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Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002)
Hesitation and fear went bye bye
I feared the day I'd go to see this movie. I'd heard all the talk about the romantic chapter in the Star Wars-saga, and I remembered with horror the disappointment I felt after seeing the previous installment (Phantom Menace).
Attack of the Clones is perhaps the best movie in the saga so far. Only rivaled by Empire Strikes Back. Sure, the dialogue is at times cheesy at best, and the acting is not winning any of the actors an Oscar. But then again, this isn't Rain Man. It isn't Forrest Gump, and it isn't Titanic. It's Star Wars. Finally! After 19 years of waiting, a new Star Wars-movie has arrived!
You have to watch this movie as one in a six part story. You have to watch it knowing a little about the saga. And you have to remember the tone of episodes 4-6 to even have the slightest chance of understanding it, even though it isn't all that complicated. Let me sum it up for you: Good versus evil, with all that that implies, sprinkled with the possibility that good can turn into evil, and that evil is stronger than good. There you have it. You are ready for Star Wars.
About the movie: The effects are spectacular. You have to be REALLY grumpy not to agree. I saw it on a 100% digital screening first, and then I saw it at a regular movie theater the next day. If you can; choose the digital version. It's so colorful, all other movies look like black and white in comparison.
The actors are great. Forget what everybody else has said: Star Wars has never had a finer cast. What people seem to ignore, or forget, is that even though the dialog is not exactly Tarantino or Shakespear, it serves its purpose: It tells the story. Plain and simple. If George Lucas wants to show you that a character is feeling vulnerable, he writes `I'm feeling vulnerable' and hands it to the actor. Top notch performances all over, but this really isn't about the words the characters say, it's about the story they tell. The action is as close to perfection as you can come. It keeps you on the edge of the seat throughout, and you cannot possibly ask for more.
But let's focus on what turns this movie into a masterpiece: the details. The Star Wars-universe has found a new dimension. It seems almost every single shot has been put into the movie for a reason, every single shot tells a little piece of the story. There are some incredible creatures in this one, as there has been in every single installment before. And there are some amazing new vehicles. You have your spaceships. Possible hundreds of them, all sprouting a piece of genius. You have the landscapes; the huge numbingly beautiful landscapes. You have Dozens of Jedis, and you have hundreds of droids, clones and whatever your heart could desire. More than any other movie in this saga, Attack of the Clones delivers on every single piece of the puzzle. Tying up loose ends, filling in the blanks. I have said some bad things about George Lucas in the past, and I take most of them back. Attack of the Clones is a great movie. It's a piece of art, and it's the most fun I've had at the movies in a loooong time.
Thank you, George Lucas, for making this movie. Thank you for correcting everything you did wrong in the previous one. And thank you for bringing Star Wars back to life again. I can't wait to see the next one, even though I know I have to. I've seen it twice in two days, and I'm seeing it again in a day or two. You should too.
Rock Star (2001)
It won't change the world, but it's good entertainment
So, you wanna be a rock star? See this movie. You don't like rock, you say? Or you're REALLY into heavy metal? Then put on your favorite album and dream yourself away, this movie has nothing to offer. Rarely have I ever seen a movie being able to portrait the dream of being in a rock band as good as this. I had long hair during the late 1980's and early nineties, and I have played guitar for the last 15 years or so. Did I like Rock Star? Oh yes. The music is good, not great, the actors are good, and believable, even Jennifer Aniston plays her part to perfection. And Mark Wahlberg is perfect as the wannabe rock singer. So you know what you're going to get. A movie about dreams coming true, being stepped on, and finally figuring out what life is really about. It's a good solid seven out of ten, no more, no less.
The Road to El Dorado (2000)
I wish Elton John wasn't part of this
For me, Elton John ruined the experience. I don't doubt for a second that Dreamworks have put out a new brilliant animation feature film, like the incredible Prince of Egypt, but did they really have have to fill it to the brim with Elton John's lack of poetic sense and chewed out songs from the early 1980's?
