jcanettis

When you want to make a movie of a notorious terrorist responsible for many innocent lives, it is a very difficult task: If you portray him in a romantic way you will be accused of glorifying an evil man, while if you portray him in a dark light you will be accused of blind fanaticism.

Director Olivier Assayas has managed to strike a fine balance between these two extremes, and thus he recounts the story of Carlos in an objective and cool-headed way which fascinates the viewer from the beginning to the very end. The story begins with Carlos entering the world of terrorism as a young idealist, and ends with his capture at a time when he has become a corrupt and hedonist man. Throughout this time frame, Assayas shows us the story of a man, who despite his horrendous crimes, his life is really intriguing to watch.

Edgar Ramirez is excellent in the central role, but the important thing in this film is that actually EVERYONE in the film is excellent in his/her role: The acting is superb all around, and at some point it begins to feel as if you are watching a documentary with real terrorists on the screen instead of actors. The direction is also superb, with the the pace being constantly fast and coherent.

A great film to watch. 10/10.

There are some films that have defined a new genre in cinematography. Wolfgang Petersen's epic "Das Boot" is one of them, as it has introduced the "submarine war film", a genre that later included hits such as "The Hunt for the Red October", "Crimson Tide", etc. However, although several fascinating films located in submarines have been produced to date, none can be compared to Petersen's masterpiece. "Das Boot", although nearly four hours long and set in basically the same location throughout its duration, is a breath-taking experience during which you are hooked to it from the first moment until the last.

"Das Boot" is the story of U-Boot captain Kapitanleutnant Henrich Lehmann-Willenbrock (Prochnow) a.k.a. "Der Alte", and his crew, while they carry out a mission in the Atlantic. The story is viewed through the eyes of war correspondent Lt. Werner (Gronemeyer), who is accompanying the crew in this mission; Werner is standing out as a total stranger in the beginning, but throughout the ordeal he eventually blends completely with the team and becomes an inseparable part of the whole. There are also other theoretically major characters in the film, such as Leitende Fritz Grade, the 1st and 2nd WO, etc., but in the end it boils down that in fact there is NO major character: The major character of the film is actually the U-Boot itself, and all the people inside it are simply parts of this "character".

Petersen delivers an amazingly claustrophobic atmosphere inside the U-Boot which looks like a human trap. (An example of the unbelievably cramped space is that when the officers are dining, the occasional sailor who needs to pass through asks for "permission to pass", and someone has to stand up to make room for him!). More importantly, he is studying exquisitely the personalities inside the U-Boot and their interactions. Several minor sub-plots develop throughout the film, but they simply serve to enhance the major plot, which is none other than the story of the submarine's mission, portrayed from beginning to end.

The movie graphically portrays the agony and terror of the crew as they go through their ordeal, as well as their gradual transformation from frightened kids to battle-hardened comrades-in-arms. You cannot escape from empathizing with them: When they almost asphyxiate due to insufficient oxygen, the viewer himself feels that he also needs to gasp for air...

When "Das Boot" came out in 1981, it became a big hit, and understandably so. But its biggest success has been that it has managed to establish itself as an iconic film, and after nearly 30 years it still the best of the genre it itself has created. 10/10.

There are numerous films relating to WW2, but Mother Night is quite distinctive among them: In this film, we are introduced to Howard Campbell (Nolte), an American living in Berlin and married to a German, Helga Noth (Lee), who decides to accept the role of a spy: More specifically, a CIA agent Major Wirtanen (Goodman) recruits Campbell who becomes a Nazi propagandist in order to enter the highest echelons of the Hitler regime. However, the deal is that the US Government will never acknowledge Campbell's role in the war for national security reasons, and so Campbell becomes a hated figure across the US. After the war, he tries to conceal his identity, but the past comes back and haunts him. His only "friend" is Wirtanen, but even he cannot do much for the avalanche of events that fall upon poor Campbell...

The story is deeply touching, as we watch the tragedy of Campbell who although a great patriot, is treated by disdain by everybody who surrounds him. Not only that, but he also gradually realizes that even the persons who are most close to him, have many secrets of their own. Vonnegut provides us with a moving atmosphere, with Campbell's despair building up and almost choking the viewer.

Nolte plays the role of his life, in my opinion; he is even better than in "Affliction", although in both roles he plays tragic figures who are destined to self-destruction. Sheryl Lee is also excellent, and the same can be said for the whole cast in general.

