roland-27 Reviews

Evolution (2001)

Silly, but fun

[17 July 2001]

Evolution is not going to win at the Oscars. We are not going to see Ivan Rietman thanking the Academy for his Best Director Award or see Orlando Jones accept his Best Supporting Actor Award. But Evolution is quite an amusing (and surprising) film.

I went into the cinema expecting American Pie/Dumb and Dumber as a Sci Fi film and was grateful to find the sick gags to the minimum. There was no shagging Space Pies or Warp Diareheora; all there was was good fun and a few laughs. Granted the film was ridiculous and saw a Oscar worthy Julianne Moore reduced to falling over and generally being clumsy, but Orlando Jones and Sean William Scott were incredibly funny and made the film glide along swiftly.

Evolution is an amusing, often hilarious film, but it was never going to be brilliant. David Duchovny made an interesting, if sometimes inconsistent lead, but when heavily backed up by a fun script and great acting support, Evolution is a film worth watching. Rating = 3/5

Pearl Harbor (2001)

An Incredible Mix of Romance, Action, Thrills and Scares

[17 July 2001]

Pearl Harbor boasts a tremendous cast including leads Ben Affleck, Josh Hartnett and Kate Beckinsdale. All three performances are brilliant, especially young Hartnett whose previous screen outings (The Faculty, Halloween H20) have hardly required any serious acting ability!

The supporting acts include Jon Voight as President Roosevelt, Alec Baldwin as General Doolittle, Cuba Gooding Jnr, Tom Sizemore, William Fichtner, Dan Akroyd and Ewen Bremner. Each one offers a career best, Bremner even beats his early performance as Spud in Trainspotting. Director Michael Bay offers a film that stirs the emotions deeply and leaves the audience feeling dry, overpowered and angry at the American government for their ignorance at this time. The closing scene is probably one of the saddest I have seen in film history (baring in mind my age is 17)

Although overlong and sometimes possibly drenched in American heroism, the film is a worthy experience and definately one I would recommend to all. Rating = 4/5

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001)

Nothing Special

[17 July 2001]

When I saw Anjelina Jolie was targeted to play Lara Croft in the new Tomb Raider movie I went Goose Pimply all over! I expected so much and to my disappointment I did not see a brilliant movie.

In fact, after all the hype about this being the beginning to the Summer Blockbusters it was not actually a very good film. The action scenes were adequate, with only the fight with the movey-statue-thingys coming to mind as being any good! The final sequence in which Jolie faces her fathers killer is over in a few minutes leaving me slightly disappointed.

The performances were good and Jolie, Chris Barrie, Iain Glen and Daniel Craig were very fitting for the roles they played. But the roles they played were often confused and disjointed - was Glen intended to play a comic book villain who made us smile more than scared, was Craig a good guy or bad guy?

These questions were just a few instances on where Simon West (director of the brilliant Con Air) should have smartened his film up, and instead of relying on his leading lady to wow the audience (which, she does) should have probably included some other interesting characters to involve the audience more.

When you are given the task of bringing Lara Croft to life in a much anticipated movie, the director should really concentrate on making an incredible movie that will stun audiences. He should have brought style and variety to the action sequences instead of making them tiring and repetitive. All in all, Tomb Raider was a fair movie, but not the movie that I quite expected to see. Rating = 2/5

Big Daddy (1999)

Ok, I admit that I am a closet Sandler fan

[1 June 2000]

I'm not ashamed to admit (well maybe a little ashamed) that I am an Adam Sandler fan. I've sat through them all-Happy Gilmore, The Waterboy, Airheads, The Wedding Singer and now this.

The plot is fairly basic if not improbable. He plays a layabout loser who shares a flat with Jon Stewart (The Faculty) and one day after his girlefriend leaves him for an older man he decides to 'get responsible'. It just so happens that a young boy is delivered to his flat and this is where the fun begins.

At some point in this movie you are left wondering if it is the boy looking after Sandler or Sandler looking after the boy but that all adds to the fun. There are plenty of laughs but they are mostly due to a supporting cast which includes Steve Buscemi (Airheads), Joey Lauren Adams (Chasing Amy) and the boy who is played by the Sprouse twins.

