Inglourious Basterds

By far Tarantino's funniest movie. Although the American filmaker is going from horror to terror and torture scenes are increasing in his movies (don't forget he makes part of the 'hostel' producers team) and Inglorious Basterds does have a lot of scenes that you turn your head away, it is hilarious
Not Jerry Lewis hilarious. More Cohen brothers type hilarious. Brad Pit is super funny. The hillibilly soldier role he plays, he is doing a superb job. His one-liners are inspirational. Oh, let's not forget Pitt's attempt to speak Italian which brings tears. The entire team of his are doing a great job. Especially since their looks don't remind nazi-sculp-takers. They look more like accountants. But they become nazi's worst nightmare. This is part of Tarantino's genius. His genious coupled with his horror kicks gives us Eli Roth in an amazing performance. The actor and producer of Hostel, is a Tarantino buddy and a fellow horror movie fan. He is doing a superb job playing the somewhat deranged American soldier, who kills nazis with his baseball bat. Brutally. He enjoys it. The whole squad does. After all, like Pitt says, it is the only entertainment they can have. Watching nazi's sculls getting smashed...
Christoph Waltz is absolutely fantastic. He plays the super classy nazi officer who speaks four languages and smells jews and finds them, hunts them down, kills them. However, when he sees an opportunity to change sides to his benefit he takes it. Of course not before Aldo the Apachi (Pitt's nickname) marks the nazi cross on his forehead. Waltz's vilain character is outstandingly funny in its evilness.
Waltz is brilliant, the entire cast is, and the scenes are ever so powerful, each of them, all of them.
Perhaps, I would be offended if I were German to portray in such a sarcastic way the germans of the era, but then again, anyone with a decent sense of humor would agree that this is absolutely one of the funniest movies of the season. Of course his portrayal of Americans does not do justice either, equally funny, only that they are on the winning side
At the very end, the movie must fulfill most Jews' fantasy about gathering all top rankng nazis in one closed space and light a fire. Perhaps does not do justice in history, but it must certainly feel good to millions of people.
I guess even modern germans would much rather have it this way after Merkel's speech in Poland this week... Sometimes fiction is much better than the truth..I bet 1000 euros that Merkel would much rather have it done this way if she had a chance to rewrite history!

Had it had less flesh tearing (although the sculp taking mania is part of the hilariousness of the movie) I would give it top marks. But there were many scenes I turned my head away. Therefore I will give it an A-.
Finally Tarantino decides to forget the Bmovie crap (Planet Terror, Death proof) and give us again his unique class we saw in Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction & Kill Bill. Much much funnier this time
Bloody well done!

In the loop

British, no matter what they will do, they will be more alternative. They have deeply embedded in their culture the importance to be self-sarcastic, and if delivered with humor, it is a regarded a quality of high intellect.
In consequence, all British comedies embody at least an element of sarcasm, taking the piss, as a favorite British expression has it
In 'In the Loop', the brilliant team responsible are absolutely taking the piss on big political decisions and, of course, politicians.
It is a hilarious comedy, definitely the best comedy I saw since a Fish Called Wanda. It will make you fall from your seat laughing. Oh, it does require a good ear for british english, especially if no subtitles are on. Definitely a must go, especially if you have had experience living in Britain.

Two lovers

If you want to see how one of the most interesting topics of our times is not given justice, actually is destroyed in a movie, you can check out Two Lovers.
The story of a clinically depressed person who is seeking to get hold of life through begging for the love of an equally pathetic individual - emotionally unavailable (she is also clinged to an emotionally unavailable married guy) and his adventures
Gwyneth Paltrow and Isabella Rosellini were very good and kept to themselves the only thing that can get a positive review in this movie.
The story, the script, the direction, the acting from Phoenix - all it was pathetic. BTW, someone should have told Joaquin that he is not playing a drug addict, but a clinically depressed person. There is a big difference. I guess he must have been too drugged to notice.
Definitely the worst movie that I saw in years
Please, do not go and see it - don't even rent it on DVD

