sheng_3 Reviews

Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father (2008)

Docs can't get worse than this

[2/10 · 5 March 2009]

A pathetic documentary by an incredibly unskilled director. This film is completely destroyed by MTV editing which turned what could have been a heartfelt piece into a 90 min montage. The director annoyingly overlaps dialog several times, never shows more than a few moments of any interview and, instead of relying on the dialog to set the tone and provide details, he simply cuts away repeatedly to the actual thing (or representation of) that the participant is speaking about. Important information is passed over quickly and small, pointless details are examined in excruciating detail (ie there was a delay in the trial becomes a 3 min sequence of calendar swipes). Rapid fire narration degrades it even further! It takes real effort to use compelling subject matter like this and make a bad film out of it! Avoid this at all costs. If there is a book on this case, read that instead.

The Kingdom (2007)

involving thriller with crap semi-shake photography

[6/10 · 26 December 2007]

The Kingdom takes the tried and true method of front loading the plot and featuring a finale that is jam packed with action to end on a high note. However, unlike other films where the ending is meant to distract you from the previous boring hour, this film is tightly constructed and held my interest throughout. The weakest links are the annoying semi-shaky camera work and the miscasting of a TV-level actor (Jason Bateman) in a poorly written TV-level role. He is completely out of place with the film in every way possible. Initially, I disliked Jaime Foxx but, he has managed to break away from stereotypical black roles and become an accomplished actor.

Attention Peter Berg- You are a talented director with a real knack for creating action sequences. However, there is a big difference between an occasional hand held shot and an entire film done with TV-level shaky-cam. Please, I beg you, don't let your future material go the way of J.J. Abrams and all the other MTV-type untalented hacks who are slowly transferring the reason I don't watch TV into the reason I don't go to the theater!

Dynamite Warrior (2006)

failed effort at Ong Bak with CGI

[3/10 · 24 May 2007]

Talented stuntman/fighter Dan Chupong (Born To Fight) is given little to work with in this repetitive, overlong mess from Thailand. Clearly hoping to bask in the financial glory of Ong Bak and The Protector (aka Tom Yum Goong), this film seems rushed and it shows. The plot is terrible and the acting is substandard (even for a Thai film). The action scenes are poorly conceived and filmed. Slow motion is used for shots that don't deserve it and money shots almost always feature a cutaway revealing the choreographer's complete inability to make the action scenes work. If they get any credit, it's that they don't stoop even lower and use the horrible "shaky, camera on a string" crap to further cover the shortcomings! The character's are cardboard and the set's look like, well, sets! The special effects are cheap (as in most modern Thai films).

Just a reminder to those Thai filmmakers who wish to emulate Ong Bak-

1. Get talented martial artists & stuntmen

2. Concentrate on the quality of the fight scenes and don't give in to CGI and cutaways.

3. Keep the plot simple (the best martial arts films usually have minimal plot)

If you are going to ask those talented stuntmen to risk injury or death, at least try to make a film worth them getting injured for!

Grindhouse (2007)

prepare to go home early

[7/10 · 8 April 2007]

Robert Rodriguez "Planet Terror" is one of the most outrageous and entertaining films I have ever seen in the theater! The audience was screaming and yelling and it is hard to believe that so many great things can be included in one film! The best example of a film with this level of escapism and joy is Peter Jackson's BRAINDEAD. Mr. Rodriguez clearly understands the appeal and fun of Grindhouse-type films and how to make one that succeeds and surpasses all expectations. Clearly, both director's enjoy these kinds of films but, only Rodriguez was able to reproduce one.

Tarantino's "Death Proof" is a complete failure in almost every way possible! It is pretentious and boring and, it relies on one or two very lame gimmicks. While "Terror" offers an untold amount of highlights, this borefest barely offers two! He even forgets his own technique in that he uses the "scratch, break" gags in a poorly realized way and then finally just gives up on them completely towards the end. As a short film, it might have passed as a decent diversion at best. You'll be smiling as it starts (with a clever re-title joke) but then, slowly, you realize you've been had.

Tarantino has made some truly enjoyable films that have become culturally significant and stand the test of time. This is without question his worst offering and, if not for being attached to "Planet Terror", would be almost immediately forgotten.

So, head to the theater ASAP and bask in the joy's of "Planet Terror", wait for the trailers after, and then walk out. You will have experienced the purest entertainment that a movie can possibly offer!

