Posted on September 18th, 2007 by Chip
This is a movie that a co-op at work recommended to me. I rented it and it is a style like that of a documentary of a startup group of young men working out of a garage to make their future with their invention. The invention that they come up with is not what they intended nor are the consequences anything but un-expected. The movie requires a few repeats to figure what is really goin on in the movie as it is hard to follow after about half of it.
It is not a great movie by any stretch but it sure is though provoking. If you don’t watch this and decide that you “need” to see it again just to understand it then you must not have liked it. Give it a day, and let it cook in your thoughts and then watch it again and I think that maybe you might understand it a little better. You might not since in retrospect, I might have been more confused trying harder to make sense of a non linear story. Non-linear … oh yeah… anything but linear. So if you are looking for a regular A–> B story with no turners, loops, spins, swirls, spirals or stops then pass on this. If the mind is wanting to work overtime and you like science, give this a try and I think you will like it.
Not a great movie but sure is something that will make you want to see it again and again to figure it out. You might record your thoughts as you see it to review them the second, third time around.
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Filed under: Drama, Mystery, 4 stars, Scifi
Posted on September 18th, 2007 by Chip
This is an old movie with Gene Hackman, Robert Duvall, Cindy Williams and more that deals with the art of eavesdropping or electronic surveillance. This movie deals with Gene Hackman as being the expert spy in this thriller where he is the pinacle of the trade and asked to record a “conversation.” This movie is like the original “Enemy of the State” with Will Smith. The conversation is not what it is perceived to be and the ending in the movie is something less than expected.
This idea of electronic surveillance is not a new idea and has been going on for longer than we know. This was one of the first movies of its kind to expose the public to the possibilities of what someone might be able to over hear, record or see with much thought by those that are the subject of it. It was really interesting and thought provoking, with what I termed a twisted ending, where you are thinking … what…
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Filed under: Favorites, Drama, Action, 4 stars
Posted on September 17th, 2007 by Chip
This movie is another Eastern Block (Russian) movie that is produced with subtitles. A young boy at an orphanage in Russia is soon to be adopted by an Italian family in a few months. He is nick-named “Italian” by those around him that are envious of him. He is about 7 years old. He meets a woman, outside the orphanage that explains that she had given her daughter up for adoption when she was young and came back to the orphanage only to find the child had been given away to another family. This puts into the mind of the Italian the need to venture out and find his mother before it is to late.
The movie depicts the stark realization of a Russian orphanage where the older kids are involved in something like “Oliver Twist” and also prostitution. It is really stark and makes you once again wonder what life might be (1) in the shoes of those that are in an orphanage and (2) what is must be to grow up in Russia if it is as it is depicted in the movie. The thing I found interesting was the lack of depression that I saw in the characters so much as the attitude that this is way it is so just get on with it. They had adapted to the environment and also the surrounds and accepted this with little hope for anything better. Stark just seemed to be the right word for it.
Yes it has a happy ending but it sure does take some time to get there. One thing that I didn’t like out of the movie was the music which was like a tinkling of bells but ALL the time. It was nice for a little while but to much over time.
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Filed under: Drama, 4 stars
Posted on September 17th, 2007 by Chip
This movie is a subtitled movie that deals with the time in Eastern Germany before the fall of the Berlin Wall. The movie is about a man that is a member of the Strozzi and is in tasked with the monitoring (eve’s dropping) of a famous play writer and his life. It is interesting from the stand point that the Eastern Iron Curtail life style is so oppressive and incredibly dire. Watching this movie made me think of what life must have been like under such a crushing pressure of the government in every bit of your life. The darkness of the film adds to the oppressive vision that is provided in this movie.
I understood that following the fall of the Strozzio in Eastern Germany that the people went nuts and broke into the head quarters of the Strozzio and then found out who all the spies were. These people were hunted down and killed by mobs of people because the spies were so destructive in their reporting and their alliance with the State.
Watching this movie, you enjoy it from the sub-conscience of the idea that the country is in now way close that communistic government where “everything” is controlled and monitored. I grew to like the movie because of that, I believe. The Strozzio spy, in the movie falls in love with the play writers love interest and begins to realize the devastative influence his and others reports can have on the people they spy on. Once that hint of human kindness breaks the surface of the government issued skin the affect is non-reversible.
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Filed under: Romance, Drama, 4 stars
Posted on August 22nd, 2007 by Chip
Another “magic” movie that made its debut around the same time as “The Illusionist.” This movie is about the competition of two magicians and their quest to beat the other one. The movie similar to “The Illusionist” but with a harsher overtone that seems to add a sinister veil on the picture. Excellent casting of the four main characters; including Christian Bales, Hugh Jackman, Scarlett Johansson and Michael Caine.
How many movies has Michael Caine been in? Just when you thought you’d seen the last of him, he shows up again in another movie. Needless to say, his performance is always well done and with class. Way to go “Alfie.”
A couple of things that I really like about this movie along with “The Illusionist” is that you are thinking afterwards about the movie for sometime trying to figure out all the bits and pieces. Another thing that I like about this movie is David Bowie playing Nicoli Tesla. David Bowie does a great job, but what I really find interesting is the amount of mystery around Tesla as a person. I have seen several movies where they bring Tesla into the story line and there is some fair amount of mystery about his works. In fact I had a guy at work telll me some interesting stories of him. So that adds to the movie as well.
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Filed under: Romance, Drama, Mystery, 4 stars