Change Your Image
stevenleadbetter
Reviews
The Girl Next Door (2004)
Where's the Porsche?
Imagine the following scene, if you will.
It's the early eighties and Paul Brickman drops his file. It's a windy day in Hollywood and out of his file spills out his latest script and because of the inclement weather, many of the pages blow away, never to be seen again, at least by him.
Come forward twenty years or so...
Wagner & Goldberg find the lost pieces of Brickman's script and decide to write a movie of their own, using the script they found as the plot. Obviously, they are missing bits, so they fill in said missing bits themselves. ...and this movie is what we're presented with as original.
The above scenario is so plausible because 'The Girl Next Door' borrows many ideas from Brickman's script for 'Risky Business'. Take the high achieving student with the head for business. Take the ne'er-do-well Rebecca De Mornay and transform her into Elisha Cuthbert, from high class hooker to teenage pornstar.
Take the cliched happenstance of risking everything for a recently learned philosophy and the love of a dangerous but good-hearted and misunderstood woman. Our lead in each case goes through a gamut of emotions from initial fear to cool bravado. They both get the girl and the prize by the end, though which one is more important is made abundantly clear to us, as if teaching us the same lesson, as if we needed it repeating.
I see this in a very different light, viewing it now at thirty -five, than when I first saw Risky Business at fourteen. The film is no less for my slightly altered perspective and I'm sure those people viewing it now in their teenage years will call this 'inspired' rather than 'reproduction'.
The lessons are the same, though the approach is slightly different. While Risky Business was a classic of the genre, I assume that when I'm fifty-five, people the age I am now will view this in the same light.
I enjoyed the film and laughed out loud on a couple of occasions. I think this will do more for Cuthbert than any of the main protagonists, more than RB did for De Mornay, certainly. Whether that is deserved or not appears to be unimportant.
Where De Mornay smouldered, but lacked in audience participation, as far as her characters' feelings were concerned, Cuthbert's own character demands more attention, although her ability to exude sexuality is surpassed by De Mornay's x-rated business acumen.
A very good teenage movie. I hate to categorise it as that, but it is difficult to call it anything else. Much better than I was expecting.
Grave Matters (2004)
Grave is the word.
Mike and Christine are a real pair of hicks. They live in the back of beyond and to say their life is not full of joy is something of an understatement. Mike likes to use his fists wherever possible, has a fondness for his beer that he should reserve for his wife and all the charm and grace of an oven ready turkey.
This thankfully short feature lets us delve into a particularly brutal portion of their lives together. The acting is at best, amateurish, and at worst, laughable. Despite it's length, the feature still somehow managed to drag in several places and it's only redeeming features appears to be the bludgeoning of some of it's cast.
The Animatrix: Matrixulated (2003)
Inside the looking glass, peering out.
Spoilers Ahead.
Peter Chung, creator of the cult anime 'Aeon Flux' came late to the Animatrix series and directed probably what is the most philosophical, demanding and difficult pieces of animation in the series.
Chung takes the Matrix philosophy and turns it on it's head. Instead of humans being enveloped, without their knowledge, in an imagined world invented by the machines, this small band of humans have developed their own form of coersion.
Inviting danger to them, they tempt machines to their barren hideaway in the middle of nowhere on the surface of the earth and then 'turn' the machines into human empathising beings through a complex and deliberate use of the Matrix itself.
They 'teach' the machines what it is like to be human. They show compassion, love, fear and a host of other emotions until the machine 'gets it'. At the point which the machines begin to truly understand human feelings, they immediately switch their allegiance to the humans and fight tooth and nail to protect them, seeing them as one of their own. The humans have provided the machines with a spirit, if you like, and the machines grab this new experience, unwary of the real consequences of what they are feeling.
This is an effective tool for the humans. as they have machine allegiances that can protect them. The machines, after having gone through the process, view themselves as human and it is now natural of them to have protective feelings towards the human group that 'turned' them.
If this was the other way around, it may be called brainwashing, though in this scenario, brain-cleaning might be a better term. You can honestly empathise with the feelings of confusion and helplessness felt by the machine during the 'turning' process. You don't feel sorry for the machine as it is being 'educated' but you do wish for a happy outcome for it.
