wooner1 Reviews

Goal! The Dream Begins (2005)

Time difference

[25 April 2006]

In the last game between Newcastle and Liverpool, it seemed like a normal lunchtime match in the UK.

So if this were the case, how could Sant's grandma be watching it during the day in LA? That seemed like sunshine coming through the bar windows . . . By my rough calculation, it would have been 3 or 4 am in LA?

The first time San got to play in Newcastle, I thought it was a good piece of writing that he played in the rain. I can't imagine that an Angeleno would have very much experience playing in the rain.

I have another question-- do they have quotas for the number of non-EU players they can have in the team?

L.A. Sheriff's Homicide (2003 TV Movie)

A hidden Gem

[9/10 · 21 January 2006]

I caught this show on HBO recently and am surprised it was done in 2000 and not picked up for a series. This wonderful, tightly shot show has lots of the powerful technique of plot convolution we now see so routinely on CSI. Miguel Ferrer does well to play the cynical and jaded senior investigator. Interesting pairing of two antagonistic partners who bitch about each other and how they do each other's wives and mothers. Really was not sure how that would sustain in a longer series but for a one time TV movie, it was quite hilarious. Why this series was not picked up then-- maybe the show was just too bold for six years ago with its crude references, racial themes and gritty portrayals. No shame asking where we can get the DVD for the show!

The Myth (2005)

Same old same old

[5/10 · 14 December 2005]

After the latest Police Story, I would have hoped Jackie would wean himself off these Armor of God type hocus pocus fantasies, where the far-fetched story lines just begs to be punctured with common sense.

Anti-gravity was set up enough for the payoff in the end. But then, what about the immortality -- poor princess has to eat right?

The run through India-- well, we want to sell this to Bollywood so let's add in some nice Indian tatas and choreograph a di rigeur chase through the crowds. If we cut this out and work in the expository dialog elsewhere, it would not affect the story== That's the mark of redundant events.

The action is good. The same. But good. There is now a healthy dollop of CGI and blue-screening . . . oh Jackie, if you are reading this-- keep the plot simple. Keep the characters complex. And you are on your way to joining De Niro.

Infernal Affairs (2002)

Great story but what about the handphones

[14 February 2004]

Two things bothered me in an otherwise excellent movie:

1. Getting different actors to represent the same person in their teens and a dozen years later. People simply don't change that much nor do the choice of actors reinforce that similarity

2. For all the high tech wizardry shown by the police force as well as the precautions taken for radio and phone silence, why didn't anyone just check the handphone logs of every key player to connect the dots. All the characters were using their handphones almost indiscriminately.

Great to see HK reinventing itself with such fine filmmaking.