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Reviews
The Shadow (1994)
A must-seen superhero movie
Here is a list of reasons why you should watch this movie :
Alec Baldwin plays the role of the shadow to perfection. He is Lamont Cranston, a wealthy playboy by day and a crime fighter by night. He is also tormented by his past and that is what drives his crusade against crime. Baldwin's performance makes me think that he might have done wonders in a Batman movie.
The story. Yes, it's a bit classic but hey, that's a "superhero" movie. It is still thrilling and entertaining. Basically, Baldwin has to fight a mad villain, save the girl and the world. Now add to that some oriental mystic stories, advanced scientific weapons and you get a pretty good film.
The shadow's character is exciting. First, his clothing. He wears a black hat and a red scarf with a black trench that looks like a cape. That definitively gives a better rendition of the night vigilante myth than a bat-themed costume. Make no mistake, I like Batman and his costume but you have to admit that the base concept is a little ridiculous. Then the weapons. The shadow has two guns that he uses quite liberally and also possess a few psychic abilities. All in all, he is rather well equipped to fight crime.
Although the film is quite serious, there are very humorous sequences. The conversations between Lamont and Khan or between Lamont and Margo Lane are notable for their witty humor.
The memorable "Shadow mind trick". Just like Obi-wan, the shadow has his own mind trick that he can use to influence the actions of somebody. Very powerful, but not fail-safe :)
And the final fighting scene : a nice tribute to another famous movie.
The Fountain (2006)
A story about love and the endlessness of life
I am a big fan of Rachel Weisz. Every time I see one of her films, I fall in love all over again. This movie makes no exception. She looks stunning and gives us a moving performance.
The movie takes place at three different periods. There are several ways to tell how each period is associated. Actually, one way is more likely to be the good one. But Aronofsky incorporates in each period some elements that belong to another period and that contradict the logical order of things. It makes you wonder which time period is the one that started it all and what is the real story. I think that's why many people were confused by this film.
In my opinion, you shouldn't watch this film trying to find a logical story line. Things are imbricated just to show us that life is a perpetual cycle. That is the entire point of the story.
In a Day (2006)
Not your usual romance story
I really had a good time watching this movie. The story is simple. A young woman called Ashley who had a bad day meets a stranger, Michael, who decides to cheer her up.
Progressively, you learn more about each character. At first glance, Michael seems to be a merry guy with no worries in his life. He is good looking and cheerful. Just like the kind of friend (or lover) you would like to have. But he is far from perfect and he has problems on his own like everybody. Ashley is the opposite. At the beginning, she looks like a very plain girl with plain clothes. She works in a sandwich shop and she doesn't seem happy about her job. Actually, you may think there isn't anything interesting about her. But she reveals herself to be more fascinating. A good moment is when we hear her playing music.
There is a kind of suspense regarding Michael's true intentions. Throughout the entire film, the story keeps you wondering whether Michael is really a charming and generous stranger or whether he has some darker motives. That constant doubt makes the film interesting to watch. It's only at the end, when all secrets are revealed, that we find out whether this was a romantic film or a darker drama.