| 2004 viewing | ||
tuesday |
Intolerable Cruelty
I want to like these screwball comedies by the Cohen brothers but they make it difficult. This one has George Clooney and half of the costumes from Ocean's 11. The script has snappy dialogue as well, and the whole piece moves like a bullet, so what's not to like? I just cannot swallow the unbelievable situations all the stuff that would never happen. Fargo was no masterpiece and yet I much prefer it to 'yuk yuk' comedies like this. What a waste of talent. Intolerable Cruelty is the reason I don't pay to see Cohen Bros. movies at the cinema anymore. |
  
DVD |
| Raising Arizona
Ditto. I have never seen the whole film before now, suspecting it was too screwball for me to get into. Nicolas Cage and a couple of magic action sequences save it from being too painful. The babies don't help. A giant step down from Blood Simple in my humble opinion. |
DVD | |
| Anita and Me
Based on an autobiographical novel and set in England circa 1965, this is an engaging small town melodrama that echoes Heavenly Creatures without the murder plot. Made by the busy bees at the BBC. |
DVD | |
| Kylie Minogue: Concert in Sydney
I saw the Melbourne show of this tour with Marylu and it was a fantasic night. The DVD captures the Sydney concert with well mixed DTS sound (sans a discrete subwoofer channel) and crisp anamorphic visuals. I for one am glad that the director acknowledged the raunchy nature of Kylie's stage show; it could have been prudish and therefore irritating. Instead we get lingering shots of KM's flesh and that of her super fit Italian dancers. The real meat of it all is the strong pop playlist, a dynamic stage show, and Kylie's sparkling charisma. Excellent. |
DVD | |
| Resevoir Dogs +
The itch: a fondly remembered scene turns into another viewing of the whole film. Even on the DTS soundtrack it is amazing how much dialogue is lost in the mix. Steve Buscemi always cracks me up, and Mr. Anthony likes the way Chris Penn says, "So why don't you tell us what really happened?" I also like how Tarantino infused Mr. Pink's lines with a better vocabulary than those of his cohorts, yet still keeping it profane and confronting. I still don't understand why Mr. Orange does what he does right at the end. |
DVD | |
monday |
The Incredibles
It is clever in spots and enjoyable enough as a cartoon...I was ultimately disappointed. Super heros are not my bag, baby. Never have been. When the the layers of 1950s retro sediment kept piling up it became too turgid and smug. Do we really need another film that parodies James Bond or references the theme music? And how about the Doctor Octopus-style robot from Spider-Man? I also noticed a shot in the trailer that was missing in the film, showing Mrs. Incredible's arms being twisted around in a torture scene. Or did that happen when I nodded off? Another gripe relates to the action scenes. Do they have to be sped up and cut together so quickly that you can't even figure out what the fuck's happening? And the villain, a super hero wanna-be, was shit. How unimaginative. I am in the minority here so don't let my bawling put you off. |
cinema |
| Muriel's Wedding +
Great casting. Watching it again I was surprised to discover how well directed it is the marvellous fluidity of the shots just draws you in. Of course, Toni Collette has gone on to bigger but not necessarily better things, which is not a criticism but rather a symptom of trying different roles in a range of projects. Interestingly, writer/director P.J. Hogan has not directed a film since. |
DVD | |
| Bend it Like Beckem +
Engaging and personable, this film is such easy viewing. I'll be happy to see it once every few years. Nothing more comes to mind at present so I'll just end with, "Laters!" |
DVD | |
sunday |
Bowling for Columbine +
The 90 minutes of additonal interviews on disc two of the local special edition DVD are all terrific. I had intended on watching those alone but got sucked into seeing the feature again. Is it better than Fahrenheit 9/11? I think it beats the latter film by a nose because the material is more concrete. With the political focus of 9/11, newsreal footage laregly replaced demonstrative stunts like going to South Central LA with a crime expert to discover that the air pollution is more dangerous than anything else there. And how can you beat that bank account gun offer piece? |
DVD |
saturday |
Seven Wonders of the Industrial World
Mum bought me this DVD for christmas so I have to give it a rave review. Seriously, these documentaries, covering seven amazing engineering projects from the 19th century, are totally absorbing. While I'm no fan of dramatisations, the BBC do it so convincingly here that the line between history and narration vanishes, just as it did in Touching the Void. It also helps to have rivetting material to talk about. Each ep. is 45 minutes long, making them easy to digest piecemeal fashion. It took me three sittings. |
DVD |
| Shaun of the Dead +
Screening at a friend's house. After watching all of Spaced, the novelty value of encountering Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and their little cadre of TV thespians was missing the second time around. However, this rom-zom-com remains one of the champagne horror spoofs from the last ten years, holding up well to repeated viewings. |
DVD | |
saturday |
Revolution OS
This documentary provides an informative history of the Free Software movement and the eventual emergence of Linux and the subsequent Open Source movement. I quite liked watching the actual people involved in these milestones explaining their contribution to the whole thing. Prior to this I had no clue. Of particular interest is the conflict between the idealistic notion of 'free software' vs the more practical 'open source' approach. One was born in the halls of academia, the other in the real world. My take on the whole mess is that if you call your operating system something fucking nerdy like GNU (GNU Not Unix, get it?) then you only have yourself to blame. Linus had the right idea. Rodnix? Works for me! |
DVD |
| Porco Rosso
Here is the third Hayao Miyazaki film I've seen and been entertained by. I have procrastinated about writing this capsule review because it is one of those movies I cannot bring myself to revisit and talk about sorry Mr. Anthony! What did I like about it? The fluid animation, the good natured characters, the attention to detail in all things mechanical, and the sense of grace in the flying sequences. Miyazaki's movies have an ability to zone you out, turn your mind into soft putty, and charge your emotions. I think the music plays a big part in pulling this trick off. Nostalgia overload. |
DVD | |
thursday |
Spaced: Series Two
Not as good as series one. I got the impression that they were trying too hard, which is a natural tendency when there is a percived expectation to improve upon a winning formula. |
DVD |
wednesday |
Garden State
Being unfamiliar with Scrubs I had utterly no expectations, although I now recognise Scrubs as the amusing sitcom I first saw a few years back. I didn't even know who Zach Braff was, or that he was starring in and directing this movie. (For the dilettante critic, that kind of hermetically sealed ignorance can be golden.) As I sat by myself like a deaf mute, others in the audience laughed out loud at everything. Come on losers, it wasn't that funny. But as it plodded along, and by that I mean it 'plodded' in a good way, the film gradually endeared itself to me. The performances were terrific, if a bit sedated but that is one of the themes. I thought Natalie Portman with ADD contrasted well against Braff's sleepwalking non-celebrity, while the naturalistic supporting cast more than earned their wages. Ultimately I wanted things to work out for Sam and Largeman, so the movie succeeded for me, but the Y-Gen quirkiness of Garden State is not for everyone. |
cinema |
tuesday |
Bad Santa
Burp. Could I be like Willy in 20 years? Just as I applauded the boozing jokes in the Rat Pack stage show, I similarly laughed at the dead-on portrayal of a career drunk by Billy Bob Thornton. Although I've only given Bad Santa 7/10, the film is highly entertaining thanks to the synergy between Billy Bob and the character of Willy, as written by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa of Cats and Dogs fame. Billy Bob is to Bad Santa as Jack Black is to School of Rock. Like the latter film, there is a sense that the story proper lacks development, but the commitment of director Terry Zwigoff to celebrating the dispossessed underclass of society warts and all creates something unique and honest amid the current swag of squeaky clean dramas and bloated actioners. While I rank it below Ghost World, this grubby little comedy is strongly recommended. Note that the uncut badder version has been released on DVD in the US, so reserve any repeat viewings for the inevitable Aussie equivalent. Fuck the MPAA. |
