Monday, September 30, 2013

True Nature



True Nature
I found the movie to be suspenseful, although I guessed the outcome half way through. It was a movie that could be called "supernatural", but basically it was about the corruption of the soul. Nothing hair raising, just a character study of a well to do family that was bankrupt where it counts the most. Some family members were rather nasty. The acting was pretty good, but I would not actually buy the movie. Renting it was the best choice for me anyway.

A DISH SERVED LUKE WARM
TRUE NATURE ---a really weak title by the way --- is a slow moving tale of retribution that ultimately suffers from its lethargy and predictability.
In a rather condensed nutshell, the plot follows a young girl who vanishes one night and shows uo a year later, not knowing where she's been. Thanks to some early hints, it's fairly obvious where the movie's heading. The sole recognizable actor is Law & Order;s Dr. Olivet (Carolyn McCormick) who plays the victim's over-protective mother. The overall performances are typical of this kind of flick and it does manage to hold your attention although its abrupt predictable ending is disappointing. Rent, don't buy!

THE ART OF THE SLOW BURN
I've commented before about what I call the MTV generation. This is a group of film goers who have no patience when it comes to movies. They want the information thrown at them immediately, they want it NOW! Because of this attitude they don't have time for movies that offer what I call the slow burn. These are films that give you pieces of the story, that take their time in allowing you to absorb what is going on rather than just rush into it in the first 5 minutes of the movie. The best thing about these movies is that when done well they are quite enjoyable.

Consider the films of Hitchcock. Even in a film like PSYCHO, his most popular film, you don't have the true gist of the story until 30 minutes into the film. You get glimpses of what is to come, you get set up for what is going to come, and you get involved with the characters. He did this in most of his films. Alas I don't think today's generation would have the patience to sit through an entire Hitchcock film...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Day of the Falcon



3.5 stars... ambitious but uneven movie
Imagine my surprise when this past weekend, out of the blue, this movie appeared (on a single screen) in the theatre here in Cincinnati, almost a year and a half after it was first released in Europe. I figured this would not be playing very long, and went ahead and saw it.

"Day of the Falcon" (2011 release from France/Qatar; 130 min.) is also known as "Black Gold" in certain markets. The epic desert-and-oil story is set in the 1930s in a fictional Middle East area where two tribes are dealing differently with the unexpected windfalls of crude oil discoveries. As the movie opens, we see how, in order to preserve peace, the Amar tribe leader sends off his two young sons to live with the rival Nesib tribe leader, with an additional agreed "no-man's land" area called the Yellow Belt between the two tribes. Skip 15 years forward and we now see the sons are grown men, and a Texas oil company strikes it big in the Yellow Belt and approaches the two rivaling tribes. The Nesib...

A Great Epic!
This review does contain spoilers!

I was fortunate enough to receive a copy of this film to review. Day of the Falcon is a "well-oiled machine" that moves along fairly fast given the 130 minute run time. Within this movie, you can expect to see some romance, action, betrayal, and violence. This movie pretty much gives you all the drama you crave and can handle.

Day of the Falcon takes place in the early 20th Century in the deserts of the Arabian Peninsula, which are divided by feuding tribes and where there is basically no loyalty. It starts out with a meeting between two tribe leaders, Emir Nesib (Antonio Banderas) and Sultan Amar (Mark Strong) making peace after a battle between the two, which Nesib won. Nesib has Sultan hand over his two sons, Auda and Saleh, to make sure he will not battle against him again and they both promised the area of that land would not be claimed by either tribe.

The film then progresses in time and an American named,...

An Old-Fashioned Action/Adventure Epic
DAY OF THE FALCON is an old-fashioned action/adventure epic that evokes memories of LAWRENCE OF ARABIA.

Directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud, the film is set in the Middle East during the early part of the twentieth century when oil is discovered in a "no man's land" that divides two warring tribes. The forward-thinking ruler of one tribe (Antonio Banderas) embraces the finding, realizing that the accompanying wealth can help his people, while the other sultan (Mark Strong) despises any influence from the outside, modern world, claiming that such amenities are against the Koran. War is re-ignited, and the principal player in the conflict turns out to be the studious son of Strong (Tahar Rahim), who is now also the son-in-law of Banderas, having married his daughter, played by Freida Pinto.

