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Pittwater
Reviews
Her Cardboard Lover (1942)
Not Bad, Quite Amusing.
I don't know what all the fuss is about. Most of the criticism directed at this film is fairly unjust. After reading some reviews, I was hesitant at watching the film, but because it starred Robert Taylor, Norma Shearer and George Sanders, I thought I would give it a shot. I'm glad I did. It didn't make me turn off the TV set or change channels. The acting was excellent and the story was played out quite amusingly by the main cast. I believe the cast held up the film well. I have no problems with Shearer's age. After all, it's just a comedy. Jean Arthur was in her 50s when she was in Shane and 10 years older than Van Heflin too and no one criticized her. See and judge for yourself and never listen to critics. They don't know what they are saying half the time. We all have different tastes.
Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)
SELECTIVE EDITING SERVED AS LEFTY PROPAGANDA
Interesting choice of words from David Oldfield (an Australian Member of Parliament) after seeing this movie and giving it a rating of 10/10 as a propaganda film:
"The ilk of which I haven't seen since Goebbels (Nazi Propaganda Minister). Michael Moore simply preys on the prejudices of the bleeding hearts and I saw it as a film of considerable misinformation.
This is not a documentary because there is no balance to it. He writes specifically from the perspective of doing nothing but attacking George W. Bush, the Bush family and the Bush administration.
You can write a dirty story about Gandhi if you set out to do it. It's very easy to make someone look bad when they have no opportunity for rebuttal.
There's no skill in making war look terrible. Hiroshima was a terrible event but it ended war in the Pacific and saved millions of lives."
Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)
SELECTIVE EDITING SERVED AS LEFTY PROPAGANDA
Interesting choice of words from David Oldfield (an Australian Member of Parliament) after seeing this movie and giving it a rating of 10/10 as a propaganda film:
"The ilk of which I haven't seen since Goebbels (Nazi Propaganda Minister). Michael Moore simply preys on the prejudices of the bleeding hearts and I saw it as a film of considerable misinformation.
This is not a documentary because there is no balance to it. He writes specifically from the perspective of doing nothing but attacking George W. Bush, the Bush family and the Bush administration.
You can write a dirty story about Gandhi if you set out to do it. It's very easy to make someone look bad when they have no opportunity for rebuttal.
There's no skill in making war look terrible. Hiroshima was a terrible event but it ended war in the Pacific and saved millions of lives."
I, Robot (2004)
NOT COOL AT ALL
Unless if you're a fan of Will Smith, I believe there are better actors that should have filled the lead role. I have seen Will in other movies and I'm not a fan of singer-actors (other examples, J-Lo). Will tries too hard to be cool, but he's not cool. This is the same with Wesley Snipes. Pretend cool is simply pretentious. The actor who doesn't have to pretend, is Samuel L. Jackson. Why? Because Samuel L. is born cool. You cannot teach cool. You're either born cool or you're not. Okay, Samuel L. is not exactly in his prime, but this is the movies and older actors have often played roles that was meant for younger actors.
Back to the story, and this will contain SPOILERS, so if you don't want to know, turn away now:
My Criticisms ---
1. Plot holes and the script was a little rigid.
2. Smith leaping high in the air from his bike and shooting with his two guns (accurately into a crowd of robots and people) and landing comfortably on a car and not onto the bitumen.
3. Smith shooting a vast number of bullets into a robot inside Bridget Moynahan's apartment. Was that to impress the girl or did he think it was cool?
4. The hollywood ending with the five jets flying overhead to show calm and victory. Why???? This wasn't necessary and it cheapens the movie even more.
5. Chicago in 2035 will not be that advanced.
6. Some scenes make Smith look like a comic book superhero but in the movie character, he's just a cop with an prosthetic robotic limb.
7. How Smith escaped from the demolished home of James Cromwell. What a joke!
My Praises ---
1. Most of the CGI is very neat. (except for an early scene of a young girl hugging the new NS-5 robot; and when Smith was escaping from a demolition unit. Not as well done there. A little disjointed in its imagery).
