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Reviews
Repulsion (1965)
Compelling Not Entertaining
Repulsion generated two opposite reactions from me when I viewed it. I felt that it was a failure as a product for entertainment purposes. However, it was a resounding success in terms of its treatment of illness both mental and physical.
For entertainment purposes, Repulsion is a slow moving film that delivers an unsettling but compelling conclusion. I don't think most viewers would be entertained by this film although they may be moved or unsettled by the film. It is similar to some of Kafka's short stories in this respect.
As an exploration of the impact of mental illness on the victim and people surrounding the victim Repulsion is a truly compelling film. Both the reactions of the victim and the other people surrounding the victim ring true for this type of situation. Due to this dual nature of the film viewers will have widely varying reactions to Repulsion.
Uncovered (1994)
Sunday Night Mystery Theater
This is a mildly entertaining film as long as you are not expecting very much. Uncovered is pretty much on par with the old Sunday Night Mysteries like McMillan & Wife and McCloud. There is some nudity in the film but it is really nothing to get too excited about one way or the other. The characters are pleasant enough to watch but none are truly compelling. The story is mildly interesting but there is nothing captivating or compelling about the storyline. The analogy to the chess game is mildly amusing but it seems somewhat of a reach for a feature length film. The main reason to see Uncovered is the opportunity to see Kate Beckinsale at an early stage of her career.
My Week with Marilyn (2011)
Our Dearest Marilyn
I found My Week With Marilyn to be a captivating film. The literal story in this film is not the true attraction as it reveals nothing truly new about the famous characters of the film. In fact, the story of a young assistant director's, Colin Clark (Eddie Redmayne), fling with a famous movie star, Marilyn Monroe (Michelle Willians), does not seem like it would be sufficient to form the basis for a feature film.
The heart of My Week With Marilyn are the performances of Eddie Redmayne and Michelle Williams. Redmayne does a fine job of portraying the range of reactions that men have had to Marilyn over the years. These reactions range from adoration to sympathy to trying to save Marilyn from herself.
Michelle Williams is truly incredible in this film. While she provides a glimpse into some of the mannerisms of Monroe she never falls into mimicking the film icon which would be disrespectful. Williams actually portrays Norma Jean more than the iconic Marilyn. Williams delivers a compelling performance that simultaneously addresses the many reactions that Marilyn has evoked over the years. Williams seduces you but then also shows you Marilyn's tragic side that truly tears your heart out. She also shows you Marilyn's emotional and psychological problems thus foreshadowing her tragic ending.
The stills of Williams portraying Monroe capture the appeal that Monroe's stills have held for the public over the years. This is an excellent film and I recommend it to any Marilyn Monroe fan.
Brokedown Palace (1999)
Broken Production
Brokedown Palace seems to be a hybrid between a gal-pal movie and a women's prison film. This odd combination does not work for either of these genres.
This film tries to sell the idea that the two female leads , Alice (Danes) and Darlene (Beckinsale), are inseparable friends since childhood. It is a good thing that they go to such lengths to point this out because you couldn't tell that from either the screenplay or the performances of either Danes or Beckinsale.
The story about the foreign imprisonment of the two girls from Ohio is difficult to believe. This creates a fundamental problem with Brokedown Palace since this is the centerpiece of the film. I do not know whether this plot point was based on any historical event but it appears to be entirely fictional.
The depiction of the Thai judicial system is also problematic. While there are advantages to the U.S. judicial system relative to those in some foreign countries the treatment here seems self-serving and even borders on propaganda.
On the positive side, Brokedown Palace delivers some compelling cinematography, some good musical accompaniment and some compelling scenes delivered by a solid cast.
Righteous Kill (2008)
Entertaining crime film
The presence of Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino raises expectations of this film that are unrealistic. It is better to watch this film as just another crime film rather than a film on the par of some of the prior Deniro-Pacino masterpieces. I am writing this without elevating my expectations due to the participation of Deniro and Pacino in this project.
This is an entertaining crime-police film which held my attention for its entire runtime of approximately 90 minutes. The motif of the crime film genre is well established at this point in time. This film executes that template well but does nothing to challenge or expand that template. It delivers the goods on several fronts of the crime-police motif: solid action scenes, visions of the soft underbelly of urban life, criticisms of the US judicial system and possible reactions to that failure.
Both Deniro and Pacino earn their paychecks in this film but do not turn in career defining performances by any means. For fans of the crime -police genre this should be an enjoyable film.
Persona (1966)
Psychological thriller masterpiece
This is one of my favorite films of all time. It is one of the best psychological thrillers ever made and sets a standard for future psychological thrillers to be judged by. The emphasis in this film is more on psychology and less on thrills or suspense. Persona explores some of the fundamental psychological issues that most humans experience as they mature and addresses these issues in a chilling way that should impact most viewers of this classic film. This approach results in a film that will be very compelling to some viewers and very uncomfortable for other viewers. This is fundamentally a two woman screenplay and the interplay of the two female leads provides the substance of the film. Both female leads deliver unforgettable performances. Any fan of cerebral films should enjoy Persona.