A very good and moving and harrowing movie mainly for the main ...
933891
A very good and moving and harrowing movie mainly for the main female subject of the movie!
4976599
Good acting and a decent storyline, but what most reviewers aren't mentioning is the way this tale of horror is conveying the tragedies of the many people who "disappeared" under totalitarian regimes - often tortured then killed. It's worth the watch - and it will make you think.
4920539
Mike Leigh's brilliant film of the last years of W.M.J. Turner wrenches the viewer into an age where steam and sail dominate the world, where the romantic movement in literature and art caused conflict in the culture. Turner's radical, pre-impressionist paints shock the world, but the artist, played perfectly by Timothy Spall, lives a spartan, emotionally stunted life. Leigh's depiction of that vanished world astonishes and demands an immersion into a story that offers few hand-holds for those accustomed to be being spoon-fed their emotions by standard Hollywood films.  But if you go into this film hoping for an honest depiction of human experience, for an acerbic portrait of a hallowed figure, for an emotionally devastating film that doesn't sit up and beg, then Mr. Turner might be for you.  Leigh has made many great films.  I think Mr. Turner is his greatest work.
456058
This is a depressing but very realistic movie.  It has equal parts of action and drama.  It keeps your attention even though sometimes you don't want to watch it.  It is another devastating story about an incredibly talented man who gets destroyed by heroin addiction.  While the ending gives hope, the overall tone of the movie shows how dreams were simply destroyed because he chose to use heroin and it hooked him.  This cast is incredible.  It takes you on an emotional roller coaster through death, birth, loss, and destruction.  I would highly recommend this movie.
707554
Presenting a topic as controversial as the one touched upon in this movie is not an easy task, but director Alejandro Amenabar has succeeded in achieving a balanced and humane approach at the issue of the right to die with dignity. In my opinion, the director could not have done this without the magnificent performance of Javier Bardem, who transmits the feelings and opinions of Ramon Sampedro with such conviction and clarity that one cannot help but feel touched by the story and the issue at hand.

Ramon is a quadriplegic that wants to die because he claims that living this way has no dignity. He has been prostrated in his bed for the last twenty-six years of his life after hitting the bottom of the sea and breaking his neck. The issue is not a simple one, because Ramon has a loving family and his mind works perfectly, so a lot of people in that situation, me included, would probably hold on to life. But the distinction is relevant here, since Ramon does not argue that everyone in his situation should die or desire to do so, but rather that he wants to do it, and should be allowed to. Basically, he wants to decide how to live and how to die without other people's opinions being a factor.

In order to achieve his wishes, Ramon is consulting with a lawyer (Julia) to get approval from the courts. But Ramon has to battle other people beside the courts, like his brother, who cannot comprehend why Ramon is insisting on dying. As the process towards the trial begins, Ramon becomes news on TV. That is how Rosa, a local neighbor, finds out about him and decides to try to infuse him with a desire to live. Ramon's relationship with Julia and with Rosa is a central part of this movie and helps understand better his wishes and how difficult his decision is.

This is a highly emotional movie that touches on complex issues and uses powerful statements on both sides, so there are no easy answers. In my case, one of the statements that left me thinking for the longest time was when Ramon said "The person who actually loves me will be precisely the one who helps me die". But I guess that different people will react in different ways and reach different conclusions, the important point is that the film will make you think and consider both sides of the argument. Now you just need to get ready for an emotional upheaval and plunge into the sea with the wonderful Javier Bardem.
1898214
This is a good movie on many levels.  It's a deep movie and very well thought out and it is a honest and heartfelt flick that features a excellent performance from jean claude van damme.  The actor almost destroyed himself due to drugs back in his heyday and now he's clean and that's great news because people's choices in hero positions wether it be karate hero or sports hero can heavily influence others.  In fact he  explains his life and choices  in a wonderful tearfilled monologue  that takes place within the context of the movie.
The movie should be applauded for it's realism in showing how real violence and reacting to it usually happens.  This isn't regular action film stuff; it's people stunned and traumatized and even action heroes may not know what to do, or if they do they might not  come out unhurt either. They may die or be maimed. this fact only makes one realize how hard the job of soldier or policeman really is after all.
It looks easy on reel movie life,  but it's all overwelming and a shock to the system in real life.  This point is made when jean imagines himself in a  film hero type rescue and then tries a desperate move to do the right thing.
This why perhaps they should show real bloody victims on tv of gang violence or robbery violence and then people can stop fantasizing about outlaws as heroes.
 This movie is a good movie but it isn't really a typical action movie at all.  And it's worth watching if you don't expect a standard action flick with many explosive scenes and a more escapist nonrealistic approach. Those movies have their place and are fun but this isn't one of them. It is a good drama and jean claude will hopefully stay sober and keep making more movies of any type including dramas. This movie can be watched in a dubbed english version or in it's native french version.  The blu ray print is excellent and like most modern movies you don't want to see this on standard dvd when you can see it on blu ray.
977021
Cristian Mugui's follow up to 4 Months,3 weeks and 2 Days is a stunning depiction of a real life tragedy that unfolded in a small religious community in Romania. It depicts exorcism in a way similar in theme to Requiem. This film indicts the society of which the monastery is a by-product. What is impressive is the slow unfolding of the drama,the lived-through rituals,daily routines,prayers and devotions. You feel trapped in the monastery,but the director is non-judgemental,presenting soberly the facts and information behind this frighteningly compelling real life mystery. There is an authoritarianism and hysteria in this closed order of nuns under the monastery's Father(Valeriu Andriu) and Mother. This film like its predecessor,one that revolves around two female friendsimprisoned by societal structures,is set in the 21st century but the monastery with no power or running water,could be in a medieval world.