I haven't read the book, so I cannot appraise how the film compares to it. In any case, this is something of no importance here: My critique is upon the film per se, and the film wholeheartedly deserves a 9/10.

Although "Reversible Errors" is basically a courtroom drama, its big strength lies in the fact that it is in fact much more than that. As I will explain later, the plot is weaved on the intersecting relationships of two couples (Selleck/Potter and Macey/Huffman), whose complexities define the course of events.

The story starts with Arthun Raven (Macey), quitting the prosecutor's office due to a personal tragedy. His colleague Muriel Wynn (Potter) asks him a last favor: Could he drop to Judge Gillian Sullivan's (Huffman) home, to get a warrant for a new case she has been assigned with her lover Sgt. Larry Starczek (Selleck)? Raven agrees, and this is how he makes his first encounter with an enigmatic woman he will fall in love with later on.

The case Starzek and Wynn are working on is a triple homicide, and things seem to clear-up very fast: Squirrel (Plummer), a small-time crook, is caught and confesses to the murders, and Judge Sullivan sentences him to death. The arresting duo gets their dues, and especially Potter is set for a shining career path.

However, seven years later, everything gets turned upside down. Sullivan is no longer a judge, as she has been convicted and jailed for graft. On top of that, she has also received a letter by Erdai (Rebhorn), a dying inmate who claims he is the perpetrator of the old triple crime, and this haunts her conscience for perhaps having sentenced an innocent man to death. Enter Raven, who coincidentally has just been assigned to represent Squirrel in his last weeks before his execution. Raven quickly believes in Squirrel's innocence, and begins a harried crusade to save his life, getting Sullivan on board as well. However, things now have gotten complicated, as the former duo of Selleck and Potter is by no means willing let him destroy their precious case due to the dubious testimony of a dying crook. A dirty race begins for the ultimate search of the truth, and a clash becomes inevitable.

Scott Turow's excellent story is lengthy and complex; after all the movie lasts nearly three hours. And yet, at no point does the viewer get bored. There are no visible plot gaps, and the pace is steady and fast. Moreover, there some great twists throughout the film, so it is easily understandable why the three hours pass so quickly and enjoyably.

And yet, although the plot is very good, the strength of the film lies elsewhere: In the development of the characters and their relationships. These are four completely different persons: The inexperienced but overly ambitious Potter, the introvert and ethical Raven, the erratic but well-intentioned Sullivan, and the experienced but perhaps hypocrite Selleck. Director Mike Robe studies each character in depth, and artfully shows us how everyone interacts with everyone else in this complex and evil web.

An undiscovered gem, "RE" is a movie really worth seeing. 8/10.

Claiming to be based on a true events, "The Mothman Prophecies" recounts the story of John Klein (Gere), a reporter whose wife Mary (Messing) has died in a car accident under unexplained circumstances. Two years later, he mysteriously finds himself to Point Pleasant, a remote village where several weird paranormal events are occurring. Klein suspects that these are connected with the death of his wife, and tries to find out what is happening with the help of police officer Mills (Linney). They soon find out that they are dealing with grave danger...

If "The Mothman Prophecies" did not claim to reflect real-life events, it would definitely be a higher-rated thriller. However, since the story is quite implausible, the viewer feels rather cheated by the incredulous events unfolding in front of his eyes.

Despite the above shortcoming, the movie manages to be overall satisfactory: Mark Pellington produces a mystifying and fairly well-built atmosphere, although this work of his can by no means compare with the excellent "Arlington Road". The performances range from "OK" (Gere) to "very good" (Messing and Linney). The plot, although implausible as I said earlier, still gets our attention anyway.

All in all, an above average, 6/10 thriller.

The line separating the sane with the mad is very thin, and this is what "Asylum" is about: We watch the story of Stella (Richardson), the wife of psychiatrist max Raphael (Bonneville), who falls in passionate love with Edgar (Csokas), one of his patients. Her passion leads her to reckless actions in the beginning, and gradually starts to gravely impair her own clarity of mind with catastrophic consequences.

The subject of the film is quite intriguing, and the overall impression that the movie produces to the viewer is satisfactory. And yet, the film fails to get a "very good" or "excellent" grade: This has nothing to do with Mckenzies direction or the actors' performances, which are both good; the problem lies with the fact that from some point onwards the story starts to become quite implausible, thus putting the viewer off.

