Reviews

This is possibly the worst movie ever made, so naturally it's a must-see. The people who gave it a rating of 10 must be joking, or conducting some kind of experiment to see how individual votes affect overall rating. Best viewed with the help of MST3K... don't say I didn't warn you.

The film is essentially another version of Good Will Hunting, but with a different setting. One of these days, I hope people realise that Sean Connery is overrated - his sleepwalking through this film might just help some moviegoers see that. Busta Rhymes brightens things somewhat in a smaller role. Overall, Finding Forrester didn't scream "bad movie", but by the same token, nothing about it suggested "future classic" either. Gus Van Sant can probably do better than this. 5/10

To put it bluntly, the film doesn't do the book justice.

That's certainly not the fault of the actors involved, all of whom do a good job - or, in the case of the perfectly cast Alan Rickman and Robbie Coltrane in particular, an excellent job. Other acting heavyweights like Maggie Smith and Richard Harris bring necessary wisdom and presence to their roles, while obviously having fun playing the characters. Ian Hart makes a wonderful Quirrell. Daniel Radcliffe is well-cast in the title role, and it will be interesting to see how he develops the character in future movies. In general, the cast is well chosen and works well together.

It's a pity that Chris "Home Alone" Columbus was chosen to direct, and not someone like Terry Gilliam, Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Marc Caro, or Tim Burton... all much more imaginative directors, who could fully bring the wonder of the novel to life onscreen. To be fair, as another viewer commented, Columbus restrains himself from the outlandish slapstick for which he's known.

The problem with turning a book into a movie is that things like character development often suffer, as is the case here. Without the benefit of getting into Harry's head as we do on the written page, the story seems less gripping.

While certainly not unwatchable or even bad, it's definitely missing some... well, some of the magic of the book (sorry) as well as a lot of its wit. The performances and the visual effects make up for a bit of that, leading to a rating of 7/10.

The visual effects are nice, of course. There are some really cool fight scenes, but that was to be expected. Other than that, and my personal bias in favour of Ewan McGregor, there's nothing else I found all that great about Episode II. Here's what I did find: laughably bad dialogue, a complete absence of chemistry between the supposed romantic leads, generally poor acting, and a plot that I didn't care about. Having seen all the Star Wars films, most of them multiple times, I'd have to say the only one I liked less was Episode I. I'm not a huge fan of these movies, and now I finally understand why I don't get all the fuss. 4/10

Amelie is a charming, moving story with beautiful cinematography and wonderfully nuanced performances. Superficial bonuses: It made me want to wear clothes like hers, have hair like hers, and have furniture and an apartment like hers. This is the kind of movie that could appeal to a lot of people, and I hope that non-French-speakers won't be scared away by the fact that it's in French with subtitles. Though it seems trendy to love the movie, that also shouldn't deter anyone with a tender heart and a love of beautiful movies from seeing it. I love French movies, and this is one of the most enjoyable that I've seen. There's nothing out of place or missing from this film; I like it just the way it is. And to think, all this time the journos were scrambling to decide which *American* actress is "the new Audrey Hepburn"... 10/10

I'm sad to hear that this is the last of Kevin Smith's Jersey flicks, because I love these characters and almost feel that I know them. For me, this film was on the same level as _Mallrats_: funny, definitely entertaining, worth buying on DVD, but not on the same level as _Clerks_, _Chasing Amy_, and _Dogma_. It *is* great to see so many of the old characters again. There are a lot of truly funny in-jokes for film lovers, and you get to see stars like Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, James Van Der Beek, and Jason Biggs goofing on themselves and each other (my personal favourites were Gus Van Sant's and Mark Hammill's self-mocking cameos), but there isn't much meaning. Even _Clerks_, for all its snarky witticisms, had something to say. You could also tell that Kevin Smith knows his fans are mostly young guys, judging by the overly-long Charlie's Angels-style segments. I guess I'm a little disappointed that this last hurrah lacked the delicate balance of comedy and depth seen in his best work. I don't know what I was thinking; it's Jay & Bob fercryinoutloud. I'm still a major fan and can't wait to see what View Askew does next. 6/10

Why Mel Gibson trashed this film in the press, I don't know. Perhaps it's because he isn't the star, and he has few chances to grandstand. In any case, MDH has gotten an unfair tag as a boring film, an "odd little film", something not worth seeing. After finally getting to see the film after anticipating its release for over a year (since it never came to my town), I can finally say that this film was worth the wait.

Davies and Jovovich give good performances, and even Gibson is sympathetic despite early shades of "the bad guy". Jimmy Smits proves that his range extends beyond the type of roles he's usually given. Bud Cort appears in a small role, one of his more high-profile performances in recent years.

The excellent soundtrack (available in the US for months) includes music by U2, frequent collaborators Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois, and some vocals by Jovovich. Wenders has become almost as well known for his excellent attention to the way music and film can work together as he is for his filmmaking talent.

My only complaints: it's sometimes hard to hear what characters are saying (one scene involves Davies and Jovovich speaking with their hands on each other's mouths, making important dialogue difficult to understand), and it would have been nice to give more of a back story on these two characters.

