sr2ugs Reviews

Schizopolis (1996)

Original, funny, definitely interesting...

[9/10 · 6 October 2003]

Not everyone will get this movie. In fact, I imagine most won't.

That's not to say that people that don't like it are idiots, it just means that this isn't their kind of movie. It's not particularly linear, there's no obvious through line to cling onto and no real conflict to overcome in the traditional sense. This isn't your average, run of the mill, production line movie. This is different. This is original and the fact that it manages to be entertaining and challenging at the same time is a testament to a very good film maker.

I make films myself, and I learnt a lot from this movie in terms of structure and the expectations of moden movies. It doesn;t always have to follow the path. It's a shame that its so hard to find in this country. Anyway, thats by two bits worth...

Kurt & Courtney (1998)

What the Hell was this film about ?

[1/10 · 26 September 2003]

Such a huge dissapointment, and a real waste of what could have

been an interesting subject. This feels like it was made for a

school project, lacking direction and focus. Broomfield even says

in his voice over at one point that he doesn't have a "catch" for the

story. It rambles, and only takes shape (and gained its publicity)

after Courtney Love tried to get it stopped. How ironic.

The camerawork is shaky, and the picture surprisingly bad. I have

a tiny DV camera that produces a better picture than this. Why are

there so many shots of cars drving, and people walking up stairs,

and all manner of things that should never have made it out of the

editing room.

A variety of drugged up losers are trawled out to say provocative

things, without anything being substantiatied in the slightest. El

Duce (?) changes his story depending on what Broomfield

prompts him with, and the rest of the interviewers seem like

rejects from Jerry Springer.

So bad.

I won't go on...

The Matrix Reloaded (2003)

a world of superheroes and adventure

[8/10 · 21 May 2003]

I think I started off dissapointed at first, because I somehow

expected this to be just a re-run of the first film. But then I realised

that this sequel was more than just a "by the numbers" re-hash,

and instead, the continuous journey of a group of characters I had

come to love from the first Matrix. The first film set up the situation, the rules, the characters, and

with this film, they are set free, and thus we are presented with a

world of superheroes, battling evil and giving us kick-ass action. Thankfully, not just non-stop action, the film takes time with many

dialogue scenes, and although some of them seem confusing or

repetitive, it only goes to pace the film so that the amazing action

scenes don't dwarf the plot. I didn't want this film to end, and eagerly await Novembers

Revolution!

Daredevil (2003)

Dissapointing...but with potential

[5/10 · 14 February 2003]

I've been looking forward to this film since it was announced. I'm a

fan of the comics and was won over by all the articles about Mark

Steven Johnson's passion for the film. I saw it today and was fairly

dissapointed with the outcome. There are good moments, but they

are overshadowed by too many weak elements. In its favoutr, the

"radar vision" of Daredevil is very well done, and Colin Farrell's

Bullseye is entertaining but underused. In the hands of a better film maker, this could have been great, but

Johnson is lacking an originality that would have elevated this to

the same sort of level as the original Batman. The fight scenes are

filmed almost all in fast flashy close up cuts that show neither who

is winning, or how the fighting is done. The early fight between Matt

and Elextra is better, as Johnson shows some restraint and

actually lets us see the two of them fighting rather than just

showing a blur of hands and weapons. The characters are underdeveloped, and I felt that Electra,

Bullseye, Kingpin and even Foggy were extended cameo's more

than real parts. Matt Murdoch showed signs of depth, but never

properly scraped the surface. My final gripe ( of many !) is the structure of the piece. Instead of

building to a climax, it just saunters along without a real plot to

speak of. I felt liked I'd been robbed of a big finish. This may sound harsh, and maybe I need to see it again, but hey, I

just feel let down.

Donnie Darko (2001)

provoking a reaction

[10/10 · 8 December 2002]

I've read a lot of reviews of this film. Some adore it, and some hate it and loathe it and want to destroy it and warn off the rest of the world from wasting anytime with this "stupid movie for stupid people." These people seem full of anger at something...and as for the person who said that he didn't want to have to THINK too much about a movie, he just wanted to ENJOY it...oh boy.

I loved this movie. This movie has layers, and the fact that it keeps you thinking long after the final credits is testament to a director who wasn't "too lazy to come up with an ending" as one particularly intelligent reviewer said. It makes you think, and it certainly makes you want to watch it again, as each time, a little bit more of the puzzle is revealed. This isn't a quick fix. If you're after a dumb movie that make two hours fly by, go rent Rush Hour 2.

Some people are offering explanations for what it all means, and I think thats great. I have a few theories but the fact that I'm still thinking about it just lets me know that this movie is staying with me, long after the memories of some recent films have long gone.

If you like to be challenged, or presented with something original and thought provoking, give it a go...you may not like it, or it may become one of your favourite movies.

Unbreakable (2000)

There is one among us who will stand alone

[10/10 · 8 December 2002]

(SPOILERS) I love this movie. It is a slow burning, intelligent and rewarding film that really gets inside the head of its protagonist and makes you care about his journey. The idea of finding your true purpose is an ongoing theme and an immensly fascinating one, as played through both main characters and their interlocking stories.

A lot of people have said negative things about this movie, but personally, I think that if you're interested in the ideas behind it, then you'll love it.