Reviews

This is a fascinating film. The story of a modern day Virgin Mary dealing with issues like human sexuality and the divinity as well as themes of "intelligent design" /creationism are challenging for the viewer to say the least. Godard has always been way ahead of his time in terms of formal aspects of film as well as socio-political points of view. This film was shot in 1984-85 and he addresses issues that are very relevant to the contemporary resurgence of faith - especially in American society today.

The fact that the professor's teachings are thinly veiled creationism as science is very revealing. It provides background and encourages the viewer question what is really going on with Mary and the idea of the creator/divine affecting her body and her life.

The nudity is not exploitative. A feminist reading of the film would probably be positive since the character of Mary is shown as intensely self-aware and strong rather than victimized or exploited.

The cinematography of Menoud and Firmann is excellent throughout. This applies to both the nature photography as well as the narrative composed shots. I think a lot of the shots were composed with the idea of replicating some classical paintings (Giotto, Fra Angelico) with severe fore-shortening.

The sound track is multiple-layered mix of music from Bach (St. Matthew's Passion, concertos) and Dvorak, dialog and sounds of natural environment and wildlife. It's a relatively short film (78 minutes)- but it's amazing to see and hear how densely compact it is with a very complex relationship of sound and image.

The way this film tackles the concept of divinity as it pertains to modern life is bound to cause controversy amongst conservative followers of organized religion precisely because it forces you to question what is taken as absolute. Whether you find it blasphemous or reverent is beside the point -that's the difference between spoonfed mainstream movies( like POTC) and the engaging cinema of Godard. You will find no moralistic pandering here. If you are close-minded or easily upset about nudity, then this film is not for you. If you have an open mind and are just curious to see what one of the true masters of cinema was capable of 20 years ago then you should see this interesting film. If you are willing to question the story of Mary not only from a theological perspective but from a post-modern point of view, then it is essential viewing.

Rose Byrne's performance alone makes this film worth a look (it still airs occasionally on sundance). Actors who take on the challenging role of blind characters are nothing new- but to see a talented actress take to it with total commitment and still be very believable and not over the top is something special. Rose Byrne is brilliant here as B.G. and really shines in the more subtle moments, which are the primary driving force for this Clara Law film.

The theme of incest abuse and it's lingering affects through generations make for very heavy subject matter that would otherwise threaten to undermine the film's subtle tone - but it's told in flashback here and works surprisingly well. The comparisons of style to Wenders and Jarmusch are apt since it is precisely the more subtle scenes in this film that resonate more as the viewer gets drawn into the lives and past histories of this unlikely couple.

Not a perfect film by any means - the loving yet determinist, religious mother, Marie could have been fleshed out more, as well as the male lead - but the real gem here is Rose Byrne. Disregard the fluff roles from wicker park and troy, this is arguably her best performance to date.

This is easily one of Wenders' most accessible films of the 70s (along with the American Friend, 1976). Alice in den Stätden was originally released in the states after Paper Moon (Ryan, Tatum O'Neal) premiered and bears a slight resemblance to the story. In the case of Alice, this little girl gets stuck with a reluctant photojournalist and together they cross Germany in search of her grandmother's house. It differs from Wenders' other road movies in that it's plot line actually has some element of suspense to keep the momentum forward.

It's very entertaining for the charm of the characters, especially Yella Rottländer as Alice. She shines here as a very self-possessed, precocious youngster who disrupts the life of the familiar, detached, angst-ridden protagonist, Philip (Rudiger Volger).

There are small details captured in this film that are noteworthy to fans as well as casual viewers. The old organ at Shea Stadium (long since removed) is briefly shown in one early scene . The monorail in Wüppertal is featured in another sequence (one of the first monorails built). There is a lot of urban decay documented in their travels, particularly in the Ruhr district scenes but all of that can't detract from the humor of the 2 lead characters' playful interactions. The shot of Philip and Alice mimicking each other doing calisthenics offsets all the dreariness and alienation in one scene. The optimistic ending is a very satisfying one. This is a beautiful gem of a film if you can find it.

Wenders' road movies of the 70s have a charm that makes them accessible to many viewers, yet are often linked by the less accessible themes of alienation and detachment. It is an interesting dichotomy and one that comes to focus with this film.

Political and cultural pre-determinism are not as easily digested outside the German point of view in the 70s, yet it is a common theme amongst Wenders films as well as (arguably) Herzog & Fassbinder (New German cinema contemporaries) . One does not have to be a philosophy or poli-sci major to enjoy this film however. The fact that Wrong Move is freely based on Goethe's "Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship" is easily overlooked by the casual viewer - but if viewed as an allegorical narrative, like Goethe's work, parts of the film come together and make this obtuse, personal work by Wenders more interesting.

