The Brave; Johnny Depp's directorial debut.
 

The Brave

The Brave is Johnny Depp's 1997 directorial debut, starring Johnny Depp and Marlon Brando in a small cameo role.

The story follows Raphael(Depp) and his impoverished young family living in squalor in Morgantown, a sort of American Indian trailer park. Raphael is determined to get his family out of this life and provide a new home for them, the only problem is money and his lack of a job because of his criminal record.
Raphael meets McCarthy(Brando), the director of snuff movies, he offers Raphael $30.000 to be the star of his next movie. Raphael accepts, he is given $5000 up front and embarks on the last week of his life, this ultimately becomes a journey of discovery for Raphael, he rediscovers his love for his children and his wife. Realising that he is worth more to his family alive than dead he tries unsuccessfully to return the money.
This is a very powerfull debut by Depp, and although the subject matter is rather bleak, there are genuine moments of hope in this film.
This film will not be for everyone, but fans of Depp should check it out, as both his and Brando's performances are very strong. IMO Depp could easily slip behind the camera more, the film is a slow burn, but his direction is spot on, especially dealing with such a morose subject matter.

To summise, this is a very worthwhile directorial debut, although heart-breaking, Depp doesn't allow the film to go over sentimental and weepy.This is a very brave choice for his debut, but being a fan of his acting, it didn't surprise me that he made this choice, conventianal is never a word that could be attached to Depp's career to date. Not a feel good movie if you have plans for after viewing, but I highly recommend this movie. Difficult to ever be in the right mood for something like this, but if you can handle the subject material, there is very little violence, you will be rewarded with an outstanding piece of acting and directing.

Rating 4/5

Sounds good Stu. Thanks for the review. :) Write more soon.

I have never heard of anyone who has seen one. Honestly I'm not sure real ones exist. Meanwhile if that is a topic in fiction that interests you, you can read about it in Bentley Little's short story
"The Show" from his book The Collection. He truly is a master of the macabre as Stephen King called him. At least he is with his short stories. I read one of his novels and it lacked the originality and style of his short stories but def. check those out.

If you were to... say... rate this film: like... out of a possible 5 stars.... What might you rate it?

Sorry, I'll edit my review.
For me this is a 4/5 movie, but I really like Depp as an actor, maybe I'm slightly biased.

I don't know many people who aren't biased toward liking Johnny Depp.
He's an actor's actor, and good looking, and a cool guy by all accounts. A win-win-win.

Yeah, but I don't fancy him!!!
Well alright just a little! :randy:
Well, if you're gonna get kisses from Salma Hayek....
Cold shower time again...I'll end up like a prune if you keep this up C!!! :eek:

http://www.webdesignforums.net/image...chat/angel.gif I didn't do anything!

Always with the pleading innocence......

Darth Stujitzu's top 5 French Movies.
 

So, after my anti France/Chirac rant the other day, I thought I'd make amends by doing reviews on my fave French films, well 5 at least.

La Haine (Hate) 1995 cirected by Mathieu Kassovitz


The setting of this film is the projects on the outskirts of Paris, where during the early 90's against a backdrop of increasing racial tension the French police were seen to be heavyhanded in their treatment of certain teenagers living in the projects.

The film revolves around 3 friends who get by selling dope and getting involved in petty crime. When a teenager from the projects is almost beaten to death by local police, the other teenagers on the projects react by turning their project into a war zone against the over-bearing represive police force. During sporadic fighting in the project, a plain clothes cop looses his gun, a 44 Smith and Wesson.
Found by the 3 friends, they hatch a plan of revenge against the police , killing the policeman by his own gun as a way to express their rage at how they are being treated.

This is a gritty, hard hitting piece of french cinema, and acurately reflects the mood of disgruntled youths living in poverty in the notorious projects of Paris. The central performances by Vincent Cassell, Hubert Kounde and Said Taghmaoui are all excellent and very believeable.
This is a tragic modern day tale, it comes across almost like a documentary. Kassovitz's direction adds an almost claustrophobic feel to the movie
Rating 4.5/5


Rififi 1955 cirected by Jules Dassin.

Jules Dassin's classic heist movie is a real jem from the Golden days of French New Wave cinema.
Jules Dassin was a blacklisted American director who moved to Paris to film his daring and original heist movie. Rififi is the template from which most modern day heist movies are made.
The story revolves around 4 ex cons determined to hit the big time with one last heist. As usual, the best laid plans go wrong, with devastating effects for the 4 main protagonists.
Dassin's direction is flawless, and the cinematography is excellent as well. With strong performances from the cast, you are left with a taught, dark, brutal heist movie, that set the standard for all to follow.

Rating 4/5

Brotherhood of the Wolf 2001 directed by Christophe Gans



Set in the 18th century, Gans' film is not too disimilar to " Sleepy Hollow" , both deal with cases of strange murders with a somewhat supernatural feel to them.
Fronsac(Le Bihan) and his native american man-servant Mani(Dacascos) are sent by the king to investigate the killing of hundreds by a mysterious beast in the French countryside. They are met with hostility at every turn, especially by the one armed Morangias(Cassel). Through perserverance they eventually discover the secretative Brotherhood of the Wolf, who appear to be heavily involved in the killings, but all is not as it seems.
A fast paced action/adventure film, that pushes all the right buttons, indeed the production is as good as many Hollywood equivalents.

The ever watchable Cassell gives a strong performance as too does American Dacascos better known for his martial art films in the States. The cherry on top IMO is Monica Bellucci(Cassel's wife), I would watch her make toast, absolutely one of the world's most beautiful women!

Rating 4/5

Amelie 2001 directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet

A truly mesmorising film by one of France's best directors. Amelie is a tale of fancy, told by the use of superb special effects and cinematography.
It's a modern day fairytale that involves Amelie using her charm and wit to help people become happier with their lives.
Its simplistic charm and almost childlike innocence is a breath of fresh air for all those bored of dull and uninvolving films, this is a real feel-good movie.

For those who haven't discovered Jean-Pierre Jeunet, I'd recommend Amelie as a good starting place, before trying Delicatessen and City of Lost Children.
His unique visual style can be an aquired taste, but ultimately he is one of the most inventive and creative directors to come out of France in along time.

Rating 4/5

La Femme Nikita 1990 directed by Luc Besson

The original film that spawned an American remake with Bridget Fonda, and the subsequent tv show.
Nikita is a convicted fellon, due to face the death sentance for her part on a fatal drug store robbery, she is given a second chance and becomes the highly trained and skilled government assassin.
Luc Besson's film set the platform for Nikita, Alias, Dark Angel and so many other series where the main lead character is a kick-ass femme fatale. Although not my favourite Besson film, it still stands as a good film some 15 years later, and Anne Parillaud is still the original and best. There is a real fallability in her performance that makes her transition all the more believeable, and in a way Besson was responsible for giving french cinema a much needed jolt.

Rating 3.5/5

My favourite Besson movie is The Big Blue from 1998, the visualy stunning film about 2 freedivers, their friendship and their desire to constantly push each other to the brink of death in the name of sport.

only seen 2 french movies and I loved both of them

Amelie and City of Lost Children both shown to be by my french teacher.

