Say it isn't so, Joe. But this film from the French novel, Sara's Key by French novelist, De Rosnay's seems more intent on acquitting her native land's citizens in a hold "harmless" verdict than telling a realistic story of French collaboration with the Nazi's for no other apparent reason than their own belief that their country too would be better off without a Jewish population as well as Germany. This phenomenon which in many countries still in Europe has left its attitudes behind even today is one of the most tragic and psychotic episodes of WWII Europe. But as the author, director and actress Kristin Scott Thomas all conspire to do is to reach the verbalization of the age old question "What would you have done"? In reference to the question would you turn your neighbors over to the Nazi's to be murdered or would you have taken the higher road and posed a resistance to the holocaust implementation? In it's acquittal of Nazi collaborators and outright Anti-Semites in 1942 France, it not only indites the guilty but accuses France's present citizens of Antisemitism. I think the guilty get off too easily and the present French citizens are all unfairly called Nazi Sympathizers. It's like saying all hippies in the 60's are guilty of the Manson murders and that all fans of Classic Rock music have the same philosophies of the murderers. If this case was brought forward even in a French court, the judge and jury would conclude that the premise of this movie does not relate to the conclusions. This is not only a story flaw but it leads the director into several misguided plot errors. i.e. Why does the Title of the novel get resolved in just half the movie? The audience is left with the question, What is the purpose of the second half of this movie? The hard questions are all disregarded and in a benign way the movie comes off as mildly preachy. Watch History Channel for the history of these issues of Nazi collaboration by European citizens or read the much better more realistic Novel The Glass Room.
Reviews
7 Reviews
True Grit
(2010)
Tidbits!
27 December 2010
Hailee Steinfeld "Mattie Ross" has found the one public school in the Wild West where 14 year old children speak that Yale Grads! Funny but you never see Mattie crack open a book, a Kindle or a bubble gum comic strip but yet she is the most articulate speaker I have seen on the big screen...well since Young Victoria. If you can overcome Hailee's untethered acting, you can get into the other characters (or maybe not)? Jeff Bridges turns the John Wayne, Academy Award winning hero, Rooster into an obese, dumb, drunken "Cat Baloo" in what has been his worst performance since "Starman". Yet you never see his flask anywhere in sight. I think Mattie and Rooster are sneaking off together to some futuristic Cyber Bar in the Old West! Matt Damon gives an embarrassing Hero/Villain performance as "LaBoeuf" who the literate Mattie properly calls "Le Beeef"! Yes indeed Hailee, "Where is the Beef" in this dialog driven studio compromised "western" where no one draws a gun until at least 45 minutes into this boring exercise of reading lines. Save your $10 Dollars and go see an Amateur production of any popular wild west story except for this one We Miss you John Wayne and this waste of digitality makes us appreciate your hard work that much more! Jeff Bridges will never have an airport named for him. The Coehn Brothers well they are "Sellouts" because they purely did the PG-13 Flick to go Mainstream! Hey dudes you Forgot the "3 D"! Next time let's do The Godfather Remake as an animated 3D Flick rated G. Gilbert Gottfried can play Don Corrleone!
The Blind Side
(2009)
Death, Dumb and Blindsided
21 November 2009
That is my experience with this misguided film. No problems no struggles, ask and you shall receive whether you earn your success or just handed it for no good reason. This film makes American Idol look like the "Elvis" story. Entitlements on steroids. Sandra Bullock's bad accented character has not sense of responsibility for protecting her family but instead becomes a proponent of correcting all of the social injustices of the world singlehandedly. Of course a few Erin Brocken. strategic moves succeed with flying colors. "If you want to make fun of me, I can buy an overpriced lunch salad much closer to home" she tells her weekly bridge group at lunch. Why would anyone want to be friends with this self righteous woman? And she brings an over-sized street kid into her home on a whim not knowing if he is a gang banger, perhaps a threat to her cheerleader daughter or perhaps endangering herself, her meek hub and her dwarf son. Van Jones would be proud of this, even if this wasn't an interracial story. Of course the obstacles are few and good in this movie triumphs over the "It's a small world after all" good in this film. She lives in a mansion, never seems to have a job except for being Mr. Blind Side's personal assistant and everybody loves her. She's like "The New Kid In Town" of Don Henley fame. Ladeda, Obla De Obla Da life goes on Blah, life is a "bed of roses". Success without hard work just find some rich lady who is bored and you won't even need Simon Cowell. Parents please tell your kids this movie is all a Hollywood Fantasy, and read with them for the 2 hours and 8 minutes you will waste on this bad use of silver oxide! Save your money, you will need it to pay for Obamacare or your next hybrid "green" vehicle. Don't support nonsense preachy garbage like this. Sandra Bullock get a new Agent!
Don't waste your time or money!
