Reviews

This film isn't terrible. In fact it is a good film but I am still waiting for a film that does justice to the problem of homophobia and also shows that homosexuality is entirely normal. I thought that 'Brokeback Mountain' was dreadfully padded out by the unreliable and overrated Ang Lee and my problem with this film is that it doesn't do justice to the story of Harvey Milk and the fault lies with Dustin Lance Black the screenwriter and Gus Van Sant the director. Now both did decent jobs but I would have liked to see cinematic vision from both. This is an important story to be told but it is told in such a dry, conventional manner. This is a film which calls for a wide-scope and while it can be up-close and personal to the man himself which it does successfully more due to the skill of Sean Penn than anyone else but even though it is up-close and personal there needed to be a wider scope to truly understand the cultural relevance of a man like Harvey Milk. Gus Van Sant has taken risks with films like 'Elephant' and I wanted to see him experimenting here but instead I received a rather conventional almost gutless one. The dialogue is wonderful and witty on a high note and the performances are exceptional from the likes of Josh Brolin, James Franco (is very good at dramatic roles) and of course Sean Penn. His performance is exceptional and captures the man's spirit. I wouldn't have given him the Oscar on the point that it was a bit of an imitation more than an inhabitance of the character but I wouldn't give it to Mickey Rourke for 'The Wrestler.' For me the award should have gone to Leonardo DiCaprio for 'Revolutionary Road' who wasn't even nominated. As Harvey Milk says in the film and as I says in terms of films dealing with homosexuality 'there is still work to be done!'

It is a widely spread fact of how the film was a passion-project for Peter Jackson, a labor of love if you will. We've all heard the stories about how at eight he saw the 1933 version and tried to make his own version with sock puppets. Peter Jackson's heart was undoubtedly in this project but at the end all I could ask was one thing. Was this it? That's all? Peter Jackson is a gifted director so it doesn't make any sense. He made Lord of the Rings but moves on to Kong and self-indulgently gives it a three hour running time. The first hour isn't even on the island. It's in New York and the boat ride which while impressively recreated from the era is padded out ridiculously. He gives us off-putting comedic elements as well like the arrogant lead among many who just loves to stare at himself in the mirror. The actual film's lead (discounting Kong) is played by Naomi Watts. All the actors are wonderful including Adrien Brody (the Pianist to this?), Andy Serkis and Colin Hanks. If anyone were miscast it would probably be Jack Black but I admire the effort. The island sequences quickly move from "i'm willing to ignore my disbelief" to "this is ridiculous." Yes some action scenes were brilliantly shot but to me they felt hollow as I really didn't feel wary of the stakes. The visual effects are amazing and there are some quiet moments of true beauty between Kong and Naomi Watt's character but in the case of Peter Jackson whose intentions were honorable - we don't all get our dreams.

For me personally this film goes down in my top four of all time. No exceptions. James Cameron has proved himself time and time again that he is a master storyteller. Through films such as Aliens, The Abyss and both Terminators it is clear that he was a brilliant and confidant director as far as action and science-fiction goes. He sees a story and adds a strange quality to the film. But Titanic is so much different to his other strokes of brilliance. The film is exceptionally moving and allows room for surprises, plot development and interesting character developments in a story that everyone knows. The story of the famed voyager sinking on her maiden voyage is legend so the challenge was for Cameron to make a truthful, interesting and entertaining film about it. The acting is wonderful as Leonardo DiCaprio who plays Jack and Kate Winslet who plays Rose became superstars overnight with the release of this film and in most films I get annoyed when the supporting characters aren't given a lot to do but in this film it is more purposeful because as an elderly Rose (Gloria Stuart) tells her story it is quickly apparent that it is Rose's and Jack's story alone, no one else. Emotionally it is entirely satisfying and can leave no dry eye in a theater or home. The music has become iconic and legendary. It is composer James Horner's finest soundtrack ever and evokes so much from the film and the audience. The song after so long has become annoying but I still appreciate it for the phenomenon it is and this film is. Only one problem, the usual James Cameron problem, is the dialogue which is memorable but in a bad way as in how cheesy it is at points but all that aside. James Cameron has delivered a masterpiece and a romantic epic that sweeps you away on a journey of a lifetime. My heart won't go on from this one.

