george kaplan
Senior HTF Member
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- Mar 14, 2001
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Me. There are far more great films that I have seen, than ones I haven't seen.
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Track the Films You Watch (2006) (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Michael Elliott
- Start date
Why Not ? Good to keep track of what I watch for a change
The Chronicles Of Narnia : The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (2005) :star: :star: :star:
Second time I watched this and enjoyed it a lot more. Could not get rid of the the feeling that this was "Lord Of The Rings-lite" when watching it the first time.The setup and opening in Narnia are great, and the end of the film from Aslan's sacrifice is also great, but once the children are on the run it feels weak and the film needed more development in this stage. Father Christmas might work on the page but on screen it didn't for me. The children who play Lucy and Edmund were really good and the other two made the best of what are admittedly dull characters even in the book. Jarring effects occasionally took me out of the film - not the quality of them rather the lack of consistency from shot to shot.
King Kong (2005):star::star:1/2
Have now seen this twice and have no real desire to watch it again. As this was one of my most anticipated films of the year, I have to see I am disappointed. I am all for character development at the start of the film, but most of it is pretty dull and pointless. When your film is called "King Kong" and he doesn't show up for about 70 minutes then those 70 minutes need to be interesting. Cameron managed to not reveal the Aliens in his film for about the same length I think but the difference was he concentrated on developing the important character (Ripley) and then made you care about the others with humour. Jackson should have focused on Ann (and maybe Jack) and that's it. Once we get to the island things pick up considerably althought the brontosaurus chase sequence is awful. The scenes with Ann and Kong are great though and make it worth watching. The finale in New York was great and I almost forgot how bored I was in the first hour. Second viewing reminded me of this. There is a 4 star film in here which is just under 2 hours long. Problem is the rest of the film is pretty dull.
Highlander(1986):star::star::star:1/2
This film is just a lot of fun to watch to me. I enjoy the backstory far more than the story in the present time and the manner in which the film is structured as McCloud's life is gradually revealed is great
Highlander 2 : The Renegade Version(1991):star::star::star:
This is one of those films that I know is pretty awful yet for some reason I actually enjoy it. I have no explanation for this.
Brokeback Mountain:star::star::star:
A good film, with 2 great performances especially from Heath Ledger. The film actually seemed rushed for the first part, but once they returned from the mountain, it was much better. However, after all the praise that has been thrown at the film and the awards it has had, I must say I was a little disappointed.
Running Scared:star::star:1/2
This started off great and until the halfway point this is an enjoyable crime thriller. However, there is a quite bizarre sequence in the middle of the film about one of the children ending up in a paedophile's house. Nothing happens fortunately, but the tone is just nasty and totally out of sync with the style of the rest of the film. Also a rather overblown finale ultimately spoils what could have been an enjoyable little film.
Underworld : Evolution :star::star::star:1/2
After being one of the few who seemed to enjoy the first film, I was looking forward to this. The film picks up straight after the events of the second film and was just as good as the first. What was great is that this film feels like a natural progression from the last and the story doesn't feel simply tacked on to justify a sequel. Its almost as if they shot both films at once and cut it in half for release - characters of some importance from the first film appear here for moments and some only as corpses.
What is clear though is that if you havent seen the first film, there is little point in just going to see this. The first half will be pretty confusing otherwise, despite the flashbacks to the first film that you occasionally see.
A Cock And Bull Story:star::star::star:1/2
Really funny film. It starts off rather strangely as you are not quite sure where the film is going - is it a period comedy, or a comedy film about the making of a period film ? - but its still hilarious, and the film gradually become a "documentary" on the making of a film. Cameos from Gillian Anderson and Stephen Fry were great, but this film belongs to Steve Coogan. Will he ever be able to get away from Alan Partridge ? After seeing this film, I somehow doubt it.
Munich:star::star::star::star:
Fantastic film and the best I have seen this year so far. To me it was less a political film and more simply a message that violence is not the answer and just leads to more violence. Great performance by Eric Bana.
Memoirs Of A Geisha:star::star: 1/2
Not sure what to say about this film. It was an interesting story, the performances were great, and it looked great as well. Yet I just could not simply connect with the main character, which is really what the film was asking you to do.
Red Eye (2005):star::star:
For the first half, this was quite an enjoyable little film. Nothing groundbreaking, but the scenes that played out on the plane were very effective and both leads gave good performances. Then suddenly, the plane lands and out goes any sort of logic for the characters just for the sake of a rather pointless extended chase sequence. Shame as this would have been a solid film if a little more time had been spent on the plane rather than off it. Disappointing.
Chicken Little:star::star:
Saw this digitally and the clarity of the image was remarkable. Shame about the film which is exactly the kind of film that the traditional animation dept has been churning out for several years. Furthermore, there was nothing to make the film stand-out from the likes of Shark Tale or Madagascar. It was passable entertainment but when Pixar produce such quality CGI animated film, they are always going to be the benchmark by which these films are judged and this does't even come close. Occasionally, it brought a smile to my face, but there seems to be a growing trend that all CGI animated films must have a recognisable music song that all the characters can perform to as if that's enough to make us laugh. This one has about 4 or 5 I think.
What was even more disconcerting was the sheer number of trailers for CGI animated films coming out this year and not one, even Cars, suggested anything other than "Shark Tale" mediocrity. I hold out hope for "Cars" if only because Pixar have yet to really stumble. But compared to the other Pixar trailers, this one was merely ok.
Everything:star::star:1/2
A film about prostitution which has very little to say on the subject that hasnt been said in much better films. However, this film is lifted by good performances from the 2 leads, especially Ray Winstone. The film is about a man who visits a prostitute repeatedly, but only to talk to her. However, the mystery of why he is visiting her is pretty obvious about 10 minutes in. The scenes between Ray Winstone and the women playing the prostitute (can't remember her name) were the highlight of the film but they can't lift what is ultimately quite a predictable story. There is a separate plot going on at the same time which is essentially to drive home to the audience how young women can fall into prostitution but it doesn't really fit with the narrative structure of the film.
Interesting in parts but overall it's disappointing.
Control Room (2004):star::star::star::star:
A compelling documentary following the Al Jazeera news channel during the invasion of Iraq in 2003. It is interesting to listen to the comments of the employees of Al Jazeera as well as that of other news organisations in Qatar at the time, as the news channel faced a lot of criticism from the US during the invasion. Intercut with a lot of footage from the Iraq war, this film is certainly difficult viewing at times. It does make some effort to be more balanced than say Farenheit 9/11, with a large portion of the documentary devoted to conversations with a US military Press Officer in Qatar and one of heads of Al Jazeera, although its clear that the film is slanted more towards the news channel than against it. That said, the film still has some compelling points to make.
Lilya 4-Ever (2002) :star::star::star:1/2
A young teenage girl is left to fend for herself after her mother abandons her. She befriends a young boy who is also left to fend for himself but she is tricked into leaving home and forced into prostitution. A powerful film with some great performances, this is uncomfortable in the sense that, although a fictional story, this is the kind of thing that happens to young girls like Lilya. The film is quite bleak and more powerful for it. The director includes some bizarre dream sequences involving Lilya talking to her friend and this seems to be to try and counter the depressing nature of the film. Personally, I think the film would be better without them.
Audition (2002):star::star:
Bizarre film about a producer who auditions young women for a part in a film in the hope that he might meet someone. But the women he chooses clearly has some issues.... This starts off like a simple romantic film about a man looking for love, but as the film progresses it starts to become far more sinister. The final sequence is hard to watch, especially if you dont like needles!!! It has its moments but the whole doesn't really work very well.
The Aristocrats (2005):star::star:
Documentary about a dirty joke. This is basically a series of interviews with lots of famous comedians about the structure of a particular joke with the same punchline (The Aristocrats). The premise of the joke is about a family going to pitch an act to a producer and it allows all these comedians to see how far they can go with it in making it the dirtiest, crudest and most disgusting joke they can. Occassionally funny, especially Kevin Pollack doing an impression of Christopher Walken telling the joke. However, there isn't much to the film.
Innocence (2004):star:1/2
I don't think this is a particularly bad film, I just didn't get it. Bizarre French film about 5 houses in a park where young girls are brought up and then taken into the outside world when they are ready. The children arrive in coffins (??) and leave by an underground passage on a train. I went in expecting some sort of mystery as to what was going on and for this to be gradually revealed over the course of the film. Instead the film is largely about what the girls do during the day and not much else. The scenario is left unexplained. The director mentions in an interview that she expects people to be divided by the film and that it is probably more appealing to women than men who might relate what the girls are doing to their own childhood.
Oliver Twist (2005):star::star::star:
This films takes a while to get going but once Oliver arrives in London there is a big improvement. Great performance by Ben Kingsley as Fagan and Harry Eden as the Artful Dodger, but I found the guy who played Bill Sykes completely unconvincing. Barney Clark who plays Oliver doesn't really have to do much - I agree with another reviewer who pointed out that Oliver Twist doesn't do anything. Instead everything happens to him. It's a while since I read the novel but it is probably the most faithful version I have seen. I think I was expecting something better though from the director.
Final Destination (2000):star::star:
Second time I have seen this and as with many of these teen horror films, they are watchable enough first time, but the second viewing just highlights all of the problems, the main one being that you just dont give a damn about any of the characters. The film is simply an excuse to see how inventive the filmmakers can be coming up different ways for their characters to die and once you've seen it there is little point in re-visiting it.
Derailed:star::star:
This is one of those trashy thriller films where if you start to think too much about it you could pull it apart. The film is about Clive Owen who meets a women (Jennifer Aniston) on a train and they go to a hotel where they are both robbed at gunpoint and she is raped. She doesn't want to go to the police because her husband will divorce her and then the robber starts calling and asking for more money. A couple of twists which are very predictable but its enjoyable enough whilst you are watching it.
Duel (1971):star::star::star::star:
Simple yet very effective film by Spielberg. The only criticism I have is the voiceover of Dennis Weaver's thoughts at different points in the film, which I thought were completely unnecessary. It's clear from the start that Spielberg was aiming for much more than just another TV movie. I especially liked how Dennis Weaver's "everyman" character starts out as a bit of a wimp but is maniacal by the end of the film.
Casablanca (1942):star::star::star::star:1/2
Hard to find fault with this film, though I find the scenes before we enter Rick's to be painfully acted. Once we move into Rick's this film is absolutely mesmerising. I've only seen Bogart in this and The Maltese Falcon and although he is great in both, I preferred his character here. What makes this film stand out is the performances and the interaction between the characters - a cracking script which gives Bogart all the best lines but saves some for the Rains character as well. Certainly deserves its status to me.
The Bourne Identity (2002):star::star::star::star:1/2
This is how Bond films should be made. Matt Damon is superb as Jason Bourne and this brilliantly plotted thriller has a great story. Sure it pretty clear from the outset what Jason Bourne's job is, but the film does a great job of slowly revealing how Bourne ending up in his situation and, more importantly, makes it convincing. The Bond films should also take note of the action sequences here - brutal, fast and with a minimum of fuss, you are convinced straight away that this guy is a dangerous assassin. What's also great is that the car chase sequence is much more exciting because it is done for real. No surfing in front of a CGI screen for this film!!!
The Bourne Supremacy (2004):star::star::star::star:
After a great first film, this one had a lot to live up to for me, and this more than delivers. What was great about the first film is also evident in this film as well - great plotting of the central story as the mystery of what is going on is gradually revealed ; brutal action sequences which are fast without seeming like a dance ; great performance by Matt Damon who makes audiences care about Bourne whilst making him unpredictable and dangerous at the same time. This also feels like a natural progression of the story rather than a rushed sequel. A standout moment for me was the death of a character early on in the film which was completely unexpected and shocking. A brave move for the filmmakers I thought and in retrospect one that they probably had to do. My only complaint (and it is slight) is that whilst the handheld style and editing make the fight and chase sequences frenetic and brutal it can make them hard to follow. The first film managed to make the action sequences easier to follow whilst still making them feel realistic. Im sure it was an intentional stylistic choice on the part of the filmmakers and its not really something that affected my enjoyment of the film. Really looking forward to the third installment of what could be a fantastic trilogy.
Corpse Bride (2004):star::star:1/2
Enjoyable film and, although the storyline is pretty weak and derivative, the design of the film is great and it is very inventive. I preferred Nightmare Before Christmas though.
Star Trek : Nemesis (2002):star::star::star:1/2
I found this to be a highly enjoyable film despite all the negative reviews I have read. Having said that I have not seen much of the TV series and have only really watched the films. From most of the reviews I have read much of the criticism seems to be directed at the lack of connection to the show in terms of characters or story continuity. I'm afraid I can't really comment on that as I dont really know much about what went on in the series. But as a stand-alone sci-fi action flick, I think it works very well. Didn't like the use of another android which basically seems like the filmmakers attempting to have it both ways - kill off a character but make sure he can come back in some way.
Crash (2005):star::star::star::star:
One of the best films I have seen from last year, this was completely absorbing from start to finish. The film was only marred by occasional scenes which came off as the writer preaching or reeling off facts. But these were few and far between and there are some stunning moments in the film - the police officer who has to save a woman from a car crash ; the "shooting" of a little girl. A great score as well which I immediately went to buy.
Zathura : A Space Adventure (2005):star::star::star:
This was far more enjoyable than I expected. What really lifted the film was the performance of the 2 boys in the film and their interaction as brothers was believable. It also had a slight twist in the film regarding the identity of one of the characters and I was unexpectedly moved by this moment. Kids will love this, but I think adults will be unexpectedly surprised to enjoy it as well.
Walk The Line (2005):star::star::star:
I knew virtually nothing about Johnny Cash before going to see this film. It is certainly well made but the problem is that most of these "biopics" about singers from the 50s/60s/70s tend to blend into one - they all seem to have gone through the same traumatic experiences!! Anyway, despite this, the film was great, the songs were great and Joaquin Phoenix was great. Can't see what all the fuss is about with Reese Witherspoon here though. It is a good performance, but I am not sure what makes this performance stand out since she seems to be up for a lot of awards this year.
Lucky Number Slevin:star::star::star::star:
Thoroughly entertaining film about a man who becomes involved in a gangland feud between 2 bosses through mistaken identity. Whilst the central mystery over what is going on is quite predictable, the enjoyment in this film is watching all the pieces fall into place and the little details which are not immediately obvious. Ben Kingsley, Morgan Freeman and Bruce Willis seem to be having a great time with their roles but the surprise for me was Josh Hartnett. This is the first film I have seen him in as the lead character where I have actually liked him.
Final Destination 3:star::star:
As with the first one, the film is passable to watch but the films are really starting to become repetitive and the film stands or falls on how inventive the death scenes are. This is not a good sign if your film's quality is solely about this - we couldn't care less about the characters so the bits in between the set pieces are incredibly dull. Thankfully, Morgan and Wong seem to know this and move as swiftly as they can to the next set piece meaning the film is watchable but has little repeat value. Hopefully, they will also realise that enough is enough and they have run this particular series dry.
Aeon Flux:star:
Another film about cloning ; another film with the message that living forever is not good and death is a natural part of life ; another film with poorly put together action sequences ; another film with bland acting and monotone voices with characters you couldn't care less about. Avoid
Back To The Future (1985):star::star::star::star:
I had only seen this on video so it was nice to see this on the big screen. Hugely entertaining, especially Christopher Lloyd. There are so many little lines he comes out with that you miss if you are not listening. Having seen this so many times, it is still really entertaining and what I really noticed this time was how every scene counts. You can tell that they had a lot to set up before Marty goes back in time but they were concerned about keeping the audience's attention. As a result, the film flies by and is all the better for it. Great score as well by Silvestri.
Good Night And Good Luck :star::star::star::star::star:
It would be a travesty if this film didn't pick up at least one of the major awards at the Oscars this year (and it looks like it probably won't). David Straithairn delivered the best performances I have seen this year and the story that Clooney has shot is scarily relevant to current events as well as being an interesting snaphot of events from 50 years ago. I await what Clooney does next with great interest. Highly recommended.
The Fog (2005)1/2
Pointless, awful remake of a pretty awful film. Dull, predictable and not in the least bit scary. The half a star is for the occasionally effective effects work. Avoid this film.
Sky High (2005):star::star::star:
I was again surprised by how much I enjoyed this. For some reason I kept thinking of films from my own childhood which I still love like The Goonies or Young Sherlock Holmes and that this film could well be like that to todays' kids.
Fun With Dick And Jane:star::star:
Not too bad. Jim Carrey seems to have dialled his performance way down in this film. I think those going expecting a typical "Jim Carrey" comedy are going to be disappointed. I suppose he probably feels most are sick of his routine and whilst many of his films do have some terrible moments in, there are also moments which had me laughing out loud. This film only raised an occasional smile.
The Jacket (2005):star::star::star:1/2
I really enjoyed this film. I had no idea what to expect and the film starts out like it is going to be a creepy horror film but gradually shifts to themes mainly dealt with in science-fiction. In order to like this film you really have to buy into Adrien Brody's character and I thought he was great.
Elizabethtown (2005):star::star:
I didn't think there was anything wrong with this film. The story was ok, the characters were generally likeable, the film had some nice moments and, as you'd expect from a Cameron Crowe film, there was lots of music. It just felt so "middle-of-the-road" safe movie-making and a little dull.
The Matador:star::star::star:
Enjoyable film about a sleazy hitman. This film is funny with some great lines, and Pierce Brosnan puts in a great performance. That said, this film totally relies on the fact that the audience identifies Brosnan as Bond for its humour. Without this, the film would rate a lot less and I feel it will not stand up to viewers in the future who are unaware of Brosnan's role as Bond.
Syriana:star::star::star:1/2
George Clooney has become one of my favourite film stars this last year. After the superior Good Night And Good Luck I had high expectations for this film, and, by and large, they were met. For the most part, the various plot threads that gradually cross over are handled well and are interesting. 2 threads which didn't work as well was the investigation by an official in Washington into an oil company. You understood the gist of what he was doing, but there were that many names being thrown about it was hard to work out the details of what he was doing (a second viewing will probably help). The other plotline that didn't work as well was the storyline about 2 oil workers who become suicide bombers, largely because its predictable from the moment they lose their jobs what is going to happen. However, the rest of the film was compelling and interesting to watch.
The Hills Have Eyes:star::star::star:1/2
I havent seen the original so I can't really compare. This film does a great job of building up the tension followed by an outstanding sequence involving the first attack on the family. Gory, horrifying and tense, the rest of the film paled in comparison. However, the remaining half of the film was still enjoyable with only the final 5 minutes letting the film down with cliches straight out of Horror Movies 101.
The Proposition:star::star::star:
Interesting film starring Guy Pearce about a man who is told to kill his brother to save his other brother. Starts off a little slow, but picks up about halfway in. The film is shot superbly - you can almost feel the heat and grime coming through the screen.
V For Vendetta:star::star:1/2
Disappointing as I was expecting a lot better. The strengths of the film are the ideas it explores and the points it makes. Hugo Weaving manages to bring to life his masked character brilliantly and I was also impressed with Natalie Portman. However, the structure of the story meant V's past and his link with the rise of the society he lives in feels contrived and there is some awful dialogue in the film.
Inside Man:star::star::star:1/2
This was a great little mystery/action film in the same vein as The Negotiator. Although there is nothing of substance to the film, and the actors seem to be coasting along, the film doesn't pretend to be anything other than a straightforward heist film with an unusual twist and is still entertaining in its own right.
Hostel(2005):star:
Pretty awful film in my opinion. Not much I can say really. By the time, the characters started to disappear, I was bored and didn't care about any of them. The scenes of torture felt like they weren't part of the film. It was almost felt like the director was shouting at the audience "Look, this is how gory and sick we can be!!" So, what? If you dont make us give a shit about the characters then it becomes pointless. Avoid.
Sympathy For Lady Vengeance(2005):star::star::star::star:
Although not as strong a film as Oldboy, this is still a gripping film about revenge. What is different is the violence, most of it is offscreen, yet the audience still feels the effects of the violence. In many ways it reminded me of Michael Haneke's Funny Games, in the way it showed the violence. Park tended to show brief moments of the violence and leaving the rest to the audience. There is one particular horrifying moment of torture involving a child which is hard to forget. In fact the final sequence is brilliantly done in that the audience is led through the same emotions as the characters - absolute horror and revulsion at what is being done and a desire to exact revenge on the person responsible, and then the realisation that being able to exact your revenge changes nothing. Park leaves it to the audience to decide whether the revenge inflicted was justified. Great film!
