Change Your Image
malti2001
Reviews
Deja Vu (2006)
Another Touchstone...
This movie was a piece of work. Up from the very beginning we get a surreal image of New Orleans' people being "grateful" about Katrina. That is pictured by a slogan saying "Katrina only made us stronger". Then, there's the Fox News helicopter being the only one covering the ferry. Of course, the whole movie seems part of the relentless post 9/11 scare mongering tactics. Too many direct and indirect allusions to "support the troops" and "mission accomplished" makes it a blatant propaganda piece. The little sci-fi part was absolutely pathetic. Don't get me wrong, I like being lied to for entertainment's sake, but way too many trivial things didn't add up.
The acting, while backed by names like Denzel and Val, was not anywhere near what the standard of a "good movie". The only thing the movie had going for it, was the very good job Tony Scott did with the action scenes. All in all, go see this one if you're a lobotomized action fan. Otherwise, better skip it.
Children of Men (2006)
Great picture!
"Children of men" is one of those politically engaged well-thought movies that seem to be quite numerous lately. Pretty much every "hot potato" is discussed in this movie from environmental issues to immigration. For an unknown reason, women worldwide started losing their fertility. In a totalitarian England of 2027, a handful of activists are challenging the government's abusive responses to increased illegal immigration. Theo (Clive Owen) was one of the early members of the resistance but turned cynic along the way. His long lost love asks for his help and as he discovers what seems to be a miracle. The cast was pretty good, and an amazing soundtrack made watching this piece a great experience. The level of realism was top-notch throughout the whole movie. However, it seems to be propagating the myth that Arabs/Muslims are inherently violent. Every time there's a terrorism act, the main character (Theo) assumes it's Islamists. In a ghetto (Bexhill) turned into a conflict zone, an angry mob of Arabs, most of them wearing masks, carry machine guns and chant "Allah is great" in Arabic. Grafittis on the wall read "Uprising" written both in English an Arabic (Intifada) that is reminiscent of Palestine. The "Intifada" was a response to half a century of oppression and destitution and using the imagery in the movie only accentuates the cleavage between the enlightened few and the majority that relies on mainstream media for information. Nonetheless, the movie was very enjoyable and if you're looking for entertainment I would highly recommend it.
Chavez: Inside the Coup (2003)
Best document ever!
The material in this documentary is so powerful that it brought me to tears. Yes, tears I tell you. This popular struggle of a traditionally exploited population should inspire all of us to stand up for our rights, put forth the greater good of the community and stop making up cowardly excuses for not challenging the establishment. Chavez represents the weak and misfortunate in the same way Bush is the face of dirty corporations and capitalism ran amok. Indeed, Latin America is being reshaped and the marginalized majority is finally having a voice in over five centuries. Though, in the case of Mexico, the election was clearly stolen by Calderon. Chavez is not perfect, far from it. He's trying to change the constitution to allow him to rule indefinitely. That cannot be tolerated. Enough with the politics and back to the movie; The pace is breath taking at moments, and deeply philosophical at others. It portrays Chavez as a popular hero unafraid to challenge the US hegemony and domination of the world's resources. If you think the author is biased in favour of Chavez, nothing's stopping you from doing your homework. One crucial message of the film is questioning info sources, as was clearly demonstrated by the snippers casualties being shamefully blamed on Chavez's supporters. Venezuela puts American alleged democracy to shame. Hasta la revolucion siempre!
Jacob's Ladder (1990)
Underrated!
A captivating movie. That's for sure! This is a low-budget movie that managed something no other war movie ever has. You might argue it's different; I say, it's better! The movie follows a tormented soul (Tim Robbins) that's been apparently heavily affected by the Vietnam war. The directing is so good, you can't tell whether the scenes are flashbacks, dreams, nightmares or present. The imagery is especially staggering. The rumor on which the movie is based might not have any documented evidence, but I believe it couldn't have been presented in a more poignant fashion while keeping some balance. If, in the 1940's, I told that the U.S. government had 1000's of people working on a weapon that's supposed to be million-folds more destructive than any other bomb of the time, how many would have called me a conspiracy theorist? The unexpected ending adds up nicely to the other elements to make this one a true classic.
The Boondocks (2005)
Best TV series ever!
A fresh, poignant look on today's world that's just hilarious; This is the best way I could describe this show. Nobody has ever tried doing something so meaningful in the history of TV, and the result is just dazzling. The Boondocks is many folds funnier than any other recent TV series. It doesn't use toilet humor Southpark owes its popularity to. It's much more elaborate with very powerful messages in each episode. Huey is a progressionist black 10 year old kid, who's disappointed in society and militates against the ills of the world. Political to the bone, this show is one of the very few that have achieved the producers vision with virtually no censorship. Blunt without lacking good taste, it'll blow your minds off. Highly recommended!
Les poupées russes (2005)
I have nothing against love movies, but this one is just plain weak
For all of you guys expecting a second "Auberge Espagnole", you're in for some serious disappointment. This might just be the most overrated movie I came across for a long time. Xavier finally tries to get a life five years after his Barcelona adventures. While the actors give a good performance on average, the script could hardly be worse. The difference between l'Auberge Espagnole and the sequel makes a good indicator for how uninteresting life becomes in the real world after school. I have nothing against love movies, but this one is just plain weak (no matter how hot some actors may be). All in all, a movie for teenage girls at best ; And not the smart ones!