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matpinckney
Reviews
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003)
Mature Chick Flick
Considering I watched this straight after 'A Cinderella Story', some of my opinions may be slightly biased, but I'll continue none the less.
From the outset, this film is obviously based at a more mature audience. The characters are more complex, as is the writing and comedy.
Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughy fill the leading roles perfectly. Their characters are three dimensional and well observed, and are both performed with honesty, and brilliant comic timing. Even away from the humour, dramatic scenes surprisingly pack a punch. It is the relationship between the actors on which the whole film rests.
Supporting characters, such as Michelle and Jeanie, and Tony and Thayer, add a real level of comedy that I thoroughly enjoyed, and lent a 'Boys Vs Girl' mentality early on. In general, the acting was very good indeed.
The writing was brilliant, as was Donald Petrie's directing, which kept the film going along at a great pace.
Once the credits rolled, I couldn't help but feel I had really enjoyed the film. Chick-flick, yes, but a very well-written, adult one.
8/10
Hannibal Rising (2007)
Dark and Hauting...
I warn you, this comment does come from someone who has only seen one film in the Hannibal Lecter series other than this one - 'Hannibal' (2001), so consider it somewhat out of context.
EXPECTATIONS - I was intrigued about this film when I first heard about it, due to a yearning to find out about the young mind of such a classic killer. Gaspard Ulliel seemed well chosen to play the title role, and the film did seem to carry on a dark path (I was very happy to see it was rated '18'). However, I did worry about the closeness of the release of the film to the release of the book, as well as the less than stellar reviews of the recent instalments.
REVIEW - However, upon watching the film, I have to say I was immediately impressed. Ulliel's portrayal was the utter highlight of the film. Growing from a damaged mute to the killer we all know was handled with such sensitivity, even sympathy, but continuing across the moral line we stop at, into something more. I can't imagine anyone else playing the role better. A special nod also to Aaron Thomas as young Hannibal, who's portrayal gelled so well with Lecter as an older man later on. His protection of his sister really lent itself to Ulliel's memories. Rhys Ifans was a shock piece of casting as Grusas, but it worked. It really worked. His "eyes of a wolf" set the whole character off, and the fear he brought to the screen was only matched by Lecter himself.
The atmosphere throughout was dark, clinging to the screen, and growing with tension as Hannibal grew into the man we knew he would. The cinematography by Ben Davis was beautifully orchestrated and helped no end with the sense of foreboding.
The only negative points of note I had were the length, and the occasional 'lack' of violence. While I did leave the cinema very happy, I did feel that a few minutes could have been trimmed to appeal to the audience at large, although to some degree every second of the narrative built up the character wonderfully. As for the violence, while there were scenes that had me cringing, I was able to watch it fairly easily. I thought some scenes (such as the Jew being shot, and Kolnas being skewered through the head) could have been done in full view, as opposed to being somewhat 'off-screen'.
Overall, the dark nature of the film, and the perfect performances of Ulliel and Ifans, made this instalments a perfect continuation of the series.
8.5/10
Exit Wounds (2001)
Pretty Good...
Overall, this film is actually pretty good. From the opening scenes, the viewer is gripped by the amount of action, and I was drawn in by the idea of men dressed as police officers attacking the vice president. There was a wonderful sense of panic as a voice over the radio demanded that no police be allowed on the bridge.
The story was actually very good, and gave a bit more depth than Segal just running round shooting and beating stuff up. The crosses and double crosses worked very well, and the plot moved with energy and pace.
The acting was of a fairly high quality, and all of the major characters really did work as more than caricatures. David Vadim was particularly good, switching sides continuously with ease. Steven Segal carried off the scenes with a touch of humour, but also class, and his fight scenes still worked well. DMX was a little flat early on, but soon settled into his character, and considering the fairly complex plot points, did well. Anthony Anderson was faultless (as the end-credit sequence with Tom Arnold proves), and it was brilliant to see the super cool Bill Duke kicking some ass again.
The music was a little heavy-handed, with a little too much rap and hip/hop music, but considering a rapper was in it, that wasn't too much of a surprise. However, scenes with Segal framed by that kind of music did seem a little out of place.