DAY OF THE FALCON is a handsome, well-directed picture, filled with exciting action sequences and beautifully photographed desert vistas. The story is certainly involving, and...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Down The Shore



Childhood Scars, Adult Disambiguation
DOWN THE SHORE is one of those little sensitive films that seems like it is lightweight until the secrets of the story begin to leak. It is a film about thwarted human relations that have a core of ill-define tragic misconceptions. It is well written (by Sandra Jennings), well directed (by Harold Guskin) and happens to provide a showcase for some inordinately gifted actors who usually are not given the attention they deserve.

The film opens in Paris where a handsome Jacques (the very impressive Italian actor Edoardo Costa) is cranking a carousel for children in a little park. Observing him is a winsome Susan (Maria Dizzia) who speaks no French but in a rare moment of instant chemical gaze we can see that she and Jacques connect. Susan hires Jacques to be her guide while she is in Paris - and then we see them no more. The scene changes to 3 months later when Jacques comes to Susan's home in New Jersey, meets her brother Bailey (a brilliant role for James Gandolfini),...

James Gandolfini plays another "Jersey Guy", but way different from Tony Soprano. Nice small film
This small independent film puts Sopranos' star James Gandolfini back in northern New Jersey in a small seaside resort town (which is never identified by name.) This time he is not a gangster but a single guy, who once had a high school sweetheart (the girl who, literally, lived next door) but she married one of his "best friends". He now runs the train ride in the small amusement park owned by that "friend". When his sister goes off to Paris and doesn't come back he is forlorn until a man from France comes to visit him and ends up changing his life forever. To tell you any more would spoil the surprises and drama that seep out slowing in the 93 minute film. Gandolfini gets a lot of screen time and his range of emotions is well chosen. The rest of the cast is excellent two including actress Famke Janssen (X-men) as the former girlfriend, now the mother of a developmentally disabled teenager.
I'm sure this film played very few theaters but it's the kind of film that's great to...

More From The Jersey Shore: Good Performances Distinguish This Downbeat Character Piece
Maybe it's just me, but the Garden State always seems to be the setting for downbeat family dramas. "Down The Shore" is just one more example of desperate souls living in disappointment and regret as the world they knew crumbles around them. If you watch a lot of indie films, you will instantly recognize the template that characterizes many of these stories. Therefore, I was initially wary of "Down The Shore." I was afraid it wasn't going to be able to offer me anything new. And in many ways, it didn't. As the movie progresses, dark secrets are revealed, old passions are rekindled, and new betrayals are uncovered. Three childhood friends (James Gandolfini, Famke Janssen, and Joe Pope) are at the center of this tale. Their lives will come crashing down around them on deserted Jersey beaches and dilapidated boardwalk amusement parks. And yet, due to the grounded performances, I was won over by the film's intimacy and sadness.

Gandolfini plays a down-on-his luck amusement...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Christmas Child [HD]



Heartwarming Christmas Story
Just in time for the holidays, Christmas Child is a return to those heartwarming Christmas movies that we grew up loving. William Moses plays journalist Jack Davenport and Megan Fellows portrays his wife Meg. The movie takes us through their marriage struggles during the holidays as Jack seeks to find his roots after the death of his father. Both actors come across as genuine and engaging. Steven Curtis Chapman is surprsingly good in his role as Pastor Curtis. Although shot in Oklahoma, a timely snow in Tulsa makes for a convincing portrayal of the Chicago scenes.

With the recent onslaught of zany Christmas comedies and off-the-wall perspectives on the holiday, Christmas Child provides a more traditional and yet entertaining Christmas story. Best of all, this a movie you can watch with the kids without having to hit the mute button or explain adult humor. A movie that all ages should enjoy.

retracing the past for a meaninful future
An updating of Max Lucado's book "A Christmas Cross", this film is about a successful Chicago journalist, whose marriage is at a breaking point as he is about to celebrate both his 40th birthday and Christmas; he is sent away during the Holidays to Texas for a story, and there reflects on his life and its meaning.
There is a lot in this film about adopted children, and the parents who take them into their hearts.
The film has some nice music as well, and the Christmas show is laugh-out-loud hilarious, with children that will capture your heart.

William Moses is convincing as Jack Davenport, Megan Fellows plays his wife Meg, who feels shut out of his life, and singer/songwriter Steven Curtis Chapman plays Pastor Curtis, who reaches out to Jack with warmth and Christian love; Vicky Taylor Smith (Naomi) and Muse Watson (Jimmy) are among the excellent supporting cast.
A small and unpretentious film that was shot mostly in Oklahoma in 3 weeks, its simplicity is...

