Reviews

The film is a worthy rental but extremely highly overrated. With many Ally McBealesque type effects over an overly cutesy story, Amelie is still a worthy viewing, has some funny and endearing moments, but is just a bit too over the top. At times the antics are a little dull and the movie prods a bit, about an asexual French girl (believe that one?) who wants to help people and finds love in the process. Amusing moments, decent script, some nice production, the film begins with a girl who is raised alone and lonely, away from other schoolchildren, and as a result enjoys her solitude although she is fascinated by the world around her. She learns to love helping others and does so in creative ways, sometimes straining credibility. Designed to pull on the heart strings, it does so somewhat effectively. Good viewing for couples but don't be surprised if it doesn't blow you away but just seems like a very cute production piece for candy viewing.

I wanted to like this movie.... after starting off promising it ends up being yet another Hollywood movie, straining the limits of credibility and boring you after the first hour. This movie is Hollywood's prototypical whitewashing of the bad to create a clean, happy, wonderful solution that makes us all happy to be alive and together, no matter what our race or creed. One second there's hate, the next moment there's love. This movie does little to explain how this could occur and the fact that Hallie Berry needs to bare a LOT of boobs and butt and do her best to act like a porn queen should tell you all you need to know about the value of the script. The fact that Ebert and several other "critics" gave this movie such a high rating shouldn't fool you. It's superficial a movie as there ever was, masked by some fine acting. Perhaps Ebert was drenched after watching some rather distastefully filmed sex scenes, draped in the guise of "artistic filming." Be honest with yourself. If you're renting this movie, it's only to see what it might be like to "do it" with Hallie. Otherwise... you will leave unsatisfied.

In short, it was better than the Star Wars I -- which unfortunately tells you little. It does provide entertainment value but you'll sit there with a look of incredulity on your face at least several times during the movie, including parts which you'll laugh hysterically when you shouldn't. But read on and don't worry, I won't blow the movie for you like the trailer.

The Good: The graphics were top notch as usual. Some of the effects were so good you didn't even think about how good they were as they were very convincing. If you follow the Star Wars story, you'll enjoy meeting a few of the players and seeing how the story progresses. The Obi-Wan and Anneken characters did a decent job acting. Unfortunately, that's it. I wasn't that impressed with some of the fighting scenes but others were just amazed by it. Thought the sabre work was better in Star Wars I, which should say something too.

The Bad: The story has several holes in it, as does the ability to use the force. One minute, the Jedi are all powerful. The next, you wonder why they are totally mortal -- perhaps it is to lend a feeling like there is a dangerous situation for our protagonist? The movie editing is not good and there are so many cut scenes you'll get a little dizzy and, in some cases, a scene will be too short so you'll be confused and have to consciously guess that "significant time has passed since the scene you saw 92 seconds ago." The beginning of the movie is incredibly confusing as it throws a whole bunch of characters together whom you don't know and it assumes that you remember all the players in the first movie. Fortunately, the dizzying number of characters lessens over the course of the movie. Surprise... you will see a cameo appearance by a well known actor and you will laugh when you see him (and how out of place he is!) The best part about Luke Skywalker's and Han Solo's characters was that nobody knew who they were and it didn't stick out in your mind. Some jokes are forced into this movie and you will feel like they were sometimes funny but too often placed there because Lucas felt like he needed laughs. Other times, these little "jokes" just fall very flat. Jar-Jar is back for no reason and in ludicrous positions... and fortunately he/she isn't around for very long. Warning: bring earplugs if you have them because Lucas obviously felt that he needed as many roaring engines as possible. It's VERY annoying.

The Ugly: Oh, the script in many places was, to put it kindly, MS3K laughably bad. In fact, several times during the movie, especially with the absolutely horrifically hysterical love scenes, the dialogue is so awful that you sit there in amazement and wonder how this sappy, awkward, forced garbage could ever have made it to the screen and whether Lucas was so full of his own work that he couldn't see just how absurd it is. Some of the editing is choppy. Natalie Portman is a good actress (good body too ;) ) but her lines are so awful... well, you know. Also, you'll see characters thrown at a hundred miles an hour only to walk away and brush themselves off. It's horribly funny. Princess Amadallah will annoy the hell out of you with her wardrobe that changes in virtually every scene. I thought that some of the battle scenes, especially one at the end was funny to watch. It wasn't bad, but it was very much like a comic book character.

