kiralyaniko Reviews

Szabadság, szerelem (2006)

One of the saddest part of Hungarian history made the most remarkable Hungarian film...

[9/10 · 25 October 2006]

I may not be objective since I'm a Hungarian and a patriot, and especially after the very sad 50th anniversary, this was some kind of relief for me.

First the bad, then the goods... Dobó Kata is the only bad thing happened to this, but she's really bad. I never appreciated her - never saw any movie where she didn't pose in lingerie - but after this I have to say, she has to run around in lingerie because in clothes, there's nothing touching in her, nothing that makes you believe what she says, no emotions on her face whatever. She cannot act, that's it.

But the movie had so many strong appearances and so many talented people behind the cameras, that you easily forget about Dobó.

Iván Fenyö; is no surprise, he's been in the Jake Gyllenhal movie Jarhead before (which I didn't like though), and he can act. He's enjoyable here, not his best and not the best in the movie though.

Károly Gesztesi is phenomenal in his role as the coach, one of the most likable characters here. The other of the greatest performances is brought by Sándor Csányi. He's well-known for his leading role in Kontroll, and he simply outshines everyone here as well. The leading lady - after Dobó's failure - is surely Viki Szávai, Eszter in the movie (Dobó's best friend). She's playing so easily you can believe she's not even playing, it's her true self... I liked the character so much thanks her playing that the loss of her was one of the saddest moments for me though it was almost obvious what has to happen to her.

Vic Armstrong did a great job with what he had... The few tanks and other limitations didn't stop him to recreate what was happening on the streets of Budapest. You'll be scared by thinking it through, it's so real...

Kriszta Goda's second movie direction here makes you need to see the first as well. She did an amazing job here.

After all, I was touched, and touched is such a cliché when talking about this movie and the story behind it.

1956 means something for everyone who has at least a little percentage of Hungarian blood in his/her veins... either you were here afterwards and saw the aftermath, either you live here now as young and have the same needs, feelings for freedom, or you're living abroad and were raised on stories about Hungary and how your family had to live, run through the border while they were shooting at them... Or you've heard about the story, you know someone who's Hungarian. Or even reading about it here, and seeing this movie it'll change you a little bit, in what you think about Hungary. I hope less people will laugh at those cheap jokes by comedians on the US national TV after seeing this little history lesson.

No matter how many stories you've heard it's not like being there and seeing this movie will bring you back as a watcher, you'll understand them more and appreciate them more. After leaving the theater you'll surely believe the people who died on the streets or in the AVO prisons were true heroes. Makes you feel the need to do something patriotic as well...

Thus I hope everyone of you goes out to see it, internationally. After so many touching movies about American history, here's your chance to see how those in the Eastern block struggled and fought for their lives. It's totally different and I hope it'll bring difference.

Wanted to give a 10, but -1 coz of DK.

The Human Stain (2003)

Hopkins and Kidman's miscast ruined a beautiful movie

[8/10 · 18 October 2006]

I have to say I was upset after seeing this. I love movies that make people think and rearrange some opinions of theirs but sadly here I knew the storyline and couldn't accept Hopkins as a bi-racial, nor as a jude, nor someone who is an "old Wentworth Miller".

Maybe it's Hopkins acting style and the strange accent he used. I found him too charismatic for the role, someone less "dominant" would have been lot better. And the looks of his also didn't help coz he simply does not look like biracial when Miller (with hair) does.

Kidman is also miscast, but she's luckier. The brown hair and the clothes can save her looks so you can buy she's the poor cleaning girl. Her acting is brilliant, and while I sometimes - when she was with Hopkins - simply couldn't believe what they tried to play, after all she could've been more better, maybe making her role her own completely and "get lost in it" with another partner.

It's really sad that Anthony Hopkins - who I really do respect for his other works - accepted this role because if I should name someone as reason why This flopped it would be him.

Some great performances can be seen here: Ed Harris is hardly recognizable which makes his role so real. Jacinda Barrett's role was even harder than usual - well for me at least, with the naked dancing scene - and she held it well together. Wentworth Miller is good, sadly at times he seems like holding himself back - in the ending scenes, when Cole tells his mom he lied about her death, and when Walt comes by to tell him never call them again. He's unable to bring those scenes, while those with Jacinda are absolutely gorgeous, you can feel the chemistry between them. Also great is where Cole signs in to the navy. If you're a watcher for Prison Break, this movie brings a lot less experienced Miller, but in a good way.

Last but not least, Gary Sinise. He's the best here. In every scene, he "shines" I really didn't appreciate him more than an average actor before, but I loved his work here. He is good at every scene, and the only good Hopkins scenes are with him involved. The dancing of Sionise and Hopkins is a scene that will make you smile and sad at the same time, it's so beautiful. It's good that Sinise is ending the movie, makes you forget a bit about Hopkins and Kidman.

I was a bit disappointing about the storytelling, for a foreigner, the meanings of the fallbacks to Barrett and Miller would not be so obvious. Those scenes get kinda lost, as well as the emotions between Hopkins and Kidman's character, all of a sudden you realize they fell in love, but when did they?

I don't want to name everyone appearing in the movie, let me say Silk's young family is just as good, especially his mom. Anna Devere Smith. The scene where she learn's the truth about Silk's betrayal, one of the most heartfelt in the movie, is all hers. Not that Miller isn't good - he's that distant fearful boy with tears rolling down his face - but the camera is too far from Miller to show his face expressions and you really have to watch out to see his crying, while the close-up of Smith is obvious.

After all, I loved it, seen it twice and wouldn't have a problem seeing it at anytime. It made me think about my life and my mistakes which is good, since I believe movies have to make you think. This is not the usual Hollywood movie and I'm sorry for the great supporting actors, especially Jacinda Barrett and Wentworth Miller, that they didn't have that huuuge big break with this. I gave an 8.

Mansfeld (2006)

1956-2006 - Moving

[8/10 · 20 September 2006]

Isn't it a bit ironic that we have riots on the streets of Budapest just 50 years after 1956? This movie and the fact it's coming out in such awful times, is moving... the movie is strengthening the nationalism, I'm admitting this without getting into politics here (which I don't want to.)

The movie is a great remembrance - one of the three movies made for this year - and also something that is able to show what Fateless failed to show: that if they want to, Hungarians can produce good movies. (Fateless/Sorstalanság was good and touching in its way, just too lost in trying to be good, too much cut on the story in the book and too much "Hollywood" style.) The story of Mansfeld is haunting, heartbreaking... and it's a true story. He was 17 when 1956 happened: He fought for what he believed in, though you'll tend to believe he didn't realize what he's done and after he got caught they've waited until he turned to 18 and killed him. His mother waited for years after '56 believing he was in Siberia...

The cast and crew did an excellent job showing the situation, showing what 1956 was and what it means to Hungarians. I could barely pay attention to the acting because I got to the cinema from the Kossuth Square and had too many things in mind.

This just made me even more serious in why people - those who peacefully protest - are out on the streets. Youngsters are always those with incredible beliefs. Mansfeld is a good example and this movie will bring tears to the eyes of foreigners as well.

After this, I can't wait to see Children of Glory (Szabadság/Szerelem)... that's another incredible and true story about 1956. And these stories are just two out of many, countless stories fate's generated during that failed revolution.