healinghoe Reviews

Jumanji (1995)

A game for those who seek to find a way to leave their world behind

[7/10 · 3 May 2006]

A fun family film about a game. I was sceptical, but as I like Robin Williams, I was obliged to go and see the film. The first thing that hit was the atmosphere. It's a bizarre and quite scary film. Well for a 7 year old anyway.

Robin Williams plays the part really well but the real star of the film is the special effects. The stampede and various other disasters from the game were fantastic for their day. OK they look a bit dated now but in their time, they were some of the most advanced special effects ever used in movies.

Bonnie Hunt steals the show with her humour and character. And the 2 children are fantastic as actors. The only thing that lets Jumanji down is the tag line. It gives away too much of the story of the film. But don't let that spoil things. The film is an unmissable adventure based on a small picture book. Surprised? You will be.

Beethoven (1992)

Fun fun fun, well for animal lovers

[5/10 · 3 May 2006]

The only thing that makes this film worth watching is the dog, and Bonnie Hunt. She is by far the best actress (is that p.c?) and she makes the film fun.

The dog on the other hand brings in the humour with his slobbering antics in this crazy film, with very little plot or story line. Basically, only really any good if you're into animals and simple fun. Veryy simple but a bit of a laugh if you feel really down. Worth a look, even if you hate this genre of film.

I saw this film when I was six and to be honest, it never really did it for me but give it a try.

Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)

The saga ends, or does it?

[10/10 · 3 May 2006]

The last of the star wars films to be made and done in spectacular style. The only thing with this film is that it relies too much on digital technology, which causes it to lose some of the charm of the original trilogy.

That aside, Star Wars Episode 3 is by far the most dramatic and spectacular of all the Star Wars films. Continuing the story of episode 2, this film tells of the events leading up to the original trilogy. It tells the tale through three key elements,

1. Tragedy 2. Betrayal 3. Romance

These elements make this film the most stunning and the best of the prequel trilogy, and a debatable best in the saga. It is my favourite but others may disagree. But the film is worth a look, even if you're not a hardened star wars fan.

Jaws 2 (1978)

Scary? Who cares

[3 May 2006]

Jaws 2. The best of the sequels in the Jaws series. And a worthy rival to Jaws. True the special effects leave a lot to be desired, including the infamous "folding mouth" sequence. Despite the lack of technology, Jaws 2 was probably almost as scary as Jaws. It certainly proves that sequels can be almost as good as the original.

The climactic and spectacular ending, with an electric cable certainly was a surprise when I first watched the film. It looked very real and gave the film the ultimate Jaws ending. One can not help but feel a bit sorry for the shark at the end. In all, Jaws 2 is a dramatic and powerful continuation to the saga that kept people out of the water.

Brokeback Mountain (2005)

The Magic of Brokeback Mountain

[10/10 · 2 May 2006]

It is very rare that a film comes into the cinema and touches the hearts of all who watch it. Brokeback Mountain is probably the only film that has been able to achieve this. The film is a typical love story, but with the twist. It is so much more than the "gay cowboy flick" it was hyped up to be.

The story is a fantastic tribute to the trials of love over time. Both Jake and Heath play the roles perfectly. They were so convincing. And they have changed the views of so many people on homosexuality. If anything, this only adds to the triumph of Brokeback Mountain. But the main triumph is the tragedy and the power of this unique film.

Having read the story, I was worried that the film may turn out to be a flop. How wrong I was. The film hit me like a ton of bricks. Even now I can't think of the tragic end of the film without tears coming to my eyes. It made nearly everyone in the cinema cry. You just care so much about the characters and the tragedy just makes it all seem so real.

To finish, I think that Brokeback Mountain is the best love story ever written. It is a triumph and a landmark film. The tender story, sweeping romance and dramatic scenery, as well as the tragic finale all add to the success of this cinematic masterpiece that has to be seen to be believed.