Tengoku to jigoku

English title: High and Low

Genre: crime drama (in black and white)

With: Toshirô Mifune (Kingo Gondo), Kyôko Kagawa (Reiko, his wife), Toshio Egi (Jun, their young son), Yutaka Sada (Aoki, Gondo’s Chauffeur), Masahiko Shimazu (Shinichi, Aoki’s son), Tatsuya Mihashi (Kawanishi, Gondo's Secretary), Jun Tazaki, Nobuo Nakamura and Yûnosuke Itô (as Kamiya, Ishimaru and Baba, respectively), Tatsuya Nakadai (Chief Detective Tokura), Kenjirô Ishiyama (Chief Detective ‟Bos’n” Taguchi), Tsutomu Yamazaki (Ginjirô Takeuchi), Isao Kimura (Detective Arai)

Director: Akira Kurosawa

Screenplay: Hideo Oguni, Ryûzô Kikushima, Eijirô Hisaita and Akira Kurosawa (based on Evan Hunter’s novel)

Release: 1963

Studio: Kurosawa Production Co., Toho Company

Rating: -

MBiS score: 8.6/10 

 

‟It gave me a reason for living.” 

 

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Story-line: Yokohama in the 1960s. It’s make-or-break time for Gondo, an executive at National Shoes. Coming out of a meeting with three colleagues – Baba, Kamiya and Ishimaru –, he understands that they fundamentally disagree with him about the future of the company and that he may be thrown out… but this prospect doesn’t worry him. Having anticipated such a showdown, he has secretly borrowed 50 million yen to gain control of National Shoes. What he hasn’t anticipated, however, is that his young son Jun would be kidnapped and ransomed for millions more.

Pluses: great acting by Toshirô Mifune (who shows fine range as Gondo), Kyôko Kagawa (his sensible, intelligent wife), Tatsuya Nakadai, Yutaka Sada, Kenjirô Ishiyama and a professional cast, masterful, time-efficient direction, a flawless, brilliantly logical screenplay that puts its characters under huge pressure and stokes lots of drama, adept cinematography and editing, top-quality production values, a sparse but effective musical score and a surprising ending that poses one more mystery to viewers.

Minuses: try as I may, I couldn’t find anything wrong with this film. The screenplay is not 100% functional; like in some Truffaut movies, you will be given tantalizing hints that lead nowhere. 

Comments: this magnificent movie by one of the greatest directors ever vividly recounts a household’s suffering and the painstaking investigative work that was done for a businessman who didn’t deserve much sympathy at first but whose predicament will bring him respect and even admiration from police and public alike. Kurosawa’s riveting crime drama matches the best Hollywood thrillers with its strong suspense and meticulous execution. Once you’ve seen 20 minutes or so of this superior film, there will be no turning back for you, movie buffs. 

 

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Cry in the Dark (A)

Also known as: Evil Angels

Genre: personal and judicial drama 

With: Meryl Streep (Lindy), Sam Neill (Michael), Dale Reeves, David Hoflin and Jason Reason (their son Aidan at 6, 8 and 11 respectively), Michael Wetter, Kane Barton and Trent Roberts (their son Reagan at 4, 6 and 9), Lauren Shepherd, Bethany Ann Prickett, Alison O’Connell and Aliza Dason (their daughter Azaria), Bill McCluskey (Greg Lowe), Debra Lawrance (Sally Lowe), Brian James (Cliff Murchison, the Grandfather), Dorothy Alison (Avis Murchison, the Grandmother), Bruce Myles (Barker), Neil Fitzpatrick (Phillips), Sandy Gore (Joy Kuhl), Kevin Miles (Professor Cameron), Edgar Metcalfe (Dr. Brown), Gary Files (Professor Chaikin), Peter Aanensen (Sims), Roderick Williams (Les Harris), Nick Tate (Sergeant Charlwood), Mervyn Drake (Inspector Gilroy), Maurie Fields (Justice Barritt), Charles ‟Bud” Tingwell (Justice Muirhead), Susan Leith (Jenny Richards)

