madmattuk Reviews

Cold Heaven (1991)

A pale shadow

[4/10 · 18 July 2004]

Could this be by the same director as Don't Look Now or Bad Timing? Poorly

acted, clunkily edited. You only have to compare the various accident scenes in this with similar ones in Don't Look Now to see how much Roeg has lost his

touch.

Even the generally reliable Teresa Russell (looking a bit chunky these days, I'm afraid to report) cannot save this one. The plot is pure pseudo-religious hokum, the acting is wooden and Roeg's attempts at his trademark dislocation of time are pitiful.

Avoid this one like the plague.

Shaun of the Dead (2004)

An American Werewolf it wasn't

[6/10 · 9 April 2004]

I'll have to admit to never having seen Spaced, but I have seen an awful lot of zombie movies.

Shaun of the Dead started promisingly with a tacky 70s style synthesiser horror soundtrack merging into The Specials' Ghost Town, but then rather overdid the slackers/commuters as zombies angle for the first fifteen minutes or so.

It picked up however and deftly juggled horror with comedy with pathos for the rest of the movie.

Worth watching if you like zombie movies but not nearly as consistently funny as An American Werewolf in London. (Plus none of the women were a patch on Jenny Agutter).

Finding Nemo (2003)

Four out of four

[7/10 · 12 October 2003]

Not my mark but its position among Pixar films. Lacking the invention of

Monsters Inc and the strong characterisation of the Toy Story films, I found

Finding Nemo slightly disappointing.

I'm sure children will love it, but despite some visually beautiful scenes

(especially the jelly fish) I don't think there's much here for the older viewer.

Not a bad film exactly (I gave it 7) but not up to the standard of the other three.

Memento (2000)

Strange thought? (*spoilers*)

[9/10 · 8 June 2003]

In a way the excellent Memento reminded me of the equally excellent

Draughtsman's Contract. In both the hero believed that order and systems

would provide the answer to any mystery, in both they were wrong and

dangerously so.

In both films the hero's reliance on system makes them predictable and opens

them up for exploitation.

The bottom line? If you enjoyed Memento try to rent the Draughtman's Contract you will almost certainly enjoy it too.

Sunshine State (2002)

Not as good as I expected it to be.

[7/10 · 5 August 2002]

I have very much enjoyed every Sayles movie I have seen and I am generally very fond of Altman-like ensemble movies (Nashville, Short Cuts, etc.) so I was certainly expecting to enjoy Sunshine State.

I found myself, however, slightly disappointed. Edie Falco's central performance as a motel manager disillusioned with just about every aspect of her life was brilliant and, in my opinion, Oscar-worthy. On the other hand, I found Angela Basset's equally pivotal role very disappointing and her acting poor. Neither they nor the generally excellent supporting cast were helped by dialogue which may have read well but did not sound at all convincing when spoken.

Stuart Little (1999)

Excellent childrens' film - superb CGI

[7/10 · 22 July 2002]

A sweet little story aimed squarely at children with little concession to their parents.

As an adult, the main thing I noticed was the excellence of the CGI animation. Unlike, say, the animation in Star Wars II, Stuart Little looked solid and his interaction with the environment believable. (I suspect that this is the advantage of concentrating the animation budget on one figure rather than practically everything in the film).

Minority Report (2002)

Philip K Dick captured perfectly

[9/10 · 8 July 2002]

I can't remember when I last enjoyed a Spielberg film (Indiana Jones, probably) and I certainly can't remember when I last enjoyed Tom Cruise in anything; but, somehow, I found Minority Report very entertaining.

Yes, it was too long, the solving of the mystery was a bit hackneyed and Spielberg couldn't resist a scene of sickening sentimentality (the precog revealing how Sean's life would have been). Despite all that it captured the atmosphere of Dick's novels/stories much better than (say) Blade Runner. Imaginative drug abuse, a plot straight out of 40s PI fiction, a deep underlying morality - all recreated perfectly.

Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002)

Better than Episode 1 but still not very good.

[6/10 · 20 May 2002]

It looks as though George Lucas has learned from his mistakes in Episode 1. This time around he's upped the action, reduced the politics and brought Episode 2 more into line with the feel of the original trilogy.

Clearly this in itself is enough to keep the fans happy but it does not make Attack of the Clones a good movie by wider standards. Stilted dialogue, wooden acting and a strangely washed-out feel to most of the CGI graphics made the first half of this film in particular, a chore to watch. Can anyone genuinely think of a memorable quote from this one?

Episode 2 did just enough to keep me hanging on for Episode 3 - let's hope George Lucas hires a decent script-writer next time round!

Waking Life (2001)

Original, artistic but, unfortunately a little bit dull.

[6/10 · 22 April 2002]

Much of the first half of Waking Life is a bit like those 4am conversations I used to have as a student. They've even managed to duplicate the effect that too much alcohol and too little sleep has on the eyesight in the early hours of the morning!

Unfortunately the beauty and originality of the images is not enough to compensate, in the first half at least, for a series of semi-intellectual philosophic monologues that become, let's face it, a little bit dull.

The second half picks up a bit, however, when the dreamer himself begins to investigate the nature of his own dream. What are they trying to tell him? Why can't he wake up?