A heart warming story
I saw this video surfing through Amazon, and decided to buy it. I am a big fan of Christmas in general and especially the movies. I read other reviews about Jack being a jerk and this a dull movie. I thought completly otherwise. For someone who has ever lost a family member would know what this character is feeling. He is having a difficult time dealing with the passing of his adopted father. He seeks answers from his home town. He is a typical man that does not want to speak about his feelings with his wife and is why he kind of closes off to her. Both my two children are adopted and I often wonder if they will have the same feelings as Jack did. I knew he would eventually seek the comfort from his wife, but it was in his time to do so. The ending was very emotional for me when he finally finds some answers and I was very touched by the ending. I really enjoyed this movie and was glad I purchased it and would definately watch it again. The other characters in the movie...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Bangkok Revenge



Bad English and random transvestites
In "Bangkok Revenge," a young boy witnesses his parents get shot to death by a group of masked men. He unmasks one of them and sees his face. The man shoots the boy in the temple because of it. The boy fights to survive (and struggles against logic) and somehow perseveres despite those same men attempting to finish the job. He's raised and trained by a master of Muay Thai boxing, but the trauma to his brain has removed any sign of human emotion in the boy. 20 years pass and the boy named Manit has grown into a man (played by Jon Foo). Absent of emotion, Manit is a martial arts monster and his sole objective is to plow through anyone who gets in the way of finding those that wronged him all those years ago.

A guy shoots a little boy in the head at point blank and somehow that kid doesn't die? Life support or not, the exit wound on the other side of that kid's head should be the size of a jawbreaker. The nurse caring for young Manit takes him from the hospital because bad men...

"I believe I have fallen into the hands of the most tasteless killers in Bangkok"
Jon Foo's a good guy among the gen-x of action films, and more than anybody else, I get the impression that he's trying hard to make the most of his career and to impress people. His first starring vehicle, Tekken, was a mixed bag nevertheless highlighted by his martial performance, and his second solo outing, "Bangkok Adrenaline" here, is very similar in this equation. However, because this one has few stars in it besides him and no franchise to back it up, I believe that it's doomed to languish facelessly on the shelves of video stores. It's no help that other viewers may well judge it more harshly than I do, because while fun, this one's far from the perfect picture.

The story: after the childhood assassination of his parents leaves him impervious to pain and emotion, a fully-grown and fully-trained Manit (Foo) finds himself on his way to avenge the deaths of his mother and father at the hands of...

(2.5 stars) "Bangkok Revenge" resembles an '80s martial arts film. Plenty of action, uneven pacing, bad acting, corny humor..
Actor turned filmmaker Jean-Marc Mineo had worked on action his share of acting films. From working on films such as ""Femme Fatale" to coordinating action on TV series such as "The Spear of Destiny", Mineo has crafted his first martial arts film titled "Bangkok Revenge".

Starring Jon Foo ("Tekken", "Street Fighter: Legacy", "Universal Soldier: Regeneration"), Caroline Ducey ("The Soul Keeper", "Romance", "Handicap") and Michael Cohen, "Bangkok Revenge" will be released on Blu-ray and DVD in March 2013 courtesy of Well Go USA Entertainment.

VIDEO:

"Bangkok Revenge" is presented in 1080p High Definition (16:9 widescreen). For the most part, the film does look very good, especially since many shots are outdoors. Despite being a low-budget film, the film looks good on Blu-ray. Skintones are natural, I expected so major noise through the more darkened scenes but nothing terrible was noticeable nor did I see any significant artifacts or aliasing...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Love in the Buff



Nice follow up
This was a cute follow up to the original. The chemistry between them is great and I love seeing Miriam on camera.





Click to Editorial Reviews

The Broken Tower [HD]



A Filmmaking Experiment That Employs Interesting Techniques, But Leaves Its Central Subject Largely Unexplored
I am confident that many people who will review James Franco's "The Broken Tower" will declare it a cinematic marvel. I am equally sure that its detractors will call it an incomprehensible mess. This self-consciously arty exploration of the life and work of poet Hart Crane seems destined to divide its audience, and I suspect reactions will be intense and passionate. I guess I'll straddle the middle ground somewhat and call "The Broken Tower" an interesting experiment. Of course, if you are a fervent Franco fan--you will undoubtedly seek out this project as he is its star, director and writer. Its appeal to others, however, may be considerably more limited. On the one hand, the film's visual aesthetic is undeniably arresting. Franco borrows techniques from many of the masters in developing the film's beautiful black-and-white palette and sets up interesting and unconventional shots. From a technical standpoint, the film has a lot going for it. On the other hand, the film is notably...

