moi_kamiar Reviews

The Killer Inside Me (2010)

Fabricated and not convincing!!!

[4/10 · 20 February 2010]

Michael Winterbottom has already proved that he is not interested in being an auteur at all. In the career of prolific cineaste, you can't mark a trio of films which can reflect the same narratives, visuals, styles and concepts of cinema. After winning two bears at Berlinale with two docu-dramas, NOT OF THIS WORLD and ROAD TO GUANTANAMO, in previous editions, he's back with an experience in neo-noir, THE KILLER INSIDE ME, which is not convincing in different aspects. Adapting Jim Thompson's story, Winterbottom faces too many problems: first of all, he does not feel at home in Americas and sticks to a fabricated pictorial of the cinematic land, almost a collage of clichéd pics - far from inventivity and originality evident in John Dahl's ventures in the genre or U TURN; secondly and perhaps the most important one, casting of Casey Affleck as the main character is not convincing, since he does not reflect any complication, does not fit in a role with two women in love (played by Jessica Alba and Kate Hudson), does not affect the audience with his anger and does not afflict anyone with his weak voice also used as a Chandeleresque narrator; and at last, but not the least whole production seems to be pointless – both in content and form.

A Woman, a Gun and a Noodle Shop (2009)

Yimou

[7/10 · 16 February 2010]

It starts just as a spaghetti western, but then comes a parody of spaghettis and samurai films with minimal use of dialogue and excessive extravaganza of imagery. While the scope of the film seems unbelievable, a little, simple story revolving some stupid stereotypes is going on. Starting with buying an imported gun, the premise recalls the emergence of modernism in traditional, moralist society as it happens in too many samurai ventures, but the concept is contrarily based on the consequences of reliance on such bad habits as greed and jealousy. Not as promising as his RAISE THE RED LANTERN and JU DUO, not inspiring as his LA VIE and HERO, Zhang Yimou's A WOMAN, A GUN AND A NOODLE SHOP is an eccentric experience by a cineaste assumed as a master: crazy, wild and frantic, but not trying to tell a story in the size of epic

The Ghost Writer (2010)

Which one? Hichcock or Bunuel?

[7/10 · 15 February 2010]

A witty parody of political stardom in our times turns to a boring, conventional political thriller and ends in an unintelligent revealing piece on CIA scandals. The same syndrome has ruined wild, funny, inventive premises with pretense of being too serious and acts of a pro filmmaker in a number of recent Polanski's films – i.e. PIRATES, FRANTIC and now, GHOST WRITER. It's good to see in his episode in CHACUN SON CINEMA, he has got no time to spoil the situation comedy he's initiated. But here in GHOST WRITER, he can satisfy those who have read the original book; he can benefit from a top notch perf by Ewan McGregor who delivers the gags – especially on the concepts of political autobiographies- masterfully; and he can overuse the enhancing score composed by Alexandre Desplat as a disturbing element all through the film… It seems that Polanski can't decide if he wants to become a Hitchcock or a Bunuel after all these years

Submarino (2010)

It's all about Misery

[15 February 2010]

Still involved in his preoccupations with collapse of family foundation and its bonds (as evident also in his fantastic Dogme 1, FESTEN), Vinterberg comes back to Berlin with a film which is not about love at all, but about misery in general. SUBMARINO is the story of lack of love, family and commitment which is reflected in addiction, despair and murder. Looking through a glass darkly at the depressed people in times of depression, it gains its strength from the constraint approach to the subject matter. In his usual personal visions (of course, without a trembling camera after his Dogme propaganda and anti-bourgeoisie pretense), Vinterberg finds his way through a way far from any sentimentality. Grey overtones in each shot marks the world he's going to portray – a world in which everyone has forgotten all about fear and trembling. However it seems too naturalistic, SUBMARINO is able to make a survey into the lives of miserable men of the third millennium, not as a tearjerker, but as a veritable mirror

Statysci (2006)

A Homage to Love and Happy Ending

[8/10 · 1 April 2009]

Just think of a Chinese film crew, trying to shoot a stupid melodramatic fare in Poland with Polish extras! Producer of numerous Wajda's films including KATYN, Michal Kwiecinski in a witty directorial venture, EXTRAS, explores how modern men think of surrendering to Chinese Wave and drowning in its vast sea, when there's nothing left in his homeland, but a wasteland! A big yes to EXTRAS (2006) and its Homage to Love and Happy Ending! However in this enthusiastic farce, most of deductions seem absurd - for instance it is clear that if the Chinese director announces that, "Poland is second China and China is second Poland", the Polish photographer replies, "The situation is not good in Poland!!!" The absurdity is resonated in the duologue's of the melodrama they're shooting. The alienated Polish characters and enhancement of their relationship during the work are phenomenally inspiring, but the Chinese stereotypes - especially the childish director with his beloved goldfish - are not convincing at all.

Mala Moskwa (2008)

An insightful look into the systematic violence

[9/10 · 1 April 2009]

A chronicle of a tragic love, Waldemar Krzystek's LITTLE MOSCOW (2008) is a big wonder coming from fantastic Polish cinema. In late sixties, an infertile Russian commander, Yura, along with his beautiful wife, Vera, enter Legnica, a little Moscow in Poland. There Vera falls for Michal, a seductive Polish officer and musical expert. When Vera finds out she's pregnant, their love reveals a disaster. Subtle narrative structure, full of flashbacks in the course of conversation of old Yura and Vera's daughter, graceful imagery and inspiring music pave the way for an insightful look into the systematic violence imposed on a spirited nation; a nation faithful to its beliefs, its loves and its way of living under the pressure of collectivism. A big, big yes to LITTLE MOSCOW!