dkfriend Reviews

Skagerrak (2003)

Modern fairytale

[27 March 2003]

This movie was quite entertaining, although it's not nearly as good as Mifune (also starring Iben Hjejle). It's a modern-day fairytale, where our Princess is the danish woman, Marie Nielsen. She and her Irish friend, Sophie lead a carefree life. Their lives consist of an endless line of parties with men and booze!

One day, Marie gets offered a chance to become a surrogate mother for a very wealthy couple and she eventually accepts.

Suddenly, Marie's life changes dramatically - and the events that follow will test her willpower, amongst other things.

All in all a charming little tale with superb acting, especially by Iben Hjejle (High Fidelity) as Marie, Bronagh Gallagher (The Commitments) as Sophie, and the charming Martin Henderson (The Ring, Windtalkers) as Ian.

Van Wilder (2002)

Teen comedy 'til the very end!

[16 August 2002]

I went to see this with my 16 year-old cousin. He'd previously seen the movie and asked me to go see it with him one more time, because apparently, the movie is just THAT good.

And let me tell you right away; IT ISN'T THAT GOOD!

Plot summary isn't all that necessary - the important thing in this movie is to get some laughs out of people...and it only nearly succeeds in this attempt. The comedy is as subtle as Ryan Reynolds' acting in general, so...not very! But, Reynolds must get credit for portraying this role, it could have gone even more wrong than this had it been some other - more famous - actor portraying the part of Van Wilder. If anyone has seen him in 2 Guys & A Girl, you won't be able to tell the difference from Van Wilder & Berg (the role in 2 guys...). But again, Reynolds does what he has to and he does that well. Tara Reid is equally as good in the role of Gwen, the serious student who is to write a piece on Van Wilder.

Can you guess how this movie ends? NO? Well I'm not gonna give it away. The movie has its funny moments, even for a girl like me, but I would at anytime much rather see a comedy without the hints of penis, boobs, dog sperm, farting uncontrollably etc. But - for a 16 year-old boy this movie simply rocks, he couldn't stop laughing from the cinema till we got home.

Vertical Limit (2000)

entertaining!

[22 April 2002]

Having seen Martin Campbell's previous movie - GoldenEye - which I thought was pretty damn good (the best Bond flick made in ages anyway) I kind of expected this action movie to be just as good. And though I think it is as entertaining as could be expected, this movie is nowhere near as good as action flicks like The Matrix or The Long Kiss Goodnight, not even GoldenEye. The cast did an overall good job, I especially liked Izabella Scorupco in the role of Monique (she also played the female lead in GoldenEye), and Bill Paxton is always reliable no matter who he portrays! The soundtrack is super and the effects just as good, so if you're simply looking to be entertained, this movie is an obvious choice.

Fight Club (1999)

Disturbingly excellent!

[9/10 · 8 March 2002]

"Fight Club" by David Fincher is really the first movie since American Psycho to deal with "generation X" (in lack of a better name). And as the book by Bret Easton Ellis (American Psycho) was so very provocative and too violent for its time, so is Fight Club.

The two main characters, "I" (later known as "Jack") and "Tyler Durden" are portrayed by Edward Norton and Brad Pitt. Both actors become their characters, and they're very convincing as the fragile, generation x insomniac (Norton) and the cool, easy-going, care-less, soap-making Tyler Durden (Pitt). But it is really Helene Bonham-Carter who steals the limelight with her role as Marla Singer, who just as "Jack" has nothing really to live for, and who manages to stay alive only by going to cancer-groups and such for dying people. See the irony?

Much can be said of the movie (and it certainly has been!), but as I see it, it is able to open the eyes of an entire generation who goes through life thinking materialism is the way to live. If it does not open your eyes, you may just think this movie is about violence, when, in fact, only one person dies in the film. The movie is not about violence at all. The violence is a way of escaping the life the characters are leading - a life which is so empty and only based on stuff...things we don't need to be happy.

The ending sees everything coming together for the audience - and everything falling apart for the main character. Do you dare watch?

Friends (1994–2004)

Still going strong

[8 March 2002]

Running in its 8th season Friends is now better than ever. An average of almost 30 million viewers (in America only) tune in to Friends every Thursday evening. Why you ask?

Because Friends has a quality that only a few sit-coms in history has possessed; Universal humor mixed with a gang of sweet, relatable characters portrayed by 6 great actors. Everybody in their right mind would want Friends like these! And why, you ask again?

Because these Friends are extremely entertaining, funny, good-lookin' (without being glamorous) but most of all because these Friends are there for you when it really counts.

What makes this sit-com stand out from all the rest (besides all of the above-mentioned!) is a strong crew of writers, producers and directors. Marta Kauffman, David Crane and Kevin S. Bright - the original creators/executive producers of Friends - have done a great job putting everything together.

The writing stays fresh, the jokes stays funny, the acting stays outstanding, and the result stays undeniably great!

Moulin Rouge! (2001)

What a celebration of love!

[10/10 · 23 September 2001]

This movie has moved me in ways no movie ever has! It tells the story of two love-struck people (Christian & Satine - Ewan McGregor & Nicole Kidman, both great!) but their love is forbidden. The scene is the Moulin Rouge in Paris in the 19th century, that is A LONG TIME AGO, but still the movie has much more appeal than your every-day romantic movie. It is a musical, and both Nicole Kidman & Ewan McGregor does a great job singing...it makes it even more believable to watch them fall in love...and even though their love is overwhelming, they have to overcome many obsticles to be together - and I will not reveal here whether they actually do or not, but them bottom line - AND - silver lining is that this movie truly is magnificent! Baz Luhrman has, once again, created a masterpiece, following the great success of Romeo+Juliet.

Above all this story is about love! And what a story!

Alien (1979)

Brilliantly scary!

[10/10 · 27 May 2001]

Being Sigourney Weaver's first major role, she acts with such exellence and believeability that any other actor for the part of Ellen Ripley would be unthinkable! This film is truly a milestone in science fiction - and movie history! I've seen it about a hundred times, and if you haven't - then I suggest you do!