Cate Blanchett is superb as the eponymous, ruthlessly focussed and highly accomplished, maestra who lives with her violinist wife "Sharon" (Nina Hoss) and young daughter "Petra" (Mila Bogojivic). Acclaimed by her peers, she is now the principal conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic. A job not without it's complications - she must select music, inspire musicians, and deal with her less then competent assistant "Sebastian" (Allan Corduner) who was a favourite of the previous occupant of her job "Davis" (Julian Glover) whilst juggling the ambitions of her funding partner "Kaplan" (Mark Strong). This spinning plates operation means she is constantly making compromises and that impacts on all of those around her. Frequently, she must rely on her assistant "Francesca" (Noémie Merlant) and it's around this relationship that we see some cracks start to appear in the otherwise formidable armour of "Tár". One of her erstwhile musicians has taken her own life - and subsequently the rumour mill starts to suggest that maybe, just maybe, there could have been an element of the good old casting couch mentality going on. No smoke without fire or totally made up? Well the last half of the film unfolds as the allegations gather pace and, well... I wasn't exactly enamoured of development of the story. It reminded me a little of that surrounding acclaimed British choreographer Liam Scarlett - and with that in mind I found the theme a little undercooked. It does illustrate well the Humty Dumpty effect of gossip, though. Do we believe she is guilty of abusing her position and of manipulation? Or is she a powerless victim of someone else's failure? I had nowhere near enough evidence to draw any meaningful conclusion - and I didn't like that. The ending is rather powerful, though - a vindication or a terrible wronging? You must decide... Blanchett is, regardless of that, at the top of her game and there is some spectacular orchestral music to enjoy here, too.
I wanted to like TÁR, but I just found it boring. Way too long and drawn out. I thought the story was decent with fantastic performances but it just did not work for me. I can appreciate it as a masterpiece in film making, even though I considered it a pretty poor watch. Score: 60% | Verdict: Decent
The downfall of a great conductor (conductress??) could have been an interesting topic. But ‘TÁR’ is 2h38mins of leaving out major plot points and instead showing details in dreadful scenes that often don’t lead anywhere. The viewer has to make all this up for themselves, such as whether Tár is victim or culprit. In a way, this is all quite well done. Unfortunately, the film is too boring and incomprehensible to care. This being a film about conducting, I found Blanchett’s conducting style ridiculous, though she was good otherwise. At least the Mahler 5 excerpts sounded wonderful, and so let’s just conclude with that number as my rating. 5/10
A renowned ophthalmologist is desperate to cut off an adulterous relationship…which ends up in murder; and a frustrated documentary filmmaker woos an attractive television producer while making a film about her insufferably self-centered boss.
When Simon awakens in the hospital after surviving a near-fatal accident, amnesia has erased the last two years from his memory. He learns that his brother was killed, he has married a woman he doesn't remember and he's haunted by strange visions of the woman he loved.
Two teenage girls in small-town Sweden. Elin is beautiful, popular, and bored with life. Agnes is friendless, sad, and secretly in love with Elin.
David, a naive graduate student, has volunteered to work as a 'buddy' for people dying of AIDS. Assigned to the intensely political Robert, a lifelong activist whose friends and family have abandoned him following his diagnosis, the two men, each with notably different world views, soon discover common bonds, as David's inner activist awakens and Robert's need for emotional release is fulfilled.
This 1985 Spanish film reveals one of the many terrible aspects of 16th century Spain, still plagued by the radical Christian Inquisition, one of a plethora of difficulties Spaniards faced at the time. Spanish super star Carmen Maura plays a nun who agrees to a selfless scam, a fake stigmata, only to avoid separation from her lover, another nun. It's a serious and passionate work, highlighting the theme of outspoken women-against-repression, seen in other good gay and lesbian films. This is not a lesbian "Nun sense" or another "Dark Habits" (by Almodovar, which also starred Carmen Maura, and also set in a Spanish convent, with some lesbian nuns). Perhaps, best of all, 'Extramuros' is realistic and frank. It isn't shy about its characters' sexuality. Their sexuality, and the film as a whole are genuine.
The story of Jerry Lee Lewis, arguably the greatest and certainly one of the wildest musicians of the 1950s. His arrogance, remarkable talent, and unconventional lifestyle often brought him into conflict with others in the industry, and even earned him the scorn and condemnation of the public.
Their first meeting is a disaster: he falls off the ski lift, and when she jumps to rescue him he leads her on a Key Stone Cops chase down the mountain. For JOHN EAVES, six-time winner of the Freestyle World Cup and stunt man for James Bond, it's love at first sight. For World Champion Freestyle skier SUZY CHAFFEE, it's a see-ya-later-buddy. But John doesn't give up easily. He decides that if the only way to win her means following her across country, then that's what he'll do. Starting in Manhattan he trudges 3,000 miles, through urban jungle and flatland desert, all the time fantasizing about what they'll do when they're together. Spectacular filming of incredible ski stunts and snow dancing blend with a power-punching soundtrack to make FIRE AND ICE a movie packed with action and adventure. If you don't ski, you will!
Painter Francisco Goya becomes involved with the Spanish Inquisition after his muse, Inés, is arrested by the church for heresy. Her family turns to him, hoping that his connection with fanatical Inquisitor Lorenzo, whom he is painting, can secure her release.
Utterly astounding, iridescent sand animation from Aleksandra Korejwo based around Bizet's Carmen.