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Reviews
The Ring (2002)
Unnecessary but better than expected
'Confessions of a Dangerous Mind' was sold out so I grudgingly went to see this. Usually I hate supernatural horror but I enjoyed the original Japanese version of 'The Ring'. Despite its inherently implausable premise (a haunted video tape) the Japanese movie had enough atmosphere and interesting scenes and characters to make it a worthwhile piece of film.
Surprisingly, the American remake is not a total disaster. Of course, it has been Hollywood-ized greatly and, needless to say, it doesn't improve on the original, but it is not without merit.
There is some interesting imagery and some chilling moments (though most of the scares come from unexpected loud noises). Funnily enough, I could detect an influence from the trashy horror movie 'Final Destination' -particularly the water motif and a sequence towards the end.
The writer and director have tried to explain the story of Samara more than the original did. This works in some respects but really could have been developed further (and the CGI used near the end was not necessary).
The worst change is the new version of the video tape which is crap. Not scary at all -it looks too professional and well made. Also, the soundtrack throughout the film is too overpowering -a bit of subtlety would have been nice.
Naomi Watts has had some bad press for her acting in this film but I thought she was fine. The actor who annoyed me most was the one playing the little boy -he just did a poor impression of Haley Joel Osment in the 'Sixth Sense'.
The more you think about the film, the more stupid it seems, but whilst you're actually watching it, it is an effective and quietly disturbing movie. Still, see the original!
5/10
L.I.E. (2001)
Did we watch the same movie?
It is a mystery to me why L.I.E. has received so many favourable reviews. The film attempts to tackle sensitive issues but fails on every count. The directing is poor, the characters are underdeveloped (particularly the protagonist's dad who is little more than a cartoon), the acting is mostly horrible and the plot and script are bad. The director tries very hard to make it appear realistic and gritty but barely a single scene looks natural or believable.
I can understand why this movie would hold some appeal for a homosexual audience -few films tackle gay issues in a serious way- but L.I.E. is just a bad film.
3/10
Irréversible (2002)
Have you vomited yet?
Gasper Noe has created a film that's sole purpose is to make you feel sick. As well as the lengthy rape and graphic violence, the film is shot in such a way as to bring on sea-sickness or an epileptic fit.
Using the backwards narrative technique from MEMENTO, a simple rape and revenge story is told in reverse, meaning that we see the revenge, then the rape, and then the characters getting on with their lives before the whole thing happened.
The revenge section of the film is largely unspectacular but at least manages to keep the viewers interest as the story unfolds.
After the rape scene, the story (such as it is) has been told but the film is not over. There are lengthy scenes of the characters at a party, etc that get more and more tedious. A laughably contrived sub-plot about real events being predicted in our dreams is added, as is a revelation about the rape victim that is presumably intended to make the rape scene seem even more shocking.
The film contains an excellent special effect (the face smashing scene) and the rape scene is not filmed in a titillating way (apart from the woman's near-see-through dress). But really, there is nothing here to make the film worth watching.
Noe ends the film in a way that confirmed to me that this is nothing more than an exercise in inducing nausea. A lengthy strobe effect is used for no purpose but to make the viewer feel queasy.
3/10
Coyote Ugly (2000)
I only managed 50 minutes.
After 50 minutes of this I had to leave the room -I just couldn't sit through it anymore. Everything about this movie is mediocre: the plot, the script, the acting, everything! Not one scene managed to look authentic or believable. The story is just the usual teen movie drek about someone reaching their dreams, blah, blah, blah.
Sometimes everyone wants to watch something a bit trashy that doesn't require you to use your brain, but this is just too moronic. I suggest you only watch this if you are very unintelligent or very young and easily impressed.
1/10
Basic Instinct (1992)
Great if you're 14!
I had fond memories of BASIC INSTINCT because, when I was about 14, I thought this was the sexiest film ever made! Looking at it now, the movie no longer has the same appeal. BASIC INSTINCT really delivers in the pert breast category, but if you want anything more than that in a movie then I wouldn't bother with this.
The movie is very much inspired by classic film noir. But the main difference is that film noir of the 40s and 50s was subject to very strict censorship laws (the Hayes Production Code). Now that film censorship is much more relaxed (except in Britain, it seems) we can see a lot more gore, sex, nudity, violence and swearing. BASIC INSTINCT provides all of these things but nothing more.
