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sith-7
Reviews
Layer Cake (2004)
Like a good cake, it gets better with each layer.
I was expecting good things and wasn't disappointed. It's been a while since I saw a good British gangster film. Layer Cake filled the void nicely. The acting was good, script was tight and the film was well cast. People I had not seen before were well used in their characters. The film starts out nice and simple but as it progreses it gets quite deep and twisted.
I was most surprised by Colm Meaney, I've ever only known him in Startrek.
But was superbly cast and had a quite menacing air about him.
LC has a few laughs for those with a more twisted sense of humour, it's not obvious comedy either and the film never plays for laughs. Very different to Lock Stock and Snatch. The director did well to move out from Guy Ritchie and make a serious film.
Troy (2004)
Very Good.
This was a superb film. It is 'Inspired' by Homer, not based on the poem.
Some have complained or criticised it for not being accurate. It did not intend to be.
As an action / hack and slash film it is simply brilliant. The castings are all very well chosen. Brad Pitt was in amazing condition, his years of training had obviously paid off. Eric Bana also commanded the screen when he was focused on. Orlando Bloom as Paris always had me chuckling when he was trying to be manly and a warrior, simply too pretty and so was also well cast.
I liked the twist on the cause of Achilles demise. A woman can truly bring a man down. Even one who is supposed indestructible.
I thoroughly enjoyed the film and look forward to the DVD release.
Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004)
Why did it all go wrong. (possible spoilers)
I really enjoyed Vol 1, so I waited for Vol 2 with great anticipation.
I have been sadly let down. This film is a trip into Mr T's self indulgent mind. There are far too many monologues along with unecessary scenes. The opening at the church. This was not needed, we knew what happened from the first film. We didn't need it repeated in slow and boring detail without seeing the actual blood bath that ensued.
As Uma is meant to be the ultimate female assassin, how did she fall for the oldest trick in the book at Bud's trailer??? Anyone with commonsense knows you fling the door open but don't fill the space. For an assassin she was particularly thick. Once in the casket we have to endure yet another flash back to explain how she breaks out. Any martial arts fan will know, we don't need a somewhat tedious flashback. She has already proved a skilled warrior in the martial arts in the first film.
Which brings me to the master. So he falls to poison fish heads. :rolleyes: For a master that is trained and highly skilled in mind and body control, he doesn't notice the poison!
Bud - He is meant to be a psychotic nutter. So why does he let himself get pushed around at the titty bar???? The trailer - a Black Mamba is on the loose, but the girls don't seem to care. I was expecting a major sword fight, didn't happen. Quite unexpected eye gouge. I appreciated the link with the master.
We get long boring segments with Uma and Bill. Playing the flute while she lies in front of the fire. Bill's monologue about Superheroes. Yes, we get it. But please, it could have been quicker.
Which leads to the climax. For someone who has so much hatred and anger and someone with so much to lose, I was expecting a huge climactic battle between the two foes. No, just a little clever sword play and the exploding heart combo. Sad letdown. Where was the drawn out suffering for Bill that he showed to Bea.
Basically Vol 1 should have been an hour longer with the same tight script with the action continue to flow. Instead we get Vol 2 which Tarantino has had to bloat, destroy and slow down. A real shame.
Cabin Fever (2002)
Absolute twoddle.
Where do I start?
The box cover says Scary as Hell! It's NOT SCARY. I can scare easy and I was not once scared during this film.
It's meant to be funny. I laughed at the end with the old chap, then I laughed in relief that this dire film had ended.
Leg shaving scene. :rollseyes: oooh scary not. The special effects were good but we were expecting skin to come of her leg because we had seen her back. I was expecting chunks of flesh to fall off, blood to spurt against the camera. Didn't happen.
The film had so much potential but didn't deliver. The idea of a flesh eating virus is a good one. With plenty of scope for scares.
We should have had people walking around with chunks of flesh missing, limbs falling off. Blood spraying everywhere, slow torturous deaths. The only thing slow and torturous was this film. When we see the girl in the shed with parts of her face missing, this should have been earlier in the film and far more disturbing, with more missing.
People have mentioned this film in the same breath as Evil Dead. Pfffff. Don't think so. EDII Scared me so have not watched the first.
Just avoid this turkey of a film. Don't buy it, don't rent it. If you must, watch it when it's given away. It's so hopeless I couldn't even be bothered to remember the peoples names.
Cruel Intentions (1999)
Outstanding.
I put off seeing this for sometime. Didn't think I would like it. I was VERY WRONG. A mate convinced me to watch the film and I was hooked. It's ages since I've watched a film and been transfixed on the story and acting. I was really immersed and lost all sense of my surroundings.
The acting is brilliant, you believe the actors in the characters. It is sexy, funny with a superb plot which just drags you in. I was supprised at the ending but it was beautifully done.
Normally I watch only action films, comedys etc but this is being added to my collection.
Daredevil (2003)
Much better than I expected having seen reviews here.
I went into this arms crossed expecting to walk out. I was pleasantly suprised. I do not read the DareDevil comics or the Electra comics either. So I can't judge in that way.
Bad first. Towards the end when DD is wounded he cannot make up his mind if it hurts. One moment he is limping along like a wounded puppy, the next he is spinning through the air after Bullseye, apparently there is no pain.....Oops, next scene, ow! that hurts, that's a wound. A little sloppy. One glaring continuity error. Electra creeps up on DD, she is dressed in Jeans, next scene she is in a Red number on his roof. Does she keep a wardrobe there?????
Good. MC Duncan as Kingpin. Excellent. I had my doubts about this but he was superb. He is Kingpin. The fight choreography is superb and had me well and truly hooked. Electra, Smokin! She would look good anywhere. Although from the comics I have seen she seemed smaller than I expected. But she was damn good.
Overall I liked the film, and as a person who doesn't read the comics it was superb. But if you are heavily into the scene then there may well be inaccuracies I wouldn't notice. I found the film well paced, balanced and funny.
Star Trek: Nemesis (2002)
Enjoyable.
There have been alot of negative comments about Nemesis on IMDB. I saw this yesterday at a preview before going nationwide in the UK.
As a result of the mixed feelings I have read I wasn't sure what to expect.
I go to the cinema very rarely and goto watch films I feel I have to watch in the Cinema. I also want to be entertained by the film. With Nemesis I was entertained. I have seen the last few ST films on the big screen and this was one of the best. There are little holes as described, but it's fantasy, not real. You need to sit back, relax and enjoy, not sit there and try to pick holes in everything on the screen.
The film is 2 hours, for me it seemed like 20 mins. I found it to be a most enjoyable film, it has funny moments when the whole audience was laughing, it was well acted IMO and Patrick Stewart was superb as always. The Space battles were great to watch and had me bouncing around with excitement.
With Nemesis they tried to do something slightly different with the Car (buggy?) chase and the little element of Bond type with the end of said scene. All in all I loved it and can't wait for the DVD version.
In short, go watch and make up your own mind. It's fantasy after all.
(I may have rambled not all my comments will be like this. Honest!)