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jean-levy
Reviews
The Tourist (2010)
Excellent escapism
Watched this movie on Sky Box Office. Was not sure what to expect. Angelina Jolie often disappoints me (how special am I?) but Johnnie Depp I love . . . so on a Monday Night: I loved this movie. Excellent baddie in pursuit of his stolen cash. Wonderful representation of the constraints of British Intelligence (Paul Bettany presiding) . . . almost a page out of the Keystone Cops. Thank Goodness for Timothy Dalton, a man with an inkling of reality. Johnny Depp plays a convincing Wisconsin maths teacher . . . And Angelina Jolie driven by a heart that caused her to betray her professional imperative for the man she loves . . . even if he is a teacher from Wisconsin? The chemistry between Jolie and Depp was appropriate. Loved her collar. Loved her frocks. Was the fantasy in the hotel room real? Watched it again and still don't know. Poetic licence. Moments to cherish: the interaction of the bad guys . . . and the 'maths' moment with the safe was genius. And the perceived transitions: the 'higher forehead' . . . 'you sound different' What can it all mean? The accents were not overplayed (how can these actors do that?). And the final moments? How precious we have become that we might not recognise an enjoyable plot, a superb location ('not just anywhere') and the reassurance of humour . . . 'a guy's been sending me texts'. The postmodern literary critic with a desire for an alternative narrative and the ill-explained might not like this movie. On a Monday night in Sussex it was really enjoyable. Well done everyone. Well done Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck. I can't say I don't wish him well.
Eight (1998)
Made more than eight years ago, but still an excellent short movie
This morning I watched this short film for the first time, and have since purchased my own copy. It is about an eight-year old boy called Jonathan and his attempts to come to terms with the absence of his father. During the thirteen minutes of run time we are given glimpses into Jonathan's daily routine as he lives out his fantasies as a world-class footballer and the son of a man who might, in this small boy's mind, have been anything, perhaps even an astronaut. But for me the single most poignant sequence in this movie sees Jonathan walking over and taking the extended hand of a father that has, whilst distracted, let go of his own son's hand. For a brief moment, before the man realises his mistake, Jonathan walks hand in hand with a father. The sequence is both tragic and comic and, despite the fact that it lasts only seconds, its impact remains.
However, this is more than just a movie about a fatherless little boy and his lonely, displaced mother. There is a deeper sadness that is revealed as the moments unfold.
The part of Jonathan is played by Jack Langan-Evans. Despite what seemed to be a natural ability to act, or at the very least be well-directed, Jack seems to have no further entries on IMDb. Filmed on the South Coast, with a minimum of characters, the scenes in the sand dunes are magnificent - even the wind plays its role perfectly.
I intend to watch this short film repeatedly and to force it upon everyone I know. Excellent.