RealSmiff Reviews

The Divide (2014)

very good (and violent) ensemble drama

[9/10 · 28 November 2014]

Is every negative review of this from an American right-winger knocking off 5 stars over a single throwaway line (about Fox News)? Wow. OK (1) this is what people say in the real world, call them liberals if you want but it's about half of your country from what i understand and (2) it's just one line out of thousands of well written ones in a fictitious TV show. Actually that line made me cringe when i heard it because it felt gratuitous and awkward and not funny. BUT to discount all the other wonderful writing because of that one line says far more about you and your intolerance than the show. You could just as easily read it as satire or as part of 1 character, rather than a comment on everything by the writers.. also (3) it's a touch ironic given the title!

Anyway, I don't like police and law procedurals in general or politics on TV but i'm half way through S1 and it's pretty gripping stuff so far. There's lots of great drama and character shading on the both the "good" and "bad" guys, with solid acting all around. The younger people in this are particularly solid. The younger guy accused of murder reminds me of Ewan McGregor, both are great actors. The lead actress is very watchable,they have great chemistry together. Some of the racial stuff feels a bit heavy handed though but i'm not really qualified to comment (also I'm not American either), luckily there's enough else going on besides race and politics to make this appeal to almost anyone i'd think. There's almost too many interrelated characters in the ensemble so it's starting to feel like quite a small world by ep5! The music montages are a bit cheesy but they don't happen too often. Every ending keeps me wanting to come back for more so it's doing something right!

If that one line wasn't there causing such silly outrage in a subset of the audience, would this be one of the highest rated new shows of the year? I'm slightly concerned where the Zale connections are going and whether this show will manage to remain grounded in reality or go all conspiracy crazy, we'll see!

edit: finished S1 in one weekend, pleased to say they didn't **** the ending up! The pacing and introduction of characters was spot on. The constantly cold exterior sets a good mood, a little like the Coen Brothers' Fargo. Worth saying something about the violence in this show also. it's extremely precise, almost a Goodfellas mafia sort of feel, very shocking, often unexpected, and always a necessary part of the story. This one doesn't pull any punches. I would say it's pretty underrated on IMDb (currently 7.5) probably because it has literally divided its audience (groan!) into most who love it and some who hate it. Really looking forward to S2 on this one.

It Felt Like Love (2013)

talented, but not really recommended

[7/10 · 22 November 2014]

There's a lot of talent here, Gina Piersanti may be a future star. Great editing, great camera work, solid directing, decent acting all around. Reminds me again of Lukas Moodyson and other European directors, there's some of that dogme style that's fairly unusual in American films. For a first feature this is promising.

But I'm not rating it higher because it's so monotonous and flat. Other films have told similar stories with humour and fun. I'm not sure if it was fully intentional or not, probably it was. one of those films that's better after you've seen it, if you can make it through - one of the longer "good" 1hr20 movies i've seen? Also slightly awkward to watch as a guy. I'm presuming it's somewhat autobiographical? Will be interested to see what the director does next.

Under the Skin (I) (2013)

What an advert for Scotland

[7/10 · 19 November 2014]

This is how you use S.J.! she's ideal for the part of an alien chatting up Scottish men. Been meaning to see this for a while, and for once don't get the feeling i'm watching something i've been before. I can see why this pisses a lot of people off though, but for some reason it held my interest all the way. Love the desolation, bleak scenery, muted colours.. Superb camera-work, also soundtrack brilliant with the mostly muted speech. You could almost watch this without sound. Very atmospheric though, with some properly shocking and memorable scenes (the beach, the trees). A low budget feel and highly ambiguous storyline. I hope it's not a rip off of some other old classic because i haven't seen enough classics films from before the 80s to be sure on that, all i can say it felt fresh to me. Perhaps a bit over indulgent and the editing could have been tightened up in a few places. Other than that, little to fault, just not a movie for people who like plot, or action, or even horror. It may well be pretentious nonsense and i was just in the mood for some of that.

