Category Archives: movies

Another Faust (Film: ‘Faust’ – Alexander Sokurov, 2011)

I came to know quite late the works of the Russian director Alexander Sokurov, and I cannot say I know them well today either. The first one I have seen was Russian Ark, a splendid exercise in virtuosity, composition and … Continue reading

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A ‘Tale’ That Cannot Raise Above Words (Film: A Tale of Love and Darkness – Natalie Portman, 2015)

When it comes to films inspired by books I find the discussions about whether the book was ‘better’ (or not) than the film futile. I also do not consider films being ‘true’ to the books that inspired them as being … Continue reading

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007 – overcome by events (Film: Spectre – James Bond, 2015)

Action films have a problem this fall. The reality of the crazy world we live in is not only rapidly closing in the horrors and destruction imagined by script authors, but it is overcoming it also at some moments. ‘Spectre’ … Continue reading

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selective truth (Film: Essential Killing – Jerzy Skolimowski, 2010)

The US and NATO war in Afghanistan did not generate yet too many movies. Certainly, not many good movies. A few war and B-series films dealt with the conflict in a  one-sided manner, focusing on the action, demonizing or at … Continue reading

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weirdo! (Film: The Gift – Joel Edgerton, 2015)

Joel Edgerton is not a completely anonymous actor, but not a big star either. We know his face from a few supporting roles in a number of movies, but none of them really made it to the Academy Awards. This … Continue reading

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how do you say Tarantino in French? (Film: Mauvais sang – Leos Carax, 1986)

I am fascinated by Leos Carax. In more than 30 years he made just a handful of long films, but what films these are. Each of them reminds me when I get to see them why I love and I … Continue reading

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Meryl Streep rocks (Film: Ricki and the Flash – Meryl Streep, 2015)

This may be the rock film of the year. Meryl Streep plays an aging supermarket cashier who spends her evenings playing Stones and U2 music in a club for a faithful audience of a few tens of people, many of … Continue reading

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a mob story that works (Film: Gangster Squad – Sean Penn, Ryan Gosling, 2013)

A few days ago I have seen the brand new ‘Black Mass’ which is also a mob story made in Hollywood and enjoying the participation of a fine cast. I was not enthusiastic. ‘Gangster Squad’ directed by Ruben Fleischer has … Continue reading

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saving the world again (Film: World War Z – Brad Pitt, 2013)

Sometimes you see a film which has great premises and it disappoints. Some other times however a film which according to the subject and taking into account previous experiences in the genre is doomed for failure succeeds to surprise in … Continue reading

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the merry Reformation (Film: Le tout nouveau testament – Jaco Van Dormael, 2015)

You can hardly get a better set of premises for a film than the ones of Le tout nouveau testament or The Brand New Testament by Belge director Jaco Van Dormael. Bored being, one day, God created Bruxelles (quite a … Continue reading

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