login | register
0 rankings
more

Yiannos

Cinema Addict - 1097 Rankings

Member Since: Jul 7, 2014

Bio: I love film and rate according to genre and/or a director's body of work.

more Recent Rankings
65 T6 At the Circus (1939) - Aug 23, 2017
"It's well accepted that A.T.C is not prime Marx Brothers, marking the beginning of their decline. The script is clearly inferior material, and Buzzell lacks Woods' sense of comic timing, which reduces the potential of already fine scenes like the humorous badge exchange. The young lovers are milquetoast and a gorilla really has no place in their films. On the plus side, the scene in the midget's house is hilarious, and Groucho's performance of Lydia The Tattooed Lady is rightly revered."
80 T9 Certified Copy (2010) - Aug 20, 2017
"(Viewed on 15/02/13): With shades of Voyage To Italy and Last Year At Marienbad, Certified Copy does give the initial impression of a conventional European art film box ticking exercise, but its thematic concerns regarding truth and the problem of representation are deeply embedded and connect it to many of Kiarostami's key works. Binoche once again demonstrates that she is arguably the best actress on the planet, and the elegant enigma at its core slowly unfurls in tantalising waves."
83 T10 The Gospel According to St. Matthew (1964) - Aug 20, 2017
"(Viewed on 22/04/14): "
93 T10 Au hasard Balthazar (1966) - Aug 20, 2017
"Has there ever been a more moving death scene in film history? I doubt it. The devastating emotional impact of Bresson's masterpiece resists the often stultifying effects of canonization which enables A.H.B to transcend being a museum piece that you watch out of obligation. No other film explores the depths of human cruelty with such compassion and clarity, and his stark view of the world finds its most profound expression in this story of a helpless donkey's mistreatment. Essential."
58 T4 Minnâ-yatteruka! (1995) - Aug 20, 2017
"(Viewed on 22/12/10): It's well established that comedy doesn't travel as well as other genres. Asian comedies often strike Westerners as being downright weird, and M-y certainly fits the bill. It's a virtually plotless episodic sexcapade that satirizes courtship rituals in modern Japan and contains a countless number of references to Japanese popular culture which mostly eluded this viewer. It's better than his other comedies thanks to a handful of outrageous scenes and bizarre sight gags."
88 T10 Stalker (1979) - Aug 19, 2017
"Tarkovsky's use of longshots have a deeply hypnotic effect, creating a singular aesthetic universe that's richly atmospheric and mysterious with a hint of the miraculous. Stalker's stunning delapidated setting reflects intense psychological states, and there are three masterful scenes that are impossible to shake: the long ride to the Zone, a walk through a dimly lit tunnel, and the partial reveal of the room. The innovative sound design evocatively blurs the line between nature and industry."
60 T4 Teorema (1968) - Aug 19, 2017
"(28/06/11): Teorema is formally less 'naturalistic' than usual, with Pasolini adopting a more conventional 'arthouse' style that was somewhat typical in the post-L'avventura film world of the late 60's. Nonetheless, he creates a few memorable scenes, especially involving Stamp as the mysterious seducer turning a wealthy family's life upside down. It's as subtle as a sledgehammer and probably should have been a comedy, but it's an interesting, if obviously dated, bourgeois bash."
80 T9 Accattone (1961) - Aug 19, 2017
"(Viewed on 19/05/13): If you want to see where Scorsese got the idea to film Raging Bull as an operatic tragedy about a complete asshole, look no further than Accattone, but unlike LaMotta, Accattone is framed as a victim of his miserable economic circumstances, forcing him to lead a life that's less than noble. Citti is superb as Accattone, eliciting both disgust and sympathy in a difficult role, and it was a fine debut from Pasolini that is superior to his largely overrated late color works."
73 T7 The Hawks and the Sparrows (1966) - Aug 19, 2017
"(Viewed on 1/06/13): Supposedly Pasolini didn't intend to make a 'real' comedy, which is just odd given the casting of Toto and the sheer amount of slapstick gags. But Pasolini was a contrarian and a bit of a weirdo, so it's probably best to disregard his words and appreciate it for what it is: a daring digression from the norm that merges Fellini, Chaplin, Keaton and Marx into one wildly irreverent whole. Not all of the scenes work, but Toto and Davoli's exuberance makes it worthwhile."
65 T6 Room Service (1938) - Aug 19, 2017
"R.S is one of the least regarded Marx Brothers' films and it's largely due to it being an adaptation of material not written for them, in addition to being too restricted in terms of its general staging, which was a big step down after their lavish MGM productions containing multiple dynamic locations. The action is limited to a hotel room, and it lacks the frenetic pacing of their Universal films to get away with such a skeletal setting. There are several funny moments but no classic ones."