BenAordure Reviews

Silk (2007)

Beautiful images, lack of interest

[5/10 · 3 March 2011]

I found this film in-understandable.

First it seems unrealistic. How it is a single man can travel and trade so easily as we would do shopping in a supermarket ?? I can hardly imagine a white faced non Japanese speaking European surviving long there without at least a translator or a guide helping him. Also I don't doubt of Japanese hospitality but I can't help thinking the inexpressive European trader is really lucky to be so well treated, even lent beautiful women for ease ! I should quickly buy a ticket for Japan :) And why the Dutch man is not deserving the same treatment ?? I don't comment the fact the Japanese Girl and the french Trader could fall in love each other. The Unknown is seducing in itself and this is the theme of the movie after all. But at least I would have expected actors to share emotions with the spectator.

Secondly what is the point of the movie ?? We learn nothing about Japan nor France' middle 19th century . Nothing about traveling the world. And the romance story is unbelievable. What the hell a desperate lacking-love housewife would send her husband far away ?? Why ?? What is the goal ?? I imagine the book explains that well, subtly, but the film just does not. Regarding the casting, the supporting roles are all perfect. The leading parts are questionable. They probably are a bit lost by the storyboard, not knowing what to do. But I find the French Trader cruelly lacks of expression and is probably the error of the casting. Keira Knightley, a good actress, tries to do her best and achieves to look tormented but we don't catch what's is really going on because of the scenario. An the Japanese Girl doesn't show "the love flame" in the eyes I'd expect from a woman fallen in love without any talks.

Nevertheless I can't say this film was a bore. No. Frankly I even liked it because of the fantastic photography of Japan and of the french house's garden, and because of the beauty of the decor and actors. Hence the very nice note I gave.

But what a waste ! With such an interesting background (Japan, France, middle 18th century, traveling, silk's history ...), some very good actors, money involved, and a potentially good director, I think this film had all the necessary ingredients to make a chef-d'oeuvre like "out of Africa" or "Gone with the Wind". This is very frustrating. It would deserve another try.

Breathless (1983)

A good remake

[8/10 · 21 February 2011]

I don't particularly like L.A., I don't particularly like Gere I consider to be a single-role-abled actor, I don't like remake films generally, especially American french-originated ones, but I like this film.

First of all, Gere is for sure in one of his best performances. The story is a little insignificant but this is where Gere performs : perfectly embodying his foolish character he actually gives all its credibility to the film. Kaprisky supports well her co-actor and renders well evolving emotions she feels for her lover starting with amusement evolving in feelings ending in impossible-love. Maybe Kaprisky is less astonishing nonetheless undoubtedly the two actors respond well together and we really understand their yet complicated relation.

But above all, I like the directoring. Because of the freshness of it. For example the scene involving Gere and Kaprisky feeling the wind blowing through the heat of the city. Or the scene at the university in which Gere is trying to persuade Kaprisky to follow him in which he seems really human by being a little too sticky. Or the excellent last scene, leaving the spectator imagining the ending.

Also L.A. is well photographed, obviously, and the general atmosphere of the city is well rendered. The numerous shuffled places show the variety of it. And the way the camera is handled makes you feel you actually live the city.

Nothing But the Truth (I) (2008)

A good explanation

[8/10 · 12 February 2011]

Here a journalist obtained an important information regarding CIA matters and involving very probably a betrayal of one CIA agent.

On one hand we got a prosecutor determined to pursue the journalist till she reveals the name of her informant as this informant is highly suspected of being an internal CIA betrayer. He is determined because he really believes the State cannot suffer journalism should prevail internal security.

On the other hand the journalist does not agree to reveal her source because she believes press liberty prevails on national security. She refers to the very known and very important first amendment of the USA's Constitution. Indeed, one can believe that this amendment is the most important freedom warranty . The film which clearly defends the journalist opinion, let us see the debates in which it is said that only dictatorships fear liberty of expression. Which actually is right.

That said, we can say the two opinions both have strong arguments : security against liberty.

Lately news about Wikileaks show that the question is not only theoretic matter.

