Reviews

In order for the readers of this review to fully understand my position, I need to situate myself in the picture- the historical one, not the movie. At the time of the unfolding of that story I was 2 years younger than the protagonists, a tenth grader in one of the two best high schools in my town, an avid listener of Free Europe and a constant fan of Cornel Chiriac's Metronom, to whom I owe my still present love of good music and my sentimental involvement with good, everlasting music. To this day, every 4th of March is the day I light a candle as a remembrance of that day of 1975 when he was assassinated, in Cornel's memory. Having lived through that period and the subsequent one, it came as a shock to me to read all those reviews written either by people my age, who should have lived through similar constraints and so hopefully developed a similar attitude, or by people much younger, who completely lack the accurate information and/or the desire to get it, so they express opinions just because they can, with no relevance whatsoever to the actual events. You know what they say: "Those who ignore their past are bound to relive it." Such reviewers speak about "the plot" of the film. Guys, that "plot"was our lives, the despicable politics of the communist régime to keep your head down, your mouth shut, your "eyes on the prize"- the prize in this case being educated by the system into brainwashing and believing that the socialist/ communist régime is unquestionably the best of them all. I can't blame the generation of our parents for not fighting against the oppression, though we are currently living through times in which it is fashionable to blame it all on the parents, irrespective of generation, as long as it justifies one's failure. We, in our turn, were educated in a culture of fear of the authoritoes, of the securitate services, of each other; the older generation knew it was best to beware of everyone, since you never knew whom to trust. Actually, after the revolution of December 1989, when the archives of the securitate were opened to everyone, many of us made the epic mistake of wanting to see their own record, thus finding out that their friends, relatives and often spouses were the ones who had turned them in and gave regular reports about what was spoken in their houses. The blackmail to which the protagonists are subjected, either the classmate who thus gives his family the opportunity of fleeing the socialist Romania and living in the West, or the whole class who will only sit their finals- the bac- if they agree to collaborate with the securitate indefinitely were among us- they and their parents, making a hideous crime of the fact of listening to good, international music. For a large part of the youth of those times the importance of music to keep our heads above water, to keep us functional in a drab, gloomy world full of prejudice, fear and self loathing for not being able to do anything against it will never be underlined strongly enough. Nor will be the trauma that we lived with. I am sorry for the new generations who, unless they have been educated by parents with a strong and reliable conscience, seem to be unable to appreciate the numerous freedoms which they have, not even when faced with the harsh realities of those times. Guys, ask yourselves why those teenagers were dressed in uniforms in order to go to school, why they had numbers sewn onto said uniforms like convicts in prisons, why they were listening to music in secret and writing letters to the radio stations in the West in secret, why they were abusively taken from their houses to the securitate station. Eh? Why should you complicate yourselves with such useless questions, since you've been living in a free world, enjoying all liberties at will, having all music at your disposal, and being torn by a single type of torture: what to wear at school the next day in order to be fashionable enough. But for this you should show some curiosity and go and watch the movie. We were 4(four) people in the theater, the rest were watching Wakanda; black panthers seem more appealing and easier to watch than your recent history.

The director Alexandru Belc must have had good advisors; the period accents are well placed, the décor detalis, from house and institution furnishing and deorations to clothes and underwear, the drab atmosphere, the naiveté of the young protagonists, as opposed to the fear and precaution of their parents. The sound track must have cost a fortune out of the film budget- The Doors, Janis Joplin, I don't know about Mircea Florian or Sideral Modal Quartet, but they were rightfully chosen in a film about music, about failed lives in a failed society- not that the present society were perfect... The end of the film, showing all our protagonists debating the subject from the Romanian literature exam comes as a final blow- or maybe an expected one, depending on each viewer's experience: all our protagonists could sit the bac because they had made the pact with the devil, by signing contracts of informants with the securitate. In high school I used to have a school mate who, for a similar "crime", was forbidden to sit the bac and went to work in a coal mine, without graduating. I have no idea what became of him... The film is not perfect. If I were to direct it, I wouldn't show a boy with such long hair - at the party, the one with whom Ana dances, I wouldn't show that outburst of violence- the securitate guy smashing that other boy's face with the phone in front of so many witnesses, I would express a lot more concern about getting pregnant- a constant worry for young girls in those days.

