Thursday, July 29, 2010

The Number 23 - 2007 * * * *


The truth with find you.
I started this film about a year ago and didn't get more that about 10 minutes into it before deciding it wasn't for me.
I watched it properly a few days ago and was totally blown away.
The beauty of this film is that try as you might you will automatically start finding the number 23 in everything as soon as you have finished the viewing, and it will stay with you for a long time.
Jim Carrey in his first non-comic role ( for me) was amazing to watch and really filled the screen with his presence. I think he is an amazing actor.
The film centres around fate and chance and what happens when the 2 things collide. Walter (Carrey) is in a happy marriage to his wife and muddles by at his job as animal controller. One evening on the way to a party, his wife finds a book called 'The Number 23' in the second-hand shop that appears to have been produced by hand. On impulse she buys it for Walter and so sets off a series of events that question everyone's sanity.
It is scary actually to see how many famous events have happened that all relate to 23 ( either the equal to or the variation of) i.e. Kennedy's Assassination, Shakespeare's birth and death, Two planes hit the World Trade Center on 9/11/2001: 9+11+2+0+0+1 = 23 etc. You really can find it in many things.
An amazing film. See it now!

Disclosure - 1994 * * * *


Sex is power.
I am having a late 80s early 90s movie phase at the moment and had decided fairly early on that Disclosure was one of the films I had to see. This supposedly was one of 'the' films of the 90s to see and apparently it was a popular date movie for a time ( although I can't imagine finding tis in any way romantic!)
Michael Douglas yet again (as in Fatal Attraction) appears as a man who has a devoted wife and daughter but who cannot help himself when an ex-girlfriend of his ( Moore) turns up at his office as his new boss.
In one scene ( supposedly the most erotic ever....er..no) Moore makes a pass at Douglas and despite his 'no no no' (said in a very half-hearted and unbelievable way) things get a bit out of hand.
We are then supposed to feel sorry for Douglas ( again like in Fatal Attraction) when he refuses to tell his wife what has happened and sets out to cover it out, only to be hit smack bang in the middle of his face by a lawsuit sueing for sexual harrassment from Moore.
What I really liked about this film was that for once a woman was in charge and taking control of what she wanted ( not to say for one second that the act of sexual harassment is acceptable) and the man is being punished for not having enough will-power to actually say no and mean it. Added to which Moore puts in a very good and realistic performance when she is called to testify against Douglas.
A film to watch, and one that you will keep looking at from time to time ( such as I do with Indecent Proposal and Fatal Attraction.)

The Perfect Getaway - 2009 * * *


6 Strangers, 2 Killers, no getting away.
Every year I find a list of a few movies that I try my hardest not to rush out and see, knowing that I will be saving up some scary/brilliant experiences if I bide my time and wait a while.
'A Perfect Getaway' was one of them.
The premise seems brilliant - a newly married couple go to Hawaii on their honeymoon hoping to relax and enjoy one another's company. They also meet 2 other couples who seem to be perfectly respectable if not a bit kooky. The bomb drops when they are all informed by another group of tourists they meet that 2 killers ( a man and a woman) are commiting murders on the island. the question is, who are they?
Up until the end I'll admit that I was totally stumped. I had no idea who it could be, regardless of how many reviews I have read where the viewers knew almost immediatly. When I did finally know, I was confused but also pleased that I had had no idea previously. Some parts don't add up though, and there are certain plot holes that you can only really notice if you see it again.
Give it a watch though, you might be one of the ones who figures it out ( but I doubt it.)

Plenty - 1985 * * * *


Meryl Streep was on top form in this film about a woman's quest to feel the same excitement that she felt whilst serving in the 2nd World War.
She takes her place alongside actors such as Charles Dance and Ian Mckellen as she meets lovers, friends and a husband who ultimately drives her completely mad.
I cannot speak highly enough of Meryl Streep, I think she is brilliant in every sense and I am slowly working my way through her huge backlog of amazing performances.
This is one of those films where you don't think it will be much good, and finish it realising you will be thinking of it for days.

