suzzie_szz Reviews

Lilya 4-Ever (2002)

That "Angel Boy" cringed me

[6/10 · 17 October 2023]

I appreciate the fact, that the story was based on a real experience, which happened to a 16 years old girl in Lithuania. I loved the realistic description of situation after the post soviet era and its suburban life, which really took place in those years - but what made the movie unnatural and somewhat cringy - was that allegory of an innocent dead friend appearing like an angel in difficult times at the bedside of the main character, dictating her wise phrases and instructions. Such a cheap scenes to influence on the audiences' sensitive perceptions.

Without this scenes, Movie would be better.

The Worst Person in the World (2021)

Due to the overadvertising I expected more

[7/10 · 12 March 2022]

I didn't like Julie personally, but I understand her character. People like Julie do exist, it's their life and their mistakes, regrets and pain. Yes, she is a bad person, but she feels naturally the way she is.

I liked Aksel's character, more deep and full rather Julie, who despite her useless attempts is empty and can't find her true self.

There were emotional and strong visual moments, I'll write them down:

* Julie's party looks, her joyful, beautiful style of lightness and careless attitude of life.

* Beautifully expressed motion of euphoria of love and lust through the frozen streets and people, when Julie runs to see her future lover and decides to leave Aksel.

* Aksel's final dialogues and overall the actor's acting was very moving and deep. Especially liked his thoughts about past and future, his calm yet very generous struggle with death. Loved the moment when he tells Julie, that unique experience and moments he shared with Julie will vanish with his death, because he knew Julie with his own unique vision of which no one was aware of like Aksel.

*Totally detested Elvin. He and Julie are both egocentric, lost persons ruining their as well as others' life.

There was so big resonance from press and tvs, I expected the movie to be more overwhelming, ironical drama about the relationships. It became tragedy at the end and with the signs of banal drama.

Maid (2021)

One notice: Mother and daughter's overacting

[9/10 · 8 December 2021]

Overall I liked the tv series. There were very sharp and good points and accents made when a single mother faces violence and poverty. But the acting of main character (whom I still respect) was so irrelevant in some moments and so unnatural. Rolling her eyes where it was not necessary and all time tragic face where was no needed, even when playing with her child and laughing. On the other hand, I have never seen such poor acting as Andie Maddowell did. I understand her role and specifics, but she was really very disturbing and overacted.

There are some very beautiful and tender moments, like when Alex hugs her husband, when he kicks off his father and stands by his wife's side. Also the moment, when Alex falls in depression. The couch scene was genial, such an amazing and artistic visualization of depression - I have rarely seen in anywhere.

Only Lovers Left Alive (2013)

Frustrated, was expecting more from Jarmush

[5/10 · 8 December 2021]

The context of the film was so trivial, though I was triggered and intrigued at first. I am giving 5 scored only for the remarkable soundtracks and fabulous scenes, where books are involved. There were some beautiful elements, like Eve's sense of reading books magically by eye in seconds, her beautiful room in mysterious country, full of books and amazing Asian music and spirit.

The rest was rubbish. I am sorry for Jarmush, but this is true. It was a very weak work, despite of efforts.

Cries & Whispers (1972)

Beautiful, deep scenes wasted for what?

[3/10 · 24 September 2021]

I give 3 scores only to the brilliant work of cameraman and director, who set the scene in glorious red.

The film is way too disturbing, I tried my best to understand the plot, allegories deeply, tried to feel the emotions the characters were experiencing, but I found, that there mental and emotional state is exaggerated and out of reality.

It seemed very normal at the beginning the relations between sisters, how they were taking care of Agnes, with love and tender. I think they did their duty to comfort her. Why people are criticizing them as if they have not done anything for her? I think three of them are degradated persons with their own traumas, even the devoted servant Anna. They all have their flows, but many points only to the Karin and Maria. I think they are insane as well, deviated from normal humans, full with vulgarism, hypocrisy, adulation, egoism. Even poor Agnes, who needs attention all the time, which is really very disturbing.