This film is mystery, romance, comedy, and sci-fi rolled into one, with splashes of surrealism. First-time screenwriter Bono and co-writer Nicholas Klein have created a script filled with subtleties, surely resulting in the kind of movie that will improve with repeated viewings. 8/10

It's a beautiful (and too rare) thing to witness a child actor who can avoid the saccharine cutesiness so common to mainstream American child actors. In this film full of children there are, happily, no cloying, exaggerated "cute kid" moments.

The real beauty of La lengua de las mariposas is what's unspoken -- the truths that remain between the lines. The film's political theme is never heavy-handed, and its vivid and fascinating depiction of a turbulent moment in Spanish history has inspired in me a desire to learn more. Without spoiling the ending (which I read as fairly subversive, at least to an American audience), I must say I wasn't entirely surprised at what happened. It brought a tear to my eye and it's still making me think, three days later.

Those who liked this film should also see La Vita e Bella (Life Is Beautiful) and La notte di San Lorenzo (Night Of Shooting Stars), which are similar and may appeal equally, if not more.

For a different perspective of WWII, one should watch this essential, beautiful film. Of all the many pictures out there that deal with this tragedy, this is one I would consider necessary viewing. Amid the pain and tragedy of war, there are moments of poetry and beauty seen through a young child's eyes.

I saw this twice in its opening weekend, an unprecedented

feat for me. This was partially because I wanted to watch

Australian newcomer Hugh Jackman (as Wolverine) in action again. He's charismatic and has rugged good looks

(between Jackman and Russell Crowe, I wonder what's in

the water down under), but more importantly, he expertly

plays the most fascinating character. Even if he hadn't

essentially been the star, I think he would've stolen the

movie - from Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart, no less.

I've associated with enough X-Men fans that I was acquainted with Wolverine, Rogue, Storm, Xavier and Magneto, but I'm not a big comics fan and no one could

mistake me for an expert. That wasn't a handicap, because

the film manages to juggle many characters and situations

without being as confusing as one might think. I do wish it

had been 15 minutes longer, so we could've seen more history on Wolverine and Rogue, but perhaps the rumoured

sequel will do that. I'll be there on opening night again. 9/10

In yet another excellent performance, Oliver Platt teams with the also wonderful Stanley Tucci. The pair play two destitute would-be actors of whom Samuel Beckett would be proud. Every day, the two of them take turns acting out murdering each other. They nearly starve, but refuse to find other work. In order to feed themselves, they contrive a scheme that will net them some free pastries from a bakery. Instead, they get free tickets to see a play that stars one of their most hated rival actors. Plot twist piles upon plot twist, until the two wind up stowaways on a luxury liner. Far be it from me to attempt to do this complicated tale justice, but let me conclude by saying that fans of the golden age of Hollywood comedy should definitely give this film a shot.

As an admirer of the Almodovar films that I've seen ("Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!," "Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown"), I was desperate to see this one on the big screen. Just when I thought I'd blinked and missed it, I found it at the local arthouse last night.

Almodovar was already one of my favourite directors, but this moves him closer to the top of my list. As in "Tie Me" and "Women," he focuses on women here, both authentic and "authentic" (i.e. created) ones. Agrado (the transsexual hooker-with-a-heart-of-gold) seems to be both a critical and an audience favourite. I know I certainly liked her best in a movie of likeably imperfect personalities.

Oscar predictions give good odds to the film and its director, and I hope those predictions are correct.

The sociopolitical impact and importance of this film are well established, as are the brilliant performances of everyone in the cast (particularly Swank and Sevigny). I was ecstatic to see Swank's excellence rewarded with a Golden Globe, and I hope the Academy follows suit. I have nothing more to add that hasn't been said by everyone else, so I'll simply add my voice to the ranks of those who loved this film.

I found this film to be elegant and stylish, if a bit superficial. The dialogue is incredibly intelligent - almost too much so, but this is probably to be expected, given that the main characters are editorial assistants at a book publisher. UK-born Kate Beckinsale's American accent is quite impressive, and I've never seen her play a character this unlikeable, but she pulls it off well. Chloe Sevigny's performance is understated but fine. Mackenzie Astin has some of the most memorable lines. Overall, I don't think this would appeal to a mainstream audience, but its wit and a wonderful soundtrack are definitely in its favour.

Geoffrey Rush, as I had expected, was my favourite thing about this movie. Unexpectedly, I didn't mind Chris Kattan (in fact, he was one of my other favourite things). I didn't like Peter Gallagher, as usual. The rest of the cast I could take or leave - they were neither spectacular nor awful, though Famke Janssen fought a losing battle with the superior presence and talent of Rush. I was happy to see that this film owes more to classic horror films than to modern slasher flicks. It doesn't rely on flashy effects, but for a modern audience accustomed to eye candy, this may not hold gnatlike attention spans. I was genuinely "scared" by some scenes - in horror, it's the simple and primal that seems to affect one most deeply - but it's no screamfest. Don't go in expecting the tightest and thickest of plots; as with all movies, go in with an open mind, and you may find it very enjoyable.

