SilkTork Reviews

I Live in Fear (1955)

In The Heat Of Tradition

[9/10 · 6 December 2005]

There is something Shakespearian about Kurosawa. He deals with huge themes, and is willing and able to deal with multiple themes and work on many levels. A strong and evocative story-line with fascinating central characters is his starting point, and he directs with compassion, imagination and the eye of an artist. Many of the frames are filled with beautifully balanced shots that are rarely seen outside of the work of a handful of great directors. He is not afraid to shoot actors from behind or from awkward but revealing angles. This is one of the most gripping and satisfying Kurosawa films I have seen. The image of the sacrifice of the foundry and the theme of destruction by atomic war brings to mind Tarkovski's The Sacrifice. Indeed, with so much drenching rain in some scenes, and with Tarkovski's known admiration for Kurosawa, it is quite possible that this film did have some influence.

The story is about an extended family who are charging their father with insanity as he is determined to sell up the family business and move to Brasil because of his fear of atomic radiation engulfing Japan. Atomic radiation was a major cause for concern in post-war Japan, and there were many books and newspaper articles at the time explaining that the Earth's wind currents would bring radiation from atom bomb tests and from atomic war to Japan. This fear was the impetus for such monster films as Godzilla. However, Kurosawa is also using the radiation as a symbol for modern development - the changes that are taking place to the traditional Japanese ways, mainly from the mysterious modern world beyond Japan's shores.

The film opens not with the family, but with a dentist who is to be one of the judges who will decide on the old man's sanity. It is notable that the dentist works in bright, clean, modern surroundings with modern equipment, while the old father owns an old, dirty, dark, dangerous foundry where the workers have to be warned to take care of the fires or the place will be engulfed. We first encounter the family as they squabble outside the informal family court room where the case will be heard. The heat, anger and irritation are made very clear - there are sweat stains and angry swishing of fans throughout this and many of the other early scenes. It was at this point that I knew that I was going to enjoy this film a lot. There are many films that within the first ten minutes you know if the director is confident and in charge, and is ready to take risks. There is no doubt at this point that the placing of the actors, the camera angles and even the actors' gestures has been controlled by the director and that everything is working smoothly and effortlessly in the right direction. Even though the story is about the father and his family, we are kept in contact with the dentist throughout the film, even when the court case is over. And it is he we see in the final scene walking down the slope of the hospital as the father's youngest daughter walks up.

This is a film about a family. This is a film about moral values in a changing world. This is a film about the fear of modern society. This is a film about a Japanese society coming to terms with itself and its relationship with the outside world in the aftermath of the Second World War. This is a film about living in fear. This is an awesome film. I understand that this is the film that Kurosawa himself was most proud of. And I can certainly see why.

Crash (I) (2004)

Hard To Swallow

[3/10 · 8 November 2005]

It's good emotional stuff at the time, but the very real weaknesses nag at you as soon as the film ends. It's a real fader. After a month you've forgotten all about it.

Once there's some distance from the emotion, I have to say that it sucks. Issues are isolated and blown out of proportion just to give an immediate emotional intensity. There is a lack of reality, intelligence, craft and creativity about the whole thing. And I found the racist, sex abusing cop's back story of being a dutiful son and then being a dramatic hero somewhat hard to swallow - after the event. Yeah, sure, at the time it felt like there was some significance there, but on reflection you see that it was just a dramatic scene in a Hollywood movie. And any suggestion that even a racist can also be nice to his mom is not worth making, except by racists to excuse and justify racist behaviour.

The confusions you feel at the time are the result of some blunt emotional exploitation by the movie makers. It's like a series of big expensive, well made adverts strung together, some saying vote conservative and some saying vote liberal. At the time the adverts seem to be saying something. But by the next day real issues and real life take over and you return to reality.