The film is highly psychedelic and takes this course in order to confuse the machine, by placing it in a completely alien world where it has no control and where the laws of mathematics and physics (which all machines live by, obviously) do not apply.
This is all part of the psychological brain ripping needed to transform the machine from an unfeeling intelligence into a being that understands what it is all about to be alive.
Many questions are asked in this picture. Does this make the humans as bad as the machines, in their attempts to fool their enemies into compliance? Does this prove that the humans have actually learnt nothing from their horrifying experiences with the machines? It was after all, their responsibility that the machines overthrew them in the first place.
Does this action by the machines and the same actions by man on machine have the same meaning? It takes the concept of Artificial Intelligence to it's conclusion by turning the whole thing full circle and looking at it from an entirely new perspective and asks if it is right to do it.
An excellent story, combined with outstanding special effects, this film truly makes you stop and think about the actions of both human and machine in the Matrix universe and it's consequences on the real world.
Highly recommended for the Matrix fan in mind.
The Animatrix: Final Flight of the Osiris (2003)
Looked pretty, what about the story...?
Spoilers Ahead.
Of the nine films in this collection, this is clearly the most faithful to the feeling of the original movie script. This jumps in almost directly after the events of the original Matrix movie.
After Neo becomes 'The One' and shoots off, superman-style, we are led to believe that shortly afterwards the adventure on the Osiris takes place.
If you are already familiar with the story then you will no doubt be aware that the Osiris is the sister vessel to the Nebuchadnezzar, the ship manned by Morpheus, Trinity and Neo.
The machines have put a new plan into action to halt the rebellion of Zion. The machines have located Zion underground and are drilling towards it. This is a fact unknown to our brave band thus far, but the crew of the Osiris are about to discover the truth.
The actions taking place in this short film are directly related to the start of the 'Matrix Reloaded' and the events that unfold there.
Like all of the short films in this collection, this is produced by the Wachowski Brothers themselves. Created by Square USA, this Final Fantasy-esque adventure is pure eye-candy. In truth it does little more than set the scene for the beginning of the second film in the trilogy and does not (story or plot-wise) stand up to close scrutiny.
Though beautiful to look at, it is touted as much more than this but fails to deliver in almost every other department. Following the jaw-dropping swordfight at the beginning of the film we are then led down a pedestrian path, plotwise, of the Osiris' attempts to escape from the Matrix's Sentinels. In an attempt to lose the Sentinels they head down an uncharted tunnel, flying at whirlwind speed in the Osiris.
Accidentally they find themselves at the surface of the planet and they are greeted by a site that chills them to their very marrow. Hundreds of thousands of Sentinels working furiously in co-operation with a huge drilling machine.
They quickly deduce that the machines have located the underground city of Zion and are drilling straight down into it. The last bastion of man would surely fall if the machines were to reach it after years of searching.
Knowing they must get this information to Zion, but knowing they will never get there, Jue (our female lead)is despatched into the Matrix to post a package that will ensure the rest of the human race will know what the machines plans are.
Again we are treated to some stunning special effects with the action jumping smoothly from Jue's acrobatics in the Matrix to the plight of Thadeus, captain of the Osiris and his attempts to give Jue some time to get the message posted safely.
Ultimately the Osiris is overcome by the legion of Sentinels they are running from, a referral to which is made in the second motion picture in the trilogy.
In summary, this is a very enjoyable, if simple, prequel to the events taking place in the Matrix Reloaded. As I said, it is quite stunning to look at, but for all of the appearance, it's content is lacking. If the intention was merely to enlighten us to the upcoming plot, then it really needn't have bothered as we quickly ascertain the goings on when the second picture starts. It is difficult, I understand, to feel anything for the characters as they are all new and we don't get to learn very much about them in the short time we have with them, but more could have been made of this, which is little more than a beautifully rendered extended trailer for the new (at the time) movie.
Blow (2001)
Real Life, Catching Up
You have to feel for George Jung. Depp has portrayed this iconic (to some) individual with such completeness that despite all of his faults (and there are many) you still can't help but feel that he was misunderstood and ultimately unfortunate. He was a criminal, but by the time he'd worked out the real cost of his crimes, it was already too late.
There is truth in the old adage that there is two sides to every story and this is defintely the story told from Jung's point of view. Really beginning in Miami in the seventies, it tracks the career aspirations of George Jung particularly, but also his partners in crime.
