Oct. 27, 2002 - 7:40 pm
a.k.a. The Princess and the Warrior. i [had originally] decided to use the poster instead of the normal movie cover because on the normal cover, Franka Potente's face looks just a bit more than abnormal. i like the poster better.
my second time seeing this film, this is one of the newest films from one of my favorite current directors...Tom Tykwer. he's a German director and this is a German film. i'm still anxiously awaiting the local release of his newest picture, Heaven (2002), which although it was released in Germany in February, it still has not made it to town.
this movie, like all of Tykwer's films, has a lot of coincidences involved in the plot. it's about two people whose lives become intertwined after some very bad things happen to them. Sissy works at a psychiatric hospital and gets into an accident one day in the city, partially because of something that Bodo does. Bodo is a young army vet who can't seem to get over his wife's recent death, and gets himself involved in more than one illegal activity with his brother Walter.
the character development that Tykwer's films contain is just amazing. he is able to tell you so much about the people just from silences, facial expression, and slight body language. the art direction and cinematography by Frank Griebe as always are amazing to watch. and Tykwer writes his films himself. it doesn't get much better than this. i give thanks every day for directors with an independent vision. Hollywood just cranks out way too much garbage in general. some of it's good...most of it isn't.
i guess if you're looking for a movie that's creative, has beautifully crafted characters, is definitely not mainstream, and makes the world seem a bit more magical than it actually is, you're probably ready for this film. it's filled with a lot of negative emotions, but there's enough positivity to make you feel good after you've watched it. excellent film. it doesn't get much better than this for me.