My rating of 7 reflects the greatness of "Planet Terror" and the boredom after that. Obviously, if "Planet Terror" was shown as a single film, it would be a 10. Clearly, there will be a great difference of opinion as to which film is best but, the crowd at my screening was mostly subdued and silent during "Death Proof" but cheered everything else.

Bowling for Columbine (2002)

all good...

[10/10 · 18 October 2002]

Quite simply, this is Michael Moore's masterpiece! I have seen many, many documentaries including some truly great ones (THIN BLUE LINE, SHOAH) but this is the best I have ever seen! It's hard to believe how much entertainment value is contained in one film!

In my opinion, this is NOT an anti-gun film (nor is it one in disguise). We have guns, other countries have guns. We just kill more people with our guns than they do. Period.

I am not a Harvard law professor, so I can't give a deep intellectual meaning to the film (don't want to anyway). It is the most satisfied I have ever felt leaving a theater, it was sold out, and it got not one but 2 huge rounds of applause from the crowd!

The one person I know who disliked the film, only felt that way because he thought it was anti-gun.

*Spoiler*

Heston is shamed for all the world to see. His racist, crass remarks reveal his true feelings. It didn't make me hate him, it just made me feel pity for a great actor now reduced to a shriveled old man pimping for the NRA.

See this important and thought-provoking film and don't let some gun freak or ignorant fool con you out of the joy it provides.

Forrest

Halloween: Resurrection (2002)

all over the place (*SPOILERS*)

[12 July 2002]

Like alot of you, I'm old enough to have seen all but the 1st film in the theater. Back then, a little gore and some T & A was all it took to satisfy. This is 2002 & those Fans are in their 30's & 40's now. As you walk up to the theater to see (insert name of quality movie here), you think back to those glory days and instead see HALLOWEEN: RESURRECTION. This is your (and my) fatal mistake! Another crappy, cardboard sequel that offers virtually nothing. Even on the basic levels (nudity, violence) it is cut back and reserved. *SPOILER* From a pathetic rip off of PEEPING TOM (tripod point of view used to stab victim) to heavy doses of the worst film of all-time BLAIR WITCH PROJECT (H-A-N-D-H-E-L-D!), there is nothing original or new here. There are however plenty of continuity problems (Michael gives his bloody knife to the psych hospital moron only to show up at the house with a new and already bloody knife). *END SPOILER* To address the race issue (and yes, it is a big issue with this series)- The African-American characters are given all the "hero" bits and the African-American audience member's yelled and cheered them on. So, on one level I guess it succeeds. Miramax clearly knows this and the re-shoots bare it out. For a $15 mil budget, it is technically passable. Acting is EXACTLY what you would expect (BAD!!!). You'll go anyway, and you'll be let down....again. At least it will be a while before HALLOWEEN 9: MICHAEL IN SPACE!

The One (2001)

suffering.....

[4/10 · 3 November 2001]

Treasure the memory of Jet Li's H.K. films cause THOSE DAYS ARE OVER! THE ONE is another U.S. made atrocity. It is loud, dumb, and about as exciting as watching paint dry! Much like TOMB RAIDER, THE ONE manages to sustain non-stop action while avoiding any shred of enjoyment or fun. You'll shake your head in disbelief at how so much money and talent have been wasted on this dud. Must every action movie fight scene now be OVER-scored by a blaring rock song? Can't anyone write a decent script for a Hong Kong star? It took John Woo several tries before he finally made a respectable U.S. film (FACE/OFF). I hope someday Jet Li can find the ideal project to showcase his acting talent as well as his martial arts abilities. For now, he seems content to collect a paycheck and punish his fans!

Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998)

mixed....

[8/10 · 2 September 2001]

Let me just say first off that this is the best introduction to Hindi films! It features 2 gorgeous women (Kajol & Rani Mukherji) and the charming actors Shahrukh Khan & Salman Khan. KUCH KUCH HOTA HAI has the best songs of any Hindi film I've seen. They are so good in fact, that you tend to forget how long and dragged out the film is! As soon as you get to a new song, it is like a complete battery recharge. There are some real moments of laughter, tears, and drama which is more than you get in most movies. Also, to set the record straight- ALL HINDI FILMS ARE PADDED OUT TO APPROX. 3 HOURS. Live with it! It means there will be stupid comedy, boring scenes, etc. You make your way through those (with the remote if you are REALLY impatient), to get to the gold (wonderful costumes, music, scenery, etc). If properly edited and released in the U.S., this could be an arthouse hit. The musical numbers rank right up there with GREASE. If you're tired of crappy American films, watch KUCH KUCH HOTA HAI. You may not love it, but you will leave the theater (or couch) humming the songs!

