beregic Reviews

Raised by Wolves (2020–2022)

Anarchistic Nihilism

[1/10 · 8 February 2021]

A very dumb and illogical doomsday scenario and storyline. I can not believe Ridley Scott involved with this project :(

Dunkirk (2017)

Inaccurate and boring...

[1/10 · 9 December 2017]

I gave up after 1h. I knew that this movie is a false "hero" propaganda (Hitler's controversy "stop order" allowing England extract its soldiers denies this movie "under siege" plot) but nevertheless, I thought maybe i see some realistic action.... none of that here...just some dramatized sequences that are suppose to be "real" for city-dwellers . Very bad movie all around :(

The Good Wife (2009–2016)

one of the best recent TV serials

[10/10 · 26 April 2012]

I think this is the first time i like a TV serial composed of stand alone episodes (stories within the story format) . for a change the strength is in the script, particularly dialogues (and appropriate actors i guess). i love there is a lot of sub-context in everything said and often actual realistic situations (i do not think i have seen a scene yet that made me think "ya right..."). also this is the first ever "lawyer" show ( besides the new "suits") which i have not got bored (or revolted even)just after first or second episode...

The characters (and not necessarily the actors) are so well interconnected throughput the whole 3 seasons (and i have not missed a single episodes because of it). if there were fill up scenes, i missed them; that is how much the show got me absorbed into thinking...

Overall, this is for grown ups, especially season 3 (Alicia's kids are almost entirely off the screen). Usually i strongly dislike the "stand alone episode" serials simply because they get overly repetitive. but here, every episodes is different and even the "court time" is unpredictable. I find Julianna Margulies extremely attractive and addictive (i am a male) even if she is over my own age bracket. her composure and its character refusals to play the victim woos me :). Alan Cumming's sense of humour also a bonus (i think he best actor here). also Archie Panjabi (Kalinda) brings in an original character.

10 full stars! however, i will reduce to 8 only because those very few government propagandist messages ( 3 or 4 episodes contain sympathetic military point of views) and having a main character (Christine Baranski) pass as a "liberal" (there i went "ya right...")

Fringe (2008–2013)

everything and nothing

[4/10 · 24 April 2012]

i wanted to like this series after having the opportunity in gaining all first 3 season at once. However, after a couple of episodes, the rest was almost entirely on fast forward. why?

• prime time structured plots to attract most viewers, a bit for everyone, therefore politically correct and making the script for the characters (going along)as opposed to place characters fit the script. lots of sub-plots opened yet very few answers given (even those explained make no logical sense to an adult for most part)

• the sci-fi/mystery/horror is a joke, while some episodes to have good ideas, the logic behind misses any critical thinking input to the viewer. everything happens when it is convenient to do so and the "discoveries" are filled with technical terms that make no sense for anyone paying attention in the 12th grade biology/physics/chemistry classes

• urban soap Oprah ; all human emotions are standard, every feeling expressed is standard as per expectations -while some actors are good (Walter Bishop character)their acting on a very bad script makes me annoyed and i ended up always fast forwarding his "smart speeches" and "scientific" explanations.

-some special effects are very good, yet when those happen it guarantees especially a bad dialogue script (i have no clue why, likely related to budget).

overall, season 1 is almost entirely made of fill-up episodes, a few of which were good as "stand alone". season 2 develops an interesting story but due to extremely bad scripts, it goes nowhere other than in circles and some massive plot holes as a result.

Sinners and Saints (2010)

very decent action flick

[7/10 · 3 April 2012]

reason for 7 star; due to very low budget there were couple of scenes that missed that "extra " punch. this is a guy's movie, doubt ladies will like it unless they view it for the main protagonists (heroes and anti-heroes types).

plot was quiet decent, straight up, nothing spectacular but i appreciate for not being led on by some cheesy or pointless melodramatic fill up scenes.

however dialogues and acting very good for an action flick (all actors more or less look the part they play). in first half had quiet a dew nice surprises not found in almost any of the low budget action flicks.

i should sum it up as a decent revenge flick of sorts.

