Well, hello there, kind folks. If you’re visiting this blog of mine, I presume that you have a certain interest in the cinema. As for me, even since my early childhood, I have had a deep love of everything related to movies and television. As far as I can remember, I have been more at ease in front of a screen than in the yard, outside, playing. It is a great way to travel, though other people’s stories, without having to foot any kind of steep bill. Over the years, I feel that movie-watching has even fuelled my own creativity.

All that being said, I welcome you in my Cinephile’s Nest. I hope you enjoy it here, feel free to come back at any time. Here you will find reviews of current movies and older ones. TV shows also. Some classics that have remained some of my favourites, some that have disappointed me. I will use a very basic star (*) system to grade them from 1 to 5 (5 being sliced bread level). Remember, these are just my tastes. I will try to explain in each review what I liked about these particular movies, without giving spoilers.

Il y aura aussi des critiques en français pour les films francophones, car j'aime également le cinéma dans ma langue maternelle. Avant d'apprendre l'anglais, plus jeune, je louais des tonnes de films traduits en français, surtout ceux de Bud Spencer et Terrence Hill. Ma mère a eu le choc de sa vie lorsqu'un jour, dans la boîte d'un de ces films, Deep Throat avait malencontreusement inséré. Une expérience formatrice pour le jeune cinéphile que je suis.

Bienvenue à tous, amusez-vous bien.

I welcome you all here, enjoy yourself.

Tuesday, January 12, 2021

Monster's Ball (2001)

 Genre: Romance / Drama
Directed by: Marc Forster
Cast: Halle Berry, Billy Bob Thornton, Heath Ledger 
Running Time: 112 minutes


 

Hank Grotowski is a correctional officer in Georgia, stuck between an extremely racist father and a son too sensitive to be effective in the same job as his father. After losing his son to suicide, Hank leaves his job and falls for a waitress, who also lost a son, not knowing at first that he just recently accompanied her husband to the electric chair

This is a brilliant, complex film with multi-layered characters. Halle Berry had not been this good in a role before and she has not been since. Whether it was about the material, the direction or a flash of brilliance on her part, the magic operated here. As for Billy Bob Thornton, he is often very solid. He was here too. Heath Ledger and Peter Boyle did fine also in more limited roles. Even Sean Combs AKA P. Diddy, was good for what he had to do.

Overall, this is a very good movie that is well worth seeing at least once in your life.

Rating: «««««

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