Reviews

Excellent example of quirky drama in the vein of David Lynch (from one of his more romantic settings that is). James Spader demonstrates his typical barely-held restraint as the male romantic lead, but the bulk of the achievement is held up by Maggie Gyllenhaal who makes the most of her first major billing with a sensitive and uncompromisingly brave portrayal as a lonely masochist who finds true love in a rather unconventional fashion (read: workplace-sanitised S&M; however difficult it may seem, do try your best not to let the "pervo" label distract you from a genuinely human story). A large part of the film's success also originates writing, direction and music which match the lead actors perfectly in balancing plot economy and emotional impact (or "bang for the buck" if you like). Rating: 8 / 10.

The Coens' first feature effort is about escalating mayhem stemming from an act of marital infidelity. Walsh is the deceptively ruthless private eye; Hedaya is the restive and hapless cuckold; Getz is the thick and hapless lover; McDormand is the wife with a deceptively strong survival instinct. This is a film where acting plays second fiddle to the story, with characters being mere pawns driven towards their respective fates by the grim, implacable plot. The script is frugal and flawless with the kind of personality that will appear in the Coens' later work. The music is fairly successful in setting the tone of the film, which is one of dark existentialism. Keep this gem handy for a rainy day or when life is getting a little too blissful and uncomplicated.

... it would be Planescape: Torment, bar none. Never has a computer Role Playing Game (RPG) - or from any genre if I may be so bold to argue - surpassed the level of inspiration that can be seen here. Storyline, sights and sounds are all executed to perfection. It is one thing to have a masterpiece in one's mind, but to turn it into reality as well is no small feat. And here's a result of one such success...

The story is quite simple in nature, but the implications complex and thought-provoking: You play the Nameless One, a horribly scarred character who wakes up with no recollection of his past (much less his present and future). Sure, been there done that, typical amnesiac fare. Well it is in a fundamental way. But if you've never experienced actually _playing_ such a character before, making all the decisions, coming to terms with the consequences, then this game will be an eye-opener.

The plotline of PS:Torment unfolds as you dig in further into your past, and as you do so, uncover characters who would either help of hinder you in your journey towards a destiny that slowly but surely becomes clearer and more life-altering (actually, it alters much more, say, several universes? Sheesh, you _did_ expect some world-saving action as well, right? Well then, you won't be disappointed...). And you as the main character is not the only one with any semblance of personality. Many of the characters you'll interact with are so three-dimensional you can't help but truly care about them (care to either hate and/or love, that's up to you); this is a refreshing change from the archetypical cardboard-cutout, "battle-fodder" companions of typical hack-n-slashers. The emotional impact of this process is heads and shoulders above most of its "role-playing" peers (the "smash-hit" Baldur's Gate included).

In terms of audio-visuals, PS:Torment scores equally well. The setting of this game - Planescape - is in a fantastic locale consisting of multiple planes, or universes if you like. In the game's own terms, what we call a "multiverse". Think of it as a collection of worlds, each corresponding to a specific set of beliefs. Heaven and hell and everything between, in short. But this is no old-fashioned quasi-biblical fable - your main character will be dealing with denizens - human, demonic, angelic, robotic (yes, you heard right) - who each will play a crucial role towards the success/failure of your quest. And the game never forgets to help you understand the grand scheme of things in this strange, fascinating land. You'll find that it's not all philosophy either - the artwork, music and sound impresses like no other in creating a totally absorbing world of its own. A memorable soundtrack coupled with superbly rendered alien landscapes are just a fraction of this game's strengths that by themselves would be sufficient for many other games to earn countless plaudits.

Would PS:Torment appease the hopelessly-addicted hack-n-slasher fan as well? Why not? Depending on its difficulty level, this game offers a variety of powerful enemies - in terms of quality as well as quantity - to test one's mettle against. But to be fair to fans of the more cerebral (or charismatic) approach to conflict-resolution, there's no shortage of non-violent solutions either. I'd say both options are equally rewarding. Take it from me as a fact: you can be extreme and kill almost _everyone_ you meet, or practically _no-one_ and still finish the game. Which gives even more credit to how well-thought out this game really is.