The Train (1964)

A Breathing, Living Train - A Masterpiece In Any Genre

[10/10 · 1 November 2005]

Sometimes people comment that The Train is one of the greatest War Films ever made, or one of the greatest Train Films ever made, as though by itself The Train isn't that good, but as part of a lesser group it stands out - like a big fish in a small pond. Yet, for me, this is not just one of the finest movies, but is also one of the finest works of art in existence. As a War Film, though, it is actually quite weak, as The Train is not concerned with war. The final days of World War Two are the setting for the film and the impetus for the plot, but the battle that takes place is not about the dominance of armies, the brutality of soldiers or the heroism of combat. This is a struggle about the nature of Art - or even: Nature V. Art. Does Art represent the living spirit: the achievement of Nature, as embodied in the very physical machinery of the train engines - machines built for a function, yet breathing, spitting, gloriously living works of art. Or does Art represent higher ideals: cold, calculating, observing - dismissive of all lower concerns, including human life. The anonymous, distant authorities in London, and the cold, calculating German officer, Col. von Waldheim, who use and abuse the lives of the French in order to keep control of the Art seem to desire something different to the French resistance who are prepared to struggle, suffer and sacrifice their lives for an ideal which sums up a "vision of life, born out of France ... our pride, what we create." A very breathing, spitting, gloriously living vision of Art. The doubting, questioning, very real and human Frenchman Labiche may not get excited to stand near the crates of Art, but he shows a much deeper understanding of the beauty of human nature in his very existence. He is in himself a work of art - a human who defies, who is prepared to stand up and defend his fellow man to the very end. Admirable, worthy - displaying all the qualities we admire in humans - resourcefulness, compassion, resilience, adaptability, true grit and determination. Even the cold Col. von Waldheim recognises the art in Labiche and wants him to be part of the package he is taking to Germany. Shot in gritty, living black and white with a stunning depth of texture, and backed with a soundtrack drenched in the animalistic breath of the huge trains, this is a compelling drama. The action scenes are as emotionally stunning as the human cameos are quietly moving. Yes there are flaws - such as: apart from Waldheim, the German characters are mere cyphers on which to hang the film; they have no character or motivation. But these are quibbles. This is a huge film, painted on a huge canvas - beautiful to look at, to listen to, and to be drawn into. A masterpiece in any genre.

Ali (2001)

Editd By The Tea Lady

[3/10 · 25 September 2005]

Oliver Stone style documentary drama with good (earnest even) intentions but lacking the right touches to make this film really fly. The fight scenes are excellent documents of what happened in the ring; and, even though (or more probably because) they are safe and clean, they hold an emotional charge which makes them compelling to watch, especially the Rumble In The Jungle fight which climaxes the film. The music choices are excellent in capturing the essence of the period covered, the black soul, the political happenings, Ali's friendships, and underscoring the events on screen. The fight scenes and the music production are the best parts of an otherwise dull, confused, boring and weary film which brought this viewer no closer to an understanding of Ali. The editing for the TV version I watched must have been done by the tea lady because there were many confusions and oddities. Either that or the editor assumed the audience would already know so much about Ali's life and the political and cultural events of the time that it would be just too silly to give people basic information, such as Ali losing his come-back fight. There is much interesting material in Ali's life that would a great film - this is not that film.

The Man in the White Suit (1951)

Wears Its Satire On Its White Sleeve

[5/10 · 25 February 2005]

In the late 40's early 50's the Ealing studio released a series of dry, dark comedies that affectionately poked fun at many aspects of British life. Man In The White Suit was one of those films. Directed by the man who steered Whiskey Galore to success; staring Alex Guinness and Joan Greenwood who both had made an impression in previous Ealing Comedies; and using as its theme the contemporary concerns of progress, capitalism and the unions, this one was sure to impress. Indeed, for its light charm, many still regard this as a great film.

It's cute enough, and everyone goes through their paces with practised ease. The directorial touch is confident without being in any way stylish or interesting. It works. It's not a film that contains anything meaningful, impressive, interesting, moving or exciting, but it moves along and is rarely dull. It may wear its satire on its sleeve, and one complaint may be that the themes are pushed a little too heavily, but it entertains in a light and charming way.