The film is important to be watched in my opinion because it clearly exposes the problematic by showing the two sides of the problem and thus let us think about it. And I like the conclusion that I won't reveal but that shows us certainties are often only beliefs, hence the importance of thoughts before acting tough.

I won't go into making-film details as it clearly focus on the topic rather than on the aesthetics matters, and that is good. So I will respect that and just say that it is acted and filmed very seriously.

The Mysteries of Pittsburgh (2008)

Mysteries

[7/10 · 9 February 2011]

Comments are so tough with the film that I feel alone in the camp of the "positives".

OK this film is far from being a perfection and I think I will never understand the very purpose of it. I even hesitate to say what was the topic. I assume it was about the coming-out of the main character, but even that I am not sure.

Plus, I can't say Jon Foster, the main actor, is captivating. So why did I like ?

I think the main thing I appreciated in that film is the atmosphere of mysteries. As the title suggests it, all along the film provides an imperceptible mystery. Because it plays with suggestions and switches.

The storyline helps for sure to plunge into this atmosphere as the storyline is a mystery in itself ! But there are other causes. The photography for example, which clearly remains in my mind. Although Pittsburg is not a beauty on its own, the director manages to capture some good photos of it. Also the director did well regarding the changing weathers and lights. Switching between sun and rain, lights, twillights and darkness.

The soundtrack follows the mysterious atmosphere well too.

Saarsgard plays an interesting character as he acts an ambivalent tough but sensitive bi-sexual. There is also the constant hesitations of the main character. Obey his father or not ? The dark haired girl or the blond one ? The girlfriend or the boyfriend ? We can also capture the questionings of all the others characters.

All this provides a sentiment of interrogations.

So this atmosphere the director manages to render leads us not to be surprised when the main character admits at the end he is confused, because this is the feeling we have too.

Mysteries. This is what I appreciated in this film I guess.

Black Rain (1989)

A clever movie

[8/10 · 1 February 2011]

I was searching a review from a Japanese reviewer and found one, very tough with the film. It made me react here.

First, I consider myself as neutral as nor American nor Japanese even if I know those two fascinating countries inhabitants a little. And I did not feel the same the Japanese reviewer did. In my sense the film does not mock Japan. It does not show Japan as 'inferior' but as different. And this is all the interest of this film whose purpose in my opinion is to show the opposite mentalities and culture. Both sides are presented. The bad and the good ones.

The Bad : Japoneses are showed as ridiculous with red tape and bureaucracy matters, with shy behaviors, weird violence (for occidental people). But Americans too. Those are presented as brutal stupid beasts, for example when Charlie Vincent run after a motorbike without understanding the trap is going into or when Nick Conklin does not manage to restrain himself from knocking everywhere. Or when Nick signs a stupid sheet of paper without distrust. The two Americans are also presented as arrogant as they don't even think that foreigners could speak English .. because they don't imagine it is even possible. Even the American/Japanese prostitute rejects their arrogance. Also American police is presented as corrupted and messy ... So no one wins here I guess.

The good : Japaneses are also presented as good. Cops are straight but cooperative and honor respectful, mainly instructed, efficient. Even if they lack of adaptiveness and are bad inspired to reject the American cops help. The mafia is well presented too. Franckly, they really are scary guys but gain respect with their honor code. Sato is impressive.

Here I agree with the Japanese reviewer : The Americans are glorified (music helps :). Nick manages on his own (yet with the help of Mas) to solve a difficult case in a country he obviously even doesn't know. This is clearly the weakness of the film.

Yet what I really appreciated was the oppositions between Mas and Nick. Wiseness and honor of Mas, for example when he feels insulted by Nicks thief behavior or when he learns from Nick. Humanity and pugnacity of Nick.

I also liked mafia's leader speech with Nick. Here we definitively can't say the film only runs for America, obviously.

One regret. We definitively see too little of Japan. Even if the film does much in presenting a country that we mainly bad know in occident, it could have done more. That said, I think this was not the purpose of the director who just wanted to focus on mindsets.

