I thought there aren't any more of those movies that can just leave you speechless at the end, you just go mute and... Any sound, even a whisper or a sigh would have been concidered as a violence to the atmosphere that this film leaves in the room after it is over. So - it requires solitude or a certain degree of open mind if you're more than one person watching it. It reached out and touched me very deep inside. Thank you Sofia Coppola. Thank you Air for the soundtrack.
Reviews
6 Reviews
From Hell
(2001)
Prejudiced
26 October 2001
A film which uses a noble world wide Fraternity consisted from the best of men trying to better themselves as a pity-full excuse for some satanic (demonic) plot belongs to the past and not in the 21st century. I have rated this movie awful because it arouses prejudice and supports conspiracy theories which are obsolete and therefore are to be pitied at least. Was this a result of a creative crisis or have the authors in deed been drained out of any other good ideas that they had to reach out for things that are simply beyond their grasp because of their current outlook towards the world in general? Look out for the November edition of the Scottish Rite Masonic Journal of the Southern Jurisdiction for more information concerning how the Masonic community reacts to this film. http://www.srmason-sj.org
Dust
(I) (2001)
New frontiers
25 October 2001
Milcho Manchevski establishes new guidelines for independent movie makers, successfully balancing between Hollywood commercial and the independent art film. Only few compromises and hybrids like this have proven worth filming (and watching) and I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome.
First of all, there was the careful choice of names - Luke and Elijah (biblical names) opposed to the prostitute Lilith (female demon). No wonder that Lilith was in so many ways connected with water and finally she drowned. Than, there's Neda (from an old Macedonian poem "Serdarot" by Grigor Prlichev, awarded first prize at Athens). Then, a thing which impressed me was the short appearance of certain characters like Sigmund Freud, Pablo Picasso and Josip Broz Tito. Manchevski has used his old "trick" from his first film "Before the Rain" - non-linear time, but while in "Before the rain" the explanation was "The circle is not round, time never dies" in "Dust" it is "The centuries do not follow up each other but coexist like parallel universes".
Repentance was an important motif in the movie, especially the repentance of Luke and Edge.
Certain scenes have moved me, the scene in the hospital when Angela dies and the nurse is asking Edge what is he to her... The scene in Macedonia, when the women are laundering the carpets on a rocky waterfall (Mariovo)... And another thing - me as a Macedonian have always been brought up with the notion that our freedom fighters were noble men who were usually victims of blood thirsty Turks, but this movie had an interesting point that they were all butchers and murderers whose only lust is not freedom or fight against oppression but GOLD!
Probably this movie doesn't have the prophetic touch of "Before the rain" clearly displayed in the current political situation in Macedonia, but there's again the scene with Albanian gangs killing innocent Macedonian cattle breeders.
And another thing - both Angela and Luke are mocking the official clerical (church) "authorities", when Angela refuses the confession of the catholic priest on her death bed and when Luke kills the local orthodox priests offering assistance in the negotiations with the Turks (by the way, the priest is a traitor, which questions another illusion of mine and my generation - that the priests and the Church have been very active in protecting the Macedonian villagers from oppression and torment).
I know one thing for sure - that as soon as I am able I will use my proud privilege to be a Macedonian and visit Mariovo, where a part of the movie was made, and especially the bridge where the Turks attempted to pass so many times during the 17-th century and did not succeed.
The tension seems to fade at some points and that's why the rate of "9" form my user's vote, but still, this is an excellent complete product, made with the touch of perfect craftsmanship.
First of all, there was the careful choice of names - Luke and Elijah (biblical names) opposed to the prostitute Lilith (female demon). No wonder that Lilith was in so many ways connected with water and finally she drowned. Than, there's Neda (from an old Macedonian poem "Serdarot" by Grigor Prlichev, awarded first prize at Athens). Then, a thing which impressed me was the short appearance of certain characters like Sigmund Freud, Pablo Picasso and Josip Broz Tito. Manchevski has used his old "trick" from his first film "Before the Rain" - non-linear time, but while in "Before the rain" the explanation was "The circle is not round, time never dies" in "Dust" it is "The centuries do not follow up each other but coexist like parallel universes".
Repentance was an important motif in the movie, especially the repentance of Luke and Edge.
Certain scenes have moved me, the scene in the hospital when Angela dies and the nurse is asking Edge what is he to her... The scene in Macedonia, when the women are laundering the carpets on a rocky waterfall (Mariovo)... And another thing - me as a Macedonian have always been brought up with the notion that our freedom fighters were noble men who were usually victims of blood thirsty Turks, but this movie had an interesting point that they were all butchers and murderers whose only lust is not freedom or fight against oppression but GOLD!
Probably this movie doesn't have the prophetic touch of "Before the rain" clearly displayed in the current political situation in Macedonia, but there's again the scene with Albanian gangs killing innocent Macedonian cattle breeders.
And another thing - both Angela and Luke are mocking the official clerical (church) "authorities", when Angela refuses the confession of the catholic priest on her death bed and when Luke kills the local orthodox priests offering assistance in the negotiations with the Turks (by the way, the priest is a traitor, which questions another illusion of mine and my generation - that the priests and the Church have been very active in protecting the Macedonian villagers from oppression and torment).
I know one thing for sure - that as soon as I am able I will use my proud privilege to be a Macedonian and visit Mariovo, where a part of the movie was made, and especially the bridge where the Turks attempted to pass so many times during the 17-th century and did not succeed.
The tension seems to fade at some points and that's why the rate of "9" form my user's vote, but still, this is an excellent complete product, made with the touch of perfect craftsmanship.
The Cell
(2000)
Disappointing but not that much
8 May 2001
Less than I expected. Didn't like the hollow lead female character, they should have picked a more experienced actress for that part (like Jodi Foster, for example). On the other hand, the movie provides us with a new understanding of the classic psychiatric terms "transfer" and "contra-transfer". A direct mind to mind VR interaction. And let me just say that the absolutely best part of this movie were the visual effects!
The Eighteenth Angel
(1997)
Surprisingly interesting
8 May 2001
Having in mind that this appeared as a low budget B class movie, I was surprised with the general idea and realization. Clones, by my opinion, do not have a soul! Period! And another remark: since 6+6+6, 1+8=9 and that corresponds to the 9 circles in Dante's vision of Hell in the Divine Comedy. Think about it...
I was impressed!
26 April 2001
One of those movies that you take with yourself on the way out of the movie theater after it's over. And later in the evening, just before going to bed, re-think every dialogue and re-play every scene until you fall asleep. Definitely not just a kung fu movie but much, much more - a-Star-Wars-philosophy in an Eastern variation. At the spectacular end you see the final triumph of the good and pure heart...it touched me very deeply.
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