Boardwalk Empire (2010–2014)

good periodical re-enactments, but....

[5/10 · 7 January 2012]

since first episode it was pretty much what i expected; great re-enactments of 1920's America (including the excessive use of stereotypes unfortunately, with a superficial originality ), an appropriate soundtrack for the era, excellent camera direction, and decent to good actors (a few played too over the top such as Capone character ).

but after watching season 2 entirely i will surly give up on it. my problem is that the writers are going after "The Godfather Effect" with cheap melodramatic thrills all in the name of so called realism...characters are multidimensional (most have likable/dis likable traits) but season 1 is all over the place with the same message given over and over: "America was a much more ruthless place than it is today, with everyone unscrupulous, driven by almighty dollar...". Meanwhile season 2 starts rather better off but derails off track and in the last 2 episodes there was so much predictability when expecting the twist.

my point i try make is that the serial becomes UN-entertaining fast. after the season 2 finale especially, i really can not care less for any of the "players" LEFT in play... for such "realism" i will just call my local politician or read the newspaper between the lines, i don't need waste time watch a fantasy that claims to be realistic (oxymoron at best).

it is a much too materialistic show for my taste (capitalism at its finest...right...) with very little if any educative content besides the costumes and appliances used on sets).

Homeland (2011–2020)

in essence a well done Fear mongering propaganda from the big brother

[1/10 · 2 November 2011]

... if by any chance that may not be the case (quiet sure it is) than Hollywood writers have completely lost touch with reality. i would have expect more from HBO, at least to insert the question "why they hate us" instead of just taking for granted the official governmental line that is continuously fed to us 24/7 on the "news" channels...there is nothing here that explores motives and such, just same old stereotypical bad guys... the shows takes itself serious while in reality that's not the case.

the plot from the very start establishes a pattern of playing the terrorist card to inspire fear on its viewers and most important to yet again justify the need for homeland security having a bigger and bigger budget to hunt down its own citizens.

every character that infringes on your rights as citizen is portrayed in a sympathetic way ( good intention my backside...sure...). watching "innocent" "well intended" Clair character reminds me how extremists the American security bureaus are themselves. for people that do such action as described here (Clair) there is no room for "second chances" when you play with the rights of the very same people you are sworn to protect...who are they kidding?...

if keep in mind its likely propagandist objective you might actually enjoy this show. i have already watched a few episodes and will continue do so but at the same time i keep having ironic smiles every few minutes or so especially with paranoid Clair (if this would be that simple in reality i could actually laugh )

Black Death (2010)

blatant "justification" for inquisition!

[2/10 · 31 August 2010]

the bottom line is : there is no EXISTENT record of witches/necromancers to justify the Christian inquisition which has been the church doctrine for a few centuries, while there are EXTENSIVE records of inquisition committing even mass genocide (exterminating whole villages).

in this day and age one would expect at least some sort of balance and TOLERANCE when it comes to religious beliefs... all this movie does is blatantly telling you throwout that even if Christianity may not be perfect it is still the only "humanist" and "moral"religion ...right...if u happen to have different beliefs, apparently you are indeed dammed...LOL

my main problem with this "feature" is that is justifies the inquisition (as in there was a REASON for it ). at least if it would be a fantasy i could chuckle a bit...but no...this movie IS taking itself serious DUH; anyone that knows at least the general overall European history and its religious denominations would know that colonialism was justified by the "noble" belief of "persuading" "pagans" to turn back to God...and the witch hunting practised by extremist Christian orders all over the world has only brought extensive and additional pain and sufferings to "pagans".

the movie also falls flat since it preaches and while the action is engaging in the first half , the preaching to audience takes prerogative in the second half (both as in a direct manner as much as at a subliminal level)

Unthinkable (2010)

Despicable...

[1/10 · 8 June 2010]

the whole mumble jumble going on here is intended to justify torture and especially the "war on terror", and the producers ( the department of defence) are determined to convince the regular American citizen of "us versus them" minimalist approach.

the way i see it, this movie also promotes genocide. just imagine for a second while watching that this movie was made by some non-American government and i am confident you will see the unthinkable...

and this is the last time i will be viewing Samuel L. Jackson. the second time he plays in a movie that justifies and promotes genocide ("Extreme Measures" being the other).

