zken Reviews

The Railway Man (2013)

simply put, this is a classic film

[10/10 · 5 May 2014]

Simply put, this is an instant classic. There has been many movies made about war, and this film now ranks among the greatest. And it is certainly a movie that anyone who has thought about the fact that some of the world's great countries participated in some of the worse atrocities. How are we to feel about those nations who destroyed so much, including those genocidal actions that continue to this day? This movie is one answer. And it is a journey that those who surrender to it, will never forget. If the movies are a collaborative art, then this is one of the greatest examples of it. And if truth and beauty matter to you, and if you can stand to watch scenes of horror and despair, you may experience which has to be a film of the deepest spiritual transformation and growth. I will never forget this, and I hope everyone who sees it can be transformed and healed.

American Hustle (2013)

the film of the year is a misunderstood work of genius!

[10/10 · 12 January 2014]

I am on the road but outraged at the negativity toward a brilliant film. Not only does this movie nail the 70's in so many ways, but mirrors current events (New Jersey) in such perfect concordance, that it seems completely predictive of a thousand news stories circling the planet. How current does a movie have to be when it looks deep in the heart of darkness in American politics and then it all plays out right in front of us? As someone who lived in the middle of this kind of political world, I could not stop laughing at the perfect characterizations by a director who has assembled the best cast since Altman. Christian Bale and Amy Adams create a pair of con people that forever change the way you look the whole world of corruption. This is a classic work. And as I left the sold out theater, the audience seemed as astounded as they should have been. As far as the negative views on this site, you missed a film I will never forget.

Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)

So this is why I dislike folk music?

[1/10 · 24 December 2013]

Hate to be the one sour note, and it is great that so many people can enjoy this movie. But from a musical and musicians point of view, it is hopelessly out of tune. And it is the biggest miss for music fans since Scorcese completely ruined a very good idea of filming a story about the swing era, New York, New York. The problem with both films, is that the directors exhibited a tin ear to what was really behind an entire genre of music, and failed to capture almost all of the joy, sweat and tears that goes into musical creativity. If the Coen's wanted to capture the tragedy of musical losers, then they have not even done that. Because the whole reason music becomes an obsession in the first place is because there is so much that is positive about even very small roles in the musical universe. And what the Coen's really miss is the small fact that the folk era was not just the petty lives of secondary artists, but an entire country, even an entire world, singing there heart out about the liberation that was sweeping human consciousness. And there was one other small fact; folk musicians were known for more that silly tantrums and little minds. Many of them, to this day, were satisfied to be historians, mythologists, and keepers of the flame from many cultures and traditions. The shocking glory of Joan Baez, Pete Seeger, Dylan in that style and so many others was pure magic. All of a sudden there was music of such simplicity and beauty, that the world was stunned. If the Coen's had any inkling of this in the making of this movie, I missed it.

Blue Is the Warmest Colour (2013)

walked out, the film gave me the most intense claustrophobia

[1/10 · 25 November 2013]

I almost never walk out of films. But this year is an exception. This movie had me thinking of watching an autopsy. It was cold, clinical, and so objectifying of the lead actress that I wanted to scream. Not only that but I could not think of sitting three hours to watch a plot which the director gave away in the first twenty minutes of the film. The problems with this film were so numerous, that I could never list them all. The subject matter seemed irrelevant right from the start. But one thing kept going through my head: romance without passion is like a day on the beach without the sun. Palm D'Or? A film with this lack of writing, thought, and drama is going to be cruel to an audience who has seen it all before.

The Grandmaster (2013)

A masterpiece that is not getting the recognition it deserves

[10/10 · 10 September 2013]

When I see a movie like this I remember the joy and awe I experienced as a child. I would walk out of the theater with a feeling like I had a secret experience. I had seen into the soul of the film maker and I had captured a talisman that would be mine forever.

