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NickAnon
Reviews
Absolute Beginners (1986)
I absolutely love it!
Like the very few other comments posted regarding 'Absolute Beginners' I have no idea why this film is so neglected. I also wonder about the low marks that it receives on the IMDb system when the few comments made about it are all positive. What is it that people don't like about this movie?
I must admit a bias in that I am originally from West London so this movie forms a little slice of history for me but in addition to that it has a wonderful soundtrack (Sade, Bowie, Ray Davies et al). The musical numbers are brilliantly staged and the photography is great. I wonder if it is Julian Temple's pop video style direction that puts people off? I would have thought that this would appeal to the MTV generation but apparently that is not the case.
Anyway I love this and it bears repeated viewings unlike for example 'Footloose' which came around on HBO recently and now looks very dated.
Dunston Checks In (1996)
A neglected film
This film is certainly not Oscar material - far from it and I am sure that was not the producers intention. However, judging from the small number of votes cast an comments made for this film it seems like it has not been widely seen. It is an excellent family film with enough slapstick to keep the children happy but plenty for adults too. I have seen a lot worse comedies that have been hailed as masterpieces. All the performances are excellent and as usual Rupert Everett dominates every scene he is in.
Death Wish 3 (1985)
What is the point?
Just what is the point of this movie? I came across it for the first time on cable TV a few days ago and was gobsmacked by how pointless it was. Surely it was not meant to be taken seriously. The first in the series of Death Wish movies was blatant right wing militant propaganda but by the time that Mr. Winner has got to #3 (10 years later but you would not guess from the style) the whole tacky exercise has long since run out of steam. 0/10. (only because minus is not allowed)
The Pentagon Wars (1998)
A scary comedy
A film that is based upon infighting within the American military about the development of a new vehicle does not promise much in the way of comedy I thought before watching this the first time around - wrong! This film manages to be achingly funny at times - the "Ruminant Procurement" scene is hysterical - while still telling what I assume is basically a true story.
Working in big business, this film gave me constant reminders of how the original idea of a project can be completely overtaken by the hunt for personal glory and the knee jerk CYA attitudes of bureaucrats everywhere.
The Pentagon Wars bears repeated viewing based simply upon the viewer having to keep reminding themselves that this is not fantasy.