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Reviews
A Fish Called Wanda (1988)
A top comedy
John Cleese has to be my favourite Python. He is a good actor, almost a certainty when you talk British actors, and funny in all the best ways. You can be funny in a silly way or you can be a great comedian, as John Cleese is. He perfectly plays an old-fashioned English barrister, being his formal life a joke itself.
Michael Palin is Cleese's partner-in-crime in the Pythons. He plays a funny role, as his character is the last thing you'd point as a delinquent. His struggle with his stud adds to the fun, but again, not in a cheap way.
His nemesis is played by Kevin Kline. His s the case of those actors that have a different personality with a moustache (here) or without (Cry Freedom). He plays Otto, who hates being called stupid.
Jamie Lee Curtis, at her best, plays the girl of the film. She is a bit of a teaser in pursuit if her own ambitions. Along Kline, Palin and Tom Georgeson (called in the film George Thomason)form the criminal gang.
Without giving away any of the plot, and though probably most people has already seen it, I can say there's a robbery. To cover the crime, the gang try all sorts to divert the evidence and create several minutes of laughter.
I must have seen this film over 10 times, and I enjoy every time. It was such a success the 4 main actors tried to recreate the chemistry in this masterpiece in 'Fearce Creatures', but this didn't work.
The Last King of Scotland (2006)
Satisfaction guaranteed
I do not know how much you pay for your cinema tickets wherever you are, but it is worth every euro, pound, dollar... you spend. In fairness, given its quality, you'd have to pay far more.
Why? Easy. You cannot fault any actor or actress in the film. Forrest Whitaker has taken the credit for a great performance, which he gives, but what about Doctor Nicholas Carrigan? To me, James McAvey is the star of the film.
More great things - The film could have easily fallen in one of the different behaviours of the characters, but it doesn't. It keeps the story going very well and it really drags you into it. I was surprised when I came out the cinema and found myself in the centre of Madrid instead on the hot streets of Uganda.
It is important the rhythm the story has. And in my opinion it is spot on. You don't get meaningless scenes that are there to fill the length of the film, but you don't get way too much information to get lost in the plot. All you need to know is there; it is easy to follow thanks to the work of the scriptwriters, the director and the cast. The film could have also turn into a restless, highly paced thriller, but it doesn't. There is enough of anything in the film when it is needed.
In a personal note, I enjoy the Scottish accent and that helped me bing fond of Dr. Carrigan. In Spain we have the vice of overlapping the voices of the actors with Spanish speaking actors. I feel strongly against t, even more when the day after watching the film (in English) i saw the trailer in Spanish. Then all the actors had the same accent, being English, Scottish or Ugandians with different knowledge of English. It s a shame. But this, of course, is beyond the responsibilities of this film, and so I cannot fault it. And, anyway, I wouldn't want to
The Princess Bride (1987)
It has it all
The music by Mark Knopfler and a great Spanish character just top this film up for me. The film is a tale Peter Falk tells his grandson Fred Savage. And with the first few words the story develops into a perfect combination of adventure and comedy.
My favourite lines come from Íñigo Montoya, "My name is Íñigo Montoya. You killed my father, prepare to die" has to be one of the most repeated words in the film, along with "as you wish". Who would have said that a script full of catchphrases would create a wonderful film.
There is an element of magic, a big one, you will find on tales of princesses, heroes and villains. There is a romantic story and there is time for laughter in a very innocent film, with a fantastic script, good acting, great matching music... well, it has it all
Prince of Jutland (1994)
A fantastic surprise
I first watched this film a late Friday night. Spanish version of BBC2 used to show some good films on their original version between 1 and 3 am (still wonder why).
The fact is I watched this film. It is meant to be the real Hamlet, based in Denmark (Jutland). I have the feeling it is a great portrait of its era, the clothes, the huts, the little hamlet in which they live are what you would expect.
Being mainly a British film, the actors are great. Gabriel Byrne then became one of my favourite actors, something he confirmed in 'The Usual Suspects' Of course if you know Hamlet you'll know the story, but if you have to read Hamlet for a school project, this will not fully help you. The plot is slightly different and so is the end.
Watch it. It may surprise you as it did me.
Complicity (2000)
It is a good film
First I read the book, which is highly recommendable, and I have it as one of my top books ever. Later on I watched the film, and I found it good. I think the characters are casted very well, except perhaps William, but, on the other hand, Keely Hawes plays Yvonne very well.
I think the film misses out some important information on the book that give sense to the story. The film changes a couple of things here and there and does not fully respect the final, which I find a bad error. I think if the film had been 30 minutes longer it would have been a world success.
My review seems negative but only because the book is superb. Of course the plot is good, the actors are good and the story flows well. I do wonder, however, if I have been able to follow the whole plot because I know the book inside out or because it is well told. I had the feeling a couple of times that the story was told in chunks.
Do watch the film, but read the book first