so funny

Posted : 5 days, 23 hours ago on 9 May 2008 09:50 (A review of Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl)

I love this movie as it is funny and good laugh out loud

0 comments, Reply to this entry

Cate wet Blankett.

Posted : 6 days, 2 hours ago on 9 May 2008 07:04 (A review of Babel)

I loved the 'foreign' story lines in this film; but found myself bored out of my skin in the Pitt/Blanchett segments.

I cant pin point exactly what made these bits so dull; if I had to hazard a guess, I'd say it was Cate Blanchett. I think Cate has a tendency to become easily dull and vapid in any role. I fear she's so used to playing the 'virgin queen' she'll never act well again (if she ever did).

Aside from the sparodic moments of the dull american storyline, I was totally encaptivated by the storylines of the 2 morrocan brothers, the mexican nanny and the Japanese, deaf girl. A whole movie dedicated to each of of these would have been amazing; but Pitt and Blanchett kept dragging it back to 'Hollywood'...and it didnt work.

I still give this film and 8/10, purely due to how interesting the other stroylines were. But I think Babel has taught us that independent films are independent films and hollywood is hollywood; and never the twain shall meet.

0 comments, Reply to this entry

Last family musical

Posted : 6 days, 4 hours ago on 9 May 2008 05:05 (A review of Annie)

Annie was the last of the family musicals since the day's of judy garland.The movie had fantastic choreography which was performed by the orphaned kids in the home.Altough the comedy was all there the story delved deeper in emotions,you could empathise with Annie when her parents were'nt found.The music was beautifuly written by Charles Strouse.Aileen Quinn had an outstanding range in her voice and that sold the cd for me,even up to this day I have not heard a singer who can sing Tommorrow like Aileen Quinn.

0 comments, Reply to this entry

The Olsen Stars

Posted : 6 days, 4 hours ago on 9 May 2008 04:17 (A review of It Takes Two)

Here is a film that took The Parent Trap from a whole different angle the fact that the film used real twins instead of trick photography still made it a good film but the whole idea of the Parent Trap was to use trick photograhpy.The film is well worth buying due to the performances of the actresses Mary Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen who are halariously funny to watch.well recomended.

0 comments, Reply to this entry

Breathtaking drama.

Posted : 6 days, 12 hours ago on 9 May 2008 08:23 (A review of Apollo 13)

"Houston, we have a problem."

The sci-fi genre has resulted in the release of several absurd space films. You can forget about Hollywood blockbusters like Armageddon, Pitch Black, Deep Impact, Lost in Space, Mission to Mars and several others. Not since Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey has there been a real space movie that captures the wonder of space; that captures how mesmerising and stimulating the experience would be. My prayers were finally answered when Ron Howard was given the green light to make this phenomenal film.

In a nutshell: Ron Howard's Apollo 13 is utterly exceptional. Director Howard has been able to meticulously recreate such an extraordinary scientific occurrence in stunning detail that firmly places the viewer inside the spaceship with the men who are in mortal peril.

Apollo 13 is a film that tells a dramatic account of the true danger that three frail humans faced while in outer space when an explosion on board their vessel cast doubt on them ever reaching it back to Earth. When the explosion occurs and the danger becomes real, the scientists back at NASA would not rest until the crew were brought back home safely.

We follow the three protagonists up in space whose lives are challenged, we follow the NASA scientists back on Earth working to bring the crew home, and we follow those on the home front who are worried sick about their loved ones: three different perspectives of the one heart-stopping event.

Ron Howard's direction is just exceptional; because of the skilful directing I actually forgot it was a movie due to its realism and flawless special effects. It's very hard to believe that this film was made when CGI was still in its youth. Of course Howard's direction was also accompanied by a spectacular cast.

The one thing that struck me about Apollo 13 was its striking realism and believability despite an abundance of well-known actors. Tom Hanks emerged as the principal character here. Hanks is one of the world's greatest actors and he is capable of convincingly pulling off any role that falls into his lap. I couldn't think of anyone better suited to this job. His portrayal is both powerful and moving. Needless to say, each and every other cast member did their job to a high standard. Gary Sinise was a particular surprise as one of those present at NASA during the crisis.

