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RE: Foreign films you watched recently - 28/10/2012 2:56:49 AM

scarface666brooksy!!

Posts: 2501
Joined: 24/10/2007
From: The Valley of the Wind

Band Of Outsiders and Les Mepris are next on my viewing schedule Godard-wise, and Mirror is superb, I haven't seen any of his other work yet but nearly all of them are on Youtube.

I'm the same, I hate making ordered lists and always argue with myself about it. I made one last year and looking back now it's absolutely horrid to even think about

and it's rare to find a film that seems like Top 10 of personal all time potential but sometimes you just know it to be true.

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RE: Foreign films you watched recently - 29/10/2012 1:20:33 PM

scarface666brooksy!!

Posts: 2501
Joined: 24/10/2007
From: The Valley of the Wind

A Tale Of Two Sisters (2003, Woon, 1st viewing)

A fairly solid Korean horror film about.. well what it says in the title essentially but obviously there's a lot more to it. While having some genuinely scary moments that persisted to be creepy on a longer basis then just jump scares that you'd find in other horror flicks, I ended up feeling I wanted to like this film more then I actually did. That's not putting it down at all, it's probably a film I'd recommend to someone wanting to explore modern Korean film, but I don't know, there just felt like something was missing for me to really get behind it. Still quite good though.

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RE: Foreign films you watched recently - 1/11/2012 1:23:10 PM

scarface666brooksy!!

Posts: 2501
Joined: 24/10/2007
From: The Valley of the Wind

Bande � part or Band Of Outsiders (1964, Godard, 1st viewing)

Another day, another Godard film I've thoroughly enjoyed. I can still why people avidly dislike his films but yeah, I'm definitely a fan. Also, I need to chuck in another OMGANNAKARINAISBEAUTIFUL again, because she really is just gorgeous. Bande � part is definitely up with Pierrot Le Fou as my favourite Godard so far. I don't know whether it's the Karina factor, or just that I liked the relationship between the three leads (SPOILERS up until the last half hour or so. I mean it was easy to see that they trying to manipulate her, but I especially loved how Franz empathised with Odile and the fact they ended up together at the end was nice (END SPOILERS) And who said Godard didn't have a heart?

< Message edited by scarface666brooksy!! -- 1/11/2012 1:24:02 PM >

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Post #: 2553

RE: Foreign films you watched recently - 1/11/2012 10:12:25 PM

TheGodfather

Posts: 5092
Joined: 21/10/2005
From: Sin City

Koko Flanel
A Belgian comedy from 1990 wit comedian Urbanus that I hadn`t seen a loooooong time. It`s still so funny and lame at the same time as I remember it being.
Really had fun revisiting this again.

6,5/10

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Post #: 2554

RE: Foreign films you watched recently - 8/11/2012 7:33:10 AM

scarface666brooksy!!

Posts: 2501
Joined: 24/10/2007
From: The Valley of the Wind

Masculin F�minin (1966, Godard, 1st viewing)

Another day, another Godard. It�s the maestro�s sixth film that I�ve seen and probably the one I�ve liked the least. The whole thing is just one big musing about love, relationships, sex, the world, politics, America, society and a whole lot of anger and venom towards the Vietnam war. Through a couple of scenes with a cast of young French people, either out on dates, conducting interviews or sitting at home, all of these themes are explored. I don�t outright dislike Masculin F�minin, but I just struggle to find enough to outright like it too. One of the actresses is Eva Green�s mother, and I absolutely adore Eva Green so there�s that. In short, probably the weakest Godard film I�ve seen so far.

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RE: Foreign films you watched recently - 8/11/2012 11:51:30 PM

scarface666brooksy!!

Posts: 2501
Joined: 24/10/2007
From: The Valley of the Wind

I always forget about that.

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RE: Foreign films you watched recently - 11/11/2012 12:34:29 PM

scarface666brooksy!!

