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Reviews
The Dark Knight (2008)
An Amazing Film
Christopher Nolan's sequel to 'Batman Begins' is not only the best superhero film ever made but also a supremely intelligent, intricate and thoughtful meditation on how to achieve your goals while adhering to your principles. It really is a masterful film and confirms Nolan's status as one of the most talented directors working today. Of course when talking about the film one cannot but mention the late Heath Ledger's stunning performance as The Joker. Its an undeniably singular and special performance and it lies at the heart of this deep, dark masterwork. There is also great, understated performances from Michael Caine, Gary Oldman and in particular Aaron Eckhart as Harvey Dent- the character that the moral framework of the film rests on. The film is also a stunning visual experience not to mention the brooding, unnerving Kubrickian score that punctuates the action brilliantly. This really is one of the films of the year and is in fact arguably a reinvention of the superhero genre. This is more of an urban crime drama in the vein of 'Heat' than it is 'Batman and Robin'.
Wanted (2008)
I got what I Wanted...
Wanted is the most satisfying action movie I have seen in quite some time. Kudos to Universal for taking a risk in hiring a genuinely distinctive and singular talent in Timur Bekmambetov, director of the excellent Night Watch and its sequel Day Watch. They have also taken a risk in allowing this to be R-rated. They haven't wimped out for the sake of a few bucks like other studios (I'm looking at you Die Hard 4). Instead they have made a foul-mouthed, ultra-violent, hugely exciting action thriller. Sure its plot is off-the-wall and completely ridiculous but just sit back and enjoy the glorious visuals, extraordinary acting sequences and the stellar cast( in particular McAvoy).
El laberinto del fauno (2006)
A masterpiece. One of the films of the year. *****(out of five)
An amazing piece of work, Guillermo Del Toro's adult fairytale just has to be seen to be believed. One of the most original films in a long time the film blends fantasy and reality seamlessley. The film is often extremely violent which adds to the contrast between the fantasy and reality. I believe this film will go down as a classic in years to come and really should be seen by everyone who has an interest in film. Also, it should be up for more than just Best Foreign Film at the Oscars. The special effects, on a relatively tight budget compared with most Hollywood films are astounding and make-up/costume design is superb as well. An absolute must-see.
Waking Life (2001)
A Mind-blowing piece of art *****(out of five)
One of the most mind-blowing and intelligent films I've ever seen. Though, not exactly recommended as a Friday night at the movies this film is a fascinating, extraordinary work of art. Its a challenging, searingly intelligent film. The animation is rich and beautiful and adds to the dream-like quality of the film. But for me the standout thing about the film is Richard Linklater outstanding screenplay and how much research he must have done before writing it. While the film received mostly positive reviews upon its release back in 2001 some critics labelled it as pretentious and boring.Thats their opinion but I certainly feel it isn't pretentious. Just because a film deals with big themes and subjects dosen't make it pretentious. I found it brilliant and anyone who has an interest in philosophy cannot afford to miss this masterpiece.
