Reviews

Unbreakable? Oh, please.

I just can't understand what the fuss is about. This movie seems to lack everything: less then poor, the story was nonexistent; more than foreseeable, the action was squarely boring.

Basically, you could split that movie into two parts. The first 90 minutes, spent on preparing (slooowly, sooooo slooowly) what you know is bound to happen in the last 15 minutes. And then the last 15 minutes, depicting exactly what you've been expecting since you've been sitting in the theater (and frankly, nothing to cry over).

I saw this movie because I had loved the Sixth Sense and I expected to like Unbreakable at least as much. But M. Night Shyamalan truly disappointed me this time.

What could explain the critics' infatuation, if the movie is so bad? I suppose they might be trying to make up for their ferocious reviews of The Sixth Sense, a way to say to the director: "Hey, man, we're sorry, we shouldn't have been so mean about your previous film, so even though this one really sucks, but I mean rrreally blows, we'll be cool about it. Will you forgive us? Please?"

GET REAL. Unbreakable is a bad movie. This unbearable analogy between comic books and real life literally stinks. Add it average acting, average filming, and you end up with a movie that's, well, do the maths... less than average.

"Oh my gosh, look, isn't that Montreal?"

That was my first reaction. At last, a movie that has MADE IN CANADA written all over it, a movie that is proud to be filmed in Canada. I hadn't seen that in a long time.

As you probably know, lots of movies -american movies- are currently filmed in Canada, simply because of generous tax incentives. What you might not know is that Americans are getting angry because the phenomenon is getting more and more important. California assemblyman Scott Wildman recently said: "One television series pumps $75 million in wages, taxes, pension funds and other economic activity into California's economy. But we get nothing if it's done in Canada." (quoted from Tribute magazine) And a movie that's openly made in Canada, not even trying to hide, shouting: "Hey, America is way to expensive, but you know what? We're going to make it anyway! Get me a plane ticket to Canada, will you?" I get the feeling somebody's going to be mad.

So, "Blame Canada! Blame Canada!" Sounds familiar, doesn't it?

Anyway, back to the actual movie. Matthew Perry was as Friendly as always, Natasha Henstridge wonderfully sexy, as well as Amanda Peet. And, I almost forgot, unbelievably funny, too.

Don't miss it. You'd have to wait until it's released on video.

I was honestly expecting a little more.

It could have been better, but it could have been worse. Bette Midler was -of course- divine, just like in her previous Big Business and Ruthless People. She seems to simply enjoy these wacky characters, people so unpleasant and joyless they end up being funny. As for Danny DeVito, Neve Campbell, Jamie Lee Curtis and all the others, well, they were okay too.

The end was really disappointing, though. Way to conventional. Way to easy. "Bad, bad American folks": was that the message, or did I get it wrong?

But we can't get enough of Mrs. Midler shouting, now can we? Worth renting. Once.

So many oscars, so many golden globes, so many, so many. Is the competition this year that bad?

I don't really understand what all the fuss is about. Sure, American Beauty was good, but not THAT good. I thought Election was way better. "Someday you'll understand too" or something in that area is the conclusion of the movie. What kind of a pre-school-like kind of writing is that? I mean, what does that bring to a movie, just cut the c**p and tell us what you really want to say...

And what's with the flying plastic bag? The rose's petals? Just throwing in a few clichés doesn't transform a movie into a work of art.

Kevin Spacey and Annette Bening were both great, though, I must admit. And the movie itself was worth watching. But please, don't make Sam Mendes a hero, 'cause he ain't. Yet.

Sorry. Maybe next time.

I can't believe The Sixth Sense is so under-represented at the Oscars this year... Barely 6 nominations. I know, it's not that bad, but still, I thought it deserved way more. At least more than this other movie I won't name (here's a clue: it's title starts with the word "American" and finishes with the word "Beauty").

Unbelievable acting, suspense, a kind of terror during the whole film, and this great ending, completely unforeseeable.

Mr Night Shyamalan, you do deserve congratulations, no matter what this weird Academy might think.

Fantastic music, fantastic images. No real content, though, sadly enough.

Leo's fans will love it, of course, particularly females, as he spends most of its time running around naked. The general theme does sound quite good: a bunch of ostracised people living their lives away from civilisation, simply because "they can't bare it anymore". A criticism towards today's society? Sort of reminds me of William Golding's Lord of the Flies, or even Aldous Huxley's Brave New World. Always this idea of an Island, a paradise, a false sense of loneliness, of independence.

I must confess I overall liked the movie. I particularly enjoyed that conjunction of sometimes poetic, sometimes violent music and image. Congratulations to Moby, to Underworld, for such gorgeous themes, and to Danny Boyle, for putting it all together, even though sometimes we wish the movie had been more than just a nice pop video.

I'm sure all the Yanni's and Vangelis' out there will love The Beach. Just like I did, by the way.

Did you hate Crash?

Don't worry, eXistenZ is far from being a sequel. As a matter of facts, it's probably one of the best canadian films in the last few years. The fact that it rated incredibly high at the box office in Canada doesn't mean it's one of these blockbusters you feel you've already seen twice. It's a one-of-a-kind movie, though some Matrix reminiscence is definitely floating about... A must for all sci-fi fans. And for every movie fan.