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Joblowski
Reviews
Bes Vakit (2006)
Good and fun film, but needs a bit more polish...
This film is surprisingly balanced in many ways. It manages to have quirky, humorous characters who are still pretty real and relatable. It manages to have a young star who is likable yet also has some evil thoughts. It's beautiful and slow, but not heavy and profound.
All in all, a very worthy film. However there were a few awkward, overdone scenes that broke the spell for me. In particular, those with a father trying to make his good for nothing sons be useful. One makes do, but the other is both lazy and dumb. These characters never felt real....or even interesting.
Also, a few moments were just a little too telegraphed; a little too obvious. When a girl is running with a little baby down a steep road, for instance...hmmm, I wonder what might happen?
It depicts rural, small town life near the Turkish coast and, accordingly, moves at a pretty slow pace. Might be a bit slow for some, but should be enjoyable nonetheless. The current rating is over 9 points. Way too high, in my opinion, but this film is still a good time.
Farväl Falkenberg (2006)
I connected with this film, but not everyone will - Give it a chance!
This film has not been received well, based both on the current rating of 5.7 and the response of the audience at my film festival screening. This doesn't surprise me, but I for one was totally into this movie from start to finish.
At first blush it might seem like one of those annoying, meandering, pointless personal films which, being filmed digitally, doesn't even have the benefit of at least looking good. But such a quick judgment is completely unfair. This film is so naturally constructed and so casual about it's point that it's far from annoying. I thought the glimpse at young guys in-between growing up and real life was interesting. It's the same time of life depicted in 'I Vitteloni,' for example. These guys have yet to set their futures in motion. They are literally deciding what will they now do and where will they live. Many comparisons with the town's older folk and the parents highlight what's at stake: life...or just an existence. Fun stuff!
Yes, it's ugly. Basically the quality of a home movie. But the acting is phenomenal (these guys, two are brothers, really seem to have been friends growing up). The part that probably turns many people off is a lack of plot. What we get are vignettes that paint a picture and ultimately add up to something. I particularly like the lack of exposition. We are never told what to think or feel, we are never told "Here is the big profound point." It's all very casual. This fits the characters, fits the film, and made this 90 minute movie very watchable. It's short enough that it avoids becoming heavy and overbearing.
The very last scene carries weight (again, in that casual way) and says a lot. If you like movies, and like the language of movies, you will find this film interesting.
HERE'S A BIT OF A ***SPOILER***
My only beef is the visual connection of one of the characters with Curt Cobain. He had the same hair, wore a similar shirt and made a curious choice when it came to what his future will be. I've no problem with the choice, as it's simply one type of thing people do. But I thought making him look like Cobain was unnecessary and a bit distracting.