Sandy’s Film Reviews
18 Films have been rated or reviewed by Sandy.
Wonderful, Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl, The (1993)
Great doco on a key innovator in movies. Camerawork & movement are all, leaving Hollywood in the shade. Dir. Muller does a great job & the film even resonates with US politics today. Denies closeness w/Hitler & Goebbels, but why would they lie?
Central Station (1998)- A truly great movie, both in content & visually. Brilliantly acted and directed, the result being a real & memorable portrayal of the lives of the vibrant poor of Brazil and the varied landscapes of this vast and diverse country.
A Gun in Each Hand (2012)
Very clever & entertaining. On the insecurity of men. The women certainly come out on top, in every way! 
Open Hearts (Elsker dig for evigt) (2002)- Powerful, well–paced, brilliantly acted. A triumph of hand–held camerawork in the Dogme style, which is explained in the interesting extras. Dogme puts a lot of pressure on the actors, all of whom carry it with great skill & conviction.
- Poster (VG) $12.95
Whistleblower, The (2010)
Bravura performance by Rachel Weisz. Crimes of BlackRock Inc.(given a pseudonym here) well–known and having them more exposed is valuable. US now fights wars using proxies – civilian drone operators, "security" companies like BlackRock, Israel & Ukraine
Sister (2012)- Riveting! Great cinematography and sound. Lea and Kasey magnificently underplay their roles. There is no melodrama here, the bugear of so many Kiwi dramas. The process of stealing is very well conveyed. A memorable film.
- DVD $19.95
Gregory's Girl (1981)- Enjoyable today; very funny in a special gentle way. All wonderful characters – I especially liked Gregory's very together little sister, Madeline. Very witty, with a very good plot. Well worth watching. Innocence is timeless.
City of God (Cidade de Deus) (2002)- Brilliant symbolic opening and unrelenting thereafter.rnVery interesting documentary extras.
- DVD
$20$15 
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
Lovely to see Kate Winslet in an over–the–top role. Tom Wilkinson is great, too; I especially liked his bright blue tie. But this American comedic style is kinda stupid & hard all at once; no subtlety. A triumph of style over substance. 
Sophie Scholl: The Final Days (2005)- Shockingly moving, a must–view glance at recent history; a cycle of killing and suppression endlessly repeated by our species. Heartbreaking1
Something Wild (1986)- Superior camera work, editing & great music! Immensely entertaining, with a surprise every minute! Great fun and seriously different. Terrific pace & rhythm and a great cure for the blues.
This Beautiful Fantastic (2016)- Sheer magic throughout. A delightful, funny and moving tale written by the director. Interview with him (extras) is worth watching. Beautiful ensemble acting; top performances. Remains long after in the memory.
- DVD $29.95
Living (2022)- Clunky, with a cliched melodramatic script. But loved the magical appearance & disappearance of umbrellas in the rain! Weak direction, lacking intelligence. S. African directors b.1983 couldn't know 1952 London, so should stay with what they understand.
Decision To Leave (2022)- Brilliant police procedural & whodunit full of ironic jokes and romance, Korean–style. Very watchable. A sense of civic and personal duty runs so deep in Korea that the film's laughs may be missed by foreigners. Knowing the tragedy of Manchuria helps.
- DVD $29.95 | Blu-Ray $34.95
Circle, The (2000)- Amazingly, only 1 main character was an actor. Interview w/Panahi in Extras. Iran & Afghanistan are the sole Islamic states, ironically created by US destruction of secular govts, though Brooks' book & SOLA (look it up) show hope is still alive.
Passengers of the Night, The (Les passagers de la nuit) (2021)- Very convincing & interesting characters. Real & loving. Charlotte Gainsbourg is wonderful – very 3D. A wholly memorable film outstanding in all respects. Such a film could never be made in Hollywood without degenerating into cliche.
- DVD $29.95
Night of the 12th, The (La Nuit du 12) (2022)- A socially aware policier! Psychological focus; not an "action movie". Complex & convincing, and very modern. An exploration of the differences between men & women. Gripping & thought–provoking, all filmed in the beautiful setting of the French Alps.
Herself (2020)- Terrific! Moving, uplifting
- DVD $29.95
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