maggietom Reviews

Laid to Rest (2009)

Worst movie ever!

[1/10 · 18 May 2009]

This is definitely the worst movie ever, it's total BS, and very very very stupid. It's so unbelievably stupid, it sucks. I can't believe someone would be so cruel to make such a movie to torture people, it is an insult to people's intelligence. I kept myself from giving it up in the middle just want to finish it so that I can be sure that I'm not wrong about my comment, guess what, this time it didn't disappoint me by convincing me that it is very very very foolish. I even felt damaged after such a movie. On the other hand, it is a different experience, you know, to know the best and also the worst, it's eye-opening experience. I just saw In Bruges the night before last, it is stunningly good, that is a real movie, and this is total *.

The Portrait of a Lady (1996)

She is back to her husband out of self-hatred!

[10/10 · 22 March 2006]

After Isabel knew that Pansy is Serena's daughter, she was shocked at the very beginning and scared consequently 'cause she finally came to understand that she was used by her merciless husband and his lover. After this brief encounter with Serena, she realized that her cousin deeply fell for her since the very beginning,he did all he could to make her lead a happy and rich life but to propose to her himself, which is partly due to his consideration( he didn't want to widow her since he knew that he couldn't live long due to his consumption), and also might because that he was unconfident ( his wealthy friend Lord Warburton was refused when he proposed to Isabel, he might believe that he is out of the question too).Anyway, Isabel realized the real love she held is to her cousin- Ralph, but all is too late. She was angry with herself, she was angry with her fate, in other words, she hates herself so much that she wants to torture herself as sort of revenge.. But one thing is clear that she has changed again after the visit of England, after the dying of Ralph, after knowing that her husband is merely using her for her money, she wouldn't make his life easy as before, she might want to revenge him by returning to him. One thing is clear, she is becoming stronger and more cruel, maybe no less cruel than her husband. She is like this because she lost the only one who loves her and whom she loves. Isabel is dead.

Farewell, Home Sweet Home (1999)

European "My Private Idaho"

[10/10 · 10 January 2006]

It reminds me of Keanu Reeves in My Private Idaho, but this is a European version which is of course more "humane" and very "european". The style is like "the Stream of Consciousness", the shooting of the movie seems like the director's casual flowing of ideas, which is not very much arranged, anyway, I like anything that is off the track and extraordinary. Lastly, the gist the movie tries to unveil is that life is a circle, it repeat itself all the way. Seems like the director understand the Chinese philosophy- Taoism, which said that everything is developing is its own track, which is a circle. I think the end of the movie is very meaningful, though it's the father's turn to leave the rich home to look for his own dream, it is clear that unlike his son, his must be a successful escaping. I appreciate the regular using of the rainy weather in the movie. I just love everything about the movie.

Modigliani (2004)

I do appreciate the Bohemian life style!

[10/10 · 5 November 2005]

I love the lives led by those art people, I just love the free atmosphere they are creating by chatting and drinking in a bar in France. And I do love the genius appeared in the early 20th century, such figures appeared in the movie as Soutine, Frida and her husband the famous Mexico painter, and some figures like that. I always believe that the time invented tons of artists and talented, or courageous people, I appreciate them, that's the reason why I love the other movies like" Cradle rocks" "Frida" and so on. When I learned literature, I do love Virginia Woolf very much, and her Bloombury Group, Gertrude Stein is a woman I feel grateful to, she patronized such figures as Picasso, Hammingway and so on, to some extent, she saved some very ingenious people for the world! As to Modigliani, he is not as popular as Papplo Picasso, not ever then nor now, but he could overwhelm Picasso in that he sees money nothing as far as he himself is concerned, he seeks real art, pure art, and some very spiritual thing, which, I'm afraid quite different on Picasso side, though I admit that the latter is a very successful painter in any sense. I love the end of the story, though sad it might be, it presents us a real love story, very touching. This is one of my top ten love of the movies in 2005.

The Truce (1997)

It's not that bad!

[10/10 · 5 November 2005]

I like it because it offered me something which is different from the movies on the Second World war. The movies we have seen such as the Pianist, Schindler's list, Gloomy Sunday and so on, they are about the concentration camp themselves, but this one, depicts from another angle, after the victory, what happened to the Nazi's victims, how did they get home, just buy a ticket and hop on a train? No, I'm very much impressed by the route map in the movie. I like the guy starred by John Turturro(also stars in Oh, Brother, where art thou), he is a very philosophical guy, the reason why he did not get the same attention as Adrain Brody in the Pianist is because he did not suffer as much, some people don't buy it, I don't mean to say Adrain is not good, he is, but what makes me feel sorry is that he seems not living up to his Best Actor given by Oscar since he offered us not good performance after the pianist. Anyway, I think The Truce is not a bad one, and I suggest those seeking different things to have a try.