Of course, implausibility should generally not be a problem in itself when we are talking about a movie containing a fictional story. However, since "Asylum" aims to be a study of characters and minds, keeping the story plausible is an essential factor in having the viewer engaged. As soon as actions and events start to become outlandish, the viewer starts to disconnect. This is why the film gets a 6/10 when it had the potential for 1-2 more points.

The "Lord of War" offers us a powerful depiction of the dark world of the global weapons-smuggling. It follows the story of Yuri Orlov (Cage), a poor Ukrainian immigrant, who one day decides to sell guns for a living. Starting as a small fry, and derided by his "competitors" such as the powerful dealer Simeon Weisz (Holm), Orlov soon discovers that he has a talent for this job, and he takes full advantage of it. His brother Vitaly who had started along with him soon realizes that he cannot follow his brother's fast and steady ascendancy, and Yuri goes all way towards the top alone; even his beautiful and beloved wife Ava (Moynahan) is not aware of her husband's business activities. Yuri Orlov seems unassailable, and only Agent Jack Valentine (Hawke) looks determined to stop him...

Apart from the top-notch performances and the exciting plot, the film offers us something far beyond that: It serves as a resourceful documentary regarding the weapons trade, giving us insight on the machinations, back-room deals, and style of the people involved in this ugly business.

What is interesting, is that Orlov is not portrayed as an evil man: He is simply portrayed as someone completely amoral and detached from the evil activity he is engaged in. This approach to be very realistic and persuasive to the viewer, as it avoids the clichés that a typical "bad guy" would produce.

Director A. Niccol has done a very good work throughout the whole movie. His highest moment by far however, is the introduction where we follow the "life" of a bullet from the factory to the victim! 8/10.

"Five Fingers" is a great psychological thriller, which takes place mainly inside a torture room. The story is about Martijn (Phillipe), a young Dutch idealist who goes to Morocco to finance a food program from money he has embezzled; his cause is encouraged by his Moroccan girlfriend, Saadia (Haoud). However, as soon as he reaches Rabat, he gets abducted by a terrorist group, led by a dark character played by Lawrence Fishburne, who believes that Martijn has come there with a sinister purpose. They interrogate him harshly, and although in the beginning he tries to explain his mission, he subsequently decides to change his story. What is the truth, then?

Malkin provides us with a carefully crafted claustrophobic setting, with the tension gradually building up as the abductors play cat and mouse with Martijn. In this theatrical atmosphere, all actors give good performances, and are even moderately successful in applying their respective accents (Dutch, Arabic).

However, the best thing of all is the clever ending, which of course I am not going to reveal here. From that alone, the film deserves an 8/10.

If you watched "The Last Boy Scout", and at some point thought that this could be perhaps be some sort of prequel (or sequel) of the "Die Hard" series, do not worry; it is an absolutely natural reaction, since "TLBS" is another typical Bruce Willis action flick, where he plays his favorite role: He is the good guy, who has marriage (or other personal) problems, and although starts as a loser, he quickly shows us his wits, stamina, and strength, by chasing the bad guys to death. We have seen this theme in "Die Hard 1", "Die Hard 2", "Die Hard 3", "16 Blocks", etc etc.

And yet, for some strange reason, it is still a twisted pleasure to watch Bruce play this stubborn role. He has a charisma for it, and his movies are the proof: Not that he has not played other important roles in excellent films, as well ("The 6th sense", "Unbreakable", and "Twelve Monkeys" are some great examples). It is simply than in films like "TLBS" he provides us with easy-to-swallow action, fun, and clever one-liners that we enjoy...

So, let's see what "TLBS" is about. The story involves private investigator Joe Hallenbeck (Willis) who lives a miserable life. When he discovers that his wife Sarah (Field) is banged by a colleague, things look as they cannot get worse; and yet they can, as the colleague dies in a suspicious accident, thus handing Hallenbeck the last job he had before his death, which was the protection of a strip-dancer, Cory (Berry). Cory's boyfriend, an ex-quarterback (Wayans) is unsympathetic to Hallenberg and his task at first, but when Cory gets murdered, he teams up with him to find the killer.

As I explained above, the film is exactly what you would expect: Fast action, implausible but entertaining plot, and funny one-liners all around. Performances are satisfactory, especially if judged by the film genre. All in all, two fun hours: 6/10.

