jasonz42 Reviews

Something's Gotta Give (2003)

Dragged on sadly

[5/10 · 26 February 2004]

Something's gotta give depicts an aging man who's spent his life with young women, but never fallen in love. when by chance he meets one of these girls widowed mother, he finds his feelings for the mum grow after being forced in her company. The film then follows their relationship throughougt, with an almost cameo appearance from Keanu Reeves who still acts like he's just woken up at 2:00 in the morning. (btw, for all i insult keanu's acting, he's one top man, apparently very generous to his stunt men in terms of gifts and also gives immense amounts to charity, hats off to him). But my point is the first half of the film was quite fast paced and funny, i laughed out loud at several bits. And then it decided it would become serious and try and get across a decent meaning, the jokes dried up and it became repetetive, predictable, and boring. Perhaps as an 18 year old bloke being dragged along to a romantic comedy i'm being biased, since my parents loved it. But I could have left it, and as my ears picked up so could much of the audience.

Something had to give, in this case it was my sanity as I started thinking what it owuld be like to walk again as the credits began to roll.

Eight Legged Freaks (2002)

Fast-paced, fun flick

[8/10 · 26 February 2004]

OK, so it's not exactly a cinematic masterpiece, but it doesn't try to be. The idea of this movie was that it followed a B-movie theme which was fast, furious and a lot of fun to watch. It may not have incredible acting, serious drama or anything that would set it in the bounds of a well-produced film, but its nicely directed action sequences, quick scene changes combined with the clever usage of many minor characters to create lots of scenarios makes it immensely enjoyable to watch. I had as much fun watching this as I did Goodfellas or Terminator. It didn't get a 9 because it isn't snazzy in the stylish sense, but quite frankly its comical outlook and lighthearted approach to a tired genre was very refreshing, i enjoyed every minute of it.

If you're looking for an easy night in with something to entertain all ranges, this is definately it. Great entertainment, as popcorn flicks should be.

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

Action-packed if not slightly overlong joy

[10/10 · 26 February 2004]

Well, this was my favorite of the trilogy, mainly because it was backed up by 6 hours worth of the previous films which meant it didn't have to build as much, and what followed was 3 hours of fantastic footage. The thing is because of those previous films you already have the feeling of the immense task and the size of the situation, so practically the entire film is more dramatic than one i have ever seen. It thoroughly deserved its massive applause at the end, although whether that was so people could walk about I don't know. If there's one criticism i have, it was overly long this time, mainly in the strung out ending. Sadly, i do not complain directly to the producers, since the endings are actually necessary and it would be criminal to leave them out according to the books. Even so I did feel had the movie ended 20 minutes earlier the cheer would have been an eruption, but maybe that's a personal dislike. Nevertheless, the battle sequences deserve an academy award alone, beautifully crafted and awe inspiring to watch. Acting is up to scratch as always, and there's not a dud scene in the film.

All in all, if you don't see this film you will be missing out on one of the greats the camera was invented for. This is the one ring. See it.

Sliding Doors (1998)

Clever idea, nicely implemented

[7/10 · 26 February 2004]

This had always been one of my ideas for a film- a slight change in something creates two parallell lives led by the same character, and as the film progresses you see how those lives split further apart and differ just because of that small change. It's a fantastic idea and it was nicely taken on my the producers, although in general a film like this is always limited. It was fun to watch, but not funny, despite it being marked as a comedy. I found it more of an interest than a laugh, which is fine, but not what it aimed to be primarily.

Nevertheless, it was flaweless in the sense that there was nothing boring throughougt, although there was nothing that particulalry stood out apart perhaps from the interesting ending, but other than that it is reasonably easy to forget. Good for a rental, hats off for attempting to tackle a difficult storyline, but the doors are sliding for this to be forgotten in 5 years time. (omg my cheesy endings get worse every time :P)

Goodfellas (1990)

Best flowing film i've ever seen!

