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Lost Signs (2007– )
2/10
Still waiting for a quality French-Belgian sci-fi show
19 July 2007
Just saw the final episode of this miniseries on our national public Television (RTBF - Belgium) and the least that could be said is that the title itself is the total opposite of the content.

Unfortunately, the plot is easily predictable (more on this below), the screenplay is childish, the acting is poor (note that the actors cannot be blamed on this point, some cast members have already seen in other productions with a lot more consistency to their part), special effects are so-so.

Probably the worst weakness in the series is how the audience is considered stupid and unable to understand situations without being told what is obvious on the screen. And of course there are those numerous re-shots, sometimes through even one episode.

On the positive side we can pick some interesting pieces of score and a photography generally good, unfortunately spoiled by some show-off camera effects.

As for the plot, one might expect some elements of science-fiction or at least a bit of mystery (hence the title), but as said before, mystery, there is none but a few, and the scenario revolves more around secret military operations, police investigation and family drama. Don't expect any introspection of the human spirit, or too many illuminations about possible alien life, those are merely diluted in what could be else described as a "typical French soap".

To illustrate the poor quality of the base material, I'll just say that the spine of the story is based upon mysterious apparitions of crop circles. As those were mysterious and cool ten years ago, it has been widely accepted today that those are obviously not alien-made. People don't even bother to watch when one appears (which happened a few weeks before the opening of the show) Honestly, I do not see the need of spending too much time in front of this show, most of what is seen there has already been shown somewhere else, and unfortunately this show does not contains the best elements found in earlier works.
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Daredevil (2003)
7/10
What you saw in the theaters was not Daredevil
16 March 2005
When I first saw the theater release, I saw a movie with poor action sequences badly put together without an inch of consistency.

2 years later, I give the Director's cut a try (I really like those comics superheroes), and as I recognize that the poor action sequences are still there, this version contains a whole bunch of character development that is the essence of Daredevil. The 30 minutes added do slow the movie down a bit, but for the better, you get to see the duality into Murdock (Ben Affleck)'s eyes, the conflict between justice and evil. This director's cut is the version we should have seen in the theaters, 133 minutes is not that long.

My vote was originally 4, today I give it a 7. Just give it a try.
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8/10
*Not* the new family oriented comedy with B. Poelvoorde
11 August 2004
Well the only problem of this movie is the marketing campaign, it has been sold as the latest comedy in town, and it is one of the first gore Z-rated movie in a very long time.

Compare it to Bad Taste, any horror flick from the 50's, or eventually to a Troma movie (there is nothing like lesbian-vampire-sex scene in this one). If you like those things, you'll agree that while this movie does not renew the genre and is only a sort of modern version of those oldies, we haven't seen this kind of things since the mid-eighties.

Amazing that someone financed this stuff in 2004 (but rumors say that producers signed the contract based on the actors and did not read the first drafts...)

10/10 !
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8/10
a UFO...
26 June 2003
this is by far one of the most surprising movie I have seen in a long time...

First, its style is unique, the animation techniques are used in a very clever way, giving the movie a mixed look not seen onto the screen: from the 1920's black and white opening which at first looks misplaced, until you understand the genius behind placing 80 years old humour in the opening, later some scenes are given a unique "Belgian's strip" (its not quite comics) touch, by the end you will see one of the most surprising car chase ever (a Limousine version of the old Citroen 2cv...). But all this is just about the look of the picture...

When you come to characters, you realize everybody depicted there is a caricature: small Frenchies with big red wine-filled noses, fat americans, stupid boy scout, mafia bodyguards, and let's not forget the (fantastic, hilarous, marvelous) doggie.. this one is a blast... you even get to see Mickey Mouse himself if you really pay attention... but let's say "in a not very respectfull posture"... yep the message is clear, the mouse is not the movie maker's favorite animated character... I would say that most of what is shown is a caricature of what you usually see on the bigscreen...

But above everything else, you have the storyline, what to say about it ? don't know... the writer had the genius to tell a story without a single line of dialogue (sometimes you can hear someone's speaking but it's more part of the soundtrack...) but it deserves the movie very well, there is no *need* of diaogue there, situations are clear enough to understand what is going on. So what is the plot ? beleive me it is twisted... and better unspoiled...

There is one warning though: this is not the politically correct childish garbage you take the kids to, this is an adult feature, some scenes are quite unadapted to children, and that makes the movie great !
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Avalon (2001)
9/10
visionary, but not for everyone
9 January 2003
I heard lot of thing before my first screening of Avalon, mostly that it was long, lacked action sequences, and most of all it was boring.

Fortunately, I wanted to see it by myself, I was far from disapointed, indeed I consider this a masterpiece.

The subject is about this border between reality and virtuality and about a player mixing the reality of his life and the reality of a videogame. I won't spoil the movie here but I can tell you than more than once I doubted about the perception of reality.

Aestetically, this movie is bluffing, really, far from the today standards, really innovative. The soundtrack is also quite different from what you've heard before.

But I understand poeple who didn't like this movie: it is quite confusing, it uses lots of long and quite sequences to make you feel how boring the "physical" existence can be, as opposed as the "virtual hero" a player can be, respected by all.

This movie is not entertainment, it is a vision, and a very convincing one too.
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4/10
When will someone tell Spielberg to stop making movies ?
3 October 2002
when I left the theatre, only one thought came to my mind: what a shame !

What a shame that Spielberg had to direct this movie ! He screwed the whole experience with his style, lack of creativity, and let's say it, the "Spielberg" touch: the child element...

This Child element is there from the very begining of the Spielberg career... Jaws ? he was there, not saying much yet, we didn't see it at first, but it was there... next ? Encounters: don't tell me you didn't see this one coming.. after that ? E.T., Jurrassic Park, A.I., and now... Minority Report !

argh this was supposed to be a good flick, with a nice plot, a well constructed environment (well this part was the work of Mr Dick isn't it), good acting (yes Tom Cruise is indeed teriffic) the problem of this movie is the style itself: Bad camerawork (dynamic movement does not make a nice movie...), bad editing, lack of rythm (gosh those 2+ hours looked long...), already-too-much-seen blue color all over the movie, supposed to give a cold futuristic style... and let's say it again: the "Child" element...

There is still something destroying the experience of this flick: everything you see has already been shown, sooner, somewhere else... lot of times !

and gosh this was supposed to be a "dark" environment, with more violence, less... PG-13 stuffs...

enough said, the best way to make up your mind is to see the movie !
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