Change Your Image
arvy
Reviews
The Black Dahlia (2006)
Fans of Ellroy will be disappointed - (a period drama with no drama)
A good looking film, beautifully set and not much more.
The Black Dahlia is a story about the murder of an unknown actress and throughout the film an honest cop tries his best to find out what happened to her, as well as those whom she came in touch with.
The cast is fairly strong, but very soon in, you are convinced that everyone was mis-cast. The "Dahlia" herself doesn't appear until about a third of the way into the film and much of the first half of the the film relates to the lead cop and his relationship with his colleague and friend.
Throughout the acting is incredibly wooden and the dialogue does make you cringe. The last few scenes tie up things reasonably well, however by this point you have really lost interest.
The settings were good, but there was no tension or engagement. The filmmakers got the "period" bit of "period drama" right. It is a shame they didn't get the rest
Miami Vice (2006)
Like a celebrity mag: Fat free, Story free but incredibly stylish
Visually this film is a treat.
Michael Mann takes off where he left in "collateral" with beautiful cityscapes, seascapes of Miami and more.
Unfortunately he forgot to write a decent script and in Colin Farrell cast a decent lead. The story is dead-weight and the film relies on the backdrops rather than the story.
What story there is involved Crocket and Tubbs going undercover to infiltrate a drug gang. They nearly bite off more than they can chew...
Part of the story is a "love story" and this almost takes over to the detriment of the rest of the film Just like "heat" there is a wonderful shoot-out near the end.
Oh and they ruin the "in the air tonight" track too. The atmosphere of this song is lost completely.
Casino Royale (2006)
Read Casino Royale - will help you enjoy
although outdated, the book is a very good read. and a fair insight into why this Bond is different to the Connery/Moore/Brosnan bond.
The first half is a bit slow and moody, but the second half of CR is superb.
Set against the backdrop of the casino (in glorious Montenegro) the relationship between Bond and the main female actress (Vesper) is beautifully constructed.
This is a much tougher Bond, very few gadgets (one really saves his life) and a Bond, just like the book, who isn't sure about his "hired gun" status as a new "00".
The opening kill (one of the 2 required to get a "00") is gritty and unlike the sauve Bond kills you may be familiar with.
Worth watching, but not always the glamour of previous Bonds.
Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006)
Perfect DVD fodder, some amazing sketches, watch with friends and a few stimulants...
Borat travels from the backward Kazakhstan to learn and inform his nation about Americans.
This film is a concoction of sketches that you may or may or not have seen on the Ali G show (more likely if you are British) strung together with a road trip theme.
Some of the sketches are superb - where where Borat is learning etiquette and the scene where he is winding up the local feminist chapter. In others he mocks anti-semitism (jews are able to trans-mutate).
However the film is let down by not having a strong enough story, and some of the scenes are clearly staged. The final scene and the "bear in the van " scene are far too staged.
I have to say I was a little disappointed by the anti-semitic elements, as well as the description of the black congressmen as a chocolate face. In one respect this is pure offence, in other you can see the comedian taking some risks.
If anything I kind of wish he had taken more risks (there is a scene when a chicken might be killed, but of course animals can't be hurt, casual racism is OK, but animals can't be hurt).
There is a scene where a fat-black prostitute crashes a dinner party, and this would be great if Woody Allen and Larry David hadn't already done this.
However kudos is due to anyone who manages to offend a rodeo crowd in the manner that Borat does, as well as the naked wrestling scene, which I really hope I never have to watch again.
Well done Peter Baynham (Armando Ianucci fans will know the name) and the ever talented Larry Charles for making this and hopefully making some cash.
It could have been better, but watch it with some mates after a few and it will make you laugh.
Brick (2005)
An interesting but disappointing take on the noir thriller
Brick has been best described by "focus features" summary already on this site.
The Brick involved is part of a drug deal.
The dealing occurs around a high school and into this high school you plant the "gumshoe detective" character who is the loner described in the summary.
