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MSchlaf
Reviews
The Hoax (2006)
Not bad
Saw a sneak preview of this earlier this evening. Not bad as some other comments would have you believe, but not perfect either. The historical details are a bit inaccurate in some areas, but those are relatively minor ones which don't affect the story too much. At it's core, the film focuses on the lies told by Clifford Irving and how he charmed everyone into believing them. The lies don't just affect his writing career, but also the lives of those around him and eventually comes to the point where it's difficult to distinguish fact from fiction in what Irving says, a task which is made all the more difficult given the eccentricity of nearly everything done by Howard Hughes during that period of time. Overall, the film isn't too bad, the main characters are nicely developed, the plot is interesting, and the acting isn't bad. The subtle 1970s touches (vintage Coca Cola and Tab cans, news footage, hairstyles, commercials, cars, Watergate, etc) also make it fun to watch. Overall, the story, acting, and the attention to detail force me to give this a 8/10 despite the few flaws here and there. Definitely a must see for the Howard Hughes buffs along with "The Aviator".
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)
THE film of the season
I LOVED this film. I'll admit, I'm a Narnia fan and have been for years and had my own preconceived notions of what and how Narnia should be, how all of the characters should look, act, and so on. So naturally, I went in with very lofty expectations and a "show me" attitude. I am more than happy to say that this film surpassed any and all expectations I had really does C.S. Lewis' work justice. Everything right down to the scenery was perfect and the acting was spot on. Only a few really *minor* issues with one or two of the outdoor scenes looking painfully obvious as being shot with a blue screen and matte paintings, but other than that, this film was excellent and I would gladly pay a good amount of money to see it again.
Also, stay for the credits...