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Caddyshack - 1990 * * * * *


Some people just don't belong.
I mentioned in my previous post (The Hangover) how America hadn't really churned out many good comedies for at least ten years. Well this film is now 30 years old and still as hilarious as I can imagine it was when it was released.
Bill Murray is always funny; he has an ability to make somebody laugh simply by looking at them with a sneer on his lips.
Chevy Chase plays his usual 'National Lampoon' slightly simple but fairly harmless character.
The fun centres around a golf club ( with a hilarious toy beaver who runs through the tunnels underground with brute force, aware of his impending threat of extermination by Murray's sinister yet hilarious Carl, the pest control/odd job man - probably some of the funniest bits in the film as he seems constantly stoned!)
The club seems set to be taken over by a yobbish and undiginified individual ( played excellently by Rodney Dangerfield) which does not go down very well at all with Judge Smails (who I swear is a ringer for an old Frank Sinatra!.) Amidst all this chaos the caddyshack boys are causing trouble as they try to suck up to the Judge and golf tournaments are running amok as the wealthy men battle it out with... well the even wealthier!
I'm not saying this film doesn't have some random ( and to be honest totally pointless sex scenes-references) but on the whole it is more of a slapstick attempt than anything else. And also tremendous fun.

The Hangover - 2009 * * *


Some guys just can't handle Vegas!
This film is funny, but it's not brilliant. I have yet to see a genuinely funny Hollywood comedy of the last 10 years surface. This is why I find earlier comedies so much better such as the classic screwball movies of the 30s and 40s. People didn't need to rely on sexual crudeness or swearing to make a film funny, most of the time it was done with brilliant timing and clever word-play.
But I am very old-fashioned in this way and not many people understand or appreciate movies where something drastic isn't happening. So this is fine. It kills time, its the story of a group of friends who go to Las Vegas for their best friend's stag do only to wake up the next morning with their friend gone and no recollection of the previous events that occured the night before. How hilarious. Isn't alcohol wonderful. What a totally ridiculous waste of a trip to Vegas!
Here we have to rely on the swearing and drink-filled obscenities that have become a Hollywood staple for 'young' audiences all over. Plenty of toilet jokes as well for people who aren't totally turned off by the previous subjects.
I'm not trying to sound like an old fogey, I did laugh but at the same time felt slightly embarassed that I was actually finding some of the scenes funny when they really don't take much imagination at all to come up with.
This is a great movie for young adults and I have no doubt it will be remembered for a long while to come, but only because it seems to be an accumilation of all the other sexual-tinged comedies that America has made in the last decade. Watch 'Bringing up Baby' instead, that's what real comedy is about.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Sigaw ( The Echo) - 2004 * * *


Don't open the door.
I was surprisingly scared by this movie. American horror is no match for foreign. The story follows a man named Martin living in a creaky and terribly run-down apartment complex. He regularly sees his girlfriend who comes to the apartment to see him. Things take a turn for the worse when Martin begins to hear and see a woman persistantly banging on his door and arguing with her abusive husband at the entrance to their flat down the way.
Although worried for the safety of the woman Martin doesn't want to get involved and so tries to close his mind to what's happening...

The Opposite of Sex - 1998 * *


You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll be offended.
Another film on my list of movies that people always seem to talk about that I have to see.
Christina Ricci plays DeeDee, a trampy and sexually promiscious teenage who, after fighting with her mother goes to stay with her gay brother and his boyfriend Matt. Before long she has seduced Matt and is pregant with his child thus causing them both to leave the home of her brother. Lisa Kudrow turns up as Ricci's brother's sister in law to offer support and annoyance at the situation.
The whole film is gritty and nothing like I had imagined it would be. In my mind's eye I saw it as some kind of comedy but it is anything but that.

