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American Women's Club of Hamburg  Film Reviews -- October 2006Reviews by members of the AWC Film Group of films slated to open in Hamburg in October 2006.
(Becky T) Opening October 5, 2006 In this animated film for children a farmer believes that all is well. Little does he know but after hours the animals become personified. They walk on two legs, hold meetings, entertain each other with musical presentations worthy of Broadway, watch TV, go joy-riding and generally whoop it up. Still, a certain standard of order and safety requires a mature mind, conveniently provided by old Ben the cow. Upon his demise at the claws of the evil coyotes, his laid-back son Otis unwillingly assumes responsibility with the support of his friends Pip the mouse, Freddy the ferret, Peck the rooster, and Pig the pig. This is a multi-cultural group, e.g., one has a Mexican accent, one an American gangsta’ accent and so on. They take revenge on a fat boy who thinks cow-tipping is fun; Otis falls in love with Daisy; Freddy resists opportunities to eat the chickens; the donkey provides a wise counterpart to Otis’ immaturity; the coyotes seem to be straight out of The Lion King. The cows seem artificially plastic and I didn’t know that male cows have udders, but these do. There is a fantasy animal called Wild Mike. The German translation is excellent if that’s your only alternative, although the English version features Kevin James, Danny Glover and Andie MacDowell. This is a harmless film with a lesson about assuming responsibility, good for the whole family.
(Becky T) Opening October 5, 2006 High school student Troy hangs himself during his mother’s pool party, but there is barely a ripple in the complacent suburb of Hillside, a perfect place where everyone is a kind of Stepford wife. Troy’s best friend is Dean, whose father analyses him and his reaction to the suicide (no reaction really) for another chapter in his book The Happy Accident. Troy’s mother Carrie worries about returning the correct dish to each family which donated food for the funeral. In an effort to get a rise about of Dean, high school students kidnap his brother, but get the wrong kid. This is young Charlie Bratley who lives with his mother and her fiancé, the mayor of Hillside, Michael Ebbs. Neither ever realize that the boy is gone. Dean’s brother, also named Charlie, is at home watching a TV series called The Chumscrubber, a science fiction survivor of an atomic blast who carries his head under his arm and lives in a world of freaks and subhuman creatures. Parallels are obvious. If this were Harold and Maude, Troy would have found a nice person who cared for him and he would still be alive. Although sad enough, it is actually a comedy, a satire about non-commitment, shiny surfaces, and perfection without love or human empathy in a commercial, consumer world where “the average kids sees 10,000 dead bodies on TV before the age of 18” and everyone is holding on to a glass of wine. Director is Arie Posier. This is an ensemble piece with a large interesting cast including Glenn Close, Ralph Fiennes, Jimie Bell, Camille Belle, Rory Culkin, and Lou Taylor Pucci (winner of best actor for Thumbsucker in Berlin).This would have fit perfectly in the 2006 Hamburg film festival which featured an unusual number of malfunctioning families, in this case six of them.
(Marcie J) Opening October 5, 2006 The first idea that came to mind after the film ended was, “Whoa, that was very intense” even though I already knew the film was going to end in that particular way (and no, I am not going to tell you). I don’t know if it was director Margarethe von Trotta’s intention to create a stage performance on screen, however, the roles that all secondary characters and the background images played seemed to be ticking a few scenes behind the main character, Carolin/Carlotta, played by Katja Riemann. This created a “film”, a monologue about one person. The role of Carolin/Carlotta is a challenging role for any actress to play, yet at the same time it allowed Riemann to explore in-depth the many different personalities of the character. In the press information it states, that Carolin/Carlotta does not have just two, but rather four different personalities. I could not agree more. The first role that one is confronted with is that of Carolin the very obedient daughter. The first scene could literally be broken down and be discussed by psychologists, but I will leave that to them. Carolin speaks with her father over the phone and discusses the adventures and escapades that her “friend” Carlotta has been up to. Her father (Armin Müller-Stahl) even asks her why she calls him every Sunday. She does that to fulfill her daughterly duty and her yearning after the love of her father. The Carlotta side of this character, dressed up in a revealing red dress and cheap blond wig, is a woman searching for love from men other than her father. This search allows her to explore her own sexuality, yet after each adventure she awakes, and Carlotta is gone. All that remains is her third personality, a scared and helpless little girl ashamed of what she has done. The fourth side of Carolin/Carlotta is a very successful and intelligent lawyer, dressed and acting as society expects from a person with such a job and qualifications. As mentioned before, all other aspects of the “film” brought forth the presence of a stage performance. At times their presence was almost a nuisance and even disturbing. One scene stands out extremely is the wedding scene. Robert, Carolin’s fiancé is walking up through the vineyards to the site where the wedding is to take place. He is followed by Carolin’s mother and her friends. The mother blabbers away, while Robert silently focuses on Carolin. The problem was it just didn’t work. It was almost like watching Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. I actually found myself mentally singing "Heigh-Ho Heigh-Ho", because I had to try and make the scene work somehow. Despite the fact that the other characters sometimes got in the way (and when I look back I have to laugh because in a way they are just so hilarious…even though the film is not a comedy) I recommend this film especially due to Riemann’s performance. She was able to truly show that her characters search for love and desire to be loved was her ultimate downfall. Her search and desire were unattainable; due to the fact the she was never open to let it in.
