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Reviews
The Count of Monte Cristo (2002)
A fun movie with lots of pretty pictures...
Seeing as it hadn't received great reviews when it came out, i decided to skip it even though i love Dumas's books. Last night it was on TV and i saw that it actually wasn't all that bad. The costumes and locations are fantastic, so you get more than your fair share of pretty pictures. Jim Caviezel is a bit two dimensional in his role, but then again Dumas isn't really noted for his realistic characters and Caviezel does manage to pull off the innocence of the first half AND the disillusionment and thirst of revenge in the second. My favourite part of the movie is when he and the priest are digging for freedom and he gets Zorro-like lessons in both weaponry and philosophy.There must be worst ways of getting through your jail sentence! It did look like a concession to a generation brought up with the karate kid, but all the same, it's amusing. In fact, my only criticism of the movie is that it was too obvious that they'd slashed out more than half the book. I know you have to make choices when adapting a work like this but a half hour more of this movie and it would leave you more satisfied. All in all, if you want some romantic escapism that isn't too sugary, this is definitely recommended!
Das Jesus Video (2002)
Pointless...
This is my kind of amusement movie. A middle eastern location, intriguing mystery story and lots of running around exotic locations looking for lost-for-millenia hidden relics. Therefore it wouldn't be that hard to make this a good enough movie.
You would think.
Instead it turns out to be a POINTLESS film. The acting is OK and the locations fulfill the requirements of sandy exotica, but the rest...
How does he suddenly get the idea that the skeleton could be a time traveler, five minutes into the film? How can any of the characters survive all these onslaughts of violence with nothing than the odd photogenic cut next to his eyebrow? If all these people are looking for him why does he walk around Jerusalem looking exactly the same as he normally does?
The questions go on and on but it would spoil the plot of the movie, so i will stop. Enough to say that the why? you ask yourself at the beginning of the movie is still unanswered by the time the credits roll. From what you hear from the members of the board, the book sounds rather interesting, containing the elements that would have made this a great movie. Therefore the recommendation is pass the rental and go and buy the book.
What Not to Wear (2003)
Not a commercial and healthily honest..
Funny and true.. Two fashion journalists help a woman to modernize her style and escape her frumpy wardrobe. A lot of people have written about this show seeing as it has received a lot of press but i would like to clear a few things up, because i feel that a few aspects of the show have been misrepresented...
It's broadcast in England and the rest of Europe, via the BBC. It is dependent on license money and therefore is not allowed to show commercials whatsoever. So if this program really was a commercial they wouldn't have allowed it. The clothes they buy come from a wide variety of shops, from the cheap to not so cheap, but always within budget for most people if they are willing to save some money for quality clothes. Secondly, i have yet to see an episode where they are really out of line. Yes they are very brutal about the clothes. On the other hand they never advise to lose weight or call a plastic surgeon and in this current fitness and diet crazed society which states that every woman above size 14 should lose weight, that can only be seen as a breath of fresh air. Plus, the 'before' clothes are often either hideous or totally unsuitable. Sometimes to the point that i start to think that this part of the show is scripted. This because some clothes were last seen on the high street in the 1980's or look as if they were bought in a hazy and rather drunken moment. They also look at the taste of the woman they are giving advice to and try to tailor their advice to that taste. They probably know that otherwise the new style would make them feel uncomfortable and
uncomfortable is hardly chic.
Definitely recommended as a good watch for people passionate about clothes.