A Brave Little Film that Finds a New Way of Communicating
THE BROKEN TOWER will likely never be on the list of best films made, so why award it five stars? Because this very fine art piece is the result of the devotion of James Franco to his craft. He worked directly with Boston College professor Paul Mariani, the author of a half dozen volumes of poetry, as well as several biographies of 20th-century American poets, including William Carlos Williams, John Berryman, and Robert Lowell: Franco based THE BROKEN TOWER on Mariani's similarly titled 2000 biography of Crane.

The subject of the film is the life and creative genius of Hart Crane, (July 21, 1899 - April 27, 1932) an American poet who found both inspiration and provocation in the poetry of T. S. Eliot, Crane wrote modernist poetry that is difficult, highly stylized, and very ambitious in its scope. In his most ambitious work, The Bridge, Crane sought to write an epic poem in the vein of The Waste Land that expressed something more sincere and optimistic than the ironic...

James Franco's impression of what Hart Crane was like
I must confess that I ordered The Broken Tower for the wrong reason, because I read that James Franco did something in it that gay men do all the time but non-porn actors NEVER do on film, even openly gay actors in flagrantly gay movies. That bit was kind of a bust, but I ended up liking the movie anyway, for less sleazy reasons.

I know next to nothing about Hart Crane, and I don't know a lot more after having watched this movie. It's not a biography by any means. My best guess would be that it's James Franco's impression of what Crane was like, and that's what makes it interesting.

It's oddly directed, with very many long, handheld, extreme closeups, filmed from about chest-level, of Franco (as Crane) walking the streets of various cities, usually looking up from just under his chin, but sometimes looking at the back of his head. That motif repeats often.

At least 70% of the spoken lines in the movie are Franco (always as Crane) reading Crane's...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Sunday, September 29, 2013

A Turtle's Tale 2: Sammy's Escape From Paradise [HD]



A Turtle's Tale 2 Rocks! A beautiful adventure for the whole family.
My family truly enjoyed the first A Turtle's Tale, so we were very excited to watch this sequel. A Turtle's Tale 2: Sammy's Escape from Paradise has many of the same lessons as in the first story, that teach children about sealife, caring for the environment, teamwork and friendships. In this story Sammy and Ray are now much older and the adventure includes their adorable grandkids named Ricky and Ellen. Being the loving and caring grandfathers they are, they work to protect them from the dangers of the big wide open sea and in the end when Sammy and Ray need them the most, their grandkids are their for them.

This was another adventure with Sammy my whole family was able to enjoy together as a unit. Sometimes, some animated films fail to attract the attention of my whole family, A Turtle's Tale is definitely not one of them. I found the animation to be even better than the first film and the music is beautiful and so much fun. I would recommend this DVD for all ages and any...

AWESOME 3D EFFECTS!!!!
This by far has the best 3d i've ever seen on a movie. Great pop outs and depth and it is a really good movie.

3D at it's finest
Great story line and the most spectacular 3D only the first one A Turtles Tale, The secret passage is just slightly better this movie has great depth and serious pop outs I highly recommend this movie for your 3D display I have 120 3D movies and this and the first are the best excluding Avatar Buy it you wont be disappointed

Click to Editorial Reviews

The Birds [HD]



It gets better every time you see it...
Alfred Hitchcock apparently spent the better part of two years trying to find subject matter that he felt would be worthy of a follow up film after 1960's PSYCHO. He bought Daphne duMaurier's short story, "The Birds", and very quickly decided that he would only retain the title, and the bird attack plot point. Evan Hunter and Hitchcock crafted the screenplay structure, and after a staggering amount of technical pre-production, Hitchcock made THE BIRDS. It opened to huge acclaim from the public, if not critics, and is one of the master of suspense's best remembered pictures. As it should be. And with the stunning new DVD edition, this terrific movie at last gets the home video treatment it so richly deserves.

The transfer is immaculately sharp and clear, letterboxed at the 1.85:1 ratio used for theatrical exhibition, and the mono digital sound is clean and vibrant. The letterboxing actually gives the film more breathing room, and some of the sequences,...