I will admit that the film's opening is fairly slow-paced. It demands patience from its audience. Because when the action moves into space it's extremely hard to drag your eyes away from the screen. In space the film is brimming with realism and an engrossing sequence of events.

I thought one of the most significant things that made this movie so brilliant was its spectacular special effects. I have not seen special effects of this high standard since Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey. Everything was scrupulously detailed: the space ship (both interior and exterior), as well as the interior of the NASA building. The exterior of the Apollo 13 is particularly well executed and almost impossible to fault. For a film of the 90's this high level of quality is extremely rare.

Apollo 13 scores higher than any space-oriented Hollywood blockbuster fluff, and firmly positions itself amongst the best movies ever made. This filmmaking is tremendously close to perfection. Just think that it was only about 40 years ago when the world held their breath while watching footage of Apollo 13's perilous situation in space. If this film was not a true story, I couldn't have believed it was possible.

0 comments, Reply to this entry

Classic Monty Python.

Posted : 6 days, 13 hours ago on 9 May 2008 08:10 (A review of Monty Python's And Now for Something Completely Different)

"THIS IS AN EX-PARROT!"

The Monty Python troupe scored much success with their long-running TV series Monty Python's Flying Circus. This introduced the world to a very unique style of British humour, and also gave the Monty Python troupe a big name. This was a positive when it came time to release the first film outing of the Monty Python gang.

And Now For Something Completely Different is essentially a very amusing anthology of famous, memorable (very silly) skits from their former TV show that are given an elaborate reworking. The production values are a whole lot better and the scripts have also been altered. During some of their memorable skits the higher production values equalled improvement over the original TV show version. However some of the more classic Monty Python moments were of higher standard when first broadcast in Flying Circus.

And Now For Something Completely Different has got all the basics...Dead Parrot, Lumberjack Song, Upper Class Twit of the Year, Self Defence Against Fresh Fruit, Marriage Guidance and several others, so you know you're all set. Much of the dynamic skits are of the usual outrageously hilarious Monty Python standard we've come to appreciate over the years; random humour, cerebral humour and slapstick humour. If you like the comedy style utilised by the Pythons you will without doubt have a tremendously fun time. If you're not a fan of the Pythons this is probably one to avoid.

Unless you count the numerous sub-plots that vary between skits, there is absolutely no discernable plot or storyline to speak of. The whole film is an extended episode of the former TV show; funny skits that are stitched together with a few transitional shots that take the random humour even further (for the most part these transitional shots are just random images of people saying "And now for something completely different"). I think it's pretty much impossible to get sick of such great Monty Python skits, and in my opinion it's impossible not to find the Python troupe's amusing antics anything short of hilarious.

I have been a fan of Monty Python for years and I am never disappointed in their unique humour. And Now For Something Completely Different is a fantastic film that supplies a number of great laughs and can make a rainy afternoon go by in no time. This is a reminder of the outstanding work the team were capable of producing when they were in their prime. The first Monty Python film is a top-notch effort on everyone's part. For the Python fans, this is absolutely unmissable. After the success of this film the Pythons were then given the green light to make Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

0 comments, Reply to this entry

Outstanding!

Posted : 6 days, 13 hours ago on 9 May 2008 08:01 (A review of Apocalypse Now)

"I've seen horrors... horrors that you've seen. But you have no right to call me a murderer. You have a right to kill me. You have a right to do that... but you have no right to judge me. It's impossible for words to describe what is necessary to those who do not know what horror means. Horror. Horror has a face... and you must make a friend of horror. Horror and moral terror are your friends. If they are not then they are enemies to be feared. They are truly enemies."

Apocalypse Now is a genuinely revolutionary war movie from legendary director Francis Ford Coppola. The film is a confronting, haunting war epic that is stimulating and monumental. Not only is it a fantastic war movie but it's also the most honest account of the futility of war.

