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Reviews
Superman Returns (2006)
Welcome back, Kal-El
Bryan Singer and his colleagues (Cast and Crew) are owed a huge debt of gratitude for bringing Superman back to us! Did anybody else get goose bumps during the opening title sequence? Wow! The attention to detail and undisguised homage to Richard Donnor's original film was mesmerising. Its one of those films I could watch a 100 times and still enjoy it! Much as I hate to find fault I have to say that the storyline was a little marred on occasion by the use of lines from Donnor's original film almost brow-beating us into believing these were the original characteristics we know and love. Having said that the film has nicely re-established those characters for us and created all sorts of possibilities for a sequel. Now that the 'ice has been broken' the cast will hopefully find it much easier to find their own path in the future in terms of character development etc.
On the sequel front, I would like to see a stronger Lois. Kate did a terrific job, but I'm quite convinced that the Lois Lane I remember would have slugged Kal-El for running out on her man of steel or not. Also, Luthor again used the expression "mind over muscle" in relation to his on-going conflict with Superman. Superman supposedly has knowledge spanning 28 Galaxies, so it would be great to see a real 'battle of wills' between him and Luthor in the future as well as some flexing of muscles.
On a philosophical note: Times have changed (as emphasised in the film) and whilst Superman's fight for Truth and Justice should go on, he should surely be fighting for the 'Worldly Way' rising above the petty jealousies and conflicts of Earthmen and helping people to "see the light" in a more Universal way. Perhaps, that's not what Superman's creators ever envisioned, but - if ever a Man of Steel really existed - that would surely be his philosophy and it would be interesting to see this reflected in some way in any future film.
I hope Bryan Singer, his cast and crew are all penned in for a sequel. Their love for the subject matter is obvious. Long may Superman reign
!
Thunderbirds (2004)
A supreme disappointment unworthy of it's illustrious predecessor.
Thunderbirds was ultimately a supreme disappointment, unworthy of its illustrious predecessor.
Cast and crew cannot be entirely blamed since they didn't have much of a script to work with. With this movie they had an ideal opportunity to introduce a whole new generation to the Thunderbirds universe. Instead, Jeff Tracy and his older sons were akin to wallpaper; just background to the events surrounding Alan Tracy and nothing more. Bill Paxton didn't have enough to do/say. Sorry, Ben, but The Hood wasn't the least bit menacing. Also, sorry Anthony, but I squirmed in my seat every time Brains appeared in a scene! The scriptwriters should have forgotten the stammer for this movie and left Brains as a shy, but brilliant 'geek'. Sophie Myles had potential, but reminded me more of Emma Peel than Lady Penelope. Ron Cook did acquit himself admirably as Parker, despite the script limitations.
One of the strengthens of the original series was that it didn't patronise it's audience. If you could see beyond the strings, International Rescue was an organisation you could believe in. Thunderbirds (2004) was more to do with teenage angst than anything else!
Fortunately, the integrity of the original series cannot be diminished and one day, hopefully, there will be a kind of "Thunderbirds Begins" movie where we can see ALL the characters, technology and wonderful rescues fully realized and established.
The Black Cat (1995)
A very compelling and entertaining short, highly worthy of Poe's macabre writings. I look forward to seeing more from this Director in the future.
Having read Poe's book some years ago I only remembered the basics of the story. Viewing Rob Green's film for the first time brought it all back. The Black Cat title has often been used before in other films, but never has Poe's story been brought to life so vividly. The atmosphere created for the dungeon was such that you could almost smell the damp in the air. The narrative of 'the prisoner' was compelling; drawing you effortlessly into the plight of his character and that of his erstwhile associates. Personally, I found it so easy to get drawn into the story that I never had to think about the technicalities of how the film was put together and surely that is what film making is all about. Without giving anything away, the final moments towards of the end of the film almost made me jump out of my seat; something that had only previously happened to me when I saw Alien
The Trick (1997)
A visually delightful, comedic treat with a dark edge.
Every now and then a film appears out of nowhere that surprises you, in a good way. "The Trick" is such a film. A unique piece of black comedy revolving around auditions for a magic show, the three central characters are wonderfully over-the-top. As judges during the magic auditions they remind you very much of the obnoxious panel judges you sometimes get in TV talent shows; the sort of people you love to hate. As if to emphasise the audiences point-of-view, Don Warrington's delightfully underplayed mystery man manages to show them a thing or two in a very unique way. His 'magic trick' is a definite work of art and appealed very much to the child in me. What makes this short film all the more remarkable is the fact that it has no dialogue at all. Everything is conveyed beautifully thorough actions, facial expressions, sound effects, music, lighting etc; almost like a homage to an old silent movie.