The Humanist (2001)

amusing black comedy.....

[6/10 · 31 August 2001]

A spoiled teen and his mentally unbalanced friends get involved in a kidnapping that goes very wrong. A mildly amusing film that uses sick humor to good effect. Starts off at a much faster pace than it ends. Sort of a Korean version of FARGO. Worth a look for fans of SHALLOW GRAVE also.

Libera me (2000)

Very impressive....

[8/10 · 31 August 2001]

If you love big budget summer blockbusters, you will really enjoy LIBERA ME! It is brutal, violent and features some amazing explosions and fire effects! A must for BACKDRAFT fans! If you like this film, check out a similar title SIREN.

Siren (2000)

decent entertainment

[7/10 · 31 August 2001]

SIREN is very similar to a bigger budget Korean blockbuster LIBERA ME. Both films feature spectacular fire gags and have exciting action sequences. Some of the effects in SIREN are kind of cheesy, but overall they work. The plot concerns a father's revenge on the fire rescue team that failed to save his daughter. It is a grim film with a very downbeat ending. If you liked BACKDRAFT, you should see this.

Scary Movie 2 (2001)

agony....

[2/10 · 4 July 2001]

Have you ever seen a film so bad, so bland, so boring that you wish a hitman would creep into the theater and shoot you? SCARY MOVIE 2 is just such a film! It is hard to believe it took 7 writers to come up with this "script". It seems like they just wrote an outline, went to the set, and then tried to figure out what to pad out the running time with. The best scenes in this film would be the horrid outtake footage from any other comedy. From the dead silence in the theater, you'd think they were watching Platoon! Dirty jokes can be funny but they must be good natured with a wink to the crowd. Shame on everyone involved in this, especially Keenan Ivory Wayans! How could you punish fans of the original with this humorless, dreadful mess? Since you sold out and took the quick buck, could you please send me $8.50 of it with an apology note? Avoid this crap at all costs!

Kiss of the Dragon (2001)

Sad and let down.....

[4/10 · 28 June 2001]

It's impossible to mention all the things that are wrong with this film! Take stale old cliches, jokes, plot-lines, add lots of loud, offensive rap songs, and mix in liberal doses of stolen ideas not worth stealing and you've got KISS OF THE DRAGON. The action scenes are much too brief, poorly filmed (NOTE: Thanks Michael Bay, you have poisoned more people than you will ever know!), and with the exception of one tag-team showdown, completely forgettable! Bridget Fonda just shows up for a paycheck. Her dialog is the most wooden, phony stuff you can possibly put down on paper and refer to as "dialog". Tcheky Karyo is a walking cliche and seems to know what a waste of time the film is. And, finally, Jet Li. He's talented, he's a nice guy, he has immense talent, he certainly knows martial arts......... and he's wasting his time doing films in the states. American audiences aren't ready for the Hong Kong fight-style. Instead, what we get is what hollywood THINKS is the Hong Kong style. Corey Yuen clearly is compromising his true talent and leaves us with only a taste of what he could deliver to U.S. fight fans! There are only really 2 types of great fights: MATRIX-STYLE fight scenes that are so effects driven and over-the-top that you are blown away and (Mr. Jet Li, here is the important part!) Long, sustained, hand-to-hand combat. The classic fight that features a feeling out period, defined styles, the realization of the opponents technique, and finally, the adjustment to win. They don't last 2 minutes and they require much more effort than most MTV hack-director's are willing to invest. TO ALL HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS: You crushed the Hong Kong star factory and stole all the top talent. when are you going to make a decent film with them??? Jet Li fans, don't let your heart break more, just watch FIST OF LEGEND again!

How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

Terrible, Over-produced, stale & unfunny!

[1/10 · 23 November 2000]

It is amazing that Director Ron Howard & star Jim Carrey could produce such an embarassing & painfully unfunny film! This is the low point of both of their careers. It feels about 3 hours long and most scenes resemble the horrid outtake material that would be quickly cut from any quality film! The over-blown special effects are designed solely to cover up the complete lack of any original ideas or laughs. For adults, the sole highlight (or low point, depending on how you look at it) of this trash is a wife swapping gag (quick shot of keys dumped into bowl) that makes you wonder how it got into this film. Dr. Seuss would roll over in his grave if he had the chance to see this pathetic excuse for entertainment! In closing, both Howard and Carrey should be ashamed of themselves for shoving this mess down our throats! Holiday films have reached a new low!