaloka! Therefore, his apparently noble efforts to rid the citizenry of whisky does take on a macabre turn. Trust Oldrich to sneak in this tantalising bit of capitalist critique into what is otherwise an innocent-looking, musical parody of the early western. I loved this film.','b9242602e2cb3f955a098241ef042211',0,'','Z6pwVvsT',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10856,1901,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1140513240,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Eastern Europe Excites ... ;)','A\r\n(1/17/06 6:02 pm)\r\n\r\nSounds very interesting indeed - probably a film to my liking. \r\nWhere did you watch this (I`ve never heard of it)?','06c876f82f062d09b0dbb3c043cb97c8',0,'','K9DLRabm',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10857,1901,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1140513241,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Eastern Europe Excites ... ;)','madhuban\r\n(1/18/06 1:22 am)\r\n\r\n@ A\r\n\r\nI bought \"Lemonade Joe\" from a site called superhappyfun. Six months ago, I chanced upon this site after reading Jonathan Rosenbaum\'s DVD news on cinema-scope.com, where he mentions buying Rivette\'s \"Paris Belongs To Us\", among others, from them. Since I also wanted that film, I checked up superhappyfun, and lo, I found approximately 30 czech new wave films, and \"Lemonade Joe\" among them! A German friend had told me about this film long ago, and I decided to buy it. \r\n\r\nM','20a8f12a4a6fb494ee1c249285800d59',0,'','8Xlsm51d',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10858,1901,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1140513242,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Eastern Europe Excites ... ;)','A\r\n(1/19/06 10:21 am)\r\n\r\nThanks for the info.','01b58636682dc25fdca01edc9ac21a51',0,'','ip5TYgZF',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10859,1901,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1140516780,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Eastern Europe Excites ... ;)','madhuban\r\n(2/7/06 4:30 am)\r\n\r\nElectra My Love - Miklos Jancso\r\n\r\nThis is an incredible film, if you have the taste for a highly personalised contemporary interpretation of myth. Known for paying scant respect to the story, Jancso assumes that the Electra myth is familiar to his audience. Instead of fleshing out his characters - Electra, Orestes and Aegisthus - he composes a ritualistic theatre that communicates through the movements. Against the wide, vast canvas of the Hungarian plain, these weirdly attired (in peasant clothes) figures enact a pageant that is as precise in its choreography, as is the camera movement that captures it. The pageant reinforces one of Jancso\'s pet themes: oppression. By giving the Electra myth a contemporary home in Hungary, Jancso draws attention to the fact that the history of tyranny and oppression repeats itself endlessly, and the body politic needs to rise from the dead like a phoenix. More than the message, it is the layered vehicle for the message that is riveting. The pageant is performed for the actors (who double up as actors in the pageant and the audience for it), for the camera (that records as it re-choreographs), and for the audience (who read and attribute meaning to this non-linear stylized spectacle). The story and the allegory, if they can be identified as such, are unpacked through these interactions. There are the characteristic long takes that is Jancso\'s signature. In contrast to Pasolini\'s \"Oedipus Rex\" which is also a contemporary interpretation of Greek myth, Jancso does not establish or provide any narrative logic to the transposition of the Electra story in modern Hungary. While Pasolini begins his film with a modern couple in a modern setting, Jancso begins with ritual. \"Electra My Love\" traverses the grey zone between myth and reality, past and present, deliberately blurring their boundaries. Electra recites paeans to justice and holds forth on the dangers of tyranny, as easily as she is made to sing Hungarian folk songs. Orestes lies dead and is resurrected. Agamemnon\'s death is ritually re-enacted at Aegisthus\' behest and a man sacrificed, while Electra and Orestes have revolvers in their hand and board a phoenix-like red helicopter at the end. These are not inconsistencies or anachronisms (what imdb might call \"goofs\"); they are simply part of the stylization and emphasise Jancso\'s exploration of ambiguity as opposed to the story. Ambiguity is also evident in the way the oppressors become the oppressed. \"Electra My Love\" isn\'t a film for everyone, but can be hugely rewarding if you are able to get inside Jancso\'s language and vision.\r\n\r\nPerhaps i ought to have posted this in the Eastern european film thread \r\n\r\nI also watched Marker\'s \"La Jetee\" again after many years. One of those films that will easily make my top 50 list. Will be watching his tribute to Tarkovsky, \"One Day In the Life of Andrei Arsenevich\" in a festival screening in a couple of weeks Will write about \"La Jetee\" as also Imamura\'s \"Warm Water Under a Red Bridge\", Pasolini\'s \"Porcile\" and many many Fassbinders. How do you manage to have your reviews keep pace with your film watching trev? I am way behind \r\n\r\nM','f226aa104f94356432828c0979293da5',0,'','lby4YGur',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10860,1901,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1140516900,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Eastern Europe Excites ... ;)','arsaib4\r\n(2/7/06 10:49 pm)\r\n\r\nPerhaps i ought to have posted this in the Eastern european film thread \r\n\r\nI think that\'d be a good idea, Madhuban. Good review, by the way. I\'ve only seen Electra and The Red and the White from Jancso, and would like to see more of him.','a4a7f50511108bac5ffb42b8b39dc171',0,'','Z8iAYcsa',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10861,1901,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1140516960,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Eastern Europe Excites ... ;)','madhuban\r\n(2/9/06 2:31 pm)\r\n\r\nhi arsaib,\r\n\r\nI\'ve seen Red Psalm in addition to \"Electra My Love\" and \'The Red and the White\". I\'m also keen to see more of Jancso, especially his Italian phase that most people think is inferior in comparison to what he made till the mid-seventies. Wondering if the others can enlighten us.','7c2e0d97518f88cc15ca31e9b745f3e6',0,'','axgePo1Z',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10862,1902,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1140448500,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Screaming Masterpiece (Gargandi Snilld) (2005) (Iceland)','\r\n\r\nDirector: Ari Alexander Ergis Magnsson\r\n\r\nThe official website is here\r\nsee\r\nhttp://www.screamingmasterpiece.com/\r\n\r\nMy thoughts ...\r\n-- wow ... if you like music, you will like the film ...\r\n... there are about 37 bands that are being featured ...\r\n... or if you only like Bjork, she is in too ...\r\n... as for Singaporeans, there is a band which calls themselves \"Singapore Sling\" (the award winning drink) ... hee hee ... anyway, the local audience applauded when they saw the band ... \r\n\r\n-- hey, you will also see a cameo of the President and his residence, as \"amplified/loud\" music is played for the first time in his residence ... ha ha ha\r\n\r\n-- in addition, you also get to see some interesting instruments ...\r\n\r\n-- besides the music, I have to admit that the entire cinematography is great ... with 90% of the color in tints of blue ... and you get to see nice landscapes/scenery in Iceland ...\r\n\r\nWhat could be better ...\r\n-- the film needs some focus or coherence ... it just does not have a consistent thread of thoughts ... sometimes you may think the film is ending, but it does not ... \r\n... BUT the actual ending is nice and ties in with the beginning ...\r\n\r\nConclusion:\r\nFor a documentary, I like it (esp for its music and cinematography) ... what could be better might be focus/coherence (i.e., a better story line) ...','0a59cc975d8f29f4557752d8db89a07e',0,'','HK29PMZC',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10863,1903,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1139519580,1,0,1,1,1,1,'howardschumann(d)','Eve and the Fire Horse','EVE AND THE FIRE HORSE\r\n\r\nDirected by Julia Kwan (2005)\r\n\r\nVoted the most popular Canadian film at the 2005 Vancouver Film Festival and winner of the Special Jury Prize in the World Dramatic category of the Sundance Film Festival, Vancouver director Julia Kwan\'s Eve and the Fire Horse weaves an imaginative tale of the spiritual awakening of two young Chinese-Canadian sisters. The film is set in Vancouver, Canada in the 1970s and is loosely based on the director\'s personal memories of her immigrant experience. As the film opens, nine-year old Eve (Phoebe Jojo Kut) explains that she was born in 1966, the year of the fire horse, an event that takes place only every sixty years and is considered to bring bad luck. \r\n\r\nAccording to Ms. Kwan, \"the last time it occurred, the abortion rates spiked in Asia because nobody wanted a child who was a fire horse. A fire horse is a strong-willed and independent thinker and independent thinking isnt a very Confucian thing where youre supposed to submit to parental authority.\" In Eve\'s imagination, she sees the unwanted fire horses drowning underwater. In her mind, her bad luck is manifested when her mother (Vivian Wu) suffers a miscarriage after cutting down an apple tree, her uncle (Joseph Siu Kin Hing) chokes on some noodles, and her grandmother (Ping Sun Wong) dies shortly after watering the garden. \r\n\r\nSeeing Buddhism as a religion of luck and superstition, Eve and her 11-year old sister Karena (Hollie Lo) turn away their family\'s traditional religion to embrace Catholicism after they receive a book about Jesus from door-to-door evangelists. Karena immediately becomes a strong believer and Eve follows along, though she does ask questions about whether Jesus and Buddha are friends. In her imagination, she pictures Jesus and Buddha dancing together in her living room. The girls form an order they call \"The Daughters of Perpetual Sorrow\" and perform charitable deeds around the neighborhood. Their father Frank (Lester Chit-Man Chan) is upset when the girls say grace at dinner and when they will not honor their ancestors by bowing, but the family\'s innate stoicism and desire to assimilate takes precedence over their beliefs. Their mother sends the girls to Sunday School saying that two Gods are better than one (a very pragmatic approach), and they begin to bring crosses and pictures of Jesus into the home. \r\n\r\nAlthough her father tells Eve that her grandmother will be reincarnated as a goldfish, an idea Eve finds very comforting, she is told in Sunday School that her grandmother has been sent to Hell for being a Buddhist, but this does not seem to deter her. She learns the proper position for praying, watches as Karena aggressively tries to convert a young Sikh boy to Jesus, and participates in a scary baptism ritual in her bathtub. Eve and the Fire Horse is a heartfelt film and while it has much to recommend it, I found the performances weak and the film disjointed and lacking in a clear point of view. Without commenting on aggressive Christian proselytizing, the film appears to endorse it in spite of a near-death experience in which God embraces all faiths. \r\n\r\nGRADE: B','4ee19711f7ad70d3faddf7092f5df8d6',0,'','zyB1jlXF',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10864,1904,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1139021940,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Breaking News (2004 - Hong Kong)','Breaking News (2004) Dai si gein \r\n\r\nDirected by Johnny To\r\n\r\nStarring Kelly Chen (Infernal Affairs), Nick Cheung (Election)\r\n\r\nTheres nothing new with cops n robbers films, exhilarating shoot outs and chases, neither is a hostage situation unique but Breaking News does manage to bring something new or maybe up to date to the party. The media: circus that it is, the most manipulative method of conveying a message to the masses plays a part in the plot that is as important if not more so than the police or the criminals. \r\n\r\nWhen a shoot up goes wrong, a news team captures the mess and its relayed on television. With the loss of face for the police comes a public loss of confidence, they decide to launch a massive manhunt and ensure that once theyve found the crooks, they have enormous media coverage for the arrests. Inspector Fong knows how to use the press to the advantage of the police but doesnt count on a loose cannon, Inspector Cheung getting involved or on the crooks using technology to their advantage.\r\n\r\nA tense firefight ensues as the police and Inspector Cheungs team force the crooks into an apartment where hostages are taken, from a game of cat and mouse the siege then becomes more of a chess game. The gang is aware of the huge media interest and also knows that the police reports are being carefully edited to show them in a good light. Using a PC, they start their own internet broadcasts showing the lies covered up by the police, including officers injured by a fire bomb.\r\n\r\nBack and forth both sides try to manipulate the media, the police to try and win public approval, the crooks to show that the police are lying in their reports and to show that they (the bad guys) have a decent side. The crooks eventually set the ball rolling so they can escape, but their own technology is used against them leading to their eventual demise. \r\n\r\nFive years ago this would have seemed futuristic or far fetched but what we see is actually an example of what were being fed every day. The perfect example is Iraq, on one side we receive heavily edited reports while the other is making use of the Internet to garner the worlds attention. Neither side tells the whole truth but both sides try to manipulate their respective audiences. So the film may seem like a parody about the power of the press but when you look at recent events, you have to wonder.\r\n\r\nI enjoyed the film a lot despite one or two minor plot loopholes, The action is taut, as is the editing and the camera work gives it a documentary feel at times. If you like the idea of a decent crime drama that is bang up to date then give Breaking News a try, especially since itll probably be remade by Hollywood.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev. \r\n\r\nNo BBFC rating yet but probably 15.\r\n\r\nR3 ntsc dvd available from various suppliers.','8cef552982ce399b98a89592cbeb928d',0,'','o5M1B9av',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10865,1904,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1139033220,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Breaking News (2004 - Hong Kong)','I guess my review has vaporized with the old foreignfilms.com ... sigh ...\r\n\r\nthe film had been invited to Cannes.\r\n\r\nanyway, i also like the film \r\n(i) as it was timely in 2003/2004 due to the \"manipulation/use\" of media ... \r\n(ii) but also, it questioned the power and responsibility of media \r\n... whether the media really knew that they were not reporting the truth (and would it be too late if they were to verify details)\r\n... TRICKIER: should they report every piece of news even if it were the truth ... \r\n(iii) and how much should we trust the media ... \r\n... and if we don\'t, how else could we get our info? \r\n\r\nalthough the film has its exaggeration once in a while, or a few loopholes, or becomes a bit \"hollywood\" (near the end), I would say it is commendable overall ...','b8d7d1a96c13998227bce33d939079e7',0,'','D3st5e7W',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10866,1904,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1139033400,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Breaking News (2004 - Hong Kong)','\r\nside track to the recent media incident ...\r\n\r\nclick here ...','82a3a447ca61fd991fe0015796dcab24',0,'','xBrjURGa',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10867,1904,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1139119200,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: Breaking News (2004 - Hong Kong)','I do remember your comments for Breaking News hengcs, just a shame they were lost, thank\'s for adding further notes.\r\n\r\nThere\'s little I can say regarding current problems but I often wonder if the human race will ever truly develop above our base instincts and end the sadness and misery we inflict on each other.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev','b314900c9918e1a844cab7ad734cb591',0,'','Z0PtbMHu',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10868,1905,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1138955880,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Fearless (Huo Yuan Jia) (2006) (HK)','\r\n\r\n\r\nDirector: Ronny Yu\r\nCast: Jet Li, Nakamura Shido, Collin Chou, Shun Li\r\n\r\nThe official website\r\nsee\r\nhttp://www.fearlessthemovie.com/\r\n\r\nMy thoughts ...\r\n\r\n-- The actions are well choreographed and slightly more authentic looking (as opposed to flying hear and there) although they do not break any new ground. Complementing it, the pacing is excellent. Hotblooded teens and guys seeking an action film will not be disappointed ... in fact, some violent scenes will make you shrink ...\r\n\r\n-- The story is based on Huo Yuan Jia\'s life. \r\n... It is interesting to see the scenes when he was young, but how he finally convinced his dad to let him practise martial arts was skipped over ... \r\n... In his adult days, the \"life changing\" events are dramatic ...\r\nIn a way, the \"fast forwarded\" events target at \"mass appeal\" rather than \"critics\' taste\") ...\r\n\r\n-- While most audience will get the message(s) and like the message(s), some may find them a bit too \"non subtle\" ...\r\ni.e., what is the purpose of practising martial arts\r\ni.e., the true value of friendship\r\ni.e., the purpose of life ... \r\n(in fact, Jet Li wanted to make the film due to the high suicidal rates among teens) \r\netc\r\n\r\n-- Reportedly, all the scenes with Michelle Yeoh have been edited out (She is filmed in the modern time ... something related to the promotion of martial arts as an Olympics event ... and she starts narrating this history). Pardon me, but I thought it was a GOOD decision ... for the current pacing is well maintained, and those seeking actions will not be disappointed. However, if you are a defendant of no editing, the DVD will restore the original version ...\r\n\r\n-- In terms of cinematography, I like the scene at the lake ... wow ...\r\n\r\n-- In terms of theme song, it is simply a strategic marketing move to have Jay Chou chanting away ... whether you like it will depends on whether you are his fan ... hee hee\r\n\r\nConclusion:\r\nRecommended ... esp. for \"energetic\" teens and people who appreciate real martial arts (as opposed to \"flying\") ... or if you are simply a supporter of Jet Li ... afterall, it is \"widely publicized\" to be Jet Li\'s last martial arts film, so how can you not watch it?','64eaeb5c79f263c81f6125d0d1842b31',0,'','Fso9mAtp',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10869,1906,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1138708260,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Zodiac, The Race Begins (2006) (Singapore)','\r\n\r\nDirector: Edward Foo\r\n\r\nTouted as Singapore\'s first 3D animation feature, I definitely have to give it some moral support by watching it ... supportive?! hee hee ...\r\n\r\n\r\nThe official website\r\nsee\r\nhttp://www.cubix.ws/zodiac/\r\n\r\nMy thoughts ...\r\n-- The only thing I like about the film was ... the good/appropriate use of \"pop ups\" (from the book of Zodiac) to intersperse with real 3D animation ... well done ...\r\n\r\n-- There are a few funny scenes (esp., scenes with the tortoise) ... ha ha ha ...\r\n-- Finally, the effort ...\r\n(i) The production house has made a strategic choice \r\n... to select a theme that will appeal to children (i.e., animals, 12 or more animals), \r\n... and a theme that Asians can identify with and Westerners may be keen to know more about (i.e., the Zodiac signs) ...\r\n(ii) The film is dubbed in two versions \r\n... an entirely English version and an entirely Chinese version\r\n\r\nWhat could be better ...\r\n\r\n(i) most important, the overall story telling ... it is commendable that the film manages to piece together a lot of different anecdotes from Chinese stories/legends/etc and weave it into a story ... e.g., why the cat and mouse are enemies, why the owl\'s eyes are surrounded by black circles, why the rabbit has short tail, why the monkey has a red a**, etc \r\n... however, the essence of Zodiac is in the RACE ... BUT the RACE of the 12 animals is not being felt ... the pacing/the editing/the soundtrack simply do not grip and rivet the audience enough ... \r\n\r\n(ii) Since the film is targetted at children, I feel that the animals could be \"cuter\" and the facial expressions of the animals could be \"more exaggerated\" (there were a few good humor/jokes, but they did not take off because of the lack of facial expressions of the animals) ... the dubbers can try their best, but the visuals count ...\r\n\r\n(iii) Finally, since it is targeted at children, it should capitalize on themes of family, friendship, loyalty, etc ... to make the story more touching ... to some extent, it does try (e.g., the family of the ox, and the \"friendship\" between one or two animals), but somehow, the message is not well delivered because these \"side stories\" are not compelling ...\r\n\r\nConclusion:\r\nCan watch ... esp. for very young children?! ... as for adults, please be more forgiving ... in a way, the film could be much better by addressing those points I mentioned above.','08d0b0fe3140fa2910a3e75c01236912',0,'','6qaPfgpC',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10870,1907,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1136562960,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','BBC4 Asian Invasion','BBC4 is a freeview channel unlike Filmfour and next week is the start of a series covering aspects of Asian cinema called Asian Invasion. Hosted by the rather irritating Jonathon Ross it will probably be fairly light and only cover the recent surge.\r\n\r\nIn the first programme he meets with Miyazaki, Oshii and Kitamura, just don\'t expect anything indepth.\r\n\r\nTo go with the series and the release of Memoirs of a Geisha, there are a series of films and documentaries.\r\n\r\nFilms for next week are Twilight Samurai, Kikujiro and Gohatto.\r\n\r\nFilms over the following weeks include Ping Pong, Full Time Killer, Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter...and Spring, Take Care of My Cat and Chihwaseon. \r\n\r\nDocumentaries for next week cover various aspects of Japan including Samurai, Geishas, Art, Trains and Coffee Houses.\r\n\r\nThere should be something of interest for almost everyone.\r\n\r\nLink for first programme details Asian Invasion 1.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','59c47b5c793108d917e59047984b4547',0,'','6ubSWj3Y',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10871,1907,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1136641980,1,0,1,1,1,1,'Johndav','Re: BBC4 Asian Invasion','Thanks for that Trevor. I can get British TV with a digibox here. Yeah, Wossie gets on my nerves too, at least to do with films (he can be quite entertaining otherwise, if always self-obsessed)) and he dumbed down the Film programme a bit after Barry Norman (though his reviews are actually quite well expressed)- a more populist programme with him (though Norman was not exactly in an intellectual ivory tower.) So his choice of Asian films is no great surprise (i.e modern + trendy rather than older masters + classics, or more demanding/ difficult films ). He could have done better, but i\'ll be glad to see 3 ones new to me. And i sppose any season that draws attention to the whole subect and may encourage viewers to delve deeper should be a good thing. Especially as there\'s still so little world cinema on British TV.','c13dddfd8a77f78e004559078c3142c2',0,'','bm4voxdT',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10872,1907,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1136644740,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: BBC4 Asian Invasion','Which are the three you haven\'t seen John? The only one I haven\'t seen is Ping Pong, I assume the following episodes of the series will cover South Korea and Hong Kong.\r\n\r\nI find it annoying that whenever the BBC covers anything to do with modern Asian culture, they always seem to give it to the most annoying possible presenters. A recent series from Japan was presented by \"Adam and Joe\" and they managed to cheapen the whole experience. \r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','75996e7087ec4c89b2a63dd6b95c59aa',0,'','Mmg1eirN',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10873,1907,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1136645700,1,0,1,1,1,1,'Johndav','Re: BBC4 Asian Invasion','Not seen Full Time Killer, Ping Pong, Take Care of my Cat (the one i\'m looking forward to most). I liked Twilight Samurai + Kikujiro, Spring Summer was fine, but none were all-out masterpieces imo.','2432a1ed0fac74ad9273067d4b40d72a',0,'','dk1LjHxK',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10874,1907,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1137002460,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: BBC4 Asian Invasion','The first episode covering Japan was on last night, very light as I had expected but also annoying, virtually every film covered has been available in the UK for several years, the interviews again were too light and totally uninformative.\r\n\r\nI realise the show hasn\'t been produced for people like us but I don\'t know if it will attract anyone to watching Asian cinema who isn\'t already interested.\r\n\r\nNice to see Miyazaki and Oshii though.\r\n\r\nThe docs accompanying the series have fared better and been enlightening and entertaining, one covered the length of Japan using various trains from the ultra fast bullet to the pondorous old steam trains. Time was also spent at various stopping points giving a varied look at Japanese life.\r\n\r\nHave you caught any of the programmes John?\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','b40a2cf05bb9327181810435e0d9afa2',0,'','ZqUeaChL',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10875,1907,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1137038820,1,0,1,1,1,1,'chris aberystwyth','Re: BBC4 Asian Invasion','hey Trevor, when are these programmes on, i get BBC4 and wouldnt mind catching a few of them.','515e974996019a8628be784bace1bda7',0,'','hGJx5M7V',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10876,1907,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1137039660,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: BBC4 Asian Invasion','The first episode of Asian Invasion is repeated tonight at 11.25pm, if your on line you\'ve just about got time to catch it.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev. \r\n\r\nI\'ll detail other prog times later.','d2be506f89e515e710c6878e1a94fa95',0,'','mBz8EYtV',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10877,1907,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1137040440,1,0,1,1,1,1,'chris aberystwyth','Re: BBC4 Asian Invasion','cheers, il have to miss the first episode since i have an essay due tomorrow but will catch it next week','2911e735773603230fc6c4977c1b61f1',0,'','KfvcoqiX',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10878,1907,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1137040680,1,0,1,1,1,1,'Johndav','Re: BBC4 Asian Invasion','I\'ve just read this a few minutes after it started. My wife had drawn my attention to it. I feared the worst of Woss, and.. of course he starts off about Kurosawa (\"the best\"), as influence on Hollywood big names, not mentioning Ozu + Mizo, + as if the strengths of Japanese cinema started only in the 50\'s. Yeah yeah. He\'s so predictable + he winds me up the wrong way. \r\n\r\nI saw part of Twilight Samurai last night, was less taken with it than first time round, though it\'s still definitely worthwhile.\r\n\r\nBack to Woss; on his first ever Film programme, at the Oscars, he made two elementary factual howlers that showed not only his ignorance but failure even to do proper research/preparation for his big moment. My opinion of him hasn\'t improved.','28da9b49bceec7c43c2cb5e323b70c22',0,'','4pwXYebS',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10879,1907,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1137041880,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: BBC4 Asian Invasion','Times and dates of further programmes and films:\r\n\r\n12 Jan. \r\n\r\n9.00pm Geisha Girl\r\n\r\nFilm following 15-year-old Yukina as she leaves home and travels to Kyoto to embark on the arduous training to become a Geisha.\r\n\r\nGeisha are Japan\'s traditional high-class entertainers: painted beauties who entertain rich business men. The profession has always been shrouded in controversy, with some believing Geisha are little more than high-class prostitutes. \r\n\r\nAs Yukina starts her training, does she really understand what this ancient profession has in store for her?\r\n\r\n10.00pm Art Safari\r\n\r\nTakashi Murakami: Toying with Art\r\n\r\nBen Lewis looks at the work of Takashi Murakami, whose candy-coloured artworks have made him Japan\'s most successful contemporary artist.\r\n\r\nFrom Louis Vuitton handbags to super-sized toys and enormous outdoor inflatable sculptures, Takashi Murakami\'s work is the art world\'s best art investment; prices for his work have risen 20 times over in less than 10 years.\r\n\r\nHe runs a huge international art business with studios in Japan and New York, curates exhibitions, and organises art fairs. An Andy Warhol for the 21st century, Takashi Murakami has turned his art into a brand with everything from mousemats to chocolate crunch. His art may look superficial and commercialised, but Ben goes to Tokyo and discovers that behind it lies a theory about the history of post-war Japan.\r\n\r\n13 Jan \r\n\r\n8.30pm The Cinema Show\r\n\r\nStuart Maconie exclusively reveals the shortlist for the 2006 BBC FOUR World Cinema Awards. \r\n\r\nThe programme looks at two contrasting accounts of historical Japan with Memoirs of a Geisha, and Twilight Samuri.\r\n\r\n10.00pm Film - Gohatto.\r\n\r\n12.25am I Samurai\r\n\r\nAndrew Graham-Dixon takes a break from his art critic day job to immerse himself in the art, rituals and practices of the Japanese warrior cult. \r\n\r\nWell worth seeing.\r\n\r\nGeish Girl and Art Safari are also repeated following I Samurai.\r\n\r\nUnfortunately Great Railway Journey\'s isn\'t repeated. \r\n\r\n14 Jan\r\n\r\n10.00pm Film - Ping Pong\r\n\r\n17 Jan\r\n\r\n10.00pm Asian Invasion 2 - Hong Kong.\r\n\r\nIn Hong Kong Jonathan meets Stephen Chow, star of King Fu Hustle and Shaolin Soccer, celebrates Michelle Yeoh, the world\'s first female Asian superstar and looks back at his all-time Hong Kong heroes, including Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan. \r\n\r\n11.00pm Film - Full Time Killer\r\n\r\n21 Jan \r\n\r\n10.00pm Film - Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter... and Spring \r\n\r\n23 Jan\r\n\r\nFilm - Take Care of My Cat\r\n\r\n24 Jan \r\n\r\n10.00pm Asian Invasion 3 - South Korea\r\n\r\nAmong the directors Jonathan meets are Park Chan-wook, whose film Oldboy won the Grand Prix at Cannes in 2004. He also looks at an extremely odd little monster movie produced by North Korean dictator Kim Jong-il who kidnapped the film\'s director from South Korea to make his dream project. \r\n\r\n11.00pm Film - Chihwaseon.\r\n\r\nThere may be supplementary docs but if so, they haven\'t been listed yet. \r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','53fe1099c4cf57de190b2262146ba3c9',0,'','TpaCEHRq',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10880,1907,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1137042060,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: BBC4 Asian Invasion','John, it always amazes me how most presenters on TV are really bloody annoying including Mr Woss, must be part of the job description.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','e09b84c068a018240b57891df9d56b6a',0,'','RYVe7v6H',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10881,1907,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1137043320,1,0,1,1,1,1,'chris aberystwyth','Re: BBC4 Asian Invasion','thanks for that Trev, ive been wanting to see Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter... And Spring and a few of the others on there. I have the same problems with wossy, his reviews are far too often ill-informed and when he does insert a film that isn\'t hollywood mainstream you get the feeling he\'s doing it to sound credible as a critic yet doesnt quite make the grade.','60b7dc9267ca26049cf6115c889e124e',0,'','ejLr0l3k',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10882,1907,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1137169620,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: BBC4 Asian Invasion','The Geisha documentary was very interesting especially noting how little the system has changed down the years. This is the type of career that requires absolute dedication, certainly no good if you want the type of job you can switch off from as being a maiko and/or geisha is your life.\r\n\r\nWell worth seeing.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','940630e0b01f21ac6162e0438e36ad49',0,'','gmrN7abp',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10883,1907,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1137176340,1,0,1,1,1,1,'Johndav','Re: BBC4 Asian Invasion','Thanks for all the hard work, Trev. I\'m going to have to concentrate properly on the season. TV presenters\' job description; something i\'d thought about- i think it\'s very often simply about self-confidence, often being full of yourself, nothing whatsoever to do with talent or intellect. Too many shallow big heads wose main aim in life is fame, if you ask me. Not that i\'d turn down the fame + money, mind!','ad9c52bf85bf07f6f2de3e45ef2f7e53',0,'','4KpY3r0v',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10884,1907,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1137189420,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: BBC4 Asian Invasion','Cheers John, if you missed it, try and catch the repeat screening of Geisha Girl late tonight, I know you\'ll appreciate it.\r\n\r\nThe Art Safari programme was also interesting but as with most modern art there\'s plenty of bullshit to dig through.\r\n\r\nI Samurai is also repeated tonight, enlightening, entertaining and humorous.\r\n\r\nGood weekend for Japanese viewing, Nausicaa and Ping Pong tomorrow, Pom Poko Sunday so I\'ll be happy.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','c779d7509b59156ad4db9fd7fc2988c1',0,'','1EqLXCgd',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10885,1907,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1138337700,1,0,1,1,1,1,'arsaib4','Re: BBC4 Asian Invasion','So, anything new?','03a907035e425cc5b7f78a672ca0d173',0,'','XPgrQ7YN',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10886,1907,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1138341360,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: BBC4 Asian Invasion','There were no documentaries to accompany the look at Hong Kong or South Korean cinema, I\'m sure they could have dug something up.\r\n\r\nFar too much time was spent on pointless interviews with Stephen Chow and Park Chan-wook. A lot of clips were promised but not many were actually shown. When scenes were shown they contained too many spoiler shots (for people who may not have seen the films mentioned) and there was way too much of Jonathon Ross, mind you in my opinion 5 minutes is way too much. \r\n\r\nIn a brief interview with Kim Ki-duk, he told of a scenerio for a film he\'s planning where the central performance will be a gun?\r\n\r\nGreat free advertising for Tartan and Optimum Asia but virtually nothing new for even the casual fan of Asian cinema. A wasted opportunity but that\'s no different than I and others had expected.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','436dd44216d57b036bd353495a35b21d',0,'','jrMgHw8z',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10887,1908,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1137831000,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','I Not Stupid (2002) & I Not Stupid Too (2006) (Singapore','\r\nBefore I review the latest movie, \r\nI thought it would be good that I review the old one ... \r\nanyway, it will be terse because I have watched it too long ago ... * naughty grin *\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nI Not Stupid (2002) (Singapore)\r\n\r\nDirector: Jack Neo\r\nCast: Po Ju Huang, Shawn Lee, Joshua Ang, Jack Neo, Xiang Yun\r\n\r\nThe official website ...\r\nsee\r\nhttp://www.inotstupid.com.sg/inotstupid1/index.htm\r\n\r\nMy thoughts ...\r\n-- If I recall correctly, it is the second highest grossing Singapore film locally ... in fact, it was so popular that a TV series and a comic was made out of it ... \r\n\r\n-- Most remarkable is its 2 levels of interpretation and its various thought provoking messages (despite being a comedy)\r\n\r\n(i) For non locals, it might be just another film about 3 kids and their family, and how they have to survive the educational system ... BUT for Singaporeans, there is another layer of interpretation, the parents do resemble the government in their styles/tactics/delivery; in fact, the parents of the wealthy kid is always dressed in WHITE (what an uncanny hint) ... hee hee ... and to be honest, the government has taken it very gracefully, and even reflect on the issues that were raised in the film ... \r\n\r\n(ii) It does address a lot of issues in Singapore\r\n\r\ne.g., at the individual level ... what is right and what is wrong; what should we do; who should we follow; the choices in life; etc ... \r\ne..g, at the family and friends level ... what are the expectations and/or communications between parents and children; what are true friends ...\r\ne.g., at the societal level ... what is social responsibility; \"kiasu-ism\" (the local term for \"scared to lose\"); Singapore\'s emphasis on English; cultural differences between the East and the West; tradition versus modernization, etc ... \r\n\r\ne.g., educational matters ... the tough system; the streaming at an early age; the emphasis on English, Mathematics and the Sciences (as opposed to the arts) ...\r\ne.g., career matters ... the issues of expatriates and foreign talents; work or family; etc ...\r\ne.g., political matters ... about freedom of speech, about control, about elections, about strategies, etc ...\r\n\r\n-- The song by the girl also sounded at the right time with very meaningful lyrics ...\r\n\r\n-- Typical of his movies, the messages are usually good ... and so things have to end on a positive note ... \r\n\r\n\r\nConclusion:\r\nRecommended ... even though I have to qualify that Singaporeans will likely love it much more (and see more to the story) than foreigners ... BUT, just to assure you, it has done reasonably well in the Asian market ... most probably because most Asian can identify with the way Asian families and parents are ...\r\n\r\nNote: The DVD is available.','63033f5d1ab757c40fc14f6457b9d7e5',0,'','fpAqsBQH',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10888,1908,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1137833340,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: I Not Stupid (2002) & I Not Stupid Too (2006) (Singapore','\r\n\r\nI Not Stupid Too (2006) (Singapore)\r\n\r\nDirector: Jack Neo\r\nCast: Shawn Lee, Ashley Leong, Joshua Ang, Jack Neo, Xiang Yun, Huang Yi Liang, Selena Tan, Johnny Ng and Nick Shen\r\n\r\nWhat struck me initially was the English title ... ha ha\r\nIt is such a good use of \"too\" which sounds like \"two\" (the sequel) ... but strictly speaking, the characters are NOT a continuation of the 2002 film, although the cast is predominantly the same ...\r\n\r\nThe official site\r\nsee\r\nhttp://www.inotstupid.com.sg/inotstupid2/index.htm\r\nand\r\nhttp://www.mediacorpraintree.com/instoo/\r\n\r\nMy thoughts ...\r\n\r\n-- This time round, I thought the young cast did a remarkable job ... well done Joshua Ang, Shawn Lee, and Ashley Leong ...\r\n\r\n-- The film managed to weave a few recent hot topics (which grabbed Singapore headlines) into the film ... so the events are kind of real ...\r\ne.g., the issues about corporal punishment in schools (it did depict both sides of the story rather well)\r\ne.g., the recording of a teacher abusing student and putting in on internet\r\ne.g., the blogging charges recently \r\n\r\n-- The opening lines are ...\r\nWhen was the last time you were praised? \r\nWhen was the last time you praise others? \r\nIt must be quite long ago ...\r\n\r\n-- Like the previous one\r\n... it does have several thought provoking issues (education system, parents & children, work and family, friends, etc)\r\n... it does have SEVERAL touching scenes, esp towards the last half ...\r\n... overall, it is positive, with well intended messages ...\r\n\r\nWhat could be better ...\r\n-- most notably, I felt that the \"digital\" additions to some scenes are redundant, and worse, it made the film lose a sense of reality ...\r\n-- next, i thought the initial 20-30 minutes or so should be heavily edited and accelerated (i.e., the subplot about the primary school kid being \"pregnant\"; although the idea of \"communication\" is there, the jokes/humor is not very striking) ... Instead, the BETTER SCENES are in the last one and half hour or so ...\r\n-- also, I thought the director could have let some scenes remain sad or dramatic; instead, there is always a comical touch to those scenes, which I thought \"spoil the mood\" for the film to become really touching \r\n(I know it is a comedy, but I thought he was too unwilling to let the film becomes depressing even if it might be more effective ...) \r\n-- finally, I thought occasionally some of the dialogues are too contrived/intentional (at times, even the local audience can guess what will be spoken)\r\ne.g., the \"hmm, ngg, ohh\" scene\r\n\r\nConclusion:\r\nAbove average ... it would have been much better if the director has addressed those issues that I mentioned ... hmmm, I wonder if he had a test audience ... nonetheless, I still recommend the film for a watch ...\r\n\r\nPS: My friend like this film ...','cabdb4546ddea91db2a6e4981919472f',0,'','rDba7Rp8',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10889,1909,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1129528680,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','15 (2003) (Singapore)','\r\nI have watched the ORIGINAL short film version of 15 (about 25 minutes). Some people actually call it the \"Ah Beng movie\".\r\n\r\nI have also watched the full length feature of 15 (about 94 minutes).\r\n-- in Singapore, and\r\n-- in San Francisco International Film Festival 2004.\r\n\r\nI am not sure how much credit should go to the producer, Eric instead of the director, Royston .... I would prefer to suggest the latter ... why?\r\n\r\nMentioned earlier, this movie actually began as a short film and had garnered several awards (e.g., the Special Achievement Award at the Singapore International Film Festival 2002). Because of that, Eric urged Royston to make a full length feature.\r\n\r\nInstead of rewriting the script with more details in between, he simply added two more stories, with two additional cast (because two of the original cast were missing/ or had been captured by the authority). \r\n\r\nIn other words, the original shorter version was actually the first story in the full length feature PLUS the ending song on the MRT (i.e., the subway) ...\r\n\r\n** It is interesting to note that I (and probably most of my Singaporean friends) like the first story better, and feel that the movie should have remained as a short film. The two additonal stories kind of make the movie slightly draggy and less compact.\r\n\r\n** However, it seems like most foreigners prefer the second story and third story better. Why?\r\n\r\nI believe most Singaporeans would prefer the first story or original short film because it has a good mix of humor and sadness that many can relate to. However, due to localization, most foreigners will fail to grasp the jokes ...\r\ne.g., the distortion of the national anthem\r\ne.g., the education system and society we are in\r\ne.g., the landmarks the protagonists visit when they are scouting for a building to jump\r\ne.g., the lingo they used (a lot is really lost in translation!!!)\r\ne.g., the last song on the train (which is rather meaningful in the original short film, but I recall it not being very well translated).\r\netc\r\n\r\nI believe most foreigners tend to like the second and third stories better because they can relate to\r\ne.g., drugs\r\ne.g., tattoos\r\ne.g., antagonism between two rival groups (in this case, the gangs who spoke either chinese/dialects or english)\r\netc\r\n\r\nNoteworthy, the movie has caused quite some stir and controversy because\r\n-- the original sountrack depict actual secret societies\' chants (their mottos, locations, etc)\r\n-- a frontal scene\r\n-- ** Also, the movie has sparked some debate because some mutilation scenes were real and NOT enacted. Basically, the director passed the camera to these kids and requested they filmed their daily life or he simply asked them to speak and live as they normally would (i.e., without scripting) ... consequently, some scenes were indeed disturbing ...\r\n\r\nIn summary,\r\n... I think the original short film version is worth watching because it is more compact and more powerful \r\n... in order to better understand the humor, you may like to watch it with some Singaporeans ...\r\n\r\n\r\nPS: The DVD is available.','77a760507edece9cad5afa5433b8e117',0,'','GjaF1qbV',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10890,1909,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1129596480,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: 15 (2003) (Singapore)','I\'m glad you posted your comments for this film hengcs, a lot of the problems affecting the kids in the film are universal from gang fights to drug taking and even suicide.\r\n\r\nThe thing is 15 looks as though it was made to appeal to that age group, teen angst, depression, loneliness, fear, all interspersed with MTV style breaks, these are the people who can\'t see it. The first segment is fine and works well but as you mentioned, \"The two additonal stories kind of make the movie slightly draggy and less compact.\" I also felt that in a way it glamorised the lifestyle of these kids, the false bravado, the South Park style animated sequence, the stylised gang fights and was not as effective as the Korean movie \"Tears.\"\r\n\r\nThe one thing I really didn\'t like was the fact that they were pushing the film as \"reality\" when it\'s obvious that some of the scenes which were supposed to be \"reality\" weren\'t, I refer to the supposed swalowing of the condom full of tabs, there is no way in the world that scene was genuine, if anyone tried that as full as it was they would choke to death.\r\n\r\nSo a stylised short film that should have stayed short. Two stories that while noteworthy are being hyped up for the wrong reasons, I have no doubt that some kids in Singapore commit suicide, offend adults, especially when in a group, have gang fights, take drugs etc. These are all universal problems, we get all these issues in Wales, I didn\'t expect the film to give hope or solutions but I didn\'t expect the \"POP\" style presentation that makes it all look so cool.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','0ff84ed9d6974492e7c5ca042f4211f5',0,'','Hrx9AG0o',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10891,1909,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1129638060,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: 15 (2003) (Singapore)','Quote trevor,\"\r\n... I also felt that in a way it glamorised the lifestyle of these kids, the false bravado, the South Park style animated sequence, the stylised gang fights ...\r\n\r\n... The one thing I really didn\'t like was the fact that they were pushing the film as \"reality\" when it\'s obvious that some of the scenes which were supposed to be \"reality\" weren\'t, I refer to the supposed swalowing of the condom full of tabs, there is no way in the world that scene was genuine, if anyone tried that as full as it was they would choke to death.\r\n\r\n... I didn\'t expect the film to give hope or solutions but I didn\'t expect the \"POP\" style presentation that makes it all look so cool.\r\n\r\n(1) There are two camps of thoughts, so I am not sure if the film succeeded in looking cool. \r\n-- On one hand, it is apparent that the director wanted to convey to the audience (and Singaporeans), \"Hey, do not overlook these group of people in society ...\" \r\n-- On the other hand, some people actually felt that the director was trying to appeal to film festivals or outsiders, \"Hey, let me show you another aspect of Singapore ... esp. because Singapore has usually been portrayed in rather favorable light.\"\r\n\r\n(2) As for the condom full of tabs, I think it is real. I even suspect it was filmed by the kids themselves, I am not sure. If you have watched Maria Full Of Grace, there are similar approaches too.\r\n\r\nAnyway, the film has created quite a controversy.\r\n\r\nThe director even made a 15 minutes musical clip, \"CUT\", with characters that resemble the authority to \"critique\" our censor board. There were much discussion in the local newspapers then.','34f66ed9de2359102eb398fb0ddf5dbb',0,'','byVWtsdU',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10892,1909,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1129653480,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: 15 (2003) (Singapore)','\r\nWhat gave it its cool (pop) look was the MTV styling. The club scene and the following drugged up scenes looked as though theyd come from the video for Smack my Bitch Up from The Prodigy.\r\n\r\nThe South Park style animation when discussing methods of suicide.\r\n\r\nThe almost Playstation style presentation of the gang fights.\r\n\r\nI couldnt work out who the director was trying to appeal to, kids of a similar age? The general populace of Singapore? I dont think it was mant as a film festival crowd pleaser because it is too hip.\r\n\r\nYou noted it as maybe a \"Hey, do not overlook these group of people in society .\" to the general populace of Singapore but all I can say is what exactly is this group? They seemed just like the kids from the lower classes of any country, they certainly werent lacking in terms of a home etc. I know there are many kids like these in Wales and Im sure there are quite a few in the US as well .\r\n\r\nBack to the drugs, you mentioned Maria Full Of Grace, and I have also recently seen a genuine documentary on drug mules,. Try watching the scene from 15 again, the kid would kill himself, the condom is jampacked and he doesnt open his throat up by tilting his head, he just tries to ram it down his throat like he was giving a blowjob. Im sorry but I truly believe this is faked, if Im wrong Id be more than happy to apologise. \r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','8e718920053bfd34806db8c14a5e62e8',0,'','vTCEJi6G',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10893,1909,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1129660500,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: 15 (2003) (Singapore)','I have to add that I enjoyed the film overall (particularly the first section) but am troubled by the things I mentioned and just wonder who the target audience is for a film like this?\r\n\r\nI\'d also agree with you hengcs that a lot has probably been lost in translation with \"15\".\r\n\r\nCheers Trev','0d237c43154ad9f226614672abfe4b4a',0,'','GqBPy94r',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10894,1909,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1137441000,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: 15 (2003) (Singapore)','I saw a travelogue style documentary on Singapore the other day, as they went through some of the key places to visit I couldn\'t help noticing quite a few of the buildings that featured in \"15\" They were the same ones the kids were looking at when trying to find somewhere for the boy (sorry can\'t remember his name) to commit suicide.\r\n\r\nMy wife was pointing out how gorgeous it looked and all I could think about was the film.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','5b3d9e7cb1149089023ebc5189b32aca',0,'','1yFhpwcm',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10895,1909,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1137446880,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: 15 (2003) (Singapore)','Also recently saw a short from Royston Tan - Hock hiap leong (2001) which was the name of a well known coffee shop in Singapore, very kitsch and camp, reminiscent of the song and dance sections in The Wayward Cloud, I had seen the short a few years ago but noticed the directors name this time because of 15.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','b5a67c5cc5de26499724f61292c51afe',0,'','0MZjFtgQ',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10896,1909,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1137657060,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: 15 (2003) (Singapore)','\r\n(1) Quote trevor, \"... I couldn\'t help noticing quite a few of the buildings that featured in \"15\" They were the same ones the kids were looking at when trying to find somewhere for the boy (sorry can\'t remember his name) to commit suicide. My wife was pointing out how gorgeous it looked ...\"\r\n\r\nyup, that was why it meant even more to the locals ...\r\n\r\n(2) Quote trevor, \"Also recently saw a short from Royston Tan - Hock hiap leong (2001)\r\n\r\nmaybe you should try searching the web for another \"muscial satire\", CUT, by him\r\nwww.imdb.com/title/tt0464925/\r\n\r\nhe did it to \"counter\" the censorship in \"15\" ...\r\nhe even chose characters that looked like the authority ...\r\n\r\nwhile some people just laughed it off,\r\nsome people thought he had gone too far ...\r\nwell, both parties had their concerns and their side of the story ...','e6fc47f3b536fd27df8b5af35721421a',0,'','Kve0XcYi',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10897,1909,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1137827580,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: 15 (2003) (Singapore)','\r\nIf I am correct, his next film will be screened at Berlin Film Festival 2006\r\n\r\nMovie: 4:30 \r\n\r\nIt traces the relationship between Zhang Xiao Wu, an eleven year old Chinese Boy, and his tenant Jung, a thirty-something Korean man. Told entirely from the perspective of the boy, Xiao Wu, this story of two very different characters is less about friendship than about a shared experience and appreciation of solitude.','288354fa0bc5780e065a034847738921',0,'','abytUSsZ',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10898,1910,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1137035100,1,0,1,1,1,1,'chris aberystwyth','Brazilian cinema study','Hello,\r\n\r\ni am currently undertaking a research project on contemporary brazilian cinema and its representations of cultural identity. i was hoping a few of you would be kind enough to give your own personal insights into the following films with an emphasis on \'identity\', and also possibly films i have missed that you think may be relevant that are available on DVD in the UK\r\n\r\nCentral Station\r\nCity of God\r\nBehind the Sun\r\nCarandiru\r\nFour Days in September\r\nMan of the Year\r\n\r\nThank you and i look forward to reading your comments\r\n\r\nChris','c7fed09631e78e6ddef2d59cbc086633',0,'','Vy01rtH8',1,0,'',0,0,0);