Good choices DS, my list would include Nikita too. :)

Nice choices dude. Mine would be much the same, though i feel Amelie is somewhat over rated, perhaps another Jeunet film to take it's place. Also what about Bunel or Goddard, they both have some pretty darn good flicks between them.

I'd like to give a nod to 'L'homme du train' (released in the US as Man on the train). I really LOVED that one. I missed Jean Rochefort!

Thanks Darth, I have added the 3 I haven't seen, to my loooooong list of to watch. :D

Out of all the films on your list I've only seen Brotherhood of the Wolf (I need to see Amelie... why have I waited so long?), but the rest sound great. Have you seen The 400 Blows? That's easily my favorite French film. If not, check it out. I got it on a blind buy from quite a bit more than I usually pay, and it was well worth it.

Darth Stujitzu's Asian movies review.
 

So, I'm slowly working my way up the threads and posts ladder of this great Forum, now be prepared to be amazed and filled with wonder at my Asian movies reviews!!!( you can substitute amazed and wonder for bored and disbelief if it tickles your fancy!)

Sympathy for Mr.Vengeance 2002 Directed by Chan Wook Park


This is perhaps the hardest movie to sum up as it has little sub genres everywhere, but ultimately its a tale of revenge.

The story revolves around a deaf/mute trying to find a kidney for his ill sister, his early good intentions are foiled when he is told that he isn't in the same blood group as his sister and therefore not a suitable donor. Desperate, Ryu turns to the black market for help, he does a deal that sees him loose his own kidney which will be traded for a suitable kidney for his sister. Upon awakening after the operation, he learns that he has been double crossed and is back at square one. His next plan involves kidnapping his wealthy boss' daughter for ransom, so that can then buy a suitable kidney.

I won't give anymore away, but what I will say straight from the start, is don't watch this film if you are in any way squeamish, as it spirals towards a graphic and grotesque final act. I can watch horror movies all night long, but the violence in this film is a lot more realistic and gorry, and personally I found it to be more disturbing and shocking than his follow up movie " Oldboy ".
A strange mish-mash of a film, sometimes bizzare, often shocking I don't feel compulsed to watch it again, and I'm not too sure who this film is aimed at, don't know if I could recommend this, I will be intrested to see other's feedback.

Rating 2/5

Last Life in the Universe 2003 Directed by Prabda Yoon

Yoon's film starts off with the possible suicide of Kenji, a Japanese librarian living in Bangkok. Slowly we are drawn into Kenji's everyday life and his compulsive disorder, from the start we know he is a loner and fed up with life.
Kenji's brother turns up unannounced, and is subsequently executed in front of him by one of his fellow Yakuza, Kenji kills the assailant and runs off with a friendly girl called Noi to her home in the countryside. A romance slowly starts to develope between the polar opposites, Noi has just lost her sister in a hit and run which Kenji witnessed, the only obsticales in their way are the local police looking for Kenji and Noi's abusive boyfriend.

This is a real slow burn of a movie, and for me it dragged on far too long. I didn't find the characters involving enough, and my mind often wandered during many slow scenes where not much happens other than some stylish cinematography.
Not a great movie, and I was dissapointed as I had read many good reviews, and was actually recommended this by my local Blockbuster.

Rating a very slow 2/5

And you took that as a decent recommendation? ;) (altho i've gotta admit i was blown away to notice it on their shelves when i browsed recently). A mate of mine loved it, but he's a cynical yet '60s/'70s kind of soul. I'm definitely gonna check it out tho - i'll let you know what i think. (reckon this and 3-Iron sound like a treat - altho i've read disappointed reviews like yours of both too)

Oldboy 2003 Directed by Chan Wook Park


Describing this film in one word would be easy, it's a stright out tale of " Revenge ".
Oh Dae-Su seems an average drunken business man, until one night he is kidnapped and held in the same room for fifteen years. Upon his release he finds himself armed with a mobile phone from which he must follow clues to find why he was held captive and by whom.
Enlisting the help of a friendly waitress Mi-do, the two set off in search of missing clues as to his captives where abouts and motives.

This is a taught thriller, and although it drags a little in the middle, I was completely absorbed in the story and its ultimate finale. There is graphic violence, and those of a squeamish disorder probably should give it a miss, especially for the squid scene. I did get the twist early on, but I was looking for it, so perhaps keeping an open mind on this film will serve you better for the surprise ending.
A thoroughly enjoyable revenge movie that ticks all the right boxes.

Rating 4/5

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter...and Spring 2003 Directed by Ki-duk Kim


Probably one of the most beautifully shot movies I have ever seen.

Set in the middle of an isolated lake, the film tells the story of a young monk and his Master going about their daily lives and teechings. Seasons and years pass, untill the young monk becomes a man, and problems arise when a sick girl comes to stay with them.
The young monk's sexual awakening leads him to turn his back on his master and elope with the girl. Unsuited to life in the outside world, the young monk commits an unforgiveable sin, and susequently returns to seek out spiritual enlightenment.

This movie moves at a snail's pace at certain moments, but the scenery and cinematograpy are so beautiful, that you feel like you're studying a painting in a museum. I've never seen such an ideal and tranquil setting for a film, for those intrested in cinematography this is a must see film.

Rating 4/5

Crikey! I look forward to your Isle Of Man review thread some time in August.

Seriously though, do you really think Oldboy is twice as good as SFMV?

Yeah, I just thought Oldboy looked better, and the story was less disjointed. I think Park is improving as a director, but on the whole, I didn't really like SFMV that much.
Oldboy to me was more of a westernized thriller, so it comes as no surprise to see rumours of a Hollywood remake with Nic Cage playing the lead character. I saw Oldboy first, so this might be why I liked it more, but SFMV was a tad too tragic and gorry for me, I'm no big girl's blouse, but I found the violence a little too realistic and very disturbing.
I guess the difference between the two films is that SFMV is phyisically harming, while Oldboy is more about mental harm, which can have far longer and more devastating effects.


P.S. September for the Isle of Man thread, waiting on the new documentary about fishing to come out!!! :laugh:

Thanks for that. ;)

To be honest, I wouldn't put either film anywhere near my list of favourites. I liked Oldboy on first viewing, more polished than Vengeance certainly. I've found more in the earlier film from repeated viewing though - Oldboy, for me, set up the finale nicely but seemed to disappear up it's own lens during the final third. Sympathy For Mr Vengeance, though less flamboyant, was more even (not in terms of narrative, more in texture and tone) and, given the choice, I'd pick it over it's trendier cousin every time. That said, I'd give both 3/5.

No, none of the films so far are my favourite asian films, but they're probably the most recently viewed, I will get round to doing more reviews on this thread soon, but I'm updating my Scottish thread at the moment, and I am thinking about doing a British Independant film thread.
Don't worry, I'll soon run out of steam, but as I'm a relative newbie, and I've been looking for decent conversation about movies for ages, I'll strike whilst I still have the enthusiasmn and energy!!!

Hey, just when you think you've run out of steam, have a gallon of Red Bull. Keep 'em coming. :)

Sonatine 1993 directed by Takeshi Kitano


The multi talented director/actor and commedian " Beat " Takeshi Kitano's superb take on the mob movie.

