Mystic River, 2003

Mystic River, 2003
Director: Clint Eastwood
Cast: Sean Penn, Kevin Bacon, Tim Robbins, Laura Linney, Laurence Fishburne



Stage: Home theatre, late Saturday night


Mystic River in short: Childhood friends Jimmy Markum, Sean Devine and Dave Boyle reunite following the death of Jimmy's oldest daughter, Katie. Sean's a police detective on the case, gathering difficult and disturbing evidence; he's also tasked with handling Jimmy's rage and need for retribution.



Preps: None in perticular. Clint is the man. Don't need any special intro.


Reality: One of the better ones in his biography. Speaking about Eastwood. Plus, Penn got an oscar for his performance. It is as I always claim, strong story makes the movie. Marry it to a great director, hence success. In this case, I am speaking about a devastating touching story about past events that can haunt you from the childhood on and catch up later, when you think you have seen it all. It is a movie about friendship that can last an eternity, yet get broken in an instance if the right button is pushed - in this sense the death of a daughter of a part of a great friendship.
You feel they get reunited, yet they find out the barriers that are driving them apart. You see how their lives turned out and try to imagine how would it have been if they haven't been faced with a such trauma when they were eleven. The movie makes you think about all the individuals that were submerged to any kind of violence and the consequences they needed to face, at that age, or much later. And how many of those ended up in institutions? The stars know..
Eastwood knit a spectacular out of a sad story and I am in it up to my toes. The chill ends in my veins when a friend murders a friend and finds out he made a mistake. The irony in one of the last scenes is the last nail in my coffin. I am surrounded in sadness, depression and hardness of the moment. The blood spilt in vain is running in my blood stream as well and I am really touched by scenes with such a terror in the eyes. Penn and Bacon are brilliant, also Tim Robbins. The cast is supreme, the scenario is brilliant, the director exceeds every last bit of my expectations. I love the movie.


My personal rating: 9,0 (beautiful, touching, filled with emotions. A must see).


Mystic river on IMDB

Shame, 2011

Shame, 2011
Director: Steve McQueen
Cast: Michael Fassbender, Carey Mulligan, James Badge Dale



Stage: Home theatre, late night with an aim for a good piece


Shame in short: Brandon is a 30-something man living in New York who is unable to manage his sex life. After his wayward younger sister moves into his apartment, Brandon's world spirals out of control. From director Steve McQueen (Hunger), Shame is a compelling and timely examination of the nature of need, how we live our lives and the experiences that shape us


Preps: It was at our "creative" theatre, a while ago, when this piece became notorious. I wanted to see it at that point, knowing the storyline, and was deeply interested. But I never made it to the movies. Anyhow, seems like a proper night to spend it on this.

Reality: Well, like McQueen's Hunger, this piece also strikes hard into one's perception of the world. Following Fassbender with his pervert actions and fantasies from the start feels like fun and is really intriguing, however with the depth of the movie (the length), you get the feeling of loneliness. Striving towards fulfilling human flesh hunger cannot replace feelings and emotions that happen in relationships. Having everything at a distance may seem like a good place to hide or a good way to avoid trouble, however, it is vividly shown, it also leads to loneliness, depression, introvertism.

Brandon is constantly trying to escape, surpresses his own feelings and own soul and lets noone near him. Only the surface you may smell, he might be thinking, every time he makes an interaction with any female. On the other hand, watching this I get a distinct impression sex is around every corner, if you want to see it. The intriguing thing is that the only time Brandon comes, is when he's paid for sex or when it happens in a way you can smell a prostitute (or a prostitute like relationship). The scene, when he cannot come hard with a woman he really likes, is really sad and makes me doubt even more if this is the way someone can really lead a life.

The only rescue path he's offered and obviously refuses, is through his own sister, the person that just walks into his perfectly set life and makes a mess out of it. He doesn't like it and almost forces her away with dogs, but she's persistant and just won't go away. Is this the way a relationship with your relatives is supposed to be or work? I believe also relatives need to deserve respect and not take anything for granted. I believe we should respect one's aim to be alone and lead a private life. However through some sane observation, one could simply state that Brandon represents a loonie, someone fit for mental institution. And to others he could be a hero. He is everything a "nomal" person isn't. Especially when it comes to pervert thinking and making it real. I doubt that a lot of people have such a distinguished collection of porn things at home.

