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Reviews
The Mother (2003)
A harrowing depiction of mortality versus morality
As I watched The Mother, I could not help but think how much my own mother would enjoy this film, perhaps as much as I myself was not enjoying it. The film is unarguably artfully shot, with wonderful use of reflections and distorted images. Yet the story failed to draw me in; I found it impossible to relate with this elderly woman who is scared of becoming old, being a young male. Nevertheless, as a director, Michell still managed to address those of his audience with similar situations as me. I was still able to feel May's quiet anguish over her realization of her frail mortality, which is accentuated through her husband's death, her grownup children, and her affair with Darren. May's tryst with Darren does break social taboos, and as an audience member, I honestly cannot say that I was comfortable with the image of an old woman having graphic sex with a much younger man. But I also could not blame May for her decision, as if to condemn her for being old, and thus unable to take pleasure in activities that are supposedly only for younger people. My heart particularly went out to May in that scene when she allows Bruce to practically rape her; the scene was hard to watch and had a dirty feel to it, and when I realized that it represented her reluctant acceptance of her age, I felt a compassion for her. Nonetheless, I still feel that Michell never truly conveys his message. May's horrendously selfish daughter tells her how easy a life she had, and from what I could gather from the film, I had to reluctantly agree. Therefore May's dilemma lacks the emotional punch it deserves, but Michell's film still serves as a poignant tribute to the realization of mortality.
Ladri di biciclette (1948)
A film about humanity in an inhuman world
With the recent Life is Beautiful as the only popular example of recent Italian cinema, De Sica's The Bicycle Thief is a startling surprise, with its brutal realism and strong undertones of desperation. While Roberto Benigni's masterwork is a family-friendly celebration of life, The Bicycle Thief is a striking departure, even from other movies that depict the life of the lower class. Shot in the Italian neorealism style, the film plays almost like a gritty documentary, with a cast of unknown actors and a minimal script. The simple story is as sincere and humble as the characters themselves, without complex plot twists or numerous characters. De Sica is also a master of cinematography and editing, as seen in his stunning shots of the Italy, and his quick editing cuts near the climax of the film, which establish anticipation on part of the spectator. But the most powerful facet of The Bicycle Thief is the plight of Ricci, who cannot work without his missing bicycle. The audience is shown a world where a man's honor and his family's wellbeing is dependent on a bicycle, yet despite the desperation and poverty, hope is established with the bond the man and his son form while searching for the bicycle. In The Bicycle Thief, where people are so destitute that they would pawn off their bed sheets in hopes of employment, the most poignant aspect of the film, as seen in the final harrowing scene, shows how humanity triumphs over any material shortcomings.