The dialogue also suffered slightly from a forced hand, especially in scenes with urban characters. It was almost as if the writers didn't know how characters like that would talk, and so they just inserted swear words into every sentence. However, as the plot began to develop, the dialogue became more important, and the stereotypes did drop.
The stunts and fight sequences were really the best part of this film. They were filmed with such clarity, that nothing is missed. Shoot-outs had brutal hits and loud, unedited gun shots. Fight scenes had an air of realism, and vehicle stunts were fantastic to watch.
A good film to watch, that served its purpose and more. One of the better Segal films.
The Amityville Horror (2005)
Complete and gripping...
When I first saw adverts for 'The Amityville Horror', I sighed and thought it would just be another modern Hollywood remake of a classic film. Even though I had never seen the original, I knew its status, and immediately thought a remake was just another way of cashing in on a famous name.
However, I ended up seeing it (and was actually quite pleased it was rated '15' rather than an '18' as the original had been.), and I could not have been more wrong.
I was immediately impressed by the fact the story took place in the original 1970's era, rather than trying to update everything for the modern day. This effect was carried out with perfect subtlety (never once did I see something obviously thrown in because it came from the right year), assisted hugely by Peter Lyons Collister's cinematography. It was gentle, and not obviously 'horror', but yet built up perfectly to underline everything in the film.
Certain shots verged on the genius, such as an early shot where Kathy Lutz looks up at the house. The sky behind is beautiful, and it is quite hard to imagine anything awry could take place here. Yet, a moment later when they find out about the earlier murders, a look back at the house, with exactly the same sky suddenly seems imposing and uncertain, only aided by a simple leaf blowing through.
All of the performances are incredible, with particular credit going to Ryan Reynolds in his portrayal of George Lutz. From an early comic character, to becoming slowly more and more disconnected, the transformation is brilliant. Melissa George as his wife Kathy plays off his performance perfectly, rising above any female stereotypes associated with these types of films. All three of their children (Jesse James, Jimmy Bennet, and Chloe Moretz) are wonderful in their respective roles, each bringing their own thing to the table.
I was also impressed by how much of the film took place during the day, without any loss of atmosphere. Normally, a film like this will rely on the dark to create the fear, but not here. The performances and situations themselves really shone here.
High praise to Andrew Douglas for his creation.
9/10
I, Robot (2004)
Amazing
What a film. This is, without doubt, definitely a contender for film of the year, and will no doubt be memorable for many years to come.
It is rare to find a big motion picture event like this, with a big celebrity like Will Smith at the helm, based on a classic story, and still get something relevant and touching.
The story is the firm drive behind this film, with the effects never gratuitous. In fact, the plot was quite complex, far more than I would have thought before hand. It played out wonderfully, to an extremely satisfying conclusion.
Will Smith as Detective Del Spooner actually played down his well-documented comedy ease, and there were several scenes were the actor came right to the surface. The surprise element of Spooner's robotic arm played very well in the context of the story, and was handled wonderfully.
Bridget Moynahan was perfectly cast against Smith, with her character going through a subtle transformation from beginning to end that impressed me greatly. I was also very pleased to see that the cliché of a possible relationship between the two was avoided.
James Cromwell, a particular favourite of mine, fit in well, and I was happy to see him play an integral role.
In terms of effects, this film has easily the best effects seen for a long time. The level of detail was certainly very impressive, and it heightened the realism of the story greatly.
All this add together to create a truly sensational film.
10 out of 10.
The Krays (1990)
Stays with you...
(Contains spoilers)
This film is one of those films that only fully reveals itself once it is all over. When it finished, I must admit that I found myself thinking that the ending seemed to come rather suddenly, without much explanation. And then I found that I couldn't get it out of my head.
When going into the film, I expected it to show more of the Krays' rise to power, as well as their capture in 1969. Instead the focus is the Krays as children, growing into the monsters of the underworld as the years pass. The intelligence of this film is that is plays out the Krays' undying love for their mother and family, the effect their infamy has on others, and their closeness as brothers. The part the audience know the most in their lives is largely left out by the film, instead commenting on it through a shot of the Krays returning home after two vicious murders, before fading to their mother's funeral after their arrest many years later.
The surprising poetry and grace this film contained, with scenes such as Violet Kray's 'dream' both at the beginning when the twins are born, and at the end when we see her funeral, and the gentle panning shot of the funeral itself, revealing the Krays to be in police custody while standing at the grave, elevated this film to something more than a 'down and out' gangster movie.