The Departed (2006)
By far and away Scorsese's best movie since Goodfellas. A masterpiece. ******(out of five)
Based on the enjoyable, if flawed, Asian film Infernal Affairs Scorsese and screenwriter William Moynahan expand on that films neat premise and where that was a cops and robbers thriller here Scorsese has fashioned a gangster epic almost on a par with Goodfellas. Speaking of Goodfellas, this is easily Scorsese's best film since that 1990 masterpiece. Its as if Scorsese has rediscovered his youth with this film its sparky energy and style resembling Mean Streets. The acting as well as the directing and screen writing is outstanding. But what would you expect from a cast that includes: Jack Nicholson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen, Alec Baldwin and Ray Winstone. As for Oscars, personally I think it shows the idiocy of the awards that Scorsese who is undoubtedly one of the greatest directors of all time has never won an Oscar and the likes of Ron Howard has.So he probably won't win this year either. Nicholson may(deservedly) get nominated for best supporting actor but even though DiCaprio and Damon are awesome in this movie, they probably won't get nominated. But its Marty, Jack, Leo etc that will have the last laugh as I feel in twenty years time people will still be talking about this movie. Jack and Marty quite possibly the greatest actor and director of their eras have finally made a film together and they can add it to their already massive respective lists of masterpieces. ***** (out of five)
Children of Men (2006)
Superb, electrifying cinema ****1/2 (out of five)
This sci-fi thriller based on a book by P.D. James is absolutely magnificent. Its premise is high-concept yet totally believable and Alfonso Cuaron (Y Tu Mama Tambien) shot the film entirely using hand-held cameras adding to the realism and grittiness of the picture. Clive Owen gives the performance of his career in the lead role while there is a scene stealing supporting turn from Michael Caine. The film is a tonce poignant, tense, exciting , disturbing and even funny especially in Michael Caine's scenes. Cuaron is certainly proving himself as a hugely talented man and could go on to great things
This film is a must-see ****1/2 (out of five)
A Scanner Darkly (2006)
A modern classic.... ***** (out of five)
I had to travel two and half hours to get to see this film as it was not showing in my local cinemas. But boy it was worth it! This is undoubtedly the film of the year so far. Its head and shoulders above everything else. Its extremely inventive and original, gets across some truly powerful messages, has wonderful performances and the rotoscoping animation looks absolutely stunning. Its great to see someone has finally done a Phillip K. Dick novel the way you feel he would have wanted. The film also manages to be very funny at times. Robert Downey Jnr and Woody Harrelson are a hoot. Its great to see the wonderful Winona Ryder back on our screens (so brilliant in Heathers and Edward Scissorhands) and I would also like to commend Keanu Reeves. This is an actor who gets a lot of criticism unjustly I feel. He gives a mesmerising performance here and should be up for an Oscar (although knowing the idiotic Acadamy he won't) He has also given brilliant turns in films like The Matrix and Thumbsucker which are overlooked. This was also a very commendable and brave film for him to do. He clearly isn't like a lot of other actors who are just happy to make terrible blockbusters and pick up a big paycheck.
Kudos to Richard Linklater one of the most diverse directors working today for crafting a masterful film and being faithful to the source material. His direction is absolutely spot-on, as is everything in the film. This film is destined to become a cult classic and rightly so because as far as I'm concerned its a bona fide masterpiece!
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)
I loved every minute ****1/2 (out of five)
Refreshing, wild and so funny. Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang rocks. Superbly written and directed by comeback kid Shane Black this crackles with spicy dialogue and terrific performances by Robert Downey Jnr and Val Kilmer. The narration by downey Jnr. is excellent as well. This movie is essentially a murder mystery/ Hollywood satire with plenty of other genres thrown in as well.Super. This film should be considered for Oscars but it probably won't. One of the best films of the year. Not like anything else you'll probably have ever seen really.Hopefully Shane Black will push on from here and make some more great movies now after being in the wilderness for so long since The Last Kiss Goodnight
King Kong (2005)
Superb remake. ****1/2 (out of five)
To be honest I didn't expect much from this remake when I first heard about it.Sure, Peter Jackson was directing it , but I loved the 1933 original so much I felt tampering with would be pointless. When I heard the excellent reviews for the movie i started becoming a bit more optimistic about the end result. And sure enough I was blown away.The film looks good enough to eat, the acting- Naomi Watts, Jack Black, Adrien Brody and Andy Serkis as Kong is terrific.Even at three hours plus the pacing feels just right and the special effects are mind blowing. So much better than other blockbusters this year like War of the Worlds or The Island Jackson here dosen't forget about the characters and fills the film with real heart and emotion. Unmissable.
