Reviews

With this one Bergman touches the inner soul like no one ever did on film. The movie is about depression, how to deal with your principal beliefs when you don't believe in them anymore, "God's escaping me..." We feel the priest running out of strenght and slowly fading away in his disbeliefs, he then finds a man who he can relate to (Due to the depression he has, as heard about the bomb which the Chinese are creating, they are learnt to hate) He kind of uses him to give himself the power to get on with his own life, he doesn't listen to the man, but he explains his own problems, due to this the man kills himself, it's now the task of the priest to tell his wife, and by this he finds himself again, feeling again what his role in this so cruel world is. "What's the meaning of life" he says, "we can only know if we fight against ourself and our inner soul which leads us to suicide" that's why we live. Everything fits together so perfect, it's almost like I was living the movie. The characters play excellent, the cold winter settings make part of the mood the film was made for, make you feel, and that's why this movie is so excellent. It's a not so easy one but once you understand what it tells you realise why this movie exceeds storytelling of today's crap we get to see in theatres. Few films are so true and realistic.

I haven't seen all of Bergman's films, but for now this is the masterpiece 10/10

In the same league as "Body Heat" a dark film noir about a man who wants to drink himself to death after losing his wife & family, his work and his perspective on his future. In las Vegas he meets a hooker, and that's where the film is about. The story of 2 people that despite their problems and misery only have each other, the hooker who finds love and someone to feel good with, and Ben someone who admires him, despite his alcoholism. I think this was an amazing and depressing film that certainly deserves to be at least in the top 250 here. Sometimes films give you goosebumps, you feel so absorbed like you're living it. This is such a film

A masterpiece

Sometimes there's a movie that devestates you so much, you look through the credits, just recovering from the impact it gave you. Shawshank redemption did that, as Schindler's list and American Beauty did, but on top of them there is Million Dollar Baby. Incredible character study from 3 people, each with his own scars... The story built slow but very effective, Clint is as good as in his old days, he plays the old' man, who can't laugh, and when he does, you feel such a thrill through your body, incredible charism this man has. Hilary Swank sets a brilliant performance, as well as Morgan Freeman, you can feel with them all, worried about what's on their mind, and when the emotions of them all come together, you realise how good this movie is. Brilliant directed from Clint, he deserves every praise, I looked forward to this movie so long, and it really shows this is what film is meant to be!

Go see this, it's one of a kind 10/10

I dunno what the hype around this is... This is really a bad movie...it did nothing to me, the only descent scene is where everyone comes together at the party, and a nice song is playing, uplifting beat and nice cinematic shots that make you move....that was the best part of the movie... Otherwise this film lacks everything to suck the viewer in There's no story, there's nothing to think about like some people say, there's no cohesion between the different stories...it was more of an attempt to re-do Anderson's 'Magnolia' which was brilliant, but it fails blatantly... Okay it's light and easy to watch, but that are movieclips too. Maybe first write a story before you make a movie... 4/10 One of the worst Belgian movies I've seen

I've always been a fan of deep realistic, and for-the-mind-movies. I still remember it, three years ago, LOTR:fellowship of the ring came in theatres across the world, a movie, incredibly hyped by everyone around me, I couldn't find any interest in such a movie, and the hype around it put me even father away from liking it or going to watch it. Then 6 months later or so I decided to give the movie a try, because of the high ranking at imdb, my mate from school gave me the dvd and that evening I started watching it. I knew nothing of it, I started watching, I like it at the start, but as the movie continued I almost felt asleep because of the nonsens playing at the screen in front of me, I forced myself to keep watching, because it must be good, everyone loves it! So the movie went on, About an half hour before the end it even grabbed me for a moment, I was at the point of 'liking' it. Then an half hour later the movie ended, I didn't find a plot in it, I left my sofa with a very dissapointing feeling, what a waste of three hours from my precious life! I argued with everyone that this movie isn't any good at all. All I did was proving the movie sucked. It was visually stunning okay, but all in all, it just sucked for me as film. A year and a half later I met this very nice girl who I felt in love with, and sharing your life with someone is sharing your interests, guess what, she loved LOTR! :D She even has the books! After a while I said to myself, let's give it a try, so I borrowed the book from my gf (the first one) and I started reading (notice:I maybe have read 4 books in my entire life) I rapidly started to like the story, which I completely missed in the first movie :p Guess now! 6 months or so later I finished the book! :D, I finished reading a full 490 pages of a book, this was a victory on his own for me. Then the day I waited for for a couple of weeks, the LOTR marathon! 3 films, 10 hours watching movies, with in mind the first movie blowed bigtime for me. But I had more background now. So I woke up and me and my gf, packed with a few donuts which we picked up at our bakery to survive the day moved on to the theatre. We arrived, we went in, we picked our seats and here is where my whole view on this whole trilogy completely changed direction. The first movie began, never I had been sucked more into a movie like this one, and yes reading the book adds so much more to it then I could ever imagine, the movie blew me away, and the best thing was that it just all started, (10/10). The second movie the two towers left me a bit confused at the start, I wished I had read the second book too when the movie started, I had a hard time following the story and getting into the movie, I was left with a lot of questions during the movie, which remain unanswered, good luck my gf helped me out at times, but I finished the second movie with a less satisfying feeling the the first one, although the action scenes and mass fights, the soundtrack, the environgment completely put me off guard, I loved it! Still I wished I had read the second book too when I finished the second one. The return of the king was the strawberry on the cake, there where I left the two towers with a rather unsatisfied feeling, this movie completely stole my heart, and since the beginning I was hooked for a long journey to Doom mountain, omg was all I could say at the end, I almost cried because it was all over, my one-day-journey into the unimaginable, the unknown world of middle earth was over, I'm still enjoying the movie 24 hours after I left the theatre. What an amazing day, what a journey, what a movie!! Completely blown away! It's not a good movie, it's an experience. I wished I hadn't seen it. I wish I would watch it in theatre again, and I mean the whole trilogy at once! I wish I read the second and third book too before watching it! I wish there was more, I don't think they will make something like this again in my life. I know this doesnt all belong to return of the king, but I just had to share my story. On thing before you head to see it. READ THE BOOK! Amazing masterpiece!

