Change Your Image
2MW
Reviews
American Family: The Forgotten War (2002)
A layer of drama creation was missing in this 9/11 episode
This is the series obligatory 9/11 episode. I'm not an American. That may account for my boredom with this episode.
It was visible, even for a European that everyone was really trying to make a profound and deep episode co worthy commemorate (the impact of) 9/11. But in doing so, unfortunately the episode build upon the feeling that was already resident in the Americans in 2001. For someone who has not lived through 9/11 in the US, this episode, with all the 'deep' emotions, just doesn't work, emotionally, it did not resound. It doesn't work in much the same way that fan-fiction doesn't work for someone who has never seen the TV-series the fan-fiction is based upon: in fan-fiction there's a whole layer of characterization and history, and motivation missing, because everyone is supposed to know the lead characters already.
In this episode of American family there is a very indispensable layer of drama creation missing. It was understood that everyone knew it and felt the pain and the desolation and the fear of 9/11 already. That they would remember it when it was hinted at. That however, makes for bad drama, and a boring episode that at time was preachy, and overly explicit in it's patriotism. There was not enough to draw the uninitiated viewer in.
It was certainly not up to the normal standard, the beautiful quality, of the other episodes of this great series.
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
What a lack of subtlety in the massive ending
I was a huge fan of the LotR books, and also of the LotR films 1 and 2. But in part 3 Peter Jacksons old hobbies shine through the fabric of the film much to clearly. After the action is ended, the audience is washed away in at least half an hour of ever increasing emotional (tear jerking) scenes, that - because they are pilled up this way irritate instead of emotionate. A total lack of subtlety, or respect for the audience for that matter. Quite a disappointment after the a beautiful beginning in part 1 and 2.
Truly Madly Deeply (1990)
Beautiful film about loss
This film ranks in my personal top 5 because it beautifully combines deep emotions and humor when it tells about the loss of a dear one and plays along with the very recognizable wish that the beloved death would, could, should come back. Highly recommended.
Adaptation. (2002)
Major disappointment
I was looking forward to this film. Seeing Nicholas Cage and Meryl Streep explore the difficulties of writer's block could be very interesting. But it wasn't. This film is a non to intelligent quest for a film plot that we see rolling over the screen as it has been "created". The film has no tempo, no coherence and the distinct smell of reality as to the theme of writer's block for the screen writers of Adaptation. It's never funny, though at times it intends to be. It's really never smart - and most of the time highly predictable. You see the writers pull out the action driven end as the proposed fix for a bad movie. But honestly it doesn't fix it at all. The film is an odd mixture of genres - and there's been made no effort at all to melt the genres into one structured plot. The plot's a mess and obviously the best the brothers could do. Rather sad that people fall for this even less than mediocre attempt.
Don't get fooled by the idea this is art. It's junk that should have been washed out in the editing process.