Posts: 2501
Joined: 24/10/2007
From: The Valley of the Wind

Alphaville (1965, Godard, 1st viewing)

Random Thoughts:

Eddie Constantine looks like an older Michael Shannon a tad

Goddamn I love Anna Karina.

Alpha 60 is like HAL crossed with Big Brother crossed with Tom Waits.

Lemmy Caution rocks the hell out of a trench-coat.

Cold, repressed and sterile, that�s Alphaville in a nutshell. Of course I�m referring to the place the film is set in, but also the film as a whole. Taking cues from Orwell and pre-dating Blade Runner by nearly 20 years, only Godard would make a sci-fi film and have no special effects and have his protagonist drive a Ford. After 7 Godard films, Pierrot Le Fou is still my favourite and Masculin Feminin my least. This would rank maybe 5th. It�s rewatchability factor is pretty low (for me at least) and I don�t think I�d recommend it as a starting to point to Godard�s films neither. Still good though.

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RE: Foreign films you watched recently - 13/11/2012 5:15:34 AM

scarface666brooksy!!

Posts: 2501
Joined: 24/10/2007
From: The Valley of the Wind

The Seventh Seal (1957, Bergman, 1st viewing)

One of the most famous foreign films of all time, and one I�ve never seen before.. until now! And it did not disappoint at all. Both a deeply spiritual film and also wholly poetic, The Seventh Seal deserves it�s reverence and then some. It�s not a film for everyone, but those with open minds cherish it. It�s also a lovely film to look at, and some of the scenes are visually beautiful. After seeing Bergman�s Persona, and while admiring it, I felt it a bit hard to watch. It felt taxing in a way, but this film despite it�s numerous scenes with discussions about God and Death and such, and even several scenes that were distressing, this film was breezy and easily accessible (at least compared to Persona). Also as a staple of my reviews, I add in a complimentary �she�s beautiful� moment towards Bibi Andersson. She�s also absolutely lovely in the film as well. The Seventh Seal is a true classic of World Cinema, and of cinema in general, and it�s brilliant.

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RE: Foreign films you watched recently - 13/11/2012 4:09:56 PM

Coyleone

Posts: 480
Joined: 13/10/2008

Le Mepris (Contempt) (Godard, 1963)
Contempt is a film about film, and a film about a marriage on the rocks. Godard manages to take both of those elements and create an interesting and quite beautiful movie. This is also a very personal film for him, as the married couple are often seen to represent Godard and Karina. In the first 10 minutes or so, it's clear that these characters are Godard's retelling of the ancient Greek story of Odysseus. You don't have to know anything about the Greek myth, because we are told of their story throughout the film, without Godard blatantly telling us that these character's resemble them, but as the film progresses it becomes clear. The film looks absolutely stunning from beginning to end, the colours are amazing, and so is the cinematography. Bridget Bardot is shot like a work of art, much like the ancient Greek statues of Gods are shot throughout the film which I found to be very powerful images, especially in the context of the film. The music is really great, and adds such depth to some of the scenes. I found this to be quite moving in places, the imagery combined with the score and the tragic story created a very powerful atmosphere. The quotes read out through the film by Fritz Lang and Jack Palance all have some relation to the two lead characters and their story arc, and just like in Vivre Sa Vie, hint at what's to come for the couple. My only complaint would be that there was a scene around the middle, just like in Breathless, were the couple are sitting around in their flat engaging in conversation, but this time it's about the trouble their relationship is in, and while it wasn't bad, it lacked the humor and quirkiness that the scene in Breathless had that made it great, here I thought it lasted a little too long. Once they left the flat the film moved back to a quicker pace and I found myself immediately hooked again. This is not as much a work of art as something like Pierrot Le Fou, but then again, what is. Still a sometimes powerful and always beautiful film, with interesting themes and characters. It also has Bridget Bardot looking stunning...and nude

, I think it's Godard's most accessible film I've seen to date too. 8.5/10

< Message edited by Coyleone -- 13/11/2012 4:11:35 PM >

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RE: Foreign films you watched recently - 19/11/2012 12:42:25 PM

scarface666brooksy!!