In a way, this movie reminds me of Ridley Scotts "Legend", an overall good movie, completely ruined by its soundtrack. I hope noone errs like this again. I bet you, a hundred or more people worked years to complete it, and it took Elton John a week or two to destroy it. Dreamworks is an incredible company, and they have made some incredible pictures. This is not one of them, let's all hope they don't make another one like this. Watch Prince of Egypt, or Emperors New Groove instead, and get some real bang for the bucks.
The Omega Code (1999)
Oh my gawd!
Oh, well. What could you expect from a movie starring Casper Van Dien and Catherine Oxenberg. This is not worth seeing. Not at all. You'll lose an hour and a half of your life, and you'll never ever get it back. Everything is awful, I give it a one.
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
Firing up your imagination
Fellowship of the ring is the first out of three movies telling JRR Tolkiens incredible story The Lord Of The Rings, continuing where The Hobbit left off. This is a fact, and you should know it before you enter the theater. If you have problems relating to fantasy, this film is NOT for you, if you don't like elves, orcs and dwarfs, this film is NOT for you, and if you have problems following a long intricate storyline, with a lot of characters, this film is NOT for you. And it lasts for three full hours. All that aside, this is, without a doubt, the greatest film I have ever seen. The hype was big, the movie is even bigger. Spectacular scenery, great and believable acting, filming better than in any other movie, and the greatest story ever told. Could you wish for more? Well, more is on the way.
There are no high-speed car-chases here, there is no Tom Bombadil, no naked women, the songs from the book have been left out almost entirely, and the main character is a ring. A lot of things to p*** off almost everyone who are either fans of Tolkien or fans of Hollywood-blockbusters. I am both, and I'm still immensely pleased. I have read the books by Tolkien, and I have seen most of Peter Jacksons movies. Some say it can't compete with Star Wars... Of course it can't compete. Can the Godfather compete with Police Academy? Can Indiana Jones compete with the Shawshank Redemption? We're talking different genres, different universes. The Fellowship of The Ring is a huge, epic movie, almost flawlessly done, depicting the evil and horror that could lead Middle-Earth to its destruction. But the most important thing this movie shows us, is that it's really all about hope. If hope is lost, ALL is lost. You can see this movie as a political statement, but please don't. It's a fairytale. It's the greatest of all fairytales, and you're never too old to enjoy it. You may be too young, however, or you may be too set in your ways and expectations to enjoy it. Forget all other movies, this one is beyond comparison. Forget the regular 90 minute timeframe, forget the stereotypes, you have to dig a little deeper. What will you find? Solid gold. Pure and simple. And when all three movies are out, I hope they give us moviegoers an opportunity to see them all in a row, as they were meant to be. It's a ten out of ten, expect nothing else.
Woman on Top (2000)
Colorful, beautiful and utterly meaningless
This is a movie you can put on when you want your TV, and maybe even your whole living room (if you turn out the lights), to sparkle in intense flaming colors to illustrate that "you're feelin latin today!". It's the movie to put on if you have a girl (or boy) over, and all you wanna do is make out. This movie is so bad, you won't remember any of it two hours after it has ended. Sure, the latin lovers look incredible. And they are probably both good actors as well. When they act. In this movie they tend to focus on saying their lines effortlessly, which I must say, sadly isn't working very well. But I actually gave this woman on top 3 out of ten stars. Why, you may wonder? I gave it one point for the beautiful colors. I took that point back for the complete lack of enthusiasm the movie left me with. And then I give every movie with Penelope Cruz three stars, just 'cause she's there. And you can't take those away. So I'm left with three stars. They're essentially meaningless. As is the movie. Go with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan for the funny romantic stuff.
The Boondock Saints (1999)
PERFECTION
This is one of the very few movies who can actually be described with one word: perfect. Casting and acting is incredible. The pictures are overwhelming. The music and soundtrack is excellent. The dialogue is intelligent and classic. And the plot is on top of all that both intriguing, exciting and provoking.
This is one movie you have to see.
Kap ba ba dik sung (1995)
This is one incredible flick.
