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stewarthugo
Reviews
Resistance (2011)
Unbelievably bad
If, as I was once told, war is 99% boredom then this film is an accurate representation of 99% of war. I persisted watching it because it I felt it might possibly have been one of the worst films I had ever seen. in the same category as Rocky 4, Meet the Spartans and Don't Mess with the Zohan. Indeed this film is in that class.
The story is ridiculous in saying that the Germans could possibly have successfully invaded Britain in 1944, when they were being inexorably pushed back on the eastern front and in other theatres. The story was non existent, the acting wooden with overlong pauses in the dialogue.
It was a massive waste of a couple of hours, boring and without merit whatsoever.
Dancer in the Dark (2000)
Could have been a good film but failed miserably on most key points
I was loaned this DVD by a friend who said it was one of the best films he had seen, but unfortunately could not share this view. First of all I found the film too long and the musical scenes were little better than pathetic. The acting was abysmal. I thought I was watching a film by an amateur dramatics company with the lead role being hopelessly miscast. I learned later that the lady who was the lead is, in fact, a famous pop singer. This, while not excusing her appalling acting, does explain it. I understand that she also wrote the rather lame musical sequences. In parts of the film, especially the beginning, the camera work was dreadful and very off putting. I accept the film did improve towards the end, but the whole concept was, in my view, rather silly.
La vita è bella (1997)
Disappointing
I must first say that the cinematography is outstanding but I have the following reservations:
1. The "comedy" acting was both unfunny and irritating, a sort of Italian version of Jim Carey. I do not like this exhibitionistic, overacting style and could not really warm to the main character.
2. Having visited Auschwitz, read the books of Primo Levi and many others on the holocaust, I felt that the concentration camp sequences in the latter part of the film totally unrealistic; it looked more like a holiday camp. I believe that the death camps (the ones that had gas chambers) were all in Poland and was not sure where this camp was supposed to be. I became even more confused when an American soldier drove a tank in to liberate the camp (the Polish death camps were liberated by Russians and the only inmates left behind were those who were in the hospital block who were too ill to participate in the death marches).
I can not understand why this film is so successful and has had so many awards. The silly "comedy" and the unrealistic concentration camp make this film very disappointing
The Birdcage (1996)
Er.......No
Having seen the original, watched The Birdcage, and then seen La Cage aux Folles again. I can positively state that this is a very pale shadow of the original. It does not work on many levels. The best scenes are direct lifts from La Cage. What did the great Gene Hackman think he was doing in this garbage. Robin Williams of course, you would expect to see in trashy films and he fitted in well. The over the top hispanic butler too did not work and was not remotely as amusing as the black butler in the french version
The original went along at a cracking pace, the Birdcage was tedious and over long. You can not review this film without comparisons being made, but The Birdcage does not compare.Please do not believe those who have given this film 9 or 10 stars.Trust me,it is rubbish.
The Ladykillers (2004)
Oh Dear!
The Ladykillers of 1955 is one of my all time favourite films. The 2004 version is a typical Hollywood failed remake. Why do they always ruin films from elsewhere in the world like they did with La Cage aux Folles when The Bidcage came out.
This remake is undoubtedly the worst of a very bad lot. Tom Hanks was appalling in the Alec Guinness role, the 'lady' in question though well acted missed the whole point of the plot, and the black character with verbal diarrhoea and a foul mouth was a disgrace to the memory of the Ealing Comedy of old.
If you have a modicum of good taste, do not go to see this execrable nonsense.
Orfeu (1999)
A pale shadow of the original
I was 18 when I became enchanted by all things Brazilian and held a lifelong ambition visit that beautiful country. This admiration of all things brazillian was the result of a visit to a London cinema with an older cousin to see the masterpiece Black Orpheus.
This was a truly magnificent film, based on the legend of Orpheus and Eurydice, and set among the slum dwellers of Rio at carnival time. I did not see this film again until quite recently when I purchased the DVD. The film retains it's magical qualities after all these years and can be watched over and over again.
While looking for Black Orpheus, I became aware of the modern version Orfeu which I also purchased on DVD. I must say that this film fails miserably on most counts. The characters are wooden, the acting average, and the music can not live with the score of the 1959 film. On top of this the symbolism does not work, and the whole film lacks poetry. I have asked many friends to watch both of these films and the result is unanimous praise for Black Orpheus and a Luke warm reception for Orfeu.
I visited a favela last year and it is true that the modern version is much more true to life, but that misses the point. This is a comparison between a work of art, and a very average remake.