Based on true facts, "Joyeux Noel" tells us a touching story which while historically significant, is not widely known: In the midst of WW1, when lives where wasted among the trenches every day, a spontaneous truce was achieved on Christmas Eve by some soldiers of the three main warring sides (Germany, UK, and France). Taking advantage of the Christmas spirit, the enemy soldiers met together, and then sang, drank, and even played football together! This wonderful atmosphere lasted for a couple of days, until the reality of the war resumed, and they started fighting each other to death, again.

In the film, we watch a French unit, assisted by a Scottish regiment, who are trying to overtake a German position. The situation is bleak for everybody, and it seems that they are going to spend the most miserable Christmas of their lives. However, when an enlisted German tenor (and his surreptitiously brought wife) sing to their comrades on Christmas Eve, and they are joined by the Scots who accompany them with their instruments, something starts to change. Soon the commanders of the three units meet together, and agree on a one-day ceasefire. However, the ceasefire is just the beginning...

Although the specific story depicted in "Joyeux Noel" is fictional, it is so wonderfully presented that it could well be true. Not only has Christian Caron come up with an impeccable direction which brings us the exact atmosphere of the WW1 front, but also all the actors have done their best to be very persuasive in their roles. The result is solid and touching war drama, which is an hymn to the spirit of humanity in the midst of chaos. Well done! 10/10.

Well, it is really an accomplishment to waste such an interesting story as the one of Domino Harvey. And yet, Tony Scott manages to do such that in "Domino"... Filmed in a video-clip way, with fast changes of scenes, bright and dizzying colors, and a totally bombastic style in general, the movie really put me off.

Pity, because the script deserved better than that. The story of Domino, daughter of actor Laurence Harvey, is an interesting one to tell: Tired and bored from the high-society life that she belonged to, she made a completely unprecedented move and became a bounty-hunter. Surprisingly (given her background), she proved to be very successful in her eccentric career; so successful in fact, that the TV took an interest in covering her story live. Unfortunately, her whole career got blown to pieces when she and her team were employed to sort out a $ 10 million heist, during which everything got horribly wrong.

Despite the script's potential, the movie does not manage to take off, as I explained above. Even the acting is affected by the filming style, and although we encounter some big names (Mickey Rourke, Delroy Lindo, Jacquiline Bisset, Chris Walken), they do not show their full potential. Keira Knightley is making an admirable effort to portray this confused, rebellious, and interesting girl, but even she gets stuck in the overall quagmire.

"Domino" could be a really good film. Sadly, it only gets 4/10.

In general, I utterly dislike films containing too much violence. The "Tarantino school", as I call it, is for me a cheap way to try to catch the viewer's attention by using unnecessary and disgusting gory scenes. In the same way that other directors try to draw our interest by using nude or sexy scenes (these at least are much more enjoyable to watch!), the "Tarantino school" tries to make its point by bombarding us with ever more blood: Unfortunately, as far as I am concerned, the end result is usually to become fed up and stop watching, just like I recently did with "Kill Bill".

And yet, "Sin City" was different: Although ultra-violent (a typical scene for example shows Mickey Rourke chainsawing somebody's hands and feet and then giving the rest of the body to a wolf which rips it off!), it still manages to convince us that this raw violence is a vital part of the nature of this generally eccentric film, and not an addition put in just to catch our attention. "Sin City" is the adaptation of a violent comic on screen, and as such, violence comes naturally in the flow of the movie.

A movie which is weird, so to say: As I said, it is an adaptation of a comic (which I haven't read, by the way) on-screen, and as such, it is something between a comic and a film, or both. With its black-and-white footage, containing colorful objects in several instances (red blood, green eyes, yellow person, etc.) thus making them much more distinct and powerful, "Sin City" is a different experience to watch. Diefferent and great, thanks to Miller's and Rodriguez's great work! Although it features many A-class names, such as Bruce Willis, Mickey Rourke, Clive Owen, Rutger Hauer, and others, acting is of lesser importance here: We are not interested so much in the characters and their performances, but in the overall magic atmosphere. This does not mean that the "Sin City" actors are doing their job well: On the contrary, their performances are fine. It is simply that the focus is elsewhere...

"Sin City" is film that should not be watched with a full stomach, as it will take you for a tough ride. And yet, do not miss this ride! 9/10.

Here is a film that will leave you wondering of what has really happened in it, and yet keep you highly amazed and excited. David Lynch has achieved this difficult combination with his masterpiece "Mulholland Drive".

