trickydicky Reviews

The Terminal (2004)

Perhaps Unfair ---- But This Was ANNOYING !!

[3/10 · 20 January 2005]

I did give it a shot.Really I did.I watched this thing for at least 20 minutes but I just had to turn it off.So bear that in mind when reading this. One question? How did someone as completely STUPID as this guy ever manage to get on a plane in the first place?As other commentators have noted,it's not that he can't speak English;it's that he acts as if someone else has to tie his shoe-laces for him.Here he is trapped in a nightmare where the 'authorites'have grabbed up his passport,and he seems incapable of understanding that he is some very serious trouble.So what is the FIRST thing he does? Lose all his FOOD vouchers while BREAKING a total stranger's luggage(really you had to be there). Oh well,enough about him.Get a load of the Immigration guys.The doofus clearly does not speak English so what do they do.Of course,just babble at him in English and throw him out into the Terminal with no help at all. I have no idea what this movie intended to portray,but IMHO it portrayed stupidity and annoyance almost perfectly.Virtually every character was stupid,and I was very much annoyed. Just BAD.

Bad Santa (2003)

Crude,Rude and Surprisingly Touching

[8/10 · 8 January 2005]

I avoided this flic when it first came out due to the reviews which concentrated on the 'cynicism'and 'edgyness' of the effort. It is crude.It is rude.And is is filled with enough 4-letter words to be its own zone of bad taste. Know what else? Billy Bob Thorton is masterful as is the rest of the cast.There are no 'heroes',but Billy Bob is not exactly an anti-hero either.He portrays a broken,dysfunctional loser who holds nothing in contempt so much as himself.Desiring nothing so much as extinction,he rambles through life hating EVERYTHING. But it's Christmas,and even for losers third,fourth,fifth,or 50th chances sometimes show up.Watching Billy Bob's character 'grow-up'during the film is surprisingly heartwarming.For a broken man,he does the best he can once he allows himself to 'give-a-damm'. See this for his performance(and the rest of the cast),and be surprised.

Chicago (2002)

What Did I Do To Deserve This ?

[25 February 2003]

Ok, here's the thing. I reviewed this movie previously and gave it a luke warm rating based upon the utter contempt I felt for all the characters,but since some movies require more than one viewing to really appreciate,I felt obliged to give Chicago a second chance as so many others seem to have felt that this is a great film. So I did my duty and I admit I was wrong in my first review.Ashamed to say it but I made a huge mistake the first time around. --------------- THIS MOVIE SUCKED -------------------- I cannot believe that this film is considered the best of 2002.It may or may not be faithful to Bob Fosse's original stage effort,but so what? As a movie to be judged on it's own merits,it is almost totally distasteful.Rather than ramble on and convince no-one,allow me sum it up: CRAPPY PLOT HATEFUL CHARACTERS FORGETTABLE SONGS ANNOYING RATHER THAN STIMULATING DANCING QUICK BUT PURPOSELESS EDITING TECHNIQUE POOR ACTING ACROSS THE BOARD WITH THE SOLE EXCEPTION OF RICHARD GERE ( WHO WOULD HAVE THUNK IT?) ANNOYING ARTIFICIAL NARRATION AND JARRING TRANSITIONS BETWEEN "SONG & DANCE SEGMENTS" AND the non-musical dramatic interludes. This is such a forgettable and sad effort that my wife actually fell asleep during the film,and the worst than that--- I envied her !!! Not even a pale shadow of Moulin Rouge ( A TRULY IMPRESSIVE AND UNIQUE FILM EXPERIENCE) ---- JUST TYPICAL HOLLYWOOD JUNK THAT SETS THE CAUSE OF MUSICALS BACK ANOTHER 20 YEARS. All on its own !!! Wanted to walk out but my wife was asleep so I endured every last annoying frame. Ended up wishing that Roxie had shot not only her scumbag lover,but also had put her pathetic husband out of his misery,and had a shell in the chamber left to ease my suffering as well.

