ninoguapo

Abandoned also known as Torzok is a powerful movie. It was made in Hungary and is a fine example of the East European cinema. Its director Árpád Sopsits shows the reality of a reformatory school during a communist regime in the country. He uses the yellow color to separate the dream like scenes from the rest - this color technique is later used in the movie Traffic. The movie portrays the harsh reality of the live in Hungary from that time because it is actually based on the writer/director's own childhood.

The main character is Áron - a boy send to a reformatory school not because he has some something , but because his mother is sick and the father does not want to take care of his son. Once in the school Áron has to face the initial hostility of the lands there towards the newcomers - including beatings and hard words .He manages to survive through all those harsh moments and is soon accepted and befriended by the boys from the school.

The actors in the movies are exceptionally talented despite their young age and the characters they portray come to live - each with its own uniqueness. The overall atmosphere is dark and the movie can be considered as hard to watch by anyone - probably the only one witch harsher atmosphere on a similar topic was in the movie Song for a raggy boy . The few moments of hope which the viewers can observe are directly related to the friendship between Aron and another student Attila as well as the one with his melancholic teacher Gálffi - who seems to be the only teacher from the reformatory school who cares of his students and opposes even the despotic director of the institution.

Some of the scenes are really cruel - in one of them one of the teachers makes few boys to beat a friend of theirs themselves because he prayed to God - which was forbidden during the communist years. The cruelty in which the boys in the school are treated is awful and I do not buy the statement of their directors - that this is the only way to prepare them for the reality outside .

The soundtrack is very powerful -classic music mostly - a bit of melancholic as well - it really contributes to the overall atmosphere.

Not only this is a good coming of age movie – but when it finished I had to question myself who actually learned more – Bobby Garfield or me. I felt inspired – somehow I was able to relate a lot of the experience of the boy to my own when I was his age and am wondering now if other people who have seen "Hearts of Atlantis "would feel the same way? Take only this quote that refers to the first kiss for example: It will be the kiss by which all others in your life will be judged… and found wanting.

Or that one: Why do we always expect home to stay the same? Nothing else does.

Before seeing the opening credits I did not know that the movie is based on a book by Stephen King. He is one of my favourite writers and he has that talent not only for horrors but and for coming of age stories – just take "Stand by me", "Silver bullet ", "IT "and many, many others.

"Hearts of Atlantis " has crates a unique atmosphere – real one – soon after I started watching it I associate myself with the some characters and somehow knew what the others think – not that am a medium myself – but one can really trace the development of the personages . The acting, the cinematography, the story itself – even the soundtrack itself – were exceptionally good - the ending songs still echoes in my mind. (I remember hearing it in another movie as well) The friendship between the 11 years old Bobby Garfield and Ted Brautigan -the much older stranger that rents an apartment in his house seems to be growing stronger and stronger and stronger. Ted (played remarkably well by Anthony Hopkins) is becoming a role model for Bobby and has such a huge influence on his life that the boys remember their friendship even when he becomes almost as old as his friend once was. ( official web site )

Much more than another coming of age movie – Ciske the rat is a fine example of the Dutch cinema. If you are found of the treble music you will definitely notice the song at the beginning performed by the Danny De Munk (famous singer from Netherlands) who plays the role of the troubled young lad – Ciske.

The childhood of Ciske in not easy – his father is sailing away and his mother does not really care about him. With rebellious spirit the young Ciske spends most of his time on the streets of Amsterdam. No one pays attention to the lonely boy. Trying to cope with the harsh live and attract some love and sympathy he has troubles with the law and even spends some time in prison. I really admired the way he protected himself there – if only all people were as strong as he turned out to be. Ciske has generous heart and when his teacher notices that he tries to help the young lad to take the right path.

Ciske the Rat is powerful and graphically brutal drama which is sure to leave a long lasting impression to anyone who had a chance to see it. I truly enjoyed watching it and highly recommend it.