The Convent

Rating:
Summary: Philosophical Movie
Review: "O Convento" is a very strange movie, but is a enchanted movie also. Let-me try to explain this. If you don't like philosophy keep distance of this movie, but if you like some philosophical concepts from Nitzche, (specifically Zarathustra) you need to take this. It is not just another "just to fun movie", instead of this, is a movie that make you think about the evil and the goodness.
And, last but not least, you get a movie with Catherine Deneuve and John Malkovich but pay attention in a very impressive performance of Luis Miguel and the beauty Leonor Silveira that compose Piedade with delicate. Luiz Miguel and Leonor Silveira outperform Malkovich and Deneuve.

The only major problem: The sound isn't very good and some takes aren't good illuminated.

Rating:
Summary: I've seen better of both Malkovich and Deneuve.
Review: After seening almost all of Deneuve's films and many of Malkovich, I can say this was not a favorite. Worth seeing if you are an avid fan of either, but don't expect much passion, character development or specific plot. To me, it was oppressive and choppy, lacking the intrigue both actors have, in the past, brought to their films.

Rating:
Summary: Very Unusual
Review: I am an avid John Malkovich movie goer, and i watched this film because of this reason. This is a strange movie. I liked the atmosphere that it gives and its ability to play with the mind of the viewer. Contrary to this, I didn't know what was with the music. But thats another story. watch the movie, and see what you think.

Rating:
Summary: this movie doesn't deserve ANY stars
Review: I do love a good art film, but man, this one missed the mark, the ball park and any point it might be trying to make. The music was insanely bad, storytelling missing entirely (oh yeah, there is no story), the lighting was atrocious and absolutely nothing interesting happens. The characters are flat, completely unsubstantial and entirely confusing. They spend a lot of time reading Faust OUT LOUD, so if you don't know it intimately, and know if it is relevent to this self-gratifying piece of pretentious nonsense, don't bother. The only bright spot? Catherine Deneuve looks lovely as usual.

Rating:
Summary: This is not Hollywood
Review: If you are looking for action, well explained plot and millions spent on computer effects - keep looking. This film is not for you, as it follows from previous reviews, you'll be very disappointed.

But if you wander around seeking a real pleasure for eye and mind - you've found it. It is very quiet, chamber, and definitely not straightforward. It is rather a sequence of brilliant etudes of light and color played by wonderful actors. Art of cinema at it's best.

Rating:
Summary: Of God, Goethe and Gomez Addams
Review: My local video store had this filed under "French Films." Turns out that, despite starring Catherine Deneuve, it's actually a later film by esteemed Portuguese director Manoel de Oliveira. I don't think the store even had a Portuguese section, so it may be just as well. The movie is certainly "international." It's in English, Portuguese and French--and jibberish.

It may be a shame that my first exposure to this reputable director's work is this bit of arty nonsense. The guy was 86 when he made this film and he may not have been in his prime. But, yikes!, I see he's 95 and still kicking and has turned out NINE films since. Let's cross our fingers and hope for the best. At times O CONVENTO (to use the Portuguese title and why not? I'm entitled to a little pretension too) seems like a take-off on pretentious art films. The scenes of the guided tour of the monastic chapels are a hoot. These and other moments approach the camp of Paul Morrissey's ANDY WARHOL'S DRACULA or ANDY WARHOL'S FRANKENSTEIN. In fact, come to think of it Heloisa Miranda's Berta character bears an uncanny resemblance to Pat Ast.

Malkovich and Deneuve probably thought they were signing on to a prestige project. After all, the script is rife with references to Shakespeare, Goethe and Nietzsche. And all these proclamations about the nature of good and evil, etc. They would have done better to stay at home and READ Shakespeare, Goethe and Nietzsche. So would the viewer.

Rating:
Summary: Of God, Goethe and Gomez Addams
Review: My local video store had this filed under "French Films." Turns out that, despite starring Catherine Deneuve, it's actually a later film by esteemed Portuguese director Manoel de Oliveira. I don't think the store even had a Portuguese section, so it may be just as well. The movie is certainly "international." It's in English, Portuguese and French--and jibberish.

It may be a shame that my first exposure to this reputable director's work is this bit of arty nonsense. The guy was 86 when he made this film and he may not have been in his prime. But, yikes!, I see he's 95 and still kicking and has turned out NINE films since. Let's cross our fingers and hope for the best. At times O CONVENTO (to use the Portuguese title and why not? I'm entitled to a little pretension too) seems like a take-off on pretentious art films. The scenes of the guided tour of the monastic chapels are a hoot. These and other moments approach the camp of Paul Morrissey's ANDY WARHOL'S DRACULA or ANDY WARHOL'S FRANKENSTEIN. In fact, come to think of it Heloisa Miranda's Berta character bears an uncanny resemblance to Pat Ast.

Malkovich and Deneuve probably thought they were signing on to a prestige project. After all, the script is rife with references to Shakespeare, Goethe and Nietzsche. And all these proclamations about the nature of good and evil, etc. They would have done better to stay at home and READ Shakespeare, Goethe and Nietzsche. So would the viewer.

Rating:
Summary: Avoid at all costs
Review: This movie is: incredibly pretentious, boring, confusing, and just plain stupid. As Holden Caulfield said, "Don't go see it unless you want to throw up all over yourself." Yes, it is that bad.
I don't even know where to begin with the plot. From reading the back of the case in Blockbuster, it sounded interesting. An American professor and his beautiful French wife travel to a former convent in Portugal. They are there to investigate a theory that Shakespeare was actually Spanish.
So, it sounded interesting enough. Plus, it starred John Malkovitch and Catherine Deneuve, so I rented it. Big mistake. The whole Shakespeare-plot thread isn't ever really fleshed out, and most of the movie deals with the couple's marriage. This in itself is fine, it's just the WAY it deals with it; there are (seemingly) 10-minute-long shots of statues, hallways, etc. all set to a horrible, horrible, horrible score. There's scenes where the couple take turns stepping outside their rooms and slamming doors. And to cap it all off, the caretaker of the convent is actually... the devil?? Or so it would seem--we come to realize this by his psychotic, hyena-like laughter when he's hitting on Deneuve, and also by the fact that he stands in front of pentagrams.
Does this sound stupid? Well, take whatever you're imagining, and add bad lighting, and you've got "The Convent."