Takeshi plays Murakawa, an old school Yakuza boss dissgruntled with his chosen life and contemplating retirement. Murakawa is dispatched to the island of Okinawa to intervene in a Yakuza gang war. Caught in a crossfire, Murakawa and his men flee to a seaside safehouse where all there is to do is play childish games and contemplate their lifestyle, before the ultimate bloody showdown.


A slow moving disection of a man fed up with his criminal life and on the brink of a mental breakdown. Beautifully shot, the wide angled shots helping to create their isolation and the beauty of the surrounding seaside. Takeshi gives a strong but subtle performance, and his blank emotionless face makes him all the more menacing and hard to read. For me Takeshi's film is a more intelligent take on this style of movie, Tarantino is a huge fan of his, and his influences can be seen in almost every Tarantino film. The main difference for me is that Takeshi doesn't rely on quirky dialogue or a kitsch soundtrack to fill out his movies, indeed he focuses more on the performance of his actors and the look of his films. Not always great fun, but if you're a fan of Tarantino then checking out Takeshi's films is a must.


Rating 4/5

Glad you liked Sonatine, I'd hate to think I wasted someone's money. :)

I can't make any comparisons with QT personally, though he had something to do with the Tokyo Bullett label that released a few Kitano movies on R2 hadn't he? (or did I dream it?) For me, their styles are totally different.

Movies reviewed by Darth Stujitzu
 

O.K. so I've already done some threads on specific genres, but this will be my general reviews for all the other films that don't fit into those chosen genres.
I'm not going to start with my favourite films, but instead will just review movies as I see them.
Enjoy people and feel free to comment, agree, disagree or bow down and praise me, especially if you're a hottie!!! :randy:

Stander 2003 Directed By; Bronwen Hughes



Set in South Africa in the 70's, Stander tells the true story of police captain Stander who turned to armed robbery and became notorious for his daring raids and for his ability to outsmart the local police.
Thomas Jane is Stander, with Deborah Kara Unger plays his wife, whilst David O'Hara( Braveheart's Irish King) and Dexter Fletcher complete Stander's gang.
The first half hour or so builds up Stander's growing frustration at the political enviroment and the police's heavy handed responses to civil unrest. Eventually caught after one bank raid too many, he serves two years in prison, before escaping and becoming a better and more notorious armed robber.

The film's pace is good, the acting is of a high level, and a lot of work was obviously put into the difficult South African accents. Thomas Jane is one of those actors who has yet to really make his mark, The Punisher wasn't the success predicted, but I feel given a better role he can show that he is a talented actor with much to offer. Unlike most action stars, Jane can also pull off the films more complex emotional scenes without looking like a fish out of water.
Not the greatest film, but a worthwhile effort, and it kept me intrested until the end.

Rating 3.5/5

The man who cried 2003 Directed by; Sally Potter


The man who cried follows the story of Suzie a young Russian Jew sent to London to avoid the building tension and subsequent German invasion. Years later Suzie moves to Paris and falls in love with a Gypsy horse handler, but again the imminent threat of a Nazi invasion forces Suzie to leave the man she loves and go in search of her long last father in America.

What first drew my attention to this film was the cast, Christina Ricci is Suzie , with Johnny Depp as Cesar the Gypsy, John Turturro as Italian opera singer, and Cate Blanchett as a selfish Russian dancer.
Despite having a strong cast, there is little to recommend in this film. There is no chemistry between any of the characters, Ricci's english accent, much like Blanchett's Russian accent become annoying, and I was surprised at how second rate the acting was. Even Johnny Depp, one of my favourite actor gives a below par performance, and his on screen relationship with Ricci is very flat and not very believeable.
I don't know too much about Sally Potter as a director, she also wrote the screenplay, but perhaps in the hands of a more skilled director, there might have been more to recommend. What was a very oppulent time in Paris, the roaring 20's seems dull and lacking any real excitement. Even Depp's gang of Gypsy's have no charm or real warmth compared to a similar role in Chocolat, indeed the whole film lacks any real emotion or sense of imminent peril with the Nazi invasion of Paris.
This is a low budget film that feels more like a stage play, and I was glad when the rather timid and unemotional ending came, a very dissapointing effort for an all star cast.

Rating 1/5

Donnie Darko 2001 Directed by; Richard Kelly


Donnie Darko is the story of a troubled teen, trying to figure out why he is having bizarre nightmares and hallucinations involving a demonic rabbit called Frank.


Twisted is probably the best one word description of Donnie Darko, a surreal and slightly bizzare psychological thriller. Now regarded by many as a cult film, I never tire of watching this multi-layered disection of teenage life in surburban America. Similar to American Beauty, this film has loads of hidden meanings and can take a good few viewings to work it out. Perhaps because it's set in the 80's, I relate to this movie a bit more, maybe it's even a little bit of nostalgia, but if you posses an open mind I highly recommend Donnie Darko for your viewing pleasure.
Well shot and acted, especially Jake Gyllenhaal as Donnie, it's one of those films you either get or don't like, there is a slightly supernatural feel to the whole movie, and although at times it can appear a little slow, the ending is worth the wait.
A great soundtrack for 80's teenagers like myself, Donnie Darko is just one of those movies I can watch again and again, a modern day classic for a mad world!

Rating 4.5/5

My favourite French film is Ma Vie En Rose, a sweet and quirky film about a little boy who wants to be a girl.

I would also mention La Reine Margot, although it is a little long. And Histoire d'O was pretty good, too.

can you believe i've only heard of this movie on this forum and have not seen it yet.....it's crazy i know!

You're talking about Donnie Darko, right? That is crazy! You can get the dvd for like £3, there's no excuse :)

a-ha, but you see i don't buy dvd's, i can get them through amazon but without subtitles and that annoyes me, technically i COULD watch a movie without them but i'm too used to them, i'm hoping it will come to the videostore but i mentioned that they didn't have american splendor ( which i also haven't watched yet :eek: !!! ) so i won't hold my breath.....

Ok...I'm kind of confused...why don't you buy dvd's and how come they don't have subtitles? Don't all dvd's have subtitles? Or is it a particular language you are looking for? :confused:

Can't imagine too many DVD's cater for Croatia, poor Adidassss!!!

Come and see 1985 Directed by; Elem Klimov



Set in Russia during World War 2," Come and see " follows Florya a young Russian boy desperate to help his commrades fight the Nazi invasion. Deafened by German artillery, and seperated from his colleagues Florya wanders the battle fields of Russia witnessing the atrocities and brutality of the Nazi's first hand.


A very powerfull and disturbing film, unlike it's Hollywood counter parts, the hero's journey is all about survival and not heroic acts or self sacrifice. This is a brutal vision of Russia during the Nazi invasion, stark and often horrendous in its depiction, its haunting visions will remain with me for some time. The gradual loss of innocence of Florya is destressing, and his haunted stare cut through me on several occasions, and I know this is a film that will live with me for quite some time.
It portrays the Nazis as a gang of inhuman monsters, and in particular the extermination of a village is as brutal and uncomfortable experience as I can remember seeing on film, it pulls no punches and gets under your skin.
A real anti-war film, that is not always pleasant viewing, but deserves to be mentioned and acclaimed as much as its more famous competitors.
My only complaint is that during Florya's temperal deafness, the cacophony of noise can be disorientating and distracting, and I was glad when his deafness passed.
A special mention of the lead actor, a young teenage Russian boy Aleksei Kravchenko, who gives a very strong and believeable performance, in this harrowing and haunting story.