Mind challenging it is not, funny it is, I just hope that Sandler soon changes his character before he becomes type cast as that lovable loser forever. Rating = 3/5

Fight Club (1999)

Over Rated But Watchable

[1 June 2000]

Brad Pitt and David Fincher must be laughing right now. Together they have created two of Hollywood's most dangerous, yet brilliant films-Seven and now Fight Club.

The story circles around a businessman suffering from insomnia and hating his job. He finds life joyless and meaningless until he meets Tyler Durden (Pitt). Together they start a franchise of discontent young men who find meaning in life by beating each other.

Now this is a worthy storyline for a film that offers two great performances from Pitt and Mr Controversy himself, Edward Norton (American History X). However, as the film continues we are no longer with harmless men beating each other for fun, we are thrust into a sorry whirlpool of terrorist action and this is when the film loses its grip. They start to destroy buildings and threaten innocent civilians with guns. This is not the clever film making that we have seen earlier in the film.

I would warn you that Fight Club is not Snow White, some of the violence is over the top. For instance Norton beating Angel Face (Jared Leto) into a bloody pulp is almost unwatchable.

Fight Club has some very funny moments especially the scenes where the Clubber's mission is to start a fight and lose with a member of the public, but some of this movie is just violence and a chance for lots of blood and gore. Helen Bonham Carter and Meat Loaf co star. Rating 3/5

Final Destination (2000)

Great Fun, pity about the ending

[31 May 2000]

Again we are thrust into another horror about unlucky teenagers facing certain death, but this time around its great fun. Is it better than Scream? To tell the truth I'm not sure, but Final Destination boasts a cast of extreme talent from movie virgin Devon Sawa, Dawson's Creek's unsure homosexual Kerr Smith, House On Haunted Hill's Ali Larter, American Pie's bully Sean William Scott to horror legend Tony Todd (Last seen impaled in The Rock).

The story is original. A class of students are on their way to France when one student Alex Browning (Sawa) has a vision of the plane exploding. Him and six others are removed from the plane and sure enough the plane explodes. Each of them now has to fight for his or her life as death visits them one by one.

The plot is twisty and if it wasn't for a rushed ending, Final Destination would be a killer. Sawa, and indeed the rest of the cast are incredible, offering a whole new level to the horror genre. Rating > 4/5

American Psycho (2000)

This movie is the pits

[31 May 2000]

I really don't care about all this talk at the moment about controversial movies. "Violence is Sin" etc etc. Its all been done before. American Psycho merely takes it a step forward. Why this movie is such a big hit is beyond me.

Christian Bale is good, he always was in movies like A Midsummer Night's Dream and All The Little Animals but one actor can not hold up an entire movie and despite the cast-Reese Witherspoon in a worthless role, Willem Dafoe in an equally inconclusive role and Chloe Sevigny as Patrick Bateman's secretary-the plot is nowhere.

It ends like a child's fantasy "And little Patrick wakes up to find its all a dream" and the gore is so over the top (is it meant to be satirical?), even Jared Leto who is currently on the Hollywood A List after The Thin Red Line and Fight Club offers no sincerity whatsoever. Bateman's obsession with forgotten artists only works in the scene with Leto's Paul, after that becomes tiresome.

American Psycho doesn't know where to start or end. I haven't read the book so I don't know whether this is the fault of the author or Mary Harron the director but it has no beginning, no end, no character development and the little humour it has comes and goes as quickly as some of the characters. It may be a hit in America and the Uk but to me this was a waste of valuable actors and time. Rating = 2/5

Scream 3 (2000)

Not All Bad

[31 May 2000]

It might be because of the departure of Kevin Williamson, but this film doesn't have the magic of the previous two. The Big Three-Neve Campbell, David Arquette, Courteney Cox Arquette has become incredibly boring. The relationship between Dewey and Gale is beyond tedious.

Thankfully, the supporting cast which includes Patrick Dempsey, Scott Foley, Jenny McCarthey, Parker Posey, Lance Henriksen, Carrie Fisher, Matt Keesler, Dean Richmond and Hollywoods star of tomorrow Liev Schreiber provide much needed wit and scares.

The chase scenes are over in a couple of minutes and none of the characters are well defined (with the exception of Roman) which is a shame because there were real oppurtunities for some great characters (Richmond was just warming up). Despite some clever cameos-Fisher, Kevin Smith, Jason Mewes and Jamie Kennedy as Randy (who has been doing well for himself in Bowfinger), it is all just throwing money in a burning bag.