Some of the dialogue crackles and there are some memorable scenes. The party at the beginning the "shoe chase" are very well shot and thoroughly engaging.
In parts this film reminds you of the Maltese Falcon, in others of Pulp Fiction and in others still the Godfather. However in other parts it appears deeply miscast, like a bad "Bugsy Malone" and the introduction of a gun about 2/3s of the way through is a little disingenuous if you really are to believe that these gangs operate around this school.
There is one line where the loner is most worried about the "vice principal". (why?) and the hero states "either write me up or let me go?" As we English say, this is just "naff". It tells you where the filmmakers went wrong. The setting just doesn't quite work.
Which is why the film is a good idea but badly executed in most parts.
Oh by the way, all 3 lead women are impossibly beautiful in the film.
Rollin' with the Nines (2006)
Violent, edgy update your street slang (uk south London street slang)
Another comment on here states that this is "lock stock" without the jokes and yes, to a large degree this is the case.
This is a very well shot, gangster movie. Most of the protagonists are south Londoners and in this case, unlike lock-stock, they are black.
This follows one crew who enter the world of distributing crack cocaine (to tell you why would be a spoiler) and there quest to get bigger and better.
It deals well with the interaction of the local police and touches upon the "new" violent gun culture that has appeared in the UK over the past few years, since crack-cocaine have entered the market.
This is well written and very well shot. However the story doesn't always hold together and while the main lead female character is strong, 2 of the leading men don't quite attain this high standard.
Please note, there are scenes of violence in this film as shocking as the first time you saw Joe Pesci do something ridiculous in "casino" The music is authentic and enjoyable and "bullet boy" however is a tighter and more engaging movie
The Libertine (2004)
Johnny! Johnny! A dirty "under the skin" story of the Earl of Rochester
The libertine is the story of the 2nd earl of Rochester.
A mainstay during the Restoration reign of Charles II.
Charles is played in quite a distant manner by John Malkovich, and bizarrely this works. He is set against the Earl of Rochester (johnny) played by Depp.
Depp excels at the fornicator - adulterer - live life-to-the-excess but it is Charles request to do something to define his reign which stretches Depp and makes the film transition from something shocking into something really testing.
Depp excels yet again (he has this habit of pulling out amazing performances when he feels like it) and the story while peppered with expletives (as a way to define London at the time?) is still very engaging and touching.
If you are a fan of Depp, watch this. If you are fan of good stories watch this. If you have any desire to know a tiny bit (but "under the skin") of the reign of Charles II then this is a very different type of period drama. Drama is the key word
Underworld (2003)
one for real vampire fans only
The opening scene looks like it is lifted straight out of the matrix with poorer light. Beckinsale plays a vampire who appears also to be wearing Carrie Ann_Moss's outfit from the Matrix as well.
This is a film about vampires fighting for their place on earth and is connected to the mythology of the vampire line and their battle with the Lycans. All of this is explained in the movie, so I won't do so here.
It isn't bad, but it really isn't great. There are a couple of good action scenes at each end of the film and the whole film seems to exist in the rain in some unknown eastern European town at an unspecified time.
However this is thrown by the appearance of a 2003 maserati at one point! I couldn't help but thinking that Blade is just a better version of the genre, better action, better script, better effects.
I'm sure a lot of the fans appreciate Beckinsale walking around in a nice catsuit, but to be honest she looks very small with large boots, and a posh English accent.
If you really love your vampire films, this is a nice twist. If you just prefer decent films, watch "Blade" and have done with it.
ps Michael Sheen steals the show in this!
Hidalgo (2004)
A film for horse lovers and those of a romantic bent
This is simply the story of a horse race across the arabian peninsula.
