adams225 Reviews

Star Stories (2006–2008)

highly amusing

[9/10 · 26 April 2012]

ignore the humourless sock-ironing pseudo-intellectuals who have dismissed star stories as unfunny and crass - it is supposed to be crass, vulgar, and full of cheap shots. it is a satirical mockery of celebrity depictions in the media, and a joyous celebration of nonsensical rumours that are so frequently taken as gospel by the general public.

the overall tone is slapstick, archaic, and somewhat juvenile - but watch closely and you will find line after line of pure gold. the depictions of various stars are eccentric, exaggerated, and ridiculous - just the way the media likes to portray them.

star stories is NOT serious satire by any means - it is a celebration of all that deserves to be mocked - watch the tom cruise episode, and the heather mills episode - and it is done in a delightfully irreverent and shameless manner. there is genius at work in star stories, and they are not afraid to indulge in a bit of tom-foolery, which may put some people of. if you take pleasure in ridiculousness and cheerful mockery, then this is for you! QUALITY ENTERTAINMENT!

The Tunnel (I) (2011)

very good indeed

[9/10 · 16 November 2011]

yet another documentary-footage foray into horror.... but this one succeeds. intriguing from the outset, believable characters, and excellent location work makes this movie highly enjoyable.

ever since Cannibal Holocaust and the slightly more recent Blair Witch Project, there has been an upsurge of this style of film-making. from the big budget spectacular - Cloverfield - to the more low-key likes of The Last Exorcism and The Magician - this medium has become increasingly commonplace. some fail, some entertain, and some kick arse.

this one kicks arse in spectacular fashion. very atmospheric, unpredictable, and with a sinister antagonist, i loved this film.

as an englishman, i like seeing my antipodean cousins coming up with the goods. this is in my top ten Aussie movies no doubt....

Aussie HORROR PAR EXCELLENCE!

The Wicker Man (2006)

unimpressive

[2/10 · 14 October 2011]

poor remake/update of a classic that required neither re-making or up-dating. very disappointing, as i loved the original and was genuinely expecting a film that would at least show some reverence for the material.

NOPE! just your typical American trashy nonsense. to be fair, it did hold my attention, and there are some nice visuals, but that really doesn't justify its existence.

Cage's performance is unremarkable... but that's no surprise. his continuing success in Hollywood is baffling - he steadfastly refuses to elicit anything other than ridicule from everyone i know. standard exchange with my amigos concerning cage's output runs thusly:

"new film out, looks alright" - "yeah, who's in it?" - "ha... nicolas cage" - "cage..." (chuckle and rueful head shaking ensues all round)

OVERALL, COMPLETELY UNECCESSARY AND TOTALLY BANAL!

Mr. Nice (2010)

disappointing failure

[5/10 · 14 October 2011]

having read the book a few times and being a big fan of Howard Marks, i had some enthusiastic anticipation for this movie.... but how disheartened i was when the end credits rolled. too much has been omitted or briefly skimmed over, and characters reduced to footnotes. in the book, McCann was a sinister yet comical recurring character, but in the film is just a slightly ridiculous caricature. i did enjoy Thewlis' performance, but the script itself is the problem.

one the plus side, Ifans makes a fine Marks, resembling the man to a remarkable degree, and is reasonably charming in the role. but, once again, the script lets the film down. the bookend scenes are nice, probably the best bits, but as they are roughly a minute or so long, that doesn't really add up to a 'good movie'.

overall, pretty weak and unimpressive.

READ THE BOOK PEOPLE!

The Wicker Man (1973)

one of the finest British films ever made

[14 October 2011]

a beautiful and fascinating film. the whimsy of the folksy soundtrack and the quaintness of isolated rural life contrast to superb effect with the sinister nature of the village's religious practices.

frequently considered a horror film, i would hesitate to brand it as such. it is more along the lines of a murder mystery/suspense thriller, but again cannot be clearly defined as such in terms of generic convention.

a truly unique film. woodward is excellent as the surly protagonist, while christopher lee is, quite simply, magnificent.

picturesque locations, intriguing details of pagan lore, and effective use of non-professional actors add to the film's esoteric charm.

AVOID THE REMAKE!

Conspiracy (2001 TV Movie)

intelligent, compelling, and true.... all the ingredients for excellence

[10/10 · 14 October 2011]

one of my all time favourites. put simply, this is superbly written, and superbly performed by the cast. equal consideration is given to informing the audience of the details and bureaucracy of nazi policy, and to entertaining at the same time. a detailed yet witty script is magnificently handled by a predominantly English cast - Branagh is the epitome of callous charm - and the solitary yank Tucci turns in a great understated performance.

convincing, fascinating, and bleak, while never failing to elicit a wry smile in the face of depravity. a fine line well trod by all involved.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Cop Out (2010)

ridiculously poor film

[1/10 · 13 October 2011]

a film lacking any intelligence, humour, or entertainment. i have seen many films, and this is one of the worst - no exaggeration.

morgan has ONE slightly amusing line towards the beginning, and then resolutely fails to entertain for the remainder of the running time. i suppose he does the best he can with a terrible, immature and ridiculous script. willis looks distinctly unimpressed with the proceedings, and doesn't even try to put in a compelling performance.

i rarely write reviews, but i felt the need in this case because Cop Out is so very, very, very bad that people need to know.

young kids might enjoy it, but some of the content might not be appropriate in the eyes of their parents... so who will enjoy this film?

answer: IDIOTS

Westworld (1973)

RIP Micheal Crichton

[10/10 · 30 July 2009]

What a movie... the precursor to Jurassic Park. Nothing like it had been made before, and i doubt anything will match it. One of my all time favourites. Crichton put down his pen, picked up a camera, and effortlessly made a cinematic masterpiece. Yul Brynner as the renegade cowboy-droid is sinister personified, the soundtrack is eerie as hell, and the action scenes are somewhat Peckinpah-esque, which is always good! MASTERPIECE! 70's movie-making at its peak.... i urge all of you to watch it and bathe in the liquid genius. The two protagonists are geeky and cool respectively and make for highly entertaining watching as they peruse the delights of westworld... and the moment where they realise things are out of control is genius.

BEST OF THE 70'S!

The Magician (I) (2005)

slice of Aussie genius

[10/10 · 30 July 2009]

This film blew me away when i saw it. It may be an acquired taste but it is worth viewing if you enjoy dark humour and compelling performances. There are two moments of perfectly staged "will he won't he" tension, and this is one of the few films i have seen where i literally had no idea what was gonna happen next. The ending was one of the finest ever made, where 'The Magician' disappears into a crowd of people, never to be seen again. I am an englishman, and i suspect the humour might only appeal to British people and aussies - yanks won't get it - but that is the only slight criticism i can offer. This film is genius, nothing less. Repeated viewings are recommended. Enjoy!