abrooke1 Reviews

Kate & Leopold (2001)

About two hours too long

[2/10 · 2 August 2002]

What a dreadful bore this film was. I cannot believe the number of 3 star reviews this film received - it deserves no more than one star.

Meg Ryan looks and acts terrible, the pacing is slow and boring, the scenes that are supposed to be funny aren't, and aside from Hugh Jackman, all the acting is forced.

Also, given Kate's character, her decision at the end makes no sense.

Avoid this film at all costs - it is not even worth renting.

The Man Who Wasn't There (2001)

Absolutely mesmerizing!!

[10/10 · 26 June 2002]

I wasn't expecting too much from this film because Thorton's other recent film, Bandits, was such a disaster. Well, I'm happy to say that T.M.W.W.T. is no Bandits!

This film magically draws you in and does not let you go until the very end. It is totally gripping from start to finish. I found myself completely immersed in the story, the acting, and the look and feel of this film, and had to stay up quite late to finish watching it!

The film has a "David Lynch" feel to it, but is much more comprehensible than, for example, Mulholland Drive. There are some amazing twists and turns throughout, but none of them felt forced or artificial (except maybe for the U.F.O!)

I also appreciated the ending. The Coen brothers are smart enough not to spoon feed us some phony Hollywood ending. It is a dark ending to a dark but brilliant film.

Highly recommended - 10/10

Bandits (2001)

Simply not funny

[1/10 · 30 May 2002]

What a waste of 2+ hours! This rambling, tedious, horribly edited and directed piece of junk is a complete washout. The simple problem - it's not funny. The scenes that are supposed to be funny are just painful to watch. This film just drags and drags - the action sequences are few and far between. Pacing is awful. The twist ending is no surprise because we see a sneak preview of it earlier.

Pure torture! 1/10.

A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)

More artificial than intelligent

[6/10 · 1 May 2002]

Note: minor spoilers.

A visually stunning film in parts, but flawed. The scenes of Rouge City and New York City were spectacular. Also beautiful, with deeply haunting music, was the fly-by scene of the aliens' craft as it approached David's sub that had been frozen for many years.

But these scenes do not make up for the fact that film is flawed, too long and too sentimental. The last half hour should have been cut completely – it is simply too contrived an ending, but I guess Spielberg felt he had to have a happy ending, even if it comes across as phony. The film *should* have ended right when David was trapped under the water, begging the Blue Fairy to make him real. That would have been a darker, but much more realistic ending.

Fight Club (1999)

Gets better with each viewing!

[10/10 · 19 February 2002]

When I first saw "Fight Club", had mixed feelings about it. I thought that the "twist" in it was preposterous and unbelievable. But having watched the DVD several times now, including all four commentary tracks, I now feel this is one of the most brilliant films I have ever seen - indeed, many people have called this "the first film of the 21st century", and they are right.

You really do have to see this film several times, ideally on DVD with headphones, to see and hear the many layers and hidden details throughout the film. For example, just before Jack (the Narrator) confronts Marla in a self-help group, you can clearly see a guy walking toward Marla, probably hoping to pick her up, but he turns away as Jack approaches. Another example: as the "space monkeys" go upstairs after being handed their homework assignments, you can see Meatloaf in the background breathing from an oxygen tank - apparently he was so hot in his body suit, he needed extra air! In another scene, after the space monkeys threaten the commissioner and are leaving the building, you can see Meatloaf pulling up his pants!

The visual effects in this film are spectacular and ground-breaking, but not overdone. They add to the movie, but do not overwhelm it. Almost as amazing as the visuals is the *sound*. Again, DVD with headphones is the best way to pick up on this - the sounds are so real, I often found myself quickly jerking away my headphones thinking that the sound (such as a dog barking or glass breaking) had come from outside. It's no surprise that this film won several awards for sound.

This is one of the few films I've seen that made me want to read the book - which I did in only one day. It's fascinating to see where the book and film are similar, and where they diverge. In many respects, the film is actually better than the book. Certain scenes are changed, often for the better. For example, in the car crash scene, Jack is talking with a mechanic - in the film, he talks with Tyler. In the book, it is Jack who confronts the storekeeper, Raymond Hessel - in the film, it is Tyler. The endings are also somewhat different, and I actually preferred the film's ending to the book's.

This is definitely not a film for everyone - it is violent, but is about so much more than simply violence. Ultimately, Jack, by rejecting Tyler, rejects violence, and I think this what the film is about - finding that elusive middle ground between being a boring, office consumerized clone and being totally out-of-control.

The Family Man (2000)

A warm bath for your soul!

[10/10 · 4 September 2001]

This is a wonderful movie. Although the premise is not new, and there are many similarities to "It's A Wonderful Life", this is a much-needed update of that film.

(Minor spoilers)

The first of two of the most haunting and memorable scenes in this film is the one in which Cage is watching a video of himself. It is a terrific example of what brilliant writing and acting can accomplish. The second is watching Cage struggling, pushing, and straining himself to stay awake. I won't give the reason he's trying to do this, but it's ironic to say the least.

