DaViD´82

A typical representative of the seventies disaster movie, but this one is two decades younger. Dante’s Peak has all the attributes that you would expect; the technical side is absolutely brilliant, even in today’s terms (one of the most impressive combinations of miniatures and CGI of the nineties), but also it takes too long to get going, has one-dimensional characters (luckily they don’t give us any wannabe funny characters, hi there Twister), an animal in distress and loads of sometimes more, sometimes less amusing clichés. It’s pleasant to watch, there are even some thrills, but don’t expect anything more than a relaxing watch. For the simple reason that there is nothing more than that to see here.

A very successful Shakespeare adaptation with excellent actors. I was pleasantly surprised by Mel Gibson, whom I had never ever before imagined playing the Prince of Denmark, but in fact he did an excellent job with the role of Hamlet. Along with Branagh, Zeffirelli is one of the few directors who know how to bring Shakespeare to the movie screen in a way that the end result doesn’t seem just like a recording of a theatre performance. But they manage to retain the spirit of the play. Slightly short of perfection, but even so, this Hamlet is a very respectable example of a Shakespeare movie.

In the same way that Oscar Eckdahl believes that his little theatre reflects a piece of the big world outside it, this little movie is a reflection of our big world too. Fanny and Alexander is the last of the Master’s film works (just television projects followed) and seriously he quitted when he was out on top. The three-hour version is a picture that lives a life of its own. The atmosphere sucks you in and gives you the feeling that you have been watching for much longer than the movie’s running time. But it’s a time pleasantly spent, avidly following the (ir)regular lives of the Ekdahl clan through Alexander’s innocent perspective. There is nothing to fault in terms of acting and technical considerations, perhaps just Bergman’s theatrical directing. But who cares when it’s so indescribably effective. Some day I would certainly like to see the five-hour cut, because there are a couple of places where it trails off a bit.

An unacknowledged adaptation of Dahl's short story. It's a more than decent film, but given the potential, the end result is rather disappointing.

A debut that, despite having a few errors, as a whole is an excellent affair and mainly shows great promise for the future. If it weren’t for certain inconsistencies in the characters’ fates and no rising tension in the story, there isn’t much to criticize. In acting terms perfect, the screenplay marvelous and the director brilliant. Slightly disappointing that Iñárritu gives you the strongest moments right at the very beginning of the picture, but it doesn’t reduce the huge quality of Amores Perros overall.

"By dulling the blade of tyranny, I reconciled Rome to the monarchy." A series with Graves’ incomparable book behind it, horrible pasteboard scenery and lackadaisical theatrical direction. Can a TV series like that even be good? It can, and it’s not just good, it’s almost perfect. Wait a minute, almost... It IS perfect. It doesn’t achieve the genius of the book, but even so this is a thoroughly exceptional work. The unforgettable acting performances and the facintating world of intrigue are the main reason why I, Claudius is an unforgettable series even thirty years later.

A sensitively filmed picture about two inseparable brothers, each of whom has a different attitude to their returned father. The elder one accepts his father’s authority without question, while the younger one revolts against him. If you are expecting a heartwarming melodrama about them finding a way to each other, forget it. Here everything plays on a rawer, but also more authentic note and thanks to that the ending of The Return is an experience that is hard to forget.

The script is a questionable mess that probably wants to be something in the style of The Godfather or Once Upon a Time in America, but in the end it is just a patchwork of scenes. But those scenes are so impressively delivered and acted that it doesn't really matter that much.

"Real power can't be given. It must be taken." Is returning to the subject matter sixteen years later just flogging a dead horse? No, not at all. Although The Godfather III can’t equal its predecessors, it is still so much better than most other movie productions that it is impossible to give it less than a full set of stars. And the closing half hour is the best passage of the entire trilogy. A marvelous (and again unforgettable) ending to this family saga.

"This is the business we chose." The second part of the brilliant adaptation of an unforgettable book. Taking over the baton from Brando is the duo of Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, who are absolutely incredible. No need to add more. Simply one of the best and most essential films of world cinema.