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Reviews
Luther (2003)
Brilliant movie
As far as silver screen productions go, this was absolutely amazing: the weaving of the atmosphere truly portrayed the great misery and vice that much of Europe was embedded in; Joseph Fiennes' acting was brilliant, as was that of Peter Ustinov; the screenplay was fantastic.
My only critique of the movie is that, though it accurately shows how Luther's concepts lead directly to modern ideals of freedom, justice, and individualism, it does not show in the least how the Reformation also resulted in centuries of war for Europe that even continue today, nearly five centuries after the ninety-five theses' publication.
Furthermore, the movie only lightly touches on Luther's period of self-torture and asceticism, and nor does it show very well how he abandons the peasants after they revolt against the Princes of Germany. The scene after the massacre shows once again a compassionate, loving Luther, who has been shaken by the death but feels no guilt for it. There is no mention of his anti-Semitism in the film. In essence, the vices of Luther are quieted, while his humanity and love are flaunted.
Historically, it was not an accurate representation. As far as movies go it was amazing.
The Tragedy of Macbeth (1971)
a travesty
An absolutely disgusting production of Macbeth. To summarize: a chaotic, badly shot mass of gore, blood, and sex with disgusting misogyny thrown in and laced with disturbing, sadomasochistic, homoerotic overtones (the execution of the thane of cawdor). I'm not a sex fearing puritan, but this was simply blood and sex for the sake of blood and sex--and therefore disgusting. The whole various implied subplots--Ross's villainy, Donalbain's jealousy--were useless, annoying, and frankly perverting of the entire production.
The soliloquy-voice overs were an awful idea. The actors, almost all from the Royal Shakespeare company, were all wonderful--but had to stand like corpses or Keanu Reeves on set, staring blankly and coldly into space while their pre recorded voices blabbed on in their minds. What it loses therein is so much of the possible emotion and life found in any actual half-decent production. It is truly more realistic--but simply badly done and mutilating of the actor's abilities. For example: Banquo's soliloquy ("Thou hast it now: king, cawdor, glamis, all. As the weird women promised. And I do fear thou didst play most fouly for it) is laden with confusion, accusation, jealously, pain, hate, love; a mix of emotions that is carelessly discarded as Banquo merely stands on a Scottish heath, staring at macbeth. the emotions of his face, the language of his body, all that could be there if he spoke was lost. Tragically.
The misogyny of the play, again, was explicitly disturbing--but then, what can one expect from the director of Rosemary's Baby?
Ong-Bak (2003)
Greatest action film EVER
This film was by far the bloody greatest action movie I have EVER seen. (The copy I watched had no English subtitles, so in essence the only speech I could understand was the Australian guy vividly shouting "F**k MOI TAI" at Ting, right before his arse gets whupped into ground pulp.) Nevertheless, the film was amazingly thought out, plotted, and the camera work was amazing. Unlike movies such as the "Bourne Identity" in which violence randomly occurs in scenes that have no connection to the actual plot line, each fight scene in Ong Bak makes perfect sense in the context of the story--and of course are brilliantly planned and shot. To any who disagree, I have only two words: FLAMING SHINS. (See the move to figure that one out :P)