Madea Goes to Jail (2009)

mandea plot not so good but the alternative one EXCELLENT

[7/10 · 24 June 2009]

as i see it, the main problem here has to do with the title itself ; not appropriate since the ACTUAL(and otherwise excellent) plot has not much to do with "Mandea"...i can only assume that Tyler wanted to kill two birds with one stone = the movie is targeting the wrong audience ( the one looking for cheap forgettable laughs that is). therefore i can somehow understand the low ratings for this particular feature even if i do not agree.

getting past that, the plot involving the prostitute and the lawyers is just as good if not better then the other social oriented movies Tyler has made for the REAL "working class". keeps true to realism and "good people" morale theme. it has nothing to do with organized religion as some reviewers have implied before me, but rather with having FAITH, a term that is universal just differently interpreted by each of us. the are some VERY sensible scenes and realistic dialogues

acting in itself is good to very good except for...Tyler.he should give up acting he is quiet BAD at that, and should refrain himself to be a great director as he always has...it is good that he does not take too much screening time himself...Keshia Knight Pulliam would be the best actor here as well as Derek Luke and Viola Davis.

for mandea plot i a give 5 rating and for the alternative one a full 10, therefore we come to 7-8.reccomended for mature audiences looking for realism in America; this movie also exposes very well the hypocrisies affecting all social classes.

Johnny Mad Dog (2008)

i have not seen in a VERY long time such a REALISTIC war-drama

[10/10 · 17 June 2009]

the other reviewer bellow sums everything up pretty much as i would do overall. i just have to add that i like this much more then "city of God" mostly because there is no over-the-top acting here and this is much more expressive from a realistic point of view. also the 2 or 3 war scenes are also very raw with realistic common sense military tactics.

but the strength of this movie comes from its subject matter and from ALL the actors. watching this one realizes that there is no need for drama classes to become an "actor" if you were able to "play" the designed "role" beforehand...hands down to ALL the actors here(both girls and boys). the dramatization and the conclusion also stands out as well as all those little details abundant in many scenes.the dialogues are very raw and used in good realistic measure.

one warning to the viewer: the language spoken is an English African dialect, so you might have a need for a subtitled version. subtitles are already available for it on the net.

Crossing Over (2009)

self-indulgent patriotic propaganda

[3/10 · 11 June 2009]

first things first; to me it seems that this movie only attempts to cash in on the success that "crash" has had 2-3 years back.

on the surface the feature has some good performances(the boring professional sort if you ask me) and 1 good scene( Cliff Curtis -the supermarket) but everything else is a cliché, and of the worst kind; trying hard to please the American viewer as in how he would LIKE to FEEL(in general) but not how the reality IS; this aspect would be OK but as part in the "fiction" category, and not as advertised - "realistic" drama"...

the dialogs come out straight from the government public relations department. the subliminal patriotic message is promoted in almost EVERY scene in a direct or indirect manner. some tear-jerking scenes for effect and "compassion" but which in a very offensive manner promote exactly the OPPOSITE in how the viewer should asses the reality...

also what really upsets me is how LITTLE the screenwriters actually do NOT know about immigrants.for starters there is an ABSURD out-of-date interpretations as in why people come to America this days. the immigrants are seen as "sheeps" and the "true" Americans as very sensible people even when in the wrong.

in a sentence - this plot attempts to influence the American public that they have it much much better then the rest of the world and keep them content.

to be frank, i would have preferred to watch "crash" all over again instead of this. at least that director has lived WITH immigrants for so long and he did have some things to point out unlike this brainwashing parody of a "drama".

The International (I) (2009)

more then just forgetful entertainment!