2. Sonny fighting with other NS-5 robots in USR building whilst attempting to deliver the nanites.
3. Interesting concept by Asimov.
4. Tunnel battle - "a deliberate car accident by NS-5" scene.
5. Technology Advancement Ideas.
RATINGS - 5/10. (due to all the pros and cons - including the mis-cast of Smith as the lead actor). Hollywood Formula Sci-Fi is still Entertaining.
The Day After Tomorrow (2004)
POLITICALLY LEFT WING B-GRADE SCRIPT
*** Review Contain Spoilers (and a Personal Opinion) ***
There are some awesome and realistic special effects in the first half of this movie. The second half is much slower. It's as though the studio had suddenly ran out of cash for further SFX enhancement. The story and the characters were rigidly constructed. Jake Gyllenhaal lacks charisma in a pivotal role.
Sadly, this movie is nothing more than a common Hollywoodized "moral to the story" film that should rank no higher than a B-Grade TV feature. Instead of making a politically preachy film, it could have been better played as simply an entertaining action feature.
The political message this script preaches:
* USA is to be blamed because it did not adhere to the Kyoto Protocol over Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Global warming somehow brings an instant Ice Age. Climate disaster cometh. Yeah, take off your thinking caps for the duration.
* Third World Countries will save Western Nations by allowing a flood of Westerners to emigrate to their territories when an Ice Age cometh. Yeah, right.
The End. The world survives and we have learnt half a politically green lesson from Mr Emmerich.
I'm all for a safer and better environment but Mr Emmerich offered no economic solutions other than encourage mindless sociopaths who are hell-bent on creating riots and violence against police officers on duty. He should find a solution we can all work with.
I'm not American but I find majority of left-wing messages embarrassing for any audiences to have to put up with constantly.
Should you see this movie? I suppose it has great special effects. Just turn off your mind for a couple of hours. 5/10 (ratings lifted due to SFX).
Desert Passage (1952)
CHITO HAS NO SHENANIGANS!
After trying out many different character names such as Dave Saunders, Dave Collins, Kansas Jones, Dave/Tim/Ross Taylor (just to name a few), Tim Holt began using his own name (on and off) for the series of Westerns he did with Richard Martin. By the way, Holt's birth name was Charles. Martin wisely stuck with the same character name of Chito Rafferty as Holt's Irish-Mexican sidekick and a sometimes comic relief.
The identity crisis aside, these westerns were usually short in length (this one is 59 min) and fairly entertaining. "Desert Passage" happened to be one of the best in the series supported by a competent cast of actors. Veteran screenwriter Norman Houston provided a neat script loaded with double-cross, intrigue and comedy. Holt is good in his role but he seems to have packed on a few pounds. Pay attention to Martin who has been blessed by the script with some real cracker lines.
The story tells of Holt and Rafferty being owner/operator of their "Lavic Stage Lines." They are on the end of their bankroll and are preparing to sell their business to the next "nitwit" who's willing to buy it.
The two men discovered that a few people in town are looking for a youngish man with greying temples. They then stumble onto the very person who was being attacked at gunpoint. After saving the man's life, our two heroes were offered $1000 for his protection and a ride on their stage coach to a safer destination south of Lavic.
The movie "Pulp Fiction" has a memorable line of "I'll be out within three shakes of a lamb's tail" which I never knew was an old saying. In "Desert Passage," Chito said "That will only take two shakes of a pig's tail!"
My main criticism with some of the series (or any other Westerns for that matter) is with the shooting action. Nobody seem to be able to aim accurately when a subject is exposed in the open unless necessary for the script. This is not as apparent in this movie.
Good fun B-Western. 7/10. Another one in the series I would recommend is "Storm Over Wyoming."
Young and Innocent (1937)
Flawed Studio Production
A story about an innocent man accused of a crime he didn't commit. With the assistance of the Chief Constable's daughter, they set out to find the real murderer.
