Rating: 
Summary: Not another Run Lola Run? You bet...
Review: ...much better. No question that Lola is a great movie, but turn off the soundtrack and it might get boring. Reminds me one of O'Henry's stories. Winter Sleepers takes it from a different angle. Not how the things might come if we miss by a minute the train or the bus, or if we take right or left. Winter Sleepers is deep. It tells you of what happens to us,is a reflection of how we behave in life itself...And we strugle to remember things we've done, to find explanation,no wonder!
Rating: 
Summary: Different twist from Herr Tykwer
Review: As a devout fan of "Run Lola Run" I was excited to learn of "Winter Sleepers", Tom Tykwer's film that proceeded "Lola." While this film doesn't have the frenetic pace of Lola, it almost matches it in it's thoughtful examination of fate, love, death, chance and the odd coincidences of life. I guess that just about covers it, ehhh? This is a film that moves at it's own pace that gradually draws you into a world that you can't quite figure out; that reveals its' mysteries as the lives of several disparate characters overlap and intrude on one another. I don't think it would be fair to go too deeply into the plot since this would ruin the movie, leave it to say that this is just as stylish a film as "Lola" but in a much different way. It's moody, mysterious and draws you into a world you think you know but can't quite understand...just like real life. If I needed only one word to describe it I would choose "haunting"...I first saw the film about a year ago and still find myself thinking about it occasionally...it has a way of getting under your skin...well, at least, mine. I highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: Classic Tykwer.
Review: Beautiful scenery in this movie. Director Tom is brilliant when it comes to cinematography. Great story about a group of people, some of which know each other, whose lives are all somehow connected. If you like Run Lola Run, then you'll like this one.
Rating:
Summary: Classic Tykwer.
Review: Beautiful scenery in this movie. Director Tom is brilliant when it comes to cinematography. Great story about a group of people, some of which know each other, whose lives are all somehow connected. If you like Run Lola Run, then you'll like this one.
Rating:
Summary: Twists of fate
Review: Before Tom Tykwer created international hit "Run Lola Run" (or "Lola Rennt"), he created the ponderous "Winter Sleepers" (or "Winterschläfer"). Like Tykwer's later films, this one deals with fate, destiny, death, and love. It's an interesting execution, with a flawed climax and the occasional question of "where is this going?"Laura (Marie-Lou Sellem) arrives at her little country cottage, where her pretty friend Rebecca (Floriane Daniel) lives. Things are complicated after the first evening: while handsome but loutish Marco (Heino Ferch) is in bed with Rebecca, a strange man (Ulrich Matthes) wanders over and takes Marco's car. But when he is driving, he causes an accident that puts a child in a life-threatening coma. The child's father (Josef Bierbichler), stricken with grief, goes on the hunt for the man who accidently killed his daughter. That man, Rene, is now in love with Laura, but can't remember anything about the accident. Rene is also inadvertantly causing cracks in Laura and Marco's fragile, tempestuous relationship. One person will die -- two will find happiness -- and one will find freedom. "Winter Sleepers" has a lot of the same themes and feel of Tykwer's later films, but more unpolished and loosely knit together. Though we know the fates of all these people are interconnected, much of the screen time is devoted to Laura and Rene's blossoming romance, or Marco and Rebecca's deteriorating one, and not to the central theme of the movie. The cinematography is breathtaking, with a lot of Tykwer's signatures like a camera panning in a complete circle around Rene, and a character death never being shown except by a thud and darkness. As he often does, Tykwer filmed many scenes in a portentous manner, as if every tiny event could start off something important. Perhaps the biggest problem is the conclusion. While beautifully filmed, it seems out-of-character and a bit of an easy way out, as if Tykwer wasn't entirely sure how to end the various interconnected storylines. One thing that Tykwer does well is give humanity in subtle ways to the characters, even the stupid, cheating Marco, who is genuinely miserable and guilt-stricken after his girlfriend falls off a ledge. Matthes is instantly sympathetic as the sensitive, memory-impaired Rene. Daniel and Sellem are quite nice in their roles as, respectively, the sexpot and the quiet wannabe-actress nurse. "Winter Sleepers" lacks the tightness and focus of Tykwer's later films, though his good directing style is still present. However, those looking for an interesting philosophical drama/romance might want to check it out.