On the whole, "Metronom" comes as close as it gets to a faithful depiction of the times, with the extensive help of the cast- Mara Bugarin, a teenager in love with her heart on her sleeve, unable to believe the sleeve could be so tainted; Vlad Ivanov, who seems to be made for roles of villains such as this one- a securitate colonel: he doesn't hesitate to threat Ana with a gang bang in the basement of the building if she doesn't cooperate, him being the father of a girl barely older than Ana. The best indicator of how much this film caught me is the fact that I simply forgot about the traditional nachos with cheese cream sauce and I left them uneaten, only to discover them almost untouched at the end of the movie. Plus the music score, which sent me back memory lane- aka Youtube- to search for those songs long unheard, but not forgotten. How could one forget "Cu pleopa de argint"- With a Silver Eyelid, by Mircea Florian, albeit a nod to Emerson, Lake and Palmer's "Lucky Man"? All in all this film is a respectful reconstitution of times that all young Romanians should know about, in order to avoid repeating them and all older Romanians should too, in order to avoid making fools of themselves when stating, full of conviction, that the socialist/ communist epoch was the best that could be and is to be regretted in contrast with the world we live in? But these representatives of the older generation could very well be the teenagers of yore...

An inspired parody of both Tinsel Town and the pandemic. Full of tongue in cheek punch lines, not sparing any of the cheap tricks which make up most of today's success films- Dune, I'm looking at you! All the silly, albeit considered necessary safety measures during the pandemic... Not very well put together, just as any famous Hollywood comedy should be, a bit long and diluted in places, making fun of how social media are turning people into helpless idiots, pointing out the hypocrisy pervading a politically correct America; there's so much to laugh at in this film, so many clichés! I guess the poor reviews come from not liking the mirror placed by Apatow in front of us. If we don't like what we see, we shouldn't break the mirror, though!

Ok, so the plot is pretty easy to figure out, the main story line is predictable, the whole world of influencers is all shell and no depth- nothing new here. Plus the inevitable stand about political correctness.

And the main character- what a good looking girl!

But... for one who visited Salvador- not El Salvador, you geography losers- this film is a little gem on the way back memory lane. Elevador Lacerda, Bahia de Todos os Santos, Pelourinho, Farrol de Barra, baianas, praias, it's all there. No Mercado Modelo, though.

Considering the year- 2021- I wonder when and how the carnival scenes were filmed. A carnival in 2020, perhaps? I'd like to know...

There are two distinct categories of people who reviewed this film: those who awarded it high marks and those who didn't- at all. The director, Radu Jude- impressed me with his "Aferim!" - a film which gives food for thought by dealing with a very little known and uncomfortable subject in Romanian history: the slavery of gypsies from past centuries.

"Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn" is just as uncomfortable, but it is set in contemporary Romania. As contemporary as it gets: the pandemic year of 2020. The title itself is misleading; this film is not about sex, though it is the starting point of the plot. For that, one can search Pornhub. This is a film about how sick and ailing the Romanian society is in its entirety; the first chapter of the film takes us on a ride along with the protagonist through the Bucharest of our days: noisy, dirty, unkempt, unruly, impolite, careless, unappealing, selfish, vulgar. If some don't like it, well, why break the mirror if it shows you what you look like? A lot of the filming in this section reminded me of La Nouvelle Vague.

The second chapter has apparently no connection whatsoever with the first. Or has it? An ad libitum dictionary of contemporary notions translated into the Romanian realities of the moment; what can be more hilarious and heart wrenching at the same time?! Considering the way it is put together, Monty Python comes to mind.

As for the third chapter, well, this is Romanian society at its best. First of all, it is not for the parents to decide whether a teacher can be fired or not; it is a state school, hence free for the pupils, so the parents shouldn't have a say in who stays and who goes. This chapter of the film is so full of harsh satire directed at how the Romanians think they have a say in everything, thus displaying a wide range of all kinds of preconceptions, stereotypes and fake news distribution- racial, political, social, sexual- that one doesn't know whether to laugh or to cry.

Yes, this is us, whether we like it or not.

