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 European Cinema 2013-2015, Notable Films |
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 Nov 25 2015, 12:20 PM
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#21
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 BuzzJack Gold Member
Joined: 4 March 2010
Posts: 3,526 User: 10,742 
 
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"Jimmy's Hall" is a British-Irish production that was released in my country one year ago. I remembered the title but it did not stir any of my interest to watch it at that time. However, a neighborhood open-air cinema chose it the last week of July and I had the opportunity to see it at that time. "Jimmy's Hall" was originally premiered at last year's Cannes Film Festival, where it competed for the Palme d'Or!
The film takes place in Leitrim, Ireland in 1932. The main character of the story, Jimmy Gralton, returns from America to his birthplace after ten years because of the loss of his brother. Deciding to live with his mother on the farm which they have and the crowd greets him with positive emotions. Ten years before, Jimmy had built a place where young people of the region could express their ideas, would attend courses but also dancing modern dances of that era. However, the Catholic Church and the local rulers were against his vision and for this reason, he had to go away from the country and the ballroom was closed. Nevertheless, the community will motivate and convince him to reopen the room this time despite the repeated objections of the church and the authorities. "Jimmy's Hall" was essentially a dramatic story but it had some very pleasant moments too. It had intense social and political element and the dialogues were sharp and insightful. The directing was undertaken by the recognized British director Ken Loach and the screenplay was written by his permanent partner in recent years Paul Laverty. They did a remarkable job and used in a targeted way the life of a silent hero of Ireland at that period. "Jimmy's Hall" had also beautiful photography, nice performances and remarkable sountrack. It spreads many messages to the spectators and it is one of the few politicized films I saw on the big screen this year. The story of Jimmy represents not only himself but also all those who fought for their believes, endangering even their lives. It was pleasantly seen throughout its whole duration and at the end, it turns out to be moving but without becoming melodramatic. "Jimmy's Hall" is a very interesting story that captivated the two main creators of it, Ken Loach and Paul Laverty. It may have not won the Palme d'Or but the film managed to make widely known an injustice of Ireland. I’m sure that it would have been loved by several viewers and hopefully, it will not be the last film by Ken Loach, according to his words. I believe that he has to tell us a lot of important things through the cinema. |
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Nov 26 2015, 12:57 PM
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#22
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BuzzJack Gold Member
Joined: 4 March 2010
Posts: 3,526 User: 10,742
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"Papa ou Maman" is a French comedy that was released in my country’s cinemas over three months ago and it hit the top of the domestic Box Office! It became a big hit in France as it attracted over 3,000,000 spectators in the cinemas! I had not seen the official trailer, but I had read the plot, which seemed somewhat funny. I would not say that I am fond of French cinema but occasionally I see very good and thoughtful productions.
