Day 15: La Haine

La Haine | 1995 | France | Mathieu Kassovitz

8.3 / 10


Have I told you lately how much I love Vincent Cassel?

"Jusqu’ici tout va bien, jusqu’ici tout va bien, jusqu’ici tout va bien."

   La Haine is a powerful social realist masterpiece about the "wrong" side of Paris. A city big enough to contemplate 400000 immigrants and a man called Jean-Marie Le Pen who is widely known for being xenophobic, anti-Semitic and inciting racial hatred. He, together with the French right wing, made it possible for this artwork to come true. 
   The film is about a day in the life of three outcasts: an Arab, an African and a Jew. Opposite of what we are used to in American movies, in France, friendships are not based on race, but on social class. And I didn't know that until I first watched this film. These kids have no money, no jobs, no education and no prospects, they are not bad kids, they just had the misfortune (or not) to be brought up in the dark side of Paris. They spend their days hanging out in the streets. We can tell a certain deification for American Culture and we can see that in the Vinz's imitations of Robert de Niro in front of his bathroom mirror. It's not that they feel American, Its more that they don't feel French at all.
   This tremendous black and white drama is full of beautiful long takes, its amazingly well written and the performances are outstanding. It's timeless, engaging and its honest. It shows you the city of light in a way France doesn't want it to be seen. It's uncomfortable. In this piece the kids only have one option: to be consumed by hate or not. 
   By the way, have you "heard about the guy who fell off a skyscraper? On his way down past each floor, he kept saying to reassure himself: So far so good... so far so good... so far so good. How you fall doesn't matter. It's how you land."

Day 14: The Perks of Being a Wallflower

The Perks of Being a Wallflower | 2012 | USA | Stephen Chbosky

6 / 10



“Things change. And friends leave. Life doesn't stop for anybody.” Neither for this movie.

   What a fabulous title for such a poor movie! This movie is so overrated it's painful. It makes me wonder what's all the fuss about?

    First of all you can not think vinyl is better and not know David Bowie? 

   Second,, from all the Bowie songs they could have chosen from they chose Heroes!?! Seriously, leave Heroes alone. That song saw its expiration date as a movie soundtrack in Moulin Rouge 13 years ago. 
    The Perks of Being a Wallflower is, wait, let me say this ten times since it's the only decent thing about the movie: The Perks of Being a Wallflower, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, The Perks of Being a Wallflower. OK, now The Perks of Being a Wallflower is just another movie about a troubled teen that wants to be accepted: unpopular kid, makes new friends, loses them, wins them back before the end. There you go.The movie is one dimensional and flat and the characters are dull. It's also pretentious regarding subjects everyone was over with 20 years ago.

   Now seriously, this movie is not worthwatching unless its a Sunday afternoon, you're alone, its on national tv (and you don't have cable) and you have a bunch of clothes to iron.

Day 13: Nymphomaniac: Vol I and Vol II

Nymphomaniac: Vol I & Nymphomaniac: Vol II

2013 | Denmark Belgium France Germany | Lars Von Trier

8 / 10

3 + 5

1. If you only have the chance to watch one of the volumes, go for number 1.

2. It's not erotic. It's disturbing.

3. It's brutal and overly graphic with some jaw-droppingly scenes.

+

1. If you think you can handle it, watch it, It's worth it.

2. Great writing, superb acting. Provokative in a way only Lars Von Trier can be.

3. An analogy between sex and fly-fishing with some classical music in between.

4. A story about addiction, psychosexual madness, lust and self destruction.

5. Its an ambitious piece of art with quality and substance.

Day 12: The Grand Budapest Hotel

The Grand Budapest Hotel | 2014 | UK Germany | Wes Anderson

8.5 / 10

"M. Gustave: I'll never part with it. It reminded her of me; it will remind me of her, always. I'll die with this picture above my bed. See the resemblance?

Zero: Oh... oh, yes.

M. Gustave: Actually, we should sell it."

     From all Wes Anderson's films I found The Grand Budapest Hotel the most heartfelt. You can tell the direction and narration are more mature. The film is solid and almost flawless, still following Anderson's quirky signature.

  The story is about a wonderful friendship between a legendary mannered sophisticated concierge and a lobby boy and it takes place at The Grand Budapest Hotel in the fictional country of Zubrowka. The characters are wonderfully built and like in all his films they are eccentric.

      Once again Anderson creates his own universe like an artwork with perfect lines, careful compositions and an obsession for detail. This film made me feel like I was reading a book and what I saw was a product of my imagination. I believe that this is the most crowd pleaser film of his career. 

Day 11: One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest

One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest | 1975 | USA | Milos Forman

8.4 / 10



Chief Bromden: Mmmmmm, Juicy Fruit.

      Two words: Jack Nicholson, Jack Nicholson, Jack Nicholson, Jack Nicholson... 

      I needed to state that first so I could proceed.  

     "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest" is a tremendous film that aged well. It remains as one of the most powerful and relevant films about the ones who don't "fit " the society of today. It's a landmark. 

      It has a powerful story and a superb cast. Nicholson is brilliant as Randall McMurphy and Louise Fletcher as Nurse Ratchet delivers one of the best villains of the history of cinema. But it would be unfair just to highlight these two actors. This film contemplates one of the best acted ensembles ever. 

       Randall Patrick McMurphy is a brave man pretending to be crazy to escape prison.   Nothing spectacular about that. Surprising is what he does after that.  He's a likeable and unforgettable free-spirited character that cares for his friends. What he doesn't know is that his kindness comes with a price.

Day 10: The Lives Of Others

Das Leben Der Anderen | 2006 | Germany |  Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck

8.5 / 10

   "The Lives Of Others"  takes place in East Germany in 1984 and tell us the story of Wiesler, a member of the Stasi (Government Secret Police). 

    Wiesler is a lonely man, loyal to socialism, with no life of it's own, that performs a single minded job. 

   In the film he is assigned to spy the playwright Georg Dreyman who soon becomes part of the  intellectual resistance in East Germany. As the playwright changes so does Wiesler. The lives of others change him, and he goes from a soldier with no emotions to a kind man who puts his career in jeopardy to help others. The tragic moment of his change happens when in an elevator a boy tells him about his father's hatred for the stasi and Wiesler asks him: "What's the name of your...ball?"

   This film is an intelligent masterpiece, engaging, cleverly written, full of drama, perfectly directed. You won't be disappointed. The acting is also superb, after all how many actors can get your attention for 137 minutes saying almost nothing?

Day 9: The Godfather: Part II

The Godfather: Part II | 1974 | USA | Francis Ford Coppola

8.5 / 10

 "The Godfather, Part  II"  is the perfect example of a sequel (and a prequel) that lives up to the original. Many even consider it better, I wouldn't go that far. 

  It's true that is just as powerful as the first film. It's even more violent, darker and definitely more ambitious, but the plot is also over-complex in an unnecessary way. I must admit I missed Brando but De Niro performance is flawless together with Al Pacino.  Al Pacino did a terrific job with his character throughout the story. From the educated American boy who joined the army to an evil and merciless gangster with no heart for forgiveness that ends up alone. And that's what make it tragic.

   This film is another Coppola masterpiece and an amazing continuation of a great tale. A film where family collapses, Don Corleone falls and no one is innocent.