s13ky Reviews

The Usual Suspects (1995)

The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist. And like that, poof. He's gone"

[7/10 · 15 July 2013]

The Usual Suspects is that genre of cinema in which everything is cleverly woven throughout the film in seamlessness, with the famous phrase of nothing is what it seems. Ironically, Bryan Singer scoffs of the spectators in the broadest sense of the word, convincing them to believe what is vividly visualized before them while keeping up the brilliant final outcome to the very last minute. Up until today, this dense and overwhelming intrigues throughout the film remain timeless, making it one of the most interesting and refreshing nineties thriller. Furthermore, we can easily list down the strengths behind this classic goody starting from the simple but robust camera work, the casts' unsurpassed acting work, the intrigue, suspense and also the remarkable complex structured framework.

To be honest, in my first viewing, I tried to find out the 'culprit' responsible for whatever happened along the way; however, I failed for I went with the flow who were led to believe by my so-called careful viewing. This film turned out to be much clever than how it looked at the beginning. It contained a tension, intrigue and uncertainty that all filled within the mind of the audience so absolutely it's a delight for all senses. Personally, I felt cheated. I found this film superb, extremely intelligent, perfectly developed from all points of view and sustained by characters. A very solid film from the beginning to the end. If you haven't seen it then I advise you go see it. Get immersed in the magic of this movie, waste no time and get ready to have some fun. In short, this is a pure entertainment at the highest level.

Moon (2009)

Think of Robinson Crusoe and 2001: A Space Odyssey in one film. "Isolation" has been the key element of this brilliant film.

[6/10 · 15 July 2013]

Duncan Jones' directorial debut "Moon" is an example of film that came out of nowhere but then hit you by surprise. I guess I need to emphasize that this is not a conventional science fiction film which commonly have lots of special effects, but still manages to maintain an interesting story because of its well-developed script.

Think of Robinson Crusoe and 2001: A Space Odyssey in one film. "Isolation" has been the key element of this brilliant film. I watched this film based on a recommendation from a friend and I'm glad I have seen this. Sam Rockwell is a pure genius. Honestly, the first time I heard of this, I went "WTH" and stuff and I was completely wrong. "Moon" offers so much and its being considered one of the best debuts of recent times (BAFTA and Sitges) really proves that it's awesome.

In conclusion, one spectacular story with an adequate amount of CG. "Moon" is really a one-man show, Sam Rockwell is fantastic, he really moves the story.

No Country for Old Men (2007)

From a good novel by Cormac McCarthy, rewritten by the Coens, favoring the action a'la Western, but instead of cowboys and gunslingers, we have drug dealers.

[7/10 · 15 July 2013]

I have no doubt that the Coen brothers, despite being somewhat irregular, have talent. Following their work wonders such as "Miller's Crossing," "The Big Lebowski", "Barton Fink" and "Fargo", they are now hogging all the awards with a Western-like thriller that features a not too original story though really exciting.

The game of cats and dogs or cats and mice (call it what you want) is the basis of the plot, simple, nothing new but please note how the Coen brothers packed the story into a good film. We can almost all say that "No Country for Old Men" has all it takes to be a great film.

Let's start from its hypnotic photography. It's really brutal with near- desert landscapes that reminds us of the glorious days of classic western films. Next, we continue with its amazing soundtrack, or the awesome script, full of goodies and other nice treats.

The cast is also well-chosen, the indescribable chemistry between the cool Josh Brolin and pure evil Javier Bardem is simply spectacular. We should also remember Tommy Lee Jones and Woody Harrelson (in a short but flawless performance) as supporting casts.

Another best thing about this film would be its perfectly measured pace. The script is just beautifully structured. I love how Joel and Ethan Coen alternate the situations through some clever film direction and editing, slowing down and speeding up at times. I also adore the visualized violence, brutal but still not gory.

In conclusion, "No Country For Old Men" offers us a realistic approach and meticulous details so that beneath a classic Western action format so that not only do they revitalize the Western genre, but also making it a raw and unique experience.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)

Fincher's brilliant direction is just one of the many things that elevates the film to its rightful position.

