Reviews

For a mission impossible movie the actual impossible stuff was pretty limited. Unlike the first film, you saw very few gadgets and there was also very little in the way of espionage either... One thing this movie had a lot of, though, was guns and action! The fight scenes were incredible and Tom Cruise almost does more martial arts than Jet Lee in Romeo Must Die. Definitely stamped well and truly with John Woo's trademarks and the whole film has a lot more in common with Hong Kong cinema than with the original Mission Impossible TV series (well except for all the mask switching that goes on).

The only part I didn't like was the way the big romance developed - too deep too quick therefore unconvincing. You expect there to be a Mission: Implausible but generally the characterisations are decent - this love match was not.

If you like action and don't care particularly how realistic it is, then you will LOVE this film.

These movies are a mixed bag to say the least and it doesn't pay to scrutinise several incongruities...but they are enjoyable none the less.

Conquest for the Planet of the Apes, the fourth in the series, covers the 'pre-history' of the first movie, where the apes first start to gain some ascendancy in the world of humans. And like the first movie (and to a lesser degree the second) it actually strives to make a social statement AND does a decent job. Parallels are drawn between the apes struggle against slavery to humans and the struggle for civil rights of black people in America with the ape riot scene intended to imitate a famous riot in the sixties. The point is well made considering the censorship restrictions on violence and the touchy nature of the underlying subject matter - a topic well discussed today but not overtly talked about in 1972. The result is daring, well-made (the riot is stunning) and well-meaning, but sometimes a little clumsy.

Some fairly elementary things are overlooked, as well, such as the fact that in the first movie the apes were evolved by 2000 years thus excusing their very human bearing, but here, in the 'future' of 1991, they are just supposed to be apes with clothes on...doesn't quite work.

All in all, though, an entertaining film and a good showcase for Roddy McDowall's real acting abilities. 7 out of 10.

I first caught Sabrina while waiting in an hotel room to be picked up...I just threw on cable to kill time and was totally surprised to be enjoying the movie. I am not a fan of whimsical romances, but am a fan of Harrison Ford (which is why I chose to watch at all in the first place) and he does a brilliant job with this role and makes it something special. All the acting, indeed, is underplayed with the exception of David (Greg Kinnear) who needed to be overplayed.

No, I haven't seen the original, but I doubt I'd like it much because the real charm of the remake was it's comic dialogue and I understand that it is not present in the original. There's just something about hearing Ford say 'I love it [dancing], they call me Bojangles at work' and 'I like Sabrina - I always have - but I'm not going to let her blow a billion dollar business deal...I don't care what she did with her hair...' that I doubt Humphrey Bogart could duplicate, even if he had the lines.

I gave this movie a 9/10...it probably would have been 10/10 but there's something in me that refuses to give a 'romantic comedy' a perfect mark...

I've never really liked old movies, so many were just star vehicles or just too perfect for words (I really can't bear It's a Wonderful Life)...but Harvey is one of the few that stand out.

Jimmy Stewart is definitely my favourite 'black-and-white' actor and I think this role was close to his best (certainly better than The Philadelphia Story for which he got the Oscar). Stewart plays his character constantly inebriated and 'oh-so-pleasant' and you can't help but warm to his misunderstood Mr Dowd. His family want him committed for his belief that he has a constant companion that just happens to be an invisible white rabbit over 6' tall...but I think today they'd want to commit him more for his constantly happy attitude and desire to be friends with everybody, especially those not normally noticed. But in being so pleasant, his life is the smartest one of all, and, not surprisingly, leaves him untouched by worries (with a little help from his invisible pal).

The movie is whimsical and genuinely funny and was made in the perfect time when it comes to acting styles and production values. This movie could not be made today and retain its charm or even its humour, and I doubt any one could ever match Jimmy Stewart in the main role.

For its time, its place and its purpose, 10 out of 10.

I watched this movie for lack of anything else to watch and was pleasantly surprised to find a very funny movie. The story may not be challenging and the pace slackens off a couple of times, but when the jokes come most hit right on the mark.

A good movie has memorable scenes and lines and this had a few, though my favourites were the hardware hold-up scene where they test robbery styles (cool and calm vs loud and abusive) and the line, "Please don't kill me, Freaky Jason!" still makes me grin...

If you've had a long day and just want to relax and laugh...this is the movie.

A movie written and developed by a man with way too much time on his hands...the end result is brilliant! Kevin Smith immediately became bigger than any of the cast (in a similar way to Tarantino after Reservoir Dogs) because his dialogue was more important than the acting. The acting, for the most part, leaves a little to be desired but you don't particularly care because the jokes and situations are perfectly set up.

I found myself genuinely feeling for the main character of Dante in what had to be the worst day of his life... Dante faces girlfriend dilemmas, accusations of being a nazi and selling cigarettes illegally, the constant mindless yet perversely well-thought out ramblings of his friend and co-clerk, a hockey game, a funeral and a corpse...all with the added sting that he wasn't even supposed to be working that day in the convenience store. I think the alternate ending was definitely the worst possible ending for the worst possible day, and therefore perfect.

The film is definitely strong on the language and crude topic side of things, but beyond that you have a very funny film and a very witty look at the underside of suburbia. 9 out of 10.

