erikstee Reviews

Pusher (1996)

Pushing as a way of life, no way out...

[9/10 · 1 December 2005]

This movie blew me and my friends away 10 years ago. This rock steady and realistic tale about real criminals, not the typical American teen age- BS. These people are real, that's as simple as it gets. The docu-kind of outlook fits this movie perfect.

Someone was complaining how he couldn't sit through this movie because he didn't understand why Frankie made the choices he did. That's the point, there is no reason in real life. People make choices because they are bored or simply don't want to think about life outside the carnival. What is a family, Volvo or a house in the suburbs to a guy, who still at about 35-40 goes out clubbing and gets hi on crank and what-not everyday. These human fates don't need explanation. Perhaps I've been too close to need an explanation. One thing is for sure, these guys have made a great movie that has become a legend within certain groups of people. I guess the point of the movie was very clear in the end. Where does a man go, who keeps pushing the envelope day after day? The answer is - nowhere... Learn your lessons people, no more explanations needed.

Absolutely fabulous, that's all I can say... And I won't say too much about the movie, just that it kicks ass. Definitely one of the most enticing criminal stories in the last 20 years.

Art Heist (2004)

First it's one "Aha, this is what this films all about". The second comes the shock and last the awe at how people spend money on sad productions like this!!!

[1/10 · 14 April 2005]

Baldwin has really stooped low to make such movies. The script, the music, just about everything in this movie is a waste of time.

The sound FX do not sound real, they stick out way too much (technical gadgets etc.) If they are trying to make a movie about things like this, at least try to get real with it and drop those extra bleeps and beeps, because those gadgets don't really make loud sounds like that. Natural sounds like footsteps and such are non-existent, which gives it a void-like atmosphere.

Directing seems to be OK for such a low budget film (I sure hope it was a low budget production), although it does seem fairly amateurish at times.

Most characters seem empty and false, they simply haven't casted this movie very well. I'd imagine it would've been a better idea to make Baldwin speak some Spanish than to make Spanish actors speak English, when we all know that theirs is the language which is more vibrant and alive, that is why the actors performance can suffer greatly if an odd language is used. I mean, could finally someone realise how stupid it sounds to make international actors speak English with a bad accent? It's should've a long ago buried corpse in movie production. The production team ever heard of subtitles? This movie again manages to depict European police as lazy and corrupt, the societies as vulnerable and helpless. I mean if the plot again goes like "The Interpol can't do jack, so let's call one American to bring down this international syndicate" or whatever.

Sony Pictures treads on the same path as Columbia before it, just producing movies for the hell of it. I'd imagine them to have some self respect also. Are buyers supposed to buy every dirty title just because Sony puts out something good a few times a year?! Maybe they should've used the same team as who were making Di Que Si - Say I Do. It's spoken in Spanish and Paz Vega and Santi Millan do a decent job keeping the movie afloat. Looks and sounds much better! Come on Sony, wake up, produce less, sell more.

Dead Birds (2004)

There are a million better ways to spend your after-office-hours!

[2/10 · 7 February 2005]

This title has to be the saddest film I've seen in a long, long time. Even though a low budget production, it is no excuse for such a poor plot and and even poorer execution. The 2 points that I gave the movie, was simply due to the score of the movie, which could go head to head with any basic A-title horror flick. But if you watch a movie, you'd at least expect to get something out of it. This flick is a rip-off from many different titles such as "Children of the Corn, The Ring, Alien" and many others. Bits here and there torn off of various titles don't make it a good cocktail. More boring and exhausting than day # 3 without water in the Sahara, looking for an oasis that turns out to be a mirage. Oh lord, why did I waste my time?! Because I have to... Would've liked to have commented further, but I'm not sure what the boundaries of a spoiler are, so I'll just leave it at this. Remember, you were warned, this WILL bore you to death... EXCEPT the music, which was pretty much what a better B-title would have. Cast OK, but poor performances due to lack of storyline, camera work OK, a few bits towards the end give the producers a chance to make a good trailer so that buyers and end consumers can be deceived... A sad day in motion picture history, as are many other titles from the same production company. If this is all that production companies can muster up nowadays, here's a note for them. Make fewer movies with at least some quality in the future, please...