The script is good. The movie is entertaining. The ending gave the film salvation from the horridly cheap studio production.
The most obvious examples came from the scene just before and after Robert Tisdall (De Marney) went inside Nobby's Boarding House. The railway and surrounding buildings were easily identified as miniature models. Hitchcock even used toy people and toy cars. It was a very clumsy and ugly substitute attempt. As Tisdall dragged Old Will out of Nobby's, you will know they were running on a treadmill. You will also notice shadows cast by the lighting over the actors in front of a projection screen used for the background.
I still recommend the film. It has a good story and it was well acted.
The flaws were academic. 6/10.
Cabin Fever (2002)
This "Comedy" Is A Real Stinker
"Cabin Fever" is obviously a homage to "Evil Dead" with references to Shemp and Fake Shemp on the cast list. But this film has none of the quality exhibited by "Evil Dead" and it definitely lacks the talent of Sam Raimi.
Yes, this is supposedly a horror but it was so ridiculously bad that it felt like a slap-stick comedy. It was embarrassing to sit through this film. People in the cinema were laughing and some even left to buy candy during its showing. The script was childish and it was awful to witness the actors half-heartedly regurgitate the words on camera.
28 Days Later (2002)
ORIGINAL ENDING WAS BETTER
* CONTAIN ALTERNATE ENDING SPOILER *
Quick run through: Three left-wing activists broke into an animal research lab and released chimps that had been infected with a "rage" virus. Within a few days, almost everyone is infected with the same disease. Humans became "zombie-like" and they attack all non-infected life. A survivor (Jim) wakes up on a hospital's operating table and finds London (England) deserted 28 Days Later...
This movie has an alternate ending but it wasn't very well advertized. Most people in the cinema left when the credits appeared because they did not know about it. I read it on a newspaper review and decided to wait until after the end credits to see if there was really an alternate ending.
The "official release" ending wasn't very good. It was a pathetic saccharin Hollywood-style ending. For other films, happy endings are fine but it did not suit the nature of this particular film which had a dark and bleak theme. Apparently the alternate ending was its original ending and it was circa 4 minutes long but initial studio tests did not sit well with the average audiences. Unfortunately, Danny Boyle was forced to shoot a new ending!
The alternate ending: After the credits, the words - "But what if..." appeared.
When Jim was shot, the three drove out of the compound. The next scene was in a hospital where Selena and Hannah were frantically trying to save Jim from his wound. Jim died on the operating table. This ending was poignant as he woke up on an operating table at the beginning of the film and now he died on an operating table at the end of the film. He had gone a full circle and went back to where he began. Hannah and Selena leaves the hospital with a satisfactory "what now" question left unanswered by the story.
I thought the movie rated 4/10 with the "sweet" ending. Maybe 6/10 with the original ending. The movie was shot on video and eventually transfered to 35mm cinema film neg and pos stock. You'll notice how grainy the movie looked because of DV. It created a documentary feel but it's probably a low-budget production cost factor.
11'09''01 - September 11 (2002)
FROM A NEUTRAL OBSERVATION
First of all, I ain't American or Middle-Eastern. Second of all, I don't have a religion. The closest thing to a religion I have are sports and movies. Henceforth, I believe I would be best served to supply an opinion of neutrality and free from bias.
Most of these short films are an utter disgrace. This dreadful event should be used to commemorated all those innocent people whom were murdered by "some" barbaric and uncivilized morons. Instead, most of what I saw in these short films were conceited attempts to score varied political points. Examples:
1) Ken Loach's segment. Sure, we are all sad that this dude had a hard life in his country but what has that got to do with the innocent victims of 2001? Two wrongs don't make a right?! Whatever! This film should have a subtitle for those who have trouble listening to a partially incoherent Chilean-English accent.