The walk through a small part of Brandon's life keeps me sad and emphasizes the feeling of loneliness, yet alone, the feeling of wanting to hold someone and just be grateful for this. We aren't meant as some kind of sex machines or some tokens one takes just when he/she feels like having fun. Having a relationship can in my opinion bring much more satisfaction, because at that time, even sex has a different approach and meaning, and is not perceived just as a midnight sport.


My personal rating: 8,0 (sad and depressive, solid drama. A wonderful interpretation of what becomes of someone if he closes into a basket and leaves noone besides).



Shame on IMDB

My Week with Marilyn, 2011

My Week with Marilyn, 2011
Director: Simon Curtis
Cast: Michelle Williams, Eddie Redmayne, Kenneth Branagh, Emma Watson


Stage: Local theatre Komuna, afternoon screening


My week in short: Sir Laurence Olivier is making a movie in London. Young Colin Clark, an eager film student, wants to be involved and he navigates himself a job on the set. When film star Marilyn Monroe arrives for the start of shooting, all of London is excited to see the blonde bombshell, while Olivier is struggling to meet her many demands and acting ineptness, and Colin is intrigued by her. Colin's intrigue is met when Marilyn invites him into her inner world where she struggles with her fame, her beauty and her desire to be a great actress.


Preps: Hm. Two oscar nominees. Michelle Williams, who I adore ever since Brokeback Mountain. Marilyn Monroe, the icon I respect deeply. Need to see this. I get on a byke with one of my best girlfriends and drive to the nearest movie on a nice sunny afternoon.



Reality: Marilyn Monroe drives deep in veins. I am not so fond of the movie for the first thirty minutes, however, later on I get used to Williams' interpretation of Marilyn and I truly start to enjoy it. Marvellous. The cast of Williams is truly something you can only bow to. I am amazed of the interpretation, the sexapeal she shows and I cannot let the eyes of the screen. One of the best interpretations of someone I have ever seen.
On the other hand, I see Emma Watson (Harry Potter) growing into roles. Deep respect also for this girl, she has a shiny career ahead of her, obviously. Not really a great role, however, she stayed in my radar and I noticed her ways of expressions.
Now, the main topic, being naive or smart? Or on the other hand, being a celebrity brings glory and pleasure, or pain?
In this case, I believe it's a good showing of the special world celebrities live in. No place for real life there. Deadlines, schedules, normal walking through the streets.. forget it. Was Marilyn Monroe really such an icon? I suppose she could have been. Have the guys really fallen down to her knees without having the ability to say a word? I suppose so. Something that works like the Beatles. She came in the room, she shot some screens and all people in the room just fell to their knees. Now how brilliant and amazing is that? There weren't many icons in our world that could brag with something like that. I believe that this is something you cannot teach yourself to be or pretend. Either you are or you aren't, and that is the way things are. You are either born such a star or not.
The story of Marilyn is sad and depressive. Was she really that naive? Hm.. striving not to say unintelligent.. The scenes you see in this piece are a surreality show. I am in the skin of the director and I can identify completely. I couldn't stand such a team player in a project. I am striving to see how you achieve coping with this. When you need a celebrity ass and you cannot stand it. The movie is a struggle, from the start to its end, yet, at the end, I am satisfied.


My personal rating: 9,0 (splendid piece, I am sorry Williams didn't get an oscar for this. She bloody deserves it :)))


My week on IMDB

Le Concert, 2009

Le Concert, 2009
Director: Rado Mihaileanu
Cast: Aleksey Guskov, Melanie Laurent, Dmitri Nazarov



Stage: Home theatre, early morning on a morning I couldn't sleep, cultural holiday. Maybe the best beginning of such a day with some culture in the piece.


Le Concert in short: Thirty years ago, Andrei Simoniovich Filipov, the renowned conductor of the Bolshoi orchestra, was fired for hiring Jewish musicians. Now a mere cleaning man at the Bolshoi, he learns by accident that the Châtelet Theater in Paris invites the Bolshoi orchestra to play there. He decides to gather together his former musicians and to perform in Paris in the place of the current Bolshoi orchestra. As a solo violin player to accompany his old Jewish or Gypsy musicians he wants Anne-Marie Jacquet, a young virtuoso. If they all overcome the hardships ahead this very special concert will be a triumph.



Preps: Heard many great reviews about this piece, yet never came to its place on my perfect night. Now I have a perfect morning, the dawn of our national cultural holiday to celebrate with this piece.