Rating:
Summary: Twists of fate
Review: Before Tom Tykwer created international hit "Run Lola Run" (or "Lola Rennt"), he created the ponderous "Winter Sleepers" (or "Winterschläfer"). Like Tykwer's later films, this one deals with fate, destiny, death, and love. It's an interesting execution, with a flawed climax and the occasional question of "where is this going?" Laura (Marie-Lou Sellem) arrives at her little country cottage, where her pretty friend Rebecca (Floriane Daniel) lives. Things are complicated after the first evening: while handsome but loutish Marco (Heino Ferch) is in bed with Rebecca, a strange man (Ulrich Matthes) wanders over and takes Marco's car. But when he is driving, he causes an accident that puts a child in a life-threatening coma. The child's father (Josef Bierbichler), stricken with grief, goes on the hunt for the man who accidently killed his daughter. That man, Rene, is now in love with Laura, but can't remember anything about the accident. Rene is also inadvertantly causing cracks in Laura and Marco's fragile, tempestuous relationship. One person will die -- two will find happiness -- and one will find freedom. "Winter Sleepers" has a lot of the same themes and feel of Tykwer's later films, but more unpolished and loosely knit together. Though we know the fates of all these people are interconnected, much of the screen time is devoted to Laura and Rene's blossoming romance, or Marco and Rebecca's deteriorating one, and not to the central theme of the movie. The cinematography is breathtaking, with a lot of Tykwer's signatures like a camera panning in a complete circle around Rene, and a character death never being shown except by a thud and darkness. As he often does, Tykwer filmed many scenes in a portentous manner, as if every tiny event could start off something important. Perhaps the biggest problem is the conclusion. While beautifully filmed, it seems out-of-character and a bit of an easy way out, as if Tykwer wasn't entirely sure how to end the various interconnected storylines. One thing that Tykwer does well is give humanity in subtle ways to the characters, even the stupid, cheating Marco, who is genuinely miserable and guilt-stricken after his girlfriend falls off a ledge. Matthes is instantly sympathetic as the sensitive, memory-impaired Rene. Daniel and Sellem are quite nice in their roles as, respectively, the sexpot and the quiet wannabe-actress nurse. "Winter Sleepers" lacks the tightness and focus of Tykwer's later films, though his good directing style is still present. However, those looking for an interesting philosophical drama/romance might want to check it out.
Rating: 
Summary: Flashy and kinetic film but ultimately empty and sterile
Review: Due to the success of his second film, the international smash hit, "Run Lola Run", Tom Tykwer's first feature, which had until now only been seen in Europe, has been dusted off and trotted out onto the North American DVD market. Although I'm usually a sucker for Kieslowski-esque ruminations on coincidence vs. fate, I found this film to be emotionally sterile, albeit flashily so, which was also my opinion on the much overrated "Run Lola Run". The film no doubt recalls Altman's "Short Cuts" and P.T. Anderson's "Magnolia" (although the latter was released after "Winter Sleepers"), but that's giving the film too much credit since Tykwer's stories and characters are nowhere near as compelling. Specifically, two of the three interconnected stories did not hold my interest. The only story I had fun watching involved the aimless and destructive relationship between Marco and Rebecca. However, that's only because of the delicious performances from Heino Ferch as the boorish but handsome and sexy lothario, and Floriane Daniels as the needy but beautiful sexpot, and not because of their connections to the other two stories in service of Tykwer's overreaching theme. The blandness of the story involving the father and his comatose daugher is the most problematic since it fails to deliver what is ostensibly the emotional core of the film. But this film does show Tykwer to be a flashy and distinctive filmmaker, qualities that has since made him an international star. The sequence at the end of "Winter Sleepers" is particular impressive although I really don't see how it adds to the story. Tykwer has proven to be a technical wizard, now he's got to prove that he can tell a good story.
Rating: 
Summary: My Least Favorite Tykwer Film...and I'm a HUGE fan.
Review: I don't know what it was, perhaps the copy I saw was horrible, it was a VHS and it looked horrible, even though it was an original it looked like a copy of a copy of a copy of a copy. But this has to be my least favorite of his films. The shots were boring, the story was slow, and I suppose I was comparing it to much to "Run Lola Run" with all it's flare and beautiful color.
But by the time it ended, the story captured me. The ending (which I'll try not to give away too much) was great. I heard this was one of hte films that inspired Memento. Tykwer sure knows how ti find those intricite stories and bring them home.
SO if you love his work, you must watch, but make sure you have a DVD copy. If you didn't love "Princess and hte Warrior" you won't like this, if you are expecting another "Run Lola Run" I suggest you run the other way.
Rating:
Summary: Not Just Another Lola
Review: I have to start by saying that Tom Tykwer is my new hero. All three of his movies (Winter Sleepers, Lola and Princess) are centered around the same basic themes (love, fate, death, you know the drill) but still manage to be wonderfully unique and interesting. This is not the movie for someone who wants to see Run Lola Run Redux. Maybe not the movie for someone who thinks this is a followup to Lola (yeesh). But this IS a lovely film, filled with memorable characters, GORGEOUS cinematography and an interesting plot. These aspects alone put it head and shoulders above a lot of what is being produced these days anyhow. I guess the bottom line would be: buy the movie on its own merits, and not on expectations. There is a beautiful yet unsettling calm at the center of Winter Sleepers that sucks you in, but only if you give it a chance to.
Rating:
Summary: Not Just Another Lola
Review: I have to start by saying that Tom Tykwer is my new hero. All three of his movies (Winter Sleepers, Lola and Princess) are centered around the same basic themes (love, fate, death, you know the drill) but still manage to be wonderfully unique and interesting. This is not the movie for someone who wants to see Run Lola Run Redux. Maybe not the movie for someone who thinks this is a followup to Lola (yeesh). But this IS a lovely film, filled with memorable characters, GORGEOUS cinematography and an interesting plot. These aspects alone put it head and shoulders above a lot of what is being produced these days anyhow. I guess the bottom line would be: buy the movie on its own merits, and not on expectations. There is a beautiful yet unsettling calm at the center of Winter Sleepers that sucks you in, but only if you give it a chance to.
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