300
From the creators of ‘Sin City’, this absolutely
amazing action movie turns Frank Miller’s graphic novel,
about the siege of Sparta by the Persians, way back then in
history, into a ‘living’ comic-book. The movie
is a ‘must see’!
Goya’s Ghosts
Renowned director Milos Forman uses the famous Spanish artist
Francisco Goya as a cinematic devise, through which he can
investigate the politics of Goya’s times. The film is
a lavish costume drama, but a bit on the dull side.
Shut Up & Sing
After a political comment delivered at a concert in London,
the popularity of the musical group ‘Dixie Chicks’
plummeted. This documentary is intended to restore their standing,
but the girls emerge from it just as brainless as ever.
Ghost Rider
Nicolas Cage doesn’t have to do much except stand around
and pose, as a staggering amount of spectacular pyrotechnics
take place around him. This movie is another marvelous adaptation
of a comic-book into cinematic form.
Hot Fuzz
Those cheeky British comedians Simon Pegg and Nick Frost,
the guys that created ‘Shaun of the Dead’, are
back with another amusing lively comedy, which takes lots
of successful ‘pot-shots’ at a bungling English
police force.
Open Season
This computer-animated cartoon has a fairly predictable plotline,
no decent songs, and a collection of terminally tedious characters.
Regard it simply as DVD wallpaper, by the means of which you
can tranquilize your children.
UltraViolet
Set somewhere in the future, this is another brilliant adaptation
of a graphic novel. This time Milla Jovovich has to pose elegantly,
as this cross between a hair-spray commercial and a Kung-Fu
‘free-for-all’ takes place around her.
Turistas
An intrepid young group of international tourists are backpacking
their way through Brazil, when they run into one of those
legendary ‘Urban Myths’. The film is incredibly
violent, but also incredibly amusing, in a sadistic way.
Starter For 10
A working-class student at an upper-class university wishes
to appear on the British TV quiz show ‘University Challenge’.
But, when he accomplishes his goal he wonders if it was all
worth it. I wonder if the movie was worth it.
Blood Diamond
Leonardo Dicaprio has at long last made a movie in which we
can take him seriously as an adult. Leonardo is terrific,
as a South African mercenary, in this intelligent and gripping
film that investigates the African diamond trade.
The Messengers
An interesting cast, which includes Dylan McDermott and Penelope
Ann Miller, feature in this chilling ghost story. Directed
by the Pang Brothers, they are able to turn this standard
horror story into something truly creepy.
Trust The Man
There is nothing more boring than dreary New York movies about
upwardly mobile professional people, who spend their entire
time sitting around chic bars and restaurants, unremittingly
discussing their emotional short-comings.
The Contract
Australian director Bruce Beresford is known for his films
that study social and environmental issues. ‘The Contract’
involves a manhunt through some dramatic American wilderness,
which takes on a special meaning of its own.
The Treatment
Psychoanalysis methods come under the spotlight, in this surprising
comedy from writer and director Oren Rudavsky. An anxious
schoolteacher suddenly finds himself thrust into smart New
York society, through a romantic liaison.
Breaking and Entering
Academy Award winning director Anthony Minghella’s new
film is boring and pointless. A trendy London architect’s
office is repeatedly burglarized, and this is eventually supposed
to be metaphoric for his miserable love-life.
An Inconvenient Truth
This documentary records Al Gore’s ‘slide-show’
presentation concerning Global Warming. Gore has presented
this lecture world-wide, and this movie will take it to a
wider audience. It should be ‘required viewing’
for everyone.
The Hitcher
TV Sex-Siren, Sophia Bush, makes a successful switch to the
Silver Screen, in this wicked ‘little’ movie,
which only goes to re-enforce the rule that it is not wise
to pick-up hitch-hikers. A rule that needs to be regularly
reiterated.
The Cleaner
The extremely bad and offensive African-American comedian
‘Cedric The Entertainer’ stars in this extremely
bad and offensive movie, about a janitor who thinks he is
a CIA undercover agent. Cedric is just NOT entertaining.
Fay Grim
Independent American director Hal Hartley has a reputation
for writing and creating ‘off-beat’ comedies.
His latest movie, a droll espionage caper, is no exception.
The film is entirely shot with an acute ‘Dutch-Tilt’
camera-angle.
Breach
Actors Chris Cooper, Ryan Phillippe and Laura Linney try to
instill some meaning, motivation and momentum into this dry
movie, inspired by a true story, which tells the dismal tale
of an FBI spy spying on another FBI spy.
Light on the North Star
This supposedly ‘uplifting’ film concerns a bright
young man who takes a lowly job as a handy-man, to be near
his grandfather, who is suffering from Parkinson’s Disease.
Donald Sutherland ‘shakes’ his way through the
movie.
The Last Hangman
Timothy Spall stars in this superb drama as Albert Pierrepoint,
England’s last executioner. Like his father and uncle
before him, Albert strives for excellence in his profession,
and the movie relentlessly follows his career.
The Hoax
In 1970, to make money, author Clifford Irving devised an
elaborate hoax, with regard to an ‘authorized’
biography about billionaire Howard Hughes. The film is only
of ‘historical’ interest. Richard Gere is at his
‘minimal’ best.
Fracture
Anthony Hopkins first depicted a psychopath in ‘The
Silence of the Lambs’ in 1991. He has been playing variations
on that theme ever since. He offers another ‘nut-case’,
in ‘Fracture’, trying to get away with the perfect
murder.
Epic Movie
Movies that set out to ‘send-up’ successful films
only really work if you know the films the ‘send-up’
movie is trying to satirize. Most of the victims in ‘Epic
Movie’ are recognizable, and the comedy has its fair
share of jokes.
Bridget Jones’s Diary 3
Originally titled ‘Nynne’, this Danish film does
have a lot in common with its British predecessor. Based on
a best-selling novel, the film is rather good. But, by calling
itself ‘Bridget Jones’s Diary 3’ this only
demeans the movie.
