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Reviews
Lord of the Flies (1963)
Nice book, but awful film!
*NO REAL SPOILERS, BUT SOME PEOPLE MAY SEE THE LAST SENTENCE AS ONE* Well, the book is quite nice, but please do not watch the motion-picture. It just does not have the certain something. In addition their (actors') singing is insufferable. The only funny aspect of the film is the character Piggy. Well, there are also some serious aspects like for example society's cruelty and nature's laws. If people know that there are no consequences they are able to fulfill insane actions. Nature's laws: Kill and be killed; eat and be eaten; save your own life. However, these aspects also occur in the book. Uh, yeah, before I forget it: Simon will never say anything again.
Bowling for Columbine (2002)
Very good documentary, but maybe a new genre called docu-fiction respectively non-fiction
On the morning of 20th April of 1999 the two teenagers Dylan and Eric went to the bowling-centre for bowling. That happened in the little village of Littleton, Colorado. Just a few hours after their bowling-match, they committed the massacre at Columbine High school. 12 students and teachers died during this dramatic massacre. He shows original tapes from the school-cameras. When you see this, you feel really sad, because you feel with the people. Moore shows how wickedly Americans think about guns and weapons. He cannot believe that you can buy guns and bullets in nearly every store. Michael Moore is very sarcastic and serious at the same time. That's a good mix to bring the gun-problem closer to the people. In the film he also talks to Marilyn Manson, because many people believe that Manson is the reason why a lot of teenagers are violent, but Manson does not think that way. He says that he needs music to be peaceful and not to be violent, because of all the rules. He also says that the President bombs some other countries, but nobody says that the President is guilty for massacres like that in the Columbine. He cancelled the last five days of his US-tour out of respect for those who lost their lives in Littleton, but what about Charlton Heston? After the massacre he traveled over to Littleton to have a big-pro-gun-rally. He said:" I have only five words for you: From my cold, dead hands!" That's not very respectful. Kids died, because of guns and a few days after the massacre he did commercial stuff for guns.
Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)
Good, but not as good as Bowling for Columbine!
In his newest film Michael Moore criticized the politics of George W. Bush, the connections between the Bushes and the Bin Ladens and George W. Bush himself.
The title Fahrenheit 9/11 is a dependence on the film Fahrenheit 451. This film deals with a police-state in which reading is forbidden and one firefighter is against this regime. Fahrenheit 451 is the temperature when paper begins to burn. Fahrenheit 451 is a Science-Fiction film which was made in the United Kingdom in 1966.
First Moore showed some scenes from the election campaign 2001 and that first every TV-channel said that Gore won in Florida. They said that when Gore won in Florida he would be President. CNN and CBS already declared that Al Gore won in Florida. However, FOX Channel claimed that Bush won in Florida and is President of the United States of America. Every TV-channel followed this statement, because it was a statement of FOX. The other TV-channels didn't do their own research. They just followed the FOX-statements, because it was FOX. The person in responsible for this statement was John Ellis, George W. Bush's cousin. Of course, many people and many independent people did research and after the recount Gore should won, but finally the highest court of justice decided that Bush won (Friends of George Bush senior voted.). Gore accepted this decision and so everyone has to accept that Bush was going to be the 43. President of the United States of America.
Then Moore showed the inauguration. It's tradition that the President walks the 100 last meters before his speech, but Bush was the first President who went in the car. Many people demonstrated and they threw eggs on Bushes car.
