Reviews

it all happens on a hot quiet day and night in Emiglia-Romagna. by all, I mean nothing, or at least nothing of consequence...and that is the mastery of this film.

often one goes to the theater to be entertained, to see drama and action, usually pretentious and contrived, and to eat popcorn, or hot-dogs as is the case in American theaters these days. this movie is certainly not for them. the votes tallied so far speak volumes. Look at the votes by American and non-US viewers. The truth plain.

By this I don't mean to talk badly about Americans, but by habit, and honestly, by founded stereotype, we are a restless and impatient lot. The Europeans and other nationals too are more patient and will give a film like this higher marks because they realize, or at least appreciate an attempt at something original, artistic, understated.

Understated. i like that word these days, and so when I went to see this film at the Santa Cruz Film Fest, I was enthralled. the photography is a master work and the composition of the scenes, the lighting, and the ambiental music is so graceful and patient that I struggle to recall any film that equals it in beauty and delicacy.

But I am biased. i have been to Italy. i have been to the country of Italy. i have seen the slow life. i have lived the slow nights. and conversely, I have hated hustle-bustle of the American (and even Roman!) rat-race. this film captures the pace of uneventful country life. it whispers to it's audience about the rhythm of reflection, the somber solace (and solitude) of silence and the madness unique to boredom.

The scenes of the African workers, the flowing river, the beautiful freckled girl, the lines of an old man's face, the subtle crickets ever-present, the piano player, the thinker, the rustic house, the fields...all of these are equally protagonistic. and so, if you love Italy, this movie will enchant you. if not, you will surely fall asleep.

Me, I was riveted, unblinking, and was wanting to take notes. The blend of sight and sound harmonious was so inspiring that I will forever remember it as a fleeting glimpse of cinematic heaven.

JCC, 10/10

I saw "Intermission" in a small theater; the sound was bad which made the tricky Irish accents difficult to decipher at times. Still, the film was funny, interesting and involving enough to be enjoyable.

The script was good and was it's pleasing that each of the numerous characters of this ensemble cast had resolution in their tales. The evolution of each of their stories was enjoyable, especially if you like character-driven stories. Cillian Murphy (John) was the brightest performance but not to be outdone by an aggressive and explosive Colm Meaney. Colin Ferrell was unimpressive aside from his nasty appearance and a couple golden moments, as in the opening scene. Shirley Henderson and Kelly MacDonald were decent too, but not overly impressive, which is acceptable given their straightforward roles.

The film shines when the intersection of its characters make it evident how much action and reaction can affect others. --Cause and effect, trust and deception, love and hate, love and sex, sex and violence, violence and justice, justice and criminality: welcome to an exhibition of these dynamic polar forces weighing in on everyday life::: The characters are blasted apart, drawn together and into collision and this, surely, is always amusing to watch.

Again, sound quality is imperative and was the film's major weakness.

However, I had no problem paying the matinee price for a 90 minute romp in Ireland.

6/10, JCC

without posturing too much as a critic, i have to submit a vote and recommendation of the highest enthusiasm for this film!

powerfully character-driven, this beautiful story of compassion and understanding blooms, indeed as the French title alludes, into a flower of which each petal radiates an individual facet of beauty: friendship over hostility, curiosity over ignorance, contentedness over misery, reason and good-humor over disarray and short-sightedness. but enough of the wordy appreciation for the excellence in story-telling, attention to detail, and insinuations of the subtle facets of life and acceptance into the greater beauty of the film; the overwhelming excellence in the rest of the work is just as notable:

-- the acting is superb: Omar Sharif and Pierre Boulanger are a beautiful couple on screen, and bring the whole tale to life with arousing sincerity.

-- the camera work is excellent and the colors set a harmonic yet resonant tone for the film.

-- the reference to past greatness in French filmic technique is inspiring. I felt like I was in the street, in the shop, in the story. A nod to Godard, a nod to Truffaut, and I was relishing these accentuations.

-- the charm of a period piece, with every nuance neatly looked after from music to mise-en-scene, was as good a time-machine as I hope to ever ride in.

I overcame very little inertia to see this movie and was rewarded tenfold.

10/10, JCC

this is a movie for:

-people who enjoy character-driven dramas.

-people who appreciate patient directors who are detail-oriented

-those who enjoy situational humor over gag or gross humor

-and really, for anyone who likes stories of friendship and camaraderie.

