excellent... up to a point

Posted : 4 days, 7 hours ago on 1 July 2008 02:47 (A review of We Own the Night)

We Own The Night's script was truly phenomenal for an American production, because, let's face it, more than half the time American movies are made of lousy script-writers: there are usually a whole lot of flaws, or reactions/attitudes from characters are totally unrealistic or just plain stupid.
This film's main theme is not new. But the way the script was written - up until 1h30 into the movie, anyway - is accurate, and makes a whole lot of sense. The characters' reactions. Their expressions. The dialogs. Unfortunately after 1h30, the script deviates into nonsense, nonetheless leading to a pretty decent ending.

Why else watch this film? Why, a wonderful cast of course! Wahlberg and Phoenix are truly amazing as two brothers. And Robert Duvall as their father is simply amazing, but isn't he always?

A very typical American mafia movie, but definitely one worth seeing.


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Beatles anyone?

Posted : 4 days, 8 hours ago on 1 July 2008 02:41 (A review of Across the Universe)

What I did know: it is a musical.
What I did not know: it is based on Beatles songs/music.

Typical love story. Nothing new here.

What saves me from giving a 1 or 2/10 rating is the singing. The performers are talented - luckily - and it somewhat makes the film bearable.
The cinematography, the directing, the costumes, the settings... Nothing is memorable.


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beware of .... certain people

Posted : 6 days, 1 hour ago on 29 June 2008 09:17 (A review of Serpent, Le)

Vincent Mendel (Yvan Attal) is a photographer, who is blackmailed because of photographs, pornographic in nature. Also, an encounter with an old childhood friend, Joseph Plender (Clovis Cornillac), will change his life.

Wonderful performances by excellent French actors. A perfect casting.
The make-up is excellent. (Attal at the end of the movie is almost unrecognizable.)
The cinematography shines. The lighting is beautifully shot.
The director is simply awesome, and did a really great job.
The best thing about this film? It is honestly the script. It actually makes sense.
So, why 9/10?
It's a little too... American for my taste. The plus side for this French film (compared to an American one) is the intellectual aspect the characters display. The psychotic games presented give a great twist all the way through the movie, and keeps the viewer guessing at every turn. You think you figured it out? Think again!

Definitely one of the best French films I've ever seen, in the genre.


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a good comedy

Posted : 3 weeks ago on 14 June 2008 12:43 (A review of Ober)

Edgar has been a waiter for 25 years. He is getting bored with his life and will start to change things around, after meeting the man who is behind his life's events.

The movie is hilarious at the beginning; unfortunately it slowly goes downhill after an hour or so. However, it is still a great comedy, if you appreciate dark comedies. It's totally absurd, and that's what makes it so enjoyable.

The photography is truly good, the actors' performances wonderful and the characters plain hilarious!

A decent film that should entertain its viewers.

(Bear in mind that this is a Dutch movie with English subtitles.)


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a classic

Posted : 3 weeks ago on 14 June 2008 12:24 (A review of The Shining)

A most satisfying horror-thriller, with some of the best actors. Shelley Duvall's character is annoying, but the cast is perfect. Some scenes are truly terrifying and that is what makes this movie remarkable.
Definitely Kubrick's best work.


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annoying

Posted : 3 weeks ago on 14 June 2008 10:20 (A review of I Could Never Be Your Woman)

Good gash, from the first ten minutes of this film, I wanted to shut it off it was so bad. The actors' performances were lousy, Pfeiffer was terribly bad, though Paul Rudd was quite enjoyable, although his smirks get on my nerves.
Terribly awful and predictable script. No surprises anywhere. The characters were annoying.
This is a B-movie at best.
Avoid unless you want to waste time.


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romantic comedy

Posted : 3 weeks ago on 14 June 2008 10:16 (A review of 27 Dresses)

I really enjoyed this film, it was funny, entertaining, romantic, it's everything a girl likes in a movie. So it is predictable, but aren't most if not all romantic comedies?
Heigl is quite the actress as her performance is really good. So were the other performers.
Great directing, good photography.
Entertaining and fun. Recommended for all.


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honestly? this is crap

Posted : 3 weeks ago on 14 June 2008 10:00 (A review of Jumper)

The idea of teleportation is great. However this movie is aimed too much at teens who don't care about the script and its many many many flaws. This film is filled with those unfortunately, thus rendering the movie quite unbearable to watch.
Right from the beginning, Jumper sucks; there are too many questions that are never answered or even brought up, leaving the viewer unsatisfied. A better development of the story might have changed the entire movie and made it a whole lot better... then again maybe not.
I can't say the actors' performances were any good either. Jackson looks awful with white hair, and Christensen isn't that great an actor, no matter what he plays in.
Voting 3/10 simply because of the special effects, and because it's entertaining at best.
Avoid if you can.


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a movie that is .... flawless

Posted : 3 weeks, 5 days ago on 9 June 2008 05:56 (A review of Flawless)


London 1960s. Even after years of faithful employment and an expertise acquired over the years, Laura Quinn (Demi Moore) is denied promotion after promotion. By pure chance, the nighttime janitor, Hobbs (Michael Caine), makes her an offer she won't be able to refuse. But his plan will go further than expected.

Demi Moore looks her age, and plays the part convincingly. Michael Caine is at his best, he is the perfect man to reassure Moore's character, and is also convincing. The supporting actors were absolute gems and gave wonderful performances - even Lambert Wilson!
The directing was perfect; the cinematography and costumes brilliantly done; and the script, simply amazing.

This film shows exactly the problem with women in society - modern society as we know it today. (Did you know that women are paid 15% less than men, for the same job, no matter their expertise? This hasn't changed since the 1960s ... but I digress.)

Simply put, this is one of the greatest thrillers I've seen in a long, long time.


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horrible horror

Posted : 3 weeks, 6 days ago on 8 June 2008 03:05 (A review of The Mist)

Based on a Stephen King novella, what else can a viewer expect but gore and monsters? Oh yes, stupid dialog and stupid people. Honestly, I've yet to see a horror picture that is worth watching.

Marcia Gay Harden's character's mouth should have been taped with super strong tape; that religious lady was so annoying! (Harden was excellent in this performance, as I think that was the point with her character.)
There are some good performances in this film.
There were also some great lines in there, including some by Harden's character when she's praying in the bathroom, and other true comments about people's belief in humanity.
Special effects were quite decent and well done.

I only watched until the end to find out if anyone got out alive... otherwise I'd have stopped. So the story is interesting, but when it does become obvious what happened, it just feels stupid and a waste of time.
It's a horrible horror picture that is way too long.


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