BlazeLime Strong and Moving!

GazerRise Fantastic!

FirstWitch A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

Walter Sloane Mostly, the movie is committed to the value of a good time.

SnoopyStyle British Prof. Fluke Kelso (Daniel Craig) is an expert on Stalin. His lecture in Moscow is harassed by Stalin sympathizers. He is approached by an old man who claims to be a guard for Stalin during his death in 1953. He tells a shocking story that Stalin was killed by Soviet secret police chief Beria who then stole and buried Stalin's notebook.This TV movie is just pre-Bond. Certainly, post-Bond Craig gives a different feel to this material. Putin was still relatively new after his first presidential term. Russia still has the reputation as a struggling state. The plot feels right although Stalin as a Jesus-like aspiration is still unreal. Russia wants a strong man, not a faded copy of one. It's not like there's something special about Stalin's bloodline. It's the old cliché villain playbook for Hitler's secret descendant. I was hoping for something more compelling in the notebook like Stalin was a CIA plant or maybe there is a secret stash of Kremlin gold. Despite the pulpy political thriller construct, this has enough tension and intrigue to make it work. At the very least, it's a good pre-Bond Craig.

Dragonsouls This is a film that really shed some light about post USSR society. For years I've wondered if there were any Stalinists remaining in Russia, they did keep the Soviet national anthem and that had me wondering. This film gives a fictional account of what may be.The action in the movie is pretty intense, its more of a Clue and detective film in the likes of National Treasure and DaVinci code, where one clue leads to another clue, and that clue leads to another clue, etc. It can be a bit redundant at times, especially the 2nd part of the mini-series. However, the film is beautiful to watch, having some of the most gorgeous urban cinematography in it. This film is directed very well, and the production never felt cheap. Daniel Craig does a wonderful job playing a determined journalist eager to make a buck; only to become so enthralled in his research that he soon began to forget about the potential money he would make by finally getting a hold of Stalin's lost memoirs and writing a book about it.In the end, we learn a startling truth. There are indeed 30 million people in Russia who stand by Stalin until this day, many claiming to be blood related, and seeking to return Eurasia back to his Red ways. However, the world is a modern planet now, and these Stalin supporters show how out dated and obsolete their ways have become. A truly chilling film indeed.

Enchorde Recap: Fluke Kelso is an American historian giving a lecture on Stalin in Moscow. He is approached by an old man claiming to be the only eyewitness of head of security Beria hiding the personal notebook of Stalin. This being invaluable historical material, Kelso goes to retrieve the book. But he isn't the only on interested. FSB, the secret service, is suddenly very interested in his movements and communist party members want the book's information in the upcoming election. The notebook contains information leading to Archangelsk were a secret lies hidden that might threaten the fragile Russian democracy.Comments: Originally a miniseries of two one hour long parts that are put together to a movie. Starring is Daniel Craig, supported primarily by Gabriel Macht and Ekaterina Rednikova. Despite being "only" two hours it manages to squeeze quite a lot into that time frame. The story is a classical treasure hunt, with hidden clues that need to be deciphered and followed to another clue that eventually leads to the treasure, albeit is set in recent times in Russia. Kelso and his companions is always on the hunt for the next step, next clue so something is always happening. And in the end it is tied together quite nicely, even if it gets a little too predictable.Otherwise, quite a nice story about a alternative history that is close enough to the true one that it is plausible. Especially since the true history of that time is not very clear, and open to speculation. I actually had to check on some persons and events to see what was true, what could be true and what was fiction.If you're interested in recent history or political thrillers, this is probably something you might want to watch. Otherwise, you might want to check something else out, but this wasn't bad.6/10

Armand Travel in past. A new old Russia and its ghosts, mysteries and a hansom professor. A kind of Da Vinci code, soft, nice and with some drops of tension. Stalin and his shadow. A son and a dark legacy. A notebook and the lost life of a young girl. Nostalgics and Secret Services. Pieces of a thriller. Nothing new, in fact. Superficial, like any East story in the eyes of an American, half -truth and classic recipes. Victory of good guy and the failure of evil. But interesting in that case are the roots. Russia is a mystery, part of its history and Bovary's land. His dreams are fruits of an one era. The leaders are masks of a single Master. The present is more small for the desire to be a Power.And the time - a notebook of a young girl lost in an era's memory.