Pequenas Voces

English Title: Little voices

Jairo Carrillo, Colombia, 2010, imdb

Review: 5.0 Uchuvas

Comment:

Of course I have to start posting with this film!!!! Of course I have to start posting with a 5 Uchuvas film and what a better way to do it than with a Colombian film!

So, I saw little voices last year in a MOMA festival. I read from before that the film was getting a lot of great feedbacks from festivals around the globe. I was very surprised when I arrived at MOMA and they gave me 3D glasses!! Well, the film is the first Colombian film in 3D! What is funny about the 3D is that the images in the film are drawings in 2d! so... I really don't know how they managed to do such a great job!

There are a few things that are great in this film:
The edition is neat! It's jus perfect! They manage to bring you to very difference moods through out the film. It's really impressive how they make you laugh and two minutes later you are about to cry and two minutes later you are stress and then you are just optimistic!
The animation is also impressive! the way they converted some kids' drawings into living characters and to top in 3d images, is really nice.

I don't like long posting, so I'll leave it here.  "Someone" is crying in the background and I need to attend ;)

Los viajes del viento

English Title: The wind Journeys

Ciro Guerra, Colombia+others, 2009, imdb

Review: 5.0 Uchuvas

Comment: I'm going to be totally partial with this film just because it's the most beautiful Colombian film I've seen so far. When I saw the trailer I couldn't believe it was a Colombian film that finally was showing what's worth watching from Colombia: its landscape!! The film is delicate, well thought, simple and amazingly filmed. If you like slow films and if you like watching photographs displayed as films, well... this is a must film for you. Amazing photograph work! Amazing country!!! (If you are in US, it's on netflix, watch instantly!)

Hunger

English Title: Hunger

Steve McQueen, UK, 2008, imdb

Review: 5.0 Uchuvas

Comment: It took me over a month to dare watching this film. It was at home for over a month and I didn't want to see it as... well, you know... I've been watching too many depressing films and I knew this film was of that kind.... One day that I was in a great mood as I arrived home at 7pm for first time in ages!!! I decided to give it the go ahead before I return the film (with another one that I definitely didn't want to see for the same reason). Aaaaaanyway... the point here is that I saw the film, while eating!!! (big mistake!!) and yes... it is indeed super tough... I wouldn't call it depressing but tough enough to feel depress in the end!!!! So, stay away from it if you are not in depressing films mood but keep it in mind as it's amazing!!!!!! Actors, even the secondaries, are superb! the loose of weight it's impressively well done!!!! (was that for real?... I'll need to find out!!)

Un Prophete

English Title: A Prophet

Jacques Audiard, France-Italy, 2009, imdb

Review: 5.0 Uchuvas
Comment: ........ jeez...................

Das weisse Band

English Title: The White Ribbon

Michael Haneke, Austria-Germany-others, 2009, imdb

Review: 5.0 Uchuvas
Comment: A nice way to start this year!!!!!!!! what a bloody good film!!! I could list a million reasons why this film is 5 Uchuvas but let's say just three: Amaaaaaazing actors, greeeeeeeat and strong Story and super super super SUPER amazing cinematography. Michael Haneke in the film: Cache, made a few shots that drove me crazy!!!: when the camera get freeze in a scene and nothing happen!!! Well, here he did the same thing but this time with such a meaning that I end up loving his style!!! The way of creating a stress and rigid mood throughout the film is just perfect! And the story... oh well... a long comment should follow but I don't like talking about the plot...

Bila Jednom Jedna Zemlja

English Title: Underground

Emir Kusturica, Yugoslavia+others, 1995, imdb

Review: 5.0 Uchuvas
Comment: I wanted to finish my today's post with a happier film! If you like Kusturica films, this movie is a MUST in your list! It's, from my end, the funniest I've seen from him. Do not miss it!

