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michael714
Reviews
Bottle Shock (2008)
Not a good vintage
Sorry folks, but I had some real problems with the movie. I thought the cinematography and audio were great. However, I was not happy with the writing and directing. I didn't find Bill Pullman's character very believable. They just tried too hard to make him look like a character and in the end, I only had disbelief (not suspended). The character of Bo Barrett was meant to be a sympathetic character, but didn't come across as one to me. The love triangle in the movie just seemed old fashioned. Why must the white guy always end up with the white girl? There was good reason to fall in love with Gustavo, he made good wine and he exhibited heart. But I saw little reason for her to fall in love with Bo. At one point she tells him (and us) that Bo has heart, but I didn't see much of it. Near the end, it looks like he's trying harder, but it just seemed so contrived. Bo came across as an empty-headed, blonde for the first half of the movie and it was hard to believe that he developed passion in the end.
In the end, I was also not happy about how the actual competition was portrayed. Why would any substantial French wine experts attend the first year of a competition setup by an ex-patriot Brit wine seller with no customers? If there was a good reason, it was never presented. It just didn't seem credible.
This is a movie that should be remade. I like the story and I'd like to see it done right.
The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
Good sequel
I thought the Matrix Reloaded was every bit as good as the first one. The effects were great and only somewhat overdone compared to the first movie. In addition, I was pleasantly surprised by the extent of cohesive and thought provoking mind games- the same kind of mind games found in the first movie(which always reminded me a bit of Total Recall). If you really want to enjoy the movie, watch the first Matrix one more time, then pump up on caffeine and go see Reloaded. You won't be sorry.
Anger Management (2003)
Good movie if you like Sandler or Nicholson
Overall, I enjoyed the experience. Many laugh out loud scenes. Although it was ultimately predictable, it did have several twists that kept me wanting more. Don't go in looking for a masterpiece, however, if you want to be entertained, you should see this movie.