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bkossy
Reviews
Silver City (2004)
Pedantic
Good performances don't save Silver City from being sunk by it's pedantic dialog and choppy editing. This could have been a great movie, but rhetoric and bad directing sink this plodding film. The plot was decent, the performances good, but the dialog was stilted and the scenes never flowed from one to the next. It's like the thing was put together in a rush, in an attempt to get the movie out before the 2004 elections, and the editor just didn't have time to make a final cut. You might want to rent it sometime, but don't bother seeing it on the big screen.
Vendredi soir (2002)
Poetic and sexy
The traffic jam sequence alone stands as an amazing and lyrical study of the rhythms of stop and start driving. The two lovers are so anchored in the magnetism of the present. This movie is a homage to human nature, and sexual attraction consummated. Also, I absolutely love that the film accepts and cherishes the moment as the lovers do. It's very French.
Extreme Ops (2002)
A fun senseless romp
A fun senseless romp that was way more entertaining than the self aggrandizing "Die Another Day." This movie has no pretensions. It's formulaic B-movie material, but it knows it. The casting is good, the acting is spirited, and the special effects are clever. It even manages to make fun of itself. Are avalanche scenes real, or digital? I see from the ratings that women like it more than men. I think that's because there's no gratuitous sex or violence, and the females leads are strong and entertaining. Also notable is that it pokes some fun at reality TV shows with the obligatory hot tub scene, and plot references to shows like "Fear Factor," and "Big Brother."
The Emperor's Club (2002)
Why would someone spend good money to make this film?
I don't understand why this film was made. Sure, Kevin Kline did a good job of portraying someone very different from himself, but other than his performance, what a waste! I hope no teachers in training try to emulate the teaching methods of Kline's character, who seemed to be very out of touch of the realities of life in the 1970's, and how to stimulate creative thought and learning. Memorizing and reciting the names of the emperor's of ancient Rome? Yes, that will really help out with the daily tribulations of life. I could go on, but I won't. This film isn't even worth renting.
The Wind and the Lion (1975)
Lots of grandeur, but not on a small screen
This is a big budget, yet not so impressive film. What little value it has would be in the panaramic vistas, which I missed, since I saw in on a TV. If you must see the video, try for letterbox version if it exists. Also notable for Sean C. blending his Scottish brogue with a vague middle eastern accent of some sort. Don't bother to see this one unless you're a Teddy Roosevelt impersonator.
The General's Daughter (1999)
Inconsistent message
While The General's daughter is a well-made and gripping thriller, the message it professes to deliver is two-faced. On the one hand it condemns the brutalization of women, and the testosterone-laced clannishness of the military, while on the other it uses these same elements to titillate the viewer. The Travolta character is as brutal as the men he condemns. And the murder and rape of the general's daughter is central to the film. The images of the daughter are sexual and provocative. The filmmakers use her to titillate, while condemning such use of women by society. After viewing the film, I felt used myself, and brought to tears.