Such is the awe and joy at seeing this, one of the most stunning and beautiful films ever made, from my point of view. Each frame is poetry, art and loaded with meaning. The entire cinematography of the film is like a lightning bolt to the heart of the viewers.

It is certain that a film like this could never be made here or in any Western country. And the fact that this masterpiece will be ignored here in the US and even disparaged right here on IMDb, is a story that I do not have the time or patience to go into. Let's just say that all of those who are not going to this film because of this negativity are going to miss one of the most stunning movies of the last 25 years.

Silver Linings Playbook (2012)

If you want to see the movie script of the year, see this film

[8/10 · 24 February 2013]

Making a comedy about a terrible disease takes guts. And writing a movie script this complex and funny is no mean feat. But as someone who lost my only brother to this terrible, tragic disease knows, this was a reach into the most amazing areas of the imagination. Point is, this movie, despite it's flaws, pulls it off. Take a cast of powerful and magical actors, throw in a wonderfully portrayed EAST coast city, borrow a few shots from the movie Rocky and various dance films, and voila, that's it. It looks oh so easy, but took a ton of imagination to make it work.There are a hundred ways to criticize the results, but I say, surrender to what has to be one of the most clever, healing and fantastic comedies in years.There are few films like this, and there will probably not be another movie so human, and so very true again any time soon.

Side Effects (I) (2013)

A delicious dinner of a movie with the perfect dessert of betrayal and suspense

[9/10 · 10 February 2013]

What a delicious surprise of a movie for this early in the year. As has been the case before, a few films of greatness end up playing just after the first of the year. I saw this movie with expecting a clichéd crime drama. What I saw was one of the most inventive and riotous versions of suspense in years. Despite signs that this genre is dead and buried (no pun intended)here is a very modern film that updates the themes and tones of film noir without a pause or hitch of any kind. And as usual in great movies of this type, the setting is a character as strong as any of the actors. New York City has never looked this depressing and cold. But what really works here is a cast so perfect, that you can hardly remember their names. Each actor fits so perfectly in the tapestry of the plot, that the film has a naturalism so real it is surreal. There is a an incredible attention to detail that is what you would expect from a Broadway play or a painting by Dali. One suggestion-DO NOT go by yourself. Having a fellow traveler to discuss this is very required. And I say this as someone who goes to the movies alone often.

Killing Them Softly (2012)

A film so awful that it defies the imagination

[1/10 · 3 December 2012]

Not only is this one of the worst film of all time, but this film may be a real death blow to any last bit of interest in past joy boy Pitt. How in this day and age does someone of his stature sleep walk through a so called entertainment so vile, pointless and boring that it leaves the audience with one thought. Why did I not use the bathroom before sitting down for this film? Violence and thuggery on this level is not only uninteresting, but without any real acting, why would anyone want to watch it? Who really cares about a plot so dumb and pointless, that it makes Mickey Mouse cartoons look like War and Peace? Who thinks at this point that these so called petty mobsters would be of any interest to anyone, if they even exist? I could go on. But having wasted more than an hour with this drek, and walking out to plead for another movie ticket, I have spent too much time on this already. Let us pray, may the complete idiots behind this miserable garbage be sent to a foreign country or planet where they will not murder anyone's weekend ever again.

Always (2011)

An amazing film that will keep you watching - I loved this

[10/10 · 11 March 2012]

How many of you will see this? I am someone who now realizes that Korean movies are now worth paying attention to. On one level this movie is pure melodrama. But when you think about it, melodrama goes back to the beginning of film. And the plot of this movie, comes directly from Charley Chaplin's "City Lights". So the story works here precisely because this kind of film has disappeared from mainstream movies. I hope you remember how Steven Spielberg broke through by harnessing the power of the cinema to make us feel. I have no idea who this director is. But what I do know is that he is a master of a very old kind of storytelling and he is hip enough to kick the whole story up to modern times in a scene so violent, well, we won't go into it...but hide you eyes if you have to. The lead actors, indeed, all the actors, are so good that they make you feel things despite a language none of us hear very often. And they are not over doing it, in a story that could have been destroyed by their lack of subtlety. Seeing this movie with a crowd of young Asian Americans at their festival in San Francisco was a special treat. Do not miss this, it is one of the best films of the year for those of us who love pure cinema. Hats off to a culture and cinema production style that could allow this to be made. You will not see anything like this again anytime soon.

