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Short movie reviews by Adriana Popovici

The Beach

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Image source: Wikimedia

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Year of release: 2000
Director: Danny Boyle
Writers: John Hodge (screenplay), Alex Garland (novel)
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Virginie Ledoyen, Guillaume Canet, etc.

For more information on “The Beach”, visit Wikipedia and/or IMDb

 

General impression:
It’s not bad, but I did not enjoy it. It bored me to the point that I was eager for it to be over, so that I could move on with my schedule for that day. This has been the only Danny Boyle movie I’ve seen that I didn’t really like. The details were nice and interesting, the sum was disappointingly dull.

Highlights:
The scenery is beautiful, the actors good-looking… umm…

Downside:
It looks more promising than it actually is. It doesn’t particularly engage either mind or heart.

Would I see it again? – No

My Rating (1 to 10): 6.5

Recommended: Not necessarily…

Suggestion:
Watch it only for entertainment, expecting a story and some eye candy, not much else.

 

Requiem for a Dream

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Image source: Wikimedia

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Year of release: 2000
Director: Darren Aronofsky
Writers: Darren Aronofsky (screenplay), Hubert Selby Jr. (novel & screenplay)
Starring: Ellen Burstyn, Jared Leto, Jennifer Connelly, etc.

For more information on “Requiem for a Dream”, visit Wikipedia and/or IMDb

 

General impression:
Conflicting mixed feelings, that’s what this movie left me with. On one hand it is very well done, on the other… it is gross. It is about drug addicts (destructive lives full of misery and danger), a dark topic that cannot be presented in a positive light, so neither the characters are compassionately constructed. However, there is nothing positive in this movie, no contrasting light, only meaningless suffering. It is not balanced, and lacks sensitivity. Darren Aronofsky is a talented filmmaker, but each of his movies I saw confirmed that his work and my tastes are not compatible.

Highlights:
Cinematographically, the movie is well done.

Downside:
It shows decay so masterfully, that it leaves a persistent feeling of unease.

Would I see it again? – No!

My Rating (1 to 10): 7 (arithmetic mean of my feelings and thoughts)

Recommended: Not really…

Suggestion:
It will spoil your mood, so, don’t watch it if you are not ready for feeling depressed.

 

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