robsworld

Do yourself a favor. Don't watch a trailer for this movie. The trailer is a spoiler, and I'll do my best not to repeat that mistake. Set in France. Starring French and Georgian actors. This movie is a powerful tale (in black and white) of desperation, risk and deadly consequences. An immigrant worker (an unremarkable man with ordinary ambitions) overhears a conversation about some risky business, with the possibility of a high payoff. In a twist of fate, he takes someone else's place in a mysterious gambit, and places himself in great danger for the chance to collect on a huge payoff. When the stakes turn out to be higher than he expected, there's no escape from this deadly game. An incredibly tense thriller, superbly paced and acted. The writing was excellent. Tight, taught and well thought out. Written and directed by Géla Babluani, this director did a fantastic job of moving writing into realization using this film. I'll be on the look-out for more by this talented man.

An incredibly raw story, of love and abuse. I had a difficult time watching this heart wrenching movie. The story is one of a small boy who's pulled out of a loving foster home by his natural mother. In the years that follow, the boy endures years of abuse (physical, mental, sexual), drugs, violence and the cruelty of a harsh real world, all for the sake of love. A disturbing plunge into the icy depths of depravity, delusion and despair. The boys mother is damaged goods, who is desperately looking for the same thing the boy craves. The acting, camera work and directing were outstanding, but the subject matter was dark, depressing and demented. I doubt I have the courage to watch this again.

A short documentary about the New York, 'No Wave' music scene. Bridging past and present, this movie starts out well, and the interviews with some of the older artists were great. Truthful, unpretentious, no holds barred. What was 'No Wave?' A musical movement that grew out of Punk Rock. Was it Punk Rock? Well, sort of, but not really. It was/is a more artistic expression, more of an experimental ethic. Unconventional to be sure, but the association by sound (with Punk) isn't as strong as the ethic (revolutionary). This documentary was obviously trying to show the continuation of this ethic, from past to present. I think it would have been better served as a focus on the roots of this movement, as the connection to the current music scene (up to 2004), paints the current group as more concerned with commercial aspects of their success, than they are with an honest expression of their own music. I like the way they let the artists tell the story, but some of the footage was a bit rough (poor quality), and then there was the totally unnecessary scene depicting oral sex?! What the? Why was that in there? In the end, it was a part of my past that really enjoyed this movie.