Declaration of War (2011)

This film is better than you might expect-a wonder of intimacy

[7/10 · 29 January 2012]

I saw this movie in a nearly completely empty theater on a Saturday night! Not good when you consider that there is so little else going on in the artistic desert of America. I just love the fact that this film is so intimate, so close yet the viewer is not left with a feeling of voyeurism. Rather it is a story of despair, hope, and almost surreal disconnections. The actors are the kind of people you know in advance. They are from a very naturalistic acting school that has a feeling of realism and joy that is affecting and not over done. The story is difficult to watch, but somehow drives along. I am sure an American company will re-make this and I am sure I will skip it. It is not that the French do this type of movie so well. It is that these actors are so much more interesting than the current crop of American standard bearers. I recommend this, but hurry, before it disappears.

Shame (2011)

See this film now-if you want to support great cinema and the best performance of 2011,

[9/10 · 28 January 2012]

OK, this film is difficult to watch. In a time where the grossest and most disturbing behaviors are celebrated, even worshiped by an audience addicted to voyeurism, it might be hard to believe that there is still the possibly of truly shocking an audience. The problem with sex in films, is, it just is not fun to watch, and, it isn't even erotic. To me, what is truly erotic in movies is the idea of sex, or more accurately love, that is so much a matter of luck, timing and other factors, we won't go into. For example, I will always remember the love scene in "Woman in the Dunes". Now in this case, there is a rather horrible man who has lots of sex and no love, warmth or friendship. And he is so self destructive and one dimensional, that you kind of wonder why he hasn't figured out that it would be best to change his "hobby". Well I won't reveal the truth of this, but suffice it to say, you won't find this very real and disturbing tale uplifting or even that interesting. But, when it gives Michael Fassbender the platform to deliver the acting performance of the year, it is all worth it. There just has not been anything like this powerful a performance in a very very long time. And it is tragic that so few people will see this, and feel such a break through moment, both for the man, and for an art form that is often just fearful of this kind of naked truth (no pun intended!). If you are really a film person, you live for this. Not since Taxi Driver has there been this kind of moment. I just hope Michael can keep it up and find the vehicles for this kind of incredible, intense, and completely satisfying work out. I am in awe. And you should be to.

Pina (2011)

A tribute to a truly world artist-where is an American movie this powerful?

[10/10 · 28 January 2012]

I consider myself so very lucky to have seen Pina's dancers before her death. It was a magical night. Just like life, art often reaches us by chance. And if you are interested in the highest art, do not miss this. The film revolves around a series of interviews with the dancers themselves. They say only a few words, and a few do not speak at all. What becomes obvious is the amazing dedication and loyalty (fanaticism?) of the dancers to their leader. The dance pieces are amazing. But I had a moment of terrible frustration when the "Rite of Spring" dance is shown with only a small excerpt. The director probably realized that this was such a powerful work that it could easily overwhelm the rest of the film! But this is a minor point. There is still the terrible fact that American film industry cannot come close to this level of cultural "grande art". It is not because we do not have the artists, the technology, the movie directors or the money. The fact is that our movie industry, if it is that, is locked in an embrace with commercial flotsam and jetsam. Who can waste there time watching Tom Cruise when you can sit with the spirit of such a master? We not only dumb down our culture, but we celebrate it! If only the Super Bowl was a ballet, I might feel differently. After this film, I may not want to move to Europe, but I say viva la difference! Don't miss this. There won't be another like it any time soon.

