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manilla-73
Favourite film is either Jaws or The Wizard of Oz.
Least favourite film Blair Witch Project. It was boring, over hyped and a remake of Cannibal Holocaust (or Ferox can't remember which)
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Skyline (2010)
Take bits from a dozen sci-fi movies and what do you get....
I spent large parts of the film looking for obvious details that had been pulled from elsewhere. There were elements of some good (and not so good movies) sewn together with a fairly thin plot that didn't really go anywhere.
So I spotted elements of Independence Day, War of the Worlds, Invasioon of the Body Snatchers, The Matrix, Close Encounters, Cloverfield, District 9.... The list does go on.
Mainly though the look and feel seemed to be aimed to work off of the back of Cloverfields success but it never worked.
The characters are at best 2 dimensional and I truly didn't care about their fate. This is generally the biggest problem as if you can't invest in the characters and see something to either be empathetic about or to bring about some emotional connection or response, you are dead in the water.
In addition to that it to me appeared that they had some great ideas for some special effects and set pieces and came up with a story to try to justify spending the money and putting it on screen. Never enough.
I always consider that Sci-Fi and Horror are about something else and the genre is just a story telling device. Think of Dawn of the Dead being more about consumerism than zombies and The Matrix being about perception of computer worlds in conjunction with an actual reality rather than machines running the planet.
In Skyline there was little plot, no good characters and no message.
Must try harder.... A lot harder. (or don't bother of course as a third option).
Reign Over Me (2007)
FINALLY....... Sandler really acts
One of the things that has recently annoyed me is the comedy actors that keep on doing the same thing over and over again. Think of Carrey and Ferrel and you may understand what I mean. Sandler alas has been the same.
However Carrey made "The Truman Show" and proved that he could act, and Ferrel made "Stranger than Fiction".
Now Sandler has done the same with this film, and I have to say he has changed my opinion if 2 hours. The film is a similar premise to that of "The Fisher King" in many ways, except we knew that Robin Williams could act when he made it.
Breaking the mold can be a dangerous thing to do, especially when so many people seem to like the whimsical comedy that he normally does.
A well made, and well acted film by all the mains, spiced up with a great cameo from Sutherland.
Not a pacey film but a great character piece, which I would recommend to anyone.
Avatar (2009)
Could have been so much more
After watching the film and thinking about it for a few weeks I have come to some conclusions as to why I wasn't impressed.
The main thing is that like Titanic before it the movie feels like a showcase for the effects, and in doing so missed out on the story.
I found the plot was overly simplistic, certainly when you consider that the film is in the ball park of 160mins in length. To make a film that long the story needs to be much more engaging and complex. For this reason I found myself bored for portions of the film, which in my mind is never a good recommendation for the film.
To add to the lacking plot I consider myself intelligent enough to be able to work out what is happening without characters telling each other constantly what is actually happening. Especially when those characters are well established in their relationship with each other and shouldn't have to be explaining things to each other. If you need to do this, use a character that is new to the story and therefore it looks like a briefing for them and their benefit.
Thanks to the lack of plot and a largely at times clunky script I was constantly pushed out of the story and back into reality. Cameron is a good movie maker as he proved with the first 2 Terminators.
So with a slow story I have to turn my attention to the effects, which seemed to be the reason that Avatar exists. In the main it is a sumptuous feast visually. The stunning effects of the environment and scenery was well created and put together. Breathtaking stuff indeed.
But there lies another problem. As I am more than aware most of the film is essentially a CGI creation. So I am watching a computer animated film with real actors doing the voices. Again this then draws my attention back to the creations of Pixar as there is some technical comparison, and certainly the same wow factor is there visually from seeing the first Toy Story.
Toy Story though has a good story and characters that I was interested in and cared about, very unlike Avatar itself.
There are other things that annoyed me about the film but they if mentioned may develop into plot spoilers which I don't want to be accused of giving out. Even though with the simplistic story I defy anyone watching to not be able to predict the plot after the first 30mins.