Summation: This movie is a B-movie with superb special effects and a story line that people want to know more about. There is entertainment value but the script is so poor in several places that you might find yourself looking at your watch during this semi-predictable film and thinking that the Star Wars movies have unfortunately deteriorated into little more than cheap sci-fi tripe with CGI. I give it a 5. It's clearly below any other Star Wars movie except the first -- but it's not better by much. You will be disappointed if you are looking for a "great" movie.

Don't know who is grading this film or if some kid has made it his business to vote 500 times, but I never get tired of seeing this film and I see many. The dialogue is witty, the performances are hilarious, and it all makes for an enjoyable viewing. Martin gets the most out of his goofy character without the prior Martin goofiness that some people liked or hated. Caine is fabulous in his role as the smart and wealthy con. While some may feel that the plot isn't original, the dialogue is great and the acting is even more entertaining.... I think I'll see it again.

This movie is hilarious. It isn't intended to have the twisted plot of the Sting. It is supposed to be a movie that takes a light, funny view of two con men, each coming at the con from different angles. One of the top 10 funniest movies I have seen and easily seen several times.

Great film noir that you won't forget. Never heard of the film, saw it on a flight to Europe pre-US release and was shocked at how gripping this odd, bizarre, completely fresh "retrospective storytelling" mechanism is. Watching it is quite disconcerting but as you watch you realize how great this methodology is, especially at the end. Good performances, memorable storyline, definitely an instant cult success. You must watch this film and be a little patient to "settle in" and once you do, what a ride! You won't be sure anymore what is a real memory and documentary and what isn't! Honestly, this is a GREAT, FRESH film and probably won't get the publicity and box office push that it deserves. It's a *smart* film.

What made Silence of the Lambs such a great movie is what made this movie so terrible. Silence has a terrifying villain, a mystery that is far from uncovered, you get to know more about the villain and the mystery, the interplay of the characters, the mystery unraveling... very cool, very interesting. The lack of CGI effects made the directors of Silence focus on a compelling movie and script. Unfortunately, not true for this utterly boring piece of tripe which seems like the directors thought they could provide a cheap rip off and just add CGI effects. Even assuming she could (and it doesn't seem like she is that good) Jennifer Lopez doesn't even have a chance to act in this silliness. Some that do are terrible. You are set up with an overly gory compilation of bad deeds done by a supposedly terrifying villain and the rest is a major draw out with some decent/commonplace CGI effects to discover what you knew completely in the first few minutes of this stupid film. At the end you are saying to yourself "so what? I've heard Lawnmower Man 2 also went nowhere."

Most who wrote completely missed the fact that there was a plot -- the problem was that it wasn't revealed until the movie was more than half over! Only after that point do you realize it makes sense (the great book it was based on was unfortunately murdered by the script). This movie was hilarious because it couldn't decide what it was and mixed modern with medieval and created a ridiculous product which was mostly swords and sorcery. All is going well until out of nowhere I see loudspeakers! Film wasn't so bad as some surprisingly decent acting (the hot Layla and her father) and the absolutely awful acting and throw ins (the Americans who happen to be black and speak like they are from New York thrown in to provide "comic relief" in merry old England who are out of place in every way) which provides you with a slasher film that is truly something to laugh at and somewhat gripping at the same time. The CGI is OK part of the time and, for a relatively higher budget low budget film, is hysterically bad at the very end. A CGI alien combined with the cutaways to see "blood on the sword" and close ups when it is obvious that the budget had to be cut at the end and couldn't spend more cash on the CGI! I've seen A LOT worse, and this one is not nearly as bad, e.g. the few minutes I saw some cheesy Godzilla films or those super low budget D&D type adventures with mind numbingly bad scripts, acting and special effects. If you are expecting a little mind numbing fun and yet another poor man's highlander, then go for it.

There is almost nothing redeeming in this movie -- with the exception of Russell Crowe's over the top performance. Unfortunately Denzel Washington is dead wood and his limitations of an actor are stretched with this terrible script. This wanna be Lawnmower Man meets Escape From New York meets Tron meets Bladerunner is positively awful because the science fiction aspect is, quite frankly, not at all credible. The movie assumes all of us are so banal and thoughtless that we can simply dispense with reality, basic assumptions and common sense and have all of them be explained by "advanced science." As we move further into the computer age, this film gets sillier and less believable. An awful movie. Avoid if possible.

The best live performances are those were not intended to be taped, such as this one. Stevie Ray's in your face, heavy, powerful blues chops are intense and this sweat pouring performance must be seen and heard by blues fans. The selections are amongst Vaughan's best material and it seems that the band is almost completely oblivious to the cameras as they do what they do best -- make great music. This is a rare gem that will not disappoint, and seeing this for the first time is what made me run out to find Stevie Ray Vaughan's material.