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Short movie reviews by Adriana Popovici

Never Let Me Go

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Image source: Wikimedia

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Year of release: 2010
Director: Mark Romanek
Writers: Kazuo Ishiguro (novel), Alex Garland (screenplay)
Starring: Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield, Keira Kinghtley, etc.

For more information on “Never Let Me Go”, visit Wikipedia and/or IMDb

 

General impression:
I started watching this movie with fairly low expectations, not knowing much about it, so when the beauty began I was pretty much blown away. It’s not powerful from the very beginning, but it certainly grows in most ways, and becomes increasingly emotional, just better and better. The idea of the story is great! The movie “The Island” (with Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johansson) is somewhat similar, but seems immensely silly in comparison with “Never Let Me Go” (and not just “in comparison”). The poetry, the uneasy feeling that spreads throughout the story, the viewer’s sympathy in contrast with the coldness and detatchement of the society that simply uses those like the main characters… I cried. And at the end, I felt my heart breaking. Gazing at the horizon – I know that feeling…

Highlights:
Idea + acting

Downside:
It could have used a bit more polishing around a few rough edges.

Would I see it again? – Yes

My Rating (1 to 10): 9.5

Recommended: Yes

Suggestion:
I hope humanity resists THAT level of selfishness…

 

Let Me In

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Image source: Wikimedia

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Year of release: 2010
Director: Matt Reeves
Writers: Matt Reeves (screenplay), John Ajvide Lindqvist (novel and screenplay)
Starring: Chloë Grace Moretz, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Richard Jenkins, Elias Koteas, etc.

For more information on “Let Me In”, visit Wikipedia and/or IMDb

 

General impression:
You can almost label this movie as “sweet”. Unlike other vampire movies (not all of them, just a few), this one is not pathetic, plus, it is simple and clean on all fronts. What is really surprising about it is that, despite blood, killing, and other horrific “traditional” vampire elements, it’s mostly innocent and romantic, about friendship and care between children. Somehow this movie manages to mix it all up and make it work rather nicely. Its strength lies, however, in the great acting talent of Chloë Grace Moretz and Kodi Smit-McPhee – these two kids are truly gifted.

Highlights:
There are no glow-in-the-sun vampires in this movie.

Downside:
Nothing essential.

Would I see it again? – Yes, someday

My Rating (1 to 10): 8.5

Recommended: Yes

Suggestion:
Add it to your “vampire movies worth seeing” list 🙂

 

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

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Image source: Wikimedia

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Year of release: 2010
Director: Mike Newell
Writers: Boaz Yakin, Doug Miro, Carlo Bernard (screenplay), Jordan Mechner (story)
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Gemma Arterton, Ben Kingsley, etc.

For more information on “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time”, visit Wikipedia and/or IMDb

 

General impression:
For a movie based on a video game, it’s pretty decent. Silly, but entertaining with some nice visuals. The funny thing is that there are pretentious movies inferior to this Disney product. It’s not brilliant or profound, only a regular commercial movie respecting the industry’s standards, complete with absurdities like the gratuitous transformation of the female protagonist – Gemma Arterton is (more or less) unrecognizable… just because. Of course, the script is not the strong point of this flick. It’s not the first time I notice that, sometimes, when a script is written by three or more people, it is mediocre (at best). But, hey, who says that all scripts must provide more than paychecks for their writers 😉

Highlights:
It’s an excuse for eating popcorn! 😀

Downside:
Don’t worry about that, just have your popcorn 🙂

Would I see it again? – No

My Rating (1 to 10): 6.5

Recommended: Once, for entertainment, why not?

Suggestion:
If it bores you, you can safely stop watching it.

 

Vampires Suck

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Image source: Wikimedia

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Year of release: 2010
Directors: Jason Friedberg, Aaron Seltzer
Writers: Jason Friedberg, Aaron Seltzer
Starring: Jenn Proske, Matt Lanter, etc.

For more information on “Vampires Suck”, visit Wikipedia and/or IMDb

 

General impression:
There is only one reason for this post – I wanted to say this: it’s NOT worse than “Twilight” (or the following movies in the series)! In fact, it’s more entertaining, even wittier (!!!), and the actors seem to actually have a sense of humor. Oh, it’s pretty much a daft comedy 😀

Highlights:
A few funny gags. Not to mention that it highlights a lot of the flaws in the Twilight series 🙂

Downside:
A few (unfunny) gags that resemble all other movies in this particular genre (silly comedies).

Would I see it again? – I’m OK if I don’t. I’m OK if I do 🙂

My Rating (1 to 10): 5

Recommended: Yes 😀

Suggestion:
If you haven’t seen the movies in the “Twilight” series, this movie will save you the pain – at least you’ll have some chuckles.

 

Tropa de Elite 2 – O Inimigo Agora é Outro (EN: Elite Squad: The Enemy Within)

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Image source: Wikimedia

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Year of release:2010
Director: José Padilha
Writers: Bráulio Mantovani, José Padilha (story & screenplay), Rodrigo Pimentel (story)
Starring: Wagner Moura, Irandhir Santos, André Ramiro, etc.

For more information on “Tropa de Elite 2 – O Inimigo Agora é Outro (EN: Elite Squad: The Enemy Within)”, visit Wikipedia and/or IMDb

 

General impression:
My jaw fell a bit, despite seeing the 2007 prequel, “Tropa de Elite” (EN:”The Elite Squad”), and being familiar with the characters and the story. The 2010 movie manages to present the same ideas from the first movie, at a bigger scale. It captures the moment when, after years of dedicated service and painful losses, Lt. Colonel Nascimento realizes his life was sacrificed, without his knowledge or consent, for other people’s agendas. At a deep level, this movie is about two major things: 1. Disposable pawns with the best intentions and the most sincere belief that they are doing the right thing; 2. Opposing parties that, in fact, have the same aspirations and beliefs, but are twisted into thinking they stand for different values, just because they’re on different sides of the battlefront.

Highlights:
It works both as crime drama and/or as food for thought.

Downside:
Lots of anger, violence, blood – non-gratuitous, but still unpleasant.

Would I see it again? – Not soon, but yes, I would.

My Rating (1 to 10): 9

Recommended: Yes

Suggestion:
It helps to see “Tropa de Elite” (EN: “Elite Squad”) first.

 

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