Cristina Flutur and Cosmina Stratan play Alina and Voichita, two young women who have been brought up in an orphanage and formed an intense bond, partly through surviving abuse. Alina has returned from an attempt to get temporary work in Germany and, to her horror, discovers that Voichita has become a novice nun. This long movie is played out in a kind of real time, a mysterious secular passion play. Perhaps inevitably, Voichita is now conditioned to be a pious, submissive believer and Alina a tough, self-reliant non-believer. They are still in love,but the papers for Alina to take Voichita back to Germany were not in order, so their destinies are arbitrarily shifted another way: Alina comes to live in the orphanage, where Voichita infuriates her by talking about God all the time. Alina's disruptive, sexually threatening presence causes mayhem from almost the very beginning; she acts out her own frustration and self-sacrificially intuits Voichita's. One's idea of love(want) conflicts with the other's(need).The secular vs. the orthodox worlds.

On top of this is the idea Alina,in the throes of schizophrenia and self harm,needs both hospitalization and treatment, which the Father and the nuns take her rightly to,but the doctor sends her home with some medication. The hospital which, through pure bureaucratic weariness or inter-institutional complicity, releases a disturbed young woman into the nuns' care,giving them the advice to pray for her. Then the Father reads with her for 3 days and 2 nights,until the 'unclean one had departed'.She becomes disruptive again,seeing the Father as possessing(having sex with?) her lover. We see the evil path that good intentions take,the community's attempts to drive evil out of her(read sexuality/unbelief) through chaining her to a pallet-cross,stopping up her mouth and not giving her enough food and drink. Mugui uses long takes,does not move the camera or use music. We get a larger picture of an exhausted society,without ideas or education: a directionless, hopeless world. The secular agencies of the state are at least as culpable: no one wants to look after Alina, and this leaves only the priest and his exorcism, whose desperate and foolish decisions are routinely cast as understandable in the moment, if not defensible. Great cinema. The lead actresses seem natural,the ensemble superb,the direction unbelievable.
4308173
Tahar Rahim (A Prophet) stars as Nazarat an Armenian artisan in the town of Mardin. World War I is raging and the Ottoman Turks have thrown in their lot with the forces of Germany and her allies. In Turkey a decision is made to do something about the Christian Armenians. Nazarat is rounded up and forced to work as slave labour  leaving his wife and twin daughters alone to their fate.

What befalls him is horrific and what befell the Armenians was a war crime and a crime against humanity. In the aftermath of his travails Nazarat hears that his daughters have survived the blood bath, he then sets out to find them and the majority of the film is taken up with his search.

Now this is a fairly good effort, it is a bit shameless at tugging on the heart strings though. It was a wide European co-production and that is reflected in the languages being used. The main language though is English, which is used by most of the players here. That may be why it has faced criticism of some of the acting. That criticism is that some of it was a bit hammy or wooden. It is harder to act in a non native tongue so a lot of the nuances are lost.

Rahim is as ever excellent and believable and as a central character to the film he manages to hold it all together very well. There are some plot holes and I could not find if this was based on an actual real story. However, it is fairly engaging and with a run time of around two hours managed to keep me gripped for the most part hence my rating.
3126970
To acknowledge the fact that genocides are still active in our supposedly enlightened times is terrifying, yet through films such as BEYOND THE GATES, HOTEL RWANDA, and SOMETIMES IN APRIL we are gradually bring informed about one particular genocide - that occurred in 1994 in Rwanda - and hopefully will make us as a global population more proactive in stemming the possibility of further acts of brutality and disregard of humanity. Writer David Wolstencroft and director Michael Caton-Jones have created one of the most powerfully poignant films about the genocide of the Tsutsi people by the Hutu people and by placing the film exactly where the genocide happened have added an intensely compelling atmosphere to an act that never should have happened.