Are there gripes? Very little. With a plot so multi-faceted and full of alternate endings (much of it depending on whether you choose to be good or evil, lawful or chaotic - yes, PS:Torments allows the freedom to choose one's moral and ethical compass), it is understandable that not _all_ subplots get resolved in the most satisfying manner. But in the final analysis, they don't figure much at all. Remember the saying that only the journey really matters in the end? The main plotline engages the player enough to ensure that the momentum is carried all the way to its epic final act.

On a more technical note, the gaming interface is well done, though it may take a slight bit of time to get used to especially for newcomers to the computer RPG genre, particularly Bioware's Infinity Engine game series. Even then Infinity is considered by far one of the most user-friendly of interfaces. But once you're accustomed, most likely you'll get sucked right in till the end of at least another chapter. Or two. Or till the end of the game.

Overall, a solid, one-of-a-kind (Bioware has decided there'll be no "franchise" of this title) computer gaming experience not to be missed, especially by those looking for a perfect balance of role-playing action and thought-provoking storylines.

10/10 (mind you, this is the only one title that gets this rating from me, and there are already precious few 9/10's on my list).

Well-produced and well-acted, with Robin Williams as the standout (in one of his more consistently bearable performances). Essentially it's about some students who 'carpe diem' to varying degrees of success/failure. One overcomes shyness (well, sort of); one succumbs to parental pressure (in an eerie, overwrought, somewhat awkward scene); one gets his girl; one gets TWO girls; all participate in nocturnal cave meetings whose purpose I can't easily seem to relate to that of a poets' society (the dead ones would certainly turn in their graves methinks). Overall the story seems to have bitten off more than it can chew, and the final effect is one of dramatic indigestion. A better recommendation (and yet more Robin Williams) would be Good Will Hunting (1997). And if for some reason you're suddenly hooked on adolescents spouting poetry and wish to be punished, then go for Romeo+Juliet (1996). A weak 7/10.

One of those movies that aren't good enough, but not bad enough either to dislike whole-heartedly. The story appears to have potential (admittedly I'm a sucker for anything that ties the ancient with the otherworldly) but alas let down by a pretty abysmal screenplay. Now and then it borders upon the laughable (but far from the laugh-fest I had with "Kull The Conqueror (1997)"). The overall production smells second-rate (is it just me or was someone so unobservant or so lazy as to not do anything about that dirty camera lens??) for something produced in 1989. Saddest of all are the wasted acting talents, though they do a commendable job at keeping the whole enterprise afloat. An effort most definitely, but a weak one nonetheless that deserves a weak 7/10.

ps. Anyone care to speculate on what happened to Jordan's son? I guess someone, um, forgot about him during that "farewell" scene...

Joseph Cinque's rousing cry in the courtroom said it all, something so singularly gripping that for me it defines the entire movie. One may find points to praise or criticise in yet another one of Spielberg's distinctive "historicals" but few messages have ever been simpler or clearer: It's all for nothing if you don't have freedom! (if I may quote a certain Scottish patriot who was about as passionate). As for the rest of the film, pretty well-done actually. Solid 8/10.

Jason London in hindsight (to my abject horror I thought he was actually okay during the show) should be shot. Or, to be more faithful to the storyline (perhaps more faithful than the storyline was to the original mythology), he should have been drowned by Poseidon (what a disgraceful portrayal of a deity; that's nothing compared to the impotent clown they made of Zeus), smashed by the maw of the inlet, charred by the Mecha-Bull (anything's better than that god-awful sunburn), or just simply be skewered by Dennis Hopper in his Embrace Of Paternal Affection (tm). They both could then fall into the Pool Of Disintegration, along with that witch Media so that Jason's jilted rogue-friend could laugh happily ever after. Now *that* would make the few hours I spent even remotely as satisfying as the laugh-fest I had ridiculing Kull. My regret at missing The Odyssey grows ever more painful.

