chrissoda100 Reviews

La chambre des officiers (2001)

utterly compelling

[8/10 · 10 March 2003]

The Officer's Ward is compelling insight into the horrors of The Great War which will have you rivetted to the screen.

Eric Caravaca is the engineer in the French army who's face is badly disfigured by a bomb blast at the outset of the First World War.

Destined to spend the rest of the war in a Paris hospital where doctors attempt to reconstruct his face, the film focuses on his thoughts, experiences, relationships with other patients in a similar situation, and his struggle for acceptance by his family and society.

Where in the wrong hands the film could have ended up a soppy and sentimental mess, Francois Dupeyron handles proceedings with sensitivity, dignity, and not does not rely on the initial extent of his injuries for shock value. We don't see his face for nearly an hour into the film, so the only indication as to the extent of his injuries is from the reactions of the hospital staff.

Good performances all round, and a stirring condemnation of warfare, and salute to the power of the human spirit

8 out of 10

Nostradamus (I) (2000)

Bargain basement movie thats a bit crap really

[5/10 · 30 August 2002]

This is the kind of thing you find on the bottom shelf of your local video store.

The daft plot involves medieval monks inventing a time machine so they can send weird looking long haired blokes into the future to try and cause armageddon (or something equally ridiculous), where an intrepid cop must try and stop them.

The dodgy special effects, and TV movie feel don't help, but if you are really stuck for something to watch for 90 mins or so ....Find a book to read!

Moby Dick (1956)

A decent adaption of the Herman Melville classic

[7/10 · 30 March 2002]

A good effort by John Huston at adapting Herman Melville's classic tale of obsessed whaler captain Ahab. Certainly entertaining enough,some excellent scenes, plenty of action, and a great climax.

Leo Genn stands out as Starbuck, while Gregory Peck is just adequate as Ahab. I'm still not convinced he was the man for the job. In fact its said that Peck thought Huston himself should have played the role.

Considering when the movie was made the whale actually looks pretty effective.(although they apparently had quite a few problems with it during filming). But its certainly on a par with the shark in 'Jaws', and no body complained about that.

Moby Dick is one film I think would be really great for a big budget remake (Though I've not seen the recent TV movie). Make a good job of it with the right cast it could be a real blockbuster, especially with todays digital technology. CGI whale anyone?

So if there are any bigwig movie execs reading this, go to it chaps.

Who would you get to play Ahab though! I've thought about that too! Sean Connery, or Robert De Niro would be my choice. (with Guy Pearce as Ishmael)

In fact give me the money and I'll do it!!

The Others (2001)

Creepy, atmospheric horror. The best in ages!

[8/10 · 5 November 2001]

First English language directorial effort from Alejandro Amenabar is a great little psychological horror that relies on atmosphere and things that go bump in the night for scares rather than the usual blood and gore (A refreshing change). As such, the quality of shocks and tension on offer has similarities with the original version of 'The Haunting' (rather than the inferior Catherine Zeta Jones remake.)

Nicole Kidman is Grace who lives in a mansion in the middle of now where with her two children who suffer from a rare photosensitive skin allergy which means the house has to be kept in near darkness most of the time. When three new servants appear out of the fog one day saying they have answered an advertisement. But did they? Things take a turn for the weird when one of the children starts seeing ghostly figures in the house, doors close on their own and pianos start playing themselves.

The tension is cranked up slowly and the fact that this is a house where the curtains are closed all the time adds to the atmosphere. Kidman is excellent, as are the two children, plus you get Eric Sykes as one of the servants (fantastic!)

A well deserved 8/10

Dead Heat (1988)

Dumb, but great fun

[8/10 · 5 November 2001]

OK! Lets get one thing straight right now. If you're looking for a serious movie about cops v robbers a la Robert de Niro, Al Pacino or something similar this is not the place to come.

If on the other hand you want an action packed, leave your brain in the lobby, tongue in cheek zombie flick, with a side order of buddy-cops take on dastardly criminals thrown in then you aren't going to get much better than this.

Cops Mortis (Treat Williams) and Bigelow (Joe Piscopo) are on the trail of nutty old Vincent Price (unfortunately not given much screen time) bringing dead criminals back to life so they can carry out jewellery store robberies. Of course being dead already makes it a tad difficult for the police to kill them.

Mortis comes a cropper fairly early on, but worry not as he is soon resurrected with the regeneration machine found at the dodgy research company that they think might be connected with the crimes.

The only problem is Mortis now has only twelve hours to solve the case before he decomposes, so things move on at a fair old pace after this as the lads do battle with various zombies, and a Chinese butchers shop full of meat that comes back to life!

Great fun for fans of 'Braindead' or 'The Evil Dead' style horrors, and anyone else who wants a film that they don't have to take to seriously. Also stands up well to repeated viewing.

8/10 I say, but judging by some of the other IMBD reviews others wouldn't (boring gits!)

