[2011] 100 Films Project! Jun 6th - Jul 3rd
+7 Films: #68. Cría Cuervos (1976), #69. Biutiful (2010), #70. Driving Lessons (2006), #71. Le Voyage Du Ballon Rouge (2007), #72. Como Esquecer (2010), #73. Daydream Nation (2010), and #74. The Adjustment Bureau (2011).
cría cuervos (1976)+
7/10 *******
Plot: In Madrid, the orphan sisters Irene, Ana and Maite are raised by their austere aunt Paulina together with their mute and crippled grandmother after the death of their mother and their military father Anselmo. Ana is a melancholic girl, fascinated by death, after seeing her mother having a painful death and her father dead in bed.
Amazing (and perhaps eerie) portrait of childhood, a time that in itself is already quite fascinating. The story is intriguing and the performances are superb, especially the little girl's. The only trouble I had with this film was that the song "Porque Te Vas" got stuck in my head for days, and now -- writing this review -- the little pain-in-the-ass tune found its way back. Great!
biutiful (2010)+
7/10 *******
Plot: Uxbal, single father of two children, finds his life in chaos as he is forced to deal with his life in order to escape the heat of crime in underground Barcelona, to break with the love for the divorced, manic depressive, abusive mother of his children and to regain spiritual insight in his life as he is diagnosed with terminal cancer.
A nicely told tale of hardship. I'm a bit biased to say, since Iñárritu is one of my favourite directors/screenwriters, but this film is totally worthy of a watch. Bardem is awesome in it as well. A fantastic story all around.
driving lessons (2006)+
4/10 ****
Plot: A coming of age story about a shy teenage boy trying to escape from the influence of his domineering mother. His world changes when he begins to work for a retired actress.
This film falls under the category "I'll Watch Anything With Laura Linney In It". It's also got a plot device that I usually find appealing, which is "lessons youngsters can learn from old people"; although I must say said device wasn't used quite well. Anyways, it's an average film, made more decent by Linney's presence (obviously!).
le voyage du ballon rouge (2007)+
4/10 ****
Plot: In Paris, the Chinese student of cinema Song Fang is hired to work as the nanny of Simon by his divorced mother Suzanne that works dubbing marionettes in a theater. Suzanne is having troubles with her tenant Marc that does not pay the rent while she waits for the return of her older daughter Louise that lives with her father in Brussels.
I'm sorry but this film has no story whatsoever. And script is a very important part of cinema for me, which is why I had to deduct major points here. The cinematography and score are wonderful, 'though. Reasons why it escaped a "3"... Barely.
como esquecer (2010)+
4/10 ****
Plot: Julia is a 35-year-old English Literature teacher struggling with depression as she tries to get her life back together again after her long, intense love affair with Antonia. Feeling totally abandoned after she and her enigmatic girlfriend broke up, Julia is thrown into a desperate, painful process. Her life and her values have been tinged with unbearable melancholy and her life's measure seems reduced to out-of-focus fragments of her memories. Her inner turmoil and conflicts hamper a process now made necessary - that of readapting to her new life. It is impossible for her to disguise her pain when she attempts to narrate emotions.
I should really try to make more of an effort to catch Brazilian films... Anyhow, this film is worthy of a watch even 'though it lacks something more... gripping to it. On another hand the narrative is strong and the script kinda holds its own.
daydream nation (2010)+
3/10 ***
Plot: Tells the story of a city girl who moves to a small town and becomes entangled in a love triangle between her high school teacher and a stoner classmate.
As I finished watching this film I felt quite torn... I couldn't decide if it was "severely bad" or "plainly mediocre". Hence the "3", some sort of compromise (leaning more towards the former option, 'though). The main issue with it is that it just tries to tackle too many things at once. The characters are very one-dimensional and, honestly, pitiful; plus the story is weak and inconsistent. Which is a shame 'cause I kinda dig Dennings.
the adjustment bureau (2011)+
4/10 ****
Plot: The affair between a politician and a ballerina is affected by mysterious forces keeping the lovers apart.
Another one of those many films that had a great/awesome concept and managed to not make the most of it. I mean, the men in hats idea was cool but, come on, they blew it. And that ending? For crying out loud, that was a bad joke! A weak, bad joke. Those things aside, the characters could have used some more care and development. You really don't feel much empathy for them as the story progresses. Not as much as you should anyway. And we're talking about Blunt and Damon here, those guys naturally ooze sympathy. Still worthy of a watch 'though, you know, when you've got nothing else going on. Perhaps on a rainy evening? ;)
Finally started (and finished) watching Damages! Woot, woot! Like I promised I would do here. Man, that show is addictive... Can't wait for next season. Sidenote: how awesome is Close/Byrne, the pairing? The ladies rule/rock :D
cría cuervos (1976)+
7/10 *******
Plot: In Madrid, the orphan sisters Irene, Ana and Maite are raised by their austere aunt Paulina together with their mute and crippled grandmother after the death of their mother and their military father Anselmo. Ana is a melancholic girl, fascinated by death, after seeing her mother having a painful death and her father dead in bed.