And the grand finale, well... you have to watch it in order to choose which one suits you best. I go for the third, full throttle.

Great job, Radu Jude and his team! A fully deserved Golden Bear!

I came across this hidden gem only days after finishing the three series of "Shtisel". An interesting coincidence. Not being a Jew, I came well equipped to grasp all the subtle ways in which Yvan Attal deals with Jewish stereotypes in his film. Ok, in order to enjoy it one has to be pretty open minded- Jew or not Jew, but especially Jew. From the anti semitic politician who discovers he is a Jew himself, the only poor Jew in the world, the two rabbis discussing in depth the washing of the chimney sweeps to the bombing of Paris only months after the French declared themselves Jew by referendum, this film is an exquisite comedy pretty much in the vein of the Monty Python series. Dramatic accents here and there remind the viewer that this in not all in jest. Facts remain facts. All in all, "Ils sont partout" is a comedy made up of separate sketches which makes one- but not anyone- burst out with laughter every few minutes.

It's been a while since I haven't heard about Werner Herzog. And now, this. Do Japanese people hire fake fathers or other friends? I wouldn't know. Do they travel long distances to consult with an oracle woman? I wouldn't know either. Is there an emergent industry of pretending you're dead, in order to see what it's like? How could I know? Are robots likely to take over from humans in ways we can't fathom yet? For sure. Can we pretend to fight without weapons? Absolutely. Do we need to save face in various situations? You can bet on it. Would we hire someone to take the blame and prosternate to the boss's feet instead of us? Don't answer no; you'd be lying. Stark interiors, formal attitudes, rigid dialogues- and a world of turmoil within. Is it reality? Is it a nearing, ominous future? Is it Japan? Is it not? Who cares, it's a good film. Who would have thought in 2019 that we would be quarantined globally in 2021? And yes, somewhere in south-east Asia I witnessed a situation in which two young men fell on their knees in front of an older guy- presumably their employer- and showed their deepest remorse and practically kissed his feet in public; they didn't stand up before the man touched their shoulders. Not a scene for European eyes.

Reading through the reviews, one can easily notice which are written by Indian viewers and which aren't. This is indicative of the rating, the critical approach and the overall evaluation, so it came as a surprise that some of the best/ worst ratings came from Indians. Being neither Indian, nor westerner, but from a country which has next to nothing to do with the Indian culture and ways of life, I always look for movies which could help me advance in understanding such a different country. In spite of the numerous scenes depicting Indian life realistically, on the whole the film gives somehow the sensation of superficiality, just like a tourist who spends two weeks traveling around monasteries and other places of worship and returns home with the firm belief that they fully grasped Indian philosophy and they are better for it. I chose to consider this film as a bitter satire of how to advance in the world when one comes from an underprivileged environment- cast or no cast system: either by crime, which doesn't have to be literally murder, but sometimes it is, or by way of politics. And, guess what, it appears to be so in most cases, irrespective of country or culture. This message could have been conveyed in less viewing time, definitely. There are moments which fail to convince- for instance the mighty Stork taking a train- albeit in first class. So does the sudden transformation from an enlightened upper class guy with studies in the States to a vulgar, classical mobster of the younger brother. Also, the sudden burst of violence of the protagonist, otherwise a leacherous character who tries to break the cast walls through smooth talking and absolute obedience. In spite of all of the above, White Tiger is worth watching for the numerous moments that bring one closer to a different world and for the performances of Ardash Gourav and Priyanka Chopra.

