Change Your Image
migueltravert
Reviews
King Kong (2005)
Fantastic first half, then descending
Two hours into this movie I thought I had never seen something like it ever before. The sequence of the brontosaurs falling down the slope and the fight between Kong and the Rex are absolutely incredible: a masterpiece of film-making, special effects and editing. I also loved the beginning, the unbelievable recreation of New York in the 30s and the general style in the adaptation of the plot, which went so much in depth into the characters with Watts, Brody and Black perfectly fitting the roles. This is why I was somehow disappointed when in the third part the movie sort of accelerated and lost that uniqueness. In particular I found the last part in New York City very little scary. In the Jessica Lange-Jeff Bridges version, for instance, the attempt of the two characters to hide with Kong pursuing them was much scarier and better paced. In the end, Kong looks more an adorable gorilla in love and does not frighten anymore even when he throws cars in the air. On the contrary, in the first half it continued to give me chills even when it was clear that Ann would not become just another piece of meat. Overall, however, a fantastic reread of the original.
Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005)
Could have been a contender
As the movie opened I found myself intrigued by the two characters sitting in front of an analyst trying to sort out their marriage problems. But soon after that I realized this sophisticated premise would soon leave way to same, already seen big action movie. When the main characters find out about each other's hidden life they're way into their marriage, and I found it incredible that it took such a long time to realize only because they were placed one against the other to mutually eliminate. It would have been fun to have a closer look to their early marriage years, with the various ups and downs and an intimate look at how their violent jobs started setting the couple apart - and only then turn the story into an action movie. There doesn't seem to be a way for U.S. producers to tell a story in a more innovative way, and given the incredible screen presence of Pitt and Jolie it would have been a wonderful acting opportunity as well.
El ciclo (2003)
Very well made
A very well made short that well deserved to win last year's Screamfest. This is one director to watch for as he will almost certainly become one of the cult names for the genre. Set in a claustrophobic atmosphere, it drags the viewer from beginning to end without ever letting go of tension. Great special effects and brilliant photography add up to an already very intriguing storyline. Screamfest always brings up interesting new talent, more than other festivals worldwide, and movies like this also bring hope to a genre that has been pretty stagnant. This guy's Spanish and Spain is indeed producing a whole new generation of movie directors. Jacob Torres is also an excellent choice for the main character. Certainly look forward to see what Victor Garcia has next to tell.
Xchange (2004)
Absolutely compelling
I don't know if it is the style with which this story is told, or the atmosphere the directors have been able to create... I was just forced to watch it over and over again. As you go through it you don't care so much about what is happening because the camera guides the viewer as the plot builds up. It is clear that it is a small budget, but it really doesn't show its lack of resources: each frame looks beautifully photographed, every line of dialog is in the right place and more than anything else it introduces a new rather frightening angle on dreaming and nightmares, suggesting that they are not occurring randomly but rather as creatures of the mind that can migrate. When the short ended I was so intrigued that I tried to imagine what could have happened next. It's definitely a new brand of horror, or perhaps of supernatural because violence during the story is very discreet and played more on a detail level, on what the characters say and what happens in the background. Strange to see this coming from Italy.