Amazing (and perhaps eerie) portrait of childhood, a time that in itself is already quite fascinating. The story is intriguing and the performances are superb, especially the little girl's. The only trouble I had with this film was that the song "Porque Te Vas" got stuck in my head for days, and now -- writing this review -- the little pain-in-the-ass tune found its way back. Great!
biutiful (2010)+
7/10 *******
Plot: Uxbal, single father of two children, finds his life in chaos as he is forced to deal with his life in order to escape the heat of crime in underground Barcelona, to break with the love for the divorced, manic depressive, abusive mother of his children and to regain spiritual insight in his life as he is diagnosed with terminal cancer.
A nicely told tale of hardship. I'm a bit biased to say, since Iñárritu is one of my favourite directors/screenwriters, but this film is totally worthy of a watch. Bardem is awesome in it as well. A fantastic story all around.
driving lessons (2006)+
4/10 ****
Plot: A coming of age story about a shy teenage boy trying to escape from the influence of his domineering mother. His world changes when he begins to work for a retired actress.
This film falls under the category "I'll Watch Anything With Laura Linney In It". It's also got a plot device that I usually find appealing, which is "lessons youngsters can learn from old people"; although I must say said device wasn't used quite well. Anyways, it's an average film, made more decent by Linney's presence (obviously!).
le voyage du ballon rouge (2007)+
4/10 ****
Plot: In Paris, the Chinese student of cinema Song Fang is hired to work as the nanny of Simon by his divorced mother Suzanne that works dubbing marionettes in a theater. Suzanne is having troubles with her tenant Marc that does not pay the rent while she waits for the return of her older daughter Louise that lives with her father in Brussels.
I'm sorry but this film has no story whatsoever. And script is a very important part of cinema for me, which is why I had to deduct major points here. The cinematography and score are wonderful, 'though. Reasons why it escaped a "3"... Barely.
como esquecer (2010)+
4/10 ****
Plot: Julia is a 35-year-old English Literature teacher struggling with depression as she tries to get her life back together again after her long, intense love affair with Antonia. Feeling totally abandoned after she and her enigmatic girlfriend broke up, Julia is thrown into a desperate, painful process. Her life and her values have been tinged with unbearable melancholy and her life's measure seems reduced to out-of-focus fragments of her memories. Her inner turmoil and conflicts hamper a process now made necessary - that of readapting to her new life. It is impossible for her to disguise her pain when she attempts to narrate emotions.
I should really try to make more of an effort to catch Brazilian films... Anyhow, this film is worthy of a watch even 'though it lacks something more... gripping to it. On another hand the narrative is strong and the script kinda holds its own.
daydream nation (2010)+
3/10 ***
Plot: Tells the story of a city girl who moves to a small town and becomes entangled in a love triangle between her high school teacher and a stoner classmate.
As I finished watching this film I felt quite torn... I couldn't decide if it was "severely bad" or "plainly mediocre". Hence the "3", some sort of compromise (leaning more towards the former option, 'though). The main issue with it is that it just tries to tackle too many things at once. The characters are very one-dimensional and, honestly, pitiful; plus the story is weak and inconsistent. Which is a shame 'cause I kinda dig Dennings.
the adjustment bureau (2011)+
4/10 ****
Plot: The affair between a politician and a ballerina is affected by mysterious forces keeping the lovers apart.
Another one of those many films that had a great/awesome concept and managed to not make the most of it. I mean, the men in hats idea was cool but, come on, they blew it. And that ending? For crying out loud, that was a bad joke! A weak, bad joke. Those things aside, the characters could have used some more care and development. You really don't feel much empathy for them as the story progresses. Not as much as you should anyway. And we're talking about Blunt and Damon here, those guys naturally ooze sympathy. Still worthy of a watch 'though, you know, when you've got nothing else going on. Perhaps on a rainy evening? ;)
Finally started (and finished) watching Damages! Woot, woot! Like I promised I would do here. Man, that show is addictive... Can't wait for next season. Sidenote: how awesome is Close/Byrne, the pairing? The ladies rule/rock :D