Owner: Analyzing Pictures URL:http://analyzingpictures.blogspot.com Join Date: Sat, 11 Aug 2007 06:38:27 -0500 Rating:0 Site Description: Reviews of movies I've seen, Analyzing Pictures gives you an insight on films you could watch after having read my opinion about them. Maybe we have similar taste and you could use it as a guide to decide what to see next. Site statistics:Click here
Khane-ye Doust Kodjast? 2007-08-06 09:11:00 The most fascinating thing about Khane-ye Doust Kodjast? (Where Is The Friend's Home?) probably is its simplicity. As you watch this film you keep wondering how something so simple can be so engaging. 'Cause all director Abbas Kiarostami really does is show you an everyday random event. What happens is nothing special as far as the story goes. But somehow he makes it a very moving story, taking both the time to show the innocence of children and the wisdom of the elderly. As a viewer you can't help to be moved by Ahmed who desperately looks for the house of his friend Mohamed Reda Nematzadeh. While Ahmed searches for his friend's house, Kiarostami takes this as opportunity to show the beautiful Iranian landscape. With its beautiful sand coloured brown and yellows, its small streets that run up and down, and the colourful and very helpful people, Khane-ye Doust Kodjast? shows that life in Iran doesn't have to be that much of a difference as life in Europe or the US. Everywhere arou
Ratatouille 2007-08-02 13:47:00 Even though you hope every one of their films will be a fantastic one, you can't help wonder if they ever going to make that one mistake that will lead into a film that's not so good or just plain bad. However, with Ratatouille they just go on where they left off, again treating their audience on sublime computer animation and serving them with an original, fresh story that's enjoyable for the whole family. Watching the movie you totally forget about all the time and effort that is put into these images that pass by at high speed in front of your eyes. It just all seems so perfectly done and finished that you almost can't believe all of it is animated. The created world feels superreal, not at all like a fabrication. When you watch all the food lying on the different plates it's almost as if you can smell them and Colette's motorcycle looks super cool, especially when she took a ride on it through the city. This stream of beautiful images is held together by a very solid story an
Brick 2007-07-30 11:47:00 'Keep your specs peeled', tells main character Brendan to his most reliable friend Brain. It's just an example of the great dialogue which Brick
is full with. Great smooth lines and lots of 'lingo' only the characters understand constitute part of the coolness of this movie. Wonderfully shot, you keep your eyes pierced on the screen to watch the next shot hit you. In director Rian Johnson's first feature length film everything seems to be well thought out. Also the writer of the screenplay, Johnson's involvement is bigger than most directors, which isn't a real surprise, considering it's his first film, made independently, so no big studio involvement. This is his get-into-Hollywood card and telling by his new film, which will feature big name actors like Rachel Weisz and Adrien Brody, it seems he got in already and got in fast. Watching Brick you notice Johnson has lots of talent. The writing is fresh and influenced by the film-noir genre, as is the whole film. For instance,
Me And You And Everyone We Know 2007-07-27 11:57:00 As you watch a young woman, black short hair and a bright pink striped T-shirt, talk into a micropohone you realise this isn't your usual indie comedy/drama. Different and yet simple and recognizable, Me And You And Everyone We Know really is about you and me and everyone we know. Showing a handful of different characters that in some way all are connected to each other, but not in a way the characters in Crash were, but way more subtle, director Miranda July has made a beautiful collage of regular people struggling with divorce, growing up, love and so much more. Beginning with Christine, the woman in the pink T-shirt, your sucked into her imagination and her way of thinking. Being a bit quirky and looking exteremly sweet, like a young puppy dog, she looks as if she could just have walked out of a romance novel. Played by director Miranda July herself, Christine is looking for affection and when she has found her special someone she falls hard for him. That special someone is Richard
Pi 2007-07-26 04:15:00 From the opening credits to the end credits, Pi is a visual fiest. The way they edited the whole film makes you feel as if you're inside main character Max' head. The soundeffects and soundtrack add to this feeling as is the great camerawork. Creating a sort of chaos, director Aronofsky knows how to translate Max' state of mind perfectly to the screen by using many close-ups, first person perspective shots, and unsteady camera movement. Added to this is the strong soundtrack. Clint Mansell has done an amazing job finding the perfect soung to carry these images. Played by Sean Gullette who has a great sounding voice, you watch Max going paranoid. The only person who keeps him from going totally isane is Sol Robeson, nicely played by Mark Margolis, who also can be seen in Aronofsky's latest The Fountain as well as the highly praised Requiem For A Dream. The story is very intense, questioning the universe and taking the viewer together with Max on this search for clarity. Always tryin