Diarios de la Motocicleta

English Title: The Motorcycle Diaries

Walter Salles, Argentina + others, 2004, imdb

Review: 5.0 Uchuvas
Comment: Another long story about Che Guevara but not as long as the new production called "Che" (2008) that has to be split into two films as nobody was able to resist 4 long hours in a row watching a film.... Who can be seated for more than 3??!! even if the film is truly amazing! no way! but anyway we are here to talk about the beautiful production of the Motorcycles Diary... which is in two words: really amazing! The film has a lot of great things but what makes the whole film worth it is the super beautiful cinematography. You can add to that the great acting, the great screen play and the amazing music.

Habla con Ella

English Title: Talk to Her

Pedro Almodovar, Spain, 2002, imdb

Review: 5.0 Uchuvas
Comment: I've been re-watching a lot of Almodovar's movies recently; that guy is just amazing! He really is!!! I've been trying to recall a bad film of his and I only can remember one that I'll need to see again just to make sure that I didn't like it (Atame). Talk to her is one of my favorites Almodovar's movies!! The story is soo good! The main actor (Javier Camara) is really really good! As in ALL Almodovar's movies (well at least the ones I remember with detail) the cinematography is unbelievable!!! There are two scenes that I just think are so beautiful and perfect!!: the silent film, which is a high!!! only he can imagine a scene like this one!!!! and the dressing up of the bullfighter... that part is just soooo amazing!!!! the sound in that part of the film is so beautiful!!!! so much!! For me this film is one of the greatest he's done!

Das Leben der Anderen

English Title: The Lives of Others

Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, Germany, 2006, imdb

Review: 5.0 Uchuvas
Comment: There are some movies that I never get tired of see, not even after watching them time after time after time. This is such a beautiful film that although it's sad, it's a film full of hope and best wishes... it's a film full of undiscovered love, full of the most sweet drama. Ulrich Muhe makes an impeccable work! His rigidity is almost unreal! The sets are also really well done. A must in Germany's films! well... a must for film lovers!!

Cidade de Deus

English Title: City of God

Fernando Meirelles-Katia Lund, Brazil, 2002, imdb

Review: 5.0 Uchuvas
Comment: I better start posting some films that I have in my old list; I will start with this great film! I really think is a great film for lots of reason but more important: the way the story is told, the amazing edition, the great photography and the superb music! Do you need any other reason to see it? Ok, here I go with another reason: The good acting.

Going back to the edition, I think it's one of the best ones I've seen! to top the camera's shoots and the music helps a lot to end up with such a great edition! I loved the power of the color too!(the poster's color says it all!) I agree that the story is really tough and raw but, oh well... when you have such an ability to direct films like this one you are totally entitled to talk about any subject you want!... plus... what's wrong with tough films??!!

The Syrian Bride

English Title: The Syrian Bride

Eran Riklis,France-Germany-Israel,2004, imdb

Review: 5.0 Uchuvas
Comment: It's an amazing film!!! It really is aaaaaamazing! When I saw the film I didn't know very much about the conflicts around the area where the film is set: The Golan Heights. It was "undisputed Syrian territory until Israel captured the region on 9-10 June 1967 during the Six-Day War..." (whole story here). Apparently when Israel took the region, a lot of Syrian families got stuck in their own territory; Israelis didn't allow the Syrians, that were living in the taken territory, to leave unless it was for good. DO NOT WORRY... This is not the plot of the film!! not at all....it's just that I'd have loved to know this before watching the film!!! The photography is great and the actors soo good! It's a great combination of history, drama, comedy and surrealism (for the situation itself). Great film! Have a look!

VOLVER

English Title: To Return

Pedro Almodovar, Spain, 2006, imdb

Review: 5.0 Uchuvas
Comment: I'm going to say goodbye to this year's comments with this film.  It wasn't a 5 Uchuvas film until before yesterday that I saw it for 3rd time. The story is very original. The acting is really good; I have to say that Penelope Cruz is great when acting in Spanish, she is great here and a "mamasita". I gave 5 Uchuvas for one particular reason: The song, Volver. The song is so beautiful!!!! so powerful!! the lyric is amazing!!! The song is from Carlos Gardel, I found the original video here   "...Vivir, con el alma aferrada a un dulce recuerdo que lloro otra vez" .... Love it!