Another regret : the ridiculous sounds of the motorbikes especially in the beginning of the film and in the last scene.

The actors are all perfect. The soundtrack is really cool. Contrarily to the Japanese reviewer, I appreciated the way the director represents Japan, with subtlety, as Japan is all about. And USA with strength, as USA are all about too, sometimes too much :). If the oppositions between the two countries are exaggerated, it is in the purpose of showing them better and make understand, I guess. This is a 'must-be-watched' film for me. One of the best of Ridley Scott.

The Town (2010)

Pretty good job

[8/10 · 25 December 2010]

The film starts with a bank robbery. Classic. But already you appreciate the realism. Characters go fast, are professionals and are here to take the money, not to show off, they get nervous because someone alerted the police despite all the precautions they took. So comes the story that I don't intend to spoil, so I won't go further.

The film's story won't surprise you a lot anyway. As one of the criticizers say, it is a tentative of imitating "Heat" , "Point Break" and "L.A. Takedown". And this is absolutely right as the film clearly refers itself to "Heat" as one of the heros watches the film on TV :)

That said, this would be an error to reduce it to a bad mix-copy of those films. For me, this film achieves to take the value of them and render a pretty good job.

The film doesn't plunge into the easiness of "grand spectacle" with multi explosions, unrealistic stunt hot-pursuits or karate fights ... No, here, everything looks real. Even the photo shots of the city. The heros are not genius and just prepare their scores well.

This links the film directly to "Heat" . It doesn't reach the perfection of Mann's directoring in dialogs, musics and, how to say, the "dark atmosphere". But there are some really good inspired aspects of it. And in exchange we got some nice feelings of Boston and its atmosphere.

We also appreciate the way the film shows how the heros are bounded to their own destiny, even when they manage to take distance with it. Contrary to "Heat", it is even documenting here. We actually "understand" people's mind of Charlestown and their no-vision lifes.

The film ends on a good last scene. So, no deception.

Jeremy Renner is perfect here. Blake Lively really convincing.

Ben Affleck is OK but less convincing as a tight guy from Charlestown. But as a director, Ben Affleck does score this time.

Lord of War (2005)

The mystery of the masses

[1/10 · 27 November 2010]

It begins with a serious long speech of Nicolas Cage about a awful reality we all ignored until this day. And all of a sudden you understand you have done the wrong choice at the video club ...

Our lovely Nico (yes lovely because he also did some great movies like "Living Las Vegas" or "Matchstick Men ") strayed again into a super-awful movie as bad as "Gone in 60 seconds " ...

The movie does not pretend less than reveal to the world all you imagined about the secret world of weapons trafficking in every details..

Within two hours you'll learn that Africans are really stupid people, that Russians are corrupted, that Europeans are vicious and that Americans are very nice ... You will also learn that you can traffic army vehicles, nuclear weapon and get away easily of the police by quickly painting a new name on your boat ..

Everything ! You will be revealed everything ! No honestly, this movie just look like an unserious demagogic low-cost TV documentary ..

And I won't go into details about the hero's father who pretends to be Jewish (??), about the mannequin seduced in two seconds like chosen in a catalog or about the Africans who steal all the pieces of a big plane in just two minutes.. There would be too much to say !

I just wonder if the scenarist is once gone out of his office before writing the story ! Perfectly ridiculous !

The first scene sums up the whole film by itself.

Why am I so criticizing this bad movie more than with other bad movies ? It is because I just don't understand why press and reviews are so comprehensive with this movie which is so pretentious, so ridiculous, and storyboarded as if was written on the corner of a café-table.

How Andrew Niccol, the director of the so fantastic and almost perfect "Gattaca" could create such an awful movie ?? I just can't understand.

Beautiful Girls (1996)

A good atmosphere

[8/10 · 18 August 2010]

The main strength of the movie is the atmosphere it manages to provide. This film manages to create a heat in the coldness of the decor. Old friends, gathering pub, popular music and women. Although we don't know those guys, we have got the feeling to live a revival ... A kind of nostalgy. The movie put us through a critical point of the characters lifes. They almost all are about to make a crucial decision : choosing their spouse. A new step for probably the rest of their life. One of them already got married. Another one reacts impulsively. Another one is in love but doesn't act. Another one finds in his cute young neighbour a possible new youth and love innocence... In fact they all fear to loose their freedom. I will reveal the ending here : they will all survive !