INSERT INTO `phpbb_posts` VALUES (10899,1910,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1137050400,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Brazilian cinema study','Hi chris\r\n\r\ni have watched\r\n- Central Station\r\n- City of God\r\n- Carandiru\r\nand some other brazilian films not listed here\r\n\r\nwhat exactly do you want us to comment on \"identity\"?\r\nit can mean different things to different pple\r\ne.g., individuals, religion, race/ethnicity, sense of belonging, etc\r\n\r\nrgds','f7aaf41536c462ff6e33638cd72a9809',0,'','mRTXVpZF',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10900,1910,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1137052920,1,0,1,1,1,1,'chris aberystwyth','Re: Brazilian cinema study','well the idea of a cultural identity essentially incorporates all those things, nationality, race, ethinicity, gender, sexuality, religion, traditions, language, history, sense of belonging etc. the aim of the study is to see how a Brazilian cultural identity is represented in the films. \r\n\r\nSo, for example, if you have seen several Barzilian films, as you have, what connections can you find between them? are there familiar themes that come up time and again? and if so what are these themes and how do they relate to Brazilian society? were you given any insight into Brazilian cinema?\r\n\r\nMost films deal with these issues in some way, sometimes they are transparent and some times, as Bordwell once said, they work like an opaque veil hiding something underneath. \r\n\r\nFor example, with Central Station, the themes i felt it was commenting on were the role of the state and their neglect of children (leaving Josue to fend for himself when his mother dies), the role of the family (Josue wanting to search for his father), and the importance of religion (the pilgramage they encounter on their journey).\r\n\r\nHope this explains it a bit better.\r\n\r\nthanks\r\n\r\nChris','696c002cbec571e0f816da14ad44a434',0,'','wgPAj87J',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10901,1910,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1137070860,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: Brazilian cinema study','Interesting, I\'ll see what I can add, I have seen the films you listed plus a few others.\r\n\r\nHope you\'re not in too much of a rush?\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','aa488ec220416c783da0fb8ab70ce6d0',0,'','RTVQPWsl',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10902,1910,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1137074100,1,0,1,1,1,1,'chris aberystwyth','Re: Brazilian cinema study','not especially, over the next few weeks/months, il be interested to read your thoughts. i did a similar, smaller study in relation to contemorary spanish cinema last year, particularly Almodovar films, thats what studying a film course does to you!','5a8fd07f8b76528996422f38381f4ca2',0,'','27QfWUE1',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10903,1910,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1137130560,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: Brazilian cinema study','I\'m not very knowledgable when it comes to Brazilian films, and from the ones you mentioned I\'ve only seen \"City of God\" and \"Carandiru\".\r\nBesides their different styles, both films dealt with the opression of different minorities, be they immigrants, gays, women, or whatever, and the differencies between rich and poor. About the vicious circle you can\'t escape if you\'re born poor and have to live in a ghetto, and how this inevitably leads to criminality. How people lose their humanity in an opressive society, that just wants to get rid of these people, when they become too difficult to ignore. Identities are mostly shaped through a status, either in the society as a whole, or in a certain (peer?) group. The status depends mainly on power and possessions, and is usually achieved through violent behaviour. Individual human lives don\'t seem to count much, live as fast and excssessive as you can seems to be a favored motto. This includes taking what you want, as most things are available only for a small fraction of society. The oppressed people seem generally impatient, waiting for something to happen, while following individual, egocentrical interests. Also much drug abuse and sexual tension. \r\nThe country and its people seem torn between two opposing things. \r\nWhat they wish from life (family, house, money - american dream) - what they get (nothing of it).\r\ntheir imagined status (e.g.honorable criminal) - actual status (oppressed loser)\r\nThe society also seems dynamic (though it isn\'t), oriented towards the US and losing its own identity. \r\nPoverty and stereotypes (self-imposed social restrictions) seem to dominate everything, and the persons although very individualistic, and seemingly doing what they want, are VERY restricted in their personal freedom (trhrough society but also through themselves!).\r\nThe state isn\'t a help, but more like an enemy for its citizens, more dictatorship than democracy. The line between policeman and criminal is only legal - illegal (no other issues involved).\r\nI realize this is a messy assemblage, but I typed it down as stream-of-consciousness, and I\'ve seen the films some time ago.\r\nHope it was at least a little help, though.','d26b166c6b30e1580e86cf46e0a3d132',0,'','viDVQmg6',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10904,1910,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1137704460,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: Brazilian cinema study','Just finished watching Walter Salles Behind the Sun again, I\'ll write a few comments later.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev','807639f84e36664003d2ccb666aa81f7',0,'','p00SiJby',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10905,1910,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1137772920,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: Brazilian cinema study','Behind the Sun (2001) Abril Despedaado\r\n\r\nDirected by Walter Salles\r\n\r\nMain cast Rodrigo Santoro (Carandiru), Ravi Ramos Lacerda\r\n\r\n1910, a poverty stricken barren dust bowl named Stream of Souls, two families continuing a blood feud that has gone on longer than anyone can recall, and what for? This barren dry scrubland fit only for growing sugar cane.\r\n\r\nThe Breves family work hard morning till night, cutting and stripping the cane, boiling the residue till it solidifies and can be sold at the local village, father, mother and two sons in a repetitious cycle of hard labour, they have virtually nothing except their family honour. There were more, more sons, uncles etc but they have been lost in this never-ending feud with their neighbours, the Ferreira family.\r\n\r\nThe story is narrated by the youngest Breves son, only known as Kid, he suffered the trauma of being on his brothers shoulders when his life was taken, this still haunts him and his dreams, he knows that his other brother Tonio will be next as he has just taken his part in the cycle by killing the man who killed the older brother.\r\n\r\nWhat can change or break the cycle? Certainly not the elders who totally dominate the households, to them its a matter of honour and this is more important to them than the lives of their sons, grandsons etc. not the mothers who cowtow to their husbands and indeed share the blood lust of revenge. The younger element (Breves certainly) have been brought up in this tradition, their world is small, barely extending to the local village, they are uneducated and illiterate, dominated by their strict fathers and supplicating mothers. They have also been raised to be wary of strangers, their land is their world, they live for it, theyll die for it.\r\n\r\nHope and change often spring from the unlikeliest sources, a pair of travelling performers stop and ask Kid for directions to the local village, hes totally enraptured by the girl especially when she gives him a book. Hes illiterate but the book has pictures and these spark his imagination. Tonio is enraptured by the girl as well and sneaks Kid away from their home to watch the performance. This is a life changing/ affirming event especially for Tonio who had resigned himself to following his kin, he decides to stay with the performers assured that hell be home in time for his funeral.\r\n\r\nKid is the one person who seems absolutely aware of the futility of the way they live, the cycle of waste and stupidity that cuts off life in its prime. He has a vibrant imaginative mind especially after receiving the book, he is the one person who has the will to break the cycle of death but can he, will he?\r\n\r\nTradition, honour and the fathers word as law are the main destructive forces in this tale, add to that the mothers constant praying for and to the souls of the dead, their unquestioning loyalty to their husbands above and beyond their love for the children they have borne. On top of all that there is the hardship and poverty of everyday life, all together a recipe for self-destruction.\r\n\r\nThe fact that the sons carry on this murderous tradition is down to the way they have been raised, its a normality, bred to kill and very likely to die at a young age. It takes a hell of a will and the loss of everything to step away from the madness. Love in any of its forms could make the difference and in the end, its brotherly love that may make the biggest difference of all.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev\r\n\r\nBBFC rated 12\r\n\r\nA bare bones dvd is available from Miramax','e41e488b34cbac9a6bde40b372a9e8d1',0,'','t6MQePYN',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10906,1911,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1137073260,1,0,1,1,1,1,'Johndav','Mughal-e-Azam','i\'ve just seen Mughal-e-Azam, the 1960 megabudget spectacular Bollywood epic that was ten years in the making and involved a multitude of craftsmen and women from all over the country. \r\n\r\nThere once was a spoiled disobedient young prince who was sent by his father the great Emperor to fight in battles to add steel to his soul. When he had proven his valour and manhood, he returned to the palace. There it was that an artist had made a magnificent sculpture, to bring Emperors and Princes to their knees in awe. And it came to pass that the sculpture was alive, a slave girl, and the Prince\'s heart was smitten with her beauty as exquisite as lotus blossom in the moonlight. And though fearful, the slavegirl loved the Prince. But the Emperor\'s heart was hardened with pride and power and he forbade the love to continue. And enmity grew between the Emperor and his son, and enmity turned to war, for the Prince\'s love was strong and could not be turned, and the Emperor decreed that the slavegirl must die..\r\n\r\nKitschy, seductive, sensuous, baroque, bombastic, romantic, Asif\'s classic milks myth and melodrama to the last drop. Shamelessly unsubtle- its old-fashioned macho father-son power struggle dispensing with Freudian niceties, (no cynical post-modern cool intellect here, and it\'s a long way indeed from Antonioni\'s L\'Avventura of the same year)- the film basks in its grandeur, the staggering deep sets and sparkling, dazzlingly gorgeous colour sequences glory in their lushness. It\'s indebted to Sternberg and Eisenstein (Ivan the Terrible, Alexander Nevsky). It makes for interesting comparison with Mizoguchi\'s beautiful 1955 colour film Yang Kwei Fei, about an Emperor whose empowerment of a beloved concubine provokes a military revolt. To many, it may seem ludicrously, laughably over the top. But.. watch it with an open, self-indulgent frame of mind, forget nuclear weapons, world poverty, the ozone layer, the argument you\'ve had with the neighbour and you may find it\'s among the most spellbindingly wonderful 3 hrs cinema has to offer. \r\n\r\nDrawing the viewer deep into its intimate centre- one love scene involving a feather is swooningly erotic- it\'s a feast of close-ups, of kaleidoscopic patterns (Leone and Busby Berkeley, eat our hearts out!), female beauty ravishingly bathed in light (a la Sternberg + Dietrich), while the music, costumes and dancing are a constant pleasure. Dilip Kumar is satisfyingly noble as Prince Saleem, Prithviraj Kapoor suitably regal as the 16th century Mughal Emperor Akbar with a booming voice (later tragically lost by the actor), and Madhubala as lovely Anarkali... well, i felt for her plight. I fell for her too. Oh yes, a wonderful 3 hours indeed. I\'m going to bed happy.','2ab1bb26765783ff777d240a232e4902',0,'','0BhSU5WY',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10907,1911,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1137073440,1,0,1,1,1,1,'madhuban','Re: Mughal-e-Azam','Try \"Pakeezah\" John. i think you\'ll like it, if you haven\'t seen it already!','496db1a1d0a6ced52ad4078c947d2f31',0,'','DTjdK273',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10908,1911,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1137075900,1,0,1,1,1,1,'Johndav','Re: Mughal-e-Azam','I love Pakeezah, and as it happens i was just intending to edit the review to mention it for comparison!! See my top 10 Indian films in the Best/Worst section','b6beb09b1b769e1856974d14db803087',0,'','n07EY8cZ',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10909,1911,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1137130620,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: Mughal-e-Azam','Bollywood I\'m coming!','656b34d47be3095cda237cf0e4f55b58',0,'','M0ApSz84',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10910,1912,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1136995860,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Go For Zucker! (Alles auf Zucker!) (2005) (Germany)','\r\n\r\nDirector: Dani Levy\r\nCast: Henry Hbchen, Hannelore Elsner, Udo Samel, Golda Tencer, Steffen Groth \r\n\r\nSince it will be screened in New York next week, I decide to post my review. However, I have watched the film some time ago, so forgive me for a terse writeup ... maybe \"A\" can recall more ... hee hee\r\n\r\nIn German Film Awards 2005 , it garnered many awards, incl. Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Costume Design, Best Film Score, and Best Screenplay.\r\n\r\nThe official website\r\nclick\r\n\r\nIt tells of two estranged brothers (of opposite personalities and beliefs) who are awkwardly reunited by their mother\'s death ... and they could only claim the inheritance if they reconcile and bury her in a true Jewish funeral ...\r\n\r\nMy thoughts ...\r\n-- While I find the film \"interesting\", I have always found films with \"racial\" or \"religious\" jokes difficult to make\r\n(i) because such films always tread on very dangerous line between what is \"comical\" and what is \"offensive\" ... what is deemed appropriate to someone may surpass the tolerance threshold of another ... \r\n(ii) more importantly, a lot of \"humor\" and \"context\" is lost in translation ... much more so in this film ... probably Germans and Jews can relate more ... \r\n-- The acting/expressions are often exaggerated and typical of stereotypes and caricatures ... hmmm, forgiveable if it sells itself as a comedy?!\r\n-- Was it just an inheritance in the end? ... Without giving away the ending, I thought it was good and thought provoking ...\r\n\r\nConclusion:\r\nTo be real honest, I think Germans and Jews can better appreciate the jokes and satire more than I can. Go watch and decide for yourself!','657b56bd696cc79685ccc7324b721066',0,'','ekqJFLXl',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10911,1913,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1123383360,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Or (2004) (Israel)','\r\nDirector: Keren Yedaya\r\nCast: Dana Ivgy, Ronit Elkabetz\r\n\r\nAt the Cannes Film Festival 2004, it garnered the Camera d\'Or for the Best First Feature Film \r\nsee\r\nwww.festival-cannes.com/n...=index.php\r\n\r\nThe official website is here\r\nwww.kino.com/or/\r\n\r\nIn a sentence, the story revolves around a young girl (named Or) who worked laboriously to rid her mother of prostitution on the streets \r\n\r\nWhat is good?\r\n-- The gritty realism of the entire film. It is not judgmental about its various characters, but simply relate how society is there are some grave messages about the plight of women, the depressing state of society in a way, it also challenged the notion of choice and choiceless do we always or really have a choice in life?\r\n-- In my humble opinion, the film ends well, but it is gonna remind you of some other films. Unfortunately, telling you would constitute a major spoiler hiaks hiaks hiaks \r\n-- I thought the realism is also corroborated by the use of minimum camera movement and minimum music.\r\n-- Last, the two female leads carried their roles very well! You will be convinced by their performance.\r\n\r\nWhat may be problematic \r\n-- Much of the socio-political issues (if any) have to be inferred but hey, look at it this way, the story could happen anywhere \r\n-- As the first half of the film is more about their daily life and the second half more plot driven, some may wonder where it is going but hey, patience does pay off I actually thought the initial half helps to provide depth to the characters, their relationship, their dilemma and struggle \r\n\r\nConclusion:\r\nIn sum, I recommend the film!\r\nEven if you do not understand the socio-political issues involved, the film tells a nice story about a mother and a daughter','43ad651dc14372e57dd606c2d6d2cd44',0,'','gcireEVK',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10912,1913,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1123412880,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: Or (2004) (Israel)','Sounds intriguing, the only thing is you\'ve got me wondering what films were similar in terms of ending, at the moment I\'m considering three, 1 American, 1 Asian, 1 European all with very different endings but any in a way could apply.\r\n\r\nA Korean film is definitely favourite though.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','23db8163ef3bd8492ab75e111d72ed09',0,'','hJf2Hom5',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10913,1913,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1136794140,1,0,1,1,1,1,'arsaib4','Re: Or (2004) (Israel)','Winner of the Camera dOr (\"Best First Film\") and the Critics Week prize at 2004 Cannes film festival, Israeli filmmaker Keren Yedaya\'s Or (My Treasure) (Mon trsor) paints a gritty and uncompromising portrait of a mother-daughter relationship through which it ultimately points toward pertinent issues facing the society at large. Set in an unsavory part of Tel Aviv, the film concerns a hard-working 17-year-old Or (Dana Ivgi, from Broken Wings [2002]) and her immature prostitute mother Ruthie (Ronit Elkabetz, from Late Marriage [2001]) who is recovering from her latest bout with drug addiction. Or is desperate to find another line of work for her mother, also addicted to her profession but less for monetary reasons than to fulfill her desire for affection. But the teenager doesnt quite realize that her own nightly heavy-petting sessions with neighborhood boys serve the same purpose for her. Yedayas long, stationary shots are at once intimate and distant to this grim reality, forcing the viewers to interpret the complexity of her protagonists and their decisions. Her images often dismember the characters, not only stressing their fractured lives, but in Ruthies case also accentuating the scars of her rapidly decaying flesh (the filmmaker then contrasts this aesthetical choice with a bold, seemingly never-ending shot of Ors nubile body in a shower). While Or (My Treasure) doesnt hesitate to capture the banality of life in all of its glory, the films specificity with moments strong enough to unravel it is quite unique and powerful. From Or internally questioning her self-worth after the decision of her lovers mother to eventually staring at Ruthie and finding someone quite different, Yedaya measures her descent to be perceptible enough to ultimately unleash an accusatory gaze, one which is perhaps also filled with shame.\r\n____________________\r\n\r\n*After premiering at Cannes, OR (MY TREASURE) went onto play at festivals such as Vancouver, New York, and London. The film was released theatrically in the U.S. by Kino International and it is now available on DVD.','3703b5c1c1fddbd737408f091e53b499',0,'','jh0bepi8',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10914,1914,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1133878980,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Great News for UK Anime Fans.','Filmfour Ghibli season, film four are premiering eight anime films with a Miyazaki connection, films include:\r\n\r\nPrincess Mononoke\r\nNausica Of The Valley Of The Wind\r\nThe Castle Of Cagliostro\r\nKiki\'s Delivery Service \r\nPorco Rosso\r\n1960\'s classic Little Norse Prince\r\n\r\nand more!\r\n\r\nWhat a brilliant way to start the New Year.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','3605779b4a0ba77c2a93edaf00426f7c',0,'','yxLhVKbv',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10915,1914,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1134073440,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: Great News for UK Anime Fans.','Wow, lucky you. \r\nHope you can give us some comments on the 1960 classic. Nowadays if you follow the reception, it seems as though anime has only begun in the 80s','a6d3fc8fd36f6a428db8c877bd7d989f',0,'','Wx7FZw8o',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10916,1914,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1134079860,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: Great News for UK Anime Fans.','Yes can\'t wait for that one, also Porco Rosso. I have the others on DVD and need to comment on most of them.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','575798a3efd0ef37a0a4657552d69e9c',0,'','9RJqks1t',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10917,1914,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1134120060,1,0,1,1,1,1,'arsaib4','Re: Great News for UK Anime Fans.','Isn\'t there some sort of a boxset coming out in the U.K. also?','15628a7a013a76b0c86508362e38d05b',0,'','xLd3ibGr',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10918,1914,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1134145860,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: Great News for UK Anime Fans.','I must admit I haven\'t got a clue, do you know anything?\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','965b87566418f323b4c9778978bf4c75',0,'','HlUJ60PK',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10919,1914,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1134208980,1,0,1,1,1,1,'arsaib4','Re: Great News for UK Anime Fans.','It looks like Optimum will be releasing Ghibli films in small sets over the next few months.\r\n\r\nMiyazaki\'s Porco Rosse and Isao Takahatas Pom Poko are coming up on Jan 30. Then it\'s Laputa Castle in the Sky and My Neighbour Totoro in Feb. And Whisper of the Heart and Princess Mononoke in April. Howl\'s Moving Castle and Kiki\'s Delivery Service are also coming up shortly.','d5961540deecae4a2201eb4c4d9d17bf',0,'','uRvoUPri',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10920,1914,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1134237840,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: Great News for UK Anime Fans.','Great news, I\'m definitely up for Porco Rosse and Pom Poko but I already have the others apart from Howl\'s Moving Castle.\r\n\r\nOptimum aren\'t doing themselves any favours with their marketing, I had no idea that The Little Norse Prince had been released on dvd and that\'s despite reading various mags and having good connections with most of the local retail and rental shops.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','e2ffb01cf0657edc037ad0046ef975bb',0,'','cGYvqMHL',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10921,1914,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1136561760,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: Great News for UK Anime Fans.','Since my first post they\'ve added more, full details below.\r\n\r\nPrincess Mononoke shows Sun 1, Thur 5 Jan, Sat 4, Wed 8 Feb\r\n\r\nLittle Norse Prince shows Sat 7, Wed 11 Jan\r\n\r\nThe Castle Of Cagliostro shows Sun 8, Thur 12 Jan \r\n\r\nNausica Of The Valley Of The Wind shows Sat 14, Wed 18 Jan\r\n\r\nPom Poko shows Sun 15, Thur 19 Jan\r\n\r\nLaputa: Castle In The Sky shows Sat 21, Wed 25 Jan\r\n\r\nKiki\'s Delivery Service shows Sun 22, Thur 26 Jan\r\n\r\nOnly Yesterday shows Sat 28 Jan at 6pm, Wed 1 Feb at 6pm\r\n\r\nPorco Rosso shows Sun 29 Jan, Thur 2 Feb\r\n\r\nGrave Of The Fireflies shows Sat 4 Feb at 2am, Wed 8 Feb at 1.45am \r\n\r\nThe Cat Returns shows Sun 5, Thur 9 Feb \r\n\r\nBrilliant season especially for those who have only seen one or two.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','c5ee62968f6cf4ea3251172c76e9f413',0,'','DkfWX14h',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10922,1915,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1136533620,1,0,1,1,1,1,'gentleone66','french transgender movie ?','hello all,\r\n\r\ntrying to locate the title behind a french movie about a person turn of the century or so, works at a girls school in the country and falls in love with one of the workers. she discovers she was misdiagnosed and had the medical board re label her a him...yet life around her/him continues into tragedy. any help in locating this film would be a great help.\r\n\r\ndw','de4b7211735cf733f8a085c836f02371',0,'','Th7MqnvN',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10923,1916,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1124143080,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Wu Ji (The Promise) (2005) (HK/China)','\r\nOf all the Chinese films, I think this is the one that I anticipate the most ...\r\n\r\nDirector: Chen Kaige\r\nCast: Jang Dong Kun, Hiroyuki Sanada, Cecilia Cheung, Nicholas Tse, Liu Ye, Chen Hong \r\n\r\nThe tagline is \"3,000 years ago in the future ...\" \r\n\r\nSynopsis ... about a slave (Jang), a princess (Cheung), a duke (Tse) and a general (Sanada) who clash, driven by intense passions and their search for true love.','31bdfee658d44dd635025e040b094063',0,'','QHZjRNao',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10924,1916,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1104544800,1,0,1,1,1,1,'Unregistered(d)','Re: Wu Ji (The Promise) (2005) (HK/China)','(This post is missing and can not be restored)','51d03dd81ed64a8cb72bacb7855182da',0,'','g0yzMCkT',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10925,1916,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1124222340,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Wu Ji (The Promise) (2005) (HK/China)','Hi Trevor,\r\nI am not sure what happened to your post ...\r\nmaybe you could repost ...','10dcc61c51278c7595fc0dd4c3291384',0,'','6xtcReLz',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10926,1916,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1124224320,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: Wu Ji (The Promise) (2005) (HK/China)','Now that\'s scary, the last thing we need is for posts to disappear again.\r\n\r\nAll I wanted to know was why you were so enthusiastic about this film?\r\n\r\nI haven\'t been that impressed with the last couple of Chen Kaige films I\'ve seen.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','d664711e61dc076d5c76add388537097',0,'','DYSJyxbw',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10927,1916,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1127457960,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Wu Ji (The Promise) (2005) (HK/China)','It seems likely that this film will be the submission for Oscar 2006 ...\r\n\r\nThe synopsis (in English)\r\nent.sina.com.cn/m/2005-05...22440.html\r\nent.sina.com.cn/m/2005-05...22422.html\r\n\r\nThe gallery\r\nent.sina.com.cn/download/photo/wuji.html\r\n\r\nThe official website (in Chinese) has been launched, though it still does not have any trailers yet.\r\nsee\r\nwww.thepromise.sina.com.cn/\r\n\r\nFor the flash, the words in Chinese (after the film title) read ...\r\n\r\n... Destiny/Fate\r\n... Love\r\n... Freedom\r\n... They always get what they want\r\n... But they do not have freedom\r\n... They dare to hate but not to love\r\n... But they can\'t help loving each other\r\n... Love, can it change destiny/fate ...','530fa4b8b4608df9536dd61838176694',0,'','Wuoriw1E',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10928,1916,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1127802780,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Wu Ji (The Promise) (2005) (HK/China)','Hi,\r\nIt is confirmed, it will be submitted to Oscar !\r\n\r\n\r\nThe official poster!\r\nclick here\r\n\r\nI actually like this one better ... to be used in Hong Kong\r\nclick here','90add391ba020d1d7a20c54962ad4278',0,'','fbRg2vEt',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10929,1916,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1129018560,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Wu Ji (The Promise) (2005) (HK/China)','\r\nThe Japanese version\r\n\r\nclick','11cc4d1954a45eef453ed5e5df3b297c',0,'','6kTcdDif',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10930,1916,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1130501760,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Wu Ji (The Promise) (2005) (HK/China)','\r\nThe much anticipated trailer (in Japanese)\r\n\r\nwww.warnerbros.jp/broadba...ler/71.wvx','5a63f441ad947600766e635f7980ac12',0,'','5lRaXSVH',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10931,1916,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1131090000,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Wu Ji (The Promise) (2005) (HK/China)','\r\nNow the HK version\r\n\r\nwww.cinema.com.hk/broadca...mise-1.wmv','c589854567eaace7874cdd4644850310',0,'','iT5XzfHv',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10932,1916,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1132725420,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Wu Ji (The Promise) (2005) (HK/China)','\r\noh no ... I can\'t believe this latest news ...\r\n\r\nWhat\'s in a name?\r\n\r\nI would say A LOT!!!\r\n\r\nThe Weinstein Company has CHANGED the international English title of Chen Kaige\'s \"The Promise\" to \"Master of the Crimson Armor\" for the american audience ... oh no!!!\r\n\r\nThe essence/mystery/poetic feel/conciseness in the original title has been totally lost ... sigh ...\r\n\r\nCan someone please kindly write to them to appeal ...?','2f689653b562523b7e366e8d24c38855',0,'','3rQlL9SR',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10933,1916,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1135417260,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Wu Ji (The Promise) (2005) (HK/China)','\r\n\r\nDirector: Chen Kaige\r\nCast: Jang Dong Kun, Hiroyuki Sanada, Cecilia Cheung, Nicholas Tse, Liu Ye, Chen Hong\r\n\r\nThis film has just clinched a spot in the Golden Globe Best Foreign Films nomination.\r\nIt is also Chinas submission to Oscar 2006.\r\nThe latest news is its invitation to Berlin Film Festival 2006!\r\n\r\nThe synopsis (in English)\r\np.1,p.2\r\n\r\nThe official website (in Chinese) \r\nclick\r\n\r\nMy thoughts ...\r\nAlthough opinions are pretty divided and controversies abound, it has broken all time box office hit in China. Audience either applauded it or criticized it But this is not uncommon \r\ne.g., CROUCHING TIGER AND HIDDEN DRAGON people who like it love its cinematography, its soundtrack, its pacing, and its subtlety BUT people who dislike it thought the spoken Mandarin is awful and its plot is not complex enough \r\ne.g., HERO people who like it love its luscious use of color, its art direction, symbolism, depth and thought provoking message; but people who dislike it complain that the plot is weak, the fighting actions are few, and the narrative style copies Rashomon \r\ne.g., HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS people who like it again love the brilliant colors and art direction, and credit it for having numerous plot twist; but people who dislike it complain that the plot and ending has much to be desired \r\n\r\nWell well well THE PROMISE will likely elicit divisive opinions and reviews \r\nWhy? I will elaborate further \r\n\r\n(1) What everyone will likely agree on \r\n\r\n(i) Definitely the visuals wow Anyway, the various trailers and posters have given you some idea with regards to the excellence of art direction and cinematography I particularly like the beginning two scenes and some of the transition scenes \r\ni.e., when they were young the conversation between Qing Cheng and Man Shen \r\ni.e., when Man Shen informs Guang Ming of his destiny \r\nContributing further to the visuals are the pretty costumes and set designs again, the use of vibrant colors is at work! Also, the soundtrack is great in providing the excitement to propel story forward \r\n\r\n(ii) Regarding portrayal/casting \r\nsorry to his fans, but many would agree on a better portrayal by Nicholas Tse (which was originally cast for Leslie Cheung) somehow, he just seems weird \r\nalso sorry to his fans, but the king on top of the roof acts/speaks weird \r\n\r\n(2) Now, what is likely divisive \r\n\r\n(i) people who dislike the film will simply dismiss it as a simple plot told in a convoluted way (i.e., a triangular love affair among one woman and two men) BUT, people who like the film will inform you that it is more than a film about triangular love instead, it hints at larger issues of life and humanity such as destiny versus change, power versus helplessness, freedom versus entrapment, truth versus lie, promise versus betrayal, love versus lust, etc there are many different relationships (of master and slave, of romance, of friendship, and of family and kinsmen )\r\n\r\n(ii) people who dislike the film will inform that it lacks characterization and is too plot driven while people who like the film will inform that the various characters are more symbolic than real in fact, all the Chinese names given to the 5 main characters are rather meaningful \r\ne.g., Guang Ming mean Bright and Shiny (i.e., it hints at an idiom that describes people who are truthful with nothing to hide) \r\ne.g., Qing Cheng means Collapsing a City (i.e., based on a well known history and idiom about how beauty can collapse a nation) \r\ne.g., Wu Huan means No Happiness \r\ne.g., Man Shen means Fulfilling God \r\ne.g., Gui Lang means Devils Wolf \r\n\r\nHence, one should look beyond the characters and appreciate the various themes, messages and thought provoking lines \r\ne.g., Gui Lang telling Kun Lun What you are doing is not running, but fleeing only when there is desire/quest, will you learn what is pursuit \r\n\r\n(iii) people who dislike it will laugh at many of the incredible/impossible scenes (such as running faster than the raging bulls, or flying, or the martial arts power of some of the characters) BUT people who like it will retort, hey, it is a fantasy film, and it occurs in a period long ago when human and god co-exist, so let your imagination run wild it is NOT a historically based film if you have no problem with Greek mythology or Harry Potter flying, you should not complain about this ...\r\n\r\n(iv) people who dislike it will complain about the Mandarin but people who like it will appreciate the fact that it is not dubbed and the Korean actor and Japanese actor made an effort to speak their own lines in Mandarin \r\n\r\n(v) finally, should the ending be what it is now? \r\n* no spoilers * \r\nPeople are always divided as to whether an ending to a film should end in a positive or negative note would people prefer it better with a sad ending because it wrenches ones heart or should it be a happy ending because we should always be positive \r\n\r\nConclusion:\r\nDo not be bothered by the diverse opinions you may have read on the internet or papers recall the movie HERO? some give it such rave reviews while others simply dismiss it so, do yourself a favor -- go watch the film and judge for yourself and maybe you could try understand why Golden Globe gives it a nod (at least in nomination) despite other strong contenders \r\n\r\n\r\nNote:\r\n(i) After watching the film, I am even more defensive of the original title that it should be THE PROMISE, which better captures the essence of the film as opposed to MASTER OF THE CRIMSON ARMOR which only captures a subplot of the film I like the Chinese title Wu Ji better, but it is really tough to translate \r\n\r\n(ii) The distributor has not done a good job in marketing Many people hope that the history of poor marketing in HERO will not repeat itself','56b276483acbd45f89cd1e0a1ba31ac5',0,'','89oMVrEG',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10934,1916,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1135869000,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Wu Ji (The Promise) (2005) (HK/China)','\r\noh no, the film will be further edited in US?!\r\n\r\nread this article from Variety.com\r\n\r\nwww.variety.com/ac2006_ar...=1985&cs=1','884cb8bb2c29b725a902fea2916cdb48',0,'','mxQdKSRv',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10935,1916,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1135873740,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: Wu Ji (The Promise) (2005) (HK/China)','Thank\'s for your updates hengcs, it\'s a shame it only appears to be bad news. The Weinsteins manage to bollox it up again (once again, they believe they know the audience better than we know ourselves) and what\'s worse is that they have the UK rights as well!\r\n\r\nStill, if the film is good then the import companies should make a good profit.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','5e426cadf511d71d6c246cbe0b34c0a5',0,'','KMSd58ek',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10936,1916,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1135929660,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Wu Ji (The Promise) (2005) (HK/China)','\r\nSorry to post another LATEST news.\r\n\r\nFrom Hollywood Reporter, \r\n\"\"Promise\" broken: Chen Kaige film in flux\"\r\nclick\r\n\r\nFrom Variety,\r\n\"Inside Move: \'Promise\' not binding for distrib, producers\"\r\nclick','f2b47b542008ab8393ee10080fe7e6e1',0,'','syErzfZi',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10937,1916,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1136315700,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: Wu Ji (The Promise) (2005) (HK/China)','Thanks for your heavy input on this film. I will try to see it, but hopefully the Weinsteins will change their strategy. With Hero having been so successfull, it should be at least an option to release the film in its original length.\r\nBut I just noticed that the only film I`ve seen from Kaige is \"Farewell my Concubine\", and even this has been a long time ago. I would most like to see his films from the 80s with Zhang Yimou as cinematographer.','f446d35a7b17d8d1638c359c65af9d13',0,'','vjKgoRdk',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10938,1917,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1135856340,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','The Alzheimer Case (aka Memory of a Killer) (2003) (Belgium)','\r\n\r\nDirector: Erik Van Looy\r\nCast: Koen de Bouw, Werner De Smedt, Jan Decleir\r\n\r\nThe film was Belgium\'s submission to Oscar 2004.\r\n\r\nThe official website\r\nsee\r\nhttp://ms.skynet.be/alzheimer/\r\n\r\nMy thoughts ...\r\n-- Without giving the plot away, I thought the opening scene was very well done! I could not even tell what to expect next ... * well, I do NOT read synopsis * ... am I too gullible? ... For a moment, I even wondered if it was a story about child adoption ... hiaks hiaks hiaks ...\r\n-- Although the film did not break any novel ground (in terms of characterization), I have to admit that as a thriller, I thought it was rather engaging and gripping ... ... good job ...\r\n-- The credit in part goes to the great cast ... Jan Decleir and Koen de Bouw deserve mention!\r\n-- Beyond the obvious plot of \"memory loss\" ... there is a more thought provoking question ... is the story just about ones memory or a nation\'s memory? \r\n\r\nConclusion:\r\nAs a thriller, it is gripping enough ... so, I recommend it. \r\n\r\nPS: Anyone else has watched?','c8a212892f52fb6f5fd031fae9740207',0,'','NjcLtHri',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10939,1917,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1136315520,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: The Alzheimer Case (aka Memory of a Killer) (2003) (Belgium)','It ran at the Fantasy Filmfest 2004 here in Germany, but I didn`t watch it, because I had already spent too much money on other films. Ticket prizes were very high...\r\nBut I discovered there`s a german DVD out, so who knows...','e6ef94e250a5aa53a0e9422c40a10206',0,'','Uvwsd7uD',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10941,1919,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1134072660,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Feet Of Song (1988 / UK / Erica Russell)','This is an animated short with a length of about 5 min, but one of those rare occasions, when it\'s a worthy effort of its own, using its format as an advantage , rather than being just a show-off for a director who actually wants to make a full-length feature. Seems to be more often the case with animated films, probably because they require more time.\r\n\r\nSomewhat experimental, it consists of several human figures dancing around to african music, choreographed in an astonishing way. The figures imitate human movement very well, though they are constantly changing their form. They melt with each other and dissolve, a becoming and dying of different forms and shapes, drawn in a bright color palette, that mostly emphasizes red, orange and yellow. The musical accompaniment, isn\'t just that, but an essential part of the filmic composition. The figures really interact with the music, and sometimes I felt like I was in a stream of colors and rhythms, both bringing forth new expressions, so you don\'t know if the colors are creating the rhythms, or the movement came first and everything evolved out of it. Out of this, a filmic concept is created that seems to defy the laws of time and space, the body becoming one with both. As the director stated: \"The most exciting thing about animation is its unique ability to free human movement from the physical body\", and \"Feet of Song\" is Russell\'s successfull translation of this thought onto film.\r\nThe film was for me reminiscent of Walter Ruttmann\'s early animation experiments with color and sound from the 20\'s (Opus I, II, II), though it added something different to it. Opposed to Ruttmann\'s static camera, here the frame itself pulsated as the camera seems to zoom in and out on thedancing figures and shapes, creating the effect of everything in motion. So the viewer isn\'t just a spectator to it, but seems to be involved himself, riding on a wave that rises in and out of the melodical sea.\r\n\r\nHere\'s a filmmaker in control of her means, with her own unique vision, Erica Russell was born in South Africa, and that\'s probably where the inspiration for the music and the movements comes from. Her later Film \"Triangle\" (1994) that seems concerned with a similar topic was nominated for an Oscar, though I haven\'t seen it, yet. \r\nI watched \"Feet of Song\" on Connoisseur Video\'s release of \"Wayward Girls & Wicked Women\", a compilation of animated shorts by women directors.','f87dfb4b5f5c2218b903679c3fbed7da',0,'','rFCeLub8',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10942,1920,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1135332180,1,0,1,1,1,1,'arsaib4','Achim von Borries\' LOVE IN THOUGHTS (2004)','The emerging popularity of German Cinema, at least in the international markets, could perhaps more easily be linked with an actor, rather than a bevy of talented young filmmakers. Daniel Brhl, the star of the breakthrough hit Goodbye Lenin! (2003), has become a much sought after commodity (not unlike Mexican actor Gael Garca Bernal), and many of his subsequent films, including The Edukators (2004) and Joyeux Nol (2005), have received the sort of attention that they probably wouldnt have otherwise. Brhl\'s presence in the breathtakingly beautiful Love in Thoughts (Was ntzt die Liebe in Gedanken), arguably his best so far, has most likely helped it to reach our shores, though without much attention. Directed by Achim von Borries, the film starts off as a whodunit as we watch a young man (Brhl) being interrogated by the police about his involvement in a suicide case. But then it slowly materializes as something quite unique: a sexually charged, yet unabashedly poetic story about requited love and its tragic implications. Paul, the aforementioned detainee who happens to be a gifted poet, narrates the proceedings which, set in 1927, mostly unfold over a weekend at the summer cottage belonging to the bourgeois parents of his best friend Gnther (August Diehl) and his beautiful, bohemian sister Hilde (Anna Maria Mhe). As these \"dreamers\" succumb to their beauteous surroundings, so does Borries camera with Malick-esque naturalism, requiring every streak of light and sound to exude sensuality amid threatening to unbalance the emotional equilibrium. The trio are eventually joined by their friends from Berlin, setting up the stage for a party sequence which should draw comparisons with one from Assayas LEau froide (1994). The constantly shifting dynamics, as someone else enters the picture claiming loyalties from both Gnther and Hilde, are beautifully played out in an environment which turns out to be at once both vast and claustrophobic. Love in Thoughts is based on a true story (reportedly a notorious one), which is bound to heighten ones attention to certain details, so perhaps it wouldve been better off as being timeless, much like love.\r\n________________________\r\n\r\n*LOVE IN THOUGHTS premiered at the 2004 Sundance film festival before playing at the Berlin fest. The film didn\'t receive theatrical distribution in the U.S., but it\'s now available on DVD from Wolfe Video.','7e520bb0334ba54cb8299ff25b7d9b4c',0,'','4k9vVqic',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10943,1920,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1135368960,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: Achim von Borries\' LOVE IN THOUGHTS (2004)','Fine you liked \"Love in Thoughts\". I went to see it last year at a german cinema, because I loved Borries` earlier film \"England!\". It wasn`t widely discussed around here, though critics seemed to like it. \r\nI watched it with a friend, and we were both bored by it and annoyed by the characters. Maybe I should see it again, but I didn`t like the acting, though August Diehl is one of my favorite german actors, and I always like to watch the young Jana Pallaske (Elli in the film). Daniel Bruehl had some good moments - his best being imo \"No Regrets\" from 2001 - though I don`t find him as fascinating an actor as some other Germans. I don`t know if you`ve encountered them, but Juergen Vogel (Life Is All You Get, Goodbye Lenin!) or the outstanding David Striesow (Lights, Marseille, Bungalow) should be better known.\r\nBut the cinematography was really excellent, I especially liked the lighting.\r\nI hope to cover some more recent german films in my long announced and upcoming \"German films\" thread.','bf4445e9bd3714ea26b9f0871ceda0fd',0,'','drjsCkUM',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10944,1920,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1135848780,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Achim von Borries\' LOVE IN THOUGHTS (2004)','\r\n\r\nThe official website\r\nsee\r\nhttp://www.liebe-in-gedanken.de/\r\n\r\nAs I have watched it some time ago, pardon my random thoughts ... if only they were love in thoughts ... ha ha ha\r\n* naughty grin *\r\n\r\nI especially like the \"feel\" and \"mood\" of the film ... rather poetic and dreamlike ... is idyllic the word?\r\n\r\nThe cast is good and so is the cinematography.\r\n\r\nHowever, in terms of story telling, I feel that the film is not gripping enough ... and is not \"daring\" enough ... like some of the other films ...\r\n\r\nConclusion:\r\nWhile I like the film, I thought THE DREAMERS is better ...','f9f21e2acb1ce8168c419335b02709d3',0,'','xFRdpEZl',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10945,1920,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1135914840,1,0,1,1,1,1,'arsaib4','Re: Achim von Borries\' LOVE IN THOUGHTS (2004)','I haven\'t seen England! but I\'d like to.\r\n\r\nI you remember, August Diehl had a small role in Lichter. Btw, Schmid\'s latest will play at Berlin in a couple of months.','0dbb4d083939ac310a20400648fa3b87',0,'','ou0YLZ9F',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10946,1920,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1136266320,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: Achim von Borries\' LOVE IN THOUGHTS (2004)','England! is only available on VHS (without subs) as far as I know, but hopefully this will change in the future.\r\nAlmost forgot that August Diehl played in \"Lichter\". Yes, I really liked this storyline.\r\nMaybe I`ll watch his newest film at the Berlin film festival, but as it`s going to get an official release anyway it`s not probable. I wonder if he can top \"Lichter\" which I liked very much.','a388cfe65ca5e03271e02c12d480df79',0,'','F1DmvPTE',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10947,1921,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1135844580,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Gloomy Sunday (1999) (Germany/Hungary)','\r\n\r\nDirector: Rolf Schbel\r\nCast: Erika Marozsn, Joachim Krl, Ben Becker\r\n\r\nThis movie has garnered a number of awards and nominations\r\n(e.g. Best Direction and Best Cinematography, 2000 Bavarian Film Awards)\r\nclick\r\n\r\nwell ... I watched it in 2004, in US.\r\n\r\nI have decided to post again because someone has requested for the DVD (with English subtitles). \r\nSo, here you go ...\r\nclick\r\n\r\nA few thoughts ...\r\n(i) Wow ... I actually like the music/song very much!!! Pardon my ignorance, I did NOT know the history to the music/song only until I have watched the movie, and later decided to surf the web for more info! Now, I know. Hmmm ...\r\n(ii) The cinematography was also nicely done ...\r\n(iii) The film portrays the complexity of human relationship and love rather well ...\r\n\r\nIf none of the above interests you, try reading these ...\r\nclick\r\n\r\nConclusion:\r\nRecommended. \r\n\r\n** WARNING: \r\nBy the way, if you are very depressed, please do NOT listen to the song/music ...','d863332eb11d771d93dd7f2ca141800e',0,'','A7a1Q0eY',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10948,1922,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1135373400,1,0,1,1,1,1,'wpqx','The White Countess (2005) - James Ivory','The White Countess (2005) - James Ivory\r\n\r\nWell another Merchant Ivory film is upon us, but this one is special, because it will be the last, due to the death of producer Ishmail Merchant. The film has much familiarity to it. The wonderful period design, the script by Remains of the Day author Kazuo Ishiguro, the apperance of not one, two, but three Redgraves, and of course Ralph Fiennes who seems to be in everything this time of year.