Here was a man trying to make a stupendous living, seeing his enterprise completely differently from everyone else around him. As his father states when Jung comes to visit whilst on the run,'you would have been good at anything, George'. This certainly seems true and you feel that this would have been a very different story if he hadn't moved to Miami in the first place. He simply aspired to greatness in whatever grabbed his attention. He viewed dealing in drugs as a public service and didn't understand that what he was doing warranted the punishment he received.
There were many times thoughout the picture where you felt for George. His encounter with Diego Delgado's cocaine babysitters for one, or the first meeting with the 'Boss of it all', Pablo Escobar. These were dangerous times he was living in, but he felt the rewards were worth the risks, at the time.
After the birth of his daughter, his view begins to change. Everything goes according to plot. The rise and rise followed, inevitably, by the fall and fall. He loses all of his wealth as his funds are appropriated by the Bolivian government. This is at the time of his life where decided to quit the business and just be a father to his daughter. This does not go down well with his wife, played by Cruz.
You feel that Jung was, is, and always would be a chancer. He survived from beginning to end having light bulb flashes of inspiration and acting upon them. Often these flashes would cost him dearly, but he continued to live by them, no matter how often they appeared to get him in extremely hot water.
There was no real organisation to him, aside from a couple of pilots, a couple of planes, shipping this cargo to where it needed to be. Considering the eventual size of his operation, he handled it in what would seem a very slaphanded and sloppy way, as he had always done. He excelled at being a beach front dealer, working for change, but his transition to drug lord appeared to be over his head. He was in a very different league and this showed all too often.
The theory of 'honour amongst thieves' is lacking in entirety and makes for an interesting aside to the story of Jung himself and creates a sense of reality and luck in the picture. Maybe George was too trusting. Even his own Mother turned him in to the police when he came to visit.
This suggests that the man who made millions was somewhat easy to deceive and stretches the credibility of an individual who needs to be more wily than that in order to maintain the position he alone created. Mostly amiable, Depp's character must be walking around wondering what hit him as so little of his success appears to be down to planning. He almost falls over his opportunities, unprepared.
This is why he spent so much time in prison. This man practically introduced cocaine the the United States, a lofty claim indeed, coming from a man who seems merely to have 'lucked' into it.
As I said, you have to feel for the man himself. He is portrayed as a genuinely good person under all of this dangerous and sordid activity. He simply wanted to make alot of money and was none too bothered about how he achieved it (except under certain circumstances). He stood up for his friends, risking his life at least once for Diego. He was betrayed by those same friends, but in the most part, was big enough to forgive them for their sins against him.
He does realise that at the end of it all, that his daughter is more important to him than anything else. He only fully appreciates this when he is prison (not for the first time) and his daughter refuses to visit him, after breaking his promises once too often. 'I thought you couldn't live without your heart'.
A sad and cautionary tale for anyone who doesn't appreciate the finer things in life. For those prepared to risk everything for the sake of the mighty dollar. The movie screams 'you should know better' at you. Unfortunately George didn't and although you identify with his feelings at the end of the movie (if nowhere else), you stop several times throughout the film, for example when his daughter is being carried away into care, and think that even with the promise of all the wonderful things he has experienced, you would not be in the same boat as him, no matter what the benefit to you. A lesson in real life, by someone who has just learnt, though late, what it is really all about.
Identity (2003)
I Wish This Man Wasn't There
I mean me, naturally.
Having literally just seen the film, I have to say I was sadly disappointed by it. Perhaps my brain is becoming as pliable as my belly these days as I was drawn in to see this, purely on hype alone. I really should have known better.
I love John Cusack, always have done (with the exception of America's Sweethearts and Serendipity) so I was expecting fairly decent things.
Whilst the acting was passable by all, the lame story and the cliches laid on with a trowel were just too much for me. If you hadn't guessed the ending by at least 40 minutes into the film, then you need your bumps feeling. The jumps failed to appear as you could see the surprises coming more so in this venture than in many others I've seen.
It seems that this is all a little lazy in it's creation and is merely another conveyor churned movie, made for people who like their frights simple and their plot none too complicated. I'm sorry if I come across as highbrow, but I was really annoyed by this cheap imitation.
