ben-727 Reviews

The Night Digger (1971)

A pretty and fine made movie!

[7/10 · 21 August 2007]

I have seen this film last week on TV. I am glad that the there are English subtitles so that I can clearly enjoy the dialogue. Only it is pity that the English subtitles from TCM are kind of closed captions that cannot be taken for recording.

Different than the comment of another Dutch viewer from 2006, I find this film a rather nice good movie. The maker has put quite some different (thrilling, creeping, emotional, romantic) components to the movie, but not into deep touch by purpose. If one is specially looking for or fond of a particular type of movie from one of these components, one may not feel satisfied enough. However I am glad that the maker had made it in this way that the movie content becomes "rich" in a special way. It makes the film as a whole quiet thrilling, creeping, emotional and even bit romantic too. It is not boring at all, I enjoy every moment of the movie. Making a film to a particular type/direction of course is a heavy job but to combine different type of components in a fine way is not easy too.

The film is quite moving that I have only realized at the end that it is already a film of 110 minutes. It is not boring at all, I have enjoyed every moment of the movie. Yes, this is not a film made for award nomination, but both the director and the leading actors have done a pretty good job. If you watch the film carefully you will realize that the film is quite fine made. From their fine work, you can see and feel the style of the early 70's British films. It is a small budget production, but still leaves some compelling moonshine. I simply like this movie.

The ending indeed is quite a critical way. I have never read the novel. I don't know whether the end is the same as the movie. I wonder if the director has extended and refined the ending for about 10 minutes more, will the ending be then a bit better than a shortcut? On the other hand, I have the feeling that it seems that the director has deliberately made the ending in this stunning way that it now leaves us crossing feelings and questions that makes the movie still time to time staying on our mind.

It may not be a top A-film, but it is a little gem which absolutely is worthing to see.

I give it 7.75 out of 10.

In the Mood for Love (2000)

Artificially slow doesn't mean it is beautiful or romantic

[4/10 · 10 August 2007]

I do not know and cannot understand why so many people comment this film as so beautiful and super. However I do not like this film at all. I believe Mr. Wong is a professional director who has been studied a lot and well trained in the film sector, and that is why most the time people find his films with good cinematography. I am not professional, but I simply do not enjoy the colour, the light, the slow move of this film at all. I have tried my best to stay objective and keep on watching this movie, but after 15 minutes I cannot stand it further at all.

You call it beautiful, but in what way it is beautiful? Just because of the professional work of a famous director? You call it romantic, but which part of the story is specially romantic? Such a story is so common that you can find in a lot of films. Actually I find the story itself is quite all right, but the artificial "slow moving" of the directing really spoil the story. Good acting? Well, do you really know how to speak Cantonese? If you know Cantonese, you probably will agree that the acting and the dialogue are rather artificial and pony. Believe me or not, if you have watched more films of the two leading actor/actress, you will notice their way of acting and the way of performing dialogue are always the same, especially Tony Leung.

This year I have the chance to watch 2046 in the Dutch TV channel, as a film fan I remain being objective and looking forward to enjoy the film. However just the same ,after 15 minutes I did not want to waste my time. I have watched good films and bad films, but it seems that the way of Wong Kar Wai making film is simply not my type! However, for the hard work of the whole team, I still give it 4 points out of 10, that is grade E.

Scream of Fear (1961)

A stylish chilling little thriller

[10/10 · 9 May 2007]

Yes, this is indeed a very nice little horror film. It is chilling and suspense. The acting of the three major actors is really well done, they all fit the roles, and the whole atmosphere of the film has maked it rather stylish. Using Susan Strasberg for that role is a good choice. She's rather pretty charming actually, especially when compared with those star actresses of nowadays. This is a small production of the early 60's, but none of the big budget Hollywood horror films can compare with it even though they might have tried to copy part of its shadow. I do not know how to explain, but you if have watched the movie, you will feel something, you will feel the film having the style in its own way. You simply cannot find such kind of stylish production often on TV or in theaters. Like the other film fan from UK, I have recorded it down few weeks ago, and watched it in the afternoon the day after. It's good that I have not watched it alone at night. I am really glad that I have now the whole movie in its original theatrical wide screen format on my own DVD. Here I specially thank for the TV-listing information of the Dutch inter net site and the film information in IMDb. They made me have a chance to know and discover this nice film and take action to record it down. If you have a chance to watch this film, don't miss it! You will surely like it in a way!

Filantropica (2002)

Not bad, but also not specially good

[5/10 · 2 May 2006]

I don't think this is a special good movie as it had stated in other comments. I wonder why the Romanian film critics call it the best in the Romanian film history. It is indeed better than a lot of American B-films, but you certainly find a lot of such type of stuff in French and Italian movies. Therefore saying this one as the best film in the Romanian film history it might be not really fair to those other Romanian films of good qualities. The acting of the main male leading role in this film is not special good. The support actors are also only so and so up to basic standard. The worse thing is that the whole movie is full of flaws. You call it black comedy? Where is the laughing part then anyway? Well, the story itself is a big joke, perhaps one should laugh for that. And where is the "black" part? I find the Russian film "The bride" can even in a simple and natural way to reflect the situation of the poor living lives.

Technically the film is not badly made, it s just that the whole story of the movie is not special good in a way. If it comes and shows on TV, it is not bad to watch it and experience the Romanian way and standard of making films. Perhaps you will feel another way than mine.