I could not get the point of tacit intimacy between the servant and Karin, and between the other sisters as well. I would describe the film as disgusting muffled in rosy wraps.

Malina (1991)

Grotesque and softness together

[6/10 · 20 April 2021]

I know it's hard to shrink the complex content of the book in two hour film, so at this point the movie did really very well. I would say, that movie seemed to me even better than the book. Isabelle Huppert is exquisite, I had imagined her in this role while I was reading the book.

Many important imagination passages were lost in the film, but it is ok, overall the movie had enormous impact on me emotionally, I think it did its best.

Fleabag (2016–2019)

Sorry, I found the movie perversive, rather with some deep values or feelings

[5/10 · 21 March 2021]

The main character is admired by some people, but to me she is a very tragic, troublesome, pervert woman whose problems are made by herself and she is torturing for it. she needs to control herself and other's reactions toward her stupid actions are quite fair.

She has no inner principles, values and dignity, she might be kind, but she is a bunch of problems. I am sorry. This tv series was not for me. I couldn't find anything valuable, though it is positively rated by thousands of viewers.

A Woman Under the Influence (1974)

A little disturbing to watch, with the hope at the end

[7/10 · 21 March 2021]

I spent nearly 2 hours in a tense condition, as if I was in the skin of other persons in the movie. Mabel's acting was too odd, unsuitable for the actress it played, though she tried her best, but it was very unpleasant to watch the gestures and convulsive acting, sometimes way too exaggerated.

Some people accuse his husband Nick for being brutal and rude to her, but it's the reality, he is a man working hard to hold the family, he is just an ordinary working class man who either his own feelings and sometimes becomes outrageous, but he loves his wife, he is a human, he makes mistakes as well.

At the end, it seems that there is a hope that Mabel is cured, though sometimes her mental illness occurs, but she is totally behaving normal, when his husband slaps her. It seems to me, that after the course at the hospital Mabel will be capable to control herself and mostly be like a normal person, unless the mental breakdown hits her back, which is manageable I think. So overall the movie somehow had sort of catharsis end, after the torture there might be a peace, children, family and love between them.

Emily in Paris (2020– )

Exaggerated stereotypes about French culture

[9/10 · 19 March 2021]

I would give the movie 10 star with pleasure, due to its amusing, pleasant, positive scenario and beautiful, very aesthetic scenes and views, but it seemed to me, that many of the habits and customs of France are not near with the reality, moreover it looked very unrealistic.

But for a good mood and retreat this movie is great, don't take it much seriously.

The Lacemaker (1977)

Naive Scenario

[7/10 · 4 March 2021]

I am very sorry to confess, that Isabelle Huppert's acting is very poor and unnatural. I mean, the movement, the manners - so statuesque and frozen. Overall she had made a portrait of the main character, but it seems, that she is not professional at all.

Rear Window (1954)

I don't get how does this movie has such a high appraisal

[6/10 · 19 October 2020]

If there were no some beautifully colored vintage scenes, gorgeous Grace Kelly and blazing costumes of Edith Head, I would not watch any further. Scenario was boring, yet I was not expecting such simple and trivial actions. I don't understand why some people perceive so seriously this nearly childish genre movie.

Vox Lux (2018)

Beautiful Costumes

[4/10 · 15 June 2020]

Beautiful costumes, only I didn't get what was the point of the movie and scenario? unconnected stories, emotions. What did the director want to say?

Unorthodox (2020)

Nobody cares of Yanky's emotions. The core object is Etsy.

[8/10 · 19 May 2020]

I've found everything and everyone in these series have two sides: positive and negative. Not only Esty is a victim of the traditions and circumstances. This time I was moved by the naive and a little childish Yanky, who is distorted by the traditions and he himself is the biggest victim of the toxic culture. But nobody really cares about him. I was especially moved by one of the last scenes, when Yanky repents and regrets his past mistakes, but honestly I am not sure that he would keep his promise when he would get back with Esty home. Because the society around him is so cruel, that he alone won't be able to go against the rules, don't forget he was assisted by his own cousin to find his wife (this emphasizes, that he alone was not able to do this).

