scrol Reviews

The Matrix (1999)

Bruce Lee as avenging hacker teams up with Will Holden and shoots up some bandidos!!

[13 November 1999]

I bet some X-generationers are going Will who?, maybe

even Bruce who?.Sorry folks, before your time. So what have we got here, a movie with guts, a film overloaded with special effects, or an

anti authority cinema verite?

I opt for the second. While the CGI effects, are the largest, possibly the most costly, maybe the best you'll ever see on celluloid; they don't maketh a movie.

It could be argued that this piece of cinema 'eye candy' is clearly targeted at the video game chomping, web addicted under 25 year old male side of the planet.

Why we have a hacker out to save the world with a renegade half dozen team, a kind of half apostle contingent. The pseudo-religious overlay is remarkably upfront and disconnected. I.e. Morpheus= moses the prophet or Joshua or John the baptist (take your pick). Neil/Neo is of cource Christ, the resurrector, the redeemer, saviour, messiah.Half way through the film I thought, 'I bet Neil gets nailed!'

When I noticed 2/3rds into the movie they were setting up for a sequel, that's the point where it all became a huge turnoff for me. That told me marketing had highjacked the project. Crass commercialism became like the Matrix itself, out to delude us by parading before us illusion of originality while the marketing execs where really the dark 'agents' hell bent on preserving this illusion and making suckers out of all of us.



The acting, well I absolutely cringed on seeing Neil's meeting with the prophet, (is that an insert from another movie).

well how about the viewing experience... a bad Bruce Lee movie caught in a time warp. My advice see Dark World, infinitely better.

rating 4

A Simple Plan (1998)

A moral tale simply told

[23 October 1999]

What would you do under these circumstances: your one of a group of three individuals, 2 of you are brothers. You've just stumbled across a big bag of money in a snow-fielded forest. The money came from a downed plane, the only occupant, a pilot is dead. Do you hand it over to the authorities and claim the reward? What if there is no reward? Do you keep it and hope that nobody comes looking for it....for that you'll have to come up with a SIMPLE PLAN.

However, as soon as the plan is forged, it's broken. Before you know what's happening shame, doubt, double-dealing, murder, guilt, lying, deceit and general mayhem pile up like dead bodies smothering out integrity,family, friendship, hopes, dreams, ambitions, and not forgetting human honesty.

It's the aspect, human frailty, that drives the action along. It's the engine being stoked by human nature. Can our lucky few discoverers hold their collective heads over the possibility of splitting $4.4 million between them?

Bill Paxton plays one of the brothers, Hank Mitchell, an educated soon-to-be family man who has 'good intentions', and a 'moral compass' maybe. Paxton is married to Bridget Fonda,as Sarah, his much pregnant wife. Jacob, Hank's brother, played by Billy Bob Thornton, is almost the opposite, uneducated, boozem buddy of his friend, the town drunk, Lou played by Brent Briscoe.

Jacob, to my mind is the most interesting character of the four. What happens after they find the money changes their lives and personalities, forever. I particularly liked the way they discover the lucre. It's highly plausible, believable and could happen to anybody. I know that if a white cat passes across your sight, it's regarded as an unlucky omen, what about the lore on foxes?

This movie is a moral tale (how novel) through and through, wearing its morality on its sleeve. In fact if the screenplay were converted to a story, you could easily read it to your older children and they would understand.

Intriguing is the aspect of Jacob acting tragically on impulse and his brother Hank hiding the shocking consequences of Jacob's actions.

There are surprises galore here as the whole thing unravels. Some shocking, some predicable,some sad. Watch out foe a key clue to let the audience know that somebody other than our adventurous 'foursome' is aware of their actions. It concerns a communications device.

Finally, to commend the director's choice of little or no dramatic score. This is tragedy, Greek style. There are no heroes, only victims. 10 out of 10.

Blackadder the Third (1987)

Absolutely funny,brilliant blend of comedy and satire

[15 August 1999]

In Blackadder III, we have three main 'stable' characters.The sly, scheming, satorially suited Edmund Blackadder, butler to the Crown Prince Regent (Hugh Laurie), played with great measured sarcasm and epiphany by Rowan Atkinson.

Blackadder is forever attempting to scheme his way through elaborate con games and out of tricky,sticky situations that he invariably winds up in.

Assisting him ,and the embodiment of Murphy's Law ,is his ever 'fateful' servant Baldrick (Tony Robinson).

A man of few skills bar breathing and moving in the right direction, to which thinking is a vast 'uncharitable' territory somewhere 'out there'.When asked did he have any recollection of his mother,replies with great confidence,"No,..she died before I was born".Whose sole ambition in life is to be the top organ donor of London's elite downtrodden masses.Only to lose out to a gammy-legged pet pig called Rupert who has chronic emphysema and lives in a sodden slimy slurry pit somewhere in Tottenham.

However Blackadder refutes this story and will convince anyone willing to bet a considerable wager that the 'organ grinders' or physicians of his day have already begun the process starting with Baldrick's shrivelled brain stem and working down.

As for our third partner in this incredible triumvirate,The Prince of Wales,played with salubrious exuberance by Hugh Laurie, carries with him the genetic equivalent of a royal illness that renders him playful,and downright stark raving mad like his father George III.Unperturbed by this, and some would say unaware of this trifle detail,our Prince is happy to waver about the King's Court lording it over his loyal subjects who just happen to be Blackadder and Baldrick.

This TV series combines the considerable comic talents of Atkinson et al and the writing skills of Ben Elton(a stand up cabaret comic himself) and Richard Curtis, who between them have manage to forge a truly unforgettable comedy series of which 'The III' is but one of four series altogether and definitely my favourite.

a particularly amazing episode deals with the fate of a newly compiled dictionary of the English language by Dr. Samuel Johnson,here played wonderfully with gusto by the Scottish comedian Robbie Coltrane. Here Blackadder entrusted with minding the huge work of literature, goes and accidently destroys it.

Now he is forced to compile it again as it was the only copy in existence, otherwise he will suffer a fate worse than death.He enlists the Prince and Baldrick to help him do this task in 24 hours.

Baldrick walks in to Blackadders study where Blackadder is still stuck on 'a for

aardvark'. Baldrick announces that he has successfully 'done' C and D letters. "Ok,lets have it then", inquires Blackadder. "C", starts our fledging scholar. "That big blue wobbily bit in between land", Blackadder gives him one of his famous looks. "go on" "That's all I have for 'C'". "How about 'D' then", Blackadder says "Dog", begins Baldrick. "definitely not a cat"

Enjoy them all, they're gems.

The Birds (1963)

Hitchcock at his 'beak'

[12 August 1999]

Well, its Friday the 13th, of Aug. '99 of course, and someone from beyond the grave wants to spook you.Actually its Hitch's 100 rd birthday and what better way to spook you than with THE BIRDS.

I first saw this movie as a child and it scared the pants off of me.I had nightmares for months after, like millions of other young people. Today I appreciate the mystery its conveys.

In the movie we just don't know why the birds attack unprovoked but we're treated to some speculative ideas.

Initially, Tippi Hedren gets the blame, the attacks starting when she arrives in Bodega Bay.Playing the character, Melanie Daniels, a rich daughter of a newspaper magnate,Hedren is labelled as 'pure evil' by one of the townsfolk.

But this isn't right, you see Melanie is not even raven-haired, she's pure blonde.Hitch knows we won't fall for that old trick,so in comes a charute smoking ornithologist complete with feather in hat who blinds us with fact after fact about how sweet and nice our fine feathered friends are. The birds dispute this by their actions surrounding a cafe menacingly. naw,that's not the answer,back to the drawing board folks.

So there is no explanation given except perhaps that the Bodega Bay residents were skimpy with the bird seeds that week and therefore the birds felt,er a little .. peckish.No it's just as if..as if your left in silence, like the silence of no movie score, or the silent scream of Jessica Tandy, or perhaps the silence of Hedren being peaked to death in the attic scene. Each element is like gathering a twig here, a sapling there,a leaf elsewhere and building them up into a nestling symbolism that comprises, stealth, secretiveness,mysteriousness and pure creepiness that eventually hatches under your skin.

Technically unique,THE BIRDS uses various special effects ,such as, animation,models and live birds to stage the attacks.It's truly amazing, the school house attack being my favourite.

But my overall favourite piece is when Rod Taylor tries to walk to his car at the end of the movie.A single perched crow turns its head and curiously looks up at Taylor then at his hand and bites it!!. Seagulls timidly peck at his pants and shoes,all the while cooing softly. In our minds were saying Rod get back in the house your outnumbered!! It's not truly anticlimactic,it's just pure suspense,anticipation of what might happen rather than does.

It's also amazing that no other director,at least to my knowledge, has pursued this aviaristic theme.

There's a very funny story told by the director Peter Bogdanovich about Hitch.

One day he was waiting for Hitch at some hotel somewhere and when they met,they got on an elevator to go down to the hotel lobby,some 20 stories below them. Hitch got in the back and the lift filled up with people.Suddenly Hitch starts to speak... "There was blooood eveerrywhere",he starts in his British accent. "Bloooood on the carpet,blooood on this chaps clooothing,blooood on the couch," Bogdanovich is trully puzzled,what brought this on, he thought,but he decides to chime in. "Really,Hitch?", "Yeeesss", drools back Hitch. The elevator stops somewhere on the 12th floor,there's an exchange of people and it moves off again. "Blooood streaming from his nose," continues Hitch, "His cloothes were a complete meess," Unable to escape the talking,people were cocking an ear or two to this diminutive,bald,rotund gentleman with the oh-so drool English accent. The elevator gets close to the lobby, Hitch goes in for the kill.

"GOOD GOD MAN,WHAT EEEVVVEEERR HAPPENED TO YOU?" continuing slowly he says, "..and do you know what he said to me"?

The elevator reaches the lobby,doors part, and nobody appears to want to move. Hitch quietly makes his way out of the lobby trailed by a small contingent of people seeming to follow him.Bogdanovich comes up to Hitch's level. "Well, Hitch, what did the man say"? "Whaaat"? replies Hitch. "The man with the blood all over him". "OH thhhaat,...nothing..that was my elevator stooory", and walks on.

12 Monkeys (1995)

Brilliant,cryptic,instructional,innovative, eerie

[10/10 · 5 July 1999]

12 Monkeys is wonderfully acted,has fabulous sets,which show off the Philadelphia skyline,City Hall, and the interior of Wanamaker's store.Brad Pitt,cast against type, puts in a magnificent performance as the sociopathic nutcase,Jeffrey Goines and should have bagged that Best Supporting Actor Oscar.Madeleine Stowe, as the Psychiatrist, Railly is superb and Bruce Willis, in one of his better roles, is convincing as our main character Cole. But to me the screenplay and editing are key here propelling Gilliam's vision.If you want to see genius, look no further.If you haven't seen it,rent it, if just for Pitt's hilarious over the top performance. For those of you who have seen it and are intrigued by the conundrums inherent within the film, read on... 12 Monkeys is a 'tabula Rasa',a blank slate, a Rorschach test all rolled into one.Some elements seem to be incongruous, inconsistent,don't quite fit.Well it's meant to be that way so we, the audience, can interact in Gilliam's Magnum Opus. You will find things in this movie if you look closely and follow the dialogue.It requires multiple viewings to build up the clues along the way.It's like an iceberg,10% on the surface and the bulk of its meaning below the waterline. This may be result in Gilliam's and/or your own subjective impressions. SYNCHRONICITY/DEJA VU MOMENTS: Willis's character Cole,comes before a board of psychiatrists who are assessing his mental state to see if he's psychotic. In 1951,Carl Jung, a Swiss psychoanalyst,contemporary of Freud, published a small paper on coincidences he had encountered with his clients at his clinical practice. He coined the term, Synchronicity,meaningful coincidences that occur when we think of something or notice an element and it manifests itself in the real world. As an example, you think of a forgotten person,the phone rings, and hey presto, its them on the line.12 Monkeys is riddled with such synchronistic moments and motifs. The most glaring one is the motif of monKEY. When Jeffery Goines says he can get Cole out of the institution ,we see the communal TV set showing an advertisement for The Florida KEYs,then the program returns to Marx's Brothers film 'MonKEY Business',Jeffrey acts like a mischievous monKEY fooling around with the other patients and now produces a KEY saying 'I did my part',suddenly he causes disruption and Cole tries to escape.On the way out he gets advice to visit the Florida KEYs.later on in the movie,we have Dr Railly {Madeleine Stowe) tell Cole 'We're booked for KEY west (part of Florida KEYs).Get it,fantastic!!

Cole is trying to find the KEY that will unlock for him where and when his reality is. 'I HAVE TO GO INTO THE PAST ONCE MORE'/PORTALS OF THE PAST (VERTIGO/HITCHCOCK): Railly and Cole at one point flee from the law into a 24 hour movie theatre showing Hitchcock movies.On the screen is a scene from VERTIGO 1958,Hitchcock's bizarre masterpiece.We see Jimmy Stewert take Kim Novak to a cross sectional cutting from a Sequioa tree.She points to a spot on the bark"When I was born" then another "When I die".Tree ring dating. You start at the center work your way out, move forward, so to speak,in time, along a radius line to a particular time and date.You can also move in reverse,back along the radius line and cut another radius opposite to the SAME TIME AND DATE. This inserted movie within 12 Monkeys is KEY.The inference strongly suggests circular time.COLE'S WORLD IS CIRCULAR TIME, that keeps repeating itself over and over.Railly is part of the fabric of his time.Stewert turns to Novak in VERTIGO and asks her"Have you been here before?"Cole tells Railly "I've seen this film before...when I was a child.. the film remains the same...but you change every time you see it.." Intrigued with this idea,I reviewed a tape of VERTIGO. Lo and behold,Novak's character is called 'MADELINE'. But THIS Madeline was somebody else BEFORE she dyed her hair blond.Railly dyes her hair blond and Cole says he recognises her as in his dreams,then Railly says something mindblowing"I REMEMBER YOU LIKE THIS".back to VERTIGO,folks. Stewert relives his past in order to find his Madeline. Vertigo says that Stewert, as a retired detective,is enlisted by an old friend to OBSERVE his wife as his friend believes that his wife is living a past life."If I could just find the KEY IN THE BEGINNING and put it together" Stewert tells Novak.There we have it Vertigo's solutions apply to 12 Monkeys.Genius!!! Cole is repeating events over and over but remembering only deja vu moments and synchronicity, that will not lead him to form a whole.Hence he does not know a particular character in his dream. IMMORTALITY/REINCARNATION: VERTIGO'S Kim Novak is under the false psychiotic illusion that she is reincarnated.Cole at the end of 12 Monkeys, becomes immortal to repeat his life over and over.Question is whose's controlling this and more importantly why? 'WASN'T PART OF THE PLAN' /VERTIGO: The so called scientists of 2035 look like a sinister bunch but behave like 'clowns' wrongly sending Cole back through time.They seem to be making mistakes,but they're not. In order to have Railly believe Cole they have to send him back to 1916 so Railly can believe the physical evidence (Cole's antique bullet).In VERTIGO Novak writes a confessional letter to Stewert explaining that he was a victim of an

elaborate plan to conceal the truth from him.The scientists in 12 Monkeys appear not to know what happens to Cole and rely on his OBSERVATIONS.However Cole's friend Hose recognises Cole at the airport FROM BEHIND AND DISGUISED BY RAILLY. In Vertigo Novak at one point asks Stewert 'Why are you doing this?',the exact same question Cole asks Railly in the movie theatre.Asking why must Hose give Cole a gun? Well,if only because the scientists are tracking him and his moves and know he left a gun behind at Goines estate carpark.So the scientists are manipulating things ,but how far.Why then do we hear someone say "I'm Jones..in insurance".Work it out. This is why I love movies like this,they're intelligent.Gilliam is taking over where Hitchcock left off. I give this movie 20 out of 10.Remarkable work.

Father Ted (1995–1998)

absolutely hilarious!!!

[2 July 1999]

I can't praise this comedy often enough, it's just to quote an Irish word "priceless". We have 3 Irish priests residing on a rocky isolated island doing their own thing. Father Ted Crilly, played by the late great Dermot Morgan is the ring leader of the group a schemer, pathological, but educated liar. Father Jack Hackett is an intellectual disguised as a drunk (only joking),whose very conversant on matters ecumenical. Finally,there's Father Dougal Maguire, played by Ardal O'Hanlon (the real intellectual) who uncovers Father Ted's schemes all the time.

The scripts are incredibly funny,socially satirical and well acted.The housemaid never runs out of egg sandwiches and there's always an odd bishop or two who visits our trio and gets transformed in the process whether he wants to or not.

There's a plethora of local folk who add colour to the humour and the whole show is blessed by the pope ..Ahemm!!

Immortal Beloved (1994)

a tragic love story masterfully explored

[30 June 1999]

What was it like to have had the fortune or misfortune, as the case maybe,of meeting Beethoven, of being in his inner circle.Bernard Rose, the director of this movie, gives his audience a glimpse of the private life of Beethoven.His joys, pain tragedy,hopes and desires.

It is a credit to Rose that this remains largely historically accurate and faithfully documents episodes in Beethoven's life, while very, very cleverly inserting a premise that drives the plot along.

What surprised me most was two things. One, every element of this movie, from the acting,flashbacks, elaborate locations, ornate costuming and exceptional photography was well integrated and developed as a whole.

This is not a chronological account of Beethoven's life but rather a pastiche centered around the plot.

Two,the acting was superb, not just the main players,Oldman,Krabbe,Rossalini and Golini.But the minor roles especially Johanna Der Steege showed great skill in their portrayals.

Two small but important scenes demonstrate the sheer emotive quality of the film. In one scene, towards the end of Beethoven's life, a visitor pays him a call.A document is signed and handed over,a question is written down and its reply given, also on paper.The visitor solemnly leaves. This electrically charged linchpin scene is extraordinary when you realize what's gone before. Not a single word is uttered by the visitor but facial expressions convey everything.We get a strong sense of pity for Betthoven's prior actions.

The other clip entails Beethoven testing out a new pianoforte at the residence od Countess Guicciardi, brilliantly played by Valeria Golino who strongly carries the entire scene majestically.

We also experience Beethoven's 'affliction' as he termed it. The white noise of deafness with the faint music hovering in the background.We can then understand his humiliation and embarrassment.

We see how the Countess Maria Erdody cares for his vulnerability,conversing with him through a chalk slate.

The music takes a subordinate role here, the director wants to ask his audience ,What do you think of Beethoven as an individual? Did he conduct himself well in the company of others? Why did he alienate those who cared for him the most?Do we understand the motives behind his behaviour? Do we accept them? "...some may call me obstinate.. ..perhaps even misanthrophic.... ..but they do not understand..."

He destroys one family to set up a surrogate replacement and then when its members leave him, he descends into depression and self neglect.

Some described him as a monster, others the opposite.We get a sense of the complexity of the man.

It has to said that this is Gary Oldman's best role to date.From the emotional outbursts of indignation,facially expressive inner pain to the sly, satirical tormenting of fellow pianists,Oldman covers it all with equal evocation.

Some are born to genius, others must suffer through it.

Rent it and understand how excellent movies can be.

Sapphire & Steel (1979–1982)

absorbing

[27 June 1999]

As a teenager I lapped up every episode of this magnificent, highly informative and truly the most intelligent B.B.C. Sci.Fi. series.

The actors Joanne Lumley and David Mc Callum brought magic to the series as two investigators into the paranormal.The series was streets ahead of anything on TV in those days.

It was also educational, taking episodes from history and weaving them into the plotlines.

The Time Machine (1960)

simply fantastic!!

[10/10 · 27 June 1999]

Before there was Star Wars, before 2001, before ILM there was the Time Machine. This is truly a classic based on a novel by H.G.Wells, the great Sci-Fi writer.

What's truly remarkable about this movie is the stop motion and speeded up photo special effects..in 1960.

When Rod Taylor got into the chair of his time machine you just didn't expect what you saw.When he went forward far into the future, it was truly amazing.

If you don't know why this action is so haunting,pick up a video at your local library.They still exist.

Credit certainly goes to the fine actors and actresses on this movie and the make up of William Tuttle, a movie legend in his own time. Credit should also go to Tim Barr David Pal and Gene Warren for the stunning special effects. Should a remake be made? In my estimation it would be a waste of time and money.This is perfection. Check it out.

The Assignment (1997)

intriguing,riveting

[25 June 1999]

From the opening sequence to the final coda,this movie is well made,exciting,confounding,and action packed all rolled into one. The opening sequence telegraphed to me that this was no ordinary action-thriller.When Carlos the 'jackal',bombs a Parisian cafe by nonchalantly walking in past Jack Shaw, a top C.I.A operative we are sucked into the ensuing maelstrom,of the explosion and its aftermath.Annibal Ramirez, a U.S. naval officer,is picked up in Israel by the Mossad.However the Mossad are convinced they have the 'Jackal'.But things are not what they seem. Aidan Quinn, the Irish actor,plays a brilliant double role here with an equally strong supportive cast in Donald Sutherland as Shaw the C.I.A. man and Ben Kingsley as a Mossad officer. The plot is engrossing as Quinn takes on the assignment to expose the real 'Jackal' to the Russians.It's a set up but things go wrong. There is a beautiful set up scene towards the end of the movie where Shaw finally confronts the 'Jackal'.Its masterful. Not only does Duguay the director portray Quinn as transforming his character but includes the negative traits Quinn picks up from his 'Assignment'.I highly recommend this movie to any espionage or thriller fans.You will not be disappointed. a 10 star movie, for sure.

Beyond Rangoon (1995)

a human story

[24 June 1999]

I just love to see what direction John Boorman takes with each film project. I find I'm rarely disappointed. Beyond Rangoon is intelligent, detailed, involving and thoroughly engrossing,with an exceptionally brave performance by Patricia Arquette.The political backdrop of the squelching of the Burmese embryonic democracy movement told from the perspective of a visiting American doctor recovering from her own personal tragedy is a nice juxtaposition.Here we see Patricia Arquette leave her own personal grief behind to embrace a greater grief.Another excellent film by an engaging director.