offenes_meer Reviews

Two Shades of Blue (1999)

Bad but has something

[3/10 · 10 June 2010]

This film is bad: much bad acting, bad plot, bad directing. Nevertheless it has some intriguing points: Rachel Hunter, Marlee Matlin, of course, they look good and act really interestingly. But then so much of the story is just incredibly incredulous, that it hurts: who the HELL is the burnt body, how can an inept shot like the deputy police officer suddenly wake up to place a deadly shot at a distance, why would the characters of Jack Reynolds and PD Alvarez overreact so much etc.etc... BUT THEN, there are some really unimportant details that make you sit up straight in your seat: in the interrogation scene when Alvarez steps out of the room and a large black policeman passes through as if not aware of the setting - Alvarez looks all bewildered and quizzical - as if not expecting this move at all. The phone sex scene is a hoot (at least on the relay side :-)). The final twist when the story turns all cliché may be a wink by the director, it may also have been unintentional. Who knows? Summary: beware of films by James D. Deck (but you might be able to find some diamonds in the mouth of his corpse ...)

Quiet Days in Clichy (1990)

Total waste of time

[2/10 · 29 September 2007]

This film is to be avoided by anyone wanting to see something worthwhile. If you are a Chabrol aficionado, well, you might just want to quench your thirst on completing your knowledge of his filmography. Chabrol totally misses the point of the novel. Although he interestingly casts the two main characters as somewhat resembling the original Jens Thorsen film main actors. Nothing of the situationist atmosphere of the book and the 1970s film is preserved. The plot is located in the 20ies/30ies with some nonsense political threads thrown in. The 70ies film apparently was reshaped to the 50ies/60ies (without much mention, but the street scenes would suggest so) - and that actually made more sense. Chabrol invents two threads of a night club and the dying Miller which just don't make it and turns the film into a tedious experience of wannabe cinematographic art. Having re-written the plot does not help anything in this flick - it finally just goes nowhere at all. Waste of money and waste of time. Take to the UK original version of Jens Thorsen in any case, even if this is VERY bleak and 70ies-ish. If I were Henry Miller, I would have shot Chabrol for this. Another thing I cannot understand is the rating. NOTHING in this film justifies and 16 or even 18-up rating. The French rated it at 12+ which is about what it deserves. *grumble*

Michou d'Auber (2007)

Touching film on the victory of human relations over inhuman politics

[10/10 · 10 June 2007]

I saw the film when returning on a long-distance flight with Air France - the on-board video-system was all f**ked although the plane was the same as the outgoing KLM flight which had a nice video-on-demand system - well, when will AF stop to disappoint their customers? Anyway, the system didn't help and I only saw the flick because there was time to kill and nothing else to see. So much to the not very intriguing title ... well, Gerard Depardieu's taking part also helped in selecting the film. The story unravels around the relationship between an Algerian boy and his fostering mother - a rather simple woman from a small village. The film gives some background on the politics of the time - depressing and suppressing - and goes on to show how brave minds (the mother, the school teacher, maybe also the priest), although they knew about the boy's origin, gave him shelter and security. There is even a hint at the situation of the Jews in WW2 France. It also shows how men in general are apt to follow irrational and inhuman beliefs and kindle hatred. Even the boys at school call Michel a 'wog' (probably 'pied noire' could partly only see the subtitled version without sound) and bash him for this. The really funny parts are very subtle, for instance the school teacher's giving the fostering mother a copy of Camus' 'L'etranger'. Also Depardieu exercising spelling with the boy over a French militarist text on Indochinese war or saluting to the De Gaulle speech on the Algerian crisis (including making the boy salute along). The film also takes a blow at French hypocrisy - i.e. celebrating victory over German in WW2 but hardly ever having a look at all the French collaborators and Vichy France, incl. delivering Jews to the Nazis. May 68 took place in France for good reasons: reacting to a repressive and aggressive climate which started the 'Algerian War' and grudgingly then had to accept the defeat. Gilou sets the unfathomable trust of the boy in his fostering parents in contrast to this and thus shows how relying on simple human relations minus the lies of ideologies and religions can make the world a so much better place.

One Way (II) (2006)

Til Schweiger takes a more interesting career turn

[9/10 · 4 February 2007]

hmmmm, yesss. From the statistics I read that US females over 30 did not like this film. Whereas the younger audience especially in Europe was thrilled. Why would this be so? The film is about rape and about revenge and how the victim feels and into what kind of situation she gets put by her surroundings. Seeing how things are, the US are very ambivalent about sexual themes. Not to say 'hypocritical'. Judging from the themes feministic theory in the US put forward in the 70ies and 80ies sexual oppression and violence are very much more of a problem when they cannot be voiced at all. This may have been different in Europe with a more liberal approach in many countries (well, not all, I believe...). Anyway, this might explain, why a film like 'One Way' will not be received so open-heartedly in the US - it is painful. And it shows parents in their relationship to their children in a very painful way. Maybe this also explains the distaste of 'elderly women' (to phrase it this way without actually implying criticism).