Firewall:star::star:
Ok and passable enough but with Harrison Ford you expect and want so much more than this. It's almost as if he's trying to do a "Greatest Hits" of scenes from his other films in this. What's really irritating is that he makes this film watchable but you know he could be doing something much better
Ice Age : The Meltdown:star::star:
Nowhere near as good as the first one, the film was ok but really dull in places. Again, the highlight of the film remains Scrat in his quest for the acorn - shame that some of these were in the trailers because they had been spoiled. Frankly, an hour and a half of him would be more entertaining. The new characters added to the trio aren't in the least bit amusing and they take over the film leaving Sid and Diego as supporting characters. The best moments of the film generally involved these 2 characters anyway - Sid being worshipped as the Fire King was amusing.
Basic Instinct 2:star::star:
This was an example to me of a film that is so bad its good. In no way does this actually mean the film is good, but when you take away the publicity surrounding the first film, I would hardly call that film good either. Yet still I enjoyed them both. It was overblown and trashy in exactly the same way as the first film. Stone is just repeating the character from the first film and brings nothing new to the character yet I still found her entertaining enough. The biggest problem with this film is that it contains far too many scenes for its own good which are basically rehashes of scenes from the first film.
Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone(2001):star::star:1/2
Decided to revisit the films after getting the fourth, and this viewing confirms that this film is by far the weakest. Personally I blame the director but he does get some things right. The adult casting is spot on, especially Alan Rickman and Maggie Smith. The score is yet another John Williams effort which is instantly identifiable and gives the film the emotional kick that the child actors fail to engender. Whilst this is largely an introduction to the magical world for 6 future films, the constant need for the story to stop dead whilst a particular aspect of the world is shown or explained is infuriating. These things needed integrating into the story. (Azkaban did this much better than any of the other films). Also there are lots of scenes which are simply conversations between 2 or 3 characters laying out the plot or background. The camerawork here is unimaginative and makes a number of scenes dull. Of the 3 main leads, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson are ok, but Daniel Radcliffe is pretty dull and rarely convincing, though again I put that down to the direction he was given. Some of the other child actors perform as if they were in a school play. The final 10 minutes are somewhat cloying. There are some nice moments but the overall film is pretty dull and in need of some serious editing. I would also say that for a major film like this, the use of CGI in this film was handled extremely badly and poorly integrated into the shots.
Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets (2002):star::star:1/2
More of the same problems really. Kenneth Branagh is a good laugh and there are more good moments in this film than the last. The film seems more focused this time, though it could still use a good half hour of trimming from it. The special effects are also much more convincing. Less time is spent with the background children which is a good thing as they still act like they are in a school play. As to the main trio, it's more of the same from the last one. What is even worse is that Draco Malfoy has a more prominent role here and the actor is just not convincing enough. I don't really blame the director though, since the actor hasn't been good in any of the films. It could well be that the character may come across ok on the page but he really needs to be a little less wimpish onscreen if he is supposed to convince as Potter's so-called nemesis.
Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban (2004):star::star::star::star:
What a difference a change of director makes to this series. The opening scenes left me feeling I was about to experience a similar film to the last but from the moment Potter leaves the Dursleys (here's hoping they do not show up in any of the future films)the film moves up a step. Finally someone has managed to cut out the extraneous material (to the film) and produce a focused story. The cinematography is beautiful and the effects are integrated brilliantly. What's great about this film is the way scenes are played out with the magic going on around them. The other films had to stop whilst we observed the magic. Here the magic happens whilst the characters advance the plot. It is much more imaginative and helps to liven up what could be dull, talky scenes. The exposition in the Leaky Cauldron is a prime example of this. Also Daniel Radcliffe seems to have finally found his character and, for the first time, you genuinely feel for Harry and his situation. His scenes with Lupin and Black really bring home is loss and desperation for a parent. Also the group of kids in the film actually start to interact believably as a group of school kids. Malfoy is still rubbish though.
I have to say this was the film that finally got me interested in the Harry Potter series. After 2 pretty dull films, I went in to see this with no expectations and came out wanting to see the next film. It even made me go and read Books 5 and 6 which I had no interest in previously. Here's hoping, Cuaron can be brought back for a future episode or, at the very least, Columbus is prevented from directing them.
Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire (2005):star::star::star::star:
Newell continues the good work of the last film and this is as good as Azkaban if not slightly elevated by improved performances and a tighter plot. Newell makes every moment count and not a single scene feels like it's extraneous to the main story. Here again, the kids act like real kids, and the interaction between them is even more believable - Newell really manages to capture what a boarding school is like. This of course is the film where one of the secondary characters dies and there is a real sense of loss at the end of the film. If you havent read the books, Id say this would be a complete shock. Fiennes is great as Voldemort, and Radcliffe continues to show huge improvements in his performance. I was also impressed with the score - Doyle manages to interweave his own themes with the previous ones brilliantly.
Batman Begins (2005):star::star::star::star::star:
Absolutely fantastic film and by far the best Batman film, after the absolute atrocity that was Batman and Robin. If I had to be nitpicky and pick one thing in the film that didn't work as well it would be wasting Ken Watanbe on a rather small role. But this is a film full of great performances, especially Christian Bale. Finally a film that focuses on Batman and not the villains. Can't wait for the sequel.
Alien Autopsy:star::star::star:
Enjoyable and amusing in places, this depends largely on whether you like the 2 central characters (the actors are TV presenters in the UK) as they are basically playing themselves.
The Dark:star::star:
This was very disappointing. The film stars Maria Bello and Sean Bean as parents whose daughter disappears at the beach. The film starts off well and is quite eerie - the location adds to this. However, whilst it is effective in setting itself up as a ghost story, the back story is poorly explained and dull and the resolution is unsatisfying. It attempts to add a twist at the end which is both obvious and not really properly developed.
Young Sherlock Holmes (1984):star::star::star:
This is one of those films, like The Goonies that has a certain feeling of nostalgia about it. I loved this film as a child and hadn't seen it for years. Still really enjoyed it, though the performances by the three main leads are a bit dodgy in places. Still really enjoyable
The Avengers (1997):star::star:
Widely ridiculed on its release, this film really suffered in the editing room with scenes only just managing to fit together to make a vaguely coherent story. However, despite this, for some reason, I still enjoy it, mainly for way in which Fiennes and Thurman play off each other. Everyone else thought they were dull and had no chemistry but I thought they were great. Each to their own I suppose
Silent Hill:star::star:1/2
I was looking forward to this, mainly because of the involvement of Christophe Gans who directed Brotherhood of the Wolf. It is probably the best video game adaptation but thats not saying much really. I was expecting much better given who was involved. It was a pretty typical studio video game adaptation which occasionally rose above the levels of mediocrity to produce some interesting moments.
The first part is fairly effective (lots of skewed camerawork and aerial shots which I thought made it much more interesting) and the shift from one reality to another is really well done. The film captures the tone of the game pretty well, and, although its a long time since I played the game and I can't say how faithful it is to the background of the game, there are a lot of moments that I recognise from the game.
Problems come really with the poor and excessive use of CGI for some of the creatures and backgrounds. Much creepier when the film simply relies on the atmosphere but once the monsters start showing up, the CGI takes all that creepiness away.
The film also starts to take on a feeling of playing the greatest hits of the game instead of trying to pull together a coherent story. So of course, we have to visit the garage, then the warehouse, then the school, then the hotel, then the church, then the hospital, and so on.
The second half of the film is taken up by explanations of what is going on. Although the background story is pretty horrible in terms of what happened, the way in which it is revealed in the film is poor - the film literally just stops whilst one character tells you what the hell is going on and then it just carried on again. This was a shame as the bits of the story had gradually been revealed up to this point through other scenes and a secondary story outside the main plot would have been a much better way of telling the audience what was going on. And there is some really cheesy acting moments in the final sequence. And of course, all films of this kind seem to have to have a sort of twist at the end, which is pretty pointless and adds nothing at all to the film.
Capote:star::star::star::star:
Great film with a great performance by Hoffman. This was a much more interesting way of doing a biopic of a character - instead of focusing on his life story, the film concentrates on a pivotal few years of his life. In fact it is more interesting because you get to know the character of Capote through his involvement in the main storyline about a murder which is just as compelling and led him to write his book, In Cold Blood. I had no knowledge of Capote, other than recognition of his name, so I had no idea what to expect.
The Long Kiss Goodnight (1997):star::star::star:
Hadn't seen this for years but still a highly entertaining film. It reminds me of a lot of typical 90s action films that had developed out of the 80s - typical 80s action coupled with 90s need to add human interest to the story. Geena Davis seems to be having a great laugh with this role and she was unexpectedly convincing as the assassin with amnesia. Sam Jackson just plays the typical Sam Jackson role though at the time it was a relatively new thing.
Calvaire (The Ordeal):star::star:1/2
A man gets lost and stays at an inn in the middle of nowhere and is taken hostage by the innkeeper who thinks the man is his wife who left him. The first half is really well done in that you are not sure whether to be repulsed by the innkeeper or feel sorry for him as he has clearly lost it since his wife left him. However it seems that the whole village nearby are as equally deranged, and all believe that the man is the innkeeper's wife. Lots of religious imagery and whilst the director may be trying to leave things open to interpretation, he loses the audience a little by including additional characters. The film worked much better with just the innkeeper and the hostage.
16 Blocks:star::star::star:1/2
I went into this with few expectation and was surprised how much I enjoyed it. This was Bruce Willis playing his Die Hard role but with recognition of his age. However, the film is aware of its limitation (and its strengths) and doesn't waste a second making this a hugely enjoyable action film. What is also great is that Willis doesn't suddenly revert to his John McClane role and become super human - he remains washed up and exhausted (and drunk) throughout the film. His action remain in keeping with the character established at the start of the film. It also manages to add an interesting element to Willis' character near the end of the film which was genuinely surprising but also felt right. Mos Def was great as the prisoner who just can't seem to stop talking and its nice to see David Morse again.
Grizzly Man:star::star::star:
Herzog documentary about a man called Timothy Treadwell who spend a good few years living amongst bears until he was killed by one. I had never heard of the guy before seeing this film yet it was fascinating to see the footage that Treadwell had got. Much of the footage that Herzog has chosen emphasises his point about contrasting Treadwell's sentimental view of nature and the animals he loves with the harsh indifferent reality of it. Whilst you can't help but feel for Treadwell due to his good intentions, you equally recognise that the guy has serious problems and whilst he may have been happy to risk his life, his actions also resulted in the death of another person.
The Da Vinci Code:star::star::star:
I read the book a year ago and thought it was enjoyable enough but ultimately wouldn't want to bother with it again. This pretty much sums up my feelings about the film - watchable and pretty entertaining whilst its on, but I have no desire to revisit this. It seems to be pretty much a carbon copy of the book. McKellen was by far the best thing in the film to the extent that the film tended to drag more whenever he was offscreen. Quite liked the score as well. Disappointed with Tatou who I loved in Amelie but neither her nor Hanks have much to do other than move the plot along.
X Men 3 : The Last Stand :star::star:1/2
The first film was good, the second one was a great film. This film doesn't come close to either of those films and in view of how good the second one is, it is something of a disappointment. That said, there is some good stuff in the film.
The main problem is that this seems to be 2 films condensed into 1. Both storylines in the film could have easily been fleshed out into 2 films and not only that, but even with condensing the films into 1 they still managed to cut it down to less than 2 hours. So the film just seems to rush from one moment to the next with little time for the characters to breathe. I think it was pretty obvious from the second film that Jean Grey was going to turn up again and her story in this film could have been great. In fact what we see is great, but for the fact that we tear through all the scenes with no time for the audience to take a moment and dwell on what is happening. Her actions have serious consequences for some of the characters yet much of this is ultimately wasted because we have to get back to the plot or return to the other storyline. Its also clear that Jean Grey's story needed more fleshing out in this film - for much of the middle of the film she does very little probably due to the need to focus on the other storyline as well.
Even more infuriating is that the second storyline would have been just as good as a story on its own as well. We could have had 2 superb X Men films here to go with the other 2 but instead we get what amounts to a film with some great sequences and moments, stitched together with some quick scenes to move the plot along. Even then if they had added another half an hour or so to flesh out each story, things could probably have been improved. Its an ok film, but in view of the previous films a huge disappointment
Poseidon:star::star::star:
I really enjoyed this. Although we get some scenes similar to the first film, its not simply a carbon copy with a bigger budget and Petersen has crafted some great sequences, the standout being a climb through a tight vent as water starts to pour in. Great scene. This is like old school disaster films and all the better for it. Petersen also doesn't waste too much time introducing the characters, before getting to the bit we are all waiting to see and he doesn't disappoint. The sequence of the wave hitting the boat was amazing.
As to the characters, well there is little room for development in what are essentialy paper-thin roles. Thankfully, he didn't cast an annoying kid
But there is enough given to make you root for them, and that is all that is needed in this kind of film.
The New World:star::star:1/2
Malick makes films beautful to look at. Every shot seems to have been perfectly composed and visually the film is amazing. It is also incredibly slow to get going and though the story is interesting, I just couldn't get into the film at all. I think it had something to do with Colin Farrell's character because once he disappears and Christian Bale shows up, things pick up dramatically and the final third of the film was much better. Not a film I would watch again but it has its moments and did I mention it is beautiful to look at ?
United 93:star::star::star::star::star:
Although I doubt I would want to watch it again, it was still worth seeing. I can't get over how unbelievably tense I felt during this film. An absolutely first class film from start to finish this could easily have been 2 films one from on the ground and one from in the air. Both stories were equally compelling and for the last half an hour was really hard to watch.
What really made this film was that Greengrass recognised there was no need to try and manipulate any emotions - the events were powerful enough in themselves without any swelling music or speeches. An amazing film and a tribute to the people who died on United 93.
Timecode(2000):star::star::star:
This is a film which is fascinating more for the way the film is presented rather than the story or plot. The story essentially occurs in real time and follows several characters who cross paths at various points. What is unusual is that you are essentially watching 4 cameras within the frame all at the same time and the film is essentially one long continuous take with no breaks. This was an interesting experiment and Figgis manages to make sure you are not confused as to which camera to look at by using the sound to direct your focus to a particular camera. This would work less well I suspect on a simple TV set up in a living room but in a home theatre environment and the use of the surround speakers it is effective. All of the cast do pretty well with what is essentially a long improvisation and whilst the story is pretty generic, it is still compelling due to the unusual way of presenting it.
Cache (Hidden):star::star::star::star:
Haneke continues to produce some interesting films although I preferred Funny Games. Here a man and his wife feel threatened when they find videotapes in the post which show that someone is following them and filming them. The film explores issues of guilt and yet again Haneke doesn't provide easy answers preferring to leave the audience to form their own opinion of the characters and determine for themselves whose actions were justified and who's are not. Well worth seeing.
Closer (2005):star::star::star:
Not quite sure what to make of this. Whilst the film was on I really enjoyed it and found both the performances and story engaging. However, after fnishing the film, I was left feeling that the film had very little to offer. It was not particularly original and didn't offer anythng different from other films of this ilk. However, the performances are what lifted this film above mediocrity.
The Cooler (2002):star::star::star:
A film which seems to be saying that you make your own luck, Bill Macy plays a guy whose seems to have such bad luck that he is employed in a casino to bring bad luck to the tables simply by being present. One day, Alec Baldwin may play a different character but here yet again he plays exactly the same kind of character he always does. Notwithstanding the feeling of deja vu, the film is quite entertaining although it becomes somewhat predictable towards the end of the film. Bill Macy is always watchable though and its nice to see him as a lead in a film again.
Fearless:star:1/2
This is supposed to be Jet Li's swansong and it is a pretty dire end at that. Whilst the story would be probably quite good in the right hands, this film is let down by some pretty awful dialogue (either that or the translator got it all wrong), poor acting, and it feels like the film has been heavily edited in the middle portion to speed things along - mercifully. Some of the fight scenes are good but nothing spectacular.
Over The Hedge:star::star:
The constant churnout of CG animated films means they are starting to all blend into one another in my mind with very little quality to distinguish between them, save for the Pixar films which stand head and shoulders above the rest (havent seen Cars yet though). Again, this is pretty dull stuff with occasional moments that raise a smile, but apart from the principal characters, the animation is pretty lifeless and dull. As per usual, most of the best moments were in the trailer.
Pirates of the Caribbean : The Curse Of The Black Pearl (2003):star::star::star:
I found this to be entertaining if a little long, but the film would be pretty dull without the performance of Johnny Depp. As Jack Sparrow, he is what raises the film from merely ok to enjoyable. Bloom and Knightley are pretty dull characters and whilst Geoffrey Rush is good anf the special effects are clever, the film is overlong. However, it is Depp that holds the film together.
Pirates of the Caribbean : Dead Man's Chest :star::star::star:
I could pretty much write the same review of the first film - too long and dull in the middle and Bloom and Knightley are pretty dull characters, but yet again the film is saved by Depp and the main villain. If they ever make a Pirates film without Depp, it would probably be a complete waste of time. The film does contain 2 inventive sequences on islands, but there is a lot of "story" which goes nowhere. There is also a completely ridiculous plot twist at the end of the film where Knightley's character does something which is just not believable for her character and you get the sense the writers were just trying to shock the audience for the sake of it and it doesn't work. There had to be another way to engineer this cliffhanger.
Superman Returns:star::star::star::star:
Hugely enjoyable for the most part despite the fact that it is more or less a complete retread of the first film. That said I was not disappointed with any of the characters and was especially pleased with how well the plot development of Lois' son was integrated into the story, something which had the potential to be awful. Routh was excellent and managed to live up to Reeve's performance in my view and although Boswell looks a little young, she holds her own.
The Sum Of All Fears (2002):star::star::star:
I was surprised with how well they have managed to change the story but still keep the essence of what happens within the film so well. Although Affleck is ok in the film, it is a shame that Harrison Ford is not in this - his absence is really felt within the film, especially when Ryan is trying to get the information to the President. The age and experience of the character make his actions and the reactions of the characters around him a little less believable really.
Man On Fire (2005):star::star::star:1/2
This film takes a while to get going, though this is largely down to the time needed to develop the friendship between Washington's character and the little girl. Fortunately it is time well spent as the rest of the film benefits from it and provides the audience with an emotional connection to the characters that make you root for Washington's character.
Crimson Tide : Extended Cut (1995):star::star::star:
Although pretty much the same as most of Bruckheimer’s films – Zimmer score, close ups and fast cuts, etc – this film, like most of Bruckheimer’s good films – are elevated by the actors involved and the director – here Hackman and Washington rise above the material to produce a film which is tense solely down to their performances. That they are the main draw here is not lost on the director given there is very little coverage of outside the submarine and most of the film takes places within the confines of the vessel. A rare Bruckheimer film I really enjoyed despite its faults.
The Lord Of The Rings : The Fellowship Of The Ring – Extended Edition (2001):star::star::star::star::star:
As a whole, this film is practically perfect. The casting is spot-on, not a moment feels wasted and the time flies by. It set the standard for the remaining films which they almost but not quite match, largely because this film was the first and also because it feels more personal than the other two. The sequence in Moria and Boromir’s fall give me goosebumps every time I watch them.
The Lord Of The Rings : The Two Towers – Extended Edition (2002):star::star::star::star::star:
Whilst not quite as good as the first, it is still an excellent follow-on. It feels a little disjointed at the start as we are introduced to all the characters again, but this soon passes. All the new cast members match and in some cases (Bernard Hill) outdo the cast carried over from the previous film. The battle for Helms Deep is still an amazing sequence. One really poor moment though is a sequence involving Galadriel halfway through the film which feels like a little summary of what is going on for those that can’t keep up.
The Lord Of The Rings : The Return Of The King – Extended Edition (2003) :star::star::star::star::star:
Again this can’t match the perfection of the first, but it is still a brilliant end to the trilogy. Both Elijah Wood and Sean Astin are fantastic here, despite the contrived and unnecessary wedge that is driven through their friendship halfway through the film. Bernard Hill is once again my favourite actor in this film.