\r\n\r\nThat said, I\'d like to point out that I found the film disappointing. As a piece of production it is fantastic, the acting is to notch as well. I noticed 15 minutes into the film that Fiennes didn\'t have his distinct British accent, then they pointed out that his character was American, so bravo for pulling that off without even needing to be told. Natasha Richardson as well is in top form, and delivers one of the best performances of the year, for an actress at least. Yet something is lacking, and it\'s story.\r\n\r\nThere are too many familiarities that it seems like they\'re just coasting. There are subtle class differences and hidden emotions, but it just seems boring. The humor is few and far between, whereas Room With a View managed to reach much higher hieghts. Part of the problem is that the film doesn\'t seem to have a real center. Ralph Fiennes Mr. Jackson is seen scarcely and we never really get a chance to see him in his home, only a glimpse or two of him leaving.\r\n\r\nRichardson\'s Countess Sofia has a family that should be instituionalized, or at least given a pass to ride the short bus if you know what I mean. They\'re all crazy, but whereas her life away from the White Countess is shown to a great extent, Jackson is not given equal treatment, this is a critical inbalance I believe. Plus there are few if any likeable characters in the film. The only person that seems downright good is the Jewish tailor, and he certainly doesn\'t do much more than support.\r\n\r\nAs a set piece, and a piece of film history, being the final film of this great team, it would be worth checking out, but don\'t be suckered in with little details and good reviews, the film is not much better than average.\r\n\r\nGrade C+','9c33763a265a0c0ba67f70391143cd1f',0,'','bVnqBC80',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10949,1923,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1135029420,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Spare Parts - Rezervni deli (Slovenia 2003)','Spare Parts - Rezervni deli \r\n\r\nDirected by Damjan Kozole\r\n\r\nStarring Peter Musevski, Aljosa Kovacic\r\n\r\nA film that when you strip away all the periphery is in essence a buddy movie, old hand (Ludvik- Peter Musevski) takes on greenhorn (Rudi - Aljosa Kovacic), several minor adventures ensue, greenhorn makes big mistake which nearly ends but then strengthens the partnership. In the end (and very predictably) the greenhorn has become the old hand and is himself teaching the ropes to a newbie.\r\n\r\nWhat makes this different and worth seeing? Well the subject of the film is human traffiking, which is one mega-sized problem at present; the process is treated with an air of normality, with no real judgement as to the rights and wrongs of it. To the guys who do it, its a job, a nice little earner; to the people using this method its a measure of sheer desperation. There are moments that make you despair for humanity such as when a young Macedonian woman is pressured into selling herself or when a family group is smuggled in a car boot only to be found dead from suffocation then unceremoniously dumped.\r\n\r\nAlong the way you find out more about the protagonists, they do not see themselves as evil but have very little in the way of a conscience. Ludvik is a widower, his wife had cancer. As far as the traffiking is concerned he deals with it as if he was a regular delivery guy, load em up, ship em out, what happens then is none of his business. Rudi on the other hand is nave to the business and the consequences, he has a pang of conscience but can he survive this type of work with it? \r\n\r\nThe process certainly appears to be honest in the way people are dealt with (certainly in regards to recent news articles). It makes you wonder how desperate must someone be to take this route? You lay your life and the lives of those you love on the line dealing with these petty crooks. What little you have in the way of possessions, dignity and money is literally stripped from you and even then, there is no guarantee that you will get where you want or arrive in one piece!\r\n\r\nThe title refers to the fact that quite a few of these illegal immigrants end up selling or having organs stolen once they escape, kidneys, liver, lungs, heart there is a market for all of these and more, who cares where or who they came from?\r\n\r\nA lot of the younger women, girls end up being sold into prostitution, this is brought up as a subject of general conversation and treated with disdain. Ive added a relevent note below of a very recent news item from Cardiff \r\n\r\n\r\nJAIL FOR SEX SLAVE PAIR \r\n\r\nBy Richard Smith\r\n\r\nTWO men were jailed yesterday for bringing a 21-year-old sex slave into Britain.\r\nThe Lithuanian woman, who was bought for 5,000, was expected to have sex with up to nine men a day and hand over her 1,225 weekly earnings to the Albanian gang bosses.\r\nShe was threatened with being cut into pieces and having her eight-year-old sister kidnapped if she tried to escape, Cardiff crown court heard.\r\nAkil Likcami, 20, was jailed for six years after admitting trafficking and controlling a prostitute for gain. Gjerji Mungiovi-Cuka, 19, from Caldicot, Gwent, was given four years for trafficking.\r\nEthnic Albanian Likcami, of Cathays, Cardiff, will be deported at the end of his sentence. His friend has a UK passport and can stay in Britain.\r\nPassing sentence, Judge Phillip Richards branded their trade \"evil\". The third member of the trio, known only as \"Benny\", is still at large.\r\n\r\nI can understand why some may dislike the film as there is no soul searching or recrimination but it does give a different perspective on a very difficult issue.\r\n\r\nNot an essential film but it is worth seeing. \r\n\r\nCheers Trev.\r\n\r\nBBFC rated 15.','51ffa8be008372c424826709ba68672a',0,'','FbM7ZQ1J',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10950,1923,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1135287540,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: Spare Parts - Rezervni deli (Slovenia 2003)','Did you see this at the cinema, or on DVD?\r\nSeems like slovenian films are getting more international recognition due to festival successes (e.g. this year San Sebastian-prize for best \"first film\" for Jan Cvitkovi`s \"Odgrobadogroba).\r\nSpare parts should have been released earlier this year in Germany, but wasn`t, so I didn`t have a chance to see it.\r\nAnd here in Slovenia (where I am at the moment) interest for national productions is very low.','f8ab2651d0ff321155c5082c5c309a3d',0,'','iftbzZW5',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10951,1923,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1135298580,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: Spare Parts - Rezervni deli (Slovenia 2003)','I taped it from the T.V a couple of weeks ago and was put off from watching it due to the court case noted above. It was only thanks to a very well written comment from arsaib4 that I eventually watched it. \r\n\r\nI thought the news piece would add to the comment as it has obvious relevance to the subject of the film and I\'m glad they were given fairly heavy sentences.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','a11b002c9efd99ec859a103404a3f4d5',0,'','R4BtqQpK',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10952,1923,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1135369140,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: Spare Parts - Rezervni deli (Slovenia 2003)','It sure is a problematic topic.\r\nI remember big discussions when Lilja 4-ever came out (last year?).\r\nIt`s always fine when they arrest somebody for these crimes, but that`s of course just the tip of the iceberg, as the \"marcet\" is controlled by larger organisations, as far as I`m informed.','f7512705d4a8e57157fa3ede245f85e2',0,'','ZqbgYeFQ',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10953,1924,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1134708840,1,0,1,1,1,1,'arsaib4','Arnaud Desplechin\'s KINGS AND QUEEN (2004)','While speaking about his titular Queen, French filmmaker Arnaud Desplechin recently stated that \"When I started to write [the film], I couldnt stop thinking about those women destined for tragedy I had discovered as a child in Hitchcock movies. I recalled Rebecca and Marnie, of course, and above all Ingrid Bergman in Notorious and Under Capricorn. Women tormented by problems who manage to overcome them on their own... like sinister fairy tales.\" And he went on to add, \"A woman, alone, finds herself by chance in something resembling a Hawthorne story: a strange town, ghosts from the past, and then... misfortune... her name is Nora.\" However, what separates Nora (brilliantly played by Emmanuelle Devos) from the women mentioned above is her voluptuous ego that matches her physical stature. On the other hand, her Kings dont quite have that problem. Indeed, after all, one of them is dying (father of Nora played by Maurice Garrel); one isnt old enough to figure out lifes complexities (Noras son from her first \"marriage\"); and one is simply crazy (Noras ex-paramour Ismal, played by Mathieu Amalric).\r\n\r\nKings and Queen (Rois et reine) is a dramatic epic: its big, bold, energetic, and complicated. Along with employing Scorsesian jump cuts, pans, zooms to tell his tragicomic and melodramatic tale, Desplechin infuses the film with Greek mythology, Yeats, Apollinaire, Shakespeare, hip-hop, etc. at regular intervals. (I have a feeling that if Tarantino was French, then he wouldve make something like this.) Even at 150 minutes, the film never slacks. Thats not to say, however, that there arent any tonal inconsistencies. One of the backstories involving Nora and her initial partner is also not very convincing. But what Kings and Queen offers in abundance are moments and emotions, both big and small, that are quite unique and powerful: Nora reading her fathers final letter; Ismals conversations with his psychiatrist (especially the one where he muses, \"Women have no souls\"); Noras son receiving a life-lesson; Ismal not being able to talk his way out of an appointment, among others.\r\n\r\nDesplechin once famously barked: \"I made my first film (La Vie des morts [1991]) to insult my family, my second (La Sentinelle [1992]) to insult my country, and my third (My Sex Life... or How I Got Into an Argument [1996]) to insult my girlfriends. Whatever the case, they worked intermittently. His subsequent features, Esther Kahn (2000) and En jouant \'Dans la compagnie des hommes\' (2003), were experimental in nature, but were arguably better. Kings and Queen is a tasteful amalgam of what has come before, and it promises an even brighter future for this one-of-a-kind filmmaker.\r\n_____________________\r\n\r\n*KINGS AND QUEEN premiered at the Venice Film Festival (In-Competition) in 2004. The film was released earlier this year in the U.S. (Wellspring). It is now available on DVD.','da55ab330a497e7aa80187af9177ee59',0,'','9nYR4Wuc',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10954,1924,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1134871020,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: Arnaud Desplechin\'s KINGS AND QUEEN (2004)','Haven\'t watched any Desplechin, yet but if I\'ll try some in the future it will be Kings and Queen. Missed it at this years french film festival, though I\'m more annoyed that I didn\'t watch Assayas\' \"Clean\", or de Broca\'s last film. \r\nAh, \"My sex life... or how i got into an argument\" was also shown sometime this year, as one of the films honoring Jeanne Balibar. I idn\'t wath it, but would have been more interested in Mathieu Amalric, I must confess','50aede79027d0bb830487a90d893e23f',0,'','ATBn7k83',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10955,1924,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1134877980,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: Arnaud Desplechin\'s KINGS AND QUEEN (2004)','I did write a quick comment in \"The Last Movie You\'ve Seen\" thread - link\r\n\r\nI\'ve seen it again on dvd and it suddenly clicked why I disliked Nora so much, she reminded me of someone I thought I knew very well. Strange what a film can do sometimes.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','845f2f527308d2499ce4d3f0d6c59ffe',0,'','ZWqjd8Vi',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10956,1924,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1134888540,1,0,1,1,1,1,'arsaib4','Re: Arnaud Desplechin\'s KINGS AND QUEEN (2004)','Sorry, I missed your comment earlier (I did check the index, though). But I\'m pleasantly surprised to see that our reactions are quite similar. \r\n\r\nNora isn\'t portrayed as a monster but she\'s certainly someone who\'ll take advantage of others when need be. (I wonder if women will react differently to her character than men?) \r\n\r\nA, hopefully you will get a chance to watch this. This isn\'t your usual French affair: it\'s much more American!','9736a4f06164afe3fd79d52843211399',0,'','q2yH9Dtn',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10957,1925,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1134209460,1,0,1,1,1,1,'arsaib4','Atom Egoyan\'s WHERE THE TRUTH LIES (2005)','At first glance, Atom Egoyans latest effort, Where the Truth Lies, might seem like an anomaly for him well-known actors, high production values, noirish overtones but if studied closely, it features many of the filmmakers trademark themes: intimacy, identity, effects of media, loss of innocence, etc. The film begins in the early 1970s with Karen OConnor (a miscast Alison Lohman), a young, ambitious journalist whos investigating the truth behind the breakup of high-profile comedy duo Vince Collins (Colin Firth) and Lanny Morris (a superb Kevin Bacon) clearly modeled after Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis which occured two decades earlier. Her goal is not only to write a book, but to also satisfy a personal quest. The duo\'s fallout transpired after the body of a beautiful blonde was found in a bathtub of their hotel suite, even though they werent criminally charged. What follows is a whirlwind of narrative events from multiple point-of-views (an Egoyan specialty) featuring Scorsesian set-pieces and a Lynchian ambiance. All along, however, the filmmaker expertly mines the duality of his characters and the cultural milieu they live in. Still, if one wasnt sure about the terrain, then they wouldnt be lost after Egoyan turns up the volume on Jefferson Airplanes \"White Rabbit\" as a girl donning an \"Alice in Wonderland\" costume mysteriously appears from behind the curtain (echoes of Mia Kirshner gyrating to Leonard Cohens \"Everybody Knows\" in Exotica [1994]). (This also turns out to be the most blissfully perverse sequence in the film after the girl\'s face eventually pops up from underneath another \"Alice\"; although, Egoyan couldve spared us from the vaginal fluids that came with it.) Where the Truth Lies is based on a Rupert Holmes novel of the name same, reportedly a work which is quite luridly fun. However, Egoyan, who wrote the screenplay himself, tries to maintain some moral and emotional groundwork during the later stages, but fails to do so in this case. Thats also the primary reason why the film ultimately feels less than the sum of its parts. But after his two previous over-directed efforts, Felicia\'s Journey (1999) and Ararat (2002), Where the Truth Lies is a step forward for Egoyan.','a0db3f3a40f4aa96954f3a2eb87dc376',0,'','6sWt7Dmg',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10958,1925,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1134261300,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: Atom Egoyan\'s WHERE THE TRUTH LIES (2005)','Now I\'ve got my initial comments for Battle in Heaven out the way I can carry on with finishing my comments for this.\r\n\r\n(This also turns out to be the most blissfully perverse sequence in the film after the girl\'s face eventually pops up from underneath another \"Alice\"; although, Egoyan couldve spared us from the vaginal fluids that came with it.) \r\n\r\nAgreed on the last bit, very messy!\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','a2d38213b7264c39d5025fd6af19a7b4',0,'','5yCAS3dD',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10959,1925,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1134422760,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: Atom Egoyan\'s WHERE THE TRUTH LIES (2005)','Where the Truth Lies (2005)\r\n\r\nDirected by Atom Egoyan\r\n\r\nStarring Kevin Bacon, Colin Firth, Alison Lohman\r\n\r\nA very apt title for a film that juggles fact and fiction, flits from past to present within the blink of an eye and gives the supposed truth from several different perspectives. A noirish thriller that is very much character driven with an excellent performance from Kevin Bacon as Lanny Morris, half of a comedic song and dance act who split up soon after the discovery of a body in the bath in their hotel suite. \r\n\r\nYears later a young reporter (Alison Lohman) delves into the story to try and ascertain the truth of the body and the split. She has a million dollars on offer for Vince Collins, the straight guy of the double act to tell his side of the story (unbeknownst to her, Lanny is also writing a book covering the partnership). She finds herself involved in a sexual encounter with Lanny (purely by chance) and is then set up by Vince in a drug and alcohol fuelled lesbian encounter. Lies, deceit, half-truths and supposition abound in this twisted tale. \r\n\r\nThis is an adult film, not just because of the nudity and sex scenes, no this is an adult film in that theres no flash editing, or heavy cgi work instead we are treated to some good to great acting and an intriguing plot that unfortunately falters at the last hurdle proving a little less than satisfying.\r\n\r\nRecommended viewing? Well if you like Whodunits or noir style thrillers with some very good performances then yes, definitely.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.\r\n\r\nOut of interest arsaib4, who would you have preferred cast as Karen O\'Conner?\r\n\r\nBBFC rated 18.','3cbdc9b75edb44bd490161b74db0a2ef',0,'','NqWiLFT6',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10960,1925,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1134475620,1,0,1,1,1,1,'arsaib4','Re: Atom Egoyan\'s WHERE THE TRUTH LIES (2005)','Thanks for the review.\r\n\r\nI think Sarah Polley would\'ve been perfect, as many have said. Not sure, however, if she would expose the way Lohman did. Watching her read her lines like she was in a high school play was cringeworthy to say the least.','02ddcd691ce70a53f1bb8d5e5886a069',0,'','AbKPWek5',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10961,1925,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1134479940,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: Atom Egoyan\'s WHERE THE TRUTH LIES (2005)','Watching her read her lines like she was in a high school play was cringeworthy to say the least.\r\n\r\nYes without a doubt, I felt she was acting like a Nicole Kidman wannabe.\r\n\r\nII think Sarah Polley would\'ve been perfect, as many have said. Not sure, however, if she would expose the way Lohman did\r\n\r\nInteresting, I haven\'t seen Sarah Polley in many films but I certainly remember her performance from My Life Without Me.\r\n\r\nDidn\'t they use a body double for Lohman at least during the \"Alice\" scene? I couldn\'t help thinking that as I was watching the film because of the way the shots were cut. \r\n\r\nCheers Trev','90d8abcddede9063e358722deba497c2',0,'','xR7GzkYc',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10962,1925,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1134551340,1,0,1,1,1,1,'arsaib4','Re: Atom Egoyan\'s WHERE THE TRUTH LIES (2005)','Polley, who is Canadian, was in Egoyan\'s Exotica and The Sweet Hereafter, so that\'s another reason why her name was brought up. I think someone here loves that film you mentioned.\r\n\r\nDidn\'t they use a body double for Lohman at least during the \"Alice\" scene? I couldn\'t help thinking that as I was watching the film because of the way the shots were cut. \r\n\r\nNot sure, but thanks for ruining it.','d8bd465da6edf3074f2380e1e5655451',0,'','mU5ZBDw8',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10963,1925,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1134562680,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: Atom Egoyan\'s WHERE THE TRUTH LIES (2005)','i\'ve seen exotica a few times in fact I have the dvd on my Xmas wish list, how the f%#k did I miss that one? \r\n\r\nSorry for saying anything about the \"Alice\" scene, but as a positive I\'ve looked on a few cast lists and can\'t find any info on a body double being used. \r\n\r\nCheers Trev','9f445cfe95e72e2c18273cbdd6bbfe09',0,'','87HRPEN3',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10964,1926,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1111904760,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Der Untergang (aka Downfall) (2004) (Germany)','I guess some of you have watched this movie, but have not posted your review here yet. \r\nSo, let\'s begin ...\r\n\r\nThis was Germany\'s submission to Oscar.\r\n\r\nThe official website (in English) is here ...\r\nwww.downfallthefilm.com/\r\n\r\nWhat is commendable?\r\n-- Defnitely the technicalities of the film, e.g., the details, the cinematography, the lighting, the costume, etc.\r\n-- I am also very impressed with the entire cast!\r\n\r\n-- While some critics penned the director for NOT providing further insights to the thoughts/motivation of some characters, I actually applaud him for doing so ... by simply portraying the actions/events as they are ensures accuracy (as opposed to dramatization or wrong attribution of actions/events); it also allows the audience to interpret and figure on their own!\r\n\r\nWhat may be problematic?\r\n-- Sometimes, I do wonder if one is not familiar with all the historical figures involved, can they really keep track of all the characters that were featured, their ranks, their roles, etc as they watched this movie. Honestly, I gotta admit that occasionally, I wonder who is who, and what did they do or say earlier in the movie ... *guilty*\r\n-- Also, while I like the contrast in activities between above earth and in the bunkers, I have to admit that at times, I feel that the movie is kind of long and slow ... I have no problems with 3 hours long movie, but I wonder if the pacing can be done better ...\r\n\r\nOverall:\r\n-- An excellent film, worth watching! ... apart from the occasional slow pacing and too many characters (which I guess the director has no choice) ...\r\n\r\nA curious question:\r\n-- Was this the Best Film from Germany last year (in your opinion), or was this a strategic stance to submit for Oscar? If there was a better German film last year, please share with us the title of the film.','2eb9b28ba02ac479450cd7bc33beb391',0,'','J9iz0hSr',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10965,1926,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1134548460,1,0,1,1,1,1,'howardschumann(d)','Re: Der Untergang (aka Downfall) (2004) (Germany)','DOWNFALL (Der Untergang)\r\n\r\nDirected by Oliver Hirschbeigel (2004)\r\n\r\nThe most frightening things I can remember from my childhood in New York were the blackouts and air raid sirens during World War II and listening to the voice of Adolf Hitler on the radio. It was a voice that sent chills down my spine. That hypnotic voice, that chilling presence, is nowhere to be found in Oliver Hirschbeigel\'s Downfall, a powerful but novelistic account of the events that took place in Berlin during the final days of the Second World War. Bruno Ganz portrays the Fhrer as a broken and defeated man, stooped and palsied, raving about how his generals betrayed him, yet being kind to his wife Eva Braun (Juliane Kohler), his secretary Traudl Junge (Alexandra Maria Lara), and his dog Blondi. It is a strong performance and his character fascinates us, yet Ganz\' fiery rants as the Fhrer seem to be overly studied, not emanating from the core of his being.\r\n\r\nThe film is based on Inside Hitler\'s Bunker: The Last Days of the Third Reich by Joachim Fest and the memoir Until the Final Hour: Hitler\'s Last Secretary by Traudl Junge and Melissa Muller, and is shot mainly within the confines of a closed space that approximates the dimensions of the real bunker. In that oppressive atmosphere, Ganz recreates the physical deterioration and emotional instability of the Fhrer who remains steadfast while everything around him is crumbling. Although faced with certain defeat, soldiers are still being sent to their death while Hitler insists that \"every square meter\" of German territory must be defended or left behind as \"scorched earth\". Those that do not fight are shot on the spot as traitors. \r\n\r\nThe city, however, is unable to defend itself against the continuing onslaught of Russian troops. Although military men know that there is no hope, no one is willing to challenge the Fhrer\'s orders or attempt to seize power. Many opt for suicide or go on drinking binges to obscure the failure of the military effort, although by that time, one of Hitler\'s chief objectives had been achieved with the annihilation of two-thirds of European Jews. As Hitler\'s wife Eva Braun throws lavish parties, the sound of artillery shells and bombs shake the bunker\'s walls. Both Eva and Traudl are shown as being so infatuated with Hitler that they dismiss reports of military failure and imminent death. Juliane Kohler portrays Eva Braun as a decent but superficial young woman, thinking only of serving the Third Reich. Lara depicts Traudl as young, apolitical, and hopelessly nave, the way Traudl views herself in her memoirs without ever discussing the impact her father\'s Nazi membership had on her life.\r\n\r\nHirschbeigel prides himself on his adherence to the truth and Downfall is, by and large, historically accurate. The film, however, singles out a few individuals for being \"good Nazis\" and does not always tell the entire story. One idealized is Albert Speer, Hitler\'s architect, who tells the Fhrer that he did not follow his orders to destroy the infrastructure in German cities. This did take courage, yet Speer\'s organizational genius is said to have prolonged the war for at least a year, with the consequent death of hundreds of thousands and widespread ruin. Hermann Fegelin, Eva Braun\'s brother-in-law is shown as being ready to question the fawning mentality of the German army, yet he was also a member of the Nazi SS, responsible for the killing of thousands of Jews. In another half truth, the doctor, Professor Schenk appears to be a selfless hero in treating the wounded, yet this was the same man who was responsible for the death of hundreds at Dachau during forced labor projects and medical experiments.\r\n\r\nDespite its weaknesses, Downfall has a great deal of merit and it should be seen if only to appreciate the insanity of war and what can occur in a country where basic freedoms are denied. Of the many outstanding performances, two that deserve mention are Ulrich Matthes as the cold hearted Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbles and his wife Magda played by Corinna Harfouch. The sequence in which she calmly poisons her six children because she does not want them to grow up in a world without National Socialism are among the most horrifying I have ever seen. Another performance worthy of mention is that of 13-year old Donevan Gunia whose Peter Kranz represents the crumbling faade of the Hitler youth.\r\n\r\nAt the end, Hitler is a pathetic shell of his former self who refuses to admit his mistakes and begins to suffer from depression, spending his hours thinking of the best way to commit suicide. No compromise or surrender is ever contemplated though it might have saved thousands of lives. Hirschbeigel wants us to see that Hitler was just a flawed human being but human nonetheless. If this helps the German people to release feelings of guilt, it will have made a big contribution to world sanity. However, showing that Hitler had a human side does not help us to understand the man or his abhorrence of \"the dirty and degrading chimera called conscience and morality,\" as well as \"the burden of free will\" and \"personal responsibility\" which he thought should only be left to those in positions of power. \r\n\r\nHitler may have been a good boss to his secretary and a kind husband but he never showed any signs of remorse when people died because of his actions. It was reported that Hitler used to laugh when Joseph Goebbels described the sufferings of the Jews. He once remarked that a guilty conscience was a Jewish invention. If he had some human qualities, they pale in significance with the breadth of his crimes that have attained an almost mythical dimension. In his devotion to achieving his ends through the use of unbridled physical strength and cruelty, he surpassed all his predecessors in his inhumanity and those are the terms in which he should be forever defined.\r\n\r\nGRADE: B+','73aa78c938e72ed9992546a863866fad',0,'','4fdUwoNS',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10966,1927,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1132882920,1,0,1,1,1,1,'Sara','Horrible movie - What a waste for Thanksgiving afternoon','I just watched \"The Dark Side of the Heart\" directed by Eliseo Subiela.\r\n\r\nFor me it was a waste of time on a wonderful holiday afternoon. \r\n\r\nNetflix users gave it 5 * (out of 5) and that is why I rented it. Also it was about a poet.\r\n\r\nI am not a prude. But I didn\'t enjoy any of it.\r\n\r\nHave any of you seen it?\r\n\r\nIf you have seen it please tell me what you thought.\r\n\r\nIt just went on and on and on. I thought it would never end and when it did, I did not care. (Except that I was glad it was over.)\r\n\r\nSara','d822ffef688838cf3161dc52703158cb',0,'','A2xht7j8',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10967,1927,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1133412720,1,0,1,1,1,1,'gratefultiger','Re: Horrible movie - What a waste for Thanksgiving afternoon','yet to see it Sara but it couldn\'t be worse than \"baise moi\",which is detestable in the extreme ,it is relentless!\r\nevery one involved is \"Showing Off\",a film by wankers for wankers,pun intended.','892d97a8422c66c8d7855b9bf27c05a0',0,'','HPy8unxT',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10968,1927,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1133414700,1,0,1,1,1,1,'arsaib4','Re: Horrible movie - What a waste for Thanksgiving afternoon','A is not a wanker.','61a22d6c906420c24bc20e5634054404',0,'','Y39lfw8x',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10969,1927,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1133681280,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: Horrible movie - What a waste for Thanksgiving afternoon','\r\nMaybe sometimes','13f8c13f8d1122c20647fbfbb03518ac',0,'','Q4JBTwFl',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10970,1927,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1134104400,1,0,1,1,1,1,'wpqx','Re: Horrible movie - What a waste for Thanksgiving afternoon','When a film gets a five out of five review, always pay attention to how many people rated it. I never actually heard of it, but there\'s always some hit and miss. I\'d say Boat People was the last really horrible film I saw, unless I\'m forgetting more.','a7aec0581a3f92dadf7a14701d4681b2',0,'','zA6woUuX',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10971,1928,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1133820060,1,0,1,1,1,1,'howardschumann(d)','The Tracker - Rolf de Heer','THE TRACKER\r\n\r\nDirected by Rolf de Heer (2002)\r\n\r\nIn 2002, Philip Noyce\'s Rabbit-Proof Fence attacked the Australian government\'s policy of forcibly removing mixed race Aborigines from their families, sending them to government camps to be sold as servants, converted to Christianity, and eventually assimilated into white society. Just released on DVD and set six years earlier in 1922, Australian Indie director Rolf de Heer\'s The Tracker is a parable that also explores racism in Australia but on an even darker level, reflecting, according to de Heer, the practices and attitudes of that era towards the Aboriginal people. As three white men and an Aboriginal tracker set out on horseback to search for a black fugitive (Noel Wilton) accused of killing a white woman, the search through the stunning landscape of the Flinders Ranges becomes an exercise in savagery that raises questions about genocide. \r\n\r\nThe travelers in the search party are nameless and referred to only as The Fanatic (Gary Sweet), The Follower (Damon Gameau), and The Veteran (stuntman Grant Page). They are characters who are both individuals and archetypes who seem to represent racial discrimination and its passive acceptance. The Fanatic is the pompous police officer who is shown as repulsively intolerant of blacks and an individual that will not hesitate to kill. The Follower is his young and innocent assistant who is startled by The Fanatic\'s relentless racism yet too inexperienced to make a move. The Veteran is an old timer who will not challenge authority. \r\n\r\nIn The Tracker, De Heer employs two effective and original touches. One is the use of ten original songs composed by Graham Tardif, with lyrics by de Heer, and performed by Archie Roach, an Aboriginal singer who sounds like Tom Waits. Like the Neil Young score in Jim Jarmusch\'s subversive Western, Dead Man, the continual music can be intrusive but it creates a mood of solemnity. In another device, de Heer cuts away from scenes of violence to show still shots of Peter Coad paintings done in a simple primitive style. The raw emotion of Roach\'s songs and Coad\'s expressive artwork establish a record of the horror and allow us to relate to the mythic quality of the drama. \r\n\r\nThe Tracker plays the part of a fool saying to the officer \"Yes, Boss. Okay Boss\" yet, like Feste in Shakespeare\'s Twelfth Night, he is a knowing fool, a man of humor and irony and an instinctive intelligence about the natural world, its spirits and its sacred places. When The Fanatic tells him to show The Follower the signs he is following, he points to one stone in a field of thousands saying, Dis stone in the wrong place, belong over here, underneath almost dry, he gone couple of hours.\" revealing knowledge of the place of every stone. We know that The Tracker, though outwardly subservient, is the one who is really in charge and that the search party would be lost without him. As The Fanatic forces The Follower and The Veteran to participate in murder, the groundwork is laid for revenge and retribution. \r\n\r\nThe Tracker is a beautiful and powerful film that bears witness to the time when there was no talk of Aboriginal reconciliation and no hope for it. Damon Gameau shows great promise as the young man who has developed that rare quality called conscience and we identify with his strength of character. The highlight performance of the film, however, is that of charismatic native actor David Gulpilul. He portrays a man of simple dignity, not a \"noble savage\" or a faithful \"Jacky Jacky\" figure necessary to white dominance of the frontier but simply a man who has a profound sense of the world around him. Through him de Heer allows us to glimpse the possibility of establishing a true multi-racial society where people respect each other as equals. \r\n\r\nGRADE: A','c152449844a96499471bef84f8ec4b06',0,'','mP9sQ4hL',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10972,1928,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1133830980,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: The Tracker - Rolf de Heer','Sounds very interesting Howard, you noted the performance of David Gulpilul, is this the same actor from \"Rabbit Proof Fence\" and the remarkable \"Walkabout\"?\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','d244284dfce0f5f7712cd91f7b4fee1c',0,'','2BbQYVvf',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10973,1928,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1133831760,1,0,1,1,1,1,'howardschumann(d)','Re: The Tracker - Rolf de Heer','Yes it\'s the same actor who is also the subject of a biography included on the DVD:\r\n\r\nGULPILIL: ONE RED BLOOD\r\n\r\nDirected by Darlene Johnson (2002)\r\n\r\nAn extraordinary biography of Aboriginal actor David Gulpilil, his work and his traditional life in Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia. The documentary features never-before-seen footage of sacred rituals which tribal elders permitted Johnson to film and a review of the highlights of Mr. Gulpilil\'s career. As a result of his role in Walkabout (1971, Nichols Roeg), no native Australian will ever again be played by a white man in blackface.','d7a34e78612a1490898cdc09e663f56a',0,'','mKczgbpt',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10974,1929,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1133132340,1,0,1,1,1,1,'Sara','The Tree of Wooden Clogs - Ermanno Olmi','Yesterday I spent three hours watching The Tree of Wooden Clogs.\r\n\r\nAt the end I was near tears. Yet, what I felt was deeper than tears. No, it was not sad. But so deeply human. It touched something inside me that I am finding hard to write about. The critic Andrew Sarris said \"to see this is to be stirred to the depths of one\'s soul.\"\r\n\r\nThe music - Bach\'s music on the organ - the people - such a variety of humanity with such beautiful faces. \r\n\r\nAnd such community. I have rarely seen such community in a film. About six peasant families living together.\r\n\r\nAnd the church and all the prayers and the children and their mothers saying the Rosary at bedtime.\r\n\r\nMemorable scenes - the father cutting down a tree to make a new clog for his little boy who had to walk miles to school. The grandfather going out on a snowy night to put chicken droppings underneath the snow so he could plant and have the first tomatoes in the spring. The widowed mother of 8 going into the church with some water to ask the Virgin Mary to bless it and give her a miracle so she could save her cow.\r\n\r\nWhat was the plot? This was no suspense thriller. No Hollywood big name stars. No computer enhanced scenery.\r\n\r\nJust simple Lombardy peasants going about life trying to make a go of it, with joy and with sorrow, yes, and with love and with faith. \r\n\r\nIf you want a real review, get someone else. There are a lot of good ones on the internet.\r\n\r\nAll I can say is that it was a very beautiful film and I loved it.\r\n\r\nI can\'t believe I sat still for 3 hours!\r\n\r\nSara','3cf6762843e3a3355adfab9362d3e9e7',0,'','wktyUCbz',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10975,1929,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1133134140,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: The Tree of Wooden Clogs - Ermanno Olmi','You certainly sell it well Sara, I remember John5/Mizoguchi commenting on it before, (lost with so much other info) but I\'m still waiting to see it.\r\n\r\nThanks for the reminder.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','8b40bd8f439f8a5d55fe54df9af7a62e',0,'','w2ojRQbD',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10976,1929,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1133152260,1,0,1,1,1,1,'gratefultiger','Re: The Tree of Wooden Clogs - Ermanno Olmi','one of the great socialist films,should be seen by all.','dea059ed840cb560338ef1aadf04aa5c',0,'','iAEXM2K7',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10977,1929,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1133165460,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: The Tree of Wooden Clogs - Ermanno Olmi','\r\nI will try to watch it too.','208e64b633b858580130f5d178280017',0,'','A0W34DSo',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10978,1929,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1133398500,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: The Tree of Wooden Clogs - Ermanno Olmi','Saw this at a special screening with a friend. \r\nWe were both bored with it, though i liked it more than he did.\r\nI think the film would have been way better, if Olmi hadn\'t used such an amount of excessive cutting and different camera angles. I felt like I was watching an action film at times, barely enough time to reflect upon an image, because another has already replaced it, and the cutting was most of the times totally unmotivated. \r\nThe best scenes were imo where the two lovers (who later marry) meet on a road. Their gazes speek more than 1000 words of dialogue could have expressed. This was simply marvelous!\r\nAs for the rest, i would have cut much out of it (half an hour or maybe even more). The film didn\'t find its rhythm, and overall didn\'t work for me. Rated it nevertheless **1/2 / ****','3cc7bf557f1c300f7a6abc4105e099d6',0,'','1scDZhd7',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10979,1930,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1133212080,1,0,1,1,1,1,'howardschumann(d)','MILLIONS by Danny Boyle','MILLIONS\r\n\r\nDirected by Danny Boyle (2004)\r\n\r\nIn Millions, Danny Boyle and screenwriter Frank Cottrell Boyce have produced a delightful fantasy about children, faith, money, and idealism that sharply contrasts with standard children\'s movie fare based on fear and simplistic notions of good and evil. Danny Boyle employs enough cinemagic to transport us completely into the world of seven-year old Damian (Alex Etel), a pint-size miracle worker and his older brother Anthony (Lewis McGibbon) as they cope with disposing of a huge sum of money found near their play area. Actually, no special effects are needed, just being around the children is enough to convince us that there is magic in the world. \r\n\r\nAs the film opens, the family is in process of moving to a new housing development. Their father Ronnie (James Nesbitt) is protective of the boys who have just lost their mother. At school Damian tries to fit in, but when asked to name people he admires, he recites the names of historical saints rather than contemporary sports personalities. After Damien builds a play shelter from the boxes left over from their move, some saints show up to have a chat with the boy, beginning with St. Clare of Assisi (Kathryn Pogson) who tells him that she is the patron saint of television. He talks with the saints as if it is an everyday occurrence and, for him, it probably is.\r\n\r\nThe young boy\'s life changes quickly when a duffel bag filled with a quarter of a million pounds is thrown from a train and lands close to his boxed retreat. He thinks that God has singled him out to help the poor and his brother advises him not to tell their dad because the government will take away 40% of it for taxes. They soon find out that with a week, England will be changing its currency to the Euro and, unless it is changed right away, will soon be worthless. Damian has more gold in his heart than in the sack and, following the advice of St. Francis of Assisi (Enzo Cilenti), is intent on giving the money to the poor. He takes the homeless to dinner at Pizza Hut and gives some cash to Mormons who use it immediately to purchase a microwave, a digital television, and other material goodies. Another saint appears and tells Damian that it wouldn\'t take much to bring water to the poor in Ethiopia who need a well.\r\n\r\nThe plot becomes a bit involved with the appearance of Dorothy (Daisy Donovan), who is on a mission to raise money for the poor and to explain the Euro conversion to the schools. Her relationship with dad brings up a longing for mom and this provides an ending that is rich in its pure exuberance. Millions doesn\'t hesitate to use a heavy amount of magical realism but it never becomes too cutesy or over the top, though the obligatory bad guy could have easily been left out. Alex Etel as Damian turns in one of the best child performances I\'ve come across in a long time. He\'s got a lot to handle in this film and pulls it off with much aplomb, allowing us to appreciate his generosity and compassion and be captivated by his wide-eyed innocence and charm. \r\n\r\nGRADE: A-','de02bd049124b1cf3ece30d4b4643f85',0,'','LgluUEJb',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10980,1931,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1127887260,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Night Watch (Nochnoy dozor) (2004) (Russia)','Director: Timur Bekmambetov\r\nCast: Konstantin Khabensky, Vladimir Menshov, Dmitry Martynov\r\n\r\nHa ha, I know a number of people on this board does not like the film. But frankly, I actually enjoy it (as a commercially entertaining film!)\r\n\r\nPLUS the fact that I finally had the opportunity to watch it on a big screen, \r\nPLUS the fact that my review vanished with the \"old\" foreignfilms.com, \r\n... I have decided to write a totally new review again!\r\n\r\nThis film represented Russia in Oscar Academy Awards 2005.\r\nsee the official English website here ...\r\nwww2.foxsearchlight.com/nwnd\r\n\r\nWhat I like ...\r\n-- Technically, I thought the visuals are stylish! For its effort, I commend it ... and if I am correct, nearly the entire special effects team (or is it all?) are from Russia!\r\n\r\n-- I do find some \"messages\"\r\n(i) predictably, day and night are used to symbolize good and evil \r\n... what a nice philosophical line, \" For it is easier to kill the Light within oneself, than to scatter the Darkness around ... \"\r\n... another line, \" Ah, the Light mage with a Dark past has come \" ... Doesn\'t everyone has some hidden past, albeit big or small? ... Can one atone for his past? ... Can the past be erased? ...\r\n(ii) the film also highlights the *choices* in life ... and the consequences that one often has to bear ... Yup, people often like to think that they can handle the consequences ... it is only till the end that they realize the \"chain of events\" (and everything is intertwined) or the \"dire consequences\" or the \"regrets\" in life ... sigh ...\r\n\r\n-- I also find several roles crafted to be rather \"thought provoking\" (with cryptic intentions) ... hmmm, but should I credit the original novel or movie? ha ha ha\r\n(i) the kid ... I especially like the ending ... when the kid chose to leave the father ... sob sob ... does it have a social commentary (on abortion) as well?! ... \r\n(ii) the cursed woman ... (hmmm, usually we like to think that others curse her ... but guess what, she cursed herself ...) ... hmmm, thought provoking ... it is rather sad, everything she nears becomes unlucky ... well, in society, some people actually believe that they bring about bad luck, and degenerates into pessimism ... can you imagine when she wished her old female neighbor \"good health\", the old lady eventually died; when she called her son to inform him about it, the power plant exploded to cause the city to plunge into darkness ... \r\n(iii) the father ... about choices in life, about bearing consequences ... moral of the story?!\r\n\r\nWhat could be better ...\r\n-- Some who like \"classic\" Russian films may find this too \"Hollywood\" style ...\r\n-- Some may find insufficient character development too ...\r\n\r\nConclusion:\r\nIf you enjoy a special effects film, or want a different taste of Russian films, go watch it! Frankly, I am anticipating the second and third series in the trilogy ... Day Watch and Dusk Watch!','01f64cc697a0417c0c46b3131f823b5f',0,'','tn6jzSxs',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10981,1931,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1127905620,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: Night Watch (Nochnoy dozor) (2004) (Russia)','Is it getting a Hollywood remake or is a lot of the funding for the sequels coming from Hollywood?\r\n\r\nThere were points in Night Watch that I don\'t just dislike in that film, I get annoyed when I see them in any film, specifically wasteful CGI shots ala Fast and the Furious style, it\'s stupid, it\'s boring and for me it cheapens everything else. This sort of thing is supposed to appeal to the young, (the so called MTV generation) but from the reactions of my sons, it doesn\'t. \r\n\r\nI suppose if your a fan of Buffy and that type of show then this will appeal to you but Night Watch doesn\'t have anything original to offer, what could have been an interesting film has been turned into Tinseltown trash.\r\n\r\nI\'d take Evil Dead or the original Blade film over Night Watch anytime, but if Buffy or films like Final Destination or any of the other pop/horror movies do it for you, then Night Watch is likely to ring your bell!\r\n\r\nCheers Trev. \r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','e730d924aa5974f63c0c7c9e839be22a',0,'','XkD2dTEw',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10982,1931,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1133168400,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Night Watch (Nochnoy dozor) (2004) (Russia)','\r\nThe posters for Day Watch!\r\n\r\nwww.kino-govno.com/poster...r2&show=15\r\n\r\nwww.kino-govno.com/poster...=1&show=15','a772d6e064ca0ba7f57995bc4299e124',0,'','UhQ2lmPc',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10983,1932,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1132913460,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Sha Po Lang (SPL) (2005) (HK)','\r\nDirector: Wilson Yip\r\nCast: Sammo Hung, Simon Yam, Donnie Yen, Wu jing\r\n\r\nThe official website is here ...\r\nsee\r\nwww.shapolangthemovie.com/\r\n(the \"clickable\" synposis, trailer, etc are around the border of the picture)\r\n\r\nThe film makes its debut at the Toronto International Film Festival.\r\n\r\nThe title of the film \"Sha Po Lang\" refers to the three astrological stars \r\n-- Qi Sha (Seven Kills)\r\n-- Po Jun (Destructive General), and \r\n-- Tan Lang (Avaricious Wolf). \r\nIndividually, the stars are omens of destruction, conflict and greed, but when they are aligned, they may portend good things! It is believed that these stars will influence and determine one\'s personality and fate ... In a way, the three main protagonists are representative of the three stars ...\r\n\r\nMy thoughts ... \r\n-- What do most audience go for? ... what else, the action scenes! ... esp. the last 2 fighting scenes near the end ... at least they fight for a substantial amount of time ... and it is real kungfu ... not CGI ... hiaks hiaks ... \r\ni.e., between Donnie and Wu Jing\r\ni.e., between Donnie and Summo Hung\r\n-- As a thriller, I thought it is very well paced and there is sufficient tension ... there are some shocks and surprises too ... all in all, this is complemented by an exciting soundtrack ...\r\n-- The movie touches on some nice themes, such as\r\n... what is right and what is wrong\r\n... what is paternity ... at home, in a work place, in a triad, etc ... the relationship between parents (e.g., the numerous fathers) and their \"children\" ...\r\n... the bond among friends (or colleagues)\r\netc\r\n-- While some scenes will surprise/shock the audience \r\n* no spoilers *\r\nsome other scenes will touch the audience ...\r\ne..g, the public telephone booth scene ... \r\n-- Overall, it is a rather sad and dark film ... \r\n\r\nWhat could be better ...\r\n-- Many people will likely complain about the ending ... and/or nitpick on the credibility of the plot ... but hey, let\'s be more forgiving ...\r\n-- Some people may complain about the lack of characterization, but frankly, quite a number of Asian films are rather subtle, and they do not use many scenes to tell you about a person ... often a line they say or a scene depicts everything that the director wants you to know about the person ... in essence, for a thriller, that is one of the ways they try to maintain the pacing and keeps the movie concise ... \r\n-- I, however, feel that the scene where the girl and her father meets for the first time and she leaves is somehow not compelling ...\r\n\r\nConclusion:\r\nA well paced thriller ... rather dark though ... recommended','db63ce0a0c74c603613ef245e580f432',0,'','LebSYC8d',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10984,1933,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1131321420,1,0,1,1,1,1,'wpqx','The Weeping Meadow (2004) - Theo Angelopoulus','Well it took long enough, but the film finally came out. Showing for one week only at the Gene Siskel Film Center in the heart of the theater district. I realized catching this film was not only of the utmost importance, but also going to be a rather difficult task to accomplish, because who would actually want to sit through a three hour Greek film, besides me and a few select members of this board?\r\n\r\nWell pardon the narration, but someone who desperately wanted sushi was the answer. Begrudgingly I agreed to do the raw fish in exchange for a movie date, and everything was set. We parked at the quickest place we could find (for the low, low price of $13), and proceeded on our evening. Well about an hour into the movie, my gf who will remain nameless had about enough and took a rather long restroom break (about an hour to be exact). I was enthralled however, and sat it out. After the film, she confessed to thinking it was the worst film she had ever seen, and couldn\'t believe me that I could have enjoyed it. Well different tastes I suppose.