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Severance (2006)
Three jokes do not make a comedy
Three jokes do not make a comedy. Especially when combined with such horrific violence, torture and death. If this is a comedy then 'Saw' and 'Hostel' should be re-classified as comedies as well. I'm sure they had a couple of one liners in script somewhere.
Another problem with this film is that its woefully under cast. I'm pretty sure that if a major international arms manufacturer sent just one of its offices on a team building excursion they would have more than eight people and one person at reception. Why hire a coach at all why not just have a minibus? And what exactly was Danny Dyer's character's job description? Office junkie? For me this film was flawed from the start and then went down hill.
It looks like just another conceptually good but under funded British film.
Long Weekend (1978)
Superb but dated.
I saw this film when I was quite young and it scared the s**t out of me. I must have watched most of it through my fingers. This not because the film is a total gore'athon like most, 'so called' horror films, but because of the films unrelenting tension and suspense, supernatural elements and its ability to turn your own imagination against you. This is a skill a lot of writers/directors seem to have forgotten. Of course if you don't have an imagination then it won't work which is why a lot of horror films tend to rely heavily on 'visuals' and special effects rather than suspense and plot. Unfortunately the film was made in 1979 and it shows. This however, makes the film even more apt for younger people who weren't around in 1979 and are more likely to still have an imagination to torment. Unfortunately I've grown up now the imagination has dulled and I now know that reality is far more terrifying than any fiction. I have given this film an artificial 10/10 to boost it's rating to a level to which it deserves.
Save the Tiger (1973)
Quality all round.
'Save the Tiger' deals with one mans struggle to keep his business afloat in the cut and thrust world of ladies casuals in the early seventies. (don't laugh) I only saw this movie from half way through but as soon as I set eyes on it I could tell it was something special. It's the kind of film that has an underlying tension and pace where you think that any second something really dramatic is going to happen but never actually does. In fact, just as something substantial was about to happen the film abruptly ended. But I cannot put this into perspective as I did not see the whole film. Of course the it was worth watching just for Lemmon's performance alone, who was as superb as always. A rare, gritty, quality, American drama.
Twin Town (1997)
Whelsh tourists board's whoe.
This is a rare film indeed. Not only is it set in Wales but it's also a film born of a passion for the art of film making rather than profit making. The acting was excellent and the black comedy story line was gripping. The dialogue was littered with expletives but I guess that's how they talk out in the Welsh backwaters. The characterisation was inventive, I especially liked the coke dealing bent coppers and the compulsory inclusion of a Welsh quire. I don't remember seeing any sheep though. However it was a big mistake to try and market this film on the back of 'Train spotting' as it could have been marketed more successfully on it's own merits. As a result , most people have had to wait for it's terrestrial UK broadcast to discover this film gem. I'm sure a great deal of interest and debate will now resurrect this film in the rentals and shops. It's also important to note that this is precisely the kind of radical, raw, original, thought provoking material that the American masses are restricted from viewing as they are fed the constant diet of bland, formulated, self-censored, over-glossed, garbage Hollywood usually churns out. I feel their loss.
House on Haunted Hill (1999)
Time filler.
A lot of people have confused this movie with 'The Haunting' which came out in the UK around the same time. But don't make the same mistake as they are very different in quality. 'The House on Haunted Hill' is much the lesser film, having several aspects of it's under explained story line ripped from other horror films like 'Jacob's ladder' , 'Hell Raiser' and even 'Ghost'. The only originality coming from the 'amusement park' sequences early on. The film is also let down, and seemingly cut short, by and unimaginative ending. Of course the special effects are second to none but that's not saying much nowadays. The acting is adequate but the dialogue seems to contains a lot of unnecessary swearing sinking the film still lower and giving it an '18' rating.
A time filler at best. 5/10.
The Mummy (1999)
What you see is what you get.
This is a good adventure film by it's self but doesn't compare with the Indiana Jones trilogy. The Egyptian props and set designs were superb and probably even more impressive than the real thing. The pace of the story, although well thought out, was hectic to especially cater for young/short attention spans and barely left time to create atmosphere or character depth. Brendan Fraser was surprisingly good in the lead role but we will have to wait a couple of decades to see if he compares to Harrison Ford. The role written for Rachel Weisz was not pc but I suppose nothing was in the 1920's. The fight scene with the mummies towards the end seemed reminiscent of the skeleton battle in 'Jason and the Argonauts, but with more humor. Overall what you would expect from Hollywood including all the latest special effects. 6/10
The Matrix (1999)
Sci-fi perfection.?
Having read some of the reviews of this film on the imdb I felt there were some doubts over its quality but after a few minutes of watching it those doubts where blown away and I new I was in for a 'trip'.
As a piece of science fiction this film can only be described as a work of genius and proof that when it comes to film writing and directing two heads, or two Wachowski brothers, are better than one.
What makes this film so good is the mind bending concept in the story of a universal virtual reality, a very simple but effective idea which is portrayed to perfection by the smallest detail. The comic book origins of the sets provided the duo with proven material and they choose well. The outstanding and ground breaking special effects pushed the film to even greater highs and they even had the self belief to include marshal arts style fight scenes that any oriental director would have been proud of. All these elements came together to produce one awesome movie. My only criticism would be a possible continuity fault with some of the 'damage' accumulated by most of the characters.
It was a risk to cast Keanu Reeves in a lead role given the public attitude to his acting abilities but thankfully those abilities when not over stretched as you would expect with this type of film and he has done his career a favour. The rest of the cast were equally efficient.
This film is labelled as science fiction but it is also an orgy of violence and destruction given a positive twist with music and fashion, a death in cyberspace is still a death on-screen. I think it would it have been far better to have gone the whole hog and included more sex scenes, as was hinted at in the film. This would have made it an over 18 rating and a more rounded piece of work.
What is the Matrix.? The Matrix is what we can expect in our theatres for the next millennium. Cool.
8MM (1999)
An average thrill.
This movie is about a private investigator, played by Nicolas Cage, and how he is affected by a disturbing investigation into the murder of a young girl in a "snuff movie" shot on 8mm film. Given the plot and content of this movie you would think there would be plenty of explicit sex and violence but don't believe the hype, this is a mainstream Hollywood production and all the sex and violence is cleverly implied. Nicolas Cage turns in an adequate if seemingly subdued performance as his character becomes more and more depraved by the world of extreme porn but I think he is more suited to playing all action heroes as in 'Con Air' and 'The rock'. There is also a good supporting cast playing a range of sexual deviants but the character of Cage's wife is given very little depth and she is only ever seen at home with their child. The story line gives you just enough to keep you interested until the climax of the film but the plot becomes progressively flawed ending with some clichéd scenes. And for those who have seen the film, if Nicolas Cage's character was so concerned for the feelings of the mother of the missing girl, why did he not find out the location of her child's body when he had the chance? Surly this should have been his number one priority to relive her suffering.? Overall this film is about revenge and justification for murder prompting some interesting debate among the audience, but wait for the video release