Not for the faint hearted, but if you could stomach Schindler's list or Saving Private Ryan, then it is definetly worth checking out, I ordered my copy from Amazon.

Rating 4.5/5

Schindler's List 1993 Directed by; Steven Spielberg.


After watching Klimov's " Come and see " yesterday,it's been on my mind since, and although I tried not to draw comparisons to Schindler's List, there are definite parallels between the two films.



Based on the true life story of Oskar Schindler, a war profiteer and member of the Nazi party who saved the lives of more than 1,100 Jews during the Holocaust.

I went back and watched it again today, my main memories of my first viewing was that it was one of the few movies that has made me cry. Specifically the part with the young boy hiding in the toilet, and the shower scene at Auschwitz. Although I remembered these two scenes specifically, it still had the same effect, and it remains a very moving and emotional film that you can't help becoming imersed in the story.
The main difference of Schindler's List compared to Come and see, is that Schindler's List is shot in black and white, and whilst this makes it a little less gory, it looses none of the impact had it been shot in colour.
I don't want to say too much about the film, I think its an important film that deserves to be seen by as wide and varied audience as possible. It's important that the mistakes of the past are never forgotten, although we don't seem to have learnt all that much given the current climate we're in. The acting is excellent, Liam Neeson and Ben Kingsley give subtle yet powerfull performances, never letting too much emotion interfere with a difficult subject matter, but special praise for Ralph Fiennes who had a very complex character to portray. To have any sympathy for his character is purely down to Fiennes skill as an actor, by the end of the film my feelings were that he was the wrong man in the wrong place at the wrong time.
A very thought provoking film, that is surely up with the best of Spielberg's work and deserves all its praise.


Rating 4.5/5

The Assasination of Richard Nixon 2004 Directed by; Niels Mueller


Based on the true story of disgruntled salesman Samuel J Bicke, and his struggle to keep his life from falling apart.


This will probably be one of my shortest reviews, an incredibley dull and boring film that I found little to like or keep me intrested in.
Sean Penn gives an ok performance, but I was bored to tears by this film and can't really recommend it to anyone.


Rating 0.5/5

The Fisher King 1991 Directed by; Terry Gilliam.



A modern day fairy tale set in New York.
Robin Williams plays Parry, a homeless man living in a fantasy world in and around New York. Jeff Bridges is Jack, a man on the downward spiral after a tragic incident influenced by his arrogance.


A charming film that is a great example of fine acting and Terry Gilliam's unique visual style. Bridges excells at playing slightly eccentric and quirky characters, and Williams was born to play Parry, strong support from Amanda Plummer and Mercedes Ruehl help complete the ensemble.
There is so much to enjoy in this film, especially if you're a fan of Gilliam and his films. Where else would you find a Red-Knight galloping around Cental park, or a mass waltz around central station involving a cast of hundreds? There is even a Python-esque moment involving a bum in drag that always makes me laugh.
I love Gilliam's work and this is a great example of him in all his pomp and glory.


Rating 4.5/5

I love this film. I was blown away by it when it first came out - hadn't seen much else by Gilliam. Michael Jeter was marvellous in it, as well as the rest of the cast. They were all so strong and so well-used. :)

:yup:

I love, love this film! I recently had the good fortune to aquire a special copy of the criterion laserdisc version WITH Terry Gilliam commentary (not available on the DVD, unfortunately). I just watched the film without commentary the other night, and I will pop this tape in soon to compare my thoughts with the thoughts of the man himself. Actually, been on a big Gilliam kick lately.

I've just come off a Gilliam kick, right before my Christian Bale kick. :p
Just when I thought I'd seen all of G's, I learned about Jabberwocky. I really love the worlds he creates, and have enjoyed nearly all of the stories.

Chinatown 1974 Directed by; Roman Polanski


Polanski's take on film noir with Jack Nicholson as private eye Jake Gittes.

Nicholson's Gittes is a private eye specialising in extra marital affairs, who bites off more than he bargained for after accepting what looks like a relatively straight forward case. A slow steady thriller that is still fresh some 30 years on, Polanski's direction is excellent, and it's one of those films that keeps you guessing until the very end. The cast is rounded out by Faye Dunaway as the femme-fatale and an excellent John Huston as her devious and meddling father. Polanski makes a brief cameo too, but it is really Nicholson's film, and he is on top form here. For all thriller and film noir fans this is a must see, highly recommended.

Rating 4/5

Another great one. I didn't see this til about 2 years ago, and have to say that your comment about it still being fresh today is spot on.

Sorry it took me so long to read this review, Stu. Very well written. It certainly piqued my interest to see it. To be honest...it piqued my interest a lot. Thanks, bud. You just recommended something I had never even heard of. :)

Great review Darth… thanks. Will definitely add this one to my "too see" list…

Ong-Bak 2003 Directed by; Prachya Pinkaew



Ong -Bak is your typical asian kung-fu flick, complete with all the cliches. Basically this film was made to showcase Thailand's new martial arts superstar Tony Jaa's particular brand of Muay Thai kickboxing. The story revolves around a stolen sacred Budha's head from Ting's(Tony Jaa) village. Ting sets off to Bangkok to retrieve his villages sacred ornament.

All the cliches are here, the former villager turned bad boy who eventually redeems himself, the annoying nasal voiced female sidekick(her voice is a form of torture, I kept hoping she would be killed off for the sake of my sanity) the evil genius who masterminds the theft of the Budha head, his ever so evil sidekick/right hand man, and the usual bunch of extras who grow to love the simple country boy hero.

Tony Jaa is indeed a very talented martial artist, Muay Thai is more direct and brutal form of martial art, compared to recent years more baletic performances in films such as Crouching Tiger..., Hero, and House of Flying Daggers. My main problem with this film, was that the story was very weak, and the movie was fleshed out with needless and unbelieveable set pieces for Jaa to show off. After about an hour, I didn't care any more about the film, and even the fight scenes had become repeatative and boring, similar to Jean Claude Van Damme and Steven Segal movies, a few nifty fight scenes does not a great movie make.

This movie is only for Muay Thai kickboxing fanatics, a return to the old days of bad chop sockey movies that are instantly forgetable.

Rating 1/5

Maria Full of Grace 2004 Directed by; Joshua Marston


The story follows Maria( Catalina Sandino Moreno ) a rebellious 17 year old Colombian flower worker, and her journey as a drug mule in order to provide for her family and her upcoming new baby.


It's easy to see why Moreno was nominated at last year's Oscars, as Maria she gives a strong and compelling performance in this harrowing story. Well directed and acted, it never preaches, but instead shows the harsh realities of being a drug mule, and how easy it is to fall into that lifestyle.
I really enjoyed this film, and I always find it easier to relate to films that tackle hard issues without having a Hollywood heart-throb in the lead character role.
Without having the huge finances available to most Hollywood films, Maria full of grace has instead to focus on fine acting, a strong story and a compelling script.
Not for everyone, it is slightly depressing due to the subject matter, but I would rather watch a finely crafted film like Maria anyday compared to Hollywood's often clumsy attempts to deal with harsh realities.
Highly recommended.


