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cinematik
Reviews
The Grifters (1990)
Totally Underrated
I don't understand why this movie is only rated a 6. Everything about it is stellar. The performance, the writing, the characters, the plot. Stellar and deeply affecting.
I am going to keep it short.
If you crave a classic film noir that is a notch above the usual B movies, then this is for you.
Conspiracy Theory (1997)
Aged like fine wine
It's 2022, we are 2 years into 2 weeks to flatten the curve, and this movie has aged pretty well. A lot of conspiracy theories have come true. A lot of people previously thought of as crazy nutters are now seen as prophets.
Saw this movie when it first came out, and enjoyed it as an escapism sort of thriller, something to make my life more exciting for a couple of hours.
I decided to watch it again, and though the element of surprise is gone, it was an even better, more visceral experience.
This movie, you will either hate it, or you love it. I am willing to bet your reaction will be based on how you feel about what's currently happening in the world.
All of My Heart (2015)
Surprisingly good!
I have very low expectations for Hallmark movies. I only watch them as an easy, stress free and lighthearted alternative to the intense, bloody, scary and nightmarish TV news and shows. They usually play in the background of whatever I am doing at home, cooking, surfing the net, cleaning etc...
However, this movie had such a good script and clever dialogue, it grabbed me fron the start and I actually sat down and watched it.
I loved it!
Yes, the story was predictable, but when you have a well written script and great dialogue, who cares? The cast of characters was easy on the eyes and pleasing to the ears. I am adding this movie to the list of movies I will watch once a year for the rest of my life.
Florence Foster Jenkins (2016)
English version of Marguerite
This is a shamelessly plagiaristic version of the 2015 French movie Marguerite. The story line is basically the same, with a few variations. In Marguerite, a wealthy woman, who has been mislead by her entourage into believing she could sing, decides to embark on a career as an opera singer.
I would suggest you see the French version first, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4428788/ The Marguerite movie is done with that quirky French sensibility and sense of humor that defines French cinema. It won four (4) Cesar, the French equivalent of the Oscar, and was nominated for 6 more.
Then if you want too, see its copycat with Meryl and Hugh. And compare.
It was a nice change that they paired Meryl with a younger man. It's usually the other way around. I remember when she was considered too old to be the love interest of Clint Eastwood in the amazing Bridges of Madison County.
Personally, I thought the English remake was not as good. No surprise. Remakes are rarely as good as their original inspiration, but you can't tell until you see both. I love dame Streep and she can do no wrong in my book, so this is not meant to put her down.
La fille au fouet (1952)
A lifelong favorite
I saw this movie a long time ago on TV, and it made an indelible impression on me as a young girl. The gender bender plot was erotic and still works decades later. Veronique Deschamps in the title role is amazing. She was 24 at the time, yet she was able to project a boyish charm with subterranean female sensibility. It's a pity she didn't make more movies after 1960. It seems that she married the film's director, Jean Dreville, and stopped acting after the birth of their daughter in 1962. Anyway, I had searched for this movie for decades and was unable to find it, but thanks to Dailymotion, my search was over and this movie is now part of my personal collection.
Jean Dreville is one of the most underrated French directors. The plot is not extremely believable, but who cares! Cinema is about suspending disbelief and the way this movie is put together makes it an uniquely delicious flight of imagination. This movie is a gem.
L'un reste, l'autre part (2005)
Quintessentially French
This is one of those French movies that may not translate well for Americans. Most American movies dealing with marital infidelity usually end with someone's death as in movies like Unfaithful, Fatal Attraction, or the sinning spouse going back to the marriage. Our puritanical background, perhaps? Culturally speaking, we tend to hold that the wages of sins is death.
The French have a more nuanced view of the subject, and this movie reflects it perfectly well.
Excellent performance by all the actors, even direction, honest dialogue. This movie is to be enjoyed with an open mind.