cinema censored |
monday |
Ocean's 12
Memo to the dingbats at Village cinemas: Now that you have worked out how to focus your projectors, might I suggest turning the sound up louder than a kitten's fart? Thank you. Ignore the two bullshit conceits in this otherwise super sequel and you should have a great time with it. The entire cast return due to an interesting twist. Throw in Vincent Cassel and Catherine Zeta Jones for extra tang, then get Steven Soderbergh to direct. I kicked myself for not seeing Ocean's 11 in the cinema and I'm sooooo glad I made amends for that insult to Mr. Soderbergh. Yes this is a sequel and it is fluff, but of the finest quality silk. I left craving a cigar, Zeta Jones, and most of the men's clothes. |
cinema |
sunday |
Spaced: Series One
If you are into quirky nu-millennium humour in the YOUNG ONES vein then Spaced might be your thing. Created by the talents behind Shaun on the Dead way back in 2000, this comedy series is packed full of avant garde detours, pop culture references, and hilarious visual gags. The first series struck me as more entertaining and spontaneous than the second. However, they are very much a matched pair and should be seen together as one entity. Naturally a small Spaced cult following has sprung up. That seems a tad ridiculous for a programme that itself paid hommage to many icons of popular culture, but who am I to judge. Will there be a third series? I'd prefer more movies, and I believe that director Edgar Wright is doing just that. Onya guys -- don't listen to the TV nerds! |
DVD |
saturday |
The Hunt for Red October
I enjoyed it. However, you get the impression that countless chapters from the book by Tom Clancy were chucked out; this is inevitable when adapting large novels to the screen. Director John McTiernan is no stranger to porting literary properties into successful action films. Take Die Hard for instance. Here the complex techo-thriller story is boiled down to its essential parts...and it suffers a bit in the translation. For example, somehow I doubt that Captain Tupolev was such a simplistic and obligatory villain as written by Clancy compared to how he is in the film. As a respectable entry in what you might call the sub-genre (ahem), it lags behind Das Boot and K19: The Widowmaker, but soundly torpedoes the likes of U-571. |
DVD |
thursday |
Office Space
What a laugh. Written and directed by Mike Judge, one of the creative dudes behind Bevis and Butthead, Office Space is a sleeper comedy hit that nails many aspects of life inside the corporate fishtank. It is available at last in Australia on a pretty decent DVD no need to stay up and watch it on late night television anymore. |
DVD |
tuesday |
Team America: World Police
Saw it at Crown Casino with an eager Tuesday night crowd after a couple of beers. In other words the conditions were perfect, and the boys from South Park did not disappoint. What you get is wall to wall parody. Do not watch this film expecting finesse or sophistication, because the gags and impersonations are just rammed down your throat. Now, that may well be fine and dandy, but is it good? For me it falls into the 'enjoyable' rather than 'quality' bucket. True wit is largely missing, which is not a huge problem since there is no reluctance about going over the top with many of the jokes. Think the Farrelly Brothers. The comedy worked best when various tender moments were juxtaposed with outright absurdity usually of a gross nature. Choice puppet gore, too. I am not certain whether Australia screened the cut US version that had less shagging. |
cinema censored |
sunday |
Starsky & Hutch
Shit, shit, and shit. Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson were funnier at the Academy Awards than in this travesty. At least the cozy rapport and knowing smirks between the two gives you something to laugh at when the script forgets that its supposed to be a comedy. Give me Zoolander any day! The car looks smoking and the high calibre supporting cast, which includes Carmen Electra, Vince Vaughan, Fred Williamson, Juliet Lewis, Snoop Dog and a loud Chris Penn, just kept me from vandalising my own leather lounge suite. Painfully tedious and looking about as 1970s as The Matrix, and with an estimated budget of $60 million (what the fuck?), this is mainstream entertainment so 'light' you could use it for helium. Directed by the mastermind who brought us Road Trip, Old School, Frat House and the G.G. Allin piece Hated, which might be his best work. Todd Phillips' next project is The Six Million Dollar Man with Jim Carey. Don't encourage him. |
DVD |
saturday |
Hitch-Hike
If you're dumb enough to give David Hess a lift then you deserve all the trouble you get! A minor cult favourite, this Italian sicko black comedy doesn't quite live up to the hype. Yes, this is another film released cut on Aussie VHS that I've been waiting more than a decade to see uncut. However, the venomus exchanges between Frano Nero, Hess and Corine Clery form the backbone to the film, so any version of Hitch-Hike will keep you entertained I reckon Hitch-Hike would go down well as a TV Sunday Night Movie. In fact, recalling scenes while writing this summary is giving me a few chuckles, so I might upgrade the rating later. "See you at the bank!" |
DVD uncensored |
| Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Kids solving problems: my least favourite story device. Why? I have no idea. Suffice to say that I enjoyed the first half of this film (the set up) far more than the second half (the Hardy Boys mystery bit). The excellent casting and lavish production values guarantee easy consumption. |
TV | |
sunday |
Vanilla Sky
"Tech support! Tech suppooort!!" Muwahahaha. We've all had moments like that. I didn't mind this grotesque train wreck, although it has to be said that the film plays like a cross between Solaris and The Elephant Man, with Tom Cruise giving his most insincere performance ever. Poor Cameron Crowe didn't realise he was polishing a turd until it was too late. I derived as much entertainment from this fact as I did watching Cruise's vanity and ego fall apart. Of course, if I had paid for the privilege, I'd be as pissed off as the critics and audiences were. |
TV |
| Love and Other Catastrophes
Does the camera love Frances O'Connor or what? Actually, I think I love Frances too. Shot on 16mm or Super-8 for about $6.45, LAOC is low budget filmmaking with passion and flair. There are the obligatory student film trappings like the numerous film references, lousy acting and the under-developed screenplay, but ultimately this is a great example of getting out there and Doing It. Worth watching just for the early O'Connor performance. |
TV | |
saturday |
School of Rock +
Visitor screening. It still casts a beguiling spell over me. As discussed on the DVD commentary, one clue as to why it works, besides the antics of Jack Black, is the conscious decision by Richard Linklater and Co. to avoid cuteness. Smart move. I sampled the kid's commentary and it's not as solid as I had hoped, mainly because the young actors rabble most of the time and try to be goofy. I guess they can't all be at the level of an Oliver Stone or David Cronenberg effort... |
DVD |
| Crackerjack
It is enjoyable enough while sharing nibblies and a glass of reisling with friends, but objectively this Aussie situation comedy is way too formulaic and undercooked, plodding from one gag to the next. For rental only. |
DVD | |
sunday |
Tibet: Tears of the Snow Leopard
Informative and heart-rending, this documentary about how Tibet has been subsumed by China makes you both sad and angry. Perhaps shamefully I had little idea of the magnitude of this tragedy. An a vehicle for bringing you up to speed on it all Tears of the Snow Leopard is mandatory viewing, although it sometimes comes across like a geography lesson. A small price to pay for expanding your general knowledge, I say. |
cinema |
sunday |
Gothika