I think dads like myself will appreciate this film the most. After all, we all chose to give up our wild, swinging single life in exchange for something else. We chose to give up the shorter term pleasures, which Cage has in abundance as a single man, for the longer term, less physical but more spiritual pleasures, that Cage comes to realize he can never have as a single man. This is the magical message of this film, and it presents in a heart-warming way.

10/10

Planet of the Apes (2001)

What an ape-alling movie!

[2/10 · 17 August 2001]

I'm amazed by all the positive reviews this piece of junk has been getting. The plot has more holes than Swiss cheese and is full of logical errors, even within the boundries of science fiction.

For example:

**WARNING there are spoilers in this list!**

1. How did the clock in the mini-spacecraft know what year it is? You see the year quickly moving forward - on what signal or date is this based?

2. In the original movie, the humans could not talk. This made it believable that the apes would treat humans like animals, because in our own world, animals do not talk. One of the biggest problems in this remake is that the humans CAN talk. This makes the idea that they would be treated like animals ridiculous. You can bet that if apes could speak English in our world, we probably wouldn't keep them in zoos, animal rights notwithstanding.

3. How is it that a chimp is able to land a spacecraft but that a human crashes it TWICE?!

4. How is that when Capt. Davidson (Wahlberg) lands on the planet, he enters it in the future, but when the main ship crashed on the same planet going after him, it was thousands of years in the PAST? Wouldn't the time be the same for both - after all, they are going through the same space-time distortion?

5. It's never clearly explained how the chimps mutated to become apes, and intelligent, English speaking apes at that.

6. How did those monkeys survive the blast unleashed on them from the crashed ship?

7. Last but not least - that ending made no sense on any level whatsoever. How did the apes get from their planet to Earth and replace all the humans? And even if they did, the timeline would have been completely different. There wouldn't be anything like the Washington monument, the Lincoln statue or even Washington itself, because Earth would have been a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT place!

Unfortunately, "Apes" is another in a long series of films by Burton that are visually appealing at times, but lack any kind of coherent plot. Beetlejuice and Ed Wood remain his only good films.

Cast Away (2000)

Good film - could have been a masterpiece

[8/10 · 14 August 2001]

I agree with the general consensus that the first two-thirds of this film are brilliant, and the final third is somewhat anticlimatic and disappointing.

The plane crash scene was unforgettable - very realistic and heart-stopping. And of course, all the scenes with Hanks on the island, and then struggling to get off it really were outstanding and showed what a brilliant actor Hanks is, and what a great director Zemeckis can be.

One of the main problems in the final third is the music - too much of it, and too syrupy. I remember there were two scenes, practically back-to-back, with the same melodramatic, distracting music. These scenes probably would have been perfect without any music. Note that there was no music during the crash or the time on the island.

My rating for this film is therefore: For the first two-thirds - 10/10 For the final third - 5/10

The Ninth Gate (1999)

Where was the ending?!

[3/10 · 31 January 2001]

What the hell was THAT?

This could have been a great film. The acting, cinematography, music, and the general look of the film are all above average. There are more than a few interesting scenes, and some interesting effects.

What kills this movie are the plot, direction and pacing, in the same way that another one of Depp's films, The Astronaut's Wife, was also ruined. The first hour or so is quite intriguing - we are drawn slowly and mysteriously into a world of ancient books, Satan, strangers and murder, with Europe as a beautiful and exotic backdrop for most of the film.

Then something happens - the film just completely runs out of steam. The plot grinds mostly to a halt and the film just drags on and on. It's as though Polanski was writing the script as he shot it. The pacing is completely erratic to say the least. At least 30-45 minutes should have been cut from the film's excessive 2 1/4 hour length.

I see many complaints here about the ending, and I agree they are all justified. What is particularly frustrating about it is that for much the film, the scenes are extremely drawn out, but contain no plot. Then, suddenly, near the end, in about the last 30 seconds of the film, we are exposed to about 90% of the plot! There should have been far less of the laborious scenes, with virtually no plot development, and much more of the final developments.

(Minor spoilers)

And what are we supposed to make of that ending? Does Corso (Depp) become one of Satan's agents? Why? Was he seeking power? And who exactly was the girl?

Examples of films with great twist endings include 12 Monkeys, The Sixth Sense, and Angel Heart. This last film, made in 1987 and starring Mickey Rourke, is probably the most appropriate one with which to compare Ninth Gate, because they both deal with Satan and involve a long, drawn out odyssey. But Angel Heart, unlike Ninth Gate, has ending that is not just "satisfying" but has an incredible and shocking twist, and makes the entire plot fall into place. Ninth Gate's ending is too short, too quick and feels as though it was slapped on at the last minute, when Polanski finally realized he had better come up with SOME sort of ending.