"Papa ou Maman" is essentially a family story that discusses the separation of parents with humorous and caustic way. The two main characters of the film are Vincent and Florence, who have been married for 15 years. They succeed both professionally, living with great economic comfort and they have three -spoiled- children. However, their relationship has reached a stagnating stage and they decide to separate legally and civilly. Nevertheless, when a promotion they have both been waiting for, things will change in an unexpected way. Since neither of them want to undertake child custody, a merciless war will break out between them in order to convince their children with whom it would be better to stay. "Papa ou Maman" was a light-hearted film that had a unique purpose to entertain viewers. There was no special depth to the story and it was the most suitable choice for an open-air cinema. However, the directing was not the best after Martin Bourboulon constantly made close-ups on the faces of the two protagonists. It seemed like he was obsessed with them and he really focused on the face of Laurent Lafitte. Maybe, he had 30 close-ups throughout the film (without exaggeration). But the good thing was that there was a rapid alternation of scenes which did not tire us at all. "Papa ou Maman" had 2-3 hilarious scenes, but in general terms, it was a corny movie. Some people can be linked to the "The War of the Roses" but in no way to the inventiveness of the successful black comedy of the 80's. The interpretations were just nice but the movie had at least elaborate montage and beautiful photography. "Papa ou Maman" is a delightful family film that came out at the right time in the cinemas of my country. However, the predictable finale and the close-ups of the director were its worst elements. It could be little more than average, if only had at least one more inspiring end. Despite this, the Greek audience preferred to see it on the big screen and I noticed that it received a warm acceptance in the room in which I saw it. It’s not as good as last year’s "Qu’est-ce qu'on a fait au Bon Dieu?" and this year's "La Famille Bélier" but at least you will have a pleasant time throughout its whole duration. |
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Nov 29 2015, 08:00 PM
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#23
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thanks for being a sarcy lil bitch
Joined: 25 September 2007
Posts: 79,270 User: 4,397        
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I just saw this film and it was incredible. Such a weird experience that kept me miles away in a completely different timezone for 2 hours. |
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Dec 2 2015, 01:31 AM
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#24
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Cśur poids plume
Joined: 3 November 2007
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QUOTE(Conderella @ Nov 29 2015, 08:00 PM)  I just saw this film and it was incredible. Such a weird experience that kept me miles away in a completely different timezone for 2 hours. If you liked 'God' then I recommend you watch 'Man Bites Dog'. This post has been edited by Harve: Dec 2 2015, 01:31 AM |
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Jan 18 2016, 12:40 PM
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#25
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 It's a cruel summer.
Joined: 26 May 2014
Posts: 35,253 User: 20,947 
      
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Clouds Of Sils Maria is incredible, caught it over the weekend
 Love the story and Juliette Binoche + Kristen Stewart were absolutely fantastic 
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Apr 17 2016, 08:00 AM
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#26
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BuzzJack Gold Member
Joined: 4 March 2010
Posts: 3,526 User: 10,742
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"Le Dernier Coup de marteau" is a French social film that was released in my country’s cinemas over six months ago! Initially, it participated at the 71st Venice Film Festival, where it competed with 19 other films for the Golden Lion! However, having seen 6 of them, I think the grand prize went to the worst of them, A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence, which incidentally was one of the worst movies I've seen in two years! I thought for a long time that the Venice Festival only screened boring and pointless movies, but watching "Hungry Hearts" and "Le Dernier Coup de marteau" in autumn, I revised my opinion.
The main character of the film is the teenage boy Victor, who lives with his mother who suffers from cancer in a camper/RV near the beach. Victor has never met his father who is an accomplished conductor. However, when he came to the nearby town to conduct the local orchestra, Victor will grab the opportunity to meet him. In the meanwhile, his mother’s state of health gets worse and the coach of the school football team urges him to be a professional football player. Victor faces the difficulties of life very early and he takes important decisions about his future. "Le Dernier Coup de marteau" is a remarkable film that is based on the very good performances of the main characters. The young Romain Paul is very good in the protagonist role while Clotilde Hesme who plays his mother, gives a very moving interpretation that I think will touch everyone! Alix Delaporte was the one who directed the film and wrote the script along with Alain Le Henry. It is her second major feature film and she did it greatly, receiving the "Lanterna Magica (CGS) Award" at the 71st Venice International Film Festival. The film had also beautiful photography, remarkable soundtrack and elaborate editing. Besides, it is one of the few French films that do not contain profuse chatter, irritating accent and stupid facial expressions. Delaporte put heavy emphasis on expressions of the actors, which literally spoke for themselves. Nevertheless, the movie ended somewhat abruptly, and I believe that its story guided us wrongly all the time. I do not want to refer to more things about the ending so not to spoil it. However, I have noticed several times that women directors and screenwriters have a similar trend in