Film Reviews by Lojong

The story begins with the establishing of the young, poor couple, Carl and Ya Ya, who, strapped for cash, argue over paying the dinner bill (this scene was unnecessarily long). Once we moved on to the ship's passenger list, the characters from the rich began to make their entrances and to reveal their selfish disinterest and isolation from the underling ship's crew members. However, when the scene with those chosen to sit at the captain's table is shot, it is an entirely different matter - prestige and a chance to stand out from the rest. Nonetheless, it is Carl of the poorer couple who exhibits an ultra-snobbish attitude - and an extreme possessiveness towards his partner, Ya Ya. Woody Harrelson, the improbable captain, in spite of his alcoholism, eventually appears at the head of the captain's table and he sparkles with wit (as he continues to quaff Champaign).

Then the storm breaks, quite literally, and the ship begins to rock 'n r-o-o-o-o-ll - cue The Titanic. The dinner dinners are stuffing themselves with caviar, oysters and other indulgences, all sluiced down with fast-flowing, vintage Dom Perignon. The mass puking that ensues followed by the exploding septic tanks, is pure Monty Python's Flying Circus. For me, the best part of the movie is the literary and political repartee - all broadcast over the ship's intercom' - between the captain and the 'Falstaffian' Dimitry, (both legless by now) the Russian who made his fortune "selling shit" - read guano..

The movie becomes clumsier, after the puking and the shit inundation subside, when the location moves onto the island - somewhat heavy handed in the messages - Lord of the Flies homage - poorly directed here, even tiresome (don't like the term boring). The movie winds up leaving us with the question, "Is Ya Ya more observant and wiser than we might have been led to believe? Will she survive? Triangle of Sadness has its moments but any plot is near invisible and firm direction lacking - A messy farce but, worth a watch for its few gems.

Lojong

This is a film made from true experience of humility and heartfelt warmth. Is Tokue a bodhisatva? She has a mind of beauty and compassion, of a being who devotes herself to the welfare of others . By entering the lives of the other two main characters she draws out for them their own deepest love for another human being; she reveals what it means to love. Oh yes, the bean paste is the catalyst for the story

The locations representing Anatolia appeared well in the film. Story-line was often confusing with some events being 'set up' to carry the plot. The Ottoman Lieutenant played his character superbly, even showing his reflection on the horror of war after he kills the Armenian 'rebel' sniper, and then sees him as just the father of his two orphans. Not a great film, although it concerned one of histories greatest of human catastrophes. Summing it up - love discovered and then destroyed by the human capacity to do so - again.........

At some time the film genre of rogue USA, CIA operatives and their assassins has to become more than just violence (makes the wannabe macho men feel good?) pyrotechnics, millions of bullets, loooong chase sequences jumbled into a an often confusing plot, This has resulted in a movie which I would have preferred to have missed. The mark of a good movie or of a stage drama is how easily one is able to suspend ones disbelief and settle into the 'reality' presented by the production. Greengrass doesn't do subtlety, most of the time we are blasted by firepower and speed with little or no coherent intrigue to draw us through the story. Being a fan of John le Carre's work and the associated movies, I guess that I should bypass future Greengrass movies.

There can be great entertainment from a well written, gripping story presented skilfully in a cunning plot in shades of power and allusion, all captured by the art of the cameraman. I hope that the next movie from Paul Greengrass & Co. will include those criteria. A rating of just 56% is pretty dismal for Jason Bourne 2016.

Robert