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dietieaukema
Reviews
Killing Them Softly (2012)
A feast for the eyes and ears if you're not blind or deaf
The colours, the lighting, the photography, camera angles, the dialogues, what can I say: it's a feast for the eyes and ears.
Not enough character development some reviews say. Really? Have you seen New York Mickey (James Gandolfini) enter the scene? That's all you need to see to know about how his character developed, it's the end product of his life and his life choices. Add to that his dialogue in the hotel with Kenny (the equally amazing Brad Pitt) and you see character development in action.
Not enough story some say? That's maybe because this is your story, the one you're living every day.
Too heavy handed on the political message? Well, maybe it's in your face. But to me that looks like the funny thing: it always is, but people often don't see.
And lastly: just ALL the actors and acting are sublime.
All or Nothing (2002)
Riveting performances, especially by Alison Garland
I know most of Mike Leigh's films, but All or Nothing had somehow escaped me until I watched it on Netflix last night.
Beautiful performances by the many familiar Leigh actors, but I came on here just to mention the outstanding performance of Alison Garland as daughter Rachel, the quiet one, overlooked for not causing or adding problems, meanwhile being the one that truly sees things as they are.
Her stoic acceptance, her dignified resignation to her circumstances and her deep felt loneliness are heartbreaking, and I realised how I couldn't take my eyes off her throughout the whole film.
What a performance.
It looks like Alison Garland isn't acting anymore and that's a loss as I would have looked out for anything she appeared in.
Lykke-Per (2018)
Incredibly moving
What an incredibly moving film by Bille August. The director thankfully takes his time telling us the story of a man trying to break free from the conventions of his time as well as his social and cultural boundaries and yet finding himself more chained to them with every step he takes to try and get away from them.
The two lead characters are spellbindingly good.
I felt truly sad and nostalgic when the film ended. The characters stayed with me for a long time and I will certainly want to watch this film again.
I watched it in the original Danish version with subtitles.