2) Most disturbing is Youssef Chahine's segment. It is obvious that he has trouble with logic. He justified the murders due to - America being a democracy and because some Americans voted the politicians in power, then all Americans in the end are responsible for the actions and decisions made by their leaders on the Middle-East. Helloooo! Is this guy for real?? Some Americans don't even vote! Some Americans don't even know where the Middle-East is; some don't even know what religion is practiced there; and majority don't know the real political issues that are played behind the scenes. ### Mr Chahine, the reason why we have all these problems in the world is because there are too many people with your kind of logic. The innocent victims in the Twin Towers came from around the world. The murdered firefighters, rescuers, office workers, by-standers and flight passengers have nothing to do with politics. And yet, we are not allowed to go about our lives because "some" people think everyone has to choose a side or a religion. We are perceived as fair game for the extreme politics.
3) The Israeli segment showed their own bombed victims. Another filmmaker using this event to push their own political agenda. Sometimes, it is not about you. Some people always think about the "me, me, me." Sometimes, it is about other people.
4) Idrissa Ouedraogo's segment is a joke and another political point scorer. They obviously want money from the international community by highlighting their poverty. Blah, blah, blah.
This movie denigrates the memory of "Sept. 11th, 2001" victims.
The best thing for it is the TRASH CAN.
Matchstick Men (2003)
Better Film of 2003
Initially this film looked like just another caper movie but it is really more of a character study.
Roy (Cage) is a Con-Artist or Matchstick Man. Roy has an obsessive compulsive disorder and suffers from anxiety attacks. He has accumulated wealth through years of cheating people out of their money. However, Roy's life is empty because he had no one to share his life and fortune with. His new psychiatrist encouraged him to contact his ex-wife about the kid they "could have had" 14 years ago. I wouldn't elaborate further than that because it will ruin the movie for you. The whole cast gave a very good performance throughout.
The main fault I found with this movie is that if Roy was so obsessed with dirt and cleanliness, why then is he a chain smoker??? Dropping cigarette ash everywhere doesn't make sense to a person with this disorder. In the movie, Roy confessed to his psychiatrist that he contemplated suicide by blowing his brains out but he didn't go through with it because he would be concerned what it would do to his carpet. How much more hidden tobacco advertising do we need in films?
Anyway, I do recommend this movie purely because I enjoyed the acting and the offbeat story. The ending was also satisfactory. 7/10.
Gli indifferenti (1964)
The Low Down...
This review will contain spoilers:
Maria Grazia and her two adult children, Carla and Michele are at a critical point where they are in danger of losing their home and position in society. At the beginning, we learnt that they have defaulted on their villa's mortgage and the bailiffs are determined in auctioning everything. Maria Grazia's ex-lover and supposed family friend and "almost father" to the kids, Leo, is gearing towards taking over the home at half of what it is worth.
Leo is in construction and he has political power and money. Leo is a parasite who is constantly trading up. He had previously dumped Maria Grazia for her friend, Lisa and now he's after the younger version of Carla. What he wants is fairly simple. Apart from power and money, he also sought youth and aristocrat breeding via Carla.
The main story is about an aristocracy tragedy. Both Michele and Carla does not know anything else apart from how to "appear" in society. Carla reviewed her situation and accepted Leo. Both Carla and Leo does not reciprocate love for each other but finds marriage being convenient to each one's use. Carla sees the alternative as too daunting. She defined it as a lack of courage of having to face the prospect of giving up her lifestyle. Michele even contemplated on getting a job to save their honor but at the end, it was just easier to live off an older woman like Lisa.
The callousness of Maria Grazia was displayed when Lisa confessed that Michele was her gigolo. She was simply relieved that Lisa was not a competitor for Leo. Both her children are condemned to a life of prostituting themselves for their class lifestyle. Could we pity her? Aged, penniless (or in this case, Lire-ness) and abandoned? She even found time to ridicule others for being nouveaux riches. Does she know any better? Could we excuse her because of her ignorance and self-absorbed attitude?
This dubbed movie is direct, well made and acted. The script is progressive, well plotted, taut and the story is believable. If you get the chance to view it, do so. For me, it was time well spent.