Director: Fred Schepisi

Screenplay: John Bryson (based on Evil Angels), Robert Caswell and Fred Schepisi

Release: 1988

Studio: Cannon Entertainment Inc., Golan-Globus Productions, Cinema Verity, Metro Goldwyn Mayer

Rating: PG-13

MBiS score: 8.4/10

 

 

Predators Everywhere 

 

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Story-line: this true-life movie begins in Mount Isa, Australia, during the summer of 1980. Michael Chamberlain, a Seventh-day Adventist pastor, wife Lindy, sons Aidan and Reagan and infant daughter Azaria leave home for a camping trip in the outback near Ayers Rock. Little do they know that the trip will end in tragedy for one of them and submit the others to a terrible ordeal.

Pluses: admirable acting by Meryl Streep (dominant and eminently credible as the grounded and gutsy Lindy) and Sam Neill (a well-meaning but sometimes fragile Michael), a consistent supporting cast, efficient and sober direction, a busy, twisty screenplay that unfolds methodically and logically, excellent cinematography (Ian Baker) and diligent editing (Jill Bilcock), suitable production values, appropriate musical support and a strong finish.

Minuses: don’t be fooled by the film’s rather innocent introduction… there’s plenty of drama coming your way.    

Comments: the modest but worthy A CRY IN THE DARK sheds its initial quietness to illustrate how personal misfortune can be compounded by public scrutiny, intolerance, incompetence and sensationalism. Fred Schepisi’s cautionary work, a testament to one woman’s courage in the face of adversity, proves that human suffering, despite its apparent cruelty and injustice, brings sanctity to one’s soul. Be brave, people, be brave…

In memory of Sam Neill (1947-2026). 

 

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Jungfrukällan

English title: Virgin Spring (The)

Also known as : Source (la)

Genre: period drama (in black and white)

With: Max von Sydow (Töre), Birgitta Valberg (Märeta, his wife), Birgitta Pettersson (Karin), Gunnel Lindblom (Ingeri), Gudrun Brost (Frida, first maidservant), Axel Düberg (Thin Herdsman), Tor Isedal (Mute Herdsman), Oscar Ljung (Simon), Allan Edwall (Beggar), Ove Porath (Boy), Axel Slangus (the Bridge Keeper)

Director: Ingmar Bergman

Screenplay: Ulla Isaksson (adapted from a 13^th-century ballad)

Release: 1960

Studio: Svensk Filmindustri (SF)

Rating: -

MBiS score: 9.0/10 

 

‟God alone knows where guilt lies.”

 

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Story-line: in the Swedish countryside of centuries past, Töre’s family and employees tend to the usual duties of farming. Among the group, maidservant Ingeri stands out – for she is a naughty, ungrateful and unreliable girl – while Töre’s daughter Karin shines so brightly that she is treated like a princess even when she shouldn’t be. One particular day, when Karin is sent to church to deliver a traditional gift of candles, Töre allows her to take Ingeri along. What will happen to these two girls ‟as different as rose and thorn”?

Pluses: great acting by Max von Sydow, Birgitta Valberg, Birgitta Pettersson and the whole cast, sober, world-class direction, a flawless and dramatic screenplay highlighted by vivid dialogues and a few terrifying scenes, meticulous production values (period detail, natural settings), superb cinematography (by Sven Nykvist), a relevant musical score and an ending so remarkable that it leaves you speechless.

Minuses: none.

Comments: this riveting film begins like a fairy tale but avoids feel-good pretensions and never succumbs to excess. As a result, it succeeds in showing human pain to a degree rarely attained on the silver screen. Ingmar Bergman’s perfect work (and winner of the Best Foreign Language Film award at the 1961 Oscars and Golden Globes) is considered a masterpiece and it truly is. THE VIRGIN SPRING will haunt you with its themes of innocence, lust, remorse and morality.