Sure to Ruffle Your Feathers
Hitchcock's macabre classic finally gets its due on this DVD Collector's Edition. The film, which by turns thrills (the various bird attacks) and amuses (the frequently bantering dialogue), is presented in all its widescreen glory -- an important consideration for Hitchcock enthusiasts, given the director's meticulous planning of his films' visual compositions. "The Birds" features some great cinematography, a nerve-wracking soundtrack, and some finely wrought performances (particularly those of Jessica Tandy, Suzanne Pleshette and Ethel Griffies); all are well-served by the film-to-DVD transfer. There are a wealth of bonus features, including newsreel footage of Hitchcock and Hedren publicizing the film, an extensive stills gallery, and a fascinating behind the scenes production documentary. Especially intriguing are the ad-libbed screen test clips pairing Hedren with "Psycho" player Martin Balsam while Hitchcock provides verbal instructions...

Hitchcock's masterpiece...
The Birds is Hitchcock's masterpiece. It is my official selection for the best Hitchcock movie EVER...It is so much more than just a horror movie - especillay when you start asking yourself why the birds attack. Could the bird attacks be fueled by female sexual hysteria and competition for the only virile male (Rod Taylor) in the film? Or could it be just mankind's payback for abusing the fowl of the animal kingdom? This film is loaded with haunting images and symbolism which deserves multiple viewings and discussion among serious film buffs. Not only is the film worth 5 stars but there is an impressive flock of DVD extras. The film itself is a beautiful widescreen presentation with very nice sound; the extras should thrill Hitchophiles with a "making of documentary", vintage newsreels of the film's theatrical release, a very witty original trailer, deleted scenes, and Tippi Hedren's original screen test. YES!

Click to Editorial Reviews

Wanderlust: Bizzarro Cut [HD]



People know this movie is rated "R"... right?
I'm looking at all of the negative reviews on here and 90% of them are based on the graphic nature of the film and the fact that it's not for younger audiences... DUH!

The film is rated "R", meaning anyone under 17 needs to be accompanied by an adult to see it in theaters or to purchase it in the store. If you don't want to watch a hilarious movie with shocking obscenity and nudity, go watch something else.

I personally think "Wanderlust" is the perfect film for anyone who's questioned their life's path and I think the movie has some wonderfully understated moral themes about individuality versus group identity.

Jennifer Aniston, Justin Theroux and Paul Rudd are all at their best while they're working together. It's also fun to see three giant movie stars doing a film that was not a sure-fire blockbuster guarantee.

I say, if you're not a prude, see this film; If you are, go see another crappy remake of a fairy-tale or a movie about harmless...

Hysterical
This film was not marketed at all, and so almost everyone missed it. This is a damn shame because it's the funniest movie I've seen in a while. While it's not as smart or original as Role Models, Wanderlust is probably funnier on a joke-by-joke basis. When David Wain is at his best, his humor comes not at the expense of the characters, but because they're so fun to watch. Wain is at his best here, and anyone who's ever enjoyed any of his stuff needs to own this DVD.

A very funny film but not for the prudish!
I was reading snippets from numerous critics about this movie after watching it and I was surprised to find several panning it because it wasn't funny. I get the fact that some people could be offended by the language, "sexy talk" and plenty-o-nudity but not funny? Then I remembered how much I hated "Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie."

As I think back a few hours about this movie I would argue that it might be just another comedy if not for the brilliance and comedic genius of Paul Rudd. Yes, Jennifer Aniston seems to get more beautiful as she gets older and yes, she has her moments (including one involving pixilated boobs) but this is Rudd's movie. He plays George and is married to Linda (Aniston). They live in New York City. After several unsuccessful career moves, Linda makes a pitch to HBO to show a documentary she produced about testicular cancer in penguins. Pretty funny concept right there. She's turned down.

George is a successful business...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Angel in the House



I absolutely love Angel in the House
Jonathan Newman's Angel in the House tells the story of Zooey and Alec, a couple who dreams of having a child, but is unable to conceive due to psychological trauma (rather than physiological issues). One day, after visiting a foster home, Eli appears at their front door and eventually changes their lives forever. The chemistry Newman created between Eli and his foster parents was wonderful, making their transition from a spiraling relationship to a loving family all the more special. This film had a feel-good magical vibe to it that is reminiscent of The Parent Trap and Elf (and more recently, The Odd Life of Timothy Green). Needless to say, Eli is one of the most adorable kid-characters of all time. With exceptional performances from Toni Collette, Ioan Gruffudd, Maurice Cole, and Richard E. Grant, Angel in the House is a must see for all ages.