Dubbel-8 (2000)
Another One for the Geeks
This is another one of those overly contrived "Geeks overcoming odds to become hero" hollywood-ish story.
This theme has been played to death. It is nothing more than another left wing ideology with the weak overcoming the strong. Anders (Jacob) is the typical king of dweebness. He lust after Sofia (Ulving), gets to have his way with her and then finds true love with another girl at the end. What a cool nerd?
Unfortunately, we have been over-saturated with this kind of motion picture propaganda. Nerds and geeks no longer have to fear Darwin's rule of nature. They have these movies to promote their cause worldwide. At the end, it was just another bad attempt on filmmaking. Watch at your own peril.
La maman et la putain (1973)
...The Very Same
I decided to watch this because of the recommendations from this site. I would have to say it was worth the effort. However, you should take heed that this film will go on for 210 minutes. If you don't have the staying power, get it on tape and watch it over a couple of nights.
Now to the film, what I say will contain "spoilers" and if you don't mind, here goes:
Alexandre is a promiscuous bum, a womanizer and a gigolo. He lives with an older woman called Marie. Marie owns a retail shop and she provides for Alex. Alex spends his days at cafés and restaurants. The story reveals that Alex had previously impregnated Gilberte whom he used to live with. Gilberte dumped him for a less attractive man that she did not love because Alex had abused and battered her. At this point, Alex was willing to get a job and and help raise their child before he found out Gilberte had aborted it and planned to marry someone else.
By chance, Alexandre meets a nurse nymph called Veronika and they striked up a relationship. Veronika fell in love with Alex for the first time after all the sordid sex she had with men in the past. Marie and Veronika struggles for Alex's affection and had a ménage à trois to boot. Finally at the end, it's revealed Veronika is pregnant with Alex's child and Alex asked her to marry him. We assume (as aforesaid with Gilberte's situation) Alexandre will even get a job and be the provider for his new found love and family. There is hope!
With the title of "La Maman et la putain", I deduce Jean Eustache was relating to Françoise Lebrun's character of Veronika. She was a whore and then she became the mother. Hence, the mother and whore is the same person? Anyway, what do I know! French films are mostly (not all) very chatty, aimlessly political, preaching, theatrical, insipid, lamenting and full of quotes. Lebrun and Léaud played their obdurate characters well and held the film together as some part of the script became a little lost and disjointed.
Not a bad effort. 7/10.
Entre las piernas (1999)
SPOTTING ADAM
Entre las piernas is not a bad attempt at creating a Hitchcock like mystery. The plus for this movie is definitely the charm of Victoria Abril. Not a bad sort for a 40 year old, aye?
Abril plays Miranda who signs up for therapy in a Sex Addict Anonymous meeting. Another in therapy is a scriptwriter called Javier whose phone sex confessions were secretly taped and distributed to the depraved and perverted in Madrid. You may ask what would happen if you place sex-addicts in the same room. The result is a rapid sexual encounter for Miranda and Javier. Miranda's husband/cop, Felix eventually catches onto the illicit affair.
The disturbing part is the "distasteful" rape scene towards the end. What would you do if you were Javier? I call it self-defence. The main question is, were you not Spotting Adam from the very beginning???
THE CLUE: Whenever you sense something is not quite right, always look for the Adam's Apple. Do you? I do!
Fucking Åmål (1998)
So It Seems...
The story tells of a young schoolgirl falling in love for another - schoolgirl in a non-event town. Somehow their paths conveniently crossed for the purpose of this movie.
Elin's and Jessica's (sisters) boyfriends - Johan is spineless and dumb; Markus is aggressive and dumb. Jessica also could not give a definite answer as to why she stayed with Markus. She said, "It's just the way it is"?? Perhaps she should have converted too and be more blissed?