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Medea

Genre: Greek tragedy

With: Maria Callas (Medea), Massimo Girotti (King Kresus/Creonte), Laurent Terzieff (Centaur), Giuseppe Gentile (Jason), Margareth Clémenti (Glauce), Paul Jabara (Pelias), Gerard Weiss (Second centaur), Sergio Tramonti (Apsirto, Medea's brother)

Director: Pier Paolo Pasolini

Screenplay: Pier Paolo Pasolini (based on the play by Euripides)

Release: 1969

Studio: San Marco S.p.A., Les Films Number One, Janus Film und Fernsehen

Rating: -

MBiS score: 8.4/10 

 

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.* 

 

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Story-line: in ancient times, a little boy named Jason learns that the centaur who raised him is not really his father and that he is heir to a faraway kingdom now ruled by his uncle. Once he reaches adulthood, the centaur instructs him to go home, where his uncle will give him back the kingdom if he can gain possession of the golden fleece, a symbol of power now in the hands of barbarians.  

Pluses: irreproachable acting by a commanding Maria Callas and a solid cast, daring, arty direction, a potent and eventful screenplay that develops a strange, mythical mood, adequate and sometimes bizarre cinematography, meagre yet eye-popping production values (decors, exteriors, costumes… I really liked those Pop-Tart men!), an odd musical score (vuvuzelas? Oriental kazoos?) and a stunning climax.

Minuses: the synopsis above should get you through the first 30 minutes or so but you will better appreciate the movie if you have some sense of Jason’s legend in Greek mythology. A word of advice... this film is not for everyone; it is spectacular yet very enigmatic.  

Comments: Pier Paolo Pasolini has fashioned several abstract works (TEOREMA being another) but the more cryptic his movies are, the more they make me laugh out loud. True to form, the otherworldly MEDEA provided me with a few good yuks but I also watched it for Maria Callas – in her only role for the cinema – and she doesn’t disappoint; after all, opera singers are fine actors and Maria was undoubtedly the best on both accounts. Shades of sorcery, the loneliness of exile, infidelity and ruthless vengeance in an epic package… that’s what MEDEA is all about. And the lady sure knows how to make a point…   

 

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*William Shakespeare, adapted from William Congreve.

Los Olvidados

English title: The Young and the Damned

Genre: youth drama (in black and white)

With: Alfonso Mejía (Pedro, a basically good kid), Roberto Cobo (El Jaibo), Estela Inda (Pedro’s mother), Miguel Inclán (Don Carmelo, the blind musician), Mario Ramírez (the abandoned Ojitos, a.k.a. ‟Small Eyes”), Alma Delia Fuentes (Meche the spunky girl), Javier Amézcua (Julián), Francisco Jambrina (Director of the school farm), Jesús García (Julián’s father)

Director: Luis Buñuel

Screenplay: Luis Alcoriza. Luis Buñuel and Max Aub, with help from Juan Larrea and Pedro de Urdimalas

Release: 1950

Studio: Ultramar Films, S.A.

Rating: -

MBiS score: 8.8/10 

 

‟I've told you not to come back if you hang [around] with these punks.” 

 

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Story-line: in the slums of Mexico City, youngsters have nothing to do but play frivolous games and become delinquents under the influence of their elders, especially Jaibo, who has just escaped from a reformatory. As the kids await his glorious return to the neighbourhood, they know he will have big plans for them… plans that will bring pesos to everyone, including Pedro, our protagonist.    

Pluses: wonderful acting all around, consistently great helming by a celebrated filmmaker (winner of the Best Director award in Cannes for this masterpiece), a potent, logical and implacable screenplay based on real events and invigorated by well-drawn characters and several classic scenes, irreproachable cinematography and editing, appropriate production values, a moody, almost dizzying musical score and a devastating ending.

Minuses: none whatsoever.

Comments: an exceptional and morally valuable film keenly attuned to its theme of childhood misery, LOS OLVIDADOS generates the pathos usually associated with neo-realism and shows flashes of poetry as evocative as those of Fellini’s LA STRADA a few years later. A social statement, a story for the ages and a milestone in world cinema, Luis Buñuel’s indestructible ensemble drama will captivate all movie buffs. 

