DLibrasnow Reviews

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)

The version every fan of the book has waited for

[10/10 · 21 December 2005]

As someone who grew up with the C.S. Lewis Narnia books this version of 'The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe' is the one I have long waited for. Prior to this we had the 1978 animated movie and a rather low-budget BBC series, and while both were adequate neither really managed to truly capture the imagination as completely as the book has for generations of readers. Thankfully the success of the LOTR movies gave Buena Vista the courage to attempt this excursion into the fantasy realm and the result is a truly remarkable movie filled with wonder and spectacle. It really has to be seen to be believed and certainly on the big screen where all its majesty can be effectively conveyed.

Legionnaire (1998)

Its really not that bad

[4/10 · 13 December 2004]

I think the television listing description I read on this movie was misleading - actually no, it was wrong. According to what my TiVo said the story followed a 1920s playboy who returns from a stint in the Foreign Legion to reclaim his former lover (a mobster's girl). Obviously the person who wrote this has never seen this movie. For starters he wasn't so much a playboy as he was a boxer and for second he never returns to France to reclaim his former lover. In fact we learn through the progress of the film that the woman in question has emigrated to the United States. Okay, enough gripes about how inaccurate TV listings can be - what did I think about the movie in question. It's actually okay as far as Jean Claude VanDamme movies go, except he really doesn't do much in the way of martial arts as he has in previous films. Instead he relies more on a rifle to shoot charging North African tribesmen or fists to straighten out fellow Foreign Legionnaire's who get their kicks out of bullying their weaker colleagues. Jean Claude plays a boxer who, after reneging on a promise to throw a fight, escapes into the French Foreign Legion to flee the clutches of a murderous mobster. There he is flung headfirst into the North Africa war between the local nomadic tribesmen and the occupying French forces. What was really a treat was the presence of Steven Berkoff. It's been awhile since I have seen him in a movie. He was a very high profile in the early to mid 1980s in movies such as 'Beverly Hills Cop,' 'Octopussy' and 'Rambo: First Blood Part II' but then seemed to disappear from view. Here he plays the Foreign Legion commander who must lick the raw recruits into shape - and he dominates every scene in which he appears. The action scenes are also well staged and you feel the danger in which the troops are thrust into, the movie makers also do a good job of conveying the confusion and chaos that comes from close quarters fighting. If you enjoyed other Jean Claude movies then chances are this one will also hit the spot. It's not quite as good as 'Sudden Death' (my favorite Jean Claude picture) but it's an entertaining ride.

Doctor Zhivago (2002)

A surprisingly involving and more faithful adaptation

[9/10 · 13 December 2004]

It may be somewhat sacrilegious to admit this, but I actually prefer this production to the David Lean classic. That is an admission however that I do not take lightly, the Lean version having left an indelible impression on my younger life and the beautiful Lara's Theme having haunted me since I first saw the original version on television back in the 1980s. No, when I sat down to watch this 2002 adaptation of the Boris Pasternak epic I was all prepared to be both disappointed and resistant to a newer version of the Omar Sharif/Julie Christie favorite - so what happened? Why am I now sitting here so impressed and involved in what should by all accounts be a poorer step child to the colorful, star-filled 1960s movie. Simply put this movie has the advantage of time. A whole hour longer than the other movie that extra time gives the production of filling in some of the blanks that inhibited to original and more fully exploring the human relationships and interaction between characters. Matheson may not have the acting ability of Sharif but what he does have is the opportunity to more fully realize the character of Zhivago. In this sense this movie is more faithful to the source material and all the better for it. Matheson plays the story of Zhivago, a man brought up in the shadow of tragedy who feels the pull of loyalty to his wife (and childhood friend) Tonya and a deep infatuation for Lara. With the violence of World War I and the Russian Revolution as a backdrop, Zhivago travels through life torn by conflict. Less colorful than the original this mini-series compensates with a strong, well defined script and some star turning performances by Sam Neill and one-time Bond girl Maryam D'Abo (as Lara's mother). Many have also dismissed Keira Knightley in her role as Lara, but I found her both competent and powerful in the role. I found myself both involved in her story and convinced by her portrayal - she was certainly a different Lara than the one depicted by Christie some four decades ago, but one no less realized or compelling. In fact, I would go as far as to say that Knightley's Lara is a more rounded character than Christie's, no doubt due to Knightley's impressive screen presence, but also the longer screen time afforded to her character. One device I found both clever and interesting was real archive footage from the period that is woven into the story in a fascinating manner. Included on this DVD is a text biography of author Boris Pasternak as well as over an hour of interviews with the cast. Prepared to be surprised by this DVD and be prepared to fall in love with a whole new version of the DOCTOR ZHIVAGO story.

Shelter Island (2003)

Starring Kensit and Sheedy body doubles

[3/10 · 13 December 2004]

Whatever happened to Eighth Wonder singer Patsy Kensit after she appeared in the high voltage, high energy thriller 'Lethal Weapon 2'? Well, she went on to appear in a number of okay pictures (the acclaimed 'Twenty-One' and the sweet romantic comedy 'Does This Mean We're Married') and some truly terrible TV-movie-type fodder such as 'Kill Cruise.' Unfortunately, this crass production falls into the latter camp and, despite some good talent and a serviceable script, the movie is betrayed and let down with an overabundance of (blatently obvious) body-double nudity (that would seem more in place in a soft porn production) and a (supposidly) "surprise twist' that is telegraphed early in the movie. Kensit plays the lesbian girlfriend Alex, to Alley Sheedy's motivational speaker character, who persuades her girlfriend to escape the big city after she is brutally attacked. The two seek the solitude on an island and tension arises with the arrival of an injured man, a violent storm that knocks out the phone lines and ferry services to the mainland and the almost voyeuristic fascination with the girls displayed by the local sheriff. Kensit was the reason why I picked up this movie, that and the promise of an okay suspense thriller, but her talent is once again squandered in a movie that fails to deliver any real tension.

The Face of Fu Manchu (1965)

The best of the Fu Manchu series finally on DVD

[9/10 · 13 December 2004]

So far only available on VHS in Region 1, I picked up the Region 2 DVD release of 'Face of Fu Manchu' recently and blessed my region-free DVD player for every wonderful fun-filled moment of this enjoyable fantasy romp. Based on the character originally envisioned by British author Sax Rohmer, Christopher Lee made a total of five appearances in the 1960s as arch villain Fu Manchu. This entry (the first in the series) is by far the best, closely followed by the second 'Brides of Fu Manchu' (another Region 2 only DVD release). What makes this entry so enjoyable is the wonderful Nigel Green as Fu Manchu's greatest nemesis - Nayland Smith of Scotland Yard. In fact it is in the opening minutes of this movie that we see Smith invited by the Chinese government to witness the execution of Fu Manchu. Fast forward a couple of months and Smith is sturdy in his belief that Fu Manchu survived and is behind a series of grisly crimes in western Europe. Then when a professors servant is found murdered in the same manner in which Fu Manchu's followers had practiced, Smith becomes even more convinced that he is up against the evil genius. Through a series of machinations Smith learns that the professor has been kidnapped by Fu Manchu and is being forced to make a toxin that could wipe out most of the western world. Of course (in a plot device also used in the following 'Brides of Fu Manchu') the professors daughter has also been captured and is being used to comply the professor to complete his task. Directed with skill by Don Sharp this movie is fast-paced enough to overlook the plot holes and colorful enough to keep the fun factor umped up to the ultimate degree. It's a visual feast and the movie is also helped by a tight script and some well drawn characters. I grew up watching these movies on British television and my memories did not disappoint me. Also notable is the inclusion of one-time Bond girl Karin (You Only Live Twice) Dor ho turns in a strong performance as the professors daughter. This is an ultimate Saturday afternoon movie to be watched relaxed in a recliner with a bag of popcorn in one hand and a soda in the other, all the while reveling in every outlandish moment.

Kill Cruise (1990)

A curveball I didn't see coming

[4/10 · 10 December 2004]

Usually movies so-called curveballs don't catch me off guard, I am after all one of the viewers who knew instantly that the guy was actually dead in "The Sixth Sense" - it was plainly obvious to me but seemed to surprise some people - so I was a little taken aback by the curveball in this wannabe DEAD CALM. The main reason is that whereas the best curveballs have clues peppered liberally throughout the movie, this one comes completely out of left field. The movie itself is somewhat diverting entertainment, and for fans of Elizabeth Hurley (who has as far as I can recall her only topless scene in this movie) and Patsy Kensit this movie is a must-see. I did find Kensit very annoying throughout most of the movie which was a shame because I generally enjoy her work, but she was not helped by a pretty terrible script. Overall, an interesting way to spend a couple of hours though better as a rental than a purchase.

North Sea Hijack (1980)

One of Roger Moore's best movies

[22 May 2003]

Actor Roger Moore is best known for his work as Agent 007 in the James Bond movies but during his stint as James Bond he made a number of other movies of variable quality. One of the best was this 1979 adventure (it was released in 1980 in the US under the title "Ffolkes") in which Moore stars as an eccentric British adventurer with a disdain for women and a fondness for cats. Moore leads a small underwater commando group that does the occasional favor for Lloyds of London. The British government has a problem. Two oil rigs in the North Sea and a Norwegian Cargo Freighter are being held to ransom. A terrorist group has overrun the freighter and has both it and the two rigs fitted with booby trapped bombs. The economic, environmental and human cost if the British refuse the ransom could be astronomical. Unwilling to negotiate with hostages the government decides to contact Lloyds with a view to using their private specialized methods for dealing with problems. This is where Moore's character Ffolkes comes in. With a truly exceptional cast including James Mason, Anthony Perkins and David Hedison "North Sea Hijack" (aka "Ffolkes") is an enjoyable romp that is high on action and good humor. I highly recommend this movie.

Force 10 from Navarone (1978)

One of the best World War Two Movies around

[10/10 · 22 March 2003]

This was the movie that started my schoolboy crush on the gorgeous Barbara Bach. Even though she made this film one year after the James Bond adventure "The Spy Who Loved Me" I would not see that picture until years later on ITV, so it was here that I watched breathlessly as this beautiful actress made her entrance. Irregardless of that, the movie in question is one of the most underrated World War 2 films ever made. Under the expert hand of Guy (Goldfinger) Hamilton the plot takes a group of commando's led by Harrison Ford (fresh off the success of "Star Wars") off to Yugoslavia. In tow they have Robert (Jaws) Shaw and Edward (Day of the Jackal) Fox who have a mission of their own and a stowaway in the shape of Carl (Rocky) Weathers.

Upon arrival in Yugoslavia they are met by a group of characters that include Bach and another 007 alum Richard Kiel, and the viewer is left trying to guess who is friend and who is foe. Hamilton keeps the action going at a breakneck pace and as long as one sits back and lets the movie flow along, it is one of the most enjoyable adventures in cinema history.

Where Eagles Dare (1968)

Where oh where is the DVD. This is a truly complex and yet exciting WWII movies

[10/10 · 31 March 2001]

I really love this movie and have for years. It has a complex intelligent plot and brilliant action, all of which set it aside from some of the brainless action movies that appear today. My one gripe about this movie is that it is not yet available on DVD.