Slumdog millionaire

The movie was brilliant. Fullstop. The horror of poverty was depicted so clearly that it was impossible to tolerate. Even as a viewer -let alone a bystander, but that's another story. However, this is not where the movie brilliancy was. Poverty has been shown in many movies many times and if one has to gain top prize for it, this must be the brazilian movie 'The City of God'.
In Slumdog millionaire, the brilliancy had a name. Danny Boyle. What a remarkable work has this man given us!! The story of modern India, this great country with this remarkable culture who suffers its dark side. For poverty is worse when it takes place into the world's most racist environment - the cast society. That part of it, although never directly addressed it was present throughout the movie as an accepted part of life. Every time Jamal answered correctly, the game host would remind him what a low life he is by reminding everybody his low-paying blue collar job. The cast society would not expect a slumdog (a better term would be a teenager from the slums) to know the answers of the game and he was taken to the police for interrogation. That's when the other two stories unfold. That of India's nightmare and of Jamal's destiny to happiness. At the same time relationships unfold and grow and make destiny.
Despite the fact that the film was filmed and the story was all about India, it shouted out besides British humor (the autograph scene) the kingdom's aesthetics. Of the alternative kind. Of the kind of innovation in art that is so expected by Brit artists. Of any art. What Danny Boyle proved is that his art reach is depthless. Of course his entire team of hard working illuminated colleagues who sweat alongside with Danny behind the cameras absolutely must have at least a touch of genius. Yet, it was obvious that the entire movie was the vision of a man who gave part of himself in every aspect of it. Besides direction that was so innovative by going back to basics, so was photography and editing. Every minute in the movie had a cliffhanger, shot from an anortodox angle, and the constantly moving light gave a whole new dimension into every single frame. Let's not forget the music which was more the sound of India if anything else. The colorful light of Bombay darkened and tones narrowed around grey everytime the camera went close to the gloomy life of the protagonists.
It is really amazing what a fraction of the money usually available can produce if given to the hands of an artistic genius who can tell three different stories in one. In a captivating manner as well. Let alone if given to the hands of a team of geniuses. And if these employ all these little 5-year old geniuses. These children who played in the movie - and they were so many of them - were absolutely leaving all of us breathless.
Very powerful movie. Personally I preferred the emotion I got out of Benjamin Button (remember all that crying?), but this movie absolutely was worth its 8 academy awards. Most well deserved!

The curious case of Benjamin Button

Ever since Tender is the Night, which was the first Fitzerald book I have read, I knew that the guy was a genius and he immediately became one of my favorite authors ever. I shamefully admit that the fact that he had written Benjamin Button escaped me. Only when the end titles fell on screen and his name appeared it hit me. Of course!!! It had to be him that wrote this book which a team of people with extraordinary talent took to heart and produced the masterpiece that Elena and I watched last night. So brilliant that I feel way above my league here. Sometimes people in the presence of great talent feel particularly small. This is how I felt last night. Elated as well. I have to add that both Elena and myself kept crying for at least the last twenty minutes. And not that silent sobbing. I don't think a movie had touched me so much since the 'Dead poets society' which I had watched seven times in one month about eighteen years ago.
The three hours of the movie did not bother me at all. After all, it is hard to fit eighty years, two world wars, the loneliness of seamen, the emotional and intellectual growing of the protagonists, and the modern history from glory to gloom of one of the world's most culturally interesting cities, in three hours. The superb acting of the entire cast, the craftmanship of the photography director, the costumes, and the gentlemanship of the director gave justice to Fitzerald's original story. And what an originality did the story nurtured...A guy is born old and the older he gets the younger he looks. How many times have we wished that this happened to us? How many times have the old told the young 'Oh I wish i had your age with my experience.." Difficult to count, ain't it? Fitzerald's story reminds us once more to be careful what we wish for.
The strange story of Benjamin Button deals with a lot more than the actual strange story. It is a story of absolute love. The love of M. Gateau for his son who creates a clock that makes time go backwards. The love of Benjamin's mother who just before she dies saves his life - it was latent that the father at the moment of birth had every intention to kill the child. Instead he leaves it at the door of another loving woman, Queenie. Queenie gives all her love to Benjamin and she teaches him how to love equally strong. Benjamin's love for Daisy, Daisy's love for Benjamin and her daughter, and so on
Everything that has happened in this movie is out of love or lack of it.
The fingerprints of the modern protagonists are all over the movie. Julia Osmond, the daughter, Caroline, was a young beauty in Legends of the Fall, a movie with Brad Pitt a few years back. She looks much older now and he much younger. Katrina is present along with the imminent catastrophy of New Orleans, the city where Brad Pitt has made home for his family after the hurricane. Kate Blanchett is as Benjamin refers to her in his diary, the most beautiful woman in the world, who then calls Benjamin (Brad) perfect from her hospital bed in Paris after her accident. This was a moment of loud laughter in the theater, since she included the thoughts of the entire female audience world wide.
There is also a lot of hope in the movie. Caroline stayed with her dying mother in the hospital withpout worry, hoping that the hurricane will pass. The sunrises that Benjamin would take his people is also a great symbol of hope. But of all the symbolisms, the colibri was for me the most powerful as in this movie it symbolized infinity due to the orbit of its flying wings. The infinity of power of love and hope. Hope for reaching out a dream. Even if Elizabeth crossed the channel at 63. Her message of hope was clear.
I know that a lot of people loved this movie and there were others who did not like it. People whose' opinion I respect hated Pitt's performance and the length of the film. I think Pitt was loyal to Fitzerald's portraying of male characters - low key, intelligent, private, loyal, but somehow they can end up self destructive or self loathing. It is the women characters that are flamboyant and colorful and in a way direct the fate of the men who love them. In my view, the strongest character was that of Queenie whose love for an outcast was so strong that reversed his fate. And Daisy of course, whose beauty was second to none and her love for Benjamin lasted her entire life - without her knowing it for a great part of it.
It was an absolutely great movie and although I have not seen 'Slumdog Millionaire' I would have it as a winner tonight. For one thing I don't see it easily to have a better story to tell.
I give it top marks and I will definitely watch it over and over and over again.