I'd like to say that there was some saving grace and that may have been the acting as Liotta, Peet and Cusack all performed admirably with the material they had been given, but even that is not enough to save it from drowning.
Implausable at best, it tries to convince you otherwise. If the film were to stick to reality or choose total fantasy, this may have come off better, but dressing it up as something it isn't won't fool anyone, I'm afraid.
I won't ruin the plot for you, as there is little enough of it to begin with, but suffice to say you won't have to work too hard to get the point.This would be ok if it wasn't trying to sell itself on it's own intelligent thriller status, which it certainly isn't.
5/10 (4 for the acting and 1 point for the rain)
The Mothman Prophecies (2002)
Harmless
Not the scariest movie in the world, by any stretch of the imagination, but I didn't have that preconception about it before I saw it, so I wouldn't have been disappointed anyway. Gere is perfectly excellent as the troubled Washington Post reporter John Klein and there is a perfectly credible supporting cast to boot. On the whole and without giving too much away the scariest part of the film was wondering was Klein would unnearth next, rather than anything else. It is intruiging that it's based on a true story (well, true as it can be, given Hollywood directives) which certainly helps. This was another fact I was unaware of prior to viewing the picture.
Scariest part of the film was 'that phone call' he nearly had with his wife.
Memento (2000)
Where's Your Head At?
This film was just confusing enough to watch as it must have seemed to live to Leonard. This was the idea, I think. I must say I enjoyed the film immensley, despite being lost fo words and wishing I could ask them to slow down and ask questions of the characters to help me piece it all together. I know how Leonard felt, that's for sure.
Excellent film, but you need to concentrate on it as fully as possible or you may miss something.
A Beautiful Mind (2001)
Well, I liked it, regardless.
OK, the problem with a recreation of either a story that has been filmed before, written down in ink or happened in actuality, is that the retelling is never accurate. OK, so John Nash may well have been portayed as more of a saint than is actual. But I take umbrage at those that comment that this is a lesser film for it's license to bend the facts. As a biography of a nobel prize winners life, it doesn't stand up to much close scrutiny, but as a piece of cinematic entertainment it is as fine a piece of cinema as I have seen all year. I am continually surprised by Russell Crowe's acting abilities. I was reminded of 'The Insider' almost straight away, in that 'little man, fighting against the odds' kind of way.
Ed Harris is, as usual, brilliant, if a little underused.
The most surprising performance of all was that of Jennifer Connelly. I have previously seen her in her many varied roles but never have I been so impressed with her. This is far and away the best performance of an eclectic career so far.
If the detractors of this film think of this as cinema, and not biography, these people may just gain more from it than they have so far. Happilly, I can say there is more than one Oscar nomination expected from me for this picture.
Thir13en Ghosts (2001)
Death of the Bakers Dozen
It's been a fairly good second part of the year for horror movies. Jeepers Creepers was very entertaining if lacking something in plot, second part of the year for horror movies. Not brilliant or outstanding by any means, but definitely fairly good. I was expecting a good deal from this offering. It is difficult to throw a decent plot into the mix of stunning and frightening visuals. The plot here is simplistic and doesn't overshadow the point of the film which is, obviously, to make you jump. More graphic and less atmospheric than Jeepers Creepers, it fails to make you feel for the characters, with the exception of Cyrus, the mad-scientist-cum-evil-uncle-cum potential master of the universe. It has a happy ending which s out of character for fright movies at the moment. On the whole, rippingly good stuff. Not as disturbing as The Cell' or as gory as Hellraiser', but a combination of the two.
Legally Blonde (2001)
No film should rely on the looks of the lead.
Reece Witherspoon stars as a blonde who thinks of little more than what nail varnish to wear, or this seasons shoes, until the love of her life dumps her for being too stupid. She takes on school with new verve in order to prove that she is smart and to get into Harvard, where said love of her life is studying. What follows is a pleasant little tale of good-natured, well-intentioned innocence. Reece Witherspoon is so likeable in this, that I am hard-pressed to say anything against her or the film. But, saying that, it doesn't have an awful lot going for it either. If I gave it an average score, it wouldn't be justice. Something that the film relies on to a certain degree, so I'll have to say that it's some way beneath that.
What Women Want (2000)
Title says it all.
