Movie reviews

南方车站的聚会 (THE WILD GOOSE LAKE)

Watchable. The wild goose has a different meaning in Chinese than in English. While the translated title carries a meaning seemingly fitting the crime story of a fugitive, the original connotations are different: a wild goose bears a message of love from afar if persons are separated by a great distance, or signifies a lone goose, bereft of both mate and flock. We find both in the picture. But the movie's far from romantic. Decrepit food outlets and hotels, derelict buildings, pervasive cigarette smoking. Modern edifices and skyscrapers on a huge poster contrast with the pair walking past. The film ticks off all the noir boxes: interesting light and shadow effects in the yellow-black night, pink or blue at times, rain, shabby places, gangsters and a prostitute muse, prolonged shots, violence and a romantic title. Visuals of interest include: neon shoe soles on dancers' feet, a boat in the mist, the prostitute's label hat sinking literally and symbolically, shadows behind yellow curtains during the day, close-ups on gripped body parts during a brawl, blood splashing on the inside of an umbrella. All these visual effects make you look at the evening city differently once you leave the cinema.

PETERSSON UND FINDUS - FINDUS ZIEHT UM (PETTSON AND FINDUS 3 - FINDUS MOVES OUT)

Recommended. Another production from the series where even the opening credits use jobs creatively, e.g. putting the costume designer's name on a piece of fabric etc. The plot is eventful and funny as usual, with hilarious situations like when Findus is catching a fish bigger than himself, when Petersson (Pettson) and Gustavsson are scrambling in the tent, when Gustavsson is reproaching Petersson (Pettson) for spoiling Findus - he's got a point, or when Gustavsson has got caught in the fox trap. And Findus is disarming with his 'own' ideas coming from ever-resourceful Petersson (Pettson). Yet all these amusing events are part of the tale of the cat growing up and demanding his own space the way older children do. Both the cat and the owner learn some lessons while keeping the viewers entertained. Delightfully acted, cutely animated, with songs nice even in the Polish dubbing. The tale is so engaging it's easy to forget all the children in the audience.