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Cartel Land (2015)
Power Corrupts
Cartel Land focuses on the drug-wars against Mexican cartels waged by vigilante groups on the both US border to Mexico in Arizona and Mexican city called Michoacán. Director Matthew Heineman follows an on-the-ground approach to picture every detail while vigilantes are on work.
Mexican group Autodefansas led by charismatic Dr. Jose Mireles, El Doctor, who at the same time performs his duties as a physician at a local clinic, while US group Arizona Border Recon led by commando- like Tim "Nailer" Foley. After the introduction of these groups, they are presented as if they served the same purpose of cleaning out their territories of the cartel groups. However, as time goes on, it becomes evident both of them differ in their approaches, methods and targets. El Doctor and his group defy to be butchered like animals by the vicious cartel group, Knights Templar, and after witnessing his neighbours' slaughter, he sets himself to organise an anti-cartel group. The purpose here is to kill before killed. After the inception of Autodefansas, they start securing towns by capturing, then interrogating and torturing members of the cartel in order to get information on whereabouts of the other cartel members, becoming more and more violent. On the other hand, Tim "Nailer" Foley, after losing his construction job in the 2008 downturn and not being able to find any work because of the illegal immigrants, sets himself to protect US-Mexican border against any illegal immigration. It seems former group take up arms out of necessity whereas the latter's intention is solely personal. So, it is difficult to understand why those groups different in many ways presented together.
The only similarity between them is their so-called morally pure leaders whose true colours are revealed almost at the end. That is, Mr. Mireles enjoys his role as a leader, and exploits the publicity resulting from it as to flirt with younger women, which is unveiled by his wife as "He is not who everybody things he is.". Similarly, Mr. Foley and his team members show their racist inclinations towards the end, which questions their legitimacy. If the title were "Power Corrupts" or something similar to that, it would be more meaningful to observe the decline of these people, and affirm that vigilantism is not an easy thing to achieve, personal demons always corrupt one's soul. One more thing, little time is allocated to the leaders downfall, it seems it is not about them, it's about their cause. But, then, suddenly it turns out to be about their personal troubles. Instead of rushing this fact, director should have put more effort on developing more of governmental part of the story and how cartels operate and get organised in different territories. The opening scene where some cartel members are shown making crystal meth and expressing their feelings on drug trafficking misleads the audience as their relationship with different cartel groups, the government and Autodefansas is left unexplored.
To conclude, this documentary is not about drug wars, it is about two US and Mexican vigilante groups' usurping the law for their own satisfaction and how power corrupts one's soul, how extremism escalates in these groups activities as well as their beliefs and how they legitimise anything they do. Although more time is allocated to the Mexican side of the story, it is hard to comprehend the point why the director is bothered with the unglamorous American side. Finally, I admire everybody involved in shooting of the close range shootouts between cartel members and Autodefensas. I suppose picturing of Nailer and his team must have been a boring experience, especially the ones with night vision cameras, because there is nothing happening, except catching absolutely exhausted immigrants and treating them badly.
The Salt of the Earth (2014)
Reality not Distorted
This outstanding documentary hit me like a ton of bricks, I don't remember the last time I was that much intrigued and couldn't take my eyes off the screen.
The works of photographer Sebastião Salgado is shown in detail while his life is narrated on the background. One of the best things of this movie is that it's not a sole biography, it is actually the story of his soul-shattering pictures taken during the Ethiopian famine, genocide in Rwanda and Yugoslavia, end of Gulf War I while Kuwaiti oilfields were in flames, and many other horrific moments humankind have experienced. Concurrently, Salgado tells how he felt during those moments and how difficult it was to witness such dreadful moments after his interaction with the people forced to endure their misfortune. From this perspective, as the story goes on the viewer develops a great deal of admiration for Mr. Salgado and his work. He is definitely a life changer artist, and to picture the reality he's made lots of sacrifices some of which are even inconceivable to most of us.
This work of art does not only depict the pain human kind have experienced in a mechanical order, but with the tense emotional reality we human beings possess. You don't just see the sufferings, feel pity for them and move on, you feel it in your heart and think something is really wrong with our system. And the hardest reality to accept is that we all are part of the system. I think it is a formidable sin to live in prosperity while others struggle and stay alive in poverty, but the funny thing is there is no divine retribution for anything in this world; therefore it is up to average people to do something. Even watching this movie will help increase the awareness of the facts around the world.
