The Russians Are Coming the Russians Are Coming (1966) (7/10)

A light hearted movie with some serious stuff. Fairly innocuous and yet deep. About human apprehension, fears, faith and basic humanity. Order in chaos and vice versa. Courage in the face of adversity and foolhardy almost daredo in the face of almost certain death. Can not fail to make you laugh, and that is the main point. You do not have to be serious to convey serious stuff.

The Russians Are Coming the Russians Are Coming (1966) (7/10)

Letyat zhuravli aka The Cranes Are Flying (1957) (5/10)

This movie is about war, yet not too much of the gory war is explicitely shown. About waiting, and endurance during the wait. Human condition during the war, any war. Some philosophising about how a war is bad even when it is won. A sort-of advice to also learn in rejoicing with the others. The Crane metaphor, if taken literally is however breaking down as not just war but even peacetime impacts on the environment are ensuring that those and many other species are suffering leaving less things for us to rejoice in, war or no war.

Letyat zhuravli aka The Cranes Are Flying (1957) (5/10)

Le Déclin de l'empire américain aka The Decline of the American Empire (1986) (7/10)

This Canadian French movie is interesting. It is a very dialogue driven movie about sex or liberation through sex, or at least that feeling from before the time when people did not consider themselves liberated (do they now?). It almost gets boring in the first half. The second picks itself well, and though there is no explicit philosophising, it is clear that larger aspects of life are clearly linked. An obsessedness and yet a kind of detachedness, definition of an odd kind of continuity as stability or even love. It is intelligent rather than meaningless banter. My favourite part was the Woddy Alleny dance.

Le Déclin de l'empire américain aka The Decline of the American Empire (1986) (7/10)

Cuentos de hadas para dormir cocodrilos aka Bedtime fairy tale for crocodiles (2002) (4/10)

Looking in to the eyes of a Coyote makes a brother loose his sleep and the curse continues for a few generations. The Spanish movie can't exactly be called supernatural, nor is it natural. I guess I may have missed some of the contextual references, but overall I do not think I missed much. Nothing seems to stand out much.

Cuentos de hadas para dormir cocodrilos aka Bedtime fairy tale for crocodiles (2002) (4/10)

Rashômon (1950) (6/10)

Set in the woods, this Japanese movie is supposed to bring out the raw emotions in human beings - how temptations and situations affect them and cause them to do things they may not have considered themselves capable of. Different perspectives of possibly the same story bring that out. Very good performances, good handling of a not-too-easy subject matter. My personal concern is that often you understand these things and then you do not have to be preached about it, and often you do not understand them and hence can not be convinced about them. It is a bit too life like.

Rashômon (1950) (6/10)

À nous la liberté aka Liberty for us (1931) (6/10)

Two prisoners plan to escape. Can they survive in the treacherous world outside? Yes, at least until no one knows they have run away. Some parts are a bit stretched, and not in the same way cartoons are when they discover gravity. That kind of farfetchedness is natural. Not enterpreunership. The good parts involve an early exposure and farsightedness in terms of assembly line technology as well as the possible pitfalls. The end is rather vague and does not seem to take you anywhere.

À nous la liberté aka Liberty for us (1931) (6/10)

Jigureul jikyeora! aka Save the Green Planet! (2003) (6/10)

A good Korean movie with many uncanny twists and crazy turns. Would have been much better if they had kept the explicit voilent parts out. The acting is good, and though I can't say that the twists keep you glued, you sure want to do that if you want to follow what is happening. The detective connections seem to fit in well. The acting is good and genuine. It has to be when you, or someone around you believes that strange creatures from Andromeda are going to destroy Earth, that they have already arrived, and you are in charge of Earth, practically. You may even want to wish that you had listened to what your mother said when you were small (about watching such movies). Not for the faint-hearted. Beware, the Andromeda prince is here!

Jigureul jikyeora! aka Save the Green Planet! (2003) (6/10)

Rupan sansei: Kariosutoro no shiro aka Lupin III: Castle of Cagliostro (1979) (8/10)

This is an excellent animation film for anyone who likes good frames, good music and may be good action. Characters are built far better than real life movies even though only a basic set of actions are used for the caharacters. The damsel in distress is how it begins, but does not proceed like a typical story, not does it end like one. There are a few exaggerations, but they add to the wonderfulness rather than subtract from it. The inspector Zenigata-Lupin rivalry would rival that of Anandrao and Zunjaar. The way Zenigata leads to the bills is classic. The mystery and its unravelling as well as what it unravels is beautifully done. An adventure you should not miss.

Rupan sansei: Kariosutoro no shiro aka Lupin III: Castle of Cagliostro (1979) (8/10)

Cool runnings (1993) (8/10)

A refresing movie by any standards. Kinda improbable, but well handled by setting the improbability right by combining it with the moral high ground of completing a mission, no matter what. The will to suceed, the difficulties, the politics, the deceit and the good will are all there. Very economic dialogue and action. Coach-player and father-son relationships are also depcited beautifully. All in all, a nice balence of almost everything. Worth watching and rewatching. Senior brother of Jo Jita Wohi Sikander and Iqbal, if you HAVE to compare.

Cool runnings (1993) (8/10)