Very, very lovely
Just looking at the poster for this film, and reading the synopsis, I expected it to be like another typically cheesy Hallmark style film.

Boy, was I wrong.

It was sweet, and honest. And I definitely fell in love with Maurice Cole, who plays the character of the little boy Eli. He's such an amazing actor for such a young child, so full of talent! He kept me watching the entire time. I am also very much a fan of Toni Collette and Ioan Gruffudd, and anything they are in I am more than willing to watch. I haven't really seen Toni in a soft mother role since About A Boy, but that is where she shines the most. And Ioan, he's just perfection.

Though I won't give then ending away, it definitely had me in tears. I would say that I'm a pretty tough person, and it takes a lot for me to cry. But this adorable film made a big baby out of me! I live for films that completely come out of left field and surprise me. It's a watch for the young and the old alike. Get...

It would "behoove" me (lol) to write a review for such an awesome film!
I [sort of] figured out what was going to happen toward the end, but was still left with the anticipation & excitement of how it would all pan out. It's a familiar scenario, but indeed original. I found myself wondering how would I be able to contain such joy had something like that happened to me, which I felt was the intention of the movie. And Eli (Morris Cole) was way too adorable.

Click to Editorial Reviews

Tom Green: Live



Great!
No problem in opening the case without breaking anything. Very nice performance. Very original too. Great show of unique behavior.

Great stuff
If your a fan of Tom Green or just stand up comedy in general this is a great show to consider watching.



Click to Editorial Reviews

Alois Nebel [HD]



An EXCELLENT Czech adaptation of classic film noir story line
A stunning Czech adaptation in this black and white animated feature of the classic “deep dark secrets can’t be kept secret forever” _film noir_ story line. Mild mannered, somewhat dour Alois Nebel, lifelong resident and train station conductor at a small mountain hamlet on the Czech-Polish border finds he needs help regarding troubling dreams he’s been having regarding the fate of a ethnic German teenager who had been his babysitter when he was a child at WW II's end. But now it’s 1989 and Communist Czechoslovakia’s psychiatric establishment isn’t really geared to help troubled people get better but to keep people who can no longer keep their mouths shut, SILENT… Then a strange man in his mid 40s who’s silent (is he mute?) comes into town with an old photograph … and an axe… Much ensues …

Astonishing animated art-house drama
Bleakly beautiful, Alois Nebel is visually stunning and deceptively simple. The plot seems fairly straightforward - a tale of revenge and redemption in Eastern Europe, set when the Iron Curtain was collapsing in the late 1980s with echoes back to the Nazi atrocities of the war. And indeed, if this had been a straight live-action film then the story might have seemed a little thin...

...but the astonishing animation techniques used by the film-makers enhance the actors' performances and the narrative so that it's simply captivating. The live-action has been transformed into stark shades of blacks and greys in the style of a graphic novel (think Sin City Sin City Volume 1: The Hard Goodbye (3rd Edition): Hard Goodbye Bk. 1 (Sin City (Dark Horse)), and you'll be close). The treatment of light and shadow in the set pieces is breath-taking. The opening sequence of dark forests, sinister branches, stag's...

Stylistically strong and tonally mysterious. A clever and thought-provoking animated film noir for knowing teens and adults!
"Tricky film to place but a first for me to see this relatively underrated Czech film with English subtitles, black-and-white, and rotoscope-oriented animation (much in the vein as Waltz with Bashir and A Scanner Darkly). Set in the backdrop of the fall of Communist regime in Czechoslovakia (now Czech Republic and Slovakia), it follows the story of Alois Nebel who is a train-station dispatcher keeping an eye on the timing and arrival but much of his work becomes hindered as he has multiple flashbacks from the past and decides to confront his horrors by taking on a kind of spiritual journey.

Much of the film is very quietly-paced with infrequent dialogue and much emphasis on emotions, facial reactions, hallucinations, and intensity. It also has a strong solitude aura in its narrative that is relatable to a certain degree where Nebel had nothing from his past childhood but now can fight for something in the future to come. The cinematography, the special effects and design...

Click to Editorial Reviews