Just saw Bourne Ultimatum last night...brilliant! My wife and I both loved it, it rocked our socks off. It got me pumped for Bond 22 I NEED A BOND FIX AND SOON!
The Good Sheperd - An OK, but not great movie telling the story of the early days of the CIA. Matt Damon is very good, as is the rest of the all-star cast, but the story is hard to follow as the time line jumps all over the place. Robert De Niro directs and he does create a suspenseful mood, but the pacing is inconsistent and with many characters popping in and out at different times during the 30 year span of the film it is alot to follow. Somewhere in there is a really good movie.
Ace in the Hole (later retitled The Big Carnival), the film Billy Wilder made between Sunset Boulevard and Stalag 17. It's not the classic that are those two movies, but it still packs a punch, with Kirk Douglas as a scheming newspaper reporter who turns the story of a man trapped under rubble into a media frenzy. Hyperventilating media, politicians exploiting tragedy for their own gain, "victims" profiting from human sympathy. . .at times it's hard to believe this flick was made in 1951 and not last year!
Ace in the Hole (later retitled The Big Carnival), the film Billy Wilder made between Sunset Boulevard and Stalag 17. It's not the classic that are those two movies, but it still packs a punch, with Kirk Douglas as a scheming newspaper reporter who turns the story of a man trapped under rubble into a media frenzy. Hyperventilating media, politicians exploiting tragedy for their own gain, "victims" profiting from human sympathy. . .at times it's hard to believe this flick was made in 1951 and not last year!
Hear, hear, Hardy. One of the really great films that unlike most movies is even more relevant today in our tabloid, fame-driven culture than when it was made. I think it misses being a classic because so few people have seen it. There's a new DVD out that will hopefully remedy that situation. Billy Wilder is simply amazing.
I saw 300 and enjoyed more than I thought I would. I like Gerald Butler. He would make a good Bond. He'd have to lose the plastic schnoz, though.
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
edited September 2007
"The Illusionist"
One hell of a good time at the movies. Edward Norton, Paul Giamatti and Rufus Sewell give excellent performances---as does Jessica Biel. Norton plays Eisenheim, a wildly successful magician/illusionist in early 1800s Vienna who falls in love with his childhood friend (Biel)...who happens to be the fiance of Crown Prince Leopold (Sewell). Giamatti plays the chief inspector, who is obliged to carry out the wishes of Leopold---which, naturally, is to shut down and imprison Eisenheim.
A lot of nice misdirection and plot twists; although I'm not sure the end revelations are as neatly executed as in 'The Usual Suspects' (the Gold Standard for this kind of Act III reveal), it is still highly satisfying. The score, by Philip Glass, is fantastic.
Naturally, this one was compared to The Prestige, because of the similar subject matter (magicians in the early 1900s). Both are excellent, but very different, films, and I recommend each for equally different reasons: Illusionist is highly romantic, while Prestige is more bizarre and psychological.
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
{[] Alex. I've seen Mark of the Vampire, but not Return of the Vampire. Lugosi had a remarkable presence. My favourite of the Universal horrors is Dracula's Daughter, in which Drac's daughter tries to make a new life for herself in England after his death, but finds that her father's influence is in the blood.
Classic. Gloria Holden really should've been offered more leading roles as her presence is undeniable. A shame they didn't cast her alongside Bela. What a combo that could've been!
Psychomania in which the leader of a biker gang returns from the dead and wreaks havoc in his local town. The music is possibly the most unsettling thing about this movie. I think it was also the last film George Sanders appeared in.
These are the Damned. Superb film from Joseph Losey, in which a group of children are kept locked away from the world for reasons that it's impossible to reveal without giving away spoilers. It starts out as a drama in which an American tourist falls foul of a biker gang led by a sexually frustrated Oliver Reed, (possibly the only time that sentence has ever been written about Reed ) who is violently over-protective of his sister. Then it turns into an eerie sci-fi thriller in which nobody emerges unscathed.
I've heard about the first movie you mention some where before, though I believe the review I read was under a different title. As I'm a fan of stalwarts Sanders and Reed, (both had potential to be Bond in my opinion), I'll take your recommendations to heart and keep a look out for both. Thanks!
The Aviator - My second viewing of this Oscar nominated movie from a couple years ago and I may have enjoyed it more this time. The biographical story of Howard Hughes life is intersting subject matter and the story is well told. Leonarda DiCaprio is Hughes and he provides his usual great performance and Cate Blanchett as Katherine Hepburn is wonderful. Highly recommend if you haven't seen it.
Perfect Stranger - Halle Berry as a newspaper reporter investigating the murder of her life long friend. An advertising executive (Bruce Willis) is the top suspect so Berry gets a job at the agency to get a closer look at Willis. Of course within a day she makes contact with him and Willis immediately takes an interest in her. All the characters have secrets that get revealed throughout the movie, although the revealing of the secrets is often contrived. I was entertained throughout most of the movie as a few plot twists raise the suspense, but the ending seemed very rushed and definitely a disappointment. As a DVD rental worth a look.
David Lynch's latest is a mess that seems to indicate that he has become a parody of himself. This looks like the work of a student filmmaker imitating a master. I love Lynch's work (even Lost Highway), but this is nonsense. And yet there are moments of brilliance, but they are few and far between in a film that lasts for three hours. If you don't like Lynch's work then please stay away from this. If you do admire him, be prepared to feel a little sad.
NightshooterIn bed with SolitairePosts: 2,917MI6 Agent
Saw the Bourne Ultimatum last night, thought it was very good. But there were a few things that annoyed me about it:
1) The scene where Bourne kills the assassin in the bathroom is so similar to the one in CR, especially the ending. Bourne stands over and chokes him, and then makes the EXACT same face Craig made after killing the guy!
2) The scenes where Landy was telling the other CIA guy that he was going down a path that never ends and is evil was pretty badly done. Was anyone else reminded of Padme and Anakin in Star Wars Episode 3?
However, these were very minor gripes, and the film as a whole was excellent, with some incredibly intense chase sequences. And I didn't mind the shaky cam, either.
Saw the Bourne Ultimatum last night, thought it was very good. But there were a few things that annoyed me about it:
1) The scene where Bourne kills the assassin in the bathroom is so similar to the one in CR, especially the ending. Bourne stands over and chokes him, and then makes the EXACT same face Craig made after killing the guy!
2) The scenes where Landy was telling the other CIA guy that he was going down a path that never ends and is evil was pretty badly done. Was anyone else reminded of Padme and Anakin in Star Wars Episode 3?
However, these were very minor gripes, and the film as a whole was excellent, with some incredibly intense chase sequences. And I didn't mind the shaky cam, either.
Well, I'm not watching it now. I absolutely hate movies with the shaky cam. It makes me dizzy and gives me a headache.
Sweepy the CatHalifax, West Yorkshire, EnglaPosts: 986MI6 Agent
I saw Dog Soldiers last night on Five (UKTV), anyone else see it?
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
edited September 2007
LOVE & DEATH
"This land is not for sale! Someday I hope to build upon it!"
He was an idiot but I loved him...)
The Sergei Prokofiev score goes beautifully with this Woody Allen comedy.
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Love and Death is in my top five films of all time. I love Woody's first appearance at the start when he attempts some traditional Russian dancing. ) I have seen Dog Soldiers and I felt it didn't live up to the buzz it generated at the time. The werewolf effects were so cheap. A nice try though.
The last film I watched was Delta Force 2: The Columbian Connection. The sound was four seconds out of sync and it had Swedish subtitles. I did enjoy the moment where Chuck Norris calls the villain a 'chickens**t weasel' though. They should steal that line for the next Bond film...probably.
Also a big fan of Love and Death. I'm a huge Woody Allen fan period. As a matter of fact, I guess one could compare my love for Woody Allen films to my love for James Bond films.
The last film I saw was M:I 2. This girl my roommate is dating was at our house and wanted to watch it, so we did. I was kinda annoyed because we just rented Layer Cake and were going to watch it but she had to come over and watch M:I 2. It sucks, by the way. I enjoy it, but it sucks. The story is lame, the action is completely unbelievable, and the slow motion is annoying by the second half. I mean, seriously, how many freakin' close ups of Tom Cruise's hair blowing in the wind do we need?!
Kevin Bacon takes violent revenge on the gang who harmed his family. Sadly, this is not nearly as interesting as it sounds. It's a strictly routine thriller that never rises above the ordinary. Not like the 89 version of The Punisher, which had considerably more panache.
1983 version with Al Pacino. Wonderful film imo. Great action and the score is magnificent. I really loved the ending too. One of Al Pacino's best. Michelle Pheifer was okay, definitely not one of her best imo but still pretty good. I absolutely loved this film. I give it a 10/10
The Dead Girl. As cheerful as the title indicates. An extremely well-acted indie flick with a great cast and an extremely riveting sequence involving Marcia Gay Harden. . .but pretty well wallows in the miserable lives of miserable people. And to be a complete sexist pig, what kind of movie features Rose Byrne, but gives the only nude scenes to Toni Collette and 59-year-old Mary Beth Hurt!?
1983 version with Al Pacino. Wonderful film imo. Great action and the score is magnificent. I really loved the ending too. One of Al Pacino's best. Michelle Pheifer was okay, definitely not one of her best imo but still pretty good. I absolutely loved this film. I give it a 10/10
That's a great film. {[] I really love that film, although when I first saw it, it quite scared me at times. )
1983 version with Al Pacino. Wonderful film imo. Great action and the score is magnificent. I really loved the ending too. One of Al Pacino's best. Michelle Pheifer was okay, definitely not one of her best imo but still pretty good. I absolutely loved this film. I give it a 10/10
That's a great film. {[] I really love that film, although when I first saw it, it quite scared me at times. )
Same with me. Especially the hotel scene with the chainsaw. It would suck to be the guy who got cut up. I love the ending rampage with the famous line... "Say hello to my little friend!!!" )
Same with me. Especially the hotel scene with the chainsaw. It would suck to be the guy who got cut up. I love the ending rampage with the famous line... "Say hello to my little friend!!!" )
That's a great line.
I recently saw another Pacino film; The Devil's Advocate. A very bizarre film. Pacino is pretty good, but he plays the kind of role that all actors love as it provides an opportunity to overact. I don't think it's among Pacino's best films but I did enjoy it. Plus, it's got Keanu Reeves :x in it. {[]
Obviously any film which attempts to deal with the pain of World War II must tread a careful path, but especially one which depicts the closing days of the war in Berlin and the Fuhrerbunker. I have seen the film once before and watched it again last night, confirming my view that it is a triumph of modern cinema.
At the heart of the picture is a magnificent performance as Hitler from Bruno Granz who embodies the characteristics of Hitler and, so I'm told, the lower-class accent. What makes Granz's performance stand out is that he has portrayed Hitler not as a monster but as a human. Of course, this did cause a bit of controversy at the time. However, in humanising Hitler the viewer is not given a sympathetic portrayal by any means. It makes Hitler an even more contemptible and pathetic figure, deluded and consumed with rage at the imminent collapse of his empire. Without remorse for his horrific crimes, or for his people who are dying above (he blames the German people for being too weak for the fight, from his relative safety underground). Granz's portrayal is fantastic.
Also brilliant is Alexandra Maria Lara as Hitler's last secretary Traudl Junge. The actress has a marvellous ability to convey deep shock, disappointment and alarm as the character follows Hitler's orders and observes the collapse of the Third Reich. Lara paints a realistic portrait of a confused young girl aware of the folly of events surrounding her but agirl who nevertheless refuses Hitler's offer for her to escape. What I also found of particular note was the inclusion of interview excerpts of the real Junge in later life at the beginning and end of the film. Junge tries to explain her thoughts, and she says that she had excused herself on the basis of her youth and naïveté. On seeing a memorial to Sophie Scholl (a heroic member of the anti-Nazi White Rose Movement) Junge realised that she could have found out about what was going on in Nazi Germany, and she herself could have acted differently. It is a thought-provoking conclusion to the film, which is followed by notes on what happened to each of the last inhabitants of theFuhrerbunker.
All the characters are human and seem real, although this is not designed to elicit sympathy. It means that the portrayals do not become caricatures and actually results in them being more disturbing than they seem in textbooks about the war. The death of the Goebbels children (their mother goes to each and poisons them in their sleep) is a chilling scene, and Corinna Harfouch as Magda Goebbels provides a masterclass in acting: cold composure throughout and as she murders her children, momentarily broken as she frantically begs Hitler not to commit suicide. Juxtaposed with the Goebbels' devotion to Hitler is the array army officers counselling surrender to the Allies while they still can (dismissed with a statement that they cannot repeat November 1918). I appreciated the realism in this as to suggest that the high-ranking officials of the Third Reich were prepared to fight on to the very last is just untrue. The human depictions, while not eliciting symapthy, mean that the viewer can sit back and consider the dispassionate evidence being presented.
There are two exceptions to this, and that is the portrayal of Ernst-Gunther Schenck. Unfortunately this is one instance where the humanising element does lead to the character being shown in a 'positive' light, despite the fact that Schenck was involved in concentration camps. After the war Munich University refused to reinstate him due to medical experiments on prisoners at Mauthausen concentration camp. Secondly, Waffen-SS General Wilhelm Mohnke is portrayed as a man with a great deal of compassion for civilians as he pleads with Hitler toend the bloodbath. These two instances are large blemishes on the film.
And yet the overall effect of the film on me was not to show the German people as the main victim; rather it showed (most) of the Third Reich for what they were: totally degraded people with little concern for anything outside their mission. The closing thoughts of Junge, for me, show that the film is not trying to argue that the German people were oblivious victims. The film does present most of the main characters quite analytically, I felt: evil, certainly, but a human evil. The picture also deftly captures the tension and claustrophobia ofthe bunker as the city around them comes crashing down. Downfall is a thought-provoking piece of work, and well worth a watch.
Okay comedy. Dylan Moran's deadpan delivery makes it very watchable every time he's on screen. But Thandie Newton putting out for Simon Pegg? That's one of the most absurd premises for a film I've ever seen.
The characterisation and the way they filmed it was epic. I highly recmommend you go and see it.
Although it made me cry twice. Was a supurb film none the less.
What counts is what the heroine provokes, or rather what she represents. She is the one, or rather the love or fear she inspires in the hero , or else the concern he feels for her, who makes him act the way he does.
Author of 'Pussy Galore - A Representation of Women in James Bond Films'.
Active tweeter and tumbler - https://twitter.com/surrie_fullard
Is that the new film based on Ian McEwan's novel? If so, lucky you--it hasn't been released stateside yet. I thought the book was great and I'm interested to see how it's been filmed.
Surprisingly good sequel with Nathan Fillion on fine form as a man who returns from a near-death experience with the ability to see a light indicating that a person's life is in danger. It's a decent little B-movie that mixes a bit of the Bible with Dead Like Me, Final Destination and the work of Gustave Dore.
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
edited September 2007
Well...after all of the fuss...I finally saw:
THE DEPARTED
It was good but for the many of fans of it that say this film is better than GOODFELLAS are crazy. It just isn't. Departed had a pretty good soundtrack, decent pacing and pretty good acting...it just doesn't hold a candle to GF...sorry.
Reason? DeNiro, Pesci & Liotta weren't in it...
Also...can Jack Nicholson play anymore like himself? Yeesh... where was the white makeup and purple suit?
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Death Becomes Her
A ghoulish farce on our obsession with looking young starring Bruce Willis, Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn. I always thought this was a very clever movie with some innovative effects and good performances by actors who aren't afraid to play against type. The ending is both funny and oddly disturbing (which kind of sums up my feelings about the movie as a whole). Apparently, immortality isn't all it's cracked up to be. There are also a couple of notable supporting performances by Ian Oglivy and Isabella Rossellini ( and Catherine Bell as Isabella's nude body double ).
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
Death Becomes Her
A ghoulish farce on our obsession with looking young starring Bruce Willis, Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn. I always thought this was a very clever movie with some innovative effects and good performances by actors who aren't afraid to play against type. The ending is both funny and oddly disturbing (which kind of sums up my feelings about the movie as a whole). Apparently, immortality isn't all it's cracked up to be. There are also a couple of notable supporting performances by Ian Oglivy and Isabella Rossellini ( and Catherine Bell as Isabella's nude body double ).
I thought I was one of very few who loved this film. A little dark but at the time, I thought that it was pretty cool. B-)
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Is that the new film based on Ian McEwan's novel? If so, lucky you--it hasn't been released stateside yet. I thought the book was great and I'm interested to see how it's been filmed.
Yeah thats the one. Well I'm reading the book at the moment and so far. The movie is near enough exactly the same. So I think you'll enjoy it!
What counts is what the heroine provokes, or rather what she represents. She is the one, or rather the love or fear she inspires in the hero , or else the concern he feels for her, who makes him act the way he does.
Author of 'Pussy Galore - A Representation of Women in James Bond Films'.
Active tweeter and tumbler - https://twitter.com/surrie_fullard
Death Becomes Her
A ghoulish farce on our obsession with looking young starring Bruce Willis, Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn. I always thought this was a very clever movie with some innovative effects and good performances by actors who aren't afraid to play against type. The ending is both funny and oddly disturbing (which kind of sums up my feelings about the movie as a whole). Apparently, immortality isn't all it's cracked up to be. There are also a couple of notable supporting performances by Ian Oglivy and Isabella Rossellini ( and Catherine Bell as Isabella's nude body double ).
I haven't seen this movie in years, but once was certainly enough... It's been too long for me to comment on the more detailed aspects of the film. Interestingly, there have been horror movies that I found less disturbing. I've never been so freaked out by the ending of a film as I have with this one. The only thought that went through my mind was how these people were going to "survive" after losing their heads...
Comments
Hear, hear, Hardy. One of the really great films that unlike most movies is even more relevant today in our tabloid, fame-driven culture than when it was made. I think it misses being a classic because so few people have seen it. There's a new DVD out that will hopefully remedy that situation. Billy Wilder is simply amazing.
I saw 300 and enjoyed more than I thought I would. I like Gerald Butler. He would make a good Bond. He'd have to lose the plastic schnoz, though.
One hell of a good time at the movies. Edward Norton, Paul Giamatti and Rufus Sewell give excellent performances---as does Jessica Biel. Norton plays Eisenheim, a wildly successful magician/illusionist in early 1800s Vienna who falls in love with his childhood friend (Biel)...who happens to be the fiance of Crown Prince Leopold (Sewell). Giamatti plays the chief inspector, who is obliged to carry out the wishes of Leopold---which, naturally, is to shut down and imprison Eisenheim.
A lot of nice misdirection and plot twists; although I'm not sure the end revelations are as neatly executed as in 'The Usual Suspects' (the Gold Standard for this kind of Act III reveal), it is still highly satisfying. The score, by Philip Glass, is fantastic.
Naturally, this one was compared to The Prestige, because of the similar subject matter (magicians in the early 1900s). Both are excellent, but very different, films, and I recommend each for equally different reasons: Illusionist is highly romantic, while Prestige is more bizarre and psychological.
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
I've heard about the first movie you mention some where before, though I believe the review I read was under a different title. As I'm a fan of stalwarts Sanders and Reed, (both had potential to be Bond in my opinion), I'll take your recommendations to heart and keep a look out for both. Thanks!
Perfect Stranger - Halle Berry as a newspaper reporter investigating the murder of her life long friend. An advertising executive (Bruce Willis) is the top suspect so Berry gets a job at the agency to get a closer look at Willis. Of course within a day she makes contact with him and Willis immediately takes an interest in her. All the characters have secrets that get revealed throughout the movie, although the revealing of the secrets is often contrived. I was entertained throughout most of the movie as a few plot twists raise the suspense, but the ending seemed very rushed and definitely a disappointment. As a DVD rental worth a look.
David Lynch's latest is a mess that seems to indicate that he has become a parody of himself. This looks like the work of a student filmmaker imitating a master. I love Lynch's work (even Lost Highway), but this is nonsense. And yet there are moments of brilliance, but they are few and far between in a film that lasts for three hours. If you don't like Lynch's work then please stay away from this. If you do admire him, be prepared to feel a little sad.
1) The scene where Bourne kills the assassin in the bathroom is so similar to the one in CR, especially the ending. Bourne stands over and chokes him, and then makes the EXACT same face Craig made after killing the guy!
2) The scenes where Landy was telling the other CIA guy that he was going down a path that never ends and is evil was pretty badly done. Was anyone else reminded of Padme and Anakin in Star Wars Episode 3?
However, these were very minor gripes, and the film as a whole was excellent, with some incredibly intense chase sequences. And I didn't mind the shaky cam, either.
Well, I'm not watching it now. I absolutely hate movies with the shaky cam. It makes me dizzy and gives me a headache.
"This land is not for sale! Someday I hope to build upon it!"
He was an idiot but I loved him...
The Sergei Prokofiev score goes beautifully with this Woody Allen comedy.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
The last film I watched was Delta Force 2: The Columbian Connection. The sound was four seconds out of sync and it had Swedish subtitles.
The last film I saw was M:I 2. This girl my roommate is dating was at our house and wanted to watch it, so we did. I was kinda annoyed because we just rented Layer Cake and were going to watch it but she had to come over and watch M:I 2. It sucks, by the way. I enjoy it, but it sucks. The story is lame, the action is completely unbelievable, and the slow motion is annoying by the second half. I mean, seriously, how many freakin' close ups of Tom Cruise's hair blowing in the wind do we need?!
Kevin Bacon takes violent revenge on the gang who harmed his family. Sadly, this is not nearly as interesting as it sounds. It's a strictly routine thriller that never rises above the ordinary. Not like the 89 version of The Punisher, which had considerably more panache.
1983 version with Al Pacino. Wonderful film imo. Great action and the score is magnificent. I really loved the ending too. One of Al Pacino's best. Michelle Pheifer was okay, definitely not one of her best imo but still pretty good. I absolutely loved this film. I give it a 10/10
Same with me.
I recently saw another Pacino film; The Devil's Advocate. A very bizarre film.
Obviously any film which attempts to deal with the pain of World War II must tread a careful path, but especially one which depicts the closing days of the war in Berlin and the Fuhrerbunker. I have seen the film once before and watched it again last night, confirming my view that it is a triumph of modern cinema.
At the heart of the picture is a magnificent performance as Hitler from Bruno Granz who embodies the characteristics of Hitler and, so I'm told, the lower-class accent. What makes Granz's performance stand out is that he has portrayed Hitler not as a monster but as a human. Of course, this did cause a bit of controversy at the time. However, in humanising Hitler the viewer is not given a sympathetic portrayal by any means. It makes Hitler an even more contemptible and pathetic figure, deluded and consumed with rage at the imminent collapse of his empire. Without remorse for his horrific crimes, or for his people who are dying above (he blames the German people for being too weak for the fight, from his relative safety underground). Granz's portrayal is fantastic.
Also brilliant is Alexandra Maria Lara as Hitler's last secretary Traudl Junge. The actress has a marvellous ability to convey deep shock, disappointment and alarm as the character follows Hitler's orders and observes the collapse of the Third Reich. Lara paints a realistic portrait of a confused young girl aware of the folly of events surrounding her but agirl who nevertheless refuses Hitler's offer for her to escape. What I also found of particular note was the inclusion of interview excerpts of the real Junge in later life at the beginning and end of the film. Junge tries to explain her thoughts, and she says that she had excused herself on the basis of her youth and naïveté. On seeing a memorial to Sophie Scholl (a heroic member of the anti-Nazi White Rose Movement) Junge realised that she could have found out about what was going on in Nazi Germany, and she herself could have acted differently. It is a thought-provoking conclusion to the film, which is followed by notes on what happened to each of the last inhabitants of theFuhrerbunker.
All the characters are human and seem real, although this is not designed to elicit sympathy. It means that the portrayals do not become caricatures and actually results in them being more disturbing than they seem in textbooks about the war. The death of the Goebbels children (their mother goes to each and poisons them in their sleep) is a chilling scene, and Corinna Harfouch as Magda Goebbels provides a masterclass in acting: cold composure throughout and as she murders her children, momentarily broken as she frantically begs Hitler not to commit suicide. Juxtaposed with the Goebbels' devotion to Hitler is the array army officers counselling surrender to the Allies while they still can (dismissed with a statement that they cannot repeat November 1918). I appreciated the realism in this as to suggest that the high-ranking officials of the Third Reich were prepared to fight on to the very last is just untrue. The human depictions, while not eliciting symapthy, mean that the viewer can sit back and consider the dispassionate evidence being presented.
There are two exceptions to this, and that is the portrayal of Ernst-Gunther Schenck. Unfortunately this is one instance where the humanising element does lead to the character being shown in a 'positive' light, despite the fact that Schenck was involved in concentration camps. After the war Munich University refused to reinstate him due to medical experiments on prisoners at Mauthausen concentration camp. Secondly, Waffen-SS General Wilhelm Mohnke is portrayed as a man with a great deal of compassion for civilians as he pleads with Hitler toend the bloodbath. These two instances are large blemishes on the film.
And yet the overall effect of the film on me was not to show the German people as the main victim; rather it showed (most) of the Third Reich for what they were: totally degraded people with little concern for anything outside their mission. The closing thoughts of Junge, for me, show that the film is not trying to argue that the German people were oblivious victims. The film does present most of the main characters quite analytically, I felt: evil, certainly, but a human evil. The picture also deftly captures the tension and claustrophobia ofthe bunker as the city around them comes crashing down. Downfall is a thought-provoking piece of work, and well worth a watch.
Okay comedy. Dylan Moran's deadpan delivery makes it very watchable every time he's on screen. But Thandie Newton putting out for Simon Pegg? That's one of the most absurd premises for a film I've ever seen.
The characterisation and the way they filmed it was epic. I highly recmommend you go and see it.
Although it made me cry twice.
Author of 'Pussy Galore - A Representation of Women in James Bond Films'.
Active tweeter and tumbler - https://twitter.com/surrie_fullard
Is that the new film based on Ian McEwan's novel? If so, lucky you--it hasn't been released stateside yet. I thought the book was great and I'm interested to see how it's been filmed.
Surprisingly good sequel with Nathan Fillion on fine form as a man who returns from a near-death experience with the ability to see a light indicating that a person's life is in danger. It's a decent little B-movie that mixes a bit of the Bible with Dead Like Me, Final Destination and the work of Gustave Dore.
THE DEPARTED
It was good but for the many of fans of it that say this film is better than GOODFELLAS are crazy. It just isn't. Departed had a pretty good soundtrack, decent pacing and pretty good acting...it just doesn't hold a candle to GF...sorry.
Reason? DeNiro, Pesci & Liotta weren't in it...
Also...can Jack Nicholson play anymore like himself? Yeesh... where was the white makeup and purple suit?
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
A ghoulish farce on our obsession with looking young starring Bruce Willis, Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn. I always thought this was a very clever movie with some innovative effects and good performances by actors who aren't afraid to play against type. The ending is both funny and oddly disturbing (which kind of sums up my feelings about the movie as a whole). Apparently, immortality isn't all it's cracked up to be. There are also a couple of notable supporting performances by Ian Oglivy and Isabella Rossellini ( and Catherine Bell as Isabella's nude body double
I thought I was one of very few who loved this film. A little dark but at the time, I thought that it was pretty cool. B-)
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Yeah thats the one. Well I'm reading the book at the moment and so far. The movie is near enough exactly the same. So I think you'll enjoy it!
Author of 'Pussy Galore - A Representation of Women in James Bond Films'.
Active tweeter and tumbler - https://twitter.com/surrie_fullard
I haven't seen this movie in years, but once was certainly enough... It's been too long for me to comment on the more detailed aspects of the film. Interestingly, there have been horror movies that I found less disturbing. I've never been so freaked out by the ending of a film as I have with this one. The only thought that went through my mind was how these people were going to "survive" after losing their heads...