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Reviews
Juno (2007)
Juno - the little movie that could.
Juno is best described as a dramedy where the plot is driven by character development rather than external events. It is fascinating to watch the very gifted Ellen Page as she goes from a very bright but rather typical sixteen year old smart ass to someone who matures into a young adult as she deals with an unwanted pregnancy. The way she can convey a teenage "could care less" sarcasm and then a barely concealed scared vulnerability within the space of one sentence merely by a subtle change of expression, the tone of her voice or the flicker of an eye is worth the price of admission alone. The supporting cast is uniformly excellent and while the dialog is somewhat quirky at times, it only adds to the enjoyment of a movie which constantly surprises your expectations. The best movie of 2007 in so many ways that it's not surprising that this indie film, which cost only about 7 million to make eventually grossed about 150 million at the box office. That many customers (not to mention 90% of the critics) can't be all wrong!
Be Cool (2005)
What were they thinking? Sooooooooooooooooo bad!
I loved Get Shorty! Clever premise, great acting, good script - so what went wrong with this sequel? My guess is that some no talent, slick-ball Hollywood mogul got put in charge of the production and decided that he would market the film to appeal to the juvenile market, rapper mind set crowd. As a result, Chile Palmer, the ostensible centerpiece of the movie (as he was in Get Shorty) spends the last half of this movie chuckling, applauding and shaking his head in amazement and amusement at the zany antics of a gang of rappers as they sing, dance and kill their way across the silver screen. His centerpiece role is reduced to that of a spectator. Amazingly, the rapper gang of killers blow people away and still end up in the last reel dancing in the aisles and mugging it up for yuks at a rap concert. I could give chapter and verse on the faults of this movie, but what's the use? It was designed to appeal to a certain audience and no amount of analysis is going to convince that audience that they're watching trash. So if you just love rap crap and a plot that doesn't matter, this is a movie that should ignite your passion.
I, Robot (2004)
Strictly for pre-teens and mouth breathers of all ages.
From the very first frame, this piece of cinematic drudge bitch slaps your intelligence. Holes in continuity, card board characters, poor special effects, unexplained gaps in logic, bad dialogue, wooden acting, blatant sponsor advertising; and that's just the first thirty minutes! Overseeing this rambling wreck is Will Smith who looks and acts like he wandered in from a bad rapper movie. He is a sergeant in the police force and we first see him waking up in his room which seems to be in a rat infested slum tenement building. After putting on his clothes, which appear to have been discarded by a homeless street person, Will climbs into his $100,000.+ Audi and goes to work. Huh? For reasons not entirely clear, Will likes to blow away robots with his BIG GUN! His job is hanging by a thread for such actions, but they send him out alone and unsupervised anyway to look into the death of the most influential robot designer in the WHOLE WORLD! And so it goes like this, on and on and on. A waste of money - one star out of 10.
The Girl Next Door (2004)
Wildly uneven with plot and continuity problems
The male lead, Cuthbert and the porno pimp, oops, I mean "producer", are the best things about this film. They are all likeable. However, the plot line is so implausible and has such huge holes in it that you only have to stop from time to time and ask yourself, "how come....?" to realize that nothing adds up. Whenever the problems become too glaring the film resorts to a little dash of T&A or blue dialogue to distract the viewer from noticing and, judging by the generally favourable reviews on this site, it worked.
For me, a movie has to have some basis in reality or plausability to be truly funny. As a secondary issue, I was a little disturbed about the basic premise that a porn movie career is a valid choice for a girl supposedly only 18 or 19 years old. Not only valid but apparently a laugh riot too.
The Passion of the Christ (2004)
Unsettling experience
As a "lapsed Christian", I found this film thought provoking on many levels. It's a serious work that tries to make you face, up close and personal, the meaning of the crucifiction. It does this through a heavy emphasis on graphic gore and violence that is hard to watch but which achieves it's desired effect by making you realize the suffering that Christ went through and which Christians believe was necessary to "redeem" them. It's not hard to understand why many who are more used to Easter Bunny and Santa Claus depictions would find this sudden hard reality distasteful. Gibson forces us to face the truth and some can't handle the truth. Is it anti-Semitic? I don't think so. Although the chief rabbi and a few of his followers are shown to be actively seeking Christ's death, their all too human motives are made clear and we can understand their reasoning even if we don't condone it. I thought the movie was beautifully filmed and the most moving moment came near the end when Mary takes her son from the cross, kisses him on the cheek and, her mouth smeared with his blood looks up slowly and stares directly into the camera and at us, for what seems like an eternity. Her eyes are accusatory and she seems to be saying to all of us - you did this! All of you are responsible and guilty for this crime. A very unsettling experience. I think this film will spark a renewed interest in Christianity and perhaps even improve church attendance and, whether you agree with Mel's vision or not, how many movies can be said to have such an impact on peoples lives? Well worth seeing.