However short the chases are, however weak the characters may be, Scream 3 is a worthy finale to a superb trilogy. He may not have hit the Jackpot with this but thumbs up to Wes Craven for giving it a stab. Rating 3/5

True Crime (1999)

Yawn!

[28 November 1999]

I've said it before and I'll say it again, Clint Eastwood has to be one of the, if not the, most boring men in Hollywood. He will continue to be this lonely stranger with a secret past, or a drinking problem or whatever.

This film is another edition to those slow thrillers that Eastwood loves to do. Granted, In The Line Of Fire was a decent enough film, but that was because of the quirkiness of John Malkovich and Dylan McDermott.

True Crime is about an alcoholic reporter(eastwood) who is given the routine task of interviewing a prisoner on Death Row. Of course Eastwood gives us the cliched line "i think he is innocent" and from that moment on, True Crime starts to remind us of those other Death Row films where you actually feel something for the prisoner at the end. Most of the major stars have been there-Sean Connery and Laurence Fishburne, Susan Surandan and Sean Penn, Chris O Donnell and Gene Hackman, Sean Young and Tim Matheson, Christian Slater and Kevin Bacon(murder in the first-the best one yet) and now Clint Eastwood and Isiah Washington(who, i'll admit is nothing short of brilliant).

The are a number of scenes where the film starts to perk up a little-James Woods and Clint Eastwood talking about their female conquests, Isiah Wahington with his family hours before his execution and flash backs of the crime itself-but on a whole, Eastwood shoots blanks. Rating=2/5

Cruel Intentions (1999)

Wicked, sexy and twisted.

[28 November 1999]

Sarah Michelle Gellar(scream 2) and Ryan Phillipe(crimson tides) do extremely well as the hot headed brother and sister, and have solid support from Selma Blair(girl) and Joshua Jackson(scream 2). The beautiful Reese Witherspoon is the only disappointment as the 'bet'. Looking back, i can now say she was quite wooden, and not as good as she was in S.F.W with Steven Dorff and Jake Busey.

The story seems simple when you look at it;Kathryn and Sebastian are two filthy rich youngsters who have a bet. Kathryn bets Sebastian that he cannot have sex with the strict virgin Reese Witherspoon. If he does, he can have Kathryn for a night, if he doesn't then Kathryn could have his car.

But the story is not simple. Soon Sebastian has fallen in love with the bet, and Kathryn doesn't like it(very similar to she's all that) and she will stop at nothing to get Sebastian out of love. Jackson gives very funny support, as does Selma Blair, but Witherspoon just trails behind.

A great sexy black comedy with terrific performances from the two leads, Gellar and Phillipe. Rating=4/5

American History X (1998)

Incredible with astounding performances.

[23 October 1999]

Edward Norton is such an under rated actor, it hurts. His performances in this and Primal Fear are scary and believable. I don't know why he has only been in about eight films. His co star Edward Furlong is also great. I knew that I recognised him when I was watching History X, but only afterwards realised he was John Conner from Terminator 2.

The film also includes stars like Avery Brooks(the big hit), Elliot Gould(bugsy), Jennifer Lien(star trek) and TV star Stacy Keach. Each one putting in a truly testing performance.

The story is a little predictable, and at times delivers really horrific scenes, but I suppose that was needed to get the point across about Neo Nazi's. I recommend American History X for anyone who loves dramas, and those who can take a lot of violence. Rating=4/5

Deep Blue Sea (1999)

Superb action

[21 October 1999]

This is not a drama, nor is it a film that requires oscar winning performances from it's leads. Which is good when it's leads are as wooden as this. Thomas Jane is in this for a muscular presence whilst Saffron Burrows is the beauty factor. Neither have shown extensive acting abilities, but that is of no relevance in a film like this.

There is excellent support with Samuel L Jackson, LL Cool J, Michael Rapaport, Aida Turtorro, and Stellan Skarsgard. All of which provide a comic performance, especially with Rapaport and his Bill Paxton impersonation in Aliens, and LL Cool J with his parrot.