 

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Ran

Genre: period drama

With: Tatsuya Nakadai (Lord Hidetora Ichimonji), Akira Terao (Taro Takatora Ichimonji), Jinpachi Nezu (Jiro Masatora Ichimonji), Daisuke Ryû (Saburo Naotora Ichimonji), Mieko Harada (Lady Kaede, Taro’s wife), Yoshiko Miyazaki (Lady Sué, Jiro’s wife), Pîtâ (Kyoami), Masayuki Yui (Tango Hirayama, Saburo’s faithful aide), Kazuo Katô (Kageyu Ikoma, Ichimonji’s untrustworthy aide), Hisashi Igawa (Shuri Kurogane), Mansai Nomura (Tsurumaru)

Director: Akira Kurosawa

Screenplay: Hideo Oguni, Masato Ide and Akira Kurosawa (based on King Lear, by William Shakespeare)

Release: 1985

Studio: Greenwich Film Productions, S.A., Herald Ace Inc., Nippon Herald Films Inc.

Rating: R

MBiS score: 8.6/10    

 

‟What kind of world do we live in? One barren of loyalty and feeling.” 

 

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Story-line: the setting is medieval Japan. Although he can still hunt wild boars when he’s up to it, old Lord Ichimonji cannot thwart Father Time. Realizing that decrepitude is inescapable, he announces to his three sons, his jester Kyoami and his hunting party guests that peace, not rivalry, should be everyone’s concern from now on. Accordingly, he has decided to cede authority over all his dominions to his eldest son Taro and secondary properties to his other sons Jiro and Saburo. Ichimonji’s decision is acknowledged by Taro and Jiro but not by Saburo who calls his father a ‟senile old fool” and is banished for his conduct. Such an outburst augurs nothing but trouble for the Ichimonji clan.     

Pluses: excellent acting by all, especially Tatsuya Nakadai, Pîtâ (the free-speaking jester) and Mieko Harada (one mean mama!), world-class direction, a relentless and twisty screenplay filled with deceit, treachery and strong characters, breathtaking visuals, high-level production values, a spellbinding musical score and a striking ending.

Minuses: few characters rise above the fray in this tale about grudges, power grabs,  misunderstandings and revenge. Some scenes are violent or psychologically stressful.   

Comments: I have read somewhere that a movie director can’t mess up a good story… but what do you get when a great Shakespearian work is adapted for the screen by one of the finest directors ever? An epic film that flows like a wicked soap opera and a grand old time for movie buffs. Simply put, RAN is that good. 

 

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Streetcar Named Desire (A)

Genre: psychological drama (in black and white)

With: Vivien Leigh (Blanche DuBois), Marlon Brando (Stanley Kowalski), Kim Hunter (Stella DuBois Kowalski), Karl Malden (Harold ‟Mitch” Mitchell), Rudy Bond (Steve Hubbell), Peg Hillias (Eunice Hubbell), Nick Dennis (Pablo Gonzalez)

Director: Elia Kazan

Screenplay: Tennessee Williams (from his play, adapted by Oscar Saul)

Release: 1951

Studio: Charles K. Feldman Group, Warner Bros.

Rating: PG

MBiS score: 8.8/10 

 

The Kindness of Strangers 

 

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Story-line: Blanche, elegant and insecure, has just arrived in New Orleans and seems lost among the crowd at the train station. With the help of a seaman, she reaches Elysian Fields where she is to reunite with her sister Stella after several years of separation. Finding her sibling at the neighbourhood bowling alley, Blanche is reassured – although disappointed to see Stella living in a working-class milieu – but her real challenge will be getting along with Stanley, her new brother-in-law, an earthy and intimidating fellow.