This is one incredible flick. It has everything: Great acting, great fighting, great humor, great warmth, great fighting, great feet, great explosions, great breath, great kid, great father, kick-a** cop, greeeaat women, great plot, wonderful story, great pace, amazing filming and of course; great fighting.
This has got to be one of the greatest movies ever. Even MI:2 looks dull compared to this. My recommendation? See this movie. Then see it again. Then rewind and see all the fight-sequences. This is a buyer, keeper and the greatest guy-entertainment ever.
The World Is Not Enough (1999)
Trying to fit 20 movies into one...
This was supposed to be the all time greatest Bond Movie. It would be faster, higher, deeper etc. And it all ends up being both uninspired and badly put together. There are a lot of neat references to previous Bond-movies (Universal Exports ring a bell?) and I have to give them one star for that. I also give the movie one star for excellent casting, and the last star goes to the actors who did a pretty good job. But this movies' real problem lies in the fact that it has no story. It's the weakest script ever in a Bond movie, and they have tried to put too much into it. Instead of making a movie, they've tried to create one long action-sequence. Guess what: IT DOESN'T WORK!!!
You never get one overall feel in this movie. It's all small bits of fun, and they haven't even tried to make it fit together. This movie is more a showreel of all the previous Bond movies, than a movie in itself. If you want to see it (and you do, if you love Bond) enjoy John Cleese, Robert Carlyle, Pierce Brosnan and Denise Richards' wet t-shirt. Also enjoy all the references to the other Bond flicks... But don't go see it if you want to see a real movie. Watch Dr. No one more time. Or Tomorrow Never Dies, for that matter. Please do it better next time! We can wait another year if that's what it takes to edit the movie! Just don't release another unfinished movie. It's ruining Bond.
The Haunting (1999)
Not even Liam Neeson could save this piece of junk
Jan de Bont proves yet again that he has nothing to do in the movie business, with this unexciting, unthrilling and awful "thriller". I don't know what he tried to make, but he must have failed miserably.
Liam Neeson started out as charismatic as ever, but ends up as demotivated and lost as the rest of the movie and cast. Owen Wilson is always good, but not here. Nothing is good in this movie, except for some of the decorations in the "haunted" house. Which seems to be haunted more by an awful crew and some pretty misplaced SFX, than by something creepy. I didn't jump in my seat once. It didn't even startle me. Not even Catherine Zeta Jones managed to thrill me, and she was a blast in The Mask Of Zorro (and in Entrapment). I gave this movie one star, and it got that one star only because I couldn't give it any less. If you see this movie, you'll waste almost two hours of your life. You'll never get them back. Spend your time doing something better, like getting run over by a bus or getting robbed. It's more pleasing. This stinks.
The Iron Giant (1999)
The most loveable movie in years!
This is probably the best animated feature since The Lion King. And it's certainly a lot more! The story is wonderful, the animation very good (not Disney, but not everything has to be), and the voicing is perfect! On top of that you have the fantasies of a kid, only in this movie they are real.
The Iron Giant is a movie for the whole family. It's filled with laughs, sadness, a great moral and characters that you immediately fall in love with. I cannot recommend it highly enough. This is a ten, and you'll want to see it over and over again!
The Blair Witch Project (1999)
Scary, original, well made and scary (did I mention scary?)
This movie was something else. I saw it thinking: Oh, yet another box office scare smash hit. Just another "Scream"-type movie. All hype and no chills.
Boy was I wrong! This movie has it all. It would make Hitchcock proud, and I hope it makes Wes Craven really ashamed!!! Cause while Mr. Craven has spent his entire life on making the chills with SFX, he's forgotten the rule that nothing is scarier than what you cannot see, what's all inside your head, sounds coming from everywhere and nowhere, and the stories that scared the wits out of you when you were a child. This is what The Blair Witch Project is all about. And it's a bloody good movie(Don't take any offense in the language) Just watch it, and you'll know what I'm talking about!
Small Soldiers (1998)
Everything else is just a movie!
