Maria Falconetti is superb as the eponymous tortured soul betrayed and tried for heresy in 15th century France. The history is well known, and Carl Theodor Dreyer sticks fairly faithfully to the more established, traditional, chronology which leaves us, the audience, to focus much more on the wonderfully emotive, gritty and poignant efforts from the cast and the wonderfully creative talent behind the camera. The combination of innovative, intimate and intense photography coupled with the beautifully expressive facial expressions from Miss Falconetti; the subtle but potent brutality of her persecutors - personified well by Eugene Silvain's Bishop Cauchon but also well exemplified by the cold and soul-less panel of judges all make this an effective and chilling film. The score - semi angelic, frequently intimidating but always powerful helps create an atmosphere that genuinely makes you feel fear and trepidation for this young woman, a pawn in things she little understands, but sticking faithfully to her beliefs of divine intervention and pureness of spirit. That emotional link is contagious, and even as a man of little faith myself, I found myself feeling an overwhelming pity for this person caught up in a trap of very much earthly ambition and deceit. It's a tough watch at times, especially as the chronicles remove even the slightest of chances for this woman. It is also pretty short - and that helps keep that momentum moving really well; there is no time for extended and sprawling cinematography to lessen the impact - it's a film about humanity, trauma and fear; and takes some beating...
Sent to Mexico to help take care of aging Father Benito, young Father Amaro faces a moral challenge when he meets a 16-year-old girl who he starts an affair with. Likewise, the girl's mother had been having an affair with Father Benito. Father Amaro must choose between a holy or sinful life.
Movie Star Rating : 6.6 Read More
Brimming with action while incisively examining the nature of truth, "Rashomon" is perhaps the finest film ever to investigate the philosophy of justice. Through an ingenious use of camera and flashbacks, Kurosawa reveals the complexities of human nature as four people recount different versions of the story of a man's murder and the rape of his wife.
Movie Star Rating : 8.1 Read More
A mysterious woman named Grace hides in a small mountain town from criminals who pursue her. The town is two-faced and offers to harbor Grace as long as she can make it worth their effort, so Grace works hard under the employ of various townspeople to win their favor. Tensions flare, however, and Grace's status as a helpless outsider provokes vicious contempt and abuse from the citizens of Dogville.
Movie Star Rating : 7.8 Read More
Scout Finch, 6, and her older brother Jem live in sleepy Maycomb, Alabama, spending much of their time with their friend Dill and spying on their reclusive and mysterious neighbor, Boo Radley. When Atticus, their widowed father and a respected lawyer, defends a black man named Tom Robinson against fabricated rape charges, the trial and tangent events expose the children to evils of racism and stereotyping.
Movie Star Rating : 8 Read More
A graphic portrayal of the last twelve hours of Jesus of Nazareth's life.
Movie Star Rating : 7.5 Read More
When teen-socialite Kelly Van Ryan and troubled bad girl Suzie Toller accuse guidance counselor Sam Lombardo of rape, he's suspended by the school, rejected by the town, and fighting to get his life back. One cop suspects conspiracy, but nothing is what it seems...
Movie Star Rating : 6.4 Read More
Two families, abolitionist Northerners the Stonemans and Southern landowners the Camerons, intertwine. When Confederate colonel Ben Cameron is captured in battle, nurse Elsie Stoneman petitions for his pardon. In Reconstruction-era South Carolina, Cameron founds the Ku Klux Klan, battling Elsie's congressman father and his African-American protégé, Silas Lynch.
Movie Star Rating : 6 Read More
A married farmer falls under the spell of a slatternly woman from the city, who tries to convince him to drown his wife.
Movie Star Rating : 7.8 Read More
A posthumous look at the last days of Guenther's life as he, his best friend, and his sister let loose on a four-day binge of alcohol, drugs, and sex.
Movie Star Rating : 6.3 Read More
A few decades after the destruction of the Inca Empire, a Spanish expedition led by the infamous Aguirre leaves the mountains of Peru and goes down the Amazon River in search of the lost city of El Dorado. When great difficulties arise, Aguirre’s men start to wonder whether their quest will lead them to prosperity or certain death.
Movie Star Rating : 7.5 Read More
Young Prince Nechljudov is summoned as a judge in a murder trial. A rich merchant was found dead in the room of the inn where he was staying and the prostitute Maslova was accused of the crime. Nechljudov recognizes in the woman the maid of the aunts he had seduced and abandoned years before and tries to convince the authorities of her of his innocence but to no avail. Convinced that he is responsible for her moral fall, he follows her to Siberia where she must serve her sentence.
Movie Star Rating : 6 Read More
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