Inglorious Basterds (2009)

directed by Quentin Tarantino

with: Brad Pitt, Christopher Waltz, Melanie Laurent, Eli Roth, B.J. Novak

Inglorious Basterds is the most original war movie I've seen. He decides to create a fictional version of fun-packed violent and witty vengeance based in three characters that represent an entire ideology. The Nazi detective (Waltz), the southern-accent heroic American soldier (Pitt) and the attractive and vengeful jew (Laurent). These three dominate the screen and create a world that is so appealing to anyone who loves suspenseful, progressive, and violent filmmaking with cinematic and narrative perfection. This movie belongs to a genre of its own, as it is incomparable and hard to define; extremely fresh and innovative.

Tarantino is a geek. He knows so much about filmmaking that he can play with it, he makes his own rules, he has fun. It's groundbreaking and no one else could have done it. He has a vision of his own and Inglorious Basterds very well represents it. I won't say more, just watch it!

Must see.

Rating: 9/10

Blindness (2008)

directed by Fernando Meirelles

with: Mark Ruffalo, Julianne Moore, Gael Garcia Bernal, Danny Glover, Alice Braga

based on a novel by Jose Saramago

An epidemic of white blindness is spread in a city, infected people are being held in quarantine. An allegory of the modern world.

At first, I was hesitant about watching this movie because I had read the book and had found it very enjoyable for its well written prose and intelligent allegories that teach about human nature. I thought it was extremely hard to make a film about it and that anyone who tried would fail, even Meirelles, who I like. It surprised me because the film does stick to the essence of the book and it does contain the important parts and it's entertaining. I felt at some points that it was too Americanized, like if Meirelles was given a list of necessary things that chaotic and dramatic movies must contain in order to be more accepted (and it wasn't). It is not as honest as 'City of God' or 'City of Men', but it's acceptable. It is cruel and violent enough to represent the ideas of the book, but never too morbid or gruesome to be considered offensive. I disliked the cast and their acting, but in general, it is a good movie. Read the book!

Approach with caution.

Rating: 5/10

Everything is Illuminated (2005)

directed by Liev Schreiber

with: Elijah Wood, Eugene Hutz, Boris Leskin

based on a novel by Jonathan Safron Foer

A young jewish American, meticulous and dedicated collector of family related objects, goes to Ukraine in the search of his immigrant grandfather's past.

The film starts off almost as a stereotypical satire of ethnic comedy, but slowly evolves in the form of a serious obscure drama in a very effective way. The clash of cultures is interestingly portrayed, of course, not with an informative or social eye, but for mere entertainment, and it works out perfectly for American audiences. The movie has a great visual style, that when combined with the wonderful score, everything that surrounds the sequences seems to be adequate. I like this film because it is about the consequences of extreme human curiosity. It explores coincidences and destiny and how people always want to understand their roots and origins, to comprehend who they are. It narrows the gap of ethnic differences to help us understand that we are all truly not very different from each other.

It is funny, clever and easy to enjoy. More American films should be like this.

Very Recommended.

Rating: 7.5/10

This is England (2008)

written and directed by Shane Meadows

with: Thomas Turgoose, Stephen Graham

The film is about 11-year-old Shaun, who, after being bullied many times, runs into a gang of skinheads who later on become his friends. Shaun is grieving for his recently deceased father who was at war and needs an escape, just like the rest of the gang and like any youngster growing up. Shaun experiences with drugs, alcohol, women, violence and attire.

This film is a bittersweet semi-autobiographical piece based on the personal experiences of Shane Meadows. It basically tries to show the essence of the skinheads in the most honest way, which is different from the usual preconceptions people relate to the movement. It contains positive social and civil aspects, which are not very often portrayed in these type of movies. It explains the reasons why people join a gang and how it helps them improve their lives and self-confidence and how things can go wrong, and that is why I like this movie. It explores more than the superficiality (war, violence, racism, nationalism, drugs, freedom, crime) and submerges itself into the psychological aspects of the characters, offering explanations to each of their behaviors and actions. If the viewer feels like a member of the group, it's because the director filmed it in such a way that it makes you feel closer to them and relate and understand each one of them. It feels realistic.

Recommended.

Rating: 7.25/10

Contempt (1963)

directed by Jean-Luc Godard

with: Michel Piccoli, Brigitte Bardot, Jack Palance, Fritz Lang (as himself), Georgia Moll

Contempt is a very interesting film in Godard's career. It is a cynical and realistic viewpoint of the filmmaking business, where the writer, producer and director have personal interests that differ from each other and particular reasons for participating in a project (in this case, Homer's Odyssey).

Commercial cinema is always run by money and this may create conflicts with anyone who is involved in it. Director Fritz Lang wants to create an art film, while money-driven American producer played by Palance, tries to make a more mainstream version of it. Writer, interpreted by Piccoli, is in it for the money so that he can improve his marriage, but at the same time his wife is wooed by Palance and her love for her husband starts to fade.

Godard himself went through similar issues while filming Contempt, and they are noticeable in the film. This was the first movie where a producer offered him a big budget to shoot and produce, and a famous cast, with beautiful and talented Brigitte Bardot as the biggest star. Godard didn't have as much creative freedom as he did in his past films but it is still very Godardian. It was a new experience for him that influenced his following movies.

Essentially, Contempt is about the fading of a marriage. It is honest, witty, entertaining and sad, with attractive imagery and great editing. And Fritz Lang is in it!

Highly Recommended.

Rating: 9/10

Acid House (1998)

directed by Paul McGuigan

with: Stephen McCole, Kevin McKidd, Ewen Bremmer, Gary McCormack

Acid House is difficult to describe. It is a trilogy of short stories written by Irvine Welsh (Trainspotting). It is so emotionally and physically violent and hateful that viewers may even suffer while watching it, if they can finish watching it. It is supposedly based in 'bad acid trips' and it feels like hell. 

The movie starts off well with the first story, 'The Granton Star Case'. The director seems to be somewhat creative and humorous. It is about a young man who has probably the worst day of his life. He gets kicked out of his house by his parents who hate him for being an obstacle in their masochistic and psychotic sexual practices. He is kicked out of the soccer team and dumped by his girlfriend. He has an encounter with God himself who turns him into a fly and then the story gets interesting...

'A Soft Touch', the second story, and the most disturbing and depressing (not only of the movie, but probably of all stories I've ever heard of) is about a couple who get married, have a baby and move in to a new apartment. Their neighbor complicates their relationship and causes an inhumane and unthinkable series of events that touch the weakest fibers of human feelings. 

The final story, 'Acid House' is about a guy who takes acid and is struck by lighting. His soul (behavior, knowledge and attitudes included) is transferred to a baby's body, and vice-versa. Imagine the baby (with an adult's mind) interacting with 'his mom' and the adult (with a baby's mind) interacting with 'his girlfriend and friends'. 

I like this film because it shows us how far film can transfer emotions. It is an effective film and I appreciate it for its power, it takes us to places unimagined. I dislike this film because I think it goes too far just for the sake of showing impacting imagery with disturbing ideas about life. It is completely nihilistic and it may be a pathetic or a pleasant experience, depending on the mood. It is a love/hate relationship. Oh, and it does have a good soundtrack with songs by Belle & Sebastian, Oasis, Primal Scream, The Chemical Brother and others. 

Approach with caution. 

Rating: 5.5/10