The sharks are very scary, and provide a nail biting predator. Although this a brilliant film, it has put me off this genre. The Alien series was no way scarier than this neither was the Predator series. I recommend that this is seen at the big screen or most of its effects will be lost. Rating=4/5

What Dreams May Come (1998)

Robin Williams and Cuba Gooding Jnr are a touching duo

[21 October 1999]

Robin Williams loses his funny guy routine like many older comedians(steve martin in the spanish prisoner for instance) to don a new look. His performance is truly touching, and his scenes with Cuba Gooding Jnr are great.

But thats as far as it goes. Annabella Sciorra is a bore, much like Max Van Sydow, and the screen time they take up is more like a chore, than anything else. The plot is weak, trying to be more than just about death.

This film is a shame. The adverts show a joyous Williams rolling in paint with his pet dog, and jumping off cliffs to see what happens. It doesn't show the coldness of Hell, the dark eerie corridors, and sinners stretching their arms for forgiveness. What should make you feel warm and happy, leaves you feeling depressed and empty. Rating=2/5

Rob Roy (1995)

Has it's moments

[21 October 1999]

I am a huge fan of Tim Roth, and have loved everything that he has done in the past, but he doesn't really fit in here. Both him and John Hurt don't hold up well as the bad guys. Their lines aren't written at all well, and Roth himself admits that he overacted the part.

Liam Neeson, on the other hand is quite good. Although it the part that he favours to play, he does a decent job. Jessica Lange, too, is very believable as Neeson's wife. The person I think put in a touching performance was a young Brian McCardie as Neeson's relative who knows a dirty secret about Lange that could destroy her. However, he is under used, like most of the great possiblities. For instance, Jason Flemyng of Lock Stock fame might go un noticed.

However, Rob Roy delivers a fine story with some great scenes, and should not be dismissed as a bad film. Rating=3/5

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997–2003)

Funny, sexy and mostly entertaining

[10 October 1999]

Sarah Michelle Gellar stars as the kick ass Buffy, with co stars like David Boreanaz(angel), Nicholas Brendon(psycho beach party), Charisma Carpenter(timemaster), Alyson Hannigon(american pie), Seth Green(enemy of the state) and Anthony Head(roger roger).

The characters are all well portrayed but Green stands out as the best-he is funny and has a great character. Gellar is sexy, and does well as Buffy. The others are also good, but Gellar and Green are the best.

The stories are interesting are non repetitive, as you might think. Buffy has become one of the greatest TV series alongside The Sopranos and Dawsons Creek, and will continue to be so for a long time. Rating=4/5

Mary Reilly (1996)

Tasteless Performances

[10 October 1999]

John Malkovich and Julia Roberts star in this eerie horror/chiller about a lonely maid(roberts) who starts to notice weird things happening to her employee, Dr Jekyl(malkovich), just as this new man appears around the house, going by the name of Edward Hyde(malkovich).

Now, I think Malkovich is a tremendous actor, who gave scene stealing performances in Con Air and In The Line Of Fire, but his accent in this was neither authentic nor per usual. Roberts does have a great Irish accent but plays the part badly. Now granted, they did change directors half way through production, but that is not an excuse for terrible performances.

There wasn't really anything scary about this film apart from the length of Malkovich's tongue and Glen Close , who scared me half to death.

Summary-disappointing, lonely, the shambles. Rating=2/5

Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde (1995)

Poor film with great potential

[10 October 1999]

Sean Young is likely to be the one who gets the most credit for this adequate movie, but really only Jeremy Piven reaches the most laughs, with his scene stealing comeback to Young's question "Are you just gonna stand there and watch me or are you gonna hand me that towel". Bet you can't guess what he says.

Despite having Piven in the credits, this film is a sexually orientated film that tries too hard to be anything else. Young is sexy, but nothing else. Daly is disappointing, and can't handle the character. The others are also nothing special.

Don't watch this if you have any self respect. For great comedy, go to the Farally Brothers because they're sure to tickle your ribs. Rating=2/5

Lock Up (1989)

Emotional with great performances

[10 October 1999]

Sly Stallone hit gold with this seriously under rated film. This is surely Stallone's best films with Cliffhanger and Demolitian Man following.

There are superb performances from the main man and his supporting characters like Donald Sutherland(the assignment), Tom Sizemore(enemy of the state), John Amos, Sonny Landham(predator) and Danny Trejo(desperado).