Loosely based on Joseph Conrad's classic novella 'Heart of Darkness'; Apocalypse Now is a film that tells a story set in the Vietnam battlefields. The year is 1969 and the Americans are still battling the on-going Vietnam War. U.S. Special Forces Captain Willard (Sheen) is sent on a confidential mission that officially 'does not exist - nor will it ever exist' to terminate a renegade Green Beret named Walter Kurtz (Brando) who has established himself as a God amongst a local tribe. Captain Willard travels up the Nung River in a U.S. Navy Patrol Boat into Cambodia to carry out his mission. He is accompanied by a faction of soldiers who don't have a clue about the nature of the mission due to its high level of confidentiality. As Willard descends into the jungle, he is slowly taken by the jungle's mesmerising powers. As he battles the insanity around him, the journey slowly makes Willard more and more like the man he was sent to kill.

Apocalypse Now is a harrowing war film that will always be distinguished due to its power as well as its hypnotic, virtually unsurpassed brilliance. The unnerving, unforgettable images only heighten the film's reputation as one of the most graphic war films ever made. It will take days, perhaps weeks, to get over the haunting visual images that are a prominent element of this outstanding movie.

The production was plagued with troubles; including wild weather that destroyed the sets, and the elongated production period due to unforseen consequences. Regardless of this troubled production director Francis Ford Coppola delivers an extraordinary, controversial addition to the multitude of Vietnam War movies. And of course the film was shot beautifully on location; showcasing some utterly gorgeous landscape and some eye-catching dense jungles as well.

However the film is about 150 minutes in length, and unfortunately outstays its welcome and loses the attention of the viewer at about the two hour mark. Of course, it was still tremendously well made but I felt that some trimming would have been necessary. And that's only the theatrical version - there's also a 200-minute 'Redux' cut.

Although my attention was thrown a few times as I was watching the movie, Coppola's directing always ensured there was something fascinating going on during the film. This could be a battle, an absorbing dialogue scene or some haunting voice-over narration.

Martin Sheen makes a very credible American soldier. There is always something about him that keeps the audience enthralled during the scenes of heavy drama. Marlon Brando had already made a name for himself after such films as The Godfather and On the Waterfront. Surprisingly his role is very minor in this movie. Nonetheless his performance is superb. During his final monologue it felt like he was a man on the edge; someone who is very close to insanity. His credibility is never thrown. As Brando aged he only became better. The supporting cast is a mixed bunch of now-famous actors including Robert Duvall, Laurence Fishburne, Harrison Ford and Dennis Hopper. All of these actors made an appearance before they became really famous. With this film they are given the opportunity to display talent while still youthful.

Apocalypse Now is a stunning film that will always be not only one of the greatest war movies, but also one of the greatest movies in cinematic history. This Vietnam tale is one that does justice to its source material. Be warned that the film is quite painfully long.

0 comments, Reply to this entry

A beautiful movie.

Posted : 6 days, 13 hours ago on 9 May 2008 07:52 (A review of American Beauty)

"I feel like I've been in a coma for the past twenty years. And I'm just now waking up."

American Beauty is a virtuoso, provocative, multi-faceted, incisive and unconventional drama that takes a comprehensive glimpse at the American dream gone wrong. I had approached this movie with a great deal of hesitation. There were reviews aplenty from people who praised this film as a wonderful masterpiece of the highest order. Before watching this film I could never have believed that making a film of such stature and power would actually be possible.

American Beauty is a magnificent psychological drama that takes a satirical at the American community. The characters are versatile and intricate. The movie demonstrates the darkest things of a person's personality. Even though the characters do some truly appalling things the audience can still be involved with the characters because although bad, they are still shown as unexaggerated and human.

Lester Burnham (Spacey) is a forty-something year old suburban father who is depressed and unhappy. He has a wife (Carolyn; played by Benning), who is looking for sexual pleasure elsewhere, and he has a daughter (Jane; played by Birch) who hates her father and falls in love with their new next door neighbour Ricky (Bentley). Lester's job is leading nowhere when his company decides they have to cut back on their staff due to money issues. Lester also becomes fascinated and infatuated with one of Jane's friends; Angela (Suvari). Lester's behaviour drives him further and further away from his family that already detest him. From there, we follow each family member who are on their own emotional journey of life.