[8/10 · 11 July 2013]

What you're about to read would be my personal opinion. It's just so rare that I give a 10 to a film due to several complex factors that drown you completely in its greatness, the plot, the characters, the beauty presented in each scene and they are all compelling, nothing lacking, they're just perfect. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, in my opinion is a film that has everything, a masterpiece in every possible way. It is a great story completely wrapped in a very complicated plot and it would be too hard to digest if it wasn't because of Fincher's flawless film direction and genuine creativity. Every film enthusiast can have his or her own perception to what makes a film good or bad. This perception is generally based on various considerations involving particular film aspects. However, despite those different points of view, they usually agree on the greatness of certain film, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button would be the case here. I think we can all come to an agreement that this film really brings back David Fincher to The Golden Throne of Great Film Director because of its meticulous film framework. Fincher's brilliant direction is just one of the many things that elevates the film to its rightful position, besides the absolutely artistic design, impeccable soundtrack, amazing moments of visual imagery and a story that transcends its starting point. Benjamin Button is a story about life, about coincidences, about self improvement, about finding oneself, and ultimately, on how to appreciate our existence.

Platoon (1986)

Platoon is certainly one of the best films about Vietnam War and Oliver Stone's best.

[8/10 · 11 July 2013]

If we talk about the war in Vietnam, we should talk about Platoon. It is certainly one of the best films about Vietnam War and in my opinion, it's absolutely Oliver Stone's best film since JFK and Nixon. Overall, apart from the credibility of the film director and also the authenticity in the depiction of the war, I find the screenplay, editing and film direction stand out above all, not to forget the all star casts of two famous method actors, Tom Berenger (possibly his best performance ever) and Willem Dafoe. To be honest, deep within my heart, "Platoon" ranked somewhere among "Apocalypse Now", "Full Metal Jacket" and "The Deer Hunter" (the latter isn't a war film) because of its raw visualization of the war horror that some consider a crime against humanity. I always get carried away by the spectacular music scoring, saddening, beautiful as well as frightening. The best music sequence would be "Adagio For Strings" by Samuel Barber and it's your task to find out which sequence. Oliver Stone really did well in bringing us the rich psychological portraits of soldiers who fought the popular war from a very interesting perspective, through the eyes of a rookie soldier (Charlie Sheen) who volunteered to defend his country, in a fight against communism. We witness the harsh time they faced as soon as they landed on the Saigon combat zone, in the jungle, with a simple mission of staying alive from day to day. The line between good and evil is the spot where Oliver Stone places the personal stories of the men whose horror and fear were their daily foods, real men who fought and died in the Vietnam War. This unnecessary war was taped in brutal realism. Awesome combat scenes, frank, hard and strangely beautiful. Robert Richardson as the cinematographer created a jaw-dropping atmosphere combining gray and bleak apocalyptic tones of the great wild landscapes. In conclusion, this is one of the greatest war films of cinema history, it contains some moving scenes and offers a realistic and cruel story of one of the greatest atrocities of humanity: wars.

In the Mood for Love (2000)

Wong Kar-Wai whispers his secret of sensual sensitivity through In The Mood For Love.

[7/10 · 11 July 2013]

Wong Kar-Wai whispers his secret of sensual sensitivity through In The Mood For Love. It leads us into a world of delicacy and impossible desires. It tells a love story with short scenes, focusing on details, playing with the feelings. The use of music is exquisite, accompanying the movements and feelings of the characters at all times. Visually prodigious. And the actors, magnificent, with special mention of Tony Leung and the look that contains the deepest feelings. I can not find the exact words to describe the beauty of this film, it is an absolute preciousness. One of the advantage of this film lies in its visual, In the mood for Love will attract you from the beginning with its rich color, small details, the repressive feelings, the romance between the two loners and many more. It is poetry in cinema. The cinema photography, with a twist of "vintage", by Christopher Doyle and Ping-Bing Lee is just lovely. What was visualized as the world's saddest love story ended up the most exciting film for me.

