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Miranda345
Reviews
Mary Reilly (1996)
Stephen Frears'is masterpiece
I loved this film. First I did not know that it was directed by Frears and I thought, vow, who made this best take of Dr Jekylls and Dr Hyde's story. Well it came up in TV again and then I discovered it was made by Frears.
I do not understand how it only rated 5 out of 10 in general. It is a masterpiece. And, I discovered, Julia Roberts can act! I am not great fan of Julia Roberts, because her acting in her usual films is quite boring and I do not find her attractive. But in this film she was beautiful and acted so well and she and John Malkovich had brilliant chemistry.
All the atmosphere and everyday life of this 19th century house was so beautifully pictured, we could almost go into this world.
I do not understand people who wrote it was boring. It was a deeply moving existential love story, full of mystery and the suspense was the twists and turns of the relationship between the characters.
Julia Roberts was absolutely brilliant: this is the top achievement of her career, not these stupid boring blockbusters like Pretty woman or Notting Hill and similar.
If you liked this also watch Frears'is two other masterpieces: Dangerous Liasons and Grifters, also thrilling love/relationship stories with lots of psychological suspense.
Ali G Indahouse (2002)
it's OK to watch
If I compare two films with Sacha Cohen, Borat and Ali G then Ali G is immeasurably better. I'ts no master piece, but it's a film at least. Borat is complete garbage and I do not understand how it rated better then Ali G.
I cannot put my finger on it, there something wrong with the Ali G script: half of the jokes are as if written by a 15 years old, not by an adult scriptwriter. And a number of jokes including Mr Cohen's lower body are quite tasteless.
But the film actually comes together as a comedy and there are some valid jokes too that are funny: such as how Ali G becomes a member of government for doing something scandalous and stupid in the public (sadly true in today's western society: people get careers for doing stupid things in public), also Ali's advice about immigrant policy and some others.
Ali G overall remains a sympathetic character, even though a kind of mentally underdeveloped for his age. But it's OK to watch,it's quite funny.
But never ever watch Borat, it's awful and makes every intelligent movielover sick.
Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006)
Worsest film I have ever seen
I do not know how Mr Cohen and his director got away with it. This film does not only have any artistic value but is downright racist as well. The film has no concept and if Borat is out there to get Americans or laugh about Kazakhstan the only person he makes look bad is himself - Sacha Baron.
There certainly are real, deep problems in American society but Mr Cohen is not targeting any of them - quite clearly for the reason that for this mission more talent and intelligence is needed.
All he is doing is hassling normal middle class people who actually give very polite and intelligent answers to his stupid questions. Most of the people interviewed react with dignity and surprising calm to all idiotic situations that Borat creates. The character of Borat is a character of a pervert and if I met somebody like him I would call police straight away or at least show him the door.
Also the film is an insult to the country of Kazakhstan.They have not deserved it in any way. It shows clearly that Borat knows nothing about real Kazakhstan and I doubt he has ever been there. If similar film had been made about any Western European country it would have been an international scandal. But as it's Kazakhstan, it is safe to make ignorant, inferior jokes.
There was a scandal on British TV recently on reality TV show Big Brother and one participant, Jade Goody lost her career over the racist comments she made on TV over an Indian movie star. The whole country stood up for the offended Indian woman.
But the jokes Mr Cohen makes on account of Kazakhstan people are much worse - how on the Earth is he getting away with it? It's not funny. The whole film is as if created by a mentally challenged 5-years old.
I do not understand how general rating of this film can be 7 out of 10. This film is cruel both towards Kazakhstan and regular, normal USA people; it's ignorant, stupid, racist and without any talent. It's complete carbage.
The only thing that had any value in this film were the real folksongs in the soundtrack. They were like flowers in the middle of dirt.
Dangerous Liaisons (1988)
A timeless masterpiece
For ages now, ever since I first saw it, I absolutely adore this film. I can watch this again and again, because it is so well directed, acted, shoot, designed and researched.
I have watched it several times and yet I have not discovered any flaws in acting or directing. (The flaws usually start to show if you watch something several times)This is one of the films that gets better each time you watch it as you discover new layers in the story and characters.
John Malkovich and Glenn Close are absolutely brilliant as leading characters, the Machiavellian duo of 18th century aristocrats. Their acting is immaculate and powerful. Down to the very smallest nuances.
This film contains lots of barely-there nuances on characters faces that speak volumes about their background story or true feelings. The nuances on the face of Mrs Merteuil are simply wonderful: for a split second, when she knows nobody watches her she shows her true face; then puts on a most elaborate social mask at the next moment.
I absolutely love that S. Frears has not chosen pretty faces for main characters. Some viewers have complained that Malkovich and Glose as principal master seducers aren't looking sexy enough themselves. I think this is a slightly primitive view of the matter.
I love the fact that at the beginning they both come across as almost ugly and you think now really? But as the film goes on both become more and more attractive and seductive. Which means sexuality and attractiveness does not come down to pretty face. It is the character, soul inside the body that makes it attractive or not. And Mmoiselle Mertuil and Valmont both have this attractiveness of sinful and evil.