As for Esty, I think that she is not fully formed yet and still is in the clarifying process what she really can achieve in this world and is this new life really applicable for her? Yet she at the first sight enjoys the new life but it is under a question, how can she live further without any basics for the future (no experience, no education and I would say no amazing music talent). I think Esty is still hesitating in her choice and thus the ending was brilliant: when she is looking at the compass as if deciding her final resolution. Friends are approaching to her at the cafe and she smiles, but what does she have to say to them: Is she going to stay in Berlin or telling them that she's moving back home?

Anna (II) (2019)

Trash

[2/10 · 28 April 2020]

Why did I loose my precious time? Will ever any director in the world change the cheap cliche of agents who are supposed to be masked in the parks or other cliche locations, wearing the super agent suits, like long coats, black sunglasses etc. The heroine was a female terminator I guess, as she escaped every creepy situation and skipped every gunshot.

In Bloom (2013)

Some scenes very emotional, some - just cliche.

[7/10 · 26 March 2020]

While the bride reproaches her best friend Eka, for sitting with the gloomy face in the wedding, Eka does such a great and unexpected thing, that I nearly cried at. As the whole wedding ceremony has some sad and unnatural shade, Eka, somehow to prove her joy and dedication to the bride suddenly starts dancing and thus adds some gaiety to the clumsy atmosphere.

The scene, when the boys stubbed the young cavalier, was too weak technically. Overall, the film was not bad, nor super.

The Bridge (2011–2018)

The main female character is way too disturbing

[3/10 · 20 March 2020]

I watched three series and despite of my interest to the following series, I could not resist my disgust toward the female investigator, as her character is very unnatural and actress is playing poorly as well. Thank you, good bye.

A Rainy Day in New York (2019)

Wasted budget and exquisite scenes

[5/10 · 9 January 2020]

Elle Fanning's overacting was just awful and very unnatural, overall none of the actors can boast they did their best. The end of the movie was so weak, I didn't expect that...

Eternity (2016)

Weak emotions, beautiful scenes.

[3/10 · 6 January 2020]

Sad that so many beautiful decorations, make up, clothes, scenes and film stills were wasted for nearly nothing. The director's effort to deliver emotions through the tragedy and drama scenes were so weak, that I felt sorry towards the actors, who put the work in it. The movie was over boring, especially the flashbacks, which were totally emptied from the real sense of tragedy and emotion. Obviously, It is easily understood what the director and scenario author wanted to express, but unfortunately, they managed it in a very poor way.

Broken Flowers (2005)

One week has passed, though still thinking about the movie

[8/10 · 26 November 2019]

The story is kind of detective, but nobody dies. The man who once was a popular Don Juan, and gained the money and wealth, now seems that is not interested in nothing any more, he has a middle-age crisis and goes through the dull, groovy living. One day, when her lover leaves him, he is left without any aim and purpose on earth. The melancholy and sadness is overwhelming in Bill Murray's acting. On the same day, he gets the pink letter letting him know that he has a son who is searching for the father and one day he might find him and the anonymous author of the letter begs him to be nice to the son and not break the heart of a boy. At first, the protagonist seems that is not worried at all, unless his neighbor insists to find the suspicious author and find the truth about his son. The line and symbol of the movie is pink color, and Murray is advised to take pink flowers and visit each woman, with whom he had relations 20 years ago, to observe their reactions and find something that might be related with the mysterious pink letter. But pink colors dominate everywhere: in the women clothes, interior, environment. The women behave strangely and it is almost impossible to know which of the ladies is the author of the letter, or maybe somebody else just joked.

The protagonist, who from the beginning of the movie was not concerned at all, at the end of the film seems that he himself is looking forward for the son and is dragged down in this story. At the end of the movie, he looks already desperate and seems that his desire to find the son is broken and vain. Now, when his future in the middle age is without perspective and looks hopeless, doomed to be bored, he has a new aim to find somebody, with whom he will have a connection. Son in this case is his only hope for life, and he is enthusiastic about it. As he is involved in tragic-comic situation, his weakness is moreover visible and sets the spectators with empathy towards him.

