rjkohn Reviews

Confidentially Yours (1983)

Great Fun Movie

[9/10 · 3 November 2010]

Confidentially is truly one of the very best fun mysteries. Frankly,I don't quite understand how some do not seem to understand that this is just a wonderful way to pass a couple of hours. It certainly is not necessary to analyze each and every minute of the picture. I suppose that most of us have a few films, which we always remember and continually go back to contemplate. This is Confidentially. I have it on a quite old VHS and probably watch it at least once every few months. There are so many wonderful aspects. So very different from the run of the mill. I can watch over and over again the opening scene walking with the dog or the closing playing with the lens cap. What incredible music. Interesting, in another Truffaut film, the leg walking scene is vividly portrayed. Ardant is one of those very special French artists that never seem to change or for that matter, age. Twenty years after this film, she starred in Nathalie and Callas. She still is extremely beautiful. I sure would like to figure out just what is the French secret. Danielle Darrieux is still making pictures at 93. It has been more than 50 years since Jean Louis Trintignant became famous after his Brigitte Bardot film. BTW - there are so very many ever so interesting small pieces in Confidentially. One I really like is the one about the girl who comes to the office for a secretarial job interview. This picture is now 27 years old. Will we have to wait another 27 years for another perfectly coordinated and exquisitely designed film to appear?

The Lives of Others (2006)

Life in a dictatorship

[10/10 · 17 March 2007]

Lives of Others - most certainly gives an excellent account of life in East Germany during the more than forty years of a communist dictatorship. It should be noted that the events shown in this film are still prevalent in a number of countries around the world and a similar movie could have been made with reference to Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and many more places. I resided in Venezuela during the iron fisted dictatorship of Marcos Perez Jimenez. Watching this film I kept thinking of the situations I personally witnessed. It was practically impossible to speak to anyone about anything, except maybe the weather forecast. Nothing to taxi drivers - waiters- hair dressers etc.. You even had to be extremely cautious with people you assumed were close friends. Just one word that wasn't acceptable and away you would go to one one the lovely prisons or if a foreigner out of the country on the next plane. The intellectual groups almost totally disappeared and were the very first to be silenced. We sure could use more pictures like this one that tell the real story.

A Very Long Engagement (2004)

The absurdity of war!!

[9/10 · 25 August 2005]

A Very Long Engagement is most certainly a well crafted work of art. Of course there are some criticisms that can be made of all films. I, personally was not very convinced with the Hollywoodish type ending.

But that is just one man's opinion.

However it should be pointed out how important this movie is as one of the relatively few movies that highlight the absurdity and the ludicrous nature of human warfare.

Watching this film, I was drawn back almost fifty years to the making of Kubrick's masterpiece and probably Kirk Douglas's best role: Paths of Glory.

We can also reflect on: Grande Illusion, All Quiet on the Western Front (first version) and more recently the Russian Kukushka***. I can only wish that there were more such films and that the peoples of the world would wake up to reality. ***if you haven't seen Kukushka - Cuckoo - by all means don't miss a great film.***

Day for Night (1973)

Almost twenty years

[10/10 · 23 November 2003]

Francois Truffaut's untimely death, at the age of 52, happened almost 20 years ago. He gave us so many memorable films for not much more than two decades. One can only speculate, what marvels he would have turned out, and most probably would still be making, if he were still with us.

Day For Night is a truly superb opus. I wonder what were the 166 people thinking when they rated this film a 5/10 or less. I can't recall many other movies, with so many interesting things, open to discussion. The "cat" episode; Ferrand's (Truffaut) arranging the face and hands of Julie; the tub of butter scene; Severine's spouting numbers instead of words and on and on.

In spite of 30 years of aging, this is still, most certainly a NO MISS film. The DVD - subtitled version is more than adequate.

The Cuckoo (2002)

One of the very best anti-war films

[9/10 · 14 October 2003]

This film is not only a "must see" for all movie aficionados, but it should be shown extensively to all the hordes who absurdly continue to glorify war and all the consequences.

I place Kukushka with three other greats - Grande Illusion (French); All Quiet on The Western Front (first version) USA written by Erich Maria Remarque - A German; Paths of Glory - USA.

Now the Russian - Kukushka - So, we now have great anti-war stories from France - USA - Germany and Russia. Something to think about.

The Promoter (1952)

A forgotten jewel

[9/10 · 12 September 2002]

(Hallmark Home Entertainment VHS 91 mins) I first saw this movie almost exactly fifty years ago. At that time it was known as The Promoter. This film shows without a doubt the enormous talents of Alec Guinness. I seem to feel that it did not receive the acclaim of some other Guinness films possibly due the date of its release, 1952. Just after Lavender Hill Mob and before A Captain's Paradise. There is absolutely nothing I didn't like about the picture. The three principal ladies were all superb. This was the only film Guinness made with Petula Clark or Glynis Johns. He did make Great Expectations and Kind Hearts and Coronets with Valerie Hobson. I have always remembered one scene with Guinness and Johns. In the movie they are engaged and Johns spends Guinness' money as fast as she could. At one store the shop keeper asks for the name and address, so as to be able to have the package delivered. Guinness, without hesitating one instant answers, "Rockefeller - Buckingham Palace." Wonderful film - great entertainment!

The Man Who Wasn't There (2001)

Don't miss this one!

[9/10 · 6 September 2002]

I don't get to see many movies. We must admit that there is so much junk being produced. However, I anxiously await the Coen Brothers productions. I really enjoyed Man Who Wasn't There. I never remember being "wrong" so very many times. While watching this movie, I kept assuming what was going to happen next. Invariably something entirely different came up. This is the magic of the Coens. The film reminded me a little of their very first effort, "Blood Simple" - a great first time work. I also was reminded of the Robert Mitchum classic - (the only film directed by Charles Laughton) "The Night if the Hunter". My sincere congrats to the whole wonderful cast, especially Scarlett Johansson, (Horse Whisperer) who is fast becoming our star leading young lady. Ron