2005 romantic comedyRating: 15/20
Plot: An Italian poet/professor is enamored with a woman named Vittoria. She travels to Baghdad, and Giovanni gets the news that she's been injured. Apparently, there's some war going on in Iraq or something. He travels (impossibly) to Iraq, finds his love interest in an overcrowded, under-supplied hospital (impossibly) and takes care of her when her doctor can't (impossibly).
Perhaps it's because I just watched City Lights yesterday. And perhaps it's because I've seen Benigni's Life Is Beautiful, a movie that I unashamedly love, three times. But The Tiger in the Snow sure seems to have a lot in common with those. Roberto Benigni seems to rub a lot of people the wrong way, but I like the guy. He gets a lot of things right in this one. Things begin surreally, a beautiful dream sequence in which Tom Waits is a wedding singer. There are more surreal touches along the way, but since the characters don't seem bothered or thrown off by them, I won't either. There's a playfulness to the drama and a darkness to the comedy that I really like. And there are some really terrific shots--a beheaded Hussein statue with a quarter moon poised above it, the aforementioned dream scene, the shot that gives the movie its title, a great shot with Benigni's character's love interest riding away on a trolley. Are there times when Benigni overdoes things a little bit? Sure, it happens. But he's got a way, like Chaplin, of pushing just the right buttons at just the right time. This is a beautiful, kinda quirky love story with just enough good to make up for its flaws.
Edit: I forgot to mention this. This movie has one of the best descriptions of poetry that I've ever heard.
You want to know why Benigni rubs some people the wrong way? Its because the guy is such a complete ham, no matter what the situation in the movie.
ReplyDeleteNow take a look at the version of Pinocchio he made. You will see everything wrong with Benigni...its quite honestly one of the ten worst movies I have ever seen, and the entire reason is Benigni and his acting style.
So I'm guessing you don't love 'Life Is Beautiful' as much as I do?
ReplyDeleteI saw his Pinocchio on a "worst of decade" list. Or some list. I'll try to see it soon. Bad movies don't scare me!
I thought Life is Beautiful was highly overrated......and oddly sterile for a holocaust movie. Plus the fact the kid doesnt age at all in four or five years of film always kind of messes things up for me.
ReplyDeleteI should probably watch Tiger in the Snow, since the major reason I wandered back to your little site here was because of how pissed I was after I saw a couple of the best picture nominees for this year, and I need you to find some hidden gem that can make me like movies again.
If you don't like Benigni, steer clear. And if you didn't like 'Life Is Beautiful,' stay really far away from this one since Benigni comes dangerously close to plagiarizing himself with this one. This is not the gem you are looking for.
ReplyDeleteHowever, as Larst informed everybody yesterday, the first six Zatoichi movies are available to watch for free on Hulu.com. Good, if not entirely action-packed, samurai stuff. Zatoichi is a cool character.
Burymore, what nominees have you seen? Did you like any?
ReplyDeleteCory,
ReplyDeleteThese are the movies I have seen that were nominated, and my quick reviews of each of them.
Up-Eh, decent cartoon, but its just an average or below Pixar movie. Pixar movies are becoming less and less fun and exciting and more and more pathos. Its like watching people remaking Buster Keaton movies. Look at the sad clowns.
District Nine-Sci fi picture that bludgeons you with its anti apartheid message. So timely. (okay only 20 years too late.) Plus it has a couple plot holes so huge that you could safely drive a space ship through them.
The Hurt Locker-Movie about nothing. Just scene after scene of defusing bombs. Tiresome and repetitive. Where the hell is the plot or story?
A Serious Man-The Coen Brothers finally eliminating all the good will from Raising Arizona, Oh Brother Where art thou, and Fargo. The most self important, sadistic, and pointless major motion picture I have ever seen. Its the ultimate "The emperor has no clothes movie" with people falling all over themselves trying to give reasons why this is a great movie. Its not....its lazy, mean, and completely disdainful of its audience.
Now the only two movies I have seen that I like.
Inglorious Basterds-A fun movie about nazis. They are evil, and thats a good thing. I know that its historically completely wrong, but everyone knows that. Its certainly not a documentary, but it is a fun way to spend two hours. Thats a bingo.
Up in the Air-Best "real" movie in the bunch. It has plot, good acting, characters that are actually people and is both very funny and very dramatic. Is it a "great" movie? Nah...but its very very good, and is my pick for the academy award in an incredibly weak year.
