Sunday, June 24, 2012

Weekly Round-Up (6/17/12 - 6/23/12)

The Death of Mr. Lazarescu (Cristi Puiu) ***1/2 - After reading what this movie is about, I was surprised that it's supposed to be a black comedy. And it is, in a way, since it at times get absurd and ridiculous (in a good way). An elderly man calls an ambulance and deteriorates as he gets passed from one hospital to another. What's great about this movie is that you sympathize with Mr. Lazarescu yet also at the same time you can sort of understand why the doctors and nurses are pissed off at him. It didn't blow me away but it is a well-done satire on hospital bureaucracy in Romania.

Die Nibelungen Part 1: Siegfried (Fritz Lang) ***1/2 - This is one Fritz Lang's lesser known works. It's part one of a two-part silent fantasy epic. This one is about a young man (the Siegfried of the title) who makes his way into a royal family through a series of fantastical adventures. As with lots of Fritz Lang's films, the film contains some impeccable visuals and special effects (with the exception of an obviously fake-looking dragon). Though it occasionally drags, the story is often compelling. This is a set-up to what seems to be an even better film.

2 comments:

Mark said...

The first one sounds interesting, it sounds like it is a bit of a black comedy unlike other movies that are just depressing and called black comedies.

The fantasy epic sounds pretty good too. I'm interested in just how fake this dragon is now.

G said...

Both sound great films