ozorfis Reviews

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994)

Too loud!

[4/10 · 29 September 2023]

I had last seen this movie about 20 years ago, when I was 20 years old and obviously liked it enough to give it a rewatch today.

Unfortunately I could not finish the movie this time around. I could not bare the permanent onslaught of trumpets and frenzy cuts. The movie just has no quiet moments to reflect and calm down. Dramatic music and acting totally loses it's impact, when it is not contrasted with silence and slower parts. Like the painters of old used to say: one cannot show light without darkness.

A cocaine addict or teen might have a different perception but to me this is like 2 hours of glaring stroboscope light whilst listening to endless Beethoven finales. In summary I might say that the pacing, timing and hence rhythm transformed this otherwise good movie into a nuisance.

The Deepest Breath (2023)

Emotions and suspense

[8/10 · 18 August 2023]

From the first pictures of this documentary it is evident that something bad is about to happen. By careful editing the suspense of not knowing what or to whom it will happen is held up until the end. As a result the runtime of almost 2 hours felt more like one.

To my taste the documentary is trying a bit too hard emotionally in some scenes, but it works and I did care for most of the characters. While there is some sublime cinematography it feels partly out of place as the rest of the footage does not hold up. The subject matter itself might seem nonsensical to some and the character's true motivation a bit shallow - although sometimes that is all there is.

Conspiracy (2001 TV Movie)

Preferred the 1984 version

[6/10 · 22 July 2023]

As this is a remake of the German TV movie "Die Wannseekonferenz" from 1984, I will mostly compare the two versions. My impression might be tainted by the fact that I had seen the original in German language first, but this rendition is lacking in authenticity and grit.

My biggest issue is that the characters all felt flat without any substance or profile as if they were just reading their parts from a boring script. There was little believable tension between the participants and Kenneth Brannagh came across more like a friendly English teacher than one of the highest ranking Nazi officers. The soft and well rounded English accent didn't help the atmosphere either. Simple things like the uniforms lacked the intimidating nature of the original and small omissions like the barking dog took away the all important undertones.

In short: go watch the original instead.

Come and See (1985)

Sometimes I wish I had never seen this

[10/10 · 25 March 2023]

This movie occupied my mind for a long time after watching it unfold. Usually that is a good thing as it makes you reflect on the topics presented, yourself and the world in general.

But this movie leaves you in utter despair and horror for days. You get physically sick from the feelings it conveys. When you realize, that it is by no means an exaggeration, but what it was like for the Belarussian people during WW2, it hits even harder. The tension between realism and surrealism invokes a sense of dissociation the protagonist might have felt at times.

Every other war movie feels like a staged soap opera now, which is part of why I sometimes regret watching this movie. IF you want to know what total war feels like, this is for you.

Hagazussa (2017)

Goosebumps

[9/10 · 17 August 2018]

This is not an ordinary movie. In an aesthetic and moody way it can be compared to "Walhalla Rising" by Nicolas Winding Refn. The heavy use of chiaroscuro effects give such a powerful feel and quality to the pictures. In fact the stills appear like Rembrandt paintings. The very gloomy mood is perfectly supported by the very slow pace and symbolic, shamanistic elements.

In parts it felt like an LSD Trip that made me write my first review on IMDB. Highly recommended for people who have seen it all.