Nothing groundbraking here, but a really wonderful movie about an indian's spirit and the power of a nation when all having the same goal. One of the most relaxing, harmonious, good feeling films I've ever seen. Great musical score, well done movie! 9/10

As animation films mostly are entertaining, this movie is nothing more or nothing less. First of all I wanna say that I didn't watch an animation film in 10 years... I didn't go to the theatre with much expectations, but I was kinda surprised, the movie made me laugh, and it kept me watching until the end. I can't say this movie was great though, I was satisfied when I left, because it gave me a happy feeling. I rate it 8/10 because it entertained me the whole time. It certainly has some messages, but the movie is too cute to be marked in your mind forever, highly entertaining but it's far from a "strong" movie.

Is it really needed to live through someone else's eyes, to live through someone else's body to understand that luck and love is inside the mind, and not on the outside? The main purpose of this movie for me is that it shows, that modern society makes people believe the outer of a human being is taking in a more important thing in life then a person's inner being. What we have: a depressed man (Cusack) who can't find a job...being a puppeteer is like being nobody, at least if u r a low-middle class average human-being like me and you reading this right now. You don't count in this society if u'r extraordinairy and not cool in someone else's mind. This is the way Swartch lives... He meets a girl who he gets in love with, he likes her, but she doesnt' show much interest because he's extraordinary, not cool, He's ugly, he's a nobody. Then he escapes his own body, and becomes another person (John Malkovich) for 15 minutes. He gets back to his own state and feels great, great to feel what it is to be famous, to be known, to have a supposed "great life".....movie goes on......skipping parts....... He uses this to reach the inner mind of Maximes through another person's body. Now he succeeds to get her attention, although maxime doesn't know it's him in John but still thinks it's Lotte. The character of Maxime shows well the way people think these days. She loves the inner of Craig Schwartz, and she loves the outer of John Malkovich. She is out to richness, wealth, fame, all the things that make you supposingly happy these days, without taking in regard that true happiness is inside, and not on the outside. A surrealistic film to think about, not a masterpiece though, more like a documentary how to live in a good way. To understand that it's NOT BETTER BEING SOMEONE ELSE, but it's better to be YOURSELF. People always find eachother, no matter who you are. 8.5/10

I just came back from the movie, unsatisfied as I'm speaking. The story has been told a thousand times before, the end was very dissapointing, and they could have done much better with the atmosphere -which is in my opinion the strongest concept of the film- It started out very well, with a great opening scene, some nice visual shots grab you with the story, but then the drawback comes....the humor, the Werner desmedt, the unnecessary conversations between the two investigators and the police, completely out of place.....which really put you out of the atmosphere. I would say "p***ing on someone's car, so they smell on it and can laugh with it".....completely ridiculous in my opinion, really doesn't belong in a movie like this. For most people, the movie was good because of the innovative cinematography in Belgian films, but that doesn't do it for me. In my opinion also, the movie is too much based on Decleir, like the flashbacks he gets after his killing, it gave me great moments....but I'm so unsatisfied because they didn't do anything with him at the end....The movie unfolds slowly with a very dissapointing end...I was screaming but I didn't get an echo. The whole characterisation of Jan Decleir adds nothing at the end....Alzheimer....does not add a single value to this film....on what themes is this movie based on?? Child prostitution? Revenge? I dunno....The movie could have gone mystery, because of the atmosphere (with the nice cinematography) or it could have gone a real cop-story...which it did....but it failed at both miserably, don't kill me yet, it wasn't bad, but it wasn't good either.... They would have done much better if the characterisation of the murderer comes to an emotional end...but they just let him die... There so much wrong about the movie I can't explain...but then....that's just me