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

OK but nothing special

[5/10 · 17 November 2014]

probably shouldn't have checked the IMDb rating on this (currently 8.4) because i was expecting something amazing, original and multi-layered that manages to work for kids and adults at once (like maybe the Iron Giant or Lion King), but no, it's just a decent silly way to pass a few hours - and that's alright. there's a few good funny lines, but basically it's your usual superhero action mishmash of scenes, everything here has been done before. Still, i managed to make it over half way through, far longer than i'd normally stick with a superhero movie, hence the 5. I have to say more, OK.. good casting. bang on trend with the 80s music references. which actually were pretty original for the genre. but not itself a classic. 'I am Groot' is probably hilarious if you're 14, but it's harmless enough who can hate it? it's hard to write much for a movie like this sorry.

We Are the Best! (2013)

less a coming of age drama, more a gentle (and funny) Swedish family comedy

[8/10 · 13 November 2014]

It's been a while since i saw a Moodysson film. You forget just how effortless he makes film-making seem, but then you only have to watch almost any other movie with actors these ages to realise what a feat this is. If anything, the actors here are too young for their characters (unsusual!) - there was a scene near the end where the two leads are fighting that was hard to take seriously, and more seriously, the actress playing Bobo looked a little lost here as well!

It lacks the depth or profundity of some of his earlier work, such as Show Me Love. That was 16 years ago, i remember it so clearly! Will I be thinking about this one for days after? i don't think so. Does Moodysson not make darker films any more? That's a shame, but for what this is, a light comedy suitable for all, plus a gentle homage to Sweden in the early 80s, it succeeds brilliantly. He's a little bit like the American John Hughes at showing a child's POV without being patronising, but unlike Hughes also without painting the adults in two dimensions.

I'm hoping he'll make more films like this, maybe a bit longer and less afraid of upsetting the audience (that doesn't mean they all have to be like Lilya 4-ever either,there's a balance somewhere!). I'm being picky because i'm a fan - highly recommended and needs wider exposure like all of his films.

Jodorowsky's Dune (2013)

great stories, great characters (great movie?)

[8/10 · 12 November 2014]

first saw this without subtitles, and even struggling to understand some of the French and Spanish parts, it was gripping stuff. Jodorowsky is such a brilliant, passionate character, you have to love and feel sorry for him. Totally worth watching for his anecdotes, even if some of them sound rather stretched. Dali etc, brilliant stories, i won't spoil it just watch.

I really don't think his movie could have worked in 1975, or in 1985. or 1995. it's debatable if it could even be made today, so perhaps it's for the best it didn't get made (ignoring Lynch's version, which I also haven't seen!).

Particularly enjoyed Jodorowsky's honesty about how he felt watching Lynch's movie. I don't particularly care for Sci-Fi but anything made with that passion is interesting to me. So many great characters and artists, Giger (Alien) etc. This is in no way an objective piece of journalism, but it's not meant to be. Highly recommended for anyone with an interest in film-making itself.

Boyhood (I) (2014)

disappointingly clumsy effort from Linklater

[7/10 · 11 November 2014]

I only watched this last night so i might need to go back and revisit this one! Went in with high expectations as a fan of his older work which is always a dangerous thing.

The hook - filming this over 12 years - I think works against the film in many ways, making it seem rather disjointed in the editing. I wonder if even having title cards showing the dates would have helped, so you aren't playing "guess how old they are" for the first 5 minutes after each jump! The main things that spoils the immersion - immersion normally being what Linklater is so good at - were knowing well the indie music choices (because most are bands i already know and like but i think won't capture a time nearly as well as say Dazed and Confused did). Then the clumsy long pauses of the camera on gadgetry (oh look an ipod, what year did they come out. ah an imac, an iphone - is this an Apple advert?!). Even the ensemble scenes didn't always feel right, for Linklater, you expect more? If you put this next to something like Blue is the Warmest Colour, which was mentioned in the forum, it really doesn't hold up too well imho.

Hawke is natural as always and most of the best scenes are between him and the kids. There's a couple of moments of dodgy child acting early on but the kids turn out alright, in all ways.

Still, there's important stuff (about growing up, coming of age, mortality) to think about and it's probably better than 90% of the movies out this year.

Gone Girl (2014)

Octopus & Scrabble

[4/10 · 27 October 2014]

This movie is neither as good or bad as the reviews are making out.. until half way i was thinking 'yeah this could be a really good movie' and then things go a bit wrong. the 2nd half was getting quite a few laughs in places it didn't really seem to want them, people laughing at the movie, not with it.

