I recently watched The Color of Paradise, a film by Iranian director Majid Majidi. This film was very heartfelt and beautiful. The story was simple, but very moving. It told the story of a little blind boy whose father didn't want to care for him after his mother's death. The boy, Mohammed, was very remarkable. He was kind and loving and saw the beauty in the world, even though he couldn't see physically. The boy who played Mohammed is a very talented actor. His performance was believable and natural, even when the role called for a lot of emotion. He is definitely one of the best child actors I have ever seen. The other actors in the film were very good as well. All the characters were natural, believable and human. This film was moving and felt like an old-fashioned fairy tale. The young blind boy had a lot to teach the other characters, especially his father. I enjoyed this film because it relied heavily on good acting to propel a simple story. The Color of Paradise was a wonderful, emotional film.
Reviews
8 Reviews
The Princess Bride
(1987)
As you wish...
22 April 2002
I saw this film again as part of a series on cult movies at the George Eastman House. The film student who introduced the film said something that I think sums up the `cult movie' genre. She said, `cult movies are ones we accept for what they are; we just enjoy them, no strings attached.' This is exactly how I feel about The Princess Bride. It is one of my favorite movies of all time. I sit down to watch it, and am swept up in the story every time. The tale is a perfect blend of fairy-tale, romance, swash-buckling action and comedy. I think that's why people can watch this movie over and over again. It is funny, immensely quotable and action-packed, and it also has all the classic fairy tale elements: heroes, villains, a princess, and a giant. I have seen this movie more times than I care to count, but I love it every time. Rob Reiner did a great job with this film. It was made to be a cult classic. The most-loved and remembered parts of the film are ridiculous, like ROUS's (Rodents of Unusual Size) and Miracle Max's miracle pill, but in Reiner's fairy-tale land, they are easily embraced. The fact that the story is told by a grandfather reading to his grandson allows the audience to be swept up in the tale with the young grandson. The cast of The Princess Bride is amazing. They play off each other so well and make the film entertaining from beginning to end. The characters are funny, yet sincere, and there are so many moments in the movie that the viewer remembers forever after. Their quotes form the inside jokes of many cult movie fans. The actors all turn in memorable performances, and their ensemble performance makes this film a classic.
Wild Strawberries
(1957)
insightful film
10 April 2002
Ingmar Bergman's "Wild Strawberries" was a thoughtful and intelligent film. The protagonist's spiritual journey was quite moving. As an old man, Isak Borg makes a trip across Sweden to receive an honorary degree. While on the trip, he stops at his childhood home, bringing up old memories. As Isak looks back at his life, he has the horrifying realization that his life has been meaningless. He contemplates his life and confronts his past, and realizes that he hasn't lived life to its fullest. Isak realizes he needs to let emotion in, and in the end he is at peace with himself at last. This film was very well made and directed. I found it to be insightful and artistic, even though it did move a little slow for my taste. "Wild Strawberries" delivers an important message: that we should all take a good look at our lives, lest we grow old and realize we missed out on the important things.
Mädchen in Uniform
(1931)
Interesting film
27 March 2002
Even though this film wasn't the most crowd-pleasing one I've seen lately, I think it's a rather important one. The openly lesbian themes of the movie are quite surprising, considering that the movie was made in 1931. The theme of sexual discovery in a girls' boarding school was quite revolutionary for film at the time. It was also an interesting critique of society, and was very anti-fascist. The Prussian principal represents the authoritarian, militaristic aspect of society, while the kind teacher represents a more maternal and loving part. The combination of lesbian themes with that kind character shows us that a more female-dominated society would be a positive change. The Prussian school shows that women are oppressed by patriarchal society into a militaristic machine, and the rebel teacher is a movement away from that. This film is an intriguing view of life right before Hitler. It provides a meaningful glimpse into the lesbian subculture of Berlin before the Nazis came to power.
North by Northwest
(1959)
Enjoyable movie
20 March 2002
I liked Alfred Hitchcock's North by Northwest very much. It was not quite what I expected, having seen some of his darker films. North by Northwest was a film about espionage, deceit and the framing of an innocent man. Cary Grant's performance was wonderful. His character went through a huge range of emotions as he learned of the elaborate espionage plot, and he played each one very well . Eva-Marie Saint portrayed the mysterious Eve quite well. A well-written script and Hitchcock's great direction made North by Northwest a great thriller and incredibly enjoyable movie. It was action-packed and exciting. The film was well made and superbly acted; it is a fine piece of work.
Bamboozled
(2000)
Disturbing....
27 February 2002
I recently saw the Spike Lee film, Bamboozled, and was very disturbed by it. The premise of the movie is very interesting. A black television writer, played by Damon Wayans, writes a racist show to protest the racism inherent in society. Unfortunately, the show becomes a success. The American public becomes enamored with the `blackface' minstrel show. I would like to think that this sort of blatant racism would not be tolerated in our society, but this film made me think twice about it. The media is a powerful thing. The continued imagery of African American cartoons, dolls and shows has a very emotional effect. It definitely made me think about racism in this country's history. Spike Lee makes a crucial point about how serious racism has been and still is. All of the acting in this movie was very good; I enjoyed everyone's performance. This film was very well done and delivers a powerful message.
Fatal Attraction
(1987)
good acting, ok movie
18 February 2002
Warning: Spoilers
When watching this movie, my biggest problem was that I couldn't really sympathize with either one of the main characters, Michael Douglas' Dan, or Glenn Close's Alex. Douglas played a married man who had a weekend-long affair with a business associate, played by Glenn Close. Dan didn't know he was getting involved with a psychopath, but he shouldn't have cheated on his wife in the first place. It's never really clear why he cheats on his wife, other than a selfish attack of lust. Alex was trying to make a point that he couldn't just use her and then go back to his family, but she knew he was married, so she should have known what she was getting into. She seemed so mature and sophisticated in the beginning, and then we never find out why she is so crazy. I lost any bit of sympathy I might have felt for her during the rabbit scene. It's one thing to harass a grown man whom you feel has wronged you, but it's entirely different to take it out on his innocent 6-year old child. The final showdown with Dan's wife in the bathroom is very predictable, right down to the screaming teakettle in the kitchen that masks the screams from upstairs. I do think the ending was a little more than Douglas' character deserved. He didn't really seem sorry for what he did; it took terrible things happening to his family to make him confess to his wife. His family was so lovable and nice, and they definitely didn't deserve to be so poorly treated. Dan was very lucky to have home and family restored to him at the end; he didn't really deserve it. All in all though, this film wasn't a bad thriller. I must admit I was a little tense trying to guess what Alex would do next. I wasn't entirely sure what she was capable of, so it added to the suspense of the film. Close's acting was good; she was a very believable psycho. There was a lot of talent in this film, and everyone turned in good performances. Although it was relatively predictable, if you allow yourself to get swept up by it, it is made exciting by Close's performance. Not a bad film, but not the best thriller ever made.
Citizen Kane
(1941)
This film is a work of art
30 January 2002
As a classis American film, Orson Wells' Citizen Kane helped form the foundation of American cinema. I thought it was brilliant. I was intrigued from beginning to end. The newsreel beginning and various flashbacks provided the audience with brief glimpses into the life of a complex character, Charles Foster Kane. The retrospective angle of the movie adds to the mystery of Kane, who was misunderstood throughout his life, and after his death. This movie was extremely well-crafted and amazing to watch. The directorial style and camera work, in addition to the great acting, made this film a work of art.
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