Raz Degan Movies
- 2007
As celebrated Italian director Ermanno Olmi's self-declared final work, the feature 100 Nails (AKA Centochiodi, 2007) attempts to weave a narrative around a contemporary figure who harbors the humanity of Christ. In a startling prologue, the overseer of an ancient library screams out in horror and summons the cops when he discovers that some degenerate has nailed 100 rare manuscripts to the floor with giant railroad spikes, comparable to the ones used to nail Jesus to the cross. As the authorities conduct their investigation, the film then flashes back to events that unfolded over the course of the prior day. An unnamed philosophy professor at Bologna University (Raz Degan) wraps up the tail of the semester and leaves his students behind, including a young Indian woman who penned a thesis on women and religion - the work asserting that organized religion is of utmost importance in her familial culture. The professor climbs into his BMW and drives out of Bologna and into the countryside, where he reaches the Po River and a dilapidated peasant house. Journeying into a local village, he finds its residents far warmer and more welcoming than his colleagues and students at the university; indeed, they first help him fix up the ruined house, then turn to him as an activist and seek his help protecting their threatened community center. He not only becomes a Christlike figure to the locals, but takes a pointed stand against what the film presents as the intellectual decreptitude of the Catholic church, with his intense and seemingly limitless love of humanity. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Raz Degan, Luna Bendandi, (more)
The fourth film to chronicle the life of fourth-century B.C. ruler Alexander the Great, Oliver Stone's Alexander stars Colin Farrell as the titular Macedonian conqueror. The film follows the young king as he leads his forces on a bloody empirical conquest across the known world, taking large parts of Asia and the Middle East to amass a giant empire, all by the time he turned 25. Anthony Hopkins co-stars as Ptolemy I along with Rosario Dawson as Roxane, Angelina Jolie as Olympias, Jared Leto as Hephaistion, Val Kilmer as King Philip II, and Jonathan Rhys-Meyers as Cassander. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Colin Farrell, Angelina Jolie, (more)
- 1998
Claudio Fragasso directed this Italian thriller in which a former French secret service agent (top Israeli male model Raz Degan) recruits newlyweds to become assassins. After Carla (Laura Morante), married to Domenico (Thomas Kretschmann), kills several people, neighbor Dario (TV-star Raoul Bova) recognizes her, taps the couple's phone, and secretly videotapes their crimes. When Dario's wife Luciana (Francesca Schiavo) helps him collect evidence on the killer couple, the excitement jolts their sex life up a few notches. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Raoul Bova, Francesca Schiavo, (more)
- 1996
When the Berlin Wall came down, Polish peasant lass Eva wept with joy. Seven years later, the beauteous girl is living the high-life in Milan as a pricy call girl. One day, her innocent, but equally beautiful little sister Maria shows up for a surprise visit. She thinks Eva makes money as an interpreter. Unfortunately for Maria her surprise is spoiled because Eva has been missing for a while. Teaming up with the police, Maria begins a search that leads her to discover Eva's true profession. Desperate to locate her older sister, Marie masquerades as Eva. Featuring a cast comprised of international supermodels, this Italian thriller fits nicely into the "so-bad-it's-good" category of trashy films. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