Then Mr. Moore presented that Bush couldn't deal with his new job and so he just went on vacation. He played golf and such stuff. Bush thinks that he does not have to sit in Washington to work. He can do this with telephone and fax. In another interview he said that he has to decide and work on something very important, but he couldn't say what it was. He just answered the interviewer:" You will see!" Well, then Moore shows President Bush in a school where he read out of a book together with the children. After some time the chief of staff came in and said:" Our land was attacked!" OK, you can't say if that is true, but Moore said it in his film. What did George do now? Nothing. He just sat in the school and didn't know what to do without his bodyguards and without his counselors. Well, that's how Moore described it. I think that when Bush would jump up, Moore would say:" What President is this? He has to relax and think before he does something! Please George: Think first and act later!" So, you can see this from both sides. On September 11 2001, 3000 people died because of these terrorists. After these attacks all flights were cancelled. Some people had to stay at the airports, even a superstar like Ricky Martin. However, after September 13, 2001, family members of the Bin Ladens and some other Saudis were allowed to get out of the States. Why that? 7 to 8 percent of the USA belong to the Saudis. They are important for the economy. Maybe they were allowed to "fly" because of this fact. It would have fatal reasons if they wanted all their money back. So, Bush said that it was Saddam's fault. Some experts say that the attack on Iraq was planned before the attacks on 9/11, but now Bush and his administration had a reason. Of course, they had to send soldiers to Afghanistan, because it would be dubious if they didn't. I think they sent just 10.000 or 11.000 soldiers to Afghanistan and I think that there are as many policemen in Manhattan. So, that's not much for one country. Moore shows very clever how often Bush brought Saddam and Al Kaida together in one sentence. He cut that very smart and after these cuts he shows a picture where Rumsfeld and Saddam met in 1983. That's bizarre. Step by step Moore came to Iraq War. He shows families who lost their children. That's very dramatic, so, Moore also asked some members of the Congress if they wouldn't send their children first into Iraq, but most of them didn't even listen to Moore. Then Michael Moore presented two soldiers who wanted to fascinate young people for the Army, but most of these youngsters didn't join the Army, because they are that patriotic. The didn't joined the army, because they think war is good. No, they joined the Army, because they need money. Who cut the money for most of the people except for the rich ones? Exactly, that was George W. Bush. In one speech Bush said to these rich ones:" Some call you the elite, I call you my basis!" Strong words by the President.
Moore already made some statements about his film. He said that it's more important for him that Bush isn't reelected than getting an Oscar. He said that he wanted to see his film on television before the elections. If a film is already nine month (or before) in television after it was shown in the cinemas, it can't be nominated for the Oscar. However, that rule is just for documentaries. Moore meant that his film could be nominated as best film instead of best documentary. Some people believe that his film isn't a documentary anyway.
I think FAHRENHEIT 9/11 is a good film, but I do not like it as much as BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE. Maybe I just like it better, because after BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE I knew Moore's film style.
Harald Schmidt (2004)
Harald Schmidt He is the German Letterman, Leno AND O'Brian
The Show HARALD SCHMIDT is something between DIE HARALD SCHMIDT SHOW and SCHMIDTEINANDER. His new show has lost a bit of its coolness, because the stage is not any longer like in the original American Late night talk shows. Well, the jokes between Schmidt and Andrack are nevertheless very funny and on a high standard. The stage reminds you a bit of one of his former shows SCHMIDTEINANDER, where Herbert Feuerstein was his sidekick. However, Schmidt has his gestures from Letterman (e.g.: he positions his glasses like he does (Well, I have realized just once, but better than none.)), the monologue is like Leno's resp. Letterman's (and also the former talks with his former guests) and some gestures and facial plays are like O'Brian's. Of course Dirty Harry has also his own characteristically features. Till now his new show is a good mixture of other shows and his own potential. It is also new that his new show lasts for just half an hour that is a bit short. So, when you like Late night shows and ironical and sarcastic humor: Just watch this show. Two thumbs up.
Tupac: Resurrection (2003)
Tupac Shakur most controversial person in the rap-game and music industry
Tupac Shakur most controversial person in the rap-game and music industry
TUPAC RESURRECTION is one of the best documentaries I've ever seen. There is a strong beginning, well-chosen music, interviews, good cuts, live-performances, an informative&interesting contents and a good ending. What you see in this film is not just the façade; you are also allowed to look inside the house. You realize how he and his environment were and how he and his environment developed. Tupac tells his fascinating, astonishing and incredible life-story in his own words and voice.
He was the king of rap, gangster, prophet, revolutionary, prisoner, actor, poet, "a Black Panther's child", America's most wanted and a victim of a drive-by-shooting.
In his life, which lasted for just 25 years, he had many ups and downs and some people assume that he spent as much time in the music studio as in jail. As long as he lived he wanted to be the best rapper on earth and tried to support all Afro-Americans and thugs, especially those who lived in the ghettos. He used his popularity to shake the people and tried to make them aware of the cruel circumstances black people have to deal with in the ghettos.
