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MacNessa
Reviews
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2022)
A dream come true
Not in my wildest dreams, almost 40 years ago when I immersed myself in the world of Tolkien beyond the LOTR and into the Simarillion could I have imagined that they would actually make this. Aside from the awesome production, the acting is brilliant and the story is intriguing, and we can be sure that what is coming is going to be even better. I think the people who are complaining about the casting and some of the artistic decisions are completely missing the point. They should relax and enjoy and if they are Tolkien fans they should count themselves lucky.
After two episodes I'm wondering how Sauron will deceive Celebrimbor, because this is the crux of the whole story which extends thousands of years to the end of the return of the king, when Galadriel is finally allowed to take ship to the west.
Romanovy: Ventsenosnaya semya (2000)
Delicate retelling of a tragic tale
This film which covers the last year and a half of the Romanovs when they were prisoners. It has its poignant moments and is full of emotion, even if the film underplayed what we now know was a cruel final 3 months and a brutal slaying, which in the daughters case took almost half an hour, as they were bludgeoned and bayonetted to death. And yet we didnt need that - the films message, which can only be spiritual given their worsening situation, was perfectly conveyed. While many may not agree with Tsarism, it is said that the imperial family never conducted themselves better than as prisoners. Nicholas II abdicated to stave off a civil war and be with his family. He was dealt a blow, when even here he failed, as the Bolsheviks made peace with the German invaders and war with the rest of Russia which they disliked, and yet he maintained his patient character.
The actors that stood out for me, apart from the Tsar were the ones who played Olga and Alexei. The potential romance between Olga and the guard Denisov is heartbreakingly hinted at especially at the end when she enters the house never to be seen again, while the innocent but strong minded Alexei who designs future ships, shows what might have been for Russia.
If you have any interest in world history, you should watch this.
Isabel (2011)
Memorable
I gave this 10/10 because I believe that it succeeded completely in its intent, which was presumably to faithfully recount, as dramatically as possible, the rise to power and reign of one of Europe's most important monarchs. At over 39 episodes and more than 2500 minutes in length it is of course hard to be perfect all the time and there are moments when the acting or the scenery is not at 100% what it normally is but that is a minor quibble. If there are a few dodgy displays of cheap CGI scenes then there are a 100 beautiful ones. If there are one or two actors who appear again in different roles, then do remember that this is a relatively small country(compared to the US) with a smaller budget but with an ambition no less than anything conceived in Hollywood.
Two things stand out: The story with its countless subplots which appear at a dizzying rate (especially for the non Spanish speaker), and secondly the acting. Michelle Jenner as Isabel is a beautiful queen, but she does a fantastic job bringing to life the complex personality, so distant from our own time but which ultimately succeeds in turning a backwater kingdom in the middle of the Iberian peninsula into a world empire. Rodolfo Sanchez as Fernando/Ferdinand is also inspired, but for me the two most memorable performances were from two other duos, one at the start and one at the end :Carillo/Pacheco in the first series with their plots and counter plots are pure drama while Juana/Felipe in the third and final series is tragedy in its most bewildering form. Irene Escolar as Juana "la loca" is probably the best of all. You haven't seen intense if you haven't seen Escolar's Juana.
One thing bugs me though: as a non Spaniard who fortunately understands Spanish, I am nevertheless sad that the DVD box set does not come with English subtitles. As a ruler Isabel is there, somewhere in the top 10 of great rulers/tyrants with Napoleon, Lincoln, Genghis, Caesar Augustus and Charlemagne and well ahead of the Tudors or the Borgia in terms of importance in world affairs. Lots of good things, and to be sure bad things: Inquisition, the Discovery of America, the granting of Human rights to the Indians(later ignored by the conquistadors who caused the death of millions) and the financial and legal reforms which laid the foundations of one the greatest empires in History and whose influence is still felt in that 500million speak Spanish today. With such an important person in history, surely someone in the Spanish state television would have the in-site to market this on a world wide basis.