[10/10 · 26 February 2004]

If there's one thing Goodfellas it criticsed for, its the lack of definite storyline, since it follows more of a documentary style of gangster life than it does a plot. Yet each scene is so engaging, so beautifully acted and includes such top-knotch script writing that you will forget that aspect and become drawn into individually sections. Because, after all, this film aimed to depict the mafia lifestyle, it was never an action or thriller-based story. The random violence that occurs and brilliant narration throughout only serve to further enhance the entire image the film gets across. The character relationships are also cleverly forged together, and the unpredictable nature of the film allows you to hinge nicely throughout and keeps you in suspense. Perhaps this film is not for everyone, if you like a proper storyline you may be disappointed, but this film is pure genius since it followed- and achieved what it set out to do- shock and exploit the very innards of gangster life. Now become the don and watch it :D

Doctor Zhivago (1965)

Dire, dire, dissappointment!

[2/10 · 26 February 2004]

I went into this film with high expectations, i consider myself reasonably good at seeing deeply into a lot of films, so despite my young age I figured I'd give this 3-hour russian based romance a run through due to its highly classed place in film history. Why, oh why didn't i do something more fun like burn myself?

The film seemed to go backward and forward, not really going anywhere, dragged along with a pace so slow if it had gone any slower it would have been rewinding on my DVD. When it did progress, it was randomly done so and I just got the constant impression of it being 'knocked togehter' when being written rather than thought through. The acting was passable, if not a little wooden, but there seemed no chemistry between the characters. what made it harder for me is the film tried to evoke pity for the hard-done by man whom was cheating on his wife. And I'm just one of those people who finds it difficult to sympathise with someone who cheats on his family, which probably didn;t help the situation. Even so, I simply cannot see how this sheer boredom of a movie ever got so highly acclaimed, save yourself 3 hours of your life and do the ironing or something. The only reason I needed Dr Zhivago was to perform resucitation on me after i passed out with boredom.

The Matrix Revolutions (2003)

Great potential which it never achieved

[5/10 · 11 November 2003]

The Matrix Revolutions is by far the worst in the series, with inferior special effects when compared to reloaded and a lesser script and storyline to the original. In fact, I found the script so predictable I was saying phrases before the actors- which doesn't make for a particularly interesting film. That's the main problem with revolutions, it simply isn't interesting. No amount of FX or cool sequences will provoke interest unless a clever script and character development is built up. Whereas the other two fim's scripts were at least interesting (some of the philosophical discussions were just fantastic!), this film has none of these and instead tries to tie up everything the last two films did, which it doesn't even do very well.

Sadly, it seems as if the Wachowski brothers had a massive budget leftover and decided to skip conversation sequences and replace them with computer-induced fight scenes, some of which are still dodgy. The new oracle is not as good an actor as previous, Reeves still acts poorly, and Fishbourne and Weaving, who held the films together previously, are given precious little to do this time around. In conclusion, the Matrix Revolutions had the potential to finish off this fantastic series in spectacular fashion, instead, not only did they limp to the finish post, that didn't even explain half the story anyway, leaving you coming away with a feeling that the Matrix is the glitch.

Saving Grace (2000)

Fantastic idea, implemented poorly

[5/10 · 10 November 2003]

Saving Grace was a typical feel-good comedy, partly lighthearted drama and partly pure laughter value. Sadly, it falls somewhere in between the two and fails to hit heights in either genre. I just got the feeling that from such a fantastic idea (a middle-aged woman turns to growing drugs to help her financial situation), so much more jokes could have been made of it. The best example of this was when Grace, a middle aged country woman, goes to london to try and sell her marujana plants. This had the potential for some hilarious jokes, instead the scene was plain and just not funny. Likewise in the drama side, it never seemed to hit any nerves or make you feel for the character, despite Brenda Blethyn playing the role incredibly convincingly. In conclusion, Saving Grace is a sturdy film which stands alone as a watchable feel-good comedy, i just felt let down because such a good idea could have made such a better movie. Maybe the screenwriter was smoking the stuff rather than writing about it.

