alanshills Reviews

Emma (1996)

Great turn by Gwyneth Paltrow in this Jane Austen adaptation

[24 January 2019]

Jane Austen is evergreen- kinda like Shakespeare and Agatha Christie. Emma lacks the depth of passion present in the other Austen films, but, in large part because it's trying for something lighter and breezier, it's still fun. The film runs a little longer than seems necessary, and gets off to a slow, fitful start (Douglas McGrath's screenplay is not the equal of the other Austen adaptations), but Paltrow keeps us interested until the story's inherent romantic magic begins to weave its spell. Speaking of star-making turns, Emma is likely to open eyes to the talent of its leading lady, Gwyneth Paltrow who is rather good in the main lead. It's the romantic buried inside each of us that responds to movies like Emma. Sure, the film, like the Jane Austen novel upon which it is based, is laced with wit and sophistication. And, although it contains enough social commentary and character development to lift it well above the plane of genre romances, Emma is still primarily about lovers finding each other during a simpler age.

The Matrix Reloaded (2003)

Despite a strange ending this is a good film

[8 January 2019]

This film is strange. It has great set pieces and the pacing is good but it just ends abruptly. Its jarring how the film just ends- you'll see and understand. Non-demanding fans of the original The Matrix will likely be enthralled by the second installment in the series. More demanding aficionados will likely have a few reservations, some of which will not be addressed until the release of the third feature, Matrix Revolutions. I fall into the latter category. Although there are things about The Matrix Reloaded that I like, the movie is so open-ended and riddled with gaping holes that it's virtually impossible to view this as a finished project.

Golden Gate (I) (1993)

Highly atmospheric but flimsy on plot

[20 December 2018]

John Madden, who last year brought to life a dark, moody adaptation of Edith Wharton's Ethan Frome, shows some of the same tendencies with Golden Gate. In spite of the film's uneven tone, the atmosphere is consistently strong. The sense of place, cemented by various shots of the Golden Gate Bridge, is never lost on the viewer. Unfortunately, the sudden shifts in mood, and the screenplay's unwillingness to develop in a more original direction, hamper Golden Gate. The movie has themes to explore, and it holds the audience's attention while doing so, but there are flaws that even all the fog of the Bay Area can't conceal. The acting by leads Matt Dillon and Joan Chen is more than adequate.

Francis in the Navy (1955)

Decent one time watch

[18 December 2018]

Peter comes to this navy base to buy Francis, who is being auctioned as surplus. Meanwhile Peter is having constant problems with navy personnel insisting he must be Slicker. Several times, he is undressed (by men and women) of his army uniform and given a navy uniform. He is sent to the psycho ward for claiming he's not Slicker. Several of the nurses there get amorous with him. One is played by Virginia O'Brien. In the '40s,she appeared in a number of musicals in which she displayed her signature deadpan singing style. Her extremely minor role was her only Hollywood film appearance during a 30 year period. A young Clint Eastwood appears several times as one of the sailors.

The Machinist (2004)

Harrowing and deeply unsettling feature film

[9 November 2018]

What a great film. Even for those who are able to piece together exactly what is happening before the movie explicitly reveals everything, The Machinist is still capable of capturing the attention. The film is dark, but rewarding, and it never cheats the viewer. There are no sudden twists designed to blindside an audience. The reveals occur gradually, with Anderson allowing us the pleasure of putting the pieces together. The Machinist requires a certain kind of viewer - one who is comfortable with grimness and a certain amount of gore. Members of that group will appreciate what this picture has to offer. Christian Bale's transformation needs to be seen to be believed.

Against the Ropes (2004)

Nice Meg Ryan boxing film

[1 November 2018]

Against the Ropes contains all the expected clichés of a boxing movie, albeit without the sense of style that often characterizes the best entries into the genre. The film also suffers from a split personality syndrome: it wants to tell the "real life" story (based on actual events, but heavily fictionalized) of Jackie Kallen (played in the film by Meg Ryan), the first big-time female boxing promoter, but it also wants the rousing ending of a big bout, so it dovetails Jackie's story with that of a fictional pugilist, Luther Shaw (Omar Epps), and, in the process, loses its focus. This is a good watch but don't go with your expectations sky high.

