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The Wind (1928)
A beautifully entertaining film
I watched this number at a concert venue in Wellington during their film festival, fully orchestrated. If you ever get the chance, I advise that you do so. This is the only silent film I have ever seen all the way through.
It is beautifully filmed, the wind sequences mixed with a cacophonous percussion instil genuine fear for the onscreen characters. Lillian Gish is right for the slightly stornger-than-most damsel in despair, but real credit goes to the two fighting prospective husbands. There is a great deal of comedy from them in this drama - quite an achievement for a film that relies on captions. The only thing I would have asked for would have been a little more grudge in the acceptance of the chosen man as the groom... a real opportunity there missed!
All in all, Victor Sjostrom has constructed a credit to his name, that should be seen by any film lover.
9/10
The Amanda Show (1999)
Ech.
This is painful stuff. I have never seen All That, but I find it no surprise that both this and Kenan and Kel sprung from the same ugly loins. (that analogy is about as good as the material)
Amanda Byrnes is not a TV performer. Sure she has talent, but she should be doing something where all you need to do is smile all day, with not much acting involved. She'll always be doing slapstick comedies when she could amount to more.
Despite this, I find it entertaining. But the thought of someone seeing me watch this is scary. Nickelodeon have produced much better series, i.e. Sister Sister, one of the best shows I've seen. This audience show is unconvincing and unoriginal. It would improve a hell of a lot with some decent dialogue.
Oscar Charlie (2001)
What do you expect from a CBBC low-budget spy drama?
A fairly unconvincing cooker explosion? Check.
A powerful supercomputer that seems to be able to make domestic computers catch fire? Check.
Decent adult actors and annoying child ones? Check.
David Spinner and Wanda Ventham are engaging to watch, but Eddie Cooper just seems to overdo every single word he says i.e. It just seeeems sooooo unfaaaaair. (Don't quote that as a quote).
Not that I'm saying I could do any better myself.
Still, this was the first CBBC program to truly entertain me for a while, and I aimed to not miss episodes, which I have not done in a series at all for a long long time. When its recapitulated in a couple of months, take a look.
Angela's Ashes (1999)
An accomplished machine that alters your face effortlessly
Angela's Ashes, which I saw last night, is one of the most well fowarded films I have ever seen. I understand that Americans will not perceive this film as well - though perhaps I am completely wrong in this; after all much of the USA suffered the depression just as badly or worse as this Irish situation - but yet they cannot compromise for the religious affects of the film.
Robert Carlyle is a very good portrayal of the ne'er do well father, and you can really sympatise with the children and the wife, an excellent Emily Watson who puts across both the control-needy and maternal aspects of her part perfectly. But it is the children - every single one from watching their father ascend the stairs drunkenly to their antics behind the stone wall - that really impressed me. They looked innocent, forlorn and rejoiceful at the perfect times. The best of luck to them in the future.
Wonderful empathic escapement - 10/10.
Back Home (2001)
Not bad, but disappointing.
After having read the book by Michelle Magorian, which is engaging and of interest, as all of her books are, this make was very disappointing. Nothing seemed to fit well in terms of the plot, it was unfocused, and major storylines had been left out as the book progressed. There was very good acting, especially from Stephanie Cole, Sarah Lancashire, and newcomer Jessica Fox, but it is by no means up to scratch on Goodnight Mr. Tom. That was much better directed and was a far more convincing adaptation. For all its faults however, it kept me going to the end, and was enjoyable. Wouldn't watch it again, though I would like to see the earlier version to compare.
6 out of 10 (That's generous).
Billy Elliot (2000)
You Must Pay Attention
It is a sin not to pay rapt attention to this film consistently. It is original, the depth of the storyline is superb, the intricacy of the plot is wonderful. Jamie Bell can never be more sure of a successful career. He truly is a wonderful dancer.
One thing that cannot go without mention is the superb cinematography, headed by Brian Tufano. I was amazed by the versatility of the camera shots, which almost seems a crime seeing as how the acting was so good. Brian T's other credits include East Is East, Trainspotting and Quadrophenia, which I shall look into ASAP. I particularly admire Jamie Bell, Julie Walters, Jamie Draven and Gary Walters, the main characters. They fit together excellently, to form a wonderfully headed cast.
Though there are far fewer UK films than American, they always seem to touch me in a way that many American ones do not. Hollywood, please look closely at the UK. Often, they may be able to help you. 10 out of 10.