Pulp Fiction (1994)

Tarantino cleverly mixed suspense and action with black humor at its best.

[8/10 · 11 July 2013]

Pulp Fiction is such a wonderful movie because everything is great in it. The narrative structure is perfect, it's puzzle-like and divided into chapters, in which all the details fit perfectly because of the painstaking work of Tarantino (there are so many details, that for many times you see the film you will always find something new). These chapters are not even exposed in a chronologically ordered, forcing the viewer to put the pieces of the plot, which would be difficult to describe. We should also note the mind-blowing staging, the flashbacks, the endless film references to other cult films (including Reservoir Dogs), the players, the atmosphere, the soundtrack, making it a masterpiece of contemporary cinema that will be remembered. Pulp Fiction can also be seen as an icon because since its release in 1994, no films were able to deliver more than pay homage to films of similar style but much lower, of course. Quentin Tarantino showed the world that he possesses the powerful wit he visualizes within each minute of this 2,5 hour-film. The cast is also excellent, (who does not know John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis and Uma Thurman?) With some brilliant performances like above, everything is amazing in Pulp Fiction. Tarantino cleverly mixed suspense and action with black humor at its best. Furthermore, the idea of ​​combining three stories altering the thread of the narrative was risky but he made it. If the amount of times you see a film determines its value then it is clear that Pulp Fiction is definitely the movie of my life.

Bloody Sunday (2002)

A semi-documentary film that follows the oppression between British soldiers and unarmed civilians taking part in a supposedly-peaceful march in the Bogside area of Derry.

[6/10 · 9 July 2013]

This film highlights the dark cloud over Northern Ireland following the incident occurring on 30 January 1972 in which British soldiers fired on unarmed civilians taking part in a supposedly-peaceful march in the Bogside area of Derry. What happened? Why are they throwing stones?, What triggers the bloody event? Those questions really should have been thought of when producing this film. First of all, as a part of crucial historical event, I feel that this film doesn't give proper introduction to the situation described even though some people can easily relate the title with the incident. Let us be logical, this wasn't the first massacre happened, events like this(whether more or less violent) may occur every day all over the globe to any unfortunate human race, just like the one occurred in Carandiru, Brazil. Despite the improper introduction, Paul Greengrass in a daring way portrayed this turmoil in such an honest, shocking, scary, daunting, disturbing and creepy way. I also admire the way he merged some original footages to the shoot, making it look even more real. The authentic feel of a documentary film obtained through the use of hand-held camera work is superb. This results in stunning realism, one feels part of that fateful day when dialog fails, when a supposedly peaceful demonstration ends with suppressed side stones with water, rubber bullets, tear gas, to lead to the negative lead bullets which crippled the lives of 13 people transforming into a killing with impunity which had no punishment to those responsible. The soundtrack, including U2's "Sunday Bloody Sunday", is also exquisitely composed and inserted here and there at the right moment. In short, the visual really helps the public understand various factors that lead to the events that occur in this film.

Badlands (1973)

Kit Carruthers (Sheen) meets and falls for Holly Sargis (Spacek). Together they embark on a journey to South Dakota and Montana, on a thrilling odyssey.

[6/10 · 9 July 2013]

I'm not sure how to classify "Badlands". It is a drama, a story of love, is a road movie, it's crazy … it's all the above. "Badlands is a unique American fairy tale and it's an impressive debut" to quote Roger Ebert and it's not an exaggeration. The film contains the keys and features that define much of the talented and prolific Terence Malick's short but essential work. We are talking about the visual force, precious photograph, sober beauty of things and of nature in particular, images that are pure poetry. At a glimpse, this film reminds me of Oliver Stone's "Natural Born Killers" and also "True Romance". The action takes place in Texas, Rapid City (Oklahoma), South Dakota and Montana, around 1957 to 1958. Kit Carruthers (Sheen) meets and falls for Holly Sargis (Spacek). Together they embark on a journey to South Dakota and Montana, on a thrilling odyssey. The way Malick contrasting the two characters also adorable. Kit, is described as crazy, wild and violent, of low intelligence, a bit psychotic and sociopathic while Holly is about 15 years, naive, innocent, submissive and passive. "Badlands" cleverly mixes adventure, crime, drama, romance and thriller. In regards to the images as poetry of nature, I'm talking about the way Malick positioned Kit in the frame, such as having him stand motionless against sunset/sunrise or simply put animals around him, like the iguana, pheasant and others. The most beautiful shot, in my opinion, is when both Kit and Holly found peace and tranquility in "Badlands" (wide open spaces of Montana and South Dakota, named for their wilderness and desert character). The shot of Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek dancing in the darkness of a desert landscape with Nat King Cole playing from the car's radio cannot seem to escape from my head and I'm sure most people who have seen this will feel the same.