(Karen P) Opening October 5, 2006 One of the most exciting sport events in the world took place during the summer months of June and July 2006, in Germany. The FIFA organization sponsored the soccer world cup and Germany was the event’s host. One of Germany’s beloved film makers, Sönke Wortmann, made a documentary film to hallow the memories of the electrifying games and to record the impact it had on the world, the German culture, and the team itself. Wortmann’s camera crew daily followed the teams’ journey, beginning with the initial training days in Italy up to the last official game played together – their fabulous win for third place. The memory of this game and the celebration that followed is unforgettable. Some of their journey which Wortmann captured was like watching family home movies: often uneventful but endearing. Soccer fans will delight in the charming moments that offer a unique inside view on the personalities. Throughout the world cup, Germans were glued to their seats because the national team and its coaches, Jürgen Klinsmann and Jogi Löw, gave the world an outstanding performance, both on and off the field. A total class act! The country was proud of their team and the team was proud of their country. Wortmann documents how that Germany’s summer event was a team effort on many counts. Germany’s 2006 summer fairy tale was just as much accredited to the fans and their hospitality as it was to their team’s play. Wortmann draws the audience into his film slowly and with deliberation, recounting spectacular games and the surrounding events in order to relive a magical experience in Germany’s history. For generations to come, their fairy tale will be noted as an example of excellence: in fairness, team spirit and hard work.
(Shelly S) Opening October 5, 2006 This story evolved from the 150-year celebration of the fossil find of a Neanderthal boy found in Düsseldorf in 1856. Wolfgang Murnberger digs further into the possible life that this boy may have lived by bring him to the present time. A meteorite hits the Alps at a tremendous speed causing a melt down in the glacier. This awakes Bataa (played by an Australian Aborigine Clarence John Ryan) who searches for the secret cave of his tribe. At the same time Sophie (Julia Kromback) is forced to take a summer holiday with her father and the new additions to her family. Since her mother’s death she is unwilling to accept this new situation of a patchwork family. In the middle of the night, under great risk, she heads down the mountains to get to her grandmother and surprisingly meets Bataa. The story develops into a rescue search for Sophie, but the question is who really needs to be rescued, perhaps Bataa? The film is beautifully filmed showing the mystical side of the Neanderthal daily life. In real life Ryan and Kromback do not have a common language which must have made it interesting to act out these parts where communicating with one another in German and the language of the Neanderthals is a challenge. Mountain rescues, patchwork families and the journey to the other side are just a few of the lessons that this film can teach children as they try to cope in ever complicated world. Recommended for children eight and up.
(Karen P) Opening October 5, 2006 The combination of music, dance and romance will always provide material for a big screen narrative like Step Up, directed by Anne Fletcher. Fletcher, a performing artist herself, combines music and dance from the worlds of Hip-Hop, Street and the Classics to pose the question: If given a second chance to make a difference with your life, would you take it? Life in the Baltimore hood for Tyler Gage (Channing Tatum) offers little hope until his run-in with the law compels him to check out the world across the tracks. Tyler must do community service as a janitor at Maryland’s elite School for the Arts where he meets Nora (Jenna Dewan), who is in desperate need of a dance partner for her senior project. Tyler steps up to the challenge of being Nora’s partner, even though his own art of dance is completely different than hers. The choices that Tyler and Nora make thereafter effect them for the rest of their lives. In spite of a “beautiful people” cast, the film steps down due to a weak script and predictable narrative which caused me to look at my watch more than a few times during the duration of the film. Step Up is no comparison to other famous dance films, but it has enough magnetism to make for a relaxing video rental night.