Ben Affleck really isn't a good actor, i don't know why there's still any debate about this or why he gets jobs like this. Light comedy maybe, but darker stuff like this he can't really carry. The tone of this movie was weird, it didn't really commit to a particular genre?

Plot wise it's all over the place, i don't really care about plot though. But these characters make so little sense it starts to ruin immersion?

Technically good throughout and the first half is pretty strong so it's not a complete dud, but i wouldn't recommend either. Doesn't come close to Fight Club.

Dallas Buyers Club (2013)

beware "based on a true story"

[5/10 · 9 February 2014]

This movie suffers from the same problem that so many "based on a true story" Hollywood movies do: somewhere between those "real events" and what we see on screen, it becomes just far less believable.

Sure some artistic license in telling a good yarn is fine, but McConaughey's character just seems too versatile. I didn't buy the doctor falling for him.. sure she might, but show the chemistry! The portrayal of the FDA, regardless of how accurate it is (I've no idea) needs more nuance. I guess this comes down to what kind of movie watcher you are.. if you just want to hear a good story, this is fine. if you like your movies to "feel" real, not so fine.

All in all then just a bit above average. The story had potential to be a really great movie though.

Matthew McConaughey gives it his all. Leto looks good in drag but the character seems a composite of others. They do all the things required to win awards, but in the end, will this movie be remembered? I doubt it.

Blue Is the Warmest Colour (2013)

Lukas Moodysson for a new decade?

[9/10 · 2 February 2014]

This brought back memories of F***ing Amal (Show Me Love, 1998). There's the obvious similarities - both are about lesbians, and both not about lesbians, both coming of age dramas, scenes such as the teasing from classmates - there are also technical similarities, close ups of faces looking lost, that brutal realism (Dogme?). And like Moodysson, this is sometimes hard to watch because it's just so close and intrusive.

Anyway there's so much this movie gets right that doesn't even occur to you as you watch - casting, acting, lighting, music and so on.. one thing that stood out a bit (so a bad thing) was so much of the film consists of faces in the same close up wobbly style. Fortunate then that Adele is enough of an actress, and be honest, has an attractive and interesting enough face to sustain it. (There's a weird blurring of reality here with the use of out of character shots and name). It's the sort of performance that could be hard to ever top.

The sex scenes are already famously erotic and for once they're (sort of) both justified and sexy. one criticism that they come across as a male fantasy, long, and indulgent. so you could argue they aren't necessary, but then none of it is necessary. it's effective though.

The beginning of the story is surprisingly fast paced. The middle 2 hours is a phenomenally focused and carefully constructed drama, innocent to sad. I found the ending a bit anticlimactic, but that could just be that i was sad it did end - you're going to have to come up for air some time.

All the philosophy and art discussion doesn't really add anything for me either, perhaps works better if you can follow in French without subtitles. When you start to analyse it, there's lots that isn't subtle here - the oysters, the classroom discussions on love.. but it doesn't matter, because the acting and directing has you.

So yes, it's a flawed movie, but a passionate one, in every sense. A great reminder of how what film can do, and what most films, for whatever reason, don't do. I'll be looking out for the director's other work!

Broken Flowers (2005)

slow and effective, classic Bill Murray

[7/10 · 31 January 2014]

Saw this based on a recommendation in an AMA (Q&A) with Murray, he said he thought about retiring after this movie as wouldn't top it. and it's a solid enough little film, lots of trademark laid back Bill acting, good female cast and range of characters, keeps your interest, an intelligent enough ending. The relationship between (friend/neighbour) Winston and the protagonist felt a bit unexplained or unlikely but that's not fatal. The scenes with the is-he-or-isn't-he the son were a bit awkward and cliché, some better character writing would have helped here. Murray in general seemed a bit too flat even for him, i know what the director was going for but we have so much empty space it's hard even for someone with Murray's non-verbal skill to fill. At least i'll take that over the over-emotive roles we usually see on film. Watch on a rainy afternoon, not when you're looking for action.. reminds me a bit of Mad Men in the sense that not much happens but it's pretty gripping anyway.