I can understand why many lesbians found the film offensive -all of the lesbian characters are manipulative and violent. Perhaps this wouldn't have been a problem if Hollywood balanced things out by featuring nicer, more normal lesbian characters in some movies, but that doesn't really happen.
I liked BASIC INSTINCT more than Verhoeven's Dutch film in the same vein, THE FOURTH MAN. At least this isn't so pretentious and pseudo-arty. Just remember that the only real reason this film exists is to showcase Sharon Stone's fantastic boobs -if that is enough for you then order your copy today!
4/10
Cidade de Deus (2002)
Stunning gangster movie
If I had written this review as soon as I came out of the cinema I think I would have given it 9/10. However, having had a week or so to reflect on the movie I don't think I will be quite so generous.
CITY OF GOD has many good points: the directing, the acting, the locations, the interesting storyline. But I can't help thinking that it's all a little hollow. The central theme of the movie is that violence breeds violence -true but trite. Perhaps the worst thing about it is that, despite the violence, the slums in which the film is set don't seem like such a terrible place to live. The people there have a strong sense of community and, as long as they don't step out of line, all seem to be fairly happy. As a piece of social commentary, I don't think the movie really pulls it off.
Regardless of these flaws, CITY OF GOD is stunning to look at and a joy to watch. If you like action or gangster movies then this is the film to see.
7/10
Bowling for Columbine (2002)
There is a great film in here somewhere!
I always make sure that I watch or read the latest work by Michael Moore because I agree with most of his politics. He has an intelligent, left wing outlook and is vehemently opposed to corporate and political greed. But his work is rarely completely satisfying. For example, 'Stupid White Men', his best selling book, has several fascinating, intelligent and thought-provoking chapters, but also a large number that miss the mark.
The same goes with BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE. For every insightful and entertaining scene there is one that is overly emotive or that doesn't seem necessary. Also, the film's argument changes at one point. At the beginning he seems to be criticising gun ownership, and then he turns around and points the finger at the news media. The scenes that I really disliked were when he takes some Columbine high school kids to K-Mart HQ to try and persuade management to stop selling ammo (this was too much of a publicity stunt) and when he leaves a photo of a dead girl outside Charlton Heston's house.
That said, this isn't a bad film, I just felt that Moore should have been more picky during the editing process. If forty minutes of footage was taken out and the argument was a bit sharper then this could have been a very good documentary.
6/10
Spider (2002)
Not much going on...
The problem with SPIDER is that there is very little substance to the film. After establishing the characters and a few major themes (the unreliability of memory, the trauma of childhood) nothing more really happens. It looks very good most of the time, Miranda Richardson is fantastic and there are some nice moments, but overall SPIDER just doesn't have enough going on to justify its existence. Perhaps if this was a 20 minute short it would have been better, but 100 minutes is too long for a film that says so little.
6/10
Pâfekuto burû (1997)
Not quite Perfect, but still a great movie
The first time I watched PERFECT BLUE I was underwhelmed. I disliked what I perceived to be the 'supernatural' element of the movie. I watched it again several months later, intending to get rid of my DVD, and realised that I had missed the whole point of the film!
PERFECT BLUE is actually a very good, intelligent movie. Director, Satoshi Kon, was employed to make an exploitation flick using the original PERFECT BLUE novel as his source material. Kon disliked the script the studio provided and, when he asked how rigidly he had to stick to the plot, was told that he had to keep three elements of the story: a singing idol, a stalker and horror. Using these elements he and writer Sadayuki Murai created what is effectively a coming-of-age story about a young woman leaving one stage of her life and entering another.
The plot can seem contrived and the ending is a little silly (though it is quite meaningful when looking at the film as a story about growing up). Also the animation is not too great -this was only a straight to video feature, after all. However, if you can get past these problems, this is a very enjoyable movie.
7/10
El día de la bestia (1995)
What happened to the plot?
I'm all for a nice bit of blasphemy, but sometimes that just isn't enough to make a good movie!
During the first half of EL DIA DE LA BESTIA I thought this was shaping up to be a fantastic film. There are some funny scenes with the priest who must summon satan and his unlikely side-kick, a heavy metal stoner. But before long the plot starts to unravel until, by the time we get to the climax, it is effectively meaningless.
Alex De La Iglesia has made some good films (particularly La Communidad) but this is not one of his best. The lack of a coherent plot overshadows the movies merits and makes this an unsatisfying watch. Perhaps if the script had been given a few months more attention it would have been an excellent film.
3/10