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The Bonfire of the Vanities (1990)
If you give it a low rating, just go and watch a blockbuster
This film remains a brilliant satire with fantastic actors who all act over the top in exactly the right way for this complicated film (in terms of story). De Palma at the top of his game. In terms of visual language and actors direction. Truly, one of his masterpieces and totally underrated. Can I understand that? Why do people rate it that low? Often because they expect that a film can represent a book. And those people do not understand the deeper layers that this film has as a film. The story is about a book that is being written and at the end you can hardly help but conclude that it is a book and not reality. The story is a fantastic satire on American society around 1990 in every aspect. Everything, absolutely everything, is made fun of. Nothing is what it seems and to understand the film, even watching it five times is not enough. You keep wondering what exactly it is about the camera angles that clearly say something about the deeper layers. I think I can conclude from the ending that Sherman McCoy emerged entirely from the writer's mind within the reality of the book. "This is the last you will ever hear from Sherman," says the writer, addressing us, the viewer. Yes, I definitely want to see him a few more times. In any case, it is De Palma's most layered film (I think). The Blu Ray is much better than the DVD but not quite perfect. Just a little over exposed a few times. 4K would be really beautiful. Who knows, maybe all those old De Palmas will be released in a restored state. Then this one is definitely high on my list. I saw it with my movie loving daughter who was also very moved by the story, because it comes so close to the experience of reading itself. There is so much between the lines... eh, images that you have to fill in yourself. Otherwise, you just give the film a 3 or a 4. After all, you don't have to delve into an action blockbuster.
Hail, Caesar! (2016)
Rewatch and enjoy it as much as the makers did.
The brilliant brothers make a film that is especially enjoyable for themselves. With a cast that, if the producers had to pay them, would have became about the most expensive film of all time. But that's not how it works for the Coen brothers, as becomes clear in the extras. If you are called to participate in a Coen film, you say "yes". Without seeing the script, and without asking what it pays. It will be an experience, whether you are an extra or Scarlet Johansen. But what do we see here? A collection of scenes from the Hollywood studios in 1951, recreated and built with an enormous love for the film and that time in particular. Stars of today playing stars of the past. You see shots as they were made at the time, transitioning into the now well-known Coen film language and then, shown how it would look in the Theater, in the editing room or as rushes placed within the Coen universe. If you let go of wanting to follow the story itself, there is so much to enjoy. The extras also contribute to this. See how a film about film is made. A water ballet, a Roman costume drama, a Screwball comedy, a musical with tap dancers, it all comes together in a grand parade, a museum of the Universal studios in 1951. The story surrounding it, if you let go of the idea that you have to understand it, becomes clear towards the end. A Fixer (someone who has to solve all problems surrounding the stars) visits the different sets to ensure everything that goes wrong runs smoothly. To solve moral and religious issues in those narrow-minded times, to ensure that everyone adheres to the signed contract (and does not secretly act in a porn film). Meanwhile, the (empty-headed) protagonist (Clooney's 4th appearance for the Coen Brothers) is kidnapped by a group of would-be communists, blacklisted and meeting in a beach house in Malibu. The mockery and twists in this plot are almost too complicated to follow. You just have to google it all, who is there and how absurd the accusations of communist propaganda were. And then, in an unforgettably nonsensical ending, one of the members of the group is led to a Russian submarine that majestically emerges in front of the Beach house. And George Clooney, now "released", is allowed to finish the film before he too is maybe to be blacklisted. There is so much to experience in this crazy picture that at first you don't know what you are seeing. So definitely watch it again and maybe the rating will increase. What fun they had, the crew, the brothers and the actors. Rewatch it, you might enjoy it as much as the makers did.
Domino (2019)
Small budget for the Master of Cinema
What a lot of nonsense, the reviews here on IMDb. What are those people looking at? What I see is an excellent De Palma, made with a (too) small budget, which means that not everything is as finished as we are used to in his major work. But his mastery and signature can be seen throughout the film. Certainly also Pino Donaggio's so called disappointing score, his ninth for De Palma since Carry. The final scene during the bullfight is the classic combination of De Palma's film language and Hitchcock's suspense, in slow-mo with a gigantic supporting driving music that makes your buttocks squeeze as usual while you watch the best possible scene breakdown. The scene on the roof at the beginning of the film is memorable, with a huge nod to Vertigo. Wow, what beautiful images. In short, I certainly don't see a flop here. On the contrary. And when you read how many problems De Palma had with the production during shooting, you can only have more respect for the old master. The leads are also not bad at all, contrary to what is claimed on IMDb. It's just wonderful to watch Carice van Houten and Guy Pearce (partners in real life). The only downside as far as I'm concerned is the language. Why is this film not in Danish. It is somewhat illogical that all Danish police officers speak English in Copenhagen. The Blu Ray is not completely perfect, because there is some distortion here and there. But often it is beautiful, even strikingly beautiful (because of the lighting and camera work). And now I'm going to watch the roof scene again, because that's the reason this movie rises so far above a 7.