Pluses: richly nuanced, full-ranged performances by Vivien Leigh (a fancy, talkative and complicated Blanche), Marlon Brando (as the crude and violent Stanley), Kim Hunter (a lovestruck Stella) and Karl Malden, fine support from a good cast, masterly direction, a vivid, unsparing screenplay that sets up a psychological battle filled with innuendo, spot-on repartees and classic moments in cinema, able cinematography, appropriate production values and a strong ending.

Minuses: be warned that some sequences, albeit in no way obscene, are imbued with sexual meaning. 

Comments: A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE paints the stunning portrait of two souls instinctively in awe of each other: the multi-faceted Blanche – a woman as charming as she is infuriating, traumatized and troublesome – and Stanley, her enemy in life but a man she can’t help admiring on a certain level. And their clashes are only aggravated by the heat, squalor and promiscuity ambient. Entrusted with Tennessee Williams’ Pulitzer Prize-winning play – a mesmerizing story about love, family crises, secrets revealed and the ruthlessness of life –, Elia Kazan has fashioned a milestone movie with the help of thespians among the best in cinematic history. The honours showered upon this one-of-a-kind motion picture (4 Oscar wins and 8 other nominations at the 1952 Academy Awards) are proof positive of its value as a work of art. Stella-a-a-a!!! 

 

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 Homme qui aimait les femmes (l’) 

English title: The Man Who Loved Women

Also known as: The Man Who Loved Love

Genre: comedy drama    

With: Charles Denner (Bertrand Morane), Brigitte Fossey (Geneviève Bigey), Nelly Borgeaud (Delphine Grézel), Geneviève Fontanel (Hélène), Leslie Caron (Véra), Nathalie Baye (Martine Desdoits), Valérie Bonnier (Fabienne), Jean Dasté (Doctor Bicard), Sabine Glaser (Bernadette), Monique Dury (Mrs. Duteil), Nella Barbier (Liliane),  Marie-Jeanne Montfajon (Christine, Bertrand’s mother)

Director: François Truffaut

Screenplay: Michel Fermaud, Suzanne Schiffman, François Truffaut

Release: 1977

Studio: Les Films du Carrosse, Les Productions Artistes associés, Metro Goldwyn Mayer

Rating: -

MBiS score: 8.4/10 

 

Oh-oh, catch that buzz

Love is the drug I'm thinking of

Oh-oh, can't you see?

Love is the drug for me* 

 

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Story-line: Montpellier, 1976. When the hearse carrying Bertrand Morane’s coffin enters the cemetery, it is followed by two dozen mourners… all of them women. They walk in silence, apparently grateful to have known the deceased who was an engineer, a novice writer and, most of all, a ladies’ man... a charming,  sweet-talking, insatiable lover.

Pluses: a stupendous performance by Charles Denner (as the intense, serious Bertrand), excellent support from a cast of wonderful ladies, alert, world-class direction, a creative and witty screenplay notable for its varied characters, human insights, precise dialogues and Truffaut mannerisms, fine cinematography, aesthetic production values, a discreet musical score and an ending true to Bertrand’s spirit.

Minuses: none I can think of.

Comments: despite his infidelities, Bertrand is far from a cad; in fact, he even shows a vulnerable streak that makes him all the more human. Out of a slight premise, François Truffaut and team have delivered such an enlightening, analytical and entertaining statement about men, women and the creative process that I was thoroughly amazed by it all. Beautiful, subtle and enchanting, THE MAN WHO LOVED WOMEN is a treat, especially for fans of French cinema. Few directors could have pulled this off as magnificently as our beloved Truffaut. 

 

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*Love Is the Drug, by Roxy Music. Bryan Ferry and Andrew McKay, composers.

Man on Wire

 

Genre: documentary

With: Philippe Petit, Jean-François Heckel, Jean-Louis Blondeau, Annie Allix, David Forman, Alan Welner, Mark Lewis, Barry Greenhouse, Jim Moore and Guy F. Tozzoli (as themselves)

Director: James Marsh

Screenplay: Philippe Petit (based on his book)

Release: 2008

Studio: Discovery Films, BBC Storyville, UK Film Council

Rating: PG-13

MBiS score: 8.7/10

  

Don’t Even Consider It! 

