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Reviews
Y tu mamá también (2001)
A slow moving but interesting watch...
Julio (Bernal) and Tenoch (Luna) are typical arrogant seventeen year old boys whose girlfriends have gone away to Europe. Bored and sexually frustrated, they invite an attractive older woman (Verdu) on a road trip to a beach that doesn't exist in order to try and seduce her. Startlingly she accepts. As the days progress, the boys' relationship with Luisa develops and they soon find themselves entangled in a lecherous love triangle. An intoxicating fusion of sex, friendship, politics and death, Y Tu Mama Tambien is a mix of sober realism with carefree fun. While an omniscient voice narrates the past present and future of seemingly meaningless background events, the boys continue their trip, oblivious to all but their own libidos. Although skilfully executed through voice overs, the political statement doesn't quite cement with the main storyline as intended. An interesting watch, if you are patient enough to handle the slow moving storyline but it does feel like Alfonso Cuaron is trying a bit too hard to be arty and missing out on simple clarity. After opening into an explicit sex scene, you're bombarded with names and background information and spend the next few scenes trying to work out who's who, when it really doesn't matter. Well worth a watch though, if only for the exceptionally well written characters. The boys are especially believable and development of Luisa's character from fragile tag-along to free spirit is well-paced. Good
nothing special but worth watching nonetheless.
Dog Day Afternoon (1975)
Empathic masterpiece
This high-tension thriller captures the true events of one summer afternoon when accomplices Sonny (Pacino) and Sal (Calzale) walk into a Brooklyn bank, and rob it.
Of course not all goes to plan. An hour later they're still inside and the bank is surrounded. Cops, media, crowds of fans and the FBI are each hanging to Sonny's every word and why? Because he has 9 hostages as pawns, a bank as his board and all the time in the world to think up a strategy. Inside the bank however is a different story. You can't help but sympathise with Sonny (due to Pacino's terrific performance) as the first-time bank robber who's unprepared, out of his depth, and just trying to think up a way out. Even the audience begin to feel the effects of Stockholm Syndrome as Pacino's character gains our affections. The 'villain who's a nice guy at heart' could have been disastrously cliché but Pacino's portrayal is nothing short of brilliance. Even Sal with his morbid disposition is magnetising as his childlike innocence shines through. Calzale was wonderfully cast as this awkward accomplice, wordlessly following Sonny. A huge success combining the skills of Lumet with the talent of Pacino for the second time in Pacino's best role yet. A true story that's compelling and tragic but most of all tangible and that's what makes it so powerful.
American Beauty (1999)
"Never underestimate the power of denial"
American Beauty is an exploration of midlife crisis and the illusion of a 'normal' family. Lester Burnham (Spacey), his highly strung wife Carolyn (Bening) and resentful daughter Jane (Birch) each struggle to find a sense of purpose to their lives as the facade of their happy home deteriorates. The story follows Lester on a journey to turn his life around after meeting his daughter's provocative friend Angela (Suvari). His lust for the teenage girl inspires a new lust for youth which he captures by discarding all of adult life's responsibilities in an attempt to re-live his youth. As he quits his respectable job, takes on a position flipping burgers in a fast food joint, and starts smoking pot he finally gets the object of his desire but was it really what he was looking for? Kevin Spacey's performance as the world-weary and rebellious Burnham is magnificent. The honesty which Lester gives off while everything around him radiates artificiality is astonishingly powerful - aided in no small way by Sam Mendes' use of lighting and colour which is remarkable. Visually, every shot is a work of art, a portrait of discomfort. You can really feel the unease as the camera takes you on a journey through the Burnham household, furbished in blue-greys and white not so much as a fork out of place - mixed with the stark contrast of red roses. In short, an absolutely breath-taking film, American Beauty is shocking yet humbling, sad yet tranquil and ultimately beautiful.