The scenes of violence certainly made me squirm, even though the focus was more on what was being inferred that what was actually shown.
Martin and Gary Kemp here, and perhaps with some shock, were perfectly cast as the boys in their adult life. Gary Kemp as Ronnie Kray carried off, with a certain ease, the slowly more violent character, while Martin Kemp built up a more subtle, but equally as impressive performance as Reggie.
Bille Whitelaw was perfect as the mother of the twins - Violet Kray, and her lines (such as "Mummy loves you") always seemed in place. Her gentle aging throughout the film was also carried off in time with the character.
A very honorable mention goes to Susan Fleetwood, who played Aunt Rose admirably.
Michael Kamen and Chris Rea came up with music with commented on the action, and brought a genuine sense of unease to the picture.
And so, after all all this, the film is still on my mind.
8/10
The Terminal (2004)
Best film of the year...
(Warning - This review contains some spoilers) How refreshing. A new Hollywood film that doesn't seem like a new Hollywood film. The only connection here is that it's a product of modern cinema, but it has absolutely nothing in common with other new releases.
A lot of modern films have a certain '2-dimensional' quality to them. They appear flat and weak, with the cinematography appearing uninspired, rather, just a way to see the action.
'The Terminal' on the other hand is a wonderful addition to the times. The story is vibrant and heart-wrenching. There are touches of strong humor, sadness, realism, individualism, and friendship, along with many other themes. The acting is top class throughout, with special credit going, of course, to Tom Hanks. This film is just more proof that he is one of the greatest actors of modern times. There is a real vulnerability to Viktor Navorski, and yet, a certain strength as well. The acting is superb. We empathize with the character. He can project such humor, and also such intense sadness and isolation. Wonderful.
Catherine Zeta-Jones is also fantastic here. Her character takes the film away from standard film conventions, and introduces something new. She fits perfectly into the role of Amelia Warren, and acts as a wonderful contrast to Hanks. The two are strong when with each other, and equally strong without.
The friendship that forms between Navorski and the other workers adds a wonderful element to the film. These scenes provide some of the most heart-wrenching moments that we see. I have my own little soft spot for Gupta Rajan (played by Kumar Pallana), and the way the character is portrayed. Very well done. (Also, a mention for Frank Dixon, played by Stanley Tucci - wonderful).
The cinematography is soft and subtle, unlike a lot of modern cinema, which provides a welcome change in pace.
Overall, this film is without a doubt, the best film of the year that I have seen so far. Everything from visual to sound to subtleties - everything is put together incredibly well. We are left with a truly amazing, inspiring, little film.
Captain Corelli's Mandolin (2001)
Comparison
Yes, in comparison to the novel on which it is based, 'Captain Corelli's Mandolin' is not that good. But I think this is the point. Watching the film independently of the novel sees it as an okay film, while watching it when comparing it to the novel, allows subtle hints that occur within the novel. Certain character's motivations and events resonate for the reader, improving the film.
However, despite John Hurt's ideal casting as Dr Iannis, the film is not that good. But when linking it to the novel, the novel appears better. Which is the way it should be. I don't personally believe you could capture the power of the novel in a film, but it tries, and to an extent, succeeds. But overall, the novel wins. This can only be a good thing.
One Hour Photo (2002)
Thought-provoking
This film, in my opinion, is art. Everything, from the lighting (making the Yorkin's house warm and perfect, to making Sav-Mart cold and oppressive) to the performances of the actors is sensational. Robin Williams definitely gives one of the best, if not the best, performance of his life. His character goes from appearing obsessive and a social freak, to lonely and caring. We begin to sympathize with him.
Connie Nielsen and Michael Vartan as Will and Nina Yorkin are perfectly cast. They appear good looking, young, perfect, but not in the Pepsi advert sense. Even Vartan's line about his wife wanting their life to look like it came straight from a magazine seems real and gritty. It is not the self-effacing humor that it would have been in any other film.
Eriq La Salle's performance of the Detective Van Der Zee perfectly contrasts Robin Williams's Sy in the film's beginning and end bookmark scenes, as well as the rest of the film, and Sy's comparison with his and Will Yorkin's versions of fatherhood seems accurate and in context.