Mar adentro (2004)
Underpinned by fascist ideas on the nature of life!
There's something rotten about this film, and basically the way it turns a sinister and twisted character into a hero by exploiting our sympathy with his admittedly horrible situation. Sampedro, like many who have lost hope, chooses suicide. The fact that he has been contemplating it for more than 26 years probably makes his condition worse, but the belief that we should do whatever anyone asks, even if it means ending a life is in my opinion profoundly wrong. What a contrast to the uplifting example of the scientist Stephen Hawkings, who suffered a far worse condition for far longer! Yet with the morals upside down, the film revels in hero worship, and the people who disagree with are painted in simplistic idiotic terms. There's little room for subtly especially in the encounter with the priest(deliberately manipulating the real life encounter which was with a much younger priest). In that way I suppose the film is on a par with Riefenstahls Triumph of the Will. The insidious idea is that everyone should have to right to take their life, when they feel they cannot live it anymore. It makes no difference whether you are physically or psychologically damaged, there are people evidently who believe you have the right to choose. The same people are likely to make a case for abortion. Its all part of the current trend to get the suffering or sufferers out of sight, brush it under the carpet, mammy will say its. OK, and we all feel very happy with ourselves. So we go down the slippery path of believing that some lives, just ain't worth living, and then we'll decide that as some people can't really decide for themselves then we'll bring in the state to decide for them. Enter Adolf Hitler straight from that other Oscar contender "der Untergang". Hitler of course believes that he carrying out exactly what Nature does in disposing of the weak. Under his regime, there were forced abortions among the "weaker" strains", the mentally handicapped were quietly put away and the Jews were "humanely" liquidated by using gas. He would have applauded this film, and why not for it is in line with his philosophy..."some lives are just not worth living". I differ from Ramon Sampedro, Hitler and all the people involved with making this film. Human life is sacred, it is not a right, it is a gift and an obligation. Nobody chooses to be born. Then who can choose death. Its not about religion, its about protecting the weak and helpless, something this film does a lot to undermine!
Der Untergang (2004)
Of historical importance
Very well made and acted. The downward spiral ends with Hitler. From his suicide onwards you can perceive the darkness begin to lift. In Hindsight what is amazing to see is that some of the NAZI refuse or cannot see it happening. For those sad souls, the death of Hitler is the end of the world. Most chilling is the extinction of the Goebbels family. The guilty also take away with them the innocent who are associated with them, such as the children and the dog. You also feel sorry for Hitler himself, he has made his pact with the devil, and he appears gone from us as a normal human being despite the attempts by Eva Braun to put some humanity back in. This is not just a historical film but also a study in psychology as well.
Alexander (2004)
Will go down as a Classic
It seems that this film got a real drubbing at the hands of the critics and the US box office, so I was expecting the worst when I went to see this film at my local cineplex. I was happily surprised. This film is fantastic, a great epic. Its almost 3 hours fly by and if I had to find fault it was that in order to please audiences the film is about an hour or two too short. The acting is superb(Farrell and Jolie especially) and so is the story(with a character like Alexander there are so many different angles you can take!). Best of all is the battle of Gaugamela, which for me, is one of the most stunning battles scenes since Spartacus! Even if the rest of the film was rubbish(and its definitely not) I would recommend this film on the strength of that alone. For now, its a pity to watch this film castigated, although I'm pretty sure that in about 10-15 years time people will be remembering it as a classic.
Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002)
Gets better on repeated viewings
This was the first Star Wars film I saw that I didn't feel the need to see again. Although I felt it to be an improvement over the Phantom Menace, it didn't make my world rock. So recently I just to watch it on DVD with the Phantom Menace, and its only now that I see the vision of George Lucas. When watching these movies you have got to remember that they are thowback to the old serials of the 1930s like Flash Gordan and Buck Rodgers. Watch them as a serial and you get the most out of them. If you attempt to see them as some of Godfather-like classic you will be disappointed. They are not inferior but its a different genre, and within that genre its just brilliant. The film is paced perfectly, the acting is good and the music,the sets and Natalie Portman are just gorgeous.
