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Moon (2009)
Nothing to write home about
Now don't get me wrong... Moon is a good movie, but I think the 9 and 10 scores from many of my fellow reviewers are a bit over-the-top. Having said that, I enjoyed watching the movie, but I don't have any desire to see it again.
The message of space loneliness and the cold, somewhat soulless void that we call space, is well delivered in what is generally a cold and soulless movie. It's like watching and endless scene shot in a pristine hospital operating theater. Stark and clinical. But I guess spacecraft and space itself is very much like that.
I have no gripe with the acting or the set design, nor with the (not totally believable) lunar surface shots and machines. The all-knowing, slightly sinister on-board computer was also fine. But as I watched, I couldn't help thinking that the director was trying too hard to make a masterpiece and a modern-day 2001 space puzzle. The plot certainly gives food for thought, but the answers to the questions are weak and spoil the intellectual chase. Imagine if Mr. Kubrick had explained everything; would his movie still have been a masterpiece? Moon is entertaining and original. For sure it is worth watching. But is it "One of the best sci-fi movies ever"? Maybe, but only just.
2012 (2009)
Great earth-destruction scenes but no substance
Maybe this movie will have an impact on the global movie audience, but if it does, it won't because it's a good film. It might strike home with millions who see it and suddenly realise that our planet is a fragile system of checks and balances and when they get out of control ... oh boy; better watch out! The computer effects are simply breath-taking as the globe literally disintegrates before our eyes, but the story and especially the lumbering last third of the movie were tiresome.
2012 fails to touch on why 2012 is important to doom mongers. Okay, maybe many of the viewers are not so interested in the many forecasters who predict the same - 2012 is the last year for us all - but showing a one minute piece of mass suicide at Tikal is not good enough. In fact, this movie could be any year you like to choose. The director simply hijacked the doom year of 2012 and then totally failed to explain why 2012 is so important.
Everyone must see the first half of this movie. It's a technical masterpiece. Some can stay on to watch the ramifications of global destruction and how we might decide who is 'saved' if we get the chance, but nobody need stay and watch the last third. It's an insult to the audience. The script is crass, with sickly goodbyes and a pathetic plot with totally unrealistic contraptions to 'save mankind'. Some shots were laughable (although not supposed to be so). Look out for the flying giraffe and the floating elephant. Also take note of how a simple propeller can stop a vessel the size of 10 supertankers in just 30 seconds. Then there is the 'where did that come from' convoy half way up a mountain, and the infantile sunrise 27 minutes after the biggest storm in the history of the planet.
I understand that this is the director's last 'disaster' movie. I hope so. And how fitting that he should be hanging up his clapper board after directing a real cinematic disaster!
I score it 7, but only for the special effects.
Defiance (2008)
A gritty film that captures the audience and delivers the message
Movies based on true stories have a big advantage. We are already believing what we watch without asking ourselves if the story is believable. But in fairness, Defiance is totally believable and not once will you say "I don't believe that!". It's a very good film. I'm always on the look-out for stupid errors in continuity or bad directing, but I couldn't see any here. Maybe because I was busy watching, but I don't think there were any to notice. The director managed to make all his characters 'real' and the story was dull enough for short periods to be totally true to life. Even Daniel Craig, who is not in my best 100 actors list, did very well and seemed to relish the role. In fact all the acting was high quality and the set (a real forest) was stunning and very atmospheric. The story is strong and inspiring. Very much a case of 'good' winning through. But embedded in the dialogues are many aspects of family disputes, social pressures, animal instincts, blind loyalty, and emotional trauma. Watch it. It's worth it.
Street Kings (2008)
Good cop thriller but oh no it's Reeves again....
Street Kings was better overall than I expected, and I had not read the reviews.
A gritty story of sleaze in L.A. with typical cop v. cop action and in-built twists that both work and entertain. Well directed and pacey, with some strong acting from the leads, except Mr. Reeves.
I'm sorry to say that I'm always nervous when I am about to sit down to see dear Keanu in action. When I watch him I never stop realizing that he is acting. He never convinces, especially if he has more than the occasional line to deliver. His dialog is thankfully limited in this movie but not enough to save his neck. Keanu - you were the weakest link (as usual) - Goodbye! But I give the movie a 7 despite him.
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009)
Action upon action upon action. Nothing much else though.
This movie will probably make the producers and backers zillions. But I wish it was because the movie is good and not that there are just zillions of people out there who will watch every action movie that comes along without ever demanding that they be GOOD action movies or complaining about the bad ones. This is a movie any truly discerning action movie watcher should object to and shout at the producers about before they bore us all with an inevitable sequel 'GI Joe does it again' or whatever. They need to do better next time or don't bother.
Computer graphics and effects are to be marveled at these days and those technical bods can do incredible things. In this movie there were effects, and loads of them, but somehow all that skill and terrific imagination never managed to make me forget that they were only make-believe (unlike other movies such as District 9 for example). The result was a 'computer game' feeling throughout, not helped by the almost total lack of any meaningful dialog or opportunities for anyone to act (is being constantly blown up, lazered, machine gunned, melted down or slashed into pieces by crazed samurai warriors real acting? Um... No.)
Sure there was a very thin and predictable 'world-threatening' plot based on bioengineering terrorism, but its nothing special and nobody will watch this movie for the clever twists nor depth to the characters. Many were shown at times as holograms and that's how they came across to me – virtual, unreal and with nothing solid behind them. The director even missed the opportunity to make his leading ladies sexy killing machines. They looked and acted more like catty secretaries who are attracted to men in uniform and who have a fantasy to be soldiers at weekends.
Yes this is an action movie. Yes it is action packed – seriously so. Yes it will be very popular. But is it an action masterpiece that will be watched again and again over the next 20 years – NO WAY. For many, possibly even a few action-junkies, I suspect that making the mistake of watching this movie once in a lifetime will be more than enough.
I am pretty sure this movie will disappoint many if not most of those who watch it.
Obsessed (2009)
Slow, plodding and nothing much to get excited about
It seems as if the producers were themselves obsessed with making this movie despite the weak script and oh so predictable story line. Pity. What a waste of movie-production dollars. They even missed a trick by casting Beyonce in a role that gave her almost no space to act. (She actually has promise I believe if given the right role. She is strong and expressive - if a little too type-cast so far in dominant black female characters.)
No. Although watchable, Obsessed never manages to reach out to its audience, apart perhaps for the end scenes when the action hots up and is quite well orchestrated - but even then the terrible predictability and shallowness of the result is grating. The director totally fails to create the drama of any true obsession and the use of long musical interludes with meaningful de-focused emotional images and plot consolidation is an annoying cop out.
Some strong acting from the leading man fails to lift this movie above POOR.
Night at the Museum (2006)
Good family fantasy fun that amuses and is well crafted
It's been a while since I watched a family movie and when I sat down I was really hoping that the 'family' element in this movie would be more 'grown-up' than I feared. It wasn't, but to my surprise I found that I didn't mind. I just decided to sit back and let the movie carry me along.
The movie's concept is very interesting - figures and creatures from history coming alive - at night. Its simple and for kids in particular, its a spectacle and fun. But I found myself also admiring the way everything was put together. Clever camera angles, effects, computer graphics, use of blue screens etc, all combined to produce a screen full of action and movement that looked what it was supposed to be.
Okay, the story around the edges of the concept is not so hot but I don't think anyone will care. Ben Stiller does better than he often does and has to go it alone as there is no one supporting actor who shares center stage. There are sprinkling of faces from the past in other parts (kids won't know any of them except Robin Williams perhaps) but for adults these (old) familiar faces will add a nostalgic dimension.
One major disappointment was Ricky Gervais as the Museum Director. Why was he in this movie? No idea; except perhaps that the TV series 'The Office' was probably was popular at the time of shooting. His part in the movie was an embarrassment. He looks very uncomfortable trying to deliver The Office-like lines that he obviously didn't write. He looked wooden and foolish. Pity.
Overall, a good gentle laugh and some relaxed family fun. The 'monkey slapping' sequence works well.
The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009)
Fast, furious, with believable characters and real atmosphere
I can't remember the earlier Pelham 123 movie and I don't advise anyone that it is necessary to dig back to compare. No need. Assume this is THE Pelham movie and go on happily with your life. In fact, the director has done a great job bringing this story up to date and should generally be congratulated on his work. This movie is well-crafted and reaches to its audience with strong characters, fast moving action and a flowing plot.
The two leads (Denzel Washington and John Travolta) put in excellent performances and carry the movie through to the end. Though I have to take issue with Denzel's rapid and sometimes mumbled speech which makes it very hard for non-USA viewers, and John's considerable over-use of the 'F word' - totally unnecessary Mr. Director.
The camera angles, clever editing and 'time-line' freeze frames adds to the experience, and the action, for the most part, is well in keeping with the story (but the NYPD delivery scene is stupidly excessive and makes the cops look even more incompetent than usual). Mr. Director - you wasted a good portion of the budget in those scenes! We understood the urgency, believe me!
Overall - very good, watchable, gripping and entertaining.
District 9 (2009)
A must-see movie; a real surprise for the adventurous movie watcher
I love movies like this: I knew nothing about it before I sat down to watch (I never read a DVD cover synopsis, preferring instead to allow the director to tell his story; and I hadn't read anything about District 9)and the movie proved to be an absolute delight.
Shot in a grainy, hand-held camera, documentary style, this movie (set in South Africa) introduces many interesting and fresh features compared to Hollywood's rather stale handling of alien action films.
With its unique story line; rough editing; sometimes indistinct audio (the South African accents are not always easy to grasp - and even the aliens don't speak English!), viewers have to engage and stick with the flow so as not to miss anything. But, for me, all that just added to the pleasure of the experience.
The movie also has interesting sub-messages: comparisons with the apartheid times and reminders of classes of citizenship; the shanty towns in Soweto; issues and infringement of human(or rather alien) rights); likely emotional attitude/fears towards aliens on earth; man's failure to harness advanced technology; and alien/human inter-breading and social order. (I may have missed one or two).
But hold on - don't let the last paragraph turn you away. This movie is absolutely enjoyable without ever consciously thinking about any of that. The story is very strong - just as a story in itself.
Also strong, as a warning, is some of the action, which is graphic in places. But, frankly, I never felt out of my comfort-zone (and I abhor extreme/unnecessary violence/foul language on the screen).
I didn't know any of the actors (which also I like in movies) and the acting was totally believable. As for the special effects - Superb, without being over-the-top. The aliens looked as if they were just standing around like you and me. I take my hat off to the technical team.
Little to say thats negative about this movie. It won't suit everyone, but actually the crazy mix of story, rough shooting, effects and message gives it a wider audience than your average action-packed adventure.
My recommendation - watch it!
The Proposal (2009)
A 'green card' story that amuses and entertains
This romantic comedy does what it sets out to do and I am sure that those movie fans who like this genre will enjoy the experience of seeing The Proposal.
It's a very effective vehicle for Sandra Bullock to display her quirky comedy talent, and she does very well (her best movie in quite a while I think). Her co-star Ryan Reynolds adds good support and the pair dominate the screen as you would expect. But viewers won't tire of seeing the duo in action I suspect. The dialog and story move along with pace and there are plenty of opportunities for laughs and chuckles.
As you might expect, this is no complex twisting plot, but rather a gentle ride through a nice story of how events can shape relationships, both for good and for bad, further complicated or helped by families.
A very watchable movie that neither grates nor annoys (but neither does it leave much in the memory, I must add).
My only critical comment would be that I wish the director had worked much harder to make us believe in the strength of the relationship during its transition for one end of the emotional spectrum to the other. Admitedly the plot requires the actors to act hatred and the characters to fake affection, then feel love, but I didn't feel the intensity of either end of the process.
Moulin Rouge! (2001)
A kaleidescope of images, movement, music, smiles and tears
I really hope that you reading this because you have not seen Moulin Rouge - and I wish I was in that position. Let me explain why.
Do you know what I mean when I say there are some movies that just knock you backwards with delight and surprise the first time you see them. The impact is even more powerful if you don't know anything about the film before you sit down to watch it. Well, for me, Moulin Rouge is just such a movie, and a great example of entertaining cinematography at its very best.
I'm not going to say anything about the plot; nor am I going to give you any clue as to what journey of delight the director will lead you on. You will just have to read these few key words and see if you like the idea in general: love, Paris, jealousy, words, theater, Sound of Music, tragedy, humor, an elephant, dance, a Duke, music and colors.
So? What do you think? Willing to give it a try? But be warned: there's no action scenes; no exciting shoot out; no cops; no mafia, no car chase and no blood and guts. Boring you may say? Well if that lot is a must for any movie you watch then you can forget Moulin Rouge.
Still interested? Great. Go away, find the DVD or download it, and get ready for a delightful couple of hours.
This is a film that many consider a 'cult movie' of a kind. It might not be a perfect, clinical production but I promise you that all its flaws just add to the charm. There is a very good chance you will want to see it over and over so as to catch the myriad points of detailed set design and actions by the supporting cast. And the music is great. It shows what two 'non-singer' actors can do in very demanding musical roles. Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGegor are both fantastic.
Oh, yes, a word of warning: don't be scared off by the first 10 minutes - trust the director. He will make it all come clear.
This is in my Top 20 movies ever! Just sit back and 'On with the show'.
The Ninth Gate (1999)
A man looking for books that lead to the devil - yawn.
Now don't get me wrong, I like Johnny Depp, but this is definitely not a movie his biographer's will consider anywhere near one of his best. I can say the same of director - Roman Polanski.
For a start, the plot is just about strong enough for a 30 minute bed-time story, not a 130 min+ Hollywood production. Secondly, is fails to scare, anyone, anywhere nearly enough. Thirdly... oh, no need to go on. Suffice to say that I guess Johnny tried his best but Roman failed to deliver.
If you like the idea of watching Johnny smoking his way through a weakly satanic-hinting story that never delivers, then fine - watch it. In fact I always advise everyone to watch every movie because that way you appreciate the better ones more. This movie really helped me appreciate many others.
Oh, and if anyone can explain to me how you can pour gasoline over yourself from a 5 gallon container and ignite yourself from flames one meter away without any gasoline reaching the remote flames or even wetting the floor where your standing, please let me know. The director seems to believe its possible.
Johnny - wherever you are - please be more discerning with your choice of scripts (and accomplished directors?). We love you ... but this? No.
I expected and wanted more from this creative partnership.
Eagle Eye (2008)
A fast moving drama which keeps the viewer glued - then it ends
I liked this movie and I suspect most people will. It moves... fast... and manages to keep its act together as it progresses. Sure, the viewer is left in unknown territory sometimes and has to work a bit to try to untangle the plot, but so what? Better that than having everything laid out in front of you leaving you with the only challenge being how to eat your popcorn without dropping any! The special effects are credible and well executed. The plot has weight and twists, and the acting is more than acceptable - it's actually good.
In fact the movie scores highly in my book - it even has an interesting theme and poses a moral question as we are forced to tackle the dilemma of machines making logical and more moral decisions than man - even if we don't like it.
What lets this film down, and I realise I am on shaky ground here, is what I consider to be the over-the-top patriotic 'stars and stripes' ending.
Watch this movie and you can see for yourself how a good film should be - well, until the end anyway.
Shrink (2009)
A movie that reinforces the sad reality of life for many in L.A.
The plot is simple and well tried - a group of seemingly unconnected people become connected for good or for bad by means of a common denominator - in this case Kevin Spacey, who is a 'Shrink to the Stars'; but a shrink who himself is so lost through the death of his wife that he himself can't cope. He needs more help than they do. Even his father, who is... yes, you guessed it... a shrink, can't seem to do much to help.
The movie is set in L.A. and does a great job in reinforcing the picture that the rest of the world has about many people in L.A. (especially those who are Hollywood connected), who seem always to be wallowing in a mix of self-pity and helplessness, and who are dependent on drugs and shrinks (or should that be shrinks who are themselves dependent on something or somebody else?).
I don't rate 'SHRINK'. Kevin does his very best to deliver weak lines and he must have been fed up that the director could only think to show how screwed up he was by making him either slump in a chair for hours endlessly puffing on cigarettes and marijuana, or sitting for days in car with a low life drug pusher gaining buying both more drugs and homespun therapy. In fact the director struggles throughout to make something of this script and screen play. Probably because he is tasked with showing people having problems who really don't have any bigger problems than millions of others around the world in or outside L.A. Robin Williams appears in a cameo role as... well himself, as far as I could tell. His appearance adds no weight to the movie whatsoever (in fact the opposite) and the producers should have saved his fees and given a less well known actor a chance. The feel-good ending is nothing more than a convenient way to finish. No. The director of SHRINK should not be too proud of himself. As a movie, Shrink fails to deliver any meaningfull story or memorable experience. The only smiley aspect of the whole production was the movie producer character who is paranoid over cleanliness and calamity. That added a light humorous touch, but it was not enough to redeem the director in general and he should never be forgiven for the unimaginative way he handled the 'kicking over the motorcycle' scene. Even my parrot knew that was coming.
Shrink fails to convince the viewer that anyone in the story has such a serious problem that can't be solved by sipping a nice cup of tea and chatting with a sensible friend.
Watch it but don't expect too much.