films that they work with. While starting with the best prospects which are based -almost all times- on emotional stories, they never have a noteworthy ending so as to remember these films forever. They always have a compromising ending. These female directors tend not to make a difference in the stories they want to tell us. "Le Dernier Coup de marteau" is one of the decent films I have seen last year! It is a very interesting story for all ages. It combines successfullly family drama with a strong age story, avoiding any kind of cliché that we usually see in other similar films. "Le Dernier Coup de marteau" screened at many film festivals, received very positive reviews and the film's protagonist excelled with "Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best New Young Actor or Actress" at the film festival in Venice. Despite this, it did not have good earnings all around the world and it did not fare well at all in my country. I think that it is very unfair since this story has much to offer to the viewers in contrast to brainless "Furious 7" and "Avengers: Age of Ultron" which excelled in Worldwide Box Office! |
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Apr 17 2016, 08:04 AM
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#27
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thanks for being a sarcy lil bitch
Joined: 25 September 2007
Posts: 79,270 User: 4,397
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Hun people don't like to think when they go to the movies so brainless batmans and avengers and 'fast and furious 438: I ain't dead bitches' will always do so much better in the cinema
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Apr 17 2016, 11:28 AM
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#28
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BuzzJack Gold Member
Joined: 4 March 2010
Posts: 3,526 User: 10,742
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I really liked "Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice" although it received negative reviews. It was superior than "Furious 7" and "Avengers: Age of Ultron". However, I think that European audience shouldn't watch so many Hollywood Movies when there are so many incredible European Films. I feel that marketing has a great impact on them. As far as I know, Americans watch a few European films on the big screen every year. So, we should do the same..
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Apr 19 2016, 09:25 AM
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#29
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BuzzJack Gold Member
Joined: 4 March 2010
Posts: 3,526 User: 10,742
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"La Loi du Marche" is a French social film that was released in my country’s cinemas over six months ago. It was originally screened at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival, where Vincent Lindon won the award for “Best Actor” and the film won a commendation awarded by the Ecumenical Jury. Although it did not win the Palme d’Or, it received very positive comments and was applauded by the audience who had the chance to attend the premiere of the movie. In my city, it didn’t have widespread distribution and only two cinemas chose to display it. However, the cinema that we saw it, it was full of people.
It is obvious that the economic crisis and unemployment have greatly influenced European filmmakers and several films have been filmed with similar content in recent years such as "Two Days, One Night", "Beautiful Youth", etc. Their stories revolve around the problems and dilemmas that economic impasses bring on the protagonists and their development is always moving without being melodramatic. So in this specific case, "La Loi du Marche" is a film that deals with the enormous problem of unemployment but also gives emphasis to the strict rules of the market. Frenchman Stéphane Brize not only undertook the directing of the film but he also wrote the screenplay along with Olivier Gorce. He managed within 93 minutes to present a human story that is very close to reality. He chose a very good actor for the leading role, given the opportunity to amateur actors to participate in the film. This has as a consequence of the film to be more realistic. "La Loi du Marche" had very interesting scenario, well-written dialogues and excellent performance from Vincent Lindon. It shows things as they are and followed the main character of the story in the whole duration of the movie. However, the intentions of writers do not seem to be clear with what they really want to tell us and their movie can easily divide their audience. Only if you watch this movie, you will understand me. "La Loi du Marche" is a remarkable film that will mainly find a positive acceptance from the public. It had very good earnings at the French Box Office and it managed to attract more than one million spectators. And this of course is a major achievement with this script. I personally think that such films should be shown as training projections in high schools so as to enlighten students about what really happens to human societies. To go see a movie with visual effects is not a bad thing but when you mainly see these kinds of films, you will probably destroy all your brain cells. |
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Jun 17 2016, 10:05 AM
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#30
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BuzzJack Gold Member
Joined: 4 March 2010
Posts: 3,526 User: 10,742
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"Youth" is a drama that was released in my country's cinemas in the middle of November. It premiered at last year's Cannes Film Festival, where it competed for the Palme d'Or. Although it was not the winning film, it received very positive reviews and comments from the connoisseurs of film industry and later, it was screened in other renowned worldwide festivals too. "Youth" is the latest film by Italian director Paolo Sorrentino, after his overrated "The Great Beauty", which won the Oscar for "Best Foreign Language Film" two years ago. To be honest, I did not want to see his new work, although I knew about the eclectic cast. Despite this, I decided to see it on the big screen and finally, I realized that "Youth" was a very pleasant, surprising film.