Guinness is here at his most Hugh Grant popular. Not giving us a performance to admire, but certainly being boyishly cute.

This is a film that is neither good nor bad, but is that most fine thing for a wet Tuesday afternoon, a decently average movie.

Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979)

Great Finger Work Poor Homage

[6/10 · 24 February 2005]

I am fascinated by the vampire legend. It is a rich vein for artists to draw upon. The first vampire film, and quite possibly the best, is Murnau's Nosferatu. Bram Stoker's Dracula is laid before us in all but name. But the stunning visual imagery of Murnau's Expressionist film has not been taken up by other film-makers doing their versions of the Count. Except here. Herzog is clearly doing a re-make of Murnau's film rather than another vampire/Dracula interpretation.

As such Herzog concentrates on the visual. Dialogue is reduced - simple lines that would look good on a silent film dialogue card. Mood and atmosphere and pace are the key elements he is exploring. The effect is much like a minor classical piece of music or a Dutch landscape painting. There is much to admire but little to excite - and flaws are obvious.

Some scenes are stunning - the ship docking by itself with the dead captain tied to the wheel; Lucy's view through the mirror of the shadow of the count arriving in her bedroom; lines of coffins moving slowly through the streets of Wismar. Yet, despite these moments of visual splendor, and an interesting performance of the fingers by Kinski, this film does invite comparison with the original and fails badly.

The Lady Vanishes (1938)

Hitchcock Vanishes

[6/10 · 22 February 2005]

One of the last films Hitchcock made before going to America, he was clearly already comfortable with making comedy thrillers involving an attractive male and female partnership.

Nicely made and nicely judged though it is, The Lady Vanishes adds nothing much to the format that Hitchcock established with his ground-breaking and very modern 39 Steps from three years earlier. Indeed, there is much missing. The sexual tension, the energy, the driving wit, the sheer verve, the breathless pacing, the joy and arrogance of that earlier film are lacking here. It seems, at times, that Hitchcock is merely going through the paces. The greatest moments in The Lady Vanishes either involve Naughton Wayne and Basil Radford as the English caricatures Caldicott and Charters, or any of the minor supporting characters: the hotel manager, or the other passengers in the train carriage.

This is a watchable and entertaining film, but if you are looking for an early Hitchcock classic then turn your attention to the much finer 39 Steps.

Earth Girls Are Easy (1988)

Tinned Corn

[3/10 · 21 February 2005]

Julien Temple struggles to make decent movies. After the appalling Absolute Beginners, a film that - despite all the promise and potential of a great novel and a decent cast and a soundtrack by Bowie - falls short of the target by miles, Temple manages to barge around with an admirable lack of skill here in this cardboard cutout piece of cheap music hall. Nothing works. The film is slow and stiff with long embarrassing moments of nothing. In desperation a bored viewer may grasp at the flimsiest piece of stale slapstick to let out a yawning chuckle, but mainly the film can only be enjoyed by those who find turkeys amusing.

Leaving Las Vegas (1995)

Despair and Desperation in Las Vegas

[6/10 · 13 February 2005]

The premise for Leaving Las Vegas is very promising - an observation without direct moral comment of despair and desperation in Las Vegas. A deliberate, destructive drunk, and a prostitute with low self-esteem looking for love from any man she feels she deserves - a violent brute or a clumsy drunk, meet and form an uneasy but tender relationship. It's a story without direction or hope or consummation. It is a small, sad tone poem about people who cannot cope. But with all that premise, with all the mood enhancing jazz, and the seedy, empty, soulless backdrop of Las Vegas, nothing truly happens for the viewer. There is no story. There is no drama. There is no understanding. Yes we recognise these people, and yes there is an honesty and a truth about Elisabeth Shue's performance that is impressive. But scratch the surface and there is nothing there. Maybe that is what we should take away from the movie, the emptiness of the whole thing, but I would have liked a little more. However convincing Cage is as a lost puppy drunk, I was expecting a performance with a little more depth and meaning after all the awards he collected.