Why didn't Epic Movie spoof this is all I want to know? Kevin Costner who stars and directs in the sweeping film 'Dances with Wolves' has delivered an epic of all proportions. It is a human drama, it is a classic Western, a civil war film and a film about understanding of Native Americans. Costner plays Lieutenant John Dunbar or as he will come to be known by the Native Americans - 'Dances with Wolves.' The story goes that Lt. John Dunbar, exiled to a remote western Civil War outpost, befriends wolves and Indians, making him an intolerable aberration in the military. The film is one of the first of it's kind to treat Native American's with respect, this is an intelligent film about breaking down the barriers of communications between a tribe of Native Americans and Dunbar. The story is brilliant and the acting is wonderful. The music score by John Barry is brilliant and his best alongside his score for 'Out of Africa' and I won't mention the Bond theme because no one really knows who really did it. The cinematography is brilliant and in my favorite scene from the film that is in perfect showcase. Late at night Dunbar is woken by the sound of buffalo. He can't see anything through the fog as he runs into the open field and as he stands there he is surrounded by a herd of buffalo who emerge from the mist and on the characters face emerges a look of wonder and amazement. How wonderful it is that the audience shared the same reaction throughout the whole movie.

When using the term 'lesser' it must be strongly emphasized. Flags of Our Fathers is half the movie 'Letters from Iwo Jima' is because of its pretentious take on the story that leaves the audience rather clueless as to what the film is about and to what greater purpose it serves. On one level it is the war for Iwo Jima told entirely from the Americans perspective (the follow-up, Letters from Iwo Jima, would be told entirely from the Japanese's perspective), on another level it is about the iconic photograph taken at the peak of Mount Suribachi even before the island was actually taken and on another level it is about a cover-up as to who was really in the photo and how the government exploited the young soldiers to sell war bonds. This does give the plot multiple layers but the film isn't told in a cohesive manner. When Eastwood tries to add a layer of mystery to his films his direction automatically becomes clunky and his usual flow of storytelling becomes somewhat jolted. All the levels of the plot fall over each other in an awful confusing mess. The film is well acted from the likes of Ryan Phillipe to Jamie Bell. The cinematography is wonderful and the battle sequences maintain a high level of interest but as Eastwood plays around with time he loses something in the process. The film's heart. I can't despise the film because it does work on many levels but I can't really recommend it either.

As a boxing film it is most certainly immersive in the sense that Clint Eastwood brings the audience into the story and uses them as an emotional punching-bag. Before going into this film it must be stressed that the film is not light even for a boxing film. At the end of the film there is no real hope left as we see the consequences of the events preceding. I am not a boxing fan and believe it to be a stupid sport where death lurks in every dark corner and whether Clint Eastwood is a boxing fan or not he deals with my problems with boxing in an intelligent and moving way which express the consequences of what can come from the sport. The direction from Eastwood is quiet and beautiful, something I greatly admire him for that is on perfect showcase here and in other films such as Letters from Iwo Jima and Gran Torino. There is a simplicity to this film which is both moving and harrowing. The acting is brilliant. Hilary Swank's ferocious intensity is perfect and she is the first character we connect to. She's an outsider coming into the realm of boxing just as the audience is an outside coming into the film. The film's narrator and supporting actor Morgan Freeman turns in another wonderful performance which isn't showy but is real and whole and Eastwood leads the ensemble in-front of the camera in one of his finest performances ever captured. His music is also beautiful as it too captures the simplicity of the story. At the end I just feel sorry for Cinderella Man, Ron Howard is probably thinking 'why did I have to release my boxing movie the same year the best one ever made was?'

Eastwood directs an all star cast including Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, Kevin Bacon, Marcia Gay Harden, Laurence Fishburne and Laura Linney in 'Mystic River.' The film is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by bestselling author Dennis Lehane. It is a crime-drama set on the back-drop of Boston where three kids witness something horrible committed against one of the kids that will grow up to be Tim Robbins. The other two will grow up to be Sean Penn, our protagonist in the thinnest sense of the word, and Kevin Bacon. They all now live separate lives but when the murder of Penn's daughter brings them together once more their lives are shattered as pieces of evidence are brought together. Penn is sent into a violent rage and conducts his own investigations whilst Bacon, now a cop tries to conduct the investigation by the book and Robbins begins to drown himself in his own misery. There is a lot to admire about the film but there is also a lot I disliked. I admired the cinematography and the Boston setting was perfect. The actors worked well together and as a mystery it kept me guessing until the very end of the film. I liked the cinematography and the tension that is built in many scenes but the film as a whole never reached its potential for me. I see the relevance of the crime committed against the younger Tim Robbins but that part of the story never comes full circle in a way for the story to be complete. Many of the characters are not likable and a sub-plot involving Bacon and his wife feels forced and unnecessary almost like Eastwood was trying to give the audience some emotional pay off. Marcia Gay Harden and Tim Robbins who are the two best things about the movie act their hearts off to bring empathy and sympathy to their two characters and when the film does come to a close we find that our two beloved characters end up the worst off and while I don't mind that with a lot of movies this made me frustrated. Bacon is average and Penn creates a complex and deep character but the film really gives him one truly dramatic scene to work with whilst the others work but aren't entirely emotionally satisfying. Based on his sole performance I don't think it should have won the Oscar but judging on the two performances that year, (he also worked in 21 Grams) I do think he was deserving of the award. And sadly Fishburne and Linney aren't given much to do in the film. All of these elements could have worked if it wasn't for the usually brilliant direction of Clint Eastwood. Hear he directs with an uncomfortable clunkiness and the story has no flow which comes so easily in his other films. There are certainly better crime dramas out there and better Clint Eastwood films as well.

