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russfroggy
Reviews
Braslet-2 (1968)
An inspiring horse story... with a Russian twist
** spoiler ** This gut-wrenching story of an abused race horse will tug at your heartstrings... Braslet-2 is a grey trotter at a Russian race track stable. Daily beatings from a cold-hearted trainer turns him into an unreliable emotional wreck, and in race after race he breaks his trot and finishes at a gallop, resulting in disqualification. To the trainer Braslet is worthless, so when World War II breaks out and Soviet Army representatives come to the track to requisition horses for the front, the trainer is only too happy to be rid of him. Now, instead of a racing sulky, Braslet is forced to pull heavy carts and sleighs laden with munitions. Gradually he resigns to his fate... and, towards the end, it is up to him alone to deliver an ammunition cart to a stranded division in the dead of a brutal Russian winter. Pulling a cart through a snowbound road, Braslet suddenly remembers... the sun-drenched track, the starting bell, the roar of the crowd, the thrill of competition - it all comes back to him, and he surges ahead, he's a trotter doing what he was trained to do... and finally winning the race.
I am a little foggy on minor details, as I last saw this film as a kid in Russia, close to 40 years ago! I remember seeing it at least twice (in the theater and when it was shown on TV), and have no idea if it is available in any video format, so the chances of anyone seeing it today are I would say pretty slim. But in case someone does find the title in some obscure online resource and decides in a fit of nostalgia to check it out, I do recommend seeing Braslet-2, although, as most Russian films, it is hard to watch at times.
The Incredibles (2004)
Pixar, I expected more from you.
After seeing the superb "Toy Story" duo as well as the heartwarming "Monsters Inc.", I went to the movie theater with hopeful anticipation, expecting to be floored by yet another Pixar gem. But I came out only partially satisfied. Maybe I'm old-fashioned; maybe I didn't grow up on superhero/comic book mythology; but to me, notwithstanding the breathtaking computer animation work Pixar has long been known for, the movie lacked one very important element which makes a film memorable - soul. In the end, it turned out to be a soulless movie with amazing graphics. Most of the running time I felt like I was playing an endless video game (which it will undoubtedly become). I laughed twice during the movie, and was genuinely taken with only two characters - the hilarious Bomb Voyage, whose time on the screen was - sacre bleu! - way too short, and the snootily hip fashion designer Edna M. Mode, who added the few degrees of dimensionality and soul to the film.
I still fondly remember the first Pixar short, "Luxor Jr.". Who would think that one could pack some much grace and soul into two minutes, two desk lamps and a bouncing ball? Of course, CGI has taken a giant leap forward since then, but I still get a lump (lamp?) in my throat when I think about Luxor Jr. In my book, that little film has more soul than all the characters of "The Incredibles" put together. ***4.5 or 5 out of 10***
Belyy Bim Chernoe ukho (1977)
A gut-wrenching, beautiful film
"Belyi Bim" has a dog in the starring role, but it is first and foremost a film about human souls and the vicissitudes and uncertainty of human nature, seen through a dog's eyes. Through the many trials in his search of his beloved owner, Bim encounters a varied bunch of people, some kind, some indifferent, some evil. In the most excruciating scene (and I mean that in the literal sense) Bim encounters human kindness in the face of unspeakable tragedy. The film is based on Gavriil Troepolsky's wonderful novel, and stays very true to the book. Be aware that this is not a Disneyesque animal adventure - this movie doesn't pull any emotional punches and therefore it is not a film for everyone. Nevertheless, I'd probably give it a 9 out of 10 rating. Oh, and the cinematography is absolutely superb!
Ko mne, Mukhtar! (1965)
Must-see for dog lovers
I first saw "Ko mne, Mukhtar" when I was a kid and still living in Russia. I must have seen it at least ten times and never got tired of it! But then, I've always loved dogs, and this is a movie about dogs - working police dogs, and one dog in particular - Mukhtar, who comes to live and work at the police kennels through rather unusual circumstances. Together with his handler, Glazychev (played by the excellent comedic actor Yuri Nikulin, also known for having been a brilliant circus clown), Mukhtar helps solve crimes large and small.
Recently I rented a video of this film from a Russian video store and was delighted to be reacquainted with an old friend after so many years. From a distance of twenty years (not to mention a HUGE culture gap) the film looks different, certain details are rather jarring (like the portrayal of women) and at times I found myself laughing out loud during moments which weren't supposed to be funny, like
**** SPOILER AHEAD ****
At a particularly nerve-wracking moment,the veterinarian advises Glazychev to drink a couple of shots of straight rubbing alcohol - to calm his nerves.
**** END SPOILER ****
But mostly, you'll want to watch it to look at dogs - beautiful German Shepherds of the old Soviet type, the kind you don't see around too often nowadays. So if you are a dog lover (even if you don't speak the language, though it helps) - watch "Ko mne, Mukhtar" - you won't be disappointed!