Rating 4.5/5

Thanks for the thoughts, Stu. I'll avoid the kung-fu cliche-fest. :D And I've heard good things about Maria... from several people. :up:

good reviews, I agree with ur Maria Full of Grace review.

The Boys from Brazil 1978 Directed by; Franklin J Schaffner


Decades after World War 2, famous Nazi hunter Ezra Lieberman ( Laurence Olivier ) begins to unravel some mysterious goings on with possible links to a new Arian race created by famed Nazi Dr.Josef Mengele ( Gregory Peck ).


A classic thriller, that at the time of release was at the cutting edge of scientific theory, that is still pertinant today. The basic premise is that Dr.Mengele has cloned 94 young Hitlers, whom he is grooming to continue the work of the Nazis decades later.
A taught thriller with an impressive cast, as well as Peck and Olivier, James Mason, Michael Gough ( Alfred the butler in Burton's Batman films ) Prunella Scales ( from Fawlty Towers ) and a young Steve Guttenberg ( pre Police Academy and Cocoon) all cameo during the witch-hunt lead by Lieberman.
Although almost 30 years old, this movie is even more relative today. The recent break throughs in human gene developement, DNA mapping and cloning have all become big news in the last few years. The film raises ethical questions that are echoed in today's society, namely the cloning of human beings and what effects cloning has on subsequent personality and behavioural patterns.
An enjoyable old school thriller , Peck in particular is superb as the ruthless and bordering on insane fanatic Dr.Mengele. Watching Peck, you believe he has ice running through his vains, I haven't seen such a menacing villan in recent years.
Highly recommended.


Rating 4/5

The Mission 1986 Directed by; Roland Joffe



Based on the true story of the brutal betrayal of an American Indian tribe and their Jesuit mission, by the army of Spain.


Jack Kroll of Newsweek called this " A sweeping spectacle " when reviewing the film. It is a true modern masterpiece of cinematography, a brutal and haunting movie that stays with you long after the credits have rolled.
Hardly surprising that it won Best Picture at the Cannes Film Festival in 1986 and subsequent Best Cinematography Oscar, it is a lavish, spectacular film that was well worthy of both awards. Ennio Morricone's score is fantastic, and a perfect partner for the stunning cinematography.
Fine acting from both leads, Jeremy Irons as Gabriel the Jesuit priest, and Robert De Niro as Rodrigo, a born again Jesuit with a tragic past.
There is so much to recommend about this film, especially the Oscar winning cinematography, although a little slow at times, the film never drags, and the beautiful lush landscapes are almost worth watching the film for by themselves.
A must see for budding directors or cinematographers.

Rating 4.5/5

Gimmie Shelter 1970 Directed by; David & Albert Maysles, & Charlotte Zwerin



A fly-on-the-wall documentary following the build up and ill fated 1969 free concert by the Rolling Stones in San Francisco.



Very much an old school rock documentary, it hasn't dated well, but is still a very intresting and worthwhile film. The main arc to this documentary is the Rolling Stones decision to give a free concert in 1969 that attracted close to 300,000 people, and their poor judgement in employing a couple of dozen local Hell's Angels to act as security.
Needless to say that it doesn't take long before the Hell's Angels are dishing out their own style of crowd control, which ultimately leads to fatalities. Whatever the Stones and their management were on when they made the decision surrounding the Hell's Angels,must have been the mother of all come-downs when they eventually straightened out. Mind you, knowing the Stones, that probably took a few decades, if at all in Keith Richards case!
A little slow to get going, but it's great to see the Stones at the height of their fame and power, and it's also intresting to see " Flower Power " in its full glory, a real history lesson for youngsters like myself!


Rating 3.5/5

3 days of the Condor 1975 Directed by ; Sydney Pollack

Robert Redford is CIA agent Turner, code name Condor, who returns from a lunch time errand to find a mass slaughter in his office.


I have been watching a lot of films from my youth recently, films I remember watching on the tv as a young boy. Three days of the Condor is one such film, and whilst I remember enjoying the film as a kid, I didn't expect to enjoy it so much twenty or more years later. The story is still relevant in today's society, scarily so, and unlike other films from the same time, it doesn't look too dated.

Cold war thrillers were all the rage in the 70's and 80's, and what makes these films still so enjoyable are very strong stories that are not reliant on special effects to cover up plot holes. Fine acting by Redford, an actor I have always enjoyed watching, as well as Faye Dunaway as the soft focus love intrest, Cliff Robertson as Condor's boss, and the ever watchable Max Von Sydow as the assassin.
A great thriller, I highly recommend it.

Rating 4/5

Thanks for the great reviews. :D

Sahara 2005

Directed by; Breck Eisner


Whilst searching for a legendary lost Civil War battleship, Dirk Pitt and his best friend Al Giordino, come to the aid of UN doctor Eva Rojas who has made a deadly discovery whilst in Mali, Africa.

To be honest, I didn't have high hopes for this film, I was expecting something more along the lines of " Romancing the Stone " than Indiana Jones. Sahara though proved to be an enjoyable high action romp/ buddy movie, a play by numbers winning formula that will no doubt spawn a sequel.
Mathew McConaughey is Dirk Pitt, an all action performance that fits him comfortably, whilst Steve Zahn as comic relief Al Giordino does a fine job in helping the film move along at a decent pace. Added to this is Penelope Cruz as love intrest Eva Rojas, unlike most other buddy flicks though, Cruz is on board as something more than just eye-candy, and her character is nicely fleshed out.
William H Macy is Admiral Jim Sandecker, and although he isn't given a lot to do in the movie, it was surprising to see him in a film of this genre, as always he does his job with aplomb. There is also a small cameo role for Delroy Lindo, again not a major role in the film, but still worth watching.

Big dumb fun, perfect for rainy Friday nights, or if you live in Scotland, perfect any night!!!


Rating 3.5/5

Thaks Darth, I may even watch this now. ;D

Ring 2

2005 directed by; Hideo Nakata



Set six months after the original remake, a new danger awaits Rachael and her son Aidan, with echoes of the past and the cursed video-tape.


For new comers to the " Ring " films, this is the sequel to the remake of the original Japanese horror film involving a cursed video-tape and it's deadly outcome to all who view it.
The original " Ringu " was made in Japan in 1995 by director Hideo Nakata, and went on to become a cult film both in Asia and the west. A susequent Hollywood remake was inevitable, and in 2002 director Gore Verbinski brought his unique style and vision to the remake, starring Naomi Watts.
In Japan " Ringu " has spawned two sequels so far, so again it was inevitable that a Hollywood sequel would follow. For " Ring 2 ", Hideo Nakata has taken over directorial duties, and to start with all was well. I have watched a number of recent horror films from Asia, and Hollywood seems to be learning lessons from their far eastern counter parts. Asian horror movies are on a more intellectual level, and delve deep into our subconcious fears, especially using water, the dark and other more primal fears.
There is no special effect driven monster, instead in most of these films, the main horror character is human, mostly in the form of a ghostly child. Ring 2 was almost as good as Gore Verbinski's remake, but in my opinion was let down by a rather tame ending compared to the " Ring ". The performances were fine, but I didn't have the same feeling of dread towards the end of Ring 2, and i was left feeling slightly dissapointed.
For anyone who hasn't seen " Ringu " or its remake " Ring ", I highly recommend them, especially for the end sequence that on first viewing is unnerving but difficult to take your eyes off.