The Passion of the Christ (2004)
The seriousness of sacrifice
As I walked out of my local cineplex, having just watched this visual experience of the death of Christ, I found it very difficult to form a clear opinion of what I thought about the film. The acting and directing were of course excellent, but I really wanted to be moved. In one sense its hard to moved by a story that you have heard hundred of times before, and yet a day after seeing it, I have to admit that this was one of the most powerful movies I have ever seen. I think this is because we are forced to identify with certain aspects of the film. All of us can and should identify with the crowd who call for Him to be crucified or the Roman soldiers he beat Him to a pulp. Its what we do everyday. By extension, even if you dont believe, you must agree that so many of our actions, knowing or unknowing, hurt or impoverish our fellow man or harm the environment. As Jesus said to the Father, "Forgive them, for they know not what they do".
For me the most moving parts were the interaction of Jesus and his mother Mary. To me it was she is watching her son being ripped to shreds in front of her. For a moment the good son, the loving mother and the Father who seems distant demanding the sacrifice form an interesting family dynamic. Lesser people would have failed, but Mary in the end understands that her sons sacrifice is necessary.
As a final note, this film is not being that well received in western europe as it is in the US. The local intelligensia, who are now in control here in Spain, have been quite sneering, and have recommended people to go an see the Life of Brian or Almodovar's new film, The Bad Education, which I saw last week. How wrong! I have the Life of Brian on DVD and I intend destroying it. Making a joke about crucifiction is a sick joke. Not only Jesus, but millions of others died this terrible death, and finding this humorous is in my opinion offensive.
A Walk in the Spring Rain (1970)
A tender romance torn apart by the actions of selfish offspring
How easy it is for the children to take their parents for granted? The key moment in the film is when the mother character(Ingrid Bergman) asks her daughter, if she has ever thought about her mother as a person. This is in response to her daughter's request that she leave her Smokey Mountains paradise(and new found love), so that she can take care of her grandchild while her daughter can be free to pursue her own law career. At the same time Anthony Quinn- Bergman's lover, is presented with a similar situation with his brutish son, who eyes the blossoming relationship with growing hostility. This is probably the main theme in this wonderfully shot and pleasantly paced drama. By todays standards the ending may be a little sad, but its far more realistic.
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
A towering Masterpiece
Yes it has its flaws but I havent really seen any film come close to this in terms of ambition and having that Epic quality. The enchantment of Fellowship is replaced by the realities of War and high drama. As you watch it you get the feeling that no, this is NOT Star Wars, not even Gladiator, it themes are so intense it actually feels like the Godfather or something from Wagner. A dark, relentless and complicated film, there are one or two things which are less then perfect. First of all compared to the Fellowship, the score is weak, and secondly the final battle is a little overdrawn. Apart from that its extremely well conceived and executed.
Die Another Day (2002)
Worst Bond ever
Blame the producer but not Pierce Brosnan. Too much action, not enough intrigue. In the end I just had to yawn as I saw Bond go from one unrealistic stunt to another. Give me Sean Connery, Robert shaw and a knife in train carriage over all the CGI-cartoons anyday.
U-571 (2000)
Shameful misrepresentation of history
While I'm not pro-British nor pro-German, I have to say that I was quite distressed at the shameful misrepresentation that passes for history in this film. As we all know it was the English, not the Americans who actually risked all to get the Enigma machine. What next, a film about how American troops saved the day at Stalingrad? As for the film itself, I found the action poor and unrealistic. For example the Germans were easily blown away by normally non-combative "submariners" as if they were stormtroopers from Star Wars. At the end I actually felt sympathey for the English and even the Germans for the way they had been treated by this film. If the fim maker wanted to make me feel like a patriotic American he certainly went about it the wrong way.
A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)
Thought provoking
I really enjoyed this movie, mainly because it raises some interesting metaphysical questions, but also because it is quite simply a superbly crafted piece of movie making. The relationship between the mother and the robot child, "David", is one of the cornerstones of the film, and I thought the two characters here were extremely well played.
