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Content by gonn1000
Commentateur n° : 6,720
Votes Utiles:
17
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Reviews Written by
gonn1000 (Portugal)
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
Welcome, German Cinema, Jul 18 2004
An intelligent and compelling comedy (or dramedy), "Good Bye Lenin" presents an interesting portrait of the multiple changes that affected Germany a few years ago. Managing to offer a strong social/political/historical perspective about the evolution of his country, director Wolfgang Becker also delivers a solid character study about a youngster and his relationship with his mother, touching issues such as the generation gap or the power of a lie. The acting is good overall (Daniel Bruhl is very convincing), the directing is clever, the plot is gripping and the soundtrack (by Yann Tiersen) is superbly crafted, which makes for an above average cinematic experience.Recommended.
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Good Indie, Jun 26 2004
A quiet, melancholic and gripping record, "And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside Out" is a solid and convincing effort from one of the most compelling bands of the current alternative rock scenario. While not a masterpiece or a mind-blowing experience, this little album offers an intriguing collection of hypnotic songs worth listening. Moments like the haunting opener "Everyday" or the sublime "You Can Have It All" show this band`s strenght, providing tender and delicate compositions. Appropriate to listen to at a calm night, this is a record worth checking.Recommended.
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Take This Train, Jun 26 2004
An interesting and compelling movie, this Patrice Chereau`s ("Intimacy") effort is a deep and subdued story about different kinds of relationships. Many individuals who are somehow connected (family ties, friendship, love) reunite on a train in order to attend a funeral of a loved(?) one. During the process, shades of the past unfold and old wounds appear again, making for some dramatic moments and tense situations. A low-key, subtle and realistic cinematic experience, "Those Who Love Me Can Take the Train" offers a solid character study with convincing acting and a stellar soundtrack (P.J. Harvey, Jeff Buckley, Portishead, Cake,...). It`s an uneven movie, though, as some scenes drag a bit, the connections between a couple of characters aren`t quite clear and the ending could be better. Still, this picture is worthwile overall and suceeds at presenting a melancholic and urban look into dysfunctional families.Good cinema.
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You Sure Can Leave It Behind, Jun 26 2004
A bland and average set of innofensive rock songs, "All That You Can`t Leave Behind" has little to recommend. While there`s nothing truly horrible here, most of the moments are merely passable and far from memorable. "New York" is probably the best track, and even that is far from stunning. This record offers nothing new to the current music scenario, presenting weak compositions that lack originality and innovation. It certainly doesn`t deserve all the overexposure it got, since it has been awhile since U2 created something truly remarkable and cutting edge. This album may please die-hard fans of the band, but those who search for intriguing music will probably be disappointed.Passable and forgettable.
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Cabin Fever
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| DVD ~ Eli Roth |
| Availability: Currently unavailable |
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Smells Like Teen Flesh, Jun 25 2004
An entertaining and surprising effort, "Cabin Fever" is one of the most refreshing horror movies of the last years, adding some new blood to a somewhat tired genre. The plot offers nothing new, focusing the adventures of five teenagers in the woods while they make a vacation before going to college. Still, director Eli Roth presents an intriguing and scary enough flick, providing a couple of suspenseful moments with many darkly comic situations. The cast is alright but far from stellar, the soundrack is creepy as it should, the photography is grim and well-crafted and the overall mood and atmosphere are very convincing as well. "Cabin Fever" isn`t as good as Danny Boyle`s "28 Days Later", still it offers a lot of good scenes with some memorable and sinister details. Not bad for a directorial debut.Worth a look.
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A Dream...or a Nightmare??, Jun 12 2004
One of the most surprising and enticing movies of the last years, this cult classic (yes, it`s a modern classic already) presents a superb and unforgettable perspective about the nature of addiction (not just drugs). Darren Aronofsky delivers some cutting-edge moments here, managing to offer terrific camera-angles with a powerful, fluid photography and an urban, hypnotic soundtrack. He`s one of the most promising directors around, resembling David Fincher, Chris Nolan or Richard Kelly due to his videoclip-like cinematography. The plot focuses the lives of four alienated and lonely individuals whose experiences with addiction lead them to a downward spiral, generating a couple of astonishing and surreal scenes. "Trainspotting" was one of the essential movies of the nineties, as it delivered a new perspective on drugs and its effects, but "Requiem for a Dream" is equally impressive, creative and original, presenting multiple memorable moments worth rewatching. Its non-linear structure may be confusing at parts, some characters are not fully developed and the overall tone of the film is way too depressing (even a bit pretentious), still "Requiem for a Dream" shines as a respectable and strong achievement nonetheless.
This is independent filmaking at its best, a rich and multi-layered cinematic experience that doesn`t disappoint. Highly Recommended.
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Cathedral
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de Raymond Carver
Édition : Paperback |
| Price: CDN$ 13.83 |
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| Availability: Usually ships in 3 to 5 weeks |
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Blah...So What??, Jun 12 2004
This collection of short stories is mildly interesting and compelling at parts, but as a whole it merely provides a bland and unsurprising read. There`s really nothing special or remarkable here, since Carver presents slices of life about lonely, depressed and lost american souls who haven`t much of a life. Some moments are intriguing (the short story "Cathedral", for instance, about a couple and a blind man), yet the overall result fails to rise above average, dull and bleak material. Certainly overrated, this book recieved more praise than it truly deserves.A letdown.
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Signs
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| Availability: Currently unavailable |
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Some Signs of Brilliance, Jun 11 2004
Another addition to the "asian underground" genre, Badmarsh & Shri deliver a convincing and interesting achievement. "Signs" mixes techno, trip-hop, funk, big beat, ambient, electro, world music, pop and other influences to present an ecclectic and diverse album. The first song is one of the best of the bunch, similar to some Massive Attack`s efforts (always a good reference), and the rest of the tracks are mostly worth a listen as well. Even though it has a couple of filler moments, "Signs" is quite a decent album, sadly overlooked and way above average.Enjoyable enough.
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Another Average Movie, Jun 5 2004
A disappointing follow-up to the impressive "Kids", "Another Day in Paradise" has some interesting elements (good acting, ok dialogue, a couple of twists), but ultimately it fails to engage and never rises above so-so, mildly watchable material. It`s not a bad choice to watch on a boring afternoon, still it isn`t more than a forgettable and cliched story about young and old criminals in the suburbs. Director Larry Clark has done better, and this blah effort stands as his weakest movie to date.Run-of-the-mill and uninspired.
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Join the Club, May 14 2004
One of the best debuts of the last years, "B.R.M.C." is a fine addition to the new rock movement that has strong ties to the past, late seventies zeitgeist (alongside the Strokes or the White Stripes). Mixing Jesus and Mary Chain with Oasis influences, this band provides a somewhat derivative, yet captivating sound, presenting a compelling set of songs. There`s nothing really new to find here, but moments like the sinister and gloomy "Red Eyes and Tears" or the addictive "Love Burns" are top notch compositions anywhere at any time. One of the few rock bands worth listening to today, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club are a strong and solid name worth following.Intriguing rock.
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