geertvdheide Reviews

Shaun of the Dead (2004)

One of the best comedies ever!

[8/10 · 18 December 2007]

Shaun of the Dead is a must-see film for all lovers of comedy or horror. The ridiculous plot, characters, dialogs and events in the movie are not just hilarious, but also smart and well written. The horror aspects can be gory, but are funny at the same time. This movie is very different from many of the horny and shallow American teen comedies of recent years. Expect something completely fresh and different.

The plot revolves around Shaun, who is trying to change his mundane daily routine and improve his spotty love-life, when the country is suddenly hit by an all out zombie outbreak. The movie juggles comedy, horror and some romance and manages to deliver on all three of those.

Like the movie it was based on, Shaun of the Dead also comments on modern society in a clever and unconventional way, adding even more to this amazing film. The perfect comedic delivery of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost really make this movie stand out as one of the best comedies of all time.

If you haven't seen this movie, and the concept sounds even remotely appealing, then go watch it now. Who could possibly be disappointed by a movie that combines zombies, romance and humor into one crazy movie?

Babel (I) (2006)

Thought provoking and very well acted

[8/10 · 18 December 2007]

First of all, Babel (2006) is a movie for a select audience. Those looking for action, suspense or humor should look elsewhere. This film is, in a few words, a unique insight into a set of characters dealing with various kinds of tragedy and personal problems in their lives. There is only a hint of positivity here and there. It's a sad film but not a tearjerker. A deep film but not a mysterious film. And above all a very well-made film.

The acting is simply marvelous. The actors/actresses are able to deliver complex emotions and thoughts in a subtle and understated way. The characters are well written. They feel like real life people and help to keep the movie interesting throughout.

Some of this movie's message and meaning might only come across after repeated viewings or after reading a little about the movie after wards. On the other hand, this movie is not overly complex or complicated. Even still, I suggest watching this movie without distraction, and with an open mind. It will be well worth it.

Live Free or Die Hard (2007)

A flawed, but great action movie

[7/10 · 19 October 2007]

The fourth movie in the Die Hard series picks up on its lead character John McClane, who has grown older and wearier since we last met him. His private life has gone down the drain and he's as cranky as ever. On top of this, he is once again faced with a massive challenge, this time involving global cyber terrorism.

The plot is actually pretty well written for an action movie. There may not be much in terms of character development or depth, but the plot succeeds in carrying the movie and explaining some of the hows and whys. The movie has its plot holes and problems, but to me this was all quite forgivable. The one thing that bothered me about the plot was the overload of cyber-talk, nerdy hackers and flashy gizmo's.

The main strength of Die Hard 4 lies in its action scenes, which are some of the best in recent years. The car chases, shootouts and fight scenes are very well choreographed, intensely shot and very cool to watch. I got the feeling of being right in the middle of it, like a good action movie should.

Despite his age, Bruce Willis still does a great job as Detective John McClane. Foulmouthed, rude and without compromise, he rams his way through every obstacle in his path. The main character also brings some genuinely funny dialog, some originality and some heart into the movie.

All in all, I rank "Live Free or Die Hard" as one of the best action movies of 2007. I recommend all fans of the genre to go watch it. And please, don't be put off by the movie's PG13 rating. The visuals and language are not especially child-friendly, but are actually pretty gritty and mature.

Transformers (2007)

Enjoyable, but nothing else.

[7/10 · 19 October 2007]

Transformers (2007) is purely an action film. All aspects of the movie are inferior to the on-screen spectacle of massive fighting robots, car chases and explosions. Luckily, most people were expecting just that, as was I.

The intensity of the film is indeed one of its strong points. Another is the incredible CGI. The computer generated Transformers blend in seamlessly with the surrounding cityscapes and create a visually appealing action movie. The camera-work and editing is a bit too fast at times, making some fight scenes hard to follow, but creating a certain dynamic as well. Also the plot is as thin as a single sheet of paper.

But that is not what bothered me about Transformers. The problem is that this movie was catered too much to a single target audience: young males in the ages 12 to 18. The teenage lead characters enforce this by stumbling around in romantic scenes and blurting out jokes that range from horribly unfunny to half decent at best. The acting is not one of the films strong points either. This combined makes the "human" scenes far inferior to the action / robot scenes. Luckily there's more than enough action to be seen, which is the reason why I did enjoy watching this film.