Panic Room (2002)
Unnoteworthy
This is technically a very good film although it will probably be forgotten in 6 months. I enjoyed the direction and acting and it is suspenseful. Good brainless entertainment for the masses. Bread and butter work for Foster and Fincher.
Harrison's Flowers (2000)
Why didn't I hear of this one before?
Extremely powerful movie. This film does what all good movies should do, and that is to convey an important message. The message is the chaos and brutality of war, in the formerly rich and civilised country of Yugoslavia. This war was so close to home, both literally and figuratively, that its hard to understand how it has been largely forgotten. The best war movie since Saving Private Ryan.
The Hole (2001)
Grim, sad and intelligent movie
This is no teen horror movie. Instead its a really good exploration into consequences of obsession. The direction was very good. I found it entertaining, frightening and most of all, thought provoking. Special mention to Thora Birch who adeptly highlights the subtle transformation of her character throughout the story.
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
Jackson conned NewLine out of $400million - thank God!
Saw this with the wife last night. I will definitely be going back to see it again. There are three things I usually expect from a film such as this : a story, good acting, and visual spectacle. Let me first say that this was probably one of the most visually stunning films I have ever seen. Now let me qualify it by saying that from the three factors(visual,plot and acting), the directing was for me less impressive than the other two. Peter Jackson has coaxed some stunning performances from otherwise ordinary actors. I haven't even started talking about the great actors. Was that really Liv Tyler as Arwen, or did they somehow hire some elf maid from the undying lands across the sea? I want to see more and I don't care what the purists think. Hell, they could cast her as Luthien if they ever plan to make the Silmarillian. Cate Blanchet was also brilliant. You good see the pride and wisdom of the high elves shine through. Fantastic! Overall nothing less than 10/10 will suffice although the picture is indeed incomplete and I would like to rate all 3 episodes as one film. Now Finally theres just one problem although it doesn't bother me. My wife will not see this film again in a hurry specifically because of the ugliness and brutality of some of the darker scenes. She found the orcs too disgusting to bear- not that I minded. This may however be a problem for the producers as I can see a large section of the population staying away. Therefore I'm pretty sure that this is not a film to break records, although it will definitely recuperate the expense. If they had made the Orcs and co. a bit less gross, then they may have had the super "star Wars" beating hit they were hoping for. Anyway I'm just glad that the films have been made now, so theres no turning back. In years to come this film will standout as one of the alltime classics. Good work Jackson.
The Score (2001)
Decent flick - wasted talent
Why do already rich and great actors make films like these? Don't get me wrong, the film was basically good from an action entertainment point of view, but when will De Niro and Brando turn their talents to something more interesting? Overall this film was exciting to the end, although I did get the feeling that there was also something remarkably ordinary about this.
Juana la Loca (2001)
A sad story wonderfully told
Prior to seeing this film , the fact that it was in Spanish and in Spain(therefore no English sub-titles), gave me the worrying feeling that I would miss the main outline of the story. Now this would have happened were the film slow and psychological. Fortunately this was not the case. The fim was beautifully shot and acting was incredible. Pliar Lopez as Juana La Loca was so believable. You really should look at the paintings of the period to understand what I mean. But for me the best element was the story. In fact there are two stories. The first the historical one tells of Juana, daughter of Isabel, Queen of Castille(spain)(one of the most important figures in history) who is arranged to be married to Philippe of Flanders, heir to the Holy Roman Empire, which consisted of Germany, Flanders and northern Italy. Here you can see the machinations and the politics which went into the building of the greatest power of its day. Juana's son Charles would later rule most of the world, but that is later. The second story is the personal one. Juana falls totally in love for Philipe and it is such an extreme and jealous love that it reminds me of Catherine in Wuthering Heights. To avoid spoiling I'll leave it at that, but to conclude, this was a really worthwhile film, and I cannot wait to see it in its sub-titled version.