I think a much more satisfying ending would have been that the girl was one of Satan's agents sent by Satan to become pregnant with Corso's child, for the purposes of giving birth to Satan in human form, so he could take over the world. The rituals described in the book would also be necessary for Satan to be born. Corso could have been revealed to have be the "chosen one", the one who had been selected by Satan to be the father. The girl would therefore have been using Corso and the others to gather the books together in order to bring about Satan. The final scene would have shown Corso entering the ninth gate out of lust and longing, in order to be with the girl for eternity. When he final understands how he has played a part in bringing about Satan, there could have been on of two final endings: - a look of horror on his face with the realization that he can do nothing, as darkness descends on the world (European ending!) - he is able to somehow kill the girl and the Satan child using hidden instructions in the book (Hollywood ending!)

In either case, at least most of the loose ends would have been tied up.

If anyone has any other ideas for a better ending, or if you think my ideas stink, I'd love to hear from you! Post them here or email me and we'll compare notes. The bigger the twist, the better!

[e-mail]

Forrest Gump (1994)

A remarkable adventure

[10/10 · 3 November 2000]

I have seen this masterpiece several times, and I can honestly say there is no other film quite like it. The plot is now familiar to all - Tom Hanks plays a man with a lower-than-average IQ whose life becomes intertwined with the major events and people of recent U.S. history.

In the film he: - inspires Elvis how to swivel his hips - see Governor George Wallace attempt to stop high school integration - becomes a phenomenal college football player - fights in the Vietnam war and rescues several soldiers - speaks at a huge anti-war rally - becomes a millionaire philanthropist through shrimp fishing and wise investments - witnesses the Watergate break in - runs across America several times - meets John Lennon - creates several well known sayings - becomes a ping-pong champion and travels to China to compete - meets three U.S. presidents

What's fascinating is that as amazing as these accomplishments sound, they really don't mean very much to Gump. His only need is just to be with his life-long sweetheart Jenny. His pursuit and ultimate winning over of her is really all that matters to him. It is the execution of this simply story against the vast events of history that makes this film absolute magic.

Everything about this film works, and works well. The cinematography, the music, the script, direction, and of course, the acting. The special effects in this film are also remarkable, but they are used fairly sparingly, and act more as a supplement to the story, rather than becoming the story itself, as in many other films. Robert Zemeckis is one of my favorite directors, and this film will probably be remembered as his magnum opus.

10/10

Deep Blue Sea (1999)

Chomping good fun!!

[10/10 · 13 September 2000]

This film is a tremendously entertaining ride. It works because it doesn't take itself seriously, and because the logic of the basic scenario, if you accept it, is consistent.

This movie manages to successfully embrace and reject all the typical action-flick cliches. People who you think will not get hurt do, and vice versa. There is one incredible moment early on in particular that is a complete and utter surprise - if you've seen this film, you'll know what I'm talking about. These kinds of twists and turn help keep the film going at a lightening pace.

Highly recommended, but be forewarned - this film has some of the most grotesque, bloody, and violent sequences I have ever seen - it is DEFINATELY not for the squeamish!!

10/10!!

Clean and Sober (1988)

Absolutely unforgettable!

[9/10 · 9 August 2000]

If you don't want to see a gripping, realistic portrayal of drug addiction and it ultimate consequences, then don't see this movie!

Keaton gives new meaning to the word "acting", in fact, he doesn't even seem to be acting. You almost fell as though you are watching a live documentary on how far one person can fall. M. Emmet Walsh also gives a fabulous, understated performance.

I've seen this film several times, and it still grips me. It has such a realistic and "sweaty" feel to it, you feel like showering after seeing it.

A 9 out of 10.

The Sex Monster (1999)

Absolute garbage!

[1/10 · 19 July 2000]

Unless you are totally into "lesbian sex sounds" (there are few visuals here) stay away from this horribly made piece of junk.

There's one or two funny lines, and that's it!

1 out of 10.

The Spanish Prisoner (1997)

Highly overrated

[2/10 · 17 July 2000]

I am really surprised at how many positive comments there are for this film. This COULD have been a great mystery/suspense film, but like many others of that type, it suffers from impossible plot holes and twists. Other intelligent IMDB readers have noticed this too!

Too often, plot twists are thrown in just for the sake of having a plot twist. In this film, there were far too many and they were far too complicated and risky to believe that they would succeed. The whole con itself was far more complicated than it needed to be. In real life, cons are much more simple and straightforward - they have to be in order to work.

It was a clear case of a con in which "I know that you know that I know that you know that I know that..." looped endlessly out of control.

For a much better example of good plot twists, see Wild Things. This film also probably had one too many twists, but at least they worked and were CONSISTENT.

Even if you could forgive the impossible plot, the acting and direction were still flat, and the pacing laborious.

A 2 out of 10, and that's being generous!

New Rose Hotel (1998)

Absolute garbage!!

[1/10 · 27 June 2000]

What a horrible film, if you can even call it a film. It was more like a bunch of scenes thrown together without any thought or skill. And what was with that so-called "ending"? It created many more questions that it answered, and I was left more confused than ever.

Also, there are no scenes showing the main "scam", it just happens.

Stay away from this horrible piece of junk. On a scale of 1 to 10, it's a MINUS 10.