Tomici Reviews

Knowing (2009)

One of the most thrilling movies in 2009.

[9/10 · 11 August 2010]

First of all, Aley Proyas is one of my favorite directors and it's pity he doesn't make movies more often. The Crow and Dark City are one of my all time favorite movies where he demonstrated how talented director he really is. To this date, The Crow may be the best comic adaptation ever made. Dark City may be one of the most intelligent movies made in 90-ties and Knowing somehow reminded me of that movie. Following Garage Days and I Robot were good, but I knew Proyas can do better than that. And he did it in this movie.

Lots of people crucified this movie. Not sure know why. I presume it's because they just don't like Cage or they don't know how to relax and enjoy the movie. I know it's not perfect. It doesn't deliver all the answers. But who said it needs to? It has intelligent screenplay, suspenseful plot, astonishing special effects and great performance by Nicolas Cage. It was a long time since a movie got me literally attached to the screen. And I'm sure it was because I didn't bother myself with questions Why and How simply because this is a science- fiction movie. And the word fiction is very connected with word imagination that doesn't necessary means it can give you all the answers. You can only guess them. Damn, this is not Columbo, Sherlock Holmes or some other crime movie where you expect all the questions to be answered in the end. This movie is made to entertain you. And in that area, it does one hell of a job.

Open Range (2003)

A great example what is western supposed to be

[10/10 · 11 February 2009]

In my life, I watched many westerns, especially the old ones from 60's and 70's. Those westerns were (and always will be) way better than the most of the modern ones. Westerns made in the last, let's say 20 years, very often give big advantage to the style over substance. And unfortunately, there isn't too many of them made these days because everybody are looking for some big budget action spectacles. And if there still weren't movies like Open Range, Jack Bull, 3:10 to Yuma, or that great show Deadwood, I guess we could really say that western is dead.

After mediocre Postman, in this movie Costner showed us that he can still direct and act in a movie as good as his previous Dance with the Wolves. This western has everything needful to make an Oscar worth film. Everything is great, especially the last gunfight. I can tell that this is, without a doubt, one of the best shootouts I've seen in my whole life. It looks really realistic and without exaggerations that are synonym for todays movies. I couldn't find any objection to the movie and I really doubt I ever will (more or less because I watched this movie 2 or 3 times already :). It's a beautiful dedication to the old westerns and all I can say is : Thank you for that, K. Costner.

Resident Evil: Extinction (2007)

It's all about Milla...

[7/10 · 21 January 2009]

Like I already said: It's all about Milla. If you like her, you'll like all three parts of Resident Evil trilogy.

First of all, I'm not Resident Evil games fan. I never played any of these games, but I really like the whole Resident Evil movie trilogy. I admit, it's more or less because of good looking and in every scene sexy Milla. The same thing was with Underworld and Kate Beckinsale.

Bunch of people say Milla isn't any good as an actress. Well I don't agree with that. She was great in the movies No Good Deed, Dazed and Confused, Dummy (and of course Res. Evil) and is the main reason why so many people watched these movies. I believe that the true reason why so many people don't like her is because she isn't ambitious like, let's say, Brad Pitt, Leonardo di Caprio, Keira Knightley etc. She is, in one hand, synonym for B-movies, but Jason Statham and lot's of other good actors are too. So does that makes them a bad actors? No, it doesn't. They just act in the movies where they know they can be good and that is the main reason why I respect them so much. They don't aim too high, so they never end up short like some other "great" actors.

So, if you are looking for some movie with good - looking actress, very good action and lot's of fun, I believe you should watch the whole trilogy. Just take the movies for what they really are, relax and enjoy it. Like someone already said, it's a perfect popcorn trilogy.

Quantum of Solace (2008)

And this is supposed to be James Bond?

[5/10 · 12 January 2009]

This is the first Bond movie I just couldn't watch to the end without pressing FF (fast forward) button. I mean, what happened with all those great Bonds we had chance to watch in the previous century? This one is nothing compared to them.

First of all, there is no intelligent script. I mean, there practically is no plot. The whole movie is about Bond jumping around, beating and killing everyone who gets in his way. I don't know, maybe Forster, Haggis, Craig and others met one day at lunch and one of them said: " Hey guys, I don't have anything smart to do next 2 or 3 weeks. What about you? We could make another Bond movie, shall we? " And they did it.

When I saw Casino Royale I wasn't very impressed, but it was one very good Bond because it had almost everything this one doesn't. Above all, Craig proved he was very good choice for Bond. In this sequel he is good too. But everything else isn't. It's just another unoriginal big budget action movie with some great action scenes. Even Craig can't do anything to make this mess looks better. And I really don't understand how can this movie be so highly rated. Is today a few good action scenes really enough to make a good movie? Hell, looks like it really is.

So, if you are looking for some good action movie, I strongly suggest you watch something else ( I believe Taken would be a great choice). After this, I will strongly consider watching the next Bond movie.

The Crow (1994)

My all time favorite movie

[10/10 · 25 December 2008]

I think I watched "The Crow" at least 30 times during the last 5 or 6 years. And it's not because I didn't had any other great movies to watch. It's because I never seen movie that has so much emotions,great acting,soundtracks, dialogs's and everything else that is needful to make, I'll dare to say it, a perfect movie. This is not just some usual "vendetta" action movie we get a chance to see very often these days. Above all, it's a great love story. And it all began with James O' Barr.

I remember when I read James O'Barr's masterpiece "The Crow". From the moment I read the first page, the introduction page, I knew I have in my hands something extraordinary. The best way to express my impressions is to use John Bergins words and say that James didn't wrote just another comic book. He wrote a love letter,the most beautiful love letter I have ever read. Alex Proyas and Brandon Lee where the one's who showed their talent and managed to put this story on screen in the best possible way.

I've seen a lots of different comic adaptations, but in the most of occasions movies couldn't live up to my expectations. The Crow is definitely not one of them. This is one of those movies that can be made only once (the best proof are other pretty bad sequels), but can be watched over and over again. Believe me, I know what I'm talking about.

Like the book,the movie shows us what it means to lose someone close to us. Just then we'll know emptiness and what it means to be completely and utterly alone. And nothing can prepare us for that day. Nothing. Brandon Lee gave us an Oscar worthy performance of Eric Draven, a man whom exactly that happened. I read that he did everything he could to make his character look realistic as much possible. And after that terrible shooting accident, it was (at least I think so) impossible to find someone who would be good enough to replace Brandon. But then Proyas and his team showed us how capable they really are and managed to film this movie to the end without making any mistake.

So, I don't know how helpful my babbling was to you, but I hope I managed to convince you to watch this movie. The same goes for reading O'Barr's comic book.

Dance of the Dead (2008)

Very enjoyable low-budget movie

[8/10 · 23 October 2008]

Like I already said,this is a very good horror-comedy. The only problem is that special effects aren't the best (but that is far away from spoiling you watching this movie). Film offers us enough humor and gore to keep us in the mood to the very end of it.

If I remember correctly, Bishop made his first movie with only 15000 $. The movie was nothing special, but for that budget it was more than satisfying. Almost the same thing happened with this movie (the only difference is that this one is even better than The other side). I have a feeling that with 15000 $ Bishop makes more than some directors with 15 mil. $. At least he knows how to make a very entertaining movie (I don't wanna think how good this movie would be if Bishop had a bigger budget). So I gotta say: "Dammit,will someone finally give this man the money so he can make a movie with decent special effects?!" He really deserved it.

So go,take your friends,watch this movie and you will all have a great time. Take this movie for what it is (by that I mean that this isn't some big budget movie,just the opposite) and this will be one of the best prom nights you have ever seen. In the end,I would give this movie 7 stars,but because of having so little and offering so much,I'll give it 8 for effort.

Taken (I) (2008)

You should definitely watch this one...

[9/10 · 28 September 2008]

I just watched this movie and it's definitely one of the best action movies I've seen in the last few years. It's because this isn't movie like many other action movies that are made these days (at least 80 % of newer action movies are all about special effects and big budget).

This movie gives us great acting,very good action and lots of tense moments. Liam Neeson is damn good in the role of the father, who will do everything he can, to find his daughter. He really surprised me with all that good action stunts he pulled off (in the end,he is 56 years old so I wasn't expecting too much in the beginning-I was very,very wrong).

So in the end,I ain't gonna tell you anything else about this movie because I don't want to risk and spoil you watching it. I can only highly recommend it-you really won't be disappointed.

1408 (2007)

One hell of a horror movie!!!

[7/10 · 6 January 2008]

I'm big fan of Stephen King and I must say that this is one of the best King's adaptations since the Storm of the century. The truth is that I have already seen one horror movie (if I remember correctly the movie was Drowning ghost) from this director and I didn't had some great expectations about this movie - well I was very wrong.

This is one of the movies that are very rare today - movie that will keep you in tension from the beginning till the end. John's and Jackson's acting was great and they are the main reason why this movie is so good. That speech Jackson made in the beginning of the movie was stunning. And yes, the movie is not perfect, but which horror movie today is? This one maybe has some pointless scenes, but it kept me on the edge of my seat till the end. It's definitely better than a lot's of other Hollywood crap movies we unfortunately watch these days.

So if you are looking for some good suspense horror movie, go and see it. I can tell you one thing for sure - it is worth checking in.