The Incredibles (2005) :star::star::star::star::star:
As the Iron Giant remains one of my favourite animated films, and Pixar had yet to do much wrong, I had a lot of expectations going into this. There just seems to be an air of confidence from the filmmakers that comes through in this film as though they know they have a great film on their hands – and they do. No concession is made to the younger audience either – the film is likely to test the patience of younger viewers as it is quite a while before the action starts. Adult viewers will get far more out of the second act which is hilarious. But the action sequences are still inventive (really liked Elastigirl being trapped between several doors and trying to escape.
Star Wars : Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999):star::star::star:1/2
The main criticism I have regarding this film is that it doesn't work nearly as well unless you have already seen at least Episode II and III. One of the main strengths is the way the film fits into the overall arc of the prequel trilogy and this can't be appreciated until you have seen the others. In any event, Liam Neeson does a great job whilst Ewan McGregor is largely anonymous here. I was also one of the few people who thought Jake Lloyd was good (except for his yippees) and the standout scene remains the incredible lightsaber fight near the end of the film - still without peer after the remaining films were made. It's a shame Darth Maul is not utilised more in the film - the villains have always been a highlight of the saga and such a striking villain should have had a more prominent role. John Williams also created yet another brilliant theme for the saga - Duel Of The Fates is my favourite piece after the Imperial March. The film flags a little when the characters land on Tatooine but picks up for the Podrace. I also felt the trip to Otah Gunga and the use of the Gungans doesn't really add anything to the film. The final battle could just as easily been the Naboo fighting the battle droids.
Star Wars : Episode II - Attack Of The Clones (2002):star::star::star::star:
A better film than Episode I in my mind. Despite the criticism levelled at the romance between Anakin and Padme, there is only 1 sequence which I found excruciating (the fireplace scene) and the other scenes between them are largely effective I felt. What really works well is Obi Wan's detective story and here Ewan McGregor gets the chance to shine and show why he was chosen for the role. Ewan just seems to get how to play Obi Wan and its unfortunate that he was somewhat overshadowed by Neeson in Episode I. The final half of the film was exhilarating on my first viewing - from the moment Obi Wan fights Jango for the first time, the film whips from one set-piece to another as all the pieces of the puzzle start to fall in place. In terms of music, Williams again rises to the occasion to produce a love theme that gives the love story credence where some of the dialogue could not. My main criticism of the film though concerns Episode I as well. Having 2 actors play Anakin over the saga creates a disconnection with the audience and it feels like you are having to get to know a character all over again. This makes it difficult for Hayden Christensen when all of Anakin's good points were highlighted in Episode I, and he is largely having to portray his bad points.
Star Wars : Episode III - Revenge Of The Sith (2005):star::star::star::star::star:
After Empire this remains my favourite of the saga. Everything that had been anticipated of the prequels comes to the fore here - the fall of the Jedi, the battle between Obi Wan and Anakin, the reveal of Palpatine and creation of Vader, the birth of the twins. Lucas doesn't put a foot wrong in my mind and manages to really make you care about the losses being suffered here. Having been anticipating Vader's arrival for 2 films and looking forward to it, the film turns this on its head and makes you start rooting for Anakin and hoping that he makes the right decision despite knowing its not going to happen. The film's highpoints as with many other areas in the saga are 2 key sequences which are set only to music - Anakin and Padme's connection across Coruscant as Anakin wrestles with his decision and the Order 66 sequence. My sole criticism remains the character of General Grievous - would have been much better to keep Dooku in my mind or else make Grievous much more menacing than he is portrayed here.
Star Wars : Episode IV - A New Hope (1977):star::star::star::star::star:
Despite the changes made in 97, this is still a great film. Personally, I find the prequels have enhanced this particular film, which previously stood out from the others as the one film that could stand on its own. Now it feels more enmeshed within the saga as a whole - R2 setting out to find Ben on his own (he knows where he is going ?), Vader and Ben's confrontation, Ben telling Luke about his father and giving him the lightsaber ; these moments may have been retroactively created and not intentional at the time of filming but these are bound to be moments that are there for any new viewers watching in chronological order.
Star Wars : Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980):star::star::star::star::star:
Still the best of the 6. The AT-AT attack on Hoth, Yoda teaching Luke about the Force, the asteroid field chase, Luke vs Vader. Even without the revelation this would have still been a great film. Again, the prequels have rendered the surprise revelation redundant in terms of viewing these in chronological order, but surely the anticipation of when Luke will find out the truth and his reaction are as effective to the audience as the surprise of finding out who Vader is.
Star Wars : Episode VI - Return Of The Jedi (1983):star::star::star::star:
Like the Phantom Menace, this has a middle section which slows the film down considerably, notwithstanding the speeder bike sequence and it hurts the film. Still the culmination of 5 other films, the final space battle outshines all those that precede it and the resolution to Vader and Luke's characters does not disappoint.
Miami Vice:star::star::star::star:
Not as good as Heat or Collateral, this is the first of Mann's films where he seems to be repeating his previous efforts (or it is more obvious anyway). Still I found it entertaining although the initial focus of the film which was finding a leak, seemed to disappear and was briefly dealt with. Will be looking forward to seeing this one again on DVD.
Ultravioletno stars.
Awful Milla Jovovich film. Has no redeeming features whatsoever and not a thing I can point to being any good.
The Sentinel:star::star:
Given who was involved I was looking forward to this and it starts quite promisingly. It gradually runs out of steam and by the time they reveal what is going on, even the filmmakers dont seem to care. A waste, especially when they had such a strong cast to use. And does Kiefer Sutherland really want to spend his time away from 24 playing exactly the same characters ? They might as well have used Jack Bauer and had a crossover.
The Lion King (1994):star::star::star::star::star:
Since seeing this the first time, I heard that it may have ripped off another film. That may be so, but when all the elements of the film are put together so well, I am not going to complain. This is probably the template that Disney have been trying to replicate ever since it was made and failed. The opening sequence is still extremely powerful and cinematic - the "camera" moving around Simba as he is help up is still my favourite moment. The songs, with the exception of the Can you Feel The Love Tonight, are all great and Zimmer's score is one of the best Ive heard in a Disney animated film. However it's the father/son relationship that stands as the heart of the film and gives it a real emotional kick.
Cars:star::star::star:1/2
Was really looking forward to this and unfortunately, after The Incredibles, this was a step backwards. This is the first Pixar film I have come out of with the feeling that they were repeating themselves (Im sure they have before this but the quality of the film as a whole helps the audience to turn a blind eye). I would put this on a par with A Bug's Life, but having said all this, it is still miles better than practically every other CGI animated film released this year and is still highly watchable. In many ways this film has helped to bring down expectations a little whilst still providing a pretty decent film.
The Descent (2005):star::star::star:1/2
Great little horror film and after Dog Soldiers, I will be looking forward to whatever Neil Marshall is doing next. The first half of the film is very claustrophobic and in many ways, the film was doing fine without the introduction of the monsters. That being said, they are pretty creepy and the minimal lighting helps to sell what are essentially men in suits. The film also ends on an unusual note which I thought was quite brave and an appropriate pay-off to the opening scenes.
Tristan and Isolde:star::star:
Average film which is very much "Braveheart-lite." Some effective moments but equally matched by some pretty awful moments as well (Isolde shouting "Im yours" to Tristan had me in hysterics. Not really worth the effort.
The Devil's Backbone (2001):star::star::star::star::star:
Still my favourite foreign film and one of the best films I have seen. Del Toro crafts a mesmerising film and whilst the finale may be a little anti-climactic that's probably down to the rest of the film being so effective. The film is all the more remarkable for the fact that most of the cast are children and there isn't a poor performance among them. Whilst ostensibly a horror film, it is more creepy than horrific, and it is the way the story unfolds that draws you in far more than any tension that the film generates.
Night Watch (2005):star::star::star:1/2
Somewhat confusing at the start the film is still highly watchable and whilst derivative of many Hollywood films, it still has a distinctive foreign feel to it. It also has a great final sequence which brings the film full circle whilst at the same time setting it up for a sequel.
X-Men:star::star::star:1/2
Great intro to the characters though it does feel a little on the short side. What works though is how well Singer balances the action and plot with the subtext. McKellen is great here and only Halle Berry really struggles with a pretty lame character.
X-Men 2:star::star::star::star:
Even better sequel, which really saves all the good parts from the first, and addresses most of the weaknesses (Storm is still a useless character really, and Cyclops is offscreen for a large portion of the film). The attack on the school is a highlight as well as a character's sacrifice at the end of the film which sets it up nicely for a sequel
Unbreakable (2003):star::star::star::star:
One of Shyamalan’s best, it has great performances from Bruce Willis and Samuel Jackson and yet another twist which is both surprising and yet completely consistent with the rest of the film. It feels like the first act of a larger story, yet the story is sufficiently self-contained for a sequel to be unnecessary should one not be made. A great score as well to compliment the film. It is interesting to see how many scenes in Shyamalan’s films are often simply 2 characters conversing.
Hellboy : Director’s Cut (2003):star::star::star:1/2
Very enjoyable film, this was obviously a character tailor-made for Ron Perlman. Slight overuse of CGI towards the end of the film, it is still entertaining and it will be interesting to see where the sequel takes the story.
Open Season:star:
Another generic CGI animated buddy film, this has very little to recommend it – flat animation, dull characters, too much focus on “toilet humour” which is rarely funny, and the usual predictable plot of the mismatched pair suddenly realising they are best friends etc. Dull.
Mission : Impossible (1996):star::star::star:
The first half of this film is great, especially the opening sequence as the IMF team work together on a mission. The break-in to the computer vault is also brilliantly tense and again what sells it is the sense that the team is working together. It is a shame that the finale doesn’t maintain this – once the helicopter enters the tunnel, it becomes ridiculously overblown and spoils what came before.
Mission : Impossible II (2000):star:1/2
Ridiculously overblown, the problem here is they have forgotten what worked in the first film – the idea of a team working together on a mission. Instead we have Tom Cruise going solo for the most part and it doesn’t really work. The plot is laughable and very little happens for the first hour. The action sequences are awful and someone needs to tell John Woo to stop overusing slow-motion.
Mission Impossible III:star::star::star::star:
I really enjoyed this film and thought, as a whole, it was better than the first MI film (I am not going to mention the appalling second). What was really great was the greater focus on the team element, which was only in the first film at the start really. The sequence in the Vatican was exactly the kind of thing the film needed and action managed to tread the fine line between credibility and ridicule that the first film stepped over with the helicopter in the tunnel sequence.
I also thought Hoffman was great, a real nasty villain, and it's a shame he is not in it more, though I suppose it makes the scenes he is in more effective.
Basically, it does exactly what it promised in the trailer - be entertaining as a summer action film and in that it succeed hands down.
The Grudge : Extended Version (2005):star::star::star:
Again, like The Ring, this is nowhere near as effective as the original. In fact, this seems more rushed than the Japanese version. What was great about the original was how effective it was at building the tension. However, this is still a pretty good remake, and follows the template of the original pretty closely. Still I will be watching the Japanese version from now on. As regards to the extended version, I could not really tell what they added so it must have been very little.
Le Hussard Sur Le Toi - The Horseman On The Roof (1997):star::star::star:
Absolutely beautiful to look at, the film's story however seems to wander about aimlessly. When listening to the special features, it seems this was the intent as the book has a similar approach to the main character - in fact the film gives the central character an aim which the book does not. So this film purely rests on the 2 central characters - it takes quite a while for them to even meet and then they are separated for a further length of time. However, the story does pick up when they are together, and if at times it gets a little dull, it is still a beautiful film.
The Departed:star::star::star::star:1/2
This would have been a 5 star film. Everything about this film was absolutely brilliant - acting, direction, cinematography. And then, Scorsese pulls out a shock, that doesn't ruin the film but seems unnecessary given the build up to the finale. Ok, the ending is far from traditional and I applaud it going for a different approach (it's a while since I have seen Infernal Affairs, but Im pretty sure the same thing happens). However, after enjoying the film so much, it just took me out of the story for a second and all I could think was - What the hell did they do that for ? It was annoying partly because Scorsese had done such a good job in getting the audience to invest in a particular character and a dark ending is not always the best approach. Still, it is worth seeing and is more a less a masterpiece. Scorsese's best film since Goodfellas.
Titanic(1997):star::star::star:1/2
Still a very good film, in hindsight the film could have been a lot better because a lot of the first half of the film is only ok. Winslet and DiCaprio are the only characters given any attention, and Cameron tries to provide some other minor characters for you to care about, but they add nothing to the story (for example, cut out Fabrizio, and do we really need to know how Jack got his ticket etc). However, once the iceberg turns up, the film is still fantastic and most of the effects still hold up today, probably because so much of it was shot practically. The final part of the sinking after the band have finished playing is still one of the best "action" sequences I have seen.
Casino Royale:star::star::star::star:
One of the best Bond films in quite some time, it seems they have learnt the lessons of Die Another Day. Stuntwork which feels like it was done for real and a much more physical Bond are much better ways to go. Fortunately the story is pretty good as well and a much better direction to go than the typical plot to take over the world. Really liked Eva Green as well - her first scene with Bond is brilliantly scripted and played. Hope they manage to keep up the quality in Craig's future Bond films
Stormbreaker:star::star:
Bond-for-kids!!! Basically that's exactly what you get. It has its moments and a great cast, but the fact that this is a 14 year old boy makes it pretty ridiculous for adults. But for children, I imagine it is pretty good, especially since Bond films have become much more adult in tone and unsuitable.
Pan's Labyrinth:star::star::star::star:1/2
An excellent companion piece to The Devil's Backbone with the ghost story element being changed to fairy tales. This shows again how well Del Toro mixes fantasy with reality. Personally I preferred The Devil's Backbone, but this is nearly as good. A standout performance from the guy playing the sadistic captain/step-parent.
Ju-On : The Grudge 2:star::star:
There are occasional moments in this which are well done, but overall this generally feels like a rehash and the bits that are original which involve a mysterious pregnancy, don't really work very well at all. This is the Japanese version so I dont hold out much hope for the sequel to the American version now
The Omen 666:star::star:
It's ok and passes the time but you end up watching this thinking what was the point ? The film adds nothing to the original other than different variations on the way in which people are killed and it ultimately feels like a waste of everybody's time.
Happy Feet:star::star::star:
Manages to be much better than a lot of CG animated films this year, largely due to the fact that it gets quite dark in the middle of the film. I was surprised by how little Robin Williams did in this - I was half expecting him to take over the film as he did in Aladdin but he was quite restrained (or edited out of the film ?). Overally I liked this, although the feel-good ending, whilst expected, did go a bit overboard. Still worth seeing.
Brick:star::star::star:
An interesting film, but ultimately I didn't think it worked as well as it could have. The basic premise is Chinatown set in a school, and unfortunately, the film tries to be too clever with this - especially in the scenes between the Vice Principal and the main character. Still it is worth watching for a great performance from Joseph Gordon Levitt - he seems to be one of the few who have made a transition from being a child star.
Eragon:star::star:
The posters suggested some sort of Dragonheart crossed with LOTR and basically that's what you seem to get really along with the typical hero's journey of so many fantasy films. It is basically the same plot as Star Wars. Obviously Star Wars was hardly original, but when you have a scene with a burning farmstead, a dead relative and a mentor consoling the hero telling him there was nothing you could have done if you had been there etc. well.... As such, It was pretty obvious what was going to happen (who was going to die, etc).
Nothing wrong with that if it is done well and film did have some good moments. However, the film rushes from one scene to another with little time to dwell on the characters or the world they are in. It is also extremely poorly edited in some places and some subplots which I guess would have been developed much better in the book, are barely given enough screentime to make them worthwhile (specifically a subplot concerning a mystery teenager who seems to be helping Eragon). Coming out of the film, I was pretty disappointed, partly because there were the makings of an enjoyable film in here. As it is, I'm sure younger children may well enjoy it, but this is no Lord of the Rings.
Slither:star::star::star:
This took quite a while to get going but turned out to be an entertaining B movie. Nathan Fillion basically seems to play the same character as in Firefly but it doesn't spoil the film.
Monster House:star::star::star:1/2
Probably the best animated film this year, though that isn't saying much given there has been very little that has been good in this genre. The film reminds me of the kind of great films made for children in the 80s, like The Goonies, and the dialogue between the children feels a lot more realistic than your typical film aimed at children. It never gets sickly and is entertaining enough for both adults and children. I also liked the way the film dealt with real issues that children go through as puberty approaches and the dilemma that boys go through about whether to grow up or hang onto elements of their childhood.
Deja Vu:star::star::star:
Utter bollocks, but as is often the case with Tony Scott's films, it is still great fun to watch. This could have been another Bruckheimer disaster, but I'll give the credit to both Washington and Scott who seem to avoid the excesses that someone like Michael Bay would give in to.
Hook:star:
Dire film and probably Spielberg's worst as far as Im concerned. The only good points is Hoffman's performance and parts of the score. Other than that this is awful and excessively sentimental.
Wilderness:star::star::star:
Enjoyable horror movie in the same vein as Dog Soldiers, but without anything supernatural. It gets a little silly towards the end, but overall this is another strong British horror movie.
Total 127 films so far
The Chronicles Of Narnia : The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (2005) :star: :star: :star:
Second time I watched this and enjoyed it a lot more. Could not get rid of the the feeling that this was "Lord Of The Rings-lite" when watching it the first time.The setup and opening in Narnia are great, and the end of the film from Aslan's sacrifice is also great, but once the children are on the run it feels weak and the film needed more development in this stage. Father Christmas might work on the page but on screen it didn't for me. The children who play Lucy and Edmund were really good and the other two made the best of what are admittedly dull characters even in the book. Jarring effects occasionally took me out of the film - not the quality of them rather the lack of consistency from shot to shot.
King Kong (2005):star::star:1/2
Have now seen this twice and have no real desire to watch it again. As this was one of my most anticipated films of the year, I have to see I am disappointed. I am all for character development at the start of the film, but most of it is pretty dull and pointless. When your film is called "King Kong" and he doesn't show up for about 70 minutes then those 70 minutes need to be interesting. Cameron managed to not reveal the Aliens in his film for about the same length I think but the difference was he concentrated on developing the important character (Ripley) and then made you care about the others with humour. Jackson should have focused on Ann (and maybe Jack) and that's it. Once we get to the island things pick up considerably althought the brontosaurus chase sequence is awful. The scenes with Ann and Kong are great though and make it worth watching. The finale in New York was great and I almost forgot how bored I was in the first hour. Second viewing reminded me of this. There is a 4 star film in here which is just under 2 hours long. Problem is the rest of the film is pretty dull.
Highlander(1986):star::star::star:1/2
This film is just a lot of fun to watch to me. I enjoy the backstory far more than the story in the present time and the manner in which the film is structured as McCloud's life is gradually revealed is great
Highlander 2 : The Renegade Version(1991):star::star::star:
This is one of those films that I know is pretty awful yet for some reason I actually enjoy it. I have no explanation for this.
Brokeback Mountain:star::star::star:
A good film, with 2 great performances especially from Heath Ledger. The film actually seemed rushed for the first part, but once they returned from the mountain, it was much better. However, after all the praise that has been thrown at the film and the awards it has had, I must say I was a little disappointed.
Running Scared:star::star:1/2
This started off great and until the halfway point this is an enjoyable crime thriller. However, there is a quite bizarre sequence in the middle of the film about one of the children ending up in a paedophile's house. Nothing happens fortunately, but the tone is just nasty and totally out of sync with the style of the rest of the film. Also a rather overblown finale ultimately spoils what could have been an enjoyable little film.
Underworld : Evolution :star::star::star:1/2
After being one of the few who seemed to enjoy the first film, I was looking forward to this. The film picks up straight after the events of the second film and was just as good as the first. What was great is that this film feels like a natural progression from the last and the story doesn't feel simply tacked on to justify a sequel. Its almost as if they shot both films at once and cut it in half for release - characters of some importance from the first film appear here for moments and some only as corpses.
What is clear though is that if you havent seen the first film, there is little point in just going to see this. The first half will be pretty confusing otherwise, despite the flashbacks to the first film that you occasionally see.
A Cock And Bull Story:star::star::star:1/2
Really funny film. It starts off rather strangely as you are not quite sure where the film is going - is it a period comedy, or a comedy film about the making of a period film ? - but its still hilarious, and the film gradually become a "documentary" on the making of a film. Cameos from Gillian Anderson and Stephen Fry were great, but this film belongs to Steve Coogan. Will he ever be able to get away from Alan Partridge ? After seeing this film, I somehow doubt it.