The Salt of the Earth is a remarkable documentary, well-directed by acclaimed German director Wim Wenders, and tells the life story of Brazilian photographer Sebastião Salgado in chapters of his expeditions during last 40 years of his life. I highly recommend it to anyone who wishes not to see the world through rose-coloured glasses.
Spectre (2015)
Still reaping the fruits of Casino Royale
Lots of plot holes, lacking pace, still far behind Casino Royale, and more importantly unconvincing; that is Spectre.
From day to day, Bond movies have been turning into bad action movies, with no real satisfying action in it. Spectre is total waste of time, I wish it was shorter or never had been made.
The story always evolves between the good guy and the bad one. The good reaches the bad, some fight, at first the latter seems to be winning then the opposite happens. However, this time it is different, James Bond is after the most vicious one, as the story telling suggests he's the one on the top of the evil league, and also he's supposedly behind everything that happened before. Even M (Judi Dench) rises from her grave to warn Bond against him, even though I'm fed up with Judi Dench's M, I can accept her warning but why now and not before, she could have saved all that lost time we wasted watching the mediocre Bonds. Unconvincing Cristoph Waltz portrays Mr. Blofeld, and comparing Blofeld with Skyfall's Silva, the latter would eat the former alive, yet he is still depicted as the mastermind of all.
Bond is set to kill Marco Sciarra and attend his funeral following late M's message. Bond finds him in Mexico, engages in a fight with him in a flying helicopter which dangerously flies over the crowd gathered for the Day of the Dead celebrations. All the sequences of this fight fail to make any impression on me, and the movements made by the helicopter in the sky looks impossible to take place, it should have hit the ground many times before. Bond beats down Marco, throws him off the helicopter and attends to his funeral only to meet Lucia Sciarra (Monica Bellucci), Marco's wife. I think, the whole unnecessary action and showdown in Mexico was constructed in order for us to see ageing Monica Bellucci making out with Bond for five minutes. It was totally pointless, we never see her again. I guess it's OK because all the Bond ladies are there to die or pleasure Mr. Bond.
The golden rule in an action movie should be that when you knock your enemy down, you kill him/her that's it. If you don't kill him/her, and then if he/she comes back after you I don't find it believable, and also it absolutely disappoints me. Mr. Hinx tries to kidnap Dr. Madeleine Swann, you stop him with your little plane, he's unconscious, and you leave him there to haunt you in that train in Morocco. More to that, you are on the train having dinner with the doctor, both of you dressed up very nicely, why did you bring your tuxedo, and she the dress. What was the occasion, was it that you both were going to catch the most vicious criminal on earth and you thought it would be nice to have some decent clothes with you? Maybe, the severe fight between these two is a well-crafted one, but Mr. Bond with his intelligence could have prevented it ages ago. And beaten harshly by that beast doesn't stop Bond to take the doctor to bed, and they are in love, unbelievable.
Moreover, there is C, are we playing some kind of a completing the alphabet game? There is no reason for him being in the movie, except his dream of shutting 00 part of MI5 down, please stop coming again and again with the shutting some part of MI5 thing. C is introduced to us, nobody cares, we know there is something fishy about him, he'll die at some point, he falls down to his death, who cares.
To conclude, there is nothing enjoyable in Spectre, waste of time. It is full of cliché, the most important character alongside with Bond is supposed to be the villain, but his character is left undeveloped, his story lacks imagination and his motive for doing those dreadful things mentioned during the movie seems ridiculously implausible.
Bridge of Spies (2015)
Satisfied
If you know what to expect from Spielberg & Hanks collaboration, I think, you will feel the same way I feel; satisfied. Most characters Tom Hanks have depicted during the years are similar to the ones we see in real life. This makes it easier to watch and enjoy his movies, although this isn't the sole reason to praise Bridge of Spies.
Cold War era, Russian and American spies trying to get information about each others' actions, people feel like they are on the brink of a nuclear war, irrational fear of everything related to communism, thriving West Germany while East in poverty, Berlin Wall and so on. Among all this cliché, an alleged Soviet spy, Rudolf Abel (Mark Rylance), is arrested for espionage in NYC, and the constitution demands somebody to defend him. In order to look just, the government appoints a successful attorney, James B. Donovan (Tom Hanks), as Rudolf Abel's attorney. Our journey starts when these two meet. Tom Hanks does a great job portraying Mr. Donovan. He is so convincing and the time he appears on the screen, it is like your old uncle Tom came to see you after a long time. And there is Mark Rylance's character Rudolf Abel the coolest spy I have ever seen on the screen. He is unbelievable, don't expect him jumping long distances, flying and punching somebody and killing ten guys with one punch, he is just cool, even with his pyjamas. These outstanding performances offer unique and enjoyable dialogues.