American Beauty is an extremely powerful drama carried by some superb performances. The acting is truly amazing with Kevin Spacey in a performance that won him an Oscar. Spacey has the look and feel of your usual stereotypical suburban American father. He may seem conventional but these stereotypes are explored; revealing a personality with a lot more depth and complexity. There are several horrible character traits he exhibits; however it's impossible not to empathise with him. His family drifts away from him and we can genuinely feel his motivations.

The driving force behind the film is not only the performances but the screenplay. Each line of dialogue is intriguing and enthralling. There is never a wasted minute during the film's duration because of how meticulously the dialogue was written; intelligent, fascinating and profoundly insightful.

The direction, which also gained an Oscar, is utterly flawless. Sam Mendes compliments the great screenplay with equally accomplished directing. Each scene is both engaging and meaningful; it gives the audience further insight into the characters that are being examined so deeply. On top of this, it's compelling storytelling as well as being occasionally humorous.

American Beauty is a lot more complex and eloquent than it sounds; it's a brilliant and amazing story that constructs an indication of the sad reality of contemporary American society. I never expected a film like this to be as brilliant as it turned out to be. It's relevant to today's society, it carries a good message about life and it is extremely potent. Winner of 5 Oscars including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Cinematography and Best Writing.

0 comments, Reply to this entry

Typical Judd Apatow.

Posted : 6 days, 13 hours ago on 9 May 2008 07:35 (A review of Forgetting Sarah Marshall)

"When life gives you lemons just say 'fuck the lemons,' and bail."

Judd Apatow's company have been popular and successful in recent years. Face it: now the man is going to be known as the God of contemporary adult sex comedies. Personally I think the first few films he made were of a higher standard than his more recent work (I was slightly disappointed with Knocked Up and Superbad). Thankfully by altering the typical formula, Forgetting Sarah Marshall is one of the funniest movies of 2008.

Peter Bretter (Segel) is an unsuccessful musician who does music for a TV show called Crime Scene. The main star of Crime Scene is his girlfriend Sarah Marshall (Bell) with whom he has been together with for over 5 years. But the relationship between Sarah and Peter slowly disintegrates, resulting in them splitting up. At first Peter is significantly disheartened about living life without Sarah as his partner. After an unsuccessful burst of womanising and one-night stands he comes to the realisation that he love life is now ruined because of his heart-breaking split with Sarah. Peter's brother Brian (Hader) suggests that Peter takes a vacation to take his mind off everything. Predictably, when Peter takes himself over to Hawaii for a vacation he is confronted by his worst nightmare: his former girlfriend Sarah staying in the same hotel with her new British rock-star boyfriend Aldous (Brand).

Because of the talent involved you can guarantee that Forgetting Sarah Marshall will deliver the laughs. I hadn't seen the trailer before watching the movie so a majority of the laughs were fresh for me. Maybe if you've seen the trailer too many times the whole film won't be as great.

The movie has a surprisingly high film value in addition to just an entertainment value. Instead of just focusing on the laughs the filmmakers also focused on drama. I have seen many comedies that try to hard to create hilarious situations for the actors. In this case there was focus on this and creating something more than just your average sex comedy.

Jason Segel not only starred in the lead role but he also wrote the screenplay. This is a bonus because the screenwriter can create the character on screen that he imagined while putting the film on paper. His performance encapsulates everything a guy feels after a serious relationship is terminated. This is far from Oscar material but at times his emotions were very palpable and naturalistic. Of course, maintaining the tone of the film there is a lot of overzealous crying as well. There are a number of Judd Apatow regulars that appear in the film's cast. Most notably is Jonah Hill who has been a favourite with Apatow in recent productions. And then of course recognition has to go to Kristen Bell for being a very realistic Sarah Marshall. Like all the cast members, this isn't Oscar material; just a bit of overacting and hilarious mannerisms to guarantee a bunch of laughs.

