Rating: 
Summary: kick... rock video action movie
Review: Kick..., rock video, action movie with hot soundtrack written/sung/played by girls in movie (except for "all along the watchtower" by Dylan). Top grossing movie and CD in Germany in 97...
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful rock musical/comedy/drama hybrid.
Review: Six out of ten directors these days use music-video techniques in narrative film, and most of them in a hackneyed way, but in Bandits Katja von Garnier shows them how it should be done. Utilizing the kinetic energy of music-video techniques but blending them seamlessly with charged cinematic storytelling, a crackling script, and uniformly good acting, von Garnier's film is a playful and satisfying journey, one of the few rock-band stories to have held my gaze.The movie's first asset is its diverse lead characters: Jasmin Tabatabai is electrifying as loose cannon Luna, while also having penned most of the songs on the soundtrack. During the music-video sequences, which are so expertly edited and nicely timed in the film so they don't seem jarring at all, she becomes a rock goddess, while also holding her own with comic timing and during the more sensitive sequences. Katja Riemann is great as brainy, middle-aged drummer Emma, and when Emma and Luna share their heart-to-heart on the street after Luna's drunken binge, it's the most beautiful moment in the film, where von Garnier reins in her camera and lets the actors breathe. Not-too-bright, vulnerable bassist Angel (Nicolette Krebitz) and melancholy keyboardist Marie (Jutta Hoffman) round out the band, helping to provide shades, diversity and tension. The music itself isn't for everybody, but the sheer diversity of styles incorporated in this movie is refreshing: From hard rock to riot-grrl punk, from girl pop to acoustic folk, from blues to a lounge act (destined to go bad, L7 style) -- though it's not perfect music, it fits the tone of the movie perfectly, augmented by the fact that it *is* written and performed by the Bandits of the movie (aside from covers). In the end, like Run Lola Run, Bandits negotiates its stylistic innovations such as disrupted time (absolutely brilliant editing by Hans Funck), dramatic ellipses and "invisible" payoffs with a sense of fun and moments of true catharsis to make a grandly enjoyable whole.
Rating:
Summary: An awesome, feel-good, empowering, must see film
Review: So I bought this album at the local video store, for the simple fact that it looked like it would be good. It was, in fact, right up my alley, a "bandit" movie, somewhat of a buddy roadtrip flick, and a defying society film. Reminded me of something like "Thelma & Louise' when I read the back.
However, once I got home and put in the DVD I realized that this was an all german movie. At first I was disappointed but watched anyways, as I usually don't mind subtitled movies. Well this movie blew me away. You really get attached to these ladies and want to know what drives them and made them the way they are. The music as well in this film is great. In the special features on the DVD there are two music videos or "Catch Me" and 'Puppet". They are VERY representative of the movie and damn good songs.
I would recommend this movie to anyone. It was definitely a great find!
Rating: 
Summary: Band on the Run...
Review: There aren't a lot of truly great films coming out of Germany these days, but there are a number of very interesting ones. Like "Run Lola Run," "Bandits" is as much about style as substance--or maybe style and substance are conflated. At any rate, it is definitely worth seeing and for the most part, certainly enjoyable. I had a good chuckle over a previous reviewer's comment that this was not the bizarre combo of "Caged Heat" and "A Hard Day's Night" that one might have expected. No, it's not--in part because our protagonists aren't "caged" long enough for that element to take over. Maybe if you throw "Thelma & Louise" and "Gimme Shelter" into the mix... Great cast too. The only familiar face for me was Katja Riemann of "Maybe...Maybe Not" fame, but all of the leads could have significant international success if they chose to go that route (and assuming that their facility with spoken English is as good as their self-composed English song lyrics). Fun fast food for thought.
Rating:
Summary: Band on the Run...
Review: There aren't a lot of truly great films coming out of Germany these days, but there are a number of very interesting ones. Like "Run Lola Run," "Bandits" is as much about style as substance--or maybe style and substance are conflated. At any rate, it is definitely worth seeing and for the most part, certainly enjoyable. I had a good chuckle over a previous reviewer's comment that this was not the bizarre combo of "Caged Heat" and "A Hard Day's Night" that one might have expected. No, it's not--in part because our protagonists aren't "caged" long enough for that element to take over. Maybe if you throw "Thelma & Louise" and "Gimme Shelter" into the mix... Great cast too. The only familiar face for me was Katja Riemann of "Maybe...Maybe Not" fame, but all of the leads could have significant international success if they chose to go that route (and assuming that their facility with spoken English is as good as their self-composed English song lyrics). Fun fast food for thought.
Rating:
Summary: Don't Let the Trashy Cover Fool You
Review: these ladies kick a**! The Bandits are four imprisoned German women with wildly different personalties who play in a prison rock band. When an opportunity to escape presents itself, they take it, led by the luscious Katja Riemann, a major star in Germany. While they're on the run, a record producer puts out a CD of the demo tape they've sent him and they become overnight hits. From here on out it's sort of "Thelma & Louise" meet "A Hard Days Night", with humor. The actresses wrote most of the songs, which are in English, and perform all the vocals and instrumentation. This is a movie that can be enjoyed by feminists and male chauvanists alike.
Rating:
Summary: Don't Let the Trashy Cover Fool You
Review: these ladies kick a**! The Bandits are four imprisoned German women with wildly different personalties who play in a prison rock band. When an opportunity to escape presents itself, they take it, led by the luscious Katja Riemann, a major star in Germany. While they're on the run, a record producer puts out a CD of the demo tape they've sent him and they become overnight hits. From here on out it's sort of "Thelma & Louise" meet "A Hard Days Night", with humor. The actresses wrote most of the songs, which are in English, and perform all the vocals and instrumentation. This is a movie that can be enjoyed by feminists and male chauvanists alike.
Rating: 
Summary: Barely worthy of an after-school special
Review: This derivative, cliche-ridden movie would barely make it as an after-school special or a Jordache ad in the States. So bad that it's almost embarassing to watch!
Rating: 
Summary: Thelma and Louise on Stereoids
Review: This film has its own rythm and punch. I was taken aback by the sincerity of the characters and their ability to bring you into their lives. This film is really worth watching.
Rating:
Summary: It is a crying shame if you haven't seen this movie...
Review: This is a beautiful movie that indeulges every sense and feeling felt by a woman in her prime. The casting in this movie is superb, all of the women show personality and an individuality all of their own. Each second of this film you are invovled. You feel as if you are running with the group. Full of excitment, sex, breaking the law, everything everyone, man or woman would enjoy. It will make you laugh, cry, and scream all at the same time. A MUST SEE!!!
|
