tambourine33's Reviews

Brokeback Mountain (2005)

5/10

27 April 2006

Warning: Spoilers

For a movie that received this much hype, I think it was a little bit of a let down. I had been waiting for this great "forbidden romance" but it just didn't grab me like that.

If I was being completely honest, (I know I'm gonna get shot for this) if "Brokeback" had been about a straight couple, it would not have got the attention it has received. It is one of the few mainstream films, if any, that dare to showcase a homosexual relationship. However it should not lean so heavily on that fact. Both of the central characters are extremely self-centred and in the case of Ennis, (Ledger) bordering on the myopic. Any parent who finds his partner at work, dumps a baby and toddler on them to go and have an affair is below contempt. When his wife questioned him about him sexuality, he left without even acknowledging his two young children. Jack (Gylehall) seemed more interested in the carnal side of relationships, first by preying on Ennis in the opening scenes, then on first meeting his wife and finally by his forays into Mexico.

Heath Ledger puts in a good performance as Ennis and the film is directed well, but for me, it is too hard to find sympathy with the two main characters. It is also pretty slow moving, predictable and relies on the "gay" factor.

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Tim (1979)

6/10

Not bad....

6 January 2006

This is one of the better films I have seen starring Mel Gibson. A low budget, Australian film, made in the late seventies, it is a real change from his usual offerings. The basic plot outline (promise I won't spoil! :)) is that Gibson plays the title role of Tim, a 24 year-old man who is slightly mentally retarded. Piper Laurie excels as 'Mary Horton' a successful forty-something widow who takes a romantic interest in Tim, but is unsure if a relationship will work.

The thing that struck me about this movie was it's basic principle. It is not uncommon for rich, forty-something men to be seen with attractive, supposedly less-intelligent women. 'Tim' turns this on its head having a rich, older woman hooking up with an attractive, less intelligent younger man. Society frowns on the latter form relationship, I'm not sure why, and it adds an interesting angle to the story.

The only complaint about the film is the ending. They had such a fantastic idea but the movie just...ends. Loose ends are left and to be honest it seemed tacked on or just plain rushed.

It is a good, heartwarming film with a few weepy bits and one-or-two good ideas not explored well enough but still entertaining nonetheless.

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Battle Royale (2000)

1/10

What is the point?

25 December 2005

I had the misfortune of seeing this at a friend's movie night. It came highly recommended from one or two of the guys as a lesser-known but good Japanese film.

After about 20 minutes I started checking my watch and by the end had already volunteered to do the washing up. If this movie has a point, then clearly I need someone to explain it for me. There is no discernible plot line, it suffers from clichéd direction, the acting is awful and the effects are as cheap looking as early-eighties straight to video horrors.

The whole film is an excuse to show Japanese girls in really small skirts with the added bonus of having high-school children shoot at and kill each other. It borders on pedophillic (working on the presumption the cast were all over 18, if not then it would be pedophillic), uses over-the-top, bad effects and serves absolutely no purpose as a social commentary or even has one iota of entertainment value.

It is just plain sick.

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Braveheart (1995)

4/10

Did not deserve 5 Oscars

17 November 2005

Robert the Bruce is a Scottish hero and it was he, not Wallace, who really broke the shackles of English rule. I cannot see the film-makers logic in having him cowering in the shadows when anything happens. Artisitc licence is one thing but this is Hollywood, once again, trying to re-write history.

Patrick Mcgoohan's performance is one of the few saving graces. He is one of the best on screen villains I have seen, both for his own acting and through the dialogue of the character.

Peter Hanly is also excellent as Edward's cowardly son, Sophie Marceau smoulders in the background and David O'Hara almost steals the show as the hysterically funny, but once again historically inaccurate, King Stephen.

Mel Gibson is extraordinarily annoying as Wallace. The accent is bad and has rarely been considered as much of an actor anyway. Another problem came from the lacklustre acting of the extras (all Scots) who somehow managed to look bored at a re-creation of some of the most famous battles in our history.

The backdrops and scenery are beautiful and the battle scenes are superbly directed but the rest of the film is a little flat. Gibson fails to occupy the centre of the screen and the extras do nothing to enhance the experience. The rest of the supporting cast do fine jobs, eclipsing the movie's lead actor. 'Braveheart' is fine for arousing the nationalism of drunk sports fans but leaves the serious film goer wanting more.

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Titanic (1997)

5/10

Could have been better

12 November 2005

Warning: Spoilers

I think this film is one of those, that you are afraid to criticise because fans will lynch you. On the other hand saying you like it is not the coolest thing to say, especially for a twenty-something male, like myself. So here goes.

The film's strengths are the scale of the film, the romance element and Kate Winslet. The sheer size of this film is breathtaking and the attention to detail, which could have so easily been overlooked, eases the path of the audience into the decadence of the era. Trapped in amongst the whirlwind is the story of two star crossed teenagers (tm) falling in love and one sacrificing himself for the love of his life. Kate Winslet is impressive a feisty, red-haired, buxom, rich girl who is trapped by a domineering boyfriend (Zane) but her leading actor, to me at least, fails to match up.

Leonardo di Caprio is a good actor but looks like a little boy playing with grown ups and does not come across as a leading man, especially for a movie of this size. Billy Zane puts in a decent show as the caddish bad guy but lacks a foil of equal stature. After all Di Caprio is after his girl and to be quite honest it reminded me of the time I had a crush on a friend's older sister.

Another fault in the film came from the dialogue. It's clunky, over the top and made most of the actors look uncomfortable. The "salt of the earth" steerage passengers looked hammed up and during the sinking it all got a bit 'wishy washy' all over.

It does OK for something to watch with your love-interest but all the time you'll be left sitting there waiting for a)the boat to sink b)Di Caprio to die and c)the end credits.

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Samson and Delilah (1949)

8/10

One of the better biblical epics....

10 November 2005

I've always loved this film. Granted, somehow it does not generate the 'huge epic' feel of some of the director's other work but it is a great film to sit down and relax in front of. Opulent costume design, good casting and excellent cinematography make this one of the better biblical epics that were being produced at the time.

Victor Mature, a fine physical specimen of the male physique, seems to fit perfectly into the role of the brooding and oft-troubled Samson. Burt Lancaster, I'm told, was the original choice for the part which I think would have been a bad choice. Although Lancaster is a better actor, on purely aesthetic grounds, the Mediterranean featured, tousle-locked Mature fitted better into the location.

George Sanders is superb as the Saran of Gaza. One of the other reviewers on this website said he portrayed a "sophisticated cad" which is the best description I have ever heard of Mr Sanders in this role or any other for that matter.

The absolute star of the show is the movie's other lead actor, Hedy Lamarr. This was undoubtedly the finest hour of an actress who either, curiously passed up or was just overlooked for many other leading parts. Hedy sets the screen on fire as the sensual and wicked Delilah, playing with and dragging every man on screen and in the audience in her wake. Many have questioned her acting ability. Truth is I doubt we shall ever really find out. Poor choice of scripts and directors resulted in her being pushed to the sidelines at MGM and eventually and sadly into complete obscurity.

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