Change Your Image
mariannehettinger
Ratings
Most Recently Rated
Reviews
Mango Tango: The Director's Cut (2022)
"Mango Tango: The Director's Cut" - A Vibrant Indie Delight
"Mango Tango: The Director's Cut" offers a captivating journey through life's quirks, love, and conspiracy. Originally released in 2009, now revamped, it showcases Marianne Hettinger's directorial debut with finesse.
I first saw it with my wife Nola at a Munich film festival where it won hearts and now on tubi and it's even better, it's shorter, so the film emerges as being not one second too long. Set against New York, Germany, and the Alps, it blends humor, romance, and intrigue, daring to explore unconventional narratives.
Hettinger's portrayal of a woman looking for her soulmate is quite funny and heart warming and she also directs and wrote the script.
Great ensemble cast including Dr. Alan Goldstein, double-Emmy award winning actor Michael E. Knight and Patrick Stephenson, delivers memorable performances. Freddy Bosche shines as the male lead, while the exceptional music, composed by talents like Pablo Ziegler, enriches the film's atmosphere.
Despite budget constraints, Hettinger and her team created a visually stunning and emotionally resonant experience. "Mango Tango: The Director's Cut" is a testament to indie filmmaking's ability to captivate audiences. I'm sorry I'm not on imdb so I sent my review to the director herself and asked her to post it for me.
Nick Berzinski.
Prince Harming (2019)
Prince Harming: An Authentic Exploration of Abuse and Empowerment
"Prince Harming" stands out as a gripping tale of survival and self-discovery in the wake of abuse. Marianne Hettinger, both in front of and behind the camera, delivers a masterful performance and direction that resonates deeply with audiences, particularly those who have experienced abusive relationships.
Hettinger's portrayal of the protagonist is riveting and authentic, capturing the emotional turmoil and eventual triumph with raw sincerity. Through her nuanced performance, viewers are invited to witness the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity.
The supporting cast adds layers of complexity to the narrative, with Andreas Beckett's portrayal of the abuser sending chills down the spine. Deborah S. Craig and Velson D'Souza, as the protagonist's steadfast friends, offer a beacon of hope and support amidst the darkness, showcasing the importance of solidarity in times of need.
What sets "Prince Harming" apart is its unflinching portrayal of abuse and its aftermath. Hettinger fearlessly confronts the harsh realities of toxic relationships, refusing to romanticize or sensationalize the pain and trauma endured by survivors. Yet, amidst the heartache, there is a powerful message of empowerment and resilience, reminding viewers that they are not defined by their past.
As a director, Hettinger demonstrates a keen understanding of storytelling, employing intimate visuals and evocative imagery to immerse audiences in the protagonist's journey. The film's pacing is deliberate, allowing for moments of introspection and revelation that leave a lasting impact.
"Prince Harming" is a testament to the power of independent cinema to shine a light on important social issues. It's a film that prompts reflection and conversation, urging viewers to confront the realities of abuse while offering hope for healing and redemption.
Review by Nola Berzinski.
Annette (2021)
cringe worthy
From the very beginning I was struck how bad this film was. The music- and there is music/ bad singing throughout- was bad. Nothing I wanted to listen to. Performances done for effect, hollow, not funny, not anything. Just bad. Like a bad, overambitious artsy high school musical .
Tell Me Who I Am (2019)
Life changing
I was able to watch this film without reading about it prior. It touched me to the core and I came out of the theatre a changed person. Very few films have ever had that effect on me. This film is relevant on so many levels. It will encourage people to be true to themselves and not keep dark secrets under wraps they suffered as children, often causing pain they carry for a lifetime and in many cases destroy lives - I commend the twins, Marcus and Alex Lewis in this wonderful doc for their bravery to come forward and share their lives' journeys with us. Beautiful job by director Ed Perkins who tells the story with so much integrity in a cinematic way. Even though shocking, this film is inspiring, empowering and will bring about change. Bravo!
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017)
Fantastic film
I was riveted from beginning to end. One of the best films in the last 10 years.
The Shape of Water (2017)
Fantastic fantasy
I love everything about this film. Its protagonist played by the amazing Sally Hawkins, the wonderful direction, unlikely love story, all the acting. I left the theatre exhilarated and inspired, haven't felt like this after watching a movie in many years. Bravo! I hope it will get the accolades it deserves.