This much for the background. The film itself is a treat in that it shows a comparatively new side of Til Schweiger as a 'real' actor besides the many comedian roles he has played - actually one of those bought him his ticket to the film world: 'Manta, Manta'. He played in some more serious films before: "The Ice Bear" (Der Eisbaer) and "Knocking on Heaven's Door", but even his last flick in 2006 "Where is Fred" (Wo ist Fred) was a comedy - not bad (and including some hilarious stunts by Christoph Maria Herbst and beautiful Anna Maria Lara) - but not really a revelation. Also the film puts him in context with many other good actors, especially Lauren Lee Smith. For a while Schweiger has been directing and/or producing his own films - maybe because this was the way of getting a job at all? I hope not - rather do I hope that he will some time tread in the footsteps of Clint Eastwood, Robert Redford etc.

I will leave the comments to the film itself to the other two I have seen posted. Just this: it is a dark film, giving rise to hope, nevertheless. And it does show many things to make people thoughtful - and I do hope this makes them like the film rather than dislike (which would be the far more easy thing to do).

Wo ist Fred? (2006)

good for a laugh but not much more

[7/10 · 17 December 2006]

As has been said before, German citizens don't always think too much of German comedy films. Too often these are VERY obvious, blatant, superficial etc. - you name it. Seems we have a different culture here, if you compare to films like Dumb and Dumber, Jay and Silent Bob, Jim Carey stuff etc. you will find that in Germany this kind of film is more or less restricted to the age 12 to 16 where you will want to laugh and not think about plot lines, stringency of characters and story etc. So, let's leave aside a number of flaws in the plot and some not very credible twists. Sitting in the cinema, this film actually makes you roll of your chair a couple of times and has some really good gags - most of them drawing on ridiculous situations and confrontations. Although handicapped persons play quite a role (sometimes wondered, which were actors and which actually handicapped ..) they are neither being made fun of, nor exploited. Rather, some concern for their situation is raised. The thing that saves this film is the actors. Alexandra Maria Lara is more beautiful than ever and will make male viewers shrink in their seats in awe. Christoph Maria Herbst (Maria btw. can be a male or female second name in German) offers a wild and extremely convincing role as a wheelchair-confined basket ball fan (stay on for the snippet that comes up after the first credits at the end of the film!). Including one of the best dialogues I have seen acted in a long time: Herbst, having hurt himself badly is pensively picking a glass splinter from his shoulder when Denise asks 'are you hurt?' and he replies matter-of-factedly 'how come you ask?' not even looking at her. Till Schweiger has been bashed quite a bit in Germany - which seems 'normal' with any actor having too much success. Jealousy, I'd say. It can be said, that he is not too much of a character actor and mostly 'sells' his good looks. In this film he actually does offer a fair performance. Playing the grumbly guy with a bad conscience fits him well. I've never heard of neither the director nor the script author, but maybe we will be seeing some new quality work in German cinema soon?

The White Massai (2005)

Good film - don't get worked up on character flaws!!

[8/10 · 13 November 2005]

I was curious to see this film seeing the split type of reviews it got on IMDb. It has been showing at our small town cinema for full two weeks. And, yes, there were still quite a number of viewers - mostly women. I believe the problem is that people get worked up on the main character and get to dislike her strongly, then reflecting this on the film as a whole. Which of course is not fair, but maybe understandable. So if you want to see a marvelous, well made, well photographed and even well written film with an intriguing plot - this will be it. If you want to agree with all moves of the main characters and seek harmony, happiness and want to relax - just stay away. My boys, for instance, hated 'Gegen die Wand' for the lack of happy ending and the pain the main characters live through. So does this mean that we Germans have an affinity to 'difficult' plots? (including our German-Turkish compatriots in 'Wand') Maybe. What makes the film less understandable - but very much more realistic - is that it is based on a true story. So why complain? The Carola character has her flaws and gets stuck between wanting to Europeanise the Massai life and adapting to their customs. Which in itself would render enough material for several films. The Massai accept her but are also stuck with their traditions - what else would you expect. But this film is not about how this dilemma can be solved - it is about Carola and Lemalian - and if you come to think of it, two very brave characters, no matter how they behave in detail. They exist(ed)!!! And the film gives you an opportunity to partake in their torment. Just take this as ONE possible outcome and ponder on the potential and possibilities such a setting can offer. Enjoy.