Film Reviews Blog

This page only shows films that have a review. By default in date order of reading with newest at top

Saturday 30th September 2023

Italy 1968

Running time: 95 mins

The Great SIlence

Director : Sergio Corbucci

Film Summary :
A classic Italian spaghetti western featuring a mute bounty hunter
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Rated by Roger CO, on 30 Sep 2023




Thursday 28th September 2023

Korea 2005

Running time: 115 mins

Lady Vengance

Chinjeolhan geumjassi

Director : Park Chan-wook

Film Summary :
Revenge is messy

Rated by Roger CO, on 28 Sep 2023




Thursday 7th September 2023

Denmark/Iceland 2022

Running time: 143 mins

Godland

Vanskabte land

Director : Hlynur Pálmason

Film Summary :
Danish priest dispatched to Iceland mid 19th century to set up a new church. Journey's across country to meet his nemisis
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Reviewed by rogerco, DVD proj @ home on 07 Sep 2023

Review Summary :
Slightly overlong, but good to watch

Another Arty-slow film from Pálmason

A little more coherent than A White, White Day also by Pálmason with Ingvar Sigurdsson as a brooding presence, and with definite shades of the Herzog-Kinski South American films (Aguire, Wrath of God and Fitzcaraldo) in the epic journey by a flawed hero (Elliott Crosset Hove here channeling Klaus Kinski) who has to confront his demons.

A film of two distinct parts, with an intro in the Bishops place in Denmark, and an outro on the snowy wastes of Iceland. The first part is the epic journey and then the second is almost as if Lucas has been delivered or re-born into another world or afterlife, which holds both promise of elysian fields and the potential for despair and doom and sudden nemisis.

Another excellent piece of filmmaking by Pálmason - if you appreciate slow-paced arty films and/or Icelandic scenery, then you'll like this.




Saturday 2nd September 2023

USA 2023

Running time: 180 mins

Oppenheimer

Director : Christopher Nolan

Film Summary :
Scenes from life of a troubled scientist

Reviewed by rogerco, New Carlton Okehampton on 02 Sep 2023

Review Summary :
and also over-hyped - this is the worst film seen so far this year

Overlong, overloud, overblown, overconfusing and overdull

There is nothing good to say about this turkey. Noisy, Loud, Portentous, Confusing, Boring, and totally pulling its punches. Disjointed storytelling. Ultimately trivialising what could be an interesting story if told better.




Saturday 26th August 2023

Chile 2012

Running time: 118 mins

No

Director : Pablo Larraín

Film Summary :
Story of the 1988 Chilean referendum on getting rid of the dictator Pinochet

Reviewed by rogerco, DVD proj @ home on 26 Aug 2023

Yes to No

Interesting story well told. The ending simplifies the truth somewhat as it took a further 2 years for Pinochet to step down, and of course the campaigns were more complex - the 'Joy is Coming' (translated as 'Happiness is coming'in the film was only one element - although undoubtably an important one.

 But allowing for the need to produce a coherent narrative from a very complex reality this film does a good job of telling its story and giving a glimpse of what it is like to overthrow a totalitarian regime when the opportunity presents itself