Frank Hopkins is the lead character on his mustang "hidalgo". Both hopkins and his horse are misfits both in their country and in the romantacised Arabian peninsula that Hopkins races in. (omar sharif plays a 'leader' of sorts who spends most of his time in his fine tent lamenting the loss of princely sons) He is of course the first "westerner" to race in such a prestigious race, and many of the characters in the film remind me of the multiple characters in the "wacky races". Some are devious, others are warm and helpful.
Overall this is really a film for those who loves horses. There are a few good scenes involving the horses, but the film on the whole is too sparse and particularly at the beginning too slow.
There are a few good "action scenes" halfway through the film, but if you don't like horses, it is just a bit too slow.
Train to Pakistan (1998)
Worthy, but falls flat
One is always told not to compare books to films.
The reality of this film is that how on earth would you ever see it without knowing the book. There is nothing in the trailer or introduction to make you think that you would want to watch it.
One would only watch this film on the back of reading the book, or because one is too lazy to read the book.
The film is disjointed, and loses the ambiguity implicit in many characters within the book. Particularly Iqbal, the "social worker" and also the dilemma the magistrate, Chand, experiences when trying to wrestle with the problems.
The film is also disjointed, and although the setting is a village, it somehow seems to be unnatural. It might be a function of the acting, but there seems to be a hangover of 'dramatic' bollywood acting seeping through, rather than the acting showing the depth of each of the characters so well drawn in the book.
The film is also in Punjabi, whereas the book I read was a pleasure to read in English.
Trust me on this, read the book
36 quai des orfèvres (2004)
Not the French "heat". more the french "weak"
The story is a story of 2 cops, both in the game for some time.
One who follows orthodox methods and politics, the other who is a tough-nut or rough diamond. They are effectively up for the same job.
The rough one appears to have the support of most of his team and this is all complicated by the need to catch a dangerous armed gang.
The opening is very enjoyable and avoids many of the Paris cliché's many French films fall for. However, the film is guilty of far too many other clichés, and for this reason alone should be avoided. The intrigue between the 2 cops is somewhat interesting but the music is plodding and after inevitable death of one of the team, the cliché count sores.
Watch "Infernal Affairs" if you like your cop dramas/intrigue. Or even just "Heat" if you want a bit more action. but give this one a miss.
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
A couple of good gags but wasted talent here
Will Farrell, Vince Vaughn, even Stiller makes an appearance
but with the exception of the "afternoon delight" song, there is little to commend this film.
one gets the feeling that this was a bunch of "SNL" mates just getting together with a bunch of their own in-jokes.
if this were a British film it would be Peter's Friends.
i.e. performed by people you know, some of whom have been in decent films, but ultimately this is a wasted effort. Only watch this if you are "huge" fan of Will F.
and also very light pastiches of the 70s.
Chinjeolhan geumjassi (2005)
Revenge dished incredibly cold
This is the story of a young woman who goes to prison in Korea.
The first half relates to her life in prison and the second the story of revenge.
It is well shot with particularly fine transitions from one scene to another. The director who made this also made "old boy".
please note, it is nothing like Old Boy! There is violence, but served in a very cold almost callous manner. The story is well constructed and many characters are bought into the plot.
Watch it if you like thrillers. Don't watch it if you want an action movie like "old boy" best asm
La marche de l'empereur (2005)
Good but watch "of penguins & men"
A bewitching insight into a world within our world.
The documentary follows the mating ritual of the Emperor Penguin in Antartica. It shows them finding mates, losing eggs and baby penguins and the battle against the cold.
The version I watched had Morgan Freeman's narration. It was a little heavy handed and for some reason too keen to describe the loss of eggs/penguins as anything other than death.
The filming is awesome, and the DVD also has a bonus WB cartoon! I would however recommend the documentary "of penguins & men" which follows the 2 french men who made the film. This is much more interesting and engaging but covers very much the same ground as the film.
The Producers (2005)
The musical. Watch the musical or the original not this!
It is a shame The musical is stonking show. (I was fortunate enough too see it with Nathan Lane playing Bialystock).