The Artist (I) (2011)

What a great Holiday gift to film lovers-Je T'aime!

[10/10 · 27 December 2011]

Once again, there is a wonderful re-birth of the film industry, just when it has been declared dead and buried. And for those of us ready for a real holiday surprise, this is it. And leave it to the FRENCH to produce such a wonderful treat. And it is a sure bet that this film may well challenge the big Hollywood fat cats as a BEST picture that cost a fraction of their films. That said, will Americans who don't seem to respond to most things "foreeen" take to this charming and simple piece of pure celluloid fun, filled with obscure references and lovingly portrayed touches from what must be a life time of film watching by the director? And here is the rub, the movie has a clear subtext about technological change that makes it a clear follow-up to Modern Times. For the biggest challenge facing our society is portrayed right here-how can we all make our way in a world that is changing by the minute? In the end we are left with the wonderful sense of warmth and love that is so typically FRENCH. Ah, l'amour, I love it. And yes, our fantasies about life are this real. Mother, you were right, everything will be fine.

My Reincarnation (2011)

A wonderful movie that will open your mind and open your heart

[10/10 · 24 December 2011]

So much media, so little time. I will submit to you that this end of a horrible year is possibly one of the best movie runs in a long long time. And to kick things off, you could do yourself a favor by watching this remarkable documentary about the complex relationship between exiled Tibetan spiritual master Cheogyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche and his Italian-born son. The incredible things about documentaries is that they get made at all. And when a film opens you up to a whole world, thousands of years of tradition and practices, and a remarkable family struggle, all at the same time, then watch and pray this happens more often. So in a real sense, this film is beyond criticism, ratings and all the rest. The fact that it exists, and that you, living your hum drum life might get to see it, and that it shows a real life drama so much more moving and important that any other film or TV show or Internet blabber that you might waste your time with is enough said. Watch this, open your mind, and experience what can only be said to be a tale for our time. For the fact that the cruelty and hatred that spawned all of it is still there, and that maybe, just maybe, by watching this we might be inspired to do some small thing to assist those who suffer,is all that really matters. Enough said.

24 Hour Party People (2002)

One of only two or three great Hollywood movies about music

[30 October 2011]

You would think that Hollywood and the music business would be very close, with the executives lunching together every day in the slick restaurant scene that only LA and New York City have to offer. But you would be wrong. The evidence is that on both sides (music execs trying to make movies and tone deaf Hollywood moguls)there has been a massive failure in joining the two art forms. The one big exception is the growing body of work by Scorcese. Which brings me to this film, one of the top music movies ever made. For those of us who have followed music since the birth of rock n roll, it is particularly amazing and satisfying that it took the British to make this masterpiece about the BUSINESS of rock. Since Edison, it is a combination of business and technology that has created the music industry and led to its massive melt down, and the complete hand over to Apple. But that is another story. This film does its best to sum up why and how it has been impossible for rock and roll artists to grow their art separate from a completely insane and out of control money system that sold it down the river. The setting of this film is in the brief but fascinating Manchester music scene and this is the perfect back drop for a goofy, chaotic, and ultimately tragic tale that just never stops moving. Steve Coogan is brilliant in a once in a life time role that must have been written just for him. How else can you explain this funny, hilarious, and absolutely true picture of a music money man gone mad. I am not exaggerating that when movies were invented, they were meant for just this; social and artistic commentary that is moving, funny and absolutely unforgettable. I have seen this movie more than once, and each time I am amazed, delighted and so sad that a artistic world once so promising came to this.

