callejaiglesias Reviews

Broken (IV) (2012)

So Broken

[7/10 · 31 January 2013]

While watching this movie i was thinking about some concepts, specially the appearances and the truth behind any person, any event, any story, and also the power of sex as source of problems. These concepts have a very good case study in this British film, I want to underline "British" because I think it is important and it really gives a particular identity, those streets, accents, looks, school uniforms, habits, etc. are so heavy that it is definitely not a random feature.

What I really want to stand out is the performance of Eloise Laurence as "Skunk", she gives her character a tremendous freshness, she is very natural and convincing and above all, her face keep us under a beautiful spell. The rest of the cast is also excellent, and everything combines to give a quality film we can really enjoy despite of the drama.

Cinco metros cuadrados (2011)

A film about Impotence

[6/10 · 30 January 2013]

5 Metros Cuadrados (2011), shows a case among thousands of the corruption, speculation, lack of justice, absurd, obscenity, greed and despair you can sadly find into the process of buying a house in Spain, specially during this last decade.

The film is focused on an ordinary couple that wants to get married and buy the house where they will live for many years. The movie depicts a picture of Spain itself in this economic crises, and for this select a medium class man with an average odd job in a warehouse, very well played by Fernando Tejero, and a medium class woman with another average odd job in a shop played by Malena Alterio, in another good performance. In this couple we can see a very interesting stage of their relationship, already withered, it feels self convincing in general, and in many moments is about to explode but at the same time they don't want to abandon their comfort area. With these circumstances they decide to buy a house.

Spoiler: I could say the film results a great portrait of all this drama and social consequences, but just until its first hour approximately. Until that point the film is convincing and drama runs logical, real and very good detailed, but from that point it feels the director is in a rush for an ending and there is a not very natural turn in Fernando Tejero's character (Alejandro). Then some awkward action comes in, including the disappointing presence of the police, which means a decrease of quality, unfortunately like in most of Spanish movies, and another awkward attempt of having a specific end, which is a pity, usually these cases vanish into oblivion, and this could have been a better end, but in the case of a fatal or sudden end, something different, at least with more care, should have been done.

I want to stand out the scene where the couple have an appointment with a woman from the real state company of the troubled house, it shows the way all corporations put obstacles and labyrinths and at the same time these people (like the agency woman) have to deal with their own role into the company mixed with the angry customers there and their own perspective, sometimes totally agree with the customers, showing this deep frustration and big absurd, or in one word, impotence.

I give a 6/10 to this film because of that part beyond the hour and some other little mistakes, but all in all it really deserves a watch.

Another Earth (2011)

Beauty and fantastic simplicity

[8/10 · 28 January 2013]

I am not going to explain what this movie is about but to try to explain what made me feel and think, which is in my opinion the grace of this movie. I don't care too much about what is happening with that other planet but I love the influence it has throughout the movie, I don't think about what could happen but I let myself go with the emotion of "something big is going to happen". Apart from that and from the marvelous music and photography, I only have words for Brit Marling (Rhoda Williams). You will love her character up to a point where you will not fall in love with her but you will want to be her, it sounds strange but the way she is in life starting from zero (at some level), the simplicity of everything, what she does, what she wears (very important attention to this matter), what she says and specially what she does not say, in combination with her angelical beauty stained by life, make me feel like that and make me think differently about capital matters of everyday life.

What it is definitely sure is that after watching this movie you will have a nice feeling, it has this powerful influence on you. My personal suggestion is to watch this movie alone.

Zero Dark Thirty (2012)

More interesting than i thought

[7/10 · 28 January 2013]

I think it is compulsory to watch this movie in order to know what "they" want us to know about what happened with Osama Bin Laden.

First of all I have to say that I personally don't believe any concrete explanation around 9/11, we will never know what really happened, but once i've said this, I think it is interesting to know all perspectives in order to have a general picture, and this movie gives us a very interesting one.

This movie begins with the words "based on true events". After that they "reveal" us part of the investigation since 2001 to find Al-Qaeda members and Bin Laden. Kathryn Bigelow have a decent casting to develop all the characters involved in the story with a little exception, Jessica Chastain, too beautiful, sexy and actress to be the stubborn agent behind desks who, supposedly, was the key person of the whole investigation. I don't know if this fact is kind of a subtle provocation or just a blockbuster inevitable ingredient, but in my opinion it makes the film less believable somehow. Anyway, I must admit the film has a very good rhythm and excellent work of locations, keeping up the tension and the sense of reality all the time.

Spoiler: what surprises me more is the end, I thought a film about this topic would be more "black and white" for the big public, but there is a lot of grey here, which is good. In my opinion they let us to think the third man in the house in Abbottabad could not be the one they were looking for, even despite of the not too clear sequences where they confirm the identity. The other great point is how this movie shows through the investigation how everyone is controlled and the capital weight of mobile phones nowadays and specially in this story.

Apart from the "historic" events, this film can also being watched and enjoyed as a very decent action, thriller and investigation movie.

Savages (I) (2012)

Not recommended for anyone, it is a shame.

[1/10 · 26 January 2013]

This film is in my opinion a total disappointment, starting with Oliver Stone, i wonder if he is in economic problems and needed fast incomes, i can't find any other explanation. The story should be treated with maximum care but is the opposite, it is a a bad mix of violence with "no consequences" and away from reality, luxurious and empty display of absurd and once again far from reality lifestyles, trivialization of lethal topics that finally give to poor brains a delusive and dangerous impression .

Main roles are not credible at all, even if Mr. Stone wanted them not to be credible. It is a continuous disaster, the relationship between two American friends (one with the cliché of the tough ex-marine with no fear -and no brain-, the other with the cliché of the peaceful, tolerant, traveler, east influenced, open minded, etc -but once again totally empty and hollow character-) and the stupid plastic girl is absolutely insulting . What could be said about Mexican cartel and torture roles?, what about the stupid role of Shalma Hayek?....nothing in this movie has a meaning and i find dangerous to show this movie to the mainstream, it can make a real damage in certain people and definitely trivialize violence in a despicable way.

Not anything is valid, guns, bombs, blood, explosions, new technology, luxury, plastic sex,....is thrown against us with the worst taste and no care.

Miles from Anywhere (2011)

Great film with great topic

[9/10 · 25 January 2013]

I watched this movie last night and i enjoyed it so much. I think many times about the idea of buying a rural house in a remote and beautiful place and there is always this fight between fantasy and reality that obstacle a decision. In this movie they show us a situation not far from that idea. There are certain moments, characters and situations that give us a fantasy approach but at the same time we have same moments, characters and situations that give us the other real and raw approach to such a move or decision in life.

In my opinion the core idea of the movie and its presentation deserve a watch, specially for those who live in cities like Charleroi and want to dream about possible scenarios. It is a pity the movie is not longer.