Reality: An extraordinary piece, touched me to my heart and soul. Besides miraculous music, also great interpretation and great story. Reminds me somehow of a hungarian movie I saw a while ago, however that piece consisted on the dancing (maiden danced to death .. ). This one consists on music and bringing back virtually dead people to live again on stage.

The real story is about revealing real parents to a young talented violinist and telling her the story about her life as it really is. The parallel story is about getting some rusted russian players (concert players, artists) to perform again, with a real attitude, in Paris, the centre of culture (up to a russian standard, obviously also to the rest of the world). Numerous funny scenes happen inbetween, the russians somehow manage to assemble themselves and fly to Paris, however once they are in the city, they get loose of their strings, per se. Which means they act less serious than ever and don't really have in mind they came here to perform to a crowd of critics and eager people.

The movie has a genuine depressive drama mode, accompanied with the mindset of a true russian, as presented here - some would say even balcan way of thinking (we would call it "lako čemo" or we will get by). Which means that the real artists like this violinist would never perform with such a crowd of sheep for the lack of respect and interest in such barbarians. Still, somehow, the dramatic effect of the first subtle story about someone reaching to the parents and this clown artist story on the other hand, somehow collide in a superb concert they manage to deliver at last.
The final scene is breathtaking and makes it worth staying behind the screen until the movie lasts. It touches your innerself and makes your body shiver. The music collides with the feelings and the confession or the real story, which is told inbetween. Brilliant piece, in term of seeking something that touches you deeply.

Now, can IRL some people just go to the airport and print some passports, or on the other hand, can they deliver an excellent concert without practising at all? I really doubt. The movie is also filled with subtle hints how russian (or eastern) people are supposed to be and brings a dark spotlight upon them. I doubt things are really like this, however, if we see too many movies on this topic made in the same way, we might consider this to be the truth. Similar with our prejudice towards some US citizen (because of some movies that show them more stupid as I really think they are). So in some sense, this movie is humiliating the attitude towards russian nation and some eastern nations as a whole. Still, I got to laugh quite a bit. You will, too.

Some hindback for me; it's a russian movie, I saw it with spanish subtitles. I am not as fluent in spanish as in english or german, still, I got it all. But do yourself a favour and download english subtitles. Most of the jokes will be funny instantly, not after one minute (once I got them :)


My personal rating: 8,0 (a splendid piece, worthy seeing on a cultural holiday. I love the story and I love the outcome. the music will rock your bones).


Le concert on IMDB

Listy do M.; Letters to St Nicholas; Pisma Sv. Nikolaju, 2001

Listy do M., Letters to St. Nicholas; Pisma Sv. Nikolaju, 2011
Director: Mitja Okorn
Cast: Maciej Stuhr, Roma Gasiorowska, Tomazs Karolak




Stage: Liffe, Kino Komuna. With the director in the room


Listy in short: Five stories of five women and men intertwine in Warsaw on 24 December. Different priorities, different lifestyles and different things they have lost in their lives. What they have in common is that they all wish for a change. How will each one of them spend Christmas and how it will affect their lives?



Preps: A lot of media fuss around this piece. Obviously, because of the good diplomacy and anarchy we live in in our beautiful Slovenia, local cinemography isn't supported as it should be. Even the prospects like Okorn, don't get the funding, unfortunately. With scientists you call it flee of brains, with directors, flee of good movie directors to another country. To cut the long story short, he got the funding at Polish government, after proving himself with a series shooting in Poland. The movie exceeded 600.000 viewers in its first week of screening. Obviously I am more than a supporter to slovenian movie directors and whenever I am on LIFFE, I will certainly go and see all the slovenian, croatian, bosnian, serbian movies. A lot of patriotism running in my cinemascopic veins, but merely in this area. So I am curious what the fuss is all about.




