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The Singing Detective
The Singing Detective (1986)
10/10
Wonderful, intriguing, magical
21 October 2002
This is one of those mini series that captivates you from beginning 'till end. And one that you need to view religiously, to enter the feverish and hallucinatory world of Philip Marlow, bedridden due to a serious attack of psoriasis.

Everything comes together in The Singing Detective: story, music and acting all combine into something wonderful, something that in my opinion transcends a mere television mini series.

Michael Gambon is excellent and so are all actors around him. I saw it in 1986 and had to wait until 2002 for a rerun. Why is this gem not on DVD!? Also, it's an abomination that Hollywood has gotten it's hands on this material and is now turning it into a movie, scheduled for release in 2003.

It's like painting over Van Gogh's Sunflowers or rewriting some Shakespearian play, because you think you can outdo the master. Dennis Potter, in this case.

If you liked The Singing Detective, be sure to see Potters last works - Karaoke and Cold Lazarus. Equally good, 'though The Singing Detective is in a league of it's own.
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Angus
Angus (1995)
7/10
Comedy?!
2 February 2002
I caught this one zapping around during morning television. I saw a bunch of my favorite actors (George C. Scott, Kathy Bates) and decided to sit it out.

My conclusion, "Angus" is an overlooked gem.

One thing baffles me though: this movie is listed as comedy, but I found not much to laugh about.

"Angus" is in fact a rather painful movie to watch sometimes, because the strongest subject matter it deals with is bullying.

It deals some very real and emotional issues, about parents' frustration about their inability to protect their children all the time. The acting is superb, and to be honest, the comic relief was a tad out of place.

The movie contains some very good acting and some excellent scenes and dialogue. It also features a heart wrenching monologue by Angus (played by Charlie Talbert) when he confides in his grandfather (George C. Scott), who's about to be married.

So, see beyond the awkward comic elements and "Angus" is an enjoyable, "actor driven" movie that did not get the attention it deserved.

You'll probably enjoy the soundtrack as well. Whatever happened to the obviously talented Talbert anyway?
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Amélie
Amélie (2001)
7/10
Friendly escapism
4 January 2002
Warning: Spoilers
This movie is a pleasure to watch. It is set in a (non-existant) Paris, clean and filled with friendly people. It's sunny, and misery is only decorum.

"Le Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain" is *not* the great movie everyone says it is. Don't get me wrong: I enjoyed it thoroughly, but it's easy to score with a magical, slightly surrealistic feelgood movie, where you can leave all human troubles at the doorstep.

Amélie did not "grip" me at any point, because it was so obvious from the start that things would work out. For everybody. Sure, I laughed at some points and marvelled at some technical cinematic wizardry, but that's to be expected of a comedy of this sort.

The eyes of Audrey Tautou are very nice to look into, but her regular girly grins (combined with a larger-than-life zoom-in) got on my nerves, at times.

This movie is not a 10. Over 4600 people thought it was, but I really can't see why. It's a good movie. It's not a great movie. The current top spot in the Movie Top 250 is, in my opinion, undeserved. Either people needed this kind of escapism - post 9-11 and all, but I sense chauvinistic voting.

Do you need to see this movie? Yes, but only as pleasing eye candy. I found no deeper philosophical meaning in "Amélie", but that's not the purpose of the movie.

*SPOILERS AHEAD*

Two sidenotes:

Some elements of the movie were nicked. The travelling garden gnome is part of an internet folklore. The part where Amélie messes with the appartement of the greengrocers was lifted straight out of a story by Roald Dahl, in which a man brings his wife to madness by slowly, but deliberately changing small elements of the house.

Still, it was a pleasure to watch. Leave reason at the door, but remember to pick it up when you leave.
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Unbreakable
Unbreakable (2000)
6/10
A well-crafted movie, but with a dismal ending.
15 January 2001
When you go and see 'Unbreakable', you will no doubt have some anticipation, especially if you have seen 'The Sixth Sense'. My advise to you: leave ten minutes before the movie finishes.

The ending - which I will obviously not reveal - is very forced and adds nothing to the movie or character development. It immediately follows the darkest part of the movie which already ends with a form of resolution for all characters concerned.

For me personally, the need to go 'Sixth Sensy' with a twist-at-the-end managed to break 'Unbreakable', right at the very end. The camera work, art direction and acting is superb up to that point. I really hope Shyamalan produces an alternative (DVD?) version which cuts the movie short by those dismal final 10 minutes.
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