A reasonable supernatural thriller. While it cannot support close scrutiny, this implausible Hollywood horror flick, directed by of all people the chap who played opposite Audrey Tautou in Amιlie, Mathieu Kassovitz, easily kept us entertained for 90 minutes. It caves in rather messily at the end, of course. One wonders what could have been if the studio had granted the filmmakers licence to go in another direction. However, the dark tone and sicko story elements keep it chugging along nicely. Good to see the likes of Halle Berry taking on these kinds of projects, too. She was fine in Monster's Ball. |
DVD |
friday |
Spirited Away
Hayao Miyazaki, the Spielberg of Japanimation, is systematically overturning my fond memories of the Di$ney movies I've enjoyed over the years. Reminding me of Pixar's output, his approach to story telling is more adult and tends to avoid the clichéd characters, intrusive 'songs' and formulaic plots that are staples of most Disney fare. Sprited Away is a prime example of this. The animation is breathtaking and imaginative, too. Some set pieces have an almost transendental quality if seen under the right conditions (lights out, no distractions). While Miyazaki's bawdy adventures are still aimed at younger audiences Spirited Away plays like a Wizard of Oz for the new millennium viewers of any age should have no trouble being enchanted by these instant classics. His new film Hauru no ugoku shiro aka Howl's Moving Castle is reportedly even better than Spirited. |
DVD |
saturday |
Doc Hollywood +
An old favourite. I got sick of waiting for a better DVD transfer than this shabby effort from Warners and bit the bullet. Lucky it was cheap. How can any red blooded male not fall for a female love interest (Julie Warner) who does her first scene nekkid? Seriously, it is Michael J. Fox's movie and his relaxed, winning manner keeps it all ticking along. The ensemble cast is marvellous too. Which reminds me, I have to track down the novel this movie was adapted from. "Nice pig you got there, Doc." |
DVD |
| Dawn of the Dead: Director's Cut (2004) +
Viewing this so-called uncut version was a let down. It is now apparent that Universal (a major studio) were aiming for a US R rating all along to secure bums on seats for its theatrical run. No surprise, really. The other disappointing aspect is that the plots holes were not smoothed over at all. There are still jumps and incongruous moments that make no sense. Seen uncritically this remake has some good mojo going on, especially in the open scenes, but as with all of these pointless remakes, the original craps all over it. This one does have its supporters and it will keep you entertained on a beer and pizza night. I suppose we have to remember that even Tom Savini's 1990 remake of Night of the Living Dead was also a waste of celluloid. |
DVD uncensored | |
tuesday |
Monsters Inc. +
The Pixar films are gradually getting worse. Monsters Inc. is good value and improves with each viewing, as did Pixar's masterpiece A Bug's Life. There are signs, however, that the Pixar team is scraping the barrel for workable ideas. The whole scream for fuel concept described here really is so much manure, and the gurgling cutsey kid rasps my nerves every time. Bah humbug, whatever. What brings me back is the animation and the amazing DVD picture quality of these fables for modern times. |
DVD |
| About a Boy +
With a better developed third act this could have been a classic. Even as it stands, I usually cannot resist watching it, and compared to Love Actually it is a towering masterpiece. Do I relate to Hugh Grant's character? 'Ken oath! I love that line, "But I am an island I'm fucking Ibiza!" You tell 'em, Hugh. But there's lots here to enjoy, and yet I also want to read the book, even though How to be Good was disappointing. I suppose I just want to experience the extended cut of the movie. |
DVD | |
friday |
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) +
While it may look rough around the edges upon first viewing, Texas Chainsaw is miles ahead of the pack trust someone who has seen most of what comprises the 'pack'. Watch it again with different expectations and it really hits home how well made, brutal and funny the film is. Although it's not in my current top ten list, this movie deserves its place in the pantheon of sicko horror classics. There are no themes, no moralising, no allegories, and minimal characterisation. It is, however, one of the purest representations of a nightmare ever captured on celluloid. Eraserhead, Combat Shock and Audition are the only films I can think of that are in the same category. |
cinema |
tuesday |
Pink Floyd: The Wall
Directed by Alan Parker. Interesting but not my cup of tea. The animation is definitely worth seeing though, even if you're not a fan of Pink Floyd count me in that group. The DVD 5.1 surround soundtrack had the subwoofer channel mixed to perfection. |
DVD |
sunday |
Resident Evil: Apocalypse
"Stay!" Only rated M locally and 99% crapola. The 1% I liked included the zombie dogs, zombie kids and zombie strippers, otherwise this train wreck penned by Paul W.S. Anderson had my Sydney friends and I nodding off during the 'action' scenes. Plot holes, implied violence, bad music, idiotic story and minimal nudity all add up to a waste of time. Even my Van Helsing-loving friends thought this was bad. Silly me: what I initially thought was censorship was just ineptitude, plain and simple. |
cinema |
thursday |
Hard Target
I wonder what Pauline Kael would have made of Jean-Claude shooting bad guys ten times in the chest, then belatedly kicking them in the head? Once again I've avoided this film until I could see it uncut. The Australian R-rated DVD is longer than the MA rated VHS tape and US version, but the workprint contains even more violence, e.g. you see the ear cutting happen. Wrong in so many ways, Hard Target kept me entertained with its random guitar solos, terrible dialogue, gratuitous slow-mo, and Van Damme's mullet. Nice to see Wilford Brimley in one of his last screen roles, and how about that fire stunt by Lance Henrickson? |
DVD uncensored |
tuesday |
Dead and Buried
I was spoiled tonight: this is one of the best horror films I have ever seen. It has been languishing on VHS rental for 20 years or more, but after hearing our tape had been censored, I decided to wait for an uncut release. Enter Blue Underground's deluxe special edition! Written by Alien scribe Dan O'Bannon with pal Ronald Shusett, Dead and Buried features grisly deaths and genuine moments of terror. Fucking awesome script, eerie cinematography, and ghoulish makeup work by Stan Winston. Shit, I still feel a bit freaked out! (You can tell I liked it because I'm swearing a lot.) "A new way of life" indeed. |
DVD uncensored |
sunday |
Princess Mononoke
Engaging story and characters. I can't wait to see Hayao Miyazaki's follow up, Spirited Away. Few additional comments come to mind about the movie, however, except to say that high quality, epic Japanese animated filmmaking for adults is very much alive and kicking. |
DVD |
saturday |
Shaun of the Dead
Of course, Peter Jackson did the gore spoof thing over ten years ago with Braindead and Bad Taste. This one is also rollicking good fun and probably funnier than any other similar attempt it certainly has a higher IQ than the Scary Movie franchise and Australia's own entry Undead. I especially liked the way it incorporated elements of all three George Romero Dead films (they were social commentaries on top of being fine horror pictures). I savoured the splashy gore effects too, which even included a graphic disembowelment, thus earning it instant good karma. Go the Brits: first they give us Dog Soldiers and 28 Days Later, and now this champagne comedy with guts. |
cinema |
sunday |
Collateral Damage
Nice ear bite and spit. Arnold the 'Governator' and a revenge plot. What else does one need to say? As the implausibilities kept coming, and the idiototic clichés mounted up, and the explosions got bigger and bigger, I found myself blissing out on all of the familiar trappings. Or was it my gin and tonic? |
TV |
saturday |
Star Wars: Return of the Jedi +
I tend to recall this film with more fondness than I have when actually watching it. The Ewoks come so close to ruining the whole thing it's astounding. However, I was blown away by seeing Return of the Jedi for the first time at the tender age of 14. Memorable stuff. Today I enjoy the production design and special effects more than anything the craft side of it is still capable of dropping your jaw. |
