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Reviews
L'argent (1983)
The silent fall of a man
This movie is pretty strange. Although it is not a silent movie, the speeches don't last more than 10 minutes in a 90 minutes time. The story is about a truck driver, Yvon, that goes to jail because of a forged 500 franc note that he doens't know is forged. When the police catch him with the false note, he tries to convince them that he is innocent. But the man that gave him the note - and he knew that he was giving a forged note, denies that he the note to Yvon. In jail, Yvon starts seeing his live from a different angle and is tempted to escape. After been released from jail, abandoned by his wife, his life turns to murder and crime.
This would be a common movie about the fall of a man but it was directed by Robert Bresson, a director that prefers the silence to the sound, the reflection to the explanation. This style of directing can also be seen all other of his work, although this is the apex of his work.
Full Metal Jacket (1987)
Two movies merged into one, but only the first is a Kubrick's one.
If you watch the first half of Full Metal Jacket without previous information about this movie but you know Stanley Kubrick's work, you will perceive that's this is one of his movies. But you watch only the second half of the movie, you'll think is a Vietnam shorter-version of Thin Red Line.
The boot camp of Parris Island is like the hell in earth. R. Lee Hermey, as GySgt. Hartman is the devil. The training is like torture. The environment is torturing. Poor marine recruits. If Kubrick had filmed just this half of the movie, it would have been one of the greatest anti-war movies ever made. In Brazil, 18-years boys are obliged to present to the army to serve for one year. After watching Full Metal Jacket, one can't admit this passively.
The second half of the movie could be another movie. A much worse one. It shows some of the former recruits in battle at Vietnam. It's a bit like Save Private Ryan, a bit like Thin Red Line. But if you want to watch a good war movie showing a battle field go to Apocalypse Now. The only scene really worthy are the one with the Vietcong female soldier hidden in a building try to kill a full bunch of soldier, one at a time and Private Joker with the 'Born to Kill' message in his helmet and a pacifist button attached to his cloth.
It's pretty unfair to say that Kubrick hasn't done a great work. But if you want to see the autentic Kubrick's work, you'd rather watch Dr. Strangelove or Paths of Glory. Those are great, if not the greatest, anti-war movies.
The Shining (1980)
A shining movie
The Shining is not is not a conventional horror movie. That's because it's a Kubrick's movie. The way the movie was filmed is terrific. The slow motions, the blood gushing from the elevator, the grandiosity of the hotel. Someone may say that the movie has a very slow pace, but if you know Kubrick's works you know what you should expect, or better, you don't know as every movie Kubrick made is a new experience for us.
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
A great movie from a even greater director
2001 is not an usual movie. Yesterday, I watched it for the fourth time and every time I watch it, I have a different interpretation of it. There are some scenes there are very metaphorical and everyone that see those scenes will have a different interpretation of it. What about the beginning, 'The Dawn of Man' or the ending scene?
At the scientific point of view, HAL is completely impossible. Even so, it's frightening. It has self-awareness and feelings. And he's ( note the 'he' instead of 'it' ) able to do things that it's wasn't programmed to do and presumably wasn't able to do. And how can that be possible?
Thanks Kubrick for such a great masterpiece.
Night and the City (1992)
A great cast, not a great movie
I'm the kind of guy that sometimes watches a movie based on its cast or its director, and that was the case with 'Night and The City' with Robert de Niro. Unhappily this movie is not as good as the best ones from de Niro ( Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, King of Comedy, Once Upon a Time in America or The Godfather 2, Jackie Brown ). In this movie, de Niro looks like Jim Carrey with his electric style, but this is not the de Niro we're used to see.
The movie is about Harry Fabian ( a second-class lawyer from N.Y. ) that tries to make success in the boxing-promoting market. But the market is dominated by Boom Boom Brossman, a senior promoter of big fights in N.Y. that sees his domain threatened by Fabian. To get the money to promote the fights, Fabian needs to beg money from all his friends, one of them, Phil is the owner of the Boxers pub. Phil's wife, Helen, is in love with Fabian and plans to leave Phil and open her own pub.
Night and the City is a remake of the homonym filmed in 1950, that I haven't seen but is much better rated than the 1992's version.
It seems that Irwin Winkler works better as a movie producer than as director. One of the movies he promoted are Ranging Bull, New York New York and The Goodfellas, all them starring Robert de Niro.
Barry Lyndon (1975)
One of the best movies I've ever seen
One of my favorite movie director is Stanley Kubrick. I used to compare him to Scorcese and Tarantino. But after watching Barry Lyndon, I have to say that Kubrick is the best of them all.
It's hard to believe but I'd like if Barry Lyndon were longer the its 185min. Thackeray novel is too good to be shown in "just" 3 hours. But Kubrick did the best that could be done.
If there where only the second half of the movie - the decline of Lyndon's life - it would be already a great movie. But there's also the first part of the movie. Beginning with the duel with a England army captain till marrying with Lady Lyndon when he still lived in Ireland, Redmond goes to the Seven Years War, fighting with England, sees his uncle die in batte field, running away from the England army, been captured by Prussian Army ,working as a spy and finally working as a gambler.
Technically, the movie is perfect and uses a special NASA-made lens for the inside scenes illuminated only by candle-lights.
The Godfather (1972)
The older the better
I guess it's the fourth time I watch this movie and it seems to be getting better as I watch it again and again. Movies about the mafia are one of my favorites. I just loved The godfellas, Casino, Once Upon a Time in America but The godfather is diferent it not just about mafia. Its about a family completely involved in mafia. As some one have written here, the changes in Michael's ( Al Pacino ) personality are incredible. One of the best part is the baptism. Meanwhile Michael is at the church, his fellows show how will it be to deal with the Corleone's.
In a few words, watch it and also watch The godfather, part 2.
It's a pity but the third part of the trilogy isn't as good as the first ones.