Loosely adapted from Romain Gary's novel "La Vie devant soi", translated into the Southern Italy of our days, this film can be easily categorized into that select group of Netflix films which pass almost unnoticed, in spite of their obvious charm. Having visited Bari and staying not far from the residence of Madam Rosa- ok, in the rather more posh neighborhood of Via Cavour- I am in a position to acknowledge that the general atmosphere of the area is pretty well rendered, with its mix of races and colours. But this is far from being the film's most appealing trait. La Loren, she is the jewel of the movie, along with her co-star, Ibrahima Gueye. For a star of Loren's magnitude to be able to embrace old age in such a dignified manner, to show herself onscreen with all the inevitable damage caused by the passing of time, well, not many great beauties of today's silver screen can display such courage! When one looks at many of Hollywood's former beauties turned into wax models, one cannot but feel pain at that plasticated attempt at bringing back youth; it feels like a crack is about to be produced with every smile. Not in Loren's case! The physical frailty of the character, merged with her deeply ingrained terror due to what she had lived through as a Jew, give rise to a memorable figure, both weak and strong, generous and greedy, but all in all worth remembering, just like the character in Gary's novel. The way the characters interact- Lola, the trans prostitute, Momo, the abandoned Somali boy, the Muslim merchant of rugs turned seller of plastic, the knowledgeable doctor, the merciless drug dealer- is directly or indirectly assisted by Madame Rosa's commanding presence. The present rating of this film is profoundly unjust, in my opinion. Still, I fail to understand why Madame Rosa insists on teaching Hebrew a little Romanian boy.

When suddenly there's so much hype surrounding a film, I get red flags and postpone the viewing for later. I made one exception, for "Parasite", and I was so right! It's January of 2021 and I finally watched it. And yes, I gave it a 7, due to Phoenix's performance. Otherwise it would have been a 5,5... The plot is full of holes, the reason why the city gets turned upside down is so thin, there are several temporal errors inexcusable for a director like Todd and why is the film set in Gotham City? Why the Batman connection, really? The evolution of the character from an everyday loser with a few loose screws to a loose cannon on the rampage is so predictable. And to see it as a manifesto against the evils of society is wearing it thin, too thin. It may be a 10 movie for people without too much cinema knowledge, those who rated it with 10's and 10's . Sorry the Academy, but I simply don't buy it.

Anyone, from any country, under any political régime, who has ever been part of a peaceful, honest protest against social or political abuse/injustice, turned into mayhem by the very institutions which should uphold the state of law, will relate to Sorkin's film 100%. Anyone, from any country, under any political régime, who has ever witnessed the abuse of justice in a court of law, by the very representatives of it, will relate to Sorkin's film 100%. Anyone, from any country, under any political régime, who still believes in the eternal values of mankind- justice, empathy, honesty, love will relate to Sorkin's film 100%. This time I leave it to others to perform a critical approach. The film spoke to me on so many real levels that theory seems/is futile.

Nassar speaking in his letter about scorned women is the essence of the phenomenon: if men can't have their way with women/girls, then the latter will act out of scorn. Men are never guilty. At the most, they are sick. There's always an excuse. But this is inexcusable. And a lot of- apparently- decent people will support this type of attitude; and will speak in favour of the abusers, either knowingly or unknowingly. And victims are gaslighted into silence. Others don't even realize the abuse.Do you know where I happened to notice a rather similar way of inappropriately touching? In gyms, where some personal trainers tend to have too much physical contact with their female clients. This film should be shown in all schools, so girls become aware of what is/isn't acceptable and where the line must be drawn, before it's too late.All those girls put up a strong smile, but how much has it cost them? Watch again, please, at 1:17:00, the expression on the face of the former president of MSU- a woman- when asked about compensations: " ... includes past expenses." with that condescending raised brow, as if to say: "Yeah, yeah, I know it's all about money..." Not all the money in the world can ever compensate the harm that predator did, with the ample complicity of his milieu. The father who committed suicide, I get it. The father who lunged at Nassar in Court, I get that too. What I don't get is how the Nassar specimen escaped any physical abuse, how no one spit him in the face- at least. I hope he'll get his due in prison, though. I also hope that all the others who stand trial will get what they deserve. In this appalling instance, the victims are the only ones whose innocence cannot be denied.

I never cease to wonder at how religion can twist people's minds! How little must a woman think of herself in order to not only accept, but be thrilled at the idea that she'll become a n-th wife of a guy who believes he's a direct emissary of God! How twisted is this representation of faith!? How does one manage to educate so many children, let alone feed, shoe and dress them? I can understand that women coming from the same religious background, with little education and probably no experience of the real word, are eager to embrace the same lifestyle. Needless to mention that men are thrilled to enjoy the intimate company of a different woman every night, but how about the children? The positive aspect of raising them in the open, without the oh, so common invasion of technology, is clearly a plus. At the same time, keeping them under the unique influence of a distorted view on religion is blatant abuse. If everyone in that community really believes in what they say, I pity them for not wanting to know any better. If they just play along to a tune which is actually just a smoke screen to hide insecurity, lust or who knows what else, well then, praised be the Lord! But often in this series the eyes and the body language tell another story than the mouth.

