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Reviews
Ramona and Beezus (2010)
Fantastical!
This is a modern retelling of the beloved books. The writer's weren't PERFECTLY faithful to the original series, but they do things in a way that didn't leave me feeling dismayed or betrayed. Some events are out of sequence, or reworked, but done so very well and in ways that make sense.
Joey King is perfect as the exasperating and often misunderstood Ramona, struggling with her role as the middle child, often in trouble for just being herself. She doesn't do it on purpose (REALLY!!) she just wants to have fun and live her life.
Selena Gomez is the tormented Beezus, who when it comes down to it loves her little sister (she just wishes she wasn't such a, well, PEST!). Their chemistry together is remarkable, and they had me in stitches and tears, in the same scene.
If you have kids, or you're older and are a fan of the books, it's definitely worth the time and money.
The Marine (2006)
Painful to watch
I like military movies, and have wanted to see Cena in film, so borrowed this from a friend.
I found myself laughing in the most absurd places, and at times wondering if it was meant to be comedy/farce, not Action/Drama/Thriller. Seriously, the bad guy interrupts a call from a "business deal" and takes that turns out to be about his cable subscription, getting excited?! That is FARCE.
Cheesy doesn't begin to describe the film--it's like snippets of every bad movie ever made (and I swear I hear music from Titanic at one point! /sarcasm).
I'll give Cena a 9 for giving a good performance with a horrible written script. But really, if you just want to stare at Cena, watch wrestling. And if your aim is something a little deeper than that? Well... watch wrestling, because this isn't it!
Navy SEALs: BUDS Class 234 (2000)
The Real Deal!
Follows BUD/S class 234 through training. BUD/S is Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL, one of the most difficult training programmes in the US Military.
Originally produced for the Discovery Channel and released on DVD, this is a 3 disc set with 6 episodes (approx 45 min each, 2 per disc).
If you've ever wondered how SEALs become SEALs, this is the programme to watch.
This is real, unscripted, and raw. Men try and fail, try harder and succeed. Instructors, whilst mindful of the cameras, hold nothing back.
This series teaches us that It Pays to be a Winner!
Disaster Zone: Volcano in New York (2006)
Like a Bad Accident
You want to look away, but you can't. It was horrible- absolutely Unbelievable FX (um, yeah, intestines DON'T glow in the dark!).
The CGI could've been better done by a junior high schooler with too much time on his hands!
The ending was straight out of "Volcano" (1997).
It's so clichéd:
people with histories being thrown back together; gov't involved conspiracies; a small group of people saving the day, with a villain trying to thwart the heroes.
And of course, copy-catting a bigger film.
You don't have to have a big budget to create a decent film. Tornado! which aired on Fox several years ago was a Twister copy-cat, but was still half-way decent. At least I didn't laugh my way through that one.
Just Friends (2005)
Disappointing
There were moments of hilarity, but too few and too far between. All the funny parts were used in the trailers.
The cast does a fantastic job with a lame script, although the character Samantha was just ridiculously over the top.
I gave it a 4 for use of good looking guys, but my advice is wait til the DVD.
Ryan Reynolds (Chris) is a hottie, and it's hard to believe he played both fat Chris and thin Chris.
It did offer an interesting take on the 'friend zone' too. I hope to see him again in other projects
The Passion of Darkly Noon (1995)
The strangest and BEST movie I have seen in aeons
Brendan Fraser plays the role of a man who has lived under the severe guidance of hyper-religious parents. We slowly get to see him degenerate from a stiff, proper, 'perfect' Christian to a lustful, sexual being, and then into a person who has lost touch with reality completely.
The object of his passion is Callie. She tempts him, almost tauntingly, but at the same time obliviously. Her boyfriend, Clay, is played by Viggo Mortensen, in what I suspect is his only NON speaking role.
Viggo plays the role of a mute convincingly, showing us another dimension of talent. He uses body language, exaggerated gestures common to the mute, facial expressions, and a couple vocalisations in form of whistles and clicks, or rapping on an object. The vocalisations serve both as attention getters and exclamations to make a point.
At the end, after a fight with Darkly (Lee), Viggo's facial expression is the most menacing I have ever seen--and that includes his role in the recent 'History of Violence' Lee meets up with Roxy, part way through. We find out that she is Clay's mum, and holds a grudge against Callie, claiming she is a witch who ruined her family when she was brought into the household much the same way Lee was--an injured stranger.
Roxy is so convincing that I honestly expected to find out that Callie truly was a witch (in fact, I'm still not convinced that she ISN'T). Roxy's opinions don't help Lee's sanity any, and in the end, after a discussion with his dead parents, he totally loses it, and sets off to destroy the witch.
I was honestly confused by the ending, and am going to have to re-watch it to see if I get it again.
In regards to technical aspects-the music was perfectly selected and placed. There were a few instances where the camera used jerky, quick shots, changing angles or scenes (cutting back and forth from Lee to Callie or Clay, e.g.). It was perfectly done-other producers have tried those shots, but I usually end up feeling physically ill from the quick changes. These were just breathtaking.