Lost in Translation (2003)
Good Grief!!!
Apparently, Sofia Cappola has a lot of IOU's out there with the Hollywood glitterati and movie critic crowd; for how else can one explain how a limp and soggy time waster like this got a slew of good reviews AND even an Oscar nomination to boot! Lost in Translation has no redeeming social value or purpose. Nothing happens in it at all. Period. Not at the beginning, not at the end, not in the middle. Nothing. Nada. Rien. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. It's like spending 90 minutes watching sticky rice dry out. Did I mention that it was a waste of time and money? Oh.
Buffalo Soldiers (2001)
Cynical garbage dressed up as satire
It's hard to escape the belief that the target of this politically inspired hit piece was not so much the military brass who were portrayed as mostly well intentioned but ineffective fools, but rather the completely degenerate sub culture which is shown as being pervasive throughout the "other ranks". In my opinion, the movie reflects the scorn and even hate with which certain liberal segments of US society have for what they view as the largely right wing "military culture". Incidents in the movie are so over the top and out of touch with reality that any satiric element is squeezed out by the unbelievability of the situations presented. Phoenix sleep walks through the carnage, betraying little if any emotion or motivation and reads his lines with almost a deadpan expression so we really don't care about him , his fate and ultimately the films satiric message he is supposed to convey. The film had the misfortune to be released in 2001, around the time of 9/11 when the public woke up to realize that they had suddenly fallen in love with the military. The films message then lost a receptive audience and became down right unfashionable and even politically incorrect. This might account for it's long delay until 2004 before it was felt by the films producers that it could safely be issued as a DVD rental.
Love Actually (2003)
Disappointing Actually
Too many stories, each one of which felt like the initial draft of the first and last chapters of separate screenplays which had been stitched together, using the general idea of "Christmas" as a unifying theme and to coincidentally (I'm sure) goose holiday box office revenues. The way that many of the actors involved have been circulating on talk shows, en masse, to promote the movie makes me suspect that each was given a percentage of the gate receipts in return for their participation and promotion. The movie provided a few smirks and smiles but I never really got to care much what happened to any of the characters. The story line with Firth and his Portugese cleaning lady had potential but then Colin goes back to London, learns passable Portugese in just one week, which is typical of the flaws in just about every storyline. While the stories are all light confections, the only jarring notes came when the auther/ director introduces a little anti-American left wing cant by portraying the President as a cartoonish caricature combining a groping Bill Clinton and a bullying George Bush. If I was American I would have also been insulted by the typical "middle America" (Idaho, I think) girls who are portrayed as attractive but empty headed bimbos always eager for a shag or orgy with anyone at anytime, anywhere. Americans don't come off looking good in this movie which is a surprise considering that the US will be it's greatest market. But then, I guess the participants are smug in the belief that the average American theatre goer isn't sophisticated enough "to get" the inside joke. It's always more satisfying when you can take their money AND insult them at the same time.
Old School (2003)
Cynical Hollywood, "Let's All Get Rich and Retire" Project
Do four letter words still make you giddy and giggle? Are you reduced to fits of laughter by the sight of girls in training for fallatio? Does the mere sight of 90 year old geezers dying from sexual excitement and grossly obese teenagers trying to run reduce you to tears of merriment? Does the idea of 30-something adults acting like children strike you as the heights of sophisticated wit? Does a complete absence of plot or story continuity appeal to your sense of humor by adding to a movies overall enjoyment? Are you able to recognize comedy elements from about a dozen previous "frat house" type movies and still sit there grinning in the dark? If you answered yes to the above, brother have we got a film for you! If you answered no, then save your money and go rent a previously enjoyed movie.
Se7en (1995)
Depressing gross out without even the redeeming feature of conveying a moral message.
A film designed to appeal to those who have a fascination with graphic cruelty and sadism. The film telegraphs it's ending from the moment in the middle of the film when Pitt, the detective, shouts after the killer: "My name is Mills. That's spelled, M-I-L-L-S !" It's a wonder he didn't add: "And I live with my much loved wife at 18 Ceder Street, Apartment 3b". (In how many of these films does the killer eventually wind up going after the hero's beloved wife or child as part of the movie's climax? It's so much of a cliche of the genre that it's become a standard closing plot element.) The most depressing part of this film experience is not that the good guys' lose and that the Jeffrey Dahlmer wannabe triumphs, it is that Hollywood will do anything for a buck - and that has to be another catagory of deadly sin not originally contemplated by Dante. I don't care how good the special effects are. If the movie sets out to use them to deliberately sicken the viewer; then it is an unimaginative misuse of the technology. A 1 out of 10, with 9 points lost for depravity and the cynical exploitation of the viewing public.