DVD |
thursday |
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back +
Kiwis invade Star Wars! Even when you work late there's always time for a DVD, preferably turned up as loud as possible and with all of the lights off. Those impatient with Star Wars can soak up the plentiful action sequences and weightier story developments here. As kids we traded bubble gum cards of this film and I absolutely loved them my favourites were the Ralph McQuarrie 'Space Painting' cards. (There should have been more of Ralph on the doco.) Despite the slow Yoda bits Empire still holds your attention, although Luke going to the dark side with dad would have made it more interesting, kind of like Goodfellas in space. |
DVD |
sunday |
School of Rock +
There is no doubt that the winning stupidity Jack Black makes this film work as well as it does, because the script is undercooked and the situation could only occur in a fantasy world. But it holds up well to repeated viewings just ask Marylu's boys. I am looking forward to hearing the kid's DVD commentary. |
DVD |
| Star Wars +
The more I see it, the less interesting it gets. My favourite bit is still the brief flyover sequence in space that opens the film. Then cut to the interior and...it loses me. The DVD presentation is top notch, as you would expect, making the production design and special effects more open to scrutiny on home video than ever before. If you have not bought it yet, wait for the high definition DVD release. |
DVD | |
| Titanic +
This one got me, and I'm not really sure why. James Cameron does not know about ambiguity or enigma he is a trained illustrator and technically adept filmmaker. But I think it was the naïve earnestness of this movie that took me back to see it five times at the cinema. A book I read about this event confirmed that the film got the background details 99% correct, even to the point where the actors playing the musicians look like the real people. One for the sentimentalists and the dreamers. Note that the TV version had extra snippets of footage and it was anamorphic, unlike Fox's DVD. |
TV | |
thursday |
Donnie Darko
Finally saw it. While I'm not convinced of its merits as 'good' science fiction, the film is intelligent and it tries to do something different with the medium, even though it plays like American Beauty written and directed by David Lynch. I'm thinking Twin Peaks specifically. The DVD has deleted scenes most removed against the Richard Kelly's wishes that dissipate some of the enigma but strengthen the story telling. |
DVD |
wednesday |
Intimacy
This is a fantastic psychosexual drama set in London. I was tempted to rate it higher, but I felt that some of the supporting characters were not fleshed out enough. That being the case, the nature of the central relationship is quite amazing to see in an English speaking film. It reminded me of The Mother, which was made more recently and shares this film's honest, no bullshit approach. Good ending, too. A knockout. |
DVD |
sunday |
The Princess Diaries
I liked the constipated looking cat, but that's about it. Pitched at the teeny bopper demographic, this Garry Marshall film for Disney is more obvious than his other obvious productions, which makes it almost unbearable to watch, even without 40 minutes of ads. Anne Hathaway plays her first screen role with gusto, but the rest of the cast just look embarrased to be there. The sequel could only be better. |
TV |
saturday |
8 Mile
"We all have our own 8 Mile" director Curtis Hanson. Despite losing every third word in the DTS soundtrack mix, I enjoyed it. Eminem's natural acting ability carries the feel-good story along. He is well supported by Kim Basinger as his trailer trash mom, a posse of nascent rapper friends, and Brittany Murphy as a groupie 'ho. |
DVD |
| Life as a House
OK, the house is a metaphor, we geddit already! Rough around the edges, the emotional peaks and lows could have been better handled, and the story line is too neatly contrived. But for all its melodrama, Life as a House did push a few buttons for me thanks to solid performances from Kevin Kline and Kirsten Scott Thomas. On the other hand, Hayden Christiensen cannot act at best I'd call what he does professional pouting. |
DVD | |
| The Antichrist
Forget Bollywood. The Italians ran a rip-roaring trade in the 1960s and 70s emulating successful Hollywood properties. Here we have the quintessential Exorcist carbon copy with peasoup vomit, levitation, unwanted interior redecoration, a possessed innocent (this time a paraplegic woman), crotch thrusting, a boss-man exorcist priest, staircase falls, and so on. Other ingredients are thrown in too, although there was not enough bloodshed or sleaze for my liking. Stoopid fun regardless! |
DVD | |
| The Bourne Identity +
I wanted a recap before watching the sequel. Here's a kick-arse example of a major studio (Universal) doing what it should: supporting the director, giving ample time for script development, and offering to pay for a better ending if needed. Every studio picture should be this smart, stylish and entertaining. I would have preferred a downbeat epilogue (she is married, terminally ill, dead) but otherwise this is a fine thriller that proves the humble Biro can be mightier than the sword. |
DVD | |
| The Village
I guessed the twist in The Sixth Sense but relished its creepiness. Signs was trite bullshit, though well photographed by Tak Fujimoto (Silence of the Lambs), and I missed Unbreakable. The Village is neither scary nor well shot. In my opinion, the twist(s) steered the movie away from certain disaster. Adrien Brody's histrionics almost had me in hysterics, William Hurt trumped his crap performance in Lost in Space, and Ms Howard was unconvining as blind person, even if she handled the drama well. It's not awful, but I can't bring myself to like it. |
cinema | |
| The Curse of the Jade Scorpion +
Irresistable. A friend groaned when Woody Allen's dweeb character did the impossible at the end, but I had to remind her that this is just a lark. It is no more 'real' than Amélie or Die Hard for that matter. Furthermore, any self indulgence can be forgiven if it's done well, as it is here. PAL's 4% speed up may prompt me to import the US NTSC release if I decide to buy it. |
DVD | |
| Dazed and Confused
Right, here it is. Richard Linklater's breakthrough movie, or was that Slacker? Next time I see a film buff I'll ask him/her. It took two reels to warm up, but after that it was all happening. Dazed is worth watching for the familiar faces. Notice how Linklater wisely gave Milla Jovovich very little dialogue. Adam Goldberg is hilarious, and Ben Affleck playing a dickhead who spanks young boys with a cricket bat kinda suits him. Genius casting. |
DVD | |
| Amélie +
Here is another movie seemingly populated by real people, not actors. I would have no trouble at all watching Amélie on SBS once a year for the rest of my life. It may not be everyone's idea of a romantic modern classic, but I'll take it. A fine way to cap off the weekend. |
TV | |
| The Beyond
Ah, the good die young. RIP director Lucio Fulci and actor David Warbeck. Inspired by seeing Zombie Flesheaters again, I dusted off what many consider to be Fulci's best film. It certainly has it all: zombies, man eating spiders, killer dogs, revenants, old books, crumbling houses, atmosphere. Death by acid, spikes, chewing, gunshot, claws, crucifixion, falling, glass shards. Terrible dubbing, a quaint but nonsensical plot, Western actors delivering deadpan lines, synth music, cool gore ad infinitum. Bloody hell, I might replay it right now! |
DVD uncensored | |
| Ocean's 11 (2001) +
This Steven Soderbergh remake is light and breezy. It doles out the staples of the heist genre with no attempt to camouflage them or make excuses. It works best the first time around, no doubt. I had intended on listening to one of the commentary tracks tonight, but got sucked into watching it properly. Clooney is the shit. |
DVD | |
| Coffee and Cigarettes
Sold out at MIFF, Jim Jarmusch's medley of awkward conversations between mismatched associates offers up some bitter comedy. With more work the script could have made each vignette definitive. As it stands, Jarmusch relies too much on his all-star cast to carry it over the line, which lucky for him happens more than once when it works the results are magical. Shot in B&W by Fredrick Elms, who also worked on Eraserhead, River's Edge, and that regretable mess The Hulk. |