In 1994, at the Ecole Technique Officielle, a school for the Rwandan children run by Europeans under the tutelage of Father Christopher (John Hurt) and with idealistic teachers such as the young Joe (Hugh Dancy), the incipient intertribal rioting between the Hutus and Tsutsis is 'monitored by the impotent United Nations led by Capitaine Delon (Dominique Horwitz). After the current leader of Rwanda is shot down in a helicopter tragedy, the Hutus begin killing the Tsutsi, butchering them with machetes and leaving the bodies to rot in the streets. The Tsutsis flock to the Ecole, looking for asylum and protection, and Father Christopher and Joe do everything in their power to provide food and shelter and safety. One particularly gifted student Marie (Claire-Hope Ashitey) works closely with the two men, gaining their admiration and love, and representing the desperate need of the Tsutsis. The UN forces refuse to fire on the invading Hutus and finally evacuate all white Europeans to be flow to safety out of Africa. It is this final abandonment of the Tsutsis that underlies the ensuing slaughter of those who sought help within the Ecole walls. And with showing the decimated Tsutsis the film ends with a few follow-up scenes that are deeply touching and immensely disturbing. It is clear that the film reveals how the world ignored the tragic genocide of 1994 and a more poignant statement has rarely been captured in writing, filming, direction, and acting.

John Hurt and Hugh Dancy are brilliant in their roles, but it is the performance of young Claire-Hope Ashitey that rivets our attention: she is a wonder of an actress and deserves awards for her intensely realistic performance. The film's story is already known (hopefully) so there can be no spoilers here. And therein lies the agonizing reality that the world stood by and let this happen. Every world citizen should be required to see this powerful film in hopes that such atrocities will be prevented in the future. But then there is now Darfur..... Grady Harp, September 07
952824
Based on true events which took place in the Polish city of Luvov in WW2, this gruelling arthouse film revisits the emotional and factual territory familiar from Anne Frank's diary and Schindler's List. It seeks out rare fragments of human integrity and benevolence which have been all but extinguished under the Nazi boot in occupied territory. It is not a nice film, and the story is frighteningly familiar.
When the Jewish ghetto in the city is liquidated, and the people are either shot on the spot or shipped to a labour camp, a group of Jews flee into the city's sewers. A neer-do-well sewer worker (who moonlights as a looter) discovers them and strikes a bargain: he'll feed and find a safe haven in the rat-infested, stinking hellhole for a dozen of them. And they must pay him to stay alive.
So begins an appalling underground incarceration which lasts for over a year and which rasps away every aspect of sophistication from the disparate group. At first the sight of a rat is enough to cause shrieking hysterics. Later, the children pluck the animals from their shoulders without a second thought. Yet despite the relentless tension and misery, the majority of the refugees retain their better qualities: on the whole they seek to protect, to nurture and to survive as a group. They may indeed be starving in darkness, but their lives are not without light.

Although `In Darkness' makes for stressful and occasionally grim viewing, it is not without its lighter moments of humour and blackly comic insight. In particular the scenes between Socha, the sewer worker who turns out to be the Jews' saviour, and his wife are entirely life-affirming. Acts of momentous bravery pass become almost unnoticed, when the most basic act of procuring food might reveal the secret and condemn another dozen lives.
There are also some heart-stopping segments where the Ukrainian occupying force or Nazi officers come close to discovering the truth. And the film throughout is punctuated with explicit violence, nudity, death and sex, handled in an entirely matter of fact manner. Anyone could be killed at any time: that's exactly how it was. And the film's portrayal of that fact shockingly stark.

This isn't a comfortable film to kick back and watch for relaxation. It reflects the grim determination of the protagonists to keep on living against all odds and inhuman cruelty. The filming and acting are so accomplished that they scarcely intruded into the audience's consciousness, we were so wrapped up with the fate of the hidden and their protector.
You're guaranteed an emotionally-charged encounter, if not an exactly enjoyable evening.
9/10
2962506
I think it is easy to get the wrong idea about this film. It is about so much, and much of it is uncomfortable to watch in many ways. If you focus on what might be considered the 'biggest' aspect of the story, you might just miss what is really important about it.

Part of what makes 'The Constant Gardener' hard to watch is that it is so well done. Shot and edited in a gritty, almost documentary style, I felt like I was watching something that was, in ways, more intimate and more real than I should have been seeing. It's a hard illusion to pull off, but here it is accomplished admirably well. Fine performances by all the actors, and in particular the leads, Ralph Fiennes and the stunning Rachel Weisz in her best role to date, make this a compellingly authentic film, one that is difficult to extract yourself from once you are in it.