The story in the beginning is quite straightforward: A girl (Harring) narrowly escapes her murder thanks to a car accident that kills her would-be killers. However, the accident brings amnesia to her, so she wanders aimlessly around, until she finds refuge to a house. In this house, Betty, an aspiring young actress (Watts) takes her under her protection and tries to help her find out what has happened. From some point onward, however, nothing is straightforward anymore: Who is really the girl? Who is really Betty? How are the two of them connected? The movie is open to several interpretations, but after reading some excellent IMDb message board postings, it was easy for me to come up with a solid conclusion of what has really happened. Of course, I am not going to reveal it here, as I will spoil the magic of this excellent film! What I can say however, is that David Lynch has produced a film that is full of symbolism, hidden clues, and art. Although it is basically a "crime" film, in practice it is far beyond that. Dream and reality are intertwined, and in the end everything is turned upside down.

The performances of the two lead actresses could not be better suited for this film: They are both excellent and fit perfectly in their roles. Of course, acting is good across the board, as well.

Lynch's definitely best movie: 10/10.

France has a well-established tradition in producing very good movies of the crime and film-noir categories. "36 Quai des Orfevres" follows loyally the atmosphere and style we have been attracted to since the years of Alain Delon and Jean-Paul Belmondo, adapted to today's environment.

The story is about two cops, Leo Vrinks (Auteuil) and Denis Klein (Depardieu). They work under the same police chief but in different divisions, and they both compete for the top-job which is about to become vacant. Their opportunity arises when a "van gang" is terrorizing Paris, and the outgoing chief tells them that whoever manages to neutralize the dangerous gang will be eligible for his post. Both men employ all means possible to achieve their goal, and at some point the line between crime and their methods begins to blur...

Olivier Marchal, who is a former police officer himself, captivates us with his excellent way of portraying the machinations that are happening behind the scenes of law enforcement. In this task, he is greatly assisted by the excellent performances by all the actors involved. Of course, Depardieu is first among equals, showing his great talent once again.

Excellent Film. 9/10.

When a book like "Da Vinci Code" needs to be adapted to the big screen, the task is usually extremely difficult. The "Da Vinci Code" book is not only a great thriller, but it also fascinates the reader with the abundance of puzzles, trivia, and historical information that it contains. But above all, it is a book which raises an alternative version regarding the roots of Christianity: Whether this version is right or wrong is irrelevant here; Dan Brown provides the reader with an opinion, and it is up to the reader himself to decide the true version of events.

Given that "Da Vinci Code" is such a complex book, does it have any chance to succeed in the big screen? Fortunately for us, the answer is a solid yes! Although I went to watch the film rather reserved, bracing myself for a big anticlimax, I was very positively surprised to see that Ron Howard has done a great job. The "Da Vinci Code" film is as close to the "Da Vinci Code" book as it gets. The plot follows loyally the book's story, and more importantly, the overall atmosphere is exactly what one would expect after having read the novel.

As far as the characters are concerned, I believe that each of the protagonists has been correctly cast to perform his/her role: Tom Hanks is quite convincing as the investigative professor Langdon; although I thought him to be a bit misplaced for this role when I first heard that he was the one to take it, I was utterly relieved to be proved wrong to be skeptical. His screen partner, Audrey Tautou, is also very good as the charming cryptanalyst Sophie Nevau.

Ian McKellen and Jean Reno are definitely the best choices for their respective roles: It would not be an exaggeration if I said that when I read the book I imagined the looks and styles of Sir Lee and Captain Fache as being quite similar to the ones of the two actors. Both of them make a perfect fit in their roles.

Finally, Paul Bettany plays the difficult role of Silas more than satisfactorily.

All in all, the film is very impressive, and as I said previously, it follows the book loyally. Hard-core book fans might be disappointed, as a film can never capture everything a book contains: However, these people should not watch the film at all, as they are bound to be disappointed no matter what. For the rest of us, who enjoyed the book and wished for a good film to complement it, "Da Vinci Code" is what we wanted: 9/10.

There are great movies, that make you think about them long after having seen them; there are crap movies, which make you regret every cent that you paid. And then, there is the vast majority of them: Movies that help you spend two hours of your life, without leaving the slightest impact inside you after you have left the theater.

"Firewall" is a typical representative of the last type of films. It involves a common storyline: Criminals led by Cox (Bettany) capture and hold hostage the family of Jack Stanfield (Ford), who is VP Security in a bank; Cox blackmails Stanfield to assist him in robbing the bank by using his family's safety as leverage.

