Nubian-3 Reviews

Boy Called Twist (2004)

An Excellent Film

[10/10 · 28 August 2007]

I caught this movie on one of my premium cable channels.I liked it so much I ordered a copy through Amazon.I love the Charles Dickens story so much that I now own three film versions of it.The 1968 Oscar winner "Oliver",Roman Polanski's 2005 "Oliver Twist" and now "Boy Called Twist".

Tim Greene (III) brought this old story together in a splendid way.The young actor playing the lead role Jarrid Geduld gives us a stunningly believable portrayal of Twist.His innocent and melancholy character is quite convincing.His personal mannerisms add so much more substance to it also.I too feel this young man should have a great acting career ahead of him if all goes well.

Of particular mention again is the beautiful South African actress Kim Engelbrecht playing Nancy.Ms Engelbrecht offers us an equally believable Nancy as her predecessors have from the other film versions mentioned.

What makes this movie so special is that Greene has taken us from London to the shady and dreary life of the inhabitants of the streets of Cape Town.The young boys who have become accustomed to a rough lifestyle of petty larceny just to exist.We are carried through the back alleys and the run down buildings these youngsters and crooked adults call home.

I found the soundtrack of this picture to be outstanding.From the heartbreaking theme song throughout the movie to the touching male vocal track playing in the background as the young children are sent off to work on a farm.

All in all I was delighted to have yet another look at Dickens story.Excellently done

2010: The Year We Make Contact (1984)

2007 Now???.........2010 Still Holds It's Own!!!

[10/10 · 11 March 2007]

I've read other comments on this sequel to 2001.Some pass it off as outdated,acting not up to par,comparing Hyams with Kubrick,disappointment with this version explaining narratively our ride to Jupiter.I consider nit picking criticism like that pure rubbish.

This film does have a modern day look to it as I am writing this in 2007,in spite of it being released some 23 years ago.The visual effects are still outstanding as well as the sound.Back in 1984 surround sound was in it's infancy,only some 7 years old maybe?

I think director Peter Hyams' telling of this extraordinary story is marvelous.Stanley Kubrick was at the helms on 2001.Did it his way,why compare the styles?They both did fantastic jobs.

2010 carries us further on into the mystery of the Monolith.We were left with all sorts of questions in 2001.This film gives us both an enlightening and spiritual insight to the real nature of the black puzzling object.

I love this movie.

Millions (2004)

Today's World Needs More Films Like This

[10/10 · 20 October 2006]

So sad some of you guys missed the general idea of this film,which is imagination.That final scene where the four of them balloon into Africa is what it says the film is,Damian's imagination.To take money to the disadvantaged in that country so that they may have water in that impoverished land.

It's fantasy that makes this film a pure delight.This world is so full of craziness and hatred.Why not let our minds travel to a place where,from a child's view,the good things about this world really count,helping others? We do have bad elements in this picture enough to keep us anchored on where we really are,but the marvelous play and where this story takes us overshadows the negative.I love this movie.

The Hamburg Cell (2004 TV Movie)

Religiously Mislead

[10/10 · 7 February 2006]

I just taped this off HBO this morning and watched it later on tonight.Reading the TV Guide synopsis it suggested like a previous poster stated that some would find the film objectionable because of how the terrorist were portrayed.

No they were not given to us as some evil monsters as most would choose to believe.I'm glad instead we got to see who and what they really were.A group of men who looked upon the decadence and vast moral decline of this modern world as a direct influence of the United States upon other nations.

Their Muslim beliefs,as they interpreted it led them to singling out America for the devastating attack Sep 11,2001.Religious beliefs have been taken this far before in the past resulting in unforgivable atrocities done to the innocent.

One would just wonder whatever religious belief a person might have,wouldn't a true God fearing heart question even the thought of committing such acts?Looking at their views on the subject and my being a Christian I find it quite absurd that they would imagine any rewards awaiting them in the afterlife.Come on now,upon their death they will be greeted by a number of beautiful virgin women?An intelligent mind would or should ask itself "Is this really how my God works"? They might say well yes we are fighting our enemy and we kill innocent people just like the American soldiers.Soldiers who believe they are fighting a war condoned by God too.They feel their acts are honorable just as our boys feel their military duty is honorable.

Well this is what this film shows us.I think is is necessary for us to see their real mental frame of mind.I know they and others following those beliefs are truly mislead.Many thanks to HBO and contributors across the Atlantic for this interesting look at the factual story that led to the Sep 11 disaster.

Private Number (1936)

The Great Loretta Young

[7/10 · 15 January 2005]

I caught this film for the very first time,as I can remember,on Fox Movie Channel.The lead actor was listed as Tyronne Power instead of Robert Taylor.I don't know whether the fault lies with TV Guide or the cable channel.Maybe both.

I enjoyed watching a young Loretta Young,one of my favorites.The storyline deals with a maid who falls in love,marries and has a baby for her employers son.Basil Rathbone,another one of my favs,plays the wicked butler who cooks up a devilish plot to have her arrested and and discredited in the eyes of her employers and fired.

This old black and white charm took me way back to my childhood days watching Ms Young's television show with similar stories.Released way back in the 1930's,it is a jewel of a picture.

Can you believe TV Guide even had it listed as a comedy?