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Reviews
The Fairy Who Stole Eyes (2006)
Great Cinema in a short film.
I caught this short film at the 19th Foyle Film Festival last year and had wanted to comment on it but they had no official site or IMDb web page. Couple of weeks ago this short resurfaced in the form of a DVD on the desk of a friend and I watched it again. My opinion had not changed - this is a great short. Very cinematic and extremely watchable. There is no doubting that this first time director shows great talent and originality. A cast of unknown actors as is the case with a majority of short films; each of the performances were lovely. I have to give the young actor playing Ryan a special mention because he had me engrossed with his subtle performance. Another talent for the future, I think so. The story was quite original and did not resort to cliché traps and each of the characters was well written. I found the camera work to be beautiful and visual style engaging. The short is beautifully scored with music and songs. It would seem that the filmmaker and producers invested much to give us a great film in just 11 minutes.
Almost Adult (2006)
Disappointing.
From the off-set, I have to say despite having seen Yousaf Ali Khan's 'Talking with Angels' last year it is hard not to compare the directorial attributes of both projects. Yes, 'T.W.A' was a short and Almost adults is a feature but should the feature not be better, rise high and above the short. Apparently not. Almost adults deals with the topic of illegal immigration told through the lives of two young African girls, who become friends, only to be then parted, and their lives taking different turns. There is noting new to this particular theme and nothing new is offered up by the writer or the filmmaker. Shot on DV CAM means it might be poor picture quality but it does not mean we have to deal with poor story-telling and lack-luster film-making. The clichés are apparent just as is the flatness of much of the piece. The young actress is out classed by the other leading lady, an actual illegal immigrant, but the clichéd bad guys aka manipulators of the illegals are just as jarring as the mainly clichéd representatives of the system. This is a film for those who are immersed in the world of immigration, those looking for something different, those wondering if this will be something different.
Indigènes (2006)
it should have been more.
I looked forward to this french WW2 film with great anticipation but it did not live up to my expectations and it certainly did not live up to the standard of a great war movie. Telling the story of the conscription of men from the North African French colonies, we follow the story of four men who become French soldiers all for very different reasons but all believing in what France their motherland offers in promise once freedom is achieved. Shot beautifully, delivering some wonderful performances, the story-telling touches on some potentially cinematic sub-plots and moments but never delivers as it slowly but surely converges into an almost french Saving Private Ryan with potential heart and soul of an undiscovered part of french/ww2/north African history being sacrificed to the lack of depth in its story-telling/screenplay and faith in its potential audience who would have loved to have taken a more exploratory journey with the filmmakers.
X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)
Missing the EMOTION GENE.
I am sorry but that really encapsulates what is wrong with X-Men 3. Myself, I am a fan of the X-Men movies because it is the first time ever that superhero movies were ever done well. X-Men 3 does not lack the star power or the orchestrated fight scenes come action scenes but what it lacks is a lot of everything else. Once again thrown into the paradox of the cure hence annihilation of the mutant gene, the very core of the plot is never ever dealt with in character with the numerous x-men characters. It is as if characters are efficiently gotten rid of so as to make sure that audiences know there will not be a fourth X-men. having seen this film at Cannes along with the screening of the press conference where Brett Ratner admitted to the end of this particular franchise but not dismissing a possible Professor X or a Magneto or a Wolverine - doesn't have the same optimism in me if its the likes of Mr. Ratner who will be directing and ignoring the characters/emotion/miles of wonderful tension and concentrating on the action. Performances were below par and Magneto's army of bad mutants never caught your imagination even Pyro a remnant from X-2. One is never allowed to get to know the Phoenix and that wonderful love triangle of Scott, Logan and Jean whose parameters change in this instalment are once again not exploited cinematically and instead an almost boring cliché without emotion anchors it. Much was missing, the real X FACTOR was missing.
The Wind That Shakes the Barley (2006)
Stilted appreciation.
One cannot accuse Ken Loach of familiarity or limitations. His films are bold be they small in scope as Sweet Sixteen or larger in scope as Land and Freedom. As to what one makes of The Wind That Shakes The Barley is something having seen Ken Loach's other work. Having set the film in the Ireland of the 1920s, a turbulent Ireland, and brought us into the lives of its protagonist brothers, the film starts offering something unique, personal and insightful only to become tediously slow and even dragging. Its high points come without emotional punch and feel like story telling by the numbers. The cinematography is too kitchen sink at time just as is the direction while the performances appear to fleet in and out as if one was actually watching a workshop on acting. I think winning a prestigious accolade is no measure of whether the movie is good or great because in this case it is only average.
