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Reviews
Romeo Must Die (2000)
Jet Li the HERO!
I was very excited to see this movie because Jet Li is one of my favorite Hong Kong Action movie stars of all time. I've been watching his films since the release of Shaolin Temple and I must say that his extravagent martial art skills rival those of even the great Bruce Lee.
"Romeo Must Die" does not disappoint and unlike his first American movie, "Lethal Weapon 4," Jet Li once again takes the persona of the hero. The story is interesting and somewhat original. I cannot ever recall seeing an American made martial arts film that dealt with the relations between the Chinese Triad and Black Gangsters.
Jet Li's acting is not bad but not superb either. It's funny seeing him dress up in "hip hop" gear when entering the club with Aaliyah and acting all "cool." Kind of reminds me of my early years of high school.
The chemistry between Jet Li and Aaliyah was pretty good. I liked the scene where Jet Li and Aaliyah fight together against the hot Chinese female motorcyclist. I thought that was pretty well choreographed even though it was mostly done through special effects.
The only things that I didn't like too much about this film is that it focussed mostly on the Black Gangsters and the Chinese had very few lines of dialogue. Also, Russell Wong should have been given more screen time. His prescence is radiant and it was a shame that the director did not allow the audience see his great acting abilities. Most people did not like how Jet Li's fight sequences were edited with special effects but I didn't mind it too much. Still, it would have been better to have let Jet Li do his own stunts because, as in his Hong Kong movies, he can perform any physical activity with ease.
Another funny thing about the film is the dialect between the Chinese actors. One person will start talking in Mandarin and the other will respond in Cantonese. I thought that was pretty hilarious but if this film is to be marketed towards an American audience I guess it doesn't matter.
All in All, Romeo Must Die is a great film that does Jet Li justice. American audiences will love this film and hopefully they will realize just how great an action star he really is. Also look for a great soundtrack with songs by DMX and Aaliyah. The rap/hip-hop songs that are played throughout the duration of the film truly enhance the "gangster" feel of the movie.
Le violon rouge (1998)
Magnificent!
"The Red Violin" is a great film that shows the travels and exploits of a "Red Violin" that was made during the 16th century, I believe. The story shows how the violin gets passed from one owner to another. The violin is, at first, constructed by a violin craftsman and then is given to a monastary, some gypsies, a wealthy British violinist, an owner in China and finally at a present day Montreal auction. What I found amazing about this film is how each of stories come together seemlessly by the end of the movie. That is typical of most "Canadian" movies and I think that formula is great. I also liked how the Talot card reader's predictions match the events of the film. It gives the story a sense of spirtuality.
Being a violin/viola player myself, I highly enjoyed this film cause I could relate to why the owners of the Red Violin were so intrigued by the little instrument. This is a movie that I would recommend to anyone. It also has a very nice soundtrack.
La vita è bella (1997)
Beautiful!
"La Vita e bella" is a great movie that really touches your heart. I just love the concept of this film. The father must protect the innocence of his child by making the Nazi concentration camp seem like a very fun game. It's amazing how the director maintains the "happiness" in this film even though it is set in a very "dark" place. After viewing this movie, you will have a totally different perception about the world. It proves that NOTHING can destroy the human spirit and the film gives you a good reason to continue living on. It also teaches us to keep an optimistic perspective even during times of distress.
Quake (1996)
One of my favorite Computer Games
The original Quake is one of my favorite computer games of all time. When it first came out in 1996, it was very revolutionary. It was the first 3d shooter to use texture-mapped polygons and the enemies looked very good. The weapons were very cool too. I really liked the nailguns and the grenade launcher. The animations of the monsters are, in my opinion, still top-notch even by today's standards. Unlike most enemies in today's 3d shooters, the monsters are scary and horrifying. The fiend and the shambler are the most terrifying monsters that you will face and they require very quick reflexes to defeat. Upon hearing that one of my favorite musical groups, Nine Inch Nails, would be doing the soundtrack for this game only heightened my anticipation of playing Quake for the first time back in 1996. The soundtrack does not disappoint. Trent Reznor has created an atmospheric and immersive ambient music that truly brings you into the twisted and weird environment of the game. The game designers are obviously big NIN fans because the textures, environments and monsters seem too look as if they could be from an NIN video. They also named one of the guns the "nailgun" and the ammo for it has an NIN logo embroided on it. All in all, Quake is a wonderful game even by today's standards. It is also a very revolutionary game and is now a part of computer gaming history. The game has great action, great weapons, freaky monsters, fun single player, addictive multiplayer and an NIN soundtrack. What else more can you ask for?