26 April 2008
There must be better ways to "save the world's rivers" and combat Global Warming than spending 33 cents per minute on this misguided, misnomered Propaganda film. Maybe Large Format Films, especially those that require us to wear the 3D Goggles have run their course? This film offers no History of one of the Wonders of The World, but instead offers black and white photos of the "Kennedy Clan", exposes us to a Native American Female Guide who vandalizes the "Imported Japanese Trees" that are "driving out the native plants and trees that should be inhabiting the Colorado River Basin" with a long Bowie type knife! I thought these videos were reserved for You Tube? And then Insults and tries to guilt the Audience for excess water usage that is causing the Sudan River to dry up over the next 100 years. I may not be as environmentally sensitive as members of the "Kennedy Compound" or Robert Redford himself, but I thought the more immediate threat in Africa was the holocaust in Darfur? I don't know if taking shorter showers in Irvine, is really the most optimal way of helping the residents of the Sudan? Then the Producers go on a Rant about how the Dams of the mighty Colorado River, which include the Hoover Dam, were built on "miscalculations of rainfall in the region, and now it is up to Environmentalists to decide on the future of these dams". Warning Los Angeles and Las Vegas, these dudes are about to take your water supply away! Of course no one who knows history, has their wits about social responsibility and knows anything about the science of Ecology, is going to fall for this crock of garbage! Give to your favorite global warming associations and go Green. Don't rely on fools with money to guilt you into doing for the environment, what you already do on your own and feel good about yourself for doing it. Positive messages, respect for your audience and financial incentives by the government, water utilities and sane fund-raisers are the ways to slow down and eventually eliminate the water shortage problem and improve our world's climate. Arrogance, misuse of my $12 to fund the "Kennedy Compound" and Redford's film festival and ski resorts are monies not well spent. Give $12 to your Favorite environmental group or candidate who supports the environment in your hometown and feel good about yourself for doing it. Orange County residents are the best and every friend and family member I know is already doing something positive to maintain our beautiful environment!
Black Book
(2006)
Film Noir At Its Best!
18 May 2007
Carice van Houten is simply amazing in the lead role! The plot, historically significant story and the pacing of this film make it as good a movie as you will see this Year! The best film I've seen since Sideways! 2007 early on has been a memorable movie year with Breech, Zodiak and Reign Over Me. I don't know if "Zwartoboek" released in 2006 is eligible this year to be nominated for an Academy Award, but if it is Black Book, Breech, Reign Over Me and Zodiac are worthy nominees for Best Picture in any other year. Go see it! Kudos to the Director too!I hope Paul Verhoeven and Carice van Houten team up again for another film. Van Houten is a stunning as a blonde!
Lucas Scores on Story but Where is the Fun?
26 May 2005
Like the first prequel Star Wars Episode I, George Lucas makes it very clear from the opening scene that he has a lot of story plot to share with us. Not much sub plot in Episode III, too much mushy love story between Anakin Skywalker and the Princess character especially when we can figure out about half way through the movie how things are going to end up between them. Battles become repetitious, how many times does the automatic dome release switch have to get hit by The Force luring the combatants to the outer balcony with the crowded skyline as the backdrop? Spoiler . . . . . . . . . . The ending could have brought us right up to the moment of the original Star Wars movie, but instead went for the tearful, sappy ending instead. And in this age of ultra high tech print quality and ultra quality sound, why was the print in the large theater complex where I saw this film, non Digital and non SDSS sound? One thing each Star Wars movie in the past did was to demonstrate the advances in film and sound technology. Episode II was an all Digital Film, why would Episode III with arguably better graphics and animation than all of its predecessors be presented in a lower quality fashion. Rush to get the Bucks! IMHO.
But this is a good story, it could have served as the one and only Star Wars prequel, but with more lighter, maybe a doze of humor or two in the subtext of the story, it would have been a lot more fun to watch. Remember how we cheered for the good guys, laughed at many lighter moments and booed Darth Vader in the original movie? Those moments and Lucas's original style were all but lost in the sum of the Prequels. If the Star Wars torch is finally passed on to a new director, I hope they study the technique of Star Wars, the Original.
But this is a good story, it could have served as the one and only Star Wars prequel, but with more lighter, maybe a doze of humor or two in the subtext of the story, it would have been a lot more fun to watch. Remember how we cheered for the good guys, laughed at many lighter moments and booed Darth Vader in the original movie? Those moments and Lucas's original style were all but lost in the sum of the Prequels. If the Star Wars torch is finally passed on to a new director, I hope they study the technique of Star Wars, the Original.
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
(2003)
Made for Video Formula Movie.
8 February 2003
This schlock of a screenplay should have been a Showtime or HBO Original movie or to be more exact it would be better suited for Lifetime or Oxygen Channels. What are the chances that two conievers would both be trying to deceive each other over the same 10 day period. And they just so coincidentally meet at a nightclub and agree to start a dating relationship (of course each character is agreeing to date under false pretenses!). LOL! They must really think the audiences are stupid! But a fashion turnaround pose by Kate Hudson in a backless slitted dress (more suitable for airing on the new Star Search) and plenty of bare chested shots of Matthew McConaughey are sure to send the teenie boppers swooning and screaming. But do it at home people please and let the rest of us who got suckered into this flop of a movie based on Hudson's performance in Almost Famous enjoy our consolation popcorn quota in peace. See it at Blockbuster before the Summer Blockbusters open, better yet rent it if you were given a gift card from a friend.
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