In Time (2011)

Phillip K. Dick lives-and Justin becomes a star-read it here

[30 October 2011]

Never has one writer had such a powerful influence on the movies, and one that keeps on going and going. And this influence has been fabulous for those of us who adore the genre or science fiction, and who find the spate of low budget, rather simple sci-fi films of the past year or two a thrill like no other. We live in a scary world, and with the future so uncertain and strange in real life, what better way to celebrate than to watch a movie exactly like this. Fear has no better brother than the imaginative mind, and this movie looks this emotion squarely in the face. Essentially a futuristic version of Bonnie and Clyde, Amanda and Justin are a sexy, sultry couple, on the run and on the make in a world where everyone can be seconds away from their demise and wear time has replaced money in a race for survival. This is not only a clever conceit but a modern world truism. And it leads to an element of surprise and drama that is shocking in its simplicity and depth. On top of all this, Justin is now a very charismatic star ala early Sean Penn, and has a chance to show his muscular acting style in a major role for the very first time. Amanda is the perfect sexy,and at the same time robotic foil,as well. This movie also has a fabulous use of LA as a futuristic world, almost as good as in Blade Runner. And let's hear it for a deep and perfect secondary cast that is so good in ever way (who is Johnny Galecki-wow!!). So see this soon, because it is like a hot butterscotch sundae on a Saturday afternoon. Or better, like seeing a new Dick novel appear in the paperback book store of your dreams.

Wild Things (1998)

Is there a deep dark secret lurking in the American dream? See it here!

[16 October 2011]

This movie, one of my all time favorites, and BODY HEAT, are two sides of a coin. Read this film, and think about the message right there for us to all read. It is not just that things are not what they seem to be, but that the American dream is littered with the dark holes of serial criminals, thieves and liars that no one could have been aware of back when this was made. What makes this movie an absolute punch drunk riot is the perfect casting, the perfect setting and a plot that rides you to the end and then beyond. It is a delirious satire, an absolute swanky spoof, and super charged ride. Each time I watch this, I get a little more about the method that makes this work. It is a layering of detail, a rhythm of betrayal and a perfect pitch. Like a great rock concert by a band is at the top of its game, this is film making that cranks at perfect pitch. The serious laughs are even better when you know what to expect. Miss this at your own risk.

The Last Lions (2011)

Human actors, watch out, these animals have go it!

[8/10 · 8 March 2011]

I walked into this movie somewhat by chance but I had heard the interview the film makers had done with Terry Gross on NPR. And I was very surprised that despite a constant narrative by the great Jeremy Irons, this film works. The question remains-can we take the humanizing of wild animals too far? The answer is, probably not, because humans NEED this point of view to develop empathy for these ferocious beasts. At least this is the point of view of the makers of this beautifully filmed and surprising documentary. What I find missing is more about the ugliness of the human condition, bent on every type of destruction of the wild, promoting guns and hunting like this is some type of sport, and a culture everywhere that promotes economies built on destructive and deadly consequences. But that is probably another film and another day. Here we have a meditation of nature, its cruelties, pathos and sheer beauty that you will never forget. Don't miss this one.

The Adjustment Bureau (2011)

Thank GOD it is 2011 and there are adult films to watch

[8/10 · 6 March 2011]

I am always intrigued that my favorite time of year for movies in the last few years is the brief time right after the Academy Awards when some amazing and surprising movies suddenly emerge. I skipped Black Swan, True Grit and the rest because the whole thing just bored me to tears. The award show itself was amazingly and shockingly an utter snooze. But wait- get out of the house and the studios are releasing films that got bumped by the pompous pap of award season and are actually fun, entertaining and real cinema experiences. Which brings me to The Adjustment Bureau. I saw this in a packed theater full of people hungry for a real movie, and they were not disappointed. Even though the MATRIX and some other blockbuster type sci-fi films have attempted to kill the genre completely with their bombastic special effects over kill, nothing should stop you from enjoying this little gem of a film. Shot in glorious color, the film uses NYC as a setting. This in itself is a cinematic tour de force that will keep any true movie fan glued to the screen, trying the guess the actual settings. And even though a number of elements are slightly off kilter including the chemistry between the two leads, there is a quiet and beautiful poetry to almost every scene. What it boils down to is that you have to admire the guts of a movie that can go this route in the wake of similar films with massive budgets and a lot more techno blitz. This film can take a simple scene in a parking garage and meld it to a plot line that has just enough Dickinson twists to make it all worth our time. I just have to say "praise the lord and pass the popcorn." One more award season is shot to hell and now the fun begins. If you miss this you miss the true "awards" real cinema fans live for. This is best little film that is a blast without bombast.