Thats right, I have not seen Precious (You could not pay me to go to that) The Blind Side (Seriously, Sandra Bullock is going to win an Oscar for this Lifetime movie?) An Education...(Oh goodie, pedophilia.) And yep..I am the only movie goer alive who has not seen Avatar. Everyone that I know that has seen it, has been pissed about it, so I keep putting off going. I am going to have to see it, but I am not looking forward to it.
So there...my academy list. Hope you enjoyed it.
Very nice, Burymore. I did enjoy it. Comments:
ReplyDeleteI could not have said a lot of that better myself. I especially agree with your take on "A Serious Man". If ANYONE else had made this self-indulgent, masochistic film, there is NO WAY it would have been nominated. It was an OK niche film, but the Coen's can and have done much better.
I feel the same way about the slowly declining Pixar films that try to be everything for everyone.
sidenote: I don't like Benigni and thought "Life is Beautiful" may have been the most manipulative, smarmy, trite film about an important subject ever devoted to an actor's vanity. Sorry, Shane.
"Precious" is well done, but absolutely brutal to watch.
I think you were way too harsh with "The Hurt Locker". I'm not on the "best film of the year" bandwagon, but I thought it had something to say in an ineresting, varied, and very intense way. A B+ film.
I want to see "An Education"... no perdophilia cracks needed.
I don't want to see "The Blind Side", but the book was good.
"District 9" was exciting and creative and better than you seem to think.
I mostly agree with "...Basterds" being good entertainment and shitty history. You should read Shane's review/ comments on this one.
"Up in the Air" is my second favorite film of 2009 (after "Star Trek"...what did you think of that?), and I believe it IS a great film.
You should see "Avatar" in 3-D while you can. It is a good film that is the best visual experience I have had. I am concerned about future 3-D crap, though.
If they had stuck to five nominees, they would be "Up in the Air", "Avatar", Ingorious Basterds", "Precious", and "The Hurt Locker". It would have had much more integrity.
Do you read the general comments? There are a few things in there that may interest you.
2009 ten favorite movies list:
ReplyDelete1. Star Trek
2. Up in the Air
3. Avatar
4. Harry Potter VI
5. Bruno
6. Distict 9
7. Julie & Julia
8. Inglourious Basterds
9. Anvil: The Story of Anvil
10. In the Loop
Anyone else want to play?
Okay.....Barry's top ten list for 2009
ReplyDelete1-Up In The Air
2-Star Trek (Its flawed but I like how they did it
3-Inglorious Basterds
4-Zombieland-Only cause Bill Murray has a cameo
5-Harry Potter 6-Damn well done movie
6-The Informant-Seriously flawed but I was interested all the way through
I am already running out of movies I liked...wow
7-500 Days of Summer-Only cause I had a great date to this.
8-Funny People-I am really reaching here
9-Up
10--Well the MOST fun I had at a movie this year was going to go see 2012 at some 3 dollar theater Portland where the heating system was broken so it was about 110 degrees. I can honestly say it was a perfect metaphor for being in hell.
I liked "Zombieland" much more before Bill Murray showed up. He was very distracting, for me.
ReplyDeleteBarry, since you're such a Zeppelin fan, and your 2009 list is lacking, I recommend a movie called "It Might Get Loud" for you. I think you would like it. I really enjoyed "500 Days...", but I was suprised that you liked it as much. I think "The Informant" comes out Tuesday, so I might check that out.
I've yet to find a person who likes 'Life Is Beautiful' as much as I do. He won an Oscar, and I believe the movie was critically acclaimed, but it doesn't seem like normal people like us are supposed to take the thing seriously. I'll just add it to the pile (with 'Team America: World Police' and others) of films that nobody but me seems to like. And yes, I'm fully aware that it's manipulative, a quality that generally makes me despise a movie. I can't explain why 'LIB' works for me.
ReplyDeleteI going to watch Benigni's 'Pinocchio' some time this week. I'm pumped!
I'll write about 'District 9' later...I have some catching up to do with 2009's movies. I'll watch 'Zombieland' tomorrow night, but I have to warn you...I'm going into it with a negative attitude.
I could make a top-? list, but three of the top-? would be cartoons. And I think if I saw 'A Town Called Panic,' then four of them would be cartoons. That looks to be the greatest movie of all time.
2009 top-10 live update.....
ReplyDelete"Capitalism: A Love Story" comes in at number 3. "In the Loop" is out of the loop. Commence Michael Moore bashing......... now.