As with Bridget Jones's Diary', this isn't a chick flick. A fair few chaps I know had been put off both movies from what they'd heard from women that they knew. Bridget Jones became empowered and in this offering we see an already empowered woman who is also vulnerable, as are most women in this picture, to Mel Gibson's mind-reading prowess. It only works on women, by the way. True, it is a moralistic tale, no matter how it may try to hide it. Gibson's character had been brought up in Vegas and his mother was a showgirl. As the film states, very early on, this is no the ideal upbringing for the feministic male. Not surprisingly then that he turns out to be as close to a gigolo as you can get without actually breaking the law. A serial abuser of women in relationships, he discovers his new boss is indeed a woman and his first thought on hearing the news is that she must be a hard-faced bitch. Suffice to say that he is proved wrong by the end of the picture as it desperately tries to educate men that there is more to women than what underwear they are wearing. It makes its point subtly and with feeling. Gibson's character, with this insight of being able to read into the minds of women everywhere suddenly gains new perspective on the people around him and subsequently, we are led to believe, becomes a better person for it. He doesn't, however, go slightly bonkers, as would seem far more realistic and appropriate. This movie is as harmless as it is thoughtless. This is a poke in the eye for men everywhere who are threatened by their female boss, their partners that earn more money than they do. In fact, it represents women in a very good light. Men, alternatively, do not come off so well. Men could do worse than to watch this movie and see what they may be missing. The more astute men amongst us are already aware of what we are missing and we have our heads down, hoping it will pass us by without spotting us, cowering in the corner. Both Hunt and Gibson are very good at this relationship stuff and they work very well together, the Casting Director can feel suitably chuffed at a job well done. I watched this film without prompting of any kind, from any woman. Does this mean I am a well-rounded new man? Nope, I fancy Helen Hunt, so I would have watched it anyway, never mind the content. Ouch, smacks of male chauvinism there, I think. If they'd cast an ugly old boot to play Hunt's role, would it have been so successful? Would the message have been lost for the sake of the right pretty face'. It's an admirable attempt at making a perfectly legitimate point, but falls at the first hurdle. That being, it is easier to be a successful businesswoman if you are also gorgeous to boot. Men will endure more hardship if they can get into bed with a beautiful woman, no matter how bright, funny or good at her job she is. It's a sad fact of life, however, that if you don't look as good as Helen Hunt, you may find your man is not always as patient.
Monsters, Inc. (2001)
Not much new to chew on here.
I have been heard to mention my anticipation of this title in recent weeks. Now that I have finally got my peepers on it, I have to say that it wasn't really my cup of tea. I have a three-year-old son who is difficult to please as far as his entertainment is concerned and, suffice to say, he lost interest in this within half an hour. He adores Toy Story 2 and Tarzan, and can watch them (and has) repeatedly. The fear that a large proportion of ticket-buyers have come to view the now obligatory Attack Of The Clones' trailer is well founded it seemed, with large numbers of the audience leaving before the commencement of the movie. This may account for it's auspicious first weekend record-breaking figures. Anyhow, Star Wars aside. Monsters Inc is very pretty, very cute, very Disney, very Pixar. I first heard about it after buying the Tigger Movie DVD for my son. It seemed quite brilliant at the time, what little I gleaned from the all too brief trailer. I won't ruin the plot for you, but it is basically Toy Story with different characters. Instead of toys that secretly lead a life away from their owners, we now have monsters that are thought of as figments of the child's imaginings. They survive off the screams of children and around the clock they sneak through children's closet, and scare the bejeezus out of them. (Some have more success than others) Billy Crystal and John Goodman are excellent as the main protagonists but the rest of the characters are second rate and fail to inspire any feeling about them. There is a scene reminiscent of Toy Story 2 (Sorry to harp back to this again, it is difficult not to when both films or so similar) when Woody and the gang are trying to save Jessie at the Airport, jumping from suitcase to suitcase. This time we have a countless collection of doors which are used to enter the bedroom of the children the monsters scare, thousands of them hanging from conveyors. This makes for an entertaining chase, but it's been done before, as has most of the movie really. Perhaps some insight from Nick Park or the rest of Aardman Animation would be of some benefit, as their films are quite astonishing in their originality and timing. A picture that is immense fun, but as a wisened old Disney buff, I feel it is more of the same immense fun that we have seen many times before.
America's Sweethearts (2001)
I feel ill. Must be all the sugar.
