Having a strong, true story like this paired with moderate acting and directing could have resulted a great and powerful movie, something like Iranian directors so impressively produce since decade. Instead of choosing this way of movie making, the director uses every possible tool to "strengthen" the drama, like theatrical setting of the actors, hyper- dramatic etc as if he would think that just the tragedy of stoning an innocent woman wouldn't be enough for the audience. Maybe for people accustomed these Hollywood properties this is indeed necessary, but for me it was just fake and even a bit tasteless as I felt the tragedy and the suffering was just sold out very cheaply. Yes, this question is still important but I am still waiting for a decent one and meanwhile I can suggest to watch Iranian made movies instead of this one.
Reviews
5 Reviews
Police, Adjective
(2009)
So slow, so real
19 October 2009
Warning: Spoilers
It was interesting for me to read some comments from people who couldn't make it until the unhappy ending. Indeed, this is a very slow movie, so maybe if someone expects an action-based crime movie, he will be surely disappointed.
However, for me it was a much deeper experience than a usual Hollywood- style piece: when the viewer's eye gets used to the tempo, it start to discover odd, sometimes funny details, insights, old reflexes.
I saw this movie in a Romanian Film Festival in Budapest and it seemed that those in the audience speaking Romanian liked it much more than those who could just read the subtitles, but still I would suggest this movie to everyone with some interest in general moral problems, human relations and, mostly, in how does it feel to live in a not too nice post-communist town.
However, for me it was a much deeper experience than a usual Hollywood- style piece: when the viewer's eye gets used to the tempo, it start to discover odd, sometimes funny details, insights, old reflexes.
I saw this movie in a Romanian Film Festival in Budapest and it seemed that those in the audience speaking Romanian liked it much more than those who could just read the subtitles, but still I would suggest this movie to everyone with some interest in general moral problems, human relations and, mostly, in how does it feel to live in a not too nice post-communist town.
Delta
(2008)
If you like it slooow and are a fan of Eastern Europe, you will love Delta
6 February 2008
Warning: Spoilers
Brother returns to his remote birth's village (in this case to the Danube Delta) where he meets his sister seemingly for the first time. Their affiliation toward each other and the fact that she moves to him and helps to build a riverside house embarrasses the community, making the end of the film tragic.
For me, the simplicity of the story alone wouldn't be a fault: it makes only the task of the director heavier. With perfection in the details and brilliant acting this simplicity could have been a strength, unfortunately this movie lacks these. Lili Monori, the mother (and partly Orsolya Tóth, the daughter) , plays a realistic and elaborate character, but the others (among them most strikingly our protagonist, played by Félix Lajkó) just doesn't really fit to the environment / their roles.
The other problem is with the cut: there are many scenes without any role, others seem to be very long compared with their contribution to the plot. In some cases the dramaturgy is at least mysterious as well: we see Fauna in the party at the end, for example. Some people are starting to shaft her in the party, then she leaves the safe crowd alone (so that those people can kill her) would anyone do that?! Or there is another key momentum, the raping scene: her mother is like 50 meters away and still doesn't follow from the house what's happening?!
So why I gave 6 out of 10 for a movie with so many weaknesses? First of all because of the cinematography and music (also by Lajkó Félix) and the representation of the delta landscape. For fans of Eastern Europe some scenes will surely be unforgettable (like when they are tearing the bread and pour brandy onto it), and there are some 3-4 scenes of brilliant atmosphere (e.g. the first encounter of Fauna and Mihal). I believe when cut to about 70 minutes this movie could have been much better.
For me, the simplicity of the story alone wouldn't be a fault: it makes only the task of the director heavier. With perfection in the details and brilliant acting this simplicity could have been a strength, unfortunately this movie lacks these. Lili Monori, the mother (and partly Orsolya Tóth, the daughter) , plays a realistic and elaborate character, but the others (among them most strikingly our protagonist, played by Félix Lajkó) just doesn't really fit to the environment / their roles.
