Never Talk to Strangers, 1995

Never Talk to Strangers, 1995
Director: Peter Hall
Cast: Antonio Banderas, Rebecca De Mornay, Dennis Miller



Stage: Home TV selection, late Friday night

Never talk to Strangers in short: Sarah Taylor, a police psychologist, meets a mysterious and seductive young man, Tony Ramirez, and falls in love with him. As a cause of this relationship she changes her personality when she begins to receive anonymous telefon calls.


Preps: None.. I am home and don't have anything more perspective at that second to watch. I don't decide for one of the heavy drama movies that are waiting for me. I figure I will be relaxed by something with Banderas, he's a true lure for this piece.


Reality: Hm. I think it's a good TV movie. Not a real movie. It reminds me somehow on the Basic Instinct, however, it's far from being that sharp. But we do have a psychologist and a villain (ok, there we had a cop) and a romantic sexual affair, which turns out into something dangerous (possibly life threathening) for person involved. In Basic, it was a cop with a former mistress, here we have a doctor who gets intimidating calls, her cat gets murdered, she suspects her new hot boyfriend and almost gets killed..
The storyline is interesting and it could be printed out to be one of the best detective crime novels ever. But in the shape of the movie it simply doesn't work really well. In a sense, that I don't see the passion between the two main characters, which means they also don't give me energy to see them work together. The script is below expectations, the energy isn't there and in some way, I cannot even watch it. It doesn't really interest me, what is going to happen. It doesn't hold my interest.
Banderas obviously looks yummy, but we are far from the time when a cute character instantly made the movie a good one. The same goes for Rebecca de Mornay. Something is seriously lacking in this one.
Still, some good scenes with the nosy neighbour, who I like. The character and the delivery, I mean. The director could have seen these two (with Rebecca) have more potential than Banderas and de Mornay. So, in my view, this piece is a fail. A psychological thriller wannabe.


My personal rating: 3,0 (some sparks going on, but nothing more. No story, no scenes, no energy. I am dissappointed).


Never talk on IMDB

Puss in Boots, 2011

Puss in Boots, 2011
Director: Chris Miller
Cast: Antonio Banderas (voice), Salma Hayek, Zach Galifianakis


Stage: Home theatre


Puss in short: Years before meeting Shrek and Donkey, the adorable but tricky Puss in Boots must clear his name from all charges making him a wanted fugitive. While trying to steal magic beans from the infamous criminals Jack and Jill, the hero crosses paths with his female match, Kitty Softpaws, who leads Puss to his old friend, but now enemy, Humpty Dumpty. Memories of friendship and betrayal enlarges Puss' doubt, but he eventually agrees to help the egg get the magic beans. Together, the three plan to steal the beans, get to the Giant's castle, nab the golden goose, and clear Puss' name.


Preps: None in perticular. It is a hot one at the movies at this point.



Reality: Miaow. Who can resist Banderas' voice? Well, noone. Me not excluded. It is a privilege to imagine how Banderas looks like when he animates the cartoons. The same goes for soft Hayek's voice. I loved the two together in some scenes. Besides, Puss has a good story - following the legend of the golden goose and eggs, Jack and the Beanstalk, Humpty Dumpty. It has a story of a good friendship come to end because of betrayal, finding the right path and then reunion. After that, a downfall in the true cartoon spirit (the famous curve of happiness, which is beaten down by a bad guy or bad deed, and happy ending at the end. A classic, per se.
In this case, the humour is present at most of the dialogues, in a unique, ironic, not imposting way. I love the way the two cats dance around each other, falling slightly in love. And the spanish Banderas temperament is obviously seen here. I also hardly waited to see the look the cat gives to make everyone around faint of cuteness. It is really good to see a nice separate movie that makes Puss famous instead of just tagging around in Shrek. It wasn't really as splendid as I expected, but I love the way it is presented, the flow and energy. I just cannot get bored with this cartoon, therefore I claim it is a good one. It is a side fact that I am a cat lover and for that reason it is even more appealing for my point of view. But in general, the animation is good, the dialogues are witty, the music is splendid and it has more than one saying (proverbs) come true or being a part of the story. All in all, I cannot see a way someone would go with a bored mind and spirit after seeing this. Am referring, of course to the true american voices. Nothing synchronized - I despise this way of making a good movie more user friendly to the market. You should always leave the original voices and original pronounciation. Otherwise, you neglect the positive impact the director had in mind when choosing the cast and diminish their role.


My personal rating: 6,0 (mmmmmiaow! a good one. worth my time!)


Puss on IMDB

The Code, 2009

The Code, 2009
Director: Mimi Leder
Cast: Rade Serbedzija, Morgan Freeman, Antonio Banderas


The Code in short: A veteran thief recruits a younger crook to help him pull off one final job in order to repay his debt to the Russian mob.


Stage:home theatre
Preps: again one of those, standing in line, striving to get the attention. I see Morgan Freeman in lead cast and I am satisfied, I simply adore the man. I wonder what the latest achievement is, so the curiosity drives my attention.



Reality: Hm, first a surprise. I have it (the movie) under Thick as Thieves. WTF is the Code? And why? Is this even the same movie? Curiosity drives me to go ahead with the piece. It resembles the best of Mission Impossible, some russian spy movies and some great theft movies. Hence the title, Thick as Thieves. Banderas as a thief that you can lick your fingers upon - based on his expertise, and Freeman, as one of the most haunted criminals (thieves) ever.. joining forces to steal something impossible to steal.

