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Reviews
Begotten (1989)
Teenager's doom fantasy
For me the movie was really familiar to see. When I was about 16 --17, I had just the same B/W fantasies. Especially if I was listening first albums of Soundgarden -- slow heavy monotonic rock. Or Sonic Youth. I imagined faceless strange people wandering around some wasteland doing something nasty, eating human flesh, digging in the dirt etc. I also imagined naked spastic men in the mud. And naked women with hairy pussies of course too. Everything have to be in slow motion, in extreme black & white aesthetic, in really apocalyptic mood. I had these ideas 15 years ago but I still remember. So I really laughed when I watched this pretentious movie and especially when I read the titles in the end of film: "God Killing Himself", "Mother Earth" and so on. Good "deep" movie for teenagers, nice alternative to every kind of plastic horrors.
Funny Games (1997)
Deeper idea is largely lost
Of course this film movie is psychologically very effective. We all are afraid of violence, we're heard about serial killers, psychos etc, we all have some kind of fear to be victims of them in our homes. Haneke is just playing with these kind of fears. Simple.
Almost every comment about this film is talking about violence, violence, violence. Yes, this is the core of the movie. But nobody is seeing the other aspect of the movie which is main idea of the movie -- the irony and criticism about Western middle class family and people. Anna, Georg and son Gergie are typical German rich middle class family. They are spending their summers in idyllic summer house besides the lake. It's nice place but -- more important -- seemingly safe. Summer houses' block is rounded with tough fence, the place is guarded, no lower class people, no strangers. No criminals -- at least they think so. But the middle class people doesn't know that they are locked into real prison. And in prison are the laws of prison. We don't know but it seems that these two evil guys are from the same middle class too. They wear golf suits and carrying golf sticks -- typical symbol of 'classy' people. But they know that they are in isolated playground. They knows that in this kind of society only stronger gets all the power, only stronger stays alive. Haneke demonstrates us several times the idiotic helplessness, nonsense behavior of typical comforted rich people. Evil guys are leaving family alone after (accidental?) killing of Georgie. And Anna and Georg are just acting like two real idiots. They doesn't know the number of police, they don't know what to do at all. All their decisions are just wrong. They are just not able to survive in different situations and deserving their death.
Using psychologically effective methods Haneke have made impressive film. But violence is too strong and deeper meaning I described is just lost in public mind. They just see lot of painful violence but not see the critique towards them. So I don't know is the movie very good or not.
Libahundi needus (2005)
Problematic film
So many times Rainer Sarnet is called "very talented", "brilliant" by friendly critics, almost genius who's just waiting his chance to do full length movie. And here it is -- first full length movie by Rainer Sarnet. Although made for TV and filmed on video. It's not genius work. The movie is full of problems. Clearly is seen that Sarnet has no good skills to direct actors. All the actors are old professionals but mostly playing like a bunch amateurs. Technical side of the movie is conservative, boring and clumsy. Editing is monotonous. It's not art house cinema but its not entertaining horror movie too. The story is complicated and it is not making director's work easier at all. It 'all about Estonian theater which professionally started 100 years ago. "Libahunt" (Werewolf") is classical Estonian play (also about 100 years old) about conflict between rebellion and conservativeness, youth and older people etc. etc. The play has bloody end and bot most of spectacles are hiding the final shooting scene marking it by audible gunshots and other noises. The movie is basing on legend that two times (in 1900s and 1950s) are attempted to stage the final shooting openly on the stage but always its ended tragically -- male actor are really killed by real bullets. In "Libahundi needus" ("Werewolf's Damnation") young director is trying it third time and starts crazy and tragical mess, where the legend is awakening, female actresses are trying to kill younger ones, some are getting mad, the old stories are shown again and finally the ghost of dead actors are illuminated on the stage of theater. Some questions are answered but most are not. Movie's end is banal and even stupid -- the "damned" show is premiered, nobody is killed and everybody is happy. Except the audience of the movie.
Rock Star (2001)
Full bag of stupid clichés
I don't know any idiotic rock'n'roll cliché not used in this movie. Ouffcourz , rock enroll life is only sex drugs and parties and tons of supermodels trying to ride with you. Say it to stupid young boys. The filmmakers seemed to have read too much Guns'n'Roses or Motley Crue stories. I have seen everyday life of usual rock band closely and there are nothing to do with reality in this movie. If you are successful enough your life is touring touring touring. Its means that you are mostly in a bus and trying to sleep. Just sleep. Because you must be fresh, sober and clean in evenings. After live you have a little time to discharge your stage excitement. Then you have a bit time to have fun. But its not any luxury or dream. Artistically this film was zero. Stupid characters and idiotic dialogs. The ending of movie was funny -- main character left heavy metal band and formed a grunge band! Yeah, what a moral. Real 90s.
