Gunnar_Ingibjargarson Reviews

Tokyo Story (1953)

An Ozu masterpiece

[10/10 · 4 August 2021]

When an old couple go to visit their children in the big city, they get little attention of their busy children.

Of all the family-related movies that Ozu did, this is the that stood out of them all, without a doubt (even though most of them are great and tough to pick one out). Ozu great grip on the drama in his film is remarkably great here in Tokyo Story. Few directors have had the genius of do it as Ozu. The family drama form of Tokyo Story is great, but not only because of great direction, but also because of great acting and a great script. Tokyo Story deals with something that was not familiyar with the 1950's cinema, and certainly not Hollywood at that time. But Japanese cinema was very different. The dealing with family and family problems like Ozu does in Tokyo Twilight and here in Tokyo Story are very like, dealing with disappointment of children and family is very strong. But also dealing with getting old and have to accept our fate. A true masterpiece.

Gone with the Wind (1939)

Probably the greatest film of all time

[10/10 · 12 June 2021]

A spoilt brat and a arrogant woman, Scarlet and a man of high standard in the society starts a romance, along with the horror of the American civil war, threatens everything they believed it. Based on masterful novel by Margaret Mitchell, a awesome tale of love, war and harshness in this masterpiece, even though some might find it too long, lovers of cinema will not, because they will love every minute of it. Vivien Leigh & Clark Gable are absolutely marvelous as the lovers during the war, and don't miss Hattie McDaniel masterful performance in this classic masterpiece. Winner of 8 Academy Oscar, including best picture.

Intolerance (1916)

One of the most important American films of all time

[10/10 · 12 June 2021]

Intolerance tells a story which happens throughout history, in the mankind, all dealing with all kinds of Intolerance. D. W. Griffith vision not so much different like in ''The Birth of a Nation'' is stunning, to tell a story of poverty and poorness is always something that's difficult to do, especially during the silent era. But with Lillian Gish in the lead and a stunning script by Griffith, it becomes one of the greatest film in American cinema history. A true masterpiece.

A Night to Remember (1958)

Stunning!

[10/10 · 12 June 2021]

A Night to Remember, based on the autobiography by Walter Lord, of the same name, about the Titanic disaster. After the biggest ship in the world, hits an iceberg their crew fight for their lives. It's always very difficult for filmmakers to make a movie after a book, especially a great book like A Night to Remember is, but Roy Ward Baker does it masterfully here, with a true to the story method, that makes u believe in the story very well. A true masterpiece.

Tokyo Twilight (1957)

If we needed more proof that Ozu was not of this world, here it is

[10/10 · 12 June 2021]

A two grown up sisters living with their single father, find out they have a mother who abounded them years ago. Feelings of hostile and anger, goes around them both. Another masterful filmmaking by Ozu, through family and loneliness, abandonment and anger, fulfill this piece. Setsuko Hara and Chishû Ryû, stunning as usual. A little different Ozu film in many ways, here we have a lot of darkness and hardness around family and family members. A masterpiece.

Nobody Knows (2004)

Truly of the greatest film of the 21st century, not just as an Asian but, but in general

[10/10 · 12 June 2021]

After a young mother leave her children to take care of themself, the youngest child, a 12 year old boy has to take care of his younger siblings through harshness of reality. Hirokazu Koreeda vision of reality, and loneliness is absolutely stunning, he remind me more and more of Ozu. The young actors, especially young Yûya Yagira, are stunning. One of the best films of the 21st century without a doubt. Nominated for the Palme d'Or.

Way Down East (1920)

Great film from the Hollywood golden era

[10/10 · 12 June 2021]

A young girl from the countryside is deceived into a marriage by a womanizer and a playboy, and then after having a birth has to meet and old harsh society. Way Down East is like many other D. W. Griffith films divulging about hard reality and loneliness. Griffith's vision is incredibly good and it's sometimes amazing that this film was made in 1920, because it might as well have been done today. A true masterpiece.

Modern Times (1936)

Awesome

[10/10 · 12 June 2021]

The tramp while working in some kind of factory tries to cope with reality and modern society while meeting a young homeless girl. Modern Times is another great Chaplin film with a great storytelling of the old world and the new world meeting. Chaplin and Goddard are incredible here.

Hotel Rwanda (2004)

One of the most realistic stories about the horror in Rwanda.

[10/10 · 12 June 2021]

During the Rwanda civil war genocide it's assumed around 500.000-800.000 lost their life. Hotel Rwanda tells us a true story of how one man try to change some fate of his own people, with his courage. Hotel Rwanda is one the best horror-story telling movies I've seen. It's not your typical war movie with blood and guts but more about it's people and how the war affected them. Truly one of the greatest film of the 21st century. Nominated for 3 Academy Awards. Surely not to be missed.

The Godfather (1972)

Deserve all it's glory

[10/10 · 12 June 2021]

An old patriarch of a mafia family tries to submit his power to his son through violence and chaos. The Godfather is the typical mafia story, masterfully written by Mario Pulzo. Marlon Brando brilliant performance and a young Al Pacino great acting make this one of the greatest film of all times. Winner of 3 Academy Awards.

Hotel Rwanda (2004)

21st century masterpiece

[10/10 · 11 June 2021]

During the Uganda civil war, some of the worst modern-day war crimes were committed. Hotel Rwanda is a great story about that war, and how one man try to do something right in spite of horror of murders and rapes. Hotel Rwanda is truly one the best films of the 21st century, Don Cheadle, really shines as the hotel manager stuck in a senseless war that killed thousands of his own people.

A Patch of Blue (1965)

Amazing!

[10/10 · 11 June 2021]

A poor young white blind girl befriends a young black man in the racial southern America in the 1960's. A fabulously well-made film about racism, poverty and loneliness. Sydney Poiter & Shelly Winters, obviously carrying the film upstairs, but the young Elizabeth Hartman steals the show. Guy Green reaches out here to make a film as incredibly real on the south ern in 1960 and how racism tried to disconnect people in their own, instead of combining them. A masterpeice.

My Father and My Son (2005)

Truly remarkable!

[10/10 · 11 June 2021]

Plot: After a young disgraced left-wing revolutionist loses his wife, and after a dark military coup goes to his fathers farms and try to reconcile with his own family, old family bitterness and tearful joys comes together. Cagan Irmak's Father and Son, is like watching a good painting, it's get your feeling all messed up, with joy, tears and loneliness. The most powerful thing about the film is the great script and a incredible actors. Movie about loneliness, family problems and lost of loved ones. It's in my book of the best films of the 21st century, surely not to be missed.

The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (2021)

What a disappointment

[5/10 · 11 June 2021]

The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, AKA The Conjuring 3, was without a doubt on the the year's greatest expectation film of the year, but sadly it doesn't follow it up. Ed & Lorrain, are helping a young family exorcising a young boy who's possessed by evil spirits, but things escalates when the boy's sister's boyfriend, later on shows signs of the same evil possession. Despite a great acting the film is a huge disappointment, mostly because of a horrible script, one of the other reason it's not so good, is that the film doesn't have what the 1st and the 2nd film had.

The loveable complexion that surrounded Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga in the two previous films is gone, they seems tired and fake in this one, and it's sad. The film is based on real life Warrens case of Trial of Arne Cheyenne Johnson, which occurred in the beginning of the 1980.

The director of the film Michael Chavis don't seem to be able to deliver like James Wan has previously done, and it's shame.