As Seneca said "errare humanum est, perseverare diabolicum" (!). I you don't believe that a director could commit the same error, nor to persist into destroying his Masterwork, then see this movie. The result? 14 viewers in the avant premiere a Perugia (a cinema with 1000 posts). What a pity!
Reviews
18 Reviews
The Blair Witch Project
(1999)
Another story.
4 May 2001
The first time I saw this film I was happy (I came to the cinema with Adela, and we were interested -the reason doesn't matter- in being terrified) and plenty of curiosity. It happened in a little Italian city: Perugia. The experience was absolutely forgettable. In Italy all the films must be translated and edited. But nowadays, in Lima (Peru') at last, I have watched the film (in a cable channel session) one more time, in its original version and language. What a different experience!. Those strange sounds, the shouts... that atmosphere of desperation; all these elements have contributed to make a very convinced film. It really was one of the scariest films I've ever seen.
Notting Hill
(1999)
Splendid!
4 May 2001
Ah, Miss Julia Roberts!. What a marvelous performance! She did all the film. Although the fact of her condition of "superstar" (those lines are not less appropriate about Hugh Grant) she achieves to involve the spectators. We believe in her. And not also, one more time a movie give us a gift (usually forgotten): the strange hope that remains after the sight of a dream coming true. Many of my friend suggest me to see this film. I did it at last, and I'm in debt with them.
Before Night Falls
(2000)
Not as good as one could believe...
14 April 2001
Why not so good? Because that is the tragedy of all the films that are concentrated in one character. Bardem is sensational, yes. And the other ones? The political message really sucks. A lot of lines that smash the film (the poetry? important but not enough to the scripters). As I see it, the best stuff in this film is the sound track. Oh yeah! Those two "boleros" performing by Benny More' and "Bola de Nieve" (almost complete!) were achieve to make me feel that the price I payed had any sense. Five points, no more.
Chocolat
(2000)
What a boring film!
6 April 2001
Juliette Binoche, what a great and glamorous actress; but she must ever do this film. I love her so much to accept it but that's the reality. We don't need to taste those chocolates and the film was boring! I don't remember of being yawning like this time from many, but many, years ago, with "Nostradamus" and "1492". A little incident in a magnificent career. 3 points, no more.
Traffic
(2000)
I give it ten points!
6 April 2001
For the first time a splendid film about a complicated and polemic topic. For the first time, a film spoken 50% in Spanish must be considered as a masterpiece (I'm sorry for my Italian friends which won't listen the original voice of Benicio del Toro). Although the fact that "Traffic" was not delighted by the woman I love, who have seen it in Istria (Croatia), I think we are in front of a obligatory point of reference in good direction and marvelous acting. Ten points and the Oscar!
The Taste of Others
(2000)
A great film.
1 March 2001
Yes, it is a great film. Not all the directors achieve to combine well the stories. "The Taste of others" must be a model from this point of view. It has moved me to buy and read again Ibsen's "Hedda Gabbler". A good comedy, plenty of touching moments. 9 points and the Oscar for this little French jewel.
Billy Elliot
(2000)
Sensational!
24 February 2001
A very beautiful story (although the fact of the clear influences, for instance: "Shine"). A great direction, A sensational young actor, And a marvelous sound-track Maybe the best film of the last year. I'm still astonished. It is always a strange feeling being shocked from a good film. Nine points
Over-rated.
19 February 2001
Chinese martial arts, means epic. China itself means philosophy and dreams like Eça de Queiroz "O Mandarim" The director of this movie is achieved to destroying not less the tradition than the essence of chinese stories and films. He is also destroying my expectations. In another user comment I can read: "scenes copied from Dragon Ball-Z". It is clear. But it is too unforgively the fact of transcript lines of a "helping-book", not literature of course, like Coelho's "O Alquimista". "Feeling the sound of your hearth" and other things like that. Chuang Tzu could be a great fountain in order to do a better work. Four points, no more.
Autumn in New York
(2000)
If you love someone ...
22 January 2001
(To Adela Pozder, in Sarajevo). The film works if you love someone. The cinema is a spectacle. Going to he cinema is to participate of a mass-phenomenon. Not all the films can be "La Strada" nor "A Bout de Souffle". We are absolutely unable to remember a plot, a theater, a city; as Proust wrote, we only remember moments, emotions. I love European cinema. I hate commercial films. Winona Ryder remembers me the destruction of a classic - "Dracula" - performed by Francis Ford Coppola. Richard Gere was the worst king David, and the worst Lancelot in the History of cinema But I can't hate "Autumn in New York". This film works only if you love someone. The rest is art, not life.
Zandalee
(1991)
Not good but ...
