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Showing posts with label Iran. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Iran. Show all posts

Sunday, June 18, 2017

The Salesman (2016) France, Iran

When the realistic right and an emotional wrong collides.






Original title:
Forushande (Persian)


Genre:
Drama, Thriller.


Length:
Approximately 4-minute read.


Review:
     This is one of the last films I watched as I cleared almost all the titles of this year's Oscars. It is a French-Iranian co-production, but selected and won the Academy Awards for Iran. From the well know filmmaker of that region whose film had already won the same award in the not so past. I'm not just addicted to Hollywood. I'm a film fanatic because I give equal preference to films of the whole world. So I have seen as many as this year's submission for the Oscars in the category of the Foreign Language Films. And there are lots better films than this, that even did not make into the final five. From my perspective, this is an okay film, even comparing with the rest of the fellow nominees, including that I thought that would win, 'Under Sandet'. The mess is all because of Trump effect, as same reason 'Moonlight' to win the main trophy.

     At least it was not an average film like 'A Separation', though not a masterpiece like 'The Past' that did not even nominated for the Oscars. It stands between them. The title name is not exactly relevant to the story. But it helped to extend the plot for an extra 20-30 minutes. An unnecessary subplot, which really were the boring parts. Or you can say, just to attract the western audience with their ingredient and that worked out as planned for the filmmakers. Except those theatre portions, the rest of the film and its storyline looked like I was watching a French thriller.

     It is about a young couple who are forced to relocate to another house after their apartment building was declared not safe anymore for some kind of construction taking place in the nieghbourhood which is affecting it. The man is managing his job at a school as a teacher and the remaining time as a theatre artist along with his wife. The life was as usual, till one day something bad happens to his wife at home in his absence. Now he's raged to find the culprit, but once if he did what happens and how the story ends was the another twist.

 It's obvious you're not the one who found your wife the other day, otherwise you wouldn't say that. 

     It was a very slow start. I mean the opening scene was like racy. And then following, it slowed to build the momentum. That does not mean the characters were developed so well. It only moves forward with constructing what are all needed for later parts. Once it enters the third act, the scenario changes. It looked like another film, another genre. Too tense moment and tight plot for the grand finale. Yep, that is the part makes this film to forget everything you saw in the earlier.

     Whatever happened in that part, I felt it was right, though I think culturally it differs the outcome. I mean, that's not philosophically the Iran we know or the religion they worship. You can say the western films badly portrayed them in their films, but if you look at their history, the film ending was shocking. So I thought, the end chaos was for among themselves. If the outsiders (westerners) were involved, it would have been a differently dealt.

     Very good performances. But not perfectly written screenplay as I pointed out a few things in the earlier paragraphs. And another thing was, the character, particularly the mysterious one, I was not satisfied how it had been developed. He enters the frame only at the last moment. The narration was very suspense and a bit thriller, but then all the sudden everything comes crumbling down since the end was very near to cease the procession. My point is, how that X man was netted does not make sense in reality. Being a film, it has no problem at all.

     So, it was a good film, but not as good as it was praised or won the Oscars. Yeah, definitely worth a watch. The setting was very good, except the ending, as the opinion differs from people to people and the amount of damage on how to deal with such situation. Overall, a little good message at the end, but not exactly a moral message as it brings more destruction towards the GOOD over the BAD which always win with a strong sentimental grip, no matter whoever involved in it.



Suitable for:
Tween, Teen, Adult, All


Final verdict:
Ignore, Bad, Average, Good, Excellent


Similar movies:
Elle, A Separation, The Past, Toni Erdmann, I Daniel Blake, Manchester by the Sea.


External link(s):



WCA geolocation:
Right now we're in

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Taxi (2015) Iran

Roaming around Tehran in a taxi for 80 minutes.






Original title:
Taxi Teheran (Persian)


Genre:
Comedy, Drama.


Length:
Approximately 5-minute read.


Review:
     This is one of the unique film, and the filmmaking I have seen. It is a docudrama, starred and directed by Jafar Panahi. It is my first film of his and I'm very impressed. I also learnt he was banned from making movies and to leave the country since last 5 years. But he took all the legal route possible to keep making them, and this movie is the result of it. He had made a couple of them before this, but with this he came outdoors to capture the streets of the Iranian capital.

     This movie entirely set in a taxi, well, the cameras never leaves the car, but car roams around the city, Tehran. A real time movie that runs for nearly 80 minutes. There's no open or the end credits other than the title texts and some statements. The story was very interesting, that I don't know whether it was scripted or factual, but the planning was so good to shoot it in a low profile.

     All the actors except the director were non pros. That definitely needs a loud applaud, because the outcome tells the quality of their exhibition. It gives a glimpse of the life as a taxi driver who sees the city through his eyes and meets the people. Some scenes were extremely funny, some were dark humours and some were thoughtful. Each time when a new character enters the frame, a new topic has brought with them and discussed, that mean the movie is totally engaging with a variety that keeps you hooked till the final.

 We already have the world record of hangings after China. 

     I think the end was very smart, because of that kind of conclusion and no post-production credits, I thought that's how the archives were smuggled out of the country and made it ready. But no one knows the truth how it all has been done, otherwise Jafar Panahi would have landed in a trouble. A rare gem and one of the best of 2015 that you must try it if you are a film fanatic.

