godmovingoverwater Reviews

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

A film for the fans by a fan

[9/10 · 10 October 2002]

This film gets extra points just for getting made. I'm one of the hordes of fans that LOVE the books and know the characters and story's better than our own families - and I was satisfied.

Peter Jackson is a brave man and (thank God) a loyal fan of the books.

The only way this film could have been better would be to make it into a 18 hour film and include all of the subtle elements in the book.

I'm mystified by those that think this film is dull. Enough action and story to keep even the most attention deficit individual entertained. I would say if anything the film was too fast paced - trying to squeeze so much into a mere 3 hours.

Really, who isn't dying to see Two Towers in December?

The Ice Storm (1997)

Depressing as Hell and worth every consideration

[7/10 · 3 October 2002]

The first time I viewed this film I found it boring and pointless - actually falling asleep at one point. However, it left a sliver in my brain that just wouldn't go away.

A week later I watched it again, and realized what a brilliant film this is. Not boring but subtle.

Comparisons to American Beauty are quite valid, however the approach taken by Ang Lee is quite different and very effective. This is the 'American Dream' twisted and misguided. Beautifully showing what happens - what always happens - when we lose sight of the things that really matter in our lives for the sake of instant gratification and material desires.

Depressing as hell and worth every consideration.

The Deer Hunter (1978)

One Shot

[8/10 · 3 October 2002]

Brilliant and depressing film. This isn't intended to be a 'Summer Blockbuster' or 'War Movie' - rather it's a character study showing the effects of the Vietnam War on a group of small town steel workers.

These Vets didn't go on to be ping-pong champions, or shrimp boat captains. They died, were left crippled, and were emotionally traumatised.

Many reviewers have dismissed the film on the basis of a very long intro scene. Without the wedding scene, we would have no idea what the lives of the characters were like before the effects of the war. The wedding is simply a vehicle that allows us to explore in depth the characters lives (even if a few of the characters are quite shallow). It is a complete circle, De Niro becomes the Vet he meets at the wedding.

The ending scene at the wake, where everyone sings "God Bless America" is one of the most gripping scenes in modern film history. The loss of youth, innocence, and idealism fully explored in a film made only 5 years after the fall of Saigon - when the wounds of the war were still all too fresh on the American psyche.

A great film, but perhaps too complicated for a modern audience looking for a series of spectacular actions scenes packed into 90 minutes.