cinema | |
| Conquest / La Conquista
Given his track record, the god-like Mr Fulci is allowed one or two turkeys. Blue Underground released this uncut and remastered fantasy epic of his, which actually succeeds in conveying a haunting, otherworldly ambience on a microscopic budget. The restored gore effects are fun to see at long last, but like everything in the movie they are largely obscured by artificial fog and soft focus. I cannot imagine watching this on VHS, so the 15-year wait was worth it. The local VHS rental is cut. |
DVD uncensored | |
| Zombie Flesheaters / Zombie / Zombi II +
Finally remastered by no less than two DVD companies in the US, Blue Underground and Shriek Show. Mine is from the former outfit (run by Bill Lustig) and it looks bloody gore-geous. The film itself is a giant in the field of Italian horror cinema. The late Lucio Fulci immortalised himself with this movie, although I consider The Beyond to be his best work. Pure class from start to finish. I was well and truly spoiled tonight! The old VHS rental from Star Base is heavily censored. |
DVD uncensored | |
| Narc
In these times of crime show saturation, a movie tackling similar material has to be different or powerful enough to overcome the clichés of the genre. Unspooling like a slick TV pilot episode, Narc doesn't quite reach the heights of Traffic or even Training Day. Jason Patric puts in a good turn as the persecuted cop given a second chance, while Ray Liotta is a-lotta scary with his nasty goatee and booming lung pipes. I enjoyed the grit and bruising violence too, all of which attracted an R rating. |
DVD | |
| Touching the Void
Despite the terrific word-of-mouth, I was initially hesitant about seeing it. Mountain climbing, snow, ice, blizzards. At worst, maybe an avalanche or frostbite of the penis. Pretty standard fare, right? Well let me assure you that, at the risk of sounding hyperbolic, Touching the Void pushes intensity to a new level, at least compared to its fictional contemporaries. For best results, see it before dinner in a cold cinema. |
cinema | |
| Kids
The closest I've been to hanging out with kids like these was in the Brisbane death metal scene, and that was fleeting at best. No doubt a nightmare for most parents to watch, Kids exposes the raw and profane flipside to the Disneyland ideal we all know is beyond the reach of too many children these days. With his landmark debut, Larry Clark makes sure we don't forget, either. Sobering stuff. |
DVD | |
| L'Avventura / The Adventure
The term 'art film' gets thrown around a lot nowadays. What we have here is the real thing. As with Fellini's 8½, this difficult, cryptic masterpiece from Michaelangelo Antonioni is meant to be read and analysed, not merely watched. By design it is slow, and I would not even call this an 'entertaining' movie in the normal sense. For all its dreamy chaos, 8½ is still enjoyably playful; watching L'Avventura is like sitting through a maths exam. But any film that creates its own cinematic conventions, makes you think, and that also looks this beautiful, deserves to be applauded. |
DVD | |
| Jersey Girl
Come on people, it wasn't that bad. Best described as About a Boy with a splash of Changing Lanes, the new Kevin Smith film features a smart, witty script that sticks to mainstream formulas. True, Ben Affleck merely roleplays and the kid is annoying, but the successful elements (the dad, Liv Tyler, humour) keep it from going under. Expect some heartstrings to be plucked. |
cinema | |
| Tiger on the Beat II
What a laugh even bad choppy socky rules. Admittedly the boredom quotient was high, but with its terrible attempts at slapstick comedy, infrequent fight scenes, lame match-making subplot, random lipsync, Nintendo game soundtrack, and Miami Vice surplus wardrobe design, Tiger II was passable enough. The stunts include a bridge to light pole fall that resulted in shattered bones and months of recovery. I've yet to see the first Tiger on the Beat film. |
TV | |
| The Mother
The panelists on Critical Mass gave it a cautiously favourable review. Made in the UK and covering similar ground as the likes of Secrets and Lies, I found the film engaging and accurate in its portrayals of the numerous betrayals that unfold in the story. The characters in particular are completely believable. Upon reflection I see real people's wounded faces, not just those of paid actors. For that reason I think it deserves a solid 8/10. |
cinema | |
| Bring it On
The formulaic storyline in this cheerleader movie is offset by winning performances by Kirsten Dunst and her supporting cast (I also have to say that Eliza Dushku is extremely hot). Expect primary colour overload, corny quips, cheerleaders talking tough, the obligatory 'opposites attract' romance, dumb jocks, and the thinnest veil of bad taste humour. Think The Warriors crossed with a PG version of American Pie. Dushku's punk brother reading The Naked Ape at a football game is funny. |
DVD | |
| G.I. Jane
Better than I was lead to believe, this can only be labelled a misstep in the resumé of Fiddley Ridley Scott. Thematically it harks back to Thelma and Louise and anticipates Black Hawk Down, and yet it is less successful than either film. Demi Moore utterly fails to elicit any pathos, which leaves a gap that Viggo Mortensen partially fills. Its auteurist, comic book qualities manage to redeem it as entertainment, however. I had fun with it. |
DVD | |
| Taxi
Another superb SBS presentation: good sound, the original aspect ratio, comfortable subtitling and no ads. The feature itself, about a taxi driver who is deputised by a bumbling computer nerd to help crack a series of bank robberies, is almost a petrol head's wet dream. With some knockout driving sequences and bizarre French characters, Taxi is a live-action cartoon. But the fact that a Hollywood cheerleader film was the best movie I saw today speaks volumes. |
TV | |
| Crumb +
Hey the DVD is an hour longer than the old VHS rental! This celebrated documentary about cult comic book artist Robert Crumb still hits the mark, although it is tempting to rate it higher because I relate to Crumb's attitudes and the whole underground art scene. As a package though, Crumb remains one of the best docos ever made about its chosen milieu. |
DVD | |
| Manhattan
Only Woody Allen's realistic films interest me. This one recylces much of the yapping flirtations between Allen and Keaton from Annie Hall, albeit complicated by emotional ties to existing partners. It also presents itself as a valentine from Allen about Manhattan that seems tacked on. No surprises here really, although it proves that even mediocre Woody Allen is pretty bloody good. |
DVD | |
| I, Robot
This is not the film of the 1977 script by Harlan Ellison, later published in book form, and endorsed by the late Dr Asimov. It is instead a rebadged SF screenplay sexed up with elements copy-pasted from Asimov's robot stories. Listen, I enjoyed it. Naturally the plot is totally formulaic and borrows from 100 other films, everything from 2010 ("Will I dream?") and The Phantom Menace to Blade Runner and Minority Report, which it most resembles. If SF films never get any worse than I, Robot from now on, then marvellous. But stop this bullshit theft of classic SF literary properties. At least they put Asimov's name on it. James Cameron simply stole from Ellison's Outer Limits teleplay for The Terminator. Harlan sued and won. |
cinema | |
| The Good Lawyer's Wife
MIFF screening. Initially confusing, this Korean drama trowels on the sex and nudity as it explores a lust quadrangle between an arrogant lawyer, his love-starved wife, and their two partners in grime. Totally modern, well made, and including the A to Z of human emotions, the journey is ultimately rather draining. But I'm glad I saw it. |
cinema | |
| Haute Tension / High Tension
MIFF screening. A French slasher film that mixes superb examples of technical gore with a very suspenseful story. The twist might be a let down but I liked it. At least it resolved one or two logical faux pas I got snagged on. Anyway, if you like your horror bloody with no Hollywood bullshit then see this fucker pronto. The huge crowd loved it. |
cinema | |
| 8½
