Li'l Duce's Reviews Palace

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Cyrano de Bergerac (1990) I don't know how close this is to the Rostand's original but I presume it is very close. Anyway, it made me want to check the source so it's worth at least 8\10. Depardieu is perfect and the movie would be worth watching just for his performance.

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The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988) Not as good as the Zeman's and the Von Backy's, it has the only notable moment in the representation in theatre at the start of the movie: a rather fellinesque moment. The rest is quite predictable and I can't stand Robin Williams. But I like John Neville. 7\10

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The Red Shoes (1948) I remembered it as much worse (probably because of the dubbing) instead it is almost perfect except for the finale, which is misleading  and uselessly melodramatic: the composer is not giving up his art for love as he pretends from the ballerina: who should follow instead the impresario's advice. 8\10

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Fantômas (1964) This first episode of a trilogy is the only one I missed watching in the cinema. This good series had the great merit of giving the Juve's role to a comedian like De Funés, like Sellers was given that of Clouseau. This is outstanding for the long chase sequence, showing good stunts some performed by Marais himself. Add to that the highly palatable Demongeot and you have a solid 7\10.

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La Vie Est Un Roman (1983) And a boring one. Assuming you understand what's the point of the three episodes alternating themselves in the narration. I can't help thinking that I was right in not following Resnais after Mon Oncle. 2\10

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Two-Lane Blacktop (1971) Hellmann and Taylor, in their respective fields, are surefire purveyors of sedatives. Here they combine to give the usual going nowhere Hellman flick, with no dramatic interest (though you expect it to manifest itself any moment: which is the only point of interest of the movie) and uninteresting dialogues. Road movies bettern than this were made in those times: Easy Rider, Duel and even Vanishing Point (a movie I'll try to rewatch). 6\10 because the era's artifacts may interest someone, as the songs  (not by Taylor, thank God!) and watching Dennis Wilson play (he sucks but shows he's alive: you doubt Taylor is).

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The Girl Who Played With Fire (2009) Not up to the first episode of the trilogy, plot is muddled, stretched and with little suspense. No need to watch unless you want to complete the vision of the trilogy. 5\10

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The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest (2009) Possibly even worse than the second episode, with a long trial sequence completely devoid of suspense and legal tricks. 4\10

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Medicine Man (1992) Passable half-comedy (Many won't agree about that definition but I think it is basically that) with a good as usual Connery, the only reason I bought the dvd. 6\10

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The Snorkel (1958) A Hammer thriller with a good beginning and a good ending marred by the subending (you watch the movie and know what I'm talking about). The main body of the plot is full of cheap effects and logical absurdities (Van Eyck kills a man, a woman and a dog and tries to kill the niece apparently without nobody suspecting him of anything). Added fun, for me, listening to a whole lot of british actors speaking fonetic italian and heavily "italian" accented english. 6\10

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Muriel (1963) I saw this movie some decades ago and couldn't remember a single thing about it. I'm sure than some years from now, if I'm still alive, I won't rememeber a thing either. But the movie is worth watching, though I do not consider it the masterpiece some believe it is. The plot is almost trivial, the tale about the algerian french torture and the killing of the torturer forced in the plot. But some narrative devices are still interesting and little seen in the hollywood type storytelling. 7\10

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La Guerre est Finie (1966) One of the best Resnais. I don't like the bombers part, too didactic and not rhyming with the rest of the plot centered on Montand existentialist and political crisis. I ought to check again some plot turns which did escape me, though it's the second time I watch the movie. 8\10

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Eyes Without a Face (1959) This is considered the first splatter movie and the scene of the removal of the skin from the face still is likely to give goosebumps to the mopre unexperienced viewer. Still the movie is boring in places, uninventive as to plot turns and it is worthy only for the figure of the masked girl, the b\w photography and the Jarre's score (which is included  as extra in the italian dvd) : very good but suited to another kind of movie. 7\10

In the dvd is included the Franju's early documentary Le sang de betes (1949):  not for the sensitive persons, Franju illustrates the activities of a couple of slaughterhouses in Paris.   8\10

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Le Charme Discret de la Bourgeoisie (1972) nth viewing. Funny as ever.

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Les Anges du Péché (1943) Bresson's first feature still holds well after so many years basically because you never guess where the plot is leading to for most of the time. The redemptive finale spois it partially but it is still 7\10.