Tamara Drewe (2010)

Pleasant

[7/10 · 12 August 2010]

The storyboard is about loves stories, I'd rather say love affairs, in a lovely English countryside village.

At the menu, we get an entertaining set of stories and characters, a bit of psychology about the difficulty to find the matching and deserving lover, about the aged people problems, we got also some English humor...

This makes a tasty meal. Yet this is definitely not the movie of the year. But I had a pleasant time watching this, even if I found myself sometimes wanting the movie to speed a little up. Good to watch if you want something entertaining but different from Hollywood action-movies.

Sweet November (2001)

Not perfect but great

[8/10 · 5 August 2010]

Nelson (Keenu Reeves) encounters Sara (Charlize Theron), a lunatic freak but generous and full life-living woman who surprisingly proposes him to help to improve his life by coaching him during a whole month ! Nelson eventually accepts the proposal and happens to feel love. But Sara has predictably got a secret ... Believe me, the end is sad, sad but beautiful, the kind of ending that can make you burst into tears !

The scenario has got some imperfections. For example Keanu Reeves acts a closed-minded advertising manager, while this profession needs openmindness and creativity. I also want to be explained why Sara running from Protero Hill suddenly appears to Dolores Park in seconds ! :-)

Also the ropes of the regular romance are all present (the public declaration, the perfect and minority-member friend, the little pet, the missing-father child, etc ..). So we could have feared something rebarbative. Happily this film must not be watched as a simple romance. Despite those weird elements, the film has value.

The very purpose of the film is about the life value. And the film treats it well.

Sara seems to be a freak, but she's not. And we learn from her. As she has only few moments left to live, she focuses on the most important things : savouring truly each moment of life. It's that simple. Sara's way to live, her choices, her complete devotion to others, even selfish jerks like Nelson, her truth, her rejection of money, ego, and work-devotion, make us realise that most part of our life is time-wasting and that relationships are about trusting, about making a free of charge step forward.

We also learn from the relation with time : Nelson had not enough time for love, no time for family in law, no time to spare if a career opportunity occurs... while Sara spares time for making love, for playing with dogs, for the coaching, and think about the right time for making up with family (so do her friends). The film reveals us that doing plenty of things is not living fully and that the most precious gift we can share is no money but time. Sharing time with others, this is the point.

And I like Sara's choice at the end. The need of Sara to be loved forever. This gives all the power to the film. As she says, memories are all we have. Don't we ? After all, isn't it the one thing even naked we carry everywhere ?

Regarding the acting, Charlize Theron is really touching in the whole movie. And despite Keanu Reeves has a incoherent task as I said, he manages well to pass gradually from a controled and selfish behaviour to a receiving and open one.

The soundtracks well follow the storyboard and we can enjoy some good views of the San Francisco bay (a fantastic city by the way).

Just for those reasons the film would be worth a watch.

I watched this film many times, and I definitely do not understand the general misloving of this film. I hope my review will makes you give it a try !

Inception (2010)

Too much

[5/10 · 4 August 2010]

Briefly, a high skilled ideas-thief has to implement an idea, a kind of order in fact, to a very powerful person, through dreams.

To achieve this assignment, Cobb (Di Caprio) needs to use a special team and a high risked method. This is the pretext for providing many actions, many explosions. So many that it knock you down, and I nearly fell asleep ... which is not a good sign ! I would have expected a more calm, more reflexion-focused storyboard. The cast is OK but I would not have chosen Di Caprio for the main role. He acts good but I don't see him as a ideas-thief. For this kind of scientific mission, I would have imagined someone more geeky, more cerebral. Happily, and as usual with Nolan, the visual is fantastic. Majestic, polished : impressive. This saves the film and makes it something watchable but not more. I review this film now because I'm afraid to forget it quickly !