American Beauty (1999)
A Predictably Difficult Beauty
Ever since watching Arlington Road, I have had small problems with films which do not have happy endings, or at least, in some way, adequately resolved. But then, there were two things different to this film. Firstly, (this may be considered a spoiler) you knew he was going to die from the beginning, and secondly, it is debatable whether this was actually an unhappy ending. Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey) played not entirely impeccably, but commendably nonetheless, reached his desired climax - he learns to appreciate real beauty in death. His wife (Annette Benning), played well but sometimes annoyingly to me, did what she had to to retain her 'principles', as such, though we can never know exactly how she will live after this. Both their daughter (Thora Birch), who perfectly presented teen angst and worry, and the complex life that we lead which many adults fail to see, and the boy over the road, (Wes Bentley), who portrayed his double life perfectly and powerfully, reached their own freedom and release in different ways to similar ends. Their ending is not an ending, but a beginning, and so cannot be measured in its 'happiness'. The boy's father (Peter Gallagher), an immensely powerful role, well done, is an exception. He is left confused, angered, enfeebled, and above all, wet. But Angela Hayes (Mena Suvari), the daughter's friend, who plays both experience and innocence with equal care and rate finds the right ending for herself.
I rated this movie ten, but I was tentative about doing so. There seemed to be too much wrong, too much not accurate about modern society. But then I know I am not qualified to talk about the issues it presents, and instead rated it on it's enjoyment factor. Definitely a must-see to any avid movie seer, or even not one.
Arlington Road (1999)
Suspense, Thrilling, and really quite moving.
I saw Arlington Road at a friends party on video. I was pretty new to the film business then - I have only got really into cinematics in the last year, 2001, but I doubt I'd be exaggerating in saying that Arlington Road was the turning point in this change in my life.
It was the moving that really touched me. Every movie I had watched beforhand had had a happy ending, or at least a resolution. This movie may have a distinct ending, but you know a lot more caould happen (if the film was real - I had to keep reminding myself in was not). Jeff Bridges, Robert Gossett and Mason Gamble deserve honourable mentions in this film, although, I can't think of any one weak part.
I doubt this film was as good in the cinema - I reckon it is probably more suspenseful at home, with a few friends. But pay attention - it is easy to miss something.
Fight Club (1999)
The Blood May Be on the Surface - but the message is far deeper
Spoilers for sensitive types - however it is hard to spoil something so well polished.
Wow.
Extraordinary - it is amazingly disturbing, yet somehow, well engagingly relaxingly thought provocative. A film being able to do this, whilst being entertaining, holding a great and fairly original storyline concept (echoes of a movie which always frustrates me because I can never remember the name even though I love it - it is about terrorists, paranoia, not a happy ending etc. Something beginning with A then street or lane et. al.).
Their are scenes which hurt to look at, scenes which you must look at to understand the film's psychology, and scenes which are a mixture of the two. Was there ever a Tyler Durden in reality? When was he created if he ever existed? It is puzzling, but that contributes to the thought provocation part.
I may be being fussy but the return of Bob to the house after the shooting reminded me of South Park. Perhaps if they gave Meat Loaf a more 'refined' name? No... Perhaps it is just reflecting the irony over my head.
Great performance from Edward Norton who always surprises me when playing roles like these which he just doesn't look right to me for. Not sure how to comment on Brad Pitt's part - is it unusually sensitive for him?
Anyway it must-see film - there is profanity, a little sexual explicitness, and I don't exactly need to mention the hordes of violence, but it all contributes to the felling of the horde. This is full marks psychotherapy course cover-up.
The Iron Giant (1999)
Touching Filmplay
A small spoiler in here.
The Iron Giant is the most absolutely amazingly definitely best animated filmplay I have ever seen. It is just perfect, you must see it yourself. At the time of writing it is showing on Sky. It combines humour with drama, and deals with the problems experienced by young teenagers as situational euphemisms i.e. one actually expressed in the film compares the giant, a metal creature of gigantic proportions, as a little child lost within a supermarket. This complies with everything I've written.
If you haven't seen this film, even if you are of late teenager years like me, you will love it. It have received a lot of skeptical looks when mentioning this to schoolfriends, but I don't really care. It's their loss.
The only comment I have against the film is the ending. It seems out of place. Comparing it to the life support machine starting to bleep after some time is a possibility, but this is (in most cases) a good thing. I reckon that it is good that a child should see that all good things come to an end (like the film), and that nothing lives for ever, not even giant metal monsters. That doesn't stop me awarding it 10 out of 10 though.
Great voice acting, though the movie is always introduced hyping Jennifer Aniston, as though she is a 'special guest "appearance"'. This is wrong - she is as good as the rest of the cast, no more. Why isn't Eli Marienthal higher in the cast list?