Babel (2006)
Loved it.
Starting from the arid planes of Morrocco, to the lull of American suburbia and into the manic pop culture of Japan - Babel is the third offering from the director of Amorres Perros and 21 Grams. For me, it sits with his first feature in tone, emotion, grit and performance. The tri-secting story telling, the visual panorama and characters pull you in to a world forgetting that you are in a cinema and that it sits packed with no standing room either. Babel was a film that deserved its place in the Official competition just as the it deserved best director. yet, could not help but think that it soared high above its competition and deserved Cannes ultimate accolade.
Ten Canoes (2006)
Unique.
An outstanding movie. Storytelling at its finest. Ten canoes is a story within a story and delves into a world that people rarely no about. Away from the clichéd Aboriginal art and instruments - we are propelled to live by proxy with two generations and experience their world, their humour. This was one of two most outstanding movies at this year's Cannes film festival. The only shame was that it was not in the official competition section but in the un certain regard. /however, showing great wisdom, the jury did realise and rightly so award for the first time ever a special jury prize to Ten Canoes. Written, shot and directed with a deft touch. Sheer class.
Song of Songs (2005)
premature
One is always keen to seek out productions that class themselves as low-budget and high quality. Clearly shot on DV, Song Of Songs has its unwatchable phases and some watchable - I am guessing its partly to do with style/mainly to do with lack of lighting...but thats just one of the uncomfortable aesthetics. Am certain that this is a film aimed at the core audience strong on the Jewish contingent and will of course stir some controversy given its subject matter. However, when dealing with such subject matters, it is important to consider having more subplots and strands so as to be more engrossing rather than off putting which it clearly is...maybe its far too cerebral/intellectual for its own good. The performances are generally okay but nothing write home about. The producer and director must be congratulated for embarking on this brave step and am certain that if more attention had been paid to two or three more integral characters, this film would beat with a stronger heart and express a more emotive cinematic atmosphere.
Bride & Prejudice (2004)
A waste of time and money.
Comparisons are inevitable with BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM because it is the same director. Granted the story is totally different. Based on the book Pride and Prejudice, Chadha makes nothing of the infinite subtleties in the book and reduces it and the cast to a joke. Then again the cast are nothing to rave about. A majority of them ham up their parts or play them on Auto-pilot that I felt insulted. Its my money, my time and believe it on not Gurinder Chadha I am a hard working individual, who has cinematic intelligence and who despite seeking escapism - does not need it be so glitteringly grotesque. Stayed story, stayed clichés, stereotypes, most importantly stayed execution. Am I going to be proved wrong after BILB, will I have to admit that Chadha might not be the talent one hoped for - a bag of hot celluloid air that could not even add a drop of something new to this movie. I really did waste my money on an inferior picture that just gets the same BOLLYWOOD even Hollywood treatment of lack of believability and extreme cheesiness.
Camp X-Ray: Ghosts of Guantánamo Bay (2004)
Irresponsible sensationalism wrapped up in a bad movie.
I sat watching this movie thinking from the very outset that I had made the wrong choice. You would hope that a film clearly shot on a tight budget would do the one professional courtesy of having a good solid story told through good acting if not passable acting but alas no. The dialogue, situations and acting were cringe worthy. This was clearly a movie made by people jumping on the bandwagon of the recent release of the British muslims and extrapulating a diatribe of dialogue and cliché. You can hear them saying it, 'C'mon lets make this movie now before the BBC, Channel 4 are going to make it into a T.V. drama'. Having seen this example of film-making I really wish that the T.V. Drama had been made. At least, they would have done their research and put all their efforts into making it a hard hitting statement which this film never even wakes up to be. There was no real message to this movie as the writer's sole purpose was to amplify what the audience might think went on at Camp X-ray. As a born and bred Bradford man, this movie was clearly shown here to create sensationalism and stir up furor amongst the Muslim community. One felt that the movie went out of its way to be Anti-American. Why? Publicity capital through more sensationalism. Irresponsible film-making no doubt so that the film gets a wider audience. If a wider audience was sought and is sought then the so called 'film makers' would have done better by making what could have been a good lo-budget watchable film. Very, very disappointing - Big Thumbs down!