Having visited Rio a few years back, I was interested in watching what it must have looked like in the late '50's, not only the posh areas, but also the favelas. In this respect the series doesn't disappoint, I guess. When in Rio I heard several renderings of "Girl from Ipanema"- apart from that of Jobim and de Moraes- one better than the other, so why choose an English version in the opening? The theme of women's discrimination both in the home and in the work place is immensely generous, but the authors chose to treat it rather lightly; another missed opportunity. Speaking of women's rights, it seems very shallow to cast only women with obvious breast implants, which is- for those times- clearly inappropriate, no matter how fond of plastic surgery people are nowadays. It's ludicrous! Watching the fifth episode, I can't shake the impression that it tends to slide into the classic clichés of the telenovelas. I wouldn't be surprised to abandon watching somewhere in the sixth...

After watching all four episodes, the question that springs to mind is: How many of the rich of this world have diamonds and fake passports at the ready for when the it hits the fan? The series is cohesive in infuriating and disgusting the viewers; one is left with a bitter taste and the distinct feeling that such abominations are possible the higher one searches among the filthy rich of this world. Whoever coined the sintagm "filthy rich" was extremely inspired in associating wealth with filth- ok, not always- maybe. Many scenes seem to belong in a fiction film about the levels of corruption in the highest ranks of those designated- above all- to maintain and distribute order and justice. It is beyond infuriating to realize that such prominent figures as a federal prosecutor or FBI officials have condoned and were active in exonerating this filth of a man of such atrocious felonies. Inexcusable. Presidents are another kettle of fish, them being basically some other people's puppets. The series gets only a 7 from me because it appears to have left many threads unexploited, in exchange relying too much and too long on the testimonials of the survivors- yeah, the term seems extremely appropriate. LE: Whoever believes that j.e. committed suicide must have an extremely optimistic view on human nature. He must have been "suicided" before taking others down with him.

I live on another continent and I'm not particularly involved in US politics, but even so I find this series seriously entertaining. Prominent political figures whose names- and even appearance- are barely hidden, political stanzas easily recognizable, transparent fashion allusions, plus the unmistakable, bull- headed military approach- all dealt with in a light-hearted comedic key provide amusing and sometimes downright hilarious moments of fun. Irony, satire, mockery, puns and beyond- comic situations are the main ingredients . There are scenes which had me laughing out with tears, which isn't a common occurence. After 4 episodes I can hardly wait to watch the rest. Oh, that weightless tail...

Not even the self isolation of present times can make me keep watching this. Half into the 4th episode I decided to quit. For good. There's nothing more unconvincing than these relatively good-looking people ( way better looking than your average Joe) getting married only 3 to 5 days into a blind, self confined relationship. What prompted my curiosity is the fact that I am in a relationship with a man whom I met on a dating site- a reliable one, not flirty or sexual. Because of external circumstances, we " dated" online first and then via Skype for eleven months, during which we had plenty of time to know each other as deep as is humanly possible under the given circumstances. Yes, we gradually fell for each other, got to know each other, grew to trust each other and even collaborated in various tasks. After 11 months I picked him up at the airport and we've been together ever since- 14 years and counting. That is why I think the show is shallow and misleading: it takes more than a 3 to 5 days to commit to such an extent. Also it is so politically correct: first a mixed-colour couple, then a white couple, then an Afro-American couple... I suppose there'll be various LGBT combinations along the line, but I won't be watching. Everyone crying at the snap of the fingers... Women wearing a lot of make up for blind dating... Everybody speaking in clichés or song lyrics... Painful to watch- is what my neurons were screaming. Netflix, you can do SO much better!

