Witness for the Prosecution (Billy Wilder, 1957)
Best film I saw this week but I am a sucker for courtroom drama's and whodunnits. You've got to love Charles Laughton and Marlene Dietrich.
"I am constantly surprised that women's hats do not provoke more murders." 8.5/10
Klute (Alan J. Pakula, 1971)
This 'paranoia' thriller worked for me mostly the first hour thanks to an interesting role and performance by Jane Fonda. Her emotional motivation and involvement with men (and Donald Sutherland) is more interesting than the mystery itself. Succeeds in the 'psychological', but no so much in the 'thriller'. 7.5/10
Ossessione (Luchino Visconti, 1943)
Coincidentally, a comparable experience to Klute. The psychological depth between the characters is done very well, but the crime (the cheating wife killing the husband with help of her lover) isn't done that well. Has the vibrant atmosphere of film noir versus Italian neo-realism. 7/10
Primary Colors (Mike Nichols, 1998)
Apparently Bill Clinton liked this film and Travolta's performance which makes you wonder about the former president who doesn't come off as very upright. Not the best film about presidential elections and the political games involved. Does have great performances. 7/10
The Wicker Man (Neil LaBute, 2006)
Not the bees, not the bees! Notoriously unintentionally funny. Cage in a bear suit kicking and hitting women. Funny, but one of the worst movies you will see. 2/10
The Manchurian Candidate (John Frankenheimer, 1962)
A political thriller that could have been great, but the directing lacks focus and the storytelling is somewhat chaotic. Frankenheimers style worked well in Seconds, but this film is too tedious at times. The ending is probably a good illustration, directed by the numbers and not bad, but its predictability diminished the experience for me. 6.5/10
Metropolis (Fritz Lang, 1927)
Somehow I don't watch too many silent pictures. They don't appeal to me, which is a shame, because there are without doubt a number of great films made in the silent era, Metropolis being one of them. I'll keep pushing myself, who knows i'll become a fan one day. 8/10
La pianiste (Michael Haneke, 2001)
Started off with a great character and story built up. Isabelle Huppert fascinated me for at least 3/4th of the film. I am not too happy or fulfilled about the ending. Left me a bit disappointed. Haneke did manage to make me think about the sick sides of the 'intelligent' human race. 7.5/10
Fruitvale Station (Ryan Coogler, 2013)
Based on the real tragic events in 2009. Yes, dramatic, but this film overdoes it. Has Oprah Winfrey written all over it. Could have been good in a mozaiek-setup with different perspectives. Now it is a moralising exercise in tearjerking without any artistic value, one or two good acting performances aside. 4.5/10
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (Ben Stiller, 2013)
Don't let this film fool you, the adventurous 'Into the Wild' settings can't disguise that this is an ordinary Hollywood-formula-product. Contains all the one-dimensional characters you expect. Stiller is annoying and glorifying himself. Never surprising or original. 3.5/10
Best film I saw this week but I am a sucker for courtroom drama's and whodunnits. You've got to love Charles Laughton and Marlene Dietrich.
"I am constantly surprised that women's hats do not provoke more murders." 8.5/10
Klute (Alan J. Pakula, 1971)
This 'paranoia' thriller worked for me mostly the first hour thanks to an interesting role and performance by Jane Fonda. Her emotional motivation and involvement with men (and Donald Sutherland) is more interesting than the mystery itself. Succeeds in the 'psychological', but no so much in the 'thriller'. 7.5/10
Ossessione (Luchino Visconti, 1943)
Coincidentally, a comparable experience to Klute. The psychological depth between the characters is done very well, but the crime (the cheating wife killing the husband with help of her lover) isn't done that well. Has the vibrant atmosphere of film noir versus Italian neo-realism. 7/10
Primary Colors (Mike Nichols, 1998)
Apparently Bill Clinton liked this film and Travolta's performance which makes you wonder about the former president who doesn't come off as very upright. Not the best film about presidential elections and the political games involved. Does have great performances. 7/10
The Wicker Man (Neil LaBute, 2006)
Not the bees, not the bees! Notoriously unintentionally funny. Cage in a bear suit kicking and hitting women. Funny, but one of the worst movies you will see. 2/10
The Manchurian Candidate (John Frankenheimer, 1962)
A political thriller that could have been great, but the directing lacks focus and the storytelling is somewhat chaotic. Frankenheimers style worked well in Seconds, but this film is too tedious at times. The ending is probably a good illustration, directed by the numbers and not bad, but its predictability diminished the experience for me. 6.5/10
Metropolis (Fritz Lang, 1927)
Somehow I don't watch too many silent pictures. They don't appeal to me, which is a shame, because there are without doubt a number of great films made in the silent era, Metropolis being one of them. I'll keep pushing myself, who knows i'll become a fan one day. 8/10
La pianiste (Michael Haneke, 2001)
Started off with a great character and story built up. Isabelle Huppert fascinated me for at least 3/4th of the film. I am not too happy or fulfilled about the ending. Left me a bit disappointed. Haneke did manage to make me think about the sick sides of the 'intelligent' human race. 7.5/10
Fruitvale Station (Ryan Coogler, 2013)
Based on the real tragic events in 2009. Yes, dramatic, but this film overdoes it. Has Oprah Winfrey written all over it. Could have been good in a mozaiek-setup with different perspectives. Now it is a moralising exercise in tearjerking without any artistic value, one or two good acting performances aside. 4.5/10
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (Ben Stiller, 2013)
Don't let this film fool you, the adventurous 'Into the Wild' settings can't disguise that this is an ordinary Hollywood-formula-product. Contains all the one-dimensional characters you expect. Stiller is annoying and glorifying himself. Never surprising or original. 3.5/10
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