Posts: 2501
Joined: 24/10/2007
From: The Valley of the Wind

Rashomon (1950, Kurosawa, 1st viewing)
In a year of first experiences with famous directors (Bergman, Cassavetes, Godard, Truffaut), this is one director who I had a lot of anticpation for. Previously, I'd only seen half of Ran and fell asleep due to serious sleep deprivation (not a comment on the films quality mind, I could have fallen asleep during any film at the time because of how damn tired I was). Anyway, I'm getting off-topic. Rashomon had a lot to live up to, it's reputation is storied in the history of cinema and around this forum alone, like a lot of Kurosawa films in actuality. The plot is famous in itself, the same story about the rape of a woman and the murder of her samurai husband is retold from the perspectives of several people. This serves as a musing on the reliability of a narrator, and how equally plausible yet conflicting re-tellings can arise from a single event or situation. Dozens of films and TV shows have used this as a basis but Rashomon has done it the best out of the films/TV shows I've seen. The interesting and involving narrative(s), the performances especially from Toshiro Mifune, and the look of the film itself are all excellent. While I have seen better foreign films (admittedly it's not like I've seen a huuuuuuge amount in general but still a fair few), I fully respect, understand and support this film's reputation as one of the greats of not only Japanese cinema, but world cinema in general.

< Message edited by scarface666brooksy!! -- 19/11/2012 12:52:49 PM >

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RE: Foreign films you watched recently - 20/11/2012 9:45:48 PM

TheGodfather

Posts: 5092
Joined: 21/10/2005
From: Sin City

Watched it on saturday, first chance I got

Jeanne d'Arcs lidelse og d�d (The Passion of Joan of Arc)
Masters of Cinema has given Dreyer`s film a marvellous release. The film is made available in no less then 5 (!!!) different versions: two literally silent versions (so totally without sound), in 20 fps and 24 fps, the same versions but with newly composed soundtracks and the by Dreyer himself reviled Lo Duca versions.

This was the first time that I saw the film and so I chose to watch Dreyer`s personally prefered version: the 20 fps silent version.
You`d maybe suspect a very slow film: 97 minutes at only 20 frames per second (against the usual 24), but it didn`t feel long at all. From beginning to finish Dreyer`s camera work takes you right into the truly sad story of Jeanne D`Arc. Maria Falconetti is brilliant as the leading lady, she knows very well how to give a credible performance with wich she generates - right up until the very shocking (and shockingly visualised) ending - a lot of sympathy.

Despite the very low pace this is a beautiful, sad but also shocking film. You can quite understand why this was Dreyer`s personal favorite version to watch.
I am curious about the other versions featured in this release, but from what I`ve seen of them so far they aren`t at all as good as this version.

9,0/10

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RE: Foreign films you watched recently - 21/11/2012 7:37:39 PM

Coyleone

Posts: 480
Joined: 13/10/2008

Holy Motors (2012)
A fascinating film. I personally loved it, especially after having it constantly on my mind since I saw it yesterday and having it sink in (it still hasn't totally sunk in yet). Different people will take different things from it, but no matter what it is, you surely have to appreciate a film that truly makes you think for days afterwards. It's strange, bizarre, baffling, cool, beautiful to look at and completely captivating. I loved it, and it's probably my movie of the year right now, literally can't get it out of my head. 9 - 9.5/10

< Message edited by Coyleone -- 21/11/2012 7:38:22 PM >

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RE: Foreign films you watched recently - 26/11/2012 7:16:21 AM

scarface666brooksy!!

Posts: 2501
Joined: 24/10/2007
From: The Valley of the Wind

Joint Security Area (2000, Park, 1st viewing)

What little I�ve seen of South Korean cinema I�ve really enjoyed and Joint Security Area or JSA is definitely no exception. Directed by Park Chan-wook (who also made the brilliant Oldboy and Sympathy For Lady Vengeance), JSA deals with the investigation into a fatal shooting that occurred in the DMZ, which is the border-zone between North and South Korea. What I really liked about JSA is a crucial thing I look for in films that deal with mystery or anything of the sort, I didn't know where it was going to go next. I couldn't pick out why the shooting occurred at all until it was actually shown so it filled out that criteria for me. I'm definitely keen on seeing more Korean cinema so I'll probably get around to watching more of Park's films soon.