I went to this movie just wanting a good, old-fashioned beast vs man film, and that's exactly what I got. I love a movie that has something with a lot of teeth eating a lot of stupid or bad characters, with no aim other than to get you as tense as possible and get a few squeals out of the audience!

Sure, the acting not super (if you want to see Jacqueline MacKenzie actually act see Romper Stomper) and the plot is slight, but boy do those sharks chomp some people! I found myself would tight once the action started and it didn't release until the credits rolled, Renny Harlin paced it perfectly.

Just like Jaws, forget the plot or the ridiculous premise, and sit back and enjoy a great shark movie.

The only excuse I can think of for how bad this movie turned out, was that everyone was doing it for the money. Sean Connery sleep-walks through his part and Catherine Zeta-Jones was just there to look pretty (the story sets her up as extremely smart, yet her character plays dumb the whole movie).

I couldn't even swallow the storyline - tallest building in the world, millenium bug testing, corrupt 'cops', old master-thief and young beauty in a love tryst...I mean, come on! The biggest twist of the movie was stated bluntly by one of the characters as well...no tension, no great lead-up, no false trails, just blurted out.

With no action, no witty dialogue (they did try) and no tension, what you end up with is a bad 'thriller' with big names - definitely a cash cow for all involved.

A movie with seemingly little point but to get you to dislike everyone associated with high school... Not one character was likeable (Paul Metzler was close but vague and sex-driven) and no character actually seem to grow or change during the movie.

For a comedy there was little to laugh at and one scene in particular where 'Mr M' fantasizes while in bed with his wife is just plain crude and disturbing... It is also billed as a satarical look at democracy but it just denigrates the whole process...not exactly high satire.

The only thing worse than a boring movie, is an overly long boring movie. I was hoping for a nice, intelligent look at war, but instead got a 2 1/2 hour navel-gazing session. If you like introspection and more internal-thought-voice-overs than dialogue, and fighting scenes shorter than the actual credits, then this is the movie for you...

I enjoyed Woody Harrelson's mishap with a grenade and Nick Nolte's gruff and manic officer, but apart from that I found myself rooting for the Japanese to wipe out the lot of them.

I seem to be one of the few people who prefer this film to Pulp Fiction, but without it Pulp Fiction could never have made the mark it did.

When Reservoir Dogs came out I was amazed that one film could combine mesh so perfectly the crime genre with black humour with glib observational comedy. The fact that it was a cheap film with little action yet, on the back of slick dialogue with a slick delivery from all actors concerned, it managed to entertain and fascinate you the whole way through, created a whole new rash of imitators and dreamers. Now, like horror is compared to Stephen King and fantasy to Lord of the Rings, popular crime is compared to this movie and all Tarantino offerings.

The story is revealed perfectly with characters introduced quickly but fleshed out with masterly timing (Tim Roth's story set-up is priceless). Personally, I love Steve Buscemi and can't help but compare his every performance to this one ("I don't want to be Mr Pink!") and Harvey Keitel's role must have been directly written for him, it fit so well.

10 out of 10...easily.

The second movie definitely stands out as the best, but the first definitely has its place.

The story is excellent and the action very cool, but 70's Australian movies will always look and sound like 70's Australian movies... The pace was slow (the movie rushes to its climax in the last 10 minutes) and frequent periods of cars driving and sombre faces tend to get on your nerves after a while.

It's amazing to see what a small role Mel Gibson actually gets as 'Mad Max' - he barely says 10 sentences and his facial expression is almost stationary for the whole film. The dude who played Toe Cutter, though, definitely knew how to ham up his role perfectly and gave the only spark to be found in the acting.

Good, but totally forgettable without the following sequels...

The trailer suggested a good, scary movie, but the end result was a bit of a fizzer... The story was good but much better suited to its original book form, on the screen it just looked abbreviated and underdeveloped.

The Haunting relies too much on special effects, a poor substitute for tension in a thriller/horror... The result is a movie with some 'ooh-aah' but no real chills.

Only the good movies have you thinking about them for days after you have seen them, and Sixth Sense is one that you HAVE to see twice just to set your mind at ease.

The pace and tone of the movie is deliberate and quiet (thus maximising the impact of some genuinely spooky scenes which tend to jump out) and it lures you into thinking you know what's going on...big mistake. Most movies today are entirely too predictable, so being totally taken unaware by the ending changed this movie from a good movie to a very good one. It's great fun being able to pick up all the hints on the second run through, too...

Not as thought-provoking as Arlington Road, but WAY scarier than The Haunting.

I read that Keanu Reeves only got his part in this movie because he told the Wachowskis his ideas on the philosophical angles of the 'Neo' character and the script in general... At that was just what the directors needed to help their pretensions of making something much more important than a movie and they haven't done too bad a job. The great thing is that they haven't forgotten the need to be entertaining, too.

The special effects are fantastic, the characterisations memorable (especially Hugo Weaving's Mr Smith), and the action spectacular, but sometimes the pacing drags a little bit.

The story line is intriguing and definitely sets you thinking about the greater implications of the story line (Christian parallels are many and well-constructed). I wonder, though, if the prequels/sequels that are planned will end up adding to or subtracting from (see Phantom Menace) the story so far constructed...