If you're the kind of person who enjoys long and rambling philosophical conversations, you'll probably enjoy Waking Life. If not, or if you were expecting another Dazed and Confused, you'll probably walk out after half an hour.

The Shipping News (2001)

Not bad, but I'm sure that the book is better.

[7/10 · 4 March 2002]

Shipping News got somepoor reviews in the UK, with the general opinion being that Kevin Spacey's performance was weak. I disagree.

Kevin Spacey was playing a weak man but did so (I thought) with a considerable amount of skill and subtlety.

That said most of the other performances in the film were nothing to write home about - everyone seemed to have a different version of a "Newfie" accent!

The story too appeared rushed, concentrating on Quoyle's job and his relationship with Wavey Prowse but leaving many interesting themes ("sensitives", the Quoyles' previous behaviour) underdeveloped. As a result it made me want to read the book to fill in the gaps.

Jeepers Creepers (2001)

Not "awful" surely?

[8/10 · 2 November 2001]

Watching Jeepers Creepers I detected bits of Duel, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Birds, Assault on Precinct 13 and Nightmare on Elm Street all very fine movies and all, it must be said, better than this one.

Nevertheless Jeepers Creepers manages to sew its borrowings together into a more or less coherent whole and I find it hard to understand why it has caused such a negative reaction among many viewers. Reasonable acting, a few very creepy scenes (the tunnel, the cat lady). A few holes in the plot maybe but what horror film doesn't have them?

In short a welcome return to the 70 and 80 B movie horror pic.

Truly Madly Deeply (1990)

I've grown out of this one.

[23 October 2001]

When I first saw this, shortly after it was originally released, I loved it. A truly convincing portrayal of grief and loss, I thought, well acted and set in a convincing contemporary setting.

10 years later it seems as stilted and contrived as "Brief Encounter" (a clip from which features briefly). The "hopping biography" and "unchained melody" sequences are toe-curlingly embarrassing and it is difficult to see what Nina ever saw in Jamie in the first place.

Maybe I've just grown more jaded and cynical, but 10 years later this really seems an incredibly shallow and pointless film.

Red Dawn (1984)

The funniest film ever?

[3/10 · 14 August 2001]

Oh boy, I've never laughed as much during a film for a very long time. Trouble is I was laughing at it and not with it.

Favourite scene? **minor spoiler** The heroes sneak back to the outskirts of their town after they have fled the initial assault. Observing from a safe distance they see half the buildings on fire and Russian armoured vehicles patrolling the streets. One hero turns to another and with absolute seriousness speaks the immortal line: "Nothing will ever be the same again". I have never laughed quite so long and loud at anything in the cinema since. Such banality! Such a failed attempt at heroics! Such bad acting! Such a load of ****!

Unfortunately, the rest of the film is little better. The whole invasion scenario is implausible and the film does little other than pander to the prejudices of Middle America militia freaks.

Watch it once for the (unintentional) comedy but NEVER assume that the story depicted could have even the remotest connection with reality.

Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)

Rubbish, I'm afraid

[4/10 · 12 July 2001]

Far below the standard of episodes IV to VI, the Phantom Menace failed to impress on just about every possible level.

After half an hour or so I found myself admiring the scenery in the background (which was admitedly quite good) not exactly the sign of a gripping movie!

I'll be interested to see how episodes II and III handle Darth Vader's turn to the Dark Side...

The Long Good Friday (1980)

Bob Hoskins makes this...

[9/10 · 21 May 2001]

Very much in the tradition of the American gangster films of the 30s and 40s, this movie centres around a bravura performance by the central gangster (Edward G Robinson/James Cagney then; Bob Hoskins now). Bob Hoskins raves and fights against a world that is rapidly moving beyond his control and, although he is an unpleasant, violent and vicious character, you end up caring for him.

Interesting also as a historical snapshot of a period in London's history (the redevelopment of the Docklands) now gone.

Enemy at the Gates (2001)

I wanted to like this but...

[4/10 · 17 May 2001]

I am a keen student of the Eastern Front and married to a Ukrainian whose father fought in "The Great Patriotic War" so I was very much looking forward to this movie...

But. It was absolutely awful! Every effort was made to ensure that the military hardware was correct but absolutely no effort had been made to to research how Russians would have acted (or in many cases looked) during the war.

<WARNING, SPOILER>

One particularly risible episode: A small boy, Sacha, has been spying on the Germans but he's caught and hanged. Later a political commisar is atttempting to get the boy's mother to join an evacuation of civilians prior to an expected German offensive. The mother refuses. In a "noble" gesture the commisar lies and says that Sacha has defected to the Germans.

Now, in real life the mother would have been (a) terrified of reprisals but also (b) mortified that her son did not die fighting the fascist scum. In EatG she is overjoyed that her son is safe with the Germans and leaves her home without further delay.

Still it was marginally better than Saving Private Ryan.

Key Largo (1948)

Too stagey:

[6/10 · 17 May 2001]

A superb cast (Bogart and Bacall smoulder nicely) but it's far too stagey and, for me, lacked any real suspense. Despite its valiant attempts, none of the characters achieve the ambiguity of the best of the films noires and the ending appears perfunctory and rushed.