But one of the masterstrokes of this film is that we eventually see that they are not fully evil, that even they have the piece of soul that is sincere, suffers and longs for true love.
We understand, bit-by-bit that something has happened both to Mertuil and Valmont that has lead them to these evil games and ridiculing true love. Even though true love is what they foremost long, they would never admit it. That is why this story is timeless and very much contemporary. As what we see in the contemporary world, love, specially love between the man and a woman is what is least valued and cared for. Everything else seems to be more important imago, power, money, success and people stamp mercilessly over the gift given to them, disposing it as something inferior. And forgetting they once were able to love.
As for comparison with Milosh Forman film the latter was OK, but not nearly as powerful and deep as Mr Frears'is version. In fact, the pretty faces in Forman's film made it more Hollywood cream-cake-like. This is not to say actors were bad, as I love Colin Firth and Anette Bening, but in this film their pretty faces simply did not cut. They were a kind of. too pretty, lacking the edge.
I think it also the genius of Stephen Frears, how the film starts as a light comedy of manners and eventually escalates into a Greek tragedy.
All casting was excellent. Some have complained about casting of Keanu Reeves, but I do not see why. I thought he like everyone else was spot-on for his role. He and Uma Thurman provided some very humorous moments as naive, puppy-like lovers, helpless pray for the sharks.
If you liked this film then I assume you would also like Frears'is other masterpiece with a similar theme, "The Grifters". It is set in the second half of 20 the century in USA and the protagonists are three con artists. It is as good as the Liasons, and these two belong to my top five films of all times.
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)
Brilliant, hilarious
This film is absolutely hilarious. I have almost fallen off the chair each time I have watched it - because of laughing. And I have seen it quite a few times. I used to have a copy and I often watched it when I was feeling low and soon I was laughing so much that tears were floating from my eyes.
Johnny Depp is incredibly funny and have lots of respect for his character work and sense of comic timing in this film. If I did not know that this is Johnny Depp I would never guess because he looks so different from his real self. And Benicio del Toro is not far behind in terms of making us laugh, their "comedy chemistry" is match made in heaven in this film. It is one of my top ten favourite films.
Who's That Girl (1987)
It is a nice comedy
I am really sad that that this film has got so much negative criticism. I think it is a nice little comedy and really funny. The humour in this film is kind of warm and innocent and I like it. I also like Madonna's character and I do not agree that she played herself. She has created a character and a sympathetic one.
My favourite scenes were the fighting scene on top of the sinking car and where Madonna climbs over the fence in a fancy dress to claim her love. The humour in the film has a slightly syrrealistic touch and perhaps it is not everybody's cup of tea. But it's their problem, not of the film.
I found this film wholesome and sunny. In fact, the day I first saw it I was incredibly sad for some reason and this film lit up my day. And Madonna can act. Just take off your glasses of negative thinking.
Seukaendeul - Joseon namnyeo sangyeoljisa (2003)
Intriguing Korean version of Dangerous Liasions
I absolutely adore the version directed by Stephen Frears (starring Malkovich and Glose) so i was very interested what Koreans had made out of it. Korean films that I have seen that far are very interesting, they have quite a different approach then Western movie makers.
I think it was a good and intense film and the historical Korean scenery added a lot. Still, I think that Frears'is film is way stronger. The only acting work that stood out stronger then Frears'is characters, was the lady who played the virtous Madam Sook (Michelle Pfeiffer's character in Frears'is version). This was an incredibly strong performance and I liked it more then Pfeffer's approach.
As to the others they slightly lacked detail and depth. Overall, the Korean protagonists were no match to John Malkovich and Glenn Close. And the whole lot of other characters, both men and women, looked and acted in such a similar way that it took me some time to distinct them from each other.
However, the film was still very interesting to watch and all this historical Korean world was beautifully shot. The film got better at the end and when the bad guy changed it was really moving and believable. Specially the last scene with him on the beach. I also very much liked the scene between him and Madam Sook in the library.
Ugly Betty (2006)
Unrealistic but very sympathetic comedy
"Betty's" characters and their behaviour are psychologically totally unbelievable and act against any common sense and instincts, but somehow they capture you. I was in the beginning a kind of sceptical about it but now I wait every week to see what happens to Betty next. My husband forgot to record me "Betty" one week and i was very upset, could not wait for the repeat. The main reason for that is of course Betty herself who is a real centerpiece of this comedy sequel. She is a really warm and charismatic character and I wait her to walk across the screen. My two other favourite characters are Marc and Wilhelmina. They are so funny and evil. However, sometimes I wish their behaviour would be little more realistic. Such as all these important people turning up on Betty's place or Betty letting her boss'es family to take advantage of her beyond any common sense. Also,Betty is obviously very intelligent. So it is very unbelievable that she learns absolutely nothing about dressing smartly. However, I still like it. Waiting for the next sequel.