Mango Tango (2009)
Creative funny art house film
The film starts out being quite funny and quirky with a European feel to it. Wonderful talent here, in terms of acting- including a cameo by AMC's Emmy award winning actor Michael E. Knight as a pretend Shaman and music by Latin Grammy award winner Pablo Ziegler. 3/4 in the film could have used some editing. Otherwise a fun experience.
Relatos salvajes (2014)
highly entertaining, surprising, exciting
I loved "Wild Tales"!!! Each one of the 6 tales pulls you in, not a second wasted. Creative and shocking scenarios told with plenty of dark humor. I had the feeling Almodovar must have inspired this wonderful filmmaker, who has a unique style of his own. Very realistic storytelling, you feel you're in the middle of the action, due to some wonderful camera work and direction as well. The stories are all different, with the common theme of revenge. There was one story I couldn't control guffawing and I rarely laugh out loud in a movie theatre. Everything comes together here: Wonderful storytelling, direction, acting and camera work. BRAVO! Run and see it!
Mr. Turner (2014)
Brilliant Portrait
Mike Leigh's "Mr Turner", a 2 1/2 hour movie had me so fascinated that it flew by. As an enraptured audience member I felt like a fly on the wall to witness Mr. Turner's life and creations of art that were depicted with such extraordinary realism. I felt on a gut level how this man's wonderful art was inspired by his feelings and the world surrounding him. There were so many wonderfully chosen moments and the scenery was so detailed and - thank God- lacking any Hollywood glamour. The characters were extremely well researched and portrayed to such a degree that I had the feeling I got to live in 1850's England for the 2 1/2 hours. There was not one moment of "acting' in this movie. How refreshing and inspiring! Timothy Spall's portrayal of Mr Turner was amazing in its detail - He inhabited the role 100 %. He embodied the painter to the last brush stroke. Equally wonderful were the women and everybody else in this brilliantly crafted movie. I shall see it again in case I have missed any detail.
Son of God (2014)
Mediocre film at best
First of all, in my opinion, t is an impossible undertaking to film the whole story of Jesus in one feature and to really be in-depth. Because of time constraints alone, one has to bunch together all the milestones and events. That's why I'm not a friend of biopics in general. There's no way the viewer can be deeply pulled into the story if there are too many events in the story that can only be touched upon on the surface.
"Son of God" manages to have some real moments and I felt touched during the last supper scene and the crucifixion. Pontius Pilatus and some of the other people responsible for Jesus' crucifixion were portrayed as real people which I liked, not just as one-dimensional bad guys. At times the film looked really kitschy and clichéd though, Jesus looked like the typically good looking Hollywood version of Jesus even though his contemporaries seemed to partially be a different race. The actor portraying Jesus however managed to pull me into the story a little bit. In terms of casting, I thought Roma Downey was totally miscast as the mother of Jesus, because of her mask-like face that never moved. There were endless closeups of her suffering and being very upset during the crucifixion yet her face was as smooth as a baby's butt. Her lips seemed surgically enhanced and her forehead and the rest were like a mask, they never moved. It would have been much more effective to cast a natural looking woman with- yes!!!- some wrinkles, especially when she's grieving. I don't think they had botox and plastic surgery 2000 years ago!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I so resent the fact that actresses and most of the film industry see the need to immobilize faces in order to play roles that are supposed to move an audience. I felt alienated and taken out of the story. ALl in all, I've seen better. Bravo to Mel Gibson's film "the passion of the Christ' and other better films about the subject.
Take (2007)
Painful 'Take'/ contains spoiler
As I was watching 'Take' I kept asking myself why this movie had been made. Very early on we know that a man is going to be executed and a child will be killed. I kept waiting for the child to already be dead to get it over with. Why show the abduction in such graphic detail? Why show the mother repeatedly wailing? We all know that having your child murdered is maybe the most horrible thing that can happen. The film was NOT made to advocate the meeting of victims/ perpetrators like it says at the very end. The set up for that is nonexistent. The director/ writer tries to be artsy with all the confusing flashbacks and set ups that don't lead anywhere (you see the mother waiting for her boy to come out of the rest room at a rest stop and he never does. It's totally unclear that he's a ghost at this point. The woman's husband whom she has a good relationship with just disappears. To me it was a film made for effect and gratuitous in terms of subject and violence. The actors were very good. I always enjoy Minnie Driver's work.