Audience Member
It was interesting to a point. The subject of child upbringing in a kibbutz was alien and kind of shocking as I had never learned of it until seeing the film. While the subject was interesting, as a filmed fictional story it was simply dull and uninvolving. There is no discernible plot and the acting is basic. It is possible that the translation and dubbing from Hebrew to English is poor, but other than as a revelation of a society from a different time and place, there is not much to recommend in this as a movie. Viewed from the lens of today, some of what goes on is quite creepy.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
02/20/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Well, actually, the very interesting, the kinda interesting but not exactly great, and the downright horrible.
First, the downright horrible.
[b][size=5]Succubus[/size][/b]
Directed by: Jesus Franco
[img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/movie/coverv/45/132945.jpg[/img]
I've been on a euro-trash kick. The more I think about the film that got me on it, 'Night of the Hunted' the more I like it. It's not a great film, but it's really got a unique feel to it and I like it. Zombie was pretty good, at least something a horror geek like me liked. Zombie Lake was terrible, but it had the so-bad-it's-good factor to it.
And then there is this one. This one wasn't good. It wasn't so bad it's good. It was just bad, in the sense that it wasn't scary, it wasn't funny intentionally or otherwise, it wasn't sexy, it wasn't unique, it wasn't anything. It was just dull, lifeless, and stupid. It had nudity, a fair amount of it, and I've been more aroused by cold shower.
I'll be honest, I watched the first 25 minutes of this, and then I logged on to my computer and goofed off and kinda looked at on and off again till it was over. That was more then enough for me.
I did kinda like the 'dream castle' shots. That's why it doesn't get a 0.
Anyhow, this might have ended my euro-horror-trash kick for a while unless someone else wants to reccomend one, because the last two I've seen really don't make me wanna see more.
Anyhow, hey, I get to add a new country:
[b][size=4]Isreal:
[size=5]Boy Takes Girl
[/size][/size][/b][size=4][size=5][size=2]Directed by: Michael Bat-Adam[/size]
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[img]http://i8.ebayimg.com/03/i/03/43/66/32_2.JPG[/img]
(sorry, only picture I could find, it's rare and oop)
This film has some good elements. It does show at least part of what it is like to live in a 'kibbutz'. For those of you who don't know, a kbbutz is a way of living in isreal that is the closest form of pure socialism, at least in the theoritical sense, in existence. They are also more successful then most socialistic enterprises, although from what I know, all of them end up being government subsidized to at least some degree.
It's about a girl of about 10 who is left at a kibbutz while her family goes and does work in a foreign country (Indonisia? I forget). It's a radical departure from what she is use to. She has to share a room with other girls, and boys, as well as shower with them both! I'm not sure if that's a realistic description of how kibbutz life works, but I'm guessing it probably is. They have some things in common with hippie communes in the 60's.
Anyhow, some of the things in this movie are definately not part of our culture. While this movie isn't graphic, it shows children discussing sex frankly, as well as a few scenes of them acting out things they have seen (one child saw a man feeling a woman's breasts, and demonstrates with another girl) with other children. I personally didn't find it offensive, actually, I thought it was pretty honest about how children are about such things, but it might shock some. There are definately moments in this film that could get a pedophile worked up. But, from my point of view, us non-pedophiles shouldn't let pedophiles dictate to us what is wrong, because there is never anything exploitive or unnecessarily graphic in this film.
Anyhow, the film has the feel of a children's book. It's wide-eyed, honest, naive, and non-cynical. It ends up being about the conflicts children find themselves in, and love at a very early age.
The lead girl is very good, and so is her character. The problem is that most of the supporting characters arn't well acted, and they arn't terribly interesting. Likewise, the style of the film is very amaturish, not unwatchable, but very void of anything of real value.
I appreciated it's style as far as getting into the mind of a child, it did a decent job with that, but it never managed to do much else.
I'd be very interested in seeing more films about Kibbutz life. This film did get me interested in that, so it isn't a total loss. Perhaps next time will be better.
Anyhow, I have FINALLY SEEN:
[b][size=5]Breaking the Waves
[/size][/b][size=5][size=2]Directed by: Lars Von Trier[/size]
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[img]http://www.astor-theatre.com/images/in-line/postersB/breaking-the-waves-ver1.jpg[/img]
I believe it was in his review of David Lynch's 'Mulholland Dr.' that Roger Ebert said "this time, Lynch didn't shatter the test tubes (with his experiemnt)."
While I like far more of Lynch's work then Ebert does (I dislike only Wild at Heart) I think it fits here. I think 'Dogville' was one of the biggest 'test tube' shattering film I've ever seen. He got so wrapped up in what he was trying to do he ran right over a cliff.
In this case, he stops right at the edge. I don't wholeheartedly love this film, but I cannot deny it's power.
The power of the performances is really exceptional. Emily Watson has never been better. The story, like all of Von Trier's stories, is about the edges of human emotion. He pushes the limits of what I'm going to believe about people every time, but this time, he' manages to stop before he's way out of bounds.
I really don't know how to talk about this movie. I'm going to need to see it again, and think about it a lot more. This certainly is one of the most profoundly disturbing, questioning, and moving films I've seen recently, perhaps ever.
One complaint: The chapter breaks were annoying, and didn't do much but break up the flow of the film from what I could tell.
Other then that, it is a film that you will take or leave. It's grainy and dirty style will either work for you or not, it's dark, disturbing story will either communicate to you or not. It did with me, at least mostly. For now, that's all I'll say.
Rated 2.5/5 Stars •
Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars
01/17/23
Full Review
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