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Films 2009

Title Rating Comments
Cheri Emirates film - Well-filmed period film set in France. Some good images.
Postgrad Emirates film - Silly flick about a recently graduated woman who wants to work in literature and ignores the man who loves her.
Into the Storm Emirates film - About Winston Churchill with flashbacks. Entertaining. I recall watching Winny's funeral on the TV in Exmouth, Devon. Not recommended.
Dirty Dancing DVD at the YHA in Dunedin - not too impressed, really not as good as I heard it was. Interesting refelction on the transition of American society post WWI. Not recommended.
Avatar (Dances With Smurfs) Cinema in Invercargill - very good CG from the maker of "Titanic". Not too much of a story. Would not watch again, even in 3D.
500 (Days of Summer) Emirates film - sad romantic film. Well acted, drawn out tale, well filmed. Recommended.
Adam   Emirates film - Not worth watching, unless that is you are in a closed tube at 11'000 meters. Not recommended.
The Private Lives of Pippa Lee Emirates film - Silly film about a woman who has a crisis with her uncaring hisband - wrong match, but she breaks out. Hardly worth watching. Not recommended.
Bandstorm Emirates film - Kids film. Hardly worth watching. Not recommended.
Sunshine Cleaning Emirates film - Harmless.
Law Abiding Citizen Männerabend (Lots of free beer being consumed) - Gerard Butler did well, Jamie Foxx really much less so. Interesting story.
Chinatown ½ DVD - Why have I never seen this movie? - Grand LA style. Jack and Fay. John Huston, Roman Polanski. Enjoyable! Highly Recommended.
The Sixth Sense Bruce Willis. Disturbing film, what an ending! Simply sad how people who loved get torn apart.
Le Salaire de la peur (The wages of Fear) Studio 4 -Yves Montand was a force even in his early days. Well put together, a few technical details not right, but some stuff really well done. Interesting story. Would recommend. Strange I have never seen this before, thank you Studio 4, exceptionally good value with a 12 month card. Recommended.
The Informer The plot is OK towards the end. Would not recommend the flick as a whole.
Looking for Eric Ken does it again, this time the story is better rounded than his usually are, and although some scenes are tough, there is a lot of good humanity in there. Would watch again Recommended.
The Age of Stupid DVD - Rather a good little documentary. Hits the point. The Brits who are against windmills are simply classic conservatives - make one want to howl, they are so stupid and stuck in the past... Glad I don't live there, don't think I could cope with such blind stupidity! Great quote: "According to Victoria they stopped another windfarm on their other estate in Scotland in the 90s". Recommended.
Blade Runner Studio 4 .-Excellent Ridley Scott production with Harrison Ford, Rudger Hauer and the beautiful Sean Young. Happy end when they fall in love and "escape" because she might be an android. (Sniff!) Recommended.
Away We Go Sam Mendes - Just as well this is just a movie, otherwise two people who love each other in this wierd egotistical world would have to be stuffed and put in a museum. (With thanks to Basil, the quote was - "Happy customers, we should have them stuffed and put in a museum, don't you think Sibylle?") Some watchers almost pissed themselves with laughter, but I didn't find it THAT funny.. Would not want to watch it again.
Jules et Jim Studio 4 -François Truffaut - wierd and wonderful French cinema - I was surprized I had forgotten the ending. Defines the meaning of the word capricious!
The Ugly Truth Some really good one-liners- Light-hearted, entertaining. Would go again, or better still wait till it hits freeTV. Recommended.
Taking Woodstock Started off well, but weak ending. Would not want to see this again. Loved the voice of the transvestite with the gun. (Note to self: must get a voice trainer when I win the lotto!)
Departures beautiful, poingnent, warm, loving, very japanese film. a real jewel. It shows that there are still superb film makers out there who know their art, players who feel into their parts, camera men with a magnificent eye and sound people who know their tunes. Highly Recommended.
Giulias Verschwinden Thinking about getting older, for some of us more of an issue for others. Wish I would have seen this a few weeks ago.. Very well written, fun, fun, fun. And the acting... with a happy end. Can't wait till it gets on the tele! Highly Recommended.
