Reviews

Dark City is the only Sci-Fi film I've seen this decade that had a completely original story. After seeing massively hyped no-brainers like Lethal Weapon 4, Armageddon and Godzilla this was really surprising. The first half of the movie reminded me of the classic film-noirs of the 40s and 50s, and the loud, adventure-packed second half brought back memories of Sci-Fi cults like Blade Runner, Total Recall and Eraserhead. The lead- Rufus Sewell- gives a pretty 2-d but wonderfully confused performance as the unlikely hero, and he is backed up well by Kiefer Sutherland's maniacal act and William Hurt's confident change-of-pace. But Jennifer Connelly is pretty stale, and the villains seem to lose their dark creepiness at the start of the movie when the director tells us more about them and adds heartful purpose to their evil terrorism. The special effects aren't as good as people say, just fresh and new. The end battle sequence was really hilarious and I think it was louder than the end explosion sequence in Armageddon. But the story was magnificent, and the edge-of-your-seat mystery and thrills are surprising for a film nowadays. Highly recommended.

An on-film miracle is the only words to describe this masterpiece of a movie. Peter Weir's dark insight into the world of television is more powerful than those classic films "Network" and "Broadcast News", in that it uses an imaginary, but starkly realistic story to show how people bring what they see on t.v. into their lives, overcoming their own personal lives. Jim Carrey does his best and succeeds in a great but non Oscar-worthy performance. But Ed Harris is the real star here, his role which contains only several minutes of screen-time represents the evil face of the media. His powerful performance really deserves at least an Oscar nomination, along with the overly underrated Peter Weir who has made four of the most original films of alltime now.

This is one of the most boring, unexciting, lame, worthless pile of dog heap I have ever seen. I know some overly stimulated people love this film for its emotional romantic story and great acting by 'Leo' and 'Kate' I can't help but feel this is less than rubbish. If this deserved best picture and most successful film of all time, I'm sure The Stupids and Godzilla deserved to be in the AFI Top 100 list. This has no meaning at all, and encourages stupid teens to steal girls from their fiances. I mean, who is the villain here if a poor try-hard gambling artist who seduces rich women and goes into a rich man's car and makes it dirty and makes her think not to marry the man she truly loves and wanted to get married with? That's either a very sick surfer-dude or ONE, DUMB woman. When he dies, he only makes it worse for Kate and basically ruins her life. She has no mother, no husband and no life anymore. It was that S.O.B. who made her live with her daughter in a haystack cabin 80 years later, if DiCrapio wasn't there she would have died happily rich and loved by her family.

Yes, James Cameron did a good job wasting his time here, he did probably deserve Responsible for the Biggest Mistake Ever, but he did much better in T2, The Abyss, Aliens and True Lies. Those films actually entertained me. And, Jim, you're NOT the king of the world.

The script was wonderful. Glorious is all I can say.

"I'll never let go Jack, I'll never let go..." (Rose lets go of Jack) -audience cries. oh jack. oh jack-

"Do you love him?" "Pardon me" "Do you love him?" "None of your business!" "It's a simple question." (Jack stares at Rose very angrily) -audience holds each other's hands, anxiously waiting for an answer-

Touching..

All in all, Titanic is one overrated pile of nothing which DOES NOT DESERVE its acclaim i'm telling ya. And to all you MEN out there who love this movie, what is this world coming to?

Coming from someone who has actually been to war, this is an honest and grueling masterpiece which has been under-rated for a long time. They say 'Ryan' broke all the rules for a war movie, go see this one then. Platoon's main villains are in the platoon, who brutally kill fellow soldiers and murder innocent Vietnamese including women and children just for fun. Charlie Sheen plays his best role portraying Oliver Stone in the war, who is probably the only director to make a war movie out of his own experiences. Tom Berenger and Kevin Dillon are the most menacing characters I have ever seen, the only characters I personally wanted to kill on film. To be a Vietnamese watching this film must have been an awful, mind-numbling experience: watching your own descendants get brutally mis-treated as in this movie. 'Saving Private Ryan' was a very good film, but sending the overused message "war is bad" is pretty old, but this film is the first to show how Americans were the real enemy. Did Oliver Stone get a medal for this?

True Lies is a massive pile of nonsense which has something in it most modern films don't have: entertainment. The totally ridiculous action sequences could have been lethal in the wrong hands, but James "king of the world" Cameron handled it very well, adding a little too excessive amount of comedy between them. Charlton Heston has a small role as Arnie's boss, but he could have been used a little more in one of his rare 90s appearances. Tom Arnold was a little over-used, but Jamie Lee Curtis' awesome performance just balanced the film to make it one of the best and biggest blockbusters of the decade.