This series is about so much more than just sex ed! It's about inclusion, tolerance, acceptance, about human fails and errors and about how to tackle them with a pinch of humour. Unlike the American comedies set in a similar background, this one displays characters from all walks of real life, not just the plasticated standard beauties of California. It is ambiguous in its portrayal of high school life and purposely so. Not only should all teenagers watch it, but their parents as well and- last but not least- teachers! Teachers should take notes of what not/ to do, say, teach, think, act and urge their students not/ to do.

I tend to evaluate a film by the time it takes us to discuss about it afterwards. Parasite just premiered in Romania and we just returned home, but it's two hours since we keep on discussing it- enough to rate it with 10 stars- which happens very seldom, I must admit. I am no connoisseur of Korean films, so I am not entitled to place it here or there, nevertheless I am totally in control of my personal film hierarchy and Parasite sits high and mighty somewhere on top. Is it a satire, a comedy, a thriller, a social fresco, a mystery? It's all of them and then some. It kept me on the edge of my seat for all of its two hours. It was informative of Korean lifestyle. It was entertaining. It was gruesome. It was comic. It was satirical. It was endearing. It was never boring. Not only the actors are great in it, but the house itself deserves a place of its own in the cast. As a traveler around the world I sometimes found myself in neighbourhoods just like the ones in this film- both the favela style ones and the super rich ones. Every time I was wondering how such poverty and such richness can coexist peacefully. Not anymore, although for my peace of mind I hope not so dramatically. Parasite made me laugh, made me cringe, made me question life, gave me food for thought. What more should I expect from a film? To watch it again, clearly!

In all honesty, Vlad Ivanov's name is the only thing which attracted me to watch "A step behind the seraphim". The director is unknown to me and so are the rest of the cast, except a cameo by Anca Sigartau- I guess. But this review is not about Vlad Ivanov, excellent in his rendering a deeply corrupt and devious priest/teacher; all the characters embodied by this actor are flawlessly acted. I find it odd that I never heard about this film before, as if there was a conspiracy to keep it under the lid- I wonder why... What seems extraordinary is how this film tackles a delicate issue- religion always seems to be a delicate issue to deal with, especially when the approach is objective and critical. A high school for future priests, a community of teen- aged boys in the throes of adolescence, a teacher who is everything but holy, an environment reminding of the communist epoch, with its double standards for thinking and expressing oneself, a place where a wolf in a sheep skin's will prevails over the one most crucial element that should be taught- true belief for those meant to inspire simple mortals in church- the film is about all these tangled and tormented human beings. Although quite long, the film keeps you interested, almost on the edge of your seat so to speak, due to the relentless efforts of priest Ivan to play everyone else like puppets. Faith is only a facade, the boys start to realize it rather early in their formative years. It is all about getting information, either written under duress or obtained through confession and using it against one's enemies, it's about power and dominance. Without openly stating it, the film offers explanations concerning why so many priests fail to be convincing in the act of faith, why the Orthodox church is more about money than anything else. Confused teenagers, stern or even violent parents, a closed environment where lies, deceit and manipulation prevail, hypocritical or weak teachers- this is a destructive cocktail meant to impede the access to authentic faith, rather than be an incentive to believe and to preach it. Most of the cast are young boys, clearly not actors, but their acting is so compelling, their dialogues are so convincing- a rather rare bird in Romanian movies- the imagery combining smoothly the oppressive inside of the high school and the picturesque lands around it, these are all elements working together to make "A step behind the seraphim" a remarkable Romanian film. Kudos to the whole crew!

I kept watching only because I thought- how naive of me - that at some point the action would start to make sense. And so I wasted a solid hour of my time. A film being a collective work, it baffles me that no one of those involved was able to point out that, as an action film, it just doesn't add up.T he plot is so full of holes, the dialogues are uttered in such an unconvincing manner, the action scenes are so poorly choreographed, that I imagined it was meant to be a parody. Sadly for all involved, me included, it isn't. I blame it mostly on the director; why make a film if you can't? The only plus comes from the comic moments provided by the dialogues between the counsellor and its aide, but these can't save the film, whose onus seems to be on the criminal activities of a local gang of pimps. And, why the involvement of a Spanish policeman? Only to offer two actors the opportunity to speak bad Spanish, I guess. Also on the positive side, a bunch of beautiful young women, in attractive gear. And the song performed by Ana Baniciu.