Burlesque (I) (2010)

Music, dancing, and the female voice of her generation

[8/10 · 25 November 2010]

It is a really quiet Thanksgiving Day in Marin County, Northern, CA. Thank you IMDb for alerting me about this film. Despite the fact this could have been great in period costume with a Humphrey Bogart, George Raft and the rest (are they around?), don't miss this film if you love an unexpected treat. Which brings up the questions-where are women led films from todays media moguls? This movie shows how it can be done-with someone of the awesome power of Christine and a showcase for veteran CHER, these ladies blow away the plot absurdity and the male cheesecake to rock out. If only Chicago had the dance and song power of these pieces, it would have been as great as everyone said it was. And if only some of the other great women songsters sitting at home were given this kind of raw musical showcase. This movie shows that as far as great vocalization. women hold there own and then some. Christine-you are a star. So there it is, some power music pieces, thrilling vocal fireworks, and a reworking of the R and B "lady on fire" legacy that goes back to the first blues shouters, moves through greats like Aretha and Sharon Jones, and becomes oh so real in this bit of very musical celluloid. Unlike Thanksgiving dinner, this warm meal left you wanting more. Much more.

Mother (2009)

One of the darkest, most evil characters in movie history, lovingly portrayed

[10/10 · 29 March 2010]

Film loves evil, the vile, the inept, the perverse and the innocent defamed. All of this is in the brilliant film "Mother". One of the greatest faults of Hollywood is the complete omission of this type of character (I can't reveal who), and this amazingly scripted piece of horrific, monstrous human behavior takes tremendous advantage of the fact that WESTERN film makers lack the guts to do this story. It helps American viewers that both the setting (a small town in Korea) and the actors (complete unknowns to this viewer) all create a clean slate for us to experience this level of depravity and pure and utter darkness of the human spirit. I just saw Chloe, and believe it or not, the films are similar. Both use a strange and mundane setting. Both films dig deep into the hollow lives of these characters, bereft of love and even the most elemental human contact and affection in their lives. And both films point out the sheer perversity of the modern human spirit searching for this love we all dare to desire. Nothing is missing from this absolutely brilliant tour de force of human rendering that will leave you in disgust and awe. After all, what are movies for? If you don't want to feel the fear and trembling of this kind of human tragedy, we should all just sit home. This movie is a masterpiece.

Chloe (2009)

Erotic, exotic, beautifully shot, and with a score that is special

[9/10 · 27 March 2010]

It was great to see the crowd for this film at my local cinema. Yes, the reviews for this look like they are all over the map. But let it be said that without this fantastic casting (Julianne Moore, Liam Neeson and Amanda Seyfried-a powerful erotic trio), the glorious cinematography and the wildly gorgeous sound track, it might be all of what these arm chair critics are saying. We live only a few miles from Canada by air but it might as well be Istanbul in the hands of this director. Magically the city of Toronto in winter is like another world, with a sleek modern feel that is alluring and cold at the same time. This is the perfect setting for a movie rich in the cloaked emotion of the upper class, lost in a deep freeze. Watching the film in spring in California, makes it seem even more unreal and foreign. In this landscape of ice, we see the characters emerge as modern people lost, alienated, hungary for love and even just human touch. This is a movie of antithesis, and startling allusions of the duality between trust and fear, openness and truth and the hard fact of emotional allusion and mirror like dreams. This film has nothing to do with Hitchcock and everything to do with Bunuel, and the deep wave of surrealist magic still washing on the shore of French thought and culture. Yes the ending is dubious, but it can't crush your response. For those of you wide awake enough to enjoy this, you will be rewarded in ways that American directors rarely seem to reach. What I say is bravo!I believe that for these moments, such dreams are very real.

