I've had the advantage of seeing this for the first time (March 2014) well after the hype. Having watched the 1949 version a couple of year's ago I naturally found myself comparing the two films. As good as the original was considered in its day, when it was far closer in time to the both the book published in 1946 and the real life events the book was based on, it feels overblown and overacted. (Unfortunately I find this to be true of most English-language films made prior to the late 60s.) By contrast I found the 2006 film fresh, naturalistic and believable. Sadly I believe this is one film quite unfairly killed by its critics. It deserved far better, and I hope all those involved in bringing it to the screen have enough good judgement to value their participation. Understandably not the financial backers! If you haven't seen it, treat yourself. For a more enlightened experience check out the Wikipedia entry on Governor Huey Long (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huey_Long) first.
Reviews
8 Reviews
Antiviral
(2012)
Celebrity obsession taken to an unbelievable extreme
3 June 2013
Warning: Spoilers
I don't mind an intelligent horror film which, given a positive review I saw, is why I watched this. If you accept the premise that people can be so star-struck as to want to endure sickness, pain, physical ugliness, even death, then this not-so-futuristic story is believable.
Not to me.
Celebrity worship is all about believing the illusion of beauty, popularity, fashion, lifestyle.
I just don't accept there will ever be enough poor souls out there, prepared to make themselves sick and ugly, to finance a huge corporation sustained by celebrity virus banks. Also there's a bleak, white, unrelenting sterility to this film that made it impossible me to care what happened to anyone.
But it was well acted. Also, there's a few plot twists that kept me watching all the way to a very sick ending.
I think it would be more credible for extreme fans to buy celebrity fertiliser. Why let all that ".. somehow more than human" faeces and urine go to waste...? Shouldn't be a stretch to make a nasty film out of that!
Not to me.
Celebrity worship is all about believing the illusion of beauty, popularity, fashion, lifestyle.
I just don't accept there will ever be enough poor souls out there, prepared to make themselves sick and ugly, to finance a huge corporation sustained by celebrity virus banks. Also there's a bleak, white, unrelenting sterility to this film that made it impossible me to care what happened to anyone.
But it was well acted. Also, there's a few plot twists that kept me watching all the way to a very sick ending.
I think it would be more credible for extreme fans to buy celebrity fertiliser. Why let all that ".. somehow more than human" faeces and urine go to waste...? Shouldn't be a stretch to make a nasty film out of that!
The Other Son
(2012)
Not a feel good, but not a feel bad either; about an impossible situation
3 June 2013
I'd reached the point some time ago where I stopped watching films about the holocaust and the intractable Palestine-Israel situation. Then I saw a review of this film that suggested something other than bleak, bleak, bleak and get out the razor for humanity's wrist. So I watched it.
It took the life-affirming premise that even in the worst of situations, which the dispossessed Palestinians have been enduring for more than 60 years, people generally want to live, laugh, have friends, love and, most of all, stay alive. Strapping explosives to your chest is NOT the norm there, even for impressionable young men.
What I saw was a very human story of parents and children trying to come to terms with a sudden reversal of reality. Messy, untidy, forcing a rethink of lifelong prejudices in the face of a farcical bureaucratic mix-up.
The mothers ache with a visceral sense of loss. The fathers quietly rage (and in one sequence not so quietly) in their dumbfoundment. The kid sisters take people as they find them. The boys are stupefied .. to begin with. Then the everyday takes over. Having to absorb it all, then go on living. And all get wiser, a little more worldly, a little less inclined to stereotype. A little richer.
Unlikely? I don't think so. As has often been observed, "Travel broadens the mind." And there's nothing like a good emotional somersault to do exactly that. People can and do change. It didn't feel like a film, more like watching through hidden cameras as life unfolds.
It took the life-affirming premise that even in the worst of situations, which the dispossessed Palestinians have been enduring for more than 60 years, people generally want to live, laugh, have friends, love and, most of all, stay alive. Strapping explosives to your chest is NOT the norm there, even for impressionable young men.
What I saw was a very human story of parents and children trying to come to terms with a sudden reversal of reality. Messy, untidy, forcing a rethink of lifelong prejudices in the face of a farcical bureaucratic mix-up.
The mothers ache with a visceral sense of loss. The fathers quietly rage (and in one sequence not so quietly) in their dumbfoundment. The kid sisters take people as they find them. The boys are stupefied .. to begin with. Then the everyday takes over. Having to absorb it all, then go on living. And all get wiser, a little more worldly, a little less inclined to stereotype. A little richer.
Unlikely? I don't think so. As has often been observed, "Travel broadens the mind." And there's nothing like a good emotional somersault to do exactly that. People can and do change. It didn't feel like a film, more like watching through hidden cameras as life unfolds.