\r\n\r\nSeeing how parking is usually evil downtown, and the restaurant was a mile away, walking seemed like the thing to do. It had stopped raining and the weather was particularly pleasant for a November evening. So walked we did, and made it to the restaurant with a few minutes to spare before our reservation. I found the restaurant to be not very sushi like. It was very dimly lit, and playing loud hip hop music, more to the making\'s of a club than a sushi bar, but whatever time to eat. Due to my inability to read the menu right, I wound up ordering some King Crab that was supposed to be cooked. It was served cold, and let me tell you, it wouldn\'t have filled up an annorexic supermodel. The three pieces of fish were about the size of a finger, and if my girl had spit in my mouth, it probably would have been more filling.\r\n\r\nWell as she\'s wrapping up her meal (which I had to help with because I was @#%$ starving), we see a flash or four of lightning. As we have the long wait for our check we see the rain start falling. Our long walk back to the car might involve a taxi after all. Luckily I had managed to find an umbrella, so at least she was dry. After much frustration we eventually found a cab, and believe all the stereotypes you want about them not speaking English. Seeing how Randolph St. (the road we parked on and the same place as the Sushishimi) was a one way street, we had to find another way around. We drove for far too long in a big circle and went about a whopping 1/2 mile, before I just stopped the cab and hopped out. The ride only cost $8, so yeah let\'s move on.\r\n\r\nWe arrive at the parking garage only to find the worst fear of any man, woman, or child. It\'s @#%$ LOCKED. Gates closed, with a chain locked, no one on attendance. Our car is locked in a parking garage, and we live over an hour away. Not only was our car locked in there, but had we been 15 minutes earlier, we would have made it, just that damn close, and I\'ll tell you those were the most expensive 15 minutes of my life. \r\n\r\nWe called the emergency number on the garage, but apparently they have the same hours. Then we tried the police, because after all I do remember something about them helping people? Well on a dying cell phone we talked to numerous people, none of which seemed to have a solution. We gained some allies as another group of people also needed to get to their car. They left, and shortly after two police officer\'s showed up. Unable to help they suggested we just get a hotel room, an idea that my girl was not too happy about. I figured the last chance I had was to call home, and ask my dear old mother for some help. Unlike the previous (Call me in case of an emergency) I got a nice recommendation to just bite the bullet and get the hotel room. Well let\'s speed things up, and walk another 1/2 mile in the pouring rain to a hotel.\r\n\r\nWe found that the hotel was only $200, yay for us. The person at the counter felt sorry for us, so we got it reduced to $160, but with city tax, it still costs a fortune. Plus I must remind you that I\'m being sarcastic, $200 for a bed overnight, is @#%$ bullshit, and you should all know that. Well soaked we just went to bed, realizing that before too long we would laugh at this.\r\n\r\nNow pardon that rather long narrative, but let\'s talk about the movie.\r\n\r\nAngelopoulus has been carefully working this out, the first part of a planned trilogy spanning from 1919 to the present day. The Weeping Meadow covers that beginning period up until the Greek Civil War, which followed WWII. The film has an immediate familiarity for someone who\'s seen some of his early work. The style is the same right from the first shot. A slow tilting shot of a group of Greek citizen\'s exiled from Odessa following the Bolshevik Revolution. They are claiming their new land just as the Children of Israel did following Exodus. In the front is a husband and wife, with two kids. We are told by the narrator that the little girl isn\'t their\'s, but was found lying next to her dead mother in Odessa. She reaches for the slightly older boy\'s hand, and in characteristic Angelopuolus fashion we are whisked away to the future.\r\n\r\nEleni (Alexandra Aidini) now a young teen is returning on the same river. She was \"sick\" and is now back home. We find rather subtlely that she was pregnant by Alexis (Nikos Poursanidis), the young boy in the beginning, and their twins were put up for adoption. More fast forwarding takes place, and the boy\'s father, Spyros (Vassilis Kolovos) is now planning on marrying Eleni. The two run away on her wedding day off to find a better life, and their children.\r\n\r\nWe only occasionally get glimpses of what time it is. Eleni stays the same age pretty much the whole film through, but we see her children are young boys, so obviously about 5 or 6 years have passed since their adoption. They take refuge in a theater, where it is discovered that Alexis is a talented accordion player. He joins a band, and one that eventually gets him to America, only to leave behind his family, which he hopes and believes is only temporary.\r\n\r\nOf course things are a little depressing from the start, but with a title like The Weeping Meadow, of course there is going to be much sadness. I\'d rather like to avoid saying what happens to Eleni, Alexis, and their two sons, but it\'s not really surprising. Everyone suffers, and it is at your discretion who hurts the most. \r\n\r\nAfter Alexis goes to America, Eleni becomes the film. We see everything through her, and it is her experience we feel and relate to. The whole film is told with long hypnotic and slow takes. The type that can put many people to sleep, but also have a wonderfully subtle beauty. Like other Angelopoulus films it is full of shots that have no real point. There is a field of white sheets hung to dry on clothes lines. The camera takes it\'s time observing them, and we see and hear the musicians playing a tune as they wander through the white maze. It does nothing for the plot, but it is possibly the most memorable moment from the film, just as the raising of the statue hand was in Landscape in the Mist.\r\n\r\nFor fans of Theo, this film will not possibly disappoint. It is a remarkable achievement, and when the trilogy gets finished, it can easily be his greatest achievement. Be warned though, this can be long and incredibly boring for people that aren\'t fans of his. I just hope we can see part two, and that this film gets some DVD distribution.\r\n\r\nGrade A','54f2e5c122d6ce285df69831da7f68ff',0,'','jEShcGHl',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10985,1933,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1131324240,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: The Weeping Meadow (2004) - Theo Angelopoulus','Here\'s a fan thankful for the review. \r\nSorry to hear how much it cost you, though. \r\nI have only seen three and three-fourths of his films, - the fourth being \"The suspended Step of The Stork\" which I was in the final 30minutes of watching, and it was tremendous, a great scene was just building up, and then the croatian network station that showed it went off-air... -(and Missing The Traveling Players the 2nd time last month at cinema ), but his \"Ulysse\'s Gaze\" still Tops My Personal Top Ten for four years already.\r\nSo I hope this @#%$ rumored Box-Set of his finally comes out, because I can\'t get hold of many of his films exactly','5d7f06a3bc79e7831700cd95fce6e8e5',0,'','MwAfbqov',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10986,1933,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1131332100,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: The Weeping Meadow (2004) - Theo Angelopoulus','I\'ve just got the Artificial Eye dvd and am waiting for the time to be able to watch it. The only other film I\'ve seen is a worn video of \"Ulysse\'s Gaze\" but I found that fascinating enough to get this.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','bb65d9923264fced954ad18e19fd48f3',0,'','7qH8iT9v',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10987,1933,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1131668280,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: The Weeping Meadow (2004) - Theo Angelopoulus','Have seen it two days ago on the Artificial eye-DVD.\r\n\r\nWhat I liked most was the colors of the film, everything seemed to be shot in contrasting black and white, but with colors, in between a palette of greyish and most notably brownish tones. It was beautiful to look at, like the sky is looking before the storm begins. The set design was also very convincing and seemed to transport the viewer in the depicted time. The story is about Eleni, an adopted greek girl, and all the social political and personal turmoil that surrounds her. It begins with fugitives deprived of their homes and ends in total dispair. The camerawork wasn\'t as great as in \"Ulysse\'s Gaze\" or \"The Beekeeper\", creating few memorable transcendental shots, which also seemed lacking compared to Theo\'s other films. \r\nFor me it was his most easily accessible and straightforward film, with an easy to follow plotline. Played like an ancient greek tragedy, like Angelopoulos himself said in an interview \"according to the principles of Arestoteles\" as opposed to Brecht in his earlier films. But this also becomes a kind of problem, as the film clearly has way too much dialogue, at times simply repeating verbally what has already been shown, and thus diminishing the impact of certain scenes. I think that Angelopoulos made the film on purpose more \"mainstream\" as to get access to a larger public with this trilogy that will tell the story of the 20th century when finished. But to me that is one of its weaknesses. Adding unnecessary explanations or simplifications weakens its artistic integrity as a whole. Also the voice-over is used to a disadvantage imo as it doesn\'t add anything at all in itself, comparing unfavorably with the essential and integral voice-over of for example Kubrick\'s \"Barry Lyndon\". This comparison seems appropriate to me, as I think Kubrick\'s film was \"technically\" a heavy influence, maybe even some sort of blueprint for \"The weeping Meadow\". Most naticably the camera is constantly moving, panning most of the time in and out of a frame, the same technique used in \"Barry Landon\", though it doesn\'t achieve its impact, because it doesn\'t have the contrast of the distance of Kubrick\'s Brechtian mise-en-scene (and the restrained acting) on one hand and the gentleness and tenderness of the camera-movements that bring us close to the characters on the other hand, while the camera nevertheless keeps us distant enough to reflect upon the film. In \"The Weeping Meadow\" the similar camerawork becomes more the distancing and reflective part which impact nevertheless is too little when placed alongside the very emotional acting. Thus the film becomes a more \"emotional\" experience, meaning that it tries to lure you at times instead of trusting the viewer to develop his own emotions (e.g. Very contrasting to Robert Bresson). The Music by Eleni Karaindrou is the film, meaning that the main theme creates the same atmosphere and feeling in music that the film does in scenes without it. Thus its an integral part when Angelopuols shows musicians playing, as their music powerfully comments on the ongoing events and their impact on the protagonists\' lives.\r\n\r\nOverall, though too \"mainstream\" imo (compared to Angelopoulos own standards) One of my favorite films of the year and one of the best films of 2004. \r\nA must see.','297f12e4f93b10eee9abe6b511ff9d90',0,'','dElta9L8',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10988,1933,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1131748440,1,0,1,1,1,1,'wpqx','Re: The Weeping Meadow (2004) - Theo Angelopoulus','Believe me this film is not mainstream. Regular film goers will be bored to tears. I think this follows well with Angelopoulus\' other films, most notably The Travelling Players. Perhaps the story is easier to follow, but far from the mainstream.','adba10cf0dce723b4a9c2492ec5430eb',0,'','GagzjfnE',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10989,1933,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1131942720,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: The Weeping Meadow (2004) - Theo Angelopoulus','I know it\'s not mainstream. I\'m just talking in comparison to his other films. \r\nBut I really think this film wouldn\'t bore a \"regular\" audience that is enough open minded. I think it\'s quite accessible.\r\nThis would be the Angelopoulos Film I would show anybody to raise their interest in his work.','732ec6dd57a933e93207fc8c8f549876',0,'','kCe2dFBl',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10990,1933,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1132807500,1,0,1,1,1,1,'gratefultiger','Re: The Weeping Meadow (2004) - Theo Angelopoulus','i am looking forward to catching this film down under asTheo is among my fave modern day directors,\"landscape in the mist\"\r\ni admire immensely.','c6b77ca7dbc822f658c85ad858cd66eb',0,'','CUD3pX8z',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10991,1933,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1208074800,1,0,1,1,1,1,'arsaib4','Re: The Weeping Meadow (2004) - Theo Angelopoulus','\r\n\r\nThe DVD from New Yorker includes a video interview with Angelopoulos, and a booklet featuring another in print, a timeline of modern Greek history, and an essay by the filmmaker himself.','1ada294e7a45d5b0c9f5bce10e84bded',0,'','EAYzodZg',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10992,1934,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1132641000,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','The District (Nycker!) (2004) (Hungary)','\r\nDirector: ron Gauder\r\n\r\nThe official website\r\nsee\r\nwww.nyocker.hu/\r\n\r\nAt Annecy International Animated Film Festival 2005, it won The Cristal for Best Feature !\r\nsee\r\nwww.annecy.org/home/index...age_ID=452\r\n\r\nA rather unconventional adult animation ... with a mix of cut-outs, 2Ds and 3Ds ... Set in the ghetto of Hungary, the story is loosely related to Romeo and Juliet ... but ventures creatively into time travel ... and about how money will bring women ... and how oil will bring money (hmmm, familiar?!) ... \r\n\r\nMy thoughts:\r\n-- Wow ... a daring piece of work ... and rather thought provoking ... about love, machismo, racism, and politics ... but be warned ... it may be offensive to some, esp. those who are less tolerant ...\r\n-- The soundtrack and lyrics are very interesting/comical/satirical ... \r\n-- Some moments that audience will likely remember ...\r\ne.g., when the world atlas is formed\r\ne.g., the mammoth in the air\r\ne.g., the White House, the raising of alert level, the freedom missile ...\r\ne.g., faces of familiar world leaders/politicians ...\r\ne.g., the use of pixels ...\r\netc\r\n\r\nWhat could be better:\r\n-- As usual, I guess quite some bit is lost in translation ... ... so one may not get all the jokes/satires ...\r\n-- One has to read the subtitles really fast ... \r\n* naughty grin *\r\n\r\nConclusion:\r\nA nice change (at least for me) in terms of animation ... it is not meant for kids, but for adults ... try to catch it!','38e28829a8f9ad6c1fa86d726213b8c1',0,'','Uuf5YNAZ',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10993,1934,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1132641240,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: The District (Nycker!) (2004) (Hungary)','Sounds very in teresting, will watch it if I catch it here in Germany. I love animation and particularly animated films for adults \r\nWhere did they have the money for such a film in Hungary ??','ad77ec72b86a6f34d44d9e8937ccfabf',0,'','HGkdpBAy',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10994,1935,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1123458120,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','El Bola (2000 - Spain)','El Bola (2000)\r\n\r\nDirected by Achero Maas\r\n\r\nStarring Juan Jos Ballesta, Pablo Galn\r\n\r\nThis film is reminiscent of Truffauts 400 Blows in that were seeing life from the perspective of a young boy who to put it mildly is not treated lovingly by his father. \r\n\r\nEl Bola is the nickname of 12 year old Pablo, we first see him and several mates playing chicken in front of a train, this game is repeated several times throughout the film, each time youre sure that one of the boys will be hit. \r\n\r\nThe story proper starts with the arrival of a new pupil in school, Alfredo. Pablo (El Bola) attaches himself to him and they soon become good friends much to the irritation of Pablos father who is a bullying control freak who literally kicks hell out of his son for the slightest reason. Pablo (as would be natural in most cases of this type) doesnt tell anyone about the beatings and excuses marks and bruises on him as accidents and falls.\r\n\r\nAlfredos parents, who happen to be the antithesis of Pablos worry when Alfredo tells them about the bruising he has seen but theres virtually nothing they can do in the matter due to the law. Things take a brutal turn leading to Pablo running away and eventually informing the social services about his father.\r\n\r\nThere is no closure to the story which is a good thing, it allows you to reach your own decisions on the fate of Pablo and his family. Its not a film with a great deal of originality but its well made, effective in giving a voice to children who grow up in this sort of brutal environment and definitely worth seeing.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev\r\n\r\nBBFC rated 15.','5105d72a37aa699cc5c14854fc10e7df',0,'','kh0YXlsj',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10995,1936,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1131049860,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Private (2004 - Italy)','Private (2004)\r\n\r\nDirected by Saverio Costanzo\r\n\r\nStarring Mohammed Bakri, Lior Miller\r\n\r\nFamily at war.\r\n\r\nThis is a film about conflict, the conflict between Israel and Palestine, the conflicts within the family structure and the conflicts that exist in each and every one of us.\r\n\r\nFilmed very much in a documentary (if not Dogme) style, the plot revolves around a Palestinian family whose home is temporarily commandeered by Israeli soldiers, the hand held camera work and natural lighting draw you in making you feel involved in the familys plight as they are shunted forcefully out of their bedrooms into a single room in the middle of the night and told where they can or cant go. The father Mohammad refuses to budge from his home causing friction between him and the soldiers and also with his wife who unsurprisingly is scared for herself and her family.\r\n\r\nTense and claustrophobic, the film could be read as an allegory for the Palestinian/Israeli conflict. Its surprising that the two sides, family and soldiers could only communicate through broken English, its hard to believe that not one of them could understand the others language especially as the family came across as (for the most part) well educated, although this could also be seen as allegorical of the peace talks.\r\n\r\nThe tension in the film starts off fairly high even before the incursion of the Israeli troops with family issues at the forefront and never lets up, in a way this poses a bit of a problem as you cant just keep it cranked up to the max, a little respite would have been more effective. I also felt that more time should have been given to the mother, while Mohammad and the children went off to work, and school. This poor women was left alone, petrified in her home with a group of heavily armed soldiers but all we saw was when the majority if not the whole family were together.\r\n\r\nOne of the sons has some issues that are very much internal, we are let into his thoughts which are pretty scary although probably fairly normal for the young people living in their situation. He above anyone else could endanger his own and his families lives and this plus the eldest daughters wanderings just wind up the tension to breaking point. \r\n\r\nOverall a very good film, no one is labelled as good or bad, they are just in a situation beyond their control and at times the soldiers seem to be just as nervous with the situation as the family. There is a lot I havent covered in these comments because it may spoil the film and I hope everyone will get the chance to see it.\r\n\r\nHighly recommended, definitely worth seeing with very good performances all round.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.\r\n\r\nBBFC rated 15.\r\n\r\nR2 Pal dvd available from Metrodome.','437255e8a2a4049464db92f29cf09d89',0,'','Sk0hFCyc',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10996,1936,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1131832620,1,0,1,1,1,1,'arsaib4','Re: Private (2004 - Italy)','Thanks for the review. Hopefully, it\'ll get distributed in the U.S. If not then we\'ll have to make do with the R2.','9b79a4328b7f1a5b9b0e4fbde3713b82',0,'','ZJpFL213',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10997,1936,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1131844740,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: Private (2004 - Italy)','There is a good \"making of\" doc as well with the UK release, I\'d be very surprised though if it didn\'t get a US release.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','626406d7fa06c6d02b444161cdc1c8c6',0,'','vNqj2Vhd',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10998,1936,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1132290300,1,0,1,1,1,1,'arsaib4','Re: Private (2004 - Italy)','It\'s funny that the film was just released in the U.S. on a few screens. Obviously, someone has been following our posts.','bfe2e9268f0d2cf299ef280091c7b553',0,'','dHxUZChe',1,0,'',0,0,0),(10999,1937,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1131846840,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Pauline & Paulette (2001 - Belgium)','Pauline & Paulette (2001)\r\n\r\nDirected by Lieven Debrauwer\r\n\r\nStarring Dora van der Groen, Ann Petersen\r\n\r\nA Tale of Two Spinsters.\r\n\r\nPredictable, very sweet but wonderful acting especially from Dora van der Groen as a 66 year old pensioner with the mentality of a 5 year old. \r\n\r\nThe film starts with four sisters, Martha who lives with and cares for Pauline, then theres Ccile, the only one who has moved away from the village and who hasnt remained a spinster. Last but certainly not least theres Paulette, star of the local amateur operatic society, haberdashery owner with a fascination for pink, constantly annoyed by Paulines interference and the only one that Pauline recognises as her sister.\r\n\r\nThe plot develops when Martha dies, neither of the other sisters wants to look after Pauline but Marthas Will stipulates that if one or both dont take care of her then Pauline will inherit everything. It doesnt take much work to see where the story is heading but its a fairly short and at times comical and as I said earlier, the performances are excellent. \r\n\r\nNot one to go out of your way to see but certainly worth catching if on TV. Recommended light entertainment.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.\r\n\r\nBBFC rated PG.\r\n\r\nDVD available from Columbia Tri-Star.','73e9bf0152eaea4aaa6b42720dfe7958',0,'','QjZUbJKf',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11000,1938,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1131714960,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','The Best of Times (Mei Li Shi Guang) (Taiwan) (2002)','\r\nDirector: Chang Tso-Chi\r\nCast: Fan Wing, Gao Meng-Jie\r\n\r\ncoming soon','1d53c9883604febd088da3edfd9da8fd',0,'','FWNa8enq',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11001,1939,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1120574940,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Dogme is dead, long live Dogme. (Denmark)','The days of Dogme are over.\r\n\r\nTen years after the creation of the Dogme manifesto and with the tenth Danish film, its all over, In Your Hands Forbrydelser directed by Annette K. Olesen is officially the last certifiable Dogme feature film.\r\n\r\nI can remember seeing Celebration Festen directed by Thomas Vinterberg, the first official Dogme film for the first time, and I remember being surprised and shocked at the almost amateurishness of the camera work, editing etc, it says something for the film that I thought it was outstanding.\r\n\r\nNo 2 of course was the controversial The Idiots - Idioterne from Lars von Trier, this was the film that due to its subject matter and content brought The Dogme Manifesto into the limelight, all the press negativity actually made the film more successful.\r\n\r\nAs for Dogme 34 In Your Hands Forbrydelser while certainly not as controversial as the first few it\'s not a bad way to finish, if of course it is the end! you never can tell, after all there are still plenty of shorts being made under the rules and who needs a certificate anyway?\r\n\r\nI\'ll do a proper review for In Your Hands Forbrydelser and link it to this post.\r\n\r\n\r\nThe Dogme manifesto or \"Vow of Chastity.\"\r\n\r\n\"I swear to submit to the following set of rules drawn up and confirmed by DOGME 95: \r\n\r\n\r\n1. Shooting must be done on location. Props and sets must not be brought in (if a particular prop is necessary for the story, a location must be chosen where this prop is to be found). \r\n2. The sound must never be produced apart from the images or vice versa. (Music must not be used unless it occurs where the scene is being shot). \r\n3. The camera must be hand-held. Any movement or immobility attainable in the hand is permitted. (The film must not take place where the camera is standing; shooting must take place where the film takes place). \r\n4. The film must be in colour. Special lighting is not acceptable. (If there is too little light for exposure the scene must be cut or a single lamp be attached to the camera). \r\n5. Optical work and filters are forbidden. \r\n6. The film must not contain superficial action. (Murders, weapons, etc. must not occur.) \r\n7. Temporal and geographical alienation are forbidden. (That is to say that the film takes place here and now.) \r\n8. Genre movies are not acceptable. \r\n9. The film format must be Academy 35 mm. \r\n10. The director must not be credited. \r\nFurthermore I swear as a director to refrain from personal taste! I am no longer an artist. I swear to refrain from creating a \"work\", as I regard the instant as more important than the whole. My supreme goal is to force the truth out of my characters and settings. I swear to do so by all the means available and at the cost of any good taste and any aesthetic considerations.\r\nThus I make my VOW OF CHASTITY.\" \r\nCopenhagen, Monday 13 March 1995\r\n\r\nOn behalf of DOGME 95\r\n\r\nLars von Trier Thomas Vinterberg \r\n\r\nIm sure weve all seen a few of the Dogme films, Ive still got a couple on DVD to watch including the Korean film Interview Dogme No 7, so with the end of an era and an ideal, what are your thoughts?\r\n\r\nFor the official Dogme site please use the link:\r\n\r\nOfficial Dogme Site\r\n\r\nCheers Trev','4a0ea2fbc25124d854a6ad567955f5fb',0,'','xkgT5s8u',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11002,1939,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1120705140,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: Dogme is dead, long live Dogme. (Denmark)','I\'have only seen few Dogme films, but from my first (Festen) onwards I was hooked. It opened up new possibilities for amateur filmmakers, showing that a film can have bad lightning, sound, etc. and still be great, and successfull and even get a theatricasl release.\r\nOf course the whole vow of chastity is more an experiment, and a means for achieving new creativity, and I think it has worked, and given us some of the best films of the last ten years. And although you don\'t get a certificate anymore - who cares? Get hold of your hand-held camera and long live Dogme!','6ba9010453b48519a8732b589527bdd7',0,'','jaNbRB0t',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11003,1939,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1130259540,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: Dogme is dead, long live Dogme. (Denmark)','These are the Dogme films I\'ve seen although I can\'t say I\'ve ever gone out of my way to watch one. I\'ve linked to reviews where possible.\r\n\r\nDogme # 1: Festen / Celebration (Denmark) Thomas Vinterberg \r\n\r\nDogme # 2: Idioterne / The Idiots (Denmark) Lars von Trier\r\n\r\nDogme # 3: Mifunes Sidste Sang / Mifune (Denmark) Sren Kragh-Jacobsen\r\n\r\nDogme # 4: The King Is Alive (Denmark) Kristian Levring\r\n\r\nDogme # 5: Lovers (France) Jean-Marc Barr\r\n\r\nDogme # 7: Interview - 2000 (Korea) Hyuk Byun\r\n\r\nDogme # 12: Italiensk For Begyndere / Italian for Beginners (Denmark) Lone Scherfig \r\n\r\nDogme #28: Elsker Dig For Evigt / Open Hearts (Denmark) Susanne Bier\r\n\r\nDogme # 34: Forbrydelser / In Your Hands (Denmark) Annette K. Olesen\r\n\r\nI\'ll fit in further reviews as and when I can.\r\n\r\nHas anyone seen any others or have an opinion on any of the films listed?\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','89d028d6a4c08b9b02c44cc31c38a70b',0,'','jiEkazvy',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11004,1939,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1130276940,1,0,1,1,1,1,'SenileFelines','Re: Dogme is dead, long live Dogme. (Denmark)','I\'ve seen most of the ones you\'ve listed, plus some more. My favorite Dogme film has to be Open Hearts. I don\'t really like Dogme too much. It\'s an interesting idea, but sometimes it just doesn\'t work. I thought the Dogme \"style\" really worked in Open Hearts though. Great movie with some great performances.','5b40a1af81823a2b85305b3a5e93efad',0,'','QrLZyAJR',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11005,1939,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1130277720,1,0,1,1,1,1,'Sara','Re: Dogme is dead, long live Dogme. (Denmark)','Please tell something about \"Open Hearts.\" Who is in it and is it on DVD? I just don\'t know anything about it and would like to know.\r\n\r\nSara','9a64fd1b89ec238e43643062ee5fe8d2',0,'','RGTzC20b',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11006,1939,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1130283000,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: Dogme is dead, long live Dogme. (Denmark)','Elsker dig for evigt (2002) Open Hearts\r\n\r\nDirected by Susanne Bier \r\n\r\nStarring Paprika Steen, Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Mads Mikkelsen, Sonja Richter\r\n\r\nAn extremely well acted ensemble piece, a tragic relationship drama that doesnt tip into whimsy or melodrama. A young couple is tragically split when the boyfriend, Joachim is paralysed after being hit by a car. The girlfriend, Cecilie becomes attached to one of the doctors in the hospital who is more than happy to give his time (primarily because his wife was the driver of the car that crippled the boyfriend). \r\n\r\nJoachim gradually becomes aware of his condition and (very true to real life) goes through every emotion possible, anger, bitterness, self pity, and he does his best to push Cecile away from him. She cannot understand or accept his reactions and slowly becomes closer to the doctor, eventually leading to them becoming lovers.\r\n\r\nMeanwhile the doctors wife is glad that he can offer some aid to Cecilie, she carries an enormous burden of guilt since the accident and doesnt see the crisis looming although her eldest daughter has her suspicions.\r\n\r\nFull marks for the acting, very true to life especially Nikolaj Lie Kaas as the tetraplegic Joachim. the anger taken out on those closest to you and against those treating you is honest, acceptance takes time (if it ever happens) and in the mean time people have to vent their feelings. The main nurse treating him was also excellent and again very natural. \r\n\r\nPaprika Steen, always a fine actress holds the fort as the guilt ridden wife trying to deal with her emotions and keep her family together, her performance again is superlative and has a genuine feeling to it. The script and direction are taut, fine work from Susanne Bier who has since directed \"Brothers\". \r\n\r\nA painful slice of life in a high quality drama, a definite recommendation.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.\r\n\r\nBBFC rated 15\r\n\r\nR2 Pal dvd available from Icon Home Entertainment.','8d1b125bc8c1cf58a6520c877ac09cff',0,'','KcSyEXYL',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11007,1939,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1130287380,1,0,1,1,1,1,'arsaib4','Re: Dogme is dead, long live Dogme. (Denmark)','I also liked Open Hearts quite a bit, even more so than her latest, Brothers.','eef992e2b7271923d4b0bdbc4d1066ea',0,'','9rB2Rd4k',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11008,1939,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1131096000,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: Dogme is dead, long live Dogme. (Denmark)','I have only seen the following five, listed from best to worst (which is still pretty good imo):\r\n\r\n1. The Idiots\r\n2. Festen\r\n3. Open Hearts\r\n4. Italian for Beginners\r\n5. Mifune\r\n\r\nMifune had imo some little problems as it seemed to me at times too crowd-pleasing sentimental and a bit mainstream, the others were exceptional films imo. Probably the first 4 would all make it in my Top 10 of the years they were made in. \r\nBut I must say it has been a long time since I\'ve seen them, the \"newest\" being Open Heart on its theatrical release (two years ago?) and it blew me away.','4b4d963537d9bf1516bc13fcbe2d9824',0,'','9DH2GKjQ',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11009,1939,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1131223500,1,0,1,1,1,1,'arsaib4','Re: Dogme is dead, long live Dogme. (Denmark)','Festen / Celebration is a favorite of mine, and it\'s arguably the best dogme ever made, so I hope people get a chance to watch it.','177d16b21533b4a624f6e753462acc30',0,'','TNsPgoxi',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11010,1940,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1129579800,1,0,1,1,1,1,'gululv','Films I wish could be made..','.. or \"suggestions for different directors what their next film should be about\".\r\n\r\nI read an article about Herzog where he talked about making a documentary about Michael Jackson. I wish he will do that! It could be a great film!\r\nI wish Victor Erice to make whatever he wants to. He is a genius, and only money prevents him from making his fourth film.\r\nI wish Kaurismki would keep his humour and everything that\'s typical for him, but that he would move into different territory in his next film, for instance politics. \"The Man Without a Past\" was far from as good as films like \"Ariel\" and \"Hamlet Goes Business\".\r\nFor David Lynch I would advice him to make a horror film, because I think he could make the scariest of all films he had tried to.\r\nIt would be interesting to see Kiarostami making a film in the Western world, about the Western world.\r\nMike Leigh could make great historical films, I think, like Rossellini did in the 1960\'s.\r\nAnd I wish Eustache, Tarkovskij and Kieslowski to rise up from the dead and make films again.','a982e18d2d95c59680b5224340753def',0,'','7UYM1HVg',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11011,1940,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1129612860,1,0,1,1,1,1,'arsaib4','Re: Films I wish could be made..','*Herzog is in the process of making a feature film with Christian Bale.\r\n\r\n*Victor Erice\'s fourth film titled \"La promesa de Shanghai\" (based on the novel \"El embrujo de Shanghai\") was abondoned because the producer objected to the length of the script which was destined to become a 3 hr film. Unbelievable.\r\n\r\nBela Tarr can\'t finish his latest because the producer died.\r\n\r\n*I agree with you on The Man Without a Past.\r\n\r\n*I was scared by Mulholland Drive. No, really.\r\n\r\n*Kiarostami made a film with Ken Loach and Ermanno Olmi called Tickets.\r\n\r\nLet\'s just hope that the great filmmakers of today get the support they need to do what they want.','7fb43d0a2328f6f96f65a3ce5efe5026',0,'','HuxEVFDt',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11012,1940,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1129637040,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Films I wish could be made..','\r\nI only hope that directors would be more adventurous and try jumping out of their usual frame/style to film a very different film. Sometimes, they are so recognized by their style that it becomes too predictable or boring even. hiaks hiaks ...','15b6787c3988ced45e6563abbb85a7fc',0,'','xsP24RV6',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11013,1940,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1129729740,1,0,1,1,1,1,'gululv','Re: Films I wish could be made..','I have met Kaurismki once, during his annual film festival in Northern Finland. We shaked hands, and none of us said anything to each other. I observed him for twenty minutes. He was quiet and drank beer all the time. He is very much like a character in his films.','85f2245cea8fd493bab133aa76da272f',0,'','U38FpSRW',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11014,1940,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1130428440,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Films I wish could be made..','\r\nHi gululv\r\n\r\nDo you stay in Finland?\r\nAre you a Finnish?','0bed9b0ac5a54912a6b276dbeb829dd3',0,'','ZEV3Kf0U',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11015,1940,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1131097500,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: Films I wish could be made..','Very interesting suggestions, and I certainly agree on Eustache, Tarkovski and Kieslowski. What a great and way too early loss. \r\nI just hope Ken McMullen will start making films again, because after having Jerzy Skolimowski finally making a new film after 15 years, makes me believe in almost anything. \r\nCan\'t believe the Victor Erice story though... what a @#%$ idiot this producer must be! \r\n\r\nI also wish like hengcs, to see many directors I like switch their style and way of filmmaking and do something completely new, but that would probably mean to change their personalitiy. \r\nBut some experimenting would be great, though i guess there isn\'t really any money available for them, if they don\'t follow in what they\'ve already done. Which producer would invest in Hou hsia-hsien if he would say that he wants to direct an action-film next?','e572503b4ec8aac58f25786a86941ce0',0,'','TeWGLS0Y',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11016,1941,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1130038800,1,0,1,1,1,1,'mlepage','Info on Strange Danish Film?','I\'m looking for info on a film I saw: title, director, anything.\r\n\r\nI saw it in the early 1990s on Canada\'s public station TVO\'s program Film International. It was a Scandinavian film, I\'m pretty sure Danish, maybe The Netherlands (I don\'t think it was Sweden or Finland).\r\n\r\nI only saw the second half and I may be mis-remembering details, but here goes.\r\n\r\nIt was very strange, like a blend of Kafka and Monty Python. Some guy was trapped in an institution of some form, perhaps a mental hospital. He went around, cannonballs fell from the sky, people played tennis. At one point he was chased by a stuffed animal tied to his leg, wrestling with it.\r\n\r\nAt one point he found his glasses and things seemed clearer, then they broke and everything went strange again. I think he killed himself in the end.\r\n\r\nDoes this seem familiar to anyone? I\'d love to see the entire film, but I don\'t remember its title or director.','957c25e69024cada694dd2b37a57e247',0,'','TAlmKQ3w',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11017,1941,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1130428140,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Info on Strange Danish Film?','\r\nHi mlepage,\r\n\r\nNice to have you on the board.\r\nUnfortunately, it seems like no one has a clue ...','52be04eb7ad09563c5091f0500017e1e',0,'','5idzynho',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11018,1941,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1131096960,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: Info on Strange Danish Film?','No clue whatsoever, but would love to see this, as it sounds very interesting. Was it a short film?\r\nCome on guys, somebody must know it!','d5b679d08493932f9ac0c308947baaf7',0,'','huTolBRE',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11019,1942,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1129280340,1,0,1,1,1,1,'arsaib4','Abdellatif Kechiche\'s L\'ESQUIVE','Pierre Carlet de Chamblain de Marivaux, one of the greatest of French playwrights, probably wouldve never imagined that his work will one day be rehearsed in Parisian housing projects even though it has always been ripe for such an experience. After all, most of his plays from the 18th century give much importance to the secondary characters the kind that are usually glanced over in historical theater, and as Abdellatif Kechiche, the director of a riveting new French film LEsquive said, \"With Marivaux, the valets, maids, peasants and orphans not only play important roles in the story, theyre also attributed an inner life, an interiority and nuances of feeling. They do not only play a social role. They become men and women with the right to a complex psychological make-up.\" And with that in mind, Kechiche has crafted a film which not only displays an abundance of socio-political intelligence, but its fascination with language is just as intense as Marivaux\'s.\r\n\r\nSet in Franc-Moisin projects at the outskirts of Paris, L\'Esquive vividly showcases its characters -- the main one being Adelkrim (Osman Elkharraz), a 15-year-old otherwise known as Krimo, who unlike most of his boisterous \"homies\" usually keeps to himself. His father is in jail and the mother is mostly absent. His apathetic behavior is the reason why his girlfriend has broken up with him. But soon after, he runs into a lifelong friend, a beautiful blond named Lydia (Sara Forestier) who is roaming the \"banlieus\" with an angelic pretense. The reason being that she is the lead in the school play based on Marivauxs \"Le Jeu de l\'amour et du hazard\" (\"Games of Loves and Chance\"), and for that reason shes donned on an 18th century costume. Krimo is instantly smitten, but cant put two words together to express himself; instead, he lends her some money for the dress and gets an invitation to watch her rehearse in return.\r\n\r\nThe French title \"LEsquive,\" which is a fencing term for \"dodging,\" perfectly suits Krimo. Thats what hes been his whole life. On the other hand, Lydia is tough and self-sufficient. She has to be because shes the minority in this neighborhood being overrun by low-income Arabs and North Africans. In the Marivaux play being rehearsed, shes the recipient of a declaration of immortal love from a young man. Krimos friend, Rachid (Rachid Hami), is playing that man named Harlequin so that gives our lover boy an idea. He bribes Rachid with a few minor goods to he can take over as the lead. Many are surprised, including Lydias fiery friend, Frida (Sabrina Quazani), who is playing a maid in the play, not to mention their drama professor. Krimo stumbles and mumbles with the overbearing dialogue during in-class rehearsals, eventually drawing the ire of the professor who once claims, \"the way you express yourself, tells others where you are from.\" Lydia agrees to help Krimo out with private lessons and that provides him with the perfect opportunity to proclaim his own love. But the Games have only just begun.\r\n\r\nThe Tunisian born Kechiche started off as an actor in a film called Le Th la menthe (1984). He courted success with roles in Andre Techines Les Innocents (1987) and Nouri Bouzids Bezness (1992) (hell also appear in the upcoming drama called Sorry, Haters with Robin Wright Penn and Sandra Oh). Kechiche wrote the screenplay for L\'Esquive over a decade ago but wasnt able to get financing. He wanted reality but didnt want to follow the route that films set in the those neighborhoods usually take. L\'Esquive is raw and poignant due of its language, not because of drugs or weapons. Kechiche expertly contrasts the \"marivaudage,\" the bantering thats ever-present in Marivaux, with \"verlan,\" slang which sounds like rap and is delivered with confounding accents. The multiple heated arguments in the film that are littered with threats eventually develop their own rhythm and poetry. And thats the mode of communication available to these urbanites caught underneath the towering gray buildings that surround them. Unfortunately, for Krimo this mode also represents a challenge.\r\n\r\nWinner of 4 Csar Awards (French \"Oscars\") including Best Picture, Director, Screenplay and Best Female Newcomer (Forestier), L\'Esquive is shot with a Dogme-like aesthetic by Kechiche. His camera dances rhythmically with the performers, zooming in-and-out, channeling itself with the energy of the participants yet never drawing attention to itself. The seemingly never-ending arguments are remarkably played out by the actors with not a false moment in them, and Kechiche at times gets lost with them. Yet its his editing skills in the one sequence which does feature a confrontation with the authorities that makes it that much more harrowing to watch. Osman Elkharraz with his hang-dog face is perfect as the dreamy Krimo. Sara Forestier deftly switches between being a cultured leading lady of Marivaux and acting as just another bitch of the banlieue; French cinema doesnt exactly lack young female talent but this ball-of-fire might be someone special. Most of the actors in the film are newcomers, and Kechiche didnt want to betray them or the milieu in any way. He certainly hasnt; instead, hes given us a relevant and timeless tale of youth, language, culture, identity, and, above all, love.','8f691f8d54291662af75914b7c27d8f7',0,'','bTlf6t2L',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11020,1942,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1129335420,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: Abdellatif Kechiche\'s L\'ESQUIVE','Hey, nice to see your review of this great film. I believe I wrote one myself on the old board, but well, it\'s been a while. I liked the film also very much. Went to watch it after some great reviews, and because I had once seen the last 20 minutes of Kechiche\'s previous film \"La faute a Voltaire\" (i believe this to be the title...) which were a joy to watch. \r\nImo one of the best films of the year, and I don\'t have anything to add to arsaib\'s review. Yes, the main actress was great, could have even gotten a cesar for best actress imo.\r\nI think this will appear in my Top Ten 2005, and is already a favorite.','6804ded3560a0dc381979164c16d0b6a',0,'','JzoCwEpN',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11021,1942,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1130394480,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Abdellatif Kechiche\'s L\'ESQUIVE','\r\nDirector: Abdellatif Kechiche\r\nCast: Osman Elkharraz, Sara Forestier, Sabrina Ouazani, Nanou Benhamou, Aurelie Ganito, Rachid Hami\r\n\r\nWhat is commendable ...\r\n-- I have to say that one of the most compelling factor is ... the film feels VERY VERY VERY REAL ... \r\n\r\n-- Unlike many films about teenagers, this film did not resort to lots of guns/blood/drugs/sex ... and yet, it managed to highlight the problems that these teens faced, which could be quite universal across the world ...\r\n-- The overall pacing was good, with frequent intense moments of confrontations ... and guess what, most audience would be keen to know how the film would end ... and amongst these, the scenes with the police had to be one of the more riveting ...\r\n\r\n-- The entire cast is commendable ... and the characters are not \"boring\" ...\r\n-- The dialogues were well written ... and the film described contradicting relationships/feelings very well ... about friends who quarreled and argued and yet were still friends ...\r\n-- Several themes surfaced\r\ne.g., about communication, about words, about \"confrontation\" and \"dodging\" ... \r\ne.g., about relationship/love ... about being \"proximal\" versus \"distant\"\r\ne.g., about being \"foreign\" ... about your own language (identity) ... about \"belonging\" versus \"lost\" ...\r\ne.g., about past and present ... about being \"reserved\" versus \"contemporary\" ... \r\ne.g., societal class differences\r\netc\r\n\r\nWhat may be problematic ...\r\n-- It seems like much is lost in translation\r\ne.g., the fact that the children spoke predominantly in non standard French\r\ne.g., despite multiple people talking at any one time, they could only subtitle one person ...\r\n-- Some people might be upset over the extensive use of profanity ... but hey, this is reality! ... To some, the constant squabbles/quarrels might be too overwhelming ...\r\n\r\nQuestion for those who have watched ...\r\n-- Although I do think there are some interesting connections with the overall theme, I hope someone who has a better grasp can help explain further the following (possibly with some quotes from the play) ... hee hee\r\n(i) the relation/parallel of that particular school play to the overall film theme (in terms of relating societal differences and in terms of relating romance) ...\r\n(ii) the purpose of the play by the younger children at the end (before the teenagers\' play) ...\r\n\r\nConclusion\r\nI definitely recommend the film ...','de6768cd7698504fe74a9eca34800df2',0,'','TgpPM251',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11022,1942,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1130926080,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Abdellatif Kechiche\'s L\'ESQUIVE','\r\nHi arsaib4 or A ...\r\n\r\nwould you like to share with us your views on \r\n\r\n(i) the relation/parallel of that particular school play to the overall film theme (in terms of relating societal differences and in terms of relating romance) ...\r\n\r\n(ii) the purpose of the play by the younger children at the end (before the teenagers\' play) ...\r\n\r\nthnks','31727e9a9b6b38b0b88cfafb7710a97c',0,'','wHPdcpVt',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11023,1942,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1130931600,1,0,1,1,1,1,'arsaib4','Re: Abdellatif Kechiche\'s L\'ESQUIVE','Switching of identities is the main theme of the play. In the film it\'s accomplished superficially but as we saw the backgrounds of the participants played a big part in determining if it was successful. However, even more than the overall theme, it\'s the language that updates Marivaux\'s tendencies.\r\n\r\nI don\'t recall if the play put on by younger children was related to anything else. If it was then I need to see the film again.','4a3e9db84cda19b6c8a1cfd54cdad227',0,'','qZ2HgdXC',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11024,1942,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1131001800,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: Abdellatif Kechiche\'s L\'ESQUIVE','The play is a satire on society, with it\'s \"social classes\" and all the prejudices that go with them. The play makes us think about the facts that people who are from are lower class aren\'t automatically stupid illiteral incompetent, etc. and vice versa. When they take on another role in the play, they are regarded as another person, because people mostly observe superficially. \r\nWith the film its similar. These kids can\'t be judged on their social status, but are individuals, with the same potential in them as anybody else.\r\nI won\'t go on with this, as a whole book could be written about this topic. \r\n\r\n(ii) I think it\'s that everything has to be taught from the beginning. The small kids who can already express themselves creatively, will probably be better off than the older protagonists, for whom this is their first encounter with their creative potential. Krimo\'s failure hopefully won\'t happen to them. The scen is for me the most beautiful in the film, as it is one of pure enjoyment and of hope, for a better communication between people. If you start early, you may accomplish more in terms of self awareness, etc.','911ef31343b3d49a9daa5bcdbeb6759a',0,'','Ncr058uh',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11025,1943,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1127498100,1,0,1,1,1,1,'Sara','What films do you really want to see but not yet on DVD?','There are several on my list:\r\n\r\nViridiana - Bunuel\r\nUgetsu -Mizoguchi\r\nPickpocket - Bresson\r\nPlaytime - Tati\r\nThe Exterminating Angel - Bunuel\r\nThe Virgin Spring - Bergman\r\nStalker - Tarkovsky\r\nSpirit of the Beehive - Erice\r\nThe Conformist- Bertolucci\r\nVampyr, Ordet, Day of Wrath - Dreyer\r\nMouchette - Bresson\r\nThe Passenger - Antonioni\r\nSansho the Bailiff - Mizoguchi\r\n\r\nThere are others, too. But that is enough from me for now.\r\n\r\n(Some of you may be able to get some of these on DVD depending on where you live. But for me, in the US, they are not yet out.)\r\n\r\nWhat films do you want to see that you can\'t get?\r\n\r\nSara','461b67a6e6a7d6a10861e45437fa4e10',0,'','NepATX6v',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11026,1943,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1127501160,1,0,1,1,1,1,'gululv','Re: What films do you really want to see but not yet on DVD?','\r\nUgetsu -Mizoguchi: Was recently released on DVD, Region 1, I think.\r\nPickpocket - Bresson - Exists on Region 2.