If I had the opportunity to meet this character it would be an honor and an exciting experience for me, because I have already read and heard so much about him good stuff as well as bad stuff. I would ask him if it was planned that the number seven was like a thread in his life and why he was that fascinated by Niccolò Machiavelli. In addition I might ask what specific ideas he had about society and if he thought that there was a way out of human's self-destruction. I would also tell him that I appreciate his work and his social commitment.
He was one of the world's best, but not a lot of people saw this side. Most of them just saw the gangster and personified evil, but there was also the good, thoughtful and peaceful side, which wasn't seen by many people, especially not by a bunch of (white) politicians.
Darwin's Nightmare (2004)
Cruel, crazy, but unfortunately true stuff!!!
DARWIN'S NIGHTMARE (written and directed by Hubert Sauper)
First of all you have to mention that the film DARWIN'S NIGHTMARE is a documentary. The film deals with the topic of colonization respectively globalization and their consequences over there in Tanzania. The results are that the majority of the population is condemned to starving, to slavery, to prostitution and to drug-addiction.
As I wrote before, the setting is Tanzania (South-East of Africa), but most attention is put on Lake Victoria, the world's biggest tropical lake. That sounds nice, but the cruel reality is that someone has released a Nile perch in this lake. As you can imagine this release wasn't the best for the lake. It turned out to be an ecological disaster. This perch bred and grew and by the time it destroyed the whole balance of the lake. The perch has nearly become the lake's only inhabitant, beside some crocodiles. Now the Nile perch is the most important source for income of the natives (25% of export). Each day about 500 tons of these fish are caught. That's a great number and you may think that these people are rich, because of such a big amount. Well, they are not. They earn very little for a very tough job (about one dollar, I think). The disgusting circumstances do not make it that better and easier (They have to work between dead fish and maggots). Children have to fight for their meals, adults die because of diseases and others go into prostitution. So, that's what you see in the film; cruel, crazy, but unfortunately true stuff.
This film is a very good documentary. First I thought it would be very boring, because I didn't know anything about it and I couldn't find a lot about it on the Internet (not as much as I found about other films). This film is a real eye-opener. What really shocked and shook me are the bad circumstances the natives have to work in. I mean they have to work between rotten fish-heads and maggots and do not get a lot of money for this kind of work. That is even disgusting to watch, but what do you think it is for the workers? Another fact is that the gases of the dead fish (ammoniac gas) are venomous and destroy the eyes of the workers. In my opinion that is not humane. I think that if they got more money they would have a better life. They do not need 100 or thousand dollars more. Why? Because most of them have to live with just one dollar a day. Just a few more dollars are a lot for them. Who could change this? I think the big companies which sell the fish. Just give them a few dollars more and their own fish to eat and they would be happy. Come on, give it to them. You would do a humane thing and you could say that you really want to help the people over there. That would be good publicity, too. So, please think about it, you could afford it! Conclusion: You should see this film.
Thanks for reading this review.
1492: Conquest of Paradise (1992)
Very good movie
Cast: Gerard Depardieu, Sigourney Weaver / Director: Ridley Scott
The movie 1492-Conquest of Paradise is a historical documentation. Gerard Depardieu personifies Christopher Columbus and Sigourney Weaver Queen Isabella. The plot is not very difficult to describe. Of course because it has a historical background. Columbus wants to find a new seaway to India, but he fails. By accident he finds the new land America. There he and his crew come across with native people. First this two sides are very sceptically/doubtfully about each other, but by the time they become friends. Each culture learns new skills from the other one. After some time Christopher Columbus seals back to Spain. There he narrates about the new land, gold, natives, etc.. After his narration Queen Isabella allows him another expedition. What he finds doesn't agree with his expectations. Everything that they built up last time is destroyed. A battle is the consequence. Afterwards he is put in prison, but later he is allowed to undertake a last voyage.
1492-Conquest of Paradise is a very good historical documentation. There is good balance between action, music and content. Gerard Depardieu, Sigourney Weaver and Ridley Scott have done a great job. This film is very long film but nevertheless extra-ordinary and absolutely amazing. This movie is really worth watching. I just can recommend it.
One Eight Seven (1997)
187-the number of death
First when I saw the cover I thought: "Hey, a movie with Samuel L. Jackson. It could be a quite interesting and amazing film." After watching the first few minutes of this film I thought that it was one of those typical American-Gangster-High-School-Films.