7/10

Just came back from the theatre, and I was blown away after the movie. The storie is nothing more then a standard mystery movie, although great on his own, but the underlying messages are so powerful it makes this one a masterpiece. Brilliant performances by Penn and Robbins who give the movie that extra power to become an emotional journey afterwards. I'm not gonna spoil anything here, just enjoy watching it, and if u like to think about messages this movie gives you, then this is one for you. I would say a mix of Road to perdition and American Beauty, but stronger. I loved it 9/10

First of all I saw it only gets a 6+ on imdb, I can completely understand this, because this movie has a typical awsome or awfull feeling on people. Also I wanna say it's not a movie for film critics who judge on the story, directing etc..., it's not a movie like shawshank redemption or american beauty with an brilliant plot and meaning... This is a film to get u completely into the atmosphere of "the unknown", not a movie where the storie grabs u with your throat, the atmosphere, the feeling of being there yourself does this. Therefore many people will think it sux, because of the meaningless things you see on the screen. On the other hand I personally think this movie is pure class, the hype around it makes this movie certainly "better", just the thought "did this really happened?" grabs you, at least me. If u start watching the movie with the feeling of being unrealistic, fantasy etc... U will not enjoy it. Just sit back, and enjoy the amosphere of this awsome piece of independant filmmaking. It's original, thrilling, and its based on true facts. If u start watching the film with these three things in mind u will certainly enjoy it, others who take this movie down, are just not made for this. That's why it's an awsome or awfull movie.

Well, I can say this movie is for me certainly an awsome piece of "documentary"

First of all, I have to say I didnt expect anything from this movie. I hadn't hear much about it either. And I have to say the movie really surprised me. Its not a masterpiece but a very refreshing movie with a good plot, sometimes emotional. And it has been a long time since I saw a movie with a meaning, depth. I saw that it got only 6.0 score, so I think its very underrated.

8/10

Well Jo Haslam, I coudn't agree with you more, this movies lacks depth and a good plot which in my opinion make a movie great. Movies like Shawshank redemption, Shindlers list, am beauty, memento DO have this, and when u end watching the movie u r just blown away by the impact it creates.

I didn't have this feeling with this one, its a nice movie, the effects and the soundtrack are great, the atmosphere is great (sometimes) but a movie is not build around the effects etc.... I didnt read the book either maybe it had given me a little more background and maybe then I could place myself more into the movie, but now I think where's the story that takes you with your throat and dont let go anymore). The start is great, then one hour of complete annoyance, I thought nothing is gonna save the movie from a complete disaster (in the meanwhile I thought 3 times to quit watching, but I thought this movie is no4 on the imdb list, so it must be good, so I decided to watch further) then on 1.5 hour when the form a fellowship and they go on their way to drop the ring, the movie switches completely, I thought ok, it's becoming better now, and it became more interesting but at the end I can say it didn't save the movie to become a real good one, it wasn't that bad though but I've seen LOADS of better movies with better stories.

Just a really hyped up movie like Titanic. Titanic is much better though!!!

I know there are a lot of people who disagree with me but a movie is really excellent if u r blown away at the end, speechless. Well, the feeling I had at the end of this one is far from this!

First of all, i wanna say that the movie has a stunning first 30 minutes, great action, great value of realism,... but then the story collapses pretty bad, when I saw the movie, it was nice looking at it but afterwards i realised that it was a very ordinairy storyline, and that dissapointed me. It was all so damn predictable, and that's why it is not a masterpiece imo, apart from the storyline its a great movie :)

I saw this movie last week and I must say that it is the most wonderfull movie ever made in human history. It contains all elements that makes a movie big, and how big, damn I was completely blown away when the movie ended. Its about a man (Andy Dufresne)(Tim Robbins) who is judged guilty and ends up in "ThE ShAwShAnK PrIsOn", he meets Red (Morgan Freeman) and become friends, I've never seen such a great acting like this two together. Andy Dufresne is the hope itself and has to face a hard time in prison till...Im not gonna reveal the movie any further because YOU MUST SEE IT, Its just the best movie ever made, Memento, Schindler's list and American History X were awsome but this one will blow you completely away! 10 out of 10 and even more if it could be. --------ENJOY IT--------

I saw the film on tv, and I must say I was into it for the first 20 minutes, but what then came was very very poor, I just turned my tv off after an hour because I couldn't watch any further too this kind of bad jokes, bad story, bad filming, bad characters, bad everything... So all you really filmfreaks who saw films as "Memento", "American history x", "traffic" etc...

DONT WATCH IT because its a piece of **** and a waste of your time

I've seen this film and I must say, the first 7 minutes of the movie are really awesome, and thats all I can say about the film. If the film could hold the atmosphere from the beginning it would have been a GREAT film, but I think the makers ran out of inspiration :)

I rated this film 6

This movie isn't an ordinary movie, it breaks through the original uses of time and emotion, and takes you in a world of experience, every person who ever saw this one will have another meaning about it at the end. The movie starts where it ends and minute by minute you gain experience what finally brings you to an incredible end. Its recommended for everyone who enjoys thinking about the movie after you've seen it.

Is my favorite of all time.