This movie is one of those who supposedly fall between two chairs; aiming for the kids, but made for the grown-ups. Never the huge hit it deserved to be, it's still the most fun I've seen on screen since Jurassic Park! And I'm 25. Could be embarrasing, but I really don't think it is. This movie is beautifully shot, good acting throughout, with Kirsten Dunst and Denis Leary as the greatest. The voicing for the toys... well, what can I say. Even Disney has to envy Dreamworks this cast of characters. Tommy Lee Jones, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Spinal Tap, Christina Ricci, and the original cast of the Dirty Dozen as the Commando Elites. As for the special effects; Industrial Light and Magic always delivers. Incredible is the only good word. Everything else is just a movie. This one is something special. I've watched it 5 times already, and I'm not through watching it yet. I recommend this one to anyone who like to be entertained. For the buyers out there; Get the DVD. It has all the extras you could possibly dream of.
Rushmore (1998)
Love and hate reunited
An hour or so into this movie I was getting so annoyed with the main character Max, that I was wondering whether or not I should turn it off. I didn't, and as the movie pulled itself towards it's conclusion, I got happier and happier. It's one of those movies you'll learn how to love. The acting is incredible, and the characters... well, you love them all. Even the ones you really don't like. It's a lovestory with a twist. A comedy with a dark side, or if you like; a drama with a heart. I cannot recommend this enough. You just have to see it. A lot of "new" actors here, and they all give Oscar-worthy performances. One of the best movies this year, or any year. Go see it first, then go buy it, cause you'll wanna see it again!
Independence Day (1996)
The best sci-fi thrill-ride ever?
OK, it may not have the greatest story, or even the greatest actors, but as entertainment goes, you are not likely to find any better movie. It has all the fun, all the SFX, all the beautiful women, all the aliens, all the "terminal threats" you'll ever need. It's one of the greatest. OK. You might say that the original Star Wars movie kicks it, but I'd say you're wrong. I love Star Wars, but this is a totally different category. This movie is about the laughs, about the thrills, about the "wow"'s and about that all-American-feel. And I loved it! They actually made all that crap from Forrest Gump work. It's all about how mighty, how powerful the US of A actually is. I give it a ten. Don't even hesitate to see this. Goldblum and Smith are incredible; this is the mother of all one-liners!
And in case you wondered... I'm not even American. I still loved it. I watched it 5 times in the movie theater, and probably 10 times on the VCR. And I'm still not done with it. Go see it if you're after the fun. If you want an art movie, watch Pi. Other than that... enjoy!
Conan the Destroyer (1984)
Good strong medieval fun
This movie is a blast. Really. Schwarzenegger as the rather stupid, but proud warrior (or barbarian) Conan, is just a total riot. But then again, I consider this movie to be a comedy. Don't get me wrong, it has a lot of action, fight-scenes and even half-nude women, but this movie can't be taken too seriously. It is very true to the original Conan from all the comics, and it's not at all like the original Conan movie, but it's a fun ride. Cannot really say it's in the top 100 of all movies ever made, but it's a great waste of time! I enjoyed myself throughout the movie, but don't expect a masterpiece. This is just a cool movie. Nothing more, nothing less.
Hamilton (1998)
A great action movie!
People, you gotta see this! This is an excellent movie, wonderfully directed by the Norwegian director Harald Zwart, and incredible acting from pretty much everybody, especially Peter Stormare, Mark Hamill and Lena Olin. This has everything. Great special effects, but not too many, an intriguing plot and the thrills that keep you on the edge of your seat throughout the movie. I loved it, must be one of the best action movies I've seen.
Conspiracy Theory (1997)
Not very convincing, but great entertainment
Don't get me wrong, I liked the movie. Some great details like in the movie theatre, screening "Ladyhawke", a forgotten movie by director Donner. (Not a chance in h*** that it's still showing :])The story is a bit, well actually quite a lot over the top, but the acting is good. Now I'm one of those big Mel Gibson-fans, so I generally like his movies, but I still think this one is well worth seeing, even though you're not the biggest Mel Gibson-fan.