Reinhold Heil and Johnny Klimek's score sets such a fitting tone for the film, and perfectly captures the emotion we are witnessing.
Once the film is finished, it lives on in thoughts inside the viewer's head. It provokes them.
9/10.
End of Days (1999)
One of the best...
Arnold Schwarzenegger's comeback film, 'End of Days' absolutely made an impact on film that year. While watching it, I kept seeing images that stood out, and that I remembered (The Man (Gabriel Byrne) looking at Christine (Robin Tunney) in the car, Jericho (Schwarzenegger) looking around the reverend's home). This film is one of Arnold's most serious, most dramatic, and most dark. He plays the character of Jericho Cane extremely well (crying over his daughter's music box for eg.), and keeps his performance constant throughout. The ending of the film, *POSSIBLE SPOILER* where Jericho drops his weapon in favor of faith is hugely powerful, accompanied by the haunting choir music that is the film's background. *END SPOILER*
Kevin Pollack's character, Chicago, acts as light comic relief, but also gives some of the great lines in the film ("It's official. I'm never sleeping again"). He also provides a great performance in the more dark, serious parts of the film.
Robin Tunney is perfect as Christine York, with the character having a very vulnerable edge, and the relationship between her and Jericho forming an almost father-daughter relationship.
Finally, Gabriel Byrne's portrayal of the man is amazing. He gives the character a certain edge, which makes Satan seem almost accessible at times, but can quickly become terrifying in an instant.
The script is strong, and the special and visual effects are amazingly impressive.
9/10
12 Monkeys (1995)
Deep and brilliant...
Bruce Willis' 'Twelve Monkeys' is one of the greatest films of his career, and one of the greatest psychological/time travel films ever made. The script is amazingly strong, and we as the audience get to see the effects of time travel on Cole (Willis), rather than the character bounding along and completing his mission, we see his sanity actually declining.
Bruce Willis offers an extremely in-depth character, and due to the nature of the film, one we can relate to. At times, he is even frightening due to the unease with his situation.
Brad Pitt is equally as good as Willis, offering an unusual take on his character Jeffrey Goines. This is also one of Pitt's greatest characters, and the way he handles him is fantastic. His lines are strong, and the relationship that develops between him and Willis moves the story in a new direction.
Madeleine Stowe also creates a great character, Kathryn Railly, as a psychologist who loses her faith in her profession. The way she almost comes to see life through Cole's eyes is an amazing character transformation.
The script is strong, and the original cinematography is crucial and brilliant.
10/10
Jurassic Park III (2001)
Quite good...
In a lot of cases like the Jurassic Park series, the films deteriorate as the franchise continues. However, the case with the Jurassic Park series is slightly different. The best film came first, followed by the worst (Lost World), and then the quite good.
Although not as good as the original film, Jurassic Park III was better than I expected. Following the disaster that was Lost World, I anticipated this film as something to tide me by for a few hours, featuring dinosaurs, and people getting eaten by them while screaming loudly. And of course, these two things were featured. But there actually was quite a good plot, and acting. I was pleased to see Sam Neil return to the series (a factor which instantly made the film more pleasing). The cinematography created a dark atmosphere, and the story moved along at a fair pace.
Overall, an good addition to the series.
7/10
Die Hard 2 (1990)
Second of the trilogy...
Die Hard 2: Die Harder. The second film in arguably one of the greatest action series of all time.
Even though many people see this film as the weak point in the trilogy, I simply look at this, then films like 'Knockoff', and laugh. Even though this film can be considered of a lesser standard than the others, it has something which a lot of action films don't... character development. When the first plane explodes, rather than just shaking his head, and then forgetting about it minutes later, we see how physically shaken McLane is that he didn't save the passengers. We see his desperation in trying to save them, grabbing towels, and setting them alight. Now, in a large number of action films, the pilots would see him and pull up, and everyone would be saved. The way Die Harder shows this sequence is a vast improvement, and you really feel the emotion when the plane misses him and carries on, before crashing. Fantastic.
This film has a lot of strong performances. Bruce Willis puts in another emotional performance as L.A.P.D cop, John McLane, and the surrounding cast never let him down.
And Robert Patrick has one of my favorite lines, "What do I look like to you?" "A sitting duck". Brilliant.
