The_Film_Cricket
This is probably Shakespeare's tragedy at it's most entertaining. I like the recent surge of films that reset the bard's works into modern times. Sometimes they work (like the luster of Branaugh's breathtaking 'Hamlet') sometimes they don't (as in the busy rock video 'Romeo + Juliet').Richard III sits somewhere in the middle. I'm not sure that this is the most fitting to present Shakespeare's tale of murder and bloodlust in a German coup circa WWII. However, as an entertainment I have to say I was captivated.I liked the touches of having Richard III (Ian McKellan) deliver his opening monologue while standing at a urinal and I have to say that I loved McKellan shouting 'MY KINGDOM FOR A HORSE' while his jeep is stuck in the mud. McKellan plays the daylights out of the character (It's not as good as it is onstage but I can forgive him for that).It may not be right to play around with Shakespeare's settings but I'm just glad Hollywood is interested in him again. This is a minor adaptation the bard's work but I still enjoyed it.
lastliberal
An acquaintance today bemoaned the lack of historical knowledge that Americans have in their own history and government. To expect them to have a knowledge of European history, particularly Greek and Balkan history would be ludicrous. That knowledge of history would serve you well as you try to understand the work of Theodoros Angelopoulos. a director on a par with Fellini, and Kurosawa, and Bergman.Angelopoulos likes the long, slow shots that give you time to reflect on what you are seeing. Those that are impatient have difficulty with this, but those who appreciate great cinema will luxuriate in the process.Winning two awards at Cannes, Angelopoulos was disappointed he did not win the Golden Palm. 1996 was a great year for film, and he did very well with this one despite that.
spaamvessel
I found this film very surreal. I don't know the history behind the story but I was not bored. When it was over I felt slowly transported to another time and place. The scene in the fog hit me in a very unusual way.This is not the film for someone who wants a smash boom, shoot 'em up thriller. I has a steady development and not the pace of an action film. If you enjoy films that are more cognitive you might like this one.Harvey Keitel does a lot of good films. He appears to choose projects that have interesting themes.I really liked it.
trashcan1973
This is one of the most boring movies I have ever seen, probably THE worst. A friend had rented it even though we'd never heard of it because of a lot of praise on the cover but my only explanation is that in fear of being accused of not understanding the artsy-fartsy deepness of it, they praise it. After about an hour we were both ready to give up in order to kill time some better way like playing monopoly or watching girls in infomercials for exercise equipment, but we decided to stick with it. After all, it COULD pick up and it had been praised, but most of all we didn't want anybody to tell us we couldn't criticize it because we hadn't seen all of it and we REALLY didn't have anything better to do. I was horrible. There's one scene 15 minutes long (really, we checked) with almost nothing but mute shots of a gigantic Lenin statue being transported on a barge down some river. "Almost" because for 30 seconds there's a short dialog between the PA system on the boat and the border patrol's PA system. The images don't move for this duration.I must say there are many movies that are pretty good even though they are slow, but Your lives will be better if you don't see this movie.
AD