The Four Feathers (2002)

80 Million For This ???

[5/10 · 23 February 2003]

What a monstrous disappointment this film turned out to be.I have been reading the reviews of others on this flic,and really have not too much original to add .I felt that this film was butchered by the director's choices or maybe more accurately by his lack of choices. I remember very fondly seeing the 1939 version of this story and also recall my absolute pleasure in its exciting storytelling.Good guys/ bad guys/cowards/heroes--- that film had them all.It demanded that you take a side and root for someone. This politically correct and oh so sensitive remake can't bring itself to either support the British actions in the Sudan or to condemn them,and as a result its characters are left to flounder aimlessly in the ambiguity.In trying to ride 2 horses at the same time, the director has accomplished nothing with an 80 million dollar budget except to do himself,his cast, and his audience a very painful injury. Having seen the other much much much better versions of this story played out,I am convinced that I could make a better,more engaging film if someone wants to give me the cash. This is not "Lawrence of Arabia" & it is not "Zulu".And because it does not know what it is,neither do we,and neither do its characters.The end result of all this confusion is a big case of the "SO WHAT"S?".When you are mounting a large scale adventure movie,that is invariably fatal,and it is here. Sad waste of resources.Actually considering the money spent on this---- AN INEXCUSABLE WASTE OF RESOURCES !!!

Birthday Girl (2001)

Great Little Movie

[8/10 · 18 February 2003]

Great acting ; clever dialogue ; nice plot changes ; not liked by the mass market ; AND NICOLE KIDMAN !!!! If you like your movies with a bit of intelligence and your romantic movies with a healthy dose of spice, and your characters with more facets than usual --- you will like this film. Any Nicole Kidman fan will love it,and any fan of interesting films should like it a lot. The critics are as usual -- WRONG !!!

Chicago (2002)

A Pale Shadow of Moulin Rouge !!!

[8 February 2003]

If you are reading all these reviews than you know what this movie is all about.Therefore I will not spend any time describing the elements of this film. I did enjoy this film,but it certainly won't be staying long in the memory banks, nor will I race out to see it again. As a "musical" it works,and if all you want is to be entertained by spectacle,you will doubtless enjoy this one. However I have been spoiled by the absolute greatness of Moulin Rouge!.When Moulin Rouge was released in 2001 the musical genre was not even on life support.IT WAS DEAD.The reason that it is now re-animated is due to the "feelings" that MR made fashionable again.Musicals are the perfect medium for the expression of emotions which cannot be described completely in any other way.That is what MR did. Chicago,as others have pointed out,is populated by a collection of despicable characters,who not only have no moral base,but glory in their shallowness.You simply cannot FEEL for these creatures,and as a result all the singing & dancing( no matter how well accomplished)eventually becomes all style/no substance. I guess having been introduced to the genre by a great ROMANTIC director telling a timeless story, I find this effort a little hard to swallow.The only thing I kept thinking was: "Hey great idea.Maybe for the next effort, we could have have a musical based on O.J.Simpson and his dream team of ethically challenged attorneys." Its not that this was a bad movie.It just left me feeling cold,and detached because I couldn't feel anything but dislike for the characters,including poor John C.Riley.He was the most sympathetic,and lets be frank,he was an object of ridicule for the "sophisticated".And probably deserved to be.He chose to be a sap. Good Movie ---- Bad Aftertaste !!!

Rob Roy (1995)

Entertaining and Underrated Film

[8/10 · 7 February 2003]

Its not Braveheart( thankfully),but it is fine entertainment with engaging characters and good acting all around. I enjoyed this film when it was released and upon viewing it again last week,find it has held up well over time. Not a classic film,but a very fine and watchable movie to enjoy as great entertainment.

Moulin Rouge! (2001)

You'll Be Dumb With Wonderment !!!!

[10/10 · 4 February 2003]

Lets be honest. I am not objective about this movie. I think it is a cinematic masterpiece, and although already a modern classic, I have no doubt that it will,in the future,be considered not only a great film,but a CLASSIC FILM. Why? A.A touching and heartfelt LOVE STORY,brought to life by a brilliant director,and perfect performances by a talented and committed cast of actors.All the performances are flawless,especially Nicole Kidmans.It is her ROLE OF A LIFETIME !! B.Great songs(especially El Tango de Roxanne)which do not interrupt the story but rather tell the story.Stunning use of popular music to connect on a emotional level with the viewers. C. A totally unique visual style which once you adapt to it, will blow you away. D.This film has it all.Story,acting,music,comedy,tragedy; - the whole nine yards. Look at it this way.If you don't like it(how sad),you can always sell it on E-bay for about what you paid for it.So its really a no lose situation.BUT,if it does connect with you,you will be one happy camper,as this is a MUST SEE / MUST HAVE movie. WARNING----- THis film is SERIOUSLY ADDICTIVE and I mean that exactly as it appears.With this one, Once is not nearly enough;in fact,I don't know that this movie could really ever wear out its welcome. ITS THAT GOOD !!!