The characters Wilhelm (Rudiger Volger) meets during his trip represent ideological sensibilities of 70s Germany. Mignon played by the teen Nastassja Kinski represents the youth and future of Germany (mute, trusting yet undemanding). Laertes represents the idealism of old Germany, and considers himself a martyr for the Nazi cause. Wilhelm and Therese (Hanna Schygulla) are between these 2 and take action to liberate one from the other. All is told in an un-naturalistic style that only works in some cases. The long (almost single take) walk up the hillside by the river are a good example of where the film shines. The photography by Robby Müller is consistently excellent here.

It's a difficult film but rewarding to those who take time to understand it from it's original historical and ideological context. Worth seeing for the cinematography of Müller and the presence of Hanna Schygulla and Nastassja Kinski.

This occasionally airs on the IFC and is definitely worth a viewing when it does. I saw this recently and it's a fine example of the type of challenging film-making and writing that is lacking in independents today.

A sniper takes control of a rooftop of one of the dorms on a college campus - but rather than focus on the obvious tragedy and danger of the situation, the film addresses the everyday aspects of life surrounding it, to comedic effect on occasion. This seems crude and insensitive on the surface- but it plays as something just outside dark comedy with atypical approaches to side story and narration. The narrator and main character, Jay has an unique viewpoint to the ordeal after he witnesses one of his professor's get shot in the quad only to later find out his connection to the sniper responsible. The interesting character of Walt Whitman is portrayed by the writer of the film, Stephen Grant. Campus life and the transitory nature of relationships are playfully foregrounded here and it makes for a far more interesting and unexpectedly entertaining result than you'd expect.

This approach to the subject matter may be something that would never see the light of day as a mainstream film with all the sensitivity to events like Columbine, D.C.sniper from 2001 or even the UT sniper from the 60s but as a low budget indie it works and is worth watching.

I didn't watch this film expecting anything like the conventional "heist film" or "action-comedy shlock" that's so prevalent in mainstream cinema today. A great film draws viewers in on it's own terms and keeps them enthralled and entertained throughout. Bottle Rocket succeeds in this sense and it may very well be Wes Anderson's finest film - albeit a collaborative effort . One cannot overlook the contribution of Owen Wilson, who is hilarious here as Dignan.

The best moments are the humorous exchanges between the principle characters as well as the minor ones (Kumar Pallana makes his funny debut here). The script is clever and minimal. The characters are likable and the film arguably plays as more of a "buddy film" than a heist-action flick. It's a thoroughly entertaining, rough gem that non-contentious viewers should enjoy.

An impressive film by any standard. Even with a convoluted script that had Hawks supposedly phoning Falkner as to "who killed Geiger?" ; this noir has something for everyone. Nice double entendres (talking about horses) between Bacall and Bogey during the dinner scene are one of the highlights. A funny "pal" scene with cult fave Dorothy Malone is another. The interplay between Bogey and Martha Vickers (Carmen Sternwood) is memorable as well.

Another remarkable scene is a long (almost single take) shot of Marlowe entering the Geiger bungalow after the first murder. Almost without dialogue for more than half its duration, it's remarkable for a film this old from the old studio system to have a set-up like this.

The novel by Chandler was passed off as common pulp fare by some critics when it was published - but the film has remained a classic by many generations of filmmakers and viewers. Perhaps not as "essential" as the Maltese Falcon - but for those who enjoy classic noir, Bogey & Bacall or just good film-making a must see.

The acclaimed novel by Jeffrey Eugenides is vividly brought to life in this remarkable debut film from Sofia Coppola. The subject matter is dark by definition - and people who've been turned on to her work from seeing Lost in Translation may shy away- but the overall effect of this film is not as depressing as many have inferred.

The script by Sofia gives a deeper perspective than the book by fleshing out the characters of Mr. Lisbon (played by James Woods) and over-bearing mother (Kathleen Turner) as well as the pivotal, crucial role of Lux Lisbon (Kirsten Dunst). All give excellent performances in a story where subtlety and mood are more important than plot line and action.

The focus is squarely on the Lisbon sisters and great attention to detail is given to the nuances of their highly idealized images. There is a magical quality to the photography that recalls the beauty of Picnic at Hanging Rock by Peter Weir.

You get the feeling of the Lisbon sisters yearning to escape from their sheltered lives but unable to under an oppressive & over-protective mother. The voice - over narration (Giovanni Ribisi) is faithful to the book - but it's just one part of a larger tapestry that is the film. Sofia also shows a keen eye and ear for 1970s music as well as midwest suburbia that echoes the malaise of the '70s upper-middle class in The Ice Storm by Ang Lee.

This is an excellent film that should not get overlooked despite being slightly less accessible than the lighter, funnier Lost in Translation. The performances were good and it is even more gratifying after multiple viewings than her 2nd film.