\r\nPlaytime - Tati - Exists on Region 2.\r\nStalker - Tarkovsky - Exists on Region 2\r\nSpirit of the Beehive - Erice - Region 2\r\nVampyr, Ordet, Day of Wrath - Dreyer - At least the last two Dreyer films you mention are in the Criterion Collection.\r\nMouchette - Bresson - Region 2.\r\nThe Passenger - Antonioni - Was released in Japan on DVD, but now out of print. But you can get in on Ebay if you\'re lucky. Anyway, they say that they are planning to release it in the US soon. This is maybe the film I want to see most of all films I haven\'t seen.\r\nSansho the Bailiff - Mizoguchi - Not on DVD yet, but the BFI VHS has a great picture quality.\r\n\r\nMany of the films that I have wanted to see for a long time is being released these days: Touki-Bouki, Vidas Secas, and The Killer of Sheep in December.\r\n\r\nI want to see these films on DVD:\r\nManila: in the Claws of Darkness (Brocka)\r\nFate (Kelemen)\r\nThey Live By Night (N. Ray)\r\nBerlin, Alexanderplatz (Fassbinder)\r\nThe South (Erice)\r\nThe Story of the Late Chrysanthemums (Mizoguchi)\r\nOshima and Imamura\'s films from the 60\'s (a few exists, but none of those I want to see the most)\r\nThe Puppetmaster and City of Sadness (Hou) - I think there is a \"Puppetmaster\" DVD, but I\'ve heard that it\'s best to avoid it.','8f542f1716c05e35a6731b921dbf49e5',0,'','JiGn5Svq',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11027,1943,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1127503680,1,0,1,1,1,1,'Sara','Re: What films do you really want to see but not yet on DVD?','gululv,\r\nThanks for reminding me that I, too, want to see The Story of Late Chrysanthemums!\r\n\r\nWhat is the Killer of Sheep about? I\'ve heard the title but don\'t know who directed it or anything about it.\r\n\r\nHope our wish lists come true soon. \r\n\r\nSara','86c0b1c3e4307a548bce377dd438f23c',0,'','UroMQj0X',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11028,1943,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1127511240,1,0,1,1,1,1,'wpqx','Re: What films do you really want to see but not yet on DVD?','Killer of Sheep is from Charles Burnett. It\'s an American independent film from 1978, highly praised, and a precursor to the work of Spike Lee. It was also selected by the National Society of Film Critics as an essential.\r\n\r\nAll the films on your list Sara are readily available, some already on DVD. The only long shot is The Passenger, which good news, it is recently being re-released in theaters. I\'m not sure where this will lead, as I was convinced it would never come out on dvd, but theatrically it is showing. I do have a copy of the now OOP Japanese edition, so I\'m at least happy. I will agree on The Virgin Spring. I stopped hunting out Bergman VHS because everytime I did, Criterion wound up putting out a much better version on DVD, so I just wait for them to get around to it, same with Kurosawa films.\r\n\r\nStill from Bergman I want to see:\r\n\r\nSummer With Monika (1951)\r\nFace to Face (1975) - the full TV version, they did it with Fanny and Alexander and Scenes From A Marriage so why not?\r\n\r\nAs for Kurosawa I\'d like to see Sanshuro Sugata (1943), and the Idiot (1951), I certainly didn\'t need another release of Ran.\r\n\r\nThe Devil Probably (1977) - Robert Bresson\r\nSpirit of the Beehive (1973) - Victor Erice\r\n\r\nI agree fully with the early Oshima and Immamura films, definitely some must sees from those two, and not a lot to pick from, even on VHS.\r\n\r\nTop of my list of things to see are . . . \r\n\r\nHour of the Furnaces (1969) - Solonas\r\nA Brighter Summer Day (1991) - Edward Yang\r\nTo Die in Madrid (1963) - Frederic Rossif \r\nThe Emperor\'s Naked Army Marches On (1987) - Kazuo Hara\r\nThe Silent World (1956) - Louis Malle, Jacques Cousteau\r\nKings of the Road (1976) - Wim Wenders\r\nSatan\'s Tango (1994) - Bela Tarr\r\nI Even Met Happy Gypsies (1967) - Aleksandar Petrovic\r\n\r\nThat\'s enough for now, I\'ll just go back to my corner and weep that these will never be released.','db94a85fe550d8925dff3ee2b35eb319',0,'','tJunXvNl',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11029,1943,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1127513100,1,0,1,1,1,1,'Sara','Re: What films do you really want to see but not yet on DVD?','wpqx,\r\n\r\nI rent DVDs from Netflix, and none of the films I listed are there (except Dreyer\'s Vampyr which I was not aware of.)\r\n\r\nI have taped some of the Bunuel I mentioned from TCM (TV) and some other films including Ugetsu, but the quality is not the same taping them from TV, and I have not yet watched them. Still, they are, as you said, available. At least those are. But not a lot of the others...\r\n\r\nI check Criterian\'s upcoming DVDs from time to time. And I think someone on this forum told me Pickpocket was going to be released over here sometime this winter.\r\n\r\nThanks for telling me about Killer of Sheep. Maybe IFC or TCM will show it sometime and I can tape it.\r\n\r\nMy DVD player only plays region 1. \r\n\r\nAnd let us hope Passenger (with the great Jack Nicholson in the early days!) will finally make it to DVD.\r\n\r\nThe two Bergman films you want to see I am not familiar with. Not did I know about Louis Malle\'s The Silent World.\r\n\r\nIt is wonderful the movies we have available to us, but it also fun to anticipate and hope for the movies we can\'t yet see.\r\n\r\nSara','039d63c60f5032d72a5e53dcd8262357',0,'','e9jSH0tF',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11030,1943,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1127514480,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: What films do you really want to see but not yet on DVD?','My most wanted (and ones I can\'t believe haven\'t been released) are:\r\n\r\nRaise the Red Lantern.\r\nJu Dou\r\nRed Sorghum \r\nTo Live - all by Zhang Yimou\r\n\r\nRed Firecracker, Green Firecracker - Ping He\r\n\r\nCyclo - Tran Anh Hung\r\n\r\nAnything from Hou Hsiao-hsien\r\n\r\nWe\'re also missing some of the best Bresson films in the UK as well.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','bde41637ade75264528fae636ef4b0b7',0,'','lNacDESH',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11031,1943,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1127516040,1,0,1,1,1,1,'Sara','Re: What films do you really want to see but not yet on DVD?','We can\'t get Red Sorgham or Raise the Red Lantern either. At least Netflix does not have them and they usually have just about everything out on DVD, region 1.\r\n\r\nBut they have a lot of Hou Hsiao-hsien. (I must confess, Trevor, I rented his Puppetmaster a while ago, and just could not get through it. I was so excited about it because the great critic Jonathan Rosenbaum praised it highly. But I could not quite get into it. Maybe another time...)\r\n\r\nWhy don\'t they standardize all DVDs and all DVD players so we could all have everything each country has access to?\r\n\r\nSara','70e582391e4963e1efcded1d8ce1a046',0,'','guA1lq9L',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11032,1943,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1127526900,1,0,1,1,1,1,'arsaib4','Re: What films do you really want to see but not yet on DVD?','Region-Free players are readily available in the U.S. now. They just require a pin # to be added in through the remote and then you can play any disc from anywhere in the world. \r\n\r\ngululv has done a good job breaking down the list. Wpqx\'s list is extraordinary as usual. I also think of Sam Fuller\'s White Dog when Burnett\'s film is mentioned.','8eba403fee6e209106c713a49bbca6ec',0,'','DebtZHns',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11033,1943,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1127529900,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: What films do you really want to see but not yet on DVD?','Why don\'t they standardize all DVDs and all DVD players so we could all have everything each country has access to?\r\n\r\nThere are economic and political reasons for the regional variance, to make more money the films are licenced to different distributors around the world who can only supply a particular area, eg most of the Bergman films are distributed in the UK by Tartan while in the US, Criterion have the rights to the majority. \r\n\r\nDifferent countries also have there own levels of censorship and that comes in many forms whether for violence, nudity and sex or political, these again are affected by strict regional control. Of course, piracy and imports throw all these rules out the window. \r\n\r\nGovernments and distribution companies do not want region free players but as arsaib4 said, most players have a code you can find quite easily on the net and once you\'ve input the code, voila you\'re region free. \r\n\r\nSara, have you checked on the net to see if there is a code available for your player?\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','5ba43fdfbdc1dc06b36be75211087258',0,'','47AM2JGo',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11034,1943,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1127536560,1,0,1,1,1,1,'wpqx','Re: What films do you really want to see but not yet on DVD?','Well Trevor, New Yorker released Cyclo, and MGM released To Live here in the US, so Mr. region free player, you should be able to get them.\r\n\r\nI agree about Red Sourghum, I\'ve actually never seen the film (about the only Yimou film I haven\'t seen), just because I\'ve been patiently awaiting the DVD release.\r\n\r\nAs for the Bergman I mentioned. Face to Face brought Bergman an Oscar nomination in 1976 for best director, and was during a period when he could do little wrong, so I\'m excited to see it. Summer With Monika is considered by many to be his first significant film, and since my knowledge of early Bergman is scarce, it made my list.\r\n\r\nI have seen the Story of the Late Chrysanthemum, and I wasn\'t impressed by it, in fact I found it the weakest of the 10 Mizoguchi films I\'ve seen. If I were you I\'d be much more anticipating Osaka Elegy (another earlier film of his) which is imo a much better picture.\r\n\r\nThe problem with region free DVD\'s however is that there isn\'t a great format for ordering them, and they can get damn expensive with shipping. Plus in regards to foreign films you also have to make sure it\'s available in subtitles.\r\n\r\nI\'d like to see someone (Kino perhaps?) restore some of Victor Sjostrom\'s silent films, particularly the Phantom Carriage, and whatever else is still in existence. Reading a great deal about film history the films of Sweden\'s golden era are cited quite frequently and it\'s an area that I, as well as most other people, remain fairly unfamiliar with. Same goes for French Impressionism. I know that many films from Abel Gance still exist, but nothing is on DVD in this country, and in the case of Napoleon, that is criminal. But other films of the era, from L\'Herbier or Jean Epstein, I\'d love to see on DVD. Maybe release a whole \"French Impressionism\" boxed set? As of yet, I still have heard nothing about any of those films being released.','087421a08778ad87b11b53795fd8342f',0,'','KVPLwxRh',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11035,1943,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1127639460,1,0,1,1,1,1,'Unregistered(d)','Re: What films do you really want to see but not yet on DVD?','I want to see 1900(The Bertolluci Film with De Niro and Depradieu). I heard its out on DVD but its still not out where i live','d1f7fb91927e0f88337acd117a5ed920',0,'','Amf1ykxY',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11036,1943,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1128043500,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: What films do you really want to see but not yet on DVD?','Didn`t we have this thread somewhere already???\r\nAnyway, with me it`s everything by Jean Eustache, Sarunas Bartas, Sergei Paradjanov (restored prints), old Mamoru Oshii (Angel`s Egg, etc.), Walerian Borowczyck, Jerzy Skoilimowski, Ken McMullen, old Lubitsch (early 20s), more Mizoguchi and Naruse, \"Nouvelle Vague\" by Godard, more pre-fifth generation Chinese films, more by Mauritz Stiller, etc.,etc.\r\nAnd 1900 would be great of course. Maybe they even find a longer version.','8c50f07f6323d9bc3158d32e86632b14',0,'','b3cHUlGf',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11037,1943,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1128174840,1,0,1,1,1,1,'gululv','Re: What films do you really want to see but not yet on DVD?','I forgot one director I think should be seen on DVD soon: Kira Muratova! I wish to see her films from the 60\'s and 70\'s (Getting to Know the Big Wide World, Brief Encounters..) but most of all \"The Asthenic Syndrome\" from 1989. \"Passions\" exists on DVD, and I should maybe buy it. Mark Cousins claims in his \"Story of Film\" that it is her best film. I also wish to see Eustaches \"The Mother and the Whore\", Akerman\'s \"Jeanne Dielman..\" and \"From the East\", Walerian Borowczyk\'s animation films (Les jeux des anges, Renaissance..) and his \"Blanche\" and \"Goto, Island of Love\" (I saw Blanche on a terrible DVD-R copy, recorded from Australian TV with parts of a kung fu film at the end, and it deserves to be seen again. Goto, Island of Love is on vhs in England, but I have read that important colour sequences is missing there, so I don\'t want to buy it)..\r\nI\'m so lucky that I have both \"Kings of the Road\" and \"Alice in the Cities\" on video. Both are some of my all time favourites, and they should be released on DVD as soon as possible as they are some of the best films from that period in German film history.','b176d86cd888d3fb18bf3853567c540e',0,'','mCSWNAZk',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11038,1943,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1128184320,1,0,1,1,1,1,'Iserp','Re: What films do you really want to see but not yet on DVD?','isnt Viridiana on DVD? I\'ve got it from a collection of a newspaper','b6e89dd01b3f05597a6780efdb009dd4',0,'','YbENzB3X',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11039,1943,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1128375120,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: What films do you really want to see but not yet on DVD?','Link to the other thread on this subject:\r\n\r\nDVD WISH LIST\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','863d1f0e4447d15ccdcd78b341ee1636',0,'','xug6qZiv',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11040,1943,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1128398880,1,0,1,1,1,1,'wpqx','Re: What films do you really want to see but not yet on DVD?','you\'re going to confuse people with your re-directs','8f6cd9db879771ceb897a1b2f00120ab',0,'','pl4yUHRs',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11041,1943,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1130608680,1,0,1,1,1,1,'Unregistered(d)','Re: What films do you really want to see but not yet on DVD?','Firstly, \"Thanks\" Sara for reminding me of \" The Conformist\" I have it on video when I copied it from The BBC television, who showed it years ago now. Time to dig it out again.\r\n\r\nObviously there are lots of films I\'d love to see again but don\'t exist now. However, a very recent french film I\'d like to see on dvd is \" Le Roi Danse\". This movie introduced me to the music of Jean - Batiste Lully. A sumptuous film about the relationship between Lully, Louis XlV & Moliere.','1987df0252716901ecb3477c2cec6f44',0,'','fujbZiYK',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11042,1943,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1130839680,1,0,1,1,1,1,'mlepage','Re: What films do you really want to see but not yet on DVD?','Red Sorghum is one of my favourite Yimou films. I\'d also like to see Yellow Earth again. Neither appears to be on DVD.\r\n\r\nI\'d like to see Chronopolis (animated).','0e5983017e4e404225c41dd13e0f4ef1',0,'','sUSzDna9',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11043,1943,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1130930160,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: What films do you really want to see but not yet on DVD?','Hi,\r\nIf you understand Chinese and do NOT need subtitles, the DVD for Yellow Earth is available.','689b16c748b31f45c425262396bf2480',0,'','V5Yu0MUF',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11044,1944,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1130836620,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','All About Love (Zai Shuo Yi Ci Wo Ai Ni) (2005) (HK)','\r\nDirector: Daniel Yu\r\nCast: Andy Lau, Charlene Choi, Charlie Young\r\n\r\nThe Chinese title literally translates to ...\r\n\"To Tell You Once Again I Love You ...\"\r\n\r\nHere is the official website and trailer, \r\n(with English translation and subtitles)\r\nwww.allaboutlovethemovie.com/ \r\n\r\nSo, I shall skip the synopsis ... \r\n\r\nWhat I like ...\r\n-- The chemistry between Andy Lau and Charlene Choi ... \r\nyou will likely believe they are indeed a couple ... \r\n\r\n-- Most audience will remember the sequences about celebrating ALL THE HOLIDAYS in a day ... wow ... I want that too ...\r\n\r\n-- Overall, it has a nice theme about treasuring the one you love and valuing time! \r\nIt has this story in the movie (also in the trailer) ...\r\ni.e., A long long time ago, there is an old couple,\r\nthe husband takes big steps and moves swiftly ahead\r\nthe wife takes tiny steps and falls behind him ... \r\nshe does not understand why her husband is always in a rush\r\nhe also does not have a clue why she is always strolling at a leisurely pace ...\r\nNevertheless, they never give up the \"waiting\" and \"catching up\"\r\nBecause they love each other so much ...\r\n\r\n\r\nWhat can be better ...\r\n-- It is not easy for Andy Lau to differentiate the 2 roles which are both rather similar and are \"good\" characters ... audience could only tell by the difference in make up ... (i.e., the moustache) ...\r\n\r\nConclusion:\r\nIt is a simple but nice film to watch with your bf or gf or spouse ...','9afcbd70ddfd7944d69d7b50d3b5c0fd',0,'','kSX59618',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11045,1945,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1130841780,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Sons and Daughters (Hijos-Figli) (2001) (Italy/Argentina)','\r\nDirector: Marco Bechis\r\nCast: Carlos Echeverra, Julia Sarano \r\n\r\nAt the Venice Film Festival 2001, it garnered \'CinemAvvenire\' Award - Cinema for Peace Award.\r\n\r\nA young woman appeared and claimed to be Javier\'s twin ... Slowly, she seemed to suggest that his \"real\" parents were killed by his \"current\" doting parents ...\r\n\r\nWhat is good ...\r\n-- The audience would likely follow the plot and want to know what happened in the past and whether the 2 protagonists were twins and would be united ... \r\n\r\n-- A rather \"intelligent/scheming\" and \"thought provoking\" effort in scripting ... to let the protaganist love skydiving as a hobby ... esp. in relation to what has happened in history to \"probably\" his parents and the earlier generation ...\r\n\r\n-- A scene near the end was intense ... \r\n* possible spoiler *\r\n... the male protagonist skydived ... and did not open his parachute ... he fell through the air ...\r\n* end of spoiler *\r\n\r\n-- Apart from the obvious historical message, I also thought it questioned \r\n... \"Are parents who give birth to you closer or are parents who bring you up closer?\" ...\r\n... \"Is the past more important or is the present more important?\"\r\n\r\nWhat can be better ...\r\n-- One may have to know the history of \"desaparecidos\" before appreciating the ending scenes better ... \r\n\r\nConclusion:\r\nRecommended ...','66af0d94f8a93b95970423fd7c7122fe',0,'','Ffo1kgMX',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11046,1946,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1130840640,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','The Missing Half (L\'Autre) (2003) (Belgium)','\r\nDirector: Benot Mariage\r\nCast: Dominique Baeyens, Philippe Grand\'Henry\r\n\r\nThe film tells of a woman who is expecting twins but decides to abort one of them ...\r\n\r\nWhat is good ...\r\n-- The Missing Half seems to have 3 levels of interpretation\r\n(i) the missing (i.e., aborted) twin\r\n(ii) the missing (i.e., departed) husband\r\n(iii) the missing self\r\n-- There is one particularly disturbing scene ... no spoilers here ...\r\n\r\nWhat can be better\r\n-- For some, the film may be too slow and meditative ...\r\n\r\nConclusion:\r\nIt is not a mainstream film ... You either like the film or hate it ...','d91f5d08fc02016c8ba39b9240ff2cb8',0,'','QEp0vcPj',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11047,1947,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1130501280,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','How to Tell When a Relationship is Over in 90 Seconds (UK)','\r\nHi,\r\nI saw this when I was in United States.\r\nIt was hilarious ...\r\n\r\nHow to Tell When a Relationship is Over in Ninety Seconds\r\nUnited Kingdom | 1:30 | Tony Roche\r\n\r\nwww.atomfilms.com/af/cont...d=65486554','4f14f88a491586ad0f8773f626e95c76',0,'','NYXl4MHo',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11048,1947,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1130556900,1,0,1,1,1,1,'wpqx','Re: How to Tell When a Relationship is Over in 90 Seconds (UK)','I saw this two or three times myself, as a prelude to whatever movie I was seeing afterwards. I agree it\'s humorous, but right now I\'m starving and I need food, on a completely different note, I\'m off (in a few hours at least) to see Rocky Horror for the third time in the theater, Halloween weekend, I\'m expecting a much bigger crowd, I\'ll fill you all in.','a4a5562bada2da3f85d637af258da58b',0,'','hfilnPXU',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11049,1948,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1130477880,1,0,1,1,1,1,'mlepage','Info on Chinese Film?','Trying to remember the name of a chinese film from the early 1990s (or earlier).\r\n\r\nSetting was rural, before modern times. There was a watch tower made from stones from the Great Wall. It was rumoured to have treasure below it.\r\n\r\nThe worker lovered a woman but she was married. Her husband became crippled though.\r\n\r\nThe tower was destroyed by an earthquake or a great storm.','0fcdf0c436a32bf483fdfe144c5a9ff5',0,'','t7siguSZ',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11050,1949,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1130419020,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Redentor (Redeemer) (2004) (Brazil)','\r\nDirector: Claudio Torres\r\nCast: Pedro Cardoso, Miguel Falabella, Fernanda Montenegro, Fernando Torres, Jose wilker \r\n\r\nThe official site (with trailer) is\r\nwww.redentorofilme.com.br/\r\n\r\nIt is basically a film about the poor versus the rich ... about greed and corruption ... A reporter whose father was cheated of their housing was tasked to interview the culprit who happened to be his childhood friend ... how would things go as some \"twists\" were introduced ...\r\n\r\nWhat is commendable ...\r\n-- The film is rather different from a typical Hollywood film despite the fact that it is rather \"commercial\" ...\r\n-- It is a dark comedy ...\r\n-- It has a nice \"moral\" lesson ...\r\n-- Technically, it does have some nice cinematography, visuals, and \"special effects\" ...\r\n-- Interesting/weird combination of music/soundtrack ...\r\n\r\nWhat may be problematic ...\r\n-- While the beginning is grounded in realism, the ending took a religious slant. While some audience will not mind, some might find it less credible ... some might also be offended religiously by what is depicted ...\r\n\r\nConclusion:\r\nWatch it and tell me what you think ...','fcfecb743d695473125b5f3ee9f72aa7',0,'','Wm0LUQaG',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11051,1950,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1115646060,1,0,1,1,1,1,'MikLosk','Recommended films about war (Russia)','Since today is the 60th anniversary of the Great Victory day, I\'ve decided to remember great films about war. (BTW, we made a marvellous program about war in Moscow Cinema Museum). Of course, this topic is really hard to cover, that\'s why I\'ve chosen Soviet cinema. Any answers and additions are welcome!\r\n\r\nIVAN\'S CHILDHOOD (Andrey Tarkovsky, 1962)\r\nIn my opinion the most daring and the most overwhelming anti-war movie ever! Tarkovsky expressionist technique makes you feel (not understand - really feel!) the horros of war; and the breaking of child soul is so obvious and understandable (but both so terrible!) that you will never forget this local tragedy of one kid.\r\n\r\nTHE CRANES ARE FLYING (Mikhail Kalatozov, 1957)\r\nAlmost certainly the most famous Soviet film about war (apparently due to its victory in Cannes) tells very simple but nonetheless really tragic story about the girl whose lover has perished in the war. Acclaimed as one of the best examples of perfect cinematography (great Sergei Urusevsky is maybe at his best here) this movie depicts the main war tragedy - tragedy of the lost love - with incredible honesty. \r\n\r\nBALLAD OF A SOLDIER (Grigori Chukhraj, 1959)\r\nUndoubtedly the most heartbreaking movie among the great Soviet series of films about war. The story about a young brave soldier who returns home to see his mother is as simple as eternal. Chukhraj was also a soldier of that war and he put all his emotional experience into this picture. No wonder it turned out to be one of the most impressive films about war.\r\n\r\nTWENTY DAYS WITHOUT WAR (Alexei German, 1976)\r\nFilmed on the base of Simonov\'s novel \"From the notes of Lopatin\" this movie tells about the war journalist who arrived to the rear town to take part in the shooting of the film based on his screenplay. It\'s German\'s first real success: he convincingly depicts rear - the underside of the war. He\'s also succeded in the researching of the problems of a soldier who has to get used to peaceful life.\r\n\r\nCOME AND SEE (Elem Klimov, 1985)\r\nOne of the most honest and terrible films about WWII. It depicts real brutality (at both sides of barricades) of the war. One of the most covincing attempts to understand origins of the human cruelty. \r\n\r\nThe list is to be continued...','2a391370b789435fc6fc693feaf48815',0,'','9a7kbZeh',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11052,1950,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1121738880,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: Recommended films about war (Russia)','Have seen Ballad of a soldier last month (The criterion edition) and besides a bit too much pathos, the film was a great experience. Totally different than cranes are flying because of its optimistic mood, it made me feel exactly what the director intended, that although we know from the first scenes, that the protagonist has died in the war, the movie shows us his greatness as a human being, and that his life was worth every second of it, even if it had only consisted of the days at leave. And the love story is one of the most beautiful ones I`ve seen on screen, and I`m a sucker for good romance. \r\nRussian cinema at the end of the 50s was really changing in a good direction.\r\nI wonder how Chukhraj`s other films are, as I can`t get hold of them.\r\nAny thoughts Mik?','567069ed22d7b1f9857ca6825c685682',0,'','AWYUP0dn',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11053,1950,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1121739360,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Recommended films about war (Russia)','Just wondering, \r\nshould Svoi (Our Own) be considered a war movie? \r\n\r\nHi MikLosk,\r\nI recall you having watched the movie too ... but you have not written any comments even in the old foreignfilms.com.\r\nSo, care to share it now?','d543832479513e76a8dfd6b4b6fe1be9',0,'','jE5Nqtyp',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11054,1950,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1121820540,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: Recommended films about war (Russia)','Correct me if I\'m mistaken, but I think Mik did comment on it on the \"old\" board very enthusiastically.\r\n\r\nWell, I\'ve seen it this year, and I think it\'s better than the other new russian films I\'ve seen in the last few months, e.g. The Return, Koktebel, Udalionny dostup (don\'t know english title), not to mention My stepbrother Frankenstein, which was \r\nVery realistic film about World War II, about different kinds of people, and different ways of supporting ones country. Also esthetically very worked out, with fine \"washed-out\" cinematography, good cutting, and and a very nice slo-mo scene at the beginning \r\nThe violence was depicted very realistically, and also the way different people deal with it. At the end a very human film.\r\nRecommended. My initial rating was very high (***1/4 / ****)','550318bc6eb813e964801634859d9751',0,'','uAkFNBC1',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11055,1950,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1121821860,1,0,1,1,1,1,'arsaib4','Re: Recommended films about war (Russia)','Can you add a few comments on Koktebel. Thanks.','12e328af9892a65c49162e6c3972c5c7',0,'','7lanti3M',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11056,1950,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1121860860,1,0,1,1,1,1,'MikLosk','Re: Recommended films about war (Russia)','A, another great Chukhraj movie is \"The Forty-first\". But it hardly can be found outside Russia.\r\n\r\nhengcs, I promise that I\'ll write a short comment about Svoi soon, but currently have no time for this. It\'s really great movie (9/10).','c6a3a5347cef2233412daf8f4fd6905f',0,'','bBcT20f5',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11057,1950,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1121870160,1,0,1,1,1,1,'Sara','Re: Recommended films about war (Russia)','Come and See was a powerful film. I\'ll never forget the ending with the sound of the Lacrimosa from Mozart\'s requiem. Beautiful, heartbreaking, and strong.\r\n\r\nSara','574df025faed7d4613500b07256f531c',0,'','qWU9LV62',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11058,1950,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1121891280,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: Recommended films about war (Russia)','Have to agree about Come and See - Idi I Smotr, such a harsh honest view of the war in Russia, there are too many outstanding sequences and it puts the sanitized efforts of Hollywood to shame.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','19cf27bc284bfee78eddaf5df57e9f2e',0,'','0ZW2z5up',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11059,1950,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1121898420,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: Recommended films about war (Russia)','No problem arsaib4 .\r\nHave seen Koktebel last year in November in a smal russian film festival, and a good German filmcritic/historian gave a little speech about it, where he said, that he wanted Koktebel to have been in the Venice film festival instead of \"The Return\", but had some problems with \"jurors\" (or whoever decides this kind of thing) in russia, and he thought it was the best russian film of a \"new\" filmmaker. Don\'t remember what he said about it anymore, and sadly I didn\'t have time after the film to talk with the director who was present, so here are some of my own thoughts.\r\n\r\nA slovenian reviewer used the expression (roughly translated) that it is an outstanding example of \"didactic films for older children\" russia was so famous for in the past, and which have disappeared since the Soviet regime broke down. This is meant in a VERY positive way, and this view describes my experience of the film perfectly.\r\nWe have a father son relationship, where the mother is missing, and the father has no job, so both go on a trip through russia to \"Koktebel\", a town somewhere in the southwest (i think). During their voyage which is on foot, both have several more or less strange encounters with people whom they ask for some food, or a shelter in the night. Some are good, some are bad, most remain ambiguous, and the son gets to learn more and more about the world he lives in. During the yourney which begins to drag on to long Koktebel begin to be some kind of magic words (like the land of OZ), where the son hopes for all problems to be solved, and a normal life with his father (who told him about relatives who live their and will help them). When the two at one point start living with a lonely woman, who begins a relationship with the also lonely father, the son becomes jealous, and the fathers promises of soon moving on become a lie during the months they spend there. So, in the end the son starts alone to continue his journey, and at the end of the film, we will have a very interesting conclusion in Koktebel. I won\'t tell anything more, so as not to spoil the movie, if you haven\'t seen it yet. This story and the events that happen, aren\'t central to the film, but are \"only\" used as a catalysator to let the viewer see different stages of the father-son relationship. That\'s really all the film is about, and it gets more difficult to follow and complex, because the film is told from the child\'s point of view, and there isn\'t much (significant) dialkogue. Almost every important thing is expressed through glances of the characters, their body-language, the look in their eyes, and through what the camera chooses to show us ,and what not. In this it very much resembles Zvyagintsev\'s \"The Return\", and also in the use of symbolism, which isn\'t as heavy , but no less important. On the technical side we have also some long takes, abrupt cutting, frequent use of ellipses, and lots of irritating and unexplained events (or that\'s the way they are presented). In some scenes there is even a surrealist touch (you\'ll remember a radio-scene ).\r\nI can thoroughly recommend it, and it is surely a great experience, if parents watch the film Together! with their children, and afterwards talk about it. I rated it *** / ****','066ab01b360cf9677219c343d4f4a517',0,'','rS1HwMeR',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11060,1950,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1121902320,1,0,1,1,1,1,'arsaib4','Re: Recommended films about war (Russia)','Thanks a lot, A. Too bad Koktebel didn\'t make Venice. I liked The Return but overall it\'s a bit overrated.\r\n\r\nArtificial-eye recently released Koktebel in the U.K. so I\'m thinking about importing it.','e0eb4390d591836da93d98224e6647c4',0,'','AGJjkW0e',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11061,1950,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1122337920,1,0,1,1,1,1,'andre angel','Re: Recommended films about war (Russia)','Well, I actually don\'t rate \"Ballada o soldate\" as a war movie. What Chukhraj tried to say in this film, was so far from such a category, and I\'d like to explain why here.\r\n\r\nWhen you saw it. You\'d notice that an actual portrait of war was just in the opening, but never, ever, after that. Why? I think we have to think about this theoretically, and understand correctly what the director meant by it.\r\n\r\nThe main plot of the movie is actually, about three couples, rather than, say, cruelty of war, what wars brought to innocent people.\r\n\r\nYes. What we often call \"innocent people\" is the main protagonists in this film. But observe them closely. Are they really innocent? In this film, most of them are depicted as people who sometimes do bad things, and can be never perfect. \r\n\r\nTake each example.\r\n1. Vasya (the man who\'s physically handicapped)\r\nHe\'s not so looking forward to seeing his wife. He thought he was not in good terms with her before, and if he comes up again to her, he\'ll not be welcomed. I think, here, he\'d done something guilty in the past, or he just thoght so, but too clearly, something in his mind suffers him and makes him reluctant to see his wife. What is it actually? What was it like, the relationship between him and his wife before? The answer isn\'t given in the film, but we can imagine. This is what I like about this movie.\r\n\r\n2. Liza (the woman to whom Alyosha brought soap)\r\nShe\'s now living with a new man whose face we can\'t actually see, but at least we know she\'s guilty about it. Interestingly, her father-in-law, who\'s been hospitalized, knows the fact, but accepts it and lies to Alyosha that she\'s dying to see Pavlov as soon as possible. But before that, Alyosha has also lied to everyone around him about Pavlov too, so, it\'s fifty-fifty. I think these scenes are important from the viewpoint of \"lying\". \r\n\r\n3. Shura\r\nIt may seem that she\'s not done anything wrong. But think about, when she entered into a wagon in which Alyosha hid? Alyosha had any good reason and right to be there, but she didn\'t. However, she blamed him as a bad man just because he was there, and hit him hard. (But, as we know, they got more and more intimate after all!)\r\n\r\nWell, these 3 couples, Vasha/his wife, Liza/Pavlov, Shura/Alyosha, are the main subject of this film. That said, what is it that we learn from that fact? I think, from the comparison of them, especially what love means to each of them, what it seems first, how good/bad it turns out afterward............. it\'s all about conscience, or lack of mutual trust, I\'d say. And only at the first scene and the ending, the director really shortly shows audience the crulty of war.\r\n\r\nThis kind of composition is always very interesting to me. It\'s as if, the director was going to say, \"Hey, the war was cruel, I know, but humans can be equally cruel!\"\r\n\r\nSomebody I know said, \"When we see Chukhraj\'s films, we have to keep in mind that everyone in the film is bad, otherwise we lose the main point of his films.\"\r\n\r\nAghh...I got so tired of typing that I\'ll stop around here but, what I was trying to say here is, somebody will claim this film, like \"Moving, Most beautiful picture I\'ve ever seen!!!!\", but actually, it\'s not a kind of like that. It\'s very thought-provoking, well-scripted, and theoretically composed film.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nLastly, I want to quote my favorite line from this movie.\r\n\"It\'s always nice to know that somebody is a good person actually, who we\'d been afraid of before.\"','dab748c41d9cbbc4d88f9e9afe3bf327',0,'','dWJ2Ub5t',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11062,1950,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1122947460,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: Recommended films about war (Russia)','Thanks for the analysis Andre angel. This is also one of my favorite films, and I share some of your viewpoints, though I couldn\'t see any flaw at all in the main character, he was more like a perfect example of an ideal everybody ought to achieve. \r\nBut I think it\'s nevertheless a war movie, because the war is present all the time in the film. War isn\'t only about weapons and killings, but effects also everybody who\'s \"stayed behind\". This is mostly what the film is dealing with (though I see the main focus on the love story): people living in war, without being \"active\" in it. It shows, how war affects every part of life, and different ways of dealing with it.\r\nIn the end I found the film a bit too didactic too be really great, but heck, that\'s just with me, as I prefer more \"open2 films.\r\n\r\nPS: When the old man in the hospital lies to Alyosha about his daughter, he is trying to do something good (watch closely!), and as for Vasya the crippled soldier, there is never a hint that his relation with his wife was in any trouble. To me it appeared more, that he loves his wife very mutch, and he has also the \"best intentions\" because he doesn\'t want her to bear the burden of living with a crippled person for the rest of her life. If he doesn\'t go home, her life will be \"easier\" after she has gotten over him, and he knows, though that his would be very hard alone. I think he\'s just afraid of seeing her reaction, if she will stay with him, if she really loves him, when he feels degraded and unuseful, and Alyosha convinces him, that one must confront ones fears, and face the truth.','306f4db2ef60fada99aca9a28cb7780a',0,'','o50VuhPE',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11063,1951,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1128365700,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Torremolinos 73 (2003 Spain - Denmark)','Torremolinos 73 (2003)\r\n\r\nDirected by Pablo Berger\r\n\r\nStarring Javier Cmara, (Bad Education) Candela Pea, (All About My Mother)\r\n\r\n1970s Spain, a married couple are caressed (by the money) into making what they believe are educational adult films that will only be sold in Scandinavia. Little do they realise that the films are actually sold as porn movies until the wife is stalked one day in a shopping centre only to be asked for her autograph in a porn mag. Although taken aback she has other things on her mind, she desperately wants a baby but after testing she finds out that her husband has a zero sperm count, the only thing she tells her husband is that they cant have children (he assumes its her problem). \r\n\r\nThe husband decides he wants to direct his own proper film (the Torremolinos 73 of the title), they are funded and the film is completed but with the addition of a hard core final scene which as his financial backer tells him is to help sell it in the Scandinavian countries. He is shocked that his wife agrees to partake in this but is even more upset when he finds out why!\r\n\r\nVery early into the film, the husband becomes obsessed with film making and with Ingmar Bergman, Torremolinos 73 is a direct rip, story and style-wise of several of Bergmans films, The Seventh Seal in particular but with all the trappings of a Spanish resort. The porn is dealt with in a delightfully amateurish and fairly subtle way which is a joy and pretty truthful to most films of this type from the 70s. As for the settings, they are spot on, the dcor, the clothing and the furnishings, everything is perfect. The film was obviously a labour of love and it is a pleasure to watch from start to finish.\r\n\r\nThoroughly recommended, a genuinely enjoyable experience, definitely worth a rental.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev\r\n\r\nBBFC rated 15.\r\n\r\nRegion 2 Pal dvd available from Tartan video.','5f97001f9ee68282fbd4cddd35767ea6',0,'','b7cfs8WN',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11064,1951,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1130363760,1,0,1,1,1,1,'Unregistered(d)','Re: Torremolinos 73 (2003 Spain - Denmark)','Just to echo what you said. I enjoyed the \"homage\" to Bergman but loved the deliberate amateurish feel to it. Parts of the film were quite dark and I can remember seeing films in the 60s-70s where the lighting of the movie was so poor. OR! my cinema projectionist was having a bad night!!!','63c341b1bb5ff1c38dd3184d0255f562',0,'','gRHtuLCQ',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11065,1952,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1130308560,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','To Paint or Make Love (2005) (France)','\r\nTo Paint or Make Love (Peindre ou Faire L\'Amour) (2005) (France)\r\n\r\nDirector: Arnaud Larrieu, Jean-Marie Larrieu\r\nCast: Sabine Azema, Daniel Auteuil, Amira Casar, Sergi Lopez\r\n\r\nIt was screened the Cannes Film Festival\r\nsee\r\nwww.festival-cannes.fr/fi...lm=4284546\r\n\r\nIn essence, it talks about life (and love) after retirement ...\r\n\r\nWhat I like ...\r\n-- It does have a good cast.\r\n-- It has some nice comedy.\r\n-- It has some nice scenery.\r\n-- At the end, you may like to ask what qualifies as a beautiful life.\r\n\r\nWhat is problematic ...\r\n-- The pacing is kind of slow.\r\n-- Also, I am not sure if the audience are convinced by the characters\' impetus to swap partners ...\r\n\r\nConclusion:\r\nPardon me, I only find the film average or slightly above average (only because of the cast) ...','d0e53481e31748b0d20db07039d554a7',0,'','BXzflb6q',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11066,1953,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1130106660,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Tartan Asia Extreme Tour 2005 Roundup.','Tartan Asia Extreme Tour 2005 Roundup.\r\n\r\nThis years tour was pretty consistent with previous years, last year we had outstanding films like \"The Isle\" and the better than average \"A Tale of Two Sisters\" but also a few very weak ones like \"Into the Mirror\" and Hideo Nakata\'s \"Chaos\". I was really pleased to see that even though there was only one Japanese film, it was from a director who has a unique style and vision, Shinya Tsukamoto.\r\n\r\nKorea may be the \"latest thing\" but Japan are still the leaders for innovation in Asian cinema.\r\n\r\nAs for this years films, these were my opinions: \r\n\r\n\r\nMost entertaining One Night in Mongkok Hong Kong\r\nMost satisfying Vital Japan\r\nMost extreme and most wasteful Ab-normal Beauty Hong Kong\r\nMost baffling (and not in a positive way!) Tell Me Something Korea\r\nMost disappointing R-Point Korea\r\n\r\nMy personal favourite Vital.\r\n\r\nSince I didnt see Another Public Enemy Ill have to reserve judgement.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','4c54893337f42ab9474fa786e1d2e9c1',0,'','jil3fQMu',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11067,1954,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1129937820,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Novo (2002 - France)','Novo (2002)\r\n\r\nDirected by Jean-Pierre Limosin\r\n\r\nStarring Eduardo Noriega (The Devil\'s Backbone), Anna Mouglalis (Merci pour le chocolat), Paz Vega (Sex and Lucia)\r\n\r\nGraham (Eduardo Noriega) has a slight memory problem, he has a lapse so that after 10 minutes he\'s forgotten what\'s happened, hes forever scribbling notes to remember names, places, just about everything. A temp Irene, (Anna Mouglalis) becomes attracted to him and his somewhat innocent idiosyncrasies and they end up together with her forever writing little notes just so he remembers who she is, (one of the reasons she enjoys their relationship so much is that everytime they make love its like the first time).\r\n\r\nA man who regularly reports on his activities is also following Graham; its only after a while we find out that before the start of his memory loss he was his best friend. Theres also a young boy who regularly appears; again its a good while before we know whom he and the mysterious woman (Paz Vega) who pops up now and again are and how they are connected with Graham.\r\n\r\nA twisted chain of events slowly reveal the truth about Graham and his memory problems until for some unclear reason his memory returns and the story is wrapped up quite nicely, or is it?\r\n\r\nThis uses a similar idea to Memento but without the reverse plot. It seems (and the dvd extras only add proof to this) that the sole reason is to make a slightly twisted romantic drama with nudity in abundance (especially Eduardo Noriega and Anna Mouglalis), fairly smart and erotic, a little too glossy maybe (the cast are certainly more attractive than the average Joe), entertaining but not groundbreaking.\r\n\r\nAn ideal movie for a relaxing night, but definitely only for adults.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.\r\n\r\nBBFC rated 18\r\n\r\nRegion 2 Pal dvd available from Tartan Video.','a541936a5c0dc7af4907ae0ab9b30d53',0,'','kMTSt4Zz',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11068,1955,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1129646160,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Kebab Connection (2005) (Germany)','\r\nDirector: Anno Saul\r\nCast: Denis Moschitto, Adnan Maral, Kida Ramadan\r\n\r\nThe official website is here\r\nwww.kebabconnection.de/\r\n\r\nWhile the site is in German, the trailer and other info are in English ... it took me a while to FINALLY locate them at the \"food\" menu ... ha ha ha\r\n\r\nMarketed as Germany\'s first kungfu film ...\r\n... with one of the writer being Fatih Akin (director of Gegen die Wand)\r\n... with a cameo by Sibel Kekilli (the actress in Gegen die Wand)\r\n\r\nI have watched the film and will write a review tomorrow ...\r\nhiaks hiaks\r\nso TUNE BACK ...','b7a31e432915de9444cce7140fbe6f72',0,'','PWwg2GZY',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11069,1955,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1129673220,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: Kebab Connection (2005) (Germany)','Looking forward to your review, loved \"Gegen die Wand\" and despite her lack of real acting experience, I thought Sibel Kekilli was excellent.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','dcab36a9165fb9c1507d64d6d6c720cf',0,'','DA3bdMY2',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11070,1955,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1129872840,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Kebab Connection (2005) (Germany)','\r\nThe story revolves around Ibo who wants to prove himself in filming and who needs to prove himself in parenting ...\r\n\r\nWhat is commendable\r\n-- Given that Germany is not really Asia, it is interesting how the director managed to incorporate kungfu *credibly* into the film ... hee hee\r\n-- Apart from kungfu, the film actually seeks to highlight some cultural/social issues\r\ne.g., about the old and new generations of Turks in Germany\r\ne.g., about Turkish machismo\r\ne.g., about being another nationality in a foreign country \r\ne.g., about the similarity and occasional \"rivalry\" between Turks and Greeks ...\r\ne.g., about being single and being a responsible parent\r\netc\r\n\r\nWhat may be problematic\r\n-- As it is neither totally kungfu nor totally social commentary, the film may end up EITHER pleasing both the young (prefering action?) and the old (prefering drama?) OR it may disappoint both because those who expect action after action will find the fighting not too much (and rather scattered in the film) while those who expect only drama may find the fighting out of place and genre ...\r\n\r\nConclusion:\r\nOverall, it is a fun film to watch. It could be considered more a comedy and romance rather than action or drama. It likely targets at the younger mainstream audience (esp. with its marketing as Germany\'s first kungfu film).','73adae69e06ddab53d54a1ef7d9e2057',0,'','ayvw3omL',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11071,1956,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1129476240,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','UK TV South Bank Show - Argentinian New Wave.','For people in the UK, South Bank Show tonight ITV 11.10pm. Discussing the Argentinian New Wave, should be interesting.\r\n\r\nDirectors up for discussion include Lucrecia Martel (La Cinaga 2001, La Nia santa 2004).\r\n\r\nPablo Trapero (El Bonaerense 2002) and Daniel Burman.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','278ef0b3120245a30b1e159a726d3a87',0,'','8XSpmv5c',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11072,1956,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1129498440,1,0,1,1,1,1,'arsaib4','Re: UK TV South Bank Show - Argentinian New Wave.','I wish I was there. :(\r\n\r\nI haven\'t yet seen Daniel Burman\'s latest (Lost Embrace) but have seen his earlier films.','22a18736d84cccf4e5110f11839e89bf',0,'','EP8DA2dB',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11073,1956,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1129529700,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: UK TV South Bank Show - Argentinian New Wave.','I think I have written my comments on the old board.','76499f43e344188952ecdf511485a308',0,'','4FzSykXP',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11074,1956,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1129662000,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: UK TV South Bank Show - Argentinian New Wave.','I have to admit I\'ve never seen a Daniel Burman film but I\'d certainly like to.\r\n\r\nThe doc managed to cram a lot into it\'s meagre hour, mainly illustrating how Argentina\'s recent history has shaped its cinema and how the directors differentiate from each other in terms of their style and vision, very interesting. \r\n\r\nCheers Trev','aba8d22074ee94d249a5e8479e448f47',0,'','8W9T1NKf',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11075,1957,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1129645380,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Shade of Happiness (Onnen Varjot) (2005) (Finland)','\r\nDirector: Claes Olsson\r\nCast: Tiina Lymi, Nicke Lignell, Milka Ahlroth, Santeri Kinnunen \r\n\r\nThe official website is \r\nwww.kinoproduction.fi/onnenvarjot/\r\n\r\nThe story revolves around 2 sets of couples who want to have kids ...\r\n\r\nWhat is good ...\r\n-- For the couple Paula and Jarkko (who tried very hard to have a kid), the audience would likely feel for them ... the film allows you to follow through ...\r\n-- It has a nice theme of love and forgiveness ...\r\n-- It also makes you think why do some people want to have kids, and why do some not ... is life complete without kids?\r\n-- As a whole, the film has a good mix of pain and comedy (with occasional exaggeration) ...\r\n\r\nWhat could be better ...\r\n-- While what happens near the end is plausible, some people might not like it ...\r\n\r\nConclusion:\r\nQuite a nice film to watch. An above average film.','8d03847ac2a89f10c53a4b4eea006b37',0,'','1ncEFpDQ',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11076,1958,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1111906620,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Eros (2004)','The official website is here ...