22 January 2001
I don't understand why this film accumulates so scarcely votes. Come on! Nick Cage did a good job; Erika Anderson is beautiful and stimulating (she didn't need another skill, or she did??). In my opinion, the story, the plot, could be a better fortune in the hands of an European director, like Chabrol or Goddard. But "Zandalee" it is not so bad or dull to don't be advised to the spectators. 6 points.
Santa Sangre
(1989)
Opus Magnum!!
22 January 2001
(To Raffaella Scorza, in Perugia). It is not a horror film (please). It is a tribute to a Latin American artistic movement: the magic realism which continues feeding our Literature. I think we are in front of a inexhaustible fountain, an obligatory point of reference to many other films, like "Underground" and "Magnolia" (both of them, were done later). The director was great (many times the money is not well-invested; Jodorowsky has employ any cent to making real a mountainous dream). It is difficult to summarize the plot without a description of the episodes. I don't want to do it. What can I write?: well, a lot of blood, nightmares, flashbacks, violence; all combined artistically, the product is not disgusting. I give 9 points to this film. Believe me, you will enjoy it, like Raffaella and me.
Santa Sangre
(1989)
Opus Magnum!!
22 January 2001
(To Raffaella Scorza, a Perugia). It is not a horror film (please). It is a tribute to a Latin American artistic movement: the magic realism which continues feeding our Literature. I think we are in front of a inexhaustible fountain, an obligatory point of reference to many other films, like "Underground" and "Magnolia" (both of them, were done later). The director was great (many times the money is not well-invested; Jodorowsky has employ any cent to making real a mountainous dream). It is difficult to summarize the plot without a description of the episodes. I don't want to do it. What can I write?: well, a lot of blood, nightmares, flashbacks, violence; all combined artistically, the product is not disgusting. I give 9 points to this film. Believe me, you will enjoy it, like Raffaella and me.
Malena
(2000)
The worst film of Giuseppe Tornatore.
4 January 2001
In one word: a deception, a great deception. What a poor script and what a useless story!!! Mrs. Bellucci, on the other hand, is unable to light on any feeling in the spectators. In Italy it is a common place to say that Tornatore is still a young director (in fact, he is 46 years old). Well, we must continue waiting a masterwork from the director of "L'uomo delle stelle".
Hollow Man
(2000)
A film which respects a tradition.
18 December 2000
As I see it, Hollow Man is an honest tentative of saving (must I write "rescueing"?) the tradition of horror films. We must be grated to the director for this tentative. In addition, Hollow Man respects the famous novel written by H. G. Wells (the invisibility is useful only for bad purposes). I really liked this film.
Wilde
(1997)
A disaster!
13 November 2000
I'll never know what has happened with the people that still quotes this film. It is the worst biographical film ever done! The reason could be its support (that scandalizing, and not less fantastical, biography written by Ellman), or its commercial purposes. I am a Wildean, but I am also a lawyer. "Wilde" doesn't respects the life nor the works of Oscar Wilde. "Wilde" doesn't respects the Truth. There are some reasons: (1) Why Wilde's Best Friend (devoted friend), Robert Ross is considered a Wilde's lover? This is absolutely false! As a consequence, more people thinks that all of Wilde's friend were un-normal persons. All friendships could be confused! (2)If there were a good point, it would be the "Selfish Giant" narrated by Fry. But Fry and Co., without an explanation, don't finished the tale!!! (3) The approach to Wilde is an approach to a pathetic writer, without spirit, without self-respect, without personality. And we are talking about the most quoted writer of ever times. Enough? Not really. The consequence of this tribute to Falsity, continuous being the accumulation of a false-seeking of Wilde's Works and Life. Instead of being remembered as a great writer, the most successful script-writer of his time, Wilde, thanks to Fry and Co., will be remembered as a snob, with a ridiculous suitcase that he never wore!!.
Dancer in the Dark
(2000)
Nice try but...
31 October 2000
I remember " Breaking the Waves ", a wonderful film, but by mainly "regular". That is to say, a film without bumps in which the attention of the spectator and the enchantment stayed until the end. It has not happened the same with "Dancer in the Dark". The film seemed perfect until last the 30 minutes, in which it seems to have escaped of Von Trier's hands. The spectators who had been astonished by one hour and average, ended up requesting, again and again that the torture finished, because to the unnecessary director's protest against the pain of death and the administration of justice. It is incredible. Zelda's character (Björk) passed, in a second, of the love to the hatred. Of being loved to being unbearable. Six points, no more.
Batman Forever
(1995)
A tribute to stupidity.
12 November 1998
How can I pay Jim Carrey for destroying a legend?. Has he ever read Batman's comic books? Nobody told him that the Riddler was one of the eviler characters in DC Universe, and not a stupid clown like him? What other thing could he do with the role but contribute to make a tribute to stupidity?
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