Post mortem oscar

When Heath Ledger was found dead in January this year, I immediately felt a great loss. I have never met him, the loss was not personal, but as a cinema lover, I felt the art of making movies lost a huge asset. Even though he was only 28 when he died, his immense talent was obvious in every movie that he played portraying such different personalities. The gay cowboy role that made him famous in Brokeback mountain, was one of his later roles. I've watched him in his earlier roles in aussie movies and he was fantastic. In brokeback mountain, he was simply awsome. He portrayed his character so clearly that he was relevant to everybody, not only to reserved in the closet homosexuals living in an unforgiving environment.
He has also been a most beautiful, charismatic, funny, clumsy and self-sarcastic Don Juan I have ever seen.
Apparently his performance as Joker in Batman begins - a film so much anticipated in theaters - is so extraordinary that all his fellow cast have asked that his performance is nominated for an academy award. Michael Caine - he is also enriching with his divine presense the movie - said that Heath's Joker character was 10 times scarier than Nicholson's Joker in Tim Burton's movie, immensely scarier than Hanibal Leckter, and equally - if not more - sadist and insane as Denis Hoper character in Blue Velvet. Michael said that Heath was the scariest vilain he knew.
If nothing else, I am looking forward to see that movie to pay my respects to this marvellous actor gone so soon leaving us with only a fraction of his unbelievable talent.

LIONS FOR LAMBS

There is no way I would not watch Lions for Lambs. Didnt go much to the movies last year. With Manos living in Tokyo, there are not many people left that would like to go to the movies with me. Unless they go to a ridiculous blockbuster that I avoid. So, I rented the DVD last night. With this cast, there was no way I would miss it. And Redford directing it, was another must see film for me. Ever since his 'ordinary people' he made my list of top 5 favorite directors.

The movie is not great in the sense that you want to watch it over and over again. It has a strong Redford influence in the character building. The entire movie was 6 scenes, or acts, as it reminded me more of a theatrical play than a movie.