"Youth" takes place in a luxury hotel in the Swiss Alps. The two main characters are Fred Ballinger and Mick Boyle, who remain close friends for many years and take a holiday at this resort. Fred Ballinger is an accomplished composer and conductor, who has retired from active composing. While Mick Boyle is a famous director who imagines his new film and feels that it will be on the top of his career. However, Fred Ballinger accepts an invitation from Queen Elizabeth to return to the stage for one last concert although he initially will reject it. "Youth" is quite a philosophical film that does not tire the viewers at any point. Although it is considered a drama, it contains several comic elements that create a very pleasant atmosphere in the room. "Youth" was very well directed, it had elaborate editing, excellent cinematography and beautiful soundtrack. Paolo Sorrentino not only took over the directing of the film but he also signed the script. The dialogues were clever and cynical while the characters were very amiable and highly structured. The performances of the two actors were very good, Rachel Weisz persuaded in her role once again and Jane Fonda gave a dynamic presence in the film. In my opinion, all of them deserved a nomination in the latest Oscars. "Youth" is a film that highlights the contradictions of life and presented in such an inspired way that there is no case not to seduce the public. "Youth" was undoubtedly one of the most remarkable and most thoughtful productions of last year! The brilliant cast, the beautiful photography and the smart directorial shots of Sorrentino contributed to the surprising result of the film. "Youth" got very good reviews for its content and it could have claimed the coveted Golden Statuette. It had a successful box office run in Greek Box Office and it was played for many weeks in the cinemas. Maybe I was biased towards this director, but after "Youth", I have completely revised my opinion. I wouldn't say that it is a masterpiece, but it certainly stands out enough from the other films of its kind! Magical Song  This post has been edited by Insomnio: Jun 17 2016, 10:08 AM |
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Jun 18 2016, 09:38 AM
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#31
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BuzzJack Gold Member
Joined: 4 March 2010
Posts: 3,526 User: 10,742
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"Dheepan" is a French drama film that was released in my country in last November. "Dheepan" won the Palme d'Or at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival, made particular sense to the public and won good reviews! It was the most current movie that was shown during that period after discussing the hot topic of immigration.
Dheepan is a former soldier of the Tamil Tigers, who agrees with a woman and a minor orphan girl to pretend to be a family in order to go to Europe with false passports. All three are trying to escape from the civil war in Sri Lanka. So, they will end up in a disreputable suburb of Paris and they will start a new life which would soon prove that it is not so far away from the horrors they experienced in their homeland. "Dheepan" is a very interesting movie. The Frenchman Jacques Audiard is the director of the film who was especially moved when he received the Palme d' Or by the Cohen brothers. He did a great job and he really deserved this award! Having seen his old cinematic work "Rust and Bone" on the big screen four years ago, I can say that this man is one of the most talented European directors of his generation! "Dheepan" had a well-written script, elaborate montage and beautiful photography. It is a touching story but it is not melodramatic and puzzles enough the audience with its content. The three main actors had not previously acted in a big production but they did just fine in "Dheepan" after being very convincing in their roles. The evolution of the story do no tire the viewer and the finale is by no means predictable. Of course, this might baffle/surprise some viewers but it is perfectly justifiable considering the past of the main character of the story. "Dheepan" is a remarkable film and it is one of the best European productions of last year. It is a film that spreads many messages to the audience and raises a serious issue that it is at the forefront of the news in recent years. The director and the writers keep a neutral attitude towards the story and the viewer figures out the conclusions by themselves. Just not to be ultraconservative."Dheepan" had decent earnings in my country's Box Office but it was not so successful as other winning movies from Cannes such as Winter Sleep, Blue Is the Warmest Colour, Amour, The Tree of Life and White Ribbon. Nevertheless, it deserves the attention of the public. Love it! |
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Jun 24 2016, 10:04 AM
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#32
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BuzzJack Gold Member
Joined: 4 March 2010
Posts: 3,526 User: 10,742
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"Tales of Tales" is a fantasy film that came out in my country's cinemas in the middle of November. It originally participated in the competition program of the Cannes festival where it competed against eighteen other ambitious productions. Although it did not win the coveted "Palme d'Or", it received positive feedback from the attendees. I had not seen the official trailer but neither did I know about the plot of the movie before I went to the multiplex to watch it. However, the title seemed quite intriguing to me and the cast consisted of famous and talented actors/actresses.
