makiratli Reviews

Karanliktakiler (2009)

You're invited to the Gulseren's world...

[8/10 · 6 October 2009]

I had to go to this film because i owed Cagan Irmak - the writer and the director of the film - hours of great moments passed in front his amazing films like "Babam ve Oglum", "Issiz Adam" etc. The issue was not attractive to me : The weird relation between mother and the son, Gulseren and Egemen...

Egemen is a character you can pass by on the streets everyday but it's not valid for Gulseren who wander on the limits of schizophrenia and neurotism. She overprotects her life in her house and in this life there is no room for anyone other than Egemen. What is the reason of that kind of life and where will it take them are our main questions in "Karanliktakiler" (can be translated like "Ones in the dark").

I have to say that Irmak has his sign in his movies that i can identify in 15 minutes and it's deepening in this movie. But this is not my type of story! Meral Cetinkaya is shining in her role as Gulseren... Characters are well-written and the music which is hardly-played is good. To the ones who are attracted to the story...

Günesi Gördüm (2009)

Kurdish issue has never been exposed this way!

[8/10 · 15 March 2009]

I have to confess that Mahsun Kirmizigul was not a name for me to follow or mention in any atmosphere until i watched Gunesi Gordum (means "I Saw The Sun"). There is a big kurdish issue in Turkey. It's not just in the southeast but in the entire country. This is the point where this film break through: How this problem effects all these people?

The story starts in a village in southeast, surrounded by the mountains which are also the permanent residences for the PKK terrorists. Davut and his brothers and their children and grandsons lives there. Davut has three sons. One, is a terrorist, lives on the mountains and fights against the Turkish army, believes that he is fighting for their people. The other one is a soldier in the army. And the youngest one is disabled because of a mine explosion. Even only the structure of this family gives us a spectacular aspect of the district. They have to leave the village and go somewhere else to live. It's not a choice they made, it is a must! The story goes on with their new lives. Some in Istanbul and some in Norway. Are they really their lives or did something or someone take it from them? Did they want it to be that way? In a scene Havar (played by Demet Evgar) says "A man of this land can be a korucu (means village guardian), a soldier or a terrorist. There is no 4th option!" or in another one Davut (acted by Altan Erkekli) who begins to live in Norway says "No matter if here is a heaven, i'd prefer my land".

Even the source of the kurdish issue is not the main subject in the film, it still has something to say about how this issue effects people of this country. And there is a solution proposal made by a captain of Turkish army: "What if state gives a hand to the people of this district?". Even some side stories harms the main one, and the film is lacking to answer why there is a such a problem and its involvement with PKK, Mahsun Kirmizigul, the writer and the director of the movie manages to tell his story maybe in the simplest way it could be, like it has never been before. Especially Altan Erkekli and Serif Sezer are shining in their roles. Suggested to the ones curious about the issue...

Alone (2008)

Irmak did it again...

[10/10 · 16 November 2008]

I have never been feel spotted in the life, exposed like this film made me feel. Name of Cagan Irmak was enough reason for me to watch the movie because his name is more than "not disappointing me". His stories and the language he uses in his movies to transmit these stories the way he sees to us like he did in 'Babam ve Oglum', 'Mustafa Hakkinda Hersey' and his other films... It's amazing. So, even before I saw the film, I knew that I was gonna like it, or may be like it too much - which i did, too much. But it's not something about liking or not. Have you ever felt like grabbed by something and thrown like a stone to the sky like you're nothing? It was exactly how i feel when the film was over!

It's story of Alper and Ada. Alper is owner of a restaurant in Istanbul. He lives alone. He likes to live nice. One night stands are part of his life. And freedom is something not to be sacrificed. Then Ada shows up with all her charming, beautiful manner. A body and soul with full of life... Will she be able to manage to take him to the surface of the life? Is this passionate love powerful enough to lead its way? Is freedom really something not to be sacrificed? What is freedom? Is it being able to be lonely when you need it, or does it have another meaning?

It took time to catch myself again when the film was over. Irmak did it again... He dazzled me with his epic story of a modern life. But maybe because I found myself in this story, "Issiz Adam" (means "Deserted Man" in Turkish language) will be the most special one among his other films, maybe among all the other films. I also have to mention about the music. Mostly 70's and 80's old Turkish songs are used in the film. But each of them used in the movie is made you feel that it was made for the scene used. And director let us know about the characters as much as we should. Neither less, nor more than that, you don't have to deal with too much details.

It has been 5 days since I watched it and it's hard to say that i'm totally free of its influence. But I think I'm volunteered to be in this situation. I don't have a rush! Thank you whoever it goes...

Sicak Saatler (1998–2000)

Gone with the wind...

[10/10 · 11 April 2005]

It was a great TV Series, not make me enjoy it just with its good players and a good written scenario, but also the spirit it has. Even in my college days, it made me look forward to Monday's, the broadcast day of the city. The main character, Sedat Yalcin and Buket Hazal and Cehennem Cevdet and Remzi Baba and the other characters which make it a "masterpiece" at all were unforgettable. It was a chess, it was a game of love, it was a tale of bravery, something you can't stop smiling, but also can't stop getting angry with something and also can't stop your heart throwing. It was also very exciting because of it's main characters jobs: Journalist, police, businessman etc. Aslantug's act is as brilliant as ever. And even it's her first acting experience, Arzum Onan did it like a veteran. I missed it. I hope DVD's of it will be on sale soon. Generally, the movies based on happiness and good relations becomes boring after a while, and the ones with good plot, acting and excitement are lacking of intimacy. I think, Sicak Saatler's power was coming from joining them together. Thank you Osman Sinav for being leader of exposing this tale into our dark eyes and help them shine again.