Green Street (2005)
One of the best movies of the year ****(out of five)
Elijah Wood is fast becoming one of America's bravest actors. Many felt that after playing Frodo Baggins in The Lord of the Rings trilogy that he may do a Mark Hamil and disappear. On the contrary though he has instead made eclectic choices ( a mute cannibal in the excellent Sin City and a football hooligan in this) as not to be typecast and next he will be seen in the Liev Scriebher directed Everything is Illuminated, another brave choice. And while Wood is excellent here his co-star Charlie Hunman steals the show as hard-hitting football hooligan Pete. His energy and naturalistic stile are superb. A real talent. The film as a whole is one of the best of the year. A gritty, very well written take on a controversial subject. First-time director Lexi Alexander dosen't tiptoe around the subject either not afraid to show while this is a disgraceful activity it does have plus points for the thugs involved and it shows how easy it could be for a normal person to get caught up in this violence. Extremely good. **** (out of five)
Sin City (2005)
One word sums this movie up: Masterpiece! *****(out of five)
Kudos to directors Robert Rodriguez,Frank Miller and Quentin Tarantino for ''Sin City'' a landmark film. Its a landmark not only for the astounding cinematography (which mixes black and white and flashes of colour to sumptuous effect) but also Rodriguez's decision to bring the man behind the comic books on which this is based - Frank Miller- on board is throughly groundbreaking and gutsy. Rodriguez actually had to resign from the DGA to bring Miller on board as it was breaking their rules. But this decision well and throughly paid off and Miller's emphatic influence on the style of the movie is there to be seen. A third director-Rodriguez's buddy Quentin Tarantino- also came on board for a few days as a ''special guest director'. Tarantino directed one brilliant sequence with Clive Owen and Benicio Del Toro in a car on his own and also co-directed a few other scenes with Rodriguez and Miller.This is adapts Miller's books more faithfully than any movie based on something else before. And that is throughly what the genius that is Frank miller deserves. The film is quite simply a masterpiece and so far this is my MOVIE OF THE YEAR by a country mile and I really can't see it being topped. It ingeniously interweaves three of Miller's stories into one whole movie through a pormanteau structure similar to that of Tarantino's masterpiece ''Pulp Fiction''. The film is clever, fast-paced, exciting and sickeningly funny. The entire cast is superb but the standouts are Bruce Willis who excels as hard-boiled cop Hartigan, Nick Stahl who is terrifying as a deformed sadist known as ''Yello Bastard'' and comeback kid Mickey Rourke who is absolutely outstanding as violent thug with a heart of gold Marv.You simply cannot miss this film!
Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004)
Utter brilliance from the master ***** (out of five)
Far and away the best film of this year so far, and one of the best films of all time. Q.T. -in my opinion the best film writer and director ever! has done it again. Q.T.`s trademark dialogue is much more in this one than Vol.1. Vol.2 is also much more story-orientated. The acting is awesome. Uma Thurman undoubtably deserves an oscar for this there are so many layers to her performance, David Carradine is absoloutley amazing as Bill as is Michael Madsen as Bud and Daryl Hannah as Elle Driver. The score by Robert Rodriguez is excellent, and ofcourse Q.T's direction is absoloutley fabulous. This film is so cool, so funny, so exciting, so enthralling you must not miss this utter masterpiece.
Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)
Film of the year ***** (out of five)
By far the best filmaker in the world ever! returns and dosen't dissapoint.This is far and away the best film of the year. I don't care what comes out over the next couple of months nothing can top this. This has gone straight into my all-time top-five. All of Q.T 's movies are there Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction are joint first with Jackie Brown joint fifth. And True Romance is just outside the top 5. You simply must see this masterpiece I really can't wait for volume 2.
Identity (2003)
Original, compelling and very tense thriller/horror **** (out of five)
A truly original thriller/horror with some great twists. A clever intelligent film that also has some very sharp dialogue.John Cusack, Ray Liottta, Amanda Peet etc. are all very good.And James Mangold's direction is also fantastic! Not to be missed
The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
Awesome, breathtaking and brilliant ***** out of five
I loved the first Matrix film and this really does match it. Some of the scenes in this really do have to be seen to be believed. Incredible. This is much, much better than X-Men 2. This is far more spectacular and has far,far more substance. Its really interesting to see how much Neo has evolved the fact that he can fly and everything. Also this has some great twists. This really does live up[ to the hype.
Cidade de Deus (2002)
Absoloutley brilliant ****1/2 out of five
Absoloutley brilliant film. Definetly one of the best films I've seen so far this year. A mesmerising crime thriller. I love Quentin Tarantino and his movies he is my idol. This is very much like a Quentin Tarantino movie, so absoloutley adored it.