Her (2013)

worst movie i've sat through since Lost in Translation

[3/10 · 28 January 2014]

It's not often a movie annoys me enough to write a negative review. Firstly, there is nowhere near enough plot for more than a short. It's a vaguely interesting idea with a decent cast, that totally fails to develop. I kept watching to see if there could be some interesting twist, i'd heard positive reviews - nope. Theodore Twombly? This is a joke surely. Was interested to read the director was married to S. Coppola, because her movies are equally full of hipster quasi-psych pseudo-intellectual drivel that inexplicably gets critics gushing. Complete waste of S.J's "talent" here. 3 stars for Pheonix's blue eyes and moustache. Hilariously bad - actually this could make a decent cult or MSt3k movie if there was more happening to talk about.

Me and You and Everyone We Know (2005)

pretentious and irritating

[3/10 · 25 July 2006]

Full of contrived scenes and "amusing" or "whimsical" moments that aren't. it's just incredibly limp and twee. I kept waiting for it to pick up and make some kind of point but it never did. it severely irritated the person i suggested watch this with me. more laughs were at it than with it. maybe we were in the wrong mood or something.. or maybe this is a horrible pointless movie?

The IMDb is generally the best quick guide i've found, but movies like this are why i can't completely trust it. I don't think the reviews are a fair reflection of general opinion.. this is probably true of most movies here but this one really stands out for me. and i have nothing against this "type" of movie (by which i mean, one without a plot you can sum up in a few lines) per se.. some of my favourites include Wes Anderson, Paul Thomas Anderson, etc. They just need to have some spine and relation to reality - however skewed. This doesn't; this movie represents to me everything bad about indie/art-house flicks and should be avoided, especially if you want any kind of plot or are feeling sick. There are much better ensemble comedy/dramas around.

The Man in the Moon (1991)

quite real, quite sad (minor spoilers)

[7/10 · 21 January 2004]

I had heard good things about this film and was, you guessed it, a bit disappointed. Reese Witherspoon is as promised surprisingly good, surprisingly confident, at a young age; really all the (small) cast are quite solid, in their simple 50s American setting. The reason I didn't rate this film higher is mainly that towards the end, the grief shown by the older sister didn't seem so real and this pulled me out of the film a bit. Perhaps we are expected to fill in the plot, or perhaps the film needed to be a bit longer. Maureen's character is quite underdeveloped I think. It is understandable that Dani (Reese W., the younger) would be traumatised and angry, but why is her sister shown to be more upset? Because she's a few years older? Hasn't the end rather undermined the rest of the film? The pacing of the movie makes it seem that Maureen and Court have only just met, when he gets tractored (warning: this scene is surprisingly brutal, in retrospect it seems like it might have been trying to shock a bit. well it works!). It depends what you want - if you want the girls' happy story of young love that it seems like you're going to get, you're in for a surprise. Man in the Moon is both quaint and dreamy and a harsh coming of age film – a rather awkward combination? I liked the character of Court though, I can see what girls watching this might be watching. And I loved that they had the courage to both let him hurt the younger sister (most men would, most films wouldn't) and get killed.

7/10 on my pretty harsh ratings scale. For some reason I found Jason London on a tractor funny.

Failan (2001)

Slight spoilers and negative review, beware!

[3/10 · 4 January 2004]

I don't know if it's a cultural thing, but I'm English and loved, for example, My Sassy Girl, but I had trouble following the central themes of this movie. I wouldn't claim to be an expert on love, but I don't think it ever works by two strangers looking at photos of each other and growing closer... (it wasn't helping that whenever she was looking at photos of her husband, I kept seeing Gary Oldman in Leon - isn't there a bizarre similarity between these two actors?). OK that was not a serious point, but there are serious problems with this movie, that gave me problems empathising with the main characters.

Let me talk about the good stuff first: I give 5/10 for the photography, some good scenes and the acting is good (from what i can tell without speaking the languages). It's fairly original I think, obviously the girl is cute (hey, it's the shaolin soccer player with the 'tache!) and the movie didn't really offend me (until the end). So what's wrong with this movie? As I said some of its ideas about love are apparently ridiculous and this alone ruins it for me and I think will turn most viewers off. Anything else looks small really: how about the cliché of a non-specific disease that's both very deadly and slow yet does nothing to hurt her appearance... intrusive music that dictates what you are supposed to be feeling but just highlighted what i _wasn't_ feeling... numerous illogical decisions made by the characters (is she really that alone?). I can look past many faults and plot holes if the main theme of a movie is engaging, but this just for me sadly wasn't. When the girl died I knew this movie was a stinker. Actually there was a part near the end where he's reading her letter that I found almost nauseating, and I even have a strong stomach for romance (I think I gave both My Sassy Girl and Moulin Rouge 9 or 10, because behind the ridiculousness is a truth, whereas I'd describe Failan the opposite way around).

