I hesitated going to see this movie, because sequels tend to run out of steam and I didn't want to be let down, but I went anyway - and I was very pleasantly surprised. The pre-title sequence, in particular, was genius. Luckily it didn't stop there. Although the jokes followed the same format as the first two, the content was original and uproariously funny. I laughed at least as hard as I did at Spy Who Shagged Me. Possibly more. The Evil camp is still my favorite aspect of the movie, and they don't disappoint. My only criticism is that there was NO reason for Britney Spears to be in the movie. But I'll forgive Mike Myers that little lapse in judgment, and he's still batting 1,000 in my book.
Reviews
6 Reviews
Hedwig and the Angry Inch
(2001)
Surprising delight
22 June 2002
A friend recommended this movie to me, and although I missed it in the theaters, I rented it as soon as it came out on video. I wish I HAD seen it in a theater, if for no other reason than to make Mitchell and Trask a small bit of money for what I found to be a truly amazing film. I hope they collaborate again.
They've created a unique and engaging character in Hedwig, and one of the best soundtracks I've ever listened to. It's better than most "classic" rock operas - an inspiring mix of music and storytelling with hanting melodies and prophetic vocal lines. I found the melodies and lyrics swimming through my head for days after I saw the movie. Simply wonderful. I'm still haunted by the thought the we are all halves of beings who originally had two faces, two sets of arms, and two sets of legs.
They've created a unique and engaging character in Hedwig, and one of the best soundtracks I've ever listened to. It's better than most "classic" rock operas - an inspiring mix of music and storytelling with hanting melodies and prophetic vocal lines. I found the melodies and lyrics swimming through my head for days after I saw the movie. Simply wonderful. I'm still haunted by the thought the we are all halves of beings who originally had two faces, two sets of arms, and two sets of legs.
Stella Does Tricks
(1996)
I'm just not sure
9 August 2001
I saw this film on cable last night. I really wanted to like it because I like Hans Matheson and Kelly Macdonald, but when it was over, I felt disappointed. I think my biggest pet peeve is that the filmmakers spent too much time trying to drive home the point that Stella was molested as a child (after the third flashback, even the dumbest audience member understands) and too little time developing the characters. I would have liked to know more about why Eddie is the way he is, and why Stella latches on to him as opposed to, say, one of her older Johns who isn't a drug addict. Perhaps it was intentional that the only person we get to know is Stella, because that way we can see just how messed up and confusing her life is. I'm just not sure.
A.I. Artificial Intelligence
(2001)
Spielberg, you're fired (spoiler)
5 July 2001
Warning: Spoilers
Yet another Spielbergian example of great special effects but a horrible plot. Had the movie ended with David jumping into the water, it would have been complete. Depressing, but complete. Because I think the point of the film was that the robot child turned out to be more loving and devoted than the humans, which is a profound idea. Instead of ending it there, though, the filmmakers spent way too much time pounding the audience with the message that David was sad, and then finished with one of the cheesiest "happy" endings I've ever seen on film. Ugh. I can suspend my disbelief far enough to handle loving robots, but not far enough for an omnipotent alien race that could bring humans back to life -- for only one day! Give me a break. Plus, they gave David the capacity to reason but not enough sense to realize that the mother didn't deserve his devotion. I also felt that there were too many unnecessary random subplots - like the whole Flesh Fair part, and the Dr. Know part. There were other more interesting ways they could have bonded David with Joe.
So what did I like about it? The acting was really good, especially Osment and Law. The effects were obviously good. It was visually very interesting. Gigolo Joe was an interesting character, and gave the audience a break from feeling sad for David. My favorite thing of all was Teddy, the robotic bear toy that used obsolete technology (according to one of the characters) but was still way more loving and devoted than any of the humans. So I guess the message in all of this is "humans suck." Especially the humans that made the movie...
So what did I like about it? The acting was really good, especially Osment and Law. The effects were obviously good. It was visually very interesting. Gigolo Joe was an interesting character, and gave the audience a break from feeling sad for David. My favorite thing of all was Teddy, the robotic bear toy that used obsolete technology (according to one of the characters) but was still way more loving and devoted than any of the humans. So I guess the message in all of this is "humans suck." Especially the humans that made the movie...
Canone Inverso
(2000)
Loved the actors, loved the film.
4 April 2001
I just saw this film at the Newport Beach Film Festival (CA, USA) and it really moved me. I decided to see it because Gabriel Byrne was in it, but I found a lot more to enjoy. Namely the three young actors chosen to play Jeno, Sophie, and David. They were fantastic, especially Hans Matheson (Jeno). I was captivated by each of them, by how well they conveyed love, fear, joy, and sadness throughout the film, often with just the expressions on their faces. Ennio Morricone provided his usual elegant score behind it all. And the scenery was beautiful, in a very Eastern European crumbly building kind of way.
Anyone who appreciates good music and good film should keep an eye out for this one. There are some minor plot flaws, some of the scenes border on schmaltzy, and they definitely shoot for the tear ducts at the end, but it's still worth watching.
Anyone who appreciates good music and good film should keep an eye out for this one. There are some minor plot flaws, some of the scenes border on schmaltzy, and they definitely shoot for the tear ducts at the end, but it's still worth watching.
Memento
(2000)
The processing time is well worth it
2 April 2001
Sadly, many people will not "get" this movie. In a lot of cases, it will be because they made the mistake of reading too many reviews or visiting the official web site (which IMO introduces 'facts not in evidence' and ruins it).
In any case, here's what I loved most about Memento: it was the first movie I've seen in years that was completely unpredictable. I guessed the ending of The Usual Suspects, and I don't understand why so many people didn't. But anyway. Every time I thought I had things figured out in Memento, I learned I was wrong. Every pre-conceived notion I started out with was shattered by the end. Nothing was what it seemed, though the differences were of varying degrees. I walked out of the theater questioning just about everything and trying to remember how certain elements fit together. I thought about it the rest of the evening on into the night. I love movies that do that to your head.
The fact that the movie was edited with a backward scene order is sheer brilliance, and I don't think the movie could have worked if it had started at the beginning. In each scene, the viewer is trying to put together a puzzle, just like Leonard is. And even though the viewer may "know" what comes later, he still doesn't know what's going on right now, or why. There are small clues on Leonard's notes that give us a hint and nothing more. It's the closest we could come to having Leonard's condition - the memories we have of previous scenes are pretty much irrelevant to what is going on in the current scene and we are constantly re-evaluating "the facts" in light of new information. I wish I had written the script!
See this movie. But don't plan for anything afterward, because you'll need some time to process it.
In any case, here's what I loved most about Memento: it was the first movie I've seen in years that was completely unpredictable. I guessed the ending of The Usual Suspects, and I don't understand why so many people didn't. But anyway. Every time I thought I had things figured out in Memento, I learned I was wrong. Every pre-conceived notion I started out with was shattered by the end. Nothing was what it seemed, though the differences were of varying degrees. I walked out of the theater questioning just about everything and trying to remember how certain elements fit together. I thought about it the rest of the evening on into the night. I love movies that do that to your head.
The fact that the movie was edited with a backward scene order is sheer brilliance, and I don't think the movie could have worked if it had started at the beginning. In each scene, the viewer is trying to put together a puzzle, just like Leonard is. And even though the viewer may "know" what comes later, he still doesn't know what's going on right now, or why. There are small clues on Leonard's notes that give us a hint and nothing more. It's the closest we could come to having Leonard's condition - the memories we have of previous scenes are pretty much irrelevant to what is going on in the current scene and we are constantly re-evaluating "the facts" in light of new information. I wish I had written the script!
See this movie. But don't plan for anything afterward, because you'll need some time to process it.
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