Munich:star::star::star::star:
Fantastic film and the best I have seen this year so far. To me it was less a political film and more simply a message that violence is not the answer and just leads to more violence. Great performance by Eric Bana.
Memoirs Of A Geisha:star::star: 1/2
Not sure what to say about this film. It was an interesting story, the performances were great, and it looked great as well. Yet I just could not simply connect with the main character, which is really what the film was asking you to do.
Red Eye (2005):star::star:
For the first half, this was quite an enjoyable little film. Nothing groundbreaking, but the scenes that played out on the plane were very effective and both leads gave good performances. Then suddenly, the plane lands and out goes any sort of logic for the characters just for the sake of a rather pointless extended chase sequence. Shame as this would have been a solid film if a little more time had been spent on the plane rather than off it. Disappointing.
Chicken Little:star::star:
Saw this digitally and the clarity of the image was remarkable. Shame about the film which is exactly the kind of film that the traditional animation dept has been churning out for several years. Furthermore, there was nothing to make the film stand-out from the likes of Shark Tale or Madagascar. It was passable entertainment but when Pixar produce such quality CGI animated film, they are always going to be the benchmark by which these films are judged and this does't even come close. Occasionally, it brought a smile to my face, but there seems to be a growing trend that all CGI animated films must have a recognisable music song that all the characters can perform to as if that's enough to make us laugh. This one has about 4 or 5 I think.
What was even more disconcerting was the sheer number of trailers for CGI animated films coming out this year and not one, even Cars, suggested anything other than "Shark Tale" mediocrity. I hold out hope for "Cars" if only because Pixar have yet to really stumble. But compared to the other Pixar trailers, this one was merely ok.
Everything:star::star:1/2
A film about prostitution which has very little to say on the subject that hasnt been said in much better films. However, this film is lifted by good performances from the 2 leads, especially Ray Winstone. The film is about a man who visits a prostitute repeatedly, but only to talk to her. However, the mystery of why he is visiting her is pretty obvious about 10 minutes in. The scenes between Ray Winstone and the women playing the prostitute (can't remember her name) were the highlight of the film but they can't lift what is ultimately quite a predictable story. There is a separate plot going on at the same time which is essentially to drive home to the audience how young women can fall into prostitution but it doesn't really fit with the narrative structure of the film.
Interesting in parts but overall it's disappointing.
Control Room (2004):star::star::star::star:
A compelling documentary following the Al Jazeera news channel during the invasion of Iraq in 2003. It is interesting to listen to the comments of the employees of Al Jazeera as well as that of other news organisations in Qatar at the time, as the news channel faced a lot of criticism from the US during the invasion. Intercut with a lot of footage from the Iraq war, this film is certainly difficult viewing at times. It does make some effort to be more balanced than say Farenheit 9/11, with a large portion of the documentary devoted to conversations with a US military Press Officer in Qatar and one of heads of Al Jazeera, although its clear that the film is slanted more towards the news channel than against it. That said, the film still has some compelling points to make.
Lilya 4-Ever (2002) :star::star::star:1/2
A young teenage girl is left to fend for herself after her mother abandons her. She befriends a young boy who is also left to fend for himself but she is tricked into leaving home and forced into prostitution. A powerful film with some great performances, this is uncomfortable in the sense that, although a fictional story, this is the kind of thing that happens to young girls like Lilya. The film is quite bleak and more powerful for it. The director includes some bizarre dream sequences involving Lilya talking to her friend and this seems to be to try and counter the depressing nature of the film. Personally, I think the film would be better without them.
Audition (2002):star::star:
Bizarre film about a producer who auditions young women for a part in a film in the hope that he might meet someone. But the women he chooses clearly has some issues.... This starts off like a simple romantic film about a man looking for love, but as the film progresses it starts to become far more sinister. The final sequence is hard to watch, especially if you dont like needles!!! It has its moments but the whole doesn't really work very well.
The Aristocrats (2005):star::star:
Documentary about a dirty joke. This is basically a series of interviews with lots of famous comedians about the structure of a particular joke with the same punchline (The Aristocrats). The premise of the joke is about a family going to pitch an act to a producer and it allows all these comedians to see how far they can go with it in making it the dirtiest, crudest and most disgusting joke they can. Occassionally funny, especially Kevin Pollack doing an impression of Christopher Walken telling the joke. However, there isn't much to the film.
Innocence (2004):star:1/2
I don't think this is a particularly bad film, I just didn't get it. Bizarre French film about 5 houses in a park where young girls are brought up and then taken into the outside world when they are ready. The children arrive in coffins (??) and leave by an underground passage on a train. I went in expecting some sort of mystery as to what was going on and for this to be gradually revealed over the course of the film. Instead the film is largely about what the girls do during the day and not much else. The scenario is left unexplained. The director mentions in an interview that she expects people to be divided by the film and that it is probably more appealing to women than men who might relate what the girls are doing to their own childhood.
Oliver Twist (2005):star::star::star:
This films takes a while to get going but once Oliver arrives in London there is a big improvement. Great performance by Ben Kingsley as Fagan and Harry Eden as the Artful Dodger, but I found the guy who played Bill Sykes completely unconvincing. Barney Clark who plays Oliver doesn't really have to do much - I agree with another reviewer who pointed out that Oliver Twist doesn't do anything. Instead everything happens to him. It's a while since I read the novel but it is probably the most faithful version I have seen. I think I was expecting something better though from the director.
Final Destination (2000):star::star:
Second time I have seen this and as with many of these teen horror films, they are watchable enough first time, but the second viewing just highlights all of the problems, the main one being that you just dont give a damn about any of the characters. The film is simply an excuse to see how inventive the filmmakers can be coming up different ways for their characters to die and once you've seen it there is little point in re-visiting it.
Derailed:star::star:
This is one of those trashy thriller films where if you start to think too much about it you could pull it apart. The film is about Clive Owen who meets a women (Jennifer Aniston) on a train and they go to a hotel where they are both robbed at gunpoint and she is raped. She doesn't want to go to the police because her husband will divorce her and then the robber starts calling and asking for more money. A couple of twists which are very predictable but its enjoyable enough whilst you are watching it.
Duel (1971):star::star::star::star:
Simple yet very effective film by Spielberg. The only criticism I have is the voiceover of Dennis Weaver's thoughts at different points in the film, which I thought were completely unnecessary. It's clear from the start that Spielberg was aiming for much more than just another TV movie. I especially liked how Dennis Weaver's "everyman" character starts out as a bit of a wimp but is maniacal by the end of the film.
Casablanca (1942):star::star::star::star:1/2
Hard to find fault with this film, though I find the scenes before we enter Rick's to be painfully acted. Once we move into Rick's this film is absolutely mesmerising. I've only seen Bogart in this and The Maltese Falcon and although he is great in both, I preferred his character here. What makes this film stand out is the performances and the interaction between the characters - a cracking script which gives Bogart all the best lines but saves some for the Rains character as well. Certainly deserves its status to me.
The Bourne Identity (2002):star::star::star::star:1/2
This is how Bond films should be made. Matt Damon is superb as Jason Bourne and this brilliantly plotted thriller has a great story. Sure it pretty clear from the outset what Jason Bourne's job is, but the film does a great job of slowly revealing how Bourne ending up in his situation and, more importantly, makes it convincing. The Bond films should also take note of the action sequences here - brutal, fast and with a minimum of fuss, you are convinced straight away that this guy is a dangerous assassin. What's also great is that the car chase sequence is much more exciting because it is done for real. No surfing in front of a CGI screen for this film!!!
The Bourne Supremacy (2004):star::star::star::star:
After a great first film, this one had a lot to live up to for me, and this more than delivers. What was great about the first film is also evident in this film as well - great plotting of the central story as the mystery of what is going on is gradually revealed ; brutal action sequences which are fast without seeming like a dance ; great performance by Matt Damon who makes audiences care about Bourne whilst making him unpredictable and dangerous at the same time. This also feels like a natural progression of the story rather than a rushed sequel. A standout moment for me was the death of a character early on in the film which was completely unexpected and shocking. A brave move for the filmmakers I thought and in retrospect one that they probably had to do. My only complaint (and it is slight) is that whilst the handheld style and editing make the fight and chase sequences frenetic and brutal it can make them hard to follow. The first film managed to make the action sequences easier to follow whilst still making them feel realistic. Im sure it was an intentional stylistic choice on the part of the filmmakers and its not really something that affected my enjoyment of the film. Really looking forward to the third installment of what could be a fantastic trilogy.
Corpse Bride (2004):star::star:1/2
Enjoyable film and, although the storyline is pretty weak and derivative, the design of the film is great and it is very inventive. I preferred Nightmare Before Christmas though.
Star Trek : Nemesis (2002):star::star::star:1/2
I found this to be a highly enjoyable film despite all the negative reviews I have read. Having said that I have not seen much of the TV series and have only really watched the films. From most of the reviews I have read much of the criticism seems to be directed at the lack of connection to the show in terms of characters or story continuity. I'm afraid I can't really comment on that as I dont really know much about what went on in the series. But as a stand-alone sci-fi action flick, I think it works very well. Didn't like the use of another android which basically seems like the filmmakers attempting to have it both ways - kill off a character but make sure he can come back in some way.
Crash (2005):star::star::star::star:
One of the best films I have seen from last year, this was completely absorbing from start to finish. The film was only marred by occasional scenes which came off as the writer preaching or reeling off facts. But these were few and far between and there are some stunning moments in the film - the police officer who has to save a woman from a car crash ; the "shooting" of a little girl. A great score as well which I immediately went to buy.
Zathura : A Space Adventure (2005):star::star::star:
This was far more enjoyable than I expected. What really lifted the film was the performance of the 2 boys in the film and their interaction as brothers was believable. It also had a slight twist in the film regarding the identity of one of the characters and I was unexpectedly moved by this moment. Kids will love this, but I think adults will be unexpectedly surprised to enjoy it as well.
Walk The Line (2005):star::star::star:
I knew virtually nothing about Johnny Cash before going to see this film. It is certainly well made but the problem is that most of these "biopics" about singers from the 50s/60s/70s tend to blend into one - they all seem to have gone through the same traumatic experiences!! Anyway, despite this, the film was great, the songs were great and Joaquin Phoenix was great. Can't see what all the fuss is about with Reese Witherspoon here though. It is a good performance, but I am not sure what makes this performance stand out since she seems to be up for a lot of awards this year.
Lucky Number Slevin:star::star::star::star:
Thoroughly entertaining film about a man who becomes involved in a gangland feud between 2 bosses through mistaken identity. Whilst the central mystery over what is going on is quite predictable, the enjoyment in this film is watching all the pieces fall into place and the little details which are not immediately obvious. Ben Kingsley, Morgan Freeman and Bruce Willis seem to be having a great time with their roles but the surprise for me was Josh Hartnett. This is the first film I have seen him in as the lead character where I have actually liked him.
Final Destination 3:star::star:
As with the first one, the film is passable to watch but the films are really starting to become repetitive and the film stands or falls on how inventive the death scenes are. This is not a good sign if your film's quality is solely about this - we couldn't care less about the characters so the bits in between the set pieces are incredibly dull. Thankfully, Morgan and Wong seem to know this and move as swiftly as they can to the next set piece meaning the film is watchable but has little repeat value. Hopefully, they will also realise that enough is enough and they have run this particular series dry.
Aeon Flux:star:
Another film about cloning ; another film with the message that living forever is not good and death is a natural part of life ; another film with poorly put together action sequences ; another film with bland acting and monotone voices with characters you couldn't care less about. Avoid
Back To The Future (1985):star::star::star::star:
I had only seen this on video so it was nice to see this on the big screen. Hugely entertaining, especially Christopher Lloyd. There are so many little lines he comes out with that you miss if you are not listening. Having seen this so many times, it is still really entertaining and what I really noticed this time was how every scene counts. You can tell that they had a lot to set up before Marty goes back in time but they were concerned about keeping the audience's attention. As a result, the film flies by and is all the better for it. Great score as well by Silvestri.
Good Night And Good Luck :star::star::star::star::star:
It would be a travesty if this film didn't pick up at least one of the major awards at the Oscars this year (and it looks like it probably won't). David Straithairn delivered the best performances I have seen this year and the story that Clooney has shot is scarily relevant to current events as well as being an interesting snaphot of events from 50 years ago. I await what Clooney does next with great interest. Highly recommended.
The Fog (2005)1/2
Pointless, awful remake of a pretty awful film. Dull, predictable and not in the least bit scary. The half a star is for the occasionally effective effects work. Avoid this film.
Sky High (2005):star::star::star:
I was again surprised by how much I enjoyed this. For some reason I kept thinking of films from my own childhood which I still love like The Goonies or Young Sherlock Holmes and that this film could well be like that to todays' kids.
Fun With Dick And Jane:star::star:
Not too bad. Jim Carrey seems to have dialled his performance way down in this film. I think those going expecting a typical "Jim Carrey" comedy are going to be disappointed. I suppose he probably feels most are sick of his routine and whilst many of his films do have some terrible moments in, there are also moments which had me laughing out loud. This film only raised an occasional smile.
The Jacket (2005):star::star::star:1/2
I really enjoyed this film. I had no idea what to expect and the film starts out like it is going to be a creepy horror film but gradually shifts to themes mainly dealt with in science-fiction. In order to like this film you really have to buy into Adrien Brody's character and I thought he was great.
Elizabethtown (2005):star::star:
I didn't think there was anything wrong with this film. The story was ok, the characters were generally likeable, the film had some nice moments and, as you'd expect from a Cameron Crowe film, there was lots of music. It just felt so "middle-of-the-road" safe movie-making and a little dull.
The Matador:star::star::star:
Enjoyable film about a sleazy hitman. This film is funny with some great lines, and Pierce Brosnan puts in a great performance. That said, this film totally relies on the fact that the audience identifies Brosnan as Bond for its humour. Without this, the film would rate a lot less and I feel it will not stand up to viewers in the future who are unaware of Brosnan's role as Bond.
Syriana:star::star::star:1/2
George Clooney has become one of my favourite film stars this last year. After the superior Good Night And Good Luck I had high expectations for this film, and, by and large, they were met. For the most part, the various plot threads that gradually cross over are handled well and are interesting. 2 threads which didn't work as well was the investigation by an official in Washington into an oil company. You understood the gist of what he was doing, but there were that many names being thrown about it was hard to work out the details of what he was doing (a second viewing will probably help). The other plotline that didn't work as well was the storyline about 2 oil workers who become suicide bombers, largely because its predictable from the moment they lose their jobs what is going to happen. However, the rest of the film was compelling and interesting to watch.
The Hills Have Eyes:star::star::star:1/2
I havent seen the original so I can't really compare. This film does a great job of building up the tension followed by an outstanding sequence involving the first attack on the family. Gory, horrifying and tense, the rest of the film paled in comparison. However, the remaining half of the film was still enjoyable with only the final 5 minutes letting the film down with cliches straight out of Horror Movies 101.
The Proposition:star::star::star:
Interesting film starring Guy Pearce about a man who is told to kill his brother to save his other brother. Starts off a little slow, but picks up about halfway in. The film is shot superbly - you can almost feel the heat and grime coming through the screen.
V For Vendetta:star::star:1/2
Disappointing as I was expecting a lot better. The strengths of the film are the ideas it explores and the points it makes. Hugo Weaving manages to bring to life his masked character brilliantly and I was also impressed with Natalie Portman. However, the structure of the story meant V's past and his link with the rise of the society he lives in feels contrived and there is some awful dialogue in the film.
Inside Man:star::star::star:1/2
This was a great little mystery/action film in the same vein as The Negotiator. Although there is nothing of substance to the film, and the actors seem to be coasting along, the film doesn't pretend to be anything other than a straightforward heist film with an unusual twist and is still entertaining in its own right.
Hostel(2005):star:
Pretty awful film in my opinion. Not much I can say really. By the time, the characters started to disappear, I was bored and didn't care about any of them. The scenes of torture felt like they weren't part of the film. It was almost felt like the director was shouting at the audience "Look, this is how gory and sick we can be!!" So, what? If you dont make us give a shit about the characters then it becomes pointless. Avoid.
Sympathy For Lady Vengeance(2005):star::star::star::star:
Although not as strong a film as Oldboy, this is still a gripping film about revenge. What is different is the violence, most of it is offscreen, yet the audience still feels the effects of the violence. In many ways it reminded me of Michael Haneke's Funny Games, in the way it showed the violence. Park tended to show brief moments of the violence and leaving the rest to the audience. There is one particular horrifying moment of torture involving a child which is hard to forget. In fact the final sequence is brilliantly done in that the audience is led through the same emotions as the characters - absolute horror and revulsion at what is being done and a desire to exact revenge on the person responsible, and then the realisation that being able to exact your revenge changes nothing. Park leaves it to the audience to decide whether the revenge inflicted was justified. Great film!
Firewall:star::star:
Ok and passable enough but with Harrison Ford you expect and want so much more than this. It's almost as if he's trying to do a "Greatest Hits" of scenes from his other films in this. What's really irritating is that he makes this film watchable but you know he could be doing something much better
Ice Age : The Meltdown:star::star:
Nowhere near as good as the first one, the film was ok but really dull in places. Again, the highlight of the film remains Scrat in his quest for the acorn - shame that some of these were in the trailers because they had been spoiled. Frankly, an hour and a half of him would be more entertaining. The new characters added to the trio aren't in the least bit amusing and they take over the film leaving Sid and Diego as supporting characters. The best moments of the film generally involved these 2 characters anyway - Sid being worshipped as the Fire King was amusing.
Basic Instinct 2:star::star:
This was an example to me of a film that is so bad its good. In no way does this actually mean the film is good, but when you take away the publicity surrounding the first film, I would hardly call that film good either. Yet still I enjoyed them both. It was overblown and trashy in exactly the same way as the first film. Stone is just repeating the character from the first film and brings nothing new to the character yet I still found her entertaining enough. The biggest problem with this film is that it contains far too many scenes for its own good which are basically rehashes of scenes from the first film.
Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone(2001):star::star:1/2
Decided to revisit the films after getting the fourth, and this viewing confirms that this film is by far the weakest. Personally I blame the director but he does get some things right. The adult casting is spot on, especially Alan Rickman and Maggie Smith. The score is yet another John Williams effort which is instantly identifiable and gives the film the emotional kick that the child actors fail to engender. Whilst this is largely an introduction to the magical world for 6 future films, the constant need for the story to stop dead whilst a particular aspect of the world is shown or explained is infuriating. These things needed integrating into the story. (Azkaban did this much better than any of the other films). Also there are lots of scenes which are simply conversations between 2 or 3 characters laying out the plot or background. The camerawork here is unimaginative and makes a number of scenes dull. Of the 3 main leads, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson are ok, but Daniel Radcliffe is pretty dull and rarely convincing, though again I put that down to the direction he was given. Some of the other child actors perform as if they were in a school play. The final 10 minutes are somewhat cloying. There are some nice moments but the overall film is pretty dull and in need of some serious editing. I would also say that for a major film like this, the use of CGI in this film was handled extremely badly and poorly integrated into the shots.
Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets (2002):star::star:1/2
More of the same problems really. Kenneth Branagh is a good laugh and there are more good moments in this film than the last. The film seems more focused this time, though it could still use a good half hour of trimming from it. The special effects are also much more convincing. Less time is spent with the background children which is a good thing as they still act like they are in a school play. As to the main trio, it's more of the same from the last one. What is even worse is that Draco Malfoy has a more prominent role here and the actor is just not convincing enough. I don't really blame the director though, since the actor hasn't been good in any of the films. It could well be that the character may come across ok on the page but he really needs to be a little less wimpish onscreen if he is supposed to convince as Potter's so-called nemesis.
Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban (2004):star::star::star::star:
What a difference a change of director makes to this series. The opening scenes left me feeling I was about to experience a similar film to the last but from the moment Potter leaves the Dursleys (here's hoping they do not show up in any of the future films)the film moves up a step. Finally someone has managed to cut out the extraneous material (to the film) and produce a focused story. The cinematography is beautiful and the effects are integrated brilliantly. What's great about this film is the way scenes are played out with the magic going on around them. The other films had to stop whilst we observed the magic. Here the magic happens whilst the characters advance the plot. It is much more imaginative and helps to liven up what could be dull, talky scenes. The exposition in the Leaky Cauldron is a prime example of this. Also Daniel Radcliffe seems to have finally found his character and, for the first time, you genuinely feel for Harry and his situation. His scenes with Lupin and Black really bring home is loss and desperation for a parent. Also the group of kids in the film actually start to interact believably as a group of school kids. Malfoy is still rubbish though.