The only problem is the story is based on true events but it's told from only one sides perspective. I think this is not a big deal, and had the Soviets told their version of the story I'd be glad to see it.
The scene with Ivan Schisckin, head of eastern KGB, is so disturbing because to reach there Mr. Donovan walks a long distance in freezing cold weather with his coat robbed of him, and shivering continuously in front of the former, but he doesn't care and even offer him a glass of drink. Nobody doesn't expect a great deal of hospitality from him, but, common, even he is your enemy, be polite. That was inhumane. And finally there is unlikable Agent Hoffman, well portrayed by Scott Shepherd, I don't know how to describe him, people like him, I guess, are there just to make everything difficult and annoy you.
Overall, Bridge of Spies is an entertaining picture, I recommend it.
Carol (2015)
Definitely not one of the best movies of 2015?
I don't understand why this movies is so overrated, it is a boring love story, the only difference from a usual boring love story is the same-sex concept.
The name of Todd Haynes made me expect a movie as emotionally intense as Far From Heaven (2002). Now, I realise it was just wishful thinking. I think Therese Belivet (Rooney Mara) does not fall for Carol (Cate Blanchett), she desires all the riches she possess and this leads her to feel something unexplainable towards Carol, for me that seems definitely not love. Whatever it is, it should have been described more thoroughly. Only after a short period of time both characters are presented to us, they start to love each other, and to prove they're in love, they move slowly, and as if that was the real thing, toward the moment when they share the same bed, have sex. That's OK with me but where is passion, where is love, and why so quick we don't know anything about the characters.
To sum up, I was absolutely disappointed because in no way Carol met my expectations. The story telling makes it difficult to understand what is going on; when and how those people fell in love, the husband who is he, why does he want Carol back even though he knows her preferences and she does not love him, the lover of Therese he suddenly comes into the scene then disappears, and lots of similar pointless stuff. Costumes are great, though. And finally, please stop taking part in projects you don't believe in with only the intention of getting an award. Famous actresses making out does not make a great movie, it needs more than that.
The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
The wolf of anything but Wall Street!
I was so excited about this movie when released, Scorsese and DiCaprio teaming up again, a story taking place in Wall Street, what else to expect. I don't know why but it took me two years to watch it. And I am kind of "Gosh, it could have waited more". The reason is it doesn't tell you anything from a financial standpoint. All we see is a greedy broker who suddenly makes lots of money, parties all the time, and too much sex, sex and sex. I think the name should be changed to "Sodom and Gomorrah All Over Again" or something like that.
The story doesn't clearly tells how Jordan Belford (DiCaprio) gets rich and climbs to the highs in Wall Str. We know he and his friends sell penny stocks and lead the IPO of SM women shoes, and that's it. It is never told how the penny stock mechanism works, or what happens to the people that trust Belford, and moreover he starts being "Robin Hood for himself and his colleagues" but are the rich that fool, do they just give away their money? Similarly, all of a sudden we see him lose everything, FBI investigation, wiring, everything getting out of hand, no story telling whatsoever.
Jonah Hill does a perfect job. DiCaprio too much, overacting again. The speeches he gives in the company, for me, are too emotional, it looks more like a cult religious ritual than an ordinary speech to employees. Maybe they are not ordinary, maybe it is that stealing other people's money needs that kind of encouragement. Lastly, I think, the name of Martin Scorsese makes us expect something great, and this movie does not fit and come anywhere close to that expectation. It seems to me that the fantasies of somebody was pictured.
Das finstere Tal (2014)
If you are Western fan, you should see it!
If somebody had asked me what I would expect from an Austrian Western before seeing it, I think it would have been a very hard question to answer. With no expectation except Sam Riley's casting in the movie, I started watching it. Just the opening scene thrilled me and attached me to my seat. There is this lone-rider approaching a little village in some snowy mountains followed by a couple of hostile locals. At this point I am aware that I will see some action...
Although it adds nothing new to the Western genre, and most of the characters are stereotypical, it still left an impressive effect on me. The story telling is easy to follow and the surrounding is pictured so dark and gloomy. Sam Riley's performance is incredibly believable and he deserves to be praised for it.