Breaking The Waves 2007-07-23 01:48:00 It takes a while before this film takes off, but when it does, it goes with full force. Breaking
The Waves
is the second part of the Golden Heart trilogy by Danish director Lars von Trier. Shot with a hand-held camera it looks as if this film could have been part of Dogme '95, but it isn't. Set in a small town in Scotland the film tells a story about love and faith and features an exceptional performance by actress Emily Watson. With the camera constantly turning and looking up as if looking through one of the character's eyes, the feeling of being actually there is strengthened. Showing another story about naïve people, Breaking The Waves tells a very moving story, that kind of feels like a fable with a message. Using little clips to introduce the start of a new chapter in Bess's life which are accompanied by parts of songs, for example Elton John's 'Your Song', the story has a clear structure that takes its viewer on a journey to watch the life of a young woman unfold. This u
Insomnia 2007-07-22 06:04:00 Said to be a remake of a Norwegian thriller with the same title and actor Stellan Skarsgård in the lead role, the 2002 version directed by Christoper Nolan and produced by Georgle Clooney and Steven Soderbergh is made so well, that you wonder what the original must have been like. With colours of icy grey and lots of white, Nolan shapes a mysterious location that fits the story perfectly. One scene in particular stands out making it feel as if suspected murderer Walter Finch is slowly creeping up on you through the fog, as detective Will Dormer and his team are chasing him. The landscapes look amazing, giving you little chills and making the film even more intense. Telling not your usual detective story, Insomnia
takes the concept to a new level, making the detective also guilty of a crime which adds a lot to the suspense. Marvelously played by Al Pacino, you watch detective Will Dormer torture himself with his guilt, being unable to sleep, he lies awake without the daylight fading to
Dial M For Murder 2007-07-21 13:44:00 A husband who's planning to kill his wife, Dial M For Murder, adapted from a play, is another great Hitchcock classic with one of the best crime stories. Almost like a stage play itself, the movie unravels Tony's secrets little by little. Telling the story with his usual dose of suspense, as a viewer you're lured in into this mystery. Knowing Tony's the bad guy you wonder how and when the police will find out he's the one they're looking for. Almost completely told from the apartment where the crime takes place, as a viewer you keep anticipating on the things to come. Hitchcock knows eactly how to make a real treat out of a story like this, zooming in on handbags and keys that play a major part in the psychological tension. With Grace Kelly once again as his leading lady, it's hard to take your eyes off the screen. Always looking very sophisticated giving the characters she plays a certain charm not many actresses can, Grace once again steals the show. Ray Milland who plays th
Dare Mo Shiranai 2007-07-19 05:52:00 I shall start by saying that this is an incredible film. Absolutely beautiful, this is exactly how I like them. A story that will probably haunt you for days and touched every bit of my heart. Just the title alone, Dare Mo Shiranai (Nobody Knows) , captures so much of what this film is about. Before I watched it I wasn't even aware of these circumstances some children grow up in. Yet very wonderful, this story is also quite shocking and very horrible. You don't want any kid out there to have ever go through this. Director Hirokazu Koreeda, who also wrote the story, has found a way to tell this story as if you're there not only as a witness, but as one of the kids. As a viewer you really come to feel for the characters and the situation they are in. You almost feel part of them yourself. Bringing attention to small details by zooming in on tiny little gestures, the camera seems to show every aspect. I loved how Kyoko's nails, the eldest daughter of the family, were painted red by he
Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix 2007-07-17 11:38:00 Having finally watched HarryPotter
And The Goblet Of Fire on Sunday, I couldn't wait to see the latest effort from the Harry Potter franchise, even though I wasn't too happy about Goblet. Expecting this new one to make the same mistakes, I was very surprised this time they actually did it right, making it the best Harry Potter film so far. Or at least, I think it is. I guess a lot has to do with director David Yates being in charge this time around, who made the lovely Girl In The Café just a couple of years ago. I'm very happy that he will also be directing Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince since this new one has a lot of great moments. Filled with excitement, buzzling with energy and having a very good and clear structure, eventually leading to a big climax at the Department of Mystification, this new Harry Potter finally feels like it really delivers. I really liked the beginning, almost looking like you were going to watch a horror movie. Also I loved the moving of the ca Read more:Order