On the surface, 'The Constant Gardener' is about Western pharmaceutical companies and the lengths they will go to to get their drugs to market before their competitors. This is an unstated evil in our culture, a secret we all know about but do not speak of, and this film makes a bold stab against it. Ralph Fiennes, as Justin Quayle, spends much of the film following his dead wife's trail, uncovering the dirty deals and dangerous (sometimes fatal) practices of one such company and one particular drug, and it just seems the more he digs, the worse it gets. It portrays well how Western companies abuse the vulnerable state of many African nations, where the people there do not get the medications they need and how big drug companies take advantage of this. This alone makes it a hard movie to watch.

At its core, however, this is not just a political movie with a point to make. At its heart, 'The Constant Gardener' is a moving story of the love between two people. In following the trail of his wife Tessa after her death, Justin revisits his relationship with her.  We see how they met and how their love grew, and we see the passionate woman Tessa was -- passionate about many things. On his journey, Justin rediscovers his wife and his love for her, and he discovers just how much she loved him as well. He learns, along the way, how he could have loved her better. The ending, while sad in a sense, is also beautiful and very moving. It's the only way it could have ended to complete its story.

This is a movie about secrets -- political secrets and the secrets of global economies, but also about the intimate secrets lovers keep, between one another and from one another. Though it may seem like a political story on the surface, it is really the story of a passionate love between two people, one which doesn't end even in death. Though it may be uncomfortably intimate at times, in the end it is a beautiful, heartbreaking film, and worth watching more than once.
3992324
Whenever there is a movie about the book, there are comments that so much stuff was left out, but the movie captures the most important parts of the book very well, and the acting is very natural and they do convey the agony of many "orphans" that were looking for parents or extended family in the UK. I did enjoy watching this movie, as it has very moving moments. Thanks!
514435
I really enjoyed this movie-as well as Hotel Rwanda.  No sense saying one is better then the other-as both are excellent and well worth watching. This story centers around a Hutu Army man with a Tutsi wife.  There are of course similarities at times--since both movies cover the same period of genocide (or is that "acts" of genocide?)  IMO--both movies should be watched as they compliment each other!  Due to the nature of the events depicted-there are a number of unpleasant scenes--but the gore and mayhem are presented in a responsible manner (no cheap thrills for the sadistic)  While each of these movies recounts the horrors that mankind inflicts upon itself-I feel each should be essential viewing for those mature enough to handle the subject matter!
4482039
Very good movie depicting the life and times of Cesar Chavez and the plight of migrant farm workers.
2726580
This movie entrances you to Maria's plight, from unbearable working conditions, from poverty, from unwanted pregnancy, to a dangerous adventure with the drug underworld, and later to her 'brave new world' in America.  It mesmerizes the viewer in a manner that does not shock but rather beckons us to empathize and discuss.  Its a masterpiece of a movie that plays with our emotions using a subject that is neither glamorous nor family-oriented.

Its amazing that this movie did not become a household event since it deals with the viciousness, the callousness of drugs in an unpatronizing manner, yet its message is powerful.  It forces us to rethink our priorities, and makes us appreciate what we have here in America much more.  If only the same 'kids in America' can appreciate such opportunities instead of falling prey to the same predatory nature of drugs. This movie is a must for parents who need to explain to their budding teenagers the dangers of drugs and fast money.  A must see.  Great acting and directing!  You almost forget that you are actually watching a foreign film, reading the subtitles because you are totally engross with the movie.  Very very good.
2511767
This moving drama is based on the true events that took place in 1996, when seven French Trappist monks from the monastery of Tibhirine, Algeria were kidnapped from their monastery. This was during the Algerian Civil War and daily atrocities were frequent.

Xavier Bouvois wanted to make a film about the reasons behind the monks deciding to stay. They knew how dire their position was and yet continued to minister to their flock, providing, advice, comfort and medical help. They lived an almost subsistence lifestyle, selling their excess produce at the local market and living life as piously as they could.

When hostilities get closer they have to face up to Islamist extremists and their own cowardice in the face of what could be a certain, horrible, death.

This is a slow burning powerful film, which is beautifully shot and framed. The acting is superb in its understatement especially by Lambert Wilson as Brother Christian and Michael Lonsdale as Luc. It is in essence a film about faith and togetherness, the monks are all supportive of each other and that strength seems to pull them through. Even though they are democratic they have an agreed leader, but still feel at home in questioning him and it is through that process that we get to see more of who these extraordinary men were. It received masses of critical accolades even getting a 92% rating on `Rotten Tomatoes', as well as the more serious Cannes Grand Prix prize.

I was moved by this film and was really left wanting more at the end, but it is only at that point that you realise that the story teller has done his job; the next chapter would be too horrible. Still an excellent piece of cinema that should be a must for lovers of European Cinema.
4818261
A very moving and thought provoking movie about the problems of succession in tribal leadership and the conflict of traditional religious/superstitious values versus a more pragmatic approach. The conflicts are resolved amicably but not without some tragedies. The scenery is breath taking and the acting is very convincing, clearly done by the local people. The production crew must have been almost as tough as the people they worked with!