The reason for seeing this should not be because you want an insight into conspiracy theories, but because you want to be entertained. This is good handywork. Richard Donner rarely fails to bring the action and fun to the audience, and if you can stand an all American flick with more muscles than brains, and more fun than ... well, brains again, go see it. It's worth the two hours you spend watching it! You could in any case do worse. (For example watch Ladyhawke...) :)
Ladyhawke (1985)
This could have been good
But the soundtrack kills the movie experience for me. Not a bad word about Alan Parsons, but annoying early 1980s music for a classic medieval style movie? Hello? Something is wrong here. It has a cute story, quite a few funny moments, some good acting, and the horrible soundtrack makes it all a waste of time and money.
Matthew Broderick is a guy that never gets any compliments for his acting, but I think he's darn good! He's is believable in every movie he's in, and I think that must be the main thing with being an actor.
All in all; if you're a great fan of Richard Donner AND you think everything Alan Parsons ever did is typical for the medieval period, you will love this movie. If you disagree with that, I think you'll be a bit annoyed. Just listen to the music at the end of the movie. It's so incredibly wrong. Oh well, OK movie after all. I'd give it 5 out of ten.
Richard Pryor: Live in Concert (1979)
You suddenly realize where Eddie Murphy learned it all...
This guy is pretty darn funny. He makes a great dog, for instance. And a great John Wayne. And if you've seen Eddie Murphy's Delirious, you have to watch this. This is where Eddie stole must of his jokes, and most of his style, only one slight difference: Richard Pryor came first, and it's still better than anything Eddie has ever done. Go see this one. IT'S A HOOT!
Doctor Dolittle (1998)
Pretty darn funny...
At least it's pretty darn funny if you don't expect to see a Eddie Murphy movie. All the animals make this movie, and especially Chris Rock as Rodney the Guinea-pig is hilarious!
The story is not very good, the acting is what you'd expect from this kind of cast, the jokes may be a bit old, but I still think this one scores. I don't think of it as a children's movie though, cause a lot of the humour really passes them by. Too much irony, I presume. (Kids are not very good at that) But they'll still love it. After all, there are a bunch of cute animals in it!
All in all, I have no problem recommending it to others, it's definitely worth seeing, and it provides more than enough laughs for the bucks. I saw it three times, YOU should at least see it once.
Pink Floyd: The Wall (1982)
Sick, beautiful, twisted and unforgettable
This movie is one of the greatest. Alan Parker did a great job, so did Gerald Scarfe. Bob Geldof is the greatest psycho ever, and we all know the music. I can't find one single flaw. Definitely my favourite movie through all times, it's a must-see!
Homegrown (1998)
All about life, really. And how much easier it could be.
This delightful movie tells the story of buds. And it's incredible. You'll laugh, and you'll smile, and you'll laugh. It's really all about the laughs. When Jon Bon Jovi is funny in a movie, it's a heck of a movie! 'nuff said. Now go watch it!
Lethal Weapon 4 (1998)
Funnier, more action-packed and ... well...cooler than the rest
Lethal Weapon 4 leaves the rest for dead. This is no art movie. It does not give you a deep insight into the mystery of human beings. It will not surprise you and it will never win any awards for Best Movie. But as entertainment, pure entertainment; it's a night out! Jet Li is incredible and he makes me wanna learn Martial Arts. Chris Rock is brilliant; floors will actually be able to make me laugh after watching this, and the rest of the gang? Well, you've seen it before. Probably the best Lethal, and that says it all. Go see it if you're bored, or for any other reason.
Forrest Gump (1994)
Highly overrated movie about a geeky american hero
Whilst this movie tries to be a serious piece of "art", all it ever achieves is an incredible "we-love-America-cause-everyone-can-be-someone-here"
Tom Hanks gained lot of credit for playing Forrest Gump so brilliantly, but I can't really say I was impressed. All he did was behave more stupid than usually. Anyone could do that, as far as I'm concerned. But I have to give it some credit for all the good "Gump-liners" like "stupid is as stupid does". Want to see a good American movie? Watch ID4 or As good as it gets. Don't watch this one.