\r\nwip.warnerbros.com/eros/\r\n\r\nIt has three shorts, from ...\r\n- Wong Kar Wai (The Hand)\r\n- Steven Soderbergh (Equilibrium)\r\n- Michelangelo Antonioni (The Dangerous Thread of Things)\r\n\r\nAlthough reviews have been less than positive, I guess I will still watch it!','f43dc3148ccb80276b6784450fc48def',0,'','AUKaS6Cq',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11077,1958,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1120857540,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Eros (2004)','Luckily I have a copy of the review at filmwurld.com\r\n\r\nThe movie features three shorts, linked by Lorenzo Mattotti\'s drawings and by Caetano Veloso\'s song:\r\n-- Wong Kar Wai (The Hand) (hereafter abbreviated as WKW) \r\n-- Steven Soderbergh (Equilibrium) (hereafter abbreviated as SS) \r\n-- Michelangelo Antonioni (The Dangerous Thread of Things) (hereafter abbreviated as MA) \r\n\r\nAn overall comparison ...\r\n\r\n(1) MOST EROTIC??? NUDITY???\r\n\r\n** Well, I think this category is the most important because they are supposed to be shorts that convey the movie theme ...\r\n\r\n-- Amazingly and ironically, WKW has the least amount of nudity, but it is the MOST erotic and compelling. \r\n-- SS has nudity only in the beginning and end (i.e., dreams); but frankly, the segment is NOT really erotic ... except \"maybe\" for the dream (which is helped by the really nice soundtrack ... which I like very much ... hee hee)\r\n-- MA is interspersed with more nudity; unfortunately, the least erotic of them all!\r\n\r\nMoral of the story: You do NOT need to depict nudity to be erotic ... ha ha ha\r\n\r\n\r\n(2) THE PLOT ...\r\n\r\n-- WKW : it is the simplest to understand and the most compelling. their relationship is so fragile and yet so dependent. audience will be interested to know what happen next! there are 4 scenes that I really like ... \r\n* pardon me for being terse so as NOT to reveal any spoiler *\r\n(i) when they first met ... WOW!!!\r\n(ii) when they met in a motel, and he said he knew her measurements ... watch it and you will know ...\r\n(iii) when they met again when she was too sick and claimed she had nothing to offer him ... except ...\r\n(iv) and the last scene ... (frankly, I think the ending is open to interpretation ... does anyone want to discuss the ending?) \r\n-- SS : it is rather cryptic for most to understand ... fortunately, there is a mild sense of humor ... but does it suffice? \r\n-- MA : unfortunately, not very compelling ... there are however a few good lines ... \r\ne.g., \"You\'re always looking for purity and end up in sh*t.\"\r\ne.g., \"I hope you can handle my chaos.\" \"What kind of chaos?\" \"Total chaos.\"\r\n\r\nFood for thought: it is a generalization ... but ... are asians more melancholic/subtle? and americans more humorous/neurotic? and europeans more graphic?\r\n\r\n(3) Cinematography\r\n\r\n-- WKW : With Christopher Doyle ... how can it go wrong? ha ha ha ... ... however, some may lament that it is too similar to other WKW\'s movies, e.g., Days of Being Wild, In the Mood of Love, 2046, etc ... \r\n-- SS : It is predominantly filmed in black and white, with the beginning and ending scenes (i.e., dreams) in really cool color. \r\n-- MA : Only the scenery is nice ...\r\n\r\nHmmm ... question of the day: is originality from earlier movies important (even though it is from the same director and cinematographer)? or is the consistency of personal style more important?\r\n\r\n\r\nIN CONCLUSION, WHICH DO I LIKE BEST?\r\n-- UNDOUBTEDLY, WKW\'s The Hand !!! \r\n-- Followed by SS\'s Equilibrium ...\r\n\r\nPS: I happened to watch TV over the weekend and heard Ebert and Roeper\'s critics ... you can listen it here ... \r\ntvplex.go.com/buenavista/ebertandroeper/today.html\r\n\r\nhmmm ... Roeper actually like Equilibrium best ... and I guess a few other critics too ... maybe they can decipher the codes better?! ...','54729711c1406202b1e29986f7929d12',0,'','s4Un7uFv',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11078,1958,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1122998820,1,0,1,1,1,1,'chard09','Re: Eros (2004)','A few months ago, I was able to grab a bootleg DVD of Eros, and it has good quality, thank God. \r\n\r\nI may be biased with Antonioni since I claim to be his son, but his installment may seen to be the weakest but I think to be the most mature. I don\'t know how to explain that but I felt the struggles and expertise on his part as a filmmaker in the whole film. It\'s like doing a film is very easy. I find it a bit abstract, as I was not able to understand it in the first viewing, considering that Antonioni may claim the crown as one of the most difficult filmmakers ever. \r\n\r\nSoderbergh\'s part may be the most interesting but failed on my part. The build up is so great, I even thought of having dreamt what he dreamt of. The exact throw of lines and great care on details are well-managed. It\'s just that I felt disappointed with the end. Oh well, what am I expecting?\r\n\r\nMy great brother Wong Kar Wai, his installment may seem to be the most satisfying and anticipated, but never brings the audience down. Very Wong, very great. Very Chris Doyle, very imaginative. I\'m being very biased again, but Gong Li continues to interest me and grows on every film she risks to make. May seem to be inferior with regards to Wong\'s other films, but believe me, you just have a few minutes to spare (than watching an epic or a musical).\r\n\r\nGood thing these installments are short, I can watch it all over again, as a pre-feature film. Don\'t think all of these are great. It\'s just that I feel good when I see these people\'s works.','21c3aa8f534783888bfd30537ce26871',0,'','rMCVqjDE',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11079,1958,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1129545360,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Eros (2004)','\r\nYou can hear Roeper\'s comments here ...\r\n\r\nwww.rottentomatoes.com/cl...id=1379243','be392dca006e1ba8b3fd08aecc3f6834',0,'','6Vu5TU40',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11080,1959,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1129056900,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','One Night in Mongkok (2004 - Hong Kong)','Wong gok hak yau (2004 - Hong Kong) One Night in Mongkok\r\n\r\nDirected by Tung-Shing Yee\r\n\r\nStarring Daniel Wu, Alex Fong, Kar Lok Chin, Cecilia Cheung\r\n\r\nThe second of six films in the Tartan Asia extreme tour and a damn sight better than the first, R-Point - 2004 .\r\n\r\nA turf war between two gangs of youths leads to the death of one of them and escalates into a feud between two of Hong Kongs biggest gangs. The police seem unable to clarify the truth and identify those involved but get information that a hit man has been hired to take out one of the bosses. Their job is to catch the assassin before he reaches his target and avoid an all out gang war\r\n\r\nSounds like any one of the dime a dozen Hong Kong action flicks, the sort that make you wonder why anyone would visit never mind live in Hong Kong and indeed thats the impression it gives for the first ten minutes or so. It has all the usual ingredients including the tart with a heart (Cecilia Cheung) but somewhere along the line things change. As with \"Infernal Affairs\", this raises itself above the quagmire and produces a film with a bit of depth and conscience. \r\n\r\nIn the average flick of this type life is cheap, the deaths mount up till in the end you think theyre going for the world record, guns are seen everywhere and nobody seems to bat an eyelid even when they start going off. The bad guys and often the police dont appear to care who gets caught in the crossfire as long as they get their man and more often than not, the police are just as, if not more thuggish and bullying than the bad guys.\r\n\r\nIn this film, people see someone with a gun and they panic, scream, run or fall to the ground, especially when the gun is fired. Life, even the lowest is respected by most and the police in particular have a conscience and try to capture the bad guys rather than putting bullets through their heads. Small changes, but ones that make big differences to the overall tone of the film.\r\n\r\nThere is a strange religious mix, the events take place just before Christmas and its quite funny when the hit man (who is also on a mission to find out whats happened to his sister) asks Dan Dan (the tart with a heart) why everyone is dressed up and she says something like I dont know, think its the birthday of that Jesus guy.\r\n\r\nI went to see it expecting the worst and have to admit I was impressed with it, the one problem I did have was with Cecilia Cheungs character, she didnt quite gel in her role as a working girl and (this maybe down to the subtitling) she had a horrible habit of saying my dear at the end of almost every sentence (a little too Nancy - the original \"Tart with a heart\" from Charles Dickens Oliver Twist!)\r\n\r\nThe camerawork was good, the acting overall very credible and the plotline although hardly original was above average for its genre, above all the films got soul. \r\n\r\nRecommended, above average crime drama and one I\'d consider buying on dvd.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.\r\n\r\nBBFC rated 15','2f38879316d6c5df110e58423342e031',0,'','qDUyxmg2',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11081,1959,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1129086180,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: One Night in Mongkok (2004 - Hong Kong)','I thought of watching this film at this year`s Fantasy Filmfest here in Germany, because I had seen a previous film by the same director, \"Lost in Time\", which was very good. But alas, I didn`t have enough money to afford watching many films, and watched \"Innocence\" instead. This may be a director to watch out for. \r\nAnybody got more personal filmgoing information on him?','4caa29b7e3fa7e1b9761a74be189bc77',0,'','7xfJbKho',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11082,1959,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1129186020,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: One Night in Mongkok (2004 - Hong Kong)','\r\nIn the 2004 Golden Horse Awards, it was nominated in 4 categories (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Action Choreography).\r\n\r\nIn the 2004 Hong Kong Film Awards, it was nominated for lots of categories and it won the Best Director and Best Screenplay.','abb2480e0832cd93e5a30d764ae34f25',0,'','bAW9ukxX',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11083,1960,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1129090980,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','One Day in Europe (2005) (Germany/Spain)','\r\nDirector: Hannes Sthr\r\nCast: Megan Gay, Luidmila Tsvetkova, Florian Lukas, Erdal Yildiz, Pter Scherer, Miguel de Lira, Boris Arquier, Rachida Brakni\r\n\r\nThis film was among the nominees in Berlin Film Festival 2005.\r\n\r\nThe official website (in English and German) is here\r\nwww.onedayineurope.de/\r\nsee the trailer\r\nwww.onedayineurope.de/htm...er_en.html\r\n\r\nIt relates 4 stories in 4 different places (Russia (Moscow), Turkey (Istanbul), Spain (Santiago de Compestela), and Germany (Berlin)) ... But hey, there are other *nationalities/ethnicities* being depicted too ... so don\'t miss it ...\r\nAll the 4 stories revolve around \"thefts/robbery\" and filing police reports ... on the day when there is a soccer match between Spain and Turkey which is held in Russia ...\r\n\r\nWhat I like ...\r\n-- It is rather fun/enjoyable to watch ... a crowd pleaser indeed ... \r\n\r\n... On the surface, it may simply be 4 shorts about \"thefts/robbery\", trying to claim insurance, and attempting to file police reports ... * hmmm, I never know there is such a \"trick\" * ... oops ... I hope not many people try it after watching the film ... ha ha ha ...\r\n... Tangentially, it also asks how helpful one should be and how helpless one could be ...\r\n... However, if you are willing to look beyond the surface, it does prompt you to think what really identifies/classifies a European ... how similar are they ... how different are they ... can you really tell them apart? ... what is really their personality, attitude, culture, etc ... do we stereotype others? ... are our stereotypes justified?\r\n... If you like soccer, it also highlights the craze over soccer in Europe ...\r\n\r\nWhat could be better ...\r\n-- I am not sure if anybody will be offended in any way (esp. if they are being ludicrously or negatively depicted) or if people will look beyond the stereotypes ... but hey, that is at least one objective of the film ...\r\n\r\nConclusion:\r\nIt is likely going to be a crowd pleaser ... However, if you are willing to ponder further ... it prompts you to ask what actually identifies Europe and how unique/diverse each nationality is within Europe ... In sum, I recommend it','d7a89a818addb4591bae0edb7b0d371c',0,'','GV0YNl1A',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11084,1961,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1129018620,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Aftermath (Lad de sm brn) (2004) (Denmark)','\r\nDirector: Paprika Steen\r\nCast: Sofie Grbl, Michael Birkkjr, Sren Pilmark, Lena Endre, Karen-Lise Mynster\r\n\r\nThe story basically revolves around the aftermath of a couple who have lost their daughter to a traffic accident \r\n\r\nWhat is good?\r\n-- The entire cast is commendable \r\n-- It is one of those films that let the audience \"experience\" (rather than \"narrate\") everything to them One has to try comprehend why the husband acts the way he does and why the wife acts the way she does Did they cross the line? Did they not? Are they to be empathized, or are they aggravating their own conditions ... \r\n-- The film also makes one think about life and what it means to have lost loved ones Does life stop? Does life goes on regardless? How should one treat those who have lost others? How should one who have lost someone treats others?\r\n-- Broadly speaking, the film also hints at the empty lives of its other characters \r\n-- I particularly like the last half of the film when more tension is injected and one wonders how it will all end for the husband and the wife \r\n\r\nWhat may be better \r\n-- As usual, some people may not like the initial slow pace \r\n-- For some people, it may be difficult to comprehend why the husband acts the way he does (e.g., to the Japanese customer, and to the female driver culprit) but it is irrationally rational \r\n\r\nConclusion:\r\nI recommend the film if \r\n(i) you like to watch good acting ...\r\n(ii) you prefer experiencing rather than watching a film and go through the lives of the characters \r\n(iii) if you like to ponder over the issues of life ...','6cb667656a2d03a317b9971e59b95413',0,'','ubVP6MTF',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11085,1961,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1129085940,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: Aftermath (Lad de sm brn) (2004) (Denmark)','I like Paprika Steen as an actress, didn`t know she also directing. I`ll check this one out, when it comes to Germany...','cf717bded7baad486dc1e23c8f7c1811',0,'','ja1EARDQ',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11086,1962,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1128825420,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Vendredi Soir (Claire Denis / France / 2002)','Saw \"Vendredi Soir\" a few days ago, and it was the second film by Denis I have seen. The first one, \"Chocolat\" (1988) was also her debut, and while the film had profound moments of beauty, and the plot developed in a subtle mode, Denis has made huge progress during these 14 years, as far as I can judge by these two films. While the first one was still a somewhat coherent narrative structure, and wanted to tell a story through glances and gestures, \"Vendredi Soir\" succeeds at getting a story out of glances and gestures. The minimal dialogue used in \"Chocolat\" was still significant, although it was more important what wasn`t said, than what was. The silence between the characters helped to build a bridge and a connection between the protagonists, the white wife and the black servant. In \"Vendredi Soir\" this concept is taken further, as the words and the dialogue become almost transparent, having no meaning in itself, always revealing what is meant on a deeper level. The Silence doesn`t help to overcome social differences, but is the main tool of communication. Without words the body starts to express itself more directly, and the glances and gestures are the sensual devices to take in the world around us. \r\nDenis has progressed from a poetic film to making poetry arise directly on the screen. \"Vendredi Soir\" is a sensual poem in which you get to taste and smell and feel the things you see on the screen, all achieved through totally cinematic devices.\r\nThe film begins with lots of different views of Paris at night, but a Paris we may know from our dreams, a town of bright windows and dark rooftops that seems to spring out of a fairy tale. It reminded me of Rene Clair`s \"Over the roofs of paris\" and Hitchcock`s \"Rear Window\" at the same time, making the viewer a participant and voyeur both at once. Like in reality we never only observe but are also observed. Object and subject as one. Throughout the film light plays an important role - soft light, harsh light, reflections on mirrors, windowpanes, while camerawoman Agnes Godard accentuates the changes through the constantly shifting employment of different film \"stock\". Though the film is shot on 35mm Godard makes it appear like she has shot everything with Digital equipment, giving the film a sometimes raw, sometimes sensual, but always poetic look. \r\nThe intention may have been to make everything appear hyper-real, a dream reality that is nevertheless firmly rooted in our present time (Paris in 2002), thus showing us the endless possibilities of the everyday world that surrounds us. A Big ugly city becomes through the power of Love (Art) a radiating, vibrant landscape filled with beauty. \r\nThe Story is simple. A woman about to move in with her boyfriend encounters another man and has a passive one-night stand. But the exceptional thing is that Denis makes us feel every moment of it, experience the emotions like the characters do. The Camera always stays close to the protagonists faces, moves along with their inner feelings, trembles and searches like they do, teasing and wishing like they do, finding and discovering like they do. It isn`t a character of its own, but becomes through the phenomenal montage and fast paced elliptical cutting the very space between our protagonists, registering what they register not in a way of showing but of doing, not how but when - the spaces of time opened up are always now. \r\nThe poetry of Denis can be compared to Jean Vigo, but her quality that separates hers from his, is that while Vigo hailed the powers of our imagination, showing our phantasies enriching reality, Denis totally rejects a division. The magical comes from the real, is reality itself, not a victory of imagination over mind, because the struggle has ended. Change your heart...','ba6503e38e38ed8f07c66ef0fc1e7fa6',0,'','tjSmUa10',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11087,1962,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1128903240,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: Vendredi Soir (Claire Denis / France / 2002)','A terrific film and probably my favourite so far from the few Claire Denis films I\'ve seen. I can\'t think of another film that makes a traffic jam look so artistic and (excepting Weekend) so interesting. The majority of the film is based on sights and sounds, in fact the only thing missing is smell. Beautiful simple intimate story well filmed and well told.\r\n\r\nThanks for reminding me about Vendredi Soir A, after reading your comments I dug it out and watched it again.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','13dd45c5f75952265fb1c48be6d0fd97',0,'','a00m9qwV',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11088,1962,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1128906000,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: Vendredi Soir (Claire Denis / France / 2002)','Quote:after reading your comments I dug it out and watched it again\r\nWow, this may be the most gratifying reply a reviewer can wish for. I hope some others will follow in trevors footsteps \r\n\r\nI definitely need to see her other films, as this one was such a satisfying experience. Maybe L`intrus, or Beau Travail...','299d9dafd075656f75b1687585107d53',0,'','7SyHtawU',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11089,1962,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1128923940,1,0,1,1,1,1,'arsaib4','Re: Vendredi Soir (Claire Denis / France / 2002)','Good review, A. You\'re missing out on one of the best films of the 90\'s in Beau Travail. That\'s the film where Denis decided to let her poetic images become the language of her narratives, and she hasn\'t really looked back. \r\n\r\nI consider Vendredi Soir a minor effort by her standards, but it certainly deserves to be seen. A couple of other great film from her are, Nnette et Boni and No Fear, No Die. Her 1994 effort I Can\'t Sleep is a personal favorite.','526e51ab55acb67de5b7b311f118f2ad',0,'','7c0RiQ23',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11090,1962,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1128940320,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: Vendredi Soir (Claire Denis / France / 2002)','It\'s unbelievable that so far only three of her films have been released in the UK, \"Trouble Every Day\" and the afformentioned \"Beau Travail\" although L\'Intrus is getting a DVD release in December. \r\n\r\nFrom what I\'ve heard about Claire Denis I\'m hoping that \"Vendredi Soir\" is a minor effort, I\'m certainly looking forward to seeing more.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','fa83ff81877e4b93d9baa7939a2b9bc2',0,'','6tq2rlia',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11091,1962,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1129085640,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: Vendredi Soir (Claire Denis / France / 2002)','Thanks for your recommendations. I`ll try to find some of her \"older\" films. I`ve also heard lots of great things about her, and after watching Vendredi Soir, I`m already convinced','8b38e4f261bd0ed8924ee850b503983e',0,'','iXLdva5Z',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11092,1963,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1129021860,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','From Zero To Ten (Da Zero A Dieci) (2002) (Italy)','\r\nDirector: Luciano Ligabue\r\nCast: Stefano Pesce, Massimo Bellinzoni, Pierfrancesco Favino and Stefano Venturi \r\n\r\nThe film is about four male friends from Correggo who dropped their families and commitments to spend a weekend in Rmn, thereby meeting the girls whom they had met 20 years ago ... to do what they have missed 20 years ago ...\r\n\r\nWhat I like ...\r\n-- I like the initial 5 to 10 minutes of the film, where they mock at the society about rating everything ... from the day we are born to the day we get old ... from zero to ten ...\r\n-- I also like the last half of the film, where it becomes more thought provoking and intense ...\r\n-- In the beginning, there is also a quote about \"the blues\" being everything, but also being short ... because life is short ...\r\n-- Predictably, there is one particularly nice song in the film ...\r\n\r\nWhat could be better ...\r\n-- After the initial 10 minutes or so, I thought I have made a mistake to watch a \"spring break\" (albeit in Italy) film ... fortunately, as the film progresses, it becomes more thought provoking ...\r\n\r\nConclusion:\r\n-- I find it watchable.','47fe39b0b1db389fb696f6123b19d2d4',0,'','vgQRFkKo',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11093,1964,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1128223320,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Brodeuses (2004 - France) A Common Thread','Brodeuses (2004) A Common Thread\r\n\r\nDirected by lonore Faucher\r\n\r\nStarring Lola Naymark, Ariane Ascaride\r\n\r\nA simple relationship drama concerning a young girl with an unwanted pregnancy and an older woman whose son has recently died in a tragic accident.\r\n\r\nI had read that this compared well with the Dardennes films which I found intriguing but apart from some interesting shots I couldnt see the comparison.\r\n\r\nThis is more of a chocolate box film, you float with it rather than hitting a genuinely gritty reality, everything falls into place very neatly as two disparate characters find common ground or if you prefer A Common Thread and learn to depend on each other. One whose life has fallen apart because of a mistake (burst condom) and the other who has contemplated taking her own life because of her sons untimely death. \r\n\r\nThe close up shots of the sewing, the machinery and the embroidery are nicely done actually making it look quite interesting, the performances are good although it would have been better to give the principal characters more to get their teeth into.\r\n\r\nThis is lonore Fauchers first feature length film and as such she should be congratulated, it has won several awards and been nominated for others. Hopefully shell go on to direct some outstanding features like her contemporaries.\r\n\r\nRecommended as light viewing, enjoyable but not earth shattering, certainly worth a rental.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.\r\n\r\nBBFC rated 12.\r\n\r\nRegion 2 Pal dvd available from Soda Pictures','1b4d7c50f7e9701381183ec777cef6b5',0,'','qfZL98Wz',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11094,1964,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1128314400,1,0,1,1,1,1,'arsaib4','Re: Brodeuses (2004 - France) A Common Thread','The film was released earlier this year in the U.S. with the title \"Sequins\" (I knew that the French name sounded familiar). Haven\'t seen it yet.\r\n\r\nSoda pictures is a good new label, isn\'t it. I think they also had Guy Maddin\'s Cowards Bend the Knee as an extra on thier The Saddest Music DVD.','4284734c951458a01016bcfe52dae1bf',0,'','YQTWyE7B',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11095,1964,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1128345300,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: Brodeuses (2004 - France) A Common Thread','Soda Pictures have impressed me, Untold Scandal, Head On, Reconstruction, Brothers plus a few others. I haven\'t seen \" The Saddest Music\" yet but it\'s good that they\'ve tried to include something decent in the extras, there were also short films with Reconstruction and Head On.\r\n\r\nOne bad point though, like Tartan and Artificial Eye, they don\'t have enough info especially regarding upcoming releases on their website, it\'s always easier to find the info elsewhere.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','7ffb3b14fdbb031a80fc9197c4c4ec58',0,'','vw0oUV6s',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11096,1965,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1128678600,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Wait \'Til You\'re Older (Tong Meng Qi Yuan) (Hong Kong)','\r\nDirector: Teddy Chan\r\nCast: Andy Lau, Felix Wong, Karen Mok\r\n\r\nThe official website is\r\nwww.waitolder.com/\r\n\r\nA nice trailer ... \r\n\r\nwww.waitolder.com/wyto.wmv\r\n\r\nP.S.: It is really \"make up\", not just CGI ...\r\n\r\nThe story is about a small kid who wanted to grow old so that he could leave his family (because he blamed the death of his mother on his father and his \"mistress\" ...)\r\n\r\nWhat is commendable ...\r\n-- I only like the last 30 minutes of the film, which has some twists, and which is rather thought provoking ...\r\ne.g.,\r\n\"Life ... unfortunately ... you can\'t start all over again ... \r\nLife ... fortunately ... you do not need to start all over again ...\" \r\n-- Overall, it has these 2 important messages ...\r\n(i) value the present moment and life\r\n(ii) BUT, it does have another underlying message ... that many a times, we do not see nor know nor comprehend the complete picture ... \r\n\r\nWhat could be better ...\r\n-- Somehow, I do not really like the initial comical take of the entire film ... I thought if the entire film is less commercialized and adopts a serious drama approach, it might be better ...\r\n-- In a way, I think the film managed to convince us of kids who not understand adults much better than adults who do not understand kids ...\r\n\r\nConclusion:\r\nCan watch, but it is very commercialized ... I thought the nice messages salvaged it ...','2d473fd62c8a22c42f25ce93ed0d838f',0,'','fwp1VRyS',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11097,1966,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1118083260,1,0,1,1,1,1,'howardschumann(d)','Turtles Can Fly (Iran)','TURTLES CAN FLY (Lakposhtha hm parvaz mikonand)\r\n\r\nDirected by Bahman Ghobadi (2004)\r\n\r\nExpecting another bleak, minimalist Iranian film I was totally unprepared for the exuberance and unforgettable power of Kurdish director Bohman Ghobadi\'s (Time For Drunken Horses) Turtles Can Fly. A joint Iran-Iraq venture, the film is the first narrative film to be shot in Iraq following the fall of Saddam Hussein and is a view of war from the inside of a Kurdish refugee camp close to the Iraq-Turkish border just prior to and during the U.S. invasion. There is no overt political message in the film, yet the hundreds of parentless children in the film, many with broken limbs from exploding landmines, tell a story of war that transcends politics.\r\n\r\nIn a country where there remains an estimated 50 million landmines, the marketing of unexploded landmines can be a lucrative business. At least, it is a means of survival for a thirteen-year old nicknamed \"Satellite\" who organizes groups of youngsters to defuse landmines and sell them to arms dealers for food. Assisted by friends Pashow (Saddam Hossein Feysal) and Shirkooh (Ajil Zibari), Satellite (Soran Ebrahim) is a cocky but natural leader who received his nickname from his ability to install satellite dishes in an area where the villagers are hungry for news about the upcoming U.S. invasion. The children live in a world that has no electricity and no schools and where watching television with a satellite dish is a luxury, especially when many of the channels are forbidden. Because satellite knows some English, he is asked to translate news broadcasts for the old men in the village but refuses, saying his job is only to install. Humorously, the elders cringe when he switches the channel to MTV.\r\n\r\nA potential threat to Satellite\'s power is an armless orphan Hengov (Hiresh Feysal Rahman) whose ability to defuse landmines with his teeth lead to a struggle for power between the two. Hengov also has the ability to predict the future and, as their relationship warms, he ends up feeding information that enables Satellite to solidify his power over the children. One telling scene that Hengov predicts is when an American helicopter flies over the children clustered on a hill and drops leaflets saying that Americans will make this country a paradise, a hollow boast as it turned out. Satellite is attracted to Hengov\'s sister Agrin (Avaz Latif) who cares for Riga (Abdol Rahman Karim), a sightless two-year old boy, later revealed to be the result of a rape by Iraqi soldiers during a skirmish in which her parents were killed and her brother lost his limbs. Agrin is a haunting presence in the film and her ultimate acts of desperation bookend the film.\r\n\r\nTurtles Can Fly is a remarkable work of commitment from Ghobadi, an assistant director on Abbas Kiarostami\'s The Wind Will Carry Us. He wants the world to know the plight of millions of stateless Kurds who are at the mercy of politicians who support them when it suits their purposes and oppose them when it does not. Coming on the wake of Kore\'eda\'s Nobody Knows, another film about abandoned children, Ghobadi\'s film is both a celebration of their innocence and a warning about the dangers they face from dictators, fascists, and over-zealous democrats. Far better than any CNN or El Jazeera news account possibly could relate, the story of the war is written in their soulful faces.\r\n\r\nGRADE: A-','2aeecf634573e8f24d3ed9e80a55783e',0,'','t1JEfF7S',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11098,1966,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1118095980,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: Turtles Can Fly (Iran)','Excellent review of one of the best foreign films I\'ve seen this year. If Satellite had lived in the West I have no doubt he would have become a millionaire entrepreneur, the only thing that would have got his way would have been his ego.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','3a5a26a3167acd03f0a5206bfa7df703',0,'','v9nEklry',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11099,1966,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1118096580,1,0,1,1,1,1,'howardschumann(d)','Re: Turtles Can Fly (Iran)','Thanks Trevor. Perhaps the young actor will now come to the U.S. like one of the Palestinian actors did in the 2001 documentary \"Promises\". There teeange cockiness is a way of life.','3870383d7c2ceb5ffd97c73a123974eb',0,'','hTXcxNDk',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11100,1966,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1118110080,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: Turtles Can Fly (Iran)','Thanks for the review Howard.\r\nBut while I liked the film ( rated it *** / ****), I am not so cheerful about it as most people seem to be.\r\nIt had some clichees imo, and the glimpses of the girl jumping of the cliff during the whole movie, were way too much. The metaphor and message of this were like shoved in your face, while it would have been much more effective, if the viewer had only seen it at the end (and maybe at the beginning).\r\nAlso the main protagonists didn\'t have enough depth imo, they were more like characters acting their specific type of character and his behavings over and over again. While the film is way ahead on almost anything that was made about this war (be it tv, news, documentaries, etc,etc.), and it\'s a very important film, one shouldn\'t overestimize it just because of that. I am writing this only on this board, because I know we have people here who have seen their share of films, and are openminded. On any other filmboard I would be more or less \"praising\" it.','a171a7db138d4d07bff4554fe9a4691b',0,'','6Gq2j8Ao',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11101,1966,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1118114640,1,0,1,1,1,1,'howardschumann(d)','Re: Turtles Can Fly (Iran)','I didn\'t say it was a masterpiece but it worked for me.','db8e5ce0565ca35942364d1d42e0176d',0,'','kNUf5vbT',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11102,1966,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1118344680,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: Turtles Can Fly (Iran)','It\'s just the A- rating. Seems like a near masterpiece...,\r\nThe review was good.','c8d9b289b661020e81c706bd783be4c4',0,'','KvuqEST7',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11103,1966,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1118352180,1,0,1,1,1,1,'howardschumann(d)','Re: Turtles Can Fly (Iran)','I rate films not on any objective standard but how they appealed to me. That is why ny list of top 140 films is a list of favorites, not best. The only films I rate higher than A- are those which would immediately go on my list of favorites.','fdd495c0aa7d8f88ea64336c0ae6681a',0,'','0NTfwHlZ',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11104,1966,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1128491100,1,0,1,1,1,1,'arsaib4','Re: Turtles Can Fly (Iran)','Turtles Can Fly (Lakposhtha hm parvaz mikonand) is the third feature film from award-winning filmmaker Bahman Ghobadi. And much like his earlier two films, A Time for Drunken Horses (2000) and Marooned in Iraq (2002), Ghobadi has set it near the Iraqi border. Here, more specifically, its Northern Iraq from where the Kurd population spreads out inside the border of Turkey, another country (besides the likes of Iran, Syria, and Armenia -- who also hold Kurd population along their borders), which has failed to acknowledge the region commonly referred to as \"Kurdistan.\" But this film isnt about borders; it, in fact, transcends any that exist, whether geographical or political, and thats one of its major triumphs.\r\n\r\nOur protagonist is a young 13-year-old boy (Soran Ebrahim) whos nicknamed \"Satellite\" due to his ability to install TV satellite dishes. Hes also the leader of a horde of orphan kids living in makeshift refugee camps as they depend on him for various \"odd\" jobs, including plucking mines from minefields, something that has taken many lives and limbs. Their territory is partly invaded by an armless boy who can see the future (an obvious and rightful attempt by Ghobadi to undermine what villagers got through news channels after upgrading -- the one they flipped on was Fox!), but Satellite eventually tries to befriend him because of his hauntingly beautiful young sister (Avaz Latif) whos usually seen carrying a child, a relationship that gets defined in a disturbing flashback.\r\n\r\nTurtles Can Fly is strikingly shot. The stunningly poetic visuals remind one of mid-period Kiarostami, perhaps not surprising since Ghobadi, a Tehran based Kurd, was an assistant of the master on The Wind Will Carry Us (1999). But Ghobidis landscape is almost mythical, perpetually shrouded in fog and mist, a potent metaphor or perhaps a pungent pun. Unfortunately, the films narrative also seems lost at times in trying to impede the impending tragedy, which doesnt hit as hard partially because this isnt the first film that has dealt with kids in precarious situations. However, it was the first to be shot in Iraq after the fall of Saddam Hussein (a giant arm from one of his numerous statues gets bought by a kid for a few mines!), obviously a time-period which coincided with the arrival of American troops. But Ghobadi seems ambivalent, and rightfully so: the problems of his people didnt start with Saddam and theyre not going to end with the Americans. And the last thing to do now is to start the blame game because that will only delay the support the Kurds rightfully deserve.\r\n\r\n_________________________\r\n\r\n*The film had its international premiere at the Toronto Film Festival in 2004. IFC Films released it theatrically in the U.S. earlier this year. It is now available on DVD.','0e3df5b3c614f3e67172b3f7f28ecd35',0,'','p538Gjyv',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11105,1967,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1127721660,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Everlasting Regret (Chang Hen Ge) (2005) (China/HK)','Director: Stanley Kwan\r\nCast: Sammi Cheng, Tony Ka Fai Leung, Jun Hu\r\n\r\nThis film was in competition at Venice Film Festival 2005\r\n\r\nThe official website (with English translation) is here ...\r\nsee\r\nwww.everlasting-regret.com/\r\n\r\nBOTH trailers have very clear English subtitles \r\n\r\nI like the HK trailer better than the international trailer though\r\nsee\r\nwww.everlasting-regret.com/trailer.html\r\n\r\nAs it will screen next week, my review will be here in early October …','a5785bd4f8cb69cc1a581702afaaaed4',0,'','VGiqx6ea',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11106,1967,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1128337800,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Everlasting Regret (Chang Hen Ge) (2005) (China/HK)','Director: Stanley Kwan\r\nCast: Sammi Cheng, Tony Ka Fai Leung, Jun Hu, Daniel Wu\r\n\r\nThe official website (with English translation) is here ...\r\nsee\r\nwww.everlasting-regret.com/\r\n\r\nThe story basically revolves around the life of a woman in Shanghai from the forties to the eighties ... As the story is adapted from a well known novel, it really has the potential to be very excellent. However, I find the film not compelling enough (despite the potential to be so) but I commend the entire cast for their good performance ... In my humble opinion, there should be more dramatization, elaboration, and plot exploitation ...\r\n\r\nWhat I like ...\r\n-- I guess the entire cast ...\r\n-- The costumes and set design and to some extent, the well known oldies ...\r\n\r\nWhat could be better ...\r\n-- A lot of the \"background\" info has to be inferred and deduced (or that the info are known at too late a stage in the film) such that the audience may not comprehend the motivation behind the events/behavior/actions ... Hence, the audience will not feel as emotional as they could have been ...\r\n-- Likewise, the 4 romance that the female protagonist were involved in were not well exploited ... in other words, the film did not convince the audience on how they fell in love and/or out of love ... was she really in love, was she just seeking a shelter, or was she manipulative, ... what were the current situations/political situations/economical situations like, such that the men really had no choice but to leave ... the sad plight of the men were not adequately depicted (although they were just as pitiful) ... what would the men face if they had not leave, etc ... As a result, the audience would have to grapple with how and what to feel ...\r\n-- Likewise, the relationship between the female and her daughter during the cultural revolution was not well explained ...\r\n-- Finally, although the story was told in a linear fashion, the announcement on all the deaths were told too blatantly in a future time, such that initially, the audience might get confused with the time line ...\r\n\r\nConclusion:\r\nI watch the film mainly for the performance of its entire cast. In terms of its plot, the potential to exploit the eventful turbulent times was not well exploited. In my humble opinion, the dramatization was played down way too much such that it became not compelling enough ...\r\n\r\nShould you watch it? Hmmm ... watch and tell me what you think ...','4809f75750f5dd5cdfb73fd652e708e9',0,'','ZWAD62uM',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11107,1968,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1124236020,1,0,1,1,1,1,'Sara','Intimate Strangers','Have you all seen this? Sandrine Bonnaire is so good in it as is the man who is the tax attorney. I did laugh sometimes, but it was all so good, funny, serious...\r\n\r\nI have also just seen Sandrine Bonnaire in Vagabond. She made this about 20 years before Intimate Strangers. I found her and the film very compelling.\r\n\r\nAlso I saw her in The Color of Lies, and in the Ceremony and in East/West.\r\n\r\nSo maybe I should have titled this message \"Sandrine Bonnaire.\"\r\n\r\nAnyway, what do you think about her and about \"Intimate Strangers?\"\r\n\r\nSara','436352514ca635c384a71c282ab3e04a',0,'','kDbrX2By',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11108,1968,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1124288520,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: Intimate Strangers','I watched it a while ago and have it on video, I\'ll comment on this and Merci pour le Chocolat once I\'ve had the opportunity to re-watch them.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','4417c62c85bf60702e52a4890363f508',0,'','2WQhdqcZ',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11109,1968,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1124428860,1,0,1,1,1,1,'arsaib4','Re: Intimate Strangers','Sandrine Bonnaire can make almost anything worth your while. I thought that the initial set-up was a bit far-fetched and the ending was more Hollywood than anything else, but Bonnaire\'s smile during those conversations was infectious.','de46d1438d289b274a8c8623c2781a20',0,'','CY6mHbUw',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11110,1968,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1128222540,1,0,1,1,1,1,'Unregistered(d)','Re: Intimate Strangers','A Wonderful Film I Purchased Mademoiselle (Miss ) i purchased in 2001 in Calais Sums Her Up A Lovely Film and not that much happens ,she just looks and is Superb,Secret Defense is Her at Her Acting Best She is a very private person Comme an Isabelle Huppert but when she comes out of the Cupboard to work,it is well worth waiting For ,like Intimate Strangers ,Like most Foreign Films,the Beauty is that you never really know what is going to Happen but it is mostly nice and pleasant suprises,Nice Indeed I Think It is','fc266455c4228edea2b0616af015cded',0,'','47DaNwCu',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11111,1969,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1128219780,1,0,1,1,1,1,'Unregistered(d)','English Actresses','Who Are The Best Looking Ones .Must Be British','c5e9e553357227950afb8f2dbad9b13b',0,'','5yM3o8Km',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11112,1969,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1128222060,1,0,1,1,1,1,'Unregistered(d)','Re: English Actresses','Some To Get It Going\r\n\r\nEnglish\r\n\r\nAnna Friel,PJ Harvey,Amanda Holden,Sienna Guillory,Emilia Fox,Alice Evans,Emily Watson,Lena Headey,Keira Knightley,Helena Bonham Carter,Kate Beckinsale,Jane Asher,Rhona Mitra,Rachel Weisz,Christine Tremarco,Natasha Little,Charlotte Rampling,Parminder Nagra,Tara Fitzgerald,Joanne Whalley,Sally Phillips,Emily Mortimer,Julia Ormond,Carol White,Katrin Cartlidge,Kate Ashfield,Amanda Donohoe,Tania Emery,Keeley Hawes,Olivia Williams,Sophie Okenedo, Some Scots Shirley Henderson.Neve McIntosh,Laura Fraser,Northern Ireland Susan Lynch,Back to English Joely Richardson,Saffron Burrows,Jenny Agutter,Smantha Bond,Imogen Stubbs,Rachel Shelley,Cherie Lunghi,Juliet AubreyEmily Woof,Holly Davidson,Anastasia Hille,Jane Seymour,Melanie Gutteridge,Carolyn Seymour,Welsh Anghared Reece,Zeta Jones,English Again,Emily Blunt,Minnie Driver,Sarah Miles,Claire Skinner,Sally Hawkins,Maryam D`Abo,Sarah Jane Potts,Amanda Ryan,Cathy Tyson,Samantha Morton,Tilda Swinton,Doris Hare,Kim Thomson,Lysette Anthony,Chloe Annett,Kelly Brook,Sarah Manners,Tamzin Malleson,Diane Keen,Mary McCormack,Lynsey Baxter,Helen Mirren,Francesca Annis,Thandie Newton,Rosalyn Landor,Sophie Ward,Veronica Carlson,Samantha Janus,The Ones That Come To Mind Any Comments Would Be Lovely.','4bfcf08bd16036276c751fa674a12e88',0,'','P5N3bjv8',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11113,1970,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1106177580,1,0,1,1,1,1,'MikLosk','Daremo Shiranai (Nobody knows) (Japan) (2004)','Kore-eda (known with exquisite masterpiece \"Maboroshi no hikari\" and marvellous \"After life\") proved one more time that he\'s one of the foremost (if not the best) modern directors: his latest film \"Nobody knows\" in my opinion is the best film of 2000\'s (I have to accept that it\'s even better than \"Dogville\" of my favourite von Trier). Masterpiece!\r\n\r\nBased on real story, this film narrates about 4 children which were sudenly left alone by their mother for eight months (!); and the eldest brother becomes a \'father\' for the others. I don\'t want to retell the plot: the film should be watched, not heard about...\r\nProblems of children - and especially problems of their maturing and entering into wild and cruel \"adult world\" - were discussed many times in cinema (you can remember a lot of examples - from classical \"400 blows\" to modern Zvyagintsev\'s \"The Return\"). And here is another great movie on this subject. This problem is especially pointed in this film because of the fact that relations between mother and her children in Japan are delicate and complicated; they are considered as a single whole for a long time.\r\n\r\n\"Nobody knows\" is filmed with wisdom, honesty and modesty. Kore-eda controls actors\' (they\'re kids!) performance so mastefully! - without extra expressiveness or sentimentality. Sometimes it\'s impossible to tell author\'s invention from \'captured reality\'. And what marvellous close-ups!\r\nThe most amazing for me fact about this film is that this drama is optimistic (!), despite its sorrow...\r\n\r\nWonderful film! 9.5/10\r\n\r\nP.S. \"Nobody knows\" was in official contest program of Cannes-2004, but it hasn\'t got enough attention from jury (only Best Actor prix): Palme d\'or was got by pretentious piece of propaganda \"\"Farenheit 9/11\", and Grand Prix - by flashy secondary \"Old boy\". It\'s no wonder: Tarantino was the President of Jury...','4c34a4299d930fd7510e939037d6c8ce',0,'','0Xg1tUeT',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11114,1970,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1121893020,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Daremo Shiranai (Nobody knows) (Japan) (2004)','Pardon the admin for merging the two threads.\r\nYour understanding is appreciated. \r\n\r\nOriginally posted by Howard Schumann\r\non (2/28/05 12:04 pm)\r\n\r\nDirected by Hirokazu Kore\'eda (2004)\r\n\r\nHirokazu Kore\'eda\'s Nobody Knows is a film of deep compassion about four young children abandoned by their mother in a small apartment in Tokyo. Based on a real incident in 1988, the film was written, directed, produced, and edited by Kore\'eda whose earlier films, Maborosi and After Life were introspective meditations on life and death. Though his latest film is primarily a coming-of-age film about the transformation of a pre-adolescent boy, no film I\'ve seen in recent memory has filled me with as much sadness for the failure of modern society to provide a coherent set of values for people. While there have been other films about the alienation of big city life, particularly by Tsai Ming-ling (The River, What Time Is it There?) they tend to be cold and impersonal and convey an emotional deadness. Such is not the case here where the children\'s natural vivacity and warmth make their closeness to each other more real, and ultimately all the more heartbreaking.\r\n\r\nThe center of the film is 12-year old Akira who must care for his brothers and sisters when his mother leaves the home. Akira is remarkably portrayed by Yuya Yagira who was named Best Actor for his performance at Cannes in 2004. His strong and compassionate eyes reveal a depth of understanding, rare in an actor that young. Supporting him is his sister ten-year old Kyoko (Kitaura Ayu), seven-year old Shigeru (Kimura Hiei), and four-year old Yuki (Shimizu Momoko), all from different fathers. The children\'s birth was never registered and they do not attend school. They are the ultimate city dwellers, anonymous and alone.\r\n\r\nAs the film opens, the mother Keiko (Japanese television performer You) moves into a new apartment with Akira. Fearing eviction because of too much noise, the other children are packed in suitcases so the landlord does not find out they are living in the apartment. Since they are all from different fathers and do not attend school, the world does not even know that they exist. Keiko tells the children that they must adhere to strict rules: no loud talking and no going outside the apartment even to the balcony. As the children settle in, one day Akira finds a note from his mother together with some money telling him that she is going away for a while and asks him to look after the family.\r\n\r\nUsing all natural lighting the film explores the details of the children\'s ups and downs living by themselves inside a cramped apartment for months. Much of the dialogue is improvised and we are not even aware of the children acting, just living moment by moment. Akira has to buy the groceries, handle the finances, and do all the things that an adult should be doing. \"He is the only adult in that family,\" says Kore\'eda. \"The mother is much more immature than he is. But he\'s the adult only because that role has been forced onto him.\" The only time he is shown being a child is when he plays video games or baseball and has some adventures with some other boys in the neighborhood, but it is fleeting. \r\n\r\nAt first playful, then gradually becoming passive and withdrawn, we watch in dismay as the conditions of their lives gradually deteriorate. The lights and water are turned off because of failure to pay the bills and the children have to wash in public fountains and light their rooms by candle. Though normally this would be very depressing, the children convey such feelings of joy, especially when they are finally let out to run around the park that our feelings of hopelessness are temporarily uplifted. Kore\'eda said, \"children are incredibly resilient, to just label these children\'s six months alone together as pathetic or tragic, you wouldn\'t get any closer to understanding either the children or what they experienced.\" \r\n\r\nYet there is sadness, and the more difficult life becomes the more we hope that the children will be rescued, though we know that Akira has said that he would not report the situation to any authority for fear of breaking up the family. Nobody Knows has a running time of two hours and twenty-one minutes and requires patience, yet it\'s total effect is stunning. In the final sequence, the city of Tokyo is shown in silence as if to underscore the emotional disconnection of the modern city where people live in close proximity but nobody knows and nobody cares.