If all this sounds boringly familiar, there is worse to come: Everything (including the ending) is predictable, while the director somehow fails to inject much suspense throughout the movie.

As far as performances are concerned, do not expect anything spectacular on this count, either: Everybody does an average job, including, surprisingly, Ford, an actor who should deliver much better than that.

All in all, "Firewall" struggles and barely manages to get a pass, 5/10 grade.

At first sight, "Inside Man" does not seem very original: The plot is about a gang of bank robbers led by Dalton Russel (Owen), who use hostages as leverage towards the police. And yet, as the movie progresses we realize that originality is one of the biggest pluses of the film: We soon begin to suspect that the robbers are after something different than the bank's cash, something that the bank's chairman (Plummer) is willing to do anything to protect it, and to this end he plants Madeleine White (Foster), an enigmatic figure, into the scene. This interference displeases Detective Frazier (Washington) who is in charge of solving the case, as he believes that her presence will make his task harder. Eventually, everybody becomes entangled in a complex web with unpredictable consequences...

Spike Lee has undeniably succeeded in turning a seemingly typical crime film into something much more intriguing. I subscribe to the view expressed by many that this is by far his best and most mature work to date. He manages to keep the tensions high without resorting to extremities, and he also aptly introduces key plot twists that keep us continuously excited. I also enjoyed his portrayal of characters, in which he carefully avoids to grant "hero" status to anyone (not even to Det. Frezier who is arguably the "good" guy of the film), but instead exposes each one's flaws in an objective and realistic manner.

As far acting is concerned, Clive Owen is the big winner here. His performance as the sly and ruthless gang leader is superb, and I definitely value him much higher after seeing this film. Jodie Foster and Denzel Washington are also very good in their respective roles, while Christofer Plummer and Willem Dafoe (who plays the role of a police captain) have small yet significant appearances in the film.

In brief, "Inside Man" is a solid and very original work by Spike Lee which well-deserves 8/10.

It is difficult to explain why "The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada" didn't quite work out. All the good ingredients are present: Solid performances (especially by Tommy Lee Jones); original plot with a clever twist; and a professional direction (again, by Tommy Lee Jones). So what is the catch? Before answering the above question, I will recount TTBOME's story: Melquiades Estrada (Cedillo), an illegal immigrant working in a Texas ranch, is accidentally killed by Mike Norton (Pepper), a border patrol officer. As nobody saw the murder happen, and since the person involved was an illegal alien, the incompetent town sheriff (Yoakam) decides to bury the case. However, Pete (Tommy Lee Jones), a co-worker and close friend of Melquiades, does not intend to leave things that way: He kidnaps Norton, and forces him to unbury Melquiades' corpse, in order to help him take it to Melquiades' home town, and make a proper funeral service with Melquiades' family. They thus begin together their odd journey...

The problem with the above story is that although it is very unusual and original, it is also very implausible. It is very difficult for us to empathize with Jones' character: No matter how naive and committed to his friend he might have been, it is simply completely incredulous to watch him have Melquiades' corpse carried along as a companion. Several disgusting scenes result from this process, such as seeing Pete inject car fluid into Melquiades' mouth so that his corpse will not be eaten by ants, or watching him trying to comb the corpse's hair and getting half his scalp off. I really think that all this was rather unnecessary for the viewers to have, indeed...

Worse, the pace of the film is really frustrating. At the beginning, it rolls quite well. Then, somehow things get utterly stuck; and subsequently, it starts again to oscillate between normal and slow. All in all, it got me tired of watching.

I do believe that if TTBOME was produced through a different perspective, something quite interesting would come out of it. Unfortunately, in its present form it gets 4/10.

In the "Croupier", Mike Hodges takes us in a thrilling journey in the underworld of gambling. We are introduced to Jack (Owen), an average guy who tries (unsuccessfully) to make a living as a writer. He lives a with his girlfriend Marion (McKee), an ex-cop who is deeply in love with him (while he is quite more reserved in his feelings). However, after his father arranges for him a job offer as a croupier in a casino, his life gets completely transformed: His new world and the creatures that live in it begin to devour him, and his character gets gradually reshaped. He is faced with corruption, lust, and ultimately, crime, and Marion does not seem to have the ability to bring him back.

Mike Hodges gives us an excellent account of Jack's world, with the characters being vividly and convincingly portrayed. A small plot twist in the end adds up to the overall excitement.