Mar Adentro

English Title: The Sea Inside

Alejandro Amenabar, Spain, 2004, imdb

Review: 5.0 Uchuvas
Comment: The person who likes films and hasn't seen this one... well, what the hell are you waiting for?! This director is really really really really TOO good!! Just to mention some other of his movies: Tesis, Abre los ojos (but the original one!), The Others... well, you can't say which one is better!!! and he is sooo young! same age as me!... soooo young!

C.R.A.Z.Y.

English Title: C.R.A.Z.Y.

Jean-Marc Vallee, Canada, 2005, imdb

Review: 5.0 Uchuvas
Comment: I loved this film! The actors are great, the casting was good, the little kid it's amazing! and when he grows up is amazing too! The story is great. It's funny, deep, delicate. The effects are good too. Summary: just loved it!

El Laberinto del Fauno

English Title: Pan's Labyrinth

Guillermo del Toro, Mexico-Spain, 2006, imdb

Review: 5.0 Uchuvas
Comment: Ok, I'm going to delete my previous comment on this film. "Someone" told me off as I was breaking my own golden rule: Make a comment without talking what's the film about. So I'm terribly sorry for the ones that read my previous comment (if anybody is reading them to start with!). So with this new comment I will only say that I don't give LaUchuva D'or to this film as I already have one film D'ore this year.

Lat den ratte komma in

English Title: Let the right one in

Tomas Alfredson, Sweden , 2008, imdb

Review: 5.0 Uchuvas
Comment: A great, great, great film! I'll include it as a candidate for LaUchuva d' Or 2009. I won't comment too much as I don't want to spoil the film but from my point of view there are 5 things I thought were great: 1. The story, (finally something different about that subject!) It's so well constructed! developed very, very delicately. 2. The actors and actress' performances were great. The girl couldn't be any better!! 3. The effects. There are A LOT of tiny details that you could miss but give so much power to the film (for example the noise of the girl's stomach or the change in her pupil in one scene, or ....) 4. The color, sooo appropriated! so much! 5. Somewhere I read that the music wasn't that good but I totally disagree with that. I like it, and I like it a lot!

So, now, go and see it!

Les Triplettes de Belleville

English Title: The triplets of Belleville

Sylvain Chomet, France, 2003, imdb

Review: 5.0 Uchuvas
Comment: I have always enjoyed very much animated films. I think this was the first animated film I've seen that is not from Hollywood. The story is so funny! The characters are amazingly well developed a long the first half part of the film. Every one of them is such a powerful character! The grandma it's just superb! The dog's dreams: the cleverest part of the film!! just love them! And the most important point: the perfect set of drawings!!! What a drawings! Do you still believe in "mute" films? well, have a go with this one!

4 luni, 3 saptamani si 2 zile

English Title: 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days

Cristian Mungiu, Romania, 2007, imdb

Review: 5.0 Uchuvas
Comment: It's very sad and tough, VERY! One of the greatest films I've seen this year.

Death at a Funeral

English Title: Death at a Funeral

Frank Oz, UK, 2007, imdb

Review: 5.0 Uchuvas
Comment: I'm going to be very generous with my Uchuvas in this film only because I haven't laughed so much in a film for some time...so...there you go, 5 Uchuvas for making me laugh so much! Don't miss it!

La Sconosciuta

English Title: The Unknown Woman

Giuseppe Tornatore, Italy, 2006, imdb

Review: 5.0 Uchuvas
Comment: A great drama and mystery movie. Super well done!! I love that in order to understand the movie, they give you information little by little; that helps so much to keep the movie in suspense... Really well done!