Blade Runner (1982)
A watershed movie in the sci- fi genre
Dark, brooding, fascinating, thoughtful. Although it fills the foreground and drives the plot line, this movie is only provisionally about the hunt for five replicants set sometime in the future. Like all good science fiction, it is really about presenting ideas and new concepts. And in the area of ideas, the director Ridley Scott has set out a virtual banquet table to think about and debate. What might be the possible future impact from environmental pollution, urban decay, overpopulation, multi-racial societies, mass advertising, law enforcement methods - and most of all the moral and ethical question of what separates human clones from human beings. And at the end, the final unresolved question to ponder - was Decker himself a replicant???
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Hokey history
Aside from the first 15 minutes, where the near disaster on Omaha beach is effectively portrayed, the rest of the film is a standard John Wayne, 'Sands of Iwo Jima" type propaganda film made up of the most mundane and unbelievable tripe. If the truth be told, the American forces at Omaha would have been pushed back into the sea except for the British and Canadian forces immediately on their left flank who achieved ALL their objectives that day and pinned down the bulk of the Germans forces within their HQ area centred in Caen and thus prevented them from swinging south and completely obliterating the Omaha beachhead. Aside from that historical fact (not referred to in the film), the movie had other major shortcomings, ie; - no combat commander in his right mind would risk the lives of a full patrol to rescue a single, "Private Ryan", no matter what the reason; - no platoon leader (played by Tom Hanks) would go into combat with his officer stripes shining brightly on his helmet. To do so would invite an immediate sniper bullet from Germans who specifically targeted officers for priority elimination. - no platoon leader would insist on attacking an enemy strongpoint unnecessarily - especially since his orders were to only to "get Private Ryan". He could have detoured around the strong point but instead chose to attack it and lose some of his valuable platoon members. Why? - Tom Hanks and his heroic defence of the French town which climaxed the film was frankly unbelievable. The Germans may have been the enemy, but they were not stupid. In real life, Hanks and his little patrol would have surrendered or been brushed aside within seconds by a determined German force backed by tanks. When, oh when, are the Americans going to produce a realistic war movie which truthfully captures the events, flavour and outcome of combat reality without the John Wayne histrionics?
American Beauty (1999)
An insult to intelligence
The writers, producers, directors of this effort would have you believe that this is some sort of artsy, deep, deep portrayal of "middle Americans'" their values, their hypocrisy and the empty lives they all lead.
The film fairly hammers the audience with this message so that even the dimmest can get the point. The real estate wife, fairly whimpering with frustrated greed when she can't sell a house and who sleeps with the boss because she admires his salesmanship.(Is this REALLY believable?) Her husband (Spacey) who, while not only an unadmirable character,(he's a blackmailer), seems to be able to quickly strike up a close relationship with the completely alienated son of his next door neighbour but can't seem to do the same thing with his own equally alienated daughter.(Why is she alienated? We're never told.) The homophobic neighbour who just happens to be a latent homosexual and (surprise, surprise) a military man to boot! Good grief, the film is wall to wall cliched characters all of whom are overdrawn and frankly, not believable in either their dialogue or their actions. However, where the film really fails is that by the end of it and looking back, I can't recall one character that I ever truly cared what happened to or felt some sympathy for. Like the Spacey character himself, I felt cut off from the events before me and seemed to be watching it all through uncaring eyes. Maybe that was how one was supposed to feel and that was the "genius" of the film. But somehow I doubt it, since one can experience the same emotion watching "Freddie Got Fingered" - and that ain't no work of genius.
Titanic (1997)
A truly "epic" picture in every sense.
While this picture continues to hold the record as far and away the highest grossing world film of all time (over double that of it's closest rival) and, when released, received rave reviews from over 85% of the most influential North American film critics who saw it, AND tied the record for most Oscar's ever awarded to one film, it can't seem to make the list as one of the top 250 IMDB films of all time. Something must be wrong with the rating system - not the movie. Many critics seem to concentrate their scorn on the love story between Rose and Jack while others expressed boredom with the special effects and other elements associated with the actual sinking of the ship. To them, I can only say that they must belong to the school satirized by John Candy on the old SCTV series who could only get enthusiastic about something when he got to blow it up, "real good!". No, sadly I'm afraid nobody gets blown up; but there is plenty of drama and tension as we await, not the fate of the ship, but of the passengers and of course, the lovers. Cameron has proven himself capable of balancing an intimate love story with an epic event while keeping everything in perspective. If nothing else the movie represents an incredible logistical achievement, and a special effects tour de force! I first watched it in a crowded theatre and all around me I could hear other viewers sniffling, blowing their noses and going to the washroom when the ship finally went down and the true magnitude of the human tragedy was driven home. When was the last time you were at a movie that had that type of emotional impact on an audience! A true 10 out of 10.