The Matrix Revolutions (2003)

A potentially great trilogy fizzles out in a poor ending

[5/10 · 7 November 2003]

The first matrix film was truly incredible, leading the way for a potentially termendous trilogy to rival that of Star Wars. My initial review of reloaded was that it was poor, but after several viewings once i got to understand it more i actually really enjoyed it. Sadly, Revolutions, no matter how many times it is watched, has no hidden depth. The script, what little there is, is predictble and unimaginative, its initial flare and interest is lost through overused cliches and at many points it feels as if we've heard it all before. 'Lesser' characters are used to the detriment of Morhpeus, Agent smith and to some extent neo, meaning there's never any engaging storyline for any one character, more a hatch patch of mini-stories that fail to get you feeling for anyone. In short, action is mindless action with no meaning and it will not do anything but bore you. My second complaint is the effects- if nothing else, surely they should be incredible. Sadly, they're not. Gone are the incredible explosions and cool camera effects of reloaded. No decent chase scene or imaginative FX, just typical blasting and guns. The fight scenes are the worst yet, in fact there is precious amounts of Kung-Fu, instead characters seem to like floating about more like puppets. There were even ocassions where i noticed the actors missing each other and pretending they were hit. The new oracle fails to provide interest and does not do as good a job as the original, which leaves another big hole in the film, where once interesting philosophical points were raised, the 'intellectual' conversations become dull and monotonous.

In general, the matrix revolutions is not a disasterous film, but in comparison to the other two it stands way below par, it has neither the originality or wit of the first, nor the edge-of-your-seat action of the second. Instead it is a poor concuction of both. The truth is, the glitch IS the matrix.

Seabiscuit (2003)

Nice bit of filmwork, but probably not your cup of tea

[6/10 · 4 November 2003]

It is hard to deny that Seabiscuit is a well put together and well directed film, and analytically it falls foul in few places- it has character development, decent camera work, engaging direction and sturdy acting. Yet, when it comes down to it, few people will be able to enjoy a film about a racehorse. It's never going to be exciting as aliens invading or gladiators or films with bigger, greater storylines. That said, I am only 17 and to be fair i believe this film would be appreciated much more by older people who are looking for a truly decent heart warmer. And, despite my usual detest of feel-good-films, I did find the race scene between Seabiscuit and The Admiral incredible, it was built up fantastically and undoubtably the best patch in the film. In conclusion, Seabiscuit is a fantastic film in terms of logical analysis. Yet simply by its subject it has condemned itself to be a film which will never find great amounts of support or praise since it is a film aimed at such a narrow margin of cinema-going audiences. Keep on Galloping.

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)

Depp's greatest performance

[31 October 2003]

Pirates of the Carribean is a good movie, no doubt, it's fun to watch, entertaining beyond reason and a great lighthearted swashbuckling adventure. What makes it special is the sparkling performance by Depp, no doubt helped by a fantastic character build from some very talented scriptwriters. Depp's character was by far the most interesting in the film with a lot of penash and a spark about him which entices the audience. POC would have stood alone as a good film without Depp's captain sparrow, but with it it has managed to become a fantastic film which has managed to stay in the UK charts since August... proof enough that you should go and see it, if you're one of the 4 or 5 people who hasn't yet...

This really was a pirate's life for me. yo-ho-ho

Final Destination 2 (2003)

Entertaining but nothing else.

[31 October 2003]

Final Destination is one of those films that most people will love, because, let's face it, no one goes expecting to see tremendous acting, scripts, storylines or anything really, just original and entertaining gory deaths. And that's all this film is expected to provide- and it does.

FD2 is a re-hash of the original, but that doesn't matter. For all the film, you just find yourself looking forward to the next gut-wrenching agonisinig death and as it builds up you can visibly see the audience getting more and more excited. And boy, are those deaths fantastic. My particular favorite was the druggy being diced up by a set of flying barbed wire, but the ladder and the glass platform ideas were good too. I'll say no more.

go and enjoy yucky deaths but don't expect anything else.