The Straight Story (1999)

A refreshing change from the usual Hollywood action flicks

[8/10 · 2 October 2001]

Here we have the great David Lynch in a much mellower mood following the excesses of ‘Lost Highway' and ‘Wild At Heart'.

Based on a true story, the film follows Septuagenarian Alvin Straight as he travels 350 miles across America on his lawnmower to visit his sick brother in Wisconsin, and the various eccentric characters he meets along the way

A delight to watch, and refreshing change from the usual Hollywood action flicks. No one gets shot, stabbed, blown up, uses bad language, or is even not very nice. In fact its hard to think of a gentler film.

A great central performance from Richard Farnsworth, gorgeous cinematography and a splendid music score makes this a film you should definitely check out. You'll be glad you did!

8 out of 10

Mike Bassett: England Manager (2001)

an agreeable enough Brit comedy

[7/10 · 30 September 2001]

A desperate England soccer association appoints First Division Norwich's manager as the new England manager because no one else wants the job.

Told in a semi documentary "Spinal Tap" style this agreeable comedy follows the efforts of the titular head coach to get a woeful England side through to the World Cup finals.

Followers the England squad's past fortunes will no doubt find plenty to empathize with here as the team struggle to find their form crashing out to a 2-0 defeat against Poland in the first game

Although the movie starts of a bit slowly, stick with it, as once things gets going there's plenty of laughs to be had as Bassett tries to lick his team into shape, with scientific sports training, more system changes than you can shake a stick at, and attempting to convince his oddball squad that they actually can win

It might not be the greatest comedy you'll ever see, but there's enough fun to be had to make it a worthwhile hour and a half or so of your time.

The Martins (2001)

Avoid!!

[3/10 · 26 September 2001]

Despite starring Lee Evans, Kathy Burke and Linda Bassett this sorry excuse for a film amounts to little more than a criminal waste of celluloid, and British talent.

The plot concerns jobless, scrounger Robert Martin dreams who of winning a dream holiday for his disfunctional suburban family.

When he fails to win a holiday prize in a local newspaper that he thinks he should have Martin (Lee Evans) flips out 'D-Fens' from 'Falling Down' style, and takes extreme measures to try and get the holiday prize he thinks is rightfully is.

Is it a comedy? Is it serious social drama? Neither the director or the cast seem sure, and after watching this movie for half an hour you won't care!

There is the odd laugh to be had, and Kathy Burke does her best to redeem things as the devoted wife who refuses to leave her husband despite him being a louse, but to no avail. Lee Evans character meanwhile is such a scumbag that you'll have little sympathy for him.

3 out of 10 (and I'm probably being generous)

The Big Lebowski (1998)

Insane "film noirish" comedy thriller from the ever reliable Coen brothers

[8/10 · 2 July 2001]

Insane "film noirish" comedy thriller from the ever reliable Coen brothers.

Amiable hippy slacker Jeff "The Dude" Lebowski gets accosted at his home after being mistaken for another Lebowski, an elderly local millionaire bigwig, who's young wife owes money all over town. "The Dude's" rug gets soiled by one of the thugs during the attack, so he sets off to try and get compensation from the other Lebowski.

What follows is "The Dude" getting mixed up in a labyrinth of plot,and counter plots, involving kidnapping, dope, porn moguls, German nihilists, and a savage marmot.

If you like your Coen brother's movies along the lines of Fargo and Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? (and I do!) your gonna love this. Bridges, Goodman, and Buscemi all give great performances, while the story is clever, original, off the wall, funny and choc full of eccentric characters. You even get Julianne Moore thrown in for good measure, and Coen brother's regular John Turturro popping up as a crazy Latin American bowler.

See it! You won't be disappointed

8 out of 10

Léon: The Professional (1994)

A ultra-stylish action thriller that will have you enthralled from beginning to end

[9/10 · 2 July 2001]

After corrupt cop Stansfield wipes out her family in drugs hit, 12 year old Mathilda is reluctantly taken under the wing of hitman Leon who teaches her the tricks of the trade so she can exact her revenge.

Leon is one of my favorite films!. It's a ultra-stylish action thriller that will have you enthralled from beginning to end. Although a lot of this movie genre just rely on action, shootouts and special effects, but in Leon the characters are an integral part of the film. Especially anti-hero Reno, as the cold calculating hitman who is forced to let his human side come out for the first time. As he grudgingly allows Mathilda deeper into his world she sends his carefully ordered, reclusive lifestyle into chaos.

Jean Reno and Natalie Portman give superb central performances, and Gary Oldman is, as usual, excellent as psycho corrupt cop Stansfield.

The action sequences are breathtakingly well staged and exciting. Although you do have to suspend disbelief somewhat for some of them

Don't forget to check out Luc Besson's earlier ultra slick action thriller Nikita, which is also excellent.

Leon gets a 9 out of 10 from me, Which means you should see it at your earliest opportunity