Nothing against these, I "love" such movies, really, but I thought it. Doesn't matter.
Why I had this thought? Because in these movies are black or Hispanic pupils. In this one they were Hispanics. Well. The second significant thing is that in all these films there are the gangster rappers, the shy ones, the brutal ones and the nice ones together in one class. So in this film. The teacher is a black guy and his class is not really the best and nicest one.
After watching the movie it was a kind of/a bit of watching one of those characteristic films, but not really. Why? There's the question one more time.
Because the teacher is a little bit mad and "completely" crazy. Well, he is mad since he was "stabbed" by one student in another resp. his old school. Now he isn't any longer the teacher who wants to change the world. Not really. No, now he wants to get his methods through however he cans. He shows that he is the boss. He helps those ones who need the help and show his anger to those ones who frighten him and show him a certain hate. I mean he cuts off the finger of one of the pupils and kills another one. In the most other films the teacher wants to help them and this more or less radically. In most cases this film genre is funny, brutal or a true story.
Mississippi Burning (1988)
Interesting to watch
Director: Alan Parker / Starring: Gene Hackman, Willem Dafoe / Release Date: 9th December 1988
The movie MISSISSIPPI BURNING is a True Story resp. is based on a True Story. It is set in the year 1964. It's about the KKK (Ku Klux Klan), black people, white people, a little town, agents and a lot of crime. There are the two FBI-agents Anderson and Ward. These two characters are played by the fabulous actors Gene Hackman (Anderson) and Willem Dafoe (Ward). They are the Hoover-Boys. Anderson is the older one and has rougher methods to solve a/this case and a long time ago he was a sheriff in Mississippi. Ward is the younger agent and he has the responsibility for this whole case, because it is his one. He only takes decisions which are in agreement with (the) law and the rules. The two have to find out who is the murderer of two whites and one black man. First they try this with Ward's methods. He demands a lot of agents. Ward looks for proof, asking questions and always obeying the law. When Ward realizes that his methods fail he needs Anderson's help. He tries to solve this case with rather unconventional methods. It works! After some time they catch the members of the Ku Klux Klan.
MISSISSIPPI BURNING is a good film. Maybe not the newest one but good. It is a True Story resp. is based on a true story. Therefore it is a documentation too. It is an interesting film because after watching it you know (a bit) more about the Klu Klux Klan, differences between black and white at this time and so on. First of all, for people who like such movies it is certainly very interesting. Secondly, for everyone who likes Gene Hackman and Willem Dafoe this film is an absolute must. So, watch it and enjoy!
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003)
Better than part one, but worse than part two
Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Nick Stahl, Claire Danes, Kristanna Loken, David Andrews / Director: Jonathan Mostow / Producers: Mario Kassar, Andrew G. Vajna, Hal Lieberman, Joel B. Michaels, Colin Wilson / Music: Marco Beltrami / U.S. Distributor: Warner Brothers
The movie T3 (Terminator3) Rise of the Machines is a typical action-movie. Arnold "Arnie-The Strong-Terminator-Conan-Governator" Schwarzenegger is the T-101 and his antagonist is Kristanna Loken as the T-X. The T-X is called Terminatrix too. The plot is not very difficult to describe. The T-101 has to protect John Conner (Nick Stahl) and Kate Brewster (Clare Danes) who will be his wife and one of his lieutenants in the future. Ergo, they have to flee from the T-X because the T-101 is an old model. This flight is of course not without any action-sequences. At the end of the film the terminators destroy themselves mutual and the machines take over the world and complete control. John Conner and Kate Brewster can escape in a dugout. Therefore John Conner becomes the leader of the human beings in war against the machines.
Terminator3-Rise of the machines is a very good action-movie. There are real stunts and not only computer-animation. This film is really extra-ordinary and absolutely amazing. Arnold Schwarzenegger is the cyber-organism which comes out of the future for a third time. The film is worth watching. There are good special effects and explosions as in other good action-films. The ending of this Terminator-part is very unexpected. It looks like as if there could be a Terminator4. Some say that Schwarzenegger won't be the protagonist in the fourth film, because he is governor. Well, maybe in the fifth film. Somewhere was said that there already exits a script. In my opinion T3 is better than part one, but worse than part two. Anyways, T3 is a film-highlight of this summer (2003) or even this year.