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saabman125
Reviews
Hit List (2011)
lightweight
I acquired this movie by accident but I thought a review was in order seeing as I doubt anyone else will bother. The plot is fairly straightforward with some comedic elements borrowed from some of the greats: Bruce Willis and Jack Nicholson come to mind, as hit man and dog hater respectively, and to its credit I did laugh at some of the gags, but don't expect too much. This is a lightweight movie with only one familiar face, John Savage, and to be honest he added nothing, indeed I think it would have been a marginally better movie without him. The rest of the acting is tongue in cheek, unserious, but reasonably consistent in depicting a world inhabited by oddballs. There is little to recommend it, but if you have nothing better to do on a rainy afternoon . . . ? To its credit I only began to get bored near the end, and then the plot twisted to resolve itself and it finished. About 5/10 but judge for yourself?
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (2008)
A modern moralistic tale
To be honest, having read a review before I watched this film, I was a little disappointed. It is a film, just, but the story is spread very thinly to make it go the distance, which in my opinion it doesn't, quite, even though it's listed as 94 minutes. The acting and photography are excellent of course, as one would expect of a BBC collaboration, and the settings, limited though they are, appear accurate, but the prison camp and numbers of extras, both soldiers and prisoners, are way too small in size and few in number for such a project. In many ways this film reminds me of a stage play adapted for the screen; it's just so 'pocket sized'? I suppose worst of all is that I can say it wasn't entertaining, or that I'm unlikely to want to watch it again, but that has more to do with what it says rather than anything qualitative. And in truth I believe we have been bombarded with this same moralistic tale since the 1950's. And really I am wondering why, given the all too common occurrence with which this subject, in one guise or another, pock marks human history. And especially given that extermination, by one method or another, is still happening all around us today?
Fish Tank (2009)
Fishtank is the best and worst of films
I won't bore you with how well made this film is. Fishtank is sublime. It's original and there's nothing to equal it. And finding fault is difficult. However, it's one of the most difficult films to watch. I found myself using the pause button over and over because I couldn't cope. It took me 3 days to see it through. About two thirds the way through I was about to give up but went first to IMDb reviews to find reason to continue. I'm glad I did. Watch it yourself and weep for Mia, and for yourself, because none of us are immune from the awfulness and hopelessness (of poverty) that society forces on some. Highly recommended 9/10
Stay (2005)
Psychological exploration
I have only given "Stay" 7/10 because of the psychological discomfort it conveyed. In all other respects it is a masterpiece, and the sturdy of mind will undoubtedly give it a deserved 10/10. If you like having your sanity tested by explorative psychological movies, then this is right up there with the best of them, but if you are inclined to bouts of self doubt, I suggest you either pick your moment or look for something softer. A previous reviewer hailed "Stay" but was less encouraging about "Sixth Sense", a 'not incomparable' movie, but in general I prefer not to have my sanity tested, and in this regard "Sixth Sense" was an easier movie to watch.
The acting and photography in "Stay" are masterful, both echoing and amplifying events, but with my mind struggling to understand what was happening, I found the dialogue a little indistinct at times and rewound more than once to hear what both Bob Hoskins and a little boy with a balloon said. And it did make more sense when I heard correctly. This is a remarkable movie, and it should be seen, but I suggest you pick your moment.