Bwoud´s Reviews

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  • Written by Bwoud on 07.04.2010

    Ki-duk Kim is a Korean filmmaker who writes, produces, directs, edits and sometimes stars in his own films. Among the many films he has made this one in particular is a beauty, earning many awards and even a nomination for the 2004 Venice Film Festival Golden Lion.

    The film tells the story of a sympathetic young man, who just happens to break into people's houses. He doens't steal anything however, but repairs broken appliances, does the laundry and other small things. In exchange he only sleeps in their beds and takes a picture of himself in their homes. On one of his 'trips' he runs into the house-bound abused wife of a businessman. She decides to tag along and escape the house in which she is held captive. Going through many houses the couple eventually runs out of luck and get's arrested on several charges. The woman is returned to her husband and the man is incarcerated. They however do meet again a little while later.

    This movie proves that a dialog between two people is not necesarry to communicate. Rather than having extensive talks in the movie Kim choses to let actions, looks and non-verbal communication to be his tool in progressing and explaining the story. A true masterpiece in its own way and a must-see for who needs some piece-of -mind or just enjoys beautiful filmmaking, acting and cinematography.

  • Written by Bwoud on 16.05.2010

    George Clooney's directorial debut tells the story of Chuck Barris, the well known TV-persona who invented such shows as "The Dating Game", "The Newlywed Game" and "The Gong Show". On an interesting side note; he also claims he killed dozens of people while working as an assassin for the CIA.

    Barris (played marvelously by Sam Rockwell) gets into the world of television as an inventor of new show formats and a producer. He rises through the ranks of TV hierarchy and becomes more and more important. At the same time he is recruited by the CIA who train him to be an assassin who takes out targets all over the world. Slowly the two worlds he lives in start to fall apart, as in the world of television his shows get worse ratings and people start to hate him for his unethical show formats and the world of secret killing is stirred by a double agent who slowly starts to pick off his co-workers. He has to do his very best to overcome everything without losing his grip on reality.

    The movie contains beautiful acting, especially by Rockwell, but also by other actors such as Julia roberts, George Clooney, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Drew Barrymore and Rutger Hauer. The movie is switched up with images from Barris' real life co-workers and friends who comment on his personal life and his claim of being an assassin. Besides the excellent acting line-up the movie also boasts beautiful camerawork and some excellent storytelling by Clooney, who proves he can star as well as direct in this beautiful and gripping movie.

  • Written by Bwoud on 28.07.2010

    Chris Whilton (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) a retired tennis pro, works at a high class London sports club as a tennis teacher, where he befriends one of his students. This student, named Tom Hewett, takes Chris to see his family who happens to greatly enjoys his company and absorb him into the family as one of their own. This bond is made even stronger when Chris falls in love and eventually marries Tom's sister Chloe (played beautifully by Emily Mortimer).
    Chris however, will not settle for a loving relationship,a lot of money and his new high end job. He falls in love with Tom's girlfriend and after the couples break-up starts an affair with her. Nola Rice (Scarlett Johansson) as she is called eventually gets pregnant and threathens to reveal the affair to Chris' wife. Chris now is faced between the impossible choice of choosing between his loving and rich life or the passion of the relationship with Nola.
    Drawn between the two decisions he eventually starts a plan to escape from the trouble he has created for himself.

    In this movie by Woody Allen he strings out a beautifully simple yet intricate storyline which in the end has some nice twists and turns to it. The setting of London might be uneasy for regular Allen-fans, as they might be used to every of Allen's stories taking place in and around NYC. The setting of the old and stately England however is just right for the rich upper class world the main character gets himself in to. This also brings in some stiff upper lip acting but at the same time leaves some opening for explosions of true passion when they are needed.

    The movie is a must for Allen fans and also for people out there who enjoy a great movie with a strong story centered on the subtle intiricacies of personal relationships and the trouble people can get themselves into while balancing on that thin line.

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