Die Another Day (2002)
Truly one of the best Bonds if not the best **** out of five
Pierce Brosnan has been acclaimed for reviving the Bond series. and here he certainley gives a very good performence. And I'm certainley not being bias just because I'm Irish and so is he he really does give a great performence here. But having said that its Michael Madsen ~(- star of my persnal favourite film of all time- Quentin Tarantinos Reservoir Dogs) who steals the show for me as Damian Falco. Infact all the performences are very good. And so is the film its arguably the best Bond ever- and is undoubtably the most stylish. **** out of five
Signs (2002)
Has moments of utter brilliance but has sentimentality *** out of five
A very entertaining and well-directed sci-fi horror. It geinuinley has moments of utter brilliance. Like the camera showing a torch on the floor only hearing the noises in the background. Moments like that reminded me of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre-in my opinion the best horror of all time though Scream is also flawless its more of a comedy while Massacre is so clausterphobic. But then this film also has moments of sentimentality. All n' all this is a very entertaining piesce of fun.
No Man's Land (2001)
Brilliant. Tense, gripping and very funny. **** out of five.
This is truly a brilliant film. Great dialogue, very original, tense and gripping. Very well-acted, written and directed. Its such a great movie. Brilliant. Its unique aswell. Though a black comedy about the Bosnian war echoes Three Kings which was a black comedy about the Gulf war this is a very unique and different satire. It truly is brilliant.**** out of five
The Sum of All Fears (2002)
Pearl Harbor all over again. the worst film of the year so far * out of five
Though not quite as bad as Pearl Harbor this is very close. and that is saying something. This truly horrendous. Only Morgan Freeman manages to give a remotley good performence. He is a great actor but he could play this character in his sleep. Cheesy, Sentimental, boring crud. * out of five
Eight Legged Freaks (2002)
*** out of five....An entertaining delight
This film is delightful fun. Yes the ending isn't great and child actor Scott Terra (as Mike) and Kari Wuhrer (as Sherrif Sam Parker) are poor. But this is a clever roller-coaster B-movie that is extremly entertaining. Its such good fun! Besides Terra and Wuhrer the acting is very good. Arquette is surprisingly good , while Scarlett Johansson (Ghost World, The Man Who Wasn't There) shines again here after starring in those two masterpieces. This is terrific fun all the way. *** out of five
Men in Black II (2002)
Clever, funny and very enjoyable ***1/2 out of five
Not a patch on the fantastic original but still a funny, very enjoyable film. Really enjoyable as a matter of fact. Its well-acted ,zany, quirky stuff. Great special effects aswell. All n' all great stuff. ***1/2 out of five
Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002)
Genius...the best Austin Powers yet ****1/2 out of five
I saw this film last Saturday night (July 27) in a packed cinema. I laughed so hard. The film is utter genius. I thought the first Austin Powers was mediocre, I loved the 2nd one but now Goldmember surpasses that again. Its a clever, laugh-out-loud laugh riot. The cameos from Tom Cruise, Kevin Spacey, Danny Devito, Gwyneth Paltrow, John Travolta and Steven Spielberg are hillairious. Masterpiece.
Murder by Numbers (2002)
Another mediocre Hollywood thriller **1/2 out of five.
I really should avoid the thriller by numbers gag when writing this review. But geinuinley thats what this movie is. just another mediocre Hollywood thriller like Don't say a Word. And I heard some raves about Ryan Gosling who used to star in a really awful childern's tv series that I can't remember the name of anyhow I didn't see anything that spectacular he wasn't bad but not brilliant.
Minority Report (2002)
***1/2 out of five Fantastic....but a poor ending.
Speilberg+Cruise would've been expected to be a box-office smash. But in the U.S. so far the movie hasn't done that well. But Speilberg and Cruise can take refuge in that Minority Report is actually a very good film. Its a real roller-coaster ride. Cruise is quite good and I'm Irish and I have to say most Irish movies and actors are crud I thought Colin Farrell was good too. And the direction by Speilberg is awesome. The only real flaw I would have with it is the poor ending.But so what? Its still well-worth going to see for the rest of the movie which is quite simply fantastic. ***1/2 out of five