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RE: Foreign films you watched recently - 26/11/2012 10:31:44 PM

TheGodfather

Posts: 5092
Joined: 21/10/2005
From: Sin City

Week End
It`s Jean-Luc Godard`s last film that is a little watchable narrative wise (although you really shouldn`t try to and just let it come over you). Here he already goes more and more towards a political side, there can be no mistakes about his political preferences. They are quite clear. The film is quite radical, in a good way: everything is possible and everything can and will happen, the story is only used a startingpoint, to give way to his thoughts about today`s society, consumerism and (of course) politics. And what he gives us isn`t a too pretty image.

Visually this might be one of Godard`s best works I`ve seen so far, and I`ve seen quite a bit of his work. He uses a lot of long takes, for instance, in wich in every shot a lot of things happen at the same time. Brilliant centerpiece of it all is an almost 10 minute long scene that completely takes place in a traffic jam. A work of genius.
It is radical, it is bizar and it has everything. And although it`s overall quite a humoristic film you don`t really get happy from the picture Godard presents to us about ourselves and the world.
To quote the legendary film critic Pauline Kael: "Weekend is Godard's vision of Hell, and it ranks with the greatest".

9,0/10

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RE: Foreign films you watched recently - 27/11/2012 7:37:05 AM

scarface666brooksy!!

Posts: 2501
Joined: 24/10/2007
From: The Valley of the Wind

Visitor Q (2001, Miike, 1st viewing)

Spoilers

This is the kind of film that a large proportion of film watches shouldn't watch. It�s fucked up, disturbing, bewildering and really out of this world. The opening ten minutes or so is just one long scene of incest. And it doesn't stop there. Murder, rape, necrophilia, son on mother beatings and lots and lots of lactating and breast milk. As for plotting, it's not as memorable as the content but essentially there is a messed up family. A heroin addicted prostitute mother is abused by her tormented and bullied son. There�s a father making a documentary on the youth who has in the process of making documentary been raped by a gang of teenagers and had sex with his prostitute daughter. A random stranger assaults the father, and then somehow integrates himself into the family and I�ll leave it at that. Literally one of the strangest films I have ve ever seen. It�s not something that weirded me out too much because I can handle a fair bit of disturbing subject matter (I�m also quite desensitized) but I still wouldn't give this a shout-out to anyone unless they were looking for fucked up films.

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RE: Foreign films you watched recently - 27/11/2012 9:13:37 PM

Scruffybobby

Posts: 4021
Joined: 30/9/2005
From: My House

A great film (probably my favourite of Park's films) and not at all what I expected form the description on the box (bought it on the strength of having liked Oldboy. The English speaking parts do have some ropey acting though. I can't believe there was ever a plan to do a remake on the US/Mexican border. - thankfully it seems to have sunk without though

< Message edited by Scruffybobby -- 27/11/2012 9:15:07 PM >

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RE: Foreign films you watched recently - 28/11/2012 1:27:39 AM

scarface666brooksy!!

Posts: 2501
Joined: 24/10/2007
From: The Valley of the Wind

I'll agree with you on the English speaking front, the captain especially. And I'd never heard that a remake was even thought of!

I'm still reeling over the future Oldboy remake

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RE: Foreign films you watched recently - 28/11/2012 2:41:11 AM

Coyleone

Posts: 480
Joined: 13/10/2008

Alphahville (Godard, 1965)

Science fiction from Jean-Luc Godard, and it's brilliant. By today's standards, the story seems quite conventional; A secret agent from 'the Outlands' (Eddie Constantine) is sent to the city of Alphaville in the future to free it's citizens who are all under the control of the Alpha 60 computer. It's a simple plot, but this is Godard, so it becomes so much more than that. The people living in Alphaville are all living under a strict regime and always being watched, ranging from what they are allowed to believe in to what words they can or can't say, and anyone that doesn't follow the rules is found and executed.