Redford dealt less with the actual war in Iraq - thank God - and more with profiling America's pshychogram. In his six acts, the identity of an entire nation was revealed. Tom Cruise was an ambitious republican senator trying to sell himself and his new plan to invade afganistan to the press. The press was good to them, they sold the war on terror to the voters. Meryl Streep is the press who realizes what they have done and is completely devastated when she realises that for 40 years she was in fact part of the system that made america a fear factory and death sentense for young underpriviledged minorities (as they are the only ones that go to battle hoping that one day america will be kind to them). Redford is the university professor who is trying to convince his star poli sci student not to stop caring. If everyone stops caring nothing will be done to improve the country. The student argues that politicians are all becoming clowns caring about elections and not about the polis. He was interested when the old philosophers, the Greeks were studied. Redford's response is really one of the best lines that I have ever heard in a movie: 'Have you ever been to Greece? No, of course not, because you would know that their government makes ours look like a streamlined vision of the future'. Yet, I think what did it for the student and started caring again - at least as it is implied - was his fraternity mate who was so intrigued watching the news about a pop-nobody-starlet's divorce, when the real news where on a strip at the bottom of the screen. Redford's other two star students, an african american and a spaniard raised in the ghetto, went to war and died on their first assignment. So in a six-act movie Redford showed the six profiles of american pshycic: ambitious, powerful, guilty, intelligent, patriotic and moron.

NightWatch

I am not by no means an expert in Russian cinema. I have hardly watched any Russian movies. But Nightwatch changed all that.

A year ago, Manos, my younger brother and a fanatic cinema goer - a cinefil kind of person - suggested we went to watch NightWatch. (Original title: Nochnoy dozor). It was the first of a trilogy of the Russian version of Blade. Not exactly a thriller. The movie is about the eternal battle of good and evil. The two troupes of good and evil met - in a medieval setting - and fought. Just before everyone was perished, the two leaders decided to hold a truce. Good and Evil would live side by side as people would be free to choose anyside they wanted. No force would be allowed to ask people to choose sides. To make sure that the truce was kept, the Light Others and the Dark Others would police the truce. Light Others would perform the NightWatch making sure that Dark Others would not kill people or turn them to the dark side. Dark Others would constitute the Day Watch making sure that the same is true for the Light Others.

The forces of Dark and Light are now in equilibrium due to the work done by the Night and Day watch officers. One day, legend has it, a great other will come and the balance will turn for ever toward one side. Wise man believe that it will be easier for the Great Other to turn to the dark side as it is harder to see in the darkness than kill the light inside that we all have.

A science fiction movie at its best. The cinematography is great, as almost every scene of the movie is like an art photography. Nightwatch is much faster, groovier, and shocking than its sequel DayWatch. Looking forward to the third sequel, the Twilight watch. (Manos, did not like the movie ,needless to say)

Best watched one after the other. I had seen both movies once released in Greek theaters, but when I watched both of them one after another in my home cinema the script made more sense. The first time around I was captivated by the action scenes, photography, music and Russian bohemian chic.

It is definitely one of my favorite titles, and keep in mind that I don't like vampire or horror movies (except Blade). The scenes are too fast to be scary.

Also, I had not realized what a fantastic sound the Russian language makes

A few wikipedia facts:

Night Watch (Russian: Ночной дозор, Nochnoy Dozor) is a 2004 Russian fantasy action thriller film by the Kazakhstan-born film director Timur Bekmambetov. It is loosely based on The Night Watch, and is the first part of a trilogy, followed by Day Watch and ending with the 2009 release of Twilight Watch as confirmed by IMDB[1].

The film was the first big-budget Russian fantasy film and one of the first blockbusters made after the collapse of the Soviet film industry. The film was produced by Channel One, the government-owned TV channel, with a budget of US$4.2 million.[2] It was shot in an 1.85:1 aspect ratio.
Part of the challenge for such a big-budget fantasy film was creating hundreds of visual effects (VFX) shots to which a modern audience is accustomed. 16 Russian VFX studios and several freelancers were used, each chosen for their individual strengths. Many shots were created by different artists across different time zones, using the Internet to share data and images, mostly using Windows NT workstations.[3]

After a first appearance at the Moscow Film Festival on June 27, 2004, it went on general cinema release across the CIS on July 8, 2004. The film was extremely successful, becoming the highest-grossing Russian release ever, grossing US$16.7 million in Russia alone, thus making more money in Russia than The Lord of the Rings. The sequel, Day Watch, was released across the CIS on January 1, 2006, with a third film in the works. There is also a TV series in production.
The film attracted the attention of Fox Searchlight Pictures, which paid $4 million to acquire the worldwide distribution rights (excluding Russia and the Baltic states) of Night Watch and its sequel Day Watch.

Fox Searchlight also offered to finance the third part. As a consequence, the third part will be filmed in the United States, likely with other actors speaking English instead of Russian