yediotm Reviews

Superbad (2007)

Funny and moving

[10/10 · 14 July 2008]

This was not only one of the funniest movies I've seen in a while, but beyond the wonderful dumb humor and the silly jokes it was also unexpectedly a very profound film about friendship, growing up and being a teen ager.

Although more than a decade has passed since my I finished high school, I felt like I personally knew the different characters in the film, and also the human feelings and situations that it conveyed.

Will Ferrel has given the torch of comedy to Steve Carell (on Anchorman) who gave it to Seth Rogen (on the 40 Years Old Virgin, who passed it on it to Jonah Hill (on Knocked up) and now comes this funny yet insightful film where Hill plays a lead role. Beautiful.

10/10

Peyote to LSD: A Psychedelic Odyssey (2008 TV Movie)

A good introduction to the history of psychedelics in western society

[9/10 · 25 June 2008]

I've seen many documentaries about LSD and other psychedelics, but this is probably the most up to date, and the most thorough of them all. This film follows the journeys of renowned ethnobotanist Richard Evans Schultes who was the first western scholar to have tried Peyote, Magic Mushrooms, morning glory seeds and Ayahauasca 30 years before the hippies, in a time when the use of these sacraments was virtually unknown in the western world. The film also follows the psychedelic revival of the sixties through Timothy Leary, Aldous Huxley, Ken Kesey and all the usual suspects. If you are looking for a film about psychedelics, or if you are just open to new ideas and amazing worlds - this is the film for you.

Mendy (2003)

Really bad film

[1/10 · 20 May 2007]

This film was bad enough to get me to spend my time writing this review.

It actually started out as a big promise. Finding this movie, I thought it would be a nice addition to contemporary Jewish cinema with films like the excellent "the believer". However I was very very wrong.

This is a bad film in every sense of the word bad. 1. very bad acting (the guy's friend was so obnoxious, I couldn't stand to watch him) 2. very shallow and uninspired script (Half of the script is just stupid rambling about f-cking, supposed to signify lecherous new york life) 3. mediocre movie making

This really looks and feels like a student film, and a pretty bad one. The only thing this guys got right is the DVD box which is pretty cool.

For me as someone interested in the line between religious Judaism and secular Jews, this film was a major disappointment and embarrassment. It is filled with the worst kind of stereotypes about orthodox Jews and about secular new-yorkers. Some parts got me so disgusted I could hardly watch it.

It wouldn't have made me so angry, if it weren't that this film even won awards in different film festivals like the San Paolo film festival, Bendfilm festival and Brooklyn festival. How on earth can that be??? I can't believe they didn't find better films to give awards to. Probably the politics of cinema played some parts here.

Anyway, spare your time. And if you wish to see a decent movie about a displaced Jew, go watch "the believer" or even "the chosen", but please not this one.

1/10

A Message from the Future (1981)

A rare Israeli science fiction gem by a misunderstood genius

[9/10 · 10 December 2006]

David Avidan was an Israeli poet, writer, painter and director who was infatuated with the future. In this movie "Sheder me-Haatid" - "a message from the future" Avidan tells the story of FM (Future Man), a messenger who comes from the future year 3005 to future year 1985 (the film was shot in 1981), with the goal of convincing humanity not to postpone WW3 but rather to start it immediately. The film has a very low-budget feeling to it, with this kind of ridiculous sci-fi shiny clothes and costumes. If you like such sci-fi mannerisms, this film is for you. However, the film also contains other very interesting ideas - interesting critique on human culture, ideas on telepathy, time travel and an intriguing sci-fi plot. This is film is one of its kind, as not a lot of sci-fi films are done in Israel (in fact i can't think of any other). However, it is well worth watching not only for that reason, but because it is a interesting inspired and inspiring piece of sci-fi fiction. 9/10

Free Zone (2005)

Bad Cinema

[3/10 · 8 July 2005]

This is one of those really bad films. Actually there isn't too much to say. Boring script, shallow stereotypical characters and long unending scenes. "ART FILM" at its worst. Some of the camera shots were nicely made though, I have to agree. And Channa Laszlo does a good work as leading actress.

OK, now let's forget about that. Another boring film from Gitai. Nothing new. What interests me as a film-goer from Israel is the question: How come Gitai is the most successful Israeli film maker in international audiences.

There are other much more talented Israeli directors such as Avi Nesher, Dover Koshashvili, Gil Dar or Keren Yadaaia. So why Gitai? Well it is a known fact that the French and European audiences love him because of his left wing ideas. He flatters the European views on Israel and he sells himself in Europe as an Israeli dissident and exile unacknowledged or even censored by Israeli establishment for his so called radical views.

As an Israeli left winger, let me tell you. Nobody cares enough about Gitai to even bother to censor him. The truth of the matter is that if you know the Israeli reality only a bit, it becomes immediately apparent how phony and untruthful his films are. His view of Israel, the way you see it in "Free Zone" is like that of the tourist he is, coming to Israel from Paris to make a new film and watching the whole of Israeli reality condescendingly from his know-all glasses.

This is the reason why all his films fail in Israel both critically as well as in the box office. Not because of his "radical" political views. Israeli audiences can cope with criticism, but not with Gitai's packs of cliché's. It is a shame audiences in the world who don't know the situation in Israel well enough, get their impression from such phony works.