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988)

The story of love (or rather lack of affection) between Ivan and Pepa, both are voice actors who dub foreign films, a lifelong couple who recently broke up.

[6/10 · 9 July 2013]

No doubt that this was the first great masterpiece of Pedro Almodóvar. This film is a delicious and irresistible sitcom that revolves around the loneliness of women in a crazy world dominated by men who cheat and lie. With a creative script, colorful scenes, superbly written characters, hilarious dialogs and an excellent pace, Almodovar took us to Madrid around 80's where many women were abandoned by their partners through excellent and hilarious scenes. In my opinion, this film successfully intersects tragedy with comedy. "Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown" tells the story of love (or rather lack of affection) between Ivan and Pepa, both are voice actors who dub foreign films, a lifelong couple who recently broke up. No director portrays women better than Almodovar. This amazing comedy really shows what he is capable of. I've seen this film dozens of times and I can not find a single fault. It always seems as fresh, funny and endearing than before. It's one of those comedies that make you laugh every time you see them. All the actors are excellent in their characters, from the sublime to the delirious Carmen Maura, Maria Barranco, to Julieta Serrano, Rossy De Palma, Antonio Banderas and Chus Lampreave. It might not be a masterpiece, but it is an absolute joy, an absolute delight

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

After being accused of murdering his wife, Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins), is sentenced to life imprisonment and sent to Shawshank Prison.

[8/10 · 9 July 2013]

This film is excellent in all respects, in fact, this is one of the few films close to perfection starting from the actors, (The combination of Morgan Freeman (totally love him as an omniscient narrator who keeps us informed about the who's who) and Tim Robbins really give life to every scene visualized cleverly, the great script, based on the novel by Stephen King (the best novel of it, without doubt), the awesome soundtrack, excellent editing, everything fits perfectly. It has definitely the best narrative that leads to entertain and intrigue many times. What is so awesome about the story? It combines drama, comedy and thriller. The script is great, because it relates the stories of various characters during the whole film to reach a surprising ending, thus captivating the audience at all times. Anyway, Shawshank Redemption has it all. This film is one of those whose ending I failed to predict. The ending twist is really genius.

The Science of Sleep (2006)

Stephane (García Bernal), a shy and introverted young Mexican designer is the prisoner of his own dreams and imagination, trapping him between dreams and reality.

[8/10 · 9 July 2013]

I love this quirky film. The Science of Sleep welcomes us to the magical world of Michel Gondry. Three years after directing a masterpiece, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Gondry directed this dreamlike film, an interesting psychological journey inside the head of the protagonist, the talented Gael Garcia Bernal (Stephane), a young artist who confuses reality and dream. Stephan lives in a sort of limbo, unable to separate dream from reality because of a particular feeling, unrequited love. Unlike his previous works, here Gondry didn't work with Kaufman, as the scriptwriter, still as you all know, still he managed to make a fantastic film, a bit insane, frankly speaking. This unique film proves that although Gondry still adopts the same formula of twisting dreams with reality, making every viewer in doubt whether the visual projected is true or not, just like he did in "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind". To be honest,I expected a lot from The Science of Sleep and I was not disappointed, although it does not live up to the previous one, also has a love story at the heart of the story, but in contrast to Forget Me, here we see the end of the story at the beginning, the fears of Stephane, the protagonist, and insecurity so big that it will cause strange dreams and nightmares that mix with reality. You will definitely enjoy the brilliant special effects, though as simple as stop-motion, and I strongly suggest that this film should be shown in all film schools because this is a perfect example of a good film with only few resources available. This is a real gem, another masterpiece from a director who revolutionizes the world of music videos.