I have to say this was the film that finally got me interested in the Harry Potter series. After 2 pretty dull films, I went in to see this with no expectations and came out wanting to see the next film. It even made me go and read Books 5 and 6 which I had no interest in previously. Here's hoping, Cuaron can be brought back for a future episode or, at the very least, Columbus is prevented from directing them.
Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire (2005):star::star::star::star:
Newell continues the good work of the last film and this is as good as Azkaban if not slightly elevated by improved performances and a tighter plot. Newell makes every moment count and not a single scene feels like it's extraneous to the main story. Here again, the kids act like real kids, and the interaction between them is even more believable - Newell really manages to capture what a boarding school is like. This of course is the film where one of the secondary characters dies and there is a real sense of loss at the end of the film. If you havent read the books, Id say this would be a complete shock. Fiennes is great as Voldemort, and Radcliffe continues to show huge improvements in his performance. I was also impressed with the score - Doyle manages to interweave his own themes with the previous ones brilliantly.
Batman Begins (2005):star::star::star::star::star:
Absolutely fantastic film and by far the best Batman film, after the absolute atrocity that was Batman and Robin. If I had to be nitpicky and pick one thing in the film that didn't work as well it would be wasting Ken Watanbe on a rather small role. But this is a film full of great performances, especially Christian Bale. Finally a film that focuses on Batman and not the villains. Can't wait for the sequel.
Alien Autopsy:star::star::star:
Enjoyable and amusing in places, this depends largely on whether you like the 2 central characters (the actors are TV presenters in the UK) as they are basically playing themselves.
The Dark:star::star:
This was very disappointing. The film stars Maria Bello and Sean Bean as parents whose daughter disappears at the beach. The film starts off well and is quite eerie - the location adds to this. However, whilst it is effective in setting itself up as a ghost story, the back story is poorly explained and dull and the resolution is unsatisfying. It attempts to add a twist at the end which is both obvious and not really properly developed.
Young Sherlock Holmes (1984):star::star::star:
This is one of those films, like The Goonies that has a certain feeling of nostalgia about it. I loved this film as a child and hadn't seen it for years. Still really enjoyed it, though the performances by the three main leads are a bit dodgy in places. Still really enjoyable
The Avengers (1997):star::star:
Widely ridiculed on its release, this film really suffered in the editing room with scenes only just managing to fit together to make a vaguely coherent story. However, despite this, for some reason, I still enjoy it, mainly for way in which Fiennes and Thurman play off each other. Everyone else thought they were dull and had no chemistry but I thought they were great. Each to their own I suppose
Silent Hill:star::star:1/2
I was looking forward to this, mainly because of the involvement of Christophe Gans who directed Brotherhood of the Wolf. It is probably the best video game adaptation but thats not saying much really. I was expecting much better given who was involved. It was a pretty typical studio video game adaptation which occasionally rose above the levels of mediocrity to produce some interesting moments.
The first part is fairly effective (lots of skewed camerawork and aerial shots which I thought made it much more interesting) and the shift from one reality to another is really well done. The film captures the tone of the game pretty well, and, although its a long time since I played the game and I can't say how faithful it is to the background of the game, there are a lot of moments that I recognise from the game.
Problems come really with the poor and excessive use of CGI for some of the creatures and backgrounds. Much creepier when the film simply relies on the atmosphere but once the monsters start showing up, the CGI takes all that creepiness away.
The film also starts to take on a feeling of playing the greatest hits of the game instead of trying to pull together a coherent story. So of course, we have to visit the garage, then the warehouse, then the school, then the hotel, then the church, then the hospital, and so on.
The second half of the film is taken up by explanations of what is going on. Although the background story is pretty horrible in terms of what happened, the way in which it is revealed in the film is poor - the film literally just stops whilst one character tells you what the hell is going on and then it just carried on again. This was a shame as the bits of the story had gradually been revealed up to this point through other scenes and a secondary story outside the main plot would have been a much better way of telling the audience what was going on. And there is some really cheesy acting moments in the final sequence. And of course, all films of this kind seem to have to have a sort of twist at the end, which is pretty pointless and adds nothing at all to the film.
Capote:star::star::star::star:
Great film with a great performance by Hoffman. This was a much more interesting way of doing a biopic of a character - instead of focusing on his life story, the film concentrates on a pivotal few years of his life. In fact it is more interesting because you get to know the character of Capote through his involvement in the main storyline about a murder which is just as compelling and led him to write his book, In Cold Blood. I had no knowledge of Capote, other than recognition of his name, so I had no idea what to expect.
The Long Kiss Goodnight (1997):star::star::star:
Hadn't seen this for years but still a highly entertaining film. It reminds me of a lot of typical 90s action films that had developed out of the 80s - typical 80s action coupled with 90s need to add human interest to the story. Geena Davis seems to be having a great laugh with this role and she was unexpectedly convincing as the assassin with amnesia. Sam Jackson just plays the typical Sam Jackson role though at the time it was a relatively new thing.
Calvaire (The Ordeal):star::star:1/2
A man gets lost and stays at an inn in the middle of nowhere and is taken hostage by the innkeeper who thinks the man is his wife who left him. The first half is really well done in that you are not sure whether to be repulsed by the innkeeper or feel sorry for him as he has clearly lost it since his wife left him. However it seems that the whole village nearby are as equally deranged, and all believe that the man is the innkeeper's wife. Lots of religious imagery and whilst the director may be trying to leave things open to interpretation, he loses the audience a little by including additional characters. The film worked much better with just the innkeeper and the hostage.
16 Blocks:star::star::star:1/2
I went into this with few expectation and was surprised how much I enjoyed it. This was Bruce Willis playing his Die Hard role but with recognition of his age. However, the film is aware of its limitation (and its strengths) and doesn't waste a second making this a hugely enjoyable action film. What is also great is that Willis doesn't suddenly revert to his John McClane role and become super human - he remains washed up and exhausted (and drunk) throughout the film. His action remain in keeping with the character established at the start of the film. It also manages to add an interesting element to Willis' character near the end of the film which was genuinely surprising but also felt right. Mos Def was great as the prisoner who just can't seem to stop talking and its nice to see David Morse again.
Grizzly Man:star::star::star:
Herzog documentary about a man called Timothy Treadwell who spend a good few years living amongst bears until he was killed by one. I had never heard of the guy before seeing this film yet it was fascinating to see the footage that Treadwell had got. Much of the footage that Herzog has chosen emphasises his point about contrasting Treadwell's sentimental view of nature and the animals he loves with the harsh indifferent reality of it. Whilst you can't help but feel for Treadwell due to his good intentions, you equally recognise that the guy has serious problems and whilst he may have been happy to risk his life, his actions also resulted in the death of another person.
The Da Vinci Code:star::star::star:
I read the book a year ago and thought it was enjoyable enough but ultimately wouldn't want to bother with it again. This pretty much sums up my feelings about the film - watchable and pretty entertaining whilst its on, but I have no desire to revisit this. It seems to be pretty much a carbon copy of the book. McKellen was by far the best thing in the film to the extent that the film tended to drag more whenever he was offscreen. Quite liked the score as well. Disappointed with Tatou who I loved in Amelie but neither her nor Hanks have much to do other than move the plot along.
X Men 3 : The Last Stand :star::star:1/2
The first film was good, the second one was a great film. This film doesn't come close to either of those films and in view of how good the second one is, it is something of a disappointment. That said, there is some good stuff in the film.
The main problem is that this seems to be 2 films condensed into 1. Both storylines in the film could have easily been fleshed out into 2 films and not only that, but even with condensing the films into 1 they still managed to cut it down to less than 2 hours. So the film just seems to rush from one moment to the next with little time for the characters to breathe. I think it was pretty obvious from the second film that Jean Grey was going to turn up again and her story in this film could have been great. In fact what we see is great, but for the fact that we tear through all the scenes with no time for the audience to take a moment and dwell on what is happening. Her actions have serious consequences for some of the characters yet much of this is ultimately wasted because we have to get back to the plot or return to the other storyline. Its also clear that Jean Grey's story needed more fleshing out in this film - for much of the middle of the film she does very little probably due to the need to focus on the other storyline as well.
Even more infuriating is that the second storyline would have been just as good as a story on its own as well. We could have had 2 superb X Men films here to go with the other 2 but instead we get what amounts to a film with some great sequences and moments, stitched together with some quick scenes to move the plot along. Even then if they had added another half an hour or so to flesh out each story, things could probably have been improved. Its an ok film, but in view of the previous films a huge disappointment
Poseidon:star::star::star:
I really enjoyed this. Although we get some scenes similar to the first film, its not simply a carbon copy with a bigger budget and Petersen has crafted some great sequences, the standout being a climb through a tight vent as water starts to pour in. Great scene. This is like old school disaster films and all the better for it. Petersen also doesn't waste too much time introducing the characters, before getting to the bit we are all waiting to see and he doesn't disappoint. The sequence of the wave hitting the boat was amazing.
As to the characters, well there is little room for development in what are essentialy paper-thin roles. Thankfully, he didn't cast an annoying kid
But there is enough given to make you root for them, and that is all that is needed in this kind of film.The New World:star::star:1/2
Malick makes films beautful to look at. Every shot seems to have been perfectly composed and visually the film is amazing. It is also incredibly slow to get going and though the story is interesting, I just couldn't get into the film at all. I think it had something to do with Colin Farrell's character because once he disappears and Christian Bale shows up, things pick up dramatically and the final third of the film was much better. Not a film I would watch again but it has its moments and did I mention it is beautiful to look at ?
United 93:star::star::star::star::star:
Although I doubt I would want to watch it again, it was still worth seeing. I can't get over how unbelievably tense I felt during this film. An absolutely first class film from start to finish this could easily have been 2 films one from on the ground and one from in the air. Both stories were equally compelling and for the last half an hour was really hard to watch.
What really made this film was that Greengrass recognised there was no need to try and manipulate any emotions - the events were powerful enough in themselves without any swelling music or speeches. An amazing film and a tribute to the people who died on United 93.
Timecode(2000):star::star::star:
This is a film which is fascinating more for the way the film is presented rather than the story or plot. The story essentially occurs in real time and follows several characters who cross paths at various points. What is unusual is that you are essentially watching 4 cameras within the frame all at the same time and the film is essentially one long continuous take with no breaks. This was an interesting experiment and Figgis manages to make sure you are not confused as to which camera to look at by using the sound to direct your focus to a particular camera. This would work less well I suspect on a simple TV set up in a living room but in a home theatre environment and the use of the surround speakers it is effective. All of the cast do pretty well with what is essentially a long improvisation and whilst the story is pretty generic, it is still compelling due to the unusual way of presenting it.
Cache (Hidden):star::star::star::star:
Haneke continues to produce some interesting films although I preferred Funny Games. Here a man and his wife feel threatened when they find videotapes in the post which show that someone is following them and filming them. The film explores issues of guilt and yet again Haneke doesn't provide easy answers preferring to leave the audience to form their own opinion of the characters and determine for themselves whose actions were justified and who's are not. Well worth seeing.
Closer (2005):star::star::star:
Not quite sure what to make of this. Whilst the film was on I really enjoyed it and found both the performances and story engaging. However, after fnishing the film, I was left feeling that the film had very little to offer. It was not particularly original and didn't offer anythng different from other films of this ilk. However, the performances are what lifted this film above mediocrity.
The Cooler (2002):star::star::star:
A film which seems to be saying that you make your own luck, Bill Macy plays a guy whose seems to have such bad luck that he is employed in a casino to bring bad luck to the tables simply by being present. One day, Alec Baldwin may play a different character but here yet again he plays exactly the same kind of character he always does. Notwithstanding the feeling of deja vu, the film is quite entertaining although it becomes somewhat predictable towards the end of the film. Bill Macy is always watchable though and its nice to see him as a lead in a film again.
Fearless:star:1/2
This is supposed to be Jet Li's swansong and it is a pretty dire end at that. Whilst the story would be probably quite good in the right hands, this film is let down by some pretty awful dialogue (either that or the translator got it all wrong), poor acting, and it feels like the film has been heavily edited in the middle portion to speed things along - mercifully. Some of the fight scenes are good but nothing spectacular.
Over The Hedge:star::star:
The constant churnout of CG animated films means they are starting to all blend into one another in my mind with very little quality to distinguish between them, save for the Pixar films which stand head and shoulders above the rest (havent seen Cars yet though). Again, this is pretty dull stuff with occasional moments that raise a smile, but apart from the principal characters, the animation is pretty lifeless and dull. As per usual, most of the best moments were in the trailer.
Pirates of the Caribbean : The Curse Of The Black Pearl (2003):star::star::star:
I found this to be entertaining if a little long, but the film would be pretty dull without the performance of Johnny Depp. As Jack Sparrow, he is what raises the film from merely ok to enjoyable. Bloom and Knightley are pretty dull characters and whilst Geoffrey Rush is good anf the special effects are clever, the film is overlong. However, it is Depp that holds the film together.
Pirates of the Caribbean : Dead Man's Chest :star::star::star:
I could pretty much write the same review of the first film - too long and dull in the middle and Bloom and Knightley are pretty dull characters, but yet again the film is saved by Depp and the main villain. If they ever make a Pirates film without Depp, it would probably be a complete waste of time. The film does contain 2 inventive sequences on islands, but there is a lot of "story" which goes nowhere. There is also a completely ridiculous plot twist at the end of the film where Knightley's character does something which is just not believable for her character and you get the sense the writers were just trying to shock the audience for the sake of it and it doesn't work. There had to be another way to engineer this cliffhanger.
Superman Returns:star::star::star::star:
Hugely enjoyable for the most part despite the fact that it is more or less a complete retread of the first film. That said I was not disappointed with any of the characters and was especially pleased with how well the plot development of Lois' son was integrated into the story, something which had the potential to be awful. Routh was excellent and managed to live up to Reeve's performance in my view and although Boswell looks a little young, she holds her own.
The Sum Of All Fears (2002):star::star::star:
I was surprised with how well they have managed to change the story but still keep the essence of what happens within the film so well. Although Affleck is ok in the film, it is a shame that Harrison Ford is not in this - his absence is really felt within the film, especially when Ryan is trying to get the information to the President. The age and experience of the character make his actions and the reactions of the characters around him a little less believable really.
Man On Fire (2005):star::star::star:1/2
This film takes a while to get going, though this is largely down to the time needed to develop the friendship between Washington's character and the little girl. Fortunately it is time well spent as the rest of the film benefits from it and provides the audience with an emotional connection to the characters that make you root for Washington's character.
Crimson Tide : Extended Cut (1995):star::star::star:
Although pretty much the same as most of Bruckheimer’s films – Zimmer score, close ups and fast cuts, etc – this film, like most of Bruckheimer’s good films – are elevated by the actors involved and the director – here Hackman and Washington rise above the material to produce a film which is tense solely down to their performances. That they are the main draw here is not lost on the director given there is very little coverage of outside the submarine and most of the film takes places within the confines of the vessel. A rare Bruckheimer film I really enjoyed despite its faults.
The Lord Of The Rings : The Fellowship Of The Ring – Extended Edition (2001):star::star::star::star::star:
As a whole, this film is practically perfect. The casting is spot-on, not a moment feels wasted and the time flies by. It set the standard for the remaining films which they almost but not quite match, largely because this film was the first and also because it feels more personal than the other two. The sequence in Moria and Boromir’s fall give me goosebumps every time I watch them.
The Lord Of The Rings : The Two Towers – Extended Edition (2002):star::star::star::star::star:
Whilst not quite as good as the first, it is still an excellent follow-on. It feels a little disjointed at the start as we are introduced to all the characters again, but this soon passes. All the new cast members match and in some cases (Bernard Hill) outdo the cast carried over from the previous film. The battle for Helms Deep is still an amazing sequence. One really poor moment though is a sequence involving Galadriel halfway through the film which feels like a little summary of what is going on for those that can’t keep up.
The Lord Of The Rings : The Return Of The King – Extended Edition (2003) :star::star::star::star::star:
Again this can’t match the perfection of the first, but it is still a brilliant end to the trilogy. Both Elijah Wood and Sean Astin are fantastic here, despite the contrived and unnecessary wedge that is driven through their friendship halfway through the film. Bernard Hill is once again my favourite actor in this film.
The Incredibles (2005) :star::star::star::star::star:
As the Iron Giant remains one of my favourite animated films, and Pixar had yet to do much wrong, I had a lot of expectations going into this. There just seems to be an air of confidence from the filmmakers that comes through in this film as though they know they have a great film on their hands – and they do. No concession is made to the younger audience either – the film is likely to test the patience of younger viewers as it is quite a while before the action starts. Adult viewers will get far more out of the second act which is hilarious. But the action sequences are still inventive (really liked Elastigirl being trapped between several doors and trying to escape.
Star Wars : Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999):star::star::star:1/2
The main criticism I have regarding this film is that it doesn't work nearly as well unless you have already seen at least Episode II and III. One of the main strengths is the way the film fits into the overall arc of the prequel trilogy and this can't be appreciated until you have seen the others. In any event, Liam Neeson does a great job whilst Ewan McGregor is largely anonymous here. I was also one of the few people who thought Jake Lloyd was good (except for his yippees) and the standout scene remains the incredible lightsaber fight near the end of the film - still without peer after the remaining films were made. It's a shame Darth Maul is not utilised more in the film - the villains have always been a highlight of the saga and such a striking villain should have had a more prominent role. John Williams also created yet another brilliant theme for the saga - Duel Of The Fates is my favourite piece after the Imperial March. The film flags a little when the characters land on Tatooine but picks up for the Podrace. I also felt the trip to Otah Gunga and the use of the Gungans doesn't really add anything to the film. The final battle could just as easily been the Naboo fighting the battle droids.
Star Wars : Episode II - Attack Of The Clones (2002):star::star::star::star:
A better film than Episode I in my mind. Despite the criticism levelled at the romance between Anakin and Padme, there is only 1 sequence which I found excruciating (the fireplace scene) and the other scenes between them are largely effective I felt. What really works well is Obi Wan's detective story and here Ewan McGregor gets the chance to shine and show why he was chosen for the role. Ewan just seems to get how to play Obi Wan and its unfortunate that he was somewhat overshadowed by Neeson in Episode I. The final half of the film was exhilarating on my first viewing - from the moment Obi Wan fights Jango for the first time, the film whips from one set-piece to another as all the pieces of the puzzle start to fall in place. In terms of music, Williams again rises to the occasion to produce a love theme that gives the love story credence where some of the dialogue could not. My main criticism of the film though concerns Episode I as well. Having 2 actors play Anakin over the saga creates a disconnection with the audience and it feels like you are having to get to know a character all over again. This makes it difficult for Hayden Christensen when all of Anakin's good points were highlighted in Episode I, and he is largely having to portray his bad points.
Star Wars : Episode III - Revenge Of The Sith (2005):star::star::star::star::star:
After Empire this remains my favourite of the saga. Everything that had been anticipated of the prequels comes to the fore here - the fall of the Jedi, the battle between Obi Wan and Anakin, the reveal of Palpatine and creation of Vader, the birth of the twins. Lucas doesn't put a foot wrong in my mind and manages to really make you care about the losses being suffered here. Having been anticipating Vader's arrival for 2 films and looking forward to it, the film turns this on its head and makes you start rooting for Anakin and hoping that he makes the right decision despite knowing its not going to happen. The film's highpoints as with many other areas in the saga are 2 key sequences which are set only to music - Anakin and Padme's connection across Coruscant as Anakin wrestles with his decision and the Order 66 sequence. My sole criticism remains the character of General Grievous - would have been much better to keep Dooku in my mind or else make Grievous much more menacing than he is portrayed here.
Star Wars : Episode IV - A New Hope (1977):star::star::star::star::star:
Despite the changes made in 97, this is still a great film. Personally, I find the prequels have enhanced this particular film, which previously stood out from the others as the one film that could stand on its own. Now it feels more enmeshed within the saga as a whole - R2 setting out to find Ben on his own (he knows where he is going ?), Vader and Ben's confrontation, Ben telling Luke about his father and giving him the lightsaber ; these moments may have been retroactively created and not intentional at the time of filming but these are bound to be moments that are there for any new viewers watching in chronological order.
