Highly recommended. The movie is though provoking but never preachy. It is, I think, no spoiler to say the movie is about a man attempting to meet the five basic requirements for true repentance aftr a murder (taken I believe from Thomas Aquinas). The title comes from an incident in which the main character is throwing bits of snow off a bridge, watching them fall and smash. Miraculously one piece instead of falling, rises. The implication, worked out at length in the movie, is that a reversal of fate, of the Fall if you will, is possible. See the movie to decide for yourself if the main character also rises.
Reviews
4 Reviews
Curse of the Blair Witch
(1999 TV Movie)
Some negative comments
3 January 2003
I liked "The Blair Witch Project"--didn't scare me, but the young woman who was the star did a fine acting job.
"Curse of the Blair Witch" however was, I thought, rather poorly done. It didn't work for me as a even briefly convincing "documentary." The "70s Hippy witch" was unintentionally funny and contradicted himself, the Murderer was not much of an actor and there were so many discrepancies that it just wasn't convincing at all. For example: early on in the film there is a short interview with a middle-age guy in Burkettsville, supposedly done by the Lost Teens, in black and white then an interview with the same guy, supposed done a year later--he was wearing the same shirt and his hair had not changed a bit. One of the faked letters, supposedly written in the 1830s by a not-very-literate person of Burkettsvile contained the word "fetish." The word was not generally known in the English language at the time.
"Curse of the Blair Witch" however was, I thought, rather poorly done. It didn't work for me as a even briefly convincing "documentary." The "70s Hippy witch" was unintentionally funny and contradicted himself, the Murderer was not much of an actor and there were so many discrepancies that it just wasn't convincing at all. For example: early on in the film there is a short interview with a middle-age guy in Burkettsville, supposedly done by the Lost Teens, in black and white then an interview with the same guy, supposed done a year later--he was wearing the same shirt and his hair had not changed a bit. One of the faked letters, supposedly written in the 1830s by a not-very-literate person of Burkettsvile contained the word "fetish." The word was not generally known in the English language at the time.
Breathless
(1983)
I really liked this film
3 January 2003
To me Richard Gere carried the movie--he managed to make Jesse LuJak a character both repulsive and likeable. LuJak is a petty criminal, car-thief and then a murderer, not very bright (he reads comic books and seems to model himself on The Silver Surfer). LuJak moves in a world of cheap motels and seedy bars, and has a torrid and obviously doomed affair with an art student. But in the end he comes off as somehow admirable--we believe that he loves the Kapinsky character, that he might even be a good father to her child, given the chance. LuJak comes mighty near what I would call a tragic hero--flaws and all.
As for the look of the movie, I find that equally well done--just for example, at one point the hero and heroine make love in torrid red lights, with a black-and white 30s movie in the background, also dealing with doomed lovers. The juxtaposed images were very nicely handled.
Both thumbs up!
As for the look of the movie, I find that equally well done--just for example, at one point the hero and heroine make love in torrid red lights, with a black-and white 30s movie in the background, also dealing with doomed lovers. The juxtaposed images were very nicely handled.
Both thumbs up!
The Beastmaster
(1982)
Best of its genre, I think
15 April 2002
I'd like to come to bat for one of my all time favorite Sword and Sandal movies. I agree that its production values are none of the best, and the music is hardly memorable, but the movie has so many strong points that I really think it is the best of its genre.
Nice plot: the theme is not really revenge. Dar seems to kill the bad guy (Rip Torn) not because he killed Dar's parents, but because the bad guy is practising child sacrifice.
Imaginative elements: the bat-winged creatures who hang men in bags from trees and aid Dar are both truly creepy and wonderfully immaginative. The evil priests who gladly kill themselves at the High-priest's command are great.
Remarkable characters: Dar brings a refreshing sensitivity to his character--rare in S&S movies--at one point when he is exiled by the young king's people, he weeps quietly.
Humor: there is a finely played scene where Dar uses his lion to make time with the Beautiful Girl, pretending his is protecting her from the friendly lion.
Acting: Rip torn is good--he seems to be enjoying his over-the-top acting and that adds to the film. Marc Singer does a good job as well.
I can't say nearly as much for the sequels of this movie. Beastmaster II I find just dreadful, and Beastmaster II is better, but still not all that good--both lack the fresh, imaginative quality of Beastmaster I
Nice plot: the theme is not really revenge. Dar seems to kill the bad guy (Rip Torn) not because he killed Dar's parents, but because the bad guy is practising child sacrifice.
Imaginative elements: the bat-winged creatures who hang men in bags from trees and aid Dar are both truly creepy and wonderfully immaginative. The evil priests who gladly kill themselves at the High-priest's command are great.
Remarkable characters: Dar brings a refreshing sensitivity to his character--rare in S&S movies--at one point when he is exiled by the young king's people, he weeps quietly.
Humor: there is a finely played scene where Dar uses his lion to make time with the Beautiful Girl, pretending his is protecting her from the friendly lion.
Acting: Rip torn is good--he seems to be enjoying his over-the-top acting and that adds to the film. Marc Singer does a good job as well.
I can't say nearly as much for the sequels of this movie. Beastmaster II I find just dreadful, and Beastmaster II is better, but still not all that good--both lack the fresh, imaginative quality of Beastmaster I
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