Sutorîto faitâ II gekijô-ban (1994)
STREET FIGHTER!!!
Being a big fan of the video game, I was quite excited in seeing this anime. Like many other film reviewers here, this anime blows the Hollywood movie away! This movie is awesome! It's got great animation, a storyline that follows the main character's backstories more accurately and a killer soundtrack! What's strange is that before I watched this movie I never really liked japanese anime that much but now I'm beginning to have respect for it. These aren't just kiddie cartoons. Street Fighter 2 can be enjoyed by adults as much as little kids. But I don't recommend that this movie be shown to babysit your little cousin or brother because it contains a lot of blood, violence and coarse language. My only disappointment with this film was that it focussed too much on Ryu, Ken, Chun Li, Guile, Bison and E. Honda. The other fighters that appear in the movie only show up in maybe one or two sequences. That was a little disappointing but despite that one mishap I recommend this movie to anyone and especially to fans of the video game. You will not be disappointed. The movie also has songs from some of my favorite bands like Korn, Alice and Chains, KMFDM and Silverchair.
Army of Darkness (1992)
Come Get Some!
Awesome movie! Kinda cheesy, but awesome. This movie proves that film making is not just about aesthetics, cinematography and mise-en-scene. It proves that you can simply have FUN making a movie!!! Who cares about the story. Who cares about the plot. What I care about is that this movie is just so FUN to watch! Bruce Campbell is a great actor and his one liners, which are rather immature and foolish, are hilarious. Bruce Campbell's one liners are so funny that the people who created Duke Nukem 3D included them in the game!
The Undead army of skeletons (obviously influenced by Jason and the Argonauts) are incorporated into the film very well and are animated with stop-motion photography, life size models and guys in suits.
I recommend this movie to anyone. I loved it so much I bought the special edition of it which has the alternate ending and the "men behind the army" special. Now I want to get the director's cut. Again, this movie is awesome. It will give yo u plenty of laughs and it will be one in which you will want to watch over and over again.
Closure (1997)
Chaotic, Weird and Disturbing
If you are a Nine Inch Nails fan, GET THIS VIDEO! It's amazing! Contains backstage and live concert footage from the Self Destruct Tour (1994 -1996) and a collection of NIN videos from Head Like A Hole to The Perfect Drug. First of all, this video is not for the faint hearted. It is full of violence, brutality and weird imagery that has made NIN a household name. The video for Happiness in Slavery is particularly disturbing and even I found it hard to watch. The other videos are very well done and are very artistic. The "live" video contains some of the most intense performances of classic NIN songs like Terrible Lie, Down in it, March of the Pigs and Wish. This video is highly recommended for any NIN fan but it is not for the faint hearted. Also look for appearances by David Bowie, Buzz Osborne of the Melvins, Richard Patrick of Filter and Marilyn Manson of Marilyn Manson.
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)
watch it more than once
I saw Star Wars Episode 1 on opening day at 12:15am which was the second screening. Being a big Star Wars fan, I was extremely excited in seeing this "new" Star Wars film. After the movie, I have to admit that I was pretty disappointed. The movie was fairly different from the other Star Wars films and I found Jar Jar Binks to be rather annoying. Also, Nute Gunray and the Trade Federation "aliens" were given Asian accents and some of the Gungans were too. Jar Jar's speech was poking fun of Blacks. Also, the movie simply didn't have to look and feel of the other Star Wars movies that made them so great. That was my first impression when I viewed the movie in the theatre. I recently received the Widescreen edition of the Phantom Menace for my birthday. So I thought, what the heck, why not watch it again. I watched it again and then a few times more and now I have to say that I love it! It may not have the look and feel of the classic Star Wars series but hey, this is a "new Star Wars film." The battles, especially between Obi Wan and Darth Maul were amazing. So, my recommendation to those people who did not like the Phantom Menace is to beg them to watch the film again. Like I said, I didn't like the film when I first viewed it either but if you give it a chance and watch it more than once you will realize just how strong the force is with this movie.
Mission: Impossible II (2000)
Dull until the action...