Star Wars : Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980):star::star::star::star::star:
Still the best of the 6. The AT-AT attack on Hoth, Yoda teaching Luke about the Force, the asteroid field chase, Luke vs Vader. Even without the revelation this would have still been a great film. Again, the prequels have rendered the surprise revelation redundant in terms of viewing these in chronological order, but surely the anticipation of when Luke will find out the truth and his reaction are as effective to the audience as the surprise of finding out who Vader is.
Star Wars : Episode VI - Return Of The Jedi (1983):star::star::star::star:
Like the Phantom Menace, this has a middle section which slows the film down considerably, notwithstanding the speeder bike sequence and it hurts the film. Still the culmination of 5 other films, the final space battle outshines all those that precede it and the resolution to Vader and Luke's characters does not disappoint.
Miami Vice:star::star::star::star:
Not as good as Heat or Collateral, this is the first of Mann's films where he seems to be repeating his previous efforts (or it is more obvious anyway). Still I found it entertaining although the initial focus of the film which was finding a leak, seemed to disappear and was briefly dealt with. Will be looking forward to seeing this one again on DVD.
Ultravioletno stars.
Awful Milla Jovovich film. Has no redeeming features whatsoever and not a thing I can point to being any good.
The Sentinel:star::star:
Given who was involved I was looking forward to this and it starts quite promisingly. It gradually runs out of steam and by the time they reveal what is going on, even the filmmakers dont seem to care. A waste, especially when they had such a strong cast to use. And does Kiefer Sutherland really want to spend his time away from 24 playing exactly the same characters ? They might as well have used Jack Bauer and had a crossover.
The Lion King (1994):star::star::star::star::star:
Since seeing this the first time, I heard that it may have ripped off another film. That may be so, but when all the elements of the film are put together so well, I am not going to complain. This is probably the template that Disney have been trying to replicate ever since it was made and failed. The opening sequence is still extremely powerful and cinematic - the "camera" moving around Simba as he is help up is still my favourite moment. The songs, with the exception of the Can you Feel The Love Tonight, are all great and Zimmer's score is one of the best Ive heard in a Disney animated film. However it's the father/son relationship that stands as the heart of the film and gives it a real emotional kick.
Cars:star::star::star:1/2
Was really looking forward to this and unfortunately, after The Incredibles, this was a step backwards. This is the first Pixar film I have come out of with the feeling that they were repeating themselves (Im sure they have before this but the quality of the film as a whole helps the audience to turn a blind eye). I would put this on a par with A Bug's Life, but having said all this, it is still miles better than practically every other CGI animated film released this year and is still highly watchable. In many ways this film has helped to bring down expectations a little whilst still providing a pretty decent film.
The Descent (2005):star::star::star:1/2
Great little horror film and after Dog Soldiers, I will be looking forward to whatever Neil Marshall is doing next. The first half of the film is very claustrophobic and in many ways, the film was doing fine without the introduction of the monsters. That being said, they are pretty creepy and the minimal lighting helps to sell what are essentially men in suits. The film also ends on an unusual note which I thought was quite brave and an appropriate pay-off to the opening scenes.
Tristan and Isolde:star::star:
Average film which is very much "Braveheart-lite." Some effective moments but equally matched by some pretty awful moments as well (Isolde shouting "Im yours" to Tristan had me in hysterics. Not really worth the effort.
The Devil's Backbone (2001):star::star::star::star::star:
Still my favourite foreign film and one of the best films I have seen. Del Toro crafts a mesmerising film and whilst the finale may be a little anti-climactic that's probably down to the rest of the film being so effective. The film is all the more remarkable for the fact that most of the cast are children and there isn't a poor performance among them. Whilst ostensibly a horror film, it is more creepy than horrific, and it is the way the story unfolds that draws you in far more than any tension that the film generates.
Night Watch (2005):star::star::star:1/2
Somewhat confusing at the start the film is still highly watchable and whilst derivative of many Hollywood films, it still has a distinctive foreign feel to it. It also has a great final sequence which brings the film full circle whilst at the same time setting it up for a sequel.
X-Men:star::star::star:1/2
Great intro to the characters though it does feel a little on the short side. What works though is how well Singer balances the action and plot with the subtext. McKellen is great here and only Halle Berry really struggles with a pretty lame character.
X-Men 2:star::star::star::star:
Even better sequel, which really saves all the good parts from the first, and addresses most of the weaknesses (Storm is still a useless character really, and Cyclops is offscreen for a large portion of the film). The attack on the school is a highlight as well as a character's sacrifice at the end of the film which sets it up nicely for a sequel
Unbreakable (2003):star::star::star::star:
One of Shyamalan’s best, it has great performances from Bruce Willis and Samuel Jackson and yet another twist which is both surprising and yet completely consistent with the rest of the film. It feels like the first act of a larger story, yet the story is sufficiently self-contained for a sequel to be unnecessary should one not be made. A great score as well to compliment the film. It is interesting to see how many scenes in Shyamalan’s films are often simply 2 characters conversing.
Hellboy : Director’s Cut (2003):star::star::star:1/2
Very enjoyable film, this was obviously a character tailor-made for Ron Perlman. Slight overuse of CGI towards the end of the film, it is still entertaining and it will be interesting to see where the sequel takes the story.
Open Season:star:
Another generic CGI animated buddy film, this has very little to recommend it – flat animation, dull characters, too much focus on “toilet humour” which is rarely funny, and the usual predictable plot of the mismatched pair suddenly realising they are best friends etc. Dull.
Mission : Impossible (1996):star::star::star:
The first half of this film is great, especially the opening sequence as the IMF team work together on a mission. The break-in to the computer vault is also brilliantly tense and again what sells it is the sense that the team is working together. It is a shame that the finale doesn’t maintain this – once the helicopter enters the tunnel, it becomes ridiculously overblown and spoils what came before.
Mission : Impossible II (2000):star:1/2
Ridiculously overblown, the problem here is they have forgotten what worked in the first film – the idea of a team working together on a mission. Instead we have Tom Cruise going solo for the most part and it doesn’t really work. The plot is laughable and very little happens for the first hour. The action sequences are awful and someone needs to tell John Woo to stop overusing slow-motion.
Mission Impossible III:star::star::star::star:
I really enjoyed this film and thought, as a whole, it was better than the first MI film (I am not going to mention the appalling second). What was really great was the greater focus on the team element, which was only in the first film at the start really. The sequence in the Vatican was exactly the kind of thing the film needed and action managed to tread the fine line between credibility and ridicule that the first film stepped over with the helicopter in the tunnel sequence.
I also thought Hoffman was great, a real nasty villain, and it's a shame he is not in it more, though I suppose it makes the scenes he is in more effective.
Basically, it does exactly what it promised in the trailer - be entertaining as a summer action film and in that it succeed hands down.
The Grudge : Extended Version (2005):star::star::star:
Again, like The Ring, this is nowhere near as effective as the original. In fact, this seems more rushed than the Japanese version. What was great about the original was how effective it was at building the tension. However, this is still a pretty good remake, and follows the template of the original pretty closely. Still I will be watching the Japanese version from now on. As regards to the extended version, I could not really tell what they added so it must have been very little.
Le Hussard Sur Le Toi - The Horseman On The Roof (1997):star::star::star:
Absolutely beautiful to look at, the film's story however seems to wander about aimlessly. When listening to the special features, it seems this was the intent as the book has a similar approach to the main character - in fact the film gives the central character an aim which the book does not. So this film purely rests on the 2 central characters - it takes quite a while for them to even meet and then they are separated for a further length of time. However, the story does pick up when they are together, and if at times it gets a little dull, it is still a beautiful film.
The Departed:star::star::star::star:1/2
This would have been a 5 star film. Everything about this film was absolutely brilliant - acting, direction, cinematography. And then, Scorsese pulls out a shock, that doesn't ruin the film but seems unnecessary given the build up to the finale. Ok, the ending is far from traditional and I applaud it going for a different approach (it's a while since I have seen Infernal Affairs, but Im pretty sure the same thing happens). However, after enjoying the film so much, it just took me out of the story for a second and all I could think was - What the hell did they do that for ? It was annoying partly because Scorsese had done such a good job in getting the audience to invest in a particular character and a dark ending is not always the best approach. Still, it is worth seeing and is more a less a masterpiece. Scorsese's best film since Goodfellas.
Titanic(1997):star::star::star:1/2
Still a very good film, in hindsight the film could have been a lot better because a lot of the first half of the film is only ok. Winslet and DiCaprio are the only characters given any attention, and Cameron tries to provide some other minor characters for you to care about, but they add nothing to the story (for example, cut out Fabrizio, and do we really need to know how Jack got his ticket etc). However, once the iceberg turns up, the film is still fantastic and most of the effects still hold up today, probably because so much of it was shot practically. The final part of the sinking after the band have finished playing is still one of the best "action" sequences I have seen.
Casino Royale:star::star::star::star:
One of the best Bond films in quite some time, it seems they have learnt the lessons of Die Another Day. Stuntwork which feels like it was done for real and a much more physical Bond are much better ways to go. Fortunately the story is pretty good as well and a much better direction to go than the typical plot to take over the world. Really liked Eva Green as well - her first scene with Bond is brilliantly scripted and played. Hope they manage to keep up the quality in Craig's future Bond films
Stormbreaker:star::star:
Bond-for-kids!!! Basically that's exactly what you get. It has its moments and a great cast, but the fact that this is a 14 year old boy makes it pretty ridiculous for adults. But for children, I imagine it is pretty good, especially since Bond films have become much more adult in tone and unsuitable.
Pan's Labyrinth:star::star::star::star:1/2
An excellent companion piece to The Devil's Backbone with the ghost story element being changed to fairy tales. This shows again how well Del Toro mixes fantasy with reality. Personally I preferred The Devil's Backbone, but this is nearly as good. A standout performance from the guy playing the sadistic captain/step-parent.
Ju-On : The Grudge 2:star::star:
There are occasional moments in this which are well done, but overall this generally feels like a rehash and the bits that are original which involve a mysterious pregnancy, don't really work very well at all. This is the Japanese version so I dont hold out much hope for the sequel to the American version now
The Omen 666:star::star:
It's ok and passes the time but you end up watching this thinking what was the point ? The film adds nothing to the original other than different variations on the way in which people are killed and it ultimately feels like a waste of everybody's time.
Happy Feet:star::star::star:
Manages to be much better than a lot of CG animated films this year, largely due to the fact that it gets quite dark in the middle of the film. I was surprised by how little Robin Williams did in this - I was half expecting him to take over the film as he did in Aladdin but he was quite restrained (or edited out of the film ?). Overally I liked this, although the feel-good ending, whilst expected, did go a bit overboard. Still worth seeing.
Brick:star::star::star:
An interesting film, but ultimately I didn't think it worked as well as it could have. The basic premise is Chinatown set in a school, and unfortunately, the film tries to be too clever with this - especially in the scenes between the Vice Principal and the main character. Still it is worth watching for a great performance from Joseph Gordon Levitt - he seems to be one of the few who have made a transition from being a child star.
Eragon:star::star:
The posters suggested some sort of Dragonheart crossed with LOTR and basically that's what you seem to get really along with the typical hero's journey of so many fantasy films. It is basically the same plot as Star Wars. Obviously Star Wars was hardly original, but when you have a scene with a burning farmstead, a dead relative and a mentor consoling the hero telling him there was nothing you could have done if you had been there etc. well.... As such, It was pretty obvious what was going to happen (who was going to die, etc).
Nothing wrong with that if it is done well and film did have some good moments. However, the film rushes from one scene to another with little time to dwell on the characters or the world they are in. It is also extremely poorly edited in some places and some subplots which I guess would have been developed much better in the book, are barely given enough screentime to make them worthwhile (specifically a subplot concerning a mystery teenager who seems to be helping Eragon). Coming out of the film, I was pretty disappointed, partly because there were the makings of an enjoyable film in here. As it is, I'm sure younger children may well enjoy it, but this is no Lord of the Rings.
Slither:star::star::star:
This took quite a while to get going but turned out to be an entertaining B movie. Nathan Fillion basically seems to play the same character as in Firefly but it doesn't spoil the film.
Monster House:star::star::star:1/2
Probably the best animated film this year, though that isn't saying much given there has been very little that has been good in this genre. The film reminds me of the kind of great films made for children in the 80s, like The Goonies, and the dialogue between the children feels a lot more realistic than your typical film aimed at children. It never gets sickly and is entertaining enough for both adults and children. I also liked the way the film dealt with real issues that children go through as puberty approaches and the dilemma that boys go through about whether to grow up or hang onto elements of their childhood.
Deja Vu:star::star::star:
Utter bollocks, but as is often the case with Tony Scott's films, it is still great fun to watch. This could have been another Bruckheimer disaster, but I'll give the credit to both Washington and Scott who seem to avoid the excesses that someone like Michael Bay would give in to.
Hook:star:
Dire film and probably Spielberg's worst as far as Im concerned. The only good points is Hoffman's performance and parts of the score. Other than that this is awful and excessively sentimental.
Wilderness:star::star::star:
Enjoyable horror movie in the same vein as Dog Soldiers, but without anything supernatural. It gets a little silly towards the end, but overall this is another strong British horror movie.
Total 127 films so far
SteveGon
Senior HTF Member
- Joined
- Dec 11, 2000
- Messages
- 12,250
- Real Name
- Steve Gonzales
Movie Crazy (1932)
Viewed 1/1/2006 (first viewing)
Funny little gem with Harold Lloyd as a movie nut who pursues his dream of acting in Hollywood. Only thing is, he stinks!
:star: :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:
I Am Dina (2002)
Viewed 1/2/2006 (first viewing)
Grim Nordic drama about a young girl who accidentally kills her mother and is thereafter haunted by death.
:star: :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:
Broken Flowers (2005)
Viewed 1/3/2006 (first viewing)
The latest from Jim Jarmusch stars Bill Murray as an aging womanizer who goes on the road in search of the son he didn't know he had.
:star: :star: :star: 1/2 out of :star: :star: :star: :star:
ABC Africa (2001)
Viewed 1/3/2006 (first viewing)
Documentary account of the AIDS crisis in Uganda and the resultant upsurge in the number of orphans.
:star: :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:
Mysterious Skin (2004)
Viewed 1/4/2006 (first viewing)
Engrossing drama about two young boys who grow up in two very different ways: one is gay and prostitutes himself out to older men, the other becomes a UFO nut, convinced that he was abducted by aliens and experimented on. What shared experience drives them? Tough to take at times, considering the underlying subject matter, but worth a look.
:star: :star: :star: 1/2 out of :star: :star: :star: :star:
Izo (2005)
Viewed 1/5/2006 (first viewing)
The soul of a crucified samurai is stranded on Earth and goes on a murderous rampage, killing anyone who gets in his way. Can even the Gods stop him? Interesting effort from Takashi Miike, though it goes on too long and gets repetitive.
:star: :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:
The Holy Girl (2004)
Viewed 1/5/2006 (first viewing)
So-so drama about a very religious girl who takes it upon herself to save the soul of an older man. Interesting premise has its moments, but I just couldn't get into it.
:star: :star: 1/2 out of :star: :star: :star: :star:
Red Eye (2005)
Viewed 1/6/2006 (first viewing)
Not the Wes Craven flick, but an okay Korean haunted-train movie. Worth a look if you're into Asian horror.
:star: :star: 1/2 out of :star: :star: :star: :star:
The Petrified Forest (1936)
Viewed 1/6/2006
Stage-based drama about an escaped gangster menacing the the inhabitants of an isolated desert diner. An early hit for Humphrey Bogart.
:star: :star: :star: 1/2 out of :star: :star: :star: :star:
Interrogation (1982)
Viewed 1/7/2006 (first viewing)
Chilling (and still relevant) drama about the Stalinist terror of 1950s Poland. A nightclub singer is imprisoned and tortured for reasons unknown. Will she cave in and admit to her "crimes?"
:star: :star: :star: 1/2 out of :star: :star: :star: :star:
Ask Father (1919)
Viewed 1/7/2006 (first viewing)
Hilarious Harold Lloyd short has the comedian trying to ask his sweetheart's father for her hand in marriage. But getting past her busy father's secretaries and bodyguards proves to be a challenge!
:star: :star: :star: 1/2 out of :star: :star: :star: :star:
From Hand to Mouth (1919)
Viewed 1/7/2006 (first viewing)
Another Harold Lloyd short, this one stars Lloyd as a down and out young man trying to foil the kidnapping of a pretty heiress.
:star: :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:
Children of the Marshlands (1999)
Viewed 1/7/2006 (first viewing)
Nostalgic French drama about a couple of marsh-dwelling buddies, their tumultuous friendship, and their relations with the nearby townspeople. Much of a piece with films like My Mother's Castle and My Father's Glory, with fine performances and the requisite bittersweet finale.
:star: :star: :star: 1/2 out of :star: :star: :star: :star:
Shoot the Piano Player (1960)
Viewed 1/8/2006
Francois Truffaut's jaunty ode to American gangster films has a piano player getting mixed up with hoodlums who are looking for his brother. Truffaut deftly mixes comedy and tragedy in this, one of his most entertaining movies.
:star: :star: :star: 1/2 out of :star: :star: :star: :star:
The Winter War (1989)
Viewed 1/8/2006 (first viewing)
Solid war epic about the little-known battles between Finland and invading Soviet forces in 1939. Only debit is that it's difficult at times to tell apart the members of the large cast - a tighter focus would have made it more involving. Gruesome at times, so be forewarned.
:star: :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:
Viewed 1/1/2006 (first viewing)
Funny little gem with Harold Lloyd as a movie nut who pursues his dream of acting in Hollywood. Only thing is, he stinks!
:star: :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:
I Am Dina (2002)
Viewed 1/2/2006 (first viewing)
Grim Nordic drama about a young girl who accidentally kills her mother and is thereafter haunted by death.
:star: :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:
Broken Flowers (2005)
Viewed 1/3/2006 (first viewing)
The latest from Jim Jarmusch stars Bill Murray as an aging womanizer who goes on the road in search of the son he didn't know he had.
:star: :star: :star: 1/2 out of :star: :star: :star: :star:
ABC Africa (2001)
Viewed 1/3/2006 (first viewing)
Documentary account of the AIDS crisis in Uganda and the resultant upsurge in the number of orphans.
:star: :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:
Mysterious Skin (2004)
Viewed 1/4/2006 (first viewing)
Engrossing drama about two young boys who grow up in two very different ways: one is gay and prostitutes himself out to older men, the other becomes a UFO nut, convinced that he was abducted by aliens and experimented on. What shared experience drives them? Tough to take at times, considering the underlying subject matter, but worth a look.
:star: :star: :star: 1/2 out of :star: :star: :star: :star:
Izo (2005)
Viewed 1/5/2006 (first viewing)
The soul of a crucified samurai is stranded on Earth and goes on a murderous rampage, killing anyone who gets in his way. Can even the Gods stop him? Interesting effort from Takashi Miike, though it goes on too long and gets repetitive.
:star: :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:
The Holy Girl (2004)
Viewed 1/5/2006 (first viewing)
So-so drama about a very religious girl who takes it upon herself to save the soul of an older man. Interesting premise has its moments, but I just couldn't get into it.
:star: :star: 1/2 out of :star: :star: :star: :star:
Red Eye (2005)
Viewed 1/6/2006 (first viewing)
Not the Wes Craven flick, but an okay Korean haunted-train movie. Worth a look if you're into Asian horror.
:star: :star: 1/2 out of :star: :star: :star: :star:
The Petrified Forest (1936)
Viewed 1/6/2006
Stage-based drama about an escaped gangster menacing the the inhabitants of an isolated desert diner. An early hit for Humphrey Bogart.
:star: :star: :star: 1/2 out of :star: :star: :star: :star:
Interrogation (1982)
Viewed 1/7/2006 (first viewing)
Chilling (and still relevant) drama about the Stalinist terror of 1950s Poland. A nightclub singer is imprisoned and tortured for reasons unknown. Will she cave in and admit to her "crimes?"
:star: :star: :star: 1/2 out of :star: :star: :star: :star:
Ask Father (1919)
Viewed 1/7/2006 (first viewing)
Hilarious Harold Lloyd short has the comedian trying to ask his sweetheart's father for her hand in marriage. But getting past her busy father's secretaries and bodyguards proves to be a challenge!