Fucking Åmål is a political statement film whether it initially intended to be or not. It promotes lesbianism as an acceptable lifestyle for adolescent girls. The highlight is Erica Carlson and Alexandra Dahlström's acting abilities. It is enough to make you state "Jag älskar, ...the acting!"
The message was clear at the end. The verdict being MEN are dumb, aggressive and irrelevant. Heck, I've been sold. You don't have to tell me twice (or in this case, see this movie twice). After viewing this movie, I also want to be a lesbian. It is my civil liberty right and it is no fault of my own that I was born with the wrong equipment to be excluded technically in this lesbian term!
City by the Sea (2002)
What Gives?
Initially, I wasn't about to make a comment but after reading the undeserved scathing attack made on this film by some people, I felt compelled to defend it.
I thought this film was worth watching for brilliant acting alone. James Franco and Robert De Niro went head to head for vigour, heart and style to showcase their talent. It's not that bad a script and I don't know what people were expecting. Perhaps the lack of special effects and explosions have quelled the little attention some have paid whilst viewing it. Maybe they went into a different cinema and saw the wrong film?
Antwone Fisher (2002)
*Sob* Blame *Sob*
According to Denzel's shrink character, past slavery was the cause for black people committing crimes and child abuse. Say what? Yeah, if we go back far enough, no matter what color you are, we all had a relative who had been a slave. I guess none of us is responsible for our actions. Is this the way we should live our lives? No one is accountable for their own actions anymore? Is this how we are teaching kids? All we have to do is point and say something Freudian about our past? We all have choices. Those 2 women who abused Antwone had choices. The friend who held up a shop had choices. They are RESPONSIBLE. Accept the reality. Lots of black folks are successful in life like Denzel and they don't go around committing crimes. Apart from that, the editing could be a bit better between spool 3 & 4. Kinda hazy between those reels. I don't care much for any movie that go for political hard sell. I go to movies to be entertained. Not to be preached to. Try again, Denzel.
Budbringeren (1997)
Best from Scandinavia
This is definitely one of the best contemporary Scandinavian films with all the hallmark of a top artistic production. All the characters are not without flaws and they are presented as anti-heroes. The movie has a grunge atmosphere and it is laced with humour and mockery. I can't really throw more light into this without creating too great an expectation for you except to say I really enjoyed it for pure entertainment. I like the quaint odd-ball filmmaking style created by Pål Sletaune. My question is: where is the DVD? Criterion people, are you listening?
Ying xiong (2002)
Quite a Disappointment
I love the many movies made by Zhang Yimou. His filmmaking is legendary. Out of his many triumphs, there's bound to be one disappointment or two. This is one disappointment and he's only human.
** What I DIDN'T like about it:
1. "Hero" seem to be an imitation of another similar movie.
2. ** People flying around just doesn't do it for me. This was the worst part. Fake, Fake, Fake!
3. A couple of individuals fighting against unsurmountable odds is ridiculous.
4. The story should have been a suspenseful historical feature instead of a boring and ludicrous fairy tale.
5. The acting by so-called professional actors were poorer than past amateurs coached and selected by the director.
** What I liked about it:
1. Great cinematography by Australian Christopher Doyle.
2. Love all the SFX. (the leaves, the rain and the arrows). Fantastic.
Les autres filles (2000)
The Other Moronic Chick!
This movie portrays a moronic teenage girl who wishes nothing more than to lose her virginity to the first ugly guy she meets.
She is so concerned about her peers' opinion that she would do whatever it takes to convert herself into a 1st class tart. The only likeable character in the movie seem to be the balding guy who dances awkwardly. I perceived he rejected her after finding out she may be underage. All other characters are all unpleasant.
I thought the movie had potential for a good storyline. However, its overall ugliness makes the toilet scene in Trainspotting seem clean.
It endorses child promiscuity and irresponsibly preach to young teens that whatever the character does is okay and things will work out in the end. Distastefully made. I can name several other grunge movies that is much better than this.
Broadcast News (1987)
Will Never Ever Remember!???
