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Reviews
Fanfan la Tulipe (2003)
Great start but failed on the later half
I would like to inform first that I didn't see the original movie so I cannot compare this one to it. The movie starts out very good. It's very funny. The characters, especially Fan Fan and Adeline, are well chosen. Lightings and Colors are above average. Scenery is at least par. There are something to make me laugh or at least smile in every few minutes. The points of all the jokes are easily taken, even though I have to read subtitles all the time.
The second half of the film, however begin to go down. Romance, though is expected to be as it is, lacks built-up. When the movie needs to get serious on adventures (or at least in director's opinion), it could not deliver thrills it needs to deliver. With the comedy element's gone and no satisfying actions/adventures/thrills/etc, the second half could be considered a failure.
In short, this movie is a little bit beyond average. I enjoyed watching it. It doesn't have solid story, or throughout-the-movie comedy. However, it is the one nobody would regret seeing (unless you are critics).
First Encounter (1997)
Best for landfill, really
Definition of a movie, if you open a dictionary, is "a series of moving pictures". By this reference, this is strictly a movie. It is nothing more than a series of moving pictures, with nothing else. The script (if they did write any) is far worse than any thing you have ever seen. Sound & visual effects are horrible. Music doesn't help the atmosphere (actually, the music in this movie is quite annoying). Prop were definitely unrealistic. The alien models look like a stuff model or something rigid that definitely could not move (may be that's the reason why they never move in this movie). They didn't even try to add some nudity to distract audiences from terrible story. And since the plot itself is empty, most of the movie is about how the crew pass their time exercising, having sex, etc.
This movie is bad in every aspects. The technical aspects are comparable to 60's sci-fi. The script, directing, editing are among the worst in movie industry. The most valuable thing on it is the media it is on. And I would prefer to pay for blank discs than those with this movie on.
Final Word: This movie should be avoid by all genders and ages.
Spoilers: Oh, If you are really interest in this masterpiece of time-killing moving pictures, the story goes like this: Alien ship was detected floating into our solar system. Our hero was sent to investigate because he is the best captain (read: nearest to the subject) of Earth's arm force. They investigate the ship and find that these aliens are in stasis. Since they are far more advanced than humans, they should not be awaked. They found a blinking USB lights in one room. After they looked at flashing lights which make their IQ higher, they decide to leave the wakeup call decision to a software (smart choice) to find worse consequences.
Escape from L.A. (1996)
Old movie, different name
Spoilers ahead, big one.
If you have seen the first movie (Escape from New York), but not yet view this one, I suggest you skip it. It's not that the movie is bad -- it's quite enjoyable -- but it an almost the same movie as the first one. They just load the script into the word processor and replace "New York" with "L.A", "Mr. President" with "Mr. President's daughter", and you got it! Beside from originality, The movie suffers from creditability. Some scenes are obviously against the scientific laws. In the bright side, the movie has a very good ending, though quite similar to the first movie. The actions are better, the pace is much better. The environments and effects are comparable to the first movie. If you cannot get the picture, think of some high-budget B movies you see on the cable. It's about that.
I recommend this movie for action fans that haven't seen the first movie (Escape from New York). But for those who have seen the first one, it's your choice. For those who are not action fans, I recommend you find something else. "The Matrix" (for post-apocalypse settings) or "Platoon" (for anti-politics theme) is a good start.
Vidocq (2001)
Fresh and entertaining
I've seen this movie through cable this afternoon. It was a real surprise. I admit I cannot get through the plot thoroughly since it was in French. But being a French movie is a real plus here. The story took place in 1830 France. The country was in disarray after repeated changes in government. The setting is dark and depressing. Everywhere you can see people are suffering. It's in their attitudes, their clothes, their environment. This is not something you will see in other movies of this period. Characters' movement are splendid, especially the Chinese/French woman whose name I forgot. Her movement makes this movie looks like art. I know that this movie is a horror film, but it's an artful horror. The plus side of being French is that it doesn't stick to the Hollywood-style horror. Its emphasis on emotions and audiences' feelings make this movie outstanding comparing to Hollywood's. Summay: This movie is definitely R (violence, nudity, I guess). So, it your are over 18, give it a try. You'll find it enjoyable even if you're not horror fan. However, if you dislike the genre, this one may not be powerful enough to change your mind.