(Karen P) Opening October 5, 2006 Lou Taylor Pucci received the Best Actor award for his performance in Thumbsucker at the 2005 Berlinale. This is about a seventeen-year-old boy who continued to suck his thumb when he would encounter undue stress or trauma. This film is a journey about breaking this habit that is so unbecoming of a person his age and intelligence. The difficulty is that the problem was symptomatic of deeper issues: his self-image and pressures of a stressed-out family. To observe the non-verbal communication style in this family made me uncomfortable and I could not help but wonder if this is often a cause of undue stress in many relationships. Lou brought out his character an amazing sensitivity and timing using his facial expressions that were absolutely priceless in expressing emotions. Lou began his career on stage at the age of ten and then auditioned for Sound of Music on Broadway at 15, which led to the feature film Personal Velocity and now Thumbsucker. Yet, most of his acting experience has come from theater. Director Mike Mills was thrilled to cast him because of his natural vulnerability and ability not to wear a mask.
(Becky T) Opening October 5, 2006 Sir Anthony Hopkins plays the real Burt Munro, a man from New Zealand whose greatest dream was to race in Speed Week in Bonneville, Utah. For years he lovingly rebuilt and repaired an original 1920 Indian Scout motorcycle, the object of derision by the local Hell’s Angels. He overcomes financial and health difficulties to realize his dream. The film traces his progress in three parts. In New Zealand he lives unconventionally in a shack among middle class families, where his best friends are a young neighbour boy who helps him repair things and his girl friend Ada. Later, the film becomes a road movie as he cooks on a ship to pay passage to the USA. Once there, he quarrels with customs about the release of his vehicle to travel from the west coast to Utah. Along the way he meets a transvestite and other colourful people, who succumb to his rough charm. Once in Bonneville his real troubles begin because he is not registered for the race. Luckily, people with influence are captivated by his unusual antique motorcycle. In the end, he races successfully, and eventually goes on to set speed records; one from 1967 still stands. He was a character with an answer for every situation, such as “You can play many songs on an old banjo” and “it was so hot the birds flew backwards to avoid the dust” and “there’s still lead in the old pencil.” The German title “with heart and hand” reflects the heartfelt emotions which might be too simple for some viewers, but are more often than not captivating. Everyone cheers for Bert in the end. Director Roger Donaldson presents a sympathetic character, who lived 1899-1978 and gives Hopkins an excellent role. (Becky T) Opening October 12, 2006 Robert Wilson is an international theater/opera director and creator of art installations. This documentary by Katherina Otto-Bernstein begins with young Wilson in his home town of Waco, Texas. He was a shy boy who stuttered, which could be one reason that his theater creations are notably free of spoken text. He later said, “Language is the barrier to imagination.” His mother supposedly was “cold” and his father definitely rich. A kindly teacher helped him overcome his stutter. He survived this childhood and moved to New York City, where he out-ed himself as a homosexual to his father’s displeasure. He established a workshop in the New York countryside where people gathered to create films and art. He is known for his Einstein at the Beach (1976) and CIVIL WarS (1983). He befriended and supported several young people and could identify with one autistic boy who also lived on the fringes of society, but could be integrated into the theater. Residents of Hamburg have held him in esteem ever since his Black Rider opened at the Thalia Theater in 1990 and was sold out for months. It toured the big cities of Europe, was a success in NYC and provided the necessary career basis for German actor Dominic Horowitz. Wilson directed opera in Hamburg as well, not to mention building the light installations at Hamburg’s Dorint and SIDE Hotels. He left a sample of his handwriting in the eighth-floor SIDE Hotel lobby – where his chairs are impossible to sit in, but no matter. Susan Sonntag, Phillip Glass and others comment in the film. As a Wilson groupie, I’m probably unqualified to give an unbiased opinion; my colleague complained that director Otto-Bernstein was also not objective. Objectivity must be left to others, perhaps when Wilson is no longer around to influence the film. Otto-Bernstein from Hamburg belongs to the Otto Versand mail-order-catalog family. She studied in Columbia University. Absolute Wilson showed at the 2006 Berlinale.