With a cast you would give your high teeth for, along comes another of those 'bite the hand that feeds us' movies. A comedy that pokes fun at it's own movie industry. Seems that Hollywood appears to be showing too little imagination recently. Yesterday 'Zoolander' and now this. Taking media based industry and ridiculing it for all it's worth. The difference between 'Zoolander' and this is clearly one of experience. Both take their subject matter and twist it until it becomes so distorted that it becomes entertaining. Joe Roth's vision is far more complete than Ben Stiller's attempt but less complex, making it more accessible to the masses. Julia Roberts, Catherine Zeta-Jones, John Cusack and Billy Crystal in one movie? Seems like a clash of personalities. Billy Crystal comes out clearly on top and it is obvious he is most comfortable in this type of movie-making. He delivers it with compunctual ease, slipping from 'When Harry Met Sally' to 'City Slickers' with no apparent join. Zeta-Jones seems to struggle the most, and never really casts a shadow on the erstwhile Roberts. Hank Azaria plays the Spaniard and Christopher Walken shows up to play a Director with an artists' eye. He is also clearly quite bonkers to boot. I was pleasantly surprised and was entertained after a dodgy first fifteen minute opening. Not bad, not really good, can do better. (5/10)
Jeepers Creepers (2001)
Boo!!!
Attention Spoiler Alert
This caught my eye on America's Top Ten Chart only the other day. It was appearing at number three in the chart this week, scaring audiences all over the good ol' USA. First thing that struck me was it's length. It is a short film. Opening with a long shot of the two main characters in their car on the way home from College for the holidays. Now I would never call this film original as it borrows from many movies. I was only two minutes into the first scene before Kurt Russell's troubles with a gang of kidnappers drifted into my mind. I was immediately drawn, however, to the lead characters, both with some snappy, well-written dialogue. Falling down a hole near an abandoned church in an effort to save a dying man would seem to be enough to tip many over the edge. On discovering a cellar full of corpses in various states of dismemberment, our players are then on the run from our bad guy, who has been sniffing around after them, literally. The killer beheads a police officer and then promptly rips his tongue out with his teeth in front of our terrified brother and sister, who are quickly on their way again, knowing that they will be for the high jump, should our killer catch up with them, which inevitably he (or should I say it) does. Finding out that the killer is not human is something of a let-down, not re-inforcing the fear factor of reality. Still, there is a twist in tale. As with Blair Witch, all is not well in the end. A finale that used to spell damnation for a movie in the US is now being viewed as de rigeur. All does not end happily for our male lead, who ends up on a slab, whilst having his eyes removed. The long continued shot of the house in which his screams emanate is mesmeric, as you wait to see his fate. In summary, a far better piece of cinema than I was expecting and one I would have been upset to miss. A uncomfortable blend of the Scream Trilogy and the aforementioned Blair Witch Project. Good, nasty fun.
Scary Movie 2 (2001)
Lost for words
This is the reason American's have such a bad reputation over here. They can be capable of such wonderful things and yet still produce this. I cannot believe what passes for entertainment these days, really I can't.
I am only kidding. True, this is probably the most throwaway of all the movies recently reviewed but it completes all of its objectives. Point being is that there were never any to start with. It is a comedy, liberally stealing ideas, dialogue etc. from many other movies but never tries to excuse itself for what it knows it is. A pointless waste of time. This is candyfloss at the fair when you've already eaten too much. You don't really want it, but what the hell, I'll have it anyway. I laughed out loud on a couple of occasions as it took film-making to new wondrous lows. I have seen worse, (it's on this list) but not much.
American Pie 2 (2001)
Ho ho ho.
Jim and his Dad are back! After Jim's first rude awakening with Nadia was broadcast live on the Internet, it would appear that there was no place lower to go. This obviously didn't take into account the kissing of his friends in order to get some girl-on-girl action up close, or covering his private parts accidentally in superglue, requiring a trip to the hospital in front of most of the town. This is truly the 'Porky's' of it's generation. Infantile, childish, gratuitous, but very funny in parts. If you want to sit in front of a movie screen, staring at it like a gibbon and not have to worry about thinking, then this is the picture for you. Clearly not for sane and rational thinking human beings. If you're a under-sexed teenager however, you are sure to love it, as you will have a lot in common with the main protagonists. (4/10)
Hearts in Atlantis (2001)
Hopkins excels again.