[10/10 · 28 May 2009]

well done, finally a Hollywood movie that takes on banking "scandals" head on. anyone at current with recent events involving the huge present day banking scandals will very likely enjoy this thriller.

some reviewers wrote about anti-climaxing conclusion but i found just the opposite to be true. the ending is flawless in terms of how justice comes and goes around, too bad i can not say more on this without spoiling it...

Clive Owen remains one of my all times favorite actor and i think he was fit for this role 100 percent. after the rather poor scripted "shoot them up" debacle i am glad to see him back in his own "on screen" character.

there have been many attempts in the media to play down the message sent here, which for obvious reasons and after i watched this feature, makes perfect sense from THEIR point of view. for once i liked the subliminal messages ( from "darth Vader" toy, to the corporate PR hand-lings, and to the end message itself) this feature is not recommended for a viewer looking for action in classic sense, albeit there is a shooting sequence 2/3 in that is extremely WELL DONE and very realistic at the same time.

Prison Break (2005–2017)

beyond season 1 ... 1 step ahead and 2 back until plot became nonexistent

[4/10 · 11 May 2009]

looking back i can not believe i allowed myself fall for such commercial, idiotic plot, and characters that have ZERO depth left.

only some pretty people running around in expensive suits, with mighty SUV product placements almost in EVERY episode. worse, the characters are just played around as pawns and manipulated to the point where ANY sort of realistic factor has been reduced to...none.

as much as i liked season 1, i do not care anymore at all for ANY of the characters. hopefully they get killed sooner then later since the show has played on the fear factor for way too long...watching it of a late there are some morbid situations that only depressed individual or rich kids would care to follow. ah, and the female fans of the brothers. as such low point has been reached here that "prison break" becomes "american idol".

i only give it 4 stars out of respect to season 1 to which i would have given 8 or 9 at best (original idea at least). this should have remained a one season serial as was initially intended OR bring if some REAL writers that CARE for their work .

i have to add that the continuous SUV commercials ( as well as cell phone product placements) make me sick to the point where i regret ever watching this serial.

Into the Blue 2: The Reef (2009 Video)

not bad at all

[6/10 · 29 April 2009]

while generally i find it a turn off when seeing 100% "preaty people as utterly unrealistic(this coming from a blonde one myself), for this particular feature it is bearable since it is an exotic adventure movie to start with = all comes down to exercising the imagination.

but the main aspect i truly enjoyed was the music score; great combination of uplifting sounds compounding many musical genres. this is a good movie to watch while preparing to leave for vacation...yes, very commercial at times but the feature does not pretend be more then what it is; a light pure entertaining plot(does not take itself too serious but good enough script to keep viewer in suspense)and full of visually rich cinematography(humans and nature).

if you liked "into the blue 1"-2005 and/or feel in an adventurous mood, then this one is for you.quiet a few scenes are literal rip-offs from the first one. my favorite actress was Marsha Thomason, great touch in moving plot forward . also the ending is not very predictable overall.

The Family That Preys (2008)

wow. have this negative reviewers even seen or understood the movie!?

[9/10 · 29 January 2009]

there are 2 things i need say here:

1-as a features(direction, acting, etc) this is a well done movie. i would even consider it for an award or two( not Oscar since this particular award is anything else BUT real life movies anymore). all the actors give outstanding performances except maybe Tyler Perry which one can see he is not a professional in this particular field. but even on this aspect he is at least putting the effort in. Taraji P. Henson, Cole Hauser, Alfre Woodard, Sanaa Lathan and Kathy Bates are all well casted. my main star here would be Taraji P. Henson , both as an actress as much as the character itself. this woman can be VERY expressive beside being still beautiful while not as young anymore. Robin Givens is engaging while Rockmond Dunbar is truly at his best! i give it an 8 rating at this chapter.