Yes, the movie is pleasant. All this said however, the movie is slow, and I left the theater wanting something more.

Essentially, the movie deals with the silly methodology of Swedish scientists who design kitchen layout: they send "observers" into people's houses to observe their usage patterns. Sitting in a high chair in the corner, they are supposed to be objective and totally non-communicative. It's pure madness.

Needless to say, the story evolves when this situation, awkward even for the audience, is broken in favor of contact.

A very simple story, and it's nice to see an old recluse enjoy a birthday, have a friend, and smile. Still, it takes a half hour to get into the story, and then, when it's finally over, it's as if nothing ever happened and that little bit that did exist evaporates abruptly into thin air. A strange feeling really.

Personally, I like dramas of epic, period, foreign and/or abnormal style and this benign parable lags. However, I reveled in the tacit bond visible in the actors eyes and their energy was infectious. This kind of finesse is rare in these days of ADD and bloated SFX budgets, and for this I appreciate Bent Hamer's patience and sense of perspective. Expect an earnest simplicity the likes of "Fried Green Tomatoes".

6/10, JCC

This movie is great for those who:

-love Italian culture

-love Italian kids

-love southern Italian dialect

This movie haunted me at movie stores since I became interested in foreign films 4 or 5 years ago. Glaring and obnoxious as its cover is, I finally rented it. All in all a decent comedy.

In my ratings scale, comedies are graded more on their humor than their story line. In the case of this movie, that is a good thing. A weak story of coincidence, a northern italian professor ends up teaching in the chaos that is Italy southern (Napoli).

I loved the movie because I understand italian well enough to not read the satisfactory subtitles and because the kids were luminous compared to the usual fumbling kiddie actors; these ones were adorable and their lines hilarious.

Other notes: There is a lot of vulgarity in this movie, as is typical in the south. The lead, a likeable Paolo Villaggio, plays foil for the wild kids. The story is simple and dismissable. The cinematography is standard, blessed by the wondrous ambient that is the dilapidated South. A normally celebrated Wertmuller seems to have chosen an easy project here. The movie was produced by media mogul Silvio Berlusconi (vaffa!).

Ultimately it's a movie to waste 90 min, but it was enjoyable and will certainly rouse a smile when I see it on the shelves next time.

6/10, JCC

I am not so impressed as to call this movie sensational or even surprising, but I must say that if you like dramas that unfold like a hedge-maze and if you have a some patience, this film is very rewarding.

Monsieur Hire is a French film that is suffering on VHS. Still, the sound, the picture, and the general feel owes more to the situational technique than to technology. Indeed, the story is pretty engrossing, and personally, as a fan of slightly demented characters and a good plot-twist now and then, this movie hit all the right buttons: a creepy guy, a cute girl, voyeurism, plotting, and an uncertain outcome...

The acting is pretty anonymous, if well-executed. My focus, the direction of Patrice Leconte, was mature even this early on in her career. Working back from 1999's "Girl on the Bridge" to "Ridicule" in 1996 and to 1989 with "M.Hire", I have followed her films and I consider her a solid director and one worth checking out. Her movies are always just outside the realm of reality and that, after all, is what I am looking for in movies: a bit reality wrapped in some fantasy and allowing me an hour of escape.

Indeed, I watched this film with interest and didn't even need a snack.

7/10, JCC

A period piece drama, 'Ridicule' unfolds as a man (Le Marquis Grégoire Ponceludon de Malavoy - Charles Berling) tries to assist the desperate and dying people that struggle in the swamps of southern France. What ensues is an enthralling ascent up the ranks of the French court at Versailles by this clever countryman, once dismissed as a backward rustic, in an attempt to consult the kKng.

The name of the game is wit. Aside from the malicious Abbot, the stuffy imbred aristrocrats can hardly keep up with the Malavoy's punishing tongue. Unfortunately, most of the invigorating wordplay of the script is lost in translation. Still, the film is comprehensible and the story holds, though the French is at times delicious.

The women of the movie are well portrayed: a sinister Madame de Blayac intrigues, a lovely Mathilde de Bellegarde enchants.

An 8, all in all. A good story, impressive production detail, persuasive historical recreation, solid script, honest photography. Serious where "Dangerous Liasons" was slight - the details. Plus, the lead women are meticulously rounded and the film's aftertaste speaks substance not sap-opera.