I’ve still got a couple more screenings to do, but for the new films I really liked UNITED RED ARMY, NIGHT AND DAY, and LE PREMIER VENU (Just Anybody).
Also good: Guy Maddin’s MY WINNIPEG, the very promising debut film from Thailand, WONDERFUL TOWN, and the Austrian revenge story REVANCHE.
I really loved Tropa de Elite. Though There Will Be Blood was also one of the most fantastic films of the recent film history.
I heard quality of the films at Berlinale this year was one of the worst in years. However, there were some gems such as United Red Army, Jesus Christ Saviour (documentary of Klaus Kinski’s performance to recite his own idea about Jesus in Germany in 1971), and Om Shanti Om (the film was a sheer joy! you will fall in love with Shah Rukh Khan, India’s mega superstar).
Although, I missed so many screenings, “Hey, Hey, Hey It’s Esther Blueburger” and “City of Men” from Generation 14plus were my favorites. From the competition, I enjoyed “Cherry Blossom” and “The Elegy” excluding its last 15 minutes. “The Elite Squad” and “Lake Tahoe” are on my wish list for The Auteurs, by the way!
Congratulation for Golden Bear for Tropa de Elite!!
I haven’t seen “City of Men” yet, but I am absolutely in love with the TV series that has the same name and inspired this movie… I heard ’City of Men" and Tropa De Elite were the most sensational movies of the year in Brazil, due to their sensitive subject matter and the realistic way that they portray Police and Favela Struggles… Though, I think “City of Men” has a very different take on it, since it shows the events from the point of view of two young boys living in Favela, while Tropa De Elite concentrates more on the perspective of the Cops…
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What was the best film you’ve seen in Berlinale? This might come as a surprise but for me it was Tropa de Elite.