evilfrog-2
Lifetime Total
5+
Lifetime Trivia
1+
IMDb Member
24 years
Reviews
El laberinto del fauno (2006)
Del Toro at his best
Of all his films, this is the standout for me. Devil's Backbone might be second.
The sorrow hits like a sledgehammer, but there is beauty and a wisp of optimism that is rare in anti fascist film (e.g. Seven Beauties, Amy of Shadows, Kanal, Come and See, etc).
Really a perfect film that is mandatory viewing for anyone who cares about movies
Really a perfect film that is mandatory viewing for anyone who cares about movies
The Hidden (1987)
Forgotten classic
This mishmash of genres is highly entertaining and unjustly forgotten. Yeah it gets a bit a cheesy at times, but the pacing and action make up for it.
The atonal, propulsive score is particularly outstanding. If you can find it, watch it.
Tin si hang dung III: Moh lui mut yat (1989)
Moon Lee is great, the action is good, the story is pretty bad
Well choreographed fighting is the only real highlight here, as the story is a pastiche of cliches. Worth a look if you're a hardcore fan of the genre, otherwise avoid.
Un prophète (2009)
prison film as religious allegory?
I am not a religious person and do not know the Bible, Torah, or Koran very well, which makes it all the more mystifying to me that people seem to be missing some of the major points of this film.
I thought the film was a religious allegory with the Corsican gang representing Jews, the Muslims representing themselves and Malik representing Christ.
Reyeb is obviously (and literally) the Holy Ghost. He even appears as a 'burning bush' at one point!
I thought this added a lot of flavor to the interactions of the gangs, such as when Malik is told not to publicly give money to the Imam for drugs (oil)....
I took the transfer of most of the Corsicans to be a metaphor of the holocaust...their head man even behaves like an angry old testament god.
The film seemed to be a brutal attack on religions in general by equating them with prison gangs.... I don't know why people don't see this. Can it really be an accident that people are held captive by a gang headed by 'The Egyptian'?
I thought the film was a religious allegory with the Corsican gang representing Jews, the Muslims representing themselves and Malik representing Christ.
Reyeb is obviously (and literally) the Holy Ghost. He even appears as a 'burning bush' at one point!
I thought this added a lot of flavor to the interactions of the gangs, such as when Malik is told not to publicly give money to the Imam for drugs (oil)....
I took the transfer of most of the Corsicans to be a metaphor of the holocaust...their head man even behaves like an angry old testament god.
The film seemed to be a brutal attack on religions in general by equating them with prison gangs.... I don't know why people don't see this. Can it really be an accident that people are held captive by a gang headed by 'The Egyptian'?
Kuro no tesuto kâ (1962)
corporate espionage thriller definitely worth a look
This film noir from Japan is quite an interesting little genre movie. Shot beautifully in black and white, the film is concerned with the moral decrepitude that results from corporate warfare. There is a sordid edge to this film that reminds me of Sam Fuller's work.
The story is told in a very matter-of-fact manner, though the director does indulge in some interesting camera angles. There was an atmosphere of suspicion around everyone in the film that remains unresolved until the end... By the end of the film it is clear that there are no moral winners in this war; both sides have become monstrous in their willingness to go to any length to win.
The story is told in a very matter-of-fact manner, though the director does indulge in some interesting camera angles. There was an atmosphere of suspicion around everyone in the film that remains unresolved until the end... By the end of the film it is clear that there are no moral winners in this war; both sides have become monstrous in their willingness to go to any length to win.