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marksdonaghy
Reviews
A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004)
So much talent, such little fun
First, there is no arguing with the acting talent on display. Jim Carrey at his absurd, cartoonish best; La Streep obviously having a blast; Billy Connolly has always been a fave of mine; some delightful cameos; and the two elder kids Emily Browning and Liam Aiken were superb. Second, a visually stunning piece of direction, design and cinematography. Brad Silberling has, I believe, worked with Tim Burton. Having seen this movie I can believe it. Third, I have read and enjoyed the books. So why, oh why did this movie seem to run longer than Eyes Wide Shut? It was more like a series of skits, vaguely related skits. None of them long enough to develop any empathy for a character (although Billy Connolly almost managed it). How did we get from one place to the next? As one child asked his mother in the row in front of me; "how did she get to the cave without a boat?". Why didn't we get any courtroom, custody battle? Why the heck did we pay good money to watch this crap?
La séparation (1994)
Some of the best pure acting you will ever see
La Separation makes you realize the value of true acting ability. Danilel Auteuil & Isabelle Huppert give a masterclass. I never thought that I'd be glad Juliette Binoche didn't turn up for work. The story has all the makings of a soap opera, but the thing that lifts this film is the simply marvelous acting. In other hands I think this movie would slip quietly onto the French equivalent of the Lifetime channel. There are no silences. In this movie one look speaks a thousand words. I struggle to think of any other movie where I have been so entranced by the pure acting of the male and female leads. More emotionally draining than Casablanca. This is a real weepy. Why? Because the acting makes you live the pain.