(Adele R) Opening October 12, 2006 OK, I liked it. The clothes were to die for. They got the stress level right, the frantic pace, the adrenalin surges of an industry built on creativity and dreams and even got the bottom line in there. After all, the fashion industry is responsible for billions of dollars and millions of jobs, as fashion editor, Nigel (a wryly delightful Stanley Tucci) instructs Andy(Ann Hathaway), the new assistant to the Dragon Lady, Miranda Priestly (the formidable Meryl Streep). Yes, the rampant bulimia and anorexia in the industry is treated as a source of amusement here and alcohol, cocaine and other addictions, also wide-spread among people who invent dreams at terrible cost to themselves, is never mentioned. But addressing these and other issues of the industry was not the point. This is a Faustian comedy—not, as is apparent, a contradiction in terms. Poor clueless Andy, She wants to be a journalist but somehow ends up at Runway Magazine applying for a job she doesn’t even begin to comprehend nor, it appears, have the skill required--i. e. a passion for fashion. But as Andy explains, she’s smart, and eventually she gets it…all of it. She is transformed from a sort of fat (well, she’s a massive size 6) polyester-clad slob to a super model in the flick of Nigel’s wrist and from that moment on, joins her colleagues in a jaw-dropping presentation of beautiful clothes, boots, shoes and handbags for the rest of the film (the product promotion in this film is stupendous.) Andy also manages her impossible job requirements brilliantly. Miranda is the ultimate nightmare. Streep’s withering looks, pursed lips, dismissive voice, ice-cold requests for the utterly impossible, all wrapped in mind-boggling furs, which she flings dismissively on the desks of her assistants, will go down in film history. This performance is a tour de force. Andy’s boyfriend is so wimpy and soft that it is impossible to credit the relationship. And the sexy writer, Christian Thomson (Simon Baker)? Forget it. He hasn’t a dollop of the charm, intelligence and sheer power of the guys who really do write for New York Magazine, Vanity Fair,The Times and the other publications to which young Andy supposedly aspires. But that is just carping. The film is an amusing fantasy about Meryl Streep as the Devil and all those clothes as the reward. The brilliant costume designer, Patricia Field (whose famous outfits on Sex and the City spawned an entire fashion revolution) deserves second billing right after Streep.
(Kirstan B) Opening October 12, 2006 For all of those who find reaching outside your comfort zone an effort not worth striving for, please see this film. If you ever had something so blatantly obvious staring at you and missed its importance, please see this film. If you ever were frustrated that you, as one individual, could not make a difference in bringing about change, please see this movie. If you ever cared about your stay on this planet and your mark in the human experience, please see this film. If you ever wanted to know the truth, but were afraid that would require commitment, please see this film. If you ever wanted to get beyond self and start living for balance, then please see this film. If you ever wondered about what is really important to you, in terms of morals, values, and our place in the universe, then you must see this film. Al Gore has spent most of his adult life trying to send the human race a message that we are heading for environmental, catastrophic crisis via global warming, and, in fact, are in the midst of it. By bringing his agenda to film, perhaps he will finally find a receptive, global audience that was eluding him from a political standpoint. A 2-hour, simplified summation of many books, lectures, articles, and research that Gore has devoted his life to show-casing, the material is presented in such a clear and direct way that nobody can deny its impact; even the most scientifically-challenged will walk away empowered by these inconvenient truths... and you will be definitely moved in some way. Second Opinion by Mary W If you voted for George W. Bush, especially twice, chances are that you are not interested in a documentary film featuring Al Gore, who won the popular vote of the American people in 2000. To further put you off, consider that the film follows Mr. Gore as he travels around the U.S. to explain global warming and how people contribute to it. He uses scientific studies which include lots of graphs and sketches. Most revealing, however, are simple photographs. Photographs, for example, that compare glaciers and ice packs that were unchanged for thousands of years but have now almost disappeared in just the last 30 years. These pictures are worth far more than a thousand words or the words of Mr. Gore himself. Take a dare to forget politics and see this film just to study the science. The facts should scare you into action to stop contributing to the death of our planet as we know it. Mr. Gore speaks warmly of his family and family values. He jokes about himself. He speaks very plainly and simply. You may find these characteristics usually attributed to President Bush a bit surprising in his former presidential opponent. Admittedly, there are too many close-ups of Mr. Gore in deep thought at his Apple laptop. But if you look beyond the man to his message, you may hear something that will change your life and even perhaps make a big difference on this very small Earth, if not for yourself, then for generations to follow. I dare you to take a look. (Mary W) Opening October 19, 2006 From John Cameron Mitchell, whose debut film Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001) won the audience prize and best director at the Sundance Film Festival, this is another unique and humorous peek at sexuality and intimate relationships. Sophia (Sook-Yin Lee) is a couples’ counselor although everyone seems to only want sex therapy. She thinks her husband Rob (Raphael Barker) doesn’t know she fakes orgasms. At work, Sophia tries to help a couple with the same problem and then tries out her own advice on her husband. Another couple, Jamie (PJ DeBoy) and James (Paul Dawson) are a monogamous gay couple but James wants to bring in other men. James videotapes himself all the time and seems very depressed. They decide to include Ceth (Jay Brannon) in their relationship which makes a voyeur across the street upset. Then Sophia, on the advice of the two Jameses, visits a dominatrix. They all find themselves together at the NYC club Shortbus, where sexual issues are shared along with sex partners. Although there are some explicit sex scenes, they are an integral part of the story. So just loosen up, keep an open mind and enjoy the ride on Shortbus!