The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond (2008)

Surprising, interesting, with an excellent cast and a wonderful dramatic feel

[8/10 · 10 January 2010]

For those of us who don't get to the theater much and depend on the cinema for our acting thrills, this film is just downright fun. The fact that it got made in this century is a pleasant and amusing surprise. Like "An Education", this film features a few strong unknown cast that are outstanding. It also features phenomenal stars Ellen Burstyn and Ann-Margret in wonderful, surprising cameos. Chris Evans shines-has their been a sexier role for a young actor? Bryce Dallas Howard is a wonder, and really pulls off a very demanding leading place in this film. Now blink you eyes and the plot takes you to a movie experience from before 1950. But that is exactly what is so fun. Southern style romance, twisted identical twins, dead bodies up the stairs-it is also somewhat predicable but very lovingly portrayed. I really like this film, exactly because I love the experience of pulling up to a movie theater on a cold winter night a getting the same good time my parents did in their day-a warm, sweet and somewhat bitter romance with a clear sense of time and place.

Don't go to this film expecting fireworks. Go for movie magic served Southern style by actors who are real and very good. This is what entertainment is about, and unfortunately it is a lost art these days.

Me and Orson Welles (2008)

The performance of the century-this is one of the great film performances ever

[10/10 · 19 December 2009]

I don't think it is exaggeration to say that the performance of Christian McKay as Orson Welles in this film is beyond criticism. It is one of the rarest of moments in movies when a character from history becomes more than real- it becomes part of the legend of his life. More than anything, this is a film about youth, and all the brashness, foolishness, and loss that it represents. Orson Welles was a genius, and as such, would be ignored and destroyed by the very culture that created him. But theater, just like film is an art of collaboration. Even geniuses need a cast, and Orson created a team, that included masters of art like John Houseman and Joseph Cotten. Too bad so many film viewers will see this film without a clue about who these people were, never mind how magical this group became.

The film is a delight in every way, with a cast to die for, magical cinematography and a soundtrack that is so perfect it is going to be very hard to resist buying the CD.

And then there is the performance by Mr. McKay. And once again, Europe provides the kind of new acting talent that is apparently lost here in America. Where are the American's that could come even close to such a masterful piece of film acting? We will never know since American directors will make movies with George Clooney and the rest over and over again to guarantee a return on their dollars. The risk and absolute stunning results of the new evident in this film, are rare but absolutely delicious. Don't miss this evidence that film acting still can blow your mind, and make you believe.

La danse (2009)

Two wonderful films this year about rehearsal-if you love art you will get it

[8/10 · 6 December 2009]

The director of this film, Frederick Wiseman, has the unusual idea that he can set up a camera and a film will happen. The crazy thing is, it seems to work. With no narrative, no drama, and a whole lot of detail, Wiseman takes you through all the nooks and crannies of the Paris Opera ballet, and it is a fun if somewhat long visit. One scene is typical: the artistic director of the ballet is meeting with a very young dancer. She is terribly young, beautiful and speaks French with a very odd accent. Nothing much is said in this meeting, it seems almost completely superfluous; but that is exactly what gives it such charm and interest. You feel like a voyeur to something special and unique. I got the same feelings from watching the Michael Jackson movie, This is It. Now Mr. Jackson's art and the Paris ballet are on two different planets, but the fact that two very moving films about rehearsal have just come out, tell us something about the critical essence of all art. The great artists get to where they are by spending a lifetime practicing. And watching them practice, whether it is in the ballet or on the pop stage, is to see the way it all comes together. Now it would have been great to fly to London or Paris and see these performances in person. But the magic of film is that is brings you there. And in a way, these movies show you something almost all the fat cats miss-real art just does not happen, it is lived.