:star: :star: :star: 1/2 out of :star: :star: :star: :star:
From Hand to Mouth (1919)
Viewed 1/7/2006 (first viewing)
Another Harold Lloyd short, this one stars Lloyd as a down and out young man trying to foil the kidnapping of a pretty heiress.
:star: :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:
Children of the Marshlands (1999)
Viewed 1/7/2006 (first viewing)
Nostalgic French drama about a couple of marsh-dwelling buddies, their tumultuous friendship, and their relations with the nearby townspeople. Much of a piece with films like My Mother's Castle and My Father's Glory, with fine performances and the requisite bittersweet finale.
:star: :star: :star: 1/2 out of :star: :star: :star: :star:
Shoot the Piano Player (1960)
Viewed 1/8/2006
Francois Truffaut's jaunty ode to American gangster films has a piano player getting mixed up with hoodlums who are looking for his brother. Truffaut deftly mixes comedy and tragedy in this, one of his most entertaining movies.
:star: :star: :star: 1/2 out of :star: :star: :star: :star:
The Winter War (1989)
Viewed 1/8/2006 (first viewing)
Solid war epic about the little-known battles between Finland and invading Soviet forces in 1939. Only debit is that it's difficult at times to tell apart the members of the large cast - a tighter focus would have made it more involving. Gruesome at times, so be forewarned.
:star: :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:
RafaelB
Second Unit
- Joined
- May 10, 2001
- Messages
- 447
Theatrical Films Watched in 2006:
January
1/3- Wolf Creek :star: :star: :star:
1/4- Narnia: Lion, Witch, & Wardrobe (2nd time) :star: :star: :star:
1/15- Brokeback Mountain (2nd time) :star: :star: :star: :star:
1/21- Walk The Line :star: :star: :star:
February
2/4- Memoirs of a Geisha :star: :star:
2/17- Match Point :star: :star: 1/2
March
3/5- Gay Sex In The 70s :star: :star: 1/2
3/9- Thank You For Smoking :star: :star: 1/2
3/10- Eight Below :star: :star: :star:
3/9- 16 Blocks :star: :star: :star:
3/17- V For Vendetta :star: :star: :star: :star:
April
4/1- Inside Man :star: :star: :star:
4/18- Ice Age: The Meltdown :star: :star: 1/2
May
5/21- Mission Impossible 3 :star: :star: :star: :star:
5/27- Over The Hedge :star: :star: :star: :star:
5/27- X-Men: The Last Stand :star: :star: 1/2
June
6/13- Akeelah And The Bee :star: :star: :star:
6/17- Cars (in Digital Projection) :star: :star: :star:
6/29- Superman Returns :star: :star: :star: 1/2
July
7/2- The Devil Wears Prada :star: :star: :star:
7/14- Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest :star:
7/15- Superman Returns (IMAX) :star: :star: :star: 1/2
7/21- Clerks II :star: :star: :star: 1/2
7/23- Strangers With Candy :star: :star: 1/2
7/30- The Lady In The Water :star: :star:
August
8/8- The Night Listener :star: :star: :star:
8/11- Superman Returns (IMAX 3D) :star: :star: :star: 1/2
8/15- The Descent :star: :star: :star:
8/20- The Devil Wears Prada (2nd time) :star: :star: :star:
8/25- Monster House (Digital 3D) :star: :star: :star: :star:
8/31- Little Miss Sunshine :star: :star: 1/2
September
9/2- The Illusionist :star: :star:
9/3- Another Gay Movie :star: :star: 1/2
9/4- Idlewild :star: :star: :star:
9/9- A Scanner Darkly :star: :star:
9/9- Half-Nelson :star: :star: 3/4
9/13- Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby :star: :star:
9/18- Confetti :star: :star: :star: 1/2
9/21- All The King's Men :star: 1/2
9/23- The Black Dahlia :star:
9/23- Step Up :star: :star: 1/2
October
10/13- Shortbus :star: :star: :star:
10/15- Open Season :star: :star:
10/20- The Prestige :star: :star: :star: :star:
10/22- Marie Antoinette :star: :star: :star: 1/2
10/15- The Departed :star: :star: :star:
November
11/3- The Nightmare Before Christmas :star: :star: :star: :star:
11/5- Flushed Away :star: :star: :star:
11/5- Running With Scissors :star: :star: 1/2
11/8- Stranger Than Fiction :star: :star: :star: 1/2
11/16- Dreamgirls :star: :star: :star: :star: 1/2
11/19- Borat :star: :star: 1/2
11/19- Casino Royale (2006) :star: :star: :star: :star:
11/23- The Fountain :star: :star: :star:
11/26- For Your Consideration :star: :star: 1/2
11/30- Volver :star: :star: :star: 1/2
December
12/16- Dreamgirls (at the Zeigfeld, DLP) :star: :star: :star: :star: 1/2
12/21- Charlotte's Web (2006) :star: :star: :star:
12/23- Happy Feet (IMAX) :star: :star: :star: :star:
12/31- The Holiday :star: :star: 1/2
January
1/3- Wolf Creek :star: :star: :star:
1/4- Narnia: Lion, Witch, & Wardrobe (2nd time) :star: :star: :star:
1/15- Brokeback Mountain (2nd time) :star: :star: :star: :star:
1/21- Walk The Line :star: :star: :star:
February
2/4- Memoirs of a Geisha :star: :star:
2/17- Match Point :star: :star: 1/2
March
3/5- Gay Sex In The 70s :star: :star: 1/2
3/9- Thank You For Smoking :star: :star: 1/2
3/10- Eight Below :star: :star: :star:
3/9- 16 Blocks :star: :star: :star:
3/17- V For Vendetta :star: :star: :star: :star:
April
4/1- Inside Man :star: :star: :star:
4/18- Ice Age: The Meltdown :star: :star: 1/2
May
5/21- Mission Impossible 3 :star: :star: :star: :star:
5/27- Over The Hedge :star: :star: :star: :star:
5/27- X-Men: The Last Stand :star: :star: 1/2
June
6/13- Akeelah And The Bee :star: :star: :star:
6/17- Cars (in Digital Projection) :star: :star: :star:
6/29- Superman Returns :star: :star: :star: 1/2
July
7/2- The Devil Wears Prada :star: :star: :star:
7/14- Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest :star:
7/15- Superman Returns (IMAX) :star: :star: :star: 1/2
7/21- Clerks II :star: :star: :star: 1/2
7/23- Strangers With Candy :star: :star: 1/2
7/30- The Lady In The Water :star: :star:
August
8/8- The Night Listener :star: :star: :star:
8/11- Superman Returns (IMAX 3D) :star: :star: :star: 1/2
8/15- The Descent :star: :star: :star:
8/20- The Devil Wears Prada (2nd time) :star: :star: :star:
8/25- Monster House (Digital 3D) :star: :star: :star: :star:
8/31- Little Miss Sunshine :star: :star: 1/2
September
9/2- The Illusionist :star: :star:
9/3- Another Gay Movie :star: :star: 1/2
9/4- Idlewild :star: :star: :star:
9/9- A Scanner Darkly :star: :star:
9/9- Half-Nelson :star: :star: 3/4
9/13- Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby :star: :star:
9/18- Confetti :star: :star: :star: 1/2
9/21- All The King's Men :star: 1/2
9/23- The Black Dahlia :star:
9/23- Step Up :star: :star: 1/2
October
10/13- Shortbus :star: :star: :star:
10/15- Open Season :star: :star:
10/20- The Prestige :star: :star: :star: :star:
10/22- Marie Antoinette :star: :star: :star: 1/2
10/15- The Departed :star: :star: :star:
November
11/3- The Nightmare Before Christmas :star: :star: :star: :star:
11/5- Flushed Away :star: :star: :star:
11/5- Running With Scissors :star: :star: 1/2
11/8- Stranger Than Fiction :star: :star: :star: 1/2
11/16- Dreamgirls :star: :star: :star: :star: 1/2
11/19- Borat :star: :star: 1/2
11/19- Casino Royale (2006) :star: :star: :star: :star:
11/23- The Fountain :star: :star: :star:
11/26- For Your Consideration :star: :star: 1/2
11/30- Volver :star: :star: :star: 1/2
December
12/16- Dreamgirls (at the Zeigfeld, DLP) :star: :star: :star: :star: 1/2
12/21- Charlotte's Web (2006) :star: :star: :star:
12/23- Happy Feet (IMAX) :star: :star: :star: :star:
12/31- The Holiday :star: :star: 1/2
Brook K
Senior HTF Member
- Joined
- Feb 22, 2000
- Messages
- 9,467
Broken Flowers (2005) - Bill Murray's latest sardonic performance comes to life thanks to Jim Jarmusch's deadpan humor and layered scripting that provides plenty of laughs while tugging at the heartstrings. The solid supporting cast includes Jeffrey Wright, Tilda Swinton, and a cameo from cult horror director Larry Fessenden. The film considers people who were once a large part of our lives, people who were cared for, that no longer exist in our present - heady stuff about memory, loss, and regret. - B+
2046 (2004) - Wong Kar-Wai's long gestating sequel to In The Mood For Love is a complex sequence of love stories combined with a fictionalized future created through the experiences of the writer, Mr. Chow, whose story we follow in both films. Deliriously beautiful and possessing a soundtrack that combines classical, opera, and Nat King Cole, just like In The Mood, it's series of relationships never capture the magic of the previous film. This is certainly intentional, as Mr. Chow is on an impossible journey to rediscover the same feelings he had with his lost true love, but makes for problematic film viewing as the scenes, no matter how beautiful, pale in comparision to the emotional power of the previous film. - B
Also added a viewing of my last single film Christmas DVD:
The Miracle of Morgan's Creek (1943) - I enjoyed this 2nd viewing a good deal more than my first. I was able to get over my initial disappointment that Sturges' sophisticated dialogue is jettisoned here for a more folksy approach. But now I realize that the film is no less complex in construction or theme than his other work of this period and it contains his typically deft balance of humorous cynicism and charming relationships. Eddie Bracken and William Demarest are joys to watch, exhibiting superb comic timing while giving their characters emotional heft. - A-
2046 (2004) - Wong Kar-Wai's long gestating sequel to In The Mood For Love is a complex sequence of love stories combined with a fictionalized future created through the experiences of the writer, Mr. Chow, whose story we follow in both films. Deliriously beautiful and possessing a soundtrack that combines classical, opera, and Nat King Cole, just like In The Mood, it's series of relationships never capture the magic of the previous film. This is certainly intentional, as Mr. Chow is on an impossible journey to rediscover the same feelings he had with his lost true love, but makes for problematic film viewing as the scenes, no matter how beautiful, pale in comparision to the emotional power of the previous film. - B
Also added a viewing of my last single film Christmas DVD:
The Miracle of Morgan's Creek (1943) - I enjoyed this 2nd viewing a good deal more than my first. I was able to get over my initial disappointment that Sturges' sophisticated dialogue is jettisoned here for a more folksy approach. But now I realize that the film is no less complex in construction or theme than his other work of this period and it contains his typically deft balance of humorous cynicism and charming relationships. Eddie Bracken and William Demarest are joys to watch, exhibiting superb comic timing while giving their characters emotional heft. - A-
Ted Lee
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added to master post:
title: fitzcarraldo
rating: c
comments: first viewing of this director. a little too long, took a while to get into the story, but enjoyed the boat part. bought into the "dream" of the main character...i really felt and rooted for him. amazing that they really hauled that boat up the mountain.
title: fitzcarraldo
rating: c
comments: first viewing of this director. a little too long, took a while to get into the story, but enjoyed the boat part. bought into the "dream" of the main character...i really felt and rooted for him. amazing that they really hauled that boat up the mountain.
Haggai
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Brook, I see from your Wong Kar-Wai list in Polls that you haven't seen Days of Being Wild yet, which you certainly should. It's his first take on that '60s HK milieu, and it fits in with 2046 as well. Tony Leung's character in 2046 is the same guy he played in ITMFL, but he's much closer in temperament and behavior to the main character of Days of Being Wild, played by Leslie Cheung. I don't know if seeing it would affect your take on 2046 all that much, but it definitely adds some texture and other character connections.
Also, regarding Love Me Tonight, have you seen Lubitsch's version of The Merry Widow? It's on TCM Essentials later this month. Similar style, with the same two stars and light romantic comedy in a fantasy-land version of Paris, but there's more emphasis on straight comedy and fewer cinematic fireworks. I thought it was also a masterpiece, both ranked 10 out of 10 in my movie list last year.
On to some recent viewings...
Two for the Road (1967) 8/10
Albert Finney and Audrey Hepburn star in an unusually structured romance with several different stages of a marriage gone sour interwoven together, from the carefree beginning of their relationship to their current difficulties, all set on their vacations in the French countryside. The charm and chemistry of the two leads, plus the beautiful locations, make for an enjoyable ride, although one subplot where they travel with an annoying young family kinds of drags.
Match Point (2005) 8/10
Woody Allen's attempt at a straight-up sexual thriller is pretty mechanical, but well acted and cleverly plotted down the stretch. Johnathan Rhys-Miers and Scarlett Johanssen have some pretty hot scenes together, and although the story maybe skips a beat or two along the way in establishing the motivations behind the main character's fateful decisions, it holds together well and provides some good suspense.
Forbidden Games (1952) 9/10
This one sure affected me more than it did for Jim. Definitely one of the saddest films I've seen in a long time, the first ten minutes alone are so heart-wrenching that it had me gasping out loud. But it's not a tear-jerker, per se, just a tragic tale of life during wartime through the eyes of two young children.
The Awful Truth (1937) 9/10
Lots of laugh-out-loud moments in one of the top classic screwball comedies. Hollywood's top dog of the '30s, Asta, gets some scene stealing moments, and the ups and downs of divorce provide a (very loosely plotted) template for the brilliant leads: Cary Grant in one of his signature roles, playing opposite the hilarious and irresistably sexy Irene Dunne.
Also, regarding Love Me Tonight, have you seen Lubitsch's version of The Merry Widow? It's on TCM Essentials later this month. Similar style, with the same two stars and light romantic comedy in a fantasy-land version of Paris, but there's more emphasis on straight comedy and fewer cinematic fireworks. I thought it was also a masterpiece, both ranked 10 out of 10 in my movie list last year.
On to some recent viewings...
Two for the Road (1967) 8/10
Albert Finney and Audrey Hepburn star in an unusually structured romance with several different stages of a marriage gone sour interwoven together, from the carefree beginning of their relationship to their current difficulties, all set on their vacations in the French countryside. The charm and chemistry of the two leads, plus the beautiful locations, make for an enjoyable ride, although one subplot where they travel with an annoying young family kinds of drags.
Match Point (2005) 8/10
Woody Allen's attempt at a straight-up sexual thriller is pretty mechanical, but well acted and cleverly plotted down the stretch. Johnathan Rhys-Miers and Scarlett Johanssen have some pretty hot scenes together, and although the story maybe skips a beat or two along the way in establishing the motivations behind the main character's fateful decisions, it holds together well and provides some good suspense.
Forbidden Games (1952) 9/10
This one sure affected me more than it did for Jim. Definitely one of the saddest films I've seen in a long time, the first ten minutes alone are so heart-wrenching that it had me gasping out loud. But it's not a tear-jerker, per se, just a tragic tale of life during wartime through the eyes of two young children.
The Awful Truth (1937) 9/10
Lots of laugh-out-loud moments in one of the top classic screwball comedies. Hollywood's top dog of the '30s, Asta, gets some scene stealing moments, and the ups and downs of divorce provide a (very loosely plotted) template for the brilliant leads: Cary Grant in one of his signature roles, playing opposite the hilarious and irresistably sexy Irene Dunne.
Bob Turnbull
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The making of doc Burden Of Dreams goes deeper into how they pulled the boat across. Mind-boggling stuff. I tend to agree Fitzcarraldo is a bit slow, but try Herzog's Aguirre: Wrath Of God or Cobra Verde for some other Kinski/Herzog collaborations. His "documentaries" also have some jaw-dropping moments. I just watched Lessons Of Darkness and it wraps a sci-fi story around incredible footage from the capping of the oil wells after Desert Storm.
Ted Lee
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thx bob ... aguirre did look interesting. i think i'm gonna give that one a try.
Marc Fedderman
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It's hard to fully appreciate The Miracle of Morgan's Creek without some sense of context. The film seems to be Sturges' deliberate attempt to flout the stifling production code. As Bob mentioned, there's so much humor that deftly flies under the radar here, sort of the director's way of saying to the censor: "You may have the red pencil and scissors, but I'm so much smarter than you."
I definitely plan on revisiting this one in 2006.
I definitely plan on revisiting this one in 2006.
Ted Lee
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added to master post:
title: kingdom of heaven
rating: b-
comments: as a ridley scott whore, i wasn't disappointed...but i felt like i'd seen this all before. visually...very appealing.
title: kingdom of heaven
rating: b-
comments: as a ridley scott whore, i wasn't disappointed...but i felt like i'd seen this all before. visually...very appealing.
george kaplan
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Ikiru
While I have no interest in seeing this again, I'm very glad to have seen this very well-made film once. A fairly rare 'human character study' that isn't a boring melodrama. Not quite flawless - I got the point of his "lost evening" after the 15th or 16th night club that he went to, I really didn't need to see him in the last 8 - but still top-notch for this genre. Like I said, not a film I'll revisit, but if you like type of film, and haven't seen it yet, put it at the top of your queue.
While I have no interest in seeing this again, I'm very glad to have seen this very well-made film once. A fairly rare 'human character study' that isn't a boring melodrama. Not quite flawless - I got the point of his "lost evening" after the 15th or 16th night club that he went to, I really didn't need to see him in the last 8 - but still top-notch for this genre. Like I said, not a film I'll revisit, but if you like type of film, and haven't seen it yet, put it at the top of your queue.
Michael Elliott
Senior HTF Member
01/08/06
Road to Paradise (1930) :star::star:
Incredibly far fetched drama about a young woman (Loretta Young) who helps two criminals rob from her look alike. This is certainly a film you’d have to see to believe because the story is so far fetched that you can never take it serious. The screenwriter made the mistake of making this a drama when it probably would have worked better as a screwball comedy. The ending is so out there you can’t help but laugh when it’s supposed to be dramatic. Young gives a good performance in her duel role but the rest of the cast is pretty dull. Directed by William Beaudine.
Big Business Girl (1931) :star::star:
A smart and sexy college girl (Loretta Young) goes to the big city to make good money but once getting there she realizes it takes a nice pair of legs, more than brains, to get anywhere. The girl uses her legs to start moving up but when her boss starts coming onto her this doesn’t make the husband very happy. Here’s another pre-code dealing with (at the time) “women trying to be men”. The story is pretty flat but Young and the cast manage to keep things going throughout. There are some nice pre-code elements at the start of the film including a college party where all the couples are in the backseats of their cars.
Life Begins (1932) :star::star::star:
The ultimate “chic flick” takes place in a maternity ward as various women discuss children, their lives and their hopes for the future. The entire cast including Loretta Young makes this thing worth watching. It’s overly dramatic throughout and quite preachy and heavy handled but the charm of the cast makes it worth sitting through. The downbeat ending also packs a nice little punch.
Weekend Marriage (1932) :star::star:
After their marriage, Loretta Young and her husband find troubles when she starts making more money than him. He didn’t want her to work at all and now he begins to feel like the wife. Here’s another early moral tale that’s pretty slow moving throughout, although the leads offer good performances.
Along Came Jones (1945) :star::star::star:
A singing cowboy (Gary Cooper) rides into a town where he’s mistaken for a wanted outlaw. The cowboy eventually gets caught up with the real outlaw and a woman (Loretta Young) he eventually falls for. This was produced by Cooper and it’s quite a different Western than what was typical at the time and it’s certainly a far cry from the John Ford films of its era. The film isn’t a total success but Cooper and especially Young make it worth watching, as does the supporting cast.
01/09/06
Bishop’s Wife, The (1947) :star::star::star:1/2
An angel (Cary Grant) is sent from Heaven to help a troubled bishop (David Niven) and his unhappy wife (Loretta Young). I know this was quite popular when released but today’s it’s in the back shadow of It’s a Wonderful Life, which I find a bit shocking. While I think the Capra film is twenty times better, that film is a rather dark and somewhat depressing one so I’m shocked this sweet and touching film isn’t better remembered. The key to the film is having the most charming actor in Grant teamed up with the most charming actress in Young. The two do wonderful work together and really bring a lot of joy to the screen.