I somewhat recommend this film to anyone who can take this movie for what it is: A shallow sci-fi action flick that makes up for its meager acting, writing and humor by giving us a real visual spectacle. Nothing more, nothing less.

Amores Perros (2000)

Interesting, well acted and moving

[8/10 · 18 October 2007]

Amores Perros tells the story of a number of people (amongst which a cheating husband, a troubled young couple and a homeless hit-man) who are somehow connected by one dramatic event, namely a car crash. The movie shows the characters, their wishes and desires, experiences and problems. Without going into spoilers, the well written plot is about people who deal with great change and loss in their lives, and does so with great effect.

The acting is very well done. Never over the top and always genuine. The Spanish speech and subtitles did not bother me at all, and it shouldn't put people off from seeing this movie. The characters are never one-dimensional and the editing keeps the movie at the right pace. Although I do feel the movie could have been more effective with a 15 minute shorter duration.

If you like films about life, films that move you and get you thinking, then you will enjoy this film.

Stir of Echoes (1999)

Suspenseful, well written and decently acted

[8/10 · 30 September 2007]

Stir of Echoes (1999) tells the story of Tom, a middle aged man who, after being hypnotized, starts seeing things. This is the start of a suspenseful psychological thriller that sucked me in and did not let go until the credits rolled.

The acting by all the lead and supporting characters is more than adequate. Kevin Bacon is right at home in his role of a somewhat bitter individual who undergoes heavy changes throughout the film. He does a great job, as do the other actors. The film is shot in a sober and down-to-earth way, giving it a serious tone. Plot wise, the movie is also more than decent, with only a few small plot holes which will only bother the most scrutinous of viewers.

The movie's plot does however remind some viewers of other thrillers, mainly The Shining and The Sixth Sense (another 1999 release which overshadowed Stir of Echoes with a larger marketing campaign and larger overall budget). Some aspects of the story are indeed less than original, but the movie as a whole feels different and is very enjoyable.

Overall, the movie falls just short of greatness in its genre. I found the quality and depth of the story to be good, but not quite as good as some of the afore mentioned greats in the thriller/horror genres. even still, I recommend this film to every fan of thrillers and suspense.

Wild at Heart (1990)

Somewhat interesting, a decent movie.

[6/10 · 18 September 2007]

If anything, David Lynch' Wild at Heart (1990) is a unique film. It shows a story in an unconventional way, with Shakespearean elements, strange characters, Elvis references, romance, disturbing images and much more, all rolled into a fairly decent film.

Despite its unusual nature and its originality, I was not really moved or blown away by this movie. The colors, music and words do create a certain mood, but I found it lacked the quality to really draw me in. It's not really as thought-provoking, intense or funny as it aims to be. It is hard to name specific things, but the movie as a whole left me quite unaffected. On a brighter note, the acting is adequate and some of characters are brilliant.

All in all, Wild at Heart is a decently interesting but instantly forgettable film. An attempt at crafting a universal and abstract portrayal of human beings, which, to me, falls short.

The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)

Intense, gritty and well written!

[8/10 · 18 September 2007]

The Bourne Ultimatum is another great addition to an awesome trilogy. It offers more than just great car chases and intense fight scenes: The well written story and characters back it all up nicely, resulting in an action movie that is thoroughly enjoyable.

The acting is well done: Matt Damon still portrays the Bourne character with great precision and talent. The plot, when compared to other action movies, is solid and even thought-provoking in a way. Although I don't intend to make this movie more than what it is: An intense roller-coaster ride, a thinking man's action movie, and a great way to be entertained.

The only negative point I encountered was the fact that Bourne, in some scenes, seems almost indestructible, even for him. Luckily, this is by no means a large issue, and the film works very well despite of it.

Watch this film, and watch it in a cinema. I can guarantee to any espionage/action film lover that you will be thoroughly entertained.

The Virgin Suicides (1999)

A dreamy and beautiful work of art

[8/10 · 20 August 2007]

The Virgin Suicides is a unique film about youth, upbringing, love, pain, life and death. Wonderful music and cinematography create a dreamy atmosphere that stayed with me after watching it.