2- subject matter is NOT preying on a "certain audience" as some reviewers keep implying. it does cross the border of being BLACK or WHITE and that is its STENGHT. to sum this up, race does not matter anywhere as much as CLASS does. the present day stereotypes are all here, especially the corporate ones, and in a realistic form, that MANY of us could identify with on a general level( maybe not the wealthy ones that pay reviewers to "diss" this movie just because it obviously does hurt their PERCEPTIONS of living the life at the "top"). i give it a 10 rating for the plot and subject development even if i do not agree with ALL the points made here( but most of them).

the movie is not politically correct YET it does not play on viewer's emotion and expectations. it seems i am indeed a fan of Tyler Perry's production now that i think of it because i can not recall any of his movies that i do NOT like. also i am not part of the visible minority that most of the actors here are. doubt that this has any relevance as in WHY i like this particular feature(i really do not think it does).

i recommend this to any adult viewers and adolescents( no matter race) that is CONCERN with present day social values as they are being imposed from the TOP,( mass media, etc) and NOT from the old fashioned COMMON SENSE, that made this word spinning around, long before Hollywood came alive.

just give it a shot, the 3 star rating makes NO SENSE, really.

Henry Poole Is Here (2008)

a good intellectual watch

[8/10 · 26 January 2009]

this is a worth watch for anyone that is not feeling on top of his own "game", and/or has a consistent negative attitude in life( or depression). however, there is a fine line between understanding ones OWN feelings and emotions, and by becoming an "extremist believer" of one sort or another...miracles happen...only when our mind are READY to see them as such, well at least that is my take on the subject. so in the end, manipulation your own perceptions might be the greatest miracle any person could TRIGGER onto himself/herself. the need for hope, no matter at what stage in life, it is what drives the human motivation. is just that there are many ways each one of us can kick start it. the "religious" path seems easier for a simple mind, but not so much for an intelligent one...

such reasonings, as the one i wrote above, you are certainly going to have as well upon watching this, no matter if agree or disagree. and no, i did not give you any spoilers. personally, my issue here being that this could been so much greater still even if i liked the ending...but i can appreciate such point of view to the extent that this DOES make up for a good debate no matter minor clichés. therefore i recommend this more to couples as much as to "desperate" individuals finding no ways out of their problems, or just simply feeling as such...

as a feature, the movie is quiet slow(and thats the main reason i can not give it a 10 or even 9)and in no way will appeal to someone high on adrenaline wanting action for example. Luke Wilson made a surprisingly well done acting performance, one could call that in itself a miracle(no pun intended)?Radha Mitchell character too stereotypical(just can't have a movie without a pretty mom and A blonde one at that present???). however Adriana Barraza's is on top of her game here, and the character at least will surely appeal to the Spanish speakers for example. one thing that stand out for me was the right choice of music,lyrics to be more precisely, which are fully in sync with the subject matter itself.

to end this, "when questions of decisions,reason or choice of action arise, human science is at a loss" - Noam Chomsky.

Blindness (2008)

very good combination of food and water... for the brain.

[8/10 · 25 January 2009]

while i found the first 30 minutes(or so) as being too slow, the subject matter kept me intrigued enough into continuing watching. the second half is EXTREAMLLY good AND ENGAGING, for anyone interested in social issues especially with regards to living the life within a community. there are excellent points made all around. there are some similarities with the most recent "quarantine" , or "rec" , or even "the mist".strong elements from "children of men" as well, which is one of my favorite movies of ALL times. the central aspect remains: how a community might evolve, behave, progress or regress, once you take away from them one or more basic life necessities...or the DEPENDENCY on an outside factor. this type of movies seem to be doing very good lately and i would argue that it is so since they are tied to the present(albeit into a more extreme take on the silver screen); more and more uncertain economic climate, and not just in north America.the rule of law and its subjectivity into only benefiting the rulers themselves at the expense of the others and their SELF perceived weakness...

Mark Ruffalo gives a good performance, and Julianne Moore fits right in as well. something i also found interesting to watch and follow was the Asian couple, both as actors as much as characters.personally,i found Maury Chaykin's characters evolution as being most important to at least take note of and observe( the real blind man).as well, couple's behavior under drastic circumstances...compassion being the mother of all emotional sentiments. very witty conclusion.

i give it only 8 stars due to somehow low production standards, especially in the first part.it is obvious that most of the budget here went into paying the actors, and there a BUNCH of well know ones, such as: Gael García Bernal,Danny Glover,Alice Braga,Sandra Oh,Maury Chaykin. for a movie that deals with such important social issues, conclusions and metaphors...one would expect that at least many of the actors would do it for less then their "market" value. then again, i do not know how much the total budget was so i am willing to "compromise" on this issue.

i only recommend this only for adults, due to the subject matter. another feature that might be confusing for teens at best, or even have a boomerang effect if wrongly understood and/or perceived.