The director Nicholas Stoller is able to keep the laughs constant without an awkward abundance of them. Particular credit must go to director Stoller for staging many of the scenes in very creative ways. I'm sure it would have been difficult filming when the action moves out to the water at times.

I thought one of the film's only real downfalls is that the film is slightly formulaic and clichéd. That being said, the film manages to stay away from about 75% of the typical clichés found in this genre. Beware that there is plenty of profanity and lots of sex scenes. This includes graphic moaning, full frontal nudity (of a guy) and graphic discussions of a sexual nature. You know this is definitely a movie from producer Judd Apatow.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall is everything we've come to expect from a modern adult sex comedy. Within the film you'll find a large assortment of memorable quotes and raunchy gags. If you enjoy other Apatow films like The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Knocked Up you will have a blast watching this one.

0 comments, Reply to this entry

"Stay classy, San Diego"

Posted : 6 days, 15 hours ago on 9 May 2008 06:01 (A review of Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy)

"You're so wise. You're like a miniature Buddha, covered in hair."

First of all, let me make something extremely clear: Anchorman is a film made strictly for those who are looking only for a myriad of non-stop laughs. I have watched this movie repeatedly and the gags never get old. I have quoted this film frequently with friends, and still the laughs always seem fresh.

Anchorman is the tale of a much-respected, top-rated 1970's news anchorman named Ron Burgundy (Ferrell). Every night thousands of people get home in time to watch Ron and his Channel 4 news team give them the news. But when feminism strides into the newsroom in the form of Veronica Corningstone (Applegate), Ron and his three loyal followers (Champ Kind played by Koechner; Brick Tamland played by Carell; and Brian Fantana played by Rudd) do not approve (except for Brick his disapproval is more by default). At first Veronica agrees to report in the field on the more "female" stories like cat fashion parades. However when Veronica decides that she's had enough of being eye candy and desires to take a job behind a news desk...trouble ensues.

From start to finish, Anchorman is one hilarious adventure that is overflowing with so many memorable quotes! I would not be alone in giving this film the title of "most quotable movie ever made". Granted some of the jokes are a bit crude, and there's also lots of sexual humour that may be offensive...despite this there can be no denying that they're always funny regardless of the content.

The principal protagonists are an ideal bunch of great comedians. Ferrell in particular shines with his own unique style of humour. Ever since this film, Ferrell has pretty much been type-cast as one who overacts. Not that I'm complaining because I can't get enough of the man's highly amusing mannerisms. Ferrell was by far the most energetic addition to the cast. It's almost impossible not to laugh at him. Rudd, Koechner and Carell are outstanding as Ferrell's news team. Each of the actors has their own unique character to add to the film. They are all truly outstanding.

But I believe the aspect that makes this film so great is the high amount of chemistry between everyone on the cast. While watching the film I found it very obvious that all the actors were close friends and they all had a clear image in their head about the kind of movie they were creating. The palpable camaraderie made this film so much more enjoyable. It is also very evident that the cast were all granted the opportunity to improvise a lot of their lines. Ferrell in particular would have done a lot of improvising because some of his lines...can just be quoted repeatedly without getting old. His quotes are random and spontaneous. You cannot replicate lines this perfect while writing a screenplay. This obvious improvisation is also solidified by the side-splitting outtakes played during the closing credits.

It almost goes without saying that this film received stellar direction from Adam McKay; a man who seems to understand this form of humour. The director is also great friends with a significant number of the cast members. He must have placed great trust in his actors when they were allowed to improvise lines. Watch out for cameos from many famous actors like Vince Vaughn, Tim Robbins, Ben Stiller and Jack Black.

Overall, Anchorman is a film that doesn't deserve some of the negativity is received. I suggest you watch it with an open mind, and take it for what it is: a hilarious, strangely moving comedy that was never meant to be Oscar material. This is the perfected art of being silly. You will be reciting quotes from this film until the day you die. Be sure to watch through the end credits. Followed by a sequel made up of deleted scenes and extra material.

0 comments, Reply to this entry