The Lisbon family consists of 5 sisters, aged 13 to 17, and their strict parents. The girls are the object of affection of mostly every boy in town, yet no one seems to have any concept of what they are really like. Early in the movie, the youngest sister attempts suicide, which serves as the catalyst for the movie's events. 5 Neighboorhood boys become fascinated with the girls and try to get to know them in any way they can. The viewer is taken along through the dramatic events and moments of beauty that take place in their lives. As in the book, we are given some insights into the thoughts and feelings of these young people.

The movie has many strong points: The narrated monologues, the dialogs, the characters, the way it's shot, the acting, the plot: it's all very very well done. The movie enchants its viewers effortlessly and subtly. Many people will also find this movie easy to relate to, because of its universal themes.

What also strikes me about this movie is the way it shows the media's take on the dramatic events in the film: Always emphasizing the negative, making a spectacle out of it and missing the point completely. The town's other families also have their opinions about the Lisbons, without actually knowing what happened and why. This to me is just like real life.

If you haven't seen this movie, go watch it. I recommend paying close attention to every word and every image. Only then will this movie's subtle magic really creep in.

Blue Velvet (1986)

Decent, but no masterpiece...

[7/10 · 19 August 2007]

Many people on IMDb seem to think of Blue Velvet as a masterpiece. I disagree with this. The good parts: The movie is decently acted, the music is very well done and some parts are very nicely shot.

But my main problem is with the plot. It may have been shocking and original back in 1986, but watching this movie in 2007 left me quite unaffected. Admittedly, the plot is somewhat multi-layered: Behind the obvious crime story there are themes like 'good vs evil', 'finding love', or 'discovering sexuality'. Even still I found the plot to be lacking any real substance or thrill. I will not go into specifics as to avoid spoilers, but the movie just didn't get me thinking or blow me away at all, like some other movies have.

Blue Velvet is worth a watch, but I recommend watching some of Lynch' more intricate works, such as Mullholland Drive, Lost Highway and the TV-series Twin Peaks instead.

Cube (1997)

Original, intriguing, but not perfect

[7/10 · 15 August 2007]

Cube came as a surprise to the world, with its low budget approach and unique premise of a group of very different people trapped in a moving futuristic maze. I found the film to be quite interesting. The acting isn't Oscar worthy, but it's not bad either. The characters have just enough back story and screen time to create some connection with the viewer. The visuals are low budget, but never really ugly or fake.

My problem with the movie is that it never really blew my mind. The basic plot is interesting, as is the math and the psychology behind it. But that's really all there is. I found this movie could have been better had it had more twists and turns, more content. Cube is a pretty straight forward Science Fiction horror film, which is OK. It's just not completely amazing or particularly memorable.

I do recommend watching Cube, because it is by no means a bad movie. Just don't expect it to shake the foundations of your mind like some rare Science Fiction movies do.

Matchstick Men (2003)

Original, interesting and unpredictable

[8/10 · 13 August 2007]

Matchstick Men is a film that walks in several genres at once, and gets away with it. It's part comedy, part crime/heist-movie, and part drama. Despite of that, its a well balanced, well paced and interesting movie. It's funny, moving and exciting.

The performance by Nicolas Cage is memorable as the totally neurotic con man, but Alison Lohman takes the crown in this film. Her performance, her character and her looks are unique and amazing. Sam Rockwell also does a great job as the sleazy partner in crime to Nic Cage's character.

Talking about the plot would soon lead to spoilers, so I won't go into it. Instead I implore you to watch this unique and unpredictable film with an open mind. There are some real surprises in this movie's plot, twists that I did not see coming.

Overall: a great movie!

Garden State (2004)

Great characters, humour and emotion

[8/10 · 6 August 2007]

I had high expectations for Garden State based on what I read about it, and they were exceeded by miles. In short, this film is an offbeat romantic comedy / drama that sets a unique mood which sets it apart from the majority of romantic movies out there. The movie tells a great little story in a beautiful way. The performances by Zach Braff and Natalie Portman are great, as is the supporting cast.

The plot, characters, camera-work, humor, sets and dialogs are all amazingly well done. The movie has a serene and slightly surreal style which I really appreciated. Also I'd like to praise the beautiful soundtrack of the film, which I listen to regularly since having watched the film.

I recommend Garden State to anyone who appreciates an offbeat movie about life, and isn't afraid to feel something.