Cabin Fever (2002)

Nothing special really

[4/10 · 31 October 2003]

Well, it's watchable but that's it really. If you're freaked out by gore then yes it might be scary but honestly 2 hours of blood being coughed up just doesn't raise the hairs on my neck that much. Cabin Fever if nothing else is reasonably original, the 'baddy' being a disease rather than some monster after the typical group of dumb teenage kids who decide to camp alone in some woods. But the film is stupid, in terms of the situation, and the ending is just..... bizarre. Mind you, I did go to the cinema with my girlfriend and so i probably didn't get a complete view of the whole film. But enough to know i'd rather not have gone. This wasn't fever, it was more like Cabin go to sleep syndrome.

Saving Private Ryan (1998)

The most realistic view of war yet

[9/10 · 31 October 2003]

Firstly, this film is not 'entertaining' in the way war films like Pearl Harbour tried to be. This film attempts to re-create war as realistically as possible, and, although I've never been in one myself, from what I hear it is the best representation yet. By definition this means you cannot 'enjoy' it like you would most films. The opening scene at the beach during D-day was harrowing rather than enjoyable to watch. You don't find yourself on the edge of your seat as bullets fly, you find yourself cringing and wondering why on Earth people get driven to this. After this scene the film becomes less miserable and slightly more watchable as an entertainment mechanism, but it never loses its realistic touch. Hanks delivers a memorable if not slightly flawed performance, whilst the script is interesting to listen to. In general, this is the first film I have come across that truly played on my emotions and affected me, which is what it's meant to do. It is a fantastic achievement in the sense that it finally begins to show people just how real the horrors of war are. If you're looking for a nice night in with an action film, don't watch this. If you want to see closer to the truth, and appreciate truly great filmwork, watch it.

Titanic (1997)

Masterpiece in the hall of cinema fame

[31 October 2003]

Well, I'm a teenage boy who should be enjoying films like XXX and Tomb Radier, whilst romantic films should not even figure on my list of films to watch. But I cannot deny Titanic is one of the best films ever made, and if ever a film was 'beautiful', this one is it. Firstly, Kate Winslet and Leonardo di Caprio played their roles phenomonly, i truly believed they were a real couple in love. This makes the rest of the film fantastic, since now we believe in and care about the characters the rest of the film flows as beautifully as the model, 3/4 size reconstructions of the Titanic itself sailed. The script is witty, interesting and engaging, you truly feel for the characters and are entrapped into their situation, whilst the film enables you to symathise with the real survivors by shifting from modern day to 1912 Titanic. The sinking scenes (oops, have i given anything away? :P ) are truly astounding and beautifully directed. If Cameron could get any better after T2, he did a good job of attempting it here. in short, this is not your typical romantic drama. It is a proper masterpiece, both in directing, script writing, characters and acting, and deserved every single one of its oscars, and should remain in the film history books. This is one film that didn't sink at the cinema. A Titanic success. Jas

The Matrix Reloaded (2003)

The Wachowski brothers fall for the typical sequel trap

[6/10 · 18 August 2003]

Well, the special effects are fantastic. Stop there. This film lacks the 'oomph' and wow factor the original had- its script is less inspiring, the characters seem flatter and of course it has keanu reeves acting- which seems flatter since the first film. True its a very watchable film- and i must admit the 100-agent fight in the backalleys was one of the greatest i've ever seen, but those expecting a film along the lines of the Matrix will be dissappointed. The brothers have concentrated way too much on memorable explosions, fist fights and set pieces and not enough on interesting scriptwriting, something which made the first film stand out. To be fair, the first film had the advantage that it was an original idea- we'd heard it all before by the second film and there was no significant revelations to be made. Nevertheless, it held together and despite the atrocious dancing scene (10 minutes of idiots jumping up and down), the film picked up towards the end. Lets hope it continues improving for the final installment in November, and that the Wachowski brothers realised the truth for this film... There is no script.

