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The Hourglass Sanatorium, a review by goodguy

The Hourglass Sanatorium (PL 1973) Written & Directed by: Wojciech J. Has, based on short stories by Bruno Schulz Starring: Jan Nowicki DVD: R0-UK Mr. Bongo Films (2008) My rating:

Cover Blurb: Adapted from the 1937 collection of stories by Polish author Bruno Schulz; Sanitorium Under The Sign Of The Hourglass, Wojciech Has's 1973 film version follows the journey of a young man, Joseph (Jan Nowicki), as he visits his dying father in a mysterious sanatorium. Joseph comes to realise that time itself behaves very strangely inside the walls of the asylum, and he soon finds himself immersed in a web of memories, fantasies and visions - which express the longings and frustrations of his childhood.
The film contains crazed scenes of Jews dancing together and many of the residents appear dressed as giant birds. For his part, Schulz was widely seen as Poland's answer to Kafka, he was eventually murdered by Hitler's SS army during the Nazi occupation of Poland.
A surrealist headspin, this film has been compared to the best works of Terry Gilliam, Peter Greenaway, and Luis Bunuel...

I'm glad I bought both of Has' movies together, because, while I liked "The Saragossa Manuscript" well enough, I might not have given another of his movies a try afterwards. But with this one we truly are in the realm of the surreal and the weird. While the transitions between stories in "The Saragossa Manuscript" were clearly marked, this is not the case here. The protagonist moves as seamlessly between fragments of his memories as he moves between places that cannot possibly be connected. The structure is dreamlike, but never feels arbitrary, even if one has difficulties making heads or tails of what the hell is going on. I greatly enjoyed this, but a second viewing is definitely required to make more sense of it.


(From goodguy's Watch Log on July 7th, 2010)

The Hunger Games, a review by Dragonfire

The Hunger Games



I've heard about The Hunger Games books for a while, but I only picked them up after the movie was released.  I just wasn't that sure I wanted to read them before then.  The previews for the movie looked interesting, so I decided to pick up the book.  I really liked it and would have started right in on the second one if I'd had it.  I picked up Catching Fire and Mockingjay at the same time.  When I finished the second one, I started right in on the third one.  It did take me a while to see the movie, mostly because of my work schedule.  Once I managed to see it, I really enjoyed it. 

In a futuristic country, a boy and girl teenager from each of twelve districts are chosen to compete in a fight to the death that is televised and required viewing.  Sixteen year old Katniss volunteers to be the tribute from her district when her younger sister is chosen.  She and Peeta, the boy tribute, are taken to the Capitol where they start preparing for the games.  During the required events before the games, Katniss and Peeta receive a lot of attention. 

The movie stays fairly close to the book, though there are changes.  Some of them show things that weren't shared in the book since it was just from the perspective of Katniss.  It is interesting to see the different things.  I do feel like a few things weren't handled as well as they should have been.  I know stuff has to be cut when books are turned into movies, but certain things aren't going to make as much sense to people who haven't read the books because of how they are handled in the movie. 

The movie has a disturbing subject, just like the book.  The games are shown, and tributes die in various ways, some of which are really unpleasant.  Despite all the killings, the movie manages to be rated PG-13.  That is probably because of the horrible jerky camera work that makes it impossible to make out anything at times.  The camera is bouncing around, constantly in motion even in scenes that have no action.  It is ridiculous and I hate it.  It would have been better if some of the violence was just hinted at instead of using all the jerky camera work.  The movie probably would have been stronger if it had gone with an R rating, but the studio was never going to go for that. 

Katniss is a very strong, determined character, though she has some flaws.  That makes her more realistic.  Jennifer Lawrence is wonderful in the part.  Peeta isn't developed as much and in the movie, his motivations with a few things end up more uncertain than they were in the book.  One or two things are explained like they were in the book, which I didn't like.  I liked Josh Hutcherson in the part.  The other tributes aren't seen as much, so they aren't developed much.  Primrose, Katniss's younger sister is just in a few short scenes at the beginning.  Gale, the friend that Katniss hunts with, is in a few more scenes, mostly broodily watching the coverage of the games.  There is just something about him that I don't like.  I didn't like him much in the book either.

The movie has a few issues, the biggest being the horrible camera work, but it is good and definitely worth seeing.



I did get a longer review posted at Epinions.

The Hunger Games



(From The Hunger Games on June 11th, 2012)

Smallville Marathon, a review by addicted2dvd

9. GEMINI
There's something different about Clark when he comes back after weeks away at the Fortress. And there's little different about Grant and the Belle Reve inmate who plants a bomb on Chloe.

My Thoughts:
I completely forgot this episode was a Christmas episode. But that could be because Christmas is really only a backdrop to the episode. It is a pretty good episode. Not the best I ever seen... but entertaining.

My Rating:

10. PERSONA
Clark seems like a new person with Lana (and she's definitely not complaining). Meanwhile, BRAINIAC seeks a remedy to his plight, Grant reaches out to his father and a certain red-jacketed person resurfaces.

My Thoughts:
A pretty good episode but once again not a favorite. But it does have it's moments. I really don't care too much for the Grant storyline.

My Rating:

11. SIREN


My Thoughts:
Now this episode I really liked. One of my favorites. I mean we got the Black Canary, Green Arrow and Lois finds out Oliver's secret. Lots of fun!

My Rating:

12. FRACTURE
No exit. Lex is wounded and in a coma after locating Kara, so Clark uses experimental technology to enter his mind and discover Kara's whereabouts. He may never get back out: Lex flatlines, trapping Clark inside.

My Thoughts:
This is a good... but somewhat weird episode. But I think that is to be expected when we take a trip into Lex's mind. After a bit of a break we have Kara back. Even if she still has amnesia.

My Rating:

(From Smallville Marathon on January 3rd, 2010)