Brides (2005)

I'll tell you why so serious

It's hard to see any effort in the film. There's no comedy to speak of, no real drama and, worst of all.

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

I remember seeing this movie a few years ago, had enjoyed it immensely & was waiting patiently for it to be shown on TV again. I now remember why I had loved it so much, the setting of the Greek island Samothrace at the beginning, the very realistic & believable love story between Nicki and Norman (who I hadn't known was Damian Lewis the first time I had seen it, & was pleasantly surprised to see him in the leading role), the withheld love between the two & the story that unfolds between them, the tragedy of her friend Haro & many other of the subplots make it into a true masterpiece. I congratulate P.Voulgaris for his great work, I also saw "Mikra Anglia" (Little England)a couple of months ago and truly enjoyed that also. The actors were so believable in their portrayal of their characters, nothing felt exaggerated or overdone, it just all felt natural and real. It does have a sad ending though-none of those Hollywood "happy endings", which also makes it more realistic. I would have liked to see what happened to Norman though...

Diane and I saw this great film last night and we both were moved by it as well as enjoying the peak into a life that has passed as well as a piece of life that even at that time we were would never have been a part of it. I admit to enjoying these films that take a small look at a small topic rather than the big Hollywood overview of human existence; of course, there is a need for those big pictures but it is refreshing to see these small "slice of life" films and Brides is certainly a film that covers this in an extraordinarily competent manner. We could not fault the film in any way; the script covered all primary plot subjects that unfortunately bathed these situations: love blocked by an older parent, love blocked by family considerations back home and the attempt by unscrupulous "managers" to sexually corrupt the women trying to seek a better life. These considerations are all present now as people try to seek that better life. The circumstances are the same just new countries to be fled. Brides is well worth the viewer's time in looking for it or watching it when it comes up on a movie channel; it is excellent film making.

Sad, beautiful, subtle, it is a strange poem about limits of love and shadows of duty. A film about sacrifice and emotions of worlds and searches. A picture of the last century, very old, small, paper cry. The people and their desire. Confuse, heavy, cold. Signs of resignation and pieces of innocent beauty. Splendid images and a delicate emotion as nimbus of confession. A parable of lost smile. Some women and a photographer. And a long travel to America. A new world, a new life and a love without bones. A Greek story. Or a story of every day in a land of nobody. It is not important. The pain, the dreams, the illusions are the same. The faces and looks are pieces of a huge game of existences, hopes and emotions. So, a sad, beautiful, subtle movie.

I saw this movie on the 9th Shanghai International Film Festival. It's such an awful one I can hardly bear it. The story begins quite beautifully, but as it goes on it's getting worse and worse. The history part is no problem. These brides are truly poor and unlucky. But the question is the plot doesn't focus on the feeling of the women. It goes for beautiful landscape and badly made computer tech of the ship. The photographer lost his head strangely when facing the unattracting but typical Greek woman. She looks better when her hair turned into fully white. Turning one's hair into white is not fresh in Chinese history. But the general Wu Zixu had greater reason to do so, not like the woman in the movie which seems quite no reason. The other brides on board are also strange when throwing themselves into the arms of the buyers. The only good part is the girl playing Lute and keep singing Greek songs. Others are totally out of reason. When the pimp saying that: I must be punished. The tragedy finally turned into a joke. I don't know what happened to the whole crew. Can't they make anything better?