     Initially, I mean before decide to watch it, I was not sure it will reach my expectations. When I sat for it, the experience was different and now I am extremely happy for giving it a try. Opinion might vary about the film, but the effort must be appreciated. Especially in a circumstance where the filmmaker has everything against him, I meant legally, but came strong in what he believes is his passion. That is inspiring and also for a risk he has taken really paid off.

     It won a few Internation Filmfare awards and that's how I actually came to know about this. I'm positive this film won't disappoint you as well, well, if you are not looking for twists and turns like an intelligent or a big budget film. As I said, I could have not asked a better than this, a very simple yet entertaining movie.



Suitable for:
Tween, Teen, Adult, All


Final verdict:
Ignore, Bad, Average, Good, Excellent


Similar movies:
Locke, Vehicle 19, Before Sunrise Trilogy, 12 Angry Men, Venus in Fur, Nightingale.


External link(s):
      


WCA geolocation:
Right now we're in

Sunday, March 9, 2014

Rhino Season (2012) Iran | Turkey

The story of a man who is looking for his lost family.



Drama

Tagline:
False Kargadam (Farsi)


Review:
     It is obvious why Monica Bellucci was hired to play a prominent role in Bahman Ghobadi's latest flick. Local (middle-east) stars won't dare to show their skin in front of the camera, it may end in controversy like Lebanese skier caused controversy over topless photo during the Sochi winter Olympics. Though adding the major Italian star who is known very well to the world made the movie to strike stronger.

     I don't know I felt I knew this story well from somewhere. At least it looked very similar to other movies I had seen beside divergent characters. Like the movie 'Oldboy' this movie depicts an old man who was away for a long time who enters the familiar but changed society in search of his lost family.

     They say it was loosely based on the story of a real person, but I feel it is fiction because real people won't behave like the character from this movie. Anything might be possible, but this movie was lacking in either character or story development. The cinematography was awesome, it had a pleasant frame tone with greenish-gray.

     The director thought to bring more artistic effect by adding inappropriate scenes to the story. There are many scenes where viewers may respond in questions to those parts. In one of the scenes turtle rains and in another a wild rhino hit by a car. It goes on like that, like illusions during illustrate a person.

     It tells the story of a man who is affected by the 1979 Iranian revolution. Yeah, the same revolution that showed the movie 'Argo' but in a different perspective and character. Overall, it was not a movie that I was expecting from Bahman Ghobadi, but still it can be enjoyed by his fans.



Similar movies:
Oldboy, Birth, Changeling, Dirty Pretty Things, Revenge A Love Story


Suitable for:
Tween, Teen, Adult, All


Final verdict:
Ignore, Bad, Average, Good, Excellent

Rhino Season (2012) on IMDb


  • Tween: From age between 7 to 12
  • Teen: From age between 13 to 19
  • Adult: From age above 20
  • Ignore: Not worth watching
  • Bad: Not good but watchable
  • Average: 50-50, choice is always yours
  • Good: great certainly not masterpiece
  • Excellent: A must see, Masterpiece

Sunday, December 1, 2013

A Time for Drunken Horses (2000) Iran

Story of a 12 year old who lead and feeds his family.



Drama | War

Original title:
Zamani Baraye Masti Asbha (Persian)


Review:
      Notably this movie won many awards in the film festivals around the globe. Hard to say it is the director's debuntante product. A tale about the young siblings leading their hard lives where there is no one to look after. The family without the elders guidance trying to fit in the tough society. Theirs earning depending on the illegal business where child labouring is so common, especially in their village. At the early age these kids are behaving equally to the adults like a fully developed mentality. The fight for the normal life in the surround of harsh mother nature where it covered with snows. Kinda rare to see a story that takes place in this part of the earth because most of us believed middle east is a hot desert region.

      'A Time for Drunken Horses' tells the story of an Iranian Kurdish family who live in the village next to Iraq border. Their lives running on the smuggling business by their father. Once he dies 12 year old Ayoub is forced to take over his father's position in order to feed the family. The family is yet to recover from their recent loss but situation worsens when the doctor says their handicapped brother needs an immediate operation. Auoub begins to work hard to earn enough toman but in the end he falls short and then his sister come to help. How this struggling family without the parents and with a inexperienced leader leads to the right direction is the rest of the story.

      The director Ghobadi used the non professional child actors in this 80 minute short tale. Where he succeeds to deliver the surreal drama of his country's domestic problems faced by the poor families. The title represents the horses that used for the smuggling. In some part of the story where they feed alcohol for the horses and especially in the end scene it was unbearable to see animal cruelty. It looked surreal and made uncomfortable to watch. On the other side the young boy's battle for his brother's life was endurable. In the end the movie will easily win your heart.



Similar movies:
Mommo, Treeless Mountain, Children of Invention


Suitable for:
Tween, Teen, Adult, All


Final verdict:
Ignore, Bad, Average, Good, Excellent

A Time for Drunken Horses (2000) on IMDb


  • Tween: From age between 7 to 12
  • Teen: From age between 13 to 19
  • Adult: From age above 20
  • Ignore: Not worth watching
  • Bad: Not good but watchable
  • Average: 50-50, choice is always yours
  • Good: great certainly not masterpiece
  • Excellent: A must see, Masterpiece