Reality: Wow. So cute my heart melts. From its very beginning to the end it keeps me happy and curious how it goes on. Therefore I claim it has a flow, a realistic story one can easily embed in his/her own life, regardless of the country you come from. The universal Christmas celebration brings a lot of people together and drives even more souls apart. How come everyone needs to be happy and everyone should be happy at Christmas?
A lot of people just aren't happy around Christmas period. So many reminders to push the true family love spirit and things you should do around Christmas. It isn't a surprise, a lot of suicides happen in this period and if someone measured the depression some people feel being alone in this festive season, there would be a huge surprise I guess in the actual number of people that aren't happy. If you add those that pretend to be happy and have a family, you would come up with a surprising figure. The matter of fact is, rarely people get to be really really happy about their lives and the period of Xmas is the period that inevitabely reminds us about the things one should have to be perfect and to be "human" - among those is also someone to spend the Xmas evening with, waking up with perfect man/woman beside you, having your child at the table when the dinner is happening, spending the evening chatting with the persons you love truly expressing you love them..
The movie in its very beginning shows the true opposite. Not all people want to celebrate, because they feel there's nothing to celebrate. On the other hand, a lot of people are working on this evening, their bosses don't care about their wishes. A lot of people seek work so they would forget being alone on this holy day. Furthermore, when I see someone making a suicide, later on surviving by a strike of luck and trying to convert his unhapiness to hapiness by force (obviously fail in the first xxx attempts, but at the end of the movie - predicteably wins his game). The movie depicts different really sad and real situations, that occur on the christmas day in Warshaw. And tries to convert them into real happening afterwards, that in some cases leads to hapiness, in other leads to more misfortune.
Sane humour inside, a lot of black ironic scenes, where you need to laugh, even though the scene is truly sad. The kids pouring water to turn into ice before the doorstep to make people fall. The man throwing out the TV. St. Nicholas falling down the floor, later on chasing a young man across the store, just to get the hot chick's phone back. The radio guy wearing a frosty costume to make his kid smile while he's working the Xmas eve/night. A lot of others that make the audience shiver with laughter and positive optimism that doesn't end until the end of the movie.

A brilliant movie in its genre, something true and real, yet inspiring and romantic. Something you need to see in the festive period. Something that will make you want to have your own Xmas tree. Something Slovenia should be grateful to Okorn for. I loved it.


My personal rate: 9,5 (in its genre, something so smooth, funny, romantic and excellent you truly need to see it!)


Listy do M. on IMDB

Mary and Max, 2009

Mary and Max, 2009
Director: Adam Eliott
Cast: Toni Collette, Philip Seymour Hoffmann, Eric Bana


Short summary: A tale of friendship between two unlikely pen pals: Mary, a lonely, eight-year-old girl living in the suburbs of Melbourne, and Max, a forty-four-year old, severely obese man living in New York.

Stage: home theatre
Preps: none whatsoever - I have this for some time, downloaded it at a point and it has been waiting in queue. Why not see this on a rainy Sunday, right?


Reality:
It's an animated movie, made with a strong and modern technique. I love the expressions of these characters (the way they designed them), as well as the fact that the director (and the writer in the same person) decided to focus on a deep topic of distant friendships, pen pal friendship.

The relationship between Mary and Max evolves with the time and has a lifetime cycle. From what it seems a bit naive and shallow at the beginning, evolves a strong friendship of two lonely and misunderstood people (within their own worlds).

The way, in which the world of Mary and world of Max is described, is absolutely brilliant. With a smooth touch of irony or black humour, most of modern problems of modern families are depicted precisely in the lives of these two individuals. The representation of internal fears, some of them still immature (in the shape of Mary) and some of them reflected even years after the traumatic events happened (the psychology of Max, mentally disoriented man in his last third of life).

Also, the nature of the friendship is interesting - it happens because of a coincidence in which Mary selects one person to write to and it just so happens that this lonely man responds. From this point on as they write to each other, they reflect their souls. This is just what makes this piece special. It is a rare occasion that we express our feelings so directly and so personal, however, it seems that it's more likely that we do that to someone we don't know in person. Which is precisely the case here.

I recommend this one strongly as I feel I need to think about this movie hours after I have seen it. And this is what makes a good piece in my opinion. If it doesn't touch my soul, it's not worth recommending it or seeing it again. I believe it fed my ironic soul and mind with deep truths each one of us carries with him or her.


One of the best things in this piece: Do you have a favourite-sounding word? My top 5 are ointment, bumblebee, Vladivostok, banana and testicle. (Max Horowitz in one of his letters)

Such a great thing, to have five words selected to be your top favourite ones for any reason at all. I have thought whether I have such a selection, and in my language, I actually don't. But the movie gave me the idea to do that. Or to select favourite expressions.



And another one, that burst the laughter out of me: Unfortunately, in America, babies are not found in cola cans. I asked my mother when I was four and she said they came from eggs laid by rabbis. If you aren't Jewish, they're laid by Catholic nuns. If you're an atheist, they're laid by dirty, lonely prostitutes.





My personal rating: 8,0 (a very deep story about this friendship touched me in several ways and on different levels. I am sure it will touch you).

Mary and Max on IMDB

Official Site of Mary and Max