If there is to be a sequel which it appears there will be, lets hope that Cameron focuses on the plot and not on another special effect / CGI showcase.
Enchanted (2007)
Disney! What is happening?
Disney of late has come to a point that I don't quite get. They release a great film and then spend the next few years making mediocre films and direct to DVD sequels.
Unfortunately this came under mediocre.
I took my children (harsh critics if they get bored) and sat back ready for what I was hoping would be the top draw stuff that Disney is capable of. I didn't get it.
While the premise is a clever one they have done the cross over between alternate worlds before, and done it better.
The cast themselves were on the whole good, but the best, Sarandon just wasn't on screen enough. Spall added the comic relief and was value but the rest just seemed to be going through the motions. I know it is a children's film but they should still be trying to be believable.
The best of Disney's recent releases have all come by way of Pixar. They seem to put the time and effort into their scripts and set pieces and they always deliver something that is aimed at children but has enough in to keep the adults entertained as well.
That is where enchanted failed. I wasn't entertained and found myself all, too often trying to work out how long the film had left to go so I could go home.
Ghost Ship (2002)
This makes me want to watch Titanic
First of all you have to suspend belief. From a very long rope, down a very deep pit.
I am trying not to put a spoiler in but seeing as this happens early on in the film it doesn't really help.
Everyone is cut in half on the dance floor apart from a single young girl. Firstly who is on the bridge steering and who is in the engine room. Not everyone would be in the one room surely. This must be against basic maritime practise.
So everyone dies (almost) and this is the highlight of the film. From here on in you get the sinking feeling (pun intended) and just wish for the end to come, which it has to be said was a let down plot wise but blessed relief.
Don't bother.
Open Water (2003)
What really happened
True Story? I ask what the proof of this is.
There was never any body's recovered so how do we really know what happened. Without that proof this must be considered a work of fiction.
Straight away I am not expecting much after the opening title. But one thing the film did in a spectacular fashion is to deliver exactly what I was expecting. Not much.
When you watch a film and some of its major characters are in danger you need to have an emotional attachment to the characters to really immerse yourself in the film. The only thing ever explained in the film really about the characters in question is that they are workaholics. Not really enough for an emotional attachment.
So the film fails as a story.
But what say of I of the actual action. Well like Jaws you don't see much of the shark. They are just bit players in the film. Everything is hidden leaving it to the imagination.
But the action is far to sparse to keep you interested, even in a film as short as this. Fortunately I didn't pay to see this film, and that is something I am glad of.
The blurb on the front of the DVD mentions the Blair Witch Project. I thought the comparison was good. BWP was boring just like this. The only difference between the two was this was at least original.
About Schmidt (2002)
Jack Nicholson not being Jack Nicholson
In all the films I have seen that stars Jack Nicholson previously there are always certain elements that come through of Jack's character. The wide manic grin, the devilish eyes and all the other things that make Jack tick.
In this film though they remain hidden and Nicholson puts in a great muted and understated performance that may be amongst his best.
His character is a sad man that realises his life is ending after his retirement and wife's death.
He is left all alone to ponder his own mortality but his outlet is his only daughter and the impending marriage to a man he believes to be beneath her.
As you watch you realize that one thing that everybody needs is a purpose to their life and when it is gone there is nothing left but memories.
The film is beautifully scripted with everyone putting in sterling performances that make this such a touching piece of film making.
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider - The Cradle of Life (2003)
Usual action sequel fodder
A fan of the games... Yes (until Angel of Darkness).
A fan of the first movie in the series... Yes (it was OK).
A fan of this movie............. Not really.
Something was missing from the film. It was in the main a re-hash of the original movie but then again aren't most James Bond movies. So that cannot be held against it.
It didn't give any intriguing back story, similar to lots of action sequels. Again that is not the fault of the movie but of the viewing public that want to pay to see more of the same, just bigger and brasher than before.
What was missing was something to hold the interest. While the action sequences were progressing I have to say I was watching and enjoying the movie. The rest of the time however I was just passing time until the next fight.