I admire Clint Eastwood on many levels that are all on show in his latest work 'Gran Torino.' I admire firstly his acting which isn't a lot of growling but is the exterior of a bitter, old man who is a Korea war veteran and recent widower. There is much pain and guilt that isn't put out on display in the likes of actors desperate to win awards but subtly that is both humane, beautiful and believable. As a director I admire him most for his simplistic brilliance at storytelling. He occasionally experiments like with one averagely filmed montage in the middle of the film but i'm sure he can improve it. He doesn't call for mystery, the one time he did was the average but overrated 'Mystic River,' and as you watch his films you are immersed in the heartfelt stories he brings to audiences. With every film he directs an audience can feel his heart in the story. I also admire him as a film composer and song-writer along with his musically gifted son Kyle Eastwood. The song at the end, apart from the fact that he sung a little bit (sorry Clint your not that talented), is truly heartfelt and placed perfectly. If I had any problem it would be with the young Asian lead. I admire Clint Eastwood as a director for casting people who had never acted before in these roles but when he acted alongside in some scenes, he pales in comparison and sadly takes something away from some of the scenes. I also thought the ending was 'good.' I admire Eastwood for what he was trying to achieve with that ending and he succeeds on all levels but I think the films ending lacked the complete emotional knock-out that Million Dollar Baby did and while this films ending hits you in the chest somewhere near our dusty hearts that film hits you square in the gut.

After over a decade since the film 'Titanic' became the highest grossing film of all time and placed itself in-between Ben-Hur & Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King for the most academy awards ever won by a single film, James Cameron returns to bring the audience 'AVATAR' a film rumoured to be more expensive than any other film (if so it would be the third time Cameron has broken the record) and is claimed to be a revolution in 3-D technology and visual effects. And after all the hype and media attention Cameron has given us a brilliant film, well told and brilliantly crafted. Cameron's direction is perfect and confident, after allowing the likes of Michael Bay and Roland Emmerich to try and direct large action films he returns to show them how a master does it. The acting is superb and supported by the incredible visual effects, Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana and Sigourney Weaver's performances all shine through the blue creatures known as the Na'vi. The visual effects are incredible and if Avatar - likely to see a best picture nomination as well - does not sweep the technical categories it will be a joke on the Oscars, worse than the Golden Compass winning visual effects over Transformers. James Horner's third collaboration with Cameron as a composer is once again a triumph and while I still prefer the Titanic soundtrack, his music is a perfect blend of Aliens, Titanic and original music that you have never heard before. The pacing is wonderful and nothing short of an epic and if I had a problem it was only with the dialogue. I would prefer if James Cameron wrote the screen story but co-wrote the screenplay with someone else. The film is certainly a milestone and should definitely be seen.

The film is a cheap rip-off of 'The Others' and 'The Exorcist' done in the style of the Blair Witch Project which while not good is far better than this film. The film held no surprises, the acting was poor especially the dialogue which is worse than Blair Witch Project when it comes to characters randomly saying the f-word. It is terribly clichéd, especially how the characters are always ridiculously 'over-curious.' When it turns into the Exorcist in the final third it just turns completely ridiculous and while the ending nearly made me fall out of my seat I felt cheated by it and ultimately made it an even worse experience. Steven Spielberg came up with the ending and while this shows i'm sure he can then direct horror better than the real director Oren Peli but it belonged in another movie and felt out of place. It runs for an hour and a half and quite frankly in the first hour I was completely bored. It has been terribly over-hyped.

Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio play April and Frank Wheeler who reunite on screen for the first time in eleven years since the acclaimed blockbuster 'Titanic'. However this time their doom is not a famed ocean liner's decent into the Atlantic but of a marriage descending into the stultifying stillness of suburban life in the 50's. The character are dreamers if you might who don't see their house on Revolutionary Road in Conneticut as a sanctuary but as a prison in which there is no escape. Sam Mendes was the perfect choice as director as the film deals with similar themes to his Oscar winning film 'American Beauty.' His direction is perfect as the audience is never allowed to step back and examine the damage which fate has brought upon the two characters. Instead the camera is constantly on the two leads faces not missing a single reaction that is crucial to the understanding of the motivations of these strange but hauntingly normal characters. There is a possibility that audiences maybe put off by the two characters because they don't play for sympathy, they are too good as actors to do this and their honest performances reflect that because if the actors were to play for sympathy it would be missing the point. Us as an audience live in a day now where free-thinking is widely accepted and acknowledge. Not stifled at first glance and if the actors played for empathy then we would be taken out of their predicament. We as an audience must accept that in another time these two character could have been happy but sadly their fate is doomed in this adaptation of Richard Yates novel - perhaps one of the finest pieces of American literature.

Whenever i mention the reader to people and say how good Kate Winslet was they all say 'yes but so were Ralph Fiennes and David Kross.' Yes they were, i agree but her performance absolutely rips theirs to shreds in terms of not only authenticity, but empathy, sympathy and the large arc in which she creates for her character. I had read the book before this and yes you should read it, it is amazing but the two are very different because the book is short and relies on shock value than emotional depth which is where the film excels. David Kross who is talented plays Michael Berg who is taken advantage of by Kate Winslet who plays Hanna Smitz. This is all before the war. The audience's first reaction is of disgust but it masterfully turns into a compelling love story. The twist comes when Hanna disappears and i won't tell you the twist but you'll probably realize from the trailer anyway. And although Hanna is an evil *&^^%$ Kate Winslet still had me on the verge of tears. I really felt for the character and it is a testament to Kate Winslet. Now that i have raved about the actors i should mention the crew. David Hare the screenwriter and Stephen Daldry the director last collaborated for one of my favorite films 'The Hours.' Daldry's direction is simple but compelling and fast paced and Hare is one of my favorite writers and he keeps up his usual brilliant standard. The score by Nico Muhly was good for a newcomer but was not as good as Philip Glass' one in the Hours. Needless to say i don't know which film i like more, the reader or the hours and i am torn between the better performance, Nicole Kidman in The Hours or Kate Winslet in The Reader. And as my conclusion i would like to classify that this is not a holocaust movie. It has relevance to the story but the story is set before and after the terrible event. This movie as a film is not as good as things like 'Schindler's List,' it is unfair to compare because this is the first film to boldly take on the actual aftermath of the tragedy. Something that i think the cast and crew definitely overcome.

I did not hate this movie and i don't know why anyone could to be honest. What i can understand is if people don't like and are agitated by the cliques of this movie like i was. The Good: Acting - Shia LaBeouf and Michelle Monaghan turn in fine performances that sustain a wondering plot. Billy Bob Thornton is as usual good support. Marketing - If you haven't seen the trailer for this movie or a poster you must be blind! It made me really want to find out what the woman's voice and eagle eye were however they turned out to be equally disappointing. The Bad: Story - Shia plays Jerry and Michelle plays Rachel. Jerry's brother has just died and he gets home one day to find his room is fulled with illegal equipment (guns, bombs, poison). He then gets a phone call telling him the FBI are on their way. He gets caught. Rachel is being blackmailed by the person who advises Jerry to run by threatening to kill his son. Now as interesting as this may sound you may ask who is the lady's voice. It is a super-computer called ARIA that has all the information to everything. She gets too smart for her own good. Now where have i heard that before? Honestly the moment i found out it was a computer i groaned in my seat. Ending - After a suspenseful ending they throw something mushy in our faces and the last lines are one of the worst i have ever heard and when everything is sweet and silent the credits jump out in a big explosion and i nearly cracked up laughing it was so ridiculous. Action - I am not saying there isn't enough of it but who ever was filming the action scenes was drunk because it was so shaky i felt like i was going to be sick and it really ruined some well though out action scenes.

Overall 5.5/10 - I don't regret seeing it but i don't want to watch it again either. And no it is not a movie that grows on you! I liked it better when i initially came out of the theaters. Now as i am writing the review it is nearly three hours later and it has a lost a whole star.