tsanev Reviews

Battleship (2012)

"Independence day" on water

[8/10 · 6 April 2012]

Do you remember "Independence day" back in 1996…? Now add some more FX, more computers and better graphics, one incredibly hot actress/model, some AC/DC music score and of course the pacific ocean… and you get "Battleship". Aliens with hostile intent are down on earth (actually on water) and our hero get to fight them with bravery and honor. Take a guess, who gets the girl..? The story is not new, but the execution and the movie means this story is conveying on the big screen is in Grand fashion. Lavish special effects, well balanced sound effects, AC/DC beat - right on target when needed. Brooklyn Decker pleases every man's eye, Taylor Kitsh is way more believable as a NAVY officer than "John Carter" on Mars, and Liam Neeson can do any role Hollywood gives him and be truthful to the character he plays. See this movie on the big screen, don't wait for the DVD.

Double Identity (2009)

Typical, lame Nu Image mass production B-movie...

[2/10 · 25 December 2010]

Well, folks, here's the thing... Nu Image is all about business. Invest "X" amount of money, get "X x 2". That's why you get the results this studio is showing recently. For a couple of millions you can NOT get a Hollywood star, neither you can get a real Hollywood set or decent script that can make the story interesting. Same goes for the FX effects and all the stuns. At the end you have "X" amount of DVD market sells, that breaks the bill for Nu Image and some profit. But, you get Val Kilmer, Wesley Snipes, Jean Clode or Steven Segal. Most of the time… By the way, all of them have a hell of a time in Bulgaria, because the clubs, drinks, food and specially the girls are cheap, and they come in great quantities and varieties. For an average US viewer this movie will be a mess of unsubstantiated facts, story lines and unjust mix of languages that make no sense. But hey, who gives a damn in that type of a B-movie weather the cars are from the age, the cell phones are current or anything in the story make any sense or not. Once you get Nu Image release all you want is some action, stuns, gun fight, FX and naked pretty girls. You don't get every time all of the above in enough quality and quantity, but life is unfair anyways....

For all Bulgarian viewers, the movie was a bouquet of ALL Bulgarian movie stars gathered together in funny roles. Even the tight budget by US movie standards, is more than enough to pay all those Bulgarian actors plenty. Show your self for 30 seconds, don't say a word, get a thousand bucks or more. In Bulgaria that's a bargain. Izabella Miko is a charm, too bad she does not get naked here. Val Kilmer is kind of drugged or drunk (from all that night life he got in Sofia maybe) All the Bulgarians are fine – the do their job professionally. Almost no FX what so ever, no dissent stuns. Couple of good scenery shots in Sofia. Extremely stupid and lame story.

That's it folks

Spartacus (2010–2013)

Well, this one is going to be a hit for Starz

[23 January 2010]

Well, this one is going to be a hit for Starz. It will sell good on DVD's also. As far as I think will happen. Visually it is a kind of hybrid between "Gladiator" and "300". The story is way more action and fight oriented than HBO's "Rome" for example. We all know the story - the enslaved Thracian (from the lands where the country Bulgaria is right now), who fought his way trough the arenas of Rome and eventually lead a army of followers against Rome. How he died is unknown. We'll see how Starz will show that in a year. They started season 2, probably estimating that Season 1 will be a success. What I saw from the first movie, I also think "Spartacus" will make it big time. Lot's of blood, skin and all other components needed for a good ratings. Good luck for those new series.

Dolan's Cadillac (2009)

A dissent psycho thriller, not bad at all

[7/10 · 3 July 2009]

A dissent psycho thriller, not bad at all… What we have here is Stephen King novel made movie. And we have not a typical Stephen King story. Nothing is out of the ordinary, nothing is so-o-o-o-o scary… Story unfolds, the rhythm and paste is fast, climax is logical, everything comes to its place... Emmanuelle Vaugier is beautiful and her Elizabeth is believable as a character. Christian Slater is very good, being bad-bad guy as "Dolan". His Cadillac is for real and takes center stage trough the entire film. I guess those ware some of the last advertiser's dollars GM used to spend before the bankruptcy… Music and sound editing is up to the level supporting the thriller suspense of this entire story. It could be one of many typical crime dramas that you forget 5 minutes after the final credits, but here we have something to remember. Dolan's Cadillac lives impressions in one's mind, makes you think, "What would I do, if I was there…" Well, making you think is the goal of every art including the art of cinema.

Zift (2008)

Black and white picture and trash talking do NOT make an Neo-Noir movie

[1/10 · 2 February 2009]

Black and white picture and trash talking do NOT make an Neo-Noir movie… We can guess the director's ideas or the story morals. We can guess, but what's delivered as an final product is unsuccessful attempt for modern cinematography. The story is full of flows – from the neat looking fascist time prison with snow white sweat shirts on all of the prisoners, trough kidnapping of the main character with an Russian limousine (impossible situation) garnished with bath full of women (let it be flesh…). A young girl that does not age with 20 years, a jeweler that likes to keep a black diamond… well you know where, while he exercise…. And please, radioactive poison detected in no time by lab in the beginning of the 60's….. I know, those inconsistent facts are only the side dish of the BIG idea, the big wisdom that we must get and embrace. I did not get neither the idea, neither the wisdom. All I got is foul language, trash picture and one more convincing example that the new Bulgarian Cinema is in the same "zift" as the movie title

Apostol (2008)

Not bad at all

[7/10 · 25 January 2009]

Well, let's not forget we are talking Russian cinema here. That means we are not having Hollywood budget, but we have a good story telling and experience making War movies. Anyways, the story is interesting, with enough twists to make a good suspense. The acting is also good, the main characters are convincing. You really need to know the language, or have some good subs to be "in check" with everything. You are not going to find Hollywood action scenes with explosions and effects, but besides that, everything else is good. I may squeeze the movie in 6 to 8 parts, but that's only an opinion. See it and judge it for your self. Overall good new Russian movie.

War and Peace (1965)

The film is marvelous

[10/10 · 26 December 2004]

The film is marvelous /Academy award for foreign film in 69/ and close to the book anyone could make. It was directed with a big Russian heart, only Bondarchuk could do /see some of his other masterpiece like "Sudba cheloveka" or "Povest o nastoyashchem cheloveke"/ The book itself is going to be impossible task for 99% of the average Joe and Mary in the USA, even though it is one of the greatest book in history of mankind and a "must read" for every person calling himself half intelligent.

Anyone recommending the the US version of "War and Peace" should realize that those films are so far away from truth as if the Russians try to do a movie about the Civil War in the States. I am not a Russian, though I read the book in Russian when I was 14, and I am thankful to my mother pushing me to do it. I saw the movie for the first time 20 yrs. ago and many times since then.

Yes, you who read those lines READ the book, it will open your mind, and it will make you more knowledgeable about the Russian soul, which is big as the fields of Siberia, knowledgeable of an important period of European history.