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)

Boring

[4/10 · 11 February 2005]

A tiresome Walt Disney kiddies movie with appalling dialogue and a Bodger Award for the most dreadful performance by a leading actor in a major movie of all time. Everyone just woodenly and stiffly and badly moves through this movie repeating their dreadful lines with a lack of enthusiasm. Some embarrassment is evident. The storyline is pathetic and boring and dull. The initial action is limp and dull. In fact dull is the key word. Dull and boring and bad and wooden. And how on earth did this ever get filmed. Surely it can't be that hard to make an exciting, interesting and worthy pirate movie in such pleasant locations? The movie does pick up toward the end with some decent fight scenes, and a bit of swashbuckling, but it's too little too late.

Breathless (1960)

You Leave Me Breathless

[7/10 · 8 December 2004]

À bout de soufflé is fast, cool, literate, entertaining and stylish. Just rush the words out and there you have it. A stunning classic. Loose, casual, and bad to know. This film is attitude. A knowing and intelligent film deeply influenced by American gangster thrillers will itself becoming influential. Look at who we have here: Francois Truffaut as writer, Jean-Luc Godard as director and Jean-Paul Belmondo as the star. This is the start of the French New Wave. Bang. Like a shot out of a gun. This is how the French do A Rebel Without A Cause - as Peter John Dyer said: "A film all dressed up for rebellion but with no real tangible territory on which to stand and fight".

King Arthur (2004)

One Great Ice Battle Does Not A Movie Make

[5/10 · 7 December 2004]

I love big action battle movies set in the past. And I love the whole King Arthur myth. So I should have enjoyed this film. But I didn't. Antoine Fuqua, bless him, is clearly not up to making a movie of this size. There is a lack of scale, import, excitement and personality about the film. Fuqua seems unable to bring big performances out of his actors, and the whole thing starts to unfold more like some cheesy day time soap opera than a big screen epic. The strange premise of blending a medieval sensibility onto a Roman Britain sits uncomfortably. This is another in a long line of theories of who Arthur actually was, and all are welcome to add to the Arthur mythology - but this, despite claims otherwise, is not based on hard research. Do not feel you are getting anywhere near the real Arthur with this story. This is mostly a dull and tedious movie though it does contain one very imaginative battle on the ice. It's a shame the quality of the rest of this film is so poor it will drag that sequence under with it. The ice battle deserves to be seen.

Sex Lives of the Potato Men (2004)

Exactly What It Says On The Tin

[4/10 · 7 December 2004]

Sex Lives of the Potato Men is about the sex lives of several men involved in delivering potatoes. So there are no surprises there. It is, in fact, pretty much what you might expect from the title: that is, it's a quirky comedy involving sex and potato men. At times the film works. It's an edgy, sometimes uncomfortable comedy about the lives of some rather unimportant and rather average men who are having problems of various sorts with women. Where the film clearly does not work, and why it failed at the box office, is that the quirky, uncomfortable parts are perhaps just a shade too quirky and uncomfortable. Instead of laughing during the scene of a man suspended from a basement ceiling masturbating over another man while he makes love to his wife, I think most of us just kind of groan awkwardly and wonder what Andy Humphries was thinking. Well, perhaps we are shown what he was thinking all too clearly.

Garfield: The Movie (2004)

Mildly Amusing

[4/10 · 6 December 2004]

A gentle romp through the mildly amusing world of Garfield the cat.

Bill Murray (the voice you always imagined Garfield had) trots through this like he's doing a Saturday morning job. A bit of pocket money, and then he's off to do something more serious like eating a pizza maybe.

Garfield is warm and fuzzy, but is really just a poster on your wall, or a five second guffaw in the papers - a full blown movie is really stretching the warmth, fuzz and mild amusement just a bit too far.

