Recent DVD Purchases

[Ash]

I thought I'd drop a line to tell you about a couple of my recent DVD purchases.

DOWNFALL
(aka Der Untergang)


This is one fantastic fiilm!
If you ever wanted to know what went on in Hitler's underground bunker during the final days of his life, this is the film to watch.
It is masterfully shot...I totally felt like I was in 1945 Berlin.

Best of all is Bruno Ganz...he literally IS Hitler.
His performance of the dictator is so flawless.  It's probably the best potrayal of a real historic person that I've ever seen.
Never for one second throughout the film did I think of Ganz as an actor.
I 100% believed he was Hitler.

He has mastered everything about Hitler...the way he looked, facial expressions, the twitch in his left hand and best of all, his terrible rants.



Most of the film takes place in the bunker under the Reichstag and much of it is seen through the eyes of Hitler's secretary Traudl Junge...wonderfully played by Alexandra Maria Lara.
The majority takes place in the final 10 days of Hitler's life and the imminent collapse of Berlin.

If you are a WW2 enthusiast...this is a must see!

Read Roger Ebert's 4 star review here

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RIPLEY'S GAME


Skaboi recently mentioned that Wal-Mart had Ripley's Game in the $5.50 bin for $3.88.
I rented this film several months ago and loved it!

I also found it in the cheap bin for $3.88 and bought it.
I have to agree with the critics about John Malcovich's performance.
He plays Tom Ripley perfectly.
He's conniving, tricky, masterfully manipulating, unscrupulous and murderous.

Ripley is obviously older in this movie.
He's in retirement but still manages to pull the occasional con job netting him millions each time.
He lives in Italy, is married to a beautiful trophy wife and has an enormous mansion.
He's also known throughout town as somewhat of a local celebrity.

The story centers around a reviled old chum of Ripley's, Reeves, who approaches him to ask him to assasinate a few of his rivals in Berlin.
Ripley refuses, but he might know of "an innocent" who might do the job.
This "innocent" is an an acquaintence of Ripley...Jonathan Trevanny, a local picture framer with a wife, child and a grave case of leukemia.

Reeves offers Trevanny a lot of cash to do the first assasination...which he nervously carries out.
Then Reeves forces him to do another job...to kill a Ukranian mob boss on a train.
It must be done with a garotte(sp?) and it must take place in the train's bathroom.

Trevanny reluctantly agrees to it but when the time comes, he gets a surprising bit of help when the bathroom door opens and out steps Tom Ripley.

Let's just say that Ripley is the best person I've ever seen using a strangulation device.

I won't spoil the rest of the film but let's just say that quite a few more people die before it's over.

Watch this one for Malcovich's performance if nothing else.

Here's the IMDB page for it.

[Scott]

Just read some reviews about DOWNFALL and they say it's has a realistic feel to it.

[dean]

Speaking of Downfall, I haven't seen the movie, but I did buy the book it was based on for my dad for christmas.  I've heard good things though.  Didn't that film win an oscar, or at least was nominated for one?

[Ash]

Scott Wrote:
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> Just read some reviews about DOWNFALL and they say
> it's has a realistic feel to it.[/]

That's an understatement!
This is one of the most realistic films about the last days of a real historical figure that I've ever seen.

[Ash]

dean Wrote:
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Didn't that film win an oscar, or at least was
> nominated for one?

It has won:

Winner: Best German Film  (Bambi Awards)

Winner: Audience Award (Bavarian Film Awards

and,

Winner: Best Actor (Santa Barbara Film Festival)

And yes, it was nominated for Best Foreign Film by the Academy Awards last year I believe.

[Neville]

"The downfall" left me a bit cold. I could agree it is a very good film and that Bruno Gantz is terrific, but I felt the film was too long. Maybe it's me, becasuse I feel exactly the same about Hirschbiegel's previous film, "The Experiment".

"Ripley's game", on the other hand, is one of my favourite films of the year it was released (2004 in my copuntry, I think). John Malkovich is excellent and Liliana Cavani makes a great job. I hated her other films I've seen, specially "The Night Porter", so it came as a nice surprise. Those scenes in the night train are amazing, the way the film basculates between thriller, character study (Ripley's final laugh) and dark comedy is great.

[Mr_Vindictive]

I had wanted to see Downall after reading a few good reviews a while back, but I never did pick it up on DVD.  I will do so ASAP now that I know it was directed by the same man who made Das Experiment.  Experiment was absolutely fantastic, so I now have high hopes for Downfall.