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g-harrington
Reviews
Star Trek: The Next Generation: The Inner Light (1992)
Heat breaking.
This one was a surprise- I thought I'd seen them all, but I just happened to turn the telly on to catch this unseen gem at random this evening. From concept to casting, this is one of the most perfectly executed NG episodes I've enjoyed.
It has a simple enough plot on the face of it, but the story-telling is superb and the acting excellent. Not a lot happens, but what does is powerful and relatable.
Despite guessing early the course it would take, I was riveted until the conclusion, just barely in control of my upper lip. I'm a little sentimental in nature, I admit, but normally quite level.
Picard's final scene, though... that got my lip wobbling.
Night of the Big Heat (1967)
Unintelligent.
I tried to like it. I lowered my expectations as much as I dared. What really sealed its demise was the way it took an interesting idea for an original monster siege horror, and drained 'every last particle of energy' from it. I feel they could have done so much more with the concept even with the limitations of this production.
It could have benefited from a more competent stab at the science. Several references in the movie are worse than Solo's confusion of parsecs with units of time. The whole foundation of the plot is a hand wave- one with vague references to television signals in excruciating verbal shrugs that Christopher Lee looks appropriately uncomfortable delivering.
The characters are boring, the dialogue is terrible, the science is gibberish, and the conclusion is anti-climactic. In the absence of any other quality, the poor visual effects and bland acting fail to drag this dull-witted movie out of the bog. Not the worst I've seen, but irritating and forgettable.
True Romance (1993)
Two cups of solid action, half a pint of humour, a pound of great cast, layered with a generous dollop of True Romance.
I enjoyed this film so much, it's one of my top ten all-time favourites. Oddly enough, my top ten favourites do not include a single Tarantino-directed movie - I honestly wonder if all his writing would be this good with a competent director, like Scott, or if the uncredited Avary's influence was what made this particular movie stand out for me.
The story is nothing new or original. Boy meets girl. Boy falls in love with girl. S*** happens. It's almost a traditional yarn, but so lovingly spun that it deserves to be a classic. It's not life-changing genius. It's not world-shaping art. It's never going to be the subject of a classical literature degree... but it *is* engrossing, entertaining, enjoyable, and honestly, utterly, undeniably romantic.
The cast is brilliant, and expertly placed to shine in their respective roles. Almost every line is quotable and no scene is wasted. Sure, the dialogue is recognisably Tarantino, but it's just not the same winding monotony that taints the interplay in his own directing ventures - it flows well and doesn't get in the way of real acting. Exchanges between characters feel natural.
Yes, it has violence (this is an action movie after all), but it serves to enhance the elements of peril that pull the viewer into the plight of our plucky couple. The most harrowing moments in this movie involve the least gun-play, deriving their impact from strong performances and believable pain or sacrifice. Despite some tried-and-true Hollywood-style action too, there is an appreciable element of reality and plausibility that makes suspension of disbelief an effortless endeavour.
This movie has compelling characterisation, perfect pace, well-directed dialogue, an appropriate measure of action, and characters you can really root-for... not to mention that this cynical critic can't watch it without almost (not quite, but almost) getting all weepy.
If you're a Tarantino fan and you haven't watched this, you may be neglecting his best work. If you are *not* a Tarantino fan and you haven't watched this, you may be neglecting a true classic.
Paranormal Activity (2007)
Like Big Brother, but even more dull...
I just didn't get it - it was like watching Big Brother Live in the middle of the night, but even more dull.
Several reviewers have made comparisons to The Exorcist, but this wasn't even as funny as that old gem of horror comedy. I only laughed once.
I was so bored, I started to wish I could run the entire movie at double speed in order to get it over with. It might have been a little more convincing if the acting wasn't so awfully contrived.
I am not a complete snob. I found Blair Witch Project infinitely more interesting, and even a little scary - it did everything that this film failed at.
The ending was a relief, to be perfectly honest. I just wish I could write more about it, but there are only so many ways to say "booooooooring".
You know what's scarier? Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens, 1922.
Inglourious Basterds (2009)
He's finally gone completely mad...
I actually sat down expecting to like this movie, and honestly even tried to enjoy it. Ultimately, however, it failed to entertain me.
