CineMan-8 Reviews

I prova tou nyfikou (1995–1996)

One of the best series of greek tv

[21 December 2000]

"Prova Nifikou" or "Wedding Dress Rehearsal" as the English title would be, is Costas Koutsomitis' adaption of the Dora Giannakopoulou novel. It is one of the best tv series of greek television, with excellent production values. A great cast, Peggy Trikalioti, Pemy Zouni, Aggelos Adonopoulos and Andreas Voutsinas stand out, are directed by one of the best and most important artists of greek television, Kostas Koutsomitis. Admirable in every aspect, it won several television awards and launched the career of many young actors. It's critical as well as commercial success gave the opportunity to Koutsomitis to continue directing demanding and big budget productions for tv, such as "I Agapi Argise Mia Mera" and "O Megalos Thimos".

I agapi argise mia mera (1997–1998)

A Masterpiece on tv

[21 December 2000]

Kostas Koutsomitis achieves the impossible. He manages to create a masterpiece. "Love Was One Day Late" is really a rare experience for a tv viewer. It has all the elements of an epic motion picture. An excellent production and memorable performances all around. Trikalioti, Grigoriadou, Hadjisavas, Moschidis and especially Diamadopoulos are unforgettable. But this is Kariofillia Karabeti's movie. She steals every scene she is in and proves once more that she is one of the best actresses in Greece. With a performance that under other circumstances could have award her an Oscar nomination, Kafabeti stays long in your memory and creates one of the most memorable roles in the history of greek tv. It won every single tv award it was nominated for (Art Direction, Costumes, Cinematography, Music, Screenplay, Director, Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress, Actor, Actress, Series) "Agapi Argise Mia Mera" is an unforgettable experience.

Hedda (1975)

Glenda Jackson gives the performance of her life

[9/10 · 25 September 2000]

Glenda Jackson is superb in the title role. Ibsen's play "Hedda Gabler" gets a first-rate treatment in this adaption. Hedda is a restless, free-spirited and ruthless woman who enjoys playing with other people's lives and ultimately destroying them. Glenda Jackson gives the performance of her life in this movie. Peter Eyre gives an equal impressive supporting performance. Highly recommended for theater lovers.

Look Back in Anger (1989 TV Movie)

A great movie as relevant today as when the play was written

[18 April 2000]

"Look back in Anger" is one of the most celebrated plays of modern drama. It is rightfully regarded as a milestone in english theater. This movie does justice to it. Academy Award winner Judi Dench does a wonderful job directing this play. She gets a lot of help from a wonderful cast though. Kenneth Branagh is outstanding as Jimmy. He really brings the character to life. Emma Thompson also delivers an excellent performance as his long-suffering wife. Gerald Horan is equally impressive. A must for theater fans. It may seem too stagy to some, but still, nobody can deny it's importance.

A Crazy... Crazy Family (1965)

Greek Classic

[7/10 · 30 October 1999]

One of the greek classic comedies. The performances are all first rate. Tzeni Karezi and Dionisis Papayiannopoulos are great as usual. Mary Aroni shines as "Pasta Flora" in the best performance of her career.

The Trojan Women (1971)

An Excellent Effort with Great Performances

[9/10 · 17 September 1999]

A greek tragedy is very hard to be made into a movie. In my opinion it is really almost impossible as there are often long monologues that can't be cut or improved in any way. Nevertheless Michael Cacoyannis tried, and succeded in filming the best anti-war work ever written. The film is a bit stagy but that is how it should be. Being the editor of his film too, he manages to create a unique atmosphere that in the beginning seems a bit akward but as the plot develops you understand that it is the ideal. The scenery is excellent. We see only the total destruction of the city and that's all we need to see as the narrations must "draw" the total picture of the inner part of the city in our minds. All the performances are first-rate. Katharine Hepburn is heart-breaking as Hecuba. She cries for her lost sons, husband and city. She loves the city and hates the Greeks who give her, the queen of Troy, as slave.

G.Bujold is also excellent as Cassandra. She seems crazy, but she is fully aware of the fate. She delivers a balanced performance avoiding exagerations. Irene Pappas is stunning. Looking more beautiful than ever, she manages to stand opposite Katharine Hepburn's Hecuba and deliver an excellent and utterly convincing performance. But the great performance of the picture is surely Vanessa Redgrave's. Her Adromache seems strange at the beginning but when her character is fully developed, you understand the genius of her performance. This picture is a must-see not only for the excellent performances delivered but four of the greatest actresses of their generation but also for the importance of Euripides play.

An Ideal Husband (I) (1999)

An excellent cast in an excellent film

[10/10 · 16 September 1999]

A really enjoyable and unforgetable film. Oliver Parker managed to create a wonderful movie from Oscar Wilde's witty play. His efforts really had a marvellous conclusion. The cast is marvelous. Every one of them shines in his/her role. Minnie Driver and Jeremy Northam deliver excellent performances. Julianne Moore becomes better movie by movie and is perfectly cast. Cate Blanchett proves those who regard her 'the next Meryl Streep" right. But this is Rupert Everett's show. He is PERFECT in his role and is a very strong candidate for an Academy Award nomination.

The Red Lanterns (1963)

A great greek film

[4 August 1999]

"Ta Kokkina Fanaria" (Red Latterns) is one of the most celebrated greek films. Some of the most popular actors of Greece star in it. The movie offers excellent performances especially by the GREAT Manos Katrakis, Jenny Karezi and Alexandra Ladikou. It managed to be one of the four Greek films nominated for an Academy Award for Best Language Film. The director George Javellas did a marvellous job in a film that it's considered a classic here in Greece. Don't miss it.

