Displaying all 4 Review

• beautiful and touching classic — for Bröderna Lejonhjärta
  Written by Maaike on 16.08.2009

  Even though the special effects may be rather outdated by now, this film still is an absolute classic in the genre and totally worth your while.
  If one truly loves a book, the movie version almost always disappoints - Not so here. The wonderful story by Swedish author Astrid Lindgren (published 1973) is an all-time favorite and was translated in I don't know how many languages. The movie is lovingly made, the casting is great and the story is very touching.

  If your kids haven't seen it, make sure they do! You might want to watch it with them, though, it may be scary for little ones. Besides, you'll love it too.

  (Incidentally, this book was one of the reasons I decided to go to Sweden, rather than France, as an exchange student when I was 18.)

  ***** short summary (SPOILERS!)********************************
  Nine year old Karl is terminally ill, and afraid of dying. His big brother Jonathan, whom he loves deeply, comforts him and assures him that death isn't the end: if you die, you go to a fairy tale place called Nangijala, full of campfires and stories and wonderful adventures.
  But things do not go as foreseen: it is Jonathan who dies first, saving Karl from a house fire. Karl stays behind, lonely and scared, until a white dove arrives with a message from Jonathan: all's well in Nangijala. No longer afraid, Karl succumbs to the disease and suddenly finds himself in a beautiful place where the brothers are reunited. However, it appears that in the land of fairy tales not all stories are nice ones. The evil dictator Tengil rules part of Nangijala and has enslaved its people. Both brothers have to play their parts in the fight against Tengil and his terrible dragon Katla...

  note: throughout the movie, Karl is called 'Skorpan' (a sort of crumbly Swedish biscuit), an affectionate nickname given to him by Jonathan.

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• classic comedy everyone should see at least twice — for Life of Brian
  Written by Maaike on 22.08.2009

  What should be said about this great comedy everybody has seen more than once? Trying not to quote from it - which is very hard- I think these are some of the most important facts:
  It's the one movie from which most people know entire scenes from the script by heart. Has been a hit since its release in 1979, although there was some controverse in the beginning: it makes some pungent comments about religion in general, but only if you read between the lines. Oh, and of course there is the little matter of the story rather resembling the life of a Jesus from Nazareth, a contemporary of Brian, born the same day in the stable next door. This was seen as offending by some.

  Arguably the best thing Monty Python ever made, and they made many fine things, both for TV and for the big screen. Still as fresh as it was 30 years ago.

  If you haven't seen it, welcome to our planet! And make sure you do.

• great black comedy with typical Jeunet-style eye candy — for Delicatessen
  Written by Maaike on 26.08.2009

  So much more that just 'that early movie from the director of Amélie', Delicatessen (1991) is, in my not-so-humble opinion, the archetypical Jean-Pierre Jeunet movie - even more so than 'La cité des enfants perdus' (1995). All the elements that define his style in later movies are already here: strange colouring (everything is tinted a yellowish brown, adding to the atmosphere of poverty and general strangeness), great eye for detail, unsuspected plot twists and lots of wonderful, often rather subtle, black humour. All the characters involved are unique - not to call them plainly weird - and Jeunet's favorite actor Dominique Pinon gives a splendid performance as the unlikely, tragicomic hero Louison. It is also wonderfully French: imagine 'Irma La Douce' meets 'Papillon' sometime after world war III.

  Both touching and very funny, the movie is also rather gruesome at times. Very visibly made with love. A classic you probably want to see more than once, and if you do, you'll keep making new discoveries.

  A short summary of the contents (no real spoilers):
  This story takes place in an unspecified, post-apocalypse urban environment. There seems to be a lack of many things, such as any kind of modern technology, but more importantly: food. The landlord of a rather derelict apartment building has a great solution for this problem: he slaughters his unsuspecting new tenants and sells their meat in his butcher shop.
  However, that is not the future his latest tenant-and-janitor, former clown Louison, has in mind for himself. Unfortunately, running is not an option, since he is very much in love with the landlord's sweet, but awkward daughter. Add in the ministrations of a rather confused underground resistance group, hiding out in the sewers, and you have all the makings of a great black comedy.

  If you are interested: there was a documentary made about this movie, "Charcuterie fine" (1991). You'll find more info on that in the IMDB.

• The only rom-com you simply must see — for Love Actually
  Written by Maaike on 09.10.2009

  Truly not my genre, the romantic comedy, but to every rule there are exceptions....

  Before this, Richard Curtis has written such classics as Blackadder, Four Weddings And A Funeral and Notting Hill (the latter being the *other* exception to the above mentioned rule, by the way). Love Actually, his directing debut, is the one that really defies all prejudice. Supported by a truly great cast including, besides the unavoidable Hugh Grant, such names as Liam Neeson, Emma Thompson, Keira Knightley, Alan Rickman, Rowan Atkinson and many more.

  To my knowledge, this may be the only rom-com that is also a 'mosaic' movie. The plot contains a variety of characters all struggling with their own problems, ranging from a newly instated Prime Minister (Hugh Grant) clumsily in love with a member of his staff, to "the bad granddad of Rock 'n' Roll" (an enormously funny Bill Nighy) trying to score one last time with a very bad, christmas-adapted version of golden oldie 'Love is all around'. As required in 'mosaics', all characters are somehow related and all plot lines come together in the end, which is very much feel-good, true to rom-com lore - although not everything ends happily ever after, just like in real life.

  This unlikely mix of genres works incredibly well. Very funny, but with a lot more depth than 'Four Weddings' and topped off with a great soundtrack, this movie leaves you with a bittersweet, very warm, christmassy feeling, no matter how cynical you are about such things. I am. And I loved it.

  A word of friendly advice: Best watched in the company of loved ones or best friends, with lots of hot beverages, dark and nasty weather outside and kerchiefs for the not-so-stoic at hand.

  Go see!