Rarely have I seen a film that I thought so dull and childish. Besides two scenes that were nearly interesting, the rest, bad as they were, were dulled even further by lengthy and unlikely dialogue punctuated by scenes of gratuitous, gory violence.
The entire film seemed somehow schizoid, straining precariously on the verge of being a farcical comedy, yet ne'er so much as a titter was raised from this viewer.
The long-winded opening scene held some promise, but between that and an interesting rendezvous later in the movie, it sagged. After the second nearly-interesting scene, it free-wheeled downhill.
The tedium of the movie was almost salvaged by the compelling performance of Waltz, and Laurent, attractive and convincing, almost injects a touch of passion... but it wasn't enough. I frequently lost interest.
At points, I was almost offended - not so much by the ludicrous plot, inept writing/direction, or wanton brutality, but by the sheer audacity, inaccuracy, anachronism, and blatant historical theft that attempts to lend gravitas and meaning, but simply insults the intelligence.
It's a shame that an otherwise promising line up was wasted on this sloppy, thoughtless material - how can such a great cast be so... miscast?
I've given it two stars. One star is for the opening scene, which I found genuinely gripping, and the other is for the strongest and most interesting character in the entire movie, some of whose scenes are the only ones worth watching if only for the chilling cordiality that shrouds the menace he infuses into every line and gesture.
The other eight stars are in a drawer somewhere with Quentin's lost marbles.
Harry Brown (2009)
Gritty and Riveting.
There are no Hollywood moments in this movie, and that's probably why I love it! Possibly the best movie Michael Caine has ever been a part of.
The director does a truly awesome job of portraying his world with convincing and seedy squalour, almost leaving the viewer feeling soiled by the experience. His characters aren't just overtly filthy scum - they're real and believable scum.
Michael's character shines.
The are no violent rape/murder scenes where his family die at the hands of an outlaw biker gang, no terrorists holding his wife to ransom... just an old boy who has seen too many recent horrors to suffer the indignity of it any more.
From a drunken moment where his old military reflexes kick in with shocking consequence, to the understated twist of a finale, you can't help but feel for this man and see good cause for his actions. He's every bit the tired old serviceman whose plight tugs on every decent fibre until you find yourself snapping along with him.
He's no Rambo, no bullet-dodging arse-kicker on a rampage of revenge, and the action manages to paint well within the lines of plausibility. He ambles into the role with dignity - even if he's moving far too well for someone in his condition (emphazema doesn't just kick in after a ten foot jog - it's not asthma), and the impact of his losses is portrayed with a hopeless sadness that rather makes you want to hug the poor soul than scream "revenge".
I enjoyed this movie rather more than I expected to, and I would highly recommend it. It's neatly understated, with the right blend of pace and action. There's never any risk of failing to 'get it' - the director easily renders the various elements of the story in the light he chooses, making a few select points without hammering them home with a cricket bat; his Police are ineffectual bureaucrats, his protagonist is just an old man, and his scum... well, I feel like I've lived with them all my life.
Oh yeah, I have.
A truly entertaining and captivating film that's quintessentially British. You just *have* to watch it.
Sunshine (2007)
Three acts of increasing absurdity.
I hate to repeat what's already been said, but I came here with a clear format in mind for my comment, and found that it had been posted countless times already.
As it has all already been said, let me add my support for the general opinion in as few words as possible:
The first third: Evocative, atmospheric, with clichés that aid familiarity with the 'feel' of the movie rather than ruin it. A good watch that drags you into the second third.
The second third: Oh dear. The clichés are getting staid now. The characters start behaving like plot devices rather than intelligent humans. It's all starting to fall apart, the mission AND the story.
The third third (or turd, if you like): Did they get Stephen King to vandalise this part of the movie?? It's not of the calibre or style of the first act - not by a hundred solar units! Where did it all go wrong?
With a strong start but a flagging and nonsensical finale, this movie promised to be something better than it ended up being. Vaseline and over-exposed camera effects don't so much hide as amplify the ridiculous elements that trash the end of this movie.
I wish I'd watched the first half and missed the second - I would have been happier never knowing. What a waste.
Outlander (2008)
Fun Viking yarn with a sci-fi premise.