Rose et Noir Thinking about this it was really an excellent film, I think I would even like to see it again, maybe later on the tele! Recommended.
Little Miss Sunshine DVD - OK, but I think they could have made more out of it. Some scenes really had the makings of a lot of fun. They could also have played more with the running jokes - IMHO. Did make the evening pass, after so much translation work my eyes seem to be going slightly wonky, well the right one... Time to go back to the professional but unsympathetic lady in Thalwil??
Up 3D - OK, some good sequences, a more or less OK storyline, but not really much use of 3D. I wonder how much they spent on it? One thing I did enjoy is the way the dogs were always "distracted" when someone cried "Squirrel", but this could be just a male thing!
Le Premier Jour du reste de ta Vie DVD - classic French approach to life, entertaining well crafted. And it followed a very nice meal with great company. Recommended.
Brendan - The Secret shown during Fantouche, ticket care of Dustin. Takes place in a location with a high wall - Kells. Has to do with possible origins of the "Book of Kels" - available for viewing in Trinity College - Dublin... Could have been another trip. Worthwhile, although I hear Dublin is very much changed since I was there in the early 80s.. Also saw the book - amazing illustration. Which is what the film is really all about. Religous mystery, a fairy story I suppose.
Mary & Max shown during Fantouche, ticket care of Dustin. (He also did one of the fantouche adverts, shown before all performances.) http://www.maryandmax.com/ wonderful story, well told, just got a bit long for my taste (I did "a Heide" towards the end..) Very poignant. Recommended.
Julie & Julia Loverly film, Meryl Streep sounds just as I remember Julia Child, same voice and mannerisms. Well thought out story. Mouthwatering food. You are invited to dinner and I will find and cook one of her recipies. French food, will probably take for ever to prepare and cook, slow and delicious! Recommended.
Coraline 3D makes this film actually better, they use it well. But of course without a good story, it would be a waste of time... The story is good, well told. And the entire production was done by hand - amazing!
The Hurt Locker Rather a good film. In parts reminiscent of "Apocalipse Now". Violent of course, good drama. Weak ending. Highly Recommended.
Los Abrazos Rotos Superb film, with many aspects. Love the way she was made to look like Audrey, and of course the initial scene, funny. I do wonder who tore up the photos, can't imagine they did it, maybe the private eye who was sent by Ernesto to spy on them? Recommended.
The Proposal Harmless romantic comedy - however great pictures of Bearskin Neck which in the story was supposed to be in Alaska... but it's actually in Maine - Rockport...
Domicile Conjugal Xenix Open Air, with Dustin - Classic Truffaut film set in Paris, marriage troubles, some interesting characters and dialogue. Looks old mainly because of the clothes and hairstyle. (Wish I had a good head of hair - then again I did back then...)
Cinema Paradiso DVD Dustin - Classic Italian cinema, wonderfully presented, a real delight. Highly Recommended.
Tricks DVD Dustin - I don't usually like Nicolas Cage, but this he plays really well. Very worthwhile and convincing. Recommended.
Tag am Meer Enjoyable. Nice to be out of that transition many years ago. A very well produced and acted film, suprisingly thoughtful for a Swiss film. Recommended.
Alle Anderen Oh dear, bit like a Bergman film, but a wierd storyline which I mostly didn't really feel.
Comme les Autres Entertaining movie, well acted. A gay who wants to have a child, his partner says no ...
Tulpan Boring, another one of those "life in the outback" - well steppe actually" films. Recommended by the Danish man who takes Milosh for runs.
State of Play Good film, similar to "All the President's Men", with a twist at the end. Good performances from Russel Crowe, Helen Mirum. Quote from her - "I want to know who she knew, who she blew, the color of her knickers." Highly Recommended.
The Limits of Control   Jim Jarmish - Don't go there!
Crossing Over Excellent film, the best from Harrison Ford in many years. Highly Recommended.

 

 

 

 

 






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