Clive Owen is simply superb as the icy croupier, who although he tries to be detached, he simply cannot (and probably does not want to) escape from his downhill path. We also enjoy very good performances by all the other actors involved.

8/10.

If "Silkwood" is such a great movie, then a large part of its greatness is definitely owed to Meryl Streep: She plays Karen Silkwood, a single mother who is working in a nuclear plant based somewhere in Oklahoma. In the beginning, Karen seems to be an average working-class girl living a rather simple life, without any ambitions or hidden potential. She stays with her boyfriend Drew (Russel) and their room-mate Dolly (Cher), and the three of them are living an uneventful life. However, Karen changes dramatically, when she starts to realize that the management of the plant they work in, is quite lax on security and health issues. As she starts to get more involved, she gradually finds people around her being distanced from her and even outright hostile and potentially dangerous. And yet, she becomes more and more determined to her goal, defying the risks that are continuously piling up...

The performance that Streep gives as Karen Silkwood is really touching. She gives an excellent portrayal of a girl, who could be naive and even self-destructing on the one hand (just count the cigarettes she is smoking throughout the film to get an idea!), while on the other hand she proves to be a very altruistic and responsible person who does her utmost to protect her unappreciative fellow workers. Streep is amazing in her role, and she definitely deserved the Oscar for that one.

Of course, "Silkwood" is not only Meryl Streep. Cher is very good as the lesbian room-mate, while Kurt Russel is surprisingly good as the confused boyfriend. Mike Nichols signs an excellent direction, so it all adds up very well. 9/10.

What I liked most in "The Body" was not what THE PLOT was about, but WHAT ISSUES it dealt with: It brings up a hot question of what would happen if somehow proof came up that Jesus was a mere mortal after all, thus shaking Christianity's foundations.

The story in the "Body" goes as follows: Dr. Sharon (Williams), a determined and skilled archaeologist, discovers a body which qualifies to be the one of Christ. Her amazing discovery naturally attracts great attention from several sides, despite the fact that it is suppressed from the general public: First of all there is the Vatican, who fears that this discovery will undermine the Christian faith, and thus sends Father Gutierrez "to investigate", i.e. "to bury", the case; then there is the Israeli government, which finds the whole issue as a great tool to further its political aims; and finally, we have the Palestinians who also find the discovery as a great opportunity to pursue their own agenda. As Fr. Gutierrez and Dr. Sharon try to work together and find the truth, their efforts are continuously stymied by the above three competing parties which conspire and collide endlessly.

The above plot makes for an interesting thriller, that's for sure. But as I said, what I liked more in this film are the philosophical issues it deals with: What if proof came up that Christ didn't resurrect, after all? Would this destroy Christianity, or as an Israeli spy master says in the film, some faithfuls may abandon ship but the religion is big enough to prevail? And how would the Vatican (and the Protestant and Orthodox churches for that matter) react to such news? Difficult questions, which the film handles rather skillfully, although still a bit superficially.

The direction is good, albeit sometimes things could be a bit less slow. Still, McCord produces wonderfully the atmosphere of a city as contradictory as Jerusalem.

As far as the acting is concerned, Banderas was good but not perfect. Williams was much better in her role, but sometimes her Israeli accent disappeared revealing her UK roots. I liked Jacobi in his small role as a priest who finds this shocking discovery too big for him to handle.

Verdict: 7/10.

Although it starts as a rather typical political thriller, in which the good and bad guys are singled out from the very beginning, "The Commissioner" is in fact quite different: In this film, the lines of good and bad are not only blurred, but through a series of multiple plot twists, our perceptions for the characters involved change constantly.

"The Commissioner" is about the story of James Morton (Hurt), a minister in the UK government who after being forced to resign from his post, is offered the position of Commissioner in the EU. He accepts the offer only after he is promised by his Prime Minister that he will hold the Foreign Affairs portfolio; however, upon his arrival in Brussels he finds out that he gets Industry instead, and that the UK PM actually lobbied for that. Despite his disappointment, and despite a wrecked marriage with his wife Isabelle (Krige) who declines even to follow him in his new home, he devotes his full energy in his new post. And soon, the first challenge faces him: He is handed evidence that a German chemical company, which is about to merge with a British one, is involved in the production of chemical and biological weapons. Assisted by his soon-to-become girlfriend Helena Moguentes (Pastor), the Environmental Commissioner, they begin a crusade to uncover the truth. However, in the process he discovers that people are not what they seem; not only that, but even the truth is not what it seems...