The other problem is with the cut: there are many scenes without any role, others seem to be very long compared with their contribution to the plot. In some cases the dramaturgy is at least mysterious as well: we see Fauna in the party at the end, for example. Some people are starting to shaft her in the party, then she leaves the safe crowd alone (so that those people can kill her) would anyone do that?! Or there is another key momentum, the raping scene: her mother is like 50 meters away and still doesn't follow from the house what's happening?!
So why I gave 6 out of 10 for a movie with so many weaknesses? First of all because of the cinematography and music (also by Lajkó Félix) and the representation of the delta landscape. For fans of Eastern Europe some scenes will surely be unforgettable (like when they are tearing the bread and pour brandy onto it), and there are some 3-4 scenes of brilliant atmosphere (e.g. the first encounter of Fauna and Mihal). I believe when cut to about 70 minutes this movie could have been much better.
Milky Way
(2007)
This is not a movie. At best, you may use it as a screen-saver
31 January 2008
For the first couple of minutes, I hoped that what I was seeing was just an appetizer - a very slow intro to make the main body of the movie more interesting or to make a contrast. It was the best part of the movie, since after the third scene I had to realize that this was indeed the main body of the movie, without any visible story, point or order.
I only gave 2 points because the photography is fine, so the experience is like you would be in a photo exhibition with big prints and you would watch each of them for 7-8 minutes (but you can't walk and set the time you want to spend at a photo*). And this is why I would choose Milky Way as a screen-saver - if you watch it randomly for a minute, you may even like it. It could also be useful in a Chill Out party where you are not forced to watch it for 83 minutes (and/or in silence), but it is not a piece to be shown in cinemas.
I am sure, some people will say "C'mon, you just didn't get the point" or "Why should anything happen in a movie?" but I think even they wouldn't deny that if someone would just sit beneath the canvas instead of a chair in the auditorium and watch the audience nuzzling and trying to survive the movie, would have at least the same strength of experience or even a more unique one.
The director, Flieglauf Benedek said in an interview that this meant to be an experimental movie, so he was surprised that it won a prize in Locarno. My problem is, that I cannot see experimental (novel) things - there are good movies that can work without conversations and with very few cuts like "Unser Taglich Brot" or "Hukkle" (also photographed by Poharnok Gergely) but this one definitely cannot.
In Hollywood, filmmakers often try to hide the movie's emptiness by using an overdose of action and effects, Milky Way tries to do the same hiding by eliminating these but the result remains the same.
*After writing this comment I've read that they actually are making an exhibition based of the movie.
I only gave 2 points because the photography is fine, so the experience is like you would be in a photo exhibition with big prints and you would watch each of them for 7-8 minutes (but you can't walk and set the time you want to spend at a photo*). And this is why I would choose Milky Way as a screen-saver - if you watch it randomly for a minute, you may even like it. It could also be useful in a Chill Out party where you are not forced to watch it for 83 minutes (and/or in silence), but it is not a piece to be shown in cinemas.
I am sure, some people will say "C'mon, you just didn't get the point" or "Why should anything happen in a movie?" but I think even they wouldn't deny that if someone would just sit beneath the canvas instead of a chair in the auditorium and watch the audience nuzzling and trying to survive the movie, would have at least the same strength of experience or even a more unique one.
The director, Flieglauf Benedek said in an interview that this meant to be an experimental movie, so he was surprised that it won a prize in Locarno. My problem is, that I cannot see experimental (novel) things - there are good movies that can work without conversations and with very few cuts like "Unser Taglich Brot" or "Hukkle" (also photographed by Poharnok Gergely) but this one definitely cannot.
In Hollywood, filmmakers often try to hide the movie's emptiness by using an overdose of action and effects, Milky Way tries to do the same hiding by eliminating these but the result remains the same.
*After writing this comment I've read that they actually are making an exhibition based of the movie.
La boîte magique
(2002)
Nice scenes about Tunisia but sometimes too mannered.
5 November 2002
This movie seems to slog to be very deep and seedy - but IMHO there is not so much message in it, however it shows spectacular images about the life of Tunisia in the fifties. Medhi Rebii and Hichem Rostom acts quite convincingly.
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