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Craig_Boehman
Reviews
The Last Minute (2001)
Diamond in the rough
This is probably one of my favorite English import movies in the new millennium. Gritty, dark, poetic, and funny-- with a cast of very talented actors by and large unknown to the American audience (one possible exception may be Jason Isaacs, who played Percy). While there are elements in this movie that do remind me of other Brit classics such as: Snatch, Loch Stock, and perhaps, 24 Hours in London, it does stand on its own as a feature worthy of viewing.
Billy Byrne, played by Max Beesely, is a starving artist who has a lot of hype behind his latest art project, the nature of which I'll omit here. When critics and the public turn on him, Billy falls on hard times. Dumped by his girlfriend, he is left to his own devices when he meets a homeless girl who introduces him to some seedy, urban denizens. Drawn into a life of drug abuse and general mayhem, Billy takes another crack at the big time with his next great idea. But his the pitch men will have none of it. Forced back into the streets, Billy and his young companion struggle to survive their addictions. When the opportunity comes to escape their dismal lives, it is Billy who answers the call and abandons his friend. We end the movie with an implied flight to Greenland which neatly ties in with the opening scene of the movie.
A very smart, existential film with wonderfully-colored characters.
Subterano (2003)
This movie gives underground parking garages a bad name.
Once in a while I can pick up a pretty decent movie in the "previously viewed" category at my local video store. Subterano was listed at $1.99 on VHS. There wasn't anything in the new releases I wanted to see, so I thought, what the heck. Little did I know the horrors that awaited me in an underground parking garage. A major bore. While some may find gimmicky, little evil robots killing cardboard characters amusing, or worse, even cute, I couldn't stomach the banality of what could have been more invigorating concept. I was on the edge of my seat, the very edge, waiting for the story to somehow elevate itself from the urban depths. But it was not to be. It's all in the title, after all. This story was to play out in a parking garage and I'd have to just grit my teeth and hope there was going to be something decent on PBS afterwards to restore my faith in mankind.
Gattaca (1997)
Excellent script
I am guilty of not seeing this movie yet, but I have finished reading the script just moments ago. You can bet I'll be renting it soon. I feel very comfortable giving this movie a top-notch grade before a viewing because the story strongly parallels Victor Hugo's, 'Les Miserables', which is my favorite novel of all time. Andrew Niccol even names one of his characters Detective Hugo. Whether coincidence or not, both stories address the struggles of a protagonist who painstakingly covers his tracks to protect his true identity. In Jean Valjean's case, he is a convict masquerading as mayor. For Jerome Morrow, he's hiding his "in-valid" status and desperately trying to secure his position as a first-class astronaut. For anyone interested in reading movie scripts, Mr. Niccol doesn't disappoint. It reads more like a short story than your typical screenplay, something a writer/director can get away with since he's shooting it. For any Victor Hugo fans, I strongly recommend a look.