I sat through this whole sorry affair laughing now and then, most probably because the enormity of it all refused to sink in swiftly. But don't get me wrong: the film succeeded all right. Succeeded at making me feel that inhuman mixture of revulsion and amusement. What it did fail to do was to prevent me from seeing it as what it deserves to be: a story designed with little purpose other than to string together scenes of violence, stupidity, and cowardice... all under the facade of a "black comedy." I'll hand it a 5/10, which is as inexplicable to me as Peter Berg's motives for this hideous effort. Shame on you Cameron Diaz.

I don't fancy religion in movies much, but never has one (nor any other movie so far) put forward a more potent message regarding this topic. Flawed technically, but still comes out quite strong in the end. I just knew Tarantino was behind it somehow when Loki started doing his Jules Winfield thang... darn! (strong 7/10)

One of those rare gems to come out for a long while. This time a quaintly (well you guessed) beautiful film about some majorly screwed-up families. An 'Ice Storm' for the 90's comes first to my mind. Kevin Spacey was a solid performer as I had expected, carrying us through a potent tale about life, living, love, and most of all: letting it all go. (hmm, Thora Birch was also a deciding factor here... move over Christina Ricci!) A 1999 must watch. (strong 8/10)

Not the traditional horror flick at all. Certainly not scary in the usual sense... It's basically a psychological suspense-thriller based on the unknown; the obvious occult bits simply appeal to our tendency to associate the unknown with the supernatural (for all I care the antagonists could be a bunch of downright sadistic and smart pranksters). So the expected chills were there, but they were mainly lurking in the back of my mind while I found myself thinking aloud over their actions (at one point I was laughing with ridicule at the whole situation; now *that* was truly terrifying). Ending smells slightly of a cop-out, but would make good fan-theory fodder. Good film to catch, if only for the novelty of it (even if the nausea-inducing camera work didn't help the fact that I'd just had my meal) but by no means a great one. (7/10)

Envision the surreal psycho-drama of Being John Malkovich, pump in some testosterone overdrive and anti-establishment satire (and heck even a Sixth Sense twist at the end!) and I found myself in one of the downright craziest films ever. Also the soundtrack turns out to be one of the most distinctive along with that of The Matrix. Still I found it thoroughly enjoyable and deserves to be one of the must-watch titles of 1999. (A strong 7/10).

Firstly, it wouldn't be fair for me to compare this film side-by-side with its predecessors, at least not until all of the first trilogy have been released. It did take me a number of rewatches of Episodes 4,5,6 before I could confidently say that The Empire Strikes Back was my pick. The Phantom Menace is the introduction to an introductory trilogy, and I'm glad to have set my expectations to just that level. Things happen on a smaller scale here, so expecting a grand galaxy-saving plotline is most probably an invitation to disappointment.

Some have said that as a screenwriter Lucas's style is just space-opera, and in many ways that's true. Nevertheless any complaints on the drama aspect shouldn't be heaped upon Neeson, McGregor or the others. Overall I thought all of the actors did commendable work, considering the nature of the script. Jar-Jar and the Gungans were obviously characters created with light comedy in mind, but they weren't as irritating as I had feared (personally I would say that they're about one step up from the Ewoks). In any case, I have no real problem with this at all.

However the story per se is the main reason I watched the film. TPM has put together a pretty solid tale of the beginnings of the main characters, and executed it well. By now they should be adequately fleshed-out to deal with the many changes I'm sure will take place in the next two instalments. The Jedi mythology plays a large role here, with light being shed on many key aspects. Most striking of all is how it depicted Anakin Skywalker, so young and spirited. I had the strange impression that the Jedi Council's reaction to him, the looks on their faces, said it all about his future. It seemed that now and then the film hinted ever so subtly at his eventual fate.

As with the other episodes, TPM is replete with brilliant moments. For me the high point was the pod-race, where Lucas's inventiveness was at its best. Locales like Coruscant, Naboo and Tatooine were nothing short of triumphs in design production. Then there were the much-raved lightsabre duels, which I found to rival the best ones in the previous trilogy in both intensity and duration. My head had started to ache gloriously when it ended! Darth Maul didn't do much more than glower and fight but for this formidable villain, I'm grateful that his actions spoke louder than his words.

