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Reviews
Night Fever (1997)
Amusing TV Celebrity Quiz show
Had to give this a 7/10 as, although it was very patchy depending on who was the guest in any given week, it was fun TV. Nothing too cerebrally challenging - and it wasn't meant to be. Just an excuse to watch all-male/ all-female teams of celebs reminisce and climb on a desk and sing pop songs.
Suggs (lead singer of pure genius '80s UK ska/pop group Madness) was the MC and an inspired choice.
Check out the cast list for some surprising UK names that aren't big, but always entertaining: Will Mellor; Danny John-Jules; Shane Richie and Lionel Blair (no relation to the PM).
Equilibrium (2002)
Not as good as The Matrix, but equal to the Sequels
The Matrix was a showstopper, let's get that out of the way. This film suffers by comparison, because it came out afterwards and the styling feels informed by (but not derivative of) the earlier Wachowski Bros movie. However, although I liked the Matrix sequels, this is at least equal in vision, style and delivery.
It is a superb movie as far as I'm concerned. Here's why: 1) Interesting premise, engagingly plotted: what would a society where emotion is banned be like? What would you gain? What would you lose? The plot works. It's not clumsy. It doesn't plod as afar as I'm concerned.
2) Great, great cast: Bale is very, very good. I've read elsewhere that others have a different perception, but I thought he played a conflicted professional enforcer very well indeed. His emotional reawakening was convincing for me. The rest of the cast impresses no end. Bean and Pertwee appear fleetingly in all but cameo roles - yet... they pack punch and panache. Taye Diggs has you rooting for Bale (which is exactly what his performance is calculated to do) and Angus Macfadyen holds your attention with a solid turn.
3) Great denouement: No spoilers here, but the climax is just that - a climax. The film doesn't go off the boil and it handles events more realistically than many big-action blockbusters of the last few years.
All in all, a satisfying movie experience that I am happy to give 8/10 to. Well done everyone.
The Thin Blue Line (1995)
An acquired taste, perhaps?
Sorry to be contrary, but this one is a stinker, Atkinson.
It's one of those frustrating things. You know when a supermodel picks you up in a bar and drags you back to her lush 10 million pound apartment, mixes you the best rum and coke you can imagine and then, as she kicks her shoes off, you note that she has 8inch long toenails and hairy feet like a hobbit..? Yeah? This should have been SOOOOOO good. Atkinson is a comedy genius. Though I do not like Bean, I recognise it is very well done. I love Blackadder and he makes that. The supporting cast are also exemplary. David Haid as Grim is as excellent as the script allows him to be.
Mina Anwar and James Dreyfus were newcomers at the time and you could see that they were going to make it. Dreyfus has to a degree with Gimme, Gimme, Gimme. It mystifies me why Anwar hasn't yet hit big, probably not getting the roles that would allow her to.
Maybe it's me. I just don't like mild comedies like this and Last of the Summer Wine.