What is the point of being original if you're writing a love story so far outside normal human behaviour (the scene in the police station sums it up nicely) that it stops making any sort of sense? Really, I don't think I'm being harsh here, I must knock off another point for the ending... overall 4/10 and a recommendation to avoid unless you think you can cope with the plot idea. Looking at the rating (currently over 8), apparently a large number of people here can :)

Girl with a Pearl Earring (2003)

beautiful. glad it got made.

[9/10 · 5 December 2003]

This film delivered exactly what I expected. I mean that in a good way - too many films disappoint. People who know the book (though I don't) may complain that it's missing the story but film is a visual medium and this is a very visual film. Fantastic, but not over-the-top, lighting and set detail; few words. The long shot(s) on Griet's face against the black background is amazing. At the end you see the painting, so the film has told a story behind a painting, which is a novel (pun *not* intended) idea to me. Not a film for action fans though! Johansson is one of my favourite young actresses, from a talent and looks point of view - important when someone's one screen for almost all of a movie! Another slightly off-beat success for Lions Gate Films. A bright future for the director, photographer and actress. (I shouldn't say that – might curse them! ;)

Once Were Warriors (1994)

Under-exposed and anti-violence. Memorable.

[8/10 · 3 September 2003]

plot details are mentioned in this review

Who was it who said there are two kinds of horror, the horror without and the horror within - this is the horror within, specifically domestic violence, more specifically wife beating, the major plot thread of this movie. The fact that the husband was both very sweet/loving and horrifically abusive makes the character much more frightening and much more real. Yes other films have managed to show two sides to a person but i can't remember any off hand that go to this extreme. Add to that rape and many not-nice social issues and you have a serious film that deserves its praise IMHO, mainly for taking an important subject and making it into a moving story, that gets it's message across and entertains without (i think) belittlement or too much sentimentality - although this could have been a difficult movie for non-Maoris to follow, the script is written in such a way as to make it accessible to almost anyone. Most of themes really are universal. The film-making hardly gets in the way of telling the story, which is something you only think about afterwards, but very important. If i had to fault the film i would say the characters are a little underdeveloped - it could have done perhaps with being a longer, and the dialogue less general (less abstract, more specific to individuals' situations); but then it might have lost some of its impact.

Couple of silly comments risking offence (I *don't* think paedophilia is an amusing topic) but did the rapist remind anyone of Jesus from The Big Lebowski? And (it has to be said sorry) aren't the guys in this film *huge*?

8/10 – recommended, especially for us males (who i notice didn't like this film quite as much).

The Virgin Spring (1960)

Nasty

[9/10 · 3 September 2003]

I'm not familiar with Bergman (though i know he's regarded as a film god) or the story on which this is based, nor do i know the language, but it's powerful stuff still. I nearly switched off at the start, it's a simple story but it builds. Every scene exists for a logical reason. Great ending. Being made over 40 years ago is neither here nor there when set far into the past - actually this isn't about a time or place at all, which is why it'll probably always work. Solid acting and cinematography. I found the religious side heavy but it's reasonable for the characters in their situation. Not a film I can love or want to watch again but I'll respect it as a very clever piece of subliminally effective film making.

spoiler ahead, skip if you want



Wasn't it a little odd/convenient that the three would turn up at *her* house.. perhaps in a less populated time/place it's not so unlikely, and anyway it's a fable/morality tale so this is hardly important.



End spoiler

9/10 - for technical aspects and acting, not light entertainment.

Wicked (1998)

better than expected, one viewing enough though

[7/10 · 22 August 2003]

some spoilers ahead

On the one hand, this is ridiculous & juvenile, silly & cheesy to the point where you wonder how the cast didn't burst out laughing (e.g. dinner scene with music and daughter all tarted-up). The script can be clumsy ("Who died and made you boss?... Oh." doesn't work) and move too fast, jerking instead of gradually pulling you into it's messed up world.

