Change Your Image
fatdogwill
Reviews
Speak No Evil (2022)
let the bad reviews speak no evil
When you get a polarization of rating such as you do here, with heaps of 1s at one end of the scale (that would prefer to be zeros or minuses even), and heaps of 9s and 10s at the other, and when the low ratings are expressed in less articulate language than the high ones, the attentive Imdb reader knows what is afoot: SOMETHING INTERESTING IS GOING ON. And Wow! So it is. I am a wuss when it comes to gore, and I get drawn into stories so deep that the reasoning part of my brain often goes AWOL, so I could not bring myself to watch the whole film, I found it so disturbing, but for those who can, lucky them, they are in for a beautifully crafted cinematic treat. I shall watch out for this director's next project, hoping it doesn't touch quite such a raw nerve as this one and that I can enjoy the whole film instead of chickening out half way though. Fingers crossed - it's not every day you get quality like this on screen.
Ehrengard: The Art of Seduction (2023)
Not for prigs and humourless viewers
But anyone with a broad mind and a sense of fun will find this film a total delight. I approached it warily, sensing a tired old BBC-flavoured costume drama along the lines of Persuasion or Pride and Prejudice (the more recent version: the earlier one with Colin Firth was genial),
but two minutes in and the sight of the Arch Duchess recomposing herself for her portrait after making a failed grab at the artist and I was captivated. Dialogues are spot on: timeless and utterly convincing; acting is flawless across the board; photography is ravishing. What more do you want? Answer, I want more from this team and this director.