There are loads of Japanese horror remakes on the horizon, Jennifer Connelly stars in " Dark water " this winter, and we have already had Sarah Michelle Geller in " The Grudge ", but there seems to be an endless procession of films in this genre available for remakes.

Whilst I recommend Ring or Grudge over Ring 2, it's still a good movie to watch with someone of a nervous disposition, especially if they're a hottie!!! :scream:

Rating 3/5 ( didn't have me hiding behind the couch this time!)

Oh well. :)

I thought The Ring 2 was one of the worst films I've seen this year, almost as bad as Creep. The opportunity to gaze at Naomi Watts for 90 minutes was just enough to stop me from switching off the television set and doing something less boring instead (that one might be lost on a few people, but I bet you geddit - think school holidays and painful stage school brats ;)).

The worst thing about the movie, for me, was that it's directed by the man himself, Nakata...

I've seen far worse, but yes it was dissapointing and very anti-climatic.
I too was expecting a lot more as Nakata was involved, but ultimately it was a let down. Haven't seen Creep, so can't comment, but after Ring 2 I'm not feeling too confident for Dark Water's remake, although watching Jennifer Connelly for 90 mins is always good in my book!!! :randy:
There were a few plus points for a budding filmaker like myself, going down the Tarantino route of borrowing from every film I see, I could tell you, but I'd have to kill you afterwards! :eek:

I think the original Dark Water is far less convoluted than Nakata's Ring (insert your own joke here) but the remake doesn't exactly fill me with expectation. It seems more of a teeth-cutting exercise in mainstream Hollywood for Walter Salles, who is a director I quite like. ;)

Yes, unfortunately once the Hollywood machine gets its grips on foreign films with the sole purpose of a remake it's a lottery how'll they'll turn out. Salles is a good director, but I'm a huge fan of David Fincher, and look what happened to him with Alien 3, difficult to have a unique vision once the money men get involved.
Dark Water has quite a strong cast, and I do like Jennifer Connelly no matter what she's in, preferably not much clothing, but I agree it's more of a trial for Salles to show what he can do.
Very few remakes are often good, but at least they are giving it to somewhat established director rather than some pop-video director. Who knows, he might surprise us all.

Ali

2001 Directed by ; Michael Mann



Biopic of Muhammed Ali's rise to fame with Will Smith as Ali.



I'm a huge fan of Michael Mann, and this is probably the only film of his I hadn't seen. I don't know why, but when it was on general release I just didn't fancy it. For me Will Smith just isn't a serious actor, and perhaps this influenced my decision not to see it. I'm a huge fan of Ali as well, I own several documentaries including the excellent " When we were Kings ", perhaps the thought of Smith playing the iconic Ali just didn't do it for me, who would I have chosen, I honestly don't know.
My main gripes with Ali were that a very complex character was never really fleshed out or disected, instead there was an excessive amount of music montage with Smith trying to look mean and moody.
Mann has always been a fan of the music montage, and moody lighting, but whilst in other films he has not used it to the excessive, Ali felt like one long pop video/promo at times. I half expected Crockett and Tubbs to whizz past in an open topped ferrari at any moment. I found the fight scenes disjointed and disorientating, and not very plausible for the most part, and before the famous " Rumble in the Jungle " there was the most over sentimental montage of Ali connecting with the African people I have seen in ages.

To sum up, a huge dissapointment from a director I normally admire, and what should have been an iconic movie and a huge break from the norm for Smith, ends up knocked out in the first round!

Rating 1/5 ( against the ropes and facing a KO! )

Thanks for the review Darth. :D

Cheers Nebbs, always good to hear from you!

Thats fine :D I was wondering why you think "Will Smith just isn't a serious actor"? :D not that i am a great fan of his. :D

There's a passible film lurking somewhere inside Ali but it needs a good 45 minutes cutting - many sequences drag on far too long and, as you suggest, it's the Score-driven scenes. ;)

Smith does an impression of Ali, rather than offering an interpretation of his character. It gets very tiresome after a while (say, 15 minutes).

I wouldn't go as far as giving at 1/5, but 2.5 is as generous as I can be. :)

I see Smith more as a comedic actor, and I think he struggled with the challenge of the role of bringing one of the world's most iconic figures to life, due to his inexperience with serious more challenging roles. Smith is fine when he sticks to his rom-coms and buddy flicks, but in my opinion he just doesn't have the acting skills for more serious roles.
It is very hard for comedic actors to play it straight, I was impressed with Jim Carey in Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind, but Carey had cut his teeth on serious roles in the Trueman show and Man on the moon.
So far Six degrees of seperation is the only other serious role I can remember Smith in, again it was a film that didn't impress me all that much.
Perhaps playing Ali was a huge task, and I believe other more talented actors would have struggled too, I just think Smith was a strange choice to begin with.

Perhaps 1/5 is harsh, I think that's due to the dissapointment that it was a Michael Mann film, a director whom I really admire.
Could also be due to the fact that it was a poor choice for Friday night viewing, I was looking for something entertaining and thought provoking from Mann, unfortunately it didn't tick any of the right boxes for me.

Darth, did you rent this or buy it? I tried to queue it up at Netflix and I can't seem to find it.

Had to buy it off Amazon, can't get it in Britain, only in the states.
Wasn't too expensive, bearing in mind we seem to pay over the top for everything in this country! Average new DVD price here is around $30!

Withnail & I

1987 Directed by; Bruce Robinson


Bruce Robinson's cult film revolves around two unemployed actors desperate to escape their squalor for a weekend in the country.


A modern day Cult Classic, it's is one of those films you will either love or hate.
Richard E Grant is Withnail, whilst Paul McGann is I, two misfits thrown together in their London squat, desperate for work but more importantly booze. There are so many subtle little lines or quotes of humour in this film, that even after watching it several times over the years, it still makes me laugh every time I watch it.
I have known people that can quote this film almost verbatim, and whilst I do enjoy the film, I have never been that anamoured by it.
I've never tried the drinking game the film spawned, but I have had a few Camberwell Carrots in my time!
There is something sad about the film, especially the ambigitous ending, but you can't help but be drawn to the two unlikely heroes and their quest for work and booze.
Richard Griffiths is superb as sleazy uncle Monty, who has ulterior motives for his surprise visit during the weekend. Ralph Brown also deserves a mention as Danny the philosophy spouting drug dealer, a role he later copied in Wayne's World 2.
An enjoyable subtle comedy, that takes several viewings to unlock all the hidden treasures, but worth the viewing if you appreciate British humour.


Rating 4/5

Talking of Richard E Grant, Warlock is on the tv, forgot that he tries a Scottish accent in the film! Now, I like Richard, but for the love of God......
Right up there with Christopher Lambert's attempt in Highlander!
Och aye the noo.....