"Tales of Tales" is based on a collection of tales by the Neapolitan poet Giambattista Basile. The film presents three different stories on three different kingdoms. In all the stories, the kings / queens are possessed by passions, desires and obsessions that led them to unexpected situations. Italian Matteo Garrone took over the directing of the film and he also wrote the screenplay with Edoardo Albinati, Ugo Chiti and Massimo Gaudioso. His work is admirable and successfully transferred the magic of these tales on the big screen. "Tales of Tales" had gorgeous costumes, magnificent scenery, wonderful landscapes and beautiful pictures with many colors. It is a film that will surely fascinate all spectators with its visual piece. However, because the content of some scenes is particularly provocative and violent, I would say that the film is primarily intended for older age groups. Neverthless, it was pleasant to view during its evolution and it successfully combines drama with comedy. "Tales of Tales" was one of the most underrated movies of last year! It was not promoted it as it should have been and for this reason, it had a disappointing box office result. The same, of course, happened in my country, having been viewed in a small cinema circuit during its second week of release. Personally I quite liked it because it had original directing and it contained three unknown tales for the general public. Besides, how many times do you need to watch the hackneyed fantastic tales such as Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast etc in a film form until we are all bored with them? At least, "Tales of Tales" was quite special and unique! |
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Aug 5 2016, 09:59 AM
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#33
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BuzzJack Gold Member
Joined: 4 March 2010
Posts: 3,526 User: 10,742
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"Mia Madre" came out in my country’s cinemas in December! It is a Franco-Italian production which took participation in the 2015 Cannes Film Festival. Although it did not win the Palme d’Or, it won the Ecumenical Jury Prize and received numerous nominations at the Silver Ribbon Awards and David di Donatello Awards. For those who are not familiar with these awards, they are institutions which award Italian films. I had the chance to watch it at its avant premiere because I won a contest and the film left me positive emotions. "Mia Madre" was the alternative choice for Christmas period for all those who did not intend to see the multi advertised "Star Wars: The Force Awakens", the adventure "Point Break" and the biography "Joy".