Total Recall is the cleverest action movie I've seen in a long time. The story is more complex than Mission: Impossible, and once you get it, you are really glad and you really enjoy it. It's not as violent as people say it is, no more bloodshed than Die Hard and T2. It starts off as a futuristic Action/Thriller, then after two hours you are seeing it as an epic Sci-Fi/Adventure. Schwarzenegger really helps the film with his non-relaxed, confused performance. His corny one-liners however do not help the film. I don't see how this could produce a sequel, but I hope they do make one and Paul Verhoeven helms once more.

"The Mask of Zorro" is a delightful feast for the eyes. Romantic, funny and action-packed, this well-made adventure film captivated me and reminded me of the old Indiana Jones days. With a legendary hero you can always count on, this is perfect summer fare. The acting is extremely good for a movie like this, with Anthony Hopkins doing his best in his first action film and succeeding, Catherine Zeta Jones perfectly cast and glowing on the screen with charisma, and Antonio Banderas in his superstar-making role is probably the best Zorro on television or film. The villains are a let-down, but having an a-list like Alan Rickman or Jeremy Irons in the main villain role would somehow cause a spotlight-contest, and the villain might steal all the scenes, which is very risky in this type of movie. There are practically no flaws in the technical department, and Martin Campbell (GoldenEye) was well chosen over action-master Robert Rodriguez who might have spoiled the action sequences with his tendencies toward bloody, violent action (Desperado, From Dusk Till Dawn). The best part of this movie was there was no blood at all during the fights, and only a few people died- most were either punched by Zorro, wounded by his sword or just pushed off a horse.

This blockbuster is for all ages and all kinds of people. If you're a fan of charming heroes like Indiana Jones or the old Zorro, you would treasure this flic. Overall, one of the most enjoyable films I have ever seen and probably in the top 5 of the best action films of this decade.

I was pretty outraged at the racist jokes of "Lethal Weapon 4". For the first time in the series, there are more racist remarks than bodies dead, so I don't know if that's good or what. The action is still here, even more than the last film actually. But the acting is somewhat average for one of the most talented ensembles of the 90s- except the villain (Li) of course. Danny Glover's o.k; Rene Russo's pretty dull but innocent; Chris Rock adds some humor; Joe Pesci saves the day as always. But "ex-mad" Mel Gibson looks as though he REALLY didn't want to do another one, but I applaud him for being human because he doesn't really do that big of a job for 25 Mill. I saw the first and second "Weapon" again just 2 or 3 days before I saw this in a theater, and I am very amazed at how the title character has changed in 10 years. His jokes are still very corny, unfunnny and mainly pointed at his only friends (Pesci and Glover) but his mad temper and unpredictability exciting strength of the first film has really died out. When I saw the previews, I thought Gibson would be quite a match for Hong Kong martial arts superstar Jet Li, but I was wrong. When the two eye each other during their first encounter, every one of my friends who saw it with me could tell Gibson has deep fear in his eyes, even though they are just acting. Maybe this was in the script- I doubt it though. Still, five years ago, ol' Riggs would have spat on his enemy's face.

"Fallen" starts off like a "Se7en" type cop mystery with a simple plot based on a notorious serial killer and his execution which causes many strange murders around town, with clues leading straight to the same man. But then, the slow pace starts to build and the story begins to take shape, until the film completely turns around to become a serious religious-related good/evil story. Denzel Washington is perfect for the part of the angel cop who just seems to be at the right place at the right time, and find every clue there is possible to find. I must say the first half is boring, but the thought of rejecting and leaving this great storyline would have been outrageous. Unpredictability is the film's great weapon, and, after the film finally gets the complex meaning into the viewers' minds, the film has the freedom of choosing dozens of good endings. The ending is surprisingly and satisfyingly delicious, like the ending of "Devil's Advocate". Even the film's tenaciously slow pace is forgiven because of its wickedness at the end. Memories of "The Usual Suspects" creep up, and it's hard to let go.

Captivating viewing for loyal supernatural fans and lovers of good police mysteries.

"A Better Tomorrow III" is a desperate attempt to make some cash out of the legendary character Mark Gor, the three words before "III" in the title and the man they call Chow Yun Fat. It would have been somewhat more watchable if they changed this film to another chapter in the lives of Ho, Lung and Ken Gor but director Hark Tsui made the crucial mistake of making this a prequel: way back to the Vietnam war. Chow Yun Fat still makes another charismatic mark on the film but the action scenes are really terrible if you just watch this after something like Hard-Boiled. I would forgive it if it was Hollywood but, come on, this is Hong Kong! You should do better than this...

