rkj-3 Reviews

Avatar (2009)

Visually - the greatest experience ever

[10/10 · 27 April 2010]

I saw this in 3D and this was a first for me. I was a little reluctant with that 3D thing before - with those glasses and all. But after watching the movie i was convinced i had witnessed a technical milestone in movie-making history. Even without 3D this one is breathtaking - and in 3D it is revolutionary. In fact - you have to see the movie to understand this at all. Do yourself a favor. If it is still shown in a theater hear you in 3D - go see it now. Everyone i have talked to who have seen it in 3D have been raving about it. Even those who rarely go to the cinema have been struck by it.

The plot has been criticized a bit but i found no problems with it. It is not as deep or broad as, say LOTR, but it is as good as many other classics - like "Dances With Wolves", which i think it resembles most. This movie is in my top 3 of all time greatest movies.

Forgotten Silver (1995 TV Movie)

Unique experience

[10/10 · 31 March 2009]

Maybe i have become a biased Peter Jackson fan. The LOTR movies i consider the greatest achievement in the history of film. But this little gem is just so well crafted. I was lucky to just stumble upon it while zapping through the channels some 8-9 years ago. Thinking this was an interesting documentary about a person i had never heard of before (always been a great fan of documentaries). I guess this is an unlikely, but perfect, situation to watch it in. Thinking it is for real. As the movie went along, i frequently was going "incredible - why have i not heard of this man before" .. and a few times i went "this cant be true". But at exactly those moments a famous person (like Sam Neil) pops up and explain about this person as if he did exist, which kept me believe the story. I have to admit .. i believed the story till the very end. This was one of the great moments in my movie watching "career". I was lucky i saw it as if it was real. Knowing that it is fake i guess makes it at lot less interesting.

Blade Runner (1982)

Beautiful - but very overrated movie

[5/10 · 15 December 2008]

Maybe i have just not seen this movie enough times (as many reviewers here suggest one should do) to appreciate it. I saw it for the first time around 1988 on VHS and thought it was a boring story. And I was slightly surprised – since I had thought it to be a completely different kind of movie. More action to be precise. And there is a good reason for that. The title "Blade Runner" – It just don't sound like a "deep" and "philosophical" movie. Secondly, the poster looks like it's a fast action movie – with Deckard looking alert holding his gun up. 20 years later the final cut is released and I must say that this last version is beautiful. The flyovers and panorama views through the film are astounding, taking to account it was made in 1982. And there is still that ever present feeling of emptiness. But still –those are nearly the only things i like about it. The acting is too cartoonish. The replicants look so robot-like that a device for detecting them seems unnecessary. Then there are several examples of things that are changed to look futuristic - like the neon umbrellas. They look so ridiculous it makes my toes curl. Plastic coats (seems like a bad idea in a humid environment like that) etc. etc. The pace of the story is mostly so dragging slow. And that is not because we need to admire the settings, no the story is just not good enough for a full movie. Deckard needs to find 4 replicants and kill them. That he does, one at a time, without any interesting storytelling. He falls in love with a (girl) replicant. And then it ends. It is just too simple to be interesting. This movie tries to be both a thriller and a philosophical sci-fi movie .. and that is the key to why I don't like it. It just doesn't work.

The Lives of Others (2006)

Brilliant movie

[10/10 · 19 October 2006]

Germany has produced some very good movies recently ... but this one is in a class of its own. The main power of a quality movie, for me, has always been two things, a good story and mood - and this film has both. The story keeps you interested through all 139 minutes. You actually feel yourself transported to the 1980s of the former German republic. They have carefully chosen locations that looks east-germanish ... lots of "Trabant" cars on the streets :-) and the general grayish mood is very well recreated. The ordinary peoples fear of the Stasi is realistically portrayed. And i just love the twist in the story in the last 20 minutes or so. A brilliant movie that anyone even remotely interested in non-mainstream movies should see.

Kingdom of Heaven (2005)

Could have been great ... but it does not deliver

[6/10 · 11 August 2005]

I thought the opening scenes were great, with at true middle ages feel to them. Was looking forward to see Liam Neeson as Baleans father and he didn't fail me (except that he dies after 30 mins). I have never been impressed with Blooms acting, hes just an average actor. Casting him as the lead, was not the best choice. He looks too boyish and vague. Certainly not looking and acting like the kind of man who would lead the defence of Jerusalem. More emphasis should have been made on his journey to Jerusalem and less on the intrigues etc. when he is there. And the last battle looks like a copy of the great battle in "Lord of the rings - the return of the king".