01/11/06
Soul of a Monster, The (1944) :star:
Forgotten horror film from Columbia about a doctor on his deathbed whose wife prays, to good or evil, that he lives. He gets better thanks to a mysterious woman but what they don’t know is that this woman put the soul of a monster into the doctor’s body. There’s a very good reason Columbia hasn’t released this sucker on any home video format and that’s because it’s pretty damn bad. I took me three viewings before I could watch the entire film without falling asleep. The film tries very hard to recapture the mood and feel of a Val Lewton film but it fails on all levels.
Supernatural (1933) :star::star:1/2
Decent horror/thriller from Paramount has a woman about to be executed for killing three of her lovers during an orgy. She asks for her forth lover to come visit her but when she refuses she swears revenge. After her death a doctor accidentally releases her spirit into the body of a good girl (Carole Lombard) who then tries to carry out the death wish. This here was directed by Victor Halperin who directed White Zombie the previous year and the biggest difference between the two films is that this one here actually moves at a rather fast pace unlike the Lugosi title. On the other hand the story is a bit too dry to be fully entertaining and both Lombard and Randolph Scott give pretty mediocre performances.
Vampire’s Ghost, The (1945) :star::star::star:
Unique version of a vampire tale from Republic has been forgotten over the years due to its rarity but this here certainly needs to find a new crowd. A 400-year-old vampire (John Abbott) living in Africa sets his sight on a new girl but the voodoo locals and her boyfriend try to stop him. A very intelligent script by Leigh Brackett makes this head and shoulders more original than the Dracula films being delivered by Universal and Columbia. The film throws in all sorts of new ideas surrounding the legend of vampires and that’s what makes this film so interesting even if it does drag a bit at 59-minutes. Abbott is wonderful in his role and his strange look is all the more fitting. Nice atmosphere and a terrific mood help overcome the low budget.
Road to Paradise (1930) :star::star:
Incredibly far fetched drama about a young woman (Loretta Young) who helps two criminals rob from her look alike. This is certainly a film you’d have to see to believe because the story is so far fetched that you can never take it serious. The screenwriter made the mistake of making this a drama when it probably would have worked better as a screwball comedy. The ending is so out there you can’t help but laugh when it’s supposed to be dramatic. Young gives a good performance in her duel role but the rest of the cast is pretty dull. Directed by William Beaudine.
Big Business Girl (1931) :star::star:
A smart and sexy college girl (Loretta Young) goes to the big city to make good money but once getting there she realizes it takes a nice pair of legs, more than brains, to get anywhere. The girl uses her legs to start moving up but when her boss starts coming onto her this doesn’t make the husband very happy. Here’s another pre-code dealing with (at the time) “women trying to be men”. The story is pretty flat but Young and the cast manage to keep things going throughout. There are some nice pre-code elements at the start of the film including a college party where all the couples are in the backseats of their cars.
Life Begins (1932) :star::star::star:
The ultimate “chic flick” takes place in a maternity ward as various women discuss children, their lives and their hopes for the future. The entire cast including Loretta Young makes this thing worth watching. It’s overly dramatic throughout and quite preachy and heavy handled but the charm of the cast makes it worth sitting through. The downbeat ending also packs a nice little punch.
Weekend Marriage (1932) :star::star:
After their marriage, Loretta Young and her husband find troubles when she starts making more money than him. He didn’t want her to work at all and now he begins to feel like the wife. Here’s another early moral tale that’s pretty slow moving throughout, although the leads offer good performances.
Along Came Jones (1945) :star::star::star:
A singing cowboy (Gary Cooper) rides into a town where he’s mistaken for a wanted outlaw. The cowboy eventually gets caught up with the real outlaw and a woman (Loretta Young) he eventually falls for. This was produced by Cooper and it’s quite a different Western than what was typical at the time and it’s certainly a far cry from the John Ford films of its era. The film isn’t a total success but Cooper and especially Young make it worth watching, as does the supporting cast.
01/09/06
Bishop’s Wife, The (1947) :star::star::star:1/2
An angel (Cary Grant) is sent from Heaven to help a troubled bishop (David Niven) and his unhappy wife (Loretta Young). I know this was quite popular when released but today’s it’s in the back shadow of It’s a Wonderful Life, which I find a bit shocking. While I think the Capra film is twenty times better, that film is a rather dark and somewhat depressing one so I’m shocked this sweet and touching film isn’t better remembered. The key to the film is having the most charming actor in Grant teamed up with the most charming actress in Young. The two do wonderful work together and really bring a lot of joy to the screen.
01/11/06
Soul of a Monster, The (1944) :star:
Forgotten horror film from Columbia about a doctor on his deathbed whose wife prays, to good or evil, that he lives. He gets better thanks to a mysterious woman but what they don’t know is that this woman put the soul of a monster into the doctor’s body. There’s a very good reason Columbia hasn’t released this sucker on any home video format and that’s because it’s pretty damn bad. I took me three viewings before I could watch the entire film without falling asleep. The film tries very hard to recapture the mood and feel of a Val Lewton film but it fails on all levels.
Supernatural (1933) :star::star:1/2
Decent horror/thriller from Paramount has a woman about to be executed for killing three of her lovers during an orgy. She asks for her forth lover to come visit her but when she refuses she swears revenge. After her death a doctor accidentally releases her spirit into the body of a good girl (Carole Lombard) who then tries to carry out the death wish. This here was directed by Victor Halperin who directed White Zombie the previous year and the biggest difference between the two films is that this one here actually moves at a rather fast pace unlike the Lugosi title. On the other hand the story is a bit too dry to be fully entertaining and both Lombard and Randolph Scott give pretty mediocre performances.
Vampire’s Ghost, The (1945) :star::star::star:
Unique version of a vampire tale from Republic has been forgotten over the years due to its rarity but this here certainly needs to find a new crowd. A 400-year-old vampire (John Abbott) living in Africa sets his sight on a new girl but the voodoo locals and her boyfriend try to stop him. A very intelligent script by Leigh Brackett makes this head and shoulders more original than the Dracula films being delivered by Universal and Columbia. The film throws in all sorts of new ideas surrounding the legend of vampires and that’s what makes this film so interesting even if it does drag a bit at 59-minutes. Abbott is wonderful in his role and his strange look is all the more fitting. Nice atmosphere and a terrific mood help overcome the low budget.
Joe Karlosi
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- 6,008
Rain Man (1988) :star: :star: :star: :star:
Tom Cruise offers one of his better characterizations as an abusive and selfish young man estranged from his wealthy late father who realizes he has an autistic older brother he never knew about (Dustin Hoffman). He sets out to use his brother to further his own financial gain but comes to realize the bond they both share and comes to taper his greedy ways. Hoffman is brilliant as the autistic man, and this film is a wonderful mixture of humor, drama, and tenderness.
Tom Cruise offers one of his better characterizations as an abusive and selfish young man estranged from his wealthy late father who realizes he has an autistic older brother he never knew about (Dustin Hoffman). He sets out to use his brother to further his own financial gain but comes to realize the bond they both share and comes to taper his greedy ways. Hoffman is brilliant as the autistic man, and this film is a wonderful mixture of humor, drama, and tenderness.
Ted Lee
Senior HTF Member
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added to master post.
title: this is spinal tap
rating: a
comments: first viewing. i've heard of this movie for years, but finally tivo'd it. loved the lyrics and "period" pieces, great dialog, i laughed out loud many times. i can see why this is such a cult favorite.
title: this is spinal tap
rating: a
comments: first viewing. i've heard of this movie for years, but finally tivo'd it. loved the lyrics and "period" pieces, great dialog, i laughed out loud many times. i can see why this is such a cult favorite.
John Berggren
Senior HTF Member
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- Jun 17, 1999
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- 3,237
Interestingly, the more I get into filmMAKING, the less I seem to get a chance to actually get into film WATCHING.
But here goes:
star ratings are out of a possible
January 2006
7 The Squid & The Whale (2005)
9 Rent (2005)
But here goes:
star ratings are out of a possible
January 2006
7 The Squid & The Whale (2005)
9 Rent (2005)
Brook K
Senior HTF Member
- Joined
- Feb 22, 2000
- Messages
- 9,467
Haggai - Yes, I'm aware of the Days of Being Wild connection. It's been on my Netflix list for some time, just haven't gotten to it yet.
No, I haven't seen The Merry Widow. Sounds like another one I should see.
Japanese Director Yoji Yamada received some recent acclaim for his film The Twilight Samurai but he has been directing and writing films since the 60's. Most of his career has been spent on the Tora-San series (46 films!) that ran from 1969-1996.
The Village (1975) - Moving drama about a promoter who comes to a small farming village to try to convince the local young people's group to fund a musical play. The group's president, a reluctant farmer who's in love with a woman but too shy to do anything about it, would like to put on the play, however others in the group are afraid of the expense involved and what will happen if they don't sell enough tickets to cover the show's cost.
Akin to a John Sayles or Ermanno Olmi film, Yamada is interested in showing us a slowly vanishing way of life. We see the sociology of the village, the hopes and problems of young and old, and particular details about the working life of people in the village. This village would fit comfortably in Missouri or Iowa, a farming community where the older people want their children to stay and follow in their footsteps while the young feel the pull of the city, better jobs, and stepping out of their parents' shadow.
After the group overcomes various hardships through their friendship and tenacity, we are treated to the play itself. The musical is about a similar small town, and encapsulates the dreams and problems of the village audience. We see the transformative power of art to collectively communicate and bring together the village inhabitants - they laugh and cry together through this shared cultural experience that has enlived their humdrum daily existence. When the youth group sees the effect their accomplishment has had on others, we get the feeling that their eyes have been opened to their own inner strength and abilities and their future lives will be brighter for having this experience. - B+
Home From the Sea (1972) - This family drama also is about a vanishing way of life. Set in a small island fishing community, a family operates a boat hauling construction debris from a city site. Between their aging boat and engine, competition from newer boats, and rising fuel costs, the family makes very little money; often relying on a fisherman friend who gives them fish. When their ship is damaged in a storm, the father realizes he has little choice but to leave their idyllic island for a factory job.
Documenting the working life and problems of the family in meticulous detail, this lyrical film presents a journey of sorrow, as we watch the father and other family members endure the slow ebb of the life they love despite it's lack of material comforts. We see how the family takes pleasure in their work, the beauty of their surroundings and the small victories of the day, while being hounded by their knowledge of the fragility of their existence. Also of note is a wonderful performance by Ozu-veteran Chishu Ryu as the grandfather of the family.
Though it exhibits some small technical problems, this is a film of substantial emotional power. The family's plight reflects both the contemporary social reality of 70's Japan, and an experience that still feels familiar in 2006. - A-
No, I haven't seen The Merry Widow. Sounds like another one I should see.
Japanese Director Yoji Yamada received some recent acclaim for his film The Twilight Samurai but he has been directing and writing films since the 60's. Most of his career has been spent on the Tora-San series (46 films!) that ran from 1969-1996.
The Village (1975) - Moving drama about a promoter who comes to a small farming village to try to convince the local young people's group to fund a musical play. The group's president, a reluctant farmer who's in love with a woman but too shy to do anything about it, would like to put on the play, however others in the group are afraid of the expense involved and what will happen if they don't sell enough tickets to cover the show's cost.
Akin to a John Sayles or Ermanno Olmi film, Yamada is interested in showing us a slowly vanishing way of life. We see the sociology of the village, the hopes and problems of young and old, and particular details about the working life of people in the village. This village would fit comfortably in Missouri or Iowa, a farming community where the older people want their children to stay and follow in their footsteps while the young feel the pull of the city, better jobs, and stepping out of their parents' shadow.
After the group overcomes various hardships through their friendship and tenacity, we are treated to the play itself. The musical is about a similar small town, and encapsulates the dreams and problems of the village audience. We see the transformative power of art to collectively communicate and bring together the village inhabitants - they laugh and cry together through this shared cultural experience that has enlived their humdrum daily existence. When the youth group sees the effect their accomplishment has had on others, we get the feeling that their eyes have been opened to their own inner strength and abilities and their future lives will be brighter for having this experience. - B+
Home From the Sea (1972) - This family drama also is about a vanishing way of life. Set in a small island fishing community, a family operates a boat hauling construction debris from a city site. Between their aging boat and engine, competition from newer boats, and rising fuel costs, the family makes very little money; often relying on a fisherman friend who gives them fish. When their ship is damaged in a storm, the father realizes he has little choice but to leave their idyllic island for a factory job.
Documenting the working life and problems of the family in meticulous detail, this lyrical film presents a journey of sorrow, as we watch the father and other family members endure the slow ebb of the life they love despite it's lack of material comforts. We see how the family takes pleasure in their work, the beauty of their surroundings and the small victories of the day, while being hounded by their knowledge of the fragility of their existence. Also of note is a wonderful performance by Ozu-veteran Chishu Ryu as the grandfather of the family.
Though it exhibits some small technical problems, this is a film of substantial emotional power. The family's plight reflects both the contemporary social reality of 70's Japan, and an experience that still feels familiar in 2006. - A-
Haggai
Senior HTF Member
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- Messages
- 3,883
Chicago (2002) 9/10
What I really noticed in this viewing was how tight and efficient the script is, definitely one of the main strengths of this great musical adaptation, avoiding a problem common to many stage-to-screen musicals (acceptable length in the theater becoming tiresome bloat on the screen). The non-musical scenes move briskly, always advancing the characters and the story, while entertaining along the way as well. With about a dozen numbers, the movie still clocks in under 2 hours, and with several minutes to spare.
Therese Raquin (1953) 7/10
Marcel Carne (Children of Paradise) directs the great Simone Signoret in an adaptation of an Emile Zola novel about a downtrodden and desperate housewife who tempts fate with a hunky suitor. An OK effort with some decent scenes, especially the major dramatic turning point, plus the benefit of Signoret's star presence, but it doesn't amount to much more than standard melodrama in the end.
The Bad Sleep Well (1960) 8/10
This fascinating modern-day drama from Kurosawa, dealing with corporate greed and corruption, seems like a precursor to the paranoia pictures of the '70s like The Conversation and All the President's Men. One character's phone call in the final scenes, to an unidentified big shot on the other end, might be imagined as going to the same never-revealed figures who are behind everything in The Parallax View. Great use of widescreen and deep focus in the excellent opening sequence, a 20-minute long wedding scene that sets the tone, establishes almost all the main characters, and jump starts the plot. I was really amazed by how Masayuki Mori disappeared into his role, as the head of the corporation: in spite of being familiar with him from Rashomon and Ugetsu, I didn't recognize him at all. After the documentary on the DVD pointed out which role he had played, I went back and checked a few of his scenes, but I still couldn't recognize him, not even when he was in close-ups!
So, why 8 out of 10 instead of 9...well, the story is knocked down a notch by the really inept way that it reveals a crucial bit of information about one of the main characters (I won't spoil it). It's all revealed directly through dialogue, like a hurried Agatha Christie last pages-denoument (although it comes mid-way through the movie), so it comes off as a pretty silly and contrived plot twist. But then another scene just afterwards handles the same information brilliantly: another character develops some suspicions about the one with the secret, and as he digs for information, the secret is revealed to him with a nifty cinematic jolt. THAT scene should clearly have been the one that revealed the truth about this plot point to the audience; it's surprising to me that Kurosawa, of all people, would bungle this basic bit of storytelling. When you have a major plot point to reveal halfway through the story, make the scene count, and definitely don't throw it away in one simple exchange of dialogue!
What I really noticed in this viewing was how tight and efficient the script is, definitely one of the main strengths of this great musical adaptation, avoiding a problem common to many stage-to-screen musicals (acceptable length in the theater becoming tiresome bloat on the screen). The non-musical scenes move briskly, always advancing the characters and the story, while entertaining along the way as well. With about a dozen numbers, the movie still clocks in under 2 hours, and with several minutes to spare.
Therese Raquin (1953) 7/10
Marcel Carne (Children of Paradise) directs the great Simone Signoret in an adaptation of an Emile Zola novel about a downtrodden and desperate housewife who tempts fate with a hunky suitor. An OK effort with some decent scenes, especially the major dramatic turning point, plus the benefit of Signoret's star presence, but it doesn't amount to much more than standard melodrama in the end.
The Bad Sleep Well (1960) 8/10
This fascinating modern-day drama from Kurosawa, dealing with corporate greed and corruption, seems like a precursor to the paranoia pictures of the '70s like The Conversation and All the President's Men. One character's phone call in the final scenes, to an unidentified big shot on the other end, might be imagined as going to the same never-revealed figures who are behind everything in The Parallax View. Great use of widescreen and deep focus in the excellent opening sequence, a 20-minute long wedding scene that sets the tone, establishes almost all the main characters, and jump starts the plot. I was really amazed by how Masayuki Mori disappeared into his role, as the head of the corporation: in spite of being familiar with him from Rashomon and Ugetsu, I didn't recognize him at all. After the documentary on the DVD pointed out which role he had played, I went back and checked a few of his scenes, but I still couldn't recognize him, not even when he was in close-ups!
So, why 8 out of 10 instead of 9...well, the story is knocked down a notch by the really inept way that it reveals a crucial bit of information about one of the main characters (I won't spoil it). It's all revealed directly through dialogue, like a hurried Agatha Christie last pages-denoument (although it comes mid-way through the movie), so it comes off as a pretty silly and contrived plot twist. But then another scene just afterwards handles the same information brilliantly: another character develops some suspicions about the one with the secret, and as he digs for information, the secret is revealed to him with a nifty cinematic jolt. THAT scene should clearly have been the one that revealed the truth about this plot point to the audience; it's surprising to me that Kurosawa, of all people, would bungle this basic bit of storytelling. When you have a major plot point to reveal halfway through the story, make the scene count, and definitely don't throw it away in one simple exchange of dialogue!
BrianShort
Supporting Actor
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2000
- Messages
- 931
Walk the Line (2005) :star: :star: :star: :star: :star:
Loved this film. Excellent performances all around, especially by Joaquin Phoenix. Superbly entertaining!
Loved this film. Excellent performances all around, especially by Joaquin Phoenix. Superbly entertaining!
David Jay
Stunt Coordinator
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2004
- Messages
- 55
I'm not going to have the motivation to say much about everything I see, but I've found some stuff worth discussing.
First off, I certainly hope you don't mind, Joe, but I took your recommendation of Lured for myself. I recently saw my first-ever Sirk, Written on the Wind, and enjoyed it, so Lured was pretty tempting. It's the first Lucille Ball film I've seen, and my mom always watched I Love Lucy when I was growing up, so it was interesting to see her playing something somewhat different. The film itself was enjoyable throughout. Sure, it's predictable in some spots, but I was entertained for the entire running time, which is good enough for me.
Also, when I looked at Robert A. Harris' top discs of 2005, I was surprised to see something I'd barely ever heard of, and had certainly skipped over plenty of times, at number 2, Unknown Chaplin. I got it via Netflix and finally got a chance to see it, and it's fantastic. Great insight into the working method of a true genius of film and comedy. Not only is it incredibly informative and fascinating, it's Chaplin, so naturally, it's hilarious in parts. I'd highly recommend it to anyone, no matter how much or how little they know about Chaplin.
First off, I certainly hope you don't mind, Joe, but I took your recommendation of Lured for myself. I recently saw my first-ever Sirk, Written on the Wind, and enjoyed it, so Lured was pretty tempting. It's the first Lucille Ball film I've seen, and my mom always watched I Love Lucy when I was growing up, so it was interesting to see her playing something somewhat different. The film itself was enjoyable throughout. Sure, it's predictable in some spots, but I was entertained for the entire running time, which is good enough for me.
Also, when I looked at Robert A. Harris' top discs of 2005, I was surprised to see something I'd barely ever heard of, and had certainly skipped over plenty of times, at number 2, Unknown Chaplin. I got it via Netflix and finally got a chance to see it, and it's fantastic. Great insight into the working method of a true genius of film and comedy. Not only is it incredibly informative and fascinating, it's Chaplin, so naturally, it's hilarious in parts. I'd highly recommend it to anyone, no matter how much or how little they know about Chaplin.
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