Shakespeare in Love (1998)
Deserving of every award received.
As a Shakespeare-o-phile I was blown away by the wit, imagination, humour, the literate script and the outstanding acting, costume and directing that sparkles throughout this film masterpiece. I can easily see why audiences unfamiliar with Shakespeares biography, his works and the everyday reality of Elizabethean life and the theatre would not be especially impressed. After all, while they did watch all the film, they really missed about half the movie. It would be like reading Giulliver's Travels as just a voyage adventure without noticing the fact that it's true genius and meaning lies on other levels entirely. There are many, many instances in the film where dialogue or events would seem to be straight forward but in fact allude to other known facts or persons; and therein lies the real humour and appreciation from what is in effect a continuing series of, "double entendres". What especially impressed me was the way in which the love story between Will and Viola is played out using many of the actual lines from Romeo and Juliet and with John Madden, the director, seamlessly transitioning the scenes from the bedroom to the stage and back again. I've never seen that device used in a film before with such effect! Deserving of every award it received and made it's main competition at the Oscar's that year, Saving Private Ryan, look like what it really was: a powerfully effective 15 minutes at the front end followed by an unimaginative and franky unbelievable John Wayne type flag waver from there on to the finish line.
Sense and Sensibility (1995)
Mildly diverting historical twaddle.
With a story that moves with the speed of cold treacle, we suffer with the movie's heroine as she navigates the snares and pitfalls of true love as viewed through the lens of eighteenth century middle class values. Historically the movie is mildly diverting as it reveals how one of proper breeding at that time was to conduct themselves while maintaining proper decorum and with honour and dignity intact. Needless to say, suffering in silence plays a large role in the development of romantic plot lines and maintaining whatever suspense can be feebly generated through this simple device. The movie is faithful to it's source which in fact represents an extended comedy and at times satire on manners and customs at that time in history as they came into conflict with peoples true feelings - especially romantic. The movie and the book suffer from the same basic flaw; the male characters are all two dimensional cardboard cut outs who are moved about like chess pieces to advance the story and are meant to represent some single vice or virtue, ie; honour or dishonour, greed or selflessness, toady or fool, etc. Especially annoying is the heroine's love interest as played by Hugh Grant. In virtually every scene he appears to be skulking behind doors and entering or backing out of rooms in a stammering, grovelling, obsequious manner. Hard to know what Eleanor sees in him at all. The movie's final message is sledgehammer like in its moral : TO WARN YOUNG MAIDENS OF THE FOOLHARDY RESULTS OF ALLOWING THEIR PASSIONS TO RULE THEIR REASON AND THAT GOODNESS WILL ALWAYS TRIUMPH IN THE END. Oh, puleeze. In summary, an eighteenth century version of a Harlequin Romance pocket novel frozen on film. The only stock characters missing are the dutiful nurse and the handsome doctor.
Local Hero (1983)
Simply the best, perfect little film ever made.
A real sleeper of a movie. I rented it without knowing anything about this film beforhand and was taken prisoner from start to finish. I honestly didn't want the movie to end. Full of interesting and amusing characters, a terrific musical score, wryly satirical without being demeaning of anyone; it invites you into a totally believable world where you begin to care about the fate of everyone and there are no false notes in the script, direction or performances.
If anyone ever doubted the importance of a screenplay in the success of a movie or thought that a big budget, lots of pyrotechnics and loads of special effects could cover up a movie's shortcomings - see this film. It should be required at all film schools as an example of what can be accomplished on a little budget but with good ideas and lots of talent. A perfect 10 - times 2!
Rattle of a Simple Man (1964)
A little gem of a film
I've seen this film twice over the years on the late night movies and would gladly buy a copy but it doesn't seem to be available on VHS anywhere from anybody - and believe me, I've looked! This is a pity because for a low budget film in black and white, most of which takes place between two people in one room, it succeeds in holding your interest as you really care what happens to the two principals. The movie takes you on an emotional roller coaster ride as you laugh and cry with them through their hopes, anger, fears and dreams. I would rate this as a 10 out of 10.