katibrasti Reviews

Black Mass (2015)

Merits to become a classic

[9/10 · 20 October 2015]

I have read quite a few underwhelming reviews which I think do not do justice to this captivating film. First of all, forget about "The godfather" or "The departed". It's different, less flashy and maybe also less entertaining, especially for people not used to "slow" movies. However I also find it more realistic and thought-provoking. Some of the more critical opinions point out the "lack of depth of the characters", however we should not forget that real-life carrier criminals are often in fact, less than complicated and certainly aren't the uber cool guys often depicted on screen. They might be intelligent in some cases, but they are greedy, violent and don't have moral boundaries. Frequently they also show sadistic tendencies, as the protagonist does. I consider it exhilarating that there's no glorification of organized crime and those involved in it, just a quite faithful, as far as I know, adaptation of true events.

The stellar cast is top-notch, even secondary characters give a convincing performance. Depp's acting is certainly Oscar-worthy, he is unrecognizable and really frightening. Edgerton is just perfect as the sleazy, yet loyal in his own twisted way, cop. Cumberbatch is solid as always, I 'd have loved to see more of Kevin Bacon, one of my all- time favorite actors. Furthermore, I was absolutely stunned by Sarsgaard's performance, he really shines in his small part.

I definitively recommend you watch it in the cinema, in order to fully appreciate the style, the musical score and the gloomy atmosphere. I didn't give it a 10/10 rating, because imho the editing should have been slightly tighter, especially during the first third of the film. Otherwise I hope time treats it kindly and puts it among the classics of its genre, as it deserves.

Z for Zachariah (2015)

Underrated and thought-provoking

[7/10 · 10 October 2015]

I think the film hasn't been treated fairly by the reviewers here. I am not saying it's a masterpiece, however it's a decent piece of film-making. The cast has been chosen very carefully and the chemistry between the actors is absolutely stunning. Ejiofor clearly stands out for his portrayal of the troubled scientist who struggles between nobility and vulgarity, but Pine also does a great job as enigmatic and sensual Caleb. In my opinion however, the most complicated character is that of Robbie, her motivations are in my opinion the most obscure and her reactions the most contradictory of all three. The actress's performance is correspondingly nuanced.

The plot is admittedly thin and the pace is at times painfully slow. On the other hand, it explores humanity, desire and survival instinct in its most basic and unadorned form and it does so remarkably. I won't mention the breathtaking landscape and photography, although it clearly adds to the films allure. Don't be put off by the mediocre reviews and give it a try.

Locke (2013)

Compelling low-budget movie

[8/10 · 28 August 2015]

The unconventional idea of setting a movie almost entirely in a car pays off here in the best possible way.

Most people praise Hardy's performance, which is undoubtedly brilliant, however I would also like to point out that the supporting cast also did an excellent job in keeping us engaged with the protagonist's gradually unfolding drama. Quite of an accomplished, considered that those actors rely only on their voice (transmitted by phone, that is)and not facial expressions or body language to get across their message. At times it felt as if they were actually on screen.

I only have to complain about the somewhat cheesy finale and admit that I am not truly convinced that anything like that would happen in real life, I think most people would try to find a middle ground between the two choices, but then again, most people's stories don't make it into a movie. All in all, an enjoyable watch.

The Secret in Their Eyes (2009)

A deeply human masterpiece

[10/10 · 7 August 2015]

It is true that the "unofficial" runner-up for best foreign language picture in 2010, that is "The white ribbon", is much better known than the winning film, however I think this particular award was on of the fairest in the history of the Academy, and the competitor it surpassed tells in itself a lot about the quality of the movie.

It goes without saying that the secret in their eyes features an excellent cast, with my personal favorite being Guillemo Francella as Pablo Sandoval, the alcoholic but dedicated best friend and partner of the superb protagonist Richardo Darin as Benjamín Espósito. Soledad Villamil gives a convincing, moving and at the same time classy performance as Irene Hastings.

The most memorable scene is of course the five-minute-long shot of the suspect being chased inside the football stadium. It takes no expert to observe the technical expertise shown here.

The political context of the movie is easily comprehensible even for people not familiar with contemporary Argentinian history. After all this is not a historical documentary, nor a cinematographic study on the peronist period, but a touching tale of love, friendship, memory, passion and revenge. A well-deserved 10 out of 10.

Only God Forgives (2013)

Promising but eventually disappointing

[6/10 · 1 August 2015]

To begin with, I haven't seen Drive yet, so I am not making any comparisons between the two films. Only God forgives had most of the components that make for a good film: nice photography, superb lighting and camera work, a memorable setting in Bangkok and decent, even (in the case of Kristin Scott Thomas as the drug baroness and controlling mother of the protagonist) outstanding performances. The result however was not satisfactory, it takes more than a study on sociopathic traits (which literally everybody in the film seems to possess) to make a memorable or at least enjoyable movie. Unnecessarily slow and incoherent, with too many half-baked approaches to philosophical and psychological issues, and some overdone gory scenes it simply didn't get through to me.

Marshland (2014)

Engaging murder mystery in post-francoist Spain

[7/10 · 1 August 2015]

Imho many Spanish thrillers tend to mess up their endings, with too far-fetched or outright implausible outcomes. Textbook examples of the latter category are El cuerpo and Mentre duermes. This wasn't the case in Marshland however, which delivered a tight and coherent plot, with just the right amount of (moral) ambiguity. The story itself is quite conventional, a serial killer preys on teenage girls "with a reputation" as it is said in the film, reflecting the misogynist attitudes of the time. Interesting questions are being set about the limits of implementing justice in a class system, the moral responsibility of the individual under an oppressive regime and the amount of forgetfulness needed to achieve national reconciliation. I really hope Spain's troubled history is going to be a major source of inspiration for native filmmakers, who as I understand are in general quite reluctant to deal with the barely healed wounds of their countries happens, a situation not dissimilar to that of my own country.

The acting is satisfactory albeit not excellent, the chemistry between the duo is convincing. Last but not least, the photography of the Spanish South is impeccable, even breathtaking at times .A film recommended to those who are looking for an intelligent yet easy to follow murder mystery.