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Reviews
Children of Men (2006)
Is someone fabricating reviews?
This film is rated over 8 here, so I watched expecting to see something at least worth my time. But no, all I got was a familiar feeling of being set up. Children Of Men is basically a mess. Surely it's worst issue is the script and storyline. It just doesn't go anywhere. I struggled to follow the dialogue and make some sense of where all this apocalypse and mud was heading. It headed nowhere. I can't spoil the ending because there isn't one really! What you see is just like a montage of scenes strung together. The middle section of a story. The only positive was the soundtrack. Hate to say it, but here we have just another low budget UK stinker.
Harsh Times (2005)
don't waste precious time on Harsh Times.........
How did this film get such a high rating? I checked the rating and then watched it expecting a great performance from Bale and some "gritty scenes". But gradually it dawned on me that we have a turkey here. And it's not even fully cooked.....
The main problems I have with this feathered bird are -
1. Bales character is blatantly supposed to be Hispanic. Newsflash... Bale is a white man. And no matter how hard he tries in this film to be Hispanic and fit with his surroundings, it just don't work homey. Didn't feel right, and didn't make sense.
2. The story headed NOWHERE. I won't give away the exact ending, but suffice to say everything points to a bloodbath, no? But when it comes you're just thinking "oh hurry up and kill Bale please". His character was so odious no one is on his side by the end. Someone compared his portrayal to Taxi Driver. Are you serious? Don't demean a classic like Taxi Driver with this nonsense.
3. The film doesn't end soon enough, and neither does Bale. It's over long by about half an hour. With some editing they just might have got away with it. But they had to drag it out, wasting even more of your precious time.
So there we have it. The turkey certainly left an impression. But were there any good points? Well, the photography was good. It's slickly put together as most big budget-big name films are these days from America. Bale put in a memorable performance, even if it was utterly pointless and misguided. And that's about it. Ignore the high ratings.
Killing Zoe (1993)
Damn, I just wasted my money......
If you watch the documentary extra, you'll note that the director is totally inexperienced and was actually a co-worker bud of Quentin Tarantinos in a video store. Put two and two together and you realise Quentin is doing a favour for his old bud, despite the bud being rather talentless. Was that harsh? Well see this film and you'll realise it isn't. Too slow in the beginning, too nonsensical in the middle, and too slow to end. That about sums it up. Eric Stolz & Delpy were the only two showing some charisma. And Kemp actually put in an OK performance. But the rest was real bad. One instance of plot stupidity was when "lead robber" accidentally leaves his mask off during the raid. So what happens? Well the other robbers decide they may as well remove theirs too! What great thinking. The violence was relentless and insane. But not in a "cool" way. Rather in a farcical way. I wondered if this was meant to be a comedy. More fool Tarantino for having his good name connected to this garbage. More fool me for watching it.
Ruang rak noi nid mahasan (2003)
You won't forget this film in a hurry
This is a film perhaps with no story. But don't let that put you off. Beautifully shot, and acted, it's one of the most memorable films I've seen in a long time. It's the visuals and mood that stick with you. Even the colour used and the shots of objects and places really hold your attention. The music adds to this serene atmosphere too. It's refreshing to watch world cinema now and again. And this is a great example of a film that breaks all the Hollywood rules and is the opposite to a blockbuster. It's not easy to describe, so it's best you just see it yourself. Be warned the first ten minutes are very slow. But after that it will transfix you.
Voyna (2002)
Worth seeing, though flawed
From a British perspective, it's interesting to note the only really poor performance came from Ian Kelly (John), an English actor. Had it not been for his atrocious skills, the film would have been excellent. Casting him took some authenticity away from the film, but then again, why Ingeborga Dapkunaite as (Margaret) didn't have a single spoken line in the film didn't help either! Aleksei Chadov as (Ivan) put in a great performance, and all other elements came together to make good entertainment and a rare look at the Chechen "situation".
This is probably one of the most realistic films I've seen gore-wise. Family entertainment it ain't.
If you're male, and looking for something different from the usual blockbuster bore-fest, then give this a viewing!