The central character of the film is Margherita, who directs a movie starring a famous Italian-American actor, Barry Higgins. However, their cooperation is quite problematic and the shootings last much longer than they should. Meanwhile, Margherita’s mother is in hospital and is going through the last stages of her life. So, Margherita has to face the caprice and the whim of the Italian-American star when she is in the film’s deck but she has to find solutions to her own problems too. "Mia Madre" is a story that oscillates between drama and comedy. The Italian director Nanni Moretti used multiple flashbacks during the film and the script contained many autobiographical elements. Moreover, he is impersonating Margherita’s brother, but giving less emphasis to his character, not like other directors/actors. "Mia Madre" was directed nice, it had an interesting script and good performances. The protagonist of the film, Margherita Buy, was very convincing in her role -though I doubted it at some stage- and John Turturro gave an enjoyable performance. "Mia Madre" had several funny scenes, which they are always associated with emotional moments like a Scottish shower. Moreover, does the same happen in reality? "Mia Madre" is a remarkable European production, which was released at the right time in the domestic cinemas. The film was pleasantly seen by everyone and will certainly touch viewers who are / were very attached to their mother. It received positive feedback from experts in the film industry and it has garnered a good rating by users of IMDb (6,9). It is a film that shows the loss of our loved ones in their own special way and in this case, could not be any other than that of the mother. All I have to say: Mother is the only one! |
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Aug 28 2016, 07:25 AM
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#34
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BuzzJack Gold Member
Joined: 4 March 2010
Posts: 3,526 User: 10,742
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"Mustang" is a French-German-Turkish production that was released in my country's cinemas last December! It participated in last year's Cannes Film Festival, as part of the Directors' Fortnight, which won the Europa Cinemas Label Award! It was the official submission by France for the Oscar for "Best Foreign Language Film" and it ended up as one of the five nominated films! Furthermore, it was proposed for a Golden Globe for "Best Foreign Language Film" and it was awarded the 2015 LUX Prize. It is the European Parliament's Prize. I had read a few lines about the film but I had not watched its official trailer, so I had imagined something different before I went to see it on the big screen. Without meaning a bad thing necessarily. However, the thing that caused me the most impression about this movie, was the fact that the French proposed a film which was shot entirely in Turkey when they could send something to refer to their own traditions and customs. Maybe they are not so chauvinists as we thought they would be.
"Mustang" takes place in a remote village in the east of Turkey. There, five sisters who have lost their parents, grow at their grandmother's house under the supervision of their strict uncle. One day, they are playing with their classmates in the water at the beach. From this innocent event, they will stir the reaction of a conservative neighbor. As a consequence, their grandmother and their uncle will restrict them to the inside of the house. While vainly they attempt to escape from their house arrest, their grandmother and their uncle have already prepared their plans for them which is marriage. "Mustang" is a remarkable film which clearly speaks for the conservatism and the repression prevailing in my neighbor country. Women must follow specific rules and behavior and it is obvious that they do not share the same rights as men. The Turkish-French Deniz Gamze Ergüven, was not only limited to the directorial piece of the movie, but she also wrote the screenplay along with Alice Winocour. It was her first feature film and although it isn't based on true events, the film's scipt is not far from reality. "Mustang" was well directed, it had interesting story and beautiful music. It has some very funny scenes although it's a drama and it is seen pleasantly throughout the duration. However, I believe that the five young heroines were those who played a catalytic role in the overall result. Their performances were amazing and the character of the younger sister, Lale, was the most enjoyable/charismatic. It reminded me of “Wadjda”. "Mustang" was my last film in the cinema for 2015 and I can comfortably say that it enters the list of my favorite European films ever! It was definitely one of the pleasant surprises of last year and it totally deserved the critics' attention! It received rave reviews worldwide and it has acquired a high average score of 7,7 in IMDb. If "Son of Saul" was not a candidate movie for last year, probably "Mustang" would have grabbed the Golden Statuette in the category for "Best Foreign Language Film" at the 88th Academy Awards. I highly recommend it! |
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Oct 6 2016, 11:43 AM
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#35
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BuzzJack Gold Member
Joined: 4 March 2010
Posts: 3,526 User: 10,742
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"Rams" is a drama that was released in my country's cinemas in the middle of January. "Rams" caught the attention of critics and the public at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival, winning the Best Film in the "Un Certain Regard” section. In my country, it premiered at the 56th Thessaloniki International Film Festival, where it won the "Best feature film-Golden Alexander award"! Moreover, it excelled in many other film festivals and it was the official submission of Iceland for the Oscar nomination for "Best Foreign Language Film"! It was the first time I watched a film from this country and for this reason I was very curious about its overall impact.