(Becky T) Opening October 19, 2006 In this German film which showed at Cannes and the Hamburg Film Festivals, a patch-work family of four vacations in a picturesque old house near the Schlei River. Miriam (Martina Gedeck), and André, her partner/husband (I never was sure which) settle cozily into a routine together with Miriam’s 15-year-old son Nils and his 12-year-old-going-on-22 girlfriend, Livia. Livia’s parents have flown to Mexico, entrusting their daughter to Miriam and André. This responsibily weighs especially heavily on Miriam and becomes almost unbearable when Livia spends long hours with – not Nils – but Bill, a German-American neighbor, old enough to be her father. Nils is typically teenaged non-committal; Livia is more of a sister than a girl friend to him. André thinks that Livia is mature enough to make her own house rules. Miriam appeals to Bill’s sense of responsibility more than once and during these multiple visits, she falls in love with him. Now she is torn between responsibility for a young girl and rejection of a rival. This can only end badly and it does. A surprising postscript at the end puts a new light on the interaction between these five people. Sommer 04 is worth your time if you are interested in new German cinema and actors, such as Gedeck, Svea Lohde, and Robert Seeliger to name a few.
(Shelly S) Opening October 19, 2006 This is an exciting but rough tale of a girl and a famous Moroccan horse race which delves into an exotic and culturally interesting Moroccan world. Zaina’s (Aziza Nadir) story is as difficult and often as treacherous as the surroundings in which she travels in order to find the answers that she seeks. Crossing the forbidden desert mountains of the Moroccan Atlas Ridge, Zaina, who’s dealing with the death of her mother, is faced with a difficult dilemma. Should she go with her real father who had early on abandoned her and her mother, or should she go with her stepfather, who is responsible for her mother’s death? It appears that these are her only choices in this culture. Zaina begins this adventurous journey accompanying her father to the famous horse race in Morocco and is confronted with horse thieves, greed and murder. She is not the perfect heroine since she sets fire to the horse stable of her stepfather and leaves him to die in it. In her loneliness she bonds with her father’s horse Zingal and is given the opportunity to run the race completely forbidden to women. There is a wonderful surprise and unexpected ending to this story. Although this movie is recommended for eight-year olds, it has its dark and realistic moments that make it difficult for younger children to see or really understand it. This was the first film at the Hamburg Children’s Film Festival which was completely sold out and it also had the rare privilege to be picked up by a distributor and make it to the main circuit. It also won the Audience Award at Locarno International Film Festival 2005. Interesting info: The actress Aziza Nadir who comes from Paris had never ridden a horse and had to spend months in Morocco to learn to ride in this race. For age 10 and above is my recommendation. (Nancy T) Opening October 26, 2006 Directed and written by Sebastian Schipper (Absolute Giants). Ein Freund von Mir was the opening film of the 2006 Filmfest Hamburg, that special night also being its world premier. This is a buddy film with the unlikely pair of Karl (Daniel Brühl) a young insurance company research agent and Hans (Jürgen Vogel) a daredevil car hike. Karl is assigned by his boss to spend a day incognito to see how the car rental service is working at the local airport. Karl reluctantly “applies for a job” and prankster Hans immediately attaches himself too him. Hans’ art of living resembles fraternity hazing, and it is a bit unbelievable that after one day of cruelty, Karl wants more. Maybe he wants to “save the attractive stewardess, Stelle (Sabine Timoteo) although that is unclear until the end. Some attention is better than none, and being sensually deprived, he makes a youthful choice.
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Barnyard (Der tierisch verrückte Bauernhof) 
The Chumscrubber (Glück in kleinen Dosen) 
Ich bin die Andere 
Deutschland. Ein Sommermärchen 
Lapislazuli - Im Auge des Bären 
Step Up 
Thumbsucker 
The World's Fastest Indian (Mit Herz und Hand) 
Absolute Wilson 
The Devil Wears Prada (Der Teufel trägt Prada ) 
An Inconvenient Truth (Eine unbequeme Wahrheit) 
Shortbus 
Sommer '04 
Zaina - Königen der Pferde (Zaina, cavalière de l'Atlas) 
Ein Freund von mir 
Questions?