The story is gritty and involving, and the best scene is Sizemore's last bid for Stallone's friendship. Watch it and you'll know what I mean.

This a great film. Do not miss it. Rating=4/5

Psycho (1998)

There are ups and downs but this is generally a good movie

[9 October 1999]

Many people will stay loyal to the original, saying how this one is unadventurous and too colourful. But I don't. See, what annoys me, is the principal/rule that some movie goers have, which defies them from admitting to enjoying a remake, however brilliant it is.

The remake of Psycho, is in no way brilliant. In fact, in parts, it is very disappointing-Anne Heche and Viggo Mortenson for example, are not as good as they were in previous films. But, the original, also had faults. Casting Anthony Perkins was a big mistake, and despite however many people say how good he was, I think he was terrible. Vince Vaughn is incredibly scary. His nervous laugh as he watches Marion Crane eat the sandwiches he prepared for her, the well executed line "She just goes a little mad sometimes, we all goe a little mad some times". His dark stare and smile at the end of the film as he sits looking in the direction of the camera. William H Macy is also an improvement on the original despite the awful hat he wears during his screen time.

The casting directors didn't really have a hard time watching loads of films to cast the right people-Julianne Moore starred in Boogie Nights with William H Macy. She also starred in The Lost World Jurassic Park with Vince Vaughn, and he starred in the recent hit, Return To Paradise with Anne Heche.

In summary, the new version is slightly better made-it should be after all this time after the original, but I couldn't help thinking that a remake should be ten times better than the first because of the large gap between the two, and how well films have progressed over the ages. This is no indication of how far films have improved. Rating=3/5

200 Cigarettes (1999)

A Truly Underrated Film

[9 October 1999]

Why this did not get decent reviews is a mystery to me. I have recently developed some sort of a craving for Indie movies. Christina Ricci is gorgeous and one of the only good things about Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas. Her co stars include Jay Mohr(Paulie), Gaby Hoffman(Strike), Ben Affleck(Chasing Amy), Casey Affleck(Good Will Hunting), Paul Rudd, Courteney Love(Basquait) and Dave Chappelle(Bulworth).

The story is twisted and involving, and the characters are interesting and three dimensional. During the film you realise that everyone gets to know everyone and most of them travel in this cab owned by Con Air bad boy Dave Chappelle, who knows more than he lets on. The best characters are Ricci, the Afflecks, Mohr, Chappelle, Love and Rudd. The others are quite boring.

This film sounds similar to Go(although I haven't seen it), because of the involving characters and twisting storyline. Ben Affleck once said in an interview with Neon magazine that he did this film to add a more famous name to the cast. I suppose without him, the film would lose some credibility.

200 Cigarettes is not hilarious-it wasn't meant to be. Its meant to the same dark humour that Dead Man's Curve had. You laugh at the loser, white trash characters, not the jokes. The performances of some of the stars could have been better, but no film is perfect. The film does achieve some of its aims-Love is sexy("I dare you to f**k me"), Chappelle is funny, Ricci is annoying and Jannae Garafola provides a provocative cameo-ish performance. For a night of Beer and silly movies, don't miss 200 Cigarettes. Rating=4/5

Marvin's Room (1996)

I Have A Confession

[6 October 1999]

This film was on the end of Eraser that I taped off Sky Premier, it was purely accidental that I watched it. I started to watch it thinking that it might get me to sleep, but then I found it great. Robert De Niro had all the best lines with his pathetic brother, Bob(Dan Hedaya). Meryl Streep also shone in her screen time with her son, Hank(Leonardo Di Caprio in his best role ever).

I loved the whole dramatic sequences, and found the acting touching and Oscar worthy. Diane Keaton provided all the tears in the film, with the others all providing laughs.

This film was a huge surprise. I don't usually like dramas(although I loved Di Caprio's and De Niro's other film together, This Boy's Life), and I recommend this to everyone who loves good dramas. Rating=4/5

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)

There Are Only A Few Reasons To Watch This

[26 September 1999]

Fear And Loathing is a tiresome movie, with adequate performances from the leads Jonny Depp(donnie brasco) and Benicia Del Torra(the fan). There are however, a few reasons to watch it-Three smart cameos from Cameron Diaz, Christina Ricci and one of the best actors in the world, Gary Busey make this film receive better reviews than it should have got.