I had low expectations when I sat down to watch this movie, and was pleasantly surprised. I'll be brief - this is no special-effects extravaganza (though it hardly slouches), it is not cerebral, and it is most certainly not strictly sci-fi; sci-fi elements serve merely as plot-enabling devices for what is essentially a Vikings-and-monsters adventure romp.
If you loved The Thirteenth Warrior or Beowulf, you should at least enjoy this. If you've got your head up your backside or are expecting a run-and-gun sci-fi epic... you're watching the wrong movie. It's predictable, yes, it has some small holes, yes, but it has gore, violence, romance, enjoyable characters, passable acting, and a 'monster' that is at once menacing and tragic.
Leave your brain at the door and enjoy this movie as the light entertainment it is - I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Phoo Action (2008)
CBBC material?!?
I got the distinct impression all throughout this bizarre production that the odd expletive, use of guns, repeated references to alcohol, and a few suggestive shots of Whitey were all that stood between this and a slot on children's television.
I'd have rated this with a single star if it hadn't been for the fact that I actually did chuckle once or twice, and that various tight-top/crotch shots and wardrobe transitions qualified Whitey for at least a walk-on part in the next Carry On movie. I've given one star per chuckle.
There is a four-letter description for the plot, dialogue, production value, and writing of Phoo Action: CBBC.
Mildly titillating, but out-weighed by the insulting implication that the BBC is spending my license fee on productions aimed at intellectually-underdeveloped adults. There's certainly a little too much bad language for this to be aimed at children who should already be in bed...
Epic Movie (2007)
Bland, unoriginal, poorly executed,
This is truly one of those films that you'll be sorely glad you didn't pay to see. It contains a reference to every popular movie or TV entity you could possibly count, but reeled off in a slipshod manner, unfortunately, with little approaching a decent gag.
Between long bouts of sloppy dancing and rapping, obviously designed to waste time, there is little of value. One or two rather striking spoof impersonations were mired in the mediocrity of the humour. It frequently seems obvious that little thought or effort was invested in the movie.
Even the actors appeared to spend most of the time looking embarrassed, and with good cause! Avoid.
Superman Returns (2006)
Not what it could have been... *SPOILERS!*
I was a little disappointed by the fact that a majority of the lengthy 2.5hr movie was spent portraying Clark/Superman as some sort of stalker. He sneaks around to listening in on Lois's private conversations - at one point, even hovering outside her house to spy through her walls - and seems set on sabotaging her current relationship. This chunk of the movie took up enough time to become uncomfortable.
While Routh manages to look and sound an awful lot like Reeves at various points throughout the movie (obviously, exactly what was intended), he does little else for the character. Aside from looking charmingly boyish, he achieves a narrow gamut of expressions ranging from "about to get all tearful" through "slightly miffed", to "ouch". Not terrific, but not remarkably bad either.
Spacey was a bit of a let-down. I get the feeling that someone, somewhere decided that any real character play should be pushed aside for the interminable periods spent watching the Super Stalker obsess over Lois. Little moments almost redeem Lex, such as when the lights come up during the first test with a crystal fragment, and Lex has quietly backed away to leave his entourage standing directly over the potentially explosive experiment. However, Spacey seems to coast through the role for most of the film, rarely throwing much more than a blank expression into it.
It's a shame that Spacey had to be so (consciously) overshadowed by Hackman's energetic portrayal of the evil maniacal genius; he might at least have tried to be a bit more evil... or something... anything...
Don't get me wrong. I actually enjoyed the movie to a degree, but the deliberate and persistent comparisons to Christ are so screamingly blatant that they seem to be the focus of the movie... aside from the Super Stalker thing, that is. It seemed less a comic-book super-hero yarn, than a half-arsed writing experiment with a biblical theme. A little subtlety would have gone a long way; while the "The Saviour" theme was probably the point, it didn't have to be quite so overwhelming. They stopped just short of having Superman nailed to a cross!
I got the feeling all throughout the movie that something just wasn't quite right - it was all just a little off-key. I can't put my finger on it...
Perhaps I'll enjoy a second viewing more. I'll just have to be ready to fast-forward through the lengthy stalker scenes.