4/10

I guerrieri dell'anno 2072 (1984)

One of Fulcci's best

[9/10 · 17 January 2005]

A very entertaining science fiction flick with motorcycles, Fred Williamson and theological discussion about the source of evil... who can ask for more? the film even portrays Nietzsche's saying that god is dead, in a very entertaining way. Who can ask for more? Maybe you! Fulcci displays did some very interesting work on some of the scenes. Interesting shooting, wonderful sets (reminded me of blade runner) and great eighties music which reminds one of Dario Argento film. this film is a precursor for running man and like Lloyd Kaufmann says on the DVD edition I watched - it is certainly much much better than Ridley Scott's Gladiator...

For anyone who considers himself a Fulcci fan, this film is a must.

The Passion of the Christ (2004)

Bad Film

[1/10 · 7 September 2004]

What a disappointment. I have waited a few months before watching this flick. The movie was called a Dario Argento styled version of the Passion. Since I love Argento I had great expectations.

However the passion was just plain sadistic-masochistic whining piece of celluloid. Sorry, but the joy Gibson found on torturing poor Jesus was too much for me. The many suffering faces mr. Caviezel made all through the movie just made me despise this figure on the screen. Don't do this to Jesus, you make him look pathetic. this film was about going to the limit in showing every way you can make j.c. suffer and make poor pathetic faces for the camera. But at the end, it was more like a parody. I felt disgust at the manipulative efforts of the film.

I don't know what sick s**t this is. It seems Gibson enjoys torturing J.C. more than the roman soldiers in the film, or maybe this is some kind of spiritual experience of pain, agony, or something of the sort. No idea. To me it just seemed plain perverse, sorry. I am sure there are better ways to love Jesus who was a nice chap all in all.

Two Thousand Maniacs! (1964)

Lewis does it again!

[10/10 · 12 February 2004]

Ach Herschell! Here again the godfather of slashers and gore movies does it again. He invents a new sub-genre later to be explored in 'Texas Chainsaw Massacare II', 'Cannibal Hallocaust' and 'Cannibal Ferox'. This means Herschell speaks orientalism before Edward Said even thought of that word. A group of "cultivated" people from the north of the US, visit the south and is being confronted with the sins of the past (See also: Sixth Sense and Poltergeist) and with the biting power of rawness.

Wonderful colors (a lot of pink), amazingly trashy acting, lovely shots and long phone calls scenes to save up on the budget.

Good Work Herschell, we love you!

Blood Feast (1963)

Gordon Lewis Rules

[12 February 2004]

Herschell is maybe my favorite gore director. The person who invented genres off handedly, does it again - for the first time! Wonderful colors, very disturbing plot. John Waters used to watch these films as a young man. One could see Herschell's effect on Waters later films like 'Pink Flamingos' when you look at Herschells colors (color me blood red) and the trashy- campy acting, costumes and settings. When I think of flesh Water's star Divine - i have to admit - Waters saved some of that gore effect that Herschell has in his films. The effect of real fleshy gore!

Five Love Stories (1999 TV Movie)

A wonderful moving film

[10/10 · 24 January 2004]

I only accidentally got to see this film. It was on TV one night as I was leaving home, so I took a look at it, and I couldn't leave home until it was finished. Regrettably I only managed to record the last three chapters of it, but i watched 4 of them. Since them I have watched those last 3 chapters of the film quite a few times and admired the talented directing. I've also shown it to other people, and we all cried together (it is very moving film. Sad but also very optimistic, bright and funny). This is maybe the best documentary that I have watched about love - and I think it can give you some perspective about life. If you have a chance to watch it, please do. You won't regret it.

Ido Hartogsohn

Kids (1995)

Wonderful perverse experience

[8/10 · 29 September 2003]

This film is not about safe sex! They may try to market it as one, but this is definitely not the focus of this film. 'Kids' rather handles a very sick society and is a wonderful cinematic experiment of kids exploitation cinema. I don't know how they got the actors for this film, but in the first scene I must admit I felt disgusted by the almost pornographic shots of kisses between a 15 years old guy (who looks about 13 years old) and a 13 years old girl (who looks about 9). This is like the wildest movie about sex, drugs and rock'nroll - only it is about kids doing all that in way most of us never imagined. The effect is wonderfully perverse. The perverse adult world looks even more perverse played by the kids.

This is reality for some. Being 25 years old, I am shocked at how fast I am being shock by kids.

Ido Hartogshon

The Wizard of Gore (1970)

I am scared! A masterpiece!

[10/10 · 29 September 2003]

Hey People,

I can't believe this is what you had to write about this film. OK, the acting is bad - but it is also hilarious. The frames are not normal - but they have a very queer charm. The effects are very unreal, but this is part of the ideology. The crowd is not shot together with Montag. But really, why be picky. This is also part of the laugh (and this film is very funny). Ok, so Herschell, didn't have much money. So what?

Monatg had me panicking. No, this is not only about gore. This is about destroying the line between illusion-cinema-reality. About viewing and seeing. About the conscious and sub-conscious. We all take part in Montag's horrible show.

I watched the film with a few friends, and we all liked it a lot, but I guess I am the only one who really has nightmares ever since. I don't know why. This film touched some very deep point in my psyche probably, but I can't get over montag. Over the horror of the girl screaming her pain and the crowd not hearing cries.

Watch it (10 Points!)

Ido,