, Phoenix
Half Nelson 2007-07-13 13:31:00 Half Nelson
is a film that grabs hold of you almost immediately when it starts. The film features fine performances by its leading actors and is gripping from start to finish. As you may or may not know a 'half nelson' is a wrestling hold, used here as a metaphor for struggle as director Ryan Fleck explains in one of his interviews: 'It works for like addiction or political struggle or anything and that’s sort of it.' Bringing the relationship between a teacher and a young student to the forefront, Half Nelson tells about the struggle with addiction and the she-might-go-wrong future of Drey, the student, played by Shareeka Epps. Intensifying the struggle is the use of camerawork which provides for full close-ups of the actors and the frequently switching between in and out of focus makes the images seem unstable just like the mindstate of the film's characters. The one who most shines in this film is Ryan Gosling. The young up and coming actor who got nominated for his first Os Read more:Half Nelson
Jamón, Jamón 2007-07-10 03:46:00 After returning from Lisbon, Portugal, this was the first film I watched. Definitely different and a bit awkward I did really like it. It all begins a bit slow, but the last half hour is great. This film shows that an over dramatic story can still be enjoyable, because of its structure. This film has a clear beginning, middle and end. In the last half hour everything comes together, you feel the tension between the characters rise and it all ends in this big dramatic climax. Director Bigas Luna makes the story really work by his great directing. This film can be said to be a real 'Tragicomedia', which is very popular in Spanish cinema. Just look at Pedro Almodóvar's films which have a lot of soap-opera like elements to it. You hate it or you love it. I find myself falling in the latter category of people who love these kind of films. I liked how Luna enhances the drama by making objects fall apart and showing these actions in slow-motion. Penélope Cruz, the 'Madonna of Mardid'
Kill Bill: Vol 2 2007-07-02 17:10:00 I watched Kill Bill
: Vol. 1 already a while ago, but I still knew pretty clearly what is was about, so when I saw Kill Bill: Vol. 2 last night I didn't have any problems with getting back into the story. I guess not that much happens, beside all the amazing fight scenes. I'm not sure yet which one I like better, but then again I rather think of them as one film. It's not really a sequel. Just like in the first part there are really cool characters and lots of one on one fighting. I already found Daryl Hannah's character the most interesting, apart from Uma Thurman. She's really bad-ass in this film, which fits her quite well. And in this part she is even more cool. Too bad she didn't whistle, but she still had her eye patch. I really loved her fight with Uma. The close-ups and dialogue were great in that scene. Also during the fights with Pai Mei the camera almost seems to be jumping from one place to all of a sudden a close-up of his face. It so reminded me of these old Samurai
Perfume: The Story Of A Murderer 2007-06-30 03:56:00 A lot of people I know had already seen it, but I didn't got the chance to. But yesterday I went to the library to get myself a new movie to watch, and tadaa, it was there: Perfume
, The Story Of A Murderer
. So last night I immediately watched it and I have to say, everyone who told me this film is very good is right. There are so many things to love. First off, it's a very accessible film and highly enjoyable for people who like the smaller indie art flicks and the more big budget blockbusters. Tom Tykwer, highly respected director and someone I've been following ever since the great Lola Rennt, does an amazing job bringing the big novel of writer Patrick Süskind to the big screen. I have to admit I haven't read Das Parfum, nor really knew what it was about. But I did know there was a boy involved who likees to make perfume of young beautiful women. And the way Tykwer brings the main character Jean-Baptiste Grenouille to life is a real feast to watch. He zooms in on noses and oth
Good Night, And Good Luck 2007-06-29 03:48:00 This is only George Clooney's second time as a director, but as with Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind, he again, does a really good job. The film features an astonishing performance by David Strathairn, who is casted perfectly as Edward R. Murrow. I have to say this wasn't an easy film. It realy is about a serious subject. It isn't a film where you can just lay back and see how relationships between characters develop. This film really is a historical piece. The way it was handled is quite remarkable. The feeling of the work environment of CBS at that time really comes through. You really feel you are taken back into time to watch it all happen. The camerawork was great, so was the fact that everything was shot in black and white, which worked very well. I loved the smoke coming up from Murray's cigarette. It gave him a bit of mystery and feeling of power everytime he sat in front of the camera to present the latest news to the American viewers. Strathairn really resembles Murrow, Read more:Night
