jgibbzy Reviews

Public Enemies (2009)

another film cursed by the dreaded wobbly camera

[2/10 · 2 July 2009]

What is Michael Mann's obsession with digital camera's in all there grainy glory? For me all it does is take me out of the film and remind me I'm in a dark room with a hundred strangers. It makes the film look amateurish and slapped together at a moment's notice. This has an effect on the sound depending on where the camera is some guns sounds like they'll blow a tree in half while others sound like firecrackers. The acting varies widely and while depp is fine as Dillinger the character's a bit one dimensional. The same could be said of bale character but for once he doesn't feel the need to growl his way through a film. The most interesting characters are the side ones J E Hoover, Depp's girlfriend and the Texas lawmen but none really get fleshed out there are area's there of great potential particularly for the Texas lawmen who get brought in half way through the film as the saviours of the investigation but no reason is given as to why there suited for the job, i've just got to take it on faith. As mentioned before though the biggest problem for me is the wobbly camera, so many film these days think that it's OK in action scenes to have things moving about so fast that you can't see what's going on, make the audience dizzy and they'll believe they've just seen an awesome action scene but the with no frame of reference to where the players are it's just a swirling mess. it's the same problem which effects the bourne films, greatest action scenes ever i hear you cry! oh behave I retort you wanna watch a great film about gangsters with action go watch heat and remember what Mann use to be like. in fact compare the shoot out scene in heat to the shoot out in the cabin from this film, there's no comparison. Michael Mann use to be a great director but he seems to have lot form completely. I thought Miami vice was terrible but it had a great trailer and likewise upon leaving the cinema last night Public Enemies had the same effect on me.

The Foot Fist Way (2006)

more like the foot in mouth way. Dreadful, dreadful, dreadful

[1/10 · 2 April 2009]

I must have missed something because unlike everyone else i thought this was the worst comedy i've seen in years. Danny Mc Bride maybe OK as a supporting character but a leading man he ain't. His brand of comedy always seems forced, he puts himself in awkward situations and then just spouts random rubbish for 30 to 60 secs and that's it. Every character he plays is rude and obnoxious with no redeeming features, That can also be said about everyone else in this film apart from the two kids. Also if your gonna do a film about martial arts it helps if the lead actor can actually do it. Im not talking about the breaking of the blocks, I'm talking about the one real fight scene where everything is filmed in close so as to compensate the actors lack of ability. If i could id give it a 0/10 i would, if i could be bothered i would sort out the spelling and grammar of this comment but i've wasted enough of my time on this rubbish. I can't believe watching this has made me so angry, probably because I bought this thinking it was gonna be good. So who really wins me moaning after the fact or the filmmakers who've just pocketed another 6 quid and will continue to make more dross like this thanks to me.

Howard the Duck (1986)

Legendary, I don't care what anyone else says, watch it love it!

[10/10 · 16 June 2006]

I just watched this again after many years away from duckworld and it's absolutely brilliant. It about time critics reassessed this film and about time it was released on DVD. Why it's great 1/ Most of the effects still stand up today, You can believe there's a talking duck on screen 2/ It's Funny, quite sharp in places, quite bizarre in places. 3/ It's well filmed, just look at the chase scene. 4/ It's a film with a talking duck as it's lead, what's not to like. 5/ The spoof movie posters etc.6/ Eighties clothing, shoulder pads need I say more? 7/ Tim Robbins with a comedy performance par excellence.8/ The theme tune. 9/ The dodgy love scene, even as I kid I knew something wasn't right there.10/ The way it makes me feel like a kid again. Take a chance watch it.

License to Drive (1988)

Legendary

[8/10 · 14 April 2006]

Looking back into the mist of time (when i was a child of the eighties) This is the film that encapsulates that time for me. Funny, blokes with rolled up sleeve jackets and with terrible acting by Haim what's not to like? Getting serious for a moment, it is actually a very good film. Tightly written, well directed and with good supporting acting it would get a nine if only Haim could stop a) Blinking b) Keep his mouth shut, he looks like a fish. If anyone wants to know what all the fuss was about in the late eighties with two lads called Corey, then this is the film to watch. In fact it should be given to directors as a how to manual, on how to make a light breezing ENTERTAINING film, which the movies sadly lack these days. A film every home should own. LEGENDARY.