Anthony Hopkins' latest venture sees him teaming up with Stephen King of all people. After proving that he can write other than horror for the screen with 'The Green Mile' he follows it up with this little pearler. King returns to familiar territory with a vision of Smalltown, USA that has been visited before in films like 'Pet Sematary', 'It' and 'Stand By Me.' This time we are taken back to the what would appear to be the late fifties, early sixties to a time where children were more innocent, but the adults were just as deceptive. Bobby-O's father has died and his mother has a slighty more warped recollection of her husband than her son. Working hard to bring up her son and keep herself in new dresses, she consequently has little time for him. Ted (Hopkins) moves in upstairs and it's clear from the outset that this old man is clearly running from something, which inevitably catches up with him. Bobby and Ted strike up a bond that works excellently. With glorious performances and direction that conveys the period and the attitudes of those living in it perfectly, this was a delightful picture. A joy to watch.
The Others (2001)
Where did I put my keys?
Kidman has been busy. The second film from this versatile actor in as many nights. While I fawned over last nights offering 'Moulin Rouge', I have to say that this left me feeling a little cheated. 'The Sixth Sense' had reminded us to think about a film while it's showing rather than after it has finished, or you may miss something important. This comes too soon after that wonderful film. The outcome too obvious and one too many ends not tied up evenly enough for my liking. Excellent performances from most though the children (bless them) were not up to anything like scratch, especially after seeing the likes of Haley Joel Osment at work. Jersey - 1945. Two sickly children and their mother are holed up in a mansion, never seeing the light of day due to a rare light sensitive condition. The husband had failed to return home from the war, though he does make a cursory appearance later on. It seems that they (and the servants) are not alone in the house. The eponymous 'Others' are visiting them. Much roaming about in the dark ensues and there is much made of locking doors and things that go bump in the night. Needless to say, in an effort to match the previously mentioned Shalaman picture, there is a surprise at the end. It may have stood in greater standing if it didn't if the truth be known. The audience is expecting a twist these days and these people should know this and not make the surprise so darned obvious. I worked it out early on and spent the rest of the picture waiting for it to be announced to everyone else. Nice locale, nice score, nice acting but shabby writing and the plot was thin to breaking in parts. A valiant effort, but an effort unrewarded.
Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001)
Haven't I Seen This Before?
Classic Disney Fodder. Host of big names doing voice-overs. Cliched baddies. Noble causes. Happy endings. As I said, just plain usual. No apparent graphical enhancements since Disney's last few feature outings. Personally I await 'Monsters Inc.', with more anticipation than this offering. Not to say that this was not enjoyable as it was and the story, as usual, will appeal to both children and adults. This adult has seen for too much of his wholesome mulch before, however, and it brought nothing outstanding to a Disney catalogue already burdened with titles not dissimilar to this. Michael J Fox and Leonard Nimoy, amongst others, all make characters believable, but as I said, it has all been done before. A winning formula no doubt, but it would be nice if Disney stretched themselves like they did when making the technological leap to 'The Lion King'. Harmless, bland and average.
The Score (2001)
Hmm. Unfortunate.
Blah, blah, blah.three best actors of their respective generations.blah blah blah. Heard it all before and didn't agree with it the first or any of the subsequent times. Marlon Brando suits his role. Robert De Niro suits his role. Even Edward Norton (the single most talented actor of the three and my own personal favourite) manages to get a little into his role. It is true that it does indeed make a formidable cast of leading men, but the content of the picture lets them all down. The obligatory twist and turn do keep you guessing until the end, but nothing about this picture makes the viewer come alight. Not crisp enough to come across as anything other than rushed in the making, I feel. I find it difficult to make further comment, as there is so little to say about it. The acting makes up (to a certain extent) the inadequacies of the plot.
Unbreakable (2000)
Clearly not been fixed.