I wasn't grabbed by the film and hope beyond hope, that if they do another movie they try to do something fresh and refreshing with it.
The Tuxedo (2002)
WHY!!!!
I have been a fan of Jackie Chan for a while now and I have to wonder exactly why he made this film.
Jackie has always made entertaining movies with his blend of slapstick, physical movements and of course the martial arts that he performs so well (maybe second only to Jet Li). But this film has nothing to entertain.
The action is not well photographed and although the original fight scenes and action set pieces may have been well designed the photography and more importantly doesn't show them to the high standard we have come to expect from a Jackie Chan movie.
The only thing that I can see is the fact that Jackie must have been offered a fee that was impossible to say no to.
I wouldn't have said that this is a sell out movie but the more Hollywood movies Chan does the more it seems to dilute what has been so far a reasonably good career and cross over from Hong Kong to western mainstream.
Lets hope Jackie likes the movie as much as I did and never lowers himself to star in anything this bad again.
Legally Blonde (2001)
Predictable in the extreme
It is a feel good movie.... I suppose.
But it's main problem and maybe I am just too cynical is that the film was way to obvious. Once Elle Woods meets the bloke (can't remember his name) on the bench you know they are going to end up together.
You know she however unlikely is going to be the best lawyer in her class and is going to be the one that "saves the day" while not betraying her ideals and routes.
It passed the time, it entertained in the most basic sense but not a movie I would recommend to anyone over the age of 10.
I expect more of the same from the sequel so I guess I will not be watching it.... EVER.
Mike Bassett: England Manager (2001)
It's football Jim, but not as we know it
Unlike most football related films this one actually references real football rather than a dreamy game that the good guys always win in the end.
As with any sport related movie though it has limited appeal outside of someone that has an interest and understanding of the "Beautiful Game". In this case more so as really you need to be English and have suffered English international football to understand everything the film has to offer.
The jokes don't always 'hit the back of the net' but there is no need to 'send this one off' - (sorry for the puns).
On the whole an enjoyable diversion that sometimes does cut close to the bone (especially as the F.A. are falling apart us as I write this).
Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002)
Better but not the best
What can we say. I am a life long Star Wars fan and will defend all of the movies with no limit. BUT it has to be said Phantom Menace was a low point in the saga. It had the obvious problem of having to start off from scratch with characters that we already new. To add to that it then had to fit with the original trilogy, for which it tried and frankly didn't quite make the grade.
I waited 3 years for this in the vain hope that Star Wars would once again reign supreme but what can I say. Lord of the Rings is the new Lord of the movies.
As far as the film looks it is once again visually stunning. The effects on the whole are first rate. But the story was a little slow going and it could have done with some more action.
Once again Lucas shows he has the vision, of this no one in the world can doubt.
But is it any coincidence that the best of the saga, Empire, was directed by someone else.
Once again I am on tenterhooks waiting for Episode 3 and once again it can only get better.
Maybe the real problem is that I along with all the other 30somethings out there that saw Star Wars at the cinema and remember the first film can never again have that feeling re-captured. I remember the volume as the Star Wars logo drifted of the screen before the crawl actually thumping into my chest and then watching in AWE as the endless imperial cruiser passed overhead. These things are what the new triology has to bear up to and alas I think it is something even Tom Cruise couldn't pull off and after all, he is used to Mission Impossible.
The Hole (2001)
Venture into the Hole and find....... the TRUTH
I realise that there is no direct comparison but I automatically thought of Blair Witch.
After the hype that surrounded the BWP I was upset that I had paid good money to see a film that at best made you feel ill, but wasn't even scary. Then I saw "The Hole".
I had heard no hype, read no reviews and have to say was impressed by a film that kept you guessing.
As a "Scary" movie it's strength lay in the fact that it prayed on the mind rather than an the nerves. I had a definate feeling of unease throught most of the picture and found myself constantly wondering what I was missing and what to believe.
I won't give away any of the plot as people should be able to see this film without any preconceptions suffice to say it is more than worthy of the time spent not only watching but also musing over after the fact.