There's almost too much to absorb in one viewing. I replayed the first 15 minutes immediately after seeing it and everything flowed better. I found having to read the subtitles a challenge because of Fellini's dense visual layering: he imposes a constant stream of 'thinking aloud' dialogue on you, making it difficult to judge the film in one pass. (I really should get through that Learning Italian CD-ROM I bought.) But my confusion is OK because the film is a celebration of muddled thoughts and scrambled egg logic therein lies its genius. By the way, the Criterion DVD transfer is molto bello! |
DVD | |
| Vampires: Los Muertos
Jon Bon Jovi, yes the lead singer of that band, plays a badass retired surfer cum vampire hunter. Get this: he actually carries his weapons inside a hollow surf board! Sadly the gore has been trimmed. There are, however, some amusingly bloody sequences to enjoy when the hackneyed story crunches to a halt. Ostensibly a sequel to John Carpenter's Vampire$. Like we needed one. |
DVD | |
| Cosi
Funded by Miramax. After seeing this film, I'm not convinced that Ben Mendelson can act. Admittedly he has a tough role, playing the straight man opposite what you might call a group of bogan Cuckoo's Nest inmates. Inure yourself to the rampant cultural cringe factor and you should have a great time with it. "Go burn a cat!" |
DVD | |
| Underworld: Extended Cut
To get the most out of it, go in with mild expectations. Seeing the director's cut might help, too. This longer version (adding 12 mins) balances action, drama and exposition quite well. I would hate to see a shorter cut that favoured tedious gun battles over story development. Still, what does one say about lines pinched from Blade Runner and ideas stolen from The Matrix, Blade, Alien and a dozen others? These days it seems inevitable. Judged on its own merits though, Underworld is a smashing piece of genre cinema. Nice gore and FX work as well. Let's hope the sequel breaks new ground. |
DVD | |
| American History X
Yep, finally saw it. At times powerful and moving, the film is denied outright success by some duff line readings and a simplistic approach to its subject matter. But these niggling faults barely detract from the pure delight of watching Edward Norton in full skinhead mode or Stacy Keach as a neo-Nazi monster. Make sure your neighbours can hear the dialogue. |
DVD | |
| Real Women Have Curves
This Latin-American drama adds nothing new to the 'intelligent modern youth stuck to cultural flypaper' subgenre. Having said that, it features a fine, believable cast and a story that leaves you feeling uplifted despite its predictabe nature. |
DVD | |
| Somersault
MIFF screening. Good Australian films are rare. This one offers up stylish cinematography and complex characters who attempt to discard their emotional baggage, only to learn that their potential saviours are just as mixed up and confused. Visual metaphors abound, for example using an icy locale to represent the frozen emotions of the protagonists. The naturalistic acting and frank nudity recalls Larry Clark of Kids and Bully fame. The slow pace may put some viewers off, but this is definitely worth seeing. |
cinema | |
| When Brendan Met Trudy
This is a whimiscal romantic comedy set in Ireland and loaded with movie references. Although the leads have enough chemistry to sustain their roles, the likelyhood of a school teaching choir nerd (him) hooking up with a pro theif (her) is never believable. The film does not take itself seriously, so just enjoy the little sparks. |
DVD | |
| Defenseless
World Premier at MUFF. Made on half a shoe string with a crew of two and shot on video, Defenseless features Mark Savage's favoured subject matter: rape and bloody revenge. The movie spends a lot of time building atmosphere and characters, the latter sans dialogue. With a faster pace and a finished soundtrack, this would be a more enjoyable shlocker. |
cinema | |
| Fahrenheit 9/11
Australian premier at MIFF. Another solid and entertaining documentary from Michael Moore, which does for George Bush what Super Size Me did for McDonald's. Punters familiar with Moore's books and the general politics will not find much here that's new it's target audience is the US public. Moore bashing is in vogue; don't succumb to it. Ignore the hype, too. His message has always been "learn the truth for yourself". With his books and films, Moore is like a school teacher telling us to stop gazing out the window and pay attention. |
cinema | |
| Citizen Toxie: Toxic Avenger IV
This has a brilliant opening 30 minutes but it looses steam in the middle section before finishing strongly. There is plentiful F/M nudity, a heavy gore quotient, idiotic characters, and loads of bad taste: go the special school siege and massacre sequence! Troma has never topped the first Toxic Avenger movie. Citizen Toxie (uncut) comes close, but no cigar. |
DVD | |
| Maniac +
I saw it on my birthday and met the director William Lustig at the MUFF screening! Maniac has deservedly earned its reputation as a genre classic. This is due partly because, as with Alien, few if any movies in this milieu made since 1981 have bettered it. While it is no cinematic masterpiece, Maniac is extremely well made for its budget: blackly comic, sporadically visceral, and still disturbing even today. Umbrella is releasing the uncut version on DVD, thus superceding the old censored VHS rental. |
cinema | |
| Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Unforgettable! A surreal and twisty reality bender that is a welcome wrinkle in the starched linen of mainstream cinema. I doubt that I'll ever watch it again, though. |
cinema | |
| Shrek II
Despite Dreamworks taking the animation to the next level with a new story line and characters, I only laughed a couple of times. Mostly I was just glad the image was in perfect focus so I could enjoy the eye candy because, honestly, how much cleverness is needed to parody Hollywood? Highlights: Donkey and Puss in Boots. |
cinema | |
| Spider-Man II
This assured follow-up tries valiantly to make something of its super hero trappings. That it succeeds as well as it does is a triumph for Raimi and his cast/crew. Even if you feel like slapping Peter Parker around occasionally, the SFX, villain (kudos to Alfred Molina) and strong third act help it to spin a smile across your face. But Evil Dead still rules! |
cinema | |
| Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Excellent. A new director, near-flawless special effects, and a better story all add up to a solid film. Bucking the trend, this SFX movie actually delivers far more than the flashy trailer promises. But like Harry Potter II, I never want to see it again. |
cinema | |
| Once a Thief
An early John Woo piece from 1991. The good: fluid camera work, two great action set pieces, the appealing leads. The bad: corny forced humour. The Hollywood film Entrapment pinched the laser detector heist sequence, substituting Chow's bum for Catherine's. |
TV | |
| Anatomy of Hell / Anatomie de l'enfer
Where Romance had a thin story line, Catherine Breillat's new film dispenses with plot altogether. As such it tries your patience with slow pacing, abstruse dialogue, and unerotic sexual vignettes. Siffredi (dressed like a condom) was fine and the visuals and symbolism jazz nicely, but keep your expectations low. |
cinema | |
| Cane Toads: An Unnatural History +
Hilariously droll, this minor cult documentary details the spread of the cane toad across northern Australia. The Whiskas lady cracks me up. |
DVD | |
| Flying High +
While I prefer The Naked Gun, this coarse Zucker Brothers comedy still elicits a few laughs. However, seeing it again within the next 30 years will be too soon. |
DVD |
|
| Kill Bill: Vol. 1 +
Friend screening. It still holds up. |
DVD uncensored | |
| Blow-Up (1966)
David Hemmings: that saucy monkey. This is a smart film, smarter than I at least. It was fun to decypher the symbolism and watch how Antonioni moved the camera. Quite brilliant, and the Warner DVD is superb value at $11.00, assuming the framing is correct. |
DVD | |
| Dawn of the Dead (2004)
Like the Texas Chainsaw remake, Dawn starts well but rots by small increments until we are left with another action film with horror overtones. Basically this is the American version of 28 Days Later, which I think is better, though still shamefully derivative of George Romero's Tales from the Crypt-inspired political gore films. No wonder modern horror feels like it's going in circles. I have more thoughts and may write a full review. |