But Garfield fans will be pleased to note that most of the famous lines are included in the film: "Belch! That's a sign that the tank is full."

Seeing it in animation on the big screen really doesn't make it any funnier.

Spider-Man 2 (2004)

From Art-House to Hollywood Failure

[4/10 · 6 December 2004]

The low-key opening third of the film in which Parker's character and situation is explored and revealed is quite engaging. Maguire has a soft, laid back approach that is quite appealing. This feels like a real film with real characters. The surrounding characters are a little over-blown, but seen as a film about a real person living in a comic-book fantasy, they work well, and there is a healthy, knowing tongue-in-cheek intelligence about the film that pulls me in. But at some point in the middle when the action film section really gets going I realized that I had become bored. The film had lost the art-house feel of the opening, had become yet another Hollywood No Brainer with big action sequences, no character development, no surprises, just the usual crash scenes. It was hard to stay focused, and I wondered why and where exactly the awareness of the intelligent viewer had been dropped. Certainly Molina plays the villain with wink-wink, thigh slapping gusto, and there is enough humour and drama in the ending to make most readers forget the tedium of the the middle third. But considered as a whole the film failed for me.

Black Hawk Down (2001)

Flat Perspective

[7/10 · 2 November 2004]

The consensus of opinion on Black Hawk Down is that as an action film depicting the reality of a battle it is extremely well executed.

But that the personalities of the film's characters are mostly vacant, that they simply react to events without any real engagement with the wider issues of life.

And that, even though it is clear from the film's portrayal of what happened that the raid on Mogadishu was badly handled, that the film somehow makes heroes out of the Rangers.

That even though we are clearly told that over 1,000 Somalis died, that the film ignores their plight.

It seems to me that the film is working. The soldiers personalities are largely vacant. We get enough to show that they are distinct enough to be real people, but that they mostly lack depth. That's all we need.

The wider issues are there. Not exactly hidden. Not exactly in the background. There, clearly in black and white. In every frame. You can't escape from what is happening. We are shown and we are told. And the balance of opinion, as with the balance of weapon technology, is tilted very strongly in favour of the American soldiers.

We are given the flat perspective - just like the aerial pictures of the battle scene the generals are staring at - and we make of it what we will.

I saw an honest and brutal film that depicted quite clearly the imbalance of the battle in terms of numbers of people killed and weapons technology used. I saw the fear and thrill of the American soldiers. Some wanted to go back into the fight - other's were less keen. I saw the mess and the confusion. I saw angry Somalis, intelligent Somalis, violent Somalis, and lots of dead and dying Somalis. I saw the whole complex issue played out in front of me with astonishing clarity given the constant action of the film. I saw points in favour of the Ranger's philosophy of looking after your own. The beloved team spirit of the soldiers versus the clan spirit of the Somalis. The sense of community.

"This is not your war."

The Untouchables (1987)

Flawed Potential

[6/10 · 28 September 2004]

In any sensible scheme of things The Untouchables is not a Great Movie - but it somehow does attract serious attention. We want it to be a good movie - it has a big name crew and Serious Intent written all over it - but it fails. It doesn't fail badly - it fails in small, sad ways that in themselves are hardly noticeable, but which in the end just mount up to an unsatisfactory experience. De Palma wants to be a better director than he is - he uses intentionally "interesting" camera angles and movement. And just sometimes he can make a powerful sequence like the shoot out in the railway station. That the very effective minimalistic approach to this sequence came about through budget cut restraints, and that he borrowed heavily from Hitchcock, doesn't take anything away from the scene's effectiveness - though it does take away from any claims to De Palma's ability as a director. De Palma's wannabe serious pretensions drag this movie down and hold it from ever taking off into the thrilling action picture it wants to be. Mamet's script holds potential - it is a dark and somber script. When given to an actor with presence, such as Sean Connery, the dour, mean, repressed and aggressive nature of prohibition Chicago is fully explored. But the script is flawed. The sequence in Canada should never have been shot. The characters could have been better drawn and given more life and, well, character. But there was potential there that a good director would have exploited. Costner is wooden. De Niro is limited. Garcia says little. And Martin Smith is ugly in big glasses. It is only Connery and Bradford who do well. The set design gives everything a comic book feel. But not on the dark Gothic scale of Batman - no, this is more like Doonesbury. Take little snippets here and there, give it a fast edit with lots of Sean Connery, and you have a great trailer. But sadly the movie does not live up to expectation.