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

Masterpiece is the apt word to associate with 2001 A Space Odyssey

[24 October 2018]

In my opinion the greatest film of all time even surpassing the likes of Citizen Kane and Vertigo. 2001 is filled with visuals that will awe and frighten simultaneously and its thematic depth is of such immensity that even today 50 years later pages upon pages can be written on it. The film is based on Author C Clarke's novel but Kubrick makes the material his own. Divided into three distinct segment which encompass time since the dawn of man to the far future 2001 is a meditative experience which squashes all the expectations and clichés one sees in a narrative film. Kubrick's legendary status was already confirmed before he even thought of making a sci-fi movie but such is the reputation of this film that it towers over every film of even his oeuvre. Unmissable science fiction film, easily in the top 3 greatest films that have ever been made.

Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

A masterpiece by a legend

[26 September 2018]

Kubrick's final film is also his most underrated- Eyes Wide Shut was the last film directed by the legend Stanley Kubrick and because it starred the then A list couple Cruise and Kidman, along with many sex scenes the film was way overhyped. And probably didn't live upto this expectation either critically or commercially. But now Eyes Wide Shut is being rediscovered as a cult and already there are a host of blogs and articles online talking about how great the film is. I love it- I think this is one of the finest psychological films ever made. It reeks of atmosphere and the story- based on an Austrain novel is very good. Go see this soon to be declared masterpiece.

Lethal Weapon (1987)

One of the best examples of buddy cop cinema

[24 August 2018]

Lethal Weapon is a fun, exciting movie that deserves its standing in the pantheon of great action films. Contrary to popular believe this film didn't make Mel Gibson a star- he already was one after Mad Max but it did make him a household name in the US. He and Danny Glover are amazing as the mismatched buddy cop duo and one can say Lethal Weapon restarted the sub-genre after 48 hours had done so a few years ago. Featuring great sequences, dialogues worth remembering, and great pace Lethal Weapon is a must watch.

Iron Man (2008)

Great Superhero film featuring a career altering performance by Robert Downey Jr.

[16 August 2018]

Iron Man works because of two reasons- The storyline flows smoothly, and the powerhouse performance of Robert Downey Jr. as the titular Iron Man/ Tony Stark. The charisma of Downey Jr. coupled with a great emphasis on character development makes Iron Man one of the best Superhero avatars of all time. The non-suited human element of a superhero film should be interesting in someway be it his sorrow or travails or in his embodiment of a larger than life, cool figure, and this is a fact many films do not foresee, or even realize. Jon Favreau has crafted a great movie and Robert Downey Jr. is so good you cannot picture anyone else play him. The film is fun in a charming way and the action pieces are embedded to flow the story, and not as a stopover for special effect show-off. The side parts are played well by everyone involved from Gwyneth Paltrow to Terrence Howard. Its been ten years since Iron Man was released and so much has happened both in his journey and the ascent of superhero movies but the first film remains a pinnacle.

Dawn of the Dead (2004)

Snyder's Dawn of the dead manages to improve on the original

[8 August 2018]

Dawn of the Dead is a remake of an older zombie film by the same name but in my opinion, it is a superior effort- which is strange as most remakes are inferior in quality. The major change here is that Snyder has decided to make the zombies have the capacity to run, which is a scary thought indeed. As creepy as the slow undead were there was always the chance to outmaneuver them, but things are not so simple this time around. The usual zombie trope of a bunch of characters clustered together and hiding away is how the film goes about it but it manages to characterize the survivors instead of just using them as zombie fodder. Some scenes are terrifying and there is a palpable sense of tension. This is a great horror movie and a great zombie one also. Go watch it.

Minority Report (2002)

Spielberg is at home in this neo-noir

[24 July 2018]

Minority Report is a stylish neo- noir science fiction from Steven Spielberg destined to become a classic of the future. Taking place in 2054 it concerns a group of police force which are equipped with the capability to foresee a crime about to happen with the help of three mutated humans called "precogs". Unfortunately for John Anderton (Tom Cruise) as he sets up to work on the next crime about to happen he is horrified to see that the offender is he himself. What follows is a cat and mouse hunt which involves his entire corporation and then some. The visual effects are amazing, and the tone of the film is finely balanced between dreary, rainy grey and futuristic blue. Cruise and Colin Farrell star. Great movie.

Friends (1994–2004)

Beware- this show is highly addictive

[17 July 2018]

Friends is a landmark television show- one whose aftereffects in comedy still reverberate to this day (think Big Bang Theory). This show about six twenty-somethings in New York City became an instant classic and the reruns have ensured that the popularity does not fade. Endearing characters, witty jokes and personable storylines throughout the 10 years made this one of the most widely watched shows not just in America but all over the English-speaking world. If you want genuine entertainment you cannot go wrong with Friends.