Two thumbs up to Lucas and the crew, whose sheer technical ambition alone deserves an award. Once again he's created a universe, a STAR WARS universe, that contains enough diversity, richness and depth to justify the special effects. Admittedly it's a bit overwhelming at times, but never stifling. More often than not my eyes couldn't help but scour a particular scene, just to appreciate the amount of detail put into them.

All I can say in the end is: well done. The Force is strong enough in this one. Now is the right time for me to raise my expectations. 8.5/10 (includes 0.5 of SW fan bias :) )

Tarantino's more visceral film-making ingredients are here, all pumped up to the max. Suit-and-tie baddies argue and BS each other regularly in expletive-laden conversations, with sudden outbursts of violence in between. Even in the resulting bloody mess of gunshot wounds and mutilation they still have to keep talking. Unspoken directives for them could be: talk, shoot/kill, talk, and perhaps get shot/killed in return. This kind of existence becomes almost an art form in Tarantino's hands.

Overall performance can only be good with a cast like that, and this should be more than enough to make Reservoir Dogs a classic for fans of Mr. T. Not bad, just feels incomplete, probably because this is a post-Pulp Fiction review. A tad above 7/10.

Non-generic storyline and British shag-humour sets this movie apart from the typical romantic comedy fare. The performances are good overall, even with Charles's many fumblings (or should I say *uck's and b*gger's) along his way to non-marriage fulfillment.

Being forced to choose, I would pick this movie as the lesser of the Star Wars trilogy. I agree that it's mostly due to the Ewok factor, but for me it's not the cute furballs themselves. It's the sight of a fully-equipped Imperial force being brought to its knees by a bunch of primitive antics that grates on logic. In a genre that calls for some suspension of disbelief, this is not too good -- bad even, for some viewers I suspect, so be prepared.

That aside, this is a more than competent conclusion to this chapter of the Star Wars saga. George Lucas continues to keep it all moving along with his vision (a rarity nowadays among sci-fi film-makers), and production-wise you can expect improvements over its predecessors. The best scenes are those revolving around the Skywalker Jedi legacy, the well-done space battles, and of course the final confrontation that sees a long-overdue redemption leading to the inevitable triumph of Good over Evil.

Despite its relative weaknesses, Return of the Jedi still stands as part of the one of the most accomplished and enduring trilogies yet. And it takes much more than a forest full of furballs to completely sink a Star Wars movie.

...in a way that only Spielberg could. Really, if the man wants to be realistic, you can expect reality. Nothing in recent memory can surpass the impact of that beach landing carnage. It's the hideous, laughing face of War personified, and seeing that is the most disturbing aspect of this film.

Unfortunately, I have to agree that the work as a whole seemed flawed. To put it bluntly, it's a story reminiscent of an episode of Combat (now that someone brought it up), plus some movie-scale battle scenes. All bound by that flashback structure. It all held together all right, but just a tad less satisfactorily. It's painfully (yet distantly) similar to what Titanic suffered from.

Nonetheless high production values, all-round good performances, and an undeniable capacity to put you "right there" in the middle of the action (the apprehension was almost unbearable during the early moments of the final battle) far outweigh the gripes. Heck I still ended up giving it an 8/10. That's a "Go watch it!" rating.

I never had such a good time making fun of a movie until this feature-length Hercules episode came along. Everything seemed to have been fished from the bottom drawer: lame flaming swords (gosh, could those be their attempts at light-sabres?), scrap-metal artifacts, second-rate hell-beasts, and an ensemble of clowns. All thrown in with that wannabe fantasy-epic intro. My friend and I were left with eyes watering and bellies aching from almost non-stop laughter. One of those flicks which are so bad they're actually good.

Chock-full of twists and turns till the very end, it's worth watching for its pure thriller value alone. One of the most potent mind-play movies in the recent past. I even developed a somewhat sickening sympathy for Scrooge Van Orton. Not that the plot leaves you with many others to root for anyway. Though I'm biased against suspension-of-disbelief stories in general, this one certainly has the makings of a first-rate thriller.