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Reviews
A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)
A Truly Ridiculous Film
A bungled screenplay that could have come from a high school creative writing student, this ridiculous film has managed to fool a number of critics into proclaiming that we will all suddenly think it brilliant in ten years. Yeah, maybe. But more likely we will still agree with the original author, Brian Aldiss: Pinochio should have remained the subtext, Mr. Spielberg. The subtext. That's basic writing 101, man.
Memento (2000)
An Interesting But Eventually Tiresome Conceit
The backwards technique of Pinter's "Betrayal" gets the noire treatment in "Memento." With a better script this could have been something. As it is, an interesting conceit eventually grows tiresome, and the long paragraphs of clumsy exposition in the last scene betrays the fact that something is not quite working structurally. Still the film has a very good performance by Guy Pearce, and Joe Pantoliano is for once not the big hambone he usually is. A cold work that never touches the emotions, it's still worth a screening for genre fans. But those who go back for a second look will find, surprisingly, that the film tends to diminish with each viewing rather than deepen.
Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (2001)
A Historical Movie First
This film is saddled with a plot from game creator Hironobu Sakaguchi, and some really awkward voice performances and dialogue that must be attributable to Jack Fletcher [who was in charge of casting, and acted as the voice director, with an "additional dialogue by" credit]. As the Asian news service commented, you have to pity the two American screenwriters--one of whom is Oscar-nominated--when they were obviously working with a mostly Japanese crew who thought they knew more about English than the English-speakers. The staging of the scenes is often amateurish, and the direction and editing leaves a lot to be desired.
But given all that, this film puts some amazing sights on the screen, and the character of Aki is a wonderful female role model: smart and sexy, determined and emotional. A real triumph. This is not a great movie, but it is a movie that may in time change movies. And it sure as heck beats "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider!" One of the better summer blockbusters of 2001, this was a financial flop, although it does have its vocal supporters such as Ebert and Roeper, who gave it "Two BIG Thumbs Up!" You may be skeptical, but check it out. You'll be glad.
Long Hello and Short Goodbye (1999)
Bonnie and Clyde meets Pulp Fiction meets Rainer Kaufmann
Interesting film that I think will stand the test of time, or at least be more appreciated as the years pass than it was on its initial release. Lots of flashy camera tricks to go along with the plot twists and killer conclusion. I just looked up the American version someone else mentioned and found out that Hilary Swank [Oscar-winner for "Boys Don't Cry"] is going to star. Wow! That should be something. But this film is well worth your time. Rainer Kaufmann is called the "German Brian DePalma." Now you can see why.