\r\n\r\nGRADE: A','66b836bbe5784f3e44b4d49caa4e3068',0,'','UJiv2Lyp',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11115,1970,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1121899500,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: Daremo Shiranai (Nobody knows) (Japan) (2004)','There isn\'t much more that I can add to the previous comments. The film is wonderful, had only one flaw (imo the sometimes too \"sweet\" music), and it\'s situated in this space between documentary and fiction, which is the thing I love most in films. The direction is marvellous, as the film gets better and better, and is one of those rare examples, where the director lets the film find its own pace.\r\nThere are some outstanding scenes in the film, that can be compared to ANYTHING that has ever been put on the screen, that oscillate between the screen and the viewer, creating a sort of third reality besides film and the real world. My favorite scene is at the end of the film, where \r\n*spoiler* \r\nthe t kids and their friend are sitting in a train after having buried the youngest, and the camera just pans them.\r\n*endspoiler*\r\nThis is exactly why I watch movies, when it becomes clear to me that I don\'t know any other artform which can express feelings as sublimely as film. In such moments art transcends life, creating situations that in normal life would maybe called \"miracles\", and Koreeda lets us because he never judges his characters see human beings as they are. The film thus becomes a perfect example of humanist filmmaking.\r\nOne of the best films of this year, which will probably end up in my top ten of 2005.','2f561f599d8c1ce44991d111b179b0df',0,'','r5SiRV4n',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11116,1970,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1121929860,1,0,1,1,1,1,'wpqx','Re: Daremo Shiranai (Nobody knows) (Japan) (2004)','Damn I think my review disappeared for this, oh well I think it\'s still posted on filmwurld\r\n\r\nI do have to comment however if this is your absolute favorite film of the decade why give it a 9.5/10? You\'re too harsh with your ratings. Anyways I loved the film, although I may prefer After Life to it, nevertheless it stood as the early film to beat for this year, which I\'m not quite sure I\'ve seen anything yet that can top it.','9b70beeb30a30c87f209e6d92a1d3612',0,'','aW1Kz4QS',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11117,1970,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1122216900,1,0,1,1,1,1,'groom daniel','Re: Daremo Shiranai (Nobody knows) (Japan) (2004)','Nobody Knows was a flawed masterpiece. It would\'ve been one of my favourite Japanese films of all time if the second act hadn\'t been so long and repetitive. It was still moving, however.','02603f04635208753b6a1a08315d26a6',0,'','stuVMREl',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11118,1970,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1122635880,1,0,1,1,1,1,'MikLosk','Re: Daremo Shiranai (Nobody knows) (Japan) (2004)','Totally agree with you, groom_daniel. It was the only flaw of the movie, that\'s why I didn\'t rate it 10/10, wpqx. 10/10 is an absolute masterpiece in my opinion. There are less than 20 movies in cinema history that I rate so highly.','ff5cf7059b3f129e2c9433e8e668dbd7',0,'','fH7FBjh8',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11119,1970,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1122948360,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: Daremo Shiranai (Nobody knows) (Japan) (2004)','Saw it a second time last week, with two friends who were both bloen away. \r\nI hope they will be eternally grateful for me having urged them to see it. \r\nThe film was even better the second time I saw it, though it wasn\'t as magical as in the first experience. My rating has jumped up to **1/2 / ****, and I now think it will definitely make this years Top ten.\r\nThe music which was a bit too \"schmaltzy\" imo the first time, seemed fitting in the 2nd viewing. In fact I now think, that the film would have lost something without it. Though the song at the end does say a bit \"too much\", it is nevertheless beautiful, and though the scene would have maybe been better without it, this is marginal.\r\nOf course the film isn\'t perfect, but I don\'t want to concentrate on the flaws, as it has tremendeously much to offer.\r\nI\'ll finally get to see Maboroshi next week in the cinema \r\nI know we have some enthusiats on board so I\'ll tell you what I think about it. If it\'s only half as good as this one, I\'ll be satisfied.','09a1144b272cd9c21cd92605bc12408e',0,'','oqhXU85E',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11120,1970,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1122996300,1,0,1,1,1,1,'chard09','Re: Daremo Shiranai (Nobody knows) (Japan) (2004)','Oh well, seeing it differently, I find what you are referring to the second act as long and repetitive, is one of the film\'s finest moments. It has able to present a rhythm of viewing what\'s happening in Akira\'s family as something normal, though it isn\'t. Nobody Knows is a bomb to the West, claiming the inferiority of Asian cinema. Orientalism as Eduard Said puts it.','dec843b1380e53847a2bf88bfc520cb4',0,'','SNDprki0',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11121,1970,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1123010100,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: Daremo Shiranai (Nobody knows) (Japan) (2004)','I must also support the \"second act\", as I found it absolutely masterful. The reason why I rated the film \"only\" ***1/2 / ****, is the first act (while the mother is still there), which I found long and repetitive.\r\nFunny how tastes can differ \r\nand Chaer, I hope you mean Superiority of asian cinema.','2fe1d109eefd71e10fd557ee43c022c4',0,'','qzWpFJ2E',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11122,1970,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1123053720,1,0,1,1,1,1,'chard09','Re: Daremo Shiranai (Nobody knows) (Japan) (2004)','What I mean is that the West always claim that Asian Cinema is always inferior to them. \r\n\r\nYeah -- that\'s a nice term, superiority.','6c26fc35a8aec82a2d67bf9e434f78fc',0,'','CWkYiu0G',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11123,1970,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1123079280,1,0,1,1,1,1,'groom daniel','Re: Daremo Shiranai (Nobody knows) (Japan) (2004)','Nobody Knows was really a 90 minute film drawn out over 2 hours. The problem with the second act is that you know something bad is going to happen at the climax -- although it was much worse in real life -- and while building towards that climax, Kore-eda waits and waits, taking Akira through the same experiences over and over again. That may work rhythmically, but nothing that happens in the second half of act two adds to the emotional life of the film. We\'ve already seen and felt what Kore-eda details. \"Small\" films like Nobody Knows are the hardest films to write; Kore-eda had a great small film in there, but he belabours some of his points & if you\'d been in the cinema that I was in, you would\'ve been disappointed at the reaction to the film. People weren\'t moved like they should\'ve been. I LOVED Nobody Knows, but what you need to remember is that audiences are quick to sympathise with characters and they DID sympathise with Akira, but somewhere along the way they lost their empathy for him & I think it happened in the middle, where Kore-eda told them for the umpteenth time that a) Akira just wanted to be a normal boy, enjoying a normal childhood and b) he wasn\'t coping with the adult pressures on him. For most filmgoers, B (or rather the progression of B through to the climax) is more important than A.','5057c1a6d7b708162d83b60e9eee98de',0,'','u4EF5NYU',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11124,1970,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1123102140,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: Daremo Shiranai (Nobody knows) (Japan) (2004)','Well, in the cinema I was in there was another reaction after the film. People were moved and impressed by the film. I didn\'t see a bored face.\r\nAnd personally I think it\'s the opposite. For me the film only became involving after the mother was gone, and if it had been shortened in the first half, I would\'ve rated it even higher. The interesting thing about the film is NOT its plot or the story, or whatever, but exactly the waiting, the on and on, the happening of daily things, which make life so wonderful. If it weren\'t for the second act of the film, the numerous repetitions, the glance at life evolving, the movie would have just been another low budget, look-what-terrible-things-happen-in-the-modern-society tearjerker. \r\nThe key to the film is repetition, and the documentary approach to it. Through repetition life shows its essence.','27c3450627f7551971fdab4e8c504b3b',0,'','4WXauF7R',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11125,1970,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1123504560,1,0,1,1,1,1,'groom daniel','Re: Daremo Shiranai (Nobody knows) (Japan) (2004)','Nobody Knows might not be a plot driven film, but it had a classic narrative struture w/ character arcs and a strong dramatic premise. I don\'t agree that Nobody Knows is about \"the happening of daily things\" since mother\'s don\'t usually abandon their children for six months, but even if it were about everyday life, Japanese directors like Ozu and Naruse were masters at showing the repetitions of everyday life while maintaining narrative economy. \r\n\r\nIn the end, we all have our own sense of filmic rhythms and if it worked for you and the audience you were in, I\'m happy to hear it. Personally I think Kore-eda was caught up in his themes; themes which are often more resonant if you cut to the heart of what your film is about. \r\n\r\nIt was a wonderful film, though, even if I think he softened the tragedy.','dc61e398c5a1f81fb555972760ab93ac',0,'','opqrfsdJ',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11126,1970,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1220099880,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Daremo Shiranai (Nobody knows) (Japan) (2004)','rather sad news \r\nclick \r\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RywuEvTjbDc \r\n\r\nhope everything is fine now ... \r\n\r\nfrom tokyograph news \r\n\r\nYuya Yagira survives apparent suicide attempt \r\nFri, August 29, 2008 (11:12am EDT) \r\nReports have come in that 18-year-old actor Yuya Yagira was hospitalized early Friday morning after an apparent suicide attempt. Yagira had attempted to overdose on drugs in his Tokyo apartment, but someone called emergency assistance and he was taken to a hospital. His condition is said to currently be stable. \r\n\r\nReasons for Yagira\'s suicide attempt are unknown at this time. His agency has not mentioned any details, but they said that they are currently looking into the matter \r\n\r\nanother website with this news \r\nclick \r\nhttp://www.ryuganji.net/2...ly-emulates-heath-ledger/','d084ee3ec3dfff6243be1cc28b962f67',0,'','aju8HG47',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11127,1971,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1126040880,1,0,1,1,1,1,'Sara','The Return (Vozvrashcheniye) (2003) (Russia)','Has anyone seen the Russian film, \"The Return?\" It looks and feels so much like Tarkovsky! Beautiful cinematography, actors who seem real (two young boys- the \"sons\" are especially convincing,) and a story with mystery, pain, love, and tragedy.\r\n\r\nThe director is Andrei Zuyagintsev (sp?) It is his first film and it is on DVD. (Maybe Mik knows more about this director.)\r\n\r\nI really can\'t emphasize enough how much this looks like a Tarkovsky film.\r\n\r\nSara','389b6ac4ca57da83b800c84182095e88',0,'','491lMuyY',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11128,1971,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1126068900,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: The Return (Vozvrashcheniye) (2003) (Russia)','Yup yup yup, I have watched it too.','dc03d8165c9cc637a5f8bb2f96ec3e29',0,'','VCsj93qv',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11129,1971,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1126089900,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: The Return (Vozvrashcheniye) (2003) (Russia)','Yes I\'ve seen it, a good while ago but I do have it on DVD. Just wondering Sara, in what way(s) in particular does it remind you of Tarkovsky?\r\n\r\nSara I\'d love to see you do a review of \"The Return\" and since you enjoyed it so much, may I suggest another recent Russian film for you, \"Koktabel\", A has written comments for it. \r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','37c11f4480d0bd071d4bc2e8ca4b892c',0,'','xd7GzQSC',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11130,1971,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1126120440,1,0,1,1,1,1,'Sara','Re: The Return (Vozvrashcheniye) (2003) (Russia)','Trevor, it LOOKS like Tarkovsky! If you didn\'t know better, you might think is was Tarkovsky.\r\n\r\nAlso, there are layers of interpretation one might find - religious, political,etc. as one can find in Tarkovsky.\r\n\r\nI am not a reviewer, Trevor. I wish I were. I would love to be able to write about this film, but I am sure there are those out there who will see The Return and give us a good review.\r\n\r\nThanks for telling me about Koktebel. According to IMDB there are no VHS or DVD releases.\r\n\r\nSara','6966a1bcf027cf8fc5b553fb03846baf',0,'','sQp8fRPc',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11131,1971,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1126121700,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: The Return (Vozvrashcheniye) (2003) (Russia)','Well that was a big whoops from me, I put Koktabel instead of Koktebel. When I had a look on google for any sign of a US release date, all I got were a load of nudist sites.\r\n\r\nSorry Sara, I assumed that since it\'d been released in the UK, you would have had it in the US. \r\n\r\nI\'ll have to watch it again but I do remember that it \"looks\" like a Tarkovsky film but I think it\'s a style that a few directors have adopted.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','31e2deade83de059bf5961b22b889eda',0,'','DUlmyB8S',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11132,1971,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1127975880,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: The Return (Vozvrashcheniye) (2003) (Russia)','The Return (Vozvrashcheniye) (2003) (Russia)\r\n\r\nDirector: Andrey Zvyagintsev\r\nCast: Vladimir Garin, Ivan Dobronravov, Konstantin Lavronenko\r\n\r\nIn the Venice Film Festival 2003, it won the Golden Lion Award and \'CinemAvvenire\' Award for Best First Film .\r\nIn the European Film Awards 2003, it garnered the European Discovery of the Year .\r\nIt was also Russias submission to Oscar in 2004.\r\n\r\nThe official English website is here \r\nwww.kino.com/thereturn/index.html\r\n\r\nWhat I like \r\n-- The film is very excellent because it could be interpreted at multiple layers \r\n(i) At the most basic, it is simply about the relationship between a father and his two sons For a father that they have never seen, should they embrace or suspect him? Should he prove himself to them or should they prove themselves to him? \r\n(ii) At another level, it portrays the post-Soviet era of Russia with the children (and people) searching for a sense of belonging and/or a fatherly figure \r\n(iii) Yet, at a higher level, the film is full of religious undertones with the narration done in 7 days with the fathers first appearance looking like the Lamentation over Dead Christ with the photo of their father found in a Bible with the meal that resembles the last supper with allusions to the story of Abraham and Isaac etc.\r\n(iv) Finally, could be there any autobiographical element? \r\n(hint: The director is also called Andrey)\r\n-- Besides, the film also cut across several genre, e.g., drama, thriller, religion, etc\r\n\r\n-- Remarkably, both kids (i.e., Ivan Dobronravov and Vladimir Garin) behave like real siblings Despite their constant squabbles in the film, they manage to convince me that real life siblings do behave as such \r\n-- Although both kids are excellent I like the performance by the younger one (in part because he was given the entire range of emotions to portray) the elder one has the tougher role of less range of emotions \r\n\r\n-- Some scenes are especially engaging \r\n(i) When Andrey shouted at his dad, asking why did he bother to return? wow\r\n(ii) How about the scene on the bridge when the father dumped him and a heavy rain poured wow\r\n(iii) Near the end, when Andrey kept climbing to the top of the tower esp. when you relate it to the initial tower scene hmmm \r\n(iv) Near the end, when Ivan took an axe oh no \r\n\r\n-- Technically, I also like \r\n(i) Definitely the poster with the two kids rowing the boat! \r\n\r\nHmmm I like this version better than the one with both of them looking back at the sea \r\n(ii) The title of the film The Return initially, the father has returned; eventually, the kids have returned overall, it is also a cinematic return to the films of early Russian classics \r\n\r\nNoteworthy,\r\n-- Although many people complain about the non closure and many unexplained mysteries in the film (e.g., the unexplained absence of 12 years, the mystery box, the detour, etc), I thought the film depicted LIFE as it is many of us will never get to know everything that happens around us Some things will always remain a mystery sigh\r\n\r\nWhat could be better \r\n-- Some people (BUT NOT me) may lament about the problem of non closure and many unexplained mysteries in the film (Why NOT me? See above paragraph)\r\n-- Some people who expected a thriller (due to the marketing ads) might find the pacing kind of slow \r\nIn my humble opinion, I thought the dramatic element was much better!\r\n-- Finally, beyond the obvious plot of father and sons, some people may not see any other depths/symbolism in the film \r\n\r\nConclusion:\r\nI highly recommend the film.','c05e9657c8afa31e1cbc42e7372071c2',0,'','Cl5jnAHc',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11133,1971,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1206081180,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: The Return (Vozvrashcheniye) (2003) (Russia)','\r\n\r\nAnticipating The Banishment (Izgnanie) ... \r\nDVD? \r\n\r\nall the reviews here seem very positive \r\nclick \r\nhttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt0488905/usercomments','9687f20770ab48939980cbdc0547bc0e',0,'','F5VPNUhC',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11134,1971,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1206350400,1,0,1,1,1,1,'arsaib4','Re: The Return (Vozvrashcheniye) (2003) (Russia)','I watched it at the \'08 Film Comment Selects series. Do plan on discussing it eventually. ):','f141c502ca847bc9f6b6cf2d4b7eddd6',0,'','NvR8CPSi',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11135,1971,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1206352740,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: The Return (Vozvrashcheniye) (2003) (Russia)','It is not here in Singapore. \r\nNeither is the DVD with English subtitles. \r\nBut I will comment if I have a chance to watch the film ...','d45dcf0aad304c8c9bf629fdc6ac6a4f',0,'','apkmCBgD',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11136,1971,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1214983080,1,0,1,1,1,1,'chard09','Re: The Return (Vozvrashcheniye) (2003) (Russia)','Trevor\'s mention of Koktabel is quite appalling. In fact I haven\'t thought of it. Both films I like but I guess The Return has this magical atmosphere in it, like someone being trapped in a painting, a beautiful masterpiece of its artist. The silence in both films is also very admirable.','878f20892750ef9579ca147fecb093e5',0,'','uGHpbdnQ',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11137,1972,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1123965480,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Shen Hua (The Myth) (2005) (Hong Kong)','\r\nDirector: Stanley Tong\r\nCast: Jackie Chan, Hee-seon Kim, Tony Leung Ka Fai \r\n\r\nThe official website is here ...\r\n(oh yes, there is an English version)\r\nwww.themyth.jce.com.hk/\r\n\r\ndo see the trailer (with subtitles) ...\r\ndo see the music video ...\r\n\r\nmy review will be available in late September','e6ad6a1459bf6ee4fa856d3a7135441a',0,'','B5VU0MD2',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11138,1972,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1123967400,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: Shen Hua (The Myth) (2005) (Hong Kong)','Different yet in some ways very familiar, influences such as Hero, Crouching Tiger even Gladiator. hengcs, you\'ll have to give us the lowdown when you can.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','aef42956fb08434c92972f89d193fd13',0,'','zYETxbS2',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11139,1972,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1123969260,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Shen Hua (The Myth) (2005) (Hong Kong)','The song is partly in Chinese and partly in Korean \r\nDid you guess it it is sung by the two lead \r\n\r\nThe Myth \r\n\r\nEndless Love\r\n\r\n(Male)\r\nFree me my most secretive await\r\nThe stars are falling the wind is blowing\r\nFinally, I can hold you into my embrace again \r\nBoth hearts are trembling\r\n\r\nBelieve me my unchanged true heart\r\nThousand years of wait contains my promise\r\nNo matter how many cold winters have passed\r\nI will never let go of my hands\r\n\r\n(Female)\r\nHold tight my hands now close your eyes\r\nPlease remember those old days of our love\r\nBecause we love each other so much\r\nThat is why we feel even more painful\r\n\r\nWe can\'t even utter the line \"love you\"\r\n\r\n(Male)\r\nEvery night pierced by painful heart\r\nMy longing never ends\r\nI have long got used to the company of loneliness\r\nI face it with smiles\r\n\r\nBelieve me you have chosen to wait\r\nNo matter how much pain ... you will not shunt\r\nOnly your gentleness can free\r\nthe borderless indifference\r\n\r\n(Female)\r\nHold tight my hands now close your eyes\r\nPlease remember those old days of our love\r\nBecause we love each other so much\r\nThat is why we feel even more painful\r\n\r\nWe can\'t even utter the line \"love you\"\r\n\r\n(Together)\r\nLet love be ... in our heart ...\r\nthe flower that blooms forever ...\r\nTranscending time, we will not bow to defeat ... the dreams that we won\'t give up ...\r\n\r\n(Female)\r\nBecause we love each other so much\r\nThat is why we feel even more painful\r\n\r\nWe can\'t even utter the line \"love you\"\r\n\r\n(Together)\r\nLet love be ... in our heart ...\r\nthe flower that blooms forever ...\r\nWe shall never forget ... our mutual promise\r\n\r\nOnly true love will accompany you and I \r\nTranscending time and space\r\n\r\n(Female)\r\nWe can\'t even utter the line \"love you\"\r\n\r\n(Male)\r\nLove is the only beautiful myth that has never changed in my heart','47e0eb487f00a6a41701d5443da5712b',0,'','z86lHVab',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11140,1972,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1123970220,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Shen Hua (The Myth) (2005) (Hong Kong)','Hey,\r\nI actually thought it is closer to this film ...\r\n\r\nQin Yong (A Terracotta Warrior) (1989)\r\n\r\nDirector: Siu-Tung Ching\r\nCast: Zhang Yimou, Gong Li \r\n\r\n(1) www.imdb.com/title/tt0098147/\r\n\r\n(2) movies2.nytimes.com/gst/m..._id=142820\r\n\r\n(3) Please do NOT crash the following site ... \r\nIt has screen cap of the entire film ...\r\nkungfu-movie.com/002_movi..._00001.htm\r\nkungfu-movie.com/002_movi..._00002.htm','1d24feea4af2ebaa42aa8f80321bbb08',0,'','w8f2R1BJ',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11141,1972,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1127458020,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Shen Hua (The Myth) (2005) (Hong Kong)','\r\nDirector: Stanley Tong\r\nCast: Jackie Chan, Hee-seon Kim, Tony Leung Ka Fai \r\n\r\nThe official website is here ...\r\n(oh yes, there is an English version)\r\nwww.themyth.jce.com.hk/\r\n\r\nWhat is good?\r\n-- They managed to secure the rights to film in 3 great historical locations \r\ni.e., China, at Xi\'an\'s The First Emperor\'s Terra-Cotta Soldiers and Horses Museum ...\r\ni.e., China, at the waterfall in Yunnan ...\r\ni.e., India, at the 15th-century Virupaksha temple at Hampi ...\r\n-- In terms of editing, the many transitions between the past and the future were rather well choreographed ...\r\n-- Most audience would like these two rather comical scenes \r\n(i) the scene with Jackie Chan blowing the flute and a cobra sashaying (initially, at the theater, I thought the cobra was a computer generated animal ... but when I watched the \"making of\" on TV, the cobra was actually real!\r\n(ii) the scene when the cast were fighting on a \"conveyor\" belt ... kind of funny ... (just very \"Jackie Chan\")\r\n-- Like most Jackie Chan\'s film, the \"ending\" N.G. takes are most fun to watch ...\r\n\r\nWhat could be better?\r\n-- The initial philosophical take about reality versus fantasy and what is past versus what is present degenerate to nothing too soon, such that the film only becomes an action/comedy film ... Aso, I thought Tony Leung (Ka Fai)\'s was under utilized by having a comical take on its character ...\r\n-- For the first half of the film, I thougt they were filiming in India because such story often entails the belief of reincarnation (in Buddhism) ... Unfortunately, it took a comic turn and scenes in India were all filmed to be comical ... For the second half of the film, although Chinese do have many myths and beliefs, it just did not look credible ...\r\n-- The good versus evil (i.e., villain) take was not compelling and appeared kind of contrived ...\r\n-- Overall, there was not enough compelling \"scenes\" to make one feel the forbidden love between the two main protagonists ...\r\n\r\nConclusion:\r\nCan watch, but I am not crazy over it ... the film is very \"Jackie Chan\" ... audience will have to like his style of humor combined with actions ... while the first half is kind of action/comedy, the second half is rather weak ...','0f0286cf68ee4c14e509fdf1f97a5094',0,'','8nVGlC5W',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11142,1973,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1126996620,1,0,1,1,1,1,'Unregistered(d)','Can\'t Remember Film Title','I can\'t remember the title to a French (I think) film about two children (a boy and a girl) who were best friends growing up. They had a game they played with a jack-in-the-box (I think, or it could have been a small ball) where whoever had the object had to do something outragous (essentially a dare). As they grew older, the dares got more daring (so to speak). Also, they grew apart at some point, but were brought back together because of their true love for each other. \r\n\r\nDoes this sound famililar to anyone? \r\n\r\nThanks!','8497c8f70a0545da03802981bac462e6',0,'','HVpY13jq',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11143,1973,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1127001180,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: Can\'t Remember Film Title','It was a film that was a similar in style to Amelie but with a somewhat cruel sense of humour, \"Love me if you dare - Jeux d\' enfants 2003\" which is readily available on DVD.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','d9666e3310b1191ad597b3cd175c15b9',0,'','vH9nJVF6',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11144,1973,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1127013480,1,0,1,1,1,1,'Unregistered(d)','Re: Can\'t Remember Film Title','Trevor,\r\n\r\nThanks for the title. I just purchased it on Amazon.\r\n\r\nThanks again!','128420cc8aa8b2431d818bf638c026c6',0,'','awE2WCrP',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11145,1973,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1127042880,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: Can\'t Remember Film Title','My pleasure, hope you enjoy it.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','99081df1066cb780c5350e9391e3701d',0,'','Yz1aUPAC',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11146,1974,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1118001240,1,0,1,1,1,1,'howardschumann(d)','Xiao Wu (China)','XIAO WU\r\n\r\nDirected by Jia Zhangke (1997)\r\n\r\n\"This is a film about our worries and our uneasiness. Having to cope with a dysfunctional society, we take refuge in solitude which is a substitute for dignity It is finally a film about my native town and about contemporary China.\" - Jia Zhangke\r\n\r\nA sense of longing permeates Xiao Wu, a 1997 film by the acclaimed independent Chinese director Jia Zhangke. Set in Jia\'s home city of Fengyang in Shanxi province, the film presents a series of incidents in the life of petty thief and pickpocket Xiao Wu. It is a compelling portrait of an individual in free-fall and, like other films by the director, shows the corrupting influence of Western values on an entire generation of Chinese. The film is reminiscent of the works of Robert Bresson in its use of non-professional actors, environmental sound, and in its spare cinematography by Yu Lik-Wai. \r\n\r\nXiao Wu (Hong Wei Wang) wanders about aimlessly with lots of money to spend and little to spend it on except call girls at the local karaoke bar. He befriends Mei Mei (Hao Hongjian), and they start to develop a tentative relationship, but his social awkwardness leads to ultimate rejection. Wu\'s friends have given up the life of crime and don\'t want to have anything more to do with him. His best friend has just been voted a \"model entrepreneur\" for his activities in cigarette trafficking, and does not invite Wu to his wedding. He even returns Wu\'s gift of money because it is \"tainted.\" (A scene between the two old friends discussing the wedding is heartbreaking.)\r\n\r\nWith no other work to fall back on, Wu is forced to continue his petty crimes, constantly running afoul of the police. In the background, the government has issued an order to round up street criminals. Wu seems bewildered by the fact that his friends do not want to associate with him and he is unable to grasp the meaning of the police crackdown. He grows increasingly alienated and lonely as he loses his friends who go straight, his girl friend Mei Mei who leaves town, and his family who eject him after an argument over a ring. \r\n\r\nJia captures the rhythm and feel of day-to-day life in Fengyang. This is life as it is actually lived, not as a series of dramatic events forced into a narrative structure. His film succeeds not only as social commentary but also as an acutely perceptive realization of the psychology of a self-absorbed individual. One of the most revealing scenes is when Wu stubbornly refuses to sing with Mei Mei at the karaoke bar but instead goes to a bathhouse and, alone and naked, sings a plaintive song to the empty room. After Mei Mei leaves him, things seem to spiral downward for Wu. In a later sequence, he is shown not as a victim or hero, but as an off-screen object to be gazed at and mocked by people in the street. It is a scene of personal tragedy, but in the universality of its compassion, it becomes a spiritual revelation. Xiao Wu is one of the best films of the 90s. \r\n\r\nGRADE: A-','4c2a82d72a8af15898f20566c17b0cfc',0,'','D29vMcri',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11147,1974,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1126978680,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: Xiao Wu (China)','As far as I\'m concerned this is one of the \"must see\" modern Chinese films, no glamour, no romance, this is down to earth and gives a true perspective on life in smalltown China. I also think it owes more than a little to Bresson\'s \"Pickpocket\".\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','db796e3fe6004e4f618b8bf130f2383b',0,'','hceGinSC',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11148,1974,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1126984260,1,0,1,1,1,1,'howardschumann(d)','Re: Xiao Wu (China)','Very well said in much fewer words. Thanks.','e073fccb9294c5fe7595b8a380258f14',0,'','nTR41sYi',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11149,1975,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1115658180,1,0,1,1,1,1,'howardschumann(d)','All About Lily Chou Chou (2001) (Japan)','ALL ABOUT LILY CHOU CHOU (Riri Shushu no subete)\r\n\r\nDirected by Shunji Iwai (2001)\r\n\r\nJapan is a culture traditionally built on respect, concern for the other person, courtesy, honesty, and discipline. Recently, however, Japanese schools have become increasingly dangerous places with an increase in violent crimes, breakdown of order in classrooms (gakkyuu houkai), bullying and intimidation of weak or delicate students (ijime), and a high suicide rate. The dark side of Japanese culture is brought to life in Shunji Iwai\'s All About Lily Chou Chou, a disturbing look at the life of a junior high school student who seeks sanctuary from the bullying of his classmates through the music of a pop-icon, singer Lily Chou Chou. Shot on high-definition video, the film opens in a rice field where a sad-eyed young boy stands in the middle of a wide expanse of green. With his headphones on, he clings to his Discman while we hear a soft sensuous voice singing in the background and read the text of Internet messages clicking on the bottom of the screen. \r\n\r\nThe posters are brought together by their love of Lily who, to her fans, is a voice that comes from \"the Ether\", carrying the status of an otherworldly goddess. The boy\'s screen name is Philia but his real name is Yuichi Hasumi (Hayato Ichihara). He is a slender boy of fourteen whose devotion to Lily is an article of faith in his world of loneliness and nihilism. The communications, based on actual web messages, are revealing of the poster\'s frame of mind. \"Imagine being dead\", someone writes, \"won\'t that be great?\" Someone else writes that once he got to Junior High School his world went gray. Another comments, \"...For me, only the Ether is proof I\'m alive. But lately my Ether is running out.\" Yuichi lives with his mother, a hairdresser, her boyfriend and his son. Left on his own most of the time to deal with his peers, his life is a struggle for survival. He is robbed, forced to perform a sexual act in front of local toughs and humiliated by his teacher and mother when he is caught stealing a Lily CD. \r\n\r\nIn a flashback to their first year at school, fellow student Hoshino (Shugo Oshinari), known on the message boards as Blue Cat, reaches out to Yuichi after being ridiculed in school and both join the Kendo club. When Yuichi spends the night at his house, Hoshino introduces him to Lily. Their friendship shifts, however, after a summer vacation in Okinawa full of strange events in which Hoshino is almost drowned and they witness a serious traffic accident. This fifteen-minute vacation segment, saturated with brilliant color and shot by a jerky hand-held camera, contains the film\'s most unnerving moments, and we instinctively know that the lives of the vacationers will never be the same. \r\n\r\nIn the next school year, shaken by his near drowning and the loss of his family\'s textile factory, Hoshino undergoes a drastic personality change. He assaults the school bully, Inubushi and becomes a bully himself, forcing Yuichi to become involved in bullying others, robbery, and running a prostitution ring involving one of their classmates, Shiori Tsuda (Yu Aoi). Sadly, the adults in the story seem helpless and can only respond in an uncomprehending manner. The only response a teacher has to a girl who had her head shaven was to buy her a wig. Yuichi passively agrees to Hoshino\'s demands but their friendship becomes increasingly strained when he tells him to follow and watch Shiori, a girl that likes him but cannot express her feelings. \r\n\r\nYuichi is also forced to set up an attack on Kuno (Ayumi Ito), a gifted pianist and a girl he has feelings for but lacks the self-confidence to communicate with. It is exasperating to see Yuichi passively follow Hoshino\'s demands, but Iwai has crafted his character so that we can all feel the pain of those who lack the power to stand up for themselves. When Lily comes to town for a sold-out concert, Hoshino assaults his dignity one more time. Unable to enter the concert hall, Yuichi watches Lily\'s image as her videos appear on the Jumbotron outside the theater and his accumulated tension reaches the breaking point. \r\n\r\nAll About Lily Chou Chou is disjointed and overlong and suffers from some stylistic excesses but it is a courageous film and a deeply moving one, a work that has the courage to confront some aspects of modern-day Japan that you will not read about in the tourist guides. Iwai\'s breathtaking images together with the poetic music of Debussy capture the adolescent experience in a way that is heartbreakingly real and, although the film\'s shifting timeline may makes the story hard to follow for some, the message comes through with unmistakable clarity. Lily is a film of mood where black is the color and none is the number, but the darkness is redeemed by its appreciation that the solace of art is available to all, even those suffering the most desperate pain.\r\n\r\nGRADE: A-','510ff77becc44901341d8b8741f2a660',0,'','nszATZPp',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11150,1975,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1126980660,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: All About Lily Chou Chou (2001) (Japan)','Please use the following link for arsaib4\'s comments for the film:\r\n\r\nFurther comments re: All About Lily Chou-Chou.','dbe17d94f5f0cc7d47c92f4bc26de9cb',0,'','rQFnbmJf',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11151,1976,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1126588680,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','As It Is In Heaven (S som i himmelen) (2004) (Sweden)','\r\nDirector: Kay Pollak\r\nCast: Michael Nyqvist, Frida Hallgren\r\n\r\nThis film was 1 of the 5 that made it to the ultimate nomination in Oscar 2005 (foreign films category).\r\n\r\nIt tells the story of a successful conductor who returned to his childhood village and was asked to help out with a choir ...\r\n\r\nWhat is good ...\r\n-- The audience is constantly reminded that \"The purpose of music is to open one\'s heart!\" ... and predictably, it did for the protagonist, and many of the supporting characters ... ha ha ha\r\n-- Belying the simplistic plot, the film dwells with a number of issues, from fear and passion, to strength and power, from love and family, to life and work, etc ... \r\n-- It has a nice soundtrack, and the main song has very meaningful lyrics.\r\n\r\nWhat I thought could be better ...\r\n-- Oh no, I actually do not like the ending, which reminds me so much of \"Dead Poets Society\" ... when everyone joins in the chorus ... to me, it is kind of contrived ...\r\n-- Although the film has many underlying messages, the characterizations are rather simplified archetypes (except the lead) ...\r\n-- Hmmm, if you are expecting lots of singing (like Les Choristes), you may be disappointed.\r\n\r\nConclusion:\r\nI find the film above average, but it did not blow me away ...','97aae41b6f5db355a647521e1346064d',0,'','NjX8Fw3s',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11152,1976,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1126771980,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: As It Is In Heaven (S som i himmelen) (2004) (Sweden)','You may watch the trailer here ...\r\n\r\nwww.cineman.ch/movie/2005...ailer.html\r\n\r\nThe other 4 nominees are \r\n-- The Chorus (France)\r\n-- Downfall (Germany)\r\n-- Yesterday (South Africa)\r\n-- The Sea Inside (Spain)','c506e9a1dea4fb5dd28efae04c262b7c',0,'','KysniDQ4',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11153,1976,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1126777620,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: As It Is In Heaven (S som i himmelen) (2004) (Sweden)','Thanks for the info hengcs, I thought The Chorus was a little too \"nice\" and very much a mainstream film. I can\'t say I\'ll make a major effort to see As it is in Heaven although I\'ll certainly check out the trailer.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.\r\n\r\nJust seen the trailer, I think I\'ll give it a miss thanks.','f57ddd1085a81aa4706fa04c2239db46',0,'','H1Ue5rhS',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11154,1977,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1126127280,1,0,1,1,1,1,'howardschumann(d)','Battle Royale - My View','BATTLE ROYALE (Batoru rowaiaru)\r\n\r\nDirected by Kinji Fukasaku (2000)\r\n\r\nIn a futuristic Japan, millions are without work. Teenagers no longer regularly attend school and the educational system is near collapse. Students still dress in their neat beige uniforms but discipline no longer exists. To combat this situation, the government passes The Millennium Education Reform Act designating a class of ninth-grade students to be chosen each year by lottery and sent to a deserted island to fight each other until only one person survives. Based on a novel by Koushin Takami, Battle Royale, a film by the late Yakuza director Kinji Fukasaku, is a requiem for the end of dreams and a metaphor for the loss of innocence in a world that has forgotten what it means to be human. \r\n\r\nThough there are moments of black humor, the film is playing for keeps and the insanity of violence is shown in such uncompromising detail that it vividly reminds us that death is not a spectator sport, but a shocking and horrifying reality. The latest contest reunites 44 selected students with their teacher (Takeshi Kitano), a detached and ruthless resentful of the dwindling attendance in his classes. Each student is given food, a different weapon, a map, and a collar affixed to their neck that will explode if they try to remove it. They have three days in which to survive or perish. The children, forced by society to engage in a bloodletting ritual, all react differently. \r\n\r\nSome refuse to participate and plan to escape, some join with other groups for protection, some use it as an opportunity to settle old scores, a few commit suicide, and still others take it as a challenge to survive at all costs. Fukasaku captures what it means to be an adolescent with its sadness, bravado, and joy. Before she is killed, a teenage girl tells Shuya that she has always had a crush on him. Another boy facing death asks a girl if she will help him lose his virginity. Children are forced to live in an atmosphere of fear and distrust, having to look at their best friend as a potential killer. In this nightmare scenario, every morning they listen to the loudspeaker announcement by their teacher, about who is dead and how many are left alive. The actors cast are all around the age of fifteen and all are excellent. \r\n\r\nA blur at the beginning, we gradually get to know the main characters. Shuya Nanahara (Tatsuya Fujiwara) is a boy whose father hung himself and decides he will do anything to protect Noriko (Aki Maeda), the girl he loves. Kawada is a survivor of a previous contest, who Shuya and Noriko trust to provide them with a means of escape. In Battle Royale, the violence is overwhelming and the film raised a storm of controversy in Japan when it was first released. It is, however, not shown to numb our senses but to make us feel. Like All About Lily Chou Chou, a 2002 film about the effects of bullying in Japanese Junior High Schools, Battle Royale captures the effects of a social order that has lost its bearing. \r\n\r\nIt is a fable but one that makes a coherent statement about the world we live in. In a world where 14 and 15 year-olds are forced into combat in African and South American guerilla wars, where the proportion of childhood deaths in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is greater than adults by a ratio of 5-1, and where hundreds of children are killed each day in Iraq in the name of democracy, it is only logical to ask why our children should be overly concerned with the inherent value of life when apparently no one cares. In the words of Bill Marshall, \"It is only through the realization thatkilling is an abomination, no matter what form it takes or how it is described, that we can instill a conscience in all of our children.\" Hopefully that lesson can be taken from Battle Royale.\r\n\r\nGRADE: A-','e4047645a86ef24955f4a09403d20867',0,'','w1MtWxV4',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11155,1977,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1126288140,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: Battle Royale - My View','Nice review with some interesting points Howard, again it\'s another I haven\'t seen in a while, I was wondering if you saw the standard release or the extended edition?\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','ff268a2f1209810155c0e62123bef2f5',0,'','UxsXbr0H',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11156,1977,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1126289700,1,0,1,1,1,1,'howardschumann(d)','Re: Battle Royale - My View','Thanks. I\'m really not sure. All I know was that it was a new two-disc DVD release with one disc devoted entirely to features.','7bed6c5ea0a9889673a99b109cab5dc0',0,'','ySsfnDg9',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11157,1978,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1125876900,1,0,1,1,1,1,'Sara','Help! Lars von Trier Dogville','Can anyone help me make sense of the whole of Dogville?\r\n\r\nThe first hour I was absolutely in love with the film and its setting (shades of Thornton Wilder\'s Our Town.)\r\n\r\nBut the ending left me confused and wondering what the point von Trier was trying to make.\r\n\r\nThey talk of forgiveness, arrogance, being honest and open, and --- then all hell comes at the end. \r\n\r\nHelp, please.\r\n\r\nSara','cecd27d29610f366642a567b386c51eb',0,'','Clp8YTAf',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11158,1978,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1125877080,1,0,1,1,1,1,'wpqx','Re: Help! Lars von Trier Dogville','Let me re-post my reactions to it, it may help you out.\r\n\r\nMay the lord bless Lars Von Trier. With Dogville, my faith in cinema has been fully and faithfully restored. Following a seemingly endless barrage of mediocre films, I began to wonder if I was numb to great cinema. Had I reached a point where I was burnt out on film, and lost any potential feeling that may derive from cinema, or was I just watching the wrong films? I began to look for known classics, films that should be enough to restore any doubting cinephiles faith. What I found was increasing indifference. With few exceptions I was rather passive to cinema. Even the few great films that I saw, didnt profoundly affect me the way that only the truly great films can. That all changed when I watched Dogville.\r\nWith the prologue I found myself asking the question of whether this film could do it. I knew that it was something different, and Dancer in the Dark taught me that Von Trier was capable of producing some extraordinary movies. I had to relax though, and not try and convince myself that this film was great, just let it do the convincing for me. I soon realized that this sparse stage piece complete with highly literary narrative was going to be the tone for the entire film. Knowing Von Trier, I was certainly ready for the most extreme cases of melodrama.\r\nWith this understanding I let the film continue. It was a long haul, nearly three hours, and for about the first time in months I managed to watch a film at home straight through without stopping to take a break, or just generally get bored. From Nicole Kidmans introduction I took to her character. Her performance throughout may very well be the best of her career, certainly better than the Oscar winning turn she had in The Hours. Seeing the crop of recognizable faces filling out the rest of the population of Dogville I wondered if this would be some random whos who of character actors and stars trying to show how great they can act, or whether it was just a cast assembled from Mt. Olympus. Thankfully Von Trier knew what he was doing, and every actor seemed like a perfect fit.\r\nI must admire Kidmans choice to do the film. Lots of indifference has greeted her last several films, but one thing that she has avoided (unlike other recent best actress winners) is turning movie star. Sure the case can be made that Kidman is a born movie star, she certainly looks the part, but she wasnt an actress who decided that they were gonna take it easy because they already won their award. This performance was certainly enough to earn her another nomination, but lets not get into Academy credibility right now.\r\nVon Triers attack on small town America is scathing. He opens the film as if this little village were out of a Vincente Minnelli musical. Everyone knows each other, is polite, and scared of the big city folk. As we progress we get a sense that this is a heartwarming story of small town life. A triumph for simple people and simple ways, and a tale of a young lost woman finding her way amidst the mountains of Colorado. For any other (and many lesser) director, this probably would be the gist of the tale, but look at who were dealing with.\r\nThe chapter titles serve to keep the literary theme of the film, as well as give us a brief heads up as to whats about to happen. You at one point are scratching your head and at the same time laughing at Veras (Patricia Clarkson) oldest son telling Grace that hes been bad and needs to be spanked. You start to realize that this town isnt exactly normal, and the complacency of the first half is about to rapidly deteriorate. Perhaps my only objection on the part of Von Trier is the uncharacteristically under-dramatic raping. Grace seems a bit passive, and there doesnt seem to be much indication of the psychological impact of it upon her. Perhaps the goal was more to show her as a victim unable to go anywhere for help, so in Von Triers eyes all she could do was accept it.\r\nAs the film continues it becomes more perverted, and the women become cruel. It is clear from the start that Liz (Chloe Sevigny) is jealous of Graces looks, despite what she may say. Which she at first is appreciative of her, by taking some of the prying eyes of the men away from her. As time goes by though, Liz finds that none of the towns men seem to pay her any mind, and what might have been just a slight case of envy at a pretty face becomes hatred. As Vera finds that her husband is forcing himself on Grace, she doesnt lash out at him, but rather Grace. Martha, on the other hand just seems to go along with whatever anyone else does. She is a bit simple minded and I view her as a bit of a victim as well.\r\nThe tale is redemptive though, but not in any way like we might have expected. There is a change in morals, there is a turning point, and there is a moment of self-discovery for Grace. Even when it appears as though we know its come and have figured out what makes Grace tick, well theres Von Trier to slap us in the face and let us know that we know absolutely nothing about this character weve been with for the past 2 and a half hours. However, I wont mention what revelation occurs, but I sincerely thank our writer-director for giving me that oh so necessary jolt. Grace is vindicated, and then some, and I for one cant help but be amazed at a happy ending (?) to a Lars Von Trier film.','67c8e9875231121d622569a8aa0eb45b',0,'','dRy1M9iw',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11159,1978,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1125878220,1,0,1,1,1,1,'Sara','Re: Help! Lars von Trier Dogville','Thanks, wpqx. That was helpful.\r\n\r\nHowever, I still don\'t know what the real \"message\" of the film was. \r\n\r\nYou talk about a \"turning point.\" I guess I really don\'t quite get it.\r\n\r\nI don\'t understand Grace. I think I understand the people of Dogville better than I do Grace. Dogville seems like all the people in little towns that I know! Human. Fragile. Cunning. Deceptive. Tragic. Good, yet willing to turn on a dime.\r\n\r\nBut Grace? I don\'t know her. (Or do I?????)\r\n\r\nSara','5c236ac2333355ace9c3a037dfe728dc',0,'','ZyMiKf7w',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11160,1978,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1126254660,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: Help! Lars von Trier Dogville','I haven`t my review on the film anymore, as it got deleted with the old page. I agree with wpqx on many points, but he didn`t want to spoil the film, so I don`t know how much.