But non-fans of CYF and the BT series will be pleased with the character study of Mark Gor and the off-beat romance he has with Anita Mui. It's not a complete disappointment to mainstream viewers, but to loyal Hong Kong action fans: YES.

"Deliverance" is a true classic in that it always sticks to one scene to point out what's happening, instead of using quick cuts to build melodramatic sub-plots which Hollywood is well-known for. What could have been a major disappointment and a complete waste of time and money for the actors and the crew, is actually turned into one of the truly great suspense movies which is reminiscent of the old Hitchcock films. The cinematography, close-ups and long cuts make the movie very tense and frighteningly real. The scene when the group of four argue about whether to bury the body they unintentionally killed or obey the law and tell the truth is extremely moving. It makes you think what you would do in that type of situation, unlike other thrillers like "Die Hard" when you begin to trust the hero to do the right thing. In this movie, four ordinary, everyday people are pitted in the exact same situation: only the ones with the strongest wills and the biggest heart, will survive.

"A Better Tomorrow II", sequel to Hong Kong's most successful film of alltime, follows the continuing struggles of Ho, the ex-con, and his cop brother Kit, the good-guy who can never succeed because of his brother's reputation. Their teaming with Ken Gor -twin brother of deceased Mark- is really entertaining if you're a fan of the original. The action scenes when Ken protects his grieving uncle Lung from vengeful, gun-holding gangsters is reminiscent of the scenes in "Terminator 2", but then again, this movie was released before that one. The 20-minute scene at the end is really edge -of-your-seat stuff, with Mark, Ho, Lung and Ho's partner all using swords, axes, guns, fists and knives to kill hundreds of angry mobsters after they killed two of their friends. This is more of a fun moneymaker, using the first film's success to keep the careers of superstars Chow Yun Fat and John Woo going. Not an instant classic like Tomorrow 1 or The Killer, but worth taking a look at for people who've seen the first or enjoy watching Woo/Chow films.

John Woo's "Once a Thief" is a pretty entertaining movie which is original and clever like most other Woo films. It's mostly a suspense thief picture with lots of comedy mixed in with a romantic love-triangle and a little bit of Chow Yun-Fat/John Woo gunplay action of course. There is never any blood -let in this rather light film. I think John Woo wanted to tone down the violence and put more suspense/comedy in his well-known balance scale. It's pretty obvious when the usually trigger-happy Chow Yun Fat spares the life of a threatening gangster and kicks him out of a window instead. That might be along the "Die Hard" Hollywood terms, but for loyal Chow and Woo fans, it's very surprising. The storyline is one of Woo's most simple and innocent, but it set the film up for a couple of robberies which will grip you until the end. Leslie Cheung is dead serious and good as always, Chow Yun Fat is in his "Better Tomorrow II" mood: his lighter, more comedic mode which is somewhat more likeable. This mode is usually used for Woo's lighter, less serious films which don't need much acting. Chow's "Killer" serious mood is what made him famous for, but he doesn't suit that mood as well as this movie's character does.

In 1950, this movie would have been hailed as a masterpiece of cinema. People wouldn't care about critics and the unbelievable special effects then, and would care to be entertained. But this film was released in 1998, just over a year before the 2000th year after Christ. This film delivers what it's supposed to deliver: an effects-filled, 2-D character driven, entertaining action picture, and I can't imagine it any better at all. It would be blasted for its try-hard attitude if it decided to be more clever and try to put more research into the NASA part of the storyline. That ridiculous film "Deep Impact" put substance-over-style, and failed miserably in entertaining anyone. That film got better reviews than "Armageddon", but disappointed most viewers because of the dark, seriousness about the film. I don't wanna give the ending away, but any action film would be better off to have just a few heroes die than have the whole damn astronaut crew sacrifice their lives. Plus, no other action-packed film had a more powerful moment at the end of this blockbuster film (except probably John Woo's classic gangster pic "A Better Tomorrow").