Sex, Lies and Videotape - 1989 * * *


"All I have been thinking about all week is garbage. I mean I just can't stop thinking about it."
Andie McDowell will NEVER be a good actress and I don't care what anyone says. In everything I have seen she constantly acts as though she is trying to repeat lines she has learnt off a script in a very rigid and wooden manner. Her part wasn't much better in this, but at least James Spader was there to provide some proper acting.
This story centres around a couple, namely Gallagher and McDowell who are living a very unhappy and unsatisfied marriage. Even more so since Gallagher started sleeping with McDowell's sister on the sly. Unexcited by her life, McDowell finds solace in Gallagher's visiting friend Graham(Spader) who comes with a bizarre and unsteady past that she can only hope to uncover.
Spader is a great actor, and he portrays this pathological liar character superbly. I don't much care for Peter Gallagher or his character in this but he seems to keep popping up in films I am seeing without me realising so maybe it's a sign that he's not too bad.
Not one of the best films out there but one that people are always telling you to see, so go ahead.

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Victor/Victoria 1982 * * *


She'd make it to the top... one way or another!
I think Julie Andrews is one of our typically 'English' actresses and I admire her greatly. I loved her in the other musical set in the early part of this century ( Thoroughly Modern Millie) and I thought she was pretty good in this too. Set in Paris in the 1930s the story follows Victoria, a lady who cannot get work because of her operatic style voice until she accidently meets a man who is also not getting work on the stage. The 2 form a close relationship and realise that the only way Victoria can make it big is to become a female impersonator, but that is only possible if you are a man isn't it...?

Without a Clue - 1989 * * * * *


Meet the world's greatest detective, and his bumbling partner... Sherlock Holmes.
This is one of the funniest films I have seen in a long time. The whole idea of the typical Sherlock Holmes stories is mixed up and changed round for the purpose of the film so we now have John Watson as the brains behind the operation and Sherlock Holmes as the rather simple but likeable fool who does nothing but mess up the doctor's plans. Watson's dream is to be known as John Watson - Crime Doctor but no one seems interested in him, instead focusing entirely on Holmes who gets through his detective work by Watson's subtle hints at all the clues. Ben Kingsley is brilliant and ever so funny as Watson, I intend to watch everything he has ever done, and Michael Caine provides a humorous glimpse into a world where Sherlock Holmes is an idiot - certainly not a case in reality.

Stealing Beauty - 1997

The most beautiful place to be is in love.

This film was seperated by a love or hate audience when it premiered in '97. I for one was in a mixed mind.
Liv Tyler plays a 19 year old girl escaping to Italy ( beautifully shot scenery that makes you fall in love with the Italian countryside) who has to come to terms with herself, her intact virginity and her relationships with the people she meets. This is very much a 'coming of age' film that not everyone will enjoy but it does have it's good points. For one Liv really lives up to the naive and innocent 19 year old and can act pretty well. Another good point is the appearance of Jeremy Irons who almost steals the film.

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Lolita - 1997 * * * * *


A forbidden love.
After being blown away by the earlier version of this story, I seriously doubted that I would be as excited about the remake. Because who ever is?
However, after seeing it once I am desperate to watch it again, if just to see Jeremy Irons amazing performance as Humbert as well as Dominique Swain's characterisation as Lolita.
Although it is tempting I don't think there is any point in comparing the 2 films as they each have things about them that are better than the other. For example - Sue Lyons is probably the better and most realistic version of the 'Lolita' character, but we see a good deal more of Humbert's background before he arrives at the Hayes house in the modern film which is crucial for you to understand his character.
Each film is just superb and who cannot feel for Humbert despite the perverted nature of his person.
A bizarre and strangely beautiful story.

Case 39 - 2009 * * * *


Some cases should never be opened.
One of the things I liked about this film was that it wasn't just a 'typical' American horror film, and half way through it actually started to freak me out. The story centres on Renee Zellweger as a social worker who gets assigned to a case of supposed child abuse on a young girl. Going against everybody including her collegues, Zellweger takes it upon herself to 'save' the child, inviting her to live in her house and away from her supposedly psychotic parents, little knowing what she is actually letting herself in for.
I'm not mad on Renee Zellweger and she had the most irritating and dry looking lips throughout the film which was rather distracting. However her acting was quite strong and I was particularly happy to see Adrian Lester pop up as her manager ( although his American accent left a lot to be desired!). I guarantee you will not guess the outcome of this movie when you start watching it, and that is one of the things I love about films - when you suddenly get an ending thrust upon you that you are totally unaware of.
Worth a watch. Definitely.

Monday, July 12, 2010

Deliver Us From Eva - 2003 * * *


Lead us into temptation but...
Aside from the obvious 'Taming of the Shrew' part of this movie it wasn't really more than a typical American rom-com flick.
The story centres around Eva, who will not believe that men aren't just all the same and not interested in an intelligent and intellectual relationship. She constantly insults her sisters boyfriends and has no interest in finding one of her own until the sister's boyfriends take matters into their own hands and decide that if they can get a man to make Eva fall for him then they will get some time with their girlfriends. Enter LL Cool J. However as usual in films like this things never happen the way they are supposed to.
Not bad acting , I like Gabrielle Union since I saw her in 'Bring it On' and LL Cool J wasn't bad. This film is like a chick-lit novel, fun and silly but not to be taken too seriously.

Tuesday, July 06, 2010

Dead Scared - 2004 *


The thing with horror movies is that they don't necessarily have to be made on a high budget and many I have seen have managed to be low budget but still contained a great story. This on the other hand was both low budget, AWFUL and I mean awful and had one of the stupidest stories ( mainly due to the fact that it has been done so many times before I am fed up of it!)
In order for a group of 5 students to pass a weird and typically American ritual that makes them members of a certain club (god knows what the actual club is) they have to spend the night in ..... you guessed it ' a creaky old house.' 2 of the founder members of the club are secretly on hand hidden in the house to administer scares and 'pranks' throughout the night but they all get more than they bargained for ( what a surprise). Also there is the pointless nudity which I have never understood the need for in scary films except because the film is so dire the makers believe we will be temporarily be seduced by breasts and chests? Err, I'm not a bloke so no it doesn't work on me.
Added to which the 2 girls in it are so pathetic and fake it makes you want to vomit over the TV set ( one is actually called Amber Rose; if that isn't the name of an aspiring porn star then what is??)
Of course there is also one 'foreigner' ( in most horror films these range from anywhere that is not America or England) one 'jock' ( yet another American phrase for a male whore) and a supposedly intelligent but actually pretty sex-crazed chap ( they usually end up dead.)
If that hasn't put you off watching then nothing will.

Monday, July 05, 2010

An American Crime - 2007 * * * *


The Child's punishment became a woman's crime.
No one can fail to be moved and disgusted by this story. And with both movies ( this and The Girl Next Door) coming out so close together one cannot fail to look for similarities. One thing I did notice with this film was that it was as many reviewers have called it 'candy coated' so as not to upset the viewers. I am not for one minute saying that I want to be upset as a result of seeing the film but I feel that by covering over some of the particularly disgusting areas of the case that we are not fully understanding both the crime and the psychology behind this deranged family. Also we are effectively papering over Syliva Liken's life and death simply because we can't bear to hear about it and I think that is very wrong. If it happened we should be hearing about it so that nothing like this ever happens again. Although I think the acting in this was many times better than TGND ( Keener and Page were Oscar-worthy) I think the reality of the crime was portrayed in a more truthful way in the other film. Gertrude is seen in this as a flustered and hard-done by woman who only wants the best for her family and at the start of the film she does not come across as a particularly bad person. The reality was very different. Gertrude was a viscious and violent psychopath who hated Sylvia for everything she stood for ( mainly because she was pretty and sweet and pure unlike Gertrude's own daughter Paula). She tortured Sylvia with full compliance from the neighbourhood boys and girls even homing in on her daughter Stephanie's boyfriend Coy who was happy to oblige. The film was good as a horror film might be with no truth in it but as regards to portraying a real life case it didn't do very well and I think insulted Sylvia's memory.
2 Great actors there though who thoroughly deserved awards for their performances (and you might remember Jeremy Sumpter as Coy who played Peter Pan in the film).

St Trinian's 2: The Legend of Fritton's Gold 2009 * * *




They're back.
After discovering that Camilla Fritton is related to a pirate from yonder-year, the girls set out to discover wher ethe treasure that he was so desperately after has now been stashed little realising that Captain Archibold Fritton is back, and very very much alive. Add a few new faces ( don't worry, Colin Firth is still there) and a load of old ones and you're in for a bit of excitement. The girls looked like they had great fun making this sequel and it is a good old laugh although for me personally the first one preceeds the latter.

Diary of a Madman - 1963 * * *


Weapons won't save him.
Guy de Maupassant is one of my favourite french writers and I actually didn't register that he was responsible for the short story that this movie was made into until I looked at the credits. Now I think back I realise this is exactly the kind of thing he would have written. By the time of writing Maupassant was already going mad and there were many admirers of his work who believed that this short story was actually a reality for him and that he wrote as he saw things happen. Such a waste of talent for him to soon afterwards try to commit suicide. However this film is based on that story and centres around Vincent Price's character who believes he is being visited by the devil who controls his thoughts and feelings towards people he considers friends. Although of course there cannot be a Price film without a small amount of 'camping up' this is still a genuinely creepy picture. I am now deserate to read the story.

Diary of a Madman - 1963 *

The Visit - 1964 * * *


Hell Hath no fury...
I remember briefly at university studying this play but I didn't really understand it then. I still don't entirely understand it but think the film-makers did a pretty amazing job of it anyway. Bergman is still beautiful even now in the 60s and puts her all into this tale of corruption and society values.
Clara arrives back at a town she once knew very well a long time ago. Everyone remembers her and she in turn is particularly happy to see certain people. Or is she? Before long the past has collided with the present and the village is looking at a murder charge which hasn't happened yet.
Watch this.

Stan Helsing - 2009 * * *


The monsters have met their match.
Honestly you can't expect too much from a Scary Movie franchise that keeps churning out more and more of these movies. There are a few odd laughs but generally they just serve to annoy. Well I thought Stan Helsing was actually pretty funny although there were parts that I think just sullied the film. The monsters were mildly amusing and I guess having 'the big funny black guy' 'the innocent sex-crazed blonde' etc are just the way society and Hollywood in general thinks these days. In fact it really lives up to most of the American Pie-esque cliches and that got on my nerves but if you blotted that out of your mind you could just enjoy it as a silly movie.

Unfaithful - 2002 * * *


Where do you go when you've gone too far?
The one thing that struck me about this film was how unsympathetic the characters were. The lead role ( played brilliantly and infuriatingly by Diane Lane) is a dreadful character! Her loving and supportive husband goes out everyday to work while she does whatever housewives claim they do all day except live off their husbands. To make matters worse not only is she spending his money but she then starts a fling with a totally random man she meets in the street on a windy day. DO NOT tell me this is some kind of metaphor for being 'thrown together' and the 'It just happened' crap that has become such a popular expression nowadays. Above all we are supposed to feel sorry for her when things start to go downhill and I urge anyone watching this movie to feel anything for her but annoyance. How totally degrading to be a man who is bringing home money to support your wife when she has decided to start seeing someone else because she has become 'bored'! Bored of what exactly? Bored of going to coffee shops and sitting around in an idle fashion? Try making your own money!
Brilliant acting ( for which I ahve awarded 3 stars) but as regards to the plot. Please.