cinema censored | |
| Beetle Juice +
I never really watched it properly before, and VHS would not have done it justice anyway. The dead football players were funny. Michael Keaton was funny. The roadkill guy was funny. The redecoration was funny. Hokey but imaginative. It was co-written by renowned horror scribe Michael McDowell. |
TV | |
| Signs
What a load of rubbish. Two creepy sequences and fine cinematography cannot save this lame alien invasion thriller by M. N-S. I did like the "Swimsuit Special" and the mock news reports but the priest finding his faith? Yeah, whatever ya reckon, mate! |
DVD | |
| Super Size Me
A highly entertaining documentary about McDonald's and obesity in general. (a) The real problem is capitalism. (b) Maccas are not the only ones who make crap food. Spurlock's grinning delivery stops it from being sickening for us too. A winner. |
cinema | |
| Sleepaway Camp II
Saw the uncut tape from Holland, one of the few homelands of censorship common sense in the 1980s. The movie itself contains a few unintentional laughs, brief simulated sex, mild blood letting, and awful dialogue. Ergo it's pretty naff, just avoid the cut Aussie VHS rental. |
VHS uncensored | |
| The French Connection
This is a bona fide classic. I have yet to hear the commentary tracks but they should be great fun, if not informative. Now let's have Cruising restored to its proper length. |
DVD | |
| Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle
Saccarine and silly, this sequel turns excess into an artform. Or so it thinks. But I liked its quirky humour and video game aesthetic. Had no choice really, because that's all there was. Cheeky! |
DVD uncensored | |
| S.W.A.T.
Hey I enjoyed this. Lower your expectations and you should have a good old mainstream time with it. Farrell is solid (again) and the action set-pieces reject the latest trend that ignores basic physics. No kung-fu either! |
DVD | |
| Webs
Made by the Sci-Fi Network, hence a telemovie. The good elements include the queen spider SFX and the splattery blood squibs; the rest is crap. Overall it lags behind the much better HBO creature quickie They Nest. |
DVD | |
| The Italian Job (2003)
The script took two years to write and it shows. While it adds nothing to the heist genre, this remake simply purrs along. And Charliez Theron as a safe cracker? Muwahahaha. Soderbergh-lite but still worth a rental. |
DVD |
|
| The Hours
Not entirely successful; stick to the book, perhaps. Kidman is terrific, yet what we really have is an ensemble cast, so how did she get the Oscar? I dunno it needed more plot or scope or rhinoplasty or...something. |
DVD |
|
| Love Actually
Richard Curtis said that he tried to combine several of his unwritten love stories into one film. He failed. It would have worked better at a longer length or with fewer subplots, but half of them were also trite and unrealistic. A big step down from Notting Hill. |
DVD |
|
| Something's Gotta Give
Wow, great script. Richard Curtis take note. Jack Nicholson is outstanding, as are the supporting players. Not much to add except that it is a joy to watch. |
DVD |
|
| Master and Commander
A big adventure yarn with little emotional content. It works as an escape, but I can see why it lost the best picture Oscar to Peter Jackson. Bettany is excellent and the 5.1 soundtrack is amazing. More grue would have been swell. |
DVD |
|
| Sexy Beast
Two words: Ben Kingsley. This movie is scarier than the last ten horror films I've seen. Great characters, classic dialogue and addictive visuals make the dull heist story something special. |
DVD |
|
| Willard (2003)
Almost worth it to see Crispin Glover going over the top. This remake starts well but the novelty quickly wears thin. At the end I was climbing the walls: pure agony. |
DVD censored? | |
| Jason vs. Freddy
This is a masterpiece compared to Willard. I enjoyed Jason X more, actually. The favourable horror fan response is deceptive. One or two effective moments cannot disguise the bullshit these franchises have always peddled. Let it go, New Line. |
DVD | |
| Impostor: Director's Cut
OK, it steals from about ten SF movies. Putting that aside, we have a solid fugitive yarn told straight with a good cast. While it's worth seeing, note that the Australian DVD is the censored US theatrical PG version. Import the US DVD instead. |
DVD uncensored | |
| Say It Isn't So
Knowing the Farrelly bros. were involved will be enough data for most viewers. I had a few minor chuckles over some of the low-brow humour; largely it's mediocre. If you have ever wanted to hear the line, "Step out of the plane with your hands up" then this is your movie. |
TV | |
| The Day After Tomorrow
Good start, crap ending. See it for the special effects and rubber science. |
cinema | |
| Troy
You will enjoy this more with no knowledge of the people or events. As a camp rehash of the epics it succeeds well, and director Peterson is a great visualist. Here the size of the production must have been daunting, but focusing on the genre's cliches (muscles, hardware, fighting, speeches) saves it from being too many films at once. It also has fine eye candy for female/gay viewers. |
cinema | |
| Rabbit Proof Fence
Quite a good little film, despite the telemovie feel of it. David Gulpilil steals the movie, and the fence metaphor is elegant. |
DVD | |
| Van Helsing
Go the harpy vampires! Otherwise this genre-bender falls in a heap. On B-movie terms the lack of story and characterisation did not bother me. The unspecial effects and action sequences were ludicrious, however. Richard Roxburgh fared the worst. |
cinema | |
| Elephant
Two arbitrary gay elements disturb the political stillwater of this docudrama about the Columbine shootings. Methodical to the point of hypnosis, it plays better in retrospect than in real time. The point that any number of factors could have sparked this tragedy is hardly a revelation. Duh. By avoiding melodrama and spectacle, Elephant ultimately plods nowhere. |
cinema | |
| Kill Bill: Vol. 1 +
Having the massacre scene in colour along with other changes makes it more satisfying. However, it does lose some of its chintzy formica charm on home video, so watch it loud to compensate. |
DVD uncensored | |
| The Bank
An amusing time waster with a few good lines. I saw them shooting the Yarra River Southbank scenes late one night, so it was nice to finally see it. Glad I didn't pay for the privilage, though. Wenham was OK but all the roles were underwritten. |
TV | |
| Monsoon Wedding
An engagingly contemporary and romantic Indian movie filled with colour and comedy. There are so many great characters that you don't mind the predictable story. What are you waiting for, idiot! |
DVD | |
| Audition +
Watched it on SBS to see which transfer they had, and it looked way better than the local R4 DVD, so I decided to watch the whole thing. Ample proof that gore and terror can work well together in the right hands. Shivery. |
TV | |
| The Dreamers
The new Bernado Bertolucci nudie romp plays like a Larry Clark film relocated to France. It even stars Michael Pitt, the stoned doper kid in Bully. This was good fun. The characters discover themselves but some things never change... |
cinema | |
| Kill Bill: Vol. 2
What a waste. Kudos to Tarantino for not playing into the audience's expectations. However, the result is long and boring, with maudlin dialogue sequences and minimal action. Daryl Hannah steals the film, and Madsen is just funny, otherwise somehow QT made Thurman dull and Carradine silly. Buyer beware. |
cinema | |
| Dagon +
Visitor screening. This is one of the better H.P. Lovecraft adaptations and the best film made by the Spanish Fantastic Factory production facility. |
DVD | |
| Faust: Love of the Damned +
Visitor screening. The comic has great artwork by Tim Vigil and attrocious writing by David Quinn. Quinn also wrote this terrible screenplay, while Brian 'Hack' Yuzna directed. Nice gore and mild sleaze cannot save it. |
DVD | |
| Osama
What was this? Perhaps it belongs in the docudrama category. The story follows the plight of a girl in Kabul, Afghanistan, living under the laws of the Taliban. Compelling and disturbing. |
cinema | |
| Secret Window
A stupid story that takes Misery and The Dark Half and cross-breeds them with recent movies dealing with mental dysfunction. It was funny that the audience members who had gone to see Depp had to endure this languid, ultimately idiotic yarn. |
cinema | |
| Django, Kill!