Love it :love:

Criminal

2004 Directed by; Gregory Jacobs


Two con artists try to swindle a currency collector by selling him a counterfiet copy of a rare currency bill.


Going into this remake of 2000 Argentinian film " Nine Queens ", produced by Steven Soderbergh and George Clooney, I had high hopes, it also stars the brilliant and often under-rated John C Reilly, so there was much to look forward to.
Unfortunately this is a scene by scene copy of " Nine Queens ", and if like me you've seen it, don't bother with Criminal!
I'm amazed they even needed a director for this, there is nothing fresh or new to look at in the remake.
Nine Queens is a decent con movie with a good twist, but I was expecting more from the remake. Don't get me wrong, if you haven't seen Nine Queens, then Criminal is not a bad movie, similar to Soderbergh's own " Oceans 11 ", it's a cool movie rather than one of substance. The cast is good, as well as Reilly, there are turns from Maggie Gyllenhaal, Peter Mullan and " Y tu tambien.. "s Diego Luna.
Yet another Hollywood remake that has nothing new or fresh to offer from the original.

Rating 3.5/5 ( hardly inspiring remake, but not all bad )

I haven't seen the original, i may look at this if I see it in the video store. :yup:

Review sounds good, ill try and look for it, plus have you seen the clips of his new film The Corpse Bride. Looks amazing, they say he based his character with the same traits as Edward scissorhands, looks great, see if you can review this one for us , please!!!!!!


www.sept23.com

Stop Making Sense

1984 Directed by ; Jonathan Demme



Film by Jonathan Demme about Talking Heads 1984 sell out tour.


I hadn't seen this film since the 80's, but as it was discussed in my film class, I decided to watch it again.
It hasn't dated well, and to be honest, this film is mostly for fans of the band.
I loved Talking Heads during their heyday in the mid 80's, and I still frequently listen to them on my i-pod, so as a fan it's great to see them in concert. There is a real energy to their performance, indeed at times it looks more like an aerobic's class, with the rest of the band trying to keep up with the relentless pace of frontman David Byrne.
Dodgy 80's fashion aside, this is a no frills film of the band in concert, there are a few extras on the DVD, but they are of very poor quality and badly dated.
Worth a gander if you like Talking Heads, the opening version of Psycho Killer is brilliant in it's simplicity, and all the favourites are here, but if you're not familiar with the band or their music, it's probably better to avoid it.
The film is directed by Jonathan Demme who went on to direct " Silence of the Lambs ", but there is not a lot of directorial flare on show here, and I can think of many better music documentaries that outshine this effort.


Rating 2/5 ( bonus point because David Byrne is Scottish, and was born around twelve miles from where I live! )

Hotel Rwanda

2004 Directed by ; Terry George


Inspired by the true events in Rwanda in 1994, where hotel manager Paul Rusesabagina housed over 1,000 Tutsis refugees in his hotel, against the Hutu militia.


A powerfull movie that really hits you hard when you realise that this actually happened. It's soul-destroying to think that during the troubles almost 1,000,000 people were killed by mass genocide at the hands of a Hutu militia intent on wiping out a whole race.
It's easy to see why the film was nominated for so many awards, Don Cheadle as Paul Rusesabagina is excellent, and it's impossible not to emphasise with him as he struggles to do the right thing against increasingly mounting odds. Sophie Okonedo as his wife Tatiana is also great, and there are strong performances all round, which complement the excellent direction.
I love thought provoking movies, and Hotel Rwanda certainly fits the bill, the film is handled well by Terry George, and he resists the temptation to use gory violence to help the film along, instead he relies more on fine acting and intelligent suggestion of the abhorent, senseless violence.

A great movie, that deserves all it's critical acclaim.


Rating 4.5/5

Crash

2004 Directed by ; Paul Haggis



Paul Haggis' take on the racism problem in LA.



Several stories are all interlinked in Paul Haggis' debut feature, the main thread being that racial intollerence is still very much dominant in modern day life in LA.
An impressive cast including Don Cheadle, Sandra Bullock, Matt Dillon, Thandie Newton and Ryan Phillippe, give strong performances on a difficult subject matter.
The film slightly stretches plausability in order to link all the stories together, but Haggis' clever use of racism as being universal helps to hold the film together. Prejudices are universal, and with racism Haggis is pointing out that the problem has so many different faces that it is hard to deal with the issue in one specific or general case.
During the film we see many different forms of racism, covering a whole range of different cultures and our general intolerance to people of different ethnicity to our own.
An intelligent, thought-provoking film, that while not perfect is a very decent effort at tackling such a difficult subject as a debut feature. Some of the characters are more believeable than others, and some of the dialogue seemed a little awkward and clumsy, but I enjoyed the movie on the whole. A special mention to Ludacris, whilst I hate rappers in movies, most of whom are terrible actors, Ludacris gives a decent performance and didn't detract anything from the overall impact the film made on me.


Rating 4/5

this is one of the movies that i just don't feel like picking up , why? after seeing the commercial for it and seeing that they act with accents ( african accents ) i just thought i couldn't get into it because their accents would distract me way too much....sorry....if they just spoke in plane ol' english it would have been a different story altogether.....

The Jacket


2005 Directed By; John Maybury



A military vetran goes on a journey into the future, where he can forsee his death and is left with questions that could save his life and those he loves.



I settled down to watch the film with an open mind and some degree of expectation, based on the fact that Steven Soderbergh and George Clooney were it's producers.
A confusing mismatch of a film that I totally lost about an hour in. There are similarities to Jacob's Ladder with the subject matter, but whilst I really enjoyed Jacob's Ladder, the same can not be said of The Jacket.
My main complaint is that I felt the film was disjointed and poorly directed, I even had the feeling that Adrian Brody and Kiera Knightly were lost by where the film was going and what the director wanted.
The film relied heavily on certain visual effects to help set up the back story, but it was a confusing mess of a film that I quickly lost intrest in.
What could have been an intelligent and intresting film was badly let down by an inexperienced director who fails to get decent performances from the cast at his disposal, and the film drags it's way to a dissapointing and lacklustre ending


Rating 1/5 ( doesn't even get bonus points for being partly shot in Scotland!!!!)

Thanks Darth for the review, I am not as keen as i was about seeing this movie, Oh well :D

That means I probably won't find it here :eek: oh well, i will have a good look before freak out ;D

Los Debutantes

2003 Directed by; Andres Waissbluth



A modern day thriller from Chilie, according to the cover.

Don't rent this, it's a very poor effort and comes across more as a soap opera than any serious acting. There is some graphic nudity from the off, including a lapdancer with a whipped cream bikini, hey if that floats your boat go wild. The story follows a love triangle between the afore mentioned lapdancer and two brothers, and the lapdancer is the local mob bosses' girl, yep, you've probably seen something similar and better. I couldn't even finish it, after about 40 mins I was ready to commit hari-kari, yes fellow Mofos, I have suffered for your sanity, avoid this at all costs, unless you really want to see a whipped cream bikini, which also appears on the front cover, mmmmmmmm, perhaps it wasn't my love of South American movies that brought this film to my attention.


Rating 0.5/5 purely for the cream!!!