 

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Story-line: France in the 1970s. After walking a tightrope above Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris and Harbor Bridge in Sydney, Philippe Petit sets his sights on an even more challenging landmark in the Big Apple.

Pluses: Philippe’s mesmerizing insights about life and his search for personal fulfillment, splendid support from a likeable and candid group of participants, excellent, laser-precise direction, a brilliant, non-linear screenplay that uses vivid stock footage, fictional recreations and profound commentary to weave a surprising and suspenseful story, very good cinematography, fine production values and a topical musical score.

Minuses: indirectly, MAN ON WIRE serves as a bittersweet memorial of the World Trade Center when it stood supreme in the New York City skyline.

Comments: both hair-raising and overwhelming, MAN ON WIRE immortalizes an astounding feat by a wonderful magician and athlete who dared to dream something impossible and worked obsessively to make it happen, with the help of his amazing creativity, his resilience to pressure, a dedicated team around him and a little bit of luck. In James Marsh’s masterly and humanistic documentary, you will meet the man on a wire, admire his prowess and determination, understand how he came to see the Twin Towers as a crowning achievement. This work of poetry, an obvious Best Documentary winner at the Oscars, is one of those priceless films movie buffs live for. 

 

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Darbareye Elly

English title: About Elly

Genre: psychological drama

With: Taraneh Alidoosti (Elly), Golshifteh Farahani (Sepideh), Shahab Hosseini (Ahmad), Merila Zare'i (Shohreh), Mani Haghighi (Amir), Payman Maadi (Peyman), Ra'na Azadivar (Naazi), Ahmad Mehranfar (Manoochehr), Saber Abar (Alireza)

Director: Asghar Farhadi

Screenplay: Asghar Farhadi (with the possible participation of A. Jafarian)

Release: 2009

Studio: Dreamlab

Rating: TV-PG

MBiS score: 8.7/10 

 

Is There Such a Thing as an Innocent Lie? 

 

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Story-line: it’s that time of year again… the old gang from law school is heading for the shores of the Caspian Sea. Gang members are (1) Sepideh, the organizer, who leads the pack with husband Amir and daughter Morvarid; (2) Shohreh, hubby Peyman and their two children Arash and Anita; and (3) Naazi with her husband Manoochehr. This year, however, there’s more to the trip than rest and recreation… Sepideh has invited Elly, her daughter’s kindergarten teacher, so she can meet Naazi’s brother, Ahmad, who is back from Germany for a rare visit. Love is in the air, you see…

Pluses: superb, natural-looking performances by an engaging group of actors (I won’t single out anyone because they are all fantastic, including the children), seamless and astoundingly precise direction, a complex, well-structured and riveting screenplay rich in psychological insights, character interplay and telling dialogues (Elly’s conversation with Ahmad on their way back from errands is simply exquisite), very attractive cinematography, fine editing, realistic production values and a startling ending.

Minuses: even though ABOUT ELLY is interesting from the get-go, the characters and story-line confused me early on. If this happens to you, stop at the 30-minute mark and replay that first segment; you will notice small but important details and better appreciate this great movie. For good measure, I watched the whole thing twice… and I can confirm that everything fits. 

Comments: ABOUT ELLY begins innocently enough – close friends travel to the seaside, have fun together and watch their guests as they forge a relationship – but an unexpected event will spell tragedy for all. Discussions and arguments ensue, lies are told for whatever reason and things get harder and harder to figure out. From such a dramatic story about relationships – and the fateful shortcuts we sometimes take in life –, Asghar Farhadi has spun a stunning film anchored by superb acting and a screenplay as rigorous as a world-class ballet. It all comes down to one question asked by Alireza and, when the answer comes, it will leave him – and all of us watching – utterly speechless. From one frame to the next, ABOUT ELLY is flawless cinema. 

 

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