Movie reviews

FIVE FLAVOURS 8. FILM FESTIVAL

RANG ZI DAN FEI (LET THE BULLETS FLY)

Walked out. Looks like a mock version of very old westerns.

BAHAY BATA (BABY FACTORY)

Watchable. Even though it's about a maternity ward, the viewer is spared disgusting scenes. Sanitary conditions in the poorest hospital in the Philippines are surprisingly good. Still, I learnt little more than that from this documentary.

SERBUAN MAUT 2: BERANDAL (THE RAID 2: BERANDAL)

Walked out. Another mindless gangster movie.

BING DU (ICE POISON) 

Walked out. So slow I just couldn't keep track, made me too sleepy.


FOODIES

Watchable. It's interesting to find out that there is a group of people travelling specially to eat out in the world's best restaurants (including one who doesn't go below 3 Michelin stars, mind it, one star means a place well worth eating in, 2 stars are worth a detour, 3 are worth travelling the world). But the film is a mere tour of some 20 restaurants and silly chit-chat between the foodies and the famed chefs.


ENEMEF -THE NIGHT OF THE HUNGER GAMES

THE HUNGER GAMES
THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE
THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY - PART 1

Recommended. I'm just amazed at how many times I can watch it without getting bored. The cinematography, costumes and make-up, which I absolutely loved in the first two films, are subdued due to the more serious tone of the almost-ending. Still, the twists of action well make up for the loss in colour and it's the most gender-equal film ever. I just love all three parts and I'm definitely going to the next year four-film marathon of the whole series.


HANNAH ARENDT

Watchable. It feels weird to watch a lecturer smoking during classes and my overall impression of the film is that I'm happy to live in more enlightened times when I can be free of smoke in most places. Other than that, while her observations were groundbreaking and confirmed by Milgram's experiment (both in 1961), she was a philosopher which, in my eyes, makes her boring by definition. It was more interesting to hear others discussing her than listen to her own lecture.

DIE BELIEBTEN SCHWESTERN (BELOVED SISTERS)

Watchable. Psychologically implausible. Only a man, here Dominik Graf, could come up with a concept of sisters loving each other so much that they even share a man. Period details were fascinating though, including the chauvinism.

3 COEURS

Watchable. Another story of a love triangle involving sisters. More realistic, apart from both women being in love with a man at least 10 years older, showing that how our lives go depends on pure chance and coincidence. Painfully slow.

MASTER OF THE UNIVERSE

Watchable. A talking head which is not the most involving form. He predicts the crisis will spread to France next and highlights cases indicating that no single banker can be blamed because the whole system is faulty. It reminds me of Andre Brink's view of apartheid where investigating one crime led to the awareness that the whole system is constructed in a way precluding individuals from making the right choice. A bizarre fact about investment bankers is that you score points for "nights" - working a night or two nights in the office is essential (in Germany at least) to get promoted.

SAINT LAURENT

Watchable. Very similar to the previous film about the designer, with some scenes referring to the earlier or later period of his life. Altogether he had a boring life: drugs and sex orgies all the time. The view of his house full of artworks and his collections compensates for the dullish plot to some extent.

SAMBA

Watchable. I like Omar Sy, especially in comedies and this is one, even if mildly amusing ("I have problems sleeping. Especially at night.") The story is involving and the issues of illegal immigrants are important but it fails to truly move your heart and is not as hilarious as "The Intouchables".

KREUZWEG
 
Walked out. Religious, a multi-children family, static. Nothing to watch.

MACONDO

Watchable. The cultural differences between eastern and western family structure should be the pivot of this film while the tiny bits of the clash of cultures presented were nothing new to me which makes it more of a story of a naughty kid.

EL NINO

Recommended. Fast action, good suspense, hot actors, excellent music, especially the Arabic-style bit sung in Spanish. The motorboat looks just like the one of the smugglers I saw with my own eyes when in Gibraltar.

BLIND DATES

Watchable. The povertly, greyness, lifestyle and human relations of contemporary Georgia resemble those of communist Poland. Culture-wise it's weird to see all single women wear extremely short dresses and being treated with decency. The story isn't fascinating, the cultural part just enough.

SEN O WARSZAWIE

Watchable. I'm not a great fan of his music but the film makes you appreciate his talent. The pace is not fast but tells all his life story including his love affair and troubles with communist authorities. Most off all the film makes you grateful for living in market economy.

NIGHT FILM MARATHON - THE NIGHT OF THE HOBBIT

AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY
THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG
THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES

Watchable. I had seen the first two installments before, obviously, so only the third part was new to me. It's a clear-cut series which is actually best seen all at one go. They are all in dark brownish tones due to co-operation with Guillermo del Toro who is not my style. Secondary to LOTR, it's similarly long and grandiose, while "Hobbit" was actually a book I first read in childhood so I'd prefer a lighter tone. The third part is the worst in the trilogy. Luckily the battle at least looks different than in LOTR. Still, I have some favourite scenes in all 3: the hedgehog and rabbits in the first one, the dragon in the second, the battle scenes in wintry scenery in the third. Plus the views of the Shire and its inhabitants.

NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM: SECRET OF THE TOMB

Watchable. It's fun, with some witty bits (e.g. Girl: "So I'll see you on Saturday", Boy's Father: "No way!", Boy: "Way!" - it's my translation from Polish as the movie was dubbed) but a number of silly scenes (like all with the female guard) as well. The British Museum in the film becomes a cross of the namesake and of the Natural History Museum. Great CGIs.

I've got two open tickets to use up by the end of the year in a mainstream cinema. I was horrified when I went through the repertoire - most of the films which I haven't seen yet are about children! Eventually I selected two films which I'm going to see in far away cinemas: "Dumb and Dumber To" and "Der 7bte Zwerg" so these reviews are coming next.