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Drucilla_Black
Reviews
Suna no utsuwa (1974)
Doesn't get the attention it deserves
I saw "The Castle of Sand" at a Japanese Film Festival this year in Sydney, and I must say that I'm surprised that this movie isn't better known as it's so beautifully made and incredibly moving...It's one of those near-perfect gems that are few and far between. It's a fairly long movie at nearly 2.5 hours, but the movie is one that draws you in very quickly and keeps you wondering up until the very end.
The plot centres around the mysterious murder of Miki, a retired policeman in his 60's who was well-liked by pretty much everyone who knew him for his kindness and integrity. Two detectives, one a rookie and one fairly older, are assigned to the case and what at first seems like three unrelated stories slowly weave together to reveal the reasons and the person behind Miki's death. Even if you're not a fan of foreign movies, "The Castle of Sand" is still definitely worth a watch.
The Incredibles (2004)
Am I the only one who didn't like it?
Pretty much every single person I came across was raving about "The Incrdibles" after seeing it. This included my Dad, who is in his early 40's. Despite being 18, I love a lot of kids movies (I thought "Finding Nemo", and "Toy Story 1-2" were modern-day classics, and "Monsters Inc" is pretty good too), so I rented this out with positive expectations.
Two hours later, I felt like I had been seriously ripped off. In my opinion, there were two good things about this movie:
1. Incredible CGI and special effects. Not as good as some like "Finding Nemo", but still incredible.
2. The fact that it ended.
Apart from that, I really can't think of much else nice to say about "The Incredibles". Elements of the storyline felt clichéd and recycled, such as the character syndrome, and the fact that The Incredibles seem suspiciously like a carefully-disguised rip-off of the old cartoon "The Fantastic Four".
The plot itself was tired and predictable, much like the clichés. I would've let all that slide if they had at least injected some good humor into the movie, but alas! I didn't get one laugh from the whole thing. But I guess for all the great movies they've done, Pixar were going to have to make a stinker eventually in order to balance things out. And what a stinker they made...
I really wouldn't recommend wasting your time on this. Pixar have made so many better films than this...
Gothika (2003)
B-grade horror
When I first heard about this movie, I found myself very interested in being able to see it as I am a fan of psychological horrors. Unfortunately, I found myself very disappointed in this movie.
***SPOILER ALERT***
First of all, there were so many holes in the story that it wasn't funny. There is no way that Miranda would be treated by her co-workers or questioned by the cop that was her husband's friend. There are laws to prevent that from happening because it's unethical.
Secondly, there is a point where a cop actually assists in her escape from the mental hospital...Why would he help her escape while under the knowledge that she is dangerous and deluded, and that helping her in any way could cost him his job? That scene just made no sense at all.
Thirdly, at the end of the story, both Chloe and Miranda are released from the mental hospital. Um, hello? Regardless of whether or not they are mad, they are still dangerous murderesses. Chloe even ADMITS to enjoying killing her stepfather, and no jury in their right state of mind are going to believe that a ghost killed Miranda's husband when all of the forensic evidence points directly to her. There is no way that either of these women would be released from the hospital into society. It just makes no sense at all.
Also, the story in itself is both painfully predictable (I solved the mystery the moment Miranda picked up Rachel's picture and learnt of her death) and confusing. What is the story trying to convey exactly? Was Miranda really insane (She is the only one who can see the ghost after all) after all? Or is it trying to tell us that we can't just rely on the facts of life? Or maybe it's saying that we're all insane in our own little ways...
Either way I found the movie to be a massive disappointment (Halle Berry and Robert Downey Jr. are more talented than this. Cruz on the other hand is pathetic as always) and would only recommend it to fans of really bad B-grade horror.
By the way, I could never figure out why the movie was titled "Gothika"...does anybody else know why? I think "Anima Sola" would have been a better title...
Dirty Tricks (2000)
Guilty fun...
I didn't actually go looking for this show, it just happened to be on one night during the Easter holidays when I was staying at a relative's place (He's very fond of shows on the less commercial channels). At first, I wasn't quite sure what to think, then I found myself quickly drawn into Edward's twisted little world, and enjoying every minute of it. How couldn't I? Sure, he's evil and manipulative, but at the same time, he lets out his story with a dark, biting humor that I found impossible not to love.
The plot itself was wonderfully guilty fun...A mild-mannered Oxford man suspected for a string of murders, and watching him manipulate his way out of the most twisted situations while maintaining his mild English charm and obviously high intelligence is just priceless. There are points where you actually find yourself on his side because he's just so good at what he does that you just want him to keep getting away with it so his adventures don't end.
This intelligent, well-scripted show (And yes, I know it's based on a novel, but I haven't read it yet) is truly a welcome break from all of those terrible Reality TV shows that are all about the ratings.