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Reviews
Günesin Oglu (2008)
Worth to see without big expectations
The film has an internal dynamism which makes spectators concentrated for whole period. Scenario is successful and original. The cast is consisting very popular and successful players including two leading person of Polis' cast, Haluk Bilginer and Ozgu Namal. However if you expect a movie with same level of Polis you will definitely disappointed.
Due to surprises and unexpected events, first instance is a comedy clone of Polis which was a very successful black movie of same director, but after five minutes it is understood that this is not. This is much more an instant movie careless done onto a good scenario and cast. Waste of scenario and cast, but still will not be waste of time for the spectators.
Polis (2007)
A Noteworthy Black Film
The film is unexpectedly surprising and shocking. I believe this is an important film and will be given more importance in time.
Story is developed around a police detective (Musa Rami) destructing himself and his family. He lives platonic love with a university student who is making interview with him for her thesis. He looses all beloved people and colleagues around and finally himself too.
In the story one shock is coming after other and another from beginning till end. The rapid developments of such shocking scenes are creating knock-down effect on the spectators. The main character, conservative and heroic Police Detective Musa Rami is living big dilemma from life to death, from loosing his family to fall in love in a very short time period like two mounts. The tragedy is not ending until he looses every thing. With this main character, Haluk Bilginer is again proving his proficiency as an unforgettable profile. And Ozgu Namal is nearly catching up his performance. We do not see such black films in Turkish Cinema frequently. Therefore I believe this film will be remembered as a milestone in the future.
While the film has a high artistic but clip style approach to the subject, it also referring to many famous and contemporary film in different scenes. As much as I could catch these are, Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Blue, Fame, Danko, Matrix. Especially after loosing whole family, the scene with music of Blue and blue painting stain in the background wall is so impressive for the movie addicts. Two critics: the music is sometimes not compatible with scenes, and some players were appeared as weak where Haluk Bilginer exists.
Congratulations to the creators of such authentic and successful film.
Little Children (2006)
Deep Portraits of Characters without Clichés,
All the characters are collected around a sub-urban environment and social life. On one hand this environment and social life is formed by sub-urban inhabitants for their own comfort and on the other hand forming and limiting the world of them even against their wills.
Sarah (Kate Winslet) appears as unsuccessful mother according to the criteria of neighbors. In the first scene of the film, accused to being "bad mom" even by her little daughter. But despite all this, she appears as a strong character. Her husband is a successful rich man, but not strong enough to control himself against online hookers. Brad (Patrick Wilson) is suffering to being a jobless husband. But in spite of many similar stories, he is not an alcoholic. His wife Kathy (Jennifer Connelly) is another strong character who is working, earning money and leading the family. Ronny has pedophilia syndrome and released from prison recently. He is under pressure of neighbors. This excessive pressure is creating obstacles for living a normal life and closing all the doors to being an ordinary healthy people. His only normal contact is, with his mother. Larry is an ex-policeman dismissed because of killing a boy accidentally. He is so aggressive due to post-traumatic syndromes. He is left by his wife because of his misbehaviors. Larry is another psychologically problematic and weak character of the film. Isn't it amazing that while all male characters are weak and problematic, all female characters are relatively strong and knows what to do. I think something wrong comparing with real life. The males in district are struggling hard in night rugby league together to feel that they are men. But if you are not man in your home, rugby cannot help to solve your problems.
Characters are examined very well. The film is appearing really as a work of art, not an ordinary movie. After watching the film you will discuss the characters, events, social and socio-economic life and sick headed conservatives of USA sub-urban. But, noting about the film itself. Isn't it the best evidence of a perfect film?
Beynelmilel (2006)
A good story from troublesome period of Turkey
The film is telling a story from Turkey in a difficult time slice and place. The time is 1982 and place is Adiyaman from less developed portion of Turkey. Story is using local musicians who are earning their life from night entertainments or from weddings, as a tool to develop around. Scenario is convincing well and many details such as small things, objects, and clothes are perfectly reflecting that time and that place. This is together with the correct dialogs developed between local people and officers, giving a highly realistic atmosphere to the movie. In spite of some accent errors, cast is successful as well.
The mood of the film has a spectrum from comedy to tragedy like their life itself. The peak comedy scene in cemetery is really better than many comedy movie, and the last scene showing the changed world after years are really tragedy, or black comedy. Old and fat but congenial singers who are derived from other cities to sing in the nightclub are playing the timeless philosophic minds of such situations.
To avoid any spoiler, I will not tell in details but the final public meeting scene and unusual events in the meeting are not realistic. This portion is the only faulty portion of the movie. This is not a masterpiece but a movie not to miss.
Dondurmam Gaymak (2006)
Ice cream - ice age story
I have to admit that in spite of all media promotion and being nominee for Oscar, my expectation from the film was not so high before watching it. And I really found what I expected; a film trying to be likable for both for conservatives and liberals in Turkey, trying being authentic for foreign spectators and enough funny for all. But it should be understood that it is not possible to be favorable for everybody, therefore film stays as average for all.
Whole movie is telling a story occurred within 24 hours. To fit the short story in a full movie length, some scenes are added without a connection with the main story. These are mostly the ice-cream selling scenes to the eccentric local people (i.e. goat herdsman, old women etc.), and each of these selling scenes are tried to be interesting to the spectators by skits with comic dialogs. The subject is mentioned as a universal problem: Struggle of a local producer-tradesman against holding companies and monopoly, but this was the interesting subject of twenty years before. Most of the readers will remember the "Hero grocer against supermarket" from Ferhan Sensoy in 1980's. This was the correct story at correct time. Shortly the story is not strong enough and worth to be a movie as by now.
Except some gibbers due to local accent, the performance of cast is so successful. The leading role is played by Turan Ozdemir with excessive body language but anyway he is successful too.
On the other hand against limited budget, appreciable efforts of director and players are obviously giving a good mood to the film. But this is not resulting a film well enough either to compare with Italian neo-realists or worth to be Oscar nominee.
Note: In the real life, normally the Ice-cream seller would stop his own production and be the dealer of one of the competitors of Manda brand.
Hokkabaz (2006)
Cem Yilmaz should be only actor nothing else
Obviously Cem Yilmaz is very good, even the best actor for his roles. But again we understand with this film, his other capabilities at the other side of the camera are not such bright.
The movie has enough humor, comedy and dramatic elements to watch and spend some joyful time. However it is not the masterpiece expected from him and I don't expect such a masterpiece from Cem Yılmaz as script writer or director, but as a player. I felt in his all movies, if he take place only as actor, he is enormous successful, but if he has other tasks with the film, like director, producer etc., he lost his concentration. When I was watching the film, I felt that while playing his role, his mind is at the other side of the camera. It is pity that such acting skill is disturbed by other matters.
I also would like to remind that Mazhar Alanson is originally theater actor (not musician) and it is not surprise for me to see his successful performance. But I admit that his musical achievements are much ahead of his real profession. I should also point out the character he was playing was so likable for me.
Iklimler (2006)
Almost excellent
The film is developed on a university teacher who has unstable relation with women. The film is so valuable for the man and women who don't understand each other. Excellent description of average man and woman behaviors. It shows that there are no reasonable causes of feeling to others depending on his or her character or their behaviors. Scenes are like paintings with human figures. Must be watched with patience and in rest. Lonely people can feel the sense better. The Director's other movies especially "Uzak"/Distant are recommended to feel the atmosphere better. Players, especially the amateur ones (in fact there is no professional one) so successful.