The Gauntlet
(1977)
Asks far too much suspension of disbelief
26 April 2012
I'm a big Clint Eastwood fan. From the man-with-no-name spaghetti westerns, through Dirty Harry's black and white adventures, and into his career as director and sometimes actor, I've enjoyed most of the cinematic projects into which he's had an input. Which is why I started watching this film late one night a couple of years back. I kept waiting for tension, for something to bite and grab me but it became increasing ridiculous, forced, and far-fetched and laughable. About three quarters of the way through I gave up and left everyone to their Hollywood fates .. I didn't feel any attachment to any of the characters. Clint must have been very much in love with Sondra (Locke) at the time: her inability to act, of which he must have been aware, was the most grating element of the film. Then again, maybe it was meant to be tongue-in-cheek. Clint probably hopes so.
Tre solar
(2004)
A chilling experience of the Back Death, first hand
22 October 2010
When I first saw this film, several years ago, I realised after the first 10 minutes that I was in for something special: a single person's growing awareness of the horror and nature of the plague. We watch as it transforms the human landscape - physical, social and emotional - calling into question people's humanity itself as individuals and communities try to deal with something they can't understand. In the time it is set they have very inadequate tools, religion being the worst of them with medicine (this was the bloodletting era) not far behind. The atmosphere festers with foreboding. One after another, human tragedies unfold as Hanna journeys from her children and their isolated rural (and walled) hamlet to meet her husband (Ulf's) ship on its return from the crusades. After 4 lonely years Hanna, feeling her youth and beauty are behind her, has mixed emotions about the reunion. This is, naturally, compounded by the surreal landscape and the crazed communities she passes through. Watch this film and decide for yourself whether it's boring or disappointing. For my part I saw it again recently. For the second time I was moved, held in thrall, and entertained.
Climates
(2006)
Beautiful, but enervating
8 March 2010
If you want to enjoy some of the splendid natural and man-made beauty of Turkey, "Climates" will satisfy you and maybe even have you heading for a travel agent. If you love studying faces, guessing at thoughts and watching prolonged takes on a modest range of emotions, settle back and enjoy "Climates". If you love to love or hate self-centred and non-communicative males on the one hand (and Isa's a manipulative cad though, to give him his due, he doesn't seem to know what the hell he wants from women) and neglected, communication-starved females on the other, you've hit paydirt with this one. With its minimalist plot, you have a great deal of time to study relationships and facets of human nature. But it just wasn't my cup of tea. I intended to switch it off half a dozen times, but persevered in the hope someone would express themselves intelligibly to someone else, instead of shadow boxing. Even a scene of violent love-making (this is a euphemism by the way) left me annoyed - it was like silent consensual rape. The one occasion I felt uplifted was when Bahar (Isa's main prey) recounted a dream. She became animated and alive, though Isa got nothing of the beauty of spirit she displayed (as he was surely scripted not to). Altogether a bleak portrait of the search for non-loneliness.
Restless
(2000)
An innocent atheist?
4 March 2010
Warning: Spoilers
A young man, who believes in nothing, lives a shallow hedonistic life, but has great personal charm. A woman who is part of a close knit group of friends (herself and two couples) becomes enamoured of him. He upsets the dynamics of the group as each member becomes attracted to him in different ways. Although he has a bleak view of life, little faith in people, and not much sense of morality I found him to be a likable and sympathetic character. He's redeemed by his unfailing honesty, and his childlike acceptance of adult treats: although he's a catalyst in the unravelling of relationships he isn't the prime mover: he just can't save no to what's on offer.
Shadows
(2007)
An amnesiac in the Twilight Zone
27 February 2010
Warning: Spoilers
A near-death experience gives Dr Perkov the ability to see and feel in the discordant dimension between life and the eternal grave. While the idea is by no means novel, enough new elements, and changes of pace and location, were included to maintain my interest. I particularly liked the exploration of the dysfunctional relationships between Dr Perkov and both his wife and mother. I also enjoyed the, at times rapid, see-sawing between the bright, busy living and the grating and edgy undead. (The fact that it's not always apparent who's horizontal and who should be vertical makes for some humour upon reflection.) And Dr Perkov's ignorance of what the hell is going on, and why, goes one better than the Bruce Willis character in "The Sixth Sense". However viewers who like mounting suspense and sustained terror may be disappointed as the excitement comes in short spurts rather than long draughts. Also some might be irritated, as I was, by Dr Perkov's rather slow awakening, and the high tolerance of people around him as his behaviour (and grooming) degenerated. My final niggle is a question to the director. If characters are shown in closeup talking in a car, why suddenly screen the passing countryside as viewed from a low flying aircraft; especially when it's obviously meant to be from their viewing perspective as you return straight back to the car interior. Several times. The acting was excellent throughout, "Shadows" was beautifully filmed with some mouth-watering shots of the Aegan, and I fell in love yet again with an unattainable woman.
Tell Your Friends