Blue Velvet (1986)

A mysterious plot that reveals strange events occurred in a small town in North Carolina

[7/10 · 9 July 2013]

Over three decades, David Lynch has managed to carve out a reputation as a "cult" film director and this film is a perfect example. What fascinates me most about "Blue Velvet" other than its film director? Let's begin with its thrilling start. I admire his courage and creativity for visualizing the dark tone of the mystery right from the start. An opening of fear that drives the viewers into an outrageous and ghostly thriller, the nightmare of the realities that are hidden beneath the surface of everyday life. I love how the film starts, an overview of a city that wakes up in the morning. Those exciting and friendly people who greet us, the sweepers, the children getting ready for school, and the old man walking his dog. As we all savor the friendly neighborhood, suddenly the camera focuses to the ground, gets into the grass revealing an object full of insects around, a human ear in a state of decomposition. In my opinion, very few movies say so much of themselves and reveal what will happen right from the start in a very captivating and fascinating way, another masterpiece from David Lynch. As always, Lynch directed "Blue Velvet" in a surrealist manner, dreamlike. This amazing and visually eerie beginning is one of the best in the history of cinema, and serves as a metaphor of appearances of the above friendly society, contrasting it with the hidden underworld of perversion, violence, drugs, sadomasochism and also moral depravity. This provocative, daring, grotesque and romantic film is enriched with the fabulous casts such as Kyle MacLachlan and Laura Dern, the charming Isabella Rossellini, Dennis Hopper and also Dean Stockwell are just indescribably perfect. Lynch took us into a voyeuristic journey through the unique story of the protagonist, driven by his instinctive curiosity to investigate the mystery that is hidden inside the home of a glamorous nightclub singer. I love how all the sensuality, the pleasure gradually reveal a hidden reality made of violated intimacy, sensuality, of sadism and violence. With the original script written by Lynch himself, produced by Fred Caruso for De Laurentiis Entertainment Group, "Blue Velvet" is a unique and sensational film for it is able to capture and captivate the viewer and drag it to a world that will be difficult to forget: What are also wonderful and unforgettable are the two songs that acclimate and accompany this gem of cinema: "Blue Velvet" sung by Rossellini, and "In My Dreams", by Dean Stockwell. No doubt that this fourth feature film is definitely disturbing as well as beautiful.

Gladiator (2000)

The struggle of a man in finding justice

[8/10 · 13 July 2012]

Gladiator has been my most favorite film of all time. It is an epic masterpiece in many ways and it really explains why despite the numerous viewings, Gladiator still amuses me with its powerful imagery and many other crucial aspects so that it won five Academy Awards. This film is very well written, the well-ensemble casts, the A-class acting (especially Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix), the stunning cinematography and definitely a strong character of Maximus (magnificently portrayed by Russell Crowe) whose life, struggle, disappointment and anger really move the audience, as if the world attention centers on him. Gladiator is not a historical film, because it only used the history of the ancient Roman Empire merely as the time setting. All other aspects namely those gorgeous shots, the great storyline/plot, the fantastic cinematography, the vividly lavish colors, detailed production design and digital imaging (that successfully rebuilt the stunning beauty of the ancient Roman Empire) and all sell really well, making the 170 minute-long running time definitely worthwhile. The visual of great battle in the first 15 minutes really stole my heart. The gruesome pictures, the blood and violence just to beautiful to abandon. Everything in this movie seems perfectly balanced, Ridley Scott as the film director really did his homework well in redefining and revitalizing the big battle sequence once considered masterpiece from Spartacus and Ben Hur. In the end, once again, I would say that Gladiator perfectly combines some crucial elements such as good, moving story, dazzling visual, beautiful scenery, filming techniques, direction and touching music score into one harmonious, action-packed film about heroism and its true meaning.