The movie is filled with witty dialogues, amazing impossible scenes, some unreal and others to admire, what some people are capable of ( I mean those in real business ;)
The power of money is exposed, passing the limits one would go over just to get more of it in his wallet. And on the other hand, some philosophical dilemmas. Are you supposed to have a spouse, if you are a shooting target? Is a modern Robin Hood more or less the villain the genuine Robin Hood was? Last, but not least - how come all the "impossible to break in" - vaults have a movie way to get into them.. a lot of material to think about and the movie is already over. Good Sunday entertainment, but nothing really beyond this.



One of the best quotes:
Keith Ripley: Some people were born to compose music. Others to split the atom. I was born to steal shit.


My personal rating: 7,0 (a pretty decent piece, and good to see Morgan Freeman and Banderas again, in not such bad roles - maybe they could think a bit more about their mutual energy before going into some scenes - because the cast in some of them is truly awful.)


The Code on IMDB

Shrek Forever After, 2010

Shrek Forever After, 2010
Director: Mike Mitchell
Cast: Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, Antonio Banderas, Eddie Murphy



Stage: Local Colloseum (Local theatre)

Preps: Hmmmm, Slovenia has a huge commercial background for this one. You can collect multiple things to receive marketing materials, where Shrek is - cups, badges, fluffy animals, campaign is really great and if it happened two months before the actual movie, I believe the movie would be even a greater success as it already is. Long time expected, the final part of this animated classic, that set standards for an animated movie with its first part in 2001. I wanted to see this badly as I am a bit of an addict to such movies. And who can resist Eddie Murphy as the Donkey and Banderas as the Puss?


Reality: It is really hard to make the fourth sequel of a great hit. The same problem is with Ice Age. With so many movies out we are very picky and very talented to criticize without a perticular reason. The worst thing is to make a sequel just because you feel you have to. Every sequel has to have a story. After all, not everyone can make Die Hard (and have three good ones), or Rambo's to some extention.

In any case, this piece is innovative and fresh, it offers a complete different perspective of an oger life, from what it used to be, to what it has evolved into now, with all the trivial problems that don't seem problems any more once Shrek loses them. He offends his wife, signs a contract with a devil and works his way through the movie to win his life back. He suddenly starts to appreciate what he thought was a curse for him. Funny, and that is precisely the way our lives work in a way, don't you agree?

So we look this struggle, meet other ogers, meet finally the Donkey and Puss, in their best condition - they make me laugh the whole time. I just cannot resist Murphy, I can practically see his gestures through Donkey's big teeth smile and Banderas when clapping the boots that crack of the fat he posesses within a cat's body.

There aren't any overeaters in terms of scenography, special effects, or something that would get my mind to focus on this. However, the music is good (especially the one that the Donkey is singing), the idea of the witches is great, and the theme - to be able to change something in your life and then find a noble way to win it back - it's really modern and you can personalize in it.


One of the greatest scenes :) You need to see it!

Donkey: Why don't you just tell her what you told me? You know, about how you're her true love and you came from an alternate universe.

Shrek: Oh, and while I'm at it, why don't I tell her that you're married to a fire breathing dragon and you have little mutant donkey dragon babies?
Donkey: I do?

Shrek: You saw what happened. She's going to think I'm crazy.

Donkey: I'm a daddy?



My personal rating:7,0 (better than I expected and on some levels, the greatest achievement for an animated picture. The main theme evolves and in a way, touches some questions we might have when being in the same situation - the post marital life and being able to appreciate what you have when you lose it). I think you will really enjoy it :)

Shrek on IMDB
Official site

Create your OGER here :)

The other man, 2008

The other man, 2008
Director: Richard Eyre
Cast: Liam Neeson, Laura Linney, Romora Garai, Antonio Banderas



The other man in short: The story of a husband who suspects his wife of adultery, and sets out to track down the other man in her life.

Stage: Home theatre, ready with a bowl of pop corn, to be strongly americanized and romantic :)

Preps: Seeing the trailer I know that Liam Neeson, who I adore, acts here and I expect again a set of action items on the list he has to work on when driving through the movie. I loved him in Taken (see it and you will know exactly what roles he's brilliant in in my opinion) and I adore his voice, so father-like. Also Schindler's list, Nell, Rob Roy are one of my favourites for his act.
In this case, the title of the movie projects a fraud or a deception in the movie.
Liam was nominated for an oscar for this role!


Reality: It is amazing, how a post-mortum discovery can influence someone's life. When a family is torn apart by her death (cancer that leads to death due to her not being ready to go through a serie of operations), he discovers she had a lover. She was away many times, on business trips. And on one of them, she found a new romance, she had with an italian guy (brilliantly presented by Antonio Banderas). It happened ten years from this present moment, and the husband is eager to see who this man was (or is).

Pretending to be her, longing for touch with an old romance, he travels to Italy, meets the guy, leads him on and discovers fragments of her past life that both, hurt him and on the other hand, make him understand her more. Or not understand her. The dilemma, whether it's worth discovering something that hurts you in the end as much as it hurt him, makes the viewer wonder whether it wouldn't be better for some things to stay under the cover, since there's nothing you can do in the present moment, as the person, involved with this, is dead. And yet, there are numerous people that are convinced that the truth should and must be revealed no matter the time, no matter the cost.

The way the husband reveals the password for the folder she was hiding in the computer, is a miracle, and so are some scenes in the movie. The rage, with which he looks at the pictures, taken while she was having the romance, the despair and crying, this is however, very real and gives me shivers as I watch it. And she puts it brilliantly, when talking to him.. it's a matter of choice.



My personal rate: 6,0 (decent movie, however it brings out the question - what is worth discovering something after the person is gone.. Is knowing the truth worth living a lie?)

The other man on IMDB
Official site