"Rams" takes in the pastures of northern Iceland. There, two brothers, Gummi and Kiddi, are rearing their sheeps and rams, without talking to each other. They have not communicated in more than 40 years even though they share the same land and their homes are within walking distance. However, an unavoidable fact will push them to cooperate in order to protect their "fortune". Although, this is a dramatic story, "Rams" had some very funny scenes which had as a consequence to create a pleasant atmosphere inside the movie theater. The Icelandic Grímur Hákonarson was the one who inspired this original story and his talent was not only limited in writing. Hákonarson also undertook the directing and created a film that pays attention to the relationship between brothers and the bond that develops among rural people with their animals. "Rams" was well directed, it had clever script and beautiful photography. The performances of the two protagonists were quite good while their characters were very nice. The only disadvantage was that its story evolved slowly, something that may strain the average viewer. Yet, it is a very special film that will surely find the audience which will love it. "Rams" is a fairly interesting script idea which was highly appreciated by the connoisseurs of cinematic space. It spreads many messages with its plot and the last scene was incredibly touching! Finally, it is a remarkable European productions representing Iceland worldwide in the best possible way! |
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Oct 11 2016, 01:25 AM
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#36
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Cśur poids plume
Joined: 3 November 2007
Posts: 18,129 User: 4,718
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Have you seen Respire?
It might be a bit teen-orientated for you but I think you'd like it! |
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Oct 12 2016, 08:39 AM
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#37
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BuzzJack Gold Member
Joined: 4 March 2010
Posts: 3,526 User: 10,742
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I haven't watched it yet but I will take into consideration this movie. I watch teenage movies, I'm not so old..
 I also noticed that it participated in the 2014 Cannes Film Festival. Thank you for your suggestion!!
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Oct 13 2016, 09:47 AM
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#38
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BuzzJack Gold Member
Joined: 4 March 2010
Posts: 3,526 User: 10,742
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"The Brand New Testament" is a surreal comedy which premiered in Greek cinemas during the last days of January. It initially took part in the "Directors' Fortnight" at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival and then participated in other recognized film festivals. "The Brand New Testament" was the official submission by Belgium for the Academy Awards 2016 for “Best Foreign Language Film" and although it did not reach the final five nominations, it was one of the films which received very positive feedback. I had not seen the official trailer, but having watched very notable films from this country in the last five years such as Our Children, The Broken Circle Breakdown, Two Days, One Night, there was no way to ignore this film on the big screen. They know how to make a great movie!
"The Brand New Testament" evolves in Brussels, which shows us God living with his family in an apartment like a normal person. However, it's not like we know through religious books who God really acts, since God does not really torment people's lives through commands typed on his computer. His daughter, Ea, will be the one who will try to change this situation, rewriting the New Testament with the help of six apostles. The "Brand New Testament" is based on an original script idea that aims to criticize religions. The Belgian Jaco Van Dormael gave all of himself in this project, since he took over the directing of the film, he wrote the script together with Thomas Gunzig and he participated in the production together with Frank Van Passel. He made a remarkable cinematic work that won critics and committees and as a result, the movie was proposed for a Golden Globe for "Best Foreign Language Film". "The Brand New Testament" had inventive directing, sarcastic script and very beautiful images. The interpretations of the actors were nice and the dialogues were causing plenty of laughter. Despite this, the rates fell sharply in the second part of the film -the cinema hall did an intermission- and its plot turned out to be repetitive and tedious. "The Brand New Testament" is an interesting idea script spreads many messages to the audience. However, I could not, in any case, compare it with older Belgian nominations (three mentioned above). While the director / screenwriter Jaco Van Dormael began with a very clever way to present the story of his movie, somewhere in the middle, he lost his best and the plot ended up in repeating cliches. In my opinion, "The Brand New Testament" could have been one of the "Best European Films" in recent years, if it had a more subtle ending. Though, according to all that negatives occurring at times in our lives, God must troll us very badly. If he exists. |
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Oct 18 2016, 09:05 AM
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#39
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BuzzJack Gold Member
Joined: 4 March 2010
Posts: 3,526 User: 10,742
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"Labyrinth of Lies" is a drama that was released in my country's cinemas in the middle of February! It is based on actual events and it was the official submission for Germany for the Academy Award for "Best Foreign Language Film". Although, it did not end up as one of the five nominated films, it received positive feedback for its content and it won the Audience Award at the 21st Athens International Film Festival - Opening Nights. Although I have no particular sympathy for the German people, I admit that they have very high quality of cinema since they have exceptional and incredible movies such as Lola rennt, Good Bye, Lenin !, Das Experiment, Die fetten Jahre sind vorbei, Das Leben der Anderen etc!