Overall, perhaps not as good as the original, but far better than most.
7/10
Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
Best of Bond...
Tomorrow Never Dies is my favourite Bond film. Pierce Brosnan has settled comfortably into the role of the legendary James Bond following 1995's 'GoldenEye'. He now seems to handle the role with fluency and ease, making him my favourite Bond of them all.
'Tomorrow Never Dies' is, in my opinion, the perfect Bond film. Suave one liners, a variety of set pieces, good music variety, and a strong plot. We also get to see certain aspects of Bond's past, in the form of Terri Hatcher's character. This makes the film seem more realistic, and improves it greatly.
8/10
The Bourne Identity (2002)
Fast paced and solid...
When I went to the cinema, 'Bourne Identity' was not my first choice of film. However, after choosing it as a second choice, I realised that it was more my sort of film. There are various elements of different genres, or at least styles. Thriller, action, martial arts, conspiracy, all come into play at some point. Rather then a simple, "They're going to get me, I'll fight back" film, the amnesia element gives us a sense of really following Matt Damon's character from the beginning of his 'new life'. The action scenes are cleverly executed,and the Mini chase scene was extremely well thought out and filmed. There are several intelligent moments, when Jason Bourne finds a new talent, for example, language, and how he tries to explain his memory loss.
Altogether, this film is solid, and fast paced throughout. The action never stops, and when it does, it is replaced my moments of intrigue and suspense. The ending may be simple, but in one way, this adds to the style and charm of the film.
8/10
True Lies (1994)
One of Arnie's best...
This film can simply be remembered as one of Arnie's best. Once again reuniting with 'Terminator' director James Cameron, Schwarzenegger delivers an absolutely explosive action film, with amazing stunts and great visuals. Jamie Lee Curtis plays brilliantly against Arnold, the two showing their family life to a tee. Tom Arnold brings his own style of comic relief to the film, which works wonderfully throughout. Bill Paxton plays the part of the lying used car salesman to perfection, allowing us to see why and how Arnold's character, Harry is saddened and annoyed by him. Art Malik brings a distinct edge to the film, with Charlton Heston's character giving an bond-type atmosphere to the whole film.
The scenes are sensationally filmed, the dialogue sharp, and the comedy perfect. And then of course, there is the unforgettable 'dance' scene with Jaime Lee...
10 out of 10
Last Action Hero (1993)
Keep an open mind...
This film is one of Arnie's most thoughtful, in terms of creating the film within a film world. For example, the fact that there are no 'ugly' women, or the sheer scale of the L. A. P. D precinct. There are some brilliant cameos made by celebrity names, including Jean-Claude Van Damn, and even Arnold's wife, Maria Shriver. The action is fast and furious, and shows off even more of Arnie's sense of comedy.There is also a dark contrast between the film world and the real world, for example, the fact that Benedict can kill people in the real world, without anyone caring.
Arnie also performs the action scenes with humour, in a way, taking the mickey of his past characters.
Keep an open mind, and it's hugely enjoyable.
Lawnmower Man 2: Beyond Cyberspace (1995)
Let me think...
Let me go back to the first film, Lawnmower man, and let me also look back at the tagline. "God made him simple. Science made him a God."
This is actually quite clever, showing how dangerous technology can be in the wrong hands.
Now let's look at the tagline for Lawnmower man 2. "God made him simple. Science made him a God. Now, he wants revenge."
What the hell is that about? This tagline is a complete copy of the first film's, and shows just how simple the writers were to come up with it. I mean every single bad guy in b-movie sequels seem to want revenge.
In fact the only bit of intelligence and irony in the script is how similar it is to the tagline. Crap.
Collateral Damage (2002)
Best of recent years
Before I went to see this film, there was a lot of negative publicity surrounding it, saying how it was another run-of-the-mill action film.
Were they right?
Absolutely not.
This film is certainly Arnie's best of recent years. The plot is strong, with a number of twists and turns until the very end. The cinematography by Adam Greenburg brings a tension to the whole film, and Arnie gives one of his best performances to date.
The film pleases both Arnie fans, and cinema fans. There are classic Arnie moments, but the film also says an important message about terrorism. Also, differing from perhaps the usual Arnie film, Schwarzenegger never touches a gun, and so uses his initative when faced with certain situations.
Arnie at his best!