Interesting. Proof that lightning does not in fact strike twice in the same spot. M.Knight Shyamlan and Bruce Willis collaborate again in this drama about a man who suddenly realises that he cannot be injured and he's actually a modern day superhero. Samuel L Jackson is responsible for Willis coming to this rather lofty conclusion. The direction is superb, the acting not so. 'The Sixth Sense' was an absolute joy and this was never going to be even close to being on a par with that little gem. No Haley Joel Osment for a start, though the token child star copes quite admirably. The difference in quality is startling, however. I'm left with the impression the Mr Shyamlan really had to make 'The Sixth Sense' extremely good in order to make a name for himself. After that worked perfectly well, he seems to have lapsed into a 'let's get it in the can' mentality. The picture, though not short, finishes way too early and it seems on first seeing the film, that the budget was eaten up fairly early, and they had been wracking their brains to come up with a quick ending that wouldn't prove to be too expensive. They appear to have achieved this, to the detriment of the picture, unfortunately. I expected something far less sloppy and hastily pasted up.
A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)
Too Artificial?
Haley Joel Osment plays a child-like robot whose sole goal in life is to get his 'mother' to love him. After being abandoned by his 'owners' when their real son wakes from a coma, Osment falls into more robotic company in the form of Jude Law, a 'Lover Robot'. The two follow an arduous journey, avoiding the humans who both fear and despise their kind. The finale of his conquest being his meeting with the Blue Fairy from whom he believes he can gain mortality and become a 'real' boy. There are several references to 'Pinocchio' which is understandable if a little simplistic.
'Don't believe the hype' would be a suitable adage here, I feel. Not living up to its press is something that is all too apparent. Originally a Stanley Kubrick idea, this movie was still in embryonic form at the time of his death. Steven Spielberg decided to let this idea blossom. Come away from this feeling vaguely empty and you could be forgiven. Osment, as usual, provides an excellent performance for his age and this shows that 'The Sixth Sense' was not an act of luck. A better supporting cast in the aforementioned work may explain this sense of disappointment. Entertaining enough in the short term but has little lasting value to mark it out for particular merit. On the whole, little more than average, which is unfortunate, as I was expecting a good deal more.
The Cell (2000)
Whoa there !!!
Another movie that surprised me. I knew little about the content prior to actually sitting down and watching. I did have a vague idea of the subject matter, and it may have been that which drew me to it.
Potential Spoiler coming.
Jennifer Lopez plays a psychiatrist who works in a facility that enables them to enter the minds of others. Reason being, to get through to them if they are in a coma, primarily. A serial killer is apprehended and has fallen into a coma and someone needs to get into his head to find out where he has hidden his last victim, who they are sure is alive, if his past exploits are anything to go by. True enough, she is alive but not for long. Her life is on a timer and they need to get to her fast. This makes for a fascinating peek into the director's version of the mind of a serial killer. This proves to be a very entertaining and uncomfortable picture, capturing the mind of our killer quite beautifully, in all its captivating and miserable honesty. Like watching an accident from a passing car, it is not possible to tear your eyes away from some of the horrors. Not nightmarish in a circus/barnpot type way, but disturbing in a forbidding and threatening fashion. You don't feel Lopez is in any real danger physically, but you fear she may lose her mind, which would appear to be far scarier. I loved the picture. It's use of lighting and sets were exemplary and Lopez seems to enjoy her role, judging by her believable portayal. Not enjoyable but doing everything it can very well to disturb the viewer. Well made and portayed, more than received, I expect.
Snatch (2000)
Not Lock Stock.
A gangster story revolving around the sale and subsequent loss of an 84-carat diamond. Much undercover goings-on, with some fine performances directed by Mr. Madonna, Guy Ritchie. Vinnie Jones, Mike Reid and Brad Pitt all play their parts, but the story primarily follows the adventures of Turkish, the boxing promoter-cum-inept criminal and his efforts to promote Mickey (Pitt) in bare-knuckled fistfights, which are rigged for the sake of the reddies. Very much character driven, the story lacks depth and plays the 'Lock, Stock' card far too often to be called original in any sense. Entertaining nonetheless, but in a forgettable way. A film that has tossed away it's best lines without too much care and attention. 'This is a boxing match, not a tickling competition', for instance. As I said, the plot is thin and it appears that the story fell together by accident, though the characters are both credible and believable. Thumbs up for the casting and acting roles. Not something I would take my children to watch due to the choice language and graphic violence and also not a picture I would choose to view again, though it was enjoyable in a one-off sense. The writers could do better than this, as could the actors who agreed to be in it, though not desperately so. Acceptable for it's target audience, but would be found wanting by most others.