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cohen-phil
Reviews
The Elephant Man (1980)
Lynch rehabilitates b&w movies
Plot: Exploited by Mr. Bytes as a circus-animal, severely disfigured John Merrick (John Hurt) the Elephant Man - falls into the hand of a caring doctor (Anthony Hopkins), in London Hospital, that refuses to hand him back to his former self-proclaimed "owner". Then begins the rebirth of a social outcast ostracized from his harsh childhood, but with above-average intelligence and a damageless soul. As he begins to learn to live a relatively normal life, encounters people from the high society and form friendship with Ms. Kendal, a theater star, Bytes profits from a night security breach to take him back. But soon, physically exhausted, he cannot perform in circus anymore and is freed by his animal circus peers soon to end up in the hospital he had earlier left. As he is dying, Merrick attends Kendal's performance in the lodge and is the beneficiary of a standing ovation. Back home, he is ready to die.
Comment: In this black & white two-hours-long movie, David Lynch's true story based movie explores the human condition, and the value the 19th century society grants to human dignity. Moved by this orphan in search of acceptance and love, we cannot refrain from pitying this unlucky soul. This movie places us in front of the mirror, and asks us whether we do more good than the people we despise; whether nobler feelings and motive leads to better results, i.e. whether bringing Merrick to the hospital then become attraction for the high society is better than leaving him entertaining the low society in circus. Few can boast it.
The Great Dictator (1940)
A testament of hope
Plot: In Tomainia during the war, a Jewish barber then soldier saves a general's life only to awake later in a hospital, suffering from amnesia. Now ready to go back to his civil life, he is totally unaware of the new situation for his people, the Jews: not only are they permanently persecuted, but also gathered in ghettos. Fast he experiences it, and he fortunately is protected by Schutz, a prominent dignitary of the militia. This does not last since Schutz is soon dismissed of his functions and hide at the barber's. Both end up arrested and sent to a concentration camp. Meanwhile, at the other side of the social ladder, tyrant Adenoid Hynkel the perfect look-alike of the Jewish barber is relentlessly directing his country to the war, and appease people's anger in balancing Jews persecution and the project of invading Osterlich. When he learns that Napoloni, the head of Bacteria, is also ready to invade Osterlich begins hard negotiation, which ultimately lead to sign an agreement not to invade this country, which of course Hynkel won't respect. But as he fishes near the concentration camp where the Jewish barber is arrested, Hayken is mistaken for the latter who had just escaped with Schutz and is sent to the concentration camp. As it is foreseeable, the Jewish barber is mistaken for Hayken and impersonates him under Schutz advices and authorizes Osterlich invasion. He is then to deliver a speech before 500 000 people, after his minister of propaganda's praise of dictatorship. It's with great emotion that his speech praises universal brotherhood, and humanity.
Comment: One of Chaplin's best movies. Maybe there are less laughs and more drama especially with hindsight but not less talent. Chaplin was way ahead of his time and shows genuine genius. Humor is never displaced in this masterpiece, ridiculing Hayken's hatred or the mocking the barber goofiness and innocence. More than a comedy, it's a testament of hope in human nature
The Gold Rush (1925)
Chaplin's delightful bonhomie & innocence
We follow "the little fellow" (Chaplin), in his trip to Alaska to find gold - which he ends up succeeding in, finding love at the same time. The first half of the movie reunites Chaplin, another lonesome gold seeker, and a moral-less scoundrel in a shelter, under a particularly horrendous snowstorm. There happens one of the most memorable scene of the movie: Big Jim's delusion that Chaplin's is a giant (of course bearing Chaplin's manners) chicken, and his desperate attempts to eat him; but Chaplin is saved by a bear showing up which they finally eat. Then, parting their ways, begins the second half of the movie: the one-sided romance with the beautiful Georgia, met in a dance hall. How funny was the scene when she invited out of despair our little fellow to dance to avoid dancing with an invading Jake! How genius showed Chaplin to use Tchaykovsky's...Beauy & the Beast's waltz! Bringing to tear and laughters at the same time. As Georgia plays nastily and mocks and fools Chaplin, with her friends, and secretly discovers his love, her heart swings. But Chaplin is taken away by his former colleague, Big Jim, to "become millionaires" (i.e. find gold). And they find it! All ends well as the little fellow & big Jim, now millionaires, leave on a ship. While dressed poorly as in his earlier gold seeker day for a photography, he falls upon Georgia, who indisputably is happy to be with him, and even more happy to find him multimillionaires, as she hears from the ship crew. The moral? Women love damned $$$...
Changing Lanes (2002)
Awful movie
Possibly the worst movie i've seen in a long time. Looks like an amateur movie. The characters are thrown without much explanation, as the situations are. Once, Jackson is shown as a great - but unstable - humanist, caring father despite alcohol problems. In the following scene, he's become a dangerous maniac and murderer. Wtf. For sure, there is no such thing as manicheism in real life, but at this point, it's inconsistency; we just don't buy it. Neither Affleck's personage is more realistic as a greedy compromising lawyer on one side hiding a generous heart. Wtf. This movie is supposed to happen in less than a day, and those guys go from hate to love to hate again to love to hate again to love finally in a few hours. Crap. And the job the director did is plainly bad: we jump from one situation to another awkwardly... The only thing we want to change, if not lane, is TV channel.
The Kid (1921)
So moving
One of Chaplin's best. Chaplin's character fins an abandoned infant on the street, and with more or less willingness, take charge of him. All is going well until five year later when the kid falls ill. A "country doctor" (in reference to a 1909 movie) is called, and decides that the sick kid need proper attention and care. Subsequently, a rigid and horrendous orphanage director comes with an officer to take on the child. Which, of course, Chaplin tries successfully to avoid, and ends up in a workhouse. Unfortunately, the formerly desperate mother, now become a star, posted an ad to reward who would bring the kid back, and while Charlie is asleep, the workhouse manager brings the kid to the police station. All ends well as the mother is not a heartless b***ch and welcome Chaplin to her place to see the kid. End. OK, this was factual. Now for the emotional part, Chaplin fulfill this masterpiece with laughters & tears, as we are foretold from the very beginning. This movie, seen now, emphasizes the different way comedies have turn now; no long declamation, forceful words to delineates as strong feelings, just suggestion, appeal to our heart. Simplicity and efficiency in the humor as in the pathos.