lakemagenta84 Reviews

Sonntagsfahrer (1963)

still confused.

[3/10 · 5 July 2015]

7 people attempt to drive in 3 cars from Leipzig to Berlin, there are roadblocks and detours the whole way. They leave in secret. Some are hesitant to go. One couple trash their flat and paint "we'll be back" on the wall.

I suspect you have to have lived in East Germany to understand the plot, or perhaps parts of the film are missing. We know from a letter, that they leave on 12 August 1961, that's the day before the Berlin wall goes up, but they make no mention of the wall. Why are they going to Berlin? why do they need to take receipts for their houses and furniture? Why are they going in secret? Why trash their flats? How did they meet each other? In the end of the film, after one too many hurdles, they return to Leipzig. It was all for nothing. That must be what happens when you try to leave the East, but is that what they were doing? surely to leave the east you would head west, not go to Berlin.

The Golden Compass (2007)

and no i haven't read the books

[7/10 · 29 December 2007]

This is a good cinema movie. captivating and enjoyable, good acting, good plot, beautiful sets and interesting characters. it's only the first of three movies but please don't let that put you off! it's very self contained and satisfying. there are a few things that could've been more clear like the 'Dust' (pay attention at the beginning, when they talk about the dust). Also there were a lot of children in the cinema who were restless, and frustrated, clearly they were frightened or confused. just because it's PG and involves children doesn't mean that children will enjoy it. and if you do see it then remember to see a late session where you don't have to deal with children making noise.

Mulholland Drive (2001)

I want my 2 1/2 hours back!

[1/10 · 17 January 2006]

Directors like this are selfish up themselves try-hards who think that making a movie no one understands makes them profound, wise people. I won't give Lynch the satisfaction of being moved by this film. I'm taking no more lengths to understand this film because I honestly can't be bothered. "Rita has the money because this is the logic of Dianes dream" what a load of bull. it's such a cope out to use dream logic. That leaves us with nothing to work with.

Everyone recommended this movie to me, i know people who are fascinated by it, but these people are wasting their time pondering the film when really it's not worth it.

give up guys, it's all "Dream Logic"

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)

disjointed, worst so far.

[5/10 · 2 January 2006]

Lets face it, the movies are catering for the non-readers so lets get rate the movie and not the book.

of course Dumbledore had to start being mean to Harry in this movie because Dumbeldore treats harry badly in The Order of the Pheonix so they had to start introducing that attitude now.

I do believe however that this movie has caused big problems for the next director, How will the next director deal with Rita Skeeters role as an animagnous being blackmailed by Hermione? as Rita was never exposed at the end. This means that Luna Lovegrove will be of little importance.

Harry does not start off at the Durseys like he does in the book so non-readers might get a bit confused in the next movie when he's back there. How will the next director deal with that? Hagrid does not expose himself as half giant so will the next movie have Hagrids giant brother in it? I think that the character development was a bit poor. Moody, of course lacked in cleverness. Krum is made out to be a bit of a sport thug and Fleur looses all of her charm.

All these poor representations of the characters could have easily been avoided.

the Story is well; i think a bit disjointed, it's hard to fit such a long complicated story into two and a half hours but i do believe they made some wrong decisions about what to leave out and what to put in. The crush that harry has on Cho is really subtle in the book, and yet they made it into a big deal. and yet the left out things that are vital for our non-reading friends like hagrid being half giant, the durseys and Reeta Skeeter as an animagnous. these would only take two seconds to put in but they ditched them to make room for insignificant things like an extra long ball scene or dragon scene.

Did the director even read the other books?? because he misjudged the importance of some of the overflowing story lines which, are not so important now but turn into important things which will just have to pop out of nowhere.

by the way did anyone find the first scenes in the stadium really cheap?

Morgiana (1972)

this is what cinema is all about!

[9/10 · 15 August 2005]

This is my favorite film. possibly the most melodramatic films i've seen, the costumes and make up are so over the top that you can barely tell that the two main characters are played by the same actor. The film has so much color in it with all the costumes and gardens but this dark fairytale could almost be considered a film noir. The soundtrack might be it;s only downfall, the music itself is so beautiful and powerful but it plays too big a part in creating an atmosphere, some scenes are downgraded by the overwhelming score. My favorite scene is in the brothel, i've never seen such amazing looking prostitutes! they make me want to buy a caravan and take up witchcraft.

as a matter of interest; In the book the two sisters are one character with a multiple personality. Unfortunately Herz was unable to make such a controversial film, so, to stay as close to the original story as possible the two sisters are played by the same woman. This book by Alexander Grin (who starved under Stalin) has not been translated into English as far as i know.