Mission Impossible 2 is a good movie but is kind of dull until the action sequences kick in. The dialogue is rather cheesy, the story is not the best and, in my opinion, I think the first hour of this film should have been cut out. The chemistry between Tom Cruise and Thandie Newton is very good throughout the movie but it isn't until the John Woo action sequences until this film truly shines. All the action sequences in this movie were very well choreographed and they screamed "John Woo." The Martial Arts were outstanding and it shows that Tom Cruise has knowledge of the martial arts. The motorcycle chase was also a highlight. All in all, Mission Impossible 2 is better than the original movie but I think the first hour should have been cut down. This film should have focussed more on the action sequences. Also check out a cool remix of the Mission Impossible theme performed by Limp Bizkit which can be heard throughout the film.
Natural Born Killers (1994)
One of my favorite movies!
Natural Born Killers is one of my favorite movies. Oliver Stone has made a masterpiece. The first thing I loved about this film was the radical film style that Stone has implemented. Stock film footage constantly plays in the background while the live action is going on in the foreground. This gives the film a surreal, chaotic feel. The images of "demons" and the obsession with the media are also shown repeatedly throughout the film. Natural Born Killers is a shocking film to many because it "glorifies" violence and contains many extreme images throughout. (especially in the director's cut) However, the film is based on all the chaos that is seen through the media in the early 1990s and Mickey and Mallory are simply a result of all the craziness and desensitized state of mind of the youth in our society. Like Godard's film "Weekend," Stone challenges us on what is considered right or wrong in our society. What are the rules? Why are there rules? What is wrong with murder if, as Mickey says, "all of god's creatures do it?" And like the characters in "Weekend," what caused Mickey and Mallory to do what they do? The media? Their "families?" Society in general? These are the many questions, Stone wants us to ask ourselves while viewing this film. Overall, this film is one of my favorites. Look for great performances by Woody Harrelson, Juliette Lewis, Robert Downey Jr. and Tommy Lee Jones. If you buy the director's cut, you will also see a very extremely dramatic performance by Ashley Judd. This movie is highly recommended but some "closed-minded" people might find it too shocking.
Back to the Future (1985)
CLASSIC!!
What else can I say? This movie is CLASSIC! It has everything! Comedy, Sci Fi, Action, Adventure. All the genre's mixed in one. What I love the most about this film is the script and how everything flows so well. Writing a story about time travel is very difficult and many writers usually end up failing. But that is not the case with Back to the Future. The story is believable, funny, adventurous and exciting. Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd and Thomas Wilson are outstanding in this film and I cannot picture any other actor playing their roles. Again, this movie is an absolute classic. I can watch this movie over and over again and I will never get bored. Also watch Part II and III because the Back to the Future Trilogy was intended to be one LONG film! The sequels are just as good as the original.
Nirvana Live! Tonight! Sold Out!! (1994)
Total Nirvana!
This video is amazing. Originally conceived by the late Kurt Cobain, this home video shows footage from various concerts of Nirvana's "Nevermind" tour. The venues range from the small heat-exhausted clubs like the one in Dallas where the song "Love Buzz" is presented to sold out stadiums like the one in Brazil. Aside from concert footage, we see a band backstage fooling around and obviously enjoying themselves. We also see montages of people from the media, people in MTV and people of record companies. These were meshed together very well and it clearly shows how the band was being harassed by the media during the "Nevermind" tour. Anyways, this video is brilliant. Look for outstanding performances of "About A Girl," "Dive," "Breed," "Territorial Pissings," "Drain You," "Sliver" and "Endless Nameless."
Enter the Dragon (1973)
BRUCE LEE!!!
What can I say. This is one of the greatest martial arts films of all time and most importantly, Bruce Lee, master of Jeet Kune Do, is in it! Bruce Lee's presence in this film is inevitable and radiant. His skill, speed and agility are unsurpassed and is portrayed as a tough bad ass! I like the character of Han a lot and he is seen as "totally ruthless." It sucks that Williams was killed by him. Jim Kelly is a great martial artist and his attitude is very similar to Shaft and I found that very humourous. John Saxon was cool too. Typical ignorant, gambler white guy. His fight against Bolo Yeung was a rather "cheap" victory though. The obvious highlights in this film were the fights of Bruce Lee. In the underground scene his strength and agility are truly shown. I wish the nunchucks were used more often in the movie however. Anyways, Enter the Dragon is highly recommended for any fan of Bruce Lee's or any action movie fan. This movie is better than a lot of cheesy, stupid action movies that are being made today. Also, look for cameo appearances by Jackie Chan and Sammo Kam-Bo. They both get their asses kicked by good old Bruce!!