Grindhouse (Death Proof)
Quentin Tarantino creates another exceptional film, in homage
to ‘B’ grade movies. There is an awful lot of
Post-Feminist blah-blah-blah in the movie, but when the girls
finally shut-up, and the action starts, the film is incredible.
The Last Legion
Set during the Fall of the Roman Empire, Ben Kingsley, Aishwarya
Rai and Colin Firth fight to save the last emperor, a 12 year
old boy, who they take to Britain. The movie has some twists
and turns that you don’t see coming.
Daddy Day Care
You either like Eddie Murphy or you don’t, and his movies
can be either good or bad. His latest ‘comedy’,
about an unemployed man turning his home into a child care
centre, is the pits as far as Eddie Murphy movies go.
Becoming Jane
It seems the life of Jane Austen resembled one of her books.
A continuous round of opulent balls in stately country houses,
seeking the ideal ‘match’. Anne Hathaway presents
an endearing performance as the famous novelist.
Northanger Abbey
Speaking of Jane Austen, this British adaptation of one of
her lesser known novels depicts the overbearing pressures
of parental love, and the necessary social implications of
wealth. There is a ‘Made-for-TV’ feeling to the
movie.
Talladega Nights
In his latest comedy Will Ferrell turns his attention to motor-car
racing. It is a fairly predictable movie, with some fairly
predictable jokes. The best thing about the film is its nostalgic
foot-tapping ‘country and western’ soundtrack.
Love And Other Disasters
This British romantic-comedy doesn’t try to hide its
influences, which are ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’
and ‘Notting Hill’. The story and supporting-cast
are a delight, and Brittany Murphy is delicious as the ‘mad-capped’
heroine.
I Could Never Be Your Woman
Popular American director Amy Heckerling bombs-out badly with
her latest romantic-comedy. Still, Michelle Pfeiffer is terrific,
as a ‘forty-something’ TV producer, having an
affair with a ‘twenty-something’ sexy Sinetron
star.
Rise
Lucy Liu is the latest contender in a long and glorious line
of American-Chinese sex-symbols. Lucy Liu is fantastic as
an enigmatic ‘Dragon Lady’, but nothing could
save her movie, a turgid vampire tale, from the trash heap.
Transformers
Michael Bay’s movie is an amazing mix of special-effects
and great action-adventure. It features the most extraordinary
robots which transform into all manner of mechanical appliances.
The film is fascinating from start to finish.
28 Weeks Later
The sequel to Danny Boyle’s amazing movie ‘28
Days Later’ is directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo.
It has none of the mystery or suspense of Boyle’s movie,
and Fresnadillo turns the sequel into just another dull zombie
movie.
Evan Almighty
I would have expected more from director Tom Shadyac, and
the team who brought us ‘The 40 year old Virgin’
cult-comedy. ‘Evan Almighty’ is a tedious film
about a politician forced by God to build a modern-day ark.
Amazing Grace
Acclaimed director Michael Apted presents an absorbing historical
costume-drama about the life of anti-slavery pioneer William
Wilberforce. The cast, which includes Ioan Gruffudd, Rufus
Sewell and Albert Finney, is excellent.
The Invasion
Don Siegel’s ‘Invasion of the Body Snatchers’
is an undisputed cinema classic. But, director Oliver Hirschbiegel,
with Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig, create a disguised reworking
of the story which is undisputed rubbish.
Zodiac
Considering that David Fincher is the director of ‘Se7en’
and ‘Panic Room’, I expected more from his latest
film. Jake Gyllenhaal and Robert Downey Jr. star in a ‘real-life’
serial-killer saga that goes on and on, with no end insight.
The Hawk is Dying
After the death of his autistic nephew, an emotional man continues
to train a wild hawk as a means of coping with his grief.
Paul Giamatti gives an Oscar worthy performance in a movie
that won’t come to the Academy’s attention.
El Cantante
Produced by Jennifer Lopez, this film is supposed to tell
the story of Puerto Rican Salsa singer Hector Lavoe, and his
struggle with drugs. Anyhow, JLO manages to turn it into the
story of Lavoe’s wife Puchi. Starring JLO herself!
American Blend
Hollywood has an attempt at a Bollywood movie. Director Varun
Khanna tells a nice little tale about an Indian family, with
an American mother, who live in LA. The movie has a serious
habit of breaking into song and dance.
Life Support
Queen Latifah gives an outstanding performance as a woman
struggling to maintain her lifestyle, despite being HIV-Positive.
Nelson George writes and directs a moving ‘low-key’
drama that never stoops to cheap sentimentality.
Pathfinder
Abandoned on the Eastern Shores of America, a Norse boy is
adopted by the local Indians. Now, 25 years old, he has to
fend-off some invading Vikings. This movie has plenty of breathtaking
scenery and action, but not much plot.
The Good Night
Bored by his wife, Martin Freeman finds his ideal woman, Penelope
Cruz, in his dreams. Jake Paltrow puts so much blah-blah-blah
into his typical New York ‘talk-fest’ movie, that
it’s guaranteed to put just about anyone to sleep.
9 Tenths
First filmed as ‘The Admirable Crichton’ in 1957,
Lina Wertmuller had a go at the yarn in 1974 as ‘Swept
Away’. Madonna appeared in a re-make in 2002. This re-hash
of the classic story simply relocates the action to Mexico.
Blast from the Past
This movie is indeed a ‘Blast from the Past’.
All the way back to 1998. Both Brendan Fraser and Alicia Silverstone
are fabulous in this romantic-comedy, about a man who spends
the first 30 years of his life in a huge bomb-shelter.