The clever plot twists make the movie very suspenseful and interesting. Moreover, the performances are generally good, although I must admit that I found Rosana Pastor a bit unsatisfactory in her role.

All in all a good film. 7/10.

"The Osterman Weekend" is one of those films which start with very high expectations for the viewer, yet somewhere in the process the magic evaporates. In the beginning, we are introduced to CIA agent Fasset (Hurt), who has got a bad deal by his employer, as they have sacrificed his wife in an operation without his knowledge. Since Fasset's is unaware that his boss has treated him so badly, he obediently carries out his next assignment which is to uncover a secret organization with KGB links, called Omega. He approaches John Tanner (Hauer), a famous TV host, who is a friend of the key Omega members, and convinces him to become a means to approach them. As Tanner's friends are going to come for a weekend in his house, Fasset presses Tanner to use the opportunity to try and find out more about his traitor friends activities. Unfortunately, nothing goes according to plan, and Tanner discovers more truths than Fasset was ready to tell him...

As I said, the plot had the ingredients of a winner: Suspense, twists, and action. And yet, somewhere near the end things become confusing and implausible, resulting to an anti-climax.

I liked John Hurt as agent Fasset, while Rutger Hauer was less convincing as Tanner. Dennis Hopper and Burt Lancaster did not have big roles, but they showed their talent despite the small appearances. Finally, Sam Pekinpah's direction was great as always. 6/10.

The title of the film is a perfect depiction of what the story is about: "The Unsaid" is a journey full of agony and tension, into the deep-buried and untold secrets lurking in the hearts of Tommy Caffey (Kartheiser) and his therapist, Dr. Michael Hunter (Garcia).

Dr. Hunter, who has not completely recovered from the shock of his son's Kyle (Blumas) suicide, is persuaded by a former student of his, Dr. Wagner (Polo), to take the case of a seemingly normal adolescent, Tommy. The young boy, who in the past suffered a deeply traumatic experience by watching his father kill his mother, initially gets along well with his new therapist; moreover, Dr. Hunter himself seems to draw comfort from the boy's presence, as he reminds him of his lost son. However, things gradually become more complicated, as Tommy and Shelly (Cordellini), the daughter of Dr. Hunter, meet and become fond of each other; moreover, Tommy's case is not as simple as it first seemed...

The film portrays three troubled characters: Kyle, Tommy, and Hunter himself. The performances by the respective actors, namely Blumas, Kartheiser, and Garcia, are simply superb. Although one might expect such A-level acting by a star of Andy Garcia's caliber, it is positively surprising and very heartening to watch young actors doing such a good job. Cordellini is also very convincing as Hunter's detached and confused daughter, while the rest of the cast remains on a generally satisfactory level.

McLoughlin's direction is balanced and well-executed, building up the tension when he should, but without resorting to needless exaggerations.

"The Unsaid" is overall a solid film that studies the secrets buried inside the human soul. 7/10.

If the part where the football match takes place was omitted, "Victory" would be a "5 stars out of 10" film. The reason is that although it features two very good actors (Michael Caine - Max von Sydow), there is not much to stand out: A rather incredulous WW2 plot, an average acting (what could you expect from professional footballers or from Stallone?), and a simply decent direction, produce an average result. Thankfully, there is more than that, as I will explain in more detail later.

"Victory" is about some inmates in a WW2 prison camp, who have a passion for soccer. Captain J. Colby (Caine), a former footballer, is the leading figure in the camp matches that take place. One day, he is spotted by football-fan Major Steiner (Max von Sydow) who proposes him the idea of organizing a match between allied POWs vs. Germans. Colby agrees, as he believes this will be a great morale-booster and a chance for better prison conditions for those involved; however, more senior inmates are skeptical, as they believe this will be a propaganda stunt for the Germans. In the end, they also concur but only after they have convinced the team's goalie Capt. Hatch (Stallone) to arrange the team's escape during the match. The difficulty is that both Colby and his team are more interested in this game than in their freedom, so they are hesitant on what they should finally do...

As I said, the movie is just watchable during its first part. And yet, when we start to watch the Allied - Germans match, things get much better: We watch terrific football from stars such as Pele, Ardiles, and Bobby Moore, with scenes such as Pele's goal being memorable to all sports fans. Of course, if you are not into soccer, then perhaps you won't get that excited (although the spectacle can be exciting for non-fans, too). But if you like the King of Sports, then you will certainly enjoy this film. 7/10.