"Labyrinth of Lies" takes place in Frankfurt in the late 50s. Nobody knows or does not speak about the events of the previous decade and everyone lives their lives as if nothing ever happened. However, a random occurrence will uncover the veil of silence and an ambitious young prosecutor, with the help of a journalist, they will begin an unprecedented survey of that era. "Labyrinth of Lies" is a remarkable production that is really worth seeing on the big screen. The Italian Giulio Ricciarelli wrote the script together with Elisabeth Bartel and he also made his directorial debut. "Labyrinth of Lies" had pretty good direction, a well-written script and beautiful photography. Moreover, the interpretations of the actors were very good and the protagonist of the film, Alexander Fehling, was astonishing in his role! It may be another film that deals with the Holocaust and the Second World War but it was shot in such a compelling way that it will surely pique your interest! Trust me! "Labyrinth of Lies" could not be included in the list of my favorite European movies ever! It's a great movie that will surely grab the attention of the public. The truth is that I felt a deep melancholy just when I stepped out of the movie theater, but it happened to me since the evolution of the plot affected me so much. It is really surprising the way that these European people buried their "recent" past and it was laid out in a such manner. I believe that only the Germans -and perhaps the Russians- would be able to do something like that. Despite this, this fact proves once again the scheming of these people. PS +++++ for the beautiful and classy German actress Friederike Becht! |
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Jan 11 2017, 10:20 AM
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BuzzJack Gold Member
Joined: 4 March 2010
Posts: 3,526 User: 10,742
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"Victoria" is a dramatic film which was released in my country in the beginning of March. It originally aired in the 65th Berlin International Film Festival, where it won the Silver Bear for Oustanding Artistic Contribution for Cinematography while it won six awards from the German Film Academy. I had read a few lines about the film's case but deliberately I did not see its official trailer, so I could not conclude many things about its content. However, Victoria was a pleasant surprise and if you watch it unwitting, you will estimate it even more. Especially if you are fond of artistic films.
Victoria is a young Spaniard, who has moved to Berlin in recent months and she works as a waitress in a café . When one night she revels in a underground club, she meets a group of four young men, who are very friendly towards her. Victoria follows them out of the club, and as the nights passed, she will inadvertently be entangled in an embarrassing situation. "Victoria" was shot in a continuous 138 minute take. The German director Sebastian Schipper essentially follows the film's heroine and he does not use the editing. So in this way, he gives realism to the story and you feel that you see the protagonist to experience all this in reality. "Victoria" can have simplistic scenario but it is presented in such an artistic way, that it stands out from the rest of the other films of its kind. Moreover, the protagonist of the movie, Laia Costa, was amazing and she played a catalytic role in the overall outcome of the film. The remaining performances were good and the soundtrack was great. Very likely, some viewers feel tired with the cinematography of the movie as there are many scenes with shaking camera. Despite this, it had riveting evolution, it holds steady the viewers' interest from beginning to the end while there were many twists during the plot. "Victoria" is a remarkable film that will certainly find its audience. It received positive feedback from experts of the film industry and it has assembled a highly rating of 7.7 by IMDb users. It was the second German film that I watched on the big screen last year and I admit that I had missed their cinema after an absence of two years! "Victoria" is a film that combines elements of drama and adventure with a very separate directorial way. I would recommend it only to those who are looking for the "alternative" to the Seventh Art. |
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