Jas

Phone Booth (2002)

Masterfully crafted and entertaining film

[8/10 · 18 August 2003]

This was one of the most entertaining movies i have seen in years, mostly because it was so simple and skillfully directed. This film could well have been incredibly boring- after all, over 80 minutes focused on a man in a phone booth talking to a sniper could be as good as a sleeping pill, yet Colin Farrel's stellar performance and a witty script make it extremely watchable. While simply through its setting and plot it will never be able to reach the heights of a massive blockbuster, for what it is and its budget it is the greatest achievement filmwise i have seen in a very long time. The storyline is well worked out and builds to a nice climax, and without realising it you will be tense and on the edge of your seat for most of the movie. Twists and sudden turns in the movie make it unpredictable and hence keep the interest levels high. I had intended to enjoy my girlfriend's company when i went to watch this- instead i ended up engrossed in a fantastic drama/thriller which is sure to please most viewers.

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003)

Entertaining film but not at the hieghts of the originals

[7/10 · 18 August 2003]

Terminator 3 is a classic case of one film too far, but not because it's an appauling film. In fact, so far it's one of my favorite films this year. It has (obviously) some fantastic action sequences, reasonable plot and some meorable scenes. The reason it's one film too far is because to try and compete with its originals and make just as fantastic film is a very, very tough job indeed. Terminators 1 and 2 were grounbreaking films which truly deserve to be in the top 100 films of all time. Sadly, T3 is not. It lacks the character relationship T2 had, the acting ability of Michael bienh (T1) or Hamilton (who is sadly missed in this film), and the new terminator is not played anywhere near as well as Robert Patrick's menacing T-1000 from judgement day. In short, Terminator 3 is an all-out action, thorogughly entertaining film but with poorer acting, and a lesser plot and script. By all means go and watch it, but don't expect anything particularly special. A great saga overall, but i feel that it's finally Hasta La vista, baby.

Jas

Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

The most spectacular film of the 20th century

[10/10 · 18 August 2003]

OK, my tagline is slightly wrong: it should read 20th and 21st century. So long as you enjoy action-adventure films, Terminator 2: Judgement Day will probably be the greatest film you ever watch. It is not just any ordinary action adventure film, because it combines what very few big-money blockbusters do- action scenes and characters. The main characters, Sarah and john Connor and the terminator are developed so well throughout the film that by the end you find yourself doing what you rarely do in films- actually caring about the characters. It is this caring that then makes the rest of the film so fantastic, because every aciton scene has meaning behind it. Helped along by a fool-proof, well thought out plot, every single scene adds to the film and makes it all the more deep and meaningful. Robert Patrick delivers a stunning performance as the evil T-1000 and Hamilton, Furlong and Schwarzenegger bond fantastically well to create the ultra-realistic situation. Flawed practically no where, combining plot, depth of character, development, interest, action and every other important aspect a film should have, T2 is a triumphant achievement that thoroughly deserves its top 100 place. The only criticism you could have is it wavers from the dark aspect of T1 and includes more action sequences, but this is more a personal preference. Even if you normally hate action films, watch this one because it re-defines what a big blockbuster should be. He'll be back. Jas

Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)

One of the all time greats, helped a lot by its predecessors

[10/10 · 18 August 2003]

Return of the Jedi is my personal favorite in the Star Wars saga, a masterpiece of directing. However, to be fully enjoyed, it really must be seen after episodes 4 and 5. Had i seen it before those two, i would have come out thinking it was only slightly above average. But the earlier films have built the characters and the fighting cause to such a climax that in the final scenes of this film with Luke and Vader you are left with sensory overload- because it all means so much to you. Acting as always is a top-knotch performance, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford and Mark Hamill deliver some fantastic roles, while the short appearance of Ian McDiarmid is a memorably acted. While some of the action scenes may seem a bit dated (such as the chase through the forest and the Rancor pit scene), this does not distract from the overall film and they are still enjoyable. With a great mix of action and plot, humour, and of course the classic good and evil battle, forgive me for saying.... the Force is strong in this one.

Jas