On the other hand, it often hits the mark and at moments is very creepy (e.g. where the father realises it's not his wife he's holding - and it's a genuine mistake) - the whole incest/underage daughter-father thing bothers me, as it should, and as it's supposed to. It made it more interesting that the father seems a normal guy (if slightly stupid not to see what's going on), so this is an examination of one girl's mental illness in an otherwise 'normal' world... reminded me a little of Peter Jackson's 'Heavenly Creatures'. (I hope he was normal.. i don't think he was coming onto her was he?).

Stiles is well cast, a few years too old i think but they couldn't have got anyone younger to pull off the emotional side. Her matter-of-fact delivery, similar to '10 Things...' contrasts with the strangeness of her character's actions to actually make it weirder, which i liked. Both sisters, the father and everyone else are above average actors given what they've got. Scenes between Patrick Muldoon and Julia Stiles are great... they're aims are so hopelessly different, you feel sorry for one, then the other. The detective character is pretty ridiculous.. thrillers so often prop up their plot with the all-powerful ever-present detective.. why is he always alone? where are all the other policemen? It helps not to be too logical and picky for this film.

Fairly successful thriller/horror, couple of places really did make me jump (hey, i'm a chicken). I guess like a lot of films in these genres how well it succeeds depends how easily you can overlook "unrealistic" plotting in the 1st half and silly plot twist at end (?!) - a weak beginning and ending, but strong middle, good performances (including Louise Myrback as Lena), some unusual ideas, probably underrated, i'll give it 7/10. Probably not good for repeated viewing though.

Interesting reading the other comments - someone said not to watch this movie with your father - aha! so the movie hit the mark ;) Others disappointed because they don't see any nudity.. that's not really a failing of the film is it. I will fault the sound mix: often had to replay bits and turn it up to catch dialogue, then found it really loud in the music. Maybe just my copy/system/ears.

The Business of Strangers (2001)

one for the gender studies class only?

[3/10 · 20 August 2003]

I saw this as a companion to 'In the Company of Men' and because i ahem have (or had) a thing for Julia Stiles. Not much to say, because not much happens; the whole film could have been 15 minutes of a better movie. Some of the dialogue between the two women leads is the worst case of 'hey look, it's an actor reading from a sheet' i can remember seeing since drama classes in school (owch). As always in these situations it's hard to say how much is the script's fault - but either way the audience is getting the short end. The actors (i use the term for both sexes - geddit, it's a film about... n/m) look awkward, like they didn't know where to stand - weak direction maybe? Either way, this was even more unsatisfying (and unrealistic of course) to me than 'In the Company of Men'. Perhaps gender issues just bore me, so i wasn't the target audience... still, beware!

If i can refer to other users' comments - i'm baffled by the references to great acting and great script.. i watched the film before reading any reviews, and noticed serious problems in the acting and in the script, repetition of cliche phrases (referring to drink as poison, 'f**k off' etc.)

Stiles is quite good at crying though. Yeah, it should have been a play, which would also have had the bonus that i wouldn't have seen it :p

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)

good, but not A+++ gee wow great methinks

[7/10 · 19 August 2003]

That this made the IMDB Top250 i think says more about the other films this summer than this one... i expect it will drop out after a while; people are so relieved to see something worth their 5 pounds/bucks/whatever they go a little nuts over this one ;)

very minor spoilers ahead

Johny Depp *is* great and the reason i went, sadly Bloom appears to be not a great actor (but maybe it's the script not giving him much else to do) and nor is Knightley (her big line, about corsets, fell flat where i was). There's lots to like though, some quirky dialogue, sometimes much funnier than expected (only when delivered by Depp though, reading the quotes on IMDB well... i guess Depp deserves even more credit for this film).

Summary: long film felt an hour, so can't be bad. Would have loved some more marooned-island-drink and less moonlight-skeleton-fight, and a more memorable ending... it wasn't very memorable generally really, all i can think of now (same day) is two turtles strapped together. But it felt good and made me + nippers laugh, so 7 or 8 out of 10. (I wonder how good this *could* have been with a better *story*! It's not very original to ask for more plot and less special effects, sorry).