Iphigenia (1977)

A great achievement

[10/10 · 20 April 1999]

'Iphigenia' is the great achievement of Michael Cacoyannis. This masterful play is masterfully adapted for the screen and brought to life by a wonderful cast. Cacoyannis achieved the impossible. He managed to film a Greek tragedy to screen without losing its effectiveness and importance. A stellar greek cast helps him in this. Newcomer Tatiana Papamoschou is extremely impressive as Iphigenia. Equally impressive is Irene Papas ,who even though she sometimes seems over the top, it is very realistic. A wonderful Greek film, beautifully adapted and directed by Michael Cacoyannis, with an excellent music score by Mikis Theodorakis which is ideal in every scene.

P.S. Rumours say that the film lost the best foreign language film Oscar by only 1 vote!!!

A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)

A true milestone in cinema history

[10/10 · 8 December 1998]

"A Streetcar Named Desire" is along with "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" the best movies adapted from a play ever. Vivien Leigh is excellent in the most difficult role of the world theatre and far more impressive here than in "Gone With the Wind". With the performance she gives she proves what a great actress really means. Marlon Brando is equally impressive in a role that made him a star. He gives a different dimension to Stanley and introduces method acting to Hollywood. This role that deserved an Oscar is maybe the best of his career. Kim Hunter and Karl Malden are ideal in the supporting roles. The scene that Stanley and Stella are reconciled after a fight they have is full of passion and desire and is now regarded a classic. But the person that created the atmosphere and helped the actors create their roles is Elia Kazan (to me he is the best director ever lived). Kazan manages to create a great atmosphere and make the movie not be just another stagy play. "A Streetcar Nemed Desire" is undoubtedly a milestone in cinema's history that nobody should miss.

The Mask of Zorro (1998)

Nobody disappointed

[7/10 · 3 December 1998]

The Mask of Zorro is a typical Hollywood movie but at its best times. Nobody could get out disappointed by such picture. Of course nobody gets out enthrilled. It's a classic adventure movie with many comic elements and of course the essential love story. Banderas is good in the title role and quite convincing. Zeta Jones is a true beauty and is ideal for the role. But the man who steals the show is certainly Anthony Hopkins. A great actor as he is he "steals' every scene he is in. The direction is also impressing and the cinematography superb. I'm not saying that 'The Mask of Zorro" is an unforgettable picture or that it is one of the best movies of the year. It's a movie that entertains you and makes you feel satisfied. It's the kind of classic movie that Hollywood used to make many years ago and unfortunately doesn't make often anymore.

Good Will Hunting (1997)

A movie that truly has something to talk about

[8/10 · 3 December 1998]

Before i saw "Good Will Hunting' in the cinema i was hearing about a new talent called Matt Damon who starred and wrote one of the best pictures of 1997. But it was until i saw it that i aggred with all this comments. Good Will Hunting has one of the most original screenplays of the last decade and it's not surprising the fact that its fans are mostly young people. It deals with a very serious matter and manages to examine its every aspect. It's a fresh and original movie, the kind of those we want to see more in the cinemas. Matt Damon is of course the core and the soul of this picture. He co-wrote the screenplay with Ben Affleck and managed to persuade the 'big-bosses" to make it a great movie. Demon is excellent in the lead and truly deserved the Oscar as his portrayal of Will was utterly realistic.

Robin Williams is equally impressive in the role of the doctor and proves that he can be better in drama than in comedy. But the true revelation of the picture is the great Minnie Driver. She too gives a realistic and heart-warming performance that allows her to be regarded as the most talented actresses today.(Her performances in "Grosse Point Blank" and especially in "The Circle of Friends" also prove that) Good Will Hunting is along with "The Wings of the Dove" undoubtedly the best picture of 1997.

A Thousand Acres (1997)

Superb performances by the two leads

[6/10 · 13 October 1998]

I was really looking forward for this picture since i heard that Michelle Pfeiffer and Jessica Lange would star together. But when i eventually went to see it i must say i was a bit disappointed. I don't say that the movie was bad ,but the fact that i expected much more from it , make me regard it an average movie. The direction was very poor and the editing unacceptable. The adaption seemed to lack in many ways and Jennifer Jason Leigh was unbearable. But seeing Pfeiffer ang Lange together on screen made me forget everything. These two great actresses proved for once more their talent. When you see them together on screen you forget all the disadvantages the movie has and there's nowhere else you want to be. They both deserved Oscar nominations and Lange probably the award too. Jason Robards though not as good as in some of his previous roles was great too.

Frankie and Johnny (1991)

Realism at it's best

[10/10 · 13 October 1998]

Frankie and Johnny is one of the best love stories in the history of cinema. The scipt is excellent and all the performances are superb. Pacino and Pfeiifer seem to be made for each other, while all the supporting roles are equally impressive.But the most important element of this picture is that it is truly realistic. We can at last identify ourselves in this movie. It's a movie about real people not about cinderella-like characters that once thay find love are happy. Frankie and Johnny fall in love but can't stop being hurt by this love. They are two every day characters that live in today's world and face their lives and problems with realism. With a pessimistic mood Frankie refuses to fall in love as she is afraid she'll get hurt, while Johnny thinks that the only thing that can give a tone of optimism and satisfaction in his life is Frankie. In short. Frankie and Johnny is a delightful picture that no one should miss.