Machete (2010)

Machete: Splater, bad taste, naive, extreme and utterly insulting for the spectator.

My rating: 01/10

PS. Was intended to be a parody of the “revenge-like” type of films? If this was its intention, it might take a 02/10.

Stone (2010)

It was one of these days that you get off work when movie theaters have changed what they are playing but you did not have the time to review anything. Tragic! But you need to go in, see yet another film… and you take the decision to see it, despite the fact you know nothing about it and its stupidly-intriguing title. The director, John Curran, did not ring a bell, although I had seen in the past “The Painted Veil” (which was not bad, but not impressive either).

Stone is a rectangle of characters. Acting is superb (ok, Milla Jovovich is not the best of the four but you may give her a break!), direction is great, but what is most of all impressive and important is the plot. What could I say that would maintain the surprise and plot turns that take place and give one the initiative to go and see it? It is really hard. It is a comment about religion, the role it plays in people’s lives, the way penitentiary institutions work, what one values in life and what not. It is surprising, to say the least, that such a play was filmed in the States.

One final thing: forget the trailer, it is a different thing.

My rating: 08/10