\r\nAnyway,\r\n\r\nSPOILER\r\nin my opinion Grace is the real villain of the film. The townspeople are all ordinary folk, and everything goes \"well\" until the middle, when von Trier luckily doesn`t end the film, but shows the consequences of Grace`s behaviour. The best line in the film - and the most important one - is imo when Grace`s father (James Caan) in the end, tells her that she`s the most arrogant of all persons (which she is!). Grace isn`t a \"victim\", because she`s in part(!) responsible for the townspeople`s behaviour. She acts like a saint throughout the film, like nothing affects her, like she has no personal views whatsoever, always doing what she`s told. A masochistic Martyr (like some former von Trier`s characters) that brings heaps of destruction upon herself and others. But of course the other people go way too far in their behaviour and are responsible too. In the end Grace realizes her failure and gross dishonesty and egotism (she wasn`t showing her feelings and thus her personality to the people; she was just acting for them and most of all herself), but also (which is equally important) the even worse failure of the townspeople. The message is (besides what i already mentioned), that everyone is responsible for his actions, and the tragedy of the \"american\" people is that they do what they do in the film out of ignorance, because of the (capitalist) society that exerts huge pressure on them through structural violence. The people act \"insane\" because of the society they live in, but they are also responsible themselves, because as human beings they should be capable to avert certain behavioral patterns. Grace decides to kill them in the end, because she has come to the conclusion, that they have lost the right to be regarded as human beings after the psychic torture they have put her through (even if it was in some cases unknowingly, because of society`s conditioning). Although it may appear drastic that the town is wiped out, I agree with this step (meaning that i would have done so myself). But interesting is also, that Grace who has already loaded much guilt on herself through the previous actions, she equals herself with the townspeople in terms of \"guilt\" when \"she\" kills them, while at the same time proving her \"humanity\" (meaning that she becomes a moraly \"better\" human being after taking the gun in her hands and killing her \"boyfriend\" - which sounds paradox but isn`t). What happened to her was in the end too much a human being could/should take. \r\nThe end of the film shows still photographs of depression america, and how this society dehumanized the people. Speaking in terms of Dogville, the society (an almost invisible outside force - besides the FBI) dehumanized the people so much that in the end they lost their humanity completely. Grace was also a victim of this, but more through her own making. \r\nIn the end all are victims and perpetrators at the same time, but only Grace learns her lesson. The others have failed to \"redeem\" themselves and escape the system (notice her last conversation with her \"boyfriend\" before she shoots him).\r\n\r\nSpoiler end\r\n\r\nThere are some other points as well, but this is basically what makes the film great.','f1369e9f5d2d4409407c9cf5aa64f3b3',0,'','P9Hi6wnT',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11168,1980,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1125204000,1,0,1,1,1,1,'Ericktubil','Frozen Land - by Aku Louhimies ( Finland 2005 )','I just watched it. Loved it...loved it. The film is very dark, talks about the realities of unemployment, drugs, alcohol and the effect of single \"Fake Money\" to the society. The movie storytelling is quite similar to the movie \"Crash\" by Paul Haggis.\r\nAccording to the flyers, it won a special jury pize in 2005 Moscow Film Festival 2005. It is one of the films featured in CineManila 2005 Advance Screening. The following are the other movies featured in the Advance Screening of CineManila\r\n\r\nManderlay -by Lars Von Trier ( Denmark /USA 2005 )\r\nKekexili - by Lu Chuan ( China 2004 )\r\nFactotum - by Bent Hammer ( USA / Norway 2005)\r\nDaybreak - by Bjorn Runge ( Sweden 2003 )\r\nBishonen - by Yonfan ( Hongkong 1998 )\r\nHawaii , Oslo - by Erik Poppe ( Denmark/ Norway 2004 ) \r\n\r\nThe official Cinemanila Film Festival will begin October 12 and will end October 25 ..\r\n\r\n.','5b2ab84b32b1be8a2489b56afc6ba2ee',0,'','PfS7v4UQ',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11169,1980,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1125248160,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: Frozen Land - by Aku Louhimies ( Finland 2005 )','Hopefully you\'ll get the chance to see some of the other films, if so please write your comments on them.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','68c82f9ffcdc897003fffa4a864eabec',0,'','HjU0neKT',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11170,1980,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1125258420,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: Frozen Land - by Aku Louhimies ( Finland 2005 )','Sounds interesting. I haven`t heard of the others, yet (besides Manderlay), so Id be pleased with a write-up. \r\nAnd have fun at the festival!\r\nToday I`ll watch the last film in my hometowns \"Festival\" of some sorts (only eleven films, cornered by 15 classics) and I`m in a good mood: Goodbye, Dragon Inn (Tsai Ming-liang / Taiwan / 2003).','f0af986e0696e365aa83cf34e2ddb186',0,'','tq1CbV6y',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11171,1980,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1125658140,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Frozen Land - by Aku Louhimies ( Finland 2005 )','I have watched the following and written \"lost\" reviews for the first and third ... but i guess I will leave the writing to you now ... ha ha ha ... dont worry, I will add on ... hiaks hiaks\r\n\r\nKekexili - by Lu Chuan ( China 2004 )\r\nBishonen - by Yonfan ( Hongkong 1998 )\r\nHawaii , Oslo - by Erik Poppe ( Denmark/ Norway 2004 )','0e3db516878ec7a179e7bf803cde9566',0,'','jAm4dUEP',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11172,1981,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1124176920,1,0,1,1,1,1,'arsaib4','Kira Muratova\'s CHEKHOVIAN MOTIVES','To call Kira Muratova one of the most unique filmmakers in the world would be an understatement. Its commonly known that even the most ardent of her fans usually approach her work with a form of subversive neglect, mostly caused by her \"repetitiveness.\" Obviously they dont realize that human beings are repetitive (they also might wanna try a Tsai film, or not). To me thats more or less become a fashionable thing to say because I havent found any of her films a torture to sit through; although, I could certainly recommend a few that are. Anyway, as Chris Fujiwara brilliantly puts it, \"No other director presents people the way Kira Muratova does. Her uncompromising films are filled with histrionics, rhetorical steam baths, people talking at the same time and not listening to one another, emotionalism juxtaposed with coolness. Gestures, actions, exchanges, lines of dialogue get repeated and drawn out past reasonable bounds. Such absurdism would be easier to absorb if it were just absurdism, but Muratova leaves her audience defenseless in the face of whats arguably the most subversive aspect of her work: her refusal to treat people as repulsive or ridiculous.\"\r\n\r\nBorn in 1934 in Soroca, Romania (now Maldova), she moved to the Soviet Union at an early age (she now resides in Ukraine). She starred in her brilliant debut feature, Brief Encounters (1967), and since then have made about a dozen more. Ive been fortunate to see about half of them with Long Farewells (1971), The Asthenic Syndrome (1989), and Three Stories (1997) standing above the rest. Muratova is an eccentric and her personality peeks through in all of her films but perhaps in none more so than in her minor, yet not insignificant Chekhovian Motives (Chekhovskie Motivy). The film starts off with a barn worker chasing his \"wet one,\" a goat that is, and ends with another short sequence. However, the rest is mostly comprised of two rather long set-pieces, both about an hour in length each. The first half, an update of Anton Checkhovs \"Difficult People,\" situates itself around a dinner table where a young city student tries to coax some money out of his overbearing father. Words are said and repeated, rather loudly I might add, and ultimately things are broken but without much progress. You dont have to be a Chekhov student to come to the conclusion that there isn\'t much here that resembles his work. But the reason this half is uninteresting is because its not highly original in form or content (the shot of a sleepy kid, notwithstanding).\r\n\r\nBut the second half is pure madness, or, in other words, pure Muratova. This one, a loose adaptation of Chekhovs unfinished play \"Tatyana Repina,\" entirely takes place inside a church where we find ourselves in the middle of a Russian Orthodox wedding. The Old and the New Russians are there, bitching about themselves and each other, along with the heat, smoking, transsexuals, the bride and groom etc. We learn that this is the second time for the bride so \"shes been through this before,\" as someone muses, while the groom is experiencing \"optical illusions\" of his mistress who poisoned herself recently. As Muratovas camera pans the scene we realize that some of the costumes wouldnt look out of place at a runway in Milan, while others seem to be borrowed from the Czars (Fujiwara isnt entirely wrong when he calls Chekhovian Motives a counterpart of Aleksandr Sokurov\'s Russian Ark [2002]). Nevertheless, this is pure satire and, while humid and claustrophobic, it seems timeless in its tranquillity, but if youre looking for subtlety, stay the @#%$ away!\r\n\r\nBut unlike, say, the films of Emir Kusturica, who often resemble a self-indulgent mess (partly on purpose), the madness in Chekhovian Motives is controlled by Muratovas pitch-perfect mise-en-scne; all captured with luminous B&W cinematography. (Also, if youve seen Muratovas earlier films along with Jan Svankmajer\'s Conspirators of Pleasure (1996) and Aleksei German\'s Khrustalyov, My Car! (1999) then youll be able to pick out many of the actors from this sequence.) After the wedding guests leave, the remaining staff of the church ruminates about life and death, and what theyre doing is so meaningless. Not long after, we get to witness the bridegrooms rendition of a powerful piece composed by Valentin Silvestrov. But, ultimately, Muratova takes us back to the house where we began and moves us, and if that surprises you, then you dont know Muratova.','269482dd53d8bbc7d6fa0c3817b99b34',0,'','bXwpB6mj',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11173,1981,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1124907960,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: Kira Muratova\'s CHEKHOVIAN MOTIVES','Saw this film at a rusiian film festival two years ago, and it was one of the stronger efforts.\r\nAs wpqx already pointed out, what stands out is the middle section with the wedding, but besides some great moments - I particularly liked the \"ending\" sequence, when the madwoman gets active, I also thought it too long and repetitive. As a whole, the film is put together from pieces that dont fit well. Two or three short films would have been a far better option. Nevertheless worth watching, though I hope Muratova has made some better films. If this is a minor work, a director to watch out for.','6f1fd94528b9fbde9e9887fe2d5b81cb',0,'','ejmAHrwY',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11174,1982,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1124881500,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Strings (2004)','\r\n\r\nDirected by Anders Rnnow-Klarlund\r\n\r\nA dark fairytale that plays out like a very simplified Shakespearian tragedy with suicide, murder, love, revenge, sacrifice and a lot more besides.\r\n\r\nThere is little if anything original about the plot but what makes this stand out is the fact that the puppet strings are integral to the characters lives. This is shown in a number of ways such as the suicide right at the start, the King, ashamed of what hes done leaves a note for his son then takes his knife and cuts the string thats attached to his head, this causes his death. There are many clever little touches to show the effect of the strings throughout the film such as the design of the city gate which is a single bar thats raised, preventing the strings to pass under.\r\n\r\nIts a strange one though, there are moments which are too dark for children and most adults wont be bothered simply because its a puppet play and fairytale like, so who would enjoy it? \r\n\r\nWell I did, I enjoyed it for the little touches and the sheer artistry of the puppeteers plus the way the strings were integrated into the story, and also I like a good Shakespeare style tragedy. The rest of the audience seemed enthralled as well but this was an art-house cinema, it didnt make it to the multiplexes, not in Cardiff anyway, unfortunately this will mean the majority will miss out on something enjoyable which is a shame.\r\n\r\nA definite recommendation for those who like to try something a little different. If you get the chance to see it, especially in the cinema then take the opportunity.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.\r\n\r\nBBFC rated PG.','c84e2611e95b5688f0c7e57ea01e0805',0,'','Ti0plBJH',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11175,1983,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1124496540,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Le Conseguenze dell\'Amore (2004) The Consequences of Love','Le Conseguenze dell\'Amore (2004) The Consequences of Love\r\n\r\nDirected by Paolo Sorrentino \r\n\r\nStarring Toni Servillo, Olivia Magnani\r\n\r\nTitta Di Girolamo has spent the last 8 years living in a hotel in Switzerland, every week a suitcase of money is left in his room, which he then takes to be counted and banked. His life is a never-ending cycle of repetition, so much so that although he looks, he doesnt see. He is oblivious to the hotel staff who greet him every day, and spends a great deal of his time looking at life pass him by through the windows in the hotel bar. There are minor interruptions to his daily pattern such as his younger brothers brief visit but otherwise his life goes on in a dull endless routine. \r\n\r\nLife changes though when he is confronted by the bargirl Sofia who demands to know why in the 2 years she has worked there; he hasnt acknowledged her once. His bubble of isolation is burst and he must deal with the consequences of love. \r\n\r\nThe cinematography is excellent, the leading players likewise, Titta is a man who for reasons known only to himself has switched off to life, he is far more aware of his surroundings than we are lead to believe which comes into effect later in the film. The suitcase of money is from the mafia, his long tedious hotel stay is a form of punishment for the loss of a great deal of mafia money when he was working as a stockbroker. Olivia Magnani as Sofia has a fairly small but pivotal role in the film and has that classic Italian beauty.\r\n\r\nIf I had to knock anything in the film, it would be the soundtrack which at times was intrusive, if a soundtrack is really good you dont really notice it that much because it blends in well with the film, not so in this case.\r\n\r\nA very enjoyable film with (at times) some humorous touches and a good ending.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','088be0708d2923af5ad2dc9c84d6f5ea',0,'','hTybCW0K',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11176,1983,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1124506320,1,0,1,1,1,1,'arsaib4','Re: Le Conseguenze dell\'Amore (2004) The Consequences of Love','Good review, Trev. I thought I posted my comments here somewhere but I can\'t find \'em. Anyway, the film looks great, doesn\'t it? I was a bit let down with the more generic last act.','c18fc59d70305be1af4264faf0d02722',0,'','Zanskirv',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11177,1983,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1124534460,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: Le Conseguenze dell\'Amore (2004) The Consequences of Love','Things did go downhill a touch once you left the sanctury of the hotel and despite it being a non-typical mafia film, the scenes involving them could easily have come from one of the Godfather films.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','cd7c892b3d726c97f74c413e35e50e08',0,'','CGx2rZFc',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11178,1984,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1124494020,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Dear Wendy (2005)','Dear Wendy (2005)\r\n\r\nDirected by Thomas Vinterberg\r\n\r\nStarring Jamie Bell, Bill Pullman\r\n\r\nIt may be directed by Vinterberg but you cant escape the fact that this is a Lars von Trier film, it has his name stamped all over it. An ironic look at gun culture, specifically American gun culture where the protagonists, the misfits in a US mining town collect together in a group in a disused mine shaft. They name themselves the Dandies and even dress the part although the main reason for this collective effort is to share their pacifist ideals and their love of guns. A love that leads them to give each gun a name hence the Dear Wendy of the title and to virtually idolise them with rituals and rites before they can even touch them. \r\n\r\nThe story is very simple, in some ways a little too simple with the basic lesson that guns are designed with one reason in mind and no matter what your principles are, guns will inevitably lead to violence and more often than not death.\r\n\r\nParts are reminiscent of Dogville, the way the town is laid out, especially when in map form (which is used several times) likewise the simple defining of each character. The token black guy is inevitably the bad egg, again a simplification but one that is certainly true to a lot of American films although hes not the one that causes trouble for the group. The end indeed the whole film could be discussed on a much deeper level but since many havent seen it yet itll have to wait for now. \r\n\r\nAlso as with Dogville, I can\'t really say if I enjoyed the film, it has purpose but I can\'t say I liked the oversimplification of everything. \r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','289436a0456827f2794159508fded23e',0,'','B8w2g5SH',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11179,1984,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1124506500,1,0,1,1,1,1,'arsaib4','Re: Dear Wendy (2005)','I could be wrong but I believe Von Trier did write the screenplay. Vinterberg and him are very close obviously. I didn\'t like his previous film It\'s All About Love at all so I\'m a hesitant.','279ee3fe802632f766c70a84a75cc54a',0,'','VCArtl2c',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11180,1984,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1124508240,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: Dear Wendy (2005)','Lars did do the screenplay and it shows, Pullman,s cop character in particular is very stereotypical and humorous. The film is a far cry from It\'s all about Love which was a mess. \r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','3eda543096c352ab86afeb2fb0a936c1',0,'','wlHYurzj',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11181,1985,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1123887540,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Lilja 4-ever (2002) (Sweden)','Director: Lukas Moodysson\r\nCast: Oksana Akinshina, Artyom Bogucharsky\r\n\r\nOk, I know it has been discussed before, but the thread has disappeared after the virus attack. \r\n\r\nAnyway, I have just watched it ...\r\n\r\nInitially, I was thinking ... another film about teenager being forced into prostitution?! ... not a new theme ... so what could the director do to make it a really good film ... and at the end, I had to agree it is a very good film ...\r\n\r\n\r\nWhat I like ...\r\nThere are quite a number of very commendable scenes ...\r\n-- I especially like the second time when the young boy sat with Lilja and talked to her again ... the lines went something like that ... \"You will be dead for eternity ... but you only live for a moment ...\" \r\n* ... WOW ... and you think about the title \"... 4 ever ...\" (i.e., eternity?!) ... and her etching on the bench \"... Lilja 4-ever ...\" *\r\nalso ... since she didnt leave when people spat on her then, why should she now ...\r\n-- I also like the scene when everything started reversing ... oh no ... don\'t tell me it was one of those films that nothing had happened and it was just a figment of imagination again ... \r\n* watch it and you will know what actually happened ... *\r\n-- I also think the film managed to capture the relationship between the girl and the boy very well ... \r\n* by the way, do you see a parallel of her mother leaving her and she leaving him?! *\r\n-- Finally, it is good that the film did not become too melodramatic, but told many real life plights as they were ... \r\n\r\nWhat may some people not like ...\r\n-- Well, to be critical, the plot is not too novel ... although it has a nice take ...\r\n\r\nConclusion:\r\n-- I recommend the film ... go watch ... \r\nWhile the story is not exactly new, it is very well filmed ...\r\n\r\nPS: The DVD also has two shorts/appeals from UNICEF and Amnesty International.','de37acb13fce4aab0398181b29980c59',0,'','7kGtmWoy',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11182,1986,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1123774260,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','La Haine (Hate) (1995) (France)','\r\nDirector: Mathieu Kassovitz\r\nCast: Vincent Cassel, Hubert Kound, Sad Taghmaoui\r\n\r\nIn Cannes Film Festival 1995, it won the Prix de la mise en scne (i.e., Best Director) \r\n\r\nFor Csar Awards 1996, it garnered the Best Film, Best Editing and Best Producer . \r\n\r\nWhat is commendable ...\r\n-- Everything looks so real ... such that the audience could connect ...\r\n-- Wow ... the cast carried their roles *very well*, delivering their lines as though they were really their own and not scripted ... and you believe they are actually friends ...\r\n-- The choice of black and white (despite filming in color) is great ...\r\n-- Finally, the theme of the film: It is not just about hatred ... but about respect ...\r\n\r\nWhat may be problematic ...\r\n-- Hmmm ... some people might misconstrue it as an anti-police film ... but frankly, it has much more to it ...\r\n\r\nConclusion:\r\nI highly recommend the film!\r\nHopefully, all of us learn something from it ...\r\n\r\n\r\nPS: In the new edition, the subtitles are very readable!','f6e59445efa740ac6e94ac06a201d84c',0,'','V4Lq8fyh',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11183,1986,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1123775340,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: La Haine (Hate) (1995) (France)','Another interesting trivia:\r\n-- Most of the backstage crew did their \"cameo\" on the subway scene.\r\n-- The director\'s father was in the gallery scene\r\n-- The producer was the taxi driver, etc\r\n\r\nhee hee','51c74591c7f7d223ce5d13f2ac3c3003',0,'','WPmQ8Nwj',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11184,1986,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1123782840,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: La Haine (Hate) (1995) (France)','I have the old Tartan dvd but I also have the 10th Anniversary edition released in the UK by Optimum which is superior in every way and has good extras including a commentary from Mathieu Kassowitz.\r\n\r\nDon\'t suppose you know anyone who want\'s the old version? \r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','7eade1f3051791b6e8fb287e483c7738',0,'','AkfvwEJi',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11185,1986,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1123795500,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: La Haine (Hate) (1995) (France)','You may try ebay','141eacad05b97f720ae0e869fde76fbd',0,'','vbE0x5Hj',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11186,1987,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1122764340,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Ashes of Time - What\'s it all about?','Has anyone seen Ashes of Time from Wong Kar Wai?\r\n\r\nI don\'t know if the copy I have is below par in terms of the transfer and subtitles but I found it difficult to read the subs and almost impossible to make any headway with the film.\r\n\r\nSo please, if anybody can shed some light on the film, what is it about etc I would be very grateful.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','ac875c8fc0c5838291625a4d4a952417',0,'','DPrxqs52',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11187,1987,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1122775260,1,0,1,1,1,1,'wpqx','Re: Ashes of Time - What\'s it all about?','I had a similar reaction, hard to read subtitles, and I probably didn\'t pay enough attention to it, as usual. I did however watch the film and appreciate it on a visual level.','155f9b530754d418281c4d73d7c8f058',0,'','D68lcZSw',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11188,1987,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1122926400,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Ashes of Time - What\'s it all about?','Hey, \r\nI watched it too long ago. I guess I have to get the DVD to rewatch it if you want me to recall or explain scenes by scenes ... * naughty grin *\r\n\r\nBut I definitely can share a few interesting things about the film.\r\n\r\nThe Chinese title is \"East Evil West Venom\" (literally). \"East Evil\" (aka Huang Yao Shi) and \"West Venom\" (aka Ou Yang Feng) are two major characters in the famous martial arts novel \"Legend of the Condor Heroes\" by Jin Yong. \r\n\r\nBut, Wong Kar Wai is NOT doing an adaptation. What he tries to do, is to create his own story of what could probably have happened to these two characters when they were teenagers (i.e., not really elaborated in the novel) to let them become what they were at this old age. In fact, he is not interested in events as much as the pyschology and emotions underlying these two characters -- that is why the film is more \"mood driven\" rather than \"events driven.\"\r\n\r\nThe gist of the film is:\r\n-- \"East Evil\" brought a wine (that could help one forget his past) to \"West Venom\". While the former drank heartily, the latter wouldn\'t. Over time, many travellers passed by the inn to tell their stories about lost love and their hope for lost memories.\r\n\r\nMany moviegoers (during then) were attracted to the film\r\n-- because the novel was very widely read, and there were many good Hong Kong TVB serials (i.e., TV serials) of the novel. It simply had a very interesting story.\r\n-- because the film had a very fantastic cast ... wow\r\n\r\nHowever, * drum roll *, many moviegoers were surprised/disappointed \r\n-- because WKW adopted a \"non martial arts\" take, and went for a \"more drama\" take.\r\n-- because it was slow paced ... BUT many were anticipating a martial arts film, thereby aggravating the disappointment ...\r\n-- because of the nonlinear narration, many could not understand what he was driving at ...\r\n\r\nThe film was however awarded with the Best Cinematography and Best Editing in Golden Horse Award.','6ef1968922f4ecb4646d1b6c9716da0f',0,'','Gf9gtEFj',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11189,1987,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1123504920,1,0,1,1,1,1,'groom daniel','Re: Ashes of Time - What\'s it all about?','Ashes of Time is a great, great film -- the ultimate example of Wong Kar-Wai\'s art. You need to get a better print.','56bdc795e0b44253ce58107b2973398d',0,'','rDMqeZku',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11190,1987,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1123706760,1,0,1,1,1,1,'kookook','Re: Ashes of Time - What\'s it all about?','    Awards:     \r\n\r\n14th Annual Hong Kong Film Awards\r\nWinner - Best Cinematography (Christopher Doyle)\r\nWinner - Best Art Direction (William Cheung Suk-Ping)\r\nWinner - Best Costume Design (William Cheung Suk-Ping)\r\nNomination - Best Picture\r\nNomination - Best Director (Wong Kar-Wai)\r\nNomination - Best Screenplay (Wong Kar-Wai)\r\nNomination - Best Editing (Patrick Tam Ka-Ming, Hai Kit-Wai)\r\nNomination - Best Action Design (Sammo Hung Kam-Bo)\r\nNomination - Best Original Score (Frankie Chan Fan-Kei)\r\n1st Annual Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards\r\nBest Picture\r\nBest Director (Wong Kar-Wai)\r\nBest Screenplay (Wong Kar-Wai)\r\n   \r\n   Availability:     DVD (Hong Kong)\r\nRegion 0 NTSC\r\nMei Ah Laser\r\nWidescreen\r\nCantonese and Mandarin Language Tracks\r\nEnglish and Chinese Subtitles\r\n\r\nNice Movie','eb76781a2d768e2af29c6e7e3bca2cbb',0,'','VuQywZ5d',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11191,1987,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1123722420,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: Ashes of Time - What\'s it all about?','As wpqx noted, the subs on the DVD disappear whenever the screen is light just like the original Tartan DVD release of La Haine, pretty much makes it impossible to follow the story.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','34d1a18f8269583dcab1ee5d98f8f893',0,'','Eqbd2suT',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11192,1987,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1123774560,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Ashes of Time - What\'s it all about?','Quote Trevor, \"As wpqx noted, the subs on the DVD disappear whenever the screen is light just like the original Tartan DVD release of La Haine, pretty much makes it impossible to follow the story.\"\r\n\r\nHey,\r\ngood news\r\nin the new edition, the subtitles are very readable!','901c8e6434aa0a7d3e93bf210d8c20cb',0,'','lCe09KSv',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11193,1988,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1123739880,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Nina\'s Tragedies (2003) (Israel)','Director: Savi Gabizon\r\nCast: Ayelet July Zurer, Aviv Elkabets, Yoram Hatav, Shmil Ben-Ari, Dov Navon, Anat Waxsman, Alon Aboutboul\r\n\r\nThe Israeli Film Academy awarded it with Best Film, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Editing, and Best Sound .\r\n\r\nThe official website is here\r\nwww.wellspring.com/movies...ovie_id=46\r\n\r\nThe movie relates the crush of a 14-year-old with his beautiful aunt after the death of her husband \r\n\r\nWhat is good \r\n-- The film charts on rather bold topic \r\ne.g., a teenagers fantasy about his aunt\r\ne.g., a teenagers voyeuristic expeditions with an adult \r\n-- It also has a good mix of comedy and pathos, realism and fantasy yet, the entire film comes across as credible \r\n-- Finally, when one wonders how the film will end, the director delivers the ending well, with a nice message from the father to the son \r\n\r\nWhat could be better \r\n-- Given that the entire film is narrated from the perspective of a 14-year-old, he has to be more compelling. Unfortunately, he does not grip the audience \r\n-- Since the entire film is narrated from a single person\'s perspective (or journal entries), there is the danger or possibility of featuring certain episodes that he may not be involved (so, how could he know so much in details) Yet, the film seems to narrate a rather complete story (albeit nonlinearly) \r\n-- As the narration is nonlinear, audience may find it confusing initially. However, by the end of the film, the story falls into place \r\n\r\nConclusion:\r\nI often wonder how much is lost in translation, esp. the humor/sadness in language and in context (i.e., only understood locally).\r\nAn above average film','151430f9178f07eb781528af49f54d31',0,'','gSHXsPQK',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11194,1989,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1123720920,1,0,1,1,1,1,'wpqx','Saraband','Well Sara was asking what we thought of it, so here\'s it\'s own thread. \r\n\r\nI honestly never thought I\'d see the day when I could say that I saw a \"new\" Ingmar Bergman film in a theater. Considering Fanny and Alexander saw it\'s US premiere the year I was born, he was a little before my time. Watching the film on the big screen I saw something that art house audiences of the 60\'s and 70\'s must have seen whenever Bergman had a new release. There was a general excitement about the film. Don\'t get me wrong, the film isn\'t \"exciting\", in fact it\'s deliberately slow, methodical, and somber, but the craft is what\'s exciting. Seeing something new from arguably the greatest director living or dead.\r\n\r\nFor those unfamiliar with the story, I would highly suggest getting Scenes From a Marriage. This film is more of a companion piece to that rather than an outright sequel. Bergman doesn\'t really attempt to explain away the last thirty years in these characters lives, instead he let\'s us see them in the present. We get a bit of an introduction in Marrianne\'s (Liv Ullmann) prologue, but it is merely Bergman\'s way of getting the trivial matters like setting taken care of.\r\n\r\nThe film has a novel like form, and it is made more abundantly clear with the use of chapters, I believe there are 11 in all, plus the prologue and epilogue. The film title is the 9th chapter, and for those who don\'t know what a Saraband is, it\'s a piece of music. The cast is kept extremely small (as it was in Scenes), with only Ullmann, Erland Josephson (reprising his role of Johan), and Johan\'s son from another marriage Henrik (Borje Ahlstedt) and his daughter Karin (Julia Dufvenius). There is one other character, but she appears for only one scene, and discussing that particular scene may ruin a genuinely powerful moment in the film.\r\n\r\nThe title alludes not only to that piece of music, a Bach piece for cello which plays throughout the picture, but as a description of the film itself. It bears the qualities of that piece of music, simple but powerful. Although instead of focusing on the drama of Marrianne and Johan again, the drama is now on Henrik and Karin. Dufvenius gives a remarkably good performance, but it\'s hard to think of anyone who isn\'t amazing with a director like Bergman around. Henrik has that pathetic quality to him which fits for the story. He is a \"needy\" person, always devoted, but constantly in need of someone else. It is this very clingy nature that repulses his father, and the two openly admit their hatred for one another.\r\n\r\nIf there could be a more appropriate title, it would perhaps be Scenes from a Family, because the focus isn\'t on the marriage, but on the people who are at least geographically closest to Johan. Marrianne has no direct relation to Karin or Henrik, but serves as a shoulder to cry on for Karin who\'s torn between what\'s best for her, and what\'s best for her father. Marrianne plays much the role of observer throughout, offering insight and guidance, but rarely is her opinion taken to consideration. It is only in the final scene with Johann do we see the dependency that these two had for each other in the original film.\r\n\r\nDespite being the observer, Marriane is the main thrust and catalyst of the story. She is the one who makes the contact with Johan, and she is the one that is telling the story, although not through direct narration. Without her there, this film would have no center, she represents us in the story, full of opinions, but without much help to anyone. Marriane is also the strongest character in the film. She doesn\'t \"need\" anyone or anything, she sees Johan on an impulse and I believe she just wants to see him. She is also the only character in the film who has an actual job (still a lawyer), although Karin is working on her own future career by the film\'s end. She has her own life, and she\'s not left in the country with nothing but beautiful scenery and time to contemplate her life.\r\n\r\nI was generally impressed with the film, there were heavy expecations, and I must say the film came through as much as I could have hoped for. I doubt that any cinephile would miss this, but for those in doubt, SEE THIS MOVIE. Bergman makes a strong case for why he may be the greatest director of all time.','59f710160446f066eb9493eeb2a3307f',0,'','2oDaPdKc',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11195,1989,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1123710240,1,0,1,1,1,1,'Sara','Re: Saraband','The name of this film is Saraband and that\'s about all I know except that both Ullman and Josephson are in it.\r\n\r\nCan anyone enlighten me?\r\n\r\nSara','ffae091b793a4259db6c83ea542b3e6c',0,'','YxPQa062',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11196,1989,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1123711740,1,0,1,1,1,1,'kookook','Re: Saraband','maybe this will enlightened you Sara...\r\n\r\nsearcht.netscape.com/ns/boomframe.jsp?query=Saraband&page=1&offset=0&result_url=redir%3Fsrc%3Dwebsearch%26requestId%3D41a5541cc7303f87%26clickedItemRank%3D3%26userQuery%3DSaraband%26clickedItemURN%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.sonyclassics.com%252Fsaraband%252F%26invocationType%3D-%26fromPage%3DNSCPToolbarNS%26amp%3BampTest%3D1&remove_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sonyclassics.com%2Fsaraband%2F','8a07052b2969bb718675994dae1ea0af',0,'','04RHSuUt',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11197,1989,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1123712760,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: Saraband','This seems to have been doing the circuits for a good while now, initially a made for TV drama, it has been nominated for a couple of awards at different festivals and has won one or two. \r\n\r\nApart from that, all I know is that it is being released on DVD in the UK fairly soon and I\'m looking forward to eventually seeing it.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev','561a978bd9cd6142065b39098c27ccf2',0,'','MqsPF2oN',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11198,1989,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1123712880,1,0,1,1,1,1,'Sara','Re: Saraband','Thanks, kookook.\r\n\r\nLooks like it will be a while before the film makes it to DVD where I can see it.\r\n\r\nWould love to hear what someone thinks that has seen it on the big screen.\r\n\r\nSara','fbf14cdd80eb2f77c5a868ead30669e7',0,'','izP59tep',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11199,1990,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1119193620,1,0,1,1,1,1,'KL700','Qn: What films would you like Jean-Pierre Jeunet to make?','If French director Jean-Pierre Jeunet were to have actress Audrey Tautou be in any of his films again, what other project/s would you like to see them tackle ?','84ea94c946e74558dbd54bf7bd094976',0,'','Sj9Wmuv4',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11200,1990,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1119195240,1,0,1,1,1,1,'lonecubandchloe(d)','Re: Qn: What films would you like Jean-Pierre Jeunet to make?','An adaptation of Roald Dahl\'s \"The Magic Finger\" would be nice.','a3e0f2ed08f12b37f552ac4032c27fe9',0,'','v6q1eysF',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11201,1990,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1119196500,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: Qn: What films would you like Jean-Pierre Jeunet to make?','A French remake of Audition, I can just picture Ms Tautou with the cheesewire! \r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','1ec8a0c1585b23a3b12c397b1d8c24b9',0,'','XNHJRnk7',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11202,1990,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1119197940,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: Qn: What films would you like Jean-Pierre Jeunet to make?','Yeah, a french remake of audition would be great.\r\nBut maybe a Jeunet-remake of Ichi would be even more interesting? Audrey Tautou as sado-maso blonde searching for the ultimate trip. But who should play ichi Maybe Jean Reno? I\'d like to see him whining around \r\nNah, for real I\'d like him to take on the hollywood Superman-remake, with Tautou as Lois Lane, and the film centered around her.','0caab94938606c17685d63fe8c163ab4',0,'','6uTjaPE7',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11203,1990,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1119199800,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: Qn: What films would you like Jean-Pierre Jeunet to make?','Jeunet\'s Superman! Now that would be interesting but only if he was given free rein to do it his way.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','ec582d4e8cda7013419c802c2051952a',0,'','vXa58VZm',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11204,1990,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1123712100,1,0,1,1,1,1,'kookook','Re: Qn: What films would you like Jean-Pierre Jeunet to make?','A Very Long Engagement maybe...','1ec7ed4b9cab535ab6cbf1a709e5e8ff',0,'','WMp32sNc',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11205,1991,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1114836660,1,0,1,1,1,1,'spy in the house of love','Lukas Moodysson\'s A Hole In My Heart (Sweden)','I went to see it at indielisboa (independent cinema festival happening here in Lisbon) and I don\'t think I\'ve ever had such an experience at the theater.\r\n\r\nWhen it ended, everyone, every single person on the room, just sat there, in silence. Nobody moved, or clapped, or spoke. After a minute or so, finally a guy clapped and said it was a great movie. Everyone walked out in silence though, including me & my friend.\r\n\r\nI liked it, and I wasn\'t that disturbed by the images. In the beginning yes, but I entered a state of shock and all I could do was sit there literally drunk on it.\r\n\r\nI haven\'t seen any other movies by him, so this was my introduction to his work and I must say it left me rather curious about watching his previous films. I quite liked the characters, specially Eric. The music was also fabulous.\r\nAnd there were great scenes.\r\n\r\nHas anyone else seen it? If so, what are your thoughts on it?\r\nx','58aa261bae3b570fda4c281ce001660d',0,'','GAaot3PX',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11206,1991,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1123324620,1,0,1,1,1,1,'arsaib4','Re: Lukas Moodysson\'s A Hole In My Heart (Sweden)','Allright, Trev. I guess this is the new thread. First of all, I don\'t think that A Hole in My Heart is a great film; certainly no where near the quality of Lilya-4-Ever. But I think the point Moodysson tried to convey is that most of us aren\'t easily shocked by anything nowadays. These \"reality\" shows have almost desensitized us of everthing, including any emotions. But then, much like the problem Bruno Dumont\'s 29 Palm ran into, which is to what measure and how far is one gonna go to portray a message? It becomes a little meaningless if it\'s hard to read.','b2017c4a1589ad2d650ff44e54e0216e',0,'','9AeLmDao',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11207,1991,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1123370700,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: Lukas Moodysson\'s A Hole In My Heart (Sweden)','Okay, once I\'ve had a chance to check over the DVD I\'ll write my thoughts although I don\'t think you neccessarily need to bombard your audience right from the off. Though I haven\'t read it yet, there is a directors statement among the DVD extras.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','29739a7f4a1a3c3ca450c6fb25cf51ca',0,'','umQEKiJP',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11208,1991,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1123707240,1,0,1,1,1,1,'kookook','Re: Lukas Moodysson\'s A Hole In My Heart (Sweden)','This is the first occasion on which Moodysson has lost his balance, allowing his wrath to outweigh the charity that he used to extend to even the most boorish of his characters.','ece8a47507520e70cbb954250bdb82a1',0,'','f5Hl3NPi',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11209,1992,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1123658280,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','The Edukators (2004) (Germany)','Director: Hans Weingartner\r\nCast: Daniel Brhl, Stipe Erceg, Julia Jentsch, Burghart Klaussner\r\n\r\nIn German Film Awards 2005, it won Gold for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role and Silver for Outstanding Feature Film .\r\n\r\nThe official website is here\r\nwww.theedukators.com\r\n\r\nWhat I like ...\r\n-- Ha ha ha ... how could you not like some of the lines\r\ne.g., in defence, \"I\'ve been playing the game but I didn\'t make up the rules.\" ... rebuttal, \"It\'s not who invented the gun but who pulls the trigger.\" ... wow ... \r\ne.g., \"Under 30 and not liberal, no heart. Over 30 and still liberal, no brain.\" ... wow ... \r\n-- In fact, the conversation between the old man and the three young people was food for thought it makes me think \r\nhas everyone walked through the youth of idealism once can we really change the world? \r\nhas age and time, society and realism set in to make people resign to fate \r\n-- As usual, I wonder how the film would end, and I thought it ended very well! hee hee ...\r\n-- I actually like the song \"Hallelujah\"!\r\n-- Finally, I commend the entire cast for carrying their roles very well \r\n\r\nWhat could be better ...\r\n-- The beginning was promising, but somehow, somewhere near the middle, the \"thriller\" pace was \"lost\" (sigh ), but near the end, the film was interesting again ... \r\n-- Hmmm if you are a capitalist maybe you will dislike the film just maybe \r\n\r\nConclusion:\r\n-- Above average.','705ac2e360d39a6edf20d44a8f18e8cc',0,'','Dmkbuex1',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11210,1992,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1123678320,1,0,1,1,1,1,'trevor826','Re: The Edukators (2004) (Germany)','Different to what I expected, I was hoping they would make more of what the boys were actually doing which was the selling point of the film for me, instead it turned into a menage a trois and generation gap/ class conflict. Plus as I\'ve already admitted, I fell asleep during \"Hallelujah\" but not for long.\r\n\r\nIt\'s a shame about the pacing, it may have benefitted from a touch of tightening up.\r\n\r\n\"-- In fact, the conversation between the old man and the three young people was food for thought it makes me think \r\nhas everyone walked through the youth of idealism once ?\"\r\n\r\nNot everyone but definitely a large number, at least in the parts of the world where basic survival is not a worry!\r\n\r\n\"can we really change the world?\"\r\n\r\nAsk Mr Bush.\r\n\r\nhas age and time, society and realism set in to make people resign to fate ?\r\n\r\nFor a great many yes but I hope I never fall into that category.\r\n\r\nAn enjoyable film that I had far too much expectations for, looking forward to catching it on DVD when it\'s released.\r\n\r\nCheers Trev.','531b847b07b5d2829fae4d438494839c',0,'','lo2xBpKs',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11211,1993,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1120296960,1,0,1,1,1,1,'arsaib4','Alain Resnais\' NOT ON THE LIPS (2003) (France)','Alain Resnais latest film Not on the Lips (Pas sur la Bouche) is in many ways a follow-up to his 1997 effort On connat la chanson (\"Same old Song\"), a highly successful film in its native France but unfortunately it didnt carry over well to other territories. Both films are light-weight musicals (for the most part), and if that surprises a few people -- a few critics already are -- then they obviously havent seen Resnais other recent \"theatrical\" efforts such as Smoking/No Smoking, Je veux rentrer la maison, and Melo. However, the reaction shouldnt be all that perplexing if one takes in consideration that in this master has directed such monumental films like Night and Fog, Hiroshima Mon Amour, and Last Year at Marienbad.\r\n\r\nBased on a 1925 operetta by Andr Barde and Maurice Yvain, this rom-zom-com...sorry, romantic-musical-comedy follows the oft-repeated traditions of old-fashioned French farces, but thats not a slight by any means, Resnais\' agenda here is to adapt those traditions in order to either comment on them, or, in some cases, even push them to the limit. Sabine Azma is Gilberte, a wealthy dame who has successfully hidden her first marriage from her abiding new husband Georges (Pierre Arditi). Trouble arises when she discovers that her ex-husband, Eric Thomson (Lambert Wilson) -- a wealthy American Industrialist -- is about to finish a business deal with Georges. In the meantime, shes in the process of enticing Charly (Jalil Lespert), a young artist whos also being eyed by a young Verberie (Audrey Tautou). Rounding out the conundrum are Gilbertes inarticulate sister Arlette (Isabelle Nanty) and yet another lover Faradel (Daniel Prvost).\r\n\r\nAll characters put on a grand show in front of everyone else, mostly for selfish reasons. But if anyone is as familiar with MGM musicals of the 40\'s and 50\'s as Resnais seems to be, then they\'ll know in advance how this one will end. All actors sing in their own voices which only adds to the incongruent texture of their performances, and that along with the musical numbers themselves, the artful mise-en-scne helped by the lush photography from DP Renato Berta, innuendo-laced dialogue etc. provide elegant yet intoxicating entertainment. It may sound like it but its not all camp folks; If you listen to it carefully, Resnais has much to say about the social values present at that time (or even now), and he goes further to comment on gender relations, martial values and adultery. But in the end, it all comes down to purity, or at least how it\'s represented - hence the title.\r\n\r\n*NOT ON THE LIPS is now available on DVD in the U.S. from Wellspring.','6a1efaf85826ececabdc1e539c3e4650',0,'','HXs3GJxk',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11212,1993,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1122998040,1,0,1,1,1,1,'chard09','Re: Alain Resnais\' NOT ON THE LIPS (2003) (France)','Hi arsaib, how are you? Seems like we have something in common again. \r\n\r\nI saw Pas sur la bouche during the French Spring Filmfest here in Manila along with other good ones like Truffaut\'s Confidentially Yours and Chabrol\'s Inspecteur Lavardin. I never expected the film to be a musical, after being so much overwhelmed of what I think the best documentary ever made by Resnais, Night and Fog. I thought it would be a serious film, an art film that will bring me back with Resnais\' inventive style in Hiroshima Mon Amour and Last Year at Marienbad. Oh, it\'s a musical., a great musical. I wish not to detail much about the plot but the feeling while watching it is a mixture of anticipation and wishing it not to end. Of course, Audrey Tatou is there to provide the flavor and I was not disappointed at all. Her grace and difference-ness from the Amelie that we attach to her is overwhelming and well enough for me to be excited on her next film. I may not be critical enough to be aware of the film\'s social commentary inclination, but with Resnais\' direction and a wonderful ensemble of actors, everything seems to be very fluid, reminiscent of classical cinema I really long for these days.','857a52ad903a537f09e860a6680f3a25',0,'','kYtxEgMJ',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11213,1993,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1123232280,1,0,1,1,1,1,'arsaib4','Re: Alain Resnais\' NOT ON THE LIPS (2003) (France)','Thanks, chard09. It\'s good to hear from you again. You\'re not the only one who\'s surprised about the route Resnais has taken here, but if you get a chance to see his other recent films like Melo (1986) and Same Old Song (1997), you\'ll discover a similar flavor to his work. It\'s safe to say, however, that most still prefer the \"old\" Resnais.\r\n\r\nI haven\'t seen Chabrol\'s Inspecteur Lavardin yet. I think it\'s out on DVD now so I\'ll try to get to it. What did you think?','39ee1e5edc3d18f4ce1594cd2e3192fd',0,'','JXtm975z',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11214,1994,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1122801300,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Der Tunnel (2001) (Germany)','\r\nDirector: Roland Suso Richter\r\nCast: Heino Ferch, Nicolette Krebitz, Sebastian Koch, Alexandra Maria Lara, Claudia Michelsen, Felix Eitner, Mehmet Kurtulus\r\n\r\nThe offiicial website is here ...\r\nwww.homevision.com/users/...derID=2829\r\n\r\nok, I will write the review soon ... \r\nbut meanwhile I highly recommend this film!','84ca53e71457ef81ec084e27981522db',0,'','mzFdR2Ja',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11215,1994,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1122837480,1,0,1,1,1,1,'hengcs','Re: Der Tunnel (2001) (Germany)','Hi A,\r\nHave you watched it before?\r\n\r\nHmmm ... \r\nI wonder what are the 20-30 minutes that have been edited out from the original TV version ...','bed2e53f46c52bcd86794355aaf4e6d5',0,'','VJHAErPv',1,0,'',0,0,0),(11216,1994,3,1,0,'69.120.114.47',1122952560,1,0,1,1,1,1,'A','Re: Der Tunnel (2001) (Germany)','Haven\'t seen the film, and I\'m sorry to say that I\'m not interested in doing so. I don\'t appreciate the director too much, and though I\'ve only seen one of his films as a whole, he seems too commercial for me.\r\nI was once in a filmseminar at filmschool, where the students and I talked to him in personal for some hours, while he was presenting his films, talking about his work, and his approach, and while I must say, that he\'s a very nice guy, he surely lacks as a director. What he is definitely good at is working with actors, and that\'s also his main concern during a film. I\'ve seen some very impressive acting in some of his films, but for me that isn\'t enough. Film isn\'t about acting.\r\nBut maybe you\'ll convince me hengcs, or I\'ll watch it to please you, and we can talk about it. \r\nIf you really like it, I can look out for a complete copy (though it will be hard finding english subs).','e3d918a36429c38e6304cb7e27bc0608',0,'','iPTf98F1',1,0,'',0,0,0),