John Woo's most brilliant achievement "Bullet in the Head" is probably the most harrowing, most thoughtful movie experience ever to come out. It has such a deep, powerful comment on human existence. It borrows the great prisoner-of-war scenes from that classic "The Deer Hunter", those horrifying war action sequences from "Platoon" and mixes all that with pure heart-pumping John Woo-style heroic bloodshed. It's three steps above "Hard -Boiled", two steps above "The Killer", and finally one step above the equally brilliant "A Better Tomorrow". It focuses on the three main characters, each who have a different view on loyalty and friendship, each who are willing to die for what they want to believe in. "Apocalypse Now" never looked so dull and pointless when I saw this film. This film won't disappoint fans of deep, clever emotional drama and character studies, but might disappoint those of you who couldn't stand watching "Saving Private Ryan" or "Platoon". I don't know why "Ryan" and "Platoon" got the recognition their did get. Sure, they had very tender scenes with eyes and limbs falling out, but, did they have any decent characters we could actually care about and compare to our life? No. "The Deer Hunter", "Coming Home" and "The Killing Fields" certainly had. Less body parts, more emotion. That's what counts.

Forrest Gump has probably the most original storyline ever told. Almost everyone I know has seen it and liked it one way or another. It is well known for its great biographical work, but it is better known for its story of the rising and falling period of America. It's like all the Oliver Stone films rolled into one, with a touch of romance and a humor which pokes fun at a time when no-one knew what the hell was going on with their country. I particularly liked the war scenes when it resembled many Vietnam War classics. But to put one genre summarising Forrest Gump, it has to be Romance, for the 40 year relationship between Jenny and Forrest has the most memorable scenes.

A Better Tomorrow is one of the most original, heroic movies of Asian cinema history. The movie started the cult-favorite genre of "heroic bloodshed" as they call it. It's no surprise that John Woo made another great movie here, but the drama mixed in with the usual Woo-type gunfighting was surprising. When I rented the film I expected a great action flick with my favorite actor and director teaming up. It's really a clever little movie with lots of emotion which all clashes in the heroic, bloody, tearjerking finale. The action is not as good as the classic melodrama The Killer or that underdog masterpiece of an action film they call Hard-Boiled, but the Deer Hunter -type drama that grips you and holds you still till the very end is really good.

Anyone who liked Face/Off or Hard-Boiled might enjoy this for its original action, but The Killer, The Godfather and Scarface-type fans will love it.

ARMAGEDDON is one of the most entertaining movies of all time. It's mix of heroism, humor, romance and action is well-blended and all this clashes at the end. The movie has its flaws, unbelievable premise and some characters, but the real goal set by director Michael Bay and creator Jerry Bruckheimer is definitely been scored. That other movie with a similar story, DEEP IMPACT was noted for its good substance and tense moments with the citizens of the world involved. That was a disaster movie, but ARMAGEDDON doesn't worry about the meteor hurtling towards earth but the action and thrills it takes to take it out.

NOTE: This spectacular film has the most inspirational and tearjerking moment since GHOST and GLORY.

With it's witty dialogue, simple and easy story, and the first class acting by sitcom television stars Helen Hunt and Greg Kinnear, and 3-time Oscar Winning silver screen legend Jack Nicholson, "As Good As It Gets" is the funniest and most intelligent- if pretty unrealistic- romantic comedy since "Pretty Woman." Nicholson has great fun as an obsessive-compulsive romance novelist, and has seemed to have matured just a little bit after nearly 30 years of 'bad boy' performances: Easy Rider, The Last Detail, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Witches of Eastwick, Batman, and Wolf. But, I would still bet on him to win a verbal and eye-staring rumble between him and Robert De Niro, Dennis Hopper, Peter Fonda and Michael Douglas. Hunt is extremely good but unrealistic as a lonely waitress whose son is really sick. But she plays the character as best as she can, and she has great screen-chemistry with Jack. Kinnear is probably the actor who steals the show not counting the humor. I'm sure everyone wanted Jack to shut up and put his glasses on when Kinnear told his engaging story about how his father gave him a "sweaty wad of money". That's real acting right there.

Steven Spielberg's Schindler's List is a reflection on how great this director is. His 3-hour painting of Oskar Schindler and his forever changing view on the Nazi rampage against the innocent Jews is simply the greatest film achievement since the simple secret of Citizen Kane is finally revealed in a magnificent, grand and intelligent way. The final scene in which a marching group of 11,000 or so saved Jews morph into real survivors (an in color vision) and the ceremonial funeral of Oskar Schindler showing the several survivors of the Schindler factory is a real marvel and a sign that box office king Steven Spielberg doesn't work just for money. Spielberg should be knighted or something for this movie, just like Schindler saved the Jews Spielberg let the Jews' pain and suffering be recognised and World War II be looked at beyond the view of the British and American army.