Change Your Image
Rislakki
Reviews
Dance of the Vampires (1967)
An Awesome Film!
Polanski's Fearless Vampire Killers is a great mixture of comedy and horror! The ending is one the best endings I've ever seen! A masterpiece. Mr. Polanski knows how to make his films!
Repulsion (1965)
Another masterpiece
Polanski's first film in English is, well, another masterpiece. Repulsion, as so many of Polanski's films, is a story about insanity and depression. The film is darkly beautiful, silently haunting and really frightening. And there are no monsters! There is only a woman in an apartment. Excellent!
****½/*****
Nóz w wodzie (1962)
An echo of the Soviet Union
Polanski's first feature film has, at least for me, remained as his best film. He has developed his skills over the years but Knife In The Water still astonishes me the most. The film has a total number of three characters. A woman and two men. They all go sailing. Sounds perfect, doesn't it? The film has an echo of the art films of the Soviet Union (Tarkovski...). It is a slow paced, simple, beautiful and fascinating film. This is one reason why the seventh art was invented. This is real cinema. Not to be missed!
*****/*****
The Ninth Gate (1999)
A dark tale of destiny and fatalism.
This is NOT Roman Polanski's best film. It's not as good as Repulsion or Rosemary's Baby. The Ninth Gate, however, is better than Bitter Moon and Death and the Maiden. Polanski has found his wonderful atmosphere (which we fans can notice) again in this dark tale of destiny and fatalism. The important thing is that The Ninth Gate is more than just entertainment. It raises a lot of questions - to which we have to find the answers by ourselves. It has deeper meanings. It is not as linear as so many doll Hollywood films. The ending is simply superb. Yes, the music is great too!
****/*****
J.R
L.A. Without a Map (1998)
A delightful love story...
I saw this film at the Brussels International Film Festival. The Finnish director, Mika Kaurismäki, participated also in this "special screening". The film is a nice, delightful love story. There's this Scottish boy who falls in love with a girl who comes from Los Angeles. Eventually, the boy follows her to the City of Angels.
Half comedy, half romance. A nice film.
***/*****
I Woke Up Early the Day I Died (1998)
Ed Wood is back!
I saw this film at the International Film Festival Of Brussels. I also met the director of the film. I heard that Ed Wood wrote the story in 10 years! I'm sure he thought his would be his masterpiece - his triumph.
Well, if you take the film seriously (like mr. Wood did) it is really one of the worst films you will ever see. And this is cool. The big joke of I Woke Up Early The Day I Died is that it doesn't even try to be a decent film.
This makes the film very, very good. The script is filled with nihilism and anarchism - a lot of black humour. Billy Zane's role is absolutely excellent. You see, this is either high art...or low rubbish.
****/*****
Last Night (1998)
An excellent film!
I saw Last Night, well, last night. It was shown here in Brussels because of the International Film Festival. I certainly hope the film will later find a normal distributor so that people can enjoy it. Last Night is a philosophical story about the last six hours in our world. There are a lot of different people who kind of know each other. Yes, it's very, very good. And there is no special effects.
****/*****
Timescape (1991)
An intelligent sci-fi drama!
This is a good science fiction film for all the people who
just don't want to see great special effects. Jeff Daniels is superb in his part. The script works very well and there are a lot of exciting ideas. Really an enjoyable tv-film.
****/*****
Frantic (1988)
Polanski did it again!
Frantic is one of the best thrillers I've ever seen. It is good that all the fights and shootings are only at the end. Usually you have action all over the film. This film goes on more slowly. We are given time to see Harrison Ford's feelings when his wife is disappeared. Well, it's very touching. He's a great actor.
You really should see this film a) if you like Polanski's films b) if you like Harrison Ford c) if you like realistic thrillers ****/*****
Dance of the Vampires (1967)
An Awesome Film!
Polanski's Fearless Vampire Killers is a great mixture of comedy and horror! The ending is one the best endings I've ever seen! A masterpiece. Mr. Polanski knows how to make his films!
La strada (1954)
A perfect film!
This was the first film by Federico Fellini I ever saw. The film was so moving that I had to see Fellini's other films, too. After seeing a lot of his films I can say "Fellini is one of the greatest artists of our century".
La Strada is his best work. It is very touching and sad. There are more emotions than in a thousand of American action films. *****/*****
The End of Violence (1997)
A Great Film!
The End Of Violence is a philosophical film about, well, violence. There isn't any blood or stuff in the film, though. So don't let the name of the film confuse you.
Still, it's probably Wenders' most mature film to date. I think Mr. Wenders handled the subject very wendersly. It is a good film for them who actually like real films.
Kauas pilvet karkaavat (1996)
A good Finnish film.
Kauas Pilvet Karkaavat (Drifting Clouds) is a moving film about two unemployed folks in Finland. This film is one of the best Finnish films there is. Finnish films aren't very good, though.
There isn't enough real emotions in the movie. I can understand why it won the best foreign film award in Belgium. I just don't like the Finnish style of movie-making. Still, it is very enjoyable.
Shopping (1994)
Paul Anderson's best film!
$hopping is directed and written by Paul Anderson (Event Horizon, Mortal Kombat, Soldier). Now, I think it is his masterpiece. That is because of the good script.
The film is kind of provocative but very good. Mr. Anderson has handled the subject very richly. The man has a great visual style too. That you can see in all his films.
Limelight (1952)
A touching story about a ballerina & a clown!
Charles Chaplin is, at least for me, the best film maker of all time. And Limelight is his best film. It is one of the 10 films I have given 100/100.
The film is about this old comedian who can't find himself a job. He saves a young girl who tried to commit suicide. Well, they become friends and stuff.
Simply the film is perfect. There is nothing bad I could say about it. Well, maybe the ballet scene was too long (but maybe I just can't concentrate enough). The script, the music, the actors, the whole philosophical structure of the film! They are all perfect. And the end of the film is something so beautiful that you really have to see it.
If there is one thing you have to see, make sure it'll be Chaplin's Limelight!