RocknRolla (2008)

entertaining in many instances, but not a truly comedic masterpiece.

[8/10 · 18 January 2009]

"snatch" is one of my favorite dark comedies ever. it remains as such, since "RocknRolla" it is just a milder version of it. mostly the violence is toned down quiet a lot, and Tom Wilkinson's character is nowhere as vicious as the "boss".but what this feature retains and even improve are the social-humor gags.too bad that the whole plot seems to play around an "inside joke" regarding big city corruption...but do not get me wrong, there are plenty of situations where i was laughing hard.

now, i have seen all the movies with Thandie Newton , something i really like about her "on screen" presence. while way too skinny for my taste she remains one of the most interesting and mysterious faces, in recent memory. something very irresistible about her. and in this feature she is glowing as a truly naughty "stella".i have to recognize that seeing her on screen again have increased my movie's rating quiet a bit(big surprise since i did not see her in the credits section initially, i never watch in advance the posters or the ads ). she is so very charming here and "slick".Gerard Butler is very good as well )))

one thing that is missing , at least in some instances,( as compared to "snatch" again) would be the chemistry between some of the characters. for example the Russian boss seems out of sync as a "criminal mind", the "gorillas" look funny, anything but scary while they are neither funny.overall there is something about the plot that i did not quiet find VERY interesting; it is not its initial convulsion but rather the one way topic( with some mild detours , without as much character development for many of the protagonists besides the "wild bunch" couple). that being said, the metaphor es evolving around the painting are very witty. there will certainly be a follow-up feature to this one, hopefully with better character integrations.

overall i recommend this to mature audiences only, not so much because violence but mostly due to subject matter that might not be of much interest overall to any young audience. most humor is tied to understanding the details.

The Life Before Her Eyes (2007)

great idea but HORRIBLE execution

[4/10 · 15 January 2009]

i could not wait for this movie to finish since where is it going after the first 20 minutes. the pace is sooooo slow but that is not the lot of it. the idea is that how conscious can get people making decisions without even being aware...now i see that many people got this wrong( from comments as much as reviewers). the movie is NOT so much about who survives but rather WHY surviving...

not actors: Evan Rachel Wood is one skinny girl. i seriously found her annoying, too much obvious pretending( NOT acting). however Eva Amurri steals the show as much as Uma. too bad that the plot is so damn convoluted and the excellent idea is literally lost in "translation". there is one washroom scene that keeps repeating(flashbacks) to the point where it insults the viewer's intelligence as much as his/her patience...

i could not find anyone in particular that i could recommend this movie to. maybe , young teenager girls that daydream a lot? OK that must be it i guess...i give it 4 stars ONLY because the idea. this could been 100% much better .

Boarding Gate (2007)

seems realistic but not quiet if leaving emotional impact aside...

[6/10 · 11 January 2009]

Asia Argento looks great indeed but, i would not call her a "talented" actress here as more as a feminist pervert(coming to this, another reviewermade me laugh with his views on what talent is... he must have hadclearly became horny after watching the soft BSD porn scenes).Michael Madsen is very much himself here and a character interesting to watch...

now the subject manner is somehow quiet similar to ".45" while not taking it to the extremes. starts as a thriller, then it evolves into a feminist rant(regardless if one considers it right or wrong) but, towards the end evolves into something else...likely that is why this feature got quiet a lower rating then i would have expected. i am assuming that the last 1/3 of the movie seems to be a...different movie in itself.

regardless there ARE a few original scenes (both soft-porn as much as artistic ones) that do captivate a viewer.obviously, i would recommend this ONLY for mature audiences and depending where anyone's sexual orientation lies.

i am also going to venture into guessing that there will be a sequence to this feature as well.

