marielladesangelis

Real events translated into images by one of the most powerful filmmakers the world has known since Cecil B De Mille. Spielberg is to admire, really. He keeps his energy in top gear there is no sign of sluggishness in his work. "Munich" in many ways, is his most grown up movie. The characters are fully fleshed out and that is unusual in a Spielberg film. A change that I applaud because that's what I miss most in his movies. Real characters, multi-dimensional. That's why when that is achieved, something memorable follows. Remember Ralph Finnes in "Schindler's List". Here Eric Bana makes us run the gamut of emotions provoking questions in our minds. Who are we rooting for? The answer is clear and yet we fight it. The scene with the bomb, the young girl and the telephone (I won't say more than that) is truly cinematic brilliance. All the sequence in France, although I agree is a part of the puzzle, thought it added unnecessary minutes to an already overlong movie. But that is a tiny criticism to a movie that may very well be consider one of the best in its genre and an almost perfect thriller.

That's why I couldn't find it. The Italian title of "Death Dreams" is (translated) "The Butterfly In The Lake" - Images of the anguishing story of death and life after death kept coming back to me without being able to put a name to those images. I remembered Christopher Reeve in a rather unusual against type kind of role - some consider it one of his best performances and I agree - But it is Marg Helgenberger (C.S.I) that dominates the film. The camera travels through her beautiful face and she's always compelling. She is a widow with a young daughter trying to rebuild her life with her new, wealthy husband (Reeve). We meet them during their first wedding anniversary party and something tell us that dark clouds are moving towards this, potentially, happy nest. I don't know how to explain it but a sense of dread took over me as if I was in a dream I couldn't control. And yet, everything looks so normal. The ending felt a bit rushed, dislocating, that's why I give it an 8 out of 10.