This is a very fair facsimile of the musical but something has been lost compared to the stage. The oomph just isn't there.
Broderick is weak, Thurman (whom you couldn't pay me enough not to watch) is just a prop, and Will Ferrel tries but shouting in a bad German accent must have been done better by better.
Watch the original. (mostel/wilder) the comedy timing is better, however the rendition of "springtime for Hitler" in this version is probably worth a watch!
Tonî Takitani (2004)
Simplicity on the subject of loneliness. A shade of "grey"
This is a slow, deliberate film on the subject of loss (and loneliness) The first few minutes don't exactly imbue you with confidence, and strike very much as a "pseuds" corner speciality.
The filmmaker and the droll narrator however save you and produce a gentle portrait of a man who lives through loneliness.
There are woman involved too, but the cast is sparse.
I have read other users mention melancholy in their reviews. I disagree with this. This is a film simply shot and with a gentle simple piano score attached to it. There are no vibrant colours but it is just as visually enchanting as the "The thin red line" even for it greyness.
It is the strength of the characters that however keep you engaged.
Watch this.
De battre mon coeur s'est arrêté (2005)
A good film, complex and multi-themed
This is the story of a man who works as an enforcer within a building company but who also harbours the desire to resurrect his piano playing.
Yes it sounds ridiculous but the lead actor does his best to play a modern James dean type role where you do care about whether he will recover his piano ability.
There are nice cameos from this business partner's wife as well as his piano teacher.
A couple of the scenes don't quite run as smoothly as most of the film but you definitely follow the path of this moody wanna-be musician trying to live the "2 lives" that he does.
Worth watching if you like good dramas. There is an element of romance here but you can determine whether you think it was worth it...
best
Intacto (2001)
A story of Luck and more...
A slow-paced thriller, half in Spanish and some in English You spend the first 20 minutes or so not quite sure what is happening and trying to understand the handful of characters. This is very rewarding even though it doesn't sound as so.
The deliberate pace is a little annoying at times (particularly about 2/3s of the way through) but this thriller toys with the meaning of luck and to whom it attaches.
There is an element of the film "unbreakable" here, but this may be just minor as the issue of luck is key to this film. The disturbing role of luck is explored through many different scenarios and worth a watch.
asm
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
Carrey on Form, tolerate the first 30 mins
An original film.
Winslet is very annoying in the first 10 minutes, but sit through it if you can. It pays off much later.
Jim Carrey on very good form and his role in the film is worth it on its own. Winslet is a little on the annoying side (and if you aren't a fan of hers, you will hate the first few minutes) however she is clearly fulfilling a very specific role.
This film deals with a "kuki" love story and the bits that sometimes go wrong. Trust me on the first 30 minutes, it does get much better!
It will make you think about relationships.
Spartan (2004)
Sparse Thriller worth your time
A sparse thriller with Kilmer (william H macy) and a bunch of people you won't have seen before.
It is worth it purely because anything Mamet does is worth a look.
The film is a based around the disappearance of the daughter of someone important. There are a number of twists; and some you find believable and some you don't.
The twists themselves are enjoyable and the way the film deviates from "cookie cutter" films and is worth it on its own merit.
There are a couple of flaws and some of the acting (and even the writing) is a little stiff in places, but definitely engaging enough for a look!
Startup.com (2001)
What the chaps are doing now
If you are interested, this is what these boys are doing now.
Not convinced they have ever actually achieved anything, but the film is nevertheless interesting for the first 2/3s of the show.
It follows the team raising money, hiring people, firing some others and getting swept up in the bubble of 99-2000.
It would have been better to see the new CEO takeover and the machinations involved here as the demise that is shown is a purely personal one, and I would be interested in see what they thought about it after the event. Clearly Tom and Khalil work together (see below)
http://www.recognitiongroup.com/articles.php?post=74 http://www.recognitiongroup.com/about_us.php?sub=2