Interesting response to The Jacket. I think you're the first I've seen not rave.
Hilarious about the cream bikini. I'll stop at seeing the cover. :D

I normally rave during full moons!!! :eek:
As for cream bikinis, always sound like a good idea, but speaking from personal experience......... :randy:

House of Sand and Fog

2003 Directed by ; Vadim Perelman

An abandoned wife is evicted from her house and starts a tragic conflict with her home's new owners, an Iranian immigrant and his family.


A modern day Shakespearian tradegy, sad and haunting and well acted. Jennifer Connelly and Ben Kingsley are fantastic in their respective roles, and are abely assissted by Ron Eldard, Shohreh Aghdashloo and Jonathon Ahdout.

Aghdashloo and Ahdout reprise their mother and son routine again in season 4 of 24, and it is easy to see that they struck up a good working rapport during the filming of this film.

The film is a little slow moving, but I was especially impressed with the director's visual flair and general handling of the film, and a special mention goes to Roger Deakins the Director Of Photography for some absolutely stunning photography involving the fog mentioned in the title. The house also plays a large part in the film, it almost becomes a character, and in one scene in particular it looks more of a horror movie set, such is the eiree spooky setting.

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, sad and poignant, beautifully shot and very well acted, and the fact I have a thing for Jennifer Connelly also helps!

Highly recommended.


Rating 4.5/5

ha! Well, that's a whole different sort of review.

Downfall

2004 Directed by ; Oliver Hirschbiegel


Traudl Junge the final secretary of Adolf Hitler, tells of the Nazi dictator's final days in his Berlin Bunker at the end of World War 2.


Based on a factual documentary of Junge, the film starts with the actual Junge before she died recounting her thoughts towards Hitler and the Nazis.
I have seen some of the documentary before, it is a very well thought out interview with one of Hitler's closest confidants.
A fantastic film, and I will be surprised if Bruno Ganz ( Hitler ) is not nominated for an Oscar next year, he puts in a tremendous performance that shows Hitler in all his devilish ways whilst still appearing human at other points in the film.
Although based on Junge's testement, it is really Ganz's film, he demands every second of your attention whilst on screen. There are other strong performances, especially from Alexandra Maria Lara as Junge, Ulrich Matthes as the despicable Joseph Goebbels, and Juliane Kohler as Eva Braun.
For anyone who has seen and loved " Das Boot ", this film is a must see, a fantastic anti-war film that at times is a little gorry, but is even more haunting when you see what lengths the Nazi's were prepared to go, especially the scene involving Goebbels' children.

Another fantastic anti-war movie in the mould of " Platoon ", " Das Boot " and " Schindler's List ", it deserves all the praise and accolades it recieves.

Highly recommended


Rating 4.5/5

Thanks Darth sounds good :D

Lord of War

2005 Directed by ; Andrew Niccol


Based on true life events, Niccol's film stars Nicholas Cage as Yuri Orlov a Russian/American gun runner.


I was really looking forward to this film, it's the first time in ages I've had the time to catch a movie, and the trailer gave me further encouragement that I would really enjoy this movie.
So why did I ultimately not enjoy the movie? Firstly the trailer is misleading, I was expecting a more action packed movie along the lines of the Rock, also starring Cage, but I don't think I'm spoiling it for anyone when I say that what you see in the trailer is the majority of action in this movie. Instead what I found was an over long, over bearing monologue of small stories thrown together over the space of the last two decades.
I like Cage as an actor, Jared Leto too is always watchable, but ultimately I found it very difficult to find any empathy towards any of the main characters, and what I'm sure was a very good idea was poorly written and executed.
The main problem lies in the writting, Cage gives a running comentary through-out the whole movie, that for me became tedious and boring after about twenty minutes. Cage plays this role completely deadpan, his character seems to be emotionally void, which while I'm sure was part intentional, does nothing to help breathe life into a dull and tedious film. A strong supporting cast of Jared Leto, Ethan Hawke, Ian Holm, Bridget Moynahan and Eamonn Walker as the main villan of the film are given little to do or work with, only Cage's character is fleshed out, but as already stated not to my satisfaction.


Ultimately, Lord of War failed to tick any of the right boxes for me, and I felt let down by a film that promised much but delivered little.
Dissapointing, I hope Cage finds better films in the future.

Rating 2/5

Product Placement


2004


So, not exactly a movie, but instead a documentary/concert following DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist on their famous Product Placement tour featuring gigs from Tokyo, LA, New York, San Francisco, London and Glasgow.

So what makes this different from other DJ tours? The main concept of the tour was for the two DJ's to make a contemporary and cutting edge set using only old 45 singles.
People not familiar with Shadow or Cut Chemist( from hip hop band Jurrasic 5 ) will probably want to give this a miss, but for anyone who likes hip-hop, nothern soul or scratch djing this is a masterpiece of two incredibly talented scratch dj's at their very best. This is the kind of DVD you could play at a party instead of music, there is very little commentary, instead the music is the most important element, and is given the most screen time. My personal highlight is DJ Shadow mixing with two 3" records, a true craftsman at work.
I've been a fan of both DJ's for years, and it was good to see them collabourate together to produce a totally fresh and original set using only old soul singles from a bygone era, the fact that the DVD comes with the cd of the tour is a great bonus.
Another great music DVD to add to my collection, however, Scratch by Doug Pray is still my favourite!


A soulsensational 4.5/5

Hmm, I didn't get the impression that it was action packed from the trailers.....I'm still looking forward to this one.

Mindhunters

2004 Directed by ; Renny Harlin


For seven elite profilers, finding a serial killer is a process of elimination. Their own.......

If only someone had thought to have eliminated Renny Harlin, my sanity might not be so fragile! I saw the trailer for this ages ago, and I was wondering when it was getting a general release over here, so when I saw it had gone " straight to video " I was slightly worried.
I'm going out on a limb here, I like Val Kilmer! There I've said it, it's all out in the open. I know he has a reputation for being a bit of an arse, and he has made a few ropey movies, but I always check out his films. After watching Mindhunters, I can only assume Val owed the Weinstein brothers a huge favour!

This is a predictable by the numbers serial killer turns the roles on his pursuers film, the twists were sad and predictable, the cast mostly second rate, and was a tad heavy on the melodrama.
You've probably seen films like this before, all the cliches are here, the damaged hero who must overcome her biggest fear, everyone becomes a suspect to try and create a feeling of unease and tension, the superhuman return from the grave hero, the final twist and the predictable ending. I think Harlin thought by killing off a major character early on ( similar to Sam L Jackson in Deep Blue ) it would throw the audience and keep them on edge. Perhaps I've seen too many similar films that always have the same predictable story curve, but for me Mindhunters is one of the poorer efforts I've seen in years, similar to Saw, it's one of those movies you will either love or hate.
So is there anything here to reccomend? For me, two words; Patricia Velasquez, the yummy mummy from the Mummy!

A sad, predictable waste of a movie, good for scaring young teenage girls perhaps, but probaly not anyone else! ( apologies to young teenage girls, you can come out from behind the sofa now, hey wait, what are young teenage girls doing behind my sofa... :randy: ) See it's that bad I'm halucinating!!!


Rating 1/5

:laugh: