FilmandI

A review of "Mrs Henderson Presents"

2006-06-04T12:00:00.000-07:00

by Stephen Frears

I say, this is a ratter droll piece of cinema, with a charmingly delicious characterization from dame Judi Dench, although rather seeing a lenghty film of said titular, we diverge from our initial interest to focus on some less intriguing birds and blokes. I must say, Bob Hoskings does manage to keep Judi Dench in a balance that keeps the dramatic second part of the story rather well sustained and the rest of the film still manages to produce a wee chuckle every now and then. It’s a rather delicious spiffing brilliant work of entertainment if you ask me. Cheers

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A review of "Shopgirl"

2006-05-31T13:02:00.000-07:00

Shopgirl

by Anand Tucker

I felt like this film was trying to much to be one of those sublte comedies (or dramedies) with quirky characters in mundane situations, sometimes even trying very hard to show how mundane, how “real” the settings where . Even though the film had some beautifull photography, like being accentuated by a photo studio style of linghting, I just didn’t care about the characters, in comedic moments, it just felt too forced and as a drama their storyline simply involved a love triangle that doesn’t make its mix of melancholy and self pity too rewarding, it’s ultimately bland. Steve Martin just wanted to be taken seriously, but I just couldn’t stop thinking of Lost in Translation and Bill Murray.

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A story about "X-Men 3: The Last Stand"

2006-05-24T10:48:00.000-07:00

X-Men 3: The Last Stand

by Brett Ratner

The third installment of the X Men films is an action packed one, it has scenes that many fans wish the first two had, just straight on mutant on mutant action (a mutant smorgasboard of fighting scenes), but the creators just took too many creative liberties, the whole story centers on a cure for mutants, so there are some main characters that get “cured” and some die and I don’t mean some background characters like Jubilee or something, these are characters that you’ll be shocked they actually had the balls to kill off, I respect that, but still, why?why?why? In the start that was what many fans after reading the script feared and it was true, and plus Brett “Rush Hour” Ratner being the helmer didn’t make things for the X Men look to good, some thought we had another Schumaker on our hands (of Batman & Robin fame). So if you take it at face value, Brett Ratner actually did a decent job, albeit with your usuall cheesy line here or there and a highly ridiculous scene involving the Golden Gate bridge. The film is enjoyable mainly because it has more muties, it has the feel of the comics as well as the 90’s cartoon, chaos and mayhem and most really sweet special effects, just enough to recomend it.

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Sci Fi potpurri

2006-04-20T15:36:00.000-07:00

Ultraviolet

by Kurt Wimmer

I cannot recommend this film, and thats comming from someone who enjoys most superficial scifi, comic book, futuristic, martial arts and sword fight movies, this one just seemed a little off. Too rushed at times, with some overkill on the fight scenes and not a lot of support for the ””dramatic”” scenes. And then there’s something about vampires… whatever dudes, if you say so. And dammit, how many times must she utter “I was born in a place you wouldn’t understand” was that supposed to justify the ubber crapinnes of the movie?

It’s not a very good sign when characters look directly to the camera to say something “poignant”, especially in “serious” movies.

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How "Ernest Goes to Jail" changed my life

2006-04-20T15:35:00.002-07:00

Ernest Goes to Jail

by John R. Cherry III

Ahh good times.. this is, or more like it WAS worth consuming, being one of my childhood films that I could probably enjoy today for pure nostalgia value. It made me want to get magnetic powers, and I still hadnt discovered the X-Men. After “trying” to watch other Ernest films, I found out his films where really stupid. Except this one of course

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A story about "Where the Heart Is"

2006-04-20T15:35:00.001-07:00

Where the Heart Is

by Matt Williams (II)

I know it’s superficial but how could I not like it, having Natalie Portman and Ashley Judd is enough for me. If they do a sequel with Scarlett Johansson I could die in peace. (“where the hearts are” ...no? maybe?)

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A story about "My Architect"

2006-04-20T15:35:00.000-07:00

My Architect

by Nathaniel Kahn

Im still not sure if I liked this documentary or not, at times I was falling asleep, sometimes I was impressed by the subject matter (the architectual designs) or intrigued by the architect & the director’s (the architects son) life. So.. it’s still “wishy washy” for me.

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Open your eyes people!!

2006-04-20T15:34:00.001-07:00

Vanilla Sky

by Cameron Crowe

Yes, abre los ojos is much better, the build up to that movie was so well executed that the suprise really came as a surprise, unlinke Vanilla Sky which was also lacking a scene that was more shocking that what happened on the remake (involving the therapist).

Oh and there’s no comparing the deformity of the original’s character than the mere scar of Tom “preety boy” Cruise.

These deviatons are what made me not like Vanilla Sky, not even the opening scene in a vacant Times Square.

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Decent

2006-04-20T15:34:00.000-07:00

The Hills Have Eyes

by Wes Craven

It’s an OK film especially considering it was done very cheap, one of Wes Craven’s first pictures and made in the 70’s (try to overlook the cheezy music and cheezy facial hair)... But what’s up with the ending, I dont like to critique a movie just because of the ending, but I had a problem with this one… it’s like they didnt have any money left, everything’s resolved so QUICK, cut to titles. END. But there’s no denouement.

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B-Movie? More like D-Movie (or worse)

2006-04-20T15:32:00.000-07:00

Psyclops

by Brett Piper

True, this movie comes with horror b-movie stamp well placed in its forehead. But some of us will usually get a kick of bad movies for being bad, but that doesn’t mean that people should start making awful movies without even trying, and that’s what this movie feels like, effortless. Its about this guy, who’s very “into videos”, but after a witch, a curse video and an old machine he gets transformed into Psyclops (I don’t even recall him being referred as psyclops but it’s not really important), a guy with a camera inserted into his skull (of course we’ve seen this before in movies like Hellraiser, La Cité des enfants perdus, Brazil, and Star Trek, but we’re not actually looking for originality here, are we?), I gotta admit, the make up effects were quite good, the camera didn’t seem too displaced and his whole head (camera included) seemed proportionate enough for the character, unfortunately that’s the only good thing coming from this movie. The guy also make electricity come out of his hands and he starts harassing his friends and at the climax he tries to use one of his woman friends in a experiment for something (I wasn’t paying that much attention) The movie tries to make us sympathize with the main character/villain (like Dr. Jekyll & Mr Hyde, we don’t want to see him harmed, but he is harassing his friends and trying to rule the world or something) of course it doesn’t succeed, the character tries too hard to be funny or weird/creepy.

The worst thing of it all is the acting, i’ve seen better in a porn video, it gets irritating, I know you’re not supposed to pay attention to those kinds of details in these movies, but at least make an effort! I’m surprised there’s even a mention of a director since clearly there was no talk of how and when to say things. In the end, we see these type of films to get a laugh at the absurdity of it all (sort of present in this one) and the laughable & cheesy effects, sure the “special” effects are in effect, special, but nothing a 10 year old couldn’t conjure in your run of the mill video editing software.

There’s a scene at the end where Psyclops makes a beyond the grave (or beyond another parallel dimension/hell whatever) appearance and starts talking (in a oh so clever meta-film fashion) about how could they (his friends) not expect a sequel, in a way ripping of a film like Scream, I mean, who rips off a film like Scream? (well, aside from Scary Movie)

In the end the movie doesn’t belong in the “good because it’s bad” category, it’s just annoying.

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A story about "Gorilla (B&W)"

2006-04-20T15:31:00.000-07:00

Gorilla (B&W)

by Allan Dwan

Witness in celluloid the downfall of Bela Lugosi.

Stupid, stupid movie. What do you get when a studio wants Abbot & Costello, The Three Stooges, Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, The Keystone Cops & The Marx Brothers all in the same movie?

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A story about "Irreversible"

2006-04-20T15:29:00.000-07:00

Irreversible

by Gaspar Noé

I liked the idea that the movie presents us with a happy ending, even though ironically it’s the begining, thus making a happy ending non existent but it still leaves us with a bittersweet feeling.

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