Dorthonion Reviews

The Return of Captain Invincible (1983)

Not everyone's fave dish, but ... oh man!

[8/10 · 6 June 2002]

"The Return Of Captain Invincible" starts with one of the greatest spoofs of a newsreel show I have ever seen in cinema as a pre-title sequence. Funny moments and tragicomic situations follow back-to-back, but the definite scene-stealers are the songs (two of which feature Christopher Lee's voice). How much better can a song about the eductive power of alcohol start than with these immortal lines: "Mai Tai say that I'm Old-Fashioned / Tres vin ordinaire / That I want a fresh Manhattan / With white Anglo-Saxons everywhere / A Black Russian's / No Pink Lady / Give her the Singapore Sling / And Moscow Mule is not your baby / So Highball the Vodka and name your sting"? But I'm digressing: if you have a nostalgic love for old superhero movies, are not opposed to a little parody on the US and Australia alike, and are willing to follow that film in its occasionally whimsy turns, this is your choice for a late night film with friends (and don't forget to "Have a short or a Port or a snort of any sort" while watching)!

Du bist nicht allein - Die Roy Black Story (1996 TV Movie)

Very well done biopic

[9/10 · 11 April 2002]

I was actually very much surprised to see as decent a film like that on the RTL channel back in '97 or '96 - but only until I found out who had directed the film. Keglevic has done a very good job with Rudolf Kowalski (in a top role as the latter-day agent of Roy Black) and Christoph Waltz who convincingly portrayed the insecure rock-star made Schlagersänger. The film focuses on the years between his discovery and his decline, ending just before he is to comeback as an actor.

Buffalo Soldiers (2001)

A great film at the right time

[9/10 · 7 December 2001]

It might not be politically correct right now, but this very good indie pic with a stellar cast about a US Army soldier stationed in the West Germany of 1989 comes at the right time. Having served on an Army base for years I know this is very close to what it is actually like being there. Phoenix makes you care about his "evil" character Ray Elwood much the way he did the same in "Gladiator", and Ed Harris as well as Scott Glenn deliver top notch performances. Very well edited, cynical-yet-funny, with a good story and believable characters. Recommended, two thumbs up!

Pearl Harbor (2001)

Rewritten history

[4 December 2001]

History is a very convenient thing when you can re-write it as you see fit. This film helps maintain the legend that the Japanese did a sneak attack on Pearl Harbor which responsible leaders in the US knew nothing about. While historians may argue that no serious researcher would fall back on Hollywood as a source of facts, people will readily accept what they see, because this is a convenient tragedy to believe.

The film in itself is an attempt to recreate the Titanic success formula (love story set on a catastrophe tableau sketched with meticulous detail). Directing and acting as well as the CGI are solid quality, but the research behind it could have used a dash of Oliver Stone. Another attempt at rewriting history and eliminating unwanted facts -> see also U-571 (2000). Watch if you're into war fantasies, avoid if you want truth in fiction.

Mortal Transfer (2001)

A comeback to form

[28 February 2001]

"Mortal Transfer" deals with a subject that has been exploited by New York filmers mostly: trials and tribulations of a shrink are usually connected with the Big Apple. Beineix has not directed a motion picture in the past eight years, but it doesn't show. If you are familiar with his films such as "Diva" or "Betty Blue", you don't come to expect humor in his work, but after an intriguing setup, you'll find plenty of it here. Beineix' films have never been about depicting reality (more about the clash of illusions vs. reality), and this film is no exception. Masterfully photographed, this is a feast for the eyes in which you will sometimes find yourself wondering whether thrill or laughter are stronger. A comeback to form by a master of his craft.

Djinn (1994)

One of the very best student films ever

[10/10 · 17 October 2000]

...and I mean that. Take a theme as worn down as the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis and see whether you find a film that deals as eloquently with it as this one. A beautiful female soldier in the Israel army seeks shelter in a cave to have a drink of water and finds herself face to face with a rebel soldier, whom she shoots by accident. Lauded by her superiors for her bravery, she is haunted by guilt and subsequently by the spectre of the soldier she killed. He takes her onto a journey through his past and lets her see how he came to be in that cave. Refraining from giving into temptation to take one side, the director takes you into a conflict and makes you feel it. Photographed in Israel and set to a very delicate film score, this is a magnificent film with a beautiful ending. Highly recommended!

U-571 (2000)

A cheap shot

[28 September 2000]

While in technical terms and background research this film deserves a solid A, it does not excel in the story or cinematography department. Maybe a few scenes touch sensitive nerves with German audiences, but the frequent attempts to use propaganda style devices to label the enemies (i.e. the Germans) as stubborn Nazi villains in a simple black/white style might be in order in a Fifties' movie. U-571 does have its moments, but if you want to see a truly thrilling submarine movie, rent "Das Boot". Jonathan Mostow frequently "quoted" that film. Compare the similar scenes when the surfaced German sub encounters survivors from a sunken ship, and it will make my point clear on who did a better job; but do read the comments on "Das Boot" for a few non-German voices about the film.

U-571 puts way too much heroism into a story like this. Having lost a grandfather in a sub who left behind his diaries I think that few submariners felt heroic when going out there.

The Big Brass Ring (1999)

Excellent Film about the nature of power

[10/10 · 22 August 1999]

Very well done feature film based on an unfilmed screenplay by the late Orson Welles. Although Hickenlooper has put a fair deal of original ideas into it, you can *feel* Welles' touch all over it. A politician running for the senate as an independent tries to stifle a dark shadow from his past. A must for Welles fans as well as for all those who enjoyed clever entertaining movies.