Lady In The Water 2007-06-27 15:25:00 So I've just seen Lady In The Water. A film I was very excited about when it first came out, but which I lost a bit of interest in because of all the negative reviews. But still I really wanted to see it, because I loved The Village, which also got negative reviews. Now that I've seen it I can say the reviewers were probably right, I can understand that they've got some problems with this film, but it also makes me feel they didn't quite get Shyamalan's point. At first I thought some of the characters were kind of strange, I felt they acted a bit over the top. For instance the Chinese girl. From the beginning she is always very happy, acting almost a bit silly. But then as you come to understand that some of the characters living in the apartment complex are part of this story, this story of a girl who is called Story, and who herself is the story. She's the one who everything revolves around. She is the story's heart. As you come to understand all this you start to think about
Being John Malkovich 2007-08-11 10:30:00 Charlie Kaufman keeps coming up with these great imaginative screenplays. Most recently there was Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind about a couple who both erased their memory to forget about the relationship they once were in together. But it all started with Being John Malkovich, a great innovative little film, with strong performances by Catherine Keener, John Cusack, Cameron Diaz and John Malkovich himself. Directed by well known video director Spike Jonze, Being John Malkovich tells the story about a puppeteer who is forced by his wife to get a new job, one that actually provide for a living, and eventually ends up in a portal that leads to actor John Malkovich his head. Soon you're thrown from one crazy event to another. Characters seem to go wild and obsessive, all the effect of being inside Malkovich's head. It's great to see them develop and show different sides of themselves which didn't yet show at the very beginning. Especially Lotte Schwartz, whom I found the most
The Devil's Advocate 2007-08-25 03:18:00 Even though The Devil
's Advocate
has been on television a million of times, I never watched it, not until last night. Following a young couple of whom the husband, Kevin Lomax, is a lawyer, The Devil's Advocate shows Kevin's rise to succes and the mysterious happenings that go alongside it. Based on the novel with the same title, The Devil's Advocate is a solid thriller combining elements of other genres as well. There are some religious themes in it, a wife going crazy after seeing things that doesn't seem to be really there, their marriage that needs to be saved, and what it's like when you all of a sudden are part of the upper class. Even though the main subject seems to be lawyers and their work in court, this film isn't about an exceptional case that needs to be resolved like most of those films are usually about, but it's more about the rise to succes of it's main protagonist and the real reasons how he got there. Director Taylor Hackford, who's most succesful film to d
The Last King Of Scotland 2007-08-23 16:54:00 The Last King Of Scotland
is a very exciting film and is far more a thriller than a biopic, which some people might expect because it deals with real life people. The main difference with a movie like, for example, Walk The Line is that Idi Amin is more of a side character to Nicholas Garrigan who is thrown into this historical world of this great figure who once was president of Uganda. Nicholas Garrigan who never lived, but is fictional, is based on the character from the novel by Giles Foden on which the movie is based. This aspect of fiction makes you wonder, though, if replacing the film to a different country and different background would have changed the story or that it wouldn't have really mattered where the story took place, in what particular period of time. Is it necessary to tell this story through the life of Idi Amin or could it have the same effect if told entirely with fictionalized people? I think a big part of the strength of the film is Amin's character and the f
Familia Rodante 2007-08-22 05:31:00 Familia Rodante is a roadmovie by Argentinian director Pablo Trapero. The movie is a comedy about a family travelling to attend the marriage of the daughter of Emilia's sister, the grandmother of the family. Watching Familia Rodante the film that immediately comes to mind is Little Miss Sunshine. However, the only real resemblance with Sunshine is the fact that an entire family goes on a trip to attend a particular event which is important to one of the family members. Shown in bright colours, Familia Rodante gives you this feeling of warmth, not just because of the close family ties, but also of the beautiful scenery. Especially at the beginning of the film Trapero really knows how to capture the hectic familylife by showing a lot of different shots and making lots of cuts which give the beginning of the movie a fast pace. Then when they finally are on the road the pace changes a little and becomes a bit slower, digging deeper into the family relations. Even though these family probl
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