A spag-western with cigar chomping bandits, lethal displays of avarice, kept women, deals made and broken, the wandering gunslinger, and awful dubbing recorded before commas were invented. |
DVD | |
| Alien: Director's Cut +
It cannot be scary after so many viewings. I just sat back and oogled the production design, acting, special effects, music, and extra bits in this extended version. There is no extra gore. |
DVD | |
| Alien 3: Director's Cut +
Running to 138 mins PAL, this longer version improves on the theatrical cut, but it's all lipstick on a pig. Despite footage of Fincher deleted by Fox from the DVD, the causes of the problems are still apparent in the documentaries. |
DVD | |
| Alien Resurrection: Special Edition +
A much smoother production than Alien 3, and about as rousing as a 9:00am economics turtorial. This was probably the last time that I ever watch this movie, but it was touching to see Ripley finally on Earth. |
DVD | |
| Beyond Re-Animator
Either I'm getting old or these films are becoming crap. Another Spanish production that panders to the US R rating, this third instalment piles on the tedium until the final act cuts loose with some OK gore. Sadly it's all geared to insult the audience, with dumb 'comedy' and lame sleaze. Give up, Yuzna! |
DVD | |
| Fight Club +
My flatmate Euan screened it for his partner, Suzie. Naturally I hitched along to see it again. It's still a gaudy lark, though the rough spots just keep it from achieving cult royalty. |
DVD | |
| Buffalo Soldiers
Nice one, Gregor. It happens in fantasy land of course, but this playful, cheeky romp on a US warbase is loads of fun. It amazes me that a peace-time war film manages to have this many explosions. Subtle, studio execs, real subtle. |
DVD | |
| Monster
Theron is fantastic; nice to see Bruce Dern, too. Ricci never quite gets there. I doubt the real story is this simple but it's a solid serial killer portrait just the same. The violence is mainstream friendly. |
cinema | |
| Action Jackson +
A ball-busting 1980s artefact. It's still a bad film bouyed by a couple of OTT death scenes and some amusing quips. Vanity's awful acting raises her co-stars up to mere mediocrity in comparison. |
DVD | |
| Thirteen
That the adolescent characters tried my patience is a roundabout compliment, I suppose. Being a biopic it pulls some punches, draining it of resonance. |
cinema | |
| Space Cowboys
A lame spin on the far better Apollo 13. While the special effects in orbit looked gorgeous on digital TV, the writing throughout was too pedestrian. Yawn. |
TV | |
| Ichi the Killer
Miike has swapped story for self-indulgence and cool for grit. With its blubbering anti-hero, gore-soaked highlights and Japanoise soundtrack, this truly is bleeding edge filmmaking. |
VCD | |
| Audition
Holy fuck. Dark and disturbing a real horror film. This is my favourite Takashi Miike film of the three. Watch it alone in the dead of night as I did for some rare chills. |
DVD | |
| Fudoh: The New Generation
A brilliant and bloody cartoon about gangsters by Takashi Miike. Rough around the edges, Miike obtained great performances from his cast. Revenge, gore and sleaze wrapped in a kimono of absolute cool. |
TV | |
| Matchstick Men
The new Ridley Scott. I picked the outcome about halfway into it. Regardless, this is entertaining, although neurotic characters are tedious, e.g. Adam Sandler in Punch-Drunk Love. And when the magic of cinema 'cures' them? Yeah, right. Whatever. |
DVD | |
| American Pie: The Wedding
Hired it to check for censorship cuts. It does not hold up well to repeated viewings. Another case of sequelitis. |
DVD | |
| Romance
Not bad actually. I like the way it was shot and the psychosexual elements are interesting, but overall it lacks punch. Also features some inept bondage work. |
DVD | |
| Atlantis
Glossy underwater footage directed by Luc Besson and set to music by Eric Serra. Fairly dull. |
DVD | |
| The Naked Killer +
Like many Hong Kong action films, this one presents a mix of genres, almost to the point of being schizo. It's fun to see a movie revelling in its own shallowness. |
DVD | |
| The Prophecy III
Garbage. Part two was dire, yet this sequel makes it look respectable. Even Christopher Walken and Brad Dourif cannot save this plucked turkey. |
DVD | |
| Thirteen Days
A weak facsimilie of JFK Roger Donaldson is no Oliver Stone. There is no tension and Costner sleepwalks through his part. Yawn. |
TV | |
| Haggard
If nothing else, Haggard lives up to its title. Produced for the same sum of money that would barely cover the mousepad budget on The Lord of the Rings, the dimwit pranksters behind Jackass have turned their collective 'talents' to making a feature film that has actual character development and a functioning narrative. Like all such ventures, Bam Margera and his motley crew probably had no more lofty ambitions than to complete and release Haggard in some form or another delusions of artistic immortality would have been their last concern. To have a laugh making it and perhaps break even? That sounds more likely. The cheap production values, subject matter and comic tone of Haggard recalls the shoddy work of Troma's Lloyd Kaufman and the early films of Kevin Smith, especially Clerks and Mall Rats. Kaufman, Smith and Margera all exploit the urban wastelands of their Amerikkkan home towns, using them as bland backdrops for their disaffected yet colourful cast of unlovable nobodies: characters who may be avatars of the filmmakers themselves, or at least people they know. However, in terms of style and content, Haggard forgoes the bored convenience store verbal hopscotch that Kevin Smith is known for, in favour of a more low brow, low intellect, high energy approach that skates along quite well. It's no classic, but an entertaining pile of slop just the same. |
DVD | |
| The Passion of the Christ
Heavy going but engaging. With no subtlety and few preaching scenes, Mel Gibson confronts the audience with forgiveness in the face of intolerance and abject cruelty. The 'real' moments were the most emotional for me; forget the spiritual rot. Worth seeing once. |
cinema</ | |