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Le Quattro Volte, a review by Danae Cassandra

Le Quattro Volte
Year of Release: 2010
Directed By: Michelangelo Frammartino
Starring: Giuseppe Fuda
Genre: Director

Overview:
Le Quattro Volte (The Four Times) is an ineffably beautiful meditation on the mysterious cycles of life.  Set in Italy's mountainous region of Calabria, it traces the path of one goat herder's soul, as it passes from human to animal to vegetable to mineral.  Director Michelangelo Frammartino was inspired by Pythagoras' belief in "four-fold transmigration" of souls, but his film is far more physical than philosophical.  In gorgeous long takes, he captures the daily routines of the herder, a baby goat, an imperious tree and a humble charcoal kiln.  Plus there is a scene-stealing cameo from a stubborn sheep dog, who hilariously interrupts an Easter Procession.  Working as both a spiritual investigation and a documentary of Calabrian life, Le Quattro Volte's placid surface hids a complex understanding of humanity.  Everything is connected in Frammartino's sublimely mystical universe in which he finds both humor and pathos in the hypnotic rhythms of everyday life.

My Thoughts:
A meditation on the interconnectedness of life and death; of men, animals, plants, and minerals; of the natural world and the civilized world; of one soul to another. It's as much philosophy and poetry as film, and its questions and message are universal. There is a deep empathy and understanding for all life.

Bechdel Test: Fail

Overall: 4/5

(From March Around the World 2016 on March 29th, 2016)

Shakespeare in Love, a review by Antares

Shakespeare in Love





Year: 1998
Film Studio: Universal Pictures, Miramax Films, Bedford Falls Productions
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Length: 124 Min.

Director
John Madden (1949)

Writing
Marc Norman (1941)...Written By
Tom Stoppard (1937)...Written By

Producer
Mark Cooper
Donna Gigliotti (1955)
Julie Goldstein
Marc Norman (1941)
David Parfitt (1958)
Bob Weinstein (1954)
Harvey Weinstein (1952)
Edward Zwick (1952)

Cinematographer
Richard Greatrex

Music
Stephen Warbeck (1953)...Composer

Stars
Joseph Fiennes (1970) as Will Shakespeare
Gwyneth Paltrow (1972) as Viola De Lesseps
Geoffrey Rush (1951) as Philip Henslowe
Tom Wilkinson (1948) as Hugh Fennyman
Imelda Staunton (1956) as Nurse
Colin Firth (1960) as Lord Wessex
Ben Affleck (1972) as Ned Alleyn
Judi Dench (1934) as Queen Elizabeth

ReviewShakespeare in Love in 1997, I was not one who beat a path to my local cineplex in eager anticipation.  Fresh from viewing the 1996 debacle Romeo + Juliet Shakespeare (Joseph Fiennes) is suffering from the bane of all authors; writers block. Being a lusty young man who needs carnal diversion to awaken the creativity that has become dormant, he goes in search of a willing wench to be his new muse. He has promised and has been paid for, a new play to be performed by two rival theatre owners. is slated to be a comedy that will put Shakespeare back into the hearts and minds of the London public. As auditions are undertaken, the search for the lead actor becomes quite fruitless as every person who performs is stilted and unmoving. As all hope is fading, an unknown Saving Private RyanCombat!.


Review Criterion4 Stars - Historically important film, considered a classic.

(From Shakespeare in Love (1998) on June 17th, 2010)

Tom's Random Reviews, a review by Tom

Title: Drawn Together: Season Three
Year: 2006
Director:
Rating: NR
Length: 308 Min.
Video: Full Frame 1.33:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital Stereo
Subtitles:

Stars:


Plot:
All the blood, puke and boobs you love are back for the third and final season of Drawn Together. The dirtiest, deadliest, sexiest, and funkiest Drawn Together season ever features MORE animated blood, MORE animated vomit, and MORE animated nipples. Watch as Captain Hero tortures his 12-year-old self, Ling-Ling gets put into foster care, and Toot finally gets worshipped as the cow she is. It's what happens when cartoon characters stop being real and start being animated.

Awards:
Extras:
Closed Captioned
Trailers

It has been awhile since I saw the first two seasons, but I remember them being much more fun. It feels like they were doing the same jokes over and over again and were just trying to outgross themselves each time.
I enjoyed the Muppet Babies parody though. One of the reasons I didn't really enjoy it is, that Toots gets too much screentime. It is the one character I do not enjoy at all. Her sole purpose seems to be make jokes about her ugly body (which was still somewhat funny in season 1, but now is really tired) and the voice of hers just gets on my nerve.

#	Episode	Rating
01	Greeks and Freaks
02	Wooldoor Sockbat's Giggle-Wiggle Funny Tickle Non-Traditional Progressive Multicultural Roundtable!
03	Spelling Applebee's
04	Unrestrainable Trainable
05	N.R.A vs. Ray
06	Mexican't Buy Me Love
07	Lost in Parking Space: Part I
08	Lost in Parking Space: Part II
09	Drawn Together Babies
10	Nipple Ring-Ring Goes to Foster Care
11	Foxxy and the Gang Bang
12	Breakfast Food Killer
13	Charlotte's Web of Lies
14	The Elimination Special: Part II: The Elimination

(From Tom's Random Reviews on January 9th, 2010)