Film reviews often tell you what would be commercially attractive or to the common expectations. Therefore these descriptions of movies you might want to see but did not decide about yet.

 

 

The latest films.
(Dutch movies are discussed in Dutch)


1.20 - 4.20 2000

 

The Bone Collector

Seen: 4-20-'00. Professionally made highlight of the genre. The question is: what is it really about? Why are we obsessed with serial killers? In the movie one is hunted down (by an 'immovable' Denzel Washington) in the classic style reminding of the way in the s.f.-movie Alien the acidious monster was feared. Total alienation of the human condition is the root of the crime. The system etc. Still we look at these digestive pictures, that are especially suitable for the ones fond of eating meat, although we are getting used to it... And then an even more gruesome story? No, the obsession is something religious, it is not knowing about the Lord that once killed demons in series and we don't want to be those demons. Thus the fascination. O.K.?

 

 

Mission to Mars

Seen 04-13-'00. A nice s.f. movie in the classic style following Kubrick's 2001 by Brian de Palma. He filmed all the thoughts we always had about Mars: there could have been life - such and such could have happened to Mars... The movie is free of serving the commercial expectations of war-like science fiction with good and evil-cliché's. It draws from a realistic plot and doesn't step out of it. A mission to Mars fails. A rescue mission discovers what is really out there on the Red Planet. Our reality shifts into the dream of our source. Where did life on earth originate from? All life is connected; 'they are us, we are them'... Go and see. The idealist finds his food and the dreamer finds a new reality.

 

 

The Insider

Seen:03- 29-'00. Real and useful story about how the nicotine-mafia was defeated by integer journalism and civil courage. Before nicotine was not considered an addictive drug legally, Since then it is. Al Pacino in a role befitting him. Was a bit tiring to look at. One not only takes the load of the smokers bad karma, also astonishingly during the break of the movie many were still smoking !

see also article

 

 

 

Los Amantes del Circulo Polar

Seen: 03-31-'00. South America. Young people in love. Parents separating, joining in new alliances. Youth confused. Secret love. A lifelong search to remedy that lost secret. United in the real and ideal of the beyond, but does one ever fulfill the dream once the reality is screwed up? The ideal is the food of the soul, but the endresult is a drama. Purpose? Intelligently put, a drama is still a drama leaving the question: 'how to live to begin with?'

 

 

The Ciderhouse Rules

Seen:03- 21-'00. Oscar for Michael Caine as an ether-sniffing outcast abortion doctor taking care of an orphanage. The story is about a boy growing up there that discovers the world on his own. That world is run on the cider house rules. Do not sit on the roof when you pick apples at this farm .... They are the rules one ridicules and for that one has to pay a price. Drama teaches the lad and after the demise of the Doctor, the boy takes it over because he did not follow the rules: applause. The other rules of humanity are ruling!

 

 

The Green Mile

03-14-'00 Stephen King (the story-writer) converted to the true belief! No longer senseless horror just to stimulate our digestion and swear off our paranoia or something. No. This time we see how under the guarding of Tom Hanks a prisoner finds respect being a powerhouse of God capable of healing people as well as punishing the wicked. Classical good-evil controversies. Hope and love in the prison: miracles exist!

 

 

Three Kings

Set in the middle East three soldiers want the Gold of Saddam just after the Gulfwar. Supposed to criticize the lax attitude of the U.S. government to the Irakees loyal to the American mission of defeating Saddam. But more salient was the failure of greed: it doesn't pay. Going for the gold ultimately the human motive defeats all. In that sense a successful movie.

 

 

A Commence d'Aujourdhui

(from now on..)

North of France. Difficult times for a schoolteacher lacking in funds and humanity to manage the school properly. Drama happens and enforces a creative solution out of respect for the deceased. Poverty mixed with despair can't win: we have to be creative rejoicing in the authentic of our cultural respect, however the little means we have. End of the movie. It's o.k. Real as it is. We are also (materially) poor and creative. Thus the world-order.

 

 

The Talented Mr Riply

Seen 02-08-'00. A novel filmed still giving the feel of that novel is an accomplishment. It is about a rich man's son living like a God in the south of France and an equally young Mr. Riply who has the talent to tell him the right way how his father would like him to take responsibility. The of himself poor and insulted Riply kills the rich son and takes over his life. Impossible as it seems he gets away with it. Astounding drama on the question whether rich friends are really friends and God's justice is really with the wealthy. Capital as the essence of human alienation in another cultured selfrealized French Revolution with its own mysterious sense of justice. Fascinating! Nice music too.

 

 

American Pie

Seen: 02-28-'00. Comedy about youngsters with a sexual obsession. All to remember clear is, as many may from their own youth, that it was very funny at times. Good entertainment! Nothing more.

 

 

American Beauty

Seen 01-20-'00. The sixties get enlightened. Forgotten ideals surface again in a suburb family of societal accomplishment. The wife doesn't quite follow, she fell for the lie. The daughter is off with her friend to the unknown. The neighbor is paranoid. The father quits his job, is impotent and falls in love with the girlfriend of his daughter. Confusion all around. How do we arrive at the reality without illusion. It means to be reborn to refound honesty and the freedom of a liberated self. Of course this runs into a drama as our culture lacks the experience to deal with all of this properly. Where is The Order? Don't miss this one. Oscar, Oscar, Oscar.

 

 

 

 

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backgroundgraphic: Argotique