And in the last episode, appears his real, non-fictional son, which was aimed to resolve all the enigmas in the movie as the physical resemblance should be evident, but he just passes away in the car without stopping, so that protagonist lost the chance to catch him and their ways seems to have divided.

The rest all is up to the spectator, whether he finds his real son or not, is the letter real or a prank, which of the five (or maybe 6, because one of them is died already, but maybe she wrote the letter before her death and sent to him latter) women is mother of her son or whether he has a son at all.

An Unmarried Woman (1978)

Some of the better moments from the Script

[6/10 · 27 August 2019]

• I guess I'm lonely.

• I was very lonely too when I got divorced.
• I didn't know you were divorced.
• Yes. And it's certainly okay to feel lonely. You're supposed to in a situation like this. It's It's what is what's expected. It's really okay to feel anything anger, jealousy...depression. It's okay to feel.
• I I feel guilty about my feelings.
• Well, guilt is something, that I get livid about...because it's kind of a man-made emotion.

*** -How are you, Erica?

• Oh, I'm a little weird these days. I'm getting divorced.
• Ah, I'm surprised.
• Why?
• You seem like such a normal person.Compared to me, that is.
• It's the normal people who are getting divorced. Nobody else bothers to get married.

Pain and Glory (2019)

Something still was missing in the movie though

[7/10 · 19 August 2019]

I expected the movie to be more sensitive and emotional from the description and its title. Antonio Banderas acting was professional and strong. though it didn't help the movie to be emotional as it should be in my opinion.

in the middle of the movie, the memories of the main character was some kind of unnatural and it was nearly disappointing me. I was also frustrated when I saw the mother in her older years was absolutely different with the younger one from the memories (green eyes instead of dark). And, at the end of the movie everything revealed so masterfully: this memories itself was the new film of the movie director - the main character of the film. so this unnatural, a little bit emotionless stills of the memories from the childhood was just the new movie he was making during the whole movie scene. The end was perfect and it seems to me, that in the end, the filming of the movie was a tribute to Eduardo, the young boy, who once draw the film director as a little boy. Her friend, Mercedes once tells him whether he wants to find Eduardo, but this seems impossible, as there is no possible track to find him. So, Salvador finds this way to say him thank you for the drawing and moments in his life.

Diary of a Chambermaid (1964)

Nothing special

[4/10 · 21 May 2019]

Just because the film is made by Bunuel, we are not obliged to like it. The film was very boring, waiting for the final scenes to impress me, but in vain. Maybe there are symbols we, ordinary people cannot understand but in any case, these symbols too are not mainstream today. And if they are not actual nowadays, it means that the film has just temporary influence on the movie history and has no big sense today.

4 points just for brilliant Jeanne Moreau.

Colette (I) (2018)

Disappointed by the actress

[5/10 · 14 May 2019]

Beautiful costumes, wonderful scenes, but Keira's acting was soo poor, very disappointed.

Ashes in the Snow (2018)

Another banal story about the war

[5/10 · 11 February 2019]

I expected more from this movie, but at the end - it appeared to be another banal story based movie. Surprisingly, I had no emotions to the main characters, though I have cried million times at another movies with the same scenario. Nothing new was in the movie, same old song. Actors were emotionless, I don't know, something was missing to be impressive. There was drama, death, mercilessness - but still, no emotion. Honestly, I had the feeling, that this movie was made just to show and only show just like a fact that Stalin regime was brutal. yes, certainly, it was brutal - there is no another opinion - but movie was not capable to express this deeply. And yes, some countries still are struggling to escape from the modern Stalin regime named Putin's Russia, it was really a good point.

P.S. at the end of the movie, Camus words were brilliant...

Granatovyy braslet (1965)

Beautiful and esthetic scenes

[6/10 · 11 February 2019]

Put 6 scores just for the brilliant and wonderful, totally beautiful scenes, though scenario was weak and too oldish for nowadays: a banal love story with a tragic end.