Breakfast with Scot (2007)

feel good family comedy

[8/10 · 11 January 2009]

this being a movie made in my hometown( the dundas square certainly looks at its best now) i was very skeptical of a movie that will once again promote gay rights simply because its... "cool"(!?) to do so. frankly i was afraid for some hidden agendas of extreme nature + mature matter. besides any Canadian movie, especially action or comedies tend to be lame quickly forgettable. our home grown directors tend to pay more attention to artistic merits then to the actual subject/matter/plot...

well i was wrong; turns out that this comedy has quiet a lot of witty punch lines for ALL audiences. the situation is about family and not so much about the gay couple. the "contradicted" kid is at the center of the with the 2 main male leads as support.

the production is quiet great, the pace is quiet fast as well( almost no slow moments or fill-ins at all ). the acting is superb especially from the kids and Thomas Cavanagh. Ben Shenkman is more just of a stereotype character.

while i would still not recommend this movie to pre-teen kids, adolescents and teens would have nothing to "worry" about.as for any sexuality issues, there is only a quick, minimal(lips only) male kiss . other then that no intimacy at all that might offend some viewers.

Chop Shop (2007)

amazing how much can be done with a low budget .

[10/10 · 10 January 2009]

i was very impressed with this production on likely all levels; from production to plot and character development.

this definitely fall under the "realism" genre, since there is nothing going on here that makes use of creative imagination, twists, or manipulating audience in how a viewer shall feel, think and asses.

the actors are great, especially the "little" ones. the chemistry between the brother and the sister is mind blowing, maybe not even as common as should be in real life. it is a movie excellent to literally watch while visualizing it. one knows when a movie is good when one just does not want it to end, but eventually everything does...

Dostana (2008)

great musical score and cinematography but else- commercial pop

[4/10 · 10 January 2009]

i have not seen such so many product placements in a movie for a long time! it clearly targets the Indian market, not as much the north American one.

this production uses EVERYTHING a good propagandistic machine does; nice charming people, "exotic" location, miss world 2000, some funny (but "basic" jokes, not so much witty to them), gay people ( as with a sign of "cool" and "diffrent" and NOT because they JUST regular people after all...), and a few other things that irritated as well. this is a movie that will just frustrate and confuse young people that are NOT belonging to a "middle class" ( read "wealthy class" more likely). while the plot starts promising , it evolves into something very idiotic in my opinion.

the only reason i give 4 stars , is for the soundtrack and SOME of the cinematography values. even if those are FULL of sexual subliminal messages , the music ( and the beats) themselves provide some relief( and that likely since the producers do not want to annoy viewers to much and make sure we stick around for even MORE product placements)

The Wave (2008)

an extreme situation taken out of context!

[3/10 · 10 January 2009]

this is a movie i truly wanted to like and for most part i did, until the message became clear.

-the political aspects i found them very true( yes everything is still possible and WILL be so, this movie will make no difference on the issues it is trying TOO hard to "solve". - the acting is quiet good; not top- notch but enough as into not noticing possible "slips" for the casual viewer. - the pace(for most part), character placement, story line progress,and dialogs are good as well.

however, the character that i found out of place was the young skinny student ( the girlfriend of the polo player).she represents the voice of dissent. while she DOES try to make a "balancing" point, in the end it goes "overbord" literally ( maybe trying to overact or something?). regardless by watching her we can clearly see that the movie producer has a HIDDEN agenda that goes well BEYOND the rights and wrongs of known political systems.

to be as direct as possible, this movie promotes individualism as the base for CONSUMERISM(one can take note how the Yong's girl mind has been educated to FEEL special NO MATTER if situation requires it or not ) it's rather insulting to my intelligence to think that anyone that wants to be PART of a group apparently is a selfish egomaniac by the writers definition...

that being said the very last 10 seconds of the movie are priceless...too bad this has been made in a submissive manner and NOT for the GREATER good of humanity.