I've seldom felt so blown-away after leaving a theatre... not coincidentally, another recent film that left me feeling this way also starred Edward Norton. Fight Club may be controversial, but that's probably because many people don't like looking too deep below the surface. As satire, as pure entertainment, as social commentary, Fight Club excels. It's not a smooth ride, and there may be some suspension of disbelief required to take it all in, but isn't that one of the things that fiction is all about? I hope this won't be ignored at Oscar time.

I'm convinced, after seeing most of Norton's films, that he is going to take his place in film history's pantheon of "the greatest actors of all time." (In my personal pantheon, he already has.) This is the sort of film that I eat up, given its human rights/politically-oriented theme and its somewhat bombastic script. (That's not meant in a bad way, despite what it may seem.) It's Norton's eyes that do it - witness his facial expression as he turns to face the camera, hands over his head, ready to be handcuffed. Compare that with his prison scenes, his reunion with his family, and his confrontation with his gang of skinhead disciples. I think you'll see what I mean.

As melodramatic as it can be, this movie is very entertaining and a much better reading of the story than previous film adaptations. This is one of my favourite monster stories, and DeNiro makes a good Monster. I loved the lush visuals. Certain death scenes truly shocked me. If you're looking for celluloid perfection, you aren't likely to find it here, but it's a good movie to consider for upcoming Halloween festivities (or any other time you want a good scary movie with a plot).

Diva is, for me, the ultimate in French cinema: A film whose hipness neither overpowers the plot nor withers with time. I have watched it many times, and I will probably watch it many times more. My favourite thing about Diva is the role that music plays in this film, and the way that it's used (it should get top billing). The titular diva is an opera singer who never records an album due to philosophical reasons. Her music, as well as other music is a living, breathing presence here, not to be ignored.

Perhaps I shouldn't listen quite so much to critical opinions. I had heard for years that this was the best film ever made. I heard this mostly from film critics and would-be film critics. When I found that my local arthouse cinema was showing the film on my birthday, I thought it would be a nice present to myself. I wanted desperately to love this film, but all the rabid praise heaped upon it over the years was just too much for this (or any) film to live up to. It wasn't bad at all, but certainly not the greatest film I've ever seen. I found that it dragged on for at least half an hour longer than it should have. I thought De Sica took too long to get around to what I interpreted as his eventual point. A slow pace and a dawdling plot don't usually bother me, as long as the characters themselves are interesting. Unfortunately, I found the father to be thoroughly unlikeable, and I pitied the poor kid (Enzo Staiola, whose performance was perhaps the best thing about the film). I find it hard to believe that this is considered by so many to be the best film ever.

I don't know that I've ever seen a film quite so emotionally true. Isa (Elodie Bouchez) and Marie (Natacha Regnier) strike up a friendship at work and decide to share the flat Marie is watching. These are two of the most fascinating characters ever to grace a silver screen. We see Isa grow into a compassionate, aware human being. Marie, in contrast, descends into bitterness and hate at the hands of a womanising club owner. Bouchez and Regnier shared the Best Actress award at Cannes, and deservedly so. The acting, the writing, the subtle camera work all add up to one of my favourite films.

I could watch these two dance for hours. That's the main attraction where Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers movies are concerned. The engaging plot and great original songs are just icing on the cake.

Rhys-Meyers may be the lead, but he's not the star. McGregor gives another heart, body & soul performance and, along with the wondrous Bale, he steals the show. The soundtrack's A1.

Joy, anger, love, hate... nearly every emotion other than indifference will get a workout from this film. Friends have long sung the praises of Roberto Benigni, and now the world knows him.

This is a wonderful film that showcases not only the music, but also a full roster of powerful performances. Every one is excellent, but it's the two most subtle of them all that steal the show.

Jane Horrocks has proven that she can be so much more than Bubbles, the airheaded secretary from AbFab. She's more than a match for every other powerful actor on the screen, and considering her co-stars that's quite an accomplishment. Her chemistry with the wonderful Ewan McGregor is remarkable; the story of their characters could have made a gentle, beautiful love story on its own, but as it is, their attraction gives hope for both of these gentle, quiet characters. I would've liked to see more attention paid to McGregor's character, but that could simply be because where McGregor is concerned, there can't really ever be enough.

Michael Caine is deserving of his Golden Globe. Showy as his role undeniably is, he never pushes it too far. This performance is another example of his versatility and his formidable onstage presence.

Brenda Blethyn has become one of my favourite actors since I saw Secrets & Lies; here again, she's a wrecked mother who lives in a dream world, but with added layers of violence and neglect toward her only child. She can speak volumes with her thickly-shadowed black eyes and an omnipresent cigarette. We never get the full story on her relationship with her late husband, LV's beloved father, but the tension and the words unsaid are brought to a boil in a key scene between Blethyn and Horrocks.

Come Oscar time, it would be wonderful to see Little Voice get some recognition.