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Reviews
Kindergarten Cop (1990)
Arnie takes on comedy and wins!
Kindergarten Cop is a great film. It contains some of Schwarzenegger's best work showcasing his innate likability and comic timing in a piece which allows them to accentuate his more often seen action star persona. The lightening of this persona works in the film allowing us to follow Arnie's Kimble into what could easily be a weak and twee concept. Fortunately Arnie doesn't lose his balls in the transition and Reitman directs the action very well as well as showing the same skill in comedy as he did with previous hits such as Ghost Busters. Ricky Tyson makes a brilliant villain not in his being an equal to Schwarzenegger but in his portraying a drug dealer with a grudge as a three dimensional character who will stop at nothing to get his son back. Schwarzeneeger also gets to get have some romance and although he at times looks ready to kill his very beautiful love interest (Penelope Ann Miller) he manages to be a very charming lead who the audience are helpless but to root for. The screenplay by Salem, Harris and Weingrod is both touching and funny with memorable lines such as the deadpan interrogation scene "Who is your daddy and what does he do?". The kids also are great featuring a diverse group who almost steal the show with lines such as "Boy's have a penis, girl's have a vagina". The film also contains some classic Arnie one liners such his "I'm the party pooper" kiss off before shooting down some low lives. Such lines refer to Arnie's tough guy persona and shows that he is not afraid to poke fun at himself. The difference in Kindgarten Cop is that he is playing a vulnerable human character and the audience does not want him to be hurt not just because he is the hero but because they like him. The score too is exceptional being appropriately sweet and upbeat as well at sometimes hitting darker more sinister tones. They truly don't make them like this anymore, just see awful modern examples such as Vin Diesel's The Pacifer for proof or rather don't see them, watch Kindergarten Cop again and see a great action star and comedy director team up to make a most enjoyable work.
Batman Begins (2005)
Awful. No Fun Whatsoever!
Dreadful. Comic books should be a place of heroes and villains. Reality is out your window, the big screen is for magic. Batman is meant to be a superhero not some average Joe millionaire. If the story is taken too seriously then it becomes ridiculous. The comics are placed in a fictional world, namely Gotham City. Reality can be seen everywhere why can't Gotham City stay a fantastical land with colourful characters and a bad-ass hero. Bale is usually a spot on actor and is alright as Bruce but gruffs up too much as the Bat making him appear foolish instead of heroic. The villains are neither threatening or exciting. Liam Neeson looks bored and so does the audience. Katie Holmes is carved out of wood and the romance is laughable. If you want to see Batman buy a comic or watch the animated series, don't have your dreams dashed by this garbage masquerading as art. A total disappointment and no fun whatsoever.
Rumble Fish (1983)
The best from the best.
Rumble Fish is my favourite film. A magical piece of movie-making it contains one of the truly iconic performances of the eighties in Mickey Rourke's Motorcycle Boy. Francis Ford's career somewhat trailed off after this and the film is often seen as a failure. It is commonly criticised for being pretentious and of enjoying a slow pace but if you are willing for it to take you it will get you where you want to go. The entire cast are dynamite with Matt Dillon giving his best performance, Vincent Spano and Diane Lane very impressive as Rusty's friends and Dennis Hopper effectively presenting the father as a fallen angel. Give the film a chance, it might just change your life.