I have seen this film at least 5 times but I never ever remember the end. This is because it is so forgettable. Why? It starts off well. The story is interesting and the three lead actors are superb, ...but Hunter's and Brooks' characters were very annoying. Makes a good soapy, full stop.
Hunter is a neurotic woman with many many many hangups. Too many issues would signal halt at any pace to a guy but she's still being pursued by the two male actors. Brooks' character is the kind of smart-a** jerk-geek combo who we all can comprehend why he's usually beaten up in school. Rest assured, it's all self-inflicted. He's full of petty jealousy and lacking of any self respect. This is then topped with a high dosage of whiny self pity. The kind of person people loathe. Hurt is the overly nice guy who have resisted in putting Brooks through a wall. I still give it a 7/10 for acting but the 2 characters were so annoying that I never attempt to remember what the film was about. Hence, the vicious circle of re-viewing. Might be a plot of the director/script writer's to get me to watch it more than just once (which would have been ample).
Having said that, I could remember some other films I have seen 20 years ago and could still see it over and over again and still enjoy it.
Riben guizi (2001)
Most Harrowing War Documentary!
This is a MUST SEE. Japanese director Minoru Matsui should be praised for releasing a 'confessions of ex-WW2 Japanese soldiers'. This is a very sensitive issue in Japan today due to their many living in denial of their crimes. These ex-soldiers confessed of their indiscriminate murders, rapes, plunders, tortures and so on. Basically the most horrific of crimes against humanity unimaginable. You have to see this to believe it. The average Japanese soldier would make Joseph Mengele look like Mother Theresa. The average Japanese soldier would make any Nazi T4 personnel look like pussycats. These soldiers have contributed to the most sickenning part of mankind's history.
This documentary should be made compulsory viewing for all students of modern history and warfare. In the way it was presented, I can guarantee that there is no "off-putting" part as suggested by another reviewer in his "perceived bias of the victim nation's propaganda". HELLO... it was made by Japanese!!! Duh. There's simply no excuse for what these men did.
We should all view this so history will never repeat itself.
Lest we forget the past for our future's sake.
Signs (2002)
Farcical Howler
This is a very ordinary "Alien Visitors" type movie. First, there's the usual patterns on Farm Crops. Then there's the frightened earthlings fending off kidnappers from outter space, which we assume is here to take back some humans for an Alien Proctologist to inspect (and which by the end of the movie, you feel like you had been probed at your local cinema). Add to it with the usual theology theme and Voila, a hee-bee-jee-bee movie. "Is there or isn't there?????" WooooOOOOooooooo..... P-lease!
49th Parallel (1941)
Contesting For the Dumbest Film Award...
I can understand that in the midst of war, this was meant to be a propaganda film and being bias was part and parcel of the flavor of its day. What I fail to comprehend is why did the filmmakers treat the audience as dumb as the Nazis portrayed on this silver screen? One moment the fugitives were at one location and then the next they ended up in another location without explanation as to how it all came about. Perhaps the filmmakers intended to have us fill in the blanks because they couldn't explain it either.
How did all these Nazis learn to speak fluent English so well? The Krauts in this movie doesn't resemble any Germans we have seen in history books and documentary films. I hope it fooled the Canadian movie-goers of its day. The producers must have searched long and hard from their horror film casting lists.
Worst of all, we began to feel sorry for these blockhead Nazis because for them to be that dumb (by directing trouble and attention to themselves at every opportunity), it must be a congenital medical condition (just like the one the filmmakers must have suffered). Civil libertarians would be lining up to defend these dumb Nazis. If only they were all that dumb and the war would not have lasted more than the 6 years that it did.
Totally absurd movie has wasted an opportunity to have it made into a quality suspense film. It's a pity the filmmakers have murdered a great idea of Nazis stranded in the North American Continent whilst seeking for a return ticket home.
One thing though, you'll get plenty of opportunity to exercise your eyes because you'll be constantly rolling them in astonishment at the lame acting and script.