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Reviews
The Replacements (2000)
It's good - honest!
The Replacements came straight onto video here in the UK so I was expecting a mediocre movie at the most. What I got was a surprisingly good and funny movie with a catchy soundtrack. I'm mystified why the film did not do better at the box office although I can understand it being relegated to video here in the UK where American football movies never do well.
If you don't expect too much then you will probably enjoy The Replacements. So switch off your brain, sit back and let Keanu et al entertain you.
Raising Cain (1992)
Good, dark, twisting little thriller
After reading the reviews here I felt the need to defend this film. OK so it's not the best film in the world but what it is, is a good, dark twisting little thriller.
John Lithgow as Carter, Cain, Josh etc. is great and convincing in every role that he plays, as are the supporting players. The film is shocking, funny and sad.
POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!
Shocking is Jack's dying wife movements being reflected on the TV, funny is the character of Dr Waldheim and sad is the abuse inflicted on Carter by his dad.
END OF SPOILERS
If you go into the film expecting too much then you may well be disappointed but if you have no expectations and love black comedy then this film is for you. And compared with DePalma's most recent films (Snake Eyes, Mission to Mars) this film is a masterpiece, although obviously nowhere as good as Carrie.
Roman Holiday (1953)
Magical!
I know it's cliche but they really don't make films like this anymore. As the reluctant princess Audrey Hepburn is completely charming and enchanting. Gregory Peck is perfect as the reporter torn between his job and Princess Ann. The whole movie is wonderfully acted and shot. It's romantic, funny and utterly captivating. So stop wasting your time reading the reviews and go out and check out the movie. You won't regret it.
Brokedown Palace (1999)
A movie that should've been great but isn't
I really wanted to like this film because Claire Danes is one of my favourite actresses. Actually to give credit where it's due, she is very good in it. Unfortunately she is let down by a poor script, unimaginative direction and a lacklustre supporting cast.
The story about two girls being arrested for the possession of drugs is good and would be an opportunity to create a tense, harrowing and dramatic film. One would think...
What we do get instead is a light, glossy movie that merely scratches on the surface of the situation. The girls never seem to be too depressed at the thought of spending the next 35years of their life in a prison. And who could blame them? The prison allows them to roam freely around in the sun all day and sleep whenever they like. They also get free stylish haircuts while they're there.
Kate Beckinsale in the best friend role, with an American accent demonstrated much better in The Last Days of Disco, is bland and too nice considering she is stuck in jail and has cockroaches crawling around in her ear! Bill Pullman is adequate in his role of the girls' lawyer but there is a badly miscast Amanda DeCadenet as a British prisoner.
Add to this a boring and standard direction by Jonothan Kaplan, who is never brave enough to execute the sporadic bursts of imagination he occasionally has, means that Brokedown Palace is a film that could've been great but instead is merely watchable and ultimately forgettable, despite a good performance by Claire Danes.