Depp and Del Torra are two druggies who go on the mission of finding 'The American Dream'. With a trunk load of Acid and various other narcotics, they spend the entire film getting stoned and drunk out of their mind.

The characters are shallow, and the story is stupid. Depp's fake deep voice is so annoying, I felt like hitting the TV screen.

Fear And Loathing is a silly film that will please those who are desperate for entertainment. If it were not for the cameos mentioned and Tobey Maguire's hitch hiker(who provides all of the laughs) then this trash would be completely unwatchable. Rating=2/5

Donnie Brasco (1997)

Incredible Film

[26 September 1999]

Al Pacino and Johnny Depp star in this amazing mob film based around an undercover FBI agent, Joseph Pistone(depp) who infiltrated the mafia, but became very close with one of its members(pacino). Sturdy support comes from Michael Madsen(reservoir dogs), James Russo(under oath) and The Basketball Diaries paedophile Swifty, Bruno Kirby.

It was written by the real Joseph Pistone, and involves it's audience with extreme ease. Pacino gives a performance worthy of his Godfather days. Depp is much better in this than in the other film of his I watched on that night, Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas.

If you are interested in Gangster/Underworld films, then watch this film. Rating=4/5

Other gangster films that I recommend are: Carlitos Way(Pacino, Penn, Leguizamo)

State Of Grace(Penn, Oldman, Harris)

At Close Range(Penn, Penn, Walken)

Things To Do In Denver When You're Dead(Garcia, Buscemi)

Reservoir Dogs(Keitel, Roth, Buscemi)

Jackie Brown(Jackson, Grier, De Niro)

The Godfather Series(Pacino, Caan, Garcia)

Goodfellas(De Niro, Liotta, Pesci)

Casino(De Niro, Stone, Pesci)

True Romance(Slater, Arquette, Oldman)

Payback(Gibson, Krissoferson, Coburn)

Pulp Fiction(Willis, Rhames, Travolta)

Above The Rim(Wayans, Shakur, Martin)

The Getaway(Baldwin, Madsen, Basinger)

LA Confidential(Pearce, Spacey, De Vito)

The Usual Suspects(Spacey, Baldwin, Posthelwaite)

Leon(Reno, Portman, Oldman)

Fargo(Buscemi, Storman, Macy) and oh, of course,

Mickey Blue Eyes(Caan, Grant, Viterelli).

The Sopranos(Gandolfini, Bracco, Falco)

The Basketball Diaries (1995)

A Sorry True Story

[26 September 1999]

Leonardo Di Caprio puts in the best performance of his career in this sickening true story of boys growing up in a man's world. Him and his friends(including boogie night's Mark Wahlberg) start a life threatening race of drugs and murder.

Ernie Hudson puts in a small appearance as Reggie, the do gooder who tries to put Leo on the right tracks. Juliette Lewis is smartly placed as the local prostitute, and Bruno Kirby plays the gay basketball coach to perfection.

The most disturbing scene for me was when Reggie tries to get Jimmy(leo) off of drugs by locking him in a room for a long time. Both actors do well with Leo in a polished performance. The Basketball Diaries is disturbing, but at the same time, it tells the truth in a way that keeps the images in your mind. If it had one fault, it was under using Lorraine Bracco and Michael Imporliano(both appeared in Goodfellas and The Sopranos). Rating=3/5

Carlito's Way (1993)

Pacino At His Best

[25 September 1999]

After the amazing Godfather series, Pacino has had a great career with films like Donnie Brasco, Heat and Scarface. But for me, this is, and always will be his greatest film. His performance is outstanding. I haven't yet seen Scarface but it comes highly recommended, and after this hit, I'm positive its very good.

Sean Penn is also excellent, as is every other member of the cast including one of my favourite actors, John Leguizamo. His character, Benny, adds a little bit more to the works.

The story is intriguing too. Hard ass gangster, Carlito tries to give up life on the street but his so called best friend and lawyer, keeps pulling him back down. His relationship with his ex girlfriend is nice and steady, and you get a real sense of their love for one another.

Watch Carlito's Way because it is one of the greatest gangster films in movie history. Rating=5/5