Legally Blonde (2001)

This is so not funny.

[2/10 · 26 September 2004]

Barbie goes to Harvard. And stuff happens. I don't want to give away the ending for those foolish enough to think that this film may be in some way amusing, interesting or entertaining. But stuff happens is about it really. Oh, yes, I could add that the stuff happens usually in pink with fluffy bits. And with a small dog in a handbag.

This is a brain dead movie. Contrived, heavy, and so last year. It takes the cliché of Malibou Barbie and does nothing with it. The jokes are not funny. The references are general or just wide of the mark.

Worse of all the movie is dull and boring. And there is no interesting fashion items or beauty tips.

I really didn't like this.

Erin Brockovich (2000)

True Stories Are Dull

[4/10 · 26 September 2004]

"Based on a true story" is a phrase that almost always guarantees a bad movie. Straight from the off there is going to be a problem. If the scriptwriter strays from the truth people will say "That's not what happened" - and also, let's face it, if the script ain't gonna stay with the truth then it ain't a "True Story". But if the scriptwriter does stay with the truth then the story is likely to be dull because life is mostly dull. That's why we have fiction. Fiction takes the essence of something vital and important and tells it in a gripping manner that reveals all the issues in a provocative and memorable way.

Erin Brockovich is a brash woman - offensive, unpleasant, thoughtless and aggressive. Some people like her. Having the very likable Julia Roberts play her goes some way to softening her. Watching a movie about this unpleasant woman who made herself and her firm a lot of money by suing a power company is not my idea of high art nor pleasant entertainment. She won a big court case - big deal. That doesn't make her interesting. Not does it make her a hero.

I didn't like this film.

Bless This House (1972)

Cosy Damp Wallpaper

[3/10 · 26 September 2004]

1970's British light comedy based on a popular TV series.

It's soft, warming, harmless wallpaper. There's a lack of imagination about the whole thing - but it's gentle and inoffensive. The cast, including the minor roles, such as the waitress played by Wendy Richards, are familiar British situation comedy actors. It's that cosy familiarity that is the making or breaking of the piece. Making a film based on a TV series is rarely a good idea. What may be a pleasant half-hour spent at home while chatting to friends and family, can become stretched and dull over three times that length. There are plenty of better ways of passing the time than watching this damp squid.

The Wedding Singer (1998)

Romantic Comedy

[5/10 · 23 September 2004]

The Wedding Singer is a romantic comedy set in the 80's. It's the familiar boy meets girl story. The boy in this case being a singer at weddings. He's smoothly smooth, and just a little too nice to believe. He meets the girl when she starts waitressing at the same weddings in which he is booked to sing. But they are both engaged to other people so nothing is going to happen. Then the boy gets stood up for his own wedding. He is told by his ex-fiancé that he's too boring (and, boy, is she right about that!). The boy becomes depressed and listens to too much of The Cure. But there's now an interesting edge to him at least. The story then unfolds in typical romantic comedy style. The gimmick here is all the 80's references. Amusing at first, you need to have a big capacity for overkill to continue to laugh at that gag. The lack of originality. The same idea repeated over and over again until you want to scream. Yes. It certainly does capture the essence of the 80's! It's an enjoyable enough little film. A little more edge to the characters and a lot less 80's referencing might make it a better film.

