Dark City (1998 - Alex Proyas)
I had seen this a few years back, but despite it actually being a very good and quite original sci-fi, it seems to have sunk into obscurity over the years since it was released. Brilliantly dark story of a city which is manipulated in every way possible by a group of underground alians called 'The Strangers', who look suspiciously like 'The Gentlemen' from the superb
Buffy episode
Hush. Its a very good story, that raises some really mind bending philosophical ideas, but in some cases it seems to run a bit too quickly, leaving some plot holes. The acting from Rufus Sewell as gifted amnesiac John is so-so, and Jennifer Connoly as his concerned 'wife' is passable, and there are other good roles from John Hurt as the detective, Kiefer Sutherland as the crazy pyschologist and Richard O'Brian as the superbly creepy Mr Hand. However, the cinematogrpahy and set design is absoloulty astounding. This movie must have cost a bomb, as Proyas delivers a truly magificent city in which we see the strange story unravel. Buildings grow out of the ground like sprouting seeds, whilst a million strangers chatter beneath the city in front of a giant glowing clock. The movie just looks fantastic, the perpetually dark city existing in some twisted 1930's America, looks just like one of those drawings where there is a thousand staircases all leading to nowwhere. Worth seeing just for the way it looks.
Hitchikers guide to the Galaxy (2005- Garth Jennings)
Some fun stuff here. I had never read the books so i didn't really know what to expect, although i had heard things about it and did expect the humour and quirky theories on our place in the universe. Wasn't a massive fan of Freeman as Aurthur, he just annoyed me more than charmed me. Not sure what i thought about Zooey Deschanel either, although her charcter did seem as bizarre as her real name. Loved Mos Def as Ford Prefect, he really suprised me, and Rockwell was good once again. I loved the song at the beginning, and Stephen Fry presented the Guide wonderfully, i want one of them. I loved the spaceship with its probabitily drive as well, such a shame Douglas Adams didnt actualy get to see this finished product when he had been trying to get it going for such a long time. Although i think i saw his face at the end as the final object the spaceship turns into, so thats pretty sweet i guess.
Mulholland Dr. (2001- David Lynch)
This will be my third viewing of this wonder. Still havnt figured it out enough yet to write about in the final essay of my educational life...another viewing tomorrow me thinks.
Meet the Parents (2000- Jay Roach)
Good fun, great mix of comedy and romance. Seen this lots of times before, still makes me cringe when Stiller cracks his jokes at that awful family, and when he wears the lovely fetching speedos. Deniro scares me a bit as Jack, makes me think thats what his like in real life. Good film, shame about the horrific sequel.
Reply to Topic