It's a strong theme and is just as relevant today as it was back then, and it makes for some rather powerful stuff. Although some of the references to novels and past cinema might have flown over my head, I really didn't have to recognize them in order to love this film. The themes it deals with; both political and the evolution of technology and what it could become in the future, are so well handled that they never overpower the overall story, but it's still evident what Godard is trying to say without him forcing it down our throats.

The film is set in the future, but it's shot in 1960's Paris, but it's made to look grungy and really atmospheric, so it definitely gives the impression of a city under strict control. The lighting and cinematography really make you believe that it is 'futuristic', and I never once thought 'this clearly isn't in the future I'm watching'. The direction and editing are amazing as usual with Godard's films, and it's all tied together with a brilliant score. The use of music to build tension was well done, and it was definitely quite tense in some scenes, especially towards the end.

Anna Karina is the star for me, she's brilliant in it as the evil scientists daughter who wants to be free, but has to obey the rules. Godard once again shoots her like a goddess, and captures her vulnerability and her struggle to come to terms with the way she is being forced to live. Constantine is good too, but I have to say he doesn't have the likeability of someone like Jean-Paul Belmondo or Alain Delon. The film becomes genuinely exciting in the final scenes and you really start to get behind him and Karina though. The end was unexpected, especially considering the endings to most of Godard's other works, but it felt refreshing and it was so satisfactory that it put a big smile on my face.

This is clearly a very influential movie, it's impact is so evident on the genre. The way the story is told and the way it's shot, along with the added Film Noir tone to it all. I thought this was brilliant, not just for it's deeper themes, but it was enjoyable, fun and easily the most accessible of Godard's films that I've seen so far, it's also quite different to all of his other work, but it does bare a lot of stylistic similarities.

Taking that in to account, I might recommend this as your first Godard film, It gives you a more toned down feel of everything he's about, and the sci-fi element is something that allows him to show that to a wider audience. if you like the stylistic and thematic aspects of this, than I'd say give some of his more challenging and less narrative driven stuff a go.

I'd go as far as to say this might be one of the best science fiction movies of all time. It's seems so simple on the surface, but at the same time it's really complex like everything else I've seen from Godard. It's really enjoyable and also quite powerful which is something I can't say about a lot of films in the genre.

Influential and fantastic film. There isn't a complaint I have with it, it might just be a third masterpiece from Godard along with Breathless and Pierrot Le Fou.

9.5/10

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RE: Foreign films you watched recently - 2/12/2012 2:41:47 AM

Coyleone

Posts: 480
Joined: 13/10/2008

One Upon A Time In Anatolia (2012)
Very good film. The basic story consists of a group of characters (group of Police, a Prosecutor, a Doctor) searching for a body in Anatolia in Turkey. I've heard people say it might be the best film of the year, it wasn't that good, but it's a great story and requires a lot of thinking afterwards to fully grasp what happens. Nothing is handed to the viewer, we're expected to figure it out for ourselves. I was baffled by it at first by the ending, but then I remembered little things that happened throughout and you start to piece it together. It's very slow paced, but it's not boring and it's quite gripping. I had no idea what was going to happen which is a plus. It also looks great. I definitely still have tons of questions about it (anyone that's seen it will probably know what I mean), and I didn't really feel any emotion towards any of the characters, but it's amazingly acted and filmed and it's a hell of a lot deeper (the characters and the story) than it appears on the surface. I will say that it's not a film I would watch more than once again due to my enjoyment fading in and out in the last hour or so, but it's in the last hour that things get revealed that give the film it's depth. I'd say it's around a 7/10 for me right now.

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RE: Foreign films you watched recently - 2/12/2012 5:39:17 AM

scarface666brooksy!!

Posts: 2501
Joined: 24/10/2007
From: The Valley of the Wind

Audition (1999, Miike, 1st viewing)

I�d love to see people�s reactions to this film if they never knew about the content going into it. Wading through an hour and a half of slightly uneven but relatively interesting back-story of a lonely middle-aged man trying to find love, finding a beautiful young woman, falling in love and then it descends into a serious case ultra-violent and disturbing head-fuckery and torture. Knowing the content of the film before I�d actually seen it made the film very suspenseful building up to it�s climax and the little flashes of how crazy Asami really is were done brilliantly. That being said, the aforementioned narrative doesn�t work quite as well as the spiralling last 40 minutes or so, but I think it�s still reasonably good and much more involving then modern Hollywood romantic comedies, that�s for sure. On another note, any horror film that is scary due to sustained moments of horror or terror are much better then AHHH jump scare tactics of a lot of the genre. Audition may be flawed, but it still is definitely scary and certainly worth a watch if you�re a horror fan or interested in Japanese cinema.

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RE: Foreign films you watched recently - 3/12/2012 8:33:47 AM

scarface666brooksy!!

Posts: 2501
Joined: 24/10/2007
From: The Valley of the Wind

Ichi The Killer (2001, Miike, 1st viewing)

This movie takes hyper-crazy violence to a whole other level. I was already well aware of the reputation of this film going in, as I have with the two other Miike films I�ve seen but this film still managed to surprise me. I�m not even going to go into some of the scenes because I could be here forever talking about it. After Ichi, a repressed and border-line insane young man murders a mob boss, Kakihara is on the search for the killer for two reasons, to get revenge for his boss and also because he believes Ichi can deliver pain he wants for Kakihara�s sadomasochistic cravings and urges. The bizarre and violence factor gets pushed regularly and Ichi The Killer is not for the faint of heart or mind. It�s a perfect example of a �what the fuck did I just witness� category of film but it�s also excellent too and the best Miike film I�ve seen so far.

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RE: Foreign films you watched recently - 6/12/2012 1:24:50 AM

Coyleone

Posts: 480
Joined: 13/10/2008

Amour (Love) (2012)
It's not as emotionally draining or harrowing as I was lead to believe, but that isn't a bad thing. It is however, a brutally honest portrayal of old age, illness and how it can effect everyone involved. The film has some genuinely powerful scenes, and some very touching ones to go along with them. Seeing the couple acting fine, having normal conversations and even flirting with eachother, only for that to be completely taken away from them is extremely hard to process and quite devastating. It's something that will likely happen to most of us in our lives, or we will certainly go through something similar, and that's probably what makes this so effective. The tone of Haneke's directing adds a sense of complete realism to the film, making the events and characters come to life even further, aided by the two absolutely stunning lead performances. We get thrust into their lives, and we have to almost deal with their situation along with them. The end (second to last scene to be specific) is by far the most powerful and though provoking scene I've seen all year. This film may not be completely 'likeable', and it's certainly not as enjoyable as a few other films from this year, but it certainly has numerous scenes that are the most powerful of the year, and it's up there with the best. 9/10

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RE: Foreign films you watched recently - 7/12/2012 1:49:47 AM

Coyleone

Posts: 480
Joined: 13/10/2008

Army Of The Shadows (Melville, 1969)
Amazing movie about a network in the French Resistance in Nazi occupied France, the lengths they will go to and the courage they posses. The characters do things that would normally be seen as terrible, but it's what they need to do to survive and to keep their operation alive. The fact that Melville based a lot of the stuff from first hand experience only adds to it and gives it a great sense of realism, even when the characters do things that might seem a bit out there, it's fine because it's what these people were willing to do and more importantly what they had to do. Seriously brilliant film, with great performances and very tense moments and very powerful in it's later stages. Stunning film. 10/10

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RE: Foreign films you watched recently - 10/12/2012 10:17:53 PM

TheGodfather

Posts: 5092
Joined: 21/10/2005
From: Sin City

Jigokumon (Gate Of Hell)
Storywise it isn`t all that interesting. It is, especially towards the ending, predictable and it just flows along a bit too slow. It isn`t weird that for those reasons the film flopped at the Japanese box office when it was released almost 60 years ago.
What is good about this film is the costume design and the wonderfull use of colours. That makes up for a bit but not for all of it.

6,5/10

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RE: Foreign films you watched recently - 2/1/2013 12:07:37 AM

rich

Posts: 4127
Joined: 30/9/2005
From: Neo Kobe

The Iceman Cometh (Yuen Biao, Yuen Wah et al)

Story of Ricky aka Riki-Oh (Fan Siu-wong)

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RE: Foreign films you watched recently - 10/1/2013 10:53:12 PM

TheGodfather

Posts: 5092
Joined: 21/10/2005
From: Sin City

Rash�mon
Kurosawa`s breakthrough in the West doesn`t really give us a fun view on "mankind". "Everybody lies because no-one really is he like pretends to be" he once said about Rash�mon. Who of the four lead characters in this masterpiece is lying? or are they all lying? it`s up to the viewer to give a verdict because Kurosawa has his characters give a testimony to the viewer. By doing so, he includes the audience specifically in the story over and over again.

Multiple flashbacks (and flashbacks within flashbacks) are used, dividing the story in three different "timeszones", each of wich have their own style and cinematography.
Every piece is different, as beautiful as the last.

The strong point is that Kurosawa himself never gives a verdict about the characters, he totally leaves that up to his viewers to make up their own thruth.
Back when the film was released, audiences didn`t really appreciated that. 60 years on, that is one of the reasons why Rashom�n still stands strong and still is interesting and still is topical today.
Essential viewing.

9,0/10

_____________________________

Jules: "What" ain't no country I ever heard of! They speak English in What?
Brett: What?
Jules: ENGLISH, MOTHERFUCKER! DO-YOU-SPEAK-IT?

(in reply to scarface666brooksy!!)

Post #: 2576

RE: Foreign films you watched recently - 25/1/2013 12:07:14 PM

TheGodfather

Posts: 5092
Joined: 21/10/2005
From: Sin City

The Broken Circle Breakdown
It`s been a very long time since a film hit me as hard as this Belgian film. It wasn`t that busy in the cinema but those people who were there (including myself and my girlfriend) all were literally moved to tears. Every scene was spot on, one scene more intense than the next.

The film tells the story about a couple (the both excellent acting Veerle Baetens and Johan Heldenbergh) and their young daughter who is suffering from a deadly disease, how they handle this situation and what impact it has on their relationship.
The story is told in a non-chronological order, something that is not a gimmick here. It makes the film stronger. You`re thrown from one emotion into the next, and back again.

To tell too much about it can only break down the viewing expierence, it is best to go into it without knowing much about it.
Four days after seeing it the images still "haunt" me, that much of an impression it made on me (partly because of the subject and the fact that I`ve been in these kinda of situation. That makes the impact even better).
One of the best films of the past year, if not of the last few years.
Go see it if you have the chance.

9,5/10

_____________________________

Jules: "What" ain't no country I ever heard of! They speak English in What?
Brett: What?
Jules: ENGLISH, MOTHERFUCKER! DO-YOU-SPEAK-IT?

(in reply to scarface666brooksy!!)

Post #: 2577

RE: Foreign films you watched recently - 30/3/2013 5:46:04 AM

jiraffejustin

Posts: 445
Joined: 29/3/2011

The Raid: Redemption (2011, Evans)

Short on story, plot, plausibility, purpose, pretty much everything except for neat action sequences. Honestly, the action is so fun it makes up for having no reason in existing. People are getting slammed like it's zero gravity, and I'm fine with that. I didn't like that some punches and swings of a machete that were supposed ducked were actually just swung over our heroes head. Oh and you don't actually find out anything about the characters, except for one thing that seemed pretty cliched. It's a lot of fun though.

< Message edited by jiraffejustin -- 30/3/2013 5:48:49 AM >

(in reply to TheGodfather)

Post #: 2578