Agent Sinikael (2002)
It's all about style
This movie is not about story, plot, acting or something, it's all about design, style, manners etc. The plot is like a Bond-parody (very handsome Mait Malmsten is special agent of a PR-company who have to steal new ideas from other firms) plus Estonian self-irony (a strange S/M artist from Germany is revered as real specialist of human souls -- because he's from West, you 'now). But the plot is really unnatural, all acting is very strange and if you are not introduced to the main ideas of the film, you don't understand anything. You have to know some inside information about postsovet cultural background, the contemporary trends in Baltic states etc. So -- enjoy the design, style, handsome men, beautiful women, wholesome strangeness.
Meri Poppins, do svidaniya (1984)
Crazy musical
If you're expecting something "classical", "a la Disney" don't watch this TV series. It's a really mad version of well known Poppins saga. Everything is happening somewhere in early 80's (very good design by the way) in a idyllic suburbia filled with really abnormal people. And Poppins is landing and making everything even more crazy! She's able too screen hallucinations, "make dreams come true" etc. The movie is filled with pop songs, dance numbers etc. Actually this kind of "children movies" were quite typical in SU in 80's. Surreal, crazy, filled with pop songs. I was preteen boy then and didn't understand them at all but now I think they were hilarious.
The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle (1980)
Very interesting movie
I know that there are McLaren's side and Lydon's side and they hate each other. And Lydonists also hate this movie. For me they are both nasty and egocentric guys with their bad and good ideas. Whatever. I don't care about the ideology of the movie. But the movie is surprisingly good and interesting. I have seen several rock films and this is one of bests. Documentary, fiction, feature parts and animations are cut together in very entertaining way and I don't see any problem in directing and acting. Surprisingly professional movie. And maybe without "Swindle..." we wouldn't have so much footages of Sex Pistols and the whole 70's punk scene.
Titanic (1997)
Very bad movie, frightening hype, ultimate damages.
I remember the hysteria and crazy hype around the movie in 1997-98. Terrible. Normal film critics got frightened and wrote adoring lines about it. They were afraid of mad fans and Estonia is a small country you know... Plain characters, banal plot, idiotic mistakes about historical facts (Picassos famous cubist painting "Maids of Avignon" sank in Titanic, as you you know from the movie now!!!), huge model of the ship and big big money for brainwashing -- thats all. Artistically the movie was more a TV series cut together than movie for cinemas. And don't forget the harm the movie made for movie industry. Before it even big studios tended to make more experimental movies -- Tarantino was discovered for example. After it they all started to make stupid blockbusters, everyone wanted to make his own "Titanic". It all went really wrong.
Magical Mystery Tour (1967)
Great film with some problems.
Its very underestimated movie. Maybe it was too ahead of its time. I'm big Monty Python fan and when I saw "Magical..." first time I thought "What the hell, Montys have stolen several jokes and elements of structure from "Tour"". Same style to connect banal elements to surreal, same idea to avoid to punch-line, same irony about English characters and history etc. But Beatles made it in 1967 when psychedelia was too new thing for common TV audience. In 1969 when MP started psychedelia was usual element in the culture. Of course, Montys were better writers and actors but... I'm enjoying most of the movie. I think its great movie of 60's. But film have some real problems. First, several overactings, surprisingly by professionals. Secondly, movie was too short. I would prefer it at least 1 hour long with better conclusion or ending. The music hall in the final was too fast to come and I expected that movie will continue. Last, Beatles songs weren't very suitable for the movie (minor "Blue Jay Way" in the middle of joy especially). Maybe, film would be better, if ... to cut them off. But here are my points -- 8.
Help! (1965)
Worst Beatles film ever.
It isn't a good one. It has some good parts (later stolen by Bond movies), really superb design but is still boring. The Beatles in "Help" is pure pop band although they were rock group actually. Pop is about fun but Beatles was always more than fun. "Hard Days" was good film of 60s: with loose plot, with several experimental moments, with some social-critical elements (George's argue with the copywriter), with some french attitude and so on. "Help" has some good elements too -- the absurd military sequence for example. And music was surprisingly good, although I don't prefer early Beatles. But "Help" is too much early 60s Beatles image -- manipulated by Epstein, pop, teen-idol, moptop, easy, dull, stupid.