Change Your Image
mrgroo
Reviews
Battlestar Galactica (2004)
Superb
This is a great series and has me totally hooked after only 1 or 2 episodes. The pilot mini series was promising and it has gone from strength to strength. Reminds me of what a modern Star Trek should be. Brilliant topical and thought provoking metaphors with the modern world and US political climate. This deserves huge success. I cant wait to see where this series goes and just hope it can maintain its high opening standards. It strikes me as being the best sci-fi series currently on TV. There are a few minor quibbles though - the biggest of which is that I'm not sure how good the female cigar chomping pilot is yet, but its only episode 2 or 3 so I'll give her time...other than that though i would rather praise the quality look of the show, the intelligent subject matter/issues delved into, the performances of the apollo and the captain (the president is growing on me too despite initially seeming to be drunk and spaced out all the time like she was in Donnie Darko), and the interesting cylon plot devices that have advanced the series beyond the more black and white moralism and simplicity of the original series.
Am Rande der Zeit: Männerwelten im Kaukasus (2001)
Superbly Compelling Documentary
This is a beautiful film about incredibly interesting people living in an unusual place. Tolz clearly knew how to get at the deeper emotions of his subjects and how to capture some truly extraordinary stories and lives on film. The film is full of touching moments as well as outrageously funny ones. Absolutely worth looking out for - an absolute gem of a film...don't be fooled by the poster that makes it look boring!
28 Days Later... (2002)
Scary movie
Scary movie. This film makes you jump many times but once you have got used to the formula about half way through you probably will start to hope for some meaning or message. If you do you will be disappointed...its just one of those movies that says 'all we have to do is survive' and that means killing a lot of zombies. There's some terrible acting from the young girl and some really offensive cliches that make most army types out to be potential rapists. The ending can be easily guessed and some of the supposedly poignant moments are just rubbish - watching some horses frolicking stands out as particularly pathetic. If you like shock/horror stuff then you will like this but its ultimately pointless throwaway stuff. Some nice effects considering how it was filmed but it does look cheap and rough.
The Pledge (2001)
Brilliant but depressing
A brilliant film, but it works so well that it cannot but leave you feeling gutted. Will never be recognised as a classic because the public don't want to remember this type of bleakness, even if bleakness and sadness has not been so well done since The Conversation.
The Thin Red Line (1998)
Probably the greatest film ever made
I find it unbelievable to read the sort of comments that have been put on the web concerning this masterpiece. Without responding to any particular comment: this film does not develop characters because that is part of the message; war embraces all men and crosses all socio-political boundaries - do I really have to know anything about a character to see the senselessness in his death?
Also, to suggest that the scenes depicting nature so beautifully are merely arty rubbish just highlights the ignorance of those commenters. By comparing war with natural beauty the film highlights the ridiculous extent man has gone to by ending life and destroying such beauty.
The film also breaks the mould in that out of the countless war films made this one has finally taken a fresh approach to dealing with death. Finally a film seems realistic when showing the reactions of men in a combat situation - my favourite scene being the silence and restless inactivity that proceeds the order to charge the enemy in a suicidal attempt to gain a ridge; it perfectly depicts the reluctance of sane men to take part in an insane war.
There is so much more I could praise this movie for but I feel as though my words would be wasted on deaf ears. This film is clearly a masterpiece - all one has to do is sit and think and reflect on the film as it unfolds rather than wait for the next action sequence or explosion. I rejoice at the fact that many people feel similarly to me yet I cringe when I hear the moans of action junkies and philistines.
Stakeout (1987)
Conventional Comedy Done Well
Quite simply a good film. No more, no less. It's conventional yet very well done. Good chemistry between the two main actors makes for an entertaining film despite the fact that it is nothing special; will be done again and has been done before.
Dog Day Afternoon (1975)
Cinematic Masterpiece
Surely one of the greatest films ever made-it's just a pity that no one has heard of it (though I can't think why).
Gripping stuff, it keeps you on the edge of your seat for the duration. Unlike other low rate suspense films though, this one has great dialogue, great performances (has Al Pacino ever bettered this?) and sharp witted social commentary with added bite.
Blood sweat and tears....this phrase has never been more applicable to a film. Fans of poor quality action based movies of the 1990s variety should check this one out; it proves that intelligent yet entertaining films can be made without compromising on either account.
Titanic (1997)
Over hyped American commercialised rubbish.
This film insults the intelligence of the viewer. Set both in the present day and, more obviously, in the past, the movie somehow manages to fall into the trap of over sentimentalising in both time periods. Worse however are the shocking amount of cliches that litter this film. Take for instance the 'nerdy' computer programmer who forgets that he is being insensitive to the survivor of the Titanic when he re-creates the accident on his PC. 'Saved By The Bell' had more subtle moral storytelling than this so- called film. If special effects, no realistic characterisation (or accents), and a poor script are your ideas of fun then watch it. Otherwise don't touch it with a barge pole.