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Here on Earth (2000)
Young terminal disease adds spice
I want to be generous, so--I'll give it a 4. The makers spliced two films: in the first, two stupid young boys do stupid things, then get directed by a wise judge onto a life road where they grow up and turn into men (this plot element comes unnoticeably to fruition, if at all); the second movie hacked in half and appended to this one is Love Story. My mother wanted to watch this movie and I wanted to keep her company, but it was getting unbearable, even with the pretty scenery, so I decided to look up the actors because she was curious. When I found out the young heroine was terminally ill with cancer, I decided that might be just interesting enough to enable me to stick it out.
The Basket (1999)
Yawn. Good for children and anyone who can't follow something complicated
I have upgraded my vote to 3 from 2. I don't think it's fair to say this is a real stinker. It's a nice idea for a movie, sweet and gentle and enjoyable for some. My mother kind of liked it, and she has trouble understanding plots now. So I'm grateful that she liked it and on behalf of anyone else who got pleasure from it.
Okay, now for the movie. Technically fair, but aside from that, simpleton treatment of most of the themes it handles. As a work of craft: insipid. I wouldn't use that word craft, for that matter. It's just not like your regular film. It's sort of like a high school play for elementary school actors. It has a smooth gloss over a screenplay written by a Mormon teenager. Good film for kids as soon as they know English but before they get to junior high school.
Why am I writing this review? I can't believe the innocent, glowing reviews I see here. I want to steer you right.
Polish Wedding (1998)
Adam and Eve before Jesus maybe?
It's too bad they had to hang this story on the Polish, and as a student of Slavic languages and literatures, I can see how people would be upset. Somebody must have had the idea that to marry traditional Christianity to pagan celebration of fertility, or show the conflict between those two, you should use the Poles as a vehicle (because they're devout Catholics??). Also, having been a Slavist, I can say that Slavs of all kinds that I've known have often been pretty hard drinkers and smokers... I don't mean that as a slur. Obviously I find Slavs wonderful or I wouldn't be a Slavist.
And, this is also not the greatest movie in the world in spite of a good cast, particularly Gabriel Byrne. All the same, I think of it sometimes because of some interesting scenes. To me it's kind of about the constant renewal of sexuality, and its dangers. Or that it will be renewed over and over again despite any dangers, no matter what young people want or where they think they're going. Usually if I notice symbolism, I suspect it's heavy handed, but since no one has mentioned it, I'd just remark that the scene when the young buck rides away with Hala on his bike, and they go to an abandoned metro station, just drips with the contrast between primal sexuality (literally regrowing up out of the concrete in dense greens), and the broken establishment framework (the literally broken concrete). Hala is pregnant and wearing a wedding dress and he still can't resist her. These guys are Adam and Eve before there were any rules.
So, there are a few scenes like that. One of my other favorites is the sweet scene of reconciliation, Mom and Dad smoking in the pantry closet. Forget the bogus virginity ritual. I was raised Catholic and I don't remember anything like that. This film has some unique features I haven't seen elsewhere, and thus, I still like to see parts of it from time to time.