Black Rain (1989)

Boring

[3/10 · 29 July 2004]

After a stunning start in films, Ridley Scott staggered a bit before returning to form with Thelma and Louise. This is part of the staggering. Black Rain starts like a made for TV movie, then improves slightly by becoming another bland, boring cop movie. Water on the streets to give the shots "depth", and just about every other modern mainstream movie cliche. Plot trot while eating or drinking or just standing around trying to look interesting. OK - some of the shots have echoes of Blade Runner, but without the atmosphere and intelligence of that film those echoes just make this mess all the more painful to watch.

One for the money, two for the show, three to get ready and four to go home.

The Wicker Man (1973)

Cult Rather Than Classic

[4/10 · 30 June 2004]

Having seen this film years ago, but only remembering a rather dull and simplistic movie with a stunning ending, I have been curious over the years to hear of people who regard it as a classic. I borrowed a copy from my son, then settled down to see what the fuss was about. The opening sequence really sets the scene for what is about to unfold - a very tedious solo flight to the island. This sequence does nothing except to provide a background for the opening credits. It's slow, boring and meaningless. The film starts when the plane lands at the island and Woodward's character begins to interact coldly with the islanders. Yes, he is sure of his convictions and his authority, even though he is often told that he is not the authority he believes himself to be. But I don't care. I don't care for his personality, nor his assumed authority, nor the simplistic approach Shaffer and Hardy have adopted to this symbol of blinkered Christian religion. I don't care for the clumsy speeches about religion, belief and morality - they never come over as natural dialogue , but as bits of cheap philosophy inserted baldly into the script. The brooding atmosphere of a "reasoned" man against a secretive and primitive community is present, but never fully developed. As the viewer I'm not sure who it is I'm identifying with - and that may be part of the film's appeal for many, but for me it leaves an emotional gap for which the cheap philosophy never fully fills. The shock of the first musical number, when the pub bursts into a bawdy song about the landlord's daughter is accidental amusing rather than skillfully handled. The erotic scenes outside the pub are odd, daft and laughable. When these are followed by the landlord's daughter's attempt to seduce the dour policeman by dancing naked in the next room - a room into which he cannot see - the film really starts to fall apart. The landlord's character is so badly Hammer horror funny that he can be spotted in many a horror film spoof. Yes, I can see people watching this to laugh at the ineptitude of it all. The sweet shop owner pops a frog into the mouth of her daughter to cure a bad throat, then asks the policeman if she can help him, to which he storms out shouting "No, I doubt it, seeing you're all raving mad!" Yes. A few drinks and a few friends and this film becomes an outrageous comedy. Wait until you see Christopher Lee! He gives a very assured performance - indubitably his best - it's just a shame that his blow dried hair and paedophile manner undermines everything he says and does. The plotline is simplistic - a plod toward the discovery of why the policeman has been called to the island. It provides little side interest, little meaningful character interaction, simply a slow trudge toward the inevitable climax. There are no real people in this story. No real life. No ideas worth paying attention to. And no emotion. All this film has is a dramatic closing sequence. If you want to see the main point of the film - read a quick plot summary, then simply watch the ending. The rest of it is just too daft to take seriously.

A Fistful of Dollars (1964)

No Name

[5/10 · 31 August 2003]

I don't get the fuss about this film - indeed all of Leone's films. Badly made and badly acted. It's supposed to be about the slow movement and timing isn't it? Gee, and I thought movies were about a little more than that. I suppose if Leone convinced himself he was a great film maker then he could convince other people as well. Full credit for making reasonably enjoyable films on a spaghetti budget, but without Clint Eastwood this would be a wooden spoon.

Titanic (1997)

Big Enough

[9/10 · 17 August 2003]

An awesome tour-de-force of confident film-making. Adventure story, love story, disaster movie, and the mystery of the missing jewel running throughout the film. This is entertainment of the highest order. Gripping and oh so emotional. The story rocks along so tight that at no point do you feel that you are witnessing an accurate documentary of what happened the night the unsinkable ship went down.